Disclaimer: I don't own these awesome characters.

Chapter 11

Silver stood stock still unsure of how to answer Jim's question. He opened his mouth to answer but another voice spoke first.

"He couldn't possibly have known Flint, Jim." Doppler said. "Flint disappeared hundreds of years ago."

Silver was happy for the Canid's interruption for once, hoping it would mean the boy would consider the question answered, but he soon found that was not the case.

"Billy Bones was still alive." Jim countered. "You said he sailed with Flint."

"He was a Torrotian and they have incredibly long life spans." Delbert explained. "He was probably a young Tortoise when he first sailed with Flint."

Jim looked to Silver in confusion and, though caught off guard for a moment, he quickly nodded in confirmation of the doc's explanation once he realized he had been offered a chance to back out of the corner he was currently in. Silver prayed the lad would be appeased and that the line of questioning would end there but the boy keep looking at him with an almost injured look that nearly exuded disbelief.

Before Silver could stop himself he heard his voice blurting out. "He's right, lad. I never sailed with Flint."

"But how did you know about the treasure then? Bones knew you! He warned me about you!" Jim's eyes flashed and his fists clenched at his sides.

Silver watched as the tension suddenly left the boy's body and understanding dawned in his eyes.

"It was you."

The words combined with the look in the boy's eyes as he backed away struck a terror in the pirate's heart that he had felt few times before.

"You burned down the inn."

Silver felt the shame burn in his chest and he could no longer look the boy in the eye. His head hung down as his strength disappeared and grasped the railing for support. "I'm sorry."

The silence was deafening and felt interminable.

"Gentlemen, and I use that term loosely, you can continue this discussion at a later point but at this moment it is imperative that we keep moving." Amelia commanded.

Silver couldn't bear to look at Jim and kept his head down until he heard the boy move off with a clump of his heavy boots. He shouldn't even be here, they would be better off without him. Jim would be better served if Silver faced off with the pirates and took as many of them out as possible before they caught up to him. When he finally determined that he would try and head off the pirates he looked up and found himself face to face, well chest to face, with the doctor.

"He needs you."

Silver didn't try to stop the laugh of incredulity that slipped out.

"It's true. Since you came into that boy's life I have seen him change. He has smiled more in these few months than he has in years. You took a directionless and angry young man and gave him hope and a purpose. Like it or not you are a father to him." Delbert spoke without a hint of the usually fear and self-doubt that he felt around the cyborg.

Silver was taken aback and after a moment of stuttering was able to form a coherent reply. "He'll never be able tah forgive me."

Delbert shook his head in clear disagreement of the pirate's assessment of the situation. "That unfortunate situation at the inn took place before you knew Jim. Since then you have given up everything and risked your life for his." The doctor stepped to the side and guided the stunned Ursid after Jim and Amelia. "He will forgive you. He just needs time."

Silver stared at the boy's retreating back and prayed the doctor was correct. He couldn't remember a time where he had felt this guilty, it had been a lifetime since he had felt little more than the call of the Flint's trove, for it is hard to feel much when pursuing a goal with an unwavering single mindedness as he had.

Amelia's ears twitched back to a forward position as she caught the end of Doppler and Silver's conversation and heard the sound of their footsteps falling in behind hers and Jim's. The remains of their motley crew was threatening to tear apart at the seams and as much as she despised what Silver was, or had been, she had come to an understanding with him. More importantly she had seen him prove it with an outrageous act of bravery that had nearly resulted in his demise.

"Hawkins." She called the young man and motioned for him to come alongside her as they walked. She bit her lip as she caught the return of the teenage eye roll and defiantly hunched shoulders as he took his sweet time to join her.

"Are you alright?"

Jim's eyes shot up to meet hers as the question clearly took him by surprise. "What?"

"Pardon." She corrected before continuing. "I simply asked if you were alright."

After a moment of silence Jim answered. "I'm fine."

Amelia sighed. "Wonderful. On to business then. Though you have just now realized that Silver is the one responsible for the destruction of your mother's inn, you seem to have forgotten all he has done for you since." She took a moment for her words to sink in before continuing. "We are not currently afforded the luxury of the time one would normally require to reconcile such a powerful revelation with one's previous view of a person." She took a moment to let that sink in. "What I am saying is that I am going to need you to put your underdeveloped teenage emotions into overdrive and move past this so we all have a better chance of surviving the next few hours."

Amelia was suddenly aware that Jim had stopped walking and she turned to face him. "Oh come, Mr. Hawkins, we all know you are going to forgive him so let's skip over all this wishy-washy emotional nonsense and get on with it."

Jim's mouth hung open, as did Doppler's and Silver's.

Amelia looked skyward for strength and placed her hands on her hips. "I find it hard to believe that I am currently the least emotional person in this group. Would you gentlemen please untwist your collective knickers and help me find a way out of this godforsaken place?"

