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Not Old, Alone, Or Done For	By : onecelestialbeing Category: M through R > Peter Pan > Het Views: 9343 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Peter Pan, books, movies or any of its characters, and make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Daylight poured into the cabin the next morning, the rays of sun broken up and falling sporadically across the bed. Wendy felt the warmth on her face but remembered that she still had on the blindfold, although that wasn't the cause for her inner turmoil. Feeling bare, hot skin beneath her cheek and wisps of hair tickling her face Wendy realized that she'd fallen asleep lying upon the chest of James Hook. Her arm was wrapped around his torso, and feeling a slight warm pressure on her back realized that he'd reciprocated the gesture.

Had they really stayed in this position the entire time? Memories of last night flashed through Wendy's mind and immediately she felt embarrassed. She'd always hated crying in front of anyone, especially someone like Hook who scoffed at fickle female sentiment. Yet he'd kept her resting upon him the entire night, and had his arm in a seemingly protective embrace around her body. 'Don't be stupid,' Wendy chided herself. 'He probably just didn't know how to handle a weak, simpering girl.'

Certain that Hooked most likely thought of her as foolish, Wendy wondered what she should do next. Too afraid to look up at the captain as she heard his steady breathing, she gently disentangled herself from his arm and pretending to still be lost to the throes of deep slumber, turned over onto her side.

Snuggling beneath the bedclothes, Wendy was relieved when a few minutes later she felt Hook rousing out of his sleep. The mattress dipped ever so slightly under his weight as he got up from the bed, barely jostling the young woman.

The sound of pattering of bare feet walking across the thick Oriental rug on the floor came forth, and then silence as Hook settled himself at his ornate oak desk. Looking over at Wendy curled up in his bed with her mussed honey brown curls strewn about, the captain contemplated last night.

Wendy Darling had shown a side of herself to him that even she wasn't aware had previously existed. He'd lied to her and then used her to try and capture Pan. Then he'd tried to kill her when she was a mere child of twelve, along with her brothers. And now she'd unflinchingly pressed her soft lips against one thing that he loathed about himself, cried for him although not out of pity, called him by his Christian name and then clung to his side the entire night.

It seemed that the Fates were having a good laugh at the expense of Captain Hook. Why else would an innocent, lovely creature return and willingly choose to stay with a man that was obviously evil that had a blatant disregard for life? Years ago Wendy told Peter that she found Hook to be a man of feeling.

The statement hadn't been wholly untrue; he did feel even if right now he refused to admit to himself that the raw emotion displayed by the young woman had managed to chip away more than a mere sliver of his icy resolve.

Damn her! Wendy always managed to make those around her feel something, whether they were willing or not. Peter had thrown a temper tantrum when as a child she'd asked him what he was feeling. Wendy didn't ask Hook one question yet it was obvious what he was feeling: too much.

Smee knocked on the door and then entered the room, seeing the shirtless and scowling captain sitting at his desk staring distractedly at nothing. "Morning Cap'n," the bosun greeted cheerfully, pretending that he didn't notice the man's agitated state. If Hook was nothing he was always concise and focused; and it must have been a great thing that had him so terribly beguiled.

"What's that?" Hook asked sneering at one of the plates set before him.

"Well I didn't know if the lass could see yet, so I figured this would be easier for her," Mr. Smee explained as they both peered at the miniature cubed pieces of fruit and cheese.

Scoffing and turning his attention away from the bosun who'd left the room moments after, Hook called out to Wendy twice. When she didn't answer, he hissed in slight annoyance and got up from his seat. "Wake up, Ms. Darling," he said gently shaking her shoulder. "Come along child, I don't have all day," Hook countered when Wendy barely stirred.

Feigning a yawn, she pushed the blankets back from her body and shivered at the loss of warmth. Climbing out of the bed, Wendy clutched her arms round her body feeling the cool air in the cabin.

"I'm assuming you'd like breakfast," the captain said conversationally as he picked up what felt like a robe to Wendy and draped it around her shoulders.

"Yes, thank you," she quietly answered with a nod. After being led to the table and guided into a chair, Hook put a piece of bread on the plate with the fruit and cheese specially prepared for Wendy and placed it in front of her.

Wendy was grateful that she was able to eat her breakfast with ease. She was slowly chewing on a piece of melon when Hooked politely asked her if she slept well.

"Perfectly well sir, thank you," she answered quietly after swallowing.

