I stood in the kitchen again, pulling a large, glass bowl from the oven. I tried hard not to let tears get into the spaghetti I was making for the crew, but I failed miserably. Oh well, I thought, It's just a little salt... I was barely aware of the kohl that was running down my face as tears fell. I sniffed.

I suppose, reader, you are wondering what has become of me, why tears fall so frequently down my face, and where Jack is. I suppose, also, that I must tell you.
It had begun the night when we left Tortuga with Eva...

"Would you like my cabin?" I asked Eva Shapiro politely, handing Jack the bag of gunpowder that we had "purchased" in Tortuga for his pistol. He took it from my hand and walked into the Captain's cabin. Eva watched him walk away quietly but turned her attention back to me.

"No, thank you, Miss Ricci." She said, "I will manage with the crew." I nodded to her, a bit of ice in my composure and turned to follow Jack into our cabin. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it.

"She seems nice." I said to Jack randomly, as he rummaged in his trunk for rum. He came out with two bottles, handing one to me. I accepted it.

"Do you think so, luv?" he asked. I could tell that he was near wasted. "Yeah, we used to sail together... had some good times... real good times." I did not understand why he was telling me this. I took another gulp of the alcohol, feeling it take effect on my senses. I walked over to Jack and put my hands on his chest.

"How good?" I found myself asking. I knew I was drunk... but I didn't care. Jack smiled and backed up, taking me with him until he was lying on his bed, he dragged me with him.

"Really good..." he whispered and put his lips to mine, flipping me onto my back. I smiled and kissed him again...

I knew Eva was listening...

The next morning I awoke, my head pounding again, to the sun in my eyes. I felt sick... woozy... disoriented as I stood up and pulled on my clothes.

Stumbling out of the cabin I walked over to the helm where Jack was... with Eva. I frowned at the way she looked at him, the way she put her hand on his shoulder, the way he looked at her. Walking up, I put my hand on Jack's shoulder on his other side and leaned my head on it again.

"I have a headache..." I said. Next thing I knew I was being pushed to the side off his shoulder like a fly.

"We've been through this," Jack said shortly, "It's a hangover. You know what one feels like." I nodded, stung, and turned to him, my voice cold.

"What duty will you have me do?" I asked him. He looked over at me, Eva still on his shoulder. She looked at me with curiosity, even a sense of pity maybe? I did not think so actually.

"Well," Jack said, "Why don't you go back to your original duty in the kitchen? Glenn is in there now. We need him out here." I nodded and bowed my head slightly, walking away at a brisk pace toward the galley, keeping my burning face on the ground. I knew that most of the crew's eyes were on me. And Gibbs was looking from me to Jack to Eva curiously... but he knew not to argue with the Captain.

The door flew open and hit the wall when I walked in, running my hand through my hair. I looked up at Glenn, who was standing at the counter, wiping it down. I walked over and took the rag from his hand silently.

"The Captain says for me to relieve you in here." I said. Glenn smiled.

"Good!" he said with enthusiasm, "We need you back in here! The food has definitely lost its quality." I looked up at him with the slightest hint of a smile on my face. Glenn's brow wrinkled.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine..." I replied distractedly, "You had better get out there. Don't want the Captain to get impatient." Glenn nodded, still not reassured, and walked toward the door. I looked up suddenly.

"Glenn!" he turned around and looked at me, his blue eyes filled with concern. I walked over and put my hand on his shoulder. "I haven't gotten the chance to tell you how sorry I am... actually I've been too ashamed to tell you... I truly am, sorry, though about Joe... It was my fault..." Glenn reached down and put his arms around me.

"You know," he said, "When you first came onto this ship... I thought you were going to be nothing but a proper little burden, who was going to do nothing but complain that her pillows were not fluffed." I laughed, "But you proved me wrong... you're one of the most amazing lasses I've ever met. Joe told me, the night before he died, that he was glad you gave him such a good time. He got in touch with his inner spark he said... funny isn't it?" I smiled at him. "He was glad to have died helping you." I sniffed and looked down, nodding against his chest and hugging him tighter.

"Thank you, Glenn." Was all I said and turned back around, grabbing the cloth and continuing the wipe down of the table. Out of the window I could see Jack and Eva standing at the wheel, talking and laughing. I saw Glenn halt when he saw them and turn back to the window. I ducked my head quickly but I knew he had seen the anguish in my eyes.

Jealousy is never something that I had ever felt, not even when I saw the little girls in Port Royal accompanying their mothers to tea. I never felt jealous of anyone... ever... yet at the moment, watching her put her hands all over Jack... the only man I had ever loved, I couldn't help but feel the dreaded jealousy.

The door opening took me away from the kneading of dough that I was in the middle of and I looked up to see Eva Shapiro walk in. The first place I looked to was the helm to see Jack standing there with his compass open. His brow wrinkled, he closed it and shook it, opening it again. I turned my attention back to the woman pirate in my midst.

"Just came in for a bite to eat," Eva said, grabbing an apple. She took a bite, a bit of juice running down her mouth. She lifted the sleeve of her skin tight shirt and wiped her mouth with it. I saw for a fleeting moment the "P" brand of a pirate, lifted on her skin. "'Don't mind do you?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. I moved my mother's wedding ring away from the flour that I was pouring over the dough, moving my hands back to it. Eva reached down and picked it up. My hands stopped moving immediately and I watched her with wary eyes.

"This is nice." She said, putting it back onto the counter, "Are you married... or engaged?" I thought of John Walker's ring at the bottom of the ocean.

"No," I replied, "No, I'm not married or engaged." Eva nodded, "That was my mother's."

"I remember when I was like you," Eva said, "I suppose you grew up with a wealthy family?"

