Hello, My wonderful readers. Yeah...about my updates...I've actually had this chapter written for a LONG time, I just hadn't edited it till now. I'm working two part time jobs this summer, so that's my explanation for another much belated update. I promise to TRY to get my act together!!! The other thing is, I've been delayed with writing chapter fourteen (not quite finished) because I got a new idea and I need to expand on it. So...anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan. I only own Rebecca and any other characters or thing you do not recognize.


Chapter 13: I Spy

"PETER, LOOK!" I shouted. We had passed over a large amount of forest and beach and were now descending towards Mermaid's Lagoon. Hah, yes, this was my reaction to my first mermaid sighting. Peter wasn't so impressed.

"What?"

"What?! MERMAIDS! That's what!" I squealed, forgetting to blush about my squealing because I was so excited. Peter looked at me, a laughing expression on his handsome face.

"Why are girls always so excited over mermaids?" he asked me.

"Uh, 'cause they're mermaids and they're mystical creatures and beautiful!" I exclaimed, not believing how matter-of-fact he was being.

"Well, here's your chance to meet them," Peter said as we landed on a nearby rock.

"Eee! Really?" I squealed again, clapping my hands and jumping up and down. Peter laughed and played on his panpipe while I took a quick view of the lagoon just before the mermaids responded to the pretty and playful tune that was so familiar to me from the movie. This was the first time Peter had played his panpipe in front of me, and I fell a thrill of excitement pulse through my stomach. He was so talented! "Doo-doo-doo…" I whispered in rhythm to the music as I looked around me. It was truly an enchanting place, I must say.

With a rushing waterfall in the background, surrounded by enormous tropical flowers of pink and yellow and red and green leaves and ivy, and a thick cloud of mist encircling where the waterfall plunged into the lagoon…and then there were the mermaids themselves, laying about lazily in the sun. Some were asleep, others were playing with their hair, admiring their watery reflections, and now and then I spotted one swimming, rising to the rocks or disappearing into the blue. Their tails were what astonished me the most, as they were green and blue at the same time, like an aquamarine, but they sparkled millions of colors as they moved under the sun. It was an amazing sight. And then there was their hair; it was unreal. I've seen my fair share of girls with hair below their waists, but a mermaid's hair is something else. It's thick, yet light, and silky and always seems to glisten, wet or dry. It's beautiful, and the mermaids in front of me each had a unique shade of brown or gold or red or black. A truly priceless sight, as is all of Neverland.

"Peter! It's Peter Pan! He's here!" a brunette mermaid called out to the others. Instantly, they all started to chatter excitedly, jumping off their rocks and gliding through the water toward Peter and me. I looked at Peter and saw him smiling a cocky grin.

"You just love the attention they give you, don't you, Peter?" I asked with a little laugh. I received no reply, for the boy was paying me no attention. 'I should have expected that,' I thought, though still a tad bit hurt. There wasn't much time to feel hurt, however, as the mermaids surrounded us, poking their heads out of the water and staring at Peter with that drooling look that he always gets from girls. They greeted him excitedly, until they noticed me, which didn't take very long considering that I was standing only a little bit behind him.

"Hello Peter!"

"Peter!"

"Peter, I missed you!"

"Hey, Peter!"

"Hello, Peter!" The lad started to laugh, loving this, obviously.

"Peter, who's that girl?" the same brunette asked, her voice hinting at trouble.

"I'm Rebecca," I said quickly.

"And what are you doing with Peter? And what are you wearing?" the mermaid laughed.

"I'm wearing pajamas," I replied easily. They had never seen big t-shirts and flannel pants before?

"Oh? Can you swim in these…what did you call them?"

"Pajamas. Night clothes," I said. They seemed to recognize 'night clothes.' Perhaps they just weren't used to seeing a girl in pants...with the exception of Braith. I felt a wet hand tugging at my right pant leg. They didn't need to ask me to swim twice, for as they did, I dove in. The water was pleasantly warmed in the sun and it felt lovely. I began to do the breaststroke, heading up to the surface…until I realized what a bad mistake I had made jumping into the water. All at once, I felt hands wrapping around my feet and legs, tugging me down. I panicked and began to kick violently, but I was no match against these swimmers. I reached upwards, still attempting to force myself to the surface. I was running out of breath already (I've never been a strong swimmer). And then, to my relief, my hands hit rock.

Slippery as it was, it had plenty of nice holds and I gripped it while calling on my rock climbing muscles. Even in their rusty state, as I had not climbed in some months, I was able to pull myself up.

Twice I was pulled back down, and I ended up sucking in some water, but that only gave me more motivation. It is amazing how strong a person can become when their life is being threatened. I reached up again, clawing the rock as hard as I could, but my hand slipped and my fingers began to burn as my knuckles scraped the jagged edges. I winced, choking, and scrunched my face in pain and desperation as I tried again, only this time my hand landed on the top of a rock, out of the water. I quickly joined my other hand with my first and pulled up with all of my might. The instant my mouth broke through the surface, I spat water and sucked in several noisy breaths. I thought my lungs would never be full enough with air and I couldn't even breathe completely yet because I was choking up water.

By now, I was hanging on tightly to the edge of the rock as my legs continued to be pulled down. 'How am I going to get out of this,' I wondered. These mermaids were stubborn! Looking around me hurriedly, I realized that I was not where I had started. In front of me grew grass and a tree, and thinking quickly (my arms were rapidly tiring) I gripped the roots of the tree and began to use them like rope. The tree was thankfully huge, allowing for the roots to be strong, and they stayed taught without breaking as I pulled and pulled, struggling and wondering when and if my legs would be released. The hands around my legs eventually did begin to let go, and I felt them free me pair by pair. When my legs were finally ridden of mermaid hands, I kicked up and out of the water and lay on my stomach, soaked and exhausted. Peter's whereabouts hardly even crossed my mind. All I felt was relief at having saved myself.

I don't know how long I lay there. I may have fallen asleep (I had closed my eyes), but suddenly I became alert to what sounded like little huffing breaths. I slowly moved my head closer to the forest and forced myself into kneeling so that I could listen more closely. The sound continued with the breaths coming out shallow and rapid and…was that sniffling? Was someone crying? I had to find out.

I got up and tiptoed through the grass, twisting carefully around the tree, trying to hide myself. The sound grew louder. Yes, someone was crying. I could hear sniffling clearly now, along with a sad moaning. I slid against the tree and looked around. It was instantly darker about me now because I was entering the forest, and I shivered under my wet pajamas, wishing that the sun would follow me, but I could still see just fine. As the jungle surrounded me again, and I soon realized that the sound was coming from behind some nearby bushes. I decided to get down on all fours and crawl up to the bushes to do some spying. Perhaps it was a mean thing to do when the person was crying, but I was feeling somehow playful even after nearly being drowned. How was it that I could get happy and playful again so quickly? The one answer I have is that it was Neverland. 'Tis quite difficult to be anything but happy there!

Leaves softly sank beneath the weight of my hands as I crept forward, feeling odd for sneaking up on a crying person. Nevertheless, I continued to the bushes and quietly parted them…and had to cover my mouth with my hand to smother a gasp. For there on a rock to my left, red-faced and crying, sat Braith.

Hope you liked it! Reviews, please, and as always no flames, pro favor:D Arevoir (I know I didn't spell that right) until my next update, which will be soon!!!