FicWad

I felt like I was going to pass out as I lay panting and dripping sweat all over in the storage room. If I was going to get this baby out alive, I need helped quickly. Unfortunately, I didn't think help would come. After all, James was probably lost in some kind of hypnosis, Will was still up at the helm, and nobody else knew I existed.

I tried to keep pushing and fighting, but already a sea of exhaustion was falling over me. I was plummeting downwards as if I was a bird who had both its wings cut off. Pain shot through me and bubbled up around me. My vision blurred as I whimpered loudly. Shit. I was losing it. How the hell was I going to live with myself if this baby ended up dying because I was too weak to fight for it?

The black circles kept threatening to take me over. I pushed against them, but they were overwhelming. Just when I thought I was going to lose the baby for sure, the door to the storage room flew open. A figure gasped and knelt next to me. I couldn't tell who it was, but it didn't matter. All I could think about was that someone was here to help. I could do this...right?

Someone's hands cupped my cheeks and through the thick haze clouding my eyes, I could tell someone was looking at me. Words slipped into my ears. Speaking frantically, the person leaning over me was saying, "Jenna? Jenna, listen to me. Nod if you can hear me." I could hear the person barely. I nodded ever so slightly, fighting just to remain conscious.

"Listen, Jenna, if you stop now, you're going to lose the baby," a voice whispered into my ear. I kind of knew that, but now my suspicion was confirmed. My heart sank and my belly felt like it was going to explode. The hand gripping my chin tightened and a voice pressed me on, "Come on, you can do it! I know you can. Keep pushing. I want this baby to live."

I was really wondering who was talking to me. Fighting to keep conscious, I blinked and got a glimpse of brown eyes peering into mine. Curly brown hair was exposed from under a purple bandanna. It was definitely Will. Thank god he had come to help me, but even with Will's help, was it going to be too late now? Was there a way for the baby to still live?

Will moved between my legs and pulled them apart. I was embarrassed, but now was not the time to worry about embarrassment. There were much more important matters to deal with. From between my legs, I could hear Will's voice as he said, "You're doing fine. As a matter of fact, you're halfway done. Can you push? I'll count to ten. You can stop pushing when I get to ten."

Sighing, I summoned up all my willpower and started pushing. God, it hurt, but Will was right. I could do this. Will seemed to be counting so slowly. Just when I thought I couldn't bear it, Will got to ten. I collapsed and noticed black circles were threatening to engulf me again. As if noticing that I didn't think I'd be able to go on, Will pinched my thigh to keep me conscious.

My eyes flew back open and I whimpered. Will looked apologetic as he said, "I'm sorry, but I have to keep you awake some way or another, don't I? You're doing great. I think just one more time and we'll be done. Do you think you can push again?" I couldn't really get a yes or no out, so I just groaned. Personally, I didn't think anymore pushing was possible.

Will decided to think it was possible. He encouraged, "We're going to do this. Alright, I'm going to start counting again. Ready?" Will started counting and I tried to keep pushing. This time, the black circles took up three-fourths of my vision. They threatened to take me over. I was going to give up at any moment. Damn, I hated giving birth...

"Oh good, it's out," Will sighed in relief. "You can go ahead and relax now." It was out? Thank god for that. Exhaling loudly, I let the black circles take me over and immediately fell unconscious. I was so glad I had been able to get the baby out. I wasn't sure what I would've done if I hadn't. The only reason the baby had lived was because of Will.

When I woke again, I was sitting in a cabin all alone. Wondering where I was, I blinked and sat up. Looking around, I realized I was in a bed. I was about to get out to see what was going on when the door quickly opened. Will stepped in with a baby wrapped up in his arms. He hurried to my side and smiled at me, saying, "Good job, Jenna. I knew you could do it. Here."

Will held the little bundle out for me to take. I anxiously took it from Will and peered down at it excitedly. The baby was a little tiny girl. As I cradled her, she opened one green eye. Smiling, I realized she had taken after James' eye color. I snuggled her against my chest and cried out, "God, she's perfect. I don't know how she even managed to survive."

Shrugging, Will said, "Well, because of you. You didn't give up." Something about the way Will phrased that statement immediately got my attention. Frowning, I remembered what James had said about babies being born on the Flying Dutchman. Since there was no way to get back to land, they would have to die when we got to the afterlife. My eyes filled up with tears at the thought.

Holding my little girl close to me, I looked up at Will tearfully and asked, "Is there now way to keep here? None at all?" Will looked at the ground and hesitated for a long time. I tilted my head at him curiously, thinking that a hesitation was better than an outright no. Looking up into Will's deep brown eyes, I asked, "Is there a way? I would do anything for her to live..."

Will finally nodded slowly, "I can find of one solution, but its not ideal and I shouldn't really be doing this." My eyes lit up at Will's words and I threw my arms around his neck, bursting out, "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me. What do we have to do? I'll do whatever it takes. All you have to do is tell me the plan."

