A/N: I would like to take a moment to thank my first reviewer, dream lighting, you rock! Also since it has now been 5 chapters, I also want to thank everyone who has read, followed and favourited, you are all my new favourite people!

Lastly, I realise I accidently made 2 chapter 4's. I have a really good excuse why, I just need a moment to think of one. So sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything expcept Lydia and Scout and any other OC's, I think.

VI.

Well, flying practice sucked just as much as sword practice did.

The pool of paint became Peter's landing mat on the first try. Lydia was tempted to ask if she could have a go, being shot out of a giant slingshot into a pool seemed like a serious rush. But she didn't think that was entirely appropriate.

By the time the sun had set she was actually pretty tired, the events of the day finally catching up with her. She could only imagine how her dad felt.

Rufio had found her playing catch with Pockets and Too Small and two other boys, announcing that it was time for supper. He showed her where the eating area was and she laughed as Pockets and Too Small fought over where she would sit.

Eventually Rufio grabbed her arm and dragged her to where he was sitting, "If you two can't decide, then Lydia will sit here."

Pockets and Too Small continued to argue as they sat down. Thud But sat next to her on her other side after he nearly tipped the other bench over. Looking around she noticed one face amongst all of them was missing.

"Where's Scout?"

"He's out scouting."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"Why would that be a joke?"

Lydia laughed awkwardly, realizing he was serious and indicated for him to explain.

"Scout goes out every night and makes sure the area is still safe from the pirates." Lydia noticed the way Rufio zeroed in on whoever he was speaking to, his eyes giving them his undivided attention, even when they were sitting right next to him.

"And that's why you all call him Scout?"

"Yep, smart girl."

"Well, I have my moments." Lydia realized Rufio was actually a pretty easy person to talk to when he wasn't being a snotty teenager. He was sometimes even funny.

"Don't worry, Scout will get his food later."

She wasn't worried, but still nodded.

"How's your face, by the way?"

"Oh it's fi-" she stopped as Rufio took hold of her face and turned it to inspect her jaw, "Okay. Just grab my face why don't you."

"This hurt?" he pushed down with his thumb and Lydia nearly jumped a mile high, "OOOOOWW YES!"

All conversations stopped and the boys turned to her. Rufio pulled his hands away as if her face had just burst into flames. "Well alright then. It will bruise, but I'm sure you'll still be your charming self nonetheless."
"I'm so relieved."

"What happened?"

Lydia and Rufio both turned as Scout came running to the table, his face twisted in worry and a dagger in his hand.

Lydia laughed, "You know you're cute when you're worried."

Scout scowled at them, "Grow up."

Rufio laughed, "We can't, brother!"

Several lost boys burst out laughing. Scout just continued to scowl and sat down in a huff.

Then her dad hobbled in and Lydia bit back her laugher. He looked like he had been put through a ringer. Sitting down he smiled at her halfheartedly. Lydia giggled, "Rough day dad?"

"Hush, Lydia. So glad you're having fun."

Lydia sat back as the food was brought in.

Trays and dishes of all shapes and sizes were placed on the table… all completely empty.

Lydia looked around in confusion, her dad looked just as perplexed.

Sooo… where was the food?

"Rufio?" the boy turned to her and she gestured to the empty plates, "Is there a trick here that I seem to be missing out on?"

"You'll see."

The boys all clasped their hands in front of them and Lydia and Peter followed suit.

"Everybody say Grace." Rufio didn't strike Lydia as particularly religious.

Her dad got about four words out before a raucous shout of "Grace!" assaulted her eardrums.

Now she only watched as the boys pretended to eat. She was genuinely dumbfounded.

Where was that trick she had yet to figure out?

Pockets asked her dad to blow on his food, Thud But munching down on something about the same size as his face, and the twins ate in perfect unison.

Even Rufio and Scout ate animatedly, their attention focused on the empty plates in front of them.

