Special Delivery, A PotC Fanfic
Oct. 2nd, 2009 06:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
therumjournalsTitle: A Special Delivery
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
therumjournals
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Rating: PG / Gen
Characters: Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Turner/Captain Will Turner
Word Count: 4,001
Written fordarlas_mom in response to the prompt:: "Pirates of the Caribbean." Jack Sparrow and a very pregnant Elizabeth Turner head out to sea to do whatever they have to so that Will can be around for his son's birth. Comedic gen, please!" at the Fall Fandom Free-for-All
Elizabeth dreamed that she was in Will’s arms. She’d had this dream before and hoped for it every night. She snuggled further into his warm embrace, seeking comfort, wondering how long it would last this time. She inhaled deeply and could smell the sea air, along with another smell. Was that…rum? In the dream, she saw Jack Sparrow approach, holding a bottle in one hand. He raised the bottle up, and brought it crashing down on her head.
“Ow!”
“Sorry, love,” came a whisper.
Elizabeth was awake, and she knew that voice. She also knew the smell of sea and rum that lingered on outside of the dream. “Jack Sparrow!” she whispered loudly. “How did I know you’d be involved?”
“Of course it’s me, love. Who else would do this for you?”
“For me?” Elizabeth was gradually becoming aware of the fact that the pirate was carrying her in his arms as he attempted to maneuver her out of a window. Obviously, he was having limited success, as her still-throbbing head attested.
“If you’ll just hold on a little tighter,” the pirate whispered, “I’ll have you down this trellis in no time.”
“The TRELLIS?” Elizabeth shrieked. Jack winced.
“Easy on the ears, love.”
Elizabeth squeezed her arms tightly around his neck as she caught a glimpse of the ground below them.
“Easy on the neck, too,” Jack gasped.
Elizabeth didn’t ease up until Jack’s feet were safely on the ground. He stood for a moment with his back against the trellis, catching his breath. He caught her glaring at him in the moonlight and gave her a grin. “Much prefer throwing the women over my shoulder when I take them down trellises,” he said, winking. “I was bein’ considerate of your delicate state.”
“I’ll show you a delicate state,” she growled, clenching her fists and aiming punches at his head.
He held her wrists and reached around her waist to pick her up again, then set off down the sloping lawn toward the coast.
“Jack, I am fully capable of walking by myself. And of climbing down trellises, for that matter.”
“I’ve no doubt,” Sparrow said, “yet, this saves me the trouble of persuading you to go along with my plan.”
“I’ll not go along with any of your fool plans, Jack”
“See, my point exactly.”
“Jack?”
“Yes?”
“Where are we going?”
“To the Pearl, of course.”
Elizabeth huffed in frustration. “Don’t play coy with me, Jack Sparrow. Where are going on the Pearl? And don’t say something ridiculous, like ‘the horizon’.”
Jack pouted. “Fine. I was going to keep it a surprise, but apparently you’re not in the mood. We’re going to see your husband.”
“Will?!”
Jack gave her a look. “Is there another husband I should be aware of?”
“Don’t be daft. We’re going to see Will.” Her voice belied a mixture of disbelief and excitement. “But what for?”
Jack gave a pointed and somewhat suspicious look at Elizabeth’s rounded stomach. “How long until…you know.”
“The doctor said it could be any day now.”
“Any day now! And here I thought we’d have a week or two at least! Well, don’t worry love, Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl will get you get you there in time. Wouldn’t want Will to miss the birth of his first child, after all.”
“Jack, I’m not sure I want my first child to be born on a pirate ship,” Elizabeth said hesitantly.
“Why not?” Jack huffed. “I was born on a pirate ship, and look how I turned out!”
“Exactly,” Elizabeth muttered, but settled into Jack’s arms for the rest of the journey to the Pearl, ready for an adventure.
* * *
It was past midnight when they boarded the Pearl, and despite the hum of excitement running through her veins, Elizabeth yawned and looked longingly at the bed in the captain’s quarters. Ever the gentleman (or was it, for once the gentleman?) Jack offered her the bed and swung a hammock for himself in the main room.
“Jack,” Elizabeth asked cheekily, as she climbed into bed. “Should I worry about you climbing into bed with me in the middle of the night?”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Will you be much offended if I don’t?”
“Of course not!”
“Would you be offended if I told you that there is not enough rum in the world to make me climb into bed with a woman of your current situation?”
“Only a little.”
“Then we have an accord,” said Jack, leaning back in his hammock.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth’s voice broke the silence.
“Jack?”
“Yes, Elizabeth?”
“Haven’t you ever been with a pregnant woman before?”
Jack curled his lip. “I most certainly have not. I always make it my imperative to remove myself from the situation long before these things make themselves known. It’d be much more than a slap I’d get for that if I stuck around.”
Elizabeth pushed herself up on her elbows and looked out at Jack’s hammock across the other room.
“Jack, are you saying you have kids?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes, most likely there are a few young whelps running about with my fair likeness. That’s precisely why I’ve stayed away from Singapore for so long.”
Elizabeth pictured a troupe of toddlers swaying around with headscarves and kohl-rimmed eyes. She laughed as she described the image to Jack.
“You think that’s funny?” asked Jack. “You should see the one with scales.”
“What?!” Elizabeth struggled to sit up in shock. “It’s true then…what they say about you and…”
“The mermaid? Yes, of course it’s true. I am, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow.”
