AN: *Awkward cough* Um, so uh, please don't assemble an angry mob on me. I'm allergic to pitchforks . . . and torches . . .

And fear.

Chapter 14.

"Just give it up," Peter said, rolling his eyes. "The horse isn't here."

Amy shot him a glare. "I believe I still have forty-five minutes left for me to look, as part of our agreement. So hush."

He smirked. "Where, oh where could he be?"

She stopped walking and faced him, scowling. "If you're not going to help me, then you can just go wait for me somewhere."

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Just why is this so important to you?"

She gave him a weird look. "It's possible to care about someone without there being any evil motives, you know." Without waiting for an answer, she began her search again. With a sigh, he followed.

He'd followed her as she went to person after person in the village, begging for information on a black horse that might have wandered or ran through by itself. Everyone's answer was the same.

"Sorry, but no." This was the only one who sounded genuinely sorry as he eyed her. Peter moved his focus back to Amy, trying to ignore it.

"Fuck!" Amy said in exasperation.

The younger man raised his eyebrows in astonishment. No "lady" would dare to use language like that, especially out in public so loudly.

Which is why Peter knew he should have understood when the man looked at Peter and asked, "How much?"

Peter clenched his fists, his breathing growing heavier as he glared at the man. "Not. For. Sale," he spat through gritted teeth.

The young man immediately shrank back and took off. Peter toyed with the idea of using magic to strike him down, but was distracted when Amy tugged at his arm.

"How much for what?" she asked, giving Peter a confused look. "What's not for sale?"

He almost cracked a smile. "Don't worry about it," he said lazily, tugging a lock of her hair.

Her eyes widened. "Did you just-?" she cut herself off, touching her hair, looking somewhat awed.

He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Am I not allowed to touch your hair? You had no problem with me touching you last night."

Her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of pink and she began walking again. "Evil method," she muttered under her breath. She froze in her tracks and said, "Wait, did he think I was a prostitute!?"

"You caught on quickly," he commented mockingly, trying to ignore the rage boiling in the pit of his stomach. He shouldn't be this angry. Why would it matter to him if someone wanted her? But it did matter and it was bothering him to no end.

Ignoring the horrified look on her face, he said, "As fun as this is, I'll just wait for you at the stables."

Without waiting for an answer, he walked past her, heading back to the barn. He needed to be alone, away from her and her smile for a bit before he started thinking even more dangerous thoughts.

Peter paced the beach, waiting impatiently for his shadow to return. It had been nearly seven and a half years since Amy had gone to Earth. Now after a year and a half of checking up on her frequently, or sending his shadow to do it when he couldn't leave the island, she had finally called for him.

She had run away that morning to go to Maine, which he knew meant that the block in her mind had weakened enough that Storybrooke had started pulling her towards it until she couldn't handle it anymore. Which meant that her own magic was returning and soon it would be easy enough to help her put the pieces back together.

He hadn't known she had magic. It had shocked him as much as it did her when she accidentally attacked the man she lived with. Though, admittedly, he shouldn't have been surprised. She'd been stuck with a mother who was obsessed with magic for years. Exactly how many years it was for her, he'd never know. Time worked differently between all of the realms, especially in a place like Wonderland. Then there was the business with that curse. It had to have screwed everything up even more.

At least Cora was dead now. She'd tried to keep them apart, but failed miserably. And soon both Amy and the Heart of the Truest Believer would be on Neverland.

Pan never fails.

Finally he felt it. The shadow had re-entered Neverland, and it wasn't alone.

Peter's heart raced in anticipation as the shadow grew closer. Of course, he was completely prepared for multiple possibilities and several different reactions from Amy and how he would deal with them.

What he wasn't prepared for, however, was the sight of her limp body being carelessly carried by his shadow.

He scrunched his eyebrows as the shadow floated down to him. "What happened?" he demanded.

The shadow said nothing. Instead, he let go of Amy with one hand and put it on Peter's forehead, allowing him to see what he had seen through his glowing eyes.

In the past couple years, he had personally been keeping an eye on Amy. He had never once seen her come even close to shedding a tear. Not when she was feeling particularly lonely, or when she was being screamed at. Not when she'd used magic for the first time and had looked so confused and scared he'd nearly revealed himself so he could explain it to her. He'd already been on the verge of it with the way that man was talking to her and pushing her.

Peter had lost his temper before. No one had ever lived to describe what it was like, other than Felix. It was rare. He'd always remained collected, knowing that his patience would reward him.

Now, as he saw her lying on a dirty bed, drugged and helpless, while being pinned underneath some boy with some tears running down her face . . .

Anger didn't even begin to cover what he was feeling.

"Must have been the wind," the boy said, staring at the window, unconcerned. His hands started to go back to her pants just as the shadow launched itself at him then, throwing him into the wall. There was a cracking sound and the boy began moaning in pain

Amy's eyes darted around the room, though the effort to keep them open seemed to be hard. "Who's there?" she whimpered.

The shadow dropped from the ceiling and she stared at it, looking terrified yet almost fascinated. It reached out to her and her fingers twitched slightly, as if she were attempting to lift it.

