Chapter nineteen:

"Do you think there will be a baby?" Jack asked me the next morning. I was in his arms and we had been talking since daybreak. Sunlight flittered through the great windows, and I could hear the cry of seaguls outside, meaning we were close to land.

"I thought you didn't want me to have a baby," I said, and pulled myself away from him. He layed flat with his bad arm still wrapped up, and his other arm around my hip.

"Well, I was stupid then. Its not like we can prevent it."

"Well..." I said slowly. "There is one way. But you wouldn't like it." He got my jist and scowled.

"Never mind. Don't you think you should bring India over here?" I pushed back my hair from my eyes and screwed up my face.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you wanted "the brat" aboard your ship. Im still afraid you might throw me back down in the brig." His eyebrows dipped furiously. He pulled me towards him with his free arm, and for a second, I marveled that he had enough strength in one arm.

"Listen to me, and do not forget what I say." I nodded solemly, and listened. "I did that, because I was afraid of my own feelings. I didn't know what else to do. But I promise you...promise you that it will never ever happen again, as long as there is breath in my body." I smiled and got up from the bed.

"Where to now, cap'n?" I asked, saluting him.

"Well, to Port Royal probably. We are only a day or so away...If we sail hard we can get there tonight. After that, I have a surprise for you." I raised an eyebrow and got dressed.

I was standing on deck, showing India the anchor, when Will came up to me.

"So, this is your little girl?" He asked, kneeling down besides me. India imediately hid her head in my skirts. Will laughed and put a hand on her shoulder.

"India? I shant hurt you," He said in a soft and kind voice. The same voice he had used to his children. Wait, his children!
"Will!" I cried, alarmed. "Where are your kids?" He chuckled again, but it was a sad sort of mourning noise.

"With Coralie's brother. He is a decent lad. I met him at the...at the funeral. But, Jack plainly stated that he wanted no kids on board, and I had to get out of there, just for a while, so I had to take them there. He had just moved to Port Royal. So, I shall be seeing them in a bit." I felt bad for bringing up a sore subject, and looked down at India. She had taken her head from my knee, and was curiously staring at Will.

"Im sorry," I explained. "But she loves staring. Almost anything interests her. She loves sparkly type jewelry, and I will catch her fingering her necklace and staring at it for hours." Will made a motion with his hand that said "Nah, forget about it".

"What have you been doing?" He asked, sitting down on his bottom, and crossing his legs.

"Oh, just sailing around. I had gotten money from my dead aunts place, and I bought that small scooner from a guy who was willing to sell it right quick like. And I picked up the crew in Bombay. We've been sailing around. Thats about it." He smiled. I liked Will. He was a complete opposite of Jack. Kind, gentle, and just...not swarthy.

"How does India like sailing?" I distractedly ran my fingers through her hair, and smiled.

"She loves it. She has a nanny who teaches her in the mornings and afternoons. Then after that, she would come unto the deck, or into my cabin and just be with me." Will looked off into the horizon, and I knew he was thinking about his own kids.

"Im going to the galley. India usually has a snack around this time." He jumped up and helped me rise from my awkward kneeling position. I grabbed up India's hands and we bouyantly made our way down there.

Like always...Dan was there. I hailed him, and he gave me a great hug. India was captivated by his many tattoos and I had to bump her with my hip to get her to look away. While she was munching on a bannana, Dan and I caught up.

"So, I hear you are with the captain again?" The look he gave me made me turn scarlett in the face. So they had heard last night. I looked down, and I felt his huge finger on my chin.

"Buck up, Jez. Its a good thing, what you and Cap'n have. You should have seen him when you were gone. I have never seen a more...downright mean. Actually whipped a tar-head. Can you believe it? Never struck a sailor in his life. He is above that. His words sting more than a cat-o-nine-tails ever could. And he even got short with AnaMaria...And you know he had to be in a foul temper to do that." My brows went down sorrowfully. I somehow felt responsable for that whipping. And I bet most of the crew...the ones who didn't know me, I bet they really hated me for giving them a short tempered captain.

"Did he ever...mention...me?" My voice was quite, and weaved with guilt.

"No'm. But we knew why he was like that. When he rounded us up in Port Royal, he was completely radiatin' guilt, and anger, and heartbreak, and you weren't at his side, we knew what was wrong...and we knew it wasn't you who was te blame. Made us sail straight, no one got a break, for a week. And he--" I cut him off,

"Oh, Dan, stop! Don't tell me anymore! Its all my fault!" I cried, gripping my skirts so hard it wrinkled the light linen fabric. He gently plucked my hand from were it had its death grip on my skirt, and dropped it to my side.

"Jez, we knew who did what. Will told us the night we finally got off. Everyone was starting to jeer, and make jokes and hateful remarks about you, saying it was mostly your fault. Until Will set them straight, so he did. Never seen him get like that 'neither. His eyes were hard as flint, and his face was like a rock." I pulled India onto my lap and put my arms around her. Wanting to feel her body in my arms. I smelled the sweet smell of lavender in her hair, mixed with that of the sea.

"I should go..." I said, and picking up India I walked out of the galley. I handed her over to her nanny who frightenly swung over with Will, and walked into Jack's cabin.

He was sitting at his desk, writing furiously on a pieace of rolling parchment. The sun was slowly rising, and the cabin was filling up with the strong and warm sunlight. I was thankful for my light skirt and tunic, both a sky blue color. When he heard me come in, Jack looked up from his writing. I saw his eyes light up, and he quickly put away his tools, and painfully got up. I rushed to him, helpingly.

"The day I need you to really help me, is the day I stop being a man," He said, and I helped him into the big man-and-a-dog chair on the other side of the large cabin. I sat down by his feet, and he ran his strong ring clad and dirty fingers through my hair. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. We stayed that way for the longest of time.

/\

"Were comin up on Port Royal, Jez...Can you go tell Cap'n?" I motioned for Will to take the helm, and I went back into the captains cabin. Jack was still asleep in his chair, and I gently shook him.

"Wha!" He shouted, "I swear it wasn't me, sir. She took my ship!" His eyes focused on my face looming in front of his.

"Bloody whench took my ship," He mumbled. I tried hard to hold back a laugh.

"Was she mean?" I asked, in the same voice I used with India.

"Terribly. But, I saved my ship in the end,"

"We are coming up to Port Royal now...Can you walk?" He gave me a very nasty look, and as if to show me up, he stood up by himself.

"Im fine," He grunted, and slowly walked out of the cabin. While his back was to me, and I was following him, I saw a small stain of blood on the bandages. I decided not to tell him, but if it got bigger, I would. He stood by the railing and I saw the shoreline of Port Royal steadily drawing closer. It brought back many memories, and a pang went through my heart, because this time, Coralie wasn't there to greet me. I noticed Jack's hands had a death grip on the wood. His knuckles were white, and his teeth clenched.

"Jack..." I said uncertainly. "Maybe you should go in--" His head snapped around to look at me, and the look he gave me made me take a step back.

"This is my ship. I am your captain. I will be fine," He said shortly.