Author's Note: Sorry for the delay…
Brenda and Ana were out of that castle faster than you could say, "batten the hatches". Both women were small, and not strong enough to carry the tall, muscular Trevor one at a time. So they both ended up carrying him all the way down to the harbor. Brenda had quickly changed into her regular clothes and had taken the little shoes she had worn before, thinking they would make nice shoes to wear around the house.
The Pearl's crew were waiting on their ship, expecting Trevor to come running with Brenda, instead of the other way around. She was relieved to see them and at once took Trevor down to see Roberts.
Ana however, had her own ship to attend to. "Thanks." Brenda said as they stood on the deck that led to both their ships.
She shrugged, "I had to help a friend…it was the least I could do."
"Aye, but you didn't have to." Brenda said, having a renewed respect for the Spanish pirate.
She smiled, "Well take care of that boy…"she paused, looking at Brenda, "They let you keep those for the ceremony?" she asked, fingering the cornrows that were still in.
Brenda smiled meekly, "He said I could as long as I had something covering them." She paused, sighing, "I have to get back to Trevor… and the ship…I've got a home to get home to."
Ana nodded, understanding, she stuck out her hand, which Brenda appreciated and shook vigorously. They smiled at each other one last time and both went their separate ways.
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With nothing but promises of not leaving each other, Jack and Gwyneth slept through the night. Gwyneth often coughing and waking up in the middle of the night telling Jack she was hot and to move away from her. And even then- they always kept holding hands.
Morning came and Jack was hungry. His stomach growled while he wrestled over to leave her to eat or not. He finally decided to leave when he heard the knock on the door. He sighed, and made his way down the stairs and to the front door. There stood Caroline and Matthew. Matthew ran to his father and Jack picked him up and hugged him while the boy asked about his mother.
"Caroline, please go up to our room…Gwyneth's still sleeping I do believe - just stay with her, will you?"
The woman nodded, "Happy that you've come to your senses, Jack Sparrow."
He sighed as she walked up the stairs and he went to the kitchen, hoping he could find something to eat without cooking it. He put Matthew down and asked, "You hungry?"
"No…Caroline fed me."
"Oh? What'd you eat?"
"Eggs and soup."
Jack's stomach growled even more at the mention of eggs. I love eggs…and Gwyneth makes the best eggs… He shook his head and looked around the kitchen. Bread and fruit. He sighed and got a plate and cut a piece of bread and then got a knife and an apple and sat at the table, starting to slice the piece of fruit.
"Is mommy dying?" Matthew asked, sitting next to his father.
Jack sighed and looked at his son. His dark hair was getting long and would need to be cut or be kept out of his face somehow. His brownish hair brought out his hazel green eyes. He looked so much like Gwyneth and Jack, like the two had been mashed together and then formed a living thing. Not a like Brenda, who had his hair and Beverly's eyes and features, his height and temper. Of course it was too early to tell how Matthew was going to turn out.
"No. I'm too stubborn to let her die."
Matthew sighed, "So she'll live through this?"
Jack nodded, "If I have any say it she will."
"But what if you don't have a say in it?" Matthew asked, not really sure what his father meant by that, but believing him completely.
Jack sighed, remembering his dream. She will not live through this without you. "I promised her I wouldn't leave, and she promised me. The way I see it, that's enough say for me."
Matthew stopped for a moment, watching his father peel his apple and then take a few bites of it and then a few bites of his piece of bread. Then he asked, "Will Brenda be home soon?"
Jack's shoulders sagged. That's right. Brenda. He couldn't even imagine how Matthew was walking, having to carry around all these things in his heart. "She'll be home soon."
"Will she get this from mommy?"
Jack paused, and looked at his son. He said slowly, "No…she's gotten it before. When she was about twelve…" the next part he choked out, "But you could."
"Caroline!" He bellowed as he picked Matthew up and ran to the stairs. She came out of the room and came down the stairs, "What is it?"
"I'm sorry, Matthew can't be here. I can't risk him getting Typhoid as well…I can't. Can he stay with you? And I'll come over every day or so to be with him and you can be here with Gwen…but he can't be here."
