Hey guys, I really, really want too apologise. The end of the last chapter was an unedited, unfinished version of what was meant to be Chapter 4. I've removed it as quickly as possible, but I know some of you guys (TheDoctorsTiger, Ilovetoread38) did see it. I'd like to point out that it was totally unfinished, indeed, it was unchanged from the state that I first produced it back in 2005 (so now you know how I wrote when I was 14).
So anyways, my apologies, and heres a finished, edited and rewritten version. Enjoy, and again my apologies.
Hook roughly hauled Wendy out of the cabin onto the main deck, where the pirates waited. Most where red-cheeked from the rum and they slurred their cheer as she was brought before them. They surrounded her as she was dragged towards the bridge, grabbing at her clothes and making lewd comments.
"Wendy!" Hook announced, "Or should I say Red Handed Jill." This brought laughter from the already overexcited pirates. Hook silenced them with a wave of his claw and then continued, "Will now tell us a story." Another cheer, "Now settle down lads and let us hear what the maid has to offer."
He pushed her forward towards a barrel that sat on the pinnacle of the stairs. Suddenly he started and turned a rush of wind from behind him, drawing his long sword and pointing it at thin air. He could have sworn he could hear the sound of crowing, "Where are you!" he demanded, scaring his pirates with sudden anger, "Where are you?" He whirled once more, but there was nothing there but the wind and Smee, who genteelly patted his captain on the arm.
"There nothing there captain." He said, his scotch accent being swept away by the suddenly rising wind, "he's dead captain, dead and gone."
Hook nodded at him and took a moment to calm himself down. Just the wind. Just the wind and one of the Indians damn Cocks. He made a mental note to kill every last one of the damn birds when he finally got round to eliminating the tribe. He turned back towards Wendy, whipping a suddenly sweating forehead with a handkerchief. "Now begin miss."
Peter had flown behind Hook on his way back to the ship and was now crouched in the crow's nest. From here he had a full view of the entire ship and he prepared to listen to Wendy's story. He could rescue her and the Lost Boys later, first he would listen to what she had to say. He felt ashamed, even embarrassed, for running away from her and realised that what she seemed to want...well, he wanted it too.
Meanwhile Wendy was telling her story. "There once," She said keenly, "Was a little boy called James Stuart." Behind her she could hear a sharp intake of breath. Hook knew what was coming next, what story Wendy was going to tell but he chose not to interfere. "This little boy was born into a family that wanted to become the Kings of England."
Behind her Hook hissed, "And they should have been kings, girl, they should have been." Wendy only smiled at this, and proceeded onwards.
"But little James Stuart didn't become king…" And then she told the story of James Stuart, who had run away to become a pirate after his father was defeated, and how he had one day sailed off the edge of the world and found Neverland. She told of how he lost his hand to a Tiger and she told of his epic battles with Peter Pan. She took the story further, saying how James Hook had killed his nemesis and then told of how Pan had not really died and how he would come back to finish off Hook for the last time.
Hooks anger grew with every accurate word and up in the crow's nest Peter admiration and love grew likewise. Yet neither could bring themselves to end the story while it still continued, the words weaving magic patterns in the air and within the heads of the listeners. Wendy continued through the Pirates heckles, until they were silenced, and throughout Hooks faith in Peters survival grew. He believed.
Up in the crows nest Peter knew what he must do. He was aging, his hair growing in length and his size gradually increasing. He knew he could become just what Wendy wanted, but he also knew that he didn't have long left as a child and soon the magic would wear off. He knew what he must do, how he could save the day for the last time and waited until Wendy finally finished her story.
"And James Stewart, who called himself Hook, finally died for the last time." Wendy finished, and int hat moment the spell of tranquillity that had pervaded over Neverland ended. The golden sunset broke and Hook started forward, intending to take Wendy below decks. Not to kill her, no, that would be poor form but to lock her away where such truths could never again be uttered. The he heard it, a crow from high above and he looked the heavens. Peter launched himself from the crows nest, flying down, quicker than he had ever gone. "WENDY!" He yelled and Wendy looked up and laughed.
Hook was drawing out his long sword and was stumbling backwards, his high boots slipping on the bridges wet surface. He couldn't believe what he could see, "Not you!" He yelled, "Your dead!" He slipped onto his back and then pushed himself backwards on his hands and knees, longsword held up like a crucifix.
The pirates merely laughed, for they could not see Pan falling like a banshee from the crows nest nor hear his cry. They could only see Wendy laughing with her hands in the air and there Captain stumbling away from some unknown menace. To them Pan was dead.
Peter reached Wendy and grabbed her by the arms, lifting her into the air, "I won't leave you again, Wendy Darling." He said it simply, his voice deep in his throat. Hook tried to raise himself up from the deck, his face white with terror. If he was going to die, he would do it as a man, on his feet. "Your dead," he gasped, "You can't be alive, you can't be."
Peter flashed his grin and spoke softly which gave his voice more menace than before, "Oh, but I am Mister Hook, oh I am." Then, with Wendy in his arms he flew off into the sun, back towards Neverland.
The pirates where sitting in awe now, a few of them believing that they could see the outline of a boy clutching at Wendy but most could not. All they had seen was there master shouting at the thin air while his prize captive flew away. The advanced slowly onto the bridge, swords drawn.
"You all right Cap'in," one asked, and Hook stared at him.
"You didn't see, Him?" He asked nervously.
"No Cap'in." Smee chipped in, "There was nothing."
Hook pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his brow, his hand shaking like a leaf in the autumn breeze. "Just a dream," he told himself, "Just a dream."
And there we go, perhaps you can see the changes... but there you go. Again my apologies, and I'm working on double quick speed now to get a promised 5th chapter up by tomorrow. More shall be revealed about young James later, but first I have a few little suprises to spring.
Much Love and apologies;
BrooklynRedx
