About time I updated, right? Heh, sorry about the wait...I've been quite distracted. It's amazing how busy you can keep yourself even on a vacation...Anyway, hope you enjoy!!! This chapter is certainly one of the longer ones, so I hope my fans are satisfied with the length this time!!! Right...here we go...

Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, or any of the original story. I only own Rebecca and anyone/thing else you don't recognize.

Chapter Ten: A Fencing Challenge

I awoke with a start to a harsh kick in my back. I cried out, felt another hard kick in the back, and I fell off the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" an angry voice demanded. I twisted around to see a furious Braith standing on the bed.

"Um, well, I was sleeping and not doing anybody else any harm-" I started, only to be cut off.

"You're doing me harm," she retorted and jumped off of the bed, causing me to wince when she landed right next to my face on the floor with a thud. I sat up and looked up at her.

"Yeah?" This girl was really starting to get on my nerves. "How am I doing you harm, Braith? What have I done to hurt you?" I said this last line in an overly dramatic fashion, purposely making it quite blatantly sarcastic. I even put the back of my hand to my forehead in a mocking manner. Of course, she only became angrier. Smart move on my part, really.

"How have you done me harm? By being here," she said through gritted teeth. I cocked up an eyebrow in confusion and looked up at her. "Don't play innocent with me, whatever your name is. I've already forgotten because it's that insignificant. Look, Peter Pan might like you, but I don't."

"Yeah, you made that pretty clear, all right," I muttered. Braith's face twisted menacingly.

"It is not okay with me for you to be here, and if it's not okay with me, then it's not okay at all. Got that?" Now I was getting angry. Who did this girl think she was? Queen around here? I got to my feet.

"Gee, Braith, I didn't know that you were the leader around here. I thought the captain was Peter Pan." She shoved me down on to the bed.

"Watch it. You don't want to mess with me, girl."

"The name is Rebecca, you remember that, and just what about me bothers you so much? Tell me, what specifically am I doing that is driving you up the wall?"

"I'm second in command to Peter. That is not going to change, so don't even start to think about taking my place because it won't happen. Peter might like you, but he can't protect you from everything. Just stay out of my way." She turned and briskly started to exit. And then she turned back to me. "And get out of my bed!"

"Oh, but Braith, I thought this was the Lost Boys' bed, a shared bed. Unless you're so brainless that you need a lesson on the word, 'share,' I think you understand." I lay back down, but she started toward me.

"Don't mess with me," she whispered dangerously. "Get out of that bed." Okay, I've got to admit, even though she was a good few years younger than I, that action freaked me out just a tad. That and the fact that she happened to be pretty much my size, not just in height, but in body, if not even stronger than I, and she was a girl who was obviously used to fighting and knew how to do so against a group of boys and probably pirates, too. I felt like such a coward, but I was not about to fight this gal. I reluctantly got up, knowing full well that I was submitting to a bully, and lay back down on the furs on the ground. I looked at her, waiting for her to do something. She just brought her eyebrows up and down again in a fashion that clearly meant something along the lines of, "That's right, that's what I thought. I'm the boss and you will listen to me." I wanted to punch her, but I just moved my jaw to the side and returned the eyebrow movement. There was a momentary tense silence, and then she left.

The next time I woke up, it was quiet and dark. The soft sleeping breaths of other youths floated to my ears, and I knew I must have awoken in the middle of the night. I looked to the fireplace to see soft embers burning low. I groaned, sat up, stretched my arms, and rose to my feet. I couldn't really see anything, so I tiptoed with my hands stretched out in front of me. I knocked into the corner of something hard, but it didn't make a sound. I felt the object cautiously, to discover that it felt like a large wooden chair with ornate carvings.

"Must be Peter's chair," I whispered. I stumbled around it, blindly feeling for the walls of the underground domain, when my left hand slipped forward and eventually landed on a soft material, like an animal fur. The material pushed forward, and I drew my hand to its side, feeling its edge. Skimming my hand over to the other side, I gathered that this was the curtain that led to Peter's room. Not wanting to go in there, I moved on along the wall until my hand felt something cold and tiny, leaf-shaped. "Another curtain?" I asked the darkness in a whisper. It was blocking a small hole. "Oh. This is probably Tinker Bell's room. Don't want to intrude there either." Feeling past that, I eventually came to accidentally push into a tunnel with my knee, but it happened to be what I was looking for anyway. I crawled into the tunnel and started to try to wriggle up. It was a tight fit, and I was having quite the hard time moving at all. "Must be the tunnel of one of the littler boys," I mused, trying again and again to squeeze my way up. It was no use. "Great. I'm stuck," I grumbled in annoyance. "Now what?"