She nodded. And he was out the door, deciding he would spend the good part of the day with his son and then mornings and nights with his wife. "Don't worry Matty," Jack said, reassuring his frightened son, "I won't leave you either."
He nodded, "Where am I going now?"
Jack smirked, "Yer spendin' the day with yer papa…an' we're gonna find you a suitable hat…and maybe some breakfast for me."
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The Pearl was well on it's way home and as the sun set, Brenda handed the ship over to Dobson. Trevor ended up having a head wound, and becoming conscious about an hour after they set sail. Brenda told Roberts to put him in Jack's room when he came to, and the last time Brenda saw him was when he and Roberts crossed the deck to Jack's cabin.
Now, she took in a deep breath as she readied herself for this trip for guilt and humility. Something she thought she needed anyways. She knocked and then entered. She saw Trevor sitting up and reading one of Jack's book. He looked up when the door opened. The expression on his face was unreadable, though Brenda found it hard to hide her own feelings on her face.
She shut the door quietly and leaned against it, "Feeling better?"
He shrugged, "Whatever Robert's gave me for my headache, it's working."
Brenda bit the inside of her lip, "We're on our way home."
"That's a good thing…right?"
She nodded, "Why wouldn't it be?"
"You sound unsure."
"It's because…'cause of how you look."
He frowned, "I don't look that bad, do I?" He was being sarcastic, but the corners of his mouth didn't lift and his faced showed no sign of happiness or contentment.
"Look Trevor," she paused, what was she going to say? 'Thanks for kinda saving my life'. "Thanks for everything."
"Everything?" he said, repeating her, putting down the book.
She shrugged, "Aye."
"You ungrateful brat!"
"What?"
"I risked my life when I went after you, after you practically forced me to leave you there and now you tell me something so vague as 'thanks for everything'?" He shook his head, "Honestly."
"What was I supposed to say? Yes, you came for me, but you didn't really do anything except for almost getting yourself killed!"
He got off the bed and walked towards her, "So pretty much, I didn't do anything, is that what you're trying to say?"
She sighed, "No! I just…fine!" she said, throwing her hands up in the air, "Thanks for coming after me…I'm pretty sure yer the only person whose not related to me who would do that for me…"
He backed off, his anger going down, "Well when you put it that way…"
She nodded, "Because it's not like I was telling the truth."
"You were sending anything but mixed signals. I can't read rolling eyes and insults, Brenda."
She paused as he sat down on the bed. She crossed her arms, "I thought you could read me though."
He looked up. Vulnerability was written all over his face. And she was right, on many counts he had 'read her mind'. "But when you point a gun at me and tell me to leave…after I just told you…"
She shook her head again. Again Trevor saw that look of vulnerability in her eyes. "Why did you come in here, Brenda?"
"To see if you were alright…" she started off, and started pacing, "I mean, you were hit with a hilt of a sword…an' you could've been damaged greatly…since you were bleeding, an' I was worried… a little…" She was trying to avoid his gaze, but when she felt his hands touch her shoulders, she stopped talking, closing her eyes. "I didn't want you to leave…leave me."
Trevor sighed, "All those years ago…I didn't promise anything…you didn't say you wanted a promise from me." He said plainly.
"And you assumed…you assumed that I…" she paused, what was she saying? "You want Katrina?"
He removed his hands from her shoulders and crossed his arms, somewhat ignoring the question, "What we had…it's been a long time. Do you even remember any of it?"
She turned, hurt and anger mix with her words, "You think I would easily forget?"
He sighed, "So what do you want me to say? I've told you my feelings, and you have seemed to tell me yours, but back there - I had a feeling you changed your mind."
She looked up at his blue eyes, "I don't want to do this Trevor!" She said suddenly, backing up, "I don't want to live with these…these bloody feelings, with the constant yearning, the constant fear and wonder…I can't do it! I can't live like this for another day!"
Trevor sighed, he could only assume she was talking about she had experience with him, but to delve into her mind right now would be a mistake. "So now what?"
Brenda looked up, now what? How could she go back to what she was when she hadn't seen Trevor in three years? Could she go back to not caring about him? Had she ever gone back to that? But how can someone go back to what they used to do and used to be when so much had changed?
