Falling For Pan

Chapter 19

**Ace's POV**

I woke up staring at the ceiling of the tree house. How did I get here? Last I remembered I was sitting against the tree. Peter must've brought me up here. I slowly sat up and pain rippled through me. I gritted my teeth and slowly laid back down.

Why was I in so much pain? I was expecting it but not so soon. I still had four days! Something was definitely wrong. I attempted to prop myself up on my elbows. It hurt and took a lot of energy and I could only hold it for a few seconds before I fell back down.

"You're awake," I heard Peter say. "Are you okay?"

"If okay means not being able to hold myself up I'm so weak then yes, I'm definitely okay," I snapped. "What's happening? Why am I so much worse all of a sudden?"

It took him a while to answer, I couldn't tell why. I was still staring at the boring ceiling. "Yesterday, since you used so much energy, you lost time. Instead of having three days left, today is your last one."

I couldn't help but laugh. I wasn't sure what was funny. Maybe I wanted to cry, maybe I was in hysteria, but I laughed. "Of course, I would manage to kill myself before it's time."

"You find this funny?" he asked, and by his tone I could tell he was mad.

"Just the fact that I ruined things... again. I messed up and now I get less time with you before I die. Typical me, screwing everything up."

"Hey," he said, walking over and looking down at me. His eyes were red and I could tell he was about to cry. But he wouldn't. He was Peter Pan. "You don't screw everything up."

I laughed. "Give me one thing."

"Your fighting, your comebacks, and of you messed everything up would I love you?" he asked.

"Good question. I'm guessing not." He laughed a little and sat down next to me. "So, you promise not to go, one last time."

"I promise," he said sadly.

"Good," I mumbled, looking away from him and back up at the ceiling. I was going to cry if I looked at him. I knew it. We sat in silence for a bit. There was so much I wanted to talk to him about, but I didn't know what to say. I bit my lip as I began to choke up. I'd been fighting my emotions this whole time, trying to convince myself that I was okay with dying, but after that day Peter saved me, I've realized I don't want to die. I wanted to live, explore, go on adventures. But I couldn't or Peter would die.

"You can cry, you don't have to pretend to be tough as nails anymore," he whispered. I looked over at him and smiled a little, before letting it all out. He pulled me up into a sitting position and I wrapped m arms around him, burying my face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me closer as I sobbed.

"I just, just don't want to go but I can't stand to know I let you die if I let you go," I cried through the sobs.

"I know and I want to help you, I do, but you won't let me," he whispered.

"I know and I'm still not going to," I said, wiping my eyes slowly with my the back of my left hand.

"Ace," he said, tilting my chin up with his fingers. "That pirate will pay. I promise." I smiled and kissed him. He kissed me back softly, trying not to hurt me.

"I'll be back, I promise," he said, pulling away. I nodded and he slowly got up. I heard him grab something from the nightstand drawer and leave. I leaned back against the bed frame so I was sitting up. There was so much to think about.

**Peter's POV**

I left the tree house and went down to the Lost Boys. Seeing Ace like that killed me, thank god it was almost over. I wasn't going to tell her that, though.

The boys were all preoccupied climbing ropes and shooting arrows. I hadn't told them about Ace dying today, and I didn't plan on it. I quietly left the camp without any of them looking and began to walk to the beach.

This was insane. I really needed some idea better than this, but there were none. I just had to go and improvise. She was going to be mad, angry, upset, maybe feel a little betrayed. After seeing her cry, though, I think she'd be happy. She wanted to live, and I was going to make sure she would.

"Tinker Bell!" I called once I got to the beach where we were supposed to meet. She emerged from the shadows and walked over to me. "Please tell me you found out something."

"Sorry, Pan, nothing. Hook's really secretive about this one. If I were you I wouldn't know what to do."

"I guess I just have to go in there blind," I grumbled.

She stared at me skeptically, like she was trying to figure out what ideas hiding, which was really nothing at the moment. "You really care for this girl, don't you?" she asked.

"How many times do people ask this!" I yelled. "I'm about to go risk my life for her, she's all I've been able to think about, I'm having years of my youth taken away by the Shadow for her, of course I do!"

"Well, it's not like everyday Peter Pan falls in love and becomes so weak and vulnerable."

"I'm not weak or vulnerable!"

"Yet look at what Hook has managed to force you to do," she said.

I rolled my eyes. "Just go back to your tree house you didn't help at all."

"As long as you don't show your face there again, I will."

"I won't, wouldn't want to," I spat and she began to walk away.

I stood there a moment longer, remembering my past, mainly the past week or so with Ace. I had to succeed. Peter Pan never fails. Right?

I sprinkled the pixie dust over myself and began to fly over to Hook's ship.

**Ace's POV**

It had been a while since I had last seen Peter and I was getting worried. "Felix!" I called, hoping he'd hear me. It made my head spin a little, but I needed to talk to him.

After a few minutes, Felix entered the room. "What do you need?"

"Where's Peter?" I asked.

"Peter?" Felix repeated, confused. He looked around cautiously. "We thought he was up here with you."

"What?!" I exclaimed, causing my head to pound. Calm down. "Could he have-"

"Most likely," Felix answered, obviously concerned. I slowly began to swing my legs over the edge of the bed. Every inch I moved hurt, but I had too. "Woah, what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm coming with you."

"Ace, you can barely move without hurting and can't lift yourself onto your elbows. You'll just get in the way. Let us go help him."

"You can't expect me to just sit here. I'm dying and I'd rather die doing something active then lying in a bloody bed," I shot back.

"Fine, but how will you walk?" Felix asked. I looked around. Maybe there was a cane I could use? Then I remembered something. Peter had grabbed something from the drawer...

I quickly pulled it open and found a few small containers of pixie dust. I held one up in front of Felix. "This is how. I don't use any of my energy and I don't need to walk."

"Fine, but you've got to keep pace with us," Felix commanded.

"Whatever," I said. I had to stop Peter before he got to the Jolly Roger.

**Peter's POV**

Hook and his crew had seen me flying over, so when I landed in front of Hook, none were really surprised.

"Welcome to the Jolly Roger, Peter Pan."

**Author's Note** figured I'd stop here I'm exhausted

any who omg 2.5k reads and 260 votes you people are amazing! :) <3 thank you all so much you don't know how excited I am!! I know my chapters aren't usually the longest or best written and just knowing people out there are reading, and LOVING my story is just... mind blowing and I can't thank you all enough! :) <3 ~Peyton