Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates of the Caribbean, its story and characters, are owned by Walt Disney Pictures.

Chapter 7

Gabe stiffened and flinched unconsciously as the tailor came over to him with the measuring tape. "Mr. Sparrow-Turner, please stop doing that," the tailor groaned in annoyance. "For the last time, this is how I measure pants."

Gabe blushed slightly at the tailor's words and his own actions. "Sorry mate," he said awkwardly. "Never really had a pair of pants made 'specially for me."

"That's for bloody sure, whelp," Jack heckled from a nearby chair as he watched his son flinch at the tailor's approaching hands yet again. "Calm down lad. 'Sn't like ye've never been touched afore. Just one ol' man."

Gabe frowned at his father, sending him an annoyed look. "Why aren't ye gettin' tailored?" he asked in frustration. "Yer goin' ta be at this weddin' too!"

"Yes but I won't be in the weddin' now will I?" Jack returned playfully.

Graham just stood there and watched the exchange between the two pirates. Mina had asked him to spend some time with his future brother and father-in-law and figured that it was the perfect time to get Gabe fitted for his tux. Graham had refused to spend time with the two alone, knowing good and well that neither man liked him in the least, so he had begged his father to come with them. Thankfully, James excepted.

Still, he couldn't get over the way they were behaving. Gabe was speaking to his "Dad" with the type of casual attitude that one used with a friend, or a brother! It wasn't right or proper, yet they acted as if it were natural. Pirates, he concluded.

"Yer the father, ain't ye?" Gabe continued, trying to ignore the tailor's hands measuring his legs. "Ain't ye supposed to walk the bride down the isle?"

Jack snorted at his son playfully and stuck his chin out at him. "Shut yer hole whelp," he said teased as he went back to back in his chair.

James and Graham shared a quick glance of confusion. It was so strange that they could talk and treat each other that way. When Graham turned his head back to look at Gabe, he was making a rather vulgar gesture at the older pirate. Graham felt the color in his face drain, he couldn't believe that Gabe had done that. He knew that the other young man was a pirate, but he assumed that he had been raised slightly better then that.

"What do you think your doing?" Graham practically shrieked at the blacksmith.

"Relax," Gabe said as the tailor turned and headed toward Norrington, whispering something in his ear before both of them left the room, leaving the three alone. This was exactly what Graham had feared. "No body saw it, but you, me dad, and I."

Graham felt his jaw drop open with shock. "And that makes it all better?" he asked in disbelief.

"Calm down, whelp," Jack said, leaning forward so that he could get a better look a Graham. "No harm done. I know the lad was only havin' his fun."

"Fun? He disrespected you and you're just going to sit there and take it."

Jack laughed lightly at the junior officer's words. "He knows whose boss. Long as we can have our fun an' talk like chums, everythin's fine. No worries."

Graham felt his eye tick at the words. "'No worries'?" he repeated in disbelief. "Typical. Pirates." He had meant to only think the words to himself, but his mind was so muddled that they came out anyway.

He heard a thud as Gabe leapt off the stood he had been standing on and took a step closer toward him. "What was that?" he asked, clearly annoyed himself as his brow furrowed slightly and a look of anger crossed his face.

"Easy son," Jack said attempting to calm the young man down, but still not bothering to stand up.

Gabe grabbed the slightly younger man by his collar and pulled him towards him, lifting him an inch above the ground. Since when did pirates get so strong? "Listen, Graham," he half growled. "Ye've been mumblin' stuff about me and me dad for as long as we've been here. So why don' ye grow a pair and tell us what ye've been sayin' behind our backs? Or did they for get to teach ye how to be a man in all them fancy school's o' yers?"

Anger began to bubble up inside of the naval officer. He hated Gabe, he had hated him since they had first met, and he wasn't going to let him push him around anymore. He was stronger now, stronger then when they were children. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy; he was not a man to be bullied anymore. "Your nothing more then a bloody savage, pirate!" He spat out in disgust.

He was rewarded with a look of shock and surprise as Gabe slowly put him back down on his feet. He felt a wave of pride wash over him and almost cracked a smug smile until Gabe's right fist slammed into his nose. He stumbled backward a few steps before doubling over in pain, cupping his injured face. A rush of adrenaline over took him and he balled up his fist and managed to connect with Gabe's jaw. He had never thrown a punch before and was shocked at the intense pain. It was like he had slammed his fist into a wall. His whole hand stung with pain. He turned to glance over at Gabe only to have the older boy punch him in the gut. He almost gasped, but it was caught in his throat, he looked up only to have the tip of Gabe's boot connect with his chin, sending him flying backward and out of consciousness.

"Please! Stop!" Graham cried, using his arms to shield himself from further assault. He tasted blood in his mouth and he could have sworn that his cheek was growing larger. He cowered in fear as the older boy towered over him.

"Just what do you think you were doing with my sister?" he demanded, cradling his sore hand in to his chest, trying not to look like he was in too much pain.

"N-nothing," he said honestly. He didn't understand what he had done wrong. One minute he was about to kiss the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen and the next he was on the ground cowering in fear.

"Gabe!" Mina whined from beside her brother, tugging at his shirt sleeve. "Leave him alone!"