Lydia turned as Peter began complaining to Tink about real food and Lydia honestly couldn't blame him. Her stomach had been grumbling for a few hours and with the promise of a feast turning up bugger all, she was a very hungry, very unhappy girl.

"Hey eat your heart out your out you crinkled, wrinkled fat bag!"

Rufio threw a plate at Peter and Lydia was tempted to sock him in the jaw, despite his pleasant demeanor earlier.

"You're very ill-mannered..."
"You're a slug-eating worm."

What the hell? Lydia knew Rufio didn't like her dad but was this entirely necessary. Hello, the guy was supposed to be the leader!
"You can do better than that!" okay Tink wasn't going to be any help.
"You're encouraging them?"
"Show me your fastball, dust brain! You paunchy, sag-bottomed puke pot!" oh, burn! Where did these kids think of this stuff?
The boys started cheering for Rufio, some of them moving to stand behind him, the others behind her dad. Lydia considered moving, but she really couldn't be bothered.
"You're a very poor role model for these kids, you know?" especially when he said stuff like that
"I bet you don't even have a fourth-grade reading level."

"Way to tell him dad." But she was ignored.
" Hemorrhoidal sucknavel." Lydia had to giggle at that one.
"Maybe a fifth-grade reading level."
"Oil-dripping, beef-fart sniffing bubble butt." Was he ever going to run out?
"Someone has a severe caca mouth. You know that?" no doubt Rufio did know that.
"You are a fart factory!" apparently he didn't run out of insults, "Slug-slime sack of rat guts and cat vomit cheesy scab picked pimple-squeezing finger bandage! A week-old maggot burger with everything on it and flies on the side!"

Okay that was just disgusting.

All of a sudden her dad jumped to his feet.
"Substitute chemistry teacher." For someone who didn't know what that was, he might as well have called Rufio a… what was it? Hemorrhoidal sucknavel? Lydia realized with a start what Rufio was actually doing. He was trying to get Peter to play along with him, release his inner kid as it were. She hoped it was that and he wasn't just being rude to her father.
"Come on, Rufio, hit him back." One of the kids on Rufio's side said.
"Mung tongue!" did he have to think about that?
"Math tutor."
"Pinhead."
"Prison barber."
"Mother lover." Lydia turned her head accordingly as each insult was thrown across the table, the other boys doing exactly the same.
"Nearsighted gynecologist."
"In your face, camelcake!"
"In your rear, cow derrière!"
"Lying, crying, spying, prying ultra-pig!"
"Lewd, crude bag of pre-chewed food dude."
"Bangerang, Peter!" Thud But yelled and Lydia cheered with the rest of the boys. Her dad had just shown everyone up, including her.
"You man! Stupid, stupid man!" and with that, Rufio had run out of insults.
But daddy dearest hadn't.

"Rufio, if I'm a maggot burger, why don't you just eat me?" the look of joy on her father's face made Lydia smile. When last had she seen that?
"You zebra-headed, slime-coated, pimple-farming, paramecium brain munching on your own mucus, suffering from Peter Pan envy!"
"What's a "paramecium brain"?" Don't Ask asked. Ironic.
"I'll tell you what a paramecium is! That's a paramecium, it's a one-celled critter with no brain that can't fly. Don't mess with me, man, I'm a lawyer!"
Peter sat down in victory and Lydia chanted his name along with everyone else.
Her dad took hold of a spoon and pretended to scoop something up out of a plate. Lydia stared, was he…?

"Oh, Rufio, why don't you just go suck on a dead dog's nose?"

With that he flicked the empty spoon and Lydia flinched as something cold and slimy hit the side of her face. She looked at Rufio and saw his face was covered in multi-colored cream.

All eyes turned back to her dad and Too Small said in wonder, "You're doing it."

"You're using your imagination, Peter!"

Lydia sat down and tucked into the food that her dad had somehow created with his mind.

She couldn't have been happier if there was…

"Oh my God, no way!" she picked up the bowl of chocolate chip cookies and beamed at her dad who smiled and said simply, "Merry Christmas."

