Disclaimer: Disney owns POTC, I own my OCs.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

Welcome Aboard, Ruby

I woke to find Jack resting his head on my chest, still asleep; his dreadlocks splayed over me like the rays of a dark sun. His rumbling snore mingled with the softer sound of the waves against the hull of the ship. I felt warm and happy as I lay listening to the fainter sounds of the town coming to life, after a night of dreams. There weren't many more mornings like this in our future, and I was determined to lie still and luxuriate in this one.

Alas, it was not meant to be! An insistent knock on the doors to the cabin woke Jack instantly.

"No, no, no, Jack," I whined sleepily, "Tell them to go away."

"Go away," he grumbled, snuggling against me.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs' voice called tentatively.

Jack raised his head, shouting at the doors, "What the bloody hell is it?"

"More of Ruby's necessities have arrived," Gibbs announced, "She's bringing…animals with her."

"I don't give a damn if she's got the bloody King of England with her!" Jack yelled, "Just load the blasted woman's possessions onto the ship and leave us be!"

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs replied, as he hurried away from the doors.

Jack looked at me disappointedly. "The moment's pretty much lost now, isn't it, luv?" he said with a sigh.

"No," I answered, drawing his head back down to my chest. I felt his body relax as he snuggled against me. But, I knew I'd lied, as I lay there, now fully awake, a dozen thoughts of what had yet to be done that day buzzing through my mind like annoying gnats.

Jack stared at me accusingly. "You lied to me, Eve," he said, "The moment was lost after all."

"Guilty," I replied matter-of-factly, "But you can blame Gibbs for the rest of it."

We got out of bed and started to dress.

"Trust me, luv, I intend to have a word with Gibbs," Jack said, beginning to shift into his Captainly demeanour.

"Well, I'll not be defending him this time," I told him, pulling on my breeches, "So, give him hell!"

"Shall I lash him to the mast and flog him as well, my dear?" Jack teased, as he tucked his shirt into his breeches.

"Why not!" I replied, grabbing my boots and sitting on the bed, slightly out of breath. "I can't wait 'til the baby's born, Jack. I want to feel like my normal self again," I whined.

"Not too much longer," he said as he knelt to help me with my boots.

"You will stay with me for the birth, won't you?" I asked.

"I said I would, luv," Jack answered. He paused to look up at me. "You're finally getting scared, aren't you?"

"No," I told him, "I'm not scared!"

He scrutinized me for a moment. "You're just full of lies today, darlin'!" he remarked with an amused laugh.

"It's not funny, Jack," I said irritatedly, "I'm trying to be brave. Be glad you're not the one who has to expel a creature the size of a…powder keg…from your body!"

"Trust me, luv, I am glad," he admitted, "But there's a reason why Nature, in her infinite wisdom, chose for women to bear children, and not men."

"And what would that be?" I asked him sullenly.

"A man would be incapable of enduring it," he said casually, as he began putting on his "affects."

I stared at him doubtfully, unable to decide if he was being facetious or not.

"Men may be loathe to admit it, my dear," he continued, "But it's been my observation that women are much stronger than they're given credit for." He put on his coat, then walked over to me. "Come here, luv," he said as he embraced me reassuringly, "I promise, I'll be with you the entire time. I won't leave your side, even for a moment. And you'll be just fine."

"How do you know?" I scoffed at him.

He looked at me with penetrating seriousness. "Because you're the strongest woman I've ever known," he told me.

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"Jah bless! Ya took ya sweet time gettin' here!" Ruby said as she greeted us at her door.

"Sorry, Ruby," Jack drawled charmingly, "You know how it is. Had a few distracting diversions to attend to!" He waved his left hand around, gesturing conspicuously, like a newly engaged young girl showing off her ring.

"Kiss me neck, Jack Sparrow!" Ruby exclaimed, "What ya gone an' done now?!" She grabbed his hand, gazing at his gold wedding band in disbelief. Her eyes wandered to look at my left hand as well.

"Yep, she's got one too," Jack remarked, grinning proudly.

Ruby grabbed my left hand, holding it up next to Jack's, her gaze shifting from one hand to the other. "Jack Spa-row! Dis mi no believe! Ya got it bad for dis girl!" she said excitedly, "Ya married her, fine an' legal?!"

"Aye, sure did," Jack replied, "Just yesterday, in fact!"

I watched the two of them, unable to stop smiling. Jack was grinning from ear to ear, like a little kid that had finally done something right. He obviously valued Ruby's opinion greatly, in spite of his best efforts to make it seem otherwise. I loved seeing him like that! I began to imagine his reaction to the baby being born, picturing him with the same pride and happiness. My fears vanished instantly, to be replaced with happy anticipation.

An obvious silence startled me from my daydream, and I noticed Jack and Ruby looking at me expectantly. "I'm sorry, what'd I miss?" I asked, embarrassed.

Ruby smiled. "Ya no miss not'ing, star," she told me. She flung out her arms to the side, stepping forward to envelope both Jack and I in a hug. "Dis truly a miracle!" she gushed, "Jack, how many time mi tell ya? Ya will find di right girl for ya. An' ya never believe me!"

"It took a bloody long time, Ruby," he retorted, "And then there were those…obstacles…to overcome." He glanced at me knowingly.

"Mi just di messenger, Jack," Ruby admonished, waving her finger. "It no my fault ya end up dead," she then turned to me, "An' ya born in di wrong time."

My eyes widened in shock as I stared at Ruby, then Jack. "You told her?!" I asked accusingly.

