In which a young girl who doesn't believe in magic ends up on the most magical place in the world; an island called Neverland. After spending a few months on the island, she wants to go home. However, two years later, Annie Wood makes her return to...
Annie paced around the cave, rubbing her tired emerald coloured eyes and anxiously running a hand through her hair every few minutes. The teenager was stressed beyond belief, and so extremely exhausted. She hasn't had a good night's sleep since Grayson was shot with a Dreamshade coated arrow, her brain riddled with nightmares of the boy hurt and dying.
"Annie, why don't you sit down? Annie?" Tanner hadn't moved at all, he just watched the girl as she slowly started losing her mind.
"No." Annie mumbled, moving her hands to fiddle with the hem of her shirt. Annie was physically in the room, but her mind had traveled somewhere else. She was overflowing with so many thoughts, most of them being about Pan and Grayson.
"Annie, please. Sit dow-"
"I don't want to sit down! I want answers. I want to leave this damn cave, and go find out what the hell Peter Pan is up to! My best friend is dying, and I have no way to help him!" Annie snapped, freezing in place as she crouched down and covered her face with her hands. "I'm just so tired." The girl mumbled, while Tanner cautiously made his way over to her.
"It's gonna be okay, Annie. We'll figure it all out." Tanner said quietly as he crouched down beside Annie, putting a hand on her shoulder. She tensed under his touch, but was quick to relax.
The two teenagers adjusted so that they were both sitting down, Annie collapsing on her knees as she sobbed into her hands. Tanner had wrapped his arms around her in an awkward hug, trying to comfort the girl in any way he could.
Annie managed to catch her breath, her sobs coming to a quiet whimper. She lifted her face up, her eyes puffy and sore while her cheeks flared red. "Do you know what's going on?" She asked, hoping Tanner could help give her some answers. He must've been on Neverland for a reason, and not just a casual visit with his old friends.
"Tink told me a lot when she brought me here. She told me about Grayson getting shot, and you...your..." Tanner trailed off as he gently grabbed one of Annie's hands, turning it palm up.
"My magic." Annie pulled her hand away, staring down at the skin that had already presented so much power to her.
"What can you do with it?" Tanner asked as he looked up at the girl, tucking a stray strand of brown hair behind her ear.
"Heal wounds, break out of cages, and control water. There might be more, I'm still trying to figure it all out." Annie replied, slowly turning her hand over and over again as she studied it.
"Break out of cages? Did Pan lock you in a cage?" Annie could feel Tanner tense up beside her as a new anger flared inside of him.
"No, Captain Hook did." Annie told him, chuckling shortly out of her nose as she realized how crazy it was to say that, let alone experience it. The fact that Annie was even alive right now surprised her and Tanner.
"Oh God, Annie." Tanner leaned forwards so his forehead was resting on her shoulder, his blonde hair tickling the side of her face. "I can't believe you got kidnapped by pirates."
"Rookie mistake, I know." Annie was starting to find the whole situation pretty amusing, not knowing what other emotion to express. Tanner joined in on her laughter until the room was filled with the joyous noise, now both the teenagers laughing together for no good reason.
Being in Tanner's presence made Annie feel a lot better, his mood and vibe nearly preventing her to feel anything other than happiness. However, when the laughter died down and they sat in silence, Annie's mind wandered back to the dark reality of what had been going on on Neverland.
"I need to go find Grayson. He's dying, and I want to be there for him." Annie finally spoke, knowing that sitting in an underground cave did nothing but kill time. Time stood still on the island, but Grayson didn't have much left.
"I can't leave the cave. Tink enchanted it so that Pan can't find it. If I leave, the enchantment will be broken. And, I shouldn't risk Pan seeing me on his island." Tanner replied, moving away from Annie to give the girl some space.
"Does Pan know you're here? On the island?" Annie asked as she stood up, her body stiff and sore from sitting on the ground.
"Of course he does. He just doesn't know where I am. Pixie dust is a powerful thing." Tanner chuckled, following Annie's actions of standing up and stretching.
"Stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can." Annie fixed her ponytail and tried to clean her face of dried tears, before pulling Tanner into a tight hug. He smelled of cologne and nature, hints of pine trees and dirt on him.
"Be safe, Annie. If anyone can figure out Pan, it's you. He trusts you, and will cave eventually." Tanner said before pulling away from the hug so Annie could get on her way. He didn't want to use up any more of her time.
"I'll be back." Annie repeated before backing up towards the stone staircase that led into the room. With one last wave, she ran out of the cave.
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