Hey guys. Time for another chapter of JSOTP! I'm working to get this one done as soon as possible. Not sure how many chapters are left, but like I said, working on it. Anyways, as for this chapter. After seeing Jake's mental breakdown, we're gonna take a break from the mayhem and go back to see Izzy, Cubby, and Skully, and how they've been doing since Jake left them. We'll also learn something about all of this that the crew, nor Jake, even knew. I hope you enjoy this more calmer chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Jake and the Never Land Pirates. They belong to Disney Junior.

Chapter 9: A Crew Without a Leader. But is there hope?

"Dinner is ready, Iz..."

"... Thanks, Cubby..."

The small pirate boy placed the salad sandwiches and tomato soup on the table. It wasn't much, but Cubby hadn't been making as many meals as he wanted... not since... it hurt to think about that day, but the small pirate boy took his mind off of it, as Izzy trudged towards the table, sitting and eating quietly. Cubby soon joined her, watching her carefully. He could tell what she was thinking, as he was thinking the same thing.

It had been a week and a half since Jake went off to live with Grim, and since then, the three remaining crew members haven't been the happiest... Izzy especially. They all missed their leader terribly (Izzy didn't want to admit it though), and they wanted to see him again. But it sure wasn't looking like that was happening anytime soon.

Cubby had been using map browsing to distract himself from their leaders absence, but it hard due to Izzy's moping. Skully had been more optimistic, and tried his best to cheer his mates up, having hope that one day, Jake would come back to them.

But for Izzy, however, had no hope of that. Not after the way Jake so coldly bid them a farewell. That nastiness confirmed to Izzy that her friend was leaving for good, and his decision was final.

And honestly, her current state scared Cubby, and worried Skully.

As the two pirates ate their dinner, Skully flew in the greet them, "Hey, that looks good." He complimented Cubby's work.

"Thanks..." Was all he said.

"It really is good..." Izzy spoke quietly.

Skully could tell that his friends were once again less than happy, so he tried to lighten the mood, "Hey, you know, tomorrow's a good day for a swim. What do ya say we head down to the Lagoon on Never Land?"

It took a few moments, for them to answer, Cubby speaking first, "Maybe later, Skully."

"I'll pass..." Izzy responded bitterly.

"Are ya sure?" The parrot asked, "You'd be missing out on some-"

"I said... I'll pass!" Izzy once again responded, this time with a much harsher and sharper tone. This caused Skully to reel back in shock, and it made Cubby wince in small fear.

He put a hand on her shoulder, "Izzy... are you okay? Coconuts, Jake is better at this stuff than me-"

The pirate girl then shoved his hand away from her, "Don't mention his name! I don't want to hear that name ever again!"

"But Jake's our matey-"

Suddenly, Izzy stood up and banged her hand on the table, "No he's not! Not anymore! When are you going to get it through your heads that Jake is GONE?! And that he is NEVER, and I mean, NEVER, coming back!"

Cubby shrunk even more in fear. Never had he seen his friend so angry.

After a few moments of silence, the girl sighed after realizing what she did, "I'm... sorry..." With that, she ran out of the room. As soon as she was gone, it was Cubby's turn to sigh, "Did I say something wrong, Skully?" He asked his bird friend.

"No way..." Skully shook his head, "I think Iz is still hurt about Jake leavin' us. And... as much as I try to be optimistic... she might have a point... Jake might not ever come back... he seemed pretty set on doing what his mom wanted."

"I miss him, Skully..."

"Me too, matey..."

"And I can't imagine living with Grim of all people would be any fun..."

"Knowing that creep, he's probably making Jake's life miserable..."

After that little conversation, the two decided that they should check up on Izzy. They retreated to the bedroom, and there she was, face in pillow, sobbing her eyes out. Cubby walked over to her and rubbed her back, "It's okay, Iz... I know you miss Jake..."

Izzy sat up and wiped her tears away, "I don't..." One look at Cubby's concerned face, and she let out another sob, "Okay... I miss him... I miss him a lot... and it hurts me even more that... he'll never come back."

"Don't say that... maybe he will come back... maybe he'll change his mind."

"I doubt it... when he talked about not wanting to break his mothers heart... he meant it, Cubby..."

Cubby didn't know what to say after that, so he just sat there, thinking of something. After he did, he spoke again, "You know... if Jake won't come back to us... maybe we can get him back? Or maybe visit him."

Izzy look at him, "I don't know... Jake made his decision, and after what he said to us, I don't think he wants to see us ever again. I doubt he's even thinking of us."

"But what if he needs us? He could be in trouble, and we could help him."

"We don't even know where Grim took him..."

"Oh..."

Again, the two sat in silence, thinking about other possibilities that could allow them to see their best friend again. Izzy had looked to her right, and on her nightstand, was a picture of the crew together, with Peter...