“Yes, and that’s precisely why I don’t believe it,” muttered Elizabeth.
Jack was almost asleep when he heard Elizabeth’s voice call quietly again from the bed.
“Jack?”
“Whassamatter?”
“Is it true what they say about mermaids?”
Jack groaned and rolled over. “’don’t know love, but it’s true what they say about pirates who don’t get enough sleep. Now shut up and I’ll answer all of your annoying questions in the morning.”
Elizabeth’s pillow hit his hammock and thumped to the floor. But it was followed by a blissful silence, and Jack was smiling as he drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Elizabeth slept until late morning, waking only when Jack returned to the cabin to look in on her. (“Just makin’ sure you haven’t popped yet, love,” was the way he put it.) Elizabeth was still wearing the nightgown she’d been sleeping in when she was so rudely swept away by the pirate captain. “Jack, I don’t suppose you considered bringing any of my clothes,” she said.
Jack held up a hand. “Ah ha!” He crossed the room and began rummaging in a chest, then turned and proudly threw a pair of trousers toward her. “These should fit perfectly over that round belly of yours. Used to belong to Gibbs!”
Elizabeth held them an arms length away, wrinkling her nose.
“I washed them,” Jack assured her. She looked doubtful. He held up a hand and leaned forward. “With soap.”
She gave them a hesitant sniff, then gestured to Jack to turn around as she pulled them on, followed by a loose shirt that he handed to her.
“Where is Gibbs, anyway?” Elizabeth asked.
“’Lizabeth, Gibbs thinks it’s bad luck to have a woman on board. When I told him that I was bringing you on board in your present condition, let’s just say he started running and didn’t look back.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Well, these do seem to fit, so I suppose it’s for the best.”
She dressed and followed Jack up to the deck, a thrill running through her at the sight of the open sea. She wondered how Jack planned to contact the Flying Dutchman. However it happened, she wanted to be the first to see the magnificent ship when it rose from the deep. She climbed a few feet up the rigging to take a look.
“Elizabeth! Get down from there this instant!”
“But I’m trying to see the Flying Dutchman!”
“Yes, but you see,” Jack said, as he gently tugged her back down, “if you see the Flying Dutchman, the Flying Dutchman’s captain might see you, and then my life would be in great peril.”
Elizabeth gave him a curious look. “Jack? Please tell me Will knows that we’re coming.”
“Of course he does. In a sense.”
“In a sense? In what sense?”
“In the sense that I said wouldn’t it be wonderful if he could be present for the birth of his child and he said yes.”
“But…?”
“But that I wasn’t to do anything dangerous such as bringing you out here on the Pearl,” Jack finished quickly, looking intently at his feet.
“Dangerous? What does he think I am, some wilting flower?”
Jack peered out from under his hat to confirm that she was mad at Will instead of him. “Exactly!” he exclaimed. “That’s what I said. Elizabeth would want it this way, I said to myself!”
“Yes, well, you could have said it to me before you slammed my head against that window frame,” she said, rubbing the back of her head for emphasis.
Jack gave a pained smile and an apologetic bow, then strode over to the port rail. He held onto his hat with one hand and looked down at the sea below. “Oy!” he yelled. He cocked his head to the side as if waiting for a response. Shrugging his shoulders, he crossed to the starboard bow and repeated the pattern. “Oy!” Nothing.
“Why don’t you try ‘Yoohoo’?” asked Elizabeth with a sarcastic smirk.
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with, young lady. Mermaids can be right fickle creatures.”
“Mermaids?!” Elizabeth ran over to the side of the boat and leaned over eagerly. Jack grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
“Careful there, love. Wouldn’t want to be getting too close. Mermaids can be jealous creatures, too.”
As if on cue, there was a disturbance on the surface of the water and a woman appeared. Or at least, what appeared to be a woman appeared, shiny golden hair falling down her back and her beautiful…features laid bare for all the world to see.
“I see you’ve gone and knocked up another one,” the mermaid called to Jack, her beautiful voice contrasting with the crude remark.
“Good morning, Marina,” Jack called back. To Elizabeth he whispered, “Don’t let her fool you. She’s a trickster like the rest of them and keeps the kraken as a pet.”
“I heard that Jack. Didn’t expect to see you back here so soon. Why Caspian’s not old enough yet to be a cabin boy, much less a deviant pirate-in-training!”
“Caspian?” Jack frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to name him Jack? Where is the little guppy anyway?”
“I won’t have you near him, Sparrow. I’ve already told him that his father is a bad influence.”
“I am not!”
“You probably haven’t even brought any rum for him.”
“’Course I have,” said Jack, holding up a bottle.
“I knew it! You’d give rum to a child! You are a bad influence!”
Jack pouted. “See, I told you she’s a trickster,” he said to Elizabeth.
“I like her already,” Elizabeth replied with a smile.
Jack leaned over again. “Well if you won’t let me see my boy – fish – thing, then can you at least do
me a miniscule favor?”
Marina tossed her hair and gave Jack a withering look, which Jack took as permission to proceed. “Can you spread the word that we’re in need of a meeting with the Flying Dutchman? Maybe let the captain know that it is very much worth his while to get here quickly, too,” he added, gesturing with his head towards Elizabeth’s belly.
“Ah,” replied the mermaid. “So that’s Captain Turner’s wench, then?”
