Alternate Ending Part 7

Author's note:

To my beautiful readers,

I fear our time of transcendence is nearing its close as this will be the last and final installment of Her Name Wasn't Wendy.

I am so thankful to all of you who have continually read along and I hope that Zemira's story will always be with you.

Now.

Prepare yourself.

The story of Zemira will grip you on the edge of your seat until its bitter end.

Take a breath and ready yourself to dive into Never Land for the last time . . .

Love,

You're Author: Elizabeth Freeman

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Month's passed since Zemira's mind had been medaled with. She spent her days with Pan, but even as their relationship blossomed, her nights were spent pondering Hook and his mysterious allure. Sleep would come late and she would dream of his story and how she knew him. Her mind was forever unrested. Pan had noticed and was worried for her. Even if he could give her back her memories, he not only didn't want to but he couldn't undue the spell. He just tried to ease her as much as he could.

Hook couldn't rest. He could hardly breathe a minute without crying out in frustration over his predicament. He had been so close . . . then she was just gone. He was a wreck. It took all of him not to race over to her cove and wrap her in his arms and tell her all that she had missed. But that would never end well. Instead he was stuck in torment, seeing her, talking to her, but never knowing her.

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It was a cool day in the cove. The Breeze was chilled more than usual and clouds darkened the skies. Pan had come to her early that morning saying that he had to take care of the some of the things before the storm hit Neverland. Pan had looked unnerved as he stared at the oncoming storm. He expressed how the island never had been hit by storms. But the worry didn't reach Zemira as she watched the palm trees sway in the wind.

She had been up all night thinking about Hook. Over time everything ate away at her connection to him. Pan had told her not to see him. He had told her to forget him. But saying these things only made her more curious.

The wind had gotten to her today. The island decided to rebel against what was normal and cause a storm. This gave her the confidence to rebel against what Pan told her.

This was the day that she would find him.

The rain poured as she began the long trek to where the ship was anchored. She was no idea where exactly it was but she figured that it was somewhere off the beach. She would find it somehow.

Her long brown hair turned black by the water that drenched her whole body. The rain made her clothes stick to her like a second skin. She tried to use the island's magic to get a raincoat but something was stopping her. What was stopping the magic, she knew not. But she kept walking in the sand with rain coming down all around her. The dark sky and rain should have put her in a bad mood, but she held her head high because she knew she was walking toward answers. Why could she not get him out of her head? Why was it that every time she closed her eyes his face greeted her? Why did she almost call Pan, Hook because she felt so familiar with his name? Why did she feel so gloomy and hopeless?

Answers, they were coming.

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Hook looked out the window of his cabin and watched the rain streak down the glass. His heart beat picked up. Fear rumbled in his mind like the thunder outside. In all of his years of being trapped on the island it had never rained like this. ever. Why would it happen now?

He frowned as he looked out onto the beach line that looked gray like the rest of the landscape. He wondered if pan was causing the storm.

A flash of lightning erupted in the sky followed by the booming echo of thunder. He stumbled back in surprise.

That was close.

From his many years at sea he had seen the devastating destruction of lightning. It was incredible, awe-inspiring, and left sailors dead in its wake.

His eyes drifted back to the beach and his eye caught on something moving on the beach north of the ship. His frown deepened as he tried to make it out. He glanced around his room to find his binoculars. He grabbed them from the shelf over his bed and peered through the rain to find what had been on the beach. It took him a moment to find it.

A rubber band squeezed the oxygen from his lungs. It wasn't possible. He had to be seeing things.

It was Zemira. She was stumbling through the cold rain towards their ship. Hook dropped the binoculars and ran. He heard the crunch of the binoculars on the floor just before he slammed the door to his cabin shut. Rain drenched him the second he stepped foot outside. The deck was abandoned due to the weather, leaving the empty ship feeling haunted by the dark sky. But the adrenaline coursing through his veins made him continue. He raced for the lower deck. Only his years of experience of manning a wet decked boat kept him from falling on his face. As soon as he reached the railing, he jumped over it like a hurdle and dove into the ocean.

