Liy@h: Do you realize you're the only one who figured that out? Jack makes a brief appearance, here, but mostly it's Melia, again. Sorry.

Lady Bee() : Yeah...Babies are lovely.

Raine: So you got it too. Tell your brother thanks a million times for me for naming the baby! And I reviewed your story.

SayDee27: I maybe moe people caught on than I thought...I'm glad you liked the chapter so much. It was very difficult to write.

jeyke: Grusome, that's one that hasn't come from you before. Suspense is my specialty dearest, I can't help it!

Chapter 15:

"Mitty? What day be it?" Jack asked, glancing up from the slop on his plate and taking a swig of rum.

"Well, Cap'n, methinks today be...Monday, Sir." Jack choked on his rum.

"Monday?"

"Aye, there be a problem with it bein' Monday, Sir?"

"It's just earlier than I thought, mate, that's all."

"When d'ya 'spose we'll port in Tortuga, Cap'n?"

"Methinks in the next few days or so. Depends on the weather."

"Aye, aye, Cap'n."

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Fifteen minutes later Melia woke from her short sleep, er, unconsciousness.

"Treva?" She murmured groggily.

"Aye, luv?"

"What...How...Where's..." She frowned and shook her head as if to clear it. "My little girl? Where is she?"

Treva bit her lip and turned her head away. This was not going to be easy.

"Melia, luv. The baby...It didn't...didn't live--"

"What?!" Melia shrieked in horror.

"She, you were right, it was a little girl. She...she didn't make it. She wasn't even born alive, luv."

"She...my...little girl? Didn't live? Wasn't born....alive?" Melia's eyes went completely vacant for a long moment.

"Can...can I see her?" She finally whispered.

"The girl? You wants ta see 'er? O'course luv." She popped her head out the door and yelled for Lies.

"Yes'm?" Lies poked her head in, eyes puffy, nose red, and voice trembly.

"Melia wants to hold her baby." Lies nodded and pressed a hand to her month to stifle the sob that pushed at the back of her throat.

"Of course. I'll be right back." A few minutes later she reentered the room a tiny, tiny bundle in her arms.

"Here she is, Melia. A right purdy little thing too." She tried to smile halfheartedly, but failed miserably as she handed the little wrap over to Treva before backing out of the room. Treva looked down at the precious bundle in her arms, and then at Melia.

"You're sure dearie?"

At her urgent nod, Treva placed the already stiff baby into Melia's waiting arms. Again there was silence for several minutes as the mother looked tenderly upon her baby for a long time. Melia felt her eyes cloud over with tears as she unwrapped the blanket from around the baby. After several minutes, she spoke, her voice choked with tears that she refused to let run down her cheeks.

"Look at her, Treva. She's perfect. Everything's all there. Every little finger, every little toe. Even her eyelashes. And she's so tiny. Even smaller than I'd imagined." Tears were streaming down Treva's face, but Melia managed to keep hers in check.

"Aye, that she is. Like a little pearl." Melia looked up from stroking the cold, smooth cheek.

"What'd you say?"

"She's perfect, lovie."

"No, after that."

"A pearl?"

"Yes, that. She is like a pearl, so small, so beautiful."

"Like 'er mother." Melia smiled a bit.

"It's true. And that's what I'll name her. Pearl."

"Name her? Dearest, are you sure that be wise?"

"Are you suggesting that my baby, my little girl, will just be put in the ground, no gravestone, no cross, no name, just to be forgotten by all?"

"If ye insist, Melia. If ye insist."

"Thank you." Melia leaned back on the bed of pillows behind her and continued stroking her baby, her Pearl.

"Is there anything that fits her?"

"No, luv. Even the smallest things ye made wear too big on 'er." Melia nodded.

"Of course. Would you fetch that small trunk in my room at the end of my bed. Please?" Treva nodded and left the room.

Melia looked down at her tiny baby.

"Hello." She whispered. "My precious little girl. I'm so sorry that you didn't live. I wish I could've done something...Anything. I tried darling. I really, really tried. I'm so, so sorry. I don't even want to think of all the things we could've done. You could've done. Why didn't you wait? Why? I wanted you so much! But you're in a far better place than I could have provided for you. You'll never be in pain, you'll never even know what pain is." Melia blinked back the flood of tears that suddenly surfaced in her eyes. "But I so wanted to hold you and comfort you when you cried. I wanted to wipe away you tears. I wanted to tell you that...that Momma was here and not to worry, you'll be fine. That I'd take care of it" Melia reached up to wipe away her tears. "I wanted to help you get dressed for your first ball. I wanted to give you everything that I could, precious. I wanted to hold you until you fear asleep in my arms. I wanted...I wanted." She dissolved in tears as she hugged the cold, stiff bundle to her chest. "I wanted you, Pearl. My Pearl." She whispered into the fringe of dark hair. And that's how Treva found her. Clinging to her Pearl, sobbing.