What are monsters?

The creatures under out bed? The stories that we were told as children. Or is it something…darker. Maybe they were us in a twisted and warped way. Or maybe…just maybe they were nothing at all, but a soul who had been hurt.

Maybe, maybe some of them were just…broken creatures. With fractured hearts and lonely eyes.

Artemis never had much of an opinion on monsters before she had met a self-proclaimed one. After that, she had often found herself dreaming off monsters.

Particularly hers.

Shutting her eyes, Artemis ruffled her hair trying to block out the screams of panic outside. Apparently they were freaking out, by remember both their 'cursed lives' and their 'normal lives.'

Artemis didn't want to seem cruel, but in her opinion: having been woken up from a 28 year coma induced state to a world that was completely new and different to her, seemed a tad more terrifying than them freaking out by remembering who they really were.

Maybe they just wanted to riot.

Whatever the case outside was a mess of panic, people and fairy's.

She wasn't the biggest fan of fairies.

But it was clear, that Ruby and the Blue Fairy (known as Mother Superior here) only had a quarter of the power that could calm the crowds. And David was nowhere to be seen.

Artemis signed, jumping up grabbing some clothes that Ruby had laid out for her. 'Time to be play princess.'

"If you are looking for a family member, come to the front table. If you need counselling, Dr. Hopper has a signup sheet. If the wraith damaged your house, there are cots at the school." Ruby shouted, pushing through the crowd. Artemis discreetly following behind her.

"This is getting out of hand. People are in a panic. They don't know what to do." Blue said, taking the blankets from Ruby's hand.

"There running around like headless chickens." Artemis informed them, making the two jump. "Their letting their panic dictate every decision. It's not good, they might just do something stupid, if it gets worst."

"It's okay. It'll be fine. We just need everyone to remain calm." Ruby said optimistically.

"There not calm. At all." Artemis put in, watching the crowd, fumble and bumble into each other. "There panicked and weepy."

"Yeah, well." Ruby said, shuffling on her feet nervously. Artemis's words starting to make sense. "I have a feeling our Prince is working on something right now."

"Hope your right, since this…is not good." Artemis said distastefully as Dr Whale successfully made another resident burst into tears.

"Here, it's okay. I'm sure you'll find your son soon." Artemis said gently, rubbing an older woman's back (her name was Sally) "Come on, let's get you to the front table, hmm?" she said helping the older woman up.

Spotting a crowd instantly forming around David, who had just appeared around him. "Bloody fantastic." she mumbled, setting down Sally before squeezing herself though the crowd to her brother.

"Do we know where Rump-Mr. Gold is?"
"Wait! Does the Queen still have power?"
"I thought I would find my boy."
"Please! We've got to be planning something!"
"Hey, let me ask you something? Are the nuns still nuns? Or can they, you know, date?"

Now in comparison to the Lost Boys, Peter and Rumple. Artemis was fairly mellow, yes she had her moments of extreme rage and angry, but now one could say they weren't without reason.

But, right now she wished she could shot someone. Not to kill. Just to maim, or slightly injure. That wasn't so bad. If she were in Neverland right now, that would have been perfectly acceptable.

God she missed Neverland.

"Blue!" David shouted, pushing through to the fairy, ignoring the crowd behind him. "Could there be a tree on this side? The way we sent Emma through as a baby. Maybe I could go after them that way."

Blue blinked, the crowd seeming to start to frazzle her. "It's possible, but without fairy dust to guide us here… No, it's hopeless." she said quickly.

"You'll find another way. In the book, things always look worse right before there's good news." Henry added. "Except when it just get worst until the character dies." Artemis snapped, finally pushing past Whale to her brother.

"Terrible news! Terrible news!" Leroy shouted, he and the dwarfs running in, panting heavily.

"Oh, what is it now! Not enough diamonds to mine or did you mix up all your colourful hats?!" Artemis seethed. David and Ruby giving her a look.

"No." Leroy snapped, turning to David. "We were out at the town limits. Tell them who you think you are, Sneezy." he said pushing the dwarf forward.

