"He's still not talking to you?" Shoni raised her brows, giving him quite an incredulous glance. "Not a word?"

"Not a word."

Silence had never come easy to his son, Teague knew that well. Jackie loved to confuse people, either with a bold statement, a witty question or just straight, blunt cynicism. He usually succeeded in mudding the waters, quite less frequently, however, in remaining silent. The latter was atypical. And when it happened once in a while, it was, undoubtedly, also bloody intentional.

The purest form of punishment coming from the lad. And in a way, Teague – a fairly silent man – couldn't stand how effective his own weapons worked against him.

Shoni blinked a couple of times, trying to let it sink in. "Our kid Jack? No chattering at all? Ever since you've been back?"

"Aye. Nothing."

Leaning over the balustrade of Teague's realm, Shoni let her gaze wander back into the harbour basin by the foot of Shipwreck town. This place on earth was so peculiar, so interesting – and yet it wasn't her home.

Still she was back. Maybe just for Jack, Teague didn't know. And even less did he have the heart to ask, not ever. No, he could only hope she'd come back here for him just as much …
He could never be too sure about her. He knew she didn't measure their love in being faithful. And since she wasn't, neither was he. But still – they always found their way back to each other. And those were the blessed times.

In the pale moonlight that made the terrace glow in an eerie shimmer, her beauty still took his breath away. It didn't show, he never talked too much, but Shoni certainly knew anyway.
Insights came natural to her, connections he could only ever dream of understanding. She never needed to hear intricacies, not of political agendas, not about the way the world worked – details were hardly necessary with an intuition like hers. She just sensed where the truth lay.
And all while admiring her earthly shell – the structure of her face was as majestic as the wisdom she radiated – Edward couldn't help but think that her spirits simply worked a fine form of magic on him.

She'd grounded him, she did to this day. And by constantly flying away, leaving him to ponder, she'd gradually succeeded in achieving the impossible.
She'd changed him. To an extent, at least.
Sure, whenever those changes were not efficient enough anymore, when words couldn't convey the message, she'd disappear again. Such was their rhythm. Not a conventional one, necessarily, but he would forever want her.

"What do you wish to do about it?"

"What?" Teague seemed startled, pushing his reveries aside at once.

"About the way your son isn't speaking to you."

Visibly surprised he shrugged. Why yes, Jackie … The boy gave him a hard time, and rightfully so. But wouldn't the coming weeks solve it somehow? "I don't know." He noticed at once it wasn't quite the answer she'd expected. "Well … Shoni, suggest something then."

"You know yourself." The way her voice was much too calm saddened him. As though she'd already given up on him acting accordingly anyway. "What keeps you from apologizing?"

Teague hated how she got to the bottom of it right away. He felt rage. He hated that Jackie was right in holding him accountable for leaving him with his Grandmama once again. The poor lad was all black and blue and took it like a matter of course. Because to him, it was. Because he was used to it. Bloody hell, and that was downright Teague's fault. He knew his mother, the old witch couldn't be trusted.
Sure, Jackie was cheeky, but nothing would ever justify that level of punishment. Teague could've known not to leave him by her side once again. Foolish of him to believe his warning words would ever change her ways.

But that was the crux of the matter, actually. Weeks ago, he wanted to believe it. Because it was more important to him to be free himself again. More important than the wellbeing of his only son …

He loathed the way this responsibility made him feel.
He loathed himself for not fulfilling the role of a father properly. And still, he couldn't tell Jackie that.

"I won't teach him that the world owes him an apology. That's not the case."

"The world might not owe him one. But we do." Shoni gave him a smile, despite those words. She was well beyond struggling with her own ego. Unlike him. She watched him hesitate, and softly added, "I already did my part. Jack has a heart of gold, you know that. He was fine with me just apologizing once I was back, even though he knew it was words and nothing more. But still. It's the least we can do. We owe him the validation that what we did to him by leaving him behind again was wrong."

"Nobody out there will ever validate sins voluntarily, that's what torture is for, so why would we –"

"We are to equip him for the world out there. Let me put it this way so you may understand, poor proud man: Affirming him in having and keeping boundaries is of utmost importance throughout life. Support him in that, Edward. Tell him how you feel sorry. Trust me, you'll be relieved as well."

