The Oldest Story in the Book

Chapter 29

Author's Note: I'm really sorry this took so long. No excuses, just sorry.

Jack rowed them out of the cove as Emmie re-wrapped the wound on her mother's arm. Pearl leaned against Norrington as her daughter worked, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"You all right?" he asked. "You've lost a lot of blood." His hand rubbed her right arm comfortingly and, after a moment of fighting the temptation, passed a hand over her face, pushing the hair out of her eyes.

"I'm fine. Just didn't sleep last night, and all is well now." She turned into his touch with a brilliant smile on her face, kissing his palm. A slight smile played over Ethan's face as he watched from the corner of his eye. Jack gave the boy a curious look, which he blithely ignored. Norrington winked at the pirate, making him wrinkle his nose and mutter under his breath about 'bloody nobles.'

"Including a grudge you've waited years to settle," Emmie added, a smile playing across her own lips.

"Indeed," Pearl sighed.

"Ug. This is bad," Emmie said, examining the cut. "It needs some good stitches. The gypsies are an excellent idea."

"We'll go soon as things are settled with Marden and the Navy," Jack promised. "Speaking of which."

They came into view of the ships as he spoke. Both of Bootleg's ships seemed to be smoking, the sails shredded on one and the other listing heavily. One of the Navy ships seemed to have lost a mast, but it was the smaller of the two.

"So ends the mighty career of Bootleg," Pearl remarked.

"Let's get back to the Pearl," Jack said, turning the boat.

A cheer went up on the ship as the crew could see the overly full boat. "We'll break into the rum stores tonight!" Jack called up as they cheered.

"Jack can keep the crew in rum?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"He keeps it under lock and key and immediately lets anyone go as gets into it," Pearl answered. "It's for special occasions only."

The crew crowded along the port side, hanging from the rigging to call to them. The rope ladder dropped as they pulled up to the side. Jack and Will secured the lines to winch the boat up as Emmie and Elizabeth climbed onto deck.

"Are you sure you can make it up?" Norrington asked Pearl after sending Ethan up. "You shouldn't use your left arm."

"Aye, I'll be fine. It'll take me a little time but I'll make it. Get up there and protect your son from the evil pirates, will you?"

Norrington laughed but moved when Jack nodded his agreement. Leaving it to the pirate to control his daughter he climbed swiftly after his son.

When he got onto the deck he found his daughter telling the tale to a captive audience, the crew gathered around. Rose was beside her, an arm around her waist as if she were afraid to let go lest her friend disappear again. He smiled. His daughter had apparently gained something like a sister. Elizabeth was next to her, laughing and adding in here and there as Ethan watched shaking his head with a slight smile.

"She wasn't even there," Ethan told his father as he approached.

Norrington shrugged. "This is a pirate ship. That's hardly important. I would think they should be doing something though."

As if on cue Pearl climbed up behind them. "Captain on deck!" she called as she found her way over the rail and Jack climbed up behind her.

Just like that the crew scattered. Several climbed aloft. Two hurried over to pull the boat up. Another two helped Will on board and retrieved the ladder. "You should go down to the cabin," Jack said to Pearl. "Get Elizabeth or Emmie to stitch that up."

Elizabeth expected an argument but Pearl just nodded and plodded toward the cabin with Emmie on her heals.

Elizabeth and Norrington shared a look before he turned to follow. Ethan sent a quick glance at the pirates around him and hurried after his father.

"Jack, is she worse than we thought?" Will asked the pirate.

"Yes, and no," Jack answered. "It isn't the wound. Not completely, anyway. She hasn't slept in days. She's been running on the excitement. Now that we have the whelp back and Bootleg's dead she's crashing. She'll sleep for a while and all will be well. Elizabeth, luv, if you could be imposed upon to stitch my daughter up I'd greatly appreciate it. Emmie's good with needle and thread but I'd wager your stitching is better."

"I'd be honored Jack, but don't you think they should be left alone? I mean, Ethan has questions, and they're all family now."

Jack blinked at her for a moment. "Elizabeth, you're part of this. You have been since the moment you agreed to take Emmie on. She'd claim you as family quickly as you can blink, and Pearl wouldn't be far behind. After all we've been through..." Jack trailed off, his eyes falling on Will.

