Disney owns him, not me :(

Thank you for the reviews, and especially thanks to Kat for proof reading. Saw the film again the other day and it's even better than the first time around – I love it!

…

Chapter three

"Come on, Connor, keep up," Milly scolded, dragging her small brother along the street. "We're nearly there." She was grateful for the fact that her mother was still sound asleep, but she was still worried as to why she had been crying for most of the night, with Aggie having to come and comfort her from time to time.

"But legs tired," the small boy moaned, jutting his lower lip out.

"Look!" his sister beamed. "Can you see the big ships?" she asked, pointing at the harbour, which had now come into view. "We're going to sit and look at the big ships."

"Big ships!" Connor grinned, pulling his sister along in his eagerness to get to the wharf.

"This'll do," Milly announced when they arrived, sitting on the ground and setting a bowl in front of her then picking up a handful of dirt and grubbying both hers and her brother's faces and clothes. "Please," she wailed pitifully. "Give us your spare change so we can eat!"

"Ere, ain't that Sparrer's kid?" Milly heard one of the passing men say and she smiled deviously to herself.

"Feed a starvin' Sparrow!" she called, picking the bowl up and holding it out. "Thank you, Mister," she smiled as a large pirate threw a handful of pennies into the bowl. "Feed a starvin' Sparrow!" she repeated, putting on her best doleful look as more people gathered around to gawp at the children.

Jack frowned as he made his way along the docks, from where he had been instructing his crew what to take aboard the ship in readiness for going to sea, wondering two things; why passing people were giving him dirty looks, and what the crowd up ahead were looking at.

"Please, we ain't got no food to eat," a small voice cried from within the thong and the pirate captain pushed his way through, his stomach sinking when the plaintive voice piped up again. "Feed a starvin' Sparrow!"

"You little…" he growled, bending down and scooping both children up in his arms. "I'm goin' ter do fer your mother…"

"Don't touch Mama," Milly hissed, hitting, kicking and trying to bite him as he carried them up the hill. "You're a…" the young girl paused while she tried to think of a word she had heard the whores use when referring to someone they didn't like. "You're a bitch!" she declared, feeling more pleased with herself than she would if she could have seen Jack's grin.

"An' you're a little minx," he scolded but without any malice. "Yer mother doesn't know about this?"

"No," his daughter admitted. "I heard her talking to Aggie about not having any money, so I thought I try and get us some."

'Bloody hell,' Jack thought, castigating himself for the umpteenth time. 'How am I goin' ter get around this without losin' face?'

"Where are you taking us?"

"Back ter my house, Toby can cook yer up some porridge, savvy?"

"Has he got any molasses?" Milly enquired. "Papa gave us molasses once and it's yummy!"

"Aye, he's got some molasses," Jack confirmed. "So, if I put yer both down, you're not goin' ter run away?"

"No," Milly promised for both of them, knowing her brother would follow her lead in whatever she did. "Why don't you like Mama?"

"Oh, Milly…" Jack sighed as he set them down, "I do… it's just that… we had an argument before you were born an' we were both very upset by it."

"Are you my real father?"

Jack stopped and looked at the small girl, shaking his head at her shrewdness for such a young child and idly wondered if he had been the same at her age. "Aye," he confirmed, squatting down to her level and looking into her big brown eyes. "I'm your real father, but then so was Oliver, savvy?"

"That's what Mama said."

"Your Mama is a very wise woman…" 'If a little stupid at times,' he mused to himself. "I think it might be best if yer don't tell her what you got upto, or comin' back with me, eh?"

"No," the girl agreed, "she'd be cross."

'Aye,' Jack thought ruefully, still able to feel where Celia had kicked him in the groin the previous night. 'Very cross…' "Pellew!" he called as he pushed open the front door of his house. "We have guests that would like a bowl of porridge with molasses, savvy?"

"Eh?" came the burly cook's voice from within the bowels of the house. "Who might that be then?"

"Celia's two nippers," his captain informed him as he lead the youngsters down the stairs that led to the kitchen.

"Pigs!" Connor squealed delightedly when he saw the cook. "Feed pigs!"

"Aye, lad," Toby grinned. "We'll go an' feed th'pigs just now. But first, let's feed you two, eh?"

"Thank you, Mister Toby," Milly smiled, hoisting herself up on a chair at the table and leaving her brother to be picked up by Jack and sat down next to her.

"Got yer mother's manners, I see," Jack remarked with a grin. "What have you told her about yer whereabouts?"

