Hi, my dear readers!

Sorry for the delay, but time is a tricky thing – not only in Neverland but regrettable here, too. Means, I was really busy. But finally I can present you the next chapter. And after the little cliffhanger last time, I'm sure you're all curious about the upcoming man-to-man-talk of Hook and George Darling.

So, here we go!

Thank you very much for the feedback,

Have fun

Yours Lyhwn / Starflight

Chapter 60 – Fathers, part 2

You didn't need to be a seer to understand that George Darling had a hard time believing everything he was learning from Hook, especially the part about Lunette, the viscount's housekeeper / nanny, being a witch. But, his rational mind argued, if there truly existed an ageless flying boy, fairies, mermaids, gnomes, pixies, dragons and a pirate who lived with his crew for two hundred years in separate realm, then he had to believe that real witches might in truth exist as well.

After Hook had related details George had not heard before, the banker's head was spinning. For a long moment, he stood staring out at the dark shadows of the warehouses by the docks, cigar burning slowly. The image of the dock and buildings were almost a comfort, looking so … so normal. They belonged to his world of clear facts, of numbers, of new technologies and scientific developments instead of that dizzying tale of magic and mystical creatures. But, it seemed, both worlds did exist. Finally he took a deep breath; a freshening breeze helped him clear his head.

"Everything you said, all you've revealed, fills the gaps that Mary and John's tales have sketched out. So, until proven false, I choose to accept them as true." Hook raised a brow, surprised by the man's words of acceptance. George shook his head in frustration. "I sent Wendy to that boarding school to keep her away from Neverland. I hoped that the boy would never find her again, and she would be safe – that we wouldn't be involved in all this … magic again.."

"I surmised as much," James nodded.

"I wanted to protect her and the boys," George murmured. "And then she befriends a girl whose cousin has been raised and educated by a real witch, one who's masked her nature well enough to fool the entire family for twenty years and more. Then, that cousin learns of Neverland, wants to go there and – of course – meets my daughter. And the whole outrageous farce begins anew. You say this cousin has ulterior motives and cares nothing about the damages and deaths he's caused. And now my daughter falls in love with the one man I hoped she would never see again."

"If not so demmed serious, I would say the situation was amusing," James agreed darkly, a smile tugging at his mouth. "You can't escape the fates, no matter how hard you try - something I learned." Then he frowned. "There won't be much to laugh about until this is resolved. With the witch aging again and Ashford losing Wendy and Peter, they will both be on the move again. I know that Ashford wants me out of the way – no longer to win Wendy, but I represent a possible loss of his position. So I am his target now. Yet I mainly fear for Peter's safety. The boy is in more danger than my men and I are."

Thoughtfully, George turned to look at the man beside him. "You're truly concerned about him," he said. "And the boy loves you. It was clear he not only forgave you for stealing his girlfriend – even though Wendy had outgrown him – but he is also terrified of losing you forever." He inhaled through his nose, smelling the salt water, the fish, the smell of good cigars. "And this after you two were mortal enemies, trying to kill each other so many times. Wendy told us how you were constantly at each other's throats." He tilted his head. "I know you had to work together to defeat that … that wizard, but it doesn't explain why you've grown so close. What happened?"

James filled his cheeks with the fragrant smoke of the Neverland cigars; their glowing ends lighting his face briefly. After expelling a complicated series of smoke rings, he confessed, "Wendy happened." He leaned on the railing, turning toward his guest. "Your daughter changed everything. I already told your wife this morning, I'm not a kind man. I lost my family, my rank, my career and my reputation because of lies. And after we were stranded in Neverland, the rest of my world fell apart. Especially after that encounter with Pan that left me robbed off my right hand." He looked up at the other man who listened carefully. Hook didn't trust quickly – particularly not strangers he'd just met – but he knew that candor was needed. "When I woke up from the fever I suffered after losing my hand, I was a different man, Mr. Darling. The true James Andrew Shalford had died – or so I thought. I was filled with bitterness and a raging hate. My only reason to live was to destroy the one who had turned me into a cripple: Peter Pan. My days and nights were filled with plotting how to get him, or fantasies about making him suffer. I didn't care that he was a mere boy. For me he was a demon in the shape of a child."

"But … he is a child," George said softly.

"Aye, but I didn't regard him as such anymore." James took a deep breath. "Have you ever read 'Moby Dick'?"

"Yes, I have." George nodded slowly. "Except for the end, there are definite parallels between you and Ahab."

Hook grimaced. "I read this book, too. Wendy gave it to me, and I can see why. I almost became Captain Ahab – blinded by hate that was picked up by the whole crew, just like in the book. A whale is a large, powerful animal, but just an animal nonetheless. You can't hold it responsible for what it does when it's fighting for its life, which cost Ahab his left leg. I lost my right hand in the fight with Pan when we both made a dreadful misstep. A boy who also couldn't grasp the significance of what he did as he cut off my hand. Yet I didn't see Pan as a mysterious boy afterwards – a careless child that cares nothing for consequences. Like Ahab, I was filled with the burning desire for revenge. I was obsessed with catching and killing Pan. But instead of staying away from me when he knew I really meant to end his life, he began to play pranks on me and laughed openly in my face, humiliating me in front of my crew again and again – just like the white whale when it appeared and disappeared, as if taunting Ahab. I almost turned mad with hate. In the end I couldn't raise one cheerful thought. I walked in darkness. I wasn't able anymore to appreciate the wonders of Neverland, to see the beauty in its mountains, valleys, forests and beaches, surfs and sunrises. Nothing touched me anymore; I had turned into a living corpse, cold, feeling only the fire of hate and the hunt when I faced Pan." Here he paused, and his face changed. "And then … your daughter came."

