A long, long time ago...
"Elizabeth?" A hush whisper cuts through the silence of the night. The young girl lying on her side on the bed remains unchanged at the voice. Her soft breathing can be heard by the stranger at the door. The sound of the door creak open and a small ray of light, from the outside hall, illuminated one corner of the room. She peaks her head inside the room and sees her little girl sleeping soundly.
Gemma Holloway, a woman of stature and natural beauty, had her soft brown hair tied into a bun on top of her head. Her diamond hoop earrings glints as light touches them softly. She pushes the door slightly wide open and walks inside. Her floor length silver dress made her look like an angel approaching her child on the bed.
She made sure to walk slowly because her heels are causing raucous sound. When she approaches the side of the bed, she kneels down and places her hand on the jet black hair of the young girl. She softly pats on the little girl's hair and her eyes scan her daughter's face. Gemma cannot believe that her daughter is growing up too quickly for her liking. Elizabeth is quite intelligent for her seven year old self. Gemma admires Elizabeth's sense of adventure whenever it comes to playing with friends. Her young curious mind adds to her personality. As much as she liked her daughter's active participation, it saddens her because Elizabeth would rather spend time with her best friend and neighbor, Wendy Darling.
Mrs. Holloway and Mrs. Darling only met when the Holloway family moved to the village. They are wonderful friends who spent Saturday mornings exchanging secrets and sharing stories. Both are wonderful mothers to their children and they are ecstatic to see that both their eldest daughters are best friends. Wendy and Elizabeth have been friends ever since they were two. Growing up, they are inseparable. Nobody saw the other without the other.
Their friendship is literally tied on a knot. They have a friendship bracelet that had mixed colored beads which they made when they were five (with the help of their mothers). Gemma's hand unconsciously continues to brush through Elizabeth's hair.
A knock on the door pulls her out of her reverie. She turns her head towards the door and sees her husband, Julian, wearing a devilishly handsome tuxedo. She smiles to her husband causing her dimples to show on her sweet face. Julian approaches his wife and places a hand on her shoulder.
"It's time to go, Gemma, or we're going to be late for the party. I know how you hate missing a slow dance with me," Julian jokes lovingly to his wife who is still kneeling on the ground. Gemma removes her hand from Elizabeth's hair and touches Julian's hand on her shoulder. She lets out a huge sigh and leans her head on her husband's lower arm.
"I don't want to leave our baby girl alone. Maybe the party was a bad idea?" Gemma solemnly replies as she stares at her beautiful baby girl. Julian kneels down beside her and places his thumb and index finger on her chin.
"Hey, hey, look at me," he carefully says to her. Gemma looks at his deep blue eyes and waits for him to continue.
"Our daughter is a smart, strong, beautiful girl, just like her mother. She can take care of herself. It's just one night, Gemma. No harm will come to our baby girl as long as we keep the doors locked. Okay?" He reassures her as he kisses her forehead. Gemma closes her eyes as she felt Julian's kiss. She slowly got up and bends down to kiss Elizabeth's round cheeks.
Julian does the same and whispers, "Sleep tight, kiddo." Julian places his arms around Gemma's shoulders and walks her out of the door. As she closes the door, she looks at Elizabeth one last time and smiles softly. Being the only child that Gemma could ever conceive, she is protective over Elizabeth. No harm will ever come near her sweet little angel. She then looks away from Elizabeth and looks at her husband with his hand held out.
"Shall we, princess?" Julian asks, eyebrows rising. Gemma closes the doors behind her and the bedroom slowly went back to its original state, a room for the seven year old dreamer.
"That's not fair, Wendy," a grumpy looking Elizabeth says to her playmate wearing pigtails at the age of seven. Currently seated at the floor, Wendy doubles over in a laughing fit. Her pigtails bouncing about as she laughs. Elizabeth huffs in annoyance as Wendy continues to laugh. Tears starts to form on the outer rim of Elizabeth's eye, but she refuses to cry in front of Wendy because she knows that if she cries Wendy will continue to laugh at her.
