The waves' motion slowly sent the ship in a steady rocking motion as I stood at the helm, watching with a smile on my face as Ana-Maria and Glenn stood there. Ana-Maria wore the outfit that I had given her and Glenn was at least cleaned up. Jack finished giving the speech that he had made up on the spot before Glenn smiled at Ana-Maria, bringing his lips to hers.
And the ring glinted on Ana-Maria's finger.
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"It's nice that Glenn and Ana-Maria got married." I said, running my hand through my hair and pulling on my nightgown. I did not look in the mirror. I was fat... and ugly I felt. Jack stood by the window, looking up at the sky in an angle out the pane. He nodded absently and I sat down on the bed, allowing my seven-month-pregnant self to sink back into the cushions. "Are you alright?"
"I think we're going to hit a storm tonight." Jack said, shutting the window and throwing his hat onto the table. He fell back in the cushions next to me, crossing his booted feet and putting one of his arms around my shoulders. I smiled, turning the page of my book, yet setting it to the side and leaning on Jack's shoulder.
"A storm?" I asked incredulously. I sighed, grimacing as the baby kicked again. Jack put his hand on my stomach, chuckling when he felt the baby/babies kick again.
"He's feisty." Jack said, "Like his father." I laughed, kissing him and reminding him yet again that it may not turn out to be a boy. I knew how badly Jack wanted a son to teach the ways of the sea to. I smiled as I pictured a miniature version of Jack running around with his father.
I jumped as the ship gave a lurch, thunder erupting in the sky. I looked out the window at the flash of lightning.
"Go to sleep, Christy, luv." Jack said, putting his hand on my head. I blinked. "I'm going to stay up a while. This storm may turn ugly." I nodded, kissing him deeply and leaning back into the bed, pulling the blankets over myself. I turned myself to the side, feeling Jack leave, and quietly fell asleep.
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"Ah!" I screamed as I toppled off the bed and onto the floor, landing with a painful thud. I sat up, leaning against the wall and grimacing, looking about.
The Black Pearl rocked violently around me as I sat there, trying to keep my bearings. Apparently, Jack had been right about the storm. I clutched my stomach, looking about and trying to find a way out of the agony that I was in. I felt sick in every way. I rolled over slightly, heaving and coughing. I gagged; sweat beading down my face and lied down on the ground, feeling strength slip away.
With a scream I saw a few rum bottles fall down, smashing on the ground and shattering around me. Beside me fell a candle, and it was all I could do to keep the flame from engulfing my bed.
A table fell over, landing on my legs and forcing me to lie still on the ground, trying to kick the small table off of me. I cried out, the rock of the boat still adding ot the chaos around me.
My hands were wrapped protectively around my abdomen, trying to keep myself from being hit. The window blew open, forcing all the candles to go out and rain to fall in through the window.
I huddled in the corner, facing the room that was slowly being destroyed, and trying to protect myself. I did not call for Jack, for I knew that he was steering the ship and would have no time or availability to come rescue me. I supposed I would just have to wait.
Hours went by, with me dozing off every once in a while, the moonlight blocked by the clouds but the lightning and thunder waking me up every time I tried to sleep on the hard ground. I turned my head toward the window, rolling myself over toward the corner and huddling there.
I no longer knew if it was day or night as the hours went by. Countless times I tried to get my exhausted self to sleep, but was woken up by one thing or another slamming or shouting or breaking.
... Finally it ended.
The ship became calm, and all stood still. I looked up and around the room, broken rum bottles covering the ground and miscellaneous things all over. I could hear the soft patter of rain outside. Surprisingly, most of the room was still intact and, as I went to stand up, the door flew open.
With a surprised cry I fell back into the corner, reaching out to grab the walls for support as I did so. Jack Sparrow walked into the room, sweeping his eyes around until he spotted me.
With a small chuckle, he climbed over our bed, which had been thrown to an angle, with me in the corner it could not reach, and kneeled down in front of me. He smirked, helping me up and onto my feet, looking me over.
"I'm fine." I said, holding his hands and leaning my head on his shoulder. "Just got a little knocked about."
"It was one Hell of a storm." Jack said, kissing me deeply and putting his hands on my stomach. "How did the Juniors weather it?" I laughed, hugging him.
