Nate let Sean take a seat on the stool, while he remained on his feet beside him. Nate had never seen a human with a hook for a hand. It was both frightening and intimidating. Sean sat up proudly in his seat, asking in a light casual voice. "What is it that you want from me, Captain?" Captain Hook's dark eyes narrowed on Sean, his smirk fading as he answered. "Everything I am owed." Sean shrugged, nervously replying. "Money?" The crew laughed, making the hair on Nate's arms rise. Captain Hook reached out slowly with his hook to lift Sean's chin with the point of it. Leaning closer, Captain Hook stated out bluntly. "This is about more than just gold, boy. Your father stole my future. I'm here to reclaim what is mine." Sean blinked a little confused, then blurted out in shock. "Captain Jones? But how?! You're supposed to be dead." The crew let out low dark chuckles before Captain Hook slid his hook down along Sean's neck and said boldly. "You think it would be that easy to kill me? I've charted the most dangerous waters to date. I've looked the devil in the eyes and turned my back on him. I've killed men that cross me. And beasts that dared to show me their fangs. I'm not just a man. I'm the devil's son and I want what it MINE."

Sean gulped, leaning away from the sharp hook as he said softly. "What do you want, Captain?" Captain Hook turned his hook to grab the front of Sean's shirt. Pulling him closer to him, Captain Hook brought the golden pipe to his lips to inhale the tobacco from the two mounted cigars. Then bringing his face close to Sean's, he exhaled the smoke into his face before answering bluntly. "I want my castle and your life." The crew laughed menacingly. Nate snatched Captain Hook's arm to make him stop touching Sean. Captain Hook rose front his stool, kicking it back away from him as he turned a murderous glare on Nate. Nate kept a hold of Captain Hook's hooked wrist, staring him down. He wasn't afraid of a human. The crew around them backed up with soft gasps. Staring into Nate's eyes, Captain Hook sneered out in warning. "Take your hand off me, boy. Or I'll show you why they call me Hook." Sean reached out to touch Nate's chest, telling him in a shaky voice. "Don't. Let the Captain go." To Captain Hook, Sean rushed out. "Captain, he doesn't know any better. Please?"

Captain Hook huffed, then back handed Nate up across the jaw. Dazed from the hit, Nate stumbled back and fell onto a table that fell over under his weight. Captain Hook casually set his pipe down on the bar, withdrawing his pistol from his belt as he said aloud. "Consider that my one and only rare warning. Because I'm in a good mood today. And if you want to keep breathing, you'll want me to stay that way." Captain Hook raised his gun, cocking the hammer back before he moved his hook hand to rest across Sean's throat. Sean stiffened, realizing that the Captain could easily slit his throat with a hook this sharp. Captain Hook turned his attention back to Sean and told him seriously. "Here's how this is going to go down, Highness. I'm going to send a messenger to the castle. They are going to give me back my castle and everything in it in the hopes of getting you back. But when it is over... I'm going to tie you to my anchor and push you off my plank. Just as your father did to me!" Captain Hook lowered his hooked hand, jerking his head as he told his crew. "Take them to the ship."

The crew rushed in to grab Nate. Nate lashed out at them with his nails and kicked them. They quickly overwhelmed him though. A few men yanked Sean off his stool by his arms, then brought a cloth to his mouth to gag him with. Sean whined and kicked out as the crew laughed loudly. Captain Hook put his gun away, picking up his tankard to finish his rum like he was the calmest person in the world. Setting the tankard down, he picked up his smoking pipe and called aloud. "Mr. Smee? Escort them to the ship. The boys and I will be having company soon." A short rotund man in a loose fitting white tunic shirt with a black bandana around his head, walked up to Captain Hook from the corner of the tavern. Unlike the other crew, Mr. Smee was clean like Captain Hook and despite looking like a pirate, he didn't appear to have the nature of one. Mr. Smee set down his tankard on the bar, telling Captain Hook softly. "Captain, are you sure this is worth it? I know the girl meant a lot to you... but kidnapping the prince? It won't bring her back."

Sean thrashed against the crew that held him, watching Captain Hook turn to push Mr. Smee nicely back against the bar. They locked eyes with each other a moment before Captain Hook told him in a low serious tone of voice. "I know that, William. But it will make me feel better to end his line after he ended mine. I call that fair." Mr. Smee sighed, grabbing the belt across Captain Hook's chest. Without looking him in the eyes, Mr. Smee uttered out lightly. "As your first mate, I'm with you until the end. But as your best friend... James, you don't have to do this." Captain Hook huffed dryly, stating back. "Yes. I do. You would do the same if it was your family." Captain Hook whirled on his heel to head to the front door, when Mr. Smee called out over the crew to Captain Hook. "You are my family, Captain. All of us are rejected lost boys that wouldn't be here if you hadn't fought Peter!" The crew all fell into silence, glancing between them with distant expressions. Captain Hook slowly turned to look back at Mr. Smee with his own distant expression.

