My Darling Girl *Disney fanfic*

28. Shadow in the Vault

The morning came with a blood red dawn. Wendy was panting for breath, beads of sweat rolling down her neck.

"There – last one done," she declared grimly. She and Hook had dragged the bodies of the Walter's crew out onto the deck, lying them out side by side like tinned sardines. That had been only half their job done. Next they'd had to weigh down the bodies. They'd filled the men's trousers and pockets with anything substantial they could find – be it stolen loot or food rations. Before flinging them unceremoniously overboard.

Hook helped her to lug the last sailor up and over the edge. They heard the dull splash as the man's body broke the sea's surface. Waves lapped at the ship's hull and the body dipped out of sight, lost – a meal for the fishes. Wendy sagged against the gunwale. Hook pulled out a rag and attempted to dry the back of his neck. He'd tied his hair back into a ponytail but sweat had caused loose tendrils to cling to his skin.

"Where to, Captain?" Wendy asked, after she'd caught her breath back. Hook's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Captain?"

"I promised you a ship," she reminded him. Hook looked around him, his eyes alight with fresh interest. It was a good ship, smaller than his last but well designed for speed. "Hook, I can trust you right? The enchanted helm-"

Hook put up a hand to silence her, guessing what she wanted to say.

"You want me to destroy it – say the word. I'll break the ship's enchantment."

Wendy appraised him, her vivid sapphire eyes sparkling in the morning sun. This close, Hook could see the flecks of dark blue circling her baby blue iris'. She bit her lip.

Should she destroy it? To prevent Pan from getting his hands on it. It felt like the safer option, but still she hesitated. Bourne had been able to track the Crocodile with ease using magic. If they used this for good rather than profit – then how many lives could she perhaps save? Slowly, she shook her head.

"We need this ship. We need the enchantment. To find Tinkerbell, to find Pan, to find the Crocodile – but..." She pushed off from the side and looked Hook square in the eye. "Once they're dealt with – we have to destroy it."

Hook nodded.

"Ok."

"And," Wendy continued, "no one other than you and me can know about this. We never let another soul know the secret. Right?"

"It's a promise." He offered her his hook. Wendy curled her pinkie around the thin steel. They gazed up at one another and the morning sun rose behind then, slowly turning the skies from vivid red to smouldering gold.

**

The Lost boys were subdued, keeping quietly to themselves rather than running riot as they would usually. A dark cloud hung over their hideout – a cloud that was ready to lash out with thunder and lightening at any foolish spectator. Pan was in mourning.

He lay curled up a nest of filth and empty bottles. Tendrils of blue smoke spiralled lazily into the air above him – polluting the room with the thick fragrance of opium. Pan's eyes were glazed over, his mouth slightly open and dropping in the corner. In his mind, visions swam past. He saw Tootle's body – splashed out across the rocks. The broken bits and pieces glowed, morphing into stars twinkling in the night sky.