The journey back to Uma's place was, for lack of a better word, intense. The captain and her first mate walked quickly ahead, the pirate who'd come to tell them Maddie had come around trailing close behind. Not far behind them, Cassie, Gil, and Starla followed. There was a brief moment where Cassie wondered why Gil was walking with her and not the others, but she could only assume it had something to do with the emotional breakdown she'd had back on Uma's ship.

The 'incident' on the ship was as much of a surprise to Cassie as it was to the others. At first, her duel with Starla had hardly been anything extremely daunting. Yes, going up against a well-trained pirate with nothing but her hands for defence had been rather chilling, but it wasn't as if her life had been in danger. For whatever reason, the second Uma told Cassie to fight back, something in the little cat's brain had flicked a switch. She honestly hadn't meant to hurt Starla so badly, and she really hadn't been gunning to kill her. Cassie had done everything possible to remind herself that Starla wasn't trying to kill her and that she was safe this time. Sadly, Cassie's mind hadn't decided to work with her this time. When her body had been moving purely by instinct and Starla's attacks got faster and faster, the little cat's thought process had become blurry. For a short while there, she genuinely felt like Starla was going to kill her.

Well, not Starla specifically. At some point during their fight, Cassie's mind had warped her surroundings. Instead of the ship, she was standing in a dark bedroom. It was a night Cassie had almost been sure she forgot, or at least locked away in some dark pit in her brain. Instead of a sword, the glint of the blade had turned into a sharpened hook. She'd done her best, really, to try and make sure she knew she was on Uma's ship. Glancing at Harry every now and again had helped, if only slightly. Seeing him near the bridge with Uma and Gil nudged the right side of Cassie's chaotic mind, comforting her with the knowledge that he wasn't the one standing in front of her. It'd worked pretty well, at least until Starla got her hand in Cassie's hair.

Everything after that was hazy. The steadily rising anxiety inside Cassie had broken through completely, flooding her entire body with one simple instruction: kill him. There was a fleeting moment there where she could feel him behind her instead of Starla, his rings tangling in her hair as he yanked back her head. This had happened before, and back then, he'd smashed her head into the floor. Looking back on it now, Cassie could recall her fight with Harry in Mal's bedroom. She'd fought against him then, but he'd gotten the upper hand pretty quickly. In her duel with Starla, all Cassie knew for sure was that it was over for her if her head cracked against that beam. Her mind had barely given any thought to the sword against her throat, she'd just been so desperate to get Starla's hand out of her hair.

"Hey, Gil," called Cassie, drawing his attention.

"Yup?"

"Thank you, for what you did back on the ship." Cassie had experienced many moments like that before, but always alone—usually when she'd been living back in the castle. Thankfully, they'd stopped coming around as frequently after she moved in with Helena—that night aside, of course.

"Dad gets mad a lot," he admitted with a shrug. "Uncle LeFou does it all the time. He did it for us when we were growing up." His cheerful demeanour was astounding, especially given what he was telling her. Cassie didn't know much about Gaston, aside from the fact he had his head up his own ass most of the time, and his inability to take no for an answer was what got him tossed on the Isle. But with what Gil had just explained, it seemed the man was just as poor a parent as the rest of the Isle originals.

Cassie's smile was sympathetic. "You're great, you know that?" she told him. And she truly meant it. For him to be as kind as he was, especially to her, was incredibly admirable.

"Aw," he gushed, looking down at the little cat. "You too!"

Looking ahead, Cassie's steps faltered. Surrounding the entrance to Uma's shoppe were more pirates than she could count. She watched as Uma stopped directly in front of the swinging doors, talking to one of her fellow pirates. It was unbearably intimidating to have them hovering so close, and knowing she was technically one of them now didn't ease Cassie's worry. She was an outsider and, worse still, an outsider who'd been making trouble for Harry.

"Hey," whispered Starla, lightly poking Cassie's side. "You okay?" She must've seen the hesitation.

Cassie eyed the pirates. "Not really," she admitted.

The pirate girl threw an arm around Cassie's shoulders, tugging her into her right side. "Don't worry about them; they're not gonna hurt you," she assured. "You're one of us."

"I'm not, though, not completely. Not yet," the little cat pointed out.

Starla gave a long-winded sigh. She stepped directly in front of Cassie, but kept one hand on her shoulder. "You know, Uma told us you were gonna join us before you came here."

Cassie froze. Starla's confession had knocked the air right out of her. First, because of Uma's audacity. Had the captain been so sure of her power that she knew for certain that Cassie was going to accept her offer before it was even made? It was irritating, to say the least. Then, she fully processed what Starla had said. The crew had known she was coming.

"Why?" she managed to ask, still bewildered.

Starla smiled. "Because we're a crew, Wildcat. Sure, those three are closer than sardines in a can, but she takes the rest of us seriously. We had a meeting before you came, to get everything out in the open."

Cassie sucked in a breath. "And?"

"And maybe there was a little arguing about it," admitted Starla. "You're an Inny, after all."

"An 'Inny'?" repeated Cassie, confused.

Starla nodded. "Hmm, an Inner-Islander. Outsider, if you want."