George couldn't imagine that he would be able to hate someone with such dedicated passion, but he saw the enormous change Wendy had wrought in James Hook. "She broke through your hatred," he stated quietly.

"Aye! I had forgotten what compassion was – something vital that defines us as human. And then there was this sweet girl with the shining smile of an angel and dove-blue eyes looking at me with no fear. She knew who I was, she knew of what I'm capable, she had seen the fight in the dungeons of the Black Castle – and then she sat at my table and trusted me with her little-girl problems. She treated me like a normal human being – something my crew didn't dare do anymore. Even Smee avoided me in my darker moods. And this mere slip of a girl just sat there, conversing with me and acting as if it were the most normal thing to do, as if I were a normal man. I was … fascinated, enchanted even. And as she told the crew a wonderful story, even I got caught up in the pictures she wove in my mind with her gentle voice, the vivid descriptions and the way she chose her words. Bilgewater and brine, my entire crew of scoundrels was captivated! As I looked over them, I barely recognized a few of them. I knew they were seeing the world she was creating with her words. And I felt something move in me I thought I'd lost – a kind of warmth."

"Wendy's story made you … feel human again." George pushed his spectacles back up his nose. "And yet you made her 'walk the plank,' if I remember the term correctly." There was an edge in his voice.

A deep sigh escaped James. "That bloody plank …! I think that trap I set for Pan I will haunt me when I'm old and grey." He shook his head. "Like I said, I was almost mad with hatred and it flared anew when I realized that – despite all signs to the contrary – Pan was still alive. I thought I'd sent him to his Maker. And Wendy said quite firmly that she would rather die than join the crew. As silly – crazy! – as it sounds, I was hurt by her statement. Yet I wouldn't have sacrificed her. Please believe me. Even then I had my limits. I knew that Pan was around, hiding, and would save her." He smiled ruefully. "I made a big show of the whole thing. I fooled the crew and even Smee when we heard no splash, saying that the crocodile must have gotten her. But I knew better. I could feel the boy nearby, and was aware of Pan's presence. I knew that he'd saved her, but to the crew, I had to pretend to be the ruthless man who wasn't ashamed of sending a young girl blindfolded to a crocodile. It looks like my 'pretend' was too good."

George snorted. "Did you even think about the horror she must have gone through while walking blind toward death? Had you thought that the boy might be too slow? What then? What, if your 'trap' had gone wrong? She would have drowned! Or would you have jumped in after her to save her?" That grim challenge hung in the air between them.

Hook could understand him. George Darling was indeed furious about what happened to his daughter during that first visit – that she, in her innocence, had faced a real dread. And if there was one thing James Hook truly regretted it was those few minutes. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he replied slowly, "At that moment I was, as I said, almost insane with my obsession to get Pan, but – yes – I would have done everything in my power to spare her death. Thinking back, I'm sure I would have jumped in after her if 'worse had come to worst'."

"Even with the crocodile around?" George prompted. "My sons told me how quickly you retreated from the railing once you heard the ticking of the clock the serpent carried in its stomach. And you even threatened to throw my little Michael overboard to give the beast a morsel of food. So excuse me if I can't believe -"

"I knew that the ticking was a fake – it was coming from the rigging! A crocodile can't climb up a mast. It would have had to climb onto the deck first, but the beast was nowhere to be seen. Of course I knew that it was Pan trying to distract me – and I pretended to have fallen for his trick, ordering some of my men to climb into the riggings to have a better look. Pan did a good job keeping them busy, but he never fooled me. Not one second. I knew that he was there – and had gotten Wendy on time. I was surprised to see her attacking from our armory, cutlass in hand and throwing herself laughing headfirst into battle. She really is impervious – the reason why she captured me so thoroughly in the end. And the reason why she was able to save me in many ways."

"What do you mean by 'save me in many ways'?" George asked after the captain fell silent. He could guess what the other man meant, but he wanted to hear it.

James chuckled quietly. "As I said: I had become a monster. At least that is what I thought of myself often enough – over there, in the dark solitude of my quarters. But a spark of my old self still survived, and when Wendy returned a second time to Neverland, she blew that lonely glowing coal to life. She saved me – not only from being killed by harpies and trolls, but also from my dark self. She made me laugh, she opened my eyes to things I was unable to see anymore, and she nursed me after our battles. By her actions, she forced me to embrace my humanity again, and for this I will always be grateful." Mr. Darling was surprised to see the sudden gentle, loving smile on the other man's face. "I will never forget how I faced her at the beach again, surrounded by a few of my men," James continued. "Any other girl would have been terrified. After all she DID chant me to my supposed death. But instead of running away or begging for mercy, she challenged me to a duel." He chuckled. "Her lack of experience and fencing technique was made up by her courage and her natural talent. She even underran my defense and tore my coat with her blade." He smirked. "No wonder that she is now the head of her fencing class at school."

George's spectacles began to slide down his nose as his jaw fell. "Wendy is what?"

