Usual disclaimers... blah!

Sorry for the delay in uploading, but the school break is over after today and my son will be back to school - hopefully normal service will resume from now on.

Thanks for all of the reviews... you guys are the best!

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Elizabeth waited until the crew had gone before turning on Catherine. "Alright Kitty - the truth! I know you and Theo don't have an Aunt!" She looked at Rose and then back to Catherine. "The truth!"

Catherine glanced warily at Jack who wryly nodded. "She is m' mother," he said quietly, "but I trust that will go no further?"

Elizabeth gasped and Will looked at the woman in shock. Theodore quietly nodded to himself as things gradually made sense. "As far as anyone is concerned she is our Aunt... it would be dangerous for Rose if her real name became known," Catherine warned.

"And how did you come to flee London with Jack's mother?" Elizabeth pressed.

Catherine shook her head. "Some things are still private Elizabeth... as far as all are concerned Rose is Rose Shill, my mother's sister..."

"And if others start to ask?" Will worried.

"Then we will have to discourage them," Catherine grinned. "Savvy?"

Will looked at Elizabeth, a smile breaking across his face at his wife's horrified expression.

"And where exactly is Rose going to live?" Elizabeth demanded. "You cannot expect her to live on the Black Pearl!"

Will put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "I guess we will just have to get another bedroom built on," he suggested. "It would make sense for Theodore's Aunt to stay and help him raise Charlotte..." He looked towards Rose. "If that is alright with you Mistress Rose?"

Elizabeth had the grace to blush, realising how their conversation must have seemed to Rose. "I am sorry," she apologised.

"It is no problem," Rose smiled. "It is nice to see a family squabble normally..."

"Even if it is somewhat strange extended family," Catherine laughed. "You must excuse Elizabeth, Rose... Jack seems to delight in finding people or animals for her to care for - from the girls, kittens, a puppy..." She turned her head, smiling at Jack. "You haven't bought a monkey yet... have you?" she winked.

"No monkey!" Elizabeth protested. "I'll take anything and anyone, but no monkey!" She looked at Jack. "The girls can share until we get something built... if Jeremiah is coming today perhaps you could ask him to send the stonemason out to us?"

Jack nodded. "Jeremiah Hallam is one person we must keep yer clear of Mother," he warned. "That man hoards secrets like others hoard gold..."

"Yet his son knows me..." Rose ventured.

Both Jack and Catherine shook their heads. "Isaac is crew - and discovered it accidentally. He will hold his tongue even against his father," Catherine stressed.

"Well perhaps we'd best give yer a tour of th' Pearl b'fore he arrives?" Jack suggested. "An' give me a chance t' show off th' other lady in m' life."

"You can take Billy and Eilis then!" Elizabeth looked pleadingly at Catherine. "At least give me a chance at least to cook a meal for tonight to celebrate your return..."

"I'll go find them," Catherine offered, kissing Theodore on the cheek as she turned to leave.

He hugged her. "I'm glad you're back," he smiled. "The place is too quiet without you!"

"Speak fer yerself!" Jack retorted. "It's been nice havin' th' bunk all peaceful..."

Catherine looked at Jack in disbelief as those around the table chuckled, before catching the grin starting to spread across his face. "Louse!" she thumped him good naturedly, sprinting out of the house.

"Coward!" he laughed, running after her.

"You'd best follow them," Theodore smiled. "They might remember you before they dunk each other in the sea..."

"Are they always like..." Rose exclaimed.

"No," Will interrupted. "Sometimes they are worse!"

Rose walked out onto the beach, still marvelling at the golden sands and beautiful seas. She looked around for Catherine and John... no, Jack, she reminded herself. An indignant squeal followed by children's laughter turned her head and she saw Catherine spluttering as she was thrown in the sea.

"You'll pay for that Jack!" she threatened, splashing him as she propelled herself backwards in the water out of his reach. Rolling lazily onto her front she started swimming for the ship.

"Oi!" Jack shouted after her. "What about 'elping me with th' boat?"

"Row it yourself, you lazy sod!" Catherine shouted back, laughing, already more than half-way out to the Black Pearl.

Rose came and stood beside Jack and the children. "Does everyone get that treatment?" she asked warily.

"Oh no," he smiled. "You I will row!" He offered his mother his hand, helping her into the ships boat before pushing off with help from Billy and Eilis. When the boat was floating he lifted them in before finally climbing in himself. "You two gonna start t' learn t' row?" he asked hopefully, sighing when both shook their heads. "Yer just can't get th' crew anymore!" he complained, picking up the oars himself and rowing out to the ship. "Call yerself pirates!"

"I'm only a little pirate!" Eilis retorted. "Rowing is for big pirates Jack!"

"She has you there!" Rose smiled, watching as Catherine climbed agilely onto the deck, shouting orders to the crew to rig a bosun's chair. Rose looked up as the hull of the Black Pearl loomed above them. "She is a large ship..."

"Fastest in th' Caribbean," Jack proudly boasted. "She'll even outrun a frigate if pushed..."

"I heard about that!" Rose frowned. "All the way from Singapore?"

"Nah," he grinned. "More like th' Sunda Strait... ah, 'ere yer go!"

