Disclaimer: Disney owns POTC, I own my OCs.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

A Commendable Effort

Fifteen minutes apart. At this rate, the baby wouldn't be born until sometime in the dead of night, perhaps not until the wee hours of the morning, by Ruby's estimations. And I was in no mood to be stuck in the cabin with Jack and Ruby and a whole lot of boredom. It would simply be a recipe for disaster.

I decided to take advantage of the fact that my present condition had, in effect, made it possible for me to entirely have my way in any situation. Everyone seemed eager to cater to my every whim, and so I dismissed both Jack and Ruby from the cabin. Their protests were quickly extinguished by my need to rest. If I was to be facing hours of endurance-sapping labour, I wanted to take a nap. Neither of them could argue the logic of that.

Ah, solitude, I sighed as I lay back on the bed. I listened to the muffled voices overhead, as I stared at the ceiling of the cabin. Jack was up on the quarterdeck, probably talking to Gibbs. And he was pacing. Back and forth, back and forth his boot heels went, every so often causing a creaking sound in the layer of wood that separated us. I rolled my eyes as I listened, knowing he'd be the first to return to the cabin, under the auspices of checking on me. I turned to my side, facing away from the doors. I'll pretend to be asleep.

I love Jack with all my heart, but I just wanted to be alone. My last chance before my entire life would become hopelessly devoted to the baby. I wished Jack and I would've had more time, just for us, before turning from a couple into a family.

So, now I'm brooding. Great! Very restful! I stared at the ceiling, listening to Jack's pacing. I smiled, thinking how very traditional that was, the father-to-be pacing.

Well, this is ridiculous! There would surely be no nap for me at this rate. I rose to get up off the bed, pausing to check the pocket watch. With any luck, I'd be able to make it to the helm before the next annoying contraction.

I opened the doors to find Jack standing right there. "Damn it, Jack! What are you trying to do? Scare the blasted baby out of me?!" I yelled at him.

"D'you think it'd work, luv?" he asked with a handsome, mischievous grin.

I couldn't help laughing.

"Because I'd be willing to try just about anything," he continued, as he embraced me, "Why's it take such a bloody long time?"

"I don't know," I answered with a sigh, leaning my head against his chest, "I'm so damn sick of being pregnant! I wanna put on that pretty red dress and go to the Bride with you and drink rum 'til we can't see straight!"

"And indignantly flaunt your big, beautiful…"Girls"…in Marguerite's face, and gloat about how I never once stopped wanting you?" he suggested with a wicked smirk.

I laughed evilly. "Oh, Jack, you never fail to cheer me up!" I told him.

"I'd be cheering you up in a very different way, if you weren't in the throes of trying to expel the whelp," he said huskily.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not nice to torture?" I teased, rolling my eyes.

"Pirate," he said with an arrogant smirk.

"Jack! Why ya bot'erin' Eve?" Ruby scolded harshly from behind him.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Am I bothering you, luv?" he asked loudly, so Ruby could hear.

"Not at all!" I responded, with equal volume. "Damn," I whispered, clinging to him as another contraction caught me off guard.

"Ya blasted pirate," Ruby berated, "Ya wo-man say she wanna rest! Ya leave her be!"

I waved my hand at her dismissively behind Jack's back. "I'm fine, Ruby," I called out brightly, still cringing against his chest.

Jack looked at me with concern, prompting me to repeat quietly to him, "I'm fine."

"Annoying woman!" he growled through clenched teeth, maneuvering me back into the cabin and kicking the doors shut.

"Jack Sparrow! Ya no-good blackheart man! Ya girl need ta rest!" Ruby screamed on the other side of the doors.

"Oh, shut it!" Jack said, locking the doors in response to Ruby's outrage.

He walked over to the table and took off his hat and coat, placing them on his chair. Grabbing a bottle of rum, he settled himself on the bed. "C'mon over here, Eve," he said enticingly, patting the bed next to him.

I climbed onto the bed and curled up next to him, resting my head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around me and began humming some sea chantey. I listened to his voice as it rumbled through his chest. It reminded me of distant thunder, rolling over the sea. As he absent-mindedly played with my hair, interrupting his humming now and then to swallow some rum, I was quickly lulled into a contented sleep.