She brings her chubby hand to her eyes to wipe away some of the tears that started to fall on its own. Elizabeth looks down at her left hand to see the two strawberry flavored candies that she has. It used to be ten, but Wendy got the other eight when she tricked Elizabeth that she had more candies to give her.
"Give it back, please," Elizabeth's small voice croaks out. Upon hearing Elizabeth's request, Wendy slowly stops laughing and looks at Elizabeth. She tilts her head to the side and furrows her slightly think eyebrows. Elizabeth watches her walk towards her, not making any sound.
"Are you crying?" Wendy asks. Her voice filled with sudden concern. She only found it funny that she was able to trick Elizabeth since she was supposed to be the "little genius" in the Holloway family.
She laughed at the reaction that Elizabeth showed after she got her candies. Elizabeth looks down at her candies that are lying on her small, open palm. She closes her fingers into a fist and clenches the two remaining candies. Wendy suddenly felt guilty for laughing and stealing. She kneels down in front of her best friend and puts her pale hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Ellie, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I thought we were having fun? That's what we do all the time," Wendy says while rubbing her shoulder. Elizabeth shifts her gaze to Wendy's face.
Surprisingly, she doesn't have tears running down her cheeks. She felt kind of happy that she didn't shed a single tear. She kept telling herself that it was just a stupid thing to cry about. Her mother always tells her that she is a strong girl and she wants to prove it by not crying over small matters.
"It's not that. I just...Those candies were given to me by a boy. He was a beggar, Wendy! A beggar gave me his candies!" Elizabeth exclaims her doe eyes widening as she speaks. Wendy listens attentively to her story. She fixes her sitting position by tucking in her legs underneath her.
"A beggar, you say? What was he like?" Wendy asks, intrigued. Elizabeth mimics Wendy's sitting position and they face each other, their knees touching. Elizabeth straightens her back and clears her throat.
"Well, he was rude, at first. He's tall, um, skinny, and older than me. He must have been ten years old or eleven. I wasn't really sure. Oh! And he has blonde hair. I was with my mother that day. She wanted me to join her buy fresh fruits in the market. While I was walking with a basket on my arms, I saw him sitting on the pavement. He was looking at the ground and he had a small stick on his hand. I was curious as to why he had a stick so I went near him. I asked him what he was doing. He looked up at me and gave me the meanest glare," Elizabeth explains to her.
She mimics the boy's glare at her. She puts her chubby arms on her hips and scrunches her eyebrows. She lets out fiend huff of annoyance. Wendy giggles at her expression and lets her continue. Elizabeth smiles and places her palms on either side of her thighs on the floor.
"He didn't put his hands on his hips, but he made the face, nonetheless," she clarifies herself and then continues telling the story.
"After he gave me the rude stare, I scolded him. I said, 'That's not a nice way to meet a person, especially a girl.' He didn't reply! He just gave me a snort and continued playing with the stick. Of course, I didn't give up on him just yet. I sat down beside him—"
Elizabeth sees Wendy react harshly. "You did what?! Mother doesn't like us sitting on dirty places especially on a pavement! I hope you weren't wearing your favorite blue dress," Her eyes filled with worry. Elizabeth pats her on the shoulder.
"You need not worry, I was wearing the ugly, red one," she jokes. Their high-pitched laughter fills Elizabeth's white-painted room.
"Okay, so, I sat down and guess what?"
"What?" Wendy's eyes slightly widening and she leans a little closer. Elizabeth moves to her ears. She cups her small right hand around Wendy's ear and whispers.
"I took his stick!" Elizabeth moves away as Wendy gasps.
"What did he do? He must have done something! Do tell me," Wendy bounces from excitement. She admires Elizabeth's brave persona. She never sees herself as a daring person. Elizabeth Holloway is the complete opposite of herself and maybe that is why they complement each other. Best friends forever, that's what we are and it will never change, she thinks. The thought made her smile.
"He stood up and stared me down. He went to grab the stick, but I didn't give it to him. So, he offered me a trade. Ten candies for his stick. I didn't give it to him until he showed me his candies. I returned his stick and he gave me his candies. I asked him where he got the candies; he told me it's a secret. So, I told him, 'Okay, I'm going to find you again and we will eat these candies together while you tell me that secret of yours.' He looked at me like I was crazy. I didn't let him reply because I am going to find him again with his ten candies with me," Elizabeth finishes her story with her voice filled with determination.
