PART 2: CHAPTER 1:

The island:

I was running, my body running faster than it had ever run before, I didn't know why I was running or who was chasing me, all I knew was that I had to run. That I didn't have a choice, that if I didn't run I would die.

I arrived at a clearing, a field in the middle of the jungle, one that I had never seen before; I could smell the sweet scent of roses, and a cool breeze as if I were on a boat. For some reason, even though it was pitch black and I could not see two feet past where I was standing, I felt safe here, I felt like I was being encompassed in the warm hug of a mother. A mother I never got to know,

I heard singing from the most beautiful voice I had ever heard in my life, a song I remembered from my youth, the same song that Saoirse and Siobhán had sung to me as a child when I was plagued with nightmares. I smiled listening to the sweet melody of the jolly sailor,

"Róisín" I heard a voice whisper, I wiped my body around trying to see who was there, who was talking to me,

"Who's there?" I asked panic filling my voice I didn't like not being able to see who was talking to be,

"Róisín," the voice whispered again, I felt hands trying to reach me, trying to grab me, I tried to run but I was frozen in place,

"What do you want?" I asked,

"Find him," the voice wailed, I could hear pain filling this voice, as if something terrible had happened, or was about to happen, almost like if the voice was mourning, "Find him,"

"Find who?" I asked, "Who do I need to find?"

"Find him," the voice wailed again, "Before it's too late,"

"Who?" I asked, suddenly I heard a piercing scream and a face appeared, a woman with long dark hair, pale skin and sunken eyes,

"Him!" she screamed her hands reaching out to grab me, I screamed as suddenly the ground gave way and I was falling, falling into what felt like water, I looked around and screamed when I saw a giant crocodile swimming towards me his mouth open wide, his rotten teeth ready to kill.

"No!" I screamed and sat up as nightmare that had plagued my subconscious for years, once again woke me from what would have been a semi-peaceful sleep. I sighed laying back down as the humid mosquito infested air, flooded my senses. My body, caked in sweat and dirt, my hair matted from sleep, my stomach growling from hunger, and my muscles aching from the previous day. I rolled over on the cold hard surface I had grown to call a bed, hissing as I sat up, my old bones protesting as they were forced to comply with my movements.

Wiping my face with my dirt infested hands; I forced the aura of sleep from my mind and took in my surroundings. The vastness of the Dark Jungle that I had been forced to claim as my home sent a chill down my spine that I could not seem to shake in my three hundred years living here as its prisoner.

The hot muggy air, couldn't feel colder against my skin, and I shivered not from the cold but from the realization that a new day had arrived and yet with the sunrise my nightmare continued. I pressed my legs up against my chest and wrapped my thin arms around my legs, burying my face in my arms, almost as if to shield myself from my harsh reality, trying to remember a simpler time, a happier time, a time in which I was still an innocent little girl; every day it got harder to remember that girl. I took a deep breath and looked up towards the canopy of foliage that acted as protection from the elements, shook the dark thoughts that had encompassed my mind and slowly got up despite the protest from my muscles.

Testing the strength on my feet, and determining that yesterdays activates had not broken anything vital to my survival on this island, I began walking slowly towards the river nestled near our compound. The break in the foliage provided a source of sun that warmed my grey skin. I took in a deep breath enjoying that elusive feeling of warmth, before looking around to make sure I was alone. I knew that it shouldn't matter, that privacy and modesty where things I had been long since robbed of but, I forced myself to believe that if I allowed myself a little bit of privacy, my soul would not crumble as quickly as it wanted to.

I undressed as quickly as my body would allow before walking into the river so that the water was up to my neck. I let the cold water wash away the muck and grime from the previous day, as I tried to use the water to cleanse my body and soul. Water had always provided a source of comfort for me, as it took me in its arms and rocked me gently; I believe it was because water was essential to my beginnings. I closed my eyes and completely submerged myself in the water that should have felt like a freezing bath, but instead just felt like the warm hug of a mother that I never had.

