Title: Shanghai

Author: Supplanting Promise

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.

Going Home

Elizabeth's POV

It took me nearly a week to be able to get out of bed and walk just down the hall. My son's birth had com at a great loss of my physical strength. Jack helped me each day to get out of bed and walk just a little to gain back some of my strength. After two weeks I could walk on my own, without fear of falling, though not very far.

"We still haven't given him a name." I said about a week and a half after the birth.

"Michael Christopher Sparrow." Jack offered.

"A family name?" I asked, curious as to how he came up with a full name in less than ten seconds.

"Sort of." And he left it at that. I didn't press him and looked down at my son.

"Hello Michael." Michael blinked but kept nursing.

"When are you going back to your ship?" I asked looking back to Jack.

"I'd hoped that we would be goin' back."

"Jack. . ."

"It can be done. We can raise our son on a ship, it's been done."

"But a pirate ship? Jack it's dangerous and no place for a child."

"So then you'll stay here? You'll raise my child as Turner's!" His voice rose in anger and frustration.

"If that's what it takes for me to raise him in a safe environment, then he will be William Brendon Turner III." Jack stormed out of my room and a minute later I heard the front door slam shut. Hot tears began to pour down my face as I looked down at the spitting image of Jack.

"What am I going to do? I only want to keep you safe but I can't do that with Jack as your father." Michael just kept nursing.

I stayed in my room nursing Michael for another twenty minutes until he fell asleep. I laid him on the bed while I changed into a loose sun dress and put on a heavy cloak for warmth. I wrapped Michael in a blanket and walked downstairs to find my father. I went to the library first and when I didn't find him there I tried outside in the garden. He was standing at the far end of the garden, talking to himself. As I got closer to him I could hear what he was saying.

"I don't know what to do. She is our daughter and I want her to be happy; but he is a pirate. If she goes with him now I may never see her or my grandson again." He said giving a heavy sigh afterwards.

"I'm not going anywhere." I whispered as I neared him. "We're going to stay here with you." He looked over at me, startled.

"Elizabeth I didn't hear you come out here. - - What do you mean you're staying here?"

"I'm not going with Jack. I can't raise a child on a ship, much less a pirate ship. It's dangerous and a child needs a bigger place than a ship to grow. A child needs a steady home, on land, where he can have friends."

"He also needs both parents if given the chance to have them. Elizabeth go with Mr. Sparrow. He is your child's father and he has as much right to that boy as you do."

"But what about you? I don't want to leave you again. It was hard enough going and knowing that I would come back, but I can't do it again."

"Did I say you would be leaving me behind? Mr. Sparrow has generously offered to let me accompany the both of you." I was speechless. "I heard Mr. Sparrow slam the door as he was leaving, did you get into a bit of a tiff?"

"Not exactly a tiff."

"Oh." He held out his hands and I handed him Michael. He led me over to a bench and we sat down.

"What happened Elizabeth?" I sat down next to him.

"I asked Jack when he was going back to his ship and he said he thought that we would go back to the ship. We argued about the ability to properly raise a child on a ship, more accurately a pirate ship. When I told him I wouldn't raise our son on a pirate ship he asked if I would rather stay here and raise his son as Will's; I responded in anger and said that I would." A few tears slipped down my face but I was able to stem the downpour. I toyed with the hair on Michael's head.

"Elizabeth he'll come back."

"How can you be so sure? This is the second time I've threatened to take his child from him."

"I've seen the way he looks at you and you can see in his face the love he holds for his son. Nothing short of death would stop him from being with you, and from what you told me even that hasn't stopped him. Now go talk to him and let me have some time with my grandson." I looked behind me to where my father was looking and saw Jack, only he was quite different.

He had cut the braids from his beard and trimmed it into neat lines. All the braids and dread locks were gon from his hair and it had been cut to one length, about five or six inches long. He had washed it and combed it back making it look presentable. He had bathed and his face was clear of all kohl and dirt. He had bought new clothes, and was now wearing clean brown trousers and a clean white shirt. He had kept his boots and his belt was slung over his shoulder still with his gun, compass, and sword attached and his tricorn hat was in his hands. He gave me a sort of shy smile but it still held an arrogance. I ran over to him and threw my arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I didn't mean it." I mumbled into his shoulder.

"I know, I know." He said kissing the top of my head as he held me.

"I want to raise our son with you. I want him to know who his father is and I want him to know his father."

"He will. I've arranged passage to England."

"England? We're going back to England?"

"Not exactly. Ireland more or less."

"Why Ireland?"

"I've a house there. My mother's father's house really. Quaint little thing but enough for the- -" He stopped to count, "four of us. What do you say?" I looked up into his eyes.

"On one condition." He raised his brow at me. "Why Michael Christopher Sparrow?"

