Pirates of the Caribbean

Elizabeth and her son, William III, walked down to the shore as the Flying Dutchman sailed towards them. Elizabeth felt tears of joy run down her face as William's face came into view. She had spent the last 10 years telling her son of all the adventures she had with his father. And now, the great adventurer himself was standing here before her, knee deep in the sea. Then she ran to him and they embraced with passion and love.

"Will, Will."

"Elizabeth." They kissed and Elizabeth motioned to Will.

"This is William, our son." Elizabeth said proudly. Will smiled at his son and waded through the water towards him. He kneeled down and said,

"Hello William."

Will smiled at his father's face, his father. "I missed you Father!!" Will said as he hugged him around the neck.

After a while of emotional smiles, embraces, and moments, Will asked his son if he wanted to go aboard the Dutchman. Elizabeth laughed as Will's eyes brightened at the idea. Will brought his son to the Dutchman, leaving him in the caring and safe arms of his grandfather, Bootstrap Bill. Then sneaking off to the shore again, he and Elizabeth fell on each other, releasing all their love at once.

* (9 years and 11 months later)

"Mommy." A little girl with long blonde hair and bright green eyes looked up at Elizabeth. "Can I go play with Tom today?"

Elizabeth looked down at her and Will's daughter and smiled, "Of course sweetie, just be sure you're back in time for supper."

"I will!!" The little girl ran off into the fields behind their house towards the farm that her best friend, Tom Hunts, lived. Elizabeth had named her Artemis, after the Greek goddess of the moon. Calypso, the goddess of the sea, had told Elizabeth that she had to name her daughter Artemis. Elizabeth didn't know why, but when she looked at her daughter for the first time, she knew no other name fit her so well.

"I don't see why you let her play with that commoner." Elizabeth turned around to look at her 20 year old son, wearing a navy blue coat with gold sleeves that showed his rank as General Turner, the youngest General ever.

"There's nothing wrong with her having friends, Will."

"I agree, but I wish she would have friends who are girls of status and title, than that little farm boy." Elizabeth sighed; her son had changed over the passed 8 years. He used to love stories of pirates and adventures, now he hunted down pirates, executing them, thus ending their adventure. He believed that his father abandoned them, and didn't want anything to do with them any more. Artemis, on the other hand, loved the stories and always seemed to play pirates with Tom when ever they met up with each other.

"Just one more month, then she can meet her father."

Will looked at his mother, he provided for this family by his participation in the navy. He bought Artemis pretty dresses and everything that she could ever want. He loved his sister very much and wanted to give her the world, but she rejected his gifts. She preferred to where the loose play clothes rather than the dresses of ladies and princesses. He worried that his mother's stories about his father filled her head with fantasies about pirates and being one herself. He wanted his sister to have the dignity of a high class citizen, but she thought that it was silly to stay quiet and sit still.

*

Artemis ran to the sea shore looking over the horizon. She gasped when a green flash was apparent and grinned when she saw the ship coming closer to shore. Then he was there, her father. She jumped into the water and tried to run towards him but fell down when a wave knocked into her, she laughed and then continued to wade towards her father. Will picked his daughter up and swung her around. She had blonde hair like her mother and her nose looked like his, but nobody on his side of the family or Elizabeth's had green eyes. He studied those green eyes while he smiled at her. Elizabeth then came and hugged Will and whispered in his ear,

"Welcome home. Artemis has waited for you." Elizabeth did this partly to tell him his daughter's name and partly because she wanted to be near him. Will kissed Elizabeth and then hugged her close to him.

"I love you." He whispered. Then he looked at Artemis and noticed a familiar bandanna on her head. "Hey, sweetie, where'd you get this?"

"Hehehe. I got it from Captain Jack Sparrow. He's so cool, but not as cool as you Daddy." Artemis started to talk about a lot of things in her life because she wanted her father to catch up on her life. "And then Tom and I…"

"Wait who's Tom?"

"My best friend in the whole world! He taught me how to use a sword, oh and he taught me how to swim too."

"Really, so where's you're brother." Artemis' smile faded and her eyes grew cold.

"How should I know?" Will was shocked. She sounded so mature and her mood changed so quickly.

"I'll tell you later dear." Elizabeth said after a minute. Will nodded then turned to Artemis who seemed to be fuming at the thought of her brother.

"Would you like to see my ship Artemis?" Artemis' face brightened up.

"Oh yes!!!" Will took her back to the ship and introduced everyone to her and left her in the care of her grandfather. Then he went back to shore to be with Elizabeth.

"Shall we have a third child, Elizabeth?"

"I wish we could, Will. I can't have any more children. After Artemis the doctor told me that." Will looked sympathetically at her. "But no worries, I'm happy to be the mom of both Will and Artemis. Your son is the General of the navy, the youngest general ever. He doesn't believe in you any more. He thinks that pirates are a disgrace. That's why Artemis doesn't like him anymore. He tries to make her a young lady, but she would rather be a pirate on your ship than anything else." Elizabeth smiled. "She loves you, and so do I."

When Will said goodbye to his family and went back to the ship, his crew was laughing and having a good time. Bootstrap Bill walked up to his son and told him.

"Your daughter is very smart; she knows every part of the ship and… pirate slang. She's adorable and man does she have a temper." He laughed at that and Will smiled.

*

BAM! Artemis slammed a flyer on the table in the barn at Tom's farm. "Tom, we are going to enter this tournament."

"What tournament is it?" Tom asked not looking up from milking the cow.

"Only the biggest tournament in town, a sword fighting tournament. If you win you get a bag of gold and the right to say that you are the best in the town." Artemis smiled triumphantly and waited for a response from Tom. When she got none she put her hand on her hip and bore holes into the back of his head with her stare.

"What's so great about that?" Artemis punched him in the arm and he laughed, "Relax, Arty. I was only pulling your leg. I already entered us into the tournament, you under the name of Arty Stern, because you r brother would probably get pissed if he saw your name on the list."

Artemis gaped at him. "You jerk; I really thought you didn't care." She pouted and turned her nose in the air. "But I'll forgive you because you signed us both up." Artemis smiled. She was 16 and Tom was 18. They were like two siblings. They loved each other, but not in a romantic way. When Tom had time off from his farm work, he would teach Artemis how to use a sword. They told each other all their secrets and dreamed of going on adventures. Artemis dreamed of going on adventures on her dad's ship, the Flying Dutchman. Tom didn't believe the stories about her parents' adventures, but he trusted Artemis nevertheless.

"See you tomorrow at the town square, Tom!" Artemis called when she was over halfway across the field that led to her house. Tom waved and turned around to go eat supper with his family.

"Tom." Tom jumped when he saw his Mom right behind him. "Are you finally, courting Artemis?" She said with a hopeful look.

"Mom, how many times do I have to tell you? We're just friends. And we're only going to the town square for a tournament."

"But I like Artemis; I keep telling you that she'll make a lovely wife."

"Mom." Tom rolled his eyes annoyed that his mom kept trying to push him into courting Artemis. He didn't feel that way about her and he didn't want anything to change between them.