Hook glanced at him and saw he had given something away the banker obviously didn't know yet. Oops! He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I think I've said too much."

"Wendy is taking fencing lessons at school?" Mr. Darling demanded.

James sighed. "Aye! I was surprised to learn that today's girls are being taught this, but I wasn't surprised about Wendy's success. She is a natural when it comes to fencing. She proved it in Neverland a few times, the last when she killed six harpies. With my training sword! I'll admit I was damn proud of her." He clicked his tongue and watched the other man thoughtfully. "You know nothing of her second stay in Neverland?" he realized.

George said nothing. He had to admit that this conversation was … enraging, horrifying, fascinating, instructive and sad, all in one – and his inner turmoil had only increased since he'd come aboard. James Hook was a complex man with many facets, and he didn't know if he should pity or admire the man who had endured so much, then pulled himself out of the emotional swamp he'd almost drowned in. "She told us about her adventures in Neverland," he finally said. "She also told us that you had changed, that you had protected her and the boys, and that you and Peter Pan fought side by side, even coming to a truce. But I didn't know any of the details," he admitted.

"You never read her diaries before you gave them to Ashford," Hook assumed.

"I didn't even know that they existed," George murmured. "Wendy never told me, the boys keep her secrets to themselves and Mary … I only learned from her last week that Wendy wrote and illustrated two books about her adventures."

"Hm, she is very fierce when it comes to protecting Neverland, Peter -"

"And you," Mr. Darling stated quietly. "I think my wife was right. Wendy had a crush on you even as a child. I don't know where she heard about you the first time, but she always perked up and told her tales with shining eyes whenever they were about you. Stories I thought to be fantasy mixed with a few historical facts." He sighed, remembering. "Before she left the first time, she announced that she intended to write a great novel in three volumes about her 'adventures.' But here you are, in the middle of London, after almost two hundred years." He shook his head, feeling new facts rattling around in his consciousness. "And you love her in return."

A real smile now reached the captain's visage. "I do!"

George grimaced. He knew that he couldn't delay the questions any longer. "And you want to marry her?"

Hook nodded and stood tall again. Taking a deep breath, he revealed, "I proposed to her today." He watched the blue eyes behind the spectacles grow wide. "And she agreed."

There, the truth was out. The father knew!

George Darling felt dizzy again. "Of course she accepted your proposal," he whispered. "There was no other option for my little girl, after all, you're the center of her world." He took a shuddering breath.

Hook smiled. "Your 'little girl' is a young woman now," he told the other quietly.

George lifted both brows. "Which reminds me of something else you hinted at during your talk with Peter." He now stood tall, facing the other man, and asked bluntly, "Did you deflower my daughter?"

James' gaze looked at the other man. "No," he said quietly. Mr. Darling sighed in relief, but felt the rug being pulled away from under his feet as Hook added gently, "We made love."

George had lost count of how often he had been shocked that day, but this was now too much. "You … you two…" As Hook nodded, he croaked, "I think I'd like a drink!"

James laughed softly, dousing his cigars on the railing. "Happy to oblige. But below deck it is more comfortable and warmer. Come with me – and please put out your cigar, too. There are a few rules aboard and one is no flames below deck." The speechless George Darling only nodded, tossing the cigar over the rail, and followed Hook down the companionway to the main deck and from there into the ship's belly.

Inside the ship, Mr. Darling was distracted from the revelation of his daughter's indiscretion. His surroundings were very interesting. He always imagined a pirate ship to be untidy, dirty, chaotic, but what he saw of the Jolly Roger would be totally acceptable by the standards of the Royal Navy. The galleon was old and had been almost completely rebuilt and redesigned after being captured by the pirates; she was in excellent shape, wooden surfaces smoothed to a glossy, glowing finish. And he was even more surprised to find the ship's kitchen in impeccable condition. He almost felt comfortable as he sat in the small galley where it smelled of good cooking and the herbs hanging from above and those planted in vessels. Some of them were known to him, others were strange.

He watched Hook open a cupboard, take two small goblets and a bottle from one of the shelves, serving them both a clear rum. The typical dark color George knew of rum had come into fashion since Hook's crew gone to Neverland, ripening the liquid in old sherry barrels – a technique unknown when Hook still had sailed the Caribbean.

George carefully took a sip. The spirit was strong and sharp – strange, but not unpleasant. And even stranger was the situation he found himself in. Here he sat, on a stool at a small table with a man whom he'd always thought fictional (or historical), but was very much real and now here, in one of London's older docks. A man born over two hundred years ago, the acknowledged leader of a pirate gang. A man who wanted to marry George's beloved daughter. And George had no other choice than give the other man his wish, because Wendy had done the unthinkable and had shared a bed with the captain. Not just strange! Surreal!

"Do you know what I would love to do right now?" he asked, taking another sip.

"Let me guess," Hook said wryly. "Punch me again?" He rubbed the aching spot on his chin.

Mr. Darling's eyes were narrowed. "To use your term: Aye!"

"Understandable," James replied wryly. "But perhaps you should consider your sore knuckles." He nodded at the other man's hand which had reddened. "And wouldn't it be better to talk about arrangements before you give in to your sudden violent streak?"

"Arrangements?" the banker demanded, flexing his right hand.

