By morning, the Lost Boys remained near camp while Peter wandered around the island, giving a tour for Emma. So far, she seen the beautiful Lagoon, the specific trails to go through in order to get back to camp, the Skull Rock, and even witnessed a captivating view of the ocean with Peter carrying her up in his arms and flying in the air.
The two are still up in the air, above the island and the endless reach of the crystal water.
"This is amazing..How long have you been here, Peter?"
"Long enough."
Emma looked down, catching the sight of a few dolphins leaping up in the air. She smiled and turned her gaze out into the horizon. "...Thanks, for showing me all this."
"No need to thank me. This is your home now, Emma. You were bound to stay since last night. What is the point of being trapped back in camp if you don't know how everything looks like from the outside?"
Her smile disappeared after hearing him say 'home'. She is aware of the danger that will overcome her if she ever leaves Neverland. But knowing fully that her parents are alive but in danger from some evil witch urges her to want to leave. No memory of her parents or her guardian exist in her mind. But the knowledge of their existence and the sacrifices they made pours out the bitter guilt inside her.
Peter's face inched closer to hers. "What is the matter?"
"...I..I'm not sure about staying here, Peter."
"Emma, I told you, this is the only place where you'll be safe."
"I know, I know that. But..But how could I worry about myself when my parents are still alive from a different realm. I don't know how long I'm going to end up staying here. And like you said, I might forget my own age and never realize in the future, my parents will be close to a dying age."
Peter lowered down to land. "I know you are worried of the consequences, Emma. But keeping you safe is what you're parents risked for, once you leave this place, you will have no power or help to go against Regina. You'll be wasting all the effort your parents went through to get you somewhere safe. Be honest with me, Emma. Do you really want to do that?"
"No, I don't."
"Then make the decision now," he finally landed on ground and lowered Emma down, "This island is open to everyone I give consent to. I offered for you to stay. Now what is your say to that?"
"I've thought things through about this last night. And, I..I do admit I don't want to be captured by some witch or anyone else. This place still..still scares me a little, besides the fact it's quite beautiful...So, if you really mean to help me, and keep me safe, then I have no objection of staying here."
Peter smiled. He took both her hands and gave her an assuring nod. "I'm so relieved to hear that from you, Emma..Welcome to the family."
"Won't those boys mind having a girl now in the camp?"
"Consider those boys as my servants. They will not be a bother to you, I promise. They follow my orders only, and would not have any say of you staying here."
Servants? That doesn't sound right...I thought Peter brought these boys here for protection. But instead did he..did he trapped them here for so long for them to serve him? They are only children – once children..But it does explain their suffering. Them crying that night. The boy. It all adds up to what their true feelings are. They want to go back. Escape from this island.
Emma slightly backed away from Peter. But he didn't seem to notice the message she's trying to give him, so he released one of her hands and escorted her back to camp.
~ Over the couple of months of Emma's stay in Neverland went by quite well. She still did not fully trust Peter, but respected him, he is her protector after all. As for the Lost Boys, she generously stayed up every night for at least an hour, curing their nightmares and weeping with the healing of her hair. From the beginning, those boys never dreamed of a nightmare ever again, and most of them soon respected her after discovering she was the remedy for their suffering. However, others still are trapped over the temptation to harass her and fully against her.
For meals Emma discovered the remarkable way by using your own imagination to have food appear that you crave for. Of course, the first time she found out about this was not by imagining for food, but a fight she had before she ever received the Lost Boys' trust.
Emma, sitting down on a wooden box, looked dully at two boys climbing up on two separate ropes while a crowd of the rest cheering on for them.
A sharp end of a spear suddenly pierced lightly on her shoulder. "Ouch." She turned around, and faced one of the Lost Boys with a spear clutched on his hand, a filthy brown rag budded on it.
"So you were the girl Pan was looking for all this time?" He pierced the spear on her shoulder again.
Emma backed away, and he came forward. "Ask him."