*

"Arty!" Tom called out to Artemis. Her hair was up under a bandanna and she was wearing men's clothes, though they were too big for her. Tom creased his eyebrows together when he got closer. "Are those my clothes?" Artemis burst out laughing.

"Took you long enough. You didn't even realize they were gone when I took them two weeks ago." Tom's eyes grew wide.

"You had them for two weeks?!" Artemis laughed again. She grabbed his arm and started to run through the crowded streets towards the tournament area. When they got there, they went to the sign in table. "Tom Hunts."

"Arty Stern," Artemis turned to leave but the man at the table said,

"Hey, aren't' you a little young to enter?"

"The flyer says 16," Artemis said with a scowl. The man looked her over and shrugged.

"Very well then, go get ready." Artemis and Tom sat down in the bleachers to wait for their turn to fight.

After the first few matches the announcer said, "Arty Stern vs. Job Kalen." Artemis walked up the steps to the platform where they will fight. Job was a muscular large young man and he walked on looking confident to be against Artemis who looked like a little twerp. Artemis smirked, "He's in for a big surprise." Artemis defeated Job within 3 minutes and he grumbled as he was being escorted off the platform. Artemis smiled and turned around to face Tom. He smiled and shook his head in an amused way. "Great job, Arty!! He was no match for you!!"

Towards the end of the tournament both Tom and Artemis haven't been eliminated yet. UNTIL the last match, Artemis vs. Tom.

"Just because I taught you and you're my best friend doesn't mean I'll go easy on you, Arty." Tom smiled slyly.

"Same here, Tom." Artemis smiled the same way.

"Let the match begin!" The speaker announced, and Tom and Artemis began sparring.

*

*huff huff* Tom and Artemis were breathing heavily. The whole crowd was whispering on how they were evenly matched. Artemis frowned and charged at Tom. Tom was about to block when Artemis slid under his legs and jumped up behind him and place her sword on his neck. "I win." Artemis smiled and took her sword away for the ending hand shake. Artemis was presented with the prize and everyone was cheering.

As they walked home Artemis and Tom were laughing about their day. Artemis took out the sack of gold and handed it to Tom. "Here, I don't really need it." Artemis smiled as Tom took it.

"Are you sure? I mean, you're the one who earned it."

"Well, I only won it because you taught me how to fight. It's yours." As they approached the separation point Artemis gave Tom a quick friendly hug and ran off towards her home.

Artemis climbed up the tree next to her bedroom window and slipped quietly into her room. She changed from the clothes she was wearing and then climbed back out to go through the front door. When she came through the door, Will was there, arms crossed.

"Where have you been?"

"I was with Tom all day."

"Didn't I tell you to not hang around him?"

"You did. But it was a stupid rule and one that was meant to be broken. I'm tired, I'm going to bed." She started to walk up the stairs and Will started to follow, "ALONE." She stomped up the stairs huffing about with anger and talking to herself. Will sighed. Elizabeth came into the room and looked at her son. She loved him, but he was too restrictive. Just then a scream was heard upstairs. Artemis ran down holding a puffy and pretty dress in her hands. "What the hell is this?!!"

"I was hoping that you would join me at a party tomorrow. You will wear that dress."

"Like hell I would be caught wearing that horrid thing, asshole." Artemis threw the dress on the ground and kicked it away. "And I wouldn't be caught dead going to one of your parties." Will frowned and became furious.

"You will go to the party and you will like it!" he yelled at her while grabbing her wrist. Artemis glared at him and used her free hand to punch him across the face. She ran upstairs and slammed her door shut.

Later, Elizabeth went up to Artemis' room to talk with her daughter. "Artemis, dear?" Elizabeth opened the door to see Artemis sprawled face down on her bed. She grunted a greeting. Elizabeth sat down on the bed and Artemis turned her face to look at her mother. "Sweetie, you shouldn't talk that way to your brother. He loves you very much and he just wants to make you happy."

"Then why doesn't he get that the things that make other girls happy, don't make me happy?" Artemis sat up and began to pout.

Elizabeth sighed and hugged her daughter. "You should go to this party. You didn't go to the last three. Please dear, just this once?" Elizabeth tried to imitate her daughter's pout and Artemis giggled.

"Ok, fine, but just this once." Artemis smiled at her mother and they talked about adventures and pirates until it was time for supper.

*

Artemis scowled as she looked at herself in the mirror. "I look like a frickin' doll." She frowned. The maids told her to smile because a smile looks better on a girl than a frown. Artemis gave them a half-hearted smile and then went straight back to pouting. Artemis walked down the stairs stumbling a bit in the heels she was forced to wear and looking really annoyed. Will looked at her as if she were an angel, despite the look on her face. Tom and James, their other friend, were looking in the window and snickering. Artemis gave them a cold angry look and they immediately stopped, only to start up again when she looked away. Artemis looked at them again, and mouthed, "I'll deal with you two later." Then they both got up and ran away.

On their way to the party, Will finally got up the courage to say something to her. "You look beautiful, Artemis."

"Yeah, yeah whatever, so how long is this thing anyway?"

"It will go for a few hours after dusk for the fireworks display." Will looked disappointed that her appearance didn't change her attitude. "Will you be polite and greet everyone like a young lady?"

"Sure, sure, I can act." They were silent for the rest of the carriage ride after that.

An hour later they arrived at the party. Artemis got out and put on a smile in order to be a "proper young lady." Yeah right. They walked into the party and she greeted other ladies and was introduced to young men. She acted as if she was having a good time, but she was really bored.

"Artemis, maybe you should sit down, you've been on your feet this whole time," Will said as he escorted her around the room.

"No thank you, I'm fine."

"Aren't you out of breath?"

"No."

"But you never wear a corset so you shouldn't be used to it."

"I'm not wearing one." Will gasped at the fact that his sister was naturally that skinny. "I'm active and I don't eat cakes like these other women, I don't need to trim my figure with those body crushers." Artemis quickly put a smile back on her face for a young officer who greeted them. "How much longer?" she whined.

"We've only been here for 2 hours, Artemis." Will sighed at his sister's complaining. Just then, Jonathan Bishop, a commanding officer under Will, greeted them.

"May I ask for your accompaniment, Miss Turner?" Artemis smiled but Will detected a bit of annoyance in her. Through gritted teeth Artemis said,

"I'd be glad to accompany you, Captain Bishop." Artemis looped her arm in his and they walked around the patio talking.

"I'm glad that you came to this party, Miss Turner."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, I've been meaning to talk to you about our future." Artemis' eyes grew wide.

"What?" She asked with a little coldness.

"I'm talking about our engagement."

"OUR WHAT?!!" Artemis yelled. The entire room looked at them. "When did I ever say that I would marry you?"

Artemis looked deadly and Jonathan backed up a little. Will ran up and told Artemis, "I arranged for you to marry Jonathan. He'll take care of you."

