where darkness goes, light follows | PETER PAN ✔️

Chapter Ten: The Return of the Queen

"Peter." The girl gasps, coming out of her onslaught of memories. Her eyes find the familiar green ones, and her eyes widen. "I remember." She says in shock, and his eyes brighten in hope. "Peter!" She exclaims now in excitement, stepping closer. Automatically, his arms come up and pull her to him. Her arms wrap around his in return, holding him tightly to her. "I love you." She whispered against his chest, and he feels a warmth fill his heart. A warmth that has laid dormant for fifty years. He gently pulls away and cups her face in his hands.
        "And I love you." He says, smiling down at the girl. His expression was nothing but happiness, eyes sparking with the joy of it all. "More than anything in the world." He said softly, only her ears hearing the words. "You're never leaving my side again." He said, grip tightening on her slightly.
        "I wouldn't dream of it." Amaryllis replied simply, brushing a stray lock of hair from the boys face. "I can't believe I've spent twenty nine years apart from you." She spoke sadly, eyes suddenly switching downcast.
        "Fifty." Peter said. When the girl looked at him in confusion, he elaborated. "In Neverland, you were gone for fifty years." The girl gasped, horror taking over her face. "Stop." Peter said, seeing where she was heading towards. "This is not your fault. You did absolutely nothing wrong. Besides, you've come back to me now. All is well."
        "No it's not! Have you seen the island Peter? It's so dark and eery. That's because I left you and the Island. If I had fought harder to get away, maybe things would be different. Maybe I-" Peter cut the girl off, anger in his eyes.
        "You did not leave, you were taken. Nothing you could have done would have changed that. This is my fault. I should have been paying attention that day. I could have stopped Rumple if I had been. But that won't be a problem anymore. I have more powers than he could ever dream of, I'll never have to worry about losing you ever again." He said, a mad glint in his eyes as he looked over toward Henry. That look scared Amaryllis slightly, but she wouldn't back down.
        "But at what price Peter?" She spoke strongly, staring him down. "Letting our family get harmed? Kidnapping young boys? Letting the darkness take over not only yours, but the boys' hearts as well? Is power and revenge worth all of that?" Peter sent the girl a dark look.
        "I'll do what I have to, as long as it ensures your safety and protection." He said, stepping around her and heading towards Henry. Emma went to stand in front of him, but Pan froze everyone in their places except for Devin and Amaryllis. He glanced back at a horrified Amaryllis briefly, smiling sadly. "This will all be over soon my love. And then we will have forever." He reached his hands to Henry's chest, preparing to take his heart.
        "Peter, NO!" Amaryllis shouted, jumping forward in front of Henry. Peter paused, staring at her. "You can't do this Peter! You can't." She exclaimed quickly, putting her hands against his chest and pushing him back slightly. "Henry is like a little brother to me. He's family. And so are the others. They kept me safe in Storybrooke! They loved me, just like I loved them. No matter how much you are mad at Rumpelstiltskin, you can't take it out on my family. I won't let you." She said, panic building in her throat.
        "Amaryllis, I'm dying!" Peter exclaimed, frustration and desperation in his voice. "I need the heart of the truest believer to live. Henry has that heart. This isn't about revenge, this is about living. This is about staying with you." He said, placing his hands on her shoulder and preparing to gently push her out of the way. "I have to-" But the girl cut him off, a determined look on her face.
        "No Peter! There has to be another way! I know there is. I believe." She said adamantly, pushing Peter further away. "I know that you have done some terrible things. But that doesn't change the fact that I love you. My Peter is still there, I know he is. And he would fight for another way. He wouldn't give up hope, he wouldn't resort to taking a young boys life. Fight this Peter, fight it. Come back to me." She said, shaking his shoulders slightly. "You wouldn't need this heart if you believed. You always had the heart of the truest believer, it's sitting right in your chest. I know it's still there, and I know there is still hope. I believe." She said desperately. "I believe in you." She whispered more softly, before she pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss.
        A gust of wind flew through the island, blowing back the Storybrooke group, and making the Lost Boys jump up onto their feet in shock. As Peter kissed Amaryllis back, Emma and the others watched as the walls of the cave disappeared. Soon the group was outside, standing on an island. The sun was rising over the water, casting beautiful colors across the sky.
        But that wasn't what caught their attention.
