Hey guys! I was a little quicker on updating this time! Yay!
I guess I should explain why though: This chapter was written mostly by NeverTooLate03. She helped me come up with the basic ideas, but then I had absolutely no inspiration to write it, so she wrote it for me! Since then, I've edited it some, and added the conversations at the end onto it, but the majority of it is all her work.
Also, this is for her birthday! Okay, so her birthday was the 12th, and it's technically the 13th now... but I haven't gone to sleep yet, so I'm going to take credit and say that I got it up (mostly) on time! So Happy Birthday, fellow fangirl!
You guys should all go check out her Treasure Planet story - it's really good!
This is the first chapter of the 'chapters I have to write before I write the sequel'. There are probably going to be six total. Good thing you guys like long stories, I guess...
Also, if you're curious about the time or setting or anything, this is almost two years after Tabitha and Jim got married. I think everything's explained throughout the chapter, so it should all fall together, but if you have any questions, just let me know!
Enjoy!
"And so that was our first official date," Tabitha concluded glancing from Jim to Silver, who was sitting across the table from the married couple.
"Sounds absolutely lovely," Abigail commented. "Plus you planned it on her birthday, Jim. That made it even more special."
"Yeah, it did," Tabitha agreed taking a loving glance at her husband.
"You're so lucky," Rylee sighed dreamily. "A girl's first date should always be unforgettable."
Graham snorted.
"What's your problem?" Rylee asked narrowing her eyes.
"Yeah, Graham you've been sulking the entire time Tabitha was telling the story," Cason remarked.
"I just can't believe Jim spent so much time setting up that date," Graham confessed leaving everybody gaping at him.
"You know, Graham, just because you have announced yourself as an 'unattainable bachelor for life' doesn't mean you have to be a jerk," Rylee retorted crossing her arms at him.
"I'm not trying to be a jerk!" he said through gritted teeth. "Would you let me explain?"
Everybody looked at each other with arched eyebrows before turning their attention back on the not-so-liked-at-the-moment Graham.
"I just think it was a waste of time for Jim and Tabitha because Jim had to set everything up instead of spending quality time with his girl; he ran around with his head chopped off getting everything ready for something Tabby didn't even ask for," Graham explained.
Silver rubbed his face with his hand clearly frustrated and somewhat amused with Graham's explanation while Abigail just looked at the lad with sympathy. Everybody else was open-mouthed ready to argue against him but Abigail with a wave of her hand delayed their arguments for that moment waiting for her to speak.
"Graham..." she sighed. "Jim went through so much trouble because he wanted to do something special for a girl he cared deeply for."
"Yeah, but - "
"She's right lad," Silver interrupted the young man's complaint. "I understand where yer comin' from," he chuckled, "I was in t'e same mind set as you are before I met Abby, t'inking tha' being wit a girl like tha' was a waste of time... but I learned tha' was just 'cause I hadn't met t'e right girl yet."
Abigail and Silver smiled at each other, Cason wrapped his arm tighter around Rylee as she leaned her head against his shoulder, and Tabitha laced her fingers through Jim's as he placed a kiss against her temple. Graham was still processing what Silver and Abigail had told him, but he just shrugged at everybody as he took a purp from the middle of the table and taking a bite.
Silver shook his head amusedly at him. "Ye'll see."
"Now," Abigail turned her scrutinizing glare to Silver, who cringed a bit. "Why were you so depressed during the story telling?" she asked the cyborg, who gulped in response.
"What?" Tabitha asked curiously looking at Silver waiting for an explanation.
"Ah, it's not'ing lass," he smiled half-heartedly, trying to shake off the inquiry.
"It wasn't nothing," Abigail said softly, placing her hand tenderly on her husband's.
Silver sighed deeply. "I jus' feel like I missed a lot o' yer special moments - you an' Jimbo's first date, yer birthdays, t'e both o' ya graduatin' wit' honors... Wish I coulda been there fer it's all"
They all nodded in understanding at Silver's reasoning but Tabitha had a thoughtful expression on her features as she looked at him.
"You know," Tabitha said reluctantly, "We've all wondered…"
She trailed off and looked over at Jim. He took a deep breath, realizing what his wife was getting at. "Yeah, Tabitha and I used to ask each other all the time when you weren't here..."
"What?" Silver asked warily.
"Where were you?" Tabitha finally asked, concern and accusation clearly coming through her voice.
Silver looked taken aback and a bit guilty at the question. "Ah... tha's a long story, Tabby."
Abigail smiled. "I think you should tell them, especially since you've been thinking about going for a visit soon."
"She knows?" Jim said abruptly.
"Well she saw me scar!" Silver told him as an excuse as Abigail glared at her husband. "I would hav' told ya if any o' ya'd asked! It ain't a big secret."
Tabitha eyes were wide. "You've got a scar?"
"And you want to go back?" Graham added from his seat.
"Back to where?" Cason added.
"Let me explain," Silver sighed. "Oy, this is gonna be a long night..."
"Ungh," Silver groaned as he slowly became aware of the massive amount of pain in his lower back. He gingerly sat up on a small but sturdy bed and looked around the room.
