Chapter Fifteen: Free-fall

Wendy's POV

I froze.

A feeling of dread coiled itself in my stomach. Hook shifted his gaze back to me, a plotting look in his icy, green eyes. Over his shoulder, I saw Peter still, his murderous expression morphing into one of absolute horror. The men gripping him in place leered, already guessing what their captain was planning.

"Well?" Hook prodded. "Would you die for Peter?"

All of the blood drained from my face as fear overtook me, seeping into every inch of my body. It felt as though a bucket of frigid water had been dumped over my head. "What?" The word came out as a strangled whisper.

Hook cocked his head to the side and studied me with cold, green eyes. One of his dark eyebrows rose. "You heard me."

"I…I…" I was too stunned to speak. I could only stare at the man in shock. Although I knew exactly what he was suggesting, my mind continued to deny the reality of it.

He took three slow, measured steps towards me, his boots thumping against the timber deck. My heart jumped into my chest with each step. His remaining hand reached up and scratched the stubble on his jawline. For the first time, I took note of the four, thick letters inked onto his fingers: SOLI. The word didn't make sense. After a second, I realised why. The other four letters of the word were missing-gone, just like his other hand. A few other tattoos marked his skin. An outline of an anchor covered the back of his hand and a black band circled his thumb. A small star sat on the side of his wrist.

My breathing stopped altogether when Hook bent down until we were at eye-level. His face filled my vision entirely. "That's not an answer." He lifted his arm until the cold metal of his hook was resting under my chin, holding my head in place. The sharp point pressed at my skin, but not hard enough to draw blood.

Faintly, I could feel that my fingers had begun to tremble at my side, and for a moment I wondered if my entire body was trembling, but I was so numb with shock that I could only take note of the quivering digits.

I opened my mouth to speak, but it wasn't my voice that cut across the deck.

"Leave her alone!" Peter shouted. The metal bit into my skin painfully as Hook looked over his shoulder. Peter's face was twisted into a mask of panic and rage. Blood trickled from his nose and bottom lip, staining the deck with red droplets. Purple bruises were already appearing on parts of his face. He looked terrible. Peter fought against the men's hold on him, struggling to get free, but it was no use. Their grip on him tightened and his face contorted with pain.

"I don't think you're in any position to be giving orders," Hook replied. His voice was dripping with satisfaction and disdain.

Peter stopped moving and sagged forward against the pirates' holds. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he drew in ragged gasps of air. He swayed slightly on his feet, like he was seconds away from collapsing. "Stop playing with Wendy." he spat between breaths. "You don't want her dead-not really, anyway."

"Really?" Hook replied dryly. "Because I don't take lightly to being deceived."

Peter gave a weak shrug. "You'll get over it. But what you really want is what you've wanted since I cut your hand off." His busted lips twisted into a humourless smile, his teeth red with blood. "You want me dead. You don't care about the boys, Tink, or even Wendy. So, since that's the case, why don't you let them go and leave this between us?"

"Peter," I said worriedly, panic filling me at his words. There was no way that I would leave him on this ship to face Hook alone. It simply wasn't happening. The pirates would instantly overpower him. Hook would kill him.

He shot me a warning look that said: Don't you dare argue with me about this.

Hook was silent for a long moment, contemplating Peter's words. His crew looked between him and Peter, their gazes questioning. The metal left my chin. For a second, I thought he was going to agree.

Before I could react, Hook's arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me in front of him. Taken off-guard, I let out a shriek as I stumbled forward. I instantly tried to push away from him, but Hook's arm was like a steel across my stomach, pinning my arms to my sides and locking me in place. The steel hook rose. I thought he was going to hold it against my neck, but instead, he used it to gently sweep my hair away from my face. Terrified, my wide eyes met Peter's and I watch his jaw clench together tightly. His Adam's apple moved up and down in his throat as he swallowed hard.

"You're shaking," Hook noted, pretending to sound surprised and concerned when he was neither. His hot breath blew across the side of my face, his mouth only inches from my ear. I could feel the pistol tucked into the waistband of his pants digging into my back. He lifted his head to look at Peter. "I think she's scared."

"Let her go," Peter said slowly, cautiously. He regarded Hook with wary eyes, unsure of what he was going to do next.
"Where's the fun in that?"

I shut my eyes tightly as I felt the tip of the hook trail down my cheek, the tip barely grazing my skin. My stomach rolled over with disgust. I didn't want this man touching my face; I didn't want him anywhere near me. "Don't," I managed to whisper, flinching away.

He let out a low chuckle. Thankfully, he dropped the hook from my face. I opened my eyes as he directed his attention back to Peter. "The Lost Boys and the fairy," he said. "They're you're family, correct?" There was something in his voice that caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end.

"Yes."

"Hmm, I wonder," Hook murmured, his arm tightening around me. "So, Peter, like Wendy here, would you die for your family?"