"Nothing – she was asleep when we left," the girl shrugged, more concerned with the steaming bowl of porridge that had been placed before her.

"Bloody hell!" Jack muttered, his eyes widening in horror. "She'll be wonderin' where y'are!"

"No she won't," Milly replied. "Besides, we're safe, aren't we?"

"You all right with these two a while?" he enquired of his cook. "I'd better go an' let Celia know about these miscreants."

"Aye, they're no trouble, Cap'n," Toby assured him. "Go on before she panics."

'Dunno about her panicking,' Jack thought as he hurried back out of the house. 'I've got ter go back in there an' face her…'

…

"Oh dear Lord, where are they?" Celia worried aloud as she continued to search the streets and alleys around the brothel. "Milly! Connor!" she called, hearing the faint voice of Giselle doing the same. 'Please let them be safe…' "Milly! Where are you?" She reached the end of an alley and stood, looking both ways, biting her lip with worry. 'Perhaps… no… Jack wouldn't help search for them… would he?' Celia turned left, the direction of his mansion, telling herself that she was not going to go and ask for his help, it was merely that she had not searched in that direction yet.

'I hope she doesn't think I abducted them,' Jack pondered as he neared the brothel. 'Nah… she knows me better than that… doesn't she?' "Celia, luv!" he called automatically as he spotted her walking quickly down the street. 'Here goes nothin'…'

"J-Jack… I've lost…"

"I've got them," he butted in. "Caught them beggin' down th'docks an' took them back ter my place where Toby is feedin' them porridge as we speak."

"Oh!" she gasped, feeling her legs buckle as relief flooded her veins.

"Steady as she goes!" Jack chuckled, catching her in his arms. "It's all right, luv – they're perfectly safe, savvy?"

"Begging? Are you sure?"

"Oh, quite sure," he replied in a caustic tone. "Got a good line in pathetic pleadin' has young Milly…"

"Well, I'll come and fetch them – I don't want to put you to any trouble," Celia sniped once she had regained her composure.

"It's no…" Jack began, sighing and throwing his arms up as she pulled away from him and started back along the street towards his mansion. "What do I have ter do, eh?"

"Nothing, Jack – precisely nothing. Just leave me alone to live my life."

"An' what about Milly? Maybe I want ter get ter know her, eh?"

"Why should Milly have a father and not Connor?" Celia snapped, rounding on him.

"Why should she be denied a father?" came his riposte.

"Don't try and tell me you're interest in Milly is purely paternal."

"What else would it be? You think I'm pathetic enough ter use a child ter get back at you? Shows how little you know me, Celia – or have ever known me."

Celia glowered at him but said nothing as she walked through the gates of the mansion and along the path that led to the back of the house, smiling as she saw her two children laughing as they threw scraps into the pig pen.

"Mama!" Milly called, jumping down from the paling and running over. "Mister Toby makes the best porridge in the world!" she declared.

"Well make the most of it!" Celia replied crossly, her smile having gone. "Because if you do anything like that again, young lady, you'll be on bread and water for a month, understand?"

"Yes, Mama," the child acknowledged meekly, hanging her head. "Sorry, Mama… but I have nine pennies an' one man even gave me a guinea!"

"Begging? Dear, Lord, child! We're not that destitute!" 'Yet…' she thought darkly to herself. "Connor, it's time to go," Celia called to her son who reluctantly jumped down and toddled across the lawn to her. "Thank you for taking care of them," she said to Jack as she led her children back along the path. "I'm most grateful."

"They're more than welcome ter visit whenever they like," Jack assured her, a sad smile on his face as he watched them go. "Any time…" he muttered.

…

"Th'Pearl's back!" Scarlett announced as she flopped down on a chair in the large lounge of the brothel.

"Blimey – I was beginnin' ter think they'd run out on us!" Daisy giggled. "Can't wait ter see Gabriel again – it's been nearly a month!"

"Don't yer be getting' too fond of 'im," Aggie warned. "Yer know what th'Pearl crew's like – especially their bleedin' captain!"

Celia winced but managed a small smile as she carried the pile of freshly laundered clothes into the room ready for the girls to sort out which was theirs. She had managed to get a laundry and repair business going, working from the brothel but she hoped to move out to a small house down by the docks. It would all depend on Jack's say so, as the house belonged to no-one and she would have to get his approval. "All yours, girls," she called breezily, placing the garments onto a table. "And no trying to steal others clothes…"

"As if…" Giselle cackled, snatching her corset and petticoats up and heading for her room to change.

