Hello, all! Gah! Why is she what she is! Sorry, I'm watching The Ring and there's so many things I'd like to know - AHH! Oh, crap. The phone rang. Why does the phone always ring a hundred times while I'm watching this movie! Hoooo... Okay, hello. Anyway, another chapter! I hope you all like it! Again, I must thank Johnny'shumiliaatedgrape for continuing to inspire me to update. hug She sticks with me even through all these sequels I write! It's just so wonderful! weep Anyway, also thanks to all me friends who are supportive and great like DAFTLIKESPARROW and others. Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 3: Grief, a Plan, and the Inspector

The next day, Jack and Celeste were inseparable. They spent the day together, happy that they could be together once again. The day went by like lightning and before they knew it, it was night again. Celeste had a worried look on her face and Jack noticed it.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"What?" she asked. "What is what?"

"Somethin's wrong." he said. "What is it?"

"Nothing." she dismissed.

"It's somethin'." he stated. "Tell me what it is. I can 'elp."

She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again. She paced over to the window of the room and rested her hands on the windowsill, looking out at the ocean, rain pouring into it. She bit her lip, thinking. Suddenly, she spoke her mind. "What would it have been?" she asked, pain in her voice.

"What would what 'ave been, love?" he asked patiently.

"The baby." she replied, still looking outside. Jack's expression faltered. "I mean, you know, don't you? Anamaria told you, didn't she?"

He hesitated. "Well… yes… she did…"

"Well, what was it?" she asked.

"Are you sure you want to know?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yes." she confirmed.

"You're sure?" he asked.

She looked back at him. "Yes, I want to know." She returned her gaze to the ocean. "What would it have been?"

Jack hesitated, but surrendered the answer. "A boy."

Celeste painfully bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry…" she said quietly. "All men want sons… I-I just…" she began to cry.

"Oh, darling-"

"I'm crying again." she said. "As always. Goodness sake, can I do anything else? I cry all the time, it must be really annoying by now."

"Darling, stop it." he told her. He got out of bed and went to her. "Why do you do that?" She questioned him with her eyes. "You keep blamin' yourself for what 'appened an' you can't do that. There's nothin' anyone could 'ave done about it. You know it 'appens a lot, don' you? An' that it could 'appen to anyone, don' you?"

"But it didn't happen to anyone, Jack, it happened to me!" she cried, turning around to look at him. "Why is this happening to us?"

"You know, someone once told me that there can be no true happiness without sacrifice and suffering." he told her. "Wise words, I must say."

"My happily ever after?" she shook her head. "There's no such thing."

"Part o' gettin' there is keepin' faith." he said.

"How can I even believe in a happily ever after after what's happened to us?" she asked bitterly.

"Because I promised it to you." he told her. "An' I said that my girl always gets what she wants. An' if you want a happily ever after, then I'll give it to you."

"You can't just go to the market and buy one." she said bitterly.

"I'll get one for you." he told her gently. "I promise… It'll just take some time. What 'ave you ever wanted that I didn' give you?"

She sighed. She went over to the bed and sat down on it. "Nothing."

"Exactly." he said. "An' what makes you think we can't 'ave children at all?"

"Well, nothing…" she replied. "I suppose you're right."

"I'm always righ'." he stated, smiling, and got into bed. Celeste got into bed as well and stared up at the ceiling. Jack put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "Come on, love, put your mind at peace." he told her, wiping the tears from her eyes. "If you keep blamin' yourself, you'll make yourself sick." She didn't reply. "Honestly, love, why do you keep blamin' yourself when no one even blames you?" She still didn't respond. "Look at me, darling." She turned her head and gazed into his deep brown eyes. "I promise you'll get your happily ever after. I'll get it for you. Really, sweetheart, 'ave I ever broken a promise to you?"

"No." she replied. "Never. Not once."

"Righ'." he stated. "So, stop worryin' an' blamin' yourself. I promise you'll be happy again."

She nodded. "I love you, Jack O' Lantern."

"I love you, too, Princess." he replied, and kissed her. A tear ran down her cheek. "Please don' be sad anymore, love." he wiped the tear from her face.

"I wanted it so badly…" she said, crying.

"I know, love, I know." he comforted, pulling her close to him and rubbing her back consolingly. "But as I said a while ago, it's another obstacle we have to get over… We 'ave to go on with life."

