Pan's Redemption

Chapter 44 ~Defeat*

Although Tink was clearly unconscious and it was clear Wendy had won, Hook was surprised that she was still fighting him. She screamed in frustration straining to get to Tink. She bucked, kicked, and even tried to head-butt. It might have worked if not for such a height difference between them. Wendy was just banging her head uselessly against his collarbone. 

Hook hung onto her flailing body as she screamed at him into the jungle night.

"SHE JUST LEFT HIM!"

"SHE JUST LEFT HIM THERE TO DIE!"

"JUST TO SAVE HER OWN SKIN!"

"SO SELFISH!"

"IF IT HAD BEEN FELIX-"

At the thought of Felix, a new spike of energy coursed through her and Hook almost lost his grip on her pinned arms. A new round of hysteria scared the pirate worse than the angry shouts. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure he could calm her down. They were in the pitch black jungle alone. The Lost Boys could be coming at any minute with the sound of Wendy's insane screaming.

With a final huff, he managed to get his arm around her throat in a headlock that soon turned into a choke hold. She coughed and sputtered. She cursed him and tried to fight. As soon as the lack of oxygen caused her knees to wobble, Hook released her letting her fall next to Tinkerbell unconscious as well.

He didn't know how long he stared at them. Everything seemed to be going wrong. Here he was with two unconscious girls and the possibility of Lost Boys probably ordered to kill first, ask questions later. He couldn't carry both of them, although he pictured himself hunched over trying to balance Tinkerbell on his back with Wendy in his arms. This was the first time in Hook's life he actually wished to be cursed with four arms.

"In a bit of a pickle, are we lad?" Rumple appeared leaning against a tree in front of the girls.

Hook laughed dryly, "As always, nothing is going according to the plan."

He looked at Tinkerbell and Wendy. Ursula had damaged them more than he realized. Here, Hook thought she was a coward. Thought she was petty for keeping prisoners and forcing them to come to her. What Hook didn't realize was just how smart she was. She had even the closet of friends turning on each other. She had carefully snatched the most important thing to Wendy, all the while having Pan think that the very person he had been fighting so hard to save was dead. Ursula was more frightening than Pan ever was to him. Ursula didn't simply use magic when she wanted to. At least Pan had been a bit predictable. You knew what made him angry and you knew he would think of a twisted game or deal you had to carry out. With Ursula, she was cold and calculating. No one knew her next move.

"Better than dying," Rumple countered and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly they were on his ship far away from the shore to where Neverland was the size of an ant. Hook stood with his arms holding Tinkerbell up and saw that Rumple held Wendy. He ignored the protective feeling in his gut.

"I'm going to take her below deck. It's best that these two stay separated, and I would like to have a word with Wendy Bird when she wakes." And with that Rumple and Wendy were gone.

Hook didn't know how comfortable the top deck's floor was to unconscious Tinkerbell, but he didn't really have any other options. He inspected where she was hit. Her nose was covered in dry blood, but at least it didn't look broken.

He was busy looking at the purplish skin of her nose when suddenly the realization hit.

"Damn it!" He whispered under his breath and ran below deck into the bedroom Rumple had Wendy in.