Hearts Fall Unnexpectedly

Chapter Nine: Surprise

It's midday on the Isle, and Royal has been staying in the mock up with Pan and the lost boys for a little over a day now. The boys are loving having another guy around again, one that's older, and they've been keeping him on his toes. They taught him how to play all of their games, played pranks on him, and even got him to play pranks on Pan herself.

Now it's the next day and the boys are hanging off the two teenagers, not wanting them to leave. This is a daily routine with the boys and their mama, but now Royal has been thrown into the mix, and he's not quite sure how to handle it yet.

"Okay, boys, you know the rules, and.." Pan cuts herself off when she sees Baelfire clung to a unfazed Royal's leg, "Bae, get off him please."

Royal looks down at his leg in shock, not even noticing the little boy was there, and Pan sighs. She gently pries the little one from the prince's leg and places him on her hip. He immediately wraps his arms around her neck, so tight that she knows it's going to be hard to break him off this time.

Pan sighs and calls for the oldest kid out of her lost boys, "Malachi, come here please."

The 12 year old boy makes his way through the group of boys, being almost a whole head taller than the majority of them makes it quite easy for him. His brown hair and blue eyes makes him look like an ideal, young prince, particularly one of the Beast line, if he wasn't covered head to toe in grease and grime from the island. It's rumored that he is probably one of Hook's children, but the man refuses to claim the boy. It's no surprise, really, he doesn't claim a good majority of his children, it's only known that he has two. Which is no comparison to Gaston's eight. Pan's not entirely sure whether or not it's a bad thing that either men don't claim most of their heirs since they are known for their cruel, unforgiving ways and that is no environment to raise a child. Another one of her lost boys, Tegan, is rumored to be Gaston's child, and his looks are uncanny to Gil's. They both have big blue eyes and curly blonde hair.

Malachi stands in front of his brothers waiting for his mother to give him instructions. He's used to being her right hand in handling things around here now, and he's grown to like it. He likes having responsibilities and helping out, which is another trait that would make him the perfect prince.

"Kai, I need you to watch the boys, okay?" Pan pleads with the boy. "You're in charge. No woods, no marketplace, and especially no Seaside, unless you really need me."

The boy nods and reaches for Baelfire, who is still clung to Pan like a koala. The boy cries as he is taken out of the warmth of her hold, but his cries are muffled slightly when Malachi places him on his hip. Pan crouches down to be eye level with the upset child.

"I promise, I will be back. We both will, okay? Be good for Malachi," Pan turns to the rest of the boys, "all of you, okay?"

"Yes, mother."

Pan chuckles slightly, and the boys make their way back into the mock up. Suddenly Ambrose gets an idea that they should all go play in Pan's old treehouse, and the girl laughs as she can hear all her boys running around having fun.

"So," Royal brings Pan out of her thoughts as they continue their trek toward Seaside, "I understand that I can't stay with the boys alone, at least for now, because if someone comes searching for me they could get hurt."

"Mhm."

He continues at the sound of her agreement, "But what I am confused about is why I have to come to work with you? Can't I just wonder around?"

Pan snorts at his pun, "If you're gonna stay with me, you gotta work."

"I'm sorry, what?" Royal stops in his track, making Pan laugh and turn toward him as he continues to question her. "Work? No, no, I'm a prince, I don't work."

Pan laughs louder, "Well, Princey, looks like you're gonna do both."

Royal continues to whine the entire way there, making Pan laugh and ignore the boy. When they finally reach the tunnel that leads toward the ship, which is where Pan was told they would be working today, Royal grabs her hand and turns her around to face him.

"O-Okay, she's probably not even going to say yes, right? I mean, come on, it's Um.."

"Uma," Pan finishes for the boy with a chuckle, "the same Uma that looked up to me when we were kids. Okay? You'll be fine. It's not that bad, I promise. Besides, she won't say no."

~~~

"No."

"Oh, come on," Pan pleads with her captain who stands there with a stone cold face. "He needs a job, and I need to keep him busy. Besides, having another big name in your crew will only boost its recognition."

The pirate girl sighs and looks the boy up and down. He's wearing a black suit shirt with silver roses embroidered into it, alluding to his mother's obsession, with a black and red corset vest on top that has many different patterns sewn into it. His shirt is tucked into black cargo-style jeans with his hair tucked away into his crown beanie, this one black, and his feet clad in another pair of black combat boots.

The captain sighs, "Fine, but if you distract my girl, you're gone."

He nods quickly, slightly scared of the girl. She tosses him a sword, and due to his training growing up as an Isle prince, he grabs it easily. Both Pan and Uma look at him impressed.

Uma nods in approval, "Nice catch, Princey boy, but I hope you can fight in that fancy get-up."

"Fight?"

Pan snorts, "You're not in Wonderland anymore, bubs, you gotta fight."

Uma smirks, "And there just might be a big one coming up."

"What?" Pan says, confused as everything seemed to be going well on the island as of what she knows. "What do you mean?"

The sea-witch's smirk turned crazed, "I got a surprise for you, and you're gonna love it."

Uma grabs Pan's hand and drags her onto the ship. Her movements showed excitement, so Pan couldn't help but feel excited as well. Pulling her to the end of the ship. Royal is following a little ways behind.

"Okay," Uma says, "look."

Walking around the corner, Pan saw Harry standing next to one of the ship's pillars where none other than Ben Beast was tied up. His eyes found hers and his jaw dropped.

"P-Payton.."