"Right," groaned Cassie. "So, how did it go?"

"Well," Starla's eyes rolled skyward. "It wasn't great, not at first. You've been giving boss-man a run for his money, and some of us hold grudges for stuff like that. But then he told us all about you, and told us how good you'd be with us."

Cassie was dubious. "You're kidding." If Harry had actually convinced his crew that she was an asset for them, then it wasn't for the simple fact that he believed what he was saying. The only reason he could want her on the crew was for the opportunity it gave him to torment her.

"Nope," replied Starla, emphasising the 'p'.

"He hates me," reminded Cassie, crossing her arms over her stomach.

Starla shrugged. "So? You hate him too. Doesn't mean he's not great at what he does." For that, Cassie had to admit defeat. He was crazy, but he was a good pirate.

"I guess," she agreed, albeit reluctantly. "Anyway, what happened?"

"When the captain wants someone on the crew, and the first mate agrees, it's not hard to get everyone else on deck. Some of them are gonna need convincing, but I think that's why they're all here tonight."

Anxiety flared up inside Cassie. "Tonight?"

"Cassie!" Tilting to the side to look around Starla, Cassie found Uma still standing near the entrance, beckoning her over with a finger.

Cassie nodded and headed towards the front, doing her best to ignore the many, many eyes locked in on her movements. "Yup?"

"Time to find out where your head's at," said Uma. She nodded towards the entrance, an encouragement for Cassie to go in before her.

Cassie looked at the door, then back at Uma. "You guys aren't coming in?"

The captain shook her head. "No, you're on your own for this part."

"You said-"

"We need to trust you first," snapped Uma, ending Cassie's argument before it could even begin. To Cassie's annoyance, the captain's tone made it impossible to refuse. "She's not gonna hurt you, pussycat, not with us out here." Having picked up on Cassie's nerves, Uma was more understanding. "I'm trusting you, so trust us."

'Trust us'. Cassie's gaze briefly lingered on the hook-wielding pirate who was standing directly behind Uma. It was quite strange, to be honest. There was hardly a moment Cassie could fully recall where the first mate wasn't grinning with some sort of sadistic glee or traipsing around like he owned the entire Isle. Now, however, she found none of it. As far as Cassie could tell, he took this situation just as seriously as Uma did.

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

Clearly, he hadn't been expecting her to ask him. For a moment, Cassie observed the way he slouched against the wall, lips twitching up at the corners in preparation to fire some insult or another. Then he realised the entire crew was watching, awaiting his reply. It was rather comedic to watch him hesitate. If what Starla said was true and he'd urged his crew to allow Cassie to join them, he couldn't contradict himself now in their presence. If he had no faith in her desire to become one of them, then the crew wouldn't either.

"Aye," he managed to push through gritted teeth. The way he stared at her then was nothing short of murderous; he was going to get back at her for this.

Cassie's mouth twitched, a glimmer of enjoyment passing through her gaze. "I couldn't hear you. Did you say you trusted me?" She could practically feel the holes Uma was drilling into the side of her head, infuriatedly asking, 'You're doing this now?'.

A deep chuckle built in his throat, but there was very little humour in it. "Oh, ye' little-"

"Harry," hissed Uma, quietly enough so that the rest of the crew didn't hear.

"Fine," he barked. "I trust you."

Cassie's smirk could've put her dad to shame. "Thanks," she chirped.

Pushing through the double doors, Cassie walked slowly into the shoppe. She was swept into a pair of arms before she could even look inside for Maddy, the force of the collision causing a pained "oof" to escape her lips.

"You're okay." This voice was familiar, as was the warm embrace Cassie found herself in. In any other situation, she'd have happily returned the cuddle. But not this time.

Pulling back an inch or so, Cassie stared up at Helena, her dark eyes narrowing in confusion. "What're you doing here?" she asked.

Helena's expression twisted, and her eyes darted to the side pointedly. "They said you were in trouble," she explained. There was something else, though. Helena had made sure to raise her voice, putting on an act of concern that Cassie easily saw through.

Looking around Helena, Cassie found Maddy and the others easily enough. The aqua-haired witch was sitting at one of the tables, feet kicked up as she slouched down in the chair. She presented an image of complete indifference, but Cassie knew that could change at any moment. Across the room, perched on Uma's counter, were the twins. With his nose wrinkled in disapproval, Anthony stood close to the stage, surveying Uma's décor. But Ginny was nowhere to be found.

"Uh, I'm fine," replied Cassie, bringing her eyes back to Helena. Carefully, she mouthed, 'Ginny?'.

In response, Helena subtly shook her head. Whether it meant Ginny was gone or she was still stuck at home suffering, Cassie had no idea. Either way, she wasn't here.

"Come sit, pussycat," encouraged Maddy, tapping her palm against the tabletop.

After acknowledging Helena's warning gaze, Cassie headed for the space where Maddy was. Pulling out the chair on the opposite side, Cassie warily sat down. She and Maddy had just enough distance between them to keep her safe, but not enough to cause suspicion. Although, considering the fact that she was about to tell Maddy she'd joined the pirates, space was the last thing to worry about.

