"People overboard, go get a tow!" Gibbs jested as Lizzy and the kids were about to arrive swimming. The Pearl's first mate along with her true Captain had already switched ships – and were now illustrious guests aboard the infamous Flying Dutchman …
"Elizabeth," Will whispered, coming to a halt right next to Jack.
"You two breathing each other's names won't ever get old, huh …" He immediately earned himself a reproachful glance, but Jack merely raised his hands. "Sure, it's been years of forced Dutch business, mate. Floor's all yours."
"Will!" They already heard Elizabeth shout up to them, her timid excitement tangible.
Jack's twins let Henry and his mother take the tow first, raised by Tara and thus often polite they were, and the surrounding sailors pulled the Turners up in no time.
Jack liked to think he didn't care too much about the whelp's family reunion taking place right next to him. Sure, he was the one making it possible in the first place, but seeing his own kids grin up to him from the water was so much better.
So while William and Elizabeth were eager kissing and hugging as well as introducing each other – Henry had never meet his father so far, and vice versa, it was all a bit whiney – Jack would help his kids climb over the railing, too. They immediately clung to him, and Jack couldn't help ruffling both their dark hair with a smirk.
"Happy Birthday, mateys …"
"You made it!" James beamed. "We thought you wouldn't, but you made it!"
"Still you're late," Tia said in all seriousness, already smoothing her hair down again.
"But not too late," Jack retorted, winking. "Listen up – I've spared no expense and effort at all, but it wasn't exactly easy to seek out the Dutchman and your little best friend's father just for an exclusive private tour aboard, savvy?"
"But that's the best gift of all," she admitted with a sincere nod. "And just look how happy they are," she sighed in awe, pointing at the Turner family.
"Aye, heady tonic." Jack waved it off, whispering, "It's such a slimy ship, that only adds to the atmosphere, doesn't it?"
"The spitting image of their father," they suddenly heard William say, clearly regarding Jack and his twins. Henry was already sitting on his father's shoulders, Elizabeth stood right beside him, and the whelp's pained gaze had completely vanished.
He was truly happy, for a change …
A bit like back in the days, when he could still allow himself to have adventure instead of routine in his veins.
Jack assured him, "Good thing your boy constantly reminds us of you as well."
"Thank you for this, Jack," Elizabeth hummed.
Once again they were all so awfully surprised that he, of all people, had done something slightly altruistic.
Yet he wouldn't accept too much gratefulness from a murderer …
"Did it for the kids."
"You sure did." Elizabeth gave the twins a soft smile as they went on to also great William.
Henry and the two of them had a ton of questions, it was outright absurd, and hence the Captain of the Flying Dutchman proceeded to show them around.
"Part of the ship, part of the crew," Will would say, and tried to explain his duties as well as the curse they came with.
Elizabeth, however, soon noticed how Jack wouldn't even listen. His unusually stern gaze kept wandering along the harbour pier.
"Tara came along, she's waiting – if you're trying to make that out."
A bit taken aback, he looked down on Lizzy. "I was just peacefully taking in the picturesque view. But while we're at it, for form's sake and to correct you: No, she's not. Anymore."
"What? But she came along with us, she –"
"Went off with Jocard, and our dear hero Theo Groves. It's too relieving to know someone's in good hands."
Elizabeth immediately rolled her eyes. "Don't be so bothered, Jack, he just came by to wish the kids a happy birthday and –"
"Did he now?" Jack nodded in mock-astonishment. "How very kind of him!"
"Jack." Elizabeth waited until he'd look at her again. Then she repeated, "Jack! There's no need to be –"
"I'm not. Whatever you're trying to imply I was, I'm very much not that. Not even slightly."
She just shook her head in exasperation and pulled him along so they could follow the tour once more.
After listening to Will for but a couple of heartbeats, he lost interest yet again. Quietly he asked Liz, "Mad, ain't she?"
"I think she was," Elizabeth admitted, "we all thought you were not going to show up. But the fact that you are here now surely made up for it."
"And what exactly did Groves –"
"Jack, she loves you!" Elizabeth hissed. "She's the mother of your children, with one on the way!"