"Wha' deh..?" He questioned his surroundings; not recognizing the place as anything familiar, or as an infirmary. It looked like a small boarding room one would find in an inn or a cozy guest room. A dresser occupied the space by the end of the bed which was across a door that was slightly ajar. Silver figured it to be a small washroom because to his left was another door which was his current destination.
John Silver carefully swung his machine leg to meet the rug covered floor and was about to attempt to stand up when a quick knock interrupted his thinking.
Run! Nah, can't do tha'…better ta jus' - Silver quickly tired to activate his pistol on his cyborg arm - be ready fer anyt'ing. He finished thinking his plan through in a second. Out of fear that whoever was on the other side of the door was a foe and not an ally, he wanted to be prepared. The door slowly crept opened and Silver had to disarm.
The intruder gave him a small smile as she closed the door behind while she carried a small tray in with food and water. If it wasn't for the difference in physical appearance Silver had to swear that the girl was about the same age as Tabitha and Jim. She had short dark brown hair which matched her equally dark but bright brown eyes. This girl also held herself so much differently than Tabitha. From the way she moved she seemed to always be on the defensive… or the offense. Silver favorably thought the latter because of the pistol she carried on her hip.
"Glad you're awake," she told him as she placed the tray on his dresser, "we were starting to get worried ya might never wake up."
She wiped her hands off on her black pants waiting for a response from him but Silver still had no idea why he was here or what had happened. The last bit he remembered was arriving on this planet and then going to see… Who in blue blazes did I go see?
"Who is d'is 'we'?" Silver asked suspiciously. The young girl seemed to catch on that Silver wasn't exactly comfortable with the situation and she lifted an eyebrow at him.
"So I'm guessing ya don't remember then, huh?" Her eyes shifted from his face to his lower back and Silver tentatively placed his non-cybrog arm over the sore, painful spot. Silver's eyes narrowed in concentration to locate the memory of receiving this wound and it finally came to him.
"Damn it t' hell," he slammed his fist against the wall, "tha' slimy little..." he couldn't seem to find the words but the girl was nodding along with his description, completely agreeing with him. "I can't believe I ever did tha'… tha' was…"
"Stupid," the girl supplied for him and Silver finally looked back at her.
"Yeah. Suppose it was..." he agreed, a bit surprised by the bluntness of her statement.
"Suppose? I've never seen something as stupid as that in my life," she laughed lightly at Silver's scowl. "Ah, come on now, you took on a wanted pirate with charges of treason, murder, theft, and many other unmentionables... What were ya thinking?" She finished her explanation with a serious question.
"Tha' he was an ol' friend," he supplied a serious answer thinking that the girl would be shocked by his answer. On the contrary she only grinned.
"If ya think you're gonna scare me with 'I'm friends with a wanted pirate' then you've got another thing coming," she told him, "Besides, I already figured that."
"Oh, how?" Silver inquired.
"I sort of overheard your conversation," she said slowly but at Silver's frown she added, "Accidentally, of course. But that's not the only thing."
The girl got a small transmission hologram pod out of her back pocket and threw it on the floor where it activated. It was a transmission on a wanted pirate by the name of Captain John Silver. The mentioned pirated groaned and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger at hearing his name and the crimes that followed after it. He carefully looked back at the girl who was just looking at him curiously, not frightened at all.
"Wanted pirates gotta stick together, I suppose," she mused, putting the pod back in her pocket.
"I don't understand - " Silver started to say but at the shake of the girl's head he stopped.
"I don't leave dying people on the side of the road, even strangers. I didn't know till my brother showed me the transmission that you were a wanted criminal and, no offense, but you don't look that dangerous to me," she confessed. "Johnny wanted me to call the cops as soon as we confirmed it was the dreaded Captain John Silver," she said in a laugh, "but you were already fixed up and I convinced my brother to give you a few days before we decide."
Silver nodded at her reasoning still concerned with her lack of necessary fear. "Decide w'at exactly?"
"Whether or not you were trustworthy enough to have stick around," she replied simply.
"Bu-but I'm a wanted criminal," Silver retorted.
The girl laughed. "Yeah, see, its comments like that which make you seem not so dangerous. And if you haven't noticed - which I think you have since you did come to this planet - Ciaran is filled with wanted criminals so you'll fit along here just fine. My brother is just being overprotective of me, the brat."
"So ya normally hide wanted criminals?" Silver asked, nothing short of intrigued.
She thought for a moment. "Maybe. I'm really not sure. You would be the first wanted criminal I know I have staying here."
"Wha' makes ya so certain tha' I'm stayin?" He asked her fiercely.
"You need somewhere to stay for a few months," she answered easily. "Remember I overheard your conversation?"
"Well," Silver thought for a moment, "w'at would ya hav' me do then?"
"I don't know," she thought out loud. "I'm guessin' with that hunk o' hardware you'd be pretty handy for several odd jobs here and there, and if ya can cook, we need someone to fill that position."
Silver smiled for the first time since meeting the lass. "Oh, I can cook." He told her remembering his memories of Tabby asking for the same dish over and over again. Thinking about Tabby got Silver wondering about the girl in front of him. "So if ya don't mind me askin'... 'xactly how old are yeh, lass?"
