Chapter Text
Marianne never stopped running to her favorite corner of the garden each morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious ship — that’s what she told her mother.
But deep down, she hoped Jack would come again. She thought that if she arrived earlier, maybe he would too, and they’d have more time together. But that didn’t happen for many days — days that felt far too long for little Mary.
Each day at the estate felt the same: quiet, spotless, and too well-organized for a child bursting with curiosity.
Of course, her mother didn’t scold her when she came running into the house covered in mud, she even laughed and chased her around playfully. But the fun never lasted more than five minutes before Mary was whisked into a quick bath, dried, and dressed in clean, warm clothes. She loved the comfort of it, sure, but she craved more. Something different.
Then, after what felt like forever, though her mother claimed it had only been three weeks, Mary woke up to the familiar scent of salty sea air. The very same smell that always came just before the mysterious ship appeared. She knew he was here.
Mary had never gotten dressed faster in her life. When the maid came into her room to help, she was already halfway through dressing herself.
She darted to the main parlor, where her mother usually spent her mornings before heading off to the bar. There, to her delight, was Jack talking with her mother.
The moment she entered, Jack’s face lit up. He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up into a hug, but he remembered what Angelica had told him: Mary was shy. So he stayed still, and followed her lead.
Mary was thrilled, more than she let on, but she did try, in her own way, to step out of her comfort zone. If she wanted a life different from what she’d known, she’d have to act a little differently too.
After a short conversation, Angelica left Jack and Mary with the maids and headed to her bar in Tortuga.
She’d developed a habit of entering through the back door, afraid someone from the Black Pearl’s crew might see her and start asking questions and maybe, despite their usual lack of sense, figure out what was really going on and why Jack made them dock there at least once a month.
She climbed the stairs quickly, two staff members at her heels, and entered her office.
After gathering a quick report from her team on what had happened while she was gone, she realized they needed to restock some supplies. She dismissed the team and got back to reviewing the ledgers, stationing two men at the door just in case any unwanted guests showed up.
Two hours later, one of the workers knocked at her office door.
“Ma’am, there’s a commotion downstairs. The drunks are fighting again.”
“What else is new, Matt?” she replied, not even looking up from the papers.
“They’ve drawn pistols,” he added.
Angelica sighed deeply. Bunch of brainless fools, she thought.
“You two,” she pointed at the two burly guards, “go break up the party.”
They nodded silently and left to do exactly that. Things calmed down — until she heard footsteps approaching her door. She stood quickly and peeked through the peephole.
“Didn’t get enough the first time?” said Gibbs.
“I’m barely drunk,” muttered a short, unfamiliar man beside him. “That damn rum ran out way too fast. These locals are like pigs… but something here stinks.”
He stopped right in front of her door.
Angelica locked it quietly, a chill running down her spine. As much as she hated to admit it, she agreed with him.
“Jack has been acting strange,” Gibbs confessed. “Usually he’s all over the bar, drink in one hand, girl in the other. But lately, the moment we dock, he tosses us some gold for drinks and disappears.”
“It’s like he’s hiding something,” the little man said. “Something he doesn’t want to share with the crew. I say next time we dock here, someone should follow him.”
Angelica’s eyes widened.
“Aye,” Gibbs nodded. “But if Jack’s hiding something, I trust it’s for a reason. He’s earned that much.”
A shout from the bar below interrupted them, a new shipment of rum had arrived and both men hurried off.
This isn’t good, Angelica thought. She hadn’t realized the bar’s empty shelves might force them to think — even for a second — about what Jack was really up to. She needed to tell him, fast. Maybe he could sneak away differently next time or come up with a new excuse.
But no way in hell would she let two sea rats ruin her life just because they were suspicious of where their captain was getting his rum.
Had the bar been empty and her crew with her, she wouldn’t have hesitated to come out and stab the pair of them herself. But for now, luck was on their side.
~~~
“This is Lady Frotho Froy!” Mary declared proudly, placing the doll in the small chair across from Jack, who was squeezed into a seat so tiny it felt like sitting on the floor.
“Aye!” he said, raising his tiny teacup. “A most noble lady indeed, Lady Froy.
“Pinkies up!” Mary giggled, lifting hers in dramatic fashion.
“Oh, sea gods forgive me — where are my manners?” he muttered, adjusting the flower crown Mary had placed on his head and lifting the cup again, properly this time.
He tried with all his might to ignore the stifled snickers of the maid by the door. His pride had never sunk so low — but in that moment, he didn’t care. All that mattered was Mary’s laughter.
Suddenly, Angelica entered through the front door. “Jack, we need to ta—” she stopped mid-sentence at the sight of him.
She couldn’t help but smile — though she held back a laugh. “Having a tea party, are we? How lovely,” she said, scooping Mary into her arms.
