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Alright, I know it's been forever since I updated this... and I know you all have probably lost faith in me, but hey! I'm updating now! It's Sunday night, it's cool outside, I'm warm, I'm relaxed and I thought, what better time to do this but right now. So, here are my thanks, and then on with the story, no? Dugadugabowbow: yes, I think you have reviewed before, but hey, there's nothing wrong with reviewing twice! Many thanks for the compliments on my writing, I'm glad you like it. Moonshine07: well, I'm glad I got you all excited about this chapter! I don't know if you'll like it, you have to let me know! But thanks for the review keep 'em coming! Emilio's loofah: Giiiiiirl! Hong Kong was amazing and the shopping was even better! I'm so glad we picked that place. The food was great and the company was even better. I can't wait for next time...speaking of which, I think we should meet in Greece. The blue roofs drive me wild I just love them so much. And so does Johnny here. Doncha sweetheart? standing extremely close to the tv screen with the play station controller and yelling loudly Sweetie, answer me, dear. "Tell them we don't want any." Johnny, there's no one at the door selling anything, please pay attention to Beth and Emilio. "You look lovely, Beth. Emilio, I want my shot glasses back." I smile innocently and shoot Johnny a death glare He really is a very attentive man. See you in Greece!

Here's what I've been working on.. I hope you enjoy!

Will ran his hands over the bookshelf, not really looking at any book titles in particular, just finding something to do with himself. Jack sat at the desk in the corner of the room, his booted feet up on the desk and his long slender fingers at his mouth. Elizabeth and Isabelle sat on the ground with a deck of cards whispering and laughing gently to each other. For once, they acted like sophisticated ladies, for the most part. A heavy sigh came out of Jack as he watched the large, plump raindrops pound out a rhythm against the windows and Will's shoulders twitched with unspent energy. This was something the Sparrow's and the Turner's were not accustomed to. It hardly ever rained where Diana lived. The little city got lots and lots of rain at night, maybe in the early morning, but never during the day when there were things to be done and antics to be played out. Everyone was shut up in the palace, sulking and dragging like it was Sunday and they had to go to church early.

Diana pushed the big golden doors to the library the four were shut into, open and a cool gust of wind came with it. Pages fluttered, cards were disturbed, and Jack was on his feet. Isabelle looked up at Diana, now heavily pregnant with her child, and Elizabeth sat close to her, with her own growing stomach. It was a shame to see Elizabeth pregnant, she was so petite and pretty, but she didn't whine as much as Isabelle. Diana looked upon the four with smiling eyes and flowing robes, which were still catching up to her from the sudden wind that blew through the library. "Darlings," she began with the energy of an eight year old boy who had caught onto the pirates coming into port. Jack rose an eyebrow in question, believing that if he wasn't happy, no one else should be either, so why was Diana. "Come look at what the children have learned from Jack." They were still. Now, Jack remembered teaching the kids how to have rain races. He remembered vividly, every child, every fall, every nasty bruise, every smiling face. Isabelle was in attendance then, laughing loudly and helping each child to the finish line. He taught them how to get a running start and slide with their feet on the wet, cold grass as far as they could go, and when they couldn't anymore, dive on their bellies and slide out the rest of the way there. He remembered who had gotten the farthest too, it was little Kemper Scott. Jack laughed just thinking about the technique.

"What exactly did he teach the children, Diana?" Isabelle asked, narrowing her eyes, thinking he had taught them how to shop lift in the rain or vandalize or something. Jack walked up behind her and lifted her to her feet, which was a miracle because she was getting so big.

"Don't you remember, love? The rain races?" Jack asked with excitement, lifting Elizabeth to her feet too and waving Will to follow them. Isabelle smiled brightly, obviously remembering. The five made their way to the back of the palace and laughed out loud when they saw the dozen children diving and sprinting and rolling around in the green grass and mud. Diana sighed and smiled.

"My grass will be ruined after this I suspect," she said and shook her head, sitting down on the ledge. Jack clapped his hands in excitement and ran straight out into the rain with his hands waving wildly.

"Kemper, show mommy how you did that last time, lad!" Jack shouted and smiled when Kemper squatted down low to the ground and stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth, as if it would make him go faster. "Come now, Henry, Jon, Ryan, you all race him," Jack said in a fatherly tone. Two little girls came up behind him and tugged on his pants.