Jack beamed at once. "So she really is with –"
"Yes, she is, all yours and with child, see? And she likely just couldn't stay in the bright sun any longer! So if Groves saw to it that she wouldn't, you actually ought to thank the man!"
"Thank the man, why, of course," Jack mumbled, pitching his voice a bit higher, "thank you, Theo, for caring for the siren that once used to play with you because I happened to be gone –"
"Shhh!" Tia frowned as she glanced over her shoulder. "Papá, I can't concentrate on the Dutchman! Stop being so mean to Theo!"
"Shall I be mean to you instead, huh?"
Her eyes were inviting any challenge. "Do try!"
He couldn't help but chuckle. "That's the spirit, Calypso. Ever barking, just like your mother …"
A young waitress approached their table with Rum and water, and only after Jocard was done admiring excessively just how visibly the Lord had blessed her, he seemed to remember that he was still in company. And said company had already raised a brow …
"What?" Jocard knew exactly what Tara – mother of a daughter, after all – was about to say, so he already added, "Beauty may be marveled at."
"You stared."
"I did not." He tried to sound sure of it himself, though her amused glance made him smirk along in the end. "Well, it wasn't exactly polite, I'll give you that. But this is a shabby tavern in Shipwreck City. Not some dining room in Buckingham Palace."
"What does the location matter? Good manners are welcome everywhere."
"One can tell you're used to raising troublemakers …" He sighed at last. "Well then, you were right – I stared."
"It's so good to hear a man say that," Tara chuckled. "But then again, you're a true Gentleman, after all …"
"That's what they call me, aye." He poured her a glass of water. "Here. Drink up."
"Thank you." Tara hadn't wanted to admit that the heat on the jetty took a toll on her, but upon his farewell, Theo had insisted on her seeking refuge in some shade. And Jocard, quite liking the Navy man, had agreed and vowed to make sure she would indeed do so.
"Better?"
"Much better." Tara nodded after she'd emptied the glass. "I'd almost forgotten how exhausting sharing a body is."
Jocard shrugged. "No envy regarding that experience, no."
"Speaking of which – Tia and Jay loved your gift." Each had gotten their own tool kit to calculate courses.
"Oh, it was nothing!"
"They were thrilled. They'll show everyone and say they got it from you."
"Now they're well-equipped to navigate the seas." She could see his proud smile before he took a sip of Rum. Just when he put the bottle down, he carefully added, "I'm just wondering, does Jack know about your past with Groves?"
"Sparrow? He met him here once, I think you were present."
Jocard winked. "That doesn't quite answer the question."
She sighed, looking up at him. "He knew the second he'd met Theo."
"Understood. See, I think Jack watched how we left with him earlier. Knowing him, it might be that he jumps to conclusions."
"Ah. He certainly will." Like he constantly would years ago. She was so used to apologizing for the littlest things, and yet it wouldn't ever make up for it. He could be so cold when he wanted to. "In case he even finds us in here."
"I told you – who ever is looking for someone in the Cove starts looking here. You were about to faint from the heat, we couldn't let you stay on the jetty."
"I wasn't about to –"
"Yes you were. Drink another glass of water. Here. Come on. Come, come. What a headstrong witch you are."
"See? Now you are right …" So she did. When she took in a deep breath afterwards, she looked right back at Jocard. And even though he was hardly one for conversing about feelings, she just couldn't help it for the moment. "If he's upset and expects me to act as though I was twenty-five and afraid of losing him again, I'll have to disappoint the hell out of his jealous guts."
Jocard gave a lopsided grin. "I believe he knows that by now. Last time he was here, he told me you'd tried to shoot him. Several times."
"Almost daily." She touched her belly, lost in thought. "But that's no option, currently. I'll still need him to get up at night and console his child in my place in a couple of months." She was restless despite these words and got up. "I'll go back to the jetty to look for him, though, I'll just tell him that –"
"Tara, it's going to be fine. Sit down. Relax."
She was still hesitant. "I simply don't have the energy for lengthy arguments."
"You two need to let go of the past. You need to be more. A family. Aye?"
"Aye." She sat down again, but not for long.
Tia and James soon hurried into the tavern, almost knocking the waitress over as she'd been approaching Jocard again.
