Disclaimer: No matter how many stories I dream up, I still don't own Jack and the Pearl.
AN: Here it is: the sequel to "Magic in the Caribbean!" It'll be a short and sweet sequel, so I hope people won't mind Jack being the affectionate father in this, because that's how I imagine him with kids. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Growing Up, Magically:
Athena's POV:
Five-year-old Athena Sparrow giggled happily as she ran away from her nanny. Playing hide-and-seek with the grown-ups was her favorite thing to do, even though it always made others mad. As she hid behind a barrel, Athena did her best to stay quiet to keep from being found.
"Where are ye, lass?" called a female voice. It was her Auntie Anna, who was presently her 'nanny,' and her favorite playmate. "Come on, treasure, yer papa wouldn't like it if I lost ye!"
Athena couldn't help but smile as she began playing with her thick black hair. Daddy was funny when he thought someone had 'lost' his little girl; he always yelled things and made everyone run around like crazy chickens! The images made her giggle, giving away her hiding place.
"Got ye!" Annamaria cried as she caught her prey. "Knew ye couldn't escape me!"
As she was lifted up, Athena let out a small squeal of delight as her Auntie tossed her up in the air. Being found and tossed was her favorite game, and Auntie Anna always played better than everyone else!
"Anna, be careful with her," a male voice called from the deck. "She might break!"
"Will not!" cried Athena. She giggled as Annamaria lowered her and gave her a kiss before putting her down. "Again!" she insisted, reaching up for more and pouting when the response was 'no.'
"Sorry, darling, but yer papa wants me to cook dinner tonight," Annamaria said, smiling down at the child. "But I think Uncle Gibbs wants to give ye a ride around the deck."
Athena's sea-blue eyes widened as she grinned before racing up on deck. Once there, she spotted Gibbs bent over a coil of rope. Not giving the man a chance to stand up, the little girl launched herself onto his back. The older man grunted in surprise before straightening up and trying to look over his shoulder to see who was attacking him. Athena giggled as her 'uncle' wrapped his arms around her legs and started walking towards to the helm, where her daddy was. As soon as her daddy spotted them coming towards them, he grinned, gold teeth sparkling at them.
"How are ye today, Pearl?" he called, using his pet name for her as he gripped the wheel.
"Fine, Daddy!" Athena replied, waving. Her Uncle Gibbs started walking around the deck even faster, making her giggle. After five minutes, she was set down on the steps near the helm as her uncle went to do his chores. As she slowly climbed the steps up to the wheel, she put her thumb in her mouth and looked up at the man who was her father.
Standing at the helm, her daddy was a tall, dark, strong man that could get his crew to walk right into danger for him without any problems. Her mama had said that he had actually gotten them to do that, several times, and Athena knew that her mother would never lie about that. At night, her daddy told her stories about all sorts of things he had faced and done, sometimes scaring her, sometimes making her laugh. Her daddy was the best storyteller in the Caribbean, and someday, she'd get to do things, just like him! Athena's blue eyes sparkled with the hope of being a great pirate like him.
"Are ye coming to give yer Daddy a kiss or not, Pearl?" her father's warm, scruffy, deep voice called to her.
Grinning, she pulled her thumb out of her mouth and ran up the steps to her kneeling father. He immediately grabbed her up with his right arm and gave her a kiss on the cheek, his beard tickling her. She giggled before returning his kiss. The beads in his hair and beard always caught her attention and she could never resist the urge to play with them. As her tiny hands pulled and tangled in his braids, she realized that something in the wind had changed.
"Papa," she said, tugging on his hair.
"Aye, Pearl, what is it?" he asked, looking at her and smiling, his hand still holding the wheel.
"The air feels funny," she said, looking around the deck.
Her father frowned at her. "What do ye mean it feels funny?"
Athena frowned as well, this time thinking about it. "It feels cold," she said. "And wet, too."
