Take Me to Neverland || OUAT

19: Queen's Throne

I was nudged in the shoulder as a flash of sunlight hit my eyes.

"The birds are chirping. The sun is shining brighter than ever. Why won't you wake up?" I heard a British voice tease in my ear.

I grumbled and turned to my side. "Because I love sleep more than anything else, Peter."

"Even me?" He smirked, opening one of my eyes with his thumb.

I stared back at his messy auburn hair and smiled. "Even you," I replied before closing my eyes again.

"Not so fast," he grinned and grabbed me by the shoulders. "Remember the time when I nearly drowned you in freezing water? Well, love, I can do it again."

My annoyed groan echoed off of the peeling treehouse walls, "fine, bossy-pants, I'll wake up," I sighed and stumbled off the bed like a drunk. "I'm going to go shower."

"I'll go with you."

"No, Peter," I gave him a small reassuring smile, "you've got a camp to run. A shower isn't that important."

He hesitated before I planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "I promise I'll be back before you know it."

Peter's eyes widened as I pulled away, but obliged to my promise. "Don't make me wait," he winked as I made my way down the treehouse ladder.

As I stepped foot on the soft soil of the campsite, I was nearly bulldozed over by Lost Boys. They rushed over excitedly to Felix as he stood at the center of the camp with a hooded figure beside him. "Tell Pan we've got a new Lost Boy on the island," he ordered, his face grinning mischievously .

A few boys scurried to find Peter while I began to pace myself towards the opening of the camp. There was only one thing on my mind at the moment, and it was to shower.

And besides, a new recruit isn't any of my business.

The forest around me brightened as the sunlight barely peaked through the canopy. Step by step, I reached the concealed water fall in a matter of minutes.

I sighed, finally to myself, I thought. The pristine water trickled through my toes as I took a step to test the waters. Then I grinned in satisfaction and decided that it was perfect as it is.

But before I could simply unbutton a button, I heard a faint rustle come from the underbrush.

"Peter, go away," I huffed in an annoyed manner. "I need to shower."

"Sorry miss," a voice answered back, except this time, it wasn't Peter at all. "Your name is... Amber, right?"

I spun around to see the pale-eyed boy that I've met once before. My voice was caught up in my throat, but after a few shocked seconds, I was finally able to speak. "Last time I saw you, you were... bigger," I pointed out.

He looked down at himself then back up at me. With a small smile, he shrugged, "I get that a lot."

Now it was my turn to smile. "What are you doing here? If you wouldn't mind, I've got a shower to do."

"Oh, the Lost Boys order me around to do their bidding," he explained, holding up a bucket in his left-hand. "They're making me fetch water."

I blinked in confusion, "and they don't expect you to run away?"

He shook his head as his smile disappeared. "They have my heart," he said weakly, "with it, they can control anything I do... even die. And I was about to until you came along."

"Me?" I asked, still curious of his dilemma.

"Yes, you," he replied. "You even saved my life... twice, so let me make it up to you."