"I say we kill 'em all now," Scroop hissed, coming up behind Silver and placing a claw on his shoulder. Jim's eyes widened from inside the barrel filled with purps. The pink shifter Morph jiggled beside him, hovering in the air, not fully understanding the dangerous situation the two of them were in.

"I say what's to say!" Silver yelled, grabbing Scroop and pulling him down so he was below his eye level. "Disobey my orders again like what you pulled with Mr. Arrow," Silver growled, Jim's devastated face and tear filled eyes flashed in the cyborg's mind and he felt his heart give a small twist, "and you'll be joining him!" He threw Scroop against a nearby barrel so it rocked back and forth. He could recall clear as day how Jim had looked at him, that hopeless, defeated look in his eyes, like the world would never be right again. And he could remember how happy it had been before when Jim had for one moment, thought he had done something right.

Then he could remember that sly and evil look Scroop had given when Jim had just discovered that Arrow was gone, and had tricked him in to thinking it was his fault. It had filled Silver with such a rage it felt almost uncontrollable.

And he could remember how happy and content he had felt when he had given that boy a huge and reassuring hug. He felt his heart breaking when he had felt Jim's head fall on his chest as his shoulders started to shake with sobs. His heart pounded loudly in fear as he looked right and left to see if anyone else was around to see. When there wasn't his arms had wrapped around the boy and held him close. "There there Jimbo. It's all right. It's all right." Silver had felt just as confused and hopeless as Jim had.

"He's like the only real father I've ever had," Jim thought to himself brokenly. "Where was he when I needed him?"

Silver cleared his throat awkwardly and held Jim back a pace, "There there lad. I had better get on me watch -ahem- and you had better be getting some shut eye." He gently shoved him forward. Jim walked back to where the stairs leading to the cabins, and he paused, stopping and turning to look back and looking back at his friend. He held up his hand in a wave, and Silver quietly returned it before Jim went down to the cabin.

Silver jerked himself back to reality and faced Scroop, his body tense. Scroop was a great pirate and underling, but he took orders hardly, and he sometimes needed to be reminded where his place was. He was a troublemaker, and Silver could see him taking over his place if he didn't watch himself. This was why he faced Scroop offensively. He remembered hearing Jimbo referring to him as the 'spider psycho', a term both him and little Morphy were starting to use frequently. This made Silver smirk briefly before flickering back to watch Scroop. "That's not it," the red arachnid hissed. He reached a crimson claw in to a barrel Silver recalled was filled with purps.

"Ya got somethin ta say Scroop?" Silver asked, his cyborg eye watching carefully.

Inside the barrel Jim froze as the claw of the spider psycho reached in, searching for a purp. Jim grabbed one and held it up daintly and flinched when the claw gripped it tightly. It lifted up from sight and he felt a rush of relief flow through him.

"It's that bo-oy!" Scroop hissed slowly, holding the purp out. His gleaming yellow eyes shone angrily and he held up the purp for all to see. Silver felt his heart stop and his face pale slightly when he felt the eyes and heard the agreement of the rest of the crew. Scroop went on. "Me thinks you have a soft, spot for him." One of his claws gently pricked the purp, breaking the thin skin and sending some of the fruit's juice trickling out.

Silver froze for a moment and turned, addressing the crew. "Now you listen to me, the lot of ya! I may be pretending to be the boy's friend, but I ain't gone soft." Jim felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Oh, what was that again? You've got the makings of greatness in ya!" Scroop said in a slow voice as he quoted what his captain had said to the boy.

The first thing Silver felt was another flash of anger. So Scroop had been listening in that night! The bugger! And the second thing was fear. He couldn't let the crew to think he had gone soft! His reputation, his life, and Jim's depended on him.

"Listen to me." Jim felt his heart fall to his stomach as the man he had come to accept, love even, went on, "I care about one thing, and one thing only, Flint's trove! You think I'm going to let some whining snot nosed little whelp get between me and the treasure?" With each word Jim felt his heart sink even more. Morph carelessly bubbled over to his face, rubbing against him and trying to get some attention. Jim grabbed him slowly and locked him in his hands.

There was a sudden scream from above. "Land! Land ho!" All attention the pirates had disappeared and they all excitedly rushed out to see the planet where they would become richer beyond their wildest dreams.

Jim felt helplessness fall within him and he released Morph, sighing shakily and breathing out, his breath trembling. Morph slipped from his fingers and he placed his hand over his face as the pieces in his mind began to fall in to place. Silver. Silver was the cyborg that Billy Bones had warned him of. Silver and his crew were the ones that had burned down the inn. It was all because of Silver that everything had happened to him.

"No," he whispered, not believing it. He didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be true. No. Silver couldn't be the pirate. He couldn't. He-He was just so . . . kind,well, in his own way. How could Silver be the one who had caused Jim to go through all this. . . devastation? Silver was his friend, and he had been a better dad than his real one ever had. No. How could this have happened? He let his head fall in his hands. No.

Betrayal and distrust filled his heart. He lifted his head and glared venomously ahead before getting out of the purp barrel. He attempted to do it quick and angrily, but his limbs shook as he exited it and got out of it. He walked slowly and uncertainly to a table, placing a hand on it for stabilization, then his eyes lifted and he began to run to the stairs, about to take them two at a time when a body came down and nearly collided with his. He froze in his tracks.

"Jimbo?"

It was Silver.