Usual disclaimers – but Merry Christmas anyway!

With thanks to Kat, PirateAurora, lexie, Dramaced, beatlechicksteph, Tru Spirit, Orlando's Hot Chick, Mrs Depp, Pendragginink,Ginny, A Depp Girl and Hilary for her editing and thoughts.

Kat, more scantily clad Jack here…

Dramaced, I will never be able to type a scene with Jack and his drums without getting pervy thoughts now! ;)

Pen, I really don't know how you do it! You come up with funnier and funnier reviews – thank you!

Just to clarify things, Jenny is around six months pregnant.

I won't be uploading another chapter on Sunday, so I'm afraid you will have to wait until next Wednesday…

Merry Christmas to you all!
…

Chapter Eighteen: 'It seems the infamous Jack Sparrow can no longer hold his drink…'

Jenny woke alone in her bed the following morning, having insisted that Jack return to the party once he had seen her back home. She dressed in a loose shift and padded downstairs, not having the stomach to face food just yet. 'I wonder if Jack is conscious yet?' she mused, smiling to herslf. 'I doubt it, somehow…'

Her thoughts turned to Patience. She had noticed she and Shay having an argument at the party and then they had both stormed off, Shay to go and get blink drunk and Patience back towards her house. Jenny had debated whether to go after her friend, but knew from experience that the young woman didn't always like talking about her problems and besides, Jack was just starting to get romantic at that point.

She opened the shuttered windows and noticed Patience walking past, obviously having been into town to buy some things. She frowned as she noticed the pale, drawn complexion of her friend and her red-rimmed eyes and wonder what the cause was, but assuming Shay was at her house, decided not to intervene.

…

Shay sat up and groaned, holding his head gingerly, convinced it was about to fall off his shoulders. He crawled to his knees and finally managed to stand at the fourth attempt, at last starting to understand Jack's swaying gait as he tried to walk. He brushed sand off himself and slowly started to walk towards Patience's house, wondering why he had slept on the beach that night and not in her bed, and why he had got so drunk. He liked his drink but rarely got into this state.

Shay knocked on her door quietly, the noise reverberating around his head, jumping back slightly as the door swung open suddenly.

'What?' Patience all but spat at him, glaring crossly.

'Ah! Bloody hell woman, don't shout,' he pleaded, holding his head once more. He frowned at her obvious anger but could not understand the reason for it.

'Patience?' He followed her in as she stomped back inside. 'What's wrong cailin? What happened last night?'

'Well if ya can't remember then I'll not be remindin' ya!' she snapped. 'I remember everyone wanted ter dance wi'ye an' I remember us movin' away from th'party...' He looked agast at her silk dress discarded on the floor, its laces cut. 'Why is yer beautiful dress thrown away like a rag? Patience? What happened after we moved away from th'party?'

'What happened? I'll tell ya what happened! Ya left me an' by th'look of it went an' got blind drunk, that's what bleedin' happened!' Furiously she scooped up the silk dress, scrunching it tightly in a ball.

'Patience...' he warned, not liking the dangerous glint in her eyes, then diving for her as she went to throw it on the fire, both of them landing in an undignified heap on the floor.

'Get off me!' she cursed, lashing out as she burst into tears.

'What th'hell has got into ye woman? Why would ye want ter destroy th'dress?' Shay stared at her in bewilderment, dodging her flailing fists. 'Patience, will ye please tell me what th'hell is goin' on.'

'I'll never wear th'bleedin' dress again. Now get off me!' Reluctantly, Shay rolled to one side, still holding her. 'What happened last night Patience?'

'Ya started spoutin' about marriage an' all that,' she hissed angrily.

'I asked ye ter marry me?' he gasped.

'No ya bleedin' didn't ask me, ya just assumed I would. An' I asked fer time ter think about it,' she defended. 'Ya didn't even give me a chance ter say more b'fore ya stormed off.'

'Oh… ah, bloody hell,' he cursed as he recalled the argument they had. 'I thought ye didn't want me. Do ye? Would ye marry me if I asked properly?' he enquired tentatively.

She looked at him awkwardly, sniffing. 'If I ask fer a little time, yer ain't goin' ter storm off again?' she said cautiously. 'This is happenin' too fast fer me.'

'Why darlin'? Ye give yerself to me, doesn't that mean that ye want ter spend th'rest of yer life with me?'

