Family Ties

Disclaimer: Kea and Angie don't own anything, only in their minds.

"If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable."

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Chapter Eight

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Kea smiled as Jack got up and followed Ria out the door. Apparently, her plan to get Ria to tell Jack about Jeremy had worked. He kiss was an act to get her to tell him. Although now she would have to face both Ria and Jack's wrath.

She picked up her tankard, saluted the onlookers and finished the drink. She then set coins on the table and headed out. By now her ship would be in the dock and she could get a clean shirt. Suddenly the alcohol was starting to give her a headache.

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Lord Harold Middleton, Kea's uncle on her mother's side, stood looking out the window of his London town house. He was very displeased by his niece's meddling. At the rate she was going he would have to place a bounty on her head. He may have sentenced her father to hang, but this time he was not going to let Kea get away.

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Jack stood on the Tortgan dock, stunned. Then realized that if he didn't go after Ria, everything she had said about him would be true. He cursed, and headed back to the tavern to locate Kea. He had some unfinished business to discuss with her.

Luckily he caught her as she was walking out the door of the tavern and he pulled her aside. He fixed her with an accusatory glare of deep anger.

"What the hell was that for? You may have caused me to loose the woman I love." He ground out through clenched teeth.

"I did it for the both of you. It was just an act, there was an audience. Besides, I don't feel that way towards you," she retorted, not in the mood to fight him. He was a better swordsman than her by far. "I merely paved the way for you to find out about Jeremy, though it's true it was not my place, but neither was it yours to forbid Dylan from leaving England, when he clearly wanted to."

"He was too young," Jack stated matter-of-factly, Kea successfully deterring him from the subject of the kiss for a moment.

Kea scoffed in his face, "Too young? Fifteen is too young, not twenty three. He was miserable!"

Jack's eyes narrowed, "How do ye know that? How do ye know me brother?"

"I am not at liberty to say." She prevaricated, slightly alarmed by his tone. "Now shouldn't you be leaving to go after Ria, your bonny lass?"

"Aye, yer right, but this conversation isn't over mate. I still have a few questions fer ye bout how ye know me brother." Jack promised, glaring at her. Kea almost shrunk away at his promise, but didn't by holding her own.

"I don't doubt that." She replied.

"Now, are ye coming with me so ye can apologize te Ria?" He asked when she just stood there.

"No, I have matters of my own to attend to here. Besides, I don't think Ria would like me around her just yet."

Jack nodded. "Fine then, we'll meet ye back here in a few days. And don't get any funny ideas about finding me brother or what not, or else I'll have te do something te ye, savvy?"

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a guarantee mate." Jack stated, grinning crazily.

Kea smiled back, a bit warily though. "Off you go then, Jack."

Following her advice, Jack sprinted off to the Black Pearl and set sail for Port Royal.

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Ria arrived in Port Royal around three in the afternoon the next day and she hastily made her to the Tuner's to see Jeremy. Elizabeth met her in the hallway and directed her to the room Jeremy was staying; fortunately she did not ask Ria any questions after she saw the distress on her face. Liz realized that something involving Jack must have happened, for she knew that Ria loved him like she loved Will.

Ria thanked Liz and went to where Jeremy was. When she got to his room, Kate, his nanny, was just about to put him down for a nap.

"Mama!" Jeremy cried, squirming out of Kate's arms and running to her. Ria caught him in a bear hug and told Kate she would put him down for his nap. While putting him down, Jeremy showed her the little wooden ship he now treasured beyond anything else. Ria smiled and patted his head lovingly. Like father, like son, she thought while brushing a tear away before lying down next to her son in the bed. Taking him in her arms she kissed his head.

"Mama, sing song pweese?" He asked, wanting to hear his favorite song. So Ria concede and sang him 'A Pirate's Life for Me' until he drifted off. Ria lay there for a while, listening to the quiet before she too fell asleep.