'Give her a little rum in the dark and its James; back to sober in the morning and its sir,' Hook thought to himself. "Do you remember anything about last night?" he then asked, causing Wendy to choke on the piece of bread that she'd just put in her mouth.

Feeling as if Hook was staring directly at her (which he was) while waiting for an answer, Wendy felt her cheeks flame hot. Coughing still, she used the excuse of picking up her teacup and sipped a few times trying to get the bread sticking to her throat to go down.

Silence imminent in the room, Wendy knew that the captain was still waiting for an answer. Carefully placing down her teacup she then wracked her mind for a suitable answer. "I remember the rum burning my tongue and then being unable to eat…and then falling asleep," she'd all but whispered.

"I see," Hook replied, noting the obvious embarrassment coloring Wendy's cheeks. 'You are fooling no one, my little darling,' he thought to himself. Without knowing why, the captain also chose to keep to himself the fact that he knew Wendy was pretending to be asleep that morning. But she'd given herself away when she awoke as her breathing had changed, her body growing tense at the realization that the two were pressed against one another in the manner in which lovers sleep.

"In vino veritas," Hook said casually as he picked up his own teacup, thinking back to the girl's forthright confession.

"Excuse me?" Wendy asked, not hearing what he'd said.

"Oh, 'tis nothing Ms. Darling, I'm just thinking about loud. Although I must insist; no more rum for you."

Bashfully lowering her head, Wendy focused on clearing her plate. The bread was soft and fresh, the cheese complimenting the sweet, ripened fruit. Wendy picked up her teacup again and sipped at the hot liquid appreciatively. Before their meal the captain had politely asked Wendy how she'd taken her tea and had prepared her cup perfectly suited to her tastes.

The rest of their meal passed rather awkwardly, although only one party was able to mask their discomfort. Hook was adept at playing with a poker face, even if it went to naught as Wendy was still unable to see.

Mr. Smee returned to collect the breakfast dishes and seeing Wendy sitting at the table went to greet her whom answered him haphazardly. He noticed the discord between the captain and the young woman tensely sitting across from him but knew better than to say anything. After the bosun left the cabin to take the dishware down to the galley, Hook walked over to Wendy and gently grabbed her by the hand. Without a word he led her to sit back upon the slightly rumpled covers on the bed.

Smee then walked back into the room, presumably to help the captain dress as Wendy heard him ask which outfit he should pull out. Hearing the pirate captain answer that he wanted to wear his green velvet ensemble with gold trimming, a low groan of pain echoed throughout the room.

"Damned harness," Wendy heard Hook swear underneath his breath as the rough leather rubbed against his tender skin.

"'Tis one of those days eh Cap'n?" Smee asked. "Want me to get the salve?"

"No, why bother now, it's already on," Hook answered with a grimace.

Wendy found herself wishing that she could take off her blindfold already, curious to see what the captain was wearing. Hook's sartorially elegant outfits never failed to lend him an air of refinement; even during the times he opened his mouth to imprecate anyone that crossed him.

"Blast Smee!" the captain suddenly roared, causing Wendy to nearly jump out of her skin. Hearing a loud clatter as what sounded like a chair hitting the floor, quiet yet hasty footsteps crossed the room and then a door slammed.

"Mr. Smee?" Wendy quietly asked from her place on the bed, hearing the elderly man sigh.

"Yes Miss Wendy?" he answered, setting a polished hand carved wooden comb down on the captain's desk and walking over to her.

"What happened?"

"The usual, the Cap'n hates getting' 'is hair groomed. He refuses to cut it but it tangles worse than seaweed around coral reef."

Seeing the young woman cover her mouth with a hand trying to stifle a giggle, he continued.

"Once I couldn't get the damn-excuse me miss- comb through them knots, and he pulled 'is pistol out and threatened to blow me head off if I-"

"Why that's terrible!" Wendy cried in shock.

"Don't tell 'im I told ya, but I knew it wasn't loaded," he replied conspiratorially.

"When you two are done gossiping like old biddies, Smee I need you to find something appropriate for Ms. Darling to wear," Hook's terse voice interrupted.

"Ay, Cap'n," Mr. Smee answered as he hurried out of the room.

Falling silent again, Wendy didn't realize the captain had walked towards her until the scent of cigars and cologne tickled her nose. "'Tis a pity that I must leave you alone for a few hours, Ms. Darling," he said. "But as it were a captain's job is never ending. Shame about the blindfold; I have a wonderful collection of books that I'm sure you would find most fascinating."

