The Return (Once Upon a Time sequel)

Chapter 33

^JADE^

My eyes slowly peered open as consiousness took over me. I looked up at the sky but frowned at the sight of dark tree branches which blocked out most of the daylight instead of seeing a bright blue sky.
I slowly pushed my upper body from the forest floor and opened my mouth, gasping for air as pain shot through my body.

"A-Ow" I chocked out.

My hand rested on my stomach and it took me a moment until I realized that my whole body was sore and hurting. I then slowly let my eyes brush over my surroundings. I was surrounded by dark, almost black trees that hovered over me like monsters. Little light peeked through the branches which had no leaves on them and to my right was a small lake with black water. I had been here before...this was the dark part of Neverland.

Memories came rushing back to me. The pirates, Zen, the fight at the camp. Everything. Tears welled up my eyes as I remembered how that monster tortured my mother and almost killed Peter and beat me up as well.

Suddenly, a gasp was heard from my right and I let out a yelp as my head turned to the lake where a satisfied looking Zen resurfaced from the dark water.

"You're awake. Thank God, I didn't hit you too hard." Zen spoke up, getting out of the water.

"Well, I wish you had." I muttered, quickly looking away from him.

"If I had you could have died. Think about yourself for a minute." Zen replied, walking over to a tree and grabbing his pants, putting them on.

He ran his hands through his almost black short hair, letting streaks fall on his forehead.

"That sounds better than staying here with you." I mumbled, aggravated.

Zen sighed, walking up to me and sitting down in the grass next to me. He stared at me but I avoided his eyes, looking anywhere but him.

"Look, I'm sorry. Yes, this might sound stupid and yes, you have every right to hate me. But this was the only way I could bring him out here peacefully. I do not plan on hurting your mother or any of the Lost Boys any further." Zen explained.

"Oh, spare me your speech. If Peter comes out here he'll die. And I'm not prepared for that, as weird as it may sound, he still is my father and I love my family. So I won't let him die." I snapped, locking eyes with Zen.

His dark brown eyes seemed serious and held a weird glint in them. His prominent jawline was tensed but his body casually sat in the grass beside me. Hands resting on his knees.

"And as for my mother and the Lost Boys. If you lay even a little finger on them I will make sure to snap it off your hand and make you eat it for dinner while the dogs feast on your more....private parts." I glared at him and he gulped.

"That sounds pretty brutal, even for my taste." Zen laughed nervously.

"But just as I said earlier, I have nothing against the others. Your mother seems like a wonderful person to be honest. Peter is very lucky to have her by his side." He admitted.

I stared at him dumbfounded.

Was he being serious?! He just beat the living hell out of them all and now he's saying he likes them? What the hell is wrong with this guy?!

"Listen, I know you must really hate me by now but what I said was no lie. Peter..." He cut himself off and stared at his hands.

"Not a single day has gone by that I haven't dreamed of killing him. The only thing that drove me beyond my limits every hour that I've trained was to make him pay for what he did to me. The boys. Peter, Felix, Nate, Roy. They were my family, my everything and they kicked me out because I was trying my hardest to protect them." Zen explained.