Pan Never Fails

The Mermaid's Lagoon

    Boys filed in next to Y/N as she walked uphill to camp. The little one from before sauntered up to her, trying very hard not to look embarrassed. With an attempt at nonchalance he asked, "So uh, how'd you know I was there?"
    Y/N glanced down and smiled "I just looked down a little too quickly is all." His arms flopped at his sides and he pouted. He had clearly been told this before. Y/N continued carefully, "You really must be a very good hider tho. I saw a bit of movement but as soon as you were still I wasn't sure I'd seen anything at all."
    "Really?" His face lit up.
    "Really."
       He stuck out his hand. "I've been here a while and I don't really know what my name was before but I think it started with a D so everyone here calls me Devin." Y/N took his hand and he shook it enthusiastically.
    "Well it's very nice to meet you Devin."
    Devin suddenly had a spring to his step, delighted to have a new friend.
    Y/N had the distinct feeling of being watched, she glanced behind her to see the green eyed boy from so many nights before. "Devin," she asked, "Who is that boy?"
    He looked behind himself mid skip. "That's Peter," he said in a matter-of-fact tone, "he's kind of in charge. He was the first Lost Boy and he set up the camp. Plus, he's magic. If there's ever a problem, he knows how to fix it."
He jabbered good naturedly all the way to camp. Y/N laughed and jabbered back feeling quite at ease, even with the feeling of eyes on her back. At least she knew who they belonged to.
    Peter, they were Peter's eyes.
    By the time Devin triumphantly presented the camp the sun had fallen behind the cliffs. Soon it would be too dark to walk back.
    "You can sleep on my mat, or there are hammocks over there." He pointed to the far end of camp where there were in fact hammocks. An older boy passed Y/N a mat and smiled.
    "I think we've got it covered," she said, "Where are you sleeping tonight?"
    Devin took her hand and pulled her to his mat. She set up next to him feeling bone weary. Camping, sailing, hiking and traveling through magic portals will do that to a person. The feeling seemed to be mutual. Before long the camp was quiet except for soft pipe music. Y/N fell asleep under the beautiful Neverland stars.

    The next morning the boys brainstormed where to take Y/N first. She had no objections to seeing the island in the daylight and before long she had one very excited Devin leading her by the hand through the forest. After a quick run through the trees, she stepped out onto soft sand. Her breath caught.
    The sun was just breaking over the silhouette of a small island. All around it, churning sparkling water was set on fire with the colors of the sunrise. The water rushed on shore, cooling their feet with salty foam before retreating back in a wave. Turning around she met the eyes of the lost boys all eagerly watching for her reaction.
    She laughed and the boys broke into sound and motion, swarming the water and the rocks by its edge. Climbing over one another, laughing, splashing and shouting. Devin stayed by her side, still holding her hand. He was watching the boys wrestling over one large moss covered rock.
    "We usually come here to play king of the hill, but when you can get the rock to yourself you can see all the way to the horizon." He was still for a moment. When he spoke again his voice was quiet. "That's my favorite. And when there are stars. It makes you think how big the world is." He seemed to catch himself, looking down and blushing at his feet.
    Y/N pulled her hand free and crouched down to look him in the eye. "That sounds wonderful."
    His huge grin broke through again when he looked up and saw she wasn't teasing him. He wiped his nose on his arm and together they started towards the water. When Y/N looked away from Devin's face, her eye caught on something just a little ways off. Where the sky and the sea met, right next to the rising sun. She stopped walking, squinting to try and make it out.
    Devin paused too, "What is it Y/N?"
    "I think—" she shielded her eyes with one hand and squinted harder. "I can see the Jolly Roger from here. Those are my friends!"
    She ran to the rocks and clambered up then paused to reach down to Devin but he shook his head. "It's too slippery for me."
    She shrugged and carefully straightened up, holding the cliff face for balance and reaching up to wave to the crew. "James! Hook! I'm okay!" She let her arm fall to the side and looked down at Devin. "I know they can't hear me but still, I miss—''
    She was cut off by her own gasp that she heard mix with Devin's scream. Something had grabbed her leg. She slipped and felt her head smash on the rock as she was pulled under the water's surface.
    She cried out in pain, losing precious air under water. She saw bubbles fly up from her mouth and the water above her stained with blood. Everything was bubbles and pressure and cold until thousands of tiny spots swarmed her vision and everything was replaced with darkness.