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Frenchie was a mess of anxiety as they approached the small dinghy. Captain Blackbeard had had them on the lookout for anything that might be the crew for a day and a half now, so when Jim had spotted a small dot on the horizon, chaos had broken out on the Revenge as they all tried to figure out what the dot was - and more importantly, keep Izzy from figuring it out first.
Finally they had realized that not only was it a dinghy, it was a dinghy full of familiar faces. Izzy had wanted to go for the guns, but Blackbeard’s face had blazed with some emotion Frenchie couldn’t quite identify - fear, maybe, or hope, or happiness, or relief, or guilt, or all of the above (and some rage at Izzy, who he told Fang and Ivan to guard while the dinghy approached).
For his part, Frenchie wasn’t sure how to feel. Jim had told him about what had happened in Barbados, how Blackbeard had
cried
over Captain Bonnet’s grave, how they had made a plan to find him and hopefully their lost crew, how Blackbeard found out and supported them. But Frenchie wasn’t there for any of this, and he wasn’t sure how much he believed. Not that he didn’t trust Jim! They were probably one of the
scariest
most trustworthy people he knew!
But it seemed hard to believe that Blackbeard would change his mind, would go back on his decisions. Blackbeard, who’d marooned his crew, who’d held a gun to Frenchie’s head.
Frenchie was slow to forget these kinds of things.
But the time for worry was over now. They’d reached the dinghy and the ladder was down. The crew would be up any minute (okay worry was not over worry was still here what if they were hurt what if they were not okay what if they were mad at him for not saving them what if - )
Captain Bonnet’s blond head popped up over the side of the ship.
“Ah! Hello all!”
Frenchie never thought he’d be so happy to hear that goofy voice and see that silly curly head. But he was ready to weep as his clumsy captain made his way over the railing and Oluwande followed behind him, the rest of the crew making their way up the ladder one at a time.
As Oluwande found his footing, Jim made a wounded sound - a sound Frenchie never would have imagined them making - and rushed over, pulling him into a fierce hug. Pete stood hesitantly at the railing, looking at Lucius with teary eyes, until Lucius scoffed and sauntered over. As Lucius reached him and uttered a cheery “hey, babe,” Pete crumpled, sobbing into Lucius’ arms.
Frenchie found himself swamped by crewmates as Wee John, Buttons, the Swede, and Roach came over, arms open and smiles wide, and a huddle quickly formed. It was a chaotic jumble of a reunion. Roach punched Frenchie on the arm, congratulating him for surviving so long. Wee John patted his shoulder and smiled. The Swede and Fang were both crying. Ivan and Buttons were off to the side, discussing the events that had transpired.
Frenchie tensed. Fang was crying. Ivan was talking to Buttons.
Izzy was alone.
Frenchie was a musician. Frenchie had a keen ear, keener than most. He could pick out notes in a tune, he could hear inflections in a voice that let him judge people’s emotions.
He could hear a pistol being cocked even over the tumult of the crew’s reunions.
He turned, practically throwing himself out of Wee John’s protective arms, and saw the two captains standing off to the side. They were standing apart, eyeing each other warily like two (terrifying) cats unsure of each other, testing boundaries, unsure of how to approach.
Izzy was aiming directly for them.
“Captain!” Frenchie shouted, knowing he would be too late.
It all happened so fast after that.
The captains turned as one.
Izzy’s pistol thundered.
Blackbeard roared.
Blackbeard slammed into Captain Bonnet and the two went flying to the deck. Jim’s knife flashed, driving true into Izzy’s hand. Fang jumped into action, crashing into Izzy before the smoke even cleared from the pistol. Roach rushed over to the captains to survey the damage. The Swede cried.
Frenchie was frozen. It was all so much. Too much.
So much kept happening since Blackbeard had taken over the ship.
How much longer could this keep up?