Emily's POV

"I have to tell you the truth Emily...about what really happened in the test."

I only looked to him in confusion as I heard the sadness in his voice. I wasn't sure what to say. I wanted to ask so many questions but I had no idea where to start, so I said nothing. I just stood still, waiting for Will to continue.

"After we walked through the barrier together, the test had ended and Pan had taken you to his hut. He wouldn't let anyone see you and no questions could be asked," Will's expression hardened as he continued. "I tried my hardest for countless days to get you out of there but Pan would stop me every time. The only explanation I got out of him was that you had been asleep since the test ended."

Countless days?

"Wait, I woke up yesterday. The test...it was only..."

I found myself having to stop as I watched Will's eyes look down to his feet.

"Emily the test ended days ago, it has been more than a week now."

My eyes widened as I stared at Will in disbelief, trying to piece together what he had told me.

"I had been asleep for all that time?"

Will lowered his head as his fists clenched tightly into a ball.

"I'm so sorry Emily. I wanted to help but I couldn't do anything to get you out of there. When I confronted Pan the only explanation that he told me was that he couldn't wake you up, that you had been asleep since the test had ended. He wouldn't tell me why."

I know why...

It made sense now. There wasn't any other reason I could think of. I had blocked Pan out of my head, we had lost that connection and since the test ended Pan must have been trying to force that connection back. I couldn't remember anything when I had woken up and when I did Pan was furious that he still couldn't get into my head. When you dream on Neverland you are at your most vulnerable state of mind which meant Pan was trying to force the connection back. I was fighting him off; my subconscious was blocking him out even when I was sleeping.

I couldn't tell Will. Pan said he would leave him alone if I just did as he says. At most times it can be hard but if I told Will, Pan would only hurt him more than he already has. He has been through so much pain because of Pan; most of it was because of me. I couldn't do that to him anymore. Will already knew that I can block Pan out but if he knew Pan was trying to force the connection back he would go straight to Pan. I don't want him getting hurt anymore.

"Don't be sorry there was nothing you could do," I gave Will a small smile and lifted his chin to look at me again, "I'm okay, Pan didn't do anything to me, I promise. He can't get into my head anymore remember."

Will nodded but the sadness didn't leave his face. There was something else he wasn't telling me.

"There is something you're not telling me," I said quietly.

Will's POV

She had a right to know but I don't know if she would be ready to hear the truth. This was Pan's test, it was his rules and we knew the price we would all pay when it began and ended. Most of us were lucky enough to make it out alive...some of us were not. I don't know if she was ready to accept the fact that Pan is the monster he is. What he did was real. It wasn't a dream, it wasn't a game, it was real. I took in a slow breath before facing Emily who's eyes were shaking as she waited for me to continue. She knew something bad was coming but there was nothing I could do to prepare her for what she was about to hear.

"After a couple days had passed, once we had all healed from the test, Pan told us the truth. We knew that in order to pass the test we had to defeat our darkest fear to get through the barrier." I paused before swallowing the lump in my throat, "Some of us did not make it that far."

It was only then that I could see the colour run from her face as she froze.

"There were four boys, that did not make it through...they were killed during the test."

I couldn't help but notice the water glazing her eyes as she tried not to believe what I told her. Her hands were slightly shaking and her body stood still. She parted her lips to speak but no words came out, instead, her lips only trembled as she took a shaken breath in as if she had been holding her breath. I tried to hold her but she only moved away from me as she shook her head slowly and turned to Charlie's hut, her pained expression growing as she looked back to me. I couldn't hide it from her...she had to know everything.

"Charlie was one of them," I said quietly.

It took a moment as she looked at her feet in silence. The trees around us brushed against each other, their leaves rustling against the silence as the wind slowly picked up. I watched as the wind moved through the strands of her hair that covered her face. I felt a sunken feeling in my chest as I watched her slowly look up to me; the clear tears in her glassy eyes slowly falling down her cheeks before dropping to the ground. I felt that same feeling in my chest tighten as I watched the pain on her face grow as she stared out to the trees, looking at nothing as she was left to take in what I had just told her. I wish I could have told her something else...anything but this.

I lifted my hand out to her, trying to comfort her but she only moved away, wrapping her own arms around herself as more tears fell from her eyes as she cried silently. She had the same reaction that most of us had. At first, it was hard to believe that something like this had happened again. We all knew that we could get hurt in the games that Pan played but we never truly understood what danger we were in until now. Once Pan had told us the names of our friends who hadn't made it, we were left in the same silence that Emily was in now. Some were angry but most of us were sad that it had to come to this. That Pan had to choose such a deadly means to keep the strongest of us alive. It took a while for us to accept what had happened, but I know none of us would ever forget that test. I took a step closer towards Emily as I heard quiet sobs now escaping through her uneven breaths.

"Emily, talk to me." I pleaded, watching the tears fall down her cheeks as she stared at the ground.

Emily's POV

H-How...

How could Pan do this? Those boys...they were innocent. Even if they weren't strong enough, h-how could he just kill them because they weren't good enough. They didn't deserve to die like that. They followed him as a leader, they were loyal to him and respected him despite the fear Pan had put them through, and he still made the choice to end their lives because they weren't good enough. How could a person do something so inhuman, even with all the power Pan carried in him how could he decide to kill four innocent boys because they weren't strong enough.