Mr. Smee took a step away from the bar, telling him boldly. "Captain. All I'm saying is that you should consider our thoughts on this. Vanessa was one of us... we cared about her too. But are you willing to lose more of YOUR family to revenge and vengeance?" Captain Hook straightened up as he looked at his men and bellowed out in a firm voice. "You wanna put this to a vote do you, Mr. Smee? Is that it?" Mr. Smee stood boldly, while the other crew shifted nervously from foot to foot. Captain Hook raised his hook and hand in a shrug, added bluntly. "By the powers, that's put it to a vote then. Before we do though... Let me just say this." Captain Hook snuffed out his cigars on a table, then slipped the pipe into his pocket as he regaled sternly. "Revenge and vengeance. You know, it's funny... When Peter was slaughtering us because we were growing up and he doesn't... it wasn't revenge that fueled me to fight him. It was survival. Every day in that hellscape was survival. Here it's the same. We're pirates. Outcasts. Lost boys. Rejected by society. We are SURVIVING."

Captain Hook started to walk closer to Mr. Smee, carrying on in his cool bellowing voice. "Tell, Mr. Smee. Would you like to stop surviving and start living again? You've been robbed of your childhoods by Peter. You've been preyed upon and hunted by a society that you didn't even grow up in. Neglected by our parents and the people of this world. Your lives were stolen. Now I ask... Don't you want to steal it back? Don't you want a chance to be happy and free? Is that not worth giving your lives for?!" The crew cheered in response and Captain Hook smiled as he stared down Mr. Smee. Leaning in closer to Mr. Smee, Captain Hook told him in a lower register. "I'm tired of surviving on scraps, Mr. Smee. I want my life back. And if I have to murder every last man, woman, and child on this island to get it. I will. I'm doing this for myself and the crew. I'd rather them die fighting for freedom. Then watching it slip away because of spoiled boys like Peter that think they have a right to toy and decide the fate of others' lives because the bastard will outlive you! Or men that think money makes you better than another because you've stained your own hands in blood for them!"

Calming down, Captain Hook turned around and asked allowed. "Now. Anyone have any objections to us spilling more blood to take back our freedom and humanity?!" The crew shook their heads with confident stares. Captain Hook nodded, until a man in the back raised his hand and said meekly. "I do, Captain. Shouldn't we just try to negotiate for-" Sean flinched as a loud 'BANG' came from a pistol that Captain Hook had removed from his belt to fire upon the man. The man dropped dead, and Captain Hook stated aloud for the others. "I'm through negotiating! We shouldn't have to bend for the likes of them! We deserve our fair share and BLAST IT ALL, we will take it by force if we have to!" The crew all roared into cheers and Captain Hook turned to flash Mr. Smee a smug smirk. Mr. Smee sighed heavily but thrusted his fist into the air and started chanting out. "HOOK! HOOK! HOOK!" The crew began to join in with him and banged their hands on the tables and stomped their feet to the chanting. Captain Hook straightened up to his full height, raising his hooked hand into the air as he told them all loudly. "Let's take the port town back!"

The crew cheered one last time, then drew their weapons and thundered out of the tavern and into the streets. Sean flinched listening to them shoot and break things as they went, causing people in the port town to scream. Captain Hook then turned to the rest of the crew that was holding Nate and Sean, before telling Mr. Smee happily. "Take them to the ship, Mr. Smee. Put them in the brig." Mr. Smee nodded, then told the men in a rather docile tone of voice. "Alright, you heard the Captain. To the long boat!" The men grunted at Mr. Smee, clipping his shoulders as they walked by him. Nate and Sean thrashed and kicked as they were dragged out the back of the tavern. Eventually, Nate was forced to stop resisting. His legs just couldn't take the pain anymore. Having danced and walked a lot already, his legs were just too sore. Taking them to the long boat that was being guarded at the end of one of the many docks, they shoved Sean and Nate down into it. The pirate ship was anchored just offshore from the docks and Nate wondered what they would do to them on it.

Sean sat across from him, looking anxious and worried. Nate was going to try and calm him, when something bumped the long boat. The pirates all stiffened, looking suddenly terrified. One of them leaned over the side a little and asked cautiously. "Mr. Smee? Didn't the Captain say that the beast was trapped in Neverland now?" Mr. Smee swallowed, shaking a little when he tried to confidently state out. "Yes. Of course! Probably was just a shark. We're fine. Row on, boys!" The crew started rowing again at a slower pace. Both Sean and Nate shared confused looked. What were they so scared of? Curiosity got the better of Nate and he leaned to look over the side without fear. It was possible that Riptide was around. Only as he stared into the water, he couldn't help smiling to himself. It wasn't a shark. It was Mark. He'd recognize that rainbow tail anywhere. The tail slammed into the side of the boat, making the noise again. This time the crew got anxious enough to ask hopefully. "Mr. Smee? Maybe we should go back to the docks? Just to be safe?"

