Disclaimer: Disney owns POTC, I own my OCs.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

And So It Begins

Oh god, oh god, oh god, what to do? I paced the bow of the ship, repeating over and over a litany of curse words, as I yearned desperately for some composure. What do I do? Whom should I seek? Jack or Ruby? Ruby would be reassuring and helpful, but Jack's the father. He deserves to be the first; well, the second, one to know. And I do need to change into some clean, dry clothes. Off to the cabin, then…to tell Jack…

Oh god, I can't do this! He's going to freak, I just know he is! And then, I'll have that to deal with, as well as my own…call it what it is, Eve…panic.

No, go to the cabin, change clothes, and tell Jack, I told myself. Trust Jack! He won't freak out. He'll see that I'm afraid and he'll be strong. You can do this! And you can depend on Jack. You have to!

I stopped my frantic pacing and talking to myself, realizing I must look as if I've lost my mind. No, cursing and pacing would not help. The baby will come whether I'm ready or not. I stood still, trying to remember the words Jack had told me about change. It was so long ago. "One thing you can always depend on, luv, is change. Whether you're ready for it or not." I believe those were his words. Not helpful, my mind complained.

I began to walk toward the cabin. My mind was reeling with past memories with each step I took. It seemed to take forever to get there. I thought of Kate and wished she were here. No doubt she'd have something sensible to say, and she'd probably tell me something to make me laugh too.

I stood in front of the cabin doors, took a deep breath, and opened them. I stepped inside and closed the doors behind me. Jack was in bed, still sleeping, a low rumbly snore reverberating in his throat. I tiptoed quietly around the cabin, so as not to disturb him, while I stripped out of my soiled clothes. I took out a clean shirt and some clean breeches, dressing myself as silently as I could.

I jumped at the sound of Jack's voice. "Unable to sleep, luv?" he asked. He propped himself up on his elbows, watching me as I tried to catch my breath.

"Jack," I began hesitantly, once my breathing had returned to nearly normal, "I have something I need to tell you." I could feel my hands trembling, and I shook them out to try to relax them.

Jack watched me with a puzzled expression.

"We're going to be parents soon," I told him.

"I know that," he said, appearing maddeningly relaxed.

"Very soon," I said, trying my best not to make the words sound ominous, and failing miserably.

His eyes widened. "What?!" he said, sitting up. "You mean?"

I nodded. My throat had suddenly gone dry, and I was unable to speak. I spied a bottle of rum on the table, grabbed it, and took a sip.

Jack had sprung out of bed and was dressing, mumbling to himself. It was oddly comforting to have him there, even if all we did was share our panic together.

"Shouldn't we do something? We should be doing something," he said as he came to stand in front of me. "Damn it, what do we do?" he asked, as he reached for the rum and took a long swallow. His eyes darted around; trying to figure out what exactly should be done. He finally looked at me defeatedly. "I'm completely at a loss, luv. Haven't got the foggiest what we should do," he confessed with embarrassment.

"Well, I'm not in labour yet," I said, trying to reason through my anxiety, "I haven't had any labour pains at all, in fact, yet. My water just broke. So, I guess we just…wait…for them?"

"Wait..?" he repeated. "Well, let's get you as comfortable as possible then, Eve…I can do that!" he said, brightly.

I ended up stretched out on the bed, leaning back against Jack's chest, as he leaned against the pillows. He held me and stroked my hair…and we waited. The only sounds were the creaking of the Pearl and out breathing. It had the unmistakable feeling of being the proverbial "calm before the storm."

After a while, Jack asked, "How long do we have to wait?"

"I don't know, Jack," I replied, "As long as it takes?" We sat in silence for another few minutes.

"Shouldn't I get Ruby?" he asked uncertainly.

"I don't feel right about waking her up, when there's nothing to wake up for yet," I said, "Jack, these are our last moments together, before we become parents. Maybe we should just enjoy the peace and quiet." I knew that labour could last for a hellishly long time, especially with the first child. First child! Like there's going to be more? Over my dead body, I thought.

Jack was holding my left hand, playing with my rings. The beautiful blood red garnet ring that had belonged to his mother and the simple gold band from our wedding. I watched as his long, graceful fingers brushed over the rings, moving them slightly on my finger. I thought of how I'd never wanted to marry and have children in my old life, and yet it seemed to make sense and feel so perfect here, with Jack.

My fears began to subside. Jack would be here and he'd help me get through this. I knew he would. He was always so good in battle; clear-headed, focused, determined. Despite this being a new experience for him, I knew he'd be able to handle it. He was always dependable in a crisis. He is Captain Jack Sparrow! And I had complete trust in him. I trusted Ruby as well. The only person in whom my trust was faltering was myself.

"You remember the Oath we swore, Eve?" Jack asked, still fondling my rings.

"Of course I do," I said with a smile. " Even though we were both rather drunk. You know you didn't have to get me drunk for that, Jack," I scolded gently.

