16

"Smith's as stubborn as a mule," Ben mused.

"We have to find him."

"But how, Thomas?" Asked Lon.

"The ship 'tis already washed away."

"Thomas!" The Scotsman and Englishman shouted simultaneously.

Thomas tied a rope around him, and dove in. He did the same for me. He had spotted a dark shape, washed up on a rock.

"Thomas? What-"

"I can't leave you out here, alone. No good soldier leaves a man behind."

Eventually seeing they were on solid ground, he then screamed, "Land ho!"

Ben and Lon were rowing ferociously toward Thomas, who handed them the other end of the rope as they approached. They pulled each other to shore safely. The other boats gradually reached land. Wrapping a warm blanket around Thomas and John, it wasn't long until they noticed another ship was approaching on the horizon. -

When Newport's ship pulled back into Jamestown, the crew was met with several happy faces. Alice knocked Thomas down while running to greet him.

"You're all well?" John asked the kids.

"We're glad you're safe," said Richie.

"Auntie Po is doing well, but she's as fat as a cow," Annie said.

"Then I arrived on time," said John thoughtfully. He turned to Thomas. "Thank you for coming back for me Thomas. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you."

"You saved my life, and took responsibility for my actions. ''Twas high time I saved you." Turning to Alice, and giving her a kiss, he walked from the port telling her the story.

Lastly, he turned to Newport. "I didn't expect you to find me after that night, but I'm much obliged."

He gestured as if it were no problem. "The nurse at Bart's 'Ospital told me you came. I told 'er you were me adopted son, and she shouldn't 'ave sent you away. After I 'ealed I found out the King gave you me assignment. So I took me family to Bermuda, and brought some more settlers with me. After this, 'tis straight to the East Indies."

The black eye was long gone. His nose and wrist had completely healed now. "I was a drunken fool the oth'r night. I was so angry afterward, I punch'd a wall, 'urtin' me wrist. That blow you deliver'd went straight from me nose to me brain. We'll pretend it ne'er occurred."

John patted him in agreement. He felt better about the wrist injury knowing it wasn't his doing.

"By the way," Newport added. "Looks like you'll be needin' a new ship. Take good care of 'er, now." He flipped his head back toward his vessel.

"You mean?" He nodded. "I can't thank you enough."

"She's all yers. Cap'n Parker is on 'is way o'er to see you now, and will be travellin' with me and the rest of our families. Just keep out of trouble Smith. I can't believe aft'r all these years I'm still bailin' you out."

"I could say the same about you." They both snickered, knowing full well they were both right.

Now there was someone else he wished to see. Newport read his mind. "Let's see to that wife of yers." After patting his rear this time Smith gave him that look, and laughed with him. -

Pocahontas could hardly get out of bed now. When she saw John, she barely made it halfway. Bending on his knees to the bed level, he asked her, "Don't you remember, you were once in my position, and I was in yours?" Their kiss this time, was still the same, but with a more pleasant outcome. -

Pocahontas' delivery came sooner than they knew. Nakoma, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Alice assisted her through, while John and the men waited outside. After they heard the first cry, John was the first to be called in by Nakoma. Seeing his son for the first time brought tears to his eyes, thankful he had survived to see this moment. His as ebony as his mothers; his eyes a deep blue; his ears hinted he would be a shade or two darker than him, but lighter than Pocahontas. He kissed the boy's lips, which resembled his own, and toyed with the fingers he anticipated would one day be as brawny as his, before handing him to his mother.

"What shall we name him?"

It didn't take him much thought. "I quite like the name Thomas... ."

As the days passed, Pocahontas and John had quite a few visitors, from Powhatan himself, to Ben, Lon, Captain Pierce, Captain Parker, Thomas and Alice, Nakoma and her husband, Smiths brothers and their families and others including another in particular... .

"Captain Smith, good fellow, I see you're a father?"

Smith nodded to the guest. "A chip off the old block isn't he?"

"Indeed, he's shares a grand resemblance to his father...he's a handsome lad, a restless soul...and has the free-spiritedness of his mother. Congratulations."

"I'm much obliged to you, Sir." Then pausing, he added, half-teasing. "You consider me 'handsome', Mr. Rolfe?"

"Don't flatter yourself too much, Smith." He held the hand of his other guest on his way out. "Jane and I will soon be married in a few months, on my tobacco plantation. I hope you all will be able to attend."

"We'll be looking forward to attending," Pocahontas answered him.

Richard peaked his head in. "John, may I have a word with you?" He followed his brother outside. "Francis and I had some housekeeping done before we arrived, and we found an old pile of letters in the cellar."

"And you read them?"

"Every last one. I apologize that we had no idea you had tried to keep in contact with us. Our stepfather must have hid them."

"I never trusted the man."

"Neither did I." His brother's response surprised John. "But I suppose, I felt 'twas my duty to set an example for Francis and Alice."

John put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "And I'm sorrowful for putting that burden on your shoulders by leaving."

"John, I actually envied you, because you had the audacity to leave. You got that from our mother." They thought of her fondly. "And apart from that, by becoming who you are, you've become a good role model for Richie, as well as my new nephew."

John was honored by that. After another hug, the two brothers finally made peace. -

Thomas Pepsicanough Smith would be the boy's full name. He was baptized after his mother, who would now sometimes go by the name Rebecca. The following year, Rebecca gave birth to a girl with blonde hair, tanned skin, hazel eyes and her lips, they named Rebecca Matoaka Smith. The Smiths would have two more children over the next couple years: Margaret "Maggie" Pocahontas Smith and John "Jack" Powhatan Smith, both with brown hair, tanned skin, and grey eyes.

Thomas and Alice were married the following year after Rebecca Matoaka's birth. Alice became pregnant around the same time her mother was expecting Maggie. Alice gave birth to a twins: a boy and a girl, with reddish brown hair and brown eyes, named Michael and Jane.

The Smiths returned to England once Thomas approached school age. John, eventually took time off from seafaring, and began writing about his expeditions while back on the family farm; which was restored with the cows, horses, chickens and other animals as it once had.