Elizabeth's heart twisted. Her mind flew back years to a night Jack had been visiting and had drunk a large amount of rum. Amidst the slurring he had called Will Bill a few times. Elizabeth was certain Jack still held a special place in his heart for Will's father, and that Will's acceptance, if not approval, of the pirate had always been more important than the old sea dog would let on.

Elizabeth stepped forward to wrap her arms around Jack, pulling him into a hug. "Oh, Jack, of course we count you as family. You've done more for us than would be asked of any five fathers."

"Well, maybe uncles," Jack corrected.

"Aye. Uncle Jack," Elizabeth said with a chuckle, pulling back to look into his face. "Uncle Jack?"

"Yes, m'dear?"

"Kindly remove your hand from my arse."

"What's a man to think, luv? You cuddling up to him like this?" Jack asked, pulling her closer as Will put a scowl on his face which kept trying to dissolve into a smile. "Mayhaps you've finally grown tired of the whelp and decided to go with a more experienced man."

"We've been married nearly twenty years, Jack. Will has plenty of experience. I should know. And he's hardly a whelp any more."

"Aye," Jack agreed with a sigh. The offending collection of digits removed itself although his other arm remained firmly around her waist. His hand settled against her cheek, turning her head up so her eyes met his, thumb stroking low to caress her neck. "And it's a pity to be sure. A beauty like yours should be shared, not confined to a single lad, even a handsome one."

"Pearl would say the same about him. Speaking of which, shouldn't I be stitching her up?"

Jack heaved a heavy sigh. "I suppose I can sacrifice my position at the moment for the good of my daughter."

"Such a good father," Elizabeth teased as he released her.

"Lizzie?" She turned to look back at the pirate. "Watch her. She wants Ethan to like her, although she won't act it."

"Ethan may surprise you, Jack. He is Maggie's son, after all," Elizabeth said.

"That's what worries me," Jack answered. "Mayhaps you didn't notice, but Pearl never got on so well with Maggie. As to the boy, he's been in his father's care for ages. There must be some of the man in him. Just keep an eye open, is all I ask."

"We'll do what we can," Elizabeth said.

They knocked on the door shortly before entering. Pearl was laying on the bed, allowing Emmie to wash the wound on her arm. Norrington was standing by the windows, staring out at the sea, as Ethan sat in a chair between, talking to Emmie. They stopped when she entered.

"Did Jack ask you to stitch me up?" Pearl asked Elizabeth.

"Indeed. You don't mind, do you Emmie?"

"Not at all," she answered.

Pearl sighed, massaging the bridge of her nose as if fighting off a headache as Elizabeth settled in. "I don't know how you've lived with this boy," Pearl said. "It's as if I have Maggie right here in the room to argue with."

"Aye, but that's why we so enjoy him," Elizabeth said with a wink for Ethan, who smiled in return.

Pearl looked morosely down at the wound in her arm. "I wish Maggie were here. She was much better at this sort of thing."

Ethan's eyes suddenly sparkled. "Mama sewed you up?"

Pearl nearly chuckled, recognizing the boy's eagerness as yearning for a bit of his mother still in the world. Well, she could certainly give him that. "She would have, I imagine, although I had to call on her to close that bloody bullet hole in my shoulder as went bad. She did a lovely job. It's healed beatifully. The scar is really pretty. Come see."

Ethan moved closer as Pearl pulled down her shirt to expose the shoulder with the darkened hole.

"I'm not certain this is appropriate," Elizabeth put in.

"I saw your wedding gown, Mrs. Turner, and that revealed both your shoulders and good deal of bust. You have little room to be lecturing me about appropriate."

Ethan gasped as he noticed the dark ink beneath the wound. "She signed it?"

Pearl chuckled. "My idea. I told her she should take pride in her handiwork." She smoothed the darkened skin fondly with her hand. "She did it herself. Hardly hurt, actually. It's a pity she wasn't an artist, or at least not of any work she would show me. I would have liked her to do more for me. But I couldn't resist this. A scar this pretty deserved her hand."

