Disclaimer: POTC is not mine, sniffle.
A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea
Let the Names Begin
"So, have you enjoyed snooping through my things, luv?" Jack asked with a teasing smile.
"Under happier circumstances, I probably would have," I confessed, "I like trying to unravel all your secrets."
"Do you?" he asked, "Well, there are a lot to choose from…where would you like to begin?"
I stared at him for a moment, surprised by his indulgent mood. Quickly choosing to take advantage of it, I pulled open the drawer and took out his log book. "This was rather intriguing," I said, handing it to him.
He took the book from me, a sentimental smile on his face. "As I told you, I wanted to become captain of a ship, like my father," Jack began, smiling fondly as he turned the pages of the book, "So, I kept a record of things I thought might be important. The weather, tides, ships that came into port…I also mentioned that I'd had an uncommon talent for finding trouble…"
"You still do," I remarked with a smile.
"Aye, but I'm much more skilled at turning the tables to my favour now," he explained boastfully, "Because I perfected that raw talent. I saw what worked to my advantage."
I smiled. "I remember the first time I got caught telling a lie," I mused aloud, "I was four years old, and it was my very first lie. I realized I had to work on that skill also, if I ever wanted to be good at it, and not suffer the embarrassment of being caught."
"Exactly," he replied, "And are you good at telling lies now, luv?"
"Yes," I answered honestly, "When I need to."
Jack looked at me, his eyes narrowed, considering his thoughts. "I'll bet you are," he finally responded, with a smirk, "Any pirate worth their salt's an effective liar."
"I've never lied to you," I mentioned.
He smiled. "I know you haven't, Eve," he said, "But you have concealed things from me, like your little clandestine shopping excursion with Kate." His eyes glinted with admiration as he smiled.
"You've concealed things from me too, Jack," I told him.
"Like what?" he asked innocently.
"The house on Nevis," I answered, "Kate showed it to me. Why'd you keep it secret?"
"I didn't want it to upset you," he replied, "I should've known better than to trust Kate. Woman couldn't keep a bloody secret if her life depended on it." He paused. "You knew about it this whole time?"
I smiled proudly. "Yes…I can keep a bloody secret," I told him smugly.
"So it would seem, luv," he said, draping his arm around me.
Jack enthusiastically guided me around his room, showing me all his favourite little treasures and trinkets, telling me his boyhood hopes and dreams.
As I listened to his stories, I felt so much love for him I thought my heart would surely burst. I'd missed him so terribly, even though he'd been right there the entire time. I was very relieved that everything was back to normal, that we, once again, felt at ease and comfortable with each other.
"…so this would be the standing rigging, while this is the running rigging, savvy?" he was saying, as he held one of his model sailing ships. "Why are you looking at me like that, Eve?"
I smiled. "I love you, Jack Sparrow," I told him.
He rolled his eyes, sighing dramatically. "Captain…Captain Jack Sparrow," he teased, with a smirk.
"Captain," I addressed him in my most seductive voice, "I want you to take me home, to the Pearl…to bed." I leaned close to him, kissing his neck delicately. I nuzzled against him, inhaling his familiar scent of rum, sea air, the warmth of his skin. I heard him place the ship on the shelf, then felt his arms envelope me.
"Why go all the way to the Pearl, when there's a perfectly good bed right here?" he suggested, his eyes dancing mischievously, as he guided me backward toward it. "I've never had a girl in my room before, you know…much less in my bed, luv." His voice was quiet, yet rough and husky. He grinned, exposing his gold teeth, as he said lustily, "What say you, darlin'?"
I looked up at his beautiful dark eyes, smiled adoringly, and said, "Yes."
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"Well, that was the most fun I've ever had in that room!" Jack teased, as we approached Ruby's villa.
"You're a bad boy, Jack Sparrow," I told him, giggling.
"Guess ya did t'ink of somet'ing after all, Jack," Ruby said, standing in her doorway. She looked at me, "An' ya, star, mi tells ya Jack be comin' for ya." She smiled smugly at both of us.
"You doubted that?" Jack asked me with a pained frown.
"Ya leave her be, Jack," Ruby said, "She had too much pain in her heart ta see clearly wit her eyes."
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," I whispered to Ruby discreetly, as Jack went to the settee.
"Ev'ryt'ing cook an' curry now, star," she replied, "Ya no worry."
"So, what ya plans now?" Ruby asked, as we joined Jack.
"We were heading to New Providence," Jack answered, "by way of the outer islands. Hoped to intercept a few merchant ships along the way, when we were intercepted ourselves." He scowled at his mention of our encounter with the Reaper.
"Di world's a betta place wit'out dem," Ruby commented.
"And hell's a much worse place with them," Jack replied cynically.
"Den all's as it should be," Ruby concluded. She shifted her gaze to me. "Ya been feelin' di babe, star?"
"Like you wouldn't believe!" I told her, smiling. "I'm starting to be convinced I won't have to go through childbirth at all! I think the baby's going to burst right through my belly of its own accord!"
Ruby smiled happily. "Dis good, star," she said, "Ya had mi vex when ya show up lookin' di way ya did. Ya a strong wo-man, Eve! Many wo-man could no go t'rough what ya did, an' keep di babe alive."
Jack wrapped his arm around my waist, letting his hand rest on the side of my belly. "Eve's a fighter, just like the little one," Jack said proudly.
"A good t'ing too," Ruby said teasingly, "Deh have ta put up wit di likes of ya, Jack!"
I giggled at Ruby's comment, while Jack looked petulant.
"Jack's not so difficult to deal with," I said smiling, "He just needs a little friendly persuasion every now and then." I glanced at him to see his expression instantly brighten into a smirk.
"And so do you, luv," he commented. "Well, Ruby, do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?"