'Why do yer want ter marry me? Do yer fear I'll get with child? There are ways ter prevent that, if that is what yer afraid of. Although havin' a child unwed is not unusual in Tortuga,' she mused.

'I wouldn't mind yer getting' with child. I want ter marry ye because I love ye,'Shay declared, moving to a more comfortable position on the floor, where they still were.

'I don't understand ya Erinman,' she frowned. 'How can ya be so sure ya want me? We've only known each other just over a month.'

'So?' he argued. 'Ye don't have ter know someone fer years an' years ter know that ye love them.' He rose, helping Patience to her feet before sinking to his knees, looking up at Patience. 'Will ye marry me, please?'

For a long moment Patience could not speak before she took a deep breath. 'If ya really think ya want me, then I'll marry ya. An' get up off th'floor, yer great oaf. Ya don't have ter grovel.' A ghost of a smile played about the corners of her lips.

'D'ye want me?' Shay asked.

'Yes,' she nodded slowly.

'Are ye sure? Ye don't seem ter be…'

'I said yes, didn't I?' she sniped. 'Or do ya want me to say maybe an' ask fer some time ter think about it, so ya can storm off an get drunk…?' She pushed him away.

'Have ye ever seen me drunk before cailin?' he demanded, starting to get angry himself. 'I only got drunk because I thought ye didn't want me, that I meant nothin' to ye.'

'An' that was because ya were too pig ignorant ter give me a chance ter finish what I wanted ter say!'

'Well I can't help it if ye fly off th'handle at th'drop of a hat,' he shouted, standing, albeit gingerly.

'An' I didn't see ya drunk yesterday, because I was asleep, up there. Alone!'

Aye? An' who's fault was that?' He grabbed the dress from her, lest she carried out her threat and ruin it and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

Patience sat down on the bottom step of the stairs and burst into tears, hugging her knees, wondering how it had all gone wrong so fast.

Shay stopped at the end of the path, in two minds, until he heard the faint sound of crying coming from within the house. He turned and hurried back, crossing the floor in two strides and scooping her up in his arms, wincing as she thumped him.

'I'm sorry cailin,' he whispered, still holding her tightly.

'When d'ya want ter do it then?' she asked, sniffing. 'There's a minister in th'town if ya want.'

'We'll take it slowly if ye want?' he offered. 'Wait a while an' give yerself chance ter get used ter th'idea.'

'I seem ter remember ya spoutin' th'same rot b'fore,' she said, rubbing her eyes with her sleeve then looking up at him. 'Me answer then was th'same as now - now or never Erinman. Yer choice…'

'But... there wouldn't be time fer ye ter have a dress made, would there?' he wondered.

'Ya changing yer mind? Getting cold feet already, p'raps?' Patience teased, kissing him on the nose.

'Ye know I'm not. All right, if ye want to get married as soon as I return, then we will…'

…

Jenny stood at her kitchen window, trying not to spy on her friends but with the shouting coming from the smaller house, she could tell what was going on easily enough without having to look. She wasn't sure whether the now silence was a good thing or not and was in two minds whether to go and check on them when she heard a sound from behind her.

'Bloody 'ell fire!' Jack cursed as he staggered through the door. 'I can't remember th'last time I drunk so much.'

'Don't expect any sympathy from me,' she admonished, shaking her head at him. 'Sit yourself down and I'll do you some breakfast.'

Jack turned green and ran back outside, retching into the shrub that Jenny had planted just by the steps.

'Oh dear,' she mocked, leaning against the doorframe and watching him with an arched eyebrow. 'It seems the infamous Jack Sparrow can no longer hold his drink…'

'Ha bloody ha!' he gasped, clutching his stomach and leaning against the veranda rail. 'Why were ya spyin' on Patience an' Shay?'

'Ah… umm. They were having a huge argument but it's gone quiet now.'

'Ya should be used ter it,' he quipped, straightening up and climbing the two steps.

'I know, but this was a humdinger. Sit down, I'll get you an ale.'

'That's m'girl,' Jack grinned, flopping down on the step. 'Come on, come an' join me,' he urged Jenny when she returned with a pitcher and beaker.

'All right, but only for a while – I have far too much to do.' She nestled into his arms, smiling as he brushed his lips against her neck.

'T'was a good party,' he observed, grateful for the soothing ale as it slid down his parched throat.

'How do you know, you were out for most of it!' Jenny teased, caressing the inside of his thigh.

