At last, at last, at last. It's here, un-beta'd and rather raw, but it's here. To all readers, you've waited so patiently and faithfully. Thank you. Enjoy.

Peter grinned excitedly at me. Oh god. "What kind of game?"

"Well," I gulped. "It's…a new game. One I don't think you've played before."

"I've played lots of games. I've even made games up. In fact, I think I've made most games up. That's why I'm so damn good at everything." Peter grinned proudly at me.

"Wow, yeah? How about that. Well, this game is pretty…pretty old, actually, and-"

"Who made it up?" Peter cut in.

"Um, well, God, I suppose." He had me stumped, there.

"Who?"

"Never mind. Would you like to play it with me?"

Peter smirked and reclined back, crossing his ankles in mid air, his hands behind his head. "Will I win?"

I snorted. "Oh, yes. Yes you will."

Peter frowned. "Why, is it that easy?"

"Hey, I am not easy!" I shouted. I mean, let's get that straight at least, right?

"I asked if the game was easy, Mary." Peter chuckled. "How can you be easy? You're a person."

Poor, naïve Peter. "Right, well, it's not easy, per say, but…" God, how to describe this?

"Is it fun?" Peter asked, now floating with his back towards me and leaning his head back so that he was looking at me upside down.

I blushed at that. "I think you'll enjoy it," I said quietly. More than I will, anyway.

"What's it called?"

"Um, er, well it has lots of names I guess, uh…" I knew I was blushing so hard. My face was radiating hotter than the goddamn surface of the sun, but I could still feel those sparks of light beneath my skin, and they felt impatient.

"Have you played it before?" Peter asked. He'd gotten his dagger out of the sheath on his belt and was flipping it in the air, catching the handle.

I chewed my lip a bit. "Well, no. Not, not yet."

Peter caught the handle of his blade even when his doubtful gaze was on me. "If you haven't played it, how do you even know it's a fun game?"

"I've, well I've heard about it from lots of people. They all rave about it. It's, er, really popular where I come from."

Peter scoffed and flipped right side up in front of me. "Like you worlders know how to have fun. Your world is full of grown-ups and…and…old people," He eloquently pointed out.

This wasn't working and I was frustrated with talking in circles, so, stepping forward, I tried to steel myself to just do what had to be done and get it over with. I kept telling myself that all I had to do was touch him and I wouldn't care anymore, but I didn't want to scare him. If Peter got spooked and ran away then—

Suddenly, I remembered the Neverberry juice and the Indian's potion. If…if Peter freaked out and ran for it, he wouldn't remember a thing tomorrow anyway. I really didn't have anything to lose. I'd just think about a different approach and get some more potion from the Indians, meet with lovely Tigerlily again. Joy.

I walked to the window and let down the curtains of flowered vines. Peter looked up as the room suddenly dimmed dramatically. "What are you doing?"

"I want you to try my game, Peter. If…if you don't like it, we don't have to play it."

"So it's played in the dar— ow." In the darkened room, Peter had misjudged his dagger toss, and had caught the blade. The palm of his hand had been cut.

I heard the blade hit the ground and then the drops of blood. "God, are you all right?" I reached for his hand…

I don't actually remember a lot of the details, I think whatever it was that was in the potion the Indians gave me had a dimming effect on my mind. I remember kissing Peter, and I remember telling him not to be afraid, and not to worry. And he was afraid at first. He wasn't used to being touched; not like that.

There was a lot of "Mary, what are you doing?" and "I don't understand what this is, what I'm feeling," in the beginning. I do remember that he cried; only a few tears, and not in sadness or in pain. It was near the end, and he touched my face. I opened my eyes and I don't think I'll forget his face in that moment for as long as I live:

"Mary, am I dying?"

"No, Peter, no. You're all right."

"I'm not. Some-ugh, something is happening to…me…"

His eyes were so wide in that moment; so very open and…and filled with a sudden knowledge, a sudden truth and realization. He was flooded with all the things he was never meant to understand. As his eyes opened, mine closed, and I was flooded with him.

Outside, there was a blinding flash over all of Neverland. For one moment, everything burst into bright dancing flames and fell to the ground in ash. The ocean turned black and savage, both suns were eclipsed and the wind shrieked with ice and fire. The moons crumbled from the inside out and fell to be devoured by the violent sea. Birds died in mid-flight, falling out of the sky like brightly colored stones.

