*I don't own Skins or Skins characters* I really appreciate the reviews you all have been leaving. A lot of you are giving me really insightful reviews and they have been very helpful to my writing process. I'm hoping my new job doesn't slow me down in updating. I don't think it will once I get used to the hours and stop being so exhausted all the time.
Chapter Twenty Three: Crow's Nest
Captain Stonem led the way out of the jungle - mostly because Mr. Cook didn't trust her enough to have his back to her. The shoreline was littered with bodies and craters from the cannonballs but the ships no longer fired upon each other; she began to ease her way along the tree line, hoping to avoid any stray fighters and remain out of sight, as she steered them towards the cave.
"Just a moment." Cook said, causing the already tense brunette to jump. "I need to check on my new mate."
"We can count bodies later…" the captain whispered, her eyes darting around to see if they had been heard or spotted.
"Awe he won't hurt you." The scraggly man laughed. "Don't be such a scaredy."
With that Cook turned and made his way towards the beach with Emily not far behind; Effy stared after them for a moment before tossing her head and following slowly behind.
"Hello Gimps!" The blonde cheered, "…brought this back for you."
The redhead turned her head quickly away at the sight of the boy's swollen and bloodied leg, taking a quick sip from her flask, and stood shaking for a moment.
"Well that was thoughtful of you…did you have any luck?" Freddie asked, too tired to turn his head.
"Freddie?" Emily gasped.
"Emily…" the dark haired boy sighed, forcing himself to turn with a painful grunt.
The redhead rounded the tree quickly and crouched down next to his good leg. Captain Stonem shot Cook a wary look and leaned herself against the back of the tree.
"God Freddie," she cried, "your leg…your arms…"
"I'm fine," he lied, "and you're really ok..."
"You're not fine." Emily pointed out, "We've never been good at lying to each other but that has to be the worst one you've ever tried to pull off."
"Don't worry about me." Freddie insisted. "I sent word to your father before we set out after your sister…he should be here soon…it will all be ok…"
"See, it wasn't your fault at all." Effy finally spoke, not moving from her spot behind the tree, "We should get moving if what he says is right."
"I can't just leave him like this." Emily said.
"If we hurry then we can find them and be back, quick as you please, but if more ships are on there way that doesn't give you and Campbell much time." The brunette pointed out.
Cook stood quietly, for once, as he took in the exchange; he could see more crew coming in from the Bloody Whore and that made him uneasy. If Captain Stonem was going to double cross them then the odds were stacking quickly in her favor once again.
"What is she talking about?" The dark haired boy asked.
"…It's complicated," the redhead evaded, "Here…there's not much left but I think you need it…" she added, handing him the flask.
"We're all going to need some of that…" Cook said, pointed out to the longboat that was halfway to shore.
"Will he be safe?" Emily demanded.
The wild girl didn't answer.
"Effy…will they hurt him? Should we wait?" The girl demanded again.
"I don't know." The captain admitted.
"Then someone has to stay with him." The redhead insisted.
Captain Stonem quickly looked to Cook who immediately shook his head.
"Well someone has to." The brunette moaned.
"Well that'll be you." The blonde boy pointed out. "Crazy can watch Gimps since it's her crew coming to finish us off."
Effy shifted uncomfortably, her eyes cutting a hole through Campbell's first mate, until Emily stood back up and made her way over to her. The redhead took her hand softly and her brown eyes were pleading, finally the captain sighed and nodded her head before pulling her hand freed and leaning back against the tree – her arms crossed unhappily.
"I hope she breaks your nose again." The captain muttered as Cook gave her a cocky smile.
"You're just afraid red's gonna finish what the two of us started at the bar." He shot at her as he instinctively dodged an attack that never came.
"Just hurry." Effy sighed, turning her eyes towards the beach.
Captain Campbell grunted as she used the rod to pry open one of the crates; Katie sat on top of a barrel as she peered up at the tiny hole in the cave's roof, trying to understand how so much light could come through such a tiny opening.
"You could always help…" the blonde commented, "…what are you day dreaming about?"
"Sea shells." Katie answered absentmindedly with a small sigh.
The lid of the box finally came loose and the captain rummaged through the contents and sighed.
