And this will be the day that you will always remember that you almost caught Captain Jack Sp…

Mike let out a curse, hand slipping out from beneath the covers to beat the alarm into oblivion for so painfully reminding him that he needed to get up after less than two hours of sleep. He wanted nothing more than to curl up beneath the covers and go on sleeping, but he had to get up. There were things that needed to be done before the guests got up and going, and it was unfair of him to dump it all on Danny. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, uttering a groan. In the time between falling asleep after getting home, and waking up now, he'd had some odd dreams. The dreams were about pirates, no less, which he found amusing. Kicking the covers aside, he swung his legs out of bed, getting dressed in the clothes he had worn earlier, except for the jacket. Already the warm Caribbean breeze was blowing in through the window. He picked up his boots and headed downstairs.

Nina stood at the stove, flipping pancakes and talking on the phone with someone. She had one of those scheming smiles on her face that drove him wild, so he slunk to the table trying to make as little eye contact as possible. At the last moment, he diverted and headed towards the coffee machine. There was nothing like the smell of fresh roasted beans to wake a man up in the morning. He poured himself a cup, looking out the windows onto the barnyard.

Apparently, Danny hadn't even bothered going back to sleep. He was still mounted on Chico, guiding the horse through figure eights. Mike also assumed he was lost in his own thoughts, as he was completely oblivious to the four young girls leaning against the fence, watching him with puppy love in their eyes. He chuckled slightly before taking a drink of coffee. Danny was a handsome boy, but he seemed perfectly happy to ignore that fact. His shaggy, unruly dark hair was hidden beneath the hat most of the time, although the natural golden streaks and the tan attested to his time spent outside. He had a good sense of humor and a need for an adrenaline rush most of the time. Mike stared out the window, remembering back seventeen years ago, when Nina and he had been going through the process of becoming eligible to adopt a child. After they'd seen three year old Danny, the deal was done. That boy was somehow the one they had been meant to adopt and they both knew it. He and Nina hadn't been married then, and still weren't married now, so they agreed to let Danny keep his last name, Turner.

He snapped his attention away from the window when two arms snuck around his side and the hands slid into the pockets of his jeans. "Good morning, Mr. Sparrow." Nina said, kissing him lightly on the cheek. Neither of them had felt the impulse to marry. They were perfectly content as they were, with each other and in love. They didn't need a ceremony to tell them that. One night, after a sinful amount of wine, they'd named off the characteristics they loved most about each other. Mike knew there was an infinite amount of reasons on that list. Her dark skin, full lips, beautiful eyes, and athletic figure. There had also been that feeling that he'd known her for longer than they'd been together, which was impossible.

Mike turned to face her, sliding his coffee cup onto the counter and wrapping his arms around her. "Good morning to you too." He said, before leaning down to kiss her. It was an embrace he could have stayed locked in forever, if it hadn't been for that pain in the ass need to breathe. When they pulled away, Nina ran a hand over the stubble on his chin. "I know, I know…forgot to shave this morning."

"I think you should leave it." She said with a coy smile. "Grow a goatee, like Danny. It'd look good on you." She teased, before pulling loose from his grasp to return to the pancakes. "Call Danny in. It's time for breakfast." Mike went to the screen door.

"Daniel! Give Chico a rest and get your ass inside. Time for food." Actually, he could have just said 'food' and it would've been just as effective. Danny dismounted, pulled the saddle off Chico, unbridled the horse, and slipped his halter on before turning him loose into the arena while he went to eat. He threw the tack on the fence before retreating up to the house. The four girls on the fence suddenly ran off in a flurry of giggles around the side of the barn. Danny gave them a startled look, just realizing they were there, before making his way up to the house. He kicked his boots off on the porch before entering in, sitting down at the table. Nina slid a stack of pancakes onto his plate and he reached for the syrup. His hand hovered over the old compass for a moment, the one they'd found last night.

"Still think this old hunk of junk is pirate?" Danny asked Mike as Nina finally joined them at the table. Mike nodded as he swallowed a forkful of pancake, and then looked at Nina.

"That little trinket right there on the table. I say it's a pirate thingy, and Danny says it isn't. What do you think? Honest opinion given." He said. She looked between the two men before picking it up in her hands.

"Well, I'd have to say that even though Danny is the history major, this does look pirate to me. Sorry." She said to Danny, putting it back down on the table. The click of wood against wood stirred something again in Mike's brain.

Now, give me that horizon.

He shut his eyes, shaking his head. Nina looked over at him. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, fine." He gave her a quick smile. "Just tired. Lack of sleep will do that to you." He dug into his pancakes once more, his eyes locked on the compass.

There was a knock at the door, and Mike jumped up. "I'll get it." He muttered, walking out into the hallway to the back door. He slowed down as he saw the man dressed in the suit. "Who are you?"

"Good morning, Mr. Sparrow. My name is Henry Wendell, and I work of Mr. Joshua Smy…"

"Don't even start." Mike said coldly. "I've heard it from enough of your kind. You can go back and tell Mr. Smythe that I'm sick of his games. He has a problem, he can come to me." With that, he slammed the door shut.

"Mike, who was it?" Nina called from the kitchen. Mike ran a hand through his longish golden brown hair with a frustrated sigh.

"Door to door salesmen." He called to her, looking over his shoulder again at the door. The suit was gone, thankfully. He returned to the kitchen, picking his hat up off the counter. "Finish up, William; we've got some work to do before the trail rides." He finished off the coffee in one gulp, setting down the mug on the table. Nina and Danny were giving him strange looks.

"What?"

"Who's William?" Danny asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"You just said 'finish up, William.' I just wanted to know who William is."

"I didn't say that. I said 'finish up, Daniel.' I don't know who the hell William is." Mike said. Did I just call him William? Why would I do that? He shook his head. "I guess I'm just tired. Come on, work time." Danny gave him a dubious look before rolling up the excess syrup on his plate in the last pancake like a taco, following Mike out the door as he attempted to eat and pull his boots on at the same time. Mike watched him for a moment before rolling his eyes and heading to the barn.

"Catch up when you're done with that." He called over his shoulder.