|| This FF uses characters and themes from both the original book, the Disney version, and another live action version where Peter was a blonde (not Hook) I do not own any of the characters besides my OC Kate and the general plot||
Ch9
Kate woke up early one morning and began to pack a small lunch that she wrapped with an old cloth. All the boys were fast asleep, not even close to waking up at this hour. Kate went to bed at a decent hour last night just so she could be up before everyone else.
She gave the room one last look over, just to make sure all were asleep, and she slipped out of the hollow. Outside the sun was rising over the horizon, its warmth still not reaching their chilled world just yet.
Kate walked confidently through the fog, heading straight for the Indian village that rested atop a flat hill at one end of the island. She had told Nibs where she was going so the boys wouldn't panic and send out a search party after her.
By the time she stopped to eat a small lunch the sun had climbed higher in the sky and the forest was buzzing with life. Brilliant flowers of reds and blues blossomed around her rocky perch. Some flowers were as big as her head and so full of different colors it made her dizzy to look at them to long.
She loved it out here, it was the perfect temperature and she could hear a small stream in the distance to get fresh water. If she wasn't on a mission she would have stayed here all day, swimming and picking flowers, but she would have to do that later.
She rolled up her now empty cloth sack and tied it around her neck like a handkerchief and began the arduous task of climbing up the steep slope to the village. She hated this climb, and contemplated flying up it, but knew she didn't have enough pixy dust to get her air born for long.
The last thing she needed was to fly halfway up and fall the rest of the way down. Since her and Peter were currently in some sort of fight she refused to ask him to get her more pixie dust. There was just no way, he was being a major prick and she didn't want anything to do with him right now.
With a great heave she pulled herself over the edge and lye face first on the ground for a moment as she caught her breath. In the distance to could here people talking and laughing, and generally just going about their daily business.
"Are you alright?" A strangely familiar voice rang out and she lifted her head, grass tangled in her brown locks. The boy from the ship stood before her, wearing some clothes the Indians had given him. He was cleaned up, his long black hair combed and tied at the nape of his neck with a leather strap.
He still looked pale, but was now getting some meat on his bones. "Yes I am fine." She said, blushing a little as she pushed herself off of the ground, ignoring his outstretched hand. "I should be asking you the same question" She smiled, running her fingers through her hair to remove the grass.
"Never better actually, a little confused as to how I got here though." He said, rubbing the back of his neck, his green eyes downcast. "You mean you don't know how you got to Neverland?" Kate was surprised, Peter never mentioned anyone coming to Neverland unless he brought them here personally.
"On minute I was going to bed in my house, the next, I wake up in the bowels of a pirate ship with a sword pointed at my face. To make it better they were blaming me for their treasure that had gone missing" He said, taking a deep breath to calm himself. He seemed to remember his manners just then.
"My name is James by the way, they said a girl saved my life. I am guessing that's you?" James said, holding out his hand. Kate shook it and smiled "My name is Kate, and I got you to the shore. My friends did the rest." She said, allowing him to lead her towards the village.
She was glad he was all right; she had been secretly worried about him for the past week and finally decided yesterday that she had given the healer enough time. "I am very grateful to you, I would rather not have died here" He said with a slight shiver "Its so strange" he said, casting a wary eye over some of the villagers.
"Its probably because you haven't seen the right sights," Kate said, gesturing towards the forest "Its really beautiful in there. If your doctor would cut you loose I could give you a grand tour, and introduce you to the second half of your saviors." James thought on it for a moment, a bright smile spreading across his handsome face.
It wasn't Peters smile but it was just as infectious and she smiled back. "I guess I could talk with him, I feel just fine and it would be great to get away from this village…even for a little while" James shook his head and Kate followed him to the medicine mans tent, a steady stream of sweet smelling smoke rising out from the hole in the top of his tent.
"Sir, can I talk to you?" James asked, lifting up the flap to see the wise old man sipping some strange liquid from a flask. "Sure, both of you may come in." He said simply, not really paying attention to them till they were seated across from him, the low burning fire between them.
"Talk. he said, folding well-worn hands together and looking at both of them with a sharp knowing stare. "I wanted to know if it was alright if I went exploring in the woods…and maybe stayed with Kate and her friends for a while?" He said, Kate could tell James had a lot of respect for the medicine man.
"Do you feel healthy enough to go romping through the woods with a group of rowdy boys? And a girl of course" He added in, smiling warmly at Kate, who laughed a little on the inside. "Maybe not romp worthy, but a good climb and some walking worthy. I just need to get the meat back on my bones" He said. The medicine man looked him over for a couple minutes before nodding his head. "You may join Kate and her friends, but remember to come back and see me some time…both of you" he said, holding open the door to his tent to let them out.
