Unforgivable

Yay!! My reviews have passed the 100 mark!! Thank you all so much...*Hands waffles and rum to everyone* Okay...here's the next chapter for you...hope you like it!!!


Something was wrong.

The warm, heavy weight of a sleeping Elizabeth curled against his side. That was as it should be.

The sun streaming in at the window, stinging his eyes, even through closed lids, with its bright daggers of light

No, it wasn’t that.

The arm squashed between her and the mattress, which seemed strangely detached from the rest of his body.

Uncomfortable, but no. That wasn’t it either.

Carefully he wriggled the arm free, wincing as sensation rushed back in a stinging, prickling flood. It was as he clenched and stretched his fingers, claiming them back for his own, that realisation struck.

“S’not moving!”

“Hmm?”

The bed. No waves, y’see.”

Painfully Elizabeth forced open one eye.

“Bedwaveswha’?”

“The bed. S’not movin’. Knew there was somethin’ not right soon as I woke, but I couldn’t place it at first. Now I have.”

“Good for you,” she mumbled, and buried her face in the pillow.

“Mornin’ luv!”

“Mmm.”

“Sleep well?”

“Shhh!”

“Would that be a no, then?”

Groaning, she heaved herself onto her back.

“That would be a ‘yes, but not for nearly long enough!”

“I did. Slept well, that is.”

“I’m delighted for you. Now shush!”

“Had meself some very divertin’ dreams in fact,” he went on cheerfully.

Sighing, Elizabeth groped for his hand and guided it between her thighs, where the residue of last night’s pleasure had dried to a sticky glaze on her skin.

“Not a dream, Jack.”

“Wasn’t it then? Explains why it were so bloody vivid!” His fingers trailed thoughtfully over her curls. “An’ I seem t’remember promisin’ I wouldn’t. Sorry, luv.”

“It’s alright. You didn’t. I mean, you did – but without me. I woke up and saw you, found I needed it too.”

“Ah. That’s all right then.” He paused to administer a slow, measured kiss an inch below her navel, then raised his head and smirked. “Was I any good, then? Did I acquit meself wiv honours?”

“Don’t you always?” She grinned back. “Even in your sleep, Captain Sparrow, you proved to be an exemplary lover. If a little…eager.”

“Eager, was I? Hmm. Well I did tell ye they were very vivid dreams. Mebbe ye should’ve woken a bit sooner.”

“No, it was fine. You were fine. I promise.”

He rested his head on her belly, the weight of his hair trailing over her like a heavy and rather itchy blanket.

“Fine? Just fine? M’very much inclined t’take ye again right now missy, fer that remark. See if I can do better than fine when m’conscious.”

“Well I’m not stopping you,” she purred, glancing down to see if he was in a suitable condition to carry out his threat.

“Aye, ready and willin’ as always,” he smirked, following her gaze. Then he frowned. “But mebbe we should let this one keep, darlin’? We’ve a midwife t’find and I want away from this place before sundown. Got places t’be, ships t’plunder.”

“But they’ll keep, won’t they? Wouldn’t you rather…”

“Ye know the answer t’that one luv. The real question is what’d you rather do? Sort this business out, once an’ fer all, or lose yerself in here, wiv me? I know yer scared, Lizzie. M’scared too. But we have t’face it. And there might be a way. Much as I’d love t’spend the next few hours rollin’ around this bed wiv you, it won’t change anythin’.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and groaned.

“How is it you can read my mind so well? Am I really so transparent?”

He crawled up the mattress and gathered her into his arms.

“Not really luv. Confuse the hell out o’me, most of the time! But I know what yer feelin’ cos m’feelin’ it too, savvy?”

She snuggled closer, immensely comforted by the warm strength of his embrace.

“We’ll be alright, won’t we? If I can’t give you a child…”

“Course we will. Didn’t want ye just fer that!”

“I know. It’s just that…I want your child, Jack. So badly it hurts.” She smiled sadly. “Strange thing is, I never even knew I wanted it, before. Even with Will…if I thought of it at all, it was somewhere in the distant future. But with you…”

He smiled back, and reached up to trace the curve of her lips with his fingers.

“I know. Funny, isn’t it? It were somethin’ I took pains t’avoid. Wiv you too, in the beginnin’. Whole idea of it scared me t’death!”

“So Mr Gibbs and I gathered!”

