My loves!

I apologize for the wait, but here is the next chapter. Get ready for some flashbacks!

enjoy!

Chapter Two

"I really don't know what can be achieved by trying to stab your opponent in the face. Can't you just talk?" Wendy said, frowning at Hook for the hundredth time that afternoon. She'd snuck away on the pretence of searching for berries and had spent the afternoon taking fighting lessons from Hook.

"Firstly my dear, don't ever aim for your opponents face. That is poor form," Hook smiled, straightening Wendy's sword arm. "And secondly, your opponent isn't going to want to talk when he's trying to stab you in the face,"

"I thought that was poor form,"

"Yes but chances are, your enemy won't think about form,"

"So why do I have to?"

Hook laughed, "Because we are the smarter ones. We don't just go into a fight with all rage and no skill,"

"If I had my choice, I wouldn't go into a fight at all,"

Hook smiled and took Wendy's sword from her hand, placing it back on the rack, "And that is why you're a better person than all of us,"

Wendy chuckled softly as she made her way to lean over the railing of the ship. The wind began to pick up, whipping her golden curls around. Hook came to stand behind her, a hand on her waist.

"I don't want you to go back,"

"We discussed this captain, I have to,"

Hook turned Wendy to face him and took a breath to speak but Wendy put a hand to his mouth, "You can't leave. You've tried and it just backfired. Sooner or later, Pan will figure out where I've been going. We have to be sensible,"

"Being sensible was never my speciality,"

Wendy cupped Hook's face in her hands, "I'll come to stay one day, I promise. For now, I have to go back,"

"How will you stay with me?" Hook raised an eyebrow.

"I have a few cards up my sleeve, captain," Wendy said. "Now, the sun is setting. I must get back from my search for berries or-"

"Yes, yes I know," Hook turned to Smee. "Bring her ashore, my mate!"

Wendy jolted awake, covered in cold sweat. She sat up, a shaking hand on her chest, trying to still her beating heart. Next to her, Felix stirred mumbling her name in his sleep. Wendy froze, hoping he wouldn't wake, but he simply turned over and began snoring softly again. Wendy sighed and stood from their sleeping mat, stretching as she did. These dreams and flashes of the past had been bothering her on and off for the last couple of months. It unsettled her. She'd resigned herself to her life, she'd forgotten about Hook. But the memories kept coming to her, random and unexplained. Wendy stood, pulled her raggedy cloak over her shoulders, looking around for any sign of Pan lurking in the shadows. She couldn't see him, so she began walking in the direction of her cave. She didn't have any intention of going in, she didn't want to see Hook more than she had to. She just needed to be near something familiar, comforting. Wendy thought back to her first years in neverland. Life was scary, confusing. She had been tricked here, being told by Pan that Bae needed her, needed her to save him, only to arrive and find he wasn't even there. She had tried any way she could to escape, but everything had seemed hopeless and she accepted that she was in Neverland for good, acting as the mother to the new and scared lost boys, under the watchful eye of Felix, who had begun to fall for her. Wendy sighed, a sound that hung on the air. Felix really had fallen for her, hard. She was almost remorseful at how she had treated him. He was convenient. That fact that he had fallen for her had been at a great advantage to her. She had used him as a protection against Pan. As a way to gain inside information. And while she enjoyed the intimacy and the attention she gave him, the feelings were totally on his side. She felt nothing for him except for a vague fondness. Even their first kiss hadn't awakened any feelings in her.

"Felix, I don't know why you insist on following me. What possible mischief could I get up to here?" Wendy sighed and threw down the stick she had been beating at the overgrown forest with.

"I'm protecting you,"

"From what?"

Felix laughed, "Surely you've been here long enough to know that this island is not all that it seems,"

"No, because I've been confined to the camp with a bunch of sulky teenage boys as my only company," Wendy turned and raised her eyebrows at Felix who smiled.

"You have me?"

"Yes, when you're not running around torturing Pan's enemies,"

For five years now, Wendy had been the mother to the new lost boys in Neverland. She was accustomed to her life, she had accepted it. And yet, everyday it managed to make her sad and disgusted. Felix had shown her such kindness, that she couldn't help look for his face when she woke up and offer him a smile before she went to sleep at night. He tried to look after her, in a world which she knew nothing about and whose leader she despised. Felix was her constant. She neither loved, nor hated him, she simply relied upon his presence.

