She has no idea how much time passes.

How long she sits in T's lap as she cradles his head to her shoulder.

This wasn't what she'd expected when she told T she needed to talk to him and Faustina, but fuck if she wasn't grateful for the time with him.

Relieved to know what had T so on edge lately.

Happy to know he was still willing to talk to her.

She needed this.

He needed this.

The reminder.

The rest could wait. They were doing so much, had so much to do, but she could have this.

But a hesitant tap on her shoulder pulls her from her thoughts.

"He fell asleep."

Oh.

Her arms tighten around Faustina.

T wasn't the only one affected by her carelessness.

"I'm sorry about the meeting."

"It's okay, Captain," Faustina offers softly as she returns the hug.

She sighs.

"Is it?"

The last thing she wanted was for them to comfort her now, but later begrudge her for this.

"I- I don't know how the two of you want to handle it, but-" She sighs, "I'd rather not spook or set Beam on edge if we can avoid it. But at the same time, I know I messed up. So, however you want to handle this, I'll do my best to follow it."

The other girl is silent for a moment, "Do you mind if I get back to you on that? Or is it imperative to know now? I'd really like to talk it over with T before speaking, in fear it will be out of turn."

"Get back to me," She nods, "I'll do my best to keep Beam off you. Both of you."

It wasn't her story to tell.

"Thank you, Captain. For the time, and-" She hugs her tighter, "For helping T."

She smiles, "It goes for both of you, you know. I'm a greedy pirate."

Faustina pulls back to smile at her, "That's very kind of you."

She can't help her snort.

She didn't feel kind right now.

She felt on edge, and desperate.

"Feel like coming back to the cabin with me? I could really use your help."

"Of course, Captain." She nods, "I'm not sure how much help I can provide, but I'll do my best."

"You're the one who mentioned secret codes." She rolls her eyes as she stands and pulls Faustina up, "So yeah, I imagine very helpful."

Faustina tilts her head to the side, "What makes you so certain it was me?"

She chuckles, "Because when Deez was trying to explain seeing someone else behind T's eyes, she mentioned the time you spent making the spy language together."

"Oh." Faustina blushes.

"I mean it when I say I love how different you two are. It's getting easier to know who is suggesting what."

Not always, but sometimes.

Harry was certainly better at it than she was.

And Deez always seemed to know.

Faustina's smile brightens, "Does that mean I don't have to attend meetings?" She asks hopefully.

She sighs as she closes her eyes, "It would be more helpful if you were out to explain things, T always leaves things out."

Faustina closes her mouth, "I see." She purses her lips. "If that's your wish."

"Why do you not want to be out?" She asks, her hand hesitating over the door handle before she turns back to Faustina, "I mean, I thought you were doing better about being out and like, getting used to us."

Faustina drops her eyes as she hugs herself, "You." She says softly, "As in the family." She bites her lip. "Seven is, is overwhelming just to think about." She shivers.

Seven.

It was such a small group to her.

Seven people in the chip shop would have been boring.

But, for Faustina?

The girl grew up completely alone, with no one for company but T at times, and her-

And the monster that visited her.

Years of that.

One other person at a time.

She sighs before she rolls her lips together, "Four used to be overwhelming too, but you handled that adjustment well."

"But-" Faustina pauses before she lets out a sigh. "I suppose that's true." She agrees hesitantly.

"But, baby steps, right? You don't have to talk at first. But I value the way you look at things, so sitting there and listening in would be very helpful." She tilts her head back and forth, "and, if you think of something important, we'll- Maybe the notebooks Yensid is making will help or something. Would that help?"

Faustina's eyes brighten as she nods her head, "Thank you, Captain."

"I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder, or force you to do something you don't want to do, but I would feel a lot better with you there to help me think of everything. You and Deez are pretty damn remarkable when it comes to that."

Faustina's eyes narrow for a moment before she shakes her head. "I'm sorry I'm making things more difficult for you, Captain, but I do appreciate your patience and understanding. I would be honored to help you in any capacity I'm able to. I know how crucial these next steps are for everyone. And the thought that you hold my thoughts in such high regard is nothing short of humbling. Thank you for your confidence." She bows her head.

Spoken as if the thought of her own value never occurred to her.

It killed her.

"I promise to keep your discomfort in mind while the meetings are going on if you promise to remember how intelligent you are, and how crucial your involvement is to everyone we're trying to help."

Because that was the next step, right?

Follow through with the original plan?

