Disclaimer: I own my OCs, nothing more, nothing less.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

Quickening

"Are we really leaving tomorrow, Jack?" I asked, feeling somewhat ambivalent about it. We had returned from the mineral springs and were relaxing in our room before dinner.

"Aye, luv, we'll get the Pearl loaded up tomorrow, and then be off on the evening tide," he replied, coming to sit next to me on the bed. "It's time we head back to sea," he said simply.

I smiled as I thought of returning to sea. I had to admit, it would be nice to return to the solitude of the Pearl. I missed the sound of the wind in the sails and the soothingly familiar creaking that characterized the Pearl's movement as she sailed. She was home.

Jack watched me for a moment before he continued. "And you were right, I was feeling jealous," he confessed, "I've just never had to share you with anyone before. And, you know, with me being a greedy pirate, I'm not very good at it…that would be the sharing part. I excel at being a greedy pirate!"

"You'll have me all to yourself again, once we're back on the Pearl, my greedy pirate," I told him, smiling.

"Can't wait, luv," he replied.

"It's been wonderful visiting Nevis and getting to know Kate and Seamus, but I really miss the Pearl, Jack," I admitted.

He smirked wickedly. "Of course ya do, star, ya be a child of di sea," he said in a remarkable imitation of Ruby.

I burst into giggles. "Oh, you're good…but in a very, very bad way," I told him.

"Aye, darlin', indeed I am," he agreed, grinning, "And you can't tell me you don't love me that way because I know you do." He leaned close, brushing my hair aside, and began to kiss my neck.

"I do love you," I said, reveling in the luxurious feel of his soft lips on my neck, "You sinfully appealing pirate." I turned my head toward him, eager to feel his lips on my own. "Kiss me, Jack," I whispered, as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

He brushed his lips against mine, tantalizingly, and I knew he was smirking. He kissed me possessively, and the warmth of it coursed through my entire body. He didn't even taste of rum, and still his kiss was completely intoxicating.

I gasped, suddenly breathless, keenly aware of the most shockingly jolting sensation.

"Whoa, easy luv, sounds like you're getting a bit ahead of me," he drawled, "Give your old Jack a chance to catch up."

I smiled at him, laying my hand on his cheek. "The baby just kicked," I told him.

"What?!" he asked, startled from his seduction.

I took a deep breath to compose myself. "Actually, it felt more like I just got punched in the stomach from the inside," I said as I looked at him wide-eyed, "You'll have no trouble feeling that, Jack, I assure you."

"Really?" he asked, grinning. He bent over, pushed my shirt up, and stared at my belly.

"Your daddy's looking at you, little one," I said, immediately feeling like a lunatic for talking to my belly.

Jack looked up and stared at me, grimacing. "Daddy?" he asked, with some distaste.

I slid my arms around his neck and answered, "Aye…Daddy," lowering my voice seductively. Hastily, I added, "He's not going to call you Captain, you know."

Jack grinned broadly at me, moving closer. "You said 'he', luv," he pointed out, just before kissing me.

"Or she," I added quickly as we ended the kiss.

Jack didn't say a word. He just kept grinning, while I changed into my dress for dinner.

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A rosy vision of the future had popped into Jack's head. He stood at the helm of the Pearl, exuding his finest, most authoritative Captainly demeanour, as he held the wheel. The sun shone bright and clear on a gorgeous day in the Caribbean. And he was tutoring his young dark haired, dark eyed son about all the subtle nuances involved in sailing the Black Pearl.

The child looked up at him, adoringly, as if he were the greatest man ever to have graced the earth, listening with rapt attention to every word he spoke to the impressionable child. Suddenly, as he gazed at the small boy, he felt overwhelmed with joy and love for the still innocent boy. He swept the child up into his arms and held him. "One day, my son, all of this will be yours!" he told the boy, gesturing grandly at the ship and surrounding sea. My son…

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"What the devil's gotten into ye, Jack? Ye're fidgetin' and squirmin' like ye got some sort of affliction!" Seamus exclaimed mid-way through the roast chicken dinner.

