Chapter 1: Caesarean

Captain Hook clenched her jaw, shoved his hook into her abdomen and –

Wendy screamed. She saw the blood and wanted to cry, but the feeling of Captain Hook shredding her stomach was inexpressible.

It was not a nightmare. It was not a bad dream.

Captain Hook was gutting her. He peeled apart each slimy layer. He squelched her blood and amniotic fluid. He scraped her visceral tissue until it burned. He reached inside, scooped her backbone, and ripped out –

"Aw." Lana batted empty, undead eyes. "A wittle baby boy."

A torch crackled. Firelight stretched over the undead villains as they swarmed Wendy. The dissection table was black with her blood. The cabin began to smell meaty.

The villains were crazed. They laughed as Wendy hemorrhaged and Captain Hook yanked a blood-red baby from her womb.

Wendy felt shadows around her, but she couldn't summon them. Her magical needle and thread had been discarded, thrown on the floor. Her power (the ability to control shadows) faded as Captain Hook lowered her baby boy.

Boy. Baby boy. Wendy fought for consciousness. Her body was shutting down, craving death, but her convictions held to a single happy thought: her baby was a boy. That little creature was her son. His name was Peter. Peter Michaleen Pan.

For a moment Wendy was calm. Then panic overwhelmed her with an unhappy thought: Peter Michaleen had been delivered too early.

Wendy choked. Her baby wasn't due for another month, almost two. He wouldn't survive! He was too small! He was too fragile! He was too weak! Without his mother's nurturing, he was going to die.

"Hush little baby don't you cry..." Captain Hook cradled Peter Michaleen. The villains heckled as he sang. "Mama's gonna sing you a lullaby... Hush little baby don't say a word...Papa shant rescue his Wendy bird...and if that Wendy bird can't sing... shadows will hunt the Once and Future King!"

Wendy sobbed. She made a desperate, lopsided movement for her child, but the villains intervened. Lana and Adella (Ariel's mermaid kin) pinned her to the dissection table. Facilier restrained her arms and head, angling her to Captain Hook. Wendy thrashed; the struggle further split her stomach.

"So my beauty," Captain Hook departed with her baby. "Thus passes Fantasia's shadow worker. Farewell Wendy Pan. I'll see to it your little brats walk the plank!"

The villains roared. They charged up-deck where three children (the spawn of the guardians) were tied to the Jolly Roger's mast.

They left Wendy to die.

Wendy gasped. She wrenched an arm, propping it beneath her. She pushed and fell. Blood popped from her stomach. She couldn't breathe. The pain was blinding. She clawed once for the stairwell and collapsed, lifeless – soaked in her own blood.

Wendy's story almost ended. Then,

Dark energy splintered the hull. Wendy rocked unconsciously with the shockwave. A second blast disintegrated the ship's paneling, but Wendy still did not wake, even as Jim Hawkins pushed through the opening and shouted her name.

"Wen!"

Jim stowed his dark energy blaster. Dropping aside Wendy, he saw her stomach and screamed.

"No! NO! SHIT!" Jim cupped Wendy's cheek, feeling frantically for a pulse. "Wen wake up, wake up, wake – PETER!"

"Rattail! Where is she?!" Peter flew inside, followed immediately by Ariel Triton and Long John Silver. Ariel and Silver leapt from a flying rowboat, just as the villains opened fire. The rowboat exploded, but the company didn't care.

They ran to Wendy.

"Wendy!" Peter held his wife. "Wendy don't! Don't Wendy, PLEASE DON'T!"

"Aside!" Silver shouldered through Peter, Wendy's magical needle and thread in hand. He'd found the sewing instruments with the help of Peter's shadow. As Peter reached for Wendy, Morph looped the needle and thread.

"Move it laddie!" Silver rotated his robotic arm, exchanging the myoelectric fingers for a clamp. The clamp extended and retracted into the wrist joint like a saw. Silver wedged Wendy's needle between the metal pincers. Then, taking her skin flaps, he approximated Wendy's stomach, aimed the needle and –

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Wendy screamed as Silver buzzed the needle in and out of her flesh, sewing the skin. Shadows spasmed reactively to her pain, as always happened when her shadow working magic ruptured.

