Well, I'm back with another chapter. The next to the last chapter…this is getting depressing. I just don't want it to end! Though if you people out there beg enough after this is all done and over with I could probably start plotting out a sequel if you feel the need for one. But it would have to come out only after I get close to finishing one of my other stories. I've found that I'm not to good at keeping up with my writing as some people are. Oh, well. On with the story!

Chapter Twenty Four

Sitting on one of the upper branches of the Lost Boys hideout, Alex was unusually content. Knowing that most were sleeping soundly down in the safety of the tree and the Indians were preparing for the coming battle the next day brought on a moment of calmness to the girl. The last few weeks her life had been chaos. Find Peter, try to get his memory back, deal with the new and less improved Peter, take charge of the Lost Boys, and lead on an attack against Hook that would hopefully end all problems on the island.

A small laugh escaped from deep the her throat as she looked up at the starry sky. If Peter had been here, really, been here, he would have had a fit at the thought of a girl taking the lead in his place, and raising a war on the Captain. Peter Pan was never one to just step aside when someone tried to take his place. Then again, nothing this new Peter was doing was something the old Peter would do. Hugging a girl in public? Oh, heaven forbid the old Peter from doing that. Actually showing affection toward a girl that had nothing to do with playing the mother and father game at all? Certainly not.

It was when she had these thoughts that Alex bit her lip in embarrassment at herself. Did she actually want Peter to do all those things as his normal self? Would she have let him if he was his real self? Back before this all happened, probably not. But this whole experience changed a lot. Grudges were swiped away from the past, and different…bonds were made. Bonds that she hoped would stay put once the Pan regained the rest of his memories; if ever that is. Then again, did she want the old Peter to remember all that she had said and done during the past weeks? She could just picture the look on his face…

"Hi."

"Ahh!" the startled ex-pirate screamed when a voice suddenly sounded behind her. Gripping the branch in a death hold, she turned her head sharply around to find the disturber that nearly cost her a big fall. Once again, that boy had found his way into her presence and was teetering on the balls of his feet on the branch behind her.

"Peter, how the hell long have you been there?" she demanded and instantly regretted the hash tone of her voice.

"While." he muttered and tilted his head down to look at the ground below. Getting her heartbeat back to its original speed, Alex ran a hand down her face and continued speaking in a softer tone.

"And you're just sitting back there looking at me, waiting for me to notice you?"

"Mmhmm." Peter sighed out and kept his gaze off her and his head down, spilling his hair over his face.

"Well don't just stay back there." the girl sighed as well and scooted carefully over on her branch and grabbed his arm as he fumbled his way across the open space. "You've gotta learn to be more assertive, Peter. You can't be shy around me…us." she quickly caught her mistake and sharply corrected it, but the brown eyes of the boy rolled up to her.

"I don't wanna be." he whispered.

"You don't wanna be shy, or assertive?" Peter only shrugged and Alex clenched her jaw. He was not making anything easy for her. "You were pretty damn assertive today." she finished and gave a small laugh, rubbing her neck.

"I'm sorry about that, you're not mad are you?" the male quickly asked in a higher voice. The female looked over and shook her head with a grin.

"No, I'm not mad."

Peter noticeably relaxed and swung his legs back and forth from their dangling position on the branch. With his face looking straight out in front of him, the young man looked through the corner of his eye at the girl who was for the most part doing the same.

"You're not gonna let me go tomorrow, are you?" he asked finally and kept avoiding her eyes directly while he waited for a response. Alex opened her mouth to give an answer, but froze. Was she going to let him go to what would hopefully be the finally battle with the pirates? He wasn't quite skilled at the sword yet, but he knew the basics. He was still wobbly when it came to flying, and that had always been one of the major advantages he had on Hook. All in all, he wasn't ready and he would only end up to be something else she had to worry about. However, looking over at the once proud warrior, Alex winced at the thought of him not being there.

"I…don't really know yet."

"Why not? I thought you said I was weak." he bitterly shot over in a still whispering tone of voice.

"I didn't say you were weak, Peter." Alex groaned out.

"Well you think it. I know you do. Everyone does around here."

"Don't drag me into another fight. We're to high off the ground to be throwing punches at each other." she argued back.

