xvi. questions yet no answers

━ ❝ how? ❞

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warning! short chapter!

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DEVIN HAD NEVER been an important part of the lost boy group. He didn't have a special skill or talent. Instead, he was just there, taking orders from Pan. By far he was the most annoying out of the lot, always sticking his nose in places he didn't belong in. Every single time Pan would be by Arabella or would be gazing at her from across the camp, he'd simply watch because it was still odd for the immortal leader to show compassion or love. Perhaps it was just his way of trying to fit in. When he arrived on the island, he was fresh meat. Henry wasn't. Quite frankly that made him upset because the boy never got picked on per Pan's demand. Still. He could not stand seeing the boy casually sitting and chatting with the others. So he decided to start a fight.

Approaching Henry, he got close enough and nudged him with a stick which made the Mills boy turn to look at him with confusion. Devin scoffed. "So, you're the boy Pan's been looking for all this time." This time he nudged Henry harder and the boy backed away in response.

"Ask him," was Henry's only reply to the growing torture. He knew that the lost boy was only playing around but it was still unsettling. As soon as Devin nudged him again, more forcefully this time, he jumped out of the boy's reach and shouted, "Stop it!"

Everyone turned to look at what all of the commotion was about. Arabella was there with Jordan and Curly at her sides. Pan was not. She moved closer, ready to intervene if needed. At the moment nothing major was going on. Besides, she didn't want to get onto the boys about everything. Devin finally answered. "If you can't take this, how are you gonna handle what Pan has in store for you?"

Threat. Arabella narrowed her eyes at the lost boy no one seemed to be a fan of. Looking down, Henry noticed a stick lying on the ground. Nodding, Devin encouraged Henry to pick up the stick. He wanted to fight. Maybe then Pan would get rid of him or punish the young boy. Then maybe the new mother of the lost boys would take notice of him. As soon as Henry is armed, Devin charged, then they engaged in a playful yet tense fight.

Arabella watched with a concerned gaze, clasping her hands in front of her chest with worry. Unbeknownst to them all, Pan had arrived to see the scene. He smirked with glee but then saw his wife's expression which made it drop. But he wouldn't stop the fight. "Not bad," Pan called from his spot where he was leaning against a tree. They all looked at him. The leader made his way towards the pair. "But wouldn't it be more fun, if you had real swords?"

"I've never used a real sword," Henry admitted.

"This is Neverland and you have the heart of the truest believer. You can use whatever you want." Pan placed a hand on Henry's shoulder, sending the brunette female a reassuring look. He wouldn't let the heart of the truest believer get hurt. Devin he would. He looked back at Henry. "You just need to believe, Henry. Close your eyes and believe you're holding a real sword."

Henry did so. Everyone watched in shock as the stick turned into a shining sword. There were a few gasps of amazement. Though they had seen magic like that before, it was still wondrous to witness. Curly smiled wide, tugging on his mother's hand. She attempted a smile back through her anxiety. Henry opened his eyes back up and he saw the sword.

"What are you waiting for?" Pan questioned, taking a step back. "Go on."

Henry charged Devin after a second of hesitation. The boys cheered him on, except for Jordan who was too intrigued to care about doing so. Arabella made sure he didn't try to join in on the fight. She sent glares at her husband who was also egging the boys on. "Go on! Go for it! Keep going! Come on!" A scoff passed her lips before she knew it. This was not Malcolm anymore. And though there was a sliver of him left, the rest had been watered down by his new self, Peter Pan.

With one stroke of his sword, Henry cut his opponent's stick in a half. "Come on, Henry!" Pan yelled. Charging once again, Henry hit Devin, drawing blood on his cheek. The boys whooped loudly since the fight was now over. Arabella clenched her jaw, not liking the violence at all. It reminded her of the times Malcolm's father would strike him. The lost boy touched his wound with wide eyes. "I'm sorry. It was an accident," the Mills apologized in shock.

"Henry," Pan breathed, going back over. "Don't you know the best thing about being a Lost Boy?" He smirked. "You never apologize." Turning back to his companions, he rose his hand up as a sign for them to cheer. "Come on." They listened. Pan encouraged Henry to raise his arm in a victorious gesture and so he did. Everyone did as the arrogant teenager asked.

Devin stood there defeated and Arabella walked over to him when everything settled down. She sat him down on one of the logs, using her magic to make a wet cloth appear, and began to wipe the blood. No magic because he needed to learn a lesson. "This is what you get for provoking someone," she hummed. He blushed. "I get that you guys like messing around but you need to be careful, the younger boys don't need to be witnessing violence this young in age."

"Well, that's what Pan has taught us. To be violent," Devin explained. He winced when the cut stung.

Arabella was disappointed but she wasn't going to go on a long rant telling Pan to change. She didn't have any right to change someone. No one did. It was just her seeing how much he had changed that hurt her. Malcolm would've never stood for the fight. Then again, he probably wouldn't have the confidence to encourage or stop it. "Just be careful, alright?" she told Devin when she finished. Devin nodded and thanked her before walking off.

———

Pan watched as Arabella looked over the lost boys. He adored how she acted like a mother to them. The way she cleaned Devin's cut proved his point. But he knew just how upset him cheering the fight on must have made her. She never liked violence though there were exceptions. He finally decided to walk over and sat beside her. The leader wrapped his arm around her waist and she turned to smile at him. "I thought you'd be angry with what I did with Devin and Henry," he confessed.

