I'm alive!

Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long to write; I've been very busy, with apply to college and with school work, and whatnot. But I'm finally done! Not just with this chapter, but with the whole story (well, excluding the epilogue, but I want to write that after seeing how you guys respond to the ending.) I originally was going to have this chapter and the next one connect, but I was able to find a good stopping place and I took it. I will apologize in advance, though. You'll see why.

Also, this chapter might seem a bit disconnected, but that's mostly because I wrote it over the span of several days. I did my best to edit this chapter, but... Well, I finished this last night, so I've not had that much time to edit. The only reason I was able to finish, by the way, was because I had an audition for a summer camp that took several hours, hours in which I was stuck doing nothing. So thank goodness for that, eh?

Anyway! I wanted to take this time to thank everyone who has stuck with me thus far. I know I'm not the best writer in the world, but I'm doing my best. I've even managed to pass 600 kudos on AO3, which was a goal of mine, so thank you all so much!

Please remember to comment/review! They let me know how you feel.

Enjoy!

"Dipper. Wake up," a soft voice called, accompanied by a gentle shake of his shoulder. The boy scrunched up his face, turning over into the soft sheets below him.

"Not now, Mabel. Let me sleep," the boy slurred, closing his eyes even tighter to hold onto the warm tendrils of sleep he still felt so keenly. He couldn't remember the dream he had been having, but he knew that it hadn't been awful, might even have been warm. Part of him wanted to return to it. Distantly he heard a soft snort, before the blankets were ripped off his body, the frigid air forcing his eyes wide open, his mind suddenly wide awake.

"Sorry, Pine Tree, but we're on a bit of a schedule. And I'm not your sister," a dry voice said, a hint of humor coloring it. With bleary, confused eyes, Dipper squinted up at the face that was hovering over his, blinking at the bright gold he saw. It was then he remembered where he was, his heart plummeting even as he smiled at the face above him.

"Oh. Hey Bill. Sorry, I, uh… was tired." Still was tired, but he knew better at this point than to argue with his captain when he wanted something to be done. He looked over at the window that was across from the bed, frowning when he saw the absolute darkness outside.

"Uh, Bill? Why did you wake me?" Dipper questioned, sitting up and stretching his limbs. His sleepy eyes watched as Bill grinned at him, that same manic and sharp grin that was so utterly wrong. His eye had a gleam in it, one that spoke almost of desperation. It woke Dipper up completely, concern flooding him as he wondered what was bothering the man who held his heart.

"We've arrived at our destination. Sorry to wake you, but we can't wait for the morning, not for this." Bill grinned, his teeth gleaming in the lantern light. Dipper couldn't help but feel disturbed, a small shutter travelling unbidden through his body.

"And what exactly is 'this?' Bill, what is going on? You've been keeping a secret these past several days, and I'm getting kind of worried." Dipper spoke, his sleep-addled mind not stopping him in time like it usually did. Luckily, Bill did nothing but continue to grin, so wide Dipper was sure the man's face must be hurting something fierce.

"You'll see very soon, Pine Tree, don't you worry. Now, get up. We've got work to do."

With those words Bill stood up, striding over to the chest he kept in front of his bed. Dipper watched with sleepy eyes as the man opened it and took out a pistol and some bullets, as well as his captain's hat. Once Bill was done, he looked up at Dipper and raised an eyebrow.

"Well Pine Tree? Are ya coming?"

Despite his exhaustion, Dipper scrambled up, wincing slightly as his muscle pulled. With a yawn, he looked once more at the darkness outside.

"Bill? What time is it?" The boy asked, curious as to how early his captain wanted them to do whatever it was they were doing. He knew he had gotten to sleep at a little before twenty-three hundred, but he felt like he hadn't gotten any rest at all.

"Oh, about three!" Bill chimed cheerfully, grinning at the boy. Dipper, in response, groaned. So he had gotten four, maybe five hours of sleep. How wonderful. His response just made his captain grin wider, so Dipper kept any further complaints to himself.

The only good thing about all of this, Dipper thought as he followed his captain out of the cabin, was that he would finally find out what was going on. Why Bill had been avoiding him, why the crew was acting so strange around him. He'd finally have an answer. He just hoped that the answer wouldn't injure him beyond repair. After all, some answers were better off not discovered.