Resting her hand on her fist, Maddy twirled a fork with the fingers of the other. "So," she sighed, "I heard something. Something... interesting."

Cassie swallowed. "What did you hear?"

The witch answered, "Oh, not much." She glanced at Cassie through her lashes as her green eyes moved away from the fork she was holding. "They say the daughter of the Cheshire Cat has joined Uma's pirate crew." Cassie remained silent, so Maddy carried on. "Which is insane, right?"

The shop was filled with oppressive, menacing tension. Cassie knew what needed to be done, but it was hard to muster the courage to do it. Telling Maddy that she was one of Uma's felt like signing her own death warrant. So, she had to dig deeper and find whatever it was inside of her that always kept her fighting. After all, there was only so long she could keep running from her troubles.

Eventually she mustered up the courage to say, "It's true." There was a little voice inside of her head screaming, telling her to run to the hideaway and never come back; she ignored it this time.

"Cass', you're bleeding," said Helena, reaching forward to lift Cassie's hand from the table. The gash along her fingers and lower palm was dripping with blood, spreading further down her hand. The Queen of Hearts pulled some napkins from one of the other tables, gently dabbing Cassie's wound when she came back.

"It's on her arm, too," mentioned Maddy.

This time, Helena's concern wasn't feigned. Glancing over to see the scratch along Cassie's forearm, she asked, "What happened?" Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as the one on her hand, but the faint crust of blood was telling enough. Cassie could barely imagine how bad it seemed.

"It's just training," mumbled the little cat, frowning down at the scratch. She lifted her arm to her mouth and traced the line with her tongue. Paying no attention to the murmurs of either disgust or surprise from those around her, Cassie placed her arm back down on the table. "See?" she gestured to her skin, where the red line shifted and disappeared. "All good."

As Cassie saw Helena's wide eyes of wonder turn into a squint of upset, she experienced a sharp tug in the centre of her chest. Sure, the Queen of Hearts hadn't seen her little trick with her own eyes before, but was it that bad to see?

When Maddy gasped and pulled Cassie's arm closer to her, the little cat realised Helena wasn't upset with her, but for her. "That's amazing," the witch continued, thoroughly fascinated with the smooth skin of Cassie's arm. "Does it work on other people?"

After a brief silence, Cassie answered, "No, it doesn't." She'd already made the mistake of letting Maddy know her trick. She didn't want to further encourage the mad witch's obsession with her.

Maddy's head snapped up, a scowl playing at her lips. "Don't lie to me," she spat. Maddy's head cocked to the side as her green eyes suddenly widened. "Oh," she whispered, dragging it out far longer than necessary. "Oh, no." Throwing her head back, Maddy released a blood-curdling cackle.

Meanwhile, Cassie brought her arm back to her, her legs bouncing frantically beneath the table. The little cat didn't know what was running through Maddy's crazy brain right now, but she had an inkling it wouldn't be good for her.

"Tell me you didn't," giggled the witch, resting both elbows on the table to place her chin on her hands—like a little kid waiting for the rest of the fairy tale. "After all of that! You went back for him!"

Cassie paled. "I don't-"

A loud 'bang' echoed in the shoppe. "Stop lying to me!" screamed Maddy, jumping to her feet. She walked around the table to stand in front of Cassie, kicking aside the chair she'd been sitting on. "I hate liars." Crouching down in front of the little cat, Maddy's rage faded just as quickly as it had built up. "He shouldn't have survived what we did," she stated, biting on the inside of her cheek. "I was there; I remember what we did. No one could walk away from that. But he did."

Cassie felt her stomach twist. There was no use in lying anymore, not now that Maddy had put the pieces together. "So what?" the little cat challenged, eyes narrowed to slits. "I said I didn't want to kill him."

There was a brief period of silence, in which Maddie seemed startled to have Cassie argue back, but it was dismantled by one of the twins.

"You saved Harry?" asked one twin, coming closer to stand beside Helena. Since he didn't immediately touch the Queen in one way or another, Cassie guessed this was Gaston Jr Jr. "You ask for our help, and then save his life?" Clearly, the very notion of Cassie saving Harry was outrageous, and the little cat had to admit it was in some way. No rationally minded being would save the life of someone who was trying to kill them, at least not on the Isle; that was very much an Auradonian thing.

"You hate him?" wondered Maddy. Cassie gave a nod, and she went on. "So why? You could've been free, pussycat." Either the witch was making fun of her, or she just couldn't make sense of saving someone who wished you dead. Unfortunately for Cassie, even she still didn't know the answer.

"I just didn't wanna kill him," sighed Cassie, looking down at her hands. To be honest, she thought about that night a lot, and what could have happened if she'd stayed at Helena's. There was no uncertainty on her part; he would've died that night if she hadn't gone back. Maybe she would've been free, but considering the state of Mim's granddaughter, that has been proven otherwise. Gil and Uma would have both been devastated. Maybe Uma would've tracked her down and killed her for it; Cassie was the obvious choice anyway. So many things could've gone differently if she hadn't saved him that night, and, astonishingly, Cassie never regretted what she'd done.