"Our wedding, for example," Hook smiled. "It kills two birds with one stone: She and I will be an official item, and her reputation will be safe with me." He caught the other man's hard look and sighed, "I know, Wendy and I should have married first before we gave ourselves to each other, but we were," he sighed in fond remembrance, "carried away, and nowhere near a church. And bottled feelings are hard to control. Even for me. I love your daughter with everything in me and I will do everything possible to make her happy." It was not an apology, rather an explanation, but it was a start. He knew that he had to get Mr. Darling on his side if he didn't want to tear the Darling-family apart. Yes, Wendy could stay with him even without her father's permission, but James wanted peace. He, who always craved a good adventure (in this, too, he and Peter were much alike), now yearned for familial harmony. And this he would only have if he gained the good will of one Mr. George Darling.

"You want to make her happy – at least it won't be in Neverland," George growled, and set down the glass. "That's at least some comfort."

"I know that you feared losing your daughter entirely, but – like I had to tell Peter – neither my men nor me can return to Neverland. We're banished," James sighed.

Mr. Darling folded his hands on the tabletop; wincing slightly as his knuckles complained. Fiddlesticks, he really wasn't used to acting violently. "You said that it would be difficult for you to fit into this world. What if you fail?"

"I won't fail. I adjusted to Eton, to the Navy, to the Caribbean, then to Neverland. I've learned to integrate myself into new worlds. I'm sure I can do it again. And I will have Wendy as well as her friends and brothers who know who we are. My men and myself. That is more support than any of my other new starts."

Mr. Darling pursed his lips. He knows he has to bend to facts and accepts his fate – a wisdom and strength not many men possess. But after two hundred years …

George's breath stopped in his chest. Something else had occurred to him, and it defied reason. He slowly turned to the other man. "You … you're giving up immortality for Wendy!" he whispered in awe. "In Neverland, you never aged, just like the boy, but here you're subject to time. You had the desire of all mankind – immortality – and you gave it up … for my daughter."

A wry smile tugged at James' mouth. "I hadn't looked at it quite like that." He snorted. "But immortality isn't worth the fuss. What is immortality without love? An endless loneliness, nothing more. It was my constant companion in Neverland and made my life a dull existence. As I said, Wendy saved me in many ways. And I will never give her up, even if it means leaving the shores which had become something like a home at last. That is, after I came to my senses and made peace with the island's little prince and its other habitants."

Mr. Darling took another sip of the rum. "What if the boy doesn't accept fate as you have? What if he chooses to leave his oversized playground and remain here?"

Hook shook his head and sipped at own rum, before he said, "He won't. He's been at this crossroad other times – two of them I've seen. If he wouldn't give up his eternal childhood for Wendy – and she really captured him – then he won't do it for anyone else."

Mr. Darling sighed deeply. It would be difficult for him to stomach everything. His whole world had turned on its head, especially this evening. Even though he preferred all things remain in order, he did not close his eyes in the face of a challenge. "And how do you propose to support my Wendy? Make a living wage? I read in the newspaper about your 'business idea' about giving sightseeing tours aboard your ship, but -"

Hook actually laughed aloud. "Believe me, Mr. Darling, I am rich enough to offer her a life without financial worries."

"Booty? Stolen treasures?" George asked with a grimace.

"Some of that we can exchange for your modern money. Perhaps you can assist me in doing so."

George Darling groaned quietly, taking off his spectacles to polish them. "Do I have another choice?" he asked quietly.

"Of course you have another choice, but my suggestion would be the simplest solution to our problems," James replied wryly with a hint of arrogance.

Promptly Mr. Darling had to chuckle. "Pirate," he murmured.

"I never denied it," Hook retorted with a smirk.

Leaning back on his chair, George declined as the captain offered him another glass of rum. "Thank you, but I must drive home."

"Of course," James nodded. "You might also sleep here. I'll tell Mr. Herbs to vacate his cabin-"

Raising a hand, Mr. Darling shook his head. "Thank you, but I must return home. My wife was asleep in the living room when I arrived and I left without waking her. She will notice my absence and worry. I also want to speak with Wendy."

Hook peered at the father said slowly, "I hope you speak kindly to her." His voice was calm but George heard the warning.

"I have a few questions. And then I must tell my wife that our daughter is engaged – unofficially."

"I will propose to her officially when this Ashford affair is over," James promised. "We must retrieve dragon egg and get the scholar who protected Peter and helped Wendy out of the manor – this Professor Hutchings. We owe the man, and James Hook always pays his debts."

This entire evening gave Mr. Darling bellyache, cigar and rum notwithstanding, but he knew that these issues to be resolved before normal life could return to their family. "Let me handle the viscount's financials," he said firmly. "I have my superior's support in revealing his problems, which also could stain our bank's image – and could leave us with a serious loss of reputation. This morning, after I learned from my wife what Wendy overheard at the manor, I already contacted a colleague at our bank who will look into the viscount's investments and businesses, as well as the Ashford companies' accounts. I'm certain that the young man embezzled money from his father."

"And you think that blackmail will be enough?" Hook asked skeptically.

"Blackmail?" George looked at him, scandalized, then he sighed heavily. "An ugly word, but I think you hit the nail on the head," he admitted and grimaced. "I'm an honest God-fearing man who never used dirty tricks to achieve a goal, but the welfare of my family, my daughter and her … fiancé, and the health of a boy are at stake. So, if the viscount won't back down, the English aristocracy will surely embrace this scandal – and the earl will have to interfere to our advantage." He chuckled sarcastically. "That's the fate of fathers: Sometimes your children give you reasons to tear out your hair."

