A/N: I am so sorry! I know this is late, and I feel terrible about it believe me but Christmas was hectic and then I fell ill. I was trying to get this chapter yesterday but I eventually had to let the illness win. I did try though.
This chapter is a long one though, possibly the longest so far, so hopefully that will make up for the wait. If there are any mistakes blame my intense pain.
Had a lot of "where's Sylvia?" comments which was nice because I don't want you guys to forget her, I promise I haven't! She'll be back very soon.
Chapter 13: Little Tom
Elizabeth was settled in Jack's cabin with the baby and a very besotted Will. Jack was on deck having cleaned himself of all birthing material. He had given the new mother his quarters as they were the most private and the crew had been forbidden to go anywhere near them. Elizabeth needed her rest after all. Jack felt pretty exhausted himself, the whole labour had lasted around three hours. He had been telling the truth when he had said he had never delivered a baby before, but he had not told Will how amazingly terrified he had been that something would go wrong. Now it was all over Jack felt like all his energy had been sucked away. All he wanted was to lie down somewhere and sleep.
"Cap'n?" Jack closed his eyes. Couldn't they just leave him alone for a minute? He turned ready to be cross but his irritation died when he saw AnaMaria looking uncharacteristically nervous.
"Aye?" he said.
"I just be wanting to say tha' were an amazing thing ye did fer Miss Elizabeth and Will," AnaMaria said in a bit of a rush. Jack stared at her.
"Wha' are ye talking about lass? It were nothing," he said.
"Tha's not true," said AnaMaria, "An' ye bloody know it." She turned and walked away leaving Jack feeling confused and more tired than ever. Sometimes women were just too hard to figure out.
Some time later Gibbs found Jack dozing in the sun. It seemed a shame to disturb him but Elizabeth had been rather forceful in her request. To be on the safe side Gibbs took another swig from his hip flask.
"Cap'n, Miss Elizabeth would like t' see ye." Jack opened one eye.
"What?" he asked sleepily.
"Miss Elizabeth would like t' see ye," Gibbs repeated, "Says she has somethin' important t' say." Mumbling something about impatient women and useless first mates Jack got to his feet. He knocked on the door of his own cabin, which gave him a feeling he did not like much. This feeling vanished when Will opened the door after a short delay. His young face broke into a wide smile upon seeing Jack.
"Come in," he said eagerly standing aside. Jack walked forwards and saw Elizabeth lying on his bed propped up by pillows. Her tiny son was sleeping peacefully in her arms. Elizabeth looked about as tired as it is possible to look but there was a glow about her which made her look more beautiful than ever. She smiled when she saw Jack. Jack was surprised she could smile at all after what she had been through.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Elizabeth asked her eyes returning to her son.
"Aye lass," said Jack going to stand beside her, "He be a fine lad." Elizabeth looked up at him again; her large brown eyes were shining.
"Thank you Jack," she said gratefully. Never before had she meant those words so much.
"Anytime," said Jack with a slight grin. Will stepped up and, after a quick glance at his wife, he cleared his throat. His eyes were bright with love.
"We've decided on the name," he said importantly. Jack looked at him with interest. He hoped the whelp hadn't chosen a eunuchs name for the boy.
"Meet Thomas Jack Turner," said Will beaming with pride. Jack's eyebrows raised. Thomas Jack?
"He was going to be Thomas William," explained Elizabeth, "But after what you did for me, for us, we knew what his name should be." Jack looked at her but did not speak. He seemed to be a little overwhelmed. Finally he said, "I hope the kid doesn't mind being named after a pirate."
"Oh, I'm sure he won't," said Will looking down as his son stretched out one tiny hand in his sleep. Elizabeth met Will's eyes and they both smiled. This was everything to them, their son, each other.
"Jack?" Jack's attention flicked back to the room he was in. He must have got lost in his thoughts again.
"Mm?"
"You alright?" asked Will. Elizabeth was looking at him too.
"Aye," said Jack, "I be fine. I'll leave ye alone now, shall I? Ye best be getting some rest Elizabeth." He left the room and walked until he could walk no further. Thomas Jack. It was a fine name for a fine lad. He should have been happier than he felt. Jack looked out at the sea. He tried to tell himself he was just tired, but he didn't fool himself even for a minute.
