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────── ★★★ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟕
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍

────── ★★★ ──────

Like all the other nights since Baelfire escaped Neverland, Everly sat in silence in the bamboo cage she learned to call home as she looked up at the stars, trying to remember the many maps she drew and the happier times she shared with Killian. After spending this much time locked up and not talking to anyone, the blonde girl realized what she was truly afraid of.

Being alone.

After a while of stargazing, Everly's eyes slowly closed before she began to doze off. Just as she felt herself falling into a deep sleep, her eyes shot back open at the sound of a twig snapping before her ears picked up footsteps approaching. A long moment passed before their movement stopped, making the blonde girl sit up as straight as possible before she looked around in the darkness for any sign of life. When she came up empty, a small sigh escaped her before she went to lie back down, only for a loud thud to cut through the silence before her cage began to shake. That continued for another moment or two before the sound of a rope snapping replaced the thudding then her cage landed on the ground and shattered into a million pieces.

Her body became as still as a statue as she sat on the broken pieces of her bamboo cage while waiting for Pan to appear. When no one showed themselves right away, Everly looked over to where the tree that was holding up her prison stood, only to find the other part of the cut rope cut and a shadowy figure with a dagger in his hand standing next to the tree.

"Who are you?" the lone Lost Girl questioned as she slowly got to her feet before fully facing the boy before he reached up and pulled the hood off his head to reveal the familiar face of Felix.

"You need to get out of here, now. They'll be back soon."

"Is this some sort of trick?"

"I shouldn't have helped him lock you up. You don't deserve this. Now go!"

"What about you?" Everly found herself asking the blonde boy without even thinking, only to be greeted by the sound of footsteps approaching. The two of them stared at each other in silence for another short moment then the blank expression on the boy's face transformed into determination before he told her to run.

Her eyes stayed on his face a second longer before Everly sent him a grateful smile then she sprinted into the dark woods without even thinking about looking back. After running for what felt like forever and trying not to trip over her unused feet, the Jones girl came to a stop before leaning against a tree to catch my breath. While she regained her bearings, the blonde looked around and listened for any signs of the Lost Boys or Pan following her, only to be greeted by pure silence. A small sigh passed over her lips as she prepared herself to continue her journey through the dark forest before her eyes landed on a cave in the distance.

Everly stood in her place while staring at the hole in the stone wall for a long moment before she heard a twig snap close by, making her run as fast as she could inside the cave. Once inside, she went all the way towards the back before hiding behind a giant rock. Her breathing quickened at the sound of footsteps entering the cave before she leaned her back against the rock to become as small as possible. As she wordlessly prayed that she was quiet enough that they'd leave, Everly's hand met a sharp rock, causing a small wave of relief to fill her body as her fingers laced around the stone to prepare herself for a fight.

After letting out a silent sigh, Everly looked around the rock she was hiding behind to see a woman dressed in green near the entrance of the cave. Confusion made its way through her at the sight of another female on Neverland but the former Lost Girl quickly shook it off before she got enough courage to come out from her hiding spot and face the woman.

"Who are you?" she asked, trying to hide the shakiness in her voice as she pointed the sharp stone at the green-clothed woman.

The woman just stared back at Everly for a moment before the expressionless look on her face turned to one of annoyance as she took a step towards the girl, only for Everly to match her steps backward. "Who am I? Who are you?"

"Everly."

"Everly? Everly Jones?"

The only response the former Lost Girl gave the woman was a small nod before the latter sent a small smile in the younger girl's direction. Everly's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion as her grip around the stone in her hands tightened before the woman reached into her small bag and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "I have something for you."

After staring at her for a long silent moment, Everly hesitantly took the parchment from the woman's hands while keeping the rock pointed at her before reading the words scribbled onto the scroll.

Evie,

Hopefully somehow, someway this will make its way to you. I need you to know that I will bring you home. I am finding a way to get you off the island and back to me. Stay strong. Believe in me as I believe in you. Keep yourself safe and be the fighter I know you are. Tinker Bell is an old ally of mine. She will keep you safe and aid you.

I love and miss you. Have hope.
Killian

Everly reread the note over and over again to take in each and every word as tears began to form in her eyes. The walls she had built up since setting foot on Neverland crumbled around her before fell to her knees and cried like never before while a wave of relief washed over her. She was finally safe and free from Peter Pan.