Mr. Smee started to say something, until one of the crew members was yanked off the boat. Mr. Smee's eyes grew wide, and the crew whirled around to see one of their own was missing. Sean looked just as scared as the crew began to yell out. "What happened?! Is Tick-Tock back?!" Mr. Smee tried to shush them, telling them seriously. "No! If it was Tick-Tock we'd hear him! Calm down!" Nate sat still watching Mark slowly breech the water behind them. Mark winked at Nate, then rose along the side of the boat to wrap his arms around one of the men and yanked him right out of the boat. One of the pirates pointed where Mark had been, yelling out. "I saw its tail! What is that?!" The crew dropped back into their seats, practically screaming out in a panic. "Fuck it! We're going back to shore!" One of the men asked as he shook a little. "Why aren't they coming back up?!" Mr. Smee removed his pistol, cocking it back as he told the others that weren't rowing. "Arm yourselves, Lads!"

Mark let out a haunting whale call below the water, causing the crew to whisper out. "It's a demon!" Mr. Smee tried to calm them down, when arms wrapped around him and yanked him off the boat and into the water. The crew had seen only Mark's arms and wedded clawed fingers. Screaming at the top of their lungs, they opened fire on the water. Nate forced himself to kick one man into the water and Sean followed suit by knocking another in. As the last man turned to see that all his friends were gone, Sean got up to kick him in. Nate sat still as Mark's hands reached over the side to cut his hands free. Then patted his back before slipping back into the water before Sean turned around. Nate tossed his cut ropes into the water, then pulled the gag from his mouth. Sean sat down with his back to him so that he could untie him. While Nate worked, the crew suddenly sprang up closer to the docks, screaming out as they scrambled to shore. "Sea snake! Sea snake! It's a sea serpent demon!" Once Sean was free, he grabbed the oars and began to row quickly in another direction.

As Sean rowed, he told Nate a bit breathlessly. "I have never seen anything like that! Let's hope it follows them to the shore. I know a spot we can hide for a bit in case the pirates come back. Nate kept an eye out for anyone that might be watching or following. All he saw was Mark following beneath the water though. On occasion, Mark pushed the boat to help them get out of sight quicker. Drifting around the far side of the island, Sean pointed to a little island that was set apart from the large landmass and told him. "They call that Weeping Isle. Because of all the weeping willows that have grown around it. See how their long vine like branches lean over the water?" Nate nodded, reaching out to touch a vine or two as Sean rowed into the shelter of one. Anchoring the long boat, Sean whispered to him. "We should be safe here for a bit. No one comes to this side of the island anyone." Nate shrugged at him to prompt him into adding with a blush. "The Sailors say that mermaids come here to cry... The island is mostly submerged in high tide, but not in low tide. Makes it easy for Mermaids to use, I guess. I don't really know more than that."

Nate smiled at Sean, causing him to blush when he smiled back. When Sean looked away from him, Nate looked away to stare at the water absently. There, Mark breeched the surface to quickly sign out to him. "Have you kissed yet?" Nate shook his head, blushing a deep red. Making sure that Sean wasn't looking, he signed back. "I don't know how..." Mark covered his face, rubbing his temples as he sank below the surface and blew bubbles in distress. Looking at Sean, Nate leaned forward a bit and tried to ask if he was ok. Sean didn't understand, but as Nate touched the rope burn on Sean's wrists, he told him lightly in understanding. "Oh... Ya, I'm alright. More shaken up than anything. I wasn't expecting..." Sean's face fell, upon adding grimly. "I shouldn't have strayed from my guards... I feel like such an idiot. I almost got you killed..." Nate took Sean's hands to keep him from rubbing them raw. In that moment, when their eyes met. The world seemed to stand still. Nate stared back at him with a warm smile. He wanted to comfort him.

Sean started to lean forward slowly, and Nate waited for him to kiss him. Instead, Sean suddenly leaned away with a blush and uttered out shyly. "Can I tell you something without you... laughing at me?" Nate nodded, rubbing his thumbs over the backs of Sean's hands. Sean bit his lower lip, then cleared his throat before telling him anxiously. "I... I don't know how to kiss..." Behind Sean, Mark gawked at the two of them in disbelief before muttering softly and sinking into the water. Sean turned toward the noise Mark had made, but Nate reached out to turn his attention back with his fingertips. Sean bowed his head in a blush, mumbling out. "Don't look so shocked... I told you that people don't touch me. Well... Verlaine tries but it just feels... uncomfortable. I don't know if it is her or me... I just... Don't know what to do." Nate's eyes drifted to Mark, who gave him a smile and started making gestures of kissing his hand. So, taking one of Sean's hands in his, he lifted his hand and very lightly kissed the back of it. The silence that fell between them in that moment was deafening. To Be Continued...