Usual disclaimers

With thanks to Lexie, ducky, Chelsey (yay! Welcome back), RosePearl, JHG, Mrs. Depp, Daisy (welcome!), The Great and Powerful Oz, A Depp Girl, Orli's Hot Chick, Miss Sophia and of course, Hils.

Lexie, I have written another story on fanfictiondotnet, called Another Time, Another Place.

Chapter fifteen: 'If ya've got it, ya've got it.'

'Sail ho!' the cry went up from the battlements of Fort James.

'So, here they come,' Elias Beauchamp said as he trained his spyglass on the six pirate ships heading for his town. He looked across the fort at Governor Norrington who had insisted on helping to command the attack. Beauchamp had mixed feelings about it but had to admit to himself that the Governor had not interfered with his leadership as much as he had feared. He turned his attention to the three ships of the King's Navy strung across the entrance to the harbour, some half a mile out at sea, all guns and men readied for the battle that was to come.

'Good luck, Elias,' James Norrington said as he approached. 'I sincerely hope they are as disorganised as you believe they will be.'

'Thank you, Sir. I don't think they will have much in the way of munitions after attacking so many targets of late. We, however, have plenty to spare.'

'It doesn't alter the fact that we are outnumbered, two to one,' the Governor reminded him.

A loud boom sounded across the town before Beauchamp had a chance to reply and both men turned their attention to sea, seeing the accompanying puff of smoke from the Devil's Gold, captained by Nathaniel Gordon.

'The idiots are wasting their shot already,' Governor Norrington snorted as the shot fell well short of the naval ships.

'As I was saying, Sir…' Commodore Beauchamp smiled thinly. 'I believe that we are still more than a match for them. If my hunch is correct, Sparrow and Bartholemew Roberts are the main leaders of this brotherhood and neither of their ships are amongst this ragtag flotilla.'

'No, perhaps you are correct,' James Norrington admitted. 'I shall go back to my men, get them prepared.'

'Aye, Sir,' Beauchamp nodded. 'But hopefully they won't get close enough for these men to have much work to do.'

'Hopefully not,' Norrington called back as he made his way around the ramparts.

'What are you thinking?' Jenny asked as she entered the cabin and saw Jack staring out of the stern windows, lost in thought.

'Eh? Oh, just wondering how th'attack on Port Royal's going.'

'I hope James will be all right,' she worried.

'I doubt those stupid bastards will get close enough to th'town to even hit th'harbourmaster's house,' he snorted derisively. 'We've barely got any shot nor powder left – how th'hell do they think they can mount a decisive attack when they have as much, or as little, as we do?'

'Look at this this way,' Jenny reasoned. 'At least the Navy are otherwise occupied and there's no chance of running into them.'

'Heh! That's true,' he chuckled. 'Hey, you look tired, luv. Come an' have a lie down, eh?'

'I won't argue,' Jenny sighed. 'It's so hard keeping my balance being this big. I hope I'm not having twins!'

'What's wrong with twins? Shows what a virile man I am,' he boasted.

'I think most folk already know what a virile man you are,' she commented dryly as he helped her onto the bunk.

'If ya've got it, ya've got it,' he winked, climbing up besides her.

'And you've got it in abundance,' she chuckled, turning on her side and snuggling up to him as best she could. 'Do you think Condent will be awkward, with what happened to the brotherhood?'

'Nah,' Jack assured her. 'He wasn't very keen on th'time he had ter spend away from Tortola, so this was a perfect excuse for him.'

'All right,' she replied uncertainly.

'Hey, it will be all right, I promise you. Now get some sleep, missy,' he chided gently. 'An' leave th'worryin' ter me, savvy?'

'Savvy,' Jenny murmured sleepily, her eyes getting heavier as Jack started singing softly to her.

'Fire!' Commodore Beauchamp yelled to his men on the ramparts of the fort, flinching as eight cannons fired simultanuously on John Rose Archer's Damned Corsair, inflicting serious damage to her rigging and masts. A small part of his mind noted how well their defence was going, with one pirate ship already sunk and two more making a run for it. And now it looked as though another enemy ship would be fatally crippled, leaving just two ships left to deal with. He dragged his attention back to the task in hand and ordered his men to keep up a barrage of artilliary on the Damned Corsair.

