"Jack, th' reason I wasn't around much was 'cause…aw bugger!" Teague slumped into a chair in his cabin, after pacing it while attempting to plan out a way to explain to Jack why he hadn't been around. He sighed as he picked up a rum bottle and brought it to his lips; he paused slightly before removing the bottle and holding it upside down over the table, it was empty, "Why is ma bloody rum gone?" He put the bottle down and staggered outside, for a bit of air, "Alrigh' Teague...let's be tryin' this again…Jack, I had good reasons fer not stayin': One, I rather be wantin' ta keep livin'…savvy? Two, th' sea is in ma blood, it calls ta me like nothin' else in th' world…'cept rum…and gold…and wenches…bugger! …I need ma rum!"

"Hey Bill, have you seen Beck around lately?" Jack asked while the two were in the schoolyard.

"Nah, haven't seen him since th' other day," Bill answered, "Think somethin' bad happened?"

"Let's visit his place when school's out," Jack offered, "Ask Beck himself or someone there."

Bill and Jack felt their jaws drop at the fact Cutler's house was easily several times bigger than theirs. "Jack…what does Beck's dad do?"

"I think he's in the tradin' business or somethin'…I knew he was rich but not this rich!" The two of them carefully got inside and stood in front of the door, "What are you waitin' for? Knock!"

"Why do I gotta knock?" Bill argued.

"I'm the one that got us this far, so you knock!"

The two argued back and forth about who was going to knock on the door, when it opened and the person who did so spoke, "May I help you?"

Bill looked up at the servant before nudging Jack, who quickly spoke up, "We're here to see Cutler…we're friends of his."

The man paused a moment, taking the appearances of Jack and Bill as well as the honest look in their eyes before allowing them inside.

"Who are they?" a voice asked. Jack and Bill looked up and saw a man who bored a strong resemblance to Cutler, obviously his father.

"They say they are friends of young Cutler, Lord Beckett," the servant answered.

Lord Beckett looked over Jack and Bill with a critical eye, "What do you wish to do with my son?"

"…we were wondering where he's been, haven't seen him around at all…Mr. Lord Beckett…sir," Jack meekly answered.

"That was pathetic," Bill whispered.

"Let's see you do any better!" Jack snapped.

Lord Beckett watched amusedly as Jack and Bill bickered for a few minutes before speaking, "Cutler's mother has taken ill, recently. He, as well as myself, are quite concerned on her health."

"Oh…hope she gets better," Bill offered.

Lord Beckett was about to respond when a maid approached him and spoke to him urgently. He quickly went into another room and, shortly after, Cutler was dragged out of the same room fighting to get back inside.

"Let me go, that's an order! I want to see my mother!" Cutler yelled, still flailing.

"Beck, what's the matter with you?" Bill asked.

Cutler looked up and noticed Jack and Bill. His next comment died when he realized that he had just seen him have a bit of a meltdown. He then turned and ran out of the house as it started raining.

"Bill, if Beck's dad asks where he is; just say I took him to my house to cool him down," Jack said before running after Cutler.

"Why do I hafta do that?!" Bill yelled after Jack.

Jack wiped his wet hair out of his eyes as he ran in the general direction Cutler did, he paused for a moment in his searching as he heard something other than the falling rain or the creaking trees. He followed the noise and eventually found Cutler, sitting under a tree, wiping his face. "Beck?"

Cutler looked up; his face smeared with mud along with what was either rain or tears, "What do you want?"

Jack said nothing as he sat down next to Cutler and silently patted him on back. Cutler remained quiet for a minute before he leaned against Jack and silently start to cry. After a while, Jack started loosing feeling in his legs and noted that Cutler had dozed off. He carefully maneuvered Cutler so he was on his back and started walking back home. He kicked on the door to his house and waited for it to open.

"Jack, where in the world have-" Neela started out before noticed that Jack was carrying Cutler, "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, he didn't exactly tell me," Jack said, walking inside and out of the rain.

Cutler woke up sometime later, lying on an unfamiliar bed and wrapped up in blankets.

"I was wondering if you'd wake up at all, Beck."

Cutler turned his head slightly and saw Jack sitting in a chair, wrapped up in a blanket also, and holding a wooden bowl in his hands, "Where am I?"

"My house," Jack answered before offering him the bowl, "Have some soup, it'll warm you up."

Cutler took the bowl and slowly had a spoonful, "…it's not bad…"

Jack grinned, "It's only water and some leftover food mum had lying around with a bit of spice added to it, definitely not what you're used to, right?"

Cutler nodded his head as he finished his bowl, "Is there anymore?"

"I think so," Jack said before getting of his chair, "You can wear some of my old clothes, I outgrew them a while back."

"Are you implying that I'd be able to wear your old clothes?" Cutler groused.

"Yes, you're the oldest out of the three of us…and yet, somehow you're the smallest. Also, I only outgrew them about a year ago," Jack said before quickly ducking as Cutler chucked the bowl at his head. Cutler became a frequent visitor and stayer at Jack's home, especially the week after his mother succumbed to her illness and passed. During that week, Cutler barely said a word, moving silently and stiffly until Jack teased him to the point where he punched Jack hard enough to give him a black eye. Jack's only response was to give a wry grin and say, "About time you came to your senses."