Jack waited in his quarters until Em was brought before him, her hands bound and a blindfold tied tightly over her eyes. "That'll do," he said, and the men left him with her. In his hands, Jack held a tool, long and thin with a hook like curve at the end. He was sharpening it, and she could only hear it. "Good morning," he said grimly. "Let's just make this quick, mate. Are you going to talk for me today?"

"What would you like me to talk about, Jack?" she asked in a sad tone. "About how long I've cried over you, waiting for you to come home, or about how I almost commited suicide when they told me you were dead?" He stared at her, then hardened his heart a little.

"About the bloody idle, Em. The one you know about." She shook her head.

"I already told you, Jack. I can't tell you. What are you going to do to me today?" He gritted his teeth a little and then stood up, holding the tool in front of her, not caring whether or not she could see it.

"It's not completely sharp," he said softly. "But it'll have the same effect once it's shoved under your fingernails, mate." She didn't respond to this, and he stepped behind her and kneeled down, grabbing onto one of her fingers. "This is your last chance, and then I'll bloody do it."

"I'm sorry, Jack," she said softly. "Sorry you have to be put through this." He looked up at her, closed her eyes, then rammed the tool underneath her fingernail. She gave a cry of pain, and he felt the blood run onto his hand. He twisted the tool around until her fingernail came off, Em sobbing in pain the entire time. Jack's heart was throbbing, and he was going pale. He closed his eyes, trying to drone out the sounds of her crying, and then grabbe her other finger.

"I'll stop when you talk," he said softly.

"I know," she said weakly, tears falling down her face. Jack bit his lip and repeated what he had just done until the other nail came off. Em was sobbing, her fingers bleeding, and when he started on the third one she passed out. He did the last two on that hand while she was out, and threw them out the window and into the sea, then grabbed a clean cloth to clean her fingers with. She became concious as he did it, but said nothing.

"I'm sorry," she said when he was done. "I'm sorry that it has to be like this." His hand continued to clean hers and he felt her take his hand with hers, the one he hadn't touched yet. She squeezed his hand tightly, and he closed his eyes, squeezing back...

(Flashback...)

"When will I see you again, Jack?"

It was nightfall, and Jack stood on the dock, his bag packed and slung over his shoulder, and stared at the sad figure standing a few feet from him. He hadn't heard her sneak up from behind, and when he heard her voice, he wished she would leave.

"Didn't expect to see you here, Em," he said, turning to her. They were both only sixteen, but he already knew what he was going to do with his life.

"Someone told me you were leaving. I just wanted to say goodbye." He looked at her with a little sympathy. Normally she'd be calling him names or making fun of him, but he knew she was genuinely going to miss him. Somehow, he'd always known she saw him as a friend.

"I'm not coming back, Em," he said to her, shaking his head. "I'm leaving for good."

"Just, take care of yourself out there, you hear?" He nodded.

"I'll do my best." She stepped up to him and looked at him, he caught a glimpse of pain in her eyes for the first time. Before he could stop her, she kissed him on the cheek, and then stepped away, tears in her eyes.

"Good bye, Jack," she said weakly. "Maybe our paths will cross sometime." He didn't say anything, but boarded the ship and watched as she shrank away into the distance. All the while, he was stroking the spot where she'd kissed him...

(End of flashback...)

Their paths had crossed, but never in a way he wanted it to happen. He stood up, and after sending some men in to take her back to the brigg, he went back out on the deck and sat where no one could see him, staring at the bloody cloth. Tears forming in his eyes.

And I can barely look at you

But every single time I do

I know we'll make it anywhere

Away from here...