"I know now. Just thought it would hurt less, if you had some rum in you," he said, trying to shrug off the discomfort my comment made him feel. "We'll get through this, Eve, no worries," he comforted, leaning his cheek against my head.

"In perfect love and perfect trust," I repeated the final line of our oath to each other.

"Aye, luv," he murmured softly. "Think of it, Eve, you've survived a shipwreck and traveling through time; and I've survived and returned from the dead. And together, we beat the Reaper! We're nigh unstoppable together, luv!" he said with infectious enthusiasm.

"And soon, there'll the three of us Sparrows," I replied excitedly, "Then the world better just watch out!"

"Now you're bloody talking, darlin'!" Jack exclaimed robustly, "We've got the fastest, most heavily armed pirate ship in the Spanish Main…in all the Caribbean! The best crew that can be found! We've got Ruby's magic on our side! And soon, we'll have our own baby pirate!"

"There's nothing we can't do, Jack!" I cried happily, as I turned to look at him.

His eyes glinted, wide with elation, as he bent to kiss me.

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I woke with a start, to see I was alone. We must've fallen asleep, I thought. It was daylight now, and I hadn't had any contractions yet. I assumed if I did, I would've felt it. Suddenly, my stomach rumbled, and it frightened me at first. I just need some breakfast, I thought with a small chuckle.

I got up and went to the windows to open them. How I loved the fresh smell of morning! I left the cabin to make my way to the galley for some tea and hopefully, more of Ruby's bread.

Jack looked over at me as I entered the tiny galley. "Morning, luv. I was going to bring you some breakfast," he mentioned, as he stood waiting for a pot of water to boil, "Any…uh…progress…with the babe?"

"None so far," I reported, "Have you seen Ruby yet?" I wanted to speak with her to tell her my water had broken, but mostly for some reassurance.

"Haven't seen hide nor hair," Jack replied, "Come to think of it, where is Gibbs?"

I couldn't help raising my eyebrows speculatively as I looked at Jack.

"No…oh please, no," he groaned, making a disgusted face, "Don't even…you can't be suggesting…that they…"

I put my hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I didn't suggest anything, Jack," I pointed out, "I didn't say a word."

Jack paced the galley; three long strides in one direction, then three strides back. He was grimacing, groaning, and carrying on like a child who had just walked in on his parents having sex.

"And thanks so much for putting that image in me head, luv!" he complained.

"You did that yourself, Jack," I protested, "Besides, I think it's…kind of cute, that they're sweet on each other."

"Ugh! Well, I hope you're hungry, Eve," Jack grumbled, "Because I just lost my appetite!"

"Oh Jack, grow up!" I told him, rolling my eyes at his dramatics.

Jack had begun to protest, but I wasn't paying any attention. I stood completely still and stared at him, feeling my eyes become wider and wider. There was a sudden pressure building in my belly, a tightening and constriction. It didn't quite hurt, but it was most certainly a sensation I'd never felt before in my life.

Jack stopped in mid-sentence. "Oh bugger!" he blurted, as his eyes became as enormous as mine, and the colour drained from his face. "It's starting…isn't it?"

I gripped the doorframe and waited for it to pass. Almost immediately, I felt my body begin to unclench and relax. And I breathed a sigh of relief, unaware I'd been holding my breath.

"Are you alright, Eve?" Jack asked, reaching out for me, but seemingly unable to touch me. I looked at him, and for the first time, saw fear in his eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said, "Jack, go get Ruby, and please, find out if anyone has a pocket watch…I'll need to borrow one for a while."

He stared at me with a look of concern. "I'd rather not leave you alone, Eve," he told me.

"I'll be fine. I'm just going to make some tea, as soon as the water boils," I replied, "And I really need that pocket watch, Jack. So, please, go ask the crew if any of them have one."

He sighed, then reluctantly responded, "Aye, luv. Be right back."

I watched Jack as he went, crossing the deck with long, determined strides. Better he has something to do than to hover nervously over me, I thought. Taking up his task of watching the pot of water come to a boil, I remembered how afraid I'd been when I'd had to suture that wound he'd gotten at the Faithful Bride. At least I'd been able to do that. It would've been unbearable to watch helplessly as someone else cared for him. And now, Jack was in that very position, having to watch helplessly as Ruby guided me and cared for me through the birth. I'll have to talk to Ruby about finding ways for him to unobtrusively help.

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I had made a pot of tea, and had brought breakfast to the cabin. I sat at the table, devouring a big slice of Ruby's bread with butter, when Jack burst through the doors with Ruby and Gibbs in tow.

"So, ya water break in di night, an' ya had ya first pain just now?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"Yes, but I wouldn't exactly call it a pain," I explained, "More like, just a tightness."

"No matta," Ruby said, with a wave of her hand, "Di pain come soon enough, star, trust mi. When ya feel di pain, we put ya in di trance. No reason ya got to suffa!"