Wendy, however, feels uneasy about the way the story ended. "Do you think that's a good idea? You don't even know his name,"
"Silly, girl, of course, I asked him!" She says her arms wide in front of her as if to say that she obviously did not forget to ask.
"What's his name?"
"Felix."
Two weeks later...
"This is a bad idea, Felix."
Felix rolls his storm gray eyes at Wendy walking behind him. He is beginning to regret his decision about bringing her. The plan was to go to an abandoned theme park near the woods, but after fifteen minutes of silence and darkness, the seven-year-old girl begins to complain. Originally, Wendy wasn't supposed to be joining Felix and Elizabeth, but Wendy saw Elizabeth trying to sneak out and she wanted to join her or else she was telling her parents that her 'boyfriend', Felix,
"At least tell us, strange boy, where this 'theme park' of yours is?" Wendy impatiently says behind Elizabeth. Her arms cross across her chest. She huffs as she struggles to keep her dress from getting dirty.
Elizabeth, however, keeps her eyes occupied by looking at the scenery before her. She never had the chance to go out by herself. It's always with her parents. The forest somehow feels like home and familiar that it makes her smile.
The overgrown trees soar above them and cover the beautiful sky leaving them with a gloomy feeling, but this didn't bother Elizabeth. Instead, she notices the small details the forest has to offer. She listens to the sound of the trees brushing against each other and the birds flapping into the air. She looks at the ground and sees the fallen leaves, branches, and stones that cover the ground. She had to lift her legs up to her chest because a huge tree root blocked the path.
"We're almost there just a little bit further, your highness," Felix annoys Wendy as she continues to ask more questions about the mysterious theme park.
"I'm beginning to think this 'theme park' does not exist. Elizabeth, can we go now?" Wendy says, desperation laced to her voice. She grabs Elizabeth arms to stop her from following Felix.
Elizabeth sighs and stares at Wendy's slightly scared face. "Think of this as an adventure, Wendy," she says trying to soothe her best friend.
"This is not fun for me, Ellie, why...I don't even know him that well and he might be leading us to-to our death!" Wendy says widening her arms to prove her point.
"Well, I know him. We've been friends ever since I found him again. He told me his life story and, Wendy, you should know that he is totally harmless. I trust him and he trusts me," Elizabeth finishes and turns away from Wendy. She continues to walk and sees Felix silently waiting beside a tree. Felix stopped walking as soon as he heard the girls talking rapidly.
"You good there, Liz?" Felix asks the black haired little girl walking towards him. Elizabeth nods and smiles. Her dimples showing and she says, "Come on, Felix, I was promised a park."
Felix chuckles and says, "Alright, princess, we're almost there."
"Wow, okay, I'm sorry for complaining a while ago, Ellie," Wendy whispers as she swallows in the scenery in front of her. She looks around and can't help but feel amazed by the way the trees have grown on the abandoned Ferris wheel, roller coaster, fun house, and more.
She has to admit it is a bit scary because it is a little bit dark in the woods, but the trees didn't cover the sun anymore. The small spaces between the bristling leaves give way to ray of lights the sun produces. It gives the abandoned theme park a weird feeling of happiness and loneliness at the same time.
"Welcome to my personal paradise," Felix proudly presents a grin on his face as he widens his arm to show the place he calls home.
Elizabeth gasps and jumps in joy. She starts to walk in circles as she takes in her surroundings. She closes her eyes and breathes in the afternoon air. She slowly exhales and has only one word in her mind: freedom. She opens her eyes and sees Felix smirking at her.
She then glances at Wendy who is moving around the place. She laughs and skips towards her. Wendy sees her approaching and she squeals in delight. Elizabeth does the same and together they giggle in excitement. She turns her head and looks at Felix who had his eyebrows rise at them.
She smiles at him and let's go of Wendy. She walks towards him and says, "Thank you for showing us this, Felix, it's really beautiful. I know now why you stay here every time your mother and father fight."