"Wendy, that's not fair-"

"Felix, I'm not in the mood to argue the complexities of Pan's morality right now, I'm just bored and need an adventure,"

"You just said you weren't going to get up to mischief," Felix sighed, following Wendy as she turned away from him.

"Adventure does not have to be mischievous," Wendy bent down and picked up another stick to beat the brush back.

"You're a mystery Wendy Darling, you know that?" Felix put a hand out and grasped Wendy's arm. She froze, looking down at his hand.

"Felix…" Wendy began but Felix simply shook his head, a small smile on his face. It was the most tender Wendy had ever seen him.

"You must know now I feel, Wendy," Felix pulled the stick from her hands and took her face in his. "I'll protect you,"

"Felix…" Wendy couldn't find words. His blue eyes bore into hers, and she had to admit, she liked the warmth of having him near, feeling safe and protected by him. He had been watching her, looking out for her since she arrived, but he was so devoted to Pan, Wendy never spoke much to him. And yet, he was always there, staring. And no matter how much she railed and yelled and disobeyed Pan, somehow she escaped unscathed. Now she realized that must be thanks to the boy standing in front of her. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, feeling him move in, feeling his breath on her face. And yet, as their lips met and he kissed her with such passion, she felt nothing. And somehow, she knew it would always just be nothing.

Wendy took a deep breath. It had been so long. So long since she had first kissed Felix and thought, in her innocent and untouched state that that was what passion was about. She had forgotten the years. She simply went about her days being the mother to the children she would never have and at night laying with Felix in the forest, feeling the passion she should have gotten on her wedding night. Wendy stood from the log she had been sitting on and began to push forward, to where she didn't know. A twig snapped behind her and she froze, listening to the sounds of the night around her. She let out a breath.

"Captain, you don't have to stalk me. You're welcome to walk with me," Wendy said. Hook dropped down from the tree in front of her and smiled.

"How accommodating of you," Hook put out an arm but she simply walked past him.

"What do you want?"

"I was out scouting the island, seeing how many of Pan's little lost minions he has patrolling now," Hook fell into step with Wendy.

"Most of the scouts are around the camp. I don't think Pan needs to have scouts everywhere, now that he knows you're here and he has you playing the game,"

"Do you know what the game is?"

Wendy raised her eyes at Hook, "When have I ever known what the game is?"

Hook chuckled, "Right, as always,"

The wind began to pick up and Hook instinctively leaned into Wendy, to offer her his warmth. Wendy knew she should pull away, but just like the old times she was being pulled under his smell, enjoying the familiarity of his scent.

"Where were you going?"

"Anywhere,"

"Just like the old days then? You still wander off," Hook smiled fondly.

"Yes but now, Pan doesn't really care where I wander to, as long as I behave myself,"

"And do you, behave yourself," Hook asked with a twinkle in his eye. For the first time since they'd seen each other, Wendy offered him the spirited smile he knew.

"Sometimes,"

Hook mumbled, "That's my girl,"

Wendy went to reply but thought better and simply enjoyed his company. After all, that's what they were to each other. Wendy found in Hook someone who knew what loneliness was and someone who knew the want for a companion and in this moment, as they had been all those years ago, they were drawn to each other once again.

"Tell me about him,"

"Who?"

"The man you were going to marry?"

Wendy frowned, "Goodness Captain, that was years ago,"

"Yes but you never did tell me about him,"

"Well, what would you like to know?"

Hook paused for a moment, "Anything. Your life before Neverland intrigues me,"

"It's hard to remember life before Neverland, to be honest,"

"Wendy…"

Wend sighed, "Okay. His name was Andrew. Andrew Parks. He was 30 years old and a banker, like my father. We met at the annual bank Christmas Ball and father approved so we began courting and eventually he asked for my hand,"

"Did you love him?"

Wendy hesitated, "I… does it matter? He's long dead now, along with my family,"

Hook stopped, noticing tears in Wendy's eyes. He pulled her into him and for once, she did not struggle, simply allowed him to stroke her hair.

