SOMEWHERE OFF THE COAST OF GEORGIA

Fifty-seven … fifty-eight … Jack turned over and glanced at the clock. 3:37 am. Blast! Fifty-nine … Sixty … Changing position, he fluffed his pillow and laid his head back down on it with a huff. Sixty-one … sixty-two …sixty-three …Must speak to Cook about the stores. We may need to re-supply in Miami. Sixty-four … sixty-five … Turning again, Ah, I remember. The sails. Don't quite like the set of them. Must see to that tomorrow. Sixty-six … Sixty-seven …His eye caught the time again. 3:38 am. Harrumph! Thirty-eight … thirty-nine …thirty-nine? "Oh, blast! Where was I?" Jack exclaimed as he sat up abruptly.

"Mmmm, Jack sweetie," Natalie mumbled sleepily, "you were on sixty-seven and counting sheep doesn't seem to be helping. Maybe some warm milk?"

Warm milk. God's teeth! Nasty tasting stuff. Jack shook his head as he looked down at his sleeping wife and smiled with the knowledge of the child hidden in her belly; a child he put there. His chest puffed out proudly. Carefully, he rose and tucked the sheets in around her. Grabbing his charts from the desk, he tiptoed up the stairs to the deck. If he couldn't find sleep, he thought to himself, then he'll work until sleep finds him.

Spreading the charts before him, he refined their course; first Miami, then Key West for a 3-day stop. Sail on though the Bahamas to Puerto Rico for an overnight stay. From there; a few days exploring the Caribbean and then heading home. Stowing away the charts, he strolled along the deck to the bow. Climbing up, he stood with the wind in his face lost in his thoughts. Jupiter, high in the southern sky, was leading the way. Saturn and Venus stood guard to the west while in the east was the Northern Cross with Deneb shining as brightly as he remembered from his other world.

His other world. For the first time in a very long time, he allowed himself to be caught up with thoughts of home. And yes, it was still home to him in many ways. While he had grown accustomed to this modern age, he mourned the loss of his old world. From the perspective of 1805, there were still so many wondrous discoveries yet to be made. There was honor between gentlemen; something that has been definitely lost over the years. And while he appreciated the freeness of relations between the sexes, he missed the courtliness of his time. For a brief moment, he wished he had done as he told Riley he would do and returned.

But, then he would lose Riley … and John, Terry, Bridgid, and most of all Natalie. He realized more than ever that he was a man of two worlds. Finding the balance between them was tricky, but it was a challenge he was up to. "Well, Jupiter, my old friend," he said grinning. "For better or worse, I seem to be tied to this place." Feeling sleep finally grab hold of him, he went back to his cabin.

Sliding under the covers, he spooned up behind Natalie, wrapping his arm protectively around her.

Natalie snuggled closer and pulled his arm tighter around her. She could feel his nose nuzzle her hair, his beard raspy against her shoulder and his breath in her ear. She turned and kissed his nose, then his eyes. "Jack?" she whispered. "Are you …"

A loud snore was his answer.

MIAMI

The Surprise II was an hour out of the harbor and headed south/west toward Key West. They had stopped in Miami for a few hours just long enough to re-supply the ship, but not long enough for the crew to go ashore. Natalie was sitting at the taffrail watching the ship's wake. It was the only place she could sit and not be in anyone's way while she tried to calm her heaving stomach. Seasickness, morning sickness, or a combination thereof, which was more likely, took hold of her. For days now, she wore a shade of perpetual green.

When she insisted on joining Jack for this cruise, she planned to be a part of the crew; to help sail the ship. Never thinking about being ill, she talked excitedly with Jack about climbing the rigging, setting the sails, being a useful member of the crew. To Jack's amusement, she was determined to be an "able bodied seaman," one he could be proud of. Now look at her. She was tired and weak all the time. If she wasn't puking, she was sitting on the sidelines watching everyone else manning the ship; doing what she wanted to do but couldn't. Disappointed wasn't half of it; most of all, she felt she was letting Jack down.