Unite all of the new generation under one goal?

A perplexed expression crosses Faustina's features, "You-" She blushes, "I promise to keep it in mind, Captain."

"Thank you." She smiles as she takes the taller girl's hand and opens the door, "Come on, we've got work to do."

"Right," Faustina nods as she follows her without another word, easily keeping pace with her.

They walk purposefully through the ship, neither of them drawing attention to themselves before they make it to the cabin.

Grateful there hadn't been any uncomfortable interactions on the way here.

They slip quietly into the room, her eyes darting to the bed to find Harry sleeping peacefully.

Good, one of them needed to be well-rested.

She could only hope this new habit of taking turns sleeping wouldn't last long.

"It's odd only seeing one of you in the bed."

Apparently, the feeling was mutual.

"I agree." She nods as she turns to find Faustina already seated at the table, "Now, codes-" She lightly claps her hands palm to palm and rubs them together, "I'm so excited about this. Pirate code."

Faustina glances up at her with a small smile, "I can teach you Deez and T's language if you're interested, it might help in the long run…"

"I would love that."

Deez had secretly broken down a while ago and taught her some of its basics, but she still couldn't decipher more complicated letters.

Faustina nods as she pulls a sheet of paper to her, "It's more memorization than teaching." She picks up a pencil, "It might be good for the six of you to learn it." She adds softly.

"If you write out the codes, I'll get to work with the others." She leans forward in her seat again, "But, I also want us to work on something simple. Like one or two words or phrases that mean things like all good or danger without it being that obvious."

Faustina looks up, "Roy G Biv."

Her brow furrows, "Bless you?"

"Thank you," Faustina smiles, "It's the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet."

She tilts her head to the side, "I'm listening..."

"Well, I know it's a bit backward, but I figured it might be better that way in the long run…" Faustina bites her lip. "I've been thinking about it for a little. Red could be in position. Orange, safe. Yellow, ran into trouble. Green, the target is located. Blue, target acquired. Indigo, no go. Violet, on our way home." She fiddles with the pen, "Or something like that… Unless you don't like it- "She quickly amends with reddened cheeks, "I just figured since it could be one letter, it might be the easiest- But we can do animals, or numbers, or shapes, or food, or plants, or the planets work too they're mnemonic as well-"

She blinks before she shakes her hand out and grabs a sheet of paper, "No, that was perfect, repeat it!"

She grins as she writes down the code.

It was perfect.

It used something pretty and non-descript.

She'd certainly never seen a real rainbow.

So who the fuck would take the time to figure out anything beyond colors?

Who would know they were colors of the rainbow?

And even if someone did figure it out, it wasn't like the colors actually matched.

According to all the broken signs around town, red meant stop.

Seven words.

Better yet, seven letters that could break down all the critical parts of a mission.

"See." She grins as she finishes violet, "This is why I need you."

Faustina fidgets as she shrinks in her seat further, "I'll do better, Captain."

She shakes her head as she pulls the other girl's hand back to the surface of the table, "It wasn't a reprimand, just something I needed you to notice."

"You would've come up with something as equally useful."

"I doubt it, and certainly not as quickly. And Deez is going to love this just as much as I do. And so is Harry. And Gil for that matter."

Faustina bites her lower lip as she shifts, "I'm happy to be able to contribute something to help…" She sighs as she picks up a pencil with her other hand and fidgets with it.

"You contribute a lot without even meaning to sometimes." She sighs as she starts making a copy of the code, "Random spouts of wisdom."

Faustina tilts her head to the side before she drops her head, "That's kind of you to say, Captain." She bites her lip. "I-" She pauses, uncertainty clear on her features before she falls silent.

"It's the truth. And something I love about you," she grins, "though I wish I heard more of the comments you make."

Faustina's face floods red. "I dou-" She pauses, "T passes along most of them."

She chuckles, "Oh, I'm sure he loves that, but I was talking about you an' Deez."

Faustina tilts her head to the side, "you think my thoughts are as insightful as Deez's?"

"Yes. I've seen the way you two talk things out. I don't entirely understand how it works, but the two of you usually build on each other. She connects things, you take it and think it over. It's nice to know I have something so useful I can trust."

"Oh." A small smile appears on Faustina's lips as her blush returns, "thank you." She adds quietly. "I'm glad I can assist you." She bites her lip before she continues so quietly it's incoherent.

"Me too." She reaches across the table to rest her hand over Faustina's, "the way you see things is amazing, never be afraid to come to me with something. I promise, you are valued."

