Blaze - Peter Pan OUAT

Chapter Twenty One

We shared a rather awkward and uncomfortable silence until Keith decided to speak.

"I never thought I'd see you again." He murmured as he stared at me in wonder and I gulped anxiously.

I laughed bitterly. "I was told you were dead."

I finally made eye contact with him and his eyes were so wide with surprise. 

"They told you that?" He asked, his voice breaking.

My eyes started to water but I quickly blinked away the tears. No way in hell am I going to cry. Elisa Emerson's stronger than that.

So instead, I glared at him furiously, and he flinched at the look I gave him.

"You have one minute to fucking explain yourself." I spat.

"I couldn't find you, El." He whispered, the nickname rolling off his tongue perfectly and bringing back so many memories that brought back an enormous wave of nostalgia when I had a perfect, loving family - My mother, my father, and my brother.

"I tried. The day I was supposed to come get you - my birthday - right before I could leave my orphanage, there was a massive explosion. I don't know how I managed to survive it, but I did. There were dead bodies all around me, and random bloody body parts scattered around the destroyed floor."

I sat there, staring at him hesitantly as he urgently explained himself. It was a lot to take in, but I needed him to carry on with what he has to say. I need to believe every word he says. I know I have no reason to trust him, but he's my brother - the brother I've always loved. The brother whom I grieved every day and every night for years. I had to believe him.

"I was heavily injured, so I couldn't move, but when the paramedics arrived, I yelled out for them to grab their attention and help me. I was taken to a hospital and taken care of, but I was only released after a week. The moment I was released, Elisa, I swear to you, I made a run for it to your orphanage, but by the time I'd gotten there - they informed me that you'd escaped."

I gulped and this time, I couldn't stop myself from letting the tears roll down my cheeks and onto my arms that were folded against my chest, my back resting against the tree trunk.

"I searched everywhere for you, Elisa. I searched for weeks - but I couldn't find you." He whispered, and I looked up at him to find him crying too.

He hastily gripped the bamboo bars of his cage and stared at me wondrously.

"How did you end up here?" He whispered, and I managed to crack a small grin.

"I could ask you the same thing, brother."

He smiled slightly at me and I let out a heavy sigh and wiped my tears with the back of my hand.

"We're going to be okay." I confirmed for him.

"Nothing will rip you away from me again." He promised me, and I believed him.

*****

After my talk with Keith, we both sat quietly together, him in the cage and me on a tree branch. I wasn't supposed to let him out of his cage, due to Pan's orders, and Keith surprisingly respected the fact that I took Pan's rules into consideration.

"Such loyalty isn't just because you respect him, but because you love him." He said.

It was obvious that I loved Peter Pan. There was no questioning it. I would do anything for him in a heartbeat. I wouldn't ever doubt him - not anymore.

When the sun was starting to rise, I took this as my queue to leave, and I said goodbye to Keith as he leaned back in his cage and got comfortable as possible for a nap.

I jumped off the tree and slowly started walking into the forest, away from camp, because I needed some time to myself for a while before I go back.

I walked silently as I heard the birds around me chirp and flap their wings as they soared above me in search for food.

I smiled in content at the natural beauty I was engulfed in, but unfortunately, that feeling was short-lived.

I found myself stepping into some form of camp, and the first thing that popped into my mind was, 'That is not our camp'.

I immediately became alert and my senses were all sharpened. My eyes scanned the place.

There was a put out fire in a small clearing, and a bunch of clothes scattered on the ground, and then there was an open tent, where two people were resting, and I recognised them immediately.

I growled. Snow White and David.

I charged towards them as they started stirring awake before I spat out, "You!"

The couple was wide awake now and they quickly scrambled to their feet.

"Elisa?" Snow murmured in fear as she stood beside her husband, who put an arm in front of her protectively, which only infuriated me further.

"What in the devil's name are you both doing here?" I growled angrily as I eyed them viciously.

"We came here to look for our grandson - we promise, we're not here for any further torment!" David desperately spoke and I rolled my eyes and scrunched up my face in disgust.

"Look at you both. Fucking pleading me - you're fucking pathetic." I seethed.

Snow White looked at me pleadingly.

"I know banishing you hurt your feelings, Elisa, and I know you have no reason to help us, but please, if you know anything about Henry, anything at all - please tell us." She begged me.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh in amusement.

"Help you? Snow dear, why would I help you when you haven't ever given me any aid ever since I stepped foot in your wretched realm? I know where Henry is, but no way in hell am I giving anything away. This is my turn to hurt you both; I promised before I was banished that I'll get my vengeance on you both, and I intend to keep that promise. Whatever happens to Henry is going to be all your fault." I taunted them with an evil smirk but I was soon interrupted by a voice behind me yelling angrily.

"Hey!"

I turned around and found a blonde woman glaring at me, clutching a knife.

"Stay away from my parents!" She yelled.

I frowned slightly. "So you're the mother, hm? Interesting."

"I said stay away!" She yelled again.

I laughed and stepped towards the woman.

"Don't worry, dear, I'm not here to hurt your dimwitted parents - not yet anyway. Enjoy their company while it lasts." I winked.

I turned around to leave, but I predicted the woman's next moves because I turned around and saw her charging towards me with the knife.

I glared at her and twisted my wrist at her, instantly lighting up the woman's hand that was clutching the knife on fire.

The woman screamed, dropped the knife and clutched her hand, and I stopped the fire by relaxing my wrist.

"Don't you ever attack the opposing member behind their back - but then again, I wouldn't expect anything else from you - after all, you're the daughter of two backstabbing two-faced monsters."

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, an air of confidence and arrogance surrounding me as I maintained the smirk on my face and headed back to camp - ready to tell Pan all about this exciting and thrilling encounter.