Hey guys! I'm not late, no I am not. Here we are people, May 11 2017, exactly two years after the publishing of the first chapter of Lost Girl.

And so welcome wonderful readers... to the last chapter of Child of the Lost. That's right, last chapter.

It's been a fun ride, I really hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have. So without further adeue...

Chapter 15: Together

"Hey Peter?"

"Yes Ven?"

"Will you stay with me… just a little longer…? Please?"

"…as long as you need."

Once upon a time… Consciousness coaxed her from sleep gently, pulling like gravity underwater as her thoughts floated in a haze. I'm… alive… Alive. What a beautiful word. It was so small, yet it held so much meaning… Alive… what happened? She breathed deeply. What happened? She'd been… in a canyon? A waterfall… Neverland. Yes. She was on Neverland. But what…?

"…My beautiful tragedy…"

"PETER!"

Her eyes snapped open and she bolted up. "Peter!" Peter was… he was dead… but he wasn't… what happened… Neverland? She scanned the room wildly. "What hap…" she trailed off, her gaze slowly falling to her wrist.

Or more accurately, to the black leather band that encircled it.

"Ven?"

She looked up at the voice, Regina stood a short ways away, uncertainty in her eyes.

"Regina… where's Peter?" she asked quietly, regaining control over her emotions. "Is he alright? Where is he?"

"Peter is fine," Regina said gently. "Be careful, you severely overused your magic so you're still weak—"

"I'm on the Jolly Roger?" she interrupted. Regina nodded. She glanced out the window and was met only with blue sky. She opened her mouth to ask another question but at that moment the door opened.

She glanced up, then her eyes narrowed as Rumplestiltskin entered the room, followed closely by Emma, David, Snow, Baelfire and Hook.

"Looks like the whole gang is here," she said coldly, clutching the covers tightly, hyper-aware of the band around her wrist.

David and Emma stepped forward. "We need to know a few things," Emma said carefully. "They pertain to… to you and Peter."

She cocked her head, then swung her legs over the side of the bed (ignoring the way they all tensed like scared rabbits) and stood to be on equal ground with them. Or… equal deck?

"Then speak," she said, raising her chin even as she analyzed her situation. She wasn't wearing her normal clothing, instead she was wearing strange loose pants that synched at the waist and ankles like the ones in middle-east of the Enchanted Forest and a sleeveless shirt of a thin material. More like an undergarment than a real shirt, like the one she'd seen Emma wear before. It was probably a modern style type garment. She had missed several decades after all. There were no shoes on her feet, not that she wore them much on Neverland either.

The room they were in was relatively large with a bed, dressers, chests and various other unimportant articles. There were no weapons that she could see aside from the ones that her confronters bore.

"We need to know your and Pan's intentions," David said, staying a good distance away. "Who's side are you on?"

"What sides are you referring to?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She smirked. "Light? Dark? Good or evil?" She raised her chin in a condescending way. "Please… there is no line."

"Just think of it like this," Rumple said, stepping in. "Are you with us or against us?"

"Before I answer that, answer me this." She held up her hand and pointed to the band. "Why is there a magic restriction band on me?"

Regina shifted uncomfortably and Snow answered.

"It's just a precaution."

She chuckled. "Oh dear, are the fearless heroes afraid of little old me?" Her eyes flicked to Regina, who, surprisingly, met her gaze levelly, then to Emma, David, Rumple, Hook and the others… they all looked away. "Just as I thought," she murmured.

She took a step forward and David tensed, mirroring the action of everyone else but, perhaps, Emma and Regina.

She grinned. "You are afraid."

"Who's side are you on?" Rumple repeated, stepping forward, his hand loose at his side. "Answer the question deary."

"There are no sides," she replied. "I saved your lives, all of you." She tilted her head. "Don't you think you should thank me and not lock my magic?" she hissed.

David and Snow glanced at each other and Regina's expression clearly said 'told you so'. She took another step.

"Answer the bloody question Ven," Hook said with a sigh. He was less nervous than the others, but she could still see that his hand rested on the sword at his hip.

