Peter's Favorite- a OUAT fanfic

Chapter Twenty- The Promise

I found him in his thinking tree- of course.

"What are you doing here? Did you get the heart?"

He nodded, tapping his chest. "I'm waiting."

"Waiting?"

"For Emma and Regina and Snow."

I assumed those were the three women of the group. "How do you know they're coming?"

"I see them down the path, see?" he pointed.

Sure enough, the three were making their way towards us. I turned to him.

"So what's wrong? Everything's in place now," I said. His eyes looked distant.

"I still have a bad feeling about all of this. I don't want to lose my boys but... look at them." He sighed and I rested my head against his chest. "I've done so much for them. " His voice began cracking. "I gave them a home but- but they're still so ready to betray me."

"You have me, you have Felix, and-"

"But you guys can't bring me Neverland back!" There was a desperation in his voice that I'd never heard before. "I'd do anything to have it all."

My heart sank. A dreading feeling overcame me,

"And you will!" I assured him. "Even if you lose your boys, you'll find more. Boys who will truly call this place home."

He sighed. "They're coming. I need you to hide," he insisted.

"What? Why-"

"Please," he begged. "I don't want to be scared that they'll hurt you."

I nodded. "Fine. But the second I see you getting hurt-"

"I know, you'll come save me." He smiled and leaned in to kiss me. I put my hand on his cheek and he put his on my waist. His lips were soft and for a second, just a split second, it seemed like everything was going to be okay. "You're the best. I love you, Tiger Lily."

"I love you, too." I said, before darting behind a bush and sitting down against a tree.

I watched the three women get tricked and tied to a tree before I looked away. Only five minutes later, I heard him gasp and fall to the ground. They left with the boy's heart in one hand and Pandora's box in the other. Peter looked as though he'd been attacked.

He coughed as I crouched down next to him. "Are you okay?" I cried.

Sighing, he looked at the dirt under his arms. "Yes. But this means plan B."

"Plan B?"

He looked up at me and rolled on to his back. Staring into my eyes, he smiled, but I could see that it wasn't true. It was laced with panic and loss.

"Your eyes-" I sighed.

"What?"

"I don't know. They used to sparkle- with mischief, with youth."

"My eyes still sparkle!" he said with a mockingly offended voice. "They sparkle plenty!"

I laughed softly but my smile faded quickly. "Peter... how is this going to end, really?"

"What does that mean?" His voice was concerned.

"I want there to be a happy ending. I really really want us to be happy, and I want to stay here, in my home, on this island. At the beginning of this... situation, you were so confident- excited, even. But now..." I sighed again, "it feels like the whole plan is falling apart."

"Tiger Lily," he said, staring deep into my eyes, "I know it seems like it's falling apart, but the island will still be here at the end of this. Your home will still be here. In the end, we'll be happy again."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

~~~~~~~~~

A/N: So, here it is finally! I'm super duper extremely sorry it took so long, but I'll try to finish this book by the end of August so don't worry. Thank you so much for reading!