“I’m not a wench!” Elizabeth declared. “I’m his wife! And what do you know of Captain Turner, anyway?”
“Not much, I’m afraid,” Marina sighed, shaking her head. “He won’t let any of us near him. Beautiful he is, too. Much better than that Davy Jones, though I was rather partial to the tentacles myself.”
Jack wrinkled his nose, but Elizabeth was glowing with pride.
There was a small splash and a cherubic boy’s figure broke the surface of the water. He shook his dark brown hair and laughed, swimming in a circle around his mother. “Caspian! Didn’t I tell you to stay below?” Marina chided.
Caspian’s eyes grew wide and he pouted. Elizabeth laughed with astonishment. She knew that look, and it was Jack, through and through. Jack himself looked stunned as Caspian reached his chubby arms up out of the water toward Jack and said “Papa!”
Jack clutched the rail for support and took a swig of rum from the bottle he was holding. He choked a little and forced a smile. “Ahoy there little Jack – uh – I mean, Caspian. Pleased to meet you. How’s life…uh…under the sea?” Jack looked around frantically for guidance but got none. He held up the bottle. “Care for some rum?”
“Jack!” exclaimed Elizabeth and Marina in unison.
Caspian tipped his head to the side and blinked at Jack, looking confused.
Elizabeth leaned over the rail. “Caspian, your father loves you very much.”
“I do?” whispered Jack. Elizabeth gave him a look and continued, “and he will be back very soon to spend some time with you and your m-“ Jack kicked her in the shin.
“With you,” Jack said, pressing his hands together. “I’ll be back very soon to spend some time with you, Caspian, but for now we have some very urgent business to attend to, so we’ll just be going to attend to our urgent business now,” he was babbling as he backed away from the rail. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and waved farewell to Marina and Caspian as they slipped out of sight under the surface.
Elizabeth turned back to find Jack sitting on a barrel, chugging rum from the bottle and looking frantic. She pried the bottle gently from his hands. “Jack, everything will be alright.”
“Elizabeth, you will make a wonderful mother,” Jack said, staring off toward the sea.
“Thank you, Jack, and you would make a wonderful father, I’m sure, if you ever had a mind to be.”
“Well!” said Jack, snapping himself out of it. “It is, after all, my duty and responsibility to make sure that young Caspian grows up to be a thoroughly disreputable…er…merpirate. I shall take it upon myself to make sure that he is raised properly! He shall learn to brawl and steal with the best of them. Of course, he’ll be a natural trickster, which will help immensely. And maybe Will can teach him the sword while they’re hanging about undersea! And of course I’ll need to get him a proper hat…” Jack wandered off down the deck, expounding on his pirate-raising strategies, as Elizabeth shook her head in amusement. She rubbed her stomach and vowed to keep her child far, far away from Jack Sparrow.
* * *
News traveled fast under the water, so it wasn’t long before Elizabeth heard a loud splash and ran to the starboard bow to watch the Flying Dutchman rise magnificently into the open air. No longer a dark and sickening mass of seaweed and rot, the ship was beautiful, polished wood and gold dripping and shining in the late afternoon sun. Captain Turner looked just as beautiful as his ship, his muscles flexing as he leapt onto the rail to greet the Pearl. He waved to Jack then stopped abruptly, staring, when he saw Elizabeth. “Elizabeth!” he cried, his face lighting up, then darkening as growled “Jack…”
“Will, don’t be angry at Jack,” Elizabeth called across the water. “He only had the best intentions for both of us. Come over here to me!”
Will swung over, landing neatly on the deck of the Pearl, and he pulled Elizabeth into a long embrace, placing soft kisses on her forehead, cheeks, and lips. He knelt down and placed his hands and forehead on her belly. “I can’t believe it! How soon?” he asked, looking up at her.
A flash of pain surged through her and she clutched her stomach with both hands. “Not long now, I think,” she said, smiling through the pain and breathing deeply. Will looked concerned and took her by the arm.
“Come, we must get you to the Dutchman.”
“The Dutchman?”
“Aye. My quarters are beautiful. I would have you have our baby there, not here aboard a pirate ship.”
“But Will, it’s the Black Pearl! I’m sure everything would be fine!” Elizabeth said nervously, suddenly loath to leave the familiar setting of the Black Pearl.
Jack approached them warily. Elizabeth looked at him to plead her case. “Jack, tell Will I don’t need to go to the Dutchman, and that it will be perfectly safe to have my baby here aboard the Pearl. Your quarters are quite clean, surprisingly enough.”
Jack reared back with a concerned look on his face, and curled his lip in disgust. “A baby? On my ship? Actually, I quite think the Dutchman would be much more comfortable for you, my dear,” he said, turning away and mumbling something about “dealing with the mess.”
“Fine, if that’s how you want to be,” Elizabeth said, turning up her nose. “And here I thought you were finally coming ‘round to an understanding about being a father.”
“A father?!” exclaimed Will.
“That’s one thing,” said Jack, “but you’ll notice that I skipped the whole bloody - literally – bein’ born part, and went right to the part where they’re cute and can wave to you.”
Elizabeth clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut as she experienced another wave of pain. This time, Jack and Will both looked concerned. Jack held out the bottle of rum. “Have a sip, love, it will do wonders for the pain.”
Elizabeth looked dubiously at the proffered bottle. “I’m afraid that might not be good for the baby, Jack.”
