Finding Neverland

Summary: Charlie Fayer was torn away from Neverland when she was 8, by the new pirate captain. Now four years later Neverland has come back to bring her home. But will Charlie be able to remember her past in time to save it.

Chapter 9: You Win Some, You Lose Some
From the shore it sounded like there was a thunderstorm on the pirates ship, but as you got nearer you could actually make out that it was the pirates singing. Their singing was so loud and terrible that it caused even the darkest mermaid to flee in disgust. Even though the song was of the most agonizing shrieks and wails, Peter and Charlie did not turn back. They were no longer flying (to Charlie's dismay) but swimming towards the ship. Because even though the pirates were to drunk to really see them coming, their Captain wasn't. He had been sitting at the wheel this whole time, staring agitatedly up at the sky. He was so tense that whenever one of his crew disturbed him they didn't say another word again. Slowly Charlie and Peter boarded the ship. They had to keep well hidden. Which made it difficult, because most of the hiding places were tankards of whisky or rum and they could not hide there because the pirates were searching them regularly for any alcohol. They darted in between tankards and skipped over ropes, avoiding the beady eyes of the Captain. They spotted the lost boys, they were tired to the main mask, which was in the very middle of the throng of drunk pirates. Their faces were full of disgust and their noses were scrunched up at the dreadful smell of the pirate's breath.
"We need a plan?" Peter grabbed Charlie's arm to pull her out of the way of a collapsing pirate.
Charlie nodded slowly staring wide-eyed at the pirate that had almost squashed her.
With another bang a pirate (near them) crashed into a door and it broke open.
"Come on." Peter, seeing his chance pulled Charlie through the broken door and into a cabin. It wasn't an overly fancy little room, but it wasn't a jail either. It had a bed a table and a few other little nik naks. They hid, comfortable behind the few seats. Peter waited silently, listening to hear if anyone had pursued them. But it seemed that they had slipped through unnoticed. Once he knew it was safe he turned to Charlie, she was breathing heavily and looking around the room with a puzzled expression.
"What is it?" Peter asked brushing his hand against hers.
Charlie tore her gave from the room. "Nothing." She said shaking her head.
"We need a plan!" Peter said again, standing up from behind the seat. Charlie nodded. Peter paced around the room, looking for an inspiration.
Charlie strode awkwardly watching Peter pace.

----------------------------------------------

Charlie stopped, something wasn't right. She put her finger to Peter's lips to silence him. He swatted her away and was about to keep talking when Charlie interrupted him. "Shh! Something's not right." She walked around the room trying to pick out what was missing.
"The Pirates!" Peter started running to the cabin door, but it was thrown open just before he got there. Peter jumped back a few meters with fright. A pirate leaned in the doorframe smirking, then he disappeared outside again. Without thinking, Peter started after him.
"No! Stop!" Charlie tried to grab hold of his shoulder but he was already at the door. He threw it open, pairs of hands stretched out to him and he was pulled outside.
"Peter!" Charlie tried to follow him, but when she reached the doorway, there was a pirate already blocking her path.
"Where do you think your going?" The pirate said calmly.
Too calmly.
Charlie made a move to lunge on the pirate, but he put his hands on her shoulders and locked his arms preventing her from moving closer to him.
"You haven't changed a bit." With that said, the pirate laughed and threw her onto the ground. Charlie hit her back hard against the table leg. The pirate laughed at that, and before Charlie could stand, he shut and locked the door.
Charlie sat on the floor. She had listened to the battle taking place outside. She was not certain, but she had a feeling Peter had won, because afterwards, when the boat was back to silence (or as silent as a pirate ship could ever be), all the pirates seemed to be in a foul mood. For what seemed like hours Charlie had banged against that door. Screaming insults at the pirates out side. Hoping that she might hit a nerve and they would open the door to give her a flogging. But either the pirates were very well, anger managed (with all the killings they do), or they just weren't listening. But after a while, Charlie's fist began to throb from banging against the splintery wood, and her throat was parched from lack of water. But she would not ask for any water. She would not sink that low, and risk loosing her pride to pirates like these. So she sat on the floor, Leaning against the bed post.
"Soon Peter will come get me." She said allowed for comfort. More hours past and not a single difference came from outside. She started to rock backwards and forwards with nerves, and hugged her legs. She could not help thinking that Peter had forgotten her. She had thought over and over, why Peter had not rescued her during the battle. Maybe he didn't know I was there. She thought, yeah that's it. He probably thought I had already escaped after him. He probably thought that I would have escaped home and waited for him. She reassured herself with this predicament every time a question came to her head. "Soon Peter will come."
But day slipped into night and not a sound or hint was heard of any disturbance. She looked out of the small cabin window at the stars. They looked so far away to Charlie. A rustled was heard from outside. And a voice boomed above all the others. "What are you sea dogs doing, bet back there." A gun was fired and then some hurried scurrying. Charlie turned her gaze to the door. Staring it down as if daring it to open. But it didn't. The noises subsided and it fell quite again. Charlie's eyes started to feel droopy and she curled up in the corner of the cabin, to rest. She did not fall asleep. How could she, she knew she had to stay alert to any thing that happened. Finally the door hinges creaked, and the door opened. A man walked in and shut it again. Charlie didn't move. She thought that if she kept still and curled up in the corner, the pirate would leave, thinking she had escaped. But he just laughed. It was that same cool, calm laugh that she had heard before, in her dreams.
"There is no point hiding I know you are in that corner."
Charlie didn't move, it could just be a trick she thought.
The pirate stopped laughing and strolled over to her. He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her off the floor. "This is not a game!" He threw her onto the bed. She scrambled as far up the bed as she could. He just laughed again, "You know, you might have changed on the outside, but you haven't changed a bit on the inside. Not how I had planned anyway."
"Planned?" Charlie asked timidly.
"Yes. Planned." He said sharply. "You weren't supposed to come back. You weren't supposed to remember. You were so supposed to grow up, live a normal full life and then die! Like a normal, respectable person!" He started to pace around the room, but still watching Charlie. "You weren't supposed to meet him! He wasn't supposed to come after you!" He inclined his head outside to the island. "But you did. My plan failed." He then changed his tone, to be more positive. "But no problem. Maybe this way it will be better. This way I can watch you do those respectable things." He laughed again.
His laugh made Charlie squirm even further up the bed. "What are you talking about?" Charlie found the courage to keep talking, to this mad man.
"He didn't tell you? Tisk tisk. I would have thought you would have wondered where you came from." Heshook his head in pretend annouyance."Maybe you have changed. Charlie."