Lost Boy, Stolen Memories

Chapter 22

Erin's POV

Felix and three other lost boys have us cornered. They are closing in to our front and the only thing to the back is the ocean. I would just fly to another location on the island or just transport there myself, but I don't want to leave Colt on his own. I decide to face the punishment; if Colt goes down, I go down with him.

"Colt? Are you conferring with the enemy?" Felix questions. His eyebrow is raised but it isn't nearly as attractive as when Peter does it, especially with the scar.

Colt releases my hand, which I hadn't known he was holding, and says, "I was just about to bring her back to Pan before you so rudely interrupted me."

"Sure you were," one of Felix's cronies snickers.

Felix laughs too, "I think we'll take it from here, Colt. We'll just take the girl and deal with you later."

Then both Felix's henchmen grab me by the arms and start dragging me away. I could still escape easily, however if I do, then Pan's wrath would probably be sent upon Colt instead of me. I'm sure that Colt would take the fall for me, but I won't let him.

"If you try to follow us," Felix says from behind me, "then we might just have to throw you to the mermaids."

It sounds like an empty threat to me, but then I remember the storm that they caused on the Jolly Rodger and can see how they could be frightening.

Felix's footsteps grow louder, so I know that he's caught up to us.

"Where are you taking me?" I inquire.

I can feel Felix's face inches from my ear, his hot, unpleasant breath reaching my neck, "You'll just have to wait and find out."

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Pan's POV

After my encounter with Hook, I went to see if any progress was made in finding Erin.

I asked Felix first because I knew he was a capable tracker, "Did you find the girl?"

"Indeed," he responds, "I took her to Echo Cave."

"Excellent," I say.

"Also," he continues, "there's another thing you should know. Colt was with her when we found her, and he wasn't trying to capture her. He was aiding her."

Of course he was. I don't really know who's side he's on. He could be helping me by gaining her trust or deceiving me by doing the same. I decide not to punish him until I find out his motive.

I figure I'll probably leave Erin in Echo Cave for a while. Just long enough so that she starts missing me, or goes crazy. When one of the two happen I'll retrieve her. I look up into the night sky, the moon is nearing full. In a few days I'll release her and use her heart to save Neverland. Then everything will be alright.

"Xander, Felix, get the fire going. We have a right to celebrate tonight, boys," I say to them.

Then an entirely unwelcome voice sounds from behind me, "Mind if I join your festivities?"

Alternating waves of confusion and anger roll through me. How the hell did he escape from Pandoras box? My mind can only think of one culprit. Erin. Hasn't she gotten enough revenge for one day?

"I certainly wasn't expecting you to come, Rumple. If I had known I would have gotten an extra party hat for you," I say, coating my voice with bitterness.

My lost boys don't laugh, they just look uneasily between us. Perhaps they are thinking about what Erin told them: that the Dark One was able to cast a curse on me, their unstoppable leader. But it won't happen again. I'll make positive of that.

He approaches me so that we are face to face, only a few feet between us, "I paid a visit to my dear old friend Hook before coming here. Not long after you left, I believe."

Damn. Hook is going to be after me as well. He probably thinks I was deceiving him, but I didn't know that the Dark One was free either.

"I'm sure he didn't welcome it," I say, not letting my frustrations show.

"No," he replies. "Sadly, he isn't quite the enemy I thought he would be, so I figured I would drop by here first. Have a run in with my father."

I reach for my dagger and he does the same. I grasp mine and pull it out easily, but his cruel smile fades from his face. He's lost his dagger.

"Something missing, Rumple?" I laugh spitefully.

He says, "You're in luck. Looks like I'll have to come back later."

And he's gone again.

This is almost ideal, while he searches for his dagger, I can locate Pandoras Box and trap him once more. But to do that I will have to confront Erin.

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Erin's POV

I wake up, as does a throbbing pain in my head. I vaguely remember Felix hitting me over the head and knocking me unconscious. And now I'm here, in another cage.

I gather that I'm in a cave from the grey rocks surrounding the bars of my cage. Then I steal a glance downwards and see that there is a ring of nothingness around me. There is a small pillar of rock that serves as support for my cage, but enveloping it is a dark abyss.

I don't understand how Peter could think I could be contained here after breaking out of the last cage he put me in. I try to use my newfound magic to get out of here. I open my eyes and... I'm still in a cave. Do my powers not work here?

A worse thought occurs to me, what if I've lost them completely? And what if Peter has got his back?