Once out of the cabin, Dipper was forced to squint to see, the all-encompassing darkness that laid outside too thick for his eyes to adjust to. He felt his arm get grabbed, Bill gently tugging him over to the right. As they walked, Dipper was able to make out a single lantern hanging above the door to the below decks, which appeared to be their destination.

As he followed Bill over to the ladder, Dipper was surprised to see the majority of the crew standing around the entrance, their weapons drawn and their bodies fully clothed. For a moment, his mind still muddled and confused, Dipper was afraid that they were going to kill him. Then he noticed that they were all looking at Bill expectantly, ignoring him completely as they shifted their bodies to put their attention fully on their captain. Dipper, with little else to do, followed their lead and looked up at his captain, eyes full of confusion and slight fear. Bill, however, did not look down at him, looking instead at his collective crew.

"Alright men. So we all know the plan, right? In, out. Kill everyone who gets in your way. Burn the ship on our way out. You know, the usual. Got it?" Bill stated quietly, his golden eye flittering from one man to another. The other pirates nodded, voicing their consent as one with wicked grins on their faces, grasping their weapons tightly in their hands. Bill grinned sharply in response, eye gleaming in the pale lantern light.

"Good. Now, if any of you find the map, bring it directly to me. We're not leaving without either the map, or the treasure." Bill remarked, glancing over the crew once more before turning to go. He paused a second later, however, and turned back with a dark grin. "Oh, and remember; leave the captain to me."

With that, Bill turned and sauntered away, the men dispersing as well to their usual position. Dipper, still as lost as ever, hurried after his captain, his heart thudding in his chest. From what he had heard, it sounded… it sounded almost like they were raiding a ship. But… but Bill wouldn't do that, would he? Not when he was there. Right?

"S-so Bill! Uh, w-what's going on?" Dipper asked nervously once more, knowing it was futile but still hoping against hope he'd actually get an answer this time. He felt his heart drop when Bill just grinned down at him. In the darkness, all Dipper could see was a single eye and a row of sharp, glittering teeth. It made for a formidable sight.

"Never you mind, Pine Tree. Just stick close to me and you'll be fine." Bill stated, continuing to walk to the port side of the ship. Dipper continued to follow, though part of him was wanting to run back to the cabin and forget everything. Bill wouldn't really bring him along on a raid, would he? No. Bill… Bill wouldn't do that. Not after learning about Dipper's past. Bill wouldn't do that to him. He wouldn't. He wouldn't.

Once the two reached the port side of the ship, Bill handed Dipper something without even looking at the boy. Dipper realized as he grabbed the object that Bill must have been carrying it the entire time without him having realized it, the darkness masking the thin object. Dipper found that he was not surprised when he examined it in the pale light and saw that it was the sheath to the sword he had been practicing with for the past several days. Somehow, he had expected it, though he couldn't help the feeling of utter horror that washed over him. Dear God, he thought desperately, what was about to happen? Dipper had a feeling that he really, really did not want to find out.

Dipper waited with bated breath as the pirates got ready around them, men milling around with focussed energy. It was so synchronized, it was like that had done this a million times before. Probably had, Dipper thought morbidly, gazing at the sheath he carried in his hand, the deadly blade hidden within. He was no fool. He knew what was going on. He just had no idea what it had to do with him. Well, technically that was a lie. He had an idea. He just was praying to any god that was listening that his idea was false. Because, if Bill was really expecting him to participate in a raid… well, he didn't even want to think of it. Too bad he might end up having to.

As the other pirates got ready, Bill simply stood at the side of the ship, gazing at the open ocean, an expression of concentration on his face. Dipper followed Bill's gaze and also looked out at the ocean, part of him hoping to be calmed by its usually soothing presence, yet he found that he could not even see the waves below. The darkness was so absolute, the moon and stars obscured by thick, angry clouds. Dipper could barely see anything, let alone the ocean. Somehow, he felt that this was an omen for what was to come.

After a while a thin man with shocking red hair came up to Bill and whispered softly into his ear. Dipper watched as Bill cocked his head to the side, considering something, before nodding quickly. The thin man nodded back and left, stalking in the direction of the helm. Dipper, confused as ever yet starting to become resigned to the feeling, looked away from the thin man and back up at Bill, who was grinning down at him.

