"Smee! I want them found. They can not do anything as children." Hook snarled at his first mate.
"Right away Cap'in."
As the pirates once again made there way through the docks to shore as Hook planned on how to rid himself of the witches and Peter Pan.
"Same as before Cap'in?"
"Of course Smee. As long as we have the Lost Boys they will not try anything, not that they can. As children now they have forgotten all about their magic. I saw the fear in the young ones eyes when I told her about the demons and witches. I don't think she really believed me, but she had a hidden fear."
They approached the tree with caution for their own fear of what may happen. They all knew how cunning Pan could be, not to mention the Indians.
--- ----
Phoebe stayed hidden behind Peter's leg as she looked at the two women that used to be her sisters and she felt her own fear of the unknown. Usually things didn't bother Phoebe. She was the one sister that looked danger in the face. Piper would shy away and Prue would be brave but try not to get into the danger in the first place. But now she wasn't sure what to think. Her two sisters had grown right before her eyes. She thought it was still them standing there looking at her, but she didn't want to believe it. After all these were grown-ups, and her sisters were not.
Prue took a step forward, "Phoebe. Come here sweetie." Prue said as she held out her arms to the small child before her, but her sister only hid behind Peter more.
"Prue I think you're scaring her."
"Piper she's my sister. How can she be scared of me?" Prue asked but not taking her eyes off Phoebe.
"Well I don't know. A five-year-old just saw her two older sisters become adults. What would you do?"
"Ok fine, what do you suggest?"
"I don't know." Piper said defeated. They had to get Phoebe to come to them before they could do anything about getting her back to normal. "Ok hang on." Piper took a step forward and sat down on the floor. "Phoebs. I know you're scared right now. Which for you is pretty strange. Especially after what you did to that mean old pirate. You were so brave. I wish I could be brave like that."
Prue watched as Piper spoke to Phoebe. She watched as her baby sister slowly came out from behind Peter. Though she could still see that he sister was not totally convinced.
"Phoebs do you remember when you showed me how to make water balloons? And we dropped them down on Prue and Andy." Piper said, "Or the time that I caught you and your friend Marcia sneaking in the house and putting whip cream in Prues bed?"
"What!" Prue yelled out in surprise "That was her?"
"Prue. Not helping." Piper glared at her sister
Phoebe listened to Piper as she spoke and slowly came out from behind her hidding spot, and sat on her sisters' lap. Resting her head against her chest.
"Piper what happen to you and Pwue?"
"Well honey," Piper started as she wrapped her arms around the small frame. "We aren't suppose to be here."
"But you all grown up."
"Yes. And so are you. See it's the magic of the land we are in. It makes the kid in you come out, so much so that you turn back into a child. And we need the grown up Phoebe to come back to us so we can all go home."
"Phoebe stay with Peter Pan?"
"No honey. Prue and I need you. We need you to help us fight the bad men."
"Like that mean 'ol pirate?"
Piper laughed as she pulled Phoebe closer, "Yeah Phoebs. Just like that mean old pirate."
"Phoebs we also need you to remember the other mean old pirates. Do you remember the bad men that we fought and sent away?" Prue asked as she sat on the floor in front of Piper and Phoebe.
"Yeah."
"Well we need big Phoebs help to keep doing that. I know its hard honey but you need to let go of that child inside of you." Prue reached out her hand to Phoebe wanting to assure that every thing was ok, to protect her as she always had.
Phoebe took Prues hand and her small world turned black and white. Each sister recognizing the signs of a premonition right away and waited for her to come back.
She opened her eyes and quickly leaped up into Prues arms holding her tight around the neck.
"Phoebs. What did you see honey?"
"That bad man. He took you away. And then he dropped you in the water." She cried as she still held onto Prue.
Prue looked up at Piper,
"Hook." Piper said as she ran her hand over Phoebes back to try and calm her.
"Ok Phoebs. I'm not going anywhere. We won't let that happen."
"Promise?"
"Always." Prue said as she wiped away Phoebes tears. "Now what do you say the three of us go for a little walk?" Prue wanted to get the big Phoebe to come back out. And the only way she could think of was to go after Hook and get her to remember who and what they are.