"Oh, will you stop calling me that." Sneezy said tiredly. "You know who I am. I'm Tom Clark. I own the Dark Star Pharmacy. What's going on here?"

"I'm confused, what's the problem?" Artemis asked, folding her arms.

"If you cross the border, you lose your memory all over again."

"A-And coming back doesn't fix it?" Cricket said, scratching his head.

"If it did, would I have come running in yelling 'terrible news'?!" Leroy replied, Artemis nodding in agreement. That was a given. "If we leave, our curse selves become our only selves." Leroy said darkly.

The crowd shifting uncomfortably, whispering ringing out. 'Riot time.' Artemis thought groaning, walking to Blue's table. Picking up the lighting, she walking towards one of the empty tables.

The crowd instantly surrounded David, most of them screaming, others outwardly panicking and she was almost positive someone wet themselves.

Deciding not to watch her poor brother's suffering any longer, Artemis climbed on top of the table, flicking on the lighter. She might give someone a heart attack, but what the hell? Sometimes a little shock is good for the blood.

Shaking her hand out, Artemis raised it towards the flame. The small flame grew morphing into a large fiery dragon.

The crowd scattered, screaming their heads off. David reaching to his belt, for once not finding his sword there. Artemis closed her hand, the flaming dragon disappearing instantly.

"Magic." Henry breathed out, looking at her with awe, the rest not so much.

"Right." Artemis said calmly, flicking the lighter off. The townspeople watching her. "Listen up! Now I know this is a confusing and terrifying situation for everybody. Your displaced form your homes, your families, your lives. I get it. So much more than you think." Artemis said gently.

"But, this mindless panic, is not going to get us anywhere." Artemis said firmly. "David and I, we're going to get us home. But we can't do that, if everybody's running about like a bunch of headless chickens."

"So, I need everybody to breath, try to think and listen to us. David and I," Artemis said, her eyes flickering to her brothers before back at the crowd. "We'll tell you our plan to fix this, all of this. Three hours, just three hours and everything will be alright. Thank you." Artemis said, pocketing the lighter, jumping off the table.

Taking David's hand as the crowd began to disburse. Henry right behind them.

"Nice speech," David said lightly, smiling slightly. "How'd you-"

"I've got a history of ordering angry mobs, though I am used to them being less wrinkly." Artemis said, glancing behind them at the crowd. "Do you have a plan?"

"I was hoping you did." David replied, following her gaze. You sure sounded like you did."

"Fake it till you make it." Artemis said, Henry joining them. "I bought us three hours, but…"

"We have to figure this out." David finished. Artemis nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

"Surprised, you're not leading the mob." Artemis said lightly, closing the shop door. "Chaos, mischief and magic, isn't that more your speed?"

"Think your mistaking me for your boyfriend." Rumple replied coolly, not looking up from his books. Artemis paused looking down at the floor, biting her lower lip. "That was cold."

Rumple glanced up at her, closing his book. "Sorry."

Artemis shrugged, shaking her herself out. "S'okay." Artemis said eager to change the topic. "I was wondering if you had something off mine." she asked leaning against the counter.

Rumple smirked, walking into the back. "It's barely been a day. Already in the mood to shoot someone?"

Artemis snorted, following him into his back room. "I wish. The opposite actually, you could say I'm feeling a bit…sentimental." she mumbled. Rumple nodding, walking to a corner of the room, stacking a few old books. "I kept it safe for you, I'm sure you'll find it, in its usually optimal condition."

"Are you returning my property or trying to sell it to me?" Artemis joked. Rumple handing her the stack, as he picked up the thin box.

It wasn't as dusty as the rest. Even the wood on the outside looked like it had been polished. Artemis smiled to herself. The goblin has a heart and she was honoured to hold a place in it.

"Returning." Rumple said, unlocking the box opening it. Artemis giggled, slowly reaching out to her bow.

It was still the same, and yet so different. It was like greeting an old friend. The brown wood felt warm and sturdy in her hand, the intricate patterns carved into it. Turning it over in her hands, Artemis caught a glimpses of a one of her carvings a vine looping around, joining another, perfect in sync.