Her father turned to look at the horizon. "Why don't ye go visit yer Mum and tell her about it," he said, setting her down and nudging her towards the stairs. Athena nodded before heading down towards the herbal room, her mother's realm on the ship.
Jack's POV:
Watching his daughter disappear below deck, the Captain of the Black Pearl couldn't help but feel pride in his little girl. His little Pearl was absolutely adorable, and Jack couldn't help smile at the fact that such a wondrous thing had come from him and his wife. He had always wanted a son, but Athena would be as good as any son for him! She was a clever little thing, and with her witch powers, she would be a great future captain for the Black Pearl! What surprised Jack the most was the fact that the crew was so welcoming of her. When Athena had been born, he had expected a huge amount of protest, but the crew treated her like they would treat any child of theirs. They gave her back rides around the deck, made her toys, and taught her to play cards like a pirate. In a way, the crew was like a family of aunt and uncles to the growing girl, and Jack couldn't help but feel glad for that.
Whistling, Jack turned his attention back towards the wheel and to the horizon.
Angela's POV:
As she mixed the bark of the willow tree with water, Angela Sparrow felt peace settle into her...at least, until her daughter came racing into the room.
"Mama, mama!" the little girl called. "Mama, the air feels funny!"
Angela's calm instantly vanished, and a deep concern took its place. "The air feels funny?" She did not like the sound of that, especially when Athena shouldn't be able to feel shifts in the air at this age.
Athena nodded. "It feels cold," she said, her high voice excited and worried. "What does that mean, Mama?"
Angela forced a smile. "It means that little girls will be down below in their cabin tonight," she said, picking up her daughter and swinging her around the room, causing the five-year-old to squeal in delight. After settling the giggling child on her hip, Angela headed to the galley, where she spotted Annamaria at the stove, just finishing up dinner. "Anna, could you watch Athena while I go talk to Jack about something?" The dark- skinned woman nodded as the little girl eagerly reached out for her aunt.
As soon as Athena was fully under Annamaria's guard, Angela headed upstairs to talk to her husband. Finding him at the helm, she went up the steps and smiled as he held out his arm, beckoning her over. She obeyed and tucked herself under his arm, leaning her head on his warm chest.
"What's wrong, luv?" Jack asked, placing a kiss on the top of her head as he held her close.
"Nothing, just a storm coming later tonight, that's all," she replied, wrapping her arm around his waist. A few moments of content silence passed before her husband spoke again.
"There's something else bothering ye, luv," Jack said. "I can feel it, now what else is wrong?"
"I'm scared, Jack," Angela whispered as she looked up at him. "Athena's powers are developing too soon, and that scares me. She's only five, and she felt the air shift. I didn't feel that until I was at least twelve!"
Jack frowned. "Maybe it's the pirate blood in her that makes her feel changes in the weather," he suggested, rubbing his wife's shoulder in an effort to comfort her. "I come from a long line of pirates, and I feel things in the air, too, luv. Maybe it's a merge of our two bloodlines?"
Angela thought about it. "That might be," she said, snuggling close to her husband. "Sometimes the girls in my family have great talents for jobs that their fathers had. I know an ancestor of mine had a special gift for telling good, strong metal swords from weak ones, and her father had been a blacksmith that she never knew. I suppose that our two lines could have made her powers develop early." She sighed as she watched the water. "She's a very special girl, Jack." Angela could almost hear Jack grin at her words.
"Of course she is," he said, amusement in his voice. "After all, she's the daughter of Captain Jack Sparrow and his bonny wife!"
Angela laughed. "She certainly is," she said, staring out at the water, a content smile on her face.
Narrator's POV:
Later that night, after dinner had been served and eaten and the dishes washed, the crew of the Black Pearl gathered around the large galley table for games and tales. Although there was no alcohol while Athena was present, the crew had no problem with that arrangement because they usually got their rum after the little one was asleep for the night. However, with the storm approaching, there would be no drinking tonight.
