Ch

Ch. 23

I woke the next morning with my nose itching. I opened my eyes and saw Captain's head was next to mine, and that he still slept, hunched over from my chair onto my bed. His long beard had ended at my nose, and had been the source of my uncomfortable itch. I grinned as I watched Captain sleep, which was something I had not seen in a long while. Captain always seemed the type to never sleep, one who could go without for days on end. In fact, I had believed he did not sleep at all when I first boarded the Nautilus; it was nice to see him now, looking so unburdened.

Without thinking, I started to fiddle with the fastening on his turban. It was quite fun, and I did not stop until I noticed Captain was watching me. I quickly pulled away and blushed at being caught being so childish. He chuckled and sat up slowly, his back cracking as he did. I giggled and signed, "What's wrong, elder?" without thinking. I gasped in horror as soon as I realized what I had just said. Captain stared at me for a moment, before he actually laughed. A loud, free abandoned laugh, which only I was lucky enough to hear.

I laughed with him, and he stood, still chuckling. I sat up and my back cracked, which sent us both into another set of hysterics. I do not think I have laughed so hard in a long while. It took us a while to calm down, and when we did, we both were still smiling anyway. "I did not mean to fall asleep here, I'll have to go make sure the repairs are going smoothly," Captain told me, and I nodded. "I'll go check on the men who were hurt," I signed, and Captain nodded.

I slipped out of my nightgown as Captain shut the door behind him. I pulled on my salwar kurta outfit, and yawned loudly. My outfit was all white, to celebrate Ishmael's next step in his souls life. I pulled one of my older black outfits from the back of my drawer and ripped the bottom into a thick strip. I tied it on my right upper arm, and sighed. Two religions too respect, two very different ways to do so. On the one hand, I was supposed to mourn. On the other, I was supposed to celebrate…

Damn religions.

I think I will create my own, and I will be the leader. Marinaism. Yes, people will come from far and wide to worship our sacred…Tree stump. Our sacred animal shall be…the platypus. We will all be required to wear comfortable clothing, and fashion would be irrelevant. The whole world would convert so there would be no more religious wars and we could all live in peace and happiness.

I was still laughing at myself when I made it too the sick bay. I was surprised to find Henry already there, when Mina was not, too! The men were still sleeping, for the most part. Some were scratching at their eyes and looking grumpy behind Henry. I suppose he must have just checked them. I heard one groan slightly and he slipped back onto his cot, by the time I made it there, he was snoring. I giggled softly and Henry looked up in surprise. "Marina? What're you doing up so early?" he asked quietly, standing straight after checking Paras who had a bloody bandage on his left arm. I reached for my note, and he shook his head. "If you would use your signs, I've been studying and, well…" he looked away and coughed slightly. I grinned in confusion. "How have you been studying?" I asked in confusion once he had looked back at me. He smiled slightly, "Captain Nemo gave me the sheets he used to teach you."

I opened my mouth slightly in shock, and then smiled. He had understood! Someone who was not an evil bastard and had not known me since I was a child understood! I grinned wider, "Thank you so much for learning Henry!" He grinned, "Of course. It isn't fair you have to change when no one else does." I stared at him in shock. I had never thought about it as though I was changing. Was having to write and rely on others to translate changing? I suppose, but to hear him say it. To know he cared that much about my comfort. I checked and saw the men were still asleep, before hugging him tightly around his middle. He gasped slightly and stumbled a bit, but that I expected. I eventually felt his hand on the back of my head, holding me softly. I smiled at his touch, and pulled away grinning brightly.

"Thank you Henry!" He seemed taken aback by everything, and just nodded with a perplexed smile. It was enough though, and I was happy. "I'll come check on them later, okay? Take care of them for me, alright?" He nodded and I waved as I walked away. I went through my rounds happily, and I only did them because they were not near the explosion and had not been affected much. It took me longer than usual, because I had to reattach a valve that had disappeared. By the time I was done, it was noon, and I rushed back to the sick bay.

The 'doctors' were absent, but the men were still resting. They welcomed me and I did my own examinations to make sure they were going to be okay. They had been well cared for, and I had no complaints. I chatted with them as I looked them over, and when all was well, I went to sit beside Maitreya. He was still asleep, and I wondered why when he was supposed to be okay. I stared at him, and eventually his eyelids started to quiver. That no good He was faking! With a frown, I poked him in his ribs as hard as I could. He yelped and jumped away from me, causing the other men to stare and laughed.

I crossed my arms as he muttered curses. He finally stopped long enough to ask why I had done it. I raised my eyebrow and frowned deeper. He rolled his eyes skyward and muttered again. I poked him once more and he grabbed my hand, "Okay, I get it," he said without letting go. I grinned and he sighed. "I have to go back to work tomorrow because my heads fine," he told me, and sighed again. I snickered and pulled my hand away to sign, "Really? I'm afraid you've been misdiagnosed then, because there is no way you head's fine!" I signed, grinning.

"Oh, now I see how it is," he said nodding as he looked away. I laughed, only to gasp as he turned quickly and locked my head in his arm. I wiggled, squirmed, and fought, but I could not get out. "Not letting you go until you agree to marry me," he teased, and I shook my head violently, which hurt in his headlock. He shrugged and said, "Fine then," before driving his knuckles softly into my head. It still hurt, and I could feel my short hair tearing.