Sleeping children still on Earth cried out in their sleep; adults shivered without knowing why as they rose to comfort their offspring.

Lost boys cried out for forgotten mothers and held their heads.

Then, just as suddenly, it was all right again. The dead birds revived before hitting the ground and regained their altitude. The suns shed their shadows and shone again over green and lush forests, and a calm, blue sea. All the worlder children went back to sleep.

I sighed and knew it was over, and yet, still just beginning.

Teaken slowly relaxed his jaw and opened his eyes. He took his hands from the sides of his head, and pushed himself up onto his knees with trembling arms. His heart was still beating too quickly, and he couldn't get his breath to even out. He glanced around, looking for the other Boys. He saw Slightly who was curled into the same position Teaken had been in moments before.

Teaken knelt down and pulled Slightly's hands away from his face. "It's all right, mate. It's all better now."

Slightly gripped Teaken's hands as he opened his eyes. Unshed tears spilled down his face as he sat up. He quickly wiped them away on his sleeves, and tipped his wide blue eyes up at Teaken. "What…what…?" he stammered. His mouth open and shaking.

"What the blue fuck was that?" Grinz was pale and in a cold sweat as he stepped into the room. His hands were still gripping the sides of his face, and his nails were biting into the flesh at his cheeks and temples.

Teaken patted Slightly's shoulders and stood to go to Grinz. He gently took Grinz's wrists in his hands, and pulled the clenching fingers from the other Boy's face. "It's all right," he said again, softly. "We'll be all right now."

"Whatever that was, it felt-"

"As if my bleeding brain was falling right out-"

"Of my head."

Teaken turned around and saw the Twins sitting in the corner of the room, clutching onto one another. Teaken shook his head, and then snapped back around when he heard hesitant footsteps coming through the doorway. It was Nibs, and he looked absolutely lost. He was staring at his hand, and nearly ran right into Teaken. He blinked up, as if only just realizing he wasn't alone.

"I…" he began, still looking at his hand. "I was…on fire. I was burning up. I was screaming….and then…" he looked up at Teaken, eyes wide and terrified. "…it stopped." He looked at Teaken as if Teaken had all the answers. As if he had to have all the answers, he must have them.

Teaken could only close his eyes and pat Nibs on the shoulder as he told him what he had told everyone else. "We'll be all right now."

No one questioned him. They all stood, slowly, and began to move about in a daze. They were still incredibly spooked, but Teaken knew they'd be fine. After all, Neverland made you forget. The other Boys wouldn't remember a thing about this by tomorrow. They'd be back to their normal, jovial, adventurous selves. But not Teaken.

The worlders had changed Teaken. He alone would remember the absolute terror and wrongness of that moment, and he alone would understand exactly what had caused it.

The moment it happened, Hook knew. He'd been enjoying his nightly cigar and port while his favorite ship wench rubbed his neck and shoulders when the feeling had come upon him. Or rather, it had overtaken him. It had filled him so completely and nearly lifted him out of his own body.

The wench herself had felt it come upon him. Gasping, she snatched her hands away from him and backed up against the far wall. Different sounds of shock, alarm, and wonder echoed throughout the boat as the phenomenon took place, and the wench placed her hand over her open mouth when Hook suddenly bent over in his chair and howled, cradling his arms against his chest.

She herself felt something within her shift, and gave a surprised hiccup of a noise from the back of her throat. She pressed her hand against her stomach, and looked down at herself. She felt…odd. Different. Changed, somehow.

The door to the Captain's quarters clapped hard against the wall as the first mate and others in the crew burst inside. The wench stared. She squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and blinked them open again. She swallowed hard. Perhaps she was going mad…

"Cap'n!" Smee cried, running towards the bent over captain. "Cap'n? Speak to me, Cap'n!"

A cacophony of questioning cries rang out into the room. All the pirates had been spooked and wondered what the bleeding hell was going on. They all quieted immediately as the Captain moved to sit up and a loud thunk rang through the room. Something heavy and metallic had hit the ground and rolled beneath Hook's chair. Hook let out a small giggle, and Smee's face screwed up in worry.