I felt as though someone had kicked me in the stomach as I easily followed Hook's line of thought. My eyes opened wide enough that I thought they were going to fall out of my head. I watched as the blood slowly drained out of Peter's face. "What are you saying?" he questioned harshly.

Even though I couldn't see his face, I could feel the twisted grin that was slowly forming on Hook's lips. "Nothing, really. Just thinking."

"About what?"
"Which member of your family that I'm going to kill first."

Peter's face transformed into a look of pure hatred. His eyes were alight with rage. "Touch my family and you're dead," he snarled.

"I was thinking maybe one of the twins," Hook continued heartlessly. "Or the fairy." Peter visibly shook. "Or…what's the little one's name?"

My blood ran cold. Each of the boys' faces flashed before my eyes. Next, I pictured Hook hurting them, ki-no, I couldn't bring myself to picture such a sight. It was too sickening, too horrible. Tears burned the back of my eyes.

Peter lunged, only to be restrained by the pirates around him. In that moment, I hated all of them. They were sick, each one a more pathetic excuse for a human being than the last. How could they stand there silently, excitement growing in their eyes, as their captain talked about hurting children? The thought made me want to heave. They were only children. Their years in Neverland hadn't hardened their hearts, they hadn't grown any.

"Don't hurt them. Please." I begged, trying to twist out of Hook's hold. My voice cracked on the last word. Tears rolled down my face.

Hook moved his hold from my waist to my arm and spun me around so that I faced him. His fingers dug into the top of my arm as I tried to recoil away from him. "Shh, Wendy," Hook said. "Don't cry." His voice had taken on a soothing tone that most would use when trying to sooth an upset child. The words only made the tears fall faster. "I'm not going to hurt them."

"You're not?" I sobbed, not believing him.

"No, not if Peter decides to take their place. He was right when he said that I wasn't interested in hurting you, Wendy. I'm not after you or the boys. I never was."

"Then why did you bring them here..?" My voice cracked on the last word.
"Because," he said, "I knew that Peter would come after them."

I looked up at his strikingly handsome face. His black lashes were long and framed his bright green eyes. His teeth were white and perfectly straight. His body was tall and lean and athletic. It didn't' make sense. Why did he look like that? Why was he beautiful? Why hadn't the evil inside of him eaten away the picture-perfect facade? Everything thing about his appearance was deceptive. It hid his malevolent and cruel nature perfectly.

"Now, you have a chance to save the boys and yourself," Hook continued. "That's what you asked for, right? Me not to hurt them? All you have to do is turn around." He twisted me until I was looking at Peter again. "Look at him." The cool metal of the hook touched my chin once again, forcing my head up. He lowered his head until it was beside mine. We were so close that our cheeks brushed. "And say, 'Peter, take their place.'"

Peter's face was full of pain, but also something I didn't expect to see: acceptance. He looked like he was preparing for a funeral-his own funeral. "Go to hell," I told Hook through trembling lips. No matter the circumstances, I would never be able to say those sick words to Peter.
I had known for months that I would die. I was prepared for it. Before Peter had taken me to Neverland, my expiry date had been set. I had been given little over a week before I would simply cease to exist. Coming here had gone directly against nature. I was meant to die. Peter wasn't.

"I'll do it."

The words were barely louder than a whisper, but despite that, I heard them a clear than day. Peter's face was perfectly blank as he looked directly at Hook. A wide, smug grin spread across the pirate's , I felt like the ground had just been ripped out from under me.

"No!" I screamed. Hook's grip on my arm tightened, becoming extremely painful, as I tried desperately to jerk away.

He held me fast as he surveyed Peter. "I thought that you would." He turned his head to look at his men. "You heard the boy. Prepare the plank!"

"Promise me that they'll go free," Peter demanded, holding Hook's gaze. "The boys, Tink and Wendy. All of them."

"You have my word."

"Stop it," I cried. I could barely believe what I was hearing. He couldn't have just said that! He couldn't have.

A few of the men started moving around the deck quickly, preparing the plank. Three pirates walked over to the hull of the ship where a large pile of ropes and gas lamps sat. They moved the items aside to reveal a long, wooden plank underneath. Together, they lifted it and started walking over to the gap in the ship's railing that it was designed to fit in. One of the men carrying the plank looked over at me. It was the red-headed man with the scarred face. His mouth was twisted into a sickening smile, childlike excitement lit up his eyes.

I thrashed violently against Hook, desperate to be free. Tears streamed down my face, blinding me. "Peter, don't do it!" One second I was out of Hook's grip, and the next, another man had both his giant arms around me, trapping me against his chest. It was the same dark man who Hook had handed me over to below deck before leaving to retrieve Peter. I kicked and thrashed and bit, but nothing worked. His grip wouldn't loosen.