"They're fine." I said, jumping as one of them kicked. "They're awake because Father's here." I laughed, kissing Jack again. He smiled, letting me go and turning, pushing the bed back into place. I leaned down on my knees, beginning to pick up the broken pieces of glass.
And the storm was over.
What I didn't know, however, was that another storm... another type of storm was coming on the way.
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I sat on the front of the ship, my legs over the side and my hands resting on the roped net next to me. I looked down at the water, wishing that I could help the crew with the repairing of the ship. I continued to stare at the water, lost deep in thought as I traced my arm, touching the burn mark that had been instilled there years ago.
"Child of the wilderness
Born into emptiness...
Never dreamed out in the world
There are arms to hold you
You've always known
Your heart was on its own."
I smiled softly and looked out into the horizon.
But a frown traveled across my face.
"Captain!" I turned my head upward to see Sam up in the crow's nest, looking out with a telescope. He too was looking in the direction that I was.
"Jack!" I called at the same time. Jack Sparrow looked up from his spot at the helm, closing his compass. I pointed outward toward the horizon, a ship headed toward us. Jack looked out curiously, nodding to Gibbs who smiled broadly. I sighed and climbed down from the bow, walking toward the crows nest.
"What colors is she flying, Sam?" I yelled, putting my hand on my stomach and leaning back to look at him. Sam looked down at me.
"She's flying no colors, Christina." I snapped my head to the side, looking up at Jack.
"More pirates, I think." I called to him. Jack smiled, though cursing, turning the wheel to the side.
"Well then," he said, casting another glance at Gibbs, "We'll just have to loot them before they do us." I rolled my eyes, looking around and walking back into the cabin.
Jack followed me.
"Stay in here, alright?" he said gently, kissing me. I frowned when I pulled away. "I just don't want you or the littles getting hurt while we're looting. We lost some supplies during the storm anyways and no one wants to go back to Tortuga... again."
I scoffed, "Pirates." I said, looking down at the brand on my arm and nodding, "Alright, Jack." I said, "I'll stay here."
Jack left the room with a smile and I heard a click as the door was locked. I sighed, turning to the mirror.
I looked so very different now compared to when I first boarded the Black Pearl. A year it had been at least, I was now twenty four. My black hair was a bit less curly, shorter now, as I had cut it, and more bouncy. I, myself, was clean, for the sake of the children but my face was no longer the porcelain I had always held so prideful. It was now tan, almost as dark as Eva Shapiro's had been. I stopped as I remembered her with a smile... that had certainly been an adventure. My body... well I was not to go there, of course I was different there. But I was muscular, almost like a man, yet my muscles were lean and toned, making my legs thinner and my arms the same.
My mannerisms, I noticed, had amended as well. I was tougher, stronger, even in this state, and, surprisingly, all I really wanted to do was help the crew loot the other ship. I longed for my sword back in my hand and to help. I no longer wanted to e the proper lady I had been raised to be. I shook m head to myself, pushing the thought back.
Yes, I had changed...
I lied down on our bed, turning my head to the side. I looked down at my stomach, putting my hand on it.
"When you two are out," I said, "There is going to be a party and I will be the most energetic, excited mother there will ever be." I paused for a moment... mother... I thought... I'm going to be a mother. I was determined to give my children the best mother they could ever have... and never leave them as mine had been robbed from me.
I thought about that for a few moments before leaning back, tired as I always was these days, and fell gently asleep.
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Shouts outside the door woke me up and I sat bolt upright. I crept to the door, my sword in one hand, straightening my white nightgown-esk dress with the other. I looked out the window, my booted feet making sounds on the creaky wood. Extra weight... I thought bitterly, remembering when I could walk soundlessly with no problem at all. Out the small hole in the door I saw a pair of pirates, not of our crew but could hear the shouts from the other ship. The Black Pearl's crew must have boarded, and these two snuck aboard our ship. I looked closely at the taller of the two, with more of a superior feeling, grungy and strong looking. He looked around constantly, as if looking to make sure no one was following them.
The shorter looked like the taller pirate's side kick, nodding to the latter every once in a while. They were trying to get into the Captain's cabin it seemed... exactly where I was.
My fear was infinitive as I stood there, my back against the door. I dared not make a sound, yet I could hear them talking.
