"You can't hide from me, Holly!" Peter shouted at my back. I stole a glimpse over my shoulder as I ran, but Peter was nowhere in sight.

But he was close. I could feel it as the hair on the back of my neck and arms stood on end.

I don't know how long I had been running from him, but it felt like hours. My lungs burned in protest and my calves felt tight. I had stopped feeling my feet ages ago; the rocks, vines, and sticks of the uneven jungle terrain ripped the bottoms of my feet to shreds as I tried to stay one step ahead of him.

Even at night, the jungle was muggy, the humidity soaking the shirt and trousers Hook had given me. My hair stuck to the back of my neck and to the sides of my face. I could taste the salty tang of sweat on my upper lip, but I tried to ignore it and tried to focus on my breathing which was becoming erratic and uneven, causing my lungs to burn even more.

Without much thought, I darted to the right, through a cluster of branches that tore at my cheeks and pulled at my hair. I hoped that changing direction sporadically would help throw Peter and any Lost Boys off my trail, but I knew in the back of my mind that they knew this entire island like the back of their hands, and they could probably track me anywhere.

The thought only made me run harder.

"Alright, Holly, that's quite enough."

No!

But it was too late. I couldn't stop my feet fast enough, I couldn't change direction quickly enough, and I ran right into Peter's outstretched arms.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, twisting and turning as I tried to get loose.

Peter chuckled darkly. "I don't think so," he whispered into my ear, his breath hot as it fanned against my cheek. He held me tight, his chest pressed against my back as I continued to struggle. "No, I think I'm going to keep you close from here on out." Then, he pressed his lips to the area right behind my ear and I shuddered, a whimper escaping my lips.

There was a rustling in the foliage all around us, and I tensed. Peter, however, seemed almost bored.

"Come on out, boys!" he shouted, his chest buzzing against my shoulder blades. "She's done running."

One by one, Lost Boys stepped into view, their eyes blazing with a feral hunger that made my stomach lurch. They all smirked at me, a quarry caught in a net that couldn't be escaped.

"She didn't put up much of a chase," a burly boy sneered as he flung his club up and over his shoulder. Even in the dark, I could see the permanent stain of blood that coated it, and the acidic taste of bile rose in my mouth at the thought of some poor boy's head meeting the brunt force of the club.

"She didn't even get creative," another almost whined, and many of the boys nodded and mumbled in agreement. "She left behind a trail that any amateur could follow!"

"That's enough." Peter stated, and although he was calm, the authority in his voice didn't go unnoticed. The mumbling stopped and everyone was silent, watching Peter and I and waiting for their leader's next command. "She'll learn," he said, grazing the back of his knuckles carefully down the side of my face. I jerked away, the affectionate gesture setting off every alarm in my body.

And then the same hand was tangled in my hair, yanking my head back painfully so I was forced to look at him. I let out a yelp, tears rising in my eyes as my scalp felt like it would tear.

"You're going to learn how to play all of our little games," Peter hissed, the darkness in his eyes swirling with the emerald green. "And you're going to learn to play them right. And if you don't," Peter hissed in my ear, "I'll make sure your brother suffers until you do." I felt my stomach drop as the Lost Boys all snickered. Then, Peter leaned in close, his lips on my ear as he voice dropped so low that only I could hear. "And if you ever try to escape again, I will make sure that you regret it. Do you understand?" I was in no position to argue, so I nodded. I could feel the smile that spread across his lips. "Good. Now, about your punishment…"

And then he slid his blade over the area where my neck and shoulder met, sending a trail of fire across my skin.

I awoke with a jolt, my arms and legs flailing as I tried to fight off Peter, the Lost Boy's snickering still echoing in my ears. The tangle of blankets around my legs and the room of dark wood slowly calmed my rampaging heart.

It was a dream. A nightmare.

The wood seemed to groan as the ship rocked gently. Sunlight poured into the room through the window that covered the back of the quarters, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The storm had cleared up, no monster waves as far as the eye could see.

I brought my hand up and ghosted my fingers over the area where Peter had cut me in my dream, only to find unbroken skin covered in goosebumps. I let out a shaky sigh and pressed the heel of my hands into my eyes until I saw bursts of color in the black.

A rap on the door caused me to gasp and startle before I felt a lump form in my throat that threatened to choke me. Tears sprung to my eyes and I wiped at them, the frustrations of the last fortnight crashing into me much like the waves did on the cliff.

I watched through blurry eyes as Hook stepped into the room, closing the door gently behind him without looking up at me. I wiped away another wave of tears just in time to see him turn on his heel, see me, and startle.

"You're awake," he said, sounding relieved. A small smile appeared at the corners of his lips, but it vanished when I took in a shaky breath. He frowned. "Are you alright?"

I didn't trust my voice, so I nodded. He stared at me, one eyebrow arched in disbelief and not buying my lack of an answer. I looked down at my slightly trembling hands and curled them into the blanket, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Nightmare," I croaked, not meeting his gaze. Hook nodded, and I felt anger lick at my insides. He didn't understand the terror I had just experienced, how real it had all felt.