As the crew joined groups to play either dice or cards, Athena perched herself on her father's lap as her mother went off to the captain's cabin to prepare it for the storm. The crew didn't mind Athena helping her father play cards, mostly because watching the two playing together was as amusing as the games themselves. Presently, the Pearl's Captain and his little girl were happily arranging the cards that Jack held in his hands. After everyone was settled, bets were laid out and cards were discarded and dealt again accordingly.
After twenty minutes, Jack (complete with Athena), Gibbs, and Annamaria were left holding cards. The rest of the crew watched as their captain and his daughter exchanged whispers and shuffled their cards. Finally, Jack put in another coin, and the hands were laid out on the table. Not surprisingly, Jack won, and the crew cheered. As Jack gathered the coins, the fun was interrupted when Angela came into the room and ushered her daughter off to bed. As soon as the two female Sparrows had vanished, Annamaria spoke.
"Jack, how do ye get the little one to help ye play cards and win?" she asked, one of her eyebrows raised in suspicion.
Jack shrugged. "Guess gambling's in the girl's blood," he said, grinning as he stacked his winnings.
Meanwhile, inside the Captain's cabin, Athena's POV:
"Mama," Athena said as she struggled into her nightdress. "Why do I have to go to bed so early? I want to play cards with Daddy and the crew!" She pouted, hoping to win her mother over. Her mama smiled at her daughter as she pulled back the covers of the little girl's bed.
"Now, sweetness, you know that Daddy needs time alone with the crew," her mother chided, reaching over and picking up the discarded clothes before putting them away. "After all, it's part of his job."
Athena made her way to her own cabin connected to her mama and papa's, one that had once been a storage closet before her papa had ordered it made into a room for her third birthday. Now it held her bed, her toy wooden boats, her clothes chest, desk, a chair, and the maps her Uncle Gibbs had given her last year. As she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, she puckered her lips, ready for a good-night kiss from her mama. It was given, along with a hug, and Athena snuggled down to sleep.
"But Mama, I was helping Daddy win," she muttered.
Her mother looked at her. "Were you?" she asked, smiling down at the child. Athena nodded. "And I'm sure he thanks you for it. Now go to sleep."
"Good night, Mama," Athena muttered as she fell off to sleep, dreaming about the cards.
Five Years Later: Athena's POV:
Laughter filled the deck of the Pearl as Athena was lifted up and swung over the shoulder of her Uncle Gibbs. The elderly man looked upset, but the crew knew that he was just as amused as they were.
"Please Uncle Gibbs, it wasn't my fault!" Athena cried as he carried her towards the helm. "I swear, I didn't mean to make that bucket of water fall on your head!"
Gibbs muttered several curses as he dragged her up towards the helm, where her father was. "Cap'n!" he yelled. "Ye'd best keep the little lass below deck before she almost kills another crewman!"
Her father looked down at her over Gibbs' shoulder, a smile tugging on his lips. "Pearl, try not to use yer powers before yer used to them, savvy? Yer mum won't like it, and it makes the crew miserable!"
"Sorry, Daddy," she said, saluting him around her captor's body. "I promise not to do it again. Can I go help Mum in the medicine room?"
Her father looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. "Aye, Pearl, why don't ye do that," he said, amusement in his voice. "And try to keep the water buckets off of Gibbs' head."
Athena nodded as she was gently set down by her uncle. Taking advantage of her new freedom, she raced down the steps to go help her mother, thinking about what had happened. It wasn't her fault that she liked to keep the crew on their toes! Besides, her father, Aunt Annamaria, and some of the crewmen liked it when she played her small pranks, though her mother was a mixed opinion on the matter. Shrugging, she opened the door to the herbal room and saw her mother finishing her work on more medicines.
"What did you do this time, darling?" her mother asked, chuckling at her daughter's innocent look. "That look won't fool me, you know that."
"I was practicing moving things with my mind and I accidentally made a bucket of water land on Uncle Gibbs' head," Athena said, looking slightly ashamed. "I was only practicing like you told me to!" she insisted as her mother quirked an eyebrow. "It was an accident!"