"Back please, Ethan," Elizabeth said. "I need to get started."

Will snorted. "A pretty scar?"

"Indeed."

"Why didn't you take care of the wound, Mr. Turner?" Ethan asked. "It seems you would have been the better choice."

"He couldn't do it. It took only the sort of serenity your mother could supply," Pearl said.

"Are you ready?" Elizabeth asked, holding up the threaded needle.

"More than ready. Make the stitches a mite lose, will you? It'll hurt less when the gypsies take it out," Pearl put in.

"What will they do?" Elizabeth asked as she began stitching.

"Oh, shove a bunch of herbs in there, make me drink this horrible brew, and chant for a while." Pearl sighed heavily, laying back and closing her eyes.

"May I ask, how well did my mother know you?" Ethan asked. "About, how close you were."

"Just now figuring that out?" Emmie asked.

"I knew," Ethan answered. "But, it's never been so..." he looked at his father, and Pearl, "so real."

Pearl sighed heavily. "Ethan, I want you to listen to me carefully. Your father has always and still does love your mother. That was always very clear to me. I don't know how you could grow up in their home and doubt that."

"I didn't say that I did," Ethan said.

Pearl nodded dismissively. "Maggie knew all of it, and she understood. She told me once that she knew your father loved me but she didn't mind because she knew he loved her as well, and he belonged to her. I may have had him first, but he never, NEVER cheated on your mother." She grinned up at Edward. "Despite my best attempts on occasion."

He shook his head, turning away from the window. "That's untrue. Pearl said she would never let me cheat on Maggie. She respected her too much. And she never tempted me any more than she could help, although even her desire got away from her."

Pearl sighed and nodded. "I respected your mother a great deal. I loved her, truth be told, although I let jealousy crowd that emotion from time to time. There were times when I hated her."

"She didn't help," Elizabeth put in. "She had a talent for frustrating you."

Pearl laughed and nodded. "I've been around pirates. I can block them, outsmart them, shrug off their remarks. But Maggie. Lord, that woman had wits the gods would admire. Her blatant truth, the way she stated it. I couldn't argue with her, and it drove me half mad."

"It could only drive her half mad," Emmie put in. "That was all the further she had to go. She was half mad before she ever met your mother."

"Maggie trusted you," Elizabeth said, setting even stitches. "The both of you. Remember when she sent you off to 'guard' those ships, Edward? She knew you were really itching to see Pearl."

"I was itching to see Emmie," Norrington objected. "There's nothing wrong with a man wanting to check up on his daughter, especially when she was left with pirates."

Elizabeth and Pearl traded knowing smiles. "That's not what Maggie said," Elizabeth said.

"What did Maggie say?" Pearl asked.

"That she got him to confess he was after you as well." Ethan glanced at his father, who was coloring as Pearl gave him a questioning look.

"How much did she tell you?" Pearl asked of Elizabeth.

"As much as she told you, apparently."

Norrington chocked as Emmie let a giggle of pure mirth escape. Pearl sat up a bit, keeping her arm firmly in place while more fully meeting Elizabeth's eyes. "She told you about their sexcapades?"

Norrington chocked again as Ethan's eyes grew bigger and Emmie giggled again. Will shifted uncomfortably from his spot nearby.

"Sexcapades?" Elizabeth asked.

"Technical term. Tortuga, you know," Pearl said with a wave of her hand.

"Ah," Elizabeth said with a nod.

"Did she tell you about the time at the dock?" Pearl leaned close to whisper although the question carried around the room.

Ethan was sending his father a disbelieving look as Emmie raised her eyebrows and sent her father a slightly approving look, suddenly looking very much like her grandfather.

"Pearl!" Norrington cried.

"Which time at the dock?" Elizabeth asked.

"Elizabeth!" Norrington cried.

Will chocked on his laughter.

"How many times at the dock?" Pearl asked.

"Elizabeth, if you answer that-" Norrington began.

"Often as Maggie could pin him down, I believe. When things get busy he lives up there. And then when he gets back from long sea voyages."

"Can't blame her for that," Pearl put in. "This was Maggie's doing of course."

"Of course. Edward would never on his own."

