Embracing Darkness

"Peter..." Wendy started, unsure of what to say. The handsome young boy's features were clouded over, and for a moment, she saw the same animosity, the same spark of hatred that she had seen in James' face and feared. Now she simply understood that these two, boy and man, had feelings that ran deeper than anything she could ever understand.

"You hurt her Hook, and she has never done anything to you." The boy called out, his face as hard as stone.

"But you are the reason that she ended up in my hands Pan. You brought her to Neverland" Hook threw back at the boy, and Pan clearly flinched at the accusation.

"James please! Peter, this is a complicated situation that I dont expect you to understand because I barely understand it myself. It is all right, he wont hurt me."

"Wendy, you dont know him like you think you do; he is a monster!" Wendy cringed as she saw James' face turn white in anger. Hook reached for his sword as Wendy desperately tried to play peacemaker.

"James, please, no! Peter..." Wendy glanced furtively between the two men, hoping against hope that she could come up with some way to stop things before someone got hurt. Several pirates burst into the little cabin, all lunging for the boy. Peter, who was now effectively trapped under the ceiling of the room, was overpowered within moments. The Pirate Captain barked an order that Pan be tied up, and then that the two enemies be left alone. Wendy was grabbed roughly by one of the crew and yanked outside. Terrified of what might be happening inside the little cabin, Wendy wrenched her hand free and bolted back in. Once inside, she lunged for the Captain, falling at his feet. Although his hands were bound and he was tied seated to a chair, Pan held his head up proudly facing the point of James' sword.

"Please James, you dont have to do this. I know you, and I know that although you want your revenge, you know that killing this boy will not change anything." Hooks face remained as hard and motionless as stone. Panicked, Wendy turned to Pan, leaning her head on his knees. "Why did you come back for me Peter? This is all my fault, I ran away from you. You didnt have to rescue me a second time." She began to cry softly, her tears dampening the soft green fabric of his shorts.

"Because I found a way to take you home" Peter said sadly. 

"What?" Wendy said in surprise, her head snapping up. James clearly saw the look of hope that flashed across her face.

"Only if you left tonight. It's your last chance, and although we want you here with us always, you didn't seem happy here, not like before." Wendy bolted upright, searching Peters boyish face for any hint of a lie. This time though, there was no twinkle in his eye, no mischief that he was planning. Wendy stood weakly, her eyes locked on Pan's as the information slowly sunk in.

"I could go home..." she whispered to no one in particularly. Slowly, she turned to see Hook watching her with the same stony expression in his eyes. Without warning, Hooks claw rose quickly into the air and sliced down with such speed that Wendy was barely aware of what happened. She shrieked and heard Peter cry out at the same time. She shut her eyes tightly, afraid of what she would see when they opened. When she finally looked though, Peter's bindings were lying on the ground as the boy stared at his free hands in disbelief. Wendy's mouth fell open, as she looked to James for some explanation of his act.

"James?" She asked, taking an uncertain step towards him.

"Just go," he whispered, and walked out. As Wendy stood in shock, Peter quickly grabbed her hand to pull her outside.

"We need to leave now if this is to work Wendy." He said hurriedly, as if nothing had happened. Wendy watched the doorway through which the Captain had just left for any sign of his returning, but then slowly turned towards Pan when he did not come back in. Despite all his words about fighting for her, he was just going to let her go.

"Yes...it is time. I want to go home" Wendy sighed, and then followed Pan out of the little hut and into the dying sunlight.