Pan's Redemption

Chapter 20 ~Strength*

For the second time, Wendy fell. She did not fly like she had hoped. She fell into the cold, black depths of the ocean. She came up for air sputtering. Why hadn't it worked?

She didn't have enough time to question her abilities. Wendy saw the small rowboats and hanging lanterns in the distance. They were ahead of her.

"Shit." Wendy whispered panicked. She turned toward the large rock of the cliff and kicked off with her feet. The motion propelled her forward and from there she swam.

She swam as quietly as possible, only using her arms; kicking would only cause ripples in the water. She became appreciative of her father, for once in her life, for making her and her brothers learn to swim at a young age.

Wendy was able to get to one side of the ship undetected by any Lost Boys. She heard a loud hoot above her. Looking up, she she saw Pan. He flew over the Lost Boys and herself. He landed on the ship, and the Lost Boys became silent. They waited for their signal to board the ship. Wendy strained to hear Pan's voice.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Pan?" Hook's voice echoed the night. He sounded surprised. Wendy felt such a longing in her heart. She wanted to get up there and stop Pan before it came to a fight.

"My Lost Girl has slipped through my fingers again, I'm sure you know nothing of this." Pan chuckled loudly. He knew Wendy was there. He believed Hook had her. When he didn't find her, what would his rage lead himself to do.

"So, Wendy escaped you, aye? That doesn't surprise me, I have to say." There was Pan's growl and the sound of a sword being removed from its sheath. Wendy tensed in the cold water. In the corner of her eye she saw Felix tense as well.

"She's here, then." He said darkly. Wendy wanted so badly to see Pan's expression. His words were sharp and deadly like a venomous snake's bite. There was something in it that she didn't find cruel. She found a hint of worry. Did he sincerely worry for her sake? Of course not.

"You really underestimate that girl, don't you? Why would she come back here again?" Hook said smartly. If only he knew the irony in those words.

"You showed her kindness, she would feel safe here. Anything away from me." Wendy flinched in the water. Hook was in over his head. She wanted to wave a white flag and yell 'TRUCE TRUCE!'

She didn't know how it was possible, but Pan was hurt. She hurt him. The hostile attitude and his bitter tone only confirmed it. He was only protecting his ego by acting in control. Pan was going to break. Someone would die tonight.

Wendy closed her eyes. She stopped thinking of London. No matter what good memories she had there, she didn't belong there anymore.

She thought of Hook. The desperation in her eyes and how he protected her from Pan without anything in return. She thought about that chest she hid in. How there was a woman's dress inside. She knew he lost someone he loved. She knew that if she lost him to Pan, she wouldn't be the same. Her promise would be broken, and he would have protected her for nothing. Everything Wendy had done to escape Pan's cruel punishments would have been to waste.

She thought of Tinkerbell. How much she had lived through everyday broken. The love of her life, not dead, but at a fate much worse than that. The enemy guarding him to where she could not even see each other in secret. How Wendy admired the willpower of her's to continue on. To believe after all that time she still believed that she could take Felix back.

Where her thoughts drifted surprised her. She thought of Peter. Not Pan. The person that swooped her up into his arms and led her down in his tent the first night in Neverland. The one who cradled her against them when they flew away from the flames of the camp. The one who made the boys beating her in the alley vanish. Holding onto her so she never had the chance to feel lonely. She only felt every other emotion with him except for loneliness. Fear. Pain. Anger. Sometimes even hope. Never loneliness.