Author's Notes: This chapter reveals a little more about Peter's past (and Oliver's too). I hope you can pick up on that while reading it.

Only In Your Wildest Neverdreams

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Chapter Eight

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Peter was quite happy with himself. He had succeeded in rescuing Ellie and angering Oliver both with one stone. When he got back to the hideout, he thanked the boys for helping him and then asked where Ellie was.

"She's waiting for you in your room," answered Inks.

Indeed she was. When he walked into his room, he found her curiously fingering one of the many contraptions on his shelf. "Hello, Ellie Rose."

She turned to him, startled. "Hello, Peter."

Peter smiled. "Yes, yes. Go ahead and thank me."

"Well, I was going to until—"

"That's okay," he interrupted, waving his hand into the air. He flopped onto his bed, arms behind his head. Then, he closed his eyes. "You don't have to thank me. I already know how thankful you are."

Ellie shook her head. He was so full of himself. "I really don't understand it."

"Understand what?" asked Peter, cracking one eye open.

Instead of answer, Ellie coughed, bringing a hand to her mouth. When she pulled it away, she was horrified at what she saw.

It was blood.

Peter saw the horrified look on her face. "What's wrong?" he inquired, beginning to get up.

"N-nothing," she answered hastily. She did not want him to know. "I just need…to wash my hands, that's all."

"Why didn't you say so? Come on." He guided her outside to a small pond. "Here you go."

"Thanks," said Ellie. What about soap, she wanted to ask. But, she did not. Instead, she knelt down and rinsed her hand off in the pond. Gross, she thought. When she was finished, she wiped her hand off on her pant leg.

Following Peter back inside, Ellie watched as she saw boys and girls, some little, some older, doing various things. Some were playing games and some were doing other things.

"This is incredible," she muttered to herself. As they entered Peter's room, she asked, "How is this possible?"

"What?" Peter sat on the edge of his bed and began to polish his sword.

"This? All of this? All these children…everything?"

"Oh. Well," he thought a moment, "I had never really thought about it. I suppose I could ask Tinkerbell." He walked to her apartment and lightly tapped on the door. "Tink," he called gently. And then, he remembered. She had left earlier. Shrugging his shoulders, he stepped away from her apartment. He did not care much, for he was still a bit angry with her.

"Well?" prompted Ellie.

"She's not there."

"Oh. Peter, I have something to tell you!" She recalled what had happened on the ship previously that day. Tinkerbell had left her to the pirates. "Do you know what she did? She—"

"Yes, I already know," said Peter, obviously irritated by the thought. "And I am sorry about that. I had no idea she would do such a thing."

"It's alright. I guess. I'm here now, aren't I? But, don't you find it a bit strange that you don't know why any of this is here?"

"I-we built it ourselves."

Ellie's eyes widened. "Really? All these tunnels? That's amazing."

"Why is it so amazing?"

"Well, I just never imagined…"

Peter looked away. "I never imagined it either," he said softly. "We've been here a long time."

"How long?"

"I don't know."

"That's strange." She went to stand beside him. "I mean, I know how long I've been in every place I've ever lived."

He looked at her. "But, it's different for you. I…I don't even know how old I am." Ellie could see the sadness in his eyes.

"You look around my age to me," she said. Perhaps that would bring him some comfort.

Peter only chuckled a bit. He remembered a time long ago when someone had assumed his age. "Do I?"

Ellie nodded. "But…one would think that you would look like a little boy."

"Did the book tell you that?" asked Peter, a slight smile on his face. "Come sit by me," he requested. Ellie followed him and they sat on the bed together. "There was a time when I did look like a young boy. But that was before I…"

It was strange how Peter's manner would change. One minute he would act like a child, carrying a haughty air about him. The next minute, he would shoulder the sadness of an old man. Ellie had a feeling that there was much he was not telling her.

"Before what?" prompted Ellie.

"Things were so different for me," he went on to say, ignoring her question. "But it is difficult to remember everything. Neverland makes you forget."

She nodded. "Another time," Ellie said. She put her hand over his and he looked at her. Giving her a slight half smile, he enclosed her hand with his.

~later~

Peter could not sleep. From his hammock, he looked at the sleeping girl in his bed and sighed. He was content. Even though he had not slept much, he was content.

He was glad that Ellie was here. She made him feel warm and it was something that he was grateful for. But, he was worried. The reason that he had barely slept that night was because Ellie's coughing had kept him up. And, he was almost positive that he had seen blood being washed off of Ellie's hand into the pond. He had seen enough bloodshed in his life to know. But being the stubborn girl that she was, she had lied, saying that nothing was wrong.

Although the thought of Ellie coughing up blood was alarming, he pushed the thought out of his head. Peter, instead, thought of all the things that he would show her the following day. She would love Neverland. He would make sure of that.

