A/N: Aight. This is the longest chapter in a VERY long time.

But here it is, wrapped up in a bow, and gifted to you! I'd love to know what you guys think, so don't be afraid to review! And thank you to my readers, favourites and followers, I love you guys!

Enjoy! xx

Rumours

xxx

Eight Months Ago

Evie was lost in unconsciousness by the time the crew landed the ship in the Healer's town. Killian carried Evie off the ship hurriedly, ordering Smee to watch over a sleeping Princess as he did so. Lying upon that desk where he placed her in the back room of an old dilapidated cottage, the hunched old lady came and looked over Evie. Giving her a dismissive look, the woman muttered in broken English, "She is very ill. It…not be easy."

"Anything," he said earnestly. "Payment, herbs; I'll get you whatever you need."

"Space," the lady said with those beady eyes of hers, eyeing him until he stepped back from Evie's still body. The lady pulled out some herbs that she began to grind into a fine powder with a well practiced hand. Setting light to the end of a stem of sage she began to chant over Evie's body, scenting the air and muttering in a foreign language.

"Are you using magic?" Killian's eyes widened in horror. Magic was the realm of darkness. He wouldn't let such evil touch Evie's being.

"She will die," the healer said shortly. "White magic. Natural. Good."

Killian's brow furrowed. Looking at it, he could see that already, Evie was breathing easier with the flow of white that was beginning to encompass her body.

"What is it doing?"

"Stop talking," the lady said harshly and Killian shut his mouth, lest she suddenly make a mistake and Evie die right there upon the table.

Still with her eyes closed, Evie's hands began to clench and unclench on the desk as though in pain. It was a pain that made Killian fear.

It was only moments later when her body convulsed. He leapt forward but the lady held him back with a strength he didn't realise she possessed. But Evie's body continued to contort violently, only, as Killian watched on, horrified, he saw the wound on her hip beginning to close up, the bruises on her body fleeing.

And as she finally stilled, her lungs were clear of all ailments, her breathing coming evenly and her face slowly returning to its normal colour. The white flow of magic faded from the healer's hand and she dropped the arm that was stopping Killian. He jumped forward, taking a hold of Evie's hand tightly, "Evie? You alive?"

"She will not wake," the lady said from where she was putting away her, "Not for hours. Her…body is recovering. But she is well."

"She's okay?"

The lady nodded, holding out her hand expectantly. Killian handed over a small bag of rubies which she examined before nodding as though the terms were acceptable. At that, Killian picked Evie up, wrapping in the blanket in which he'd brought her, and left. But relief did not settle in until he laid her back on his bed and saw her curl onto her side, clutching his pillow. Of course, Sme came running in after that with a crying princess.

"Out, out!" Killian hurried him so as to not wake up Evie. "Geez man, I've got a woman who almost died in there and you're bringing in a crying baby?"

"She hasn't stopped since you left!" he answered, shuffling the child into Killian's arms where she frowned with a wail before quietening quickly. Surprised, Killian bounced the child up and down a few times before Smee looked at him completely gobsmacked, "But how did you –"

"Don't know," Killian answered with a shrug as the baby in his arms began to gurgle happily. Realisation hit then. "She's probably hungry too. It's not just you, Smee."

"Well, what are we supposed to feed her?"

"We'll have to wait until Evie wakes up," he sighed, looking down at the Princess, "And just hope that this little monster doesn't start screaming again."

At the word monster, Natasha's brow furrowed. Intelligent little star, Killian thought momentarily, that's for sure.

"Fine then, little star," he said and she nodded as though it was more suitable, eyes drifting closed and falling into sleep once more.

xxx

Evie awoke a few hours later, aware, alive and feeling as though she'd had an old skin removed and been clothed in the finest silk; not just Killian's silk sheets.

"Evie?" Killian asked, looking upward hopefully from the book he had in his right hand. "You're…you're okay?"

Evie nodded, her wide eyes staring at the bundle he held in his hooked arm, leaning contentedly into his body. She seemed frozen for a moment before looking up at him in awe.

"You did it."

"Yeah," Killian answered, putting his book down and standing up.

