Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Six

"He did what?" Neal asked sternly after Tinker Bell ran back to where the others were waiting for everyone to return and immediately began to explain that she and Hook saw Henry trying to escape from the Lost Boys, then that he had left to try to save Henry while she came to inform them. "Why the hell would Hook go after Henry without coming to get us to help?"

"Because he didn't have the time," the Green Fairy replied angrily, not believing her friend's cruel attitude toward her old enemy turned friend. "That's why he sent me to come get you. Hook is trying to help Henry and if…"

Emma raised her hand to cut Tink off and then spoke up in frustration saying, "She's right. If Hook hadn't have gone after them, we likely would have lost Henry again if Pan and these kids catch him first. At least now we might actually have a chance to get him back. We need to find them, now!"

Mary Margaret looked over at David and nodded while he did the same, then they followed after their daughter without question as she left in the direction the fairy had come to them from. Tinker Bell turned her head to look back at Neal, who still seemed angry over Hook's actions, then rushed to catch up to the others so that she could lead them to where she suspected they might find Hook and hopefully Henry too. Reluctantly, Neal walked after them as well, still skeptical of the pirate's motivation for trying to save his son, instead of being grateful.

Tinker Bell led them through the jungle until they caught sight of a trail left by several footprints and broken branches showing that someone was running as fast as they could without being careful enough to cover up their tracks, as the heroes knew that Pan and the Lost Boys knew how to do if they needed to. Which meant that the tracks were Henry's.

As they stopped for a moment to observe them, Tink swiftly pointed up toward the cliff above them as she called out, "That's where Hook and I saw and heard Henry from. You weren't waiting for us that far away from here, which means we can't be too far behind them."

"And it looks like Hook has left us a trail to follow," David stated as he turned to a tree beside him and noticed a large X scratched into its trunk made from a sharp tool, the Pirate Captain's hook, then looked ahead of them as he saw another X like the first one. "Let's keep moving."

"How do we know these marks weren't made by the Lost Boys to throw us off?" Mary Margaret asked worryingly as she kept following after her daughter, husband, and their new friend.

Neal answered with frustration, "Trust me, it's Hook who made these all right. Pan's boys are too busy chasing after Henry to worry about anyone else who might be trying to follow them. Besides, Hook's never been subtle. And I've seen him make marks like these before."

The heroes followed the trail for as far as Hook was leading them until his markings suddenly stopped and while they looked around for any sign of another one, Emma asked worryingly, "What happened? How did Hook's trail and their footprints just disappear?"

"They must have run into trouble," Tinker Bell responded nervously as everyone continued to look around.

"They did," Emma whispered in fear as she then bent down and picked up something off the ground, then stood up again while she held out her hand to reveal Hook's flask to the others with her. "They've taken Hook. He never would have dropped this unless he was trying to let us know he was in trouble."

Mary Margaret shook her head nervously and replied, "It's not good that we now have Hook to worry about too, but at least now Henry isn't alone, or at least I certainly hope not. This might be good, Emma."

The Savior glared at her mother as she questioned, "How the hell is this good?"

"I think she's trying to say that if Pan chooses to keep them together, Hook will be able to reassure Henry we're still fighting to save him," David answered for his wife. "And after all he's done for us so far, I'm sure he'll do everything he can to protect Henry. I still don't trust Hook. Not really, but despite whatever's going on between the two of you right now, Emma, I have to believe that he'll do so for you. Or if anything, he'll do it just to spite Pan. There's certainly no loyalty there."

"I hope you're right," Emma responded sadly while she pulled out the map Peter had given her again, trying not to show her fear for the pirate she knew deep down she was beginning to care for more than she would have liked to admit, to herself or to anyone else. "We need to come up with a new plan. I doubt Pan will keep his camp where it is now, if he hasn't already moved it. Which it looks like he has. Damn it! We were so close."

Neal laid his hand down on her shoulder as he replied, "I think I have an idea. I know someone who might be willing to help, though only with giving us information. He's a little crazy, but he might be our only chance to get ahead of Pan for once."

Meanwhile…

When Pan arrived again at his camp's newest location, he found Henry had his hands tied behind his back and that his ankles were bound his well while he sat against on the ground against a tree nearby. His Lost Boys had also strung Hook up by his arms to a wooden post within the center of the camp, having taken away his hook and its brace. His boots barely touched the ground and he was no longer wearing his long black duster or shirt, his back now bare. As Pan flew in, Felix started walking toward Hook carrying a long, thick bullwhip.

Felix smiled as Peter walked toward him and then said smugly, "You're just in time for the fun."

"It appears I am," Peter answered as he turned his to look up at Hook, seeing that his enemy's eyes were focused on Henry, who kept his head down in frustration over being caught again. "But I thought I said we would have fun once I returned. It looks like you boys were going to get started without me."

"I wasn't going to strike him with it just yet," Pan's second responded nervously. "We were only going to taunt him a little."

The boys' leader smiled as he pat his most loyal on his back and replied, "Relax, Felix. I am not angry. Just be grateful you haven't begun yet."

Pan turned toward Hook and walked toward him as he called out, "So Killian, exactly what are you thinking about right now? Is it that you wish you still had your hook so you could run me through, are you thinking you're a fool for turning me down again for the last time, or are you just ashamed for being so easily outsmarted again?"

"You really don't want to know what I'm thinking right now," Hook answered curtly as he turned his eyes to glare the villain now standing before him. "What do you really want the boy for? If you think you're going to turn the Savior's son into one of your precious imps here, I fear you're in for some bitter disappointment."

