Chapter 32: Chasing Shadows

PETER PAN'S POV

Flashing into existence at camp, Peter glanced around the empty tents, breathing heavily and heart racing faster than it should be. It wasn't like he was running, or something. He froze after two steps towards his own tent, he felt her aura again. In the middle of the island? What the hell was right there other than forest? He debated going, just to see what she was doing. The decision was made for him, however, when he disappeared from camp with intent of appearing in front of her and dragging her pretty little self back to camp.

But the blackness lasted longer than it should have. Peter was sure his eyes were open, that he was picturing exactly where to go. He knew this island like the back of his hand—better, actually—so he knew he was going to the right place. Transporting is like a tunnel, you sprint through so the darkness only lasts a moment before your eyes open and you're where you wanted. Peter was standing in the dark tunnel, the exit nowhere in sight but he couldn't move his body forward. He leaned forward, but something he couldn't see pushed him back. He put his hands out, and they came into contact with…a wall? But the air rippled when his fingers touched it, and a pale, off-white light flashed out dimly. He frowned and grit his teeth.

How? He'd never taught her to do that. Peter let out a sound somewhere between a disbelieving snort and proud laughter. He'd forgotten how natural, how connected to her, her magic was. She controlled it subconsciously. He reappeared at camp as an afterthought struck him, and stabbed straight into his stomach. She must really not want him anywhere near her, if she was pushing off his magic. Peter decided after that not to follow her.

The boys arrived about ten minutes later, she still hadn't moved form that random spot, and immediately the boys attacked him.

"Won't you play for us, Pan?" Harry asked, fingers curling loosely in the hem of Peter's shirt.

"Hey, where's Elle?" Joshua called with a slight frown as he started the fire, the only boy not surrounding Peter. Besides Felix, of course.

"C'mon, let's have a party!" Robert cheered, "celebrate killing those stupid grown-ups!"

"Can Elle come to, Pan, please? She helped with that awesome curse," Curly piped up, toothy grin matching Slighty's.

"C'mon you lazies, get the drums out," Devin urged, exasperated and already moving one towards the pit Joshua was slowly lighting up. Peter heard her name three more times before he absolutely couldn't bear to hear it, or questions of where she was, anymore.

"Oi," he barked, louder and sharper than he'd really meant, but it worked as the Lost Boys shut up and took a step back. All nine—including Joshua and Daniel, who stood a few steps away already—almost in sync, making Peter's mouth twist into a grin before he shoved it back down. "If you want a party, go step it up. Quit bothering me for it, and of course I'll play," he rolled his eyes, physically trying to soften his tone a bit. He didn't think it worked, as the boys quietly scattered around the campsite gathering drums, sticks, food to cook, and wood to help Joshua's fire.

Peter grimaced. He didn't particularly like them obeying him out of complete fear. Some fear was good, of course, to keep them from thinking they could overpower him. But too much fear could overpower their feelings of loyalty and brotherhood, and make them even more likely to go against him. Well, at least they'd quit bothering him.

As he played, and the boys danced and hollered around the fire, happy and free and wild, Peter and Felix sat on a log and watched. Peter focused on playing, trying to ignore Felix's gray stare flitting to him every few seconds as the blonde sat, completely still and quiet, yet his presence was blaring. Daniel, too, sat off to another side of the fire. Peter could just make out his form and face through the roaring flames. The boy was hunched with his elbows on his knees, watching the boys with a slight frown, but a smile ghosting his mouth. Peter internally winced at how he treated him today, that was not a good move. But he had to make her do the damn curse, he wouldn't have needed Daniel. Peter shrugged it off, the boy wouldn't be too upset for long, and he wouldn't do anything about it anyway.

The sun set, and the night wore on, but the boys didn't tire and Peter didn't feel like stopping. He was getting lost in his own music, giving in to the urge to just keep playing and being swept into the music and the magical feeling of freedom and energy it gave. No one protested, the boys loved it just as much as he did. A late day tomorrow, one in the thousands of days they'd spent already, wouldn't hurt.

In the back of his mind, Peter felt her move away from that spot around midnight. He didn't pay attention, he didn't want to.