"An' it'd make me mighty pleased to lend ye the use of me pocket watch, lass," Gibbs offered graciously.

"Thank you so much, Gibbs," I said, smiling warmly at him.

"A'right, now! Ya boys scoot outta here! Mi need ta talk ta di Baby Madda," Ruby announced authoritatively, ushering Jack and Gibbs out of the cabin.

"But, Ruby, I promised Eve I'd stay with her," Jack protested.

"An' ya will, just not now," she replied, closing the doors in their bewildered faces.

"What vex ya, Eve?" Ruby asked, as she turned back to me.

"I'm concerned about Jack," I told her straight out, "I don't want him to feel helpless, or to grow bored if the labour takes a very long time, Ruby. Can you and Gibbs maybe keep him busy; give him some little things to do…so he feels like he's helping?"

"Jah bless, star! Ya love ya man somet'ing fierce!" she blurted with a smirk, "Mi can try ta keep Jack busy, but mi know, he no goin' ta leave ya side. Jack crazy wit love for ya an' di babe! He no goin' ta miss di birt' for all di gold an' treasure in di world. But, mi try ta let him help, when he can."

"When we visited Nevis, Kate and I…we sort of tricked Jack into agreeing to be there for the birth, Ruby," I confessed to her, somewhat guiltily, "He promised he would, too. But, he's just…used to being in control of everything on the Pearl, and he can't control any of this. I think it'd make him really happy to help out how ever he can."

Ruby beamed at me. "Mi know dat Kate an' ya git ta be friends, star! Di two of ya, just di same. Ya bot' big troublemakers, wit even bigger hearts!" she said smiling, "An' ya no worry 'bout Jack. We make him take care of ya, an' he feel all manly from it too, star!" She laughed, knowingly. "Ya trust mi, Eve. Dat Jack, he a lyin', t'ievin', blackheart man," she continued, "But, he no stupid. He love ya, an' he never wrong ya!"

She shook her finger at me for emphasis.

The doors to the cabin suddenly flew open. "I hope you girls are done talking," Jack declared as he entered, "Because I'm done standing outside those doors! Savvy?"

I immediately went to Jack to embrace him, and was seized by another, more intense, clenching sensation in my belly. My hand went to my belly, and I involuntarily doubled-over a bit. "Damn," I blurted, "That was a lot stronger!" I checked Gibbs pocket watch to note the time. At least once we figured out how much time between the contractions, I'd be able to anticipate them. I didn't much care for being surprised each time.

"Ruby, this is normal, is it not?" Jack asked as he held me.

"Ev'ryt'ing cook an' curry, Jack. Ya no worry," Ruby told him, "Di tightness Eve feel is her body getting' ready. Di muscles an' di bones must flex, ta let di babe be born."

"Well, how long does that take?" he asked impatiently, an uncertain frown lingering on his face.

"Wit dis be her first babe," Ruby explained calmly, "Could be hours."

"Hours?!" Jack shot back in disbelief.

"My friend Madeline was in labour for eighteen hours with her first child," I mentioned, returning to my breakfast, "Not something I really want to endure."

Jack had an expression of horror on his face.

"Ya see, Jack," Ruby said with a smirk, "Deh's plenty of time before ya need ta be getting' hysterical. So, ya sit an' eat ya breakfast."

"I'm…not…hysterical," Jack replied, very specifically, as he plopped himself in his chair, and grabbed a chunk of bread. He shot resentful looks at Ruby as he ate.

"Well, looks like the three of us are going to be spending a lot of time together from now until the baby's born," I observed with feigned cheer, "So, I'd like to take this opportunity to state my demands of you both, while I still have my wits about me."

Jack and Ruby both stared at me with apprehension, no doubt sensing my agenda.

"Ruby, you will not goad Jack, nor torment, tease, or insult him. You will allow him to be helpful, and will not criticize him. Do you understand?" I gazed at her sternly with expectation.

"Yes'm," she muttered submissively, as Jack smirked very smugly at her.

"Jack," I then said very sternly, watching him wince from my tone, "I expect the same from you. And there will be no rehashing of things past, for either of you. Got it?"

"Aye, luv," he replied briskly. "It's never me that starts these things anyway," he mumbled under his breath.

Ruby started to protest, but I shot my hand up to halt her, as I glared at Jack.

"Alright, I promise to be good, Eve," he said begrudgingly.

"So, if we have an accord, shake hands," I told them smiling.

Reluctantly, they extended their hands across the table, and shook, just as I was seized by my third contraction.

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A/N: Well, I wonder just how long this accord between Jack and Ruby will last? Place your bets now! Who will break the accord first? And just how angry will Eve be if they start their usual bickering? Hmmm, an angry pregnant woman, in labour, on a ship loaded with weapons, all in easy reach? Not good! Hugs and thanks to all who read and reviewed! Love you all!