Captain Eve Spade stood at the tip of her ship, the Dark Angel. She looked out to the horizon, where a silohetted island stood, dark against the prism of colors.

"Captain, we be approaching Tortuga," Said the ship's first mate, Detroit. Without turning around, Spade rolled her blue-gray eyes.

"I know, Detroit. We'll stay for two weeks, this time. I have some important meetings at the Faithful Bride, and before we head off I want to make sure I won't be disturbed. Oh, and Elijah, you're coming with me." Elijah Detroit looked at her and saw a shadow of the mischevious woman he knew fifteen years ago. "Inform the crew that they shall report to Joshamee Gibbs. In emergencies, the two of us can be reached at the Windmill Inn."

Elijah looked at her with wide eyes. "Eve, that's a mighty expensive inn. Couldn't we stay on the 'Anima?"

"No, love. We're staying there for a reason."

Elijah looked at her for only a minute before running off to the galley to summon the crew.

Eve looked back out at the water. The sky was a dark, dirty red. It reminded her of a evening, so long ago. It reminded her of Jack.

Eve Spade had been Isabella Angel Sparrow for 5 and a half years when she lost the love of her life. Not even her beloved Captain Jack Sparrow could fight off five pirate ships coming from all directions at the Black Pearl. With no where to run, no passage out, the crew and Jack fought gallantly to the end. Eve had fought, then got badly wounded. She watched as the crew fell, one by one. Scewerded by swords, shot by pistols, drowned in the swirling waters, hung by ropes and ripped canvas. Four people survived.

Jack did not.

A battle between him and the ring-leader of the attack had ensued on the masts of the Pearl's sails. And everyone heard him scream, "Angel" after a loud gunshot, closely followed by a loud splash.

The body was never found.

The Black Pearl had been nearly destroyed. Barely did it float. So the remaining crew pulled as fast as possible into a small port, lucky to find it well stocked and well talented in carpentry. Between Eve, Gibbs, Elijah, and the ship's doctor, Sam Carson, and the carpenders they rebuilt the Black Pearl.

Feeling it was an injustice to the Black Pearl to keep the name of its glory days, Eve renamed it Decessus Anima, digging into her Latin classes all those years ago, in the future. But Decessus Anima was too hard to say, too long, not understandable enough. So she translated it, rather loosely, into Dark Angel.

(author's note: in all actuallity it translates into death angel or something.)

***

Christian Riley stood in the Faithful Bride, avoiding the insane brawls that crowded around him. He looked impatiently at his pocketwatch and sat down at the cleanest empty table he could find.

"Where are you, Spade?" He whispered to himself.

"Right here, love."

Christian jumped and spun around. "Spade! Damn you, Woman! You scare the bloody hell out of me, then you're late. . ."

Eve interrupted. "How would I scare you first then be late? And the bloody hell? I thought you were a good Catholic boy! I don't know, your father would be disappointed."

Christian glared at her. "My father knows nothing. He's senile! For instance, he said that he sailed with you into battle more than once! Obviously not, you're much too young. . ."

Again he was cut off. "Yer father is hardly senile, little one," She said as she sat next to him, petting him like a dog, "We rode into battle on many occasions. Sometimes on the same side, sometimes not. Savvy?"

"But. . ."

Again, Eve interrupted, seeing the confusion on his face, "Aye, I see your father hasn't told ye of the curse, has he?"

"WILL YOU STOP INTERRUPTING ME!" Christian was about to go on a rant, but silenced when a tall, blue eyed, muscular man stepped towards them and put his hands on Eve's shoulders.

Eve got an uncomfortable look on her face, pale for a Caribben Captain. She wriggled out of the man's grasp and turned around. "It's ok, 'Lijah, He can't do much to hurt me."

***

Elijah, ever since that day on the beach, had been Eve's closest allie, next to maybe Jack. He was the one who controlled Adam's rage, stopped him from shooting off his well-crafted pistol.

He couldn't imagine loosing Eve. She was a lot to him.

But then again. . . it was horrid for Elijah to see her like this. . . alone of her own accord.

But her eyes. . . they were still a stormy gray-blue. Blue and green hadn't left completely. She had hope somewhere deep inside.

But in her line of business, hope was considered a weakness. She lived day to day, grasping on to a thread that she just wouldn't let slip, and she didn't let anyone know.

Only recently had Elijah come to notice that Eve hadn't aged. No one knew her birthday. No one kept track of the years. But Eve looked like she was 21 still. Elijah, who was 14 all those years ago, was now nearing 30, and although still a rather handsome mate, he had to wonder how she kept her age.

He had to wonder, how old she really was. He knew that when they first talked, she was probably about 19. She looked young to begin with, for she was pretty short, pale, and had long black hair. She had aged a bit. Probably to about 25, though she looked like 20 or so. That would be about right. Five years Jack and Eve. . . who had been Angel to the Black Pearl. . . had been together. And when Jack died, that's when it stopped.

According to Eve, it was the second prominent man in her life that she lost. The other had been her father.

He, apparently, had been in the Brit Navy. But then again, so did Eve's 'brother', the late Commodore Norrington.

Who was the Commodore now? Elijah wondered if it was still Christian's father, Adam. An old friend of Eve, he was supposed to be aging now.was in his late 30's, maybe early 40's.

(note: think about the lifespans back then. They weren't that long.)

Weren't they the same age?

And what was the curse that Adam Riley didn't mention?

***

Elijah, who was busy thinking, missed out on the majority of the conversation. When he came back into reality he just caught the bare endings, which made no sense whatsover.

"Alright, Miss Spade. Then tomorrow I come with you on the Dark Angel."

"Aye. Then. . . we'll further discuss matters over. . . rum perhaps? Bring your father. I haven't seen the eunuch in ages." Eve picked up her hat, which she had decoriously removed at the table. "Until then, love. Savvy?"

Christian sneered at the word. "Yes, why not?"