Down to Earth~ Sequel to Peter Pan's Dragon Girl

Chapter 13

I turn into my Dragon self and launch into the murky skies, turning to see what was going on and why there were so many Jabbers in one place. But it wasn't just that horde of Jabbers, not even close. The entire horizon all around me was coated with the monsters, shuffling and bumping into each other like blind, little newborn puppies. Only uglier and hungry for human flesh. I don't see an end but nor do I see a beginning. Where are these uglies going, anyway?

Well, the sun is rising, so I'm facing East and behind me is West. The Jabbers are shuffling right to left, South to North. What's all North, Canada used to be up there, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine.... Maine! Storybrooke! The Base!

The second that realization hit me, the necklace I wore in joining with the one I gave Snow began to vibrate and get warm.

"When you need me, hold this to the sun and say my name, I'll come running no matter where I'm at."

I might've been banished, but they need me. Snow needs me. And no banishment is going to stop me. I fly over the sea of Jabbers, up high enough that my shadow only seems to be a bird flying overhead. By mid afternoon I had reached the border of Maine, and the horde was still shuffling below me. It's almost impossible to find anything familiar with all the Jabbers pushing through the trees aimlessly traversing forward. I soon find the Base, or what's left of it. The occupants were all in a ball, the fighters on the outer edge while the non-fighters cowered in the middle. Jabbers would lunge for them, buffeted back by swords and spears until they lose interest and shuffle onward.

A few Jabbers were persistent though, trying to shove passed the weapons to the humans behind them. Charming was busy with a huge Jabber that he didn't see the little girl coming at him until she was behind him and reaching out for Tinkerbell, the said blonde screaming at the bony hands of the monster. Her screams drew in more of them, who shoved into the sharp weapons with no regard except to find the screamer and eat her. One grabbed Snow by her wrist, the redhead trying to wrench her way free, but the Jabber had a vice hold on her arm.

Instinct kicked in and I divebombed the Jabber, claws buried into his back to drag him into the sky, ripping off his hand so as not to bring Snow skyward with him and I. I throw the Jabber off into the distant woods, not caring if it lived or died as I dive back down. I rip through the Jabbers to make a circle of my body around the group, my tail curled close to my jaws to keep in a solid barrier. The Jabbers bashed against my scales and some bit on them, thankfully not strong enough to break through my hard armor. I did close that one eye, to keep from drawing attention to it with the bright color against white hide.

"What the hell?!" Screams out Charming as he stabs at my hind leg, the tip poking through my scales into the skin underneath.

"Will you stop?!" Demands Reine, and the entire group pulled away from me into a tight huddle. Snow stood a few inches from me, eyes wide with fear.

"What is it? Another thing like the the Jabbers and Haggards and Snatchers?" Wails Tinkerbell as she hides in Doc's chest. Reine calls for silence and turns to me with suspicious eyes.

"What are you and what do you want with my family?" I heave out a sparky sigh and focus on Reine with my huge neon blue eye.

"I'm called a Dragon. And I don't want anything from you, love." Everyone was shocked to hear 'Peter' talking from such a huge beast like me. Snow stared at me in awe then down at her necklace in her hand.

"Peter?" Reine whispers to herself.

"Actually, my name is Elias. Peter is my middle name, and my dad's name." Snow runs forward and throws herself over my snout in a tiny hug.

"It worked, you're alive!" A deep chuckle rumbled in my chest.

"Of course, I told you I'll always come running." I twinge in pain as a Jabber tried to pull off a scale, vibrating with an instinctive growl of warning.

"Are you okay, Elias?" Snow asks as her finger rub at the smaller scales around my nose and eyes.

"Fine, just an idiot Jabber trying to take a souvenir. Speaking of, why are they moving North?" Snow shrugged and looked to Reine for the answer, seeing as she's the leader of the Base.

"I'm not sure, this is a first for the Jabbers." A Jabber tried to pry off a other scale, the pale color shining in the dying sunlight and catching their eye. I whip around and growl at the thing, the Jabber stumbling back in fear at my retaliation.

"Well get comfy, this isn't going to stop for a while. It's stretches down to at least New York City." Snow settles down on the ground next to my head, her smaller one rested against my jaw. Everyone else slowly got ready for sleep, each wary of me and the threat I pose to them as my Dragon self. Reine refused to sleep, saying it was her duty as leader to keep them safe. I shift around so my arm replaced my head so I could turn to look at her standing guard even though she can't see over my back at all.

"You need sleep, love. You'll be fine with me, promise." When she still didn't lay down, I snort softly and push her over with my snout. She glared at me and moved to get up, stopped when I drop my head down on her legs to pin her.

"Peter- Elias- get off!" She pushed at my cheek, but couldn't move me an inch.

"Not until you go to sleep. Do I need to sing you a lullaby, love?" Reine huffed and gives up, laying on the ground in defeat. "I'll take that as a yes." She rolls her eyes and closes her eyes as I begin to sing a song my mom used to sing to me when I couldn't sleep.

"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, "I'll never let you go"
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Don't you dare look out your window darling
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone
Gone

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
La La (La La)
La La (La La)
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
La La (La La)

Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound...

Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh oh oh."

By the end of the song, everyone was asleep. I lift up off of Reine's legs and move back by Snow, who cuddled my cheek when I returned to her side.

"I'm glad you came back, Elias. I missed you."

"I missed you too, Snow. And I'll always come back to you when you need me."

"Do you promise?"

"Forever and always."