Alianna's point of view
I slipped quietly out of the dormitory and into the fresh night air. I appreciated the cool breeze that tickled my face and played with my hair, but none of it could lift my damp mood.
I started walking without really caring where I was going, but my legs led me without thinking to the beach. I sat down glumly on a log of dry driftwood, the water coming from time to time lapping at my feet.
I'd been really touched that Ethan and Jake had gone through so much trouble to celebrate my birthday, but like every year, my birthday reminded me of my parents. Before, I'd still had the comfort of home, the presence of my parents still had lingered, and I hadn't felt so alone. But now, I felt so alienated, torn from home and my parents, and right now I missed them so much, I hadn't felt this intense ache for a long time now.
My eyes dampened, and a tear slipped out. I wiped it away angrily, but it didn't matter. No one was here but me, no one would see me cry.
"What a surprise to see you here," the deep British accented voice sounded behind me, light footsteps followed the voice.
I didn't turn around as I hastily wiped the other years that had fallen free. Go away, I prayed silently into my head. Please just go. He didn't know yet that I was crying and I wanted it to stay that way.
His hand touched my shoulder lightly and I flinched away from his touch. "Princess?" His voice was now concerned. "What's wrong?"
Make him go away, please, make him leave.
You do realize I can here what you're thinking when you enunciate it that clearly in your head, right? Pan's voice sounded in my head.
Shit. No, I hadn't known that.
He was now in front of me. I didn't look at him, but instead looked at the sand at my feet, wiping away the tears that were now streaming down my cheeks. For some reason, every time I cry, having someone watching me just makes me cry more. He put a firm hand under my chin and pulled it gently upwards, forcing me to meet his gaze.
The moonlight was bright enough for me to make out his face, his expression. It was concerned, worried, and I could almost believe it was real, only if I hadn't known Pan didn't care at all about me.
"What's wrong?" He breathed, his eyebrows scrunching up in a worried expression.
Pan's point of view
I pulled her chin upwards, forcing her to look at me. Her eyes were red rimmed, like if she'd been crying. I saw for a second desperation and sadness in her turquoise eyes before they hardened, like if she were convincing herself of something that she didn't want to believe.
"What's wrong?" I breathed.
What had happened, I wondered. Was it Sam again? No, I reminded myself. They seemed to have made some sort of truce, even seemed to get along pretty well now.
"Nothing," she said stiffly.
I rolled my eyes and crouched down so as to get my face level with hers. "Clearly something is, or else you wouldn't be in this state."
My parents... She then seemed to realize that I could hear her thoughts and slammed a wall down preventing me from hearing them.
But her wall didn't matter, because at the mention of parents, I recoiled back. I didn't want to know about her parents, how they died tragically and how she missed them. I didn't want to hear a word of it.
She noticed my reaction and inhaled sharply. "Right," she muttered more to herself than to me, like if she thought I couldn't hear her, distracted as she was. "No compassion available on the monster's side," she spat out the word monster like the worst of insults, reserved specifically for me.
I wanted to say something, a word of comfort, even a small pat on the shoulder, but something held me back. I couldn't bring myself to do any of these things, and after all, centuries of habits of never getting involved with the emotions of other people weren't that easy to break. She then seemed to realize that I was still here. In one jerky and shaky movement she shot up on her feet and started sprinting away from the beach, away from me.
I didn't do anything, I just watched her go.
***
Alianna's point of view
I slammed the door of my room shut, throwing myself on my bed. The sobs racked through my body violently.
Why did Pan always have to appear in the worst of moments? And most importantly, why was he like that? In some moments he'd be so horrible to me, and in others like right before he'd been so gentle, so nice, I could almost believe that he was sincere. That he truly was concerned about my wellbeing. I still didn't understand what generated these sudden changes of heart and attitude.
After some time my sobs faded to whimpers, and it wasn't long before I faded to unconsciousness. I entered the dreamland once again.
***
It was nighttime and there were two horses waiting on the road, one was already prepared and packed for a journey, the other one was only half ready.
I recognized Katherine's house on the other side of the silent, paved street. Two figures were running across the front lawn, both carrying traveling bags. As they neared the horses I saw that it was Pan and Katherine. They hurriedly packed the second horse.
"Oh no, wait here." Katherine breathed.
"What?" Pan asked.
"I-I forgot something. I'll be right back." Pan grabbed her wrist before she could head off.
