Helpless

26-Eavesdropping

  It doesn't take me long to pull a white ringer shirt over my head and jump into some dark blue shorts. I quickly run a brush through my hair while Peter waits outside with Felix. I finish tying my shoe and practically skip to the door. But I stop behind it when I hear murmuring on the other side.
  "How are we supposed to keep her safe?" I hear Felix ask. My curiosity grows and I press my ear to the door.
  "I don't know, but we have to. I can't let her beautiful soul get hurt. If anyone lies a finger on her I'll-"
  "I get the picture, but with her mother on the island, how can we make sure she stays safe?" Felix points out. I grit my teeth.
  "That's the issue now isn't it," Peter huffs.
  "But are we ignoring the real problem?" Felix questions.
  "Not now," Peter lowers his voice.
  "But, Pan, you can't hide it from her forever."
  My heart drops into my stomach. Hide what?
  "I can hide it for longer than this."
  "If she's with us all day, there's no way she won't find out."
  "Well, Felix, I guess you'll just have to make sure she doesn't find out, now won't you?" Pan growls at his right hand man. I angrily shove my ear into the door even more. 
  "I don't know if-"
  "You will. And if you don't, I might just have to kill you. Watch yourself."
  My jaw drops. Did Peter really just threaten to kill someone if I found out what he was hiding?
  I turn my back to the door and breathe heavily, trying to comprehend what's going on. I squeeze my eyes shut. A few minutes pass before I hear Peter whisper extremely quietly.
  "I just want to protect the one I love."
  I take a deep breath to rekindle my confidence, linger a few seconds so they don't think I was eavesdropping, and then swing the door open.
  "Ready, love?" Peter asks, holding his hand out to me. I stare at it for a second before smiling and lacing our fingers together.
  "Always." He leads us to the camp on foot, explaining that it's dangerous to use any type of magic with my mother on the island. I tell him that I don't care as long as we're together, and he kisses me while Felix rolls his eyes.
  "You're just jealous," I tease. He scoffs, and this time I roll my eyes.
  "Come on, both of you. We're almost there," Peter nags as we near the site.
  We arrive at an area flooded with lost boys, two tents, and lots of weapon training areas. A boy rushes to Peter as soon as we arrive.
  "Pan, we have urgent news," The boy trips over his words.
  "Okay, but not here-"
  "There are rumors that your son is also on the island, in addition to Queen Regina."
My jaw drops. Peter looks like he's about to murder the boy on the spot. He glances at me worriedly, sees my panicked expression, and quickly grabs the boy's throat to thrust him up against the nearest tree.
  "I told you to wait! Why don't you listen to orders?" Peter screams at the boy, but I can see the hot anxious tears in his eyes. I quickly but gently rush to him and place a hand on his forearm and one on his back.
  "Peter... don't," I say calmly. I can see the fear pooling in his eyes. He hesitates while staring at me, and then releases the boy. He steps back and stares down at his hands, frightened. "Come here."
  I pull him away from the boys, into another area of the Neverland jungle.
  "Is that what you're hiding from me? That you have a son?" I ask. He tenses. I push myself closer and pull his arms around me. "It's okay, just tell me. I'm sick of all these secrets."
  He hesitates, but sighs and gives in to me. He always does. "I was trying to hide that version of the story from you. It's not true. It's not my story. Well, it's not the right story," He stutters trying to explain the situation. I push myself closer until our bodies are touching.
  "Tell me the real story. I want to hear it," I say, resting my hands on his shoulders.
  "You don't want to leave me for having a son?" He asks anxiously. I push myself up on my tiptoes and give him a deep, passionate kiss.
  "Does that answer your question?" I ask breathily, our foreheads pressed together. He nods. "Now tell me the real story."
  And he does.
  "So... let me see if I understand this..." I begin, pulling my legs up under me. We sat down on some rocks before Peter told me the story. "Your son is Rumpelstiltskin, but he also isn't? Wait a second..." I shake my head and look down at the dirt.
  "In the real world, where you were between the Enchanted Forest and now Neverland, I was his father. But here in the different realms, I wasn't and I'm not," He tries to explain.
  "So why do you still get pegged as his father even in these realms?" I question. He sighs.
  "I was forced to pose as his father. His father left him, he was a coward, he walked out. I was just a boy, but the family's magic turned me into, well, his father. But it wasn't biological. That's why in the version of the real world, I'm his father. They messed up the story. They messed up my story..." He trails off. I nod.
  "Is that what you've been keeping from me this whole time?" I ask, putting a hand on his forearm. He nods before stopping abruptly. "Peter?"
  "Yes?" His voice cracks. I frown.
  "What are you hiding from me?" I demand. I draw back my arm and cross them.
  "That's it, I was afraid you would leave me if you found out, and I couldn't even bear the thought of that," He looks up at me with the big green eyes full of sorrow that I can never resist. I let go of the lie. For now.
  "Nah, you couldn't get rid of me that easily," I laugh and playfully punch him in the shoulder. He looks up at me with a grateful smile, before swiftly jumping up from his seat, picking me up, and kissing me. I wrap my legs around his waist.
  "You know, I really hate the Evil Queen, but I can't thank her enough," He admits. My mouth drops open.
  "For what?" I ask bitterly. He just smiles.
  "For you."