Pulls puppy sad eyes on all who have patiently waited for the chapter and the fact that it is the last
A/N- Well back again after a very long time. pulls puppy eyes again!
We are gradually coming to the end of this error prone fic, but we still have a small journey to make, so sit back and relax and enjoy!
Huge thank you to all my reviewers!
Thoughts are in Italic.
And for the record, my French is terrible, shows you how much I paid attention in class!
Chapter Twenty six -Louie and Jean-Luc
A silent scream echoed between Sarah's ear drums. Why did she feel so confused, so upset? Sarah let a large sigh escape her lips and took the liberty to stop in her tracks to a halt, standing against a tree and sliding down it, finishing in a crouching position. Another sigh passed through her breath.
She hadn't meant to be so upset, so angry. She felt bad now that she thought about it. It wasn't her, she didn't know who she was anymore.
"I hate you Peter and I god Damn hate Neverland too!" She growled in a mumble, to no one in particular.
She sat in what seemed like a minute's silence, yet was only a few seconds, noticing a pair of faeries and their glow. It made her think of Tinkerbell....then Peter....and so....
"I don't believe in faeries!"
To be on the safe side.
Sarah started extracting her thoughts from her mind, as she slowly ran a hand through her hair, which was starting to feel less on the clean side. Her nimble fingers parted three clumps of hair and started unconsciously braiding while she thought.
Feeling safe wasn't a full lie to Nibs, especially when someone had tried to enter their home and had nearly murdered her. An upset snarl appeared on Sarah's pretty face. It wasn't pleasant.
Why? Why did it have to happen to her?
She needed someone to blame, anyone, but the only person that suddenly flooded her mind was her.
Wendy.
Sarah quickly shook her thought away, a sudden guilt at thinking such a thing.
There would have just been another 'Wendy' if it hadn't been Wendy.
Sarah closed her eyes as a silent tear escaped for Peter's beloved and the one who initially started the change of Pan. How was she to know that to love was to unleash a different kind of monster into Neverland? A monster that made Captain Hook look like a fluffy kitten. But none beyond the tribe, maybe a few of the Indian tribe members, including Lilly and John and now James, knew of the hideous person Peter was, had been.
James.
The only fully grown up person that she had started to love. The love for parents and such were long gone after the first day of Neverland. Sarah knew her heart cried for something else; love, comfort, shelter. If Peter had ever let her fly, her happy thought would have been 'happy families', a childhood game she used to play. A game that was really every small girls dream; to grow up to be the beautiful wife, to dazzle in your fine dresses at social events, on comers wanting to flirt with you, yet you only have eyes for your husband and then that comfy room filled with toys and a crib, while you rock gently with that special bundle of joy in your strong arms, those safe arms, those grown up arms.
Sarah blinked twice as if she'd had a thought.
Babies, Matilda...James...
That's where she'd go, right now. James had a warm comforting house, he wouldn't send her away?
Then again?
Probably Betty might.
Only one other. Matilda?
She would.
Bitch.
Sarah bit the inside of her lip lightly.
It would be wrong to go to Ravens Town; Nibs knew what he was talking about. Sarah had only seen a small minority of back alley goings-on and pub brawls, but believed every word James had said about 'the rabble of Ravens Town' and 'those areas.'
Sarah looked down at herself in the dark, seeing that she wore Indian garb.
Nibs was right, bad things would happen if I wandered into Ravens Town looking like this...that's why John does all their trading for them.
Sarah suddenly wished she'd taken a bag with her into the Neverland jungle full of fine clothing the night she left James' house.
Sarah frowned. Why was she craving to see James again? Did he have some sort of answer she was looking for? Was there even a puzzle for her to answer?
No...
A sudden animal call in the jungle made Sarah look up then look around, suddenly realising how dark and how alone she was, with no recollection of where she was.
I wish I'd never left the Underground...