"What the hell?!! Don't I get any say in this matter? I hate this. I HATE YOU!!" And with that Artemis started to run. She ran out of the party and ran down the streets in the direction of their home.

"Wait, Artemis!!" Will called after his sister and ran out to the carriage in hopes of using it to catch up to her.

*

"Eh? Arty, what are you doing here?" Tom looked at the door to the barn. He was in there with James playing cards when Artemis, hair undone and breathing heavily in the door appeared as if she ran a marathon. She was barefoot and looked like she was about ready to kill something. Tom and James were a little scared and when she opened her mouth they crawled away fast saying, "Please don't kill us." Artemis said nothing and went turned to the wall and punched a hole right through it. The boys screamed because they thought she was going to hurt them, but Artemis ran into Tom's arms and started to cry.

"I hate him, I hate him…" She mumbled into Tom's shirt. Tom looked at James and they both looked worried. Something must have gone horribly wrong at the party.

*

Artemis was laying in a haystack with Tom watching the stars in the night sky. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her hand was in Tom's. She told Tom everything and they sat together every time something went wrong. Artemis smiled and looked at Tom, her choice for a brother if she could choose.

"Hey, remember that time when we were young and we were sitting in a haystack and fell asleep? Everyone thought that we ran away together." Artemis smiled. Tom smiled back and squeezed her hand.

"You know, it wouldn't do anyone any good if we ran away." Tom knew that she was implying that when she brought up that memory.

"But, would you come with me if an adventure suddenly came up?"

"Hell, yes! I'd love to go on an adventure. It'd be a nice change of pace." Tom smiled at her hoping that she wasn't going to try to make an adventure happen that night.

"I hope an adventure comes soon." Artemis sighed. "I have to go home now."

"See you tomorrow, Arty."

"See you, Tom."

*

Artemis walked in the door and saw her mother sitting there. Elizabeth quickly got up and ran to her daughter and hugged her.

"I've been so worried; Will came home and said you ran away from the party. Where've you been?"

"I'm sorry, Mom. I was with Tom. I…just needed a friend."

"What happened at the party?"

"Will, thought that'd it be a great idea if… now this is the funny part… if I got married to Captain Bishop. He's like 40 years old. It's disgusting."

Elizabeth smiled. "Well at least you didn't faint at a party where you got 'engaged'."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I went to a party when I was 18 years old, I was proposed to by Commodore James Norrington. I was so shocked, and plus my corset was on too tight, that I fainted and fell into the water below." Artemis laughed.

"What happened next?" Artemis loved hearing stories about her mother's past and all of the adventures she went on.

"Well I was saved by Captain Jack Sparrow."

"NO?"

"YES! And then…" Elizabeth told her everything else that went on that day. And Artemis fell asleep next to her mother, wearing Captain Jack's headband.

*

Will came back late that night and saw Artemis on the couch covered in a blanket sleeping on her mother's lap. Will whispered,

"Where was she?" Elizabeth stood up and looked at him with a disappointed look.

"She was with her best friend."

"You mean the farmer?"

"Yes, her best friend. Someone you will never be to Artemis." Will looked so sad, but Elizabeth knew that he needed to hear the truth. "She is not like other girls. She wants to be loved for who she is, you try to make her something she's not, and that is why she dislikes you." Will looked at his sleeping sister.

"I…just want her to be happy."

"By arranging marriages, making her go to parties, dressing her up, and making rules about who she can have as friends is not making her happy, Will. You have to understand her." Will rubbed the back of his hand over Artemis' cheek.

"I think I understand now." Will picked up his sister and carried her up the stairs to her room.

*

Artemis stirred. She felt a light kiss on her cheek and heard, "Goodnight, Artemis." It was her brother. She was surprised that he didn't demand that she wake up and then yell at her for making such a fuss. "That'll probably come tomorrow." Artemis sighed and tried to fall back asleep, but she couldn't. She sat up and gasped. At the open window was a black woman with dreadlocks and dark lips.

"Calypso." Artemis breathed out.

"If, you would like to be wit your father, I would take you there." Artemis' eyes grew wide.

"You mean like an adventure?"

"Yes." Her heavy Jamaican accent made it a little difficult to understand her words. "Come wit me." Artemis got out of bed and quickly put Tom's old clothes on and took Jack Sparrow's headband out and placed it on top of her head. Then she grabbed two swords and a gun which she stuck in her belt.

"Okay, I'm ready." Artemis placed a letter on her nightstand, one that she wrote a long time ago if an adventure suddenly came up. "Can I bring one other person with me?"

"Jus one." Artemis smiled and climbed down the tree and started to run to Tom's house. She climbed up the tree near Tom's window and knocked on it.

"Tom?" she hissed at it. Tom opened the window his bare chest gleaming in the full moon.

"What? I have to get up early tomorrow."

"Get dressed; we're going on an adventure."

"What?!"

"SHHHH. Do you want to wake everyone up? Calypso is here, and she'll take us to my father's ship." Artemis looked so happy and Tom looked at her eyes.

"Okay, just give me a minute." Tom closed the window and got changed very fast. He got one sword and two guns and a scribbled down a quick note to his family. Then he jumped out the window and found Artemis with a strange looking woman.

"Tom, this is Calypso, the goddess of the sea. She'll take us to the Dutchman."

"No, I will sent you to the Dutchman."

"Huh?"

"Artemis, take this pendant, it will protect you both on the path that the Dutchman must travel." Calypso put a necklace with a large green stone on it around Artemis' neck. "Get in this boat and it will take you to the Dutchman."

"Who, how did we get to the shore so fast?" Artemis exclaimed.

"Get in and do not touch the water, understand?"

Tom and Artemis answered together, "Yes." Then they got in and the water swelled underneath the boat and started moving away from the shore.

"We're finally going." Artemis smiled at Tom. This was the start of a new adventure.

*

*bump* Artemis woke up to the sound of the little boat bumping up against something. *bump* Artemis sat up and looked up at the giant ship that the tiny row bout was up against. On the side it said, The Flying Dutchman, and Artemis quickly punched Tom to wake him up.

"Tom, get up, we made it." Artemis smiled and Tom rubbed his eyes. He looked shocked. He never would've thought that the Dutchman existed. Artemis' hair was tied under Jack Sparrow's bandanna because it was hot out. She looked a little like her brother and a boy with her hair up, but since Tom knew she was a girl; it was hard to mistake her for a guy. "Let's go up." Artemis said as she grabbed onto the ladder on the side of the ship. They climbed up side by side and looked over the railing. Pirates loaded the deck and Artemis looked at it wide eyes. "It's just like I remember." She whispered under her breath.

"It looks so cool." Tom said more to himself than to her.

"Tom, move, you're blocking the light."

"How can I be blocking the light?" Then they looked at each other and then looked up slowly, only to meet the gaze of a huge fierce looking crew member.

Artemis laughed lightly, "Hey there, lovely weather we're having?" The pirate grabbed them both by the back collars of their shirts and lifted them up as if they were kittens.

"Look what we have here, boys!! A couple of kittens." The crew laughed and the pirate looked down at them. "The captain will deal with you two."