The water banished all the heat from his body the moment he made contact. It was so cold that he could hardly think straight. But he had to get to Zemira. He kicked towards the surface and breached. Ice like rain pelted his face with angry force. Gasping from the cold, he began swimming furiously towards the beach.

His loose shirt restricted his movements in the water. Blindly he tried to unbutton it, but his hands were numb with the cold. Frustrated, he ripped the shirt off and kicked off his shoes that weighed him down as well. Only in socks and pants, Hook continued towards her. Soon he made it to the beach. He scrambled to get out of the water. Instead of relief from the cold, the air bit into his skin, seemingly freezing the salt water all over him. He broke into a sprint towards the form in the distance. He called out to her in the rain but the wind carried his voice away. His whole body stung like it did after holding ice for too long. At least The rain made the sand hard and easier to run on.

His eyes were on her the entire time he sprinted. She certainly looked closer then she was from the ship. Her head was tilted at a strange angle, as if she didn't have the energy to keep it up right. Fear twisted his gut in a knot. As he desperately tried to reach her, she stopped, unaware of Hook, and she fell to the ground. Hook cursed and put on a burst of speed. He was only fifty meters away.

"Zemira!" he yelled, his throat burned from the icy air.

She didn't move.

When he finally reached her, he slid the last few feet towards her body, covering his pants In wet sand. he knelt next to her, attempting to shield her from the rain with his own body. She was face down on the ground with her hair and clothes completely soaked from the rain. He flipped her gently over as the rain pounded his back. Her skin was deathly cold. His stomach fell. It was as if the first stages of hyperthermia were setting in.

When had the tropical island become so cold?

he had to get her warm. He looked back at the ship.

He cursed.

It was way too far away and even if she could get her there he didn't get a boat out, so he would have to swim through the cold water with her limp body, which wouldn't help the situation. He looked at the woods. It would be a walk but he could make it to one of the shelters they had in the forest. It was his best shot.

Hook gathered her in his arms and began the walk into the woods. He tried to hunch over her small frame and protect her form the water as much as he could. The ground changed from sand to dirt and rocks. he was glad he had kept on his socks.

Even with the shelter of the trees the rain still poured down mercilessly. The temperature continued to drop and he held Zemira's cold body to his skin, trying to warm her as much as he could. Periodically he would check her pulse to make sure it was there. The milliseconds before her pulse appeared each time were the longest seconds of his life. Each time they came he breathed a sigh of relief. But it was getting weaker.

What had possessed her to go out in this storm?

After a good half hour of walking he made it to the rock outcropping that he and his men slept in when hunting. The Rocks had formed a small opening near the base where they could enter. But inside they had carved out some of the rock and made a nice room. There was a hole near the top and over the entrance where smoke could escape when they had fires inside. It was so perfect place.

Hook put her inside on the cleanest part of the rock floor. He thanked all the gods out there that there was a pile of dry fire wood in one of the corners of the room. A fire was key if he wanted to save her life. She had to get warm or else she would die. Quickly he set to work building a fire. As he waited for the flame to take hold he checked her pulse. It was barely a flicker. Tears began in his eyes as he hurried the fire along.

Ten minutes later the fire was blazing with warmth. The temperature began to rise in the room. Hook smiled and picked Zemira up. He laid her next to the fire for her to get warm. But her clothes were soaking wet. Hook hesitated. If she was going to get warm she had to get the wet clothes off of her skin. He bit his lip. She was wearing a long sleeved shirt and shorts. His stomach was sent tumbling. It was not his place to undress her. But this was life and death, no matter how much he hated himself for it. the shirt had to go if she was to come back to a normal body temperature. He let out a sigh and began unbuttoning her shirt. He was relieved to find a white camisole under her long-sleeved top that he pulled off of her arms. He left the shorts figuring that they would dry quickly. Then he pulled all of her hair from around her face. She wore walking shoes that he unlaced and placed near the fire to dry. He pealed the wet socks off of her feet as well.