Teague let out a harsh breath and sighed heavily. "Enchantress. You manipulate me so well …"

"It's the calling of your heart I emphasize for you."

"Where even is he," Teague mumbled. It was his way of confirming he got the message, without having to surpass himself.

"You'll find him, I'm sure of that."

It was a sight to behold, it really was. Jackie, the proverbial rooster in the yard, surrounded by several cackling ladies of the harbour while eagerly gambling. With Ace Brannigan, a grown man thrice his size, in the most infamous tavern of Shipwreck Cove at that …

The lad had a knack for positioning himself into promising situations, even if those would usually end up in utmost trouble.

The air was foggy and drenched in heavy smell of rum and tobacco, glasses were shattered by the minute. The violin music was much too loud and the usual suspects were either being slapped or involved in a proper brawl.
That was the heart of Shipwreck Cove. Vices and guilty pleasure awaiting, the next best betrayal never too far out of sight.

Betrayal, fraud, deceit, trickery … Wasn't it all the same?

Whichever way one liked to look at it, Jackie was participating in it that very moment. It didn't take Teague too long to realize his boy was counting cards. Jackie, his undeniable intelligence, to be precise, never ceased to amaze him. Yet stinky Ace surely wouldn't be too kind once he'd notice as well.

But Teague wouldn't let it get that far. It was best to interrupt fun at its zenith.

"Jackie!"

His kid hadn't noticed him so far, fully concentrated on the cards he'd been dealt. But he'd look up now, similarly to the ladies next to him.

One of them Edward recognized.
Roxanna …

Clever one. Pretty as well, and not too young.
When Shoni admitted a little adventure of hers ever so casually, he'd felt the need to balance that out by some movement of his own. A rather stupid, immature movement, though, now that he got to think about it.

Jackie owed her his hand which was about to be cut off, actually, if he remembered correctly. He'd been a bit harsh to her for solely saving his boy, all things considered. It just felt odd to have Jackie in her presence, after what Teague had done with her …

He realised it was quite the pattern. He'd always inconvenience his kid for his own mistakes. And said kid wasn't stupid. He knew.
And he did hold it against him.

"Boy, hate to interrupt you winning." Yet here Teague was, doing just that – while grim Ace was glancing up at him. "I need to talk to you, Jackie. Come."

"They're almost done, Captain," the woman next to Roxanna said. "Won't you just take a seat and –"

"Can't," Teague decided, "so move your bones, boy."

Jack knew his … likely … father. The hell would he sit down. He sighed, not too loud to get into trouble with his dad, but still loud enough for him to hear it.

Then he asked Roxanna, "Can you play my cards?"

"You bet I can."

"But that's against the rules!" Ace immediately shouted. "I started to play with the boy, not some starving strumpet!"

"Take that back."

Brannigan stared at Jack as though he'd heard his voice for the very first time in his life. "What? What did you just say?"

"Not what you've just said – so take it back."

"You mean that she's a starving –"

A trigger was pulled. Teague supported the kid in gallantry, couldn't hurt. Also, he hated Ace. And he still felt a bit sorry for the way he himself had treated Roxanna recently. She didn't deserve the attitude he'd given her, being mad at himself for not being the one to protect his son.

"You heard the boy, Ace. Aye?"

Ace gulped, Teague could hear it. Everyone could, it had gotten surprisingly quiet in the meantime. People in town, especially family, knew Teague wasn't as bad as Quick-Draw, but surely also not as good as the disciples of the Lord …

"Brannigan?" Teague urged.

"Fine!" Ace moaned. "I take it back."

"Well done, Branny, and now," Jack loudly whispered in mock-support, "you should very much consider apologizing to the Lady that's about to win your wager …"

Ace began to lean over the table to better frown at the child. "You little son of a –"

"Yeah, pray tell?" Teague interrupted him yet again. "Your last words, Ace, do share them?"

In utmost frustration, Ace sat back again. He had no choice but to comply, Teague had long since tried to find a reason to shoot him anyway …

"Listen, Lady, I'm … sorry … Enough? Is that enough?"

Roxanna had a hard time trying to hold her laughter in, just like Jack.

"Wasn't very good, Ace, really wasn't," Teague sighed, putting the pistol away nevertheless. "But then again, it's you. So that was the maximum already. See, as for you, Jackie. Get up, come on."

