Disclaimer: Disney owns POTC, OCs are mine.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

Spiritually, Ecumenically, Officially

Jack led me off the Pearl, followed by Gibbs and Mr. Cotton. The parrot stayed behind on the Pearl, as a precaution, due to the "incident" with Jack.

As we walked through the streets of Tortuga, I continually plagued Jack with questions about the mysterious Pedrosa, our destination, and the aforementioned plan. Infuriatingly, Jack ignored my questions. Instead, he chatted pleasantly about one thing or another that caught his eye along the way.

Suddenly, Jack stopped abruptly. He fixed an intense gaze on Gibbs. "You have the items I entrusted to you, Mr. Gibbs, do you not?" he asked his first mate sternly.

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs answered briskly, as he patted his vest pockets. A look of fear passed over his face, as he checked the pockets of his breeches. Jack stared at him. Gibbs laughed nervously as he continued to re-check his pockets. Realizing he'd put the items in question into the interior pocket of his vest, his face brightened with relief. "Blessed be the baby Jesus! Right here next to me rum!" he exclaimed, finally, "Safe an' sound, Cap'n."

Jack grinned. "Knew I could count on you, mate," he told Gibbs, patting him on the shoulder. "Well, let's not keep Pedrosa waiting!"

"No, wouldn't want to do that!" I remarked sarcastically, as we resumed our journey. I realized we were traveling familiar streets. We were heading toward Ruby's.

"Jack, are you meeting this Pedrosa at Ruby's?" I questioned.

He chuckled. "I don't think Pedrosa would be caught dead at Ruby's," he answered, "Much less alive!" He flashed Gibbs a knowing glance.

"Good god, Jack!" I blurted in complete exasperation, "Mr. Cotton's more forthcoming than you are!" I glared at him. The suspense was one thing, but Jack's cryptic teasing had simply become unbearable.

We'd just rounded a corner, and to prove my point, Mr. Cotton tapped my arm. When I looked at him, he pointed. I turned and saw that we were heading to the Spanish mission. I smiled my thanks to Mr. Cotton, then turned on Jack.

"You're meeting this Pedrosa…pirate…person in the church to discuss the plan?!" I asked him in disbelief.

"Well, you have to admit, luv, it does afford a great deal of privacy," he drawled charmingly, a suave grin on his face.

We paused in front of the church. "Gibbs, you and Cotton go on ahead. Let Pedrosa know we're here," Jack ordered, "Eve and I will be along shortly."

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs replied as he opened the heavy wood door. Mr. Cotton smiled at me and patted Jack's shoulder as he followed Gibbs inside.

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"So, are you finally going to answer my questions?" I demanded, looking at him in expectation and impatience.

He smiled wistfully, reaching up to caress my cheek with the back of his fingers. "You're so beautiful, Eve," he murmured distractedly.

"And you are seriously trying my patience, Jack," I told him in frustration, "I swear to god, if I could bend over enough to reach the dagger in my boot, you'd find yourself in a heap of bloody trouble!"

"You may want to curb the language, luv, this is a church, after all," he said flippantly.

I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Who is Pedrosa? Why are we meeting him here? And what is the plan?" I asked Jack, yet again.

Jack watched me for several minutes, with varying expressions passing across his face. He held my hands in his and sighed deeply.

"Pedrosa is the padre who runs this church, Eve, I've known him for many years," he began, hesitantly; "He was very helpful when my mum died. He was…a kind friend to her." Jack paused to look down at my hands in his. "Over the years, I've given this church a generous portion of the riches I've acquired. Pedrosa uses it to help the poor and destitute families in Tortuga." He looked up at me. "So, that answers your first two questions."

"What's the plan, Jack?" I asked, puzzled, "And what's the mysterious surprise?"

He smiled. "That's the ingenious thing, luv! The plan is the surprise!" he answered happily. "The plan is, well, the surprise is…I…want…" he paused to look at me, "I want to marry you…here. I want us to be married…in the eyes of the law…legally…officially, here…today…now."

I stared at him. It certainly was a surprise! It was what I had least expected, or even imagined. "Why do you suddenly care about the eyes of the law, Jack?" I asked him in confusion. This just didn't make any sense.

"I don't care," he answered, "I made my choice a long time ago to live my life beyond the boundaries of the law, and that hasn't changed. But, Eve, we're going to have child. And I want to do what's right by said child." He paused as a shadow of sadness clouded his face for a moment. "I'll not have our child suffer the accusation of being called a bastard…" he said angrily, abruptly cutting himself off.

I instantly understood his unspoken words. He had endured being called that as he grew up. I suddenly felt overwhelmed. First, he made my heart melt by admitting to using his stolen wealth to help the poor. Then, wanting to protect our child from the pain he had to endure when he was a child.

I looked at his beautiful dark eyes as I touched his cheek. Softly, I kissed his lips. "I love you, Jack Sparrow," I whispered, "And I would be proud to marry you!" I smiled at him.

He exhaled sharply. "Thank god, luv, I was afraid…never mind," he said with relief. "I love you, Eve Sparrow," he said with a smirk, "You make me feel like the luckiest man in the world." He pushed the door to the church open, and grabbed my hand.

