Dearest Reader,

I apologize for the delay!

I just wanted to get this out here before the madness started. There might be a third chapter posted by tonight, as well.

Please remember to read, write, and review!

-MW

Emma awoke to a light breeze blowing through the opening to a small cave. It was dank and dark, but there was enough light streaming through the opening to show her that she was not alone. Peter Pan sat in the corner, watching her sleep with a look in his eyes that Emma could not comprehend. The events of yesterday came flooding into her mind, only making her blush. She had fainted after her first kiss – all because she could not accept the fact that Peter Pan was real. Stretching, she felt some light fabric hit her side. She looked down, realizing that she was wearing just a white tee shirt – a very short one, at that. It only came down to about her upper thigh. Grabbing the sheets for protection from his view, Emma flushed.

"It's alright, Emma," Peter spoke softly. He stood up and walked over to her. "I magicked your clothing away. No one saw you naked. Nobody here knows what a girl looks like – besides me. But that is a story for another time." He sat on the edge of her bed, smirking at her. She scooted away from him, a little terrified of what he would do. He folded his arms over his chest. "I have to say, Emma. I was a little nervous when you magically appeared on my island. But you have proven yourself. You are going to fit right in here. You'll be the perfect mother to these Lost Boys." This took Emma by surprise – she did not know how to be a mother. She was only thirteen, for God's sake!

"Peter," Emma started shakily. He looked at her in an almost… endearing way. She cleared her throat. "I don't know how to be a mother. I've lived in the foster system my whole life. My experiences with mothers…" She trailed off, shaking her head. Peter chuckled, his smile widening. He reached his left arm out toward her. Emma froze, not used to someone showing affection. He caressed her cheek, smiling softly.

"Oh, Emma," he began, "That is why you are meant to be their mother. You not only understand them, you were born to be a great mother. Your parents were – are – fair, just people. I know. I've met them." Emma cocked her head in confusion. Her parents? They were alive? As if he heard her, he continued. "Well, I will meet them. They haven't been born yet. But I will get to know your father well enough when he is old enough to join my crew." Emma did not know what to think of that. Her father? Peter Pan was going to meet her father. She could not wrap her head around the idea. She did not notice Peter reaching for her hand until his fingers brushed hers. She flushed again, quickly pulling herself away from him even more. His smile faltered. "There is no reason to fear me, Emma," he murmured. "I am here to help you. To protect you. I won't let anything bad happen to you again. You've lived a hard life – that much is for sure. You're a lost girl. Moreover, you're the Lost Girl. You are going to be the perfect addition to our family." He finally grasped his hand in hers. She sat there, frozen. She was confused and had no idea what to do. She had had boys force themselves upon her before, but never like this. Peter was actually being rather gentle compared to everyone else who had wished to be with her. But she was still confused. He continued to speak after a moment. "You have magic in you, Emma. And you are powerful. I can train you if you let me."

"I have magic?" Emma asked incredulously. If she had been younger, then she would have believed him. But, being a thirteen-year-old, angsty teen, she had learned that fairytale endings never happened, and that magic was all fake. Peter, quirking an eyebrow, began to float in mid air as if to prove his point. She squealed in surprise. Well, she thought, I guess magic is real. She swallowed thickly as Peter sank down to the bed again. They agreed to training late at night – after her motherly duties were finished. Peter quickly explained the mechanics of Neverland.

"Just think of anything. If you can imagine it, you can have it," he said with a wide smirk. With that, he left her to change and start the day. She chose to wear a black skater dress and red, high top Chuck Taylors. She pulled her hair into a plait and walked out of the cave. As soon as she was out in the open, the Lost Boys bombarded her with hugs and kisses. "Mama!" They all shouted. They all loved her already, and she had never felt so much love before. She attempted to return their hugs with as much fervor as possible. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Peter float down to her side. He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. "See, Emma?" He said as she picked up Aiden. She smiled warmly – the first time in a very long time. Peter smiled, too, knowing all too well what was happening. Aiden hugged her around her neck and kissed her cheek.

"Mama, are you gonna stay wit us?" Aiden asked, his voice soft and light. Emma's smile widened, and she nodded.

"Of course, Sweetie," she said. "Mama's gonna take care of her boys." The group around her cheered even louder and hugged her again.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. Emma, unlike the boys, aged slightly. She became a woman. About thirty or so years passed, but she looked to be about sixteen. Her relationship with Peter changed significantly. At first, when he would kiss her every night, she would be hesitant. But then she began to fall for him. He never truly forced himself upon her – he only ever kissed her. And all of the Lost Boys loved her. Yes, they came and went, but they all loved her. Especially the younger ones – Aiden, David, and Henry – loved her, though they never stayed for long. She grew not only as a person, but in her magical abilities as well. She knew that she was strong. Peter taught her well. But she only ever used her magic for good, which meant that she eventually surpassed Peter in magic. She was becoming an incredible young woman.