Tinkerbell sat on a tree branch, knees touching her chest. Dawn's twilight surrounded her. Her face was adorned with dried tear tracks. She had done something she thought not possible for her to do.

She had hurt Peter.

Her wonderful Peter. Her boy. Her love. Ever since he was a baby…she shook the thought out of her head. Tinkerbell did not like to think about when Peter was a baby. It brought back memories of what had come close to doing. All those years ago…

She perked her head up, alert. She heard voices. Tinkerbell looked around and finally figured out the direction in which they were coming from. Then, she waited, watching to see who the voices belonged to.

"Here, Cap'n," she heard a voice say. It was a pirate that Tinkerbell did not know, along with Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, and Oliver. They stopped just below her tree and she repositioned herself so that she would not be seen in case any of them decided to look up. "Right here."

The captain looked to Oliver, who was silent. "Is Mason correct, lad?"

He nodded. "Yes, Cap'n. She fell through the clearing around here."

Hook stroked his chin, thinking. Then, he asked, "Why was she not brought to my attention sooner?"

"Well, Cap'n," started Oliver carefully. "I was hopin' to git as much information from 'er as possible first."

"Yes…" he replied thoughtfully. "Smee, you and Mason stay here. Oliver, come, lad. Let's take a little walk."

Tinkerbell followed the captain and Oliver undetected. She hid in another tree when they stopped, close enough to hear everything that they were saying clearly.

"Oliver, I want you to tell me exactly what happened again. From the beginning."

"Mason and I were on island duty and we were walkin' about. All of a sudden, 'ere comes this girl, 'urtlin' at me from the sky. Well, Cap'n, I jumped back as so's not to git hit. Then, I called me partner, Mason, to come take a look at the girl we found. Then—"

"Oh stop it, stop it, boy," interrupted Hook in a disgusted tone. "It makes me sick to hear you talk like that to me. Me, boy, not one of those scowry, no good, codfish that you call your shipmates. You're better than that. You know that. You are at my level." He tipped his head back in a dignified manner to emphasize his point. "You only started talking like that because you wanted to fit in."

Oliver dropped his head. It was true. Everything that the captain had spoken of was true. "Yes, Cap'n. I know, Cap'n."

The captain placed his hook under Oliver's chin and raised his head up. "Now," he went on. "I have something very important to discuss with you regarding Pan."

Peter? Tinkerbell listened more closely at the mention of his name.

"Yes, Cap'n, what is it?"

"I have been offered something of extreme value to me." The captain walked around a bit, hand and hook clasped behind his back. Oliver waited for him to finish. He turned back to Oliver. "Wouldn't you like to leave the Neverland? Forever?"

Leave the Neverland? Forever? Oliver could not even conceive that thought. Neverland was his home.

"If I deliver Pan, then we will be able to leave Neverland!" said Hook, excitement in his voice.

"Excuse me, sir, but deliver Pan to whom?"

Hook looked at him, his eyes flashing with something unidentifiable. "I cannot tell you that yet, boy. The time will come. But I do hope you now understand why the girl you found was important."

Oliver nodded. He understood perfectly.

By now, Tinkerbell had figured out that they were talking about Ellie, which sent mixed feelings through her. But, she thought it necessary to go and tell Peter what she had heard. Perhaps it would make up for what she did. So off she flew.

"Cap'n? I do not mean to sound rude but why are you telling me all this? Why not someone else? Why not Smee?"

The captain smiled. "I was hoping that you would ask me that question." He clapped a hand onto Oliver's shoulder. They were almost the same height so Hook had no problem staring him in the eye. "It's because I trust you, boy. Other than Smee, you are the only person I can trust. And one would think that it would be quite the opposite considering the circumstances in which you joined us."

The way the captain said those last words sent a chill through Oliver. It was as if he was warning him against betrayal.

"I want you to do something for me, Oliver."

"Anything, Cap'n."

"I want you to kidnap the red-skin princess."

Oliver did not think this was a good idea. The captain had executed this plan many times before and it always ended in the same way: Peter saved her. But, he nodded nonetheless.

"And her sister," continued the captain. "If that does not go accordingly to plan, I will be forced to do something a little more drastic. But I do think it will go our way, for this time we will be a little more harsh with the princesses." He smiled, evilly. "Peter always was smitten with her. And I do remember a time when you were quite fond of the Princes Water Lily." As he said these words, he watched for Oliver's reaction.

Oliver's heart wrenched for a moment. There was a time, a long time ago, when he had longed for the Princess Water Lily—

"Come now, Oliver," said Hook, bringing Oliver back from his thoughts. "We have much to do."

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

December 28, 2002

Copyright, theMuse