“Nonsense! My mother drank rum for nine months while I was gesticulatin’…er…gestatin’, and look how I turned out!”
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other, then back at Jack, and together said “Exactly.”
Jack frowned. “Fine,” he pouted, “More for me then,” and took a swig.
They lowered a boat into the water to make the crossing to the Flying Dutchman, then lowered Elizabeth into it. She groaned in pain as she took her seat. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” Will asked. She nodded, biting her lip. “Come then, let’s get you someplace a bit more comfortable.” He took the oars and pulled, as Jack fell into the boat with a thump. He looked up at them.
“What? You didn’t think I wasn’t coming with you?” Will looked at him skeptically. “Well, I can at least hold her hand and wipe her forehead while you do all the dirty work, mate,” Jack said cheerfully. Will shook his head and gave another pull on the oars. Elizabeth screamed in pain.
“Will,” she said breathlessly, “Will, I think the baby’s coming!”
“What?! Quick, Jack, take the oars!” They switched places, and Will helped Elizabeth maneuver into the bottom of the small boat to get more comfortable, and pulled her trousers off. “Jack, don’t look,” Will commanded.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, mate,” said Jack, looking anywhere but in their direction.
Elizabeth gritted her teeth, looking around desperately for anything that would help the pain. She grabbed Jack’s rum bottle from the bottom of the boat, pulled the cork out, and took a huge swig, wiping her mouth on her arm afterwards.
“That’s the spirit, love!” shouted Jack, looking hastily away as Will glared at him.
“Will,” gasped Elizabeth. “What are we going to do? The baby’s coming now! I can’t have my baby in a rowboat!”
“I’m afraid we have no choice,” said Will. “Jack, give me your hat.”
Jack shook his head wildly.
“Please Jack, we need something to catch the baby in.”
Jack clutched his hat to his head. Will leaned forward and pried his fingers off, taking hold of the hat.
“This will have to do.”
“Fine,” Jack snapped. “But I expect you to name that baby Jack!”
Elizabeth gave a final shriek of pain that caused Jack to close his eyes and swear never, ever, ever to engage in any practice that could lead to this particular outcome. By the time he opened them, Will and Elizabeth were gazing in awe at a squirming baby that they held between them, fitting perfectly into Jack’s worn leather hat.
“It’s a boy,” breathed Will in amazement.
Jack clapped his hands. “Baby Jack!” he said delightedly. The baby screwed up its eyes and burst into a high pitched wailing.
“Sorry Jack,” said Elizabeth. “I don’t think he likes the name. I think we’ll name him…William.” The baby broke off his wail and took a few choking breaths, then settled down, flailing its tiny arms around. Will gazed at Elizabeth, love and wonder written on his face. Jack thought he might be sick.
Will looked at Jack. “How about, William Jack Turner,” he suggested with a smile.
“Well, I’d prefer William Captain Jack Sparrow Turner,” said Jack, “but I suppose that will have to do.” He couldn’t hide the sparkle of pride in his eyes as he rowed them the rest of the way to the Flying Dutchman.
Jack helped get the Turners get settled in Will’s quarters aboard the Dutchman. There was an air of sadness as Will told them that he would have to return to his duties the next day.
“I shall return Elizabeth safely to Port Royal,” Jack promised, “and then I’m bound for Singapore.”
“Singapore?” Will asked.
“Aye, Singapore. I may have a son of 7 or 8 there, and it’s high time I began his pirate trainin’.”
“And what if you have a daughter instead?” asked Elizabeth.
Jack frowned, twirling his beard in thought, and then smiled. “Then I suppose I shall train her to take over your position as Pirate King, of course!”
Elizabeth beamed. “Jack, would you like to hold the baby? You’ll have to put the rum down, of course.”
Jack looked a bit terrified, but whether it was at the thought of holding the baby or at the thought of putting down the rum they couldn’t be sure. Nevertheless, he slowly set the bottle down and held out his arms.
Elizabeth placed the baby gently into Jack’s arms, saying “William, this is your Uncle Jack”.
“Captain Uncle Jack,” he corrected, tickling the baby’s chin. “Welcome to the world, little one. ‘Tis a cruel and rather confusing place, but you’ve got pirate blood in ye, so I think you’ll do just fine.” He leaned close, adding in a mock whisper, “Just keep your mother away from the rum.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and held out her arms. For a moment Jack looked as though he didn’t want to let go of the babe, but then he relinquished little William into his mother’s waiting arms.
“Jack,” Will approached him, looking serious. “Jack, since I won’t be there…will you…will you look in on them…when you can, I mean?” His voice caught. Jack took him firmly by the shoulders and looked into his eyes.
“Will, you will know your son. I promise you.” He turned to Elizabeth, “After I return from Singapore, the Pearl is at your service, whenever you would like to pay Captain Turner here a visit. Although,” he mused, “I may want to stop by Portugal for a bit…I’m pretty sure I’ve got twins there.” Elizabeth and Will shook their heads as Jack turned to go. “Now, Turners, I must bid you adieu, and I will return in the morning for Elizabeth and the babe.”
“Goodnight, Jack,” Will and Elizabeth said together.
Jack walked out the door, then turned and popped his head back in.
“Would little William like a bedtime story? My mother used to tell the most delightful one about a drunk Irishman, a tavern wench, and a donkey…”
“Goodnight Jack!”
