Author note: I don't own Hook, Peter, the pirates, or Neverland (a children's hospital in the UK does), although I do claim Mary. The rating is just to be safe because of insinuations and possible content later on. Reviews would be greatly appreciated!
Mary looked around blankly. Where was she? She'd gone to bed as usual, wishing that she would just disappear, that she could be happy for once... But then she'd woken up to the most beautiful place she'd ever seen, except in dreams she'd had as a very small child. Blue sky and sea, a green forest, soft sand under her bare feet... Surely she'd died at last and gone to heaven!
She stood, running her fingers through her black hair. A shout from behind her made her whirl around in surprise. There, in the morning sun, was a ship. It would have been rather beautiful, if it were cleaner. Seaweed hung from the figurehead, a skeletal mermaid, and she could tell that the decks had not been washed any time in recent memory. The crew looked about the same as the ship, save one: a tall man with black curls going partially down his back. He moved to the bow to get a better look at her, also allowing her to see him. He was rather thin, but well muscled, his entire bearing speaking of elegance. As she studied him, Mary noticed that he didn't have a right hand, just a sparkling hook, complementing the gold threads in his scarlet coat.
Captain Hook watched the girl on the shore watching him. She was quite beautiful, wearing only a nightgown, her hair tossed by the wind. She was shorter than he, as was normal with almost every person he met, but not so short that she would have to stretch to see his face. She had a strong figure, yet not without... womanly merits, to put it nicely. He assumed from the way she held herself that she had been raised as a lady, and was therefore entirely out of her element, and vulnerable.
"Shall we fetch 'er, Cap'n?" Bill Jukes asked, looking from Hook to the girl. Hook nodded, then turned and walked back onto the main deck. Then, just because he felt like it, he plunged his hook into the nearest crewman, Johnny Mullroy was his name. The first mate, Smee, had wisely stayed at the wheel until the captain had passed. Hook gave a satisfied smile as he heard a shriek from the shore, signifying that the girl had seen.
"Smee," Hook said impatiently, opening the door to the cabin, "bring her to my quarters when she's been fetched. I'd like to have a word with her."
Mary watched in horror as the innocent man fell, wondering why he'd met such an end. She saw a boat start out towards her, realizing that it was meant to take her out to the ship. She started to walk to it when a sudden gust of wind blew out the flag of the ship, revealing the skull and crossbones of a pirate flag. As soon as she saw, Mary stopped dead in her tracks.
Stranded in a strange land, with only pirates for company! Knowing that her best chance for survival lay with the pirates, she continued out toward the ship, getting into the boat. She slapped at the hands of the men when they tried to help her, pride numbing her sensibility. The crewmen shrugged it off, thinking that she was just odd.
Hook loosened the straps on the harness that held his iron claw to what was left of his arm for a moment, hissing with the pain of the injury and relief of the tight straps being loosened. A lost hand was something that never truly healed, no matter how much he liked the replacement. He tightened the straps again as he heard the crew on the deck once more, putting back on his coat and sitting down just as Smee entered with the girl.
Now that he was seeing her up close, he saw that she was more beautiful than he'd thought. Emerald green eyes looked through heavy lashes, a round, full face complemented by equally full lips. He nearly let his eyes travel the rest of her, but quickly reprimanded himself. Bad form, to look at a lady as such at the first meeting.
Mary looked over the desk at the man whom she assumed was the captain. He was quite attractive, with a black beard and mustache gracing a thin face and periwinkle blue eyes studying her. His wasn't exactly a kind face, but appearances could be deceiving. His lips curled up in a perpetual smirk, a smile that a snake might wear when trying to snare dinner. Even with his unsettling smile, Mary didn't think he looked very threatening, until she saw the claw again. It was sharp, still slightly wet with the blood of the crewman this captain had killed not so long ago. Although she was quite brave, she backed up slightly as he stood and moved towards her.
"Good morning, my dear. I am Captain James Hook. Welcome aboard the Jolly Rodger." He bowed slightly, kissing her hand. Mary snatched her hand away from him in disgust, stumbling back from the force. Hook let out a small growl of anger, standing straight and looking down at her. His blue eyes were furious, a red spark growing in them. His hook rose and nearly descended, but then his anger subsided as he thought better of killing her. True, it was bad form to kill a lady, but was her eyes that stopped him. In them, he'd not seen fear, but defiance, daring him to strike. Was she really challenging him? This girl intrigued the captain, and so he decided to let her live. Hook also wouldn't have minded her... company, if he could just get through her stubbornness, which he was perfectly willing to attempt. "What is your name, my dear?" he asked, with all the honey he could muster.
"Mary Williams," she replied proudly. Hook watched as she straightened her shoulders and looked at him haughtily, making him draw an angry breath and turn away from her quickly.
"Very well, Miss Williams. This is my first mate, Smee. I can assure you that as long as you are aboard, you..." he began with his teeth clenched, gathering papers on his desk. They suddenly fluttered to the floor as he trailed off and an ominous tick, tick, tick, tick sound filled the room.
"Oh, no..." Hook whispered, turning apprehensively toward the window. Sure enough, there came a thud, followed by a splash, the ship rocking with the sea. Tentatively, Hook went to the window, watching an enormous crocodile throwing itself on the ship. It didn't quite make it to the window, but it was a little too close for comfort, as the beast was hitting the ship so close to the window that the tip of the tail hit the glass and cracked it, making Hook leap away from the window.
"Smee, pull anchor! Get us out of here before it gets in here!" Hook barred the window as Smee ran to do the captain's bidding, leaving Mary alone with him. "If that clock ever stops..." Hook looked up, noticing Mary's odd look. He sighed, realizing that she had no idea what he was talking about. "When I lost my hand, it was thrown to that crocodile. The beast liked it so much that it has followed me ever since, licking its lips for the rest of me. Thank God it swallowed a clock, or it would have had me by now." Mary nodded, mildly amused with this man in his moment of fear. Hook's blue eyes narrowed at her, noticing her amused look. Two could play the game of humiliation, and he could play quite well, considering her attire.
"If you'd like a change of clothing," Hook said, almost purring, and allowing his eyes to finally travel over her body, "I'm sure there is something in the hold that would work." The tone in his silky voice implied that a change of clothes was optional, and that he quite liked the view he had.
Astonished, Mary looked down, remembering for the first time that she was only wearing a nightgown, and noticed that it had become damp with the sea, and didn't quite cover her very well. She gasped angrily, covering herself as best as she could, and fled down the hall to the hold, leaving Captain James Hook laughing in his quarters.