Lydia nearly cried, how did he know? It didn't take her long to find a glass of milk and soon she was dunking and munching away like a… well like Too Small.

Lydia looked up as Thud But suddenly threw a handful of pie cream at Peter, hitting him square in the face.

Thud got one in the chest and Lydia let out a cry as she got hit in the eye. Looking over she saw Ace grinning at her.

"Food fight!" Don't Ask yelled and all hell broke loose.

Lydia made a grab for her bowl, "No, NO! Not the cookies!" she tucked them close to her chest and tried to duck. But Thud reached across her for more pie and she was pushed off the chair. Falling on her back Lydia burst out laughing. As she got up, still clutching the cookies, she watched her dad get pelted from where he stood on the table. More cream splattered on her and she stood.

"Hey Pan the man, catch this!"

Lydia shouted to her dad as a coconut was hurled at him from where Rufio stood to the side.

"Peter look out!" Ace threw a sword and her dad caught it, spinning he cut the coconut right in half.

Peter gazed at the sword, seeming a million miles away.

Lydia could have sworn she heard a sound like a howl in the distance. A boy, crowing.

Her eyes lifted to gaze at the sky and for moment it was like she had slipped back in time to when her dad was a boy. She saw his child version flying across the sky laughing with all the cares in the world absent from his heart.

Then her dad dropped the sword and she was brought back to reality. But the vision still lingered long after her dad disappeared to contemplate what had just happened. Peter Pan was here, if not in physical form then in spirit, in the hearts of all the boys here. He was even in the pirates' excuses for hearts too, as they never thought of anything else except destroying him. Every soul here believed in him in some way or another, even after he left them. Peter Pan had never left his kingdom, nor had he left his Lost Boys. Peter Pan was in each of them, and he was in her dad too. Peter Banning just had to have the courage to find him.

An hour later, Lydia wiped the last of the mess off the table, a few of the other older boys also helping to clean up. They had been talking non-stop to her about their adventures here with the pirates, making her double over with laughter nine tenths of the time.

In between the chattering and cleaning, Lydia had managed to find Rufio and gave him a tight hug, much to his alarm.

"What was that for?"

"I know what you were doing." He tried to look confused, but she saw right through it, "Thank you for what you did for my dad, Rufio."

"I didn't do it for your dad." So he had meant to help him, "I did it to get rid of him. The sooner he gets his kids back the sooner he can leave."

"The sooner I can leave too, huh?" why did he have to be this way. Lydia liked him, he didn't have to be this cold and harsh brute around her.

"It actually wouldn't be terrible if you stayed."

"Then don't wish my dad away so quickly."

Lydia had gone back to cleaning, letting Rufio think about what she had said, and now she let out a massive yawn and looked to where Too Small was sound asleep half hanging off the table with his mouth wide open.

She smiled and gathered the boy in her arms, looking for someone to tell her where to put him.

"This way, Lydie."

"Hey Don't Ask."

"The little boys sleep higher up. So they're safe if pirates attack."

"Genius plan." Too Small stirred and Lydia shushed him back to sleep.

"Scout thought of it."

The mention of Scout made Lydia cringe. He still hadn't spoken to her, or even looked at her since he gave her that nasty glare at the fighting ring. And the frustrating thing was that she didn't know what she had done wrong. She thought he'd be happy that she'd managed to earn Rufio's respect and even got him to like her. But no. When Scout had been the only one to take notice of her when everyone else was busy tormenting her dad, he was now the only one that wouldn't speak to her.

But why should she care? It wasn't like she was staying here so was it really so dire that all the boys liked her? Why did it matter that he wouldn't speak to her?

It did matter though.

It stung.

Lydia followed Don't Ask up a walkway that zigzagged until it reached nearly the top of the tree. Oh Peter would freak out if he had to do this. She ducked into a little hut like structure and laid the boy down, blowing out the lantern next to his house after she kissed him goodnight. Once out the hut Lydia pulled the coat/ shawl tighter around her shoulders. The boys had given it to her when she started shivering whilst cleaning up. It was billowy and hung loose over her shoulders like a shawl, but it had sleeves and was super warm. The only problem was the hideous brown of the fabric, but she could deal with that.

