My hand trembles in Peter's emerge from the ship's belly onto the deck, where Kellan and his filthy crew are waiting for us with wicked grins and muffled chuckles of amusement. "Have you made a decision yet, sister?" Kellan questions with an emphasis on 'sister,' as if the blood relation makes all the difference.

I can feel the worry radiating from Peter spike reflectively in my own chest as I let go of his hand and step forward. "Yes, in fact, I have." Kellan smiles wickedly at my statement and takes a step forward before I stop him. "But there are conditions, and they're not up for negotiation."

Charlotte lets out a heavy sigh as she pouts at Kellan, "Can't I just take it already? Or threaten her precious 'soulmate'?"

"Now, Charlotte, darling. That's my sister you're talking about; she deserves a chance to make her offer and be heard out before we jump to conclusions." Kellan tells her as his eyes flash toward me with an unspoken warning. "State your terms, and then we'll decide just how negotiable we'll be with you."

"They're fairly simple. When I give you what you want, you are to leave the lost boys and Peter alone—forever. You and the entirety of your crew are not to so much as think about them." I tell him as cooly and detached as anyone can be in this situation.

"Y/N, don't do this." Peter calls, but his voice and arguments die out with one pleading look from me. "You don't have to do this. I made a promise."

I can't bring myself to give him an answer just yet as I turn back to Charlotte and Kellan, who are watching with a vicious amusement. "The next and last is that I repay my debt before I give you—" the words catch in my throat as it all becomes vividly real to me, "—before I give you my heart."

"That's reasonable enough." Kellan chimes as he lets go of Charlotte's waist to offer me his good hand, which I take and give a hefty shake to seal the deal—and likely my fate. "Now, who is this 'debt' to so we can get this over with."

I turn around and look at Peter, who is being restrained by two of Kellan's men as tears build in his eyes. "Peter." Kellan heaves a heavy sigh and whispers something under his breath before motioning me forward. I approach him and glare at the two burly, stinking men that have him in their grip and command, "Give us a moment."

They look at each other for a moment before quickly looking to their captain for an answer, "You heard her, give them some space." He calls, and they quickly step aside to give us some space.

"Why are you doing this? There's always another way." Peter whispers, clearly trying to hold it together.

"No, there's not. I know my brother better than almost anyone, even if it has been a while; so, please, trust me, that's all I ask of you besides keeping your promise." I whisper and take his hand. His eyes become soft as he looks me in the eyes as I barely manage to speak out the words that I've wanted to tell him for a while now, "Peter Parker, words cannot express how grateful I am to have met you and to be your soulmate. I will likely never be able to repay you for that, but consider this the down payment."

My hands find his cheeks and his find my waist as the space between us closes. Everything seems to go quiet for a moment. His lips brush against mine tentatively before committing fully to the kiss that makes my head spin.

Despite the danger and terror of the moment, all I can feel in my chest is the overwhelming feeling that I can now put a name to—love. It builds and swirls in my chest as we continue to kiss for another long moment before being pulled away from each other. "Trust me." I whisper to him as we're tugged in opposite directions.

"That's enough of that." Kellan grimaces and shakes his head at us. "You've gotten what you wanted, sister. Now give me what I want, what I've been promised."

I hold my head high, sparing Peter one last look before focusing on Kellan. "Then what are you waiting for? Go ahead, take it."

My heart pounds against my sternum as if it knows wha's about to happen and wants to escape before it can. I keep my gaze leveled on Kellan and silently pray that my theory is right. Because if I'm wrong, then our chances plummet drastically.

"Charlotte, prepare the chest." He tells her and turns to me with a vicious smile as his hook begins to glow a blood-stained red. "Don't worry, it will be over quickly." There's no hesitation or remorse in his feature as the hook plunges into my chest with a surge of pain that echoes in every heartbeat.

Time seems to slow, with Peter, Kellan, and I at the scarcely affected epicenter of it all. I grit my teeth and stare at Kellan in search of the smallest glimmer of the brother I once knew, but there's nothing except for the malice of Hook as he tugs his hook—and very likely my heart as well—out of my chest.

