Chapter Two

Words and Steps

It seemed like the years were going by so quickly for Jack Sparrow and the rest of the Black Pearl crew. Bella and Willy were two and old enough to start walking and talking but this worried Jack. No matter how much Mr. Gibbs, Jack and AnaMaria tried to push the twins forward, they didn't talk or take a single step. Until one day, Jack and AnaMaria were below deck in the captain's quarters with the twins playing with them and talking to one another.

"Come on, lass," pleaded Jack to Isabella. "Do it for papa. Just one step or one word. That's all I'm askin' from ye." AnaMaria giggled. Jack had grown quite fond of the Turner twins in just the two years of them being aboard the Pearl. AnaMaria approached Jack and the young girl with her brother in her arms. It'd be hard for both AnaMaria and Jack when Will returned and they would have to hand them over to their true biological father.

Jack moved the golden brown curls out of Bella's face, smiling as Bella finally took her first steps. But the steps weren't towards Jack or AnaMaria. Instead, Isabella Marie Turner's first steps were towards a bear dressed as a pirate that AnaMaria had made for her. She bent down, picking up the bear and hugged the stuffed animal close to her. Jack and AnaMaria laughed. Jack looked up at AnaMaria and Willy before saying, "Look's like she's already having an interest in us pirates."

AnaMaria brushed dark brown curls out of Willy's face as he pulled on her midnight black hair. "Ow. Ow. Ow," AnaMaria groaned as she tried to pry her hair out of the chubby little fingers. Willy giggled as he drooled. He cooed as AnaMaria hugged him close to her. "They be lookin' more an' more like their parents each day. Dontcha think, Jack?" AnaMaria cooed. To her these were the most beautiful babies in the world and she was falling in love with their curls.

Jack stood, swooping a giggling Bella up into his arms. He looked at AnaMaria with longing eyes. AnaMaria's mouth hung open. She shook her head and said, "No , Jack. For the last time, I'm not ready to be a mum and if this is about Will... you can't tell him about Bella and Willy. He's not allowed to know about what's going on in this world."

Jack sighed, glancing down at Bella who was starting to doze off in his arms. He replied, "I know, AnaMaria. I know. But Elizabeth's gone. He'll be devastated if he hears about it from anyone else but us. What if that wench Calypso pays him a visit and tells him about the babes? He'll think she wasn't faithful to 'im!" AnaMaria glared at Jack and was about to reply when footsteps could be heard running down the stairs.

Within minutes, Gibbs stood in the doorway, smiling. "It's Will. He said he'd thought he'd drop by," the old man said. Jack and AnaMaria exchanged looks with one another before turning back to Mr. Gibbs. Jack asked, curiously, "You didn't tell Mr. Turner about Bella and Willy did ye? Elizabeth has strict orders that he's not to know until his ten years are up." Gibbs shook his head and answered, "No, Cap'n. I know how much it means to ye and AnaMaria to follow out with Mrs. Turner's wishes."

Jack and AnaMaria nodded to the old man as he disappeared from the doorway and went back up the stairs. Jack sighed and handed the tired child to AnaMaria. "I'll go talk to him. I'll tell him about Elizabeth but I'll make sure he comes back in ten years... for Bella and Willy."

Jack turned to go when AnaMaria stopped him. "Jack," she began. "It's a good thing yer doin'. A husband deserves to hear about his wife and it's even better what yer doin' for the children. So many people want Will. If they knew..." The male pirate and captain of the Black Pearl nodded to AnaMaria, showing her he understood what she was trying to tell him.

Will looked around the Black Pearl, smiling. He thought he'd have the chance to see his Elizabeth, even if it was only just for a few moments. His grin grew wider when he saw his very good friend, Jack Sparrow, walking up the stairs from below deck. The two grown men nodded at one another and shook hands. Will frowned seeing that Elizabeth wasn't with them. "Jack, where's my Elizabeth?" Will asked, showing concern. Jack sighed as he ran a hand over his beard.

"Jack?"

"Elizabeth's gone, Will," Jack told him in a hushed voice. He tried to word everything carefully. Will looked at the whole crew one by one from the midget, Marty, to the trouble-making duo, Pintel and Ragetti. He knew what Jack meant by the looks on everyones faces. His eyes burned and he knew it was from trying so desperately to keep himself from crying.

"How?" Will asked, dazed and confused. He was still having trouble believing it. Jack hesitated for a few minutes before blurtting out, "Malaria. She died from Malaria."

"When?"

"About nine months after you left, Will. She wanted me to tell you that she loved you more than life."

Will couldn't stop the tears now. They ran down his tan face like a river. Jack frowned more and pulled Will into a hug, something he didn't do very often. Jack could hear Will mumbling through sobs how they went through hell and back to be together and how they were supposed to start a family upon his return.

It was destroying Jack inside. Elizabeth and Will had been his family and best friends. To a certain extent he knew just how miserable Will was feeling. He too missed Elizabeth. Especially her bossiness. The whole grew missed her. Will jerked away and looked at Jack, angrily, "I must be going now, Jack. You understand."

Jack nodded but stopped Will as the young captain was about to leave. Will pulled away and snapped, "What?"

"Promise me that ye will come back in eight years, Will. Not on the sea and not on the Pearl. In eight years, meet me in St. Maarten. I'll meet you at sunset."

"Why should I?"

"There's something important that ye need to know but ye can't know now. Elizabeth's orders."

Will stared at Jack, flabbergasted. What did he mean by something important? Elizabeth and Will loved one another. Was Elizabeth unfaithful to him? No that was impossible. "She was unfaithful.. wasn't she, Jack?" Will asked, hoping that Jack proved him wrong. Jack gave off a smile and answered, "Will, ye know the lass loved ya. She was more than faithful. Just promise ye will come back."

Will sighed and nodded slightly. "Aye," he replied. "St. Maarten in eight years at sunset. See you then, Jack."

Jack sighed as he walked back down below deck and into his cabin. AnaMaria and the twins were all fast asleep. Jack chuckled as he took Willy out of AnaMaria's arms and placed him in his bassinette. He went to take Isabella from AnaMaria but the female pirates grip was tight on the little girl. "Ana..." Jack whispered over and over until AnaMaria woke up.

"How'd it go with Will?" AnaMaria asked, eager to know what went on between the two friends. Jack took a seat in a nearby chair and sulked. He turned to AnaMaria and said, "Please don't ever make me do that again."

"Jack, I didn't make ye do a damn thing. It was yer choice to talk to Turner," AnaMaria scolded. "If ye didn't, he'd know something was up."

"I think he already does. I had to lie and tell him that Elizabeth died from Malaria."

"But he's coming back right?" AnaMaria asked, placing Bella in another bassinette. Jack nodded and replied, "Aye, he is, AnaMaria. In eight years in St. Maarten at sunset I'm to meet him. Maybe then you'll be ready to start a family too."

A/N: What'd you guys think? I thought Will deserved to know about Elizabeth so I made him show up on the Black Pearl. It even sorta shows how Jack and AnaMaria feel about each other and even Bella and Willy. Anyway... please review! I'm so in to this story that Chapter Three may be up later tonight or early tomorrow. Enjoy!