Sorry for not updating for a little time again, this stupid finger is making it really hard to type. I know it's a small injury, but it sure is annoying! I hope I can start updating at a quicker pace again. I can't thank all of you enough for reading and writing reviews! It really makes my day!

Edit: I went back and changed Mr. Adler's name, I forgot that I already named him in a previous chapter!

I watched Nate vigilantly, watching his head resting on his arm as it lolled from side to side along with the boat and the current. The fight he had with his wife the previous night was bad and he was feeling that crushing (more like suffocating) emotion that was regret. I wanted to go comfort him, but what could I say? I had a failed marriage myself, and my hubby was riding around with an army that would most likely kill me given the circumstance. All I could do was stare at Nate's slumping figure with furrowed brows, brushing my newly cut hair out of my face as the wind whipped it wildly around.

Sam drove the boat excitedly and oblivious to his brother's morose attitude, and my worriment. He would glance over his shoulder at me every once and a while, giving me a knowing grin as his eyes wandered (tastefully of course). I would return his smile, unable to control myself. It was a hot day out in the water, so I took advantage of the more summer appropriate wear that I packed and brought to Madagascar. Today was a heather grey biker tank with high-waisted shorts (I knew Sam liked what I was wearing). I wanted to talk to him about last night, but with Nate in earshot I didn't dare open my mouth.

I noticed Sam's eyes light up as he spotted something in the distance as he drove the boat.

"Nathan, Dani!"

"Yeah," Nate mumbled, turning his head toward Sam.

"Land ho."

Nate got up with little enthusiasm and went to stand beside his brother and I as we spotted the mountains of an island materialize in the distance.

"What do you think about that, huh?" Sam was thrilled, but Nate, not so much.

"That's pretty cool…" Nate averted his eyes.

"Take the wheel for a second," Sam told him, going straight for the cooler. "All this running around, surviving by the skin of our teeth, I don't think we've actually taken a moment to step back and appreciate just how far we've come." Sam took out three beers from the cooler, popped off the caps and tossed them in the ocean (I shot him a disapproving look for that), and handed Nate and I a beer.

I held it hesitantly in my hands, the chilliness from the bottle numbing my fingers. I wasn't a big fan of beer, but I wouldn't mind making a toast. Hell, we made it this far, and being this close means maybe Simmons will cut me some slack.

Sam held up his beer, "sic parvis magna."

"Sic parvis magna," Nate and I repeated in unison, clinking the bottles together before taking a gulp.

Sam peered at Nate knowingly as he rested a hand on my shoulder.

"Listen little brother, she will get over it," Sam started.

I shot him another disapproving glance. Nate sighed, the discomfort on his face was as clear as crystal. I came from a failed marriage myself; I knew from first-hand experience that spouses don't get over things so easily.

"We bring back a treasure like that, anyone would," Sam continued.

"Sam…" I interjected softly, trying to cue him to stop talking.

Nate shook his head, appearing uncertain and unfazed by Sam's words, "I don't know… maybe I've done this one too many times."

Sam sat down, slightly defeated that his words didn't inspire Nate to uplift his spirits. I gave Nate a supportive tap on the shoulder, taking a sip of my beer (it tasted like watered down soap honestly). Nate shifted the boat into another gear and sped toward the island.

Hours of riding in a boat had brought us to an island that looked like it contained nothing but jungle. Nate and Sam would hop out every once in awhile to explore, but they hadn't found anything really seeming like a clue for Libertalia. All they found were old diary entries. I was beginning to grow bored and anxious, doing nothing but staring into the clear waters. Just seeing how blue the water was made me want to dive in and take a swim. I heard Sam climb back into the boat, heaving himself over the side almost effortlessly.

"I'm sure we're getting close," he assured me, reading my expression.

"I hope so," I replied, forcing myself to sound hopeful.

He stood beside me, his arms resting over the boat, "so, what now?"

I peered over at him, raising my eyebrows in surprise. At first I thought he was talking about Libertalia, then I realized what was really on his mind. I didn't know what to say, really, because I didn't know either.

I shrugged my bare shoulders, "keep doing what we're doing I guess."

Sam looked disgruntled by my answer, "what, that's it?"

