"My. This is…incredible!" Wendy exclaimed. The ship was unlike any other she had seen, and she'd been on many over the last few years. It was in perfect condition, the paint was bright and looked fresh. The rooms were clean and tidy, and best and strangest of all, there was no rotten fish odor. She ran her hand along an intricately carved design on the figurehead. "I've never seen such a clean vessel."

Nick laughed. "Yes, to my crew's dismay. I run a tight ship and expect neatness."

"Where is your crew?" Wendy asked. She had only met three since she had been here. All three had been polite and kind, not always that case with sailors.

"Shore leave."

"Oh. That makes sense. How long are you staying?"

Nick assumed a thoughtful expression, "I'm not sure. Originally I had planned to stay for a few weeks, but I recently changed my mind."

"And where will you go next?" Wendy asked.

"I suddenly have a hankering to see England again, especially London," he replied with a grin.

Wendy felt a blush coming on. "Oh," she coughed. "Will you tell me of your travels," she asked, trying to distract herself from the awkwardness she was suddenly feeling.

"I'd rather hear about yours," he said, as they headed towards the stern.

"Mine will be boring in comparison. I went to school and then college. Now I am trying to become a published author. I traveled Europe with my aunt for two years, and only returned yesterday. Now, tell me about you. Please?"

Nick chuckled, but gave in to her plea. "I was born in England. My father was hardly around, and I grew up with my mother and her family, working in the pub they owned. I had an incredibly happy childhood. My family were good people. My father would visit occasionally – he was a sailor, a captain, actually, but things were always tense when he was around. In our spare time, my friends and I would work on the ships that docked in the harbor, and my father would continue my education when he visited. When I was sixteen we were visited by my father's first mate. He had died, but had passed his ship on to me. By that point, as much as I loved my family, I was chomping at the bit. I needed to travel, to get out of the village where we lived. So, I took my father's ship and set off on adventures. Most of the crew are friends of mine from the area where I grew up. One or two are from my father's crew. At first I stuck to the Caribbean, the Pacific, the Atlantic, but then I discovered what the ship could really do. That's when I began to travel to different worlds, like this one."

"My goodness. What an incredible life." Wendy whispered, awed.

Just then, she saw several sailors crossing the gangway onto the ship.

"Afternoon, Captain. Miss," said the gruff but kind voice of the oldest.

"Hello, Smee. Jones, Barnes." Nick said with a nod of his head.

"Smee? Not the Mr. Smee of the Jolly Roger?" Wendy exclaimed.

The old gentleman quickly took off his spectacles, cleaned them, and placed them back on his nose.

"Who…no, it couldn't be…Wendy?" Smee queried.

"How…?" Wendy murmured.

"Wendy, this is the first mate of my father's that I was telling you about."

Her eyes widened as she put the pieces together. "Your father was…"

"Captain James Hook."