Note: Hey! I've compiled a sort of soundtrack to Annabelle's adventures! Check them out on my profile if you'd like! :)

Annabelle held Joseph and Roisin's hands as they waved goodbye to the ship that was taking Jacob Montel steadily away from them. She hastily wiped her tears away, trying to be strong in front of the children. Roisin looked up, her greenish-brown eyes inquisitive and calm.

"Don't worry ma'am," she said, in the kind of tone only eight year olds can seem to muster in times of stress. "He'll be back. I can feel it. He's strong."

Annabelle smiled at the girl, squeezing her hand gently. Roisin returned it, every bit as kind and bright as her mother's. Joseph was staring out at the sea, squinting hard so as to get a look at the slowly disappearing ship. Or maybe not. He sniffed loudly, running his sleeve across his eyes.
Annabelle released Roisin's hand to pick up her son, cradling him to her navy-clad chest.

"It's all right, Joseph," she whispered. "It's okay. He'll come back, I promise. You have to be strong for me. Can you do that?"

"Mmhm," Joseph nodded, sniffling loudly.

"Good boy. Now let's go home, it's nearly time for tea." Annabelle adjusted Joseph to her hip, and took Roisin's hand with her free one, taking them back to their carriage.

When they arrived home, Roisin took Joseph's hand, leading him to his room to play with his toys while they waited for tea. Annabelle took a seat in the sitting room, staring blankly out of the window. Frances startled her when she entered the room, brandishing a letter in her hand.

"T'was just delivered ma'am," she said, out of breath. "I was told you were to read it immediately."

"Thank you, Frances, " Annabelle nodded politely, dismissing the maid back to her duties.

She looked down at the envelope, and her heart dropped to her feet. It could not be. It was not possible. It was not…

The postage read:

Sir Joshamee Gibbs,
The Black Pearl

Annabelle hastily ripped open the letter, being sure no one was watching, and read the paper, mouthing the words to herself.

Dear Anna,
I'm using Mister Gibbs here as my personal scribe and addressee for this letter, so as to reduce the chances of my being caught. I write to express the great surprise I feel after having found out about your and the Commodore's son. After what occurred in Greece, I thought it was only right to at least ask about the boy.
Secondly, I'm writing to let you know that I'll be making port in the dear land of Eirin in a few weeks time, depending on when you receive this parcel. I would very much like to see you, luv. The expected arrival date is June 21st. Do not feel a need to send back a written response. Just show up. If not, then I'll know where we stand since we last spoke.

Capt. Jack Sparrow

Below the sign off was the adress of the inn they would be staying at, completed with an elegant scrawl that Annabelle knew was Jack's. She held the letter in shaking hands, reading the words over and over again. He knew. How could he know about Joseph? She'd heard people whisper things over the years, questioning his relation to Jacob, but she'd always ignored it. It seemed the word of mouth was faster than she thought.

June 21st. That was in six days. She had six days to decide whether she really wanted to go, though her heart had decided already. She wanted with all her heart to see the dark man who had left her, his hat waving in the Caribbean breeze, nearly five years earlier. She folded the letter and hid it hastily away in her skirts as Joseph and Roisin sauntered into the room for tea. The sat down, waiting quietly and patiently as Annie and Frances entered with trays of tea and cookies.

The time had come. She was going to meet Jack Sparrow. The inn was located two towns over. She'd bid Frances the task of watching Joseph and Roisin for the two days she would be gone. As she sat in the bouncing carriage, her mind flew through all the memories she held of the pirate. The most memorable had been the night of her defloration, the night that had given her Joseph, her precious boy. She could still feel his lean muscles against her, could hear his heavy breathing as he put himself inside her, could see his beautiful chocolate eyes, sparkling in the low lighting of the cavern.

The driver pulled up to the inn, and nodded curtly to her before finding a place to store the horses. It was under the name of Gilligan's Hand, and each time the doors open, she could hear bits of fiddling and singing, as well as smell rather strong pipe smoke. She braced herself, lifting her purple skirts slightly as she entered.

