Imagination Lives Forever

She looks back at her father, gaze hardening, her stomach churning from both disappointment and disbelief. 

- I’ve got to go, she states, making no comment on their conversation about his request. 

- Wendy…

But she’s already spun on her heels and is halfway out the door. She refuses to hear any more of his bullshit. Why would he need her to do that? It’s not like the Red Wolves are struggling.

Are they?

For a second, Wendy halts on the stairs. What if they are? If her father can keep the story behind the Red Wolves’ rivalry with the Lost Ones a secret, who’s to say he can’t keep the Red Wolves’ success – or lack thereof – one too?

Another three beeps, more erratic than the last, snaps her out of her thoughts. That’s right. Car. She’s getting a lift from Tink to the local diner.

Knowing she’s probably wasted at least a minute on her thoughts, she takes longer, quicker strides down the stairs and out the door.

A small green car is parked along the path, directly opposite the front door. A wide, genuine smile stretches across Wendy’s face. Behind the wheel is Tink, of course, and in the back is Lily.

All three of them are grinning as Wendy walks round to the front passenger side and climbs in.

Tink turns to face her.

- Ready? she asks.

- Hell yeah! Wendy exclaims.

Tink’s eyebrows raise.

- Woah! You never say that. What happened?

- I’ll tell you at the diner.

Tink nods and restarts the car, pulling out onto the road.

In a few moments, the girls are off, heading towards the middle of the town where all the most-used shops and businesses are.

Finally, Tink pulls up alongside Granny’s Diner, run by Widow Lucas, who everyone just calls Granny because of her wise, friendly nature, with the help of her granddaughter, Ruby.

The girls climb out of the car and enter the diner, sitting at their usual table on their left by the front window. Wendy takes a seat with her back to the window, Tink and Lily opposite her.

- Alright. We’re here now. So what happened? Tink asks.

Wendy looks over her shoulder at their usual waitress, wondering if now’s a good time to tell them. The waitress, Ruby, looks busy leaning against one of the tables flirtatiously, chatting animatedly with one of the regulars.

Reassured that they won’t get interrupted, Wendy looks back at the girls and explains.

- It’s my dad.

- When isn’t it? Lily scoffs.

Wendy glares at her.

- Continue, Lily says after clearing her throat.

Wendy rolls her eyes but does so all the same.

- Anyway. My dad…he said he had a job for me.

- And you don’t want to do this job? Tink asks.

She shakes her head.

- No, he err…he wants me to seduce Pan and try and get some information out of him about his gang.

Both Tink and Lily gasp.

- He wants to play dirty? asks Lily.

- He’s a gang leader, Lily. He always plays dirty, Wendy states, raising an eyebrow.

- No, but…you know what I mean.

- I didn’t think the Red Wolves needed to sink that low. I thought they were doing well, says Tink, tilting her head in confusion.

- That’s what I thought too. Apparently, we’re not and he feels threatened by Pan. I guess their victory against us that night helped in his decision.

- But…why? Tink asks.

Why you? Why that? Those are the questions she means to ask. Wendy shrugs.

- He saw Pan and I kissing, Tink. He caught us that time in the car park and apparently he caught us again at his event.

Tink’s eyes widen.

- Seriously?

Wendy nods.

- And he wants me to seduce him at his club, the Neverland Spring, tonight.

- Wait…I’m confused. Is there something I missed? Lily pipes up.

Tink and Wendy look at her, nodding; Wendy more embarrassed and Tink more proud.

- Oh, you missed a lot, Lils, Tink says, throwing an arm around her. Our dear friend Wendy here has only gone and started something with daddy dearest’s rival.

It takes a minute, but finally Lily catches on.

- You sly fox! You kissed Pan: gang leader of the Lost Ones, youngest gang leader in years?

- Yes?

- Damn, girl. I wish I was in your shoes. So many girls throw themselves at him but not one has managed to catch his eye…ever.

Wendy’s eyes widen.

- You seem to know him quite well.

- Oh, I don’t. But I’m a model. Anyone who’s anyone in the limelight in the world of celebrities knows who he is. Well, his renowned side anyway. But if you’ve managed to catch his eye…maybe this job is a blessing in disguise. You two might hit it off, ya never know.

- But I don’t know anything about him.

- Well then, we’ll just need to do some investigating, Tink declares.

While she and Lily smirk, Wendy just shakes her head in disbelief.

Just as Tink leans forward, stretching her index finger ready to point to who’ll be doing what, Ruby steps up to their table to take their orders. Two Lattes and one ginger tea.  

Tink makes a noise of disgust at the back of her throat. Lily narrows her eyes at her, daring her.

After jotting down their orders, Ruby struts over to the counter to hand the orders over to Granny.

- How can you drink that?

- I like it. Problem?

- Yeah! I’m just trying to understand something. It has no taste and has a really strong smell. What’s there to like about it?

- You just have less taste buds.

- Guys! Wendy snaps, breaking up the pointless bickering. Can we get back to what we were talking about before ginger tea?

The two girls nod, taken aback by Wendy’s outburst. She hardly ever gets like this in public.

- Thank you. Tink, you were saying…

Tink shakes her head, snapping herself out of her state of shock.

- Right. Lily...

She points her index finger at Lily.

- You find out any small personal details you can. Pan’s favourite colour, what he likes to eat, etcetera.

Lily nods.

- Wendy,

She points at Wendy.

- You do any background research you can since you’re the one going into the lion’s den. As for me…I’ll try and find out what I can about this nightclub of his: the Neverland Spring. Agreed?

- Agreed, Wendy and Lily chorus.

Ruby returns to the table with the girls’ orders.

- Two Lattes and one ginger tea.

She shudders as all kinds of possibilities enter her head. Maybe he’s just bored and his string of women is growing short? Maybe he’s looking for other ways to get to her father? Maybe he wants her all to himself? Wendy brushes off the thought. No. That’s impossible. A gang leader like him who can have anything in the world…wanting nothing but her? Insane!

