Author's Note: Chapters will gradually be getting a bit longer. I don't like slow beginnings as I find them boring. I screamed when I saw my first review this morning. I also know my resurrection of Hook is very common, but I wanted to go off the end of the movie. The story will keep maturing until it lives up to its "M" rating. (Wink). Thank you for any and all reviews, as they are appreciated. I would love to hear your ideas as well for the plot as teamwork makes the dream work.
It seemed Wendy was spending quite a bit of time assessing herself in the mirror as of late. She took in what she thought was a very striking figure, the dress of course fit her perfectly and outlined the slim curvatures of her body. She had twisted her wild ringlets into an updo as it highlighted the pearl earbobs she had found in the cedar chest. She was not surprised as to find a matching ribbon choker for the dress and used it to complete her ensemble. She had been pacing around the cabin for the past half hour waiting for the Captain, trying to ignore the pangs of hunger from her stomach. Wendy stood still when she heard the twisting of the door handle. Mr. Smee came cautiously through the door as if expecting her to be in a state of undress.
"Oh good Miss you are ready, the Cap'n is a waiting." He said coming to usher her out of the room.
"We are not dining in here?" Wendy became confused by the odd instructions of the Bo' Son.
"Oh no Miss Wendy the Cap'n has prepared to have dinner out on the deck, since we are on a steady course and the crew has retired for the evening." He said jovially all the while pushing her out the door. Wendy followed for she had no other options and was terribly hungry. When they excited she drew in a breath for she saw him standing at the helm of the ship, Captain James Hook in all his glory.
The Captain's dream of this moment paled in comparison to reality, for as he saw Wendy, HIS Wendy step out of the cabin he was filled with pride, lust, and a tinge of fear. Why the last emotion was there he couldn't guess, so he forced it away. He would not be scared by a mere girl. Oh, but don't you remember she is a woman now, you said so yourself. Hook controlled his outer expression as to show he was indifferent to Miss Darling's approaching presence. Here she was finally in his grasp to do with as he sees fit, he would possess her fully and completely. He would reign victorious over her and especially over Pan. When she arrived at his side he was momentarily speechless, she was breathtaking. He quickly appreciated what the blue dress did for her figure and smirked as he noticed the matching choker gracing her neck.
"Why my beauty it does please me that you still know how to follow instructions, yet I am disappointed you didn't test my word." He said casually.
Wendy knowing he meant that he was disappointed he didn't get to redress her let the words flee from her mind as she took his waiting arm.
"You can't have everything Captain." Wendy said just like a mother.
The Captain hearing her words grew excited, "I do hope you are not challenging me Miss Darling I would hate to triumph over a lady." He said seating her at the table. Wendy realizing she walked into a trap blushed deeply a sight that was becoming a favorite of the Captain.
"It was most certainly not a challenge Captain, just a matter of fact." Wendy assured herself of her own words as she laid the napkin across her lap.
Hook threw a wolfish gaze across the table lingering slightly on the hidden kiss still residing on Wendy's lips. "It may be a fact concerning you or other persons, but it is most assuredly not for me." Hook said lightly.
Wendy opened her mouth to respond but their sparring was broken by Mr. Smee serving the food. "Will that be all Cap'n?" he inquired.
"Yes Smee you are dismissed." He said with a wave of his hand.
Wendy trying to gather courage she knew would be needed to finish the dinner, reached her hand to take the wine which had been set in front of her. She took a tentative sip half expecting it to be poisoned, but she was pleased at the sweet flavor of the spirit.
"I see you like the choice of wine" the Captain said forcing Wendy to jump back into their conversation.
"Yes, I do." Wendy's words were clipped. She did not plan on entertaining him, all her further comments would be short and direct leaving no room for twisting.
The Captain glared at Wendy as he somehow flawlessly cut his steak with one hand, "I do hope your parents taught you a semblance of manners Miss Darling, as it is bad form to be rude towards one's dinner guest."
At the mention of her parents Wendy could feel a disdainful look pass over her features, one which the Captain took note of. Wendy sensing her previous plan would only cause herself more trouble resigned to conversing with the Captain.
"They taught me manners Captain yet never covered the issue of dining with your kidnapper." Wendy finished and started eating trying not to inhale her food as it was of course delicious.
The Captain remained silent and let Wendy continue eating as he knew she had been without food for some time. As he finished his entrée he noticed Wendy was becoming less on edge and more relaxed, he attributed this to her heavy consumption of wine on an empty stomach. Only when she had finished her main course did he start on his dessert.
Finding her now in a more agreeable mood he spoke, "Why did you open the window."
Hearing his question she chewed her chocolate dessert slower, but one could only chew for so long. Wiping her mouth Wendy answered, "Stupidity, hope, blind faith, call it what you will Captain but in truth I don't really know. I suppose it was a pitiful excuse as one last escape attempt from the inevitable doom that awaited me."
He nodded taking in her comment, "and pray tell my beauty what doom awaited you, besides myself of course?" He tone was sincere and curious.
Finishing off her wine and dessert Wendy's stomach grew warm, "as I suspected my dear parents were going to force me into a marriage to an absolute cad." She said drawing her eyes away from the table and towards the Captain's.