Hook checked her pulse again. It was steady. He sighed in relief. The wind whistled outside and the rain kept coming down. What he had done wasn't enough. But didn't have a blanket or towel. The only other way to warm her was to hold her.

So he sat with his back to the entrance. He took her in his arms and positioned her to face the fire with her back on his chest. Her wet hair stung his skin. He wrapped his arms around her and shielded her from the gusts of cold air that came through the opening. Her head lulled lifelessly to one side.

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She began to stir.

Hook awakened from a half sleep that he had fallen into. the fire was almost dead, and the rain was still pouring outside their shelter. He wasn't sure what time it was. He looked down at her forehead and love for the girl in his arms erupted. Joy filled him as he realized that she would be okay. He could feel her chest rising and falling under his arms.

He suddenly felt better than he had in days. Holding her, protecting her. That's what he wanted. To spend his life with her.

"Pan?" said a soft voice.

Hook's stomach dropped.

"Um," Hook began.

Zemira flipped her head around and gasped. He let go of her and She scrambled weakly out of his arms and began crawling to the other side of the room. Hook didn't move. It felt like she had taken his heart with her. She sat against the wall gasping for breath. Her skin was still pale but she looked much better than she had before.

"What-"she began as she looked around the room. She saw her shirt and shoes on the other side of the fire. she hugged herself as a cold breeze raced through the shelter. Her wet hair was a mess around her face. She stared at him and then at her clothes on the ground.

Hook said quickly, "You passed out because of the cold."

Her whole body was shaking fiercely.

"I had to get you warm again," he tried to explain.

She glanced at him and then at the entrance as if he would try to stop her from running.

"Please, Zemira, you almost died. You were at the beginning stages of hyperthermia."

She would only stare at him. Moments passed by in silence. Something must have convinced her that he was telling the truth because she scooted closer to the fire.

Hook unfroze in response and added a few logs to the fire.

Zemira brushed a lock of whet hair behind her ear, "What happened?" she asked hesitantly.

Once he explained what happened, her first statement wasn't about his taking her shirt off because of its wetness, or holding her to keep her body warm. She just stared at him with her mouth wide open and said:

"You jumped into the freezing water, for me?"

he looked at her, she had tears in her eyes.

"I couldn't leave you out there," he said honestly.

"You carried me all the way here?" she asked.

He nodded.

She looked at him, her eyes the bright shining blue that made him crumble. The flickers of the fire cast her face in a warm color. "I came because I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Hook's heart stopped.

"Why did you wait until now," Hook asked almost laughing as he gestured to the rain outside.

"I am not really sure . . . fate?" she offered.

Hook smiled.

She smiled back.

Stars above, he missed that smile.

"Why do I feel like I know you?" She asked softly.

"You do," Hook looked away, "or you did."

She looked away and they sat in silence for a while before she spoke again.

"Who am I to you?"

He could hear his heartbeat in his ears. He didn't know why the words came to mind, but they spilled out before he could stop himself.

"The girl I am in love with,"

Then she moved closer to him. She leaned up to him. He couldn't even breathe.

Their lips met.

A spark ran through his lips and he felt the flame flare next to them. Power rushed through both of them.

Zemira gasped as she moved back a moment. He looked at her wondering if something was wrong.

Her eyes were wide and filled with tears. A grin spread across her face.

"You never told me your name was Killian," she breathed. Hook frowned and looked at her. Then he realized she remembered.

"You remember?" Hook asked with so much hope he didn't know what he would do if he lost it again. She grinned and threw herself into his arms and pressed her lips against his. He slipped his hands into her wet hair and she wrapped her arms around him.

Then she broke the kiss and slapped him. With the cold air, his skin burned at the contact.

"What was that for?!" He demanded.

"That's for being late to the mind-wipe spell," she said with a glare.

"How did the spell break?" he asked. She smiled at him.

