She doesn't tremble. She doesn't even flinch.
A dangerous smirk curls upon the young man's lips, accompanied by the arch of an eyebrow, his gaze fixed upon her with an odd kind of fascination.
Indeed, it's not often that girls find themselves welcome here.
What exactly was the shadow thinking?
Her appearance doesn't hold any remarkable allure. Rather plain, one might say. Petite and almost frail, barely reaching his chest. In general, quite unimpressive and not exactly imposing. Still, she tilts her chin defiantly, her glare unyielding, void of fear. An air of defiance surrounds her, a product of enduring the hardships of street life etched onto her demeanor.
Her eyes, as cold and unflinching as his own, issue a challenge. A challenge to pass judgment on her destiny.
Ah, and therein lies the reason the Shadow chose to introduce her to this realm.
A dare.
A challenge not easily met.
Commendable.
Only time will reveal whether she can sustain it, whether her defiance is a mere momentary display of audacity.
He halts in front of her. The other children, sensing the gravity of the situation, whimper, and huddle together, perhaps hoping that he'll single her out and dismiss the rest.
Such naïve boys.
"What do you suggest we do with her?" His right-hand man inquires from behind him as he tilts his head in contemplation. Her eyes widen, possessing a striking and intense shade of blue, almost violent in nature. He notices her peculiar lips, slightly asymmetrical and full, yet marred by cracks, set in a hard line.
Fear emanates from her, a palpable aura that he can almost sense. However, she conceals it, denying him access to his power through her refusal to display vulnerability. The other captive children avert their gazes, hoping to escape his attention and avoid his wrath. Yet, this one, neither the youngest nor the oldest among them, and not the most conventionally beautiful girl he has encountered, meets his stare with a subdued yet unwavering defiance.
"What's your name, girl?" He eventually asked, ignoring the shifting unease among his followers.
A beat of silence hangs before she responds, "Lillian." Her voice carries an unexpected edge—raspy and devoid of tone—a stark contrast to what he anticipated. "Why am I here?" she continues, her words punctuated by an unsettling disconnect between her voice and the face that delivers them.
He sighed, "Regrettably, I'm not sure. I detest not knowing. When my shadow returns, I will certainly ask him." Her gaze remained locked onto his, her dark brows furrowing in a scrutinizing, rather than puzzled, manner.
He was content to let her scrutinize him. He had been a void for far too long and intended to confront his own reflection.
"She's quite spirited," Felix chimed in. Her blue eyes darted past him with surprising swiftness. "She resisted us every step of the way."
She said nothing, but her eyes blazed with intensity.
He bent down, bringing their eyes level, and studied her. She was coiled like a spring, fists clenched at her sides, pupils dilated, a pulsing vein in her neck.
A caged animal, ready to fight for her survival if necessary.
He was curious about something. "You've heard of me?" She nodded sharply; of course, she had. All children had. The Pied Piper. Peter Pan. "Then, if you were to attempt to fight us, what would you hope to achieve? Where would you hope to go? If you've heard of me, you know the power I wield in this place. Surely, you understand that success is impossible?"
"Sometimes," she replied, her voice not loud but carrying, echoing in the ears of the other newcomers, "it's about more than just success."
Stubborn.
A rebel.
She might turn out to be a nuisance in the end, an annoying little pest easily squashed if she outlived her usefulness.
He abruptly turned his back on her and strode towards their camp. "Bring them."
Her wrists were tightly bound before they led her along to the camp, while the other boys, who had been dragged alongside her, walked in silence, resigned to their impending fate.
She shot a glare at one of her captors, a lanky boy with disheveled dirty-blond hair and a pair of malicious green eyes. His unsettling grin, more suited to a rat, crept across his face as he tightened his grip on his crude weapon.
"If you believe you can hold me here..." Her courage wavered momentarily. However, fear takes on various forms, and the current pulse of dread coursing through her veins resembled something akin to madness.
Leaning closer, he exhaled a pungent mixture of garlic and onions in her face, causing her to recoil with a wince. "Best get all that spunk out now, little girl. Ain't gonna have it for much longer."