        The island was changing. And not the type of change you would see when the sun peaked over the horizon after the dark night. This change was different. The island was morphing, shifting into a new shape. The trees were growing, sprouting leaves. Grass grew from the ground, bringing brightly colored flowers with them. The sea settled, lapping calmly against the beach. The Dreamshade was disappearing, leaving the waterfall visible over the cliffs. There was a new air to the island, a warm air of tranquility. An air of hope.
        Emma and the others found themselves unfreezing, so they stood up hesitantly. The group looked around in wonder, taking in the magnificent sights around them.
        "This, is Neverland." Neal spoke, breaking the silence. He spun around, smiling at the sights of the island. This is what Neverland used to be, the island he used to live on. It was even more beautiful now than it was then.
        "It's... spectacular." Mary Margaret spoke, trying to find a word that described the beauty of the island. The others nodded, agreeing with her. Then their attention shifted to Pan and Amaryllis. But the two weren't standing where they were before, they were floating off the ground! Just then, Amaryllis pulled away from Peter. Peter kept his eyes closed, holding her tightly to him.
        "Open your eyes Peter." She spoked gently, urging him. He slowly opened his eyes, and she noticed the dazed yet happy look in them. His eyes immediately took in the change in the island. But seconds later, he realized he wasn't standing on the ground. He was floating two feet above it with Amaryllis in his arms. "I told you. You just needed a reminder that you could believe." She told him, nudging his shoulder gently.
        "You always said that true love could cure anything." He said, rubbing his thumb against her cheek gently. "I guess I needed to remember that to fight the darkness."
        "I'll always help fight it for you." She promised, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. He smiled down at her, lowering them back to the ground. He looked at the group around them, and noticed Devin staring longingly at Amaryllis. He new how much the Lost Boys missed her, especially the ones who had been here the longest. Peter smiled at the boy gently, letting him know it was ok to approach them.
        "Amaryllis?" Devin asked hesitantly, slowly stepping forward. The girl spun around and looked at the boy. Instant recognition filler her eyes, and a wide smile adjourned it on her face.
        "Devin!" She exclaimed happily, rushing towards the boy. Before he actually had time to react, she had picked him up and spun him around in her arms. He hugged her back tightly, laughing in joy. "Oh Devin." She sighed, laying her head against his.
        "I knew you'd come back to us." The boy spoke, making the girl pull away slightly. She smiled down at him and kissed his forehead lovingly. She then looked over his shoulder and saw Tink standing there anxiously. She gave the boy one more quick hug, and then rushed at her old friend.
        "Tink!" She yelled, jumping on the fairy. Tinkerbell laughed, hugging the girl back happily.
        "Welcome back Lis." Tink spoke once the two girl broke away. Amaryllis beamed back at her, truly looking happy.
        "It's good to be back." She said, looking around at the island. "It's strange." She spoke, confusing everyone. "I would say I miss this place. But I feel like it was just yesterday that I left it, what with all my screwed up memories. But I am happy to be back." She said, eyes shifting around and drinking in everything. Then her eyes landed on a face to her left. She looked closer, and then smiled.
        "Bae? Is that really you?" She asked, voice soft. The man nodded, smiling fondly at the girl. She rushed forward and he took her in a hug. He spun her around, both of them falling to the ground in laughter. "You've gotten old." She joked at the man, smiling down at him. He rolled his eyes, pushing her off of him. "Oh! I struck a nerve. Poor old Baelfire." She said, jumping off the ground and running from him as he playfully chased her. He caught her in his arms and squeezed her sides, making her squeal.
        "Just like old times." He spoke, smiling down at the girl he used to think of as a mother. "I've missed you." She smiled at him, gently nudging his shoulder. She then broke away from him, saying hi to the others. She hugged Henry close to her, not wanting to let go. Then she hugged Mary Margaret and David, who kissed her cheek like always. She avoided Rumpelstilitskin, not forgiving him, and walked up to Emma.
        "I guess I can't really call you kid anymore, can I? Considering you're hundreds of years older than me." Emma joked, ruffling the girls hair playfully. The crown in her hair went crooked, and Peter smiled. He walked over and fixed the flower crown, smiling down at his flower.
        "You kept the crown all this time?" She asked him, and he nodded.
        "I think deep down I always knew you'd come back. Or at least I still had a sliver of hope that you would." He spoke tenderly. "Welcome home my Queen."