Chapter 3

Peter felt himself bristle at the sound of Hook's chuckle. He hated that Hook knew how to hurt him; he felt weak and vulnerable, and every fibre of his being willed him to resist. He needed to show the Pirate Captain that he was still a force to be reckoned with.

Spinning himself around to face the villain, Peter fixed Hook with a scowl that he hoped aptly demonstrated the hatred he felt coursing through his veins.

"Laugh at me again, Hook, and I'll cut out your tongue!"

The man blinked at the vicious little boy before him and couldn't help the smirk that grew on his face. Peter clenched his teeth in response and growled in outrage.

Flinging himself towards Hook, Peter grabbed at the man's throat… but the Captain towered over him and easily held the boy at bay, allowing himself to chuckle once more.

"Watch ya'self, Captain!" chimed in Mason, "The little lad might crease ya shirt!"

The crew erupted into full-blown laughter, as did their captain… And Peter felt his cheeks redden and his eyes well-up again.

"Shut your hole, Mason, or I'll have you, too!"

Another cacophony of mocking laughter came then, and Peter felt his rage build again. Grabbing hold of the hilt of Hook's sword, Peter began to unsheathe it… But Hook grabbed hold of the boy's hand tightly before a quarter of the blade showed.

"That's not for you, boy. You have no business with a sword."

Peter stared at the man, dumbfounded. Had Hook forgotten who he was? Peter Pan?! The boy who had bested him with a blade countless times?!

"Give me one and I'll show you what business I have with it, Hook." The captain kept a firm grip on Pan's wrist.

"Or are you too scared to face me?"

That mocking smirk returned to Hook's face. Peter screamed in rage and pulled himself free, letting Hook's sword slip back into its sheath.

"Pan… I doubt you could best one of your own brats in a duel, let alone one of my men!"

"I can beat any one of them! I have before, and I will again!"

"But, child… You can't fly. You'd never survive a fair fight."

"I always fight fair, Hook!" Peter glared at the man… but Hook was looking thoughtful.

"Being able to fly gave you the upper hand, boy. You don't honestly believe you could beat me with both your feet on the ground, do you?"

The Captain gave Peter such a pitying look that the boy couldn't help but glance down at his feet. Surely Hook was wrong. Peter Pan was a fine swordsman. The finest in all of Neverland!

"I can beat you, Hook. I can beat all of you."

There was no missing the note of uncertainty in Pan's voice as he made his claim… And Hook loved it. Peter Pan… the cocky brat who thought himself the centre of the universe... had begun to doubt himself. How marvellous!

"Very well, Pan… We shall have a tournament."

The boy looked up at the man, questioningly, so Hook elaborated.

"Two will duel… the winner will then be challenged by a new opponent. Whoever is victorious and not challenged...wins."

The crew let out a hearty cheer and all gathered and formed a circle on deck. Wendy, Michael and John were shoved to the front, and Peter only then realised the other children were there.

"As it is your first tournament, Pan, you may have a practice round,"

"I don't need one." Peter answered immediately.

"We shall see..."

Hook smiled at the boy as he held out a sword for him. Peter went to take it eagerly… but gasped as the captain suddenly pulled him close, holding his namesake painfully against Pan's throat.

"If you try to attack any one with this, I'll break your arm." The threat was whispered and sincere, and Peter felt a chill shoot up his spine.

He gave a small nod, and Hook released him.

"John,"

The boy looked stunned when Captain Hook addressed him, as did his brother and sister, who glanced from one to the other.

"You wouldn't mind having the first go, would you?"

John took a nervous step forward, into the circle, and hesitantly shook his head.

"No… Captain."

"Good lad! Mr Smee… give him a sword."

John took the blade that was offered, and looked at Peter, who had already taken up a fighting stance. But before John could get into position, Captain Hook had taken hold of his arm and gently steered him out of earshot of the other children.

"Are you a fair swordsman, Master John?"

The boy gulped to lessen his nerves before answering. Being so close to such a dangerous man was somewhat overwhelming.