Captain Theodore Groves looked in horror as HMS Sutherland started listing badly to starboard. She had obviously been hit during the last attack by the Rising Sun, captained by William Moody, and now her survivors were diving desparately into the water, only to be shot at by the pirates.

'Get them!' Groves yelled. 'Help the survivors,' he urged, aiming his pistol at the deck of the enemy ship and firing as his men threw down lines which their comrades grabbed at urgently, grateful for the lifeline.

'Sir! She's heading about,' one of the crew called, and the captain of the Courage looked up to see that the pirate ship was indeed moving away from the striken Navy ship and joining her cohorts in retreating.

'Attack the other ship,' he ordered, hearing the scramble as the cannon crews readied the long guns on the port side. 'Fire when ready, master gunner!'

'Aye, Sir,' came the dim reply from the deck below and HMS Courage soon reverberated as her guns pounded shot into their adversary's hull.

'Captain Groves,' Abel Peasgood panted as he approached his counterpart, water dripping onto the deck. 'I thank you.'

'Abel!' Theodore Groves exclaimed. 'Thank heavens you're alive.'

'Aye, just,' the older man winced, holding up his badly bleeding arm.

'Smythe, take Captain Peasgood to the surgeon immediately,' Groves ordered, nodding at his friend as he followed the midshipman below.

'We've got them now,' James Norrington observed as he watched the Damned Corsair slowly break up under the onslaught from land and sea.

'That we have, Sir,' Elias Beauchamp agreed, smiling thinly.

'I only hope Peasgood has made it. Pity about losing the ship.'

'Perhaps we could commandeer a merchant ship?' the Commodore suggested. It would not have been the first time he had done such a thing in his pursuit of pirates.

'That would make us no better than them,' James Norrington spat, looking in distaste at the striken ship.

'Very well, Sir,' Beauchamp conceded. 'We'll just have to send George out to capture a pirate ship and covert her.'

'I'm not sure I like that idea any better,' James replied laconically. 'But I don't see that we have much choice,' he sighed. 'I shall see you and hopefully all of the captains in my office in say, two hours for de-briefing?'

'Very well, Sir.' Beauchamp saluted before turning his attention back to the task of finishing off the remaining pirate ship.

'All those in favour, say 'Aye,' Jack called to the crew gathered on the main deck and lower rigging.

'Aye!' the crew yelled as one, thus making John Williams their new quartermaster.

'We'll swear ya in after Gibbs has officically retired, savvy?' Jack winked, clapping the large man on the back.

'Fine by me,' the ship's cook grinned, toasting his captain as a mug of rum was pressed into his hand by Davy Phillips.

'Where's mine?' Jack grumbled good naturedly, his smile broadening as he saw Jenny making her way steadily towards him with his pewter tankard. 'My angel of mercy,' he laughed as she finally reached him and handed the tankard of rum over.

'It's a pleasure, my lord and master,' she teased. 'Congratulations, John,' Jenny said, reaching up and kissing his cheek. 'You'll serve the men well, I know.'

'Thanks, sweetheart,' he replied, placing an easy arm about her shoulder under the watchful gaze of his captain. 'Are yer goin' to get any bigger?' he ribbed, looking at her large belly.

'I hope not!' Jenny exclaimed. 'Although, I hope it doesn't decide to arrive on the voyage.'

'Why not?' Jack asked. 'Be a true pirate of the seven seas then,' he grinned.

'It might be a girl…' Jenny reminded him for the umpteenth time.

'You can have girl pirates,' came Jack's riposte as he bobbed his tongue out to her.

'No daughter of mine is becoming a pirate!' she admonished, ignoring the hoots of laughter coming from the two men.

'Hey, Luke!' Jack called. 'There's nothin' wrong with my child being born at sea, is there?'

'No,' Luke replied uncertainly, glancing at Jenny. 'Why? You don't think it's coming do you?'

'No!' she cried. 'Ignore these two fools,' she sighed with exasperation. 'Jack just thinks it would be just wonderful if I were to have the baby on board.'