"That's not a fair obstacle, Jack - it was a human life!"

"But you know we can't do anythin' about it." he said. "We can't."

She sighed. "I know."

"…Anyway, we can always take our mind off our troubles…" he told her with a smirk, attempting to cheer her up and distract her from her grief.

"Huh?" …Oh." she replied, catching on. "Er, yes, I suppose…" He kissed her and ran a hand up her chest, but she didn't return the emotion.

"Sweetheart, if you don' want to, jus' say so." he said.

She sighed. "I'm sorry… My mind is just so clouded right now… I just…"

"Time will go by, love, an' our 'earts will 'eal - I promise." he assured. She nodded and sighed.

"Just lie with me, Jack." she said. "Alright?"

"O' course, darling." he agreed, and she fell asleep in his arms.

The next day, Anne came to visit Celeste. She brought news of the Norrington case.

"Well," Anne explained to Celeste while Jack was gone, "basically, his throat was slit… so awful… and no one saw anything or anyone at all. There's not much known right now, really. Besides, Mr. Flynn won't tell me very much. I do have an idea, though."

"An idea?" Celeste asked.

"On how to get closer to the case." Anne said. "Mr. Flynn doesn't live here in Port Royal, he's staying at an inn. That must get fairly expensive as he's been there for a few months. So… you could invite him to stay here on the Black Pearl free of charge if you can help him with the case."

"Anne, for being only seventeen, you're brilliant, I hope you know." Celeste told her.

"I know." Anne replied, smiling.

"Oh, no, don't you pick up that cocky attitude of Jack's." Celeste warned.

"Oh, I didn't get it from Jack - I got it from you." Anne laughed.

Celeste laughed as well and then remembered something. "Oh, no… I don't know if Jack will want me to get involved in the case…"

"Why not?" Anne asked.

"Well, you know how he is." Celeste explained. "He can get a little overprotective. …Okay, a lot overprotective… I'll have ot tell him at the perfect time… I'll tell him… at dinner? No. …Ah, I'll tell him in bed. Yes, that should work."

"I don't need to know the details." Anne injected.

The next day, Celeste woke up to someone knocking on the door.

"Yes?" she called tiredly. It was Gibbs. The night before, she'd asked him to go out in the morning and see if they'd figured any more out.

"Miss Celeste? I talked to Mr. Flynn and they still don't know any more than before! Or, at least, not that they're willing to tell." Gibbs called through the door.

Celeste sighed. "Thank you very much!" She'd forgotten to tell Jack last night… She looked at Jack who had woken up and was looking curiously at her. She hesitated to tell him anything about it. "…Hi…"

"Hi." he replied. "You want to tell me what that was about?"

'Not particularly.' she thought.

"Well, I sent Gibbs out to ask the man who is investigating Norrington's murder if they know who did it yet." Celeste told him. "And… they apparently don't…" She paused. "Jack, I want to help with the case. My uncle Arthur was an inspector and I learned a lot from him. I know I can help. And I know you won't want me to do it, but I want to, so I'm going to."

Jack didn't reply for a moment, sort of stunned by all she'd just said. "Mm… darling, no, I don' think you should…"

"I knew you wouldn't…" she sighed. "Well, I'm sorry, but I'm going to do this." She started to get up.

He grabbed her wrist. "Love, they've got an expert on it - they'll take care of it."

She sat back against the headboard. "I want to help, though. I mean, he was such a good friend of ours."

"I know, sweetheart, but it's not your job to figure it out." he told her, putting his arms around her. He pulled her into a kiss.

"But, Jack, how can we just stand by and do nothing?" she asked as he kissed her neck.

"It's not our problem righ' now." he said. "It's bein' taken care of."

"Taken care of!" she exclaimed. "Like it's just another thing on the to-do list! We owe Commodore Norrington so much - the least we can do is avenge him!"

"I know, Princess, but there's nothin' we can do as of now." he said and started to nibble on her ear.

"Jack, how can we stay in here most of the day and have fun when there's a killer on the loose!" she cried. "Especially one who killed the man who pardoned us when no one else would even look at us!" He kissed her deeply.

"Get your face off me - we don't have time for this!" she yelled, pushing him away. "Aren't we going to do anything about this!"

"It's not our job, love." he replied, a bit disappointed.

