The Heart Of The Truest Believer (OUAT fan-fic)

16 ~ This is not the Henry I know.

I don't sleep at all that night. All I want to do is sleep, but I can't. All I can think about is the fire, and Henry's words: "Pan is right. They're not here."

I have to think of some way to show Henry that his family really is here. And hopefully, that will help him not start to become a lost boy.

That's it. I think silently. That's what Pan is trying to do - make Henry a lost boy. That way, he won't question what Pan asks him to do. I have to do everything to stop that from happening.

****************

"Peter Pan." The voice is soft, but he can hear it. He sighs, getting up and looking over the camp. Everyone is sound asleep, aside from Ruby, who by the looks of things, is still tossing and turning after what happened last night. 

He walks away, casting the forcefield spell over the area, even though he's not really worried if anyone runs away. He knows where to find them.

He follows the voice as it leads him far away from the camp and deeper into the woods.

"What is it, Tink?" He asks, folding his arms.

Right on cue, Tinkerbell emerges, looking stormy. "Peter Pan." She accuses. "I thought you said you weren't going to have feelings for that girl."

"That's all this is? I'm not." Pan frowns. "Why would you say that?"

"The way you're acting." She snorts, stamping her feet. "Why did you take her to that place she wanted to go?"

"We call it talking. Look, I don't have to explain myself to you, Tink. But I promise you, I do not care for her. But I do need her to trust me. If this plan is going to work, she's going to have to fall for it, and fall for it hard. I can't risk her figuring out what I really need Henry for. Believe me, I know how girls work. If you play with their emotions right, they'll be like puppets - easy to move in the direction you want them to go."

Tink still doesn't look happy. "I don't want..."

"Just don't let your jealousy get in the way of what you have to do." Pan cuts in. "Got it? We still have a plan in motion. She's going to come to you, and when she does, I want you to tell her exactly what I said. No funny business, alright?" 

"I still don't see why you don't just get rid of her." Tinkerbell pouts, fluttering hard against the sudden breeze.

"What, kill her?" Pan smirks. "Not that jealous are we, Tink?"

"Hmph." The fairy folds her own arms. "Just be careful, Peter Pan. You know what happened when Wendy..."

"I'm done talking about this." Pan says curtly, walking away.

*******************

When the sun come over the hill, and peeks through home tree, I know I haven't slept a wink. It's far too draining just trying to think about why Pan wants Henry. There's a thousand scenarious running through my head. None of them make any sense.

When I feel Henry tap me on the shoulder, I turn around, absorbed in my own thoughts. "What's up?" I face him.

"I just wanted to thank you for looking after me here. Before I found my real family."

I groan and sigh tiredly. "This is not your family, Henry. Peter Pan is not your family - and neither are the lost boys. That's what he wants you to think." I know it's not going to do any good. He still has that starry eyed look. But, it can't hurt.

"Yes they are." Henry insists. "They're like me - just wanting to have fun." He jumps up and grabs his stick, taunting one of the other lost boys. "Come on, Duke." He says with a grin. "Feel like taking me on?"

"Any day." Duke grabs his own stick and the two start fighting. I want to leap in and stop Henry, but once again I have the feeling that if I do, there's going to be something bad that happens.

Instead, I watch the fight with growing dread, resting my head on my knees because I still feel like crap from yesterday. Watching as Henry backs Duke up against the tree, and then, there's silence, and a cry, and the Duke boy is on the ground, with a cut on his head. And then Henry stands back, something crosses his face and then the rest of the lost boys crowd around him cheering.

Something sinks inside of me. This is it. I have to do whatever it takes to stop Henry from turning into one of the lost boys. I get up, looking around carefully, but Pan is celebrating with the lost boys. I take my opportunity and sneak away. I'm expecting some sort of forcefield to throw me backwards, but none does. 

Making my way quickly through the forest, I wonder where I'm going. I want to at least find Henry's family, if I can. and if not, then I'll probably just have to go back. 

There's the sound of wing beats beside me, and I turn around, but there's no one there. When I turn back, something shoves me back towards the ground. I hit the ground with a thud, wincing as pain shoots up my right arm and lingers around my wrist. Definitely sprained.

"Ooops! Sorry!" There's more fluttering, and a fairy materializes - a fairy I know very well.

"Tinkerbell." I say, trying not to make it sound like a growl as I hold my throbbing wrist. "How nice of you to drop by. Doing Pan's bidding again for him, I see."

"More than that." Tinkerbell gushes. "I don't like Peter Pan. I want him beaten as much as you do."

"I have a question for you, fairy." I say. "Why did you not bring me here in the first place?"

"I didn't realise who you were, or the full extent of your power. If you really want to, you can beat Pan." She says, giggling.

"Then tell me." I face her squarely. "What does he want Henry for?"

"The heart of the truest believer." Tinkerbell sighs. "You have one. Peter Pan needs the heart of the truest believer to help him escape Neverland." 

This was not what I expected at all. "What?" I ask, confused. "Peter Pan is magical. Can't he just... you know... fly away?" 

"For a day, or a few, yes. But not forever. Peter Pan can never escape Neverland, unless he has the heart of the truest believer. Figuritively speaking, that is. He's going to take Henry to a place on the island where the most powerful magic is. Only the person with the heart of the truest believer can access it. With this power, Pan will be able to leave Neverland. He grows tired of this island." 

How can you possibly grow tired of an island that gives you whatever you want just by imagining it? Beats me. 

I nod. "Thank you, Tinkerbell."