Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan.

CHAPTER TWO

HOOK'S FINDING

Peter lowered his head from the almost non-existing stars. Dawn was approaching and as the sun raised the stars began to disappear. Peter's right hand rubbed the back of his neck. "Better start heading back." He said aloud to no one.

He entered the great tree to see everyone still asleep. He looked over at the clock that hung on the wall. 'I give um about another hour.' He thought to himself. Crossing the room he sat down, Indian style, making himself comfortable in his chair.

It was so strange for the fort to be so very still and quite. Peter couldn't remember it ever being like that. He doubted if there ever was a time when it was this quite with all of them together. Usually when the boys slept it was still noisy. Usually Nibs or Cubby would talk in their sleep, and then there was always the hitting someone in your sleep, which resulted in an all out brawl.

His eyes scanned the room, studying all of the lost boys' faces, his lost boys. Yes, they were his boys. He often pondered on the title he had given them so very long ago. The 'lost boys.' The idea of changing their title had crossed his mind more than once. The part about them being 'lost' bothered him sometimes. For surely they were no longer lost, for he had found them, hadn't he? Therefore, would it not make more sense for him to call them his 'found boys?'

Peter decided to stop thinking on the matter because he knew that he would never call them anything but the 'lost boys.' It was a habit, a habit that had existed for many many years. Can't go and change it now. Peter removed his hand from his chin as the boys began to stir.

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Peter and the boys set out to find the first adventure of the day. They walked in a single file line, Peter in the lead and Cubby in the rear. They worked their way through the trees and bushes quietly. You never knew what grand adventure might lie ahead of you; therefore you had to be careful not to scare the adventure away.

Peter stopped. He raised his hand to signal for the others to do the same, but before he could Slightly bumped into him. Peter moved his finger to his lips, silencing the boys. He jerked his head to the right of them. The boys all turned to face the indicated direction. They couldn't see anything though. Peter tugged on his ear to signal for them to listen. All of them strained their ears in the direction that Peter had signaled to them.

"Mr. Smee!"

"Yes Cap'n?" Mr. Smee removed his red hat and began to tie it into knots.

"What do you think you're doing?" Captain Hook asked in what seemed to be a calm tone, but Smee knew better, he knew that the next thing that came out of his Captain's mouth would be a gigantic yell.

"I.I am holdin' these here shovels for you sir." Mr. Smee lifted the shovels in his hands and arms up higher as he said it. Captain Hook's face began to turn red. 'Oh no, here it comes.' Mr. Smee thought to himself.

"PASS THEM out to the MEN!!"

"Yes Cap'n! Right away sir!" Mr. Smee began to fumble about as he gave each of the crew present a shovel.

Captain Hook rolled his eyes in irritation and raised his right hand to his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

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"What do you suppose they're up to?" Slightly whispered into Peter's ear. Peter shrugged his shoulders.

"Will just have to wait and find out." He whispered back. He turned around and motioned to the boys to remain there by raising his arm and holding his hand out in a stop sign position. He moved the hand toward them for more of an emphasis and then flew up into a tree above them.

Stealthily he made his way across the limb of the tree like a cat. When he reached the end of the tree's branch he jumped onto another that laid adjacent to it. He continued to make his way through the trees until he came to one right above Captain Hook and his crew. Peter went unnoticed due to the lack of sound he made and also because he blended in perfectly with the leaves of the trees. He leaned in and had a perfect view of what was happening below. He could hear everything now too.

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"Dig men, dig!"

"Dig men, dig!" Mr. Smee repeated Captain Hook's order. The crew continued to dig, increasing their speed. Captain Hook paced anxiously back and forth.

'Could it be another treasure chest?' Peter asked himself. He began to think of the fun that he would have with Hook if it were one. Why he could steal it right out from underneath him.

"Captain, we've struck!" One of the men reported. Everyone stopped there digging. Captain Hook anxiously ran over to the deep hole that the men were in.

"Bring it up! Hurry!" He ordered. The men did as they were told and lifted a small box out and handed it over to him. He grabbed the box and began to try and open it.

Peter leaned over even further to see what was in the box. Captain Hook used his hook to break the box's seal, with his other hand he removed the lid of the box. Peter squinted his eyes. Captain Hook removed a folded piece of paper from the box. 'Paper?' Peter thought in surprise. Captain Hook began to laugh wickedly as he unfolded the paper.

Peter continued to stare below him. It wasn't just paper, he now realized. It was a map, a map of Neverland. There also was a large feather. 'I don't get it. Why was that map and feather buried? What do they mean?'

"Finally they're mine! All mine." Captain Hook rejoiced in his findings. "Back to the ship men."

"Back to the ship!" Mr. Smee repeated. The crew climbed out of the hole that they had dug, sending dirt everywhere.

Peter watched them leave. Questions plagued his mind. 'What's going on?' He made his way back to the lost boys, who quietly and anxiously waited for his return.

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Peter answered what he could. The boys were as curious as he was to what the significance of the map and feather were. "We'll have to keep a good eye on Hook, I'm sure he's up to no good."

"Ay ay sir!" The boys shouted in unison while giving Peter a salute.

"Peter, can we go hunt the Injuns?"

"The Injuns?" The Twins asked in unison.

Peter nodded his head yes, resulting in the boys releasing a whoop of joy and running outside to begin their hunt. Peter remained inside the great tree. With nothing to do he pulled out his pipe and began to play it.

He began with what all of Neverland claimed as his tune. He played it slowly then fast. Then slowed the tempo back down again. His mouth glided across the pipes. His lips lightly teased the instrument. Peter closed his eyes as he continued to bring life to the instrument.

Images began to flood his mind. They flashed violently and quickly. His song changed. He now played furiously upon his beloved pipes. Harsh notes escaped from within the small instrument. The images were in black and white. They all blurred together. He saw himself flying, saw James laughing, they were in the sky together, no they were on the ground, no in the water, now they were in their old home, it was raining inside now? James eyes stared into his; no Tinkerbell stared at him, the lost boys. The images continued to swirl around him. It felt like he was standing in the center of a whirlpool. He couldn't move. The images made no sense, but they continued to come. Crying he heard crying, who was crying? Can't see, can't see. James? Curled in a ball. Eyes. Eyes staring at him. James? Falling, Peter felt himself falling. NO!!!!

Peter dropped his pipes. He fell to the floor holding his head. "NO!!!!" He shouted once again. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He cried as he tried to erase the images that he had just seen.