All I could think about was the moment before we were all sent into the death test. When I was scared out of my mind and completely helpless to go into that test knowing that Will hated me for what had happened with Connor. I thought I had lost hope, that he would never talk to me again, that Will would hate me forever because of what I did. None of the boys would talk or go near me because of what I had done to Connor. I felt more alone than I ever had before until Charlie spoke to me.

"Hey Emily, are you alright?"

I turned my attention away from the boys, surprised to see Charlie standing before me with a concerned face. We hadn't really talked before but I knew he was friends with Ethan, Will, and Ben. He gave me an apologetic smile as he looked over to them.

"I heard about what happened."

"Oh, you did?" I sighed, did everyone know?

"Don't worry, I know they're having a hard time right now, especially Will, which is pretty bad timing giving these circumstances," Charlie spoke tenderly on the subject, probably guessing the trouble I got in from Pan.

I found myself looking down at my feet, regret turning my stomach once again.

"I wouldn't worry."

I looked up at Charlie's golden hazel eyes. Confusion fell over my face as a smile appeared on his.

"I've known those boys since I got on this island. Will might take some time but he's changed a lot since you arrived here. He grew happier and got along with more of the boys. I know he won't be mad at you forever, it just may take some time before he comes around."

"I know you'll get through to him again." Charlie grinned and gave me a playful nudge to the arm. "Good luck out there."

A boy who barely knew anything about me had given me the hope and motivation that I needed, which allowed me to survive through that test. He made me believe I still had a chance, that I could change things between Will and I. That he would eventually talk to me, that I had to keep pushing through and not give up. How could this happen to a boy so kind? He wanted the best for me and he hardly knew me. I didn't even get the chance to thank him and now I never will.

Will's POV

I watched carefully as she raised her arm and wiped her cheeks dry; the quiet sobs that she had let out were slowing as she tried to breathe. It wasn't until she turned around that I could see her red-stained eyes narrowing as her pained expression turned to one of anger, a kind I had never seen on her before. A look a person could only feel if they had no control of their emotions, leaving them to build up inside them to the point that they had no choice but to let them out.

"Pan did this..." She said out loud as her clenched fists began to shake. "Pan killed them."

"Emily-"

"They are all dead because of him!" Her voice cracked as she shouted, "He could have let them live but he didn't. He let them die all for the sake of keeping the strongest boys alive, and for what!"

She wiped her eyes once more as a few stray tears escaped her eyes, allowing her to catch her breath.

"Will...Pan killed those boys."

I felt something in my chest being squeezed as I heard the sadness in her voice.

"They didn't have a choice! None of us had a choice!" She cried. "This is not a game anymore, they are dead! Pan killed them!" She shouted as more tears fell from her eyes.

I couldn't stand seeing her like this. I grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her as she cried. She tried to fight against me but I only held her tight until she eventually gave in. Emily had to know the truth about what happened and the truth about Pan. He's a monster, a cold-blooded killer and it seemed that Emily had finally realized that.

I thought she had finally calmed down as I felt her breathing against me begin to ease back as she pulled away but when I looked down to see her face I could see that the anger still hadn't left her yet. She had stopped crying as her red-stained eyes were caught in a daze as she thought to herself. She wouldn't look at me and she wouldn't blink, she only stared at the ground, lost in thought.

Emily's POV

All the boys had gone back to their normal selves. How could they when their friends have been killed by the one person they put all their trust into. I dug my nails into my skin as I looked at the trees that surrounded us. I couldn't let this go. If I was the only one to do anything about it then so be it. I would confront Pan myself. I turned away from Will and took off at a dead sprint. I could hear him calling behind me but I ignored him. I didn't want him to follow me, I hoped he would just let me go. I wanted to face Pan on my own.

I turned the corner past the last hut and ran along the path that follows through to the training area. I didn't care how much my chest was hurting, I only ran faster and faster ignoring some of the boys along the path who were walking back from Pan's challenge, giving me strange looks as I rushed past them. I didn't care, I only had one thought running through my mind and that was Pan. I wasn't going to let him get away with what he did.

It didn't take long after passing a couple more boys to find a group of them walking together with Pan. I glared at that smirk that was almost permanently stuck on his face. It made me angrier that he could be so amused after what he had done. Some of the boys standing in front noticed me but because I was running at such a speed Pan didn't get to look up in time which made it easier to run up to him and punch him straight to the face, knocking him off his feet until he was on the ground. I stood above Pan, out of breath, and my chest now strained as I glared down at him. He touched his face and grinned once he looked up at me.

"Hey!" Felix growled in anger as he grabbed my wrist back.

"Get off me!" I shouted back at Felix, which took him by surprise, but his grip still remained tightly around my wrist.

"Let her go."

I turned back and glared at Pan as I watched him get off the ground with ease...I didn't punch him hard enough. He gave a look to the other boys which they understood and continued walking. Felix gave me one last glare before letting go of my arm and following behind the group as they turned around the corner.

"I take it you found out the truth."