Both of them said goodbye, and James thanked the man over and over till the flap closed and they were leaving the village far behind them. "That went better than expected." James said, following Kate to the cliff that lead back down to the forest.
He looked wary at first but shrugged it off and began to climb down, struggling a little at first. "What makes you say that?" Kate huffed, feet finally touching down on the soft mossy ground. James wasn't to far behind and looked glad to see ground so close.
"He just let me out of the tent two days ago. He is very serious about his job." James explained, "If he didn't think I was ready he wouldn't have let me leave like this" He said, sitting down on the ground to catch his breath. Kate was glad for the small break, they still had a long walk back to the hideout and she still had to ask Peter for permission to let James in, or even around the place.
The walk back was mostly filled of talk of how James could have come to Neverland, and Kate told him of how she was brought here. "So you don't want to go back home?" he asked, frowning. "Nope, I had no home or family to go back to. This place is perfect for me, I have a family now" She smiled at the thought, She hadn't really thought about it till now.
Peter and the boys were her family now, no matter how much she wanted to beat Peter up sometimes. "So you were an orphan huh? It was just me and my mom, I would have left our apartment once I graduated from school…but I had to help support her." James said, looking rather distressed at the thought.
"Who knows what has happened to her while I have been gone." He said, running his fingers through his hair, mussing it a little. "I am sure she will be alright, but right now I need you to wait right here. I will be right back, and don't follow me unless you want to be attacked by a group of angry boys. " She said, vanishing into the underbrush.
Peter and the boys had spent most of the day doing pretty much nothing, Slightly had already declared it was boring without Kate there and Peter was pouting in the corner, like he had been since the whole fight started. The boys were just about to fight for the fun of it when Kate appeared in the walkway.
"Finally!" Curly cried out, dropping a frying pan on Nibs' head. "Hey guys, Peter I need to ask you something" She said, the whole room went quiet and Peter turned and looked at her "Ask your question." He said haughtily, arms crossed over his chest. Kate resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
She needed to be nice right now or James would never get in. "You know that boy I saved from the pirates? Well he is all better now and wants to come play with us." She said, trying to sound sweet. Peter's expression was unchanging and she continued, growing frustrated.
"Is it alright?" She asked, really wanting to punch him in his smug face. The boys all turned to Peter, they had no qualms with a new recruit, look how well Kate came out. Peter looked at the boy's hopeful expressions, then at Kate's as well and finally sighed.
"Fine, bring him. If he gives away our secret the blame falls all on you Kate." He said, turning away and returning to his throne. She rolled her eyes at him now, and vanished down the hallway and back to James, beaming brightly.
"Peter says you are allowed to join us" She said "You are to never, ever, tell anyone about this place ok?" She said, leading him through a near invisible path towards the massive tree. "If the pirates were to find out they would cut our throats while we slept" She said, pulling her finger across her throat.
James frowned "That sounds awful, I swear I won't tell" He said, staring up in shock at the large tree that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. "Wow" he said and Kate laughed. "I know its great!" She said, leading him down a secret passage "Wait till you see the inside"
Peter heard voices and turned slightly to see Kate laughing, and a boy his own age following closely behind her, a smile spread all over his face. Anger flared up in Peter, a strange anger that he had never really felt before. It was like when one of the boys had something better than he did and he wanted it back more than anything in the world.
Kate introduced James to each of the boys and finally to Peter. "This is our 'great' leader Peter Pan." She said sarcastically. James held out his hand to Peter "Pleased to meet you, Thanks for letting me stay here" he said politely. Peter shook his hand, making sure his grip was tighter than it should be.
"No problem, you came just in time for dinner" He said, the boys had been setting up the table and he gestured to a seat at the very end for James. Slightly and the rest of the boys took their usual seats and Kate reluctantly sat next to Peter like she always did.
Both shot each other dirty looks the whole time while James and the boys stared on, some giggling and others shaking their heads. James leaned over to Nibs "What is up with those to?" He whispered, the other boys around the table rowdy enough to where Kate and Peter wouldn't here.
"Well, Peter fancy's Kate but he doesn't realize it yet, which means he is a jerk whenever Kate gets into any sort of trouble." Nibs explained, "This last time, when she saved you, he was especially bad and Kate flipped her lid. They haven't talked since…it's a little strange really." Nibs finished, James shook his head. Peter obviously did not know how to act with girls.
"Has anyone tried damage control?" James asked, Slightly came into the conversation then "We are working on that, just stay out of the way Newbie" Slightly said with a wink.
|| BUM BUM BUM! Here is an update…this is getting more frequent…. and the reason is all the little favorite stories and reviews make me happy and I want to please you guys =D So who do you like more? Peter or James? ||