Disclaimer: Disney owns POTC, I own my OCs.

A Sparrow's Shadow on the Sea

A Nurturing and Welcoming Environment

"I'm scared! I'm not ready! I can't do this!" I blurted frantically. Oh, if only I could escape this body and not have to go through this, I thought.

"Ya can do dis, star! Ya have no choice. Di babe's gonna come," Ruby responded firmly.

"Eve, look at me," Jack said calmly, "Remember back to when you never thought you could defend yourself with a sword and pistol? Remember, before your first encounter with a merchant ship, how frightened you were? You had nightmares of all sorts of horrific things you were afraid would happen."

"I remember," I replied sheepishly.

"And do you remember what happened when said events came to pass? You were wonderful! Looked like you'd been pirating all your life!" he continued, "You're a practical girl, Eve. You have no hesitation in doing what needs to be done, when it's time to do it." He smiled at me and I saw a look of pride in his eyes.

"You taught me well, Jack," I told him.

"I taught you skills, luv, techniques…that's all," he corrected, "If you weren't so full of courage and determination, all the skills in the world wouldn't matter. Savvy?"

Still filled with uncertainty, I bit my lip as I looked at him.

"Come on, Eve, you're no shrinking violet. You threw a drink in Marguerite's face when she pushed your patience to the limit. Hell, you ran off in Tortuga, of all places, in the middle of the night! You kept your wits about you during that unfortunate skirmish with the Reaper. You stitched me up when I was wounded. You can do this!" Jack encouraged, gazing at me intensely.

"Well, as Ruby said, I suppose I have no choice," I commented, still unconvinced. I felt my body tightening as another contraction held me in its grip. "Oh, god, here we go," I muttered.

"Push, then, star," Ruby told me.

"Yes, luv, just try, it won't be so bad," Jack said reassuringly.

"And just how would you know?" I asked. In my annoyance, I hunkered down and pushed. To my surprise, it seemed to relieve the intense pressure. Maybe I can do this!

"Good! Is good, star!" Ruby encouraged with enthusiasm, "Now, ease up. Let ya muscles relax."

I did as Ruby directed, and the contraction seemed to fade away much more quickly. Just that one moment gave me such a sense of accomplishment, because I had overcome my fear. My own words that I had told Jack when he was feeling afraid came back to haunt me, "Fear and doubt cripple." I don't remember when or where I'd heard that, but no truer words had ever been spoken.

Jack glanced at Ruby. "Can you see the babe yet?" he asked her.

"No yet, but soon," Ruby answered. "Mi know dat ya want ta name a girl after Jack's madda, but what ya goin' ta call a boy?" she asked.

Jack and I exchanged guilty looks. "We never did decide," I said to him

"Jah bless! Ya best git on wit dat!" Ruby blurted in disbelief.

"We had a few ideas in mind," Jack told her.

"Oh, ya did? Was one of dem 'Jack?'" she remarked sarcastically.

"I suggested it," he admitted, "But Eve said one Captain Jack Sparrow is enough."

"Ya wo-man is wise, Jack," Ruby declared, "Wit any luck, some of it will rub off on ya."

"I'm quite wise too, you know," he protested with an arrogant expression.

"Di child will show ya just how wise ya really are, Jack," Ruby told him with a chuckle.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he asked her accusingly.

"A little help here, Jack," I reminded as I felt the next contraction looming in the very near future. He supported me just as I needed to try pushing again.

"Means ya never know just how foolish an' stupid ya are, 'til ya pickney point it out to ya," Ruby explained, adding, "Ya doin' good, star."

"My…" Jack glanced at me, smiling sheepishly, "Our child will worship us and admire us! Our child will be wise enough to recognize greatness when he…or she…sees it!" Jack retorted with much flamboyant gesturing.

Ruby cackled. "Oh, Jack! Ya child will be smart, dats for sure," she quipped, "Smart enough ta make up lots of clever lies, t'ink up lots of devious schemes, an' smart enough never ta git caught…if he or she's anyt'ing like di two of ya!"

"I know when I'm being lied to, Ruby, and don't think I don't," Jack told her indignantly.

I felt another contraction and dutifully pushed, as I listened to Jack and Ruby carrying on.

"Oh, psssh, Jack! Ya would not know a lie if it bit ya in di ass!" Ruby exclaimed, "Never seen a man can be so easily fooled!"

