Fear fell on Mara like torrent of rain, it wasn't Blackbeard she feared of but for the Lost Boys and for Peter Pan. She feared for his life and her friends' lives.

This wasn't a dream, this is truly happening. Blackbeard has come for Neverland, he has come to save it but first, he has to wipe every person on the island out of it. With Blackbeard's arrival, for some odd reason, she felt some sort of a darkness swarming across Neverland, like a disease, as if Blackbeard were a pestilence that's going to plague the entire island.

The ships have stopped, right in the middle of the cove, no sounds of any canon blasting, it was only once, perhaps that was only them to announce their arrival. It was all silent at that moment, there were sounds of waves crashing, the winds howling and the leafs dancing behind the Lost Children.

"What happens now?" One of the boys asked, Mara's head turn to the boys, it was one of the twins who spoke. "What are they waiting for?"

Peter didn't respond, his gaze still attached on the ship, as if he was disbelieved that this was actually happening. Mara wondered the same thing as Twin One. "Pan?" She uttered. With her voice, that made Peter to gaze away from the ship and turned around to look at the boys and Mara.

He looked at each of every faces looking at him before shifting his gaze over his shoulders and looked at the ships again. "I suppose Blackbeard is gonna want to speak with me first before anything happens. For now, we need to remain calm—" he gazed forward and looked at the boys. "Remember what we prepared for, most of us had many years to prepare. Some of you may didn't have enough time to prepare, I can't promise that everything will be okay, I can't promise you that you will ever see the sun again... all you have to do is to hope, and to believe"

That fear that was with Mara, grew more, not only fear for Peter and the boys, but also for herself. I can't promise you that you will ever see the sun again. That was something that she realized, she wondered if she'll ever see the sun again. Even if they win, and she won't survive the war, she won't see the sun again. She'll die in the night.

Peter was looking across the cove again, something was going on in one of the ships, something was moving ahead, a row boat, a row boat was coming to the shore. "He's coming, I assume he just wants to talk first" Peter said, he turned around again, his gaze was turning from the left to the right until finding Mara. "James, Turner—" he called.

James and Mara both looked at Peter and they both approached him.

As they were close to him, he began to speak softly, "I don't know if the Natives are aware but I'm gonna need you two to go their camp and tell them. Tell them that it's time, they'll know what to do"

Mara's brows furrowed, she stared at Peter, he had this concerning look on his face, like he was almost scared. She wanted to stay with him, James would able to go to the Native's Camp all by himself, and Peter knows that. Perhaps it's for Mara's safety? Or he didn't want Blackbeard to know about Mara? Despite wanting to stay, Mara nodded and decided to go with James. For some strange reason, she kind of wanted to meet Blackbeard and curious to see him but at the same time, no.

When she and James were leaving, Mara looked back before she went into the forest, on the lake, she was a row boat coming close, with few torches being held up high. Mara then left and followed James.

As Mara and James were walking through the forest, it was dark, James had to make a torch before they proceeded. The boy was walking quick as if hurrying. He hasn't said a word since the canon blasted. It did hit Mara when she remembered James's past with Blackbeard, what he did to the boy. Poor James must be terrified, too terrified to see Blackbeard again and maybe that's why Peter sent him off as well? Well, she imagined that.

"James?" She called, she was almost way behind James, she couldn't keep up with him. "James!" He didn't stop at all or responded.

She could hear him panting, like he was exhausting. He didn't stop until he fell forward, he was on his hands and knees and dropped the torch.

Mara rushed forward, dropped on her knees beside him. "James?"

She saw his look, the look of great fear and disbelief. He was truly terrified. Mara couldn't imagine how scared James truly was, too scared. He was truly scared of Blackbeard. When he was walking quickly, he was actually running, running from Blackbeard.

She had her hand on his shoulder, she let out a doleful sigh, "You're scared—" she said, "I'm scared too... I think everyone is too... even Pan" she could tell, she was able to tell when she saw him. She knows that because she never saw him looking like that before.

