Title: To Have & To Hold
Author: Squeezynz
Chapter: Three - The Island.
Rating: PG13
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"Is she alive?"
"Who cares, she's a grup...grup are supposed to stay dead."
"She doesn't look dead."
"Well, if'n she's not dead, what the heck is she doing layin' about 'ere?"
"Maybe she's a new lost girl?"
"Fool...she's a grup...grup's can't be lost kids, they're grups!"
"Yeah...but she's a pretty grup."
"Hah! Grup's aren't pretty."
"Are too!"
"Are not!"
The sound of a scuffle followed, the grunts and blow's muted as the antagonists rolled away from her.
Wondering what on earth children were doing in her bedroom, Wendy attempted to open her eyes, light stabbing painfully through her head as she opened them a crack.
"Ooooooh my head."
The scuffling sounds stopped instantly, the faint twitter of birds clearly audible in the sudden silence.
"It's alive," the awed whisper almost tempted Wendy to smile, only her mouth felt as dry as a desert, her tongue cleaving to her pallet.
"Run an' get the others, we'll 'ave to surround it 'fore it wakes...'urry!"
The patter of feet on leaves dragged Wendy once more back to the present and she attempted to prise her eyes open again, the light not so bright as she blinked rapidly to clear her vision. She lay staring up at a canopy of trees, swaying gently some distance above her head. Finding that sight somewhat at odds with what she expected, she turned her head slowly to where she'd heard the voices. Squatting on his haunches, an arrow notched in his bow, sat a boy dressed in skins and feathers, his face smeared with both dirt and paint, his eyes narrowed warily as he returned Wendy's stare.
"W-wh-o are you?" Wendy whispered, her throat working.
Instead of answering the boy turned his head in the direction his partner had gone. "TRACE...IT'S TALKIN' TO ME...'URRY UP!"
Turning back to face Wendy, the boy moved back, crab like, the arrow never wavering in its intent.
Moving her head to face away from him, Wendy stared up at the canopy again, her mouth working to find some spit to moisten her lips.
"I must be hallucinating," Wendy announced to the trees above her, her brain registering that it appeared to be sometime in the afternoon, the air pleasantly warm against her bare feet. Suddenly aware that she appeared to be only wearing her nightgown and nothing else, Wendy attempted to move, lifting her arms up to inspect them before rolling onto her side.
"TRACE!" The boy's high pitched wail brought a patter of feet into the clearing. While Wendy fought to get upright, a group of boys encircled her, their weapons all pointed with menacing intent. Sitting up at last, Wendy lifted her hand to sweep back her hair and stared at the children now around her.
"Oh...er...hello?"
"'oo are you an' what are you doin' 'ere?"
The boy that had asked was slightly taller than the others, but not by much, his green eyes hostile in his dirty face.
"I am Wendy and I don't know where here is."
The boys all exchanged looks, shifting slightly but not lowering their weapons.
"Grups aren't allowed 'ere...how did you get 'ere?"
"I have no idea. Would you mind not pointing those...things at me, it's very rude."
"Yup...she's a grup." Pronounced on of the boys solemnly, much head nodding following that statement. Wendy moved, tucking her legs under her to rise on to her knees. As one the boys moved back, the sound of bow strings stretching in readiness to shoot making her hold her hands up in surrender.
"Please...I won't harm you...don't shoot me!"
"You're a grup...grups aren't allowed on the island." One of the boys repeated.
"So you said...what island is this?"
The boys exchanged another looks, this time more puzzled than hostile.
"'ow can you not now the name of this island...you're on it?"
"Yes...I think we've established that...but I don't know where here is, or how I got here...so if you could just tell me where I am?"
"You're on Neverland lady." One of the boys answered, lowering his weapon despite a glare from the taller boy.
Wendy stared back at him, her mouth working but temporarily robbed of speech. Swallowing hard, she tried again.
"Neverland?"
"'course. Where else would ya be?"
"But...but...I..."
"I suppose we could take her as our prisoner." One of the boys suggested, some of the others nodding their heads in agreement.
"Shut up Fetter...she's a grup, and grups know the penalty for stepping foot 'ere."
"Penalty?" Wendy asked faintly, her hand rising to her throat as the boys suddenly looked grim. One drew his grubby finger across his throat in an unmistakable gesture.
"She's not like the usual grups...I reckon we should take her to Peter."
On hearing that name Wendy made to stand up, but the boys instantly returned to their hostile stance and she subsided back on to the leaf strewn ground.
"He's not back yet." The tall boy informed the company.