She turned and walked towards the porthole, ignoring the way they watched every one of her movements like she was going to explode at any moment. She turned and leaned against the wall, spreading her palms wide.

"What do you want from me?" she asked. "An ally?" She looked at them pityingly. "Look elsewhere. I'm no ally of yours."

You still saved them.

"Then what do you expect us to do with you?" David asked, slightly bewildered.

She shrugged, examining her nails. "Leave us alone. Peter and I will leave, you and your friends can return to little ol' Storybrooke and Peter and I are left in peace."

"But wait Ven," Emma began but Baelfire cut in.

"You expect us to let someone like you go?"

"Neal-!"

She looked up, slowly straightening. "Oh Baelfire…" She pierced him with her gaze. "Or Neal as you now call yourself… you don't 'let' me do anything," she said with a smile. "You simply aren't powerful enough."

"Ven stop," Regina cut in. "He's wrong. We never discussed keeping you and Peter prisoners."

"You couldn't anyway," she replied, the leather chaffed her skin. You let them do this to me?

"Monster."

She glanced down at her hands. Can I blame you?

"Careful witch," Rumple murmured. His grating voice pulled her from her thoughts and she leveled her gaze at the imp.

"Why?" she asked cheekily.

"Because right now you're the one without magic," he hissed at her, despite the admonishment from his 'team'.

She stared at him a moment, then grinned darkly. "…without… magic…?" She took a step forward, then another. "Did you… really think you could restrain me with this?" She raised her hand and the cuff literally turned to ashes. They all gasped. "Peter made that cuff," she said softly. "Mim gave him his power and…" her eyes narrowed. "I killed Mim." She took another step. "Is that what you want? Death?"

"I'm glad to see you're still you."

The voice made her freeze. The power that had been building in her dissolved and she couldn't help the smile of relief that stole across her face. The people before her turned to see Peter. He was clearly injured, bandages on his arms and head… but he was alive.

"Hey…" she greeted quietly.

A sigh made her turn to Regina.

"That's enough." The raven-haired woman turned towards the door. "This is nonsense. If Ven wanted any of us dead it would have happened a long time ago."

"Hey Ven, Peter."

The two looked to Emma. The blonde smiled slightly.

"Thank you."

"Listen here Swan—"

"They saved our lives Gold," Emma interrupted. "If they don't want to fight us then we don't want to fight them. It's as simple as that."

After a moment David nodded and turned to them. "Do you want to fight."

"Monster."

She looked away, rubbing her arm. "No… I just want to be alive."

She felt warm fingers touch her own and her and Peter's hands intertwined. Peter turned to Emma.

"Well, Emma and company, you heard her. We don't want to fight. Not anymore." He glanced at her. "We had our reasons on Neverland but those reasons are either accomplished or null and void. We just want to be left in peace."

Peace… the word was a foreign concept. Does that mean that… once we reach the mainland… we can… be together… be happy? She looked up at Peter. Happy together?

"We'll figure something out for you two," David said uncertainly. She smiled slightly. There's not much they can do about it.

Shortly thereafter Emma and Regina managed to usher the others out despite argument. It was clear that the matter was not quite resolved, but Ven had confidence it would be soon, one way or another. Once it was just Regina, Emma, Ven and Peter Emma turned to her.

"We're headed for Storybrooke," Emma said. "We'll be there soon so you might want to get some rest."

"One thing," Peter cut in before she left. "The Lost Boys?"

"They're all fine and safe," Emma replied. "Although Felix visited you several times Peter."

She smiled. Felix. Always so loyal. She looked at Emma. She called Peter by his name… so did Regina… what does that mean?

"When you're ready there's food to be had," Emma said as a parting, then headed for the door. "See you in a while."

The door closed, leaving Regina, Ven and Peter.

"Storybrooke is big enough for you two to stay," Regina said suddenly, sending a jolt of surprise through her. She turned towards Regina.

"What?"