Suddenly, she thought of Siggie and what he would say of her predicament. Get over yourself, he would advise. Your life is not over because it didn't follow your carefully laid plans. It just took a left turn. It's a river, not a football grid. Flow with it.

From the front of the ship, one of the students shouted excitedly. A whale and her calf had been sighted. A whale! She'd always wanted to see a whale. Smiling to herself, she decided to flow and went with the others to see the whale and her calf.

KEY WEST

They were preparing to leave for land. Land, and what land; the pristine and quirky island of Key West. Nat had been there once before with Colin, Riley and John. It was beautiful, fun, and so very different from the way she was seeing it that sunny afternoon.

She'd done her best to avoid Dr. Moore, pretend that she didn't have a brief appointment before leaving the ship. Ah well, they disliked each other so much, it was likely he would have no problem with her missed appointment. No go. He stood outside his office in the narrow hallway, blocking her path and waiting for her.

Jack followed Nat until the hallway clog was impassable.

"Forget something, Mrs. Aubrey?"

"Me?" She batted her eyes but followed him inside, Jack on her heel.

"Today we do an exam, Mrs. Aubrey. Captain, perhaps you would prefer to wait on deck?"

"Of course not, my good man. I intend to stay by my wife. Do proceed."

Natalie huffed and slid behind the screen to disrobe. It wasn't bad enough she had to put up with the pompous physician who absolutely hated her, she had to grin and bear it because Jack was there. But on the bright side, she'd soon be ashore, in a lovely Bahamian style cottage, alone with Jack and making passionate love. She sighed and climbed onto the table.

Feet in stirrups, eyes seeking that one strange subtle pattern on the ceiling, Jack sat beside her and held her hand as Dr. Moore probed her belly. He then exposed a part of her belly and press the freezing cold stethoscope to her abdomen. He frowned, shifted the icy thing causing her to gasp yet again and frowned more. "You may dress," he said abruptly.

Well hell, Nat thought. The man had the worst bedside manner she'd ever seen. Luckily the cruise would be over in a few weeks and she could find an amicable OBGYN to take care of her. When she rejoined them, the doctor asked her to sit on the table for a few moments.

"I need to talk to you both," he said gravely and for the first time, Natalie began to worry. Could there be something wrong?

Jack folded his arms and watched Dr. Moore's face carefully and she just held her breath.

"Listen. I … I know I haven't been the most pleasant with you, Mrs. Aubrey. I am sorry for that, but I need to make it clear that I am not qualified, nor is the ship equipped should a serious obstetric need arise. I am acutely troubled by the possibilities … but I may have been out of line with my attitude toward you and I do apologize."

Jack and Nat nodded in acceptance of his contrite statement, but before she could slide from the table, the doctor reached for her arm.

"But things have changed drastically. I had suspected this two weeks ago, but wasn't positive until this afternoon."

"What is it, my dear man?" said Jack in frustration.

"Twins, Captain. Your lovely wife is carrying twins and I am afraid that I cannot in right conscience continue to care for her. The risks are far too high … and should you command such, I will resign this post."

Nat's head spun and she slowly lay back on the table, Dr. Moore and Jack fussing over her, but all she could say over and over was, "Twins?"

"Captain, I not only insist that your wife requires better care, but if she were mine, I would put her ashore."

Jack nodded dumbly.

Nat said, "Twins?"

And the doctor apologized again.

***

Walking to the cottage, Natalie said, "Twins?"

Following Jack to the bedroom, Natalie said, "Twins?"

As Jack slowly, tenderly stripped her of her clothes, once again she said, "Twins?"

Jack smiled wide and kissed her softly. "Yes, my beautiful wife. We are going to have twins. But to keep you safe and well cared for, I must send you home. And then I must suffer my loneliness without you. But first," he kissed her more intensely, "first," he lowered her to the soft mattress, "first I will love you for three full days before you leave."

"Jack?"

"Yes my little love."

"Twins?"