When I was, young I discovered that I could hold my breath for long periods of time, longer than what should have been normal for a little girl, and much to the chagrin of Saoirse and Siobhán the spinsters that had been given the task of raising me, I tested my limits every chance I got. For me it was a way to escape the reality of my world, a world I desperately wished I could return to now.

After what seemed like an eternity under the gentle hands of the river, I surfaced and did my best to remove the mats from my hair, so that I would look my best for my Master Peter. Once I felt like I had accomplished my task I walked out of the river and worked quickly to dry my tiny frame with an old rag. Refreshed and reborn from the waters of the island, I dressed myself and braided my long hair so that it was out of my face. I sat by the bank of the river laying my head back against the dirt, letting the sound of the current, and warmth of the sun caress my body gently, as I allowed myself a simple pleasure. I closed my eyes as the sun grazed my face, and let my mind wander, taking me far away from this riverbank, from this island.

I heard familiar footsteps approaching, and I sat up quickly as dread filled my stomach. I felt a large, callused, cold hand, roughly grab the back of my neck, and I flinched as I felt sharp nails dig into the pink flesh, almost as if to draw blood.

I closed my eyes and hissed as the familiar sensation of pain flooded my system. Master Peter laughed at my reaction before leaning down and pressing his cold hard lips against my cheek for a week, sloppy kiss.

"Good morning Rosalie," he said, his steel voice resonating within the walls of the once peaceful jungle. I looked down avoiding eye contact, it was the small acts of defiance that kept me going, "How is my beautiful girl this fine morning?"

"Fine," I whispered keeping my voice as quiet as possible,

"What did you say?" he snarled slapping me hard across the face, I hissed in pain as he lowered himself down to my ear, "I can't hear you,"

"I'm fine," I said louder this time,

"That's better," he replied kissing my cheek again, "Now what do you say to me?" he asked grabbing my face forcing me to look at him,

"H-how are you?" I asked softly, he laughed slapping my face again and I flinched,

"How am I?" he growled his expression changing drastically, "How am I? What are you stupid?" I flinched and looked down, "How do you think I am?"

"I'm sorry-"

"Time is running out and I still don't have what I need!" he hissed

"I-"

"And you have the audacity to ask me such a stupid question when you know damn well how I am!"

"I'm sorry," I whispered looking down, trying to make myself as small as possible, all I wanted to do in that moment was run away, but I knew I would have no such luck. He grabbed my neck giving it a tight squeeze before laughing manically, Mater Peter had a habit of switching between moods without warning, he placed another wet kiss on my cheek, then let go of my face as I wiped it off prompting him to laugh again, "Always the rebel," he said grabbing my braid tightly causing a wave of searing pain to erupt from the back of my head, I flinched but otherwise showed no emotion, he smirked.

He looked down at my slightly exposed chest and bared his teeth like a wild animal before grabbing one of my breast harshly with his hand he gave it a rough squeeze, and took in a deep breath; I froze as he leaned in, his hot breath against my face, before he planted a harsh kiss against my lips. I shuddered and he laughed, "now why are you so jumpy?" he asked, "I thought we trained that out of you,"

"You did," I said shakily,

"I don't believe you," he said in a singsong voice, "You wouldn't shudder-" he said grabbing my face roughly with his left hand, before taking his right and placing it on my abdomen, "If we had truly fixed you,"

"Pan," I heard a voice call, I let out a sigh of relief, as Master Peter growled turning around quickly,

"Felix!" he hissed, "Haven't I told you never to interrupt me when I'm disciplining young Rosalie?"

"Yes sir," Felix said bowing his head out of respect, "I just-"

"Discipline," I hissed,

"What did you say?" Master Peter growled turning around grabbing my neck choking the air out of me,

"She didn't say anything," Felix hissed,

"I think she did," Master Peter growled, squeezing again making it close to impossible to breathe, I grabbed at his hand trying desperately to remove it from my neck, "Now what are we going to do with a defiant lost girl?"

