Disclaimer: I own my OCs, and sadly, have no rights to POTC.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

Scarlett and Ruby

I stood with Jack at the helm as the Pearl approached his hometown. The crew was busily preparing to make port. There was a palpable atmosphere of excitement as we neared the crew's favorite shore-leave destination.

I sighed, wishing our visit was solely for the purpose of drunken revelry. No, there would be none of that for me this visit. I had all the enthusiasm of a designated driver on New Year's Eve. This would prove to be the longest seven months of my life. Not that I was in any way looking forward to giving birth. On the contrary, I feared and dreaded the entire ordeal.

Once the Pearl had been securely moored at the dock, Jack issued his orders for watches and we set off to meet with Scarlett.

"You seem troubled, darlin'," Jack observed as we strolled through the streets of Tortuga.

"I'm having second thoughts about Scarlett," I told him honestly, "Is she really that skilled as a midwife?"

"Aye, luv," he said, then stopped to look at me. "Is it because I have a bit of a past with her?" He regarded me watchfully, as if trying to read my thoughts. "Eve, I couldn't ever even look at another woman that way, I love you," he assured me.

I smiled, "I trust you, Jack, it's not that." I was struggling to find a way to be tactful. "I'm just not certain that I want a…woman who earns a living pleasuring men, attending the birth of our child."

"Meet with her, luv, give her a chance. If you don't like her, we'll find somebody else," he replied casually.

"Fair enough," I responded, knowing full well I'd already made up my mind. Could it be those maternal instincts were beginning to kick in? There was no way on earth I would consent to some whore delivering our baby, particularly one that Jack had been on friendly terms with.

"Ah, here we are," Jack said, as he led me up a rickety staircase next to one of the local taverns. We stopped at the first door we came to and he knocked.

The door opened to reveal a woman with the most unnatural shade of red hair I'd ever seen. And the bright afternoon sun did not help flatter this feature of hers.

"Jack Sparrow!" she exclaimed as she opened the door wide to let us in. Her garish make up made her resemble a hideous caricature in the bright light of day. "Who's she?" she asked as she saw me.

Jack ignored her question. "Scarlett! We're in need of your services," he announced charmingly as we entered the small room. It was simply furnished and smelled of sweat and sickly sweet perfume.

Scarlett regarded me disdainfully, then addressed Jack, "How many times do I have to tell you, Jack, I won't do that with you? I work alone! And it doesn't matter how much you offer to pay me!"

I raised my eyebrows, then shot Jack a dirty look.

He smiled innocently at me, then turned to Scarlett, "No, no, no. Your midwifery services."

Scarlett looked at us skeptically.

"This is my wife, Eve," Jack said to her. Then, turning to me, "Eve, this is Scarlett."

"Your wife?!" she blurted, wide-eyed.

"Aye, Scarlett," Jack answered, adding exasperatedly, "I don't understand why that's so surprising to believe."

Scarlett glanced at me critically before stating, "She don't look pregnant."

"Just missed her…" Jack fumbled for the word, "Just found out, as it were."

"Well, take care of yourself and come see me later, when you're farther along," she told me curtly. "Now, you gotta go, I've got company comin'."

She ushered us out of the room, slamming the door behind us.

Jack smiled sheepishly at me, saying, "She must have a busy schedule today." He looked embarrassed and uncomfortable.

"So, know anyone else?" I asked hopefully.

Jack frowned and fidgeted. "Well, I guess there is Nana Ruby," he said hesitantly, "If she's still around."

"Who's Nana Ruby?" I asked, intrigued.

As we continued to stroll through the town, Jack explained, "She was my mum's neighbor. Always kept a watchful eye on my mum and me…especially me. But I'm not certain you'd feel very comfortable with her, luv."

"She can't possibly be any worse than Scarlett," I blurted out.

"Yes, well…" Jack cleared his throat, then continued reluctantly, "Nana Ruby's methods are decidedly more traditional…a bit more native. She's regarded as more of a witchdoctor, er, healer. Practices the local religion as well as tribal folk medicine."

"Let's go see her," I suggested enthusiastically.

"Uh, Eve…I don't know," Jack stammered.

"She helped your mom raise you?" I asked, pointedly.

"Aye, she did," he replied.

"Perfect! Let's go," I said, smiling with relief that there was an alternative to Scarlett.

Jack hesitantly led the way, past the Spanish mission, and into the more well-to-do area of the town. We came to a long wall, presumably enclosing a courtyard. There was a heavy, wood door set into the wall. Jack reached for the latch, then hesitated, turning to look at me. "You're sure about this, luv?"

"Yes, absolutely," I said determinedly.

Jack sighed. "She probably already knows we're here anyway," he muttered, pushing the door open.

Behind the wall was a large garden, with an amazing variety of tropical plants growing amidst the taller palms. All the plants were lush and huge. It was really much more like a jungle, than a garden. There were brightly colored, exotic looking flowers blooming nearly everywhere, many of which I couldn't recognize. A pathway of terracotta bricks wound through the dense vegetation, presumably leading to the house. And the fragrances that infused the garden were simply intoxicating.

"It's like the Garden of Eden!" I said, marveling at the beauty surrounding us. And suddenly, a tiny quick movement caught my eye. Birds. And no ordinary birds either.

"Look, Jack! Sparrows!" I said delightedly.