"That was the navigator. He'll be steering the ship while I'm… busy." Bill explained, an excited glint in his eye. Like a child at a candy shop, Dipper thought dryly as he looked at his captain. "Looks like we're almost ready, Pine Tree. Just a few more minutes and we'll be there. Stick close to me, alright? Don't want you getting lost."

"… Alright, Bill." Dipper uttered after a long pause, his heart sinking more and more as the minutes passed. Whatever was going on was most definitely not something he was going to enjoy. He'd just have to suck it up, he supposed. This was… this was something he'd have to get used to, if he wanted to stay with Bill. He tried to ignore the bile that rose in his throat at the thought.

Time passed slowly after that, the boy doing his best to not hyperventilate as the ship inched along in the shadow of the moon. After a few minutes passed, The Nightmare got close enough that Dipper was able to see the hazy outline of another ship in front of them, slightly smaller than the one they were on, yet still formidable. It did not remind him of any ship he had seen before, however, in any of the harbors he had been to or while his great uncle traded. It did look beat up and worn down, though, the wood almost rotting if his eyes were not deceiving him. Perhaps an old sailing vessel?

With a frown, the boy looked closer, squinting his eyes to see in the encompassing darkness. It was still too dark to really see, but he was almost able to make out the top of the ship, where any indicating flag might fly. He was curious as to which ship it was they were about to… to pillage, as it would give indication as to what was required of him. Plus, it gave him something to focus on, something to take his mind off his utter revulsion to the present going-ons.

As he was staring out, the clouds parted for a brief moment, light peeking out through the thick mass. He smiled briefly at his luck, the light that was shining just enough that he could catch sight of the flag he was looking to find. Squinting once more, the boy trained his eyes onto the billowing flag, trying to spot the color.

After a moment, the boy finally spotted it, but instead of the triumph he had been expecting to feel at his success, he felt a feeling of dread that chilled him to the soul, his stomach sinking the moment he fully saw the flag the ship bore. His eyes tore over the bright, fiery red flag with golden accents, hoping against hope that his eyes were deceiving him. That it was not that flag.

That it wasn't the flag of the pirate ship that murdered his parents.

Dipper stumbled back a step, having finally processed that it was not a deception of his eyes, his knees weakening and his mind blanking as he realized what this meant. Letting out a soft gasp, he stood in muted horror, the hair standing on the back of his neck. In his mind's eye, all he could see were flames, his nostrils flooding with the scent of his parents' burning flesh. He found, for a brief second, that he was unable to breath, unable to think, trapped in a memory from a year before.

He had seen the flag hung above Town Hall, burned at the edges but still hanging, tall and proud, mocking him with its presence. He had stared at that flag for hours, the King's men too busy to take it down, worrying more about helping those still alive than a simple flag. It had burned into his memory, filling him with a deep rage that he had held inside himself, locked away behind miles of apathy and pain. Now, as he stared at the very same flag, he felt that rage fill him, intermingled with the panic and fear.

Frozen with shock, he continued to stare at the flag even after the light faded away into pitch black, his heart numb and his mind bombarded with pained memories. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his shoulder that he was jolted from his terror, his eyes ripping from the flag he could no longer see. In the darkness he looked in the direction of his captain, the man's face shrouded in shadow, yet the boy could still make out a hint of concern.

"Alright there, Pine Tree?" His captain asked, head cocked slightly to the left. Still in shock, Dipper nodded absently, even though he was far from alright. He felt like he was about to vomit, unsure what to think, about anything. Not only were they about to pillage a ship, but they were about to pillage that ship? Were they even pillaging, or were they here on a social call? Dipper didn't know. He tried to think, to come up with a solution, but his mind had blanked. He was frozen, heart and mind numb and aching.

Bill was unable to offer anymore words because a second later the ship stopped, causing Bill to look ahead, his wicked grin coming back to his face.

"Show time." The man muttered, taking out his cutlass from its sheath. Dipper could only watch with numb curiosity as the man lifted the blade into the air, the silver catching the light from a lantern that had just been turned on behind them. A few moments passed before the cutlass sliced down, the glare of light abruptly vanishing into nothingness. Then, like a call of thunder, a roar rose from their ship, every man screaming as one as they invaded the neighboring ship. Dipper could see as the men swung and leapt across the divide, fire suddenly everywhere as the men abandoned discretion now that they were boarding. Had Dipper not been completely numb, he might have found the process interesting. Terrifying, but interesting. Too bad all he could feel was horror.