"True love's kiss can break any spell," she said proudly before kissing him once more. Hook never felt so happy.

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The rain slowed to a light drizzle and Hook was just holding Zemira. They didn't need to say anything. Just being in one another's company was enough.

That was until Zemira broke the silence.

"Pan is coming," she said abruptly as she stood.

"How do you know?" he asked as he stood up with her.

"He has been training me, I can feel it."

A moment later Pan Appeared.

He was dressed in black, his eyes were full of fire. His eyes settled on Zemira.

Hook tightened his grip on her but with one shared look he let go of her. She stood up despite her legs wobbling a bit under her weight. He reached for her in case she fell but she waved him off.

Zenira walked past the fire so she stood right in front of Pan. Without warning, She punched him in the jaw. Pan let out a cry of pain and stumbled backward.

"How dare you," she said with quiet rage that made Hook scared for Pan, "You knew that he was alive and you lied to me." Zemira was shaking. "You allowed me to go through the spell knowing that he was still alive," she began crying and sobbing while she spoke, "you let me mourn him!"

Each word she spoke was painful for Hook to bare, but it was Pan's face that really showed it. Tears rolled down her cheek and fell onto the floor.

"How dare you!" she screamed in his face.

Pan flinched. But when he didn't answer She stormed outside.

Hook followed after her leaving Pan in the cave.

The sky was still dark with storm clouds but the rain had stopped. Zemira was sobbing with her arms crossed in the clearing outside the cave. Hook began walking forward to comfort her when his whole body froze.

"Why are your crying Deary?"

Hook sucked in air, hardly able to breathe. Hook knew that voice. He slowly turned to see Rumpelstiltskin's absurdly gleeful figure strut towards his beloved. Zemira looked up and saw him and gasped. Hook didn't even have time to call out before Rumple grabbed her wrist.

"Broken heart got you down?" he sneered. His oily crocodile skin stretching around his face.

"Get off me," she demanded, even though it came out as a whimper.

"Now is that any way to treat your teacher?" Rumple asked.

"Let go of her." Pan growled.

Rumple turned to look at Pan and his smirk deepened.

"Peter Pan" Rumple said saying each syllable, "My how you have aged," he joked.

"I said let her go!" Pan yelled and reappeared a few feet away from Rumple.

Rumple wrapped a hand around her neck, "Another step and she dies," he promised.

Hook couldn't breathe. No. No one else. The Crocodile couldn't take another woman he loved.

"Please," Hook chocked out. Rumple's eyes got darker as they fell on him, "Just let her go, we are the ones you want." Rumple considered this, or pretended to.

"You see, deary," said Rumple to Hook, "that's where you're wrong," his grip tightened On her throat and Zemira squirmed. "I did come for her. She evaded her punishment last time she was here." Rumple fixed a look upon Pan who had set his jaw. "You see, Zemira here is heir to the throne that the little brat, Snow White has tried to claim. But poor Zemira," Rumple pulled her closer to him so that her back was pressed against his chest. She strained against his grip but Rumple continued, unhindered. "The little princess was tragically ill as a child, and was going to die. So when her mother begged me to save her life, I obliged. But I called for a price, my price was her," Rumple forced Zemira backward as he stepped back. "Her mother said yes, rather reluctantly, but a living peasant was better than a dead princess I suppose. Zemira lost her royalty and family. But never seemed to loose the connection. And so, when her mother fell ill Zemira promised me anything if I prolonged her life. All Zemira had do was kill Pan," Rumple said staring at Pan. "When I found out that she broke our contract, I of course let the mother's disease swiftly kill her mother in front of her sister, Snow White's, eyes."

Hook gaped at Zemira who had tears running down her face.

"How did you even get here again?" Zemira asked, hook could hear a slight tremble in her voice. He looked at his captive.

"Through you, deary," he said.

"Well you can leave now," Hook said. Rumple looked at Hook and walked towards him, dragging Zemira along with him. Rumple got right in his face.