"Yeah, there's a good chance that you'll get stuck in Lymay's tunnel," a deeper voice said softly, scaring the living begebis out of me. I knocked my head back hard against the dirt wall of the tunnel.

"Owe," I hissed in pain. I couldn't even reach a hand up to rub my head. "Great, another head bump in the same spot," I complained, remembering how I had bumped my head on my bookshelf earlier. I heard a soft chuckling noise.

"Sorry," the voice said. "Didn't mean to scare you, Rebecca."

"Peter?" I asked. At least, I assumed the voice belonged to Peter.

"Yeah?"

"Okay, it is you," I clarified to myself. He chuckled again.

"Yep, it's me."

"Well, can I get a little help here, please? I can't move."

"Oh, yeah, sure. I'm just finding it funny that you chose Lymay's tunnel of all tunnels to try to get out," he laughed, grabbing my ankles and yanking me down.

"Well, how was I supposed to know? It's too dark to see anything!" I crashed down and smashed into Peter on my way to the awaiting cushions, knocking him over and landing on top of him. Embarrassed, I quickly rolled off of him (though I couldn't help but enjoy the feeling I got every time I touched him) and sat up.

"It's not too dark when you have a lantern," he stated, sitting upright and illuminating his face with the lantern he held. I must say that his face looked a little…well, freaky in a mischievous way when only his chin was bright, his eyes fading into the shadows cast by the light. I pressed my eyebrows down and my lips together in a scowl at his advantage with that lantern, causing him to laugh again. "So, what are you doing up anyway?" he asked.

"I just woke up. Wanted to get some air, I guess. Oh, I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"Yeah, ya did. But it's okay," he added quickly in response to my apologetic look. "I wake up to the littlest movements. It's necessary when there are pirates and bears and whatnot around, ready to attack."

"Makes sense," I nodded, not feeling so guilty anymore.

"I wake up the quickest around here, being the captain and all."

"Yeah, I can understand that."

"Well, now that we're both up, are you still interested in getting that fresh air?" he asked me.

"Sure am," I said, nodding my head. He nodded back and took my hand.

"Come with me." He pulled me to a different tunnel, released my hand, and crawled inside, lantern and all. I followed him into the dark tunnel and began to wriggle my way up, which was so much easier this time around! I heard the mushroom above us start to slide back, and dirt fell into my face as Peter climbed out of the tunnel to the ground on top. I continued to wriggle up, naturally feeling very much like a worm, and then my hand gripped the top edge.

I pulled myself up and Peter grabbed my hands and pulled me the rest of the way out until I was on my feet, while he was floating in the air. I looked around me to find the dense forest seeming to glow in the moonlight. Silver flashed off of each leaf, making the foliage shimmer. Here and there were little balls of light, and I tried to decipher between fireflies and fairies. My eyes darted up to the moon and I was taken aback by its brightness. I had never seen so big and white-silver a moon, nor had I ever actually been able to be guided by its light through any forest or place before. The stars, too, were just brilliant. The ebony sky sparkled like it was a diamond in itself; there were so many stars. And they even seemed to laugh at us as they twinkled…

"Amazing. This is what happens when there's no light pollution, or very little of it, I suppose," I whispered to myself.

"Light pollution?" Peter asked me, confused.

"It's when there is so much artificial light that it blocks out the stars," I explained.

"What's artificial?"

"Oh, uh, man-made. Unnatural."

"Huh. You won't find too much of that sort of light around here," Peter commented.

"Peter, what's the most beautiful spot at night in Neverland?" I wanted to know.

"Oh, don't ask me. I don't know. Everyone has their own opinions on that, and I think it depends on what you're looking for. But, I can show you one of my favorite spots. Would you like me to do that?"

"Oh, yes Peter!" I exclaimed excitedly, clapping my hands. I stopped abruptly, surprised at how little I was acting, while thinking, 'I'm being such a girl!' But Peter just laughed.

"Rebecca, it's okay! You're in Neverland now! You're aloud to be a little kid! That's the best part about Neverland! You never grow old!" Reassured by these words, I smiled in childish glee, feeling like I was five years old again.

"Take me to your spot, Peter, please!" And my hand was enveloped in his and I was pulled into the sky. Oh, the lovely sensations of flying, feeling unlimited! The song, "Defying Gravity" from Wicked came into my head and I couldn't help singing some of it, but not before doing something that I knew only Peter Pan did. "I've gotta crow! Er-er-er-ER!" I sang from the musical version of Peter Pan. "I'm just the cleverest fellow t'was ever my fortune to know!" And I crowed again, beating my chest in the air. "Er-er-er-er!" Surprisingly, I suddenly had no respect for the sleeping creatures of Neverland, and so I hadn't a care about how loud I was being.