Suddenly, more thoughts push to the front of her mind. Those warnings from both her best friend and her father.

We’ll talk about this later.

And our conversation isn’t over.

Another talk from her father. After finding out that her father had in fact caught her and Peter kissing during the fight between the Red Wolves and the Lost Ones, she can’t help but worry that he’d seen them kissing in the middle of the room tonight and caught them leaving the hall together. If that was where his talk was going to go, she’d rather take a bullet straight to the head.

As for Tink…Wendy groans, clenching her eyes shut for a second. She can just about see how her meet-up with Tink and Lily is going to go. It’s going to feel like an interrogation at a police station!

So lost in her own sea of thoughts, Wendy slowly loses consciousness, sleep taking over.

The following morning, Wendy drags herself downstairs, wrapping the cord around her dressing gown, tightening it into a secure bow.

As she comes down to the archway, her father’s back comes into view. He’s sat at the table, lifting a mug of what she gathers is coffee to his lips. Wendy cranes her neck but can’t see Milah, their housekeeper, anywhere. Having no excuse to hold off the inevitable for just that little bit longer, she stops in her tracks, closes her eyes and inhales a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the talk she knows is coming.

Feeling a little bit more ready – well, as ready as any young woman can be as they’re about to step into a long, painful lecture with their father about dangerous, fiendish boys – Wendy continues on her way.

As soon as her toes and the ball of her right foot press down on the bottom, final step, it creaks. A slow, agonising groan of a creak. Her father’s form freezes. Slowly, he places the plain white mug back down on the table.

- I know you’re there, lass. Come here. I wanna talk to you for a minute. 

Wendy hangs her head in defeat. Well, there’s no use in putting it off for any longer.

Squaring her shoulders, Wendy obediently walks towards the table and pulls out the chair opposite her father. Never has the loud, grating squeak of the chair legs as they drag across the kitchen floor sounded more awkward.

- What…do you want to talk about? she asks, nervously squeezing her hands in her lap. 

One of her father’s hands rest on the table, relaxed, the other left hanging by his side. 

- Last night, lass. I saw that look in your eyes. What exactly do you see in him? 

- Who? 

- Don’t…play dumb, lass. What do you see in that demon? 

- Pan? 

Her father nods, slowly. 

Wendy shrugs. 

- He’s your rival, so he’s mine too. I don’t really know him personally. 

- Is he now? I’d say you know him more than me, if last night was anything to go by. 

Wendy gulps. She feels like she’s being sized up by a wolf. 

- What? 

- I saw how you were with him. First, you kiss him in front of my men as well as his. Now, you’ve embarrassed me in front of my guests and kissed him in the middle of the room. What do you have to say for yourself?

- He kissed me, Dad. Both times!

- I didn’t see you pushing him away! 

- Is this all it’s about to you? You don’t want me around him because it embarrasses you? You don’t want me around him because of a rivalry that I know nothing about? 

- He’s dangerous. He’s not some ordinary boy. He’s a demon! 

- Fine! Then tell me about this rivalry. It’ll make it easier to push him away. 

- That’s not something for you to know, lass. I am your father. Not just your father; I’m your leader. You do as I tell you without question. 

Wendy shakes her head in disbelief. 

- That’s not good enough. If you won’t tell me about this rivalry, how do I know you’re not making it up to keep me away from him because our relationship would embarrass you?

Without saying anything else, she gets up and starts to leave the room, not caring that she hasn’t bothered to get any breakfast. She’s going out with the girls soon anyway.

- Stay away from him. I mean it, lass! her father calls after her as she ascends back up the stairs. 

- Whatever!

As soon as she reaches her room, Wendy slams the door, overwhelmed. She can’t believe it! She just stood up to her father. She never stands up to her father. And it feels bloody amazing! If that’s how he reacted to a simple kiss, it doesn’t bear worth thinking about how he’d react to what happened after.

All of a sudden, the sound of her phone vibrating against the wooden surface of her desk attracts Wendy’s attention. Hoping that it’s Tink, she takes long, fast strides towards her desk.

Snatching up her phone, Wendy presses down on the power button and looks down at the screen. Low and behold: it’s a message from Tink.

Swiping right, she unlocks her phone, taking her straight to her conversation with Tink…

Hey! Just had a call from Lily. She gt bck lst nite! She’s ok 2 meet 2day. U up 4 coffee?

                                                                            Yeah. Where should I meet you?

Driving 2 urs now. Lily’s with me!

                                                                                             See you in a minute x

In a bit, girl x

Putting her phone back down on the desk, Wendy dashes over to her walk-in wardrobe. She’s not fussed about what to wear. It’s only a coffee shop. So, she throws on a long-sleeved top, her good old ultra-soft jumper with a hood that’s a souvenir from the university she went to, a pair of jeans, a pair of socks, and her DMs. Knowing Tink and Lily, they’ll complain about her choice of outfit. A girl should always look her best. You never know when you’re going to pull, they always say. So, she adds a nice pair of stud earrings – studs but noticeable – and a simple but nice necklace to her outfit.

Just as she’s finished clipping half of her hair back, there’s a knock at her door.

- Lass, can I come in? 

Wendy groans. It’s her father. 

- Go away, Dad. I’m getting ready. 

- For what? he asks sharply. 

- Tink’s picking me up. We’re going to a coffee shop in town.

- Oh, okay. Just let me in. I want to talk.

Knowing he won’t give up, Wendy rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath before trudging over to her door. She opens it, stepping to one side to let her father in.

He strides into the room and takes a seat on the end of her bed.

Wendy closes the door and turns to face him, crossing her arms. 

- Have you come to give me another lecture? 

- No. I’m sorry about that, lass. I just…I worry about you. I am a leader but I was your father before I was your leader. 

- Glad to see you finally admit that. 