In a quick stroke, he almost slashed her shirt with his spear, but she jumped back. The boy laughed bitterly, and hurt her once again on her shoulder with his weapon. "If you can't take this, then how are you going to handle what Pan has in store for you?"
Emma looked desperately around to find a weapon. But the only thing she can find that's near her is a wooden stick. The boy eyed her to pick it up. As she did so, the boys turned their attention to her. The boy immediately attacked her and she blocked it as best as she can with the stick. But he trapped her by pushing the strength of his spear harder against her weak weapon, as she gripped tightly on her stick, trying her best to push his spear off her weapon.
"Not bad." Peter's voice broke into their fight, leaning against a tree from all this time.
The two stopped, lowering their weapons down. Peter uncrossed his arms from his chest and approached them. "But won't it be more fun if you had real swords?"
"I-I've..never used a real sword." She nervously responded.
His dark side unraveled, it's always been like that and Emma never seem to get to use to it. "This is Neverland. And you are a half-believer, you can use whatever you want," he walked around her, taking both her hands and angling her stick at the boy in front of her, "You just have to believe, Emma..Close your eyes and believe that you're holding a real sword."
Emma concentrated on his words, and closed her eyes. After briefly mediating, the boys awed when the wooden stick transformed into a real live sword. She opened her eyes, and fell shocked that it actually worked. The Lost Boy in front of her now fell unsure of how he's going to win this duel. He gripped tightly onto his spear, still looking slightly nervous, ready to fight.
"What are you waiting for? Go on!" Peter called out, still standing behind her.
Emma took steps closer to the boy, and attacked him with her sword. Now in the matters of a change of fate, he blocked her aim with his spear, unable to attack back. Eventually she slashed the center of his spear, and ended up slicing it off into a short length. And as the boys cheered on for her, she stepped closer to him and slashed the blade of her sword to his cheek. The boy dropped his now short spear, and placed a hand on the fresh cut on his cheek, bloody and the side of his cheek turning pink.
She dropped the sword and acted fast. "I-I'm sorry. It was an accident."
The boy looked at her viciously, his hand covering his cut. Peter went over to her, and took her by the wrist. "Why bother to apologize to him? You won! Give it up for Emma." He lifted her arm in the air.
The boys cheered for him. And for Emma, pleased of her victory, shouted back to them. "Yeah!..Yeah!"
To do a simple math, that particular boy is on the 'I hate Emma' list. She offered to heal him that day, but he refused. It healed in time though, but it has a slight mark that remains its history of Emma's victory of defeating him.
Emma, now in the lagoon, hit a soapy washed shirt with a stone against a boulder. To make herself useful, she helps the boys with their laundry during the day and their nightmares in the evening. Laundry is not something she enjoys doing, but it's the only excuse she has to leave the camp to roam around the beautiful island.
After beating the shirt for the hundredth time, she returned to the waters, and dumped the shirt inside. Washing the soap as best as she can, by the time the water washed every bit of content of the soap away, she squeezed it dry and stood up, hanging the still wet wrinkled shirt on the clothesline with all the other clothes she washed so far.
"Someone is working hard." A familiar voice started.
Emma smiled, knowing very well who that is. She straightened the shirt properly on the clothes line, not bothering to turn around. "Someone has to do the laundry, Peter. I can't stand the terrible odor on those boys."
Peter, now right behind her, slipped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. "Too much work is not good for you."
"You're surprisingly brave enough to be straightforward today," she shrugged his arms off her, "But I'm not that impressed."
She checked the pair of trouser beside the shirt, feeling it if its dry. It's slightly wet and lukewarm.
Like she expected, Peter returned his claim around Emma, but now around her waist. "That was no say of concern, Emma. Instead its my way of telling you to stop doing what you're doing for today and follow me."
"Peter, I can't. After doing this, I have to go back. And I know that if I ever dare to agree to go anywhere with you for the day you'll end up taking me back to my room sound asleep by dawn."
"You know me too well." His hands spread on her ribcage that almost made Emma gasp.
She grabbed his arm trying to pull them off her. "The boys need me, Peter. Let go. I'm serious now. It's not funny."
