.

I have no real excuses that would cut it. But hey, I'm back.

Chapter 40

Apart from the slight frown, Jack didn't react much. He'd seen a lot in his days, and witnessing a man dragged along by the water within him seemed to just add itself quietly to the list. It could be said that his mundane reaction was also due to foggy cloud that half cloaked his mind. This unshakeable lul his body was under, weighed him down as if anchors were chained to his soul.

His head slowly turned back, feeling quite useless, sluggish and dazed while his lungs and throat burned from the salty water forced in and out of them.

As if he didn't care to avoid it, another one of the creatures pulled itself up over the railing, opening its swirling mouth to howl at the victory of coming across Jack. But before it could, a muffled shot rang by his ear.

The bullet penetrated it clean in the head. It's neck snapped back with it's limbs falling behind it, dead, plopping into the ocean.

The rich smell of gunpowder, with a blanket of smoke, wisped between them from the tip of Angelica's pistol.

His heart somewhat lep with confusion as he looked at the real Angelica, who slapped a palm to her ear, wincing at something. Then she yelled;

''What in the hell are you doing just standing there?''. Jack frowned as to why she was yelling so loud.

Elizabeth appeared behind her, also forcing her hands to her ears despite one holding a sword. "What?"'. Jack answered normally to his standards for who he was. Angelica matched his frowned brow with the loud reply, ''What?''.

Their uncoordinated conversation was cut short when Angelica's attention was drawn to Elizabeth moving on back down to the deck.

Some of Jack's crew had scrambled their way in a hazzed confusion to the surface, each barely able to avoid the creatures, stumbling around as if to be drunk.

Jack followed successfully grasping onto anything he could to not fall down the stairs to meet the commotion. Jack was already taken by tonight's drink, but this added heaviness left him barely conscious.

Their infernal screams pierced her ears in a way that was almost debilitating. She didn't know as of now what these siren-esk creatures really were, but that was the least of her worries. A handful of the men were unsaveable, already half drowned or being ripped over the edge of the ship. But most were ducking and diving with their swords drawn as if to be toddlers taking their first steps.

The creatures suddenly erupted all around. It was as if the women's presence alone whipped them into a panic frenzy. After all, it was well known that most ships of this nature were strictly male oriented, or used to be. Both Angelica and Elizabeth tried to slash at the beings as they splashed past, but they seemed to be retreating messily on their own, leaving most of their prey behind. They didn't want to fight enemies they couldn't control.

As fast as it began, it ended. Their screams slowly subsided as if blending into the night. The ship stood still as the air chilled quietly.

Angelica looked back at Elizabeth, who was just as confused as her.

"What, just happened exactly?" Elizabeth asked breathless while looking over the side. "God knows". Angelica sheathed her sword as Jack seemed to appear next to her.

He grabbed her arm tight to the bone. She shoved her elbow back, into his side warningly. "Hey!"Jack smiled despite receiving a blow to the chest. "Oh, your not water, thank God". Angelica frowned slightly. "I can't help but think this is typical, only you".

The men who were previously spellbound began to stand about muttering confused amongst themselves. Jack straightened himself, breath forming clouds with the air. "You calling us unholy? Pretty hypocritical of you; 'I'm a devoted catholic only when it helps me prove I'm morally better than someone'". He rubbed his throat. "There's no way in hell, that your going to waltz through heaven's pearly gates with your tastes". Instantly, Angelica answered back with a shove, causing Jack to fall to the ground.

Wincing, he begrudgingly accepted his fate, for he was too far gone to stop gravity from forcing him to his back. From above, Angelica looked down with a hint of pity. "Bloody drunkard." She spoke quietly down to him.

Elizabeth had already returned to her ship for her own reasons, lanterns now lit cautiously.

A few of Jack's crew including Gibbs, bent themselves over the edges of the ship, trying to comprehend the earlier events. Angelica began back over to Elizabeth, leaving the men to themselves, and Jack sorely curling himself forward.

Just as she reached the plank between the two ships, she looked back. A mistake.

