Chapter 20

Mr. Smee rocked nervously on the balls of his feet. Back and forth, side to side, his hands knotted tightly behind his back. His Captain was smoking a cigar and glaring at his newly buffed and polished (courtesy of his first mate, of course) hook. This was the typical pose for the Captain while he was concocting a brilliant plan, a plan that Smee eagerly awaited. Surely it would have to do with terrible retribution for Pan. He absently ran a hand over his wounded cheek.

Any minute now, his Captain's eyes would narrow, his hook would slowly move forward to curl in his mustache, and the Captain would nod his head slowly. Then, his eyes would glitter, the hook would slam down on his desk, and his Captain would triumphantly cry-

"Smee, I have it!"

Smee jumped to attention, violently poking himself in the eye in his rush to salute. "Y-Yes, Cap'n?"

"I've got it, Smee. Yes, the perfect plan. It's so clear to me now," Hook grinned, his blue eyes flashing as he slowly stood. He walked to a porthole and looked out, his Hook slowly combing through his thin mustache. "The path is painted out in front of me. I know exactly what we must do, Mr. Smee."

"Exactly, Cap'n?"

"Indeed, Mr. Smee."

"That-that's wonderful, Cap'n! Never doubted you for a moment, Cap'n!"

"No, Mr. Smee?"

"Never, Cap'n!"

"Why thank you, Mr. Smee."

"Of course, Cap'n."

There was a lull of silence while Hook continued to stare out the porthole. Smee looked nervously around, deciding if it would be fatal to ask the Captain what, exactly, the path was.

"Wh-what shall I prepare for you, then, Cap'n?" Smee took the safest route: offer servitude in hopes of gaining knowledge through direction.

"Prepare, Mr. Smee?" The Captain asked, turning away from the porthole at last. He grinned, and then sat down behind his desk again. "Why, my dinner, I should think. It's past sunset, after all."

"You-your dinner, Cap'n?"

"Yes, Mr. Smee. Do you find something troubling about dinner? You seem confused, not that that is a new development by any means."

"Not at all, sir. It's just that-" Smee stopped, his courage drastically lacking.

"Go on, Mr. Smee."

"I mean to say, Cap'n, the plan, Cap'n."

"What about it?"

"What-" Mr. Smee wiped his sopping brow. He just knew there was some kind of trap happening here, one he'd surely be punished for tripping. He had no wish to be punished ever again, not after that last incident where Pan had rescued the girl and then...well, his ruined cheek told the tale. The Captain had been furious. Smee still had nightmares about it, not to mention the wound still pained him.

No, now was not the time to upset his Captain further. He had to tread carefully. "Cap'n, forgive me for prying, but I was just wondering…"

"Spit it out, man."

"Is there, well, any actions you'd like me and the crew to make, sir? To, prepare for the, um, execution of the plan?"

The Captain looked at Smee, and his grin grew even wider. Oh I've done it now, thought Smee. I've overstepped my bounds. Here it comes, Gods save me-

The Captain laughed. Laughed. Hook tossed back his head of dark curls and laughed out loud, his hand and his hook resting on his belly.

"S-sir?"

"Actions, Mr. Smee? Why none! None what so ever! Brilliant, I say!"

Smee hesitated. Perhaps his Captain had had one too many snifters of Rum tonight. Surely he wouldn't let his first mate's shame go like that. "N-none, Cap'n?"

"Obviously, Smee."

"Really, Cap'n?"

"It's the only way. You see, if we do nothing, they'll always expect something, and we'll have them in a state of perpetual readiness! Ha!" Hook banged his hook on the table.

"But, but won't we want to get the drop on 'em, Cap'n?"

"Ah, but we will, Mr. Smee. That's just what will happen! Don't you see?" Hook was grinning maniacally now, and it was all Smee could do not to run. He weakly shook his poor, sweat drenched head. "Of course you don't, of course you don't! And they won't get it either! Because it's masterful, it's genius, it's perfect!"

"Yes, Cap'n," Smee whimpered in complete defeat.

