Disclaimer: Disney owns all rights to POTC, I own my OCs.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

A Happy Surprise?

Jack's words hit me hard and sent my mind reeling. Tears overflowed from my eyes as I looked at him. He seemed broken, betrayed. The muscles in his jaw clenched and a pained frown fleeted across his brows.

"Please, Jack…don't," I begged, knowing that it was already too late. Too many words had been exchanged, and none of them were the right words, the ones that should have been said.

"I can't bear to lose you," I began, desperately trying to keep from sobbing, "Please, Jack, don't force me to endure the life your mother did. Raising a child alone, always wondering if I'll ever see you again, and when you might return. Trying to explain to your child why you're never there…" I wrapped my arms around myself, my stifled sobs causing me to tremble uncontrollably. I looked at Jack. He had tears in his eyes. In two strides, he was with me, wrapping his arms around me and burying his head against my neck. I put my arms around him, and we held each other silently.

And finally, he began to speak, "I remember all of that. My mum always telling me that my father truly loved and cared for us, even though he was hardly ever with us. I remember getting up in the middle of the night sometimes, and peering out of my room, to see my mum at the window crying…And all the times he was supposed to come home, and didn't." He paused to look at me. "I remember broken promises, and disappointment. And how, after a time, when I was older, the happiness I felt when he was with us, no longer was capable of eclipsing the emptiness of when he wasn't…And I remember watching my mother's heart slowly break, and her hope slowly die."

I watched Jack as he spoke, transfixed by the sadness in his eyes. The heartbreak and sorrow of that young boy, still so vividly evident in the eyes of a man.

"No, Eve," Jack said quietly, "I could never be responsible for continuing that legacy. I would rather die than put you and our child through that kind of torture."

"Oh, Jack," I began as I gazed into his dark, tormented eyes. I wanted so badly to make him forget about all of his unpleasant memories, all the disappointment and hurt. "I love you, so very much," I whispered. And I was suddenly, startlingly, overcome with passion. I kissed him fiercely, lustily, and Jack responded immediately with mirrored ardor.

We reluctantly ended the kiss, needing to breathe.

"I wasn't so sure I'd ever feel you kiss me like that again, luv," Jack said quietly.

"Why on earth would you think that?" I asked in disbelief.

"I figured you'd blame me…for all of this," he answered, making a sweeping gesture with his hands.

"And I never thought you'd kiss me like that again, Jack, because you'd see me…differently," I confessed, "You'd think of me now, as…no longer desirable."

"Complete and utter nonsense, darlin'!" Jack exclaimed. And I was so relieved to see a tiny glimpse of mischief spark in his eyes that I began to cry.

"No, no, no, no, Eve, why are you crying?" he asked worriedly, as he cradled my face in his hands, brushing away the tears with his thumbs.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh, I was so relieved. He smiled slightly, "You really have gone mad, luv."

I took his hand and pulled him toward the bed. "Yes, Jack, mad with desire for you."

And he rewarded me with the most wicked, most perfect smirk…and so very much more.

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It felt so wonderful to be close to Jack again. We snuggled together in the bed, and everything was just as it had been...before.

But, it was no longer "before," it was "now."

"Jack, are you…happy…about this…turn of events?" I asked hesitantly.

He mumbled something incomprehensible. I turned to look at him. He was dozing.

"Jack!" I said loudly.

His eyes snapped open. "Wha-? Oh, yes, wonderful, luv. And you?"

"What are we going to do, Jack?" I asked him.

"I've been wondering about that myself, luv," Jack said lazily, "And I had a thought. You could have the babe here, on the Pearl, at sea. And we'll just have Scarlett on hand, for when the time comes." He paused to prop himself up on his elbow. "And we'll raise the child here. And the crew can help! And the child will learn, first hand, to be the best pirate in all the Caribbean, savvy?" He gestured excitedly as he spoke.

I frowned at him, unable to tell if he was serious or joking around. "That hardly seems practical, Jack."

"Why not?" he asked, innocently.

After a few moments, I suggested somewhat timidly, "Or, we can go see Scarlett, and I can procure some pennyroyal."

Jack's face became very serious as he looked at me. "You would do that, Eve?"

"It would make things simpler," I said quietly.

Jack narrowed his eyes and regarded me with scrutiny. "What do you know of using pennyroyal for that?" he asked pointedly.

"Not much," I replied, "Just that it's…possible."

Jack sighed and sat up, looking at me intensely. "Eve, in my past, I have had numerous…dalliances, shall we say, with women who make it their profession to…provide comfort and pleasurable company to men, when they make port." He paused, trying to assess my thoughts.

"I understand what you're saying, Jack," I said flatly.

"Occasionally, some of these…acquaintances…found themselves to be with child. Not mine, mind you!" he quickly added. "Now, for them, it was not the happy surprise that it is for us, luv. It was a threat to their very livelihood." He looked at me with a slight frown. "The way pennyroyal works in that situation, Eve, is as a poison. You have to ingest enough of it to become extremely ill, but not quite enough to kill you. Unfortunately, for some of my friends, it is not an exact science," he explained, "And they ended up suffering an untimely demise. Poisoning is never a pretty way to go, luv."

"Are you just trying to scare me?" I questioned skeptically.

"No, 'tis the honest truth, every word, Eve," he replied.

I looked at him, considering what he'd said.

"I couldn't possibly let you go through with that," he said as he caressed my cheek. "In fact, I forbid it," he said quietly.

My eyes widened as I looked at him. "You 'forbid it?'" I asked in disbelief.

Jack tensed, as if preparing to get slapped, hurried saying, "Because I love you, darlin'."

He smiled his most charming smile, "I wouldn't dream of ever trying to control you, luv, no worries. That's far too daunting a task, even for Captain Jack Sparrow to accomplish!" The teasing glint in his eyes was present only for an instant. "I couldn't bear to risk losing you, Eve."

I smiled at him and softly touched his cheek. "You're not going to lose me, Jack. 'Our souls be bound for eternity,'" I reminded him. "Besides, if I should die before you, my love, I will haunt you every single day, until you die…and stay dead," I teased, smiling at him.

He smirked, "And I wouldn't expect anything less from you, luv."

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A/N: Pennyroyal is an herb that is related to mint. It has been used as an abortifacient both historically and in modern times. The level of toxicity is dependent on the dosage. It causes hemorrhaging, along with a variety of other unpleasant and potentially life-threatening side effects. DO NOT USE IT!

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