<div style="text-align: center"><b><u>James Dameron</u></b><br/>
<i>Darling Estate</i>​</div><br/>James watched curiously as Wendy moved, his eyes followed her movements ever so closely. He watched like a hawk, hoping that in these first fleeting moments he would get a glimpse of the woman herself, or the girl beneath that. If he was to keep her safe, he had to know every part of her, he had to know her ways.<br/><br/>So he watched.<br/><br/>He watched the way her hand hovered moments before she let it drop.<br/>He watched the way her back stiffened, straightened, her muscles tense and alert.<br/>He watched the way her gaze seemed to sweep across him, yet seemed to not truly register him, just a thing, a body, warmth.<br/>He watched the way she slid into another persona, into a full fledged woman with feline graces, he smiled as the tension seemed to fade. He let her slide against him, her breath hot on his neck, yet beads of sweat from his earlier effort caused the slightest chill to run down his back as she whispered. A small assault of goosebumps prickled beneath his shirt as he heard the words she spoke.<br/><br/><b><i>Did you see him? The hook?</i></b><br/><br/>He did not, yet he squinted into the mists that twirled outside the bedroom window as he rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, testing the moist between them, the cool wetness that clung to Wendy. It wasn’t sweat, there was no smell to the damp that clung to her. She wasn’t warm either, no fever, no over exertion. He hummed, lost in thought as Wendy spoke.<br/><br/>“I’m afraid not Wendy…. Perhaps… a dream?” He mused softly.<br/><br/>As his gaze was about to pull back down towards Wendy he stopped, his eyes locked onto the mist outside. He leaned forward ever so slightly as he tried to focus, he swore, he swore to his mother’s grave he saw a face but as his vision tried to focus the mist just caused it to blur and fade.<br/><br/>“Ah, great work James, she seems to have calmed. I see I may have chosen the right man after all, you had me worried back in my office. I thought you may have been a tad to light for Wendy.” Mr. Darling confessed, the large man leaned against the doorway, his hands tight around the walking cane trying to keep his form steady. He had certainly exerted himself to get here as quickly as he could but he was old, old and vastly overweight.<br/><br/>He cleared his throat loudly, causing James to focus on the large man, his hands subconsciously running through Wendy’s hair, like he had a cat curled against him.<br/><br/>“Wendy, that man there is James, he’ll be taking care-" He paused. "No, he’ll be keeping safe until you’re more….. presentable.” Mr. Darling announced.<br/><br/>A cool breeze tickled James’s senses and he smiled as a sudden realization hit him. The window latch. Wendy must have unlatched the window. Had she hung out in the night air? He saw the soft orange glow of the office across the way, the office they had been in moments earlier. Had this all been a coy? Had she seen someone with her father? Was she faking this Hook story? Or was she hallucinating? He watched as a sliver of mist crept through the window, still slightly ajar, as it sunk to the polished wooden floor.<br/><br/>He looked back down at the bundled woman and smiled again, a soft understanding smile. Trying his very best not to let any suspicion creep through his expression, although perhaps he had been too late on that account. But perhaps her father had diverted most of her attention towards him. Whichever the case he would keep a close eye on the woman, however fragile and sweet she seemed now.<br/><br/>“Hello Wendy, James Dameron, bodyguard by trade.” He chuckled softly.<br/><br/>“Nice to meet you.”