"Almost sixteen," she answered proudly. "Oh, and Johnny's fourteen, if you were wondering that too."
He coughed in surprise even though he'd guessed from her looks that she was about Tabby's age he never would have thought that she was actually that young. "Sixteen? W'at are yeh doing messin' around in dis planet?"
"Huh, haven't got that reaction in a while," she muttered. "When ya live around here ya learn to grow up pretty fast. Besides, I run this bar, so actually, I'm about thirty."
"Ugh," Silver groaned, "I really am gettin' too old." He rubbed his face with his hands. "Where yer parents at?"
"Mom's dead," she said unhappy about that statement but she seemed to have accepted it. "Dad is… let's just say not around..."
Why does dis girl have t' remind me of Jim an' Tabby? Silver thought sadly.
"Let me guess -" she said with a smirk. "You're thinking that I would be an easy target of getting taking advantage of 'round here?"
"Well, yeah. O' course," Silver stated the obvious.
She sighed. "It hasn't been easy, but I know how to take care of myself," she told him but the pirate still seemed unconvinced. She narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger warningly at him. "Look, I don't need another protector around here, so if ya think - "
"Don't worry lass," he waved her concern away. "I'll leave ya be."
"Good. Then I think we may be able to work together," she told him with a smile as she offered her hand. "Just get recovered first, Cap'n."
They shook hands. "Jus' call me Silver."
"Vanessa McCabe," she finally gave him a name. She was about to say something else but was interrupted by a hard knock at the door.
"Nessa! Ya in there?" A voice of a loud male came through the door. She opened her mouth to answer, but paused and turned back to Silver.
"You ready?" She asked him in a serious tone.
"Fer what?" he asked warily.
"To meet my brother," she replied and before Silver had a chance to respond Vanessa had already let in her brother.
"Vaness - whoa," John seemed speechless at the sight of the very much alert and awake pirate in the same room as his sister. "I thought we agreed at talking to the pirate together," he glared back toward his sister.
"No, you agreed; I just politely listened," she retorted. "Silver this is my brother, John. The rude one."
"Oh great," John muttered, "you've already made friends with the dangerous pirate. Only you would be so distant with non-criminal types and make friends with wanted pirates."
Vanessa had to look up to be able to make a face at her brother's comment. That was when Silver realized just how huge this supposed fourteen year old was. He had to be at least a foot taller than his sister and he probably weighed at least three times more than she did. John had to be the strongest human Silver had ever seen which made him wonder how much of the boy was really human. Besides the physical dynamics being insanely different, the McCabe siblings looked very similar, except that John wore his hair twice as long as Vanessa did, his going just past his shoulders while hers was chopped off just below her ears.
"He is actually not as dangerous as you were thinking," she commented which John scoffed at. "I've already hired him as our cook."
"Ya what?" Vanessa's brother exclaimed. "What were ya thinking?"
"I was thinking that we need a cook," she snapped back. "Besides, the guy still needs medical attention. Even if he wanted to do something, we can easily stop him."
"But ya trust him to cook our food?" John questioned motioning to Silver who was still sitting on the bed and eying him with disdain.
"We'll keep an eye on him," she compromised.
John McCabe looked from his sister to the wanted pirate several times before sighing a "Fine" and stomping out of the small room. His sister promptly rolled her eyes.
"Sorry about him," she apologized on her brother's behalf. "He can be a bit paranoid and impulsive about things."
"Ya were right bout deh rude part too," Silver commented gruffly. "But don't ya t'ink tha' you should be a bit concerned as well?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yer a bit too young ta be tha' fearless."
She smiled at him. "Never too young to be fearless. Only too old."
"Ah but lass," Silver sighed, "not much ta lose when ya get as ol' as meself."
"Not much to lose now, either," she mumbled under her breath.
Silver was pretty certain this wasn't meant to be heard by him, so he pretended like it wasn't. "So... when do I start workin' fer ya?"
She grinned, placing her hands smartly on her hips. "Whenever you're up for it."
"So you go to Ciaran, get yourself shot, miraculously get saved by a girl who already knows too much, and you end up getting a job and a place to stay..." Graham summarized with a nod of his head. "You, John Silver, are one lucky bastard."
Silver coughed on his drink. "Lucky? I was shot, lad!"
"Nah, Graham's right," Cason agreed with his friend.
"Yeah, you getting shot led you to meet this girl that gave you a place to stay for years," Jim also agreed.
"B-But he still got shot," Tabitha spluttered out. She couldn't believe everybody was so unconcerned with that fact. Even though it did happen years ago, Tabitha never wanted anyone else she cared about hurt. "Who shot you?" she asked when curiosity got the better of her.
"Ah, don't worry 'bout it, Tabby," Silver sighed. "It won't happen again. Nessie was right when she said tha' it was stupid."
"But who was it?" Jim also inquired as his curiosity rose too.
Silver was defeated. "An ol' friend o' mine from way back. Goes by Cap'n Hook these days."
With the exception of Silver and Abigail, everybody's jaw dropped.
