Peter's Lily (Sequel to Pan's Tiger)

Chapter 3: Pan's Deals

I stared at Pan, tears pricking in my eyes. After all of this time, he would do this to me. He would do this to Oliver, the person I cared about the most. My throat went dry as I watched Oliver, curled up in his cage, his eyes shut tight and every inch of his body covered with bleeding scars. I winced.

Peter Pan, even the name came sour in my mouth. How could I have been so stupid as to care for him when he did this to my best friend?

And then the world was spinning, faster than my brain could compute. Pan was strong and bold and brave and perfect in every way, his words ringing sweet and his eyes lit with laughter, whenever I look to the sky I see the black night's stars are sunlit for him and he was so brave and bold and daring that neither storms nor winds could affect him. In fact Peter Pan is all my world and all my dreams and all my love...

...and I wish I'd never met him. None of this pain and suffering would've happened if I had never met him and never fallen in love with his sharply sweet heart.

There was a long moment between us that seemed to break all causes of time, even in Neverland. Of all the times we were sat together, that moment is the picture that is most stamped into my soul. We were jumbled up and broken apart into confused pieces, and not really understanding each other, what we were doing and how the future could possibly affect anything.

'I'll wait, Pan. I'll wait for as long as you need to. I'll wait for you to love me and remember me and for once in your life, let your prisoner go,' I finally said, my chin set stubbornly.

He bit his lip thoughtfully. 'You don't need to, Tiger Lily. You don't need to wait because I will release him. You were right, it's cowardly and I am not a coward.'

And in that moment, when he had said those words, Peter Pan suddenly, inexplicably seemed older and wiser. The thought hit me hard that it wasn't fair, because I'd suffered the loss of so many people and the mind's of so many more because of him and there he was, looking like he knew so much more about fighting hard than I ever would.

'Thank you!' I gushed, my eyes flickering excitedly between Pan and Oliver.

Pan stalked slowly and confidently towards me, making me shudder and a lump appear in my throat.

'So... are you ready to go, Tiger, or should I just kill him first already?' Pan demanded, raising his eyebrow quizzically. His dagger was still out of his belt, held close towards Oliver, who didn't seem at all afraid of Pan or terrified of his life.

'No!' I said quickly, then continued with shaky breaths, 'I'll come without the need of that.'

'Come 'ere,' Pan ordered, after cocking his head slightly in consideration and then obliging and instantly releasing the boy.

Oliver stayed still, shuffling backwards awkwardly but not going too far from Pan. He looked terrified, but he held in his hand a large stick, as if that could defend him against the wrath of Peter Pan. Trying not to laugh or roll my eyes, I turned to Oliver and said, 'Run.'

I didn't to need to tell him twice, he knew that I would find him anyway. He disappeared into the jungle in a flash, weaving in and out of the trees in an attempt to put as much distance between him and Pan as possible, even though if Pan wanted him dead, he could track him and chase him in seconds.

I took small steps towards him. He grabbed me by the shirt, pulling me towards him with anger. 'You, Tiger, are in so much trouble. First Hook and now Oliver? You disgust me.' He snarled.

He threw me over his back and I started to feel numb as all of the blood rushed to my head. I took one last look at the cage where Oliver had been staying, thinking about how easy it was for Pan to keep him a secret. Were there more secrets on the island? Were there more broken deals and promises?

'Am I really that bad?' Pan laughed, jeering at me as he strolled through the foliage, as if he wasn't carrying a fully-grown female adolescent over his his shoulder. I paid no attention, not giving him the satisfaction of a reply.

He chuckled to himself, strolling along and occasionally whistling to annoy me that he was content and comfortable carrying me. My arms folded across his back, my body swayed with his. After a short pause, he continued with an ominous tone, 'But there's still the matter of Oliver which clearly isn't over...'

'Isn't it?' I said with sarcastic interest, my eyes barely keeping open with the fatigue of boredom. In addition, I wanted to keep my words short so that I wasn't forced to throw up all over his back, which didn't seem so bad anyway.

'Most of it is obvious: you won't be seeing him again, Tiger.' He ordered and I rolled my eyes at his hunger for control over me.

'I don't think that's necessary,' I told him.

Pan raised an eyebrow and although I couldn't see, I could feel his smug smirk. 'How come you aren't absolutely afraid of me anymore?'

'You need my alive, so you won't kill me. Plus, I realised that it was pointless to fear a bipolar teenage boy who needed me alive,' I replied confidently.

'Guilty,' He shrugged and I laughed. 'But I don't think that is the reason. I think you know that I am going to find you and now there is no point in you escaping from me.'

'Peter Pan if there is one thing you have taught me then occasionally you must lose a battle to win a war, I don't do things for no reason,' I reminded him, trying to sound as confident and foreboding as possible, like I was in control of the game, when in reality he kept surprising me.

'Is that so? Maybe I don't either and this time, for releasing Oliver, I expect payment.' His face remained stern and evil.

'Payment?' I repeated, raising my eyebrow.

Pan's face clouded. 'Everything comes at a price, Tiger Lily. Or have you not learned that yet?'

'What payment?' I asked cautiously, shuffling on his back in an attempt to break free. I was suddenly much more afraid of Peter Pan, realising now how easy it would be for him to make my fate like that of Oliver's, or even worse. He had an empty cage and a ruthless nature, free from regret and mercy.

'I haven't decided yet, for now we will see it as "you owe me one", shall we?' He winked, pulling me back over his shoulder so that I swayed slightly with the dizziness. And then he left me there, looking bewildered among bedraggled Lost Boys.