Even though it was a warm night, Sarah shivered and pulled the fur closer to her neck for comfort, wiping away a greasy lock of blonde hair that fell from her loose braid.
Sarah stood up and looked around. Nothing seemed familiar. The Neverland jungle really wasn't that big, but in the dark, it seemed a hundred times bigger.
Sarah felt her heart race slightly as a fear of panic was starting to build up with her 'now official' status of lost. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, wishing she had the skill of tracking or navigation, opening her eyes at the thought of Nav briefly and then....Nibs. Sarah moaned a closed cry in her throat and kicked the tree or at least tried to, realising she was a step away from it. Staying quiet, Sarah folded her arms but dropped them slowly, suddenly hearing the faintest sound of water or to be more precise, the sea.
The lost tribe were now descended in the main chamber. The fires had been re-lit for light purposes as a sense of unsettling still filtered between everyone.
Summer sat with the younger ones along side Jake and Autumn.
"Nibs, please sit down your worrying everyone." Summer drawled.
Nibs looked to her and to the faces that were watching him. The tall young man sighed and went to Slightly who held a sympathetic look for his friend.
The two sat in silence as Nibs watched everyone whispered between each other, trying not to make any noise. For what reason Nibs didn't know. Maybe they thought if they talked too loud, Peter's spirit may haunt them, but for the better part, Nibs knew they were confused and that's why they were quiet.
"It feels like a great weight has been taken from me and I hope from you all." Slightly spoke softly, but loud enough for the small band to hear.
Murmurs and nods proceeded around the group.
Slightly's gaze fell onto Summer who was stroking her ever so slightly, risen abdomen with a hidden smile on one side of her lips. She felt his gaze burn on her and she looked up and smiled into his dark eyes. Slightly returned to smile.
"It's a time for change. We're free from the binds that Peter wove on us. I know, that it seems strange, that he's gone, dead, but, we are free now and it's time to grow up. Let us enjoy our new life without the worry, the running and the fear. We've proved that we are better than Peter Pan could have ever hoped for in a tribe, because we're a team." Slightly looked to Jake.
"We've lost people who were precious to us, who didn't deserve to die, who died too young. That was Peter's curse; youth. Our lives now will be long, with no threat and no more pain."
Autumn squeezed Jake's hand and he smiled in return to her and then to Slightly.
"Now marks the beginning of a new tribe, a tribe that will be talked about for years to come in Neverland..."
Slightly stood up and everyone could see the excitement and pride on his features.
He's was starting to look well and at ease now.
"...A tribe that will grow old and lie peacefully and a tribe that welcomes new generations."
Everyone turned to Summer, at which Slightly's gaze had been on during his last few words of his sentence.
"And a tribe that will be peaceful and who will not stay hidden to the outside Neverland."
A sudden cheering echoed throughout the chamber, dancing through the fires and out into the Neverland sky.
Nibs smiled as he watched the sudden mood change of the tribe members and he physically saw a great weight lift from them all. He turned his gaze to his friend who had simply spoken and caused a great comfort to everyone. Slightly was a natural born leader, a speaker and a storyteller, a young man who was to hold wisdom and courage in years to come. Nibs knew Lady Quiller would have been proud if she'd heard his speech that had only come from his heart.
Sarah blinked rapidly as the sun glared in her eyes. Squinting one eye and shielding her vision with her hand, she looked for the source of her rude awakening.
"It is vone of those Indian savages, people...things." A voice whispered in a not so loud whisper and a French style accent.
"You idiot, what red skins 'ave you seen recently that 'ave white skin and blond 'air!?"
"Shhhh! I'm not zee idiot, you're zee idiot, you arh waking her!"
"You bloody poked 'er!"
The two young men suddenly broke small tumble on the smooth sand.
"Err, gentlemen?"
The two men turned to notice her, still in each others grip before quickly removing themselves from each other.
Sarah held the small chuckle her lips were gasping to let out at the sight of these men who were some kind of pirates, from what they looked like, if you could call them that.