"You knew Hook?" Cason was the only one able to speak.
"I was a pirate," was Silver's only explanation and wouldn't go on any further. He seemed uncomfortable with the subject of his history related with piracy. So understandably everybody dropped the discussion of Silver's near death experience and the pirate responsible for it. Abigail and Silver shared some looks that led the others to believe that the couple knew the whole story behind Silver and Hook's past friendship and troubles.
"Her mother died too?" Tabitha asked quietly, effectively changing the conversation.
"Yep," Silver answered grimly. "Nessie's mom was… lets jus' say not suited fer anot'er child."
"Oh..." Tabitha said sadly.
"So she was pretty much parentless?" Rylee asked, looking incredibly sympathetic towards a girl she hadn't even met.
Silver adamantly shook his head at this.
"But didn't she tell you that her father wasn't around?" Jim asked in confusion at Silver's answer.
"That she did," Silver allowed, "but tha' didn't mean he wasn't around."
"What?" poor Graham asked, looking more confused than anybody else at the table.
"Don't worry - I thought t'e same t;ing'," Silver shared with them. "I hav' more explanin' ta do..."
The day was coming to a close, which meant that Silver still had a ton of work to do. There were dishes piling up and food that need to be stored for use tomorrow. Not to mention his usual run in with John McCabe. Silver had been working peacefully for John's sister for months and John still could not accept that the 'wanted pirate' was here to stay. Whistling, Silver carried on with his duties thinking about how to avoid the ignorant boy when Vanessa walked in as per her usual routine.
"Good evenin', Nessie," Silver greeted the dark haired girl who just nodded in reply as she placed various sets of notebooks, bills, and inventory lists down on her desk. With a great sigh she started her work, which would probably last her until the early hours of the morning. Despite the fact that Silver did not care too much for the younger McCabe, Silver greatly admired and liked the oldest.
After Silver's recovery, he and Vanessa usually worked side by side at the end of each day. In the beginning, however, Vanessa would stay with him throughout the entire day to see if he was really as trustworthy as she assumed he was. Silver quickly learned that the young girl never went anywhere without her pistol attached to her hip or the tough mask she usually wears around the customers that would make anybody think twice about trying to take advantage of her. Even on Vanessa's sixteenth birthday, she held onto her defensive facade and pistol.
But after a couple of weeks went by, Vanessa was able to convince her brother that the pirate was trusted enough by her to let him to be by himself and cook without her watchful eye. Johnny agreed reluctantly, and only because Vanessa watching Silver was beginning to slow business down because Vanessa was needed out front in order to run it. Ever so slowly after that event, Vanessa had been letting a few of her walls down around Silver every week and vice versa.
Naturally Silver's past crimes were brought up out of Vanessa's curiosity and desire to have some adventures of her own. She eagerly listened when Silver told her the experiences he had been through and, of course, of Treasure Planet. Vanessa was sold at that point. She confessed to him on the last night of storytelling that if it wasn't for her brother and the fact that she had to run the bar she would have been off this planet without hesitation.
Silver understood that being stuck in one place could get pretty boring and routine based. He already missed being out in space, not to mention a few people that he would love to have back for companionship. He had told Vanessa about the two young adults he'd played father figure for, and she just stood staring at him for a minute before asking:
"What in the Etherium are you doing here then?"
He then explained to her that he didn't want them getting in trouble for harboring a known wanted criminal. That he wanted the best for them, which meant that he had to stay far away. Instead of looking shocked, like before, Vanessa now looked at the cyborg sadly.
"Real friends, real family, won't care or mind about a silly thing like that," she told him. "You should go see them."
"Maybe I will," Silver mused, though more to humor the girl. He knew he couldn't.
Tonight, however, there was no chatting. Vanessa was hard at work and needed the silence so she could get done at a somewhat reasonable hour. They worked comfortably in silence for an hour before one of Vanessa's bartenders rushed in.
"Okay," her short, plump, blonde bartender told her, "customers have all cleared out, Vanessa. I got Harold cleaning up, but if ya don't mind I need ta get home a bit early...?" The woman ended her statement in more of a question as if she was nervous that her boss would say 'no'.
"What's going on Marge?" Vanessa asked her concerned.
"Oh, not a thing, ma'am," she assured her. "I'd just like ta get home ta celebrate my anniversary with my husband... I promise yeh that I will work extra hard my next shift."
Vanessa smiled tiredly at her. "Don't worry about it Marge. Go. Congrats."
Silver had never seen the woman smile as big ever before. "Thank ya kindly, Vanessa!" And then she was gone.
"Tha' was a nice t'ing ya did fer Marge," Silver commented as he dried off a dish.
"She deserves a break. And honestly, if she would have told me sooner, I would have let her have the whole day," Vanessa sounded irritated.
Silver laughed. "Ya need ta be careful, lass. People may find out jus' how nice yeh are."
"Ha-ha. Funny." She rolled her eyes and continued to write down numbers.
"Jus' out o' curiosity," Silver started. "What's t'day's date?"