"Yes," I replied, "Until my father died at least. My mother was killed by pirates when I was very young... and my father passed away just recently." Eva looked down at the green apple in her hand bitterly.

"My parents are dead as well," she said, "Killed right in front of me when I was a teenager. My father died first... and then my mother... well after she was raped." I stopped kneading for a moment and looked at her. "Her last wish was for me not to because... well I don't know why... but her last wish was for me not to become what I am... but she also wanted me to be happy." I nodded, "So, which do I choose?"

"The latter obviously." I said. Eva shrugged. I turned my attention back to my hands, kneading the dough past the point of being done. They're just friends! I told myself as I watched Eva go back out and stand by Jack Sparrow, Only friends!

"Thank you for the meal, Christina." Gibbs said to me as he finished the last bit of his meat pie. Jack sat at the far end of the table, picking at his food with his wooden spoon.

"You're welcome." I said distractedly and finished off the last bits of my food just as the others were done. Eva ate with a clean manner, but faster than anyone else. She was gone before anyone else as well. I watched her leave over the rim of my mug, watched her give Jack a look and him give her a smirk. She walked out, swinging her hips provocatively, earning a cough from Sam as he choked on his food and a scoff and roll of eyes from Ana-Maria.

Jack, about ten minutes after Eva left suddenly got up and left the table, leaving the galley as I washed off my and Eva's plate. I watched him walk out and turn to the left; no doubt he was going to his cabin. I sighed and took Sam's plate, indicating with my finger that he had some on his chin. He smiled sheepishly and wiped it off before thanking me and leaving the room.

Soon enough only Glenn, Ana-Maria, and I were left. I saw Glenn put his hand on Ana-Maria's arm.

"Are ye going to bed?" he asked quietly. Ana-Maria looked at me for a moment and I ducked my head down to keep her from seeing that I had been eavesdropping. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and wiped my hands off on my brown pants. Ana-Maria shook her head.

"No," she said, "I'm gonna stay with Christina for a bit." Glenn looked around for a moment before leaning down and kissing Ana-Maria on the cheek, his lips trailing down to her neck. She smiled and watched as Glenn left, nodding his head to me and leaving the galley, shutting the door behind him carefully.

Ana-Maria and I were left in an awkward silence for a few moments before the woman walked over and took a mug down from the cupboard, pouring rum into it generously. She took another down and handed it to me. I took it from her hand and set it down on the counter. Ana-Maria sat down on the counter and took a sip from her mug.

"Alright, Christina," Ana-Maria said. "I know there's something wrong with you. What is it?" I looked up at her for a moment.

"I don't want to give you the burden of my troubles Ana-Maria." I said, "I need no pity."

"I'm not planning on giving you pity." Ana-Maria responded, "I just want to know what's wrong with you. Ever since we got back from Tortuga with Shapiro you've been miserable. I ain't blind."

I remained silent, "Look," Ana-Maria continued, "I know we haven't been the best of friends and we haven't talked at all but... nonetheless if I had a problem you would be there for me right?" I nodded. "Now I'm being here for you. And, if it makes you feel any better, I do need some advice afterward. How about it?"

There was a pause.

"It's Jack..." I finally said, "And that Eva Shapiro woman. She won't get off of him... and ever since she showed up... it's like I've been invisible. He doesn't even talk to me." Ana-Maria nodded.

"I see..." she said, "Have you tried to talk to Jack about it?" I shook my head.

"Even if I could get a word in I wouldn't..." I relied miserably, "He's happy when he's around her. The way he used to act around me... I don't want to ruin that." Ana-Maria frowned.

"Christina." She said sternly, "We're going to talk to Jack. Right now, you and me. I'll go with you and we'll tell him. How about it?" I looked down and finished my rum, the taste no longer burning, but enjoyable.

"Alright..." I said regretfully, "But first, what advice do you need?"

"No doubt, observant as you are, you have noticed that perhaps Glenn and I have something between us." I smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I noticed." She smiled.

"Well, Glenn wants us to be wed... now, he wants us to have a proper wedding... including me in a white dress..." She made a face, "But I want us to be wed here on the Black Pearl in our pirate clothes and I want Captain Sparrow to wed us." A shaking began in my chest and before I knew it I was hunched over, laughing.

"That is what you needed my advice for?" I cried, laughing, "The colors and clothes of your wedding?!" Ana-Maria smiled.

"It's very important." She said, scoffing. I sat back up and let myself breathe for a few moments, coughing slightly.

"Alright," I said, turning to her as if we were two young girls, going on a clothes shopping spree. I smiled, "You promise Glenn that you will have a priest wed you, and he can wear whatever he wants... but the wedding will be on the Black Pearl and Jack will... help in some way."

"And the white dress?" she asked.

"Promise him that you will wear a white skirt over your clothes... I've got the most perfect outfit for you! You'll look lovely, yet still as pirate as you want. What do you say?"

"Nothing with frills?"

"No. No frills." Ana-Maria smiled and jumped down from the counter, me with her.

"Excellent!" she cried. "Alright then, let's go talk to Jack," I found I had a lump in my throat, "and then we'll look at this 'perfect outfit' you're talking about." I smiled as best I could and put the empty rum bottle down on the counter. Ana-Maria took my hand and pulled me to the door, opening it.

I shivered, with nothing to do with the chill in the air, as we walked across the deck to Jack's and my cabin, a confident look on Ana-Maria's face, an uncertain one on mine.

Ana-Maria reached up to knock on the door... but froze. Her eyes wide she turned and looked at my horrified face.

From behind that door came the most ungodly sounds I had ever heard in my life, the creaking of a bed, the breathing of two, and the shouts of "yes!" and passionate screams of a woman... Eva Shapiro.