Adjusting it in her hand, her pulled back the sting, hearing the comforting 'thang'. Hand crafted, magically bound and imbued. It would never break. Not that she knew, when she received it.

"Not worried I'll shoot you?" she asked lightly, clipping the sheath to.
Pan scoffed, shutting the chest with a light snap. "Darling, I'd love to see you try." he said, his green eyes trained on her.

She rolled her eyes, not noticing Pan's face. Trailing her fingers lightly over the bow. "Beautifully crafted, strong; solid." she said, twirling it around, not noticing Pan's low smirk.

"Figured you'd like it," he mumbled, making her glance it him.

"Thank you." Artemis breathed out, blinking rapidly, the burn of tears behind her eyes. "For keeping this safe."

Rumple smiled softly, placing a gently hand on her shoulder. "It was my honour."

'At least a nice calm had settled.' Artemis thought to herself, her bow swinging to her step as she walked down the street back at David's.

Her fingers tracing up and down the wood. Around her very first calving.

'Hey," Peter greeted, stepping out of the shadows towards her. Artemis looked up, pulling her gaze from the fire to him. There was something different, in his eyes.

They looked worried. It was an unusual look on Peter's face which was usually alight with mischief or glee at watching Curly trip over two logs earlier that day.

It was odd, how much he seemed to enjoy the small minuscule misfortunates that had recently been happening to him, but Artemis simply decided that she was starting to overanalysing things.

"Hi." she said softly, lowering her dagger, sliding it back into her boot. "You okay?"

After she had said she was a Princess. He hadn't really said much, simply leaving her alone in the tree. He had been distant. In fact, this was probably the first time he approached her in a while.

Pan nodded, slowly sitting down next to her. Artemis glanced at him, he was fidgeting with his cuff. He usually fidgeted, but this was slightly different. His silence was infuriating.

In fact, she was angry.
Really angry.
No, screw that. She was pissed.
She had walked on eggshells long enough.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What?"
"What?" Artemis repeated, jumping up. "I tell you one thing. One thing! And you're like a fricken zombie! What the hell? What the actually hell, Peter?"

Peter said nothing, just looking up at her. Confused.

"You know what, you need to just snap out of it. Right now I don't know that the hell happened to turn you into some scarecrow lookalike, but it is bullshit and I for one and not-"

"I made this for you."

"Utter bullsh-Huh?" Artemis paused, instantly deflating.

Pan holding up her bow, tracing his fingers along it. "I made this for you." he said quietly. "I don't know why. I thought…I'm giving this to her because I lost her old one. But…I was lying to myself."

"I made this for you, because I knew you would be sad without it." Peter said standing up, in front of her. He was taller than her, Artemis just reaching slightly above his shoulder.

"I don't understand you, Artemis. You are the first unexpected unexplainable person. I have met. I cannot control you, or order you. I cannot predict a single movement of yours and I don't believe I ever will. I didn't understand that, but I do now." he whispered, his green eyes shining in the low flames.

His eyes still locked onto her bow. Artemis followed his gaze, not sure where he was going with his, but desperately trying to gain control over her heart, which was hammering in her chest.

"I am sorry, for my actions." Peter said, finally meeting her eyes. "It appears you happen to do more than turn my hair grey." he mumble gently sliding the bow back into her hands. His still holding on it.

"I will do better, I promise."

"It's okay." Artemis whispered, his oddly serious, but gently kind demeanour something so shocking, she was having some trouble seeing it clearly and breathing it seemed.

Peter smiled. It was different from his others. Not mocking or cold. Happy, gently with the hint of mischief pulling at the edge.

The smile changed him instantly, his face looking more youthful, his eyes brighter. It was beautiful.

"Goodnight Princess Artie." Peter said, removing his hand from hers, shooting her a wink before disappearing.

Artemis rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Asshole." she grumbled half-heartedly. Picking up her bow, feeling a strange indent.

Glancing down at it, she held the bow to the light. Right where their hands were, a looping vine, entwined around another was intricately magically calved into the wood.

Hiya!
Extra long chappy! Sorry, it took a little longer than usual...

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