Wendy's magic was out of control. Unwittingly she, pulled unhappy memories from their shadows.

Silver grit his teeth. Wendy was small, but her magic was enough to resist him. Silver grappled for control. Wendy's insides were still injured, but if he didn't close the wound she would bleed to death.

"Don't let her move!" Blood squirted as Silver readjusted, trying not to puncture vital organs. "Hold her!"

Peter pressed over Wendy's chest, pinning her to the floor. Ariel grabbed a free wrist. Jim locked her legs. Wendy screamed hysterically as Silver sewed, crying for Peter.

"Wendy I'm here!" Peter lifted. Silver shoved him back, but Peter continued. "Wendy it's okay, we've gotcha, I'm here! You're gonna be okay, I promise – "

"Done!" Silver extracted the needle. He bit the thread and tied a knot, securing Wendy's incision. "Pan! The rowboat's been blown to smithereens! Ye need to fly Wendy te the ship then steer her around so we can –"

"Hook knows we're here!" Jim unbuckled his blaster. As Peter gathered Wendy, he pointed to the interstellar space surrounding the ship – every star burned with cannon fire. "He'll attack the second Pan flies out! There isn't time circle back!"

"I can beat that codfish!" Peter growled. "I'm going to slice his head from his –"

"Pan just get Wen to the ship and get out!"

"Get out?!"

"Go through the Black Hole! Charge the engine, build altitude, and when the atmospheric drag reads zero open the solar sails and get Wendy to a goddamn medical station!"

Peter motioned upwards. "You're going to let Hook go free?"

Jim stood. "I'll take care of Hook!"

"No, Hook is mine!"

"Wendy is dying, Peter!"

Ariel swung her trident. "Would you guppies shut up! We need to find the kids NOW! Fantasia is right below! If we jump for it – "

"No good!" Jim barked, glancing at the distant planet. Part of him ached – he hadn't seen Fantasia in twelve years. "Wen will never make it!"

"But Merlin can heal her with magic –"

"Ariel, she'll die before we reach Fantasia! Hook will shoot us all from the sky!"

"But Arthur can –"

"Arthur will close the realms if he finds out Hook is still alive! We have to save the kids and draw Hook from Fantasia before Wendy dies –"

"She is NOT going to die! Here—" Peter charged the opening, Wendy in his arms. "Ariel – cover me! I'll catch you!"

Peter hurtled into outer space. Immediately the villains pursued him with gunfire.

It was infuriating to watch (Peter's battle strategies were typically imprudent and unilateral), but Ariel and Jim had learned to capitalize on Peter's methods. Without hesitation, Ariel followed Peter. She leapt from the Jolly Roger, twisted under her trident, and blasted electricity at the villains as she fell.

Peter dodged the gunfire, relying only on hearing to evade each shot. His pointed ears guided him through the mire, and to a flying ship called the Second Star.

The Second Star was a small attack cutter, equipped with solar sails, pixie dust engines, and nursery for their children. The Second Star was their home (and had been since leaving Fantasia).

But the Second Star was burning. Although she boasted speed and maneuverability, the Second Star lacked the Jolly Roger's durability and gun power. She could win a close fight when it was well executed. However, Silver, Peter, Ariel, and Jim had abandoned ship to save Wendy; without a crew, the Second Star was vulnerable.

Peter slammed into the ship. Shadow and Morph swooped behind as shrapnel sprayed the deck. Cannonballs fired relentlessly, hitting the meteorite to which the Second Star was anchored. The impact threw Peter sideways; he and Wendy landed with a thud.

Wendy's stomach squirted. She did not stir.

"Pretty girl please." Peter probed Wendy's temple. Her veins were black, another indicator of unbridled shadow working magic. If Wendy couldn't regain control, the magic would posses her brain – if she survived that long.

"Wendy..." Peter pressed Wendy's incision. Blood stained his fingers. Peter panicked – Wendy was dying. She needed help, she needed a doctor, she needed medicine, and she needed it now.

Peter was tempted to abandon their children and comrades, but a second cry from Ariel (plunging deeper into space), swayed his conscience.

"I'll be back." Peter kissed Wendy's forehead. Wendy stirred, but Peter had already spun after Ariel.

