Chapter Five: Midnight Visits

Author's Notes: I do not own and am not affiliated with Peter Pan. Those rights belong to J.M Barrie, Disney, etc. However, I do own the character Marina so don't steal her please!

Hook paced the length of Marina's chambers. She was sitting at a table, her head rested in her hand.

"Marina, what am I supposed to do here, huh? I allow you freedom to roam but I will not tolerate any rule breaking!"

"I understand, sir. However, I was detained. I promise, it was not my fault."

"Detained? Fighting Indians again, were we?"

Marina glanced at her father, an annoyed expression on her face. "No…boys."

"Boys?" Hook's back was to Marina so she missed the look of panic that fell across his face. He turned slowly to face her.

"Yes, two of them. They called themselves Lost Boys. Said that Peter Pan was their leader." She paused for a moment and lifted her eyes to meet her fathers. His face was cold as steel. "Is that the same Pan that you battle constantly?"

Hook's cold demeanor broke as he sighed and ran a hand across his face. Sitting down in the opposite chair. "Aye, it is. He has a band of ones he calls children that fight along side of him." He leaned to Marina, "These are not children though, Mari. They once were but Pan steals children from their loving families. They become monsters without fear or conscious. They are even incapable of love."

            Marina's eyes grew huge. They had seemed harmless to her, despite wanting to kill her. The thought had even come across her mind as having new adventures with these children. She longed for some sort of friend that would explore with her.

"Promise me, Mari. Promise me that you will not go looking for these creatures."

"But why do you never let me fight Pan or even these boys? I am the best swordsman out of your entire crew!"

Hook's eyes grew sad as he gazed upon his daughter. "The only fear I have in this world is losing you. He steals children, Mari. He would want to steal you too."

"But I am a pirate!" Marina growled. It seemed absurd to her that one would just snatch children away from their parents. She could only imagine how her father would feel if she disappeared.

"Not to him. You are just the same as the boys he takes from the other world. He would take you away from me, I know this for a fact."

Mari jumped up and hugged her father. Whispering in his ear "I am not going anywhere, Father. I promise you that."

That evening was cool and clear. A slight wind ruffled the hair of a strange, impish boy who perched on the limb of a tree. Out before him laid the harbor and the Jolly Rodger. The ship was quiet and practically begging the boy to come aboard and cause mischief. However, Peter had other plans. He wanted to see this daughter of Hook.

Flying low he skimmed the surface of the ocean and flew along side on side of the ship. Coming to an open window, he found Hook snoring away in some dream or another. Tempted to just do away with the codfish, he shook his head. Even he knew it was bad form. The next window was dark, and it took Peter awhile for his eyes to adjust. There, lying on a bed sound asleep was a small form. One of a child. Peter crept in silently and hovered above her, watching her sleep. 'Why she is a child! I shall take her away.' He thought happily. 'She shall be our new mother.' However, Tink came flying in and began tugging at Peter telling him to leave quickly. As soon as he slipped out of the window, the door burst open and a haggard looking Captain stood, sword drawn. Marina just shifted slightly in her bed, not wakening despite the sound of the door.

"Where are you, Pan? I know you're here."

No sound was made and Peter watched from the window, hidden by the night.

"You stay away from her, Pan. She's mine. You shall not take her away."

Hook settled in the chair near his daughter's bed, taking watch over her for the rest of the evening.

Peter flew off towards his home. "Tink, you don't suppose that girl is truly happy. I mean living with pirates wouldn't make any child happy! I shall save her, Tink, and she will join us." He crowed and it echoed throughout Neverland, leaving a frozen grip on Captain Hook's heart.