"Slander and calumny, Ruby!" Jack said, raising his voice and gesturing dismissively, "I'll have you know I occasionally pretend ignorance! Makes people tend to divulge more!"

"So, ya t'ink ya clever, den?" Ruby questioned with quite a bit of sarcasm.

"I know I'm clever," Jack corrected haughtily, "And by the by, Ruby, can you see the whelp yet?"

"Jah bless, Jack! Mi swear, if ya ask mi dat once more, mi dinna know what mi gonna do!" Ruby shot back in exasperation.

"Well, you might've mentioned it would take days before the babe chose to emerge," Jack complained.

"What di matta, Jack? Ya got somet'ing betta ta do?" Ruby asked him pointedly.

Her question certainly got my attention. Ruby and I stared at him, expectantly awaiting his answer.

Jack looked trapped as he glanced at us. "There's no place else I'd rather be," he responded.

"Liar," I accused as I held his gaze.

"It's the honest truth!" he said defensively, "every word, luv."

"At least ya wo-man can recognize a lie when she hear it," Ruby observed, "But don't dat just put ya in a not-so-comfy spot, Jack?"

"I've never once lied to you, Eve, you know that," he told me earnestly. He glanced at Ruby, his eyes darkening with anger, as he got off the bed to stand. "And as for you! I invited you on me ship to act as Eve's midwife! I did not invite you to insult me, nor to besmirch my ship with manure, and certainly not to set the bloody thing ablaze!" he shouted, pausing to catch his breath. "Nor did I invite you onboard to fraternize with my crew, you scheming, meddlesome harpy!"

Ruby had a horrified expression as she stared at Jack, her anger quickly simmering to a boiling point. "Jack Sparrow, ya inconsiderate, selfish, insolent, good-for-not'ing…prick!" she screamed, "Ya best be careful how ya conduct ya-self, or mi curse ya ta a fate far worse den dat of Davy Jone's locker!"

I stretched my arm out and gripped Jack's leg tightly, digging my nails in as a contraction hit.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" he asked me in annoyance, as Ruby continued ranting at him.

I huffed my way through the contraction, completely forgetting about trying to push. Busy breathing and unable to speak at the moment, I crooked my finger at him, conveying that I wanted him to come closer.

Jack's expression changed from irritation to curiosity, as he looked at me and complied.

As soon as he was within reach, my hand darted out and grabbed his pistol, immediately cocking it.

"I have had enough of this fighting from the two of you!" I shrieked, as I aimed the weapon alternately at Jack and Ruby, "I don't give a damn if the two of you want to spend the rest of your miserable lives re-hashing past arguments, but there is no way in hell I will allow this babe to be born into a world of fighting, screaming, and discord!" I was panting from the exertion of the birth plus my anger. "I would not hesitate to shoot the both of you dead, rather than allow that to happen! Do…you…understand?!"

Jack and Ruby stared at me in shock.

"You have only one shot available to you in that pistol, luv," Jack informed me with infuriating calmness.

"Well, then it's you who'll be bludgeoned to death, Jack!" I screamed hysterically, "Now, shut the hell up, both of you, so I can have this blasted baby in a nurturing and welcoming environment!"

"Fat chance of that," Jack mumbled.

Enraged and at my wit's end; I half screamed, half growled as I lunged for Jack. He gracefully danced out of my reach, leaving me clawing at the air between us.

"Tsk, tsk, luv, you've been holding back in those deck battles," he provoked.

"Push, star, ya gotta push now!" Ruby shouted urgently, "Dis it!"

Jack and I quickly glanced at Ruby, then at each other. In that split second look we exchanged, an unspoken truce was agreed upon, and Jack quickly got back on the bed to support me. I set the pistol down on the bed, noticing Jack's hand immediately reaching for it, then uncocking it.

I pushed, gradually increasing the force.

"Good, Eve, let go now. Mi can see di top of di head," Ruby announced, "Di next couple of pushes git di head out."

A soft knocking was heard from the doors, and Ruby went to open them.

"Here's the boiled water ye requested," I heard Gibbs' voice say, "How's it goin'?"

"It all cook an' curry. Won't be long before di babe's born," Ruby told him, "Mi can take di water."