"We'll bide our time, Mr. Smee. Bide and bide until the babe is born. And then, Mr. Smee," Hook said, his voice becoming slippery with the dark edge that Smee was used to. "That is the time we will descend upon them like a plague, and take the life of that child before it has the slightest inclination to live, let alone laugh. I'll slit its tiny throat before it takes its first full breath." Hook ground out, dragging his hook across the desk and creating a deep gouge. "And then, Peter Pan and this whole bloody island will be doomed to extinction. He and his boy brats will lose all hope, and we can both take our revenge." His blue eyes flickered with bits of red as he looked up at his trembling first mate. "Now do you see, Mr. Smee?"

Smee let a small smile of relief and excitement bloom upon his face. "Yes, sir, Cap'n. I do indeed."

"Good. Then see to my dinner, Mr. Smee."

"Yes, Cap'n. On my way then, Cap'n." Smee gave a slight bow and then left his Captain's quarters, shutting the thick wooden door behind him. He made his way down to the galley, whistling all the way. His Captain hadn't forgotten about him after all, then.

And best of all, his Captain was back in top form.

I shivered as I watched the moons travel across the deep blue black of the Neverland night sky. The small movement my trembling created made me blink and look down; I suddenly remembered that I was naked in a bathtub on a cliff in the middle of the jungle.

Oh. No wonder I was a bit chilled.

I peered closer at the water, and my eyes widened a bit as I realized I could see my body beneath the surface. The color was nearly gone. I glanced up at Teaken, who was sitting with his back to me still, dangling his legs over the newly made edge of the cliff. I let my eyes rest on his back. He loved me. Loved me. I didn't understand it. How had it happened? I had been nothing but a huge pain in the ass since I'd gotten here. Or else I thought I had.

Then I remembered whom I was considering. Teaken had been a Lost Boy until the magic began to fade. That had changed him into a lost…man? No, he wasn't a man yet, perhaps a Lost Young Man, then. He hadn't been mature long enough to understand love. Not the kind of love he was talking about anyway. As I thought back through the stories, I remembered Peter had loved Wendy in a way, but it was in the way that a son loves his mother.

But Teaken and I had shared some…interactions, more or less, that were certainly not familial love. I raised my hands out of the water and ran them down my face. I was so confused. Teaken heard my movement in the water, and I noticed his body turned to me just a bit. He didn't turn around, but his head lifted, and his back tensed enough so that I knew he was attuned to me. That made me think even more. After all, if he was that sensitive to everything I was doing, perhaps he did…

But no. He's just scared. He's worried right now that anything I do will cause more of Neverland to crumble. I sighed and looked away from Teaken. My eyes drifted to my hand that was holding onto the side of the ornate tub. I blinked. My hand was…sparkling?

I lifted my arms out of the tub, and saw the same bright silver sparks all over my forearms and shoulders. These were the same sparks that had been dancing on the surface of the water before I had gotten in. I looked closer, bringing the back of my hand closer to my face. The sparks were…pulsing…moving. They were sliding beneath my skin.

Oh God I hoped that was normal.

The water was clear by then, and I was curious (nervous) if the sparks were going to fade, or if I was going to have to be Glimmer Barbie for the rest of my life. I slowly pulled myself up, grabbing onto the sides and sliding my feet beneath me. Just before I stood, I glanced at Teaken again, deciding I should warn him.

"Um, I think I'm done, so don't turn around, ok?" I called.

Teaken nodded and waved half-heartedly behind his back to show he understood.

Great. This wasn't going to be an awkward trip back at all.

My hands slipped as I pulled myself up out of the cool water. I held tighter and looked down and my legs to make sure my feet retained purchase against the bottom of the tub. The last thing I needed was to slip and add a concussion to the list of things that had gone horribly wrong with this evening.

I stopped moving all together when I saw my legs. The pinpricks of light beneath my skin on my feet and legs were moving also. I looked again at my arms, slowly standing up and holding them out in front of me. All the sparkles were moving in the same direction: towards my torso. I watched, half terrified, in rapt attention as the sparkles from my neck and arms all gathered into my chest and began to sink lower. The sparkles in from my legs had traveled to just below my bellybutton and were moving in to a tighter pack still. The points of light from my chest collided with those from my legs and began to swirl into a tighter circle that curled directly below my bellybutton.

I gasped quietly as the sparkles spun faster and faster, and a cold sweat broke out onto my skin. My legs began to shake, and my face felt like it was on fire. My face, neck, and chest, for that matter, were all blushing madly, and my heart was beating rapidly beneath my ribs. My breath began to rush in and out of my lungs harshly, and my hands came up to cover my face as I tried to regain control. But soon my head lulled back and my mouth dropped wide open as I felt the points of light delve deeper into me.

