A/N: Update 17

When we were deep enough into the forest, Hook stopped. "All right, Pan. Tell me where we're headed. Where is this source of youth?" he asked.

"Hook, I told you before," I explained. "I don't know how, or if I even do control it."

"Pan, I've had enough of your bullshit. You and I both know that you are the reason Neverland stays young. It really is in your best interest to tell me, now," Hook looked at me threateningly, his good hand reaching for the gun in its holster.

"I seriously have no idea, but maybe the pixies can help." I lead Hook to the edge of Pixie Hollow. "Wait here," I instructed. "If they know I'm helping you, they won't talk." I walked over, "Hello? Anyone here? It's me, Peter Pan, I'm back." I listened for any sort of twinkling. I heard the faintest ring. "Tink, is that you? Tinker Bell?"

All of a sudden, I saw a green flash zip by me. It stopped and hovered and turned back around. It was my old friend, Tinker Bell.

She flew over to me, slowly. She hovered in front of my face trying to recognize me. A smile appeared on her face and she started speaking in her language. It's been years since I spoke Pixie, and she was talking so fast, I couldn't understand.

"Slow down, Tink, slow down!" I urged. "I can't understand you, it's been awhile." She explained to me the peril that Neverland was in and how happy she was that I was back. A lot had changed since I had left, she said, and not for the better.

"I know, Tink. That's why I'm back. Word on the street is that I have something to do with it. Do you know if that's true?" I asked. She nodded. "Can you tell me how?" Tinker Bell frowned and shook her head. My smile faded. "Do you know anybody that could?" I asked hopeful. Tink smile and nodded furiously. She tugged at my shirt, urging me to follow.

She led me to the center of Pixie Hollow where their queen, Clarion lived. Tinker Bell explained that Queen Clarion knew mostly everything about the island, and could possibly be of help. She flew down and explained to the queen why I was here. Queen Clarion flew up by my face to allow me to explain. I explained to her that I was trying to help the island from aging, and restore the youth and beauty that once thrived here. Lucky for me, Queen Clarion understands and speaks English, so I didn't have to self-translate.

"Peter Pan, it is so nice to see you here again." Queen Clarion smiled after I explained the situation to her. "I, in fact, do know how the island stays youthful, and yes, you do play a role in it, though you do not have to if you do not want to.

"Long ago, before you were even here, Neverland stayed young by the spirit and imagination of Earth children. It was a very weak source of energy, because the children were so far away, and they all eventually grow up. When you arrived, the island found that you were a strong source of energy. You ran away from home, and claimed that you never wanted to grow up. Neverland made a promise to you that it would keep you youthful, as long as you did the same for it. Do you remember this, Peter?" Queen Clarion asked in a serious tone.

"It's coming back to me. It was so long ago. Literally longer than an Earth lifetime." I replied.

She nodded and continued. "Every time you leave, the island roams the skies trying to stay close to you. But it always knew that you would come back. When you left for good, Neverland searched and searched, but couldn't find you. It eventually gave up and settled back to where it was in the sky, and began aging."

"Oh." I replied feeling sheepish. "I had no idea. So, I have to be here on the island for the magic to work?"

Queen Clarion nodded. "Well, no. But the magic is strongest when you are here. Already I can feel the island has stopped aging. You and everything on the island has stopped aging."

"So is there like a source inside of me that keeps Neverland young?" I asked.

"You don't remember?" Queen Clarion questioned. I stared blankly back at her, so she continued. "When you arrived, and made the promise with the island, it took a small amount of your youth. That is why you stayed the age of twelve, still a child, but old enough to care for yourself. The island stored its smidgen of your youth, and created a bond with you. When you are on the island, the bond is strong; when you travel away it is weakened. The last time you left, you travelled farther than you ever have. The island searched, but eventually gave up on trying to find you. When the island gave up, the bond between you and Neverland was temporarily broken, so you both began to age."

"You said earlier that I didn't have to be a part of keeping the island young. How might I go about doing that?" I asked, cringing.

"You don't want to help the island anymore? It seems that you have grown into a mature young man. In order to break the bond permanently you must find someone willing to take your place. Travel with that person to the top of Mount Never. That is where the youth is stored. Once there, you will find a crystal globe. That is the source of the youth. You and the other person must both hold the globe together. You will regain your amount of youth, and the other person will lose a small amount. The bond between you and Neverland will be broken permanently, and a new bond will form for the new person."

I looked at her in awe. "So I regain my youth, how young are we talking? I don't want to be twelve again!"

Queen Clarion laughed. "It is only a small amount. Maybe, six months' time in Earth years. How old are you now?"

"I'm sixteen, almost seventeen," I answered.

"So, if you decide to break the bond, you will only lose a few months, hardly noticeable," She clarified.

"Thank you for explain all of this to me, Queen Clarion. You have no idea how much this helped me," I smiled.

"You are welcome, Peter. If you do not mind my asking, why do you want to lose your bond with Neverland?" Queen Clarion questioned.

I couldn't tell Queen Clarion that I was helping Captain Hook. She wouldn't let me leave Pixie Hollow, or she would banish me, and Winnie would be in danger to Hook. "I, well, I don't necessarily want to, but I've got a life back on the Mainland. It's nice to have an option I suppose," I lied.

"Peter," Queen Clarion scolded. "I know when you are lying. Something else is going on here. What is it? Is someone threatening you?" I said nothing. "If that is the case, let me tell you this: the trade will not work if the decision is not your own. It must totally and completely be your decision to give someone else the responsibility of caring for the island. The new person must also be willing to accept this responsibility. If someone is threatening you, the trade cannot happen," Queen Clarion informed me.

"Okay," I said coolly. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her, or me. "Thanks again for all your help, Queen Clarion. I really appreciate it."

"You are welcome, Peter Pan. I hope you make a wise decision. Here, take this," she said as she handed me a small pouch. "It is pixie dust. This will help you reach Mount Never, should you decide to make the switch. Let it also be a reminder to the life you will be leaving, should you choose to do so. Do not forget your childhood, Peter. It is one of the most precious things in the world. Use the pixie dust at your leisure if you want, but be sure to leave enough for two people in case you decide to travel up to Mount Never."

I took the pouch from her and nodded my thanks. The way she spoke to me it almost seemed like she knew I was going to make the trip. I didn't know if I was going to break my bond with Neverland, so how could she possibly know? "Thank you. I really must be going now," I said. She nodded and flew back down to her home. I turned to leave, and Tinker Bell came and floated by my face. She pointed to herself and then to me. She wanted to come.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Tink." Her face fell. "I'll tell you what; if I need your help I'll do our secret whistle, okay? You do remember it, don't you?" I asked with a smile. Tinker Bell nodded. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and flew away.

I headed back out to where Captain Hook was waiting. "Anything?" he asked hopeful.

I hesitated at first, remembering what Queen Clarion said about it having to be my own decision. But I also thought of Winnie, and the danger she could be in if I didn't help Hook. He looked at me impatiently waiting for an answer. Important decisions had to be made, and I wasn't ready to make them just yet, so all I said was, "yes, I know how the island stays young, problem is we have to find it, and the pixies didn't know where it was," I half-lied.

"Damn those pixies," Hook cursed. "Do you have any clues?"

I shook my head. "The best bet is to just start searching, I suppose." I was buying myself some time. Hopefully Hook wouldn't want to check Mount Never first.

"All right, fine," Hook humphed. "Let's start looking."