I Trusted You (Peter Pan)

Chapter 10

A/N: We're almost at the end of this fanfic- chapter eleven and an epilogue still to come! Part of me feels like I should have spaced these chapters out more, but at the same time I think a week of suspense is long enough ;) 

When Cassandra arose from her forced sleep, she immediately felt the difference in the air. Looking up at the bright blue expanse, she knew Neverland was long gone. She presumed it wouldn't be much longer till they arrived in Storybrooke.

"Morning Sunshine." A chirpy voice spoke.

Cassandra frowned as Regina came into view. The woman crouched beside her and suddenly all traces of joy vanished, the mask revealing a very serious Regina.

"I just want you to know," Regina's tone was low as she disclosed the information with a sadistic smile. "Your plan- trying to distract us- didn't work. We found Pan, and I assure you we took care of him." Her eyes gleamed with triumph.

Cassandra watched her. The girl's blank expression morphing into confusion. What was Regina talking about? Peter was already dead.

"Death was far too swift an end for him." Regina added; she couldn't resist. For once, she had won- she had gotten her happy ending. She wanted Cassandra to realise that she had been defeated. She wanted her to suffer for what Henry went through. "We sent him into Pandora's Box so he can pay for what he did, forever."

And then Cassandra was alone. And the confusion, still somewhat lingering, stretched itself thin and became a hollow sort of despair. She felt like she should be grieving; should feel the pain one was supposed to, when the person they loved was trapped in eternal torture. But she felt none of it. She tried, but her heart wasn't in it. It didn't feel as if he were gone.

It was like a dream, where she'd wake up curled in Peter's arms. He'd see the pout on her face and ask her what was wrong. She would tell him about her bizarre dream; how he died. And he would look at her and laugh. Not a mocking laugh, the kind that was spurred on by pure disbelief and amusement. The kind that comforted someone. Laughing at the fact that her mind had created a scenario so unbelievable. Because it would never happen.

But it had. This was real. And there was no pout. There were no teary eyes.

A thought crossed her mind. Maybe there was something wrong with her? She shook her head- scrap that. It was clear she wasn't the sanest of people. But even the mad must feel something, rather than the numbness she felt now.

The ship docked and the rope around each set of wrists and ankles fell slack. Cassandra glided behind Felix, following him off the Jolly Roger where a crowd had formed. Storybrooke residents greeted their friends that had returned from the perilous mission, relieved that they were all safe. Wendy pranced from the ship to her brothers, hugging them tightly. Something stirred within Cassandra and she quickly averted her gaze. She refused to believe she'd just experienced envy.

The Lost Boys wandered off into the town, making use of their newfound freedom. Felix, however, stood firmly at the dock, seeming quite content as he watched Henry with his family. Cassandra peered at him curiously.

"What are we doing here Felix?"

"We're waiting."

"For what?" Cassandra puzzled. Did he not realise that Peter was gone?

"Instructions." He answered with a sly grin. Cassandra just looked at him with bewilderment, not knowing how to respond. He knew something.

Henry began wandering over to the pair of them, a funny look on his face. Cassandra froze. She knew that look. It was so unlike Henry. It was dark, cunning, and incredibly smug. There was only one person who could envelop all three of those things so well into one glance.