Forever (Peter Pan OUAT)

Connections

I ran as fast as I could through the dark forest as I heard the screams echo from behind me daring myself not to look back. I knew better, and had made the mistake before, and didn't wish to trip at a time such as this. I could hear the calls and dollars growing closer, and could feel their cold breaths on my neck. They were catching up, and I was beginning to loose my stamina. My breathing was ragged, and tears rolled down my face thinking of what could happen to me if I was caught. Would they kill me right away or would it much slower and painful. The only thing I wished for is they made it quick enough so I went numb before leaving this world.

I bit my lip shaking my head dismissing the evil thoughts coursing through my head. I couldn't think that way otherwise that's exactly what would happen I had to think positive, and most importantly I had to get out of here. I took that last surge of energy within me, and took off running as fast as my legs would carry as the shouts and cries diminished some as I kept running faster and faster away from them. I was almost out I could almost see the forest brightening out ahead of me making a small smirk fall upon my face seeing my freedom so close, but not close enough.

Before I knew what hit me I was being dragged backward screams burning up from within my throat. I cried as they dragged me further into the dark part of the forest as I kicked and punched at them only making them shriek in annoyance. As I kicked one of them in the face they flew backward hitting a tree with a loud thud. The others looked back to see their buddy distracting them enough for me to escape them running back towards the clearing once again. Though just as I was about to escape the dark part of the forest something flew right at my head with the strength of a brick, and before I knew it everything was turning black around me, and I was gone.

two days before:

Elena POV:

The branches of various plants and tress brushed my arms and legs as I made my way to the Shadow Ring still thinking back as to what Kocoum said. Believe it or not he had given me the hope I needed to get through this, or at least that's what I was telling myself. That now knowing people were in my corner I could get through this, and at the end of all this we would look back on this and laugh. Though I didn't know who this 'we' was when I said that. Maybe it was the friends I now had in Neverland, or maybe it was my family back home in Storybrooke peacefully waiting my return. I tried coming up with different ideas of the 'we' was, but nothing seemed to add up at least no the way I believed. I guess none of that mattered though unless I got through this in one peace, but hey how difficult could that be? Yea sticking to positivity was really seeming to get me somewhere.

In all honesty I didn't know if I would make it out of this or not, nothing was certain anymore. Part of me hated the uncertainty of it all, and wanted to curl up in a ball and just wait for it to get better. The other part the part that I knew Neverland had a role to play in was ready to stand up, and be the first one to take a fighting stance. Neverland had showed me many things in the time I had been there, and not all had been good. Most hadn't, but that didn't change something inside me boiled and yearned for that adventure that only Neverland could give. Yes there was no doubt Neverland had changed me, but was it necessarily a bad thing. I felt stronger, braver, and more powerful if that was even possible, and that had all started sense I woke up on the sands of Neverland. Sense that night everything changed. Though I knew it had started long before that.

It had all started the fateful night Peter Pan decided to make an appearance in my dreams. It was that dream that was cast upon me that changed my life forever, and as much as Peter Pan had angered me especially with this new found information. I couldn't necessarily bring myself to hate him. He was lost and lonely, and even a little scared, and those were the traits that made each and everyone of us human or as close to human as we could get. After that first night Peter gave me those dreams I would forever be connected to him even if we both tried to dismiss it. The connection was there, and it was only becoming stronger.

Even at the moment I could feel Peter's nervousness coursing through his veins. It was still hazy, but it was there. I didn't know pursue if he was nervous that I was missing, and couldn't be found or nervous that his whole plan could have just been foiled, but it was defiantly noticeable that he was a nervous wreck. It almost made me ache to go back to him, and tell him that it was okay and just play along. This was the first time in my entire life in a way I had been free for the most part. Back home everyone was always keeping a eye on me scared to death by just a small paper cut or playing hide and seek couldn't last more then five minutes without being found. People hovered over me probably scared that Peter Pan would take me away like he threatened. Here in Neverland I could explore, and be free or as free as one could get from Pan. It wasn't perfect far from it really, but it was a start that I was willing to see forward.

The whole time these thoughts ran through my head I looked to the forest floor almost like I was looking for answers. That was until however my foot stopped in the middle of complete darkness. I looked up to be met with the Shadows Ring toppling over my small figure. I took a deep breath before reaching into my bag bring out a lighter along with a good size stick that I had come across on the walk here. Lighting the stick I closed my eyes breathing heavily, and walked into the darkest part of Neverland. The Shadow Ring.