Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Peter Pan, Captain Hook, or any of Mr. Barry's other wonderful characters. I write about them solely for my own amusement, and make no profit from it except that which I receive from knowing my writing has been enjoyed by others.

Chapter 6

A New Friend and an Awkward Situation

While in the act of spreading her blankets over her mattress the next morning, Sophia heard a disgruntled squawk coming from her bed and was rather disturbed to see a fist-sized lump on one of her pillows. The… whatever it was made its way towards the head of the bed, and Sophia grabbed a slipper from the floor and prepared to throw it at the vermin that had been nesting in her blankets.

I don't remember ever seeing rats on board, but that's about the right size and…she shuddered. And it was in my bed! How dreadful! What finally emerged into the morning light, however, was not a rodent. It was a pixie. He chimed loudly at her, shaking his tiny fist in the air to show his displeasure at being awakened. Sophia's apprehension turned to delight as she tried to get a better look at him.

"I'm very sorry." She held her hand out, palm up. "I didn't know you were there." The fairy made several more circles around her cabin before landing on her hand. "Good morning," she said. He gave her a mocking bow, and was grinning when he straightened. His skin was pale, almost translucent, and had the muted shimmer common to all pixies. His unruly greenish-brown hair was wreathed with leaves, and his clothes were of mottled forest colors. "You're a wild little thing, aren't you?" she asked. He nodded happily and produced a tiny knife, a bow, and a quiver full of arrows as if to prove his fierceness.

"Very fearsome," Sophia agreed.

The fairy hopped from her hand to her shoulder, and they stared at one another eye to eye. She held her breath as she felt the brush of his silver-grey wings against her face, not wanting to startle him. Though she had seen many fairies the night before, none of them had ever been so close for so long, and she had certainly never held a conversation with any of them.

"You followed me home last night, didn't you?" she asked. He nodded, seemingly pleased at his new friend's deductive powers. "Would you like to stay with me for a while?" He threw his arms around her neck, kissed her cheek, and sped around the room a couple of times in order to show her that he liked that idea very much.

Sophia laughed and rushed to the door, anxious to share her discovery with James. The fairy chimed in her ear the whole time, and the more he spoke to her, the more she began to understand. She found the Captain standing at the railing of the ship, scanning the sky for any sign of Peter Pan or his lost boys. He did not hear her approach or see her standing next to him, and she had to tug on his coat to get his attention.

"James, look what I found," she said. The fairy made an annoyed squawk. "Or, what found me, I suppose I should say," she quickly added.

"A pixie?" he asked, peering curiously at the tiny creature standing on Sophia's shoulder.

"He followed me home last night. He says his name is Hawk Dancer."

The fairy favored James with an elaborate bow by way of introduction, and the Captain lifted his hat in return. Hawk Dancer grinned at being recognized, launched himself into the air, and sped around James' head at a dizzying pace. The fairy seemed especially interested in the large feather sticking out of Hook's hat, and after fluttering around it for a moment, he settled in the brim of the hat to get a closer look. James carefully lifted it from his head and looked down at the fairy, who already looked quite comfortable on his new perch.

"Cheeky little thing, isn't he?" James asked.

"Well… yes, but I like him," Sophia said.

"As long as he doesn't cause too much mischief, I suppose he's welcome here." James wasn't overly sure about the wisdom of allowing a pixie onto his ship, but Sophia's little friend seemed to be rather attached to her already. Keeping Hawk Dancer from her would be more trouble than it was worth.

"He'll be no trouble at all," Sophia assured him. "Will you?" she asked and held her hand out for the fairy to climb into. He nodded his head and saluted the Captain smartly.

"You see?" Sophia said. "He wants you to like him."

"We shall see," James said. Apparently, this was enough for the pixie, who leapt from Sophia's hand and began to dart around the ship. His pale golden light could be seen glimmering in corners and out of the way places, and several pirates were rather startled by his appearance before Hook called to them that all was well.

As Hawk Dancer sped out over the bay, only inches from the water, Sophia leaned on the railing and peered down to watch him. A dark shape swam out from underneath the ship and began to follow the fairy's path. Sophia narrowed her eyes and bent closer for a better look. It was far too large to be a normal fish, and it had flowing hair and human arms.

