10 years ago.

She barely noticed the rain as it streaked her face, mingling with her tears. Her ankle throbbed, but she refused to slow down. Escaping had been nearly impossible and if he caught her this time, she knew she'd never get another chance. So she ignored the pain and the rain and all the fear she felt and the panic and the thoughts of failure and the worry of what came next and where she would go and what she would do and what might happen, and she just kept on running.

The jungle was confusing. She had never had the freedom to explore it, and the rain and darkness only made it worse. There were only a couple places on the island that she knew of where she thought she could possibly seek refuge, but she wasn't sure how to get to them. Right now it felt like she was going in circles. She had only been to Tink's cave once, and that was months ago when she and her brother had first arrived, and it was daytime, and she had a guide. And she didn't even know for sure where that other boy lived, or if he really would help her, or what his name was, or if he was even on the island anymore, but it was her best chance right now to get away, and she was desperate, and so again, she kept moving forward, and she kept crying.

She hated herself for crying, for feeling so week and helpless, she hated him for putting her in that position, but right now she knew she couldn't help it. He was just one more guy who had taken away her power, used her, ruined her, broken her…

"Hey…psst…"

She stopped running abruptly, stumbling on her ankle and tumbling onto the ground.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you," he said. He moved forward, stepping in to the slight moonlight so she could see him.

"It's you," she said. "I didn't know how to find you, but you said if I ever needed help, if I needed anything, I could trust you…"

"You can," he said. "I meant it." He helped her stand. "You left him then? I'm surprised he let you. Peter Pan doesn't tend to let his trinkets leave."

"He didn't," she said. "I escaped." Her ankle hurt more than ever when she put her full weight back on it. "It wasn't easy."

"Did something happen? You seemed happy with him last time I saw you. You and your brother, right? Your brother said you found somewhere you could finally belong."

She shook her head. "I will never belong to Peter Pan."

"I see. And your brother?" he asked.

"He sees things differently," she said.

"All right," he said.

There was shouting in the distance. She felt her lower lip begin to quiver.

"They're going to find me," she said. "If he gets ahold of me again…"

"We need to get you away from here," he said. He clearly didn't need her to finish her thought. "Now."

"How? We're on an island. His island. We're completely trapped."

"I have a way. But we have to move now."

She nodded. "Thank you," she said. "I don't even know your name."

"I'm Bae," he said.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked.

"Now's not the time for that," he said. "Now's the time to run."

The voices grew close. Bae grabbed her hand and they ran together in the direction he led. The rain had only let up slightly, and the jungle only became more confusing as they continued to run, but he seemed to know exactly where they were going, never once hesitating in his steps or slowing his speed. She didn't want him to know she was in pain, so when her ankle bothered her she began biting the inside of her cheek as a distraction. Soon she could taste blood in her mouth, but it helped her keep his pace.

"Not much further," Bae said, in a voice that was somewhere between a whisper and a grunt.

In another few minutes she realized they were nearing the water's edge. She had no idea how that would help them escape. Did he expect her to swim away from the island? It's not as though the mermaids would help them. They would sooner drown them for their own amusement.

"Bae, what are we doing here?" she asked, as he finally released her hand and began to slow his speed. "They're going to find us here."

Bae held a finger to his lips and beckoned her to follow him along the shoreline. She followed him, though somewhat reluctantly. There was a small part of her that was beginning to doubt his intentions. She couldn't help but wonder if he was part of some elaborate plot of Peter's to trick her into believing she was safe just to then trap her again and dissolve all hope of freedom. She could easily see him taking pleasure in that sort of sick trick. Around the next bend, however, hidden by the tree line, she saw a three-masted ship waiting at a dock. It was the most beautiful ship she had ever seen; its sails almost seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.

As they approached Bae started calling out for the captain and eventually a man appeared on deck, at the top of the gangway. He was much younger than she would have expected for a captain. Handsome too, though she could hardly pay attention to those details at the moment. All she could of was getting on the ship and getting off this island once and for all.

"Bae," he said, "this is a little unexpected."

"Captain, I need your services," Bae said. "It's an emergency."

"I imagine this has something to do with all the shouting we've been hearing in the jungle. Something has put young Pan in quite the mood tonight," the captain said. He glanced at the girl. "I'm not sure I should get myself or my men involved."

"Please!" Bae said.

She started to tremble, the pain and the fear and the panic and everything else she had been pushing away finally starting to catch up to her as she realized that her one true chance of escape might completely fall apart.

"Why should I?" the Captain asked.

"She needs your help," Bae said.

"I'm a pirate," he said. "What makes you think I want to help her?"

She clenched the inside of her cheek again, hard, trying not to cry now.

"Let her stay here. The lost boys are always begging for a mother, now they can have one," he said.

"Please," she said, surprising herself when she spoke. She hadn't expected herself to speak to him, or beg for herself. "Please don't let Pan take me again. I can't go back to him. I won't."

The captain gave her an odd look. Then he glanced at Bae who was staring at him firmly. More shouts came from the distance. She shut her eyes and a tear escaped down her cheek.

"Men, get ready to sail!" The captain called out to his ship. "Bae, get her on board."

She gasped when she realized his answer and Bae almost hand to pull her up the gangway.

"Thank you," she said, stepping shakily onto the deck of the ship.

The captain shrugged. "I was never really going to turn you away, love. I just wanted to hear you beg a little is all." He grinned. "Welcome aboard the Jolly Rogger. I'm Captain Hook." He touched his hooked hand to his head. "And what's your name, sweetheart?"

"You can call me Amelia," she said.

He lifted one eyebrow. "Can I now? But that's not really your name is it?"

"It's what you can call me," she said. "I'm sure Hook isn't exactly your given name either."

He grinned. "Fair enough."

"Make yourself comfortable, Amelia, we'll be taking off in just a moment." He said.

She nodded. She still thought she could cry at any second and didn't trust herself to speak.

"It's all right, sweetheart," he said. "You're safe here. You have my word. He'll never hurt you again. I always keep my word."