I grabbed my fists around Pan's collar and shoved him up against the nearest tree I could find. His green eyes looked at me with surprise as he realized just how angry I was. My chest still hurt from running all this way but I had enough rage built up that I wasn't focused on anything else.

"How could you do that to me!" I shouted at Pan, "Keeping me locked away inside your hut and then asking me to trust you?" I scoffed, my fists tightened, "And you wonder why you can't get back inside my head."

Pan's eyes narrowed because he knew I was right although he didn't say anything, he just kept quiet.

"How could you kill those boys!" I shouted at Pan as I felt the stinging in my eyes get worse.

"I didn't kill them. What happened to cause their deaths was their own fault for not facing it. They killed themselves." Pan said coldly.

I felt my hands shaking in anger as the words left Pan's mouth. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I always knew he was bad but this; this pointless killing was taking things too far, even for Pan. How could he not see that what he was doing is wrong? Now he was refusing to admit he was the one to kill them?

"This was your test!" I yelled, "You were the one who forced all of us into this! We didn't have a choice! You could have spared them but you didn't, you lead them to their deaths and all for the sake of what? To find out who is the strongest of all of us?!" I yelled, finding myself out of breath once I stopped.

Pan clenched his jaw as he grabbed hold of my wrists and pulled them off of him but held his grip firmly, no letting me go anywhere as he looked me in the eyes.

"Do you really think I wanted them to die!" Pan shouted back. "I can't let the past repeat itself; I won't let any more of us be killed that way again. You haven't seen the things I've seen. You don't understand. What those pirates do is beyond anything you could think of!"

I felt the burning sensation in my eyes get stronger as I felt that familiar sensation building up to the point that I closed my eyes slowly before opening to see that the pain didn't go away. Pan' face changed once he noticed too. I pulled my hands out of his grasp and rubbed my wrists from his tight grip. I didn't care how many enemies Pan had made...he killed his own.

"I always knew you were bad...but this is different. I can't believe I actually had some hope that you would..." I said but trailed off as I caught Pan's angered expression change suddenly to one I hadn't seen before; he furrowed his brows as he realized what I had said before I did myself.

"I knew I was right all along," I said through gritted teeth. "You're nothing but a-"

I stopped and my hands went straight to my eyes as what I thought was only stinging from crying before, was now a burning pain in my eyes. I groaned and stepped back away from Pan, closing my eyes tightly, my hands covering over them as the burning in my eyes got worse. What was he-what was happening to me!

I heard Pan move right in front of me as I let out another yelp of pain. I couldn't look at him and I couldn't open my eyes. I only covered them as they continued to burn as if they were on fire.

Pan's POV

I knew something was wrong when I could see her eyes turning from their soft hazel shades to flickering bright specks of orange and red as she was yelling at me. They were building up in her eyes but before I could say anything her hands covered over them as she let out a cry of pain. She moved away from me and that's when I realized she thought that I was doing this to her...that I was hurting her.

Emily's POV

"Emily!"

I was surprised to hear such concern coming from Pan.

"Come here." He said but I shook my head and moved back as I felt the pain get worse.

I heard Pan take a couple of steps closer to me and I flinched as I felt his hands hold onto my arms, bringing them away from my eyes before his hand's place on either side of my face, lifting my head up.

"Look at me."

I hesitated at first but after a moment I slowly opened my eyes. Pan was so close that I found myself staring into his forest green eyes that were looking over me as his face inched closer to mine. My eyes widened as I noticed the green in his eyes slowly turning, as orange and red flecks quickly took over the natural colour in his eyes, like flames burning down a forest. It was as if his eyes were mirroring my pain. It wasn't until I saw his iris change completely to an unnatural earthy orange that the pain I had felt in my own eyes had now blurred my vision as I felt light headed. I blinked heavily as Pan became too fast of a movement to focus on.

Pan's POV

My feet stumbled back in surprise, my hands eventually holding onto the tree behind me as I caught myself. I released slow breaths as I looked around at my changed surroundings. I was no longer standing on the path to the training area as ferns and branches covered between and around my feet. Before I could push myself away from the tree a hand grabbed hold of me and threw me to the other side of the trunk. I was shocked to feel how much strength this person had, it was almost comparable to my own if not stronger but that all seemed impossible as I stared shocked at Emily who pinned me down against the tree. Her eyes holding the same vibrant orange that I saw moments ago, except she was no longer in pain or afraid, she was angry.

"Where were you hiding?" She cooed as a smirk curled through her lips.

She leaned in closer to me, "You shouldn't have run away Pan...you missed the show."

Emily stood aside and my face instantly fell, my lips parting in shock as I stared at all of the lost boys who lay scattered on the ground in front of us, their bodies as still as stone and their eyes closed.

"Not to worry, I didn't kill them," Emily laughed as she saw my reaction, "No; they are just asleep...well, for now anyway."

They weren't sleeping. They had been knocked unconscious and were barely breathing. Emily turned back to me, blocking my vision of the boys, forcing me to only stare into her orange eyes. As I watched carefully it was almost as if I could see flames were moving inside them.