"I'll be fine," Wendy answered, swallowing nervously.

Waiting for the captain to say something else, she didn't realize that the scent of his cologne had begun to dwindle until she heard the cabin door being closed. Grasping the robe that was still draped about her shoulders, Wendy tugged at it and brought it down to use as a blanket over her legs. Left alone with her confusion, she lay down on what smelled like the captain's pillow and pondered his hasty departure.

Had he overheard the conversation between her and Mr. Smee? Was he angry at her?

One thing Wendy had learned at a young age was that men were prideful creatures. James Hook was as virile and supercilious as they came and Wendy was sure that reason he stalked out of the room had nothing to do with Smee roughly handling his matted hair.

Wendy didn't think any less of the captain as a man because he needed help, although she knew it would be frivolous to point it out. 'The eccentricities of the male species,' she thought turning over onto her stomach. Unable to read or write, Wendy settled with telling herself a story.

Inwardly fighting with herself after a few minutes, she found that she was unable to feign the interest to concoct even a simple tale in her head. The only sound in the room was the gentle rocking of the ship. The pillows and sheets smelled like the very person that kept appearing in her mind, and lying alone in the huge bed felt strange.

Feeling restless, Wendy decided to take a nap. Unfortunately sleep eluded her. Still feeling guilty at her outpouring of girlish sentiment, and then remembering how the captain had barely said more than a few words to her that morning and then left without saying goodbye, Wendy wondered if an apology was in order. Although she had to admit that it was Hook who soothingly ran his hand through her hair, bidding her not to cry.

Pondering the situation only left her more confused and with a headache. Was it another one of those things that became clearer as you grew up? She wasn't sure.

Hours later Hook quietly slipped back into his cabin and was sitting at his great oak desk, staring at Wendy who had fallen asleep, mesmerized by the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each breath. She'd used his black and gold after bath robe to cover her legs, the teeniest sliver of bare thigh exposed where her shirt had ridden up. Wendy's head rested on his own pillow, wisps of her rich honey brown curls brushing against her face and slightly parted full lips. With one little hand curled up on the pillow next to her head, she looked less like the young woman that screamed at him in his own cabin when she'd first arrived at Neverland and more like a small child put down for a nap after lunchtime.

'There is surely a special place in hell for me,' Hook thought to himself. He was still furious with Wendy for awakening feelings in him that even he'd never experienced, yet he found himself drawn to the girl. And because she'd chosen to stay with him, he felt that he ought to take responsibility for her.

Moaning slightly, Wendy rolled onto her side feeling herself coming out of sleep. Inching her hand towards her face, she wondered if she'd slipped one little finger underneath the fabric…

"Ms. Darling? I'm sure you don't intend on being contumacious. Or perhaps your memory has failed, but I explicitly remember saying to you to leave it alone," came the smooth voice from across the room.

Jumping like a child being caught with a hand in the cookie jar, Wendy hastily yanked her fingers away from her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked sitting up.

"Last time I checked this is my cabin," Hook answered glibly. Ignoring the pink flush that spread over her cheeks he continued. "I thought you might need a visit to the head."

"The what?" she asked.

"The head, Ms. Darling. Salle de bain."

At the mention of the bathroom (and in French, which amazed her), Wendy realized that she did in fact need to relieve herself. "But I'm not properly dressed," she pointed out.

"I'm aware of that. Unfortunately there are no dresses on my ship so until we make port we will have to make do. But might I point out that the blanket you're using has two sleeves on it?"

Feeling silly, Wendy pulled the robe off her legs and clumsily managed to pull it around and push her arms through the too long sleeves.

"Now, tie the sash around your waist and no one will see anything they shouldn't," Hook said, now standing in front of her.

Following his instruction, Wendy tied the thick lush material into a knot at her hip and stood up.

"Let's add shoes to the list of items you'll be needing," the captain said, her bare delicate feet catching his eye. Smiling sheepishly, Wendy felt Hook slide his hand into hers, the smooth rings on his middle and pinky finger brushing against her skin.

"Where is everyone?" Wendy asked, noticing the silence as they made their way through the ship.

"Dismissed temporarily," Hook answered.

"Pray tell how you managed to do that?"

