"You went and saw Emma?"

And of course, Pan and I were arguing, yet again. He'd refused to tell me anything and I'd just about had it. "Since when were you -"

"As soon as I -"

"Bull, Pan, that's bull," I snapped, taking a deep sigh as I rolled my eyes, turning my back to him in our tent. Long story short, he'd delivered some sort of magical map to Emma and planned this little game of his. And obviously, I heard it from James before the douchebag told me himself. "What is going on with you? Why the secrets?"

Pan growled from behind me and when there was no reply, I turned around to face him and folded my arms, glaring at him and returning his cold gaze; I was one of the few who dared to look in the devil's eyes. He pointed a single finger at me, his jawline tight.

"You don't get to question me," he sneered through clenched teeth and I scoffed, taking a couple steps towards him.

"Have you really forgotten what we've been through?" I tried to make my words sound soft, but I failed to do so. Watching the clogs turn behind his eyes, patiently, I waited for any sort of response.

But like usual, I got nothing of the expected and he turned on his heels, facing his back to me.

"If you trust me, you'll stop nagging."

"Nagging? Peter -"

"Don't," he snapped, turning back around to face me. I saw a sadness that clashed with anger in his eyes. I genuinely wanted to question further, to understand why he was doing what he was doing but in the end, I gave up and lowered my head. Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I stayed in that position: feeling cold and defeated. After a long silence, he added, "round up the boys," and when I looked up, I saw him smirk just a tad as he walked over to grab his dagger from the table. "I have a feeling Emma's not going to play fairly."

"You know she won't," I rolled my eyes, the two of us beginning to bicker like an old married couple. Just as I went to go and grab my bow and arrow from the corner, Pan reached out and grabbed my wrist, jolting me back.

"And you're staying here."

"What?"

"I'm not risking it." For goodness sakes.

"I'm capable of taking care of myself," I sneered, pulling my hand away from his. How many times did I have to say those words for him - and the lost boys - to understand? But Pan's eyes were unreadable, showing an emotion I couldn't understand: they mimicked both the beauty and darkness of Neverland. But after a couple of seconds, he clenched his jaw once again and angrily sheathed his dagger.

"Fine, suit yourself," and just like that, he left.

+++

Cleverly hidden behind the dark forestry, the lost boys and I remained at-the-ready with our weapons. James, Felix and I were placed further towards the front, allowing ourselves to hear Pan play with the group of adults below. Lifting myself a tad upwards, I glanced down to see Killian and all I felt was this anger fuelled from betrayal. Felix grabbed my wrist: unknowingly, I had leaned forwards and almost made us all visible.

"Wait for the cue," he sneered and I snatched my hand back. I'm being commanded an awful lot nowadays. "And the pirate's mine."

"Excuse -"

"Serena," James cut me off before I could sass him off, but nevertheless, I rolled my eyes and sunk back, pulling my gaze away from the scene and staring out into nothing.

"Don't you know?" Pan said and I slowly unsheathed my dagger, my eye turning to the two boys beside me; they nodded once. "Cheaters never win." And just like out, the lost boys and I streamed out from behind the trees, a couple chanting, some lifting their fire-torches while most of them held up their loaded bows. Felix approached Pan on his left and I ran out and placed myself on his right, refusing to look his way. He didn't want me here, for whatever stupid reason.

I looked back down and met the blonde's gaze - Emma, and then my eyes turned to Killian; I felt a hot breath against my ear.

"Put away your dagger and load your bow. You're not going down there," Pan sneered and deciding to not fight back, I did exactly as I was told and within a couple of seconds, I held up my dream shade-tainted arrow in Killian's direction: the corners of my mouth tilted upwards.

James let his arrow fly, cueing for the fight to begin. I released my arrow but as expected, Killian dodged it with his sword and started to approach me. That's when Felix cut across my view and started to head for the pirate himself. I loaded my bow within another second and directed it to the group's own archer, the short, black-haired lady with pale skin. Judging from that alone, I knew she was Snow White.

But she was fast and dodged my arrow as well. Just as I was about to load it again, feeling mildly angry with my missing shots, Pan grabbed my wrist.

"Wait," was all he said, his eyes scanning the battlefield as if he was trying to find something. But I didn't have the patience. Fuelled with energy, I loaded my bow and fired another one in the lady's direction.

"Mary Margaret!" a man called out, pushing her aside. Just as I was about to curse for another miss, I watched the arrow pierce his skin as it flew past; my mouth twitched upwards. I went for another, with Pan cautiously watching me and everything else happening. Pointing my arrow in Killian's direction, I held it there, waiting for the perfect shot...but I couldn't get a clean one. My self-confidence wasn't enough compared to my doubt: I couldn't risk hitting Felix. I slowly lowered my bow, sheathing it and deciding to stand by Pan with my dagger in-hand now, acting as some sort of security as we saw Emma try and run up to approach us. Thankfully, the bows below streamed in to try and stop her angry rage from reaching the two of us. She pounced on one of them and I turned to Pan: he saw something in that moment and without questioning, I brought two fingers to my mouth and whistled. The boys retreated and so did the group of adults.

"Remember what I told you," Pan started, walking down just a bit. I turned to my gaze to Felix, seeing him a tad breathless and like Emma, furious. What had Killian said to him in their sword fight? "That map will show you where Henry is, only when you stop denying who you really are. I'll make sure to send Henry your regards," Pan sneered and I swallowed down the lump in my throat that had formed for a reason I was unaware of.

But then I knew. We didn't win and neither did they, and in all honesty, defeating them would be difficult. Heck, Rumplestiltskin wasn't even with them. I was beginning to doubt our strength, with realisation clouding over my belief. When Pan turned back towards us, the boys started chanting once again and ran off. But my feet stayed in the soil, my eyes locked on Killian's. Was what everything he had told me true...or was Pan true? I was being pulled between two ropes and when paused beside me, my eyes turned to him.

"Serena, come," he said, sternly and full aware how we were exposed to the group below. He started walking...yet I still stood there, a silent conversation passing between the pirate and I.

I finally broke it off and jogged to catch up with the rest of the boys. When I reached Pan's side, I stayed quiet.

There was something behind the pirate's eyes...a force telling me that he'd do anything to for Emma, which means getting Henry at whatever cost. He loved her...

And love's the most powerful weapon of all.