"He was our friend, Jack, how can you not even care?" she asked. "Without him, we couldn't be living here!"

"Aye, but what can we do?"

"We can help!"

"Celeste, why do you think that everythin' in the world is your job to fix?" he asked, irritated.

"Because no one else will!" she insisted. "He was our friend!"

"It's not our job!"

"But-"

"Darling, I don' care-"

SLAP! She slapped him hard in the face.

"When did you lose your humanity?" she asked bitterly. He placed a hand on his cheek and stared at her with a furrowed brow. "There is a killer out there who is going to get away with the murder of our friend. I'm not letting that happen." She was hurt deeply for hitting him, but didn't show it - the last thing she wanted was to hurt him, but she had to get him to see reality. "I'm leaving. I'm going to help solve that case." She started to get up, but he grabbed her wrist and held it tightly.

"No, darling, I don't want you to go." he stated.

"Jack, let go." she told him. He didn't release her. "Jack, let me go."

"No, I won' let you." he told her. "You need to rest."

"You didn't seem to think so last night." she said bitterly.

He paused. "That was a cheap shot, love."

"Fine, now let me go." She tried to escape his grip, but he would not let her go. She violently struggled to free her wrist, but to no avail.

"Jack Sparrow, you let go of me right this moment." she ordered venomously. He knew that when she didn't use the Captain in his name, she was angry and meant business. "Or I'll scream and have the whole crew in this room before you can even apologize."

"Darling, don' leave, please." he pleaded.

"Jack, let me go!" she yelled.

"No!" he yelled back. "Jus' listen to me!"

"Jack, let go! You're hurting me!"

He didn't want to release her just yet, but the fact that he was hurting her broke his heart and he let her go.

"I'm sorry, love." he said, almost panicking. "I-I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright…" she sighed, falling weak to his cuteness. "Alright, I'll listen to you - I am being a little irrational." She sat more comfortably in bed, leaning up against the headboard and put her arms around Jack. "Now, why don't you want me to go?"

"Because, like you said, there's a killer on the loose - you could get 'urt…" he told her; he sounded so immature with a childlike reliance."

"That's never been an issue in the past."

"But… you've never been my wife before…" he said. "I don' want anythin' to 'appen to you… I mean… I need you to be alright because… well, I want you… and our baby…" She stopped, about to say something. "What 'appened was just a one time thing! It was a freak accident! You're fine! Anamaria said so! Don' think we can't 'ave one, 'cause we can!" She didn't reply. "Please don' get involved with this, love. I don' want you riskin' your life…"

She released him. "Don't think I haven't noticed, Jack…" He looked at her questioningly. "You don't look at me the way you used to…"

"Darling, what are you talkin' about?" he asked.

"Who are you kidding?" she asked, tears in her eyes. "You look at me the way you look at everything you're disappointed in."

He furrowed his brow. "No!" he objected. "Darling, no!"

"I didn't-" she sniffled, "I didn't mean to lose the baby, Jack…" she whimpered. "I didn't mean to… I didn't mean to…" She started sobbing. He put his arms around her.

"Princess, I don' blame you in any way." he insisted. "I promise you. It's not your fault, my love. Please stop thinkin' it is."

"Then why do you look at me like that?" she asked.

"Because I'm worried about you." he replied. "If you keep blamin' yourself, you'll make yourself sick."

They sat for a moment and Celeste overcame her tears.

She sniffled. "Why don't you come with me to work on the case?" she asked. "You always tell me that whatever your girl wants, she gets… If that's true, then help me solve this. Come with me and protect me if you have to."

He paused for a moment and then sighed. "Alrigh'… I suppose so… Shiver me timbers, Princess, you're as stubborn as the day we met…" She smiled. "Besides, how can I resist you?" He kissed her neck.

"I don't know - how can you?" she asked, smiling.

"Exactly - I don' think I can." he replied with a smirk and kissed her.

Later that day, Celeste and Jack went out to talk to Mr. Flynn about solving the case. They went to the inn where he was staying and talked to him. They explained their situation to Flynn and offered him to stay on the Pearl. Celeste said that she could help because she knew a lot about murder investigation. Flynn was reluctant at first, but decided to take them up on their offer since the inn bill was increasing and they were closer to Commodore Norrington's house than the inn was. He would come to their ship tomorrow.

