Peter Pan and the War of Evils

Chapter Fourteen

"Until we meet again, Dear Peter."

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The fires were out by the time Peter made it back to Pixie Hollow. In fact, everything was so still and quiet, if it weren't for the piles of half burned trees, and wisps of smoke still climbing into the air, Peter never would've guessed it had been pandemonium not two hours ago. Then, only after making his way into the center of the Hollow did he see why: Kaytee was telling a story.

All around her, as she spun a tale of love and beauty, sleeping forms snored and lounged. The Lost Boys, all asleep, were covered in dozing fairies. Likewise were the dozen or so Indians who had come to assist in extinguishing the flames. Kaytee, though she appeared exhausted, smiled at Peter in obvious relief as he flew to her side, avoiding the many sleeping forms.

He sank down to her side, and she finished her story quietly. When everyone stayed asleep, she crawled into his lap, and nodded towards the jungle behind them. He held her to his chest and silently flew them into the dark forest, away from the sleeping forms. He lowered her onto her feet and expected a bombardment of questions, but instead, she simply grabbed his hand and walked further still away from the Hollow.

The trees weren't as thick here, so the moonlight broke through, letting them see their path easily. On they walked, the minutes passing by in sleepy silence, accompanied only by cricket song and the moons above. Then, the sound of gurgling water. Kaytee pulled them over to the left and pushed away a few palms to reveal a small collection of hot springs, tucked into a humble formation of rocks.

Peter had forgotten they were even here. Pools of hot water weren't nearly as fun as lakes with waterfalls, so they never really visited them. But now, with the weight of the day's events on their shoulders and the thin layer of ash covering them both, Peter suddenly understood why she had brought them here.

"How did you know these were here?" he asked her as she dropped his hand to remove her shirt.

She tugged it off and placed it on a nearby boulder, "They drain into a pool closer to Pixie Hollow. It's what we used to put out most of the fire. One of the Indians showed me."

He nodded and when she began removing the rest of her clothes, he undid the buttons of his own and joined her. Naked, she crouched by the edge of the water and peered in, dipping her fingers in. Even in the moonlight, the water was cloudy and dark.

"How deep is it?" she whispered and he sat on the edge beside her, easing his feet into the steaming water.

"To the waist on the edges. Over your head in the middle." he slid in and sucked a sharp breath between his teeth as the hot water eased over his most sensitive skin, sharp and tingling. Then he sighed and walked further in, feeling his muscles relax under the warmth. When it was up to his chest, he closed his eyes and remained still, arms floating listlessly at his sides, listening to the sounds of the gurgling water and sleepy breeze.

Kaytee's arms slid around his waist from behind and he sighed again as her body pressed to his back. She brushed a kiss between his shoulder blades and then rested her forehead there, content to hold him.

Then, unable to bear the uncertainty, she lifted her head and whispered, "It's him, isn't it? The pirate from before. Hook."

A few heartbeats. And then he nodded. Her hold on his waist tightened and she said nothing more, resting her head back down onto his damp skin.

They remained so for a while more before he opened his eyes and turned in her arms to face her. His damp hands, hot from the water, cupped her face. She wanted to ask him so many things: what all did the mermaid say? How was Hook alive? Were they in danger now?

But his eyes held a desperate need to forget, just for a moment, all that had happened. A hunger to only be them, Peter and Kaytee, to relish their love, their happiness, while they could. While they had the chance, the time. And so instead of asking questions, she kissed him, and felt him, and let him have her in the way they both so anxiously craved. Moments like these suddenly felt numbered. Limited. Precious.

And when they fell over the edge of bliss, crashing harmoniously in ecstasy, love was on their lips, over and over, a mantra, a promise. A plea that no matter what they faced, they would face it together. This war of evils beyond their imagination was one to be fought side by side. It was a task they've never come across. It was a lesson they would soon need to learn.

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In the morning, as Kaytee gathered the boys together, Peter took Tinker Bell to the side and filled her in on everything that he had learned. She turned red as he quickly glossed over the encounter he had with Hook before returning to Pixie Hollow the night before.

"That codfish just won't let us be, will he?" she hissed, pacing back and forth across a slightly charred branch.

"I don't know how his crew remained strong either, but with them, plus Jude's cronies, we'll be far outnumbered," Peter said lowly, watching Kaytee slowly shake the boys awake, and help them remove sleeping fairies from their arms, "We'll need the Indians to fight with us."

"This threatens them too, I know Big Chief will have some words with that one handed- good for nothing- no good-" Tink cut off her rant with a closed mouth scream.

Peter winced, agreeing, "I'll take Kaytee and the boys to the tribe now. I expect to stay there until the battle happens. I don't trust Hook to leave the Home untouched." He paused and then hesitantly added, "I don't suppose the Soldier Fairies are willing to help us in the fight?"

Tink's shoulders sagged slightly, her red glow dimming into her more subdued yellow. She shook her head, "Almost half of them perished, Peter. Either by pure exhaustion from getting everyone out of the fire or from the fire itself. The remaining have to protect those of us who are left. We're weak, vulnerable. I know you understand."

And he did, not surprised by her answer, but stunned by how many Soldiers had fallen. Guilt washed over him from leaving so soon last night to speak to the mermaid.

Peter glanced at the decimated trees around them, looking even more devastating in the morning sunlight, "Will you rebuild?"

She stopped her pacing and glanced at the fallen trees and fairy houses around them. She shook her head, "Not here. This is unhallowed ground after-" her voice caught, "after so many died. There's a sacred place further in the island that not even Hook knows about. We'll heal there first."

Peter nodded and then sighed, rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes. Then his gaze landed back onto Kaytee, his heart warming at the same time his stomach tightened in anxiety. "I can't lose her, Tink. I could never fly again."

Tink glanced over where he was looking and nodded. "Then you better kill him right this time."