"Simple intimidation," he replied, tapping his hook against the wall. Seeing Wendy's mouth open in protest he interrupted before she could get a word out. "I sent them to the galley for their grub! Now in you go," Hook grumbled ushering Wendy towards the head.

After taking care of her personal needs, the captain led Wendy back to his cabin. After being led back to a soft chair, Wendy noticed that Hook had remained in the room with her.

"I thought you had pressing matters to attend to," she said, remembering how abruptly he'd left early that morning.

"Well if this is your way of telling me that my company isn't wanted," the captain began.

"No, it's just that...it seemed like you were cross with me this morning. You left and didn't say goodbye."

Sighing heavily at the despondent look upon Wendy's face, Hook walked over to her and gently brushed his ringed hand against her cheek. Not failing to notice how she nuzzled her face against his touch, he pulled back as if the caress suddenly singed him.

Moving across the room to sit down at his harpsichord, the captain idly stroked the keys. "Do you know how to play?" he asked.

"A bit," Wendy answered. "Mother tried teaching me how to play the piano once, but I must confess it never held my attention for long."

"I daresay your tastes might have changed," Hook continued. Still tapping out a melody with one hand, the captain watched as Wendy stood up from the chair and slowly made her way over to him, using her ears as a guide. Cautiously sitting down on the bench next to Hook, Wendy listened to the arbitrary melody change into a classical song she was familiar with.

Hook whom was pleased to have a captive audience noticed a small smile was playing on Wendy's lips. Feeling devilish he began to lustily serenade Wendy, causing her to giggle uncontrollably.

Unaware that the time was passing rapidly, the captain patiently sat next to Wendy; adjusting her fingers on the keys with his left hand until soon she was able to play a snippet of a song without his help.

Despite feeling triumphant, Wendy's hands fell from the harpsichord keys and she slumped back dejectedly on the bench.

"What troubles you child?" the captain asked, noticing the subtle change in her mood.

"I still can't see and I'm nearly helpless. I feel as if I'm being thwarted somehow," Wendy stated, her fingers playing with the sash of her robe.

"Keep your eyes closed," she heard the captain say, feeling his fingers gently cup her chin. With the other arm he gently slid the smooth side of the blade against Wendy's skin, causing her to jump slightly at the cold metal grazing her cheek. Feeling a slight tugging sensation at the blindfold, it suddenly fell open and fluttered down to her lap.

"Now, open them slowly,' Hook told her after making sure that the angry redness that once graced her features no longer remained.

Cautiously opening her blue-gray eyes, albeit through blurred vision Wendy saw another pair of lighter blue one boring intently into hers. She'd momentarily forgotten the hand beneath her face until it moved to brush against the right corner of her mouth.

"Most curious," Hook murmured, taking his ringed forefinger and tracing its tip against the place.

Her chest fluttering at the contact, Wendy stammered out the explanation. "My aunt and mother said it was my hidden kiss."

"How charming. Did they tell you what it was for?" he then asked.

"Yes…but I didn't understand what they meant at the time…"

Wendy was slightly taken aback as the captain then wrapped his right arm around her waist and pulled her closer towards him on the bench. "I'll show you," he told her in a low voice before pressing his lips against the spot.

If Wendy felt any reticence, she did a poor job of showing it. Caught off guard she didn't get the opportunity to close her eyes and gasped when she saw Hook moving towards her. Inhaling sharply at the contact, wickedness made the girl wish he'd move his mouth slightly to the left and more against hers. Tingles crept over her skin feeling Hook's soft lips press against the corner of hers, his mustache and beard tickling her although not in an unpleasant way.

Soft black curls brushing against her neck, Wendy eyes squeezed shut as she released an insuppressible mewl, feeling the captain's lips trailing down along her jaw.

Bloody hell. Hook felt his breeches grow uncomfortably tight when the small moan escaped from her parted lips. Wendy smelled sweet, sultry and innocent all at the same time and the temptation to snatch the robe off her body and take her right there on the piano bench intensified.

Wendy cried out in anguish at the loss of touch when Hook managed to pry himself away from her. Opening her eyes dazedly to look at Hook, she nearly found herself asking him why he'd stopped. However, not wanting to appear as if she was a hoyden prevented her from carrying through.

"I only thought it appropriate to give you a 'thimble' of my own," Hook finally said, his face still a few inches away from Wendy's. Too flustered to notice the fiery glint dancing about in the captain's blue eyes, she abruptly stood up on wobbly legs and had to hold onto the edge of the harpsichord to keep from falling.

