The day I plan on posting this marks the day I first posted this story, two years ago. This either shows that I write very slowly or that I am dedicated to this story - both of which are true. Ah dear haha... I want to thank all of you who have reviewed and taken time to read my story and favourite and followed. I love you all and appreciate every single moment you have taken to read if only one sentence.

So, without further adieu, let's get on to Chapter 14!

I don't realise what's happening until I bring my hand up around the nape of his neck, holding him to me, kissing him back.

Max

What have I done?!

I kissed Fang...

You idiot

I have ruined everything. I cannot believe I fell for that. How am I ever going to recover things after kissing the Captain? How am I going to be able to talk to him and look him in the eye without thinking of his damned lips on my damned lips and it feeling damn good. Eugh. What the heck am I supposed to do now. I won't be able to make a joke about him or to make sarcastic comments in case something goes wrong and he hates me and throw me off. Now I know he's strangely sensitive...

But it was pretty good, I can't lie.

It was my first kiss. And I didn't have a chance to think about it. I didn't even consider not kissing him.

I had no idea what I was doing until it was happening. And then it was over and he was inside his room, leaving me to stand outside, a finger pressed to my tingling lips and wondering why that happened and if it even happened at all. His warm lips on mine and hand on my back, the candle dancing in the background imprinting itself on my mind like Fang's mouth on mine.

Eugh. I need to stop talking about this. I need to talk to someone about it. Nudge would be perfect.

I have lain awake all night thinking about what it all means and have got absolutely nowhere. And now it's another cold morning - the real morning - and I'm exhausted and anxious, with the storm noises thrumming in my ears. And Nudge still isn't in the room. She hasn't been back all night and I don't know where she has gone. She was quiet yesterday at the meeting and wasn't like herself - bubbly Nudge who doesn't shut up for anyone. Bubbly Nudge was quiet yesterday and now she's gone. Very odd. She can't have gone far.

I pull back the duvet and embrace the biting chill of morning air, ripping the curtains open and cringing at the bright darkness that lays outside. Rain hammers down onto the windows, threatening and challenging. At least it's not as though I'm sleepy and want to stay in bed, thinking about Captain Walker any more than I have to - which I've done already (once was too much).

I wander down the corridor and onto the deck (I was already dressed from my escapade earlier this morning) where the storm greets me, howling wind pulling at my clothes and rain slicing like frozen knives onto my skin. I hold my arms tight and squeeze, praying for some warmth. I may not believe in God but it sure does help thinking that someone out there hates you and therefore brings on the hell of all storms. While I'm stuck out here in a thin white shirt, feeling like summer may just be over.

Clouds crash into one another ahead, raining splattering onto the decks like an angry child creating a terrible painting on a filthy surface. I steady myself against the door. The anchors are down as are the sails, rolled up. The masts are soaking wet, droplets of water running onto the decks below, pooling. There's a person on the other side of the ship, standing by the wheel of the ship, crouched down.

Nudge? Or is it? I can't tell from here. The mist from the rain is too heavy.

I move towards the person, my arms reaching through the rain and the strong wind, pushing my way forwards. I can't see properly but still try to clutch onto the slippery masts to hold me up. I don't know how the person on the other end is standing outside by choice. It's foul. My hands slide off the masts and I'm forced to bend over, fighting against the torrential rain and wind. Water splashes into my face, almost blinding me, but I continue, reaching the steps in what seems like hours. From here I can see the person more clearly. One hand is clamped onto their head, holding a hat there, the other is holding something shiny and silver. It glints in the small amount of light cast by the light of day behind moody clouds. Their trousers whip around in the wind.

Definitely not Nudge.

"Hey!" I shout out, my voice getting lost immediately in the noise of the storm. I hobble closer to the person, shouting again.

"Go away!" The voice is male, deep but not Fang. I'd know his dulcet tones anywhere. The man behind the wheel is lighter but angry and shaking. I see that now, even in the mist and with the rain slashing my vision. Blonde hair flitters out from under his hat. Dylan.

"Dylan!" I try to project my voice above the whirlwind of water and wind. "What are you doing here?"

Unfortunately all I hear is 'Di-ahh! At arghh ooing eeeh'... So I have no idea what Dylan hears, if anything.

"Go away, Max!" I am surprised I can hear him over the tumultuous thundering noise. He turns his face away from me, defending it from the blustery wind and rain, cutting into us. My top is completely soaked now and I don't regret the undershirt I wear beneath it - no regrets at all. The cotton trousers I wear cling to my legs. I am also wearing the boots Nudge lent me, not that they do a lot of good in this weather.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask, ridicule leaking into my hollering tone. Dylan shudders and shivers, hand on the silver object. I clamber up the stairs, soles of my boots skidding along the water-ridden wooden planks, and hold onto Dylan, bending closer to him. "Dylan it's freezing and pouring. We need to get inside." I pull at his arm, my hand around his wrist. He winces and I remember the rope burn where my fingers are grasping his tightly. I let go. "Come on."

"No!" He screams, pushing against me with what must be all his weight. I stumble backwards, fighting to stay upright in the blasting storm. He pushes me again and I crash against the side of the ship, shouting out in a gasp of pain down my side. I grip my side where the pain is, looking at Dylan in disbelief. Jeez, it's not as though I've asked him to kill his freakin' puppy. "I don't want to go inside!"

"Calm down, jeez blondie.." I walk back to Dylan, my side splintering in snippets of pain which gives me a headache after a few moments. "Just get back in the warm - well.. Warmer."

I notice the rain is slowing down and the cloud looks less angry. The wind is less fierce, slapping my drenched hair against my face. Salt traces the droplets falling into my face and my mouth and I am familiar with the scent and taste by now. The harsh sea is all around, crashing into us, taking my senses on an adventure.

