Chapter five A bit of fun and sadness.

When you find yourself
In some far off place
And it causes you to rethink some things
You start to sense that slowly
You're becoming someone else
And then you find yourself

Catherine stood by the railing and watched as the crew pulled various things out of the water, clothes, bags, some books and unopened boxes. After a while they pile got considerably large, after an hour of salvaging the entire crew gathered around awaiting their next order.

"You can store as much of it below as you like." She turned to James and smiled.

"Thank you." Catherine turned and began to walk down the steps.

"If need any help, just call." She turned back and nodded before continuing down the steps. She made her way to the pile of soaked objects. Standing in front of it she sighed and looked around at the crew around her.

"Me and Choy will help you go through this Ms. Catherine." Lumpy said as he stepped forward. James smiled down at the group as the three of them began to sort and separate things. Clothes in one pile, miscellaneous items in another, and the small items of hers that they found in another. Catherine sighed when they were done stuffing all of her items in a small bag, she stood as James came down to the deck.

"Lumpy, take all the clothes and perishable food down below and store it."

"Yes captain." Lumpy gathered the clothes while Choy picked up some of the crates and started bellow. Catherine picked up her small bag of items.

"Find anything valuable."

"No, but things I rather have than at the bottom of the ocean." James nodded, as Ann came around the corner.

"Catherine, there you are. How are you today?" Catherine smiled.

"I'm alright, you?"

"I wanted to apologize for Carl he. ." She stopped her.

"Don't apologize for that man, one day he will get what's coming to him." James smiled, at least the girls got along, he recalled a time when he had more than two women on board at the same time. He chuckled at the thought of all the cat fights that emerged when they were out at sea.

"What's so funny." Ann asked turning to James who just shook his head. "Alright then don't tell me, but I have to tell you it looks like a storm." Ann pointed out toward the dark mass heading toward them.

"That's not a storm." James said and grabbed on to the two women pulling them towards the cabin yelling to the crew the entire time. "Hang on to something! Rouge wave!" He pulled the two along towards a pillar. "Hold on tight!" Ann and Catherine gripped the pillar. James did the same keeping the two close to him as the wave hit. Water flowed over the deck and soaked the three and other members on the deck. The ship tilted to the side, if there was another one of the waves they surely would have tipped over, they were lucky that this wave didn't.

(For those who don't know what a rouge wave is, if you've seen the perfect storm when that giant wave hits them out of no where that what it is a huge wave that is factual and can actually capsize ship depending on how much force is behind the wave. Thought I let you all know that little detail. Ok on with the story)
"What was that!" Ann slightly screeched. The water was cold and shocking in the warm weather. Catherine shook the water of her shirt and smiled ringing out her hair.

"Rouge wave, they come up and hit you when ever they feel like it." Ann shook and grabbed James hat that had fallen to the deck, without ringing it out she flopped it back on his head.

"I appreciate that." Catherine smiled as Ann bowed and walked back to her cabin to change.

"I think you have a secret admirer." Catherine laughed at the look on James face as she leaned against the wall. "I'm kidding, she's in love with that writer guy right." James just nodded and rung all the water out of his hat. He did want to press the conversation.

"I don't pay attention to my excess passengers Ms. Maxwell." He leaned against the wall with her. Reaching into his pocket he hoped to still have dry cigarettes. With luck one was still good, he quickly lit it up and took a drag.

"But admit it, she is a funny gal." He smiled.

"Yes she is, hard to find a women like her." Catherine nodded taking his cigarette for her own use for a moment before giving it back.

24 hours into the deal, the entire crew had managed to change and or get dry from the rouge wave. They had gathered on the deck for a bit of fun and drinking. Catherine came out of the Captains wearing a fresh shirt blue shirt she had stolen from one of the captains dresser drawers. Her hair had curled at the tips, due to the moisture. She stood by James and rolled the sleeves up on her shirt.

"What's going on?" She looked out over the crowd on the main deck below.

"Every so often the crew needs a break and they have their own little party down there." She nodded and turned to him.

"What about the captain?" He glanced at her quickly before turning back to the sea.

"Someone has to control the ship, the captain hasn't the time." Catherine just observed him.

