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    KAELYN'S EYES FLICKERED open to the sun streaming through the thin blinds of the treehouse. She could feel Peter pressed against her, head tucked into her shoulder and an arm binding him to her. She smiled lightly, enjoying the moment, listening to the waves lull outside, and the morning chatter of the boys in the camp, such a mundane setting she had lovingly gotten used to.

    As she tried to pull away, Peter murmured and pulled her back. Kaelyn let out a content sigh, knowing she didn't need to move, but soon the boys would begin to complain. Peter knew this, too, but she supposed their morning peace was just as nice for him as it was for her.

    Perhaps the biggest change since she had created Neverland was calling Malcolm 'Peter.' And not just Peter, but Peter Pan, after the doll he had gifted Rumple all those years ago. They had found it lying on the beach amongst his belongings after Kaelyn had sent him away, and Malcolm had hung onto the doll as an odd sort of sentiment. He had claimed that Neverland was a fresh start, and he liked the name Peter Pan.

    Kaelyn had rejected changing her name for any sort of reason. She had never had a last name, and Carroway was so far away from her, but she had no reason like Malcolm to rebrand herself. The change had taken some getting used to, and in her mind she knew a part of Peter would always be Malcolm to her. But that was decades away.

    Time stood still on Neverland, thanks to Kaelyn's imbued magic. No one aged, the days and nights varied in length, and a week on Neverland could feel like years. Because of this, many, many years had passed since they had last seen Rumple and arrived on the mystical island. Their only sense of time was when Kaelyn and Peter paid visits to their homeworld.

    They did this to retrieve lost children who needed their help, as Kaelyn and Peter both wanted for the island. It became home to many orphans, abused boys and those who simply needed a new home. They had quickly fashioned a flute that played a song only those who desired to get away could here, to avoid any sort of ethical complications. Most children were on the younger side, but a few were later teens, and acted as leaders when Kaelyn and Peter weren't around. After years of providing sanctuary to boys who never grew up, Kaelyn had become like their mother, and her control of the island only helped nurse that image.

    Her magic was celebrated, loved, and provided a home for kids like her and Peter, who never had to worry about anything. It was beautiful. Kaelyn and Peter left through the path carved through the second star to the right, and she had created an ocean pathway for mermaids to pass through and find sanctuary and rest also. She had flowered trees and fruit, brought over animals to thrive and provide food, everything. Nothing happened on the island without her feeling its presence.

    As Kaelyn finally pulled herself from Peter's grasp, he mumbled something akin to 'you're rude.' She smiled down at his sleeping face, more relaxed than she had ever seen in her life. All those years she knew him on the streets, he had never had life and energy like he did these days. And she supposed she was the same, but it made him look all the more beautiful in her eyes, and knowing she had helped make that made her heart warm.

    "You're gonna have to wake up at some point," Kaelyn murmured, caressing his face. His eyes cracked open, as green as the day she met him. Kaelyn moved away, and with a click of her fingers was dressed. Their treehouse was small, but homely, and she remembered crafting it with him over a week when they had first arrived.

    She opened the door of the treehouse, stepping onto the balcony to overlook the compound. Tents and huts dotted the ground below her, filled with already boisterous boys, laughing and shouting. Kaelyn smiled fondly down at them, feeling like a mother to many hyperactive children, as she descended the ladder.

    "Kaelyn!" Slightly called, jogging up to her when he noticed she had woken. Kaelyn gave him a warm smile in greeting as the lanky boy approached. He had always appeared foxy in appearance to her, and never managed to gain weight even after being fed well on Neverland, but he was energetic and enthusiastic nonetheless. He loved to whittle his own instruments out of wood, and had spent hours collecting seashells with Kaelyn.

    "Morning boys," Kaelyn announced, as others turned to her.

    Tootles, the dumb one who didn't really know what was going on, but was sweet and had a good time. The twins– First and Second– Kaelyn had rescued them from a box on the street, where they didn't even remember their own names. They were mischievous, but the youngest of the group that everyone silently agreed to baby. Cubby was a big boy, but soft-hearted with curly hair. And Nibs, the happy-go-lucky boy who had a habit of picking bunches of flowers for Kaelyn.

