"Oh Mara! You're still alive—" he groaned from the pain on his head.

Mara was surprised, more of a stunned feeling and also baffled. She never thought she'd ever see Killian again.

"Oh my god, Killian" She stared down at the pirate, looking like he was in pain from being attacked by James. "Wha— What are you doing here?"

The pirate groaned, held his head where he had been smacked. Before he responded, James answered instead, "What do you think he's doing here? Who do you think he came here with?!"

The realization hit Mara, Killian came here the same moment as Blackbeard. She didn't want to believe it, though she never knew Killian that well but knew he was better than that. "You came here with Blackbeard" she was disbelieved.

"Well— Yes, but—" Killian paused, "but I didn't came to join his fight, I came here to—"

The pirate didn't finish his sentence, as if he was finding it difficult to respond. James pressed his foot harder on the pirate's chest causing him to groan out softly, "Came here to what?" James demanded.

Killian was looking up at James, raised his browsand answered, "Would you believe me if I said I came here for her—?" He was pointing at Mara.

She didn't believe him for a moment, but this was the pirate who found her sleeping on a hay, who noticed her how poor she was then offered her food. He bought her food, she told him the adventures she dreamt of, Hook was reluctant and pitied the girl. He later offered her a job on Jolly Roger.

"Now I think you're funny" James replied.

"I don't hear anyone laughing" Hook said sarcastically. He took a deep breath then breathed out sharply, "Look, I'm being serious now, alright? Blackbeard found me few weeks ago and asked me to join him to take Neverland, I assumed you were all in danger, I kept wondering if you were still alive—" he was looking at Mara, "and here you are, which by the way, I'm bloody surprised you've made it this far"

"This place isn't what you thought it was" Mara told him, "you were wrong about it and you were wrong about Pan"

"Well I couldn't help to think that boy was dangerous who once set his pack of wolves on me years ago!" Hook then glanced up at James again, "could you please, get your bloody foot off of me?!"

James didn't listen, until Mara told him to, "Get him off" she nudged his arm. He looked at her momentarily before finally listening to her.

Killian got onto his feet slowly. "I don't think we've ever properly met" he turned to James.

"I prefer it that way, don't bother wasting your time" James stepped back. Mara wondered if James hates all the pirates because if Blackbeard.

"Okay, exactly what are you doing here?" Mara asked again.

"I just told you, I came here to get you out before anything happens" Killian answered. Mara tried to think of any other reasons why he'd come here, she doesn't know him that well, neither he knows her that well, all she knew was he was a friend

"Why? You came all this way, you joined Blackbeard and now you're here in the wrong side just to find me"

"I brought you here in the first place, didn't I?"

Mara slightly gaped, unable to find any more words to say, he was right, Hook was the one who brought her to this place, but she also remembered how she insisted of exploring the island. But it didn't matter, it was all meant to happened anyway, she was meant to come here and find Neverland. To find Pan and she's supposed to save him.

"Even if you are telling the truth—" Mara sighed, "I still can't leave, I can't just leave and run like a coward— I can't"

Killian let out a disappointing sigh, "So, I came along all for nothing, didn't I?"

"We need to go" James told Mara, "We need to tell Pan about the Natives"

She almost forgot about Peter and the other Lost Boys at the cove. She nodded, she was following James to the cove and implied Hook, "Leave Neverland while you still can"

The pirate merely stood by as he watched Mara and James began sprinting back to the cove. Mara hoped Killian would, she didn't want him to get involved into this war, he wasn't supposed to be here and he should be sailing halfway across the world in peace.

There was no sign of any chaos, it was a good sign, no sign of the Lost Boys or any other pirates fighting the boys. There were no sounds at all. It was a good sign. That means nothing has happened yet.

Mara and James slowed down when they were near the cove, there were torches at the shore, she can see them through the trees. The lights from the ships in the middle of the lake were still there. Mara wanted to know what was going on.

When they arrived the shore, the Lost Boys were standing and sitting in various spots around the shore. There was no sign of Pan or an unfamiliar face. The unfamiliar face, an adult, a pirate who could be Blackbeard was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Pan?" She asked, Ace and Thomas were close to her and James.