Without thinking, she spat in his face. Even as her brain registered the recklessness of her action, she couldn't muster any regret. His face contorted in anger, and he drew back his hand, landing a punch squarely on her cheek, sending her sprawling to the ground.
Her head connects with the ground at their campsite.
Her vision blurred, and the taste of blood filled her mouth, though she doubted any of her teeth had loosened. It hurt, certainly, but in all honesty, it was a rather feeble punch.
With slow and unsteady movements, she regained her feet, her head still spinning. She shot the boy a smirk. "Stick to your little sticks and bows, boy, because you punch like a five-year-old."
His face twisted again, and he lunged at her, attempting to tackle her to the ground. Swiftly, she sidestepped him and swung her foot around to sweep his legs from under him.
He crashed down, sprawling.
A few of the boys nearby couldn't help but snigger, further fueling his rage.
As he pulled himself to his feet, his gaze bore into her, arrow drawn and bow poised. She responded with a raised eyebrow, an odd absence of fear coursing through her. After all, the worst this boy could do was end her life. Having endured much harsher trials on the streets and now facing captivity in Neverland with Peter Pan as her captor, death might not seem like such a terrible fate.
"Real brave," she quipped.
"If you release that arrow, it'll be your final act," Peter's voice emerged from behind her, devoid of emotion, possessing an intellectual edge, akin to a wolf stalking its prey.
"She attacked me."
Peter moved to her side, sending shivers down her spine.
"Really? An unarmed, bound girl, a foot shorter than yourself? That must have been quite the fight," he remarked with an amused tone, prompting her to grin while maintaining her unwavering gaze on the boy.
His face reddened, and he shot her one final glare, met with her unyielding determination.
He departed, muttering under his breath, and Peter directed his attention to her. She met his gaze with as much resolve as she could muster.
"You are one of us now, little one. You'd better get used to it quickly."
"One of you?" It was hard to read his face in the flickering of the fire, but there was a subtle tightening behind his eyes as he offered her a sinister smirk.
"Yes. Welcome to Neverland, my little Tiger Lily."
Lilly had always considered herself a reasonably wise person, especially for being sixteen years old. Excelling in her studies and holding a remarkable job tending to perhaps the most awesome child she's ever encountered, she felt on a solid path. Add to that the presence of a caring father figure who ensured her needs were met, and life felt like a well-tuned symphony.
Then, Emma Swan came to town.
Despite her fondness for Emma, resentment had crept in, for Emma had disrupted the once-normal and comforting rhythm of her life, casting it into utter chaos.
Now, her mind was incessantly besieged by memories, unleashing blinding, throbbing migraines, shattering her sense of wisdom.
The moment her body collided with the hard ground, she instinctively tucked and rolled onto her knees. Although pain surged throughout her body, a wave of relief engulfed her.
That dreadful journey was finally at an end.
She didn't miss traveling through portals one bit.
Coughing, she slowly pushed herself to her feet, grimacing as she did so. Thankfully, nothing felt broken, though she could already sense a few bruises forming that would undoubtedly make their presence known in the hours to come.
The next few days promised to be a painful ordeal.
Just perfect.
"Henry?!" Lilly urgently called out, her heart pounding as she searched for the boy who had become her adoptive brother. She found him lying a few feet away and hurried over. As she helped him dust off his coat and checked for injuries, her eyes shot daggers at the woman who had played a role in bringing them to this... unknown place.
Something tugs at her subconscious like she knows exactly where she is but it keeps escaping her.
As Tamara examines their surroundings, she seems too engrossed to notice her two captives.
Great, maybe this will go in their favor.
Her eyes lock onto Henry's, and with a deliberate gesture, she motions towards the direction behind her. He understands.
Casting one more look at Tamara, she releases her grip on Henry, giving him the opportunity to attempt an escape.
She's fully prepared to do whatever it takes to deal with Tamara and Greg. After all, she's no stranger to taking lives.
Speaking of Greg, where is..."Slow down there, pal," The man in question says, seizing Henry by his coat. She closes her eyes briefly, exhaling a frustrated sigh. "You've got nowhere to run."
Suppressing her anger, Calleigh forcefully pushes Greg away from Henry. "Don't you dare touch him again." Her hands clench into tight fists, and she positions herself in a protective stance in front of Henry.