Jack knew what he had to do, he knew exactly what would happen and he was too tired for that sort of thing, but nevertheless he directed the Pearl forwards right into Port Royal waters. The response was immediate and utterly predictable. The whole place was suddenly swarming with marines, their red and white uniforms standing out vividly. Jack rolled his eyes.
"Jack Sparrow, you are hereby ordered to surrender the Black Pearl and yourself to our command," a voice demanded.
"Captain," Jack shouted back. There came the sound of confusion.
"What?"
"Captain Jack Sparrow," repeated Jack irritably, "And I'll be keeping me ship if that's all the same t' ye."
"If you do not surrender immediately it will be seen as an act of hostility towards Port Royal and we'll be forced to…"
"I don' recommend shooting the Pearl mate," said Jack as he prepared to show the ace he had been holding, "Not unless ye want t' be responsible fer putting the Governor's daughter in 'arm's way." There was a collective gasp which made Jack grin. That had them worried.
"Now listen hear…" began the same voice pompously but it was cut off almost immediately by someone else.
"If you have my daughter then release her at once!" It was Governor Swann himself. Jack pictured the curly grey wig wobbling as he shouted. It seemed everyone had forgotten that Jack had not harmed Elizabeth once during their last encounter, not that it mattered.
"It's not a case of releasing," said Jack as he walked out in plain sight of the gathered officers and Governor. He peered over at them.
"She be a free woman," continued Jack casually, "But she may not feel up t' leavin' right now, savvy?"
"Why not?" demanded another voice sharply. Jack saw Commodore Norrington striding purposefully onto the scene. Jack had been wondering when he would see fit to make an appearance.
"I be fairly sure she'll want t' show ye herself," said Jack enjoying his position of superiority. He noticed the Commodore's face was turning red. There was nothing he hated more than secrets.
"Stop playing games Sparrow," he said angrily, "If you have Elizabeth then let her go this instant."
"My dear Commodore," said Jack infuriatingly, "You aren't listening t' me. Miss Elizabeth is not in a fit state t' be waltzing out t' join ye." Governor Swann and Norrington both paled considerably.
"What have you done to her?" stammered Governor Swann. Jack sighed. The game was wearing thin. He took a deep breath.
"Yer daughter's fine," said Jack slowly and clearly, "That be a promise."
"Why should we believe the word of a pirate?" scoffed Commodore Norrington. Jack landed in front of him almost before he had finished speaking.
"Don't ye be impugning me honour Commodore," said Jack dangerously and to Norrington's horror his pistol was raised and pointed at his head. There was a chorus of clicks as the marines all raised their own weapons but no one dared act while Jack still threatened the Commodore. After seeing that Jack was not going to back down Norrington reluctantly put his hands in the air.
"Now," said Jack, "Maybe ye'll be kind enough t' listen. Mr and Mrs Turner are aboard me ship an' they would very much like the company of t' Governor, savvy?"
"Aboard…the ship?" Governor Swann said uncertainly.
"Aye," said Jack, "Aboard me ship, if ye would be so kind." He grinned and Norrington scowled.
"Look hear Sparrow…" he began.
"No Commodore, ye listen t' me. Ye will let the Pearl dock here until Miss Elizabeth is ready t' leave, ye will provide fer me crew and in return I will not pull this trigger. Do we have an accord?" There was a nerve in Norrington's forehead that was pulsing hard as he gritted his teeth.
"Fine," he said resentfully under his breath. Jack lowered his pistol looking obscenely pleased with himself. The marines had not lowered their weapons but Jack did not look in the least bit perturbed. He turned to Governor Swann who shrank back. Jack ignored this.
"Are ye coming aboard?" he asked, "Or are ye not?" Governor Swann shot a pleading look at Commodore Norrington but there was little the Commodore could do. He would have to do this alone.
Jack led the jittery Governor aboard his ship and smiled as the man behind him jumped at the sight of his own shadow. How different to Elizabeth he was. Jack chose not to speak until his unwilling guest did.
