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Chapter 4: The Big News
Elizabeth was lying in bed. It was just barely sunrise, but she couldn't sleep any longer. She'd hardly slept all night.
When is Will getting home? She wondered. Part of her wanted him home, the other half of her was hoping he'd gotten so drunk that he wouldn't be able to get home until much later. She highly doubted that would happen though. This was Will, after all.
She got out of bed and pulled her robe around her nightgown. Oh no, she thought, I feel sick again. She grimaced, but didn't feel like it was bad enough that she ought to be running for the bathroom. She walked across the cold floor to look out on the balcony. She stood there thinking for a while, she didn't know how long, didn't really care. Then she looked down on the beach and saw something in the distance on the water. The Black Pearl.
"Oh dear!" she gasped, and ran to get dressed.
"Wake up, Will."
Will's eyes snapped open.
"Are we here?" He mumbled sleepily.
"Aye," came Jack's voice again.
Will turned over and looked up in the doorway, but Jack had gone up on deck. He got up and rubbed his eyes. Ana Maria, who had thankfully not gotten drunk the night before, had taken them home during the night, and Will had fallen asleep. He rubbed his temples; his head hurt. Not too terribly though. A wave of fear swept him suddenly. He racked his brains, trying to remember if he'd done anything stupid last night. He couldn't remember very well. He walked up on deck.
"Morning," he said to Jack. Jack grunted. Will made sure to thank Ana Maria for taking them home, then he and Jack walked onto shore together and started toward the mansion.
"Jack," Will said, "Did I…do anything I'd regret last night?"
"Dunno," Jack answered quietly, "don' think I did meself, but that's jus' me."
"I doubt you ever regret getting drunk," Will replied, "but you'd think you would, as it looks to me like you've got quite the hangover."
Jack looked very tired indeed, and kept blinking his eyes as though the light burned his retinas. He was also swaggering a bit more drunkenly than usual.
"Nonsense," said Jack, "I've dealt with 'angovers before, I'm fine."
"Seriously though," said Will as they continued walking, "I'm a bit nervous. I can't remember what I did last night. I don't think I got terribly drunk…" he trailed off.
"No, I don' think so either," said Jack, "but it certainly was a laugh t' see ye get drunk atall," he smiled.
"That's the only reason you took me isn't it, to see me get drunk?" Will asked, smiling also.
"Well, it was somethin' t' see, I'll tell ye that."
Will looked at Jack when he said this, expecting him to be grinning stupidly, but noticed Jack looked a bit nervous. Was it just Will or was he acting strangely?
They continued walking.
"Sea legs…" Will muttered. He was indeed feeling dizzy from being so used to being on the Pearl.
"You get used to it," said Jack, sounding weary.
"Maybe so," said Will, "because I've always thought you have permanent sea legs. Or perhaps you just drink too much."
They had arrived at the front door. Will opened it and they stepped inside.
"I hope Elizabeth's feeling better," said Will, as Jack plopped himself onto a chair, rubbing his eyes.
Elizabeth was fixing herself up in her mirror. It's okay, she kept telling herself, it'll be okay, it'll be fine. She gave herself one more glance in the mirror, took a deep breath, and went downstairs.
"Will," she said when she saw him, "did you two have a good time?"
"Yes," Will answered as they hugged and kissed, "Are you doing alright?" he asked her, genuinely concerned.
"I'm, yes, I'm fine," she said, rather breathlessly. Will looked into her eyes closely.
"Are you sure?" he asked her, unconvinced.
"Yes," she said quickly, "Is Jack alright?" She had spotted him sitting on the chair with his eyes closed.
"I'm fine luv," he answered, "Jus' wish these stars buzzing around my 'ead would go away."
Elizabeth looked at Will with an eyebrow raised.
"Jack's still a bit hungover," he explained.
"So, you two got drunk?" Elizabeth asked, the corners of her mouth twitching.
"Well no, not exactly," said Will, as Jack laughed softly from his chair, "Jack did, that's for sure, but I…just had a few rums," he finished, sounding a bit guilty.
"You shoulda seen 'im, luv," said Jack, grinning and opening his eyes to look at her blearily, "It was pretty amusing."
Will was looking like he was about to get yelled at. Elizabeth smiled.
"You are allowed to have fun sometimes, you know," she said, "I'm not mad, as long as you didn't run off with any strange women."
Will looked up at her, surprised at her reaction. He had thought, from the way she'd been acting lately, that she'd be angrier.
"Of course I didn't," he said, "surprisingly, Jack didn't either."
"I 'eard that," said Jack. Will and Elizabeth laughed. Will looked into Elizabeth's eyes again. Something wasn't right.
"Elizabeth, something's wrong with you," he said.
"No, no, I'm fine," she said again, and swallowed hard.
"Don't lie to me," he said, reaching out and holding her hand, "If something is wrong with you, I need to know."
She considered it. "Okay," she said, "There's…something I need to tell you."
Will glanced at Jack, then looked back to Elizabeth, "Should we go somewhere else?" he asked her.
"No, it's alright," she replied, "Jack can hear too."
"Dunno if I want to," he said from his chair, "this sounds pretty serious."
"You're going to find out anyway," she said, "so you might as well stay."
Jack looked at the two of them, calculating, then sat back to listen, his eyes on Elizabeth.
"I went to a doctor while you were gone yesterday," she began, "I told him how I've been feeling lately. He, um, told me, um," she looked down at her feet, then back up into Will's eyes, who was looking very worried.
"I'm pregnant, Will," she said.
Oooh, how will Will react? How will Jack react? How will Liz's dad react? Find out on the next episode of Fraternizing With Pirates. And please review!