"Vot arh you doing on our beach, girly?" The taller of the two spoke, a tall, lanky man, with some of his side teeth missing.
"Your beach?" Sarah asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oui." He stated, hands on hips.
"I don't know?" Sarah shrugged.
"Vot do you mean you don't know?" The smaller of the two spoke up, frowning, then raising a suspicious eyebrow.
"Well, if it's all that big a deal, I'll go." Sarah replied.
"Non." The taller one replied.
"No?" Sarah asked.
"Non." The tall man replied again.
"Fine, I'll stay." Sarah mentioned and folded her arms.
Really she saw these fairly young, odd men as no threat so suddenly. Watching their little spat was really nothing to be scared off. The most threatening thing they had was probably their breath from the smell of things.
"Non, non you are not doing zhat, we arh staying." The smaller pirate spoke, indicating with his half thumb to his chest.
"Well what am I meant to do if I can't stay, or I can't leave?"
"Er?" The smaller pirate spoke, giving a worried glance to his partner in crime.
The taller pirate came over. "Vell, err, you are to come with us, ha ha!"
His stupid end laugh really made Sarah giggle behind her hand.
"Oui, you are to take us to someone." The taller man carried on, his hand stroking the stubble on his chin.
"Who?"
"The one zhey call....'ook." The smaller man said in what was meant to be a scary voice.
Sarah had to smirk again at this brand new comedy duo.
"Hook?" Sarah asked raising her eyebrow, pronouncing the 'h'.
"Yes, zhe smelly, rodent, known to zhose who know 'im as... James."
"I'm sorry, I think you've got the wrong island." Sarah smirked.
"I told you, told you it voz the wrong island Louie!"
"Shut up Jean-Luc, It's the right island. We docked 'ere ages ago, 'ook' and his men killed those other pirates."
"Lucky for us 'ay Louie."
"Lucky zhey didn't catch us or burn zee ship."
"Non, lucky we got our supplies and ran before zee mermaids came huh?"
Both men visibly shivered.
"Wait a minute, you were on that ship that was docked near Pearl sands?" Sarah asked.
"Maybe, vot is it to you?" Jean-Luc asked.
"Nothing. So let me get this straight, you to are stowaways from that ship?"
"Ve could 'ave fought if ve vanted to!" Jean-Luc replied a bit too quickly.
"Listen girly, ve 'ave come to Neverland to seek out 'ook. Now tell us vhere 'e is or I'll run my blade through your 'eart."
"Why are you looking for him?" Sarah asked.
Louie frowned at her confidence.
"I zhik zee smart girl knows where 'ook is Louie." Jean-Luc ginned.
Louie tuned to his friend and slapped him across the back of his head, making Jean-Luc pull the most comic face Sarah had seen to date.
Just showing these guys into Ravens Town would be a hoot!
"So why are you looking for him, are you guys seeking revenge or something?"
"Oui! Word came to me zat my beloved voz 'ere and zat he has 'er in capture, locked in 'is dungeon." Louie spoke dramatically.
"Really." Is he talking about Matilda?
"Oui, we hid away on the big ship when ve found out that it voz heading to Neverland because zats vhere she is!" Jean-Luc finished.
"Who? Matilda?"
"Ah ha! You know 'er!"
"I know of her..." replied Sarah. "...and as much as I'd love to take you to 'ook', I'm afraid my conscience wouldn't forgive me if I did."
"Vot do you mean?" Louie asked with a fine raised eyebrow.
"It would be like leading you to death. I'm going to be blunt here and say...well, your both really no match for him."
"Maybe she is right mon ami, besides, I don't vant to fight, I can't. I just vont a drink, I'm sick of grog!"
"And besides, if I walked into Ravens Town looking like this..." Sarah indicated to her attire. "... well let's just, I'd probably be the first to go before you both.
"Uh?"
"Ravens Town don't think too kindly on the Natives."