"Shadow – Morph!" Peter dove over the rail. "Keep her safe!"

Peter vanished after Ariel. Wendy stared blearily at Shadow and Morph, both who had taken a protective stance. Wendy felt herself fading into unhappy memories. Her wounds were unbearable. Her shadow working magic was feeding off the pain.

And the children were still in danger. They had been kidnapped. It had been a trick. Wendy worried: were the children safe? Jim's children – her children – her little girl, and baby boy –

"...shadow..." Wendy gasped before blacking out. "Mich – aleen. Go. Stay."

Shadow understood. Although he mistrusted Morph with Wendy's safety (no one could protect Wendy like Shadow could – except perhaps his owner, Peter Pan) Shadow obeyed. Wendy had instructed him to guard her infant – well, Shadow was a trickster. But he vowed to be a guardian angel to Wendy's son. After all, Wendy was his shadow worker...and she was his friend.

Shadow swept over the ship in search of Peter Michaleen. Cannons blazed through him, connecting broadside with the Second Star. The Second Star trembled, but her hull held.

Still, Wendy was dying. Her time ticked away as Peter dove after Ariel, and Jim stormed the Jolly Roger for their kidnapped children. The search was short. However, the rescue was futile.

"DAD!"

Jim heard his son the moment he and Silver stormed the main deck. With a vicious turn, Jim found their children. His heart stopped.

"No…"

The four children (two little Hawkins and two little Pans) stood on Captain Hook's plank. Far below was Fantasia – a tiny blue planet surrounded by magical spheres.

The pirates were goading the children, forcing them to walk the plank. The children were frightened, but bundled defiantly together: Jon and Melody Hawkins (ages twelve and five); Gwendolyn and Peter Michaleen Pan (ages nine and…oh god…Peter Michaleen … he was too early for birth).

"Dad!" Jon called again, arm around his sister. He teetered into Gwendolyn as a pirate prevented his escape. "Dad, Mel's afraid!"

Jim didn't think. All he remembered was raising his blaster, pressing both hands, squeezing the trigger, and somehow reaching his children through the dark energy combustion.

"We've got to get back to the Second Star!" Jim raced through the Jolly Roger, Melody hugging his neck and Jon sprinting alongside. Silver covered the rear, running behind Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn hadn't spoken, but as she held her baby brother, she turned ghost white. Jim glanced. Peter Michaleen wasn't crying – he was hardly breathing. Was he even alive?

Jim forced himself to continue. The villains were chasing them. Wendy was near death. They had to escape. Squeezing Jon's hand, Jim pressed deeper into the Jolly Roger.

"This bottom bunker opens into space!" Jim leapt down a narrow stairwell. Melody whimpered as he landed, but Jim did not stop. Without waiting, he kicked a lever, opening the bunker platform. Remotes adjusted. The floor vibrated. Gears groaned. A platform lowered, opening the floor to outer space.

Fantasia was directly below.

"Okay! Kids, everyone over here!" Jim drew Gwendolyn and Jon to a pod of interstellar longboats. The longboats were short distance vehicles, equipped with pixie dust engines and aluminized solar sails. They were capable – but they did not go fast.

Jim pried Melody from his neck. Nodding to Jon, he forced her into the longboat. "Jon take your sister. Mel it's okay sweetheart, don't cry – "

A tremendous force hit the Jolly Roger. There was a loud noise, followed by a violent whiplash. Jim and Silver seized the longboat as it skittered, preventing capsize of the vessel and children. The Jolly Roger lurched again, but this time was followed by villainous cheers.

Silver interpreted the celebration. "Hook's attacked the Second Star! He banged right upside her arse! Hook's gonna board our ship! Jimbo –"

Bullets whizzed over Silver's shoulder, scuffing his robotic socket. Gaston, Kay, and Scar had blocked the stairwell, and a slew of pirates had open-fired. They were aiming for the children.

Jim wrenched back the longboat, ordering the children to duck. Silver confronted the villains. He returned each blow with his flintlock, but they were severely outnumbered. They were also out of luck.

"Jimbo!" Silver hollered. "We're not gonna escape this one!"

