FicWad

We are on the rock, Wendy, but it is growing smaller, soon the water will be over it.

Wendy groaned and moved slightly, but there was something restraining her arms and legs.

We must go.

Yes.

Shall we swim or fly, Peter?

Her head throbbed and colours swam before her eyes when she opened them.

Do you think that you could swim or fly as far as the island, Wendy, without my help?

I am rather tired.

She was tired. Where was she? The rock. Peter had just told her. Wendy tried to clear her vision. Peter wasn't there.

But she could hear him, he just moaned, he's in pain.

What is it?

I can't help you, Wendy, I can neither fly nor swim.

Do you mean we shall both be drowned?

Look how the water is rising.

The water was rising, Wendy could feel it at her ankles. She managed to get the coloured spots out of her eyes and blearily looked around. It was getting dark over the lagoon, and the mermaids were gone, leaving the surface smooth.

Working her way up to a sitting position, she noticed that her arms and ankles were tied with what looked like seaweed. Her arms were tied behind her back and the seaweed reached high enough up her arms that she couldn't slip them in front of her. Those mermaids sure had done a thorough job.

The Jolly Roger lay anchored at the mouth of the bay that formed the lagoon. Tiger Lily had been right, as she always was.

Wendy thought about the memory that had surfaced as she regained consciousness. It had been about the last time she was on this rock. The first time that Peter had been truly selfless.

Michael's kite, it lifted Michael off the ground, why should it not carry you?

Both of us!

It can't lift two; Michael and Curly tried.

Let us draw lots.

And you a lady; never.

For all his faults, Peter could be perfectly chivalrous at times. He had tied the tail around her and tried to push her off the rock. Wendy had held on to him, refusing to leave him behind to drown, but he was stronger than her and pushed her off.

Goodbye, Wendy.

No, Peter!

She had tried to go back, but there was no point. She floated steadily away as the moon rose over the lagoon, and she could see that the rock was very small now.

With the mermaids' melancholy song to the moon floating over the water, Wendy had seen Peter stand up and straighten his back. He squared his shoulders and raised his chin, facing the horizon with a smile on his face. She had first thought it was the dim light playing tricks on her eyes, but it wasn't. Even in the face of death, Peter Pan was grinning and not about to back down.

Wendy shook her head, pushing the memory away. However brave and selfless Peter had been on that night, he was no longer. Not for her.

And besides, there was no point dwelling on memories, especially not right now. She had to get off this rock before the water covered it and her and she drowned.

She searched the lagoon around her, trying to find anything that could possibly help her. Movement out towards the ocean caught her eye and she squinted in the fading light. The Jolly Roger lay out at the mouth of the lagoon.

Captain Hook had never really liked the mermaids. With the Jolly Roger and his crew, he liked to think that he was the ruler over the water around Neverland, but the truth was that the mermaids were more powerful than him. They always knew what was happening, even what was going to happen sometimes.

As he glanced around the lagoon, he saw a figure laying on Marooner's Rock. He quickly looked through his spy-glass and growled when he saw that it was Wendy, bound and unconscious. Those damn mermaids!

Putting the spy-glass back in his coat pocket, he stormed down the quarter deck steps. "Lower a long-boat!"

Pirates scrambled about and Starkey came up to him. "Orders, cap'n?"

"I shall go in the long-boat alone, you take command until I get back. Anchor around the bend."

Starkey seemed surprised at his orders but didn't comment on them. "Yes, cap'n," he said as he went up to the quarter deck and took the wheel.

In the long-boat, Hook rowed towards the rock, still not quite sure himself why he was doing this. Maybe she wasn't with Pan now, but she was last time. It was partly her fault that he had fallen to the crocodile, a fate he had very narrowly escaped. She had loved Pan!

But she didn't anymore, he reminded himself. She had said that herself.

What did it matter who she cared for anyway? Hook shook his head, then looked back at the rock again. Wendy was sitting up now and was looking around in the dim light of the sunset.

The rock was completely covered now, but it was only a few centimetres under the water. Wendy had been trying to stay calm, but she couldn't see any way out of this.

As she glanced around quickly in desperation, she saw a boat approaching, coming from the Jolly Roger. The oars made quiet splashes in the water

Had Hook sent someone to get her? Did he want her as a hostage to lure out Peter? At least that way she wouldn't drown.

The boat approached and Wendy saw that it was only one person in the boat. She recognized that it was Hook from his hat.

Suddenly, there was commotion on the ship and Hook stopped rowing. Men shouted and there was the sound of steel clashing against steel. A few gunshots echoed in the quiet night. Tinker Bell and Peter Pan flitted around the ship, illuminating the rigging and casting shadows on the sails.

The water was approaching her waist and Wendy tried to stand up but had some difficulty with her tied arms and legs. She was afraid that if she tried to stand up she would lose her balance and fall off the rock, and drown even faster.

Hook's boat sat motionless in the water, and he turned back to look at her, then back at his ship. Was he seriously debating coming to get her instead of going back to kill Peter? Wendy shook her head. Hook would never give up the chance to kill his nemesis.

And yet, he did not turn around but kept rowing in her direction. The boat moved smoothly and quickly through the water towards her. The water seemed to be rising faster now, going up her chest and getting close to her shoulders.

She could see Hook clearly now, could see him straining as he rowed as quickly as he could. He was dressed as he usually was, with his red coat contrasting immensely with his black curls and his hat with the ridiculously large feather on it.

He looked back as he approached her, and Wendy saw the worry in his eyes when he saw how high the water had risen. Wendy held her chin above the water as it slowly crept up her neck and tried not to look terrified.

The boat came beside her and Hook held out his hands. "Take my hand, quickly."

Straining to keep her mouth above the water, Wendy said, "My hands are tied, don't you think I would've swum to shore otherwise?"

Without hesitation, Hook jumped out of the boat with a splash and hastily grabbed Wendy by the arms, pulling her to her feet. He stepped around her and quickly cut the bonds tying her arms together. Trying to control her breathing and so grateful at being saved, she turned and leaned against him, her face buried in his coat.

"Thank you," she murmured into his wool overcoat.

Hook didn't say anything, just lifted her into the boat like she weighed nothing and climbed in after her. By the time he was settled and had adjusted the oars, Wendy had untied her legs and calmed herself down.

The commotion on the Jolly Roger was still going on and Hook was just starting to turn the boat around when a cheer rose from the ship. It was not the cheer of men, but of boys. Hook hesitated, looking at the ship and then at Wendy.

"They've taken the ship," he said, as though he could hardly believe it.

Several splashes were suddenly heard over the water.

"Did they just jump overboard?" asked Wendy.

Hook frowned. "We need to regroup, take the ship back. They're heading for shore."

He turned the boat so that they were headed to land and as he rowed, Wendy realized how much of a sacrifice he had made. He had saved her instead of defending his ship and taking out his revenge on Peter. She glanced behind her at his back. Perhaps she had misjudged him, perhaps he had changed since she was last here.