CHAPTER FIVE: DID THAT REALLY HAPPEN?

The sun was bloody bright, even with his eyes closed. Jack groaned and ran a dry tongue over his cracked lips. He was parched and his entire head was throbbing with the familiar feeling of a hangover.

"Easy, there, Cap'n," Gibbs said, dumping some water on Jack's face.

"Aye, Gibbs," he shook his aching head. "I had the realest dream."

Gibbs paused. "Really?"

Jack inched an eye open. " 'T wasn't a dream?"

" 'Fraid not, Jack."

"Where am I?"

"In your cabin."

Jack swallowed. "Then where is my. . . wife?"

"She slept in Anamaria's cabin."

"Am I rememberin' everything? Did I announce that we got married?"

"Yes, ye did."

Jack groaned. "She must be spittin' mad-" his spine suddenly stiffened. His eyes snapped to Gibbs, all remembrances of a headache forgotten. "I said somethin' else, didn't I?"

"Err. . . yeah, ye did."

"Did I make that part up?"

"Miss Sunni didn't say."

Jack sat in a daze for a few seconds. "I can't believe I said. . . I must have made it up in my slightly drunken state."

Gibbs snorted. "Slightly?"

Jack shot him a look. "I should talk to her, shouldn't I?"

"I think ye might wanna. Otherwise, th' old ball and chain might get upset."

Jack gave him another look as Gibbs laughed at the thought of his old bachelor friend finally getting married. Ignoring him, he jumped up to go to Anamaria's room.

Anamaria met him at her cabin door. She stopped him from charging in with a finger to his chest. "Don't even think of barrelin' in there, Jack Sparrow. She only fell asleep a few hours ago. The bloody lass kept me up all night with her tossin' and turnin'. Leave 'er be, ye here me?"

"I won't wake her," Jack promised. When Ana gave him a stern look, he returned it. "I need ta see me wife, an' if you'll remember, I am still th' Captain of this ship, so step aside, lass."

"You're only captain when you're sober," she shot back, but took a stride to the right.

Jack gave her another look, but refrained from comment. He gently pushed the door open. Sunni was sprawled out on the bed, exhausted.

Was she pregnant? She didn't appear very pregnant, Jack thought, but what did he know about pregnant women? Nah, she definitely couldn't be pregnant, could she? Jack shook his head. For all he knew, he could have made up the pregnant part in his drunken stupor. Yes, that was definitely what had happened. But he know he did announce the part about them being married. And Sunni was going to be spitting mad when she woke up. They had made a solemn pack not to tell ANYONE. They were now in danger of exposure.

Jack had to make sure no one on board uttered a word of this on land. He had to threaten them with significant bodily harm. And he also had to make sure that the pregnancy announcement was dismissed. And he had to make sure that Sunni would forgive him. Jack kissed Sunni's forehead and then left the room. He had a busy morning ahead of him.

Sunni awoke with a groan. By the looks of the light shining through Anamaria's meager window, she judged it was near suppertime. She was starving. Slowly, though, she began remembering when she was. The Pearl. They were a day or so away from Isla de Muerta. Jack was only a few feet away. She smiled.

Her smile turned to a scowl, though. Jack. . . how could he announce to the entire crew-

Her thoughts were interrupted as she took in the sights around her. The room shimmered in silver, gold, and precious stones. Sunni recognized it to be some of Jack's favorite plunder. A note sat beside her on the nightstand.

"It all be yours if you forgive me, luv.

Jack"

Sunni found herself smiling despite herself. Jack was never one to be simple and understated. He was always extravagant and over-the-top.

"Should I take that sparkling smile to be a sign of forgiveness?" a voice in the doorway asked.

Sunni looked up from the note to see Jack leaning on the doorframe with his usual lop-sided grin. Sunni quickly stopped smiling and scowled at her husband. "How could you, Jack? After you expressed to me just how important it was to keep our marriage secret!"

"I know, luv," Jack said, his grin falling. "But I was way too drunk-"

"Which was why we weren't goin' ta tell anyone! Incase they got severely drunk, like YOU, and blabbed it ta th' world!" She huffed and looked around. "Flattery nor jewels will win my forgiveness, Jack Sparrow."

Jack fought the urge to correct her and say "Captain." Instead, he swaggered to her and squatted down, at her eyelevel. "They what will? A solemn promise, on penalty of physical harm, that th' crew won't breath a word of this on land?"

Sunni looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Maybe. . ."

"What else, luv? Anythin'."

Sunni studied him with a hard look before a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "A kiss. An' then supper."

Jack's face broke out in a relieved grin, now convinced he had the most understanding wife in the world. He leaned forward and crushed her lips to his. He smiled with his mouth still on hers. "Your food's in our cabin."

As he rose, Sunni grabbed his hand, suddenly hesitant. "Jack. . ." he turned at her serious tone. "Do you remember last night?"

Jack shook his head. "Not much of it, darlin', but I do remember makin' one helluva announcement."

"Yeah. . ." Sunni said slowly.

"Ye forgive me for that one, too, doll? I realized I was drunk off me stolen boots, and made sure th' crew knew it, too. They realized I made it up. . ." his voice trailed off as he continued looking at her face.