Her mother laughed. "Alright, but don't practice around the crew," she said, placing the last bottle of medicine on a shelf. "Seeing things move by themselves is very disturbing for them." Wiping her hands on her apron, her mother turned to look at her, a proud smile on her lips. "But I'm glad that your gifts are developing so nicely."
Athena smiled back. She knew her powers were growing, and she was proud that her mother's ability to move objects with her mind had passed to her daughter. Even though she had only been practicing for a few months, Athena was already surpassing her mother in that magical ability, and both knew that moving objects would be Athena's primary power, along with the traditional talent of mixing medicines. However, Athena also had the ability to predict the weather in an extremely accurate way. While her mother could sometimes tell if a storm was coming, Athena could tell exactly when a rain storm was coming and when it would end. It was a very rare gift that she had currently developed, and her father couldn't be happier to have a daughter who could keep the Black Pearl and its crew out of danger. In the meantime, the budding young witch felt proud to be a mixture of such different worlds.
"I'm going to go practice seeing what the weather's going to be like," Athena said. With a quick kiss goodbye on her mother's cheek, Athena raced out the door.
Narrator's POV:
Meanwhile, Angela stared after the retreating figure of her daughter. The elder witch felt that a young girl possessing such a strong combination of magic meant that danger would happen in her future. That danger would require the use of those gifts, and Angela felt great worry and fear in her heart for her daughter. Pulling off her apron, Angela decided it was time to talk to her husband.
Ten minutes later, the two elder Sparrows were in their cabin, ready for a talk. Jack looked as relaxed as ever, but inside he was extremely upset. Whenever something concerned the safety and happiness of his wife and/or daughter, Jack was ready to do whatever it took to protect his family. Seated opposite him, Angela was as upset as her husband, if not more so, because she was the one who had asked Jack to join her in their cabin.
"Now, luv, what's so important that ye had to call me away from the helm?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair.
Angela shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Jack, I need to talk to you about Athena," she said, not wanting to meet his eyes. He instantly sat up straight in his chair.
"Something's wrong with Pearl?" he demanded, fully ready to do anything to help his child. "Luv, what's wrong with our girl?"
Angela smiled inwardly at her husband's protectiveness. "It's alright, Jack, she's perfectly healthy and safe," she assured. "I just wanted to talk to you about her growing gifts."
Jack looked confused. "What about them? I thought she was growing like ye said she would," he said.
"Oh, she is," Angela said, rubbing her hands together nervously. "She's growing quite well, magically and normally." Her hands were suddenly covered by rough, heavily bejeweled ones. She looked up, her violet eyes meeting warm brown ones.
"Luv, what's wrong?" Jack asked, stroking the backs of her hands with his thumbs.
Angela sighed. "Her gifts are growing too quickly for me to keep up, Jack," she said, stroking his hands with her own thumbs. "My gifts were never very powerful or extensive, but Athena's are far greater than mine could ever be." She signed again as their hands stayed joined, rubbing each other in an attempt to comfort one another. "There have been powerful witches before me, but rarely. The birth of a powerful witch usually means that something is going to happen to them or to their families."
Jack freed one of his hands and caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Luv, we both know that we can take care of ourselves," he said, stroking her cheek. "And ye know that I'll do everything to keep our little Pearl safe from harm."
Angela smiled at him, thankful that he was so supportive and calm. "I know you will," she said, leaning into his touch. "I just wish I had the gift to see exactly what's coming in our future."
AN: Oh, cliffie! Well, sort of. Sorry if this chapter is either boring, or...boring. Anyway, I promise that this will get better; I'm sort of suffering from writer's block right now. And if any "you" writers or readers are reading this, check out Captain Crimson's bio for the link to her Yahoo site for "you" fics; it's the savviest site you'll ever see, and lots of authors from this site are joining! Okay, sorry for the shameless plug, but I had to give it a shot! Love to you all, especially reviewers (hint, hint)! Show your support by reviewing this fic!