"What did you forget?"
"My necklace. The one my mum gave me for my eleventh birthday. I can't leave without it."
"No. Forget it. We can't go back to get it. It's too risky, they'll hear us," he said gently even though he evidently was stressed.
"But I can't leave without it!" There was a note of hysteria in her voice. "I need to take it with me!"
"Shh! Calm down, they'll hear us!" He whispered urgently, a finger on her lips. "Okay fine, I'll get your necklace, if you'll just keep it down."
"It's in the top right drawer of my vanity table, in a red velvet box," she said quickly.
"And what does it look like?"
"It's a diamond in the shape of a swan, with lapis lazuli eyes, on a golden chain. You can't miss it."
"Fine," he huffed.
A few minutes later I was floating inside Katherine's room after having followed Pan and watched him clamber up through her open window and find the necklace.
Footsteps sounded down the hall behind her bedroom door.
"Shit." Pan cursed under his breath as he quietly shut the drawer and blew out the candle but it was too late, the person in the hall had already seen the light coming from underneath the door.
"Stop right where you are!" A booming voice ordered as the door slammed open, but Pan was already halfway out of the window. "Stop right now you stealing scumbag!" And when he noticed Katherine wasn't in her bed, home cried out, "What have you done with my daughter?" Pan turned his head to face him and recognition passed over his face. "You" he snarled.
"Me" Pan agreed.
"Where's my daughter? What have you done to her?" Katherine's father spat.
"Oh I haven't done anything to her, she came to me of her own free will," he said with a smirk, before jumping out the window and running away.
Thompson ran to the window and he yelled, "I don't care where you go! I will find you! I will get my daughter back! And when I do, I'll make you regret you ever laid a finger on her!" He was beyond furious, and I knew that he truly would stop at nothing to get Katherine back.
Everything went black for a few seconds and I felt like I was falling. A moment later it stopped and I could see again.
***
I was standing inside a cheerful tavern , it was nearly empty because it was only early afternoon. I wondered for a second what I was doing here until I spotted Katherine, behind the counter, wiping glasses and setting them back in the cupboards. She looked older, and much more beautiful than before.
"Kath?" A woman in her thirties asked from across the room, "Could you wipe those tables clean? The customers will be coming soon."
"Of course."
The door opened and Pan stepped in. He had changed. He was more rugged looking, his shoulders had widened with hard labor, he was maybe two years older, which would make him eighteen years old, I thought.
"Peter!" Katherine cried out, pleased. She ran towards him and embraced him tightly.
He chuckled lightly, smiling. "Someone's happy to see me."
She lifted her head, smiling too, before pressing a quick kiss on his lips. "I missed you."
"I was only gone for two days."
"Too long," she smiled contentedly, "but now you're back."
There was a slight cough behind them. "I don't mean to interrupt but the customers are going to arrive soon so we better get a move now." It was the woman from before. Apparently, she was the one in charge here. She nodded towards Pan, "You unloaded the wagon?"
"Yes mam." Pan said politely.
"Good. And I already told you not to call me mam it makes me feel old. Just call me Sabie like everyone else."
"Yes Sabie, it's just that I keep forgetting. Umm, could you give us a moment? I need to speak with Katherine for a moment."
"Of course, honey." She smiled fondly at him.
"Thanks"
He took Katherine's hand in his and led her upstairs and into a room, apparently their room. Once he had shut the door, his pleasant expression faded away to make place for a more serious one.
She gave him a worried, questioning look. "What is it?"
"It's your father. He found us. We need to go." His tone was serious.
She sighed as she sat on the bed, her shoulders slumping. "It's been two months, I'd hoped that this time he wouldn't find us."
Pan kneeled down in front of her, taking both of her hands in his. "I know, me too, but you know how it goes if we stay. He'll find us and take you back to your old home, away from me. You know staying isn't an option."
"I know," she said defeatedly, "it's just going to be hard to tell Sabie, that's all."
***
"Bye Sabie! We'll miss you!" Katherine cried out as she waved from the horse she was sitting on, her other arm around Pan's waist. It was dark outside and the faint illumination only came from the lights inside the tavern.
Sabie waved back, she was smiling but her eyes were moist.
With a final wave Pan urged the horse off, and they were speeding down the cobblestoned streets, I was following them, floating behind them, easily maintaining their speed.
