Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan or any of its characters.

CHAPTER TEN

GROWING UP

Captain Hook continued his pacing on the ship's deck, and his memories continued to flow.

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When he awoke he felt a sickening feeling. His body felt like it was slowly being rocked back and forth. He opened his eyes to find himself in the corner of a very small room, which was entirely made of wood. His clothes had dried, making him come to the realization that he had been unconscious for a long time.

He slowly scanned the room with his eyes. He noticed the small circular windows along the one wooden wall and carefully got up from the ground and walked over to one and looked out of it.

Water. Water beneath a blue sky was the only thing that could be seen. He was on a ship. But how, when, where? These questions plagued his mind but before he could think any further he heard someone walking towards the door.

He quickly dashed back into the corner that he had awoken in and laid down, pretending to still be unconscious. The footsteps came closer to him until they stopped right in front of his face. James held his breath and inwardly cursed at the strand of hair that was tickling his nose.

The man bent down and gave James a good shake. "I knows your awake boy. Ya can't pass me off pertendin' ta be sleepin'." James slowly opened his eyes. A grizzly man stood before him. His face was unshaven, and his attire was most amusing, yet for some reason a gentlemen appearance came through all of his untidiness and strangeness.

"You'll be workin' on me ship from now on." The man said, ordered him.

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That was it for James. The man who had found him was Captain Black Beard. James figured out that he had been killed in Neverland, but he couldn't really remember how. It was a shock when he realized that he was growing, growing older.

He grew up on the ship, working for Captain Black Beard. He was constantly being ordered to do this or that. His childhood was gone, and was replaced with a harsh reality, causing him to grow cold and hateful to others.

Living on the pirate ship taught him several things though. He learned how to man the ship, how to use the wind, how to read the weather. He was taught how to fight; sword, hand to hand, every type of fighting that there was.

As he grew older a resentment grew within him. He resented Peter, who still remained in Neverland, a free boy. His resentment grew into hatred, and then he craved revenge. The only thing about his death that he could remember was that Peter had convinced him to go into a cave. He remembered the rising water next. The last thing he could remember was Peter's face. Peter had been the one to kill him. It was his fault for the life that he now had.

Captain Black Beard died eventually. Oddly enough he left the ship in James' care. Deep inside the Captain must have been fond of the boy that he had found, even though he never once showed it. James was no longer a boy now though, he was a man, a ruthless and cruel one.

James became the Captain of the ship. He got a new crew, and titled his ship 'The Jolly Roger.' His name was now Captain James Hook. His last name came from what the ship used to be called. His last name would gain a different meaning in the future though.

Captain James Hook was driven by one thing, revenge. He wanted Peter's way of life, and since he could no longer have it, he would end it. He set about in finding a way to get back to Neverland. Surely there was a way, he had gotten here from Neverland, there had to be a way back, and he was going to find it.

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Captain Hook stirred himself out of his memories. Yes, he had found a way back to Neverland, and now, now was his time to gain revenge. He was going to kill Peter Pan, and soon.