Wendy woke late the next morning, her body tense and achy all over. With a groan, she pulled herself to her feet. Her head ached and the room was spinning so badly, she struggled to stay upright. Taking deep breaths, Wendy made her way to the desk and took a sip of water. The cool liquid brought her back to herself. She stood a little straighter and drank more deeply. Able to put most of the aches and pains out of her mind she looked around the desk. There was no food, no food tray. She would have to leave the cabin if she was going to get anything to eat. Taking another deep breath, Wendy pushed her hair away from her face, her hand coming back damp from the sweat on her forehead.

She squared her shoulders and opened the door. She was almost toppled by the rush of cool sea air, the noise of the crew. She slowly stepped out of the cabin, leaving the door open behind her and watched, almost mesmerized by the order she quickly found in the chaos. Men were pulling ropes, pushing crates, folding or unfolding sails with very precise movements. For a moment, Wendy was lost in the activity before her.

"Miss Darling, it's good to see you out and about. The Captain is up on the next deck." Mr. Smee smiled at her and he quickly walked past to go speak with a man further down the deck. Wendy turned and saw the stairs to her right. Gripping the handrail as best she could, she climbed the steps to the next deck. Hook was standing before the helm, looking at something in his hand. Then, with his silver hook, he turned the wheel a bit to one side, not looking up. Leaning heavily against the railing, Wendy continued along the edge of the deck, watching Hook steer the massive ship. She took the moment to really look at him.

He wasn't wearing his red coat or that ridiculous hat she remembered. Instead, he was wearing a white linen shirt under a black vest with gold trimmed edges, the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. Wendy could clearly see the hook on his left hand, attached by a leather cover that extended under his shirt. His shirt was tucked into his britches, which ended just below his knees, leaving everything below bare. The wind pulled at his black curls, which he had tied low at the back of his neck, and from the profile she could see it had been a few days since he had shaved. His normally clean jawline was made somehow sharper with the five o'clock shadow. Although he was tall and lean, there was an air of command about him. It was easy to see in the way his crew worked around him, avoided staring at him the way Wendy currently was.

"Banner, take the helm." He spoke to the man standing on the far set of stairs, Wendy hadn't seen. Hook came to stand beside her, leaning back against the railing, as well. Wendy closed her eyes and took a steady breath, the cool wind sending shivers down her spine.

"Where are we?" Wendy asked, opening her eyes and looking out across the open ocean. The endless clear blue made her dizzy again and she gripped the railing.

"We are currently in the South NeverSea. NeverLand, as you may remember it, is that way, to the North of us." He pointed to his side, Wendy kept her eyes down on the sanded wood floor. "We are on our way to the Sellborn Isles, we should be there the day after tomorrow." Wendy didn't respond right away, fighting the urge to vomit.

"Are you well, Miss. Darling?" He asked, his voice low and concerned.

"I'm not feeling okay, I haven't been since yesterday…" She tried not to groan when he placed his cool hand against her forehead.

"You're not feverish, though, you are trembling. I would guess you've got a touch of seasickness." He tried to hide the smile in his voice, remembering when he first experienced the ocean as a young boy.

"Does seasickness make your body hurt?" She asked, her shakes growing more violent. Suddenly, she tensed hard and threw her body against the railing, to vomit over the side. Hook quickly wrapped his arms around her middle, making sure she didn't go over entirely, and gently pulled her hair away from her face. She vomited until there was nothing left, then continued to heave and gasp for air.

"Get Smee, now!" Hook yelled over his shoulder and as she started to catch her breath, Mr. Smee came running up the stairs. Hook gently rubbed between her shoulder blades as she spit into the ocean, fighting the urge to gag more.

"Smee, get fresh water and clean linens to my cabin, now." Mr. Smee immediately turned and disappeared. Hook slowly helped Wendy stand straight again, pulling her into his arms; she clung to the lapels of his vest as another round of tremors took over her body. He swept his arm under her legs and held her close, bringing her back to his cabin, quickly.

The next several hours passed in a foggy haze. Wendy couldn't seem to focus on anything outside of the pain in her body, the burn in her throat, and the heaviness of her limbs. At times, there was a cool cloth on her forehead. Gentle, hushed tones encouraging her to accept the spoon of broth being held up to her mouth. She drank water and broth only to turn and vomit a few hours later. She would groan in pain, and feel a warm body pull her close while a low voice wound its way into her sleep.

Finally, Wendy felt herself float towards consciousness, her head clear and no longer pounding. She lay there with her eyes closed, taking a mental inventory of herself. She no longer ached all over, though her limbs still felt heavy and tired. There were no more sharp pains, no more shivers or tremors running through her. Suddenly, she tensed realizing she wasn't alone in the bed. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the bright daylight. Wendy pulled herself into a sitting position, leaning against the pillows and the wall. Hook was sitting on top of the red blanket that covered her, leaning against the opposite wall, his legs stretched out crossed at the ankles. He pulled a tbhin monbocle from his right eye as he lowered the book he was holding in his hand, leveling his cold blue eyes on her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked delicately. He was wearing the same clothes as before, though without the vest. His white linen shirt was open at the neck, revealing a firm chest and a light smattering of dark chest hair. His blue eyes watched her with a look she couldn't quite place, as she adjusted to a comfortable sitting position.

"Still weak, though a lot better than yesterday. What happened?" She asked, trying to swallow, her mouth dry.

"It would appear your body was going through a withdrawal of some type. Something your body was no longer receiving and made you quite ill without." He continued to speak gently to her, as she dropped her gaze to her lap.

"My prescriptions… I don't suppose anyone grabbed those from my bathroom?" He scrunched his eyebrows.

"Prescriptions?" He asked, shaking his head slightly.

"Medications from my doctors. Pills that I take every day, and have for a long time." She explained.

"How many medications did they have you on?" He asked quietly, she could hear the slight alarm in his question, though she continued to look at her hands in her lap feeling color rise to her cheeks.

"They said I was crazy. That the medications and treatment would help."

"Did they… help?" She looked up into his gaze, concern filled eyes of forget me not blue. Wendy tried not to fidget, unsure of how she felt under the weight of his concerned gaze.

"It doesn't matter now, does it? Here you are. Here I am on the Jolly Roger, once again. Twenty years later, I'm back in NeverLand." She didn't mean for her words to be so cold. She watched as his face changed; a mask of aloof control replaced the kindness in his eyes. He looked away from her, out the open window.

"You're in the NeverWorld, Wendy. We won't be in NeverLand for another few days, possibly a week. We must restock in the port, before we sail North." She noticed he was sitting straighter, tense, no longer at ease in her presence. Taking a moment to swallow, she took another chance.

"Why am I here, Hook?" Wendy asked quietly, chancing a glance at him through her lowered lashes. He took in a breath, turning to look out the window and exhaled gently before responding.

"I believe you can help me."

"With what?"

"I cannot tell you that, right now. You are simply going to have to trust me." He gazed at her, once again.

"So, twenty years later, you finally put some villainous plan into place?" She taunted, immediately regretting her words. Any last traces of humanity left his face, anger hardened his features, his jaw set, his eyes piercing through her.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Miss. Darling." He spoke in the low tone that warned her, she was on thin ice. Then, he quickly climbed over her outstretched legs and left the bed, walking towards the door. He paused with his hand on the lever and spoke over his shoulder.

"I wasn't a villain until you named me one." Hook had exited through the door, closing it behind him before Wendy could process what he had said.