The End
Author:
therumjournalsFandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Rating: PG / Gen
Characters: Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Turner/Captain Will Turner
Word Count: 4,001
Written for
darlas_mom in response to the prompt:: "Pirates of the Caribbean." Jack Sparrow and a very pregnant Elizabeth Turner head out to sea to do whatever they have to so that Will can be around for his son's birth. Comedic gen, please!" at the Fall Fandom Free-for-AllElizabeth dreamed that she was in Will’s arms. She’d had this dream before and hoped for it every night. She snuggled further into his warm embrace, seeking comfort, wondering how long it would last this time. She inhaled deeply and could smell the sea air, along with another smell. Was that…rum? In the dream, she saw Jack Sparrow approach, holding a bottle in one hand. He raised the bottle up, and brought it crashing down on her head.
“Ow!”
“Sorry, love,” came a whisper.
Elizabeth was awake, and she knew that voice. She also knew the smell of sea and rum that lingered on outside of the dream. “Jack Sparrow!” she whispered loudly. “How did I know you’d be involved?”
“Of course it’s me, love. Who else would do this for you?”
“For me?” Elizabeth was gradually becoming aware of the fact that the pirate was carrying her in his arms as he attempted to maneuver her out of a window. Obviously, he was having limited success, as her still-throbbing head attested.
“If you’ll just hold on a little tighter,” the pirate whispered, “I’ll have you down this trellis in no time.”
“The TRELLIS?” Elizabeth shrieked. Jack winced.
“Easy on the ears, love.”
Elizabeth squeezed her arms tightly around his neck as she caught a glimpse of the ground below them.
“Easy on the neck, too,” Jack gasped.
Elizabeth didn’t ease up until Jack’s feet were safely on the ground. He stood for a moment with his back against the trellis, catching his breath. He caught her glaring at him in the moonlight and gave her a grin. “Much prefer throwing the women over my shoulder when I take them down trellises,” he said, winking. “I was bein’ considerate of your delicate state.”
“I’ll show you a delicate state,” she growled, clenching her fists and aiming punches at his head.
He held her wrists and reached around her waist to pick her up again, then set off down the sloping lawn toward the coast.
“Jack, I am fully capable of walking by myself. And of climbing down trellises, for that matter.”
“I’ve no doubt,” Sparrow said, “yet, this saves me the trouble of persuading you to go along with my plan.”
“I’ll not go along with any of your fool plans, Jack”
“See, my point exactly.”
“Jack?”
“Yes?”
“Where are we going?”
“To the Pearl, of course.”
Elizabeth huffed in frustration. “Don’t play coy with me, Jack Sparrow. Where are going on the Pearl? And don’t say something ridiculous, like ‘the horizon’.”
Jack pouted. “Fine. I was going to keep it a surprise, but apparently you’re not in the mood. We’re going to see your husband.”
“Will?!”
Jack gave her a look. “Is there another husband I should be aware of?”
“Don’t be daft. We’re going to see Will.” Her voice belied a mixture of disbelief and excitement. “But what for?”
Jack gave a pointed and somewhat suspicious look at Elizabeth’s rounded stomach. “How long until…you know.”
“The doctor said it could be any day now.”
“Any day now! And here I thought we’d have a week or two at least! Well, don’t worry love, Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl will get you get you there in time. Wouldn’t want Will to miss the birth of his first child, after all.”
“Jack, I’m not sure I want my first child to be born on a pirate ship,” Elizabeth said hesitantly.
“Why not?” Jack huffed. “I was born on a pirate ship, and look how I turned out!”
“Exactly,” Elizabeth muttered, but settled into Jack’s arms for the rest of the journey to the Pearl, ready for an adventure.
* * *
It was past midnight when they boarded the Pearl, and despite the hum of excitement running through her veins, Elizabeth yawned and looked longingly at the bed in the captain’s quarters. Ever the gentleman (or was it, for once the gentleman?) Jack offered her the bed and swung a hammock for himself in the main room.
“Jack,” Elizabeth asked cheekily, as she climbed into bed. “Should I worry about you climbing into bed with me in the middle of the night?”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Will you be much offended if I don’t?”
“Of course not!”
“Would you be offended if I told you that there is not enough rum in the world to make me climb into bed with a woman of your current situation?”
“Only a little.”
“Then we have an accord,” said Jack, leaning back in his hammock.
A few minutes later, Elizabeth’s voice broke the silence.
“Jack?”
“Yes, Elizabeth?”
“Haven’t you ever been with a pregnant woman before?”
Jack curled his lip. “I most certainly have not. I always make it my imperative to remove myself from the situation long before these things make themselves known. It’d be much more than a slap I’d get for that if I stuck around.”
Elizabeth pushed herself up on her elbows and looked out at Jack’s hammock across the other room.
“Jack, are you saying you have kids?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes, most likely there are a few young whelps running about with my fair likeness. That’s precisely why I’ve stayed away from Singapore for so long.”
Elizabeth pictured a troupe of toddlers swaying around with headscarves and kohl-rimmed eyes. She laughed as she described the image to Jack.
“You think that’s funny?” asked Jack. “You should see the one with scales.”
“What?!” Elizabeth struggled to sit up in shock. “It’s true then…what they say about you and…”
“The mermaid? Yes, of course it’s true. I am, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow.”
“Yes, and that’s precisely why I don’t believe it,” muttered Elizabeth.
Jack was almost asleep when he heard Elizabeth’s voice call quietly again from the bed.
