Chapter 2 of Longing to live. Please R&R!
She was in pure agony. Her whole body was screaming in pain. Fire boiled under her skin and pain lanced through her veins. She groaned, but did not open her eyes, on account of the heavy pressure and pain surrounding her. She could hear fine, however.
"Smee! She's waking! Fetch some water." Then the voice became enraged. "Now man!"
Quick footsteps faded into the distance and another pair became louder. There were two of them. She assumed 'the voice' was approaching her. Or maybe it was 'the Smee?' The soft surface beneath her sagged on the right. She was aware of something wet and cool being pressed to her face and neck. The wet thing trickled down the side of her face into her hair, dampening it.
She pried her eyes open a little only to look into the fierce, icy blue eyes of the man next to her. Forget-me-not blue. A wet rag was lying on her forehead, effectively cooling her. 'Where is my chaperone? This is improper!' Her conscience screamed.
A portly man entered the room and the man next to her glowered at him. "It's about time Smee!" So this was the Smee! By this time she was quite delirious. "Sorry Cap-Cap'in!" The Smee stuttered and bustled out the door as if the devil was after him. Poor man.
"Wendy, Darling." The voice purred at her. That now recognizably familiar voice. The man raised his hidden hand, but it was not a hand at all! There was a hook where his hand should be. It was sharp and the cold looking silver glinted cruelly in the light. A rush of memories that had been stored, but not forgotten, suddenly swarmed in her mind. Her last coherent thought was 'No!' before the darkness once again consumed her.
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That night she had dreamed of him. He was standing over her with his hook raised. Then the dream shifted in which she was dancing with a mock turtle and a march hare. Captain Hook appeared before her and asked if she would like the teddy bear or fish, a most oddly thing. Alice was there also. She was dancing with the mad hatter, whom, in between sentences, was spewing utter randomness. The Red Queen stormed in and bellowed, "Off with their heads!" It was too bad, it was becoming a very nice tea party…
She sat straight up in bed. Too suddenly pain wracked through her body. Her vision swam and she was forced to recline again. The sheets felt silky under her hands. Pinching it in between her index finger and thumb, she brought it up to her face. Eyes widened. These sheets were red. Blood red. They even appeared to be real silk, a finery she had been denied. 'No! It was just a dream! She must still be sleeping. Yes that's it…'
"I guess I must play my part," she mumbled to herself. The blue nightgown she favored had ridden up to her knees. She felt utterly exposed, even when she pulled it down as far as it would go. Her feet were bare and the nightgown was a little snug on her, showing some calf. It was indecent. If her aunt was here…
Skin slid across silk. This was his bed. That thought made her stomach clench and quiver. Bare feet hit the furnished wood floor. Even though there was a fire going, it was quite cold.
A rattling noise echoed through the silent room. It took her but a moment to realize it was coming from the door handle. The round knob turned slowly, and it started closing in on her. She didn't even have enough time to think out a plan. Should she pretend to be asleep or find some sort of weapon to use against her enemy? Then he strode in. Captain Hook was always a very proud man; you didn't need to know that by his character. His walk clearly showed it.
"Ah, my beauty. I see you have woken. I was worried that I might have to test a great theory of mine…" His silk voice traveled down her spine, giving her the shivers.
His eyes roamed over. Her skin was as pale as milk and the blue dress revealed tantalizing glimpses of her calf. 'She has certainly filled out.' The blue dress was tight across her bosom and showed her delicate collarbone. Her skin was blemish-free. Lips rosy and plump, eyes shining, and hair mussed prettily from sleep. The hidden kiss winked at him, beckoning him to claim it. She looked a sight. To him, a very lovely sight.
The sleep cleared from her eyes, signaling a new awareness. "Theories?" An eyebrow rose. "Yes, I believe your stories mentioned a kiss to the fair princess, and she would awake." Hazel eyes widened considerably at his bold implications. "Th-that was just a story, and I am no princess." The sheet she clutched was pulled up to her chin now. This…vulnerability, nakedness felt unnatural and not at all, right. Something very wrong, and yet wanted.
James…
Memories sang through her mind when she was indisposed. A cool glint of metal, burning skin, a wet cloth, Mr. Smee…
Then his voice broke her dead stare. He was saying something to her. Then his lips stopped moving. He looked at her as if demanding an answer. "Pardon?" Her voice broke, she was loath to admit. His lips twitched, as if containing an unknown laughter. "Precisely." His reply was cryptic.