"Mr. Sparrow we want to race too!" they shouted in their little voices and Jack smiled and bent down.

"Of course, of course, go get in there girls," he said and stayed kneeled until everyone was ready. "On your mark," he watched the eager faces of the children. They all looked as though they were doing the best thing in the world, and in their parents eyes, it was. "Get set," he looked into the crowd and caught Isabelle's eye, winking he turned back to the crowd. "Go!" he shouted and Isabelle watched as the children raced off, stopped, skidded a few feet and then dove flat onto their bellies. Elizabeth laughed into Will's shoulder and held her swelling stomach.

"Oh, William is that adorable?" she said and smiled when another round of kids came up next to Jack. Isabelle smiled and placed a loving hand on her belly. Which Diana wouldn't let her cover up. She and Elizabeth walked around with beautiful colored robes and dresses and fabrics wrapped around them, but Diana always ordered their stomachs to be kept unwrapped. Isabelle asked her why one day and Diana replied, "So the child can see the world from his mother's eyes," and then she went on with what she was doing. Isabelle smiled at this, wondering if the child she was carrying actually could see what she saw right now. If he could, he would be real proud of his daddy.

The rain races kept the court occupied late into the evening, even after the rain had stopped. The kids wouldn't let a very dirty, wet, and tired Jack get back to his wife, and he ran tiredly from child to child, playing with them and keeping them occupied. Because that's what Jack is good at, fun. Half of the court retired to bed at around eleven, and the other half pulled up a chair and sat under the shining moon in the damp heat of the Amazon. The trees were weighted down with drops of water and the green grass, or what was left of it, was still standing straight up, but greener than before. Everything glowed and smelled fresh, and Diana said that Isabelle and Elizabeth should stay outside for a little while longer and inhale deeply. Then she smiled and walked away again. "She's always walking away on us," Elizabeth said and smiled.

"I don't know. But it's beautiful outside," Isabelle replied and closed her eyes.

Jack couldn't feel his feet. They were cold, wet and sore. He wanted nothing more than to be in his warm, comfortable bed next to Isabelle, but he didn't have the heart to tell these children he couldn't play anymore. He was just hoping someone would intervene, which they hadn't all afternoon. Just as he was about to sit in the grass and cheer the kids on from there, Isabelle came sauntering up next to him, her steps slow and relaxed and her hands resting on her stomach. She laid a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back gently. "It's time to come back now, Jack. It's been quite a long while," she whispered. Jack nodded and smiled, kissing her softly.

"Thank ye, I thought I'd be at this all night long," he said and tilted his head back on his neck, rolling it to get all the kinks out.

"Now, we both know I wouldn't allow that," Isabelle said with a smirk. "You should be with me all night," she said and winked. Jack told the kids to go and their parents started gathering them up one by one. Naturally, Isabelle and Jack stayed to watch each and every one of them go home and they smiled and nodded to their parents, who had come to love and trust Jack. "Now, my love, it's time for bed," Isabelle said gently, taking him by the hand and slowly moving toward the steps. "She sniffed and smiled innocently. "Maybe a bath first?"

"That sounds about right," Jack said without missing a beat. Isabelle nodded and they were soon in the palace.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Do not undermine me, sir." A loud, angry shriek came from under the spotlessly white canopy positioned in the center of the lawn. Under it sat Diana and at least ten other men all dressed in their finest. Jack and Isabelle had seen Diana in business meetings before, and she had always been quiet and reserved, but somehow everything played out to her advantage. Now, she was on her feet, her tanned face flushed against her crisp white robes and her hands balled into small dangerous fists. Isabelle and Jack walked over to the canopy and Isabelle came and stood behind the Queen, placing a loving hand on her back and Jack took residence in a chair nearby, swinging his feet up onto the table.

"You can't do that!" a man said in fury. Jack smiled his golden smile, but his eyes killed any further fight in the man and he simply said one word.

"Pirate." Isabelle ignored Jack and smiled when Diana turned around to see who was behind her. She visibly calmed and smiled a little at Isabelle's glowing face. Isabelle smiled and looked to the men at the table.