It was the only part of her quiet mumble she'd caught. The word Valued.

Faustina ducks her head as she fidgets with the hoodie, "thank you." She responds in a quiet, tight voice.

"To be honest, it makes me feel a lot better to have another set of eyes when planning things out. I'm-" she pauses, "sometimes being a leader is hard."

Faustina wipes her eyes before she looks up, "you wear it well Captain, but I have no doubt it is a difficult road to pave."

"That means a lot to hear you say."

It was nice, being able to admit that.

Because it was a lot, and she was scared of forgetting something.

With her luck it would be the one big thing.

The difference between-

No.

She takes a slow breath.

Too soon.

It was too soon to go down a road that dark.

They'd survived the Isle, now was the time to prepare for teeth, not look for them.

Another small smile tugs at the corners of Faustina's lips before she turns her hand over and traces the compass. "I love you Captain, as does T, and we will do our best to suit whatever needs you might have- Including reminding you of how amazing you are." She squeezes her hand. "I was not lying that day at the pool. If the Core were still here, we still would've been behind you to lead. Mal is many, many, many, wonderful things- But welcoming others into her fold is not something I believe she'd have been capable of. It would've hurt her, but after some time on the ship I think she too would have grown to see that-" She pauses, "once the drugs were slowly weaned from her system."

T had told her he would have drugged Mal. She just hadn't expected Faustina to be on board.

It was something she was going to have to keep an eye on.

"I both appreciate that vote of confidence and understand how difficult that would have been. Yet another reason to be glad the core ain't here, huh?"

Faustina squeezes her hand, "I have faith that they are working diligently to get all of you out."

"If you and Deez are sayin' it, then I'd be an idiot not to have faith that they'll get us out ."

Another smile passes Faustina's lips, "and you are by no means an idiot."

She chuckles as she pats Faustina's hand, "lucky us, we don't seem to have too many of those."

"One is certainly difficult enough to manage."

She tilts her head before she grins slowly, "you aren't talking about T, are you?"

Faustina looks up as a blush covers her cheeks, "that was out loud?"

She snorts, "not unless you wanted it to be." She chuckles as she leans back in her seat, "why don't I let you get back to teaching me the secret language, and I'll make copies of the new code."

"Of course Captain," Faustina nods before she goes back to writing down the key to Deez and T's language.

"After you've finished that, you should get some sleep." She says as she starts on a fifth copy.

"Mhmm."

"Faustina."

"Mhmm."

"Faustina." She repeats in a sterner tone.

"Mhmm."

Yeah. She'd heard Harry whine about how Faustina did this when she was focused, and the one time she swung at him when he physically got her attention.

She shakes her head before she writes the order down and slides it over the other girl's work.

Faustina blinks and pauses before she looks up. "Of course, Captain." She nods.

Ha!

Harry was going to be so pissed when she told him.

If she told him.

He grins when he finishes the miniature doll, "What do ya think? Will she like it?" He asks as he shows her the piece dangling from the thin rope necklace.

Deez pulls her eyes off of Yensid's still form, a smile quickly forming on her lips as she takes the tiny doll in the palm of her hand. "This is beautiful, Gil!" She whispers in awe as she slowly turns it over.

"Yeah?" He asks as he looks it over.

He'd spent longer than he'd probably should've on it.

But once he'd put the design to paper, he'd really wanted to get it as close as possible.

Especially when Deez's eyes lit up on that particular sketch.

"You even got the face perfect. Using little chips of gemstones was brilliant." She runs a pale finger over the doll, clearly making sure everything was solid and nothing would shift.

He chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck, "There's more ta work with." He admits sheepishly. "I wanna add some to Faustina's anklet…"

"She'd love that, a little sparkle and detail." She smiles as she looks up at him, "This is amazing, don't be surprised if Freddie tries to jump you." She chuckles as she passes it back to him.

He can't help his groan, "I'mma tell her you did most of it."

"Oh," She snorts as she leans in closer, "so you're okay with throwing me into that?"

His eyes narrow.

No.

No, he wasn't.

"We can tell her T found it." He grins, "I mean, he found the pieces. We jus' put it together…"

"I think you stand a better chance than T and I do." She scoots closer and rests her head on his shoulder.

"T can handle it," He wraps an arm around her shoulder and pulls her close. "He's handled worse."

"But I want you to take credit for this. It's so perfect."

"I can take credit for it after T throws me under that ship."

