VICIOUS (II) : peter pan ouat

How to see a Heart

Chapter 18

​"You can't just send me away you're mad." I shout, slamming the hatch down beneath my feet.

​He shrugs. "You were being irrational."

​I step closer to him, my feet light on the floor. In my time here, I learned to stop stomping around like a child, instead favouring the calm. When you're voice is flat, it's scarier. Normally I don't even try, but around Peter I want him to see how serious I am.

​"Why are you even mad at me?" I demand. "I didn't do anything wrong."

​"You don't see a threat when it hits you in the face." He says. He's behind me and his hands are on my back.

I flinch away. "I see that threat, but I can recognise no one is going to act on it. They are all too scared of you to do anything."

He pops up in front of me, crossing his arms. "Fair enough. I just can't lose you."

Not this close to the war. I'm supposed to play an integral part or whatever, so it's best we stay on the same side. If our team isn't as strong and trusting as it can be, we're going to lose.

"Sorry," I don't mean it at all, but I know it's what he wants to hear so I let the word whistle through my teeth.

He chuckles. "Don't apologise."

I forget, he either has no sense of common courtesy or manners, or genuinely does not care about them.

"Fine." I spit.

He leans down over me, trying to smile. "Charlotte, we are a team. We've got to make decisions together from now on."

"I know," I sigh, lying. As much as I appreciate his offer, I can handle myself. I don't see why he feels the need to breath down my neck. Sure, if I die I completely jeopardize his whole plan, but does he not care about how I feel towards this all?

"I need to be able to trust you Charlotte," he sits on the bed, looking up at me. "My life depends on it. When these people come, they are going to kill me Charlotte. Unless you can save me."

I'm almost baffled. Choosing not to stumble, I sit down on the bed next to him. I place a hand on his thigh, looking at him in the eyes. He seems so vulnerable.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"The drawing of the boy, the boy has what I need to stay alive." Peter tells me. "His heart is powerful."

"You're going to kill him?"

When he nods, I can't say I'm shocked. Of course he is going to kill a young boy. I can't say I'm surprised.

"I once read a legend." He presses on. "About him. About you. It's your destiny to help me live and to save Neverland."

Is this the bullshit Alison was going on and on about? Was it entirely bullshit? I need to know more, but not from Peter.

"I'm going to save you?" I demand.

He nods, his hand landing on my face. "His family is going to come to save him, but you've got to stop them. I believe in you Charlotte."

It's a big deal to believe in someone. Sure, I can care about Peter with all my might, but to trust him, to believe in him, now that is scary. It takes a kind of courage I don't know to believe in someone.

"I'll do it for you Peter."

He nods, placing his lips on mine. It's quick and sweet, and he pulls away. "Good. Just so you know, the boy should be here in less than a week. Three days."