"Is something wrong with my daughter?" Governor Swann asked in a scared voice.
"I told ye before," said Jack resisting the urge to swear, "She be wanting t' show ye herself, did ye never get taught patience?" He knocked on his cabin door not bothering to wait for Governor Swann's response. Will appeared mere moments later.
"Governor Swann," he said barely able to hide his grin, "Please come in and meet your grandson." Governor Swann pushed past Jack so fast that he was almost knocked off his feet. After regaining himself, Jack backed away quickly not wanting to intrude on a special family moment. Will looked around for him before he closed the door, but he had already disappeared.
News soon spread around Port Royal of Thomas Jack's arrival but Jack would not allow anyone on the Pearl unless Elizabeth had expressly asked for that person. Since she did not want to see anyone but her father it was Jack's job to turn the other well wishers away. He did not mind people thinking it was his decision to keep people away; quite frankly he did not care. He was close to ruining his reputation as a pirate anyway but he freely admitted to himself that he had always sailed close to the line. Governor Swann got over his aversion to the Black Pearl remarkably quickly and could be seen floating about wearing the look of a man who had just fallen in love. It was not hard to see that little Thomas was going to be spoilt rotten. Jack outwardly thought this stupid; inwardly he believed it to be quite right to.
The strain of the birth kept Elizabeth firmly in bed, but she insisted she did not need a doctor and Jack believed her. She was a strong woman, one of the strongest he had ever known, she just needed some time. While Elizabeth slept Will took Thomas out on deck. It was early evening and the baby was wrapped up in so many blankets you could be forgiven for thinking he was twice the size he was. Will's arms could barely close around the bundle. As Jack approached he could hear Will talking to his son and he almost left them to it, but Will turned and spotted him.
"Hello Jack," he said quietly. As Jack got closer he saw the reason for Will's low voice. The baby was asleep, his tiny, almost translucent eyelids closed firmly. Will's eyes did not lift from his newborn son's face.
"How's Elizabeth?" asked Jack who had not seen her since Thomas Jack's naming.
"She's very tired," said Will worry now creasing his previously peaceful features, "I think she's still in a lot of pain." Jack laid a hand on Will's arm in an uncharacteristic gesture of reassurance.
"She'll be just fine lad," he said, "Jus' look after her an' she'll be alright." Will looked at the older man with unquestionable admiration.
"Would you like to hold your godson?" he asked. Jack gave him a rather surprised look but before he could protest Will had handed over the sleeping bundle to the pirate Captain. Jack took the little snipe feeling absurdly terrified that he was going to drop him or something. After holding him securely in his arms for a minute this fear began to leave him but then a new fear was born as Thomas began to stir. Jack frantically cast his mind around trying to think of what he should do. The last thing he wanted was for the kid to start bawling his lungs out, it would be just his luck to be seen by the Governor and be arrested for child cruelty. Out of instinct rather than coherent thought Jack began to rock the little child gently and to his immeasurable relief Thomas settled back down again to do what babies do best without a peep. Jack grinned at Will who grinned back; he had plainly been just as nervous.
"This baby lark isn't tha' hard," said Jack with a wink as he handed Thomas back to his father.
Jack found he had fallen in love with little Thomas Turner already. Something about the lad was just intoxicating, even when he did wake the whole crew up at three in the morning and then again at five. It was almost a week before Elizabeth was well enough to go home, which did not bother Jack in the slightest, in fact he would rather she had stayed longer but no one would have guessed it from the matter of fact way he dealt with arrangements. Commodore Norrington had kept to his side of the deal so Jack dutifully kept to his and sailed the Pearl away from Port Royal. He was determined not to go far though; he didn't want to leave just yet.
It was a month before Tom's first birthday when Jack next visited. He had not meant to be away for so long. As an apology he brought with him a wooden rattle from one of his more exotic locations, the exact place he failed to mention.
"You shouldn't have," said Elizabeth who had returned to her usual slim self.
"It be the snipe's birthday soon," said Jack, "Course I should 'ave."
"Do you want to see him?" Elizabeth asked unnecessarily.