"November fourteenth," she answered back promptly. When she didn't hear a response back or even the clink of dishes in the sink that Silver was working on before, Vanessa looked up from her work. She found Silver staring out the window, eyes glazed in memory and mouth slightly open, as if in a deep sense of shock.
"You alright?" she called out, snapping him from his inner thoughts.
Silver jumped. "Oh, uh... yeah, sure t'ing, Nessie. Whatever ya want..."
Her eyes narrowed at his incorrect answer. "What's today mean, Silver?" she inquired, suspicious of his odd behavior at the mention of the date.
Silver let out a deep sigh. "It's Tabby's birthday. T'e lass is sixteen... Can't believe I forgot. I've…"
He trailed off in thought. He'd completely forgotten. He hadn't even bothered to send her a birthday gift. Of course, where would he send it? If she was still with Jim - which he had a good feeling she probably was - then he still only knew they were on Montressor, and that hardly narrowed it down.
Suddenly, Vanessa was standing beside him. "I think she'll forgive you," she told him, reaching into the dish filled sink to help him out.
"Ya t'ink so, huh?" Silver asked sincerely interested on her opinion.
"Of course," she smiled at him. "I mean, hell, I don't know the girl, but if she's anywhere as nice as you made her out to be, then yeah, ya big lug, of course she'll forgive you."
Silver chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ya really are a nice gal."
"Shut yer trap now Silver or you'll be sleeping outside," she warned, sliding out from under his grasp.
"I'm jus' sayin' t'at - " Silver's comment was interrupted by a loud noise coming from bar. They quickly ran through kitchen door, each preparing their pistols for intruders. Once back in the bar, the only thing that looked unnatural to Silver was that John McCabe and Harold were gathered around an old, graying man who seemed to have taken a fall down the stairs. Vanessa just let out an exhausted sigh as she put her pistol back where it belonged and went to help the man.
"What t'e…?" Silver mumbled. He had never seen that man before. The gray haired man looked to be a bit scrawny but he still looked like some sort of giant.
"Where…where dis tha-tha'... wo-woman?" The man spluttered out spraying Harold with spit.
Vanessa completely ignored this question. "How did he end up down here?" she fired a question at her brother.
"Don't know," he retorted in a growl as he picked up the old man.
"Y-You t'ere - girl," he continued to splutter. "Where dis tha' mother o' yours?"
Vanessa sighed, choosing not to answer. "You need to sleep."
"Nuh uh," he replied with a yawn.
"Get him back to his room. This should not have happened. We'll call the Doctor over in the morning to make sure that fall of his didn't do any damage," she instructed her brother who just nodded grimly as he towed the man up the stairs.
"Thanks, Harold," she turned to the other bartender. "You can go home if ya want."
"Any time, Miss McCabe," he replied back, tipping his had cordially.
Vanessa then made her way back to kitchen passing Silver on her way who was still looking confused. It wasn't till he heard her asking what was taking so long that it finally registered to just ask.
"Who was tha'?" He asked after immediately joining her.
"You get down to business fast," she mumbled with a sigh. "That - " she nodded toward the bar area. "Was my father."
Silver gaped at her. "Yer father?" Vanessa merely nodded at this. "But ya said he wasn't around."
"Because he ain't."
"Well I got some good evidence sayin' tha' he is!" Silver bellowed.
Vanessa turned on him, glaring defensively at his accusation. "Why are you so angry about this? What's it to you?"
"I thought yeh trusted me enough ta tell me if yer pap was still around," he told her firmly. "I thought yeh had nobody."
Vanessa stared at floor for a moment before looking back up at Silver, her face calmer but also sadder. "Did you not notice? He was drunk."
"Yeah, so?" Silver questioned. He never thought being drunk was a crime, unless…
"...And he has been for the past fourteen years," she reluctantly admitted. There was a long pause where it finally clicked with Silver on what Vanessa was going on about and began to feel guilty for prying. "So, yeah, I don't count him as being around much..."
Silver rubbed the back of his neck regretfully. "Ah, I'm sorry, lass..."
"Don't worry about it," she shrugged. "Not your problem."
There was silence for several minutes until Silver finally found the courage to ask:
"Is he t'e reason yer still here?"
Vanessa gulped back any emotions she was starting to feel and nodded. "My father owns this place, I just run it. I have no right to sell it or even hand it to my brother so he can run it. Honestly, I'm stuck here till my father dies and I officially inherit it."
"So, yer not here t' take care o' him," Silver began. "Yer here cause he has t'e deeds ta dis place. Ya don't care fer him at all?"
"Don't go makin' it out like I'm the bad guy here," she snapped at him. "That man you just saw ain't my father." She sighed and quietly added, "Just a drunken fool still grieving for his wife after fourteen years."
"Guess I understand as much as I can, Nessie... but a girl yer age don't be needin' all o' t'is."
"Yeah, you're telling me," she mumbled exhaustedly.
"Lass, if I can, uh... help ya in any way - " Silver started to offer.
Vanessa shook her head. "You're doing plenty. Just find your friends again and we'll call it even."
Silver chuckled. "Yer bein' too nice again."
"Am not," she narrowed her eyes at him, though a slight smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. "I'm just sick of listening to you blabber on about 'em is all."
