Hey guys, I fixed up a bit of an error at the end of the last chapter if you want to take a look.
This one will hopefully clear up some things about Ellie, Felix and Charlies past.
Hope you enjoy! :)
Felix POV
I lead Charlie and Ellie out of the clearing and up the hillside towards a clearing that gives us plenty of room to teach her some stuff and show her a bit of the island. The walk takes about 5 minutes so it gives me plenty of time to think. It's been 18 hours and my mind is still comprehending the fact Ellie's alive. A grin forms on my face as I walk, and is almost immediately removed when I realize the guilt weighing down on me.
Suddenly I feel bad for laughing at Rumple when he cried over the doll. It's so similar to this. I thought I lost my sister forever. But she's alive. I have so much to make up for. But she's alive. I remember when Charlie first came here.
*Flashback*
I walked along the line of new recruits at a leisurely, intimidating stroll, inspecting their faces when I heard a gasp from just in front of me. I looked up to the source of the noise to see a boy, a bit younger then the others, with dark, straight hair and brown eyes. Familiar brown eyes. He was staring at me in shock, face pale, and I grew irritated. Many new recruits over the years had asked where I got my scar from. And I always took joy in telling them it was because I couldn't keep my mouth shut on initiation.
"What's your name, boy?" I asked him, staring him down, internally praying he wouldn't address the scar, I wasn't in the mood tonight. When he finally replied he didn't tell me his name, he repeated mine. And as he did I saw a flash of the forest from where I grew up. And I saw my two little siblings running towards me with grins on their faces. I pushed it out of my mind and tuned back in to the boy.
"That's not your name now is it boy? Come on, you can trust us." I told him, waiting for an answer, suddenly the boy looked furious. He turned up to glare at me before punching me in the face. I fell back in shock as I looked at him, but I didn't get a chance to respond before he launched himself at me, screaming obscenities. And even though this kid was giving me a hiding in front of the lost boys and Pan, I couldn't bring myself to hit him. There was something about him. It was like my body refused to harm him, like it was in my blood.
When they finally pulled him off I looked at him in surprise. I hadn't seen an attitude like this since before I left in my sister. Ellie... a voice whispers, the sister you abandoned, along with Charlie. I shake my head quickly before turning back to the boy who's still fighting like a rabid wolf and screaming. There's something so familiar, and I'm just waiting for it to click.
"She's dead! She's dead! Because of you!" I continue to watch him and for some reason those words put a chill through to the bone as my stomach knots with dread.
"Who's dead? Who are you?"
"Who do you think I am you moron! I'm Charlie! Now let me go!" My stomach falls out of my feet as I stare at the boy. Charlie. The hair, the eyes, the still chubby cheeks. He's aged 6 years, but his eyes make him look like its been much longer.
"Charlie? Is it really you? But... how?" And then the rest of his words come back to me as the dread in my stomach increases. "Charlie, who's dead? Who's dead Charlie?"
"Ellie." he whispers. And I don't here anything after that, my world disappears and my vision goes blurry. Ellie's gone. My baby sister. She's dead. Vaguely I realize I've fallen to my knees, and I can hear Charlie yelling again, saying its my fault. Of course it's my fault. I'm meant to protect them, and I wasn't there. I let my little sister die for Charlie. It should have been me. Suddenly furious with myself, I stand up and leave the clearing.
I walk for a minute or two, until I'm out of hearing range, then I bring my club over my head and slam it into a tree with a cry. Furiously I smash at the tree as the tears that burned back in the clearing finally come down. I fall to my knees once again, repeating the mantra that I never wanted to hear. Ellie's dead, she's dead.
Eventually I come back to my senses, and realize I left my baby brother alone in the clearing in his own torment. How selfish of me. I abandoned them a long time ago, I have no right to be this upset. I should be there for Charlie. So I stand up and make my way back to the clearing. I made her promise to take care of Charlie, and she did, she sacrificed herself for him. Now I have to go make it right, as best I can. I'll never see her again, she didn't deserve this. But I can't do anything about it, so with a steely resolve, stand back up and make my way to the clearing again, wiping my face. I'm going to take care of Charlie. Nothing is going to happen to him.
