Innocence One-Shot: It's A Tangled Web We Weave

It's A Tangled Web We Weave

The ocean reflected off of her long hair, that gently caressed her skin. A girl who simply wanted a normal life...a girl who wanted family. Elle wanted people who didn't abuse her for her power. She wanted people who loved her for who she was. Her feet dangled over the edge of the rocky cliff as the water crashed below. Elle's snow white hair spread all around the back of her as the girl sighed. She suddenly didn't feel so alone. The wind swept through her hair and the soft breeze moved through her fingers gently, she held her pale hand to the sky. "Peter." Her head turned lightly and she met his mahogany eyes. A colder wind blew her hair all around her.

"Princess." Peter moved towards the girl, but stopped to lean against a tree. His eyes glinted softly against the dim lit area. "You're missing all the festivities." The bonfire roared back at the camp, and the Lost Boy's danced around the flame, singing, laughing and playing. "What are you doing out here all alone?"

"Thinking." Elle's voice came out as a whisper amongst the sound of crashing waves. Her eyes darted away from his and brimmed with tears. She had to be strong, the last thing she wanted to do; be a sad, weak little girl.

"Well Princess, that's a tad broad." Peter's legs carried him to the crumbling edge, his feet dangled over as he sat next to her, glancing over at her. "It's also quite dangerous to be out here alone, monsters you know; and well; me." His pale lips grew into a smirk.

Elle sighed, and managed to give back a small smile. Her smile quickly faded as her thoughts began to collect once more in her head, consuming her. "Did your parents love you?" The words spilled out of her mouth and her head cocked to the side meeting his eyes. Elle's snow hues gathered around her face.

"Parents?" Peter scoffed and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes moving away from hers. "Who needs parents?" Her question was completely avoided by the boy who was growing uncomfortable.

"That's not what I asked." Her voice was sharp as she moved her head once more to meet his eyes. "I said; Did your parents love you?" Elle furrowed her brows and her breath seemed to get caught as she looked back towards the sea.

"Parents have to love their children right?" Peter laughed, but his tone was full of sorrow, and his eyes drifted to the crashing tides. "I ran away for a reason Princess." His mind went blank and that was the worst thing that could possibly happen; because in that moment, for once, Peter Pan felt everything. Memories coursed through his veins and he grew angrier by the second. "No my parents didn't love me Elle." Peter snapped.

Elle's hands slowly wrapped around herself as she needed comfort. Her and Peter Pan; they were one of the same. Her parents didn't love her either...but why. Parents have to love their children right? His voice echoed through her head and filled her thoughts. Her parents had just gambled her away, like a pawn in a game. What did she have anymore? Who did she have anymore? Elle's pale hand reached up, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Parents don't have to love their children; mine didn't love me." The princesses eyes darted towards him and her shoulders shrugged. "They sold me, they chose a stupid deal, over their own daughter." Tears brimmed her eyes and Elle's lips pursed as she fought back tears. "Am I that worthless?"

Peter's brows furrowed as he listened to her words, they were poison to his ears. Worthless was such an awful word. "Princess; you're not worthless, you're so important to all of us."

"Why because my hair glows and I have powers?" Her tone grew angry as she pondered whether he or not he kept her alive only because she was useful. "Is that all I am to you? Just another power source?" Her heart pounded in her chest as she dared to challenge Peter Pan.

Peter slowly got to his feet, backing away from her. "I'm not that much of a monster Princess." His feet carried him back to the familiar mossy tree and he leaned against it; the cheers of boys could be heard throughout the sky. "That's not why I keep you around." Peter's voice grew softer as he felt her sorrow; he understood her pain; the pain of abandonment. "I understand." His voice was barely audible now as the waves echoed their sounds up the sides of the rocky edge.

Elle ran her hands through her hair, the hair that ruined her life. The way it wrapped around her delicate body, sickened her. The way the white shone brightly when the sun hit, disgusted her. Just the way it existed, made her heart cry out. The gentle breeze carried her terrible thoughts away, along with any sign of emotion as Elle suddenly became a blank slate. No longer wanting to feel any pain, she simply decided not to think about it; to divert her poisonous mind somewhere else.

"Your silence is concerning." Peter's voice chimed in as he stared at the girl who was now still, and her eyes locked with the stars. "Talk to me Princess." His feet took him no farther than a few feet away from the girl. He didn't want to disturb her or upset her; not now...not when she was so weak and depressed.

"We're never alone Peter." Elle laid back until she felt the familiar grass underneath her skin. "The stars, they make it so were not alone. No one is ever truly along as long as they lie underneath the night. No secret is ever kept, because the stars hear the whispers spread throughout." Her eyes closed gently as her feet continued to dangle over the edge. "But the stars have gone out for me Peter. I am alone, as of this moment; I am alone." The girl choked back her tears and met the glistening moon. "Everyone I love, leaves." The sudden realization danced through her mind as horror spread across her face. "I have no one." She quickly sat up, grasping the rocks to either side of her. "What happens to me now?" Elle went to turn around but the rocks underneath her broke and she felt herself free-falling. A calming sensation came with the realization that death was nearing. She could hear the booming waves below her grow closer with every inch. The wind blew her hair all around her, as the girl shut her eyes tightly. Elle felt the sea mist upon her face, and it glistened in beads to match her tears. Her name could be heard from above and strong hands clasped on either side of her and she was pulled into the sky.

Peter held onto her tightly, pulling her closer to the stars. He was completely speechless, after almost losing her. He could feel her arms squeeze onto him ever so tightly. Peter held her at shoulders length as they hovered above the moonlit water, that was ever so dark. His chestnut eyes scanned hers as she slowly opened them. He was hesitant to speak, but the words that meant everything spilled from his rosy lips without any thought.

"You have me."