"James! What is that in the water?" she asked, pointing at the odd creature. For a moment, fear passed across Hook's face. He pulled her away from the railing and drew his sword, putting himself between her and the sea. Upon getting a closer look, he sighed and sheathed his sword.

"It's just a mermaid."

"Just a mermaid? Neverland has those as well?" Sophia's eyes widened. Hook nodded and let her go back to standing at the railing. "What did you think it was?" she asked.

"Not everything in Neverland's waters is friendly," he said.

"Like the crocodile?" she asked.

"Exactly."

"Are the mermaids friendly, then?" she asked. The mermaid that had been following Hawk Dancer had apparently lost interest and was swimming towards shore. Sophia watched it until it was out of sight.

"The mermaids are friends with no one. They are dark and mysterious and keep their own council," James said.

"Oh." Eagerness drained away from Sophia's face, leaving only disappointment.

"You'd like to see them, wouldn't you?" he asked.

"Of course! That is… if it's not too dangerous."

"I think that could be arranged," he said.

James called for one of the boats to be prepared to go to the island. Sophia disappeared into her cabin for a moment, then returned with her journal under her arm, a pen behind her ear, and Hawk Dancer sitting on her shoulder. Hook helped her into the boat and soon they were cutting through the water as they were rowed toward the island.

"Yesterday, fairies, today, mermaids… are there any other magical creatures on Neverland you haven't told me about?" Sophia asked.

"Such as?" James prompted her.

"Unicorns?"

"If there are, I've certainly never seen one," he said. And if there were, they would certainly never show themselves to me, he thought.

"Dragons?"

"No, none of those."

Sophia drew her eyebrows together, combing her memory for more magical beasts. "Centaurs? Griffins? Ghosts? Vampires? Elves?" she asked.

"None of those, either," James told her. "As far as I can tell, Neverland has pixies, mermaids, Indians, flying boys, a giant crocodile, and strange weather. Nothing else."

"And pirates," Sophia added. "Don't forget those."

The water was suddenly calm around them. The boat had entered a lagoon surrounded on all sides by high cliffs that blocked the light and covered everything in shadows. The air was damp and heavy, and Sophia felt unseen eyes upon them. Several large rocks broke the surface of the water, and the crewmen rowing the boat had to maneuver carefully in order to avoid them. The pirates were anxious, and even Hook seemed to be on the alert.

"This is their place, isn't it?" Sophia whispered. She could feel the tingle of ancient magic on her skin, and even in her excitement knew enough to be wary of such power.

"Yes. This is Mermaid's Lagoon," James said. "Bring us close to that rock over there," he instructed his crewmen.

Sophia was trying very hard to see if she could make out any movement in the water, but she saw nothing. The surface of the lagoon was glassy and undisturbed.

James helped her out of the boat and onto a rock that was just big enough for the two of them.

"Wait for us at the entrance, and be ready to come quickly when I call," James said to his rowers.

"Why are you sending them away?" Sophia asked. Her voice suddenly sounded very loud to her ears.

"You wouldn't see anything if there was a boat sitting in the middle of the lagoon," he said. Something just at the edge of Sophia's vision moved in the water, and she thought she saw a pair of eyes staring at her. She turned to look at it, and James caught her arm.

"I told you on the ship that mermaids were… mysterious. They aren't as friendly as that pixie you've got in your pocket." Hawk Dancer peeked out and chimed anxiously. "The mermaids do things for their own purposes, and I have seen them be cruel. However, I don't think they'll hurt you. They may not like me, but they respect me. And… I have faith in your powers."

"I'm glad someone does," Sophia whispered.

The water at their feet rippled, and three mermaids broke the surface. Sophia gasped, but quickly recovered from her surprise and knelt down slowly to greet them. A mermaid with dark, kelp-green hair put her hand on Sophia's arm and pulled her closer to the water. James tensed and put his hand on his sword, but Sophia shook her head, reached up, and pushed his hand away from his blade.

"I'm all right," she said.

