A/N: Hi, everyone. This is a ONE-SHOT sequel to my two-shot story "A Villain's True Nature", which you might want to check out beforehand. I suppose this could be stand-alone, though, considering I'd hate to be a pain for people who haven't read the two-shot. For a few tidbits referenced in this story, I owe to Wikipedia. Yep, Wikipedia, not always reliable but it can be accurate sometimes. As long as it isn't historical facts. XD
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A Heroine's Heart
Shades of blue, red, yellow, and purple were what the twilit sky consisted of by the time the sun set on yet another Neverland day. Dolphins swam quickly in the ocean, their backs shimmering in the last rays of sunlight. The sound of a flock of seagulls could be heard in the distance. The mermaids retreated underwater, another day of fun concluding for them. All was relatively peaceful, idyllic, and paradise itself. A picture perfect world that only an imaginative child's mind could create. For, that was exactly what Neverland was: a child's dream come true. Everything they could ever think of was there.
A certain ship called the Jolly Roger was docked in an inlet, with a bustling village just a few miles away.
At that village, the pirates had done the usual pillaging and overall terrorizing of the citizens. But, they had returned with plenty of food and luxurious items such as jewelry and silk dresses. So, in their own disruptive way, they had enjoyed the day as well. Taken full advantage of it with no regard to anybody else.
Victoria Lane idly perched on the edge of the ship, her legs dangling and a vague, mysterious smile playing at her lips. She did her evening thinking, a habit that she had done daily over these past two months. Out of the corner of her eye, she amusedly surveyed the crate of silk dresses nearby. Maybe she would pick one out to wear just for him. Hmph, as much as she hated dressing up.
These past two months, here in this realm she'd always loved, had been the best ones of her entire life. Something exciting happened every day with so much adventure. Would Cedar Rapids have been half as interesting? Somehow, Tori highly doubted it. College would have been OK, granted, but there would be no pirates, no Peter (whom she sometimes visited, much to her boyfriend's chagrin), and certainly no Captain James Hook. If he had a middle name, she didn't know.
Now, he had changed her life in ways she herself couldn't have predicted, even as recently as three years ago. Hook had definitely taken an interest in her when she was fifteen, beyond a captor's interest in a captive. He wished to be more.
Tori's smile widened at the recollection of how Hook very gradually revealed more of a less villainous side to her. Kinder and gentler, he helped her to appreciate two months ago when he had confessed his love for her. And she said to him that she reciprocated that love.
Her smile then faded. Was that, perhaps, going a bit too fast?
She was eighteen, single before Hook had taken her into his embrace. What the heck did she know about love? How could she be sure she truly loved him? Actually, maybe she should have said something along the lines of she would be willing to learn to love him.
But...But, he'd said it first! Hook could have been half-drunk on rum for all she knew, much less intoxicated by her amazing kissing abilities. So, who knew if the moonlight confessions had been genuine? He was reduced to acting like an enthralled teenager.
Oh God, she'd ruined his sanity! Tori scratched the back of her neck, thoroughly guilty. Or maybe not. After all, since that night, the two of them would still have their classic bantering squabbles they were practically infamous for among the crew. Sometimes, Hook would feel the urge to shower her with gifts. Other times, he would be terribly moody.
However, despite the squabbles and despite Tori's playful sarcasm clashing with Hook's irritability, the couple would more often share loving moments together. Moments when they would each get a glimpse into the other's soul, creating a bond so strong that no amount of disagreeing would destroy it.
Thoughtfully, Tori bit her lip, considering this. Maybe that did prove she loved that Captain James Hook, as irrepressible as he could be. Throughout the two months she'd lived on the Jolly Roger, the feelings she had developed for him only deepened. He was a true man in her eyes, even though he possessed a flair for the dramatic and an undisguised love for piracy. But, the way he looked at her captivated her. He made her feel as though she was the most beautiful woman (not girl) in the world.
Still, Tori couldn't help but feel she was a novice at romance and was mostly unsure if what she felt for Hook was real or not. And who knew? Hook could very well be mistaken in his affections too and just hadn't realized it yet. Once he did, he would surely cast her aside. Blinded by that wide Iowan night sky and maybe her, he probably disregarded the fact that he must be fooling himself.
So, what had Tori gotten herself into, exactly? A whirlwind romance with a man she might fall out of love with? The very thought of losing him sent her into a depression that practically pierced her heart. She should have second-guessed herself sooner.
Apprehensive yet fully self-aware, she picked up a dress from the open crate and headed toward the cabin.
The cabin was quite elaborate in comparison to others found on other ships, which were far less expansive. This particular cabin contained four rooms: a study, a dining room, Hook's private quarters, and her own room. Before it had been her room, it was simply left vacant. But, her arrival changed everything.
So, she retreated in there and changed into this new dress, scarlet mostly except for a black bodice. Glancing over toward the mirror, she inspected herself, deciding that she didn't look half-bad without the normal, average jeans and a T-shirt. As much as she was reluctant to appear attractive for a man, she resolved that there was no time like the present.
When Tori peeked in through the ajar study door, she noticed Hook sitting in a richly crimson colored armchair located in a corner of the room. She bit her lip again, her hazel eyes drawn to the sight of him. If there was one thing she couldn't deny, it was that the pirate captain was impeccably handsome. And the reason why she hadn't opened the door all the way just yet was that she wanted to take a moment to gaze at him. As someone hesitant about how true her affections were for her swashbuckling lover, she certainly cared enough to memorize him at repose.