"You gave me quite the scare," Hook admitted as he crossed the room. The mattress sank under his weight as he sat only a few feet from me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, curious. My voice sounded thick and scratchy and I tried to clear it several times.

A corner of Hook's mouth turned up and his eyes flashed with something I could only assume was pity before he reached for his belt and untied a pouch that hung there. He put the cork between his teeth and pulled, a tiny pop! sounding as he pulled it free. He held the pouch out to me and waited. When I hesitated, he rolled his eyes. "It's water," he said around the cork.

At the mention of water my mouth seemed to go completely dry. I grabbed the pouch and brought it to my lips and drank. The water was tepid and tasted as though it had been sitting in the pouch for weeks, but it coated my dry mouth and my itchy throat and helped extinguish the burning that seemed to dwell at the base of my throat.

I began to take larger gulps, tilting the pouch back in order to get every drop of water. Small dribbles escaped the corners of my mouth, dripping onto the shirt I was wearing, but I didn't care.

When I was finished, I took in a deep breath and sighed happily.

"Feel better?" Hook asked, looking at me with a spark of amusement in his eyes. I could tell he was trying not to chuckle by the way he pushed his lips together, and I felt myself burn hot with embarrassment. I nodded sheepishly, dabbing at the water at the corners of my mouth with the back of my sleeve.

As Hook took the now empty pouch back and recorked it, I studied him. He looked exhausted, and I guessed that he didn't get to sleep last night because of the storm. Dark bags hung under each of his eyes and his hair was disheveled. He still wore the same clothes that he had all the time he had been in the dungeons, and everything except for his leather coat was wrinkled from the rain. The smell of sweat, dirt, and ocean spray radiated off of him.

"How did I scare you?" I asked, my voice sounding closer to normal.

Hook glanced at me before turning his attention back to tying the pouch to his belt. "I wasn't sure your fever was going to break," he said giving the pouch a couple of tugs before deeming his knot sufficient.

"My… fever?" I asked, confused. I hadn't had a fever when I fell asleep last night.

Hook studied me for a moment, his thick brows drawn together. "Aye," he said slowly, gauging my facial expressions. "The night of the storm, after you fell asleep, you-"

"You mean last night," I corrected him, and I could tell he was confused. His brows knitted together even further and he opened his mouth once, closed it, and then opened it again.

"Holly, the storm happened the night before last." I felt nervous as he leaned towards me, staring at me intently. "Lass, you've been out cold for thirty-two hours running a high fever."

"H-how? I don't… I don't remember…"

"It was cold that night," Hook explained, and I could feel it grind against my nerves. Of course it was cold that night. It was spring, and it had been pouring rain. It definitely wasn't a warm, summer shower. And the sea was never warm, and I had been floating in it for who knows how long before… What? I couldn't remember. "And you weren't exactly dressed for the occasion." Hook chuckled, finding himself funny. I didn't.

"Oh yes," I hissed, glaring at Hook, "Laugh it up. Me catching Death must have been so amusing to you and your crew of mongrels."

Hook's grin disappeared, and I swelled with pride. He deserved to feel bad.

"It was no laughing matter, Holly."

"I'm sure." The sarcasm practically dripped from my words. Hook bristled. He opened his mouth to speak, but I held up a hand. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"Too bad," he retorted, his blue eyes blazing. I dropped my hand and crossed my arms over my chest, determined to ignore anything that was about to come out of his mouth. "When that rowboat capsized, I lost trace of everyone. The Jolly Roger wasn't far, so I did the only thing I could do and swam to her."

"Leaving the rest of us for dead," I snapped.

"A captain never abandons his crew," he said, his voice dangerously low. "When they pulled me aboard, everyone was accounted for. Except you." I didn't say anything, didn't encourage him to continue, and it seemed to deter him slightly. He huffed, frustrated, and ran his fingers through his hair. "So I dove back in after you."

I hadn't been expecting that.

"You what?" I asked, feeling more than a bit breathless. My voice sounded small in my ears, my disbelief evident.

Hook didn't look at me. He was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he became incredibly interested in a spot on the wall across the room.

"When no one knew where you were, when no one brought you back with them, I dove back in without a second thought. I'm surprised I even found you, but I did. You were floating just below the surface, already unconscious, but I grabbed you anyway. The boys yanked us back up and after I laid you down, I started pushing on your back, trying to get you to spit up all the water you had breathed in." Hook bowed his head. "After a while, everyone told me to give up, that there was no bringing you back, that you were long gone, but I gave one final push anyway."

My heart hammered as I listened, my eyes glued to my hands, which had gone white from gripping the blankets so tightly.

"And then you spit up the water, coughing and sputtering and gasping for air, and I swear I could have kissed you."

I flushed crimson, my heartbeat loud as a drum in my ears, and I was thankful that Hook didn't look up. We sat in a thick silence for what felt like forever, Hook's eyes never leaving the spot on the wall and my hands cramping from the force of gripping the sheets.

"Why?"