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That was how they were when Jack entered the room two hours later. He had arrived in Port Royal as fast as the winds could carry him and had immediately gone to the Turner's, asking where he could find Ria. Elizabeth had smiled when he'd asked, knowing why he'd come back so she directed him upstairs to the right room. On going up he got lost and asked a maid for help, she pointed out Jeremy's room, telling him that 'Miss Morgan and Jeremy are taking a nap'.

When he got to the room he stopped for a moment, shaken with trepidation, it was the first time meeting his son. His son! Jack thought with amazement. He now had a child to inherit the Black Pearl when he was gone. This made him think of all the pirate things he wanted to teach Jeremy, since he figured the boy had of course gotten all his amazing pirate skills.

Jack paused again before the door for another long moment, his hand hovering over the door knob nervously. Then he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, gripped the handle, opened the door and went in. There, on the bed, her back to him was Ria. His beautiful Ria, he thought, unexpected love filling his heart and making his breath catch in his throat. Slipping inside he closed the door silently so he wouldn't wake the two sleeping figures. He then tip toed over to them, though it didn't help that his effects clinked every time he moved, but luckily the two slept on.

Going over to the bed, Jack softly sat on it and brushed a strand of golden hair out of Ria's eyes. He leaned over and kissed her lips gently with his own. Slowly, she opened her gold flecked blue eyes and looked into Jack's dark chocolate ones.

"Jack?" She whispered, not really believing that he'd come after her. It was a-dream-come true, though she was still mad at him. He actually coming after her made her forgive him a little bit.

"Shhh, luv. Aye, it's me." Jack answered, now stroking her cheek. "I'm here for you, ma cherie." (my dear)

"But, but, what are you doing here?" She shook her head with confusion. "Wait! You kissed Kea!" She accused him with a mean look.

"I think I'll leave that for her to explain because it was all her doing, not mine luv. I'd never betray ye, kitten. But, I'm 'ere te see ye and our boy." He said, looking down at Jeremy's still sleeping form. Their conversation hadn't awakened him; he was a really deep sleeper like Jack.

Ria frowned a bit. "Humph. She's in trouble when I see her next. Anyway, would you like to meet Jeremy? I've never really told him about you, I didn't think you'd be in his life enough." She admitted, glancing at Jeremy.

"Perhaps that can change luv." Jack commented, then tentatively reached down and ran his hand over his don's wavy gold hair. "I don't believe it," he murmured.

Ria smiled, "Neither did I when I first saw him after he was born. All I thought was that he was the most beautiful baby in the world, I'm sorry you missed it. Truly I am, now do you want to meet him or not?"

Jack nodded 'yes' and Ria gently shook Jeremy. "Jeremy, love, it's time to wake up. Nappy time is over, darling; your papa is here to see you."

"Papa?" Jeremy stretched, opening his eyes and looking to Jack who was sitting on the side of the bed.

Jack smiled in shock that he was meeting his son. "Aye, I be yer papa, Jeremy." His voice shook a bit with emotion.

The boy smiled innocently and sat up. Reaching out he demanded, "Up!"

Surprised, but happy his son was taking to him quickly, Jack picked Jeremy up. He giggled as Jack smacked a sloppy kiss on his cheek, his papa's whiskers tickling him. Then Jack began tossing him in the air then catching him, to his delight. Ria grinned happily; Jack was actually going to be a better father than she thought.

"Bwack Pweerl," Jeremy bubbled out while pointing to something on the bed. Jack stopped the tossing and looked to Ria.

"Black Pearl? What's he talking about, Ria?"

"His toy he got when out with Kea." She dug the wooden toy out from under the sheets and showed it to him. "It's as if he knew who his father was."

Jack grinned golden, "Aye, he's a smart one, me boy. Takes after 'is father, Captain Jack Sparrow."

Ria rolled her eyes, "And his mother, Captain Calandria Morgan." Her eyes widened. "That reminds me, is Jeremy's last name Morgan or Sparrow?"

"Don't worry 'bout it, Calandria me sweet, we have time to think about it later, and we certainly will." Jack tucked Jeremy and his toy into the crook of his left arm. "Now, let me play with me boy, darling."