AN: Here it is: the sequel to "Magic in the Caribbean!" It'll be a short and sweet sequel, so I hope people won't mind Jack being the affectionate father in this, because that's how I imagine him with kids. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Growing Up, Magically:
Athena's POV:
Five-year-old Athena Sparrow giggled happily as she ran away from her nanny. Playing hide-and-seek with the grown-ups was her favorite thing to do, even though it always made others mad. As she hid behind a barrel, Athena did her best to stay quiet to keep from being found.
"Where are ye, lass?" called a female voice. It was her Auntie Anna, who was presently her 'nanny,' and her favorite playmate. "Come on, treasure, yer papa wouldn't like it if I lost ye!"
Athena couldn't help but smile as she began playing with her thick black hair. Daddy was funny when he thought someone had 'lost' his little girl; he always yelled things and made everyone run around like crazy chickens! The images made her giggle, giving away her hiding place.
"Got ye!" Annamaria cried as she caught her prey. "Knew ye couldn't escape me!"
As she was lifted up, Athena let out a small squeal of delight as her Auntie tossed her up in the air. Being found and tossed was her favorite game, and Auntie Anna always played better than everyone else!
"Anna, be careful with her," a male voice called from the deck. "She might break!"
"Will not!" cried Athena. She giggled as Annamaria lowered her and gave her a kiss before putting her down. "Again!" she insisted, reaching up for more and pouting when the response was 'no.'
"Sorry, darling, but yer papa wants me to cook dinner tonight," Annamaria said, smiling down at the child. "But I think Uncle Gibbs wants to give ye a ride around the deck."
Athena's sea-blue eyes widened as she grinned before racing up on deck. Once there, she spotted Gibbs bent over a coil of rope. Not giving the man a chance to stand up, the little girl launched herself onto his back. The older man grunted in surprise before straightening up and trying to look over his shoulder to see who was attacking him. Athena giggled as her 'uncle' wrapped his arms around her legs and started walking towards to the helm, where her daddy was. As soon as her daddy spotted them coming towards them, he grinned, gold teeth sparkling at them.
"How are ye today, Pearl?" he called, using his pet name for her as he gripped the wheel.
"Fine, Daddy!" Athena replied, waving. Her Uncle Gibbs started walking around the deck even faster, making her giggle. After five minutes, she was set down on the steps near the helm as her uncle went to do his chores. As she slowly climbed the steps up to the wheel, she put her thumb in her mouth and looked up at the man who was her father.
Standing at the helm, her daddy was a tall, dark, strong man that could get his crew to walk right into danger for him without any problems. Her mama had said that he had actually gotten them to do that, several times, and Athena knew that her mother would never lie about that. At night, her daddy told her stories about all sorts of things he had faced and done, sometimes scaring her, sometimes making her laugh. Her daddy was the best storyteller in the Caribbean, and someday, she'd get to do things, just like him! Athena's blue eyes sparkled with the hope of being a great pirate like him.
"Are ye coming to give yer Daddy a kiss or not, Pearl?" her father's warm, scruffy, deep voice called to her.
Grinning, she pulled her thumb out of her mouth and ran up the steps to her kneeling father. He immediately grabbed her up with his right arm and gave her a kiss on the cheek, his beard tickling her. She giggled before returning his kiss. The beads in his hair and beard always caught her attention and she could never resist the urge to play with them. As her tiny hands pulled and tangled in his braids, she realized that something in the wind had changed.
"Papa," she said, tugging on his hair.
"Aye, Pearl, what is it?" he asked, looking at her and smiling, his hand still holding the wheel.
"The air feels funny," she said, looking around the deck.
Her father frowned at her. "What do ye mean it feels funny?"
Athena frowned as well, this time thinking about it. "It feels cold," she said. "And wet, too."
Her father turned to look at the horizon. "Why don't ye go visit yer Mum and tell her about it," he said, setting her down and nudging her towards the stairs. Athena nodded before heading down towards the herbal room, her mother's realm on the ship.