"Never mind, Cap'n, I'll fetch your hook for you, sir. Here now, I'll just buff it up a bit and it'll be good as n-" Smee let out a squeal and dropped the hook to the floor again as he rounded the Captain's chair, causing the crew members in the room and the wench to jump again at the loud noise.

Hook's giggle gained volume, and turned into a delighted chuckle, and then, finally, an all out cackle as he stood and turned towards his crew. Everyone in the room gasped and took a step back.

"Impossible," the wench gasped before fainting dead away into a mass of skirts and curls on the floor. Smee joined her a moment later.

I awoke in stages. At first, I was conscious of warmth and comfort and how tired I still was. I nearly rolled back over and sank back into sleep, but then, when I moved, the second stage hit: pain. I was sore…everywhere. Then the third and most terrifying stage: memory. I was inundated with the memory of the night before, and suddenly I didn't move at all. I stayed stone still, barely daring to breathe. As I came into that fourth, final, and fully awake stage, and struggled to get my breathing under control. I breathed in slowly and silently through my nose, and released it slowly and silently through my mouth. After a few rounds of this, I finally found the courage to open my eyes.

Peter was sleeping silently next to me. He was on his stomach with his right arm tossed over the side of the bed and his knuckles grazing the floor, his left arm curled up next to him with his hand beneath his chin. His face was turned away from me, small favors, and he seemed still deeply asleep.

I swallowed hard and sat up slowly. I winced as my body protested, but then looked around at the window and saw that the sun was shining brightly outside. The Indian's potion must have worked. Otherwise it would be all fires, horsemen, and Armageddon out there, right?

I carefully swung my feet over the edge of the bed and glancing back at Peter, I saw that he was still asleep and not at all bothered about me. I tossed the sheet off of me and shakily stood. Why was I so damn cold?

My foot then stepped upon my underwear that was laying on the floor some ways away from my dress.

Ah. Naked. That would do it.

I quickly struggled into my clothing, hopping about and trying not to swear too loudly when I moved a body part that didn't particularly agree with being moved and shuffled about. Finally I managed it without wincing too much at the stickiness of dried blood and other….ugh…things on my legs and stomach, and headed for the door. A long bath had certainly been earned and I aimed to lounge in that water all day long.

And God help any mermaid who came near me.

I had just reached the door when suddenly it flew open and a bright and rather loud ball of light flew in my face and began trying to blind me in earnest.

In hindsight, she may not have been trying to blind me, but actually to just get past me, but that's neither here nor there.

Tinkerbell bounced off of my forehead and her volume increased twenty fold. I saw nothing but a flurry of fists and what looked mysteriously like a tiny middle finger waving at me before she pushed violently past me by shoving my nose aside, therefore flinging my whole head to a degree it wasn't used to turning, and buzzing directly over to Peter.

"Tink! No! No, let him sleep! Tink, stop it you're being a huge bi-"

"Mary?"

Oh, hell.

Peter wiped his hands down his face and sat up. I'd never been so terrified in all my life. So far.

"What are you doing here so early?"

God bless those crafty Indians. The next time I saw Tigerlily I'd give the lovely girl a kiss. The potion had worked.

"Um, just wanted to say good morning, I guess. I saw you were sleeping, but then Tinkerbell came in and woke you." I said, tossing a nasty look at the pixie.

"Oh, well that's all right. She usually does." He sat up further and moved to toss the sheet back. I immediately blushed up to the roots of my hair and turned around. "Huh," Peter said, the fact that he was stumped clearly evident in his voice. "Where'd my pants get to?"

"Um..I think I saw them on the floor…next to…the bed," I said, gritting my teeth so as not to scream/cry/laugh/generally freak out and lose it completely.

"Oh, thanks." I could hear him push back the sheets further so that he could climb out of bed. "Whoa!" he yelled, and I couldn't help but turn around again.

"What's wrong?" I asked before shutting my eyes and turning my back again. But not before seeing what Peter was shouting about. Oh god in heaven…think Mary, think!

"Blood, there's blood in my bed! What…where-?"

"Your hand!" I cried out triumphantly, as I whirled and pointed at him. He looked up at me, then abruptly down at his hand. "You cut it last night, on your dagger."