"Well…on to the next." Naomi sighed.
"What is it?" The redhead asked as she slid down from the barrel.
"Just papers." The blonde answered as she moved on to the next crate.
Katie began to leaf through the contents of the open box; the top few layers were badly damaged by water but some of the sheets below them were unharmed. Most of them seemed to be letters and charts but as she continued rummaging she came across a handful of drawings, all of them with the same subject – a woman. Katherine gasped; the woman looked just like her, or more accurately, like her great-great-grandmother. This was almost exactly like the portrait that hung in their room over the fireplace; except this was a charcoal drawing instead of an elaborate oil painting. The only other difference was the necklace around the woman's neck; only a string of pearls in the charcoal where in the painting at home it was an elaborate necklace fashioned with a strange looping symbol incrusted with jewels.
Naomi plucked the drawing out of the redhead's hands and looked at it before holding it up next to Katie's face.
"It's a remarkable resemblance." The blonde said, a little teasingly. "Though the necklace isn't right."
The other girl shrugged; turning her attention back to the crate and sifting through some more drawings, she finally found one that wasn't of her identical ancestor. This one was in ink and was the same looping symbol; it was less a drawing and more a design for a necklace, Katherine had helped her mother with orders and templates such as these before whenever they went to France.
"What is this? Does it mean something?" The redhead asked, surprised that she had never asked her family before.
Captain Stonem squinted through the dusty light from her place back at the other box she was working on.
"That's Fitch's Luck." Naomi answered laughingly. "I would think you would know all about that…though maybe not…"
"Well I don't so what is it?" Katie asked again.
"The story is that Stoat wanted to change his life…his fate…everything," the blonde explained, "and before his last conquest he sought the help of a powerful soothsayer who gave him a new name and that symbol. He was warned that he would have to give up everything to get what he wanted…that he would have to die for the life he wanted and to earn his new name."
"Fitch…" The redhead stated.
The captain nodded and then shrugged, "Probably just a coincidence that it worked out like that in the end… at least sort of."
"It wouldn't be so bad if they would just speak plainly," Katie sighed, her mind flying back to the things Pandora had said.
"They don't really exist." The blonde said as she rolled her eyes.
Katherine shrugged; she'd decided to call a truce at this point, what was the point in arguing any longer, there was no sense in complicating things more now. She picked up a satchel from behind one of the barrels and stuffed some of the pitchers into it.
"Hey!" The redhead called. "You're wasting your time with that."
"I can't afford to leave empty handed." The captain called back. She groaned when Katie began to giggle. "What?"
"Try the bags." Katie continued to laugh.
The captain rolled her blue eyes; the bags wouldn't have anything worth taking because anything valuable would be better protected than that. She continued to strain against the rod and felt the lid pop, letting out a sigh of relief as she pushed the top of the crate away with the rod. The redhead jumped as the box lurched forward, propelled by the motion of a large spring in its base, a knife stuck through a slab of wood shot forward out of the box. Naomi stumbled backwards even though she was already out of the path of the blade, which quickly sprang backwards again, bobbing up and down like a demented jack-in-the-box. Captain Campbell's heart thundered out of her chest and she sat down on the sand to catch her breath.
"Here." Emily's sister said quietly, setting another satchel down beside the captain. "Will this be enough?"
The girl squatted down in front of the blonde and opened both sacks, which were nearly brimming with jewel's and coins, she shook the captain a little and gave her a small encouraging smile. Naomi lurched forward and knocked her over with an over exuberant hug.
"Sorry." The captain apologized as she stood up, offering the other girl help up as well.
"For making a move on me?" Katie teased as she accepted the help and dusted herself off. "So can we go now?"
"Yeah…" Naomi wheezed as she retrieved the rod and began to make her way into the cold water again.
The redhead stayed close behind her as they made their way back into the dark tunnel; for a moment it seemed as though they went blind as the stone hallway weaved but then the warm light of the fire began to soften the blackness around them. In the cavern the fire had died down greatly but there were still flickers of flame in parts of the bonfire. The captain steered them along the wall and back to the dry path; many of the traps they had come through she had managed to disable and the uphill incline would be much easier now. The blonde felt safely assured they could make their way to the entrance without a torch but she still moved slowly and kept a tight grip on Katherine's hand as they made their way in the dark. Captain Campbell froze at the sound of echoing voices coming from the cave opening; she shushed the other girl as she strained to listen for any familiar voice. Suddenly she released the redhead's hand and broke into a run.