"I dragged you into a fight? I dragged you?"

"Fine, fine, fine! We dragged each other, but that's all your getting!"

After that was said, all was silent. Neither one would look at each other and the stubborn looks on their faces were still highly defined. It was times like these when Alex wondered why in the world this new Peter and her fought more then she did with the old one. This 'Vincent' Peter was suppose to be shy and quiet, not the kind of person to pick fights with anyone. Especially her.

"You can go."

"What?" Peters voice questioned and he looked back over at her with the anger gone and surprise taking over.

"Tomorrow, you can come with us. It wouldn't be fair to leave you alone…I guess." Alex explained, her eyes still not turning to meet his.

"You don't think I'll get myself hurt?" he asked with that ting of bitterness back.

"Just drop that, Peter. I'm telling you that I trust you enough not to get yourself killed without me having to watch you every second. What more do you want?"

"For this to be done and over with. For me to be back to the way I supposedly used to be. For you to stop being so…like this." he mumbled and gestured toward her with his hand.

"What do you mean, like this?" Alex asked with slightly narrowed eyes. "How should I be?"

"Like the way you were back then. Before I messed it up." The girl tried hard not to let out a sigh. Here was the sensitive Peter again.

"You didn't mess it up. I messed it up."

"How could you have messed it up?"

"It wouldn't be fair to tell you now when you couldn't be really mad at me." she chuckled lightly and looked over at him with a smile. "But I did mess it up. Not you." Peter stared at her for a moment before pulling his gaze away and looking down with an odd expression on his face.

"Stop doing that."

"Doing what?" the girl quirked an interested brow.

"The smiling. That's what I mean when I say you're being like this."

"What are you talking about?" she asked generally confused.

"You're smiling at me, but not AT ME." Peter tried to explain and tapped his chest. "You're smiling, looking, everything, at the other person. At him."

"Him." Alex more stated then questioned. She knew who him was. The real Peter. The Peter that this one knew was inside him somewhere just begging to get out. The Peter that Alex really wanted and who was really smiling at. This, 'Vincent' Peter wasn't as dim as she thought he was. "Do you want me to say, I'm sorry?"

"No." Peter whispered and shook his head. "I just want to come back."

For that instant, Alex would have swore it was the real Peter talking just then. I just want to come back. Like he finally found a small hole he could talk through to her. It was an almost creepy thought to think that the real Peter was in there seeing and hearing everything they said but couldn't respond because he was trapped in this 'Vincent'.

"I know you do, Peter. I want you to come back too."

"You're sure we're ready for this, Alex?" Claire asked from her squatting position behind the older girl. Along with those two, the rest of the girls were scattered among the trees that lined the coast of the Jolly Rogers new resting place. The Lost Boys were hidden on the other side of the waters, while the Indians had yet to arrive.

"I'm sure we're ready for this, Claire." the questioned girl answered with a nod. Beside her, Peter was gripping the hilt of his sword in a nervous white knuckle hold and staring out at the ship. "We're ready for this, aren't we Peter?"

"We're ready." he squeaked out in a less then confident voice. Tinkerbell nodded also from her spot on the boys shoulder. At least something familiar for everyone to recognize the young man by. The early morning light did nothing to hide the uneasiness of everyone about to fly over the waters and into the surprise fight. They would probably be a lot more together if the Indians had shown up on time, but they would just have to deal with it.

"Ready over there, Karry?"

"Yep. Ready as ever." the girl answered back in a hushed voice from her spot behind a tree. She had tried to get Alex to allow her to go and be with Slightly, but in the end they both figured the last thing the boy needed was someone else he felt like he needed to protect on his side of the battle. It was then that movement on the deck of the pirate vessel caught Alex's attention. One of the scum's had woken up, and if one of them was up, that one was sure to start waking everyone. And that had to be stopped.

Whistling the small bird call that the boys had taught her, the new leader signaled over to Nibs who whistled back in response. Before the chunky pirate knew what was happening, an arrow left Nibs' bow and made its new home in the mans chest before he fell to the deck. Everyone let out a small sigh from the disappearance of that threat, and then they all let a big smile spread across their faces when a more complicated bird sound echoed from the trees in the middle of the other two party's. The Indians had arrived. Tiger Lily whistled another tune, followed by the boys, and then Alex once more. Three whistles. They were moving in.

