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Chapter Eleven: A peek into her mind

~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~

Dolly sat in her bamboo cage, feeling miserable. She was certain she looked miserable too, a fact that made her feel even worse. She winced, feeling bad that Piper was out there, possibly in danger while she sits in here, worry about how she looks of all things. Dolly heaved a big sigh, pulling her knees up to her chest and shifting so the bamboo didn't dig quite so harshly into her butt and feet.

Ouch.

Nope, the new position is even worse. Tears began to rise in Dolly's eyes. It wasn't fair. How come all of this bad stuff is happening to them? Dolly is a good person and in her eyes, Piper is the best big sister/friend a girl could have. Cortez is her big brother/friend and for the longest time, the three of them have been inseparable.

Sighing again, Dolly blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling.

Okay, thinking about how it used to be when they were all together possibly wasn't a good idea.

"What's wrong?" Dolly glanced over at the other girl in the second bamboo cage, swaying from the light breeze. She felt a blush on her cheeks, remembering how she'd reacted the first time the other girl spoke. She'd been so startled, she'd yelped and flailed around, causing her own cage to dip and spin on the branch it was hanging from.

"I was just thinking about my friends." Dolly whispered, feeling a little better at the reminder she isn't completely alone.

"Yes, I had a friend but he isn't here anymore." The other girl whispered, sounding sad.

"How did he leave?" Dolly asked, hope in her chest. She might not be able to do anything from this stupid cage but Piper…Piper can do nearly anything.

"I have no clue, we were separated." The girl said sadly.

"Oh. Sorry." Dolly said softly, relaxing her grip on the cage as the hope in her chest sputtered and went out.

"Well now, isn't this sweet? Both of my captives are bonding!" Dolly stiffened when she heard Peter Pan's loud, obnoxious voice outside her cage. "What do you think, Felix?" Pan asked.

"Perfectly sweet, Pan." Felix said, his dead voice making Dolly shrink back. She hated that blank voice and those dead eyes because they remind her of a time before when she first met Piper. The other girl had looked so dangerous because of those dead eyes and her willingness to do anything it took to survive, despite how small and thin she'd been at the time.

Dolly's door clicked open and she shrunk back, not wanting to come out if it isn't to go see Piper.

"Come on out, little doll." Pan's voice was distinctly mocking and Dolly bristled, crawling forward.

"Only Piper and Cor can call me that." Dolly said quietly, anger burning in her soft blue eyes.

"It's a good thing she isn't here then, she'll never have to know, will she?" Dolly narrowed her eyes, lowering them to the ground. "Now then, tell me about Piper."

~Unbowed-and-Unbroken~

Piper robotically scooped food from her bowl to her mouth, not tasting it. She was staring into the fire, her mind racing behind dark eyes. The steady pressure of the stick against her side prompts her thoughts of escape forward, along with the five notches on it.

That's five days that Dolly has been on this stupid island, five days Piper has failed her friend.

Her spoon scrapes the bottom of the bowl and Piper pauses her thinking, looking at the bowl with vague surprise before rising fluidly and handing the bowl off to Angelo, the one on dish duty for the night. He tries to catch her eye but Piper doesn't allow him to. Instead she turns away, ready to plot some more.

"Wait! Pierce!" Piper paused reflexively at the boy name before inwardly cursing herself and narrowing her dark eyes, turning to see Salazar fidgeting awkwardly from foot to foot.

"What do you want?" Piper asked coldly and he flinched, shame flushing through his bronze cheeks and drowning his freckles in dark pink.

"I just…I wanted to know if you are going on patrol tonight?" Salazar asked hopefully, his dark green eyes anxious. Piper stared at him for a moment, bewildered that he just didn't get it.

"Are you stupid?" Piper asked bluntly and he flinched again, lowering his eyes and twisting his fingers anxiously.

"No but-"

"We aren't friends, you and Angelo proved that the day it was discovered I am a girl." Piper said coldly and Salazar's head shot up.

"But I couldn't go against Pan!" Salazar said anxiously, his voice going a little high.

"Exactly, a true friend wouldn't have cared about that. A true friend would have sided with me." Piper refused to pause and ponder what she is saying to a boy that is eight years old.

"But Piper! You have no clue what Pan has done for me! If he hadn't brought me to this island, I'd probably be dead now. This is my home and Pan is my leader, I couldn't betray that." Salazar said stoutly, clenching his fists at his sides.

"That doesn't matter." Piper rumbled, reflexively dropping the timber of her voice so that it was a low growl.