"Hey! You're singing about me, Rebecca! I'm the 'cleverest fellow t'was ever my fortune to know!' And you're not even a fellow. You're a girl! And I'm the one who does the crowing around here!" Peter laughed, giving me a very gentle push, and then beating his own chest and crowing. I had to admit, of course, that no one could ever crow quite like the great Peter Pan! I continued to sing that song while flipping several times in the air.

"Huh, neat song," Peter commented.

"It is from the musical performance, Peter Pan."

"There's a musical performance about me?"

"Oh yes. And there's even a puppet show, a play, a book, many movies…yep!"

"Movies? What's movies?" I shook my head.

"Never mind," I said, not knowing how to explain movies.

"Sing me another song, then."

"All right. I know a place where dreams are born and time is never planned. It's not on any chart. You must find it with your heart. Never Neverland!" Peter laughed.

"It's so true too! Do ya know any other cool songs?" I nodded. I had been dying to sing "Defying Gravity." I sang the first few lines of lyrics before I suddenly stopped, embarrassed.

"You're pretty good," Peter told me.

"I've been in voice training for the past five years," I explained, blushing.

"Voice training?"

"Uh…I have a teacher who teaches me how to sing well."

"Eh…teach? Like school?" Peter asked with a look of disgust.

"No, no, no! Teaching like having fun while you're showing someone how to do something right. Like you teaching me to fly," I said quickly, not wanting him to get the wrong idea.

"Well in that case, how do you sing like that?"

"You want me to try to show you how?"

"Yea, sure, why not?"

"Okay, then!" I was excited. I always loved to give singing tips. "Well, first you start by breathing in deeply and expanding your rib cage, like this." I demonstrated. "Here, put your hands on my ribs and you'll see…well, feel what I mean." Peter came up behind me and gently placed his hands on the sides of my ribs. I inhaled and my ribs expanded widely all around.

"All right, now what?" Peter asked.

"Now you try," I told him. He breathed and expanded his ribs fairly well. "Good. Now let some sound out."

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"Why?"

"I just wanted to know how it's done. I didn't actually want to sing."

"Have you ever sung before, Peter?"

"Um, probably. I don't know."

"Well, sing now!" He shook his head no. "Come on! Please? Don't be afraid to sing in front of me, or ever for that matter!"

"Hold it, now! I am not afraid!" he defended himself, apparently offended by the accusation. "I just don't want to sing!" I frowned, noting how he scowled, looking ahead and crossing his arms. I supposed he really didn't want to sing, and I was not about to push him to do it. I did not want Peter Pan to be cross with me, now or ever.

"All right, no problem." Silence followed, but Peter was not one to take silence for too long.

"Okay, let's go to that spot I was talking about. C'mon." He took my hand and we were flying over the beautifully lit, yet dark forest. Before I knew it, we were descending upon the cliffs of Mermaid's Lagoon. "Anywhere in Mermaid's Lagoon is fun, and pretty day and night," Peter told me.

"Indeed. It's close to where I landed before I found you again today," I said.

"Ah. Well, why don't you have a look around you?" I obliged him and observed the mystical surroundings. The moon was shining upon the water, the sea rippling underneath a deluge of purely silver light, leaving the dark surrounding water to look ominous…I wanted to dive into it. I looked at Skull Rock. 'Cowering. Wait, cowering? Not the right word! More like glowering in, well, what is the word? Glowering in trepidation? What?! Trepidation means fear, Rebecca!' Now I was rambling in my thoughts. While I contemplated a fine description of the menacing Skull Rock to write into my journal later, Peter floated down over the high, sharp cliffs to the rocks below, which looked like they were floating in the lagoon. I followed him, having finally decided on a good description for Skull Rock ('glowering in a threatening manner') when I heard it. Soft at first. I had to really listen to hear it, but then it became louder and I heard quiet singing sounds.

"Beautiful," I whispered as I landed at Peter's side on one of the rocks. "What is that? It sounds like singing, but not human voices."

"You're right about that. It isn't human voices. That would be the mermaids singing under the water," Peter informed me.

"Oh!" I said excitedly. I bent down on the rock, noticing my shimmering, rippling reflection in the clear water, and then listening closer. There were no words that I could hear in the singing, but it was like…nothing I had ever heard before. Ever. I stayed there on my hands and knees, still looking over the edge of the rock, perhaps hoping to see a mermaid. Their song continued. It was what a rainbow would sound like if it sounded like anything. It was a mix of all melodies, harmonized and combined perfectly, flowing along in liquid notes of perfection and every fathomable color.

"You really like singing, don't you?" Peter asked me, stirring me out of my thoughts.

"What? Oh, of course! I love singing! Hearing it and doing it," I agreed.