Will sighed and nodded, "Alright. Well, it would be quite impossible to sail back to land. However, Elizabeth's island is not far from here at all. I think I can delay the ship for about thirty minutes. You can go ashore to the island, give the baby to Elizabeth, and then hurry back to the ship. What do you think of this? I'm sure Elizabeth would like the company."

I thought about it and realized Will's plan was a good one. After all, Elizabeth was living all alone on the island besides for her son. She must get very lonely. I nodded in agreement and said, "It sounds good. When will I be going ashore?" Will squinted, thought for a moment, and then replied, "In about an hour. We're almost to the island. Can you be ready by then?"

An hour? That didn't give me much time at all! I would certainly have to hurry. Slipping out of bed, I handed the newborn to Will and replied, "I can be ready, but I should change now. I'll meet you on deck in an hour." Will nodded and started towards the door. Just as he was about to shut it, I called after him, "Will?" Will paused and looked back at me.

Feeling kind of sad, I asked, "What about James? Should I ask his opinion at all?" From Will's expression, I could tell James was in one of those moods where he wouldn't be able to tell who I was at all. Sighing, I went to fetch a dress as Will shut the door behind me. In the next hour, I tried to clean myself up as best as I could before going to the upper deck.

Will had pulled the ship up next to a small island. There was a cozy little house on the center of it. Will handed me the newborn and said, "Remember that you only have thirty minutes. I cannot delay the ship any longer than that. Go quickly now. I don't want you to run out of time." Will threw a ladder over the side of the ship and waved me towards it.

Tucking the baby under one arm and grabbing the rope with the other, I started climbing down to the ground. When I reached the ground, I took off running towards the house. Will was right; I didn't have much time at all. He hadn't told me what would happen if I didn't make it back within the half hour, but I wasn't sure I really wanted to know anyways.

I ran across the ground quickly and up to Elizabeth's house. I knocked on the door and stood back to wait. Suddenly, I felt a little nervous. Elizabeth and I weren't exactly on the best terms. She had been rather angry with me when we had met in Beckett's office. Would she still be mad now? I had no idea and for some reason, that made me quite apprehensive.

Abruptly, the door opened and Elizabeth looked out in surprise, obviously surprised to see someone. When she saw me, her mouth dropped and she blinked, asking, "Jenna? Is that you or am I hallucinating?" Giving her a tentative smile, I replied, "You're not hallucinating. It really is me. Um, may I come in for a few minutes? I have a small request."

Elizabeth nodded instantly and threw the door open wide for me. I slipped inside the house and waited for Elizabeth to lead me to the parlor. She pointed to a soft brown chair across from the fireplace. I sat down in it and watched as she sat down in a chair identical to mine. Elizabeth's eyes focused on the newborn and she smiled, "Is that your little girl?"

"Yes, she is," I said, holding out the baby. Elizabeth took her and smiled as she cradled her in her arms. The little newborn cooed softly and smiled up at Elizabeth. Turning back to me, Elizabeth tilted her head and asked curiously, "What brings you here? I'm in the middle of nowhere. I had no idea anyone could find me. Will said that nobody knows where this island is."

"Will is right," I told her, watching just how well she was getting along with my baby. "Will dropped me off here actually." Elizabeth looked confused for a moment before realization passed over her features and she looked at me in horror as she said, "Wait a minute. If Will dropped you off, you must have been on the Flying Dutchman. Goodness, are you dead, Jenna?"

I nodded, "Um hm. I ought not to be here, but Will said he could make an exception." I winked at Elizabeth and she tried to smile through the sorrow. Elizabeth finally asked, "If you don't mind my questions, how exactly did it happen? You know, your death." Not really wanting to go through the whole Mercer scenario, I said merely, "I drowned. Let's not talk about that right now though. There are a lot more important things to worry about at the moment. Besides, I only have thirty minutes."

"Only thirty minutes?" Elizabeth echoed, "Why, that's a shame. Well, Will must have let you come here for some reason. What's going on?" Elizabeth was always ahead of the game. Already, she knew that I was here to ask her for something. Deciding to get straight to the point, I said, "I...uh...accidentally got pregnant while I was on the Flying Dutchman. Normally, the babies die when we reach the afterlife. I couldn't bear to have this little one die though, so I thought I'd give her to you if you'll take her."

There was a long silence during which I was holding my breath. Finally, Elizabeth nodded and exclaimed, "Of course I'll take her. I hope you don't mind my asking, but who's child is this?" Elizabeth held the baby against her chest and rocked it slowly in her arms. To my surprise, she was already asleep. Those two were going to get along very well.

"It's James' child," I admitted, looking up at Elizabeth. Elizabeth's eyes widened, "James? You mean James Norrington as in my ex-fiance?" I nodded. A look of shock and surprise filled Elizabeth's features. I knew what I would be doing for the next half hour; I apparently had lots of explaining and catching up to do with Lizzy.