“Jack?”
“Whassamatter?”
“Is it true what they say about mermaids?”
Jack groaned and rolled over. “’don’t know love, but it’s true what they say about pirates who don’t get enough sleep. Now shut up and I’ll answer all of your annoying questions in the morning.”
Elizabeth’s pillow hit his hammock and thumped to the floor. But it was followed by a blissful silence, and Jack was smiling as he drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Elizabeth slept until late morning, waking only when Jack returned to the cabin to look in on her. (“Just makin’ sure you haven’t popped yet, love,” was the way he put it.) Elizabeth was still wearing the nightgown she’d been sleeping in when she was so rudely swept away by the pirate captain. “Jack, I don’t suppose you considered bringing any of my clothes,” she said.
Jack held up a hand. “Ah ha!” He crossed the room and began rummaging in a chest, then turned and proudly threw a pair of trousers toward her. “These should fit perfectly over that round belly of yours. Used to belong to Gibbs!”
Elizabeth held them an arms length away, wrinkling her nose.
“I washed them,” Jack assured her. She looked doubtful. He held up a hand and leaned forward. “With soap.”
She gave them a hesitant sniff, then gestured to Jack to turn around as she pulled them on, followed by a loose shirt that he handed to her.
“Where is Gibbs, anyway?” Elizabeth asked.
“’Lizabeth, Gibbs thinks it’s bad luck to have a woman on board. When I told him that I was bringing you on board in your present condition, let’s just say he started running and didn’t look back.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Well, these do seem to fit, so I suppose it’s for the best.”
She dressed and followed Jack up to the deck, a thrill running through her at the sight of the open sea. She wondered how Jack planned to contact the Flying Dutchman. However it happened, she wanted to be the first to see the magnificent ship when it rose from the deep. She climbed a few feet up the rigging to take a look.
“Elizabeth! Get down from there this instant!”
“But I’m trying to see the Flying Dutchman!”
“Yes, but you see,” Jack said, as he gently tugged her back down, “if you see the Flying Dutchman, the Flying Dutchman’s captain might see you, and then my life would be in great peril.”
Elizabeth gave him a curious look. “Jack? Please tell me Will knows that we’re coming.”
“Of course he does. In a sense.”
“In a sense? In what sense?”
“In the sense that I said wouldn’t it be wonderful if he could be present for the birth of his child and he said yes.”
“But…?”
“But that I wasn’t to do anything dangerous such as bringing you out here on the Pearl,” Jack finished quickly, looking intently at his feet.
“Dangerous? What does he think I am, some wilting flower?”
Jack peered out from under his hat to confirm that she was mad at Will instead of him. “Exactly!” he exclaimed. “That’s what I said. Elizabeth would want it this way, I said to myself!”
“Yes, well, you could have said it to me before you slammed my head against that window frame,” she said, rubbing the back of her head for emphasis.
Jack gave a pained smile and an apologetic bow, then strode over to the port rail. He held onto his hat with one hand and looked down at the sea below. “Oy!” he yelled. He cocked his head to the side as if waiting for a response. Shrugging his shoulders, he crossed to the starboard bow and repeated the pattern. “Oy!” Nothing.
“Why don’t you try ‘Yoohoo’?” asked Elizabeth with a sarcastic smirk.
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with, young lady. Mermaids can be right fickle creatures.”
“Mermaids?!” Elizabeth ran over to the side of the boat and leaned over eagerly. Jack grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
“Careful there, love. Wouldn’t want to be getting too close. Mermaids can be jealous creatures, too.”
As if on cue, there was a disturbance on the surface of the water and a woman appeared. Or at least, what appeared to be a woman appeared, shiny golden hair falling down her back and her beautiful…features laid bare for all the world to see.
“I see you’ve gone and knocked up another one,” the mermaid called to Jack, her beautiful voice contrasting with the crude remark.
“Good morning, Marina,” Jack called back. To Elizabeth he whispered, “Don’t let her fool you. She’s a trickster like the rest of them and keeps the kraken as a pet.”
“I heard that Jack. Didn’t expect to see you back here so soon. Why Caspian’s not old enough yet to be a cabin boy, much less a deviant pirate-in-training!”
“Caspian?” Jack frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to name him Jack? Where is the little guppy anyway?”
“I won’t have you near him, Sparrow. I’ve already told him that his father is a bad influence.”
“I am not!”
“You probably haven’t even brought any rum for him.”
“’Course I have,” said Jack, holding up a bottle.
“I knew it! You’d give rum to a child! You are a bad influence!”
Jack pouted. “See, I told you she’s a trickster,” he said to Elizabeth.
“I like her already,” Elizabeth replied with a smile.
Jack leaned over again. “Well if you won’t let me see my boy – fish – thing, then can you at least do
me a miniscule favor?”
Marina tossed her hair and gave Jack a withering look, which Jack took as permission to proceed. “Can you spread the word that we’re in need of a meeting with the Flying Dutchman? Maybe let the captain know that it is very much worth his while to get here quickly, too,” he added, gesturing with his head towards Elizabeth’s belly.
“Ah,” replied the mermaid. “So that’s Captain Turner’s wench, then?”
“I’m not a wench!” Elizabeth declared. “I’m his wife! And what do you know of Captain Turner, anyway?”