"I didn't put you to sleep. After everything you have done to me, sleeping just wasn't an option. I need something more...painful, something that would really hurt you so that you could feel all the pain that I did." Emily said through gritted teeth before pulling away from me as a smile then plastered on her face.

I hardly recognized her; she behaved like an entirely different person.

"I think I have dragged this out for long enough." She sighed before pulling something out from behind her back. "What do you say I just finish you off now, hmm?"

I watched as she pulled out my own sword from behind her back before twirling it a couple of times towards me, the blade just missing my skin with each careless swing she made. I tried to push away from the tree but Emily shook her head and clicked her fingers. I felt my throat run dry as I watched thick vines running across the ground, sliding up the tree before wrapping around the trunk and across my stomach and chest, holding my body tightly against the tree.

"Now we wouldn't want you to run away again, would we?" She said as she held the blade of the sword up to her eyes as she inspected it.

She was using magic...

W-Where did she get this kind of power from?

I couldn't move and I couldn't stop her. It was only when she turned to me with my own sword that I watched something hanging by a string from her neck. I thought it could have been the necklace I gave to her from the mermaid I killed but the lace that tied around her neck as too thick to be the same. I squinted my eyes as it began to shine brighter the closer she walked up to me. I couldn't look at it now without it blinding my eyes. I couldn't see what it was but I knew that was the source of her power. My eyes widened as I watched her swing the sword back behind her, both of her hands gripping onto the handle tightly as her eyes narrowed.

"Emily, wait!" I shouted.

She couldn't hear me. She swung her arms back in front of her, powering the sword with her as she ran it straight into my chest. Before I could see anything the brightness from the necklace she was wearing blinded me, exploding a white light between the two of us, forcing me to quickly shut my eyes.

I gasped and fell back as I opened my eyes, my hand clenching my chest tightly as I panted out of breath. I looked down to see that I landed on the path to the training area. Emily was still standing in front of me, there was no sword in her hand, she only blinked several times as I watched her orange eyes turn back to their natural hazel colour.

"Pan?" She questioned, losing her breath as I watched her fall backward.

I quickly appeared behind her and caught her back before she could hit the ground. Her eyes closed and I could see her chest lightly rising and falling. I rested her lying down on the ground beside me as I sat back out of breath. I reached my hand out, letting my fingers lightly crease her cheek to feel that her skin was cold.

What just happened?

"Emily where are you!"

I moved away from Emily and stood up once I heard Will's voice in the distance.

Will's POV

"Seriously Ben, she's not going to be in there!" Ethan groaned.

I rolled my eyes as I watched Ethan struggling to pull Ben away from the hollow log that his head was stuck in. I kept running hearing the two eventually follow behind me as we continue along the path. I found Ethan and Ben while chasing after Emily and explained what had happened, which has now lead to a hunt to find her; hopefully before she finds Pan. I kept feeling my stomach sink each time I ran around the next corner of the path to find that she wasn't there. I couldn't do anything. I knew from the look on her face that she wasn't going to stop until she found Pan. Once she took off back into the jungle I had no choice but to run after her. I wasn't sure of what she was planning to do, but with the rage I saw on her face, there was no telling how Pan would react.

"I see her!" Ethan shouted as he turned the corner before we did.

I shook my thoughts away and focused on Emily who was lying still on the ground by the side of the path. I quickly ran up to her and kneeled straight to the ground by her side. I touched her shoulder and shook it slightly, eventually finding my voice once I got my breath back.

"Emily?" I asked. "Can you hear me?"

I could see her chest slowly rising and falling as small breaths escaped her lips. She didn't seem hurt but seeing her lying there on her own made that uneasy feeling find its way back to me.

"She's alright, she's only sleeping," Ethan reassured me as he kneeled at her side.

Ethan and I both gave Ben a questioning look as we turned over our shoulders to see him sniffing the air.

"Uh, Ben?"

He took a deep breath in through his nostrils and closed his eyes for a moment before he turned to us with a serious expression.

"Eyebrows was here." He confirmed.

Ethan and I once again shared a blank look before turning back to Emily. I lifted her off the ground carefully with the help of Ethan.

"Ben, would you help us out?" I asked.

Ben snapped out of what he was doing once he heard me. I watched in confusion as he rushed to my side only to then push me out of the way and put Emily's arm over his shoulder. I glared at him as I held my side but he only mocked my expression.

"Don't give me that look, you said to help."

I ignored Ben as the two of them carried Emily back along the path to campus. I wasn't sure why I stayed behind. I found my gaze lapping through the trees that stood by the side of the path where we found Emily lying on the ground. I looked between the trees as I had a feeling someone was there, watching from in the distance, watching all of us. I felt my skin run cold once the noise around me became silent.

"Will, you must go now."

"Fin."

I found myself at ease to know he was still with me, still guiding me. Although what he said next made that feeling of relief only last a moment.

"Will the receiver is watching, you have to leave now."

Before I could say anything more, Fin continued.

"You have to be there when Emily wakes up. She will be scared of what she has seen. Go now."

I turned around and ran along the empty path, the noise surrounding me now filled my ears as Fin's voice became silent. I continued on the path until I caught up to Ethan and Ben who were still carrying Emily.

Emily's POV

W-What is happening?

