The Real Peter Pan

• Chapter 20 •

" I don't have trust issues, I just know better."
- Anonymous

Everywhere is cold. My limbs are numb. Just breathing in has my nose burning as if I'm surrounded in dry ice.

My neck has a slight soreness but I can't find the muscle to reach for it.... and my eyes.. how did I not notice before the burning that blurred my vision? Or more like blackened my vision?

Wait. My eyes aren't open. Why can't I open them? I try to bring my hands to my face but nothing happens. I try to thrash around doing whatever I can to move, but I am still. I feel like I have been pressed into a sheet of glass and it's been molded over. I want to scream. The coldness does not prevent me from feeling hot with anger and anxiety.

I need out.

•••••••••••••••••••••
PETER'S P.O.V

My face rests in my hands. Across from me Stephan flys through books; flipping the pages so fast you can hear them ripping at the bind. The sound of a book smashing against the floor makes me lift my head.

"You know it would be nice if you helped look too." He grumbles.

I sigh and rub my temples. "I'm trying to think of a plan!"

"We can think of a plan later! For now we need to focus on her waking-"

A shriek interrupts him.
"PETER!!!" It's Claire.

I jump up so fast I almost lose my balance. Stephan and I both sprint into the bedroom. Claire stands leaning over the bed with her hands to her mouth.

"What happened?!" I breathe heavily.

"Her hand.... It moved." Claire gasped.

I quickly move over to where Claire stands and grab Brennan's hand.

"It's not possible, she can't wake up... Not on her own at least." Stephan shakes his head. Then his eyes open wider and he stares down at Brennan. "Unless..."

Her hand moves under mine and I kneel. "Unless it's true.."

Then her eyes fly open.

••••••••••••••••••••
BRENNAN'S P.O.V

I did it. I broke whatever stone I was in. I look down to my hand where I feel another grasping it. Peter, Claire, and Stephan stare wide eyed at me.

"Brennan, how do you feel?" Stephan asks slowly. I carefully move my gaze to Peter who looks like he's on the edge of his seat to hear my answer.

"Umm... I...." My voice stutters and chills cover my skin. "Cold. And my neck is sore."

"How about your eyes?" Claire adds. I hadn't notice the burning stopped.

"Fine, why?"

"They are blood red." Peter says sharply. I'm not sure what to say. So it just stays quiet as they study me. Then like a wall, it all hits me.

My chest closes in and I struggle to breathe. Tears become a waterfall to my eyes and memories of before now cloud my mind.

My dad. He hurt me. He knew Hook.

My hand rips from Peters hold and I jump from the bed. I land my knees first on the floor and claw at my shirt. My heart aches. I feel betrayed.

Claire holds my back as I cry. I know this because I can hear her soothing words over my sobbing.

"He tried to kill me. My own father..." That seemed to be the only thing I could say. Just repeating it over and over.

••••••••••••••••••

It's been a couple hours since I woke up. After my breakdown they all left the room to give me space, but sadly I failed to tell them I needed comfort. So now I'm staring out the window, with both arms wrapped around myself in substitute for a blanket.

I hear the door creak behind me but I don't have to turn to know who the ghost is.

Peter walks over and stands on the other side of the window. He twists his hands in his pockets as if he's trying to distract himself from the awkward silence.

I am the first to speak but I keep my eye out the window. "What did he inject me with?" I can see Peter jolt his eyes to me.

"Haldol. An extreme amount that puts one in a sleep they can't wake from unless with an antidote."

"Did you give me one?" I ask still not looking anywhere but at the tiny tree that sticks up from the crack in the road.

"No." He says. That moves my attention.

"Then why am I awake?"

"Brennan," Peter sighs. "I told you that you were different. That's why..." But he stops there.

"Hook? Is that what you were going to say?" I look back out the window.

"I know you don't believe but-"

"I saw his name." I state. Peter tilts his head. "It was on a list in my house. I read it right before the... Incident."

"Look, I know you don't get it but it's true. Hook's here. He wants you dead and I'm not sure why but I'm going to find out. And he had your parents as part of the plan. He made them try to kill you. And you waking up on your own wasn't an accident. It's proven that you are different, and I'm guessing that's what Hook's after."

My mind isn't jumbled with thought but for an odd reason, deep down I felt like I knew it was true, but I had to be sure.

"So all of this is real?" I lower my head.

He presses his lips together and nods. "Yes."

And then I felt almost a weight lift from me.

"All this time, I thought I was losing my mind." I sit on the bed and stare at the ground. Peter sits next to me.

"There's no way you could have ever of known about us....about this."

I lay my body sideways and take deep breaths. Peter stands and heads for the door.

"Wait." I almost shout. He turns back and looks at me. "Could you just lay here with me? I just don't want to be alone." I needed comfort, even if it was from Peter Pan.

He gives a kind smile. One I haven't seen before. He lays down beside me and brings his arm around me. My body relaxes under the wariness of him and for once I feel safe.

"Maybe later we can go for a walk. There is a lot of things you need to know." Peter says quietly in my ear.

I nod and close my eyes. "Okay, but for now I just want to lay here for a while."