"Then we take her as our prisoner until he returns. All those in favor?" The one called Fetter held up his hand and all but the leader Crash, followed suit. Crash just scowled horribly, but didn't stop the others from lowering their weapons and approaching Wendy with a length of rope and a blindfold.
"Sorry to do this lady...but you're our prisoner 'til Peter decides what's to be done with ya."
Still hardly able to comprehend that she was somehow in Neverland, Wendy mutely held out her wrists and one boy bound them, securing her hands without cutting off the circulation. Another held out a length of grubby cloth which he flung over her head and covered her eyes with, knotting it behind her head.
Small hands steadied her as she scrambled inelegantly to her feet, Wendy swaying slightly as she found her balance. She could just see out the bottom of the blindfold and this gave her a measure of courage as the boys started to lead her out of the glade and along a forest path.
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"She's here." Stubbs announced in lugubrious tones.
"Here? In Neverland?"
"Dropped somewhere in the interior I imagine."
"Damn...any idea where?"
"Won't know unless the book shows us...or you sweet talk the fairies into letting you know."
"Damn and blast."
Stubbs watched his Captain pace the deck, his long legs carrying him back and forth in front of the ship's wheel, the seaman on duty ignoring the figure passing in front of his post.
"What are you're orders sir?" Asked Stubbs.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this. It's too soon...if she see's me like this, she's get all the wrong idea."
"Didn't you tell me she wanted to be a pirate once?"
"What of it?"
"Well?" Stubbs shrugged his massive shoulders.
"That's not the point...she won't understand."
"You think she'll prefer the memory over reality."
"Something like that."
Stubbs rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.
"Then what's the problem...just bat those baby blues and sweep her off her feet."
His Captain snorted and laughed out loud. The seamen at the wheel studiously stared straight ahead.
"I think you over estimate my powers of persuasion with the opposite sex."
"It worked last time."
"We were children then...I don't know."
Stubbs threw up his hands in frustration.
"Then leave her for Hook to find...he'll find a use for her."
In a blur of movement, Stubbs found himself backed up against the railing, his Captains arm against his throat and a pair of glittering eyes boring into his own.
"If he touches her..."
"Woah...Captain..." Stubbs wheezed, the pressure on his throat cutting off the air.
Instantly the arm was removed and its owner stalked off again to pace in front of the wheel.
Rubbing his sore Adam's apple, Stubbs cautiously approached the angry young man prowling like a tiger.
"The book'll tell us where she is...and we go get her...simple."
"Neverland is not exactly the best place for Wendy to be."
"But nevertheless, that's where she be. Your orders Captain?"
"Set a course for Castle Rock cove, we'll land there and set off in search of her, it's as good a place to start as any."
"Aye, aye sir...set a course south, southwest helmsman."
Stubbs approached the young man standing rigidly by the rail and patted him on the shoulder.
"We'll find her son...don't ya worry."
"Hah!...There's ample reason to worry, Stubbs...we have to find her before anyone else does!"
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The trip to the boys campsite didn't take long and soon Wendy was released from the blindfold and told to sit down. One of her captors brought her a half coconut shell filled with water which she drank gratefully. Another brought over a plate made of tree bark covered in a variety of fruit which she accepted, eating daintily with her bound hands as the boys watched her avidly.
Amused by their curiosity Wendy smiled at the boys, some of them shyly smiling back. Crash kept his forbidding scowl in place and sat with his bow still at the ready, his head turning frequently, obviously hoping for their leaders' return before too long.
Wendy was content to sit and wait, her abused feet, unaccustomed to tramping barefoot through the forest, were bruised from the twigs and rocks along the path. She had felt her heart lurch when the boys had mentioned Peter, a blush heating her face as she remembered what she'd done aboard the Jolly Roger. It had been only a little kiss, but she'd put all her heart into it, the results quite spectacular with Peter turning pink and zooming off into the sky like a firework.
As she sat listening to the boys' chatter, she tried to figure out her last memory before waking in Neverland. All she could recall was her head hitting the pillow, then nothing. She supposed the extraordinary book had something to do with it and she fumed at being plucked so precipitously from her life and carried back without her permission to Neverland once more. She assumed, quite rightly, that Peter had gathered together a new collection of Lost Boys to keep him company. Wendy felt a little piqued that he'd forgotten about her and her brothers, as well as the original Lost boys. And what was this business about "grups" not being allowed on the island? Surely the Indian's were "grups" too, and what about Hook's pirates? With Hook gone, didn't they live on Neverland now?
