A/N: Wow, has it been a while or what? I believe it's been over a year since I've updated. Unfortunately, as always, my inspiration comes and goes with these stories, leaving them in a state of limbo whenever I'm not writing for them. I'm sorry that this happens so often.

However, I'm glad to be taking the time to update this story, as I've slowly been getting back into writing it recently. It's a bit easier to update now during summertime since I don't have school to worry about. Especially with my first year of college out of the way now, I've got the creative energy to continue with writing projects that have been on hiatus. I've also had my first job this summer which has taken up some time, along with just relaxing and trying to recharge for my sophomore year, etc. Anyway, for those who have been following the story, I want to state that I am extremely grateful for your patience for taking the time to read this. My writing isn't always the best, but I definitely have noticed that I have improved greatly in my writing by taking the time to try to craft a semi-coherent story. I don't know, I'm just really grateful to all of the readers out there and to everyone who has stuck with this story.

Anyway, in the interest of not taking up half of the chapter talking about my life, gratitude, etc. I shall let you start reading the chapter. Enjoy!

!

"Any ideas?" Peter asked in the middle of his meeting with the Lost Boys. They were working on a plan to get Margaret out, and so they took on the mantle of thinking for once in their lives, which the Lost Boys found to be extremely exhausting.

"How does Margaret do this all the time?" Cubby groaned.

"How do you do this all the time?" The Twins asked with an accusatory glance toward Peter.

Peter cracked a small smile, quickly fading as his thoughts turned sour again. "We need to brainstorm harder. At this rate, she'll be dead by the time we figure something out."

"As I said Peter, we can't do much until we know exactly where she is. If we can find where she is, then we'll know how to plan a rescue. We won't have enough time to attack the ship and locate her at the same time," Slightly reiterated. Peter sighed, rubbing his temples as he stood up from his previous position leaned over the table.

"I think we need to take a break. I want all of you to keep watch over things here. I'm going to the beach," he stated coolly before exiting the hideout. Slightly trotted after him.

"Peter! Wait!"

"What?" Peter asked, clearly annoyed. "Don't try to tell me that you have another idiot idea—"

"Peter, just hear me out. I think that we will have a much easier time planning a rescue if we find out where she is first."

"Oh yeah? And how do you suggest we do that?"

Slightly raised his eyebrows. "I figured that would be obvious."

"As you can see, it isn't."

"Well, I mean, you are the only one who can fly without leaving a pixie dust trail so…"

"Yes, I'm well aware I can fly. I don't see how this has anything to do with locating Margaret."

Slightly sighed. "Peter, if you fly around the outside of the Jolly Roger, you might be able to find where she is. I'm certain there are peepholes you can look through."

Peter's entire body shot into overdrive. "If I'm to do this, then there's no time to lose. Keep watch over the others." Peter instructed before launching himself from the ground. Slightly, who hadn't had an opportunity to respond, remained dumbstruck.

Peter whipped across Neverland at a dizzying speed, causing a large gust of wind to wash over the vegetation beneath him. Once he reached the beach, he carefully submerged himself beneath the waves and swam toward the Jolly Roger. Underneath the waves, he could hear the laughs of the pirates as they shared drinks and stories with one another on deck.

He carefully emerged from the water once he was able to touch the Jolly Roger. Flying close to the ship, Peter began to peak into all of the windows and slits he could find. He hoped deep down that Margaret wasn't being held in the interior of the ship. Window after window went by, and Peter grew more despondent with each one. There was no sign of activity below deck.

At least, that was until Peter glanced into a barred window to see a dainty form curled up on the ground. "Margaret!" Peter hissed loudly. The head of the figure shot up, showing Margaret's stunned face. She threw a signal to be silent as she glanced toward the door to her cell. Peter couldn't make out what she was looking for, but obediently kept quiet as his heart pounded.

After a moment, Margaret rushed toward the opening and climbed onto a crate so that she was barely eye level with Peter. "Peter!" She whispered in astonishment.

Peter's eyes widened, horrified to see a large bruise on Margaret's cheek. He reached one of his hands through the bars and gently stroked it, causing Margaret to flinch in pain. "Who did this to you?"

"It's no matter of consequence," Margaret murmured.

"Who did this to you?" Peter asked once again, more insistently. Margaret gave an anxious glance toward her cell door before relenting.

"It was my fault…really, I'd prodded Hook far too much than was necessary—"

"I'll kill him," Peter cut off. His tone, full of dark and menacing qualities caused Margaret's heart to plummet down to the depths of her intestines.

"Peter…please," Margaret pleaded with him, grasping one of his hands. Peter shifted his jaw, giving a stiff nod. "Have you formed any plans yet?"

Peter's eyes shimmered as he shook his head. "I'm so sorry…we've…everything…things are going at the moment. But, no plans have been finalized," Peter stated delicately, trying not to despair Margaret with the truth of the situation. "Don't lose hope…we're close to—"

"Peter," Margaret interrupted gently, "you don't have to lie to me. This…shouldn't be rushed. I mean, how could any of you devise a formidable plan without strategizing with me first? I am the only one able to give you pertinent information for the escape."

