A/N - see? I told you I would update fast. School is officially over and the year was amazing! That's weird because I normally hate school. Well, maybe that's because I finally got up the courage to tell this boy I like how I feel, and guess what? He likes me back hehe, now I feel like Wendy!

Sickness of the Heart

Chapter 13 - Fear

By the time Wendy made it back safely, the sun could bearly be seen among the tall pine trees. It took her awhile to lift the bark to the tree house. Not because it was heavy, but because she was fighting the urge to run back to the beach and wade through the water back to the ship. Shaking all those back thoughts from her head, she stepped through the opening.

Through out the whole day, Wendy had this deep sense of panic in the pit of her stomach. Luckily she made it safely down into the underground hideout. She was not going to go against Peters word and go back outside. It took every ounce of will power she had not to. Wendy staggered down the steps, leading to the main room of the cozy interior. The house was still empty, which just gave Wendy more room for worry. No Lost boys, no Tinkerbell, no anyone. The only option was to wait. She went around the house trying to do anything to keep her mind from the words of the pirates and the fact that Peter was still aboard Hooks ship.

The second that worry some thought crossed her mind a sharp pain erupted in Wendy's side causing her hand to involuntarily twitch. The dish in her hand slipped and smashed to the floor into a million pieces. She jumped out of the way to avoid the broken shards. It almost felt as if some invisible force was dragging her down. Her stomach burned violently. Knowing she could no longer stand, she leaned all of her weight against the wall behind her. She let an audible moan escape her lips as she wiped a few stray beads of sweat off her forehead.

'Pan won't be flyin' from this. Damn sure O' that.'

Wendy heard the pirates repeat themselves in her head. What do they plan on doing to him? What if they had him now? Wendy pushed herself away from the wall to try to get to her bedroom. A splitting pain shot through her head. Wendy staggered for a few seconds before falling to her knees. She didn't want to be alone ... Not now. Not with all of this happening.

"What's... Happening ... To me?" She whispered into the silence of the house. Finally her mind gave into the heaviness of her body and she hit the floor roughly.

----

'Please let Wendy be ok, Please let Wendy be ok."

Was the only thought that crossed Peters mind as he rapidly glided through the dark forest of Neverland. He honestly didn't mean to stay gone for so long but Hook was unable to comprehend the meaning of 'Demand'. Having a door slammed right in his face was most definitely meaning for war. Peter pounded against the door for a long time, shouting out orders and generally being annoying. Hook didn't give in and after awhile, Peter's fist began to turn a bruised shade of purple. When Hook said that his men were already on shore, Peter couldn't help but feel regret about letting Wendy travel home alone. So, he decided to quickly leave his post and find her.

As he approached Hangman's tree, he noticed the lost boys all walking towards the tree from the other direction. All of them looked worn out from their carefree day of play.

"Have fun today?" Peter asked as he landed.

"Too hot to have to much fun." Nibs got site of Peters bruised fist and asked "What happened?" Peter rubbed at his swollen fist, mentally cursing himself for being to persistent.

"Nothing much." What was done was done, so Peter decided to just shake off the pain and he proceeded to go into the house. When peter and the lost boys made their way down the stairs, they were met with a strange heaviness in the air.

The only light in the house came from a small dimly lit candle in the far corner of the room. The rest was near impossible to see. Peter picked up the only lit candle and used it to light the other ones.

"Wendy!" Peter finally saw the reason the room was so incredibly quiet. Wendy was passed out cold on the floor with the broken plate scattered around her. All of the boys ran to sit by her side. Peter slowly lowered his hand towards Wendy's forehead. As Peter's hand grazed the top of her forehead, Wendy's eyes popped open.

"Your OK!" Nibs nearly shouted. Wendy gave him a weak smile.

"I was jus' a bit tired I guess...mmm fine ..." Wendy's mind wandered once again back to what the pirates had said. She had to tell Peter about this before they got him. "Peter... I need to -" Before Wendy could finish, Peter pressed his finger against her lips.

"You NEED to rest." He said while gently picking Wendy up. Her eyes were much to heavy to resist the tempting warmth coming from Peters body. The last thing Wendy saw was Peter lowering her into her own bed.

----

Wendy sat up quickly in bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her brain pounded against her skull. It was beginning to drive her slowly insane. The room was dark, most likely because it was still night out. Even with the darkness of the room, it was still so hot and stuffy that it was almost unbearable. Maybe it was just her? One thing was for certain, she needed to get out of that room before she passed out from the heat.

Cautiously, she wandered over to the cloth flap that concealed her room and peered out. The rest of the house was pitch black and the sound of rhythmic snores echoed off the walls. Peter had told her not to go outside without him, but the cool breeze coming from the door only teased her more. besides, it was the middle of the night. Hooks crew couldn't possibly still be on shore. She tiptoed soundlessly up the stone steps and lifted the door of the understand home.

She was immediately hit with a gust of cool air. The night was as beautiful as ever. The moon was always full in Neverland. Tiny fairies darted around the trees, illuminating the thick underbrush. A million stars covered the sky at once. Each one twinkled with a unique radiance all its own. On a wonderful night like this, Wendy could have easily stayed outside all night long. Unfortunately, Peter would eventually find that she had disobeyed his orders and be VERY angry. With a heavy sigh, Wendy turned to go back into the house.

Suddenly a net dropped from the top of the tree, pinning Wendy roughly to the ground. Before she had time to scream, a pair of grease hands covered her mouth, impairing her from all speech. As Wendy kicked and struggled to try and free herself, the most sinister of them all stepped out from the darkness. The metal claw that stood as a reminder for his missing hand gleamed in the moon light.

