A/N: Thanks for reviewing! I know that I should have put this up three days ago, but I was involved in this intern program, which was really nice. Anyways, I have been skipping the disclaimer a lot, but, like you know, I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean :(

Smithy: Thank you for your understanding! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and give me your opinion in your review :) !

Mysterious-muse: You are a great reviewer! Thanks for your reviews, they are really enjoyable! I am glad that you feel flattered, that makes me feel flattered :)

Vampirehelsing: Thank you for the great compliments! I have read your stories and they are really good, you're just so humble that you are too nice to admit it:)

Now…Chapter 7! Wow!

Chapter VII: Dark Clouds

The sun rose late on Port Royal. Yellow and orange streaks of light colored the horizon as the bright rays of the sun snaked over the island. The sun pulled on the narrow rays, trying to push itself up into the sky beside the dark clouds, but the town would not have it. Death and despair hung over the small houses and mansions in place of the bright sun. As the glittering orb struggled to heat the morning, the dark clouds of mourning pushed it back. The streets were dark, and the shadows of the boats covered the port town. The flags on the ships were still as they hung limply from the poles. Black colored the landscape and cries of sadness and despair took the place of the lark's chirping.

Will Turner paced the study, his boots emitting loud clunks on the wooden floor. His appearance was spotless, not showing the pain he knew within. His shoulder length wavy brown hair was tied back into a small ponytail. A cutlass clattered beside a pistol around his leather belt. His loose white blouse and brown sleeveless jacket over it blended perfectly with his chocolate brown eyes. His stroked his mustache thoughtfully, his muscles tensed.

The study was a small room in the Swann mansion. A round mahogany table of three legs held down the red Persian carpet to the wooden floorboards. No light streamed in the wide window that encompassed an entire wall, the black clouds oppressing the town. The smell of old pages waffled through the room from the many books. Two entire walls were dedicated to bookshelves, on opposite sides of the room. Artifacts from around the world, including a Ganesh from India, Buddha statues from china, and a samurai sword from Japan, served as book stands and holders. The door to the study silently opened, a soft creaking with it. Elizabeth walked in, wheezing under the weight of her stomach. Will immediately got a chair from the table in the middle of the room and sat her on it.

"Elizabeth, are you all right?" he asked, his brown eyes concerned as he took her hand in his.

Elizabeth looked at him, her usually shining hazel eyes were glazed and her face was pale. She nodded, her brown curls bouncing in her bun.

Will hugged her tight, taking care not to hurt her swelled stomach, "I miss them too. What did the Commodore say?"

A muffled sob escaped Elizabeth's lips as the though of her children forced itself into her mind, "I…he…the Commodore found Rachel."

Will looked into her face eagerly, "Tell me."

"She…she…was a slave…before she died," Elizabeth's voice cracked under the tears and sobs that shook her body. Will stood up and paced around the round wooden table. He knew what those words meant, as his wife's sobbing only confirmed his beliefs.

"They were captured and sold as slaves then," he voiced, his throat constrained.

Elizabeth nodded slowly, lifting her face defiantly. Taking a handkerchief from her waist, she wiped the remaining tear from her eyes. She would cry no more. No tears were left in her to cry. Now cold resolution took hold of her. They would find their children, they would live.

Will let his fist drop heavily on the mahogany wood table, "I set sail tomorrow."

"I will go as well," came Elizabeth's quiet reply.

Will looked at her, his eyes full of concern and love, "No, my love, you can't come. Our child is due soon and I can't have you on a ship when it is born. You will have midwives and doctors to attend you. When Miriam and Chris…" he looked down at his fist a second before continuing, "…were born on the ship, I though I had lost you. I can't let that happen again."

Elizabeth smiled up at her husband's face, "You won't lose me. But I must find my children, I must keep them safe. If they die, then I will be lost forever."

Will came to her, and wrapped her into his embrace, lifting her from the red cushion chair she had sat on. "I can't have you come, Elizabeth. It will be hard and difficult to find them, but I promise you that I will find them for you…for us."