Wendy's lips burned and felt swollen, despite the fact that Hook hadn't actually pressed his mouth fully against hers. The fluttering sensation in her stomach refused to leave as the scent of sea air, cigars and cologne still lingered beneath her nose.

Feeling as if she was blushing from head to toe, Wendy bowed her head and tried walking across the room only to nearly collide into Mr. Smee who'd just entered the cabin.

"Well well, Miss Wendy glad to see ya up and about!"

Seeing the captain throwing a furious glance in his direction, the bosun continued his reason for the unexpected visit.

"Cap'n, the men are um, a bit restless," he hinted.

Sneering in contempt, Hook stood up from his place on the piano bench. Whenever the crew had a long stretch in between Pan attempting to attack the Jolly Roger, they tended to overindulge with rum and became quite rowdy. Sometimes even the quieter of the men would turn into loudmouthed, bawdy hell raisers and fights would have to be broken up.

Wendy watched as the captain strolled over to his desk, and picking up a short pistol made his way out of the cabin.

"He's not going to…" Wendy trailed off, knowing what usually happened as a result of Hook's temper.

Mr. Smee stood without answering, merely raising his eyebrows up over his bifocals. "Well now miss, could you do with a cuppa?"

"That would be lovely, thank you," Wendy answered after regaining her composure. Watching as the bosun left the cabin, Wendy walked over to one of the large windows and perched herself on the sill. The sun had already begun to set, casting a muted blue over the island. Jumping slightly, she heard Hook's voice roar something intelligible from the lower decks.

Now alone with her thoughts, Wendy's mind went back to the unexpected kiss that Hook pressed against her face. Growing flushed at the memory, she was positively scandalized when she realized that she hadn't wanted him to stop.

Swiveling her head around as she heard the heavy oak cabin door swing open, Hook whom looked mildly disgusted entered, Mr. Smee behind him bearing a tea tray.

The captain walked over to his desk and chucked his pistol down, barely paying attention as Smee placed his tray down on the desk.

"Alright miss," the bosun called out to Wendy when he was finished.

After thanking Smee who then excused himself, Wendy cautiously walked over and sat down across from Hook. Barely acknowledging her presence, he absentmindedly poured two cups of tea, to Wendy's astonishment remembering how to prepare hers.

"It will be a relief to make port," he said as he pushed the cup towards Wendy, the ire obvious in his voice.

Nervously thanking the captain as she picked up her cup, Wendy wondered how he was able to go from hot to cold at the blink of an eye. 'I hope to never be on the receiving end of his absolute wrath,' she thought as he sat lounging tensely across from her.

It wasn't long after that Smee brought in dinner, which was consumed rather uneventfully. The captain made no mention of the earlier shared kiss and to Wendy's confusion returned back to his curt and compendious manner. After their silent meal was over with, Wendy found that she was too fed up with pondering the conundrum of Hook's flighty disposition.

The sun completely set by now, Hook remained at his desk reading a thick book by a brightly lit candelabra when Wendy decided that she would retire to bed.

"Good night, captain," came her soft voice, hoping that he would have more than a few words to greet her with before turning in.

"Good night, Ms. Darling," came his indifferent reply as he changed pages without turning his head.

Quietly bristling at being dismissed so easily, Wendy removed her robe and crawled onto her side of the bed. Sleep refused to come easily as the bed and everything on it smelled like the very essence of Hook, thus reminding her of his lips upon her skin.

Wendy lay curled beneath the blanket pondering her situation. Back in London she was being forced to marry a man that admitted to not caring for her, and was blatantly callous in his treatment towards her. In Neverland, she'd willingly chosen to stay with the captain and although he hadn't told her that he wanted her to remain with him, he'd never stated otherwise. He'd played the part of the erudite gentleman thus far, yet with a fleeting whim he'd seem to overlook her very presence.

Wendy wasn't completely ignorant when it came to certain matters, although one could not say that she was much practiced either. But for no reason could she fathom what she perceived as distain from the captain. Had she unknowingly angered him in some reason? She'd wish he would tell her so that she might be able to remedy the situation.

Still unable to come up with a reason for Hook's shift of moods, the left side of the bed was still empty when Wendy drifted off to sleep.
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Not Old, Alone, Or Done For