Signaling back to the others behind her, Alex let them take the lead and held Peter back for a moment. Looking him hard in the eyes she gripped his arm.

"Alright. Remember, if you get into a situation that you don't think you can handle, fly as high as your comfortable with. If you wanna get out at anytime, that's fine, go back to the hideout. I'm not always gonna be around to pro-"

"I know. Alex, seriously, your more worried then I am." Peter said with a small smile on his face. Slowly and timidly, the young man rose his hand and placed it over hers that was still holding onto his arm. "I'll be alright."

"Yeah. Yeah, you'll be alright." she nodded and whispered. Though she couldn't figure out if she was trying to convince him or herself. She was betting for the latter. Looking down at his larger, still tanner, hand on hers, she took in a deep breath and let it out before letting go and crawling toward the water where the others had already started to glide and swim their way over.

The Pan followed without another word, partly because he didn't know what else to say, and also because he was scared to death that these dreaded pirates he'd been told about would hear him. The girls and the Lost Boys floated down as close as they could get to the water without actually having to swim with their bows and arrows, and swords in hand. On the other hand, the Indians swam like experts through the fairly choppy waters with daggers in their mouths and other various weapons strapped onto their bodies.

Pausing at the side of the ship, the flying party waited as the Indians crawled their way up the sides and up the anchor chain. Some of them peeked into windows to make sure the pirates were still sleeping soundly in their cots and hammocks, while others readied their weapons. Giving a quick nod to each other, Alex and Tiger Lily signaled to their groups to board the ship.

The only sounds that were made as the small army found their way onto the deck were the slight whistle of a breeze the flying children made and the small whispers of the natives. Doors were opened carefully and the intruders entered the pirates sleeping quarters ready for anything. Floating over the deck, Alex made her way up the steps until she came to the door of the sleeping Captain. Placing her hand on the knob, she slowly turned it.

Suddenly, a yell rang out over the Jolly Roger. Everyone's head jerked back to the presumably dead pirate that was still laying on the side of the deck. The arrow was stuck firmly in his chest, and yet he was still able to call out at the top of his lungs. The army looked at each other stupefied, but Alex raced down to him and quickly covered his screaming mouth.

"How the hell is he still alive?" the girl asked and pulled away some of his shirts to look at the spot the arrow penetrated.

"Arrow miss heart. Only hit rib." one of Tiger Lily's braves spoke up and bent down beside the man and pulled the arrow up a bit before tilting it and slamming it back in. "Now dead."

Alex was about to say something in remark, but she was interrupted by the sound of pirates storming out of their bunks and taking wild looks around the deck. One by one they set their eyes on the little group huddled around one of their crew members, and also one by one they brought their swords, pistols, and daggers out of their resting places and pointed them toward the group of children and Indians before screaming out a battle cry. In return, Alex and Tiger Lily let out their own cries followed by their companions

It was then that the two party's clashed with an echo of screams and metal on metal. Men and children were thrown off board, daggers thrown, pistols fired, threats called out, and wounds made. Peter did his best to keep up with everyone else, though at times he did have to seek refuge in the skies above the fighting. However, when he did get the best of one of the pirates, the boy had a strange feeling he was holding something back. Like something was building up inside him, just begging to be screamed out.

Meanwhile, Alex was stabbing her way through the crowd in an attempt to reach Hooks quarters. The cowardly man hadn't made his entrance yet, and the girl thought it was about time for his number. Throwing open the door, she flew into the room in search of the dark haired man. Oddly enough, the room was empty. No one was behind the desk, no one at the piano playing a tune, and no one standing with a weapon in hand. No one in front of her that is.

"Blasted girl!" a voice rang out and before she knew it, a blade slashed across her back. Staggering in the air, Alex watched as a large portion of her blood soaked hair dropped to the floor in a crooked cut. Falling on the carpeted ground next to the locks, the ex-pirate took in a hissing breath at the sharp pain spreading over her shoulders. Doing her best to ignore it, she turned to her side just in time to block Hooks downward swing. Holding her blade against hook with two hands brought her on her back on the carpet, and a small cry escaped her throat at the feel of the rough floor on her wound.

