Jack stared hard at the rich wood of the massive door before him. Gibbs shuffled at his side, and he was reminded of the urgency of their situation. He reached up a bejeweled hand and knocked.

The door swung inward, and a severely French servant looked down at them distastefully.

"Vhat iz it zat you ar' vanting, please?" Jack cringed at the accent, but answered

"We've come to see your mistress. Is she here?" The servant eyed them skeptically.

"You know zee Marchessa Laure d'Orleans?" Gibbs frowned.

"Course we do. If we din't, how'd we know where ta find this place? Ten miles from the city, out in tha forest here..." The servant glared at them another moment, then asked icily,

"And your names would be?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow, and Gibbs, course." The servant bowed them in and went to fetch his mistress. Jack and Gibbs stared around the entryway and were impressed. Everything was gold and marble – tapestries colored the walls and the place reeked of nobility. Gibbs coughed,

"Bit extravagant, don't you think?"

"She's a Marchessa now. That's almost a Dutchess. D'ya think she'd be livin' in a log cabin?"

"Certainly not!" A voice called. Both men turned to see Laure standing at the top of the grand staircase. She was dressed in a magnificent gown of mint-green silk, and as she swept down to meet them it swirled around her. Well!" She said when she stood before them. "Whatever brings you to Louisiana?" Her voice was low, and her smile mischievous. Jack smirked.

"It's good to see you too! Why the whispers? Don't want your Frenchmen to hear our conversation?"

"I take it you'll be wanting to discuss secret things," She cast a glance down a hallway and grabbed his arm. "Come on." She led him and Gibbs into a parlor and closed the door behind them. "So what is it, then?" She asked, sitting.

"Well," Jack started, falling into a chair. "We've lost the Pearl you see. Blackbeard sunk it. We'd a had it by now, if Harold Morgan's son hadn't gotten to it first." Laure smiled.

"You mean Hank Morgan! I'm afraid you'll have to start shopping for a new vessel, Jack, if you've lost your ship to him." He glared at her.

"I will not. I have every intention of retrieving The Pearl from Hank."

"You know better." She said shortly, and he stood up then.

"I do not. That's why we're here, you see." She blinked.

"What does your being here have to do with getting the ship back? Hank isn't here." Jack smiled and began to pace.

"No, I know that. We're here for you, my dear Laure." Gibbs shuffled uncomfortably as Jack continued. "You see, in all of the time that I have had the pleasure of your acquaintance, you have always been engaged, romantically, with Hank Morgan. I was surprised, you understand, to hear of your marriage to that French Marquis… However, when your husband soon died of tuberculosis, I had no doubt of the continuance of your love affair with Hank…" He turned and smiled down at her charmingly. "So you see why I am here." Laure sat very still in her chair and rapped the arm with her fingers, eyes cool.

"I won't tell you where he is," but she trailed off. "I – Jack Sparrow if you think you're going to use me to get your ship back, you are very mistaken."

"Laure, how long have we been friends now? Since you were 6, I think. My father and your father were friends, don't you remember that summer in Jamaica?"

"Yes. I remember you breaking open casks of sugar cane and the master of the plantation beating you senseless… Regardless, if you want us to remain friends you will not ask me to betray Hank in any way."

"You needn't do a thing my dear. We ask nothing of you. Only that, you do not scream."

"Wha-" She was not able to finish her sentence, as Gibbs, from behind, put a cloth over her mouth. The chemicals entered her head, and she immediately slid to the floor. Jack looked down at her, a twinge of discomfort in his eyes.

"I almost feel bad about this." He said quietly as he took her up in his arms. Gibbs opened the long French window, and the two slipped out in the night.

"I do too…. The Nacre's a nice ship, but I miss good English panels beneath my feet. The Pearl needs ta come back to ya Jack, and kidnapping Laure here's the only way that's gonna happen." Jack nodded.

It wasn't long before they came to the river. Climbing into their small boat, they proceeded to make their way to the Gulf. After a-while, they came to The Nacre, and climbed up the side. When they were on deck Jack gave a few orders to his young crew. Their destination; Port Royal.

"Oy!" He called. "Get the door, ey?" A deckhand obliged, and Jack carried Laure into the captain's quarters. The door was closed behind them, and Jack proceeded to lay Laure out on the bed. He looked down at her, and felt that same twinge of unease. It was then that she opened her eyes. Slowly, her dark eyelashes fluttered, and then her chocolate pupils were aimed at him. She sat up so quickly, her head spun, and she had to fall back on the pillows.

"Jack Sparrow," She whispered, lethally, as the crashing of waves outside her told her where she was. "You'll be sorry for this."

"I am sorry, love. But it's the only way." She sat up slowly, and marked the genuine sentiment in his words.

"Regardless, you'll be sorrier when Hank comes." He nodded.

"Perhaps, on any other day – but I have you, my dear. And that means that I will be more than safe. Hank will hand over the Pearl with, I imagine, no resistance; because he will want you returned to his arms, unharmed." A shadow fell over her face.

"You wouldn't hurt me, Jack." He turned away and made for the door. With his hand on the handle he said very quietly, so that she could just barely hear him,

"For the Pearl, dear Laure, I would." And then he left her.