AUTHOR'S NOTE First of all, my wonderful, patient beta Lauren pointed out that why would Elizabeth have these journals in the house where Will could find them? My answer is that she trusts Will not to pry. Unfortunately, the same isn't true for her daughter…

DISCLAIMER Hannah and George Turner are my characters and thus belong to me. Jack, Elizabeth, and Will don't.

…

Hannah – "Grace of God" Hebrew

Elizabeth Turner shielded her eyes from the bright Caribbean sun. She sighed and shook her head in amusement when she saw a nimble little figure with her skirts pulled up about her knees jumping among the rocks. A smaller, slower person toddled behind her

"Hannah Turner!" Elizabeth yelled. "Come back into the house! It's not safe for George out on those rocks!"

Elizabeth swore that she almost heard her daughter sigh. "Yes mother!"

Hannah took her little brother by the hand and led him back toward the house. George walked happily beside his big sister.

"Come on, children," Elizabeth said fondly as she held the door open. "Supper's almost on the table."

Hannah and George ran up the stairs, leaving Elizabeth alone in the foyer. She glanced at the sun before closing the door. Will would be home soon.

Upstairs, Hannah threw herself down on the bed that she and George shared. Her little brother puttered around the room, but she wasn't paying him any attention. She was thinking.

Hannah Turner had a secret. She hadn't meant to find it out, but she was nine and nine-year-olds were inquisitive.

For her birthday, her father had given her a wooden model of a boat. He said that it was called the Black Pearl and that it belonged to her parents' friend – a great pirate named Jack Sparrow. But Mother had gotten a very sad look in her eyes when Father sad that. Hannah had never seen her look so sad.

So then she did a bad thing. One day while Father was at work and Mother was out playing with George in the yard, she snuck into her parents' room and stole her mother's old journals. Then, she read them all.

Jack Sparrow didn't show up until the second book. At first it didn't sound like Mother liked him much. And there was some whole boring story about cursed pirates. But the most interesting entry was six months before she was born.

"I don't know what happened. I don't really remember everything about that night Jack and I were stuck on the island. Now I haven't seen Jack since Will and I got married and I must find some way to tell him. But Will mustn't ever find out. He has to think this baby is his."

Hannah hadn't wanted to know what that meant, but she kept reading anyway. The next entry wasn't until after she was born.

"The baby is a girl. Will is so proud of her, although he worries as he thinks she was early. We named her Hannah. I don't know how Will can look at her and not see that she is Jack's. I suppose it best if he never finds out."

Hannah had to stop reading then. She couldn't believe that her father wasn't her father at all! Her real father was a wild, dashing pirate out on the ocean somewhere. She didn't even know if he was still alive.

Since then, Hannah hadn't been at ease around her parents at all. She took to walking along the rocky beach in front of their house, searching the horizon for any ship that might be the Black Pearl. The only family member who she didn't feel separated from was George. He was her brother, no matter who her father was.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by her mother's call. "Dinner's ready, children!" George scrambled for the door. Hannah swung her feet over the side of the bed and trudged down the stairs. Dinners were especially painful. She felt uncomfortable around her father now. She felt guilty, even though it was her mother's secret.

Her mother was busy getting George washed up for dinner when Will got home. He sat down across from Hannah at the table.

"Good evening, Father," she said, trying her hardest to sound normal.

Apparently, she wasn't successful. He looked at her strangely, but just replied, "Hello Hannah. How was your day?"

"Fine."

Will soon realized that he was getting nothing further out of his daughter and stopped trying. They were quiet throughout dinner. As Will got up to help Elizabeth clear the table, a low knock came at the back door.

George ran to answer it. He loved visitors. But when he saw the fearsome figure with beaded dreadlocks and kohl-rimmed eyes standing in the doorway, he began crying loudly. Elizabeth ran to comfort him. "Jack!" she said, surprised.

Will was right behind her. "Jack! What are you doing here?"

Jack came into the kitchen, swept off his hat, and grinned. "'Ello there William." He turned to Elizabeth. "And Mrs. William."

Hannah sat alone in the dining room. She knew. Her real father was standing in her kitchen. She didn't even realize that she was standing up and walking toward his voice.

Jack stopped what he was saying when he saw the girl appear in the doorway. For a moment, they stared at each other. Elizabeth's face paled.

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then suddenly Jack turned for the door without a word. Elizabeth chased him across the yard. "Jack, wait!"

He turned. She had never seen such anger in his eyes. "Why didn't ye tell me?"

"How could I? This is the first time you've been back in nine years!"

Jack sighed. He turned his back on her and Elizabeth could just barely see his face. "What's 'er name?" he asked.

"Hannah." Elizabeth wasn't sure what else to say. "Will doesn't know," she added quietly.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Yes 'e does. Ye didn't think ye could really 'ide it, did ye?" He turned around. "Will knows."

Elizabeth hung her head. "I'm sorry."

Shrugged, Jack took another step away from the house. "I suppose I'll be stopping by more often, aye?" Then he was gone.

Will said nothing but, "Hannah is in her room," when Elizabeth returned. She looked at him through unshed tears and was relieved to see that he was neither crying nor in a murderous rage. He almost looked relieved, as if a long-standing question had finally been answered.

Climbing the stairs, Will knocked on the children's bedroom door. A soft voice replied, "Come in." Will pushed open the door to see Hannah on her bed, holding her model of the Black Pearl.

"It took me three months to make that," he said as he sat on the end of the bed. "I wanted to make sure all the details were right."

Hannah didn't say anything. She just ran her fingers over the carved wooden hull.

"You're still my daughter, Hannah. I still love you." At this, Hannah finally looked up. Will added, "And Jack has promised to come back more often."

Hannah suddenly crawled over and gave Will a hug. "I'm sorry," she cried into his shoulder. Will said nothing, just held her as she cried.