- Please, lass. I’m trying here.  She sighs. 

- Alright. What do you want to talk about? 

- I realise I was being harsh on you. But now I realise maybe you two kissing wasn’t such a bad idea.

She’s not so sure she likes where this is going. 

- What do you mean? 

- Why did you come here tonight? she asks. 

- I wanted to see you, Bird. I’d say that kiss was pretty unforgettable, wouldn’t you? 

Yes. She blushes. 

- But why risk it for a simple kiss? 

- I figured I’d get to know the girl who’s been taking over my thoughts since that night. 

- But you did the background check.

- Like I said, Bird: that stuff’s factual. What I want to know is who you are – not what your names say you are.

- And what do my names say about me? 

- The legal stuff says that you’re Wendy Darling, twenty years old, sheltered and spoilt by your father, and you attend events with him. The more illegal stuff however says you’re Jill Jones, better known as Red-Handed Jill because of the red gloves you slip on when you’re about to get your hands dirty. And you’re your father’s left-hand.

- Pretty accurate so far. 

She doesn’t like this. He already knows too much. 

- Your birth name though is Gwendolen Juliana Jones. Quite a mouthful.” 

- Alright, my turn, she states, smirking. 

- Go on, he encourages, returning the smirk. 

- So…what’s your name? It can’t just be Pan. 

- Why ruin the mystery? Asking me directly – that’s cheating, Bird.

She groans. 

- Alright, you said you think there’s a thrill to violence. 

- There is. Don’t get so judgemental, Bird. It’s the same for you, isn’t it? 

Wendy can’t argue there, so she bites her tongue.

- In fact, I think you and I are more alike than you think” he says, returning back to his sultry voice. 

He presses his chin against her shoulder and starts whispering in her ear, pointing out all the things they do have in common. - We both get a thrill from the power we hold over those in our clutches. We both enjoy shedding the blood of those who challenge and mock us. And yet, that’s only half of who we are. 

Wendy shudders – but not from intimidation. She’s far from intimidated. Why, oh why does he have to look so sexy with a voice to match when it’s lowered a few octaves?

Before long, they’re kissing in the middle of the room again.

Upon hearing a collection of gasps around her, Wendy pulls back and glances around. A few people have noticed them – including Felix and Tink who winks at her and mouths you go, girl! Wendy blushes scarlet and grabs Pan’s hand. 

- Not here, she murmurs, refusing to have a repeat of her father’s rage when he first caught sight of them kissing.

Somehow, the pair manage to sneak out the back door where there are no bouncers (a couple of members from her father’s gang). As soon as they’re sure they’re alone, Pan pushes Wendy up against the wall and they instantly start kissing again.

Her leg drapes around his waist, their tongues grappling for dominance. His hand finds its way down from the wall and onto her exposed thigh. Things quickly rise from simmering to boiling point as his knuckles brush against her hip underneath the dress. Wendy shivers, goosebumps appearing on her skin – but not because she’s cold. It’s actually quite a mild, clear-skied night for an evening in October.

But, what breaks Wendy out of her dreamlike, aroused trance is when Pan’s hand slides round, away from her hip and onto her arse. Her eyes shoot open and she gently pushes him away, shaking her head. 

- We can’t…my father…

- No, I understand. Too soon, he says. 

Wendy snaps her head up to see him smirking again despite his heaving chest and swollen, stained lips. 

- Y-you…

He leans back in towards her ear and declares in a low, husky voice: - I’ll be seeing you around, Bird.

With that, he draws back and heads back inside.

Finally able to think rationally, Wendy decides to wait for a bit seeing as her father is inside and knows how he’d think if she re-entered just behind Pan. At least this gives her a chance to cool down.

She lays a hand on her chest, waiting until her breaths are even once more. Smoothing down her dress, she walks back inside, head held high, trying not to look like a girl who’s just almost had sex outside against a wall.

As soon as she’s inside, she’s ambushed by a bright-green-eyed blonde-haired energetic young woman. 

- Tink! she exclaims. 

- You have so much explaining to do young lady! Tink states, pointing a finger at her. 

Taken aback, Wendy wordlessly allows her friend to drag her off to who-knows-where to talk.

Soon enough, Wendy finds herself inside the girls’ toilets, lower back against the counter with Tink pacing furiously in front of her. She folds her arms across her waist. 

- Someone could walk in. 

Tink halts her pacing and gestures with her thumb over her shoulder towards the door with a raised eyebrow. 

- There’s a sign outside saying ‘Not in Use’.

Wendy looks away, knowing that this is the moment Tink’ll start. 

- So who is he? she asks straight away.

- Who’s who? Wendy asks, looking up at her. 

- Don’t play dumb. The guy you walked out with and didn’t come back in with just now. 

- No one. 

- No one? No one you just had sex with? 

- N-nothing happened! 

- Bullshit! Your hair’s a mess and your make-up’s smudged. 

Wendy’s eyes widen and she spins round to stare into the mirror. 

- Shit!

- Here, let me, Tink sighs. 

She walks up behind her and begins putting her hair back in place after handing Wendy a make-up wipe from her clutch bag to wipe off her lipstick and reapply it.

- Thanks, Tink. Dad would’ve killed me if he saw me like this. 

- No worries. So, since I’m such a good friend helping you save your ass, are you going to tell me now who that cute guy was?

- Like you don’t know, Wendy scoffs. 

- No, I don’t know.

After re-applying her lipstick, Wendy turns round with a raised eyebrow. 

- Okay, okay. I did see him leave with Felix but I don’t know his name. Felix only mentioned he came here with him when I saw you two dancing and asked. 

Wendy rolls her eyes. 

- Fine. He’s a rival gang leader of my dad’s. 

Tink gasps. 

- You mean another gang leader? You sneaky minx! she squeals. 

- It’s not like that. 

- Sure, and I’m the President of the United States.