Currently, he read a book, which made him look like the intelligent man she knew he was. His vocabulary spoke for itself. Whatever his background, he must have ended up receiving a refined education.
Meticulously observant, Tori watched him turn the page carefully with the side of his hook, impressively leaving behind no rips or tears. His blue eyes lowered, he pored over his book, clearly intrigued by it. Hm, she wondered what he read.
She then noted what he wore: a loose white shirt open at the neck, black breeches, and oddly enough, red stockings. Leave it to Hook not to wear conventional white stockings. He looked beautiful in the most masculine sense of the word with his dressed down attire and without any of his other embellishments. No feathered hat on his head or a brightly colored coat with gilt trim. It was all simple. His hair had long since grown back after the haircut from two months ago. The long, regal raven curls had returned.
Tori slowly blinked until she found herself closing her eyes to keep this image of Hook in her mind. Not like she needed to, but there was something so appealing about the relaxed image he projected. She opened the door the rest of the way.
Hook looked up from his book, which he ignored almost immediately once he saw her. A small smile promptly appeared on his lips as he took her in. She was such a vision in that dress that he doubted she knew exactly how that charmed him. In fact, he had hoped she would select one from the crate that his men had stolen. It was his gift from him to her. Hungrily, he noticed how that fabric hugged every curve of her body.
Nearly having to catch his breath at the mere sight of his beloved, he gathered enough of his wits to say smoothly, "You look lovely this evening."
Tori smirked. "I try to be. More for me than for you, though."
Hook frowned in mock distaste. "What a pity. I would have been flattered if your original intent was to amaze me. You know, I requested specifically for silk dresses for the crew to steal. You can have as many as you wish."
"I'll probably have no more than three," she bluntly told him and upon seeing the disappointed expression on his face, "I don't really like wearing dresses to be honest. I'm old-fashioned in some ways, but I'm not that old-fashioned."
Hook only muttered, "Pity," and took up his book again.
For some reason, hearing him murmur that actually gave Tori a rise instead of it being the other way around. She sniffed loudly, holding her head up high.
"You know, I'm serious. I'm not your doll, OK? I can't believe you'd say it's a pity. That's the most sexist thing I've ever heard you say, Hooky."
He unintentionally twitched at his old nickname. "No, no, you misunderstand. I enjoy seeing you at your best."
"I'm not a wench, man!"
"I hardly said you were! I meant to say that you're absolutely stunning. Tori, please take a compliment when I give you one."
Angrily, Tori sighed as she clenched and unclenched her fists, feeling a bit too angst-ridden. She was embarrassed by the way he had stared at her, as though she was some sort of goddess.
She murmured, "I don't want you to see me as your possession."
Well aware of what Tori implicated now, Hook knew this was the time to put his book aside entirely. Affection needed to be administered to her confused thoughts.
With a smile, he assured her, "I don't. I do treat you as an equal, and I value you as an equal. I apologize if I seemed sexist. Believe me, it was quite unintentional."
His courtesy toward her made Tori feel inevitably awkward for lashing out as she had. After all, she had to keep in mind that, luckily, he'd never learned twenty-first century conventions and the way things were done. How sometimes, men could control women and yet still be able to get away with it. How it was acceptable to some men to treat women as though they amounted to nothing more than objects. Maybe it had always been that way. Why was she getting so political toward him?
"OK, yeah, I accept your apology. I just didn't want to be a trophy."
"I am unlike most pirates, in case you haven't noticed, Tori. Other pirates may treat women like bottles of rum or treasure chests, but I have been well-versed in propriety and decorum. Such concepts that many ignorant pirates have failed to grasp."
It was at that moment that Tori remembered that she had come here to talk to Hook regarding her recent contemplation. Her inner debate if she loved him truly or if she had uttered it out of a silly teenage girl's wish to have a certain fantasy come to fruition.
Her tense shoulders slackened as she made her way toward his armchair where he continued sitting. His cobalt eyes burned into her with an intensity that she had come to recognize as his own inner fire revealing itself in them. Beautiful but daunting, she could stare into those eyes for hours on end...if not forever.
She stopped before him, a real smile on her face. "So, what book are you reading, hm?"
The blue eyes no longer looked intensely passionate but rather amused.
Hook grinned in spite of himself as he unapologetically continued inspecting her. "Come now, Tori, we've come to know each other on a more intimate level. This large armchair has plenty of room for two. For you to know what I'm reading, you must sit next to me. Here."
He patted a place beside him, and Tori could barely hide the pink flush that spread across her cheeks. Oh, damn him! He would even use his favorite chair as a source for bantering. And she normally did the taunting.
Taking a step back, she pretended to consider this. "You know what I'm thinking now? I'm thinking about why you have to take my easy question and turn it into some kind of dare."
To buy herself more time, she cradled her chin in her hand for a more pensive pose, as though this was some mystery to solve. In the meantime, Hook shook his head slightly at her tactic and even let out a whisper of a chuckle. Honestly, this delightful young woman would insist on being as impossible as she bloody well pleased.
"Too much time. And I'm afraid, love, I wasn't posing this as a challenge."
Dragging her down beside him on the chair, he added, "It was more or less a demand. You have no idea what your presence does to me."