He felt his arm get tugged a few moments later, his eyes tearing away from the pirates and finding Bill, his golden eye glowing red in the fire light.

"Come on, Pine Tree. We've got a job to do. Don't worry; I'll make sure you make it out safe. But keep hold of that sword, just in case." The man reassured softly, his eye gentler than the boy had ever seen it. Even with the horror he felt, Dipper found himself slightly comforted by the look, his heart beating again and his mind unfreezing. Taking a deep, though staggered breath, the boy nodded. Much to his relief, a warm hand drifted down to take his a moment later, giving him something to focus on. Twining their fingers, Dipper squeezed gently, turning to the ship that was ablaze with action. Pushing out all thoughts, Dipper carefully followed Bill across a gangplank that must have been placed while he had been distracted, making sure to not let go of his captain's hand.

Aboard the ship, all Dipper could notice were the blinding flames around them, glowing in the hazy night. It was as if the ship itself was on fire, the boy thought, flames from lanterns abundant all around. The acrid stench of smoke filled the air, making the boy gag, his mind trying to bombard him with memories he didn't want to remember. Pushing them down, Dipper followed his captain as the man stalked forward, his own blade held limply in his hand, still sheathed.

The sounds of battle were deafening as the two moved across the ship swiftly, screams of joy and anger echoing across the empty seas around them. It made Dipper shiver, especially when he saw bright red blood flowing onto the deck below, mixing with salt water. Tightening his grip on Bill's hand, Dipper moved closer to his captain, needing to feel his presence close to him. He had no idea where they were going, but Dipper knew that as long as he was with Bill, he'd be safe. Bill would never allow anything bad to happen to him. He was sure of it.

It was as the two were nearly at the ladder to the below decks that he caught sight of a face he recognized, forcing the boy to stop dead in his tracks despite the harsh tug it caused on his arm.

With widened eyes, Dipper stared at the profile of the pirate so familiar to him, the pirate he once saw every night in his sleep. The pirate who had tried to kill him and his sister; the pirate who had assisted in killing his parents. With an eye patch over his right eye, the pirate snarled as he fought against members of Bill's crew, his face aglow in the lantern light. Dipper could feel his arm getting tugged, could distantly hear someone calling to him, but all he could see was that face. All he could feel was panic, fear, and a deep, intense rage. He was once more frozen in time, stuck in a moment that felt far too much like an eternity.

"It's him." Dipper muttered, almost unaware that he had even spoken. He felt the tugging on his arm cease, but he barely paid it any mind. "The man who helped kill my parents."

Long moments passed, Dipper staring at the fight that was taking place. It seemed pretty fierce, Bill's men seemingly fighting to the death. Three against one, though, gave Bill's men an unfair advantage that Dipper couldn't help but revel in. Finally, after an unknown amount of time had passed, Dipper frozen and Bill vibrating anxiously, the man fell, his shirt staining bright red. It seemed that Bill's men would be content with that, starting to move on, but then one looked up at where Bill and Dipper were standing. After a second of debate, the pirate staring directly at Bill, he turned back to the pirate on the ground and stabbed him straight through the heart, killing him instantly. Dipper tried not to acknowledge the sick glee he felt at the sight. He couldn't quite mange to get rid of the nausea in his gut, though.

"There," Bill muttered softly, "he's dead now. Come on, Pine Tree. We need to get going. Now."

Dipper, heart still squeezing in his chest, listened to his captain and followed the man to wherever it was he wanted to go. As he walked, part of him couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to have a new vision in his nightmares from now on. Despite all the death that plagued his young life, he'd never actually seen someone die before.

While Dipper was stuck in his thoughts, skin pale and ghostlike, Bill lead them over to the ship's captain's quarters, taking his gun and shooting the lock, his hand slipping out of Dipper's. The loud shot broke Dipper from his stupor, causing the boy to stare at the broken door.

"Stay behind me." Bill commanded, flinging the door open so he could enter it. With a saunter, Bill strode forward, grinning sharply at the pirate who stood near the window of the room, tall and seemingly assured.

"Ah, Captain Cipher. Ta what do I owe this pleasure?" The pirate questioned, raising a bushy eyebrow, shifting his body so he could look at the new additions to the room. As the pirate did this, Dipper took his time to look over the man.

