- - - - - - JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
"Your fiancée?" Jack asked in amazement. Eva Shapiro nodded, holding onto Henry's hand tightly.

'This is Henry Blackman," she said earnestly, "We were separated when our ship was attacked. I thought he was dead..." she looked up at Henry admiringly as he and Jack shook hands.

"I finally meet the famous Jack Sparrow." Henry said kindly, "I have heard so much of you! Thank you for watching over me love when we were not together." Jack and Eva's eyes met and Eva gave him a small smile. Jack nodded numbly, his mind far away... if Eva has a fiancée ... then she cannot stay with me... I didn't ...

"Christina..." he whispered, putting his hand to his head. Eva smiled at him, letting to of Henry's hand. "Oh! How could I have been so stupid as to let her get away?!" Eva Shapiro took Jack's hand and kissed him on the cheek.

"Go and get her back." She whispered. Jack smiled before hugging Eva tightly.

"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack said, turning to his fist mate at the table behind him, working on about his twelfth rum or so. Jack swayed a bit, putting his hands out but steadied himself. "Get everyone back to the ship immediately," he paused, "Unless they're in a brothel... you don't want to go looking for them in there... at least you don't want to find them and have to interrupt them. Just we're leaving Tortuga by tomorrow morning. Be there at dawn!" Gibbs looked at the babbling Jack curiously.

"Why, Captain?" he asked, clueless. Jack pulled out his compass and smiled as it pointed to the left...

"We're going to get Christina back..."
- - - - - - - END JACK'S POV - - - - - - -

"Sugar cube?" I closed my eyes and held back yet another "inappropriate" insult. Otherwise I would have told him where he could stick that sugar cube.

"No thank you," I said politely, pouring cream into the tea in my cup. I smiled at John Walker. He sat across from me, his head donned with a hat that he now took off, revealing his dark blonde hair underneath. I looked down into the tea in the cup in my hand, the warmth from the liquid spreading into my hand. I really wanted some rum just then.

Stop it, Christina! I thought, You're back here. You're going to... marry... John Walker and you are going to continue your career as an opera singer. Forget about The Black Pearl... and Glenn and Ana-Maria, and forget about Jack Sparrow!

"What was that, dear?" John asked. I looked up and realized that I had spoken aloud. I smiled.

"Nothing, John." I said, putting my hand to my stomach, which was being crushed by the corset. My breathing was tight and constricted. My mind flashed back to the deep breath I had taken as I stood on the front of- No!

"John," I said, smiling as I stood up. "I'm going to go into our bedroom. I don't feel so well." John's eyes widened and he stood a little too abruptly, throwing the napkin that he had held in his hand down onto the table, the corner turning a deep brown when it landed in the tea. I frowned.

"I'll go get it ready." He said hurriedly. "It's a mess in there, dear." I smiled, thinking of the conditions I had lived in for the last couple months or so. I smiled...

"It's alright, John." I said, following after him as he ran into our old room. I walked at a slower pace, admiring the wonderful art on the walls around me as I walked down the hall. My heeled shoes clicked on the floor.

"I'm coming in, John." I said, putting out my hand and pushing open the door, just in time to see John close a trunk in the corner, his face slightly red and glowed with perspiration. I looked at him fondly... but with limitations? Reservations? He smiled at me and gestured with his hand for me to sit down on the bed.

"Here you are, Christina." He said. I smiled and sat myself down next to the few suitcases that had been brought full of my clothes from my father's house, which was now to be given to the government. I minded... but I did not dare speak against John so suddenly. I supposed I would speak to Governor Swan about it. John sat down behind me, putting his hands on my waist and his lips on my neck. He was rougher than Jack had been... "When we're married." John said quietly, "I'll bed you like a wife." I looked down and smiled secretly... If only you knew... I thought. I yawned unintentionally.

"I'm tired, John." I said quietly, "Please?" I turned my head and met him with a kiss, gentle on my part. He pulled away and nodded slightly.

"I will leave you, then." He said and got off the bed, walking out the door. I could not help but notice him cast a quick glance at the trunk in the corner, what I had always known him as a place to keep his old costumes and scripts from previous operas. I watched the door shut before standing up, keeping myself blind to all my feelings in spite of curiosity.

The trunk's lid, before to me, was heavy but now I lifted it with ease, unlatching the lock and leaning the lid against the wall. I looked down and frowned, pulling out his Raul costume... we were not to take them home. I shrugged and looked down; now pulling out the Carlotta costume... what was this doing here? Under this costume there was my answer... a brassiere and a corset. I shook my head... no... I thought, Not with Mary... he couldn't have... But I knew that he had. A flashback came back to me, not ten days before my father had been found missing:

I watched John watch one of his friends walking down the street with a woman on his arm. I knew that that was not the man's wife... but his mistress. I looked at John.

"Are you going to do that?" I knew that it was not uncommon for a man to have a mistress. John put his arm around my waist, kissing the top of my head as we turned a corner to an alley, trying to get to the back of the opera house.

"Never." He said, "You're all I need... even after we're ten years married." I smiled at him, holding his arm tighter.

That... liar... In fury I slammed the lid back onto the trunk, leaving a loud thump to follow.

"Christina?" John was coming up the steps. Quickly, I ran over to the bed and pulled down a suitcase, easily. The door opened and John stepped in, casting a quick glance at the trunk and then at me, who pretended that I was having a hard time getting the suitcase down. He sighed in relief. "I thought you had fallen." John said and I smiled slightly, as if exerting much effort. As the suitcase came off the end of the bed I pushed to make it hit the ground harder, making a less loud but nonetheless satisfactory bump on the floor. John smiled as if in relief and reached over, pulling the last two down. I watched him struggle for a moment with an inside smile and him put them down in the corner. He smiled at me and then motioned to the bed.

"All ready." He said, smiling. I nodded slightly and reached over, giving his arm a squeeze before moving to take off my dress. I looked at him, not daring to speak to him. He shook his head and walked out the door after bidding me a well sleep.

Am I not good enough? I thought, falling back onto the bed, Am I so dreary that every man I've ever even had the slightest feelings for goes off with another woman... John, Will I cringed at a love confession I had not confessed to myself until now, and then Jack! A single tear fell down my face at the feeling of John, hands on my waist and his lips on my neck... just like Jack had done so many times...

I could remember...

He just can't keep his hands off me can he? I thought amusedly as I felt Jack's arms around my waist.

"Is this your favorite place Jack? I seem to find us like this often." Jack smiled against my neck.

"I'd much rather have you turned around."

And with that memory I fell asleep, furious at John, sad that I had lost Jack...

You've always known
Your heart was on its own
So laugh in your loneliness
Child of the wilderness
Learn to be lonely
Learn how to love
Life that is lived alone
Learn to be lonely
Life can be lived
Live can be loved
Alone...