A/N: Hey everyone!!! When I wrote this chapter I almost cried through it. I found it painstakingly sad. I'd love to hear what you think of it.

Chapter 15

A Sad Story

Izzy went to the door and opened it quietly. Tommy had fallen asleep as soon as she'd put the blankets around him. She didn't think he'd wake after all of the rum he'd had, but she didn't want to risk it.

On the other side of the door stood Captain Jack Sparrow, Izzy inwardly grimaced. Here we go again, she thought.

"Miss Peregrine," he said. "Would you mind taking a stroll with me?"

Izzy looked at him curiously. He was being pleasant. Not a good sign.

"Of course, but there aren't many places to stroll on a ship."

"Indeed," he replied. "But I want to talk to you about what just happened."

Izzy turned her head to glance at Tommy. He was fast asleep.

"All right."

She closed the door soundlessly behind her and followed Jack up the stairs.

He stopped by the railing, many feet away from the rest of the crew so they could not overhear their conversation.

"I've one question for you," he said turning to her. "What in the bloody name of pirate were you thinking risking your life for a crew member?"

Izzy's jaw dropped.

"And without a single drop of rum in you," he continued. "You must be mad!"

Izzy's temper went from zero to sixty in three seconds flat.

"Mad! Rum! That boy's life was in danger. I wasn't going to let him fall to his doom if I had anything to say about it."

"But you don't even know him!" Jack insisted.

"I don't have to know him!" Izzy yelled back. "A fourteen year old boy was hanging by his ankle many stories above the deck, upside down! I never gave a thought about not knowing him!"

"Yes, but by attempting to save his life you put yours in danger. Sensible pirates like me never put our lives in danger for fellow crew members," Jack said logically.

"Then you are a coward!" Izzy stated.

Jack's jaw now dropped.

"Miss Peregrine," he said pulling himself back together. "I am your captain…"

"I could care less at the moment if you're my captain or not. But because you are the captain of this ship, you should care somewhat about your crew. You proved just now that you obliviously don't so you don't deserve to be the captain of this ship. Or any for that matter."

"Miss Peregrine, you are walking a fine line."

"I don't care what line I'm walking!" Izzy shouted at him.

"You should!" Jack shouted back.

"Well, I don't!" she yelled. "One day Captain Jack Sparrow, you are gonna end up alone with no one by your side to help you because you don't care. And then what are you going to do? Who are you going to go to? Well, it's not going to be me. You hired a fourteen year old boy to help sail a pirate ship! Where are your morals?! Oh, I forgot, you don't have any morals, or feelings for that matter! I can't wait for the day you end up alone, Jack Sparrow, cause then you might just feel something. And I hope to hell you realize what it's like to be alone!"

With that Izzy turned on her heel and marched back down the stairs to her room.

Jack watched the fuming Izzy stomp away.

She was wrong, he did have feelings, and she'd just destroyed any hope that he had of her caring for him.

Elizabeth watched the small war from above them. She'd never heard anyone yell at Jack like that before. Not even herself. She'd always put him in his place by using snide, sneaky, painful comments. But Izzy's way had worked just as well and had been just as painful. Elizabeth had heard every word. Izzy didn't know how right she was, but Jack himself did. Elizabeth could see it on his face now, watching Izzy stamp away. Oh, he knew all right, but he didn't know what to do about it. His face showed he was confused and hurt. It was a look Elizabeth had never seen before. She didn't like it. She wanted to see the old, confident Jack back, but there was nothing she could do. This was a lesson he had to learn for himself.

But she could do something. Elizabeth left her perch from where she had been watching the sea before the small war, and hopped onto the deck.

"You heard every word?" Jack asked as she passed.

"You bet I did," she replied.

"And?"

"And what?" she asked. "I'm not helping you out of this one. You dug your hole, now build your latter."

She left him staring at the sea blankly, pondering her words.

Elizabeth went downstairs and knocked on Izzy's door.

She heard someone walk to the door on the other side.

"Jack, I don't want to talk to you right now," Izzy said. "Go away."

Elizabeth smiled. "It's not Jack."

Izzy hesitated before she touched the handle.