"That's why I'm here. Anything of note that might help us for the time being?"

"Well, for starters they have been moving me to different cells each day. Now, I don't believe they are under the pretense that it would stop any plotting on my end or the rest of us, but indeed I believe it will slow down any operations."

"It was easy for me to find you, though. I'm sure that changing cells won't pose much of a problem for us."

"It may not, but do be aware that there are cells that do not have any openings to the outside. I'm certain if the pirates catch wind of our conversation now…" Margaret's voice faltered as a loud snore passed into the cell. Her eyes shifted over to the sleeping pirates, scrutinizing their posture for any signs of waking.

"I'll be certain to disappear should they grow suspicious."

"I'm certain that a simple suspicion would be enough grounds to put me in the interior," Margaret rebutted. "However, I don't understand why I'd be allowed access to the outside of the Jolly Roger. I was sure they would do everything in their power to keep me from ever coming into contact with you or the others."

Peter pondered the thought briefly before shrugging his shoulders. "That's something we can figure out later."

"Yes, I guess so. Besides changing cells, there hasn't been anything significant that I've been aware of. I haven't figured out a pattern yet, since I haven't been a resident on the Roger for long, but I shall be as diligent as possible to crack the code by the time you come to speak with me next."

"I have no doubt about that," Peter replied softly. A long moment of silence prevailed between the couple before Peter grasped both of Margaret's hands tightly and pressed his lips to them. "I'm so sorry."

Margaret shook her head, feeling her eyes sting. "What's done is done. We must do what we can to make the best of this scenario. I can only have faith that you and the Lost Boys will come soon." Margaret paused, swallowing a quiet sob. "But please, don't be reckless. Your safety is so dearly important. I don't want to have to worry about you not coming back alive."

Peter gave a mute nod, wiping away one of Margaret's tears with the pad of his thumb. "We'll get you out, Margaret. I promise."

"I know you will."

At those words, Peter gently tore himself away from Margaret. And as the couple was separated once again, both of them were keenly aware of lie they had just spoken to one another.

!

"How is she?" Tootles asked once Peter touched the ground. The other Lost Boys crowded around him, anxious for his report.

"She's doing ok," Peter began with a thin veil of calm. "But I swear that when I see the blasted pirate, I will kill him!"

"Why would you say that? Who will you kill?" Cubby asked. All of the Lost Boys blinked at the unfamiliar rage burning in Peter.

"That's not important. What's important is that we don't have much time. We need to get Margaret out soon, or else I fear what will happen to her."

"Well, what info was she able to tell you?" Slightly asked.

"They're moving her cell each day. So far, she's had constant access to the outside of the ship. Margaret has confirmed that there are cells in the interior that do not have any access to the outside. She believes that if the pirates find out about our conversation that she will be moved there. Besides that, she had no other information to give."

A moment of silence was spent by the group.

"Those pirates are getting tricky," the twins said in unison.

Peter snorted. "Yeah, I guess they are."

"Well, if that's all that she could give us, then this doesn't seem like it should be that hard," Slightly said as he scratched his head. "I mean, if you're able to go and figure out where she is ahead of time, I'm certain that we could distract the pirates and have you sneak in to get her out, Peter."

"That wouldn't work. There are two pirates assigned to watch over her all the time. If the pirates on the deck didn't find her, her two guards would be quick to alert everyone."

"Maybe we could wait until they fell asleep?" Nibs proposed.

"Our distraction could wake them," Peter argued.

"But maybe the distraction would pull the guards away from Margaret," Cubby said.

"Those guards are assigned to not leave her cell at any cost. I don't think they would fall for the distraction, Cubby," Peter sighed.

"Maybe, instead, we could have Peter and then one of us join him. So, we distract the pirates on deck, then Peter and someone else slip under the deck. The second person distracts the two pirates, and then Peter can break Margaret out," Slightly said.

"Slightly, they would immediately recognize one of us. The pirates would be swarming all of us in seconds."

A collective groan rippled throughout the group. Tootles raised a hand, drawing the attention of everyone.

"I think…that we shouldn't try to break Margaret out alone."

"Yeah? Then who do we ask for help?" Nibs asked skeptically, folding his arms.

"Peter is friendly with the fairies, right? And, didn't the mermaids offer their help to Margaret? I think we should ask for them to help us. We might have an easier time getting Margaret out undetected."

A round of protest almost escaped from the Lost Boys, but in one swift movement, Peter silenced everyone with the raise of his hand. "I understand that we like to work alone. We haven't had any alliance with anyone since the Indians, and even then, it wasn't a stable one. But…look, we don't have time. Margaret is in serious danger." Peter's voice wobbled. "The longer she's on there…we simply don't have time. Tootles is right. We need to enlist more help."

The group reflected silently on Peter's words, feeling a strange sense of power in their simplicity.

"If you guys don't want to help, then don't. But I'm not going to stand here and wait for us to come up with better ideas when we could be making serious progress instead—"

"Peter, we're with you," Slightly stated. "We all are. Always have been. Always will be."

Peter managed a grin at the troupe. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's initiate contact."

The Lost Boys shouted in unison. "Aye aye!"