Neverland - Completed

Chater 26

•Rose•

"Jack." I gasped, watching the five year old charge through the battle field. The dagger in his hand was a sword compared to his size. He was coming straight for me, looking anything but threatening. I wanted to cry. How could Peter bring children to a fight like this? Although the pirates had promised not to harm the boys- there was only so much they could do when the boys were trying to chop their heads off.

"Little Jack, stop." I cried defecting his blade and grabbing for his wrist. The nickname made him pause, only the Lost Boys would know that name.

"Get away pirate scum!" He bared his teeth like a rabid dog and kicked at my shins.

"Please remember me." I pushed him away, harder than I'd meant to. He feel on his back, sword tumbling from his grasp. I leaped for it while Jack scrambled to do the same. He was able to take hold of the hilt and sliced open my hand as I grabbed for it. I let out a hiss of pain as the blood ran down my forearm, that was going to make it difficult to fight.

"Die!" He screamed, swinging his sword at me again, "die, die, die!"

It was difficult to dodge Jack's attacks because there was no way to anticipating them. He had to style, no skill for me to watch and learn. He simply attacked with blind rage and without having much skill myself, I was bad at guessing where his swing would come from next.

My gaze flicked up to where Micheal was facing off against Peter. I knew he wouldn't last long, he was still injured. I had to get away from Jack, but I didn't want to hurt him.

I leaped again, tackling Jack to the ground, careful that his sword wouldn't jab me in the side. He however, managed to bring me down with him. The five year old was more viscous than I thought. My head slammed against the ground, but I was at least pinning him down.

That's when I saw it. Death Willow. It's green leaves had a frosty look to them and it's tiny flowers were darker than night. I pulled my shirt over my face and crumpled the plant in my fist. It's narcoleptic spores erupted in my hand which I covered Jacks mouth with. His struggling died out almost immediately.

Chay had taught me about Death Willow. It was one of the many plants I didn't know existed on Neverland. Now Death Willow didn't actually kill like they thought it did when the first Lost Boy fell victim to it. Death Willow simply knocked someone out for awhile.

I dragged Little Jack away from the fighting first. I didn't want him laying there victim and helpless to those who would accidentally stumble upon him.

Once I'd placed him nicely at the tree line, I turned to search for Peter and Micheal. They were up on the top of the ridge. Micheal was looking weak, his movements much slower than I knew he was capable of. I started to run, hoping I wouldn't catch the eye of any other lost boys. I didn't want to have to deal with them.

"Peter!" I screamed, running at him. The sound of my. voice distracted him, allowing Micheal a moment to recover and get a jab at Peter's face. Peter barely flinched, he didn't even look back at Micheal. His eyes were tracking me as I drew closer to what could be my death.

Peter's clothes were covered in blood, yet he showed no sign of injury. I hoped it wasn't the blood of pirates, of my new found friends. I hoped it wasn't Micheals blood.

Micheal swung his sword, cutting right into Peter's abdomen. I froze, stumbling over my feet. It was over, Peter would hit the ground any second. Maybe I'd cradle his dead body in my arms for a moment, grieve the part of me that still loved the boy I thought he could become.

I waited. Waited for him to wail in pain, attempt to make one last attack on Micheal. Waited for him to die. He just stood there instead, eyes looking out to me sadly. Micheal's hands where on his knees, head drooping down. He looked closer to death than Peter did.

Unless my suspicions had been right. Peter could not die. He pulled the sword from his side, looking like he'd done the same thing a million times before. Peter dropped Micheals sword and raised his bloody hand to beckon me forward. I started to walk again, knees weak. There was no way for us to win this.

"Peter, we and stop all this." I stopped a ways away, not wanting to get in range of his sword. "You just need to-"

"You're not still blaming me for this are you?" He walked towards me like a hunter stalking its prey, "you can only blame yourself."

"Please, you don't have to hurt any one."

"Stop coming back!" He yelled, one hand wrapping around my throat, the other stopping my hand from grabbing my sword. "Stop playing with my head! Stop pretending you ever cared for me. I should've known, who could ever love someone like me."

I tried to tell him it wasn't true, there were times I saw the person I could love. However not while I couldn't breathe. Peter dragged me over to where Micheal had collapsed to his knees.

"Have you ever killed someone?" Peter stood me in front of Micheal, my hands pulled tightly behind my back. "I guess you wouldn't remember if you did, would you?" I stopped struggling. If he loosened his grip just a bit I may be able to get away- "It's okay Rose. You win some fights, and you lose some. Well, except for me, I always win."

"Just get on with it." I cried, waiting for him to push me to my knees beside Micheal. Waiting for him to draw his sword to kill us.

"I'm going to give you two choices Rose, either you kill him or I do. And trust me when I say I won't make it quick." I could tell Peter wasn't joking, he'd do it. Micheal looked up with pleading eyes. The old wound on his side wasn't his worst anymore.

"What is wrong with you!" I screamed, struggling again. My arm managed to slip from his grasp and pull his sword from his belt.

"Clever girl." He smiled dangerously, "I wish I didn't have to do this." Peter jumped up, hovering a few feet off the ground. I should've thought to bring some pixy dust along, flying was much faster than being anchored to the ground. I hated gravity.

All my moves were defensive against Peter, he gave me no room for a counter attack. I tried to recall all of Cecco's training- it didn't do me much good. This wasn't anything like Cecco's light jabs or him calling out instructions as I moved. I was all on my own now. I wasn't ready for this. Especially against Peter.

You're going to have to play to Peter's weakness.

And that weakness is you.

Cecco was right. I wasn't going to beat him in a sword fight, I didn't have the skills yet. The only way I'd manage to survive would be doing the same thing I'd done since the moment I arrived in Neverland. Act.

I let Peter's sword strike me in the arm, and then lightly across my face. Dragging from the tip of my eyebrow, across my cheek till it reached my jawbone. It wasn't difficult to let the tears fall- they'd been sitting there, waiting to be released. I dropped my sword, hoping that wouldn't be a mistake.

Peter raised his arm, preparing to deliver the fateful blow. I shook my head, pleading with everything I had. He paused, just like I knew he would.

"I wish I could say I never loved you." Peter didn't lower his sword, dread was seeping back into my bones. He wasn't backing away, just hesitating. "That however, would be a lie." He closed his eyes, a stray tear leaking out. He wasn't backing down, but that didn't mean he wanted to watch.

Neither did I. I closed my eyes as well, finally accepting inevitable. Hopefully my death would open his mind that this was wrong. That he didn't want to do it anymore.

I heard the nauseating sound of a sword tearing through flesh, and a strangled gasp that didn't come through my lips. My eyes opened immediately to watch as Micheal turned to face me, the sword that should've been through my chest was embedded in his.

I barely had any breath to scream.