"Hey, put us down you big oaf." Artemis yelled at him.

"Don't provoke him, Arty, he might eat us."

"Geez, they're pirates, not cannibals. Now put me down, ass." The pirate frowned at her and grunted.

"I'll put you down in the captain's cabin." And with that, the pirate, still holding them up, threw them into the cabin and said to the back of a chair. "I found these two kittens on our ship, Captain. What should their punishment be for climbing aboard the Dutchman?" A figure got up from the chair and stared out the window. Artemis breathed in quietly. Her father was standing right in front of her. All he had to do was turn around and look at her and he would know who she was.

"Let's make them walk the pl…" Will turned around and saw Artemis, but she looked like a boy. The boy looked about 13 years old, but he had his nose. He could've sworn that Elizabeth couldn't have any more children. He looked at Artemis and swallowed hard, "How old are you, boy?"

"I'm 16." That's how old his daughter would be.

"You can't be…Artemis?" Artemis smiled a huge smile and Will knew that this was his daughter. Artemis got up and ran to her father and gave him a huge hug. Will squeezed her and kissed her forehead. The big pirate looked confused and Tom just looked shocked that Artemis' stories were all true. Will looked at her, "You cut your hair?"

"No, I just put it up because it was so hot." Artemis untied the bandanna and let her hair fall then put the bandanna back on. The big pirate gasped.

"That was a girl, and your daughter?" Will nodded. "Then who's this?" He pointed at Tom.

"That's my best friend, Tom. Tom this is my father, Captain William Turner. Dad, this is my best friend, Tom Hunts." Artemis smiled at them both.

"Captain Turner, it's an honor to meet you." Tom's eyes were wide with shock and interest in the stories that Artemis told him. "Wow, Arty," Tom looked over his shoulder, "He looks so much like your brother." Artemis looked annoyed at the mention of her brother.

"No, my brother looks like my father. To be honest he doesn't deserve to look as good as my father." Artemis crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. Will saw that Artemis still resented her brother.

"So how old are you, Tom?" Will asked to change the subject.

"I'm 18, sir."

"I recall Artemis telling me when I saw her last, that you taught her how to use a sword."

"And many other things, sir."

"Yeah, and at the sparring tournament 2 days ago, I beat Tom bad." Artemis laughed.

"Well, I let you win."

"Sure you did." Artemis said in a sarcastic tone. Artemis was so happy to be on her father's ship that she didn't realize her father's worries. "How was she supposed to survive on his ship?"

"Artemis, you can't stay. You and Tom won't be able to survive."

"Yes, we will. We were able to get here thanks to Calypso; she gave me this necklace and said that it would protect us." Artemis took out the pendent and let her father look at it.

"Calypso?"

"Yes." Will was confused. He knew that Calypso usually didn't help people unless it benefited herself.

"Calypso, a black woman with dreadlocks and a heavy Jamaican accent?"

"Yes, yes, and yes." Artemis smiled and Will decided to end that conversation.

*

"Hey you!! Fight me!!" Artemis yelled at a big pirate. He walked away and ignored her though. "Hey!! I'm talking to you!! You look strong and I want to test out my sword fighting skills. DON'T JUST WALK AWAY!!!" Artemis was so angry. She grabbed the guy and flung him around to face her. "What the hell is wrong with you!!?? You're a pirate, right? You should jump at the chance to spar with someone."

"Well, you're the captain's daughter; I don't want to hurt you." Artemis scowled and twisted her hair up and placed it under the bandanna she was wearing.

"There, now I look like a guy. Will you fight me now?" Artemis looked annoyed.

"But I still know who you are."

"You're a stupid idiot." Bootstrap Bill came around and saw Artemis yelling at him using cuss words.

"What seems to be the problem here, Artemis?"

"This guy won't fight me, Grandpa."

"Well why not?" Bill looked at the pirate.

"I don't want to hurt her."

"Then just go easy on her." Bill smiled.

"All right!" Artemis pulled out her sword. "Let's go." The pirate sighed and pulled out his sword. Artemis was smiling and looking eager to start.

*CLANG* their swords clashed and they went about their duel. Soon the rest of the crew gathered around them in a circle as they fought. Tom was cheering for Artemis and the crew was cheering for both. Artemis then decided to put her skills to good use and use a move her mother taught her. Will came in and saw them fighting and decided to watch too. Then Artemis faked a blow and then turned her sword around in her hand and hit the pirate's sword out of his hand. Will looked wide eyed. He taught Elizabeth that move. He smiled, so his wife taught her how to fight.

"Wo, Arty, where did you learn that move?" Tom called out when she shook hands with the pirate.

"I learned it from my mom. She's king of the Brethren Court and really good with a sword." Artemis smiled as she let her hair down.

*

"LAND!!" Artemis yelled as she ran on the beach. It's been 2 months since she joined her father on The Flying Dutchman. Will could not set foot on land but he needed supplies for her and Tom, so he sent them and his crew to shore.

Artemis had her hair up and she was jumping up and down on the shore, enjoying the feeling of sand in between her bare toes. Tom was running barefoot beside her and having fun. After a while, they put their shoes back on and went for a walk in the forest. They snuck around pretending that they were running away from their captors, just enjoying themselves. Artemis ran ahead of Tom, laughing, then stopped suddenly, looking ahead of her into the trees. Tom ran up to her.

"What's wrong, Arty? He looked in the direction that she was looking and saw a large dog staring at them. Tom looked at Artemis again and she was shivering. The only thing that Artemis was afraid of was dogs, due to the time when she was attacked by a few and almost killed. Tom shook Artemis and when she didn't waver he yelled, "ARTY!" Then the dog started to run towards them and Artemis screamed and ran away climbing up a tree, Tom following her because he was worried. The dog came right under the tree and looked up, barking three times, then walked away. Artemis was hugging the tree her face turned away from where the dog was. "Arty, it's okay now, he's gone." Artemis turned slowly around.

"Are you sure?" Tom smiled.

"Positive." They climbed down the tree and started to walk back towards the beach when they were grabbed from behind, a drugged cloth placed over their mouths, and taken away.

*

Artemis woke up the sound of waves and rocking. She was on a boat. She jolted upright and saw Tom sitting on a bench.

"Oh, thank goodness, I thought you weren't going to wake up." Tom said as her picked her up and sat her next to him.

"Where are we?" Artemis asked looking through the bars of a jail cell.

"I'm guessing that we were kidnapped by pirates." Tom said acting calm.

"Why are you so damn calm!? HEY, YOU!!" Artemis yelled at a pirate coming down the stairs to watch them.

"What?"

"Let us out, dammit!!"

"No, my orders are to watch you and make sure you don't try any funny stuff."

"ORDERS MY BUTT!!!" Artemis was really angry. She lashed out with her hand through the bars but the guard dodged it.

"You're a feisty one aren't you?"

"Get your idiot of a captain down here I want to talk to him."

"Hey! Don't call my captain an idiot. As his first mate I can't allow you to talk like that!!"

