Never Moon

part 18

"It was as if Peter's terrible oath had boarded the ship. Hook felt a gloomy desire to make his dying speech, lest presently there should be no time for it."

Peter Pan, "The Pirate Ship." 

-----

Strings was doing a terrible job of not dying. 

Clutching his side and groaning, he wedged himself more firmly between the tree and rock he was propped up against. Blood spilled from between his fingers with every movement he made. 

"Ah, shit," he said, breath hissing out from between his teeth. "Ow." 

The arrow, embedded right underneath his ribcage, shifted and sent more pain rippling up his side. 

Okay. Okay. Think, Strings. 

Turner was the smartest person he knew. What--what would Turner do? 

Strings gritted his teeth. A person--friend or foe, he couldn't tell--went flying past him, crumpling against the rocks. His shirt continued to soak up blood. 

Turner would snap the shaft halfway. He'd staunch the bleeding. Then he'd get the arrowhead out. 

"Okay, right," Strings said, and with blood-slicked, trembling hands, he broke the arrow in half, biting back a shout of pain. 

The corners of his vision blurred, consciousness wavering slightly as he fought to hold on, fought to keep awake. 

Or maybe he was already asleep. He didn't know anymore. 

Strings sucked air in through his nose, hand pressing at the growing numbness at his side. It felt...nice, almost, after all the pain. 

The world slid sideways all of a sudden, and there was someone lifting him up, strong hands gripping his waist, sliding under his knees. 

He made out Turner's face in midst of the black fuzz infringing on his vision. 

"Don't you dare die on me," Turner huffed quietly. "Mikey would kill me. Honestly, it's always you two. First Mikey gets kidnapped and now you've got an arrow in your side." 

Strings laughed weakly, very conscious of the blood that continued to leak from under his hand. 

Turner set Mikey down, safe behind a rock shelf. Distantly, Strings could hear swords clashing and the sounds of shouting. "Are we winning?" Strings asked as Turner slung his medical kit off of his shoulder. "And how did you know I was hurt?" 

"Senna saw you," Turner said, lifting Strings' hand away from his side. The only reaction he allowed was a slight flicker of worry across his face. "She sent me here." 

"Is...is Mikey still with Wendy?" Strings asked as Turner got to work, carefully lifting his blood-soaked shirt away from his skin. 

Turner pursed his lips. "Wendy's...actually alive," he admitted, and if Strings was currently incapacitated, he'd be jumping to his feet. 

"Alive?" He croaked, hope bubbling to life in his heart. 

Turner nodded. "Mikey's bringing her to Peter." 

Strings nearly choked on his next breath. "Peter?" 

"How are you still conscious?" Turner demanded. "Honestly, you're not going to want to be awake for this next part." 

"Why Peter?" Strings demanded. "Mikey's okay with this?" 

"It's always been curious," Turner said, and the look he gave Strings was almost sly, "how you claim to have no ability to persist, that you're such a pushover, but when it comes to Mikey--"