"Yes, it does. I follow Pan by choice but you know what? I am also your friend by choice and if you can't see that because you are too stubborn, then forget it!" Salazar cried angrily before whirling around and taking off into the forest.

"Salazar!" Angelo shouted, dropping a plate into the bucket and getting up, glaring angrily at her. "Seriously? The kid adores you and that is how you treat him? The three of us were supposed to be friends and don't even try to pretend that you didn't always know that our allegiance has always been to Pan first and you second." Angelo told her furiously. "You know what? Obviously you don't care so I don't know why I am even bothering. Salazar!" Angelo scooped up his two daggers and a crossbow, racing into the forest after Salazar.

A little shamed by his words, Piper hesitated before growling under her breath and jogging after him, shaking her head and muttering lowly.

Piper easily caught up with Angelo, who angrily ignored her, shouting for Salazar. She glanced around, unable to find a trail that Salazar might have taken.

There are many things Piper is good at but finding a trail isn't one of them.

They continued searching for Salazar, Piper adding her voice to Angelo's calls.

"Salazar!" Piper shouted, wincing at the strain it puts on her voice. "Salazar, come on out! I didn't mean it!" Piper called, scanning the woods lining the path.

"Salazar! Come out, buddy!" Angelo's voice was steadily getting softer. Piper glanced over at him before sighing and placing her fingers at her mouth, letting out a piercing whistle. "Ouch!" Angelo clutched his ears, wincing.

An apology reflexively rose to Piper's lips but she reflexively swallowed it. Apologies aren't really her thing.

Fiercemoon trotted out of the woods a moment later, a gentle meow escaping her. Piper dropped her shoulder down and Fiercemoon jumped up, nuzzling Piper's cheek.

"We lost Salazar; can you help us find him?" Piper asked the feral cat. Fiercemoon nodded and leapt down, lengthening her strides down the path before veering sharply into the woods. Piper and Angelo exchanged worried looks, following after the small cat.

Angelo pushed through the trees, brushing and swatting at low hanging vines that dangled down. Piper followed closely behind him, a little bit of dread forming in her chest at the area they are heading to. Salazar is headed right towards the tribe's main camp. A new urgency in her steps, Piper brushed past Angelo, breaking free of the trees.

Salazar hadn't noticed her yet and was wandering forward, his head down and his hands in his pockets. Piper's eyes widened. He was only about five steps from the bubble.

"Salazar!" Piper called, hurrying forward as Angelo broke free of the trees. Salazar whirled around, wiping at his face but not before Piper saw the tear tracks. A small pang of guilt hit her and Piper paused, letting Angelo pass her.

"Salazar! There you are!" Angelo hurried forward, yanking the smaller boy forward into a hug. Piper glanced away, searching for any of the tribe that might be lingering. She doesn't want them to be attacked because then she would have to fight back.

"Sorry Angelo, I just wanted to get away for a little bit." Salazar muttered, pulling back. Piper tensed, walking closer.

"Salazar, you shouldn't have run off like that." Piper said, moving subtly around him. Salazar turned with her, frowning.

"Then you shouldn't have yelled at me like that." He retorted, anger and hurt flashing through his eyes.

"I quite agree." Piper tensed when she heard Pan's voice behind her. Shit and double shit. "Why did you yell at the poor young lad?" Pan asked mockingly. Piper glanced over at him, narrowing her dark eyes at him.

"I don't answer to you." Piper answered, looking past him. Felix shifted but Piper didn't look at him. Instead, she shifted forward, moving Salazar away from the bubble. She didn't know how the bubble worked and with Pan so close, she couldn't risk something happening to make him find it.

"As long as you are on my island, you answer to me." Pan answered, his silky voice hardening. Piper stiffened but refused to answer.

"You ready to go back?" Piper asked Salazar and he hesitated, looking at Pan and waiting until he got his nod. Piper felt the sting of that but refused to let it get to her.

"Sure." He said, moving forward and away from the bubble. Piper nodded, reaching up and scratching at her cheek, some more dried mud flaking off.

Pan narrowed his eyes, a devious idea stirring in his mind.

"Felix, take my two wayward Lost Boys back to camp." Pan ordered before raising his fingers and snapping them. Piper started forward but didn't even manage one step before deep green smoke swirled around her, lifting her feet off the ground. There was a dizzying swirl of air around her for what seemed like a few minutes but was just seconds, the tingle of pure magic saturating the air around her and then…she landed with a splash.

