'Why was she so….strange?'

The thought seemed stupid, but it really was quite a valid question.

Artemis.
He didn't even have a last name.

If this was just some normal irritating thief, he would have disposed of them on the spot. Female or not.

But everything about her from her beautiful blonde hair to her like a cascading slivery gold waterfall. To her deep stormy grey eyes that could darken like a ferocious deadly storm, but still had the wonder of freshly whipped clouds.

Her fire, the fire that burned inside her; raging and uncontrollable, but so, so warm. Embers that shone from deep within her soul.

Power, the natural power that radiated off her in waves.

Artemis, Artie, the Thief, the Spitfire, the first Lost Girl.

His first Lost Girl.

The circumstances of why she was on Neverland was-not exactly what he planned. Really his plan was to simply entice her to remain on Neverland, but she had to make it all difficult.

Then again, she wouldn't be Artemis if she didn't cause him a few grey hairs. Not that he could get any, yet. But if he ever were to age; his whole head would probably have turned grey with just the events of the last couple weeks.

It was pitiful. How much he desired to be near her, he knew she possessed something. Something that drew him towards her like a moth to a flame.

At first he thought witchcraft, magic the obvious. But after he successful captured the thief in question, to his displeasure he found her to be seemingly normal. After that he thought she might have somehow managed to poison him.

Eventually he had run out of ways that could prove she was here on purpose.

Her very arrival seemed to in fact, be an ordinary cock up.

Sighing to himself, Peter ran his fingers though his hair. He's been avoiding her a while, a rather stupid thing to do now that she lived in Neverland.

But—

He paused, standing up. There was an odd shift in the air.

A dark one, which was unlikely. He was the darkest creature on this island. Well, unless you counted…

"Felix! Curly! Rufio!" Pan called out sharply, jumping down from his tree landing in the middle of the camp. "Where's Artemis?"

It was beautiful. She was weightless, like a feather floating above the water…Calm and at peace. She never wanted it to end. Her problems and worries and fears…gone.

She could see David, her lovely brother David and Snow. They were smiling at her, hugging her tightly. Ruby was there with Belle and Granny, Robin, Leroy and the rest; everybody. They were happy and safe. A family.

Family, it was all she wanted.

Why was that so hard? The thought was strange, she was at peace, so why were these bad thoughts coming into her head. Why couldn't she have a family?

Because you're dying.
That woke her up.

Her eyes snapped open, suddenly very aware she was currently being drowned. By mermaids.

Typical.

Elbowing one of the mermaids hard in the stomach, kicking hard at the rest. Artemis attempted to swim up, fighting tooth and nail to get above water.

Taking a quick breath of her air, Artemis glanced around her. The mermaid's encircling her; fins breaching though the water reminding her of shark fins.

"Oh crap," Artemis cursed, looking around, for something anything to defend herself with.

They were waiting, antagonising her.
She was defenceless and alone.

She was going to die.

"And I was having such a good week." Artemis grumbled to herself.

Suddenly one of her mermaid lunged (which Artemis recognised as Anyaa), for her grabbing her arms and shoulders tightly.

Artemis fought, swinging her arms wildly almost succeeding before another mermaid yanked the back of her hair forcing her to look at her attacker in the eye.

Anyaa's eyes were something terrifying as their usual large pupils turned into smaller, like a large animal honing in on their prey.

Artemis swallowed hard, very aware how open her throat was as how the mermaid in question were looking at her. "Can we talk about this?" Artemis asked weakly.

The mermaids hissed at her, showing off a pairs of large pointed teeth. Reminding Artemis of the Aaedfal.

"You really do have gorgeous hair, Artemis." Anyaa purred, stoking her hair with a webbed hand. "I can't wait to hang it up in my bedroom wall." Anyaa reared back, the mermaids around her closing in their tails splashing against the water hard.

Artemis wriggled in their grip, feeling the mermaid's long claw-like fingernails digging into her arm drawing thin lines of blood.

"Please, please, don't-

"Well, you know there's a problem when Artie says please." drawled a voice from above. "Insolent girl, hardly has any manners."

"Peter." Artemis breathed out. "There we go, Peter. I should put you in danger more often. You seem to remember my name." Pan said lightly from above looking down on the scene below him.

She could imagine how strange it looked. Then again, it was her.