She chuckles again, "Fair, it wouldn't take long for that to happen anyway."

"See," He winks at her. "Pirate."

She shakes her head before she falls silent again as she watches Yensid.

He turns to watch as well, only to find Yensid sitting still short of blinking. His brow furrows. What did she see that he wasn't?

Still…

"It's cool, right? Magic." He prompts her.

He still wasn't sure how it worked.

Or how he was managing it.

It really didn't make sense.

No one in his family was magic.

His mom had just been a beautiful bar wench with a penchant for books, from what his dad told him.

When he talked about her anyways.

So, why?

How was he able to do anything special like he was?

Deez nods before she tilts her head back to look up at him, "The way he does magic feels so different from the way you do it." Her eyes widen before she sighs, "And both of you feel much better than the way it felt when the barrier cracked."

"Feel?" He looks between her and Yensid in confusion.

"Yeah," Deez pouts slightly before she drops her eyes back to Yensid, "I keep thinking maybe if I look hard enough, I'll see it the way Yensid can, but all I can do is feel it."

"Oh." So she was just waiting in hopes of seeing it?

He chuckles, "More than I can, kinda just looks boring and feels-" He closes his eyes and concentrates for a moment before he sighs. "Like, a room. What's it feel like to you?"

She smiles, "To me it feels like…" Her eyes narrow slightly, "Like wind, or breath." She tilts her head, "Or like the way I can feel the music you play."

His brows furrow, "I didn't know you could feel music…" He studies her.

He'd never even thought to ask.

Was that a normal thing or… A Deez thing?

She was special in so many ways, gifted in more. It wouldn't surprise him.

It also wouldn't surprise him if he just couldn't.

She frowns before she twists in his arms to face him, "Mal looked at me funny when I said that too."

"I'm sorry," He frowns, "I swear I wasn't tryin' to- I was just-"

"Shh." She presses her finger to his lips, "You looked worried, I just wanted to let you know Mal also can't feel music, if that's what is worrying you."

"Oh," He sighs with relief.

He wasn't sure why that made him feel better. That Mal couldn't feel it either. He didn't really know her that well, and from what he did he had mixed feelings.

Deez and even T spoke fondly of her.

But he kind of thought she was a bit of a bitch-

But an adorable one.

Who let him protect her from Adelaide… After she beat the shit outta T.

But, then T didn't seem to mind…

Never seemed to mind?

If Carlos and Deez's reactions were any indication.

So, maybe just a bitch to T?

That kinda felt right.

T'd brought out the worst in him more than he could count.

In fact… T seemed to have a knack for pulling out the worst in everyone- Well, worst and best.

His brows furrow as he sighs.

That was a headache just waiting to happen if he followed the thread.

"Carlos thought it was cool that I could, but we never got to experiment with any of his theories." She continues with a slight pout, "But yeah."

"Do you feel it when you're both forging?" Yensid asks curiously.

He grins at the way her eyes widen in delight before she turns, "You can concentrate on casting a spell and listen to a conversation?"

"Old," Yensid chuckles with mirth twinkling in his eyes.

He closes his mouth.

He wasn't sure why he'd even thought to argue that.

Yensid was nearly seven hundred years old.

If that wasn't old, what the hell was?

Deez's head tilts to the side, "I can feel Gil's when he works."

"Can you?" Yensid's brow furrows, "It's very muted."

"It always starts out so soft and light, but the longer we're working, the stronger it gets."

"Huh." He looks between the two.

"Can you feel or see or hear or taste anything different?" Yensid asks him curiously.

"Nuh-uh." He shakes his head. "You can taste magic?"

"Some people can. And I feel it is the most unfortunate for them."

Deez cringes, "Yeah, that seems like it could go so wrong."

"Indeed." Yensid nods.

"Ugh." He sticks out his tongue at the thought.

"Quite right." Yensid chuckles.

"How do you… Sense? Magic?" He tilts his head to the side.

"Sense is right," Yensid smiles, "And I can see it."

"What does magic look like?" Deez asks as she leans forward so fast he has to wrap an arm around her waist to keep her from tumbling to the floor.

"Hmm, it's different for everyone." Yensid's eyes narrow, "For you, it's a steady ice blue, firm and unwavering. For Gil it's a muted orange that almost looks like a strummed string that's notes go faster and slower with his level of focus."

"That's what it feels like too! But constant once it starts, and it just changes the-" She hesitates, "pattern?"

