Faith, Trust & Pixie dust.

Chapter 12

Peter, Nyx, and Brook stood on the beach in the early morning sun. Peter had already sent word ahead to Hook so that he wouldn’t storm the island looking for Brook. He was not happy that Brook had slipped away during the night, but whatever anger he had been feeling vanished when she told him the news.

“We have to leave Neverland, Pan will let us go.” Brook was trying to explain even though she was crying again. Happy tears this time though.

“You’ll let us leave?” Hook stared over Brook’s head in pure confusion.

“Yes, on the condition that you bring Brook back to visit Nyx on occasion. I can give your ship the ability to travel between realms,” Peter was being incredibly calm, and it was entirely down to Nyx. Admitting how he felt about the situation with Hook clearly changed him, “Regardless of how you feel about me, Neverland, or the Lost Boys, I want your word that you won’t keep Brook from Nyx. They’re family, they need each other.”

Something flickered across Hook’s face at the mention of family, but he agreed eventually, “Deal. Do what you need to do.”

“You should say your goodbyes now,” Peter gestured to Brook, who immediately detached herself from Hook and threw herself at Nyx.

“I’m gonna miss you Peaches,” She bawled.

“I’m gonna miss you too Duckie,” Nyx mumbled into her hair.

“Yeah right,” Brook sniffed, “it’ll be seconds to you.”

Nyx chuckled, “That’s still too long.”

“Nerd.”

They were still crying when Peter announced that it was time for them to leave. The girls had one last hug before Brook, Hook, and the rest of the crew boarded the ship. Peter raised a hand. The ship was engulfed with green smoke and begin to sail out to sea. Nyx held on to Peter as she watched the ship disappear over the horizon. And in no time at all, it was back. And they repeated the whole routine, though this time over Brook’s swollen belly. It was odd, to see the changes in Brook when to Nyx she hadn’t even stepped off the beach.

When they came back the second time, they saw the biggest change of all. This time when Brook and Hook stepped off the boat, it was with two black hair babies in tow. Brook introduced them as Harry, and Harriett, and Nyx wasted no time in making jokes. She couldn’t deny that they were two adorable babies though.

Rather than stay on the beach this time, Peter led them all back to camp. Hook even waved off his crew when they entered the forest. Either he was too worn out from fatherhood to want to fight Peter, or he had gotten over his grudge with Peter’s gift of freedom. Either way, it was a win.

Back at camp, the Lost Boy’s went wild over the twins, immediately trying to teach them bad words and how to wield stick swords. Brook just rolled her eyes and laughed it off, but Hook’s eyes followed the twins as the toddled around, not entirely trusting the Lost Boys. Peter picked up on that quickly.

While Brook filled Nyx in on her life, Peter pulled Hook aside, “Killian, may I say something?” Hook looked apprehensive, but nodded and followed Peter just outside of camp, “I’m sorry about what happened with your brother. I should have stopped him, and I didn’t. I cannot apologise enough, but I can promise that your children will always be safe here. I’ll make sure of it.”

Killian stood dumbfounded, unsure how to respond when he knew in his heart that he was partly to blame, “Thank you, but there’s no need. Brook kind of made me see sense. You had no control over mine or my brother’s actions. We were stupid, arrogant. It was on us. I hope you can forgive me?”

Peter just smiled, “Water under the bridge.”

“You guys should kiss!” Nyx shouted from the other side of the fire, her eyes sparkling.

This of course set of the Lost Boys who started chanting ‘Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!’ between their own laughter.

“Kiss!” Came a tiny voice. Everyone froze. Then turned to look. Harriett sat on the ground, leaves clenched in her tiny fists. As they watched, she threw them in the air with a giggle, letting the rain down on her head, “Kiss!” She giggled again.

“Great, my child’s first word is telling her father to kiss another man,” Brook took a deep breath, torn between frustration and laughter, “Do you know how many hours I spent trying to get her to say mama? Too many!” She continued to grumble as she pulled leaves from Harriett’s hair, who was still beaming at her own brilliance.

Her anger only set them off again. Somewhere in the laughter, someone got food cooking over the fire, and someone else started up the drums. Peter pulled out his panpipe again, and like their first night on Neverland, they danced the night away.

*

Brook and Killian left at dawn. Nyx chased Harry down to the beach, making him laugh by pretending to fall down holes. Harriett was sound asleep in Killian’s arms. They said their goodbyes as they boarded the Jolly Roger, and as it sailed away Nyx couldn’t help but wonder how much they would change this time. Would it be months for them or years? It was a strange feeling.

She turned to Peter, wanting to explain her feelings and maybe get a hug, but before she could speak there was another earthquake. The whole island shook, just once. Then the sky, so beautifully crystal clear, clouded over and hammered them with rain. It pounded down on them, practically forcing them to the ground. Then, like before, it stopped. The clouds vanished and the sun was beating down on them instead. The sand, which was soaked just moments before, dried out and became so hot they had to retreat to the shade of the forest.

“What the hell?” Was all Peter had time to say before the screaming started.

Peter grabbed her around the waist. Green smoke swirled around them, and the forest was replaced by camp. The Lost Boys were all huddled around one boy. Except it wasn’t a boy anymore. He was aging, rapidly. His skin grew weathered and wrinkled. His back hunched, his joints twisted. His hair grew and lost its colour. He was screaming, a scream that cut off into a hacking cough. And then he collapsed. And didn’t move again.