Dorian set down the lantern and eased himself into the armchair.

"Where is she?" Joe asked glancing around the tiny sitting room.

"In her bed," he rubbed his eyes. "Had an awful fright."

"What happened Dorian, has somebody found us?"

Dorian took in a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts.

"Yes." he dug a hand into his pocket to pull free a packet of tobacco. "But not the Navy." he shook his head in disbelief. "She said it was a pirate that attacked her, as far as she's concerned it's the pirates that supposedly took her two months back, but where does that leave us?" he glanced over at Joe as he licked the cigarette paper. "Why the hell is there a pirate after her? One that knows what's going on."

"Could the Royal's have hired one to find her?"

Dorian gave the lad a sceptical stare.

"Let me see," he paused to tap his chin mockingly, "If I was the King or Queen of England would I hire a pirate to find my daughter." he snickered as he shook his head, "Foolish Joe, we need to think deeper than that." lighting the cigarette he took several deep draws before continuing. "Why does Amber know a pirate, what the hell has she been doing over here to become involved with such a lowlife."

"Do you think she's become one of them."

Again Dorian laughed.

"No chance of that." he sucked greedily on the cigarette, "We leave tomorrow, have the men ready, and check the bay, I want to know every pirate ship that is docked within a mile of this piece of shit bay."

"Aye sir."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack returned to the Pearl sodden and a touch humiliated that he'd let the lass slip him, Ana as usual was first to point this out.

"She is a short, light female and you are a big mean pirate and she got away?" she said slowly, "And what's more, she gave you a smack in the face by the looks of it."

"It was dark, I couldn't see properly." Jack grumbled back ringing water from his braids. Behind him Ana snorted.

"Yet she could see enough to smack you in the face."

"Enough with the smacking in the face business! It was a lucky, random hit that I got in the way of." Ana raised her eyebrows and offered the rum bottle that had been sitting on the table.

"What now then?" she inquired waiting until he had uncorked the bottle with his teeth.

"My guess is that she has told Dorian that we're here, I'm guessing that he'll want to make way as soon as its light." he paused to take a mouthful of the drink. "I'm going to go aboard the Sullivan and wait there until morning, you and Gibbs take the Pearl and Jubilee out of the bay, chances are he's going to be looking for pirate ships. Once they're moving have the ships follow at a good distance. Wait until night to bring the Pearl even with them and bingo." he stood up and rubbed his face wearily, "We get back Amber, Suzie who ever the hell she is now."

Ana stayed silent for a long moment.

"Cant you just stay aboard the Pearl, we've two ships Jack, against his one. Is it worth you risking yourself alone on the Sullivan for her."

Jack shook his head slowly and began checking through his powder bag and shots.

"If he's ambushed he'll have her, he'll put a bullet through her head rather than let her talk." satisfied with the powder and shots he placed them back in his belt and tightened his sash. "I need to get a hold of her before they realise we're on them."

"Jack," Ana's hand reached out and grabbed hold of his forearm, she looked up at him with sorrow filled dark eyes. "Is all this really worth it?" she asked softly.

"It my fault she's where she is now. I-"

"You didn't have anything to do with it Jack, Dorian got hold of that ship after it set sail, he's obviously been looking for her." she paused to regard the tiredness in his eyes. "It would have happened if you were involved or not."

Jack frowned and held his hands out, palms up.

"Well I don't see anyone else trying to help her." he said, "She'll be gone by the time the bloody Navy even get here, and since we're already here…"

"Jack this is not your battle." Ana stood up abruptly, her eyes flashing with a familiar anger. "Listen to yourself." he faced her with wide eyes. "You're not a hero Jack, you're a pirate."

"Maybe Ana love, but I'm just about the only person that can get Amber back and stop what ever Dorian has planned, are you with me?" he headed to the door and paused without turning round, he waited a long moment for her answer.

