CHAPTER FIVE

" If I had known that was the last time I would see him…I would have said something…better." Olivia frowned as she stared at her wineglass.

" How could you know he was to die? He would have known his occupation was risky."

" Yes and oh did it made Mother all proud. Following in Father's footsteps."
" Your father?" Barbossa crunched into an apple, his third one. Olivia noticed he had a thing for apples.

" Navy Captain." Olivia said, " Two years ago he went back to England for some kind of business proposal, he had died on the way. Mother told me it was just from old age and that his heart gave out. First my father then my brother. Now it is just my mother and me." She pushed her empty plate aside and refilled her glass for the third time. She was starting to feel giddy and her body was now numb…it felt good really.

" I have had losses too." Barbossa, " I have done things that I am not proud of. Although I do now know that was not me."

" Before he became a soldier, my brother used to tell me ghost stories about a mysterious ship named The Black Pearl and how the Captain and his crew were cursed. The stories used to terrify me. I cannot believe that evil Captain used to be you."

" Believe me…it was." The Captain then told her his story, how he and his crew took all the Aztec Gold…then became cursed for ten years. They had felt nothing…until they learned the only way to lift the curse was by giving the gold back and blood from their old crewmate, Bill Bootstrap Turner. They kidnapped a young woman whom they thought was Bootstrap's daughter. " It turns it she had been lying to us. Bootstrap had a son, not a daughter."

" William Turner?" Olivia sat up, " The man who killed my brother."

" William took his own blood…the curse was lifted. He shot me but it was too late. I was already human."

" William Turner shot you?"

" No. Jack Sparrow did. Then I was taken to Tia Dalma and she bought me back."

" And you remember all the things you did when you were cursed?"

" The memories come back. In flashes…I have nightmares." Barbossa sighed, " Sometimes I wish I had stayed dead."

" Don't say that. You were cursed. Cursed men do awful things but that is in the past. You are good man now."

" How would you know? You don't know me well enough to be saying that missy." The Captain stood up so suddenly, his chair fell to the floor, " You don't know me at all." Then he left the dining room, slamming the door behind him.

Olivia sat at the table, wondering what she said that had upset Barbossa. . She pondered for a few minutes before she got up to find him.

She found up on deck, the crew were still in their own quarters. He was standing near the side of the boat, frowning into space.

" I am sorry Captain." She said.

" Just let me be missy."

" No…you were right. I don't know you well enough. She put a hand on his own hand, " But I would like to get to know you."

He clasped her hands in his, " Thank you." Was all he said. His blue eyes gazed into hers before he strode off.

Captain Barbossa looked over at Olivia, who was dressed in men's clothing once again. Her secret was still safe for the moment. He thought about last night. He did not mean lose his temper. He really did not like to think of the past and it was she who bought up those memories.

And so he remained in bad mood for the rest of the morning, barking orders at everyone. " No one disturb me unless there is an emergency." He finished before disappearing down below.

" Hey boy," Mr. Gibbs tapped Olivia on the shoulder. She whirled around. She had been lost in her thoughts and did not hear him approach.

" Everyone does their ship on this ship."

" But…I have no experience." She stuttered.

" You don't need experience to be a deckhand." He handed her a mop and bucket and gave her some basic instructions. " What is your name?"

" Um…Oliver." Giving him the boy's version of Olivia. She began doing her new job as a deckhand.

Barbossa emerged from his quarters to find Olivia mopping the deck. He was about to say something to her when Pintel accidentally knocked into her, sending her to the floor. Her hat flew off and her braid fell free.

" You're a woman!" Pintel gasped in shock. Mr. Gibbs hurried over to them.

" Aye, I knew it." Gibbs said, " I knew there was something about you. It is bad luck to have a woman on board."

" Does the Captain know?" Ragetti asked, looking Olivia up and down.

Barbossa felt it was time to step in, " I do know…she is a woman. Her name is Olivia."

" Sorry for deceiving you all…I was not sure you would let me on board if you knew who I was."

There was a few grumblings but the crew had to accept her.

It has been three days and no sign of the Black Pearl. Olivia was getting used to the sea and her surroundings. The crew was getting used to her.

And she has also realized something else. She had feelings for Barbossa. It was something she was not expecting.

Nothing has happened between them to invoke these feelings, there was just something about him that drew her to him. And because of these feelings, she had been distancing herself from him.

She thought he didn't notice, she was wrong.

The Captain had noticed her behavior of late. She did not dine with him anymore, but with the crew. He missed their talks.

He got her alone at sunset " Why are you not eating with me anymore?" he demanded.

She gazed out at the sunset, " I thought it was better if I ate with the crew. They are still trying to accept me."

" That is nonsense. You are making a point of avoiding familiarly with me. I have to be honest now. I have feelings for you. I think I have done since I saw you."

Olivia stared up at him. That was something she was not expecting to hear. " But if you do not feel the same way," he continued, " then so be it."

Please, do not do anything rash. Her mother's words spoke to her then. She hesitated before she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

Barbossa's dream of the other came flooding back. He had kissed her, then she showed her true self.

That was just a dream. He reminded himself. But what if this was just a dream? He felt his arms around his waist and her body pressing up to his. She broke off the kiss and looked at up him, " What is wrong?"

" I had a dream that started out like this."

" I can assure you this is no dream." She said. He nodded and kissed her back-hard. His dream and everything else, momentarily forgotten.