"You, his first mate." Artemis laughed. "Why are you being forced to watch us if you're the first mate?" Artemis looked like she was having fun teasing him.

"I am the first mate. This is a very important job that the captain gave me."

"Sorry, but a weakling like you can't be the first mate."

"I am, I am, I am." He sounded like a little kid throwing a tantrum.

"Prove it."

"I will." The pirate ran up the stairs and Artemis shoved Tom off of the bench.

"What was that for?"

"I need the bench." Artemis put the legs in the bars and pushed down and the door came off the handle.

"Um...Arty, how did you know that would work?"

"It was in my mom's stories." Artemis placed the bench where it was before and put the door in a place where it looked like it was still attached, and sat down on the bench just in time for the pirate to come running down the steps with someone else. The other pirate was a handsome young man, with dark brown hair that was spiky and beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Artemis wasn't fazed as other girls might have been though.

"This is the captain. Captain, will you tell the boy that I'm your first mate."

"This, is the captain? You've got to be kidding me. He has to be the cabin boy or a stupid idiot that you paid to say that you were the first mate." Artemis stuck out her tongue. The good looking guy smiled.

"Go on, Chris, I'll take care of this one." Chris, the pirate looked irritated with Artemis as he walked up the stairs. "How old are you, boy?"

"I'm 16, how old are you, boy?" Artemis said in a mocking tone.

"I'm 18."

"See, you are way too young to be called a captain."

"I'm the strongest one on this ship, therefore I'm the captain."

"Alright then." Artemis kicked the jail cell door and it bashed into the captain. She then ran out and grabbed him by the throat through the bars. The captain smiled and Artemis felt the nozzle of a pistol on her stomach. "Damn, you!" Tom just sat there on the ground looking as if nothing was going on. Pirates started to come down the stairs and they all saw this scene.

"Captain!" Someone called out in the group. One pirate took out his pistol and aimed it at Artemis. He barely missed hitting her bandanna, causing it to fall off, allowing her hair to fall around her shoulders. Everyone gasped and Tom started to get up, eyes wide in shock that she was almost hit. Artemis kept a firm grip on the captain's throat as everyone stared at her.

"What?!" though she was almost killed she was unfazed. Tom sat back down looking calm again. The captain looked at him realizing that he knew the whole time that she was a girl.

"You, aren't you going to help this girl?"

"No, she doesn't need my help. But I do feel bad for you, when she's mad anything can happen." Tom smiled and continued to sit there, aggravating the captain.

"Shut up, Tom."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry, Arty." The captain had just about enough of this, he flipped up his gun and pushed the door to the jail cell off of him and therefore pushed Artemis to the floor. He then grabbed her by the wrists and held her like a baby.

"Let go of me, asshole!!!"

"Make sure he doesn't get out, and take the bench out of the cell." Artemis was struggling in his arms but she couldn't get out of the firm hold he had on her wrists.

"I said let me go!!"

"I'll be taking this one to my cabin." The captain said, ignoring Artemis' complaints. And with that, he took a still struggling Artemis up the stairs and into his cabin. He threw her on the bed and sat down in a chair across from it. "What's your name?"

"What's yours, son of a bitch?"

"Heh, Captain Jacob."

"Artemis." She stood up and ran over to punch him, but he just grabbed her and spun her around so that she fell on the floor. "Damn." She rubbed her knee where it hit the ground. She gave Jacob a look of fury, but stood up slowly and walked over to the bed and sat down, nose in the air. "What do you want with me? Why did you bring me here?"

"Well, most of my crew believes in the superstition about how a woman on board is bad luck, the only way to counter bad luck is if the captain keeps the woman close."

"And, you believe the superstition too?"

"No, I just don't want an uprising on my ship."

"What do you do with hostages?"

"Most of the time we make them walk the plank." Artemis stared at him with cold eyes. "But I was taught by my father that women need respect, and making you walk the plank isn't showing respect."

"Well, aren't you the honorable pirate." Artemis said in a sarcastic tone. "What are you going to do with Tom?"

"Your friend? Hmmm, I guess we can keep on board for a while."

"Why did you kidnap us?"

"Well, that island is where we get most of our supplies, so I guess my men wanted to make sure that you didn't get off to tell anyone else about it." Jacob smiled. Artemis scowled.

"Don't try to be all nice. You kidnapped me and my friend, and now you're trying to soften me up. I'm not buying it." Artemis crossed her arms. Jacob sighed. "This one's a lot tougher to crack then the others, this could be fun."

"So how did you get on the island?"

"What do you care?" Jacob was getting irritated.

"Whatever." Artemis' eyes grew wide.

"You're not going to pry? Say stuff like, 'Tell me dammit!' or stuff like that?"

"No, if I did say those things, would you tell me."

"No."

"Then that's why I'm not going to say anything else." Artemis looked at him with a suspicious look.

"Fine." She laid down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. After about 5 minutes of silence Artemis yelled, "It's too quiet!! Quick, say something, anything."

Jacob looked over at her. "Your boobs are too small."

"WHAT?!!!!!" Artemis went to punch him across the face but he just dodged.

"You told me to say something."

"Anything but that!!"

"You didn't clarify." Jacob smiled while Artemis fumed looking like a volcano that just erupted.

"You are a stupid idiot, how could any woman find you attractive, you're never going to be loved. Your mother probably didn't even love you." Artemis screamed into a pillow and then continued to insult Jacob. She didn't realize that his eyes had become sad, and he now sat there, deaf to her insults, remembering the past. "HELLO?!!" Jacob jolted upright to see Artemis' face close to his. Her eyes looked concerned. "Are you feeling ok? Not that I care." She quickly added.

"No I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me. Was it something I said?"

"No, I told you that I was fine."

"Key word there, 'was,' meaning that right now you aren't. If I'm going to be cooped up here for a while, I might as well make myself useful. I'll listen to your problems, for starters." Artemis sat on the bed and motioned for him to start.

"I know that you don't like me, why are you doing this?"

"'Like' is the wrong word, more like, disapproves. And if you don't talk then it's too quiet, so… START TALKING!" Jacob knew that the silence wasn't the only thing that was making her want to listen.

"I… my… ah forget it." Artemis glared at him.

"Fine, then talk about something," she then quickly added, "other than my body."

"Why do you dress and talk like a boy if you're a girl?"

"You're as bad as my brother. He's all like," in a mocking tone, "'Oh Artemis, why don't you where the new dress I got you, and oh why don't you want to go to the tea party that Lady Angrove is having.' It's so 'frickin annoying."

"That didn't answer my question."

"Because I like feeling free. Acting like a man gives me that freedom."

"Aren't you proud to be a girl?"

"Yes, I am. But if I'm a girl by the world's standard I feel like I'm a caged bird. I'm a girl by my standards." Jacob smiled, "This girl is interesting."

"By your standards, huh?"

"Yes."

"Heh."

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I was just thinking that you're very different."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Yeah." Artemis smiled slightly.

"Well then, thanks."