*End Flashback*
Eventually we reach the clearing and I look around in satisfaction before turning around and dumping my club on the ground, fishing through my bag. I watch Ellie turn in a circle, recognition on her face as she goes to sit on a rock and watch me. Curiously I wonder how she's been here before, she wouldn't have had the time to come here last night, then I realize. Pan. He better not hurt her, I think to myself as Charlie joins Ellie on the rock, smiling up at her like she's the sun. Of course, to us, she is.
I fish out the daggers I was searching for and walk towards Ellie and Charlie, who is once again hugging the crap out of her. I wonder if she can breathe. Ellie smiles in content while holding Charlie, then she turns to me and her eyes narrow at the sight of the daggers.
"Really?" she breathes, exasperated.
"It's always best to start simple," I explain.
"But I already know how to fight!"
I shrug, "Pans orders." Then I remember something, "how did you learn how to fight?" I ask slowly.
Ellie looks up and flushes slightly, avoiding my eyes. "A group of boys taught me in one of the villages we stayed near," and I narrow my eyes. Protective brotherly instincts already on overdrive. It's funny, I haven't seen her in 80-something years, but as soon as she mentions boys I feel ready to pummel anyone who looks at her. Immediately Pan slips into my mind, the way he looked at her earlier. But he hasn't showed emotion in years. She should be fine.
Charlie looks up from his head rest on Ellie's shoulder. "Is that where you always disappeared to and I wasn't allowed to come?" he asks indignantly. Ellie smiles slyly.
"Yes."
I walk up closer to the two of them and hand a dagger to Ellie, "we haven't got all day guys" I tell them, but I can't keep the smile off my face as I watch my siblings.
Ellie shrugs herself off the rock and strides out a few steps before turning to face me. A determined grin is on her face as she flips the dagger in her hand, not unlike what I do, and Charlie lazes on the rock, pretending to look bored while excitement gleams in his eyes as he watches us.
"Okay, where do we start?"
I have to admit, Ellie was good, very good. Her dagger throwing was almost spot on, her archery was awful, and then she made up for it with her sword fighting which was fantastic. I let her get a good few nicks in with the sword in the hope it may reduce her anger towards me, and I think it worked. And then, during one of the sword exercises I did with her, she took off into the trees, and I followed, grinning, thinking she was running. I heard Charlie call out a warning to me and I ignored him, deciding he was just playing jokes as I entered the tree line. The next think I know I was getting pelted by sticks and other objects from all sides by something up in the trees as a turned blindly in a circle searching for the cause.
Eventually, Ellie had had enough fun and jumped nimbly from a branch to land, grinning, in front of me. I smiled at her warmly, feeling something I'd been missing in all these years as I looked down at her. "I don't remember you being able to do that," I grin at her.
Her smile fades as she considers my words, "no, you wouldn't remember." She says sadly and turns back to the clearing. I follow her, the guilt and sadness heavy in my heart as we reach the clearing and Charlie meets us, smiling from ear to ear.
"How'd he fair?" he asks her, still grinning at me.
"Not bad actually, didn't figure it out until I jumped down but."
"Ahh, you missed out on the good days, Felix."
"I know," I reply, and even I can hear the melancholy in my voice as we look at each other. I have to explain to Ellie, tell her why I left. "You know, I wanted you two to come with me." I start, feeling slightly nervous. "But I could never look after you, mother and father adored the both of you. I thought you'd be fine with them. I never would have guessed that they... that they actually cared for me." I swallow.
Ellie sighs as she plops down onto the grass pulling Charlie down with her. Her posture is slightly rigid as she pulls Charlie across so his head is resting on her shoulder and she begins stoking his hair. I watch her as she slowly relaxes and looks up at me. "Go on," she sighs, "you tell me you're story, and," she swallows, "and I'll tell you mine." I study her for a moment, watching her face as I sit down beside the two. She seems strained and nervous, and her other hand self-consciously pulls at the neck of her grey shirt as she sits there, eyes resting on the ground. Charlie leans across and takes her hand and she smiles down at him. They look so content I can't help but smile as well.
