Chapter 66

Jack told JJ how he and Will had commandeered the Interceptor to save Elizabeth leaving out curses and skeletal pirates. "I can't believe ye Uncle Will didn't tell ye the story," he laughed. Jack also left out how he'd narrowly escaped the hangman's noose. "Why don't we go down and have dinner with the crew and ye can tell me about all the places ye'd like to go when we're out together," Jack said ushering JJ below deck.

JJ practically jumped up and down as he began to rattle off places he wanted to go. "I want to go to Africa and Cuba and Brazil and........" he said excitedly as they made their way to the galley. "And I want to go swimming and fishing and pillaging." he said as they sat down.

Jack and the crew listened with amusement at the young boys excitement, "What about Tortuga," Jack asked when JJ finally took a breath.

"Could we?" he asked with his eyes wide. "Mum said it was a fun place." He caught Jack's eyes on him and regretted mentioning his mother, but he didn't apologize. "Can I get me own sword Da?"

"Eventually, after ye've had some instruction on using one, a sword is not a toy, and it's not something to be drawn unless yer really ready to use it," Jack told him sternly. "I tell ye what, I shall get ye yer own sword when I think yer ready, yer Uncle Will is one of the best, has he not given ye any instruction," Jack asked perplexed.

: JJ nodded. "He has given me some Da, but....." he said quietly.

"But what," Jack asked.

JJ looked at his father through shaded lashes. "Mum has been teaching me. Please don't be angry with her for teaching me. She said that ye taught her the finer points of blades."

"Aye that I did, and I will teach ye when ye've reached a certain skill level, and JJ, I just meant I didn't want to talk about me and yer mum's time together... I don't expect ye to never mention her," he sighed.

"Alright Da. Thank ye." JJ said smiling at his father. "Mr. Lenny sir, this is good.," he said diving into his food.

"Glad ye enjoy it," Lenny said softly.

"I think ye embarrassed em," Jack chuckled.

Lenny just grunted.

Madeline looked at the stars and sighed. She decided when she got back to Port Royal; she would close up her house and return to the island. She wanted to help the inhabitants rebuild their homes. And she would wait for her pirate.

Jack finished his dinner and got up, "JJ, why don't ye come with me on deck and I'll start showing ye how to steer the Pearl and that way Mr. Gibbs can get some dinner, Tobey can go up the crow's nest so ye ma can eat too," he said looking at Tobey who quickly got up from the table.

Madeline heard someone behind her and turned to see Tobey climbing into the crow's nest. "Tobey, is something wrong?" she asked.

"No Captain told me to come relieve ye so ye could go eat and rest a bit," Tobey told her.

Madeline smiled at him and nodded. "Thank you Tobey." she said and turned to climb down the ropes. She turned when she heard JJ's voice behind her. He was talking excitedly to Jack.

Jack was listening with a smirk on his face as JJ went on and on, he looked at Madeline, "Gets it from ye don't he," he quipped.

Madeline quirked an eyebrow at him. "Get's what?"

"Don't act like ye don't know what I'm talking about," Jack snapped.

Madeline stiffened. "Ye don't have to snap at me Captain Sparrow. I just asked you he gets what from me? If ye mean his endless chatter, aye, he does." she said.

"Let's hope that's ALL he gets from ye," Jack snapped again. He narrowed his eyes, "Gibbs JJ and I are taking the wheel," he said.

Madeline clenched her fists and turned on her heel. Damn him. She wasn't even hungry, but she knew if she didn't head in the direction of the galley, Jack would have her head for that as well. Perhaps she would get some coffee.

JJ turned to his father. "Da, why did ye snap at mum like that?"

"Why? Because this is me ship and I'm captain, anything else ye want to know," Jack asked.

"No Da." JJ said and turned towards the wheel. "Can I Da? Mum would never let me on her ship."

Yer not quite big enough to do it all by yerself," Jack smiled. He grabbed an old apple crate from the deck and set it near, "Here stand here so ye can see over the wheel," he said.

JJ excitedly jumped on the crate and looked out at the ocean. He saw Jack's hands cover his and helped him to steer. He turned and smiled at Jack. Grinning from ear to ear. He saw his mum watching out of the corner of his eye. She winked at him.

Madeline sat on the railing with her cup of coffee watching father and son together. She winked at JJ when he glanced at her. Her heart swelled with love for the both of them. My two pirates she thought to herself. She wondered how much JJ would change during his time away from her. How much Jack would change. Would she change?

Jack saw Maddy out of the corner of his eye, "Now when yer sailing at night ye need to keep yer eyes on the stars, that's how ye navigate... yer man in the crow's nest is watching the sea for other ships and such for ye," he said. He pointed up, "See that son, the group of stars that look like a ladle, that's the Little Dipper, and that really bright star over in the handle is the North Star... ye can tell by that star which direction yer going. It's slightly to our left, that tells us we're moving west, which is the direction ye want to go," Jack explained. "Course if ye ever doubt it ye can always use yer compass," he quipped.

Madeline got up and walked over to them. "Listen to your Da JJ. He knows what he's talking about." she said with a smile. "If ye want to be captain of yer own ship someday, you listen to everything he teaches you. Savvy?"

"Aye mum. Savvy." JJ said with a smile and turned back to the wheel.

Jack leaned close to her, "Don't even think of using him to get to me... cause it won't work love," he whispered. Everything she said and did he could not help but see as having some hidden agenda.

Madeline leaned close to him. "I'm not Jack. I was just telling him the truth.," she whispered back. "If he wants to learn to be a true pirate, ye are the best teacher he could possibly have."