An awkward silence later, she changed the subject politely inquiring as to Mr. Smee's health. His smirk slipped and his eyes narrowed a little. A stormy cloud brewed through those stormy blue eyes, but passed just as quickly. His moustache twitched some. "How rude of you, Miss Darling. It is still Miss right?" He paused for an answer; she gave it, unwillingly, nodding a sharp 'yes.' She was angry for his statement, although he was right, it was terribly rude for her to inquire about his right-hand man before inquiring about him. But she was past caring. This was her dream, after all, and he was dead.
"I will not object at that statement, Captain Hook. I know I am just dreaming." She paused for a moment and looked up at him, "How did you escape the crocodile?" It was incredibly bold of her, but her curiosity won her over. Curiosity would eventually be her downfall.
His expression darkened considerably. The storm, once again, ravaged his blue eyes with an intensity she had never seen. His emotions intrigued and fascinated her, in mostly the same way she intrigued him.
"The croc..." He trailed off. His eyes had this crazy look in them that frightened her as a child. They were bloodthirsty, as if he could never get enough. "met his doom the instant he swallowed me. Cut him in half I did. The great bloody beast!" His crazed expression faded and he looked around him. It almost seemed as if he didn't know where he was. He seemed to have snapped out of whatever trance he was in at her gasp. It even looked as if he was ashamed. Red tinted his cheeks, and he cast his eyes downward. "Forgive me. I was reliving the experience." He seemed genuinely sorry, and she was taken aback at his apology, never having expected the great Captain Hook to apologize. He was looking at her then, and she was horrified to realize she had not answered him! Her cheeks flushed as well. "It's…okay." She finished lamely.
A strange look creeped up on his face. He was looking at her very oddly. "You mentioned you were dreaming, as I recall?" She nodded. "Well, it's the only explanation. You see, right now, I'm in my bed dreaming." An odd response, indeed. The smirk was back on his face, and this pleased her. He took a few steps in her direction and she realized that during their spat, she had let go of the blanket obscuring herself from his view. Now she was in her nightgown, and once again realized how inappropriate it was for him to be in the room with her without so much as a chaperone, or another person.
Butterflies started up in her belly, and an uncomfortable itching was making itself known on her face. He stopped moving forward when he was but a foot away from her.
"Your awfully close, don't you think, Captain?" She looked down, afraid to meet his eyes. His hand was suddenly under her chin, gently moving it up so he could see her eyes, which she still hid. "Oh, but Wendy Darling,I must prove to you this is no dream." And he did just that.
His lips brushed against her own, lightly, teasingly. She gasped, so surprised by his audacity. His lips moved against her own. More pressure. Heady feelings shot through her mind and tingles made there way down her spine. She had never been kissed before, well, besides the boys who liked to slobber on her hand, and to be sitting on a bed kissing the dangerous Captain Hook, whom she had some sort of feelings for, was overwhelming. His kiss was gentle, another surprising thing. She had expected him to ravage her within every inch of her life. She wasn't sure she minded that idea either…
He pulled away slightly, and the swotty smirk was still plastered on his face. He had clearly kissed her for his own amusement. And this hurt and troubled Wendy.
"So you see Miss Darling. I doubt your ability to dream up something similar to that." His reply was as sharp as his wit, and cut her like a knife. She was about to reply, when she truly thought about his wording. He was trying to trick her!
"Well Captain Hook, I guess you will never know." Was her response. She watched him do a double take, but then he hid behind his emotionless mask once again. A smirk of her own inched its way across her face.
"Yes, well as fun as that was," and heavy sarcasm was heard there, "I want to know how you got onto my ship." He bit out, just a tad sternly.
"Well, to tell you the truth sir, I'm not quite sure myself. All I remember is going to my bed…and then blackness." This confused her. Her memory had always been very good, but it suddenly fell short on her. Maybe she was getting old…
This thought terrified her, and must have shown on her face because he was suddenly next to her again. "Well, as much as I would love to throw you overboard-" at this she looked frightened, but he continued, "you will have to stay here. I cannot afford to have you and Pan get one up on me again."
She could almost sigh in relief to this response. She almost felt like the child she had been when she was in Neverland. Another dark thought made it's way to her brain. "Wh-what will you do with me?" A black hole was in her stomach making her nauseous. An evil smile was on his face now and it scared her. "Well, Miss Darling, I will just have to find something for you, now won't I?" This response could be taken many ways, some of which she was very uncomfortable with.
And with that in mind, she watched him walk towards the door. Another thought popped into her head, and before he opened the door, she had to ask.
"Captain, where will I sleep?"
I promise you all it will get more adventurous and there will be battles. After all, you can't forget Peter Pan and the Lost Boys!
