"JASON!" Hook roared angrily as he shook the water off his head and wiped his eyes.

Slightly stood and quickly crossed the deck to stand before the man. "Cap'n?" He wasn't even surprised when he found himself hanging from the claw and nose to nose with Hook.

"I'm tired of this foolishness, Mr. Slightly," Hook growled. Hook had taken to calling him Jason, and everyone but Billy followed suit. He knew the old name pained the boy, and used it to remind him of Peter's betrayal. Hook only called him Mr. Slightly when a beating was about to follow. "You will tell me all of Peter Pan's hideouts. I'm convinced that my gentle treatment so far has been in vain, so your life is about to get much harsher. Starting right now." He pulled off his belt.

"Please, sir, don't," Slightly asked softly, but he knew from experience it wouldn't help.

Hook dropped the boy and began to belt him. Slightly yelped and writhed, but he remained facedown on the deck. Experience had also taught him the folly of rolling over. Slightly's punishment was interrupted when an empty bucket hit Hook in the head.

"Leave him alone, Hook!" Nibs yelled from a yard-arm. Curly and Tootles stood beside him, shocked expressions on their faces.

"Go away," Slightly moaned, "you'll make it worse."

Hook glared at the Lost Boys. "Come down here, boy, and I'll give you young Jason's punishment. I'm guessing that you are the culprits for this little prank?"

"I did it," Curly yelled. "You shouldn't hit Slightly for it."

Hook grabbed Slightly and hauled him to his feet by his hair. "Peter Pan threw this boy away for treason. He's mine now. And I won't have a pint-sized pipsqueak telling me how to treat my property!"

Curly was about to protest, but Nibs cut him off. He had an idea, but he had to make Hook think they didn't care. "You're right. Our apologies, Captain Hook. I'd forgotten that Jason is a traitor; I was too upset at seeing an old friend hurt. Do what you want, we don't care. We'll see you later."

"But Nibs..." Tootles interrupted, confused and upset.

"No buts, Tootles," Nibs yelled. "He's none of our concern any more. Let's go." He leapt into the air and flew off. Reluctantly, the other two followed.

Slightly watched them leave. He was relieved they were going - he didn't want them to gloat over how far he'd fallen. But he was hurt by Nib's causal disregard. He doesn't care at all. None of them do. He'd managed to not cry while Hook had hit him, but now the tears wouldn't stop.

Hook knelt by the boy and wiped his eyes. "You see? They despise you. Why do you still care for them? Why do you make me hurt you, just to hide their secrets?"

Slightly stared at Hook. He knew the man was pretending to care, that he was trying to manipulate him. Part of him wanted to tell the man everything. He wanted to belong somewhere, no longer an outcast shunned by everyone except Billy. But he thought of Wendy - she'd always loved him and she reminded him vaguely of someone else who had loved him. He thought of Michael, who was too young to understand any of this. What would Hook do to them? Michael was too small to be useful on the ship, so Hook would dispose of him, most likely. And Wendy... he'd heard some of the bawdy stories Mason and Mullins liked to tell. He didn't understand a tenth of it, but the thought of anyone treating Wendy like that made him sick. He doubted Hook would stand for it, but he'd probably would kill her. No. They've been unfair and cruel to me, but they don't deserve to die for it. And if I betray them, Hook will kill them all.

"I owe Peter my life..." he whispered to himself, but Hook heard. "He saved me from Him. I'll die before I betray them."

Hook's face darkened. "Don't think I won't arrange for that, Jason Slightly."

Slightly looked at Hook and he felt something within himself harden. "I don't care anymore. You can hurt me as much as you want, you bully, but I won't change my mind. I won't let you use me to hurt them. Catch them on your own. I don't care. I'm here. I'll do my duties and take my licks. Save us both a lot of time and effort: kill me now and be done, or quit asking for something I'll never give you."

"You ungrateful little bastard," Hook whispered, his eyes blazing with fury. He knocked the boy to the deck and began belting him again. Slightly curled up and covered his head with his arms, but he wouldn't scream and he wouldn't cry.

You can't hurt me anymore, he repeated in his mind over and over. He willed himself to be somewhere else, and he let his mind go there. He remembered a woman, remembered her holding him and humming softly as she smoothed away his hurts and his fears. He felt his love for her and immersed himself in the memory.

"Cap'n!" Mullins yelled and grabbed the man's arm. It earned him a small cut from the hook, but the interruption broke Hook's rage and made him step back.

Hook looked down at Jason, who had passed out on the deck. The boy was covered in welts, some of which were bleeding. My God, what was I doing! Outwardly, the only sign of the shock he felt was a slight softening of his face. "Make him comfortable, Mullins. He excused from all duty until I say otherwise."

Mullins watched Hook as the man went to his cabin, then turned to the unconscious boy. "Lad, yer never gonna learn. Billy never gave me trouble like this. 'Course, Billy was more afraid of being marooned than beaten." He picked Slightly up and carried him below. "And Billy never deliberately tried ta get Hook to kill 'im."

Jukes was waiting below. He was the one who had told Mullins that Hook was trying to beat Slightly to death, and he sighed in relief when the man returned with his friend. He winced when he saw the welts on the boy's arms and legs. "Will he be okay?"

"No," Mullins answered. "He ain't gonna fit in on this ship, and sooner or later Hook's gonna kill 'im or he's gonna do it himself. But he'll be fine fer now." He laid Slightly on the table and began removing his shirt. "Poor lad's been one big bruise since Hook pulled him outta the river. He's got a whole bunch'a new ones to replace the ones that were fading." Together, Mullins and Jukes did what they could to relieve the boy and put him in Billy's hammock.

"Where you gonna sleep?" Mason asked gruffly when he came in for supper.

Billy sat at the table and glanced back at Slightly. "I ain't never had a room of my own. Think I'll try it tonight, see what it's like."

"Good! Won't have ta listen to ya snorin'!" the big man ribbed.

"MY snoring!" Billy sputtered, "You saw louder in yer sleep that ya do with yer tools!"

The men laughed and joked as they ate their supper. The noise woke Slightly, who lay still and listened to the men. They're rough, but they're friends for the most part. Reminds me of home. He sighed and suppressed his sadness, remembering that it wasn't his home anymore. Soon after, Billy walked over, carrying a bowl of stew.

"You ain't gonna want to move, but ya need to eat," the boy told him.

"I'm not hungry, Billy," Slightly answered.

"Don't make me get Mullins. Ever been force fed?" Billy half joked.

Slightly stared at Billy for so long it made the young gunner fidget. "Is everyone on this ship a bully? Why do you have to make people do things they don't want to do?"

"We're pirates," Billy said weakly.

"Yes, you are," Slightly nodded. "I finally see that." Slightly rolled over and faced the wall, leaving Billy to stare helplessly.

"I'm sorry, Slightly," he said finally. "I'm sorry for everything. It's my fault everyone found out. It's my fault you got kicked out of your family. I'm trying to make it easier for you, but you won't let me. What am I supposed to do?"

"Just leave me alone, Billy. I hurt inside and out and I just want to be alone. Maybe we shouldn't be friends anymore - apparently I'm a horrible person and a burden to be around. You'll be happier without me pulling you down."

Billy was hurt. "Fine. I'll give you your space. I'll be here if you ever decide to grow up and face reality." He turned and went back to the table and the companionship of his mates.