"So that's why you want to go visit - to help her the way she helped you, and to let her know you finally found Tabitha and Jim again," Rylee said with a smile despite everybody else's frowns. "You're so sweet."
Silver looked at her as if she was crazy. "Hardly consider meself sweet."
"But you are," Abigail said affectionately.
Silver glanced at her then laughed and shook his head. "So," he began to change the subject. "Who's in?"
"Are you serious?" Tabitha questioned. "You're really going back?"
"Well, I t'ink it'd be a good idea t' check on her," he explained. "I hadn't seen her in three years."
"I think it's a good idea," Rylee said.
"Yeah, I guess I have to go," Jim agreed. "Since I'm pretty sure you're just assuming you can use our ship."
The groups laughter was suddenly interrupted by the sound of crying coming from upstairs. Rylee and Cason looked at each other and Cason smiled.
"I've got it," he assured her as he stood up.
"You sure?" Rylee verified.
"Yeah, I'm pretty tired anyway. I'll get him settled and then I'm going to hit the sack." Cason leaned down and quickly kissed her. "Come up soon."
Rylee nodded and the rest of the group began to stretch, realizing they were all pretty tired too.
"We should probably turn in as well," Abigail stated as she glanced over at Silver, who nodded in agreement.
"I think we're all pretty tired," Graham said. "But I'm up for discussing this trip to Ciaran tomorrow!"
Graham, Abigail, and Silver said their goodbyes and headed back to the Benbow, leaving Jim, Tabitha, and Rylee alone downstairs.
"I guess I should probably go make sure that Cason's got everything under control," Rylee said as she turned to head upstairs.
"Uh, actually - " Jim suddenly began. "Would you mind if I went? I'd kind of like to talk to Cason - "
"Oh, of course! Be my guest."
Jim mumbled a thanks before heading upstairs. The first bedroom he reached was sparsely furnished - a double bed, a small dresser that doubled as a nightstand, and a bassinett, all spares borrowed form the Benbow Inn. There, standing beside the small cradle, was Cason, holding what appeared to be a wrapped up blanket, but was in fact his nearly one year old son. Jim smiled to himself and knocked lightly on the open door.
Cason looked up, then sighed in mocked impatience. "You're not my wife."
Jim let out a quiet chuckle. "Thank God for that."
The father laughed quietly. "Is she coming up soon though?"
"Yeah, I think so. I just volunteered to come help with Jordan."
"Why?"
"Well," Jim sighed, running a hand nervously through his hair. "Mostly because I wanted to talk to you. You just got here this morning, so I haven't really had time to... I don't know... catch up with you, see how your life's been."
Cason chuckled. "Rylee and I have spent the whole day telling you how our life's been - she got pregnant, we got married, Jordan Michael Deason was born, we came to visit you. All the in between stuff is boring."
"You know, he looks just like you," Jim stated.
"Yeah, everyone says that. Too bad he didn't get his mom's good looks."
Jim laughed, but it was distant. He was more focused on watching Cason rock his son back and forth in his arms... "What's it like?"
"What's what like?"
"Being a dad," he asked awkwardly.
Cason blinked in surprise, then looked down at his sleeping son and chuckled. "Well... It's not easy, that's for sure. When Rylee first told me... I came closer to being in shock then than when I got shot back on Lacuna."
"That scary, huh?"
"Oh, yeah," Cason sighed as he laid his son back in his bed. "The most terrifying thing I've ever heard in my life. Well, actually, the most terrifying was probably finding out that her dad knew she was pregnant before we'd had the chance to tell him ourselves."
Jim hissed through his teeth. "I bet that was... fun."
"I honestly thought that man might kill me. He warmed up to me after a while, I guess, but he's still kind of suspicious of me. Beats the hell - I mean heck - " he said with a glance down towards Jordan. "Out of me why he would be though. We're married now, and I'm sure as... heck not going to leave her." They laughed quietly together, both staring down at Jordan as he slept soundly. "But anyway, if finding out about it is scary, just wait until the nine months that follow. Toughest months of my life."
"Why?"
"There's a lot you have to do. Rylee never got morning sickness, thank the stars, but she was really sensitive to certain foods, plus we had doctors visits all the time, and I got a job at a diner so I could be with her and still earn money to buy our own house. Meanwhile we had to buy all the stuff we needed for a baby and we were trying to plan a wedding." Cason sighed. "But besides all that, I... I was just so worried that something would... go wrong," he shook his head and rubbed at his face tiredly. "I don't know. It was so nerve-racking, knowing that she was carrying our child..." He thought for a moment, then laughed. "But then, after those months were over, and she finally had him, it was... it was all worth it." He shook his head again, completely at a loss for words, then looked to Jim. "Jim, I can promise you that there is nothing in the Etherium half as amazing as holding your child for the first time."
Jim smiled slightly, keeping his gaze focused on Jordan. "I believe it."
"So why is it that you haven't learned all this for your own yet?" Cason suddenly asked. Jim looked up sharply at him and Cason continued. "I mean, you and Tabitha... Stars, I was expecting the news that she was pregnant by the time you got back from your honeymoon, if not sooner."