Peter...

That's it!

"Hey, maybe Peter can help us!" She suggested, "He knows a lot about us. Jake told us about how he found him when he was a baby."

Cubby smiled, "That's right. Good thinking, Iz! Let's go contact him."

"Crackers! I was wondering when we could call him." Skully added.

The trio went to their trusty light, and did what Peter told them to do whenever they needed him. Using their Pan signal, they managed to call him, and within seconds, he was there.

"I came as fast as I could!" He greeted, hugging the two pirates, before noticing something strange, "Uh, where's Jake?"

Izzy frowned, "That's why we called you..."

With that, she and Cubby both recapped the past week to Peter. From Jake finding his mothers journal, to learning about his parents, to Grim taking him away from them. All of that information was a lot for Peter to take in, especially since he was just now finding out.

"Why didn't you guys call me sooner?" He asked, "You mean to tell me Jake's been gone for a week?!"

Cubby nodded while Izzy said, "I've been too hurt by Jake's departure. I thought that he wouldn't ever come back, but I miss him... we all do. So we want to see him."

"And that's why we called you now..." Cubby added, "Maybe you know where Jake lives..."

Peter sighed, "I don't... and honestly, mateys... I feel like this is all my fault."

"What're you talkin' about, Peter?" Skully asked, "How could it be your fault...?"

That's when Peter flew into the hideout, signaling the crew to follow him. And follow him they did, into the hideouts library. Peter seemed to be searching for something between the books, and after a few moments, he found what he was looking for. It was a folded up paper.

"This..." He showed the paper to the crew, "Is the note that was left with Jake when I found him as a baby. It was written... by his mother."

This surprised them, as Peter read the note out loud, 'Please take care of my little Jacob. He is in need of protection, for he is in danger. Should he reunite with his father, you must return Jacob to him as custody. God Bless- Katrina DeFlora.'"

"So... Jake was meant to be returned to his father after all..." Izzy realized.

"I thought something was fishy about that... but I guess I was wrong." Skully added.

"But I still don't see how it's your fault, Peter." Cubby also added.

Peter frowned deeply, "Well... I did tell Jake about the note... but I left out one piece of information that should've been the most important..." He explained. He didn't say anything after that, which prompted Izzy to ask, "What was it, Peter?"

"I... didn't tell him that his mother requested for him to be returned to his fath- er, Grim. I... didn't want to give him up like that, so I kept that a secret of him, so that he could stay on Never Land always..."

He allowed his feet to hit the ground as he walked to a chair and sat down, "But now I realize how stupid I was... I shouldn't have done that... and now... Jake is in the clutches of the Grim Buccaneer... I never anticipated that he would be our mateys father!"

Peter put his face in his hands, "Oh, I can't believe this is happening..." He moaned, "Who knows what that brute is doing to Jake...?"

"Peter..." Izzy said softly, "It's not your fault... you didn't know... and if you didn't keep that part of the note a secret, we may have never met..."

"Or had an awesome leader and friend like Jake..." Cubby added.

Peter looked up at them sadly, "I know... but friends should never keep secrets from each other... Mothers request or not, we have to get him back, and when we do, I'm going to be honest and tell Jake everything."

"That is, if we know where to find him." Skully pointed out.

"Funny you should say that..." Peter replied, "The Grim Buccaneer has quite a few hideouts that I've managed to discover. I know a lot about that old creeper."

"You do?" Cubby asked. They had never know Peter to ever encounter Grim before.

"Sure. I've tussled with him a few times. I prefer messing with ol' codfish, but Grim is a lot of fun to tangle with too. Anyways, I know where some of his hideouts are. If we scout them, maybe we can find Jake, and even ol' creeper fish too."

This made Izzy, Cubby, and Skully happy. This was their chance to see and maybe even save Jake once and for all, "Do you think we can do it, Peter?" Izzy asked.

"Grim can be pretty tough." Cubby added, "What if we never-"

"Never say never, matey!" Peter said with a smirk. "But... now that you mention that... we could use some help. Why don't we send a little bird to spread the word?"

Skully knew what that meant, "I'm on it, Peter!" With that, he flew out of the hideout, setting off to find the most help he can find. As for Peter, Izzy, and Cubby, they decided to get ready.

Whether Jake liked it or not... they were going to get him back, no matter what...

And now, a rescue mission has commenced. The three remaining mateys have been pretty sad without Jake, and Peter actually blames himself for letting it all happen. But now they plan to get Jake back, with some help that is. Last chapter, we focused on Jake, this chapter, we focused on his mateys, next chapter, it's going to be a mix of that. We'll even see Wendy again, so a lot to look forward to. Until then, I'll see you guys later, and as always, don't forget to review, please. Thank you!