White Lily - A Peter Pan Fanfiction [2/3]

Chapter 9

I felt like a prisoner in my own home, unable to leave or do anything. And that was a massive problem. Why? Because the notebook had given me a new task.

Pan wouldn't let me leave and cast a spell on the house, literally locking me in as well as keeping unwanted visitors out. He'd also put Felix on as "guard duty", which, in my opinion, was pretty pathetic.

"I can take care of myself," I had sneered but Pan didn't have a bar of it.

"I'm not risking it!" And in all honesty, I didn't have a choice. I couldn't argue back and even if I tried, I'd lose...so I gave in.

Felix sat on the couch with his legs up, flicking through the yellow notebook mindlessly.

"Strange how Hades gave you this," he mumbled and me, who was pacing around bored out of my mind, rolled my eyes and shrugged.

"I don't get it."

"It's obvious Hades' hired Jane to kill you."

"You don't know that."

"Hello?" Felix cooed, groaning and placing the book down. "Use your brain."

"I am."

"Well, it doesn't seem like it," he said and I huffed, shooting him a nasty glare before returning to my endless walking.

"Pan isn't as powerful as Hades, who could literally just walk through the door at any moment."

"You need to trust him more, Serena," Felix groaned again, sitting up and folding his arms as he shot me a cold glare. "I'm surprised in your lack of faith."

"I'm being realistic."

"No, you're being pessimistic. There's a difference."

"Wow you're annoying today," I snapped and all he did was chuckle, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back proudly. "You know, instead of being an asshole, you could be nice."

"Says you."

"Excuse me?"

"Enough bickering, you idiots..." It was Pan, walking into the living room and closing the door behind him. Even though we were in this...situation, it still felt weird to be in a house and wearing normal clothes as well as the whole 'coming home from work' thing. "I could hear it from outside."

"This was your stupid idea," I grumbled angrily, folding my arms. Rolling his eyes he walked over to me and forced his arms around me; I groaned, accepting the hug but just dangling my arms there.

"And it's my stupid idea that'll keep you safe, okay?" he said, pulling away. Refusing to look his way, I nodded in defeat; he placed a kiss on my cheek before walking over to Felix.

And that's when his mood changed entirely. "I told you to burn the book."

"You know we can't," Felix said, getting to his feet as Pan snapped up the object, suddenly becoming furious; his expression had become twisted and dark.

"You disobeyed me –"

"Serena's fate will be worse than death if you destroy that book!"
"You don't get to tell me ANYTHING about her fate, you got that?" Pan growled and I took a step forward, my bottom lip dropped as I watched the argument from the side-line. I should intervene, this isn't fair. Peter's overreacting. "I'll give you one last chance to destroy –"

"No."

"Felix –" I tried but Pan snapped his head over his shoulder to glare at me now, holding a finger up in my direction to silence me.

"I'll handle this." But my face twisted as well, my jaw tightening. I didn't reply and nor did I back down, but I waited until the time was right. I loved Pan and he loved me, but he couldn't control me.

"Burn...the book," Pan said slowly through a clenched jaw and I held my breath, watching Felix decide what to do...and what not to do. And unfortunately, he chose wrong.

"I won't. You're doing exactly what –"

Peter snapped his hand up and Felix was thrown backwards, crashing into the bookcase like a lifeless ragdoll...and wasn't moving. Gasping and stumbling backwards a little, I stared at my friend who had blacked out beneath books and the bookcase as well, his hair and body limbs barely visible. With another flick of his wrist, Pan lit the blackened fireplace beside us and refused to look my way. But I reached out and grabbed his wrist, forcing his eyes to meet mine.

"Peter –"

"Do you trust me?"

Silence.

But I nodded and he ripped his hand from mine...

And threw the notebook into the fire.

+++

I expected some dramatic scene of me perishing to ash or some other crazy thing (maybe melting?), but alas, nothing...happened, and I instantly ran over to Felix's side.

"He'll be fine. You can't break anything in the Underworld," Pan muttered and heaving the bookshelf back up, I rolled my eyes.

"It's the fact that you did it."

"Oh, he's used to it."

"Peter." But all he did was chuckle. I kneeled back down and started collecting the books. I even paused for a moment to stroke Felix's blonde hair. You deserve better than us. James' treated you so well...

When the doorbell went off, I froze, keeping a handful of books in my arms as my eyes locked onto nothing.

"Stay there." I rolled my eyes once again but carefully placed down the books before getting to my feet. Silently, I watched as Pan opened the door to reveal...Hades. With his hands in his suit pockets, he merely strolled in without a care in the world.

"Fascinating to see how bold you are, Pan," he said as the two walked into the living room. Folding my arms, I lifted my chin as the god of death met my gaze. "And what you'd do for love."

"What do you want?" I snapped, impatient at the unnecessary talk; Hades chuckled amusingly.

"You ought to thank him, you know. He did figure it out."

"Figure what out?" I said, now looking to Pan who avoided my gaze. What was he up to?

"The reason Jane's name is crossed out on that book is because she failed to do what she was ordered to do: to kill Peter Pan when they were both alive. The book had nothing to do with being a little 'Underworld assassin'."

Wait...what?

"Then why did Hercules act so surprised about –?"

"It's something people have learned to...fear here, merely due to Jane's impeccable reputation," Hades said and I looked to Peter, narrowing my eyes. I didn't say it but I thought it: what did you figure out? "It's been fun, this little game of ours. But it's not me who wants either of you dead. I quite enjoy both of your company here in this disgusting place of death." I scoffed in disgust, dropping my arms.

"We all know you've ordered Jane to kill me."

But Hades looked genuinely chaffed.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, princess," he started, walking over to me; Pan's back straightened as he watched the god approach me. And then Hades snapped his hand up and grabbed my face, using his other hand to flick a freezing spell onto Pan. "I didn't order Jane to do anything, but the drama...well, I won't put an end to it. Us dead people need some entertainment and boy it's going to get fun."

And just like that, Hades erupted into blue smoke and disappeared before our eyes.

But it wasn't the threats that freaked me out. It wasn't a pathetic nickname he had used on me.

He knew about my long and forgotten past... He'd called me what I truly was.

A princess.