I swallow, digging in the dirt with my club as I look down at the ground, and begin my story.
"As you figured out a long time ago Ellie, I never really felt comfortable at home. Our parents were somewhat ignorant of me, just giving instructions and not an ounce of love. Unlike the two of you, which they adored. I put up with it, because I had you guys, who loved me, but I couldn't help but feel... lost. When I was 14 I heard the music for the first time, I followed it and met Pan. But when he asked me to come with him, I said no. I couldn't leave you guys. So I turned around, and as much as every bone in my body told me to turn back. I left.
"The music came three times after that, and each time I would grit my teeth and lay in bed, trying to ignore the pull it had on me. I would lay there throwing knifes at the wall repeatedly, until finally it stopped. And I could relax. But each time it got harder, and eventually, I couldn't fight it. So I packed my bags. Then you came in, and I felt so guilty, so awful for leaving you. And with that guilt I realized I was unworthy of you two, so I walked out the door. Well, climbed out the window, but you understand.
"I came here, and I was free, but I always thought of you two. Always. And then when Charlie turned up, all grown up... speaking of Momma and Papa dying and you sacrificing yourself, I realized how wrong I was. I should have stayed, to protect you two, no matter what. And I'm sorry."
By the end of it my voice was thick by the end of it and both Charlie and Ellie had watery eyes as they watched me. Then Ellie let go of Charlie and held her arms out to me. I shuffled forwards and gratefully crushed my sister to my chest, one hand on her back and the other on the back of her head as I held her against me. Just as I'd wanted to do the moment I found out she was alive. Charlie watched us with a grin before finally adding his little quip. "You know, you forgave him pretty quickly. It took me three years to forgive him."
Ellie laughs and pulls back, smiling over at Charlie with wet eyes. And then she remembers something. "Momma isn't dead."
"You said that last night, what did you mean?" I ask her in confusion, and she seems slightly guilty as she shifts where she's sitting.
"Well, she's dead now, probably. But she wasn't before I got frozen, I lied."
"But... why?"
Ellie sighs, "I guess it's time I told you my story." I look at her collarbone where the scars are and anger wells up in me at the thought of someone doing that to my little Ellie. The guilt follows shortly as I realize I should have protected her. But all I do is nod, leaning back on my arms as Ellie shifts uncomfortably.
"You told Felix about everything before that night?" she directs her question to Charlie, and her voice strains on 'that night'.
"Yes."
"Well, here goes nothing. When I got stabbed, it didn't kill me immediately, but it sure was going to. The ogre left, probably thinking I was too small to eat, and I was there, alone, dying. Wishing I didn't have to break my promise to you, Charlie." she says and I look at Charlie to see him watching her with avid attention. He'd told me about that, he said she'd promised to see him soon before making him leave. I turned back to Ellie as she continued.
"I woke up in that same clearing, and given the moon at the time I think it was a week later. When I stood up I heard a voice call out 'Took you long enough, dearie' behind me, and I turned to see Rumpelstiltskin. When I asked why he was there, and how I was alive, he told me he saved me. He said he saved me as an apology. An apology for killing Papa. After you left, Felix, Momma got depressed. She wouldn't do much, and none of the other herbs were helping, so Papa went to Rumpelstiltskin to get a treatment. But after a year, he couldn't afford it and Rumpelstiltskin killed him. Momma didn't last long after that. She couldn't handle both of you gone. So she left, and I couldn't bear to tell Charlie. So I lied. Anyway, back to Rumpelstiltskin, I didn't believe him, I thought it was more likely he saved me so he could kill me himself. But then he told me I'd have a great purpose one day, and that I'd see him again when it was time.