Maddy let out a quick laugh. Lunging up towards Cassie, the mad witch held the little cat's face in her hands—firm enough so that Cassie couldn't move but not so harsh that it caused her pain. Shuffling in closer, Maddy stopped when her nose brushed against Cassie's, her green eyes desperately searching for something in Cassie's brown orbs. "You're obsessed with him." It was like Maddy had found the answer to the universe. She looked at Cassie with a wild and inquisitive gaze that gained intensity with each passing moment.

Cassie's jaw went slack. "I'm what?"

Maddy nodded quickly, as if she were verifying it for herself. "You're so obsessed with him, pussycat. You both drive each other crazy, but you pull back at the last minute."

"Maddie, I'm not-"

Pressing a finger to Cassie's lips, the witch shushed her. "Don't deny it; I can see it. It's not just you. I see it with him too."

Cassie wasn't sure if there was anything for her to do but sit and let Maddy continue her 'theory'. At least now she wasn't screaming the place down.

"Hook!" Maddy's yell was unbearably loud, and she was so close to Cassie that it almost deafened the little cat. "Get your sneaky ass in here! Now!" To prove how serious she was, Maddy started to kick over chairs and knock down the tables, sweeping cutlery and decorations across the floor.

"Enough yappin', I'm here."

Cassie turned on the chair the moment she heard him. Apparently he was back to his normal reckless self, walking into the shop as if there wasn't a crazy witch about to set the place on fire. To be fair, he had a whole crew waiting outside. It was easy enough for him to walk around like he had the biggest dick on the Isle when he could summon the pirates at any time. Cassie, on the other hand, did not have that privilege.

Maddy stormed over to the hook-wielding pirate, shoving at his chest with both hands. "How did you do it?!" she screeched. Another shove. "First Ginny, and now Cassie."

The little cat straightened. Maddy's rage stretched far beyond something as simple as infatuation. The witch was clever and ruthless, and Cassie hadn't ever seen her lose her temper like this before. There was something else that Cassie wasn't seeing.

Harry snorted. "Not still mad about that, are ye'?" Given his build, it was no surprise that Maddy's pushing didn't affect him. But he was letting her hit him.

Cassie paused, allowing what he said to sit in her mind for a moment. She then turned to face Helena as her eyes grew wide. It was confirmed—with a pointed nod—that Cassie was not the first girl Maddy had lost to Harry.

Now, Cassie had no interest in Harry that way. After all, the two still detested each other more than anything. Ginny's relationship with Harry was immensely different from the one he had with Cassie, mainly due to the fact they didn't have one. Cassie and Harry were enemies, nothing more and nothing less. The specifics meant nothing to Maddy, though; she had lost one to hatred and another to desire.

"She was mine!" shouted Maddy. It was hard to determine if she was talking about Ginny or Cassie, but the little cat surmised that it was likely Ginny. "And you had the nerve to take her!"

"I didn't take 'er," the pirate recalled slowly, as if he were talking to a child. "She came lookin' for me 'cause you are outta your fuckin' mind." He was being mean for the sake of it now, as Cassie could tell. The smug grin she'd grown to familiarise herself with stretched his lips, and the cruel amusement in his eyes was plain as day.

For the first time, Cassie was beginning to feel sorry for Maddy. When they'd first met, it seemed like nothing on the Isle could tear down Maddy's confidence. She'd been so charming and clever—everything one looked for in a gang leader. Thinking on it further, though, Cassie wondered if this was what Helena had been warning her about. The little cat had only shown a miniscule amount of interest in Maddy, and the witch had taken it ten steps further. The second Ginny had been put out of action, Maddy had been searching the Isle for Cassie. It seems her possessiveness was just as fierce as her temper.

'People call her Mad Maddy for a reason, pussycat. I don't wanna see you in a cage; can't you understand that?'. Cassie's sympathy for the insane witch dwindled a little as she thought back to what Helena had told her just weeks before. Maddy didn't want a girlfriend; she wanted a pet—something she could keep with her at all times, something that would listen to her every demand. Something Cassie would never be.

"I won't let you have this one without a fight, Hook." Maddy's anger had weakened, but not entirely. The surety in her voice was painful for Cassie. Their argument was more of an attempt to stroke their own egos than an actual fight for her. Would Maddie be gunning this hard for her if Harry hadn't already taken Ginny?

"Aww," the pirate taunted. "Ye' really wanna fight me? All for this annoyin' pest?" He waved a hand towards Cassie.

'Woah', thought Cassie. That one seemed personal.

Maddy laughed. "Oh, you're such an idiot. Are you gonna tell me the same thing?" she asked with disbelief. "You're not dumb, Hook, so stop acting like it."

Cassie thought back on her 'talk' with Maddy, where she'd gone on about obsession. Cassie really thought Maddy was greatly overestimating her value to Harry. The witch was bat-shit crazy; maybe she just convinced herself that everyone felt the same way she did.

Maddy let out a sneer and fluffed her hair. "Why am I even talking to you?" she wondered, turning away from Harry. "You're not the boss around here, are you?" She clearly wanted to hurt the pirate, but the apathetic shrug she received in return was definitely not what she was hoping for. "Uma!" Maddy's abrupt screech caused Cassie to jolt, and the little cat rolled her eyes. This witch had some serious mental problems.