"Then why don't ye leave us be so I can teach him instead of watching me back in case ye get a notion to but a knife in it," Jack hissed low.

"It won't work Jack. Ye can quit trying to bully me." She whispered to him before she turned. "I'm not even armed," she said as she headed back to the galley.

Jack was more then angry, he clenched his jaw, "Damn that woman to hell," he muttered under his breath.

JJ turned to Jack. "Am I doing alright Da?" he asked.

Madeline found the galley empty. She poured herself another cup of coffee and sat down. Resting her head on her folded arms. She sighed heavily.

"Aye JJ yer a natural," Jack told him.

Gibbs returned on deck, "Ahoy there Master Jack, I see ye've got the wheel, how does she feel," he asked JJ.

JJ turned to Gibbs and smiled. "Like I was born to be a pirate."

Gibbs chuckled, "I bet," he said.

"Gibbs help JJ out here a while, I need to take care of something," Jack told him.

"Aye captain," Gibbs said.

"Ye mind Mr. Gibbs now," Jack told JJ and went below deck. He went to his cabin but Maddy wasn't there. So he went to the galley, "Maddy," he said more gently then he'd spoken to her in a long time.

Madeline heard Jack's voice and was surprised to hear it so calm. "Aye Captain." she said sitting up and looking at him.

Jack moved to pour himself a cup of coffee, "I'm sorry for what I said out there just now... it was uncalled for," he said and sat across from her. "Did ye eat," he asked.

Madeline watched him as he sat down. She wanted him to take her in his arms. Hold her. Kiss her. But she knew that wouldn't happen. "It's alright. Ye are still angry with me." She said quietly. She shook her head. "I'm not really hungry."

"I'm not angry anymore Maddy, but I'm still not ready to trust ye, I just wanted to tell ye that and to thank ye," Jack said furrowing his eyebrows trying to think of just the words he wanted to say.

Madeline cocked her head as she looked at him. "Thank me? For what?" she asked as she twisted her hands together. She wanted to reach across and take his hands in hers.

"Giving me the chance to really get to know me son, it means a lot to me," Jack said unable to look at her. He felt if he did she'd capture him again, he couldn't let that happen again.

She smiled but then stopped. "I've taken so much away from you Jack. Ye didn't deserve it." She said quietly. She saw he wasn't looking at her and she herself turned away.

"Maybe that's part of being a pirate... with all ye take eventually something is taken from ye," Jack sighed.

"Ye are his father. I should've found you to tell you." She said quietly. "I had no right to keep it from you."

"I understand... I mean, I am what I am, I should be used to people judging me accordingly... but Maddy I thought ye knew me better... thought ye trusted me," Jack retorted.

Madeline stood and put her cup in the sink. She rested her hands on the edge. "It wasn't you I didn't' trust Jack, I didn't have enough trust in myself." She said in almost a whisper.

"I don't understand," Jack said puzzled.

Madeline turned around to look at him. "When I first figured out that I was pregnant. I was scared. So bloody scared." she admitted. "Scared that I would lose you. Scared that if ye knew, ye would leave. That ye wouldn't want me around. I didn't have enough trust in myself to tell ye the truth. And look where it got me." She said in frustration. "Aye, I have a beautiful son who adores and loves his father. Ye have no idea how incredibly happy that makes me Jack. I've not only deprived you, I've deprived him as well."

Jack shook his head, "Se ye didn't trust me... yer trying so hard and all ye do is convince me all the more that ye just don't see it. Why can't ye just admit it? Ye thought if I knew I'd leave, plain and simple. Damn it why am I even bothering to try and talk to ye about it... what's done is done, end of story," Jack said frustrated as he got up and turned to leave the galley.

Madeline ran after him. "Jack, please stop!" She cried and took a hold of his arm. "Alright it's true." She cried. "I didn't trust you. Ye are a pirate Jack. I was young and in love with you. I still am." She admitted. "I should've told you from the very beginning."

"Well now I suppose by leaving with JJ that makes ye right to not trust me, we're square," Jack said sarcastically.

"Jack please. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else in getting our son back from that monster." She said, not releasing her hand from his arm. "I trust you. It just took me too damn long to realize in that trust. If ye hadn't gotten him back, ye might not have ever known him.," she said quietly.

"I'd be dead if I'd not gotten him back Maddy... I didn't go after him for ye or him, I did it for me, because nobody steals from me," Jack growled.

Madeline lowered her head. "I know Jack. And I've stolen from you. And for that, I'll never be able to regain your trust. Or love."

"That's just it Maddy... it's because I do love ye that I can't trust ye," Jack told her.

Madeline looked up at him. Tears welling in her eyes. "Ye love me?" she whispered.

"Am I going to have to listen to ye go on about it now?" Jack asked bitterly.

"No Jack." Madeline said quietly.

"Do not confuse things Maddy... I love with me heart but it's me head that controls me actions, don't think me confession changes anything," Jack said firmly.

Madeline nodded as she looked at him. "Aye Jack." she said softly. "Jack."

"Aye," Jack replied wondering what she now had to say. He'd guessed correctly she was going to now try to talk him into submission again. He sighed heavily.

She stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and turned towards the door. "Thank you Jack.," she said quietly.

Jack frowned puzzled, "For what," he asked.

Madeline turned to him, her hand resting on the doorjamb. "For setting me straight." she said quietly and turned to leave.

Jack shook his head after she'd left. "Now if I could only get me own head in line," he muttered to himself.