"Hmmm…a brave son ta grow up ta be a blackheart pirate, like his fadda?" Ruby mused, "Or a sweet, but headstrong girl like her madda…always wantin' adventure?" She looked at Jack and me as she considered her answer. With a smirk, she finally told us, "Mi t'ink di child gonna be di sweetest bundle of trouble ta ever sail di sea."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Well, yes…but, a boy or a girl?" he pestered.
"Mi no tells ya, Jack," Ruby snapped, "Ya find out when di babe come." Then Ruby looked at me with a penetrating gaze. It softened into a knowing smile as she said, "But, Eve, she know what di babe is. Ya know in ya heart, star, don't ya?"
I stared at Ruby in wide-eyed surprise. "I haven't got the slightest idea!" I protested, uncomfortable at suddenly being the center of attention. Jack was staring at me wide-eyed. "All I know is the child's restless as hell, and can't seem to wait to get out."
Jack's expression went from surprise, to smugness. "Boy," he declared, "Only a boy would crave freedom like that."
"On the contrary, Jack," I argued, "Girls seem to be much too restricted in this ti-…society. It's only natural that a girl would desire freedom, more so than a boy." Whew! I nearly slipped and revealed to Ruby that I'm not from this time.
Ruby regarded us with amusement. "Di two of ya need ta t'ink of some names. It not long before di birt', ya know," she reminded us.
"I'd like to name a girl Eleanor, after Jack's mom," I said decidedly.
Jack stared at me, speechless, his eyes revealing how touched he was.
"And I like the name Robert, for a boy," I mentioned.
"Robert…no doubt he'd be called Bob, for short," Jack said, "No, not good…destined to lose all his limbs and be a terrible swimmer."
"No, that wouldn't be good, for a pirate," I commented, laughing, "Good thing you mentioned this, Ruby, it may take a while!"
"How 'bout Jack!" Jack suggested brightly, a dazzling grin on his face.
"No! One Jack Sparrow in my life is enough!" I blurted.
Jack laughed. "Probably best for the boy to earn his own reputation, instead of riding in the wake of dear ol' dad's glory," he reasoned, an arrogant smile lingering on his lips.
"No doubt," I commented, rolling my eyes, "And I'm certain you won't want to share any of said 'glory' anyway."
Ruby walked over to a cabinet against the wall and began to look around inside it, mumbling to herself. Jack and I exchanged questioning looks, as we watched her with curiosity.
"Maybe dis can help di two of ya," she said as she returned to the settee, holding a leather bound book. "It full of di common names used in di islands."
"I took the book and opened it to a page in the middle, reading the first name I saw. "Percival," I said, as I began to smirk, "So, Jack, what do you think of that? Percy Sparrow?"
Jack grimaced, sticking his tongue out, and making a repulsed sound. "I think not, luv," he said decidedly.
"Thank you so much, Ruby. Even if it's not helpful, I'm sure it'll provide hours of fun," I told her, laughing at Jack's dramatics.
Ruby smiled, but quickly turned serious. "Di two of ya got t'ings settled, den?" she asked, without giving us time to respond," Ya gotta 'memba, ya only have each udda ta rely on. Deh be no more of dis hidin' from each udda!" She shook her finger at us, as if she were scolding a pair of unruly children. "When one of ya vex, ya tell di udda! No matta what! An' all t'ings stop until ya settle di problem! Ya truss mi, Jack, Eve; no good can come from keepin' secrets! Ya tell each udda ev'ryt'ing! Each of ya strong, but di two of ya toget'er are stronger. Dinna let ya stubborn head get in di way of what ya feel in ya heart." She regarded us with a penetrating gaze. "Mi no want ta go t'rough dis again wit ya," she told us with finality.
"Yes, yes, Ruby," Jack said, gesturing dismissively, "We get the point."
"Jack, ya listen ta mi..!" she began yelling, but then stopped, as she threw up her hands. "Ugh! Stupid Sparrow! How many time ya need ta fly inta a window, before ya know it gonna hurt ya?!" She shifted her gaze to me. "Ya know what mi tells ya is true, star," she said calmly, "Some time, di wo-man need ta guide di man ta see, when he get too blind by himself."
"Hey, I resent that!" Jack complained.
"Ya shut up, Jack," Ruby snapped, "Mi talk ta ya wo-man, not ya." And Ruby smiled a smug, I-told-you-so grin at me.
"We'll be fine now, Ruby, thank you," I assured her with a smile. I glanced at Jack, who was busily looking through the name book. Feeling like it was time to go; I nudged Jack's leg with my knee. "Thank you so much for everything, Ruby. You've been so kind to us," I said, as I stood, "I don't know what we would do without you!"
"Cha! Di two of ya go, love each udda, an' be happy," she said as she hugged me.
Jack stood, tucking the book under his arm. "Thank you, Ruby, for everything," he said contritely, as he kissed her cheek.
"Jack, ya know ya di luckiest man in di world," she told him, "Ya finally found a wo-man who love ya, an' no want ta kill ya."
Jack grinned devastatingly. "Ruby!" he sweet talked, "Why on earth would any woman ever want to kill me?"
"Ya go now, or mi be tryin' ta kill ya mi self!" she exclaimed as she opened the door. "Ya come for mi in one mont' time. We get ready for di babe," she said as we left, "An' Yemaya watch over ya."
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A/N: "Ev'ryt'ing cook an' curry" means everything's fine. Hope you all enjoyed Ruby's wise lecture! I can't wait 'til she joins them on the Pearl! What fun it'll be! A bushel o'thanks to all who read and reviewed! I love you guys! And, if you have any great suggestions for a name that sounds good with Sparrow, please let me know! I'm going insane looking at all the baby name websites!