"Emily!" Naomi called before she reached the grate.
Emily let out a squeal of joy as she shook the bars that wouldn't budge; instead she reached a desperate hand through the grate, the blonde grabbed her hand and panted as she came to a stop.
"You're alright! I was so…I was afraid…" the captain tried to manage through her heavy breathing.
"I'm ok too…" Cook added, only half joking.
"Cook." The blonde sighed, giving him an apologetic look, flinching a little at the angry wounds that stood out on his arms and face. "I'm so sorry…I shouldn't have sent you…I almost got you killed…"
Tears were threatening to spill once again from the girl's blue eyes.
"Aw Naomikins, don't start that now…" the shaggy man said quickly, "It's not that bad…honest. I'm fine."
Tears were already spilling from Emily's eyes, leaving trails down her flushed cheeks, and Naomi turned her attention back to her. The blonde stepped closer to the metal bars and slid her hand through to wipe away some of the tears.
"I thought I'd lost you…" the redhead sniffled. "I was afraid I'd never see you again…"
Captain Campbell pulled the crying girl closer to the grate and angled her head to give her a passionate, if not a slightly awkward, kiss thought the slats.
"I'll have to get used to that I suppose…" Katie sighed, standing several feet back from the entrance.
"Oh! Katie…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to just…I just…" Naomi stammered a little as she turned back around, her cheeks burning a little.
"No…that's fine…I guess I understand." The redhead sighed again, "Not to be rude…" she added, "but do you think I could talk to my sister now that you're…uh…done…"
"Katie…" Emily gasped, her brown eyes going wide as her sister's words sank in.
"It's fine Emily…really…I'm over it." Katherine snapped, a little sharper than she meant to. "Really." She tried more calmly.
"I'm so sorry Katie…I'm so glad you're alright…and…" the softer twin said huskily.
"And you're glad I didn't kill your girlfriend. I know." Her sister finished.
"…I've missed you…so much." The girl outside the cave continued, ignoring the interruption.
Katherine was taken aback; their fight on the beach had felt like such a betrayal, the look in her sister's eyes had been nothing but rage – she hadn't expected her to miss her or worry about her. The stronger twin had assumed that the other girl had written her off long ago when she fell for Naomi.
"…I…me too…" Katie said, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to come now, "I know I can be a bitch…I just…I came all this way to find you, to rescue you, and then you didn't want me anymore…it just made me so fucking angry that you picked her over me…I'm your sister…but…" she continued, casting a small smile in the captain's direction, "we've had some time to talk…obviously…"
"And fight…" Naomi giggled.
"Yeah…and fight…and I get it now…she loves you…I mean really loves you for who you are…which I guess I didn't always show you…so…I'm sorry." She finally finished.
Emily was quiet for a moment as she looked at the grins being passed between the captain and her sister. Then she reached her hand back trough the grate and waved her sister over to take her hand.
"When I was scared…and I was…a lot of times…I always thought of you…" Emily began, she spoke quickly when she saw a glimmer of hurt in her sisters eyes, "because, well, I would think…what would Katie do? How would she handle this? Because really…you're the strongest person I know…so don't worry about being a bitch sometimes…because in many ways you did help keep me alive."
Now the tears were escaping Katherine's eyes and she squeezed her sister's hand before letting go and backing away.
"I'm not always so strong you know." Katie sighed.
She bit her lip to keep from asking about Captain Stonem; the sight of Cook seemed like proof enough that she was gone. After what her sister had just said she was determined not to break down.
"So how about getting us out then?" The trapped redhead quipped, turning her brown eyes to the scraggily blonde man who had been making fake gagging gestures. "Or are you just going to stand there being a prat?"
"You could ask nicely, red." Cook sneered.
"I could but I doubt it's worth the trouble." She shot back.
"How are we going to get this open?" Captain Campbell asked.
