It took just three days for the Pearl to catch up with Captain Robinson's ship. The man obviously hadn't banked on Jack being on the island the same day that he had planned to snatch Thomas. Had he waited a few more days, his first intentions would have succeeded far more. Of course, Captain Robinson didn't know the Black Pearl had caught up with him, Jack not wanting to alert the man of his presence knowing that it might cause his son more anguish then he would probably already be going through. Captain Robinson was leading Jack and the Pearl to an unknown destination, one that if Jack hadn't been following slyly, would probably have taken him an extra coupe of weeks to find.

Jack had to wait an agonising three weeks before the ships finally reached their destination, and the battle between could begin. In this time he was helpless to do anything to protect his child from the goings on, on that ship. He hoped, even at a time prayed, that they were being good to him, remembering that he was just a baby and the leverage to get his father there. Although chances were, with men like that, it was unlikely. For the first time in his life, Jack was thankful his and Anamaria child hadn't been a girl.

Jack rowed silently into a cave entrance, where they had watched Robinson's men go hours before. Jack's eyes had been peeled, trying to see his child, but his efforts were wasted. Either he had been left on the ship or they had hidden him from sight. Only a few crew members were to go with Jack into the caves, Will being one of them after refusing to stay behind as was requested.

They abandoned the boats and ores just before the entrance to the main cave area. Everyone stayed silent, watching Jack, anticipating what his next move would be. He simply stood, peering over a pile of rocks, trying to spot his son. His eyes roamed the room, looking in every crook and cranny, and then they drifted up. And there he was.

Thomas had been caged, and that cage was dangling from high up. Jack couldn't even see where the rope that attached the cage to the roof of the cave stopped. But he could see his son clearly. The child had nothing but rags on his lower half- the remains of a nappy. His skin was dirty. His hair dull and in clumps. And he was too skinny. Even at the distance that Jack was at he could clearly see his son's ribs, sticking out against his thin skin.

Jack had to fight down a growl from inside him, his eyes grew dark as he watched the dirty pirates in front of him tease and taunt his son, poking him with sticks and throwing rocks at him. Even at the place Jack and crew were stood, it was obvious that the child was shaking with fear, although he was silent.

Finally Jack saw the 'opportune moment' to strike out, and let Captain Robinson know of his presence. After three weeks of waiting Jack was about to release all that pent up anger, frustration and hatred. Those twenty-one days had almost killed Jack; the tension could have been cut with a knife on board the ship. It had given him too much time to think, to analyze his life, his decisions and regrets. In around four months everything had gone so wrong for him, when really it should be so perfect.

Had everything been going smoothly still, in the ideal world, Jack's family would still be safe on board the Pearl. Anamaria would still be healthy; Thomas still a happy, bubbly toddler and they would no doubt be realizing that they were to become parents again.

But everything wasn't going smoothly, this wasn't an ideal world and his family weren't still safe and healthy. So he had to fight to get his world, his family, his existence back.

Motioning to the few crew members that had come with him to stay behind and be silent, Jack walked out into the open. No one realized his presence at first, until one of the opposing crew spotted him and alerted their captain.

"Well, well, well… Jack Sparrow." Jack spun around, coming face to face with his enemy. Once again he fought the urge to snarl.

"CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow". The man in front of him simply laughed, mockingly.

"Aye… 'Captain'… well sparrow, I'm surprised to see you so soon. Thought it would 'ave taken you far longer to get here then it 'as… oh well… jest means we can get this over with sooner… hey Jackie?" Jack forced himself to grin, something that was supposed to come out sly and slick, along with the pathetic attempt at a laugh. He couldn't stop his eyes from wandering back to the cage which held his son, who from close up, you could see was also bleeding along with everything else. "Ahh… takes after ye, 'e does. Tough little git. Took us near two weeks to reduce him t' that bundling wreck up there. I assume it is him you've come for?" Jack narrowed his eyes at the man who was grinning from ear to ear, like the cat that had got the cream. What else would he be there for? What did that man knows that Jack didn't, what was he hiding?

"And what, Robinson, else would I be here for hum…?" The man looked at Jack, his face expressionless before bursting into laughter.

"How's yer girl Sparrow?" Jack was finding it increasingly hard to keep his face and emotions neutral. How could he ever have been stupid enough to get mixed up with this man?

"You know where the gem that I need is." Once again an evil grin flickered onto the mans face.

"Aye. I know where the gem you need is. An' I'm goin' t' give you a choice Sparrow." Jacks eyebrows rose, knowing without a doubt that he wasn't going to particularly like this 'choice' he was being given.

"Oh how kind of you… and what exactly is this choice dear old Captain Robby?"

"Your kid or your girl." Jack stayed silent for a few moments, those few words going round in his mind.

"I'm sorry- what?" Robinson sighed, obviously aggravated by Jacks sudden slowness.

"Yer choice. Ye can either 'ave your kid back or your girl can live." Jack stayed silent, his eyes boring into Robinsons. "Do ye want me t' spell it out for ye Jack? Either I give you yer kid back, and you can go off, try and find that gem and fail miserably, because lets face it, if I don't want ye t' find it, I wont let you. Or I can git you yer gem, yer girl can live, but yer boy dies."

"Right, let me get this straight, I have to decide whether my son or my…. Or Anamaria dies!" Captain Robinson grinned, happy that Jack seemed to have finally caught on to what he had been trying to say.

"Aye! Think of it as… playing 'God' or something like that!" The look on Jacks face showed he was not amused by Robinsons little jokes. Jack wasn't a religious man himself- but he didn't find those kind of jokes funny.

"Let me just sort out something in my head, ay mate? If I chose my sons life, Anamaria dies? But if I chose Anamaria's life, my kid dies? I understand how I would be able to tell about Thomas living, but what about Anamaria. How am I supposed to know if you've given me the right gem, you've tricked me once before remember. And don't try and protest your innocence in that little 'dealing', it didn't take a genius to work it out afterwards, what with you kidnapping my child and all."

"You'll jest 'ave to trust me." Jack snorted at that response. For a short while everywhere was silent. Captain Robinson was wondering what Jacks response was going to be, knowing that there was no way he was going to let him go without at least one person Jack loved being sentenced to death. Jack however was trying desperately to figure out a way out of the mess that he had gotten his family into. He couldn't choose between his son and his mother. How would he live knowing that it was his fault that they had died? Finally the silence was broken.

"Alright… I've decided."

A/N dum dum dum:-) please review! thank you:-) Captainme