Greg huffs, assessing her with a look of disdain, clearly unimpressed.
Setting down his coat and backpack, he turned towards Tamara, whose jubilant exclamation filled the air, "We made it! Mission accomplished!"
The urge to wipe the smug smirk from her face gnawed at Lilly, but before she could react, Henry, displaying a remarkable amount of bravery for a kid, stepped forward. "Are you sure about that? 'Cause my mom's coming for us," he declared, earning disapproving glances from the adults. "Both of them."
Lilly nodded, and apparently, one of them was her mother too. That meant Madam Mayor had two children in need of rescue.
Lilly wondered if she was aware of that fact.
Greg approached slowly, prompting a low growl from Lilly, a clear warning to keep his distance. "You're going to have a look around, kid," Greg said, gesturing to their surroundings. "Do you see any clock towers anywhere? You're a long way from Storybrook."
Henry shook his head confidently. "It doesn't matter! My family's been to the Enchanted Forest before, and they can get here again."
Suddenly, a loud cry pierced the air, and everyone's heads snapped in its direction, but there was nothing to see.
"We're not in the Enchanted Forest, kid." Tamara says, voice thick with smugness "This is Neverland."
Realization hit Calleigh like a punch to the gut. She couldn't believe she hadn't recognized it sooner, the moment they had arrived here. Now that she was paying attention, she felt the island's familiarity envelop her, like a warm blanket welcoming her home. She had been away for so long that she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be here.
But questions swirled in her mind. Why were they trying to destroy Neverland? And more importantly, where was Peter? The mere thought of Peter's death was both unbearable and impossible; Neverland couldn't exist without him.
She needed answers, but she knew she wouldn't get them from these two. She couldn't leave Henry alone with them, and taking them on directly without her weapons was out of the question.
Frustration welled up within her. She would have to wait for the perfect moment to strike.
Henry's voice snapped her back to reality. "An office in a jungle? Uh, who works here?" he asked, his curiosity drawing a glare from Greg.
"Office? What the hell are they talking about?" Lilly wondered aloud.
"Who we work for," Greg replied, sliding his backpack onto his shoulders. "It's none of your concern, kids. Just know that they take care of us." He hissed, edging closer to Henry.
Lilly's sole focus right now had to be getting both of them away from her brother, but it wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
"Do they? Can they tell you how to get back home if you destroy magic?" Henry challenged defiantly.
Greg shrugged. "We don't ask questions. We just believe in our cause."
Lilly couldn't hold back her scoff. "You two are even more clueless than I thought." Annoyance had long since given way to anger. She reached for Henry's hand but was intercepted by Greg, who grabbed her shoulders forcefully, causing her to wince.
Oh, Peter's not going to take kindly to him doing that.
"Who are you anyway? Why would they want us to bring you along?" Greg demanded, seemingly oblivious to the identity of the person they had abducted.
"She's my sister! L-Lilly!" Henry blurted out.
"Sister, huh?" And queen of this island. But she's not letting them know that anytime soon, "And what makes you so special?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She's saved from having to continue talking to him by Tamara, who doesn't sound happy at all.
Greg releases his grip on Lilly's shoulders and joins his partner.
"What's this? A toy?!" Tamara demands, her anger evident. Both Henry and Lilly pivot to see Greg clutching an obviously dysfunctional communicator.
A completely useless communicator.
A triumphant smirk tugs at the corner of Lilly's lips.
"Good thing you two don't ask questions," Henry retorts.
Greg snarls, "Let's move." He moves to shove Henry but is halted halfway by Lilly grabbing his arm. He shoots her an angry glare, met with an unyielding gaze from her. Challenging him to attempt it again. Harming her is one thing, harming her brother is another. He wrenches his arm free from her grip and addresses Henry, "Walk."
After walking for what felt like an eternity, Greg finally decides to stop. He realizes it's time to halt their constant movement, maybe attempt to create a smoke signal, and formulate a plan.
Over the past half-hour, Tamara had done nothing but complain. She crossed her arms, her voice a mix of anger and worry as she asked, "What if it's not enough? What if the broken communicator wasn't an accident?"