“Aye, well. Got me thinkin’ then. After. When I knew ye weren’t – that’s when I started t’realise I wanted ye t’be. Wanted t’see ye waddlin’ round me ship with a great fat belly, knowing it were me who filled it.”

The fingers trailed down the line of her throat, along her collar bone, and settled over her breast.

“Had this picture in me head. You at the helm, standin’ there all proud an’ regal, givin’ suck to our own little pirate.”

“Oh Jack…”

“Want t’see that, Lizzie. But if not – we’ll deal wiv it. Thought I’d die if I couldn’t have you, once. Thought it’d never happen, but it did. M’not gonna push me luck. Already got so much more than I expected.”

Elizabeth gazed into the depths of his nearly-black eyes. The love she felt for this beautiful, enigmatic man rose up like a tidal wave, stealing her voice and threatening to drown her.

With a small, incoherent sound she lunged, smothering his face with desperate kisses, restless hands trying frantically to touch every part of him at once.

Jack remained still for the space of a heartbeat before he met her heartfelt, silent plea.

He drew her hard against him so they touched everywhere, thigh to thigh and stomach to stomach, her breasts squashed flat against his chest and his hardness trapped between their bellies.

Limbs tangling together among the rumpled sheets, he used his body to give her the courage she needed, to seek his own from hers. It was quick and quiet and urgent, and only when she surrendered did he allow himself to follow in a furious, pulsing wave of warmth and wetness.

Afterwards they dressed in companionable silence. Elizabeth could still feel the ghost of his touch on her skin; the heat and taste of his mouth on her own and the tender ache between her legs, slick and heavy with his seed.

“Ready, then?”

He stood at the door, eyes warm and full of tenderness.

“Yes.” She took his outstretched hand and smiled. “Whatever happens, I’m ready.”

Some half an hour later, Jack’s tender expression had become somewhat strained. He pressed himself against the wall of the tiny cottage – making sure to stay within easy reach of the door – one hand hovering over his pistol and the other clamped firmly between his legs.

“Bashful, are ye lad?”

The midwife leered at him, showing several missing teeth, and nudged Elizabeth in the ribs. “Are ye sure this be the right man? Look at him, quivering with fear! You’d think he never had a woman’s eyes on him afore, never mind owt else!”

Elizabeth stared resolutely at the floor, lips pressed tight together to stop herself from laughing.

“I’ll have you know, madam, that women aplenty have laid eyes, hands, lips and…and all manner of other things on me person to the mutual and repeated satisfaction of all concerned parties. I just don’t appreciate been looked over like a bloody prize bull!”

The woman snorted. “Prize bull, is it? Well tis not what yer got but what yer do with it me lad. Ain’t that right, girl?”

“I…erm…yes,” spluttered Elizabeth. “And he er…knows.”

“When ye’ve QUITE finished, ladies…”

“Jack!” She stepped towards him and met his furious glare with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry.” Curling her hand into his, she turned back to the amused midwife.

“Please. I – we - need to know if there’s anything to be done. You told me last night my body wasn’t readying itself to bear a child. Isn’t there any way to change that?”

The woman eyed them speculatively. “Jack, is it? Yer last name wouldn’t be Sparrow, I s’pose?”

“It might be - and if it were then me first would be Captain.”

“Would it then? Well. Mebbe I can help. Fer a price, Captain Sparrow.”

“Name it.”

“Later. Fer now sit ye down. The pair of ye.”

She waved them towards a wooden settle near the fireplace, then turned her attention to the pot hanging over the fire.

They sat, hands tightly clasped, watching in wary silence as she bustled around the tiny room.

“Eat,” the woman ordered finally, thrusting two earthenware bowls at them; then chuckled at their dubious expressions. “Tis rabbit stew, not poison. Eat!”

Elizabeth stared at the bowl in her hands. It’s contents certainly looked safe enough; thick chunks of meat and vegetables swimming in a richly aromatic gravy.

“Eat up,” the woman repeated. “You especially me lass. It’ll help cure what ails ye.”

She blinked in surprise.

“How, exactly?”

“Tis full of what ye need.” The midwife’s gaze flicked to Jack, and she narrowed her eyes accusingly. “Yer girls too skinny, lad. Yer not feedin’ er well enough. How’d ye expect t’put a child in her?”

“Mmph!” he protested, through a mouthful of stew.

