Pirates Of The Caribbean: Not all treasure is gold and silver

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rights to The Pirates of the Caribbean however any characters I do create are my own so no stealing! (Oh how I wish I did sometimes!)

Rated: M! (Due to scenes of a sexual nature, violence and language)

Well here it is the next chapter. Sorry if some of you felt that the previous one was a little abrupt but since it had been a while since I last wrote I felt the need to really get it going again! I might even consider at some point rewriting the story and making some well needed improvements…but that all depends on time and my patience.

A big thank you to the very kind reviewers! it renewed my sense of confidence back in to seeing how much it has changed during the time that I joined.

A huge hello to Lexy I know we haven't spoken in a while and we do need to catch up! Let me know if I need to make any adjustments!

I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it whilst watching the great man 'Captain Jack Sparrow' in the first movie. Speaking of the movie I hear that the new title to the sequel has been released and there is talk of a third one to follow as well! I hope it lives up to the first though having read the basic storyline I have some concerns.

Anyway on with the chapter!

Chapter 27:

The voyage to England had certainly been a long and difficult one, though Will had not been allowed to do much under Captains orders he still felt so drained and exhausted. The only thing keeping him from going slowly insane he felt was the fact that Elizabeth had begun to show some signs of waking up and had responded once or twice to the nurse when she tried to feed her the soup and water which was keeping them alive.

Of course Will feared the worst every evening as he eventually resigned himself to sleep…he often woke from fitful dreams believing that Elizabeth had died as he slept and that he had never had chance to say goodbye…not that he wished to say goodbye even. His only hope was that this great Doctor Fouchard would be able to help them.

Will had taken the opportunity on the journey to read a variety medical books and studies, to look for a possible answer to his Elizabeth's condition. Yet it had actually been a sailor who had come up with the most logical suggestion. The sailor's brother was a doctor whose wife had ended up disabled after giving birth to her first child. From what could be understood the baby had put pressure on her lower back trapping a nerve and cutting off the ability for her to move her legs. The mother and baby were fine and eventually the mother had regained some movement but required a walking stick for any lengthy distances. There was a possibility that the baby or something could have done the same to Alexandra and her body had slipped into a deep sleep so to prevent any harm. But as no one was particularly sure the whole matter was left to be studied by the good Doctor Fouchard.

They had arrived little over two days ago in London and Elizabeth had been, upon arriving, rushed away to the dwellings at which Doctor Fouchard practiced. It has been previously arranged that Elizabeth would give birth to her child at his practice as he was the best Doctor at the time.

Will had been told that he would be able to visit in a day or twos time but he firstly had to sort out the home in which Elizabeth, Will and the new child would be staying. Thankfully Governor Swann had planned far ahead and had bought both daughters residences in London near to their old home. It was a beautiful house with a large walled garden with an ornamental pond and a swing hung from the apple tree in the far corner. Elizabeth would have loved the garden and so Will took every opportunity between sorting maids and organising the rooms to sit out on the swing and wait from the summons by Doctor Fouchard.

It was early on the Thursday morning, on the fourth day after their arrival that Will was woken by one of the maids. He had quickly dressed and rushed to Doctor Fouchards which was only a twenty minute carriage ride away but to Will it felt an eternity. As he entered the building Will was greeted by a tall slim man with a stern face and deep grey eyes. The man extended his had and half smiled at Will.

"Mr William Turner it is a pleasure to meet you finally, I must tell you that your wife is well and had responded to treatment so far. Though she hasn't woken yet we believe that is ma be possible that she can hear some things. I was hoping you would come talk to her today seeing as you are a familiar voice I feel we should get more of a response from your interaction with her."

Will nodded hardly registering anything that had been said after the comment that Elizabeth was fine.

"And our baby?"

"Healthy as far as I can tell and due any day soon. I would like to hope that Miss Turner would be conscious for the birth but if not you must not worry…she is in capable hands."

Will nodded and waited as Doctor Fouchard opened the door before them.

"It would be in your best interests to try to keep the conversation topics to something that shouldn't excite her too much. I wouldn't want the baby coming before its due mind you!"

Dr Fouchard laughed a little before patting Will on the back and leaving him to see his wife. Will gazed at his wife who lay on the bed, her clothes had been changed and her hair tied back from her face. He could hear her breathing slow and deep yet steady and the gentle rise of her chest and bump as she lay there looking so peaceful. Will felt close to tears but feared that should he let himself cry Doctor Fouchard would enter and he would look a fool before him.