"And after we get home," Prue looked at Piper, "we can discuss the whip cream incident."
Piper tried to suppress a smile but she couldn't as the three of them headed up top.
Hook watched as the two grown women and a small child walked away from the tree.
"Smee?"
"Cap'in?"
"Why are they adults again?" he snarled
"I don't know Cap'in. Maybe it's not them. Maybe those are new witches."
"SMEE! It is them. Now get those boys and let's get on with this."
Like so many years before, the pirates grabbed each boy as he came out of the tree to play. After capturing most of them they made their way back to the ship. Hook knowing that the three witches would not resist helping the innocents. And having Pan come and help would be an added bonus. But this time Hook would be ready.
"Prue do you really think this is such a good idea?"
"Have you got another one Piper?"
"No. But if she doesn't remember us being witches. Then don't you think taking her into a possible dangerous situation is a bit risky?"
"I'm hoping that between the two of us we can protect her. And that she will remember and the real Phoebe will come back."
"Yeah well she needs to let go of the child in her."
"Yeah well that could be part of the problem. It has and always will be in her."
Phoebe walked between her two sisters her hand hanging firmly to Prues. She would do anything she could to prevent what she saw from happening. And right then she just hung on to her sister.
"There it is Prue. Now what?" Piper asked, as they maintained hidden.
"Now. Now we go and show Mr. Hook what real power can do." Prue said as they hid behind some crates watching the movement on the pirate ship.
"I don't think so witch."
Prue spun around in time to see the fist heading right at her. She went to dodge it but she was not quick enough as it came down hard to the side of her head sending her flying.
"PWUE!" Phoebe yelled as she ran to her sister.
"Prue!" Piper hollered, as she froze the pirate that hit her sister.
Phoebe had almost reached her sister when she felt herself being lifted off the ground. "Put me down." She yelled as she tried to kick him
Piper was about to freeze the second pirate, that had picked up Phoebe, as well when she too felt her world go black.
"You know what to do with them. I think Hook wants a little chat with our little friend here." he said as he tossed Phoebe under his arm and carried her back to the ship. Leaving the other pirates with two unconscious witches.
Phoebe kicked at the pirate that carried her away from her sisters. She just wanted to go back to them. With them she felt safe. She tried to look behind her to see what the others were doing to them but she couldn't see. She needed to help them she had to help them. But what could she do. She was only five years old. She needed a grown up. That was when she realized. She was a grown up. She could save her sisters. But how?
She did the only thing that most kids her age could think of when someone held you that you wanted to let go. She clamped her jaw down and squeezed hard on the arm that held her tight.
"Ow!! Why you little brat!" He hollered as he dropped her to the ground. He was about to grab her when he felt the sharp pain in his lower leg as she connected hard to his shin. He spun to reach her but she was gone. The next thing he felt was the hard impact of her feet connecting with his chest. Sending him sailing backwards into the water.
"I..I can't swim." He managed to get out as he struggled to stay above the surface.
The swinging rope once again came down towards the dock, where Phoebe let go and dropped to the dock lightly. Grabbing a life ring she tossed it at him
"Then you really shouldn't be a pirate Mister." She smiled at him as she ran away leaving him hanging on to the life ring.
He watched as the five-year-old ran away from him, knowing what would happen when Hook found out.
She ran down the dock to where she had seen her sisters last but they were not there.
"Ok Phoebe think." She said to herself as she looked around. Phoebe slid down a crate. As she cried for sisters. After a few moments she wiped her tears.
"Ok Phoebe be brave. Like Pwue would. You can find them." Achoo. "Oh no."
"Phoebe you can not stay here."
"Peter? What are you doing here?"
"I followed you. I can help you."
"They took Pwue and Piper, Peter"
"I need to get the Lost Boys back and I can help you get your sisters back." He said as he reached his hand down to the small child before him he knew inside even as a child she was a fighter and that she would do anything to help her sisters. "Come with me." He took her hand and ran down the dock towards the ship.