The girl was struggling, Barbossa enjoyed it. Damn girl, it had hurt like hell when she stabbed him. He took a firmer grip around her neck, Elizabeth started squirming, Barbossa smiled.
She deserves the pain.
They were standing behind the stone chest now. Barbossa forced Elizabeth to bend over; he could feel the tension in her body, how frightened she was. She tried to cry for help, but no words came from her lips.
"Elizabeth! No! Let her go!" Barbossa smiled. Love, the most deadly thing in the world he thought.
"Relax Mr Turner, you'll be next." Barbossa picked up the old dagger from the chest, Will screamed. Barbossa pressed the dagger against Elizabeth's throat. He leaned forwards a bit, and whispered in Elizabeth's ear.
"Here we are again miss, though you won't escape from me this time." Then he stood up straight again, looked around the cave at his men. He took a deep breath.
"Eleven years, eleven years men, have I waited. And now, my misery has finally come to an end. But our glory, has only reached it's beginning! By blood begun! By blood und…"
Barbossa gasped and dropped the knife. A sharp pain in his hand, burning, making his hand shake. What was going on? Then, a voice echoed in the cave.
"What? You don't like pain? Aw, that's too bad Barbie, 'cause I wanted to play!"
Barbossa looked up, and saw Angela stand in the opening to the cave, with her sword in her hands, he could also see a large bruise on her right hand. She started to walk towards him.
"You? How?" Barbossa stared at the young woman. The fear in her eyes was long gone, now there was only hate. All men moved away as she passed them, as if she was royalty. She climbed up to the stone chest.
"Now you really hurt my feelings, I never knew you underestimated me like that. Did you really think that I was going to sit there on a lousy island and miss all the fun?"
Barbossa just grinned at her and pressed down Elizabeth even further, she cried out of pain.
Angela said to Barbossa to let go of her, he didn't.
"I said let go of her! I don't think she is very comfortable."
"Good." Barbossa took an even tighter grip around her neck.
"Where is Jack? I know he left the island with you, where is he!"
"I don't know, he's not here anyway, I came alone."
"Why?" Barbossa could feel how Elizabeth was trembling; he looked down at her hands for a short second, her palms were bleeding after being scraped against the ruff stone chest.
"I don't like it when other people get evolved in my businesses."
"Businesses?" Angela stepped forward, bent down and picked up one of the apples Barbossa had in a small basket beside him. Apples…Barbossa couldn't wait to sunk his teeth into them. He saw Angela take a big bite from the green apple. She chewed, swallowed, and then smiled.
"Yes, businesses. I didn't come here just to attack you and your men you know. I have a proposition for you. Just let go of Elizabeth's neck and I'll tell you all about it. And trust me; you'll want to here it." She took another bite. "Mm, tastes good." Angela grinned at Barbossa. He forced Elizabeth to stand up straight, Angela could see the tears in her eyes, but also relief. Barbossa pushed her over to Pintel and Ragetti, who were guarding the prisoners.
"Here, make sure that you tie her up this time! And now," He turned back to Angela again.
", what was it that you wanted to tell me?"
Angela stepped one step closer to Barbossa, every cell in her body turned cold and she shivered, but did her best not to reveal it to him.
"As I said, I have a proposition for you, one that you can't turn down… I want a fight. You and me, one on one. No cheating, no tricks."
"A fight?" Barbossa burst out laughing. This girl is insane.
"See it as a bet. 'Cause if you win, nothing will change. You'll kill me, have my blood. You can kill the prisoners and then every god damn person in Port Royal and whatever other town you'd like to. But if I win…You'll let my friends go, every single one. And you'll leave Port Royal alone. But, you can still have me…You can sacrifice me as you planned. I'm yours…"
The last sentence were not more then a whisper, but somehow every single one in the cave heard it, including Jack, who was lurking around in the shadows. Angela forced herself not to look or think about Jack, Barbossa can't find out that Jack's in the cave!
Barbossa didn't speak, he was considering the proposition. It sure was interesting, stupid but interesting indeed. And he couldn't but wonder, was this girl brave, or stupid? Maybe both. He took a breath and looked almost bored, but then he drew his sword and held it out, against Angelas' throat. She didn't back away, but now Barbossa could finally see that there was some fear in her eyes, it pleased him. And when he spoke, Angela could hear the joy in his voice, and it sickened her.
