Luna is wearing External Link 1.

        "Hold her steady now, love" my father, Killian, directed and helped me straighten out the wheel. I was practicing steering the Jolly Roger, because one day she would be mine; but I'm still not strong enough to turn the wheel myself. I'm only five but I look to be about seven or eight. My rapid growth stopped about three years ago.

"I've got it, Papa," I assure him. He was kneeling beside me with a hand behind my back, in case the waves rocked the boat so hard I fell.

        "Killian!" I turned my head sharply at the sudden, strict voice of my mother, Milah. This caused the boat to turn sharply as I lost my focus. She sighed. "You see? What do I always tell you? Do not let Luna steer the ship; she is too young!"

        My father redirected the ship and sighed before answering. "Milah, love, she was doing fine."

        "That was 'fine'?"

        "You just scared her; she lost her focus. That is why we practice."

        "Killian, she is too young," she insisted.

        Papa snapped his fingers twice, which our signal for 'I need help'. He played it off as telling one of the crew members to take over and steer.

        I went up and hugged Mama's waist. "I'm sorry, Mama. It's not Papa's fault. I asked him if I could steer the ship, I begged him. He couldn't just tell me no. Don't get mad at him, Mama; it's my fault. Next time, I'll ask you, first; I promise." I tell her with wide eyes. Papa and I have a system. If one of us is in trouble with Mom, we give the signal and the other sucks up to Mom enough for her to forget that she was mad. 

        "It's all right, baby. Just be careful," she knelt down and kissed my forehead.

        "I will," I say. "I was anyway, wasn't I? Papa was watching me and helping me."

       "I know, baby. But we're getting closer to the shore. It would be dangerous for you to be steering so close to a town," she warned kindly.

        "Yes, Mama," I sigh.

        She stands up and pats the dirt off her skirt. She clears her throat before speaking. "Now, go down to our room and wait until we get to shore."

        "Where are we going this time, Papa?" I question.

        He smiles. "Someplace very special."

        "Where?"

        "The place I met your mother."

        I gasped. I've always wanted to see where they met. Their meeting was so magical, it's only fair the place is too. Mama tells me that she met Papa while he was on a trip and he told her stories of magical lands he visited and they fell in love. Papa argues that they met in a pub but Mama denies it. "Does this mean I'll get to try rum?" I ask excitedly. My mom gives Papa an angry look.

        "Luna, you're not gonna leave this ship," he says sternly.

        "Why not? You said it yourself. It's special," I plea.

        "You don't need to drink rum here or-"

        "Or at all. That's what you were going to say, right?" Mama glares at him.

        "Absolutely, but I was also going to say that she sees me do business all the time; it's boring. You don't want to watch me do business. You need to stay here and keep your mother company," he explains.

        "But, Papa," I begin.

        "No, Luna," he sighs apologetically. "I'm sorry, but no." He looks very serious so I drop it. "Now go to your room, love. I promise I'll come back and kiss you goodnight, like I always do." It's true, he does. Even when he's wounded, or drunk, or got into a bar fight, or even a fight with Mama, he'll always kiss me goodnight and tell me a story of a magical land called Neverland. He says it can be a bad place to stay, but it's wonderful for dreams.

        "You swear?" I prompt.

        "Every damn day," he answers jokingly.

        "Papa," I whine.

        "Really I do. Every night I make damn sure that I tell you a story and say good night. Why should tonight be any different?"

        "It shouldn't," I answer.

        "That's right. I'll even let you choose the subject in Neverland. Shall it be Peter? The Lost Boy's games? Mermaids? Wendy? The choice is yours. All you have to do is stay here and wait for me. That's not too hard is it?" He asks.

        I shake my head. "I can do it."

        "Good. Go down to your room and read your book." I nod.

"See you tonight, Papa," I call as I run off. I reach my room and pull out my book. It's filled with stories of lands unknown to me, some of them, even Papa hasn't heard of. There are places filled with treasures, ogres, dragons, kingdoms, everything. I sit on my bed and read until night falls and my mom comes in.

        "Is Papa back?" I ask. She shakes her head sadly. "But he never misses a good night," I whine.

        "I know, Luna. It's just one night though," she assures me. "If you want, I can tell you a story," Mama offers.

        I shake my head. "It wouldn't be the same. Papa always tells me about Neverland. Maybe I can just dream about it for tonight."

        She wraps her arms around me and hums me to sleep.