The pirate was wearing a dark black jacket- similar to Bill's yet far more shabby- though underneath it was clear his clothes were rumpled, like he had woken up only a few minutes before hand. His face had a long, dirty brown beard and he had long, tumbling curls atop his head, tangled and in disarray. His skin, from what the boy could see in the dim lighting, was cracked and wrinkled from the sun and age. Despite his aged and harried look, however, the pirate stood up straight with his hands behind his back, perfectly portraying nonchalance and boredom. Taking the look in, the boy's skin went paler and his heart stuttered. Oh, he knew who this pirate was. While he had never met him, he had heard tales. Had seen wanted posters, perfectly depicting the monster he had never wanted to meet. Unbidden, his breath hitched in his throat, causing the pirate's gaze to snap to him.

"Oh, an' who is this? Bringin' swabbies with ye on th' job, Cipher?" The pirate's gaze was sharp and the grin on his face was almost feral. Dipper did his best to not shake.

"Thought the boy could do with seeing how a raid works, Hallow. And seeing as how you have something my men and I want, your ship seemed the best option." Bill claimed casually, shrugging as if this all was just a business deal. The other pirate nodded thoughtfully, playing the part.

"Very well. Though, I find that ye will be disappointed, Cipher. That map ye was lookin' fer has been traded. Didn' wan' the hassle o' it, ye see. B'sides, searchin' fer treasure is a waste o' time, in me book." The pirate claimed, shifting back to look out at the chaos outside his window. The sounds of battle were softer in here than outside, but not by much.

"Oh, looks like my men will be mightily disappointed, then." Bill drawled, shrugging carelessly. "Good thing that was not the reason why I came here today."

The pirate raised his eyebrows at Bill, before nodding solemnly.

"I see. And what is it ye be wantin' then, Cipher? Gold? Weapons? Aye, but ye could jus' get those 'bout anywhere. So why come here, specific'lly?"

Bill grinned sharply at the pirate, before lifting his sword, allowing it to gleam in the dim lantern light.

"Why, to have a good ol' fashioned duel, of course!" His captain exclaimed cheerfully, his eye glinting with manic excitement. Dipper took a deep breath and looked away.

"Hm. Well, I s'posse I can't deny ye. To th' death?"

"Is there any other kind of duel?"

There was a pause before Dipper heard the sound of fabric moving, then the heavy sound of boots thunking against hardwood. A soft sigh filled the air, before words filled the empty space. Dipper reluctantly looked up, eyes warily meeting the pirate's visage.

"S'ppose not. Alrighty, Cipher. If ye have a death wish, who am I ta deny ye?" The pirate shrugged casually, lazily taking his sword out from his sheath, the cutlass deadly sharp and pointed. Bill, finally putting away the gun that still lingered in his hands, grinned back and gestured to the doorway.

"Let's get started, shall we? Outside, of course. No need to be all cramped while fighting, am I right?"

With that, Bill sauntered outside, ushering Dipper subtly ahead of him. Dipper could hear the pirate following, his boots thudding against the wooden floor.

Outside, the sounds of battle intensified, the chaos thick around them. The opposing pirate captain looked around, frowning as he saw his men fighting against Bill's, the disheveled pirates struggling to hold their own against the onslaught of attacks. At first they had been outnumbered, the pirates who were still awake standing guard no match for the dozens that flooded their ship. Even now, with the extra pirates flooding in from the below decks, it was clear to Dipper that the opposing ship was struggling to defend itself, the pirates tired from having been awoken so suddenly. He found himself feeling a smidgen of vindictive glee at that.

Dipper was forced to take his eyes off the fighting when he heard Bill's high-pitched voice cut across the battling, causing many of the men to cease and look his way.

"Well, well, well! What a beautiful night for a death battle, eh Captain Hallow?" Bill chirped gleefully, expertly swinging his sword in his left hand, his grin wide and sharp. The opposing captain, however, looked grim, his aged face tight and taut.

"What glee ye take, Captain Cipher. Too much, one would say," the pirate rejoined, brandishing his sword far more subtly than Bill had. The fighting around the two pirates had calmed by this point, the majority of the men watching the two pirate captains with anticipation. There was an isolated fight here and there, but everything was mostly silent, like the world itself was holding its breath.

"I take as much glee as is my right, Captain Hallow! Fighting is such a rush, after all." Bill grinned, before striking. Captain Hallow parried quickly, the blades meeting in a wave of sparks.