Felix frowns at her. For a seven year old, this little girl has no filter. He purses his lips and gives her a tight nod. She sighs at his expression and brings her left hand up to touch his left arm.
"You don't have to be embarrassed about it. I'm your friend now. I'm willing to listen to your problems. You don't have to be alone anymore. You have me," Her soft, reassuring voice makes him feel a little bit happier. He finally has a friend, but it didn't change the fact that he will always feel lost.
"I 'ppreciate it, Liz," he replies and smiles. Elizabeth removes her hand from his arm and reaches for his hand. Felix looks down at their hands and felt happy to have her as his friend.
"Come on, then, tell me what you do in this island of yours," she says and pulls Felix towards the Ferris wheel where Wendy is waiting.
The sun has fallen by the time Felix returned Wendy and Elizabeth home. All three of them tired from playing games at Felix's 'personal paradise'. For the first time in his life, he was genuinely happy meeting Elizabeth and Wendy (who turned out to be really friendly).
He realizes that it is nice to have people to talk to. They promised that they will be seeing each other again soon. After they dropped off Wendy at their house, Felix and Elizabeth walk towards her house. Before Elizabeth opens the front door, she turns around to say a proper goodbye to Felix.
"Thank you for that, Felix. I had the best time of life. Makes me wish that we could do it all day!" she exclaims, but her smile quickly falls from her pale face. Confused, Felix asks, "What's wrong, Liz?"
"I forgot to tell you it's my birthday tomorrow and—"
"Nothin' wrong with that."
"No, it's just...I don't like to be eight tomorrow. The feel of growing up just bothers me, you know? I have this, um, fear of not knowing what I would be doing when I'm all grown up. I just want it to be always fun and happy. I see my parents now and I know they have a problem, but they never tell me. I don't want to grow up unhappy," she finishes and looks down at her brown boots.
Felix looks at her. He gets her point of being unhappy. All his life he has been unhappy. Ever since he was seven, all he could remember was having no friends and money. Her parents constantly fighting and he had to survive on his own. He steals sometimes when he is desperate for food. He never got caught, but he stopped stealing because it made him feel guilty afterwards.
"Liz, you don't have to be unhappy over such a small thing! You have a nice life, a home to live in, sure, your parents have a problem, but they still love you. Your life is nothing compared to mine. Growing up is not a bad thing. Growing up is when you learn about new things and do lots of things. Growing up, you'll discover who you are. Problems are inevitable, but that doesn't mean that it will make you unhappy. That's your choice whether you want to group up unhappy or not. As long as you keep your imagination alive, you'll be the happiest person in the world," Felix says as he looks at Elizabeth in the eyes.
Elizabeth is in awe after his long speech. He was right. There is nothing wrong with being unhappy or growing up. She should think of growing up as a gift for being able to live another year.
She grins at Felix and gives him a sudden hug. Shocked, Felix doesn't move because his arms are locked against his side. He awkwardly pats her back with his right hand and then relaxes. Elizabeth pulls away and bids him a good night and a thank you one last time.
She closes the door behind her and proceeds to climb to her room. She passes by her parent's room where she can hear them doing their best to keep their voices down. She knows they are fighting, but she doesn't know why.
She continues to walk to her room at the end of the hallway. She lifts her hand up and twists her doorknob open. She walks in and flicks on the switch beside her door. She walks to her window and looks down to see Felix walking away from her house. She smiles and looks at the beautiful night sky above.
The stars reflect in her eyes and they twinkle together. The stars look like scattered moon dust in the night sky. One star, however, shines the brightest. She stares at the star and sighs loudly. She can't help but think that the star looks like a beacon of hope for all the lost children of the world.
A/N: Hello, beautiful people, thank you for stopping by and reading the very first chapter of my story 'Origins'. Yes, I promise you this is a Peter Pan/OC eventual love story, not a Felix/OC story!
Pleeeease tell me what you think about this first chapter? Too slow? Too long? Tell me in the comment/review below. If you also have questions feel free to say them. Constructive criticisms are welcome too. If you want to vent your feelings about the upcoming Season 5: Winter Finale of Once Upon A Time then feel free to PM me or vent in the comment section.
:) xx