They both walked into the large play room which was scattered with toys, some of which Jack could see had been made, probably by Will. There was a mat in the middle of the room which Tom was lying on as he shook something which looked like a toy horse. A nanny was sitting in one corner of the room, her eyes occasionally lifting to check that her charge was alright. She gave Elizabeth a brief smile but ignored Jack completely. Elizabeth nodded at her once which was a gesture of dismissal. Jack did not notice, he was too busy watching the little boy who had grown so much since he had last seen him. Tom had dark hair which could have come from either parent, the hazel eyes of his mother and his father's colouring of skin. Jack was perfectly happy just watching him but apparently Tom had other ideas. He suddenly looked up as if he knew he was being watched and his arms shot in the air upon seeing his mother. Elizabeth walked over smiling and scooped up her son who had been making movements to get to her.
"How about you say hello to your Uncle Jack," she said as she walked back with Tom in her arms. Tom had already spotted the pirate and was blinking up at Jack in a half fearful, half curious way. But little boys do not stay afraid for long and soon he was just staring at Jack in wonder.
"Do you want to take him Jack?" Elizabeth asked knowing full well what the answer would be and wondering how Tom would respond.
"Aye," said Jack who had not broken eye contact with the child. Elizabeth had just passed Tom to Jack when she heard someone calling her.
"Oh, that's Will. You couldn't watch Tom for a little while, could you?" she asked but she was out of the door before Jack could answer one way or the other.
"Just you and me, eh?" he said to Tom who was trying desperately to reach the beads in Jack's hair.
"Yer getting big lad," said Jack weighing the boy in his hands, "Ye'll be a strong lad like yer father." Tom was still reaching for the beads that were taunting him by dancing just out of reach.
"Oh no ye don't," said Jack who had no desire to let Tom get what he wanted in this instance. He sat down on the nearest chair and put the young boy on his knee. He stopped when Tom produced a funny gurgly baby chuckle.
"Ye laughing at me whelp?" Jack teased, "Ye really are asking fer it." The bouncing game and the laughing continued for some time.
Elizabeth hurried back. She had not meant to be away for so long and a picture of the play room in complete disarray was haunting her. She burst through the door and stopped dead. Jack was asleep on the floor with little Tom sleeping soundly on his chest, his thumb planted firmly in his mouth, one hand clutching his new rattle.
This pattern continued for the following years. Jack would visit sporadically and quite unpredictably. He brought something for Tom without fail. Tom particularly valued a little model boat which he placed in pride of place in his bedroom. Will had already had to fix it after a particularly intense play battle resulted in some serious hull damage. Sometimes Jack brought gifts for Will and Elizabeth too despite their somewhat weak protests. It did not take long for Tom to look forward to Jack's visits more than his mother and father did. The last time he had visited Jack had promised to be there for the boy's third birthday. It was now the day before and there was no sign of him. Tom was a bright lad already, he knew that a promise was binding and he knew that Jack had only hours to appear before that promise was broken. When Will walked into his son's play room after a hard day's work he saw all his toy's abandoned on the floor. Instead Tom was sitting on the seat by the window, his little face pressed against the glass and his model ship grasped tightly in one hand. From the window he could see the ships docked in the port. Will came and stood behind him and looked out too. There was no sign of Uncle Jack.
"It's time for bed, son," said Will gently. Tom turned his heart broken face towards his father, eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"But dad," he said, "I'm waiting for Uncle Jack." Will took one look at Tom's face and found it hard not to give him false hope just to make him smile.
"Uncle Jack's a busy man," said Will who found his eyes scanning the horizon again, "I'm sure he'll come and see you as soon as he can."
"But he promised!" said Tom sounding much older than his three years.
"I know," said Will sadly not wanting his child's faith in the word of adults destroyed, "I'm sure there's a good reason for it."
It was a sad Thomas Turner who was tucked into bed that night. Elizabeth gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him not to be sad, it was his birthday the next day after all, but Tom could not lift the sad feeling from his heart. He woke early, as little boy's often do, and was about to scamper into his parent's room when he heard a noise coming from another room down the corridor. Full of childish innocence he went to investigate, he was too young to consider the possibility of burglars or anything nasty like that, but he was old enough to feel wary at this irregularity in his morning routine. He crept noiselessly into the room the noise had originated from. It was the room his mother did her writing in, and he seldom entered there. There was a long sofa with its back to him, Tom cautiously approached it. He peered over the arm of it and…
"Uncle Jack!" Jack woke with a start to see something small hurtling towards him and the next thing he knew Tom had jumped right on top of him.
"Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack!"
"Alright, alright," said Jack in quite a dazed voice, "Don' ye be waking the whole house up now 'coz it'll be me who gets the blame." Tom wasn't listening. He was beaming fit to burst.
"Wha?" asked Jack who was still trying to extract himself from his sleeping state.
"You came!" said Tom in a delighted whisper.
"Of course I came lad," said Jack indignantly, "I made a promise, didn' I? Did ye really think I were going to back out of it?"
"No," said Tom shaking his head. He had completely forgotten ever doubting Jack at all.
"I knew you would come."
"Tha's better," said Jack with a yawn, "So how about ye tell me what ye been up to?"
It was the first of Tom's birthdays that Jack had attended and Jack was tempted to say it would be his last. Due to the endless stream of friends and relatives wanting to shower Tom with more gifts than ten children could use, Jack had to keep a very low profile. Hiding from Port Royal's high society posed little problem, but hiding from Tom was not quite so easy. All the little boy wanted to do was play with Jack, he couldn't understand why he kept disappearing as soon as anyone else came. Fortunately it was when his grandfather, Governor Swann, was visiting that Tom decided that he had had enough. He pushed away from the pile of presents Elizabeth's father had laid down and sprinted back to the room in which he had last seen Jack, but when he pushed the door open he saw that Jack wasn't there. Tom looked around; ignoring his grandfather who had began calling him. As Governor Swann's calls got louder Tom decided that was his best shot too.
"Uncle Jack!" he cried, "Uncle Jack, where are you?" Jack cringed. His position in the shadows meant he couldn't see Tom but he could hear exactly what was going on including the sound of Governor Swann coming ever closer. He knew that Governor Swann would choose to forget everything about him except the word pirate, there was nothing he could do about that but there was something he could do about one upset little boy. Weighing up his options Jack made his decision and stepped out into clear view. Tom's face cleared of all confusion and he ran forwards wrapping his arms around Jack's leg just as Governor Swann entered the room.
"Jack Sparrow!" he gasped giving such a jump of surprise that his wig slid a little.
"Captain," corrected Jack instinctively. Governor Swann ignored him.
"You release my grandson at once!" he demanded puffing up like an angry toad.
"If ye care t' look, it be him who needs t' release me," said Jack who raised his hands to show he was not holding Tom in any way. Tom looked up in response to the hostile atmosphere that had sprung up between two of the people he loved.
"I said release him pirate!" said Governor Swann who was shaking from a combination of anger and self importance. Tom looked up at Jack bewildered. The word pirate meant something to him but he had never heard Uncle Jack and pirate in the same sentence, his parents had been careful, perhaps a bit too careful. Tom was going to ask what his grandfather was saying but the look on Jack's face had captured his attention completely. Jack had turned quite pale and his dark eyes were flashing dangerously. They had not moved from his grandfather.
"Don' ye be trying t' turn the boy against me," warned Jack, "Or ye'll regret it, savvy?"
"Are you threatening me?" Governor Swann asked disbelievingly.
"Just a little," said Jack with a smile that did not convey amusement. It was fortunate that Will and Elizabeth both entered at that point. Elizabeth took her father's arm and managed to remove him from the room while Will worked on calming Jack down. Tom looked from his father's look of concern to Jack's look of anger. He didn't understand.
"Tom?" Will called his son's name as Tom hurtled from the room tears rolling down his face.
"Ye never explained that I was a pirate?" Will looked at Elizabeth and then back at Jack.
"We thought it would be better that way," he said, "He might have told someone about you by accident, we were…"
"Don' ye think ye can fool me into thinking ye were protecting me," snapped Jack. Governor Swann had just left but Jack was still furious.
