The Shadow's Keeper ~OUAT Peter Panfiction (Book 2)

From the Beginning

            Pan was weakly climbing to his feet, watching Anne struggle. "You know...I have to admire your...whole body slamming thing but I'd really like to get back to business now."

Having peeled down a layer of dirt, Anne's boot found a rock and she nearly cheered, gleeful as she used it to push herself up. With that, she ran with all she had. The moment Pan saw her dart, he was impatiently dashing after her.

At an advantage, he was flying through the air. Though Anne's adrenaline had her running faster than normal, and she was screaming for someone now. Of course, she had to trip and her body flew into a ditch. Pan managed to catch up with her, hovering just above her.

Breathlessly panting, she was rolling about and moaning, exhausted out of her mind--not just physically. Before she could protest, Pan had pulled her up and tossed her over his shoulder. She wasn't fighting either, how could she? How could she do anything when he was everywhere? She was hopeless all alone.

"You know you're a bad, bad girl, Anna," Peter cooled, walking as she blew her hair out of her face.

"Oh shut up," she retorted in annoyance, sighing in defeat, "where are we going this time? To another place I can't escape?"

"You know you could just stop fighting and I wouldn't have to chase after you all the time," Pan replied, trying to pull off being casual.

"Or you could just...stop trying to keep me here? You know, I guarantee you that if you had tried this whole thing the right way, I wouldn't be so reluctant," she then timidly mumbled, holding on around Pan's lower back.

Having secured an arm over her waist, he held the back of one of her knees. "Oh yeah? And what might that way have been?" He mumbled in response, exhaling tiredly.

"You could have just told me everything from the beginning--"

"How stupid," Peter interrupted with sheer disbelief in his voice. "Here's an idea," he began, grasping the back of her thigh to get a better hold, "why don't you just stop talking?"

Anne was taken aback, offended before she angrily protested, "you know what, I'd rather die than stay here with you!"

"How sweet," Peter replied, before he suddenly set her on the ground. "What do you want me to say then?" He then asked.

Anne was surprised when she was set down, then eyed him in slight confusion and alarm.

"That--oh, I adore you completely, you make my heart race--I'm sorry? What?"

A lightness then played on Anne's features. "Maybe..." she replied to him. She looked down sadly.

"Yeah...well," he then picked her back up, startling her, "it's a little late for that."

Having gotten thrown back over his shoulder, Anne huffed then shook her head with a sigh. "So then, what? What happens if you win and everyone leaves? What'll happen between us?"

"Have I not told you enough? You'll belong to me forever," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing.

"Yeah...well, that wouldn't sound too bad if you still loved me," Anne then mumbled to herself, closing her eyes with defeat. "You know," she then spoke loudly, "I would have come to love the old you if you hadn't changed into whatever you are now."

Her words seemed to prick Peter from the inside, he very nearly found himself feeling something again--though it quickly faded. "Doesn't matter," he spoke, "the old me is gone."

Out of frustration from the sudden pain Anne felt in her chest, she snapped, "where the hell are we going?!"

"To retrieve your heart," he replied, alerting Anne's breathing to quicken.

"What?!" She panicked.

"Oh don't play dumb, Anne. Of course I know that you have your brother's heart. I knew the moment you were able to break the spell on the tree house entrance. How else could you have done it? I bet it's just lovely that you can cry out to him when you're most vulnerable, and he'll save you," he hissed bitterly.

That was when Anne realized. In that moment, Anne could understand why Pan was so jealous of Felix. Before, she figured it was because he was the only reason she wanted to leave. Though now, it was because she shared a strong and powerful love with her brother. Not romantically, of course, but a love that was strong enough to escape the island--just as their parents had.

At her sudden realization, Anne exhaled nervously. "What do you plan to do with it? Felix's heart? I won't let you crush it," she protested.

Peter then darkly laughed, "then I guess you better wish him luck, darling."

"What the hell does that mean??" Anne panicked.

"You'll see, my little Anna. You'll see."