Yours, now and forever.

Chapter 28

Bella's POV

My hands were bound behind my back with scratching robes, pinning me against a wooden beam. Water clashed against the side of the boat, making the floor beneath me slant and turn around. I had never been below deck of a ship before, and I hoped I'd never have to again.

It stunk of rotten fish and meat. Blood was smeared against the walls, bullets rolled about on the floor, their purpose fulfilled . The person dead. I let my knees bend to the side and my head droop down, hopeless that I would ever get out of this alive. The clicking footsteps of boots came thundering down the wooden steps. Two men emerged, ducking under the beam at the top of the door. Hook, and a younger boy who looked a little similar, but a little less rugged.

He was pale, with messy, jet black hair that fell in front of his dark brown eyes. It was damp with sea water-or sweat? Or both? I couldn't really tell. He was around the same height as Hook, but had a much skinnier build. Almost lanky. "Bella." Hook said as the boy stayed silent beside him. His hands shoved into the pockets of his black trousers.

"Killian." I spat back at him. He ignored me and continued.

"I'd like you to meet my boy." He gestured to the young man who was standing, slightly hunched, next to him. His clothes, in comparison to Hook's, were far more worn and torn. A very lose and dirty white blouse was tucked into his trousers, and fell baggily down, exposing the top part of his chest. All this was hidden under a long brown coat that was torn up and looked heavy. He nodded at me casually as my focus pulled towards him. He looked almost trapped, like he was even more a prisoner then I was. "Darius. Meet your prisoner. Bella." The boys face cringed a little, but then returned to its original look.

"I'm not his prisoner." I said rudely. Hooks boot stamped down in front of me. I flinched away slightly at the bang in my ears.

"You are whatever we say you are! Now be seen and not heard rat!" I shut my eyes tightly to try and disappear. As the stomping boots walked away, the room fell silent. The tension could have been cut. I refused to open my eyes, I couldn't. They were glued shut. A quiet voice mumbled deeply.

"He's gone, you can open your eyes now." I let them peel open very slowly. The boy still stood there, hands shoved into his pockets and eyes on the ground, every now and then flickering towards me in pitty. I could feel my entire body shivering, both with the cold of the early morning and the pure fear I was containing inside of me. He spoke again. "You don't have to be scared, I'm not gonna hurt you." He sounded ashamed and hopeless. I nodded silently and looked at the wooden deck beneath me, still violently shaking. "Oh, you're cold. um...here." I felt the floor rattle as his heavy boots walked towards me. His coat was wrapped around my shoulders, and immediately the warmth seeped through my clothes.

"Thanks." I whispered, only daring to speak because I knew I could definitely kick this guys ass if he did anything. "I said it to him and I'll say it to you."I said harshly, admittedly getting a little cocky. "I am NOT your prisoner." He paused, calmly sitting down in front of me, his one knee bent up, the other crossed underneath it.

"I know." He said, a slight tone of reassurance in his voice. "I never said you were." hold on, how do I respond to that? He can't do that! I stumbled over words as I searched for a good come back. What on earth was I meant to say to him after that?

"um. Good. You should know." there was a silence and we both broke our eye contact and stared at the ground, occupying ourselves at an attempt to keep the awkward questions to a minimum.

"what you did for the kid..." he mumbled, embarrassed. "That was um...that was really brave." I traced him, up and down.

"It was nothing." I grumbled.

"No. It was brilliant!" His voice suddenly changed. Lit up, as if he were a little boy hearing the story, rather than a grown young man. "It was like one swift movement! The best thing I ever saw in my life! and all for the Kid." I stayed quiet, zoning out into my own memory of the moment. The last words I had said to Noah. I wished I could have gone back and told him how much I loved him. How good of a brother he is. But I couldn't. I didn't. All I said was to run. The boy sensed the melancholy feel in the air and attempted to lighten the mood. "Is he your kid or something?" Oh my god is this kid stupid?

'What? no!" I huffed out a laugh at his guess. "He's my brother! God, how old do you think I am?"

"Well I don't know, time isn't exactly normal here is it?" he laughed back at me. "Anyway, it was brilliant, I hope he knows what a good sister he's got. And I hope the lost boys, wait, they're called the lost boys right?" I nodded my head. "ok, well I hope they know they lost a real good fighter."

"As long as he's safe that's all that matters."

"He is. He got back to the camp, he found those boys." I snapped my head up, facing him with wide eyes.

"what?" I said sharply. He shuffled back a little as my stare stabbed into his brain.

"He's ok. He-he found his way back, he's fine!" he blurted out in a panicked stutter.

"How do you know that?!" I interrogated him.

"My father, he sent me after him after he ran into the woods!"

"So why isn't he captured? Did you hurt him?!" I was nearly shouting at this point. He covered my mouth with his hand and placed a finger on his lips, lowering his own voice back to a mumble.

"Shshsh, keep your voice down." he pointed up to the ceiling above us, where the top deck was. "No, he's just a little kid. I sent the others different ways and followed after him. Once he got back to the camp I left." I fell silent in thought once again. This guy was confusing me more then I had ever been confused.

"Why?" I whispered breathlessly.

"Couldn't just let him get stranded in the woods now could I?" he said as if it were obvious. "And besides, he's your best chance of getting out of here and back to Pan."

"Why are you doing this?" he looked deep into my eyes.

"You and me both know that my father is a horrible guy. If I help you get back, will you let me come with you?" What? Are you kidding me? A PIRATE wants to come with the lost boys?  He broke my train of thought, snapping his fingers in front of my eyes to draw my attention back. "Hey! Please?"