<div style="text-align: center"><b><u>James Dameron</u></b><br/>
<i>Darling Estate</i><br/>​</div>Mr. Darling frowned at James, his beady eyes narrowed as he pulled himself upright in his seat, a deep and long sigh followed before he answered.<br/><br/>“I’m afraid not Mr. Dameron, it’s a yes or no deal, I will not treat my daughter like some side-show to all that are mildly interested in some pocket change, you have heard her story, I will need an answer<i>now</i>, otherwise… I must ask you to leave.” He answered, as he spoke he pushed himself from his chair, his legs wobbled ever so slightly as his weight shifted onto his aging knees, the man quickly snatching a cane from beside the thick cushioned sofa.<br/><br/>Mr. Darling straightened, the man was old, a slight hunch to his shoulders, yet he was still a large man, broad chest, weighed down by an overzealous apatite as far as James could tell. James inhaled a sharp breath before he smiled back up at his new employer, he held out his hand and chuckled.<br/><br/>“I look forward to working for you Mr. Darling, I assume we need not discuss costs and benefits?” James asked slyly.<br/>“I’ve looked into you James Dameron, I know things about you that you're probably unaware of yourself, I know how you work.<i>No matter the cost</i>no?” He answered curtly.<br/>“No matter the cost.” James laughed as his hand was grasped firmly.<br/><br/>The two men slowly made their way through the winding halls of the Darling household. Mr. Darling’s cane tapping impatiently on the intricate patterned wood laid beneath them, his mind certainly more willing than his body to move forward. James had to admit, he was impressed, an endless driveway that cut through forests and gates, a front yard where one could host a multitude of soccer games, an inner courtyard lined by towering walls. Room after room filled with rich wood, collectibles, art and other odd trinkets. There wasn’t a room found empty, nor did it seem that there was a room that didn’t serve a purpose, a dining hall, ballroom, another room that definitely felt like it was meant for the men’s club, a library even in this day and age it was odd to see a room lined to the ceiling with books and books without an end, curling around hidden corners and blind bends.<br/><br/>“So…. Do you have doctors on staff? Was she kept here, in a home asylum or did you send her away?” James asked<br/>“Well, We-” His response was cut short as a singular screech echoed through the halls, a screech so deep, so terrifying it rocked James’s soul, like a banshee had come from the earth and wailed into the eerie night.<br/>“Go James! Please!” Mr. Darling begged, his gaze suddenly lifeless, lost, as he stared into some endless void before him. “Is she lost already?” He whimpered to himself beneath his breath.<br/><br/>James nodded and ran, his feet propelling his body forward as the screech turned into a scream, a scream of desperation, of someone in<i>so</i>much pain they had nothing else left to do but scream. Her voice was shrill, as he got closer and closer he wondered what<i>exactly</i>he had gotten himself into, he could feel his shoulder tighten and he shivered, shivered as he felt something unearthly creep down the length of his spine, like Wendy’s scream carried something more than he could understand, it was a scream of something haunted. One thing James knew for certain, it was a sound he’d never forget, Wendy’s scream.<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr"/><br/><div style="text-align: center"><b><u>Hook</u></b><br/>
<i>Neverland</i><br/>​</div>Wood churned within the blind mists as his ship gently swayed within the breezeless night, the waters themselves calm, the sound of the gentle folding of water against the hull like a melody, one that Hook could truly appreciate. He frowned however at this sudden bank of mist, it seemed to flow from nothing, to apparate out of nowhere, yet now it was so thick he could barely see his own feet.<br/><br/>“C-c-captain, this seems like a b-b-bad omen sir.” Smee stuttered, Hook turned towards the balding man, he truly was a coward, allas he was loyal, more loyal than any of the other crew members, each and every one a possible threat to his position on a day to day basis. Hook had to be merciless to merely keep hold of the reins, and so, he was.<br/>“Do not worry yourself over some ghostly mist, we have just finished battle with these seas that had lasted over a decade. We are finally<i>free</i>Smee! Free to go where we please.” Hook answered a smirk plastered to his lips.<br/>“S-sssso we are leaving this place then? Leaving P-p-pan?” Smee asked, a tone of sudden delight and anxiousness taking his voice.<br/>“What? No Smee, don’t be ridiculous, tonight we go to shore, find Tiger Lily and her clan and then, then we set out to find…”  Hook stopped.