"Don't you cry, Tia, it's all going to be alright." James didn't quite believe so himself while mumbling it, yet he tried to console his sister. Patting her back as she sniffed into his shoulder, he whispered time and time again, "It's all going to be alright."

Tara couldn't bear to see them like that, Teague didn't like it too much either, but they had to play along. Ching's henchmen were surely used to spying on people once their Mistress left the room, they all knew English, even if not one had spoken but a word yet.

"He's disappointed me so much," Tia sobbed, "he said he loved her! If he loved her, he wouldn't care about anything else!"

James kept frowning. "Apparently he is a lousy father after all, as he always claims."

Teague relieved his lungs with a heavy sigh and pulled the bottle of wine closer to pour himself a glass. Quite bleak the evening had become. "Anyone up for a drink?" he offered to Ching's men, knowing well Tara could have used a sip or two had she not been with child. "I'm not telling Ching."

Well-trained they were, none of them indulged.

"Well, Gentlemen … One day, you too, will die. And then it won't matter how noble and obedient you've been."

As though Ching had heard that from afar, they suddenly winced at her yelling.

The man that got bitten by Poochie looked up at Teague immediately. "Mistress Ching demands your presence in the Brethren Court."

"Does she now?" Teague raised his brows, yet he emptied his glass in one sip to then get up and straighten himself. He glanced over to Tara, visibly concerned. "Come along, dear, if you –"

"Alone," the henchman corrected. "She wants you to come alone."

"It's fine, Edward," Tara was quick to say. He was the Keeper of the Code, she bet they needed him to confirm whatever they'd come up with. "We'll be right here."

"Aye." He nodded at his dog before turning around for good. "You stay here as well, old boy, will ye?"

And with that, Tara watched him leave. Teague's heavy steps kept echoing for what seemed to be forever. Soon she'd hugged the twins to herself just like she would whenever they'd cried as infants.

The way it felt, being all alone, tired and rather poor with two little kids crying, dreaming, screaming and laughing, was still lingering in her bones. Just like missing Jack while cursing him at the same time …
She'd survived it. Teague was nothing but generous, but Tara had always hated asking anyone for anything. At the time, working for Ching seemed like a perfect way out of that dilemma for a reason.

The Chinese Pirate Lord had been looking for people to help her with her business in the Cove. It wasn't specific about the work, but everyone knew she was looking mostly for women. She trusted them more, as they said. Tara couldn't blame her …

And once they'd met, Ching asked, "Which skills can you offer me?"

"I used to work for a tailor, back on Tortuga."

With no hesitation at all, the blind woman had touched her dress, fingertips all over the stitchings, tracing for the cutting form – and frowning.

Sure, it was a nightmare of a gown. Tara had sown it herself – and she really couldn't sow … Thinking back, it actually was the very rag Sparrow had once complimented. Likely for the reason that it didn't even fit properly – showing a bit too much of everything in unfortunate places when doing certain movements …

"You tell me you worked for a tailor and yet you wear such a poorly made dress?"

They'd said Ching was blind. Tara hadn't expected to be seen another way …

"I didn't make dresses there," she'd tried to explain. "I just sometimes got leftover fabric for private use, and in private I did my best to stitch it together. But that is not the skill I wish to offer, as you can tell I'm not … good at it."

"What did you do, then?"

"Captured his bookings, and kept an overview of his expenses and profit."

"He couldn't do that himself for his small business?"

"He could sow. But he couldn't read, or write. Or calculate a thing."

"So you did that for him … Many years?"

"Yes, Ma'am, ever since I'd turned fourteen."

"And some day, years later, you met Sparrow, and then came his twins? That's why you're here now?"

Tara gulped, nodding – just to realize Ching couldn't know that. "Yes," she quickly said. "But I have no idea where the hell he is, and I'm not looking for him."

"Is he looking for you? Or his children?"

"He … has no idea he has children."

Ching's mouth had twitched, that misery seemed to amuse her.

"Fine then, Tara Sullivan. I'll think about it. But know that you cannot be in contact with another Pirate Lord while you work for me."