Almost immediately, the captain came into the shoppe. Where Harry came in alone, Uma's crew followed behind her, spreading across the shoppe. It was almost frightening to watch, really. The way they eyed Maddy and her gang as they scattered was nothing short of frightening, and Cassie could sympathise; she'd felt their unwavering glares when she approached Uma earlier on. Meanwhile, the moment Uma's crew had come pouring in, Maddy's group had come closer together, placing themselves behind their leader but keeping their eyes on the pirates around them. To Cassie's relief, Gaston Jr. also tugged Helena into their huddle.

Standing next to Harry, the captain droningly asked, "What?" Between the two, it felt like Cassie was in the midst of a family spat rather than the beginnings of a turf war. They'd both been quite stern outside when it was her coming in, and now they looked like they couldn't care less. An intimidation-type tactic, maybe?

Maddy gave a whistle. "Ooh, someone's ego got ten sizes too big," she remarked. The witch walked around Uma, putting a finger to her chin as if in contemplation. "I guess you forgot where you came from, huh, Shrimpy?"

Affronted whispers erupted from the surrounding pirates, some going as far as to shout insults at the green-haired VK. Around the same time Maddy let out the strange insult, Harry went to charge forward, his once-detached expression twisting into one of pure resentment. Uma smacked a hand to his chest quickly, stopping him from going after Maddy, but Cassie had noticed the momentary lapse in the captain's composure. For a split second, Uma's eyes had lowered at the sound of the name. It was only a momentary falter, of course. Her eyes became stony in the next moment.

"Nice hair!" retaliated Uma, eyeing the short green strands. A smirk tugged at one side of her mouth. "Mad Maddy."

The witch tensed up, twitching her fingers at her sides. "Nice to see that name stuck," she seethed, only to reclaim her haughtiness a second later. "So, clearly, we have a problem." Maddy waved a hand towards Cassie, who was still sitting at the table.

Uma smiled—entirely forced, of course. But there was a hint of confidence in it. "There's no problem. Do we have a problem?" Her question was for the crew. The captain cocked her head when several people agreed with her. "See? Everything's fine here."

Maddy hummed. "Really? Everything?" Her voice lowered dangerously, and Cassie squirmed. "You expect me to believe that you would take on the girl who almost killed your bestie a few weeks ago?" Uma's crew scowled and muttered questions in response to Maddy's cruel announcement. "Oh!" Her surprise was entirely false. "You guys didn't know?" She pointed to a few members of the crew, who shared cautious glances with each other. Though they did not appear to fully trust Maddy, they were still intrigued.

In the meantime, Cassie felt her heart jolt in her chest. Her gaze drifted to the doors, and when she realised Uma's pirates had blocked them, her mouth twisted downward.

'I told Uma I was up in my den when you were attacked, so I didn't see any faces, but I did hear a name. And considering you and Ginny have some kind of bad history together, it didn't take much for Uma to believe it.'

Cassie frowned, mentally cussing herself out for the lie she'd given Uma back then. In her own defence, she'd only wanted to keep herself alive and safe, so who could really judge her for it? However, she was sure Uma wouldn't take too kindly to being lied to, especially with something as serious as the brutal attack on her first mate. Even Harry had agreed to keep the secret of what actually happened, but only to spare his captain the heartache of allowing his attacker to wander freely.

When the little cat's gaze shifted to Helena, she saw that the Queen of Hearts was staring right at her. Cassie saw the flare of worry in Helena's gaze, but there was little her friend could say with Maddy's gang and Uma's crew around. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything either of them could do to get Cassie out safely. As far as Cassie knew, there was only one way out of the shop, and it was currently blocked off.

"I was gonna tell them eventually," sighed Uma.

Staggered, Cassie's head snapped to the side. It was hard to tell what was running through Uma's mind right now. There was a lack of interest on the captain's face, as if she were becoming bored with this entire conversation. There was a high chance it was a mask—a way to withhold the reaction Maddy was desperately hoping for. But surely, there was no way she'd already known what happened that night. There was no way in Hades she'd have let Cassie join the crew if that was the case.

"What?" Incredulity wrapped around Maddy's voice. Evidently, she hadn't expected this reply.

"Oh, you thought I didn't know?" chuckled Uma. "I'm not stupid." She spat the last word with extreme disgust. "My crew don't have secrets. Can you say the same?"

Maddy bristled. "What're you trying to say?"

Uma shrugged, and her eyes tracked Maddy's crew almost pointedly. "I see you're missing one."

"Watch your mouth," barked Anthony, coming close behind Maddy. "You don't get to talk about her, not after what he did." He pointed to Harry.

"Harry was with me that night," stated Uma. "He didn't touch her."

A quiet gasp escaped Cassie's lips, her thoughts running at a rapid pace. Still, she was dubious. Harry had taunted her not too long ago about Ginny's attack, insinuating he was the one who'd done it. Surely Uma had to be lying. If it wasn't Harry who attacked Ginny, then who else would've done it?