"Fairly fair… Sir."

The man looked the boy straight in the eyes, and John tried not to squirm.

"If you beat Pan, John… I'll let you all go."

"Sir?"

"I will sail my ship back to that accursed isle… and I'll release you all. Including Pan."

"You will?"

"I swear it, lad… On the memory of my own dear old mum."

John's eyes widened. Surely even Captain Hook wouldn't disgrace his own mother! The Captain stepped away then, and John turned to face Peter. If he could beat Peter… just this once… he would save them all.

John locked eyes with his leader and shook his head ever so slightly, willing Peter to somehow perceive what Hook had told him. If only Peter would let him win…

But Peter was out to prove Captain Hook wrong… and any niggling doubt John's expression gave him was quickly ignored.

Lunging forward, Pan swung his weapon forcefully and John staggered backwards as he absorbed the blow with his own sword. Peter spun and again swung at John… but the other boy managed to sidestep quickly enough, and Peter had to move quickly to block an attack.

Peter paused as he and John made eye-contact. He was surprised at how well John was holding his own. Peter could usually disarm him easily… But John seemed determined not to lose. Why was he choosing now, of all times, to try to win? Did he want Peter to look a fool in front of Hook and his crew? Perhaps he wanted to impress them… Perhaps he was turning against Peter… Betraying him.

Pan let the thought kindle his anger, and he attacked. John was hit with such force that he fell backwards, landing painfully, his sword flying from his grasp and clattering to the deck. Peter brought the tip of his blade up to the other boy's throat… and perhaps wouldn't have halted had it not been for Wendy's scream.

"Peter! Stop!"

Pan scowled at the boy at his feet. John's expression was one of wide-eyed terror, but after another tense moment Peter let his blade drop, and John scurried to his feet.

"Well done," Captain Hook gave a brief applause, using Mr Smee's hand as a substitute, before guiding John out of the circle.

"Pan wins. Who will challenge him."

Billy Jukes gave a derisive snort of laughter and stepped forward, "I will, Captain."

Both boys grinned darkly at each other and began to pace.

"It's time for you to pay, Pan..."

"If you'd like another dip in the sea, Jukes, I'll happily oblige..."

Billy's grin fell from his face, replaced with a hateful scowl, and he leapt forward, sword drawn. Peter managed to parry the first strike, but the speed of the second caught him off-guard, forcing him to hit the deck and roll to avoid being slashed. As he quickly regained his footing, Peter turned and swung at Jukes, but Billy easily parried and returned the attack with greater strength.

Pan stared at his empty hand, hardly believing that he had just been disarmed. His sword lay on the deck where it had landed, and the tip of Billy's own pointed at Peter's chest.

The rest of the crew cheered and laughed, and Billy chuckled with delight, letting his blade fall to his side. At the sound of Jukes' mocking laughter, Peter glared at him in outrage.

"Christ, Pan! I think that was the easiest fight I've ever had!" Another wave of laughter spread through the crew, and Peter felt his rage boil over.

Before Billy knew it, Peter had leapt at him, both boys hitting the deck with a heavy thud, Jukes putting up his arms to protect his head as Pan began pummelling him ferociously.

Before Peter had time to do Billy any real damage, Mullins had the boy around the waist and heaved him off of the young pirate. Starkey and Cookson helped Billy to his feet while Peter screamed in rage and wriggled in Mullins' grasp.

"Be still, ya vicious little buggar!"

Peter finally calmed himself, but still shot daggers at Billy Jukes.

Hook took hold of the boy's chin, ignoring Peter's attempts to resist.

"A sore loser, are you Pan? I suppose we shouldn't be surprised."

Hook let the boy go and signalled to Mullins to do the same, the pirate giving Peter a rough shove for good measure.

"Now, if you've quite finished your tantrum… We'll continue..."

Peter stomped, petulantly, to the sidelines and sat on the steps to the sterncastle with his arms crossed.