“Not much, I’m afraid,” Marina sighed, shaking her head. “He won’t let any of us near him. Beautiful he is, too. Much better than that Davy Jones, though I was rather partial to the tentacles myself.”
Jack wrinkled his nose, but Elizabeth was glowing with pride.
There was a small splash and a cherubic boy’s figure broke the surface of the water. He shook his dark brown hair and laughed, swimming in a circle around his mother. “Caspian! Didn’t I tell you to stay below?” Marina chided.
Caspian’s eyes grew wide and he pouted. Elizabeth laughed with astonishment. She knew that look, and it was Jack, through and through. Jack himself looked stunned as Caspian reached his chubby arms up out of the water toward Jack and said “Papa!”
Jack clutched the rail for support and took a swig of rum from the bottle he was holding. He choked a little and forced a smile. “Ahoy there little Jack – uh – I mean, Caspian. Pleased to meet you. How’s life…uh…under the sea?” Jack looked around frantically for guidance but got none. He held up the bottle. “Care for some rum?”
“Jack!” exclaimed Elizabeth and Marina in unison.
Caspian tipped his head to the side and blinked at Jack, looking confused.
Elizabeth leaned over the rail. “Caspian, your father loves you very much.”
“I do?” whispered Jack. Elizabeth gave him a look and continued, “and he will be back very soon to spend some time with you and your m-“ Jack kicked her in the shin.
“With you,” Jack said, pressing his hands together. “I’ll be back very soon to spend some time with you, Caspian, but for now we have some very urgent business to attend to, so we’ll just be going to attend to our urgent business now,” he was babbling as he backed away from the rail. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and waved farewell to Marina and Caspian as they slipped out of sight under the surface.
Elizabeth turned back to find Jack sitting on a barrel, chugging rum from the bottle and looking frantic. She pried the bottle gently from his hands. “Jack, everything will be alright.”
“Elizabeth, you will make a wonderful mother,” Jack said, staring off toward the sea.
“Thank you, Jack, and you would make a wonderful father, I’m sure, if you ever had a mind to be.”
“Well!” said Jack, snapping himself out of it. “It is, after all, my duty and responsibility to make sure that young Caspian grows up to be a thoroughly disreputable…er…merpirate. I shall take it upon myself to make sure that he is raised properly! He shall learn to brawl and steal with the best of them. Of course, he’ll be a natural trickster, which will help immensely. And maybe Will can teach him the sword while they’re hanging about undersea! And of course I’ll need to get him a proper hat…” Jack wandered off down the deck, expounding on his pirate-raising strategies, as Elizabeth shook her head in amusement. She rubbed her stomach and vowed to keep her child far, far away from Jack Sparrow.
* * *
News traveled fast under the water, so it wasn’t long before Elizabeth heard a loud splash and ran to the starboard bow to watch the Flying Dutchman rise magnificently into the open air. No longer a dark and sickening mass of seaweed and rot, the ship was beautiful, polished wood and gold dripping and shining in the late afternoon sun. Captain Turner looked just as beautiful as his ship, his muscles flexing as he leapt onto the rail to greet the Pearl. He waved to Jack then stopped abruptly, staring, when he saw Elizabeth. “Elizabeth!” he cried, his face lighting up, then darkening as growled “Jack…”
“Will, don’t be angry at Jack,” Elizabeth called across the water. “He only had the best intentions for both of us. Come over here to me!”
Will swung over, landing neatly on the deck of the Pearl, and he pulled Elizabeth into a long embrace, placing soft kisses on her forehead, cheeks, and lips. He knelt down and placed his hands and forehead on her belly. “I can’t believe it! How soon?” he asked, looking up at her.
A flash of pain surged through her and she clutched her stomach with both hands. “Not long now, I think,” she said, smiling through the pain and breathing deeply. Will looked concerned and took her by the arm.
“Come, we must get you to the Dutchman.”
“The Dutchman?”
“Aye. My quarters are beautiful. I would have you have our baby there, not here aboard a pirate ship.”
“But Will, it’s the Black Pearl! I’m sure everything would be fine!” Elizabeth said nervously, suddenly loath to leave the familiar setting of the Black Pearl.
Jack approached them warily. Elizabeth looked at him to plead her case. “Jack, tell Will I don’t need to go to the Dutchman, and that it will be perfectly safe to have my baby here aboard the Pearl. Your quarters are quite clean, surprisingly enough.”
Jack reared back with a concerned look on his face, and curled his lip in disgust. “A baby? On my ship? Actually, I quite think the Dutchman would be much more comfortable for you, my dear,” he said, turning away and mumbling something about “dealing with the mess.”
“Fine, if that’s how you want to be,” Elizabeth said, turning up her nose. “And here I thought you were finally coming ‘round to an understanding about being a father.”
“A father?!” exclaimed Will.
“That’s one thing,” said Jack, “but you’ll notice that I skipped the whole bloody - literally – bein’ born part, and went right to the part where they’re cute and can wave to you.”
Elizabeth clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut as she experienced another wave of pain. This time, Jack and Will both looked concerned. Jack held out the bottle of rum. “Have a sip, love, it will do wonders for the pain.”
Elizabeth looked dubiously at the proffered bottle. “I’m afraid that might not be good for the baby, Jack.”
“Nonsense! My mother drank rum for nine months while I was gesticulatin’…er…gestatin’, and look how I turned out!”
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other, then back at Jack, and together said “Exactly.”