"Those boys can go through a night with you. They have to learn how to do that on their own. Now come with me."
She sighed. "No, Peter..But..But how about this, I'll agree to the exception of you to drag me along anywhere you want once the boys get to bed."
Peter rested his chin on her shoulder, his cheek almost touching one of hers. "And you won't back out, or object what I tell you to do?"
"Oh God, I can't believe I'm getting myself into this...Huh. Yes, I promise. But whatever you had plan in your head better be safe."
Peter chuckled, and lightly tapped his cheek on to hers. "I promise."
"Now run along. I have to finish."
"Yes, Mother."
When he released his arm off her waist, making sure she's still distracted with the laundry, he gave her a light slap on the buttocks. She gasped and turned around. Peter, nice enough not to fly away, ran as Emma instantly went after him. He laughed as she, feeling both angry yet half-humored, ran after him with both her hands lifting her skirt high to her knees
~ By nightfall, the boys didn't go right to bed, as rebellious and brutal they are they kept up their extra hours challenging each other in physical games, but the others tried to rest as Emma checked on each of them to heal them from their common nightmares. Peter is by his usual spot, leaning against a tree, watching Emma in silence.
She can feel his eyes looking at her. Though, she's been aware of Peter's infatuation toward her, her feelings for him are complex and unclear to what she really feels for him. He is an ally to her, but also an enemy she's careful with. But the times when he responds to her by comfortably embracing her, or in any way touching her affects her to respond back the way he expects her to.
For the event Peter is planning for tonight, Emma has been thinking all day of how she can make a possible boundary to keep some distance away from Peter. Because when they're alone, that gives Peter the freedom to do anything he has in mind freely, with no witnesses or any interruptions.
Kester, the boy with the neckerchief around his neck with his initials embroidered on the center, lied down on the ground, using his rucksack as a pillow. Emma crouched next to him, and took his filthy hand. The first time she met Kester was not a pleasant memory to remember. One night when all the boys were dancing with their mad masks on, he took her hand and pulled her behind a tree and kissed her, she hit him and in the end Peter saw what happened and punished him with a whip. But the next day, when he caught her healing him with his nightmares, he never tried to force himself upon ever since.
"Ready to sleep, Kester?"
"Not really. But I heard that you have to leave again..Is Pan taking you somewhere special?"
Emma, smiled weakly. She took a lock of her hair and laid it on the top of his hand. Once the process of the magic ended, she placed his hand back down on his side. "You boys know everything, don't you?"
"So it's true?"
"Yeah. I'm sort of worried what he has planned for us, and I'm not one bit excited, either."
"Be careful, Emma."
She shook his head. "You always worry about all the little things. Huh. It's okay. It'll be fine. And I promise I'll be careful."
Kester gave her a slight nod, and slowly closed his eyelids to sleep. She stood back up, and went over to the crowd of the boys gathered together.
"Boys! Ay! Get to sleep! Enough of the fighting!" She announced.
But the boys ignored her, cheering on the two boys climbing up two separate ropes with their ankles and wrists bounded. She breathed out a tired sigh. She tried again to get their attention, but they ignored her again. She rested her hand on her hip, frustrated of their incapable behavior.
"You know that they never listen," warm hands touched her shoulders, "Let's just go. They won't even realize you left."
"Peter. Stop."
"Come on, live a little, Emma. Can't you skip your daily duty for just one night?"
"No."
His face inched closer to the right side near her cheek. "Four of the boys are asleep. That almost counts to the deal you proposed."
His breath tickled her ear. She craned her neck to look at him. "That does not – "
"Alright, alright. If you want to get these boys attention, then I can help you. Go to your room right now, and on your bed you'll see an outfit I found for you. Wear it and come out. I swear to you these boys will not ignore you once they see you."
"An outfit? It's appropriate, right?"
Peter smiled, and nodded. "Yes. Perfectly appropriate, and put your hair up."
"Fine. This better work."
