CHAPTER FOUR: AND THE DRAMA BEGINS

"You're Elizabeth's sister?" Anamaria asked the next evening.

"She's four years older," Sunni nodded. She had been exploring the ship most of the day, along with talking to Jack, nonchalantly, as to not draw attention. Now, she and Anamaria were manning the helm while the men were below, eating. Gibbs and Jack were in Jack's cabin, mapping out their route.

"I knew 'er," Anamaria said, continuing their conversation. "She was a good lass. Courageous."

"Yeah, she is," Sunni said with a smile. "She's really happy with Will."

"Miss Sunni!"

The two women turned to see Gibbs hurrying up from the galley. "Th' Cap'n has requested that you come down for a drink ta celebrate your arrival on th' Black Pearl."

"I thought you two were in th' cabin, talkin' over courses."

Gibbs smiled a clearly inebriated smile. "We've been down celebratin' for a while already."

"Yes, I can tell." Sunni glanced to Anamaria.

"Go, lass. I been steerin' a ship for longer'n you been alive."

Down in the eating galley, Sunni was confronted with a roomful of drunken pirates. They all cheered upon her arrival.

"Ah! There be the beautiful Sunni Swann," Jack called out, his words slurring from numerous bottles of rum. He stood from his bench and staggered over to her.

"How many ye had, Jack?" Sunni laughed as she struggled to support the captain.

"Not near enough ta celebrate your arrival, luv," he smiled, suggestively wriggling his eyebrows. " 'Ave a drink, doll."

"Not now, Jack," Sunni pushed the bottle away. "You should drink it."

"Did ye 'ear that, ye scalleywags?" Jack yelled out, loudly, wrapping an arm around Sunni's shoulders. "We 'ave finally found a woman who understands th' appeal of a drink."

Sunni laughed as the other men cheered. She loved these surroundings. It was so much more relaxed than the rigidness of Port Royal.

"Go on, luv. 'Ave a drink," Jack encouraged a little more quietly.

"Nah, I really shouldn't-"

" 'S amatter, lass?" Perch cried out. "Can't ye 'old yer liquor?"

"Hold 'er liquor?" Jack cried. "I never seen a woman hold more liquor! Why, one trip to Port Royal. . ." Jack continued to tell the story of their trip to a local pub one late night when Sunni was staying with Elizabeth and Will. Luckily, he left out the part where they took off to a chapel and got married.

"An' REALLY BAD EGGS!" Jack sang as he staggered up the stairs with Sunni supporting him and an arm wrapped around her shoulders after a night of drinking.

"Yo ho, yo ho. A pirate's life for me," Sunni mumbled, heaving him up the wooden planks, remembering the song Elizabeth had taught her.

"I LOVE that song!" Jack declared. He stumbled out of Sunni's arms and danced a drunken dance to the railing.

"Jack! Come back here," Sunni chuckled, not being able to help herself. He just made her laugh.

"Sunni, girl," he said, once she had securely hauled him from the railing. "You. . ." he seemed to forget what he was going to say. "You are th' most beautiful woman in th' entire world."

Sunni paused and glanced up at her husband with a smile. "I know ye be drunk, Jack, but that was very sweet."

"Def'nately not drunk!" he stumbled into his cabin door. He suddenly turned to face Sunni. "How come yer not drunk?"

"I didn't drink, Jack," Sunni reminded him.

"No worries, luv!" he declared. "I got some rum in me room." He nearly dragged her in his cabin.

"No, Jack, I don't-" Sunni stopped short when he shoved a bottle of liquor under her nose.

"C'mon, luv," he swayed gently, holding Sunni close. " 'Member what happened last time we had a little drinky?"

"We got married."

"An' that turned out wonderf'lly," he slurred. "Now drink up!"

"Jack, I can't-"

"Stomach still churnin'?" he asked, his face mere inches from hers as his eyes fought to focus.

"No, I feel fine-"

"Then drink up-"

"Jack!" Sunni shouted to get his attention. He staggered back a little and concentrated harder on her face. "I been tryin' ta tell ye. I can't drink. I'm pregnant."

Jack was silent for a moment. He fought to digest the information. Sunni stared at him, trying to gauge his reaction. She was wincing, like she was afraid of what he would say.

Finally, Jack put on a stern face and nodded. "I'll tell th' crew."

Sunni stood frozen, momentarily confused. Jack staggered out the door. "No, Jack! Wait!" She chased him out the door. He was already on the upper decks. He could move fast for a drunk man. "Jack- no!"

"Attention, attention all ye scalleywags!" Jack called out, and all eyes turned to Jack. The entire crew was out, just about to return to their cabins for the night. "I gotta announcement! Sunni Swann. . . is not really Sunni Swann!" Sunni smacked her forehead and ran for the stairs to the upperdecks. "Her real and legal name is Sunni Sparrow 'cause six months ago we got married in Port Royal-" Sunni reached the upperdecks just as Jack finished. "An' now, she's pregnant!"

The entire crew stood, frozen in place, their mouths hanging open as they stared up at their captain.

All at once, Jack's words hit him like a cannonball. He whipped around just as Sunni came to a stop at the top of the stairs. "You're PREGNANT!" he demanded.

"Aye, Jack. We're pregnant."

Jack fell limply to the deck, the world around him going black.