"Sure. Makes sense."

"Could you vow it?"

"Vow?" Tara took in a sharp breath, then she felt anger bubbling up. Why shouldn't she vow it. As though Sparrow even remembered her name … "I could. I would."

"Very well then …"

It was. It made Tara's days pass, brought money and left less free time to dwell on her broken heart. Once she'd established her routine, things went smoothly. But getting into something was rarely ever the issue.
Getting out of it was, as she now had to learn the hard way.

The silence with the remaining henchmen in the kitchen got terribly loud.

"I thought we were a family …" James looked up at Tara in more frustration than she'd ever seen on his little face. There was nothing she could say just now, so for lack of better words, she ruffled through his dark, chaotic hair.

And after another eternity, Ching yelled again. They couldn't understand a word, but her henchmen surely did. Without further ado, not even a glance at them, they got up and removed themselves from Teague's realm. Poochie accompanied it all by growling and watching over Tara and the twins, but soon enough, they were gone like ghosts.

"What's happening?" Tia whispered. "What do you think they did for them to leave again?"

"We'll find out in no time." Tara tried to smile for her. "Don't you worry."

And once she heard Teague and Jack coming back from the Court Room cackling, Tara felt a burden removed from her chest already.

The kids, however, were confused to say the least.
How dared their father be in high spirits?

"I'll shoot him!" James shouted. "How can he laugh!" He jumped to his feet, eagerly followed by his sister – Tara couldn't hold either of them back.

They ran right into Jack, and simultaneously throwing accusations and little fists at him actually only resulted in no one truly understanding a thing.

"Shut it!" Jack eventually yelled. "Just catch your breath, will you?" He wasn't one to shout with them, but their uproar needed to find a sudden end – and it did. Just when they looked up at him in glorious defiance and condemnation, however in silence, he crouched down to meet them on their eye level.

"Listen to me. Yes, I should've sent you off earlier. No, I don't think you're a little bilge rat, princesita. Of course you're not – look at you." He smiled at her, then he looked at James. "I've never actually cared about titles, but it was important to make Ching believe that." He turned to Tia. "Never again apologize for being caught, get better at running off. And by the way, no, I've never met a person more sinister than Ching, but geographically I love the shpere she operates in." As Tara approached them, he got up and took the hand she extended, smirking already. "Yet none of that truly matters," he said, "in light of the fact that we got exactly what we wanted. Savvy?"

"I'm … free?" Tara somewhat knew it was over, still she needed to hear it.

"You very much are, darling."

"Teague notarized you're stripped of your title?"

"Aye," they heard Edward confirm. "As Keeper of the Code."

Tara felt guilty instantly. "I know these waters are your home. I'm so sorry, Jack. Really –"

"Bet you'll make it up, now that you're fired and bored." He gave her a rather smug grin, and when James watched his mother laugh at that, he just wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

"So you didn't think your title was more important than Mamá?"

"Of course he didn't," Teague chuckled behind them. "Your father never cared about labels."

"But you said –"

"I know, Jay, but you can never trust what I say." Jack winked. "I'm usually dishonest, savvy? So don't listen to what I say, watch what I do instead, aye?"

"But I couldn't!" James retorted. "You went out with Ching and now I'm supposed to just believe all is well?"

"Well, do you see Ching still around?"

James hesitated for a blink of an eye, then he reluctantly shook his head.

"Is your Mamá alright?"

Now, the boy had to nod.

"So what do you think I did, despite me saying things?"

Jack spread his arms as if to display great victory, and when James exchanged glances with his sister – Tia already smiled involuntarily – he couldn't be too mad anymore either.

"You should've warned us!"

"Next time." Tara promised, pushing both twins closer to their father. "Done pouting? And shouting? Today he doesn't even deserve it, you know?"

"Well, you yourself are never not mad at him, are you," Tia stated, mildly upset still.

"Mostly I am a bit, yeah." Tara shook her head laughing when Jack dramatically rolled his eyes. "But not now."

Tia's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her chest despite approaching Jack to look up at him. "You really called me a bilge rat!"