"Jack," said Elizabeth pleadingly, "Please don't make this more difficult than it already is. Would you have preferred us to stop you from seeing Tom altogether?" Jack sighed.
"Let me talk to him," he said.
"Jack, I…" began Will but Elizabeth laid a hand on his arm.
"Go on then," she said to Jack, "Just try not to upset him any more."
Jack knew which room belonged to Tom even without the helpful drawings that decorated the door. He looked at them all for a moment. Most were of his mother and father on various adventures. In one picture it looked like they were battling a giant rat, or was it a lion? It was hard to tell. There was another one which caught Jack's eye. Tom had helpfully labelled the two ships in the picture and the figures on them. One contained him, Elizabeth and Will, the other ship which appeared to be attacking them had one word written above it: pirate. Jack looked away from it and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" demanded a small voice which came from very close to the wood.
"Uncle Jack," replied Jack trying to sound more upbeat than he felt.
"Promise?" asked Tom. Jack thought this a strange question but he answered it.
"Aye lad, I promise." The door opened. Tom's face was still wet with tears which he had hastily tried to wipe away.
"Can I come in?" asked Jack. Tom nodded but added, "Only if you shut the door." Jack did so and then sat on Tom's bed. Tom climbed up beside him. His little shoulders slumped.
"I haven't been crying," he said quickly. Jack had to force himself not to smile.
"Why would I have thought that?" he asked. Tom shrugged.
"Has grandfather gone?" Jack nodded. There was a moment of silence. Jack waited for the question he knew would come.
"Why doesn't grandfather like you?" Tom asked suddenly the words rushing out of his mouth. He looked at Jack through narrowed eyes as if determined to seek out the truth, but Jack had not come in here to feed him lies.
"Yer grandfather doesn't like me because he thinks I'm going t' hurt ye."
"Why?" asked Tom frowning. Jack looked at the little boy and wondered whether this was the last time he would see Tom looking back at him so innocently. There was something familiar in his eyes, some quality that Jack had only seen once before and he had loved those eyes too. He didn't want to lose Tom like he had lost Sylvia.
"Because I'm a pirate." Tom's frown deepened.
"You're not a pirate," he said at last.
"I really think I am lad," said Jack. Tom shook his head.
"No," he said, "You're not. Pirates are bad." Jack thought of the lies he could tell now, the lies that could save himself in the boy's eyes.
"Some people say I'm a bad man," he said instead. Tom laughed.
"You're just teasing," he said. He grinned, pleased with himself that he had figured out Jack's game before being told, but Jack was not smiling.
"I wish I were," said Jack, "But I'm not." Tom's smile faded away.
"Promise me that you're a pirate," he said after a moment's thought. That way he knew Jack would have to tell the truth. No one broke a promise; a promise had to be the truth. Jack felt Tom's gaze upon him, he knew this was it, the moment that everything that had ever happened between them would be destroyed. He hesitated. Tom's eyes widened, he couldn't do it, it wasn't true!
"I'm a pirate Tom, that be a promise." Tom blinked. Uncle Jack, a pirate? His lip trembled and he snatched up the model ship he had loved so much. Tom's throw was powered by the strongest anger and betrayal he had ever felt, the ship stood no chance. It shattered the instant it hit the wall, and fell in pieces to the floor.
Jack wanted to leave, he wanted to sail away and forget the look of hatred in Tom's eyes, but he couldn't. A whole night lay in his way before Gibbs would have the Pearl in position. Elizabeth had tried to talk to Tom but the little boy had not listened. He had curled up in bed facing the wall and refused to talk to anyone. Not even the thought of unopened presents tempted him to move.
"Let's just leave him be," said Elizabeth, "He'll feel better in the morning." Will looked over at the still form of his son, and felt his heart grow heavy. He nodded and closed the bedroom door quietly. Tom heard his parents footsteps travel away from him. When he was sure he could hear them no more he sat up and pushed the covers of his bed aside. It was getting dark, but Tom could still make out the ruins of the little ship which he had thrown so viscously. He walked over to it and scooped up the splinters of wood in his hands careful not to miss a single one. He knew it was beyond repair, and as tears fell from his eyes to join the broken mast and sail, he dearly wished he had not thrown it at all.