Then, it clicked.

'She already has everyone she needs for a powerful crew, so there's nowhere for you to be squeezed in'.

Cassie's wide gaze returned to Helena, silently seeking an answer from the only one who'd confirm or deny it for her. But Helena wasn't looking at her—or anything else, for that matter. Pressing her forehead up against Gaston Jr.'s shoulder, the Queen of Heart concealed her face from the others. Her eyes squeezed shut as she covertly shook her head back and forth, and Cassie caught a tremble in Helena's bottom lip. It wasn't an answer, but it wasn't a denial either.

"What's your price?" asked Maddy. "Mal's old hunting ground?" It took the little cat a moment or two before she figured out what Maddy was doing, and the fury she felt was undeniable; Maddy was trying to buy her from Uma.

It swallowed Cassie like a great wave—an overwhelming agitation she'd only ever dealt with when it came to Harry. In truth, it'd been steadily brewing inside of her since Harry and Maddy started talking. She was right there in the room with them; there had been plenty of opportunities for them to bring her into the conversation, but they hadn't. The way they spoke about her was infuriating. Cassie had been content to remain silent where she was in an effort to avoid being hurt by Maddy, but she was now realising that it wasn't doing her any favours. She appeared to be nothing more to them than a cunning little pet that could be purchased and traded. Hook's son behaved as though she was already his, and the granddaughter of Madam Mim dared to suggest Cassie was hers to have. And Cassie was so damn sick of it.

The words escaped Cassie's mouth before she even had a chance to prevent them. "I'm right here!" she yelled, jumping up from the chair. Cassie stepped closer to the three and shoved at Maddy's shoulders. "And I'm not something to be bought," she hissed. Then she turned on Harry. "I don't belong to you." Moving in further, Cassie had to tilt back her head to look at him. "I'll never belong to you."

There was a strained silence. Having two rival gangs in such an enclosed space already set tensions pretty high, and now Cassie had fanned the flames. Glaring up at the guy who'd been a dagger in her side since the day they'd met, Cassie's hand instinctively pressed against her stomach, as if to prevent him from touching it. The last time she'd been so daring, he'd beat the shit out of her.

At the same time, the pirate's eyes flashed with indignation, his lower jaw moving as he ground his teeth. Cassie could almost see his thought process—a hundred different ways to hurt her passing through his nasty little brain. He kept his eyes on hers, inching forward, as if he wanted her to know exactly what he was thinking about. The little cat was only partly aware of their audience; the remainder of her was wholly attempting to remind him that he meant nothing to her. It was tricky to convey without words, but she could tell he understood, and he hated it.

A piercing laugh broke the resentful spell. "And you'll still deny it!" exclaimed Maddy. The witch stepped forward, and Cassie turned around, putting her back to the pirate. "Why didn't you kill him, pussycat?"

Cassie gave an exasperated sigh. "I told you, I don't know." She was exhausted. All she wanted now was to go back to the hideaway, away from pirates and crazy witches.

Maddy looked over Cassie's shoulder, a knowing grin playing at her lips. "Why didn't you kill her?" she asked.

The little cat felt his breath against the back of her neck. "Why do ye care? Hm?"

"Because I want it," breathed Maddy. Dragging her green eyes back to Cassie, the witch came in close, lifting her hand to tuck a strand of Cassie's hair behind her ear. "All this hatred, and you still can't stand to be away from each other." The longing in Maddy's voice encouraged Cassie's belief that she was absolutely and undeniably insane. How could anyone have such a desire for what she shared with Harry?

"Then go find someone who wants you back," snapped Uma, drawing Maddy's attention away from Cassie. "She's one of ours now."

Maddy's eyes rolled skyward, and she inhaled deeply. "Not yet she isn't," she giggled, setting her sights on Cassie once more. "I'm calling you out, Shrimpy. My strongest fighter against yours."

Uma's reply was fast. "When?"

"Midnight, a week from now," said Maddy. "Give you guys time to get ready."

"We accept." The reply came from behind Cassie, and the little cat shivered.

Maddy's smile was cunning. "You don't even know who my strongest fighter is. You don't think you're being too hasty?" Cassie didn't like the look in her eye. She was up to something.

"Doesn' matter," was Hook's unconcerned reply. "I can take on any o' yer goons."

"Gaston Jr, then. You agree?" asked Maddy, loudly enough for the mentioned twin to hear.

"Sure thing, Madd's," he responded.

Cassie winced. Her eyes flickered to Helena, but she was unable to see her friend, who was still hiding behind Gaston Jr. The little cat wasn't entirely sure what happened in these kinds of duels, but she had an idea.

'If it comes to it, I won't let him get hurt'. Cassie recalled the promise she had made to Helena the previous evening. It was a sick kind of cruelty for it to appear sooner than any of them had planned. Harry was going to be fighting to keep Cassie with the pirates, and Gaston would be battling for Maddy to snatch her. Cassie was going to have to decide which was more important to her—her best friend or herself.

"By the time this is over-" Maddy took a step towards Cassie, "-you're going to hate me as much as you hate him." Taking one of Cassie's strands, the witch twirled it around her finger. "I can't wait."