A cry brought all musing and conversations to a halt as every boy lifted his head to listen, Wendy as well. The raucous crow came again only closer and the boys scrabbled to their feet, forming up into a ragged line, pulling and tugging at their skins and rags in readiness for some sort of inspection. A rush of wind announced the arrival of their leader who landed behind Wendy with a thump, but before she could turn around a knife appeared at her throat and a youthful voice demanded to know what was going on.
"She's our prisoner Peter." Crash answered, saluting raggedly.
"Some prisoner...she's a grup and should be dead."
Alarmed at the pressure of the blade, Wendy tried to speak, but the boy behind her must have heard her intake of breath because the blade pressed closer and Wendy clamped her lips together to shut off the question she's been about to ask. The boys facing her, still in their ragged line, all looked frightened. Wendy wasn't sure whether they were frightened for her, or of Peter.
"She's a lady Peter...we didn't want to kill her before you met her." Fetter piped up, his eyes darting from Wendy's to the boy behind her.
"All grups are dangerous..haven't I drummed that in to you all yet?"
"Of course you have Peter...but...she's a lady." Fetter argued.
"Doesn't matter...ladies are the worst grups."
At this Wendy decided it was time to make herself heard.
"Peter...it's me...Wendy...please put that ridiculous knife down."
To the boys surprise, the knife was lowered and removed, allowing Wendy to twist around and face her attacker.
"Peter...it's...me..." Wendy's voice tailed off as she faced the boy called Peter, her eyes registering that the owner of the name was a complete stranger to her, his eyes the wrong colour, his hair the wrong shade. "You're not Peter!"
"'Course he's Peter!" One of the boys scoffed, their leader silently regarding Wendy with a scowl marring his features.
"Of course I'm Peter...Peter Pan...who else would I be?"
Wendy stared in confusion at the young man standing in front of her. He was an inch or two taller than the boy named Crash. He was clothed as she would have expected Peter to be, in leaves and skins, a sword hanging from his belt. But that was where the similarity ended. This boy had a mane of wild black hair tied back in a rough queue with a bit of twine, his fringe almost blinding him until he swept it back with an impatient hand, revealing eyes that shone darkly. His skin was also dark, not golden, his black brows matching the thick lashes bordering his eyes giving him a very dashing look. In all he was the antithesis of the Peter she remembered as golden like the sun, all honey skin and sea blue eyes in a laughing face.
"You may call yourself Peter Pan...but you look nothing like him." Wendy stated, turning her back on the youth, fighting the urge to cry.
"What would you know grup? You're just a stupid grup and now I'll kill you."
Before Peter could draw back his knife to strike the other boys suddenly swarmed around Wendy, Fetter standing between her back and their leader.
"We've never 'ad a lady 'ere before...I think we should take 'er back to meet Berry."
Placing his hands on his hips Peter tried to stare the boys down, all but Crash holding their ground as Peter paced back and forth in front, his eyes flashing fire. Abruptly his mood changed, the youth throwing back his head and letting go a whoop of laughter before slamming his sword back into its scabbard and leaping into the air.
"If you want her...you can have her. Let it be Berry's decision what's done with her."
Before anyone could speak he'd gone, shooting up into the sky and out of sight. There was a collective sigh and the boys drooped visibly.
"That was a close run thing...we was lucky this time." One of the boys muttered, the others nodding in agreement.
"Geez Fetter...I hope one grup is worth the hiding you're gonna get for standing up to him," said Crash, turning on his heel and marching away.
Fetter shrugged his skinny shoulders and hooked his bow over his shoulder before turning to walk around Wendy.
"He's all bluff an' bluster...mostly."
Wendy had remained a silent witness, her fate held in the hands of a group of grubby boys. "Thank you." She said quietly, still in shock to find her memory played so false.
"Come on...Berry will know what to do...she 'as Peter wrapped around her little finger."
Wearily Wendy, still bound, allowed the boys to pull her up and on to her feet, her face betraying the pain of bruises and cuts sustained on the trek so far. Pressing her lips together she followed the boys out of the campsite and along another path, the trip blessedly short this time. As the boys parted the undergrowth Wendy saw a massive tree set in the middle of a clearing, the ground around its' roots strewn with flowers and humps of bright green moss. A vine hanging down raised a door set in the trunk and Wendy followed the boys into the tree, bending down to avoid bumping her head. This time there was no painful slide, just a series of steps cut into the earth that led down to a wide room cut into the ground, in and around the roots of the tree. The smell of something delicious cooking assailed Wendy as she unbent to her full height and she heard her stomach rumble in anticipation. The boys were similarly afflicted and darted around her to bound across the room to a curtained alcove, calling out to the person beyond.