Suddenly, after a few minutes of galloping down the streets, the horse reared in panic and Katherine almost fell off.
A hooded man was standing in front of them, sword pointed towards them. In one swift movement Pan had jumped off the horse and drew a sword from the folds of his cloak, pointing it towards the man.
"What do you want?"
"My daughter back." He spat as he threw his hood off, revealing his face. It was Katherine's father.
At that Katherine jumped off the horse too and joined Pan. "Father? What are you doing here?"
"I came to get you back of course. I couldn't leave my daughter in the hands of such a scoundrel."
"But Father," her voice was hushed, "Pan didn't capture me, he didn't even ask me to come with him, it was my idea to run away."
"Nonsense!" He roared, "That filthy Peter Pan has twisted your mind! You don't belong out here. You belong in a secure home, where there are no dangers, not this dangerous life that you're living."
Pan was about to say something in protest but Katherine laid a hand on his shoulder, indicating him that this was her problem to handle.
"Father, I'm not going home. I'm staying here with Peter." She said softly but firmly.
He recoiled as if she'd hit him. "I'm giving you one last chance." His expression was angry. "You must choose. Either me, your family, or him," he jerked his chin towards Pan.
"I'm sorry Father. I love you, but I can't come home, because that would mean leaving Peter, and I can't do that. I can't, because I love him, and he loves me in a way you never will, so I choose him, even if it means I'll live an 'insecure life' as you say it." She held her head high, her voice strong.
Thompson's expression was like thunder. "Very well," he sneered, murderous, "then let me tell you this. You aren't my daughter anymore, and even if you come crawling back to me after realizing that he isn't worth it, I won't recognize you of my family. Next time we meet, I can promise you that it will be in much less pleasant circumstances."
Katherine let a gasp escape her lips, "But Father!-"
"Shut up!" He roared, "You aren't my daughter!" He turned towards Pan. "You stole my daughter away from me. You shall pay for that. I vow that I'll kill you, Peter Pan, I will kill you, even if it's the last thing I ever do."
And with that he turned away and ran off into the darkness, his footsteps echoing hollowly in the empty streets before fading away.
***
After that scene, everything came in flashes, not lasting more than a few seconds.
Katherine sobbing onto Pan's shoulder as he silently comforts her.
***
Katherine riding a horse in the woods as Pan walked alongside her in silence.
***
A little wooden house in the middle of the woods.
***
Katherine preparing a meal in that little house while Pan came home after a day trading for food in the city.
They both seemed older but much happier than they had ever been before.
***
"Peter?" Katherine called out, she stood at the threshold of their room, looking at Pan who was sitting on their bed. She seemed to uncertain.
He looked up, "Yes?"
"Now that we have a more... steady life, how do you feel about... about..." She hesitated.
"About what?" He asked gently.
"How do you feel about building a family?"
He tensed visibly. "What do you mean?"
"Well, about kids obviously." She was anxious, intertwining her fingers nervously.
"No," he said firmly. "I don't want kids. I never had a proper Father, I wouldn't know how to be one."
She smiled. "But that's not a problem. You will learn to be a good Father with the child..." She started hopefully.
"No." He cut her off. "Even if I knew how to be a Father, I wouldn't want a child, they're useless, a waste of time. They demand food, time, care... all that for nothing. So no, I don't want a kid."
A tear slipped down her cheek and his expression became concerned.
"What's wrong Kat?"
"Peter," she whispered sadly, "Peter, I'm pregnant."
***
Screams filled the wooden house. Katherine was laying on the couch, her face covered in sweat, Pan crouched next to her and holding her hand as she breathed heavily through her contractions.
"Okay now, just one more, big push!" An elderly nun said encouragingly from Katherine's other side.
Another scream tore through her throat as she pushed. Pan was tense, hating to see her in pain.
"Another push! I promise it'll be the last, just make it big." The old woman encouraged.
"I- can't-" she panted through the pain.
"Come on," Pan muttered anxiously, "you'll be alright, just one more."
A minute later, Katherine was holding in her arms a crying baby wrapped in blankets, her face was split in the most beautiful of smiles.
"Congratulations, it's a healthy baby boy," the nun said. "How will you name him?"
Pan thought for a moment, "I don't know, something uncommon..."
"Rumpelstiltskin." Katherine breathed. "We'll name him Rumplestiltskin."