- I’m being serious, Tink. A couple of nights ago we kissed during a fight which my dad got angry about – rightly so. Then after we kissed in the hall tonight we went outside and made out. I stopped it from going any further. 

- Why? 

- What do you mean ‘why’? He’s my dad’s rival. 

- So? This is like Romeo and Juliet – the modern version. And to top it off: he’s cute! Why the fuck would you turn that down? 

- Have you met my father? 

Tink shrugs. Wendy sighs in defeat. 

- Come on, can you honestly tell me you have no interest in him whatsoever? 

- Can we please stop talking about this? Someone could hear us and my dad’ll get suspicious and wonder where I’ve gone. 

Tink rolls her eyes. 

- Alright, Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes, let’s go.

Wendy lets out a sigh of relief before she follows Tink out of the toilets and up the stairs, back into the main part of the hall.

Admittedly, Wendy feels a little disappointed when she glances around the hall to see that Pan has indeed left the event. But she could never admit that aloud. She hates letting her father down.

As soon as the girls reach the floor, they’re confronted by a suspicious Killian Jones. 

- So…where were you ladies off to? 

- Sorry, Mr Jones. Wendy had just come with me into the toilets for a little touch-up. 

- Did she now? Then where was she while you were still in the hall and she was nowhere to be found?

Now usually, Wendy’s a good liar. She has to be, being the daughter of a gang leader. But when it comes to her father, he’s the one man she can never lie to. So she opens and closes her mouth like a fish instead.

- We’ll talk about this later, he says before walking off. 

- And our conversation isn’t over, Tink says to Wendy, draping an arm over her shoulder. - As soon as Lily gets back from her photoshoot in Italy, the three of us are going out for a coffee. 

- Love your dress, one girl said. 

- What’s your secret? another asked, referring to her hair.

Wendy paid the compliments no mind, even went as far as ignoring one young man who asked her for a dance, but relented when she caught sight of her father’s glaring blue. Apparently, the guy was the son of a wealthy bank manager – a proud manager of a successful international bank, rumours say.

After just one dance, Wendy had somehow managed to lose sight of the boy. While Edward has blonde hair and blue eyes, all that was on Wendy’s mind was a certain brown-haired, green-eyed young man and couldn’t even sway herself into enjoying the dance to be polite.

So now here she is, at the edge of the hall her father had booked for the evening, an index finger lightly tracing her lips, careful not to smudge the lipstick, as she thinks back to that night. What a night!

The first night in a long time that her father’s gang had actually suffered some great losses: both gang members and a victory. While the Red Wolves had suffered the bloodshed of many of their own, the Lost Ones had won at the cost of a couple of theirs. To say Wendy’s father was livid was an understatement. His red face and piercing glare wasn’t even half of the earful she’d got when they got back to their safehouse.

At the safehouse, an old pub called the Jolly Roger that no one except the gang uses anymore, Wendy’s father had made sure to pull up way before any of the others. Once both were out the car, he instantly grabbed Wendy’s wrist and dragged her inside. 

- Get in here now! he’d ordered. 

Once the door was shut behind them, he started his rant.

As it turned out, he had caught Wendy and Pan kissing out in the car park during the fight. Never had she seen such disappointment and outrage in his eyes.

As of yet, all she can think about isn’t that look her father had never given her before, nor the losses in her father’s gang. It’s the kiss she can’t seem to get over. His lips…the heat of his body…his arms around her…his tongue. No boy or man has ever kissed her like that before. The few that have exceeded her father’s expectations and managed to steal a kiss in the past were either too rough, too needy, too sloppy, or too quick. Nothing unforgettable.

Wendy’s not quite sure what it is that has made this kiss so special. Is it because his kiss was a perfect mixture, a perfect balance of roughness, experience, passion? Is it because he’s the first one to not give a fuck if he gets caught by her father? Is it because she senses everything she yearns for within him: recklessness, adventure, freedom? She doesn’t know.

- What are you doing here? Wendy suddenly hears her father demand, just within earshot. 

- I thought we were friends, came the goading response from an all-too-familiar voice. 

- Leave, Pan. I don’t want you causing a scene. 

- I didn’t think I was, Killian. All I did was quietly walk in here. I think it’s you who’s causing a scene. 

- Don’t test me, boy. 

- Wouldn’t dream of it.

Curiously, Wendy turns her head. Killian and Pan are standing on their own, apparently having a face-off and she sees that a few people have started to notice. Fortunately, Pan walks away, leaving a scowling Killian in his wake.

Her eyes widen. Dressed in a tux, it looks like he’s walking towards her. His head’s held high, his eyes are unwavering, and that infuriating smirk is oozing with confidence.

As he makes his way over, determined to appear unfazed by him, Wendy stares right back at him.

- Well, well, well…fancy seeing you here tonight, Bird, he says in a sultry voice once he’s reached her. 

Wendy rolls her eyes. 

- Of course I’m here. It’s my father’s event. Speaking of which, shouldn’t you be leaving now? Some members of my father’s gang are here as well, you know. 

- If I recall, me and my boys dealt with them pretty easily last time. 

- But your boys aren’t here tonight, are they? 

- Actually, I think you’ll find they are. 

At that, Pan gestures over his shoulder with his thumb. Wendy follows it. 

- See that boy with blonde hair and a scar running down his face? 

Wendy nods. Indeed there is. A boy with blonde curly hair gelled to look more tamed, a pretty blonde chatting to him. Wait…she recognises that pretty blonde. The same blonde who helped her get ready earlier. 

- That’s Felix.

Wendy glares up at him. 

- Tink? Seriously, Pan? 

Pan holds his hands up in surrender. 

- I didn’t tell him to. We can have fun at these things too. In fact, that’s what we live for: fun.

Wendy crosses her arms, unconvinced, and raises an eyebrow. 

- You find killing people fun? 

- There’s a thrill to it. Wouldn’t you agree, Jill? 

