Charles stepped out of the Captain's cabin feeling as if the entire world had been dropped onto his shoulders. He didn't even acknowledge the crew who were milling about near the cabin pretending they had not just been listening at the door. He hurried across the ship and up onto the bow. It was the furthest he could get from the rest of the crew without actually going below deck. He pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed at his forehead unable to believe the responsibility that had been dropped on him. How could the Captain have such complete faith in him? He didn't deserve that kind of trust. He wasn't a brave man or a particularly reliable one. In fact he couldn't think of anything he could have done to inspire this kind of confidence. How any of the pirates could trust him at all was completely beyond his comprehension. He stared out at the rolling waves, wringing his handkerchief absently in his hands and wondering if he ought to throw up or faint.

"You're gonna help him aren't you?"

Darwin jumped, surprised to see the Albino Pirate sitting on the rail beside him. He had been so preoccupied he hadn't even noticed him climb up there. Couldn't he even have one moment alone with his thoughts?! He almost said that out loud but the wide-eyed hopeful look on the young man's face made him curb his tongue. Instead he just told the truth. "I…I don't know if I can. I'm afraid to even try."

The Albino's white eyebrows came together in a look of perplexity. "But…you guys are friends now, right?"

The question caught Darwin off guard. When the Pirate Captain had asked Charles Darwin to join his crew of 'briny rouges' the Pirate with the Scarf had made it very clear that he did not like the idea. Charles had been quite aware of the first mate's distrust of him. He couldn't blame him. Charles didn't exactly have the most trustworthy of records when it came to these pirates. But their relationship had gone through a drastic change about a month ago during an epic battle with a colossal squid. In an uncharacteristic burst of bravery Darwin had gotten himself knocked overboard while trying to protect another crewmember. It seemed that was all it took to convince the first mate that the little scientist was a worthy part of the crew. After that he was always friendly and at times it seemed he even went out of his way to be nice, as if he were trying to make up for his earlier behavior. In fact last week he had even helped Charles chase down a very unusual-looking lizard. They hadn't caught it, though. They had ran around in circles for about five minutes and ended up tripping over each other and falling into an undignified heap with the lizard mocking them from under a very large and unmovable rock.

Charles almost smiled at the memory until he remembered the question. "Um…Yes. I guess we are."

"Well, then you've got to try." The Albino Pirate said as if it were the simplest thing in the world and he didn't understand why Charles was having a problem with it. "If you don't who will?"

The words hit him like a slap in the face. And he actually took in a small breath. He turned and considered the group of pirates on the deck below him. They may be able to climb a mast and fire a cannon but he was certain that not one of them could tell a femur from the carotid artery. And with a chill he realized that he was the most qualified person available.

None of the pirates had actually approached him as Albino had done but they were all waiting for him to do something. His brows furrowed in determination and he took a deep steadying breath. "Alright, you…um…coves! Let's get hopping." His attempt to sound as charismatic as the Captain fell completely flat but he continued anyway. At least it had gotten their attention. "Pirate with Gout, I need my anatomy book."

The Pirate with Gout squinted a bit. "The creepy one with the human skeleton on the cover?"

"Yes."

"Right away." He hobbled off to get it.

"Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate!"

The very curvy pirate with the beard that looked like a rug saluted.

"Get my black bag from the hold. The one with all the little knives in it."

"On it!" He said and scurried below deck.

Darwin nodded. Okay, this was good. He could do this. "Alright." He pointed to the Pirate who likes Sunsets and Kittens. "We need as many bandages as you can find."

The burly man nodded somberly.

"Albino Pirate."

The young man was instantly at Darwin's side. "Yep?

"Heat some water."

"Wait." The Albino Pirate looked puzzled. "You're going to give him a bath?"

The Pirate with the Scarf was lying on his back on the large wooden dinner table, his scarf and stained jacket hanging over a chair on the other side of the room. His bare chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. Beads of perspiration glistened on his forehead where a frown puckered his otherwise slack features. He was developing a fever. The pirates didn't own any kind of thermometer so there was no way to be exact but going by the way his forehead felt Darwin had guessed it at around one hundred.

Charles stood beside the table. He was alone. He needed perfect concentration and that would be quite impossible with a room full of concerned friends. A large book sat on the bench next to him, it's pages opened to a detailed print of the human interior. Lined up neatly beside the book was a row of very sharp metallic instruments. They had been boiled and sanitized as much as possible on the dingy little ship. Everything was ready.

With a deep wavering breath Darwin picked up the closest scalpel…and froze. His hand started to shake. All of the determination he had mustered up earlier had vanished. His palms began to sweat and he suddenly felt light headed. What was he doing? He wasn't a surgeon. He wasn't a doctor. He wasn't even a school nurse! He was just a second-rate biologist with a flair for taxidermy. Sure he had dissected a guinea pig here and there. Those were animals! Did that give him the qualifications to be poking around inside someone? Someone who was still alive?

His throat began to close up on him and he let out a little high-pitched whimper. "I-I can't do this! I can't!" What if he made a mistake? What if he made it worse? What if…

There was a hand on his shoulder and he let out a startled yelp. When Mr. Bobo had come in he had no idea but he was there.

The chimp gave him a small encouraging smile and held up three cards. Need…A…Nurse?

Charles took a deep breath and nodded. He could do this! He took one last look at the first mate's pale face. He had to do this.