Stepping onto the walkway she spotted Scout standing a few ways off, gazing out at the dark ocean.

She narrowed her eyes at the back of his head and marched towards him.

When she got to him she gave him a swift smack on his stupid head.

"Would you kindly explain to me why you're suddenly treating me like I have the plague?!" she hadn't realized how truly angry she was with him until she saw him standing there, being all hot and stuff.

"You're going to wake the kids up." Was he really so rude that he wouldn't even turn to talk to her? Even after she cuffed him.

"Tough." Lydia ignored his inability to face her like a man and folded her arms over her chest, though he wouldn't see the acrid glare on her face. "What did I do to you that was so terrible?"

Scout hung his head, Lydia heard him sigh, and then he turned to her with a completely calm face.

"What were you thinking?"

"What?" her tone was getting desperate. Just give a straight answer damn it!

"Going up against Rufio? You could have been hurt."

That was it? That was what he was so pissed about?

"Why are you mad about that? Rufio's your friend, where's your faith in the guy?"

"That's not the point, Lydia."

"Then what is?" she was about ready to punch him.

"That you knowingly put yourself in danger even though I warned you not to."

Ha, well that was a habit she had developed long before she met him, so it wasn't new to her to do stupid things. "Why do you care anyway?" when Scout looked away, Lydia paused. Hang on just a minute.

"Scout, what aren't you telling me?"

He continued to stare at nothing, and Lydia let out a frustrated growl, "Fine! Don't tell me, see if it keeps me awake." She moved to leave, but then turned back and really let him have it, "You know, I thought Rufio was a stubborn, ill-mannered, bad tempered brat, but you? You're worse than he is because at least he doesn't hide who he is-"

Scout clapped his hand over Lydia's mouth, completely cutting off her rant, while his other arm wrapped around her waist so that she couldn't escape his grip. She considered licking or biting it, but then she didn't know where this hand had been so she quickly abandoned that plan.

Scout's eyes burned into hers, but she couldn't look away. He didn't seem angry, well not completely, so she didn't feel the need to try and fight him off.

"Stop calling me names." She shuddered at the sudden husky edge to his voice.

"Make me." She didn't think he'd heard her muffled reply, but his eyes narrowed so he must have.

But before he could answer she smacked his hand away, rubbing her bruised jaw where he had bumped it with the heel of his hand.

"And they say girls are hormonal." she said darkly.

Again with that gorgeous confused look! Lydia ducked past him and sat down on the walkway, pulling her shawl close, and dangled her feet over the edge. The view before her was heart-stoppingly beautiful. The moons had risen and were huge round balls of pure light, and there were so many stars it was like a haze in some places. That light reflected off the ocean and made it sparkle.

Truthfully Lydia couldn't understand why her dad had left this place. Then again she'd never been in love either.

Scout sat down next to her and fixed her with a stare, waiting for the next round of insults. But Lydia just couldn't bring herself to verbally abuse him anymore. Seeing this island's beauty stretched out before her made her realize that she was sick and tired of being angry.

It was all she ever felt. Anger. Hurt. Rage. Loneliness.

They were feelings she knew too well, and they had hung on her like deadweight for five years. Now that things seemed to be getting better with her dad, Lydia just didn't have the strength to be mad anymore. It was too tiring.

"You alright, Lydia?"

"I'm alright." And she meant it. For the first time in years Lydia felt… peaceful.

"I'm glad to hear it. For a minute I thought you were going to attack me."

"I killed you in my head five times."

"Ouch. Different each time?"

"Different each time." She sounded half asleep, as if she wasn't there anymore but already in the land of dreams. She just felt so warm inside, all that pent up anger having been let go of left her kind of… chilled.