"After he left I went up to the village, looking for Charlie, but he wasn't there. I stayed there for a week, and he didn't show." Ellie's voice had dropped to a hoarse whisper by this point, and then she cleared her throat again, looking towards Charlie, before continuing. "After that, I wandered around, searching villages and forests for months. But I couldn't find you. So I gave up, and searched for our mother, in the hopes of sharing my grief, but when I found her, she didn't recognize me, she didn't know who I was, and the little boy on her arm was tugging her towards a stall in the markets. So I watched our mother walk away with a new son, David, I heard her call him, she'd started a different life."
Something distracts me from Ellie's story, and I look up to see Pan watching from the tree line. He nods to me, letting me know I'm needed for something, before returning his attention to Ellie, although I didn't think he'd been here long. I turn back to her as well, and notice her eyes are brimming with tears again.
"I didn't know what to do, so I left, I wandered again, through the night, unaware of my surroundings. I let my guard down, and then they caught me. Pirates. Before I knew it I was on a ship at sea, stuck serving them as they looted innocent people and drank through the rum barrels. I tried to escape... and each time I did... they'd punish me, cut me with a dagger, each time I escaped they'd do more cuts, but I wouldn't stop trying." Her voice was turning hysterical at this point and I put my arm around her shoulder as Charlie gripped her hand tighter.
"Then eventually, I just got so angry, so during one of my punishments, I grabbed the dagger off of him, and I turned it around and I stabbed him. I ran outside, and for the first time, no one tried to stop me. They were all busy looking at their captain. Dead. I killed him." Tears were moving down Ellie's face now and I just watched her, trying to contain my guilt and anger. "Once I was off the boat, I returned to wandering, I searched for Charlie again, and you. I had to find different clothes though. People looked at me like I was a monster, with my ugly cuts and scars. So I covered them up, and I tried to get past it. Then Rumpelstiltskin found me again, he told me it was time. And that I'd fulfill my fate soon. He froze me in that cave. And he said that when it was time, I'd know. He said 'fate finds a way', and he left me there. And all I could do was remember everything."
Ellie finishes her story and pulls Charlie into her chest, and I sit there in silence for a moment.
"Well that was a touching story," I hear Pan say. Ellie jumps and turns to glare at Pan, who's still standing by the tree, with a smirk on his face, watching us. He looks at me and gestures with his head to come meet him in the trees, I turn to look at Ellie and Charlie and they nod. I stand up and follow Pan a few meters into the trees until he turns to look at me.
"Baelfire is coming back."
"He's here?"
"Not yet, I need you to meet him, make sure we give him a proper return."
Peter turns to me with his head tilted sideways, a dark smirk on his face and his eyes twinkling mischievously. I look back towards the clearing, reluctant to leave Ellie and Charlie and Pan seems to understand my thoughts.
"I'll take them back Felix, just make sure you capture Baelfire. I don't need him causing any trouble now." And he turns to look back towards the clearing, clearly expecting me to leave. I walk off into the forest but glance back before I disappear through the dense shrubbery, and I see Pan watching my siblings, he's looking at my sister, and from what I can see of his expression, there's sadness and admiration. More confused then ever I turn back to the location Peter gave me.
Ellie's POV
Peter comes back into the clearing, without Felix and I glare at him. It took a lot of courage to tell Felix and Charlie my story, and I didn't like that Peter overheard. Peter's neutral expression twists into a smirk when he see's me glaring at him.
"Now don't be like that love, I have as much a right to be in the forest as you do." I continue to glare at him angrily. He confuses me so much. Sometimes he's compassionate and fun, and others he's cruel and cold. I can see his eyes darken when I don't listen to him and I wonder what caused him to be like this. And, even with my greatest efforts, I can't get enough of him. But I push that aside as I give him an icy stare, before I notice that Felix hasn't returned.
"Where's Felix?"
"He has a task to attend to, now come on, its going to be dark soon." Peter gestured for Charlie and us to move and Charlie took the lead while I skulked behind, with Peter at my side.
We'd been walking for a few minutes when Peter broke the silence, talking quietly so Charlie, who was several meters in front of us, wouldn't hear. "You know, that was quite brave of you, all of it, I didn't expect a girl to be capable of such strength."