Jim shoved Jon further into the longboat. "No Jon, this is not your fight! Silver, we have to -"

"But Dad –"

"Jon I said no! Silver! Silver we have to get Wen out!"

"She's a goner Jim!"

"There's a medical station nearby – the next asteroid belt! If we escape and get her to a doctor –"

"Belay it lad! Regardless she'll need a miracle!"

"But if we get there quick –"

"By thunder Jim, we've got four ducklings and longboat!" Silver winced as a red-hot bullet cut his cheek. "Ye think we can sneak through the Jolly Roger's cannons, detach Hook's ship, load the kiddies, and fly away on a crippled cutter in enough time te save Wendy? Think Jim! THINK! Someone has to die! It's the only way!"

Jim quieted. He scavenged for a solution, a miracle to save them all. But it was hopeless. They were trapped.

Jim stared helplessly at the exploding ship. He heard Melody crying. He felt Gwendolyn's fear as she cradled little Peter Michaleen.

Then Jim remembered Fantasia. He looked. He found the planet.

Slowly, Jim's eyes fell on his son.

"Jon…do you remember how to fly?"

Jon clutched Melody. "Dad?" he asked uncertainly.

Jim knelt. His hands flew over the engine and across the rigging.

"Jon – do you see that blue planet? That is Fantasia – that is our home. You have to fly Mel, Gwen, and the baby there."

Jon froze. Wide-eyed, he looked to Fantasia. The planet hovered in a remote corner of space, farther than any distance Jon had ever flown.

And… he had never flown alone. The thought was terrifying.

"No, no. Dad don't go." Jon started to protest. "Don't go, I don't want to fly alone – "

Jim took Jon's hands. He placed them firmly over the controls.

"Remember," Jim instructed, "Open the throttle –"

"Hurry!" Silver barked, deflecting gun shots. "Jimbo hurry up!"

"—forward thrust –"

"Jim!"

"—propeller engines –"

"Jim!"

"—set sails to the sun –"

"JIM!"

"And fly straight on till morning!" Jim hacked the mooring line. The longboat tipped as Jim pushed it down the platform. "Fly them to Fantasia! Jon you'll be okay, just remember what I taught you – "

"Dad!" Jon tried to climb from the boat. He reached as the pirates broke through Silver. "Dad don't go!"

The pain in Jim's eyes was heartbreaking. Once more, Jim looked over his shoulder, assessing for a solution. He found none.

Decision made, Jim furiously kissed his son's head.

"Keep them safe!" Jim punched the engine. Pixie dust sparkled from the motors. Bending a shoulder, Jim shoved the longboat free. "Wait for me in Fantasia! I'll come back! I'll find you Jon, I'll– "

BANG.

"DAD!" John yelled as the longboat dropped. He screamed as his father disappeared with the burning pirate ship. "DAD! DAD! DAD!"

The children fell.

It was a long way down.

The longboat plunged through space, streaked across stars, and crashed into the Western Fantasian Sea.

Jon Hawkins did his best, and it was enough. He wrestled the children to shore, just as it started to rain. He held the girls, Melody and Gwendolyn. He let Melody curl in his lap. He even rubbed Gwendolyn's shoulder when she finally (after gazing at her lifeless baby brother), started to cry.

"Don't worry." Jon stared fiercely at the sky. He tried to find stars through the wind and rain. "My dad's coming. My dad promised. My dad is coming back."

They waited.

But Jon's father never came back.

Neither did his mother. Neither did the parents of Gwendolyn and Peter Michaleen.

None of them came back.

Not when the children were discovered by a one-legged Viking and dragon named Toothless.

Not when they were brought to a man wearing a golden crown and magical sword.

Not when they were admitted to the hospital.

Not when the children were separated.

Not when Jon and Melody were taken by their grandfather.

Not when Gwendolyn was taken by her uncles and aunts.

Not when Peter Michaleen was visited by a shadow as he struggled for dear life.

Nothing.

And all that…was forever ago.

Six years, in fact.

So Jon Hawkins stopped waiting.

His parents were gone. And they were never coming back.

Then, one autumn day…


sultal's note: We WILL be going backwards in time to the pregnancies and raising the children,per request of many readers in Giving Fantasia.

Btw: Happy September 21 - Autumnal Equinox

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