"This is the end of your little game, my dear." the Captain growled and brought out a pistol from his crimson coat. Pointing the barrel down at her face and cocking it slowly, Hook tilted his head with a grin. "My only regret is that your poor Peter isn't here to enjoy this marvelous occasion."

Sending a death glare up at him, Alex clenched her teeth as she watched the man reach his finger for the trigger. The darkness inside the barrel of the pistol stared down at her as Hook squeezed the trigger. Closing her eyes, she waited for the end.

The shot rang out over the Jolly Roger and nearly everyone froze in their fighting. Eyes moved up to the open door of the captains quarters, and glanced around the deck to see who was subject to Hooks wrath. The Lost Boys immediately searched for Peter Pan while the small group of girls searched for their oldest member.

"Where's Alex?" Peter asked suddenly, proving the boys suspicions wrong. But those two words brought their worries back up. "Where is she!?" the boy asked again. Staring up at the doorway, all of the fighters listened for any kind of sound to give away the victor of the gunshot. Peter Pan wasn't patient enough to wait for a sound though. Up the stairs he darted with Tink close behind, paying no attention to the still armed pirates behind him.

The room was silent as the grave. In the middle of the room, Alex lay limp on the blood soaked floor with her sword flung over her as if it had been dropped. To the right, Hook was up against some bookshelves with a dangerous look on his face and hands up at his sides. Opposite of him an odd and very, very nervous looking man stood pointing his own pistol at the Captain. Behind Peter, the girls rushed up and pushed their way into the room, taking in the scene.

"Smee." Karry whispered in a hushed voice as she stared over at the shaking little man. The other girls also looked on with amazement, while Peter stumbled forward and collapsed down by the fallen girl.

"Alex?" he asked in a shaky voice and lightly shook her shoulder. "Alex, open your eyes."

No movement came from the girl as he pleaded. Shaking her again with both hands, the boy bent over her with a blank expression. He could see it. Another flash of memory, teasing him. He saw her lying down on the dirty ground again, he saw her dead face, he felt her shallow breath against his face…wait. Breathing? Putting his hands on the floor on either sides of her head, Peter bent down to her mouth and listened. She was breathing.

Pushing himself up again, Pan shook his head in confusion and began to move his right hand away from the floor, when he felt something under his fingers. Parting them, the boy narrowed his eyes at the spot in the carpet. A hole. There was a small, bullet sized hole in the floor right next to the Alex's head. Smiling an unbelievable smile, Peter slowly and carefully lifted the girl up into a sitting position. The blood that covered the floor hadn't from a head wound. It came from a cut on her back. Just a big cut on her back!

"Ugh…" a moan was breathed out from the hunched over girl. Opening her eyes, she blinked heavily and slowly regained her consciousness. Fainting over looking down a pistol…what sort of wimp had she become? Tilting her head down, Alex quirked a brow at the sight of an arm slung around her chest and the feel of someone behind her. "The hell…"

"Your alright!" a high pitched voice squealed out and four girls skipped forward with spent tears glistening their now cheerful faces. Karry was the first one to reach her, and fell to her knees in front of her proclaimed leader and wrapped her arms around Alex, being careful of the cut. Soon the other girls followed suit, and the eldest was stuck in the middle of hugs and sobbing.

Pulling herself out of the mess, she grabbed her sword and unsteadily stood to her feet. Waving back and forth for a few seconds, Alex once more felt someone holding her steady. Shaking her ungraceful state off, she turned her head to the side and caught site of Peter standing behind her with a grim look on his face. Brown eyes caught gray and he stared at her for a few moments before the fisted hands at his side relaxed and the first glimmers of a tear showed in his right eye. Alex simply smirked and lightly slapped him wiping the line of salt water away before anyone could see.

"Not time to cry yet, Pan." she whispered softly just before Tinkerbell appeared before her. The little pixie let out loud bells of crying and threw herself on the girls shoulder, gripping at her freshly cut hair. Alex only rolled her eyes at the little woman before turning back to the stand off between Hook and Smee. Funny, she didn't even notice the first mate in the room before. To bad for said mate that his attention was turned to the girl instead of the Captain.