"I guess I could say the same," Tori confessed, unconsciously leaning against him.
She brushed her fingers against his shoulder, which felt broad and strong.
Curiously, she let her eyes drift down toward his chest as she situated her head against his shoulder. He didn't have an overly wide chest yet it was nonetheless muscled. She could tell, considering he wore a white shirt. And, she thought with a light blush, she idly started letting her fingers run across his chest.
With a content sigh, Hook closed his eyes, relishing this light massage Tori was giving him. Sometimes, she seemed older beyond her years to the extent that she knew what he wanted. Or, if not that, at least she understood him.
He picked up the book from the side table and showed it to her. "I'm reading David Copperfield, actually. It's one of my favorite books, always has been."
Oh yeah, Tori had heard of that book. Her mom loved the classics, including almost every single one of Charles Dickens' books. The fact that Hook appreciated such complex reading material as this made him all the more attractive and alluring. She'd seen a great deal of intelligence in his eyes. It didn't surprise her that he would have an advanced literary taste.
"I've heard of it. What's it about?"
A roughish grin crossed his face. "You will have to discover that for yourself."
As though to entice her, he opened the book to where he had left off.
Feeling quite sly, Tori pretended to ignore the page he read seemingly without regard to anything else in the study. However, once she thought she could be able to sneak in a paragraph, she read over his shoulder. Hm, the words talked of some sort of romance young David was having...?
Hook abruptly shut the book. "Ah, ah, ah! On your own time, perhaps, Tori."
"You would do that," she sighed huffily, sinking further into the armchair.
His eyes aglow, Hook wrapped an arm around her shoulders to ease her out of her childish pouting. He would ensure to get her smiling again.
He succeeded when she did smile but then moaned, "James, stop your teasing. You already got me once."
"Oh, but I'm being sincere," he whispered, a smirk in his voice. "I happen to not be too fond of your frowns, my dear."
Coyly, Tori turned her head slightly and encountered his fervent eyes, playful yet serious. She adored his face. There, she would always find something entrancing. Something breath-taking.
Hook leaned closer to kiss her gently on the forehead. "You've managed to thoroughly distract me from my novel. Now, what is it you want to ask me?"
She placed a hand on his chest, where his wildly beating heart pulsated underneath her palm. At that moment, she felt content enough to remain silent. And perhaps she would back off on mentioning the "love" issue. Looking into his eyes provided her with what she truly wished to know.
Tori situated herself closer to Hook, so that her shoulder was right next to his. Maybe words would ruin the mood, but she had a real question now.
"What was your childhood like?"
A distant look was in those stormy cobalt eyes. Slightly, he drew back, afraid to answer this deeply personal question. Oh God, where to begin? Then again, he didn't have to tell her, even though at this point, he himself had been privy to her childhood recollections. Young, naïve Tori had only been living on the ship for two months. Two months was too soon to reveal such a delicate matter.
"Come on," she softly begged of him, her other hand reaching toward his cheek. "It's not that hard. I won't tell anyone."
Hook's eyes then hardened. "No. Not even Smee knows. And since Smee doesn't know, you won't know as well."
Drawing back from him, Tori crossed her arms across her chest while silently assessing him. Her probing eyes searched him, as though that with them, she could penetrate his walls to get inside his soul. To swim in its depths, seeking the answers to all her questions. Her doubts she had contemplated over half an hour ago no longer served a purpose. Gazing at him had made her remember the promise he had given her of divulging his childhood memories to her.
Yes, it had been just two months but so what? She wanted to get acquainted with the real James Hook inside and out.
"Well, then, I hated to resort to this," she sighed, clicking her tongue. "But, I'm not kissing you for a week unless you tell me about your childhood."
That certainly got his attention. Tori thought she spotted a throbbing vein in Hook's temple. Aw, that must mean he liked kissing her. If she wasn't half-angry at him now for being ridiculous, her heart would have warmed more.
Meanwhile, it almost pained Hook to say, "I can't. We have all the time in the world, and I'm uncomfortable sharing with you at this time. Perhaps later..."
He trailed off when he saw that Tori shaped her lips so that it appeared as though she was ready to kiss him. Unfortunately, he was aware that she was an honest, determined young woman; therefore, once she said she would do something, she was likely to follow through with it. This was a jest.
"Now, Tori." His tone became hopeless verging on desperate. "Must you be so wicked? This is the vilest sadism you have ever put me through. You're making me suffer."
A smirk practically danced on her lips. "Good. Because you gotta know you're being really unfair. I told you a lot about me, but you haven't given as much back."
Only with the threat of a special something being taken away does the realization come that one has taken it for granted. Such were Tori's kisses to Hook. With the possibility that she wouldn't even put her lips near his, he longed for them more than ever. For a week, he would have to go without them when he couldn't last a day. Much to his chagrin, he chose to relent.
"I see your point. It was justly made. Very well. I...I suppose it is only fair that I...I tell you about how I was raised and such."
Her face brightened. "I knew you'd see things my way. Thank you, James."
As she wrapped her arms around him, he sighed again from sheer happiness that she seemed considerably more blissful. It made him feel good to instill that feeling in her.
Leaning her head against his shoulder, Tori eagerly waited with bated breath for his narration. She was confident that she would be interested in whatever he had to say. It would blow her simple farm life out of the water.
