Disclaimer: i do not own POTC

"Jack!" Elizabeth practically leaped out of her seat. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I been shot…" Jack said with a weak smile.

"No, do you need anything?" Elizabeth was ready to run out of the room to get him anything he wanted.

"No just you luv." Elizabeth sat back down and held his hand.

"Jack I was so worried about you…" Elizabeth said tears streaming down her face.

"I know…but I'm alright…" Jack then looked at his brother.

"Thank you…"

"For what?" Jasper asked, relieved his brother would be alright.

"That promise you made me…"

"You heard that?"

"I heard everything." Jack said, "Opening my eyes was the hard part."

"So you heard what I just said…" Elizabeth said a small smile on her face.

"Yes." Jack reached for her stomach, "I heard everything…"

"Well I'll leave you two alone. I'll tell the crew that all is well." Jasper then bowed out of the room.

"Elizabeth are you alright?" Jack asked a look of concern on his face.

"I am fine, don't worry about me, we need to get you better…"

"That should be fun…" Jack said with a smirk on his face.

"Not until that wound of yours heals…by then I may be too far along to do anything with you…" Elizabeth said crossing over to the other side of the bed to look at his wound.

"Better hurry the healing process then."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Four months had passed and Jack was almost back to normal, still sore he tried to resume his Captain duties, but Elizabeth would hear none of it She had docked the Pearl in Nassau for the past month, her due date was getting close, she wasn't about to risk another failed pregnancy.

"Jack, you can't go back to where you were, at least not yet." Elizabeth said tucking him into bed.

"Elizabeth your having a baby, you can't do it either." Jack said.

"Jack, I feel fine, a little morning sickness, but other than that I am fine." Elizabeth then started to bustle about the room and clean up a bit. She went about and picked up clothing and books.

"Your making me dizzy stop for a second." Jack said getting out of bed.

"Get back in bed!" Elizabeth then walked towards him, "Please Jack I have enough to worry about, please let the last thing be you. I am going to run to the galley and get you something to eat." Elizabeth then went out the door.

Heading down the stairs Elizabeth felt dizzy, perhaps she was overdoing it a bit. She carefully went down the stairs and sat on a stool in the galley and placed her hand on her now larger stomach, rubbing it.

"Elizabeth?" It was Gabriel. "Are you feeling alright?"

"No, not really."

"Tell me what's bothering you, maybe I can help."

"Well you can't. You can't carry this baby, and you can't assume the role of Captain." Elizabeth said a bit more bitterly than she intended.

"Touchy subject I see."

"I'm sorry, it's just that taking care of Jack, running the Pearl, and dealing with carrying a baby, I am really tired, and now my body is feeling it. I got really dizzy going down the stairs, I almost fell."

"That isn't good for you or the baby, nor is it for Jack. You have to take care of yourself."

"After I take Jack's dinner to him." Elizabeth got up and bustled around the kitchen. Gabriel watched her carefully, she looked quite pale.

"Would you like some?" Elizabeth asked as she turned from the stove.

"No I'm all set."

"Suit yourself." Elizabeth then turned with a tray and headed for the stairs. She stopped halfway and dropped the tray and grabbed her stomach in pain. "Gabriel…"

"Elizabeth!" Gabriel ran to her. "What's happening?"

"It's normal…"

"I don't think so…"

"Yes, I had them the first time…stress…the doctor warned me…" Elizabeth said between her gasps of air.

"Come on…" Gabriel then picked her up and took her on deck. Jasper came running over.

"What happened?"

"She is having pains…open the door." Jasper opened the door to the cabin and Jack was reading at the table.

"Elizabeth?" Jack jumped from his seat and went to bed where Gabe set her down.

"I'm fine." Elizabeth gasped loudly in pain.

"Jacob, run for the doctor." Jack ordered.

"What are you feeling?" Jack asked Elizabeth.

"Pain, lot's of it." Elizabeth grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"The doctor should be here at any moment, just hold out a bit longer." Jack told his wife, sweat was dripping from her forehead, her face were contorting to signs of pain.

"What seems to be the problem?" Doctor Hughes, the man Elizabeth had seen before and the one she saw now said as he walked through the door.

Doctor Hughes walked over to the bed and felt around Elizabeth's stomach, "The baby is not in danger…I need you all to get out, I need some room…" Jack, Jasper, Jacob, and Gabriel all waited outside the cabin door.

"Elizabeth, you need to relax for a moment." Doctor Hughes felt her abdomen again. He then went into his bag and pulled out a bottle, "Here take this." The doctor then poured it into a glass and held it to Elizabeth's lips.

"What was that for?" Elizabeth asked breathing heavily.

"The pain, many pregnant women have what you just experienced, it is pre-labor pains, if you are under a great deal of stress then it happens." The doctor then saw Elizabeth's body relax. "See I can tell it is better."

"Yes…" Elizabeth said laying back down in the pillows a bit more.

"I want you to close you eyes and sleep Elizabeth, you are only three months away from a delivery date, this is a critical time." Elizabeth was closing her eyes listening to him talk, she soon fell asleep. The doctor then left the bottle and went on deck.

"Jack, can I have a word with you?" Doctor Hughes said.

"What happened?" Jack asked a worried expression on his face.

"Pre-labor pains, happens when the women is under a great deal of stress. If it is to happen again, I won't doubt it, give her some of that elixir that I left on the dresser. I am recommending that she stay on limited bed rest until she delivers."

"What does that mean?" Jack asked.

"She is limited to the cabin and no where else. Make sure she follows that order Jack, otherwise she won't deliver that baby to term." The doctor then gave Jack a nod and walked off the ship.

Jack scratched the back of his head, Elizabeth was not going to like the new living arrangements.

"Elizabeth?" Jack called her name as he walked into the room.

"What?" Elizabeth said sleepily. Jack then sat by the bed.

"The doctor just left."

"And?"

"You are on limited bed rest."

"What is that?" Elizabeth said a bit more interested and sat up.

"You cannot venture outside this room, and you will stick to it." Jack said.

"I can't, I have so much to do, I haven't finished buying things for the baby…"

"Elizabeth, I am telling you what you are doing, I won't here anything else on it. I figured if I listened to you and stayed in bed a bit longer you would feel better about me going back to my normal duties. I can't be under lock and key when it doesn't call for it, you can't protect me for long, I will more than likely get shot again, you have to accept that luv. As of this moment I am Captain of the Pearl, and you are my wife and you will listen to what I say." Jack was flinching, Elizabeth would explode.

"Do not treat me like a simple minded doting wife on her husband!"

"No I am treating you like a wife who is about to give birth to my child, I love you Elizabeth, but I cannot and will not risk you or this baby, even if I have to lock you in here." Jack said putting his foot down, Elizabeth had never seen him so assertive.

"Fine, I will stay in here, locked away, with nothing to do but pick at my fingernails…happy now?" Elizabeth said sarcastically.

"Yes, now sleep. I will be on deck if you need me, just yell for me." Jack then took the cover and pulled then over Elizabeth.

When the door shut behind him Elizabeth threw her head back in frustration, "This is going to be a very long three months…"