Ace pointed ahead, far at their right, she saw few torches ahead, and two of silhouettes human figures ahead. One was tall and the other was small. Mara assumed the tall one was Blackbeard and the small one was Peter. There was a row boat ahead, two other pirates waiting for Blackbeard. "I don't know what's happening" Ace said, "Perhaps Blackbeard is trying to bargain with Pan. It's been going on for quite a while now"

"Any trouble with the Natives?" Thomas asked.

James shook his head as Mara answered, "Besides James got caught by one of their traps? No. They're getting the children and the elderly to safety first"

Many more moments had passed, while Mara was gazing ahead where Pan was, she hoped they have a solution without anyone getting harmed. She was getting anxious and also impatient. James was sitting with Curly and Slightly at the rocks and Mara was with Tootles. The clumsy boy looked nervous and worried about what's going to happen next.

Mara was poking the sword's pointy end on the sand when Curly announced, "I think they're done" he got on his feet instantly, Mara glanced up and gazed where Peter was and they see him and Blackbeard approaching towards them.

Every child in the shore got on their feet, they both walked ahead but halted near where the row boat was. All curious to know what Peter and Blackbeard said. The two leaders walked together, and as they got close to the row boat and the Lost Boys, that's where they stopped.

"Think about what I said, Peter" an unfamiliar voice said, this was from Blackbeard, his voice sounded both deep and young. To Mara's surprise, Blackbeard looked younger than she imagined him be, like the same age as Killian Jones, but only Blackbeard could be few years younger. This man has lived long, way before she was even born, before Killian was born or most of the Lost Boys were born. "Think what's more important to you"

Mara could see Peter looking rather angry as he halted in front of the Lost Boys.

Blackbeard has brown hair, like Peter Pan's, only his hair was thinner like they were recently cut, he wore the usual pirate garments only they looked clean and almost fancier. For some odd reason, Mara found the man oddly familiar, she wasn't sure if it was from the dream that the Dreamgiver gave her, but somewhere else. She couldn't recall where.

Before Blackbeard got onto the boat, he took the last glance at the Lost Boys, and that's when he found Mara. She tried to slowly step back to hide behind Tootles and lowered her head to hide her face. She wasn't sure if he's aware of a Lost Girl, she assumed he doesn't know that there is a Lost Girl.

"Peter!" He called.

Peter Pan sighed, he turned around and gazed at Blackbeard. He didn't need to respond to him.

"Just out of curiosity... who's that?" He was looking towards Mara.

She felt her heart pounding, she glanced up as she breathed out sharply, he was looking at her. Peter's glance found her and had that look of surprise as if he never knew she was even there. Half of the Lost Boys were glancing at her. Peter didn't respond to Blackbeard's question quickly, "Turner. Name's Turner" he didn't even mentioned she's a Lost Girl like he was trying to avoid that part.

"It's a girl, is it?" Blackbeard asked again.

Peter didn't respond to that question.

"Tell me, what are you doing here, Turner?" Blackbeard was asking Mara.

Something caught in her throat, words were being held in her throat, like she couldn't speak. She was afraid to speak. She didn't want to speak. When her eyes scanned the faces near her and find James who slowly shook his head as no, telling her not to say anything.

"Don't be shy, girl" Blackbeard said. He began to slowly approaching her.

Then Peter stepped in his way, "As I recall, we're done talking for now, I suggest you go back to your ship and I will think about what we spoke about"

Both Blackbeard and Peter were staring at each other momentarily, the look that Blackbeard gave Peter was intimidating before he half smiled. "You seem very protective, last time I've seen you like this was with Tiger" Blackbeard gazed over Peter's shoulder and looked at Mara again, she gulped as she began to feel worry for herself. He looked at Peter again, "You know me, I'm just curious, you know how I like to meet your new friends"

"You'll get a chance" Peter assured.

"I know I will" Blackbeard smiled again. He then finally turned around and went to the row boat. "We'll talk again soon, Peter"

Peter, Mara and the Lost Boys watched Blackbeard and his men rowing away from the shore. Going back to the ships.

Once they were Blackbeard was further away, Peter turned to the Lost Boys, then looked at Mara. "You should've stayed in the woods"

Mara's brows furrowed, "How the hell was I supposed to know?!" She exclaimed.