There was nothing I could do to move. My legs were shaking, only leaving me to watch in horror as I looked at all the lost boys at my feet. They lay unconscious against the ground, their chests barely moving. Most were hurt badly, with many wounds to their bodies that stained parts of their clothes in blood. It wasn't until I found Will, Ethan and Ben lying beside each other with smudges of blood on parts of their faces that I felt something more painful tear at my chest. I wanted to see if they were alive but no matter how hard I would try, something was stopping me from moving.

Why was I standing here?

Why did I always have to watch the ones I care about be harmed in such a way?

I knew this wasn't real; it was almost like a nightmare that was coming to life before my eyes, the kind that you don't have control over. You just have to wait through the horrors you see until you awaken. I wanted to wake up but I couldn't. Something was forcing me here to watch this.

A loud groan of pain shook me out of my thoughts as I watched Pan get thrown in front of a tree. He looked almost helpless as he stared up at the person who slowly stepped aside leaving his eyes shaking in fear as he looked over the boys. Pan's expression was one I had not seen before. That wasn't the only thing that caught my attention but more the person that was holding him down. There was a golden shining light coming from their chest. My eyes began to squint as it grew in size, shining so brightly that I couldn't see their face.

I felt something move quickly past my ankles and my eyes widened as I watched vines running past me and in between the boys around me as they all climbed up the trunk of the tree and wrapped around it tightly, latching onto Pan in the process by holding him against the tree trunk. They stopped moving and the person let go of him leaving the vines wrapped around him in such a tight hold that his feet barely touched the ground. They are using the same magic that Pan I have seen Pan use, but there was something clearly different about this person who had possession of it. They were stronger than Pan. He couldn't move, he only watched as she pulled out a sword. I too was left watching as the person began twirling it carelessly in front of Pan. I couldn't blink; my eyes were staring in shock as they drove the sword straight into Pan's chest. I had never seen it before but Pan was bleeding, the crimson stained through his clothes on his chest once they had removed the sword and his head fell. I watched as the vines that were wrapped tightly around him had dropped to the ground leaving Pan's lifeless body to fall with the vines.

Pan was dead...

There was no time for me to react. I only felt my body fall slowly as the person appeared in front of me, the same sword that had killed Pan had now been run through my chest. I couldn't see anything; they had so much light surrounding them that it burned to open my eyes. I only shut them tightly as I felt the pain get worse. I heard the person whisper in my ear.

"You will thank me one day."

It was only then that found the urge to scream as I recognized the voice.

It was my own.

Will's POV

I caught up behind the three of them but before I could say anything Emily let out a loud scream and elbowed Ben in the face. Ethan and I looked at the two with shock as they both fell to the ground together. Ben's hand was held over his nose while Emily was left on the ground shaking. I ran to her side remembering what Fun had told me and saw that her wide eyes were open as she frantically sat up, looking around as if she was looking for someone.

"Emily it's alright, it's just us," I reassured her, although I had no idea what made her freak out like this.

She turned to me and I could see her red-stained eyes were shaking as she recognized me, causing her rash breaths to soon fall steady again.

"Will, I saw-" She started but shook her head, "It was just a nightmare."

She stood up from the ground and rubbed her elbow before turning around to see Ben on the ground. She looked from her elbow then to Ben and her eyes widened in realization.

"Ben I'm so sorry!" She said, rushing to help Ben off the ground.

Ben quickly dusted off himself and removed his hand from his face before casually crossing his arms against his chest making all of us gasp as we stared at the blood that covered his nose.

"It didn't even hurt..." Ben said but we could all see through him as a moment later his lips began to tremble as he let out a whine of pain, as he held his nose again.

"Why the face!" Ben whined as let out a groan of pain.

"Bad habit?" Emily said as she patted his back. "If it makes you feel any better-"

Ben shot up quickly again surprising all of us as he pointed to his cheek.

"Yes, it would make me feel better."

My fists clenched but before I could grab Ben Ethan held my arm back and just shook his head.

Emily laughed at his change of attitude. "I punched Pan in the face a lot harder than I did to you."

Even though Emily rejected him, Ben's eyes still lit up as he now turned to her. "You did!"

"Yeah, he even fell to the ground," Emily said and I couldn't help but be impressed myself.

Ben whistled, a smirk soon finding its way to his face as he continued walking down the path.

"That's my girl!" Ben shouted, seeming to forget all about being punched in the face.

"And that's enough for today." Ethan mimicked Ben before walking after him.

We made it back to campus but Emily remained quiet the whole walk back. I knew something had happened to her but I didn't want to push her to tell me. She had already been through enough today and I knew she was still thinking about what happened because she had barely eaten and only sat staring at the flames of the bonfire beside me.

"Ben this wouldn't hurt so much if you stopped moving." Ethan sighed.

Ben flinched once again as Ethan placed the cloth over Ben's nose for him to hold. Emily turned to them giving Ben another sympathetic smile before turning back to the fire. Ethan and Ben had realized she had been pretty quiet too. Ben looked at Emily with the same look she had given him before he let out a long sigh, taking the cloth off his face and moving in front of the three of us.

