A/N: Hi readers. New chapter. Yay! It is 1:00 a.m. and I currently don't know how I feel about this chapter. I like it, but I have also been furiously revising old chapters too, so I am beat. I still plan on finishing the story, but I do plan on replacing old chapters with the revised ones. Once they are posted, I encourage you to read them. Each chapter has some change to it, some are drastic, others just add more/better details. Keep an eye out. When I post the revised chapters, I will mention it on my profile. Remember that I post updates from the story on there, so you should take a look. Thank you all for sticking through this with me. I hope to finish by the end of the year.

I wandered my way back to the docks and found Smee in a panic. "Peter! The captain is very upset. He went to get you this morning and when you weren't there, he went into a rage. You better go and—"

"There you are you fucking bastard!" Hook came storming off the ship. He reached for his gun.

"Calm down, Hook," I replied nonchalantly. "I'm here now, so just cool it. I'm ready to go, see? I have my pixie dust and everything."

"Alright then," Hook said, taken aback. He re-holstered his gun. "Let's get going." Hook walked back up onto the ship to get his things. All of a sudden Smee and I heard, "What they hell, Nate! How dare you disrespect your father in such a way?! That is very bad form." Hook once again stormed off the ship, this time with Slightly in tow.

Shit, I thought. I saw Nibs run down after him crying. "Hook, please. I'm sorry! He's my best friend, don't hurt him."

"Oh dear," Smee mumbled. "Captain, give the boys a break. I'm sure they meant no harm."

Hook rolled his eyes and started towards the forest. He didn't say anything, so everyone just followed.

We reached the base of the mountain and began to climb. We couldn't use the pixie dust until we got to the top, because we didn't have enough. Everyone remained quiet on the hike up for fear of pissing off Hook. Mount Never was a long hike, and when we finally reached the point where we needed to use the pixie dust, we were all exhausted.

"Come on, Pan. Hand over that dust," Hook heaved trying to catch his breath in the thin air.

I untied the small pouch from around my belt loop and opened up the bag. "This is all I have, so you can't screw it up. In order to make the pixie dust work, you need to have a happy thought." I sprinkled some dust on myself. "You don't need much, so don't waste it." I handed the bag to Hook, who greedily grabbed it and dumped some on his head. He handed back the near empty bag and thankfully I was able to distribute the rest to Smee, Nibs, and Slightly.

"Alright, think of a happy thought, and trust yourself," I said again, rising off the ground. Everyone else began to float up to the secret part of Mount Never: the cave. This cave is enchanted, which is why the pixie dust is needed. If you were to try and climb the cliff that leads to the cave, you would never reach the top. The wall would just get taller and taller until you either gave up, or fell to your doom.

We landed at the mouth of the cave. There was no sign of the orb that held the source of youth, so we continued our journey further into the cave. Hook pulled out a flashlight from his backpack and led the way. After what felt like forever, we finally saw the glowing ball sitting on a scepter in the middle of a huge round room. Everyone stared in awe.

"Okay, Pan," Hook whispered, sounding nervous. "How does this work?"

"We both have to hold the globe and I have to be willing to give it up, and you have to be willing to accept it. That's all the fairies told me," I explained. We both cautiously approached the glowing ball. I picked it up and immediately felt the power in it.

Hook walked around and examined the sphere in my hands. "So I just have to touch it?" Hook asked nervously. I shrugged and nodded. Hook cupped his palms and covered the top of the globe. I closed my eyes as his hands lowered.

Instantly I felt the orb move around within our palms. I felt weaker as my youth was restored to me. I looked up to see Hook smiling his evil smile. He'd grown slightly older, as Queen Clarion told me would happen, but I didn't feel different.

"There, you got your power, Hook. But you can't use it. You said so yourself: you need a child to get the power to work," I said out of breath.

Hook began to laugh maniacally. "Foolish boy. You thought that hiding Wendy would stop me? I'm not an idiot. I know she's at Hangman's Tree. I almost feel sorry for you. This was too easy."

I dropped to the ground, weak and defeated. The globe was still in my hands. Hook had a power that he'd been learning about for years. He knew more about it than I did when I had it. He knew how to control it to his whim.

I stayed down, ashamed of myself, when I heard someone faintly call my name. I looked up and saw Wendy running toward me.

"Wendy, what are you doing? How'd you get here?"

"I woke up and found your note. I started to panic, and that's when Tinker Bell came out. After a few minutes of her attacking me, she told me what happened. Well, she drew me a picture, since I didn't understand her. I knew I had to stop you, and Tinker Bell agreed. She gave me some pixie dust and told me where to go. I flew all the way here."

Wendy sat down beside me and kissed me. "It's too late, Wendy," I said. "We already made the trade."

"So," Hook stated. "I see you know your true past, Wendy. Did the boy tell you, or did you figure it out all on your own?"

Wendy glared at Hook. "Peter helped me, but I know what you did. How dare you take my memories from me?" I looked up, confused. "I finished the diary last night. I wrote about how Hook found me as soon as I got to Neverland, memories still intact. He kidnapped me and used a special potion he stole from the Indian medicine man that slowly erases ones memories. Since I still remembered for a little while, I was able to write things down. I read the diary every day in hopes of remembering until all my memories faded, and I no longer remembered the diary. At some point he must have replaced my memories with the fake ones, like finding me lost on the docks in England."

"You think you figured it all out, didn't you, my sweet Wendy?" Hook sneered, walking over towards us. Wendy stood up. "But you missed one very important detail. You play a much more important role than you could ever imagine. While Peter was the guardian that kept Neverland young, it is you, my dear Wendy, that holds the key to Neverland's existence.

