Haha oh wow, thank you for ALL of the awesome reviews! Welcome to the new readers, I appreciate every single one of you! Hope everyone had a happy new year!

As for the dilemma of Terence's wings, it WILL be addressed very shortly, no fear.

I've been able to write a few more chapters so I'll try to post another one tonight!

:)

Nether Peter nor Terence spoke much on their journey. Terence quietly gave the boy directions and Peter occasionally asked a queston about their course. Other than that, neither wanted to speak. Too many things raced through their minds. Tink was on both their minds and they both knew, and hated it. Terence was sticking out of Peter's shirt and he wished more than anything he could fly himself. He hated depending on others and especially hated depending on this handsome boy his beloved had taken such a liking to. He glanced up at Peter and saw the hard resolution in his face. He had said she had changed his life. Those words alone had hit Terence like a ton of bricks. What if Peter had changed Tink's life too? Would she still stay with him? Would they still be Joined together? Or would she choose to stay with Peter? He heard Peter speak and shook himself, forcing himself to return to the present.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"I said it looks like we have a welcome party," Peter nodded ahead at the trees where Terence could make out several Look Out fairies stationed in the branches.

"They're the Look Outs for Pixie Hollow. It'll take some convincing for them to allow you in. Fly on up to that tree right there and let me do the talking." Peter obeyed and held up his hands in defense as he landed in the tree. The fairies stared at him suspiciously until one caught sight of the sparrowman hanging out of the human's shirt.

"Terence?!" Peter gently lifted Terence from his shirt and set him down. Two fairies ran to Terence and embraced him.

"What are you doing back so soon? And WHAT are you doing with a human?" Peter's nose wrinkled at the fairy's tone.

"Terence, what's happened to you," the other said in a hushed voice. Terence fluttered his wings and winced when pain shot through his veins.

"It's a long story but this human is a friend. We need to see Queen Clarion."

"You know that's impossible. The Queen won't see any humans and she certainly won't allow one to cross into Pixie Hollow."

"Gretta, we need to get inside. Tink has been captured and-," he pleaded.

"Captured?! By whom?"

"Please. I don't have time for explanations. Send a messenger to the Queen, then, if you won't allow us to pass." The fairies glanced up at Peter, who was standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Is he trustworthy? How in the world can he fly?"

"Pixie dust," was all Terence said and the fairies' eyes widened.

"You gave a human pixie dust?! Terence, you of all fairies, know better—"

"He wasn't the one to give it to me. And I believe he's already said we don't have a lot of time to be standing around, chatting," Peter said heatedly. Terence glanced up at him and the fairies looked terrified.

"How can he understand us?"

"I thought we'd already covered this. The pixie dust changed me. That should prove I'm a friend and that I'm trustworthy. Now can someone please go get the Queen?!"

"We don't just 'go get the queen'," Gretta said saucily. "It's difficult to get an audience with the Queen." Peter looked down at Terence, his frustration evident.

"You're a fairy, talk some sense into them! Tink doesn't have much time!"

"I know, Peter," Terence said sharply. Peter threw his hands in the air and turned away, shaking his head. Terence sighed.

"Please, Gretta. Send someone to the Queen. We need her help. Tink's life is in danger and as Peter said, we're running out of time. And so is she." Gretta saw the sadness welling up in Terence's bright eyes and she sighed.

"I'll let you pass. I hope I don't regret this." He kissed her hand and ran back to Peter.

"Come on, let's get to the Pixie Dust Tree."

Peter flew quickly, ignoring the stares, gasps, pointing fingers, and cries from the fairies. Terence kept his eyes ahead and he too ignored the other fairies crying out to him. They didn't stop until the tree came into view. Peter gasped and they landed softly, his jaw agape at its magnificence. Terence ignored the stares from the Dust Fairies and turned to Peter.

"Keep quiet when we're talking to Queen Clarion. She is the Queen of all fairies and should be treated with respect. She'll find a way to help us but she will need the story first. So don't lose your temper." Peter nodded and followed Terence to the giant trunk of the tree. Peter noticed there was a steady stream of gold pouring down the tree into what looked like a lake of gold. His eyes widened as he tried to take it all in and didn't notice that Terence had stopped, nearly running him over.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

"You're a lot bigger than me, so would you watch where you're going?" Peter glared at the sparrowman but Terence didn't notice as he had let out a gasp.

"Clank! Bobble! What are you guys doing here?"

"We were summoned to fix something in the Queen's apartment. What are you doing back so soon, Terence? Where's Miss Bell?" Terence struggled to find his words; Clank and Bobble were both good friends of Tink's. They deserved to know what had happened but he didn't have time for this! Luckily, Peter nudged him gently and knelt down.