Jim laughed once. "Yeah, I think everyone was. I don't know what to tell you, though. It just hasn't happened yet."
"Really? But... stars, you guys have been married almost two years."
Jim grinned and nodded. "I know. I still can't believe it's been that long. It seems like we only said our vows a few weeks ago... But I'm, uh, kind of glad it's taken this long. It's given us more time to... ah, develop, I guess."
Cason smirked. "Yeah, 'develop'. I know what you mean." Jim rolled his eyes but Cason just laughed. "No, really, I do, and I envy you. I mean, I didn't even propose until after I found out I was going to be a dad. Don't get me wrong - I love the way things turned out. I love being a father. I love Rylee... But sometimes I wish we'd had some time to ourselves before we became a family, you know?"
"Yeah... Well, Tabitha and I can watch Jordan if you and Rylee ever need some time to yourself," Jim shrugged.
"Really?" Cason asked in surprise. "Huh... I might have to take you up on that."
"Well, um... that was all, I guess," Jim mumbled. "I just haven't had the chance to talk to you much."
"Yeah, sure. Will you send Rylee up when you get down there?"
"No problem," Jim answered.
"Oh, and Jim?" Jim turned around in the doorway and Cason laughed. "If you and Tabitha decide to do any developing tonight, will you keep it down? We're pretty tired."
Jim opened his mouth to snap something back, then glanced over at the cradle. "You'll pay for that sometime when your son's not around."
Cason laughed as Jim shut the door behind him.
Rylee's thankful smile at Jim taking her place was quickly replaced when she turned back to look at Tabitha. "What's wrong?"
Tabitha turned her sad gaze away from the staircase Jim had just ascended and back to her best friend. "What? Oh, nothing."
"I can tell when you're lying," Rylee stated as she followed Tabitha into the kitchen.
"I'm just tired," Tabitha shrugged as she headed over to the sink to begin doing the dishes left over from the group's dinner.
"No, you aren't," Rylee argued. "I've seen you when you're 'just tired', and this isn't how you look. You seem... worried, or something." Tabitha didn't answer. Rylee sighed. "Tabitha... I know today was the first time I'd seen you since Cason and I left after your wedding, but I didn't want to travel when I was pregnant, and then we were nervous about taking Jordan anywhere when he was so young... Maybe I should have done a better job keeping in touch... but I still want to be your best friend."
Tabitha turned around to face the girl who now looked on the verge of tears. "Oh, Ry, I know that, and you are," she laughed lightly as she hugged her friend. "I'm not upset about that."
"But you are upset about something else?" she verified. "Look, if it's about Cason and Jordan and me staying here instead of at the Benbow, we can move. We just didn't want Jordan to wake the whole inn if he started crying in the middle of the night, or - "
"No, no, you're fine. It's not that..." Tabitha sighed. "I'm... I'm just kind of... worried about Jim." Rylee stared at her warily, so she continued. "In case you didn't notice, Jim and I... haven't had any kids of our own yet."
"No, I know, and I wondered about that, but - "
"And I know that he really wants them. I keep seeing the way he looks at Jordan, and he just went to help Cason..." Tabitha shook her head sadly. "He wants to be a father so much."
"So... what exactly is the problem?" Rylee asked quietly. "I mean, you two have been trying... right?"
"Yeah, of course. We have been from the beginning." They were silent for a moment, then Tabitha took a deep breath. "Ry, I... I really don't know anything about... kids or getting pregnant or anything like that. You're the only person I know that's ever had a baby, and I wasn't even around for any of that, but... Don't... Don't people usually get pregnant quicker than this? I mean, you and Cason... how long did it take you guys?"
Rylee blushed lightly but smiled. "It was only the second time."
"The second time?" Tabitha gasped in shock. "Stars..."
"Yeah, it was... I don't know. I think that's quicker than usual... But on the other hand, two years is a long time..."
"Yeah... I know... Is there - I mean..." Tabitha swallowed anxiously. "How can you tell if... Well... if something's wrong?"
Rylee immediately walked over and wrapped her in a hug. "Oh, Tabitha, that's not what i meant."
"No, no, I was already thinking about that. It's just..." She pulled back to look at her best friend. "What if... What if I can't?"
Rylee shook her head adamantly. "No. No, that can't be it..."
"Then do you have any idea what it could be?" Tabitha practically begged.
Her friend hesitated. "Maybe it's just taking a long time..."
Tabitha sighed heavily and dried off the last dish, her mind miles away from the kitchen.
"Have you talked to Jim about it yet?" Rylee inquired.
"Talked to Jim about what?"
The two girls looked up at Jim as he entered the kitchen. Jim's gaze instantly locked on Tabitha and how sad she suddenly looked. There was a tense pause, then finally Rylee spoke up.
"Oh, um, I'm... going to bed," she said timidly.
"Goodnight, Ry," Tabitha said.
Rylee glanced at Jim, then turned around and hugged Tabitha again, whispering, "It's all going to be fine. I know it."
"'Night," Jim smiled at Rylee as she headed up for bed, then urgently turned back to Tabitha. "What is it?"