Holy shit. I was going to have an orgasm right there in the middle of the jungle with Teaken not ten feet away from me.

That was about the only half coherent thought I had time to have, because the sparks of light gave one last push and then exploded, each running back through my skin to their points of origin I know I must have cried out then, because A of all, I felt it all over my body. I swear it followed the path of every single one of those sparkles; in my stomach, in my chest, to the very tips of my fingers and toes. And B of all, Teaken whipped his head around and called out to me.

I held out a hand, one still supporting me by clutching onto the side of the tub when my legs had all but given out from under me, telling him that I was ok.

"Are, are you sure? What hap-" Teaken tried taking a few steps in my direction.

Still not anywhere near having command over my vocal chords again, I simply signaled for him to stop and turn around again. I heard him sigh and comply, then I slowly stood up again, looking at my body. The sparks were gone, and my skin looked normal again, but I could still feel them, the pricks of light. I felt like they were hiding just beneath my skin, and God, I was torn between praying that they didn't reemerge and pleading with them to please please do that again.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I slowly stepped out of the tub and grabbed my dress. I quickly got dressed and smoothed my wet locks back as best as I could.

"Ok," I called. "I'm decent now."

Teaken turned around slowly, looking me up and down and trying to gauge just how much to ask, I supposed, before he could expect me to lose it and beat him over the head.

"So, you're sure you're all right?" he asked quietly.

"I mean, I think so. I feel fine," I started, and couldn't help but grin a little. "I wonder if the Indians sell that stuff in bulk."

Teaken blushed, but smirked at the same time. "I didn't think that moan sounded like one of…" he cleared his throat and looked away. "…pain."

"I don't know what happened," I began, stepping towards him as I tried to recount the experience. "There were these sparkles on my skin, but they moved, and when they all met over my…" I broke off and just placed my hand over my lower belly. "They started to spin and…I just felt…something."

Teaken raised his eyebrow at me. "Must have been some 'something'."

I smiled and blushed. "I didn't know what it would do. You're the perv that gave the stuff to me," I accused, smacking his arm.

The next thing I knew my legs were wrapped around his waist and my mouth was attached to his neck.

"Whoa, whoa, Mary…" Teaken said, thrown off balance. He pulled me off of him, and as soon as I was out of contact with him, I came back to myself.

"What the hell was that!" I freaked.

"I think…I think it's because you touched me," Teaken stammered.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Look, no one is that hot, ok? Don't flatter yourself."

Teaken laughed and shook his head. "No, it has to do with the potion, I'm sure of it. 'Lily said it would make you more….sensitive."

"Oh she did, did she? And you decided I shouldn't have this information why?"

"I just, you know, didn't think it was my business."

"Right. But it damn well is mine." I stomped my foot and turned away, more embarrassed than I wanted to admit. Placing both my forefingers on my temples, I tried to calm myself down. I was still tensed up. Like very tensed up, you know? I was ready for…for anything. For….

Oooooh.

I wanted to smack my forehead. How was it that I could be so incredibly dense at times? This, this wonder drug from the Indians promoted pregnancy by stimulating my body to be continuously ready to accept sperm from a male, so it would make sense that it also continuously kept me in the mood, per say, to go and get that sperm.

So I was going to be ridiculously horny until I found a way to relieve that. How clever of those Indians. But still, I suppose it did help things along. With the way I was feeling, I wouldn't put up with many questions from Peter. I would just do what had to be done. I turned back to Teaken.

"Let's go."

Apparently I caught him off guard, as his only response was to blink at me. "What?"

"Let's go, Teaken. Take me back. I have to do this before whatever this is, wears off." I said, motioning to my body.

"Wha-you mean now? With Peter, now?" He asked, agog.

"Yes, now. Yes, Peter now. Let's go now." I said, walking over to him.

I made the mistake of hopping into his arms only once, and after Teaken had successfully pealed me off of him for the second time that night, he gave me my own pixie dust pill and we were off.