Piper flailed in the ice cold water, a startled shout escaping her.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Piper whirled around to see Pan levitating in the air, his arms crossed and a far too charming mischievous smirk on his face.

"Get me out of here!" Piper shouted angrily, treading the water.

"Why should I? I want to know what lies under the layers of mud." Pan said casually, his feet lifting until he was literally laying in the air. Piper narrowed her dark eyes, a snarl twisting on her lips.

"Too bad. Get. Me. Out." She snapped and Pan flipped over, ignoring her completely. Piper gave a short, frustrated scream, slapping the water before twisting around, searching for the edge of the lake. Except…it was way, way, way far out. "Pan!" Piper snapped again and he turned, looking mockingly surprised to see her with mud still on her face.

"Look at that dirty face! You should probably take care of that." Pan said, a smirk on his pink lips. Piper glared angrily at him, clenching her jaw. Her legs were beginning to get tired and Piper knew she couldn't tread for much longer.

"Fine. Just take me where my feet touch the bottom." Piper demanded and Pan laughed, shaking his head and floating closer.

"You don't give me orders." He said snarkily and Piper sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Take me somewhere my feet touch the bottom…please?" The sugary venom in her voice seemed to please Pan and he grinned, snapping his fingers again. The green smoke sprung to life around Piper, ripping her from the water for a few seconds before depositing her in more water with a loud splash.

Piper sputtered, mud running into her eyes.

Scrubbing at it, she dunked her face, the water turning dark before clearing magically. Piper raised her head, glancing around.

Pan had dropped her in a smaller lake beside a roaring waterfall. He was lounging on a pile of large, flat rocks that were teepees with one large flat rock on the top. Pan cocked a bronze eyebrow, sitting up and letting his legs swing over the side of the flat rock.

"Is there a problem?" Pan asked snarkily and Piper's guard instantly sprung up.

"Of course not." She snapped at him before glancing pointedly down at her soaked clothing and back at him. "Turn around." She demanded and he grinned again, turning around. Why did he have to be so damn attractive?

Piper hastily cleared her mind, pulling the large knit black sweater off and flinging it on the ground. It was quickly followed by her cargo pants, boots and long-sleeved shirt with her daggers carefully wrapped inside of it with the stick for Dolly.

Piper was left clad only in her black sports bra and plan black underwear.

"Finished!" Piper called and then ducked her head under the water before he could turn around. Her heart was beginning to speed up, which was ridiculous. It isn't like she is some blushing virgin or anything.

Piper ducked down, kicking her feet and swimming to the bottom of the lake, grabbing a handful of sand and swimming back up. Using it before it seeped from her hand, Piper scrubbed at her skin, the mud sloughing away and leaving her copper skin gleaming.

She glanced around but Pan still had his back to her.

"Done now?" Pan asked lazily and she was briefly tempted with the thought of sneaking out of the water and knocking him out with a rock before common sense came back to her. He would be able to hear the moment she left the water. Besides, knowing how devious he could be, he probably had some magical way of telling when someone had malicious and/or deadly intentions towards him.

"Yes." Piper answered and he turned, raising an eyebrow. "What?" Piper asked defensively, fighting the urge to cross her arms over her chest (that would only show him how uncomfortable he was making her and Piper wasn't in the right frame of mind to accept that minor loss with dignity) and he smirked but didn't answer.

He is far too in love with his little mind games, Piper couldn't help but think. Staring at him, she cocked her head to the side, luxuriating in the feel of the water gliding over her skin.

What is he going to do now?

Thank you so much to any new followers/favers and reviewers!

BluemoonMusicGirl - Thank you so much for your kind words! I love that you love how I am doing Pan but honestly, I am doing my best to keep him in character with him on the show. I also love that you are a fan of Piper's. Thanks again for reviewing!

3CHOS - Thank you for saying that, I do my best to make sure the words and scenes flow together in a way that just fits.

The Striking Storms - Awww, I can't belive this is your #1 story right now, I hope you like this chapter!

BookRain - Hey, thank so much for your review. I agree, Pan is cruel for wanting to get rid of the tribe but hey, he isn't exactly a 'hero'. I am glad you are rooting for Piper. At the moment, there isn't a reason Piper's timeline is set in 1976 but that might change. Thanks for your review!

GiraffePanda2 - Wow, that was a lot of caps and I love it! I can tell you genuinely like my story so thank you so much!

Elle - Thank you and I also love the contrast between Piper and Dolly, it's part of what makes them so awesome!