He missed a note a while later when he felt her magic increase, and realized where she was. Why the bloody hell would a little princess go to Dark Hollow? He lowered the pipe and tensed, feeling his Shadow's magic increase as well, swallowing hers almost completely. It was still there, constant and at just the same level, but as if he was looking at fire through glass. He could see it, but he couldn't hear the crackle or feel the heat. It stayed that way for a torturous amount of time, neither aura changing. Peter cursed and snarled to himself, he better not be even thinking about hurting—

His Shadow's magic was washed out by the mermaids' then. Still, her magic remained like the fire through the glass. So they were trying to hide her, Peter smirked. As if that would work. She wouldn't allow it, she hadn't even tried to hide during her exile. And it wouldn't stop him anyway. The mermaids were powerful, yes, they had come with the island and could tap into its natural power, but he was stronger. He'd taken the island, broken the rules and lived forever with the rewards. They were neutral for a reason, they knew not to get in his way.

But he couldn't sense her magic as well under theirs, couldn't pick up on the little nuances of her aura. What if. If she was in trouble, and couldn't fight it off. Or wouldn't. Peter snorted derisively at himself, he shouldn't care. She'd run away at night, it was her own fault. Stupid little girl, she knew better by now. She was nothing more than another Lost Boy, and he certainly didn't think so much when they threw a tantrum and ran off.

He shoved the girl out of his mind. Not like she would die, her own magic would protect her subconsciously. And she was near the home of his Shadow. Peter didn't want her dead, or hurt really, his Shadow would protect her because Peter wanted her alive. That thing really was beneficial.

Peter suddenly didn't feel like playing anymore. He fingered the last few notes anyway, slowly bringing the Lost Boys down out of their haze so they'd go to sleep. He stood and walked brusquely into his tent, barely bothering to register the boys sleepily scuffing out the fire and crawling into their respective tents.

Peter wasn't so lucky. The camp was as silent as a graveyard within ten minutes, but he was on his back, arms crossed behind his head, eyes wide open and mind completely clear, not even a hint of the fog or darkness of sleep. He couldn't figure out why he couldn't sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, white hair and a blue deeper than the Neverland ocean with swirls of grey flashed behind his eyelids, and his own brown eyes jerked open again. When he tried to clear his mind, numb himself against the magic and auras of the island, the memory of a voice, quiet and clear and gentle, then thin and choked, darted into his conscience.

Day finally broke, the sun sprinting full tilt to jump on the camp full of sleeping boys and a wide awake, red-eyed Peter. He sighed and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, wincing at their soreness. He grit his teeth to stop himself from dragging the boys awake. He promised a late day, and he had them up with his pipe until far past midnight. They would be tired if he got them up now, and thus whinier and sloppier. He still felt his Shadow's magic mixed with the mermaids' magic, and her aura. The boys needed to be on their toes for that combination. Hell, Peter himself needed to have his guard ready.

He waited another hour, then grew too impatient. Peter Pan was not known for his patience. Besides, he heard some boys starting to stir outside anyway. He jumped up from his cot and was outside his tent faster than lightning. Sure enough, Harry, Felix, and Devin were leaning outside the flap, eyelids heavy but eyes bright. Daniel was just stepping out of his own tent as well.

Peter wasted no time in—with their help—getting the others up and in a loose semicircle before him. He opened his mouth to tell them to get to Dark Hollow, when he had another idea. His Shadow would not appreciate nine boys, plus Peter and Felix, just barging into his home. He would rip a few shadows for sure, regardless of Peter's orders. Plus, his Shadow grumpy was bloody impossible to work with. Peter remembered when he had first brought the princess, and Peter had tied her up and starved her. Accidentally, of course. His Shadow had wanted her to just wander freely. Peter had ignored that stupid judgment. His Shadow had ignored him for an entire bloody week, refusing to go into the world and check on the Enchanted Forest, particularly Rumplestilskin and the Evil Queen. Huh, she hadn't even been the Evil Queen yet at that time. She was now, and something twanged in Peter's stomach when he thought of how long that meant the princess had been here.

"As you've probably realized, our girl isn't here," he started, throat tight and voice sounding different than the instructive, clinical tone he'd meant. He was sure his face showed that tone though, so at least something was normal. Controlled. "She's somewhere on the island, and whoever finds her first wins the game," he finished with a grin, spreading his arms out a bit to gesture at the whole island.

The boys' eyes widened at the prospect of the entire island, since he usually had certain boundaries. Still, their eyes brightened, all nine pairs, at a new game that would surely last all day. Peter had barely said go when they were sprinting into the woods, grabbing daggers and bows and arrows just in case they encountered any animals to hunt or fight, or fairies. Daniel was no exception, flashing a half smile directly at Peter as he passed. As if Peter needed to see his forgiveness anyway, but he nodded in response.