Ow, ow, ow, enough! I finally got sick of it, and I could hear the men laughing at me. I jammed my elbow sideways into his ribcage, and he gasped as he let me go. I grabbed my head to stop the burn, and glared at him as I stood up. The men were in hysterics as I glared and Maitreya hunched over with an irritated growl. I stomped away in annoyance, and the men jeered jokingly. "I'll take that as a 'yes,' then?" Maitreya called as I was about to leave the room, sounding raspy. I turned and signed, "I'd rather marry a shark!" The men laughed harder, and one said, "I don't think I wanna know how that would work!" My mouth dropped in horror of what he was insinuating, and my face burned. "Aww, look'it her blush!" someone said, which made it worse.

I turned on my heel and crashed into someone. I would have gone flying if it were not for the hands that steadied me. "What is going on here?" Henry asked looking at the hysterical men. He looked at me and his brows knit together, "What happened to you?" he asked, and I knew I must have looked a mess with my wild and tangled hair and my red face. I turned and glared at Maitreya, "That's what happened," I signed, before pointing at him with a frown. Maitreya just smirked and said, "Oi Jekyll, don't get so cozy with my fiancé!" My mouth dropped in shock. Never had he used such a horrible word, a word that would tie me to him, who would inherit Nautilus if its meaning ever came true. I shook my head violently, "How dare you call me that you impertinent pervert! I'll never marry, especially someone like you!" I signed, and my face must have been a sight, because the men no longer laughed. It was silent as I glared at Maitreya, and the air was thick. "Come now, Marina. I don't think he-"I turned on Henry, and he stopped as he looked at me. "He's not the one I want to marry, and even if he was, I'd never give up Nautilus!" I signed, and then I ran.

Like the child I am I ran from the shock in his eyes. I ran from everything, and I ended up on the deck. With a heavy heart, I leaned against the rail and watched Captain directing repairs. I should be down there with him, but I could not bring myself to leave. I just looked past it all, to the sea beyond, and thought of nothing. I heard people coming up, Tom and Mina, Mr. Q. They settled themselves accordingly, I think they were afraid to disturb me. They probably all thought I was still fragile after…Last night, and I was, but not right now. Right now, everything was wrong. How could I have said such a mean thing to Maitreya, my best friend? How could I have told Henry such a secret? I hoped Henry did not understand those signs, I truly did. That would make things so much easier.

I sighed softly, and then my interest shifted as I heard Mina speak. It was wrong to eavesdrop, but it was not as if it was hard to hear… "Thank you," she said. "For what?" Tom asked. "Your fearlessness." There was a pause, and I could imagine them gazing at each other. "I've always been rather afraid to step into tomorrow," Mina told him. Another pause, and Tom said, "Tomorrow's where I live and breathe." I heard the laugh in her voice as she said, "Yes I see that." Tom seemed to change pace and said, "Hey, if, if my earlier intentions offended you in any way I, I'm sorry because-"he stopped suddenly, and I had to fight the urge not to turn and look. "I'm disappointed. I didn't think that Americans gave up so easily." Footsteps off the deck, and I had a hand pressed to my mouth to keep from giggling. She was interested in him! I was right! After awhile Tom's footsteps disappeared as well, and I turned. Mr. Q. had his hat on and I assumed he was asleep, so I grinned and giggled happily.

At least someone's love life was going well. If the looks I have seen Henry give Mina were true, this would just further depress him. Oh well, I was still happy for them. I would find a way to cheer Henry up. "It's not proper for a lady to eavesdrop, y'know," Mr. Q. was speaking from under his hat, and I frowned, stomping over and grabbing it off his head. He squinted from the light, and I grinned, waving his hat above him. "Also not proper to tease a man, but I guess you don't care much about that, do you boy?" he asked as he sat up. I smirked at his tasteless joke and put his hat on my head, sticking my tongue out and crossing my arms. "Now that's just bloody rude," he told me, but there was a small smile, so I sat next to him and grinned in victory.

He shook his head, "You're quite crazy, did you know that? Never met a girl like you," he muttered, and he looked amused. I did a meaningless dance in my chair, which was just moving my arms back and forth in a silly way. He laughed at me and shook my head. I pulled out my note and wrote, "Well I've never met an old toad like you, either!" He read it and chuckled, "Well this old toad still has some jump in him, so don't get so cocky." I grinned, "I would be boring then!" He let out a sigh in disbelief and said, "There's no way you could be boring, Marina," while shaking his head.

I stopped then, had he just… He looked at me with a raised brow, "Now what's wrong with you?" I carefully wrote my note, "You used my name…" He frowned, "I did not boy!" I frowned at him and nodded my head in protest. "You just knocked your head in the explosion, go have the doctor look at it!" he told me. I half smiled, half frowned with my mouth open in protest. "Fine," I wrote, "But you're not getting your hat back!" I showed it too him, making sure I was far enough away. "Boy you better give my bloody hat back or I'll-"his threat was lost to the wind as I took off down the stairs laughing. I could hear him yelling for me to come back, but his voice held amusement.

That hat was my trophy for the day…