*

"Geez, who taught you how to tie up a cannon? A monkey?" Artemis was yelling at some guy who was trying to secure a cannon to the ship. "You have to loop it around first." Artemis sighed and demonstrated for the pirate. "Like that, now untie it and do it again." Artemis watched him tie it and continued to help him until he got it right. A few of the pirates were talking amongst themselves.

"Who ever said that a woman was bad luck obviously meant everyone except for Artemis."

"Yeah, we would have lost that cannon if she didn't show Louie how to tie it up right."

"Also, she's pretty too."

"Yeah, makes you just want to squeeze her huh?"

"Sorry, what was that?" The pirates turned around to see an irritated Captain Jacob.

"Ah, nothing, Captain… hahaha…we were just saying how helpful she was." They all smiled and laughed foolishly.

"I see." Jacob walked away annoyed. The pirates sighed in relief that he didn't make them walk the plank. Lately, Jacob was very protective of Artemis. She still pushed him away, but not as much as before. They seemed to be good friends, like Tom was with Artemis.

That night, Jacob snuck out of his cabin and down into the hold where they were keeping Tom. Jacob had come here many times before and talked with Tom about Artemis, trying to learn all he could about her. Tonight he had an important question for Tom.

"Tom, is Artemis scared of anything?" Tom looked at him surprised, not quite ready for that question.

"Well, only one thing."

"What?"

"Dogs. Any dog, big or small. She was attacked by a few when she was little and has been afraid of dogs ever since." Jacob was shocked and seemed hurt. "Hey are you okay? You look like your best friend just died."

"No, I'm fine." Jacob staggered as he left the hold and went back up to the deck. "She's scared of dogs?" Jacob was upset. One of his biggest secrets had to do with dogs, and Artemis was scared of them. He looked over at her sleeping figure in the bed, looking peaceful. Jacob got on the ground and fur covered his body. A large brown wolf stood in his place. He walked over to Artemis and licked her hand. She flinched at the wet touch but didn't wake up. Jacob morphed back into a human and sat in the chair. If Artemis knew that he could morph into a dog, she would be scared of him. Jacob placed his face in his hands and vowed that he would never scare Artemis, his precious girl.

*

"I see a ship, Captain!!" A man in the crow's nest yelled down.

"Very well then, PREPARE TO FIGHT!!!" Jacob yelled to his crew. Artemis looked over the railing at the ship coming towards them. She took out a telescope and pointed it in the direction of the ship. She moved to look at the flags, and gasped dropping the telescope. "Hey, Artemis, are you okay?" Artemis continued to gape.

"I can't believe he came this far." She mumbled.

"What? Who are you talking about?"

"Can we not fight? Just run away?" Artemis asked grabbing onto Jacob's vest, gripping it so hard that he thought she would cut her hands open.

"What why?" he looked toward the ship. "Who's on that ship that you know?"

"Mybehh"

"What?"

"My brother!!"

"Your what?!" Jacob heard stories about her brother from Tom, so he knew that he loathed pirates, and that Artemis didn't like him at all. He then thought about what Tom said, "afraid of dogs." He thought that maybe, Artemis was afraid of her brother too. "Turn the ship around!! We're going to out run them!!"

"But Captain!"

"No buts, this general is skilled in capturing pirates. It would be best to run."

"Yes…Captain." Then they turned the ship around and started to sail away.

*

"Where are they going? They're pirates, aren't they?" Will said as he looked through his telescope.

"General Turner."

"Yes."

"We can't seem to pick up enough speed to overtake them. What should we do?"

"We'll retreat for now; we can't win if we're behind. Besides, we'll see them again someday."

*

Artemis was in the hold with Tom, just sitting there silently. Something was wrong, Tom knew, because she could never stay this quiet for this long.

"What's wrong, Arty?" Artemis continued to sit there, thinking deeply. "Arty? ARTY!!?"

"WHAT??!!! I heard you the first time."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was thinking."

"That's new." Tom grumbled.

"WHAT??!!"

"I said that's good. Hahaha." Tom smiled to try to cover up what he just said. "So what were you thinking about?"

"Stuff."

"Oh." Tom knew he wasn't going to get any further, so he left it at that. As the ship creaked around them Artemis suddenly jolted up.

"IT CAN'T BE!!!"

"What can't be?"

"I'll tell you later." Artemis ran out of the hold and ran up the stairs.

"ARTY!!"

*

Artemis was on the deck her long hair blowing in the wind. Jacob came up behind her.

"A storm's coming." Artemis said with out looking at him.

"Yeah." Jacob leaned on the railing next to her.

"We have to prepare the ship for a storm."

"Yeah."

"Is that all you can say?"

"Yeah." Artemis punched him in the arm. "Hahaha, I was just joking around." Artemis smiled and walked away to tie up the cannons and the sails for the upcoming storm. Jacob watched her carefully. She was different, and … he loved her. According to Tom, though, she had no intentions of falling in love and marrying anyone. Jacob sighed and went to help with the ship.

As rain started to fall Artemis began to tie faster. *WHOOSH* Waves crashed on the ship and flowed over the other side. Artemis held on tight to a rope and gasped when she came above water again. She finished tying the cannon and let go of the rope. Right when she did so, another huge wave came over the edge and swept her off the ship.

"ARTEMIS!!!" Jacob cried over the storm. He jumped over board to get her. She was a good swimmer, but she wasn't strong enough to counter the current. Jacob turned into a wolf in order to swim, against the current, but when the current turned Artemis around to face him, her eyes grew wide.

"AHHHHHH!" Artemis screamed looking so scared that Jacob regretted at once what he did. Artemis started to swim away from him, but a wave pushed her under the water. And she passed out. Jacob returned to human form and dived into the water and grabbed her arm. His crew then threw a rope out to him and pulled him and Artemis up onto the deck. Jacob thanked his crew then took Artemis to his cabin and checked for signs of life. She coughed up some water but didn't wake up.

"Thank God you're okay." Jacob said to a sleeping Artemis. Jacob stroked her cheek and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I don't know what I would do with out you." He sighed then curled up next to her on the outside of the covers and fell asleep.

*

Artemis woke up with Jacob's sleeping face close to hers. She gasped and moved back a little. When she realized who it was she calmed down a little and lay back down. She blushed a little, realizing that they were so close. She sighed and whispered, almost inaudible, "I can't believe that you, a pirate, are actually a gentleman." She smiled and went back to sleep. Jacob opened an eye to look at her, smiled then closed his eye, dreaming about happy days.

*

Tom was on the deck with Artemis, laughing and talking about times when they were children. Jacob was on the stern, steering the ship through a rocky area in the sea. *BOOM* a cannon ball landed near the ship, spraying it with water. "What the hell?!!" Artemis yelled and looked ran up to look behind the ship. Following them, very closely, was her brother's ship. Artemis looked horrified. She frowned tied her hair up, and grabbed her swords and gun. "Let's take them down!!" Tom looked at her, concerned.

"Are you sure, Arty?"

