All These Things That They've Done

Author’s
Note: Who’s ready for some fluff?style='mso-tab-count:1'>

“You’re doing beautifully,
dear. I need you to push again.”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> An older gentleman was at the foot of
Loralei’s bed, doing his best to encourage her.

Sweat
poured from the young woman’s brow and tears spilled from her eyes.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “I can’t…I…just can’t…”

Jack dabbed
his wife’s forehead with a wet cloth and kissed her cheek.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Yes ye can, love. Yer a strong woman.”

She
groaned, in obvious pain and discomfort.
“Jack…it hurts,” she cried.

“I won’ say
‘I know’ ‘cause I don’ wan’ slapped, but I will say tha’ ye are more than
capable o’ bringin’ our child into this world.”

“The baby’s
head is out, sweetheart,” the doctor said.
“Once you get past the shoulders, I promise, the pain will lessen
greatly.”

Elizabeth
assisted the doctor, blankets waiting for the arrival of the newest
Sparrow. She looked up at the woman who
had become like a sister to her.
“Loralei, one push and I promise, you’ll feel better.”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> The woman’s eyes were sincere.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Loralei took a deep breath and squeezed
Jack’s hand. She screamed as she
pushed, causing both Will and Jake to jump up from their seats in the next
room. “Wonderful!”

“Good
girl,” Jack said, kissing the top of her head.

Loralei
took several shallow breaths before leaning her head back against the
pillow. “Thank God you weren’t lying,
Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth
smiled. “I’d never do that to a woman
in that much pain.”

“Almost
there,” the doctor said. “Once
more.” Exhausted, Loralei pushed,
longing for the pain to cease once and for all. Instead of screaming, a small yelp passed her lips.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Moments later, the cry of her newborn filled
the room. The doctor smiled at the new
parents as he and Elizabeth wrapped the infant in a white blanket.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Congratulations,” he said, happily.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “You’ve a healthy baby girl.”

Jack beamed.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “I ‘ave a daughter…I’ve got a wee lass!”

Loralei
extended her arms as she was presented with her daughter.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Oh Jack,” she said through her tears,
“she’s gorgeous.”

“Tha’ she
is, love. Takes after ‘er mother.”

Loralei
blushed. “And her father.”

Elizabeth
couldn’t stop smiling. “I know you had
names picked out, so what shall I call this young lady?”

“Jacqueline,”
Loralei said sweetly.

Elizabeth
raised an eyebrow at Jack. “I see you
had absolutely no input on this.”

Jack raised
his hands in mock defense. “Lor
insisted, ‘Lizbeth. Honest!”

“I did,”
Loralei said, without being asked.

“Goodness, things may get a tad
confusing. Jack, Jake, Jaqueline…”

“Would you please get Jake?”
Loralei asked. Elizabeth smiled and
hurried off. Seconds later, Jake and
Will were in the room.

“She’s so
tiny,” Jake commented.

“Well, they
don’ come out all grown up,” Jack laughed.
The most serious look Jake had ever seen then crossed Jack’s face.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Lad, should anything ever happen t’ me –
not tha’ I’m sayin’ it will, but if it did – promise me tha’ ye’ll look after
yer mother and sister.”

Jake let
his gaze travel to the two women in his life.
“Ye didn’ ‘ave t’ bother askin’, Dad.
Ye ‘ave me word.”

The doctor
chimed in, only speaking to Loralei.
“I’ll clean her up, Loralei. I
promise to give her right back.”

Loralei
smiled. “Of course.”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> She looked at her husband.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “We made her, Jack.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> She’s…pieces of us made into an entirely new
person.”

Jack kissed
his wife passionately, not caring what anyone thought of the ‘could be’
spectacle. “Aye, she is, love.”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He pulled his legs up onto the bed so he was
sitting up next to his wife. Loralei
put her head on his shoulder and let her body succumb to the rest it
needed. When the doctor handed him his
baby girl, the pirate cried silent tears.
Will, Elizabeth, and the doctor left the room to give the family their
privacy. Jake smiled at his father,
then gently kissed his baby sister’s forehead – she cooed at him – then he left
as well. Loralei was now fast asleep
leaving Jack ‘alone’ with Jacqueline.
“Yer a lucky little, lass,” he whispered. “Ye ‘ave a mother who will ne’er treat ye as anythin’ less than a
princess, a brother who’s wanted a family fer as long as ‘e can remember, an’ a
father who’s been dreamin’ about ye ‘is whole life…even though ‘e didn’ always
know it. I’ll do me best to ne’er let
ye down, t’ always be ‘ere fer ye, an’ t’ give ye more love than ye’ll ever
need. You’re the most precious treasure
there is, love.”