"I didn't think you would," Evie breathed, her eyes wide and hopeful as she moved to stand up. Her legs wobbled for a moment, but then she was fine, crossing the room swiftly until she was right in front of him.

And yet, even as she looked down at Natasha's face, she seemed distant…afraid somewhat. And with a confused face, Killian tried to hand the child over. But Evie took a step back.

"Evie…"

"No, you've got her, she's asleep, that's fine," she said with a small smile. "She's fine. She's safe. That's good."

"Evie…"

"So where are we headed?" Evie changed the subject abruptly.

"I was actually headed home." One more round trip to find Emma.

"To Snow and David's kingdom?" Evie frowned. But then she thought about it. She didn't have to go back to the palace. Just the town. And if she was secret, maybe she could live there happily enough.

"Okay," Evie said with a nod.

"Well, this little star is weighing on my arm, so if you would be so kind…" He held her out to Evie once more and this time she reluctantly took her.

"She'll probably be hungry when she wakes up," Killian commented.

"Of course," Evie murmured, looking down at the little girl with an almost confused affection, before looking back up at Killian curiously, "You called her 'little star'."

"Well, I know that you liked the stars," he shrugged, remembering her horse's name and the present he gave her for her fourteenth birthday. "I thought it fitting."

"It's perfect," Evie sighed almost contentedly. As long as she kept Ash safe, it was perfect.

xxx

Five Months Ago

"Xenia! I swear, if you don't come down from there…"

Xenia was hanging upside down from the newly built supports for the underground dining room. Her arms were wide in abandon, but Evie definitely didn't trust that the girl wouldn't fall and break her neck. The other girls, all seven of them, were just as worried. Even Ash was looking up at Xenia with a frown from Sarah's arms.

"Okay, okay," she finally laughed, scrambling to the right way up before sliding back along the wooden railing and jumping off the wall to the floor like a nimble monkey. "See. I'm safe, Mom."

"And you're not going out on Saturday," Evie said sternly as she pulled Xenia in for a crushing hug. "God, don't ever do that again."

"Mom, I'm sorry, you're crushing me."

"That's because I want your feet on the ground."

"Oh, I don't know, the sea might be a better place," a familiar laughing voice came from across the room.

Evie's head jolted upwards, looking past Xenia's light hair to where Killian was standing in the doorway. Her eyes widened in surprised wonder as Xenia wiggled her way out of Evie's arms.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Now is that really any way to welcome an old friend?" He was leaning there perusing the room appraisingly with a smiling gleam in his blue eyes. It only took Evie a moment to sprint across the room and fling herself on him, her hands wrapping tightly around his neck as he pulled her to him by the waist.

"I missed you," she whispered as she clung to him. "Did you…find what you were looking for?"

"No," he answered. Evie hadn't known he'd been searching for Emma, but she hadn't pressed it when Killian had given her some gold to kick start her life and left, free spirit that he was. But he knew within him. Emma was still alive. And if it was meant to be, she would find her way back to him.

"But I'm here to help," he said finally, pulling away to look at her, "If you'll have me."

"You're happy to be put to work?"

"Anywhere you need me to be," he grinned.

"My my, I wonder how Killian Jones does in the kitchen?" Evie said with her brow raised.

"As well as can be expected," he smirked.

"But, I suspect you'll be a far more appreciated babysitter," Evie continued, turning to Sarah and asking her for Ash. Bringing her over, Ash looked up at Killian and quickly began to smile at the sight of him. Killian reached out and her hand wrapped around his finger. A warmth lit up his face that Evie felt flood the whole room.

"Sometimes I might need to duck out, just still searching, you know," he commented, almost asking permission of Evie.

"Of course," Evie nodded, looking at him as though he was incredulous to question her. "We'll always be here. We're family."

And Ash gurgled in agreement.

xxx

Present Day

When Evie woke up the next morning, Killian already had Ash up and changed and was just edging out of the door when she opened her eyes.

"What's the time?" Evie murmured sleepily.

"Seven," he muttered from the doorway. "Go back to sleep, love. Emma and I will take care of things."

A twinge of something foreign went through her at his words as he shut the door. Only in that moment, Evie realised that maybe it wasn't so foreign. She knew what it was. It was echoed in the empty room.

