- - - - - - - JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
A hand was on his shoulder. "Jack..." Will's voice was reassuring but firm and worried, "Jack, you need to eat something. You can leave her for a few moments." Jack only continued staring into Christina's peaceful face, her chest moving up and down in a graceful manner as she breathed slowly. They had managed to get her to stop bleeding... how they did it he did not know... but what was to become of his wife? His girl? Were his children dead? Jack was grasping her hands. He had been sitting there for two days.
"Jack," Will's voice was becoming angry. Jack Sparrow turned his head to look at William, "She'll be fine. You have to eat something. Go in the kitchen. Glenn has something. I'll stay with her. Jack, please, Christina won't want to see you like this." Will continued to talk, slowly slipping Christina's soft hand from Jack's. Jack looked down, putting his had atop his head and rubbing his forehead. Will patted his shoulder as Jack stood up. "That's a man." Will said, "Go on. We'll be pulling up to Port Bowlen soon and she'll need to change." Jack said nothing, only shook his head and turned to Will. There was a silence for a few moments. When Jack spoke, he did not sound sad, as he would let no one else see if he really was, but serious.
"Maybe I wasn't cut out for all this, mate." He said, "Maybe a wife and children are not what a pirate should have." Then, without letting Will say anything, he turned and walked out the door, shutting the door behind him.
- - - - - - - END JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - WILL'S POV - - - - - - -
William Turner sat on the side of Christina's bed, holding her hand with two of his own, and sitting in the chair that Jack had been. He looked into her face, rubbing his hand along her arm.
"Can you hear me Christy?" he whispered softly, sniffing, "Listen to me... you will make it through this; do you understand?" He looked down, sniffing again and choking on his words, "You have always been the strongest, fiercest, and most determined woman I have ever met. This is just another tree, Christy... you have to make it to the top. Remember all those days I got stuck and you helped me to the highest branch? Hm? Remember?" Will smiled, laughing a small laugh. "Now it's my turn. You're my best friend... and you are going to make it..."
- - - - - - - END WILL'S POV - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
The ship had pulled into Port Bowlen and, as Jack pulled his coat on, he walked into his cabin. With a short dismissal to Will, he walked over, pulling the sleeping (as I had been for three in a half days) Christina out of the blankets. Quickly, he pulled off her dress, grabbing the crimson one that she had just recently bought and putting it on her quickly. She was limp and not a single way he moved her made the woman stir. Jack picked her up in his arms, staggering yet still remaining standing as he realized how heavy she had become.
Will walked beside him as Jack left the ship to find Doctor Gravel again.
Many people in this mediocrely wealthy city stopped and looked at Jack, a dirty looking, scruffy man carrying a pregnant, passed out woman down the road. Twice Jack was asked if he needed any help. He refused gruffly, continuing to walk toward the Doctor's.
Gravel was wrapping the arm of a man, elderly looking, when suddenly the doors of his office burst open. Gravel looked up, gasping and walking around the table that the man had been sitting on.
"Dear God!" he exclaimed, rushing over and looking Christina over, "Mr. Smith was it? What happened?!" Jack looked around for somewhere to put Christina, ending up in setting her down on the table/bed that the elderly man had jumped off of to let him set the woman down.
"Her stomach," Jack said, "She was... ah... well, kicked." The Doctor paused, looking down at Jack's exposed arm... at his brand of a P. He grabbed Christina's arm, exposing her own brand and his eyes widened in a knowing way. Gravel looked up into Jack's face, suspicion crossing his face.
"Kicked by whom?" he asked. Jack turned his chocolate brown eyes to him.
"Not me, if that's what you're thinking, Doc." Jack said, giving the doctor a cold look.
"Another pirate?"
"If I could ask for your... humor... I would like to keep my and my wife's social status from getting out. We may be wanted here too." The Doctor's eyes seemed to glint and he chuckled.
"Not to worry, sir." He said, turning worried eyes back to Christina, "Now, she was kicked in the stomach?" His tone was suddenly urgent and professional and he lifted up Christina's skirt. Jack growled.
Doctor Gravel adjusted his spectacles, looking up at Jack Sparrow. "Please, Mr. Smith. My concentration suffers when I am observed. Will you step out?" Jack did not move, suspicious, "I will not lay an unneeded hand on your wife, sir." Gravel assured the captain. "I swear by it or you may kill me." Jack, having already thought about killing the man, figured that it was a good trade and walked out the door.
Two hours went by, with Gravel suddenly rushing out and back in, shouting for his assistant, a young woman. Voices, sometimes urgent, other times sad or relieved, emitted from the room as Jack paced about. At times he tried to walk outside, but it did no good and he just ended up walking back in. He ran his hands over each other worriedly until, finally, the door swung open. There was blood all over the doctor's apron and the girl, who pushed past him, was crying.
Doctor Gravel looked down at his arms, where a small form was wrapped in a small, white sheet. He looked up at Jack.
"Your - Your wife is fine, Mr. Smith." He said, "She is injured but-" his voice broke, "But she will live." There was a pause and the Doctor looked down at the tiny thing in his arms. "Sir, I'm so sorry..." Jack could never have prepared himself for what was coming next, "But your son was lost." The Doctor held out the sheet and Jack took the figure under the sheet, feeling the tiny, lifeless body in his arms. He wrinkled his brow, shock overcoming him.
"And the other?" he asked, almost inaudibly. The Doctor looked at him.