"One correction to that name m'dear, Michael Christopher Sparrow III. And ye are looking at the second." I gave Jack an incredulous look.

"How did you become know as Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"Jackson, my mother's maiden name. I ran from home after she died and I wanted to keep part of her with me." I smiled and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Ireland it is. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow. The captain has requested that we pack light, but I assured him that would be a problem." He gave me an arrogant smile. "Ye best get packing." Jack said turning me around pushing me towards the house. I hurried in the house pausing to take Michael from my father. I heard them both follow me in.

"Will ye be comin' with us to Ireland?"

"Yes. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning." I heard them turn into the library and shut the door.

I went into the kitchen and told the maids there to pack all of my father's clothing and as many of his books as would fit into the trunk after his clothing. As I went upstairs I found Emily and Anna and asked both of them to pack my dresses and Michael's clothing and blankets as well. In a small valise I packed the few pieces of jewelry that I had from my mother, the letters that I had written to Jack, and the letter Will had written to me. I laid on the bed and laid Michael down next to me. He stuck his hand in his mouth and happily went about sucking on it. I fell into a half asleep state until Emily shook me awake for dinner.

I walked downstairs to the dining room, leaving Michael with Emily. Jack actually sat with us at the table and we had a lively discussion covering many topics; from pirating to the Royal Navy to the New America. Jack and my father got along quite well, trading stories about their adventures on the sea. I laughed along with them and my heart swelled at the sight of them getting along so well. Almost two hours passed before Emily came to me with Michael in her arms.

"I can't get him to stop crying." She said handing him over. His cries diminished to half the volume as he was transferred to my arms. I excused myself to the library to feed him, as I shut the door I heard my father say something to Jack.

"Mr. Sparrow I would like to speak to you."

"Yes of course Govn'r."

"Elizabeth loves you and while I would not want to force her into any situation I- -"

"I know where you're goin' with this Govn'r and I've already made plans to ask Elizabeth to marry me."

"Fantastic."

"It'll have to wait 'til we're in Ireland, I've a ring there for her." They then switched subjects back to the sea and I sat down in an overstuffed chair to finish nursing Michael. I smiled broadly as I thought about Jack and my impending engagement. I walked upstairs after Michael had fallen asleep and laid him in his bassinet. I dressed for bed and fell asleep within seconds of laying down.

The Next Morning

I woke up the next morning to Anna knocking on the door and bringing in breakfast. She set the tray down on the vanity and let me eat while she bathed and clothed Michael. When I was done eating breakfast I fed Michael for nearly thirty minutes and then dressed in a dark green dress. I tried to convince Anna to let me wear trousers and a shirt but she absolutely refused to hear me out. I reluctantly put the dress on and went downstairs to wait for my father and Jack at the dining table. I had to only wait seconds before Jack came in from outside.

"Lizzie the coach is ready and loaded; why don't ye get yerself settled and I'll get yer father." I nodded and walked out to the coach while Jack went upstairs. As I was getting Michael settled Jack and my father came out of the house and got into the coach. The coach began to move and we rode in a sleepy silence to the docks. As we approached the dock I saw a ship that I immediately recognized.

"You found the Pearl?" I cried out in surprise as I eyed her black sails.

"Sort of. Turner did really, quite the captain he is." Jack said as he looked out the window.

"You found Will?" I asked in amazement.

"Sort of. Turner sort of found us. It seems that as he was traveling he began to hear new tales of The Pearl. He followed the path of these tales and found her along the mid-eastern coast of South America. She was a little damaged but he got her fixed and as we were headed down from Port Royale he was headed up." We pulled up to the docks and Jack got out and held the door open for my father and myself. We walked up the gangplank and boarded The Pearl.

"Jack, Governor." Will said shaking both their hands and welcoming them on board. Then he turned to me.

"Elizabeth." He went to hug me and then saw Michael.

"You had the baby? Has it already been five months?" I nodded.

"That is my son Michael Christopher Sparrow III." Jack said from behind Will; Will smiled.

"You will be staying in the Captain's cabin Elizabeth and Governor you will be staying in the First Mate's cabin."

"What about you Will? Weren't you in the Captain's Cabin?"

"Yes but I'll be fine below deck with the rest of the crew. Besides a lady with an infant can't be sleeping below deck in only a hammock." Jack took Will to the helm while I took my father to his cabin.

I opened the door to my cabin and a few of the crew brought in my trunks and then went next door to give my father his belongings as well. I laid two pillows on the bed about a foot apart and then laid Michael between them while I unpacked my belongings. I hung the dresses in the wardrobe and in the bureau I put trousers and shirts that I had bought for Jack. I placed my valise on the desk and unpacked a few of my books and my hair brush into the drawers of the desk. When I walked to the door of the cabin I saw that the crew was untying the ship and we were finally on our way to Ireland.

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