Disclaimer: I don't own the captain or anything that falls under the category of "Owned by Disney".


It was hours later and well into the night. Maddy and Jack lay awake in bed. They had opted for getting the room instead of causing a bigger scandal on the streets. Though Madison doubted that anything could be of surprise to those living in the pirate's paradise.

Unfortunately, despite Jack's reputation for being able to keep his lovers in bliss all night long, his mind was elsewhere. He tried to hide it but Madison could tell by his silence as he lay next to her that he was thinking about the risks they would soon be taking. "Jack?"

"Hmm?" He returns from his thoughts and strokes her arm.

"Are you okay? You seem a million miles away."

"Ship shape, luv. Not t' worry."

"Please don't lie. You're really good at it and I don't want to have to guess if you're doing it or not."

He sighs heavily. "I jus' don't trust Lestat, tha's all. An' I really don't have a good feeling 'bout the way 'e has things set up."

"Why is he so hell-bent on having me instead of some other girl? I'm nobody to him."

"Yer somebody t' me. Tha's reason enough."

"But I just don't understand why he would take Elizabeth to begin with if he wanted me."

"Ye don' get it, do ye? The bastar' doesn' want either one of ye. I's me. Yer both expendable t' him. I'm the one 'e wants t' hurt an' he'll use ye against me any way 'e can think to."

"Why? What did you ever do to him?" She wanted answers. There was something he wasn't telling her. "What is it that you really owe--" He silences her with a kiss.

He barely pulls his lips an inch from hers. "There are some things in this world bes' left unsaid. An' there are things 'bout me yer better off not knowing." He kisses her again, not wanting her to see the other side of him. The darker side. "Piracy's not all ye make it out t' be. It's not all treasure an' good fun."

She desperately wanted to know the truth but she reluctantly accepts that he doesn't want to talk about it. She turns over in the bed, facing away from him. "I'm not afraid of what I don't know about you, Jack. It's made you the man you are."

Something in the meaning of her words struck him. Or maybe it was that she called him a man instead of a pirate. He stares at her peaceful form a moment, delaying the magnitude of what he was about to reveal to her. "I wasn' always who I am now, luv. Not always a pirate. And I want you to know that."

Madison turns back toward him, stunned. As he spoke, what she referred to as his "drunken accent" fell away and his usual mannerisms disappeared. He was speaking in very proper English with a light British accent. He suddenly sounded a little like Will.

"It was always in my blood though. My father did what he had to for his family. He pirated so I could attend a decent school and get a proper education." He gets a wistful look in his eyes and laughs a little, shaking his head. "I was going to be a doctor. Can you believe it?" He's silent for a moment, lost in his recollection. "That's who I was." He suddenly falls back into character. "Wha' ye see is who I am now. I's who I will always be. Captain Jack Sparrow."

"What changed?"

"Turns out I wasn' my mother's first born son as I was led to believe. I don' know the details, jus' that she was taken on board a pirate ship in her younger years... The bastard wanted an heir..." He turns away from Maddy, sitting on the edge of the bed. "He got one... An heir tha' would blame 'is mother fer abandoning him when my father rescued 'er. An' his murderous father who would later tear through our home in the middle of the night in a jealous rage... I escaped with my mother. My father was no' so fortunate. They killed each other." He leaves it at that, letting Maddy imagine how horrific it must have been.

She moves toward him, slipping her arms around his middle and hugging him tightly from behind.

"Lestat 'as always had it in fer me. Mostly I avoid 'im if at all possible. Too many bad memories an' such. "

It doesn't quite dawn on her what he's getting at. "Why didn't you kill him when you had the chance? When he attacked me."

"He is still 'er son Maddy. We're boun' by blood." Jack seems troubled by this.

Wait. Back up. Lestat was Jack's brother? She may have fantasized about Jack having a twin but she couldn't comprehend how that repulsive man could possibly share blood relations with her Captain Jack. It's obvious why he would want to take that particular secret to the grave. She wouldn't have claimed the man either. It was all coming together now... The night in Tortuga, the reason Lestat had taken such an immediate interest in her... It all made sense. "So that's what he meant about you owing him? He's crazy."

"That 'e is. An' unfortunately, ye are now the woman between us."