Elizabeth knew she couldn't go. It was impossible. Her child was due soon and Will wouldn't risk her life. Will knew their children well. He had taught Miriam sword fighting and the staff, Christopher he had taught the knives, and both were excellent with a pistol. Their children were smart and cunning, they would survive. It was not a question of time, it was a question of location that bothered Elizabeth. If they were going to the Spanish conquers, she feared for her daughter. But the slave dealers hadn't been usual. Most slaves went to the conquers, yet they had found Rachel's body near a cotton plantation. It was odd, and Elizabeth feared for her children with those slavers. As far as she knew, they could be in India. Elizabeth buried her face in Will's embrace as she willed the tears that weren't there anymore to fall.

o o o

Will and Elizabeth were still standing in their embrace when they heard the gunshot. Will's hand immediately went to his cutlass that hung on his belt. Elizabeth didn't move, her eyes cold on the study door. They could hear shouting. A man was bellowing, and a maid screamed. The cries and yells were muffled by the thick oak door and no words could be made out. A crash was heard from the kitchen, followed by an angry yell. There was no noise for a moment before the house exploded with laughter. Steps were coming up the grand stairway, and they grew nearer. The voices were getting easier to make out through the door before Will and Elizabeth could make out two shoes outside the study door. Will stood straight and motioned Elizabeth to sit on a chair behind him. She obliged, knowing she could not fight with her pregnancy.

"Come in,' beckoned Will, his voice cold and his grip on his sword tight.

The door burst open. Will's sword flashed in the air and there was a clash as it crashed against another sword. The sword holder laughed goodheartedly, "Now, Will mate, is that any way to treat your old friend?"

Will opened his eyes wide in disbelief at the man standing in front of him. "Jack?" he whispered.

Jack Sparrow laughed at Will's face. The pirate hadn't changed. His hair was braided into braids and decorated with beads, and covered by a red bandana and a three point pirate hat. Jack's dark eyes were outlined heavily with kohl, accenting his tanned face. Gold teeth flashed as he smiled, his mustache and braided goatee in the background. His clothes were loose. A white chemise was covered by a brown jacket, his pants were dark colored and two pistols hung from his red belt.

"How's Elizabeth?" Jack asked, twirling his sword in his hand.

Will was too shocked to speak. Elizabeth stood up, "Jack! I can't believe it! After so many years, why do you come now?"

Jack grinned at her, "Ah, luv, I'll be explaining to ye," his eyes widened as he noticed the great swell of her stomach, "Elizabeth! More children! How many children do you have?"

Elizabeth lowered her head, her thoughts once more turning towards her children. She felt Will wrap his arms around her and whisper in her ear, disturbing some stray tendrils of hair, "Go lie down, Elizabeth. It isn't good for the baby or for you to be walking around so much."

Elizabeth smiled up at him, and kissed him lightly on the cheek before sweeping out the door to her chamber.

Will turned his attention to Jack, who was looking over the jade Buddha in his hands.

"That is not for sale. Put it back on the shelf, you pirate," Will commented.

Jack grinned and slapped Will on the back, "Not an eunuch, eh? So how many children have you two had in these past years?"

Will smiled slightly at Jack, "I never was an eunuch, as you can see by Elizabeth and I only have two children…twins. Don't you remember? You came to visit them once."

Sparrow's face split into a grin, "Those two mischief makers? The strong minded girl and the handsome boy? They were a great pair those two. I don't remember well because…I was having certain problems…servi?"

Will narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Problems?"

Jack sighed and sat on a chair, setting his feet on the mahogany table, "I came here because I have certain problems you can solve, and Will…why the long face, mate?"

Will looked up shyly, his eyes full of sorrow, "My children. They were captured by slave dealers and we can't find any trace of them. I will go find them, even if I have to die…Elizabeth needs them, as do I."

The pirate rolled his eyes, "God, not again. Last time you said that we were off to save your bride to be," Jack sat up straight in his chair, "Will, how old are your children?"

Will shuffled his feet uncomfortably, "18…"

"AND YOU ARE WORRIED? God, Will, those children are as old as you were when you went hunting for Elizabeth! They can manage on their own!" cried Jack, making insane gestures with his hands.

"Well…"

Jack waved it off, "I am not here to talk about your offspring, but rather mine, so let's keep all that for later."

Will didn't look at Jack.

"It was nineteen years ago. There was this woman, Oceana. You wouldn't understand Will, but I fell in love with her. We had our times together and I made her move on to the Black Pearl. She had once been a pirate, and it somehow attracted me to her. Once on the pearl, there was a surprise I never expected to come from our relationship she was pregnant. He was born in that fall, when the storms were at the worst, and I though I loved Oceana at the time, I never feared for her. I feared for him. I named him André, just a passing fancy, I really don't remember how I came up with the name, but it fit him. I taught him everything I knew. Oceana had become persistent with marriage and André was the only escape I could find in those times. He was a quick learner, clever and agile. Too clever and too agile. Oceana and I had a row one night. I feared for my own safety with her on board. She was a pirate and would not hesitate to kill me, even with everything there had been between us. Oceana was dreadful. She fed André's ears with foul lies about betrayal and about the joys and fortune he would have from being the King of all pirates in my place. I could no longer bear it, but I still loved my son, the crew constantly repeated he looked so much like me. Oceana was jealous of that love, and when he was five, she took him and went back to her town.