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After Eve had fallen asleep, Jack carefully extricated himself from the bed, leaving her to rest. He stood at the helm now, feeling quite pleased he'd been able to sooth her into a relaxed slumber. He was thankful the rum had a similar effect on himself. Cures just about everything, he thought with a smile.

Part of him wished he could just drink himself into oblivion, and skip this whole birth thing. It was just too…

Too what, mate? Too messy? No doubt. Too emotional? Aye, that too. Too frightening? I'm not scared! Are too, mate! No, I'm not!

Oh, bugger! So much can go wrong. Women die in childbirth often, mate. Look what happened to Gibbs' wife. What if the babe dies? Bloody hell, what if they both die? Then, where will you be, mate? A bloody sorry wreck!

You had to get close! You had to let her in! What the hell was wrong with you? Everything was just fine before her! And what did it get you? A lifetime of worrying, that's what!

No, this is much more better. My life before Eve was empty and desolate. Never letting anyone get close. Always untrusting. Always expecting to be stabbed in the back the moment I let my guard down. Or chained to me own mast, and left for dead, he thought bitterly.

Eve was the one person, the one woman, he knew he could trust. She needs me just as much as I need her. I could never betray that trust, but I sure wish I hadn't made that blasted promise. Women are supposed to tend to the birth of children, while the men get drunk and wait. But I had to go and promise I'd be there. Oh hell, maybe it won't be so bad…

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My eyes snapped open as I felt it. A sudden pain that began abruptly just below my belly button, then radiated outward through my pelvis. I swallowed hard, instinctively trying to breathe my way through the unpleasant waves of hurt. What kind of a simpleton would need to take a class to do this?

Menstrual cramps! That's what it reminded me of. The sickeningly intense, horrible menstrual cramps I used to have. The waves of pain that would reverberate through my body, making me unable to focus on anything else. I remembered resentfully the time I'd passed out in my Trigonometry class from the excruciating pain. Well, screw this! It's time for Ruby to put me in that trance. And quickly too, while I'm still able to relax and concentrate.

I lifted my head up to look around. I was alone. Jack must've gone to tend to something. Damn! Now I have to get up and fetch Ruby myself. Stupid bloody pirate! He picks now of all times not to be here! Men are so damned useless, I complained to myself. And thoughtless! Yes, that too. I grabbed the post of the bed to help pull myself up to stand.

Okay…good…standing. I took a deep breath and strangely, felt reluctant to let go of the post. I remembered learning to swim and the similar fear I'd felt as I clung to the side of the pool, terrified of drowning. Instead of water, this time I feared drowning in pain. C'mon, girl, focus! Must get Ruby! Don't want to experience another pain, now do we? Hell, no!

I gingerly eased my way to the doors, feeling much more secure as I gripped the handles. Bloody hell! I forgot to check the pocket watch! Well, next time, I thought. God knows, there'll no doubt be plenty of opportunities to check the time at each gut-wrenching contraction.

Well, not time like the present! A feeling of heat almost immediately blossomed into another pain. It felt like being sawed in half! Breathe! Yes, deep, cleansing breaths! I turned the handles of the doors, pulling them open, and screamed, loudly and desperately, "RUBY!"

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I stood with a death grip on the doors, trying to catch my breath, riding out the pain as it slowly began to subside. Jack was first to arrive to aid me.

"What it is it, luv? Are you alright?" he asked urgently.

"It hurts, Jack," I whined pitifully, "I need Ruby to put me in a trance, now!"

He looked at me in concern, his brow furrowed with a frown. He glanced to the deck as movement caught his eye. "She's coming, luv. It'll be alright," he assured me.

I looked up to see Ruby approach. "Is time for di trance now, star," she said simply, "Ya take her inside, Jack."

The next thing I knew, I was seated in a chair, listening to Ruby's soft voice, as Jack stood nearby, watching. I took deep breaths, trying my best to relax and concentrate.

"Ya will be alert an' aware of all dat goes on, but ya will feel no pain. Di pain does not exist for ya…" Ruby told me soothingly.