Apparently pleased with this show of trust, the mermaid put her other webbed hand on the side of Sophia's face and smiled, revealing sharp white teeth. Dark eyes rimmed with sea-salt caught Sophia's own, and images of secret places underwater rose up in Sophia's mind.

"That's… where you live," she whispered.

You see what I show you. That is good. We can't form your land-speech. Sophia knew that someone had spoken to her, but she heard nothing. The mermaid tilted her head to one side, and Sophia knew who it was who had been talking to her.

Sister, the mermaid said. The other two mermaids echoed the word, and swam closer so that they could put their hands on Sophia as well.

Yes. Sister, the mermaid with hair the color of red coral agreed. Sophia was too shocked at being addressed so familiarly to say much of anything.

You bring change, the first mermaid said. Change to the island. Change to the Dark Captain.

"Change? What kind of change?" Sophia asked. "Can you see the future? It's a good change, I hope…"

We see what is happening already, the mermaid said. No need to see the future.

One of the mermaids hissed, and all three of them turned their faces towards the cliff. Sophia looked as well, and saw a small boy dart behind a rock.

Danger! Sophia felt the word come from all three mermaids. Two of them immediately dove beneath the water. The dark-haired one held her eyes for a few moments longer before disappearing.

"We should be going as well," James said. He helped her up and signaled the boat. "What did they say to you?" he asked.

"Not much." Sophia had to lean heavily on him in order to stand upright. The direct touch of the mermaids' minds upon her own had been disorienting. "They called me 'Sister,' and said something about change… and you…"

The boat bumped against the rock, and he lifted her inside.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked.

"No, no, I'm all right," she said. "I just… wasn't expecting them to be so… strong."

As they rowed back, Sophia rested her head on his shoulder, and James wrapped his coat around her to keep her from shivering. Fall had passed that morning, and winter's chill came with mid afternoon.

Has he changed? she wondered. Because of me? I can't know what he was like before I came, but… he does seem less frightening than he did when we first met. Of course, that might be because I've gotten to know him. But why would the mermaids see fit to tell me that? There's so much I don't know…

"You're very quiet," the Captain said.

"The mermaids simply gave me much to think about," she said.

The boat rocked in the wind, and he put his arm around her to assure her that all was well. Sophia gratefully nestled against him, and a feeling of peace and well-being spread through her. Sitting by his side felt right and natural.

She closed her eyes and whispered the first few words of a charm to warm the air around them. The now-familiar rush of power molding itself to her will sent a shiver up her spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

Perhaps I have changed as well, she thought.

-----

Dinner had been cleared away, and James had begun to worry about Sophia. She had remained pensive for the rest of the afternoon, and was now frowning at the glass of wine she held in her hand for no discernable reason.

"You are worried," he said. "Is it because of the mermaids? I wouldn't have taken you to the lagoon had I known it would upset you so greatly."

Sophia swirled the wine around the inside of the glass and peered into the vortex of the tiny maelstrom she had made.

"No need to apologize. I'm glad I saw them. An opportunity to see such creatures… isn't something I ever thought I'd have." Sophia opened the leather-bound journal that sat on the table between them and pointed to lines written in her neat hand interspersed with hasty sketches of the mermaids' hands, hair, and faces. "See? I was able to record a great deal in my notes," she said, and smiled as she ran her fingers down the pages.

James leaned over the table to get a closer look at the journal, and at Sophia. She seemed content enough, but her normal exuberance at discovering new things had been muted. She should have been bursting with ideas and theories, half of which he couldn't understand. Instead, she showed him what she had written and said little else. He caught the words 'telepathy' and 'mind-speech' in one of the blocks of text, and tapped them with the index finger of his good hand.

"You think they communicate mind to mind, eh?" he asked.

"Yes."

Hook was taken aback at receiving such a short answer. Asking Sophia a question should have produced a torrent of words.

"And they spoke to you this way? That is how it seemed to me," he said.

"They did." Sophia sighed, shut her notebook, and placed it on her lap.

"You don't seem overly happy about this discovery," James said.