"Ah I zee. Vell, you may go girly..."
"It's 'Sarah', by the way." Sarah interrupted.
"...Zarah."
Sarah stood still while they both walked off to a near by cluster of large rocks before they disappeared before coming back in sight with their bags.
"Take care I guess!" Sarah spoke as they came around her.
"Oou said you were leaving?" Jean-Luc smirked.
Sarah frowned but inhaled sharply as something pointed between her shoulder blades.
Louie grabbed her by the back of her fur by her neck and showed her the silver blade to her side.
"You are coming with us 'Zarah'." Louie smirked this time.
"I'll step into port and they'll kill me and other horrible things!" Sarah said in panic.
"Your problem girly." Louie said close to her ear.
Sarah winced at the blade on her back, but more so, at his breath.
"Ve are not that unkind Zarah." Jean-Luc spoke, lowering his bag and pulling the strings open before pulling something out.
"Da, da...a disguise!"
"Jean-Luc, zat is ma change of clothes!" Louie spoke annoyed.
"But she will die before we find 'ook." He replied sadly.
Sarah was touched.
Louie growled. "Fine, quick change and then we set sail for dis, 'Ravens Town'.
"But we 'ave no boat and how can we sail through zee trees?"
Sarah smirked as Louie dropped the blade and put one hand to his temples.
I hope we find some mint leaves on our trek...
Nibs yawned. His eyes were closed and he nuzzled into the fur he was laying on. Turning over he instantly opened his grey eyes.
"Sarah?" He mumbled quietly looking at the empty space around him.
He'd hardly slept a wink if he was honest, but when sleep had finally come over him, his mind succumbed to the bliss of peace. He felt betrayed by himself for ever falling asleep.
Getting up quickly, Nibs ran his hands over his brown hair, wiping it away from his face as he walked down one of the small corridors to their old room, not that he really thought Sarah would be snuggled up in a room that still had traces of blood, but as long as she was in the Underground, he didn't care where she'd be.
To his disappointment, she wasn't there. Only streaks of Pan's now brown and rusty blood marked the only presence in the room.
Shit.
"See, perfect fit, you look like a real pirate!"
Sarah turned to face Jean-Luc and gave him a 'look'.
For a start, the clothes were too big for her, so she then had ten tons of rope around her, keeping the things from falling down.
Louie had decided to take her clothes from the Indians as a gift for his beloved leaving the rough, smelly pirate clothes, chafing at her skin and the more delicate places.
"Let's go, I want to get there as soon as possible!" Louie stated impatiently.
The trio started walking, Louie's sword, clanking by his side.
Even if I wanted to run I wouldn't go fast in these bloody oversized clothes!
"Do you want company?" Slightly asked, standing close to the entrance to the Underground, basking in the sunlight.
"No." Nibs replied.
"You don't really think she's in Ravens Town do you?"
Nibs was silent for a few seconds. "No.....but?" He sighed.
"Well I wouldn't pass it by her, she does what she wants sometimes and if she wanted a drink?" Slightly shrugged as he spoke, his eyebrows raised.
"I just though it was a joke, I thought if I gave her time, she'd come back and we'd forget."
"Yeah, strange that. She not the one to go out and live or sleep it rough when there's a comfier option."
"Saying that though, I think she's probably exhausted, I think she may have fallen asleep by accident, probably got lost."
"Well, let's hope so. I know Hook had it in for Pan, but his crew really never favoured us either. I hope she's not in Ravens Town for her sake."
"I hope not." Nibs mumbled bitterly and walked away, turning his walk into a sprint and even faster.
Slightly watched. Within a second, his friend was gone.
"I need to pee. Can we stop and pee please?"
Louie and Jean-Luc turned to her and rolled their eyes.
"You just bloody peed 'alf an hour ago!"
"Yeah well I need to go again!" Sarah mumbled.
"I zhink you are just staling us girly." Louie spoke.
"No." Sarah replied innocently.