    Kaelyn loved all of the many boys equally, but that particular group were some of the first she had brought to Neverland, so she had a personal closeness with them, as they began to crowd her for breakfast they had prepared, and plans for the day ahead. Days on Neverland were spent with ease, doing whatever mundane or adventurous thing they could think of, or want. The beauty of Neverland as Peter had painted so long ago, no rules. No real rules at least.

    "How does hide and seek sound?" Kaelyn asked as she sat on a log eating the eggs that had been prepared and handed around. Despite their young dispositions, many of the boys had some level of functionality or independence. They did not rely on Kaelyn or Peter.

    Kaelyn was met with mixed shouts of excitement, before she turned and saw Peter had gotten up and joined them. Hide and seek was common on the island, but no one ever got truly lost or in danger, as Kaelyn could always track them. Most of the boys had decent barings of the island, but they all knew to stay away from the darker corners. That, and Echo Caves.

    Kaelyn hated the caves, but at some point she had needed a way to put the boys in time out, and a cave that was well lit and expansive, but magically blocked unless told a secret, served its purpose. Peter had had the idea, as it was mainly harmless, and Kaelyn had relented. Children were children, after all.

    "Alright, all of you. When we get back you better have your pairs and have your game face on!" Kaelyn told the boys gathered before her with a teasing note, as they all turned to each other and began scrambling for pairs and plans.

    "When we get back?" Peter asked, lowly

    "Come on," Kaelyn laughed, grabbing Peter's hands and dragging him through the brush outside of camp. A second later, they flashed away, reappearing in front of one of the island's waterfalls, which cascaded in an expansive pool at the bottom, which then ran through the jungle towards the ocean.

    Peter's eyes lit up, as he released Kaelyn's hands and went to admire the cascade, as he often did. After all, the place had been modelled after what he had told Kaelyn years ago, so he had always had a childish fascination with what it looked like. It made Kaelyn proud, almost.

    Suddenly, Peter had shoved her over the edge, and Kaelyn toppled into the pool, the clear water cool and shocking. The brunette kicked to the surface and spat out a fountain of water, before glaring up at her laughing partner, that familiar yet mischievous look in his eye. Kaelyn rolled her eyes, accepting her fate and floating in the water.

    The pair had spent so much time together over the years, but the moments they stole away from the lost boys nowadays were fewer and further between. Kaelyn had anticipated that, and the responsibility of taking on children that needed it, but the time she spent with Peter became almost more special now, more adult and domestic.

    Most days, they spent their own time monitoring the boys, completing chores, or whatever new renovations Kaelyn had set for the island, then the pair returned to their treehouse at night for time together. They made their moments, and of course they travelled to the main world together to see if they could help, but in everyday life, Kaelyn and Peter had surprisingly very separate lives.

    So as Kaelyn dragged Peter into the water without even touching him, and splashed and laughed with him that morning, it meant something. As they began to kiss, lips slick from water and hair tangled messes, Kaelyn had little care in the world. She had found a home, fulfilled a purpose, and left her past behind.

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    PETER HELD HER hand on the walk back, as Kaelyn had dried their clothes with magic. The path they followed was well-trodden through the jungle, and the lead pair knew the island almost like the back of their hand, having spent years exploring it and mapping it before the boys had arrived.

    "Wait!" Kaelyn said in alarm as Peter narrowly moved past a thicket of dark brambles. He froze for a second, before jumping away, their hands parting. Kaelyn sighed, stepping forward so she was closest to the thorns, before glancing at Peter warily. "Did you get cut?" she asked, concerned.

    "No," Peter responded. Kaelyn tried to ignore how he sounded dishonest as she turned away. She blinked at the thorny, blackened plant, and kneeled beside it, frowning. She held her hands either side of it, and with a purple glow it turned green and flowered.

    "They keep popping up..." Kaelyn sighed, getting to her feet.

    "Well... that's why you made the pool, right?" Peter said, as they began to walk, albeit more warily, back to camp again, Kaelyn in the lead this time.

    "The pool is imbued with pure energy that connects people to here. If they ever left, they'll die," Kaelyn explained bitterly.

    "But they live."

    "It's not a cure, it's a trap," Kaelyn snipped. "But it's the best I can do," she admitted. "Don't even know where the fuck the thorns came from. Even if I'm on top of things, there's still no full control it seems."

