That night, Alex laid on deck. Her hair had fallen down, her dress covered with sea salt. But nevertheless, she was in no rush to move. Underneath the burlap blanket covering her legs, was a cabin boy. His name, Jenthry, he was Irish. And his eyes, were green. Stretching a bit, Alex brushed back the hair from his eyes. Long brunette locks, which he usually wore back. He was a pirate. She was in love. Giving a lurch, Jenthry yawned into the cool midnight air. He smiled up at Alex, pulling their cover tighter around them.

"Good morning, Miss. Hope I didn't disturb you."

"You disturb me? No, I was hoping not to wake you." And there, they shared their first goofy smile.

"Well, I feel famished, I'm sure the same is for the crew. Care to join me in making a meal?" Alex frowned, she was staring up into Jack's cabin window.

"Actually, I can't. I promised Jack I would come by later to talk to him. Later tonight, maybe? We'll have dinner in my cabin." Jenthry nodded and stretched as he walked away. Alex waited till he was gone, and proceeded to Jack's door. She paused for a moment, hearing nothing, and raised her arm up to knock. But then, she heard something stir, shuffling of books and papers. Finally, the red haired woman from the dance, spoke.

"Here we are...last will and testament. She's yours Jack, like I thought." Jack's eyes were hard as he sat, shirtless on his bed.

"I don't know, Katrina. Something tells me Mina wouldn't have left her with me unless she knew something in advance."

"Jack, she was your wife! Mina loved you."

"After I threw her off the Pearl?"

"Even after...she was my sister, Jack. And I wouldn't say this unless I knew in my heart it was the right thing. Mina left Alex to you."

"Why?"

"She's your daughter, does that answer need anything else?" Alex stuttered a gasp, tripping back over some boxes. She could hear the clicking of Jack's pistol through the door. She tried to move, but her dress was caught on something. She ripped at the seams, as his feet came closer and closer...Just as she came free, the cabin door opened. And there stood Jack, barrel pointed squarely at Alex's head.

"Alex?" He dropped his aim, jerking her wrist. "What are you doing here?" Alex couldn't speak, could barely move. Katrina came towards the two, releasing Jack's hands.

"Jack! Don't ever touch her like that again, hear me? Come on in love, I suppose you've heard out discussion." Alex went underneath Katrina's arm, and slipped into the room. Looking at the desk, there was maps and letters, diaries with leather covers, and documents. One with a green seal, a crow...

"Tell me! Why were you hiding this from me!" Katrina ushered Jack forward, putting his palms out.

"Alex, I was going to eventually. It was a touchy subject to bring up..."

"Touchy! You knew how desperate I was to find my father, how much I wanted to meet him!"

"Well, now you have! I'm here, you're there. If I come stand beside you we are together so ta da." She reached back and slapped him. His eyes burned black for a moment.

"Love, don't touch me." She shoved him this time, kicking back his table. "Love, I'm warning you."

"Please, the great pirate father going to beat me bloody?"

"I'm thinking about it!" Katrina once again, separated them. Alex moved towards her as well.

"You, my bloody aunt! Did it ever cross your mind to come and get me? Keep me? Save me?" Katrina became offended, squaring her shoulders.

"Yes, I did thank you very much. But I wasn't allowed. Your mother's will specifically said you go to your father. But he was gone, and even found would've been arrested. We had no choice but to put you in adoption." Alex stood there, knowing everything they said made sense, but not wanting it to. She wanted this to be someone's fault. She had always known as a child, one person was to blame for all that had happened. Yet now here she stood, candlelight shadows of the three of them. Her family, her true family. Alex sat down, tears blurring her vision. She breathed heavily, as her aunt sat down beside her.

"Alex, there was no doubt ever in how much we all loved you. But, we did what we thought was right. I arranged you a new living order, and when that didn't work out, the Turners accepted your arrival on a proposal by Horris and Jack. We've been looking after you from far away. You were never left alone, always taken care of. Alex, we knew you would be angry, but everything was for the best. We wanted to give you a chance as a lady. Understand?" Alex shook.

"You think talking to me wraps it all up in a nut shell? My father, was nothing like Jack. He loved my mother, he wouldn't have done this to her? He threw her off a ship? How could..."

"You don't know the whole story." Jack stood, his back to the girls.

"What?"

"Your mother...I loved her, so very much. She broke me, Alex. Two years I stayed with her, through everything. When she had you, I was there. When she almost died of typhus in the summer, I stayed there with her. Two years, I never left. And then one day, she woke up not knowing that anymore. She said I didn't show her love, when that was all I did. So yes, I made her leave."

"You threw us away!"

"Her! I threw her away, yes. But you stayed with me until Katrina came. She took you back. You don't remember me at all? That month here, on the Pearl?" Alex nodded no. Jack shuffled his feet, grabbed one of the leather bound books.

"This was your mother's. Every day, she spent on this ship, is in those pages. Read it...no one else will." Jack grabbed Katrina and pulled her up. "I think it's time you left, Kat." She nodded, sadly agreeing. She pulled on her shawl, and flipped her hair back. Slowly, she went up to Alex and kissed her cheek.

"In case this is the last time I see my niece, your mother loved tulips. She would like you to know that..." And then, she waved goodbye.

Jack and Alex sat together for almost an hour, no one saying a word. After a while, Alex left. The walk back to her cabin was long. Everything was darker than before. The lights from the dance had been blown out. She could hear the crew in the dining hall, happily smacking their lips to Jenthry's food. Jenthry...

He stood there at her door, a smile still wrapped around his mind. He held on a platter two bowls of soup, and a small bottle of wine he had saved back. As she got closer, his face dropped.

"Alex, what's..."

"Wrong? Nothing, Jenthry. I don't feel so well tonight. Please, leave me be."

"But, Alex!"

"Jen, not tonight...goodbye." She shut the door in his face. She hadn't meant to say goodbye, but goodnight. How was he to know the difference? As she crawled under the deep covers of her bed, she could hear a bottle shatter in the hall. What a waste of good wine.

"It was almost a good day," she sobbed into her pillow.

Jenthry stayed outside her room the rest of the night. He hated to hear her cry.