"As always." she sighed to his back, oblivious to the grin that slid across his mouth. He knew she wouldn't let him down, never had and he was quite adamant that she never would.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Amber was bundled into her cabin by two of Dorian's beefy crew members, left with the strict instructions not to leave the cabin she sat on the bed and pondered on the situation. Dorian had been nervous that morning, and rightly so, he was worried about her, wasn't he?

Knitting her brows she sighed deeply. There had been a lot of hushed conversations between Joe and a number of other men, he had barley looked her way all day let alone tried to comfort her shattered nerves.

Now as they set off into open waters she was not allowed to leave her cabin or call for her husband. Uneasiness curled around her shoulders, an invisible cold had of fear clutching at her heart. Something was terribly wrong and Dorian was keeping it from her.

Wasting away the hours and trying desperately to control the sea sickness Amber finally plucked up the courage to eat the soup that one of the crew had dropped in. She had asked that he tell Dorian to come to her but the man didn't speak a word of English and thought she had been asking for bread, thus the half loaf that was delivered some minutes later.

Sitting in the dim light she sipped the soup and glanced up as the door opened quietly.

"About time," she snapped expecting Dorian's well built frame to appear. Instead the figure was quite a bit shorter and-

Gasping she threw down the soup and scrambled back.

"Shhh." the pirate held a finger to his lips and glanced frantically to the door.

"Not likely." Amber replied, her hands scrambling over the dresser until they settled round the reassuringly heavy metal candlestick.

"Amber listen, " he insisted showing her his empty hands, "I need a word… or two." he added as an afterthought.

"Why is it you refer to me as Amber." she lifted the candlestick ready to batter the hell out him if he should step any closer.

"It's your name love, Amber Shalline. You're the fourth cousin of the queen of England, Dorian is your ex fiancé," he paused to check she was taking it all in. "He kidnapped you two months back from Port Royal-"

"Bullshit! It was you who kidnapped me! It was all you! What is it you want from me?" the pirate held a finger to his lips and winced at her escalating voice.

"Amber, he's poisoned your mind somehow, you need to trust me."

"Trust you? You're a bloody pirate!" she eyed him sceptically, "What the hell would I have been doing with you anyhow?"

Shifting uncomfortably he glanced at the door again and curled his fist into his chest.

"I was helping you get back to land, your ship…run into a bit of trouble."

"Helping me? Or robbing me." she lowered the candlestick and looked heavenward, "This is absurd." she sighed.

"I'm meant to be a cousin of the queen? Yet I'm meant to be running about in the Caribbean with a bunch of pirates." she shook he head and the pirate grinned a mouthful of gold, a shockingly familiar grin.

"That about right love," he lifted a finger in the air, "Except, you weren't running, you spent most of your time chewing my ears off about something ."

Amber narrowed her eyes on the man, short but well built, unkempt but roguishly handsome, he wasn't what she had ever imagined to be the type of person she might have included in her social circle.

"Why was I in the Caribbean?"

"Dorian tried to sell you to a wealthy sultan in the Middle East, you found out and crossed to Debrine." he shrugged, "we thought he had sold you on this time."

"How, how did he get me?" she licked her lips, "And what about the scars? How did I get them? Since you know so much about me." she added with a touch of sarcasm. Jack frowned.

"What scars love? You didn't have any scars when you left us."

Amber's brows flew up and she stepped back.

"How the hell do you know I didn't have them when I left?" she cried horrified. Shifting uncomfortably Jack shrugged and offered her an impish grin.

"You would have said." he paused to regard her, "We were friends you know, in a strange kind of way."

"No," Amber raised the candlestick again. "This is bullshit, it doesn't make sense."

"And your Dorian does?" anger flashed in his eyes, "Do you even know where your going? What he's doing? Amber we need to get you out of here."

"Perhaps for your own benefit, finished what you started with me." she snickered softly, "No chance pirate."

Without another thought she opened her mouth and bellowed for Dorian.