Hook began, "I was born on the outskirts of London to a wealthy family. I was the second eldest of four siblings. So, at an early age, I was shunted aside due to neither being the oldest nor the youngest. As for my parents, they weren't ones to distribute much in the way of affection. Rather, they trained us to be proper, seen and not heard until we were old enough to be heard. My father was especially cold and domineering. He ran off with his mistress when I was around eight years old."
Be careful what you wished for, huh? Tori thought of that commonly used expression when Hook revealed this much right off the bat. After all, it was all so much to take in. The idea that his father, a parent that he should have been closest to as a son, abandoned him must have stung.
"He called me a failure once," Hook mused, his focus not necessarily on her now but on a time long ago. "You see, I used to be shy and quiet, a child more likely to read fairy stories than become this strong, robust chap like my older brother Francis. I was looked down upon for that. My own father told me I would never become a real man."
She pressed her hand to his, staring deeply into his face while at the same time stroking his hair. How could he not be a real man? Even the smell of his musky cologne proved that he was very much masculine.
"That's stupid," Tori murmured. "How could he say such a thing? Whenever you hold me, you have strong arms. And when we kiss, you're so passionate."
Hook's eyes grew soft. "You haven't the slightest idea what your words mean to me sometimes. They're really quite soothing."
"Like a bubble bath?"
"Of course." He chuckled.
She made a mental note not to interrupt his story too many times after this.
"I remember the day he left," he murmured, the smile that went with his laugh fading. "So vividly. And he hadn't even made a ceremony out of the whole affair. He simply took off in one of the carriages without saying goodbye. The only way I knew of his actual departure was when I watched it all unfold through my bedroom window. That was it. Mother carried on as before, as though it was no great matter. It was an arranged marriage, see. The love my parents had for each other died long ago. Or it could have been mere lust. Needless to say, I resented Father for the remainder of my childhood, whatever was left of it."
How bitter Hook's voice was, how quietly enraged. Tori couldn't blame him.
"I guess it's true...that money doesn't buy you happiness. Hmph, it definitely doesn't buy you love," she commented.
He smiled dryly. "Precisely, love. Which was why I hadn't the faintest idea of what love meant. After my father deserted the family, my mother, if anything, was ever frostier. She left it up to the nannies to raise her children. So, she never mothered and certainly never nurtured. It was all she could do not to lash out at any of us whenever we made our childish mistakes. I do believe she favored Francis as well, however. Always that damn Francis."
Alerted this time to the very slight growl in Hook's voice, Tori noted the way the shadows cast from the lamplight darkened his face. His jaw was clenched from his dark memories, and his eyes glinted furiously. He was getting to be far away from her now. Too far away.
She asked, "Was Francis that terrible?"
He laughed without warmth. "Quite. I cannot even begin. As the preferred one by our incredibly doting parents, he was spoiled. He felt he was entitled to everything. And once Father left, he decided to take his place as head of the household. To him, that entailed ordering the servants about constantly, suggesting how money should be spent, and harassing his younger siblings. I got the worst of it."
Hook then motioned to a thin white scar on the side of his neck, causing Tori to draw in her breath sharply. "Do you see this? That brother of mine threatened to kill me when I was thirteen. He had three years and four inches in height on me. He pressed a knife to my throat one night, telling me how useless I was and how I didn't deserve to live. That, frankly, I should have been disposed of as soon as I was born. What a runt I was. What a dreaming, caring sop I was. That twas a good thing I wasn't the oldest. That no one would ever miss me if I was gone. All these things Francis said to me. What really triggered his fury, though, was that I told him I despised him."
"Can't say I blame you," Tori said in response, her fingers tracing the small but visible scar. What a royal soap opera Hook's life was turning out to be. Then again, he'd come from a rich family in the late 1800's. Feuds between families and even siblings were nothing out of the ordinary.
"He cut me then but not badly; otherwise, I'd be dead. I, in turn, cut him in the face. We quarreled until everyone in the manor was awake. That was the loss of my innocence. I started attending Eton later that fall and never looked back. I became a brat prince of sorts."
So, that must have been when Hook started building the arrogant façade, which he hid behind for all these years. She must have gotten through to him in a way rarely anyone else ever had before.
"Oh? What do you mean?"
Hook smiled. "I acted as though I was superior to everybody because I was of noble birth. I rarely had friends to share my troubles with, and the few that I did have I won over through a combination of wit and fortune—but mostly fortune. When I was sixteen, I would torment younger classmates. Around holiday in the city, I would attempt wooing other young women my age. In short, I was an absolute prat."
Allowing herself to laugh, Tori replied, "Sounds like it. I mean, flirting with every girl you could find? God, I'd like to know how many times you were shot down."
Hook appeared baffled. "Shot? From a duel...?"
"No, I mean rejected."
"Oh. Well...more times than I care to mention."
And she could have sworn he blushed! Out of shame, no less. Tori figured as much. He'd probably been turned down more times than he could count on both hands, if he still had his other hand. Oh well, he deserved to be humbled.
Because, now that she thought about it, she could barely stand the images of him turning on the charm for other girls. It near sickened her, to be honest. After all, she had him near her now without the intent of letting him go. Hm, who was possessive now?
