Author's Note: It has been SO LONG. I'm so sorry. I've been mad busy, you don't even know. This chapter is eight pages on my computer…I had to cut it down because I figured that you guys wouldn't want to be at your computers reading for forever, so that's why it kind of just ends. Also, for some reason, the site keeps changing the formatting of my story. I'm hoping that you guys won't notice.
Oh, and P.S….Hope you all remember that I posted this about a month before the movie came out. Thank you. That is all. Another
Nothing Gold Can Stay: chapter 3
In A Galaxy, Far, Far Away
They said that he would slit your throat in an instant without a second thought. They said that he would watch the blood run down your neck and offer a laugh for every drop of blood that hit the ground. They said that he drank the blood of his victims for breakfast the next day. They didn't call him Slit-Your-Throat Slim for nothing.
The mermaids had reported seeing him engaged in a fight with one of his shipmates. He was nimble and quick, striking you this way and jabbing you that way. He wielded a sword like it was a feather, handling it with ease. He always fought fair until he got bored. Then, he would go in for the kill and you would not even know that you had been wounded. He went for the neck every time, of course. They didn't call him Slit-Your-Throat Slim for nothing.
He had fought Pan himself. He had fought Pan and survived. He had even managed to cut a bit of him off and bring it to Hook as a souvenir. They didn't call him Slit-Your-Throat Slim for nothing.
Yes, he was a ruthless pirate indeed. Or, so it would seem. Most times, when Slim was by himself, he was not half bad. He even considered himself good, or at least, better than the other pirates. Most times. If you excluded what he had done to make a name for himself on the Jolly Roger…
But that was all in the past now. He could not look back. Chin up and head towards the future. That was the motto that Captain Hook lived by and advocated it to his crew. Then again, Captain Hook lived by many a motto. Slim supposed it depended on the mood that he was in.
Even though Slim always tried to forget the past, he could never forget his run in with Peter Pan. Pan would always be the scratch on the roof of his mouth. And even though Pan's lost boys had nothing to do with his hatred for Pan himself, they were still Pan's lost boys. Perhaps that is why Slim made the decision that he did that day.
It had started out as any other morning. The sun was out and the sky was quite clear. Slim paused his mop for a moment and took in the cool sea breeze that was blowing through the deck of the Jolly Roger. He took a deep breath and then sighed. How long had it been since he had paused like this to just...be? Too long.
"Keep up with your work there, lad," advised Robert Mullins, clapping him on the back.
"Can't a man take a break?" asked Slim.
"Sure," said Cecco. "A man can!" he said half-jokingly, smiling his yellow smile. Mullins, laughing along with Cecco, clapped Slim on the back again and then walked away.
Slim was a man! He was a man as much as the others were. Well, maybe not quite, but nearly. Near enough. Damn near enough. And near enough made it true, did it not? He was young, but he was as brave and fierce as any of the men on that ship. Frustration filled him. He was always being teased. It wasn't his fault that he was younger than all the other pirates were. Couldn't they ease up on him every once in a while?
Billy Jukes approached him, telescope in hand. He was shifting it in his hands carelessly. "Forget about it," he said as carelessly as he was twirling the telescope in his hands.
"Forget about what?" asked Slim, harshly.
"You know what I'm talking about. Don't let your anger get the best of you." Slim sighed. Billy knew him too well. "And besides," Bill continued. "You're not the only young one. Before you came, I was the youngest. We're in this together." Billy was right. They were in this together. They had been through a lot together.
Slim looked up at the sky. It was a nice day. There was no reason to be angry. But wait, what did he see moving in the sky? It was too big to be a bird. In fact, he thought it was—
"Let me see your telescope," Slim asked, urgently.
"Why, what do you—hey!"
Slim grabbed the telescope from Billy Jukes's hands and pointed it at the sky, looking through it. Just as he thought. It was a boy. He could not tell if it was Peter Pan or not, but if it was not Peter, then it had to be one of the lost boys. Now, as it had always been with him, Slim held no personal ill will towards the boys, but because they were Pan's boys, he hated them as well. Perhaps if he had not felt this way, he would not have alerted the crew. Perhaps.
"Lost boy, lost boy!" yelled Slim, pointing at the sky and running for Long Tom.
Mr. Smee alerted the Captain at once while the men readied Long Tom. The ship buzzed with excitement. It had been so long since anyone had been spotted flying the skies near the ship.
The Captain, who had not even fastened his hook to his stub of right arm came flying out of his cabin, bare chested, hair flying behind him. "Quickly, men!" Captain Hook barked, searching the skies. "If you lose him, it'll be your lives!"
Hurriedly, the men lit Long Tom and aimed him at their oblivious target.
~
Wendy could not help but laugh when she saw the island stretched before her. The familiar sight that never left her memories, the sight that played in her dreams, was here in front of her now. So many feelings pressed themselves upon her at once. The thought of arriving at a place that she had to convince herself of actually existing repeatedly overwhelmed her. There it was right in front of her! So close…and the thought of seeing Peter again…
Tinkerbell, flying near Wendy, turned around and blew a raspberry at her. She then quickly darted away, laughing as she went. Wendy's brow furrowed in annoyance. That pest! If she had the chance, she would—wait, where was Tootles?
Tootles had been flying so fast that she had not even noticed herself falling behind. "Tootles!" she called out, flying as fast as she could. It had been so long since she had flown that she did not nearly have the same control that she once had. "Tootles!" she called again, urgently. And, oh, now she had gone and lost sight of Tinkerbell.
Tootles, meanwhile, heard Wendy's distant cry and paused to allow her to catch up. Tinkerbell joined him momentarily and finally Wendy could be seen emerging through the cotton candy clouds, slowly making her way towards them.
"She's so slow," commented Tinkerbell.
Tootles watched her anxiously, silently urging her to fly faster. They were right above the island now and very near the Jolly Roger. It would not be long until they reached Peter. Wendy was quite close now—
"Look out!" cried Tinkerbell, fear etched in her voice.
What was he supposed to be looking out for? Tootles looked around and saw nothing. Wendy was almost to him now.
"Long Tom!" screamed Tinkerbell. She heaved Tootles by the ear, pulling him out of the path of the cannonball hurtling through the air. But there was still Wendy…
"Wendy!" cried Tootles. He flew towards her and managed to grab her hand before attempting to fly out of the way but it was too late. He felt the cannonball hit his foot, causing him to flip and go flying through the air out of control.
Everything happened so fast for Wendy. She did not see what had hit Tootles, but when it made the impact, Tootles let go of her hand and let out such a wail of pain that it seemed to carry Wendy away from him. She could not help but let out a cry of her own as she sped towards the water below.
Torn, Tinkerbell did not know what to do. She watched in horror as Tootles went spinning one way and Wendy speedily fell to the water. Tootles was a lost boy and she would never hesitate to help a lost boy, but Wendy was important now too. Wendy was needed to help Peter. Tinkerbell couldn't possibly help them both at once. But she had to choose…
Frantically, she flew after Wendy and caught the tip of her dressing gown right before she hit the water. However, this did not stop Wendy from getting wet. Tinkerbell pulled up the gown, causing Wendy to hang by the arms and endure being dunked in the water. Finally, Tinkerbell gave up on the dressing gown and settled on pulling Wendy by the neck of her nightgown, choking her all the way.
Upon reaching shore, Wendy sputtered and coughed while gripping her neck, taking deep breaths, happy that she could breathe correctly again. Then, after resting awhile, she advanced on the fairy hovering above her. "Were you trying to kill me?" she demanded.
The fairy was furious. She had tried to help the brat and this is how she repaid her? "I was trying to help you!" she replied, heated.
"By attempting to choke me?" retorted Wendy.
"I sacrificed Tootles for you—Tootles! We have to help him!"
Wendy looked around fearfully. If Tootles was not on the shore with Tinkerbell and her, then he must have been in the water.
"What are you doing?" asked Tinkerbell, watching Wendy wade into the water and swim from shore.
But Wendy did not answer. She was determined to find the boy who had just sacrificed himself for her—even if he did cause her to fall from an abominable height in the air. Continuing to ignore Tinkerbell's yells for her to come back to shore, she submerged herself in the water. Although it was difficult to see, she frantically looked around for Tootles until she became short of breath and had to come up for air.
"Come back!" commanded Tinkerbell. "Come back this instant! He's not there!"
Not there? Wendy took a moment to let the words register and then swam back to shore. "Why didn't you tell me?" asked Wendy, her clothing heavy with water. She began to wring out her dressing gown and then, her nightgown.
"I tried. I asked you what you were doing but you insisted on ignoring me." Tinkerbell looked fearfully beyond shore. There, perched regally on the water, was the Jolly Roger in all its horrid glory. With the way things had occurred, Tootles had been lucky enough to fall right beside the Jolly Roger. His lucked continued to serve him well when he was hoisted out of the water and onto the ship. "They must have seen us coming," she said. "But if they saw you fall too, they'll be out to look for you."
"Yes," agreed Wendy, slowly. "We must find Peter at once, mustn't we?"
Wordlessly, Tinkerbell flew into the forest behind them and Wendy tentatively followed her. She was not sure if she trusted Tinkerbell completely. What if the fairy tried to endanger her like she had when she tricked the lost boys into shooting her down? Wendy slowed down with each step. What if she lured her into the forest and…and…Wendy had completely stopped by now. Tinkerbell had always hated her and had been jealous of her. What if nothing had changed? In fact, what made Wendy so sure that Tinkerbell had changed?
Tinkerbell stopped too, seeing that Wendy had trailed behind. Did she really think that there was time for her to be slowing down like she was? They needed to go find Peter right away. And why didn't she fly? "Fly!" commanded Tinkerbell, quickly making a halo of fairy dust over Wendy's head in case she needed a bit of a "boost."
Wendy slowly lifted herself in the air, but then just as slowly touched the earth again. That was just what Tinkerbell wanted, wasn't it? For her to fly after her. And Tinkerbell would fly faster and faster and faster, and Wendy would have no choice but to try and keep up. Soon, Wendy would fly out of control and not be able to stop herself from spinning into the depths of whatever Tinkerbell had thought most suitable to dispose of her.
"We haven't the time to waste!" Tinkerbell urged.
Shakily, Wendy said, "I'm sorry, Tinkerbell…I can't go with you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I…" Tinkerbell was flying very close to her now, so close that she could see the annoyed expression on her face. But no, she could not back down now. "I can't go with you."
"You mean, you don't want to help Tootles?" asked Tinkerbell, her tone incredulous.
"No! I mean, yes!" When the fairy put it that way, it sounded terrible. Of course she wanted to help Tootles. He had saved her life, after all. "I want to help Tootles. I just can't go with you."
"But we need to go and find Peter."
"Well…why don't you go and find him? By yourself? I can stay here and wait for you."
Tinkerbell glared at the girl, confused. This was no time for games! What kind of game was she trying to play? But, what was the harm in letting Wendy stay? She would most likely be able to reach Peter faster without Wendy. Quickly, Tinkerbell scanned the area. She could not possibly leave Wendy here. It was too close to the Tree. Well, Peter and one of the twins had been the only ones who the Tree had ever revealed itself to, so she supposed that Wendy would be alright by herself. And if anything were to try and harm her, she could always fly.
"If you are attacked by some creature, it is not my problem!" Tinkerbell declared before flying off.
Wendy's eyes followed her, filling with fear as the realization set in: she could be attacked. Why had she not thought of that? Stupid, stupid, stupid. But it did not matter much, did it? She could fly…if she could keep a clear head and think happy thoughts. How that would be possible if she came face to face with some four-eyed thing with two rows of teeth was beyond her—
A sharp noise caught between her ears and she jumped, squeaking. Wendy began to walk again, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Goosebumps dressed her skin, but they were not from being cold. Fear had called them.
The deeper she walked into the forest, the more in tune with it she seemed to get. Wendy's senses seemed to pick up everything. The feel of the forest air on her skin, which seemed to have a thick texture that the air outside the forest did not have. The smell of urine, signaling an animal faster and stronger than she marking its territory. Even the sound of the smallest creatures as they struggled to fight their way out of the spider web that held them capture.
She disliked it. It was too much. The forest was imposing itself on her and it was too much. It was pressing itself upon her, asking her to join it. It was the spider web and she was the fly. It was too much.
And there was a voice that crept into her mind, slithering around corners, speaking to her in it commanding way. "Come."
And she knew where to go, where to step. She could have done it in her sleep. She had been there before, but it had not guided there. She had found her way there from memory all the other times, but this time, it led her. "Come."
And she was afraid no longer. The voice soothed her. It soothed her so that she forgot why she was there in the first place. It soothed her so that she forgot about Tinkerbell and Tootles and even Peter. "Come."
And she went. She went and went and did not stop until she came to a large tree. Its roots were gnarled and uprooted while its branches were large and looming. But, she was not afraid. She had been there before, after all.
Wendy pushed a knothole, allowing her to enter the hollow tree. Then, after landing at the bottom of a tunnel, darkness surrounded her. After a few moments of standing in the darkness, the soothing feeling left her. Alarm filled her.
Where am I?
How did I get here?
She jumped when suddenly, there was light. Quickly seeing that a dimly lit candle was the source of light before her, she turned when another candle lit. And another. The entire room was filled with candles and they were one by one lighting themselves. They were stuck on various things by their melted wax and nestled in knotholes. A fireplace lit itself, adding to the brilliance.
Her eyes widened with recognition. She knew where she was. The hideout. "But…where is Tinkerbell?" she asked herself aloud, remembering that Tinkerbell had left her to fetch Peter from the hideout. "And Peter?"
Turning so that her back was to the rest of the room, Wendy realized what had happened. Tinkerbell must have gotten to Peter and they flew to the Jolly Roger—without her. "That fairy!" cried Wendy in frustration. Peter probably did not even know she was in Neverland!
"What's eating you?" came another voice that was not her own.
Swiftly, she spun around, startled, to find two boys across the room—one by the fireplace and one with his feet propped at the long table. I thought that I was alone, thought Wendy, her brow furrowing. She examined the boy whose face she could see, the one whose feet were propped up, and recognized him.
"Nibs!" cried Wendy, happily. He looked older than he'd been when she had left Neverland for good, about thirteen or fourteen, but she still knew that it was him. But he did not answer her. Perhaps he did not hear her. After trying again, she frowned, watching him. He hadn't even looked in her direction when she called his name. Why was he ignoring her?
"I said, what's eating you?" asked Nibs once again, tipping back and forth in his chair.
So he wanted her to answer his question. "Well," began Wendy, "Tinkerbell—"
"I'm talking to you, Slightly," called Nibs to the boy at the fireplace, interrupting Wendy.
Wendy walked towards the fireplace to examine the boy. It was Slightly, and he looked to be either thirteen or fourteen just as Nibs did. He was poking at the embers with a stick, a scowl on his face. Tears were slowly making their way down his cheeks and he did not even bother to wipe them away.
Wendy could not bear it. Her "son" was crying. "What's the matter, Slightly?" she asked, kneeling beside him. She placed her hand on his back, gently moving it up and down. Urging him to face her, she said, "It's me, Wendy. I'm back."
He did not look at her, however. It was almost as if he did not hear her. "Slightly," tried Wendy again. "Won't you stop crying?" She reached over to wipe his tears off his face but strangely, they did not come off of his skin. Her fingertips were not even moist.
Nibs walked over to them, squatting beside Slightly on the other side. "Are those tears?" he asked incredulously.
Slightly replied by knocking the other boy off of his feet, getting up and taking his place where Nibs had just been sitting. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave Nibs a dark, unnerving look.
Picking himself up, Nibs placed himself across the table from Slightly. "What's the matter?"
Wendy, too, sat at the table, waiting for Slightly's answer. But it didn't come.
"Come on, Slightly. I know something's the matter. You're crying—"
"I'm. Not. Crying," retorted Slightly, wiping the tears from his cheeks.
"Okay, okay," said Nibs, hands up in defense. A smile was playing at the corner of his mouth. "I take it that your eyes are just sweating, then?"
Either Nibs or Wendy did not expect what came next. Slightly stood, picked up his chair, and threw it, crying out in anger. "Everything's a bloody joke with you, isn't it? A bloody, fucking—"
It was Nibs's turn to stand. "Wendy wouldn't like that language from you—"
"Wendy's not here! Wendy's not here and she's never coming back! Ever!"
Nibs was quiet, his eyes downcast.
"But I'm here!" cried Wendy. "I'm right here!"
"The sooner all of you realize that, the better off we'll be," spat Slightly.
"Don't say that," Nibs commanded.
"Slightly, Nibs, I'm here!"
"She should have never come here in the first place," continued Slightly. "We all would have been better off without her—especially Peter."
"No…" whispered Wendy.
"Don't say that!"
"Peter is a worthless, no good coward!"
Nibs unsheathed his sword, bringing the point to Slightly's neck. "Take that back," he growled. "Take it all back!"
Quickly, Slightly back-flipped, landing clumsily, so that there would be enough distance between he and Nibs when he unsheathed his own sword. He charged at him, climbing over the table, but Nibs was ready for him and their swords clashed. "Do you want to know what the matter with me is?" asked Slightly. "You!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm the better swordsman!" grunted Slightly, blocking Nibs's thrust.
"We're just as good as each other—"
"I'm older!"
"You don't know that—"
"I'm smarter!"
"Slightly—"
"I'm better!"
Their swords became a blur as Wendy watched in wonder, slowly backing away until she hit the wall and sunk to the floor.
"And still," Slightly continued, breathing heavily. "Peter likes you more!"
Nibs deflected a hit and forcefully pushed Slightly back, yielding. "That's what this is about?"
"It doesn't matter what I do," said Slightly, his sword firmly held at his side, his eyes to the floor. He and Nibs were both panting, trying to catch their breath from their short duel. "Do you remember when Peter was away and Curly got himself captured by pirates and I made the plan to rescue him? Do you remember what Peter said? 'Good work, Nibs. That's why you're second-in-command.'"
Nibs remained silent.
"And do you remember when we were playing on the high rocks by the shore and Twin fell and broke his leg and I made a splint for him? I was the one who carried him to the red skins so that they could help him. Do you know what Peter said? 'Good work, Nibs. I can always count on you.'"
"Slightly…"
"And this morning, when you and I found that giant wolf in the woods and it had you pinned—I killed it. I spent so long skinning it to give the fur to Peter. I even saved some of the teeth for him. And when you told him the story of what happened in the forest, do you know what he said?"
"Slightly—"
"'It's a good thing that you killed it, Nibs. It's a good thing or you would have been a goner for sure.' And he flew away, without so much as look at my wolf fur." The tears were back now, falling slowly and defiantly. "I've always wondered why he never loved me the way he loved you. I've always wondered why I was always second best, why he was never proud of me. Just once…"
Wendy watched, misty eyed. She wanted to go to Slightly and hold him. She wanted to tell him that Peter did not mean it, that, at times, Peter had made her feel the exact same way when it had come to Tiger Lily. Deep down, Wendy knew that it was not an intentional act. He was just too innocent to understand. He didn't understand that, even though he was pleased with everyone, he needed to show it.
Nibs walked to his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's not like that, Slightly. It's not like that at all." Slightly shrugged the hand from the shoulder but Nibs firmly put it back. "Peter is proud of you. He's proud of all of us."
"Don't touch me," muttered Slightly. "You can't possibly understand."
Let him help you, Wendy urged Slightly, silently. He just wants to help you. Let him.
"I can try to understand, Slightly."
"No." He raised his sword, trying to put a barrier between the two of them.
Nibs was silent for awhile before saying, "You can be second-in-command, if that's what you want."
This only flared Slightly's anger. "I do not need your pity!" His sword was still raised. "I'm better than you! I can earn it!"
"Slightly—" Nibs advanced on Slightly. Slightly, in turn, made a move to push him back with no regards to the sword in his hand.
When it happened, Wendy screamed so horribly that she was sure that Tootles would come running from the Jolly Roger. Her stomach knotted and clenched in reaction to the horrendous thing that had just happened.
Slightly, meanwhile, was looking at his sword in disbelief. His belief was confirmed when he saw Nibs wriggling on the floor, clutching his neck in an attempt to stop the blood that was surging from the open would at his throat.
Slightly had just slit Nibs's throat.
He fell to his knees, pressing his own hands to Nibs's throat, eyes wide and moist. All the anger was flowing out of him, along with the blood that was flowing out of Nibs. "Nibs," he croaked. "Nibs, I didn't mean it! I-I never meant to—please, you can't—it was an accident!"
Nibs, on the other hand, could not respond even if he wanted to. Especially since things were getting especially dim for him.
"Please, Nibs. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." By now, Slightly was sobbing and so was Wendy, watching the sight before her. "You can't do this, Nibs. Don't do this to me. You can't do this. I didn't mean—the sword slipped. I didn't know what I was doing. I promise, Nibs, we'll never fight again."
It did not matter how much Slightly begged and pleaded because Nibs had just died at his hands and there was no way that he could bring him back.
End Note: So…was it worth the wait? Let me know. You know what to do. Thanks for reading.