He's a Hero to me. (A Peter Pan - OUAT - story)

{chapter fourteen}

Pan's POV

"Okay, well, I'm a lot older than I look, we'll start with that," I say.

"Peter, I know that, you've been on Neverland for centuries,"

"Yeah. But, before Neverland, I was in my 30's, 40's, 50's. I don't really remember my age. I had a son,"

"A son?"

"Yeah. Ha- Have you ever heard of Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Of course I have! You picked me up in Storybrook, remember?"

"Oh. Yeah. Well, he's my son,"

"The dark one is your son? How is that even possible? How did you go from being in you 50's to 17?"

"I'm getting to that. His mother had died, I had lost my job, and I would trick people into a gamble they couldn't win to support us. I called it, follow the lady,"

"I've heard of that. You keep your eye on the queen of hearts,"

"Exactly. But, I would slip it up my sleeve so no matter what they picked, they would loose. I was a terrible person. I believed everything was a game. I still kind of do. And well, Peter Pan never loses the game,"

"Peter..." She whispers.

"I couldn't spend time with Rumple. Eventually, I had to give him up. Three seamstresses adopted him. I had given him a doll to remember me by. He thought I was looking for another job, but no one would hire me. My name was soiled. I went back to the pub and just kept playing 'Follow the Lady'. Then, Rumple got a magic bean from the fairies so we could get a fresh start. It could take us anywhere,"

"And you chose Neverland,"

"Yeah. We came here. I wanted to fly, so I left Rumple on the ground as I went to find pixie dust. Then, the shadow showed up. He told me I don't belong. He told me only children could come to Neverland, and only in their dreams. He said if I believed I was a child again, I could become one. But, I couldn't do that with Rumple on the island," I hate the memory. I start crying a bit, letting only a couple tears escape from my eyes. "I told the shadow to take him. Take him back to the enchanted forest, and away from me. He dropped his doll. I remembered the name he gave it. It was Peter Pan. T-That's why I call myself that,"

"Peter..." Skylar says, climbing in my lap. She wraps her legs around my waist and runs her fingers through my hair.

"The moment he left I regretted it. But, I got what I wanted, right? I should've been happy. I wasn't meant to be a father, anyways. But, then the shadow showed me skull rock. It has a hourglass there. It's almost empty, Skylar. That represents how long I have until my youth runs out. Until I die,"

"Peter, I-I thought we could live together forever on the island,"

"We technically could. I need the heart of the truest believer. After that, I can live forever with you. But, I have to kill the boy to get it. This is what make people leave. I'll do it. I gave my boy up to live here, and if killing one more boy makes it worth it, then I say 'so be it.' I'm evil. I-If you want to leave I get it,"

"Peter, I would never leave you," she says, laying her head on my chest, "I love you," I smile through the tears.

"I love you, too,"