<br/>“T-t-to find sir?” Smee inquired.<br/>“Hush…” Hook remarked quickly, pressing his finger against the small man’s lips as he turned, he squinted into the mist, trying to focus, yet the mists played his senses, it caused shapes and blurs to appear and disappear with every blink of an eye.<br/><br/>Hook stepped forward into the icy cold whites and greys, he could feel the moist stick to his skin with each step, he was alert now, listening to each and every sound. The gulls chirping their nonsense high above them, the ropes tightening and whining around them and a voice, it was faint, soft, familiar…. Could it be? Had she come of her own accord? Had she finally seen the light? The darkness within Peter, the evil that lay within that cursed island?<br/><br/>Hook smiled as her voice caressed something inside his chest, it was still as soft as it used to be, there was more weight to it yes, more experience, it was…. older yet, yet it was still<i>her</i>, it was still Wendy.<br/><br/>“I am here Wendy, stop your whispers, reach out Wendy, reach out and pull, return to us!” He shouted into the mist.<br/>“My hand….” The voice answered, the mist before Hook swirled and before him, just for an instant stood Wendy, clear as day, Hook himself still in the thick of the fog but somehow, he could see her like he was gazing through a panel of glass. She was older, much older and she looked troubled, worried, in pain even, where had she been? Who had kept her in such a state, her silky smooth dark hair framed her pale skin, a metallic stud gleaming silver beneath her lips a sharp contrast to her velvet red lips… and those eyes, a stunning blue that almost seemed to light up, for but a moment, for an instant, Hook couldn’t help but smile at the grown woman before him. It was truly<i>her</i>. Wendy was back.<br/><br/>“Come Darling….” Hook answered, he reached forward, his arm pressing through the mass of mist, there was a force pushing him back but he pushed on, on and through the barrier using his hook the tear at this invisible cloth.<br/>“Come.” He whispered again, he pressed forward and with a final gesture he offered his hook, offered his hand to her, for her to take, to finally complete the journey she had been forced upon.<br/><br/>What answered him however, took him by surprise, Wendy seemed to tighten, her muscles contracting as she took in a deep breath, her eyes aghast in disbelief, in fear, fear of<i> him</i>, of his hook. She screamed, a scream so loud the ship seemed to shudder, the sails seemed to billow. The scream lingered, echoed, bounced upon the ship and like that, within the blink of an eye, the mist was gone.<br/><br/>But so was Wendy….<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr"/><br/><div style="text-align: center"><b><u>James Dameron</u></b><br/>
<i>Darling Estate</i><br/>​</div>James came bursting through the door, beyond it was were she was, no doubt about it, he had trailed the sounds of her wails, of her despair through the blasted homestead, or castle rather, it would take some time before Mr. Darling would ever get here, sometime before anyone would get here, so… James was left to do what he thought was right, before him Wendy had curled into the furthest corner of her bed, away from the windows, away from the door. Her eyes were wide, lost and desperate, like a deer staring into the lights of an approaching car, unsure whether to run or to stay, to take on whatever was coming headfirst.<br/><br/>James had, had similar clients, mental disorders, depression, suicidal. Although right now Wendy seemed far from any sort of self-harm, she seemed to lean far more into self preservation. Even with the door open and James standing within its frame Wendy did not yield, her screams caused him to wince almost painfully as her shrill screams pushed against him. He wasn’t sure what was happening, what the best cause of action might be, but she seemed so small, almost childlike. He listened to that gut feeling and crossed the room quickly towards Wendy.<br/><br/>“Shhh, shhhh, shhhh, Wendy, it’s alright, I’m here, I’ve been sent by your father, I’m James, I’m here to protect you.” He said, his tone caring, fatherly even, his hands held forward, palms spread outwards.<br/><br/>As he approached the side of her bed he took seat beside her, this could go two ways, he’d either lose an eye, an ear and a lot of skin, or he’d end up with a curling mess of sobs and cries…. He reached out, not slowly, not carefully, just reached out. He wrapped the woman within his arms, he simply held her lightly, the warmth of his skin seeping through his light shirt, against her cool and strangely clammy clothing, like she had been outside in a drizzle….. or a heavy mist…<br/><br/>“Shhh Wendy, it’s alright…” He continued.