"Hand in hand please," Ben asked suddenly causing all of us to look at him with confusion as he held his hands out.

"What are you-" Ethan started but Ben cut him off.

"Just do it. I know I'm not normally the one to do this but just hear me out."

We all linked hands and gave our full attention to Ben to see where he was going with this.

"I know we have all been through a lot recently but I just want you to know that I really care about all of you. I know we all talked about our darkest fears and I never told you mine, but the truth is; my darkest fear was losing all of you. I don't remember having a family before I was brought here but I've always believed you guys were it. You're my friends and it doesn't matter what happens, I'll always be here for all of you."

I couldn't help but smile as Ben did too at the end. I never thought Ben would be the one to express his feelings like this but I'm glad he did because Emily was smiling too. It made it all worth it because for once we were all feeling the same way. For now, we were safe and we were together. It was all that mattered.

"Thank you, Ben," Emily said serenely, squeezing his hand softly. "We care about you too."

Ben smiled in return and looked at his feet as I noticed a pink blush spread on his cheeks under his blonde locks of hair.

"Listen up!" Pan shouted over us.

Ben's smile disappeared to a blank face once we heard Pan.

"And moment ruined. Thanks a lot eyebrows!" Ben shouted behind him only for Ethan to cover his mouth.

Luckily Ben shouted before the boys went quiet.

"For the time being, I want all of you in your huts straight after sundown." Pan said leaving quiet chatter to erupt from the boys around us.

A new curfew?

"I guess we better get going now then." Ethan said.

We followed his gaze behind us as we watched the sun quickly disappearing leaving the bonfire to light up the campus area. The boys took it as a cue to leave as most of them stood up from around the bonfire and made their way to the huts. We let Ethan lead the way as he stood up first with Ben trailing behind him.

"Why didn't you say anything Ethan?" Ben whined. "It was a great speech, quite motivating if you ask me." Ben complimented himself as he walked by Ethan's side.

"Indeed it was." Ethan agreed with a light chuckle.

Ben nudged Ethan. "You know I really meant it."

"Yeah, I know."

I turned around only to stop once I saw Emily still standing by the log we were sitting at, her back facing me as she stared into the dark jungle.

"Emily?" I called.

She turned around to me only leaving one last glance back to the jungle before turning around to walk over to me.

Emily's POV

I thought maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. It was only for a second but I am so sure that it was him. I could see just a glimpse of his face as he passed through the trees not too far from where I was sitting. I know it was Baelfire, it had to be. I watched as he soon disappeared into the darkness of the jungle.

Where is he going?

I still had no clue of who he really is. I don't believe what the boys told me and I don't believe the story he told them. I had to find out myself. There had to be a reason for why he was really here, and more importantly, why he was snooping around in the night straight after Pan had just set a new curfew. That wasn't the only thing that was suspicious either. Straight after Pan had set the new curfew I watched as he quickly said a few words to Felix before walking out of Campus. Maybe the two of them were planning something all along. I didn't know for sure but I wasn't going to get the answers I need here and I'm certainly not going to wait for someone else to tell me. I'm sick and tired of not knowing what's going on around this damn island. I'm going to find out for myself.

I parted ways with the Ethan, Ben and Will. I could see that Will was worried about what I had happened between Pan and I but I couldn't tell him what I saw. It was just a nightmare, nothing more. I didn't want him to worry about me; tomorrow I'll try to forget the things I had seen. I made my way to my hut and waited there. I waited until complete darkness had taken over the island and waited until everything fell silent before slowly opening my hut door. Carefully I walked down the steps of my hut and across the gravel path until my feet sunk into the grass. I looked on either sides of the gravel path, checking the huts twice before running across campus, quickly passing the bonfire and making my way into the jungle in the same exact spot I saw Baelfire. I looked down to see branches and ferns surrounding my feet wondering where he would have gone from here if he wasn't following a path...unless he was making his way to a path. The only path I know of that follows through in this direction from campus is the one we take to the lagoon and waterfall. It made sense now. Baelfire must have left earlier and made his way into the jungle before Pan spoke so that no one would see him on the main path. He left just as it was getting dark so that no one would see him leave. Well, no one except me.

It took a while but I managed to get my eyes to adjust to the darkness that has now set over the island. It still wasn't enough to see anything within a couple feet of where I stood. However, it was just enough to see the branches that had been snapped from someone walking through. It took a while but I finally clawed my way out of the thick jungle only slapping my arm for the last time as one of the countless bugs on the island attacked my arm. Finally, my feet felt some solid flat ground and I was able to run along the path. I noticed smudges of trailed footsteps within every couple of steps I took and I knew I was heading in the right direction. It was only until I found the trail disappearing before the towering grass that I knew Baelfire was at the lagoon and waterfall. I moved the tall grass that towered over my head behind me as I eventually came out of the other side to hear the water from the tops of the falls crashing on top of the lagoon.