Wendy sank gratefully onto a crude wooden bench that ran the length of the rough hewn table set in the middle of the room. The table was strewn with the stumps of candles scattered amongst the remains of their last meal, bowls and cups laying where they'd been left.
"I'm Berry."
The softly spoken voice jerked Wendy from her musing, her eyes encountering wondering mossy brown that stared from a pretty face framed by long, straight black braids.
"You're one of the Indians?" Wendy blurted out in her surprise, blushing at her own rudeness even as the girl laughed.
"Yes...yes I am. And where have you come from Wendy Lady?"
"Another world...London, to be precise."
"London? I have not heard of that place...it is not in Neverland I think."
"No...definitely not in Neverland." Wendy straightened herself and held out her hands. "I believe it's been left to you to decided what to do with me."
Holding Wendy's gaze for a moment, Berry seemed to ponder for a moment before reaching behind her back and producing a wickedly sharp bowie knife. With a flick she cut the ropes binding Wendy's hands, ignoring the girls' uncontrollable flinch as the knife flashed in front of her face.
"Peter...ack, I can't call him that...it's not his real name anyway. Tomas is not normally so violent...he just doesn't like grups."
"Tomas?"
"The new Peter Pan...he was the first to arrive, so he became the new Pan, the others came not long afterwards."
"Oh...I once new a boy called Peter who was the Pan then...but it was a very long time ago."
Berry slid her knife back into the holder at the back of her belt before sitting down on the bench beside Wendy.
"Then he must have been the old Pan...they do change, you know." Said Berry, fiddling with one of her beaded braids.
"You don't seem surprised that I've been here before."
"Why should I be...if you were not meant to return, you would not be here."
Blinking, Wendy tried to unravel the girls logic.
"Meant to return?"
"Of course...did you not want to be here?"
For a moment Wendy could only open and close her mouth, not at all sure of her answer. Shaking her head she decided to leave that question unanswered and return to something else.
"You said the Old Pan, that they change...how do you know this?"
"It is told, a story of our tribe...handed down from parent to child, the old to the young, through many generations."
"How many Pan's have there been?"
"Not many...Tomas is only the third in recorded memory of the tribe."
"Berry...what happened to the old Pan..the one I knew?"
"I do not know...I was only very little at that time. You'd have to meet with my mother to know that story."
"Your Mother...but I understood from the boys...um..that grups weren't allowed on Neverland."
"They're not...according to Tomas's ruling. But that doesn't mean they don't. The constant battles to evict the grups is what give the boys something to do."
"Oh...I see...I think. So there are grups, but the boys are trying to get rid of them. Has anyone ever been killed in these battles?"
Berry laughed at Wendy's worried expression.
"You're such a grup...no one has been killed on Neverland since the great change."
"The Great change?"
"Later...I must get the boys' meal ready. Would you like to help?"
"If I can."
Berry rose to her feet and swung her legs over the bench. "If you can chop vegetables you can help."
"I think I can manage to do that. Thank you Berry."
"What for?"
"Well...for not killing me for starters."
Berry laughed, her braids swinging as she swung around. "Tomas is very naughty to tease you. He was probably just surprised, we don't usually get to capture lady grups very often."
"Oh...I'll have to take your word on that Berry."
"Come along Wendy Lady...the vegetables are waiting."
Feeling distinctly out of place, Wendy clambered off the bench and followed the slim Indian girl across the room and behind the curtain, her fate, for the time being, apparently settled.
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"Well...what did you find?"
"Nothing...she's gone...there was only the book."
The man withdrew the slim volume from his coat and handed it over to his employer.
"Damn...I expected to have more time. I'll have to return immediately. Our plans have changed Grant. Pack it up and dispose of the car, we leave tonight."
"Are we likely to return?"
"Very unlikely unless we can get to her before he does. You have your orders."
"Yes sir."
Hook waited for his minion to leave before opening the book. He placed it on the desk, staring for a moment at the cover, willing the coin medallion to come to life. When it remained dull and inanimate he used his hook to open the cover, flipping to the first page and reading the heading.
"Of Clocks, Crooks and Crocodiles." Hook read aloud, smiling thinly at the humor of the title. "Very funny I'm sure."
Turning the pages he saw images of himself from several years ago battling a boy with golden hair and a flashing sword. "I know this fairytale and it doesn't have a happy ending."
Snapping the book closed, Hook lifted it and slid it inside his jacket, tucking it into an inner pocket. Smoothing the material down he patted the slightly raised lump before getting to his feet.
If he was to return to Neverland, there was much to be done.