“Not a word of this leaves this room,” Jack muttered under his breath.
“Maybe I’ll save it for blackmail someday,” she teased with a smirk. “But that’s not why I’m here.”
She kissed Mary on the head and handed her to the maid to take to another room so she could speak with Jack.
Jack set down the teacup and stood up. “It’s your crew,” Angelica said, getting straight to the point. “They’re starting to suspect something.”
She told him everything she’d overheard.
“I was afraid this day would come,” Jack said, crossing his arms, brow furrowed.
After tossing around ideas for a few minutes, they reached the same conclusion: no matter what Jack did, come ashore from a different point, leave at different hours, it wouldn’t matter. Making up more excuses would only deepen suspicion. And Gibbs knew him too well to be fooled.
“I think there’s no choice,” Jack finally said, rubbing his forehead.
“What do you mean no choice?” Angelica’s tone sharpened.
“I’ll tell him the truth. When he follows me — and he will — I’ll come clean. At least that way, he won’t run off to tell the rest. I can swear him to secrecy.”
“Jack…” Angelica stepped closer, and in a flash had a knife at his throat. “I didn’t bring you into my home so you could just go blabbing about it to the world, Jacky darling.”
“I’ve known Gibbs since I was a lad,” Jack said calmly. “He’s family. The only one I trust with my life. He’d break pirate code itself if it meant saving me.”
He paused, searching her eyes. “And you think this doesn’t matter to me? That I come here just for fun? I sit in that tiny chair and wear that ridiculous flower crown just for her.”
Angelica lowered the blade with a sigh and sat down on the arm of a chair, resting her head in her hand.
“What am I supposed to do with you, Jacky?” she said wearily. “Of all the people in the world… you had to be the father of my daughter? As if I didn’t already have enough to worry about.”
Jack remained standing for a moment longer before joining her, leaning on the opposite armrest.
“You know I’m not good with words,” he muttered. “Typical man.”
She didn’t respond, so he cleared his throat.
“But I swear, Angelica — if every pirate in the Caribbean knew about Mary and came storming this house with blades drawn, I wouldn’t die until I knew she was safe.”
Angelica looked at him — eyes glossy with unspoken emotion.
He gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I won’t let my troubles become yours. You gave me the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
She smiled faintly, and Jack breathed a sigh of relief that he still had all his fingers.
“Where was this man when you left me on that cursed island?” she asked with a small chuckle.
“Still a pirate,” Jack answered, suddenly defensive. “Don’t think I wouldn’t do it again — if you weren’t the mother of my child and all this hadn’t happened.”
“Really, Jacky? Next time you toss a girl off your ship, maybe check if she’s someone’s daughter?” she teased, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Jack didn’t answer.
After a few quiet moments, Angelica stood up and sighed.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… I trust you, Jack. If you think Gibbs is the one to tell, then tell him. Maybe he can even help convince the rest of that crew you’ve actually got a heart.”
“Aye” Jack nodded.
“I’m heading back to the bar. Got to check if the rest of the shipment arrived” she paused at the door “and one last thing, Jack?”
He looked up with a questioning hum.
“That flower crown really suits you,” she said with a mischievous grin and a chuckle as she left the room.
Jack took the flower crown off his head as Angelica got out of the door, feeling awkward he’d just had an entire serious conversation with it still on. But as he held it in his hands, he couldn’t help thinking about Mary’s smile when she’d placed it there.
He picked one small yellow flower from it… and tucked it into his coat pocket.
~~~
Exactly three weeks later, Mary’s mother told her a day in advance: Jack would be coming, and he might be bringing a guest.
Mary had never been more excited. Angelica was pleasantly surprised to see her shy daughter slowly opening up to others, smiling more, talking more.
Even in her sleep, Mary could already smell the salty sea air and hear the creaking wood of the mysterious ship. The moment she woke up, she didn’t hesitate for a second—she called the maid herself.
She hurried to the main salon, expecting to find Jack and her mother, though she couldn’t lie to herself: her curiosity about the mysterious guest was even stronger.
As she stepped through the doors and spotted the bearded man with the pointed hat, a wave of emotion washed over her, as though she’d seen him far more times than she really had. She ran to hug him the moment he bent down to greet her.
“Birdie!” she called out, wrapping her arms around him.
“My Mary,” Jack laughed, scooping her up into his arms.
Mary was still shy from admiration—still hesitant in his embrace—but she wanted to be near him with all her heart, so she did her best not to show just how thrilled she was.
“Well, I’ll be…” came a new voice.
Mary had been so swept up in seeing Jack again, she completely forgot about the mysterious guest.
She turned around and saw a slightly tall man, dressed in rather tattered, colorless clothes, with unkempt hair and mutton chops.