The entire way back, I think Teaken was trying to talk me out of rushing things. I don't really remember the trip back to the Tree, my mind was too full and my body was too…distracting. All I knew was if this was how I'd feel when I had to…do it…then it was the best time. I wanted it then, and that's all I really cared about. The intensity of the feeling drowned out Teaken, and the voice in the back of my mind that was crying for my soon to be ruined innocence. It also drowned out the feeling that I was somehow betraying Teaken, which was, of course, ridiculous. I was doing this for him. If I was betraying anyone, it was myself.

I landed on the branch of the tree that led to Peter's quarters. I walked resolutely forward as Teaken landed behind me, still begging me to stop and think. No way. That would be the end of this if I dared stop and think.

Finally, he grabbed me. That, of course, resulted in me throwing myself at him once more. He was ready for it, though, and caught me before I could wrap myself around him.

"Goddammit, Teaken you knew that would happen. Don't touch me again or-"

"You need this. This is the most important part. If he doesn't take it, we'll all be destroyed." He was holding the other pouch in front of my face. I pulled back to focus on it.

"You never finished telling me about that one." I said quietly as I studied it.

"You have to get him to drink it, right before…it happens. It will make him…forget."

"Forget what?" I asked, eyes narrowed.

"Forget that it ever happened, between you two." Teaken sighed when he saw my shocked face. "He can't remember it, Mary. Think about it. That would make him far too…mature, worldly. Neverland, and all of us, would be destroyed if Peter as allowed to remember it. Peter would be destroyed." Teaken whispered in after thought.

"Right," I said. "Of course. Fine. So, give it here," I said, hand out.

"You have anything for him to drink it in?" Teaken asked, eyebrow raised.

"I, I'll get some Neverberry juice or something. Just let's get on with this. I want it over with," I demanded, not meeting Teaken's eyes.

Teaken's mood seemed to lift a little, and he gave me a small smile of encouragement. "I'll get you some. Wait here."

Teaken flew off of the branch and around the great trunk of the Tree. I sighed and turned towards the door in front of me. Twisting my hands together nervously, I leaned towards it put my ear close to the surface, listening. Was Peter even in his room? A war raged in my head over that question. On one hand, I wanted him to be, because I knew I'd lose my nerve if I had to go looking for him. On the other hand, if he wasn't there I was off the hook, er, so to speak. But then again, I had no idea how long this feeling was going to last, and I had a feeling it would eventually drive me mad if I didn't find a way to make it stop.

Suddenly the door swept open, and I nearly fell in. Peter stepped back as I stumbled into the room, barely missing clutching onto his arm for support. I remembered just in time and made a grab for the doorway instead.

"Mary!" Peter chuckled. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, um," I stammered, collecting myself and standing upright again. "Well, look-looking for you, I suppose."

"Well here I am." Peter said proudly.

"Yes," I said, stopping as I heard a clink at the windowsill next to me. On it sat two cups of Neverberry juice and the small pouch of potion. I closed my eyes and thanked Teaken silently. I walked to the windowsill and picked up the pouch. Untying it, I poured it into one of the cups and swished the liquid around a bit. Putting that cup into my left hand, I tossed the pouch out of the window, and picked up the other cup with my right.

"What's that?" Peter asked, floating over.

"Neverberry juice, want some?" I offered him the cup in my left hand.

Peter grinned. "I seem to remember you not holding this very well the last time."

"Yes, well. Practice makes perfect, I suppose." I shook the cup a bit and smiled. "I hate to drink alone."

Peter shrugged and took the cup. "Cheers," he said, holding it up.

I raised my glass and sipped the juice. Peter downed his glass, and suddenly I wondered how long I had before he'd start to remember things from tonight.

Peter smacked his lips and wiped his mouth with his forearm. He grimaced. "I think these Neverberries weren't ripe enough to be juiced. Yuck."

I played along and put my own drink down. "Yuck, yeah. Ew."

Peter laughed and turned back to me and putting the cup back on the sill. "So why were you looking for me, Mary?"

This was it. This was why I had been taken away from everything I knew and had my world turned upside down. It all culminated to tonight. I was going to save everyone. I was going to save an entire world. I was going to be a hero.

I was terrified.

I took a deep breath and put my own cup down. I turned to Peter and smiled what I hoped was my most fetching smile.

"Peter, I want to play a game."

A.N. Happy Holidays, everyone. Many safe returns.