It was another sleepless night despite the long and weary day, the night grew late, although nights are long in Neverland, longer than day, Mara never knew until Tootles told her just before Pan announce it was bed time.

"At night is long, very long, but in day, day is shorter if you haven't noticed. But of course, you're asleep to not notice"

Has this been the eighth or ninth day she's been in Neverland? She was starting to get confused but she knew ten days hasn't passed since she stayed here. This could be the ninth night and would be the ninth day when she wakes up.

Mara sat up, her tentmates were sound asleep, she could tell by hearing them snoring. She put on her boots, stood up and quietly made her way out of the tent. She found Pan sitting by the bonfire, looking at her, she was surprised to see him there, as if he was only there waiting for her to come out.

"Trouble sleeping again?" He said.

Mara walked forward, "You can say that" she took a seat on a stone near the fire.

"Not every person in this camp have a good sleep on their first week or month here in Neverland" Pan was sitting across the fire in front of her, and both stared each other over the flames.

"Not every boy do so well on their first weeks" she recalled when one of the boys told her, "I've been told, and they all say this place will grow on you eventually"

He gave a little nod and a little smile. Not a smile, a little smirk.

"What about you?" She rested her arms on her lap as she leaned forward.

"What about me?"

"You don't sleep" she told him, "at least what I think since you're always awake, I hear you strolling around in the middle of the night, and you leave the camp and go somewhere that's cheerful for you"

"I do sleep" he gave her an amusement look, "...sometimes. I sleep whenever I like"

"So you don't get tired?" She had a perplexed look.

He laughed softly, "No, I don't ever get tired, just one of the things I can do, but I sleep whenever I feel like I want to"

The fire made crackling noise between the two, Mara wanted to get to know more of him, but he said he wasn't a sharing type of person, he doesn't share his history to anyone even those who are close to him and trustworthy. She could at least try, try to get him to talk, get to spill his past, "So were you also one of the boys who didn't do so well here when you first arrived?"

Pan's eyes stared in different way, she could see him looking above her like he was thinking or trying to remember. "Yes, I was. Took me few months to let this place grow on me"

Few months She tried not to look surprised. She forced an expressionless look while glancing down at the ground as she picked up a twig and began to play the fire with it. "Perhaps I'll be like you, most likely would take me a few months to get used to this place"

"I doubt that" he smiled.

Mara raised a brow, looked at him, "Really?"

"I saw you today, how you looked when you made that jump, that look of excitement, proudly and joy. That's the look that every boy in this camp made after the miserable first weeks, then the more they felt that exhilaration, the more they want"

Mara didn't say anything, of course he was right, and also there something about him that strike her more curious. Something she never quite understand, the more he sound like he was trying to motivate her and inspire her to stay in Neverland. "Why do you want me to stay?"

He gave her a strange look, a half smile and a confused look as he stared at her, "You chose to stay, remember? You chose Killian Jones and his pirate crew to leave while you stayed behind to save them"

"Yeah, I know that" she chuckled softly, her smile faded before looking at him again, "All of those years, you choose boys to stay, only boys, years and years, and then one day, a girl winds up in Neverland with the pirates who wasn't even a slave or anything and who didn't need saving unlike the Lost Boys who all needed saving, and yet, you still wanted me to stay. You knew that I didn't need saving, so why me? I imagine a lot of girls like me stumbled upon this place all those years and you could've picked any of them to become a Lost Girl"

Then nothing, from Pan, there were no words for a moment from him. "You're not a lot of those girls is all I can say. You're different is all you can know"

Mara knew Pan won't tell more, she had a feeling there were more answers to her question, maybe one day she will know or maybe she already does.

None of them said anything after that, Mara could go for a stroll around in the woods but the voices from the ghosts of the deceased might follow her. Not even Pan had said a word. The sounds of the fire crackling, the owls hooting somewhere in the woods, the crickets chirping and frogs croaking at the river relaxed her. Those sounds of the little creatures in the night reminded her the times of journey back in the Enchanted Forest during the nights. The sky above the two was clear and stars very visible.

When Mara was finally tired, only that she fell asleep while still sitting, her arms on her lap, but one hand up with her chin resting there.

Took a while for Pan to notice her sleeping, just a little moment after, she was about to fall to her side until Pan rushed in and caught her. Still sleeping, in his arms as he sat down slowly.

He let her sleep on his arms, he could've just carry her to her tent and place her on her hammock. For some odd reason, he didn't and he didn't want to wake her. He wondered what she was dreaming about.

Pan let her stay in his arms for a while until she shifted around when her arms found his and her head near his chest with her face facing up at him. She looked comfortable. That's when he finally decided to carry her to her tent.

Mara dreamt of her parents, both alive and well. She was cooking for them before they came home after working. She was happy. Happy and well like them. It was all a dream, a dream that never happened.

She woke up in the morning, found herself on her hammock. Took her a moment before she turned confused because she remembered she fell asleep outside near the bonfire and was sitting with Peter Pan. She would be waking on the ground but here she was, on her hammock. She figured Pan had taken her here right after she fell asleep.

James and the rest of her tentmates were already up and awake. Slightly and Curly left the tent already before she was up.

When she was ready to start the day, left the tent, most of the Lost Boys were already outside and having breakfast. There was no sign of Pan during breakfast.

Not long after they all finished, he arrived then announced, "I hope everyone is in the mood for a hunt"

There were enthusiasm sounds from the boys. Mara wasn't surprised or anything.

"You'll be hunting in groups" Pan went on, "but...not with your tentmates"

She was confused now and a little worried. Curly made a wincing noise.

"You know what this means, let's see how well you all do working with others" Pan walked forward to the middle camp. "I'll divide you all and choose your team.... starting--" he was gazing the camp. "Felix...Rufio... Nibs... Twin Two and..."

His gaze fell toward Mara and her tentmates which made her nervous.

Pan smirked, "and Mara"

Her stomach dropped as did her arms from her chest. Glanced at Felix, at Nibs, at Rufio and at one of the Twins and all those boys looked confused as she did. And unhappy meanwhile Pan proceed calling out the names.

"Well this should be interesting" Curly laughed.

***

Well, this was a bit of a sweet chapter *L

Stay weird, everyone :)