Hook smirked again. "Aye, Mr. Darling, to be sure. From time to time the big guns have to be used."

"I do prefer diplomacy," George murmured. "There are some things in the world you can't take back: A loosed arrow, a spoken word, but the latter is somewhat less deadly than the first." His gaze wandered to the captain's chest. "Except when you wear a dragon scale around your neck." Both men chuckled at that; a kind of understanding was forming between them.

Calling it a night, Hook rose and Mr. Darling did the same. Leaving bottle and glass, James took the lantern with him and led his guest back to the main deck; passing crew quarters and the snoring. It reminded George how late it was. The air on deck had cooled and was nearing freezing. The banker was looking forward to his warm house.

George watched how Hook gave two of the men who had the watch order to lower the gangway. In the of the fire in the burn barrels, he saw that the captain's chin had begun to darken. By the morning there would be a definite bruise. No, Mr. Darling didn't regret his action, after all, James Hook should have known better than to seduce Wendy and put the family's reputation on the line. On the other hand, this man was to become his son-in-law soon, even though seemingly close to his own age – a man unfamiliar with his world and culture, and who would need help to fit in.

While the Robb and Bollard were busy with the gangway, George addressed Hook quietly, "Since you will soon be a member of our family, I think it's right and proper to introduce you as such to my wife and the boys. Would you join us for dinner tomorrow?"

Surprised, James looked at George analytically, then decided. "I'm honored. I don't know what our enemy is up to, but a little domesticity sounds appealing – not only for me but also for Peter. He would be distracted and also away from the ship in case the viscount or the witch herself try a nasty surprise."

"If you like, you can bring him along, of course," Mr. Darling answered, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

"Thank you," Hook nodded.

"Then I'll pick you and the boy up in the late afternoon. During the day, I must summon as much information as possible about the viscount's financial status. In the afternoon I can pick you and Peter up, perhaps even give you a little tour through the more beautiful quarters of London. You said you haven't seen much of the town so far, only the ugly east, but there is quite a lot more to London than you expect."

A real smile appeared on James' face. "Perfect. Tomorrow morning I am scheduled to do some shopping for the boy and myself. Mr. Kempton offered his help."

George nodded. He was a practical man and loathed needless expense. "Yes, the boy needs some decent clothes, but you also said that he will be returning to Neverland. He will probably go back to wearing his leaves there. Before I go to work tomorrow, I'll bring a few clothes from my sons to your ship. Then Peter will have something to wear and no money needs to be spent for it."

Hook snorted. "I can afford something for him, believe me, but, on the other hand, I'd like to see him sleep as long as possible. And he would have to join me if we want to buy him new clothes. So, if you don't mind, I would be grateful if your donation. I can't take him with me clad in my shirt and stockings. And I'm sure he'll refuse to wear the clothes from the orphanage."

"Indeed," George nodded. "I'll be here around nine o'clock."

"Acceptable," the captain nodded and offered the other man his left hand. "Good night, Mr. Darling. I'm glad I got to meet you."

"Well, perhaps not at first," George replied drily; trying not to think of his aching hand. At least he'd been able to mark the other man.

"I deserved it, like I said," James chuckled. Smiling, he watched how Wendy's father left the ship, Bollard illuminating his way to the motorcar. And only as he heard the vehicle starting at the quay and Bollard returning did Hook withdraw to his own quarters; tired but also in a good mood. If only his chin wouldn't throb so much. Dammit, Wendy's father really delivered a forceful punch! Perhaps one of those aspirins …

*** PP *** PP ***

Half an hour later, Mr. Darling unlocked the front door to his house and entered. Instantly he saw the light from the living room. Nana trotted into the hallway, ears and tail drooping. Behind her the sweet figure of Mrs. Darling appeared, leaning against the door frame.

"You're back," she said softly. George nodded, closed the door, patted Nana's head and slipped out of his cloak, scarf and hat he left on the hooks by the mirror in the entranceway. As he turned around again, Mary stood directly behind him, looking him over, possibly for wounds. "You've gone to see Captain Hook?" she stated.

Her husband grimaced. "Aye …" He cleared his throat. "Yes, I did. I saw a picture of him and our daughter in the tabloid newspaper."

"I saw it, too – you left the paper here," Mary said. "And after traveling all the way back from Liverpool, you had nothing better to do than seek out the captain?" She shook her head resignedly.

George snorted. "I can only thank the Lord that Wendy's face isn't visible in that photo, but I recognized her nonetheless. I had to confront the man."

Mary only nodded and offered him her cheek; he bent down and kissed her softly. "And you lived to tell the tale," she teased. "You're cold. I just made some tea. Come to the kitchen and have a cuppa with me. Then we can talk." She took his hand in hers and felt him flinching. "Is something wrong?" She lifted his hand in the light and saw the damage: his knuckles were red and his skin abrased. She recognized the marks from treating the boys. Lifting a critical brow, her eyes demanded answers. And like the boys, her husband took a deep breath and grumbled,

"I … I showed him what I thought of … of his compromising our daughter."