“Mary, meet Mr. Gibbs,” Jack introduced the guest, who still looked too stunned to speak. “And Gibbs—this is Marianne.”
Trying to wrap his head around the moment, Gibbs gave a small nod and smiled gently. “You’re welcome to call me Uncle Josh.”
Mary giggled at the name and the look of the man, then repeated it softly after him.
Jack glanced between the two. “Don’t even think about trying to steal my spot as the favorit one,” he warned Gibbs with a mock-serious stare.
Angelica rolled her eyes and came in to kiss Mary on the cheek. “Good morning, my angel.”
“Good morning, Mama,” Mary answered sweetly.
Angelica shared a few words with the two men, then left them and made her way to the bar.
“That bar really is hers?” Gibbs asked, still staring after Angelica. “Can’t say I’m surprised… but I didn’t see that coming either.”
“I didn’t know the bar was going to hit you this hard,” Jack joked, setting Mary down on the floor and taking a seat with her.
“I’m not talking about the bar,” Gibbs said, dropping into a nearby armchair. “I’m talking about the fact that you’re a father. That’s… bizarre in the most incredible way. And to think this is why you’ve been coming here every few weeks…”
“Aye. Can’t afford to stay away from her too long. That’s one of Angelica’s rules,” Jack said as Mary walked over to choose a puzzle from one of the shelves.
“Bloody hell, Jack,” Gibbs muttered. “What were you thinking? A child? Have you lost your mind?”
Jack gave him a sharp look, reminding him Mary was still in the room.
“Anyway,” Gibbs said, lowering his voice, “I’ve got to ask… Do you really want to be a father? Or are you just keeping to some old pirate code—turning her into a legacy, the next generation of the Keepers?”
Jack was quiet for a long moment before he answered.
“I found out I had a daughter… from my father, of all people. It was… strange, I won’t lie. I thought it was supposed to work the other way around—”
“Jack,” Gibbs interrupted, unamused.
“I’m getting there,” Jack grumbled. “My father smacked some sense into me—literally—and forced me to come here. But the moment I saw her…”
He glanced at Mary, who was now climbing a few shelves to reach a puzzle higher up. Jack stood beside her, letting her finish her task while making sure she stayed safe.
“She’s so much like you, it’s scary,” Gibbs chuckled. “She’s got your exact look, and the same fire in her eyes—but thankfully, Angelica gave her some elegance.”
“Correct,” Mary said suddenly, reminding them she could hear every word.
Their eyes widened.
“You’re not gonna tell your mother all that, right?” Jack asked, nervous now.
“Not if you come back sooner next time,” Mary said, sitting on the shelf with the puzzle in hand, flashing Jack a tiny scheming smile.
“Spitting image of you,” Gibbs said, grinning.
Jack gave Gibbs a side-eye. “You drive a hard bargain, little miss,” he said as he lifted her down with the seahorse puzzle.
Mary giggled, proud that her plan seemed to work—and hoping he’d keep his promise.
Later, when Angelica returned, she offered Gibbs a drink and a chance to talk with Jack like she always did. But he insisted that staying any longer would seem suspicious to the crew, since he was supposed to be here “spying.”
Angelica didn’t argue. Her daughter’s safety mattered more than anything.
And so they said goodbye to Gibbs.
Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll follow with the Jack Sparrow-style version—with all the eccentric charm and swagger you’d expect from him.
~~~
Just a week later—just like he promised Mary—the Captain returned once again to Lady Reed’s estate.
Jack had barely stepped one foot into the house when Angelica rushed up to him.
“A whole fleet just arrived in Tortuga. It’s always like this in January, the sea’s too stormy to stay out for long. I’ve got to run. Mary’s in the garden, you’ll find her easily. Look after her, same as always, Jack.” She placed a light hand on his shoulder. He gave a nod, and she disappeared out the door with two others in tow.
Jack barely had time to reply before she climbed into the carriage bound for town. Sometimes it felt like he was only summoned here to babysit.
He turned and made his way toward Mary’s favorite spot, and not by coincidence, the same place he saw her for the second time ever, many months ago.
He stepped past a bush and spotted her right away, lost in thought as she stared out at the sea, just as Angelica had said. And she was right. It looked like the ships would never stop arriving, like ants to sugar.
And of course, there was the annoying maid nearby. A whole package deal, unfortunately.
Jack approached quietly and noticed Mary was too deep in her thoughts to notice him. So he took a few steps back and deliberately crunched some dry leaves beneath his boots, just loud enough for her to hear.
Mary turned at the sound, her eyes lighting up like they always did.
“Birdie,” she said, more calmly than usual. Jack couldn’t help but feel warmth swell in his chest every time she called him by that nickname.
“Good morning, my Mary,” Jack said, lifting her up in a hug. “What’s weighing on your mind today?”