"What is what?" she asked as she headed for their bedroom.
"What's wrong?" Jim explained as he followed. "You look upset."
Jim closed the bedroom door behind them, then stopped. Tabitha was standing there, her arms crossed over her chest insecurely, facing him, but with her eyes cast downward. He waited a minute, and when she didn't make any move to talk to him, he slowly approached her.
"Tabitha?" he asked quietly as his hands encircled her waist. "What is it?"
Tabitha finally looked up and let out a shaky breath. "Jim... You want to be a father, don't you?"
"Well, yeah..." he responded confusedly. "Of course. What guy doesn't? Other than Graham."
She smiled a half smile at the joke. "Yeah, and... the possibility of me getting pregnant has been there since our honeymoon."
"Yeah..." Jim said, his brow furrowed worriedly.
"Then why haven't we been able to have kids yet?" she asked tearfully. "I mean... it seems like it should have happened by now."
"Yeah, I was actually just talking to Cason about this...," he agreed. "But everyone's different. Just because it's taking us a little longer - "
"A little longer?" she repeated skeptically. "It's been almost two years; this is more than just a 'little longer'. Cason and Rylee have Jordan. She got pregnant the second time! The second time, Jim!"
"Shh... It's okay," he tried to calm her. Tabitha took a deep breath, and Jim sighed. "Yeah, okay... So it's taking us a lot longer. But that's okay," he consoled, brushing her hair away from her face and placing a hand on her cheek. "I think it's a good thing it's taken so long. It's given us more time to get settled and develop our marriage. Look, if you'd gotten pregnant the second time, then we'd be raising a kid at the Benbow instead of our own home, and having to take turns staying home while the other went out on voyages to earn money. We're more prepared than we would have been if - What?"
Tabitha had suddenly met Jim's gaze with one full of worry. She took a deep breath and finally managed to speak.
"What if I can't get pregnant, Jim?" she whispered.
"What?" he gasped.
"What if I can't? What if it isn't possible? I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and maybe I'm just not... Maybe I'm..." She shook her head, unable to speak anymore as she began to cry.
"Tabitha, no," Jim consoled as he pulled her into an embrace. "No. That's not it."
"How do you know that? How do you know there's not something wrong with me?"
"Look at me," he said sternly, tilting her head up so he could look her in the eye. "I am not about to let you take the blame for the reason we haven't had a kid yet. If there is a problem, it could be a problem with me just as much as it could be one with you... And say that there is a problem - so what?"
"So what?" she choked. "So we wouldn't be able to have kids! That's what!"
"No, wait, I'm sorry. That's not what I meant," he apologized, softly pushing her hair over her shoulder. "I just meant if there is a problem, then it's not your fault, it's not my fault, and we're not going to treat it like it is."
"But - "
Her interruption was halted when he calmly pressed his lips to hers for a second. When he pulled away, he tilted his forehead against hers. "Tabitha, I promised I would love you for better or for worse. No matter what happens, that's not going to change. No matter what problems we face, we're going to get through them. Together."
She looked up at him, a strange mix of fear and hopefulness shining through her eyes. Jim smiled once again tilted her chin up to face him, but softer this time. When her tear-filled eyes met his once again, he leaned down and kissed her, letting his hand come to rest at the back of her head.
"There is nothing - nothing - wrong with you," he calmly whispered when they pulled away a moment later.
Tabitha let out a small sob, then threw her arms around him. Jim grinned and returned the embrace, rubbing her back comfortingly as he tilted his face into her hair.
Wow, it got kinda dramatic there, didn't it? But trust me, that's nothing compared to what's coming up soon...
I'm glad you guys are interested in a book! As several of you mentioned, it would need to be cheap. I'm hoping that it won't be too much, but we'll just have to see. There's a lot of details to work out, so I'll put up more info. about it later. :)
Remember to check out NeverTooLate03's Treasure Planet story because it's made of awesome (and wish her a belated happy birthday while you're there!).
I hope you guys liked it! Reviews are always appreciated. :D
-Emily
P.S. - Out of curiosity, do any of you have a favorite chapter (from 'Fearless' or 'Sparks Fly')? If you do, leave it in a review!
+Responses to Reviews+
Horseygirl 96: I'm glad you like the random fluff! Haha I've done the Skype thing as well, so I know what you mean. I'm still shocked that I'm so popular! Thank you!
NeverTooLate03: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you liked this chapter and were okay with the changes I made/stuff I added. Yes, the hint with Graham (in the last chapter) was intentional. And as you have probably figured out, yes, that chapter will be posted soon! Thank you so much!
anon: Glad you liked the princess dress! As far as the medical question, that's going to be explained in one of the chapters I write later, from when they're at the academy. Thanks!
malisa: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you like it!
23jk: Thank you! Haha Yes, I had assumed you were a girl by the way you obsess over Jim. But it's awesome - I think most (if not all) the female readers do it. I know I do! xD
Icecreampopstar: Haha I wonder if brownies are just going to be forever associated with that chapter. xD Thank you!
EventHorizon6: Thanks! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Don't worry - I will always keep writing! :D
SweetAngel183: Sweet! Thank you!