        I really did dream about Neverland. Peter Pan wasn't exactly how Papa described him, though. I've dreamed of Neverland before but Peter Pan was always how Papa described him; evil, cowardly and selfish, but this time he wasn't. He was kind, loving, and playful. He understood how I felt when Papa broke his promise; he said that he'd always be waiting for me in Neverland if I ever needed him.

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        I woke up to someone shaking me. My Mama was gone. Nicholas is one of the few decent people on the Jolly Roger, he was only a few years older than me, unlike most of my father's crew.

        "Wake up, Luna! Wake up!" He was shaking me harshly. This is one of the few times he looks fairly serious.

        "What is it, Nick?" I rubbed my eyes sleepily. A yawn falling from my lips as I stretch the sleep away.

        "Your Papa's back and he's hurt." Maybe that's why he didn't come last night. I jump up from my bed and redo my braided crown as I run to the deck above.

        The first thing I saw was Mama dragging Papa onto the deck.

        "Mama? What happened?" I ask worriedly.

        "He'll be fine, Luna. Now, back up." She turns to Thomas, Nick's father. "Fetch some water," she demands.

        "Get the captain water!" Thomas relays and Nick runs off to follow the order.

        "And get me that prisoner below deck along with the booty he carried. Now!" She ordered.

        "Bring up the prisoner!" Adam, another crew member yelled and Thomas followed him below deck to get the prisoner.

        Mama sat Papa down on the stairs and sat down next to him giving him the water from Nicholas. After he finished the water, he laid back and began panting heavily. "Are you okay, Papa? What happened?" I questioned and grabbed his hand opposite from me.

        "I'm fine, Luna. Now go below deck with Nicholas and hide. Hurry!" He tightly gripped my shoulder with the hand I wasn't holding.

        "Why?"

        "Luna, there is no time to explain. Go, now!" He begged.

        "No, Papa! I'm not gonna leave you and Mama!" I say stubbornly and grip his hand tighter.

        "Well, well. Seems like you finally found the family you could never have with me." A rough skinned man appeared and said to my mom, before looking disdainfully at me.

        I hugged Papa tightly with fear as he stood up.

        "Get your sorry arse up there!" I heard Thomas order the prisoner. The prisoner handed Mom a bag. She opened it and showed the man the clear bean hand before tossing it to Papa.

        In order to keep me out of harm's way, Papa gently pushed me away. I stumbled into Nick's arms as he picked me up and held me close. He stepped back from the fight, so we stood on the other side of the ship. He held one arm under me and used his other hand to rub my back comfortingly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and laid my head on his chest.

        Papa held out his hand with the bean clutched inside. "You asked to see it and now you have."

        "Do we have a deal?" Mama asked bravely. "Can we go our separate ways."

        "Do you mean do I forgive you? Can I move on?" The strange man paced the length of the deck. "Perhaps. Perhaps.I can see you are truly in love," he glared at me.

        "Thank you," Mama turned away, only for the man to start talking again.

        "Just one question."

        "What do you want to know?"

        "How could you leave Bae?" Ropes and pulleys on the ship began snapping and breaking.

        I whimpered and hid my face in Nick's neck. This man had magic. Sure, my parents have dealt with magic before, but he has very powerful magic. So powerful, he doesn't even have to make a gesture for the magic to work.

         Normally, I would play with my own hair as a nervous habit. I didn't want to watch, but something kept pulling my eyes open. I forced them closed but I could still hear everything. I played with Nick's hair, instead. It kept part of me occupied and helped me keep my eyes closed but nothing could prevent me from listening.

        "Do you know what it was like walking home that night-"

        "Rumple-" my mother pleaded.

        "Knowing I had to tell our son-"

        "Please-" she begged. Mama has a son? Does that mean I have a sibling?

        "His mother was dead?" She left her son? Would she leave me too? No, she loves me too much. Right?

        "I was wrong to lie to you. I was the coward. I knew that." My mother stayed calm.

        "You left him! You abandoned him!" The man snapped and I whined. Papa's head snapped over to look at me. I looked at him with tears in my eyes. 'It's gonna be okay' he mouthed and smiled to reassure me.

        "There's not a day that goes by that I don't feel sorry for that."

        "Sorry isn't enough!" He snapped again. I whimpered and continued to hold back my tears. I've never seen either of my parents genuinely scared before, and that terrified me.

        Nick shushed me softly and rubbed my back soothingly. "Don't cry. It's all gonna be okay, darlin'." His Irish accent coming through strongly.