"An' don't ferget ter pay Celia," Aggie warned her charges, her hands on her hips. "She ain't doin' this fer charity." She turned to her friend and smiled. "Yer want me ter come with yer?"

"No, I'd rather face Jack on my own," Celia replied. "I'll go this evening – give him chance to settle back in."

"He might be drunk this evenin'," Aggie mused. "Might be best ter go now."

"The house will still be there tomorrow – I'll see him then."

"All right," the red haired Madame shrugged.

"Would you mind keeping an eye on the children for a while, I feel like taking some air."

"Yer don't have ter ask," Aggie chided gently. "Take as long as yer like."

"Thanks, Aggie," Celia smiled, reaching to peck her friend on the cheek. "See you later."

Celia walked down the street once she had left the house of ill repute and found herself at the stream which meandered through the middle of the town and she strolled alongside it where she could, heading back to the streets and alleys when it became impassable and then back to the water when the path alongside it started up again. She smiled to herself when she found that she had arrived at the house, which she hoped to take possession of, and idly wondered if her subconscious mind had led her there.

"Bit of a dump!"

Celia jumped and whirled around, gulping as she came face to face with Jack, watching her with his head cocked slightly to one side. "Y-you scared me! W-what are you doing in the back streets?"

"I could ask you th'same thing… I was headed up to th'house when I caught a glimpse of yer by the stream – I wondered where you were goin'."

"I was just taking a walk," she informed him, wishing he wouldn't stare at her quite as intently as he was.

"A walk that seemed ter lead straight here…"

"Yes," she conceded. "I was going to come and see you… I-I want to take over this house."

"Ah… I'm sure you could find somethin' a little more salubrious."

"It suits my needs," she shrugged. "Do I have your approval or not?"

Jack frowned; he would have preferred her to stay at the brothel than in a run down house around the dock area of the town, but he knew that after the last time they had seen each other, he would have to tread very carefully if he wanted to start re-building bridges. "Aye," he confirmed eventually. "But with certain conditions…"

"Which are?" Celia sighed.

"Firstly, my men will do it up fer you – make it a little more liveable, savvy?"

"There's no…"

"It's non negotiable," Jack interrupted. "Secondly, I have a hold full of furniture an' th'like, which I've been hoardin' fer years. Most will go ter my place but th'smaller pieces I'll send ter you."

"Yes, Jack," she agreed resignedly.

"Thirdly, I'd like ter get ter know Milly… an' Connor."

"Why?"

"Why? She's m'daughter, Celia! My flesh an' blood, an' I realise that they both come as a package - I can't have one without th'other."

"I… I don't know…"

"You can't deny me my own child, Celia," he warned. "Please don't…"

It was Celia's turn to frown as she remembered her daughter going on and on about the pirate captain and how she seemed to spend a lot of time at the house whilst he was away, feeding the pigs which were being looked after by a couple of retired crewmembers. "All right," she nodded eventually.

"Thank you," he smiled, his face softening. "How are you?"

"I'm fine… doing laundry and mending."

"Not… whorin'?"

"No," she smiled ruefully. "I couldn't…"

"Thank gawd fer that!" Jack declared. "Can I walk yer home?"

"If you like," Celia agreed, slipping her arm through the crook of his and taking another look at what was now her house before going on her way with him. "Just how did you become king of Tortuga? Surely you didn't go against Penhallick?"

"No," Jack replied shaking his head and smiling to himself. "Simon Marlow did, aided an' abetted by Syndony Chester. I knew he would win, as well. Ethan had grown too used ter th'easy life an' was no match fer a hellbent Marlow."

"And…?"

"And, my dear Celia, I knew Marlow would then celebrate his victory – an' celebrate he did. What he didn't know that there was a coup de tait going on right beneath his booze pickled nose. This was th'easiest steal I ever made!" he chuckled wryly. "I let Ezra Barrentine deal with him," he added grimly, knowing the pirate hated Marlow enough to kill him.

"Only you," she mused, shaking her head incredulously.

"Aye, luv, only me… can I ask you somethin'?"

"What?"

"Did Oliver love Milly?"

"Yes," Celia confirmed sadly. "He never showed favour between her or Connor."

"Did you love him?"

"What sort of question is that!" she demanded angrily, snatching her hand away. "I was with him for five bloody years!"