Arabella pecked his lips, her smile faltering a tad. "I am a little. But I have no right to change you. So, I'm going to leave you be and clean up your actions if needed. You're different now. I have to realize that." Her hands went to his hair as she combed through it.

He smiled. "I love you."

The former princess smirked. "I would hope so." He rolled his eyes playfully. "I love you too." They kissed again and Jordan saw. He raced over immediately.

"Ew!" he exclaimed, pushing their faces apart. "That's nasty momma." The lost boy looked extremely sad to have caught the two in a moment. And that only made the couple laugh. Jordan climbed into her lap. She welcomed him.

Pan smiled and leaned into Aria's ear. "He seems to like you a little too much."

Arabella gave him a look and kissed the top of Jordan's head. He then had an idea. Their current situation was not so great at the moment. It called for some humor and surprisingly enough, he was about to supply some. Hopefully. Pan pouted. "Don't I get a kiss too?"

Jordan and his true love looked at him. "Mommy only kisses me now," the young boy stated with a smile. The amused expression on Arabella's face was worth it. He had never shown much love to the lost boys but now that he had his wife back, it was almost as if all of his affection came back.

Pan raised an eyebrow with a playful smile. "Oh really?" 

He got a nod in response. Just to make the little boy more upset, the immortal leader stole a kiss. Jordan gasped instantly, pushing him away with all the strength he could muster. "No! Mommy's mine!" His lip began to quiver as he hugged Arabella. The girl tried to contain her laughter but found herself failing miserably.

"No. She's mine," Pan argued.

To prove his point, he pulled Arabella over to his side and Jordan crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. She chose to play along with the little game, enjoying the fun side of her love. "Oh don't you pout. Mommy's all yours," she told the little boy. Bring him into her lap, Jordan snuggled close to her.

Pan gasped, feigning hurt. "Aria how could you? How could you betray me like this?"

Arabella smirked and stuck her tongue at him, as did Jordan. "Because Jordan is such a cutie pie." She tapped his nose once. "And you're not."

The immortal boy rolled his eyes. Playfully, he then snuck another peck on her lips. Jordan was enraged. He jumped off Arabella's lap, mustering the best glare he could at Pan. The brunette saw and got up, taking off once Jordan lunged at him. Arabella laughed and she soon realized the lost boys — who had been watching the interaction the entire time — were laughing too.

"Mommy's mine!" Jordan yelled.

———

Their plan was simple: catch a lost boy and make him tell them where Pan's camp was located. Options were running low at that point so it was either they kidnap an innocent child (though they weren't really innocent now were they?) or they would never find Henry and Arabella. So while the two males went off to find the sextant, the three females waited patiently in the jungle near the trap they set.

Mary Margaret aimed her arrow at a boar in the woods. Regina was by one tree with Emma crouched down by another. A lost boy came out of the trees with his spear poised, ready to kill the animal and then bring it back to camp. Suddenly switching her target, the former bandit shot upwards at the mechanism to trigger the trap. A rope fell on the boy and all three of them rush over.

"Uhh! What are you doing?! Are you trying to start a war with Pan?" came a response. They didn't know what his name was, but it was Devin. After Arabella tended to his wounds, he had walked off to rid of his embarrassment. Pan looked so smug watching him get hurt. It was sickening, that was just who he was though.

"Pan started the war when he kidnapped my son and my friend," Emma replied pointing a sword at him while Mary Margaret aimed her bow.

Suddenly their attitude changed as Regina smiled softly. "But that doesn't make you our enemy." Using her magic, she conjured up a chocolate bar, holding her hand out to the boy. 

Devin stood up. "What's that?"

"Chocolate. I thought you might like the taste of something sweet," Regina explained.

Emma lowered her weapon, speaking in a gentle tone. Because no way would any of the lost boys help them if they used force. Perhaps a little force was needed though. None of them knew just how much the boys liked the island now. Arabella was there and filled the gap for them. No one would dare betray Pan because of that reason. "We don't wanna hurt you. We just need you to deliver a message to Henry and Arabella."

"Why should I help you?" Devin questioned.

"Because you had a home and a family once and you stopped believing you could get back to them. Now we're here. We can help... not just Henry and Aria, all of you. We can get you home."

Regina held out the chocolate again, nodding encouragingly. Devin hesitated and then took it, smelling it. The former Queen smiled brightly. She thought he was accepting the offer. Then he threw it which made Emma point her sword at him.

"Don't you get it? I'm here because I don't want to go home. None of us do."

"Pan's a monster," Emma told him. "Look what he did to you." She gestured towards the cut that he had been given by the new recruit. He chuckled humorlessly, smiling bitterly.

He shook his head. "Oh, Pan didn't do that. Henry did. And Aria had to clean it up." Turning serious, he continued. "I'm surprised Pan didn't punish her because that's what he normally does. But I know he wouldn't."

"Why not?" Regina asked confused.

"Because she and Pan are a thing. They're together."

The three stood in shock, gaping at the words. Arabella was with Pan? Only a few days had passed since they arrived on the island? What changed so quickly? How could she fall for a beast like him? So many questions and yet they got no answers. And they never would until they ripped away the only love Arabella ever had.

———

Another short chapter! I believe they will be for a while but I'm not too sure. No questions again, just let me know your thoughts! :)

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