Where Shadows Lie (Once Upon A Time)

The portal did little to confuse Rufio's mind. The same cannot be said though, for when Peter thit him on the side of the head. Hard. Dark, ruby red blood flowed out from the wound. He fell to the ground, and Peter waved his hand--too fast for the human eye to follow--and branches from a nearby tree stretched out and wound around Ruffio, and grew taut, pinning him to the tree.
Peter formed an image in his mind, and suddenly, a confused Rufio was now handcufffed with rosary beads. Peter smirked evilly as Rufio fought the urge to cry out when the beads burned his wrists.
Peter twirled the cross around his neck between his fingers, one eyebrow raised, the corner of his mouth turned upwards.
Rufio's mouth was agape with incredulity. "But... how?"

"Sorry, but I can't reveal my secrets.", said Peter in a way that it was obvious that he was not sorry at all.
And, under Rufio's astonished gaze, Peter spun on his heels, and strode away, chin high, shoulders set, to join the rest.

It was clear from the beginning that the boys adored Peter. The one who brought them to Neverland, who taught them how to fly. It was nice, both Peter and Killian thought, to have more people around. Rufio, however, made tensions high.
They couldn't have him tied up forever, but Peter and Killian kept a close eye on him at all times. He kept to himself, and was in a bad mood always. With his fiery temper, he was a fracture, a crack, in the care-free spirit around camp. He despised Peter, even the way Peter walked, so arrogantly, annoyed him to a great extent, and he made no secret of his boiling hatred.
Rufio tried to pursuade the boys to join him, that he should be the leader. As a result, there was a strange division, a divide in loyalties.

One night, after Peter organised and set out everyone's tasks after a raid, he pulled Killian aside.

"Look, I know I never told you this before, and I guess I should have, but..." He paused. "It's about your mother. And her... tragic ending."

Killian frowned. "What are you saying?" It had been two and a half years since his mother was murdered, and felt longer. Time was strange in Neverland. Killian had finally managed to bury the grief, which now formed a dull ache inside him. What had Peter kept from him, all this time?
"What haven't you told me?", he asked, his voice hollow.

Peter took a deep, unnecessary breath. "I didn't want you to be more distraught then you already were, but..." He leaned in close, inches from Killian's ear. He spoke quietly. "I know who killed her."

Killian drew back. "Who?" He longed desperately to know, and, in another way, he didn't want to know at all. The truth often hurts.
"Why didn't you tell me? I don't understand."

"I didn't want you going off on some mad revengeful quest, so I waited, and now..." Peter's eyes lowered. "I have to tell you."

Peter looked up at him. It was then, of all times, when Killian realised that Peter's eyes were below his when they used to be above.

"Well, who was it then?" Killian held his breath, his mind spinning with a hundred and one predicaments, each one worse than the last.

Peter gazed at him steadily. "Rufio."

Killian hands clenched into fists. "I'll kill him." His voice cracked with rage."I'll kill him, but before that I'll make him suffer...
"Justice shall be served!" He automatically went for the dagger at his belt.

Peter saw what he was doing, and caught Killian's arm with a grip like iron before it touched the hilt. Peter frowned deeply and shook his head. "No! Calm down! Rage is weakness. Don't let your anger take control."
Peter let go of his arm, which fell at Killian's side.
"How else do you expect me to deal with this?! He's living with us."

Something dark flashed in Peter's eyes. "I'll let you deal with it any way you like. I know you'll see reason and do what's right."
Then, Peter strode into the trees, and was gone.

Killian shook his head. "Revenge. Will. Be. Mine!", he said aloud. That swine will pay.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Finally, thought Killian. He's alone.

Rufio was walking into the woods, in a bad mood as usual, when next thing he knew, he was slammed against a tree, a knife held to his throat.

"What the?" He blinked.

"Did you kill her?", asked an outraged Killian. "Did you kill my mother? Two years ago, it happened. On Church Street." Killian was breathing heavily.

Rufio remained expressionless. His jaw was set. "Yes.", he said. "Yes, I did. So go on, kill me." He appeared completely unfazed.

"If that's what you-"
Rufio kicked Killian in the shin. Pain lanced up his leg. He brought his dagger up, then swerved it down. Rufio blocked it easily with his own sword, which he had unsheathed in the time it took to blink an eye.
Of course, Killian thought. Rufio's a vampire too.

He was blindingly fast. Killian was the better swordman, but Rufio was strong. Killian soon had a deep gash on his left arm, and several bruises. It took all his might to defend himself. He knew it was only a matter of time before he grew tired. But his anger, the adrenaline in his veins, kept him going. But he knew he would lose. Rufio noticed he was tiring, and smirked. He was toying with him, Killian knew.
Then, Rufio grabbed Killian's dagger, by the blade, and yanked it from his grip. Killian took several steps back, and hit a tree. He was defenceless. It was useless to run. Rufio had his fangs bared, and dark circles under his eyes.
"Oh, how I will relish drinking your blood.", he chuckled.
Then, the ground started shaking violently, like an earthquake. Killian griped the branches of the tree for support, but Rufio, caught off guard, stumbled. Killian's dagger fell from his grip, and clattered on the ground, like a faltering heartbeat. Gagged cracks appeared in the ground, and grew wider. Deep grikes formed. A wind blew passed them, and the air smellt of wildflowers, cut grass, and long summers. It was magic.

Rufio fell to the ground, and Killian, exhausted, crawled along, and wrapped his hand around his dagger, before he stabbed Ruffio in the heart.

And, hiding, observing the scene below him, tucked away up in the shadows of a tree, a smile broke across Peter's face.