New Beginnings: Chapter 12

Will and Dani watched as Jack paced the crow's nest and Elizabeth paced the bow.

"What is going on?" Will asked her.

"I have no idea," Dani answered, as she turned to watch Jack talking to himself up in the crow's nest. She then watched Elizabeth walk back and forth, doing the same.

"Do you fancy a game of cards?" Will asked.

"Sure."

Will and Dani wandered off, leaving Jack and Elizabeth to their self-inflicted solitary confinement.

A couple hours later, Dani was sitting next to Will at the long table in the galley reading out loud one of the books that was on the ship. Apparently, it had even peaked the interest of several crewmembers as they had joined them at the table.

Outside, Jack climbed down the mast, determination in his eyes. But now he couldn't find Dani. It wasn't a large ship, but he struggled to find her. Dani had fallen asleep with book on her chest and Will asleep on her shoulder. It turns out the story wasn't all that interesting anymore.

Jack moved Will to lean on his other side and gently woke Dani.

"Love, we need to talk."

She yawned. "Sorry. What is it, Jack? Can it wait 'til morning?"

"No, it can't. Come with me."

He took her hand and guided her outside. The sun was setting and was filled with pinks, purples, and oranges. It was beautiful.

"We've known each other for a long time, Danielle."

"Yes, Jack…we have. Have you been drinking?"

"No. Well…yes, but no."

Dani looked at him with a confused expression. "What's wrong?" She rubbed her eyes as if that would make a difference.

"Why does something have to be wrong?"

"Because you're acting stranger than normal, Jack Sparrow," Dani said, still confused. She eyed him carefully. His hands were….no, they couldn't be…trembling?

"Nothing is wrong." He took her hands in his own. "I want you to…"

Elizabeth screamed and fell, clutching her stomach, onto the deck. Dani rushed to her, leaving Jack in mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?" Dani asked as she knelt beside her.

"It hurts…so bad."

Dani tried to calm her. She was sweating bullets. But Dani was panicking, too. She wasn't a doctor. She wasn't going to be able to help her. Dani tried to remember what they did for her when she miscarried so long ago. They put warm compresses on her abdomen. So that's what Dani would do. By this time, jack had come over to help and he picked her up. Elizabeth was carried to her cabin and laid on the bed. It was going to be a long night.

She hadn't told Will yet. But now she was going to have to. Will was still asleep in the galley so Dani went to find him. 'Panicked' is a very mild word for how Will reacted. He ran into the cabin and grabbed hold of her hand.

Dani pulled Jack out of the room; he wanted to stay, to find out what was going on. He felt he had to know everything that happened on that ship, he was the captain.

"I'm sure you'll find out later," she told him in order to shut him up.

"But…" he pouted. He could act like such a child sometimes. "Wait. Do you know?"

"Yes."

"What then?"

"No."

Inside the cabin, the conversation was going much easier.

"Will, I'm pregnant," she told him point-blankly.

"What?" Will asked. "Really?" His face brightened.

Elizabeth's face brightened, even though she was in pain. Will hugged her and kissed her cheek. He was going to be a dad.

That night, Will only came out to tell Jack the good news and to get advice from Dani, which was only two short trips. Elizabeth was getting better, but Will wanted to be with her at all times anyway.

Elizabeth's pains subsided late that night and made everyone very happy. She wasn't bleeding like Dani did. That had to be a good sign. The child must be okay, for now at least.

The next day, everyone except Jack was in good spirits. He kept to himself, no matter how hard they all tried to include him in their activities.

Will wandered up to him at the wheel.

"Jack," Will started. "I want to marry Elizabeth. Today."

"Then go ask her," Jack replied, not turning to face Will.

"But I'm going to need you to perform the ceremony."

"Of course," Jack said sarcastically.

"Jack, what's put you in such a foul mood?"

"Nothing. Leave me be," he waved Will off with his hands.

"I'm not going any where until you tell me why you are being so weird."

"I am not being weird. You're really weird."

"Jack, I didn't ask how you were to start an argument. I was just a general query in your direction."

"Next time keep your queries to yourself. Gibbs! Take the wheel." Jack yelled, before leaving both men staring confusedly in his wake.

Dani was teaching Elizabeth to sew and knit. She was, after all, going to need something to do since she was going to be off her feet for a while. Dani was bored, too. The wind wasn't with them and they essentially weren't moving. So at least the lesson was taking her mind off of things.

But it wasn't a good thing that they had a break. Norrington's ship, of the three, had elected to row. They had spotted a ship on the horizon. A ship that matched the description of the missing governmental ship. He had found them!

Jack and his crew didn't even see the ship until it was too late. Norrington fired the cannons on them without warning. The whole ship shook at the sudden fire. There wasn't enough time to fire back, they were approaching too closely.

It all happened so quickly. No one was paying enough attention. Elizabeth was crying as Dani and Jack were placed in irons. They had bargained their lives for Will and Elizabeth's. And of course the unborn child she carried.

The Royale was under the control of the royal navy. Elizabeth and Will kept to their room while the crew was put in the galley. The other half of Norrington's crew sailed their ship back to Port Royal. A watchful eye had to be kept on the "most dangerous pirates in the world" while they were locked in separate cells.

Jack demanded a conjugal visit while he was in his cell. No one allowed his request. He made Norrington cringe. Jack was doing anything he could to keep Dani laughing. He didn't know how he was going to get them out of this, but he was going to do whatever he could. If he could just keep her spirits up… He wished he had asked her to marry him before all this happened. Then he would have at least known the answer before he died. He was never going to know now. And for the first time, Jack Sparrow was really scared. He couldn't let her be hanged or let Beckett in her general vicinity. He promised her that he would protect her. He would do anything for her. She was the only woman that he ever truly loved.

Three weeks of sailing brought them back to where their adventure had begun: Port Royal. As promised, Will and Elizabeth were released, no harm had come to them. They were once again, seeking refuge in Dani's old flat, still out of use by anyone else. Jack's crew was jailed with Jack at the fort. Dani, was however, sent to Beckett right away.

She was led to him, shackled at the wrist behind her back. Beckett was facing the window when she was led in.

"You are going to get what you deserve, now, Danielle."

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A/N: So what does everyone think? Review please!

thomthom