        "You let him go," the man kept battering Mama.

        "I let my misery cloud my judgement, "she continued. Mommy's happy with Papa and I, isn't she? She wouldn't leave me, right? She wouldn't leave us?

        "Why were you so miserable?" He hissed.

        "Because I never loved you," she whispered. I almost couldn't hear her over the roaring wind and crashing waves.

        The man suddenly reached into my mother's chest causing her to go still and silent.

        "Milah!" Papa cried out and the broken ropes wrapped around him, tying him to the mast. "No!"

        I could tell Mom was scared. She couldn't hide it with smart remarks or smirks anymore, she was in too much pain. "Mama!" I tried to run to her, but Nicholas held me tight. All I could do was clutch his shirt tightly. I began to cry as the man pulled out her heart, no longer able to contain my tears. The heart glowed brightly and somehow managed to continue to keep pumping in his hand.

        Papa broke free from the rope and ran to Mama, catching her before she hit the floor. The man squeezed her heart. I saw her whisper something to Papa before groaning and going limp.

        "Mama! Mama!" I sobbed and squirmed in Nick's arms, trying to break free and go to her. As scary as this man is, I needed my mother.

        "You may be more powerful now, demon, but you're no less a coward." My father sat my mother and cried.

        "I'll have what I came for now," the man stated darkly. My Papa stood up and spoke bravely.

        "You'll have to kill me first!" He cried.

        "No, Papa!" I shouted.

        "Ah, ah, ah. I'm afraid that's not in the cards for you, Sonny Boy." He whips out his blade and cuts off Papa's hand. He yelled in pain, so I kicked Nicholas in the gut and ran over to Papa. He only pushed me away and back into Nick's arms. He shushed me and held me back from behind. "Because I want you to suffer like I did. In fact, that's the only reason I haven't killed your little brat yet." He puts his sword back in its sheath and turned to leave. My father yelled and attempted to run up and stab the man with a hook. He managed to stab the man in the heart, but the crocodile only laughed. "Killing me is gonna take a lot more than that, Dearie."

        "Even demons can be killed," Papa argues. "I will find a way."

        "Well, good luck living long enough," the man retorted and disappeared in a cloud of red smoke. The hook recently embedded in his chest, fell to the floor.

        Papa glanced around warily before picking up the hook and glaring at it.

        Nicholas finally let me go and I ran over to my lifeless mother. I fell to the deck beside her, sobbing. "Mama! Mama!" I bawled. "Wake up! Wake up, Mama! Please, wake up!" I shook her but she didn't respond. I felt warm arms wrap around me. I curled into Papa's chest and cried some more.

        He shushed my softly. "It's okay, love. It's all right, Luna," he whispered.

        "Papa. . . " I whined. "She's gone, Papa." I sobbed into his coat, not caring if he got his blood on me.

        "It's okay, Luna. She loved you. That's all that matters. She loved you so much, Luna. Please don't ever forget that," he cooed.

        "I loved her too, Papa."      

        "She knew that." He pulled away ad wiped my tears away with his good hand. "And I will always love you. I will protect you until my last breath, I promise. I love you, Luna."

        "I love you, too, Papa. Promise to never leave me?"

        "I promise. I wouldn't trade you for anything," he told me with a small smile and I hugged him again.

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Papa had his hand all wrapped up and we were sailing off again. But not before we say goodbye to Mama.

        We got out our plank and laid her body down. Papa whispered "I love you," to Mama before walking away to rejoin his crew.

        I wish I could hold her hand but Papa said we needed to put her body in a bag so she her bones won't be scattered. Papa is never usually this frank with me, he must be taking Mama's death hard too. He's just keeping up appearances for his crew members.

        I rub the part of the bag where her head is, so I'm stroking her hair. "Mama, I love you. And I'm sorry I couldn't get to you to tell you that just one last time. I wish I could've helped you, but I'm so small and powerless. I'm sorry that it ended so badly; but I promise to keep Papa in line. I'll shape up so one day, I'll be strong, like you were today. Even in your last moments, you looked so brave, Mama. I want to be brave like you; grow up, have a true love and a family like you. I'll miss you, Mommy. I'll do great things; I'll be great, just watch. I love you. Like Papa said, please don't ever forget that." I hugged the bag and started crying again. My mother could be strict and bossy sometimes, but I loved her with all of my heart. I won't let anything kill Papa; I'll be strong. I won't be weak like I was today; I'll be like her.