"I just got this feeling."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Somehow I just know… everything's cool." Her eyes didn't leave the ocean for a second, she knew she sounded nuts and she wouldn't be surprised if Scout shoved her off the walkway for fear of catching whatever she had.

"Everything is cool, Lydia. And everything will be okay." He put his hand on hers, "You'll see. We're going to get your brother and sister back. And your dad."

Getting Jack and Mags back seemed like the easier task up until tonight.

She knew Scout was looking at her, but she could only feel his eyes and frankly she was tired of not seeing them.

"Do you always wear that thing?" she nodded to his head and Scout tilted his head up.

"You mean my hat?"

"Yes. I mean come on the sun set like four hours ago."

"So?"

"So, take it off, already."

"No."

"Come on, please?" she gave him her best persuasive smile, but he shook his head again.

"I'm not gonna."

"Why?"

"Cos I didn't brush my hair this morning."

Lydia took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing menacingly at him. She lunged forward and made a grab for the stupid hat.

"Give it to me!" Scout let out a grunt as his back collided with the walkway, Lydia's hands groping for his head. Scout tried to get her hands away, but she was a quick little thing. He could only watch in shame and annoyance as she sat up with a triumphant shout, his hat held above her head like a trophy.

As he sat up, he pushed his curls out of his face that the hat had kept back mostly. Lydia gestured to him, still holding his hat.

"Now, see? What's wrong with that?" she laughed at his annoyed expression, "Don't you feel better now that you can see properly?" Lydia was trying to hide how giddy she had just become. If Scout was hot with his face half covered by hair and hat fabric, he was combustible with his eyes uncovered and unquestionably staring at her.

"Okay, you've made your point, now give it back."

"No."

"Lydia." His voice was threatening but there was an edge of laughter to it. Why was she so annoying?

"Not going to happen." She held it over the edge of the walkway, out of his reach.

"I've beaten up my brothers for a lot less."

"Okay, first of all I'm not your brother. Second, I have something they didn't."

"And that is?"

"Your hat." She moved it behind her back, "Stay back or I'll sit on it."
"Are you taking my hat hostage?"

"You got it, peach."

Scout looked at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"Well, I have never found myself in the position of negotiating the terms of my hat's return."

Lydia laughed and shot him a mischievous look, putting the hat on her own head.

"Oh, now you've done it!"

He reached out to grab her but Lydia was able to predict that and she jumped up and was running away in a matter of a second. With Scout chasing her Lydia discovered just how much of a maze this tree house set up was.

"I have no idea where I'm going!" she shouted behind her, not caring if she woke the kids up.

She let out a cry as she fell through a hole that had been concealed by foliage and landed on her stomach on a type of trampoline. She realized this was the same trip her father took the day he arrived here. Bouncing around like a ball Lydia looked up and saw Scout looking down at her laughing from the walkway.

"Shut up and get me out of here!"

"Oh no way, this is priceless!"

She took his hat and waved it at him suggestively, "Well come down here and get your hat then!"

Lydia nearly flew off the trampoline as Scout lowered himself down next to her, falling onto his back once his feet touched the fabric surface.

Out of good sportsmanship, Lydia handed Scout his hat, giggling, "All that for a hat?"

Scout laughed and put it back on her head, "You look good in it. Might as well hold onto it for the time being."

"You'll have to fight me to get it back again, you know that right?"

"I'll risk it." Scout put his hands behind his head and looked at the sky, trying not to stare at Lydia sitting next to him.

"Tell me about your life, Scout." Lydia heard his sharp intake of breath. Really Lydia, shut up!

"I don't remember much outside of Neverland."

"Well that's bull. Boys don't grow here, so you were this age when you left my world. You must remember something."

Scout sighed, "I was sixteen when they caught me pick pocketing in New York. Peter brought me here the night before I was supposed to hang for it."

Lydia sucked in a breath, "They would hang you for pick pocketing?"

