Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the Treasure Planet characters, Bob Iger does. Good news…. Michael Eisner does not. ;)

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The weeks passed and there was still no hope of Jim or Jen speaking to one another. If they ran into each other, there was a deathly silence that filled the area and a few moments that remained motionless, as they looked at one another, not sure as what to say. No emotion breached their faces for those few moments. Finally they would break their gazes and move off in opposite directions. It put the crew in the most frightfully awkward moments when this did happen, which was not very often. Yes, there were times when Jim wanted to break the silence and tell her that he still loved her, or Jen wanted to spill her soul out across the room and tell him everything that she could, but it never happened. Jim had too much pride, and Jen was too scared that with one wrong word their relationship would be lost forever.

What was worst of all was this was affecting everyone's voyage. The crew would have rather Jim been off day dreaming with his fiancé than moping around his quarters, not able to focus on anything. His mind seemed to be drifting along with the ship across the Etherium, but not able to pin point anything. He tried to focus on the exact co-ordinates of their destination, but his love for sailing and adventures seemed to have been snuffed out like a light.

It was that very state he was in one afternoon, as he stared out of his window into the vast skies surrounding him. He looked out to see the stars dotting his surroundings, and his eyes took note of the five little stars that formed the infamous v shape that he had known all his life. A sigh escaped his lips, as he pressed his forehead against the glass windows. "What's so special about you coming out?" he quietly questioned the constellation, with his eyes closed. It seemed to be a big joke to those stars that his life had become so painful. The feeling was so similar to that in which he saw his father leave him, that it felt as if a knife had impaled him in the stomach over and over.

A small scratching noise than caught his attention, as he turned to see that a small envelope had been slide under his door. Had the crew really given up on him so much that they resulted to voicing their concerns on a letter? If they had, they had included something else in the letter.

The captain felt something else in the envelope under his fingers. He then opened it up to pull out the necklace he bought for Jen and the engagement ring. His heart seemed to have stopped at the sight of them back in his hands. It was only a few moments later that he found his breath again and went on to read the letter that was also enclosed.

Jim,

I have wanted to tell you time and time again. Every time I saw you, I wanted to do nothing more than to hold you and cry into your shoulder as I explained everything. It's not you. It's me. There is just a part of me that does not want to share part of my life right now. I just wish you could understand that.

However, seeing as we're not even speaking anymore, I figured you would at least want these back. Don't worry. I will make sure that the rest of this trip goes as painless as possible for you and then depart once we return to Montressor. No need to fret.

I guess "happily ever afters" don't always work out the way you would hope they do.

Sincerely,

Gweneth Dames

Jim's breathing quickened, and he crumpled up the piece of paper in his hand while gripping the jewelry in his other hand. It was officially over. The secrets officially ended their relationship, and it seemed it was too late to try to salvage it.

He managed to lift up his head and look out at the constellation still in full view. "Why so happy over my misery?" he asked with disdain.

Jen quickly walked down the hall, her head in her hands that caught the tears falling from her eyes. She was only stopped when a hand took a hold of her arm, and she jerked back from the shock. Through her blurry vision, she saw Taran step forward to her. "What do you want?" she quickly asked through choked words.

"Do not worry. I just want to have a little conversation," he quietly responded and gently pulled her into a room, locking the door behind them.

"If you just want to talk, there is no need to lock the door," she spoke up quickly, while trying to dry her eyes.

"That would prove true, if I knew you were stable enough not to try to leave before we finished," he said, taking a step towards her.

Her instincts took over and countered by taking a step back from him, as her eyes lay locked with his. Any type of trust she may have had for her crew mate was gone with that one move, and all that remained was an instinct to be on her guard. Something did not feel right.

"You broke up with Jim, didn't you?"

Her eyes grew wide with fear at what Taran had just said. Hearing those words sliced thru her like a dagger. All at once it seemed as if her voice fled without a trace as her mind raced about in astonishment that he knew something that she had just done.

"It was all of those secrets that you kept. The strain was too much for the both of you. It was what tore you both apart those few weeks ago."

"How do you know all of this?" she questioned, her diplomatic composure fading.

Taran moved his hand to gently run his fingers thru her hair. "I know more about you, Gweneth, than even you know," he gently whispered.

Jen's breathing quickened as she stepped back into the wall, cornered with nowhere to retreat. "Who are you?"

He grabbed a fistful of her hair, and breathed in her scent, his cheek up against her's. "Think back over ten years ago, Gweneth, back when your parents were alive. There was someone you used to do everything with."

She stood there, trying to concentrate, but finding it so difficult with her personal space being invaded. "There… there was a boy… from the neighboring mansion. His parents used to bring him over all the time," she slowly started to get out. "I remember talking… discussion of…"

"Discussion of the two families joining," he interrupted, before placing a kiss on her neck.

A gasp escaped her lips, as she tried to push him back. "Terrence! But... but you're…"

"Supposed to be dead?" he said with a little laughter. "That was the ploy so that way the one who murdered your parents would not be coming after us," he spoke, and Jen had the most confused look on her face. "Since you and I were to be betrothed, my parents thought it best that they send me away and stage my death. After all, you were a target," and he grabbed her wrists. "Now that you're no longer marked for death, I came back to claim what was mine, and you know I always get what I want in the end." He then roughly leaned in and pressed his lips against hers with force.

After a few moments of restraining, Jen finally found the strength to push him back. "I am not a trophy, Terrence. You can't just declare that you're taking me," she declared and tried to leave, but Taran grabbed her writ in an iron grip.

"But, think about it, Gweneth. Between your inheritance and mine own, we could be the most powerful people in the galaxy. Now, I admit that the idea was nauseating when I was first told that you would be my bride, but seeing how you," he began, as he slid his hand down her form. "… matured, I feel it is now a complete win."

"Please stop it," she pleaded, trying to break free from his grasp. "If you don't, I'll…"

"You will what? Scream for your friends? I am afraid they won't be able to help you, as they are tied up at the moment. And as for Jim…"

Jen soon felt faint, but tried to keep her legs grounded. "What about Jim?"

"Do you think he would come to your rescue after you just broke his heart?" he questioned and Jen looked down at the ground. "That is what I thought. Of course, you hurting him was probably worse than what I would ever do to him."

That brought her back to her reality. "Do to him? Why would you hurt him? You're his best friend!"

"More like his worst enemy," Taran began, as he pulled her back up and held her by her shoulders. "When he entered the academy, all of the professors stopped boasting me and turned their attention to him! He ruined my chances at being Valedictorian! He ruined everything about that school!" Taran shouted, then took a deep breath and smiled at her. "Friend? I only remained friends with that worthless peasant to be able to keep my name in the spotlight. And now, it is time for revenge."

"No! Leave him alone!" she screamed and slapped him across the face.

Taran moved his hand up to rub his face, as his grip tightened even more on her wrist. "Don't worry, after we're married, you will be broken."

"I'll never marry you! I love Jim!" she cried out in pain.

"Well, it will be hard to marry him if he's dead!" he screamed, and her eyes grew wide with fright. "When the solar flares intervene, your beloved Captain James Hawkins will be no more," and with that, he shoved her against the wall, causing her to black out.

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With the entire crew endangered, will Jim be able to survive what Taran has in store for his demise? Stay tuned to find out.