Peter was angry, he didn't say anything else to Mara, he shifted his gaze towards the ocean. He kept his gaze on the ships for a brief moment before turning his glance at the Lost Boys. "We need to prepare, in case he's planning for something else"

Peter had Ace's tentmates, so were Twins and their group to go with him back to the camp to gather weapons, he even mentioned making traps and get more of Dreamshade. Leaving the rest, James's group, Felix's and Thomas's in the cove to watch Blackbeard in case they're planning something else.

The cove was quiet, it was late of the noon and barely evening, even though it is night as it was since the sun stopped rising. The moon was crescent, shape like blades, clouds often shaded Neverland. Felix and his group were strolling on the left side of the shores while Thomas and his group were at the right side. James, Mara and the rest were in the middle.

Mara wondered about Killian, if he had left, or if one of those ships is his and none have been moved or sail away. She assumed Killian was still there somewhere. She also wondered about the Natives, if they already had the children and elderly to safety.

"Do you think we have a chance?" Tootles asked. He and Mara were strolling together. "Against Blackbeard? Who knows how many numbers he has in those ships"

Mara wasn't sure at all, but what she knows as that the Lost Boys can fight like men, like true warriors, they've been fighting longer than the pirates out there, she remembered what Killian said about the Lost Boys, the day before he left Neverland. How he said that the Lost Boys have wielded a sword long before any man out there were born. "I think we have a chance." Not to mention the Natives, Tiger Lily had said they're coming to join the Lost Boys soon. The Native have been here longer, they were here first, even long before Peter Pan. All Mara knows is that the Lost Boys and the Natives have more fighting experience than those pirates in those ships. No matter how many there are in there.

But they do have Blackbeard who have lived longer as Peter Pan.

Tootles looked really worried, like he was scared. Mara placed a hand on his shoulder, "Can't promise everything will be okay, but I'll make sure you'll be"

The clumsy boy weakly nodded. The two continually stroll around the shore.

Moments later, Curly called out everyone on the shore "Hey! Come here!" Even Felix's and Thomas's groups heard him and everyone rushed where Curly was.

Curly was gazing at the ocean, as soon as everyone were close to Curly, he pointed ahead, "Look"

He was pointing at the waters. In the waters, all Mara could see was some sort of a black object floating, waves was sending it towards the shore. There wasn't just one but there was also another. "What the hell are those?" One of from Thomas's group questioned.

Felix let out a sigh then went to go see what they are. Thomas followed, Curly followed and so did Tootles. "Could be just some stupid junk" said Felix. "Come on, lets get it out of the waters"

Felix, Curly, Thomas, Rufio, and Tootles went to get the objects out of the waters. Mara went to get close, she stepped into the waters until the water was on her knees. James was behind her and they both watched the boys getting the objects, they looked like barrels. Mara assumed it was just from the pirates ship, taking dump out or something.

"What's going on?" Peter appeared. One of the boys on the grounds was explaining about the objects.

"What the hell?" Curly had a tone of disgust, "there's something else— there's... there's some sort... black goo?"

Then Mara saw it, she saw the water around those barrels darkened. Whatever was in those barrels, it was leaking something out.

"Get out!" Peter shouted, "Get out now! Move!"

There was something in the sky, she didn't even saw coming, something light, few of them coming down. Three of them flying down at them. It was only within seconds when Mara realized those were fire arrows.

The boys that were getting those barrels quickly moved away. Tootles, Tootles, his usual unfortunate luck, his clumsiness made him fall down and the arrows landed into the dark waters. Instead of the fires from the arrows died but rather the fire escalated and grew larger instantly. When the fire met the barrels, that's when everything exploded. Before Peter could even reach Mara.

All Mara remembered was the blast throwing her and James back to the grounds, and Tootles being too close to the blast.

Then there was darkness, coming in and out around her. That strange noise in her ears, the ringing that was high pitched, she was on the ground. She couldn't move. Darkness came again for a moment. Then she could see again, there was fire on the waters and also a familiar tall figure walking towards her before blacking out again.

***

So uhmmm... I did say things will not go so well from the moment Blackbeard arrive...

Yikes...

How about that? Another update! ^_^
Hopefully I'll do another sooner :)