Jack couldn't take her seriously for the life of him, she absolutely meant it – but it was just a bit too sweet.

"Stop laughing, Papá!"

"I try, believe me …" Jack forced himself to ceremoniously nod for good. "I'm very sorry, alright? But it was somewhat part of the plan you weren't informed of, Calypso. So toughen up a bit, will you?"

"I'll show you tough," she mumbled, still pouting.

"Yeah." James nodded in solidarity with his sister. "Me … too."

Tara really had a hard time not to giggle as well, but she was aware it had all been a bit much for the twins. They'd been scared. So just when she wanted to make sure they felt valid about being confused, Jack was already addressing it. Maybe it was intuition, maybe it was … Whatever. Bloody Sparrow, master of mending broken smiles …

"Now that we're all so very stern and unfazed, I want you to know that I'm really proud of you. We both are. Are we not?"

Tara nodded as quickly as she could when he looked up at her.

"But it was quite intense, wasn't it?" She added, tucking a lock of hair behind Tia's ear. "You were afraid, but you didn't let it on."

"Great performance, that is, impeccable acting," Jack agreed. "Which you clearly got from me, since I was pretty persuasive as well. Even persuaded you, didn't I?"

Tia's lips were trembling, James sniffed by now.

"So much babbling, Jackie," Teague hummed, eventually whistling for the dog to accompany him to the terrace. "Well done, birdies, it was a pleasure …"

"Finally," Jack whispered to the twins with a wink when they heard the guitar from afar again. "Now you can cry in peace without the old man judging you."

"But you just told me to toughen up!" Tia protested, her voice shaky already.

"Sure, but each salty tear is but a homage to the sea, Tia," he whispered, "and the sea tends to flow with the tide, so do feel free to –"

She felt free, and Jack just let her fall into his embrace. Just like James. A bit sparkly his little face got, too, but he tried not to sob like his sister. Or at least he hid it more effectively …

"What would make up for your discomfort, huh?" Jack soon asked. "Shall we go steal from Hazel?"

"Jack!" Tara hissed.

"Or would you rather have a drink down in the harbour? Oh, I know – we might –"

"Look down on the ocean from up on the cliffs?" Tia's eyes were glistening. "We used to sit up there and watch the horizon a lot."

Jack was slightly startled. "You did? Why? Taking in the view?"

"We wanted to see whether Black Sails show up in the distance."

"My black sails?"

The twins nodded, and there was something in the way they looked at him.
Relief. Love.

"We should have trusted you," Tia said under her breath. She didn't really like to admit to mistakes.

"I'm sorry," he said, calm and serious despite feeling the same about apologies, "you had to wait so long for Black Sails to appear."

"So off to the cliffs?" James beamed.

"Aye, let's watch the stars come up!" Tia rejoiced.

"Go ahead, get Pooch – I'll be right there."

Tara felt her heart glow at the sight of them running off in such excitement again. And yet she still had a bone to pick with their father.

Just like he wished to ask her something. But plans first.

"Are you tired? Shall I take them to the cliffs while you unwind –"

"I can sleep when I'm dead, I'll join you." She placed both her hands on his chest to look up at him with notable concern. "But Jack, can we talk about –"

"I also wanted –"

"Go first."

"No." He shook his head. "Ah ah. You tell me."

She sighed. "Jack, the priest –"

"Ew, not the priest," he moaned and screwed up his face.

"Yes, the priest." She shrugged. "Did you really … do it?"

"Do what?" When she didn't answer and kept waiting for him to talk, he eventually whispered, "I only just paid him a visit, and once he warmed up to me, he told me how well he got along with pretty women that'd come to church."

She bit her lip and nodded for him to go on.

"I asked whether he was allowed to get along with women so well, faith wise, and regarding morals and such. You know what he said?" He gave her an incredulous, tired smile. "I don't even believe. His words exactly. I just like the power of the position."

Tara felt sick to her stomach. And the urge to scold Sparrow faded ever so gradually.

