Usual disclaimers... pah!

Apologies for the sudden death in the last chapter – but he had to die and the manner of his death is all down to Ani Sparrow!

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Chapter 63 – To Tortuga

Bessie looked around the cabin, spotting her daughter in a cut off barrel next to the bunk. Obviously the men had made some attempt at a crib for her. Gently she picked her up, unsurprised when she started to cry. "Hungry are you again?" she smiled, reaching to pull the drape across the side cabin as she slipped the top of her dress down and settled down to feed her daughter.

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It was there that Jack found her, curled up on the bunk around their daughter as the child slept. He smiled as she looked up. "We're safe now," he assured her. "D' yer want t' show me our daughter..."

Bessie glanced down at her child, assured that she was still asleep. "I haven't named her," she admitted. "On Saba it is the father's place to name a child..." She looked at him expectantly as Jack crouched down, peering closely at the child. If he had been fascinated when the child had been within her, the fascination had increased now that he could see her – the tiny perfection that was his daughter.

"I've always been partial t' th' name Pearl," he said quietly, fearful of waking her.

"You'd name our daughter after your ship?" Bessie protested.

"No... I named m' ship after m' mother!" Jack countered. "Therefore little Pearl is named fer her grandmother... an' with that colour hair it is a perfect name fer her!" He beamed in delight. "Pearl Sparrow!"

Bessie shrugged. It was a pretty name, although not one she would have chosen. "And what would you have chosen if she had been a boy?" she asked.

"Why Jack of course!" he beamed, cringing as the newly named Pearl woke. To his relief she did not cry. "D' yer want t' show her off to th' crew? We won't reach Tortuga until t'morrow..."

"Tortuga!" Bessie gasped. "Not there again!"

"It'll be yer home now Bessie," Jack informed her sadly. "I can't run th' risk of th' navy finding yer again. Yer beautiful hair is too noticeable I'm afraid." He leaned across and kissed her on the forehead and then the lips, wishing he could do more. "I've bought yer a house and assured yer safety," he said.

"And if I don't want to live there?" Bessie frowned, wondering what he meant by assuring her safety. She decided she did not want to know, reasoning that it sounded like pirate business... and that she would leave to Jack.

"It's not open fer discussion Bessie," Jack countered. "Next time we might not be so lucky. Yer made me promise t' be there fer yer an' our child... an' th' same promise binds yer too!" Sadly Bessie nodded. She knew Jack was right although she would almost have returned to Port Royal than live at Tortuga. They had been lucky. Jack, Henry or one of the crew could have been killed and it had only been luck that Robert Gillette's shot missed her. "That's m' girl," he grinned, kissing her again on the lips. He leaned across, brushing her pale blonde hair from her face.

"Captain?" Henry Holt stood just outside of the doors to the main cabin.

"What?" Jack protested. He had been thinking of locking the doors and spending some private time with his wife and from her response to her kiss the feeling had been mutual.

"The crew are asking to see Bessie," he said, "and your daughter!" Not many of the pirates had seen the baby as Joshamee had brought her aboard and immediately ordered the ship to be made ready to sail. All the crew were all eager to see her and her mother.

"Alright!" Jack sighed, offering Bessie his hand. He leaned close to her neck, nibbling as she turned to pick up Pearl. "But t'night yer are mine Mistress Sparrow!"

Bessie blushed as she turned to face him. "I thought you'd never ask," she teased, delighting in the beaming smile on his face as he offered her his hand. She climbed off the bunk, hugging him tightly before turning to pick up Pearl and following him onto deck.

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It was not until hours later that Jack managed to get his wife and child back within the privacy of the cabin, locking the doors firmly behind him. "Well Bessie..." he grinned, hopefully eyeing the bunk. "Alone at last!" He removed his weapon belt, untying his sash.

"Not totally," she smiled, looking at Pearl in her arms. She was fidgeting and Bessie suspected that she was dirty again. "I need to change and feed Pearl before I can go to bed," she sighed. "Can you get me a bucket of water..."

Jack frowned, unused to coming second in her attentions, but one whiff of the contents of her nappy were enough for him to encourage Bessie to see to their daughter. He stood well clear until he deemed it safe. "How long does that last fer?" he asked worriedly.

"About three to four years," Bessie admitted ruefully, laughing as she saw Jack's expression. "Oh don't worry... it gets easier!"

"I'll take yer word fer it!" he said.

"Water?" Bessie pressed.

"Alright!" Jack unlocked the cabin doors, returning a few moments later with a bucket of seawater, locking the door again behind him. Bessie shook the contents of the nappy down the head before washing it clean. He watched with interest as she slipped his old shirt off and started to feed Pearl. "Now that looks more like fun!" he grinned.

"Jack!" Bessie protested.

"Alright, I'll leave yer alone... fer now!" he teased, waiting impatiently whilst she finished feeding Pearl, burping her before crouching down to lay her in the barrel-crib. As soon as she stood up he pounced. "Mine!" he grinned, wrapping his arms about her and leading her backwards across to the bunk. His hands found her trousers with almost indecent haste before quickly shedding his own clothes. "I've missed yer Bessie!" he groaned, hoisting her onto the bunk before joining her. Any mumble of protest was stifled by his lips, kissing her deeply as his tongue roamed her mouth.

Bessie smiled. "I missed you too Jack," she said quietly, kissing him back.

He grinned, working his kisses down her body and back again, spending time many minutes inspecting her engorged breasts. For a moment he sucked, his eyes teasing before placing a large love bite high on her breast. "Mine!" he declared.

Bessie giggled, wrapping her legs about him. "Oh God, I've missed you!" she sighed.

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There – you happy now... they are back together!