'Exactly!' he declared, laughing, but not too loudly. His head still hurt too much.

'When will you be making sail?' she asked, even though she did not want to know the answer.

'Tomorrow,' Jack replied with an equally heavy heart. 'We'll be stocking up today.'

'All right…'

'Hey, come on now,' he soothed as Jenny bit her lip to keep from crying. 'I'll be back within the month, sooner if I can, savvy?'

'S-savvy,' she sniffed. 'I'll go and do the washing.'

'All right darlin'. I'll come an' join ya when my head doesn't feel like th'whelp's anvil.'

'The whelp?' Jack chuckled. 'It's what I call Will Turner,' he explained.

'Ah, I see.' Jenny walked into the house, wondering how her friends in Port Royal were.

…

'Ah, so ya haven't killed each other then?' Jack remarked sarcastically as Shay and Patience strolled down the path arm in arm. He had noticed them arguing the night before as well but thought no more of it.

'I was just practisin' fer when I get ter kill yer!' she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.

'I'd like ter see ya try, missy!' Jack mocked, bobbing his tongue out back and being surprised when she actually laughed at him.

'I give up wi'the pair of ye,' Shay remarked, rolling his eyes and grinning. 'Like an' old married couple ye are!'

Patience poked her tongue out at Shay, a squeal of surprise muffled by his mouth covering hers. A little startled, she kissed him back, not quite comfortable with Jack being there, but since she had just agreed to marry him, she reasoned she'd better get used to it.

'Bloody hell!' Jack teased. 'I'll fetch a bucket o'water if ya not careful...' His eyebrows shot up as the kiss continued. 'Will ya name th'babe after me, being as I was present an' all...?'

'Bastard'd be a cruel name fer a babe,' Patience mumbled as she finally broke away from the embrace and drew breath.

'Ya want ter be thankful yer not aboard th'Pearl any more,' he warned, his hangover making him extremely tetchy. 'I'd throw ya in th'brig fer insubordination…' Jack glared at Shay who was laughing hard. 'Ya'd be joinin' her – though not in th'same cell.'

'Aye, sorry Cap'n. Hey, ye'll never guess what?' Shay said after he composed himself a little. 'We're gettin' married! Ouch! What d'ye hit me for?'

'Did ya have ter tell th'world?' she protested crossly.

'It's Jack…' he defended, holding his hands up in innocence. 'He ain't th'world.'

'It will be with his gob!' she moaned, looking slightly crestfallen. She had wanted time to get used to getting married before announcing it and now she did not even have that opportunity, thanks to Shay.

'Eh? Watch what yer sayin' missy,' Jack retorted. 'I didn't think Tortugans did respectable things like get married – ya sure you were actually born there?' he teased. 'Yer'll be getting' a bad reputation if ya not careful. Ya don't drink, yer goin' ter be wed, yer children'll be legal – ya daren't show yer face there again…!'

'Yer won't have a face ter show by th'time I've finished with ya,' Patience threatened but without any malice in her voice.

'I'd keep yer fiancée under control, if I were you, Connelly,' Jack chuckled. 'Not that I can see ya havin' much success. It's a bit sudden though, isn't it?'

'No,' Shay defended. 'We know how we feel about each other, so why wait?'

'Yer not… with child, already?'

'No I bloody well ain't!' Patience exclaimed. 'Anybody'd think ya think Shay is doin' th'wrong thing,' she sniped, storming off towards the town, leaving Shay in her wake.

'Bloody hell!' Shay cursed. 'Thanks a lot Jack...' he ran after her, wrapping a consoling arm around her shoulder when he caught up.

She shrugged his arm off, chewing her lips to keep the tears from falling. 'He thinks I ain't good enough fer yer,' she sniffed.

'It's not that,' Shay assured her. 'An' even if it was, ye are good enough fer me, an' that's all that counts, isn't it?'

Patience stood there, frowning at him, trying to make sense of his words... totally unsure if what he had just said was an insult or a compliment. 'Do ya want me?' she asked quietly, still doubtful at the wisdom of all that was happening.

'Oh God, cailin! D'ye really think I'd ask yer ter marry me if I didn't love ye?' He stood at the top of the street, looking down towards town. 'I love Patience Riley!' he shouted. 'An' I'm proud that she is ter be my wife!'

'Shay!' she gasped, shocked and embarrassed.

'There! Does that prove it?' he grinned.

