"There she is Smee."
"That is not her. She is too young." Smee said watching the three young girls on the rocks
"Smee."
"What?" Smee asked
"It's started."
"Yes. We should inform the Cap'in right away."
"Wait. He said to bring her back."
"Ok so we go in there and just take her? It will never work." Smee thought but he soon had an idea brewing in his mind. "Come on men I have an idea."
Peter watched as Hook paced back and forth on his ship. He knew that the pirate was up to something, he was just still trying to work out what it was. He knew he did not have much longer for the sisters. But he also knew that he had to keep an eye on Hook. And he trusted the chief to figure out how to get them back home safely.
"Meddling women. They have cursed me in getting my revenge again on Peter Pan." Hook cursed
Peter laughed at the captain, he enjoyed the parleying they had together. But now he was after his new friends, and he knew that Hook would not care what happened even if he knew what was about to happen to them. He just hoped he figured it out before it was to late.
"Prue. What are we going to do?"
"I don't know Phoebe. What I would like to know is, why are you getting younger faster then Piper and I?"
"Because she has kept her innocents and childhood spirit longer then you two."
They turned around and saw Peter standing behind them his hands on his hips.
"So that means what?"
"Phoebe is the baby of the family right. The babies are always the first ones to go younger. At least that's what we have noticed."
"We?" Prue asked with concern and curiosity
"The Chief and I. All the ones that come here that don't belong."
"Like us." Piper said as she shifted Phoebe on her lap
"Yup. You three came to Never Land and you aren't suppose to be here."
"So maybe there's a reason we are here." Piper stated
"Or a demon just sent us here knowing what would happen." Prue added.
"So we figure out who it is. Can't be that hard can it?"
"Ok first off Piper we are in a strange land. Secondly we don't have the BOS. And thirdly."
"Third. You have a third?" Piper looked wondering what could be worse then the first two.
"Thirdly. Our spell writer is looking about eight yrs old right now, and is fast a sleep in your arms." Prue said looking down at Phoebe.
Piper looked down at her sleeping sister in her arms. "Ok so we worry about her first and then work out the rest."
"Ok." Prue stood up and picked up Phoebe from Pipers arms, careful not to wake her.
--- ----
They sat outside one of the entrances to hangman's tree and tried to figure out what they were going to do, with the help of Peter and the Indians.
"So. Basically the longer we stay here the younger we get."
"Yup. There are a few of the lost boys that came here much the same way you did. They just appeared. Then we noticed after a day or two they started regressing and getting younger and smaller."
"And it effects each person differently?"
"Yeah. We found as in Phoebes case, the ones that held onto their youth as adults were the fastest to go."
"Is there a stop point. Or am I going to be packing around my baby sister. Literally."
"No she will stop. We found with family they keep the age differences."
"So no matter what age Phoebe stops at we will always be five years apart?" Prue concluded
"If that's the difference yes. Or it maybe Piper that stops first. But usually it is the youngest."
"So what are we looking at her. Six seven?" Prue inquired
"Maybe. But I have seen younger."
"Younger?" Piper panicked.
"How much younger?" Prue questioned
"Don't know. I've seen five."
"Ok Phoebe at five once was bad enough. I don't want to go through that again." Piper argued as she looked down at Phoebe
"No argument from me." Prue added.
"Ok all we can do now is try and figure out something to fix this. And then we can get home." Piper suggested though not really sure of herself
"Just be careful of Hook. After what you did Prue he will want revenge. Not to mention he is constantly looking to get me."
"Well you shouldn't have thrown his hand to the Croc." Piper told him
"Maybe. But it was fun."
Prue and Piper shared a look before laughing.
Prue and Piper sat outside watching the other Lost Boys playing. They had each noticed, some time ago, that not all the Lost Boys were boys. There were some girls in the crowd.
"Prue you think they are witches too?"
"I would say. What better way to get rid a witch or two. You send them here so they regress in age and they are no longer a problem to you."
"But don't demons usually want to kill us? To get our powers?"
"That would make sense. Maybe this demon can't kill witches. Maybe he only sends them here."
"What so you think maybe he sends them so another demon can kill them?"
"Maybe. Why else would he or she send us here and not just try and kill us?"
"Or." Piper said as she thought of another reason.
"Or?"
"Well what if they send us here to weaken our powers. And then he or she sends another demon to kill us."
