Hey everybody,

here's a new chapter just for you! Hope you like it! AND OMG, WHO IS GONNA WATCH OUAT TODAY?! My excitement...I can't...my fingers are shaking while writing...

Many thanks to YouSaid for helping me with this chapter! It would make me very happy if you could read her stories, 'cause they are truly wonderful!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Once upon a Time, only the ideas on my head that I incorporated into this story!

Chapter 32

Peter's POV:

I once again awoke from my nightmare. My body jolted into a sitting position, the bed sheet clinging to my back from the sweat. In the dead of the night, no one could hear my quick breaths and the irregular beat of my heart.

The boy with the two sides terrorized me in my unconscious state, to the extent that I feared closing my eyes and falling asleep. Most children dreamt about falling or being trapped, or about monster; not about yourself with two sides. Except…I really was a monster.

Making a mirror appear in front of me, I noticed the familiarities from my dreams. The moonlight shining through the open window only defined the dark hollows under my eyes even more. Naturally, I was a lean boy; but now I was on the verge of being a form of walking bones. The once glinting eyes with blue specks were not the same as before. It was like a ghost was staring back at me.

I thought back to the past couple days: how little I had eaten and slept, how I had neglected taking care of myself, how I had ignored the people around me, how everything around me felt like a blur; how my existence was so mundane.

And it was all that girl's fault.

The girl that was rotting her life away in the Echo Caves, not fulfilling her duty of loving me; of giving me the strength I was supposed to get from owning her heart. Why did I even bring her here? She was useless to me. Her powers were not working as well as I had imagined, as I was only getting weaker every day.

If she was of no importance to me, why should she be allowed to live?

I pictured my hands wrapping around her thin neck, squeezing hard. I would lift her from the ground, effectively cutting the air flow. Her fighting back only made me more angry, and so I would release her, letting my prey slump to the floor, gasping for air. Then I would continue to inflict more pain, kicking and punching her in the gut. Then, if I felt generous enough to give her a quick death, I would rip out her meaningless heart and crush it to ashes. I would relish the moment the life slips out of her body, her eyes once so full of life turning dull.

I truly was a monster for thinking these kind of thoughts. Ugly thoughts were the exact opposite of what would make you fly, of what would make you happy. These thoughts only pulled you down to despair and misery. And I was miserable without her. No matter what, I would never harm her like that. I would rather die that kill her.

That's when I felt immense pain in my head, the agony making it unbearable.

The Shadow's POV:

I could no longer keep up with him. He was impossible.

I do love you, Aura, with all my heart.

That girl is useless to me.

I would rather die that kill her.

I would rip out her meaningless heart and crush it to ashes.

Aura this...Aura that. He had become so weak, because of her. She was ruining his plans, he let himself get distracted from his goal of becoming a full immortal. For what, true love? Power was more important.

Why was it so difficult for him to stay focused? I had always been at his side, in his mind, only lately he had been pushing me aside like some straw doll.

I was stuck inside his mind, a barrier of flesh keeping me from the outside world. Every time an evil thought entered his mind, I would grow. Only it never was enough, since he would think about Aura and all her goodiness and her glowing heart, making those dark thoughts shrink.

I was sick and tired of this sentimental lovesick boy, I wanted the one who loved to play mean games with people and steal and just be a carefree boy with ugly things in his mind.

I wanted to break free, and this time, I would. His murderous thinking gave me the push I needed, and now I could finally tear myself away.

Peter's POV:

The pain had abruptly subsided, instead of the heat spreading through my head I felt a cold eerie presence float next to me.

Turning to my side, I saw a pair of magical glowing eyes, identical to mine, staring back at me.

'Hello, Pan.' The deep voice was menacing, sending a chill through my spine.

'What are you?' I asked in fear, but with a hint of amazement.

'Why, I am your shadow. I have been prisoner in your mind for too long, and I want to help you.'

'Help me with what?' Weird things were always possible in Neverland. Why wouldn't a living, talking shadow be any different?

'I want you to fulfill your ambition of becoming an immortal. But you have become so unfocused and weak...' The words were spoken slowly, as if making sure I was really listening.

'So what do you propose we do?'

'A deal, maybe?' My mind quickly skipped to the Dealmaker, but I aimed my attention back at the dark floating form.

'I will help you, do the work you are unable to do, and in return I get the freedom of not returning to your mind.'

'You want to be your own entity?' The shadow nodded.

What harm could come from this? It was after a part of me; it had the same intentions like I did.

'Deal.'

So...yeah...

I present you Peter's Shadow!

Reviews are always appreciated!

Love you all,

aureaborealis