"...their lifespan will decrease."

Peter shook his head and gripped on his hair, feeling another memory flash in his mind.

"J-jane? Are you okay? What happened to you? Did it happen again?", he bombarded her with questions that filled with so much worry as the woman let out a smile, chuckling at his concern.

"Shhh... Madison is asleep...", she shushed him, placing her index finger above her lips, gesturing him to be quiet as Peter pursed his lips and nodded slowly, taking a second to glance at a 5 year-old Madison, who's sleeping peacefully on her bed before looking back at Jane.

"What happened to you?", he asked again as the woman smiled sadly at him.

"Well...m-my husband had a little temper again... A-and---"

"He let it out on you...again?", Peter asked feeling a slight anger and worry hit him as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes...", she chuckled weakly, showing an expression that shows total sadness.

"Do you want him gone?", he suddenly asked as Jane's eyes widened, getting his idea.

"No no no, don't. Let's just let it be.", the woman said frantically as Peter frowned.

"But he'll hurt you again...and he might hurt...", he stopped at his words and Jane frowned, also thinking the same thing that might happen.

She then let out smile at his concern and made a heartwarming laugh.

"Can you promise me something?", she suddenly asked, making Peter raise an eyebrow at her question.

"What is it...?"

She suddenly reached out her hand at him while Peter leaned backwards as he stared at her hand.

"W-what....", he mumbled as his eyebrows furrowed even more, getting even more confused and lost by what 'promise' she's pertaining to.

"Look after my daughter....and if anything happens...take her to Neverland with you..."

Peter felt his heart stop as he processed her words. His eyes slowly went down on her hand that's still reaching out to him.

He frantically shook his head in disapproval, now understanding what she meant.

"N-no. I won't do it. Y-you know I don't want to J-jane--"

"I won't last long, Peter... You see... I've been getting weaker every single day.....pointless fights....p-painful hits I've been taking everyday....", she sobbed and immediately covered her mouth to avoid making a noise for her daughter to hear.

Peter stayed silent, slowly balling his hands into fists as he couldn't do anything but listen to her while she cried silently.

"This isn't what he promised, Peter...", She suddenly said as her voiced cracked, making Peter felt his heart ached because of it.

"Jane...", he said in a sad tone as Jane continued her words.

"This isn't the l-life he promised us a-and... I'm so tired....of everything...", she let out as tears streamed down from her eyes, making the boy frown at what she's telling him.

-

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-

"B-but what about, Madison...?"

Fresh tears suddenly formed in Peter's eyes as his heart suddenly felt heavy from remembering that day.

"Why...Just why do I keep remembering those kind of memories...?", he thought.

He immediately wiped his tears away and was startled by hearing Madison's voice.

"P-peter...? Are you crying...?", she asked softly while letting out a soft yawn before sitting up on her bed.

Peter quickly looked away from her as Madison stared at him in disbelief.

4

"Is it really him...? I'm not dreaming am I?", Madison thought as he stared at him.

Peter slightly backed away when Madison was about to touch his cheek just to make sure that she really wasn't dreaming.

She was relieved that it wasn't a dream, but...

-

-

-

"What is he even doing here at this hour...?", she thought.

"P-please don't. I'm fine...", Peter stuttered as Madison slightly frowned and slowly nodded before lowering her hand.

"S-sorry.", she apologized.

"H-how long have you been awake..?", Peter asked as Madison tilted her head at him.

"Just now...", she answered calmly as she once again lifted up her right hand to wipe a tear drop stain on her cheek.

"And your tears...are actually the reason that woke me up...", she continued as Peter's eyes widened.

"I...I'm sorry if I wake you up--"

"Don't be, It's okay...", Madison let out a reassuring smile as Peter sighed and nodded in response.

He doesn't really know what to say at the moment.

Madison watched him as he looked anywhere besides herself.

"Could you at least look at me while talking to me? Is something wrong...? Are you okay?", she asked with a hint of worry as Peter shook his head.

"I'm fine. I just remembered s-something....", he answered, still avoiding eye contact with her as Madison raised an eyebrow.

"What did you remember..? And please look at me when you answer this time.", she said as she moved to sit at the side of her bed to face him.

"....A memory...", he sighed in defeat before turning his head to look at her.

He suddenly froze.

Just like how the moon illuminated the streets outside, it also illuminated Madison's room, and Peter swore he felt something else other than sadness when he finally get to see her face this close ever since he stopped going inside her room because of that encounter with her father.

"W-what memory...?", Madison asked as Peter snapped out of his trance and cleared his throat before answering.

"A memory I had from the past....while having a talk with your mother....", he answered as he felt even more nervous when he saw the unreadable expression on Madison's face.

Total shock, confusion and full curiosity hit her as she sat there silent.

To be honest, she didn't even know what to feel at first since it's been long since they both talked about her mother.

"My...mother...? You met her...before?"

Peter pursed his lips and slowly nodded as he took a deep breath before he began to tell her everything.

Right from the start.

Madison's mother looked out of the window as tears suddenly streamed down her face while she cradled Madison in her arms.

It wasn't the first time her husband yelled at her, yet it was the very first time that he finally had the nerve to let out his anger more by hitting her, as if the man that she once fell in love with just disappeared completely.

Just like that...

They made a promise to each other that they'll stick together no matter what happens....no matter how hard life gets them...

They were so happy and even got more happy in life when they had Madison in their lives. Her husband even promised them that he'll give them a better life while taking care of all the expenses while Jane promised to take good care of their daughter while he's at work.

At first, everything was going great until...

-

-

-

....her husband lost his job, saying that he's been replaced by someone younger than him as the company kicked him out, telling that they're removing the old employees by replacing new fresh ones that can make the company even more successful for a long time. To her husband's dismay, he has been working with them for many years now, and they talk as if all his hard work to keep the company going is nothing but a thing that was thrown away easily after using its own purpose.

Due to the fact that they made him feel that his hard work is nothing but an effort that never existed, he started to get blinded by his own emotions, his pride went high as he couldn't get himself to forgive and forget the people who made his dream shatter as if it was a minor thing and less important to be broken, and by that?

It slowly made him forget the only ones that he truly needed and really mattered in his life.

-

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-

And that's his loving wife and precious daughter.

Jane suddenly sobbed as she bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes, not wanting to wake her little daughter that's almost a year old.

"This isn't what he promised...", she thought as her tears instantly formed as soon as she opened her eyes halfway while holding her sobs.

She immediately closed her eyes, instantly feeling her tears roll down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Seconds after, she felt a sudden cool breeze brush against her face, which at some point, it's slowly making her cries a bit calmer than before...

...but not enough to ease the pain.

She let out a shaky sigh, still can't get herself to stop from crying her heart out until she suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice, speaking out the words,

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"Hey, why are you crying...?"