“Hardtack an’ salt meat ain’t enough t’keep a young lass like yours healthy, Captain. Not if ye want her t’carry fer you. Needs fresh meat. Fruit. Vegetables. Needs ‘em regular, like. Bring her back in season, jus’ the same as the bitches.”

Elizabeth choked down a mouthful of stew.

“But I’m not an animal! And I eat well enough, Jack can’t be expected to…”

“He can, and he will, if the two of ye want a babe t’take. Need t’get yer courses back, girl. An’ ye need better than ship’s fare fer that.”

Jack shifted uncomfortably.

“And that’s it?” he muttered. “That’s all we have to do? Seems it is my fault, then.”

“In a manner of speakin’, I s’pose…but nay, don’t fret yerself, lad. The blame lies on yer way of life. But it may well be fixed. Get her fed proper, get her body workin’ right again – an’ I see no reason why ye can’t foist a little one on ‘er.”

Her eyes drifted to his crotch and she smirked.

“Yer wench tells me what ye got in yer breeches be up to th’task right enough, Captain Sparrow. She be young and otherwise healthy. Jus’ make sure ye keep spendin’ inside ‘er as often as ye have bin an’ ye’ll manage it fer sure. Unless what yer puttin’ in there ain’t good enough, o’course.”

“S’plenty good enough!” Jack growled, lowering the soup bowl to block her view. “An’ I’ve a fair idea how t’execute me own part in this, thank ye very much. Don’t need no advice on that!”

“Thank you for your help,” Elizabeth put in quickly. “And the stew. It was delicious.”

“Aye, thank ye fer that.” He placed the empty bowl on the floor and rose to his feet. “We’ll take our leave of ye, missus. Seems I’ve got me some extra supplies t’procure.”

The midwife smiled sweetly and placed a proprietary hand on his shoulder. “Yer more than welcome, Captain. Now about me price…”

“It’s not bleedin’ funny!”

Elizabeth caught his arm, struggling to keep up.

“Oh Jack! You should be flattered!”

“Stop bloody laughin’! Else I’ll go get me coin back an’ tell er I’ve changed me mind, I’ll give her the swivin’ she wanted instead!”

“You wouldn’t do that to me.” She chuckled comfortably. “I’m sorry for laughing, Jack, but it IS funny. Your reputation as a lover is so great, women all over the Caribbean want a taste of you!”

A smile crept over his face.

“Well, when ye put it like that…”

“In fact I really think you shouldn’t venture out alone any more. You should employ a large and well-armed man to protect your virtue from all those rampaging females!”

“Aye. But then he’d be wantin’ t’get in me breeches, too!”

“Very probably. I’ll just have to protect you then. Skinny and underfed as I am.”

He stopped walking and turned to face her.

“Yer beautiful, Lizzie. Just as ye are. Don’t be thinkin’ anythin’ different. M’sorry fer not takin’ proper care of ye –”

“Nothing to be sorry for. You weren’t to know, neither of us were. Now that we do, we can set things right. Get me – what was it? Back in season again!”

“Whatever it takes, darlin’. It’ll mean makin’ port more often than I’d like, but we’ll manage. Stock up on what we can, here, an’ make sure ye get plenty of what ye need t’get things up an’ runnin’ again.”

“Make me fat!”

“Make ye strong ‘n’ healthy, luv. THEN I’ll make ye fat. Make ye belly swell up so round ye can’t see yer feet no more, an Mr Gibbs’ll havta hoist ye up out o’me bunk wiv a rope every mornin’!”

“What an inviting prospect! Poor Mr Gibbs. Shouldn’t that be the job of the prospective father?”

“Nope. He’ll be too busy struttin’ round like a peacock, tellin’ all an’ sundry about the gorgeous young lass who’s carryin’ his son.”

Sliding her arms around his waist, Elizabeth leaned in and kissed him, slowly and very thoroughly.

“D’you not think,” he smirked when she pulled away, “Ye should wait ‘til we’re alone afore ye have yer wicked way wiv me? Or mebbe ye think she meant fer us t’rut like the dogs n’ bitches, too, out here in the street?”

“Jack?”

“M’in trouble again, aren’t I?”

She narrowed her eyes.

“I should mebbe shut me mouth now, afore the slappin’ starts - yes?”

Elizabeth gave his cheek a comforting pat.

“My my, Captain Sparrow, there’s hope for you yet,” she grinned. “I do believe you’re actually learning!”