"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" she asked in a sing-song voice. Jack winced, he knew what that voice meant. It meant the conversation would go down hill from there and one of the several men sitting pretty would soon be verbally and mentally abused by his tiny, pregnant wife. Once Isabelle spoke this sentence, Diana turned her blonde head back to the men.

"Yes, there is a problem," she said sharply, causing Isabelle to momentarily pull her hand away from Diana's back, but she recovered from her temporary shock and replaced her calming hand. Isabelle cocked her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, does anyone care to enlighten us?" she said sweetly and Jack almost laughed. This would get ugly. He knew both women to be strong minded and dangerous when armed. He knew at least one of them was armed. At least Elizabeth wasn't there. Then there would be casualties. One man stood from his seat and smoothed his coat, looking straight at Isabelle as if she didn't belong there. Diana stiffened and lowered her eyes to his.

"We must go to war with our neighboring countries. We have no other choice, don't you see that, your grace?" he said intensely. Jack shifted at the passion behind the mans voice but remained silent. There was a low round of "aye's" and then silence when Isabelle's head whipped around the table. She narrowed her eyes at the man.

"What ever for?"

"For more land," he stressed. "Don't you see, if we expand the territory to the north and the east, we can begin trade and not remain so exclusive-.." Diana's hand flew up from Isabelle's arm and she pointed heatedly at the man.

"There, right there!" she hollered, scaring Jack so badly his booted feet fell from the table and back onto the ground. He made a face and ran his hand through his tangled mane, but didn't make a sound. "We do not want to make ourselves public! We are a sacred city, the city of dreams! Here," she said passionately, covering her rapidly beating heart with her hand over her chest, "People come to live and prosper and die, peacefully! We do not trade, we do not fight great wars, and yet, we are the richest for millions of miles around! What can you not see about this? Do you not understand?" She screamed with so much vehemence in her voice that Isabelle grabbed her hand an squeezed.

"Calm down, love," Isabelle whispered softly so only Diana could hear.

"I do what my people ask of me, and they ask for a peaceful city. You are not the queen, I am. And you will not overrule what I say. And what I say is law." Jack stood up and clapped with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Speaking from a totally objective third party point of view with absolutely," he paused for breath. "No personal interest in the matter whatsoever," he paused again and rested the palms of his hands on the table. "I say I like the city just how it is. And that's exclusive and hidden." Voices hummed and men stirred, their stale cologne wafting past Isabelle's nostrils and becoming sharp and unwanted, although she could smell almost anything these days. The voices hummed for a good five minutes until they died down and one man stood up. Diana remained stone still and attached to Isabelle's sweaty hand.

We've decided to end this meeting in agreement. And the agreement is," he stopped, looked around at the sweating men in their fine silk and cotton and breathed in deeply, closing his eyes and released it. "That our fair city will remain the same. Untouched by outside invaders..." The plump man with the twirled mustache kept on talking, but Diana had already breathing her sigh of relief and stopped listening to whatever he went on about.

The meeting ended and the men dispersed, bowing gracefully to the queen and walking through the freshly cut grass. Diana sighed again and closed her eyes, reaching out for Jack's hand. When he realized it was him she wanted and not some water, he complied and held her hand like his wife on the other side. She kept her eyes closed as she spoke gently and kindly to them both.

"A Queen is supposed to be someone that is... without dear ones. Without best friends and wonderful men. She is supposed to make decisions on her own and to follow her advisors advice." Isabelle and Jack looked across Diana's rising and falling chest at each other and Isabelle wrinkled her nose. "But I am so glad...you came today. I am so glad you gave your advice and held my hand. I will never forget your kindness and loyalty. You, Isabelle Sparrow," she said, finally opening her eyes to look at Isabelle. Her bright eyes flashing from an adrenaline rush flickered and finally froze on Isabelle's dark eyes. "Are my best friend, you and Elizabeth both. And Jack, you are a wonderful man, along with William." She breathed deeply. "Thank you both," she said and nodded at them, kissing their hands one at a time. Without a goodbye, she released their hands, Isabelle's bruised and Jack's slick and marked from her fingernail prints, and walked swiftly and with every ounce of grace within a queen toward her beautiful palace walls.

- - - I hope you liked it.. It took me forever to think up. I love the shower.. That's where I get the best ideas!

Light thinks it travels faster than anything. But it's wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always gotten there first, and it is waiting for it.

-Kate (Dessie)