Siren's song (5th/ final book)

Gibbs?

Dick's POV

I set the little mermaid down as we come to a rest. Two large tangling trees with nice shade seemed like the best place to take a break, so everyone spread out to relax their feet. When I placed the little mermaid down I gave her about a foot of space before plopping down myself. Damian, just like the captain, enjoyed high places. He found himself a nice large limb to sit on and watch over up. I swear he should have been an actual bird.

   "Such beauty, surely one of God's creations, and not a descendant of those dark creatures that found no refuge on the ark."  My eyes quickly glance from the bird like boy to the missionary who was now squat right in front of the mermaid. You could see he was in a daze as he spoke, but for some reason it didn't last as it would usually. "Such beauty," he whispers under his breath. Only to then shake his head, "yet deadly."

   Ha! That's an understatement.

   Quickly the mermaid responds with an eager, defensive tone. "Deadly-? No."

   "You attacked me," the missionary states. This makes me raise my eyebrow at the both of them. I stare intently, awaiting her response, and I know she could feel my gaze.

   Glancing at me timidly before speaking she says, "No, you are different." She seems to glance at both of us as she says this. There was no conviction in her voice. Even if it were a lie she believes it to be true.

   "Different?" The missionary's eyebrows twitch in confusion.

   The mermaid nods with an assuring tone. "Are you not? You protect-," she looks at him for a moment before snapping her gaze at me. I can't help but raise my brow, tilting my head slightly. "You both do."

   "You pushed me down out of the way." The missionary pays no mind to me as he takes a step closer toward her. Oh god he's got it bad.

   The mermaid nods in confirmation, and I can't help but feel a sense of relief. She was innocent. She could be saved. Captain will be elated.

   "Is it the fountain?!" I hear Angelica ask behind me. Most likely toward her father. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

   Is this seriously your envision of the fountain of youth?

   "No..but we are close." I get up at his statement knowing that it means we'll have to go soon. I take a single step towards the mermaid, so that I can carry her again. That's when Blackbeard decides to be a prick once again. "Get the creature and put a bag over its head!"

   Breathe Grayson- you know what never mind fuck that.

   "She has a name!" I yell in a harsh tone. My body was practically shaking with anger. What right does he have to talk about her that way? He makes me sick.

   All eyes go to me, and I could practically hear Damian scolding me. Blackbeard looks to me before plastering an amused expression on his face. Looking around he places his hands in the air, "Pray tell."

   I glare at him, hope that it'll burn a hole through his face, but it doesn't. I remove my gaze from him, and I glance back at the mermaid with a tenderness. She looked at me questioningly, but I could see the faint hope. She didn't even have a name. I had forgotten that the cannibals don't name them until they've slathered a human. An Sergio way to get a name. Syreana has always hated that, despised it.

   Wait-that's it

   I look straight into her eyes as I speak her new name. "Serena," I say with a small smile. "Her name is Serena."