Getting up, he sat on the wood floor and started telling Jeremy about his ship, using the small toy as a model. Jeremy listened, wide eyed and enthralled.

"By the way, where is Kea?" Ria interrupted their play for a minute as she sat beside them.

"That's what I was goin' te tell ye. She's waiting in Tortuga for us, and I believe she has something te tell ye as well."

"Does she?" Ria wondered, snuggling into Jack's right side while he continued to bond with their son.

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Kea watched the Black Pearl sail out of the harbor, and then went to her ship to change her shirt. Hardly anyone was on there so she was able to get on without being noticed. This time she settled on a pastel yellow silk shirt. She exited her cabin and headed back into town to figure out where she was going to get the next message. While meandering through the streets, a group of thugs descended upon her.

"Hold there mate." The leader said. "You cannot pass, unless you pay up."

"But I have no money." Kea responded because it was true, it was all on her ship.

"Then we will 'ave te kill ye and take wha' ye 'ave."

Kea assessed how many offenders there where, four against one. She would be unable to take them all on, unfortunately, and she had never been a good negotiator so the only alternative was to draw her sword and try her damnedest. Fighting fiercely, she managed to down three before she was rendered unconscious.

When she awoke, she lifted an unsteady hand to her throbbing head. It was pushed away by another, much larger hand. Startled, her eyes flew open and she looked into deep brown eyes so much like his brother Jack's.

Captain Dylan Sparrow. He had dark brown hair that was collar length and falling into his eyes. His build was so much like Jack's that they could pass as twins, only Dylan was younger by six years, making him twenty nine years of age. They also were in the same profession: pirating. Dylan's ship was named Le Libertes Fantome, or in English the Freedom Ghost. His young clean shaven looks made people underestimate him. Too, what small details others missed, he was sure to catch. Thanks to this he was a shrewdly successful pirate and smuggler.

Kea struggled to sit up but was held down firmly by Dylan. "Careful Kiwi," he said in his husky, sensuous voice while using his nickname for her.

"I always knew you were trying to get me on my back," Kea quipped, trying to stand. "How long have I been out?"

"Thirty minutes or so," Dylan answered, gripping her elbow to steady her.

"I see." She looked around the room and noticed one of the thugs. "So, those were your men who attacked me."

"Yes, I am truly sorry about that," Dylan said, pushing some hair out of his eyes, only to have it fall back into them. "It was the only way for me to get to you."

"All you had to do was leave me a note," Kea commented dryly.

"I think there have been too many notes of late, my dear," Dylan replied; hand still on her elbow, his thumb moving in circles on the inside of it. Kea glanced down then back up at him, an eyebrow rising in question. He stopped the motion.

"Oh, yes, what is the meaning of those messages?"

"I can't say." He kept his reasons tight lipped.

"I see, can't you tell me who I am up against?" Dylan shook his head 'no' and Kea sighed, rubbing her temples. "So, where are we exactly?" She looked around again, taking in the scenery with mild interest.

"In a small house outside of town, I couldn't find anywhere else to take you."

Of course he couldn't; carrying any other place would rouse suspicion. After all, Dylan wouldn't know that she had a ship of her own. At that moment, a young boy burst into the room.

"Cap'n! I jest seen the ship, Le Clarion, dock in the harbor not te long ago. Though ye'd like te know, so I asked bout ye meetin' the Cap'n but no one knew where he was."

Kea chuckled, hiding a smirk behind her hand. Oh man they'd freak if they knew it was SHE who was the Captain of the Le Clarion. Hearing her, the two turned to face her.

Dylan's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "You know the Captain?" He was intrigued that his charming Kiwi would know the Captain of the ship.

"Yes, as it so happens I do know the Captain." Kea caught the ripple of jealousy that flickered across Dylan's face. "And I can get you on the ship, if you'd like."

"You sure he won't mind?" Dylan asked, really wanting to go on it and meet the Captain.

Kea grinned up at him enigmatically, "Positive."

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Alright, there's chapter eight for you all. Chapter nine will be coming along soon enough so no worries.

Ta for now and don't forget to Review!!!!!!