Grim (A Peter Pan Fanfic)

Epilogue

                  

"I want to be magic. I want to touch the heart of the world and make it smile. I want to be a friend of elves and live in a tree. Or under a hill. I want to marry a moonbeam and hear the stars sing. I don't want to pretend at magic anymore. I want to be magic." –Charles de Lint

***

          Devin wakes up in the middle of nowhere. Again. His shirt is ripped to shreds, so he discards it completely, but his pants are in good shape still. His shoes and socks are gone.

          Groaning softly and rubbing his sore head, he staggers upward, hoping his sharpened senses will lead him back to his shelter. This happens every full moon, but for some reason, he can't get used to it. And it's the same thing every time. He feels pain in his gut and he runs, he runs as far as he can to get away from the Lost Boys and the Wayward Women because he couldn't bear to put any of them in harm's way. And he doesn't want any of them to have to make the strenuous choice of hurting him to defend themselves.

          It's only been three months since this happened. He can't get used to it. A few of the Wayward Women and the Lost Boys are working on a cure—or at least something that will make him conscientious of his actions when he turns—but it's slow coming. He can't complain though; at least they're trying. That's all he could ask for.

          His enhanced senses do indeed lead him back to the Lost Boys' shelter, like they always do, and he slides inside the tree and to his room as fast as he can. All he wants is to sleep the headache away.

          He opens his door and automatically reaches a hand out. Menthol puts the sleeping pills in his hand, as well as a glass of water. He downs them and heads for his bed but stops before falling into it.

          Menthol is almost out the door, but before she can shut it behind her, he takes her hand and pulls her into a hug. Menthol is always here in his room after he returns; he never asked her to do it, she just did it because she knew he'd need it.

          "Thank you."

          "Get some rest."

          But he wants to keep talking to her; she makes his head stop throbbing. "How's the medicine coming?"

          She leans against the doorframe. "It turns out that what will happen when you take it is this: you'll still turn at the full moon against your will, but any time before or after that, you'll be able to control it and turn as you wish. We're hoping that eventually you'll be able to take full control all the time."

          The thought brings tears to Devin's eyes. "Thank you. You don't have to do any of this."

          "It's a little late to refuse help." Menthol smiles at him. "Get some rest."

***

          Felix brings Cyanide to his favorite part of the island: the waterfalls.

          "You're quite fond of water, aren't you?"

          Felix grins. "It's the one thing Montana really lacks. No beaches, rivers, waterfalls." He watches her run her hands under the softer falls and walk behind the biggest one. "And it's quiet here."

          "Are you the only one who knows about this place?"

          "You know."

          Cyanide shoots him a playful glare. "You know what I mean."

          He smirks. "Yes, I think."

          "Then it's our place now." Cyanide takes his hand. "Is the water deep enough to swim?"