"Sorry, Ma'am!" James said, already stabilizing her heavy tray as best as his little hands allowed him to. "We didn't mean to –"
"Push me into that fine Gentleman?" she giggled, fluttering her lashes at Jocard.
"No worries, pretty darlin', I could clearly see with my own eyes that it was the boy's fault."
"And never have you been more upset," Tara whispered in amusement.
And indeed it was the beginning of quite the conversation between the Pirate Lord and the beautiful waitress …
"Birthday birdies, you found me!" Tara said and got up, gesturing for them to make way, too, to provide for a bit of privacy for Jocard.
"The Dutchman is the greatest ship!"
"We saw Davy Jones' organ!" James almost yelled. "Papá and I, we even pressed a couple of keys!"
"I also did," Tia giggled. "This is the best birthday ever!"
"I'm glad to hear that," Tara said, "but where's your father?"
"Oh, he's –"
"Close," Jack, out of the blue, whispered into her ear.
Her sudden shock imploded in his embrace and typical scent of sea salt and audacity, and he knew well that he had to hug her tightly to him, since otherwise she'd –
"You promised not to scare me for Hellos!" she hissed. "What good would a heart-attack do your unborn child?"
"We're tough," he claimed, adding with a proud smile, "the five of us."
They were surrounded by people that were fighting and dead drunk in the late afternoon – something that kept the twins entertained next to Jocard and his newfound love interest. Still the world seemed to pause for Tara when he drew her even closer, raising her chin.
Crushing warmth made her lean into a kiss that tasted like the ocean, and the freedom of the seven seas. And when she looked at him again, unsure of what would happen next, he smoothed a hand over her belly, a ready smile spreading across his bronzed features.
"You were right when I left."
"I usually am, as you know …" She said it just like that, but deep down she was oddly relieved. He didn't seem to be in the mood to argue at all. Something she would never take for granted after the years that had shaped her love and hatred for him. And still, old habits were hard to bury, maybe because of that, she now rebuked, "You're tardy."
"I'm a tiny tad late," he said, tilting his head in swift annoyance, there it was … "But I'm so over the constant fighting," he surprised her. "It's their birthday, Tara, can't we just for once –"
"We can." She promised, tired of herself even. "Force of habit. You saw Theo, didn't you? Thought it bothered you, but you didn't mention it, and now here I go, holding a couple of hours against you."
"Good. You're aware. And indeed – I did see him."
She glanced at him, hardly able to believe how calm he was. "What, no cold reproach? No ignoring me so I'm manipulated into repentance?"
"I gave that a thought, but you're already expecting my child," he whispered, much too complacently, "so whatever you do with anyone else is too late anyway."
She closed her eyes to swallow how mad he instantly made her. "I'm about to slap you, Sparrow."
"Save your efforts for later, love, I missed you."
Still somewhat unable to believe him, also out of habit, she actually knew she could. She saw he meant it.
"Promised I'd be here, didn't I?"
"You did."
"Quick Draw got them guns which you've already confiscated. No fun, by the way … Jocard's gift is useful, Teague didn't even bother, unlike our beloved Theodore who was bold enough to come by while I'm still away – but I've organized them the Dutchman. A legend of the sea. Say to that what you will."
She nodded. "I call that bloody good fathering, and I shouldn't have doubted you."
"I usually deserve a bit of doubt, I was about to mention Groves," he admitted, his eyes holding a glint of the past, "and ten years ago, you surely wouldn't have seen me for another three weeks."
She pressed her lips together, still the words escaped her mouth. "You used to be so quick to let me down just to avoid having a thing to lose."
She held his gaze, her guts churning like they would years ago whenever he was that serious.
Unlike back then, however, he now made it dissolve into euphoria when he let his hand rest on her hip, whispering into her ear, "Lost you with that, though, didn't I?"
"También te extrañé."*
"I know." He grinned. "Let's catch the birdies and off we fly?"
The birdies were already sitting on the tavern's counter, where the waitress and Jocard kept conversing about hopes and dreams and so much more.
Tara took Sparrows hand and smiled. "Let's go home."
With a nod he began to lead the way.
* Translations
También te extrañé = I've missed you, too
Dear Kle, thanks a lot for your nice comment :)