Jack's POV:
Watching his daughter disappear below deck, the Captain of the Black Pearl couldn't help but feel pride in his little girl. His little Pearl was absolutely adorable, and Jack couldn't help smile at the fact that such a wondrous thing had come from him and his wife. He had always wanted a son, but Athena would be as good as any son for him! She was a clever little thing, and with her witch powers, she would be a great future captain for the Black Pearl! What surprised Jack the most was the fact that the crew was so welcoming of her. When Athena had been born, he had expected a huge amount of protest, but the crew treated her like they would treat any child of theirs. They gave her back rides around the deck, made her toys, and taught her to play cards like a pirate. In a way, the crew was like a family of aunt and uncles to the growing girl, and Jack couldn't help but feel glad for that.
Whistling, Jack turned his attention back towards the wheel and to the horizon.
Angela's POV:
As she mixed the bark of the willow tree with water, Angela Sparrow felt peace settle into her...at least, until her daughter came racing into the room.
"Mama, mama!" the little girl called. "Mama, the air feels funny!"
Angela's calm instantly vanished, and a deep concern took its place. "The air feels funny?" She did not like the sound of that, especially when Athena shouldn't be able to feel shifts in the air at this age.
Athena nodded. "It feels cold," she said, her high voice excited and worried. "What does that mean, Mama?"
Angela forced a smile. "It means that little girls will be down below in their cabin tonight," she said, picking up her daughter and swinging her around the room, causing the five-year-old to squeal in delight. After settling the giggling child on her hip, Angela headed to the galley, where she spotted Annamaria at the stove, just finishing up dinner. "Anna, could you watch Athena while I go talk to Jack about something?" The dark- skinned woman nodded as the little girl eagerly reached out for her aunt.
As soon as Athena was fully under Annamaria's guard, Angela headed upstairs to talk to her husband. Finding him at the helm, she went up the steps and smiled as he held out his arm, beckoning her over. She obeyed and tucked herself under his arm, leaning her head on his warm chest.
"What's wrong, luv?" Jack asked, placing a kiss on the top of her head as he held her close.
"Nothing, just a storm coming later tonight, that's all," she replied, wrapping her arm around his waist. A few moments of content silence passed before her husband spoke again.
"There's something else bothering ye, luv," Jack said. "I can feel it, now what else is wrong?"
"I'm scared, Jack," Angela whispered as she looked up at him. "Athena's powers are developing too soon, and that scares me. She's only five, and she felt the air shift. I didn't feel that until I was at least twelve!"
Jack frowned. "Maybe it's the pirate blood in her that makes her feel changes in the weather," he suggested, rubbing his wife's shoulder in an effort to comfort her. "I come from a long line of pirates, and I feel things in the air, too, luv. Maybe it's a merge of our two bloodlines?"
Angela thought about it. "That might be," she said, snuggling close to her husband. "Sometimes the girls in my family have great talents for jobs that their fathers had. I know an ancestor of mine had a special gift for telling good, strong metal swords from weak ones, and her father had been a blacksmith that she never knew. I suppose that our two lines could have made her powers develop early." She sighed as she watched the water. "She's a very special girl, Jack." Angela could almost hear Jack grin at her words.
"Of course she is," he said, amusement in his voice. "After all, she's the daughter of Captain Jack Sparrow and his bonny wife!"
Angela laughed. "She certainly is," she said, staring out at the water, a content smile on her face.
Narrator's POV:
Later that night, after dinner had been served and eaten and the dishes washed, the crew of the Black Pearl gathered around the large galley table for games and tales. Although there was no alcohol while Athena was present, the crew had no problem with that arrangement because they usually got their rum after the little one was asleep for the night. However, with the storm approaching, there would be no drinking tonight.