"What is it?"

"You seem like the dancing type." James sighed.

"No."

"Come on, are you telling me you never dance before just for fun."

"Once."

"Come on, you can send Denham up here to play captain."

"No!" his voice raised as he turned to her causing her to step back.

"I apologize." She said softly turning to leave the cabin. James sighed and watched her leave the cabin, and join the rest of the crew. He shouldn't have shouted at her, she was just being courteous.

The crew ended the festivities and were ordered back to their cabins for the night. James still stood at the helm as Thomas and Catherine entered the cabin.

"Anything interesting out there yet?" She asked as she came to stand by him. He didn't answer nor turn to her.

"Captain, if you need anything just call."

"Thank you Mr. Hayes." Thomas glance between the two before bidding goodnight to both of them and leaving the cabin. Catherine stood by him in silence, for how long she didn't even know. Sighing she turned to him.

"Good night Captain." She went to walk to the captains cabin but was stopped by his voice.

"I don't expect you to treat me like a captain Ms. Maxwell."

"How then do you wish me to treat you?" she turned back to him.

"As a friend, forget the title or the rank." She sighed and looked around before smiling.

"As a friend?"

"Yes." She walked up to him, their bodies almost touching. Looking up at him she smiled.

"Well then, My friend do me a favor." James felt like he had stopped breathing with how close she was, and Catherine was feeling the same. She would never have done this in her whole career as a sea captain.

"What?"

"Dance with me."

"Here in the cabin." She smiled and nodded. "What do we dance to?"

"The sea." He looked around the cabin skeptical about it. "Don't worry your persona hasn't changed a bit." He looked at her shocked. "I heard every word of the conversation you had with Thomas." James ran his hands over his face, having a hard time accepting all of this at once. He shook his head and sighed as he held the helm.

"Goodnight Captain." She left the bridge, softly shutting the door to the cabin she collapsed against it. He watched her go desperately wanting to do as she asked but he couldn't will himself to it. He mentally kicked himself.

"What were you thinking Catherine?" She sobbed silently, everything began to grasp her and her feelings. Everything that had happened and the fact that she hadn't even mourned her lost crew, and only sought out after another was driving her mad. Climbing onto to her temporary bed she sighed as tears ran down her face.

Thomas walked onto the bridge eight hours later to see his captains eyes half open and strained. Everything about his posture was stiff, he held his head in hands as he leaned against the helm, a cigarette in one.

"Are you alright captain?"

"She cried herself to sleep Hayes."

"What happened last night?"

"Nothing, we barely spoke. Maybe it what should have happened that caused it."

"Captain?"

"Don't worry about Mr. Hayes, its my business to take care of."

"Yes sir."

"Wake the crew, we have a long day of sail ahead of us." Thomas nodded and left the cabin as Catherine entered. Sighing she walked back up beside James like she had done many times before.

"Good morning." He turned to her.

"Catherine, if I did anything to." She held up her hand and smiled. James watched her eyes, it was evident she had been crying, no matter how many times he heard her turn the sink on to wash her face.

"It wasn't you, it was me. Everything that has happened suddenly became a reality for me." He stepped up to her, his hand still holding onto the helm.

"If you ever need someone, just call." He locked eyes with her and smiled.

"I did, out there all alone in the cool water on the brink of death and you came and saved me." Leaning up she placed a light kiss to his cheek before whispering in his ear. "Thank you." The was a grunt at the doorway. James turned to see Thomas standing there, he had a look of annoyance on his face.

"Breakfast is ready sir, if you and Catherine want your share Ill take the helm till you get back." James nodded as he and Catherine started down to the kitchen.

A/N: I just watched Thomas Kretschmann (who played captain Englehorn) in another one of his movies called Immortal, I so thought about putting a kissing scene in here cause I knew how it would play out after watching that movie. Confusing movie but it was good. Ill save the real kiss for later.

Other notes, I have made Carl into a complete jackass I know, I feel like Englehorn is a pillowed down version than the movie. ( but it makes up for it.) and Its starting to sound marry sue like. I don't know tell me what you think please. Major feedback needed before next chapter.