Yensid chuckles, "The nuances come with age, my Dear, but from what I have learned it's sensed similar to any way of recognizing it."

"Huh?" He tilts his head, happy when Deez seemed just as confused as him.

"Hmm. I see what you feel. Some can hear what you feel. What some hear, others can smell. While others can taste what I see."

"Oh. So magic is the same, so the way it's viewed is also similar, even across the different senses."

"Correct," Yensid nods.

"That's cool."

"Can you see your own magic?" Deez asks with a frown.

"Very much so," he offers, "But not until I was around-" His eyes narrow, "Two hundred-ish, if I do recall correctly."

"Oh." She chuckles as she leans back into his chest.

"It would be interesting to find how the Captain senses it."

"Huh." He grins, fascinated.

He wanted to know how Uma sensed magic. His leg starts bouncing in excitement.

It sounded so cool.

"Does the way you sense it mean anything?" He asks curiously.

"It does in a way." He nods. "Feelers, like Deez, are usually in tune with emotions. Those like myself are pure magic. Listeners usually tap into natural forces. Touch is for those in tuned with fate. Smell is typically found in healers. And for those with taste? They're typically in line with… Darker elements. From what I've been able to understand anyways. There are always exceptions to every rule, and with magic especially, things tend to be in a flux state."

"Cool," He repeats again.

Emotions.

That was perfect for Deez.

She was always so in sync with those around her.

Huh… Was Uma a feeler too? Or was she a listener because her mom was a mer-squid?

He shakes his head, "Have you gotten a chance to see if Faustina's medicines are different?"

Yensid shakes his head, "As of this particular moment, I'm afraid not."

"After we get the stuff she needs to build her workshop again we'll get a chance to see," Deez shrugs, "or feel it." She turns back to the table and starts making little piles again, "We still have a couple more charms to make. And then we have to get our next assignment."

So many assignments.

He was pretty sure he and Deez had gotten a lot of busywork.

Necessary busywork.

But busy work that kept them off the Isle.

Not that he was complaining.

Any time spent with Deez was time well spent, especially if it would still be helpful.

"Right," He nods before he turns his attention back to the wood in front of him.

"I was thinking maybe we could make little shields?"

He looks up to her with a grin, "I like that," He nods.

Extra protection.

A reminder that the wearer wasn't alone.

That there were more at their back.

Yensid watches in fascination as they get back to work.

It was weird.

But not in a way he was complaining about.

Weaving Rainbows.

I love myself sometimes.

Uma has really studied T and Faustina's dynamics for her to discern what T's silences were.

Then again, she's been watching them for months so it ain't that big of a surprise.

Poor Faustina tho.

Not that I blame Uma, there's too much important shit going down right now for timid behavior.

Still, it's gonna suck.

Eight people is definitely a huge number when F still gets overwhelmed with just the fam.

But what other options does Umes really have?

Roy G Biv huh?

We originally didn't include that code until the end of the book, but it just made more sense for it to be added sooner this time around.

And since we legit rewrote the whole damn thing, why the fuck not?

Super exited bout Yensids Text-books too.

Get it?

See what we did there?

Clever girls aren't we?

*preens with no shame*

Bout time Uma learned D and T's secret language.

What do you guys think of our… Magic rules? Senses?

Whatever the fuck ya wanna call it?

Feel- emotions

Touch- Fate

Sight- Pur magic

Hearing- Natural Forces

Taste- Dark Forces

Smell- healing

Those are what we came up with.

We thought it would be a neat way to expand upon magic in this verse.

What about you?

Like it, or upset it's just another thing to keep track of, cause ya know, same.

Love Gil's thoughts on Mal in this one.

That was another thing we tried to add in this story. The Fam recalling the Core more often. It's more difficult with all the shit that's happening in this book- but still we tried.

It's not like they wouldn't think of them with how intricate they are to each other anyways.

Fuck am I looking forward to the time they're all back together.

Well, if they get back together. At this point fuck only knows what we're doing in the second half of this arc. *Shakes head*

Fuck this shit is intense.

Think what Deez and Gil have to do is busy work? That Umes is just trying to keep them safe? Or do you think it genuinely makes the most amount of sense.

It isn't like anyone else can fill those niches.

But on the other hand, D and Gil are the strongest on the ship.

Talk about a tactical nightmare.

Ugh.

No seriously. Making the right call is so hard for real.

And me an' Dark had many a conversation about it. So any thoughts on the subject would be most welcomed.

Anyways-

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted