All These Things That They've Done

style='mso-tab-count:1'> A week later found Jake in Port
Royal. He hadn’t sailed there himself;
Babette was at the helm for that duration.
Jake hadn’t left his cabin once since losing Nicolette and Babette just
wanted to make it somewhere where an attack wasn’t a possibility. As an added
bonus, it had become rather easy to sneak around under Commodore Norrington’s
nose.

style='mso-tab-count:1'> Minutes after docking, Jake had
decided that his only alternative to mourning, was drinking, which he knew,
eventually, would lead to even more mourning, but he needed to get off the ship
– the place that had once held so much for him. He walked into the first tavern he found and ordered a stein of
rum…and didn’t stop. He could barely
see straight when a familiar voice filled his ears.

style='mso-tab-count:1'> “Captain Delmone?”

style='mso-tab-count:1'> Jake turned, almost falling off of
his chair. “Aye?”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He looked up into the fuzzy face before him,
squinting to try and clear his sight.

style='mso-tab-count:1'> “My God, are you all right?”

style='color:black'> “…Loralei?”
he asked. Sure enough, Loralei Sparrow
stood next to him, her expression worried.
“Ye look…different?”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “Well,
perhaps I’m moving around, as I’m sure the rest of the room is.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I really think you’ve had plenty here.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Have you eaten or…”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “Nic’s
dead,” he said, his voice flat.

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> Loralei’s
hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, no…”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> She put her arms around him, feeling a
motherly instinct wash over her.
“You’re coming with me, all right?
No arguing.”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “I can’
argue righ’ now.”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “Good.”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Loralei helped him to his feet and led him
outside. They began to walk and after
ten minutes or so of his staggering, they stood in front of a very nice
home. “Come on, Jake.”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> She led him inside and helped him to a
rather plush sofa. He passed out
immediately.

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “Lor?”style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Jack walked into the room.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> “Love, wha’s goin’ on?”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “I ran
into Jake,” she said sadly. “He told me
that…Nic’s dead.”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> Jack’s
eyes turned solemn. “Poor lad.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Drunk?”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “Yes.”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “Will and
Elizabeth won’ mind if ‘e sleeps it off ‘ere.”
He enveloped his wife from behind, his hands resting on her
stomach. “Didn’ have t’ hold ‘im up on
the way ‘ere, did ye?”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “No, he
staggered on his own.”

style='color:black'> 

style='color:black'> “D’ye
think tha’ this would be the right time t’ tell ‘im wha’ we found out?”

style='color:black'> 

Loralei
thought a moment, then said, “I’m not sure that there will be a time when he
needs a family more than now.”