Will was asleep, his breathing soft and steady, but Elizabeth found that even when she closed her eyes her mind was too busy to make sleep possible. After hours of patiently waiting she decided she might as well get up. She had it in her mind to go and see Jack, who she was sure would not be sleeping either. She had just reached the top of the stairs when she heard a knock at the door. She looked back at her bedroom door which she had closed. Will would not have heard it and she did not want to answer it herself. She hesitated at the top of the stairs and then saw one of the butlers walking forwards dressed in a night shirt covered by an overcoat in an attempt to disguise the fact. Elizabeth watched as he undid the numerous latches Will had installed on the door and opened it.
"Good evening, we have…"
"Do you realise what time it is?" asked the butler who sounded most affronted that whoever was standing the other side of the door had not made an instant apology.
"This is a matter of some urgency. We have had a report that there is a wanted criminal in hiding in this household." Elizabeth's eyes widened. She was flying down the stairs before she was even fully aware of what she was doing.
"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded. She did a good job of covering her shock as at least twenty marines came into view.
"Pardon the intrusion at this hour," said one of them, "But we really must insist upon searching your house."
"Searching my house? Whatever for?" asked Elizabeth playing the part of the innocent home owner very well.
"It's been reported that a wanted criminal has been…"
"A what?! Are you suggesting that I would harbour such a person?" Elizabeth's voice was rising deliberately.
"No ma'am, we just need to search your property in case someone is hiding. It's entirely possible that…"
"This is a disgrace! I demand to know who sent you here. I do not want my son woken up in the middle of the night due to a fruitless search."
"Please ma'am, we're just following orders."
"Why couldn't you follow orders in the daylight hours?" asked Elizabeth who was almost shouting now. Her butler was standing next to her nodding in appropriate places.
"We really must insist upon this search," said the marine as he began to push past Elizabeth, "We'll be as quiet as we can."
"How dare you enter my house!" shouted Elizabeth as loudly as she could. The marines had all entered and were no longer listening to her but she hoped she had warned Jack in time.
Jack had heard Elizabeth long before her final shout. He had not been asleep as she had predicted and was now trying to plan his escape. They would be guarding the normal exits, he knew that. He would have to improvise. He had to stay out of the main corridors and not get himself blocked in anywhere which was much easier said than done.
Will woke as the door was flung open. He squinted in the light cast by candles that had been lit.
"What on earth..?"
"Sorry sir, just following orders," said a marine who, after a quick look round the room disappeared.
"Following orders?" asked Will groggily, "What?" Suddenly Elizabeth appeared. She was wide awake and alert, her face panicked.
"They're looking for Jack," she whispered which caused Will to leap out of bed at once.
Marines were swarming everywhere, there were so many of them that Elizabeth and Will had no idea where they all were and neither of them had seen Jack.
"He'll have heard them," said Will confidently in his wife's ear, "He'll be hiding."
"But what if they find him Will," said Elizabeth anxiously, "You know what they'll do." Will's mouth went very dry.
"We'll split up," he said, "Try and put the marines off, do anything. I'll take the bottom floor."
"Ok," said Elizabeth, "I hope they haven't woken Tom up." Will gave his wife's hand a tight squeeze before hurrying off to do what he could to try and persuade the marines that there was no one out of the ordinary present. Elizabeth almost ran upstairs. She saw maids dressed in their night clothes looking frightened. They had been paid handsomely for their silence with regards to Jack; Elizabeth just hoped they did not crack now.
They seemed to be everywhere. Jack kept completely still, listening. He could hear cupboards being opened and maids protesting that they had seen and heard nothing. He could not stay in one place for long. As soon as the noise closest to him faded Jack slipped out into the corridor. He was halfway along it when he heard heavy footsteps. Knowing he did not want to be seen by whoever they belonged to Jack entered the nearest room without taking a proper look at the door. He closed it silently behind him and nearly jumped out of his skin as a voice behind him spoke.
"What's going on?" Jack span round and saw Tom sitting up in bed, the bedclothes clutched close to him.
"Christ lad, ye scared me half t' death," said Jack as he pressed his ear to the door. The footsteps were getting closer.