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A week had passed since Jack's decision about Matthew. Gwyneth had spent her days in the company of Caroline and Katrina, her nights with Jack. And each night seemed to be a struggle for the couple. Gwyneth kept having disturbing nightmares about being tied down, being chased or captured. And from what Jack and Caroline had told her, she could only figure that her dreams tied into the Typhoid fever she was experiencing. But the only question she had to that was, who was Nathan representing?
One day Jack came home early from his day with Matthew at the beach. Jack secretly kept a weather eye out for his ship, that hopefully held his daughter. But there were no signs yet. He came home tired and achy and wasn't sure he could go through another night with helping Gwen. But he knew he had to.
When he came and told Caroline he was here, she gave him a letter and told him to read it to Gwyneth soon. But when he got in the room, Gwyneth was sleeping. He sighed and sank into a chair, petting Suzie as she also dreamed.
He looked at the letter in his hands. It was from Beverly. Why would Beverly be writing Gwen? The question itched at his brain for a couple more minutes before Gwyneth finally woke up. "Jack?" she whispered.
"Right here, love." He said, grabbing her hand.
She smiled weakly, "How's Matthew?"
"Fine. Fine."
"Any word from Trevor or Brenda?"
Jack sighed and shook his head. Gwyneth nodded, expecting such. "Any news?"
He frowned slightly and held up the letter. Gwyneth squinted, "I can't see that, dear, read it to me."
Jack paused, she couldn't read that? Her eyesight was perfect, and the letter was only a couple of inches away from her face. He sighed, "It's from Beverly."
Gwyneth's body tensed and Jack felt it. "You want me to read it to you?"
She numbly nodded, hoping nothing would reveal what her letter had stated. He cleared his throat and started reading, " 'Gwyneth, dear I don't know what to tell you other than to hang in there and keep your thoughts on Jack. I realize that Nathan had a special place in your heart, but he's gone. Jack is your husband and if you are indeed thinking about Nathan constantly…then you need to focus your thoughts on Jack…' " He paused and looked at Gwyneth. She wasn't looking at him.
"Something you need to tell me, love?"
She coughed a bit and then looked at him, she looked so worn out and tired. "Nathan's in my head, except it's not Nathan anymore. He's hurting me and talking me down and trying to make me leave…you…"
Well whoever this Nathan was, Jack wasn't very happy with him. He folded the unfinished letter up and put it back into the envelope. "Nathan, that's a familiar name."
Gwyneth paused, had he forgotten? "Jack, it's only been a couple of years…"
"It's been fourteen love."
She frowned, time seemed distorted as she thought about it now. "He was the man I was going to marry. I was going to be Mrs. Nathan Swann…"
Jack felt like someone smacked him in the head, of course, he thought to himself. Memories of their first meeting rushed to his mind, "I'm so sorry, Gwen."
She shook her head, closing her eyes slightly, "Sorry for what?"
He swallowed and took her hand. Feeling like an idiot and swallowing his pride he said, "I thought you were bein' unfaithful…I heard you say his name during the night…I left…"
With her eyes still closed, she moved her hand up to his cheek, rubbing her thumb over his growing beard, "I love you…"
He closed his eyes, not imagining how in the world he ever ended up with someone so forgiving and loving. He sighed as he thought about his own imperfections and said, "I love you too."
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"I feel like an idiot."
"You're not an idiot, Your Majesty."
Phillip sighed, his advisors had been called to his room, he need to apologize to them about everything he had done in the past month.
"I have to apologize to all of you," he started, "You warned me about Brenda and the precautions I should take…and I ignored you. I am deeply sorry and I hope you will forgive me."
The men looked at each other and then looked at Phillip, "Of course, Your Majesty."
He sighed and nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Something wrong?" one of them asked.
"I thought…I thought she would be a good wife."
"If I could speak freely," another one asked, Phillip nodded and he went on, "She wasn't leadership material. She was a captain of a crew of miscreants and pirates, but not of people, My Lord."
He smirked, knowing what the man meant. He was right however. Brenda was a pirate. What was I thinking? He asked himself. But he knew exactly what he was thinking. He was thinking about how beautiful Brenda was and how her spirit and personality flooded Phillip. He sighed again, praying that where ever she was, she was happy.