Grasping Elizabeth's hand Will placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and rested his head ever so lightly on the bump. Unsure at first what to say Will lay there at awkward angle content just to be by his wife.

"Come back to me Elizabeth…I need you. Alexandra and Jack and your father need you. So much has happened but I will wait till you are awake to tell you more. Please…I just…Elizabeth."

Will closed his eyes lost for words for the moment yet as he lay there a very faint a soft voice surprised him.

"W…will"

Sitting upright will watched his wife's face and smiled.

"I am here Elizabeth…I will not leave you not now."

Elizabeth moved slightly in her sleep and sighed softly a gentle smile playing on her lips.

back on tortuga

"Sometimes my dear actions speak louder than words will ever do."

Alexandra looked puzzled at Bethany's statement and watched as the elderly woman gently smiled as she watched Jack.

"The fates 'ave a funny way of saying what we can't physical speak."

Alexandra found that her attention was also drawn for a moment to Jack who was busy placing the plants and other various boxes into the cupboards. The small window let in the suns softer rays which illuminated Jack in a way which made Alexandra sigh softly. His outline was almost darkened to black by the angle of the light giving him an unearthly aura. He was humming to himself, his low voice giving Alexandra the shivers reminding her of how he would almost purr when she did things to him. And oh the things he had done to her…unspeakable…especially for a lady of her status…but it was those terribly inappropriate things that drove her wild.

Alexandra felt her cheeks flush at the thought and she fidgeted in her seat for a moment brushing the hair from the back of her neck trying to cool herself down…as all of a sudden it was rather hot in the room.

Unbeknownst to Alexandra Bethany had been carefully watching Alexandra and the way she gazed at Jack. She could easily read the emotions as they flashed across the young woman's face from care to excitement and from excitement to passion. She had once known those feelings of love…yes she had known Jack's father briefly admittedly but oh he had been certainly a charmer. It was easy to see where Jack got his ways from even though he had never known his true father Bethany could easily see him in Jack. Jack had always known the whole truth about why Bethany had taken him under her wing so willingly.

Bethany knew the real about Jack's father and had known both of Jack's parents, she had met his mother when she was pregnant with Jack he was the result of her brief affair with the local carpenter. He had stayed with her only fleetingly because her merchant father had him banished from the town but he had made sure that a good doctor was paid for and that she would live comfortably enough.

That was when Bethany had first been introduced to his mother, Perola, she had been sent to her husband as he was a respectable doctor. The two women had grown close and in their short friendship Bethany had watched the young Perola flourish during her pregnancy. All went well and Jack grew from a bouncing baby into a healthy young lad but just after his sixth birthday it all went down hill.

Perola fell in and out of 'love' with the wrong men during the lonely years she brought her son up alone. She tended to fall for those who found any excuse to beat her and Jack and drink as if there were no tomorrow wasting all of her hard earned money and leaving nothing for them to buy food with.

They had lived in one of the worst areas of the town near to he harbour. There were often fights right outside their door and often murders nearby. It was a wretched place to live but when there was nothing better they could go to they had to accept.

Even Perola's father had gradually disowned his daughter and child, eventually seeing that she was not intending to make the boy grow up to be a Lieutenant in the navy or even an accountant…she just encouraged him to 'nurture his passions' and strive for his dreams…just as his father would have wanted.

It had been a stormy dark night when Perola was murdered by the pirate raiders. Bethany had desperately wanted to go to them and take them to the safety of her home but her husband refused not wanting to lose her as well. When it was finally safe to leave their homes, the worst of the storm being over and the pirate raiders having left, Bethany had gone in search of Perola and Jack. Instead of finding the pair well she came across the terrible sight of Perola murdered in her own home and no sign of Jack anywhere. The sight still haunted Bethany's dreams.

Bethany had made sure that she left a note for Jack incase he should return and regularly made her way down to the house but there was no sign of the boy. Her eldest son Timothy who worked down at the harbour questioned everyone that entered and left the docks if they had seen a young lost looking lad in hope that maybe Jack could be found.

It wasn't until a good five years later that an unruly and rather scruffy looking man showed up on her doorstep claiming to be Benjamin Sparrow, at first Bethany could not believe it, hardly being able to recognise the man she had hardly known. Yet Ben had produced the item of jewellery which Perola had always kept close to her heart vowing to Bethany that she would one day give it to Ben and run away with him to a better place.