"I can't move," she whispered, her eyes shutting. "I can't . . ."

Peter snapped back to the present and the shadow removed his hand.

"You were supposed to keep her safe!" Peter bellowed. "I sent you to watch over her!"

"I've said that we could not interfere," it replied in its cruel and mocking way. "Now look, she's come to you."

He fumed, wanting nothing more than to be able to re-attach it or burn it. But as much as he loathed to admit it, it was right in a way. He needed to wait until she was ready.

"Give her to me," he snapped. "Then go. The boy will be here in a couple days and we need to be ready."

"As you wish." It carelessly deposited Amy into his arms before it flew off.

Peter immediately cradled her against him, much more carefully than how the shadow had held her. She felt soft and warm, every curve of her body fitting against his perfectly. She shifted ever so slightly, making him freeze for a moment. But she hadn't woken up. She'd snuggled closer against him, her face relaxing.

He knew that peaceful look on her face would be gone the second she woke up. She wouldn't come to him right away. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?" he tsked, his fingers stroking her cheek. "But I wouldn't want the game any other way." He brushed his lips against her forehead. "Don't make us play for too long though or I might have to cheat."

He pinpointed the Lost Boys' exact location and vanished, reappearing in a small clearing they would be coming across shortly. He carefully laid her on the ground and grinned cockily. "Let's see what you and the Lost Boys make of each other."

Amy's P.O.V

I searched for Demon with no luck. After I got mistaken for a prostitute, Peter gave up trying to help me and went back to the barn. I kept looking though, going as far as to look in the woods nearby. But nothing. Demon was so fast he'd probably run himself into a different realm by now.

Miserably, I had no choice but to come back to the stables where I found Peter sitting against the wall, fast asleep. It made me smile. His eyes were shut and his mouth was slightly agape. I had to fight back the temptation to snuggle up to him.

Instead, I sat next to him and began shaking his shoulder. "Peter?" I shook slightly harder. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

He woke up with a jolt, panting angrily as he whipped his head around as if he was searching for something. He looked confused and furious, squinting his eyes as if trying to recall something.

"Peter?" I said uncertainly, touching his arm.

His head snapped to look at me and I flinched back at the look on his face. "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded, shaking in rage.

I opened my mouth and closed it, unsure of whether he'd truly lost it or not. "I was looking for Demon, remember?"

"Don't lie to me!" he snarled. "I saw what he did!"

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "Who what did?"

"He was trying to hurt you!" he hissed, gripping my shoulders.

The sickened, even scared, look on his face tore through me. I wanted to hold him so badly, help him through whatever nightmare he'd had like he used to do for me. But I didn't know if he'd let me.

I settled for stroking his cheek. "No one hurt me, Peter."

"No!" he shouted, making me jump. "It was real!"

My heart began to pound and I began to wonder if this was more than just a dream. I hesitantly moved closer to him and rubbed his shoulder as gently as I could. "What did you see?"

He clenched his eyes shut and he shook his head looking frustrated. "I don't remember. But there was a boy . . ." His eyes flickered to my face. "He was trying to force himself on you."

The blood drained from my face, which he noticed immediately. "I'm right, aren't I?" he demanded, his eyes lighting up in triumphant.

I swallowed. "Yes. It happened about three weeks ago."

Although he'd been convinced he was right, he still look stunned at being told so. "How did I just see it then?" he asked quietly.

"You tell me," I whispered.

Peter slammed his fist onto the ground. "I don't know!" he shouted. "I don't know why I saw that and I don't know why I care!"

He ran a hand through his hair and let his head fall back against the wall. He stared at nothing, a hard expression on his face. This had happened so fast. I was completely unprepared for how to handle this or guide him through it without scaring him off.

But I didn't want to do this carefully, or think about what this Peter would want from me. I wanted to do what my Peter would want.

Slowly, I shifted from my spot on the ground and sat sideways onto his lap. His eyes moved to mine, but he didn't react in any other way. Somewhat encouraged by this, I tucked my head underneath his chin and wrapped my arms around him.

Then I waited. Waited for him to reject me, or accept me.

He chose option C.

"How can you do this?" he asked, sounding nonchalant. "After what almost happened to you, and after everything I've done to you, you just . . . trust me."

"There's a lot of evil, Peter," I whispered. "I've seen it, I've been hurt by it, and I've watched it hurt others." I lifted my head up and stared into his blue-green eyes. "And I know that there's evil in you." I swallowed and smiled weakly. "But I know there's good too. I've seen it."

"You actually think I could be 'good'?" he said slowly and disbelieving. "That I could just give up everything I've been working for . . . for you?"

I buried my face against his neck. "I believe in you, Peter Pan," I whispered.

His breath caught slightly, and slowly his arms went around me. Almost cautiously, his hand went to my chin and he tilted my head up, his eyes fixating on my mouth in anticipation.

My lips didn't even touch his when another voice spoke up.

"Oh the joys and trials of young love."

Peter and I jumped apart, looking behind us to see the last person either of us ever expected in a barn spying on us.

