Author's Notes: Okay, I really, really need a baby name for Melia's little girl. No boy names, it's going to be a girl. End of discussion. So when you review, send in your favorite (or just one you like) name and I'll decide which one I like best, savvy? OH! Almost forgot, sorry I did mention anyone in my last chapter, the computer I was using was NOT my regular one and it majorly screwed my chapter up, so I just had to upload it the way it was. SORRY TO ALL MY DARLING REVIEWERS!!

Heather: *blushes* Thanks...

Lady Bee: *blushes even redder* I'm glad it's different, different is good.

Raine: I know, I know. But it sounds good doesn't it?

2nd review from Raine: Elizabeth...hhmmm. Might 'ave sumptin dere. Rainey the Rogue Pirate Girl!

3rd review from Raine: Whoops! I'll fix it when I get a chance.

Jeyke: Repeat after me : Nagging is bad. Nagging is bad. Nagging is bad.

2nd review from Jeyke: Length is not important. Length is not important. Length is not important.

Master Lizard: Love your penname. I'm gonna try to throw Barbossa in a bit, not quite sure how yet, but I'm going to try.

Chapter 13:

Mitty glanced nervously at the captain. Never before in all the years that he'd known Jack had he ever seen him so...disconnected. Not when his father had brought him onto a ship for the first time when he was not even yet six. Not when his father had refused to acknowledge him as his son. Not ever. Ever. Jack had been, was one of the strongest men he knew, and being a pirate he knew many strong men. It wasn't good to be disconnected when you were a captain. He of all people should know. That set you up so perfectly for a mutiny. Mitty shook his head and gave the captain another glance. He was just standing there at the helm, listlessly steering them on to Tortuga.

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Melia began to load some empty plates onto the already heaped dumbwaiter. Finally it was time for her evening shift to end. Finally after what seemed to be hours upon hours of waiting tables and taking orders and dishing up what some called food she could go to sleep. Sometime around midday her stomach had begun to hurt like nothing she'd ever felt before. Automatically she had thought it was just something she'd eaten, but now she wasn't so sure. She pushed the dumbwaiter into the kitchen and went to her room, not even bothering to say goodnight to the Lies and Meg.

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Jack stared a the map laying on his desk, trying to figure out a way to make the distance between himself and Melia shrink. Not such luck. It'd be almost a month before he got to her. At least he'd be there by the time the baby was born, almost two and a half months early actually. He dreaded the thought of the baby being born. He knew that after it was, it would only be a matter of time before Melia left him, for good. There was no point in asking her to reconsider. If was just her, things would have been different, so different. But she had a baby to think of as well and no matter how much Jack wanted to, he couldn't forget that important factor. There was someone else who depended on Melia and she would do everything in her power to make sure that child had the best of everything, and he knew that without a shadow of a doubt. Her little girl would have everything a child could possibly desire. It hurt him that he could not be part of her life, but what could he do? What could he say to change her mind? She was being logical. He had no way of knowing if she returned his feelings for her. No way at all.

He would write her and give his consent. He pushed down his pain and opened his desk drawer to withdraw some paper. Which reminded him that she had asked for him to send her some of her supply she said it was in the unlocked trunk. He sent down the quill pen and went to the other side of the room to where he had stacked her trunks up after he'd deposited her in Tortuga. The one that didn't have lock on it was on top. Good luck on his part. He pulled it onto the floor so he could have better access while digging through it. Melia had said that she didn't know where exactly the paper was, but to dig around in the trunk until he found it. Indeed the trunk was a conglomerate of at least a hundred books and cedar boxes containing who knew what. He picked up the first box and shook it lightly. The rattle of pencils met his ears. He set the box aside and picked the next on up. It had ink bottles in it and it joined the other box on the floor. His next choice when rattled made little sound and so he determined it was indeed paper. He opened the box and withdrew about ten sheets before going back to his desk. He decided it wouldn't hurt anyone if he took just a few more sheets of paper for himself, in case he ran out. He lifted a sheet out and saw that it was written on, he set it down and took the next sheet out. It too, was written on. He looked more closely at it. It was a letter, he read the first couple of lines. A love letter! It wasn't in Melia's handwriting either. He studied the over flourished letters and decided whoever wrote it most definitely was a eunuch. Too many curlicues for it to be anyone else's. He doubted even a woman could write with so many frills and fancies.

My dear Melia,

It will not be long until I can be with you once again.

Your very presence is intoxicating. I can't believe I've lived

this long without seeing your face. I could ramble on and on

about your virtues, your wonderful qualities, your beauty,

but I want you to finish this letter and be able to answer me

by the time I'm once again with you. Marry me, please, marry me.

Love, love, love

Mark

There was another letter behind it which he begrudgingly read, afraid of what he'd see.

Melia,

I did not realize you felt that way

Please forgive me for any discomfort I

may have caused you.

Mark

Jack smiled and chuckled softly. If he knew Melia well, which he did, he could only imagine how sweet and tender she had been when she reveled her true feelings for the poor man. About as sweet and tender as a shark. Poor man. He glanced briefly at the other letters, all of which were in a completely different hand. This writing was strong and self-assured. Very masculine compared to the other's, but rather gentle as well. He read over the page, amazed at how easily the man had written to her, as if he had known her for life and they were simply tow friends chatting by the fire. Signed Jonathan, her betrothed. The easy chatter didn't last long. After a few pages the letters became much more flirty and finally flat out love letters with rather lusty lines that made his blood boil. He was calmed slightly when Jonathan apologized for letting his emotions show. Jack wondered what Melia had said to that. He wasn't able to predict what Melia had retaliated with, because frankly, he'd never been put in such a position. He didn't know whether to be glad or not about that. After he had finished the packet of letters, he walked to his desk, slightly dejected. There was no doubt in his mind of how much they had been in love. He looked over the letters again and shook his head, how was he supposed to compete with that? He decided to go to bed and not to finish his letter tonight. There was just no point.