The way her name slowly rolls off his tongue is enough to make her shiver with excitement. God, what is happening to her? She’s hardly a virgin and no longer the inexperienced pre-teen she used to be. Wait…how does he…

- How do you know my name? she asks, re-cementing her walls. 

- One word, Bird: background check. I know everything. Red-Handed Jill by night, Wendy Darling by day. But, that kind of information is all on paper. What I want to know is you on a more personal level.

Wendy clenches her fists. Why does he have to be so smooth? Why can’t he just go?

- So, what do you say, Bird? Care for a dance?

Once again, she’s torn. That seems to be happening a lot lately. She stares at his hand, indecisive.

She glances over at her father, who now seems occupied with the presence of several social elites and their partners.

She glances over at her friend, who seems to be getting awfully friendly with the young man Pan called Felix with her body leaning against his, arm resting on his shoulder as they clink their glasses together, her green column-shaped knee-length dress riding up to the middle of her thigh. Wendy can’t watch.

She’s made her decision, deciding to go with instinct and ignore her head for once.

At night, when dangerous streets become a reflection of the Underworld, she’s known as either Red-Handed Jill or Jill Jones. In the day, she’s known as the meek and obedient Wendy Darling. It’s been so long, she can’t tell which is the real her anymore. Maybe she’s a mixture of both. As soon as she puts on her blood-red gloves (how she got her nickname in the underworld) she thrives off the violence, the power she has over men with those gloves on her hands. Yet, as soon as those gloves come off, she’s just the same little girl who will do anything to please her father and get rewarded with his attention. She knows in life she’s missing something. Surely, there’s more to life than money and violence and Father’s approval. She just has to find it: what the true meaning of life is to her.

She discovers it one night on another of her father’s little meetings. By ‘meeting’ she means in an empty car park on the wrong side of town behind an old abandoned warehouse, face-to-face with another gang.

To say she’s shocked to see what she does would be an understatement. In front of her father’s gang, boys ranging from roughly twelve to seventeen years old stand on guard; some with knives, some with guns, some wearing knuckledusters on their fingers. Face-to-face with her father stands a boy with brown hair and green eyes glaring a daring, smouldering gaze. He must be their leader. But how? He looks no older than her.

- Hello, Killian. Long-time no see. 

The boy’s tone’s practically dripping with arrogance, a thin, smug smirk stretching his cheeks. 

- Watch it, boy, her father hisses. I know you’ve been trespassing on my territory and killing my men. 

- Now, now, Killian. Thought you knew me better than that, the boy taunts. 

Her father must’ve given him the look as next thing she knows, the boy’s turned round to face his gang, arms stretched out wide. 

- Hear that, boys? Killian doubts us. 

The boy turns back round to face her father. 

- And he knows the punishment for such a claim without proof. 

Now this, Jill can’t stand: her father being belittled by another gang leader. 

- We have proof! she proclaims.

The boy’s head snaps towards her, a new glint in his eyes before he turns back to face her father once more. 

- Who’s this little bird you’ve got here, Killian? A new toy? 

Jill wants to throw up. Her and her…eewww. 

- My daughter, Pan. Leave her out of this. 

- I’ll be the judge of whether I should leave her out of this or not. What’s that, Bird? You have proof? the boy, Pan, asks, meeting her eyes with a challenging look. And Red-Handed Jill never backs away from a challenge. It’s a sign of cowardice, of weakness, a chance for the challenger to have a reason to disrespect the one they challenge. 

Yes, she says, sharpening her resolve. We have footage of one of your boys shooting one of ours between the eyes.

The smug, arrogant smirk returns. 

- Little bird’s got fire, I see. I like fire. 

Ignoring the obvious flirtation within Pan’s statement, and the hideous glare her father’s shooting Pan’s way, Jill responds:  - Well? Do you want to see this proof that you apparently need that your boys were on our territory because you can’t keep track of them?

 If arrogance is the only way to get through to this conceited prick, then so be it.

Suddenly, Pan squares his shoulders, his smug grin sharpening, and her father’s warning glare turns her way.

- You’re treading on dangerous territory, Bird. Questioning me as a leader…It’s like you don’t know the ropes of my world. 

- And you’re challenging my position in this world. How can it be yours if I’ve never heard of you until tonight? 

Pan leans forward, his lips almost brushing her ear as he whispers in a lethal tone:  - And tonight you’ll never forget. 

Jill clenches her eyes shut in an attempt to suppress the shiver begging to escape.

When she opens her eyes again, Pan has stepped away from her and turned his head to his boys. 

- Well, boys, it looks like some gangsters in our world have forgotten why we rule over them. Let’s give them a reminder, shall we? 

All of his boys cheer and Pan turns back round. 

- My boys have spoken, Killian. So…let’s play.

- Look, Pan, as my daughter said, we have proof if that’s what you need. 

- I said: let’s play!

And thus begins a symphony of howls of pain, roars of anger, blasts of bullets. And somewhere in this chaos, the daughter of Killian Jones and the gang leader of the Lost Ones come face to face. They prowl in a circle like two wolves, both waiting for the other to strike.

Finally, the first knife is driven forward. Jill’s. Pan catches her wrist but instead of prying the dagger out of her grip, he grabs her wrist, pulling her closer. He uses his other hand to grab the back of her neck. He presses his lips against hers.

Jill knows this is wrong. He’s her father’s enemy, and so hers, for God’s sake! But there’s just something about him, about the way he kisses her; so passionate, so raw, so rough. There’s something in that kiss that she just can’t resist.

Eventually, he pulls away.

- Until next time, Bird.

With that, he runs off into the distance, calling the Lost Ones off, leaving a very torn, very confused Jill behind. In that moment, just three thoughts run through her mind, kicking up a torrent of emotion.

What just happened? 

I hope Father didn’t see. 

