I honestly have to say I'm so surprised lately at the number of people who have messaged me regarding this story from so long ago! It really made me smile and because of you awesome people (You know who you are) I'm continuing not just this story, but ALL of my unfinished stories, so thank you! And without further adieu (you fair Spanish ladies) I give you chapter 20!
Disclaimer: I only own Caroline.
Some time had passed and it seemed like Martin had for the most part gotten his sea legs. Quit was teaching him how to tie different knots, and watching it was reminding me of my time as a child on the first Orca. As rash and abrasive as my dad could be, he was actually patient with people who were willing to learn, who were willing to admit they made mistakes and who were willing to put ego aside and approach learning about the sea with an open mind. He had Martin working on a bowline while using an old way I remembered from being a child and learning myself.
I was sitting in the crow's nest, rubbing sunblock onto my face before I gave Matt a small whistle. He looked up and I dropped the tube down to him, he nodded his thanks and I stretched lightly.
Matt was reading a magazine about fishing rods and was oiling a rod as he killed time and I almost wished I had brought a book with me when I heard it. A click. I looked down at Quint who was eyeing his reel and then slowly, as to not attract any unwanted attention in case it was nothing, and to not make a move on the reel that would scare the fish off, he started to clip his reel onto the special vest he'd had made.
I took the opportunity to start to climb down, pausing to step around Matt who gave my leg an affectionate stroke as I passed, I'm sure he thought I was going to use the head.
I got behind Quint as he moved the reel into position for himself as Martin pulled the knot tight and proudly exclaimed "Heeeey! I got it!" That's when the fish started to run. The reel was winding as it let out lots of line, Martin looked at it curiously before looking at Quint. "What?"
"Get behind me," he told the chief who jumped up and quickly moved to stand behind Quint and next to me. "Hooper reverse her!" He shouted to Matt who jumped up and started up the engine.
"It's taking a hell of a lot of line." I commented as I watched.
"Chief, get the scoop from the bucket and wet the reel!" Quint ordered and Martin moved to do it quickly. He barked out orders to Martin and Matt as I moved to the bow of the ship, ready to prepare the gun if need be.
"He's gone under. Keep 'er steady now, she's gone under the boat!" He shouted making Matt speak softly.
"I don't think so."
"No offense babe, but I'm with my dad on this one." I told him as I started to tie a barrel to the harpoon gun.
"Put your gloves on the both of you!" Quint called to me and Matt making me put down what I was doing and move back to the stern, Matt handed me my gloves from the helm and I put them on quickly before moving to stand behind Quint.
"Hey Quint, let it go." Matt said to Quint who scoffed lightly.
"Hey Hooper, maybe you're a big man back in the lab but out here you're supercargo." He replied. "If you don't want to backstroke home you get down here! Caroline take over up there!"
"You sure Quint? I mean, Matt and I could do it, Martin has no experience..."
"He also has no experience steering the ship and you do. You steer the boat, I'll break in the chief."
"Alright," I sighed before trading places with Matt and making sure the Orca stayed in neutral.
"It's not a shark," Matt said as he hopped down.
"The wire's showing." Chief Brody said as he looked at Quint.
"Unbuckle me, get the other side," Quint was telling Martin as I watched the three men.
"It's a tuna or a swordfish," Matt was saying, and I have to admit being rather obnoxious as he did.
Quint handed the rod off to Martin making me tense up. "Quint," I said quickly as he moved to the front of the boat. "Do you want me-"
"No!" He bellowed, and I bit my lip as I watched the two for a moment before the line snapped, sending both men toppling to the ground.
"Gaming fish eh?" Quint asked as he came back with a large hook and looked over the edge of the boat and then back at Matt as he stood up looking relatively unscathed, but a look on his face that said he'd suffered a blow to his ego. "Marlin? Stingray? Bit through this piano wire? Don't you tell me my business again, you get back on the bridge, Caroline-"
"Quint that doesn't prove a damn thing," Matt insisted and Quint looked at him, unimpressed.
"Well it proves one thing Mr. Hooper. It proves you wealthy college boys don't have the education enough to admit when you're wrong." He nodded to me and I hopped down. When he turned his back I touched Matt's arm.
"Just keep an open mind with Quint. He's been doing this for a long time," I said to Hooper quickly before kissing his cheek.
"Yeah yeah..." he grumbled softly as Quint went inside, he then made a series of quick faces at Quint's back making me snort lightly and then since Quint was busy I followed him back up to the controls.
"Hooper! Twelve minutes south southeast, full throttle!" Quint shouted.
"Aye aye sir!" Hooper shouted "Arr Jim-boy, Arr!" I smiled lightly as I wrapped my arms around Matt's middle and rested my chin on his shoulder, watching as he steered the Orca in the direction Quint wanted.
"Hooper full throttle!" Quint shouted and Matt groaned softly.
"I don't have to take this abuse much longer." He said in his best W. C. Fields impression.
"You're so mature, it's one of my favorite things about you," I sighed as I looked at Hooper with a small smile.
"Hey," he said as I started to moved to go down and see what Quint wanted me to do.
"Hm?" I looked at him.
"I uh, I just wanted to let you know, I love you." He said and I looked at him for a long moment. "You don't have to say it, I just... I just wanted you to know."
"Okay," I said before I moved in and gently kissed his cheek. "I love you too," I said softly. Even now, on the boat in the middle of the water I felt closer to Matt than I ever did with any other guy, and if I was completely honest with myself, I'd admit it's because not any of those other men were the one who had just professed his love for me while we were on a boat in the middle of the ocean, and my unstable father was the captain. That took a lot of bravery, but no, I'd always loved Matt, and I was pretty sure the universe was trying to shove us together again.
It was a few hours of silence from the shark. No movement, no sound no sight of him and I was running out of hope he'd resurface that day. Quint had taken to the crow's nest and I was in a very deep battle of Go Fish with Matt, sitting under the crow's nest as we played, while Martin sat there smoking a cigarette and working on his knots. "Sevens?" I asked and Matt surveyed his cards for a moment before sighing and handing over two of them. I grinned and he lightly nudged me with his foot.
"Brody," Quint called from the crow's nest. "Start that chum line again will you?"
"Let Hooper take a turn." Martin protested after shooting a distasteful look at the bucket of guts.
"Hooper drives the boat Chief." Quint said sternly, as if to say there would be no further discussion of the matter. Martin sighed and then hauled himself up to move over to the transom while Quint started to descend from the crow's nest. "Caroline, with me," he said as he hopped down. "Hooper, slow ahead if you please." I gave Matt a shrug before cleaning up the cards and then leaning forward to peck his lips.
"See you in a bit," I said as I hopped down and followed Quint into the cabin where he was preparing another reel.
"Get me the-"
"Got it," I said as I grabbed the rod and brought it over to him.
"Slow ahead," I could hear Martin saying to himself. "I can go slow ahead, come on down and chum some of this shit." I cracked a grin at the thought of Martin trying to pilot the Orca, it was a very temperamental motor and the fact that Hooper had been driving her for the full day had resulted in some swearing and learning how to coax exactly what you wanted out of her. Martin would just get frustrated. I was thinking about that with a smile when Martin suddenly backed into the cabin, eyes wide, cigarette practically dangling out of his mouth when he finally stopped.
"You're going to need a bigger boat." he said, his voice trembling.
Well I hope you liked it!As a reward for your patience I threw in a declaration of love for you all!
Leave a review and let me know what you think!
Things are about to get pretty crazy for those shark hunters!