"Well, maybe you ought to sing for the Lost Boys," Peter suggested. "I like your singing. They all might like it, too. I don't see why not."

"Well…I'm not sure Braith would appreciate that sort of thing," I said reluctantly, as I would have loved to sing to them if it were not for Braith and her attitude.

"Hey, don't worry about Braith. She's just…I don't know what's with her…she's…just being Braith. Don't be afraid of her, 'cause there's really nothing to fear." I considered telling him about my incident with her earlier, but I decided to leave it be and simply nodded instead.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Don't just guess! Know it! Know it well! You have got to be tough and stick up for yourself around here. Otherwise, not only Braith and the boys, but everybody will walk all over you," Peter advised me.

"I thought the pirates walk all over you no matter what," I commented.

"That's the pirates. They're a whole different story. You're right. It is true that they walk all over everyone they can. But other than them, you can stop, say, Braith from walking all over you. All you have to do is show them that you have some backbone and will not put up with any disrespect."

"You make it sound so easy, Peter. I have never been one who is good at standing up for myself," I muttered. "Quite annoyingly inconvenient, but it's true all the same. I've had to put up with bullies all my life…I guess I'm just used to it."

"Well, you've got to try to learn to change that about yourself if you ever want to stop being a victim, and what better person to practice on than Braith?"

"Actually, Peter, I really don't want to engage her in any arguments. I just want to stay out of her way." Yes, I was submitting to her bullying, I knew, but I hated confrontations and I did not want to deal with one with her.

"Mm, I say confront her about something. Anything she does that bothers you. Don't just sit back and suck it up and deal with her. Don't be a coward!" 'But I am a coward,' I thought. 'At least, I am when it comes to people stepping all over me. If it were someone else who was the victim, things would be different. That would make it easier to stand up to the bully.'

"I suppose I'll try," I said unconvincingly to both Peter and myself.

"Hey, I can't make you try, but I still can tell you that I think you should. Rebecca?"

"Hmmm?"

"There's something I need to talk to you about." Peter took on a serious tone and my ears perked up…or rather, my listening became more alert.

"What is it, Peter? I'm listening," I informed him.

"Good, 'cause it's really important. Rebecca, while you're here, you're bound to cross paths with pirates. It happens all of the time. There's just no way to avoid it," he started.

"I don't want to avoid it, Peter," I replied. He looked at me, a surprised expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I am so looking forward to battling pirates!" I admitted enthusiastically, grinning. "I love the idea of crossing swords with some real buccaneers, as John said!" I quoted the Disney movie.

"Huh?" Peter was confused.

"John Darling? Never mind," I said in response to his blank look, waving a hand as if to erase my words.

"Well, in that case, you're gonna have twice the fun here," Peter told me with a smile. "Because I guarantee that you will cross swords with buccaneers. Many times." I gave him an excited toothy grin.

"Excellent." He chuckled.

"I like your enthusiasm. I have to admit you're surprising me. You're not the typical girl, you know. Heh, you remind me of Braith in that way. Wendy always needed protection. She was a real girly-girl. Not to mention incredibly frightened of sword combat, any combat really, and pirates!"

"Peter, you need not worry about that with me. I am not scared and I am certainly no girly-girl!" I told him firmly, but with a smile.

"Well, you are going to need to know how to fight with a sword," Peter warned me.

"I can do that. I have had some training in fencing."

"Oh have you? Are you any good?" Peter was looking mischievous now.

"Um, well, I hope so. I guess I don't really know how good I am, Peter."

"Well, then, would ya like to find out," he asked in a challenging manner, tapping the large dagger he wore on his belt.

"Sword fight with you?!" I exclaimed. I mean, I had had training and I was willing to sword fight, yes, but with the great Peter Pan of all opponents?!

"Sure." His voice was soft and cunning. I had started to hesitate, obviously, but he looked at me with that toothy evil smile of his, daring me to accept his challenge to a sword duel…just then I noticed that he did indeed still have all of his baby teeth. I wondered how that had happened when he appeared to be around 15 or 16 years of age. The baby teeth were really cute…ah, with Peter Pan's look, that wicked grin of his! How could I possibly resist a challenge?!

"But, Peter," I said in that same soft cunning fashion. "I don't have a sword." I smiled, excited myself, letting him know I was accepting his challenge to the sword duel.

"Tomorrow, then. Bright and early. We'll get you a sword." He held out his hand with an awesome devilish grin, and we shook on it.

"Tomorrow," I said.

"So be it," he replied, sealing the deal. We flew back to the hideout to get some sleep. Now my stomach was beginning to knot up and jump around about the coming sword duel with the amazing Peter Pan. And what a duel it would be.

There you have it!!!! Please, leave reviews (no flames)...THANK YOU:D