Meanwhile...

Will sat in the shadows near the docks, watching every movement on board Lestat's ship. He'd watched the crew restock the supplies and now things had grown quiet. Jack had made it clear for him to stay out of trouble and out of sight but he was restless. How could he be expected to sit in a room at the inn when Elizabeth was so near and still in danger? He suddenly feels as though he's being watched and turns to see Norrington approaching. "What are you doing out here?"

"Hiding from several overly-friendly women." He looks back over his shoulder, relieved to see he has not been followed. "I suppose there's no need for me to ask what you're doing out here. How are things shaping up?"

Will scans the docks. "I have a terrible feeling about all this."

"Well that makes two of us. Sparrow doesn't know what he's gotten himself into this time."

"It's not that I don't trust Jack, but he's never had anything to lose in the past. He would never admit it, but... love makes a man do irrational things. And I'm afraid it's going to leave the rest of us caught in the crossfire."

"Look..." Norrington motions toward the ship. They watch as more than just a few of the men come ashore and head into town. Amongst them is Lestat himself. "What do you suppose they're up to?"

"I don't want to find out. And I don't care what Jack said. Elizabeth is not going to stay on that ship for one more night."


Madison awoke sometime later, unable to place what time it was. The room is pitch black. When had she fallen asleep? She felt around in the bed... Jack is missing.

Somewhere in the darkness a voice spoke. "So yer Jack's little whore after all." It was Lestat.

If it were light in the room you could have seen the color drain from her face. She felt instant panic. Where was Jack? She was alone with the madman again and she couldn't see a damn thing. She pulls the sheet closely around her as she gets to her feet. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothin' lass. He's done everythin' t' me." He pretended to sound hurt by it.

"Where is he?"

"Gone."

"No."

"Our business is settled. He got what 'e wanted an' last I checked there were black sails disappearin' on the horizon."

"He wouldn't do that." What the hell is going on? She knew the man was lying, but Jack really isn't anywhere to be found.

Light flashed into the room as he lit a lamp. She could instantly feel his eyes on her. An unnerving look of lust fills them as he notes her lack of dress. She was more than ready to make a mad dash, but of course he's blocking the door. The only other option is the window. It was also a no go. Damn their decision to get a room on the second floor. Lestat advances on her. With every step that closes the space between them, she can feel her panic growing. Everything Jack had told her earlier is racing through her mind.

Suddenly, the sound of shouting and clanging swords can be heard in the hallway. She hears Jack's voice. He hadn't left. He would break in and save her any moment now. She almost smiles to herself. She would have been smiling if Lestat hadn't had such an eerily pleased look on his face.

"Yer precious Jack won' save ye this time, lass."

Behind him, four of his henchmen barge through the door. Her eyes widen at the sight beyond them. Jack is in a battle against at least half a dozen men in the hallway and it doesn't look good. Where the hell are Will and Norrington? Some heroes they are. Lestat removes himself from the room as his men advance on her. Talk about a twenty-first century girl trapped in a seventeenth-century damsel in distress story. This was it.

Lestat closes the door behind him as he steps into the hallway. "Thought I'd let the crew 'ave a go at 'er first." He laughs to himself, saying this only to enrage Jack. He was taking great pleasure in tormenting him.

Jack is furious. "Fight me yerself, ye coward!"

He continues watching everything play out from the sidelines, allowing his men to do the dirty work.

Inside the room, Madison is surrounded but she isn't about to go without a fight this time. She began throwing anything she could get her hands on. A vase shattered against one pirate's head, several mugs were flung across the room, and even the quilt was tossed. But she quickly ran out of items in the small space. After all, it wasn't like pirates were concerned with furnishings in a place like this. Suddenly the room goes dark. In a moment, the hands of every one of the men were on her. She continues to kick and squirm as they haul her to the window. "Jaaaaack!"

Jack hears the sound of glass shattering from inside the room and Maddy's screams. It steals his attention, distracting him just long enough that he receives a gash across his upper arm. He grits his teeth and ignores the pain, trying to fight his way past the men, but there are too many on him at once. He can't get to her. "Maddy?"


On the docks...

