&&&

"Ugg! That's disgusting!" said Thomas as his niece forced the broth in his mouth.

"Well, Jack said it would help you get your strenght back." said Kathleen preparing to spoon him another mouthful.

"It's stopped raining you know." said Uncle Thomas. Kathleen shifted her eyes and said,

"I know. Four straight days of it!"

"You know that means Jack has to leave." said Thomas.

"I know," she said.

"And you're afraid he's going to leave you?" stated Thomas.

"A little." she said.

"Don't. I know he wants you with him." he said.

"How?" she asked.

'Because I saw it in myself when I wanted my Margaret."

"Uncle...I love him..."she said.

"I know."

"I...I can't help it. He's so wonderful! He's kind and thoughtful and so cleaver! And...so handsome! I never thought I could fall in love with a man like him." she said.

"Why not? I did." said Thomas.

"Oh Uncle!"

"Kathleen?" called Jack's voice from the foyer.

"Go to him. Go on. I can finish this." he said taking the bowl. She nodded and left the room. Meanwhile, Uncle Thomas quirked an eyebrow at the concotion queerly, before dumping it into the flower pot on his nightstand.

Downstairs Jack smiled wistfully at Kathleen as she descended the stairs. He leaned aganist the bottom pedestal and said,

"Me Dad would roll over in his grave if he heard I'd gotten me a girl from Upper society to call my own...that is...providing he could hear, but for that he'd have to be alive, therefore he wouldn't have a grave to roll over in, would he?' Kathleen laughed greatly before tripping on her skirts and threathing to fall backwards to the ground. Luckily Jack caught her in his arms. Catching her breath she said,

"I'm such a clutz sometimes!" Jack smirked his half grin,

"Well, so long as I've got you down here..." He leaned in and touched his lips with hers before pulling her into a deeper kiss. When they parted she sighed,

"Do you have to go?" He chuckled as he set her upright,

"Yes I do. But I'll be close by. I'm going to be just off the bay hidden so I can attend the wedding next month. You are still planning to attend?"

'I have to as Maid of Honor." she smiled.

"Ah! So I know where to look for you at the wedding. You do understand that I'll have to keep to the shadows?" he said.

"I can't wait to join you." she said. He kissed her again. She pushed him off saying,

"You better leave before I decide to lock you in my room!" He gave her a smug grin,

"And exactly what would you do with me?"

"GO!" she commanded pushing him towards the door.

"Now I'm the one who doesn't want to leave!" he said.

"GO!" she laughed. Just before opening the door, he said,

"Try to visit the Blacksmith shop tomorrow."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because you may find something waiting for you there. Ta!" He pecked her lips once more and poked his head out the door, cautious to step out, before leaving. She stood at the door, watching him walk down the road. She sighed happily.

The next day, Kathleen stepped back into the house hearing her Uncle loudly protesting upstairs. Ever since Mrs. Wiggins, Elsie, and Josephine came back home after the road was cleared, they fussed and worried all over when they heard the man had a heart attack. No one hardly noticed her step out.

Her visit to the Blacksmith shop proved intresting as well. Will stood by his anvil grinning like a wildcat while Elizabeth sprang up from her seat and began to ask her a thousand questions.

"You little mink! Why didn't you tell me you were having an intrique with Jack? When did it happen? Have you kissed him yet? Has he been forward? Well of course he has, he's Jack. Tell me!" And with a laugh she had told Elizabeth,

"The matters of a woman's heart are private. Though you may tell Captain Sparrow, I do not appreciate his telling people of our relationship without my knowledge! Now Will, I believe you have something for me?"

"I do indeed." he had said producing a long, rectangular. leather case. He opened it and she gasped. Twenty minutes later, she was back in the manor. She placed the box on the table as Uncle Thomas came stomping down the stairs, with the three other woman of the house behind him, speaking all at once like the hens they were. In exasperation, Uncle Thomas yelled,

"God in Heaven, let me be! EERRR!"

"But Father we're only worried about you!" said Josephine. Despirt to change the subject, Uncle Thomas noticed the package and said,

"Kathleen! What have you there dear girl?" She opened it and said,

"An early birthday present." Uncle Thomas grinned in delight as he picked up the fine sword with gold filagree in the red leather handle. Fingering the tip he said,

"Oh, my dear! Thank you! This is just what I wanted!" Dryly, Josephine said,

"Yes, Kathleen dear, you SHOULDN'T have!"