"Why are you in here?" Tom asked, "What's all that noise outside?"
"Yer Uncle Jack's in a bit of trouble," said Jack lightly as he cast his eyes around the room not finding the miraculous escape route he had been hoping for. Finally they came to rest on Tom who was looking frightened. There was no time for explanations.
"Ye have t' trust me lad, can ye do that?" Tom did not reply, he just stared at Jack his fists tightening around his blankets. The door handle of the bedroom door rattled. Tom looked at it just as Jack dived for the wardrobe. The wardrobe door had just closed when a fully armed marine stepped into Tom's bedroom. For a moment Tom was too intimidated to speak. These were the men he had seen walking around Port Royal; his father had told him they protected Port Royal. Tom remembered saying he wanted to protect Port Royal when he was older, now he was not so sure.
"Sorry lad, did I wake you? This won't take long." He stepped into the room and to Tom's astonishment he bent down and looked right under the bed. Suddenly it all clicked into place. His Uncle Jack was a pirate, pirate's were bad men, this man in his room protected Port Royal from bad men like Uncle Jack. This man was looking for Uncle Jack.
"Why did you wake me up?" Tom asked. It was not the first question that came into his head but he judged it to be the safest.
"I'm under orders to look for someone, it won't take long," answered the marine. Tom's gaze shifted slightly to the wardrobe but the marine, with his head under the bed, did not notice. Tom couldn't see Jack silently pleading with him not to give him away but he knew a decision had to be made. It was the biggest decision he had ever had to make.
"There's no person but me in here," he said loudly as the marine straightened up, "I wouldn't let them come in." Jack breathed a sigh of relief but this was premature for the marine ignored Tom totally and began to head towards the wardrobe. Tom threw aside the covers and slid off the bed.
"You can't look in there," he said. The marine turned around and looked down at the child.
"Why not?" he asked sharply. Tom hung his head.
"Because all my toys will fall out," he said in a voice so low it was barely audible.
"What?" asked the marine.
"I was supposed to tidy it up before my birthday but I didn't. If you open that door all my toys will fall out and mother will know I didn't do what she said," Tom said miserably his head still down low. The marine looked at the wardrobe and then back at Tom.
"It's alright," he said kindly, "You just make sure you get your room tidied up before your mother notices." He gave Tom a conspiratorial wink and, with Tom holding his breath, he left the room. For a full minute neither Tom or Jack moved. It was Tom who finally walked over to the wardrobe and pulled it open. Jack stepped out. He didn't know what to say first. He was torn between thanking the boy and asking how he learnt to lie like that.
"Uncle Jack?"
"Mm?"
"Is it alright that I told a lie?" Jack looked down at Tom who was looking even more scared now.
"Aye," said Jack, "It's more than alright, that were a lie to save someone."
"So it wasn't bad?"
"No lad, it wasn't bad," said Jack and he picked Tom up. Tom buried his head in Jack's chest.
"Does this mean ye forgive me?" Jack asked. Tom looked up and said something which touched Jack so deeply it was almost painful.
"I love you Uncle Jack." It took a few seconds before Jack was able to speak.
"I love ye too lad," he said, "But I have to go away now." Tom nodded solemnly.
"I know," he said sadly, "You will come back, won't you?"
"Aye," said Jack as he listened at the door with Tom still in his arms, "Aye, I'll be back. That be a promise."
"Can I watch you leave?" Tom asked. Jack knew he should say no but the word yes came out of his mouth before he could stop it. When the coast sounded clear Jack opened the door and crept to a room which he knew had a balcony. He carefully put Tom down, gave him a quick smile and then jumped right over the railing. Tom gasped and ran forwards, shivering slightly in the cold early morning air. He saw Jack land expertly and then disappear into the shadows cast by the barely visible sun.
A/N: Phew...I told you it was a long one! Hope it was enjoyable.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, mine was fantastic. :) No snow though, what a surprise ;). I just love having all my family over. The time went so quickly though! I can't believe it's Wednesday already...jeez.
Next chapter...no promises, going to aim for Tuesday as before though. I'm going to go and collapse now..... ;)