"Oh they did it for much less I can assure you. Courts didn't have much tolerance for street kids back then." His voice had gotten dark, his eyes cold as if his life was playing out before him on some screen only he could see. Lydia's eyes widened as he lifted up his shirt, revealing a nasty looking scar on his side. "See that? Got that trying to help a friend of mine a few months earlier that was being kicked to death by a butcher. Who happened to be holding a meat cleaver at the time."

Now he wouldn't look at her. His face was twisted in anger and pain and she could easily guess what had happened to that friend.

Lydia placed her hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, Scout."

"Alex."

"Pardon?"

"My name. My real name is Alex." He smiled slightly, "Well, Alessandro. But nobody called me that."

"Huh. I never would have guessed Scout wasn't your name. It kind of suits you." She smirked at him as he gave her sideways glance, "You know, cos you're all quiet and good at sneaking up on people and stuff. But I prefer Alex."

"Thank you, and as I recall you snuck up on me pretty well yourself back there. Before you hit me, of course."

"Well you deserved it."

"Yes, yes I did." He took her hand and Lydia fought the butterflies at his touch, "I'm sorry, Lydia. I shouldn't have been so angry with you. Guess I never figured you'd be so tough. You're a lot stronger than you look."

"Told ya!" he laughed and then Lydia leaned closer, "Does that mean you were worried about me?"

"Of course I was worried, I care about you!"

"Really?" now she was intrigued.

Alex, Lydia decided Scout just wasn't a good enough name anymore, seemed to get really nervous all of a sudden. "Yeah well, the boys have become really attached to you. Not to mention what your dad would do if something happened to you. Especially now that he seems to be remembering who he is."

"Uh huh." Oh how she loved watching him squirm, it was so adorable. But she had to put the poor boy out his misery. Plus she figured now was as good a time as any to ease that burning curiosity that had risen since she laid eyes on them.

Lydia reached out and took hold of several of Alex's chains at once, "So what are all of these, then?"

"Just things I picked up in New York. And here. I'm a thief you know?"

"Oh." And here Lydia was fantasizing that there was some dangerous adventure to go with each of them. Hell the guy had lived long enough! In a magical land, no less. Lydia sorted through them, there were about five all together, naming them as she went. There was a silver locket that looked like it should belong to a woman, a white beaded chain with a wooden cross, one with an anchor, another with a Celtic knot and lastly Lydia spotted a particularly ethereal looking stone and examined it. It was in a claw-like clasp that dangled on a silver chain, but the blue stone itself seemed to glow in Lydia's hand, or maybe that was a trick of the moonlight. No, it was glowing. Or at least there seemed to be something swirling in it.

"What is this?"

"A blue crystal." Gee, really? "You get them all over here." He took it from her and held it up to the light, "Legend says if you put it in water and give that to an injured person it'll heal them completely, even if they're on the brink of death."

"Are you being serious?" Lydia asked skeptically
"Deathly serious."

"Oh, funny!"

They laughed then, Lydia actually leaning on Alex from the fits she was having.

When they eventually managed to sober up, Alex took the necklace off and held it out to her, "Here, you keep it."

Lydia held her hands up, shaking her head, "No I couldn't, it's yours."

"Nah," he lifted his hands and put it round her neck, adjusting it so that it sat perfectly on her chest. "Think of it as an investment. If I die you can bring me back."

"Not sure I would." Lydia laughed at his look of horror.

"You really are a piece of piece of work, you know that?"

"Aw but you love me." Lydia was still laughing loudly.

"I do."

Her head whipped round to look at him, her eyes big with shock. "What did you say?"

"What?"

"What did you just say?"

"I said you were a piece of work."

"No, no, no. After that."

"Nothing."

"Don't lie."

"I promise I didn't say anything."

Lydia shook her head, thinking she really was losing her mind. First glowing stones and now she was hearing confessions of love from sixteen year old boys.

"You sure?"

"Quite positive."

Lydia didn't get a chance to pursue the matter. Footsteps above them made them both turn.

Rufio stood there like a guard.