Jack smiled as he watched my reaction to a place he evidently knew well. "I know, luv. I grew up here."

I stared at him. "You grew up here?" I asked in disbelief.

"Just because my father wasn't around, doesn't mean he didn't provide well for us," Jack remarked, somewhat tensely.

No wonder he didn't want to come here! It was probably full of unpleasant memories for him.

"Come on then, luv, let's go," he said impatiently as he took my hand.

I was so busy looking at everything that I nearly tripped over my own feet as Jack led me along the path. As he stopped, I looked ahead to see two identical villas, one next to the other.

"I lived in that one," he said, pointing gracefully to the house on the left, "And Nana Ruby lives in this one."

In front of the house on the right, I saw a black woman bent over tending the garden. She stood up and looked at us, smiling warmly. She appeared to be a bit older than Jack, and was a heavy-set, strong-looking woman. Her long hair was plaited into hundreds of tiny braids, all held together neatly with a bandana.

I glanced at Jack, who was grinning his most charming smile at her. " 'Ello, Nana Ruby," he said to her as we approached.

She put her hands on her hips, exclaiming, "Cha! Kiss me neck, Jack Sparrow! Ya no dead yet!"

Jack let go of my hand and went to hug the woman, kissing her once on each cheek. "Ruby, this is Eve," he said as he pulled me forward, "My wife."

"An' ya brought ya wo-man wit ya!" she exclaimed, enveloping me in a hug.

"It's very nice to meet you, Nana Ruby," I said smiling, "Jack tells me you used to watch after him."

"Cha! Dat Jack, ain't but a heap a trouble!" she declared, then regarded me appraisingly, "But ya know dat, doncha girl." Her eyes sparkled with that same mischievous expression that Jack had.

Jack and I looked at each other, smiling.

"Yeh, 'course ya know," she said smugly. "Well, come on den, ya come in an' tell Ruby all 'bout ya life on di sea!" She ushered us into the house, motioning for us to sit while she went to get drinks.

We sat on a settee that appeared as if it had been imported from Europe. It had carved wood feet and was upholstered in a floral tapestry fabric. Jack looked at me, smiling, "So, she's the one, eh, luv?"

I smiled and nodded, "She is, Jack." I felt extremely comfortable with this woman. She was welcoming and nurturing, yet I also got the distinct felling that she did not tolerate any nonsense either. I liked her immediately.

"Deh's ya rum, ya blackheart man," she said, as she handed Jack a glass.

"An' for ya, star, mint tea," she explained, "Deh's good for di pickney." She smiled knowingly.

I smiled and thanked her, then leaned close to Jack, asking, "Pickney?"

"Means child," he whispered back to me.

I stared at him and he shook his head slightly. "She knows everything," he said, rolling his eyes.

"So, Jack, tell Ruby how ya met ya wo-man," she suggested, sitting across from us on an identical settee.

Jack told her about the storm and shipwreck, and how he rescued me, with much embellishment regarding the shark. He never mentioned that I was from a different era. He told her about our adventures together, omitting anything he thought would make him look bad, while embellishing profusely the things he thought made him seem heroic. I knew I was unconsciously making faces as I listened to him, and I knew Ruby saw it.

"An' so, Jack, ya did take di Oat' wit Miss Eve, did ya?" she asked him.

"Aye, we did take the Oath," he said smiling, taking my hand in his.

"An' ya gave her ya Madda's ring, mi see," she observed, smiling.

"I did," he acknowledged.

She nodded and smiled approvingly, "Good, dis a very good! Long time mi a wait ta see ya settled, Jack," she said, "An' here turns out ya all growed up into a fine man!"

"Aye," Jack said, as he raised his glass, "bet you never thought you'd see the day, eh, Ruby?"

She smiled at him, the turned to me. "An' ya, Eve, plucked out a di sea, went an' fell in love wit a pirate, no less!" she teased, smiling mischievously, "So, tell mi, star, what mi can help ya wit?"

"We'd like…" Jack began.

"Ya hush now, Jack!" Ruby snapped at him, "Mi wanna talk wit ya wo-man, now."

"As you know, Nana Ruby, I'm with child…Jack's child, of course," I began.

She beamed at me, then turned to smirk at Jack, "Mi always knew ya had it in ya! Soona or lata, ya'd find ya-self a nice girl, an' den go gettin' her all pickneyed up!"

Jack smiled innocently at her.

I continued, "And we'd…it would make us very happy if you would attend the birth as our midwife."

She grinned broadly, then came over to hug me. "Jah bless! Jack, what ya been feedin' dis girl? She all winjy!"

I glanced at Jack. "She thinks you're skinny, luv," he explained.

"Ya should leave ya girl wit me, Jack, she need be cared for proper!" she admonished.

"No!" Jack and I said simultaneously.

Nana Ruby laughed heartily, saying, "Ya an' ya wo-man have hard ears!"

I didn't have a chance to look at him before he responded, "We're stubborn, Eve."

"Ya stay for suppa, an' mi tink 'bout dis," she said finally.

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A/N: So, no reason to worry about Scarlett being involved. Instead, we have Ruby, my new OC. Many thanks to the various websites I consulted to gain a better understanding of the Jamaican patois dialect that Ruby uses. Hopefully, her dialogue isn't too cumbersome to read. Huge thanks to all those who read and reviewed! You're the BEST! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!