Wendy followed the captain to his quarters as the sun rose higher in the sky, changing the clouds from purple to a light pink. "Go check if Bucky skipped out early," Hook hollered back to Smee. "I bet he's below deck taking a snooze after laying waste to that bottle." He turned to point at the round, old man. "If that's so, then I want him lashed for disobeying orders." His eyes gleamed, "Make sure the men see." Smee nodded with a gulp and went to look for unfortunate Bucky. Hook turned on his heel, a man with a determination.

"Oh, I don't see why that's necessary…" The girl started.

Hook halted her with a single look. "And what do you believe would happen if I were to do else-wise?"

She bit her cherry lip, "I think the crew would follow suit with a stern warning."

"Do you now?" He leaned forward as if to examine her. "Wagging your finger at a group of rag-tag miscreants, whom have slaughtered a man for a loaf of bread; does that sound efficient?"

She turned from his gaze. "Well, when you put it that way."

He stood in silence examining the girl that was inside of the lady before him. "This is not jolly old England, you know." He spoke in a low, human tone that she had not heard from the captain before. This caused her to look up, exploring the changing tides of his eyes. "And thank God for that." He finished as he opened the door to his alcove with a bang.

"This is where you shall be spending your days, so that Smee or I can keep a watchful eye on you." He gestured to the wide room surrounded by windows framing the sea. By the light of the morning, she could see a chest next to a wooden desk covered in paper and curled maps. A closed telescope and some other gadgets were keeping everything in its place as the boat swayed beneath their feet. The lanterns above swung along. A globe sat on the side of the desk, near a red lounging chair. A decorated rug upon the floor held more odds and ends of the captain's, leading up to the bottom of a book case the extended along the length of the cabin. And then, there was a large mattress covered with the very same crumpled red velvet that so embodied the captain.

His words set in. "Keep an eye on me?" She queried as she turned to face the hooked man. "Am I to be your prisoner?"

"No, my darling, unless you wish it to be so…" He began.

"It's Wendy Darling." She corrected.

The corner of his mouth twitched. "You see, Miss Darling," He continued, "being that I am a pirate- I am not in the business of trusting another." Her eyes followed him as he paced around her. "And I do not yet believe your tale of woe concerning a common acquaintance of ours." Her brows furrowed. "Don't look at me like that cherub," He cajoled as he pinched her cheek and she resisted the urge to swat his hand away. "How am I to know that you aren't in cahoots with said party, leading me into a very bothersome trap?" He finished his sentence with a pitched voice, pinning her to the wall with his good hand still cupping her face a little too tightly.

Wendy dared not swallow, though her throat felt dry. She could give no sign of deceitful nature lest she would meet her end right here in the cigar-scented cavern. She merely held his gaze in silence. The minutes were uncountable. "How might I prove it?" Her words broke the stillness before he could hear the thumping of her heart.

She kept her gaze on him as his eyes wandered down over her and back to her face, like a ball bouncing on the street. "How indeed." He leered as he released his grip. She made no move to touch her aching jaw. "That, my dear Wendy, I shall leave up to you."

He left her against the wall as he strode to the rug in the center of the room. "I assume that you're hungry; I'll have Smee fetch you something to eat. Lunch and Dinner will be brought to these quarters as well. If you ever set foot outside of this room," He raised an eyebrow at the girl whilst he smiled, "well, you don't need me to tell you that you'll wish you hadn't." She continued her unyielding gaze. He would admire that, if he didn't believe it to be out of innocent ignorance. "For now, this is where I leave you. You may entertain yourself with whatever books you so choose, but do not touch the maps." He warned as he turned his back towards her, heading for the door.

A hand clutching his coat kept him from moving any further. He cocked an eyebrow as he turned slowly to look at the girl who now stood a mere head or so below him. Time was a frightening thing. "I wish to be your partner." Her voice was resolute.

"Beg your pardon?" He fought against the lurch in his voice that would make him sound like a simple school boy.

Her right hand came abruptly forward as an answer. "We can defeat him side by side. Let's shake on it." She nodded confidently.

This girl walked into all kinds of misappropriations of words. He retorted her offer with laughter. She was growing to know that, although his mockery annoyed her to no end, the response was a positive one.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "You seemed to have missed the point where I do not trust you, Wendy Darling." His head bowed as he looked up into her eyes. "That bit of the bargain comes with time."

Her stomach clenched as she thought back to the conversation she had with her mother. How long ago was that now? Did all adults have some secret set of rules?

He could see the indignation on her face. This girl was really meaning to do something… He couldn't tell just yet what it was. He let her go with a pat on the shoulder. "Lucky that in this location it's supply is never ending."