You could imagine me when I woke up…no, you couldn't. I was distraught. Never in my life had I worried so much for another person. Oceana had taken my son from me, André, the only one who one day might excel and surpass me. André Sparrow. So I did the most obvious thing and went to Oceana's house. He had escaped her, my clever son. She wept when she told what he had told her. He had told her that he could not live with her, because he belonged in the sea, sailing the waves of freedom. Oceana sobbed that he had been so innocent and polite to her that she hadn't had the courage to stop him. I would have killed her, but for André's sake didn't. He would ever forgive me for killing his mother. I hunted him down until I found him. He was first mate of a fine privateer ship; he even had his own tutor, an old man named Pythagoras. We attacked the ship, for I had not know it was his and found myself face to face with a copy of me. André had grown out his black hair and done it in braids and beads like mine. He charged at me and accused me of killing his mentor Pythagoras, which was dead at my feet, but whom I had not killed. I fought, but not to kill, to disarm. He was so alike to me that it was eerie to fight him, only in his eyes, blue like the lagoon, Oceana's eyes could I fight. I misjudged his skills and he gave me a nasty scar on the arm. Deeming that enough he left, and again I was forced to pursue my son around the world."

Will looked at Jack hesitantly, his eyes asking.

Sparrow sighed, his eyes shifting around the room, "I have my sources, and they knew he was on your ship. I want him now, chasing him around the world has become quite tiring."

A smile spread on Will's face, "He never told me that story."

Jack looked up into Will's, as if he never really had been sure his son was with him.

Will sat down from his position of leaning on the table, "I knew from the moment I saw him that he was your son, or maybe your twin brother. He's the spiting image of you Jack! The hair, his face, his nose, his body, and the way he smiles. Only the eyes were different, those bright blue eyes. He told me you were out after him to kill him. So, naturally I gave him a place in my crew."

Jack looked up, a grin on his face, "You do that naturally? Take people that I am after into your crew?"

Will grinned back.

"So, where is he?"

Suddenly Will's face dropped as he looked away, "I haven't seen him since the slave dealers came. A friend of his who was with him says that they clubbed him from behind. He was taken to the ship and made a slave."

Captain Jack Sparrow had never looked so sad. His eyes were dull before a fire took hold of them, "I must find him! Is he with your daughter and son?"

Will nodded, "Yes, he probably is with Christopher and Miriam."

"Miriam? That's a nice name. You shouldn't worry about your children if they are with him, because I am going to find them," Jack Sparrow jumped from his chair to make his way out of the chamber. Will stood up, "Then I am going with you."

Jack looked at Will and smiled, "And your pregnant wife? What of Elizabeth?"

The door of the study burst open and a frightened maid came running in. After nodding her head lightly in respect at Will, she put her hands on her cheeks, "Captain Turner! Your wife! Lady Elizabeth…she…she just went into labor!"

Will's face paled and Jack could feel the tension humming like lighting through the room. Gently, he set his hand on the man's shoulder, "I'll stay until everything is set before we leave."

Will took no notice as he rushed to Elizabeth's chambers, only to be blocked by a stern midwife, "You can't come in, sir. The doctors are coming and there is nothing you can do."

Worry and fear gripped Will's face. He knew it was too soon for Elizabeth to go into labor, "Please, her condition…how is she…is she alright?"

The midwife's face softened at his concern for his wife, "Sir, we have hope…"

"How is she?" Will practically screamed.

The midwife bowed her head, "Not well. Her condition is between life and death; all we can do for her now is pray."

A/N: Hehe…cliffhanger! This time it really is one. Will Elizabeth die? I know that this is pretty cruel and it will upset you :) but, here we go: I am going on vacation and I don't know how soon I'll be able to update. I am going to Spain to visit my relatives. I don't know if you can update in Spain, I really hope you can. If you can, then I'll post maybe in two or three weeks, depending on the airplane trip and what I have to do when I get there. If it doesn't work then I won't see you until August. I know that it is bad. But don't abandon me! Check for updates this month, because it probably will work and I'll upload another chapter in two weeks…or one. Don't stop reviewing and checking to see if it is uploaded! REVIEW THIS CHAPTER! Thanks :) I know that you guys are great, so how about we push this up to 30 reviews? You can do it! Just remember the 3 R's: REVIEW, REVIEW and REVIEW!