"Sorry, luv," Jack soothed, holding his hands up placatingly. "I shouldn't have asked…"

"No, you bloody well shouldn't! I can find my own way home, thank you!"

Jack sighed as he watched her storm off, shaking his head sadly. "You fool, Sparrow!" he cursed himself. "You an' your big bloody mouth!"

'I don't know why you were shouting at him,' Celia scolded as she hurried back up towards the brothel. 'You know you didn't love Oliver as you love… loved, Jack.'

"Celia! Wait fer me!"

She sighed but stopped, waiting until Jack had caught up with her. "What?" she snapped, not looking at him.

"I'm sorry, of course yer loved Mouse… it was a stupid question."

"Yes – it was!"

"So, got many customers?" Jack enquired; thinking a change of subject was more than needed.

"A few," Celia conceded grudgingly. "Mostly the girls, but I'm hoping that if, when I move out of Aggie's, I'll get more people coming to me."

"I'll get th'men started as soon as they're sober, savvy?"

"There's no need, Jack. I'd… rather you didn't."

"I'm not havin' my daughter livin' in some hovel!" he retorted. "It actually has nothin' ter do with you an' everythin' ter do with her, an' being as you're too stubborn ter let me help you, this is th'next best thing, savvy?"

Celia stood and watched opened mouth as Jack stormed off, cursing inwardly for always thinking the worst of him, and with a deep sigh, she turned and headed back up the hill, her shoulders sagging with dejection.

…

Jack opened a bleary eye and wondered what the noise was that was coming from his garden. He half stumbled, half fell out of bed and padded, naked, across to the window, wishing he had not had quite as much to drink as he had the previous night. 'Curse you, Celia. You're th'one person who can make me want ter get blind drunk…' he thought as he pulled open the heavy curtains and blinked rapidly in the strong sunlight. "Bugger!" Jack exploded, shielding his sore eyes and focusing on a figure on the grass and smiling when he realised it was Milly, playing with the kittens of his cook's cat. He padded back to his bed and picked his breeches off the floor where he had evidently dropped them the night before, and pulled them on, doing the same with his shirt as he headed out of the room and down the stairs, all thoughts of his hangover gone.

"Mornin' luv," he grinned as he stepped out of the kitchen, chuckling as the girl squealed when a pure black kitten pounced on her as she lay on the grass.

"Good morning… Captain Jack," Milly replied hesitantly. "Mister Toby said I could come and play with them," she said, indicating the four tiny creatures.

"Of course yer can," her father nodded, sitting down beside her. "Your mother knows you're here, eh?"

"Yes," the child nodded eagerly. "I have to let her or Aggie know where I'm going from now on," she sighed, rolling her dark brown eyes. "I never had to at home…"

"Aye, well – Tortuga is a bit different ter Cockburn Town, luv. Full of pirates an' ingrates."

"What's an ingrate?"

"Heh! It's a selfish, stupid person who cares nothin' fer others." Jack picked up a small ginger cat and stroked its chin, laughing as its tiny claws hooked into his finger and it started to bite him.

"Mama says that you are going to give us a nice house. Why?"

"Because…" he shrugged. "I want you all ter live in a nice house. Although I'd rather yer lived in a nicer house…"

"So why don't you give us a nicer house?" Milly pondered, sitting up and staring intently at her father. "Why do you make Mama cry all the time?"

'Bloody hell!' Jack thought, frowning. 'I make her cry? Maybe that means she still has feelings…?' "I want ter give you a nicer house," he sighed, "but your Mama wants ter look after you all, herself." He put the tiny cat back down, watching as it bounded over to its mother, followed by the black one which had been clambering over Milly, and they began suckling, nestled between another black kitten and a tortoiseshell coloured one.

"Did you know Papa?" Milly asked, resting her chin on her knees. "Was he a pirate too?"

"Aye, he was a member of my crew… that's how he met yer mother," Jack confirmed with a sad smile. "Best damned helmsman I've ever known as well."

"I miss him," the child confessed, biting her lip which reminded Jack so much of Celia.

"I know yer do, luv," he replied, putting a consoling arm around her shoulders and hugging her closer to him. "But at least you had a father who loved you, not many children have that."

"Do you love me?"

Jack opened and closed his mouth several times as a range of emotions coursed through him before he managed to nod, planting a kiss on her head as he did. "Of course I love you, you're my daughter."

"Good," Milly smiled, snuggling up to him. "I think I'm going to love you as well."