With a fluid swing, Bill tore his sword back and swung again, his grin wide, his eye shining. Again the other pirate parried, blocking the strike with a fierce expression on his face.

"That th' best ye got, laddie?" Hallow growled, swinging back at Bill with a fervor. Bill dodged, coming back at Hallow with a quick swipe to his back.

"Not in the slightest!" Bill chimed, looking calm and cool, like he was simply enjoying lunch.

Dipper, forced to watch the two men fight, backed up as far as he could go, his back pressing bitterly against the wooden railing. He could feel splitters attacking his spine, yet he dared not move, the fluid motions in front of him catching his attention. Distantly Dipper noticed that the battles around the two had started up again, Bill's men taking advantage of the lax of attention, pressing Hallow's men back. The boy couldn't focus on them, however, his terrified eyes glued to the two men in front of him.

With another swing, Dipper watched Bill catch the left sleeve of his opponent, warm blood soaking the dirty cloth. Hallow cursed loudly, though he had no time to even look at the wound before Bill swung again, his motions controlled. Hallow barely had time to lift his blade in defense. Bill let out a gleeful laugh, the high sound ringing around the ship, sounding almost supernatural in origin. Shivers crept up Dipper's back.

"Had enough, Hallow?" Bill cackled, his body pressing Hallow's back as far as the pirate could go. Hallow growled once more, pushing Bill back with tremendous strength. Bill stumbled back, but let out another cackle, his eye alight with manic glee. The man found his footing quickly and caught a swing Hallow had released.

Minutes passed, the battle getting steadily more aggressive. All the while Bill kept his grin up, laughing even as he caught a blade to his thigh. Dipper didn't want to keep watching, his heart pounding in his chest, yet he couldn't tear his eyes away.

For a while, everything was going well, the two men seemingly matched in strength. Then, out of nowhere, Hallow struck Bill's legs out from under him, so quick Dipper had barely seen the pirate move. The boy felt his breath stutter to a halt, his eyes wide as he watched Bill lie splayed on the ground, his cutlass scattering a few feet away. Just as Hallow was about to make a killing blow, a cruel grin on his face, Bill took out his dagger and diverted the blade to the right, giving the man enough time to off balance his opponent and roll to the side to where his cutlass had landed. Dipper felt some of his breath return when he saw the grin that was still on Bill's face. As long as he was grinning, he was in control. At least, that's what Dipper wanted to believe.

"Oh, Jacky! That's not playing by the rules! Naughty naughty!" Bill laughed, grasping his sword quickly, turning back to his opponent. Instead of attacking instantly, Bill allowed Hallow to stand and take hold of his sword, his chest rising and falling steadily. Hallow stood as quickly as he could, chest heaving, with his teeth barred.

"We're pirates, William. Thar be no rules." Hallow hissed, his shoulder bleeding profusely. Bill laughed.

"Oh, Jacky, we might be pirates, but we're hardly uncivilized! Not like we're Vikings, eh?"

Swinging, Bill struck Hallow again, sparks flying as the two men battled once more. Minutes passed, the two getting visibly more disheveled. Bill had three gashes; one on his thigh, one on his left shoulder, and one across his chest. He was still grinning, though, so Dipper tried not to feel too concerned. Bill was now, however, fighting with his right hand, which made Dipper wonder which hand he usually fought with, as he seemed just as adept with the right as the left.

Finally, just as the battles around them had started to die down, Bill gained the upper hand. With an upwards thrust Bill managed to cut into Hallow's wrist, causing the pirate to hiss and drop his cutlass. Before the pirate could pick the sword back up, Bill kicked it away, over the side of the ship and into the black ink below. With a thrust, Bill had the pirate on the ground, sword at his throat, grinning like the cat that caught the canary. Dipper felt his breathing start again, taking in a deep, shuttering breath. Finally, he thought. It was over.

Before he could fully relax, though, he felt more than saw Bill turn towards him, that golden eye piercing his skin. Something in the gaze told the boy that whatever was happening next, he would not enjoy it.

"Dipper. Come here." Bill commanded, his face suddenly serious. The grin was still there, but it was less intense. More for show than anything else. Had Dipper not been pressed up against the railing, he would have backed up, training be damned. As it was, it took him several long seconds to unglue himself from the rail, taking small, shaking steps forward. All the while Captain Hallow laid on the back, Bill's sword hovering an inch from his throat. The pirate seemed to know when he was beat, as he did not try to get up. Perhaps trying to bide his time, Dipper thought absently. Or he knew that had he tried to escape, Bill would simply shoot him. Either way.

