Anger is Red & Betrayal is Black

by sultal

!SEQUEL! Jealousy and anger, rear your ugly heads again for the great Mr. Peter Pan! This story is the sequel to my Peter Pan fanfiction 'Envy is Green & Ocean is Blue,' by popular demand. Prepare for the return of Wendy, Brine, Peter, Nixie, Tinkerbell, and the pirates in a new, dark Neverland plot amidst tense, unfinished emotions.

11. Chapter 11: Bring Her Back

Chapter 11: Bring. Her. Back.

Peter woke a second before he slammed into the canoe.

"PADDLE! PADDLE!

"LOOK OUT!"

"DUCK!"

Splat!

Arms and legs tumbled in a heap as the canoe bucketed, rocked, and finally tipped over. The cold water jolted Peter like an electric shock. Swerving, Peter wormed himself through the pirate's fishing net and onto the upside-down canoe.

Shaking like a wet puppy, Peter heard Princess Tigerlily, Black Antler, and John spluttering in kind. Although Peter did not require anyone's assistance, he was sure that these three were relieved to see him safe.

Wobbly from the cannon fire, Peter crawled across the bottom of the canoe to enlist help from his allies.

However, as Peter looked up, an umbrella hit him between the eyes.

"You cad!"

Peter slipped backwards as John jumped to his feet. The canoe pitched as John battered Peter with his umbrella "You deceitful, fraudulent cad! You boor! You upstart!"

"John!" Tigerlily tried to catch the flying umbrella while balancing on her knees. "John! Stop hitting him right now! Stop! Black Antler! Make John stop!"

Black Antler's hair dripped over his dark eyes. Grasping the curved undersurface, the brave planted himself on the rocking canoe. "No. This is founded, Princess."

"Arrrrrr-ohhhhh! John!" Bracing herself, Tigerlily pounced on John like a tiger. Peter snatched the umbrella and rolled into the air as John and Tigerlily crashed into the ocean.

"Don't move!" Peter ordered, pointing the umbrella like an epée as Black Antler lurched at him. Turning in circles to alternate targets, Peter waited for John and Tigerlily to resurface.

"Don't you brandish that umbrella at me, Sir!" John spluttered, slapping the side of the canoe as Peter seized his collar. Undaunted, John continued to rant as Tigerlily dragged herself aboard. "Unhand me! Your cowardice disgusts me! How dare you, Sir! How dare you take my sister hostage! How dare you give Wendy to the pirates!"

Peter paused. John hung over the ocean, suspended by the collar of his nightshirt. His top hat sagged with water. The water leaked over his glasses.

Noticing Peter's hesitation, John crossed his arms contemptuously. "Well. What do you have to say for yourself Peter Pan?"

"Yes." Black Antler rose, arms lifting slightly for balance. "Explain yourself."

Peter flipped out his dagger. John swung, clinging to Peter's arm.

"I don't need to explain myself to you, brave!" Peter said as Tigerlily steered John back onto the canoe. "Especially where Wendy is concerned –"

"Oh no you don't!" Tigerlily marched to Peter. Standing on tip-toe the livid princess quickly subdued the boy.

"Neverland is crippled, my people are running around like blind bats, you've allied with the mermaids and the pirates, a girl that does not belong to you faces Captain Hook's mercy, you are no closer to finding that pixie, and I am soaking wet in the middle of an ocean on an upside down canoe! So—"

Tigerlily grabbed John's umbrella. "—so put away your dagger and tell us why you have done what you have done!"

"Indeed!" John agreed, swiping his umbrella from Tigerlily. "Rectify your wrongs!"

"And if you must lie." Black Antler said stepping closer. "Make it better than the one you told Wendy."

Peter spun. "Lie? I didn't lie! Wendy lied to me!"

"Wendy—" John huffed, taking the insult personally on his sister's behalf. "—is a lady. She would never –"

"She ran away to the ocean!" Peter retorted, shoving John into Tigerlily. "She betrayed me. If she hadn't gone to the ocean, Tinkerbell wouldn't have followed and – "

"The ocean?" Black Antler frowned. Then, he drew back. "The ocean. This…" Black Antler shook his head, incredulously. "…this is about Wendy's merman."

Peter's face knotted. His muscles could have broken through the skin with tautness. "I forbad Wendy from that…that codfish. And she…she wanted him. She wanted him back."

"That was not Wendy's fault." said Black Antler as Tigerlily wrestled John for the umbrella. Locking into Peter's gaze, Black Antler gestured to the ocean. "What did you think, Little Flying Eagle? Because you ordered Wendy to forget the merman then the memory would disappear?"

"My orders were clear."

Black Antler gawked at Peter. "They shared an adventure. The merman was her friend. She missed him. As you will miss her…now that Wendy is banished."

Peter ignored the constriction around his heart. "And banished she will stay."

"Little Flying Eagle…she meant no harm."

Peter's eyes flared. "No harm? Tinkerbell is gone! Eaten by a fish!"

The canoe lurched as John stabbed down his umbrella. "Then why by the Queen of bloody England did you give her to the pirates?!"

Peter faltered. Simultaneously, John, Black Antler, and Tigerlily followed his gaze to the open ocean. The Jolly Roger was gone.

"The pirates wanted her." Peter said, lost in the empty waves. The ocean billowed like an enormous blanket caught in the wind. The curve of Peter's nose turned raw as he searched through the sea spray. "When I rescued her, the pirate told me to give Wendy over if I ever wanted to see Tinkerbell again."

The canoed surged towards shore. Peter stared at the horizon.

"So you made a trade." Black Antler shifted, looking into the black of Peter's eyes. "And Hook did not have Tinkerbell."

Peter blinked. "Hook needs Wendy to find Tinkerbell."

"So you can see…only see Tinkerbell again." said Tigerlily, remembering Hook's evil eloquence with words. "Not have. Not take. See."

Peter shut his eyes. "I need to find Tinkerbell. I – "

WACK!

Peter crashed onto his back. The impact echoed across the hollow canoe. Shaking away the pain, Peter opened his eyes.

John stood over him. The umbrella tip pressed against his throat.

"You listen to me, Peter Pan!" said John, umbrella shaking in his hands. Peter didn't move. Behind John, Black Antler and Tigerlily looked stunned at the boy's aggressiveness. "You listen to me! Wendy is my sister. And if Captain Hook needs Wendy to find Tinkerbell, then you need Wendy to find Tinkerbell."

Peter inhaled sharply as John pressed the umbrella against his throat. The point dug into the tender cartilage. Wendy's brother looked afraid. Very afraid. But he did not retreat. John looked into Peter's eyes.

"Bring. Her. Back."