Belief Extraordinary

"Friends"

A number of small fires crackled through the camp, each with a handful of Lost Boys. Sarah scanned the groups, searching for one she could wrangle dinner from before she slept. She caught Arthur's eye where he sat with Xavier and Rasheed, and he looked away hurriedly. Guilt prickled over her heart. One last thing to do today, she told herself, This is not going to be fun. She walked over to the group slowly. As she approached, Xavier whispered something to Arthur, who nodded. He drew his hand away from the older boy's shoulder as he stood, and drew Rasheed off to the side with a look. Rasheed looked at her warily once before leaving with the redhead, leaving her and the older boy alone. She spoke hesitantly. "Arthur...I'm sorry."

He looked up at her over the fire, eyes searching for something in her face. Sarah pressed on nervously. "Thank you." She stared at his feet, uncomfortable with looking him in the eye when he'd stuck his neck out for her only to have her brush him to the side. "Thank you for trying to help me-to shake me out of..." She faltered, searching for the right word. "That." She drew her eyes backup to look at Arthur, who sighed and patted the log next to him.

"What was that?" He asked keenly. Sarah sighed as she landed heavily on the log beside him. "It was like you were an entirely different person." She didn't answer for a long minute.

"I don't know." She admitted at last. "I mean I've always had a temper, but..." She trailed off. "Sometimes I just get," She paused, staring into the fire. "So angry. It's like pure rage just rushes through my bloodstream, and I don't think clearly or kindly or anything like I normally think, I just..." She trailed off, tossing a twig in the fire. Arthur shifted beside her uncomfortably. "The worst part is it feels good, Arthur." She turned her head to look him in the eye. "It feels powerful. Like you're electrified, like nothing can stop you." She sighed. "And I think that's what he wants." Arthur furrowed his brows, not understanding who she meant. "Pan." Sarah explained. "He..." She wasn't sure how to put into words what exactly Pan was trying to do-mostly because she wasn't entirely certain she understood herself. "It doesn't matter." She shook her head. "I am sorry though-I really am."

"I believe you." Arthur said at last. He broke into a grin. "But remind me never to get on your bad side." He laughed, and Sarah felt relief wash over her like a cool rain. She threw another stick on the fire with a laugh.

"Yeah, well-maybe you'll think twice before carrying me tied up through the forest a second time." Arthur's chuckle mixed with the shuffle of footsteps as Xavier and Rasheed returned.

"Come on Sarah," Xavier clapped her on the shoulders, jovial again. "You're not still mad about that, are you?" She brushed him off and he pushed her off the log playfully in response, reclaiming his seat next to Arthur. Sarah glowered at him from the ground.

"I beat you once Xavier, don't think I won't do it again!" The boys laughed at her bluster as Xavier slung his arm back around Arthur's shoulders.

"If that's what you call winning a fight," Rasheed queried with brows raised, "what does it look like when you lose?" With a sigh, Sarah got up and dusted herself off, moving to sit on the third log between the boys. She cuffed Rasheed lightly on the head as she passed.

"Doesn't that mouth ever get you in trouble?" She asked lightly. She could feel the stress of the day, the fears and confusions and trials, roll off of her in this company of something very like friends. She could get used to this.

Rasheed looked at her scornfully. "I have the fighting skill to back my mouth up." He raised his head in the air, trying to look down his nose at her despite his height disadvantage. It didn't quite work. "Unlike some people." Sarah's eyes narrowed. Maybe not quite friends, after all.

"What did you say to Felix earlier?" Xavier's sly voice slid over to her from across the fire and she groaned. She really didn't want to rehash all the blows to her pride today. "He seemed pret-ty ticked off." Arthur covered his mouth with his hand, trying to stifle a laugh. Now that he wasn't in a cloud from the morning, he could appreciate how funny the image of Felix carrying her protesting form off to the jungle was. Sarah glared at him, hearing the laugh anyway.