"I'm afraid that that's not what I have in mind for Henry at all," Peter responded quietly as he reached out to take the whip from Felix's hands. "But you won't be around long enough to see exactly what it is I do have in store. Shall we get right into it then? Felix, cut Henry lose and bring him over here. Don't worry, he won't try to run so long as I'm here. He's not that stupid."

When his second did as he was ordered to as Henry glared at Pan, he asked with frustration, "What's happening? Are you going to make me watch you torture Hook? He doesn't deserve this for trying to help me."

Pan laughed and then replied, "Actually, he does. He deserves a whole lot more for all the trouble he's caused for me. And because he's refused me one too many times now. I told him a long, long time ago what it was I expected of him and even when I believed he was loyal, it turns out he was playing me all along. That was when we became enemies and he's been fighting against me ever since. But all that's going to be over after tonight and you get to start it off."

"Go ahead," the villain continued as he handed the bullwhip over to his captive. "Take the first strike."

"No way," Henry retorted angrily, trying to hand it back to Pan and to Felix, though both refused to take it until he finally just dropped it on the ground. "I won't hurt him. I don't care who he is."

Peter smiled as he leaned down to pick the whip up again and then answered, "Come on, Henry. This is happening whether you want it to or not. It's time Hook learns that he cannot get away with turning against me, not to mention the fact that he was the one who made it possible for your family to come here to try to save you."

Henry looked over at the pirate with surprise as he asked, "You really did that? I don't understand. I thought you were a villain?"

"I am," Killian responded miserably as he turned his head down to avoid looking into Henry's eyes. "I'm a pirate. But I came here because I owed your mother for trying to help me."

"We all know that's not true," Pan scoffed and then glanced between both of his prisoners. "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt, but I promised the boys they'd get to enjoy their fun, so it's time we move this along. Just strike him once, Henry. Or I promise you that his punishment will be much worse off than it could be. And so will yours be. You never know, you might just enjoy it like we will."

Killian raised his head again and looked directly at Emma's son as he spoke up again saying, "It's all right, lad. I promise I won't hold it against you. If you're hurt, your mother would never forgive me. Just do as he says."

Peter placed the bullwhip back into Henry's hands while Henry stared at it again, then shook his head as he replied, "I can't do it. He hasn't done anything to hurt me."

"Captain Hook is a villain, Henry," the Lost Boys leader answered impatiently. "I assure you that he's done nothing for you, but for himself. He likes your mom. Emma that is. After they arrived here in Neverland, they shared a kiss and now Hook thinks he's in love. But what's even funnier than that, is that he actually believes Emma reciprocates his feelings. He's a fool because it's not true. He's only here to try to get your mother to fall in love with him. But if I were to let Hook live, he would see that he'd fail and that he would just go back to being the same, selfish one-handed pirate out only for revenge on the Dark One."

"Pan's right," Hook stated curtly as he glared again at Pan. "All your mother sees is that I'm a pirate. She wants nothing to do with me and I don't blame her. I am a pirate and I'll always be just that. He's right about me too. That I came here purely for my own selfish reasons. You owe me nothing, Henry."

Peter smiled and then turned back to Henry again as he responded finally, "You only need to strike the whip across his back once and Felix will happily take over Hook's punishment for you. What do you say?"

Henry looked into Hook's eyes and saw the sadness in them, then he turned to Peter Pan again as he replied sternly, "No. I won't be a part of this sick, twisted amusement of yours. Hook tried to save me no matter what his motivations were. Villain or not, I won't hurt him."

"Very well," the demon answered with a sigh, then took the bullwhip and handed it over to his second in charge. "I can't say that I'm not disappointed in you, Henry. But I suppose I have to understand. Which means that it's an even worse punishment for him then. Felix, we're going to be taking him away from here in a bit. There's another native of this island who wants to see him suffer for what Hook did to her father. However, before we go, do with him as you want. For good measure. Just don't kill him, or hurt him too badly. That will come later."

Felix glared at Hook as he was still being angry at him for knocking him out with his hook earlier while the Captain stared coldly into his eyes, then the Lost Boy smiled and suddenly struck the whip across his back with as much force as he could muster. Killian closed his eyes the moment the agony hit, but he refused to cry out or even make a sound that would help to give the Lost Boys a sense of satisfaction. His pain only worsened as Felix continued to strike him over and over as he thought about his last fight against Hook, allowing the memory to fuel his anger toward the pirate.

"It's been awhile, Captain," Felix taunted as he raised his cutlass against the pirate who had turned against them and was now helping the heroes, stopping the weapon with his hook.

Killian glared at the boy while the blade scraped against the metal of his hook as he said angrily, "Not long enough."

The boy most loyal to the demon pulled his cutlass back and they continued to clash their swords together until Hook stopped the Felix's sword with his hook once again as he sneered cruelly, "You remember what I did to Rufio? Well, it's a far worse fate for you."

Finally, after several angry lashes appeared across Hook's back, blood seeping from the wounds while Henry pleaded with Pan to get him to stop, Peter reached out and grabbed Felix's arm to pull him back. The younger boy glared at him and immediately shoved Pan off of him as he swiftly struck the whip once more, then threw it down and stepped away to calm down. Hook remained conscious as he fought against the pain, then slowly looked over at Henry, who was staring at him in shock until he turned away and sat down on the ground, dropping his head in his hands.

"Won't you just let me kill Hook?" Pan's second asked as he struggled to come down from the heavy adrenaline now pumping through him from his assault on their enemy. "He killed Rufio! He deserves to feel my dagger through his chest, just like he killed my brother."

"Don't worry, Felix," Peter responded as he looked at his friend with remorse that only Hook knew was nothing more than an act. "I promise you that Hook will suffer and you will get your chance to make him pay for Rufio. I'll talk to Tiger Lily and see if I can't convince her to let you have the final strike. You'll have your satisfaction."