"I hope you do realise that can just kill you right here? It would go a lot faster."
"Maybe, but where's the fun in that?" Barbossa burst out laughing.
"I think it will be rather amusing. And miss, how exactly were you planning to kill me? Since that is impossible." Angela moved Barbossa's sword from her neck, then she leaned forward.
"Nothing is impossible Captain Barbossa." Jack had to stop again when he heard Angela call Barbossa captain.
"But very hard, so I thought we could do it like this. If I injure you in a way that normally would kill you, I win. You know, if I stab you in your chest, slice your throat, cut off your head…I wonder what would happen then; will it just jump back on or…?"
"Enough!" Angela figured that Barbossa didn't know either what would happen.
"It doesn't matter what will happen, since you won't get a chance. It will take a few minutes, and then I'll kill you."
"Exactly! You have awaited, what, like a decade? What will a few more minutes do? I just want a fair chance, you ow me that."
"I ow you nothing." Angela didn't answer Barbossa, she just looked at him.
"Do we have a deal?" She reached out her hand. Barbossa didn't seem to know what to do at first, but then he took it.
"Aye…" Angela smiled, but it faded when she saw Jack in the corner of her eye. He stumbled on a gold figurine and fell forward; she saw how Barbossa started to turn his head to see who had made such noise behind him. Angela knew he had to be stopped, if he turned around and saw Jack, everything would be ruined. So she did the first thing she came to think of. She stepped forward, grabbed Barbossas' face with both hands and then she kissed him…
Jack nearly swore as he fell to the ground. But he forced himself to shut up and hurried over to the prisoners, maybe he wouldn't be seen.
"Jack?" Will and the others stared at him in shock.
"Quiet." Jack whispered, then he turned around to see why it had become so quiet all of a sudden. And what he saw made him feel sick. Angela kissing Barbossa! He heard Norrington whisper.
"Is Angela doing what I think she's doing?"
"Aye Commodore, and there ye have yer proof that she's braver than all of us, I'd ne'er kiss Barbossa." Jack started to untie Wills ropes.
"No, cause you'd be killed."
"Let's jus' 'ope Angela won't be…"
It had worked; everyone's attention had turned to Angela and Barbossa. Angela held out as long as she could. His stench was horrible, he really smelled like a corpse, and the taste, Angela felt really sick. She wanted to let go, but couldn't, not yet. Even though a horrifying could was spreading inside of her, she could hardly breathe or think. She forced herself to keep pressing her lips against his could, dead ones. But she couldn't stand it for long; she pushed Barbossa away and forced herself not to throw up. He looked at her, surprised and satisfied, something that made Angela feel even worse. But she would never let him now.
"You look like a dead man, you taste like a dead man, and soon you'll be one." Barbossa slapped her, Angela fell backwards, she could feel how parts of the treasure she were standing on started to slip, but managed to stay on her feet.
"You are a brave little girl, aren't you? But what brings you here? Is it that you care for your friends, or is it that you hate me so much?"
"I don't hate you…I pity you. You are so afraid of dying that you rather choose a cursed life, a half life. You just don't get it, do you? When all this is over those gods still won't let you go, you'll be their slave forever. And if I were you, I'd choose death."
"You're not me, miss..."
"I know." Angela took one step backwards. "Now fight me."
Barbossa didn't move.
"I said fight me! Come on!"
Barbossa still didn't move. Angela started to panic, why didn't he attack her? But then, like an explosion Barbossa attacked her, Angela blocked the blow but had to jump down to prevent herself from falling. Barbossa wasn't far behind. Some of the men moved towards Angela, but Barbossa shouted and told them that she was his, so they backed away again.
Their fight was intense. Barbossa were much stronger then Angela, so she tried to avoid his attacks instead of blocking them. But, since Barbossa was hurt Angela had an advantage, she was used to the pain, Barbossa wasn't. And the pain made it hard for him to hold his sword, so he couldn't attack with full strength. Angela was also much faster and more flexible then him. But she was never even close to hit him. Barbossa was a fantastic fighter; Angela was a beginner, still were they, somehow, almost equal tonight. Neither of them cost each other any damage, except for the times Angela kicked Barbossa. She had preferred a fight without weapons; she knew she wasn't too good with a sword.