"What do you think's in there, Cap'n?"
"He's the infamous Jack Sparrow," the apparent Captain said, giving the other pirate an obvious look. "He's got to have somethin' in his cabin. Maybe even a little whore." The pirates laughed heartily, spit on their beards. I cocked my pistol.
Suddenly, there was a BOOM and the door swung open. I turned, pointing my arm out.
It all happened fast. The pistol went off with a BANG! And the shorter pirate fell to the ground, dead, his face open in a grotesque expression of surprise.
My arm was suddenly hit and the pistol flew out of my hand, landing on the ground many feet away from me. I turned to the Captain, my eyes fiery and fearful all at the same time. Holding up my sword the two of us locked blades. I forced myself to be quick, even in the situation and pregnant as I was. I moved rapidly, ending up in nicking his arm. When I paused for a moment, though, the sword was knocked out of my hand. The Captain smirked at me, reaching out and grabbing my arm.
"Well, well." He said, looking a bit surprised and without much breath. He began pushing me back with more force than I thought he had. I was suddenly against the wall, my eyes wide and my breath coming out short.
"Jack!" I managed to scream, only to have the Captain put his hand to my mouth, roughly pushing me down onto the ground. He reached down to lift up my skirt and I slid myself away from him.
"Stop! No, please! Leave me alone! I'm with child! Please, leave me and my children alone!" I could find nothing else to do but beg. "Please." I said again and the Captain seemed to pause. I dragged myself further from him, now ending up beside my side of the bed, just in front of my nightstand. The Captain advanced on me, grabbing me roughly.
"No!" I screamed, trying to kick him off of me.
"I thought Sparrow might have a little whore in here," he said, trying to pull off my dress. "You scream like one." I was becoming panicked. I could not let this man take my children... if he did anything they would die. I let my eyes look up and my eyes came across something on the nightstand.
"Well... if this is all you want," I suddenly said. I could hear outside that our crew had been caught, and were being thrown into the brig. I batted my eyes at the pirate and gave him a seductive smirk, "Then I suppose you can have it." I let my arm travel up, running along the leg of the nightstand until my hand caught hold of what I was looking for. The Captain's hands were suddenly on my chest, his eyes lustful.
"But why don't you give me something in return?!" I said through clenched teeth and brought the lit candle into his face. The sound of searing and sizzling flesh as the Captain fell off of me, filled my ears and I kicked him off of me quickly.
"You little bitch!" the Captain's foot suddenly flew toward my stomach. I rolled over to the side, dodging him, but not before he got a good kick at the side of my abdomen. I screamed in pain, reaching my arms out as far as they could go. "You little bitch!" He kicked the same place again, leaving me to scream and writhe in pain again.
My hand closed over it, though. The handle of the pistol!
BANG! A shot rang out and I looked over to see the Captain lying on the floor, his heart having been pierced by the bullet. He fell to the ground, gurgling, blood running down his face out of his mouth. I forced myself to stand up, breathing heavily and out of time, as I half sobbed. I could not look at the deformed face of this unknown Captain, wax, blood, and melted eye dripping down it.
The pain in my stomach was overbearing as I stumbled out the door of my cabin, and toward the doorway to the brig, creeping past where the other ship's crewmembers (that were still alive, anyways) were looting the crew's quarters. I kept the pistol at my side, creeping very painfully, trying to keep on my feet and not collapse. A question tugged at the back of my mind.
Were my children dead?
"Christina!" Somehow I made it down to the brig, grasping onto the bars. I looked up to see Will, pushing past the other crew members and grasping my hands through the bars. "My God, what happened to you?" I tried to respond but a sob only broke out. Shaking my head, I leaned my forehead on the bars, my entire body shaking with unexplainable spasms.
"Where's Jack?" I managed to choke out hoarsely.
"He's on the other ship." Will, my childhood best friend, replied gently. I reached over and took the keys off the wall, handing them to him. He looked down to find the right one. "I don't think they caught him yet. He - Christina... you're bleeding!" I looked down to see that the front of my white dress was bloodied, blood dripping from between my legs and onto the floor... it wasn't the Captain's.
I cried out frantically in anguish and pain, "He killed the babies!" The door of the brig opened and I felt Will put his arms around me, supporting me.
I collapsed.