Darling Ellie

Chapter 18

Elaine

I froze. My mind completely blank. I was shocked and confused. I couldn't believe or quite comprehend what Daniel had said.

"You what?" I spluttered.

"I found a way for you to escape."

"That's impossible, I know it's impossible. Pan is the only way!"

"No. There is another who can move between realms. When I found out that Pan had returned last night, I knew I needed to do something. Give you an out. I found Tinkerbell, she lives in a hollow on the other side of the island. She took me to see the captain of the ship out in the bay. Captain Hook. He agreed to help you. If you find a time to escape and his ship is there, he will grant you safe passage home. He gave me his word."

"Captain Hook, you trusted the word of a pirate!"

"He is a man of his word Ellie, you have to trust me."

"Well, if I leave, which I'm not saying I will...you'll go with me."

"Ellie...I can't."

"Yes, you can, Pan doesn't own us. Any of us." The words hurt to say but I knew they were right.

"He owns me. On one of my first hunting trips, I got in the way. Roy's Dream shade arrow grazed my arm. Dream shade is deadly. I had a choice; drink healing water from Neverland's ancient falls or die. You obviously know which one I chose."

"But how does Pan own you from that."

"If I leave the island, the poison will re-emerge, and I'll kill me. It's the price of magic. Ellie, I don't care that I have to stay I have no one waiting for me back home anyway. I just want to know that you can leave if you need to. If Pan separates us, you can leave." I nodded.

"I understand what you've done for me, but I don't think I'll be leaving anytime soon."

"I'm glad to hear that. I knew he couldn't keep us apart. In fact, I forgive him for roughing me up, it bought us closer."

"So has Pan done this before?" I asked holding Daniel's hand.

"Yeah, a couple boys have crossed him or rubbed him the wrong way one too many times. Its only happened once since I've been here, me being the second but I've heard of Pan giving some legendary smack downs. This time wasn't so bad though, he only used his knife once. He mainly used his fist which from the stories I've heard is unlike him."

"So...it's not so bad?"

"Nah, I've had worse from the other Lost boys under a full moon." D laughed.

I chuckled lightly.

"Pan made me a promise that I could make my own decisions about who I spend my time with. Get to know everyone on the island without him beating half the boys to a bloody pulp."

"And what did he ask in exchange?"

"In exchange?"

"Yes, I've only heard Pan trade in deals, what does he get in return for this promise."

"We didn't make any deal, I just asked him to promise me."

"You should get going, I'll be fine by myself for a while." He said quickly.

"I'll send Joseph in after dinner."

"Thanks, now go. Leave the invalid to their unfortunate circumstance."

"Now don't go making me sound heartless." I pouted jokingly.

"Heartless, you? Not possible." D smiled.

I lent down and softly kissed his lips. Leaving I slowly released his hand.