"Is that her?" Terence glanced up and saw Queen Clarion descending from her palace high in the branches of the Tree. Terence nodded.

"Excuse me, guys." He ran to the Queen as soon as she landed and bowed low.

"Queen Clarion, I need your help!"

"Why Terence, back from your trip so soon?" She caught sight of Peter and her eyes widened.

"Terence, what is the meaning of this?"

"Your Majesty, Tinkerbell has been captured by pirates. I escaped but my wings," he gently lifted them, ignoring the stabbing pains, so that the Queen could inspect them. Her hands clapped over her mouth in horror when she saw the deep cut. Terence lowered them again and gestured to Peter, who saw Terence's gesture and sank to one knee before the Queen.

"This is Peter Pan, a friend of the fairies. He helped me escape and brought me back to Pixie Hollow. Tink doesn't have a lot of time so I beg you to help us." Queen Clarion looked back at Peter and bowed her head.

"If you'd excuse us for just a moment, Peter?" Peter nodded and Queen Clarion took Terence's hand and lead him into the tree. Peter flung himself on the ground and spread out on the soft grass. He reached for a flower and started picking at its petals, lost in thought.

"Hey! You are ruining my begonias!" Peter jumped at the sharp voice to his right and glanced down to see a lovely red-headed fairy dressed in the petals of a flower. She had her hands on her hips and she was tossing her head sassily.

"Sorry," Peter said quickly, dropping the flower. Rosetta's eyes widened and she flew closer.

"You can understand me? But you're a—"

"Yes. I'm a human. Affected by pixie dust," Peter said in an irritated voice.

"Sugar bean, who ARE you?" Peter stared at the fairy, taken aback by her odd accent and wording.

"I'm Peter. Peter Pan. I'm a friend of Tinkerbell's."

"She's never said anything about you before. Where is she anyway?" Peter rolled his eyes, not wanting to explain the story again.

Queen Clarion's eyes were popping in horror as Terence finished his tale. She noticed he had tears welling up in his eyes and she reached over and grasped his hand.

"We shall save Tinkerbell, Terence. I don't know how exactly but we will save her. Now then, how long do we have?"

"Midnight," he said miserably.

"That's only a few hours at most. And you're sure the pirates want pixie dust?"

"As sure as I can be. They spoke of a great treasure but in the time Hook had me prisoner, he talked about the treasure that could make them rich beyond their dreams, make them powerful, and make them fly. It's the only great treasure I can think of."

"And that does not bode well," the queen said sadly, shaking her magnificent head. "You say that Peter has faced this pirate before? Might he help us again?"

"He's already tried. Tink was captured in their effort to rescue me. I don't know what else he can do."

"If he can understand fairies, he might be useful. I hesitate though to depend on a human. Even if he has helped you and Tinkerbell."

"He means a great deal to Tink," he said quietly and the queen noticed the bitterness in the sparrowman's voice. "And she to him. I think we can trust him because of what Tink means to him. I can't explain it, Your Majesty, but the two of them have some sort of…connection." The Queen patted his arm gently and shook her head.

"I'm sure you're imagining things—"

"But I'm not! Tink was drawn to that boy on the ship. When she gave him pixie dust to save his life, he could understand her. And he's changing, Majesty. He can fly without the dust now, he can understand all of us, and his ears have become fairy-like. What if he becomes a fairy like us?"

"I have never heard of that happening and don't imagine it will happen to the boy. Various amounts of pixie dust, however, cause different reactions, as you well know. More than likely the amount that Tinkerbell bestowed upon Peter caused some slight changes in him and nothing more will come of it. Their connection, as you call it, may just be from the fact that she saved his life and he feels close to her. Don't fret, Terence, you are still Tinkerbell's mate. You are still the sparrowman she chooses and loves." Terence nodded, feeling his throat stick.

"And I hope she'll still be Joined with me," he said very quietly. Queen Clarion fluttered her lovely wings.

"We should go talk to Peter and find out all that we can about this particular pirate. We should also let Periwinkle know what has happened. She deserves to know." Terence didn't want to waste anymore time but he couldn't disagree with the queen so he merely nodded. Queen Clarion folded her hands.

"There is a chance we can give the pirate what he desires…just a small amount of pixie dust and no more. Do you think that would appease him?"

"I don't think so, Your Majesty. I think he wants it all. If he knew the consequences, he wouldn't be thinking of this. But he's a pirate and according to Peter, the worst one of them all. He'll stop at nothing. And if he doesn't get what he wants, he'll murder Tinkerbell."

"We won't let that happen. But we need to come up with a plan. Send Clank and Bobble to fetch Tinkerbell's friends. We need all of the help we can get. Now, I'd like very much to speak with this Peter Pan."