I'm waiting for blood to flow to my fingers, I'll be alright when my hands get warm, ignoring my feelings will help… Brenda paced her cabin, thinking to herself, brooding. It had been a week since she had talked to Trevor in his cabin the day they left Spain and she had just gotten back from an argument with him.
It had started out innocently enough. They had passed each other on the way to and from the galley. She said hello politely enough and he said it back, and suddenly they were in an argument out on deck. Still, she wasn't too sure what had happened, but as she started to unclench her fists, and the blood circulated quickly through them, she started to replay the whole thing in her mind.
She had gone down to the galley before the feeding frenzy started just so she could get some food in her system before she took the helm again. With a telescope you could barely see an island in the distance and she was so eager to get home. For two reasons, to see her family and to get away from Trevor.
When she finished, she started going up the stairs to the deck, but running into Trevor made that simple task very difficult.
She had paused, "Hello…"
"Hi." He responded back.
"Feeling better?" she asked.
He shrugged, "Well enough to get out of bed." His eyes weren't on her, that much she remembered - but she couldn't be certain, since she wasn't looking him in the eye either.
She had cleared her throat and said, "Well try the soup, it's good."
"It's the only thing we have to eat, isn't it?" He retorted.
Brenda paused, "Yeah, I suppose." But something in that last comment had bitten her. "Sorry my crew ain't good enough for your kind of food."
"My kind of food? What is that supposed to mean? The only thing I eat out on the sea is soup and bread! Same as you!"
She rolled her eyes, "Didn't mean to offend you, apologies."
He had paused, she remembered that much and she finally looked at him. His eyes looked…unwavering. Like they were focused on one thing, and from where he was looking, the thing they were focused on was her. "Something I can help you with?"
"Eager to get home, Brenda?"
At that, the only thing she remembered doing was screaming. In deep aggravation. She hadn't remembered releasing her anger in such a way since she was in Port Royal. She stormed past him and up to the deck, hoping he would leave her alone.
He didn't.
"What is with you?! Am I that bothersome?"
"YES!" She shouted, turning around. "Yes, yes, yes! You are…morally, ethically…religiously, positively bothersome! Just leave me alone!"
Trevor had paused, crossed his arms and looked at her for a minute before saying, "Have you ever considered getting a pet?"
Brenda stopped. She blinked once and then tried to focus her gaze on him, he had a look on his face that acted as if he was trying to hide a smirk. "What?" she whispered harshly.
"A pet might bring your tolerance level up…I would hope so…you wouldn't shoot it once you got annoyed with it, would you?"
She had paused again, staring at him, wondering if he was insane. What is he doing? Then he had said, "Sorry, please go on with your rant."
No way in… She shook her head slightly once and backed up one step. This seemed familiar. He had done this to her before when she had blown up at him. He distracted her and then told her to keep going, but by the time he told her to keep going, her anger was gone. "You're impossible!" She yelled, and then stormed off to her cabin.
Now, she's still there - pacing. The strangest feeling seemed to come over her when she had gone back to her cabin. Her fists were clenched, and she was still trying to calm herself down from the anger that was coursing through her veins, but she felt odd. Instead of feeling hatred towards Trevor, it was the exact opposite. She found that if he had remembered how to distract her anger and to, in a way, calm her down and bring her senses back, then he felt more for her than she thought.
Surely he didn't mean he loved me, she had thought earlier, but now she wasn't so sure. And she wasn't so sure of her own feelings- did she love him? Did she truly love him? Not just because she thought he was going to die in Spain, but did she think that because she truly did?
Brenda didn't want to think about it right now, but only because she knew the obvious answer.
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Step, step, turn.
Step, step, step, turn.
Step, step, turn.
Jack could see Will standing in his way if he were here right now.
But he wasn't.
No one was here.
Jack had woken up during the night, right before he and Gwen had had a talk about the child inside of her. He went to go brush Pearl and fed her and let her run around a bit before putting her back in the small stable. Then he took Suzie out to the water's edge and let her walk with him for a good hour before going back home.
Now he stood outside his and Gwyneth's door pacing. The baby. Was there a baby? Jack shook his head. This would be a good time for Will and Elizabeth to come through the door, or even Caroline, someone he could talk to. He needed to tell his wife of the risk of this sickness. Not only to herself, but also to the child.
