|| 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||

Ch10

James wasn't really sure how he was supposed to stay out of the way when he spent most of the next few days with Kate. She took him all over the forest, showed him the hot springs and the most beautiful waterfall he had ever seen. He enjoyed her company more and more each day, plus, she was the only one who knew what a T.V. was.

He felt better as the days went on, but he always felt odd whenever he went back to the hideout. He knew Peter didn't like him very much, and James was secretly glad that Kate and him were still at odds. Their interactions were brief and Kate avoided them at all costs.

Neither side was giving in and the boys were growing frustrated with James for taking up all of Kate's time. "Its not his fault you know." Nibs said as the boys watched Kate drag James into the forest for a new adventure. "I know its not but it's so aggravating!" Slightly snapped.

"Peter hasn't planned anything fun for days! I'm going mad" Slightly howled, Curly cut in "We have been doing fun things, like yesterday we found a tiger" he said proudly. "Yeah and it almost ate the twins" Slightly said. Nibs shook his head "Nothing is as fun when Kate and Peter aren't there"

The boys sat around, feeling rather bored. None could think of a good way to do 'damage control' as James had called it. All this 'liking each other' stuff was more complicated than the boys had originally thought.

"Maybe things will work themselves out?" Tootles said innocently during a very dull game of marbles. All the boys looked at the littlest one, who rarely talked and when he did it was always something more insightful than was expected of a boy his age. "At this rate I am not sure" Nibs said, patting Tootles on the head.

Kate had brought James to the place she had come to when she had first gone to see him. The giant flowers amazed her and James was just as entranced as she was. "Everything in this place is so strange" He said, running his hand across one of the soft multicolored petals.

"I know, there are a lot of scary things. Like that plant that tried to eat me." She said, wincing at the thought, but it also made her think of Peter swooping in and pulling her free of the gnarled vines. "A plant tried to eat you?" James asked, startled. Kate laughed, "Yeah, stay away from the big lime green and pink ones that smell like honey. Their vines are really strong."

James winced at the thought, he wasn't sure if he would ever get used to this place. Kate on the other hand melded to this place like she was born to be here, she lived and breathed this place. "Only you can laugh about a giant plant trying to eat you." James said, taking a seat next to Kate on the soft ground.

"Eh, nothing really phases me much anymore," she said "Though finding you on the pirate ship did throw me for a bit of a loop." She said, rolling a blade of grass between her fingers. "I keep wanting to thank you over and over again for saving me." James said, looking down at his toes.

Peter sat just above the duo, arms crossed over his chest and a deep scowl on his face. He was perfectly hidden in the treetops but he could see them clear as day. He didn't like this James fellow, always wandering around the forest with Kate. Of course he would never leave Kate alone with him.

Something about this guy made his skin crawl and he wanted to find out what it was. He returned his focus on them when James sat down next to Kate and started talking softly. He lost track of their conversation but his face started to go beat red with rage as James leaned in closer to Kate, a startled look on her face.

Kate wasn't really all too sure what was happening till it happened. James kept coming closer and her mind went blank. Their lips touched and blush rushed across Kate's face. She had only kissed a boy once before and that was when she was five and the boy had given her one of his toys.

The kiss lasted seconds, but Kate's blush refused to go away. James leaned back against the tree at his back and stared up at the sky with a solemn look on his face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you like that." He said, afraid to hear her rejection. Kate said nothing and that bothered him a little more than her just saying 'no' out right.

"Uhm…no its ok…I guess." She said, shaking her head. That came out of nowhere and Kate's mind was starting to work again, the shock wearing off. "I, uh, have to go meet the boys. They wanted to play today." She said, standing up and brushing leaves from her clothes. It wasn't a total lie, but she needed to get away from him right now, she felt rather confused.

James watched her rush off and put his head in his hands, groaning "Your so stupid" he mumbled. He wanted to stay right here and meld with the tree so he wouldn't have to go back to the hideout and see Kate again. That was complete rejection and he knew it, he felt foolish for even trying.

Kate rushed through the forest searching for at least one of the boys, as she crested a hill she tripped over a familiar fake foxtail. "Slightly! There you are!" she said, glad that her escape plan was now fool proof. "Oh hey Kate, what are you doing on this side of the forest?" He asked, pulling himself out of a makeshift hiding place under the roots of a fallen down tree. "Eh, James was being boring and I wanted to play. What are you guys doing?" She asked.

Slightly brightened up instantly and started to ramble on and on about how bored they have been and how Nibs planned a huge scavenger hunt. Kate agreed to help Slightly and spent the rest of the day helping Slightly find things and arguing with the boys over what things were on the list and what things Nibs made up at the last minute to help himself win.

