VOLATILE (I) : peter pan ouat

When a Nightmare Happened

Day: 5

Suddenly the world is no longer a dark place, but a place filled with bright, white light. My hands go to my face, as I try to adjust my eyes to the light. Even more suddenly then the light, there are arms around me.

"Christ Charlie," Johnny's voice says. "You scared me to death."

"Nearly scared myself to death too," I joke.

"What happened to you?" Johnny asks. "Who attacked you?"

"Johnny, let go," another voice calls out.

Johnny relinquishes his grip on me. Another set of hands, these belonging to Jared, slide my legs off of the table, making me sit upright on my own.

"How are you?" He asks.

"Alive, apparently," I answer.

Jared smiles, rubbing my shoulder.

"Johnny do you mind leaving?" Jared asks. "I'd like to let Peter know what's happened."

Johnny nods, before stepping out.

"Do you know who I am?" He asks.

"Jared the medic," I answer. "Do we really have to go through this concussion stuff again? My names Charlie, I've been kidnapped by Pan Flute. We were at training. Things got violent, I ran off through the forest, fell on the beach, split open my head."

"You're head wasn't split open," Jared corrects. "You were just bleeding. Don't worry though, I don't think it'll leave any lasting damage. You collapsed from shock, not from the wound anyway."

"How long have I been out?" I ask.

Jared shrugs. "Something like a day. I don't have the time, but it's almost dinner. I don't think I'll have you eat with the rest of the boys tonight. I'll keep you here, under observation, if that's all right with you."

"I don't feel bad," I tell him.

"It's protocol," Jared answers. "I lied when I asked for your permission. I'm not giving you a choice."

I get the feeling he's lying, not because of the way he answers it, or because he shrugs a little quicker than normally, simply because this island does not seem like the kind of place for protocol.

I feel a gust of cool air as the tent opens. Harry runs in, and hugs me, followed by a slow moving Alex.

"I take it you missed me." I muster out.

"Miss you?" Harry said. "We thought you were dead when we saw Johnny run out. That boy would not leave this tent for the life of him."

I look over at Jared, who nods. "When he first saw you, he came up to me and held a knife to my throat, trying to convince me to get Pan to heal you instead of stitching you up. I told him I wouldn't let any harm come through what I did. And look where we are."

Harry let's go of me, smiling. I look past him at Alex who has an eyebrow cocked up at Jared. I look over at Jared, who's making eye contact with Alex. Jared looks worried, and suddenly I imagine I look worried as well.

"Pan is going to have a stroke when he finds out you're all right." Harry says, completely oblivious as always.

"Why?" I ask.

"Well, he got upset when he found out you disappeared during training." Harry explains.

"Upset is not the right word. He had a temper-tantrum is more accurate." Alex chimes in, refusing to break eye-contact with Jared.