My muse is quite drained... they'll be better once I get back after the 14th. XD
It had been nearly two, long grueling weeks since the four of them had first set sail in search of the cursed Sparrow crest. The heat had began to takes its toll on them, adding to their boiling frustrations with each other. Daniel and Jack had already gotten into three fistfights, Anamaria and Jack had had countless arguments, and Alia and Jack had had a few normal sibling disagreements.

Strange how they all involved Jack, isn't it?


"Okay, Danny boy, come here."

"Stop calling me Danny boy!" Daniel roared at Jack, who had been annoying him the entire day. Angrily, he stalked over to Jack, staring at him with annoyance. "Yes?"

Jack wagged a finger at him. "You know." Daniel rolled his eyes.

"It's about Alia, isn't it?"

"Well, you are a smart one."

"What happens between Alia and me is none of your business, Jack."

"Brother."

"Since when do you care about her anyway? You came in, raided her home, and stole no telling how much, along with that necklace!"

Jack hadn't been prepared for that, and opened his mouth to reply before deciding against it. Daniel smirked. "That's what I thought." This remark hit Jack the wrong way, and he whirled around, punching Daniel square in the face. Lifting him by the collar of his shirt, Jack slammed him against the wall, his darkened face close to Daniel's.

"You forget your place, boy." He growled, then threw Daniel like a rag doll off to the side, storming off below deck. Finding Daniel trying to stand, Alia came running over, helping him up.

"Daniel! You're bleeding.."

"I'm fine." He said, attempting to sound tougher than he was actually feeling at the moment, seeing as he felt like yelping in pain. Alia knew this had been Jack's doing, and motioned for Anamaria to come over.

"Get him fixed up, if you don't mind.. I need to talk to Jack."

Alia went below deck, finding nothing but many shadows and darkness. She saw tiny glints of eyes, and she knew Jack was there. He was lying on the floor, propped partially against the wall, staring blankly at nothing as he held his leather hat in his hand. Alia walked slowly forward, staring down at him.

"Why did you do it?"

Jack remained silent, leaving nothing but the sound of the lapping waves around them. "I don't know. Perhaps I was a bit frustrated, considering I've been stuck on this damn ship with the three of you for more than a week."

Alia knelt in front of him, biting back anger. "We wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for you! If anything, we should all be mad at you."

Jack looked away. "Do you know what it's like, Alia?" His gaze slowly moved back to her, the evil smile on his face almost frightening. "Do you know what it's like to have so many people who despise you, and would anything to have you dead?" When Alia remained silent, he once again looked away. "I didn't think so."

Alia was staring at him with wild bewilderment. "Why-"

"Why am I telling you this? Because I had enough to worry about before you came along. Then, you show up, and I'm hit with all of this responsibility."

"Oh, well I'm sorry Jack, for making you feel like an adult."

She whirled around, not really paying attention as she walked to the gunwale above deck.

"'Ello there, love."

Gasping at the sound, she looked to find another ship alongside theirs, feeling stupid for not having noticed something so obvious before. One crept from the shadows on deck, grabbing her around the waist and picking her up. She screamed, though he placed a filthy hand over her mouth. Being tossed over to the other ship was the last thing she remembered, for everything went black as she slammed into the wood.

"Jack! Get out here!" Daniel yelled down to Jack, who slowly came from his hiding place below deck. Seeing the other Pirates, he smirked, his eyes darkening. The others growled as they saw him.

"Well, well, well. Jack Sparrow. Ne'er thought I'd see the day."

Jack was quick to point out sarcastically. "It's night, actually, mate. And Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please."

"I don' please. Now, just go 'head and give us what you've got, and we might consider letting your ol' sleeping bonny lass go."

Jack cringed, gesturing toward Daniel. "His bonny lass. My sister."

The Pirates smirked. "Sister, eh? Ye hear that, boys? We got ourselvesJack's lil' sister."

Jack was all anger now. He drew his pistol, cocking it and aiming at the man. "Give her back."

The men laughed heartily. "Oooh, now I'm convinced. Too bad, Sparrow. You see, we just a bunch of lonely men. That's not much incentive to give up a perfectly good woman, now is it?"

Out of his growing frustration, Jack fired the pistol, purposely missing the man's head by a mere inch. "You better not touch her." Ignoring him, one by one, they each boarded the other ship again, one grabbing Alia's limp body and holding her up for them to see.

"You follow us," He began, putting a pistol to her head. "You can say goodbye to your fair maiden." Unfortunately, the wind kicked up, and the ship was off without a problem. Daniel attempted to make a final jump, but Jack grabbed him back.

"Save your life, boy… Alia's going to need all the help she can get."