Drabble: 'Mixed Blessings' (Gibbs, Jack, OC's - G)

[dwgm]

A double drabble, set after Harry & the Pirate V: Caribbean Quests. Many thanks to hereswith for looking it over.

(I'm having too much fun playing in the H&theP universe again, already wrote the first chapters of #6, Blood & Treasure!)



~ Mixed Blessings ~


Gibbs watched from the Pearl’s quarterdeck, his heart torn as the pretty little sixteen-gun brig Zephyr set sail on her first cruise under the command of Captain Michael Owens. The Pearl’s former cabin boy now stood tall and proud at the helm of his own ship, a joy to behold. But Jack Sparrow’s froward son, Tom – now twelve years old and too smart for his own good – graced the Zephyr’s deck as well, minding his duty and pointedly not looking back at the Black Pearl or his father.

Jack was watching, too, his face set, his eyes, as always, telling the truth of the matter.

*

Hours later, the moon shone bright in a flawless night sky, the Zephyr’s departure was just a memory, and Jack was found in the Great Cabin, brooding, an open bottle before him.

Gibbs shook his head. “Jack, you should know better than to take on like this. Just wait and see: it’ll be good for you and Tom to part for a time – a blessing in disguise!”

Jack gave a sound between a sigh and a snort, tried to smile, but failed. “I know, Josh. It’s just… some blessings are harder to take than others.”


~.~

Comments

[sharklady35.livejournal.com]

That is a killer of a closing line.

Welcome to parenthood, Jack.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Parenthood can be a real challenge, and a heartbreaker, sometimes. Thank you for reading and commenting!

[luvvycat.livejournal.com]

Oh, my! Poor Jack, having to watch his fledgling Sparrow leave the nest. I can imagine how hard it is, for any parent, to see their child grow up, and go off on their own for the first time. It must be especially hard for Jack, knowing what peril the sea holds for a sailing man, and Tom already having had his share of life-threatening situations, at so young an age!

Take heart, Jack! He IS your son, after all, smart and brave and clever, and no doubt with that same scallywag luck that's seen you through many a tough time! (Of course, knowing how he was in his youth might not be a source of comfort, if young Tom is bound to follow in his father's footsteps!) ;-)

A lovely, and very moving, drabble! Well done (and I'm so glad to hear there's more H&P coming! Huzzah for H/J and their wonderful, extended "family"!) :-)

-- Cat

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I am all about the happy endings, as you know, but there's always some work to be done to get there. Thank you so much for reading and for the wonderful comments -- I'm so glad you enjoy this universe.

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!!

[captaintish]

*covers eyes for spoilers* I haven't read the latest Harry story yet -- I have downloaded the entire series onto my Nook -- I want to reread the old ones before I read the new one. But I am delighted to hear you're already writing #6!!

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!!

Re: Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Not much in the way of spoilers here, but I'm thrilled that you enjoy these stories enough to reread them!

Happy TLAPD to you, too!! And thank you for leaving a comment here. :D

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool from the bottom of your story back to about hours later, right prior just makes me Gibbs' faternal twin in the heart department. Awwwww, damn--thank goodness it's Michael Owens--he'll remember how it was, how Jack was and he'll protect Tom like Jack took care of him.

Still makes me Sad(change and separation STINK--Jack from Tom, Michael from Jack, truth be Tom from his own family), real Proud (Jack of Michael, Michael of his new place in the world, Jack of Tom--my boy, my son--Tom of himself, lookit I'm off on adventure without my whole family that's been around me all my life and I'm big and I'm brave and Da trusts me to do a good job--wonder if Jack gives himself credit for doing such a bang up job with Michael and with Tom too) and Amazed at how life goes and passes on to the next ones and it all goes back to being a good man.

Wow--drabbling the generations--you are very full of the light on this one, indeed you are. And if I were there with my faternal twin Gibbs, I'd hug Jack's old neck. Can we bring the line forward to encompass Keith Richard and Jimmy Buffett as the sons of a son of a sailor (Buffett's ref to his granddaddy). You're wonderful! as is your story.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your wonderful and lengthy comments. Change and separation do indeed stink, but Gibbs is right, as he often is. And all will be well, you know how I like those happy endings. ;)

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

Always got too wordy on my college papers--yep, affected my thinking you did. I also just read the tiny secret in your heading...really? Really done? Too cool for school! And yes, I know you've never marooned even when I tested. Thanks for the teaser, I love anticiiiiiiiipation!

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

Transitions in spades, necessary but oh so painful. I love your focus on their relationships in this series, mixed in with piratey adventure. Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day ♥

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

A belated Happy TLAPD to you, too!

I love your focus on their relationships in this series, mixed in with piratey adventure.

I think that was what attracted us all to the PotC movies -- the relationships really are as important as the adventure.

Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I'm so glad you enjoy the Jack&HarryVerse.

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

This is so beautiful & intense. Such a difficult, rare moment to capture. Amazing drabble. I LOVED it.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[ladymouse2.livejournal.com]

So delighted by the recent wrapup of the Harry and Jack story you did, a perfect ending and actually kind of amusing with all poor Jack went through to bring the famed midwife for her services not to be needed when a daughter arrived!

And here you've jumped right into the NEXT one! I am dancing in glee.

But poor Jack, with a son still being stormy about being assigned his apprenticeship on a ship other than his father's Pearl. Jack did warn him...But I am looking forward to lots of adventure and warm reconciliation. Yes, that last line, pretty much says it all for ANY parent.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to know you enjoyed Caribbean Quests. The next story will be considerably longer and more involved. I'm trying to write quickly, but we'll see how that goes, now that I'm doing it I want to do a decent job. I'm having so much fun writing these characters again.

But I am looking forward to lots of adventure and warm reconciliation. Yes, that last line, pretty much says it all for ANY parent.

Yes, there may be more fill-in drabbles, there's a whole ten years to fill in between Caribbean Quests and Blood and Treasure, which is the title of the next one. And it makes me very happy you got the full meaning of that last line. ;-)

Thank you so much for reading and commenting.