"Traitor!" Hook bellowed and thrust his sword at the little man. The blade connected with the mans arm and sent him to the floor with a yelp and the dropping of his gun. Outside, the sound of the Captains voice signaled to the men that the fight was still on and he had not fallen just yet. Cries went out as the battle once more raged on the deck.

"Get out there!" Alex yelled to the girls and sent them scurrying out the door before Hook could slash at them with his attached weapon. Turning on the remaining two children, the blue eyed man glared and yanked his sword from Smee, emitting a moan from the pudgy man.

"Pan, Pan. Peter Pan. You don't remember me do you, boy?" the grown up asked in a hissing tone. Peter only stared with a readied sword. "That's right, you don't remember anything. And you trust this…traitorous girl to give you all the answers?" he went on and jabbed his hook toward Alex from across the room.

"Ignore him, Peter. He's trying to distract us." the girl said and stepped toward the boy who nodded in response.

"Yes, ignore me, Peter. Do everything that she tells you. You really would do anything she told you, wouldn't you? Why do you do that, boy? Because you trust her?" the man sneered and took a step forward. "She hasn't told you has she?"

"Told me what?" Peter asked against his better judgment.

"Why, how you came to be this way, of course. Let me enlighten you…"

"Shut up." Alex shot at the Captain, bringing a smirk to his face.

"She sold you out, Peter, she told me where you were. She brought this upon you because of her selfishness. And to think you've been trusting her all this time." Hook gave a sorrowful expression and shrugged. "It really is quite a shame."

"Alex?" the boy asked and looked over at her with a confused face. "Is that true?"

"It…it's not how it sounds-"

"Oh, isn't it? She gave you away, found you, and used you to fight against me. All of this happened because of her want for power, Peter. With you out of the way, and me dead, she could easily have the island as her own, and no one would know of her secret little scheme."

"No, Peter, he's lying. I wouldn't do that, you know better then to believe him!" Alex argued and turned to Peter. He couldn't really believe Hook could he?

"But everything he says makes sense, Alex." Peter said in a serious voice and stared over at her with accusing eyes. "You had me in the palm of your hand this whole time. You told me what to do all the time…" he continued and started backing away from both her and Hook toward the port window behind him. "All you talked about was getting rid of him."

"No, Peter." Alex shook her head in a quick motion and Tinkerbell did the same while fluttering beside Peter. "Everyone told you how he is. You know. You know me. You remember things. I wouldn't do this."

"But you already have, haven't you?" the Captain broke in again and took a step toward the girl. The boy and girl stared at each other for what seemed like hours until the one closest to the window dropped his weapon and leapt out the window before Alex could yell out anything to stop him.

"What are you going to do now, girl? Your Peter Pan is no longer standing at your side. What's it worth anymore?" the menacing man snapped and ran at her with sword and hook raised. Meeting him halfway, Alex pushed him back with all her strength and out the door and onto the deck above the battle. She was angry. Very, very angry. Everything was going so fast to be going this down hill. It was all wrong, everything was wrong!

Pushing the girl back, Hook swung his sword down while bringing his hook up. When Alex's blade met with his, the hook speared her shirt and the man flung her upwards and over the banister, down to the lower deck. The landing was rough and knocked all the air right out of the girl. Eyes stared up at the Captain as he descended the stairs with a smirk on his face. She couldn't beat him, and that was a fact of life. Captain Hook was a good swordsman, and she was just a cabin girl. She couldn't win…not without Peter to back her up.

One shiny boot crunched down on her fighting hand painfully, and the sound of a sword being sheathed rang through her ears. Hooks hand came down and grasped the front of her shirt before pulling her up to her feet, her weapon clattering to the planks of the ship. When Alex's feet no longer touched the deck, she knew she was in trouble. The wound on her back throbbed, her hand was most likely broken, and she was going to have numerous bruises tomorrow from her fall. That is if she reached tomorrow.

"Any last wor-AH!" Hook started and finished with a howl. Someone leapt limberly on his back and stabbed his holding arm. Dropping to the ground, Alex clutched her sword once more in her left hand this time, even though she would be extremely uncoordinated, and turned back to the still panicked pirate.