Except, it doesn't.

I would cry in relief if not for the overwhelming pain as he twists the hook and tries again with the same result. "Why won't it work?" Kellan shouts, emphasizing each word with another sharp tug.

"Because, brother," I tell him through gritted teeth as I twist and remove the hook from my chest, "I can't give you something that's no longer mine nor can you simple take it."

Kellan bares his rotting teeth and leans to shout in my face, "If that heart in your chest isn't yours, then whose is it?"

"It is my heart. You were just too late; it was already given away, even if neither of us knew it yet." I tell him and look to Peter at the end. "While it may have been mine for a time, it was made for someone else."

"That's just rubbish." Kellan yells and tries to pull away from me, but my grip remains firm and keeps him in place.

"No," I whisper and turn back to him with a pitying glance, "it's not. It's love—real, pure love."

"Again, that's rubbish." He snaps and yanks himself back, but the action causes his trademark hook to release and remain in my hand. It makes a hush fall over the entirety of the ship except for a few soft creaks from the ship.

I can't help the chuckle that escapes my lips as I swing it around. "Looky, looky, I got a hooky."

"You'll give that back right now." Kellan screams as he lunges for it. I pull it back just in time, but it slices a neat line across his palm that leaves blood on the hook. "That's it; grab her."

Peter rushes to my side, and something in me seems to wake up under his protective touch. My back straightens, heart pounds, and confidence surges through my veins. "You'll have to catch us first." I tease as I step out of Peter's grip and rush to the edge of the ship, "Or, you could always swim for it if it means that much to you."

"Don't you dare. You have no idea what you're doing." Charlotte shouts at me, clearly panicked, which makes something click in the back of my mind. "Please, don't."

"Wait," I question and look between Peter, Kellan, and Charlotte, "is the story true?"

"Why don't we refrain from finding out?" Kellan implores as panic flashes across his face despite his attempts to hide it.

"Only if you let Peter and I leave right now and immediately leave Neverland to never return." I demand, which brings me no answer beside silence until I let the hook dangle loosely in my grip. "Tick tock, Kellan. It's your choice, your ship or Neverland? You don't get both."

Kellan opens his mouth to speak, but he doesn't get the chance as one of his men make an attempt to take the hook from me, which sends it tumbling into the ocean. The immediate reaction is surprise before it burst into an explosion of chaos and panic. Pirates all rush around looking for any means of escape as they ignore each other and their captain's calls.

Peter finds me and doesn't speak as he wraps an arm around my waist. I immediately wrap my arms around his neck and prepare for the inevitable flight. The salty breeze brushes my cheeks as the chaos fades behind us.

We tumble down into the sand of the beach, my arms still wrapped around and Peter's on my waist as he hovers over me. "So," he whispers out of breath, "was that all part of your plan? Or were you just making that up as you went?"

"About half and half." I tell him with a small grin. "I figured one way or another, at least I would have gotten to give you a proper 'thank you' kiss. The whole sinking the Jolly Roger thing was a happy accident."

Peter lets out a laugh and shakes his head, which makes his hair brush against my forehead. "You're one of a kind, you know that right?"

"I'd hope so, or else you'd run the risk of having multiple soulmates that I'd have to fight off. 'Cause I quite like being your only soulmate." I pause and look deeply into the brown eyes that make me feel a hundred thousand emotions at once, "I love you, in case that wasn't obvious."

"Good, 'cause I love you too." Peter whispers back as he lets his lips brush mine with each word. "Do you mind if I kiss you? I'd kind of like to do it without the threat of you having your heart ripped out anytime soon."

"I'd like that too." I tell him before tugging him down just enough to give him a proper kiss, which seems to make the air warmer and sun brighten. His lips mould perfectly against my own despite the smiles tugging at them. I pull away with a smile, "We should probably get back to camp before they worry too much."

"I think that they can wait a little longer." He hums before pulling me in for another kiss, and I can't help but laugh into it. Because despite the madness and confusion of today, I couldn't be happier or more content than I am right now.