I congratulated myself on my huge brain power as Peter frowned at the scab across his palm. "Huh. I don't remember when that-"

"You should clean that out, it looks like it could…fester." I said, quickly changing the subject.

"Really?" Peter looked curiously at his hand. "Cool. I've never had a festering wound before."

Rolling my eyes at his blatant boy-ness, and remembering the slowly healing wound in my hand, I shook my head at him. "Believe me, you don't want a festering hand."

"All right," Peter sighed, disappointed. I ask you. "Tink'll take care of it, won't you Tink?"

This seemed to calm the pissed off pixie a bit, and as she gently landed on Peter's hand, I made my hasty exit. I ran out onto the limb outside of his room and immediately latched onto a thick vine.

"My room, please. Quickly, please." I murmured to the Tree. It gently wrapped the end of the vine around my leg to support me as it lowered me down a few limbs to where my quarters were located. "Thank you," I whispered as I got down and nearly dove through my window.

I quickly began to move about the room gathering everything I needed to bathe. I couldn't stop, didn't dare stop for a moment or everything I was trying to run from would catch up with me. Grabbing clothes and stuffing them into my bag after the bathing supplies, I turned towards the window again and nearly had a heart attack.

In hindsight, I suppose I shouldn't have been at all surprised, but I was wound a wee bit tight that morning.

Teaken was leaning against my window frame, his body angled away from me and towards the outside. He wasn't looking at me.

"Teaken, God. Hi, you can't knock or say something?" I groused as I took a step back and glanced at the floor. God, I couldn't look at him either.

He didn't react to that, didn't move at all. He kept his eyes down towards his feet even as he spoke quietly to me. "How…"

I held my hands up immediately to stop him. "Do not ask me. I won't tell you how it went. It went. That's all I'll ever say about it. Ever. Get me? Ev. Er."

Teaken gave a small pained glance towards me. "I was going to ask how you were. If you were all right. Can I do that?"

I sighed and still didn't look at him. "Yeah. You can. I'm ok. Thanks for asking. Sorry I jumped down your throat, I'm just….a little tense, I guess."

He nodded in understanding and finally let his eyes quickly brush over me and then pulled them away again. "Going somewhere?" he asked, having taken in the bag on my shoulder.

"To the lagoon. To bathe." I said, hitching the bag up further on my arm.

Teaken did look at me then. He raised his eyes to my face and though I wouldn't meet his gaze, I could feel him looking at me. I felt his hard gaze on me as though he was determined to read my thoughts. Feeling the intensity of his stare, I began to fear he'd figure out how to work telepathy if I stood there and let him, so I ran for it.

"I'm just going to be awhile; I'll be back this afternoon." I stood and stepped on my bed and then through the window. Teaken moved to let me through.

"Do you want me to-I mean, I could take you-" He offered and reached his hand out hesitantly.

I shrunk back from him without even thinking. "No, no thank you. I'll be fine." I wrapped my hands around another vine and clung to it until I felt it start to lower me. "See you later," I called up to him.

My heart didn't slow down to a normal pace until my feet were on the ground and I couldn't feel his eyes on me anymore. I became annoyed with the feeling in my chest as I made my way towards the lagoon. He had asked this of me. Begged this of me. Told me it was my destiny! I had just saved an entire island of people. Saved them. From total and utter destruction.

All these things were true, I knew they were. Yet I still felt like a lower-than-dirt adulteress. I couldn't look at Teaken, he certainly couldn't look at me. Did I look different? I looked down at my body as I peeled my clothes off and stepped into the lagoon. I couldn't see any difference, but maybe Teaken could.

Of course he didn't need to look, he knew. He wouldn't look because he knew and it disgusted him. He hated me now, and always would.

I scrubbed roughly at my body with soaps and then with sand and grit when I decided I wasn't getting clean enough. I'm not sure when the tears had started pouring down my face, but I do know they didn't stop until my flesh was raw and lacerated from the scrubbing and I was shivering in the lagoon because both suns had gone down and the only light was the trembling reflection of Neverland's moons on the lagoon's surface.

A.N. The road gets bumpy from here on out. Thank you again. You all are truly amazing.