I own nothing except my characters.
Chapter Nine: Piper or Pierce: The Truth...Revealed
Piper kept her gaze unwavering on Dolly, hoping the strawberry blonde will catch the hint. After a few, tense moments, Dolly shook her head, stumbling a little with only Pan's grasp on her hand keeping her up.
"P-Pierce. She went missing. I can't find Piper, you need to come home and help us find her." Dolly pleaded and Piper's heart twisted in her chest as she forced herself to look away, trying to look completely bored.
"That isn't my problem. Why can't Cortez look for her?" In other words, how's Cortez?
"He is injured. After you went missing, we went out looking for you and there was a dog in the backyard-" Piper groaned, shaking her head, already knowing what will happen. "He didn't check and the dog bit him. It's been a week back home and Piper went missing shortly after you did." Dolly said, a tired glaze to her eyes. It was taking everything in Piper to stay where she was and not rush forward to help her friend. She could feel the piercing gaze of Pan locked on her, assessing everything she does just like the Lost Boys are.
"I can't help you, sorry but you have to go back." Piper said boldly, hoping Pan would agree...
"Nope, sorry Dolly but back into the cage with you." Shoving her unceremoniously back into the cage, Pan locks it with a wave of his hand and gestures Piper to come forward. Dread makes her stomach drop out as she strides closer, forcing herself to not drop her Pierce persona. "Now, explain to me why this little girl thought you were a girl?" Pan narrowed his shadowed green eyes dangerously, a wicked grin curling on his lips and distracting Piper for a moment.
Lowering her dark eyes, Piper forced herself to be loose and submissive.
"My twin looks like me." Piper rumbled, hyper-actively scanning her voice and searching for any sign of femininity in it. Peter Pan began circling her before waving his hand dismissively.
"Felix, follow me." The scarred blonde cast a searching look her way before nodding and following right on Pan's heels. The instant the two were locked in the tree house, the other boys flooded around, their loud questions and too-close bodies causing Piper to be on edge. Small, fine little tremors were racing through her body and she grew wary, baring her teeth and jerking at the smallest sounds. Then one of the boys got too close and Piper released a deep growl, scaring him so badly that he yelped and tripped backwards, falling to the ground.
"Back off." Piper growled lowly and the boys fell silent, backing into a large circle. Piper held their startled stares before forcing herself to relax the battle ready stance and tuck her daggers away under her cloak once more. Straightening, Piper swept through the group, heading for her tent and shutting it behind her. Angelo and Salazar came to a halt, staring uncertainly. They have never been allowed in the tent and they know they can't go in right now but at the same time, they want to be there for their friend.
Exchanging agreeing looks, they flopped down against the tree outside her tent, resolving to wait there for her.
They planned to stay there for as long as it would take.
~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~
A few days passed with Dolly being taken away where Piper couldn't find her.
She was on edge, tenser than ever, snapping at the smallest things. The Lost Boys understood but that didn't mean they had to like being snapped at all the time. Still, if any of them dared to make their displeasure shown, Piper was right there with a cruel taunt and a sharp dagger. Needless to say, during those few days, Piper wasn't exactly the most popular among the boys.
Then came the day when Piper returned from a patrol, weary from being out all day only to come back to the main camp and find Felix with a harsh grip on Dolly's upper arm. Her small, delicate features were twisted in pain as she stood on her tip toes, forced to remain that way or have her arm twisted out of the socket. Her baby blue eyes shone with terror and tears but Piper felt a burst of pride when she saw that none of the tears had fallen.
Piper filed in with the rest of the boys, her hands drifting discreetly under her cloak, slender copper fingers wrapping around the leather hilts of her daggers, prepared to do whatever it took to protect her friend.
When all the boys were in a large, loose circle surround Felix and Dolly, Pan appeared.
His shadowed emerald eyes glinted wickedly as he held out his arms in greeting, a wicked grin bared on his handsome face.
