Hello, next chapter. :) I really hope you guys are enjoying, after all, since I get no feedback, I have really no idea what you think.

So, really, please review. I'd love feedback, suggestions, etc.

I woke up with a headache, and I rubbed my head, where I remembered receiving the blow. As I remembered the attack, I sat up quickly, making my head spin. I moaned, and blinked rapidly until my vision cleared and my head stopped spinning. I was laying on a cot in a stone cell. It looked like one of the cells in the basement of the governor's house.

I groaned and lay back down on the cot. I was in the governor's house, which meant that I was currently a prisoner of the law, which meant they had found out about Alfred and Kirkland and his crew.

I sat up as I heard footsteps approaching. Not surprisingly, it was the governor, flanked by two soldiers. "Hello, governor," I said.

"Good evening, Miss Jones. I'm terribly sorry for this treatment, but I'm afraid you will have to stay here for a while longer, that is, until we catch your brother and his pirate friends."

I sighed. "How did you find out?"

"The soldiers who visited last night kept a watch on you, and when they discovered that you were related to the infamous Alfred Jones, and that you were friends with Kirkland and his crew, we decided it best to take you into custody in order to capture the pirates."

I sighed. "Why did you not just attack?"

"We felt it would be safer for you to use you as bait, rather than to risk having you harmed in a battle."

I sighed. "Why are you not going to punish me?"

"You are a woman, and your delicate mentality was most likely overpowered by your brother. A woman's love for her family is stronger than any duty she may feel. We don't blame you for your actions."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Men had the lowest opinions of women. Granted, my choice to protect Alfred and his pirate friends stemmed from the fact that he was my brother, but I made the decision myself, and I loved him completely. I would rather die with him, then have him die while I remain alive because I was too weak to make my own decisions.

I nodded in assent, and thanked him quietly, after all, he was being generous, in a way. He gave me some food then left. I picked at the food, but had no appetite and lay back down on the cot, praying that Alfred would not try to come rescue me, even though I knew that he was bound to do so the moment he found out about my predicament.

Even when we were children, he had a habit of trying to protect me and Matthew, claiming to be the "Hero." We always laughed together about it, but I knew that, even though he had become a pirate, at heart, he was still, and always had been, that Hero-type personality who wanted to do nothing more than protect and rescue people in distress.

I wondered how they intended on getting the message to them. I asked the governor when he came back from lunch. He looked extremely pleased with himself when he answered. "I put it on all the wanted posters. I know they notice them, they always go missing, and so I put a message to your brother, telling him that, if he wants you alive and well, he will come here with his crew."

I paled. Those were the perfect words to get Alfred running back here in an instant.

He smiled. "Don't worry, we won't harm you, even if he never comes. If he doesn't come in a year, we will release you. We are not barbarians."

I nodded numbly and they left. I sat on my cot, pulled my legs to my chest, and began to cry. It was quiet, there was no need to bring attention to my pain.

I dreaded the day that Alfred would arrive, bring his friends with him because, more than likely, he would convince them to come with him, one way or another. And, I knew, from what I had seen, that they would willingly come. They were a band of brothers and supported each other, even if they had squabbles among themselves. When it mattered, they worked together. And that was what I feared most. They would come to save me, together, then I would have to watch them all hang, together.

I choked on the air as the gruesome image rose, unbidden, to my mind. Alfred was going to die, and so was everyone else, and there was nothing I could about it. I had none of my weapons, and I had no way of escaping. They were doomed, and I feared that I might be as well, for losing Alfred was something that haunted my dreams. To have it become reality made my heart stop.

Sort of a cliffhanger. But only sort of. Anyway, review and tell me what you think!