"I would like to sit down and 'ave a drink Louie."
"I'd like to second that." Sarah piped up."
Louie growled, but settled himself down and roughly opened his bag, pulling out a glass bottle.
"We drink, then we go. I 'ave heard Neverland is a very large island." Louie stated, looking out to sea.
Sarah smirked.
The time that the trio reached Ravens Town the still blazed and the air was thick with salt, sweat and heat. As usual a parade of the town's folk littered the stalls and cobble streets near the port.
Sarah still wondered, if, just what if James was aboard his majestic ship. It was strange because even the old, homeless drunks who used the street as their bed, stared in wonder at the Jolly Roger, even though they could have described every little detail of the ship. Theirs and everyone else's eyes never tired of the ship; it was inevitably a part of Neverland.
Louie was second to see the ship when it dawned in their view. Sarah was already waiting for it to appear.
"Oh ma God." Jean-Luc croaked as he looked at the huge ship, its crew bustling around the deck and down the planks preparing for something.
"Pretty amazing isn't it?" Sarah spoke without noticing it, a small smile on her lips
Louie frowned at her but his frown deepened when her small smile fell off her red lips. Louie looked up to the ship and his frown disappeared when he recognised the beautiful woman looking over the deck, into the crowded port.
Sarah felt a surge of hatred and sadness, mingled inside her. Her stomach felt light and her chest heavy. Matilda looked very well. Sarah's brain started to compare herself to the older woman standing like a queen on James' deck. Sarah suddenly felt very dirty and not feminine at all. Matilda wore a beautiful day dress and her hair was piled up in white blonde curls. Her skin had a pale, peachy tinge to it and her large eyes roamed the view.
A thousand thoughts swirled through Sarah mind. Flashes of better days and moments when she was in James' care flooded her. Her beautiful dresses and gowns that were made to fit her. The way her hair was always clean and somehow smelt of flowers. The way her teeth seemed healthier, the way her menstrual flow seemed more secreted and comfortable. How her skin had shined just as Matilda's was at that very moment.
A sad sigh tumbled out of Sarah's mouth unknown to herself.
Jean-Luc, who had been looking at the ship and who had turned his attention on their female companion, looked at her with sadness. He saw something in her eyes that he didn't really know about but he registered her sad eyes.
"We board ze ship, then we talk to 'im." Louie stated knocking everyone from their phase.
Sarah looked at Louie blankly and quickly registered the way he said 'him'. She looked back up to the deck and saw James and the first tear escaped.
His arms went around her, his hook careful and Matilda turned and smiled. It was one of those playful smiles that held a deeper meaning. He smiled in return, happy at the reaction that he got. They talked close and what looked like a small laugh was emitted from Matilda which was then shared by James.
Another small tear from the same eye emerged.
James moved off only to be caught by his arm by Matilda. They didn't speak but she pulled him back and kissed his lips briefly.
Sarah sniffed and both Louie and Jean-Luc looked at her but she was already running from the scene as best she could in her oversized clothes.
"Where arh you going Zarah!?" Jean-Luc shouted.
"Leave her." Louie spoke, his French accent gone. "She would have stayed if she really wanted to."
"I guess, but it wasn't bloody planned that she'd be on the bloody ship or the fact he'd come out on deck!" Jean-Luc spoke.
"No, but, well?" Louie spoke while looking at Matilda, who looked at them and then away. A deep smirk on her pretty face.
"I didn't realise she still held feelings for him." Jean-Luc spoke sadly.
"Well, we just have to let the captain know what happened. We did our job finally, we brought her here." Louie took a breath. "I don't think she would have stayed anyway, she's not that stupid."
"No, but it's a shame it's taken this long to find her....
"Maybe the fates wanted us to find her late, maybe she wasn't meant to be with him?" Jean-Luc sighed sadly. "I doubt the captain has feelings for her any more after all this time..."