Hook smirked at Pan's childish sulk, then turned back to Billy.

"If you are ready to defend your victory, Mr Jukes..."

"Aye, Captain. I doubt I'll even bruise."

Billy smiled as Peter shot him another hateful glare, then readied himself for the next duel.

"Who will challenge?!" The children and the crew glanced about at the Captain's words, then Gentleman Starkey stepped into the ring.

Their duel was longer than the previous two, but not by much. Billy Jukes was fairly quick and small enough to dodge many blows, but Starkey had some of the nimblest footwork Hook had ever seen. His fencing technique was probably the reason Captain Hook hadn't run Starkey through long ago. The man could be infuriating… but he was an asset in a fight.

Sure enough, Billy Jukes soon found himself halted by Starkey's blade at his throat, the man having sidestepped as Billy lunged.

After a moment of silence, Starkey smiled at his young crew-mate and let his blade fall, Jukes returning the grin and relaxing his stance. The rest of the crew cheered and chuckled as Jukes returned to the edge of the circle and Gentleman Starkey looked about himself for a new challenger.

Hook gave a brief one-handed applause before looking meaningfully at Peter Pan. The boy sat with his chin in his hands, still moping over his defeat. Peter felt eyes upon him, and looked up to see Captain Hook, the crew and even Wendy, Michael and John watching him.

Peter shifted uncomfortably under their collective gaze, and scowled venomously at the pirates.

"Well, Pan?" Hook gestured towards Starkey, stood leaning delicately on his sword in the middle of the deck, "Aren't you going to take this opportunity to redeem yourself?"

Peter pouted his lip as he looked around at the expectant faces. He knew Hook was just trying to make a fool of him… but he had beaten all these men before, at one time or another. He couldn't let himself back down to them and their villainous Captain now. And he couldn't lose face in front of Wendy and her brothers; they would tell the Lost Boys, and they wouldn't trust Peter to be the leader any more. He wouldn't let that happen!

Still in an obvious sulk, Peter stood, grabbed up his sword, and walked towards Gentleman Starkey,

"I challenge." the boy growled through gritted teeth.

He tested the grip on his sword as his eyes shot daggers at his opponent, his determination evident. Starkey simply smiled at the boy. The child obviously was no match. If he couldn't beat Billy Jukes, a boy of the same age and almost the same size… Starkey surely would have no trouble.

And, indeed, when Peter lunged forward with an offensive attack, Starkey parried and stepped out of the way. When Peter moved in one direction, Starkey went the other; calmly, with grace. Peter was fast, though… even without flight, and Starkey found himself having to absorb more attacks than he otherwise would. But without the momentum pixie dust gave, the boy didn't have the strength to inflict any damaging blows, and Starkey soon had him outmanoeuvred with the tip of a sword pointed at his chest.

Peter felt the same disbelief as the crowd of pirates broke into cheers and laughter once again. Pan felt the eyes of Wendy and the other boys boring into him… but he couldn't face them. He simply walked back to the stairs and slouched down onto the bottom step.

Then the pattern repeated itself; Starkey was challenged by Robert Mullins, and the two were worthy opponents. Starkey's sprightly grace was ultimately no match for Mullins' brawn and determination, and soon Peter found himself facing off against the rugged, weather-beaten pirate.

And again, Peter was no match.

Although he was faster than the pirate, Mullins was far stronger and more aggressive than Pan's previous adversaries; he put all his weight behind every blow… and the first direct hit Peter couldn't escape had him crashing painfully to the deck.

Mullins stood over the boy and laughed heartily, and Peter felt himself snap. Pushing himself to his feet, the boy screamed out in reckless anger. Tears began spilling from his reddening eyes as Mullins took a step away from him in surprise. Pan raged; screaming and cursing and swinging his sword at the air in frustration, finally throwing the blade with all his might so that it went clattering noisily across the deck.

Everyone had fallen silent to watch this violent display of petulant anger, and as Peter let himself sink to the floor and sit, panting to catch his breath, Hook glared at him.