It had been such a shock to Bethany to finally see Ben that she felt terrible knowing that he had lost the woman he had loved. But in her moment of joy she hadn't seen the young lad stood awkwardly behind Ben in the shadows. A young lad at the brink of the awkwardness of youth with his fathers good looks and his mothers smile.

It was that day she was introduced to Jack who had grown from the sweet six year old she had last seen into a tall teen nearing 13 or 14 years old. Bethany was driven to tears as she gazed at the boy she had feared had been lost forever. Benjamin explained that Jack wanted to know the truth about his mother he had tracked down her last know address and enquired into those who had known Perola well. It turned out that Timothy had been the one to guide Ben to his mother. From then on Bethany had doted on Jack like her own.

She made sure that Benjamin brought Jack to see her regularly and would fuss over him like a mother hen. As much as Jack would complain she knew that he loved the attention that he no longer had from his mother.

And here 'her' boy was a fine young man and as per usual in a predicament. But Bethany had to admit the young Alexandra, as foolish as she may have been, seemed to be well rounded. Possibly being the perfect one for bringing Jack back to earth.

"Will you be staying here long Jack?"

Bethany made Alexandra jump and realize how long she had been day dreaming. Hoping the elderly woman had not taken offence Alexandra looked at Jack curious to here what he had to say.

"Well Bethany…if it ain't too much trouble…seein' as your all by your onsies here. We shall be staying for a short while. I'm sure my crew could do with a few days on land."

Before Alexandra could comment Bethany interjected placing a hand over her own.

"As long as you are fine with the arrangements luvvie then I hav' no objections."

Alexandra shook her head, it did feel good to be back on dry land, as much as sailing was fun carrying not only your own weight but also that of an unborn child now obviously nearer to being ready to drop than anticipated, could easily tire a woman out.

"It would be lovely to stay if we could please Bethany. Though, of course, we will not stay longer than in necessary. I would hate to intrude on you and impose."

"Now now dear! My days of formality are long gone into the past, I had my fair share of it when I was a young married woman to my belated husband. It will be lovely to have the pair of you stay…though I of course request that you have separate rooms."

Jack began to object attempting to point out the fact that they were fully grown adults and that Alexandra was pregnant but he was unable to fit a wore in edge ways before Bethany had waved a hand in his direction and carried on seeming to know what Jack would say before he could voice his opinions.

"Now Jack! No objecting…your dear lady here needs to rest and I know what you are like there is certainly no denying your reputation young man especially here on Tortuga! You may have easily forgotten but I'm sure the likes of Scarlett haven't! Mind you she did seem to move on rather swiftly. Yet I digress...here Alexandra let me show you to your room."

Alexandra looked over her should at Jack as she followed Bethany up the stairs, as much as she could see he was hurt at the fact that Alexandra had not even tried to object she still needed that space…she just wasn't ready to go through the questioning even though she knew that somehow Jack had begun the long process of forgiving her for her infidelity.

one week later

One certainly long week had passed and still Jack had finally made an indication that they needed to leave sometime fairly soon. Whether it was Alexandra's occasional comments or his longing to return to the ship in his Black Pearl Alexandra would never be quite sure.

All the same it suited Alexandra as she longed to know what had happened with her sister and to reassure her father that she was well. It was nearing three weeks since she had left home with Will and Elizabeth and she needed the security and reassurance of knowing all was well. But the only problem with returning was the Commodore. Going back meant facing him and the truth and facing the truth was still something that Alexandra took great pains to avoid. She had spent the time she had alone contemplating what she should do and often getting herself into such a state that Bethany would ban her from 'daring to even think.' As Bethany had so bluntly put it when she had found Alexandra sobbing away on the bed.

She had to admit though as much as Tortuga was a rather seedy and at times an unappealing place, Bethany knew the better parts. Jack had spent a lot of time helping the crew make a few repairs to the Black Pearl, though not needed it was a good accuse as any to stay. Not that the crew really needed any persuasion.

Bethany had proved to be an excellent fountain of knowledge and put to rest any fears that Alexandra had over her labor. She planned to ask Bethany to return to Port Royal with them and be her midwife but it was such a personal question to ask that she had not brought herself to ask it yet.

Alexandra was sat in her room humming a soft tune to herself and the child under strict orders of Bethany to do nothing but relax all day. Jack had risen early and gone down to see to the final tasks needed to be done before they could set course back to Port Royal. The low creak of the door and swish of skirts on a wooden floor indicated that Bethany had come in. Alexandra smiled as the older woman sat on the edge of the bed.