A sharp hiss bubbled up from the back of Cassie's throat, and, unbeknownst to her, her eyes flickered between a gleaming yellow and their usual dark colour. Unfortunately for her, the very sight of it only spurred Maddy's desire.

What came next was, well, entirely unexpected. One minute Cassie was glaring at Maddy, and the next she was as solid as a rock, a whimper of surprise escaping her as Maddy pulled her in by the front of her shirt and brushed her lips against Cassie's.

"Oi!"

A forceful yank at the back of Cassie's shirt had her stumbling into the pirate behind her. Stunned beyond belief, the little cat could hardly do much except stare at the crazy witch in front of her. She could feel a thousand words dancing on her tongue, most of them insults. And yet, she could only raise her fingers to her lips, the ghost of Maddy's lingering. Her first kiss just had to be with someone she didn't want anywhere near her.

"I'll see you soon, pussycat," teased the witch, dragging her tongue along her top lip pointedly. While doing so, she peered directly over Cassie's shoulder, her lips twitching upwards in a triumphant manner. "C'mon guys!" Heading towards the exit, Maddy's group followed close behind.

"Cassie," whispered Helena, coming to a stop in front of the little cat. Her mouth moved wordlessly; she wanted to say something, but due to their surroundings, she was unable to. "I'll see you later." Cassie understood the message; she'd go and visit Helena tomorrow night.

As soon as Maddy and her group left the shop, Uma's pirates voiced whatever had been going through their minds. Most were outraged by Maddy's disrespectful display, while others were curious to know what had happened with Harry and Cassie. The multitude of yells set Cassie's nerves on edge. Still reeling from the kiss with Maddy, the little cat could barely understand her own thought process, let alone what was going on with Uma's crew.

"Holy Hades, that was intense." Starla stood in front of Cassie and placed a hand on the little cat's shoulder. "You good?"

Cassie blinked. Momentarily, she found herself unable to reply. Silently, she pointed to the exit. "D-did that just happen?"

Starla laughed. "I know!" she squealed, overcome by elation. "Was that your first?" Her shoulders bounced playfully.

"Uh, yeah," mumbled Cassie, putting a hand to her forehead. "That actually just happened."

"Oh," Starla grimaced pityingly. "You haven't been reading those books from Auradon, have you? Those guys really like to blow up a first kiss."

"No," assured Cassie. Her brows furrowed. "I just... I was expecting more, I guess."

Starla tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"It felt weird," explained Cassie, gnawing at her bottom lip. "I didn't see it coming, so I didn't know what to do."

"Yeah, I saw," the pirate tittered. "Not your fault!" she exclaimed, reassuringly. "No one has a good first. I mean, Hades, my first kiss; he wouldn't close his eyes and kept pushing his tongue in my mouth. It was gross." Starla shuddered as she recounted it. "Yours was, like, a second! That's not so bad. Good thing Harry pulled you back, huh?"

"Yeah," muttered Cassie. Having said that, the small feline glanced back over her shoulder. Uma was huddled close to Harry and Gil near the bartop, talking about something Cassie couldn't hear. Seeing them, though, reminded Cassie of what was said before Maddy kissed her. "Wait, Harry's gonna fight Gaston Jr?"

Starla nodded. "Yup. I wouldn't worry, boss-man's great in a fight."

Cassie couldn't even begin to explain that Harry's well-being wasn't what concerned her; she wanted the pirates to like her, after all. Still, her unease refused to leave. In one week, Harry would have to fight it out with Gaston Jr.

"Everyone out!" yelled Uma. "We'll re-group in the morning and talk everything through." Cassie hadn't truly realised how much authority Uma held until this moment. Without argument, the crew left the shop, until only the Sea Three and Cassie remained.

"You good, pussycat?" asked Uma, placing her hat down on the counter with a long-winded sigh. The night had clearly drained the energy out of her.

Ambling towards the bar, Cassie hopped up onto a stool. "What the fuck." It was the only thing she could think of that would fully express exactly what she thought of the night's events.

The captain chuckled. "Yeah, I know." Reaching underneath the counter, she withdrew a glass bottle of something or other. "You did good, though." Pressing the rim of the bottle to her lips, Uma tipped back her head.

"I did?" wondered Cassie, her brows furrowed.

"Hm." Uma nodded, and swallowed whatever was in the bottle. "You told her straight." The captain's gaze darted to something behind Cassie before coming back. It was sudden, and Cassie wouldn't have noticed it if she wasn't paying attention. She could see Gil in the corner of her eye, rummaging for something in one of the higher cabinets. One pirate was missing.

A sudden 'bang' reverberated in the shop, startling the little cat. Slowly, her eyes travelled to her right hand, which she'd put down on the countertop after joining Uma. Between her index and middle fingers, a hook was embedded deep into the wood.

"The fuck were ye' thinking?"

Cassie sighed, and her eyes rolled. She could feel the heat of his body directly behind her, his chest pressed uncomfortably close to her back. Then she felt her hair being swept away from the back of her neck, and pushed over left shoulder. "Which part?" she groaned, sensing the oncoming argument. She could count how many times she must've pissed him off tonight, but she was curious to know which one he'd pick out first.

