Disclaimer: I sadly do not have any rights to POTC.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

Fear and Loathing in Tortuga

I dutifully ate all my porridge and was given the key to the villa next to Ruby's. Unlocking the door and stepping inside, I noticed it was apparent no one had been in the house in a very long time. Probably not since Jack's mother had died. Muslin sheets covered the few pieces of furniture in the sitting room. And every surface was cocooned in spider webs and dust.

I slowly climbed the stairs to the second floor, noticing a worn newel post on the landing. An image of Jack as a young boy popped into my head. He was exuberantly racing down the stairs; his small, elegant hand holding the post, as he careened around the corner.

There were two doors in the upstairs hallway. The door at the end of the hall no doubt led to his mother's room, so the one right at the top of the stairs must've been Jack's room. I opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind me. It was a bright, cheery room; flooded with light from the window on the opposite wall. I walked across the room, to look at the view. The window overlooked the garden, the town, and the harbour. I could see the Pearl from Jack's window. I turned away from the view, as my heart filled with sadness. I longed so much to be there, to be home, but I couldn't bear it after everything that had happened. No, anywhere else was better.

In many ways, the room was a typical boy's room. There were a half dozen highly detailed models of sailing ships displayed on the shelves. There were two maps on the wall, one of Europe, the other of the Caribbean. A small desk was next to the bed, which was located in the corner by the window. I opened a drawer to find a scattering of old coins from different parts of the world, a few writing implements, and a few knives. Another drawer held some twine. It had been cut into manageable pieces, several of which had been tied into elabourate knots. Underneath the pile of twine, was a neatly folded pirate flag. The bottom drawer held a book labeled "Ship's Log." I opened it to find each entry included mention of the weather on that day, and a short description of noteworthy events. There were numerous mentions of Jack's petty crimes, and subsequent punishments. As I flipped through the book, I noticed that the petty crimes were still documented, but the punishments began to be replaced by the words "not caught." I also noticed many entries, scattered throughout, that typically read "Papa comes home today!" Most often, that entry was followed by a single, poignant word, "Didn't." I returned the book to the drawer.

I pulled the muslin sheet from the bed. There was a faded blue coverlet on the bed. And, tucked away in the corner, partially concealed by the pillow, was a teddy bear. It was a beautiful, lovingly handmade bear with dark brown glass eyes. It's head had been wrapped with a red bandana, and he wore a small grey coat and tricorn hat. Captain Bear! I smiled. I sat down on the bed, holding Captain Bear tightly against me.

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"Well, well…Jack Sparrow!" Ruby exclaimed as she opened her door, "Mi been wonderin' when ya gonna show up."

"I have no time for trifles, Ruby," Jack said abruptly, as he entered, "Eve's gone, and I need your help to find her."

"What mi can help ya wit, Jack? She no here," Ruby told him, as she closed the door.

"If she was here, would you tell me?" Jack asked, as he regarded her with skepticism.

Ruby laughed. "If she was here, would ya no see her?" she teased him, coyly.

Jack flopped onto one of Ruby's settees. "Oh, Ruby, I don't know what to do. I've been so stupid. We crossed paths with the Reaper, and Eve had a rather unfortunate close call. And I was useless to her! I mean, I made certain she was safe, and killed the disgusting wretch who tried to attack her, but after…I couldn't even comfort her, because I was so consumed guilt," he explained hopelessly.

"Cha! Dat be di first time dat's ever happened!" Ruby teased, "Jack Sparrow, feelin' guilty!" She burst out laughing.

"Yes, well, there's a first time for everything, I suppose," Jack replied flatly, rolling his eyes. "So, are you going to help me find her, or are you not?"

"What's wrong, Jack, ya compass broke?" Ruby asked him, glancing at the magical device on his lap.

"No," he answered, frowning. He grabbed it, popped it open, and waited for the needle to point to her, to what he wanted most. It now pointed toward his childhood home.

"Not here, eh?" he said sarcastically, "And by that, you mean she was here, but isn't at this moment?" He stared at Ruby through narrowed eyes.

"Jack, ya girl, she so winjy an' she been beat. She have an air of death 'round her…is no good!" Ruby admonished, "An' her poor heart broke so bad, dat I fear she never gonna heal. Mi no like dis, Jack! Di time come for ya ta be a responsible man, an' dis is what happen? Ya told mi ya'd care for ya wo-man, Jack! Ya know it make mi vex when ya no do it!"

Jack fidgeted uncomfortably under Ruby's harsh gaze. "I know, I know," he said, hating to be reminded of how he'd failed Eve, "She became so withdrawn, Ruby, I didn't know what to do."

"Humph," Ruby responded with disdain, "An' ya t'ink ya know what ta do now?"

"Well, I have to do something," he said standing, and beginning to pace.

Ruby calmly watched him as he forlornly paced back and forth, stewing in frustration. "Den ya go to her," she finally told him, nodding her head toward the adjacent villa, "But ya best be setting t'ings right, Jack, or ya gonna lose her forever."

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The door to Jack's room opened, and I looked up to see him standing in the doorway. I was still clutching his teddy bear. "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, full of contempt.

"Funny…I could ask you the same question," he remarked flatly, as he gazed at me. The expression he had was undecipherable.

No, no, no! No good! Don't be stupid, mate! Tell her you love her and you desperately want her back!

"I would've thought you'd still be cozied up in Marguerite's bed, at this early hour," I said hatefully.