Felix lingered and stepped slowly closer to Peter as they left, but Peter didn't want to hear it. The brunette spun on his heel and disappeared before the blonde could get a word out, and reappeared at the edge of Dark Hollow alone. He stepped nonchalantly across the line between grass and dirt and fully into his Shadow's territory. Of course, he sensed him coming and swooped out and down from above the trees to greet his master.

Right as the princess' aura completely disappeared from Peter's conscience. Just wiped clean, off the map, as if she was never there. He halted, ignoring his Shadow's greeting and asking why he was here. He cast his senses all over the island, closing his eyes and focusing entirely on everything: every plant growing and dying, each Lost Boy's faint aura of just traces of magic, Dead Man's Peak blinding magic, the natural magic of the mermaids, his Shadow's dark and suffocating power, even the fairies' fluffy little enchantments. Nothing.

Something cold and heavy dripped down his spine, seeping down his throat and into his lungs, and dragging his whole being into the ground. Peter looked up at the Shadow and got right to the point.

"Where is she?" he asked, voice hard and clipped. He couldn't stop the frustration at the ghostlike being for even keeping her, using his magic on her, in the first place.

"Who?" he had the gall to play innocent. Peter scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Don't even try playing dumb, you know exactly who," Peter's voice started clear but slipped into a half-growl partway through.

His Shadow relented. "I don't know," it came out as a sneer, but Peter brushed it off. He could be as indignant as he wanted, he still was under Peter's command and that was good enough for the boy.

"Really?" Peter put his hands on his hips and shifted his weight, mocking. His Shadow slipped closer, glowing eyes seeming to widen, and spread his dark arms out, making them look more transparent.

"I don't know where she is," his Shadow repeated, voice as hard as Peter's and filled with as much annoyance and…something else. Peter looked away and grit his teeth, fists clenched and unclenching. He drew a rattling breath and spoke again. "I promise not to let her get hurt."

Peter's head whipped to face him. "I didn't say that," he sneered, bewildered. His Shadow chuckled. Chuckled at him, and Peter's lip curled.

"You didn't have to," and with that, the black silhouette of the boy leaned backwards and sailed back into his enclosure, effectively ending the conversation. Peter huffed, shoved his fists in his pockets and turned to leave. That thing really is annoying sometimes. Still, he knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of him, so the boy didn't bother following and pressing.

He wandered a little ways in the forest before remembering the mermaids had used magic. Head jerked up, Peter made a right angle and ran straight, to the closest shore. He didn't want to just transport, in case he caught sight of some sign of her on the way. She can't be far away, he would've felt her moving, not this…just nothing.

By the time the toes of his boots were just meeting the tide, Peter was breathing heavily and could feel sweat thinly on his body, despite the iciness on his spine. Hell, it wasn't possible for him to get sick but he'd be damned if anyone called this normal. He looked around, seeing just the long expanse of flat beach on one side and an outcropping of rocks on the other.

"Diana Rose," he barked, not wanting to deal with one of the annoying or hungry ones. Diana Rose was the wisest, he'd even say oldest if he didn't know better. She was also the most level-headed, and would see that telling Peter all she knew about his princess was really in her best interest.

Much to Peter's pleasure, a head all of reddish brown curls and round hazel eyes appeared above the waves just a few feet out. The beautiful woman floated there, gaze steady and patient.

"Where is she?" Just as with his Shadow, Peter got to his point. He didn't like talking to the mermaids long, they were technically grown-ups and had this annoying habit of being incredibly condescending. As if they could look down on him! He was Peter Pan, he ruled their world.

"Who?" she asked, not even blinking.

"There was a girl, she's been here for a while and I know she was somewhere around here just last night," Peter huffed out the explanation. Diana Rose frowned lightly, and tilted her head.

"You had a girl here?" she asked, far too innocently in Peter's opinion. He rolled his eyes and held his hands out, palms up, and created fire in both. He was not in the mood for their "neutral territory" crap. She raised her eyebrows. "If you did, I had never met her."