~ Emma looked straight ahead at the tall cracked mirror. After delicately putting her hair up with over thirty hairpins, she finished the hairstyle by releasing the first two separate locks of hair free that almost touched her cheeks. The dress Peter chose for her – obviously stole for her in a different realm – is a fine purple lavender dress; the sleeves are sewn with a floral veil, the collar made with a circular line of artificial lavenders sewn on its low cut, and the skirt is a thin layered fabric that reaches down to her feet; a thigh cut length on the right end corner of the skirt.
The boys never seen her dressed like this, she always wore a simple dark skirt over a white shirt with a tight corset. Coming out like this will certainly confuse them who she exactly is.
The night is no longer young. And she's already getting close to the point of wanting to yawn more than she needs to. So she headed toward the mouth of the cave, feeling brave enough of not caring the cut of the skirt that's expose her bare leg. At least the neck of her boots reaches to her ankles.
When she stepped outside, Peter walked over to her, pleased of her beautiful attire. He took her by the hand and the two strolled across the pebbled ground, passing the boys who're still onto their game. But that all changed in precisely three seconds, one by one they turned their attention to the lovely Emma. She almost blushed when some of them whistled, and the rest just laughed.
"Get ready for bed. I'm stealing Emma away for the night. If you don't want to go through a restless night, I suggest you to get to bed now."
The boys, still laughing, separated to their spots. The boys who're bounded took a little while to untie themselves. Emma, at this point, released Peter's hand, and started her work. Almost half the boys both complimented and insulted her of her fine gown, and questioned her why she's dressed so fancily, but she only smiled and moved on to the next boy. By the time she reached to the last boy, Peter appeared toward her, and claimed her hand again.
Pulling her up to her feet, he tightened his grip on her hand. "Are you ready now?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"Good," with his other hand, clenched in a fist, he sprinkled the bits of pixie dust he held onto for so long on her head, "A little pixie dust is the last thing to do."
Emma giggled as she started to fly up in the air. Peter joined her and the two instantly left the camp.
"So where are we going?" She asked.
"You'll see."
After a long enjoyment of the fine flying up in the evening sky, Peter led her to land in the center of a crowd of tall trees. As they both made it to ground, Emma awed at the very sight Peter planned. With lightened candles floating around the air, rose petals poured down on the grass, and his pipe playing a tune all on its own.
"Peter," she looked at him with her jaw still open, "...This is..This is amazing."
"I thought so you might like it."
"Did you use magic? But how?"
"I have my ways," he turned her body to face him, and in a gentleman-like manner, he bowed, "May I have this dance, my fair lady?"
Emma giggled by this formality. But composed herself with a arch of an eyebrow, playing along with him. "Why, kind sir, you may."
Peter twirled her around and she came to a stop by the time her body faced his, inching a lot closer. With one of his hand clutching lightly on her hand, the other rested on her waist. Emma smiled as she placed her free hand on his shoulder. Then together they danced, first taking slow steps and up they went slightly off the ground. She giggled, looking down briefly before returning her gaze back at Peter.
"Now are you happy that you listened to me?"
She rolled her eyes, and stuck out her tongue. "..Fine, I admit it, you smart ass."
"Oh you know me, Emma, I just love it when I prove you wrong," his face leaned closer to hers until his nose almost touched hers, "...You know what, you look really pretty wearing this."
"I love it too. But you better not steal anymore, or I'll just burn them with you watching." She said with a stern look.
Peter chuckled, wiggling his nose with hers playfully. "There you again. Emma, no need of mothering me, I don't need that."
"Oh, but all of you boys are like children, if you haven't noticed," her expression softened, as he spun them around in a slow movement, "...But other than that, th-Huh. Okay this isn't what I usually say to you ever since. But you do deserve to hear it. Thank you, Peter. For everything."
"Wow. I actually got thanked by the almighty Emma. What a night it is."
Emma lightly kicked him in the ankle, and he just laughed as she slowly did as well. As they both composed back to themselves, Emma leaned her cheek against Peter's shoulder, closing her eyes while listening to the soft tune of the pipe in content.