"I shouldn't have brought it up," Hook murmured softly. Wendy pulled away, wiping her tears as she did.

"Everyone on this island had a family once and we all miss them. Perhaps that is what makes us so sad," Wendy looked up at Hook, putting a hand on his cheek. "Even you have lost your family,"

"Yes but you forget, my heart is as cold as stone," Hook smiled.

"No it isn't," Wendy said softly. A twig snapped behind them and Hooke whipped around, his sword suddenly in his hand, pushing Wendy behind him. Hook narrowed his eyes and then smiled.

"Regina, there's not point lurking in the bushes,"

A moment passed before a woman with short hair stepped out of the bushes, a dagger in her hand.

"Conferring with the enemy, pirate?" Regina spat.

Hook laughed, "Wendy is no more our enemy than you are,"

Regina raised an eyebrow, before putting her dagger away and looking at Wendy.

"I thought the group was called the lost boys and not 'lost boys and a girl'," Regina said with a smarmy smile.

"I'm their mother," Wendy said, cautiously looking Regina up and down.

"Well that makes a whole bunch of sense," Wendy opened her mouth to explain but Regina put her hand up. "I don't need to know the ins and outs. As long as I know you won't stab me in my sleep-"

"I'm not allowed a dagger…" Wendy shrugged. Regina nodded.

"Good then. Now, how do you know our resident pirate?"

Wendy paused, the day of their meeting coming to her in an instant. Hook looked deep into her eyes, no doubt remembering it too. Regina smiled.

"Ahhh, that makes sense. I'll leave you two alone," Regina began to walk away but paused. "Just know, mother, if you betray us I'll have no hesitation in ripping your heart out,"

Regina stalked away into the bushes. Wendy looked up at Hook.

"Rip my heart out?"

"Our lovely but Evil Queen, in the flesh,"

"Ahh,"

There was a silence. Wendy chanced another glance at Hook who was staring at her with the look she knew so well. It was a look filled with everything they had been through and for a moment, her breath was taken away. Wendy shook her head slightly and began to back away from Hook.

"I should get back,"

Hook bowed, "Of course,"

Wendy turned away from Hook and closed her eyes, willing her feelings to go away, willing her heart to stop telling her what she needed. Willing the memories to just leave her alone.

It was raining and Wendy was running. She had been out looking for food with one of the lost boys and had managed to give him the slip. The free feeling she had, it was wonderful. She ran and ran and ran, not knowing to where she was running. She laughed loudly, letting her voice travel through the air. Suddenly she met with a warm body who grabbed her upper arms. She screamed and beat him and he let her go, letting her stumble back. Wendy regained her footing and looked up at her attacking. A tall man, clad in leather with a hook for a hand smiled back at her.

"A girl in Neverland, Pan is really reaching out isn't he?" the man smiled, his blue eyes piercing Wendy and making her feel like she wasn't clothed. Wendy instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

"Who are you?"

The man bowed, "Captain Killian Jones of the Jolly Roger,"

"Captain? And what makes you a Captain? Were you commissioned into your role? By the Queen?"

The Captain laughed, "I doubt any queen would ordain me. Most know me as Captain Hook,"

He held up his Hook.

"So you're not Captain Killian Jones, you're Captain Hook,"

"Most commonly, yes," Hook laughed. "And your name?"

"Wendy Moira Angela Darling,"

Hook raised his eyebrows, "May I just call you Wendy?"

Wendy nodded. She looked up, the rain beginning to soften into a sparkling mist.

"I'm being chased,"

"I noticed that. Do you need help?"

Wendy looked at Hook doubtfully, "I didn't think Pirates were the helping type,"

"Well, we tend to have a weakness for beautiful women,"

Wendy couldn't help but blush, feeling once again naked under Hook's heavy, piercing gaze.

"I didn't know Pan had a weakness for beautiful women, though?"

"He doesn't, he has a weakness for uprooting peoples lives,"

Hook smiled again and stepped aside, "Well Wendy, you had better continue your run. I wouldn't want you to be caught,"

Wendy sighed and began to walk away but turned back to Hook as she did, smiling her most alluring smile, "I hope I see you again… Captain,"