I had never been here at night but the lagoon and waterfall shared its same beauty that it did during the day. Although its vibrant blues could not be seen, the clearness of the water still reflected off the moons light on top of the still water. That however was not the first thing I noticed as I looked out to the waterfall. The cave that I found behind the waterfall was glowing through the water. I walked along the sand and stepped up on the rocks that surrounded the lagoon to see Baelfire's cloak sitting on one of the rocks by the water. He was here, and he was in the cave behind the waterfall. How did he know about the cave? The only people on this island that know about it were Will, Ethan and Ben because I showed it to them. Pan was the only other person because he caught me inside it, but even Pan had told me not to tell anyone about it. So how did Baelfire know?

There was only one way I could find out. I sighed looking up at the top of the waterfall already knowing what I would have to do to get into the cave but giving up wasn't an option when I was staring at the light flickering behind the water. I moved as fast as I could along the line of rocks that surrounded the lagoon before stopping at the bottom of the cliff. I climbed my way up the large rocks until I got to the top of the waterfall. I carefully stepped onto the larger rocks that had water gushing between the cracks until I got to the large flat ledge that sat just over the water's edge overlooking the lagoon. I brought my feet closer and closer to the edge until my toes were just curling under the rock. That feeling of butterflies suddenly hit my stomach as I had forgotten just how high the waterfall was. The sound of the water pouring over and crashing into the lagoon was enough to make my legs shake as shivers ran through by body, but wasn't enough for me to hesitate this time. Somehow falling managed to feel a lot faster in the dark. Before I knew it I had leaped off the ledge, my bare feet already hitting the cold water with the rest of my body getting swallowed a second after.

I remembered exactly what I had done last time and knew what direction to turn. Once I had let myself sink as much as I could to the bottom of the lagoon I quickly swam under the waterfall. The pounding of the water hit my back just as I remembered it, no matter how far I went down it still made it that much harder to come up for air on the other side especially when I couldn't make any noise that would make Baelfire notice me in the water. I reached the surface on the inside of the waterfall but quickly moved to the sides of the cave before Baelfire had a chance to see me. As carefully as I could I lifted my body out of the water slowly, waiting a moment as I let the water run off my clothes before pushing completely out of the water. Thankfully with the crashing of water behind me it was harder to hear as I climbed the rocks. I finally got my breath back once I was standing against the wall of rock by the side of the cave. I moved the wet strands of my hair out of my face before slowly moving along the rock wall, stopping just before the cave opened out.

I could hear his feet moving along the rocks inside the cave, but strangely enough, I couldn't hear any voices, only the scratching of paper. That meant that Pan wasn't here with him, it was just Baelfire. I squatted down and only so slightly peered around the corner of the wall, only enough to see his shadow on the cave wall but I still couldn't see him without revealing that I was here. I almost held my breath when I watched his shadow on the wall stop moving along with his feet and the scratching of the paper.

"You can come out now."

My breath hitched as I heard Baelfire's voice echo through the cave. I slowly stood up and walked out into the open of the cave to see Baelfire standing by one of the walls, his clothes drenched in water as a burning torch of fire burned near his feet, lighting up the cave wall and the markings that covered them. He didn't turn to me; his eyes were only fixed on the wall of the cave before they moved down to a notebook he was holding in his hand while his other was writing on the page. My eyes widened as I watched him examining the markings on the walls. He could see the markings...

"Quiet a strange time and place to be meeting a stranger, don't you think?" Baelfire said, his attention never leaving his notebook as he spoke.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked.

He responded in a light chuckle as he kept writing.

"I could ask you the same question seeing as though you followed me here."

"Then I'll ask a different question," I said as I took a couple steps further into the cave, watching him attentively as he turned back to the markings. "Who are you?"

I could just see lines of writing on the pages he had open of his notebook but I wasn't close enough to put sense to what he was writing.

"It seems that I have not introduced myself but you have probably already heard of me," He closed his notebook and turned to me. "My name is Baelfire."

A small smile appeared on his face, "And you must be Emily. I've heard a lot about you."

"It seems you know a lot more about me then I do of you. I don't believe the story you have been telling everyone. Escaping the island without any trouble then getting captured by the pirates for all that time and now you're suddenly back and everyone trusts you, even Pan. Don't you think that's a little suspicious?"

"Now I wouldn't say that everyone trusts me. You wouldn't have followed me here if you did not trust me. Trust is something that is earned but once you have broken it you'll find yourself in a lot of trouble, especially on an island where escaping is near to impossible."

"But you did escape."

"And I'm here now. It just goes around and around. " Baelfire said as his eyes drifted to the markings on the cave walls again.

"These markings on the walls of the cave, you can see them, can't you?" Baelfire asked and I too looked at the markings that were carved into the rock.

"Yes, but how can you-"

"Because I'm the one who put them there."

Baelfire said before shutting his small notebook. He picked up his flaming torch and walking past me. I was too lost in thought to realize that he was leaving the cave; the light from his torch followed him leaving me standing in the dark. I quickly turned around and ran out of the dark cave to see him standing by the rocks where I had come up from the water.

"Why can I see the markings on the cave?" I asked as I watched him tuck his notebook away before turning to me with the same puzzled expression.

"I was asking myself the same question. I used magic to seal this cave so that if someone did find it, they wouldn't be able to see the markings on the walls. I came to check the cave only to find out that you not only know of its existence, but to also find out that the magic doesn't affect you...that it still allows you to see."

