A/N: Muchas Gracias to aureaborealis for her idea of including Pan in this chapter. =)

And also, I just realised that the flower Emma has tattooed on her wrist is a Buttercup. And Jennifer Morrison only has it for the show. And guys, the Princess Bride allusions are legitly killing me right now.

Thank you for following and favouriting and reviewing! I love you guys, you make me keep writing!

Enjoy! xx

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

xxx

Four Years Ago

"So." Emma had just presented the winning medallion of the first round to Prince Phillip and was now standing behind her wooden throne in front of Evie who was lying down lazily with her eyes closed. "Did you like seeing…you really weren't watching at all were you."

"Au contraire," Evie answered. She was perfectly positioned to view the tents where the knights were mounting their steeds. Sir Percival was on his way, with Killian checking the reigns of the horse. In those breeches and shirt that clung to his very defined body, Evie couldn't think of a fitter sight.

Well, except maybe Peter…

She shook her head and returned to her friend who had narrowed eyes and was following her line of sight.

"Evie…"

"Well, I can stare, can't I?"

But Emma wasn't convinced and with wide eyes, comprehension dawned. "You were with him?"

"No! Well…" Evie hesitated. "Yes."

Emma huffed impatiently. "It's one or the other, Evie."

"Fine," she said, with a frown. "I was."

Emma's face changed then, from one of frustration to one of a best friend with a very secretive secret.

"So, was he good?"

"EMMA!"

"Well, I'm not a prude. I've heard the rumours."

"But I…we didn't… You know me!"

"Unfortunately, I do," Emma sighed. "And you're a terrible liar. You weren't with him all night."

Evie's silence spoke more than she could say.

"Evie, you harlot!" Emma said teasingly.

"I am not!" she said in response.

"Well, with those girls…" Emma pointed at Evie's protruding breasts.

"You told me to wear this!"

"That was before I knew you had boys jumping on you!"

"You're a horrible best friend!"

"You're a terrible excuse for a sister!"

"You're a…what?" Evie stopped mid sentence, a little confused by what Emma had just called her. But Emma wasn't sorry for calling Evie her sister. It was about time anyway. They bickered like they were, and they'd known each other since they were born even if it had only been two years that Evie had lived with them.

Emma was saved a response by King David calling the beginning of the next round. But it didn't help Emma's words from swirling around her head.

Sister.

She'd never had a sister. She'd barely had a mother and father and now they were gone. She wasn't too sure what it meant. But, well, whatever it was, she kind of liked it.

xxx

Killian Jones's thoughts were on everything but the task he was supposed to be doing. The minute he dragged Sir Percival into the tent, bleeding profusely from his sternum, he was off to find the medic. But the moment he sent the bumbling man to tend to his Knight's wounds, he couldn't face going back there. He needed space and air. He needed –

"Princess."

"Killian."

"I'm not too sure you should be addressing me by my Christian name, Your Highness."

"Killian," Evie pleaded, taking a step forward. "You have no idea how sorry I am…"

"Please don't, Evie," he sighed in defeat, before looking up at her and seeing the way that she looked. It seemed that earlier he'd been too preoccupied with actually seeing her that he hadn't, well, actually seen her.

"Eyes front, Killian," Evie said quickly, a little annoyed. "Emma picked the dress."

"She, erm." Killian's mouth was dry. "She picked well."

Evie's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her chest; really not helping Killian's direction of sight. But when the trumpet sounded, signifying the start of the semi-final rounds, Evie knew she had to go back her lounge seat. And sleep.

She wasn't going to say anything else to Killian, but he caught her arm as she tried to leave.

"Happy Birthday, Evie."

She nodded, and walked away.

xxx

Evie didn't make it back to her seat before the next round started. Instead, just as she was coming back to the stands, she felt an arm pulling her forcefully around the corner. Her mouth opened in surprise as she made to protest, but before she could, there was familiar set of lips pressing on her own and she melted into them, her eyes closing as she lost herself in the feel of the hands that circled her waist and held her close.

Threading her hands up around his neck, she pulled away for air, stroking her hands through his hair.

"I thought you didn't want to see me until tonight?" Evie whispered, a smile playing at her lips.

"I never said that," Pan smirked. "I said I hoped I would see you. I got tired of waiting."

"That much is evident," Evie said, smiling at him. She pulled his hand into hers as they walked behind the back of the seat stalls, the rise and fall of the crowd's noise signifying much of what was going on in the tournament.

"You're not enjoying the tournament?"

"It's not really my scene," she shrugged. "I'd much prefer a small garden party. Or even just a picnic, or something. I don't know. A tournament isn't really my idea of fun. Half the people don't even know it's my birthday anyway. The King and Queen don't make it common knowledge."

"Ah yes, because you're a...Princess?" Pan said it as almost a question.

Evie furrowed her brow, confirming, "You didn't know?"

"Well I do now…Princess."

"You call me Princess and I'm never coming to Neverland again," Evie warned.

"Oh, really?" Pan questioned, cocking his eyebrow. He stopped their walk by pushing her back into the wood passionately. Barely a whisper away from his lips. "You sure about that, Princess Evelyn Rose Asteri?"

With a smirk, Evie pulled him into her and switched their places so that she was the one pressing him against the stands. "I'm pretty sure, Pan," she answered, breathing on his lips. "Pretty. Damn. Sure."

