Author's note: and here we have reached the end of my story. Thanks to all those who have reviewed. I greatly appreciate it.
Epilogue: A Father and his Child…
"As I said…persuade me."
Nine months later, Jack came to realize that it was a bad idea to make bets with one's wife.
As luck would have it, Mrs. Elizabeth Sparrow gave birth to a healthy baby girl whom she named Ashley.
But, Jack really didn't mind. He loved his daughter the instant she was placed into his arms, regardless of the bet.
At the current moment however, Jack had just been awakened by the sound of said baby's cries. Carefully, so as not to disturb his sleeping wife, he crept from the room and into the makeshift nursery that had once been simply an empty cabin.
"Hey…no need for cryin', love." He whispered to Ashley and then picked her up, cradling her in his arms.
Jack was still new at this and was unsure as to how to calm her down. He usually had Elizabeth by his side to help him out, as she had "motherin' instincts" as Gibbs called them.
So, Jack did the one thing he could think of that always put him to sleep: he rocked her back and forth, mimicking the way a ship does the same thing in the water.
Her fussing lessened, so Jack took that as a good sign.
As he kept on, he noticed Ashley was quiet, but not asleep. She simply watched him with her huge brown eyes, so like his own.
"So, how is ol' Jack going to get you to sleep, eh?" He thought about this for a long moment before the perfect idea came to him.
Jack began humming a familiar tune, one that was very close to his heart for obvious reasons.
"…And really bad eggs," he sang softly, still rocking his daughter, "drink up me hearties, yo ho…"