"You said yourself earlier that scars show someones bravery." I retort.
"Yes, and they do, yours are particularly strong." He replies, and for some reason, I flush. With Peter earlier today had been the first time I didn't feel ugly because of my scars. I felt... fine... beautiful. It was weird, but nice.
"You have such a strong personality," Peter continues as we walk forwards. "I don't understand it." Peter stops and grabs my arm, spinning me around to face him so our faces are 6 inches apart. "I don't understand you." He says, eyes flickering over my face before resting on my eyes. "I usually understand everyone on this island, what they want, what they're prepared to do, their deepest fears." His face moves closer to mine so I can feel his breath on my face, and my heart beats faster as I look up at him.
"You're a mystery, and I don't understand it, I want to understand."
"There's too much to understand."
"I don't believe that, I think I can understand if you give me the opportunity."
And then there's silence as I stare up into his blue-green eyes. They look like the sea, and I can automatically tell I could get lost in his eyes. Before I know it our faces are slowly moving closer and I can feel Peter's cool breath on my lips.
"Are you guys coming or what?" Charlie calls back and Peter and I jump apart. He looks confused before a moment, before he blinks and stares coldly down at me. Ah, dark Peter's back, I think to myself, as Peter turns and strides off towards the camp. Charlie glances at me curiously but I ignore it, just place my arm around his shoulder and follow him back to the clearing.
When we return it's nightfall and there's a blazing fire in the middle, with lost boys dancing around it. I see Peter on the other side of the clearing, playing with his dagger and glancing up when he see's us, before returning to his dagger and flinging it into the ground. Charlie and I make our way over to the other side of the clearing and sit down on the opposite side of Peter as Charlie hands me a bowl of soup. Dimly I realize that this is my first proper meal in 80 years, before digging into it. It isn't too bad.
After I'm finished, Charlie leans his head on my shoulder and I stroke his hair again. I sing softly to him and he grins as he tightens his hold around my torso. I miss singing to him, I think to myself as I smile. Peter glances at us several times, but I never turn in time to make eye contact. And when I look at him, he's either playing with his knife, or watching Henry.
After an hour or so, Charlie goes and joins the boys dancing around the fire, and Peter stands up and makes his way over to Henry. I turn back from him and stare into the fire. But then I hear a pipe note, I turn in surprise and stare at Peter, who has a pipe to his lips and is blowing into it, eyes focused on Henry. I watch as Peter seems confused, and then he glances up to see me watching and our eyes meet. Peter smiles, when he realizes I heard him, before turning his attention across the clearing, and I see Felix striding purposefully towards Peter.
I watch as they argue briefly before Peter walks away and Felix walks towards me and flops down on the log next to me, glaring moodily into the fire.
"Rough night?" I ask, a small smile playing at my lips.
Felix turns to me and his face softens as his own smile comes across his face. "Pretty bad," he replies and I move towards him and press my side against his./ Felix puts his arm around me before we stare into the fire. I can't help the bubbling happiness inside of me as I see Charlie dance towards us and flop down on the ground in front of us, red faced and grinning. I've got my family back, I think to myself as Charlie finally hauls himself off the ground and sits down beside me.
We watch the fire for a while, before I realize that I am, once again, exhausted. Dragging myself off the log I say goodnight to my brothers before walking towards the log I slept by last night. Briefly I make eye contact with Peter again as I drop to the ground, and my thoughts wonder to that moment in the woods on the way back from training.
What did he mean I was different, and was he going to kiss me? I ask myself as I remember the feel of Peters rough, but soft hand on my arm, his breath on my face and his eyes flickering between my lips and eyes. Deciding to face the actual reasons tomorrow I smile as I turn over and face the forest. This may just finally be a new home for me, I think as my eyes drift closed, and I drift off into my first peaceful sleep in years.
Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I actually feel pretty good with it and I've come up with some really good future shockers!
This chapters quite big in comparison to the others so I'm hoping its okay.
Let me know in review if you have any questions. :) Thanks.