He had always known Peter Pan to be a spoilt brat… and although Hook was partly enjoying seeing the boy's frustration, no child of Peter's age should have the audacity to tantrum like a four-year-old. And certainly no member of his crew would display such immature behaviour. For hadn't he, James Hook, promised the boy he would be a pirate? Whether Peter liked it or not.

Making up his mind, the Captain marched over to where the youth sat on deck, halting directly in front of the boy. Peter glanced up briefly at the man, but looked away again insolently.

"Get up."

Hook's voice was sharp and austere. Peter again looked up and met the man's gaze, chewing on his lip in deliberation before finally letting out a sigh of exasperation and getting to his feet. The two stood looking at one another for a few moments in silence, Pan fidgeting under the Pirate Captain's glower.

Peter cried out in shock as Hook suddenly grabbed hold of the boy's hair and pulled him violently towards him until Peter was pressed up against the Captain's chest. The boy grasped Hook's good hand with both of his own as he tried to prevent the man from pulling his hair out of his scalp.

"You will conduct yourself with dignity and self-control while on my ship, boy," Hook gave the child an aggressive shake to be sure the child was listening, "I have grown tired of your puerile behaviour. Do you understand?!" Again, he shook Peter and the boy hissed in pain.

"Do you understand?!" Peter had shut his eyes tight and clenched his teeth in an effort to resist… but at last he relented.

"Yes!"

"'Yes', what?"

"Ow! Yes… Captain."

The man shoved the boy away from him, Peter staggering to keep his footing as Hook turned away. All eyes were upon him as he gestured to Robert Mullins, "Well done, Mr Mullins. Let us continue...I challenge."

Robert tried to hide his dismay at having to face Captain Hook in combat… but reminded himself it was simply for fun, and he was in no real danger. Unless Hook got carried away, that is.

Squaring up to each other, both men held up their swords and began to expertly circle one another; when one man stepped one way, his opponent would mirror. Eventually, Mullins took the offensive and lunged at his Captain. Hook parried the blade and returned the attack.

To watch their duel was a marvel; even Peter stared in awe. Michael and John had their mouths hanging open, and Wendy watched on wide-eyed. She did spare a few glances for Peter, however… but the boy was still refusing to meet her eye.

Although Mullins held his own, it was inevitable who was meant to win this fight, and it wasn't long before the Captain had his crewman pinned with his back to the mainmast, Hooks sword pointing at the pirate's neck.

A cheer erupted from the crew as they applauded their Captain's victory. Hook sheathed his weapon in order to shake Mullins by the hand, Robert nodding respectfully at his Captain.

Once Mullins had made his way out of the circle, Hook looked about expectantly, "Now, then… Who will challenge me?" The crew all glanced about or looked down at their own feet, unwilling to meet the man's gaze in case he decided to nominate one of them. But they all knew there was only one opponent Hook wanted.

Letting his gaze fall on the boy, Hook gave him a questioning look, "Well, Peter? Aren't you going to challenge me?" The boy shifted uncomfortably and refused to make eye-contact, "This is your big chance to prove to us that you are still a worthy opponent, rather than a snivelling, selfish spoilt brat."

Peter did lock eyes with Hook then. The hate he felt for the man was so strong, it made him feel like he was about to burst into tears again. The whole situation was so unfair! Hook was a fully-grown beast of a man… and Peter was too small to take a direct attack. Hadn't he already proven himself all those countless times he bested the Pirate Captain? Flight wasn't an advantage; it simply levelled the playing field. Now Hook had the unfair advantage, and simply wanted to make Peter Pan look a fool. Well… Peter didn't have to play his game.

"Pick on someone your own size, Codfish."

Wendy winced at the mocking nickname. Why couldn't Peter just control himself? Was it really so difficult for the boy to hold his tongue when their lives were in danger? Apparently it was.

But to everyone's surprise, Peter included, Hook threw back his head and laughed.