As the crew joined groups to play either dice or cards, Athena perched herself on her father's lap as her mother went off to the captain's cabin to prepare it for the storm. The crew didn't mind Athena helping her father play cards, mostly because watching the two playing together was as amusing as the games themselves. Presently, the Pearl's Captain and his little girl were happily arranging the cards that Jack held in his hands. After everyone was settled, bets were laid out and cards were discarded and dealt again accordingly.
After twenty minutes, Jack (complete with Athena), Gibbs, and Annamaria were left holding cards. The rest of the crew watched as their captain and his daughter exchanged whispers and shuffled their cards. Finally, Jack put in another coin, and the hands were laid out on the table. Not surprisingly, Jack won, and the crew cheered. As Jack gathered the coins, the fun was interrupted when Angela came into the room and ushered her daughter off to bed. As soon as the two female Sparrows had vanished, Annamaria spoke.
"Jack, how do ye get the little one to help ye play cards and win?" she asked, one of her eyebrows raised in suspicion.
Jack shrugged. "Guess gambling's in the girl's blood," he said, grinning as he stacked his winnings.
Meanwhile, inside the Captain's cabin, Athena's POV:
"Mama," Athena said as she struggled into her nightdress. "Why do I have to go to bed so early? I want to play cards with Daddy and the crew!" She pouted, hoping to win her mother over. Her mama smiled at her daughter as she pulled back the covers of the little girl's bed.
"Now, sweetness, you know that Daddy needs time alone with the crew," her mother chided, reaching over and picking up the discarded clothes before putting them away. "After all, it's part of his job."
Athena made her way to her own cabin connected to her mama and papa's, one that had once been a storage closet before her papa had ordered it made into a room for her third birthday. Now it held her bed, her toy wooden boats, her clothes chest, desk, a chair, and the maps her Uncle Gibbs had given her last year. As she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, she puckered her lips, ready for a good-night kiss from her mama. It was given, along with a hug, and Athena snuggled down to sleep.
"But Mama, I was helping Daddy win," she muttered.
Her mother looked at her. "Were you?" she asked, smiling down at the child. Athena nodded. "And I'm sure he thanks you for it. Now go to sleep."
"Good night, Mama," Athena muttered as she fell off to sleep, dreaming about the cards.
Five Years Later: Athena's POV:
Laughter filled the deck of the Pearl as Athena was lifted up and swung over the shoulder of her Uncle Gibbs. The elderly man looked upset, but the crew knew that he was just as amused as they were.
"Please Uncle Gibbs, it wasn't my fault!" Athena cried as he carried her towards the helm. "I swear, I didn't mean to make that bucket of water fall on your head!"
Gibbs muttered several curses as he dragged her up towards the helm, where her father was. "Cap'n!" he yelled. "Ye'd best keep the little lass below deck before she almost kills another crewman!"
Her father looked down at her over Gibbs' shoulder, a smile tugging on his lips. "Pearl, try not to use yer powers before yer used to them, savvy? Yer mum won't like it, and it makes the crew miserable!"
"Sorry, Daddy," she said, saluting him around her captor's body. "I promise not to do it again. Can I go help Mum in the medicine room?"
Her father looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. "Aye, Pearl, why don't ye do that," he said, amusement in his voice. "And try to keep the water buckets off of Gibbs' head."
Athena nodded as she was gently set down by her uncle. Taking advantage of her new freedom, she raced down the steps to go help her mother, thinking about what had happened. It wasn't her fault that she liked to keep the crew on their toes! Besides, her father, Aunt Annamaria, and some of the crewmen liked it when she played her small pranks, though her mother was a mixed opinion on the matter. Shrugging, she opened the door to the herbal room and saw her mother finishing her work on more medicines.
"What did you do this time, darling?" her mother asked, chuckling at her daughter's innocent look. "That look won't fool me, you know that."
"I was practicing moving things with my mind and I accidentally made a bucket of water land on Uncle Gibbs' head," Athena said, looking slightly ashamed. "I was only practicing like you told me to!" she insisted as her mother quirked an eyebrow. "It was an accident!"