Wide brown eyes darted all around; lips thrusted heavy, panting breaths out into the breeze. Green Pine trees danced and waved in the wind’s breath. It was a typical, fairly temperate Spring day; the air was neither cold nor hot, the sun neither too bright nor too dim. It wasn’t cold enough to wear a woollen peacoat, but it wasn’t warm enough to don a flimsy cardigan and t-shirt either.

Finally, pounding feet ceased in the middle, directly opposite a fairly steep bank. Once the pupils had observed the woods were completely and utterly empty of human life (except from herself, of course), the honey-brown haired girl with untameable locks attempted to calm her breathing as she lowered her hand holding the small wooden box to the ground. The box stable on the woodland floor, the girl lifted the lid before taking a step back and straightening her spine like the queen she once was. Her eyes stared at the open box, waiting in anticipation as blood red smoke slowly glided out and away from the square box, hopefully carrying someone with it.

Gradually, the last of the thick red smoke abandoned the box before it started to fade.

The girl’s heart picked up pace. It was fading, but there was still no sign of a body; no green, no brown, no skin.

Just as she was beginning to lose hope, believing she’d failed, that she’d failed him, a body did appear – just as the smoke faded to nothing more than a thin sheet of fog. Pale skin like her own, mud-brown hair, forest-green eyes, a mixture of brown and green clothing…

The cloud of red smoke disappeared completely, leaving behind a boy that was just pushing himself up onto his feet from his knees. He looked around, looking slightly baffled, but ready to fight if he needed, until his eyes – eyes that never failed to ensnare – fell upon her. His soulmate, his queen. “Bird?” he asked with a puzzled, raised eyebrow.

Unable to contain her excitement, her relief that her plan had worked and she was finally able to reunite with him, her king, once more, Wendy bit her lip, nodding furiously before rushing into his arms.

Despite the questions kicking up a storm in his mind, Peter wrapped his arms around her and inhaled her scent. It had been far too long since he’d been able to do that: to hold her. The questions could wait. He wanted to enjoy this moment.

“It’s really you,” she said softly.

Admittedly, not many words were exchanged between them in that moment. But words were not needed. They had been together long enough to know what ran through the other’s mind. Over a century together, to be exact. And both believed their embrace spoke more than a thousand words ever could.

Eventually, they pulled apart, although their hands were still in each other’s grasp. As Wendy looked into his eyes, she understood the questions his green irises spoke as well as the love hers undoubtedly shared with them, and she was more than willing to answer any questions he had. “What happened, Bird? What happened after-” “It all went according to plan, Peter.” “To plan?” Wendy nodded enthusiastically. “What about Felix?” he asked with uncertainty, the memory of his all-too-arrogant self, once again not ensuring his plan was flawless, ripping the heart right from his second-in-command’s, his friend’s, chest and crushing it in his fingertips still too fresh to acknowledge completely. The smile faded on her lips. Despite knowing the truth, she knew it was a touchy subject and had to tread lightly. After all, those boys had been more than leader and second-in-command, more than friends, throughout their companionship. They had been brothers. “It’s a long story, but he’s alive, Peter,” she promised him reassuringly. “Wha…how?”

And then it was Wendy’s time to explain. How she had made his plan flawless…

There the Queen, the Mother of Neverland, the Neverbird, stood, waiting in the dark of the small clearing for her king’s most trusted second-in-command to arrive. It was perfect for a secret meaning; both the evening sky and the ground were shielded from prying eyes by the trees packed in closely together.

All of a sudden, leaves swept in through the gaps in the trees, brushing against the tips and sides of Wendy’s boots: a sign that the King was suspicious, irked, but not aware. She gripped the sides of her lilac cloak tighter. A queen could feel wary, but never show weakness. Especially not when meeting someone with the purpose she had with one of the Lost Boys tonight.  

Finally, her ears twitched to a soft crunch from up ahead. But, her eyes narrowed when a soft amber glow filled the narrow path carved by the trees. He’d brought a torch, foolish boy. Once the boy whose face was hidden in the shadows of his brown cloak reached the clearing, halting directly opposite his queen, he drew back his hood, revealing a boy with silvery-grey eyes and a thin red scar running from the bottom of his right cheek to just above the bridge of his nose. Felix.

“What in Neverland do you think you’re doing?” she hissed. “What?” he asked, confused. She rolled her eyes. “The torch. Why did you bring it? I thought I told you this is a secret meeting – do you want to get us caught?” “Well, I needed to…” Just as Felix weakly attempted to defend himself, Wendy rolled her eyes once more before lifting her hand and flipping it over so her palm faced the sky, making a ball of dim flame ignite in the centre of her palm. Dumbfounded, the Lost Boy swiftly put the torch out.

Now they could get down to business.

“I went to a Seer when I left with Peter last week,” Wendy began. “She told me he will rip out your heart in a new land created by a curse – a very powerful, dark one at that – to help him in his quest to save Neverland. So, I have an idea…” She trailed off, lifting her free hand up to Felix, conjuring her idea. A heart. “With a different heart inside you, you can’t die when he rips it out of your chest.” “Why?” “Because I know Peter. He’ll regret it after, but he has no choice; Neverland thrives off belief and, at this moment in time, the only way to regain that belief is through showing the threat we Neverlanders can pose. I want him to be able to see you there when he is rescued from the prison he’s destined to be trapped in. You’re not just his second-in-command, Felix.” “Whose heart is that?” he asked curiously. “Oh, I had it made with magic. That way, no one gets hurt. So, are you in?”

Felix looked on thoughtfully. It all sounded very mysterious to him, but he could see the truth in what his queen was saying. After all, she had indeed accompanied Pan on one of his errands to another realm. And she always did like to plan ahead of time. So, although still a little doubtful, he gave a reluctant nod.

Once he saw the look in Wendy’s eyes, the clenching of her jaw as she jutted her chin out slightly, he braced himself for the short but intense pain that was about to come. In one quick motion so he’d feel as little pain as possible, Wendy plunged her hand into his chest, wrapped her fingers around his heart and yanked it out of his chest, careful not to squeeze it, and replaced it with the fake heart.