"You've always believed in the magic of Neverland. It was a gift given you to you by those pesky fairies. But ever since Peter left, and I stole your memories, the magic grew weak. Peter was no longer protecting the land, and you no longer believed. I now have Pan's power, but I need both to rule this land. Since yours is a gift, I can't take it from you. So, you will join me by being my queen." Wendy stood, too stunned to move. Hook grabbed her arm, pulled her close to him. He tried to kiss her. Wendy struggled to fight back.

Finding my strength, I stood up. "Get your fucking hands off of her!" I reached up to punch Hook in the mouth, but he threw his hooked hand up piercing my forearm. I shouted in pain. Hook let Wendy go. His hook still attached to my arm he pulled me closer to him. "I warned you not to get in my way, boy." He removed the hook from my arm forcefully and threw me to the ground. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small vile. He took a swig and immediately looked down at me and began chanting in a language I didn't understand.

I finally understood what he was doing. He was going to take my youth and use it for himself. The incantation made it so that I couldn't move. He continued to chant, when suddenly I felt extreme pain. I wailed and convulsed on the floor. I could feel myself getting younger as he removed more and more.

"NO!" Nibs yelled. He jumped between Hook and me just as Hook was about to take the rest of my youth. Nibs was hit full force, and the majority of his youth was taken. He was reduces to the size of a four year old.

"Damn it, Nibs! You're always getting in the way," Hook scoffed. "You were such a waste of time. I probably could have captured Peter without your help at all."

I looked up, still weak from having years removed. Hook looked to be about 25 years old. Nibs lay motionless on the ground. Wendy was crying. Slightly and Smee stood off to the side in shock.

"Captain, how could you?" Smee shook his head. "I thought you really cared for the small boy."

Hook said nothing, just pulled out his gun and shot poor old Mr. Smee right in the stomach. Wendy screamed. "You serve me no purpose now, old man," Hook said loosely. Smee held his stomach as he slowly sank to the floor. Slightly ran to hide.

Hook, having gotten to an age he seemed to like started to leave the room. "Well Pan, it's been a fun ride. But you are of no use to me anymore. Come along, Wendy."

Wendy sneered. "I'll never be your queen, you sick pervert."

"Ooh," Hook grimaced. "Wrong answer. But, have it your way. I'll be back later to get you. I need to start formulating my plans anyway." Hook turned and walked away.

Wendy ran to me. "What's going to happen now?"

I shrugged completely unsure. What were Hook's plans? Nibs began to stir. Still weak, I dragged myself over to him. "Nibs. Nibs, why did you do that?"

He rolled over and looked at me. "You're like a brother to me, Peter. We have to look out for each other." He may have looked four years old, but his mental capacity was still that of his actual age.

I smiled a weak smile. Nibs was in a lot of pain and was very weak. "We're not 'like brothers,' Nibs. We are brothers." I said brushing the hair out of his face. "And I'll always take care of you."

Nibs smiled back at me. "If we're brothers, be honest: how old do I look?"

I laughed. "You look four. It's actually kind of adorable."

"Well you look like a gangly twelve year old," Nibs laughed his voice wavering.

"Oh the irony," I said thinking back to my conversation with Queen Clarion. "Back in Neverland as a twelve year old, feels just like old times."

At this point Slightly had come out of hiding. "Peter? I think Smee is dead." I sighed and waved him over. "Hey! Now we're the same age, Peter. You can't tell me what to do anymore!"

I chuckled and had Slightly help me up. "I have to stop Hook," I said.

"No, Peter. It's too dangerous. You'll get killed," Wendy cried.

I didn't listen to her. I just grabbed Slightly's arm and we ran out. I called over my shoulder, "Watch after Nibs!"

We found Hook looking at a map, trying to figure out where he should go next. "All right Hook. Let's settle this, like old times," I challenged pulling out my dagger.

Hook smirked, pulling out his sword. "Fine, have it your way, Pan."

I had to use my left arm, since my right arm was oozing blood from both my forearm and bicep. I hadn't really thought that through.

"Looks like I'm at the upper hand, but of course I always was," Hook chuckled watching me struggle with the dagger in my left hand.

"Shut up and fight, you codfish."

Hook advanced towards me bringing his sword up and swinging it down towards me. I brought my dagger up and blocked it. We continued to battle. Wendy came running out carrying Nibs who was still weak.

She set Nibs down. Hook maneuvered his way trying to corner me. It was getting tougher and tougher to fight. He swiped at me and sliced my side. I yelled in pain and dropped to my knees grabbing my stomach.

"Peter!" Wendy yelled running over to me.

"Don't you see, Pan? I will always get what I want," Hook chuckled and he grabbed Wendy and held his knife at her neck.

"Wendy," I forced out trying to get up.

"Don't you move, Pan. Come after us and you can say goodbye forever to your precious girlfriend," Hook sneered backing up, trying to make his escape. "If you won't be my queen by choice, then force it is," Hook snarled into Wendy's ear.

"Hook," I struggled to get out. I tried dragging myself, but cringed at the pain.

"Don't try and stop me Pan. It's no use. For the first time, I finally won. I am victorious, and there is not a damn thing you can do about it." Hook flung Wendy over his shoulder, and flew off into the distance. I cried out for Wendy, struggling to stand up, but it was too late; she was gone.

"Peter!" I heard Nibs cry before I blacked out from the pain and blood loss.