"There, get out of here now."
"Jack!" We can't just leave her!" Will had grabbed Jacks arm.
"You can't stay here Will. Take your wife out of here."
"But what about Angela? Please don't tell me that you're going to let her fight all alone?"
Jack didn't answer, he concentrated on Norringtons rope, he was the last man, then they'd all be free.
"Just leave Will, she can do it, I know she can. And I promised…"
Angela was tired, she wasn't used to this. Barbossa noticed it, and started to attack harder, faster, he had the advantage now. She started to stumble backwards as she received blow after blow, she blocked all of them successfully, but had no strength left now. Barbossa punched her hard across her check. She turned from him, a big mistake. Barbossa used the hilt of his sword and hit her on her neck; she dropped her sword and fell forward. She stood up on her knees and quickly reached for her sword but too late…
She could feel the cold blade against her throat. She looked up and saw Barbossas satisfied face and she realised that she had failed. But the anger was still there, and she would not be humiliated like this. And slowly, Angela stood up, still with the sword pressed against her neck.
"I will not stand down on my knees, begging for you to spare my life! I don't fear death and I don't fear you! This isn't over; I'll fight you, until my very last breath!" Barbossa laughed.
"Not for much longer then…And now, I'll finish this." He raised his sword, high above his shoulders. Angela knew that she could just turn around and run, but she wouldn't. And almost in slow motion, Angela saw how the space between her neck and the blade become smaller. A part of her wanted to close her eyes, but she refused. This was it, it ended here...
But then, just before the blade was going to slice up her throat, a second blade turned up, and stopped Barbossas. An arm pulled her away, and someone used his body as a shield.
"You?" Barbossas furious voice echoed in the cave.
"Jack?" Jack, he had come. He stood between Barbossa and Angela, he protected her.
"Angela, get out of here, now! Run!"
Angela hesitated for a second, but then she ran.
"No! Stop her you worthless cockroaches! Don't let her get away!" Barbossa tried to step forward, but Jack blocked his way.
"She's mine Jack, I'm not letting her go!"
"Well neither am I." And there they stood, the two sworn enemies, with their blades crossed, once again. For the last time…
"I won't let you hurt her Barbossa."
"You won't let me? You and what army?"
"This one!" Both Barbossa and Jack turned and saw Will stand with Norrington, Elizabeth, Anamaria and the others behind him.
"Lad, what did I tell you?"
"Since when do I listen to you?" Will and Jack smiled, but then the second explosion started in the cave that night. A large battle, Barbossa versus Jack, good versus evil.
Angela were hiding behind a rock, trying to catch her breath. But then she heard footsteps behind her and saw two familiar shadows, so she followed them.
"Freeze!" Angela couldn't help but smile as she stood there aiming her pistol at the two, she had always wanted o say that.
Pintel and Ragetti turned around.
"Ok you two, what are you doing?"
They turned around and begged her to let them leave. This was their only chance, if Barbossa was defeated they would be executed, if Barbossa defeated Jack, they would be his slaves forever.
"All right, leave. Just don't take the Pearl." And with that, Angela ran back into the battle. Someone grabbed her from behind. She turned around and saw Jack. He opened his mouth, probably to tell her to leave again but she started talking before he had a chance to.
"Look, just help me get hold of the medallion, and I'll take care of the rest." Jack nodded and then they split up, just seconds before Barbossa spotted Jack again.
Now Angela followed every step Barbossa took, looking for one shot to get the medallion. But after a while she got tired of that and just ran up behind him and tore it of his neck, and then she ran. She successfully avoided every one and climbed up on the treasure pile, she slipped but kept climbing. She put her sword standing on the treasure pile (looking almost like something from the sword in the stone) and was just about to reach for her medallion when she heard Jack scream her name. But before she could turn around she felt someone grab her from behind, she was forced to turn around. And then pain. Barbossa had pierced his sword right trough her chest. She could feel the blade inside her body, so cold that it was burning. She wanted to scream but couldn't it was hurting too bad. Barbossa looked at her with a smile of triumph on his lips, then he whispered in her ear:
"I won…" Then he stepped back, and pulled out the sword. Angela took one, stumbling step forward, and the crushed look on Jacks face, standing just below the treasure pile, was the last thing Angela saw before she fell into the darkness.
The angel had fallen…