The crew fidgeted nervously as they watched their Captain, unsure whether they should join in or stay silent. Soon enough though, Hook's amusement seemed to suddenly cease, and he stared piercingly at his young nemesis.

"I should have known you'd cop out, boy… You're nothing but a cocky little coward."

"Shut your face, Hook!" Peter stood straighter and took a step towards the man, defiantly. Wendy went to him and put her hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her off.

"Peter..."

"Shut up!"

Wendy flinched as though she had been slapped, and stared at Peter in shock. But Pan only continued to glare at the Captain.

"You had better be careful, Pan, or soon you won't have any friends at all."

"What do you care?!"

Hook smiled, "I don't. In fact, I would revel in watching your little gang turn against you. Already, these three are beginning to see you for what you really are."

Peter looked at Wendy then. Then over at John and Michael. Hook was right, of course. His friends were already turning against him… loosing faith in him. And they'd tell the Lost Boys… And Peter would be alone.

But he wasn't about to advertise his insecurities to James Hook!

"Why should I care what they think? I don't care what anybody thinks!"

Hook grinned, knowingly, and Peter bristled.

"Does anyone challenge?!" Hook turned his attention back to the crewman surrounding him, but none of them spoke up.

Peter glared at the back of Hook's head as the man turned away.

"I challenge you, Hook!"

The Captain returned his gaze slowly to the brazen boy, and sneered.

"You, boy, aren't even a challenge for Mr Smee. You lack all technique. You are not worthy to fight me."

Peter took a deep breath to steady himself, resisting the rage that was still bubbling up within him. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the hilt of his sword tighter.

"And you're just a coward, Hook! Won't even fight a little boy!"

Hook chuckled, and Peter scowled.

"That's exactly why I won't fight you, Peter. You are just a little boy."

"'Just'?!" Peter was indignant. How could he have lost all credibility in such a short time?! Only a few days ago, he was the bane of Captain James Hook's life. Now, even his scurvy crew were looking at Peter like he was pathetic. Like he was a joke. Well, he would make them sorry!

Still grinning at his young foe, Hook turned away, once again, to address the crew. But Peter wasn't about to let the man turn his back on him like he was nothing. He would show Hook just how much of a threat he still was!

With Hook's back turned, the man had no warning of the attack except for Pan's enraged cry and the startled expressions of the crew. As his men ran to his aid, Hook spun around just as Peter's blade was about to slice the Captain across the chest. But Hook was always armed and as fast as a cat. Using his iron claw to deflect the blow, Hook grabbed Pan's wrist with his good hand and hit the boy over the head with his namesake.

Peter dropped to his knees as the impact of the Captain's hook seemed to split his brain in two. Burning, thudding pain overwhelmed him and his vision blurred. He felt the warm trickle of fresh blood oozing down his face, but when he tried to wipe it away, he couldn't seem to move his hand to the right place; instead, it waved about in space, uncoordinated, before he gave up and let it drop.

The muffled sound of voices reached him then. He thought he recognised Wendy's voice… but he couldn't decipher what she was saying. Then Hook's darker tone took over, and Peter tried to stand, not wanting Hook to win another battle.

But the boy was spent. He couldn't find the strength to pull himself to his feet, the pain in his head unrelenting.

Wendy tried to gently check Peter's head-wound, but the boy flinched and hissed at her slightest touch, his eyes screwed shut.

"How could you?!" She was addressing Hook, and the Captain looked down at her with disdain.

"You chastise me, little girl? Your gutless, loathsome scug-of-a-leader attacked me when my back was turned! As I'd always suspected, he is nothing but a cowardly brat who wouldn't know Good Form if it hit him over the head!"

"You could have killed him!" The little girl's eyes shot daggers at the man, and Hook was bewildered by the unfairness of her reaction.

"Pan brought this on himself, girl. And if he ever does anything so despicably contemptible again, I will kill him."

With that, Captain Hook turned away and marched into his cabin, forcefully slamming the door behind him.