Maybe she shouldn't have pushed him, he did fall like a flower with a damaged stem. Grunting, she turned back and stuck out a hand as a indirect form of apology.

"Judging by how you remain down there tells me the creatures took a swing at you." Jack looked up and slapped his hand onto hers, pulling himself slowly up. "Half drowned, then you shoved me to the floor". Angelica made sure she snatched back her hand from his grasp. "Surprised you weren't the first over the railing with your low standards". Jack crossed his brows, "You're shittier than me at apologies"

Suddenly, an iced wind began to howl, causing water to be sliced from the tops of the sea and flung into the air. It seemed as if the creatures emitted their own calming, natural aura when nearby, then proceeded to thrust them back into reality after fleeing a good distance.

The ships weren't anchored due over estimating the seas profound earlier stint of calmness, so the two drifted apart. The plank between sliding into the ocean as a result.

Angelica huffed aggravated, while shoving her hands under her arms for warmth. "Of course". Jack just smiled and started for the cabin door. "Guess you'll be sleeping with me after all". Angelica growled and proceeded past. "Even nature supports this." He gestured to her, then back at himself coyly, while She snarled back. "You're sleeping in your chair or on the floor. Take your pick." Angelica stopped before she moved herself inside, and turned to the men still looking over the side, mulling about. "Drop the anchor or we'll drift". She yelled, waiting for a confirmation of some sort before turning back.

"Now I'm even doing your job for you, there's your apology." And she went inside.

Jack shut the door behind him deciding to let her have the last word, wasn't worth it. The cabin was now barely lit, a few items even more askew on the table after the ships jolt. Angelica was already rummaging through his new belongings, or wardrobe turned messy liquor cabinet.

He felt hazy, heavy and slightly sick. Maybe it was from the 5 gallons of seawater shoved down his gullet by a perverted fish monster masquerading as a women he mostly trusted, he wasn't sure. Either way, no other liquids were going in nor out his mouth tonight.

Just as he sat himself down in his spot from before, contemplating if this chair or the floor was more comfortable, Angelica breezed past bottle in hand. From the floor she scooped up a random book, turned it back to front a few times and continued. She swung effortlessly onto the bed adjacent, kicking off her boots.

Jack watched her uncork her the unbranded bottle with her teeth, balancing the book between her knees. She took a hefty swing, then read the book in silence.

He somewhat just sat there, allowing time to pass hearing the occasional page scrap, as his gaze drifted to that of staring into the air. Jack slid lower into his chair.

He let out a few pitiful coughs, unknowingly altering Angelica slightly. She glanced over a few times within a while, before really giving him her attention. "What are you doing? You've been sitting there for-"

Jack suddenly lurched forward vomiting up copious amounts of assorted liquids, horribly. Angelica couldn't help but jump up, frowning in disgust, and sympathy. She tiptoed over, avoiding the fast moving puddle Jack created. He kept his head down, hand slowly moving into his hair draped around his hanging head. There was no inch of his shoes that wasn't covered in alcohol, sea water and stomach bile.

"Ugh, Jack". Angelica said with caring sincerity. She put a hand on his shoulder from a tiptoed distance. Jack paused, then pushed his hair back, flipping himself up. He wiped his mouth, while very droopy eyes.

"I told you they tried to drown me." He said softly up at her with a smile. Angelica turned up her nose and curiously looked down at the mess. "I can see that". She looked back at him and put a hand to his face. "For once I'm glad that you barely eat anything, because this would of stunk otherwise." Jack laughed. "I'm glad to be of service." he slurred while bowing. Angelica smiled back. "Can you get up?"

Jack shooed her away placing his hands on the arms of the chair. "I feel better now." He said as he tried to lift himself off the chair. "Are you sure?." Just as she said that he sat back down, and slowly hunched back over, hair falling around. Angelica took it upon herself to move behind, and scoop his hair out of the way. "Did you know that you shouldn't drink sea water?." He said breathlessly. "I had a hunch." Angelica sighed as he lurched forward spewing out his guts for the second go, which was mostly seafoam.