"Now, ye hold yer tongue an' quit yer blusterin', Seamus Greaves!" Kate admonished, "He's just excited 'cause Eve felt the baby kick before dinner. An' ye know it's their first. Saints A'mighty! Ye remember the shenanigans ye put me through when I was carryin' our Tommy?" Kate smiled warmly at her husband, then turned to me, "The blasted man wouldn't give me a moment's peace! Constantly hovering around me like some nursemaid, he was!" She gestured while she spoke with her half filled wine glass.

I glanced sideways at Jack, laughing softly.

"I don't hover, luv," he insisted, "Rest assured."

"No, you don't," I agreed, smirking, "You loiter, linger, dawdle, idle, lounge, and just sort of generally hang around." I could never resist teasing him.

"Humph," he snorted, "I'm Captain of my ship, and being said Captain of said ship, I can go where I please. And if it just so happens to be around you, well then, lucky you, savvy?"

I smirked at him, cooing sweetly, "I am lucky, aren't I, Jack?" Then I kissed his cheek.

"Aye," he said gruffly, as he stabbed at a piece of chicken with his fork and popped it into his mouth.

I looked at Kate mischievously. "You know, where I come from, it's customary for the father to be present at the birth," I cheerfully informed them.

Jack immediately began to choke and cough.

"Oh dear! Are you alright?" I asked solicitously, as I patted Jack's back, "You're not choking on your chicken, darlin', are you?" I handed him his glass of water. He swallowed quickly, then gulped the water.

"Are ye sure ye'd be wantin' that, dear?" Kate asked, her eyes glinting, "Childbirth's enough of an ordeal without havin' yer man underfoot…'specially if he be a squeamish sort."

"Well, many men far less courageous than Jack have done it, and survived quite nicely," I replied, "In fact, most of them describe it as the most amazing moment of their entire lives."

"I'm not squeamish, I'll have you know," Jack clarified, clearing his throat.

"I say leave the women to the childbirthin', and the men to getting' drunk and pacin'. 'Tis the natural order o'things," Seamus declared resolutely.

"Ye may be right, me dear," Kate said, "Why, just look at poor Jack, completely flustered, just over the baby kickin'. Don't think he'd last but a moment if he were with Eve durin' the birth."

I glanced quickly at Jack, ready to defend his bravery. The expression on his face told me there was no need.

"I've sailed from one end of this earth to the other. And I've seen and done things that would defy your imaginations. Bloody hell! I've been killed and brought back from the dead," Jack ranted, having finally lost his patience, "I can't imagine witnessing the birth of a child would be nearly so intimidating to endure!"

"Oh, Jack, that's very sweet of you," I said adoringly, "But it's really not necessary for you to be there. I'm sure I'll be just fine. Ruby will see to that."

"No, luv, if you want me to be with you, then I insist," he said firmly, "In fact, I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Thank you, Jack," I said sincerely. I leaned close to him, kissing his cheek, then whispered, "I truly am the luckiest girl in the world!"

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We retired to our room shortly after dinner. I was assembling the baby's things to be ready to load onto the ship, while Jack was pacing the room. He had that caged animal anxiety about him and I knew he had begun to feel landlocked. Even I had begun to feel it a bit myself.

"Is there something wrong, Jack?" I asked, innocently.

"No!" he answered quickly, "Everything's fine, luv."

"Of course it is," I said with an edge of sarcasm. I watched him as he paced. "You're a liar, Jack Sparrow."

He flashed me a mocking look, saying only one word, "Pirate," as he continued to pace.

"Please stop that pacing, Jack, you're going to wear a hole through the floor," I requested. Ugh! I'm already sounding motherly.

Jack stopped and stared at me.

"I have an idea that just might appeal to you," I mentioned, approaching him.

He smirked. "Does it involve you and me and that bed over there?" he asked suggestively.

I slid my arms around him and said, "Not exactly…"

He looked crestfallen, as his whole body slumped slightly.

"It involves you and me and that bed in your cabin, on the the Pearl," I suggested with a hopeful smile and a mischievous spark in my eyes.

His eyes widened slightly. "You're suggesting we trek through the rainforest in the dark, row the longboat back to the Pearl, and stay there tonight?" he asked as if the idea was completely crazy.

I leaned close to him, so that my lips softly brushed against his as I replied, "Aye Captain…that's…exactly…what I'm…suggesting."

He pressed his lips to mine in an urgent kiss, then suddenly broke away. "Let's go, Eve!" he said brightly, reaching for my hand.

