FROSTBITE | HENRY MILLS [2]

XVIII. i promised

Chapter Status: Edited.

Everyone is still, the only sound being the heart monitor's deafening beep. Aaron and Matt burst into the room, Matt instantly dropping to his knees in shock.

"No!" Anna screams.

She drops to the floor beside Tahlia's bed, her hand covering her mouth as she shakes, Sandy sits beside her, hugging her tightly.

Peter then steps forward, "her magic didn't work."

"Obviously!" Regina hisses, tears staining her cheeks.

"No, I mean... never mind," he sighs.

And that is when Elizabeth breaks down, she drops into the chair beside her daughter's bed and hugs her arm, sobbing terribly. Everyone, except Pan, is in tears, no one can speak, especially Henry, who just stands still, staring at his girlfriend in heartache. Steady tears falling slowly down his face.

"Let's give Elizabeth some time alone," Dr Whale says softly.

He wipes away the tears in his eyes, everyone nodding in agreement before leaving. Pan does not go yet, sitting down with his face in his hands.

"What are you doing here?" Henry hisses.

Peter does not answer him.

"How could she be so stupid? Didn't she know that using light magic to neutralise theirs will just make theirs stronger?" he rambles to himself.

"What are you going on about?" Regina snaps, glaring down at him with hatred in her eyes.

"That stupid girl, her mother's magic is light, your magic can't just change from light to dark because she's evil. Doesn't matter if it's light or dark, magic would just make their magic process faster!" he growls.

"And why are you here?" Chloe asks suspiciously.

"I thought... I thought that maybe I could save her," he replies softly, the harshness in his eyes disappearing.

"Why do you care about her? All she's done is cause you trouble!" Anna yells, not being able to control herself.

But Peter does not get mad, he just sits up straighter, the anger returning to his eyes, but not because of Anna.

"A long time ago, I promised Tahlia I'd protect her," he admits softly.

"Is that why you've done it all? Sent her to Neverland? Kidnapped her?" Chloe asks, her voice soft

"Listen, I don't care that much about her, what she does is her decision and I cannot tamper with her fate. But yes, if her life was in a death situation I would step up and try to help."

"Why would you promise to protect somebody?" Dr Whale questions.

"Tahlia was only 9..."

"Peter, where are we going?" the nine-year-old asks worriedly, looking around cautiously as they walk through the thick shrubbery.

"This might be very dangerous, but you're brave, aren't you?" he smirks. Tahlia looks down at her bow and arrow in her hands and then looks back up at him.

"I think so," she says softly.

"Okay, I'm going to show you Skull Island."

Her eyes brighten, a large smile forming on her face. Skull Island, or Skull Rock, has been a place she's been fascinated by since her first visit.

"But I have to warn you, we have to travel over mermaid cove to get there," he says.

She freezes. During her first trip to the island, she was nearly killed one of those hideous mermaids, and the boys continuously tell monstrous tales about them. Max even told her about boys being lured in and killed by them. The very thought makes her shiver.