Two more goes with 2 minute intervals followed, before a long pause. It was safe to assume he was done.

Jack sat with his head between his knees, moaning occasionally. She looked down with a huff at the mess he made. Annoyingly, she couldn't leave it. She'd at least need to wash it away.

Angelica put her boots back on and left the cabin for the brig. It was easy to find a rope and bucket and soon it was filled with, more, sea water.

From behind the chair she threw the water sharply underneath. The water washed over his boots and out towards the open door. Jack slowly sat up, and back in reaction.

Angelica continued, in and out, forcing the water out the cabin door as Jack watched blarzay. Soon she felt adequate with cleanliness she was achieved, besides, what Jack threw up was mainly alcoholic sea water.

Angelica shut the door and turned her attention to her now, patient. Jack was looking down at his soaked clean boots. "Next time try to aim not directly at your feet". He didn't answer. When she collected the 'cleaning supplies' Angelica made sure to grab fresh water. "Here, wash your mouth out." handing him the water, she urged him to stand as well while placing the bucket down beside the chair. Compliant, Jack stood, wiped his face on his shirt, took a large swig and moved it about his mouth, before spitting it directly onto the floor.

Gobsmacked, Angelica pointed to the bucket. "Spit it into the bucket! Not onto the floor, Jesus Christ!". Her accent toying heavily. Jack just shrugged, completely out of it. She huffed pushing him to the bed. "Go". Angelica climbed over the stray bottles to random items of clothing hoping to find Jack a new shirt.

He stumbled slightly towards it, but stopped short, looked down, and proceeded to curl up on the floor. Again, Angelica grunted. "What the hell are you doing, I meant the bed clearly". Jack sat up and smiled, pointing a finger slyly over at her. "So you do want me in bed with you huh". Angelica scooped up a frilled white male blouse. She pointed sternly back at him, to the bed. He spun round and climbed up.

"Change". Angelica handed him the fancier shit. "Why". He answered back. She dropped it in his lap. "Because you decided to wipe your puke all over yourself like a true adult". Annoyed, Jack changed awkwardly, removed his old shirt, and put on the new one. It was low cut, frilled heavily at the hands and chest. Jack looked down at it. "I hate it, I hate it so much". Angelica pulled off his boots for him. "Well, that's what you get when you literally own a single shirt".

Jack sighed and laid back, carefully maneuvering his head to a pillow facing the ceiling. "I'll wash your old one, I know how terrified you are of slight change". He heard her leave, then silence. Just the sound of his breaths being forced from his chest. He felt terrible. As if he'd been gutted like a fish, then had them crudely shoved back inside. Rolled himself to the edge of the bed against the wall, moving onto the book Angelica was reading before. He yanked it out from beneath him. Gulliver's Travels. It was a terribly popular book. Jack was in no desire to thumb through it, and instead dropped it onto the floor.

Before long Angelica returned. She blew out the candle on the table, so only the one on the bed head remained. Angelica placed the bucket at the bedside and looked down to look at him. "You need to cut down on your drinking or you'll drowning yourself, on your own". Jack looked lazily up at her. "I don't think I should be taking life advice, from you". Angelica rolled her eyes and huffed, getting up, completely over with his crap.

His chest leap, and he grabbed her arm quickly. "No no no wait, I'll stop, I'll stop. I've stopped". Angelica figited her arm free. "Just, keep to your side". She threw off her jacket and removed her boots blowing out the candle. Slipping under the covers, Angelica kept to the edge facing away from him.. "You really should be on the edge, not me". Jack kicked his way under, and slid carefully up close behind her. "Then I will". He said roughly. Angelica sighed, twisted for a moment, then accepted it. "Just don't vomit on me or I'll elbow you in the throat to stop it". She whispered. Jack smiled. "Fair enough".

Well, thank you to anyone who's left reading. Here's hoping I get my act together and finish this story off in a decent amount of time. Tell me what you thought, or even if y'all are still there.