Slightly ran. He didn’t care where he went, he just wanted to get away. So he fled from Peter, his tears blinding him. He wasn’t terribly surprised when he crashed into a tree. He was surprised, however, when the tree began swearing at him and picked him up.

“Gall and brimstone! What the hell are you doing back?” Captain Hook growled as he grabbed the boy.

Slightly rubbed his eyes. “Captain Hook? What are you doing here?”

“I asked you first,” Hook replied. He tilted the boy’s face upward and examined his swollen and bleeding lip. “What happened?”

Slightly jerked his head away and looked down. “Peter hit me. He hates me… and so does everyone else.”

Hook set the boy down and smiled. “Does he, now? Interesting.” He rubbed his chin with his hook and thought, Well that worked out well, how best to proceed from here?

“Slightly?” Billy called as he walked up to his friend.

“Jason,” Slightly replied as the tears retured. “Peter took my Lost Boy name and gave me my real name back.”

“Which name do you want to use?” Billy asked. “I don’t care what your name is, you’re still my friend.”

Slightly felt a rush of gratitude and love for Billy, and he grabbed the boy and hugged him tight. “Please, call me Slightly. I don’t ever want to be Jason again.”

Billy felt a flush of embarrassment at being hugged in front of his shipmates, but he held Slightly back just as tightly. He smiled at the boy when they broke the embrace. “Why don’t you come back to the ship and we’ll talk. Maybe I can do something to help.”

Slightly shook his head, “No, how would that look if I go running back to the Jolly Roger? It will just make Peter think he was right.”

“Why should you care what he thinks?” Billy snapped. “He doesn’t care about you! But I do, and I’m not going to leave you here alone.”

Slightly looked at the other men standing around him. “Billy? Why are you here?”

Billy looked uncomfortable, but before he could speak, Hook spoke up. “Forgive me, Master Slightly, but I was following you. Since you couldn’t fly, it gave me a unique opportunity to discover the home of Peter Pan,” Hook said amiably.

“You,” Slightly gasped, “You followed me?” He felt anger stir within him, and he welcomed it since it drove away the hurt. “No wonder Peter thought I was a pirate! He saw you were following me, and thought I was leading you there on purpose!”

My, he’s quick, Hook thought sarcastically, I don’t want him to guess that that was my intention the entire time. Hook had nothing but benefits by following the boy. If Peter rejected Slightly, it was one more hook he’d get in the child. If Peter welcomed the brat, Hook would know where their home was. But he’d hoped Pan would turn Slightly away – he could hurt Pan so much more, emotionally and physically, if he had Slightly as a weapon. And any wedge I put between the two must be done in secret.

“Don’t be so naive,” Hook admonished, “I told you: I’m a pirate and I do nothing for free. Because of your friendship with Mr. Jukes, I refrained from torturing the information out of you.” Hook looked at the boy critically. “I also hoped you’d give me the location of your former home willingly. I do not understand how you can remain loyal after what they did to you.”

Slightly shook his head, “That’s because you don’t know how to love.”

Hook laughed, a pure genuine laugh of delight. All the other men looked at their Captain in wonder and backed up a step.

“My dear, dear boy,” Hook gasped as he wiped his eyes. “I understand love better than most men. I have loved deeply and passionately. And everything I ever loved either died or turned against me. Love is the source of every sorrow in my life. I refuse to love anyone now, and no one can ever hurt me that way again.” He put his arm around Slightly. “It is a lesson you would do well to learn while you’re still young.”

He grabbed the boy’s arm and began walking back the way they came. Slightly dug in his heels and tried to pull away, but he was dragged along behind the man.

“Let go of me!” Slightly yelled.

Hook yanked the boy up and glared at him. “Come along willingly, boy, and it will go better for you. It will make the difference between you becoming a boarder or a prisoner on my ship.” He smiled suddenly as an idea came to him. “And if I haul you back as a prisoner, Mr. Jukes will be arrested, too, for fraternizing with the enemy. I will not simply exile him, as Pan did to you. I will hang him.”

Jukes paled and he stared at his captain in horror.

Slightly felt panic well within him. He didn’t want to go – it would only convince everyone that he was a traitor. He looked at Billy and saw the fear in the friend. Hook would do it. He’d kill Billy. Billy was the only one who still stuck by him. “No need for threats, Captain,” Slightly said and lowered his head. “I’ll come with you.”

“And you will sign the contract I write up?” Hook asked.

“Yes, sir. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt Billy.”

“Slightly, no!” Billy yelled. Promising something like that to Hook was dangerous, and the man would take the boy at his word. “I can take care of myself.”

Hook backhanded Jukes, and the boy stumbled as stars bloomed before him. “Don’t make me hang you right now,” Hook snarled. “I’ve been patient with you up till now. I’ve been willing to overlook and forgive your treason so long as it never happens again. Don’t forget who owns you, Billy Jukes.”

Billy regained his feet and look up at Hook. “Ay, Captain,” he answered softly, but his eyes burned with fury.

Hook smiled and released Slightly. “Now that we understand each other a little better, we will continue. I want to get our new boarder and future crewman settled in quickly.”

Slightly looked at the other men, but none would look at him. Only Mullins would even look at Billy and his eyes were unreadable. Billy would die for Mullins. He stood up to Hook for him. Maybe Mullins would do the same for Billy. But the man only turned around and followed Hook.

“C’mon, Slightly,” Billy said and took the boy’s hand. “Time to go home.” Together they followed Hook to the longboat.

End Chapter 7