"I'm afraid Mr. Arrow has been lost." He said handing her the only piece left of her friend with a perfect sorrowful look on his face. She took it with a mixed look of shock and absolute disbelief. "His lifeline was not secured." He added looking at Jim accusingly. NO THAT'S NOT TRUE! SCROOP CUT THE LINE! I thought. I know that he checked them all. I didn't say anything knowing what could happen to not just me but him. Jim is shocked and frightened at this. He turned to the Captain hoping she didn't believe him. All he got was a disapproving glare.

"No I checked 'em all!" He protested. He let his arm come off my shoulders and running to the mast where the lines are pushing a couple of crew members out of the way. I followed him to confirm my suspicions even though I know who actually killed Arrow. Sure enough when we got there, one of the lines is missing. A pit grew in my stomach and I glared at Scroop. "I-I did! I checked them all. They were all secure. I swear." He said turning to her but she just glared again. I gave Scroop another glare and this time he returned it.

"Mr. Arrow was a..." Amelia paused to clear her throat, "fine spacer; finer than most of us could ever hoped to be. But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts we carry on." She finished heading up stairs to mourn in her quarters. I looked at my brother and he glanced at me with a look of pure devastation on his face then ran away to be alone. I wanted to follow him but I know it's not a good time. I sighed and walked into the crew quarters, grabbed my notebook, and climbed up to the crow's nest to clear my head.

Later that night, I stared at the the stars and finished the last sentence of a story I worked on for so long. I let my thoughts wonder around when I felt something around my neck. Before I knew it I was pinned against the the mast on the crow's nest and staring into yellow eyes. "You know everything don't you?" Scroop asked with his claw around my neck. I could only stared wide eyed and scared. "You better sleep with one eye open tonight or you'll never wake up again." He said before dropping me and scurrying off somewhere else.

After a few minutes I calmed down and climbed back on the deck. I felt eyes on me and I turned around and saw Jim looking at me. He's sitting on the shrouds fiddling with a piece of rope and he had his jacket back on. We stared at each other for a few seconds then he went back to the rope. I thought carefully about what I was gonna say and went to sit next to him. "You know it's not your fault right?" I said as I looked at him. He sighed and said nothing. "I would've been a goner if you hadn't—" I started but then my brother clutched the rope so tightly his knuckles could've turned white.

"You don't get it do you?" He shouted. "I had thought I could do that one thing right but no! I messed up like I do everyday!" I got up and headed onto the deck and he glared at me. "I do—"

"You think you do but you don't!"

"I-I thought—"

"THOUGHT WHAT!? That you could come on this boat and screw everything up for me! If you weren't here then maybe Mr. Arrow would still be here! It should've been you that went into that black hole! If I wasn't so preoccupied with your lifeline instead of his then maybe I would've gotten his! I didn't even want you to come in the first place and I wish you never had!"

"I just wanted to help."

"I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP! Nobody wants your help in fact, nobody wants you! That's why you were abandoned right because you were a burden to your parents! Go back to wherever it is you came from!" He turned his attention back to the rope and tears sprung free from my eyes. That was the most horrible thing anyone has ever said to me. I turned around and walked out of his sight. I sat down somewhere and hugged my knees sobbing quietly. I didn't know someone else was there when I heard a voice. "Sorry Em, I didn't see yeh th-" Silver started then stopped when heard me crying. "What' wrong lass?" He asked concern evident in his voice.

"I-I tried t-t-to comfort Jim." I managed to say. "H-he snapped a-a-a-nd thought I d-didn't know-h-how he felt. I-I do because I-I felt like I d-did something w-wrong every time I-I got beaten up. H-he called m-me a b-b-burden and s-said no one wants me!" I sobbed.

"It's alright lass. Let's go talk to 'im." He said. I nodded and stood up wiping away my tears. He went to where Jim sat and smoked from his pipe. "It ain't your fault yeh know." He said. Jim sighed and Silver continued on. "Why half the crew would be spinning in that black abyss if it weren't for —" Jim threw the rope over board and jumped out of the shrouds. "Look don't you both get it? I screwed up! I mean, for two seconds, I thought that maybe I could do something right but—Aagh!" He cut himself off and turned away from us. "I just, forget it. Forget it. And I thought I made my point clear to you Emma, you're not wanted." He said. I immediately started crying again and I leaned against the shrouds feeling miserable and thinking of jumping into the endless void of the Etherium to end it all.

Before I knew it I was facing Silver besides my brother. "Now, you listen to me James Hawkins and Emma. You've both got the makings of greatness in yeh both but, you both gotta take teh helm and chart your own courses! Stick to it, no matter teh squalls! And when teh time comes for yeh both to get the chance ta really test teh cut o' yer sails and show 'em what yer made of, well, I hope I'm there catching some of the light coming off yeh two that day." He said.

I saw Jim struggling to hold back his tears while I let fresh ones fall down my face. We both are clearly moved by the speech but I was more moved. I always cried when hearing it back home and it had a deep meaning to me. Now, it's got a deeper meaning than before. Jim leaned towards him and cried into his stomach. I followed suit and sobbed harder than before. "There, there, it's alright Jimbo and Em. It's alright." Silver said and hugged us loosely for a moment.

"Now, Jim and Emma, I, uh... I best be getting' about my watch and yeh both best be getting some shut eye." He said lightly shoving us to the direction of the crew quarters. I ran to where I left my notebook and got it before I forget it. I hurried back to Jim and we both smiled at Silver. He waved his metal hand at us and we went downstairs. It was silent for a few seconds then I spoke up. "Look I'm—" I started.

"No, don't. Don't apologize. I should be the one to apologize. You were trying to help and I snapped and I'm sorry for saying those hurtful things to you." He said. I stared at him and hugged him. "It's okay." I said. He returned the hug and I broke it. "Let's get some sleep." I said yawning. He chuckled and went to his hammock.

The moment I laid down in my hammock drained from an emotional day I remembered Scroop's warning and stared at the ceiling. "Emma?" Jim asked. I jumped and looked around and sighed in relief when I saw him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to yourself."

"I think Scroop is gonna kill me in my sleep."

His eyes widened and the next thing I know I was being dragged by my arm to his hammock. "You're with me for the night."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it but, I have a feeling to protect you and honestly I kinda see you as my little sister."

"I see you as my big brother." I said. If only he knew. I thought. I fell asleep before he could say anything about it.