    Peter looked sympathetic for her, but the conversation was over, Kaelyn preferring not to focus on what she couldn't control over the island. When the thorns had first appeared, it was immediately clear they were unusual, blacker and more potent than any other shrub or thorns on the island, and several of the boys who were exposed to them had come down with sickness soon after.

    Kaelyn had split the island's energy in a pool of imbued water that did cure them, but only if they remained connected to the island. It was the best she could do, but it pained her, taking away the choice of those who had suffered to ever leave. The poison itself was alien to her, and she had no idea why something so complex would be able to sprout without her control or prevention. The best she could do was the pool, and removing any when she found them.

    The older boys had called it Dreamshade, and though it was uncommon, they all knew very well to look out for it, and report it back to Kaelyn if they found any new bushes.

    It did make them all slightly more wary of hide and seek than they once had been, but did not dim their energy, as they all excitedly buzzed around Kaelyn and Peter when they returned that morning. Their games of hide and seek always stretched for a while, and with so many on the island, they were divided into pairs.

    Kaelyn had been sorted with Felix while absent, and they were to be the finders, as the boys seemed to love trying to evade the girl who knew exactly where they were at all times.

    Felix was one of the oldest on the island, massively taller than Kaelyn or Peter, with a thin scar over his face. Kaelyn had found him with the injury and nursed it from infection on the island. He had hardly talked when he first arrived, and had intimidated the other boys, until he became like their big, responsible brother. He had always had a sadness to him, Kaelyn felt, but she hoped he found some form of peace on Neverland.

    As the rest of the boys scattered, Kaelyn and Felix counted

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    BY MIDDAY, Kaelyn and Felix had already found half the boys and sent them back to camp. Though it was easy for her, since she had complete sight of the island, Kaelyn liked to play with them, make it fun for them, sometimes turning it into a game of chase. They had all grown very nimble amongst the trees and foliage, and also incredibly stealthy and good at hiding. Felix, even, cracked a smile at some of their antics of being caught.

    "The twins definitely aren't just going back to camp, right?" Kaelyn snickered as she rejoined Felix after a close chase with some of the boys.

    "Absolutely not," Felix scoffed, knowing the mischievous antics of the boys in question.

    "Typical." Kaelyn suddenly paused, halting in her walking. Felix stopped to look at her in confusion. "Felix," Kaelyn hissed, abruptly. "Gather the boys, move them to the upper camp."

    The boy was immediately serious. "What's going on?"

    "Hopefully nothing, but I don't want anything to happen to them," Kaelyn assured him, as she began to make a small species of floor-creeper flower. It was the known warning signal for when she couldn't reach all the boys in time. It had been taught long ago, and safety drills had also been done to enforce it. Rarely, did Kaelyn need to.

    Felix nodded. "Okay."

    "And send Peter down to the West Beach," Kaelyn called just before he was out of earshot.

    The brunette frowned, as the flowers continued to flutter open along the floor, and began making her way to where she had felt her magic falter. Like her old tripwires, but ten times bigger and stronger, more in tune with her senses, she felt everything that entered Neverland. The weird part was, she had not authorised such an entry, and it was not along an established path.

    Growing more concerned, and hoping most of the boys had received her warning signal by now, Kaelyn teleported in a second to closeby the West Beach. Kaelyn watched from the treeline as the small row boat made its way to shore, two well-dressed men in it. She tilted her head, eyeing the bigger sailing boat moored off to the side.

    "Felix said you needed me." Peter's sudden appearance didn't startle her, as Kaelyn knew everyone's presence on the island.

    "We have intruders," she said, tightly, eyes not leaving them, as they hit the shore and stepped out. They were talking, but she couldn't hear them. "Corner them," Kaelyn instructed. "I want to know what they want."

    She had teleported Peter away in a blink, and a second later did the same to herself.

    "Are you two lost?" Peter called from his new position. Both men unsheathed their swords and turned to him, the boys looking innocently between them. "You look lost to me."

    "Identify yourself, boy," the taller one snapped.

    Peter arched a brow. "I'm Peter Pan. I live here."

"And who're you?" Kaelyn had now appeared behind them. They wheeled around again, faltering at their sudden appearances, until one swordsman faced each of the teenagers. Kaelyn eyed the weapons, carefully, trying to gauge if they were a threat or not. Their polished blades and well-fashioned clothes suggested they were of a reputable rank. Not pirates.