"I'm sorry, Wendy," Peter said. He didn't fight against the pirates' holding him as a man walked over and strapped a ball and chain to his legs.

Why wasn't he trying to fight? Why wasn't he trying to fly away?
"Don't do it, Peter. Please!"

He didn't reply. Instead, he turned his head, unable to look at me. A sob wracked its way out of my chest. I felt like my heart was being crushed, pounded and minced. My eyes frantically sought out Hook. He stood a few meters away, watching me almost curiously, like he couldn't understand my reaction. My hands itched to hit him, to wrap themselves around his neck, to make him bleed the way he'd made Peter bleed. Never before had I felt this helpless or out of control.

"I hate you!" My voice scraped against my throat like sandpaper. "I hate you!"

His face remained neutral. "You'd be surprised at how often I hear that."
He turned his back on me and walked over to where the plank had been set up. I watched in horror as the pirates beside Peter gripped his upper arms and pulled him forward. The ball and chain strapped to his ankle dragged along the ground. He didn't even try to resist, each stride bringing him closer to death.

When he stepped onto the plank and the pirates eagerly gathered around him, I thought that for sure I was dreaming. It couldn't possibly be happening. It wasn't real.

Peter turned to look at me. His eyes were filled with hurt, but his face was firm. He had made up his mind. "I'm sorry, Wendy," he said again. "Look after them."

"No! Stop it!" I cried. There was another way. There had to be. Peter couldn't die. He was supposed to live forever.

With one last pained look, he turned his back on me. All of the air left my lungs like someone had kicked me square in the chest. His shoulders rose and fell as he stared down at the water below him. His arms hung limply at his sides. I was certain I was dying a horribly painful death from the way my heart twisted with guilt and defeat.

"Get on with it!" a pirate yelled.

"Come on," another called.

I tried to push forward to get to Peter. I stomped on the man's feet, frantically trying to break his hold, but I missed, and the man leaned back, lifting my feet from the ground. My legs kicked uselessly in the air as I screamed and bawled. He was too big, too strong, for me to fight off.
I was completely and utterly powerless.

Peter's POV

The water churned below me, waves rocking the ship with each burst of foamy wake. Behind me, the pirates jeered, excitedly waiting for me to be dragged beneath the surface to my death. Wendy's screams filled the air. Each sound was like a stab in the chest. I didn't dare look at her again. It hurt too much to see the tears streaming down her distraught face as she begged me not to do it.

An old memory flashed across my mind. Five years ago, Wendy had been in this exact same position. It had been her that was standing on this plank, ready to jump. The only difference was that I had been waiting below, ready to catch her, to save her.

There was no one here to catch me.

To my right, Hook stood silently watching me with a smug expression. In that moment, I hated him more than I had ever hated anyone. I knew that I could easily fly away and try make a break for it. The ball and chain wouldn't slow my down too much if I took to the air. I'd probably get away, too. Despite that, there was no way in hell that I was leaving. If I got away, Hook would kill them all, and I'd spend the rest of my life in an endless cycle of self-loathing and regret.

I also knew that by willingly walking the plank, I was doing exactly what he wanted. But I didn't have any other choice. He was going to hurt my family, hurt Wendy. It was my fault that Tink and the boys had been taken. I hadn't been there to protect them like I was supposed to. It was my job to look after them, and I had failed.

And so, the choice had been easy. They would be safe again, and that's all I wanted. As much as I didn't trust Hook, I knew that he wouldn't hurt them if I did this. Something in his expression had told me that much. He didn't want Wendy and the Lost Boy's. He didn't even want Tink. He only ever wanted me-dead.

I drew in one last breath, shut my eyes, and fell.

Wendy's horrified and heartbroken scream filled the air as I dropped. Wind whipped around me for a fraction of a second before I hit the frigid water with a splash. The chill slapped me in the face, stunning me. My muscles locked up. The ball fastened to my legs dragged me downwards instantly. A trail of bubbles floated upwards out of my mouth as it opened in shock. I thrashed my arms furiously as panic consumed me.

As I was pulled lower, the water pressed in on me, threatening to crush my skull. The ball shackled to me hit the sand at the bottom of the ocean noiselessly. I crumbled in on myself as the pressure inside of my head build. My lungs were screaming in agony for just one more breath of oxygen. Instinct forced my mouth open for air, causing great gulps of seawater to rush down my windpipe, the salt leaving a trail of raw skin. Shimmering dots swam around the darkness before my eyes as I felt my body go limp. All the fight washed out of me in one huge gust.

A faint, ethereal glow glittered in my periphery like a pair of eyes watching just out of sight. A rush of movement sliced through the stillness of the water around me, and the slick feeling of scales brushed against me as I lost consciousness.

Next part's done :) thank you everyone who faved/followed/reviewed. It always makes my day. Thanks for being so patient.