Images of Broken Souls Chapter 10: This Year's Girl, a peter pan fanfic

Images of Broken Souls

Chapter Ten: This Year's Girl

For the crown you've placed upon my head feels too heavy now
and I don't know what to say to you but I'll smile anyhow
- Hunter, Dido -

"Mom and Nikki are always there for me, but… I've seen how some of my friends at school are with their dads. I try not to, but I get jealous about it. My dad's," Ian paused, trying to figure out how to describe it. "It's like he's afraid of me or something. While he's okay with Nikki, he doesn't know what to do with me, how to treat me or whatever. In the spring Dad'll do, um, what's the word, he'll be at work more. And when's he's home, he makes extra sure that Nikki's alright, and watches me like he thinks I'm gonna take off."

"Maybe he thinks you will," suggested Bits. "He has to know that Neverland exists, if only because of your sister. Maybe he thinks you're going to become a Lost Boy."

"Maybe."

On the other side of the island, Tiger Lily explained, "A bit over two years ago Shon and Peter started to argue frequently. It was something that had been coming for a while. Both have dominant personalities, and Shon was growing up. It kept getting worse, and everyone assumed Shon would soon be leaving the island. I'm not certain of the details, but Peter and Shon had a big fight, I don't know what it was about, but…" She took a deep breath before continuing. "From what I heard it was just starting to get violent, when Ting tried to break it up. But while the violence may have just began, everything happened too fast. No one knows which of them killed Ting, but whomever did it… It was an accident."

"So that's when Shon became the pirate's captain," Nicole stated blankly. She was having trouble digesting what had happened.

But John interceded, shaking his head. "No. Shon didn't join the pirates until a couple weeks after that. When Peter couldn't remember who Ting was."

"Maybe he thinks you will," suggested Bits. "He has to know that Neverland exists, if only because of your sister. Maybe he thinks you're going to become a Lost Boy."

"Maybe."

"So that's when Shon became the pirate's captain," Nicole stated blankly. She was having trouble digesting what had happened.

But John interceded, shaking his head. "No. Shon didn't join the pirates until a couple weeks after that. When Peter couldn't remember who Ting was."

Nicole closed her eyes. "But you don't remember that do you?… You certainly don't remember the people who matter." When she opened her eyes they were dry, but appeared vacant. She nodded, and thanked them, and headed back to the house under the ground.

Five of Neverland's days passed before she would again acknowledge Pan's presence. Three more before she'd speak to him other than to answer questions as quickly and succinctly as she could. It took eight days of cold treatment from Nicole, before Peter could get her to talk to him like she normally would. And even then it was only because she noticed that the strain was bothering the Lost Boys.

Peter remembered the fight with Captain Shon, but he did not recall Wendy being brought into it in any form nor her slapping him. That was quite likely the only reason he didn't bring the incident up.

Eventually they had a normal conversation; laughing and chatting. In prior years their exchanges had ended in some sort of action, such as Peter teaching Nicole how to use a sword, but this particular dialogue finished before any such pursuit began. And it ended with quite a simple reason, really. They were discussing past events, when an everyday occurrence occurred.

Peter called Nicole Wendy. And so she smiled, bittersweet, and bade off further talk on the excuse of needing to make dinner.

Finally, things were back to normal. But it didn't last.

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Reviewer response:

Mizamour: Thanks! I'm really glad you like it so far.

Shining Star of Valinor: That's interesting. Thanks.

And to everybody reading, please review. It really helps.