Gabe turned toward his sister and then back toward the boy lying on the ground. He sighed grabbing her hand and leading her back to the house. He had learned his lesson. "Stay away from my sister," he called from over his shoulder.

Graham sniffed sitting up on the ground. He touched a hand to his sore cheek and winced in pain. He decided then that he didn't like Gabriel. The very name brought a feeling a fear and anger inside of him. He swore to himself that he would never allow the other boy to beat him like that ever again. If he did, then he had no right to even be near Mina.

"Graham! Graham!"

Graham's eyes fluttered open as he stared at the worried face of his father realizing that he was being held in his arms. "F-Father?" he managed to croak out, his head was pounding and he couldn't think straight. His whole face was sore and his stomach and hand hurt.

James breathed a sigh of relief, and he smiled down at the boy. He wanted to hug his son, kiss his forehead and tell him that everything was going to be alright, but he held back those urges. He couldn't show that type of affection in public, it wouldn't be right. Instead he settled for tightening his hold on the young man before turning to glare over at Jack and Gabe.

"Why the bloody hell didn't you interfere, Sparrow?" he asked, practically growled.

Jack smiled cheekily at the former naval officer. The truth was that he didn't want to break up the fight. He knew it would have been the right thing to do, but he couldn't stand Graham and was happy to see Gabe beating the smug look off of his stuffy face. That's what he got for stealing his daughter away from him. "Thought it was best if they just ... had at it," he lied, shrugging his shoulders.

James' frowned deepen as he unconsciously held his son tighter. "I should have you both hung for this," he sneered.

Graham raised his hand clumsily, silencing his father. "It's alright Father," he managed to say. "I'm... I'm fine..."

James raised a quizzical eyebrow at his son. "Are you sure?"

Graham nodded and then winced, regretting the gesture instantly. "Can... can I have a moment alone? With Gabe?"

The other three men in the room raised their brows at him, all taken aback by the comment, but no one more so then Gabe himself. Gabe had to fight back the urge to look around the room and see if there was another man their named "Gabe". Instead he settled for complying with the younger man's wishes. James and Jack stepped outside reluctantly, James giving Gabe a warning glance and Jack just giving him a look that didn't really say much anything. When the two were finally alone. Gabe turned and glared at Graham, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Alright chum. What's it ye want ta talk about?" he asked suspiciously.

Graham struggled to his feet, feeling very unsteady and clumsy. He managed to get his legs to hold his weight and tried his best to look Gabe in the eyes. "I just wanted to tell you... that you've won."

Gabe blinked twice and felt his eyes widen slightly. Did he just hear right? He'd "won"? "Won" what? "What do ye mean by that?" he asked, feeling even more suspicious then before.

"I mean that..." Graham paused, taking in a deep breath, both because he was feeling dizzy and because his next words were proving rather difficult to force out. "I'll not be marring your sister."

Gabe felt his jaw drop to the floor, his heart beating faster and slower at once. This couldn't be happening. His words couldn't possibly be sincere. "Why?" he asked simply, his voice surprisingly small.

Graham was about to shake his head but decided against it. He was still bleeding from his nose and his face was throbbing. He simply wanted to get all of this out in the open before he blacked out again. "I'm not strong enough..." he admitted. "I... I can't take care of her. When we were young... I promised myself that I would never let you beat me again. I told myself that if ever you were to do such a thing to me again... well, I would just give up on her.

"I have been having my doubts for quite sometime now anyway. I am no good with emotion, I can't even hold her hand with out blushing like a fool, and now I am too weak to protect her." He sighed, feeling very tired. "She deserves a real man, not someone like me. I care for her too much to let her suffer with me."

Gabe sighed, shaking his head at him. This was what he had always thought he'd wanted, but now that it was presented in front of him, he knew that it was wrong. Graham loved Mina and Mina loved Graham. It would break his sister's heart if he were to leave her like this. He couldn't let that happen. He placed a heavy hand on top of Graham's shoulders, feeling very awkward in doing so, and from the way Graham stiffened he must have felt the same. "Not gonna lie to ye Graham, I don't much care for ye," he said honestly. "But she does, and well... yer not too bad a guy. She could do much worse then settle down with ye. Seen her bat them eyes of hers at many a low life scum and compared to them, yer a bloody saint! Guess I been givin' ye a hard time just 'cause I'm her brother. It's my job... sort of. So... don't go givin' up on her just yet, savvy?"

Graham couldn't believe his ears. Gabe actually wanted him to marry his sister! He must have been hallucinating from the lose of blood. "But... I lost to you!"

"Wasn't a fair fight that much I'll admit. I mean, ye've never actually been in an honest to goodness fist fight before have ye?" Gabe paused as Graham shook his head, and then continued. "Well, ye see! I've been in many a brawl before and it's not fair for someone like me to hassle a beginner, but if it really means that much to ye... I'll teach ye to fight myself."

"Would you?"

Gabe nodded in conformation. "Swear on me honor... blacksmith's honor if that makes ye feel better." He offered his hand out to the slightly younger man who smiled and shook it eagerly.

"Thank you... brother."

Gabe frowned at the word. "Don't ye be callin' me that."