"What? No, that's not what I meant. I mean, what do you think we should do?"

What experience did I have? It's not like Rafe and I actually dated before we married.

Sam didn't respond, he was thinking for an answer.

"Maybe we should wait to see where this goes after we find the treasure, and the threat of Simmons and Alcázar isn't hanging over our heads," I explained as I pointed to the both of us, "but I do want you to know that I like you a lot."

Sam chuckled softly, taking out a cigarette to light. "Judging by last night, I can tell."

I could feel hot blush spreading on my cheeks. Nate climbed onto the boat again, readying to go drive the boat around to another side of the island. I hid my face from him, as Sam smoked his cancer stick as casually as he could. Hopefully Nate wouldn't notice the awkward tension, but I'm sure he did.

Eventually Nate spotted a tower on the edge of a cliff. All of us climbed out of the boat and headed up the island to inspect it. The terrain was rough and overgrown, and the paths and wooden bridges that were built God knows when were in decay. As we finally reached the tower, I stared up at it.

"Looks like an old lookout tower," Sam commented as Nate jogged in the entrance. "Let's see if we can spot something from up there.

I waited at the bottom, watching Nate and Sam climb up. As I mentioned before, I was never much of a climber. By the time I would get a quarter of the way they'd already be making their way back down. I took the opportunity to (grudgingly) send Simmons a picture of the tower, and let him know of our progress. He hadn't texted me since he sent me the photo of Holden, and that worried me.

A loud 'clunk' and what sounding like ticking gears made me tear my eyes away from my phone. I gazed upward to see the top of the tower was rotating. Well, the brothers must've figured out something.

I slipped my phone in my shorts' pocket, trying to rid myself of the heavy feeling sitting unpleasantly in the pit of my stomach. I glanced guardedly behind me toward the entrance, half-expecting Simmons to waltz right through. It was a very childlike fear, but it gripped my mind and squeezed it until I started to sweat from actual fright. I almost called up to Sam and Nate to hurry down, but I wouldn't have an actual explanation as to why, 'because my imagination got me?' I kept my mouth shut, still jittery from absolutely nothing.

Nate and Sam grappled down from the rope and came back around the entrance. I nearly jumped out of my boots when Nate rounded the corner.

"Hey we found something, we got to head back to the boat," he paused, noticing me looking spooked, "you okay?"

"Yeah, fine, you just surprised me that's all," I reputed lamely.

"Ah sorry, c'mon let's head out."

I was really getting tired of Avery's clues. We'd been following his clues from all around the world, and now we were literally following arrows hidden in the water and on the beaches. One eventually led us to a cave, which sparked some excitement in us (finally we were getting somewhere, like for real this time). Nate and Sam were climbing a large rock, which left me alone again. Sam felt bad, he offered to throw the rope down for me, but I declined. I told him I'm sure they'd be back down with the boat once Avery sends us on our way again. He wasn't sure how long they'd be gone, so I just told me to text me if they found anything really worthwhile. I would be there to bring the boat around, so I knew it would work out in the end.

I drove the boat out of the cave, but stayed close to the shore. I didn't like being by myself, when I was by myself with nothing to do, that's when my mind started to drift. After Holden died I entered a very dark stage, one I didn't think I would make it out of. When I was left in silence sometimes I could feel that familiar darkness creep back into my consciousness. I couldn't stop the flashbacks; they flooded in like a dam burst.

10 years ago

Holden's coffin was just too damn small, that's what I remember most from his funeral. I was a sobbing, miserable mess that couldn't even speak on the behalf of my own son. My cousin (the arm's dealer) Sophie held me the entire time, stroking my back as my parents remained by my side. I had a black veil pulled down against my face, although masking the tears and my swollen face was impossible. Rafe had gotten up on the podium, his face white as a sheet and his eyes red-rimmed from sleeplessness and crying (though he never shed a tear in front of anyone). He spoke about Holden, though what he exactly said I couldn't recite. His voice was hollow and faraway, like someone was speaking for him from a microphone.