Celia caught her breath as she watched the scene, torn between wanting to call her daughter away and not wanting to interrupt them. 'Damn you, Jack Sparrow,' she thought. 'How can you still have a hold on me after all these years?' "Ahem," she coughed eventually, coming out from the shadows at the side of the house. "I'm sorry if she's being a nuisance…"

"She isn't," Jack assured her with a smile. "We were just playin' with th'kittens, weren't we?"

"They're beautiful, Mama… can I have one?"

"I-I…"

"They're too young at th'moment," Jack interrupted. "Maybe when your house is all finished an' th'kittens are older, yer mother might let you have a couple. After all," he said, looking at Celia, "you're goin' ter need some mousers livin' by th'docks."

"I suppose we are," Celia agreed with a hesitant smile. "T-thank you."

"Sit yourself down – I was just goin' ter fetch young Milly here somethin' ter eat."

"No, really…"

"I need somethin' myself…"

"Yes, so I can see," Celia remarked, arching an eyebrow at his bloodshot eyes and wan complexion. "But I'm sure you have better things to do than entertain a child."

"My child," he rebuked gently. "An' I'll entertain her as much as she wants. Now, food?"

"No, thank you. I'll have some water though, if I may?"

"That's m'girl – polite as ever!" he teased as he padded back to the house, starting in surprise as Toby handed him a tray filled with hunks of bread, cold meat, a pitcher of water and three beakers. "Thank you, Mister Pellew," he remarked wryly, taking the tray from the grinning cook and going back outside.

"I see you've got Toby as well trained as ever!" Celia chuckled as Jack placed the tray on the ground and sat between her and Milly.

"More like I got 'im trained!" came Toby's voice from the kitchen.

"Get stuck in, young lady," Jack smiled, pouring a beaker of water and handing it to his daughter and then doing the same for her mother. "Celia…"

"Yes, Jack?" she replied, sipping the cold drink and knowing what was coming.

"I wish yer'd let me help you out more… I wish you'd forget th'damned forty guineas."

"I cost you a lot more than that," Celia stated with a shrug. "I… shouldn't have spread word about the treasure – I'm sorry."

"Aye, that rankled fer a long time," Jack confessed. "But…"

"What treasure?" Milly piped up, her eyes wide with excitement. "Real pirate treasure?"

"Aye, real pirate treasure," Jack smiled. "Maybe someday I'll show you some treasure, eh?"

"Would you? Thank you, Captain Jack!" she breathed, jigging up and down on the grass.

"Celia…" he began, pulling a face as she made to get up. "Please, wait a while."

"No, I'm busy," Celia gabbled, grabbing Milly's hand and pulling her up. "Thank you for playing with her. Say thank you, Milly."

"Thank you, Captain Jack," the child pouted, looking at him sorrowfully. "Can I come again?"

"Whenever yer like, luv," Jack assured her, disappointment written on his face as he watched them walk across the lawn. "Yer can't run away from me forever, Celia," he called, noting wryly as she checked her stride. "We still have things ter sort out!"

'Oh, Lord,' Celia thought as she hurried along the street, dragging her objecting daughter behind her. 'I should never have come back…'

"Mama! Slow down!" Milly protested, trying to tug her hand out of her mother's grasp. "Why don't you like Jack? He likes you…"

"It's Captain Jack and none of your business, young lady!" her mother exploded, immediately chastising herself for taking her anger out on the child. "I'm sorry, my darling," she apologised. "It's things you wouldn't understand."

"Is it about the treasure?"

"Partly," Celia sighed, finally acknowledging the guilt she had felt about betraying Jack as she had. "But it's other things as well."

"Like the argument you had before I was born?" Milly asked, recalling what Jack had said to her.

"What? How do you know…? Jack," she sighed, nodding her head. "Yes, like the argument. Now that's enough questions from you, or I won't let you go around there again."

"All right, Mama," Milly sulked, ceasing trying to pull her hand away and following quietly behind as Celia walked back towards the brothel.

'Should I have run away? Maybe I did misjudge him… maybe I've always misjudged him… Oh, damn it,' Celia cursed, shaking her head to try and rid herself of the thoughts racing around inside and wondering once again how he managed to still have a hold on her.

…

"So…" Jack drawled from the doorway as he watched Celia's reaction. "You like?"

"Jack!" she gasped, looking at him wide eyed. "Are you sure just the men did this up? It's so…" She looked around the house again, scarcely believing that it was the same run down hovel she had set her eyes on. The back wall had been knocked down and the room extended out, making it far more spacious than it had been before.