Jack frowned. “Fine,” he pouted, “More for me then,” and took a swig.
They lowered a boat into the water to make the crossing to the Flying Dutchman, then lowered Elizabeth into it. She groaned in pain as she took her seat. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?” Will asked. She nodded, biting her lip. “Come then, let’s get you someplace a bit more comfortable.” He took the oars and pulled, as Jack fell into the boat with a thump. He looked up at them.
“What? You didn’t think I wasn’t coming with you?” Will looked at him skeptically. “Well, I can at least hold her hand and wipe her forehead while you do all the dirty work, mate,” Jack said cheerfully. Will shook his head and gave another pull on the oars. Elizabeth screamed in pain.
“Will,” she said breathlessly, “Will, I think the baby’s coming!”
“What?! Quick, Jack, take the oars!” They switched places, and Will helped Elizabeth maneuver into the bottom of the small boat to get more comfortable, and pulled her trousers off. “Jack, don’t look,” Will commanded.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, mate,” said Jack, looking anywhere but in their direction.
Elizabeth gritted her teeth, looking around desperately for anything that would help the pain. She grabbed Jack’s rum bottle from the bottom of the boat, pulled the cork out, and took a huge swig, wiping her mouth on her arm afterwards.
“That’s the spirit, love!” shouted Jack, looking hastily away as Will glared at him.
“Will,” gasped Elizabeth. “What are we going to do? The baby’s coming now! I can’t have my baby in a rowboat!”
“I’m afraid we have no choice,” said Will. “Jack, give me your hat.”
Jack shook his head wildly.
“Please Jack, we need something to catch the baby in.”
Jack clutched his hat to his head. Will leaned forward and pried his fingers off, taking hold of the hat.
“This will have to do.”
“Fine,” Jack snapped. “But I expect you to name that baby Jack!”
Elizabeth gave a final shriek of pain that caused Jack to close his eyes and swear never, ever, ever to engage in any practice that could lead to this particular outcome. By the time he opened them, Will and Elizabeth were gazing in awe at a squirming baby that they held between them, fitting perfectly into Jack’s worn leather hat.
“It’s a boy,” breathed Will in amazement.
Jack clapped his hands. “Baby Jack!” he said delightedly. The baby screwed up its eyes and burst into a high pitched wailing.
“Sorry Jack,” said Elizabeth. “I don’t think he likes the name. I think we’ll name him…William.” The baby broke off his wail and took a few choking breaths, then settled down, flailing its tiny arms around. Will gazed at Elizabeth, love and wonder written on his face. Jack thought he might be sick.
Will looked at Jack. “How about, William Jack Turner,” he suggested with a smile.
“Well, I’d prefer William Captain Jack Sparrow Turner,” said Jack, “but I suppose that will have to do.” He couldn’t hide the sparkle of pride in his eyes as he rowed them the rest of the way to the Flying Dutchman.
Jack helped get the Turners get settled in Will’s quarters aboard the Dutchman. There was an air of sadness as Will told them that he would have to return to his duties the next day.
“I shall return Elizabeth safely to Port Royal,” Jack promised, “and then I’m bound for Singapore.”
“Singapore?” Will asked.
“Aye, Singapore. I may have a son of 7 or 8 there, and it’s high time I began his pirate trainin’.”
“And what if you have a daughter instead?” asked Elizabeth.
Jack frowned, twirling his beard in thought, and then smiled. “Then I suppose I shall train her to take over your position as Pirate King, of course!”
Elizabeth beamed. “Jack, would you like to hold the baby? You’ll have to put the rum down, of course.”
Jack looked a bit terrified, but whether it was at the thought of holding the baby or at the thought of putting down the rum they couldn’t be sure. Nevertheless, he slowly set the bottle down and held out his arms.
Elizabeth placed the baby gently into Jack’s arms, saying “William, this is your Uncle Jack”.
“Captain Uncle Jack,” he corrected, tickling the baby’s chin. “Welcome to the world, little one. ‘Tis a cruel and rather confusing place, but you’ve got pirate blood in ye, so I think you’ll do just fine.” He leaned close, adding in a mock whisper, “Just keep your mother away from the rum.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and held out her arms. For a moment Jack looked as though he didn’t want to let go of the babe, but then he relinquished little William into his mother’s waiting arms.
“Jack,” Will approached him, looking serious. “Jack, since I won’t be there…will you…will you look in on them…when you can, I mean?” His voice caught. Jack took him firmly by the shoulders and looked into his eyes.
“Will, you will know your son. I promise you.” He turned to Elizabeth, “After I return from Singapore, the Pearl is at your service, whenever you would like to pay Captain Turner here a visit. Although,” he mused, “I may want to stop by Portugal for a bit…I’m pretty sure I’ve got twins there.” Elizabeth and Will shook their heads as Jack turned to go. “Now, Turners, I must bid you adieu, and I will return in the morning for Elizabeth and the babe.”
“Goodnight, Jack,” Will and Elizabeth said together.
Jack walked out the door, then turned and popped his head back in.
“Would little William like a bedtime story? My mother used to tell the most delightful one about a drunk Irishman, a tavern wench, and a donkey…”
“Goodnight Jack!”
The End
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Date: 2009-10-03 01:30 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-10-03 08:17 am (UTC)I'm gonna link this off my LJ. Thanks so much!
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Date: 2009-10-03 03:33 pm (UTC)