"Hell, yeah. I've always wanted to beat up my brother." Jacob looked at Tom, and Tom shrugged. Jacob started to yell out orders then for his crew. He turned the ship around and they started to sail towards the ship. A cannon ball from the other ship hit the tip of the main mast. "Geez, can't you even dodge, give that to me." Artemis pushed Jacob out of the way and began to dodge every cannon ball that came towards the ship.

General Turner looked through his telescope at the crew of pirates. "We'll take as many hostages as possible, and kill the captain when we get back to port. FIRE!" The ship swerved again and the ball missed. He looked through his telescope again, only to drop it on the ground.

"General, are you all right?"

"It's Tom." He saw Tom through the telescope and knew that if Tom was there, Artemis had to be too. He swallowed, "HOLD FIRE!!" If Artemis was on that ship, he might hurt her by firing.

"They stopped firing." Tom said to Artemis.

"Good, now we can win."

"What if he saw you?"

"How can he see me from so far away?"

"He might have a telescope."

"Crap! I forgot about that. Would he recognize me as a boy?"

"You're pretty recognizable; you've got blonde hair, bright green eyes, an attitude…"

"Hey!"

"Well anyway, should we retreat, Jacob?"

"No, they've been following us for a while, let's end this. There's an island close by, survivors will be okay."

"Alright!! Let's blow something up!!!" Artemis whooped as she steered toward the ship. The pirates aboard the Sea Dog loaded the cannons as Artemis turned the ship to the side in order to fire.

Will looked again and saw Artemis steering but didn't recognize her, because she looked like a boy. "Is that the captain?"

"FIRE!!!" Artemis yelled above the wind and waves. *BOOM BAM KABOOM!!*

The ship splintered and men fell over board into the water and started swimming away towards the island that was visible from the deck. Artemis saw her brother on the part of the ship that was still floating and in tact, staring towards her, at Tom. A tear ran down his cheek. Artemis stood there looking at him, concerned. She turned around and ran to the back of the ship, not looking back.

*

The ship of the navy sunk down into the water. Will swam with the survivors of his crew to the island, looking back once in awhile at the pirate ship.

"Arty? Are you okay?" Tom asked with concern.

"I'll be fine. It's just, that…Will was crying. I don't know what to make of it." Tom sat down next to her and put a brotherly arm around her.

"Maybe he was worried."

"I just don't know." Jacob was around the corner listening to her talk to Tom. He was jealous that Tom could put his arm so leisurely around her. He wanted to be the one who would comfort Artemis. He sighed. He'll have to work his way up to that position. He looked back around the corner and saw Tom stand up with Artemis in his arms like a little sister. Though he was jealous, he was glad that they thought of each other like siblings. Tom walked past Jacob, smiled at him and continued to walk to his cabin. It looked as if Artemis cried herself to sleep, because her eyes were puffy. Tom laid her on the bed in Jacob's cabin and Jacob followed. Jacob sat down in the chair across from the bed and Tom walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder, then walked out. Jacob stared at Artemis. He loved her so much it hurt. He would like to tell her, but he was afraid of rejection. While she was sleeping there, he whispered in the dark cabin,

"I love you Artemis." He smiled and went to sleep

*

"YAWN" Artemis woke up, eyes itchy from the tears cried yesterday. *sigh* She looked around the cabin and saw Jacob snoring in the armchair. She stared at him, got up and put her mouth near his ear and whispered, "I don't know how, but I think I love you." She smiled at his sleeping face then walked out of the cabin in order to get some fresh air.

"Arty!" Tom ran up to her. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks for asking." Artemis leaned out over the railing and looked out at the sea. Tom looked at her and leaned on the railing, looking at nothing but the blue ocean.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes! I'm fine." Artemis smiled and continued to look at the horizon. Tom wasn't convinced, but he just sighed and decided to leave it at that.

A little later, Jacob came out of the cabin stretching. He saw Artemis on the railing and decided to go talk to her. "Hey Artemis."

"Ahhh." Artemis was so startled that she fell over the railing and Jacob had to grab her around the waist so that she wouldn't fall. Artemis then accidentally hit her head and passed out

"AHHH, Artemis!!! Are you okay??!!! Talk to me!!" Jacob was so worried so he was running around trying to figure out what to do. Tom then tripped Jacob and grabbed Artemis from him.

"Jacob, she probably just passed out from getting hit on the head from falling overboard. So please calm yourself."

"O...okay." Jacob took a deep breath as he sat on the deck. Artemis opened her eyes.

"Ugh…what happened?"

"You almost fell overboard, but Jacob caught you." Artemis blushed deep red as she was embarrassed for almost falling overboard.

"Oh…yeah. Umm… thank you, Jacob." Artemis made Tom put her down. She staggered a little and Jacob caught her and looked at her concernedly. "I'm fine … really." Artemis smiled an awkward smile and staggered to the captain's cabin. Tom and Jacob looked at each other, confused and concerned.

In the cabin, Artemis lay down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. Artemis sighed. She was so stupid for not noticing that Jacob was right behind her.*sigh* "What am I going to do?" Artemis closed her eyes and listened to the waves crashing on the sides of the ship. She heard the door open but didn't bother to open her eyes. She felt warm breath on her cheek and soft lips touch her forehead.

"Don't scare me like that." A kind voice whispered near her ear. Artemis' head was spinning. Her arms moved on their own and looped themselves around the neck of a warm person. She opened her eyes and looked into the dark brown eyes of Jacob.

"You're so warm." She whispered so quietly that no one other than Jacob could hear it. His eyes widened and he kissed her lightly on her forehead as Artemis fell asleep.

*

"Wooohooo!!!" Artemis yelled across the beach as she ran around it. Tom and Jacob were running after her, laughing. They splashed her and she splashed them. They were running around having a grand old time when some of the crew came running down the beach.

"Captain!!!"

"What?"

"You're not going to believe this but, the Flying Dutchman is sailing towards the island, cannons aimed at the ship. The captain wants to see you." Artemis and Tom looked at each other. Jacob started to walk to the other end of the island where the ships were. Artemis swallowed and grabbed onto the corner of his shirt.

"You shouldn't go. I'll go instead."

"What? But Artemis…"

"Shh. It'll be fine." Artemis smiled at Jacob.

"Are you sure?" Artemis smiled at him again and started to run to the other end of the island. Jacob sighed and looked at Tom. "Will she really be okay?"

"Of course, it's not like the captain will kill her." Tom laughed a little. "I mean, would you kill your own daughter?"

"What!??" Jacob was shocked. "Artemis was the daughter of the Flying Dutchman's captain?!!"

"Exactly as I said, Jacob, Artemis is the captain's daughter."

"Why didn't she tell me that?"

"It's probably because she doesn't want you to treat her special because of her parents. Oh, did I mention that her mother is the Pirate King?"

"WHAT?!!!"

"I guess I forgot that detail too."

"How do you forget something that important, Tom?!!!" Jacob was shaking Tom around because he was annoyed when Artemis came running towards them.

