CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Olivia woke the following morning, rubbing her eyes. She had cried herself to sleep and now it was all coming back to her.

She stared at herself in the mirror, then grabbed a pair of scissors. She should chop it all off…Hector loved her hair…but she could not bring herself to do it. She threw the scissors aside and crawled back to bed, determined to stay there all day.

Barbossa consulted his maps. They were supposed to find the ship Olivia's brother had been on and its been sighted once again by folks in Tortuga. He told Mr. Cotton to take the helm and went downstairs…he had to talk to Olivia. Even if she did not want to hear him out.

" Olivia?" he called, pounding on the door. There was rustling noises, so she must be awake.

There was no answer. " That woman you saw me with…she means nothing to me. I tried telling her I have someone in me life now but she would not listen. "

There was footsteps and the door flew open. " There is no excuse for what happened. You said you loved me-"

" Aye and I do. I meant what I said-"

" No you didn't. Otherwise you wouldn't have been with that whore."

" I just said…" Barbossa trailed off. This was frustrating. Why won't she listen to reason?

She's been hurt and she's angry. Barbossa reminded himself. He has not been in this situation before and was not used to it. How can he make things right?

" The voyage will go as planned. We will find that ship. Then afterwards you will take me home and I won't have to talk to you ever again." She glared at him, " You used me. That's worse than catching you with the whore. You used me for your pleasure. You know how demeaning it makes me feel?"

" I did not use you. We were both consenting-"

" Peter was right. Pirates are nothing but scoundrels. Only after loot and whores." She then slammed the door in his face.

Barbossa stepped backwards. Her harsh words actually hurt.

John Taylor stared at the choppy ocean below. He was standing on the plank with the monstrous crew urging him on. He looked back at their captain and wished he had never heard of Davy Jones.

He took a deep breath and jumped. He landed into the ocean with a hard splash and he kicked upwards, thankful he was not tied. He peered up at Davy Jones who pointed somewhere north. He turned. There was the ship.

There was a noisy slap as something else hit the water. A small, square log raft. He clambered on and waited. He was supposed to feign death until he reached the ship.

Mr. Gibbs noticed Olivia had not been above deck all morning. And Captain Barbossa was in a terrible mood. He made Pintel and Ragetti scrub the deck twice over and he was snapping at everyone who got in his way.

Gibbs went down below and knocked on Miss. Olivia's door. He had given her a hard time when they first met but now he rather liked her. She was quiet but once you got to know her, she opened up a bit more.

" Go away Hector."

" Tis me, Mr. Gibbs."

There was a pause and the door opened. " Mr. Gibbs? Did Hector send you?"

" No. He does not know I am here." Gibbs replied, " I just want you to know…Barbossa tried to tell that wench about you but she would not listen."

" I heard all this before. He did send you."

" I swear he didn't. Did ye know you're the first woman Barbossa fell in love with since he's been cursed? There has been women sure, but none of them meant anything. I knew something was going on between the two of ye. He'd get this look in his eye whenever ye were near. Then it just hit me. He was in love."

" Is this supposed to make things right?"

" Probably not. He loves you…just don't forget that." He turned to leave but Olivia called him back.

" Thanks Mr. Gibbs."

" Aye. I'm sorry I gave ye such a hard time when we first met. I hope we can be friends."

She smiled at him and nodded before retreating back into her cabin.

" I don't believe this." Gibbs peered over the edge of the ship and squinted, " But there's another man down there."

Peter joined him and squinted also. Gibbs was right. There was another man on a small raft. " Man overboard!" he called out and Barbossa gave out the usual orders. They hauled the man on board and Peter stared down at him as he was rolled over.

He knew this man.

And he was in trouble.

A/N: So many ideas and so little time. I'm on a roll!