All of them were wrestling and tumbling around in the grass outside of the hideout when Peter touched down, a strange mix of emotions on his face. "Dinner time boys" he said, vanishing inside. All of the boys, and Kate looked at each other. "That was weird." The Twins said in unison.

The troop followed inside and began their nightly task of preparing the strangest dinners one could imagine. Random assortments of meat and fruit, some nuts and berries, and other times just stuff Kate really couldn't put a label on, but it always tasted great. She wasn't sure how the boys did it, but she figured they had been doing it for so long that they had plenty of practice.

They had just sat down to eat when James showed up, he acted the same way he always did and rough housed with the boys at the table and talked about the giant flowers and how they would make really neat tents. Kate on the other hand was quiet, and wasn't all into her dinner.

The look on Peters face was putting her on edge, and she couldn't help but feel…guilty? She wasn't really sure but all she wanted to do was talk to Peter but she knew both of them were too stubborn to say anything. She heaved a great sigh, she was going to have to be the first one to cave, and she couldn't take it any more.

She would ask him to talk to her tomorrow, if he even would. Feeling a little better that they might at least fight tomorrow she began to eat and laugh with the rest of the boys whose once horrible jokes were now hilarious to her. Especially Slightly's jokes, he was the best.

Kate had climbed into her hammock and was staring blankly at the wall, all the candles had been put out and the boys were sleeping soundly. She was just starting to drift off herself when someone gently shook her shoulder. Startled she nearly fell out of her hammock only to be caught by familiar arms.

"Can I talk to you?" Peter asked quietly, a sad look on his face. Kate righted herself, she figured this was a good thing, but felt rather uneasy. "Sure." Was all she said as they left the hideout, she followed closely behind him; she didn't trust the forest at night anymore and only went out at night with one of the boys and a bright lantern.

When he finally stopped they were in the same large clearing they were in the night Kate ran off and got lost in the woods. They were quiet for a moment and Peter was the one to speak first "Do you like it here?" He asked, his back still facing her. Kate was confused at the question "Of course I like it here, I don't think I could live anywhere else after being here"

She hated the idea of having to leave Neverland, to return to that other place, that place that she was trying desperately to forget. "You and James come from the same place, is that why you like him more?" He said, still refusing to look at her. "What are you talking about?" Kate asked, growing frustrated.

Peter turned around; Kate could just make out anger on his face through the dim moonlight. "You always go and explore with him, you two never fight, and you…you KISSED him!" Peter blurted out, glad to finally get it off of his chest. Kate was startled for a moment but came back with a vengeance.

"Where you spying on me!" She snapped, seeming to puff up like a large bird. Peter wouldn't back down. "So what if I was! I'm not gonna let you go out alone with some stranger! If I had known you were going to kiss him I would have kicked you both out from the start!" Peter snapped.

"Well for your information he kissed me! Not the other way around!" Kate said, feeling rather ruffled. "You have no rite to spy on me, I can take care of myself!" She spat. Peter reeled around. "No, no you can't! No matter how hard I try you always get yourself into some sort of trouble…and if I am not there." He paused, loosing a little wind. "I might loose you." He mumbled out finally.

Kate deflated then, not feeling better for fighting at all. "Peter, you can't always be there." She said. Peter was looking away from her again, that aggravated her to no end. "I need to be…if your not being stolen away by danger you're being taken away by some…other…guy." He said.

Kate blushed now, that was not what she was expecting. He was over protective yes, but she never thought that that was the reason why. "Peter tha-" He cut her off. "No, I should just stop. You can go away with James, then maybe I will get some sleep at night" he said, sounding so depressed that Kate couldn't help herself.

She reached out and hugged him about the waist, her head resting between his shoulder blades. "Boys are so weird." Kate said, she could feel Peter laugh a little. They stood like that for a long time, and Kate had no intention of letting him go. That was until he sighed and pulled her arms from around him.

"Why don't you like me like you like him Kate?" he said, finally facing her. His face looked tired, and Kate realized that she had noticed the dark circles under his eyes, but never really put much stock in it till right now. Kate paused at his question, his hands still closed gently over hers. "Because I like you more." She said, pulling him closer.

She had to stand on her tiptoes, but she managed to bring her lips to his. She was unsure if she did the right thing, but couldn't bring herself to pull away. Her whole mind was buzzing and her body tingled. He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned in more, holding her off the ground.

In that moment she knew, not only had Neverland stolen her heart, but a foolish boy, on the verge of being a man, had done so as well.

|| Wow I need to practice my romantic scenes some more o.o I will be typing and just go brain dead, it's a little frustrating cause I don't want it to be to corny? I dunno. ||