The deed was done. Her own backup plan was in motion.

Peter just stared, eyes full of bewilderment, admiration and a slight hint of irritation.

Finally, he admitted, “I’m not sure if I’m annoyed you did that behind my back, or proud with what you planned.” Wendy shrugged. “I did what I thought was best for you, us, Neverland…I never once thought of it as lying. I thought of it as…providing motivation,” she said, mimicking the words he’d spoken when she felt unsure after tricking Henry. He was still a boy, and she was still a mother at heart. He smirked, now sure he felt nothing but pride for his queen.

As Peter slid his arm around her shoulders, he asked, “So…where to now, my queen?” “Neverland,” she declared.

Author’s Note:  So, how did you like this one-shot? I’m sorry the ending’s a little messy, but let me explain: Felix will be meeting them on the way back to Neverland (don’t forget, they still need to find a portal). 

You might have noticed some of the actual OUAT lines and references I snuck in. They just came to me as I was typing. 

Listen, James, you know I’m not supposed to be talking to you. And, if I’m being honest, I’m not all that sure that I really want to, since you and Father still cannot seem to at least acknowledge mine and my husband’s relationship, Wendy started, growing rather impatient with the way her brother was stalling. Just tell me what you need to tell me, then I’ll go back to the boys and you will go back to Father’s ship. 

James sucked in a breath. Really, all this time, and Pan still had her wrapped around his finger. So, he crossed his arms. 

Really, Wendy? You’re still letting Pan control you? I think Father and I had a right to try and stop your relationship with him. 

James... Wendy warned. 

He threw his hands up in surrender. 

Alright, alright! Did you know Blackbeard’s back? 

Wendy’s eyes widened. Peter’s back straightened and his hands tightened into fists around the leaves he was holding apart slightly. 

Wha-what? 

Oh...you didn’t know. 

Does this look like the face of someone in the know? He’s back? 

James nodded. 

He visited Father in his cabin. It seemed as though he was trying to rile him up - probably to manipulate him into doing what he wanted. Though to do what, I’m not entirely sure. 

Wendy heaved a sigh. 

What did he say to him? 

Wendy, you know Father doesn’t like me spilling about his conver-

James! This is important. Please!

Peter’s ears twitched. He was unsure of what to make of the sound of his queen pleading with a filthy pirate. 

Blackbeard tried persuading Father that one of the Lost Boys was your biological son with Pan, James admitted. 

Wendy started trembling as her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. 

Wendy? James asked, concerned by the sudden change in her state. 

As she slowly lowered her hand, Wendy asked her brother: 

Who did he say was mine, James? 

Does it matter? the boy asked, completely lost. But, the deadly glare Wendy gave him quickly made him shrug off his confusion and answer her. I think he said his name was...Rufio...

At that, her big brown eyes widened, realisation dawning on her. Peter’s expression mirrored hers almost perfectly from behind the leaves. Blackbeard...the murderer in Rufio’s dream was Blackbeard! 

Peter was snapped out of his thoughts when Wendy stated: 

I have to go. 

With that, she spun on her heels, ready to dart back into the jungle to find her king. Before she completely submerged into the green foliage, she looked over her shoulder to call out to her brother: 

Whatever you do, make sure Father doesn’t fall for it!

As she disappeared, James’ brow furrowed before he shrugged, deciding he would do as his sister asked. He knew that look in her eyes well enough to know when something big was going on and doing what she requested would determine the outcome. Shrugging, he turned on his heels and headed back to the Jolly Roger, mind swirling with unanswered questions that his sister hadn’t seemed to have the time to answer.   

Meanwhile, once he saw Wendy was heading back in the direction of the jungle, Peter pushed up off the ground, soaring up into the air. He considered making it look like he’d accidentally bumped into her, but instead, he allowed his queen to believe no one had heard her conversation with her brother, allowed her to run back to Camp, while he headed for Skull Rock, aiming to talk to the Shadow.  

Ideally, Wendy knew, she should have headed back to Camp - with the boys waiting for her. But, she couldn’t. Not right now. Not when she was shaken up from the news her brother, well, half-brother had told her. No, there was only one person she could go to, talk to about it until she’d calmed down enough to face the boys without them suspecting anything. She didn’t want them to worry too soon. She was the one girl whom she shared everything with, a girl who’d stuck with her through thick and thin, given her advice when she needed it, shared laughs with, a girl who was, by definition, her best friend. Tink, the wingless fairy. 

On the way to her friend’s home, Wendy began to think. She remembered the stories her father had once told her - back when they were closer, when their relationship was stronger - about his former captain, the awful things he did to others, the things he’d done to his own wife. Wendy’s mother. Although she’d never met him, Wendy had been given a rather vivid image of the most feared pirate to ever set sail from her father. She’d been told that, while his eyes were an icy blue, they held nothing but blackness - the colour of his soul, of his heart. He was the first pirate to practise necromancy at such extreme levels, to use it for controlling his ship. At a young age, the man’s face was weatherbeaten and his hair had already started to fade from black to a dark silver. Why? It was the price of exerting such strong, dark magic so often. 

The Queen Anne’s Revenge, his ship, itself sounded intimidating without knowing who her captain was. It was bigger than Killian’s ship by far; it wasn’t a frigate, it was a galleon. The largest ship a captain could possess. The entirety of it was black - even the sails - with a strip of red running through the middle of the whole length of it. 

Now, Wendy had been told such a dreadful pirate was in Neverland and wanting to wage war on its king and his queen. Though why, Wendy wasn’t sure. She wanted to believe that he couldn’t possibly know that his wife’s child whom she’d had with another of his crewmen still lived and breathed, but she wasn’t sure. From what she’d heard about him, he was among the least predictable of pirates, so she knew she couldn’t be certain that he didn’t know of her. But, maybe it wasn’t just revenge against her. That was highly likely. Perhaps he wanted revenge against Peter as well. Though why, Wendy wasn’t sure. Her king had never mentioned the pirate before. She supposed she’d have to put her foot down and speak to Peter about him, demand that if he did have a past with Blackbeard, he tell her about it. 