"Jack. . ." she took a deep breath. "Ye WERE drunk off ye stolen boots, but. . . ye remembered- ye remembered everything right. I did tell ye I was pregnant."

Jack tilted his head an inch to the right, and his mouth gaped open a bit. "Why'd ye do that?" he demanded.

"Cause I am pregnant!" she exclaimed.

"With OUR baby?"

"No, my other bleedin' husband's," she cried, sarcastically. "Yes, it's ours."

"We're gonna 'ave a baby?"

"Aye," she answered tentatively, unsure of how he would react.

Jack went very still, and his face became unreadable. Sunni forced her hands to stay at her sides, instead of clasping in front of her in a nervous habit. Jack took a deep breath and ran a hand through his tangled black hair. Finally he said, in a voice that didn't sound like his own at all, "I- I'll be back. I need ta- ta clear my head." He turned and shuffled out the door.

Sunni blew out a breath as he left. She massaged her temples and fought back the urge to cry. She told herself that Jack had every right to be shocked. She was shocked when she first figured it out. So shocked, that she immediately formulated a plan to find Jack. While forcing down the lump in her throat, she argued that Jack had every right to want to think, first. With a deep breath, she set off for their cabin to try and forced down some food that no longer sounded appetizing.

Gibbs watched Jack storm out of Anamaria's room right before he was headed down to the eating galley. His eyes were blank, his skin was a bit pale, and he seemed quite shocked. Had Sunni refused to forgive him? Finally, he decided to follow his Captain.

Jack was headed for the helm of the ship, the one place that he always felt in control. He grasped the spokes of the wheel, and tried to find steady ground, both in his mind and stomach.

"Aye, Captain," Gibbs broke his concentration. "Ye okay?"

Jack looked up startled. "Yeah, I'm fine, mate. Just needed some air."

"An' Sunni? She okay, now?"

Jack's mind reeled with thoughts of his wife. "Yeah," he said, quietly, "She's fine."

Gibbs nodded, eyes still narrowed. "Okay, then." And he left, looking over his shoulder.

Jack continued to keep his grasp firmly on the wheel. She was pregnant. He let out a long breath. They were going to have a baby. Of course, Jack had many options. He was a pirate. He could easily drop Sunni off with her family at Port Royal and never return again. The very thought of that churned his stomach. Sunni would be ostracized and severely punished. He could drop her off at a random port, hoping to find a loving family to take care of her. . . Jack couldn't stomach that idea, either. No matter how much he fought it, Jack couldn't deny the fact that the little, five-foot-nothing fireball, daughter of a governor had stolen his heart. She had a firm grip on it, too. He had never loved anyone like he loved Sunni. He couldn't imagine life without her. Even living like they had been, seeing each other only weeks at a time, was hard for them both.

How had it happened? He used to be a fierce pirate, one who hopped from woman to woman, drinking port to drinking port, not a man who's one desire was to constantly steal a day, maybe two, in Port Royal, where his bonny lass was.

Again, it hit him, though. She was pregnant. A life was growing inside of her that they had created. A baby. It would definitely put a cramp in his style. But again, it was a baby. His baby.

With quick movements, he tied up the wheel and ran to his cabin.

Sunni was curled up on the bed, her back to door and face to the wall. Her supper was pretty much untouched. Jack couldn't tell, but he thought she might be crying.

"You should be eatin' yer supper, luv. Ye've got another life in ye," Jack said, from the doorway.

Sunni gasped, and rolled over, quickly wiping her eyes. "Jack. I didn't expect ye'd be back this soon. I-I thought ye might need more time."

Jack sat on the bed next to Sunni as she sat up.

"We're goin' ta have a baby," Jack said, still trying to digest the information.

"How do ye feel about that?" she asked, tentatively.

Jack studied Sunni's face. She had beautiful, captivating sea green eyes. Her skin was lightly tanned, but smooth as silk. There was a light dusting of freckles over her nose and cheeks from hours in the sun.

"You are so beautiful," he breathed. "I couldn't think of another woman in the world that I would want to have a baby with besides you." He drew closer to her, pressing his forehead to hers. His eyes became alight and his lips drew up in a smile. "We're gonna have a baby," he repeated.

Sunni laughed, feeling a few tears in her eyes. "So you're happy?"

"I think," he said, "This could be th' second happiest day of my life, next ta th' day I married you."

"Jack," she exclaimed, overcome with joy. "Oh, God, I'm so relieved, I was afraid you'd be furious, or ye might dump me off at some port, or-"

"Sunni," Jack stopped her. "I could never leave you. 'Specially holdin' our kid." He stood from the bed and pulled her up, too. "Now, c'mon. Ye need ta eat since yer eatin' fer two, now."

As they stood, Jack turned to look at Sunni. She could tell he was having one of those rare, romantic moments of his. He fell to his knees before her and grasped her waist. Then he drew her stomach to his lips and pressed a kiss into her belly. The gesture was so sweet and unexpected that tears immediately sprang to her eyes.

"Ah, don't go blubberin' on me, luv," Jack smiled as he got to his feet. "C'mon, ye need ta eat."