        I felt someone start stroking my hair, I look up to see Papa with a small, but broken smile. "Come here, love," he tempted me with open arms. I turned and shoved my face into his chest; where none of the sailors could see me crying. He stood up and we watched Thomas, Adam, and Nathan slide Mom off the plank and into the dark water. He held me to his side with his one good hand, rubbing my back.

        I gripped his midnight black coat as tight as I could, softening my cries, turning them into soft sniffles. "Good bye, Mama. I love you," I say as Papa and I watch her body bag slowly sink.

        We sat there silently for a while; I think we were both reminiscing on our times with Mom before she died. We were thinking of all the good times in an attempt to forget this terrible one.

        "Come on, love. We've got a ship to sail," Papa told me after a minute or two of this silence. I nodded sadly and followed him. "But I want you to hold onto something for me," he instructed, placing the clear bean from earlier in my hand.

        "Thank you for trusting me with this, Papa. Forgive me for asking, though. What is it?" I ask him curiously.

        "It's a magic bean. I need you to hold onto it until we put it to use.

        The prisoner was shaking in his bonds, and doing his best to scream, "Hey! Hey!" to catch our attention. Which was hard for him, considering he was gagged.

        "Allow him to speak," Papa ordered. Adam untied his gag, while Nathan cut the ropes at his hands and feet.

        The prisoner marched angrily toward us and glared at me. "I want my bean," he demanded.

        I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He isn't getting it back. Besides, it isn't even my choice if gets it back or not, it's Papa's. The prisoner stopped glaring at me once my father started speaking.

        "Let me tell you how it works on my ship. I make the demands. You follow them. The bean is now mine. For now, my daughter is holding onto it for me. Try to take it from her, and it'll be the last thing you do. I'm not even talking about me, she's tougher than she looks." Both men turned to me, the prisoner looked scared once I turned back a crease of my dress to reveal a sword. I gave a smug smile and glared him down.

        "Well, you have to give me something for it," he insisted nervously.

        "Oh, I will. Your life. A chance to join my crew."

        "So, instead of the promise of eternal life, I get to scrub blood off your decks? How is that fair?"

        "Let's be honest, mate. It's a pirate's life, it's never been very fair," I retort.

        "Luna," Papa cautioned. "What if I was to tell you I was about to set sail to a land where none of us will ever grow old? Where I can discover how to get my revenge on Rumpelstiltskin?" My father offered, which is actually a generous offer for him.

        "I'd say I could live with that," the prisoner smirked.

        "Good. What's your name, sailor?" Papa asked politely.

        "William. William Smee. Can I have my hat back?" The rugged man asked, gesturing to a nearby crew member wearing a red beanie. Papa motioned for the sailor to give back the hat.

        "Well, Mr. Smee, welcome aboard," I tell him with a smile. Papa and I turn away and he leads me to the edge of the ship.

        "Do you know where we're sailing to?" He whispers.

        "I think so. Is it the place you tell me about every night? The place I read about everyday? Is Neverland really real?" I ask amazed.

        "It is, now think about Neverland. Imagine what it looks like based on my stories and the pictures in your book. Then, throw the bean in," he instructed.

        I cautiously pull the bean out of my pocket. I hold it close to my chest and close my eyes. 'Neverland' I think to myself. I imagine a luscious forest, full of trees. I imagine Mermaid Lagoon with a beautiful waterfall. I kiss the bean, open my eyes, then throw it out as far as I can.

        It made a small splash before turning into a whirlpool, one that was getting bigger every second.

        "Great work, Captain Luna," Papa complimented and patted my back. "Harden up and get ready to sail, mates! There's bumpy seas ahead!" He calls and grabs my hand. He guides me up the stairs and from the top, I awtch as our familiar controlled chaos ensues.

        "What's the name of the place we're headin', Cap'n?" Smee asked.

        Papa picks me up and places me in front of him, in front of the wheel. "Where are we going, Captain?" He asks me with a smile.

        "To Neverland!" I cry heartily and the crew cheers. I pull hard on the wheel to make it go left, toward the whirlpool; Papa helps, of course. We drive straight into the swirling pit and I smile the whole way down thinking, 'I'm finally going to Neverland, Mama.'

Okay, considering there isn't that much in the book yet, and Henry isn't a widely adored character, I doubt this will get very many reads, but I had an idea for a fan fiction, so I went for it. Please comment, let me know what you think. I love feedback as long as it's not like extremely hurtful, but it doesn't usually get that far.