"I just never thought—" James paused for a brief moment, "never thought we'd see him this soon... thinking we had more time to prepare, but... I'm not ready... I'm not ready to face him. I don't want to, I don't want to face him again"

Mara sat down, exhaled sharply, "I don't think we're prepared for it. I don't think any of us are ready for it. But we're gonna have to. Ready or not, we have to" She may not have the best words but she's trying. "It's okay that you're scared, it's good that we're all scared because we have be brave now... Courage is nothing without fear"

James's look turn rather sad than scared as he glanced at Mara.

"I know you're brave, James. I know it. And you're also strong because otherwise, you wouldn't be here" she told him, "Now I need you to be brave again and be strong again, so you can leave this place alive and live the life you've wanted—"

There was something she thought about as well, something unplanned but it would be something he would fight for and something she would fight for as well.

"If by some miracle that we both survive this—" she paused momentarily, she kept her glance on him to let him how honest she is, "I'll go with you. We go together and live our lives together"

James was baffled and also stunned. He didn't respond, not for seconds, "I— I— Are you sure?"

Mara paused, she wasn't sure if it's what she wanted but it felt right. It all felt right and made more sense. She nodded, "Yes... yes"

"But Pan, he's... you love him"

She does, she really does. But there was something about Pan, she knew he wasn't the person who could give her everything she would want, unlike James. Mara has been afraid that she might crave things that Pan wouldn't want, things that he wouldn't give her. Things like what James had told her that night.

Before she could say anything else, someone was coming, footsteps approaching them. A lamp glowing increasingly as they came close. It was Tinker Bell. She gave a relief sigh, "Ah, finally, life. I was beginning to think that everyone could be dead by now. Yet here you are. Where's Peter Pan and others?"

"They're at the cove" James answered.

"I assume that canon was from the pirates?" The fairy questioned.

"Yeah. Blackbeard's here" James told her.

Tinker Bell sighed, "I was afraid of that. Well, I better get myself prepared, I suppose... Well, good luck you two, maybe I'll see you two soon"

With that, Tinker Bell turned back around and walked away. As soon as she left, both James and Mara looked at each other, almost forgetting what they're supposed to do. Mara reminded, "Come on, we gotta warn the Natives"

"Right" James nodded, they both got on their feet, and without saying anything else, they continued to the Native's Camp.

They tried to hurried as they could, they even ran for a long time until they were out of breaths. Mara wasn't sure what was happening back in the Cove, she feared that the fight began.

As they arrived at where the line should be. They promptly stopped a feet from the line. James tried to call out the Natives to come, they've waited for moments and moments until James grew impatient.

"We don't have time" James said, he then stepped forward and crossed the line.

"James! What are you doing?!" Mara uttered.

"We don't have time!" He said again then sprinted forward into the Native's forest.

Mara didn't have time to think, she had no choice but to follow him. She sprinted into the forest after him, she could see the torch that James was holding ahead. She tried to catch up with him but James runs faster than her.

James didn't stop, until something happened, James was shouting as if he was being attacked, she could see the torch fell onto the ground. When Mara caught up and see James hanging upside down, swinging back and forth.

Mara halted as she let out a soft gasp, "James, You okay?!"

"Yeah" he groaned.

"Maybe next time, we wait back there?" Mara reminded.

James groaned again, "Could you just— cut me down? Now?"

Mara nodded as she glanced up and followed the rope and where it was tying from. As she followed it, and approached the the tree that was holding the rope. Only to find a Native drawing a bow and arrow readied to shoot at her, stepping out of the darkness. Mara stepped back and raised her hands up to shoulders. Oddly, she wasn't scared of them this time. Only because she was more scared for Peter Pan and the Lost Boys back in the Cove.

"Uhm, James?" She uttered.

But James already saw them and they were being surrounded. James was already shouting at them in the Native language. He was saying the same thing over and over. Mara assumed he was telling them to stop or wait or to not engage.

Then James continually demanded in their language, she could only understand him when he mentioned "Tiger Lily" few times.

When James mentioned "Blackbeard", that's when the Natives withdrew their weapons. They were all exchanging concerned looks. Of course they knew Blackbeard, perhaps they also knew what it means. Blackbeard has also come to wipe out the Natives.