A grin spread over the girls face when she spotted who had saved her from her impending doom. Tiger Lily. The Indian princess was latched onto the Captain, who was swinging his hook around aimlessly, and stabbing the man whenever she got the chance. Taking this as an advantage, Alex swung her sword with a purpose. Hook felt the sting as the girls blade cut down his chest and over his arm, leaving a trail of blood behind. He screamed at both that, and the new stab wound he acquired on his shoulder curtsey of Tiger Lily.

As the two females went on with their attack on Hook, they failed to notice what was happening, or not happening, around them. Lost Boys were held with ropes here and there, Indians were flung overboard or were tied along with the children, and the pirates were smiling toothlessly at their upcoming victory. A few of them eventually ran over and started prying the princess from their Captains back, while some others struggled with the constant wiggling of Alex. However, Tiger Lily could stab forever, nor could Alex wiggle, and eventually the two were brought to a halt.

"Damn you children! Damn you all!" Captain Hook raged on as he flung his arms out to the side. His face turned a cherry red at his anger, and his hook shook at his side. Stomping along the deck, he glared at each and every one of the captured invaders, then turned to look out over the sea toward Neverland. Something in the distance caught his blue eyes. A dot in the sky overhead was all Hook needed to bring that terrible grin to his face once more.

"Boys!" he yelled out to his crew, who all stood at attention. Tilting his head to the side he ordered in a sickening tone of voice. "Bring out Long Tom."

The ship looked so calm in the distance. It gave away no sign of the fighting, except for the occasional scream now and then. Was he wrong to leave Alex behind? Was he wrong to have believed Hook? Did he really believe Alex was trying to take over the island?

No, no he didn't.

Then why did he leave? Peter wished he knew. Maybe he was scared, maybe he was confused, or maybe…

"Peter!" a voice screamed out from below. Squinting his eyes, the floating boy looked down on the ship. He knew the voice from memory. Alex. He saw her down there, both arms being held by pirates, her face panicked. He saw the boys to, and the girls. They were all tied up, looking to him in the sky as if he were suppose to help them out of the situation. Shaking his head, Peter looked down at the water below. He couldn't save them, he was a coward who ran away just because he was confused. He wasn't the Peter Pan everyone loved and wanted. The one Alex loved and wanted.

Tilting his head back up just enough so his gaze could rest on the ship, he stared down at Alex's face long and hard. Her hair was shorter from Hooks attack, and swung carelessly around her shoulders. Just like it used to be, all those years ago. Wait…how could he know…Her face was a bit rounder then, still chubby with youth. Her eyes weren't as pale as they were now, darker with a splash of blue in them. Her voice was softer, filled with innocence…

Then in that moment in the Neverland sky, something clicked, fell into place like a puzzle piece. He remembered the day Alex was brought to the island, he remembered going to see her beforehand, he remembered why he left her there, he remembered finding her by the Mermaid Lagoon, he remembered slipping into her cabin on the Jolly Roger. A dream, he remembered having a dream, he remembered the flames of the fire he pulled her out of, he remembered the stubbornness she showed when she couldn't walk right. The night on the rock was the last night he talked to her before…

The boy held his head in his hands. Things were being rearranged, shifted, and organized around. Memories being posted back up, peoples pictures put back in frames, and places placed back on the map. It felt like something went off in his mind. A bomb exploding, clearing out all the debris. The feeling was like having a smoke screen being pulled from in front of his eyes, and the world being shown to him all over again. And for a moment, that feeling staggered him and was confused about his current position in the sky, and why everyone was on the pirate ship.

"Alex?" he whispered as he looked down on the Jolly Roger with honey eyes. That name was the last thing Peter Pan remembered saying before hearing the shaking bang of cannon fire.

Ahhhhh, he's back! After…lets see, one…two…NINE chapters! Of course, you won't get to see the real Peter Pan back in action until the next chapter, which is the…sniff…LAST CHAPTER, WHAAA! Oh, what am I going to do with my life after this is over? Anyway, let me go compose myself, and while I do that…you know what I'm gonna say…REVIEW!!!!