After walking for hours, in hopes of putting enough distance between themselves and their pursuers, the group slowly began making their way back up a series of stairs and ladders bringing them closer to the surface of the planet. The walk had been done in utter silence, each member of the party lost in their own thoughts, fatigue was tugging at them all, slowing their steps and bowing their heads as they trudged onward.

It was with a mixture of relief and apprehension that they found the path they had followed had led them to an exit hatch that would undoubtedly lead them to the planet's surface. As a group they stood and gazed up at the hatch with joint feelings of unease.

"Are we going up?" Jim asked, tired of waiting for one of the adults to make a move.

"Perhaps we should take this opportunity to rest before we leave. It is highly unlikely they will find us here but that likelihood is cut in half the moment we return to the planet's surface." Amelia suggested. She didn't wait for a group accord, instead she settled herself comfortably against a wall and closed her eyes.

Doppler slipped out of his jacket and folded it like a pillow before laying down to sleep.

Silver and Jim slid down against the remaining space on the wall, fairly close to one another. The tension was palpable. Deciding to take the doctor's advice to heart and give the boy time, Silver allowed himself to seek what rest he could.

"Hey, Silver?"

'I guess we're gonna do dis now.' Silver thought as he turned to face his cabin boy. "Yah, lad?"

"We good?"

Silver nodded slowly. "You tell me?"

"We're good." The boy replied simply before laying down and using his crossed arms as a pillow.

Silver couldn't help but smile in relief as he lowered his hat down over his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

As daylight slowly broke over the remains of the crumbled tower the pirates began swarming over the vast pile of rock and metal in search for anything or anyone under the watchful eye of their new commander. Some of the pirates' movements were hampered by injury while others were hindered by hangovers. An unfortunate few suffered the effects of both.

Turnbuckle came to stand next to Scroop tentatively. The rage coming off the arachnid was nearly tangible, his claws opened and closed with a grating scrap, as his eyes were glued to the crews every movement.

"What isss it?" Scroop asked.

"There is no sign of them so far. We have found a small opening on the far side of the tower. It seems to lead to an opening below the surface but it will be some time before we can clear enough of the rubble to be certain." Turnbuckle took a moment to gauge the bug's reaction before continuing. "Two more of the crew have succumbed to their injuries."

The reaction was instantaneous. With a terrible yell, Scroop lashed out at a copse of trees and slashed them to the ground with a single vicious movement. Unsated, he turned on Turnbuckle, only to have his rage stopped short by the sight of a charging pistol in his face.

"Let's get one thing straight, 'Captain'," the word dripped with derision. "I will follow you as you were elected by the crew but I will not let you push me around like some feeble minded cabin boy." Turnbuckle stared down Scroop without as much as a quiver in his limbs.

Scroop's chest heaved with barely contained rage but slowly he brought himself back under control. He closed his large eyes and released a breath. When he opened his eyes he was calm, at least on the surface, and nodded at Turnbuckle.

Turnbuckle lowered the pistol but kept it in his tentacle.

"How long to clear a path after them?" Scroop demanded, turning his attention back to the work at hand.

"At least a few hours, maybe more. The whole pile threatens to collapse if we move the wrong piece."

"Call the men back." Scroop ordered.

"We giving up?" Turnbuckle asked in surprise.

"Clear the area and take a party up to the ship. We'll use the cannon to make our path."

"Alright, gents. Up and at 'em." The words were accompanied by a none to gentle kick to the three slumbering men, eliciting cries of surprise and pain from each.

"Was that really necessary?" Doppler asked as he found his glasses and wiped them as clean as he possibly could considering the state of his clothing.

"It is when you've got an escape plan to enact." She answered. She didn't wait for the men to get to their feet but nimbly scaled the iron rungs on the wall that led to the hatch above.

Silver took his time getting up. His muscles ached and his mouth was dry but he knew he was not the only one feeling poorly. He stretched discreetly before using the wall to push himself to his feet.

"You alright, old man?" Jim asked with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Never better, pup. Just try an' keep up wit' me." He replied as he swiped a large hand at the boy's shoulder and pushed him aside.

Morph buzzed between the two, clearly happy his friends were on better terms once again.

A creaking noise drew their attention to the Captain's struggle above. She was slowly managing to push the hatch open and sunlight streamed in the gap, temporarily blinding those below.

Silver watched as the Feline's face scrunched up with pain and exertion. The hatch was clearly too heavy and it was obvious that she would be unable to open it on her own. As was indicative of her personality she seemed to think she could open it with sheer force of will alone.

"Beggin' yer pardon but perhaps I should be tha' one tah go up first, Cap'n." He ventured.

Amelia let the hatch fall with a bang and glared at the cyborg below her. "And why is that Mr. Silver?" She asked breathlessly.

Silver had decided to take the tactful route. "I'm tha only one wit' a weapon." He flipped his pistol into place to emphasis the point.

"Right." She leapt down gracefully and gestured for the Ursid to ascend. "Well, get on with it then."