"Yes, I did, and I know some mermaids met her during her exile. And I felt mermaid magic near her aura just last night," Peter growled. Diana Rose raised her index finger, then ducked under the water, the tip of her shimmering tail flicking up after her. Peter threw his head back in frustration. Gods, mermaids were so annoying. Usually he wasn't this annoyed at them tough. Then again, he didn't usually come to them with anything important, or anything he needed. It was a weird, rather unpleasant feeling. But she was the only lead he had.

Diana Rose reappeared a bit closer to him, this time with two more in tow. Both had long locks blacker than Peter's Shadow himself, and both were just as beautiful as Diana Rose. The one with crystal blue eyes met his gaze first. He remembered her name was Nixe, and actually one he liked more than most mermaids.

"So, you have lost a Lost Girl?" her eyebrow raised and her pale pink lips tugged up into a smirk, obnoxiously similar to Peter's usual one. Oh, no. She was not playing games.

"And it would seem you know where she is," he matched her expression. Then, she shrugged and he felt himself physically deflate.

"I do not," she began, but his deflation must have been visible as well because she added, "but she was near here last night, that is true." The other new one, this one with eyes as green and bright as the plants at the top of Dead Man's Peak, glanced at her and bit her lip slightly. Diana Rose said nothing.

Peter turned to go, having run out of patience and knowing he wasn't going to get anything else. He just hoped—

"If a girl was to come to us," Nixe's voice rose and met his ears. He halted, as if a physical force and tugged him to a stop by the back of his shirt. "We stand by our neutrality, Peter Pan." He waited, but she didn't say anything else for a beat.

"Great," he sneered over his shoulder. He took another step and her voice rang out again. He stopped with a small huff.

"If she asked for help, we would not endanger her. That includes giving her up to you," she stated boldly and with a tone of finality, but he could hear the barely-hidden smirk in her voice.

"Wait, Pan!" another voice called, this one sounding kinder and dripping with empathy. Or sympathy, one of the two. This must be the other girl, the one with the green eyes. He took a step to the side and turned his body halfway to facing them. Nixe was watching her like a hawk, and Diana Rose turned towards the open ocean and disappeared under the waves. The girl glanced at her, mouth twisted down, but spoke up again.

"We would not let any harm come to her," she said, hesitant but sure at the same time. She added quickly, "if she did come to us, that is. Good luck on your search." With that, the two ducked down into the water.

Well, that was useless. Peter gave up walking and spent the next two hours transporting all over the island, to various places he pictured at random in his mind. At times, he could've sworn he felt a flicker of her magic, a tiny white light in the back of his mind. But every time he followed it, he'd blink open his eyes to just more forest, full of Lost Boys or animals or—on two annoying occasions—fairies. Empty of white-haired princesses.

This time, a flash of excitement and relief went through him when, as the darkness quickly faded, he felt a person in front of him. A person with a magic aura. Then his eyes focused and he recognized the aura and, if possible, his mood grew worse.

"Felix," he sighed, scraping his hand through his hair. He grit his teeth when his fingers caught on tangles and yanked on his scalp. Felix didn't say anything, just tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, looking at him quizzically.

"Did you feel something?" his eyes were slightly wide, attentive but trying not to show it. Part of Peter wanted to sneer at him, but he didn't want to lose the only other person who could be useful in finding her.

"I thought I did," he groaned. "Just a flash, but—" he looked around wildly, casting out his senses and feeling nothing.

"Do you realize where we are?" he asked slowly. Peter looked around a bit slower. It was just another tiny clearing. He cocked an eyebrow at his second-in-command. "This is where we camped out, Elle and I, when you were teaching her how to transport," Felix explained.

Peter rolled his eyes. That wasn't of much use. "And how is that significant?" his voice came out harsh, he had to bite the words out.

Felix just shrugged, and Peter scowled. "Just remembering," he murmured. He might have said more, but Peter really didn't care. He just wanted to find his princess. She could be anywhere, with anyone, doing anything. He disappeared, leaving Felix probably standing there to resume his search on foot.

Peter stayed in the blackness, the space in between during transporting magically. He didn't know where to go. He couldn't even feel her. Even during her exile he'd felt her. He was possessive enough when it came to his magical items, or his Lost Boys, or his island, or really anything he saw first and declared his.

Then a thought occurred that made the darkness seem thick and the air seem to disappear from the tunnel. What if she had left, and that was why he couldn't feel her? Peter dismissed it immediately, and could breathe the ever-present air again. She wouldn't. She had nowhere else to go, and he would feel it. No one left Neverland without his permission.