'If ya say it does…' she said, worriedly looking around for anybody nearby. It was bad enough him telling Jack, but to shout it to the world meant that soon the whole crew would know.

'I am proud that yer want ter marry me,' he assured her. 'An' if Jack has a problem with that, well tough!' He cupped her face in his hands, looking at her tenderly.

'Thanks,' she replied quietly. 'I suppose we'd better get some food in then.' Slipping her hand back into his, she walked down into the town, blushing as one or two people smiled at them knowingly, obviously having heard Shay's declaration.

…

'Ya'll never guess what?' Jack drawled as he swayed his way into the house. 'Shay an' th'minx are getting' married!'

'I know,' Jenny smiled, chuckling at Jack's face. 'That's what they were arguing about.'

'Ah… who didn't want ter?'

'I think it was more a misunderstanding than one of them not wanting to get married – from what I could hear anyway.'

'Never had you down fer an eavesdropper,' he teased, winding his arms around her ample belly.

'I expect the whole town heard them,' Jenny defended, snuggling back into his arms.

'Ah, Cap'n, Jenny – sorry ter interrupt,' came John Williams' voice from the doorway. 'D'ya want me ter round th'men up an' start on supplies?'

'So you're all startin' ter come round then? Yes, make 'em feel even worse than they do already,' he grinned wickedly. 'Is Gibbs around?'

'He's erm… recoverin' as it were.'

'I know th'bloody feelin'! I'll be along just now, Cookie.'

'All right, Cap'n. See ya later, Jen.'

'Bye John,' she called as he beat a retreat. 'Go with him, you'll only get under my feet here,' Jenny urged.

'Ya sure? All right, I'll see ya later luv,' he smiled, planting a sloppy kiss on her lips. Jack checked himself as he saw Shay and Patience returning from the town. He knew he had hurt the young woman's feelings before.

'Patience…' he began, looking ruefully at Shay as she ignored him and stomped up the path to her house. 'Look, I'm sorry mate. It came out all wrong.'

'I know,' the Irishman assured him. 'Ter be honest, I think I put me own foot in it too…'

'We'll be loadin' th'ship up when ya've finished here.'

'All right, Cap'n. See ye shortly.' Shay hurried along to the house, watching from the doorway as Patience bent to put the food away in various cupboards.

'Ya pervin' me?' she asked sardonically. 'What'd he say?'

'That he's sorry fer what he said – that it came out wrong. Sometimes he doesn't think before he speaks.'

'He needs a brain ter think,' she sniped. 'His is probably too rum-addled ter do so!'

'Don't ever let him here ye say that!' Shay laughed. 'He'd throw me in th'brig just ter get back at ye…'

'He wouldn't dare! Now get out of me kitchen an' p'raps we can eat soon.' She shooed her hands at him.

'Yer kitchen,' he teased. ' Proper little wife yer becomin', eh?'

'This is my house, therefore it's my kitchen!' she countered. 'An' I never intend ter be proper!'

'Is that so?' he grinned wolfishly.

'Aye, t'is so…' she teased.

'Will ye show me how improper ye intend ter be?' he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her.

'Yer'll be hungry...' she warned, snaking her arms around him and kissing him.

'I already am,' he growled, kissing her back.

'That is not what I meant and ya know it!' she chided. 'We won't be disturbed will we?' she asked. 'That bastard won't be coming back?'

'I'll run him through if he does,' Shay threatened.

She pulled away from his grasp for a moment, lowering the bar across the door. 'P'raps he can take a hint,' she grinned, knowing full well that anyone could jump through the unglazed windows.

'Good idea,' Shay grinned, leading the way up the stairs.

…

'Our last night,' Jenny sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair, with the hogs hair brush that Jack had given her a while back.

'Only fer a few weeks,' Jack assured her, pressing his bare chest against her back as he knelt behind her.

'Mmm,' she murmured as the heat from his body seeped through her thin shift.

'Like that, hmm?' he rasped, cupping her breasts in his hands and running his thumbs over her nipples.

'You really need to ask?' she chuckled which turned into a gasp as he tweaked them, albeit gentler than he normally did. Jenny had complained at how much her breasts hurt the larger she got and Jack was mindful not to cause her too much pain.

'Let's get this off ya, luv.' He helped Jenny to her feet and lifted the shift over her head, burying his face in the deep valley between her peaks.

'Oh Jack…' she breathed, tangling her fingers in his wild hair. 'Suck them, please.'