It was loneliness.

She threw her covers off her body, loathe to return to her dreams and the images that they'd left in her mind. Her subconscious was giving her torturous images of Pan's body on hers, making her feel things that she was trying to push far, far away.

Instead they were merely embedding deeply into her being. And she hated it.

She got dressed quickly, ignoring breakfast and intending to head out on a food supply run but Killian caught her. Handing her a piece of toast, buttered and topped with blackberry jam, he waited for her to take it. Even as she tried to leave he stopped her, forcing her to eat it before she left.

"What was that for?" Evie asked once she'd hurriedly eaten in within a minute.

"That was for me not seeing you having eaten more than two bites in the past two days," Killian said, eyeing her worriedly. "Are you sure you should be going out?"

"Things need to get done around here, Killian," Evie answered, not sure why she was so annoyed at him. She glanced over his shoulder and saw that Emma was playing with Ash, making faces at her and making her child laugh. And that shiver of loneliness ran through her again...

"I have to go."

And she exited the stronghold before anything else could make her feel worse.

The glare took a moment to get used to, but after a while, Evie came to enjoy the fresh breath of air running off the water. She strolled through the town towards the shops where she bought the fruit and vegetables they'd need for the rest of the week.

After getting the bread, she went to the butcher, and that was where she heard the whispering.

"…they cross the lands of Hintar….hmm?...yes, the Evil Queen has given orders…an alliance with King Highmark…they seek to eradicate a threat…I've heard word it's just a boy…but also they search for the missing Princess…"

Evie froze up. The Evil Queen was scared. She was lashing out because there as another threat. It was common knowledge that she was out for Snow and David, but as of yet she'd been biding her time. But here she was…trying to find Ash…

But Pan was here too. And he was planning and plotting to take the kingdom that she wanted. And she was threatened.

Solution: Eradicate the problem.

Kill Pan; find Ash.

Evie ran from the place without a second thought.

She didn't bother knocking on any doors in the inn. Running past the sound of lost boys that she heard up and down the halls, she burst into Pan's room without a second thought, surprising not only herself, but Pan too.

The moment she saw that he was standing there shirtless, his hair still mussed from sleep, she was overcome by a sudden wave of lust, and wordlessly she began to pull off her dress.

"What are you doing, Evie?" Pan asked, his eyes glazing over as she removed her layers until she was standing there naked.

"I want you to fuck me," she said blatantly. Her words could wait for later. Here; standing here in front of him, the loneliness wasn't hidden from her anymore. It was all around her, in her…all encompassing... "Until I can't feel anything."

"That, my love," Pan said stalking forward with that dark gleam in his eyes, "Is something I'm quite adept at."

It was a very good thing he'd sound proofed the walls.

xxx

Pan's dreams were the most pleasurable he'd had in a long time. Never had Evie featured so vividly. So beautifully naked and all his to do with as he pleased.

When he awoke later that afternoon, having fallen asleep at midday after hours spent all over the room with Evie, he felt himself in desperate need of attention. And unwilling to lose the vision behind his eyes, he reached down for his ready cock, preparing to complete his dream where it left off.

Only there was already someone there.

Pan opened his eyes to find Evie's mouth surrounding him. She had her eyes closed as she pumped him in and out of her mouth, one hand at his base and the other reaching down to where he couldn't see it. But she would only be doing one thing.

He wanted to reach out and touch her, but instead, he closed his eyes, not wanting to let her know that he was awake. But when she licked the underside of his manhood and took him in as far as she could, he couldn't restrain himself anymore.

"Fuck, Evie," he groaned, clutching at the sheets beside him. "You're just as good as I remember."

He felt her smile around him as she continued to take him in, until he spiralled into his climax, spurting himself into her mouth and feeling her swallow. Spineless, he slumped onto his pillow, looking up at the ceiling in amazement. Evie removed herself from his cock, but continued to toy with her own wetness until Pan couldn't take the sound anymore and growled, "Get up here."