"I enjoyed fencing too at Eton," Hook smartly changed topic. "It wasn't all shameless wooing escapades and heartless bullying. I delighted in defeating my formidable foes. Fencing not only made me feel strong but also that I could be better than Francis for a change."
Tori let her hand push back a few flyaway, careless strands of his curly hair affectionately. "You're better than him in other ways, too."
He gave her a soft look before dismissively waving his hand. "Bah, no coddling, Tori. I prefer our banter."
"How can I banter when I feel sorry for you?"
"Pity is worse—by leaps and bounds, worse!"
She bit back a grin. "Well, sor-ry! But, your life makes my life look like a wholesome TV sitcom. Or a Christmas card!"
At this point, all humor evaporated when Hook gave her a sad, lopsided smile. "I envied you your family, you know. How close you are with them. That was what would feed my anger toward you. I wanted you for my own. But, I wished I had had a family like yours, too."
That really explained a lot, including Hook's frustration each time she ultimately chose to come back to the real world and Iowa farmland. But, as she found out later on, it was gradually harder to leave. Especially with what Hook showed her, she had so desperately wanted to stay. And hey, here she was beside him, that one dream coming true in the process.
But, still, it hit home what he admitted regarding his jealousy of her with a healthy family life. Tori imagined the agony he must have suffered through at the hands of parents who cared less. Who knew what the siblings did? At least one of them had threatened to kill him.
As much as she disliked being serious, she felt her heart ache painfully for him. Had he ever known love before her? Oh great, she couldn't break her doubts to him at this rate. She knew what she could do.
"I can introduce you to them," she suggested, bringing her hands up to his face to once again stroke back stray strands of his curly mass of hair. "I'm sure they would make you feel welcome."
Hook held her closer to him as he whispered softly, "Ah, but I'm no better than an abductor. How could they possibly accept me?"
Hm, that was an interesting point he'd made. But, she wanted to ignore it so badly. She'd written the note to her mom to assure in a way that she hadn't been kidnapped.
So, she replied rather earnestly, "At least they wouldn't try killing you."
This would either ignite his fury or make him laugh. Much to Tori's relief, Hook chose the latter as he chuckled warmly.
"But, seriously, you're not really the bad guy you're portraying."
His smile reached his eyes. "You've seen through me. I'm glad you have. You are truly the only one who sees me like this."
He kissed her cheek passionately while his hand cradled the other one.
An inner peace flooded throughout her in a way she didn't believe she ever quite felt before. It was nice to be like this, to be this close. Her James made her think that she could be loved by him. Hers...If she wasn't so practical, she would nearly swoon from the very preferential treatment and that thought in particular. His cheek then brushed against hers, and she could feel that stubble, even though his age wasn't so grotesquely old. He was eternally in his twenties, and that suited her perfectly.
She lazily murmured, "So, how'd you get to Neverland?"
"I thought you would never ask. Well, that will take a bit of time too, I suppose."
Before Hook continued, he actually paused to take in the sight of her, making Tori feel practically naked in her dress. No, it wasn't revealing or anything but simply feminine. And he really took notice of her femininity as she did his masculinity.
"Right, well, on to the point. I was a freshman at Balliol, where I didn't like attending. I was unsure what I would do to ensure my wealth. I already had plenty, so this was Mother wanting me to have the handsomely paid-for education. There was no possibility that Louise or Violet, my sisters, would receive what I would have.
"Hm, it seems as though I haven't mentioned my sisters. Louise was the proud one, perpetually condescending. Rather like our mother, to be honest. Violet was the only person I tolerated in our whole family. She was the youngest, so one would assume she would be spoilt. But, not so in her case. She was sweet and gentle, most likely one of the better souls I have encountered."
Tori's eyebrows lifted in shock. "Really? Violet, was the only decent one out of your whole family?"
"So it ended up ultimately being," he assured. "For the Hook family was infamous for having much arrogance and conceit. Most of my relations were egotistical to the extent that they only looked out for themselves, not for each other.
"I hated attending Balliol, as I was saying. The fact that I lived in a dormitory with an abominable student didn't improve matters. His interests included polo and golf. There was no possible way I could relate to him. The one thing we did share in common was that he came from an old money family, too. His behavior and mannerisms made it quite clear. Perhaps I detested him because I saw a little of myself in him. A proud, selfish, and vain man who insisted that he was superior to everyone else. Either that or I was the most insecure man who ever existed. One night, I wished on a falling star that I should leave my Earth life entirely. Despite my riches and social standing, I was very much unhappy."
Awkwardly shifting position on the armchair, Tori thought over Hook's words and found herself fairly unfazed at learning about his prior unhappiness. How could he be happy constantly? Most of his family had treated him ill, yet he'd been rich enough to get anything he asked for. He hadn't known a rewarding day's work or what it was like to be loved. Personally, if she had been born into a life of privilege, she doubted she would gain anything positive out of the experience. And knowing how Hook had once acted toward her, cold and cutting, he certainly hadn't enjoyed his riches. Money could only get him so far in terms of that.
"And lonely?" she questioned, nervously tugging at the hem of her skirt.
Hook's lips barely did an upturn, a very slight and almost invisible quirk. "Quite so to the point of misery. Back to the point...A few minutes after I'd made this wish, I felt an odd, light-headed sensation. Before I knew it, I floated above my bed. Then, that same force carried me out the open window into the night. It was like flying. Shortly thereafter, I was truly flying...and happy. Oh yes, happy to be free from the hell I had had to muddle through all my life. It was as though my worries and fears slipped away. Gone, like I unofficially was from Balliol, where I was never seen again. I do believe they presumed me dead. Hm, just as well..."