"Welcome my Lost Boys...to the Execution!" Pan announced and as one, the boys burst into cheers, stamping their feet on the ground in a rough and wild rhythm. Glee flared across Pan's face as his eyes unerringly found Piper. He cocked a bronze eyebrow before turning to Felix and Dolly. "Now, darling, you can choose to die in different ways. Would you like way number one...arrow." Sheer terror flared in Dolly's eyes and Piper could hear the low whimper slide out of her. Piper had to hold back her own distressed whimper, sliding closer, dark eyes locked on Dolly with a starving sort of longing.
Angelo and Salazar watched uncertainly, torn between Piper and Pan.
"Way number two will be death by drowning and way number three will be death by battle." Pan announced and the boys let loose an explosive cheer, shaking their fists, daggers, clubs and crossbows in the air in approval. Dolly's terrified blue eyes flicked around but she didn't spot Piper, who had scooted forward in a subconscious desire to let her little sister-friend spot her. "Now. What'll it be?" Pan asked wickedly, crossing his arms imperiously as he began to hover off the ground.
"B-battle." Dolly whimpered, her terrified gaze locked on the space between the ground and Pan's feet as he gave a delighted laugh.
"Battle it is." He mocked, landing and turning to the surrounding Lost Boys. "And I pick...Tyler." Piper froze. Tyler was the largest of the boys with thick, rippling muscles. He was always angry and always ready for a fight. The large boy nodded calmly at Pan, stalking forward and dropping his large club, swinging his cloak carelessly to the side. Piper couldn't hold back the thin whine as it escaped her throat but her dark eyes were wide with terror and locked on her friend. Her muscles were straining with the effort to not burst forward and slam the dagger into the base of Tyler's skull, killing him instantly.
Felix released Dolly, shoving her to the side as he stepped to the edge of the circle, Pan leaning against a tree beside him.
"Begin." Pan sounded almost bored as he gave an imperial wave of his hand.
Tyler began to circle the tiny looking strawberry blonde before blurring forward, knocking her down with a blow to the face. Dolly's yelp was so high pitched that Piper could hear it perfectly over the roar of the Lost Boys. Piper flinched, her nails digging into her palms as she slipped closer, half wild with her need to get to Dolly. Dolly slowly climbed to her feet, a large, quickly appearing dark purple bruise spreading down the right side of her face. She wavered on her feet, her eyes dazed and confused.
Then Tyler shot forward and Dolly dropped, skillfully evading his attempt to attack her. Whirling around, Tyler released a loud roar as he tackled her to the ground. Dolly screamed as his meaty fist pummeled her side, releasing a loud crack. She wiggled free and made a break for the circle, grasping a dagger and swinging it around herself. The boys scrambled back, it suddenly eerily silent as the they tried to get away from the poisonous weapon. Pan straightened, his piercing green eyes locked on Dolly.
Piper slipped closer, slipping a hand down into her boot and grasping the special dagger.
"Felix." Pan ordered and instantly the blonde second was slipping forward, expertly wrangling the knife from Dolly and pressing it to her throat as he held her captive against her front. Dolly strained against his arm and the blade, terrified and wild blue eyes scanning the crowd.
"Piper!" She screamed and Piper's face crumbled as she slipped even closer, an undeniable tug drawing her unresistant form closer. "Pierce!" Dolly screamed, fear echoing in her voice.
"Now, now, darling. My Lost Boy won't be coming to save you." Pan said patronizingly, beckoning Piper forward. "Will you?" Pan asked, not really expecting an answer as Piper stepped out of the crowd.
"Pierce!" Dolly cried out, her pain and fear and confusion clouding her voice and her eyes. "Please!" Dolly begged and Piper's hand tightened around the hilt of the special dagger as she tensed...and lunged forward. A shout rang out and two of the Lost Boys shot forward, wrestling her to the ground. Piper let loose a wordless roar of rage, slashing at the boys but her rage made her clumsy and the dagger only got caught on the cloaks of the two boys.
Then it happened.
Piper was fighting and Dolly called out, "Piper!"...and Piper turned her head, instinctively responding to the name.