"I didn't. It's from an admirer of yours Uncle." Kathleen replied handing him the note. Uncle Thomas replaced the sword and took the note. Upon riping it open, he read,

'To Sir Thomas of Gainsgrow,

Thank ye once again for the hospitality of your home. And for the blessing of me courting your niece. I promise you; no harm shall ever come to her. Take this sword as a token of my esteem. As well as a few items that I 'borrowed' from your home earlier. God bless you sir.

Kindest regards,

J. Sparrow, Captain. '

"Well, who's it from?" asked Josephine. Not answering, Thomas just smiled and pulled the missing items from his safe out of the case.

"Gasp! Mama's ring! Father! Did Commordore Norrington write this note? Did he say anything about me? Anything to hint that he's jealous of my marriage?" grilled Josephine. Thomas merely said,

"The admirer left no name, daughter!" Then Thomas winked at Kathleen, and left the room with Josephine and the two maids on his heels. Smiling to herself, Kathleen, pulled the letter addressed to her out of the pocket she had sewn in her skirts. She flew to the parlor and sat down by a window, that gave her a view of the ocean. She tore open the letter and read,

'My Darling Kathleen,

Not one night has past and here I am writing to you to tell you of the dream I just had about you. This time it was different. I dreamt you were sleeping on my chest curled up like a little kitten. I think I shall call you that, Kitten. Your name after all does start with 'kat' now don't it?

I still see your face in my thoughts. You are like a hummingbird. Pretty, petite and presistant in flying around my heart making it a part of your territory. Now I can't make up me mind; are you a cat or a bird? Never mind.

My men are showing signs of restlessness. They can't wait for the wedding to come. Neither can I. Not for their reasons of the free beer and rum courtesy of the Governor on that day. I want to see you again. I must wait a long agonizing month of eternity to do so since Norrington might catch me before then.

How in the world can I express my love for you without sounding like a ruddy whelp? I suppose I can't. Love does that to men. It highlights the preassigned intellectual and emotional superiority of women and shows men for the bloody fools we are when it comes to women. And men are suppose to be the leaders in the relationship! Why do women drive us wild? Why do you drive me wild? Why is it that a simple look out of the corner of your eyes and a small smile upon your lips leaves me with more desire, more fire for living, more passion and more drive to make each day count? As if I want to win the day for you like a knight preparing for battle.

I've just reread my letter and I find that it don't sound so bad. I don't sound like a whelp anyway. Any whelp can spout off how your beauty is like a radient summer's day, or your lips are like roses, your eyes like pools of water. But I want to make my letters last for a lifetime. Not just a reference to when we are both young and fair looking. I want you to reread this letter when you are a grey one hundred and feel the love I have for you. Not the regret of the looks you had and how they got you a love of a lifetime. I want you to feel this love I have for you today, tomorrow and for the rest of our lives. Some of me mates don't know how you can want something you have now decades from now. I understand their feelings, I use to be one of them. But they don't realize that when a world keeps changing on you, only a few things stay the same. Laughter, fear, love. The things you laugh at change, fears are alaid and made anew, and how one loves changes. But the feeling of being loved by one person consistantly, securely, and surely never changes. By working to have one person fall in love with you everyday for the rest of your life, by making a commitment, you ensure this love. I only hope we can do this. I swear to God I'll try.

So look forward to tomorrow's letter Kitten. I have left the delivery of said letters in the care of the future Mrs. Turner. I trust you shall be seeing her everyday as far as your Maid of Honor duties go? Until tomorrow's letter and my dreams about you in the next night, I remain your servant, Milady. And until we see each other again, I will wait patiently to hold you, kiss you and never let go.

I love you, Kitten.

Jack'

Kathleen sighed happily before she giggled and bit her lip. And this was how it was for the next month. Everyday, Kathleen would leave the home with a renewed and refreshed mind, every evening she would return, exhausted from hearing her friend Elizabeth's last minute wedding worries and woes throughout the day. But when she came back down for supper, the household saw a cheerful and peaceful woman. Prehaps only Uncle Thomas knew that the twinkle in her eye, the happy tune in her throat, and the secret filled smile on her lips was love. For she would lock herself in her room until supper and read the letter of the day from Jack. How he got all these letters to the Blacksmith shop without getting caught was beyond her. But after all, he was Captain Jack Sparrow. He could do anything. Including controlling the rythmn of her heart. One minute he could make it stop, the next, he commanded it to beat faster. All from a distance too.

Meanwhile, the town noticed this new development in the curious Miss Evans. To them, going around town in a constant state of detactment; walking in even heavier rain, sitting by the ocean for hours on end, was not ordinary behavior for a young woman. As much as they still admired her, they also found her behavior a little too odd.