One of the Natives cut the rope from the tree and James fell to the ground. Mara helped him up. The Natives were talking to each other for a moment before they left the area, one of them looked at James and Mara, nodded his head to follow and they did.

At the camp, every Natives turned their attention to Mara and James, it has been a while since they both came here. They were following the same man who told them to follow, he was leading them to the bigger tent where the Chief and Tiger Lily would be in.

When they went inside the teepee, the Chief standing by the fire and there was Lily sitting on left side of the teepee, sitting the table and carving a wood. When the Chief was the Lost Children, he spoke out and sounded demanding.

James began to talk in their language. He quickly mentioned "Blackbeard", and that made Lily and the Chief to lift their heads up and promptly giving their attention.

The Chief walked around the fire and approached the two. With a stern look while talking again, still sounded demanding with a hint of worry in his tone.

James was nodding, spoke again and sounded he was assuring them.

Tiger Lily hopped off the table she was sitting on and approached the two. "He is here?" She asked, "Blackbeard? Here?"

James nodded again, "Yes, he's at the Cove right now. Talking to Pan at the moment, I assume"

Even Lily looked so worried, also disbelieved, the way she looked, it's like she knew Blackbeard well, it's the same look that Peter had when he saw Blackbeard's ship. Same look. It made Mara to wonder what was Lily's history was with Blackbeard. Blackbeard who was once called Bishop.

The Chief began to order the man behind Mara, the man left the tent in rush. Lily looked stricken as she stepped away from James and Mara then turned around and looked at the fire. The Chief approached his daughter and told her something, sounded like he was comforting her. He then whispered to her ear, couple of words before the Chief left the tent with his wife.

Lily exhaled sharply before turning back to James and Mara. "You two... go back... we need— get children— safety first, and elderly— safety them—first. You two, go"

Mara had forgot that Lily barely speak the common language, she can speak enough that Mara can understand. "You come later?" James asked her.

Lily didn't answer right away but she merely nodded in response. "Now go— go back to Peter"

She calls him Peter too. Most everyone calls Peter "Pan", it's like it's just her and Mara who call him "Peter". But Mara hides that while Lily does it without shame and with confidence.

James and Mara left the camp quickly. They needed to head back to the cove. They were running, they never stopped running since they left the camp. They were already halfway to the cove and despite how breathless they got, they kept running.

It was until Mara's breathing began to hurt, that's when she stopped running. "Stop—" she gasped, breathing was painful, she leaned forward, her hands on her knees.

James stopped when he noticed Mara wasn't behind her. He went back to her. "We gotta keep moving"

"I know—" she breathed sharply, feeling her throat and mouth drying. "I just— need... to rest"

James breathed sharply, he stepped close to the tree near him leaned back against it to catch his breaths. They weren't sure what was happening at the cove at the moment, she hoped nothing is happening, she also hoped that Blackbeard have a sudden change of heart which sounded ridiculous.

There was rustling near them, behind James, both of them startled by the noise. They heard footsteps coming, sounded like only one person. Mara kept her hand on the sword, and even James drew his wooden staff.

A shadow, more of a silhouette, a silhouette of a person, strange figure, James and Mara could quite make it out. James hid behind the tree and prepared to attack them. Mara couldn't see them, before she could see their face, James attacked, it was almost too dark to see what was happening, but James had the person on the ground. That person sounded like a man when he got attacked by James

When Mara stepped close to look at the man while James had his foot on the man's chest. "You!" James uttered

This person is Captain Hook.

"Killian?"

***

2557 words, a little treat after a long ass time without an update, sorry about that :/

But hey, a lot of things happened here in chapter? James and Mara, Mara's plan for James tho :/ what do you guys think about that?

And Hook is back too! ^_^
Why do you think he's there?

Also, imagine a plot twist ending where James and Mara ended up in The Maze Runner where James became Newt because...
this tho

Not the best quality but y'all see what I'm seeing, right?!
Was watching The Death Cure and spotted the name "Mara" on that stone at the end of the movie *L

Anyway, stay weird everyone!