Something More Than Before
Chapter 18 – Suddenly Wide Awake
Jack's face softened as he looked upon Elizabeth, crying her eyes out and waiting for Jack's response.
"Say something," she pleaded quietly.
Jack released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "You're having my baby?"
Elizabeth nodded and cried some more.
"Are you joking?" Jack asked stupidly. When he saw her face, he added, "No, obviously not."
He slowly moved towards her, but she practically ran forwards and hurled herself into his waiting arms. He stroked the back of her head as she cried into his chest.
"When did you find out?" he whispered softly. She took her head away from his chest and replied, "A few days ago."
"How did you find out?" Jack went on.
"Well," she said thickly, wiping away some of her tears, happy that Jack was being so understanding, "you got worried after I hadn't been seen around since my break-up with Will..."
Jack nodded, and started wiping the tears away from her eyes and cheeks with his thumb, as he looked down at her.
"...and when you got Tia Dalma, I woke up while she was there. She asked me how I was, and I said I hadn't been feeling very well and that I had no appetite. She started asking me other questions, like when the last time I slept with you was. I said the night Will came back, and she asked me if that was the only time. I said no, and then she told me."
Elizabeth looked up at Jack with sad eyes. "Are you angry?"
"No, of course not," Jack said, hugging her tighter.
"Really?" Elizabeth choked out.
"Why would I be?" Jack asked.
Elizabeth shrugged. "I thought you hated me, that's all."
"How could I hate you?" Jack asked her, pulling her head back onto his chest, stroking her head again. She really had gotten the wrong idea. He didn't hate her; it was exactly the opposite.
He slowly pulled her back and sat her down in a chair. She wiped her face from the tears as Jack pulled around his chair and put in directly in front of Elizabeth's chair. He reached out and took Elizabeth's hand in his own, squeezing it gently.
"What are we going to do about this?" Jack asked. He was hoping that she would say that she wanted them to be together, but what were the odds of that?
"You don't have to be involved if you don't want to be," Elizabeth said.
"I want to be," Jack smiled, "you're carrying my baby in there," he said, patting Elizabeth's stomach, "and I want to be a part of it."
Elizabeth smiled. "Thankyou. I don't want to raise a baby all on my own."
"You don't have to," Jack said reassuringly, "I'll always be there to help."
Elizabeth smiled as Jack yawned. "I think I'm going to bed, love. 'Scuse me."
He got up and went and lay down on the bed, clearly too tired to get changed, or even lift up the covers to climb in. He closed his eyes, still perfectly aware that Elizabeth was still in the room. She stood up.
"Jack?" she asked softly. One of Jack's eyes popped open. "Can I come with you? I don't much fancy sleeping on my own."
"Course you can," he smiled, patting the space on the bed next to him. Elizabeth smiled, and lay down beside him. She felt his arm wrap around her, his other hand came to rest on her stomach.
They both sighed deeply, and Elizabeth closed her eyes on Jack's chest.
-----
Tia Dalma chanced a peek into Jack's cabin after she heard raised voices, smashing glass, and then unnatural silence. She ended up getting worried very quickly about both Jack and Elizabeth. She had obviously told him.
Tia Dalma squinted her eyes and looked around the room. It seemed deserted. She looked over towards the bed, and saw a beautiful sight. They were cuddling together on the bed. Elizabeth was smiling, and Jack had his hand on Elizabeth's stomach.
Tia Dalma smiled. But her smile quickly vanished when she remembered what she saw in her 'vision'. She didn't know what it was that Jack was about to say, but for some unknown reason, she didn't really want to stop him either. They looked so peaceful and happy together.
And then there was Will.
There was no doubt that since Will had learned of Elizabeth's pregnancy there had been a sense of jealousy about him, because now there was even less chance of a relationship revival now Elizabeth was having Jack's baby. He looked genuinely miserable all the time.
Surprisingly, nobody, especially not Elizabeth, Jack or Tia Dalma felt sorry for him.
-----
Both Elizabeth and Jack were nearly asleep in each other's arms, the warmth of the other comforting them. Their drowsiness was about to overcome them, when –
"I love you, Elizabeth," Jack whispered ever so quietly.
Elizabeth's eyes snapped open, and she was suddenly wide awake.
She looked up at Jack, who was ever so slowly getting closer to falling asleep. But, he wasn't quite there yet. Elizabeth sat up, moving him gently, but that was enough to wake him up.
"What's happened?" Jack asked drowsily.
"What did you just say?" Elizabeth asked quietly.
"I said 'What's happened?'" Jack answered, frowning.
"No –" Elizabeth stammered. "You just said you loved me."
Jack sat up next to her. "No, I didn't."
But as he said that, panic filled his body. Had he already given the game away?
"I'm sure you did," Elizabeth said defiantly.
"Come on, love," Jack said, trying his hardest not to show the fear in his voice, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Do I fall in love?"
"No, but –" Elizabeth tried.
"Well, there ya are," Jack smiled. "Now, come on, you must have been hearing things."
Elizabeth thought for a moment. "Yes, maybe I was."
Jack smiled. "Come on, back to sleep."
Elizabeth smiled, too, and they lay back down together. She watched as Jack closed his eyes, but no matter how hard she tried to sleep, she wasn't tired anymore.
The fact that Jack Sparrow loved her had woken her up.
So, Elizabeth doesn't believe Jack's protests and now knows that he's in love with her. ;P
So, he loves her, she's having his baby, but she doesn't love him. Oh dear.
Review please!
QueenSerenity818 out.