As she crawled forward, Pan pulled her into him desperately until she was straddling his chest. Expecting his fingers to make quick work of her, she was surprised when he pulled her forward again by her hips until her legs were on either side of his face. His tongue darted out, surprising her as he tasted her completely soaking juices. She moaned, clasping onto the headboard as she ground into his face, his tongue dancing through her folds as he brought two fingers up to plunge into her until he felt her beginning to come apart and her walls clamped down on his fingers, juices flooding his mouth as she moaned out her release.

She slid down him to lie beside him, breathing heavily whilst he turned into her, tracing lazy patterns over the smooth skin of her arm.

"So, can you still remember your name?" he smirked, leaning down to kiss her shoulder, "Or only mine?"

"Stop. Talking. Pan." She groaned, throwing herself on top of him again, and shutting him up with a fierce kiss.

"Ahh, the latter then," he grinned, pulling away to purposefully incense her. "Tell me Evie, did you succeed?"

No. God no.

She kissed him again, slightly softer this time with just the tiniest desperate edge to it. When she finally pulled away, it was to mutter with a furrowed brow, "She's out to find Ash."

"Who is?" Pan's eyes widened as he heard what Evie said. She was put off by that; it almost seemed like genuine concern. Leaning back, she straddled him so that they could talk without their lips entangling.

"Regina," she continued, "She's agreed to help King Highmark find the 'heir' and in return, assuming my inside knowledge is correct, he would have lent her the Immortals."

"Isn't that the army of another land in a different realm?"

"What?" Evie asked in confusion.

"Never mind," Pan said shaking his head, "But 10 000 warriors, right? The elite?"

"Exactly," Evie nodded before biting down on her lip. "They're coming for Ash."

"Then we have to protect her!" He was sitting up now, his body pressed against Evie, green eyes wide and frantic, such a perfect replica of his daughter's. Evie couldn't help the hand that began to trace down Pan's face as she leant in. She breathed him in, his scent, his warmth, and rested her forehead on his until their noses touched.

"She's out to kill you."

Pan looked up into Evie's eyes as he rubbed his nose delicately against hers. It didn't seem strange, instead it was oddly comforting as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "As long as we protect Ash," he answered before his lips touched hers lightly.

He was seeking permission, Evie finally realised, granting it as she opened her mouth and wove her hands up into his hair, deepening the kiss. Her fingertips ran down his chest to where her slow rocking was making him hard once again.

"No," Pan muttered as she reached down to grasp him. "There's no point now. We're protecting Ash remember. No use in trying to forget ourselves for a few more hours."

So he'd been trying to forget too. Maybe they were more alike than she thought…

"I don't want to forget," Evie finally murmured into his lips, exploring his mouth as his hands too began to wander down her soft flesh, caressing her skin with touches so gentle she'd never thought them possible from his hands.

She could sense what this was leading to, but she didn't want it to stop. It was beautiful, to feel him as she slipped down upon him, filling her as she rocked into him slowly and leisurely. They took their time, exploring each other with fingers and lips until neither could take it anymore.

"Evie," Pan murmured, as he felt a deep stirring within him. "Evie." And he kept repeating it like a prayer as he came. And it wasn't only the sensations that rocked Evie that made her fall apart, it was the way that he looked up at her in that moment, the way that she, undoubtedly was looking down at him. With such surprise and unbridled hope. He was doing it again.

So linked were they, that she didn't even have to say it out loud. He was already feeling the emotions of her heart. Her love was making him love. It was plainly written all over his face.

"I guess you finally did it, then," Pan murmured as she rolled off him and collapsed into the pillows.

"Did what?" She could barely breathe in shock, let alone speak, but she managed it.

"You made me say your name," he whispered into her ear, pulling her in by her waist until she was locked in his embrace, her back to his chest, sharing one pillow.

"Only for ten minutes," she said, ignoring the truth in his words, referring to the hold that he'd pulled her into.

And she was true to her word. After ten minutes, whilst Pan was simply taking in the beauty of her naked form, Evie slipped from his embrace and pulled on her clothes before slipping out into the evening and walking back home with those bags of groceries.

But she was shaking the entire way. Because the way that they had just made love had shaken her, and she knew that already, Pan was driving her further into her lonely madness.