Regina nodded. "You heard me. You should stay. I know there's animosity but… well, it all works out eventually. I once poisoned Snow and look at us now."

Peter chuckled. "Not to mention the family tree."

Both Regina and Ven groaned. "Let's not think about that."

"We'll think about it, staying I mean," Ven said, closing the discussion.

Regina hesitated at the door, looking as though she wanted to say more, but then after moment she said 'see you later' and exited the room.

"A non-violent solution," Peter mused, then smiled at her. "I guess there really is a first time for everything."

She returned the smile. "I know…" She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. He met her kiss whole-heartedly, hugging her to him tightly. It had been so long since they'd been able to do such a thing, before there had been barriers behind their stolen kisses and whispered affection, barriers and lies. But now there was nothing in their way.

They broke apart at the same time, resting their foreheads against the other.

"W-we're going to Storybrooke," Peter said quietly. His eyes looked distant. "We're leaving… we've left…" She smiled. He was going to go into shock at this rate. "Neverland…" he trailed off again.

"You're free," she whispered. She kissed him again. "You're free Peter, you can do whatever you want, there's no demon holding you back now… none at all. You can do whatever you like."

He gazed at her. "I'd very much like to kiss you lost girl."

She smirked. "Then for Neverland's sake kiss me."

He grinned and obliged teasing her lips gently, growing until it became fiery and passionate like the first time. He picked her up, his arms gentle and strong, and carried her to the bed. But as they lay down, as his tongue flicked against her neck, she felt a jolt run through her as her eyes came to rest on the bandages that covered various parts of his body. He paused and halted, noticing her reaction.

"Ven?"

She curled up, closing her eyes.

"PETER!"

"I don't… I don't want that to ever happen again." A lump formed in her throat.

"Ven…" She felt his arms around her, she felt the tears slide down her cheeks, and she felt the same pain as an image flashed through her head.

"Monster."

She relished in his embrace, desperate for comfort as tears came out.

"I'm tired," she whispered. "I'm so tired." She slowed her breathing, brushing away her tears. She slowly reached up and gently touched his cheek. He leaned into her touch.

She had never truly been happy, not in London and not on Neverland. She was tired of it, tired of fighting, tired of dying. All she wanted was to be happy with the one person she truly loved with every part of her entire being. It had been so long, so many years of lies and difficulty, of secret plans and doomed love, but finally... finally they could be together.

But she was scared. She was scared that what they had would end in tragedy. When Mim almost killed him... she felt like her heart was being torn to shreds and in a way, it was, and she knew that she never ever wanted that to happen again.

"I don't want to fight anymore Peter," she murmured. "I just want to be happy... with you." She looked up. "Is that possible? Is it possible for us to be happy together after everything we've done to each other?"

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We know each other Ven. We've both seen every side of each other, we've seen the darkness, tasted it, shared it, we've looked into the abyss and crawled out again, and we've done all of that together." He brushed hair from her eyes lovingly. "I love you. I know it won't be easy, and I know that it won't be perfect, but I also know that I want to be the best person I can for you."

She smiled. "I'm not the easiest person to love you know."

He chuckled. "Well neither am I, but I'm sure we'll manage."

She sighed slightly, closing her eyes. "Peter?"

"Hmm?"

She snuggled into his chest. "Can we stay like this for a while?" she murmured. "Just... like this?"

She could hear the smile in his voice as he replied. "Your wish is my command."

Happy together… They could… they could now. They could do anything they wanted. Mim was gone, she knew who she was, Peter wasn't cursed anymore. They could go anywhere, be anything… anyone. She smiled.

And we can do it all together.

There you have it folks! Last chapter of Child of the Lost is complete! I would really appreciate a review, especially since this is the last chapter, and I would love to hear some feedback on the story. I've put a lot of work into this and broken through a lot of writer's blocks for it, it'll be the first full-length book+sequel I've completed on fan fiction and I'm really excited about it so please review!

Side note, I will be posting an epilogue to sort of... wrap up the story, so make sure to come back for that one too!

See ya next time!