Was it Revenge?
Prologue
Captain James Hook had not died in the belly of a crocodile. He was alive. Very much alive, and in good company…
"Done for," Hook muttered, looking skyward to avoid seeing Pan's cocky smile and impudent salute. I will kill you someday, Peter Pan! I swear-
His thoughts were interrupted as the crocodile's mouth closed on him. Panic overtook him, and Hook frantically began slashing everything his hook came into contact with until he felt the cool ocean spraying his face through a hole in the crocodile's side. Eyes still closed, Hook clawed his way through the creature's innards until he was finally free. He swam away as quickly as possible, not wanting to know if that damned beast was still alive.
Hook surfaced and swam quietly towards shore, forcing himself to ignore the children laughing as they ran around in his ship.
A strong swimmer, Hook quickly made it to shore and lay on the sand to dry off and consider his options.
"Psst! Cap'n!" He looked around for the source of the voice. He spotted Smee crawling out of a nearby bush. "We all thought you was a goner." About twenty more pirates popped out of the surrounding foliage and watched him expectantly. Smee crawled over to whisper in the Captain's ear.
"What're we gonna do, Cap'n?" Good question, He mused. Without a ship, there is no way to get off this island… unless…
"Nothing." He murmured. Smee looked too afraid to ask what Hook had meant by that, and he didn't feel like explaining it anyway.
The Captain stood and faced his crew. "We will wait here until we find a chance to take back the ship. Then we'll sail off on a… holiday."
The tired pirates let out a cheer and settled down. Their Captain was here and he had a plan. Everything would be all right.
Hook stalked away, glancing back once more to see his sparkling ship float through the clouds, carried away by a thousand tiny golden lights he knew to be fairies, and listened as the children's triumphant laughter faded away into the distance. Yes, celebrate and be happy. Leave your beloved Neverland in my care. I promise you won't recognize the place when I'm through with it.
Once Hook reached Peter's tree house, he started a fire and watched as the tree went up in flames. He smirked as his enemy's home burned to the ground, then started back to the beach to join his crew. This was only the beginning. Captain James Hook would get his full revenge later. He swore it.
Was it Revenge?
Chapter One
Wendy was preparing for bed when she saw it. A thimble. Memories came flooding back to her. It had been many years since she'd seen him. She missed him. They'd had so many wonderful adventures. Wendy sighed wistfully, and tried to convince herself that she didn't have any feelings left for Peter Pan. He was, after all, just a boy, and Wendy was now eighteen.
That's not to say she didn't miss the fun they had and the beauty of Neverland. She simply didn't feel the same way about him… or did she? Wendy sighed. It was all too confusing. She finished braiding her hair and climbed into bed, her thoughts still in another world. He'd promised to come visit, but had he? No. He'd promised he would never forget her, either. But Wendy supposed he'd lied about that, too. She rolled over and eventually fell asleep.
Wendy was running. She chased a boy through a misty forest in the early morning, as the sun began to rise. She called out to the boy.
"Peter!" He did not turn. She called again, louder this time.
"Peter!" But he continued to fly through the leafy treetops, pretending he could not hear her. Wendy stopped running. She was tired and breathless. She watched as the boy disappeared into the brightening sky.
The mist suddenly swirled around her as a familiar scent of the sea, lavender, and vanilla-flavored cigars tingled in her nostrils. Before she could turn, a velvet-clothed arm reached around and held her in its strong grasp, gently squeezing the pressure point on her neck.
Wendy's eyes snapped open momentarily, before the grip around her neck tightened and she fell into unconsciousness.
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Wendy awoke to the long-forgotten sound of wood creaking and water hitting the sides of a ship. She somehow was not surprised to find herself in the ship's cabin. The morning sunlight played softly on her face. She sat up amid orange silk sheets and a dark red velvet bedcover. Could it be? Wendy asked herself.
"Ahem. Good mornin' miss. Ye'll remember me, I hope. I brought yer some food." Wendy looked up and had to smile at the sight of Smee, the kind old first mate. He stood in the doorway of the ship's cabin, holding a tray of delicious looking food.
"Yes, uh, thank you. W-would you happen to know why I'm here?" Wendy knew she should feel endangered. Had Captain Hook somehow survived? Was he using her for some new plot to kill Peter? Yet for some reason, Wendy was comfortable, as if she belonged there.
"Well, you see, miss… wait. Captain wouldn't want me to tell now, would 'e?" Smee pondered this as he absently handed Wendy the tray of food, which she began eating ravenously. Wendy knew she probably should have been more cautious. After all, it might be poisoned, but she was hungry.
Smee was still stuttering. "Ehh, heh heh, that is-"
"Oh, do shut up, Smee." A cultured voice interrupted him. Smee turned around and Wendy looked up startled from her food as a figure stood silhouetted in the doorway… A figure that had a hook for a right hand.
Wendy gasped as Captain James Hook stepped into the room, chuckling softly at her startled expression.
"Now, now, my dear, you couldn't have expected me to stay dead too long. Do you have any idea how boring that would be?" The tall Captain stalked over to the bed and stood staring at her for a long moment, studying her. Wendy squirmed under his penetrating gaze.
Hook suddenly smiled. "I trust you slept well?" Wendy nodded, suddenly conscious of her slightly transparent nightgown. In her earlier adventures involving the handsome Captain, she had not cared, but now it seemed a much larger issue; yet another sign that she had indeed grown up. Hook turned and muttered something to Smee and the old pirate left the cabin, still stuttering.
Hook looked at her once more. "Do you know why I've brought you here, darling Wendy?"
Wendy shook her head wordlessly. She was still trying to get over the fact that James Hook was alive. The man who still haunted her dreams and at the same time made her wish for things that would make even a married woman blush. She forced herself to overcome her speechlessness and ask a question.
"So, what are you going to do to me?"
The Captain raised one eyebrow and smiled seductively, causing shivers to run down Wendy's spine. "That, my dear, is a very good question."