Rumplestiltskin stood across the barn, patting a horse with a wicked grin on his face. Fear shot through me as I stared at this terrifying creature. This wasn't the man I'd met on Neverland. This was the one I had seen as a child, the one who had taken Belle as a prisoner.

And without the dagger to get the Dark One's powers, Peter wouldn't try to kill him.

"How the hell did you get free!?" Peter snarled, jumping to his feet as I scrambled to mine.

He twirled his finger to point at me. "You have her to thank for that." Peter whipped his head to look at me. I could only stare in astonishment. "I must say, I've been dying to meet you. Amy, isn't it?" He began to stroll, his hands behind his back. "I've heard a lot about you."

"From who?" I shot back.

He giggled. "From your friends, of course. The ones who got me out!" He gave a grand gesture of his hands, as if to emphasize his freedom.

Peter stared at me, rage clouding his eyes. Even if he hadn't known it, deep down he'd trusted me. Now it looked like I'd broken it.

"I didn't tell them to do that!" I snapped, though that had been my original plan. "Felix isn't even my friend!"

Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows, making a face. "Then what is he?"

"Don't fucking get me started," I muttered darkly, silently cursing Felix for the millionth time for doing this.

He laughed again. "Ooh, I think I like you, dearie! How is it that you let yourself get wrapped up with the likes of him?" He nodded his head towards Peter, grimacing dramatically.

I glared at him. I don't know how much he knew, or what Serena and Felix told him to strike a deal, but he knew that Peter wasn't himself and he was taking full advantage of that.

He sighed loudly. "I mean it's no wonder you've been plotting against him."

Peter's eyes flashed. "What is he talking about?" he hissed.

My eyes widened. "It's not what you think!" I pleaded. He couldn't be doing this. He was trying to turn Peter against me. What the hell did Felix and Serena do to make him think that this was fine with them?

Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes, looking almost disapproving. "Wake up, dear boy, she's been lying to you this whole time."

"No I haven't!" I insisted. "I mean I have, but it's not like that!"

Peter stared at me with betrayal. "All those pretty little words were just to keep me from succeeding. You don't care about me." He jaw clenched, looking at me with disgust. "You were just trying to save your own skin."

"That's not true!" I reached for him but he pushed my hands away.

Rumplestiltskin grinned widely. "Of course they were just words. After all, we're villains." His voice lowered darkly. "And villains don't get happy endings."

"Don't you dare listen to him!" I shouted. "Don't!" Peter turned away and I grabbed his arm. "Peter, I love you-!"

I didn't feel it when it came. I just saw his hand before my head whipped to the side. All I could do was stare at the ground, my hand cradling my cheek where I knew I should have felt a stinging pain. But everything felt numb.

Slowly, I lifted my head back to look at Peter, who stared at his hand with wide eyes as he breathed heavily.

"Please come back to me," I whispered, backing away. "I know you're still in there."

I heard Rumplestiltskin laugh, followed by the snapping of fingers. Then I vanished from the barn in a puff of smoke.

I kept my eyes shut for a long time, unwilling to look to see where I was. Somewhere outside, I knew that. I could feel the cool air and a couple crickets chirping. It felt calming. Familiar.

The galloping of horses caught my attention and I forced myself to open my eyes. I was smack in the center of a dirt road, surrounded by the forest. Up ahead were some horses charging towards me at top speed with knights riding them, pulling a black carriage.

I tried to move, but my legs didn't seem to feel like working properly. They gave out and I found myself scrambling backwards with my hands, which were shaking as bad as my legs.

The horses and carriage sped by me, narrowly missing my feet. I relaxed slightly, until I heard a knight yell, "Yah!", resulting in the horses halting immediately.

I stared blankly as a knight jumped off the horse and went to the carriage, opening the door. A moment later, a woman in dark, purple regal clothing stepped out. My eyes slowly wandered from her feet up to her face, which was glaring at me. Breathing suddenly became a struggle as I tried to grasp the reality of what was happening.

My older sister narrowed her eyes. "Why are you trespassing on my land?"

Third Person P.O.V

"Well that was dramatic!"

Peter could only stare at his hand, not listening to the Dark One. He'd hit her. He had snapped and he hurt her.

But she was a liar, wasn't she? She'd manipulated him, trying to get his sympathy so that he'd fall for her and choose not to become the Dark One. He should feel satisfied that he'd gotten some kind of revenge, especially now that she was gone, away from him, somewhere. But he didn't. He felt like he was going to get sick.

Finally he looked at Rumple, who seemed looked sinisterly pleased. "So what are you waiting for?" Peter snapped. "Go ahead and try to kill me!" He didn't have the dagger and he wasn't strong enough to kill Rumplestiltskin, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.

"See, I would," Rumplestiltskin said with a sigh. "But seeing you wallow all alone with nothing but your guilt to keep you company will be much more satisfying." He snapped his fingers and Peter slammed against a wall, making a horse whinny in fear. Before he could so much as blink, a blue liquid was being forced down his throat.

"Drink up, dearie!"