Collision. It was the word that every boat feared the most. More so than sinking. Sinking was death yes, but it was the end. There was a certain finality to it, a peacefulness that always came with Death. But a collision was just the beginning. The beginning of an agonizing time for both vessels involved. As Geronimo found out that morning.

"Damn Aussieboat." She grumbled quietly, side still smarting. She'd lost much of her paint in that encounter and broke several ribs. A mistake on her part, one that had cost her the race she so badly needed. Now the score was all tied up, 3-3. Whoever won the next one tomorrow... well, America had lost last time and Geronimo would never forgive herself if she was the boat who lost the Cup again. Not when she was so close! She hissed in pain, squeezing her eyes shut as her ribs complained. That was the problem with rib wounds. It hurt her to just breathe! How could she possibly race, let alone with a race, like this? Mind you, her crew was doing everything they could to patch her up in time.

"Hey, you doing alright girl?" The question was hypothetical. Of course she was not alright! But Geronimo recognized the voice and opened her eyes, staring down at her captain. Sparks flew from the welders rods as they patched her up and she winced, a whimper escaping her throat. "I know. I know." She felt his hands on either side of her face, fingers making their own soothing circles along her hull. She was always fascinated by human hands. There was always so much going on with them! To a sailboat, action was beautiful and Parker's hands most certainly were. And at the moment their action was to calm their owner's ship which is exactly what they did. Geronimo stilled under her captain's gentle touch. Another piece of hull was welded and she snorted, head tilting side to side a few times and each time he soothed her. "Shh. Easy girl. Shh. Shhh..." Eventually she calmed down, breaths evening as she synchronized hers with his and then gently pressed her nose to his forehead, licking around behind his ear. He laughed softly as he felt her warm tongue. "There's my beautiful girl." He said, thumbing her chin. She gave a soft happy bark, burying her nose into his shoulder. "You've done good Geronimo." He said. Geronimo could sense a difference in him as his scent changed. The temperature around his chest seemed to increase. He was, sad about something and she gave a soft coo. It was her job to keep him happy. Her effort failed to get a chuckle out of him as he wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face to her cheek. "I pushed you too hard." He said. "We could've cleared if you weren't so tired. I'm sorry." Geronimo offered another coo to assure him she was okay. She was being fixed, not lying on the harbor bottom. "I-I'm going to scratch you." He said at last. "This is, too much. I can't risk you getting hurt again." Scratched? And let the Australians win the Cup, again?! Geronimo snorted angrily, nipping him harshly on the shoulder. He stepped back in surprise. "What?" He asked and she glared. She understood his concern for her but she was putting her foot down dammit! "You, want to keep racing?" He sounded surprised that she'd even want to keep going after what had happened to her. A collision like the one she had suffered would've knocked the spirit out of most ships. She shifted, stretching her nose outside the hanger to look around. Ah, there she was. Boomerang was exactly where Geronimo thought she'd be. She wasn't a bloody mess anymore and her masts were being raised up again. She saw the red boat looking at her and stared right back, her look more of a glare really. She snorted and Geronimo curled her lip, rudder flicking back and forth. The Australian grinned. Parker was well versed enough in sailboat language to recognize what that meant. "Challenge excepted?" He asked his red Goliath and Geronimo tossed her head.

He chuckled. "Well, I guess I won't be going to the committee tonight then." He said and she barked. "I just- want you to know, you've done your mother proud. You've shown your a top boat. We're here aren't we? You won the Louis Vitton and now here we are, the America's Cup Finals!" He chuckled, placing a hand over her nose. "Run hard tomorrow. You don't have to win because I believe we have already won. And now win or lose, we made it. And that's what matters." She nuzzled him and he embraced her. She rested her head over his shoulder once more.

Parker heard his sailboat make a series of growls and it took him a couple of seconds to recognize them for what they were. His fingers tapped the pattern back on her hull and Geronimo straightened as she felt the familiar beat against her hull. The rest of her crew joined in and Geronimo, gazing back over at Boomerang, tossed her head and gave a loud Indian-style whoop! Tomorrow, she would make history. Tomorrow, she would win back the America's Cup!