"No!" Jack said abruptly, "I told her nothing, luv. She told me!"

I looked back and forth at each of them in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Ease up, star, ya no worry," Ruby said comfortingly, "Long ago, I read di prophecy for Jack, dat he would one day find his love. Dat she be offered up from di sea, an' dat she would journey very far over many years ta find him."

"Of course, I thought my travels to all sorts of exotic and faraway places would hasten said prophetic rendezvous," Jack mentioned, "Apparently, that part of the riddle had been misinterpreted."

"Di clarity of di vision often come after di fact," Ruby informed him crossly.

"No doubt," Jack replied flatly, "And to think, I was nearly convinced Elizabeth was the one." He shuddered visibly at the thought.

"Di pain ya suffered from dat make ya ready for all dis happiness," Ruby assured him, "All t'ings happen wit a purpose, ya know!"

I began to think back over everything, in light of Ruby's supposed prophecy. No wonder Jack had barely reacted when I'd told him about the squall and about where and when I was from. And then, there were our conversations about Fate intervening to bring us together. Could it all have been destined to occur? I would normally dismiss such things as silliness and nonsense, but with all the strange and mythical experiences Jack had been through…well, it made me wonder.

"Well, have you transported everything you could possibly ever need to the ship, Ruby?" Jack asked somewhat sarcastically.

"Don't ya start ta lecture mi, Jack," Ruby replied, "Ya di one dat asked mi ta come."

"Ruby, would I ever lecture you?" Jack cooed smoothly, "I merely wanted to know if you're ready to go. We hope to set sail on the evening tide."

Ruby gazed at Jack with suspicion. "Mi bags are by di door," she told him dismissively.

Turning to me, she said, "Ya come wit mi, star, ya left somet'ing behind."

I followed Ruby into an adjacent room. "Ya planned ta take dis wit ya before, dinna ya?" she asked in a hushed voice. She held Jack's "Captain Bear" in her hands.

Smiling, I replied, "How did you know? I was planning to ask you for the key, and sneak next door to get it, before we left."

She laughed quietly at my admission. "Ruby know ya, star," she said smugly.

"Put it back, ya blackheart pirate!" Ruby said sternly, as we returned to the sitting room.

Jack held a small gold vase in his hands. "I was just admiring the fine craftsmanship," he told her, as he placed it on the table. "Hey, that's mine!" he said, noticing the bear in my arms.

"Let her have it, Jack," Ruby said coaxingly, "She like it, an' ya never had no use for it!"

"But, it's mine!" Jack protested, as he crossed his arms in front of himself. "Oh, I see, it's fine for Eve to steal from me! But I'm condemned for simply looking at a vase!" he complained petulantly.

"Jack," I began in a low, slightly seductive voice, as I handed him the bear and put my arms around his neck, "I thought your bear would look perfect sitting on your red chair in the cabin. And since you're obviously very attached to it, wouldn't you want us to bring it back to the Pearl?" I could tell I was beginning lull him into compliance. I continued, "Since he means so much to you, why don't you hold onto him, and carry him back to the Pearl yourself."

Suddenly Jack looked panicked. "No, thank you, luv. I'm certain he'd be much safer with you," he said, shoving the bear at me as if he couldn't wait to be rid of it.

"You're sure about that?" I questioned him.

"Yes, yes, Eve, you take him," he said quickly, making shoo-ing gestures with his hands.

I glanced to see Ruby smirking at us. She nodded approvingly at me, as I smiled in return.

"Well, ladies! Now that everything seems to be in order," Jack announced very Captainly, "Shall we make haste to the ship? Leave this wondrous town in our wake, and head out to the high seas, full of adventure and intrigue!"

Ruby and I muttered affirmatively as we walked out of the house.

Jack grabbed Ruby's things and closed the door, commenting, "A little enthusiasm wouldn't be unwarranted, you know."

We made our way through the garden and out the gate to the street.

"Where's your…Daggett, with the wagon?" Jack asked Ruby, as he jostled her things trying to get a better grip on them.

"Dere's no wagon. What's wrong wit ya, Jack? Ya can no carry a couple of bags?" Ruby replied.

Jack plopped Ruby's things on the ground, rolling his eyes. "So, you're expecting me to carry these to the ship, then?" he asked in disbelief.

"Ya no strong enough, Jack?" Ruby asked him, "Mi wonder how ya managed ta survive dis long, if ya dat weak!"

"I…am…not…weak!" Jack said with annoyance. He picked up her things, making soft grunting sounds, as he tried to position them.

"Ya be careful wit mi t'ings, Jack!" Ruby scolded over her shoulder, as she took me by the hand. "Come, star, ya tell mi all 'bout how ya been feelin'."

Ruby and I chatted about fatigue and cravings, and the wedding as we walked. Jack was grunting and stumbling along behind us, as he struggled with Ruby's unwieldy bags.

As we reached the dock finally, Jack unceremoniously dumped Ruby's things in a heap, bellowing for Gibbs. I led Ruby to her cabin, so she could settle in.

Jack was ambling up the plank to the ship as I returned. He reached into his belt, pulling out his pistol, as he paused next to me. His face glistened with tiny beads of sweat, as he stared at me through narrowed eyes. "I'm going to shoot that woman!" he blurted, as he stalked toward the "guest cabin."

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A/N: And so, the adventure begins! And they haven't even left port! Poor Eve is going to have her hands full, trying to maintain any peace at all! Hopefully, things will settle down between Jack and Ruby once they get out to sea, if they don't kill each other first! Much love and thanks to all who read and reviewed! You're the BEST!