"So you're thinking that the longer we stay and the younger we get our powers get weaker. Therefore making us easier to kill?"
"Yeah it makes sense right?"
"Piper I think you could be on to something there."
"Yeah well that's all great but now what?"
"Now what what? What are you two talking about?"
"Hey Phoebs. Sleep well?"
"Yeah. Why do I feel like I really needed that nap?"
"Long story honey. Come here and we'll fill you in." Prue said as she held out her arms to her little sister.
Prue felt how much lighter that Phoebe had gotten even over the time she had taken a nap. So once Phoebe was filled in on what they thought was going on the three of them decided to try and figure everything out. Using what Prue and Piper had already thought of.
"So how much longer do you think we will be able to think like adults?"
"No way of telling Phoebs. It could be in a few days or it could be over night."
"So we wait?"
"All we can do. Until then we stick together." Prue said
That night they had all curled up on the one little bed. By the end of the day Phoebe was around the size she was at the age of seven. On that Prue was somewhat happy. It meant that her regression was slowing down. She figured Piper was around the eleven mark and herself about thirteen fourteen from what Piper and Phoebe had told her.
--- ----
Early in the morning, as the sun was rising above Skull rock. Prue opened her eyes and immediately felt the presence of her sister's missing. "Piper? Phoebe?"
"They went up top." Came the small voice.
"Thank you."
"Is Phoebe going to stay and be our mother?"
"I don't know." Prue said as she pulled the small boy to her lap.
"She's getting smaller. Like we all did."
"Yes she is."
"Can you be our mother?"
"I don't know. We may have to leave soon."
He looked down at his hands and whispered quietly, "That's ok. Wendy left too. And so did the other."
"I'm sorry." She said, "you say they went outside?"
"Yeah. Be careful of Hook though. He's sneaky codfish."
Prue laughed, "Yeah. So I've heard." She said as she put him down and climbed up the ladder.
"Piper I have to go now."
"Ok Phoebe. Just a bit further."
"Why not here?"
"Because we are to close to the tree."
"Ok but not much further right?"
"Right. Now come on." Piper said as she pulled her sister hand. Piper could not believe what had happened over night. Just when her and Prue thought that Phoebe had almost stopped her sister had gotten even younger overnight. And as Phoebe got younger, so did Prue and herself.
"Are you done?"
"Hang on a second would you? Geesh."
--- ----
"Cap'in I don't know bout this."
"Smee I did not ask for your opinion. Now go."
Smee motioned for the men beside him as he moved quietly through the brush.
--- ----
"Piper."
"Yeah."
"Are we ever going to figure this out. I mean I hate having to feel like I'm a little kid."
"Phoebs you will always be a little kid. No matter what we do or where we go. Why do you think we brought you to Disneyland for your birthday?" Piper said as he took her sisters hand.
"I know but this is different."
"Phoebe you will always be a kid. And that is one of the things we love about you. Know come on before Prue starts to worry."
As Piper and Phoebe walked down the path back to the Hangman's tree they hadn't heard the noises in the brush all around them
The Lost boys had been playing in and around their home as Prue came out from below. For them it was a safe place. They knew the sounds of the forest better then anyone. Prue looked around and could not see her sisters anywhere. "Piper. Phoebe?"
"They went over there."
"Yeah that way."
"I think little Phoebe had to go pee."
Prue couldn't help but laugh at the comment as she headed in the direction her sisters where suppose to go in. But as she stepped towards the brush she was quickly knocked down by a running figure.
All she heard was the hysteria in his voice as he ran to the tree looking for Peter. At least that was what she thought he was saying. She looked up and spotted the Indian speaking quickly to the leader of the Lost Boys.
She made her way to Peter as the Indian continued to chatter quickly.
"Peter. What's going on?"
"Hold on."
"No, what is going on? He came from the direction that Piper and Phoebe went. Now tell me."
Peter hesitated a moment before even he realized that he needed to tell her, "Feather Eagle and some other braves where hunting in the forest."
"So."
"They saw Hook and Smee sneaking around."
"Get to the point Pan." She ordered. Fearing what he would say
"They saw him with two small girls that Feather Eagle could only guess where your sisters."
"So what. You are telling me? That Hook has my sisters?"
Peter looked at her with a sympathetic smile. "Yeah. I'm sorry Prue."
