Chalet: Thanks for the critic! It's sad to hear that you don't like the title, it's actually inspired by a poem by the amazing Algernon Charles Swinburne. (It's called "A Forsaken Garden", I highly recommend that you read it!) As for the length of the chapters, I can only tell you what I told Erica; we have to stop where it seems to fit the story.

Our writing-style isn't all that perky I suppose, but that's just the way we write! But we try our best! Ciao!

It is a night you may regret
Just don't ask me why
Bless me father for I have sinned
Can you get me out of this mess I'm in

- The Clarks

There was a shadow looming over her… at first it was dark, threatening, and she tried to run away, but it was as if it was following her. Looking up at it she realised that the sun behind her glinted off the shadow. As the darkness trickled away, she saw that it wasn't a danger but a treasure, something precious and golden that looked like…

… a giant banana?

Doll sat bolt upright in her bed, breath still heaving from the running in her dream. Cripes! Not those weird dreams again. She could have ignored them as silly if it wasn't for the fact that the same three dreams kept coming back. But they were so nonsensical, how could they be important?

Then she noticed the girl sitting in the chair next to the bed. Or rather, half sitting in it, half leaning into the bed. It didn't look like a comfortable position to sleep in.

"Lijah," she whispered, shaking the girl's shoulder. "Lijah, wake up."

Then she realised that she had woken up for a reason. Downstairs she heard a hard, rhythmic pounding and a male voice yelling. "Oh," she gasped. "Visitors so early?" Then she realised. The guards. Pirates. Everything that had happened last night came rushing back to her, and she literally jumped out of bed, shaking Lijah's shoulder. "You have to wake up, they're coming!"

Then she heard the splintering sound of the door breaking open. They couldn't get to the back door without being seen.

They were trapped.

"What about them bananas?" Lijah woke up with a start, still halfway in her dream. Someone was shaking her shoulder. "Go away da." she mumbled "the seagulls aren't stalking you." Suddenly she realized she wasn't at the Pearl, in fact, she wasn't at sea at all. And the rhythmic noise she was hearing was definitely not the sea rushing against the ship! She sat up, rubbing her eyes and trying to get the hair out of her face. Then she noticed Doll sitting in her bed. "Oh good, you're…" Suddenly the desperate look on her friend's face registered in her brain, and she gulped. "What's the matter?"

"They're coming!" Doll gasped. The guards, they must know something, I think they just broke through the door, oh god… You have to disguise yourself! Take one of my dresses, I'll hold them back. And warn your father, he's probably in the guest room!"

Doll ran downstairs and was met by the sight of at least a dozen heavily armed guards in the hall. The leader of the group was yelling orders while the poor butler was trying to stop the invasion.

"What on Earth is going on here?" Doll yelled, her voice shrill with fear. "I demand an explanation!"

Where she got the courage from she didn't know, all she knew hat that she had to keep them away from the second floor until the two guests had escaped.

Then she realised that there was no way to get easily out through the window. There were no trees, nothing to climb on or anything of help outside. And there wasn't enough time to make something to climb down…

"Oh NO!" Lijah looked from the door and to the closet. She rushed over and yanked open the doors, and a myriad of soft cloth and silk revealed itself to her. "I'll be damned…" she whispered, in awe of all the beauty in front of her. She had never seen so many gorgeous dresses all at once! Lijah shook her head. "And damned you will be unless you do something quick!" she chided herself and started rummaging.

She took out a long white dress, made of the purest cotton and embroidered with what looked like a thousand miniature snowflakes sparkling in the sunlight. Luckily it wasn't a dress that required any help, and she quickly slipped into the gown, and laced it up in the front. Just as she was about to leave she noticed something hanging in the back of the closet. Closer inspection revealed it to be a long, black cape in a thick material. Lijah suddenly got an idea.

"Well, the old bugger has pulled it off before, he'll have to do it again." she thought to herself and grabbed the coat. Then she turned and ran for the guestroom.

"You can't go upstairs!"

The commodore sighed with exasperation as Doll's small hand again blocked his path. "Miss, we only wish to ensure your security. Dangerous pirates might be hiding here."

"But you can't go upstairs!" Doll repeated for the fifth time, her voice piped high and her eyes wide.