As we entered the church, I couldn't resist informing him, "Where I come from, Jack, a wife is legally entitled to half her husband's assets."

"What?!" he asked in shock and horror, his voice echoing through the cavernous nave of the church.

I giggled wickedly. "Only in the event that they go their separate ways," I mentioned. I tilted my head coquettishly. "You mean you wouldn't be willing to share the Pearl with me, Jack?" I teased.

"I'll happily share the Pearl with you, Eve, but only for as long as we do not go our separate ways, luv," he said resolutely.

I shrugged. "I guess I can live with that," I replied casually.

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At the front of the church, Mr. Cotton and Mr. Gibbs were standing with Father Pedrosa. The two pirates looked rather out of place, standing at the altar with the robed padre.

"Father Pedrosa!" Jack called, his voice booming through the church, as he strolled confidently toward the altar, "Meet my beautiful bride, Eve!"

I smiled and bowed my head demurely. "It's lovely to meet you, Father," I said shyly. I glanced at Jack, who stared at me dubiously. He was obviously not used to seeing me on my best behaviour.

Father Pedrosa smiled warmly. "The company you keep betrays your humble demeanour, my child," he said as he looked at me with kind and indulgent eyes, "You must be possessed of great courage and the patience of a saint, to have chosen this path for yourself." He turned to Jack. "She reminds me greatly of your mother, Jack."

Jack smiled nervously, as Father Pedrosa took out a black leather-bound book.

After through the pages, he finally began, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony…"

My mind drifted to the cadence of his heavily Spanish accented reading of the vows. All the memories of the things I'd experienced since that day, when Jack and Gibbs rescued me from the wreckage floating in the sea, came back in a rush. I felt happy, and I couldn't help smiling as I looked at Jack standing next to me. He was smiling at me as well.

"Therefore, if any man can show just cause, why they may not be lawfully joined together, let him now speak, or hereafter forever hold his peace."

Jack looked around, making an exaggeratedly questioning face. "Hmm…no? Guess no one objects, then," he told Father Pedrosa.

"Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?" Father Pedrosa asked.

I stood straight up, assuming my most regal posture, and said, "I present myself to be married, of my own free will."

The silence was deafening, as all four men stared at me.

"Uh…you can't do that, luv," Jack said quietly, as he leaned close to me, "Sadly, the law doesn't acknowledge your right to do that…as a woman."

"What do you mean, Jack?" I asked through clenched teeth, my anger building inside.

"Mr. Cotton's going to give you away, Eve, no worries," Jack said reassuringly.

"Are you insane?" I blurted out loud, quickly covering my mouth with my hand. I made several more noises of protest, half syllables of things I knew I shouldn't say. I was fuming! No rights as a woman! I knew what Jack said was true, but I couldn't help feeling angry.

"It's just a technicality, luv, really, it's…these vows are ancient," Jack stammered, as he struggled to pacify me.

My knuckles were white from clenching my fists. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. I smiled tensely. "Let's proceed then," I finally said.

"Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?" Father Pedrosa repeated.

Mr. Cotton raised his hand.

"He's a mute, sir," Gibbs added helpfully.

Father Pedrosa acknowledged with a nod.

"Jack!" Father Pedrosa said loudly.

"Aye!" Jack answered, startled.

"Wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

"Aye…I will," Jack replied.

As Father Pedrosa repeated the vows to me, I looked at Jack. And I momentarily felt a surge of panic, as the reality of it all hit me. I was marrying a man who'd died and been revived, over three hundred years in the past; a man who was a pirate, and a former drunk and womanizer. And a voice inside me responded. Yes, and I love him.

"…keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

"Yes, I will," I answered resolutely.

Father Pedrosa asked for the rings, which Gibbs dutifully produced from his vest pocket. The rings were blessed, and Jack was instructed to repeat the vow first.

"With this ring I thee wed. With my body I thee honour," he said, unable to suppress a wicked smirk. "…and with all my worldly goods I thee endow…All my worldly goods?!" Jack cried out, suddenly aware of what he was saying.

I laughed out loud, unable to stop myself. "Half doesn't sound so bad now, does it?" I asked him.

Jack looked around to see Pedrosa, Gibbs, and Cotton staring at him expectantly. I was still trying to control my laughter. "Fine! All my worldly goods," he muttered, sliding a simple gold band on my finger.

I took the ring for Jack, clearly stating all the words, then placing the gold band on his finger.

"Easy for you to say, luv, you have no worldly goods," Jack whispered.

I poked him hard in the ribs, in retaliation for that comment.

Father Pedrosa finished up be stating, "Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. I pronounce therefore that Jack and Eve be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Jack, you may kiss your bride."

"Finally," Jack said with a smirk, gathering me into his arms, and kissing me with all the passion of a pirate.

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A/N: Surprise! So, were any of you expecting that? The vows used are a modified version of a medieval Christian ceremony, edited due to the length. The part about the worldly goods is included in the original vows. Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed! And thanks so much for attending the wedding! Hope you enjoyed!