But just as he was wishing Elizabeth and Will into his front room, his front door opened. Jack stopped pacing and remembered it was the middle of the night. Who could it be in the middle of the night? He looked towards the door and started coming down the stairs, "Caroline?" It must've been something with Matthew, or she wouldn't have come.
"Dad?"
Jack stopped. He hadn't heard that voice in over two months. "Brenda?" he whispered into the darkness as a figure followed her in and shut the door. He groped in the darkness to find his daughter and when their hands touched, Jack felt his spirit renew. "Bean…" he breathed as she quickly made it into his arms. Jack felt Brenda practically rip his shirt off trying to tighten her grip around him. This was probably the first time she had displayed physical contact with him in front of someone.
Brenda sighed and breathed easier as Jack's arms covered her back. Being in his arms felt like coming home. She had been so glad to be here, she didn't care what time it was, she just wanted to come home. Come back to a life she knew and loved.
They pulled apart soon and Jack recognized the other figure as Trevor. They had a quick hug and Jack thanked him quickly. Brenda hastily asked, cutting him off, "Where's mom?"
Jack paused, "Uh…sleepin'…"
"Can I go wake her?"
He bit the inside of his lip and looked at his daughter, "I think it would be best if you didn't, Bean."
Brenda's spirit dropped, "Why not?"
He sighed and motioned for the two to follow him. He quickly lit the lights in the kitchen, and told the two to sit down and listen. Jack quickly ran through what was wrong with Gwyneth and when she had gotten the fever. He told them what the doctor had said and how long it might last. He told them where Matthew was and why he wasn't in the house. Then he asked Trevor, "Have you gotten Typhoid?"
He shook his head, "No, my brother did when he was really young though, mother sent all of us out." He was almost afraid of telling Jack the truth, afraid he wouldn't see Gwyneth for a long time more.
Jack sighed, "You know what I'm going to say…"
"I know…I'll go over to Dobson's. He mentioned something about waking up his wife…and Matty will be glad to see me anyhow…" He nodded and threw a last glace at Brenda and quickly left the house.
Brenda watched him go and then focused her attention back on her father, "So? I don't have to leave, do I?"
Jack shook his head, "But there's something more…"
What more could possibly go wrong? She thought to herself as her heart wrenched from her mother. Bracing herself, she awaited what Jack would say.
"Gwyneth believed herself pregnant…but the doc said she might lose the babe."
Author Thanks:
Dawnie-7: Well it's not really Nathan…persay…but…well it'll be completely explained…soon. And it was kinda explained in this one…but yea. Yea, I like Ana Maria, so I had to add her in…somehow. Yea, I'm kinda getting depressed thinking about this ending as well…
Kuramasgirl556: Uh, thanks. Which of your stories would you want me to read? Because I'd love to…
ThePinkPanther: YOU'RE BACK! AHHHHH!!!! I've missed you. I was just thinking the other day when you were coming back…and now here you are! I like romantically sappy…stories! And movies! Lol…but not too much. I haven't gone over board, have I? Ohhh I didn't even think it was sappy…just emotional. But if you say it was a good thing….
Emma436: Never fear! The emotional-packed roller coaster continues! And will…trust me. I wrote it. But that's how I like it… I'm sorry. I over looked your reviews. Of course you like the idea of the wedding being broken off…how clumsy of me. Yes, I may not write romantically happy endings…but at the end of all my stories, everything is okay. The baby…you'll find out about the baby next time…until then.
Piper8188: Again, I see you have out done Emma, but I think that's only because she was at a loss for words…but that's OKAY! Long reviews are always appreciated…especially from people who don't usually write long reviews. Oh dear…I've already written the chapters dear Mal…the baby's fate is set in stone…but you don't know if that's good or bad… It looks as though you enjoyed yourself throughout the chapter…I'm glad. The breaking up the wedding, the fighting, the leaving…the everything! Awesome. I'm glad you liked it. Heh, like you, I also know the feeling of haunting memories…I think that's partly why I put it in there. Whether you left someone you've cared for, or someone left you, everyone has felt that…definitely. Again, glad you liked it.