This revealed itself in the pre-wedding ball that was being held. The town applauded the bride of course, but they gasped when they noticed that Kathleen was wearing a beautiful red gown, the first stitch of color they saw on her in months. The two friends walked down the stairs together with Elizabeth whispering to Kathleen,

"My sentiments exactly!" Will met them at the bottom of the stairs. Like any man in love, Will only acknowleadged Elizabeth by breathing,

"You look radiant Elizabeth!" As he kissed the back of her hand, Elizabeth said,

"And you look positivly handsome William!" Will bowed and asked her to dance. Taking up her skirts in one hand, she allowed Will to scoop her (still a little clumsily) onto the dance floor. Once again, Kathleen found herself the wallflower as everyone else joined the dance. But this time she didn't mind. This time, she didn't make her way to the buffet. This time, he was here. She could feel his presence. She knew he was watching in the shadows. She knew he was watching her in the shadows. Deciding to fix her face in the powder room, she left the dance for a moment. Sitting in front of the large vanity, she applyed a powder puff to her nose delicatly. Then she saw Josephine walk in with her hands on her hips.

"So Cousin. I see you are not dancing. You aren't even asking the old men to dance." commented Josephine walking up behind her to look in the mirror. Not batting an eye Kathleen said,

"I don't feel like dancing right now."

"Why? It's not like you couldn't snap your fingers and have every man at your heels!" snapped Josephine. Turning her head to face her, Kathleen asked,

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"For the past four months you've changed from a sweet little girl into a foolish tramp! I'm not surprised though, that no man has asked for your hand. Girls like you are just for fun not for marriage!"

"I beg your pardon!" cried Kathleen insulted.

"Honestly, Kathleen, if you were going to become an easy woman you should have hidden the fact that you've had a man over to the house. In your bedroom." said Josephine. Kathleen stood up and said,

"First of all,COUSIN! If anyone can speak of easy women it is you! For every since we were little, you have flirted and led on every man within your grasp on like bone for a dog! Second, it is not wise to make assumptions about others, and thirdly, what makes you think I've had a man over in the first place?"

"When Father had the heart attack, he couldn't have done the chopping for the firewood." said Josephine crossing her arms.

"I know. I did it!" said Kathleen.

"Liar! I went out to the wood pile the day I got home and I saw MEN'S boot prints in the mud!" said Josephine.

"I put on Uncle's boots!" said Kathleen.

"Since when does Father have that size boot?" asked Josephine as Kathleen's face fell.

"The boots were too large for Father. It was another man. A man who defiled you right in our home when my poor sick Father lay on his deathbed! Before you were simply a fat cow. Now you are a fat cow who had to sleep with a man to make yourself more desireable!" continued Josephine. Kathleen balled up her fist, pulled back and connected with Josephine's jaw. She fell to the ground and rolled a little before scooting up to the back wall in fear.

"Now see here you little hypocrit! For the record, I've never sleep with a man! But yes, a man did stay with us while Uncle was sick. The same man who saved your Father's life! And he has fallen in love with me, but not by playing the sick little games you've mastered! I've got a man who's loved me even before I changed my appearance! And he is the most handsome, cleaver and wonderful person! Better than the Commodore and better than your Edward. And Uncle knows all about it! And as for this 'fat cow' business, you have no right to call anybody that or anything else insulting! It was a childish trick to keep you in the spotlight and me in the dark. That and the whole 'ordering dresses too small but they'll do since Josephine must look as skinny as possible' was just plain sad! And what's even sadder, is that someday, we are all the family we'll have. And what could have been a pleasant arrangement will take a long time to get over, and we can never make up for those lost years when we could have been friends!" finished Kathleen out of breath. They were silently fuming for several mintues, when Josephine finally said,

"If this man is so wonderful, what's his name? Or did he make you swear never to tell it for fear the whole town would laugh at him for courting the town nut?"

"ARRGGG! YOU'RE IMPOSSIBLE!" screamed Kathleen before running out. She ran once again to the Governor's garden. Only this time she paced the gardens and muttered to herself. Then she heard a snap in the bushes. Snapping her head up, she said,

"Jack? Jack darling is that you? Oh please I need to..." Then her face fell when she saw a portly hairy man in dirty clothes smelling of rum step out into the moonlight. His eyes scanned her body up and down before saying in a husky voice,

"Hey lass. How's about giving it a go with me?"

"What?" asked a scared Kathleen. Then to her horror, the man lunged at her, grabbing her arms.