"Bethany…have you ever had a something that you must do but have prolonged it for so long that you hope that it would go away?"

"Of course I have dear. The proposal from my late husband was not an easy one…he asked me to marry him when I was only fifteen and he was twenty. At first I refused wanting to live a life of my own like my older two brothers. It took him three years until I eventually said yes...even then I made sure that I caused as many problems for him as possible. You see I didn't love my husband at first it was a marriage of convenience but I learned to love him."

"Do you regret marrying him?"

"Not a single day goes by that I don't wonder 'what if'…but then I think he blessed me with six beautiful children and gave me all that I desired. He was a good honest man my dear. I miss him so much."

Alexandra reached out and hugged Bethany not knowing whether it was to comfort the older woman or to gain comfort. The pair sat in silence for a while speaking silent words of reassurance.

"Alexandra…don't regret what you did…learn from it child. Jack is a lot stronger than he acts at times though don't always be fooled by him. I can see he loves you and I do not doubt that this Commodore may also have feelings for you. But it is not for them to decide…follow your heart child. I can see that you have a good one."

"Oh Bethany…I do hope it is Jack's child…I need it to be his…I want it to be his."

Alexandra allowed the tears to fall as she sobbed into the older woman's shoulder. Bethany could see that Alexandra had finally understood what she had meant by follow her heart.

"Bethany will you please come to Port Royal with us…I would like…no I want you to be my midwife."

Bethany smiled and kissed the top of Alexandra's head having heard what the young woman had muttered into her shoulder.

"Certainly…as long as Jack doesn't object"

at Port Royal

Governor Weatherby Swann paced the floor beside his desk which sat below the grand window which overlooked Port Royal. He knew that as much as he worried that his two young daughters were no longer his full responsibility. Having accepted his eldest daughter Elizabeth was not going to marry the Commodore he had hoped that Alexandra would perhaps chose a suitable gentleman and settle into the more acceptable society regime. But he supposed that having one rebellious daughter was not enough. With one married to a Blacksmith it made sense that a Pirate should be a perfectly normal choice of man.

Yet it was not the fact his daughters had chosen more 'interesting' men as their suitors it was the pressing matter of the Commodore. Weatherby had been reluctant in releasing the truth about Alexandra but the Commodore had soon become suspicious when neither Jack nor Alexandra was to be found on the island, there had been many a heated discussion between the Commodore and the Governor but neither had relented in their decisions.

Eventually the Commodore had been forced to give up and take matters into his own hands and go in search of Alexandra himself. As much as Weatherby had objected the Commodore had been quite frank and explained how he felt even claiming that Weatherby 'owed him a daughters hand in marriage.' He of course knew it had been a heat of the moment comment but having now seen the man that his daughter was meant to have had relations with he preferred Jack to him by far which he had to admit was rather ironic seeing as it was the same man who had threatened Elizabeth those two or so years ago.

As much as Governor Swann wished that his daughters had followed the expected paths in life it did not surprise him in the slightest as his own marriage had been slightly controversial. Neither of the girls knew but Weatherby had originally met his wife when she was engaged to another man…it was on her wedding day that he burst in and declared his love for her. She had willingly left her fiancé and they had left the Port of Dover where they had originally lived and moved to London. Society accepted them up there eventually especially when Weatherby successfully made his way up the ladder in politics and was elected a Governor.

They had planned to move to Port Royal but his wife had refused having settled into London life. Elizabeth and Alexandra were too young to understand what was going on so it was agreed that he would take their eldest and that Alexandra and his wife should join them once they were settled. Allowing for everyone to have their needs fulfilled. Yet as the months went by it was made perfectly clear by Weatherby's wife that she did not wish to move from London or send his youngest daughter to join them. Instead Elizabeth was to remain in Port Royal and Alexandra would continue her education in London. If either of them were to die then the relevant daughter would be sent to the remaining parent. If in the case of both parents dying then Alexandra would be sent to her aunts in Cornwall and Elizabeth would be taken in by cousin Edith in Scotland.

Weatherby was not particularly pleased with the arrangements seeing as they had all been made by his wife without his consent and resulted in both daughters being sent to her side of the family rather than his.

Yet these were all problems in the past and as much as Weatherby dwelled upon them the matters in hand were far greater than he had ever experienced. Yet as much as he though about the problems ahead there was one thought that always brought a smile to his face.

Weatherby Swann was to be a grandfather.

end of chapter

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Until the next one

Take care all x