"Th'men can re-build a ship if they have to," he boasted, leaning against the frame with his arms folded.

"This is stone and mortar," Celia reminded him with a suspicious glance. "Did you…?"

"Here's some of th'crew," Jack interrupted, moving aside so his men could enter the house. "You can thank them yourself…"

"Thank you," she smiled, embracing some of them. "It's wonderful!"

"We've brought yer some things as well," John Orchard announced, indicating for Elliot, who came in carrying a large tub, followed by Noah who had a wringer in his arms. "Just ter get yer goin', like."

"Wha…? I… I can't possibly…"

"What they're really after is fer you to wash their clothes fer free," Jack winked, doffing his hat at Gabriel Jennings pulling a mocking face at him.

"Well, I shall anyway," she declared. "For the first month, at any rate…"

"Th'first month?" Elliot bemoaned jokingly. "Gawd, yer'll only just get rid of th'smell after th'first month!"

"Don't I know it!" Celia teased, her eyes shining with excitement and amusement. "Thank you all so much."

"It's a pleasure, Miss Celia, an' it's good ter see you getting' back on yer feet."

She watched as the men filed back out again, leaving just her and Jack alone once more and she shuffled nervously on her feet. She had managed to avoid seeing him for much of the two weeks her house had been under repair, but now she knew she wouldn't be able evade him, not after he had been so generous. "Thank you, Jack," Celia said quietly. "I don't deserve this."

"You won't let me help you any other way an' yer need t'be able ter feed and clothe two… three children," he shrugged, seemingly nonchalant, but deep down he was content to have her beholden to him again, at least in some small way. "So this was th'least I could do…"

"But to provide me with furniture an suchlike…"

"I told you – I've been hoardin' it fer years," Jack chuckled, genuinely pleased that he had some pieces of furniture small enough to fit inside the small cottage.

"You like to hoard things, don't you?" Celia smiled ruefully as she made a start on lighting the fire in the grate.

"Show me a pirate that doesn't! It's just that I like other things as well as treasure. Shall I go an' fetch th'children?"

"Oh! Erm… if you like," she agreed, biting her lip with worry as both of her children were getting increasingly fond of the pirate captain and seemed to spend as much time with him as they did with her.

"Shan't be long," Jack grinned, turning on his heel and leaving Celia to her task and her thoughts.

…

"This is our home?" Milly enquired with wide eyes. "It's… small…"

"After Aggie's, anywhere is small," her mother chuckled, although she had to admit that now the children were there, the house did seem a little cramped.

"Ah, but yer have a garden ter play out in," Jack reminded the girl. "An' fer your mother ter dry her washin'."

"Can we have some pigs?" Milly asked excitedly.

"I don't think so!" Celia snorted, shaking her head firmly. "I might get a few chickens, though."

"Chickens aren't so much fun as pigs," Milly pouted, folding her arms crossly.

"An' pigs aren't so much fun as kittens," Jack put in with a wink to Celia.

"Kittens? We can have some kittens?"

"Yes," Celia agreed wearily. "They should be old enough in a couple of weeks – but you have to look after them yourself," she warned the jigging child.

"I will, I will," she promised, grabbing her brother's arms and jumping up and down with him. "Kittens!"

"Kitt'ns," Connor chimed, giggling and laughing. "Kitt'ns…"

"Now see what you've done," Celia scolded Jack, but without malice. "I'll never get any peace now."

"Are you sure you're goin' ter be all right? I can stay th'night, if yer like?" he asked hopefully, but he knew she would be safe, any way – he had paid enough men to keep watch on her house at all times and knew that anyone with business other than official would be dealt with swiftly and firmly.

"No! No, we'll be fine, honestly," she assured him, trying to ignore the skip of her heart. "Say goodnight to Captain Jack," she instructed the children.

"Goodnight, Captain Jack," they chorused, squealing with delight as he scooped both of them up and planted a kiss on their cheeks.

"Do I get ter give their Mama one as well?" he enquired cheekily, leaning forward and brushing his lips against Celia's cheek before she had chance to object. "Night, luv," he whispered in her ear. "Sweet dreams…"

"G-goodnight," she gulped, placing a hand on her pounding heart as he put the children down and walked out of the door, shutting it firmly behind him. 'Oh, my goodness,' she thought as old yet familiar feelings coursed through her body. 'Oh, Jack…'

If you liked Milly's little line in begging "Feed a starvin' Sparrow" - you can thank Hils for it!