"How did you use magic?"

Baelfire threw his torch into the water and turned to me.

"I only used it because I had to keep this cave a secret. If you think I am anything like Pan then you are wrong." Baelfire said sternly. "Magic is not something you should ever use, its power only turns those who have possession of it and changes them into someone they're not. Once you feel a sense of power you won't stop wanting it. It becomes obsessive until you abandon everything else you know."

Baelfire sighed as he looked down.

"Magic always comes at a price, and if you're lucky enough you will never have to pay that price. You can trust me on that."

I could tell in the way he was talking about magic..that he had lost someone important to him because of it. I only knew this because I sounded the exact same when I was in the foster system, blaming myself for something that wasn't my fault, something that I had no understanding of.

Baelfire turned and walked away following the side of the rock wall until the curtain of water cut too close for him to continue. I watched as he extended his arm through the water. Before I could say anything he had pulled me through the falling water leaving me speechless as I was left looking at the water continuing to pour down as if he had just disappeared. I quickly walked to where he was standing but nothing was happening. I don't know what I was expecting as I just stared at the water falling in front of me. I almost slipped as I watched half of his arm come through the water, his hand out waiting for me to take it.

I hesitated at first but eventually reached for his hand. Baelfire's grip tightened around my hand and I braced myself as he pulled me forwards. My eyes opened as soon as I felt I had passed through the water to see Baelfire standing against one of the large boulders of rocks that I climbed to get to the top. He laughed as he saw my expression as I noticed where we were standing. I looked at the certain of water falling beside the rock we were standing on. I can't believe the cave was right behind this part of the waterfall! The boys would climb past it to get to the top of the waterfall and yet they didn't know that there was a cave just behind the certain of water.

"You sure took your time to come out of the cave; I thought you were right behind me?" Baelfire smiled but his face soon turned to a questionable expression once he looked at me. "You didn't know about this?"

"I always dived back under the waterfall." I said and he laughed once again.

"That's a lot of effort when you could just jump out from the side of the waterfall." Baelfire said as he began climbing down the large rocks.

I followed behind him as he continued. "You don't have to worry about being caught either because it's completely blocked by the rocks of the cliff."

I looked behind me to see two large rocks that sat next to the side of the waterfall, allowing the curtain of water to fall between them. Standing from here it looked like just part of the cliff with water falling in between.

"It's not the safest way to enter the cave. As annoying as it is, you would have to jump each time." Baelfire said as he climbed down from the last of the rocks.

I walked behind him as we walked on the rocks that lined the lagoon.

"You trust me to go back to the cave even though I can see the markings?"

He stopped walking and turned around to face me.

"Yes, because I'm sure that one day you will figure out what they mean." He said before he continued walking.

What they mean? All that marked the walls were symbols and drawings? I couldn't understand any of it. What made him think that I would be able to figure it out?

He eventually stopped where he had left his clock and put it back on.

"You still haven't told me why you're here."

He only chuckled as he adjusted his cloak. "You're curious...just like her."

He turned to me but he didn't answer my question, instead, he changed the subject.

"You shouldn't be out here on your own, Emily. Pan is currently taking with his shadow but he will be back soon and he will know you're gone."

I furrowed my brows. "How do you know that?" I asked only to be ignored again.

"I look forward to getting to know you. Hopefully you will be able to trust me soon enough but for now, you should get back to sleep before Pan catches you out here." Baelfire said as he put his hood over his head. "As you must have heard, breaking Pan's rules are for the unwise."

I watched in confusion as he walked away from the tall grass heading in the opposite direction of campus entirely.

"What about you?"

"Rules can be broken so long as you don't get caught." He smirked before walking back into the jungle.

I watched as he quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Who is he...?

Pan's POV

"You don't understand. I was completely powerless. She had control over me and everyone else. I wasn't even sure if it was her."

My shadows eyes narrowed as it moved closer towards me.

"It was the girl and what you saw was a vision."

"A vision of what?"

"The future."

It couldn't be. There was no way she could possess that much power. The crystal nearly killed her last time. No person could control magic as powerful as what I saw... It wasn't possible.

"Unless you do what I told you to do, that vision will come true. I warned you from the moment she was here-"

"I know and I don't care." I interrupted my shadow causing it to move away. "I still haven't found what I've been looking for."

I turned to walk back to campus but stopped as my shadow's voice echoed behind me.

"How long do you intend to wait?"

I gritted my teeth and continued through the jungle.

"For as long as it takes."

Hey everyone!

I hope you liked this chapter!

I hope my chapters are worth the wait, there are times that I feel my writing sucks but I try to put in my best for every chapter I post.

What did you think of Emily's vision? Can she really see the future?

Baelfire seems to be making everyone tense now that he's back. Everyone is curious about why the boy who once escaped the island is finally back...Emily, on the other hand, is stuck trying to find who he is and whether she can trust him.

What do you think Baelfire is up to? Why did he come back?

There's much to be discovered, I hope you're ready to find out what's going to happen next!

I am generally curious about what you guys think of this story so far. Do you like it? do you have any predictions of what might happen? And final question, do you have a favourite moment or chapter that you liked?

See you next chapter!

- C