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Jack and I crept down the curving staircase and out of the darkened house. As we dashed across the lawn and plunged down the path into the rainforest, I had to stifle a giggle as I thought of Jack's surprise present.

Jack stopped abruptly, and I bumped right into him, this time giggling outright.

"Remind me to teach you the art of stealth, luv," he whispered. He touched his finger to my lips, his dark eyes twinkling devilishly in the dim light of the waning moon.

We continued as noiselessly as my less-than-graceful figure would allow, Jack leading me with his long, purposeful strides.

Emerging from the rainforest, we crunched through the sugary white sand to the longboat. As I got in and seated myself, I couldn't help smiling as I thought of my previous excursion in the small rowboat earlier that day.

Jack dislodged the boat from its sandy nest on the beach and hopped in, taking up the oars to swiftly row us home.

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The decks of the Pearl appeared to be deserted. Jack glanced around, suspiciously, before shouting, "Oi! Who's on watch?"

"That'd be me, sir…er, Captain!" Gibbs answered, as he stumbled out from behind a barrel. Realizing he was still holding his silver flask, he quickly stuffed it into his vest pocket. "Be there a problem, Cap'n?" he asked, still flustered.

Jack rolled his eyes. "No, Gibbs, there's no problem at all…now that you're awake," he remarked, "It is called Watch, you know."

"Aye, Cap'n, indeed it is," Gibbs replied, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Jack started for the cabin, as I followed.

"Cap'n!" Gibbs called.

"Aye!" Jack said loudly, as he stopped and turned gracefully.

"Has there been a change of plan?" he asked, puzzled as to our presence on board.

"No, Gibbs," Jack replied wearily.

"Just a little homesick," I added.

"Aye, too much time on land tends to make Jack a bit squirrelly," Gibbs mentioned discreetly.

I glanced to see Jack reaching the doors of the cabin. "Jack, stop, don't go in there!" I called, hurrying to catch up.

"Why not?" he questioned, "I thought that was the whole point of venturing out here."

"There's a surprise in there! A present for you! From me!" I blurted.

"A present? For me?" he asked, grinning. "In there?" He gestured toward the cabin.

I nodded quickly, filled with excitement and anticipation.

He unlocked the doors, flinging them open widely, and surveyed the room with a quick glance. "Where?" he asked, somewhat perplexed.

"Go inside and look around," I urged, pushing him, "I think you'll notice something different." I couldn't suppress the huge smile I had on my face.

Jack walked in, as I closed the doors behind us. And then he saw it! His jaw dropped as he stared at it, blinking.

"That's my favourite chair!" he blurted excitedly, a big grin on his face as he pointed at it. "How did you manage…You must've talked the crew into helping you, you crafty little minx! Oh, luv, you have to tell me how you pulled this off!"

I smiled, giddy with delight, as I watched his surprised expression. "I had Kate take me to the furniture emporium where she got hers," I began, "And luckily, they had one left. I bought it today, and Kate and I brought it out to the Pearl. Only Gibbs knew."

"You and Kate? Today?" he asked, disbelievingly.

I nodded, giggling. "Well, don't just stare at it, Jack, sit in it," I suggested.

I watched as Jack draped himself over the red velvet chair, sinking back, closing his eyes, and sighing. He sat like that, completely relaxed and at peace. The picture of blissful contentment. Abruptly, his eyes snapped open; he lifted his head, and sat up. An oddly perplexed frown passed across his face as he began wriggling around in the chair.

"Needs a little breaking in," he mentioned, rising out of it to approach me.

He wrapped his arms around me, drawing me close, gazing at me with his warm, brown eyes. "It's perfect, Eve, I love it…It's the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me," he said quietly, "Thank you." He caressed my cheek softly, slowly. Then leaned forward to kiss me. It was tender and lingering, a provocatively honest expression of how touched he felt. It was a kiss that made me feel cherished to the very core of my soul.

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A/N: So, Jack was "pressganged" by Eve and Kate into attending the birth! That ought to make for some interesting moments! Haha! My sincerest thanks to everyone for all the great suggestions, advice, and warm fuzzies. Updates will be less frequent for the next two weeks, as I'm working a lot of extra hours and, sadly, won't have as much time to write. As always, big hugs to all for reading and reviewing! I love you guys!