Holden was buried in a cemetery in upper Manhattan along with other deceased relatives of the Adler family. I would bring a fresh bouquet of flowers to his grave everyday, and that was the only time I would get out of bed and leave the mansion. Sophie told me going that much would only make me feel worse, and that my behavior was obsessive, but no one was getting through to me. I would go days without showering, I wouldn't change my clothes, comb my hair, or eat. In the first month I lost so much weight that my skin began to grow tight around my bones. I stopped training in soo bahk do, and I just stopped speaking with anyone almost completely. I slept (when I could sleep), and just let myself wither away. I think that's when the suicidal thoughts really started to plague my mind almost every minute of every day. I thought about different ways I could off myself: filling the bathtub and drowning, jumping off the mansion roof, downing all my prescribed medications at once, cutting myself with a steak knife, driving one of Rafe's expensive cars into a tree, hanging myself – just about every awful option crossed my mind. I had come really close a couple times, but Sophie had been there to stop me.

Sophie and Rafe that was a different story. The two despised each other, and would continuously bicker and even get into screaming matches with each other. The stress levels were tremendously high, and the Regina and Cecil Adler were not very fond of my cousin sticking around.

I was in bed (like most days) when Regina came into my room. She stood over me, her expression pitying and almost unimpressed. That woman barely had a compassionate bone in her body, and what she said to me that day proved it.

"Danielle, these past few weeks have been hell for all of us…"

Silence.

"But you need to snap out of whatever funk you've gotten yourself into and move on. Holden was a dear sweet boy, and he will be greatly missed, but you need to shape up and start being a wife to my son again."

I turned over in the bed to face her, aghast by what she had said. I couldn't believe this woman had the nerve to even speak to a grieving mother like that. I didn't reply, I only watched her with exhausted and lifeless eyes.

"Cecil and I need to be assure an heir after Rafe will be guaranteed, so you should consider-"

"What the hell are you saying to her?" My cousin cut in, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. "Dani just lost her fucking child, YOUR grandchild, and you're already telling her to have another kid?!"

Regina's silver eyes narrowed on her, "this does not concern you! Do not intervene in our family affairs! If you owned a business like we di-"

"Don't give me that shit!" Sophie spat venomously, "you never gave a shit about Dani! All you care about is your son having a child for profit reasons!" Sophie marched over to my bed and grabbed for my arm. "Come one, Dani, we're getting out of this hell hole."

"I am going to call security on you! I want you out of this house immediately!" Regina roared, jabbing a slender and wrinkled finger in her direction. "You were horrendous since the day you came to stay!"

Sophie was "escorted" away from the Adler household, she went and told my parents in detail about my dire situation, and that's exactly how things started to fall apart between the Adlers and my family.

Sam and Nate came swimming out of the cave, clearly enthusiastic about something they found. I had my arms resting on the side of the boat, looking sadly out into the water and at my own pathetic reflection. Ten years and I still can't totally shake the sadness deep down. Nate and Sam climbed into the boat, jabbering on excitedly to each other, and I didn't catch a word of it. My mind was so clouded with the painful memories that I couldn't even comprehend what was going on around me.

Sam's hand engulfed my shoulder, barely shaking me from my thoughts. "You all right, Dani?" Concern was written all over his face. "You seem really upset about something."

I couldn't tell him, I just couldn't. I haven't spoken to anyone about Holden, ever. The only people who knew about him were those who knew me personally.

"I'm just thinking about Simmons, that's all," I lied, though my tone was weak and not very reassuring.

Sam put an arm around me as Nate started to drive the boat away from the island.

"Don't be afraid of him, a statue of Avery is pointing right where the treasure is! We're so close, Dani, so close. Soon we'll be out of this mess," Sam explained, sounding as assuring as he could.

"Shoreline is trying to find it, too," I reminded him. I picked up on that much of the conversation at least. I glanced up at the sky, noticing the change in the air and the dark clouds rolling in. We had to get to that other island before the storm came in. "I'm sorry I don't seem very happy, I'll feel better once we find Libertalia for good."

Sam nodded solemnly to my response. "I can understand that, trust me."

I leaned my head against his chest, closing my eyes and letting the boat rock me into a sleepy trance. Sam appeared flustered by my sudden affection, but nothing felt more comfortable then this.

If I knew we would be separated and marooned in less than an hour, maybe I would've found something more comforting to say.