"Why. Not. Miss?" the commodore almost growled.

"Because… you can't…" Sensing that the argument wasn't going to work the sixth time around, Doll did the only thing that came to mind. "Oh… please, sir, I'm not feeling well…" Then she collapsed, after making sure that the Commander would catch her if she fell against his chest.

"Get the girl some water," the commodore barked. "And… what in the…?"

Lijah was getting desperate. Her father wasn't in the guestroom after all, and she had no idea where to look for him! So she just ran down the corridor, opening every door she could find. At last she got to what seemed like the master bedroom, but just as she was about to open the door she hesitated. What if Will was sleeping in there? She thought about him lying in his bed and blushed. If her father was anything to go by, men generally didn't sleep wearing much at all.

But there was no time to loose. She mustered up all of her courage and knocked on the door. When nothing happened she opened it slightly. It was indeed the master bedroom. The room was big and light, with huge windows letting in the morning sun. On the bed Will was sleeping soundly, and when she gazed over at the sofa she finally found her father, snoring like a thunderstorm. She sighed. Hangover again. It was always difficult to wake Jack after he'd been with his beloved rum. She walked over and shook him roughly.

"No, not more, I'm too tired…" he mumbled, and rolled over.

Lijah rolled her eyes. "Forget about your stupid rum for just one second will ya?" she shook him again, but he just mumbled some more and continued snoring. "Da, the guards are here to arrest us!"

The combination of the words 'guard' and 'arrest' woke the pirate up immediately. He looked around wildly before his eyes finally rested on Lijah. He opened his mouth, but whatever he was going to say was lost as Lijah cut him off.

"No time for that old man. Here, take this on father." She threw him the black coat, and he caught it, confusion written on his face.

"When did we get so formal, luv?", his voice hoarse. Too many drinking songs Lijah gathered, and shook her head.

"Come on father, I think it's time for a little confession, savvy?" she said, smirking slightly. First guilt flashed over Jack's face, before he suddenly looked at the clothes in his hand. The guilt was quickly replaced with a knowing smirk to match Lijah's.

"Well, me good child, I think it is indeed."

Doll's eyes were almost falling out of her head as she saw what the commodore was reacting to. Lijah stood there at the top of the stairs, her head bashfully lowered, wearing Doll's white dress. She looked absolutely stunning in it, more ladylike than any real lady ever could. But that wasn't what caught Doll's eye…

Standing next to his daughter, his head bowed just a little in a gesture of humbleness, was the famous Captain Jack Sparrow. Only… not. Even though she had only caught a glimpse of him last night, the image was imprinted in her mind, and this wasn't it.

The pearls in his hair were gone, along with the bandana, and his hair hung loose and neat around his face. The kohl around his eyes was gone as well, but no amount of soap could remove the mischievous glint in his eyes. He was wearing a long, dark robe, and looked just like…

"… impersonating a cleric of the Church of England"

She remembered the documents, though she had no memory of how she had gotten into that office. She hadn't been old, eight perhaps, and she had read the whole list of what Jack Sparrow was convicted of.

"What is all this noise about," he said in a voice so mild Doll for a minute thought she was dreaming the whole thing. Was this a crazy and dangerous pirate captain?

"Excuse us, Father, but we think that a pirate might have hidden away here. We need to search the house."

"But of course! We – my… altar girl and I – wouldn't dream of interrupting the Queen's loyal soldiers. Here, let me help young miss Turner."

Dazed, Doll watched this apparition walk towards her and gently support her arm. The soldiers quickly spread out through the house, leaving the three at the foot of the stairs.

"Nice saved, lass," Jack said, ruffling his daughter's hair. Doll was still clinging to his arm, though she didn't really need it.

"You should probably get out, don't you think?"

"Can't," Jack stated. "Crew's got orders to stay away till tonight."

"Oh," Doll said, trying not to smile, but when she saw Lijah looking at her, she couldn't help herself. The two girls smiled at each other, as if sharing a precious secret.

The moment was spoiled by screaming from upstairs.

"Um," Doll said, "did any of you wake my father?"

Oi, poor Will. Seems no one cares about him! So, what's next? Stay tuned and you'll find out!