Playing In Pan's Game

Chapter 7

Peter's POV

"Tinker Bell!" I called impatiently.

"For the last time Peter get the hell away from my house!" I heard her shout from inside.

"Tink, please, just give me some time," I begged.

"Why should I?!"

I took a deep breath. "Hook is back."

Silence fell over us, and a few moments later Tink popped her head out the window. "Hook hasn't done me any wrong, so why is this supposed to change anything?"

"I'm not here to ask you to help me," I told her. "I want your help for Ace's sake, not my own."

"That girl you came to me before about? She's still around?" she asked. I nodded, and Tink burst out laughing. "You must really like this one, Pan."

"She's my world, Tink, and with Hook back... I need help. She can't help me this time, I kind of, well..."

"What did you do?"

"I didn't tell her that I let him live," I confessed.

"Peter! Are you stupid?! You-"

"I don't need the speech Felix has given it to me multiple times," I groaned. "The thing is, however, he has the Shadow on his side. I need someone powerful in magic to help me, and the only one I know I can trust with magic is you."

"You know I like to remain neutral in these situations, Pan. I don't need anymore enemies like the Indians trashing my treehouse," she said.

"I know, but this time none of it's about me. This isn't for my sake or my own revenge, this is for her. Her vengeance, if anything."

Tink sighed. "I don't want to be involved. I know you have good intentions but... just leave me out of it."

I was becoming more and more angry by the second. "Come on, Tink, how much do I have to beg?!"

"Begging won't work!" she yelled from inside her house.

"Please!" My voice cracked. "Tink please I can't lose her!"

Her head popped back out the window, her irritated look gone. "Are you... crying?"

"I've made mistakes before too, Tink, and I lost my son because of that. I've lost so many people, and I've almost lost Felix on occasion. I can't lose her Tink, I can't," I said, choking back tears. Why the hell was I crying? I'm Peter Pan for God's sake!

Tink stared at me for a minute. "You really aren't doing this for selfish reasons, are you? Unless the whole fake crying thing is a lie to."

"Tink, I've lied to you before but you know damn well I don't cry ever. Last time I cried was when I gave up Rumple all those years ago. And I'm not crying, not yet at least."

Tinker Bell sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "If I do this Pan, then I'm serious. That's it. No more favors, no more visiting my tree house. Next time you do I will kill you."

I smiled. "Good luck with that."

She rolled her eyes. "What do we need to defeat Hook?"

"Give me time to come up with a plan, then I'll come back and explain." She nodded, and I began to walk away.

"Wait."

I stopped and turned around. "What?"

"I want to add an additional price to my help."

I nodded. "Anything."

"If you want my help, you go back to that camp and you tell that girl what you did," Tink said.