"Lydia you should get some rest. Tomorrow is a very important day. Peter's going to steal the captain's hook."

"Oh, right." Lydia stood and Rufio reached down to pull her up. "Thanks, um, where should I sleep?"

"You can have my house for the time you're here."

"Okay, thanks Rufio. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Softest pillows in the hanging tree."

Lydia laughed and looked at Alex to say goodnight but paused when she saw the look he was giving Rufio.

She shook her head and said a hasty goodnight, dropping Scout's hat to him, before making her way to the house Rufio pointed out to her.

Once the girl had disappeared Rufio looked at his best friend, who had just pulled himself out of the hole. He couldn't deny the jealousy that had burned in him as he caught sight of Scout shamelessly chatting Lydia up, but he was a master at hiding his feelings. Most of the time. Scout was his best friend, and he'd die for the freak, but Lydia… she was just something else entirely. That temper, those green eyes, that acidic mouth, those lips. When she'd hugged him, having figured out his ploy with her dad, and thanked him with such openness and honesty in her eyes, he knew he was a goner. And now that it seemed like Scout was just as drawn to her, well Rufio really wanted to punch his best friend in the nose.

But instead he took on a superior tone, "What are you doing, man?" he sounded as if he thought Scout was a pitiful fool that he was trying to help.

"What?"

"Don't what me. I can't believe you're being this stupid!"

"What are you talking about, Rufio?"

"Lydia, Scout! I'm talking about Lydia."

"What about Lydia?"

There was no way in hell Rufio was going to let slip he liked her, that would be humiliating, so he used his own fears against his friend.

"Do you really think she's going to stick around if her dad manages to pull this off and gets his kids back from Hook? For you?"

Scout looked away then. The thought of Lydia leaving made Rufio just as angry. Stupid girls!

"Don't get your hopes up, man. Two days and she's gone."

"Look, just because Pan left doesn't mean she will too."

"What's keeping her here? She doesn't even know you like her." Oh the hypocrisy! Rufio should have been taking his own advice, but really he just wanted to convince Scout do give her up so he could be there to pick her up.

"Just because Pan left you in charge, Rufio, that doesn't mean you can tell me what to do."
"You're still sore he didn't give you his sword, aren't you?" this was true, wholly, and it was Rufio's best offensive. Scout had been convinced Pan would leave him in charge. It broke the guy when he chose Rufio instead.

"Oh come off it, Rufio! That happened nearly thirty years ago."

"And now that Pan's back you think he'll give it to you this time?" now the wheels started turning. "That's why you want Lydia isn't it?"

"What?" Scout's utter confusion was understandable. Rufio wasn't sure if this was true, he didn't think Scout could be that heartless, but it made sense. Scout was the camp's tracker for a reason, he was smart and deceptive. And he would be left in charge without having to worry about Lydia sticking around. It was the perfect plan.

"You think if you get in sweet with his daughter Pan will leave the sword to you."

"That's bullshit, Rufio!"

"Well, if you want the sword so badly, Scout." Rufio pulled the sword out and held it out to his friend, handle first, "Take it." Scout's eyes were wide, his body rigid. Rufio tensed as the other boy put his hand out. Rufio would have to fight him off, it would be his right to defend his leadership. He just never realized how much Scout wanted it. So badly, it seemed, to want to use Lydia to get it. Rufio was shocked at how cruel his friend was being, after a hundred and fifty years this was unheard of. His heart broke for Lydia, who had no idea how terribly she was being treated.

Scout hesitated, and Rufio dared to believe he'd been wrong, but then the boy stepped forward and Rufio resisted the urge to step back.

"Alex?"

That was a name Rufio hadn't heard for years.

Lydia stood behind Rufio, her teary eyes fixed on Scout. Rufio wasn't sure how much she'd heard, but judging by her face she'd heard enough to really hate Alex right now.

A/N: Oooooh, cliffhanger! I am so mean, aren't I? Fear not lovely readers an update is due soon soon, no telling how soon though but that's all part of the fun!