"Wha-?" Jack began, looking dumbfounded, "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Jack, the time has long since passed when you could convincingly pretend innocence," I told him coldly, "You may want to make another entry in your little log book regarding that…except you won't have the satisfaction of including the part about not being caught."

"Marguerite??" he said incredulously, "I didn't spend the night with Marguerite! What the bloody hell gave you that notion?!"

"I saw you!" I yelled accusingly, "I followed you and Gibbs to the Bride, before I came here. I saw how you grinned at him on your way in! Just like you didn't have a care in the world! And why would you, Jack? You left your fat, battered, unappealingly pregnant wife on the Pearl, to go into town, have a few drinks with the boys, and find a willing whore to do your bidding! And she said you would do this, too! I guess she knows you far better than I do!" I glared at him, out of breath from my rant, my blood boiling with betrayal and hate.

"Damn, bloody Gibbs! He talked me into going to the Bride! I didn't want to, but he convinced me to go! Said I needed to get my mind off things! And the reason I smiled at the door was because he'd told me a joke, trying to cheer me up!" Jack exploded, as he stalked back and forth, his dreadlocks flying wildly about as he gestured in frustration, "I drank one bloody rum and left, to return to the Pearl…only to discover you'd run off! I was frantic with worry! Gibbs and I spent the entire night searching for you! I wasn't with Marguerite!"

"Oh Jack, that is truly pathetic," I said flatly, "Blaming all of this on Gibbs! I never imagined you would stoop so low…Then again, responsibility has never been one of your stronger attributes, has it?"

"It's the truth, Eve! Ask Gibbs, if you don't believe me," he protested, "I would never run off to be with Marguerite, or anyone else for that matter!"

I regarded him with icy skepticism. "And why is that, exactly?" I asked him.

"I love you," he said earnestly, standing in front of me in the middle of the room. Our eyes locked.

I looked at him long and hard. "Your behaviour would indicate otherwise," I finally told him. My cold words hung like a dark cloud between us. "I needed you so badly, Jack," I began to explain, "And you avoided me. Why wouldn't you touch me? Why wouldn't you hold me and kiss me?" I could feel my eyes filling with tears. "Why wouldn't you tell me everything would be alright? I thought that you…saw me as tainted…by that pirate. Every time I was able to catch your eye, you turned away, as if you were repulsed…" A sob choked me, and I couldn't say anymore.

Jack's dark eyes were filled with unshed tears, his handsome face wracked with sorrow. "I thought you blamed me, Eve…for everything that happened," he said in a quiet voice, "I wanted to comfort you, but I was afraid…that when I touched you, kissed you, held you…I was afraid it would just remind you…of being touched by that…" Jack knelt on the floor in front of me, holding my hands in his, as he stared at the floor. "I've felt like I failed you, Eve. I've tried to be responsible, and you're right, it's something I'm not very good at. I'd spent my entire life concerned about no one and nothing except my own well-being. That all changed when I met you. And now, with the baby, you know I've tried to mend my ways. You know I don't want our family to be anything like my family."

We remained, silent and unmoving, for what seemed like an eternity.

"You didn't fail me, Jack," I began finally, "As soon as I screamed, you were there. And you killed him before he could do any serious harm to me, or the baby…you saved me, Jack." I paused, considering my next words carefully. "But, you did fail me afterward, by becoming distant…just as I failed you the same way."

His head snapped up and he looked at me in disbelief. Oddly, it struck me as comical, but I couldn't laugh. "Don't look so surprised, Jack. Why should you be solely to blame? I distanced myself as well, wandering the Pearl like some lost, tormented soul. Hiding myself away, to cry my heart out, when I should've been seeking you."

"I hated to watch you do that," he admitted, "I felt like I was losing you forever."

For the first time in a very long time, I smiled a little, as I laid my hand on his cheek. "Not forever," I said gently, "but, long enough." His face still bore the traces of sadness, but hope danced in his eyes. "Let's not do anything like that to ourselves again, Jack…ever," I said, "Please."

Jack stood and pulled me up to stand facing him. He reached up to caress my cheek softly, the sadness returning to his eyes briefly, as he swept his gaze over my bruises. "Never again, luv, I promise," he murmured.

I suddenly felt awful for all the horrible things I'd said to him, all the accusations. "Jack, I'm so sorry for…"

"Shhh…" he said, touching his fingers to my lips, as he gazed at me. "Cut from the same cloth, you and I," he reminded me, as he began to smirk, "I broke your heart, you broke mine, luv…I'd say we're square."

"I love you, Jack," I told him, smiling as I wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his arms slide around what used to be my waist. It felt so good to feel him against me, finally holding me. I felt safe and protected, at last. I looked up into Jack's eyes…his incredibly beautiful, dark eyes. He moved closer, brushing his lips briefly over mine, before we kissed each other tenderly. Just at that moment, the baby kicked…hard.

"Bloody hell!" Jack blurted, having felt it against his own stomach as he held me. Releasing me, he bent over to address our child. "What'd I ever do to you?" he questioned.

"Maybe she doesn't like being ignored," I suggested, with a small, sly smile.

"She?!" Jack repeated, "Humph…typical woman!" he teased, a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips.

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A/N: A little short, but sweet nonetheless. And no evil plot twists are looming in the future, but they have a way of popping up when one least expects it. Haha! Huge thanks to everyone for reading and for all your kind and entertaining reviews! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and have a great Easter weekend!