"Mind ye, I wouldn't want to be intrudin', but it is awful heavy," Gibbs' voice said.

Ruby glanced back at me, then at Gibbs. "Ya wait," she told him as she closed the doors, then came to the bed and discreetly covered me with the sheet.

Gibbs lugged the large, heavy bucket of water into the cabin, placing it near the bed. Appearing very self-conscious, he smiled shyly at me. "Ye be brave, lass. It'll all turn out just fine." He encouraged, before quickly shuffling out of the cabin.

"A'right, star," Ruby said as she returned to her midwifery duties, "Let's git dis babe out inta di world! When di next one come, ya bear down an' push hard."

I nodded to her, more than ready to be finished with this whole birthing endeavour. I was exhausted and sweaty, and I craved a nice bath and some sleep.

"Jack, it be easier on her if ya help her ta sit up more," Ruby directed.

With Jack's help, I re-adjusted my position and found it helped to alleviate a bit of the pressure.

As the next contraction came, I took a deep breath and pushed hard.

"Dinna hold ya breat', star! Ya need ta pant t'rough it," Ruby reminded me.

"Can I relax yet?" I asked her breathlessly.

"No yet, give it a good push now!" she replied urgently.

I closed my eyes, scrunching up my face, and I pushed as hard as I could. The relief I felt was almost instantaneous.

"Di head is out!" Ruby announced, "Ya wanna see? Jack, git di mirror so Eve can see."

Jack gave me a questioning look.

"You look, Jack, I can wait 'til it's done," I said.

He hesitantly got off the bed and moved toward Ruby, peering down. His eyes were huge and unblinking as he stared at the child's head. "Well, luv, you were right about it not being the prettiest thing in the world," he mentioned, "Ruby, should it be that particular shade of…grey?"

"Dey's always a bit blue when dey first come out, Jack," she explained, "Ya no worry. Dey pink right up when dey start ta breathe."

I thought of the vision I'd had of the baby and smiled, just as another contraction came.

"Don't push too hard, star. Ya want ta take it slow for a bit," Ruby advised.

"Bloody hell," Jack marveled as he continued to watch the baby.

"Jack, ya need ta go an' help Eve. Dis di hardest part," Ruby told him.

"So, what about you, luv, ready to be a mum?" Jack asked as he settled in behind me.

"You know me, Jack, I do what I need to," I replied smiling, "Mostly, I'm ready for a bath and some sleep."

"Aye, you are ready for a bath," he teased.

I dutifully weathered the next several contractions, pushing until Ruby told me to let up.

"Dis is it, star, ya git di babe out wit di next one. So, ya push as hard as ya can," Ruby told me, "Den ya will have a precious new babe ta hold in ya arms."

I couldn't believe it was almost over. It had seemed to take forever, but in retrospect, it seemed like no time at all.

I felt the contraction coming, and I gripped Jack's hand and pushed as hard as I could. Everything felt tight and rigid.

"Ya doin' good, star," Ruby said encouragingly, "Now push harder den ya ever have!"

I took a deep breath and pushed. And I gasped as I felt the bones of my pelvis as they flexed and expanded to pass the baby's body out of my own. It felt like my hips were a stale fortune cookie, with only so much give to them before they would snap and break. They wouldn't really break, would they? A great surge passed through my body and then…relief. My whole body relaxed and I slumped back against Jack.

"You did it, Eve! See, not so bad! I knew you could do it all along!" Jack exclaimed enthusiastically. He kissed my forehead, then glanced at Ruby. "Come on, Ruby, no more suspense," Jack said to her, "Boy or girl?"

Ruby was busily cleaning up the baby and examining it for any complications. She finally looked up at us and announced, "Di two of ya made a handsome little boy!" She placed the odd looking, quivering little person on my belly.

"I knew it!" Jack cried happily, as he got his first look at the son he'd wanted so much. "Funny that men tend to leave this world the same way they enter it, wrinkled and bald," he observed.

I looked at the tiny boy and couldn't help laughing out of happiness, exhaustion, and relief. "Welcome to the world, little one," I said to the baby, "Nice to see you again."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Hooray! The baby has finally been born! Virtual chocolate cigars for everyone! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! A name will be decided and revealed in the next chapter! Hopefully, the birth has been as realistic as one could expect from an author who's never experienced it. Hope you all enjoyed!