Hook glanced over at me. "Why what?"

"Why did you save me?" I asked as I felt anger begin to boil in my gut. My voice trembled slightly as I tried to rein in my anger, but it didn't go unnoticed by Hook. He turned to face me, sitting up straight as he cocked his head to the side, curious.

"I'm not the monster you think I am, Holly," he said, and I felt my anger rupture.

"Why didn't you just let me drown?" I asked, my voice rising. He flinched as if I had slapped him. I knew it would take him only a moment to recover, so I hurried on. "Let me guess: Because you need me alive in order to sell me back to my father. Am I close?" I prodded and Hook's shoulders stiffened.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," he said between gritted teeth. His stare made me shrink back inwardly, but I couldn't back down. I couldn't let him get the best of me. Not now.

"You're right," I agreed, and he blinked in confusion at my sudden change of attitude. "I couldn't possibly understand the thought process of a lying, cheating-"

Hook's hand flashed out so fast I didn't have time to react. His fingers tangled in the front of my shirt before he yanked me forward, our noses almost brushing as he glared at me. I gripped at his shoulders for balance, only to realize that he had pulled me into his lap. I practically straddled him. I felt my entire body flush hot, and it was hard to breathe.

"I've had quite enough of your attitude," Hook stated calmly. "Now, I'm only going to explain this to you once, so I suggest you listen."

It was impossible to keep eye contact. My stomach was tying itself into impossible knots and no matter how much of a deep breath I took, it was as though my lungs couldn't get enough air.

The cold metal of his hook slid beneath my chin, making me look at him. He didn't smile, so I was sure that he didn't realize my embarrassment of straddling him.

"I am the captain of this ship, which means I'm in charge. And I don't take kindly to people who think they're so much better than me giving me lip, especially when I'm the one sticking my neck out to protect them." I finally produced a glare, and he smirked for a moment before his stern face returned. "I know you think I'm some monster, but trust me, love, when I tell you that Pan is much, much worse."

I shivered as images from my dream flashed before my eyes, my fingers digging into Hook's shoulders. I knew that it was just a nightmare, but there was something about the way the dream felt. Like in some strange, unexplainable way that it was real. At least, to an extent.

"I know these… conditions aren't exactly ideal," Hook said, his voice holding a stern note of sincerity as his fingers stayed tangled in the front of my shirt, "But, like you, I hope they aren't permanent. So, while you're here, you're going to behave and make this as painless as possible for me and my crew. Got it?"

"And if I don't?" I asked, my voice cold.

Hook chuckled, the velvety sound causing me to shift uncomfortably in his lap as his hot breath fanned across my lips.

A loud rap on the door caused us both to jump, and even as the door swung open, Hook didn't let go of me. His head swiveled around as a short, round man waddled into the room.

"Captain, the men request orders regarding- Oh!" The man had finally looked up to find me straddling Hook, our faces inches apart, with his hand tangled in my shirt, and he seemed as embarrassed as I was. His round face flushed a rosy pink as he ducked his head and apologized profusely for "interrupting".

"Trust me, Smee," Hook assured the man with a cocky smile, "You didn't interrupt anything." Then, he let go of my shirt and pushed me backwards onto the bed. I yelped, grabbing handfuls of empty air before landing with a huff amongst the many pillows and pile of sheets. Hook chuckled and stood, facing the short man. "I was just telling Holly here the rules of this ship and how she should behave if she knows what's good for her." He glanced over his shoulder at me and winked. "Isn't that right, Holly love?"

I glared daggers at his back as he turned his attention back to Smee, who kept nervously pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, but no matter how many times he did so, they always slid back down to the end of the bulbous tip.

"O-Of course, Captain," Smee said standing a little straighter.

"So, what is it that the boys need?" Hook inquired, placing his hand and his hook on his hips.

"They request orders on whether or not to drop anchor in Starryview, Sir. She's just off the horizon and some of the men are a little homesick- Oh!" Smee's hands clapped over his mouth as he flushed a deeper pink. "Don't tell them I told you! I wasn't supposed to say that part!"

Starryview? I thought. I had never heard of such a place.

Hook chuckled again and slapped Smee on the shoulder, shaking his head. "Oh, Smee…" His voice trailed off, and Smee joined in Hook's chuckling, although it sounded a bit nervous.

It was strange watching Hook interact with Smee in such a friendly way. I had imagined that he would be the barking type of captain, one that his men feared instead of chuckled with. The night he and the others had helped kidnap me, that was how he seemed: in charge and no nonsense. As I sat up, I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Hook than the sarcastic, bickering captain that only seemed to come out when I was around.

"Tell the boys to set a course for Starryview." Hook ordered and Smee instantly stood at attention, but he couldn't hide his relieved smile. "Tell them we'll be home within the hour."

Smee beamed. "Aye aye, Captain!" And then he was gone, back on deck and shouting the news to the crew. Cheers erupted amongst the men, and I saw Hook swell, with happiness or pride or relief, I couldn't tell.

Home. My chest constricted painfully at the thought.

I wish I could be home.