The smoky haze was enough to choke her, and she rather wished the men inside would stop staring at her like she were a piece of meat. She'd tried to dress modestly, with longer sleeves and a higher collar in spite of the heat, but evidently it wasn't working. Even still, she looked around for any sign of Jack Sparrow, Joshamee Gibbs, or any one that she'd come to know on the Black Pearl. Her heart began to sink as she could find none.

"Anna," a voice issued behind her to her left.

She turned to see Jack sitting in a booth, seemingly alone, his tricorn hat tipped back over his red bandanna, his face shadowed by the dim lighting of the inn. He grinned at her, a flash of gold hitting her eyes for a moment. Her heart began to pound wildly in her chest. The familiar flutter of butterfly wings began to churn in her stomach. All she could do was smile shyly back at the man who had left her in Port Royal four and a half years before.
He rose from his seat, walking to where she stood, frozen. He embraced her tightly, a gentle smile on his face.

"It's good to see yeh, luv," he said quietly, looking her up and down. "How long's it been? Three years?"

"Four," Annabelle corrected. "Nearly five."

Jack laughed. "Either way, it's been too long. Come sit with me?" he gestured to the booth he'd just risen from.

Annabelle nodded and graciously sat, adjusting her skirts about her lap. Jack looked at her intently before speaking. His intense gaze made her blush slightly, and she tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

"What's his name?" he asked, and Annabelle knew immediately of whom he was speaking.

"Joseph," she said quietly. "He's nearly four now. He's beautiful."

"What does he look like?" Jack rested his hand on his cheek, staring at Annabelle.

"He's got your eyes," she replied immediately, looking down at the grimy table top. "and he's got my hair. I guess that's where he gets his sense of propriety from too. He's been playing pirates lately."

Jack laughed, and the sound filled Annabelle with the strongest feeling of happiness that she'd felt in a long while.

"Has he now? Interesting.." he stroked his beaded and braided goatee with a ringed hand.

Annabelle took a moment to take the pirate in. He looked nearly the same as when they last saw each other, with the exception of a few wrinkles and new additions to the various trinkets within his raven colored dreads. Annabelle could still scarcely believe that she was talking to the man again. She could believe it even less when he took her hand in his, looking seriously at her.

"Does the Commodore know?" he asked, and she knew why he asked. He could be hanged if word got out that he had actually fathered Jacob's only child.

Annabelle shook her head. "If he does, he's never shown it. Jacob loves Joseph very much, Jack."

"Aye, I bet he does. I commend the man, I don' know wha' I'd do in his place."

Annabelle simply nodded, her eyes cast downward. She felt suddenly as if this were a bad idea. Feelings and unbidden emotions were rising up inside of her, feelings that she didn't want to express to the man in front of her. She rose from the booth, moving toward the doors.

"It-it was nice to see you again, Jack," she said quickly, her back turned to him.

"Wait a minute," he said, rising and catching her by the hand, pulling her close to him, so they were only inches apart.

"Yeh wouldn't believe how much I've missed yeh," he whispered, cupping her neck with a beringed hand.

Annabelle leaned into his hand, wishing with all her might that she could fully believe his words. "And I you, but I'm married to Jacob now, and-"

"Do yeh love him?" Jack cut her off, gazing into her blue eyes with his chocolate colored ones.

"Yes," Annabelle replied with no hesitation. "I do, Jack."

Jack cupped her face with both his hands, gazing intently. "The last time we spoke, I distinctly remember yeh saying tha' you'd always love me. I believe I got a fairly good idea of what that means. Yeh can't honestly tell me that's changed, has it?"

Annabelle shook her head, avoiding Jack's gaze. "No, it hasn't. I meant it, Jack. I still do. But I love Jacob too, he's been a good man, and I should stay faithful to him."

Jack nodded, contemplating her answer. "Yeh're a good woman, Anna. I respect tha'. But you've waited a long time for this piece of dirt here, though I don' think I deserve it. I just want to make yeh happy, luv. Please let me do that."

Annabelle nodded simply, allowing Jack to take her upstairs to his room at the inn. And as he kissed her, closing the door behind them, all thoughts of apprehension, fear, and guilt disappeared.