Her mother laughed. "Alright, but don't practice around the crew," she said, placing the last bottle of medicine on a shelf. "Seeing things move by themselves is very disturbing for them." Wiping her hands on her apron, her mother turned to look at her, a proud smile on her lips. "But I'm glad that your gifts are developing so nicely."
Athena smiled back. She knew her powers were growing, and she was proud that her mother's ability to move objects with her mind had passed to her daughter. Even though she had only been practicing for a few months, Athena was already surpassing her mother in that magical ability, and both knew that moving objects would be Athena's primary power, along with the traditional talent of mixing medicines. However, Athena also had the ability to predict the weather in an extremely accurate way. While her mother could sometimes tell if a storm was coming, Athena could tell exactly when a rain storm was coming and when it would end. It was a very rare gift that she had currently developed, and her father couldn't be happier to have a daughter who could keep the Black Pearl and its crew out of danger. In the meantime, the budding young witch felt proud to be a mixture of such different worlds.
"I'm going to go practice seeing what the weather's going to be like," Athena said. With a quick kiss goodbye on her mother's cheek, Athena raced out the door.
Narrator's POV:
Meanwhile, Angela stared after the retreating figure of her daughter. The elder witch felt that a young girl possessing such a strong combination of magic meant that danger would happen in her future. That danger would require the use of those gifts, and Angela felt great worry and fear in her heart for her daughter. Pulling off her apron, Angela decided it was time to talk to her husband.
Ten minutes later, the two elder Sparrows were in their cabin, ready for a talk. Jack looked as relaxed as ever, but inside he was extremely upset. Whenever something concerned the safety and happiness of his wife and/or daughter, Jack was ready to do whatever it took to protect his family. Seated opposite him, Angela was as upset as her husband, if not more so, because she was the one who had asked Jack to join her in their cabin.
"Now, luv, what's so important that ye had to call me away from the helm?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair.
Angela shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Jack, I need to talk to you about Athena," she said, not wanting to meet his eyes. He instantly sat up straight in his chair.
"Something's wrong with Pearl?" he demanded, fully ready to do anything to help his child. "Luv, what's wrong with our girl?"
Angela smiled inwardly at her husband's protectiveness. "It's alright, Jack, she's perfectly healthy and safe," she assured. "I just wanted to talk to you about her growing gifts."
Jack looked confused. "What about them? I thought she was growing like ye said she would," he said.
"Oh, she is," Angela said, rubbing her hands together nervously. "She's growing quite well, magically and normally." Her hands were suddenly covered by rough, heavily bejeweled ones. She looked up, her violet eyes meeting warm brown ones.
"Luv, what's wrong?" Jack asked, stroking the backs of her hands with his thumbs.
Angela sighed. "Her gifts are growing too quickly for me to keep up, Jack," she said, stroking his hands with her own thumbs. "My gifts were never very powerful or extensive, but Athena's are far greater than mine could ever be." She signed again as their hands stayed joined, rubbing each other in an attempt to comfort one another. "There have been powerful witches before me, but rarely. The birth of a powerful witch usually means that something is going to happen to them or to their families."
Jack freed one of his hands and caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Luv, we both know that we can take care of ourselves," he said, stroking her cheek. "And ye know that I'll do everything to keep our little Pearl safe from harm."
Angela smiled at him, thankful that he was so supportive and calm. "I know you will," she said, leaning into his touch. "I just wish I had the gift to see exactly what's coming in our future."
AN: Oh, cliffie! Well, sort of. Sorry if this chapter is either boring, or...boring. Anyway, I promise that this will get better; I'm sort of suffering from writer's block right now. And if any "you" writers or readers are reading this, check out Captain Crimson's bio for the link to her Yahoo site for "you" fics; it's the savviest site you'll ever see, and lots of authors from this site are joining! Okay, sorry for the shameless plug, but I had to give it a shot! Love to you all, especially reviewers (hint, hint)! Show your support by reviewing this fic!