"Hello again Wendy..." Hook gave a triumphant laugh at Wendy's less-then-pleased expression. The exact expression he wanted her to have when this day came. "Men, take her to the Jolly Roger."

Through the woods Hooks crew went. Billy Jukes was given the honor of carrying a kicking and screaming Wendy all the way to the ship. Poor Wendy was painfully shaken around in an uncomfortably small net. Her splitting headache quickly resurfaced itself under these circumstances; After what seemed like forever and a day, they finally arrived at the lifeboats. The tiny wooden boats slowly made their way towards the infamous Jolly Roger.

By the time Wendy was finally placed on the deck of the pirate vessel, she looked about ready to rip all of them apart limp for limp. Hook finally cut her free.

"What the hell have you got planned Hook?" Wendy just blurted out the first thing that popped into her head, no longer caring about obscenities.

"I think its quite improper for a lady to speak with such a nasty tone." Hook replied in a mocking voice.

"I don't care. What are you going to do to Peter?"

"I don't think those matters concern you. Those Frays are between me and Pan." Wendy gritted her teeth with anger.

"I've had enough of you Hook." Wendy looked behind her towards Hooks sword rack. She pulled from it, the sharpest and longest of the bunch. The metal seemed to weigh a ton in her frail hands. Still, the rush of adrenalin gave Wendy the strength to lift the sword and aim for Hooks throat.

"Gotten braver I see." Hook didn't even flinch at the threat pointed towards him. Wendy's body seem to slowly begin to collapse under the weight of the sword. The only problem was, to anyone else the sword was not even particularly heavy. Her arms just couldn't take the pressure. "No matter how boldly you wield that sword, I see through your fabrication."

"Fabrication... I think not Hook!" Wendy felt the sword begin to slip from her fingers and she quickly grabbed it with her other hand. Hook smirked.

"Then I suppose the mermaids lied to me when they told me you were sick?" Seeing how weak you just are, I dare say they must be telling me the truth."

"I'm ... I'm not sick!" Wendy lied. She thought she was getting better, but with what happened earlier that day, she couldn't help but think her recovery was going nowhere. Anyway, if Hook knew, he would just use it against her. 'Just keep lying, and maybe he'll think it true.' She thought to herself.

"The mermaids told me they smelt death looming on the horizon." Hooks crew laughed when they saw Wendy's face turn ghost white.

"The only death here will be you!" Wendy said with false confidence. Her head was filled with fears and worries, but she would not show a drop of weakness to such an evil man. Wendy lifted her sword and brought it down hard on Hook. The pirate effortlessly used his metal claw to block the blow. In the process he knocked Wendy backwards into Mullins. The man caught her and tossed her right back towards their leader.

"Would you care try that again Ms. Darling?"

He watched as Wendy wobbled awkwardly on her feet. She just felt so helpless. She knew there was no way of winning this fight. Normally, Wendy was extremely skilled with a sword. Maybe if her head didn't hurt so bad, or her heart wasn't pounding out of her chest, she could have beaten him. There was no way she could save herself. She needed Peter more then ever now. She let the sword drop onto the wooden surface of the deck. In a panic, she ran to the railing and hollered out into the distance.

"PETER!" Instead of a boy answering, a shining tail and a pale blue face of a women grazed the surface. With its sharp teeth bered, she let out a deafening shriek. The mermaids were hateful and seductive creatures, but now, they were her only hope. Even if they were one of the creatures that hated her most.

"He can't hear you." Hook went to stand beside her. Wendy's eyes traveled up into Hooks forget-me-not blue eyes. Her own eyes held only hostility toward that one man.

"What are you planning Hook? Why did you take me?"

"And ruin the surprise Ms. Darling? I wouldn't even think of it." Hook roughly took Wendy by the arm and held her so tight that it hurt to move. "Jukes! Set out the plank!"

Wendy's eyes opened wide with horror. The thick wooden board was placed between the empty space of the railing. Feeling a tugging at her hands behind her back, she realized another pirate was busy tieing her hands together. She tried to fight back as Hook began to push her body forward towards the plank. Soon she stood on the very edge of the unstable piece of wood.

"What do you want from me?" Wendy frantically cried.

"I want nothing from you. I want Pan." Hook smirked. "You are merely bait."

Wendy let out a small gasp as the plank shook in the wind. Wendy regained posture and focused back on Hook.

"If you wanted Peter, why did you not take him when he was aboard your ship!"

"It would give him too long of an opportunity to get away. The longer he is my prisoner, the more time he has to plan a getaway." Hook shouted back. "Besides, you are my tool. All I must do is lay a finger on you and Peter will do anything to protect you. Even submit to my will." Wendy remained silent. In her heart, she knew that was true. Peter would die for her. Be that good or bad, it was the ultimate for of torture to Peter. With a brave face, Wendy turned her back on Hook. Nothing was on the vast horizon but a wide ocean. No hope at all.

A pang of guilt shot to Wendy's heart. She went against Peters words. She went outside alone when she was told not to. She got herself caught.

'It's all my fault ... I did this ... It's all my fault ...My father went against Peters word and got banished forever! I don't want to be banished! ' Wendy said over and over again in her head. Her whole body felt weak Her eyes involuntarily closed and her mind began to shut down.

She began to drop towards the icy ocean.

A/N - Sorry about the cliff hanger, I just had too Hope you enjoyed.