Finally, after an eternity had passed, Dipper found his way to Bill's side, wide, mahogany eyes trained on his captain's face. Bill had a softer look in his eye than he had while fighting, which put Dipper only slightly more at ease.

"Take out your sword, Pine Tree." Bill said, voice soft and private. Not like he had before, when he was loud enough the whole ship could hear him. This was intimate, meant only for the two of them. It was for this reason alone that Dipper did as his captain asked and took his sword out of the sheath. He barely even thought as he did it, simply doing it because Bill had asked. Like it was almost against his will.

"Face Jackson." Bill commanded, his voice still soft, still soothing and intimate. Dipper did as asked once more, looking down at the pirate captain Bill had at his mercy. The pirate was looking up at the two of them, grizzled face stony and impassive, watching what was happening with sharp eyes. Dipper gazed back with dispassion, heart frozen and cold as he stared at the man who ruined his life. The man who had been the instigator of the murder of his parents. It was only now, staring at the splayed pirate, that he realized this. Before he had been too shocked, too afraid. But now he had the time to let the situation settle in his mind. Now, now he was able to remember who this man- no, monster- was, what this monster had done to him, to his sister. As he stared down, he felt an intense hatred and disgust fill him, his hand instinctively clenching the hilt of his sword.

Unknown to the boy, as engrossed as he was in the pirate at his feet, Bill was staring at him, taking in the poorly repressed rage and hurt that flooded his face. Had he been watching, the boy would have noticed the small smile the man had on his face, as well as the infinitesimal nod. Yet, the boy was not watching, so when he felt Bill's hand grasp his shoulder, when he felt warm breath caress his ear, he jolted, a minuscule motion noticed only by the man next to him. Before he could turn to face his captain, Bill spoke, soft words that were laced with honey.

"Kill him."

Deadly words spoken with a sweet, forked tongue. Dipper's breath hitched, even as he felt something in him respond to the words, the meaning behind them resonating with something primal inside of him. The boy stared at the monster at his feet, the monster who had taken everything from him. His parents, his sister; his life. The monster who had taken so many lives, who felt no remorse. The monster he hated with every fiber in his body. Without thought, Dipper raised his sword, barely noticing the warmth on his shoulder disappearing. All he noticed was the feelings of anger, of rage, of sadness, and regret, and despair. Feelings that swirled inside of him, feelings that demanded he get what he so rightly deserved.

Revenge was the sweetest dish, after all.

The pirate looked up, a small smirk on his face, eyes flittering from Dipper to Bill. The man spoke words, but Dipper couldn't hear, his mind focussed only on what he was feeling, unable to comprehend anything else. Later he would realize the pirate had been saying, "Really, Cipher, lettin' th' child finish yer job? Can th' boy not have fought me on 'is own? He need 'is cap'n ta fight fer 'im?" But at the moment, the words did not matter. Nothing mattered. Just the blade in his hands and the sweet words echoing in his head. Stepping forward, Dipper raised the sword, his eyes staring deep into pools of black, so dark they seemed to pull light into them. An eternity passed, Dipper's previously frozen heart pounding, the only things that existed in the world the monster in front of him and the weight of the sword in his hand. The time for a decision had come.

Too bad he had no idea what that decision was.

Taking a deep breath, Dipper took one more step forward, so he was towering over the pirate on the ground, blade raised high. The world froze, hanging on this momentous moment.

An exhale. Then, slowly, the blade descended.

Aha, I'm not a very nice person, am I? Making you wait two months only to end on a cliffhanger. Well, fear not. If enough people ask it, I will consider posting the last chapter tomorrow instead of next week. Personally, I'd like to wait, just to give me more time to edit, but if you really want it I'll post sooner. (Also, this isn't a "Comment or I won't post!" type thing. It's more that I'd like to wait, but I understand if you guys want me to post early. Just know that it won't be as edited as it could be.)

Also, I apologize if the fighting scene was kind of weak. I'm not a big fan of writing action, so I'm kind of iffy at it. I hope it wasn't awful. I also hope the ending didn't seem... rushed or anything. As I said, it originally was going to connect with the next, continuing on in one long chapter, but I felt that it read better split.