It was rare that Mary Darling was completely taken by surprise. "You punched him?" she asked, while pulling her husband to the kitchen.

"Yes I did," George replied, grinning. "And it felt damn good after all he – and that boy – put us through over the last five years," he added after they arrived at the kitchen.

Both hands on her hips, his wife turned around and looked as if she were about to scold him. "I don't believe it. My husband, gentleman banker who stands on ceremony like a peer, bandies blows like a dock worker."

"He deserved it – which he, by the way, agreed with. He not only kissed our daughter but …" He gulped. "Mary, maybe you'd better sit down, before I tell you that -"

"- that the two have been intimate?" Mary interrupted him. Seeing her husband's surprise, she allowed herself a quick chortle. "Knowing our daughter's passionate attributes and this man's wild nature, it wasn't much of a surprise. And -"

" - and he is going to marry her," George finished. "He already proposed to her today."

"He did?" Mary chuckled while placing the teapot on the table between the cups. "That was quick. He didn't say anything about that when I returned to the ship this afternoon with Sli … uh … Robert and Millicent, but there really was no time. We had to rescue Peter and -"

George paused as he poured the tea. "Wait a minute. You had a part in rescuing the boy?"

"Yes, I had a little race with the viscount who chased us to the dock." She saw her husband nearly drop the teapot, so she took it herself. Sighing, Mary finished pouring. "Have a seat, dear. I think, we both have a lot to talk about."

Remembering what the grandfather clock in the hallway showed, George knew that it was nearly one in the morning and he had had a very long day, but there was no sleep in him. This was far more important than sleep!

*** PP ***

Wendy didn't know what woke her up. For a moment she thought she might still be at the manor – captive and drugged. Then she recognized her own room in Bloomsbury she felt herself land in the present. With a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, realizing how thirsty she was. She carefully peeked over her shoulder and saw Vicky lying at the other half of the bed, sound asleep.

Quietly slipping out of bed, Wendy threw on a shawl, then tiptoed toward the kitchen. She saw the glimmer of light falling on the floor downstairs and heard the quiet voices of her parents. Her father had returned! But they were still up – at this hour? Going downstairs, she threw a look at the grandfather clock that pointed out that it was almost two o'clock in the morning. She could hear words coming from the dining room. Her parents talked about her – and James.

As a child, Wendy had delayed unpleasant confrontations as long as possible, but during her first stay in Neverland she had found her courage. She 'took the bull by the horns,' and bracing herself and knocking softly, she opened the dining room door, seeing her parents on armchairs by a dying fire. Nana only lifted her head, sighed again, and laid it between her thick paws; too sleepy to care who came and went.

The parents grew silent at her knock. Looking up, George rose, while Mary asked quietly, "Wendy, why aren't you asleep?"

"I woke up because I'm thirsty," she replied, "and I wanted to greet Father."

George looked her over swiftly – praises be, she was indeed healthy and in one piece! – and pushing everything else on his mind aside, he pulled her into a warm embrace as she reached him. "Wendy, my sweet," he whispered and held her close. "I'm so glad you're back." He noticed how tall she'd grown since he said goodbye the last time. Only one and a half week had gone by, but Wendy had changed from a grown girl into a young woman. The way she kept herself spoke volumes.

Wendy happily returned the embrace. She loved her father, she really did. She loved his steadiness, his attention to detail, his firm but loving hand with all those boys. She had grown to understand him better. But it was his initial cuddling of her that filled her with relief. She knew that there was much he would have learned from her mother by now. And she could see that he wanted to talk with her about everything that happened. But for a very long moment, father and daughter simply held each other – George relieved and overjoyed to have his daughter back, Wendy glad and feeling like daddy's little girl again.

Finally George straightened and cupped his daughter's 'womanly chin.' "You've lost weight," he murmured.

"I know," Wendy nodded. "But I didn't dare to eat anything at the manor except what Nissa or Bumblyn brought. Whatever Madame Lunette brought -"

"I know everything," her father interrupted her softly. "Your mother has filled in some details."

The young woman stiffened. "What?"

Her father nodded slowly, before he took a deep breath. "I know, it's very late, but I think we should talk without prying ears and eyes." He indicated his vacated armchair and Wendy sat down, feeling somewhat anxious.

"I spoke with your captain," George began while he walked back to the fireplace. Mary also sat down again.

"You talked with James?" Wendy gasped. "When?"

"Earlier tonight. After returning to London, I went to the old docks and sought him out. And after a rather … boisterous introduction, we had a heart-to-heart." He leaned an arm on the mantle and fixed his daughter with a stern gaze. "It was from him I learned that my daughter isn't a girl anymore, but a woman." He saw her blush, but not with shame. "I always thought of you as a young lady, but now I learn you are more pirate than anything else." He lifted both brows. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING when you gave yourse-"

"George, speak quietly!" Mary whispered sharply. "I don't want your sister involved!"

Right. Excellent reminder. Mr. Darling took another deep breath, then continued in a subdued tone, "Wendy, I'm sure you've learned that … that certain activities are … are reserved for married couples, for those joined in a lifetime covenant. And-"

"Father, I didn't even know what happens after a man and a woman marry," Wendy defended herself. "I had no idea of… of what sort of activities happen … in a bedroom."