"I then refilled his drink for what must've been the tenth time, and I said, those stairs, mate … Pretty steep, ain't that true? And after some theoretical discourse about said steepness, bold as he was, he wished to demonstrate to me that that was nothing at all." He shrugged, staring off into space. "But turns out it was. Split his skull open. Sight to behold."

"You didn't even touch him?"

"I avoid getting my hands dirty as best as I can, love. Figuratively speaking …"

She was quick to nod, unsure whether that should be a relief to her or not. Yet it was. "If you drink," she quietly sighed, tilting her head while examining the collar of his shirt, "then you should actually be able to hold your liquor, I gather?"

"Indeed. And if you try to touch someone you're not supposed to touch, you might want to watch your back." Reluctantly he glanced down on her, his eyes remaining observant. "Mad, though? Will you give me a sermon and demand me to take on proper morals so I accept I can't just go out there and –"

"No, handsome," she whispered over him, her fingertips softly tracing his jaw line, "not today. Today I'll thank you in which ever way you wish to be thanked."

He inclined his head, his skeptical smirk giving her a hard time to concentrate. "And to what else do I owe this incredible gratitude?"

"Also to the fact that you handled Ching so well and the way you just consoled your kids, and also … that shame of a priest. People get what they deserve, aye? Sooner or later. You just … helped it being sooner for him, I guess. You took charge. For me."

"Of course I did." He held her gaze. "So are we done with your questioning? Can we get to the gratitude-part?"

"What about star-gazing and the cliffs?"

"I had something to discuss with you as well, remember?"

Now that he mentioned it, she did indeed.

"Listen, Tara, things are ridiculously good – obviously. In fact, they've never been better, aye?" He knew it was the right timing. Finally. "Yet one detail's missing for me. Lamentably, there's not a sail in sight."

"Plenty are, just look outside." She hesitated but eventually gave in to his irritated glance. "No, sure, I get it."

He took a deep breath and blew out his cheeks, then he began to say, "I feel …"

"Trapped?" she suggested, her face tight with tired understanding.

"Not trapped, love, just a bit … restless."

"Already again …" She nodded, she knew. "I was aware you'd frequently be gone, and that's fine, Jack, just right now, are you sure it –"

"Not now, you crazy witch." He chuckled. "You're surprisingly calm for thinking I'd seriously test the waters for sailing away right before you –"

"Well, I know you."

"Not at all, it seems. Tara, once you gave birth, and you and the kids are all fine, do consider –"

"That you'll sail away for a while?" She nodded, a hint of sadness interwoven in her genuine wish for him to be free. "That's fine, I didn't expect you to stay much longer, just be back by the end of the season and –"

"You don't listen. I want you with me. The birdies as well. Tia and Jay won't stop asking anyway, they can't wait for the Seven Seas. So let me show them –"

"No. Jack!"

"Why no?" He truly waited for a good reason. Any reason. He himself couldn't think of one, after all.

"Teague always said that he didn't even take you sailing when you were a child because it was too dangerous."

"Just fancy words from a man that tried to escape his responsibilities. I, on the other hand, wish to take them along."

She slid her arms around his neck, drawing him close enough to watch him be all serious about it.

"I love you, Sparrow."

"I know."

"And I don't wish to bind you to an anchor, I want you to be happy."

"Flawless attitude, keep that."

"But I also want our children to be safe."

"They grew up in Shipwreck City and were threatened by Ching three minutes ago, yet they survived this and more thus far. Think. A place that doesn't even come with a proper church? I mean, what's your point, given these truths?"

"My point is gone now," she admitted after hard thinking and hesitation, much to his surprise. And her own even. "Fine, we'll think about it. Alright? We'll think it through a bit, you and me, and we'll find a way –"

"You'll love it, Sully." He already beamed with joy. "Our little bilge rats will also love it!"

"I'm certain they would, yeah."

"Keep using the conjunctive for now, if that eases your mind."

"It does. And be aware that all the before mentioned gratitude is now already used up by even considering your bold suggestion."

"I'll change your mind in any way, love."

She rolled her eyes, already following him to meet the twins outside. "Damn you, Sparrow. You usually do."