A/N: Ok so the ages. Young Peter is 14 and Young Rumple is 6. In adulthood, Peter is 25 and Wendy is getting ready to turn 18. Any other questions, feel free to ask.

Chapter 2: Begin Again

Rumple walked over, closing the blinds and locking the door. "Why are you really here? It's clear you've been in Storybrooke for quite some time. You've had to have known that there is no magic here. But yet, here you are." Rumple waved his arms, pointing out the irony of Peter coming to him, when he so easily cared nothing for him before.

"I miss my little brother." Peter smiled innocently.

He could barely contain his laughter. "Well, I didn't miss you." Rumple drew in a breath, sighing deeply "You're just like him. You left without a second thought.

"And you keep forgetting I can see through your lies." He hated the father comparison and Rumple knew it because he too hated when others compared him to their father. Peter looked up and picked up a doll. "I NEVER forgot about you."

Unable to bear the hurt, Rumple snatched the doll back.

"Here, I got you something." Peter handed the doll over to his younger brother. It was Christmas and their father was once more at a pub getting drunk. When Rumple was born, their mother died from complications of childbirth.

The boys' father had difficulty holding a job and to local townfolk, he was nothing but a common thief. A terrible father even when their mother was alive, after her death, he resented the boys.

"Do you think he'll ever come home?" Rumple asked quietly.

Peter stared blankly out the window before kneeling to his younger brother's level. "He's never coming home, Rumple. He doesn't care for us and he never will."

The cruelness in his tone was unnecessary but he needed to know, he deserved to know. It was unfair. Peter loved and cared for his younger brother, who was only eight years younger. However, Rumple was a distraction. Peter could still hear the words fresh in his mind as he tried to pull his drunken father out of his stupor.

"I don't love you or your brother. I never wanted kids. I just tried with you boys for your mother's sake. But now, I can't stand to look at either one of you."

"Father, please. You don't mean that."

"You and your brother would be better off with the spinners. I can't be the father you boys need."

Anger boiled, Peter pushed his father's drink away. "You're a coward and a drunk. It's Christmas! What am I supposed to tell him? Merry Christmas, Rumple; oh by the way, dear old dad hates us. He would rather sit in a bar and drink his life away, then stay with us."

"Some day you will understand."

"I shouldn't have to. He's NOT my responsibility. I don't want THAT responsibility!"

"Well neither do I." Malcolm smugly responded as he poured himself yet another drink.

"We all make mistakes, Rumple. You should know that better than anyone." Regret filled his heart as he too abandoned Rumple. He gave Rumple false hope and opted out on being the brother he was supposed to be. If Rumple stayed with him, he would never have a chance at a normal childhood,he would always be with him reminding him how it was his job now to take care of his brother. It was his job to grow up and support them since their father left nothing but misfortune to their name.

The cold air was actually refreshing as he walked the cold streets. Maybe that's why he resented adulthood so much. It was easier being a child, growing up meant facing your pain head on. Responsibilty was a word he loathed. And yet somehow he found himself slowly turning into his father as he rested in Storybrook's finest bar.

Caroline was never one to listen. Truthfully, she was a great friend, when she wanted to be. But lately her friends were getting slightly annoyed by her actions. Surprisingly, nothing mattered to her anymore, nothing except for him. Caroline muttered under her breath as she watched Peter enter into the seedy bar. At this point, she wasn't even sure why she even cared? Dark and broody don't typically appeal to most girls. Even though that moment in the woods frightened her, she couldn't deny the pull he had on her.

Wallowing in his own self pity, Peter ordered himself a beer and another. Peter was surprised when he heard his phone ring.

"Yes?"

"It's done. He has no idea and it looks like he may be starting to fall for her."

"Whatever. As long as she keeps him out of the way. I can't have him ruining my plans."

"And Wendy?"