Now he did, Roxanna got his cards and let him slip through the crowd to leave.

"You helped him, a couple of weeks ago," Teague said to her in the meantime. "I remember …"

She played coy, calm as the tide. "You do?"

"I do. Pardon my French then and there, I was in the wrong. Just shouldn't have been you to help him. Should've been me. That's plainly to say – thank you."

Roxanna held his gaze for another moment, then she looked at Ace. "See, that's how it's done. Watch and learn."

"Let's just play on, shall we?" Ace whined, and so they did.

"Come," Teague whispered to Jack again, pulling the boy along until they were back out on the pier.

The air was much better underneath the open sky, but Jack avoided his gaze – Teague could tell.

"Who taught you to count cards?"

Jack didn't say a word, he just trotted on next to him.

"Roxanna. She taught you. Didn't she?"

The boy wouldn't even flinch.

"Of course it was her." He chuckled. "Well done, Jackie."

That actually sparked a reaction, a confused one, but still …

"Truly," Teague claimed. "You stood up for her. That's what men are supposed to do for women."

"No." The first word in days, and of course, it had to be just that.

"No?" Teague watched his son keeping up to his pace.

"No. People are supposed to do that for people. I think."

"Mhm." Teague couldn't help but nod. "Might be true, Jackie. Noble way to look at it. But keep in mind – never wait for anyone to stand up for you."

"How would I," Jack said, a bitterness unfit for a child of that age lacing his tone of voice, "when that's just what you taught me."

It hit the mark.
It was a shame, but also a blessing in disguise. It was a harsh world out there. Someone had to prepare the boy for it.
And yet, Teague couldn't quite shake the feeling off that it was all a bit much preparation.

"I would've won."

"I know." Teague patted his son's back. "I know that. A clever little fellow you are."

"Why didn't you let me?"

"Win? I wanted to talk to you."

"Why now?" Jack even paused, in the middle of the pier. Hardly anyone was out here, they all spread their zest for life into multiple taverns along the way, so they could talk openly. "I'm on my own all the time, and then when I'm not, you come out of the blue rushing to make me –"

"Yeah, you're right, lad."

Jack was hesitant to trust his ears.

"You're right, Jackie. Look, it's true, I'm a lousy father, I know that. I just –"

"You said I shouldn't call you that."

He had said that. He had not, however, explained to the kid why.
Cruel to do such a thing, Teague noticed now.

"You're my flesh and blood, so I want you to be safe. That's all."

"But then you leave me here with Grandmama? It can't all be true at the same time."

Teague sighed. "I'd be upset, too. Listen, Jackie, I'm sorry. Alright? You haven't talked to me ever since I'm back, and I get it. I understand. I should've stayed here with you while your mother was gone, as I promised her, but see …"

Jack didn't interrupt him, he wanted to hear it all. But Teague didn't have much more to say … He almost waited for him to fight his words.

It didn't happen. And Teague felt like sailing away again.

"I hate it here, too. You both get to go away, but I don't. Why don't I get to –"

"It's too dangerous to sail, you're too young."

"But old enough to be locked up for three days and nights, starving in a brig?"

Now Teague paused his ways. His feet were so heavy all of a sudden.

"What?"

Jack just waved it off, irritation well visible on his dark little face.

"No, Jackie – what did you just say? Locked up? What happened?"

"Mabeltrude had a dream last week, they then thought I would set fire to Grandmama's ship."

"So they locked you up?" Teague was taken aback, even for his mother's standards, that was insane. "For three days and nights? All alone?"

The boy just frowned. "And afterwards she just wouldn't understand why I avoided her."

Poor little soul, he deserved much better.

"We'll go right up there," Teague decided, "and I'll shoot her. I promise I will! Come on, come."

"It's no use." Jack didn't follow. "She just did what she always does. As did you. Mum and you."

It hit Teague, right in his heart.
Jack was right. Grandmama was cruel, yes – but leaving the kid with her, that was the mistake to begin with.

And now the boy started walking again. Walking past Teague, strolling, almost. "So no, I'm not expecting anything from anyone." When Edward didn't even follow, Jack turned around again. "Are you coming?"

Or are you just about to leave again, Jack thought to himself as his father caught up to him.