One day, as she and Peter were having a private moment, he stopped and listened to the surroundings. Emma noticed this, pulling away from him to see if he was all right.

"Peter?" She inquired, looking around. His hair was tousled from their make out session, and she felt like she did not look any better. She touched his face, drawing him back to her. "Peter, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he lied. Emma's lie detector went off, but she did not say anything. "I think the boys are just having a bit too much fun. Why don't you go check on them?" Another lie, but she still ignored it. It hurt her that he would lie to her so easily – after being together for thirty years. She let it go, pecking Peter on the cheek. His stubble scratched her lips. This caught her off guard.

"Peter, you grew some stubble," she said before floating into the air and flying to the encampment. Henry gave her a big hug when she landed.

"Mama!" He cried out. All of the boys followed suit. She smiled, hugging and kissing them, healing their wounds. She loved each and every one of them. Even Felix seemed to have come out to greet her. This was an odd occurrence, considering Felix practically hated her from the start.

A little while later, Peter came back to the encampment, cleanly shaven, and he seemed agitated. Emma pouted at seeing his shaven face.

"Awe, Pete," she cried out – she was the only one to ever call him that – "why did you shave? I prefer some facial hair on a man." He turned to her, glaring. She had struck a nerve. It was quite clear that all he could see was red as he picked Emma up by the throat and pinned her against a tree.

"This is your fault," he hissed. He dug his nails into her neck, making her bleed. She began choking, trying to catch any air possible. All of the boys were silent. Emma's magic kicked in and she let out a burst of magic that knocked him to the ground, unconscious. Coughing for air, she did not have time to think, she just did what she had always done best: she ran. Ran away from the encampment, ran away from the life that she had come to know as her own. It had been a lie. He had never truly cared for her; no, he just wanted her magic. Well, he couldn't have it now. She didn't realize that her tears were blinding her until she ran into something – or, rather, someone.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" A deep voice asked. Emma cowered, not knowing what to do. She refused to look at the man. She felt him kneel down in front of her. "What's your name, sweetheart?" No answer. She just kept on crying – and shivering. She was cold, or in shock. Suddenly, a navy blue jacket enveloped her. This made her look up at the man before her. She held her breath. He was gorgeous: the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He had raven hair that was pulled back into a short ponytail, a white shirt and white trousers on – obviously military – and the bluest eyes. He smiled at her. "I won't hurt you, Love. It is my sworn duty to protect those in need. Now what's your name?" She wiped her face and took a huge gulp of air.

"Emma," she muttered. "My name is Emma Swan." The smile faltered on the man's face.

"You're Emma Swan?" Confused, she nodded her head. His smile was then replaced on his face. "Liam!" He called out. There was some rustling, and another man came to a halt in front of the two of them.

"What now, Killian?" He asked, bemused by the younger man's antics. He was not as handsome as the man before Emma, but he was obviously older and wiser. He then saw her and his eyes widened. "Is this her, brother?" Killian nodded in excitement. Liam then knelt down beside his brother.

"Emma, we have been looking for you – your parents have been looking for you. They sent you over to the World Without Magic to try to protect you, but then the threat vanished. We need you to come with us, only if –"

"If I come with you, I will never have to see this God-awful place again?" Emma asked. Puzzled, Liam nodded slowly. Sighing in content, she waved her hand and all of her belongings showed up besides her in a cloud of white smoke. This made them both jump, but they took one piece of luggage each and they walked over to their ship. Liam explained what had happened to them while they ventured.

"Pan appeared out of nowhere, asking what we were doing here. Your father said that he would know who you are, but might not want to tell us where you are, so he had us tell the truth at first. We asked if there were any girls on the island, and he said no. I'm assuming he was not lying for the most part, due to the fact that you are a woman now. Anyways, we then asked if there was a plant that was on the island – Dreamshade. We already knew that it was poisonous, but we needed to fool Pan. He told us where to find it, so we started in that direction – in hopes of finding you." Emma blushed, not knowing what to think. They were there for her – to help her find her parents. And they were very kind. After about an hour, they reached the ship. They hurriedly got everything settled – she would stay in Killian's cabin. They placed all of her things around the room – all of her dresses, under garments (she was surprisingly girly), her unlimited supply of batteries, and her electronics. She did not know what to do now. All she knew was that her life was going to become better in the blink of an eye. Emma wanted this new life.

Emma heard shouts from above. Captain Liam was giving out orders to the rest of the crew. Killian placed a hand on her arm, smiling down at her. "We will be in the Enchanted Forest soon enough… Your Majesty," he said with a small bow. She quirked her eyebrow in confusion.