"I think he does.....I think he always will, but just not primarily." Louie stated, walking up the plank that lead them to the Jolly Roger.
It had been a half walk, half run for Sarah with her face streaked with tears.
It had all been too much. The sight of her, the sight of him and then, their kiss.
Halfway, Sarah had stopped and perched herself on the green cliff that overlooked Ravens Town before sloping down to it. The view was the highest until a short walk took you to the Neverland jungle.
Sarah could see the ships and for what seemed like a long time, sat and contemplated. Before she knew it, in front of her eyes, the grandest ship in the harbour was sailing out to see. At first she felt sad and worried at the same time. She registered it was the Jolly Roger and she knew of no other Captain who controlled the ship. Then she registered that Matilda had been on the ship and even though her main concentration had been on her and James, she recalled how busy the ship and its area had been.
As the ship sailed off, a sudden weight was lifted from Sarah. She couldn't put a finger on it, but her tears felt like they had dried up. The weight of her heart had suddenly simplified and nightmares of Peter, which linked whenever she thought of James as Hook, simply left her.
Good bye James.
Sarah stood up from the grass and blew a kiss in the direction of the ship, which was now very small in view. For the first time in a long time, she felt relaxed and completely happy, with no demons threatening to spoil her mood, thoughts or actions.
She felt freedom from the past and released from everything and smiled a smile which showed off her beauty. Her smile reached her eyes and then they glazed as another thought struck her.
Nibs.
First of all it was said in a voice which had seen the light, as if the word was a saviour. She then said the name out loud in a panic.
"Nibs!" she mumbled, wondering why in the hell she ever started to argue with him when right in front of her eyes, her space, her release and sanctuary was right there.
Sarah stopped when she came face to face with the first signs of her tropical residence. The trees seemed to welcome her, their smaller branches waving at her lazily in the air. A bird called to its partner and the suddenly Sarah's ears adapted to the voices of the jungle. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath but that would have been after what she had first laid eyes on.
Nibs noticed her and quickly got up from his sitting position, knees upwards.
Her looked wearily at her and spoke her name.
Sarah had stopped in her tracks and smiled when he said her name, his voice a mixture of worry and relief.
"Hey." She spoke softly, coming closer to him.
"I tried to fool myself that you wouldn't go back but, well, I can imagine why in you would feel safe there, especially with the security H-James could give you."
"I wasn't in my right mind, but I won't lie, I was, or I have been in Ravens Town, but it's a story and a half – I was threatened!"
Nibs frowned but smiled as he saw her face full of amusement.
"You're gonna have to tell me about it! Especially why you're wearing that hideous pirate garb."
They both laughed.
"I'll tell you on the way home." She smiled, taking Nibs' hand and leading him to the jungle.
Nibs didn't move and Sarah stopped, frowning.
Nibs pulled her gently to him and embraced her as if he'd loose her again. Sarah complied to embrace and hugged him just a fiercely, separating from him ever so slightly to kiss him with the passion that his heart deserved.
With one last look in the direction of Ravens town, she took her first steps into the beautiful foliage and smiled. Pan was no more and she had a home here, safe and welcoming. She had a love for a man that she knew she'd grow old with. Deep down she knew she'd never forget James, but then again, who in the world would forget James Hook, just like Peter Pan, they lived through children's stories. Even though they were completely different people, who had had completely different effects on Sarah's life, her story was never told with the way she knew them both.
Stories only existed about Peter Pan when he was alive; the hero and Hook the malicious, ruthless enemy of him, for no one travelled out of Neverland and no more children were brought in under Slightly's law about Faeries taking lost children. Suddenly everyone, everywhere had found themselves found by one way or another.
FIN.
A/N -Well that it guys. Hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. Sometimes it's been slow to update and it has its flaws but I never believed I could have produced something so long! Many, many thanks to all the reviewers out there and if you've never reviewed once, but still read a chapter here or there, or the whole thing, thank you for doing so!
Cherry B.