George stared at her. "You … you didn't know?" As his daughter shook his head, he growled, "Then that damn bastard DID seduce you! I knew it!" He slammed his fist into his other hand. "Ha, then he really deserved that punch!"

Wendy gaped at him. "You … you punched James?" she gasped.

"Aye, a full blow!" George nodded and showed her his right hand like a trophy; the knuckles nicely purpled. "And he admitted that he deserved it!"

"And now you're talking like a pirate, so don't be surprised when your daughter acts like one," Mary deadpanned, which earned her a giggle from Wendy, who couldn't believe it. Her shy and reserved father struck James Hook! And then both men had talked? And they complained women were hard to understand!

George looked at his daughter, who seemed to be hiding a smile. Females! "You know what your … your impropriety means?" he asked, sounding very serious.

Wendy had a very good idea what her 'impropriety' meant. She had fallen from her upper-class etiquette. She was dishonored and she had heard often enough what happened to girls who were 'dishonored': They had to marry the man with whom they had shared a bed or -

"It seems you know about the two possible options for those girls – and I'm not sure if it is fortunate that … that your captain has already proposed to you."

It was almost impossible for Wendy not to smile. "It is fortunate, Father, now you can be sure that the family's reputation is still safe, and James and I will be together – something we both sincerely desire."

George frowned and observed her suddenly with a new kind of sternness. "I have a dreadful suspicion that you have performed this … this insanity on purpose so that I would have no other choice than to give this scoundrel your hand in marriage."

Wendy gasped, "Father!"

"George, I think that's going too far," Mary intervened.

"But I do believe that Wendy had no knowledge of the carnal pleasures." Then he adjusted his spectacles, like he always did when he was uncertain, and took a deep breath. "Be that as it may, Wendy is now engaged – unofficially. Captain Hook already said that he will propose officially to her when this whole … affair with Ashford is over – and after Peter and this dragon egg get back to Neverland. I understand that he first wants to make a clear break with everything that has to do with the island. To begin a new life, you have to draw a line through your past. But I also can understand that he can't leave loose ends. The boy has to return soon. It seems the lad needs time to recover and he will heal better in his magical home."

"Did you see Peter?" Wendy asked carefully.

Her father nodded. "Yes. He's a pretty boy despite the bruises he wears. But I think, at the moment, his heart is more wounded than his body." He looked straight at his daughter. "Captain Hook told him about himself and you – that you're a couple."

For the third time Wendy's eyes became wide as saucers. "How … how did Peter take it?" she asked, clutching the ring on the end of the chain under her nightdress, where she used to keep the acorn.

"Better than expected. I think, he already realized that you've outgrown him, and your captain was clever enough to present himself as the best solution for the dilemma that you, a grown woman, need a husband. At first Peter denied it, but your little wonder-boy is an intelligent child and he thought it best that someone is at your side who knows about your unusual adventures and who understands you." He sighed as he saw Wendy's wide smile.

"I see it likewise," Mary commented gently.

George grimaced. Women certainly loved romance … "I hope everything ends well. I had a very interesting talk with Captain Hook afterward – in private. Your captain is profound, a many-faceted man, Wendy. I can see why he caught your girlish interest and has now captured your heart. He is experienced, clever – not to say witty – and highly intelligent. And even I can see that he is handsome despite his lost hand. But he is also dangerous. I don't know if that is because of his violent past or because men of that period were educated differently, but he reminds me of a storm cloud gathering on the horizon. He has scars on his soul from what I can see, and he was frank about his dark side you saved him from. But it is still in him and scars can bleed again under certain circumstances, so don't fool yourself, Wendy. James Hook is like deep water – on the surface calm but inside a vortex lingers that can turn into a maelstrom. There will be moments in which his past and his scars will haunt him. And at those moments you will need to be there for him."

Wendy nodded earnestly. "I know. The White Lady told me something like that the last time we spoke."

"The 'white lady'?" George and Mary asked in unison.

"The unicorn," their daughter replied. "She found me the evening Dalton came to Neverland. It was she who attacked Dalton's men so that James and I could get away. Before I rode to the camp to have a word with Dalton, actually to tell him in no uncertain terms of my decision, she talked with me about my future – and about the 'impossible man' who had desired my heart years before and who was my other half now. She told me that his past would trouble him and that he would need me to leave everything behind." Wendy smiled as she looked into the puzzled face of her father and then at the smiling one of her mother. "You read about me riding the unicorn up the volcano's flank to save James from the trolls, didn't you?" she asked.

"Yes. I admit, I read your diaries after I found you and the boys gone last week," Mary confessed.

"Riding a unicorn and saving a pirate captain from trolls. In other words: An average day for my daughter," Mr. Darling remarked sardonically. "That explains what he meant about you saving him from trolls and harpies." He pinched his nose, then paused. "You rode on the unicorn five years ago?" As his daughter only grinned, he stuttered, "B-b-b-but you only learned to ride later!" He stopped, then looked at his wife. "Did you know that our daughter takes fencing-lessons at school?"

Mary's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Yes, our daughter parries and thrusts with a sword in her hand – a real one – and crosses blades with her opponents, just like –"

"-just like Red-Handed Jill," Wendy smiled proudly.

Her father looked at her askance. "Hm, red-handed indeed! It seems that expensive private school failed to turn you into a real lady."

"Well, I promised James when I left that no one would be able to turn me into a lady," Wendy giggled.