"Perhaps I should be taking notes," Pearl said.

Now bright red Norrington collapsed into a chair, dropping his head into his hands. Will came over to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "At least Jack isn't here."

"There's that," Norrington agreed. "Although this is hardly the most appropriate conversation to have in front of my children."

"And then there's the office at the fort," Elizabeth said.

"That I knew about," Pearl said, laying back. "Really Edward, shame on you, making Gillette cover for you like that."

"Could you at least do me the honor of waiting until I'm out of this room to finish this conversation?" he asked.

Pearl and Elizabeth exchanged a look. Pearl's eyebrows rose, sending Elizabeth a questioning look. 'Have we teased him enough?'

Elizabeth smiled, giving her a considering look for a moment before nodding.

"Oh, very well. Ruin all of my fun," Pearl sighed dramatically.

"Yes, well, speaking of fun, I'm finished," Elizabeth announced.

Pearl examined the cut. "That's an excellent job."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, packing her things away. "I believe we'll go up on deck. Edward, you should join us soon. We'll be approaching the navy ships and I don't believe you want Jack making arrangements on your behalf."

"No, I certainly don't," he agreed, standing and stretching. "I'll join you shortly."

Elizabeth and Will left. Ethan sat in the corner, gazing out the window, as Emmie suddenly busied herself with the dirty basin of water.

Norrington came over to sit on the side of the bed. "You're all right?"

"Just tired," she answered around a yawn. "Give me a few hours and I'll be bouncing around finding whole new ways to embarrass you."

"Maybe I should keep you up. You certainly cause enough trouble this way."

Pearl grinned, reaching up to caress his cheek. She reached back, tugging on the tie that had long since given up holding the majority of his hair back. He was suddenly glad he'd left the wig behind.

She grinned at him, caressing his hair like fine silk. He smiled. It had been over a year since a woman had touched him like this, considerably longer since it had been Pearl's hands.
"I could give you some suggestions on how to keep me up."

Norrington saw movement out of the corner of his eye as his son's head snapped around in surprise, but the boy quickly turned away. Certainly he and Maggie had flirted in front of their son, but it had never been so blatant. Maggie was a Lady and whatever she might do when she was convinced no one could see her, she was all propriety in front of people, even if it was only her son.

"You'll heal more quickly if you get your sleep."

"I'll live," she promised. "Someone has to keep Jack from getting himself killed, with all these Navy men around."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Emmie chirped.

"Sleep, Pearl," Norrington said. "That's an order."

She grinned. "Dangerous thing, giving pirates orders. They're not very good at following them."

"They are when it benefits them," Norrington answered.

"Ah, you have me there." Still he didn't move, enjoying the feel of her hands in his hair. Her grip firmed after a moment, drawing him down toward her.

Her lips were gentle on his as she kissed him slowly and sweetly. It was the first kiss he had ever received of that sort from the pirate, he realized with a shock. Their kisses had always been searing, all heat and passion. Never soft and gentle.

He pulled back to give Pearl a questioning look. She smiled up at him. Her eyelids were drooping, already half asleep. "I love you, Edward."

He smiled. "And I love you, Pearl."

Ethan was pointedly ignoring them as he gazed out the window. "I think we're making him uncomfortable."

"It's a just a lot to take in," Emmie said confidently, wrapping an arm around her brother.

"Believe me, I've been there. It takes a while to worm its way in, but once it gets there all is well."

"Emmie?" she looked to her father, who was creeping off the bed. "This is an excellent conversation, but I believe we should continue it above."

Emmie's eyes went to the sleeping form of her mother. "Oh, aye. Of course. Come, little brother." She took his hand, leading him above.

Author's Note: Once again, so sorry this took forever. Now this is going to sound like I'm repeating myself, but I'm not. If you want more Pearl, you can have it. It's sweet young Pearl (was she ever sweet?). It's Spotted Paw's dong again, but a lot of it is stuff I actually wrote for her. There are some surprises in there. Hell, she made me surprise myself. I'd recommend you go check it out. Hal is Jack's brother, Pearl's uncle and Pearl's in it a lot. It's called 'Of Sirens and Sparrow' and it's here: http: