Oh dear GODS!!! I am so sorry It's been FOREVER!! This has been sitting in my files for a while…I just decided to go ahead and put it up…why? Mainly cause people are still occasionally reviewing. And it seems that people actually want me to finish it.

I very well might try and do better!!! I like this story…and like my other ones…I wanna finish it eventually.

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A Better World Chapter 5 Running, Hiding, and Outsmarting

They didn't stop on the beach, they didn't even stop after entering the line of trees around the beach. Peter led the Lost Boys straight through the forest and to their tree. The fairies flitted around nervously as Peter touched down, helping Cubs who had a small prone body in his arms.

Lynette and Mathias, who were farthest behind, came upon the group crowded around the fallen Lost Boy.

"Oh God." Lynette gasped as she saw the unconscious form of Osh lying in the arms of an almost hysterical Cubs. Cubs had tears streaming down his face, his arms wrapped around his best friend.

"I don't know what happened!" he sobbed as Peter bent down to pry his arms from around the limp figure. "We were fi-fighting," he gave a small hiccup as his voice cracked. "And a pirate came out of nowhere!"

Peter looked mournfully as the pale and still form of Osh as he took him from Cubs. Peter gently laid him down on the forest floor and leaning over, he put his ear to Osh's chest. Everyone went so quite that Lynette could hear the adrenaline course through her veins.

Peter looked up gravely. "He's not doing well." Lynette found herself pushing forward and dropping to her knees beside Peter. Peter merely glanced at her as she bent over to examine. The seconds passed slowly, the very air thickening as time practically stopped.

Lynette wanted to cry herself. No this couldn't be! He can't die…he just can't! She looked for blood, an oddly laying limb—anything to show what was wrong with him. Her eyes roamed over his small frame, her hands pushing up the shirt to examine his chest and arms. There! A cut across his collarbone stood out on his light skin, but it's didn't look deep enough to cause massive blood loss.

Lynette looked up at Cubs, who still had tear streaks running down his face. "What happened? Was he stabbed?"

Cubs shook his head quickly, gulping in air as he began to talk. "The pirate just swiped at'im. He was barely h-h-hit. It barely pierced his skin…there was barely any blood." Cubs was so pale, the tears burning red streaks down his usually grinning face. "He was fine for a while, but then he went all pale and started to sweat. Next th-thing I knew," Cubs sniffled loudly. "He had fallen down and I couldn't get him to get back up. I started yelling for Peter…" He looked apologetically at Peter, who was taken aback by this. "I didn't know what else to do!"

Peter gently patted him on the back, and Cubs erupted into more sobs.

Lynette turned her attention back to the pale body of Osh, the new information running frantically through her mind. Putting as many of the pieces together, she gasped in surprise. Leaning forward she put her hand on Osh's forehead, then his cheek. He was burning up, but his skin was clammy.

"Peter." She snapped hurriedly to catch his attention. He turned from Cubs to look down at Lynette. "Send someone to fetch that Indian Medicine Woman!"

"But why…?"

"Just do it!" Lyn hissed as she pulled Osh closer to her, her hands moving over his collarbone where there was a thin open scratch. "Tell her that someone might be poisoned…Tell her that he's got a fever but his sweat is cold and," she looked closer at the cut and noticed a weird color tinting the skin. "That the poison might be blue."

The Lost Boys and Peter just stared at her. She sighed mentally and thanked the gods for all those stupid movies she had watched in her life. That's what it had to be, it had to be poison. If they could find out what kind of poison it was, then they might find an antidote. He might be able to be saved.

But she knew the ropes with venom and poison, having taken a very watered down first aid class in her short 2 year community college period. The cut was close to his heart and therefore, if it were poison, it would travel much more quickly through his body than if it had entered in another area. And him getting so active and worked up during the fight…Lynette mentally let loose a sob and begged every deity that he would be okay.

In the blink of an eye, Peter had taken Eric by the scruff of his neck and they took off towards the Indian village.

"Lynette?" It was Cubs. "Is there anything we can do?" She looked over Cubs, Rut, and Nough, who all looked bleary eyes and worn out.

She sighed and looked up at Mathias who was flitting around between the other fairies seeing if anything could be done. "Just find me some cloths and some cold water." Cubs and Rut stood up instantly and rushed off, leaving Nough there to watch Lyn's head droop dejectedly.

"It's all my fault." she said softly as she ran her cool hand over Osh's feverish brow. He let out a mewling whimper before falling silent again.

"But you know what happened." Nough said quickly, seeing that she was on the verge of tears.

"Do I?

"You figured out it was poison! We would have never-"

"I was lucky. We're not even sure it is, though."

"It has to be! I just has to be!" Nough sank down beside Lynette and watched as Osh's chest rose and fell so slowly they weren't sure if it ever was going to rise the next time. "What can I do, Lyn?" he asked so softly that she barely heard him.

Sniffling softly she kept her eyes glued to Osh as she spoke. "Pray."

Time passed oddly over the next couple of days. It would slow down to the speed of a snail, and then just as quickly, speed up as if trying to make up for missed time.

Running Fox had come and gone within three hours, having known almost exactly what poison was coursing through the young boys veins. She said that Lyn's quick eye was what had saved the young boy, but Lynette said that it was her quick, and stupid, decisions that had put him in that danger.

Running Fox merely smiled and pressed a pouch of medicine into her hands. "They need a watcher like you whether you or they wish to admit it." she said with a tired smile before leaving them all there.

The antidote wasn't instant, and they had thought for the longest time that it had been too late. But only after they had moved the young boy into the tree house, did he begin to regain color. Lynette hunched over, sitting next to his bed, despite the pain that rushed through her chest from the ribs and brace.

She never left his side. Cubs would've stayed with her if Lynette hadn't expressed how much Peter and the boys needed him to keep things running. He had sighed and done as she told him, returning every so often to check in.

Peter came by too, but never said anything. Lynette suspected that he was still slightly angry with her. Which, she told herself constantly, was totally justified anger.

Days of administering the antidote and watching passed before honey brown eyes opened to star blankly at the top of the bunk.

Lynette's voice caught in her throat as she saw him stir. He slowly turned his head to look at her, a rather curious expression crossing his face. "Lynette?" his voice rasped out. "What are you doing in the tree house?"

Lynette only let out a happy squeak before turning to scramble out of the tree to let the Lost Boys know their companion was awake.

"Mermaid scales!?" Osh yelled indignantly. "I was poisoned by powdered mermaid scales!?" The Lost Boys nodded. Osh let out a small huff as he fell back against the wall of his bunk.

"We were afwaid we lost you." Rut said softly and the other Lost Boys nodded. Osh only scowled at the wall, his bottom lip stuck out in an angry pout.

"Why are you so upset?" Cubs asked as he moved past Nough to stand next to the bed.

Osh looked up and scoffed indignantly. "Of all the ways to go down, the least heroic and dumbest way is poison!" Peter couldn't help but chuckle, and the Lost Boys soon joined him.

Osh smiled softly at all his friends and over at Lynette who didn't see him. She was sitting just outside the entrance, her back to everyone. He knew she blamed herself, but had nothing to say to her but thank you. She had been the cause of the fight, they all knew that, but no one would say anything to the contrary, and he planned on keeping it that way.

It was the 4th day after the incident on Captain Hook's ship, and Osh had finally come around. He was just as energetic as ever, but would be made to take it slowly by Cubs, who was convinced that the poison could still be in his system.

They were all inside, crowded around Osh's bed and talking of what had gone on the last couple of days.

She heard her name mentioned a couple of times, but never paid any attention to it. She was just so relieved that he was okay, she didn't care what they were saying about her.

She knew things would soon be back to normal, the lost Boys laughing and playing, not caring about a damn thing around them. She knew that they wouldn't forget the fight though. Peter now knew Hook was alive and kicking, and the Lost Boys had rather large payback plans for the pirates of the ship.

She felt someone's eyes on her back, but didn't turn around.

Lynette? came a low voice next to her ear. Lynette, what's wrong? I thought you'd be ecstatic that Osh-

"You think I'm not?" He circled around so he was floating in front of her. She only sighed and looked away. "I just know it was my fault and I accept that, but even if they forgive me I know that my actions nearly cost a boy his life. And nothing will change that."

Mathias looked like he wanted to say something, but Lynette stood up, her eyes lifted up to the tops of the trees.

"Can you tell me how to get to a hot spring or something? I need a bath…" She trailed off as she reached for fairy dust, and slowly floated up to her small nook. Mathias blinked but said he would. "It's been days since I've even been in water, and I know I stink. I feel yucky," she scrunched up her nose and made a face. "And I just wanted to get clean. I think I have a bar of soap in my duffle so I figured use it while I can, right?" She gave him a sad smile as she grabbed her bag and began to descend.

It won't last, Lyn.

"I know, but I figured, hell, I better use it now before it gets ruined or stolen or-"

I meant your guilt.

Lynette was taken aback, and lowered her head. "Will it?"

Mathias landed on her shoulder and gently pressed his warm body against her neck and cheek in an awkward but effective hug. Lynette gave him a smile that wasn't sad, but understanding.

"Thanks." She reached up and gave him a poke so that he stumbled across her shoulder with a laugh. "So show me where this spring is…"

TBC

A/N:

Um…OO

What will happen. Find out next time on "A Better World Chapter 6 Revelations."

Read and Review so I know what ya think about it!!!!!