'It wouldn't be dangerous,' Luke said, wincing as Jenny gave him a sharp look.

'I'd shut up an' get yourself a drink before ya really put yer foot in it,' Jack laughed.

'Yes, perhaps I'd better,' the former naval man smiled, winking conspiratorially at Jenny as he passed.

'Good idea,' she remarked, arching an eyebrow at her friend. 'As for you, Jack Sparrow, you'd soon be laughing on the other side of your cheek when I messed the bunk up during the birth.'

'Aye, tis true, Cap'n,' John agreed. 'Messy thing, childbirth…'

'All right, all right!' Jack protested. 'Ya can cross yer legs until we get to Road Town, savvy?' He laughed and ducked out of the way as Jenny aimed a clout at him, clinging onto the newly elected quartermaster as she overbalanced.

'Careful, sweetheart,' he grinned. 'Don't want this lot ter think yer drunk.'

'She ain't pissed again, is she?' Patience teased as she approached them. 'An' I thought I managed ter hide all th'booze!'

'Will you lot stop besmirching my reputation?' Jenny protested laughingly.

'Yer reputation was besmirched a long time ago!' Jack taunted, moving further away lest she try and hit him again.

'Yes, about the time you kidnapped me!' she sniped, sticking her tongue out at him.

'Ya wound me, wifey,' Jack wailed, clutching at his heart dramatically.

'I will in a minute,' Jenny threatened, shaking her fist.

'Are they pickin' on ye?' Shay asked, pretending to draw his sword.

'I'm not,' Patience informed him, batting her lashes innocently then pouting at her husband as he snorted derisively. 'Ya don't believe yer own wife?'

'Not when ye've got that look on yer face, no,' he laughed, picking her up and swinging her around.

'Put me down, ya great big oaf!' Patience protested, kicking his shins, although not as hard as she could do.

'I don't think I'll be tryin' that with Jen, just yet,' Jack chuckled wryly, wrapping his arm around her extended waist. 'Come an' sit down, luv.'

'Yes, I could do with it,' Jenny admitted, allowing herself to be lead to a barrel which she perched on, with a little help from Jack. 'I can't wait to get back on firm ground,' she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

'I know it's hard for ya,' Jack sympathised. 'I just wish it wasn't necessary ter move you again.'

'It's not your fault,' she smiled, playing with his beard braids. 'Just one of those things.'

'You'll be safe in Tortola – Condent's a good man and will make sure that you're kept safe.'

'If he's still king of the town,' Jenny reminded him, remembering what Jack had said about Condent leaving the brotherhood because of pressures in his town.

'If he wasn't, I'd have heard about it.'

'True,' she nodded, reaching up to kiss his jawbone.

'I can't wait until yer small enough to love again,' Jack sighed wistfully. Jenny no longer found the intimate side of their marriage comfortable and so Jack left her alone – although he was finding it increasingly harder as time when on.

'Me neither,' she agreed, regret sounding heavy in her voice. She was scared that Jack might cave in to the charms of another woman, even though she told herself that he wouldn't do such a thing. But still the doubt persisted.

'Are ya goin' ter play yer drums, Cap'n?' Andrew McCarrick called across the deck where he had gathered with the other musicians of the crew.

'Yes,' Jenny urged. 'Go on, I'll be fine here.'

'Ya sure?' Jack left her and weaved his way to the men, squatting down on the deck and placing the drums between his legs, picking up the beat as Drew started playing his flute and Davy strummed a cittern.

'I see he ain't lost it,' Patience remarked as she joined Jenny, Erin gurgling contentedly in her arms. 'I can't believe how good he is.'

'Yes, I was rather surpised the first time I heard him play,' Jenny chuckled.

'What other tricks has he got up his sleeve?'

'Ah, that's for me to know,' she winked at her young friend.

'I didn't mean that, ya daft woman!' Patience retorted with a grin, rolling her eyes. 'Bloody hell, they're singin' now!' She found herself tapping her foot in time as the crew sang shanties and folk songs well into the night.

Author's notes:

I cannot find any reference to the main town of Tortola in the 17th Century, so am sticking with its now capital, Road Town.

A cittern was an instrument similar to a lute but flatter bodied – popular in England.