"Mermaids, Artie. Carry on like this, you'll turn my hair grey." Peter said, straitening up. This tone was light, but she could sense the underlying bit. "I must say, Anyaa." Peter said, jumping down from the rock onto the mermaid's one. "Quite a scheme you've cooked up here."

Artemis's eyes widened when she was him. His eyes scared her. They weren't cheeky or mischievous. They weren't happy. Not even a little.

For the first time since she met him. Peter Pan's eyes were dark. Darken then they'd ever been. She could almost see the fury within them.

And it terrified her.

This wasn't Peter Pan, but at the same time deep within her, she knew it was.

"Pity you wouldn't see it its end."

"Let her go and swim away. And maybe, maybe I'll show mercy." Peter said, glancing at Artemis from the corner of his eye. He could see her fear, but he knew it wasn't at the mermaids.

For reason, it didn't feel right. He didn't want her to fear him.
Instantly a wave of angry and disgust washed over him. Why did he care what she thought?

She was on Neverland now, she might as well know who he really was.

Everyone knew. Why was she any different?

Anyaa licked her lips, the mermaids around her sharing looks. Pan caught a tinge of red in the water, suddenly noticing the cuts and bruises on Artemis's arms.

"Let. Her. Go. I won't ask again." Pan growled, clenching his fists tightly. Anyaa paused looking down, her resolve seeming to be weakening.

Suddenly she looked up, staring at Pan in the eyes.
A wicked smile curling onto her face.

Grabbed Artemis by the throat she dove deep under the water. "Artemis!" Pan shouted, flying down. The other mermaids instantly going wide, jumping at him like sharks turning the water violent.

Pan growled, his fingers curling around his dagger.

'Anyaa's a bitch.'

Was the first thought that popped into Artemis as she punched the mermaid in the face.

Which was oddly enough a very bad idea.

Anyaa had released the throat, but now was pissed.

Letting out an animalistic underwater roar, her sharp teeth and claws drawing out. She charged.

Kicking the mermaid making it staggered back (can you even staged underwater?) She now was beginning to struggle for air.

Artemis grabbed a fist full of her the mermaid's hair, using to propel herself up. Managing to pull herself a few feet above, she was sharply yanked down.

A clawed hard pulling her back down. Anyaa's claws dug deep into her ankle, making Artemis scream in pain.

Once again not a good thing to do, underwater.

Dark spots began to form, her head was spinning. Anyaa's face was going to be the last thing she saw. How disappointing.

Just as the mermaid raised a hand swiping it across.

Artemis could feel the thin claws just brush against her neck before Anyaa was sharply yanked back. A dagger plunging though her chest, as red clouds of blood began to pour out of her.

Anyaa's body slumped over, her eyes becoming completely empty.

Artemis shut her eyes unable to keep them open a second longer. Feeling someone gently wrap an arm around her and slowly pull her to the surface.

She didn't remember how she got back on the rocks above. But she figured it was the curtsy of the green-eyed boy whose arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close to his chest.

Usually she would have objected to this, but she was too tired and hurt to fight.

Licking her salty dry lips, Artemis couldn't take her eyes off the water below.

For starters; it was blood red.

A colour so dark, that she wouldn't have expected it was clear and blue just a couple of hours ago.

Peter (like her) was breathing heavily; it was odd despite being soaking wet he was warm. Like a heater. He sounded exhausted, but for some reason his grip around her was a tight as ever.

Good thing too, she might had fallen off into the water it wasn't.

And she didn't particularly want to fall in mermaid blood and corpses.

They didn't talk about it. About Peter's mini massacre of her mad group of mermaid attackers. They didn't need to; not now anyway. But she had to ask.

"Are they all dead?"

She could feel Peter's sharp intact of breath, different to the ones she had begun to relax too. "Yes."

Artemis nodded, sighing. The moon was full, shining even. And from here she could see the movement from Captain Hook's ship, as the pirates looking down shouting to each other; the trail of mermaid blood reaching them.

"Come on," Peter said, getting up, taking her with. Artemis staggering, pain shooting up her leg. Anyaa's claws were definitely going to make a few scars.

Picking her up in what could only be called a princess carry (technically it would be called a bridal carry) but Artemis was having none of that crap.

"For the record, this is only happening because I'm hurt." Artemis grumbled, making a face. Pan chuckled.

"Sure, Artie."

So thoughts? Did you all enjoy the last chapter? Anyway, as usual please, please review, like, fav, follow ect.

Till next time...