The next afternoon, Celeste was in her room, making the bed, when Jack quietly entered and shut the door. He snuck up behind her and jumped onto the bed.

"AH!" Celeste yelled in alarm. Jack laughed. "Quit sneaking up on me like that! I'm going to have a heart attack one of these days!"

"Haha - sorry, love, couldn' resist." he said, laughing.

She sighed impatiently. "I'm going to kill you one day, you realize." She smiled.

He smiled as well. "As I said, I can't resist." He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him. "You know, we've got some time to kill. Until Flynn gets 'ere, we got nothin' to do… What shall we do to pass the time?"

"Grapes!" Celeste remembered.

"What?" he asked, confused. "That's not what I was thinkin'…"

"No, no, I bought some grapes at the market today. You have to try one." She squirmed out of his embrace and got up. She went to the bedside table, took a grape from the bowl of fruit resting on it, and went back to the bed. She lied down on her stomach next to Jack, leaning on her elbows. "Here." she popped a grape in his mouth.

"Mm, it's good." he said, chewing it up.

"Yes, they're really sweet, aren't they?"

"Not as sweet as you, darling." he said, and she smiled. "Oh, I almost forgot. I bought you somethin'." He got up and went to the closet. He pulled out a box and went back to Celeste. "'ere."

She took the box from him. "What is it?" she asked.

"Well, open it an' find out." he told her, lying down. She pulled the top of the box off and looked inside curiously.

"OH!" she exclaimed. "Chocolate! Oh, yum!"

"Not jus' chocolate, sweetheart, the best chocolate money can buy." he said.

"Oh, I haven't had it in so long! Thank you, Jack!" she exclaimed happily. "Marie wouldn't buy it, so I haven't had it for ages!"

"Well, I'll buy you as much as you want." he told her. She smiled and pulled a piece of chocolate out of the box and ate it.

"Ohh, that tastes good." she sighed. "Want a piece?"

"Sure." he agreed. She handed him a piece and he ate it.

"It's good, huh?" she asked.

"Doesn' taste as good as your kisses, love." he told her, smiling. She smiled and kissed him. "Aye, I definitely prefer the kisses." She smiled. "You've got a little chocolate on the side of your mouth there."

"What? Where?" Celeste asked.

"Let me get it for you." he said and made to lick it off.

"Jack!" she scolded, laughing, and pushed him away.

"No, wait, I've almost got it." he told her, smiling, and kissed her once more. They laughed. "You see, darling? I told you that you would be happy again. All wounds 'eal."

She smiled. "Yes, I suppose so." He put his arms around her waist and pulled her on top of him.

"You can't 'urt forever, love." he told her. "Besides," he began with a smirk, "now that it's been a few months, we can start workin' on another baby. 'alf the fun is gettin' there."

She smiled. "You're such a scoundrel."

"I know." he said, smiling as well, and kissed her.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

Jack pulled away from Celeste long enough to yell: "Whoever you are, go away! It can wait!"

"Er, Captain Sparrow?" Flynn called. "It's David Flynn!"

"Give me a few minutes 'ere!" Jack yelled back.

Just then, Sierra joined Flynn at the door.

"Having trouble getting in?" she asked. "I have a pretty good idea what he's doing. The best way to stop it is to simply barge in. Observe." And she flung the door open.

"Sierra!" Celeste squealed, pulling herself away from Jack. "Would you quit doing that!"

"Er, excuse me, but I needed to speak with you…" Flynn said awkwardly.

Jack sighed. "Alrigh'…" he kissed Celeste on the cheek and got up. "I'll show you to your room."

"I hope you find your room acceptable." Celeste told Flynn.

"I'm sure I will." Flynn replied and he and Jack left the room. "You have a very beautiful wife." Flynn told Jack as they walked down the hall.

"I know." Jack replied. "She's smart, too. If she can't 'elp you with this case, no one can."

"I hope she can." Flynn said. "The case has come to a complete stop. I really need someone else's opinion to further progress." They entered Flynn's room and he set his suitcases down.

"Oh, by the way, I'm very protective of my wife an' if anythin' 'appens to 'er, I'll kill you. Good day." Jack said and left the room.

'I don't feel threatened… Not at all…' Flynn thought nervously and started to unpack.

Alrighty, hope you enjoyed the chapter! I write for you guys! Please review!