She nodded in understanding, thankful that he hadn't exploded from her guess that he had been just as lonely back then. "Yeah, because most of your family could care less about you. But, I hope you didn't freak out Violet too much."
"Oh no. However, I did find it a pity that she would from there on after think that I was dead. The whole family was led to believe it. I doubt too many others missed me apart from my favored sister. Francis no longer saw me as a threat like I had been to him the previous three years. I plagued him with the fact that I'd developed an athletic physique and that I topped every single one of my Eton classes. Though I was socially foolish, I did excel at schoolwork."
That explained the intelligence Hook possessed. Tori could picture him alone in his room as a young man, poring over thick novels. Back when, she thought with a pang, he still had both hands to hold them and turn their pages. But hey, the hook was what she was used to.
"Yeah, as the crapload of books shows." She winked at him, gesturing toward the three full bookshelves around this luxurious study.
His blue eyes gleamed. "Yes, I value my reading time. But, please don't tell the other pirates this. They would hardly be able to take an educated captain seriously."
Not even bothering to resist the urge to laugh, she chose to let it out. "OK...But, I like that about you—that you're intelligent. You know, you don't need to dumb yourself down around me."
"Of course not, my dear. Of course not." Hook ran his hand through her hair.
"So, what happened to the rest of your family?"
"Oddly enough, nothing relatively dramatic happened after my 'disappearance.' I found out through enchanted crystal balls and such their fates. Mother remained wealthy and cold, refusing to remarry after Father's desertion. Louise married a duke and had three children. And Violet married, getting settled as well. She was the happiest, even though she married below her rank. But, she had seven children and ended up becoming a wonderful mother.
"However, Francis went mad from alcoholism and continued irresponsibly spending his finances. When he had kept track of the family finances as an adolescent, Mother had kept him in check. On his own, he lost his fortune that he'd gained as a respected lawyer. Ironic, then, how he ultimately died homeless, unmarried, and at the young age of thirty-seven years. I can only hope both my parents heard the tragic news in order to discover what their precious son had become. A miserable, drunken wretch who died by his own hand. You see, he committed suicide with a pistol he stole from a passerby, so desperate to end his life as he was. To think, him being the great one."
Well, good thing there was such a thing as karma along with the rule "what goes around comes around."
Tori sighed. "He deserved the end he got. I mean, he almost killed you. And I would have never met you."
"Yes, that would have been truly awful indeed," he responded emphatically.
Hook kissed her temple, which caused her to lean back on the armchair. How close had she been to never meeting him or looking into his eyes? She would shudder at the thought if he hadn't been next to her now, alive and breathing. And his brother drowned in the lake of fire.
The story of James Hook's background hadn't reached its proper end yet in her opinion, so she asked him, "How could pixie dust lead you to Neverland?"
"In my case, I do not know. I suppose I wished to leave Earth badly enough that somebody listened. When I arrived there, I worked under a captain, and that satisfied me because of the adventure. I'd always loved our family holidays to the seashore. Sea faring was completely different yet the same, what with the thrill it gave me. Eventually, I met Smee, and of course, the remainder of my story has been recorded elsewhere. You must know the rest...Well, excluding the part where, to a certain point, I stopped aging. That is what this place does to you along with other magnificent things. A pirate was the perfect occupation for me."
Despite the earlier loneliness he must have gone through, at least Hook had gained some measure of happiness by being his own master. The evolution of his reputation as a daring, flamboyant captain had been completed. Granted, he had never before been this candid with anyone. Once, he had been fearsome and cruel, grunting and growling ferociously to get people to stay away. Though, Tori had come to realize, he'd inwardly craved companionship all along. There had existed a need and desire for friends, for someone to understand him. He was a changed man slightly when he found the understanding, emphatic person in her. The fact that he shared his vulnerability marked him as someone with strong character.
As much as she admired him, Tori knew that this story was a delay from the inevitable. This could make or break them. If it would be the latter, she could easily go back to Iowa before she stopped aging. Oh God, she hoped not.
"There was something else I came up here for, actually," she admitted, moving her legs around since they had fallen asleep.
Hook's brow was raised. "Oh? Other than me spending half an hour telling my story? What is it, Tori?"
"I...I was thinking about that night. The night I told you I loved you?"
She may have acted unsure about it, but she vividly remembered that night, right down to the moment he expressed his feelings first. Maybe she did return them out of obligation.
"Yes? What of it? Get to the point."
His tone was rushed and irritable but also...frightened?
"Well, you said it first. And I've never had a boyfriend before, so I don't know if this will work because I'll hate it if we have bitter arguments and you could get mad and what if this is a mistake?"
There, she spilled her guts out, and now, she was out of breath. A combination of nerves and talking too fast sent her reeling.
In the meantime, Hook was silent, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. He assumed he was the skeptic of the two. To hear what Tori expressed to him was like getting slapped in the face. He certainly didn't expect it.