"P-please-" I managed to spit out as his grip tightened; he laughed before spitting in my face,

"I figured, that in your extensive period of time on this island you would have learned never to beg," he said showing me his wicked teeth, I whimpered as he ripped my clothes from my chest leaving my undergarments exposed, I closed my eyes and waited for my punishment, "You know what that does to me,"

"Pan," Felix hissed,

"What is it Felix?" Pan growled,

"Why don't you let me discipline her," he said walking over to Peter putting a hand on his shoulder, "You shouldn't have to waste your energy on the likes of her, not when the boy is so close,"

"You're right," he said loosening his hold on my neck just enough for me to take a breath, "I can't waist all my energy on you now, can I?" he leaned down to my ear again, "not when there are more important things to deal with," he laughed manically again, throwing me to the ground, my breath coming out in ragged coughs, "Take care of that Felix," Pan said patting Felix on the shoulder, "I have to go prepare for the greatest game of all,"

"I will sir," he said lowering his head in respect, before he turned to me, "get dressed," he growled handing me my shirt before turning around to give me some privacy, I nodded, quickly with shaky redressing,

"Ok," I whispered, letting him know that I was decent again. He turned to look at me and sighed,

"Now what am I going to do with you?" he asked in a soft voice leaning down so that he was on the same level as me,

"Felix I-" he shook his head and put his fingers over my lips as if to quiet me,

"Do you know how stupid you are?" he hissed, "how reckless?" I flinched at his tone and looked down,

"I'm sorry," I whimpered, "I-"

"I know," he sighed, "Why do you always have to go and make him angry,"

"I don't know," I whispered,

"And now you have me putting my arse on the line to protect you," he hissed punching the ground beside him,

"I'm sorry," I whispered,

"You can't keep doing this," he said grabbing my face gently, "you can't keep pissing him off like that," he tilted my head to look at the bruises that were surely forming on my neck, "and I can't keep interfering or it'll be my hide,"

"I know," I whispered

"Then stop doing it," he replied, I looked away, "you can't, can you" I shook my head and he sighed "then you're lucky I'll always be here to protect you," he said wrapping his arms around me, I leaned my head against his chest and closed my eyes,

"Why?" I whispered,

"Why what?" he asked,

"Why do you put yourself on the line for me?" I asked him, he separated us and formed me to look at him,

"You know why," he whispered before pulling me back, placing a gentle kiss on my head. "I can't stand to see you get hurt," he whispered, "especially not by him," he separated us again and looked at the bruises and scratches again that probably looked just as good as they felt,

"You know I've been through worse," I whispered, "this is nothing,"

"I still don't like it," he replied simply,

"I know," I said softly, "but there is nothing we can do about it,"

"I know," he whispered,

"I'm not the only one who has her fair share of scars," I said changing the subject and he gave me a half smile as I reached up to touch the scar that ran across his face,

"Hmm," he said leaning into my touch, we sat there in silence for a while before we heart the patter of footsteps in the distance, we jumped apart and I sighed lowering my head. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his voice broken as we both knew what was to come next, "I don't want to-"

"I know," I whispered bravely, my voice never wavering,

"It'll be worse for you if I don't,"

"I know," I said again,

"I'll try to do it as quickly as possible," he said as if he was trying to convince himself,

"I know,"

"I'm sorry," he said again,

"It's ok," I said squeezing his hand, and then walked over to the tree where a rope was hanging off a low branch, I put my hands through the slipknot and tightened it, I nodded at him "do it," I said strongly, "the sooner we get this done, the sooner I can heal,"

He closed his eyes and took a heavy breath before nodding; he then walked over to the other side of the three where the rope and the branch acted as a makeshift pulley system. I felt him pull the rope tightly, so that I was dangling with my arms above my head, my feet bare barely touch the ground below me. He walked over to me and gently caressed my face with his hand.

"I'm sorry," he whispered,

"It's ok," I said softly before taking a deep breath, bracing myself for what was to come, "do it," he nodded before walking over to pick up his club, I gave him a half smile, before bowing my head, closing my eyes, and submitting to the pain that was sure to come.