Sophia shook her head. "It is… amazing. I don't even know if such beings exist in the world I come from. Any sorcerer I know would give a great deal in order to see what I've seen. And… there are so many who would be better prepared than I to understand… everything." She drained her wine glass and set it on the table.

"And why is it so important that everything be understood?" James asked.

"Because…" She flung her arm out in the direction of the island. "Do you have any idea how incredible Neverland is? How beyond me the magic here is?" She strode to the porthole in the captain's cabin and stared out across the water.

"That really bothers you, doesn't it?" he asked, resting his chin in his hand and raising an eyebrow at her. Sophia didn't notice the amusement on his face.

"Of course it does. I have been trained to pursue knowledge, to master secrets, and yet… I find myself unequal to this task."

"And what task is that?" Hook asked. She had never spoken of a purpose before, and he found this omission more than a little disturbing.

She opened her mouth for a moment, then pressed her lips together tightly.

"The task of learning all I can about this place and understanding how it works," she said. James got the distinct impression that this was not what she had originally meant to say. "I've told you before… I'm little more than an amateur. Any true sorcerer would laugh at how little I've learned here. I feel like an ignorant child."

"And is that all Neverland is to you? New knowledge?" James asked. His patience with her scholarly frustration was growing short. He rose from his chair slowly and took a step toward her. There was a cutting undertone to his voice. The thought that Sophia was merely concerned with Neverland as a mystical curiosity cut him, and the hurt was frighteningly unfamiliar.

He was ready to raise his voice in anger when he heard her say, "It is more." She turned her head, and the pain on her face stopped his words before they could be spoken.

"I've found friendship here," she said quietly. "I've never had anyone I could call a friend before, but now… I have you." Her last three words were barely audible.

James shook his head, regretting having sounded angry. The more comfortable he got with her, the more he forgot how easily she startled.

"I didn't mean to sound ungrateful," Sophia continued. "I only wish that… I could be more useful to you. Sometimes I feel like I'm making a nuisance of myself without doing much in return."

He came to stand beside her and put his hand on hers.

"You have done me more good than you know," he said.

Sophia's turned her thin face towards him. "I'm glad to hear you say that," she said solemnly.

They faced each other with hands clasped together for a few long moments. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic crash of the waves against the side of the ship. Though Sophia drew in slow, even breaths, her heart was racing. She looked at James expectantly, though she wasn't sure what it was she was hoping for him to do. When he kissed her, she realized what it was she'd been waiting for. In a single artless movement, he leaned down and put his lips on hers. Sophia tensed, but allowed herself to be pulled closer to him. Never having been kissed before, she was rather flushed when he let her go. Though by all appearances she was flustered, her hazel eyes were dark and serious. She put one hand to her glasses as if uncertain whether or not the events she was viewing through them were true. James smiled to reassure her and brushed the hair that fell across her forehead away from her face. Very carefully, he took her glasses off of her face, folded them, and set them on the mantle where they would not fall off. Sophia blinked for a moment as her eyes adjusted. One of his arms was still around her waist, and their foreheads were nearly touching.

"There, that's better," he said. "Can you still see?"

"I can see… you. But only because you're very close," she whispered. "You are… very handsome, James. I can see that."

She tilted her chin upwards very slightly, and they fell into another kiss, not nearly so accidental this time. Sophia wondered if James could feel how quickly her heart was beating. It seemed to her as if her entire skin were thrumming with each pulse, and considering how closely he was holding her, he must have felt something. It was quite embarrassing, and she felt rather ridiculous. If only her heart would listen to her mind and calm down!

He let her go at last. He could not decide whether the look she gave him was extreme surprise, consternation, or the closest thing to fear he had ever seen on her face. What he did know was that she was shivering like the last leaf on a tree in winter. He squeezed her hand. He would have liked nothing more than to have kissed her again, but the shocked look she was giving him told him that it might not be prudent.

"Good night, Sophia," he said, and pushed open the doorway to the corridor connecting their rooms. She took a step backwards, still holding his hand.

"Good night, James," she said. Her voice sounded as if it were coming from very far away.

It seemed to take an eternity for their fingers to part, and even longer for the door to swing shut and leave them alone on either side of it.