Chapter 9

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**Ace's POV**

I must've fallen asleep at some point on the log, and sometime later I wake up. I can't really tell time, it seemed to always be dark in Neverland. The boys were broken off into little groups doing their own things. In the far left corner of the camp I saw John and three other boys cheering on two others climbing ropes. I walked over and stood next to John keeping my feet shoulder width apart and crossing my arms.

"Haven't seen you since I shot an arrow at your head," I said, staring straight ahead at the two climbing the ropes.

"I'm surprised you didn't purposely hit me," he replied.

"It ran through my head a couple of times." I smirked and he glared at me.

"You wouldn't be able to, you might hate me but the fact that we're related keeps you from doing anything to seriously harm me," he growled.

"Is that so?" I heard Peter's voice from behind us. We both turned and saw him standing there with a wicked grin. "Why don't we test your theory, John?"

He shrugged. "She couldn't. She's too weak to."

"Weak?" I glared over at him.

Peter's smile grew bigger. He was handsome when he smiled like th- Stop, I thought. "Well, he's obviously knew you longer than any of us," Peter gestured to the rest of the boys who have now stopped and began to watch. "So it must be true."

"I'm not weak," I growled, clenching my hands into fists. I hated to be called that.

"You do have fire," Peter said. "Maybe we should let you cool off." He held out his hand and two swords appeared in it.

I shook my head taking a step back. "I will not fight my younger brother."

"After all he's done to you? You don't want to fight him? Maybe he is right and I made a mistake," Peter said, circling me. "Maybe you are just a weak, defenseless girl," he hissed in my ear.

"I am not!" I shouted, turning and grabbing a sword. It was light with a nice sharp blade. John grabbed the other.

"Let's see how you sword fight." Peter lit the torches around us at the flick of a wrist and the fire in the center of the camp went out. It was still bright, but now we had more room. The Lost Boys backed away, giving us room.

"You want to prove you're not weak?" John asked. "Then make your move, love." I swung at him and he blocked it with his sword. He lunged at me our swords colliding and I pushed him away. He came back swinging high, then low and I blocked it both times. I lunged at him and our swords clashed. We stayed like that, each trying to push the other away.

"You never cared about me. You're selfish, cruel, evil," he growled, his eyes staring into mine. I lost my strength for a minute and he pushed me away. He lunged at me this time and we were in the same position again.

"Me?" I asked. "You never helped me not once! I was hurt, I needed help but where were you?!" I whisper-yelled.

"I didn't know what to do. And everyday after you got hurt guess who you took it out on." He leaned over and whispered something I never thought I'd hear again into my ear. That's when I lost it. I wasn't going to cry, not in front of the Lost Boys, but it hurt. And I was going to let the hurt out.

**Peter's POV**

I had to admit Ace seemed to be good at everything I had her do. And I found out how to make her mad, to call her weak. She was cute when she was ma- Stop. I needed to stop thinking like that, but I couldn't. Every time I looked at her or she looked at me they came back to me.

They were talking in whispers me and the boys couldn't hear, but it didn't seem to be anything good. I looked around at the boys, they were all cheering for either to win. I was silent, just watching the moves they made.

John lunged at Ace and they began to whisper to each other. He leaned over next to her ear and said something. Her face drained of color and her eyes went wide. John stepped away, smiling. She looked like she would cry, but then her expression hardened into pure hatred. She lunged at him and he side stepped, but not far enough.

"This is for everyday I defended you," she said, loudly enough for us all to here. She hit him with the butt of the sword in the back of the neck. He fell face first onto the ground.

"This is for you never caring about what happened to me." She kicked him in the stomach making him roll over to face her.

He began to scramble backwards with a look of terror in her eyes as she held her sword at him. She put the tip right under his chin. "And this is because I'm not like you, or Milah, or Hook. But say that to me again, and I can be."

With that, Ace dropped the sword and John took a deep breath. The boys began to cheer for her, but she didn't care, she walked right past them and into the woods. I probably should go after her, make sure she's alright, but I wasn't going to, not now. She just needed space. And she wouldn't leave, she had told me so.

**Ace's POV**

You tried to kill me and you can't deny how much you're like them, he had said, the words ringing in my ears as I walked away. As soon as I passed the Lost Boys I didn't know where I was going, just somewhere. I didn't want to be near him.

Two years ago I had been out collecting firewood just to get away from everything, even if it was only for a small amount of time.

"It isn't going to go away like this," I heard John say from behind me. "You can't just walk away from everything."

"Don't you think I know that?" I had snapped, not in the mood to talk.

"Then why do you every time?" he pressed.

"You don't understand!" I exclaimed, turning and dropping the wood.

"Quit acting like you're the only one it affects! You're not the only defenseless one in that house!" he yelled.

"I'm not defenseless!" I screamed. "If anyone is defenseless it's just you! I stand up for myself and you! You can't do anything when she gets mad or dad comes back! You sit there and do nothing."

"I'm younger than you, I don't know what to do!"

"Don't give me that bloody excuse! You're taller, bigger, faster, stronger! You could do something and be more likely to succeed!"

I remember him swinging a fist at me and I dodged it, grabbing a piece of wood and hitting him over the head with it before he could try again. He fell and I stood there, shocked. Quickly, I checked his pulse, his heart was still beating. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or upset about it. I looked down at him. He had caused me almost as much pain as Milah, wether he meant to or not. I hated him, with almost all my heart. I pulled out my dagger and looked at it, still crouched next to John's body. I could do this, get away with it, be rid of him. But I couldn't, no matter how hard I tried to move my hand to stab him, I couldn't.

He began to stir and I put it away, I missed my chance.

The memory hurt, all of it. I don't know how he knew, though. He was unconscious when I held the dagger over his body.

I was quite far from the camp now and I stopped to sit down. I took a deep breath and leaned my head back against the tree. I should've killed him. I've had chances and didn't. I should've, but I couldn't. I don't even know why...

I heard talking and footsteps coming from behind the tree. It was probably Peter and some Lost Boys. Peter and his sparkling green eyes and- wait. What was I saying? This was bloody Peter Pan. Did I have- No. No I didn't have feelings for him. Did I?

I shook the thoughts away and I slowly turned around and peeked around the trunk. My jaw dropped and I turned back around behind the tree. I ran my hand over my face, could this day get any worse?

**Author's Note**

okay so I hoped you liked this I was trying to add more tension to Ace and John's relationship.

~Peyton

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