"Let me go! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" she screamed. A tall shadow emerged from the bushes and pulled the man off of her. And then the zing of a blade was heard. And Kathleen gasped when she saw the man limp off, clutching his shoulder. Kathleen turned to her rescuer and saw his cutlass stained red in the moonlight.

"Are you all right Kitten?"

"Jack! Oh thank heaven's it's you! I've had such an awful night!" said Kathleen rushing into Jack's arms. She began to sob gently while he smoothed her hair and shushed her.

"I can imagine. What with being attacked and all!" he said lightly trying to change her mood.

"And I've just had a showdown with Josephine!" she choaked out.

"What she call you this time?" asked Jack.

"She knows a man was at the house and she had the nerve to call me an easy woman! First she thinks it, then that horrid man! Oh Jack, just when I begin to like myself, now I'm being called and thought of as a harlot right to my face!" said Kathleen. Jack pulled her away from himself and said looking into her eyes,

"Ye better get used to it Luv!"

"What?" she asked.

"Kitten, if you're going to be in love with me, people are going to assume you are a streetwalker from Tortuga, not a lady of high society! Especially, in a dress like that!" he said skimming his eyes down her dress.

"What's wrong with my dress?" she asked meekly.

"Not a thing. But not many folk wear red. Only the truly rich and the streetwalkers. But even if you wear wearing a grey potatoe sack, people would still think you a tramp for being with me." he said.

"How do you do it Jack? How do you allow people to insult you and not give it a second glance?" she asked.

"But remembering that I like myself just fine. Don't you?" he asked.

"I do!" she said smiling a little.

"That's my girl! Now you are ready to go around with me and have me show ye off!" he said.

"Jack, you keep saying 'being with you' and in your letters you keep saying 'when we are old and gray'. What do you mean by that?" she asked. He smiled and said quietly,

"I should think it obvious."

"Well I would like a little clarity." she said. He quietly sat her down on a stone bench. Then kneeling on one knee before her, he said,

"Alright. Kathleen, after the reception tomorrow, I'm heading out and I would like you to come with me."

"Come with you?" she asked breathless.

"...As my wife." he finished. She slowly grinned and said,

"Really?"

"Don't answer right away. Wait..."

"For the opportune moment?" she teased.

"SERIOUSLY, I need you to realize that life as a pirate's wife makes you a pirate. And the life I lead is very hard. And very dangerous. And I want you to consider all this before you make your desicion. But also consider how much I love you and how much I cherise you. And know that even if you turn me down flat, I'll treasure these past few months and those three days together at the manor for the rest of me days." he said caressing her cheek. She said quietly,

"I will Jack."

"Good. Give me a kiss then and I'll wait for your answer tomorrow night." She complied and watched him dissappear reluctantly into the shadows once more.

That night, Mrs. Wiggins and Elsie asked Josephine in shock what was the cause of the massive bruise on her jaw. Josephine shot a glance to Kathleen and said,

"Silly me! I bumped into a wall!" They retired upstairs but Kathleen followed Josephine into her room.

"What do you want?" asked Josephine taking off her earrings.

"Thank you for not telling on me."

"Well, I don't think many people would have believed it anyway!" said Josephine.

"I am sorry about that you know. And I can only hope you will forgive me." said Kathleen.

"Only...if you forgive me for all I've done to you. I was pretty cruel wasn't I?" she asked.

"Yes you were." said Kathleen as Josephine sat before her vanity.

"I suppose the problem was I was jealous of how Father seemed to like you more. And when you got pretty, or rather, when you let people see how pretty you are, I got jealous of how the town seemed to like you more."

"Well, maybe in time, we can become friends." suggested Kathleen.

"I think I'd like that." said Josephine. Kathleen turned to go when she heard Josephine ask,

'This gentleman of yours...how does he treat you? Like a queen? A princess? A goddess?"

"No...he treats me like a woman." Kathleen answered.

"I suppose some men love simply I suppose." said Josephine with reflection.

"No I think it's harder to love a woman than a queen or a goddess." said Kathleen.

"Why's that?" asked Josephine.

"A queen or a goddess requires distance and rules. A woman requires equality and quesswork. That can be harder for a man to handle." said Kathleen.

"Yes...I suppose you're right. Goodnight Kathleen." said Josephine quietly looking within herself.

"Goodnight Josephine." said Kathleen walking out and to her room. As Elsie helped her undress, Kathleen thought of Jack. And what Elizabeth had told her about life aboard a ship. It was hard work. And very dangerous. But Kathleen figured so was love in general. But leaving with Jack meant leaving her family. And possibly risking their lives for future harboring of a fugitive. But if Will and Elizabeth could maintain a relationship with Jack, then it's possible her family could be safe. But could she handle a life on the sea? She'd hate to disappoint Jack and prove to be worthless. But what if she could prove valuable? Her mind still tossing pros and cons, she fell asleep praying for clarity. The next morning she knew what she had to do.