"Piper, be careful!" Dolly shouted, fear making her reckless. Piper narrowed her dark eyes and fell limp in the arms of the two Lost Boys restraining her. Startled, they relaxed their hold only to regret it when she surged forward, whirling around and slamming the heel of her palm into the first boy's nose, breaking instantly and knocking him out. Not pausing, she ducked a punch and swept the second boy's feet from under him, driving her knee into his gut and expelling his air with an explosive gasp.
Instantly, Piper had her special dagger out and pressed lightly against his throat.
"Move," She growled roughly. "And you die, understood?" Her dark eyes were full of deadly promise and the boy whimpered, fear stark in his baby blue eyes.
"Well now, it seems my Lost 'Boy' has been lying to me." Pan sauntered forward with a sharp grin, anger flaring in his emerald eyes. "Hasn't she?" Pan asked pointedly. Piper didn't move, a statue on the boy's chest, her eyes locked on Dolly's.
"It's gonna be okay, Dolls." Piper said lowly, struggling to keep her rough boy voice.
"Now, now," Pan admonished, holding out a mocking hand. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." Pan said snarkily, walking closer. Piper tensed up, digging her blade into the boy's skin. He cried out below her and Pan stopped, narrowing his emerald eyes.
"Come here, Dolly." Piper growled and the little strawberry-blonde didn't hesitate to dart forward towards Piper. Pan's hand shot out and he grabbed Dolly by the throat and began levitating, holding her above the ground.
"Pipe-" Dolly choked, clawing at his hand, tears welling up in her soft blue eyes and her face turning red. Piper surged to her feet, all of her focus training on her friend. She was like a hunting dog, everything in her pointed right at Dolly with razor focus. Piper was silent but she kept wrinkling back her lips threateningly before stopping herself, not wanting to antagonize Pan.
"Please." Piper let the word escape her softly, for the first time speaking with her true voice. It was soft with a decidedly feminine lightness to it, a throaty edge to it because of the damage to her vocal cords. Pan's eyes sharpened with interest and he relaxed his grip, lowering until Dolly had her feet on the ground. She began coughing explosively, tears streaming down her cheeks. Piper whimpered and took a step forward.
"Uh, uh!" Pan snapped, waggling his finger at her mockingly and tightening his other hand around Dolly's throat.
"No! No!" Piper protested and slid back a few feet, lowering her torso so she wasn't presenting such a threatening image. "Please!" Piper called again, her feminine voice still startling her after all this time of using the rough boy voice. "Please." There was the faintest hint of a sob in her words but Pan remained unaffected, though the same couldn't be said of Angelo and Salazar. They were utterly stunned and reeling from this new information but at the same time, feeling far more protective of Piper than they were before.
Piper carefully slid her special dagger into her boot and carefully lowered herself even further.
"Don't hurt her." Piper said, her dark eyes locked on Dolly's. She was trying to convey a sense of confidence and security for her younger friend but was finding it hard with this tense situation. "Don't hurt her." Piper repeated as two Lost Boys came out of the crowd. Piper stiffened when she saw it was Angelo and Salazar but didn't let this newest betrayal bother her. She was focused on Dolly- her Dolly. Piper didn't know what she would do if something were to happen to Dolly. It would destroy her completely.
"Felix, come and take the girl." Pan ordered, watching with amusement when Salazar and Angelo grabbed Piper's arms, restraining them behind her back. Angelo reached down and pulled the dagger from her boot without a word, his normally kind and open face closed and hard. He tucked it in his pants while Salazar took the two island daggers from her. Piper tensed up when Felix walked up to Pan, grabbing Dolly roughly and placing a dagger at her throat, knicking the tender skin. A thin rivulet of scarlet blood stood out starkly against Dolly's pale skin.
Piper let out an agonized sound, straining forward towards Dolly.
They would never say it but it was killing Salazar and Angelo to be forced to watch Piper like this. Their friend is normally so calm and composed that to see her so unhinged and terrified is making them uneasy.
Pan sauntered forward and circled around Piper, who ignored him in favor of staring at Dolly. The little blonde's blue eyes were wide with terror but at the same time, she wasn't freaking out anymore. Not now that she knows this is her Piper, the one who would do anything to keep her safe. Dolly trusted Piper with her life back home, why should this be any different?