Lilly responded with a scoff, "Both valid questions. Maybe you should have discussed these concerns before deciding to 'embrace your cause' and abduct the two of us. By the way, while you're busy with your dilemma, do you mind if I take a bathroom break?"
Greg gestured to a nearby bush, adding a warning, "Don't even think about running away. We still have your brother after all and it's not like you'd get far."
Although she thinks to herself that he'd be surprised by her determination, she decides not to respond. Instead, she tries to provoke him by sarcastically snapping to attention before turning to head towards the bush.
In truth, she doesn't actually need to use the bathroom. She's searching for a way to send a message to either the Lost Boys or Peter himself. It's surprising that after so long on this island, Peter hasn't sensed her presence yet.
What should she do?
Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted as a hand clamps over her mouth, pulling her against a solid chest. A voice whispers near her ear, "Don't scream, little girl." Her heart seems to skip a beat for a moment.
That voice is unmistakable.
Reacting quickly, she thrusts her elbow back with all her strength and manages to create some distance between them as her assailant bends over in pain. "Felix! You're alive."
Felix groans in pain, motioning for his companions not to attack her. "Lily?" he gasps, slowly straightening up.
Unable to contain her excitement, she flung herself toward him, hugging her best friend tightly as he stumbled back a few paces. "I missed you!"
"We missed you too, Tiger Lily."
"Wait, this is Tiger Lily?" One of the boys whispered harshly, a boy she didn't recognize. "I kind of expected more."
She raised an eyebrow at the comment, and Felix couldn't help but snigger. "Peter won't be happy to hear you say that. So keep it to yourself."
The boy shrank back, and she turned her attention back to the blond boy. "Felix, what the hell is going on? Where's Peter? What's this about a home office? Who the hell is trying to destroy Neverland?"
"A lot has changed since you were taken, Lily. Peter, he..."
"Where the hell are you, L-Lilly?! You better not have tried to run off!" Tamara's voice interrupted.
Lilly rolled her eyes as Felix smirked, gesturing for her to remain silent and follow them.
As they slowly emerged from the bushes, she noticed Greg's eyes widen. She couldn't help but wear a self-satisfied smirk on her face. "Who... who the hell are you?" His voice, once brave, now shook with uncertainty.
Felix stretched out his arms and simply said, "We're Home Office."
Wait, what?
Felix smirked, "Welcome to Neverland," his voice dripping with an unsettling confidence.
Tamara responded with a derisive snort. "The home office? They're just a bunch of teenagers." Her words carried a dismissive tone that hardly masked her skepticism. Greg, caught in the middle of this strange exchange, looked genuinely puzzled. His eyes darted first to Lilly and then to Felix.
"They're not teenagers," Henry corrected, his brow furrowing in confusion. "They're the Lost Boys." He paused, his bewilderment growing. "But why do the Lost Boys want to destroy magic?"
Felix, ever enigmatic, posed a counter-question. "Who says we want to destroy it?"
Lilly felt a rising sense of unease, unable to grasp the full scope of the situation. What she did know, however, was that her companions had walked straight into a trap.
Greg, compelled by some misguided attempt at diplomacy, took a step forward, trying to engage Felix. Yet, Felix ignored him entirely, his gaze fixed intensely on Henry. "Now, the boy. Hand him over."
Lilly swallowed hard, a growing sense of dread settling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't shake the feeling that Henry had become entangled in something far more sinister than they had ever imagined.
Tamara, displaying a newfound resolve, stepped in front of Henry. "Not until you tell us the plan. What's your agenda with magic? And how do we get home?"
Felix's smile, though brief, sent shivers down Lilly's spine. His gaze dropped to the ground before he spoke, his words laced with a sinister edge. "You're not going home."
Lilly instinctively began inching closer to Henry, ready to shield him should chaos erupt. Felix's intentions had become alarmingly clear.
Greg, attempting bravado in the face of danger, swallowed hard. "Then you're not getting the boy," he declared, foolishly believing he could take on the Lost Boys on their own turf.
Lilly knew all too well the consequences of such arrogance. She had made that mistake in the past.
Felix chuckled darkly. "Of course, we are."
In that tense moment, Lilly had just enough time to dive toward Henry, determined to shield him from her worst fears as they unraveled before her eyes.