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The meal was boisterous and riotous, the boys cheerfully stealing food from each other's plates and pelting each other with the remnants. Wendy and Berry sat at either end of the table and regarded the boys with amused tolerance, Wendy smiling as their antics reminded her of the meals she used to enjoy with the Lost Boys so many years ago.
A loud crow announced Tomas's arrival into the hollow tree, his presence causing the noise level to rise to a roar as the boys cheered their leader. Tomas studiously avoided looking at Wendy but marched to the other end of the table to face Berry. He performed a creditable bow before leaning forward and giving the girl a swift kiss on the cheek which set Berry blushing.
"Any left for me?" Tomas asked, still ignoring Wendy.
Berry rose to her feet and hurried over to a shelf where she'd saved a portion of the meal for him. Tomas seated himself in her vacated chair and finally looked down the table at the newcomer.
"She's still alive then." He stated flatly, his dark eyes fixed on Wendy even when Berry placed a plate in front of him.
"Her name is Wendy." Berry reproved him, drawing his attention by tugging a lock of his untidy hair.
"Ow...hey, what was that for?"
"For teasing Wendy and for being rude."
"Rude?"
"You were staring."
"Was not."
Berry didn't bother to argue, just rolled her eyes and turned away from him. A brown arm shot out and gathered her around the waist, pulling her back to the table and propelling her into his lap.
Wendy tried to hide the smile threatening to break out, concentrating on the food in front of her and doing her best to ignore the giggling and horseplay taking place at the end of the table.
The boys ignored it all, obviously used to the byplay and not prepared to let it intrude on their meal. With their leaders' arrival the boys started to leave the table, drifting away to other parts of the room, either to play games on the floor or collapse on their rough beds for a well earned nap.
Wendy started to gather the plates, collecting the scraps together in one of the larger bowls but almost dropped the lot when Tomas banged sharply on the table top with the hilt of his dagger.
"There's no room for you here grup...Berry has decided to let you live, but you can't stay here."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Wendy replied stiffly, placing the dishes back on the table and drawing herself up. "If you'll just point me in the direction of the Indian village I'll go there."
"Tomas..." Berry started to speak but shut her mouth when Tomas turned to glare at her, slashing the air with the side of his hand.
"I'm not going to risk any of us to guide you...you're a grup, you find you're own way."
"But Tomas..."Berry tried again, a single finger held up to silence her this time. Infuriated, Berry flashed him an angry look and stalked off across the room to the curtain, brushing it aside and leaving him sitting at the table.
"Thank you for the food Tomas..." said Wendy politely.
"My name's Peter Pan." Tomas interrupted, leaping to his feet, his dark eyes flashing.
"If you say so...er...Peter. I'll go now."
"Good." Sitting back down, Tomas turned his head away and didn't watch as Wendy made her way to the sloping entrance. The other boys watched her with solemn faces as she turned one last time to smile at them, lifting her hand in a small wave before bending down and walking back up the passageway to the outside.
The boys waited for her to go out of sight before all talking at once. Tomas endured the babble of voice for a few seconds before once more bringing the hilt of his dagger down on the table like a gavel.
"No more...what's done is done."
Not willing to force a confrontation the boys went back to their pursuits. Fetter bit his lip for a moment before making his way to his sleeping mat, carefully lifting his knife from its hiding place. Working unobtrusively he hid his possessions about his person before rising to his feet and nonchalantly walking across to one of the ways out of the tree.
"Fetter?" Tomas' voice halted him in mid step.
"I need to pee." Fetter explained glibly, raising an eyebrow when he looked over at his leader for permission to leave. For a moment he thought Tomas would refuse but he didn't, waving his hand to release Fetter.
"Don't be long...we need to make plans for tomorrow."
"Back in a tick then." Fetter waved and scampered up one of the smaller tunnels to the outside, his heart hammering in his chest.
Once outside he looked about but Wendy had already left the vicinity of the huge tree. Scouting the ground he soon found her larger footprints leading off along one of the paths. Grinning to himself he paused momentarily to check his weapons, his fingers digging into a concealed pocket to pull out something that spun slowly on a gold chain as it hung from his decidedly grubby fingers. The acorn looked as fresh and green as if it had been plucked from the oak only that day, the hole showing the white flesh of the nut inside. Inspecting it, Fetter knew he'd seen the symbol of an acorn before, the flag bearing the design even now probably anchored somewhere off the coast of Neverland.
Tucking the pendant back into his pocket, Fetter looked down at the footprints once more before setting off to follow the Wendy Lady.
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TBC...