No sooner had they bumped against the hull than Billy and Eilis were out, scrambling up onto deck as quickly as Catherine had. Jack looked up gratefully as a bosun's chair was lowered over the side. He helped Rose sit on it. "Hold on tight," he warned. "They won't drop yer!" He held the boat steady as she slowly lifted skywards, swinging smoothly up onto the deck. He threw the line from the boat up to Ned before scrambling up himself, relieved to see that Catherine was already showing his mother around and calling her Aunt Rose for all to hear.

"Why don't yer show Aunt Rose our cabin?" Jack suggested, opening wide the double doors for them. "An' yer can get changed," he added, his lips twitching.

"Without your assistance!" Catherine laughed, turning to kiss him again as she brushed his shorter hair with her hand. "I take it Mister Wells made an appearance?" She smiled as he nodded. "Well, I am sorry it is late, but I guess you can still have your anniversary present..." Catherine reached into the small purse she had tied tightly to her belt, upending it onto the table. Soaked and useless peppercorns littered the surface, but she carefully picked through them for a small, brilliant gem. "Here," she smiled. "I'll plait it in for you if you like?"

Jack looked at the object in disbelief. "Yer got me a diamond!" he gasped, inspecting the hole drilled through the gem.

"Well I was going to give you the peppercorns," Catherine smiled, "but I guess they were ruined at Portsmouth!" She took his shortened plaits and wove the gem into his hair. "Happy late anniversary love," she grinned.

Jack wrapped his arms around her, belatedly remembering she was soaked. "Euch! You're all wet!" he moaned, trying to disengage his hug as Catherine wrapped her arms tighter about him, standing on tiptoe to kiss his nose.

"And whose fault is that?" Catherine laughed. "Why don't you show Aunt Rose the cabin and I'll get changed..." She turned to Rose who had been watching the two of them closely. "Excuse me a moment Rose..."

Catherine slipped into the side cabin, pulling a clean white shirt and her leather trousers on, brushing and replaiting her wet hair. She strapped her sword on and tucked her own pistol into her waistband. "Better!" Jack leered as she returned although Rose looked shocked at her appearance. The trousers that Isaac had obtained for her in London had been loose and ill- fitting whereas these were, well, rather snug. "Now that's what I call trousers!" Jack wrapped his arms around her, his hands possessively holding her bottom.

"We are meant to be showing Rose the Pearl..." Catherine prompted, wriggling out of his grasp and turning to her. "Would you like to see the galley and below-deck?"

"Can't blame a man fer tryin'!" Jack protested. "Haven't seen yer fer months!"

Rose stood silently watching them, scandalised by their behaviour but also envious of their obviously close and happy marriage.

Catherine paused by the doors. "Whose fault is that?" she teased, pushing the doors open and leading Rose out onto the main deck. "You're the one who left me stranded in Cape Town!"

"Hey!" Jack argued. "I didn't ask th' frigate t' turn up!"

"Excuses, excuses..." she laughed, waving her hand airily in imitation of Jack. She caught sight of a small sail clearing the headland. "Oran's back!" she called, leading Rose down into the galley.

Jack looked over the rail at the small boat heading towards them. "You sailed here... in that?" he gasped, but Catherine and his mother had already disappeared and did not answer. "Oi!" he climbed down behind them. "Oi! You sailed 'ere in that?"

"I didn't exactly have much choice Jack!" Catherine explained. "It wasn't as if I could buy passage with Mary and Louis there, was it? And that was the largest boat I could handle alone!"

For a moment Jack was speechless, thinking of all the things that could have happened to them in such a small boat. "Don't you ever do something that dangerous again!" he ordered. "Dammit, half a storm in that thing and you'd have been lost!"

Catherine patted his cheek as she stood on tiptoe and kissed him. "Yes Captain," she smiled. "Whatever you say, Captain."

He glowered at her with mock severity, unable to stop the slow grin that crept across his face. "Serves me right I suppose fer teachin' yer," he smiled.

Oran poked his head around the doorway. "Are we partying tonight Captain? I'll be headin' t' see Sanchia shortly an' can arrange things..." he said hopefully. "Now that Kitty's back an' all..."

Jack shook his head regretfully. "Nah, best arrange it fer t'morrow night. Yer can see Scarlett an' th' girls too. We've th' meetin' with th' Old Man today an' I want yer here fer that!"

Catherine laughed at him, teasing. "You can always sneak off later Oran! I doubt that she'll hang you for being a few hours late... and it will give her the chance to sort out a barman for the Bride for tomorrow night for I'm sure Kasia will want to come as well"

"And Abby!" he laughed in return. "Although with her, Eilis and Billy running riot it might be quieter in Tortuga!"

"But not half as much fun," she teased.

"True!" He leaned through the doorway, hugging her and kissing her on the top of the head. "It's good to have you back Kitty!"

"Oi!" Jack moaned. "She's back barely half an hour an' already yer kissing her!"

"Your imagination Jack," Catherine smiled, winking at Rose as Oran walked off, innocently whistling out of tune.

"Is that the man you spoke about in New Orleans?" Rose asked, yet again scandalised by Catherine's behaviour.

"Yeah," Catherine grinned. "He's kind of like an honorary big brother... but shouldn't we continue with the tour Jack? We don't want to be here still when the Old Man turns up!"

"Aye!" Jack agreed. "This way then an' we'll do a tour of th' gun deck, sick bay an' if yer really lucky Kitty will demonstrate th' brig!" Jack grinned at Catherine cheekily.

Catherine glowered at him but led the way down the stairs to the lower deck. He would pay for that comment later, oh yes he would.