Mary stayed quiet for a few seconds, gazing at the horizon. Absentmindedly, her little fingers played with a lock of Jack’s hair.
“What’s beyond the sea?” she asked at last.
“I haven’t the faintest idea. It’s the one question every pirate tries to answer,” he said, walking toward the low wall, but keeping a safe distance—close enough to keep her safe, as always.
“What did you find in the sea?” she asked.
“Endless things. I’ve roamed the oceans since I was young and found wonders beyond counting. Some of them even found me,” he added with a grin.
“Really? Who found you?” Mary asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity again.
“Not too many years ago, there was a young man who looked completely lost. A blacksmith—terrible with a sword—but he helped me find quite a few good things.” Jack guided Mary to a smooth stone ledge by the wall and sat down beside her.
“What did you find together?” she asked.
“He helped me find my way back to my ship,” Jack said, pointing to the Black Pearl in the distance. “We went on many voyages, faced all sorts of dangers—but things always worked out in the end, one way or another.”
“Can I meet him one day?”
“Sadly, he’s… deep beneath the sea,” Jack said.
Mary giggled softly. “How can someone be inside the water?”
“He’s bound by a supernatural curse. He has to remain at sea, no matter what, to be with the woman he loves—over and over again.”
“Do you miss him?” Mary asked.
The question caught Jack off guard. Did he miss Will? The thought had crossed his mind more than once. He’d never said it aloud—not even after all these years. But in the place where longing should have been, there was something else. After all, Will still held a grudge against Jack, even though Jack never fully understood what he did wrong. The boy was simply too sensitive—and owed Jack his life, more than once.
“Maybe once,” Jack admitted. “But I don’t think about him much these days. His love, though… she crosses my mind now and then. She was…” Jack hesitated, unsure how to describe Elizabeth to a little girl. He’d spent years trying to charm her, even with her ties to Will. But she’d never really been the type to fall for it—and not to mention, she did kill him once.
“A good fighter,” he finally said, waving it off. “She knew how to face down any pirate who crossed her, and she earned the highest title a pirate could ever have. She became the Pirate King! She led fleets of pirates into war, after proving herself in the battle at World’s End.”
He struck a dramatic pose with his hands, and Mary blew out her cheeks in awe.
“I’m going to be Pirate King one day!” Mary exclaimed, jumping to her feet and pointing toward the ocean.
Jack would be lying if he said that didn’t move him—and also worry him a little. He was thrilled that being a pirate was her dream, one he could help make real someday—if Angelica ever loosened the reins. But King?
“Mary, love…” Jack called gently. She turned to him, grinning from ear to ear.
“Yes, Birdie?” she asked, skipping over as he gestured for her to sit beside him.
“I’m afraid… you can’t be Pirate King.”
I tried, too. Jack thought with a grin.
“What?” she squeaked, her small, fragile voice hinting at tears.
“You can’t be Pirate King because you’ve got a much more important job ahead of you,” Jack said.
“Really?” Her almost-tears vanished in an instant.
“Yes! You’re going to inherit a title passed down from parent to child—it’s the role your grandfather holds now,” Jack winced slightly at the word. He and Angelica had never planned to reveal to Mary that he was her biological father… but she didn’t seem fazed. So he went on. “It’s a role even more important than being King, most of the time. We’re the Keepers of the Code.”
Mary’s excitement dropped. That didn’t sound nearly as grand as commanding an army of ships across the seas.
“I still want to be Pirate King,” she said, sulking as she stared down at the ground.
“I understand. I tried to be King once too,” Jack said, looking out toward the horizon. “But I quickly realized I don’t much care for responsibility.”
“But aren’t you the Keeper of the Code?” Mary asked.
“One day, after my father… well, when he’s gone, yes. I’ll have no choice but to take up the role until the end of my days. The Keeper of the Code has always been the Pirate King’s right hand.”
Jack said it with a heavy heart. Sure, his father had prepared him for the job all those years at Shipwreck Cove, even before he’d earned his first ship and set out as a pirate. But even when he was free among the waves, Jack had always felt the burden creeping up behind him, threatening to anchor him forever in one place.
That’s why he never visited his father or returned to Shipwreck Cove. He feared that if he ever docked there again, it would be the last time he stepped aboard a ship—or felt the sea move beneath his feet.
But the day the Pirate Lords had gathered, and he learned his father was still alive, he’d felt a boulder lift from his back. He fled the island as fast as he could… even if it meant making Elizabeth the Pirate King. (Not that she really—well, sort of—never mind...)
“In that case…” Mary said, resting her pink cheek on her hand, “I’ll be the Keeper—and never leave the King’s side!”
“That’s the spirit,” Jack said warmly, brushing his hand gently over his daughter’s head.
Ya better be fucking proud of me right now, fathe. jack told himself.