A good few minutes passed as the two danced in the air, with the floating candles circling around them, and the pipe playing away to different songs. But as Emma, still in the same position as she was earlier, lifted her head to push a lock of hair away from her face, Peter's hand pressed her head back down and his lips emerged closer to her ear.
"Is the music soothing enough for you?"
"Yes, I don't think I ever heard this song before."
The smile Peter showed so much this evening suddenly disappeared away from existence.
She can still hear the music. That proves that she still feels lost and unloved. After everything I've shown to her and done for her, she still can't return her affection to me...What more must I do to capture her heart? What more?
Without noticing, Peter tightened his hold on Emma that made her jump. "P-Peter..L-L-Let go, you're hurting me."
He stopped once hearing her say those words. He immediately loosened his tight grip on her.
She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at his face. "What was that for? Are you angry at my or something?"
He forced a smile to his lips – not the same smile he's shown her, a fake one that only disguises his true feelings buried deep inside him. "No. I'm sorry. I just had a bad day with the boys you see. I thought tonight might help me forget about everything, but I guess it's not helping."
"It's okay. Besides, it'll take a miracle to put some sense to those boys. To this day, I still fear if one of them might sneak in my room and tie me all up. And by morning I'll wake up being tied on a stick, being cooked under a bonfire as if I'm the roast for breakfast."
"They would do that. But don't worry, Emma, they cannot hurt you, not while I'm around."
"Other than you sneaking up on me every day, I appreciate you always being around. Without you, they would have killed me that night they found me."
"Yes, they certainly would have."
~ An hour passed, and midnight passed into an early morning. The two went back up in the air to have their last dance. Emma smiled tiredly, trying to keep her sleepy eyes to open. Peter noticed her exhaustion, and urged her to get some sleep.
She shook her head. "No, I wanna dance. Come on, let's just finish this then I think I can go to sleep."
"Alright. Just one more."
Half way through the song, Emma looked deeply into Peter's dark eyes as they lightly spun around couple times with each others' hands remained clutched together.
"You know, I had a crazy dream last night."
"And what was that about?"
She sighed. "Well, in the dream, I saw you and me in this new world, its all white, empty and bright. I looked down at myself and saw that I was wearing your clothes, all green and dark. And you were my skirt and my best shirt, with a really – "
"Hey! Enough with the lies!"
Emma giggled, but still continued on. "Ah, ah, I wasn't finished. With a really really tight corset. You know the one thing the Lost Boys tease me about."
Peter, ready to take his revenge, inched closer to Emma until his lips literally touched hers. She looked at him, putting on her "game on look".
"You just can't resist the opportunities to tease others, don't you?"
"What are you going to do, oh my dearest King? Kiss me? Well, go ahead. Almost five of the boys - not counting Kester - already tried doing that, and then in the end of the day they end up on the ground all day with a cold rag placed between their legs. You don't want to be one of them, now do you?"
"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not a Lost Boy. I'm a king."
His lips planted deeper onto hers before she can say anything else. He grew attach to Emma the minute he took her to this island. But never has he or Emma herself thought of growing this attached. Yet this kiss can't seem to be processed gently or quickly. Emma's eyes remained open as Peter moved his lips with hers that's dead and still. He tried harder for her to respond, forcing his tongue deep into her lips for it to open, and now embracing his arms around her waist. However, she remained still like a statue. After much effort and some lustful enjoyment for him on the side, he released her, with his arms still in place.
"...Peter..I don't want anything to complicate our relationship. The two of us..it's just not possible, alright?"
"But it is, Emma, that's something I've been trying to prove to you. We're going to be fine, Emma. Don't ignore it."
"Peter."
"I know you don't have the answer to what I want to hear. But I can wait. We have all the time in the world together."
"But Peter –
He silenced her with his finger placed on her lips. "I understand. I can wait, really. Now come on, let us get some rest. The night is no longer young."
Killin and Liam are coming up in the next chapter. Yay! But there will be just one change that will technically change the whole story, yet its still based on Killian's flashback in 3x05. I promise. But I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Byeee.