When land came into view the men began work to make sure the ship was ready to tie down to the docks. Looking out towards the dock he takes notice of the many tall buildings that were not far from it. Last time he was here he had left behind a bewildered Barbossa, and a lass much too beautiful for him; if Jack was recalling the scene correctly.
"Mr. Gibbs."
"Yes Cap'n?"
"You shall come with me." Jack informs him, unsure of what was exactly waiting at Margaret's house. She could simply want to help Jack embarrass Hector which he would be more then happy to help with, or Hector had set this whole trap up. Perhaps his aim was to steal the Pearl again. Well now Jack's crew was his own and they were far to loyal, well stupid to steal the ship. The first man gives no argument as he follows Jack down the boards to the dock.
Quickly, as if he was in a rush a boy runs straight into Jack. "Are you Captain Jack Sparrow, sir?" The young lad asks.
Jack looks back at Gibbs who shrugs. "Yes?"
"Miss Smyth sent me to fetch you Sir. Since her condition keeps her home."
"Her condition?" Gibbs wonders aloud.
"Probably the scurvy." Jack whispers much too loud to Gibbs.
The boy looks at them with confusion.
"Nevermind lead the way lad!" Jack orders, grabbing onto Gibb's sleeve and dragging him along.
The boy leads them through the streets of London. Jack had almost forgotten the stench of it all. Rats, rotten food, and air that was as stale as four day old bread. It did not even hold any of the rustic, and overwhelming charm of Tortuga. Far less red ladies, and no where near enough open late bars. Jack tries to fight off the vague memories of nights he was deprived of anything but water to drink. His tongue begins to dry at the thoughts. Turning to look ahead he remembers he was suppose to be following the boy. Thanks to Gibb's light pushes and grabs he had managed to stay right behind him.
"What's your name, boy?" Jack asks looking over the scrawny one again. He had short cut, blonde hair, eyes that were jagged and lack any sense of pride. His face was small and sharp, intelligent yet this boy was so bland in every other way.
"I was told not to tell you. Was warned that all who you know the name of gets dragged into trouble, I was." The boy explains pushing on. Honestly Jack was insulted. That was not always the case. People got themselves into trouble. He just took advantage of that, was all. Pouting Jack asks him another question.
"Where are you taking us boy?" He had forgotten just where they were off to.
"To Miss Smyth's house, sir." The boy answers. The look on his face either told of confusion or worry. "It's right around the corner." He adds, quickly turning his face away.
True to his word the boy leads them around the corner and straight to a boring, plain looking, brick house. There was rust on the metal fences lining the side of the stone stairs. Hoping them by twos their guide quickly reaches the door. His knocking was feverish upon reaching the door.
"Miss Smyth! I brought him!" He announces loud enough to alert the whole street to the presence of the pirates.
"Curse ye boy! Must you be so loud?" Gibbs asks angrily from behind his Captain.
The door slowly opens. Jack spots the mess of hair first. All curls, and brown it was. So disorganized that Jack almost mistook it for a dirty mop. He saw the face attached to it when she spoke.
"Thank you for that. Here are the coins I promised you. Run off home now." With a pat on his head she sends the boy off and opens her door wide open for the pirates.
Her eyes were a deep green of sorts. Jack peers at them and wonders if anyone had ever compared them to leaves before. Her face was soft looking, cheeks well defined but a chin that was not to sharp. Jack knew he had seen her before, and felt as if her skin would be soft under his touch if he dared to touch her. She was a beauty until he saw the most prominent of her features. Her rather large belly.
Jack looks up and down as she prattles on. He remains frozen by the door as she closes it, and gestures to a place further within her house. Cocking his eyebrows he points at her and asks, "Congratulations?"
Her laugh was light, flighty even. As if she felt too tired to really laugh. "Thank you Jack."
"If I may ma'am. You have a wonderful home." Jack looks back and forth between Gibbs and Margaret.
"Did you know?" Jack asks.
"No. Did you?"
"Of course not." Jack answers his eyes growing wide. "If I had known I would not have come."
"I'm not going to tell you that it's yours." Margaret informs the captain. "It's Hector's." Proudly she wraps her hands carefully under her swollen belly. "They are due any day now. The child." She clarifies. "I wanted to ask a favor of you Jack."
"Your letter mentioned humiliating Barbossa."
"Nay, it mentioned he would never ask for yer help Jack. Which he wouldn't." Margaret walks away, turning into one of the room, and out of the small cramped hallway. Jack looks back to Gibbs, who simply shrugs at Jack's unasked question. They follow her, unsure if they should be. Peeking through the door way, before actually stepping in was a slightly confused Jack, and an even more confused Gibbs.
"Help with what?" Jack asks from his spot as Margaret takes a seat on her bed.
"Do you insist on acting so childish? Come on in. I don't bite."