"We tried pulling it loose...it won't budge thought." Emily stated.
"We'll have to pry it up...if it's not down too deep in the ground…but we'd need the crew well…" The scraggily man said with a shake of the head, "…to be honest I don't even know how many of them made it…"
"We could dig…if we had the tools…" Naomi suggested, "but it would take a while…"
"Um…" Katie mumbled.
"I could have a go with that rod you have over here…" Cook offered, pointing out a spot where there was a tiny gap already between the rock and the grate, "…maybe pry it back enough for you to squeeze through…"
"It's worth a try…but I don't know Cook, you look pretty beat as it is…" the captain pointed out.
"What? Don't think I have it in me?" He joked back, flexing his muscles for effect, but even the effort of that caused him to wince a little.
"We could climb." Katie yelled over them. "See?"
They followed her eyes to the top of the bars to a gap at the top of the cave entrance that was left uncovered. None of them had thought to look up, they had all focused on the bars and the ground the whole time, and they all kicked themselves silently for not thinking of it sooner. Katherine shuddered a little, she had always been a little afraid of heights and now her only option was to climb, and looked to her sister – probably the only person in the world that knew it.
"It'll be ok." Emily smiled, trying to sound assuring.
Captain Campbell sighed and took the other satchel from the redhead's shoulder; giving her a lopsided smile as she braced her foot on one of the horizontal bars and began the climb. The grate shifted for a moment as it sunk almost an inch further into the ground and the two on outside the cave grabbed the metal to hold it steadier. The blonde smiled confidently as she continued making her way up the cage; it was more difficult at the top where the roof of the entrance made it hard to maneuver the bags and her body as she tried to keep hold of the bars but she eventually managed it after dropping the bags down to Emily before squeezing her body over the top. The captain made her way down quickly and dropped to the ground with a sigh of relief.
"It's not so bad." She promised.
Katherine squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she took her first few steps up; thankfully the grate didn't move with the other three holding it firmly in place and she finally felt able to open her eyes to watch for the ceiling. After some groans and curses at the top she was quickly making her way back down. She gasped when the grating suddenly shook, her eyes closing as she froze in place and pressed close to the metal. Cook let out a loud laugh and her brown eyes snapped back open and locked on him.
"You deserved it!" The man teased, receiving a hit from both women next to him, "Oi! She did! Look at my nose…that was all her…tell 'em red…"
"Wanker." Katherine muttered as she finished climbing down.
The still shaking redhead help up a fist and the shirtless boy flinched and fell back, laughing despite himself, he threw up his hands in mock surrender.
"All right…all right…untwist your knickers…" Cook chuckled, "Ems call your sister off…"
"I don't know…" Emily teased, "…what makes you think she'd listen to me?"
"That's what I thought," Katie said, giving him a superior look as she stepped past him, "now quit shitting your britches and just leave me alone."
"We have to move fast…" Cook said as he stood back up, keeping his distance from the angry twin. "Their father is on his way."
"What?" Both redheads gasped.
"How do you know that?" Naomi asked.
"I made a new friend." The blonde man said, "Let's go, he can explain it. Maybe give us a lil' old clue of how much time we have."
The first mate began walking back towards the tree line with the other women close behind. Emily held the captains hand as they followed him; she reached forward and grabbed Katie's hand quickly and pulled her back gently.
"Katie…" she whispered, "its Freddie."
Katherine stopped looked at her sister in confusion. "What's Freddie? Who's Freddie?"
Emily rolled her eyes and let go of the captain's hand; waving her ahead of them.
"You know Freddie who…listen, I need to warn you…he's pretty badly hurt…I don't know…I…" the girl whispered hoarsely, "…I don't know if he will make it…"
"What is he doing here?" Katie said sharply.
"I don't know exactly…he said he followed you here…he must have been looking for me…" Her sister sighed.
"or me…" the other girl added shakily.
"I just…didn't want you to see him without warning…the way I did." Emily said with a trimmer in her husky voice.
Katherine put her arm around her sister's shoulder as they followed behind the two blondes.
Once again, thanks for reading! And I know most of you already know but if you are enjoying my story you should check out Inisimeg because her's are even better.