I felt calm and relaxed, but the trances I'd experienced during our practice sessions did not materialize. "Ruby, it's not the same. I'm not in a trance," I told her, "It's not working." Oddly, I didn't feel at all distressed about that. I felt very relaxed and…prepared.

"It is working, star," Ruby told me, "Ya dere now. Ya no feel di pain."

"But, I feel normal," I protested, unable to understand.

"An' ya will too, star," she replied, "Is only di pain dat ya no feel. All else is di same. Ya want ta be aware of di birt', but is no necessary ta have ta suffa."

My eyes widened in surprise as another contraction overtook me. And she was right! There was no pain at all! I just felt like my belly was stretching and tightening simultaneously. "Well, I'll be damned!" I exclaimed happily, "It did work!" I grabbed Ruby, hugging her, "Thank you so, so much, Ruby!"

She laughed softly. "Deh's no need, star. No wo-man should have ta suffa di pain of childbirt'," she responded, "Jack, ya close di doors. Mi need ta check di path of di babe. Star, ya take off dem breeches an' lay back on di bed." Ruby directed me nurturingly, as she began her role as midwife.

I did as she requested, presuming she needed to check the dilation of my cervix.

Jack stood back by the doors, staring dumbfounded. "What are you doing?" he finally asked, with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief.

"She's openin' up, Jack. Ya want ta see?" Ruby said to him.

I glanced at Jack. He stared back with huge, unblinking eyes. I smiled in amusement. "Come here, Jack, no need to be shy," I said to him.

"No, thank you," he stammered, "I'm fine right here."

"Ya babe goin' ta come in di night," Ruby said with certainty, "When di moon is full an' di tide is high."

"How do you know that?" Jack asked in wonder, not moving from his location by the doors.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Mi can see it by how much she open," she explained, "Is 'bout dis much right now." She held her thumb and forefinger about one and a half inches apart.

I was standing, fastening my breeches and listening to their conversation.

Making a half worried, half grimacing face, Jack asked ridiculously, "Should she be up and about? The babe's not going to…fall out…is it?"

Ruby rolled her eyes at him again. "Jah bless, Jack Sparrow! Ya just don't know not'ing 'bout dis, do ya!" she blurted, "Di babe no goin' ta be born 'til is ready!"

"Why on earth would you think I'd know anything about…this?" Jack said incredulously, waving his hand through the air in my general direction.

"Well, ya are a full-growed man, aren't ya?" Ruby said, "Di babe's goin' ta come out di same way ya put it in, Jack!"

"I certainly hope not!" he mumbled, sticking out his tongue and making a disgusted face, "Clearly, it's grown a bit since then, Ruby." He made a "so there!" face at her.

"Ya no vex me, Jack Sparrow!" Ruby admonished, as she pushed past him to leave the cabin, pointing her finger at him menacingly.

Jack recoiled slightly from her as she passed, then closed the doors. "Thought she'd never leave!" he muttered in annoyance. "Why in bloody hell must it take so long for the whelp to be born?!"

"You're looking forward to being a father that much, Jack?" I asked him in surprise.

"I'm looking forward to having her off my ship that much, luv!" he said, gesturing to the port side with his thumb.

I smiled at him. "You're making a commendable effort to restrain yourself around her, "I observed, "Thank you, Jack."

"Only for you, darlin'," he said, holding up his finger, "Know that."

He strolled toward me. "And it seems your efforts to repulse me regarding the whereabouts of Gibbs and Ruby this morning were unfounded," he announced, "Turns out they were most definitely not engaged in any sort of carnal hijinx. Gibbs was merely assisting Ruby in the transfer of her things to the re-built cabin."

"You must be so relieved," I commented, unable to suppress a sarcastic tone.

"You have no idea, Eve," he said, appearing as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

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A/N: Well, as we get closer and closer to the time of the birth, I think all their frazzled nerves will finally snap. Eve may be the only reasonable one present, thanks to the calming effect of Ruby's trance! But I think once Jack and Ruby start arguing, even Eve will finally lose her patience! It's going to get interesting! My thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! You're the BEST!