The next day, Elizabeth Swann became Mrs. William Turner. She looked like a fairy tale princess and Will like a dashing prince charming. Kathleen stood beside her in the wedding in a deep red-violet as the rest of the congregation was a sea of black and white dresses and suits. The whole population of Port Royal raised a glass or a pint to the happy couple. Mrs. Wiggins and Mrs. Jones almost broke out into a fight again, and Josephine was once more the center of male attention since she had announced her disengagement to Edward. As the dancing began to wind down, and the happy couple ready to go off to their honeymoon suite, Uncle Thomas scanned the crowd for Kathleen. Finally he walked up to Elizabeth and William and asked,

"Excuse me, Mrs. Turner, but you haven't seen the Maid of Honor have you?"

"She said something about going to the library for a moment. And I think something about leaving soon, but I was so distracted I didn't catch it all." answered Elizabeth.

"Well, I'll find her. And once again, congratulations to you both!" said Thomas shaking Will's hand.

"Sir Thomas." nodded Will as the older man left. Noticing the grin on his face, Elizabeth said,

"You're up to something William Turner! What have you got up your sleeve?"

"Not married a full half day and you already are picking on me!" teased Will before kissing her.

In the Library, Thomas found no one. Instead he found a note on the desk addressed to him. It read,

'Dear Uncle,

I would rather have you give me away and Josephine stand by my side, but since my future husband is a pirate, that is out of the question. I'm leaving with Jack to become his wife. In fact, he's already 'commandered' the minister to perform the ceremony. Just in case you were wondering where Brother Mitchell dissappeared to.

Don't worry about me Uncle. With the man I love to protect me, nothing can truly bring me harm again. I shall come visit you as soon as I can. Tell Mrs. Wiggins I love her and Elsie to marry that Sargent already and that I'll miss her. Give Josephine a hug for me. And tell Elizabeth I'll see her soon. I love you.

Your Niece,

Kathleen' He smiled and folded the letter and put it in his pocket whispering,

"God speed little one. God speed." He wiped away a single tear and returned to the ballroom to find Elizabeth tossing the bouquet.

&&&

"Here she is Kitten! The Black Pearl!" said Jack helping Kathleen aboard. In awe of the black wood, the intricate carvings, the massive black sails and the mammothly tall masts, Kathleen said,

"Oh Jack it's beautiful!"

"She's beautiful Luv. Always call a ship she, Savvy?" corrected Jack. Then Kathleen gasped at the figure coming towards them on the main deck. Ducking behind Jack she said,

"Jack! It's the man from last night!"

"Welcome aboard Miss Kathleen." said the man as Kathleen poked her head out and said,

"You know my name?" Only giving her a twinkle in his eye, the man said to Jack,

"We're ready to set sail Captain."

"Very good Gibbs. Kathleen, allow me to introduce Master Joshamee Gibbs, best first mate a pirate could ask for. Gibbs, MRS. Kathleen Sparrow." said Jack pointing to Kathleen.

"Ah, so you decided to go ahead and have the minister marry you on shore, aye?" asked Gibbs.

"Had to mate. The man was getting green around the gills just being near the docks. And since I can't have a man of the cloth getting sick on me ship, I figure I might as well get married amoungst me old friends at the tavern!" said Jack.

"I'll tell the crew to weigh anchor. Ma'am." said Gibbs nodding to Kathleen and walking off. It was then Kathleen noticed a collection of very familiar trunks being loaded into the Captain's quarters under the quarterdeck. Turning to Jack and crossing her arms, she said,

"You planned this from the beginning! And I'm horrified you even concocted that terrible charade last night that scared me to death!" scolded Kathleen.

"Well do you know any other way to make a lady see what she's getting into by loving a pirate?" he asked.

"You lying, little..." She began. Stepping up to her, he growled seductively,

"Pirate!" Then he kissed her more passionately, more deeply than ever before. Giving into him, she broke the kiss once breathing,

"Why can't I stay mad at you?"

"Pirate!" he said again kissing her again. Then he broke the kiss saying,

"Prehaps we should continue this inside our cabin aye?"

"Afraid you're crew might learn something?" teased Kathleen. Quirking an eyebrow, he grinned,

"And what makes you think Milady, that you can get away with such an unlady like remark like that?" She grinned and said before kissing him again,

"Pirate!"

The End