"At least you kept that promise," George countered dryly.

"Be glad that I'm not a lady who sits obediently in an armchair and waits to be rescued like a damsel in distress," his daughter retorted. "How then would I have been able to escape the manor? You and James would have had to risk your necks to get me out."

"Yes, and said 'damsel NOT in distress' drove without a license and minimal practice from the manor to Guildford in a stolen motorcar in the middle of the night, in bad weather, then traveled via railroad to London -" Mary stopped. "How did you purchase a ticket? Please, don't say you fare-dodged."

"No, I didn't. Professor Hutchings gave me some money to buy petrol and to get to London," Wendy smiled.

Mr. Darling, who really thought to have reached the point where nothing could shock him anymore, glared at her. "Driving without a license, stealing a motorcar and …" Now he stopped, too. "Professor Hutchings? Is this the man your captain spoke about and who has to be 'gotten out'?"

"Yes," Wendy affirmed. "He helped Peter and me, and is doing his best to look after the unhatched dragon. I'm sure that he'll be in danger if Dalton finds out all he's done. The professor already had a few 'discussions' with Lunette and the viscount."

"What could Ashford do? This is the 20th century, not in the Dark Ages. You can't kill someone without attracting the attention of the authorities," Mr. Darling said frowning.

"There's always that chance. Dalton has no scruples about killing someone who has been in Neverland," Wendy said firmly. "Not just the natives or the Little People he and his men killed, but his clear attempt to murder James. Dalton has no scruples. He had no problem drugging me and stealing my blood – again, I have to add. His witch needed it to brew more potion to open the portal to Neverland." She pulled up the left sleeve of her nightgown, looking for the tiny mark of the needle, now healed. She heard her mother take a sharp breath; her father flushed in anger.

"When did this happen?" Mary asked sharply.

"Last Saturday, when I was sedated. Remember? He needed more of the potion to return to Neverland to 'save' the boys. I am so grateful James brought them home. I don't want to imagine what havoc and destruction Dalton might have performed in Neverland the second time."

"He will pay for all of this, Wendy, believe me," George growled; angry again, hearing what had happened to her at the manor. Then his gaze fell on the golden bracelet on her other arm. "That bracelet," he said slowly. "I'd bet my last shilling that Captain Hook gave it to you." Wendy only nodded. Her father sighed deeply. "And you never took it off?" Wendy shook her head. He glanced at his wife. "You were right, my dear. Our daughter 'crushed' on him from the beginning." He shook his head. "Why are these things happening in our family?"

"Because we're special?" Wendy offered; her father only grimaced.

"Or because there are magical beings," Mary mused, "even here in London, and they were drawn to us – which might be the reason why Peter Pan came to our window?"

"He loved my stories," Wendy reminded her.

"Yes, you and your stories! They were the beginning of everything," Mr. Darling growled. Then he took another deep breath. "All right, my ladies, it's almost three in the morning and a busy day is fast approaching. I must find out what illegalities Ashford performed to pay his gambling debts so that I might 'persuade' him to call off the hunt. If not, his father will learn what a 'fine young gentleman' his son is. And we have guests for dinner."

"We do?" mother and daughter asked together.

"Yes, I invited Captain Hook and Peter. I thought if that man is going to be our son-in-law, we must become more acquainted as family, give him a chance adjust to us. And because I want my two ladies as glowing as a spring day, I suggest that we are off to bed. It was a stressful day."

Wendy rose, glad that the scolding she had expected never came. She assumed that James was behind this – men and their secrets! – but she wouldn't ask. Standing, she gave her father a kiss on the cheek and then her mother, then dashed upstairs. Peter and James would be in her home tomorrow!

George watched her leave. "My Wendy – a young woman," he murmured. A memory intruded, the fateful evening more than five years ago when his sister pointed out the first hidden kiss in the right corner of Wendy's mouth. Now the time had come: His daughter was grown and had known the first pleasures in a man's arms. And soon she would be married.

As if reading his thoughts, Mary slipped her arms around his waist. "The first of our children is about to leave our home," she whispered.

"Yes," George agreed. "I always hoped that Wendy would marry someone with a title, someone who loved her truly."

"Then your hope is fulfilled," Mary smiled. "James Hook is, in truth, Marquess Shalford, the last son of the Shalford family. He is rich – and he loves Wendy more than anything else."

George sighed deeply. "Yes, yes, but still … he is a pirate." He shook his head, his forehead meeting Mary's. "We will find out where all this will lead. And I'm curious as to how well my future son-in-law appears tomorrow."

Neither the people in the corner-house no. 14 in Bloomsbury, nor the boy, nor the pirates nor the Little People aboard the Jolly Roger could know that tomorrow … tomorrow the bell would ring for the final round of this unusual contest …

TBC…

Well, that went better than thought. The two men came to a kind of understanding and even the big rebuke of Wendy was rather small, but – let's face it – what already happened like her given herself to James, can't be change afterwards. And with James already having proposed to 'his' storyteller, even Mr. Darling can calm down; the family's reputation is still safe.

In the next chapter there are a lot preparations for what will come soon. Furthermore you learn what happens a) to Russell and b) to Primely and the orphanage.

I hope, you liked the new chapter and I would be very, very!, happy to get some reviews.

Have a nice rest of the week,

Love

Yours Lywhn / Starflight