"Ye' kissed the witch!" he snapped. Now that was a surprise.

Cassie's jaw went slack. "That's where I fucked up?" she cried, perplexed. "She kissed me! I didn't know what to do!" Then her nose wrinkled. "What do you care, anyway?"

The hook-wielding pirate chuckled with vexation. "Ye're s'posed to be one of us, Kitty. The whole point o' you comin' in alone was to prove ye wanted to be here." Cassie felt the weight of his chin on her shoulder. "Kissin' 'er didn' exactly send the right message."

Cassie looked to Uma for help, but the captain merely shrugged. Apparently, she agreed with her first mate. "I didn't kiss her!" protested Cassie. "She kissed me! And it was only for, like, a second! You pulled me back!"

"Aye," he agreed. "What would'a happened if I hadn't?"

Irritated by their lack of faith in her, Cassie pouted. She then turned her head, forcing herself to remain still when her nose brushed against his. "I was surprised, okay?! That's never happened before." Having to explain herself to the three didn't sit well with Cassie. If joining their crew despite the fact that one of the higher-ups wanted her dead hadn't convinced them, then nothing else would.

"Aww," cooed Gil. "She was your first kiss?" A gentle smile pulled up his lips, his jaw moving as he chewed up another egg.

Pink dusted Cassie's cheeks. "Pretty much," she uttered.

"Don't worry, kid," said Uma, the bottle swinging between her fingers. "None of us had great first kisses."

"Eh!"

Cassie paused. Lifting her hand, she wagged a finger between Harry and Uma. "You guys-"

"Doesn't matter," the captain interjected, resting her forearms on the counter. "What matters now is what's coming." The reminder of the oncoming duel soured the air.

"How do the fights work?" inquired Cassie, lightly tapping her nails against the countertop.

"Well, usually the fights go down in a 'middle ground'. In this case, the bridge to Auradon. This way, the fight's evened out; no one has the upper hand," explained Uma.

Though she was grateful for the explanation, it wasn't what Cassie really wanted to know. "How do you know who wins?" she asked quietly. It was foolish of her to ask, really, and Uma's look in response said as much.

"Ye' tap out, or ye' sleep with the fishies," teased the pirate behind her.

Cassie swallowed down a lump in her throat. Naturally, she could assume which option most of the fights led to. "You can't kill him," she whispered. She knew saying it out loud was a mistake, well before she felt a familiar sting against her throat.

"Ye're gettin' a bit too cocky now, Kitty," purred Harry, his mouth hovering near her ear. "Ye' think ye' can tell me what to do 'cause I can't kill ye'?"

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do," she objected, aggravated. "He's Gil's brother," she pointed out. "If you're gonna stand there and tell me that you'll happily kill your best friend's big brother, then this isn't a crew I want to be a part of." She placed her chin on her hands, ignoring the scratch against her neck. He wasn't allowed to kill her, after all.

There was silence. Until Uma spoke up. "Damn, pussycat," she sang softly, almost impressed. "What happened to you?"

Cassie looked up. "Huh?"

"A month ago, you would've told him to go ahead. What changed?" The captain's head tilted, and she observed the little cat.

Cassie opened her mouth to reply, only to shut it a second later. Uma was right—what had happened to her? Before, Cassie would've jumped at the first opportunity for freedom, regardless of who was hurt in the process. She'd done as much when she told Uma that it was Ginny who planned the attack on Harry. There hadn't been a moment of hesitation or regret about that choice. Sure, there had been a sliver of guilt when Helena told her what had happened to Ginny, but it'd soon been drowned out by the fear of Maddy coming hunting her down. Even now, her lack of worry for the daughter of Gothel is surpassed by her desire to get Maddy off her case. Obviously, Cassie didn't want anyone dead, and the notion of hurting someone else still agitated her. But she couldn't force herself to care for someone she hardly knew or even disliked. Which brought to light a rather startling revelation she hadn't considered.

Uma must've noticed the change in Cassie's expression. "How's it feel, pussycat?" she asked smugly.

"How does what feel?" the little cat asked, still coming to terms with what she'd realised.

"To care about us." The captain grinned, like this was what she'd been planning all along. "I'll say it again; you're already almost one of us."

Cassie whined, her lips twitching downward. Helena was easy enough; she stayed in the salon most of the time and wasn't actively running with a gang. The pirates were a completely different ball game. It wasn't to say she felt anything for Uma or Harry—Harry least of all. But Gil? He'd been so sweet to her since they'd first met; there wasn't a bad thing she could say about him. Maybe that's why she hadn't realised it before. His friendship was so subtle, likely because they didn't spend much time together. It'd crept up on her before she even noticed it was there.

Cassie felt another puff of air against her head, but this time she refused to look back. She could practically smell his arrogance.

"Welcome to the crew, Kitty."

AN;

Hi guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favourites so far, they mean so much to me!

Reviews;

CallMeDella; First, thank you for being so understanding! Real life is a pain in the ass sometimes. You're ever so sweet, I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

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