"She's safe. I swore to you both that she would stay safe and I meant it. Once I get what I want, I'll reunite you all. But right now, I need her." Peter glanced over and saw Wendy approaching. What the hell was she doing here? "We'll be in touch." Peter slammed his phone down.

"Caroline, join me for a drink?" Putting the bottle up to his lips he allowed the cold beverage to burn its way through.

Shaking her head, Caroline crossed her arms. "Yeah, no thank you. "

"Then what are you doing here?

Pulling up a seat beside Peter, she motioned the bartender over "Actually, I'll take a screwdriver."

"I'm going to need to see some id." Caroline pulled out a fake id and smiled innocently to the bartender.

As the bartender went over to make Caroline's drink, Peter leaned over and whispered "I'm impressed. Fake id. But drinking is a way of forgetting, so tell me Princess, what you could possibly have to forget?"

"You."

The bartender handed Caroline her drink and she sipped slowly as she looked over to Peter.

"I mean, you're pretty hot and all, but you're also very dark and broody. It's like I don't know you, but I want to. And then something hits me. A memory, a dream, I don't know what the hell it is." Continually to sip on her drink, Peter pulled it out of her hands. " Maybe it's just my fears seeping in, because there is no way any of that could have happened. Because what I saw, we were the same age; and you're clearly older than me. So let's just forget about it."

"But what if it was? Does that change things?" Peter could swear he could feel the hair at the back of his neck raise as he awaited an answer.

"Yes it does. Lately, I can't tell you up from down. Everyone thinks they have me all figured out, but they don't. But then you show up in my life and then all my insecurities pop up. I can't stop thinking of you, and honestly what I saw was someone letting me go. Someone who didn't want me. And that changes yes, it does change things."

"I'm sorry." Caroline threw some money on the counter and quickly headed out the door.

"What can I say I like a challenge?" Peter said to the bartender as he quickly laid out some money on the counter.

Caroline fumbled with her keys as she looked over to Peter who was coming towards her even running in front of a car. He was completely oblivious to anything except her.

"Caroline!"

"Really? Just take a hint, buddy."

"Would you just stop and listen?!"

"And how about you leave me alone! Besides I heard you on the phone, you were telling someone you needed her. Who is it that you need?"

"Come on, Caroline. Take a chance. Take a chance on me. Listen, some fresh air would do us both some good. Let me walk you home or you can call one of your friends to pick you up and I'll wait with you. But please, give me 5 minutes. Just talk to me." Seeing a bench on the sidewalk, Peter sat down with pleading eyes.

Caroline flashed a smile before glancing away, trying her best to ignore the feelings that was rushing into her.

"I dare you."

And what kind of game do you insist on playing?" Young Wendy asked

"No games. I just dare you." Peter smirked

"Alright, but just 5 minutes. So what is it you want to talk about?"

"I wanna talk about you. I wanna know everything about you. I fancy you, Caroline. Why is that so hard to believe?

"Honestly?" Peter nodded "Because I don't feel I belong here. To my parents, I'm just the golden child. To the boys, I'm just stupid. Once they figure out that I'm not as easy as I look they just go back to ignoring me; which my parents seem to do a lot. And obviously I'm shallow and I'm a terrible person. My friend has a crisis and all I can think about is going into that bar and checking on you."

"You're not a terrible person. In fact you're the strongest, bravest, and loyal person I've ever known. I know you. And I know that you always follow your heart. You're not a terrible person, in fact you're the best person I know. Believe it or not, you're the only real thing in this town. You're beautiful Caroline, inside and out."

She couldn't help but grin, he certainly has a way with words. "All this talk about me. Let's talk about you. Why were in your a bar? I mean people who usually goes to bars alone, something usually is going on in their lives that they'd like to drink away. So what's your story?" Looking down, Peter rubbed his hands together. "You can trust me."

"Just repeating history. I wish it was that easy, that I could just drink it away. But I can't. There's a reason I keep myself shut off."

