It seems both Jim and Scarlett have given up on each other, will their love be rekindled or is this the end for them? We meet a new character in this chapter and I hope you like him - he is different from the book, I wanted to give my own spin on him and I hope you like it! And this chapter :) please review!

Chapter 13

Jim was on the ground, his face inches away from the earth and his fists punching the ground in front of him. How could she? After all that how COULD she? It was all he could do not to shout with frustration at his own naivety – he had been so damn sure of her. He felt like a fool, a hurt, angry fool and it wasn't a good feeling. And now, he thought miserably, he was on a disease-bounteous island with a bunch of cutthroat pirates along with the girl he loved who seemed perfectly at home amongst said cutthroat pirates and probably wouldn't even flinch if they killed him AND to top it all he hadn't bothered to hide his boat! He'd been so confident that he thought he'd be away with Scarlett before the night was out. Jim pounded the ground with renewed vigor; how could he have been so stupid?

Back at the pirate's camp Scarlett was still not asleep, she was exhausted and sad but still sleep wouldn't come and she cursed it for evading her.

"Are you avoiding me, same as Jim?" She asked to the air bitterly and then sighed heavily. She had half expected him to come for her that night but this proved he had given up on her, his silence was as telling as shouting and accusations. If he had wanted to come he would have found a way, that was who he was, but he hadn't...he hadn't come.

Scarlett let her head droop and stared at the floor for a while, hoping the monotony would send her to sleep.

Beside her Tom shifted in his sleep and she looked at him sadly, now that Jim was no longer on her side there was no point putting Tom's life in danger and trying to escape, and besides she knew Silver would never let her go. She had nowhere to run.

Night settled around Jim's shoulders and his body was racked with shivers, the heavy air seemed to cage him in and press his shoulders into the earth and as he staggered to his feet he could feel the cold sweat on his forehead. He stumbled backwards a few steps then turned and ran, pelting into the forest, running at full-speed as if half-demented with grief and fear.

He had to get back to the ship.

His heartbeat matched his footsteps as he ran, he could feel his pulse throbbing throughout his whole body. He ran and ran until suddenly a figure jumped in front of him and he collided with it, the collision sent him spinning to the floor and he found himself unable to get up. Turning onto his back with an effort Jim shuffled backwards on his elbows as the figure came closer and closer until he stood above him and his face was illuminated by a shaft of moonlight.

It was a man. Certainly not one of the pirates but still an unknown man. His hair was long and matted, swept back off his haggard face with a piece of twine, his face was filthy along with the rest of his body and this made his bright blue eyes seem almost unearthly they were so wide and bright in his dark face, he was clothed in rags and in his hand was a staff – the end of which was pointed down at Jim.

"Who are you?" Jim gasped, the man looked positively mad, insane. His eyes were rolling and his teeth were bared in a manic approximation of a smile.

"My name." Rasped the man in a voice unused to speech. "My NAME is Benjamin Gunn." He said with a high laugh then suddenly he crouched, putting his face an inch away from Jim's and looking him intently in each eye in turn. "But who am I? Well who are you, eh?"

"I – I'm Jim Hawkins." Jim faltered and the man threw back his head and laughed uproariously.

"Aye laddy but what good's that for me?" He wheezed and then returned to his former face. "Are you a pirate?" He asked, whispering the last word.

Jim straightened slightly.

"No not I." He replied and the man threw himself backwards, splaying himself out on the forest floor and reaching for some unknown thing above him in the sky.

"Well by the powers – Aye and thank the stars!" He yelled then sprang to his feet, extending a grubby hand to Jim who took it warily and found himself pulled to his feet.

"I was a lad like you once." Benjamin Gunn said with wide eyes and Jim nodded uneasily. "and when I was," He continued, "I ran away to be a sailor only...only it didn't go to plan and piracy...well hang it it seemed alright. There was this man. Flint, you know?" Jim gave an involuntary start and Gunn narrowed his eyes. "Aye you know well enough of his the murderous cur. Well he was my captain so he was, and a cruel one at that." Gunn started playing with his hands and shaking his head in a jerking fashion. " I got cold feet, don't ya see? Didn't like the way he was doing things. Cruel. So they marooned me, aye they did, Flint and his treacherous first mate, one-legged devil that he was, aye and ol' Ben Gunn's been here ever since with not a soul for company." He finished and Jim stared at him, still fixated on Gunn's description of the 'one-legged devil'. Was it possible?

"This man, Flint's first mate...he wasn't called Silver was he? Long John Silver?" He asked hesitantly and the man sprang backwards, doubling over.

"Aye the devil himself! Oh fer everyone was afeared of ol' Flinty but Flint himself was afeared o' Long John Silver." He whispered.

Jim's eyes grew twice as wide and old Billy Bones's words floated back to him..."Beware...the one-legged man..." Jim closed his eyes, how could he have been so naïve? And that Scarlett would associate with such a man was all too telling, let alone be laughing with one of his men, obviously having a whale of a time, Jim thought bitterly.

"Mr Gunn he's here." Jim said quietly, gathering himself. The man tilted his head.

"Who? Who who?" He asked excitedly and Jim cleared his throat.

"Silver, he's here."

The expression on Benjamin's face was terrifying, he could have been mistaken for an animal and the snarl that crept from deep in his throat was certainly anything but human. Jim took a quick step backwards.

"With his crew, I-" He stuttered and Gunn suddenly cowered.

"Fear and loneliness is a terrible thing sonny." He keened, clutching his face, "But you ain't with them?" He asked urgently and Jim shook his head vehemently.

"No sir, I am here with honest men." He replied and Gunn let out a sigh of relief, his rancid breath whooshing onto Jim's face.

There were some men, not pirates – no! Gentlemen, to be sure, to be sure. Up in the stockade up there. Would they be yer company laddy?" He asked and Jim smiled with excitement and relief.

"Yes, yes! Where did you say?" He asked and the man pointed to a spot upland where Jim could see the distant emblem of the union jack.

"Thank you – you will not go unrewarded." Jim promised, wringing Benjamin's filthy hand. Gunn nodded energetically.

"Don't you forget ol' Ben Gunn!" He shouted after Jim as the boy began to run, he turned back and waved then he was gone, as if the forest had swallowed him up.