I sincerely apologize to everyone who has waited for this chapter. Hope you enjoy.
"Alrigh', you two go over there an' wait behind some trees 'til I'm done wit him," Hector said, pointing to Jack and Cutler before pointing to Bill, "Don't want any of ya ta have a leg up if ya see how I fight."
"Sounds reasonable," Cutler said as he walked off.
"Good luck Bill!" Jack said following.
"Some friends th' two of you are!" Bill yelled after them.
As Jack walked back into the clearing, after hearing Hector call him over, he noted Bill and Cutler both lying on the ground, both exhausted and with several cuts on their hands, "You didn't go easy on them, did ya?"
"Th' outside world won't go easy on ya jus' because yer a kid, remember that," Hector said, lazily waving his own dagger, "Now stop standin' there an' fight!" Jack did the best he did and lasted little over five minutes before Hector was able to disarm him. "Not bad Jack, ya lasted longer than th' other two."
"I did?" Jack responded, idly nursing his cuts, "How long did Bill an' Beck last?"
"About half or less than you did; yer a natural," Hector complimented as he put away his own weapon and handed Jack back his.
"How long have you held a weapon, Hector?" Cutler asked.
Hector thought a moment before commenting, "I'm 'bout eighteen or nineteen now…about five or six years now I'm guessin'."
"You started when you were thirteen?!" Bill exclaimed.
"I guess, never been tha' good wit numbers though," Hector responded offhandedly.
"…we are gonna die if we keep doin' this," Bill sighed.
Jack growled softly as Teague sat next to him, "Why can't you get it in your thick head, I don't want you anywhere near me!"
"Don' be like tha' Jackie," Teague said as he put his hand out to pat Jack on the head. In a flash, Jack had pulled out his dagger and, without thinking, impaled Teague's left hand to the tree, "What th' bloody hell?!" Jack immediately backed away as Teague attempted to pull the weapon and his hand from the tree; he eventually wrenched the blade out, but the momentum of the act caused him to swing his arm back and the blade caught Jack in the head. Jack fell to the ground, yelling and clutching his forehead with his hands, blood leaking through his fingers. Teague realized what he had done and reached out towards Jack, "Jackie, 'm sorry. It was an-"
"Don't touch me! Stay away from me, you bloody pirate!" Jack screamed, getting up and running away from him.
"Jack, wait! It was an accident!" Teague yelled after Jack. He quickly wrapped up his hand and hesitated a moment before grabbing Jack's dagger and running after him. After losing sight of Jack in the forest, Teague decided to head back to their house to see if Jack had went there; he opened the door to Jack and Neela's home to find her treating the wound.
Neela turned around and glared at Teague, when she realized who it was, before picking up a pistol that was on the floor and leveled it his head, "Leave Teague, I'll have you nowhere near Jack again for doin' this."
"It was an accident! I tried ta say tha' ta Jack, but 'e ran off 'fore I could!" Teague tried to explain.
Neela cocked the hammer back on the pistol, "Get the hell out, now, I'm not goin' ta warn you again."
Teague glanced at the fierce hatred held in Neela's eyes to the fear mixed with anger and hate in Jack's before cautiously setting Jack's dagger on a surface next to him before slowly turning around and exiting, closing the door behind him.
Jack stared at the door while his mother finished dressing the wound on his head and noticed silent tears running down her face, "Mum?"
Neela wiped her tears away, "I'm sorry Jack, for this happening."
Jack self-consciously rubbed the edge of his bandage before wiping a stray tear from his mother's face, "S'okay mum. You didn' know any of this would happen."
Neela smiled weakly before gesturing at the bandage, "That will most likely leave a scar, though."
"…could I put somethin' over it, mebbe?" Jack said, adjusting the wrappings slightly. Neela gave a smile as she left the room and returned with something in her hand.
"…Jack, wot in th' world is that?" Bill asked pointing to what was wrapped around Jack's head.
"It's supposed ta be a bandana, it's a bit too long though," Jack explained, adjusting the red cloth wrapped around his head and covering his scar.
"Where did yer get it from?" Bill asked.
Jack shrugged, "I asked my mum to give me somethin' to cover my scar and she gave me this to cover it. She even suggested makin' it into a bandana," he explained.
"Oh... I've seen most of the sailors wear bandanas on their heads while sailing," Cutler recalled, "I was never sure if it was helpful or to cover something…and what scar are you talking about?"
Jack paused a moment, "…I'd rather not say."
"Tha' kinda makes ya look like a pirate, though," Bill pondered, making Jack cringe at the thought.
"Call me a pirate again, Bill, an' I'll give ya a black eye," Jack threatened.
"Obviously you're still keeping your word to never become a pirate, Jack?" Cutler said, quickly dispelling any thoughts of a fight.
"O' course 'm not gonna be a bloody pirate!" Jack snapped, "I'd have ta be shot first before going down that path."
"Okay, point taken," Cutler remarked with a slight smirk.
"I have ta take care of something, see ya around," Jack said before running off. Sometime later, he found himself in a hidden cove and tried to calm his heart, which was pounding at the thought of what he was about to do. He moved from his hiding place and stood in plain view of his father and his pirate crew. Everyone fell silent when they noticed Jack and turned to Teague, wondering what he would do. 'It's now or never,' Jack thought as he stood his ground and got ready to say the words he'd been itching to say since Teague had first arrived.