"I'm royalty?" She asked in disbelief. He straightened himself to look her in the eye. His eyes were so blue that she was mesmerized. She forgot how to speak, how to breathe, hoe to think. He led her to the bed, sat her down, and knelt in front of her.

"Your Highness-" he began.

"Call me Emma, Lieutenant," she said, smiling softly at him. Normally, in this situation, she would have been freaking out about being on a ship. But right now, all she could think about was why the hell she was flirting with this guy that she had just met. He smiled at her softly, and took her hand. This sent a jolt through both of them, but he still held onto her soft hands.

"Emma," he said her name like it was heavenly, sending shivers down her spine. "Emma, you are the daughter of King David and Queen Snow White, our sovereign leaders. We were told by King David that we needed to find a woman with golden hair like his and green eyes like his wife. We have been searching for you for years. Emma… how did you end up here? In Neverland?" Emma sighed, trying to remember all of those years ago, when she had first arrived. She thought back to how she fell through the portal, and without her knowledge, she told him everything. From how she was listening to her iPod, minding her own business, and she fell in Neverland, to the present. Killian listened carefully, hanging onto every word. By the time she had finished, she was wracking with sobs and she cold barely breathe. Killian sat beside her on the bed and attempted to comfort her. After a few minutes, she calmed down a bit. "Emma," he said softly. She turned to face him, her eyes swollen and her cheeks pink. He cleared his throat. "I'm so terribly sorry for interrupting this moment, but what exactly is an iPod?" At this, Emma laughed. She conjured up her iPod and headphones.

"It's a device for playing music," she explained. "You put these headphones in your ears, and then you hit play." She put one of the headphones in his right ear, then the other in her own. She saw the unsure look on his face and smiled, pressing play. The song that played was "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. Killian jumped in response to the song, but listened to the lyrics that began to sing. She began to sing along, closing her eyes. As she became more immersed into the music, her powers became strengthened. Small flecks of light started dancing around the room, creating an intimate atmosphere. When the song finished, she opened her eyes and was surprised that Killian was staring at her. She was then shocked to see the lights around the room. With a wave of her hand, she made the lights disappear. Still, he paid no heed. She stood up, brushing the dirt off of her skirt. She was clad in a black skirt that reached her mid thigh, a red and white striped crop top that made her look younger than she actually was, and red Toms. Killian stood up alongside her, watching her every move. Suddenly, she turned around, about to say something, but the ship jerked forward. She fell forward – into Killian's strong arms. She grasped them timidly, to gain her bearings. Slowly, she looked up into his blue eyes, and became mesmerized again. He seemed mesmerized, too. Her heart rate skyrocketed as she noticed him lean into her. She finally blinked and cleared her head. "I want to go up on the deck," she said. Sighing, he dropped his head, but did not let go of her.

"As you wish, milady," was all he said, allowing one arm to drop. Never letting her out of his grasp, he led her up to the deck. Once on the deck, Killian dropped his other arm. What lay before them was terrifying. And jaw dropping.

Peter Pan was floating above the deck, clutching the Captain's heart in his hands. Killian drew his sword, prepared to fight, but Emma threw an arm out to stop him.

"This is between you and me, Peter," she shouted. The Imp looked over to see her trying to protect her rescuer.

"Hello, my Dear," he sneered, squeezing the heart in his hands. Liam gave a great yelp of pain, collapsing to the ground. This time, Emma did not stop Killian. She watched as she ran to his dying brother, crying out the entire way.

"Liam!" He reached his brother, holding him close. Emma turned her attention back to Peter, who was still crushing the heart. She waved her hand, and the heart was gently placed into her hand. Then, with another wave, Peter flew backwards, towards the beach, passed out. She smiled confidently for a moment, looking at her handiwork. She then turned toward Liam, who was panting heavily. The heart in her hand beat steadily. Rushing over to Liam and Killian, she got onto her knees in front of them. "GO AWAY!" Killian bellowed at her. Emma tilted her head to the side, offering the heart.

"I'll keep it, then, if you don't want your brother's heart back," she stated. Killian looked up at that, and saw that Liam was, indeed, alive, and Emma was holding his heart. He nodded subtly, moving one of his arms. Emma moved closer, lining his heart up with his chest. This was not the first heart that she had put back. In fact, Peter was notorious for doing such things – and worse – to the Lost Boys. She replaced the heart quickly, without warning. Liam gasped, and slumped for a second. Horror struck Killian's face before Liam took a gulp of air, sitting up. He rubbed at his chest, making sure it was intact. He was huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath.

"Thank you, Miss Swan," he whispered. The crew cheered for her and Killian looked at her in a way that Peter never had. She could not place the emotion, but it made butterflies fill up her stomach. She smiled at him before responding to Liam.

"You're welcome, Captain." Liam stood up, shouting orders to continue sailing. Emma set up a protection spell around the ship, ensuring that they were not followed by Peter.