"Tom, Jacob, my father would like to see you." Artemis grabbed one hand each and started to pull them towards the other end of the island. When they got to the other side, a boat was waiting for them to take them to the Dutchman. The crew member, that was rowing the boat, kept glaring at Jacob and he began to feel awkward. When they finally got to the Dutchman, the three friends could hear the crew whispering things like, "So that's him…kidnapped Artemis…scum…inconsiderate of her" Jacob started to sweat. Even though he was very strong, he knew if he had to fight all of these pirates, he would definitely lose. The door to the captain's cabin looked enormous in Jacob's eyes. He was about to meet a powerful pirate lord and the girl he loves' father. This was like a nightmare. He sighed and walked through the door behind Artemis and Tom. In a large chair near the window sat William Turner with an angry look on his face. He looked at Jacob and motioned for him to sit down.

"Artemis, Tom, will you two please leave?" Artemis looked shocked.

"But, why?"

"Please." Artemis looked at Jacob with concern then grabbed Tom by the hand and led him out. "Jacob was it? My daughter told me that you are a kind fellow, but I find that hard to believe after you kidnapped her."

"Well, you see…I didn't do the actual kidnapping. I mean, I didn't even order it, well I did, but not in that way…"

"From what I've heard, you're not making your situation any better." Will looked down on Jacob.

"*gulp* Well, I…um… after I got to know her and Tom better, I became friends with them and regretted what I did. She never told me that her father was a pirate lord. I assumed, since her brother was a navy commander that you were one too." Jacob smiled a nervous smile.

"You've met my son?" Will looked slightly shocked.

"Well, more like fought with him."

"Please explain." Will looked annoyed.

"Well, he was chasing our ship and they started to fire at us…"

"While Artemis was on your ship?!!!"

"Ah, yes, she's the one who prevented our ship from sinking. She's very talented. But, anyway, um Artemis told us that it was her brother on the ship, so I wasn't sure if she wanted me firing at the ship, but she said it was okay since there was an island close by."

"That's it?"

"Uh…yeah."

Will sighed and frowned at Jacob. "I don't like you…but it seems like my daughter seems quite fond of you, so I can't kill you." Will looked annoyed and mumbled, "yet," under his breath. "You can go now." Jacob got up and said a quick "thank you" and seemed to run out of the room as if he was suffocating.

Outside Artemis was tying up a cannon when she turned around and smiled at Jacob. Jacob concluded that he would go through a thousand of those talks (that he had with her father) for her. He sighed and walked over to her.

"Do you want to go?"

"Well…now that I'm back on my father's ship, I'm not sure if I can go with you or not." She added, "I want to go with you."

"Then come with me." Jacob smiled. Artemis smiled and hugged him around the neck.

"I had the most fun while I was on your ship. So much adventure, but, I have to ask my father. I am only sixteen." Artemis slipped out of Jacob's strong embrace and walked into the cabin and silently closed the door.

*

(hours later)

"What's taking them so long?" Jacob moaned as he sat on the deck with Tom.

"Artemis is pretty stubborn, so if she doesn't like an answer then she can argue for hours. She could be a judge or a lawyer; she's so good at it. I have never won an argument over Arty."

"But doesn't she have to listen to her father?"

"I don't know, I've never really talked with him for a long period of time. All I know about him are from the stories that Arty's mom told her who told me." The door opened suddenly and Will came out stomping towards Jacob. Jacob recoiled but stood up with a fake brave face on.

"I don't like you at all." Will began. Artemis was in the doorway of the cabin smiling slyly. "But, Artemis has a good argument so I will let you go with her. You better take good care of her."

"I…I will!" Artemis smiled and walked up to the group and hugged her father.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Artemis said with a smile on her face. Tom and the rest of the crew shivered, "how does she do it?"

*

"Is that a ship? A pirate ship?" Tom asked Artemis while looking through a telescope.

"What?! Let me see." Artemis grabbed the telescope from Tom and placed it up to her eye. The pirate flag had a side view of a skull wearing a bandanna similar to hers with a sparrow in the corner. "It's Captain Jack Sparrow!!!" Artemis squealed in delight at the thought of meeting an old friend. Jacob came up behind them and looked at the ship coming towards them in the distance.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, hmm?" Jacob asked looking out towards the ship.

"He's flying under a white flag, he just wants to talk, Jacob, so no need to worry." Artemis said with a smile.

When the ship got close enough to put a plank between the two, Jack climbed aboard the Sea Dog and looked about as crazy as he always does. When he noticed Artemis he half-heartedly smiled and shouted,

"How be it, Miss Turner!!" Jack bowed awkwardly, obviously drunk on rum. A young handsome pirate came across the plank after Jack and landed next to him. "Allow me to introduce my nephew, Darren. Darren, this is…everyone." Jack burped and walked across the deck to Artemis and Jacob. As Jack began talking nonsense to Jacob, Darren couldn't take his eyes off of Artemis. She was beautiful in her own way and she looked as bright as the sun as she smiled at the legendary Jack Sparrow.

"I didn't know you had a family, Captain." Artemis said.

"Well, my sister doesn't really say that's she's related to the likes of me, it just wouldn't do her any good, now would it?" Artemis laughed and walked up to Darren.

"Hello, my name is Artemis; it's nice to meet you. So, if your mom doesn't like to talk about Jack, how'd you come to be on his ship?" Artemis said as she shook his hand.

"I ran away from home after my father died and then I came across Uncle Jack and when I told him who my mom was, he just about fainted from shock." Darren explained with a confident smile that he could make Artemis his.

"Wow…so did you always want to be a pirate?" Artemis asked, her bright green eyes filled with curiosity about this new stranger.

"Yes, I heard stories about them when I was little and I dreamed of having adventures of my own someday."

"We have so much in common, Darren!!" Artemis exclaimed in delight at finding someone who shared her interests. Tom liked to pretend, when they were younger, but he never actually wanted to be one. "I think we're going to be great friends." Artemis said with a warm smile. Darren smiled back and looked at his uncle talking with a young man with dark brown hair.

"Who's Uncle Jack talking to?" Darren asked Artemis.

"Oh, he's talking to Jacob, the captain of the Sea Dog." Artemis said casually. "and standing next to him is my best friend, Tom." Darren smiled slyly. "This is going to be too easy." He looked at Artemis and bore down into her green eyes. She looked confused at what he was looking for. He found it. Her feelings for the two men she just introduced. He thought that maybe she might be in love with one of those two, but it was brotherly love for the one called Tom, and it seemed that the feeling for Jacob was a really strong sense of admiration, but not love. He smiled again, and bringing his face close to hers, he kissed her on the lips.

"…….." ( if this were an anime, Jacob and Tom would be completely shocked and the white cracking shape that most anime people have when extremely shocked.) Artemis stood frozen like a statue after Darren finished his kiss. He placed his hand around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine." Artemis, repulsed by this statement, came out of her shock and slapped him across the face. Her face burned a deep red as she backed away from him. Darren smiled, he didn't look angry, he looked amused.