Caroline reached over and grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I once had a family. A mother, father, brother...and I wanted a family. But things happened. When my brother was born, my mother fell ill and died. My father was a drunk and I guess you could say a common criminal who cared nothing for his children. No matter how hard I try to forget, I can't. He abandoned us. Hell, he didn't even think enough of us to stay for Christmas. "

"I'm so Sorry, Peter. I had no idea."

"You're the only person I ever told that story too."

"You're not your father, Peter." Caroline leaned in and kissed Peter. Words couldn't even describe how magical that kiss felt. Maybe he wasn't eternally doomed, maybe she could be his saving grace. Peter sighed after her lips escaped his. When she noticed no response from Peter, Wendy scoffed and got up from the bench.

Peter got up and pulled his Wendy to him, pulling her into a passionate kiss. They couldn't get enough of each other. As long as he could keep Wendy, maybe growing up wasn't so terrible.

"Wow," Caroline muttered. "That was-"

"You have no idea the affect you have on me." Peter was absolutely terrfied. Rumple now hated him. His own father hated him, and truthfully she may not remember, but Wendy hated him as well.

After Wendy had awoken from her nap, she walked over to Peter's Thinking Tree to come find him when she overheard him and Felix talking. "The heart of the truest believer? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Felix, will you give us a minute?" Felix gave Wendy a half-smile, as he never really liked the girl anyway and left the two to talk.

"How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough. Peter, you can't do that. You can't take someone's life just so you can stay young forever. I will have NO part of that. And if you do that, I can never forgive you. Is that what you'd want?"

"Have I not given you a decent life? You have your brothers. I've given you a family. In Neverland, you can have anything you desire. Why are you being so difficult?"

"Really? I'm being difficult?! I desired to go home to my parents. And yet you kept me away from them."

"They stopped searching Wendy. They stopped caring. " Seeing his Wendy so broken, as Wendy gazed down, Peter pulled her face up to face his. "We have fun, do we not?"

"Yes, but-"

"I know you, Wendy. You like being ageless. You enjoy the freedom that comes with Neverland."

"Magic always comes with a price, Peter." Baelfire once told her that and she never knew what that meant until the Shadow had come for her brothers and Baelfire took their place.

"Then I guess that price is me?"

"I can't stay here anymore. And I'm begging you to come with me. Let us all go. Please, Peter. Let this go. You just said you needed me. Well I need you to trust me. Is the heart of the truest believer worth losing me? "

"You'd eventually leave anyway."

"So tomorrow is my birthday and I was wondering-"

"Do you want to go out dinner?" Peter finished for her. "After all, I love birthdays."

"And I'd actually love to get to know you better."

"Ok so you pick the place and I'll pick you up. 7? Is that alright?" Peter questioned.

"That'd be great. Care to walk me home. I mean I'm fine to drive, but I enjoy the fresh air. "

"There's nothing I'd like more."

As Peter walked Caroline home, he was torn by this cruel, twisted fate. If the curse was broken, Wendy would continue hating him. John and Michael were her life and now here she was in a new land without them. Not to mention, he purposively kept Wendy away from ever finding Baelfire in Neverland. When Wendy said she wanted to leave, Peter was so upset that he didn't even bother to let her say goodbye to her brothers. Her parents were long gone, but he lied to her. They didn't forget about the children, in fact they both died of broken hearts. Always keeping the window open, yearning for their return.

However, if the curse remained unbroken. He could keep her. Unfortunately, he would lose his home of Neverland and all his magic. But he could keep her. In Neverland, he had abandoned the boys. By gaining the heart of the truest believer, he could keep Neverland alive. What to do? Save Neverland or Keep Wendy? In actuality, Wendy would probably eventually leave anyway. There was no such thing as a happy ending for Peter Pan. It was better to keep her like this.

Thanks for reading! Hopefully this doesn't completely suck. Let me know your thoughts or if you have any story suggestions. More to come soon: A birthday, a Dance, the Curse breaking, not to mention Neverland.