Elizabeth heard the lock slide open and the door opened. She entered and smiled at Izzy. Izzy attempted one back, but she was still too mad to be pleasant.

"Elizabeth," she said. "This really isn't a good time to talk to me. I'm not in the best of moods."

"As I've heard."

"You heard the whole thing?" Izzy asked.

"I did."

Izzy winced. Elizabeth quietly laughed at her.

"I think what you said was brilliant," she said. "You've no idea how right you were."

Izzy looked closely at her. "You're serious?"

"Of course," she said. "You don't believe me?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I've been having really bad experiences with pirates lately."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Yes, I can see what you mean. Why don't we sit down and talk."

Izzy glanced at Tommy uncertainly.

"Don't worry about him," Elizabeth said following her gaze. "He's gonna be asleep for a while after all the rum he drank."

"I couldn't think of any other way," Izzy said.

"I would have done the same thing," Elizabeth concluded. "Come, let's sit by the window."

She led the way over the window seat that was gigantic enough to fit five people comfortably. They sat facing each other.

"Let me start by saying that what you did earlier today, Izzy took guts. Not every person has guts. And as you've seen, very few pirates. You risked your life to save a fourteen year old boy's. But I can also see why Jack was upset."

"Why in the bloody name of pirate would Jack Sparrow care about me? He basically told me he doesn't care about his crew, why should I be any different?"

Elizabeth laughed. "That is a question you're going to have to ask him. He's the only one who can tell you what he's feeling; he might not be able to tell you at the moment. He's confused. I've never seen him like this before. You strike a different feeling in him. I don't think he understands it. I'm the closest thing he's ever had to a friend. He looks at women like they're toys and not something to be cherished."

It was Izzy's turn to laugh. "You make it sound like he's half in love with me!"

"I think he might be."

"Do you realize how crazy that sounds? The mighty Captain Jack Sparrow might possibly be in love with Miss Isabella Peregrine?"

"Yes, I know it's strange. I never thought I'd see the day where I thought I'd be saying this. The way he looks at you…I've never seen him look at anyone that way before."

"Let's put this to the side for now so I can think about this," Izzy said uncomfortable. "What do you know about Tommy's past?"

"Jack told me when I got on board a few weeks ago. When Jack was in Tortuga, little Tommy Michael came to him in the pub. He said he needed some money and was willing to do just about anything to get it. Jack asked him what his story was and Tommy hesitated. Jack asked about his folks and Tommy's eyes filled with tears. Tommy told Jack about the little house he'd lived in at Port Mason for fourteen years. He had a little brother named Joey and they were best friends. His father worked round the clock to make ends meet. Tommy loved his mother. About three and a half months ago, there was a house fire. It was in the middle of the night and Tommy, Joey and their mother were sleeping. Tommy got out just in time, but his mother and brother didn't.

Tommy lived with his neighbor until his father came home to visit. Tommy explained to his father what had happened and his father went crazy. Tommy's father disowned him and told him to go away and never come back. So, Tommy's took off to the first place he could think of, Tortuga. He found Jack there and gave him a job. Jack told me he doesn't have a soft spot for kids, but I don't believe him. There's something about Tommy that touches him in a special way that I don't understand. No one knows who's Tommy's legal guardian right now, so Jack has taken him under his wing secretly."

Tears poured down Izzy's cheeks as well as Elizabeth's. Both women wiped at their faces until the tears stopped.

Izzy stood and walked to Tommy. She reached out and brushed her finger tips against his cheek.

She knew what it was like not to have a mother, and a father who didn't really want her. A father who was overtaken by grief and had lost his mind. Izzy felt for him.

Izzy turned back to Elizabeth. "I think I'm going to help raise Tommy," she said. "I know what he's going through and I think I can help him."

Elizabeth stood. "Then I'll leave you to your thoughts."

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Elizabeth smiled.

"Everyone needs someone to talk to once in a while."

With that, she left Izzy staring down at the mentally and physically scared little boy.

Coming up…

What will Jack say to Izzy's idea of helping raise little Tommy?

Will Elizabeth figure out why Jack took Tommy under his wing?

Will anyone figure out why Jack denies himself of having a tender side, especially toward people?