"I don't want to go." I barely hear him, but the dying wind allows the words to get to me.

"Stop being such a baby!" This is getting silly now.

"I don't want to go! You can't make me." The silver thing in his hand glints again. I walk slowly towards him, water pouring off every inch of my body. My arms stretch out, trying to be gentle and steady despite the stabbing pain in my side. Silver. In his hand. It shines and with the slowly disappearing mist I see what is in his hand just as he is reaching his hand out, finger on the trigger.

Then there is nothing but blinding pain in my left shoulder. The bang of the pistol ricochets around the open water and across the ship, seconded by my cry of agony.

I stare down at my shoulder, a butterfly of blood spreading out onto my shirt.

I will not cry

Damn right you won't cry. Just a bullet wound. No problem

"What the hell was that?"

Somewhere behind where I have fallen, a door flies open and slams shut, I hear the patter of feet running, a crack and shout of aggravation. My mind is too high on pain to hear what is said, but I still hear the angry exchange and then a soft female voice that sounds warm and kind and lovely and bubbly all at once.

I've lost quite a bit of blood by now. Someone is putting pressure on my shoulder. I laugh because I feel dizzy. That makes me feel even more dizzy.

Black spots begin to dance across my vision, taunting me and churning my mind. Everything becomes very silly and hilarious all of a sudden and the pain drifts into my mind as it wanders across the ship, seeing Fang, face white and gaunt, halted at the dormitory doors. Our eyes meet and I giggle before cringing at a niggling feeling in my shoulder. It tingles and titters, but I don't want to look and risk it. Risk what, my mind can't think.

Fang doesn't seem to move at all. But then he is there beside me. It's all so weird and I don't understand what is even happening. I hear someone shouting in the background and someone else is crying and screaming in pain. Then there's the soft voice of the female who approached me with her gentle hands. It must be the nurse-y one... Eleanor? Elena? Ella? Ella! That's it. Ella. Lovely Ella. Sweet and kind Ella. She's with the ginger one... Iggy! Wow can't believe I remember that so well. He's the one that seems a little crazy I think. Or is that Fang? I don't know anymore.

The one with black hair says something I don't understand. Is he foreign? All I can concentrate are the deep tones of his voice, lulling me towards sleep.

He looks at the girl, Ella, and she tries to look away from him and says something else I don't understand. Why can't I understand them? I feel like I left my brain somewhere.

The slowing rain is cold on my face, sliding down my chapped and sunburnt cheeks. It's painful in it's own way but I welcome the cool against the heat in my skin. It trickles down my neck and onto the wooden planks of the deck. I feel the warmth of the blood running down my shoulder and down onto the deck. But I try not to think about it.

I hear more screams and shouts and loud thumps but my hearing has begin to go fuzzy like my eyesight. Words blend into sounds and sounds blend into the whistling of the dying wind in my ear. I don't try to move because the cold leaves me paralysed and I'm afraid to move.

Fang is beside me, his mouth moving but no sound coming out as my eyelids droop.

I'm so tired. So very tired.

Fang is shaking me, his mouth moving and his stone face cracking in the rain and in the moment.

I want to sleep. And I want to tell him, but I can't move. My body and mind won't allow it.

The black spots of my vision close in and all I can see is the flickering colours that bounce beneath your eyelids.

The last thing I feel is a strong pair of arms sliding under me and hauling me into the air.

Ella is being really kind to me. I guess I never really knew her that much before now. But she's been helping me out, changing my bandages and helping me get better and all that. It's been nice, but very strange. I've never had an injury like that before so haven't been to an infirmary before. Well... I went to one when a boy back at home punched me in the face. But that was it. It wasn't anything like this place.

For starters, here I am in a room which is much like a dormitory except for the shelves of stacked up bandages and antiseptic, as well as the four beds lined up. Usually in a dorm there's only one or two beds. Also, here there is Ella, pulling away at my bandage again to check for any infection which might have settled in. I don't look. I don't like the sight. It would be worse if pus started flowing from it.

Don't criticise, I've never been shot before! I don't know what happens..

"What happened to Dylan," I ask, feeling drowsy. My words slur slightly but Ella doesn't mind. She glances sideways at Angel and Gazzy for a moment - they are sitting across the room, sketching - before burrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"I'm not too sure actually. After Captain Walker brought you in all I heard was Iggy shouting at Dylan and quite a few people were screaming. The Captain stormed back out again after setting you down on the bed. There was a lot of shouting but I'm not sure what happened in the end." She pauses. "I don't suppose it matters too much. He'll probably be marooned or punished in some way."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it's Fang Walker." I cock my head sideways then shudder as she wipes something cold on my shoulder, numbing it. The smell makes me woozy and I don't seem to be able to think straight, yet again. Apparently my look sends the right message of 'so what', when Ella answers with "Well how else is he going to deal with someone who he hates on board the ship and who 'broke the rules'. It's always violence."

Ella pats me on the other arm, wrapping up my clean bandage and leaving me with that thought.

I broke the rules. He used to hate me, didn't he? All those days spent wondering whether he is insane and cruel and abusive but he never laid a finger on me. Not that I can remember. Though that may be incorrect as half my brain is being lost to sleep right now.

In my peripheral vision I see Fang hovering in the corner of the room, seemingly waiting for someone or something. Me? I don't know. I'm too tired to pay attention. He begins to walk over to my bed, smirking a little. I try to smile back but end up yawning.

"I'm sorry Max," he says in that deep voice of his, quiet once he reaches me. "I'm so sorry."

I try to tell him that it's okay, but all my words that come out are "where's Nudge?"

The last thing I see before the dazing dots of sleep is his strike of worrying across his face. Where is Nudge?

AHHHHHHH AND I'M DONE!

This one was a lot of fun to write and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Read and review please? Thanks!