"Forced marriage, why it seems as if I am not your kidnapper but your rescuer, Miss Darling." Hook said with a smirk. "Do tell me what crimes this would be fiancé committed to deserve the title of a cad?" He truly was interested in her answer.
Wendy remembering Ralph allowed a scowl to morph her lips, "he was pompous, polite but it wasn't real, he was terribly boring, had no taste for culture or fineries, and he seemed devoid of any imagination." Wendy finished quickly.
"Why he did deserve the adjective, what were your parents thinking?" He said the last comment as a light joke, but Wendy being albeit a bit loose lipped from the wine answered him.
"They probably thought he would be the only one they could get to wed their crazy daughter." She drawled. At her comment the Captain's face darkened at the thought of her parents demeaning her.
"Now why would your parents bestow that adjective on you?" He said, his voice straining to control the anger he suddenly harbored towards her parents.
"It is simple Captain, I would not forget. I kept insisting that this place was real that everyone including you were real. They would have none of it, demanded I call them stories as my brothers came to believe they were."
Wendy now speaking freely added, "I told them about how we played a part in your, now I know near death." She laughed and continued, "I even told a clergyman, yet he too didn't believe me. I cried every night for a year, thinking about how horrible our actions were." She finished.
Hook was speechless, she had cried for him. That might be the first. With Wendy's noticeable intake of wine he had no doubt that she was telling the truth. Still looking him in the eyes she said, "I am sorry."
Those three words froze him solid, Hook shook himself out of the paralyzing feelings trying to overtake him. This could not happen, once again he had not planned for Wendy to do this, to act this way towards him. Concerning her your plans always seem to fail. Not quite in the forgiving mood the Captain rose and stood beside Wendy with a hand outstretched.
Wendy thinking he had his fill of her company took his hand expecting to be led back to his cabin, instead the Captain moved her farther up the deck, stopping near the back of the ship. Dropping her hand he bowed flourishing his hat before placing it back atop his head, and holding his hand out expectantly.
Recognizing his motions she stated, "but Captain there is no music." She watched his mouth twitch.
"Why my beauty I thought you had a very capable imagination?" He asked, bringing back old memories.
Wendy not wanting to be defeated stepped into the Captain's close arms. She could feel his hook positioned at the small of her back, his rather large hand holding her smaller one captive. Then he began a waltz. After a few minutes Wendy, feeling rather unencumbered by the wine said, "why Captain I had no idea you were so light on your feet." Wendy breathed ending her sentence with a girlish giggle.
Hook felt his once frozen heart skip a beat, she was so close, he could feel her soft heat enveloping his coat. He leaned down and allowed his lips to brush her jaw before whispering in her ear, "James, call me James." His hat and curls hid Wendy's blush but did nothing to stop the breath that left her at his request. Swallowing Wendy finally let his name escape from her, "James." She said breathily.
If he would have died then this surely would have been heaven. How quickly she could tear down his defenses, if he had been in his right mind he would have withdrew from her, alas he did not. At hearing his name the Captain lost some more of his composure and let his lips wander down Wendy's fragrant neck.
Wendy froze as her conflicting emotions were being defeated by her body's response to the Captain. Her hands moved towards his chest, her mind trying to push him away. Her mind failed her miserably, as her delicate fingers gripped the lapels of the velvet brocade. Her chest was on fire, why was he torturing her so?
Against her will his name left her lips again, "James" except this time it was accompanied by a sigh of pleasure.
As if woken from a dream the Captain regained control of his rouge person, he reluctantly removed his lips from Wendy's neck. It's the wine you fool, she has had too much wine. She would never willingly enjoy your embrace. The inky black thought were still clouding his mind as he looked down at Wendy still enclosed in his arms.
She would make Botticelli burn his "Venus" in shame, by the gods she was magnificent, yet he made himself acknowledge her clouded eyes. He never stopped to think that the wine had nothing to do with her response towards him. Releasing her he gently raised his arm to guide her back down the ship.
It was as if cold water had been thrown on Wendy she straightened, she was embarrassed and she knew her face was hot. Here you are acting like some wanton woman, get control of yourself. Your mother would be ashamed. Without a second thought she let her hand rest in the curve of the Captain's hook as she followed him down the deck.
The action made the Captain almost falter in step, even as a girl she unlike all others had never feared his hook. Her action reminded him of how pure she still is at heart, the same spirit, the same kindness seems to have clung to her through adulthood.
Nearing Hook's cabin Wendy grew nervous, a thought was occupying her mind. Where was she going to sleep? Surely the Captain couldn't expect her to share his bed, Wendy swallowed when she then thought about where he slept last night. Her fear turned to confusion when the Captain led her past his door and to another.
Dropping his arm Hook opened the door to a smaller but furnished cabin adjacent to his own. "These will be you quarters for the time being, if you require anything Smee will assist you." He spoke softly. As Wendy made her way towards the room she faced the Captain. Hook against better judgment slowly brought Wendy's hand to his lips.
Wendy tried not to faint when the Captain left a searing kiss on her knuckles and then leaned in and said, "goodnight, Wendy." For the first time in seven years she heard her name leave the Captain's lips, his words were warm which caused butterflies to swarm her stomach. Not wanting the Captain to think her slow she replied with a small smile, "goodnight" and went into her room shutting the door.