"And you...James, you could have told me you loved me because it'd been a nice night out with the moon and everything. Maybe you were kidding yourse—"
"Or maybe I wasn't," he interrupted, his voice clear and unwavering as he spoke. "I am sure I wasn't. Victoria, please listen to me. Before you, all I had were exploits, young women I barely knew by name long ago. I never felt any sort of deep-seeded affection around them. Not a whit.
"When I came to be Neverland's ruthless villain, it was more of the same if not less so. The three relatives before you all had something nasty to reveal about me. They are entirely free of my blame since, after all, they were quite honest. Blunt and a bit too frank, mind you, but honest nonetheless. Wendy had turned up her nose at me. She didn't appreciate it when I kidnapped her to lure Pan. She also mistook me to be an ignorant fool, with as much book learning as she had. I considered her snobbish. Jane would come up with creative ways to escape my clutches through pranks.
"That, I do believe, was where you obtained that irrepressible trickster side you still have." Hook paused here, taking a breath. "Then, your mother Melinda...Hmph, I haven't enough to say about her. Always lashing that sharp tongue of hers carelessly about—she could curse with the best of pirates, I will own her that. Jane would have been the most pleasant of the three by far. At least she didn't insist on being so bloody sarcastic. Yes, your mother hit rather low blows in very bad form. The false crocodile story I have yet to tell you."
Ah, James and his ridiculous rants! Tori burst out laughing. She thought this was supposed to be a serious moment. It soon was.
"And then"—his high blood pressure must have lowered since Hook's eyes incredibly softened—"There is you. Yes, you, Victoria Wendy Lane, the one I accidentally fell in love with. I was never supposed to remotely like you, you understand. Your friendship with Pan was too strong. I proclaimed for certain that you would be just like your great-grandmother. If not, then your grandmother or mother. You proved me wrong. You were like all three in some respects, but you had your own uniqueness."
"Well." Tori grinned slyly, tossing back her untied hair. "I've been told I'm one in a million. You're not the first."
He allowed himself a smile. "Yes, that's it, the way you're so willing to banter with me. Not argue, merely banter. I confess that I'm the one who tends to turn it into an argument. Regardless, you were never really one to hurl lethal comments toward me. I've always believed that your incessant teasing was meant to be kind and that it was your way of being friendly with me. You were one of the few people who gave me a chance instead of jumping to conclusions about me. And I will be forever grateful to you for that."
Tori's eyes started stinging as guilt flooded her. "Sure. No problem."
She had the urge to shake him by grabbing a hold of his shoulders, because his words were so tender. If she was right in believing this, she didn't love him the best she could yet. So, she didn't deserve having these words of praise being bestowed upon her as far as she was concerned.
Meanwhile, it seemed as though Hook's eyes warmed more. "You kept returning the most times as well. Wendy did only twice, Jane did four times, and your mother came back nine times. As for you, you would be in Neverland quite often, a distracting brat to fray my nerves, I once thought. But, that was before you had grown into this beautiful young woman. I resolved that I would start being as much a friend to you as you were to me.
"You were always quite unassuming, Tori. You poked fun but were never relentless or harsh. And the more times I got you in my clutches, the more you saw it as a chance for adventure when I would sail to other parts of this delightful realm. Eventually, I do think you were content being with me, too. Am I correct in assuming this?"
Tori nodded, valiantly keeping a smile. "Definitely. Granted, you could still be the ultimate jerk sometimes, but you got better. Nicer. Heck, you treated me to dinner once or twice. You know how to treat a girl."
Leaning his head against hers, he wore a rather somber expression.
It was the face of a man who, whatever he would say next, would deeply mean it from his heart. She held her breath.
"It was all because of you," he whispered, and she felt the sweetness of his breath against her ear. "You know this now. I had initially never planned on making a confession that night. Once it came out, I hoped against hope that you would return my affections. It had been my dream for three years, a dream I almost assumed would never come true. I would have been irrational to think otherwise. However, you said it back, and my heart filled with joy.
"To be loved by anyone...Well, I would have been extremely fortunate if that should ever occur. After all, not only was I spoiled, I was—hm, still am—a moody sea captain. Yet, you loved me in spite of those traits. You can't even begin to—what's wrong? Tori?"
Honestly, she tried holding all that stupid angst in. She really had. Inevitably, though, hearing of his emotions regarding that magical night proved to be too much. A few tears manage to escape from Tori's eyes.
Perhaps she'd thought too much earlier, but her main fear was that she wouldn't be able to maintain Hook's happiness.
She explained, "James...I'm...I'm not sure I love you. I mean, I have feelings, but I'm so young. I don't know. I'd never want it to end. You might—"
"Hush," he told her gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Don't cry. I fear this has been the second time in two months I've done this to you. Have you grown a bit sensitive, Tori?"
More tears fell. "Yeah, I guess. Too sensitive, if you ask me."
"No, I wouldn't think so. You rarely cry. I would say that in this case, however, it is completely unnecessary."
Hook thumbed her cheek, getting rid of the dampness that clung to it. With a soft sigh, he held her carefully in his arms.
"Least you didn't sob," he whispered teasingly. "I cannot abide sobbing."
Out of an overwhelming relief, Tori laughed and sniffled a little at the same time. Thank God. For, she'd half-expected him to be irritated with her. His oddly honed intuition seemed to know that she had been true in her declaration of love, even if it had been soon. On the other hand, that one night technically had been three years in the making.
She heard his voice remark, "You meant those three words. I heard that caring tone in your voice. Love doesn't have an age limit, I might add, my dear."
