The sea's calling me back [for Vianne, Jack's exit]

[whys_rumgone]

He didn't really understand how he knew it, but Jack woke up just knowing it. He'd be leaving the village today. The Pearl would sail off the shore of Haurvatat and he'd be back in the Caribbean. But there was someone he had to see. Contrary to his usual behavior of just leaving and never looking back, he had to look back. Couldn't stop himself. He

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[clevernorthwind]

They came - all three of them. Tiny Maristelle wrapped in a shawl lying against her mother's chest, Anouk looking at turns fearful and indignant, and Vianne: sad, but knowing. Sometimes the winds called.

[whys_rumgone]

Jack turned to see them. He set down the bottle in the sand and stood, brushing the sand off his legs, "Vianne... Anouk..." his eyes drifted to the baby, "And Maristelle. Everyone came to see me off, eh?"

[entitled2hate]

"Why do you have to go?" Anouk blurted. "Couldn't you at least try to stay?"

"Anouchka..." Vianne scolded softly, but Anouk left her grip to take Jack's hand instead.

[whys_rumgone]

"Aye, I could try..." But part of him didn't want to, if he was being honest with himself. He squeezed Anouk's hand when she took it, "But this village isn't the place for me, never was. Never been in one place this long."

[entitled2hate]

"Neither have we, but the wind's leaving us alone - because we calmed it, didn't we, Maman?" She asked, still upset.

"For now, Nanou. For now. But pirates and river rats... they take their homes with them, their boats... it's not the same." Vianne said. "And besides, no one stays in the village long once it's decided they should go."

"We'll miss you, of course." Vianne said to Jack.

[whys_rumgone]

Jack felt guilty. Damn if he'd cop to it though. But he did nod, admitting, "I'll... miss you too."

[clevernorthwind]

"We'll... all miss you." Should she tell him? Her right hand went instinctively to the curve of Mimi's back, and the baby stretched a little, opened her eyes to look at him, at his eyes that so resembled her own.

[whys_rumgone]

His eyes drifted to the baby. Then back to his boat that he could feel pulling at him.

"Ah... about that." he scratched his beard and met those eyes, "She's... um... well, she's not...?" He couldn't even seem to ask it.

[clevernorthwind]

Vianne hesitated.

Anouk looked at her silently for a moment, and then said, softly, "Just tell him, Maman. Tell him, so he knows what he's leaving behind."

She had no choice after that. "She's yours." Vianne said at last. "I didn't tell you because... because..." but the reasons seemed to have vanished, evaporated.

[whys_rumgone]

Maybe Jack was still holding out hope that he was imagining the resemblances or that he story about it being that man Severus' actually made sense, because his eyes widened in shock and he was momentarily struck silent at her admission.

Then he swallowed, "I... I'm no father..." Clearly. Since he was leaving.

There was that guilt again.

[clevernorthwind]

"I wasn't sure you would want to know." That was one of the reasons. "Wasn't sure how you would react, how it would affect her, but if you're leaving... well, better that you do know. I won't get another chance to tell you."

[whys_rumgone]

"I do." he swallowed, heart racing a bit as he looked down at the child, "I wanted to know. Thank... thank you for telling me."

Jack reached out to touch the girl, tentative and unsure. He didn't want to hurt her. In any sense of the word. Which might have been why he felt the need to stay away. Being near her wouldn't do her any good in his mind.

[clevernorthwind]

Mimi looked at him, and grasped at his finger.

"You can hold her, if you like. And I'll tell her about you, when she's old enough to understand."

Anouk was standing off to the side now, holding no one's hand. Just watching. She wished, not for the first time, that they knew who her father was.

[whys_rumgone]

He smiled lightly when she took his fingers. Jack waggled it. Well, she was cute, "Alright..." he reached to take her, but wasn't really sure how to hold her.

"What are you going to say? About me?" The good and the bad? Mostly bad.

[clevernorthwind]

Vianne unwound the shawl, and handed her to him. She didn't squirm or fuss, as though she knew who he was and why this was important. She just lay there in the crook of his arm and looked up at him.

"I'll tell her about your boat, about how much you love the sea, about your own kind of freedom. About how you, too, move with the winds."

[whys_rumgone]

He just held Maristelle, looking down at her as Vianne spoke. He'd help make this girl. She was his. Maybe it would be the best thing he ever did.

"I'm sorry I can't stay." he wasn't sure he would have stayed even if he was being forced to leave. "The winds are calling, I suppose... always will..."