"You first," the dark-haired one said.

"I'm Kaelyn," she responded, simply. "I also live here."

The two men exchanged glances, before the curly-haired one lowered his sword. "Captain Jones." He sheathed his sword, looking to the man next to him. "And my leftenant." The second one was much more wary about putting his sword away. "We're here by order of the king."

"The king, huh?" Peter said, mockingly. "We don't have any kings in Neverland, just us."

"That's funny," the Captain remarked, looking at Kaelyn briefly. "We seek this plant," he said to Peter, effectively ignoring Kaelyn. He held up a sheet of paper to Peter's face. "Now tell us, boy, where can we find it?"

"Why're you looking at him?" Kaelyn spoke up. Both sailors turned to her. "Look at me. I'm the leader here."

"A woman rules this place? You're a Queen?" the Captain asked in disbelief.

"No, but this is my home. And you're trespassing," Kaelyn said, firmly, growing tired of his snotty tone. "What have you come for?" The Captain looked offended, as he silently held up the sheet of paper to her. Kaelyn's eyes showed little of the dread she felt in her stomach. "Your king must have some terrible plans," she said, dully.

"You know it?" the Captain asked, shortly.

"Dreamshade," Kaelyn said. "It's deadly."

"Nonsense," the Captain snapped.

"It's medicine," the other one laughed, like she was stupid, like she didn't know her own island. Kaelyn steeled, angered by the pair's arrogance, their judgement of her.

"It's poison," Kaelyn deadpanned. "Lethal in the wrong hands."

The way she said it must have unnerved the dark-haired one, as he pulled his Captain aside. Peter looked at Kaelyn, smirking, but she wasn't looking at him. The Captain scoffed loudly and turned back to the pair, looking between them.

"These two," he sneered, giving Kaelyn a particularly spiteful look, "are playing games, and I'm quickly tiring of them."

"Fine," Kaelyn said, lifting her chin. "If you're so persistent about proving it isn't poison, I'll tell you where to find it, if you promise to leave after."

"Alright," the dark-haired one said, before the other could say anything to antagonise the girl.

"He's smart," Kaelyn said, gesturing to him, before looking at the Captain. "You should listen to him more." The Captain didn't look pleased, but stayed silent. "It grows most persistently around a spring, about a mile from here uphill. You see a waterfall, you've gone too far."

The pair of men stayed a moment, as if trying to gauge if she was bluffing, before the Captain cleared his throat and nodded once. "Come. We should get moving." He turned away without any sort of acknowledgement. The dark-haired one was more wary, glancing over his shoulder many times.

"She warned you," Peter said, waving as the pair ascended the beach. "You're going to let them do it?" he asked, once they were gone, stepping up to Kaelyn, who hadn't moved.

"He'll find out soon enough," Kaelyn said, coldly. "And when he does, I'll warn them again about leaving."

"They'll die as soon as they're out at sea," Peter told her, sounding surprised by her calmness.

"I warned them." Kaelyn began to head off, back towards camp, Peter trailing her.

"What is it?" Peter asked, knowing something was bothering her besides their attitudes.

"My defences weakened without me realising it... they shouldn't have been able to get through the barrier here in the first place," Kaelyn told him, exasperation leaking into her voice.

"I'd say that hardly matters now," Peter said, lightly. Kaeyn didn't feel as nonchalant towards being indirectly responsible for death, but didn't comment. She would defend what was hers. "You're angry at him. It's unlike you," he observed.

"I will not be underestimated, especially not for something as trivial as me being a woman," Kaelyn snipped. Peter didn't question her suspicion. "And they won't take any part of this island to use for their own gain. I don't want people coming here. They need to learn."

And they did.

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hi i'm publishing this during my work break

the timeline is whack. baelfire isn't even here yet, he only appears in the next flashback. anyway, this was sort of a quick rundown of how neverland was in its glory days, kaelyn's relationships with the boys, her happy domestic life with peter, and her good values. obviously a farcry from anything present day

i didn't write hook's brother's death in great detail, because i didn't feel it was necessary, or even easy to write tbh but yeah this is a short chapter for me

the next flashback chapter is juicy, and we're getting closer and closer to the fallout of saving henry