'With pleasure,' he growled, latching his mouth onto a hard bud and sucking gently at it, whilst rolling the other around with the palm of his hand, switching over after a time, revelling in the mewls and moans coming from his lover's lips.

Jenny pushed him off her breasts, capturing his lips with her own as she climbed onto the bed, straddling him. 'I want to be on top, all right?'

'Whatever luv, ya know that,' Jack whispered hoarsely, bucking his hips as she ran her fingers along the length of his pusating manhood, rubbing her thumb around the tip and along the slit. 'Bloody hell!' he gasped, clutching at the sheet.

'I-I'm not sure I have the strength to be on top,' she admitted, blushing.

'Hey!' he smiled. 'Nothin' ter worry about. I tell ya what…' He got up as Jenny moved off him and positioned the pillows against the bedhead then rested himself against them. 'Come an' sit on me,' he urged, helping her to position herself. Jack brought his knees up so that Jenny could use them for support and groaned out loud as she eased down onto him, taking in his entire length.

'That's better,' she smiled seductively, leaning forward to kiss him. 'Thank you.'

'I told ya,' he gasped as she gripped him tightly. 'It's a pleasure…'

Jenny moved slowly up and down his manhood, savouring the intense feeling she was getting as he seemed to fill her more than usual. 'Oh Jack… this feels…'

'Damn right it does,' he agreed, cupping her buttocks in his hands and feeling the hot juices already seeping from her.

She increased the pace slightly as she felt her passion build, then she arched her back and tilted her hips forward as the waves of desire engulfed her, his prick hitting a spot inside her which intensified her climax, drawing it out longer until she sagged into his arms, panting and breathless.

'My turn,' Jack growled, easing her off him then moving round behind her. He gently pushed Jenny forward so that she was leaning against the pillows and thrust into her, grinning lasiviously as a shudder coursed through her body. He forced himself to slow down, knowing it would be the last time they would make love for a while and he wanted to make the most of it.

He lay along her back, easing in and out rather than driving, and crooning endearments in her ear as he played with her nipples again. Jack swiveled his hips as she cried out in passion once more, brushing against her spot time after time as she screamed out his name.

Jack knew his own release was near, so quickened the pace, thrusting harder, biting at her neck, until with a grunt, drove deep inside her and shot his release into her hot, moist tunnel, gasping as Jenny returned the favour and swiveled her own hips, making his climax as enjoyable as her own had been.

'Sweet Jesus,' he breathed, withdrawing gently and flopping face down onto the bed. Jenny curled herself around him as best she could with her large belly, and stroked his damp hair. 'I'm givin' up th'sea!' he joked, turning his face towards her. 'Livin' th'rest of me days out here an' keepin' ya barefoot an' pregnant, savvy?'

'Savvy,' Jenny laughed, kissing his shoulder.

…

Jenny stood on the beach, blinking away the tears but it was a futile effort. She tried to smile as Joshamee Gibbs squeezed her shoulder gently, then embraced her. 'He'll be back, safe an' sound, before you know it,' he assured her. 'He is Captain Jack Sparrow, after all…'

'Thank you Joshamee,' she replied, wiping her face as Jack approached them.

'Hey! What did I say earlier – no tears,' he chided, holding her tightly. 'I promise we won't be gone more than a month, savvy?'

'I know,' she whispered. 'Just promise you won't do anything – stupid!' she managed a chuckle as Jack grinned at her.

'Y'know I won't. I've got too much ter lose now, eh' 'Keep 'im safe,' Patience warned Jack as she broke away from the embrace of her fiancée.

'I will,' he promised. 'You keep Jenny safe…'

'As best I can,' she replied.

'Goodbye Patience,' Shay smiled sadly. 'See ye soon...' He walked dejectedly to the waiting boats.

'Look after yerself an' our babe,' Jack murmured, kissing her cheek.

'Don't worry,' Jenny sniffed as he turned and walked down the beach with the young Irishman.

'How much trouble can we get into d'yer reckon?' Patience winked mischieviously, trying to cheer her friend up.

'About as much as they can,' Jenny smiled through her tears.

'Ah, come on. I'll put yer kettle on fer ya,' she offered.

'All right,' Jenny smiled gratefully, but did not move.

'A few games of strip poker an'we'll be well away...' Patience took a last look at the figure of Shay climbing aboard The Black Pearl then turned and walked towards the house, leaving Jenny alone with her tears.

…