Eventually, the girl came to Tink’s treehouse. Cupping her hands around her mouth, Wendy called up and waited for a few minutes. Not a moment later, the fair-haired fairy poked her head through one of the windows and looked down. 

What’s wrong? she asked. 

I need to talk to you, Wendy replied. Can I come up? 

Sure. 

Once Wendy had climbed up, the pair took a seat in two of Tink’s chairs to talk. 

So, what’s wrong? the fairy asked again. 

Wendy started explaining her meeting with James and what he’d told her. She then expressed her thoughts and concerns. Especially about Rufio. She didn’t even know how Blackbeard could have known so much about Neverland. However, she noted how Tink’s expression shifted slightly when she mentioned about Peter possibly having a past with Blakcbeard before she quickly covered it back up. But, she wouldn’t call her out on it until Tink had contributed her thoughts. 

So what you’re saying is that Blackbeard was Rufio’s killer in his nightmare. Blackbeard wants to use him to get to you and Pan and he’s using Hook as his puppet. 

Tink, Wendy warned, hating whenever someone referred to her father as ‘Hook’ or ‘Captain Hook’ because of what the Dark One had done to his hand. 

Tink rolled her eyes. 

Sorry. 

She shook herself, taking them back to their previous conversation. 

Anyway...Blackbeard’s using Hoo...Killian as his puppet for something you can’t figure out. And you think he is doing this to wage war against you and Pan in some act of vengeance. That’s what you’re saying? 

Wendy nodded. 

Tink sighed heavily. 

As much as I want to disagree with you and offer you some sort of comfort, I’m going to have to agree with you on this one. It certainly does make sense. Maybe you should talk to Pan, find out if all of this is somehow connected to some sort of past he has with Blackbeard. 

Maybe you could help me there...

In that moment, Tink looked like a rabbit who’d realised she’d just been caught by her stalking predator. 

What? 

Come on, Tink. From that look you gave me when I mentioned the possibility, I think you know something about it. 

Tink gulped and looked down at her lap. 

It’s not my story to tell...

Please, Tink, Wendy pleaded. 

Tink returned her bright-green-eyed gaze to her friend and shook her head. 

I’m sorry, Wendy, but as much as I want to tell you, it’s really Pan’s place to tell you what happened. Besides, no one in Neverland knows the full story except him. He’s the right person to go to. 

But what if he refuses...

I’m sure he won’t. As much as I dislike him, I know he cares for Rufio and when it concerns his safety, he won’t hold back, Tink assured her. 

Wendy sighed in defeat. 

All right, I’ll talk to Peter. 

Meanwhile, back at Skull Rock, Peter had summoned the Shadow, wanting answers. Indeed, the Shadow confirmed his fears. Blackbeard, the pirate all pirates feared, a man of the shadows, a dead man, had risen from the depths of the Underworld and was out for revenge. Not just on Pan - oh no, that would be too easy. He wanted revenge on Wendy, and he already knew a way to get to them, a way to strike at their hearts. 

Stunned, Peter backed out of the cave in a manner that was so unusual, unlike, out of character for him; green eyes wide, he staggered back until he was out of the cave. He just couldn’t believe it. His queen, his wife, his love...Rufio...his family was in danger. All because of an old enemy. 

As he turned on his heels and took off into the sky, soaring into the air, he shook himself. No, Blackbeard would not get to him that easily. His eyes darkened at the threat the pirate posed to his family. What he couldn’t understand, what the Shadow failed to tell him, was exactly why Blackbeard wanted revenge on Wendy as well. He guessed he’d have to talk to her about it. Then, they would plan their next course of action. He would not let Blackbeard take away what was his.   

While Peter was flying back to Camp, and Wendy awaited his return, Rufio made his trek through the jungle, pushing away large overgrown leaves, stepping over logs and snapping stray twigs, old fallen leaves crunching underfoot. More dried dirt jumped away from Rufio’s boots as he strode further through the jungle. Why was he alone? Why was he so far from Camp? He was meeting his dear, close ‘friend’, Tiger Lily. He didn’t think he time was right to tell Peter and Wendy. He wasn’t even sure how he would when the time was right. How could he, when he was encouraged to see Tiger Lily as an aunt - nothing more? He couldn’t tell any of the Lost Boys either - not when all except Felix were after Pan’s favour. 

Eventually, Rufio came to the clearing where Tiger Lily had instructed hint o meet her. It wasn’t close to her village, and it wasn’t close to Camp. It was the last place anyone would think to find them. He waited at the centre of the clearing until finally, he heard another set of footsteps. His ears pricked up and he strained his eyes forward. There, appearing from under the shade of the trees, was Tiger Lily.  They walked towards each other and embraced with compassion. 

Little did they know, as they broke apart and practised their combat, archery and target skills, a boy with brown hair and silvery eyes was watching from under the shade of the trees where Rufio had previously emerged from.   And he was long gone before either of them had the chance to sense his presence. 

However, Rufio did get the feeling of being watched. So, he glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowed, trained on the place where he’d emerged from, with suspicion.  Tiger Lily turned her attention away from the bullseye Rufio had carved with his dagger on the tree in the middle of the clearing when they first met there, lowered her bow and approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.  Rufio snapped his head back to face her. 

Rufio, what’s wrong? 

Rufio glanced back behind him, then back at her. 

Never mind. Just a funny feeling. Now...where were we? 

Little did he know, that in returning their attention to the target after finishing their small combat, he’d missed his chance of stopping the intruder from spilling the truth to the people he least wanted to know about his relationship with the Native princess.