"Well, should we seal our names with a kiss then, Evie?" But her lips were already on his, his tongue sweeping along her lower lip and begging entrance. Evie's hands were fisting his unfamiliar shirt in her hands. She wasn't used to him wearing this world's clothes. Last night he'd worn his normal clothes, his Neverland clothes.

These were much simpler.

There was a passion in the way Pan held her to him, battling her tongue with his own until he broke away laughing.

"I think I've dragged you away from your people for long enough, Evie."

"Not nearly," she answered, pecking him on the lips once more before removing herself from him.

"Never mind, you'll see me tonight."

"That, I most definitely will," Evie answered with a wide grin as she scampered off around the stands to where she needed to be.

And as she walked away, Pan pressed his fingers to his lips, a spark still tingling on them and he smirked as he left with a slight spring in his step.

This was going to be easier than he thought.

xxx

Present Day

Evie was bouncing Ash in her arms as she tried to hush her crying. She was shushing her lightly when Killian finally came in after cleaning down the tables after dinner.

"You need to go and tuck the girls in," Killian said wearily as he held his hands out for Ash, before sinking into the nearest seat by the fire. This time, however, Ash didn't stop crying.

"I'll try and calm her down," Killian promised as Evie glanced back, assuring him she would be quick in her rounds. She started with the older ones who were still up reading in their rooms. They didn't have lights out times, they just had be-in-your-rooms-with-the-door-closed times. She bid them goodnight and shut their doors before heading down the hall and tucking in the younger girls.

"I'm excited for Saturday, Mom," Xenia said, as Evie pulled up her covers. Honestly, it was impossible to stem her excitement for anything. Since Evie had found her seven months ago, hiding in an empty ale crate, starved and weak, she had grown into a vivacious young girl, eager to go out and see the world.

It was a routine of theirs, that every Saturday, Evie and Killian would take the girls that wanted to, out for a few hours. Normally it wasn't into town. Instead, they would head along the road to the next portside village.

"Yeah, where are we going?" Lily asked from across the room.

"You two need to calm down and go to sleep," Evie warned, as she pulled up Lily's covers. "Otherwise Saturday down at the wharf in Serentai might be a little too tiring for both of you."

"Serentai!"

Evie raised her eyebrows at their excited response.

"Night, Mom!" They replied in unison before Evie blew out the candle by the door and they each doused the ones by their beds. After a few more rooms, Evie was at Tara and Kala's. The two of them were lying on one bed with a large picture book open in front of them. They were turning the pages much too quickly…

"Hi girls! Bed time!" Evie said softly as she walked into the room. Tara scampered into her bed and under the covers as Kala, regretfully, closed the book. Evie picked it up gently and placed it on the table between their beds. "Snow White?" she questioned.

Kala and Tara both seemed confused for a moment, and when they nodded, it was more in acceptance than agreement. They hadn't known.

"Do you want me to teach you how to read, girls?"

Both of their faces lit up in excitement as they nodded profusely.

"Okay," Evie answered with a satisfied nod. "We'll start tomorrow. But now, it's time for sleep."

"Goodnight, mom," Kala said as she pulled the covers up to her neck. Evie placed a soft kiss on her forehead before saying, "Sweet dreams, Kala."

Pushing the blankets up over Tara, she planted a kiss on the older girl's forehead too. "Sleep tight, Tara."

"You too," she said with a warm smile as Evie headed to the doorway. Dousing the lights, she headed back down the hallway towards where she could still hear Ash's feint crying. Shutting the door behind her, she heard Killian's low humming as he rocked Ash in his arms. He looked up when Evie came in, his eyes wide, "She won't stop. I changed her, I played with her, I sang to her. You fed her right?"

"Only an hour ago," Evie answered, holding her arms out for Ash. Killian seemed hesitant to part with her, but eventually, Evie had Ash in her arms once more, patting her back softly as her loud cries dulled into low whimpers.

Killian's face furrowed in confusion as Ash calmed down in Evie's arms. She hadn't done that in a very long time. But she was still gurgling in dissatisfaction.

"Maybe you should sing for her…" Killian suggested.

"I don't exactly have your voice."

"No," Killian said slowly, "You have your voice. And it's nowhere near horrible. Besides, it always used to calm her down when you first came here."

"That was seven months ago, Killian," she sighed, but she took his advice anyway. With the bundle of shuffling blankets in her arms, she began to hum a familiar melody before settling into the words after a verse.

"Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
'Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark.
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star."

By the time Evie finished, Ash was looking up at her with wide green eyes, her face in awe. But then they slowly began to close and Evie kept swaying until she was assured that the little girl was asleep. Laying her in her crib, she watched her breathe evenly before giving a relieved sigh and turning back to Killian who was looking just as relieved as she was.

"I'll stay with her tonight," Evie said with a soft sigh.

"I'm not tired," Killian replied, but Evie looked at him doubtfully, the shadows under his eyes giving him away.

"Well if you aren't going to leave, take the bed."

"Evie –"

"Goodnight, Killian," Evie said in finality, taking her seat by the fire. No book, no writing. She just sat there, staring into the ever-changing flames long into the night, pondering how long she could remain under this pretence of safety with Pan so near.

"Goodnight Princess," Killian murmured into his pillow. But Evie didn't hear.

The Star - Jane Taylor