Will and Norrington had scoped out Lestat's ship and found that only one man was left on watch. Perfect. They now set their plan into motion, with a little help from Norry's fangirls, and watch closely as the women wander onto the ship.

The man takes notice immediately and draws his sword. "Oy who's there?"

"Watch yerself sailor. Ye don' want t' be hurtin' us with that thing now, do ye?"

His eyes widen as the two come into view. "N...no Miss." He stutters. The women apparently make him nervous. "But ye shouldn' be 'ere. The captain will be back soon an'..."

"Ye mean yer not the captain?" They move in on him. "A fine sailor like ye deserves t' have his own ship. Maybe even his own fleet." She tousles his hair. "At the very least ye should be allowed a lady friend or two..."

Another woman appears. "Or three..."

The man's duties are all but forgotten at the sight of the third woman throwing herself at him. In fact, he probably would have gladly handed over the keys to the brig if any one of them had asked but that was a risk no one wanted to take.

Seeing that the man is now entirely distracted, Will and Norrington slip past them and head for the underbelly of the ship where they locate the brig. It appears empty at first, but then they see her. Elizabeth is seated on the floor, doubled over in the shadows.

"Elizabeth?" Will spoke barely above a whisper.

"Will?" She was never so happy to see him in all her life. She tries to make a move toward him but quickly clutches her stomach again, wincing in pain and breathing erratically.

"Elizabeth!" He was louder this time, seizing the bars that separated them.

Norrington stated the obvious. "The child is coming." Even he sounded on the brink of panic.

Will ripped a small blade from his boot and immediately set to work on picking the lock. "When did it start?"

"This...after...noon." She spoke through gasps and clenched teeth.

"Damn Lestat! I'll kill him myself if Jack doesn't do it first." It was agony for him to have to carefully pick the lock when all he wanted to do was pry the bars apart or rip the door off its hinges with his bare hands.

After what seems like an eternity, the latch finally snaps open. The men rush in, pulling Elizabeth to her feet. Bringing her into the light, Will sees that her cheeks are tearstained, sweat has beaded on her forehead and hair is clinging to her face. She could barely walk and it took the both of them to get her safely off of Lestat's ship and onto The Pearl.


The moment Elizabeth is safe, Gibbs and Norrington take off to find Jack. It's obvious that she is in need of medical assistance and if anything could be done, Jack would know what to do. As the two make their way down the docks, Norrington notices Lestat's crew storming back onto the ship and men could be seen preparing to set sail. 'That's odd' he thought just before seeing Madison dragged aboard as well and Sparrow nowhere to be found. Obviously something went terribly wrong.

He starts to point it out to Gibbs, but realizes the man has gone on without him. Norrington knows he wouldn't be able to take on an entire enemy crew alone and in a split-second decision he runs back to Lestat's ship, jumping into character as one of the crewmen, and joins in with the cast-off duties, making himself anonymous amongst them. God forbid anyone realize he wasn't a member of their crew. Without question his punishment would be death... or worse. Why did he have to be so chivalrous? They just got Elizabeth back and now Sparrow's girl was in danger. Norrington could swear trouble followed that man around. He just fell into one situation right after another, endangering everyone he'd ever come into contact with.


Gibbs found Jack immersed in a sword fight with three remaining men of Lestat's crew. Pulling his own sword out, they make quick work of finishing them off. Jack bursts into the room only to find it empty. "They've taken her..."

In an instant, he darts away from the scene, running full scale to the harbor. He reaches the waterfront only to find it's too late. Lestat's ship has already disappeared into the night. He began screaming into the darkness like a crazy person. "Maddy! Maddy! ...Lestat if ye so much as lay a hand on 'er!..."

Gibbs catches up to him, unnerved at the sight of Jack having completely lost it. "Jack, we'll find 'er, but ye 'ave t' tend to Elizabeth first..."

He didn't seem to hear the man.

"Jack! Elizabeth is in labor..." His mind was awash but this time the words register.


Jack entered his cabin, pushing Will aside. "Move." He had a very down-to-business look on his face.

"She's runnin' a fever." Gibbs informs him.

Elizabeth is terrified. Her own mother passed away while birthing her. Will is helpless as he holds a damp cloth to her head and Gibbs doesn't know what more he can do. Jack was torn between catching up to Maddy and saving Elizabeth from certain death. He knew she was slipping.