When she managed to pull herself together after having a small mental breakdown, Everly followed Tinker Bell out of the cave and through the dark forest before the duo arrived at a large tree holding a small house within its branches. Once they climbed up and entered the treehouse, the former fairy explained to the younger girl that it had been almost two years since Killian gave her that note and almost two years since Everly ended up on this island.

The former Lost Girl's mind raced with a million different thoughts before they landed on the fact that she should be eighteen but she was stuck being sixteen for as long as she remained on Neverland, which would be for eternity due to her drinking water from the Spring of Neverland.

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A few months have passed since Everly escaped and tried to make Peter Pan and his Lost Boys' lives as miserable as they made hers. So far she was able to steal equipment, which resulted in her getting her bow and arrows back along with a few swords and daggers. She also successfully blocked their nearest water supply and scared away most of their food source. After Pan began to send groups of boys after her, the former Lost Girl left Tinker Bell's treehouse so the woman wouldn't get involved in all her craziness but they still kept in contact with bird notes. After weeks of searching for a permanent place to live, Everly found a cove by the sea to call her own.

Oddly, Everly kept in touch with Felix since the day he helped her escape her prison. The two of them met every now and then. When they did meet up, Pan's second-in-command gave her tips on how to keep away from the Lost Boys and their leader. To her surprise, they both eventually started catching feelings for each other, resulting in their meetings turning into more than him giving me tips on how to stay alive.

Like every other night at midnight since her escape, Everly found herself sitting next to the tall blonde boy in the tree that had become their meeting place as they looked up at the stars that covered every inch of the sky.

"I need to tell you something, Sunshine," the Lost Boy said, cutting through the silence that surrounded him before Everly's eyes left the twinkling lights and landed on him. Once he was certain that he had her full attention, Felix opened his mouth to continue speaking. "Pan's planning on tracking you down."

"That isn't anything new. He does that every day."

"This is different," the blonde boy told her in the most serious tone the former Lost Girl had ever heard before the blank expression on the boy's face was replaced by a concerned one, "he needs you from something. Apparently, he won't be able to complete what he had planned without you helping him willingly."

"You and I both know I'll never help him willingly," the Jones girl scoffed before placing a gentle kiss on the boy's cheek, "thanks for the heads up though. I'll be careful. I promise."

"When are you ever careful?"

After letting out a small laugh, Everly's mind raced with all the memories of the few close calls she had while trying to sabotage Pan's plans, only to be bailed out by his second-in-command. "Do you know when he plans on actually coming for me?"

"As soon as he has the Heart of the Truest Believer."

"The Heart of- What does that even mean?" Everly sighed while rubbing her hands down the sides of her face before looking back up at Felix, "why are all his plans in riddles?"

"I don't know but I gotta go. If I'm gone too long, he'll be suspicious."

Once their feet hit the ground below them, Felix placed a gentle kiss on her lips before they parted ways. As she made her way back to her cove, Everly hid in the trees every chance she got while thinking about other ways she could be a thorn in Pan's side. After another moment of being alone with her thoughts, an idea hit her so hard that she almost ran full force into a tree before she quickly climbed up it to stay out of sight while she thought over her idea.

Everly eventually came to the conclusion that she needed a second opinion on my crazy idea before she climbed back down and ran towards her new destination. After running for what felt like forever, she came to a stop at the base of the familiar tree before climbing up the rope ladder to Tinker Bell's treehouse. As soon as the former fairy saw her, she sent a smile the younger girl's way.

"Glad to see you're still alive," the blonde woman teased as she placed a bag on the table in the center of the room.

"You too," the Jones girl laughed, causing the smiles on both their faces to grow, "I won't be too long. I just need to run an idea I had by you."

"And what is this brilliant idea of yours?"

"I want to help the new boys that are brought here get away from Pan before he brainwashes them," Everly told her before the grin on Tinker Bell's face faded while she continued to stare at the younger girl with a blank expression on her face, "you and I both know that they don't deserve their fate. No one deserves to be used like that. I might be trapped on this island for all of eternity, but that doesn't mean I can't help them get out of here."

"If you think you can do it without getting caught, then do it," the former fairly responded as her eyes continued to scan over the determined look on Everly's face before a sigh passed over her lips, "just stay safe. We don't know what'll happen if Pan catches you."

After sending her a small nod and giving the woman a quick hug, Everly left the treehouse before making her way back to her cove, knowing what she'd do for the rest of her time on Neverland. She would free those Pan took from their loved ones and help them escape the life no one deserves. She would start an eternal rebellion against the King of Neverland.

Let the games begin.

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