Very slightly moving back to give her some space, Hook then smiled down upon her. "No. No, you're not too young at all. You've been wiser beyond your years. There is not one thing I don't love about you. You're witty, intelligent, beautiful, spontaneous—quite frankly, you match me in many things. Despite our differences, we are very much alike. Mostly due to our mutual stubbornness"—here, he chuckled—"You must see that this is genuine. Before you, I vowed to avoid being the loving type. Look how you've destroyed that."
"Yeah, because not being loving is so healthy." Her sarcasm was back.
"Ah, well, you know why I hadn't been. A wretched family and generations of Hook snobbery at work."
Tori's shaky emotions stabilized without her having any more problems with them. The dilemma had been solved. Considering Hook was older by a few years, he knew for certain how sincere she was in her expressions of love.
"Yeah, but at least you didn't end up like your dad or Francis. I guess genetics didn't define either one of us." She touched his face.
"No, I daresay not. However, when I was first in this position of power, I relished it too much. I would get to order around underlings instead of being ordered about myself. My behavior certainly didn't earn me friends. And Smee has merely tolerated me. But once you came, you changed everything. I was less lonely than I was."
Returning the favor, Hook gently touched Tori's face with his fingertips, the slightest brushing of them unintentionally warming her skin.
He admitted, "It's times like these I wish I had the use of both my hands. Then, I could hold you properly, be able to cradle your face in both hands, and be able to stroke your hair. One hand, even if it is my dominant one, is difficult."
She patted his shoulder. "It's OK. I like the hook, actually."
"Ah, Tori, your thoughtfulness touches my heart." A dry, sardonic smile was on his lips.
"I'm serious. It gives you some of your personality. It fits."
Hook appeared more considerably flattered as his smile lost its sarcastic edge. "Yes, I suppose it does. As I was saying, I remember truly falling in love with you three years ago. You had become even cleverer and developed that fiery spunk I adore about you. So, I had to make more of an effort. Now that I reflect upon it, I'm glad I did. You made me whole. Even though I continue to seem surly sometimes, this is really an improvement from before you decided to stay. I am irrevocably content. And that is why I love you, Victoria, and no one else. No other woman could even hope to compete."
All Tori could see now was his brilliant blue eyes, electric in their gaze. She placed a hand on the part of his chest that his loose shirt exposed.
"I seriously thought that maybe I was being too caught up in a moment but guess I was right all along," she told him, her eyes matching his in intensity. "I know I mean it. James, I love you. So much."
He inched closer on the armchair until her hip was next to his. Taking her hand from where it was on his upper chest, he held it close to him. A completely peaceful smile played on his lips, which were an inch apart from hers.
"Tell me," he whispered. "When did you know you were in love with me?"
"When you came after me that one day. I mean, you didn't have to, but you did because you cared for me. That's how I knew everything."
With that, in a less dramatic fashion than that night, Hook kissed her on the lips. That fire within her burned as fiercely as ever. Something about his kisses always made her feel warm. Probably because of how gentle he was, how tender. He disliked rushing into things but preferred to ease into them. Glide into them as effortlessly as a skater on ice.
Hypnotized, Tori barely remembered herself when the kiss ended, only watching as Hook slowly opened his eyes. It took him some time to recover himself, as he wanted to savor the moment, one more that would be extra special.
"My dear Victoria, you are so precious to me. I feel as if these moments—hm, even these kisses—will never be anything short of perfect."
She chuckled under her breath. "I managed to distract you from your book, didn't I?"
"Thoroughly and utterly. But, I welcomed it. I've spent many nights in my time reading alone in a room." He turned to embrace her. "To spend at least one with someone I deeply care about is something I cherish."
Before she got up from the chair to go to her room, Tori glimpsed Hook from over her shoulder. Another snapshot moment. He smiled beguilingly at her, his hook on one of the chair arms with his chin in his hand. With those curls in his eyes, he reminded her of a dreamy, wistful schoolboy.
"I agree with you on that point." She then got up from the chair. "I'll need to get to bed soon. I'm getting tired."
He grabbed her wrist. "So soon?"
"Yeah, 'fraid so. By the way, what's your middle name? I told you mine ages ago."
"It's Phillip."
"James Phillip...Kind of goes but...James is such a better name."
Chuckling, Hook resignedly shook his head. "Good night, Tori."
"Night, James, my sweet prince."
Her favorite sound (his laughter) followed her until she left the study. To be honest, she lived to make him laugh. He had to make up for lost time, after all.
And as for James Hook, he contently looked toward the closed door, the smile intact on his face.
Quietly, he said to himself, "Victoria Lane, you never cease to amaze me."
A/N: There you go. Because I don't intend on making this a full-length story, believe it or not. XP I just wrote this partially because it came to my head and partially because of a review I got that said in no uncertain terms, "don't you think their romance is going a bit fast?" I wasn't offended-no, I actually agreed. So, that's why Tori questions her love for Hook in this story to begin with. So, thanks, reviewer (sorry, I don't remember your name).
Haven't read "David Copperfield" in my life. I might some time. Usually, in Charles Dickens novels, there's orphans. This is kind of symbolic of Hook feeling like an orphan as a kid, even if he wasn't neccessarily one.
Enough of my ranting. I hope you enjoyed this. Bye.