Taking control of the situation, Jack hands Will a bottle of rum. "Get 'er started on this." Will was confused but did as he was instructed and placed the bottle to Elizabeth's lips. She gladly took it, thankful for any relief from the pain she was in. Jack lay his head on her bare stomach to listen, then felt around for the position of the child. He rolled up his sleeves and without a word plucked another bottle of rum from a nearby table and doused her flesh to cleanse the area. Will watched curiously until he saw the flash of a small blade.

"Jack, no!"

"Don' worry, mate. I've seen it done before."

"You're mad!" He made a move to stop him.

"She will die, William!" The severity of Jack's tone kept him from intervening. "The babe 'as not turned. She can't do it alone. I must do what I can."

Will looked to Gibbs with question and horror but the man just shook his head. It was beyond either one of them what voodoo Jack was about to perform.

Feeling around once more, Jack located the area he needed and placed the blade to her lower abdomen. Will took her hand and looked on as Jack carefully made the incision. She clenched her teeth and screamed as the pain engulfed her. The rum's numbing sensation wasn't enough to take more than the edge off of the horrific pain she was feeling. In seconds she lost consciousness, her grip loosening on Will's hand.

"Jack?" Will questioned with panic in his voice. The color had drained from his face.

No response. He turned to Gibbs again. The man looked as though he would be sick any moment as they watched Jack digging into layers of flesh, glistening blood coating his forearms.

Jack almost smiled to himself as he found what he was searching for. After a few maneuvers, he was able to free the infant from Elizabeth's body. Pulling the child out into the world, he gave its mouth a quick swipe with a rag and it let out a good healthy cry. Will's horrified look quickly became one of awe. In an instant Jack had passed the child into Will's arms and immediately set to work on stitching Elizabeth up.

He knew he'd done all he could possibly do. Unfortunately, she'd still lost a fair amount of blood. She would be weak for a while but at least it appeared she would live. Finishing up, Jack wiped his hands and strode out of the room without a word to any of them. For him it was one thing at a time. Elizabeth was stable and now he could focus on Maddy. They were behind in the chase and he needed time alone with his thoughts.


Will found Jack on deck a while later. He was at the helm. The wheel in one hand and his compass in the other. Seeing Will, he quickly closes it and places it away. They stand in silence for a moment. Jack's eyes are fixed on the horizon, staring into the distance even though it's complete blackness.

Will can't seem to find words to say to the pirate who just saved the lives of his wife and child. "Jack... I don't know how to thank you for what you did."

"Don' worry 'bout it mate."

"It was miraculous and... I'm sorry I doubted you." Silence. "Well anyway... Elizabeth is coming around. She wants to speak with you."

Jack tried to create a lighthearted moment. "She's not goin' t' slap me fer cuttin' her open, is she?"

Will smiled a little. "Let's hope not."

Jack left Will to man the ship and returned to his cabin to find Elizabeth holding her child for the first time. He seats himself on the edge of the bed next to her. "Not exactly how I 'ad pictured getting ye into me bunk, luv. Can't complain though. I finally got ye here." He grinned and joked to conceal the mix of emotions he was feeling.

She looks down at the infant, sleeping peacefully. "Isn't she beautiful?"

Jack starts to say something but closes his mouth again. Babies weren't his forte. "So dear William said ye wanted t' speak with me."

"Yes. I wanted your opinion on a name for her. To have your permission, really..."

"Ye hardly 'ave t' clear it with me, luv. It's William ye should be talkin' to."

"We'd like to name her Pearl. That is, if it's all right with you."

His eyebrows raise as he thinks about this.

Elizabeth explains their reasoning. "Your ship has been such a large part of our lives and she was in fact born here..." They both look down at the child. "It would be an honor if you allowed us to use the name of your precious Pearl for our own." She waits for his answer.

"Alright then."

"Really?"

"Why not? I'm sure me Pearl would quite like havin' a namesake. Even if it is one tha's goin' t' be runnin' around on dry land."

Elizabeth smiles. "At least until she's older."


(A/N: Sorry for the slow updates. Thanks for reading! Please comment.)