"Who does she think she is?" Hook spoke to himself as he closed the cabin door behind him. "Pan's first female interest comes aboard my ship as if it were her own and asks to co-captain within a manner of minutes after pointing a knife at my throat!" He took a breath. "What made her believe she was worthy of my acceptance anyway? She sure as hell doesn't know what it takes to govern a crew..." He growled as he pulled the broad hat deeper over his eyes. Was that the mark of a proper lady these days, to be so commandeering? No, he took mental note, this one had always been special. "Why now, after all these years?"
Wendy sat on the sill, enjoying the feel of the sun washing over her through the paned glass. After all, there weren't many cloudless days where she came from. The sky was now an interesting gradation of blue, though within all of its hues she could not place one perfectly matched to the captain's eyes.
A rap came at the door, waking her out of a trance. "Beg your pardon, miss." The familiar voice of the rotund man came into the room, along with a tray of assorted fruits. "Best the island has to offer." He said proudly as he waddled over to her, placing the tray gently on the table. She was about to thank him when his gasp interrupted. "Dear me! Your jawline…" He knelt to study her a bit. Then he spoke with caution, "Did… our cap'n?"
She gingerly fingered the spot he was talking about. "Oh! It's nothing, really Mister Smee, thank you."
He nodded with a still-worried look on his face.
"Why," She tried to hide her curiosity, "has he done something like this before?"
"The cap'n may be a little rough around the edges with the crew." Smee looked back towards the tray of fruit. "But he only does what he deems to be necessary!" He failed to soothe her fears. "I'm sorry, miss, but he's not practiced in dealing with proper young ladies such as yourself; with the location being such as it is. Perhaps you could teach him a thing or two, hm?" He added kindly.
"Thank you, Smee." She smiled back at him, "I can see why the captain has placed his trust in you." The capped man blushed. "That's it!" She exclaimed. "Perhaps you can teach me how to gain his trust."
Smee took a seat by her at the captain's desk. "Now, now, I don't see why he wouldn't feel free to do so with an upstanding girl such as yourself."
"He thinks I'm planning things with Peter." She stared out the window.
The old man sighed. "Sometimes I do wish he would find a distraction from that boy." He grasped Wendy's hand lightly. "Which is why I'm glad you're here, my girl."
Hook wandered in to his quarters to see the elderly bosun sharing a moment with his uninvited guest. Something about it left him ruffled inside.
His smooth voice rang out against the walls. "You'll gain no respect of mine by using techniques of persuasion on my men."
Smee stood up and placed two fists on his wide hips. "Oh, come now, cap'n, do you really think our lady would be wicked enough to attempt that? Just look at her little face, go on; search it for any dishonesty!"
He glanced at the girl to see her eyes on his. For some reason he couldn't examine them further. "So, she's gotten to you, has she?" He rumbled.
The elderly man continued his tirade, "And you should be more careful when handling a young lady." He caught the captain's gaze, "Oh, yes, I see it all. That poor girl has a slight bruise on her chin. Save your savagery for any rapscallions we're up against."
"Smee!" Hook spoke in surprise, "After all these years of service, you're on her side already?"
"No sir." His mate said as he made his way towards the exit. "You'll soon see that I'm behind you both." With that he was gone.
Hook stared back at the closed door with a thousand thoughts. When he heard the girl pop a piece of fruit into her mouth, he turned back to her. "You!" He snarled as he strode towards her. "You vile woman, you'll turn everyone on this ship against me!"
"Please, captain, you've got it all wrong…"
"Working your way down from my first mate, and all for what? A little boy?" An angry gleam came to his eye, "You know you're not the only girl he's had on this godforsaken island."
"What?" Wendy blinked.
"Oh, so that tidbit of information was new?" His lips curled, "Why, yes, I'd say there have been several 'Wendy's prancing about. Sadly, none of them quite as lucky as you."
She stood facing him, feeling a chill set into her being, "What are you talking about?"
"Every few years he'd bring another young so-and-so in among the boys. He'd always try to recreate the 'mother' that you were to them." He could feel her rapt attention on him. "But, none of them made it home alive."
"How could you!" Tears fell hot from her eyes as she raised her hand to swing.
He caught it easily in his good hand. "You think that I am the one to blame?" He searched the London fog that was her eyes, "No. No." He cooed. "You know very well that boy, that thing, cares little more for his flock than he does for a fly... From the way that you clung to me earlier, did you not have a brush with the mermaids?"
He could see that she was fighting back the rivers that begged to leave her eyes. Her good form brought an unfamiliar shame to his heart. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered back and she was swaying like a leaf. James knew what was sure to come next, as he caught her limp form quickly before she hit the deck. "Smee!" He hollered the phrase that was most familiar to his tongue. The old man couldn't have gone far.
He looked back at her unconscious body. When was the last time he had felt the sensation of another's weight in his arms? Not wanting to lay her on the drafty floor, he heaved the girl into his arms with her head lulling over his shoulder. Smee's words came back to him, he would have to be more delicate. He was careful to avoid any contact between the hook and her flesh. Where should he lay the girl? He surveyed the room for an answer before groaning at the most obvious option. The little minx was even going to snatch his bed out from under him.
He laid her down softly as he wondered if blasted Smee had heard his call and chosen to ignore it. After a breath, he brushed her tresses from her face to observe whether the girl was still pale. There was a bit of a rosy hue returning to her lips; a good sign. The captain never knew when to draw a line, after all, he never had to in this world. For the first time in a long time he found himself asking whether he had gone too far. He had certainly shown no consideration for the lives lost simply because he felt the blood was not on his hands. He was no bleeding heart to be stuck. Perhaps if this girl was on Pan's side this revelation would work in his best interest, he thought guiltily. It would be in her best interest.
As he looked upon her closed eyelids he tried to recall from a life past what one would do in this situation. Did he have smelling salts? No... he had something much better. He reached over to grab the cask of whiskey from his desk, wafting it under the girl's nose. She awoke with a sputter. "Not used to that brand, are we?" He joked.
Wendy looked at the chalice and back up at the curled hair that cascaded over her. She didn't know whether she would prefer it to be a dream after his tale resurfaced in her brain. He could see the fright on her face. After placing the cask back on his desk he tentatively reached out to place a hand on those that were crossed over her midsection. "Wendy," His voice was stale, "my words are true. For that and only that I am sorry." He bit at the last word as if it were gristle. How could anyone not be when two such eyes were looking up at him for assurance. "God knows why or how you came to be here again, but you are aboard my ship and as I said, under my watchful eye." He leaned towards her, "I will not permit you to leave this land by any other manner than my choosing."
"You don't mean the plank?" Her whisper was laced with trepidation forced bravado.
"No, my dear." His grip tightened on her slim fingers. "I believe we've grown past that stage. And that's something that I'm not apt to say in Neverland."
Though his warm hands were a comfort his words were not.