"Feel better?" Peter asked as he pulled away to inspect Jackie's face.

"Yeah." Jackie smiled as she turned to the fire again.

"Good." said Peter as he crossed his arms uncomfortably. Jackie pursed her lips and twiddled her fingers, while Peter cleared his throat and rocked awkwardly.

"So..." Jackie began.

"They're dancing now." Peter started.

"Yes they are." nodded Jackie.

Peter sighed. "Looks like fun."

"Sure does." Jackie agreed as she watched couples dancing at another fire across from their fire.

They just sat there, sitting awkwardly, watching the happy couples dancing and smiling. Jackie thought of Ryan, but Peter's mind was devoted to Jackie. Should he tell her that he loved her? She might freak out, since she had only known him for 4 hours. Perhaps he should ask her to dance before he told her. That way, if she said she didn't love him back, he could pretend he didn't hear. But, how to ask her? What if she said no? What if she got upset again cried for Ryan? Oh...how he hated Ryan...

"Paint time!" Tiger Lily yelled as she drooped in front of them. Peter's thoughts jumbled as he jumped from Tiger Lily's loud interruption. She smiled and put her paint on the ground, pulling out her brush and dipping it in red paint. Jackie giggled as Tiger Lily painted a red line across her face. Next, she put a blue dot on her forhead, and a white line from her lip to her chin.

She scooted to Peter and painted the same designs on his face, but he had a black line instead of a white one. Jackie sat back and watched. Tiger Lily had the same painting on her face. "What does that mean?" asked Jackie.

"The red line stands for youth." answered Tiger Lily. "And the white or black line stands for being a girl or boy. The blue dot means you are not married. I wasn't going to put anything religious on your face, so I just put this on you."

Jackie gasped as an Indian man came from behind her and placed a headdress upon her head. She smiled and felt the beads hanging at the sides of her face. She couldn't really tell what it looked like, but Jackie didn't care. She saw the same Indian putting a headdress on Peter, but his seemed more masculine.

When Tiger Lily finished, Peter smiled at Jackie. He never noticed how pretty she looked in the fire light...

"Jackie, can I ask you something?" asked Peter nervously. Here I go...

"Sure!" said Jackie happily. At least she wasn't sad anymore.

"Um...you see, I uh, Iwasjustwonderingifummaybeyousortawantedtodancewithumme!?" Peter gushed.

"..what?" asked Jackie with a laugh.

"Do you...want to...dance...with...um...me?" Peter said slower than before.

He saw sorrow flash through Jackie's eyes. Ryan... she thought silently to herself. "Umm..."

"It's fine." Peter said suddenly as he stood up.

"No, Peter, wait--"

"No really, I understand. You have a boyfriend." Peter said sadly as he turned on his heel and started to walk away.

"No! Peter, I didn't mean--"

"Jackie, look, I get it!" Peter spat as he walked farther.

"No you don't! Peter...it's not you!" Jackie called.

But Peter ignored her. He bit his lip to fight back tears. He was so stupid! Thinking she would dance with him...dumb. He wasn't thinking. He didn't want to hear her say no.

Jackie stood awestruck in place. She felt horrible, worse than she felt about Ryan. She turned away from Peter and sat back down. Her eyes drifted to the couples dancing. She stared at their forheads. Some had red dots on their forheads...others had blue. Jackie sighed.

What are you doing, stupid girl? Go after him! her heart screamed.

Don't you dare! her common sense argued. You have a boyfriend. Remember your promise? You promised not to fall for him, and that's exactly what you are doing! Don't even look that way!

Jackie's logic and feelings fought inside, causing her to feel like throwing up. But then again, Peter was her friend, regardless of her feelings. He was hurt! He comforted her, now she needed to comfort him.

Jackie stood up and rushed into the woods after Peter. "Peter!" she yelled loudly, the whole rest of the universe melting away.

Peter froze and turned around. Jackie was running after him, a tear staining her face that matched the one she had shed for Ryan. He softened and started to walk her way. She slammed into his chest, Peter's heart fluttering as he wrapped his arms around her. His lips were centimeters away from her forhead, and it took all the strength he had to keep himself from kissing her.

"Peter..." she sighed as she pulled away. Peter groaned silently to himself. He wanted to hold her longer.

"Peter, I'm so sorry!" she gushed, another tear sparkling her other cheek.

"It's fine! I understand, Ryan's more important than me." Peter mentally slapped himself. That was a horrible choice of words.

"It's not that he's more important than you!" Jackie yelled. "He's my boyfriend!"

"I know!" Peter screamed back.

"I don't love you!" Jackie screeched. She immediately stepped back, squeezing her eyes shut and wincing. She could not believe she just said that.

Peter felt as if he had just been stabbed. He couldn't help it: a tear formed in his eye.

"I don't love you either!" he cried, the tear dripping down his face.

Jackie's face splattered with three more tears. Peter growled and whipped around, storming away and letting his tears fall freely.

"Peter..." she whispered. "Peter...Peter!!"

Peter ignored her cries and quickened his pace. Jackie started walking slowly after him. "Peter! Peter! Peter, please come back!"

"Leave me alone!" Peter shouted angrily.

"Peter, Peter...Peter come back!" Jackie called desperately. She sank to the ground and buried her face in her hands, sobbing loudly.

Peter stopped. Just the sound of Jackie crying made him freeze up and want to punch whoever could have done such a rotten thing. His first thought was to run back to her. To scoop her up in his arms and hold her as close to his chest as possible. He thought of kissing her. His body shivered with longing.

Then he let another tear fall. That will never happen. It was nothing but a fantasy. She said it plain as day: she didn't love him. Peter sniffed loudly and shot into the sky. He didn't care where he went, but he had to get away. Away from her. Away from heartache.

Jackie sobbed on the ground, alone and vulnerable. "I love you Peter...Peter...come back...I didn't mean it...I didn't...I love..." Jackie whispered to herself. But the words meant nothing. There was no one to hear. Peter wasn't there to hear he was loved. She was all by herself.

Suddenly, Jackie felt something hard smash into the back of her head. She cried out in pain and fell forwards. She slowly slipped in and out of consciousness, hearing only muffled voices and threatening sounds. She was stuffed crudely into a bag and then...

It all went black.

"Peter..."

No new chapters, sorry. Just a little note. Ch.11 has been written. Please stay tuned! In Ch.11. Peter begins to wonder why his woman companions never want to stay in Neverland with him... R&R

-- Risea Moone