Jack remains where he stood as Gibbs looks to him for a lead. "I find my spot preferable to all of that." He gestures to her body quickly.
"I'm pregnant Jack. I don't have the black plague."
"No. That death would be quicker, and much preferable to, well that." He gestures to her once again.
With a heavy sigh Margaret leans deeper into her bed. "Hector said you might react like this. Honestly I thought you would more mature." She fixes him with a potent glare. "Now stop acting like a child yourself and get in here." Jack feels Gibbs move from behind him. He was quick to a chair. The only chair in the room. Slowly, with care, Jack steps into the room. One small step at a time.
"Now Jack, I wanted to speak with you of something important."
He screws up his nose, growing more and more unsure of the situation.
"I have no family, and despite my hopes and wishes Hector refuses to acknowledge that anything may happen to me. I'm not stupid. I have had a difficult pregnancy and not every girl, especially my age, makes it through one safely. So my favor, Jack, will you please be my child's godfather. Just incase anything should happen to Hector or I. The life of a pirate is not a safe one, but you have a knack for surviving against the odds. I hold little doubt that you will not survive longer than Hector and I both. No better to entrust the survival one one's child then to a friend, and one who would do anything to live at that."
"I think you may have forgotten that I am also a pirate. A captain actually." Jack reminds her, showing his pride.
"A captain who more often than not loses his ship, and spends rather a lot of time on land for a man of the sea."
He pouts and crosses his arms in the manner a child might. "If you think that, then you no doubt know that I often am homeless. Asking me to be guardian,"
"Godfather." She corrects patiently.
"Whatever, is foolish." He finishes
"The man is oft without a home." Gibbs chimes in.
"If anything were to happen to me, you could always use my home. It is under another's name. They would not sell it so soon if I am gone. This is all only if anything were to happen to me, and Hector mind you."
"Rather large if for you, not so large for 'em. He is a pirate ma'am." Gibbs attempts to be respectful, but the whole situation had both of the seasoned men out of their known waters. "A pirate may not be the best of sorts to entrust a child's life with."
Margaret waves off Gibbs and looks towards Jack. "That may be true Mr. Gibbs, but I have placed something in Jack few others have done willingly, having known him. I am placing my trust in him. Willingly." She adds with a knowing smile. It was the same smile he had known before. The one that could send any man's guts turning. For a moment her hair looks darker and he remembers the scent of saltwater stuck to the chestnut curls.
"If there is no other choice," He begins twirling his fingers around each other in typical Jack fashion. He begins to pace back and forth at the front of the room. "And evil shall befall you or Barbossa. I suppose I would have no choice but take full advantage of your trust and raise the child. Whatever it shall be. But wait," He interrupts himself and stares at her belly for a unrealistically long time. One might think he had suddenly become hypnotized by it. Mr. Gibbs wants to say anything to bring his Captain back, but Margaret just waits for his theatrics to come to an end. "Are you sure it is Hector's?"
Margaret laughs. "He is the only man I've been sexually active with within this last year.
"Oh you poor woman." Gibbs lets slips.
"Indeed. He is rather hideous, isn't he?" Jack agrees nodding at his first mate.
"He is much more handsome then you give him credit for. What can one expect from a pirate, who was betrayed by the man?" That struck a chord in him. For the sake of the house, and the woman on the bed Jack choose to try pushing past it.
"When will you have it?"
"Should be any day now. Hector said he would be back in time for the delivery. I have received no news from him as of yet. I fear he may have lost track of time on the seas." Margaret admits trying to keep up her smile.
Yet Jack and Gibbs did not notice her sadness. No, for the two were only looking at each other. Worry lines dominant on their features. They both shout the Black Pearl's name before Jack pushes Gibbs back down into his chair. Quickly the pirate runs out of the house as his first mate lingers behind only enough to apologize for the man's abruptness. He promises they will attempt to return shortly after making sure the pearl was safe and out of the sights of the nefarious Captain Barbossa. Margaret only laughs as the men run out of her room.
As soon as Jack's feet hit the street he looks back and forth before picking a random direction. Hoping that it will lead him to his precious pearl. Running with the force of the northwind, Jack navigates himself through the streets of London. Stopping for no one. Never asking if he was going in the right direction. Occasionally wondering if the docks had been moved or where his first mate has gone. Jack ran long into the night, for that was when he finally saw his precious ship's flags. They were already up and good to sail. Wait were they getting smaller?
Jack stops short of the water to see his crew manning the pearl. Gibbs was at the helm, giving orders to move the ship around. Jack vainly shouts towards the ship. Yet they were too far to hear him now. A heavy sigh and Jack knows the only thing left to do to reach his ship was to swim. Taking off his hat he ties it to his side with a strap of cloth. Jack dives into the water.