Silver sighed and decided to let it slide, much to the relief of the other two members of their party, and climbed to the top of the rungs before putting his shoulder to the hatch and easing it upwards. As the sunlight spilled in it took him a moment to adjust his vision but once he had he found nothing of real interest. Green foliage grew all around the opening and it appeared they were entering into the thick of the 'forest' once again. He listened carefully for any signs of danger but found none. Deciding it was safe he pushed the hatch fully open and climbed out onto the planet's surface, enjoying the scent of the fresh air and cool breeze on his face. It appeared to be midmorning and the planet's sun was pouring down between the branches and shoots of the large plants that surrounded him.

"C'mon up." He called to the others as he did a quick scout of the immediate area before returning his pistol into its 'holster'.

"It feels good to be out of there." Jim said as he closed his eyes and turned his face into the sun and breeze.

The doctor had initially agreed but the sunlight had revealed to him the truly filthy state his clothes were currently in. He let out a cry and tried to vigorously, yet fustily, dust himself clean.

"It's of no use, Doctor." Amelia chided. "You will simply have to tough it out."

"At least it's not as bad as the 'Orcus incident'." Jim noted, drawing a laugh from Silver.

"I am so glad to know that the state of my personal attire is such an endless source of amusement to you all."

"Oh c'mon, Doc." Silver said putting his arm around the Canid and squeezing a little too hard. "Ya should 'ave known tah bring yer shiny space suit on dis little excursion."

The doctor hung his head in near mortification as the other shared a laugh at his expense. Even the Captain allowed herself a small chuckle at the cook's words but it only lasted a moment before her sensitive ears twitched round.

"Hush."

The men fell silent as she attempted to trace the origin of the sound. Her head snapped up as she located the source high above them. A long boat was just visible through the breaks in the canopy and the four quickly dropped lower and sought cover. Silver used his eye to track the boat's trajectory and swiftly came to the conclusion that it was headed for the Legacy.

"They're headed for tha ship." He informed the others.

"How many on board?" The Doctor asked, trying to pinpoint the boat but was no longer able to do so.

"Can't tell from dis angle." Silver answered.

"Well at least that makes our decision easier for us, right?" Jim proffered.

The three adults turned to look at the boy questioningly.

"If they're on the ship then we have to go after the treasure. It will be the only way for us to get a ship now." He said simply, pulling the map from his pocket.

Delbert looked around the small clear space beneath the canopy where they currently stood. "We should be able to open the map here without attracting any unwanted attention."

Silver's eyes were glued to the golden orb Jim held so casually in his hand. After decades of waiting he was finally going to get to see the map to Flint's Trove but he could not shake the niggling sense of unease that seemed to be growing between his shoulder blades. "Are yah certain dis is wise?"

"Tish tosh, it's perfectly safe. We have sufficient cover, the pirates are miles off or on their way to the Legacy." Amelia nodded to Jim. "Go ahead, Hawkins."

Silver swallowed his protests and gave himself over to the excitement that filled his chest at the thought that his boyhood dreams may finally be proved real beyond a shadow of a doubt. He watched as Jim's fingers flew over the surface of the orb, pressing here and twisting there, until a green light shone forth and the image of Treasure Planet materialized before his very eyes.

"Oh by the powers that be, would ya look at dat."

Jim smiled at the look on the cyborg's face. He imagined it was very similar to the look he had worn when he first laid eyes on it. He was about to tease the Ursid when the image of the planet suddenly pixelated and formed a line that shot out with surprising speed, the end of which quickly disappeared from sight. A bright golden light flashed through the line, beckoning them to follow.

Scroop watched as Turnbuckle and his party flew off towards the Legacy's anchorage at the edge of the planet's atmosphere. They had split the remaining members of their crew in half, with some of the more injured members being returned to the ship, while the others took some time to rest from the night's activities. They would have no communication with the party on the Legacy but Scroop trusted Turnbuckle's judgement and knew the helmsman would be more than capable in this endeavour.

As he watched the longboat disappearing from sight a flash of colour caught his eye from beyond the clearing where they were currently camping. He squinted and tried to see the source when suddenly a light streaked across the horizon from a point on the far side of the clearing and shot off into the distance. The line pulsated intermittently as though it was meant as a guiding light and set the direction of travel.

"What is that?" Mr. Onus asked.

"A big missstake."

Thanks for the wait. Was having fun on March break and trying to figure out a way to reconcile Silver's backstory in Treasure Island to the one they remade for Treasure Planet. I came to the conclusion he couldn't have known Flint since the movie begins with Jim hearing about a 'legend'. So since Bones is old as dust he was the one that flew with Flint as a cabin boy. Silver may have had relatives that sailed with Flint once upon a time, (who passed the story down to him as a boy) and may have felt cheated out of their share, thus setting Silver on his path and lifelong pursuit.

Also just found out there was supposed to be a Treasure Planet 2 and am now bummed we'll never get to see that

Thanks for reading, please drop me a review it makes me feel good!