Chapter Thirty Four

                                    

                                          

36th day in Neverland 
                          
I entered the practice room for the umpteenth time, to see Pan sitting on the couch, immersed in an old spellbook from the bookshelf filled with ancient books, in the opposite corner of the room.
                          
He didn't seem to have noticed me, so I took this moment to observe him. His features while reading seemed less sharp and more normal looking, like an ordinary teenager instead of a powerful murdering psychopathic monster. His dazzling emerald eyes were softer and weren't blocked off by the wall he always had up to stop the emotions, since he didn't think he needed because he thought that he was alone.
                          
I took a deep breath, Pan's head snapped up and looked at me. Immediately, I could see the walls slam back up, like an instant reflex centuries of years old.
                          
"You're early, aren't you supposed to be practicing with Jake?" He asked as he stood up and shut the book he'd been reading, placing it on his desk.
                          
"Yes, I was supposed to, but I decided to skip it this once."
                          
He raised an eyebrow, and I prayed that he wouldn't get mad. "And why's that?"
                          
"I-I need to talk to you." I stammered.
                          
"About?"
                          
I crossed the room and sat on the couch he'd been in a moment ago and I took another deep breath. "I've been having dreams."
                          
***
                          
I could feel Pan entering the dream with me, I could feel his consciousness floating next to me as the blur of colors changed and swirled to form a scene, and although I couldn't see him, I knew he was there with me, seeing the same things I was seeing.
                          
The wooden house appeared around us and I could see Katherine washing the dishes, humming to herself, the little seven year old boy I assumed was Rumplestiltskin was sitting at the table, drawing with a piece of coal on some parchment.
                          
Suddenly, the door slammed open as Katherine jumped in fright, letting go of the plate she'd been washing. On the threshold stood Pan, breathing heavily as if he'd run a long distance.
                          
I stood there, shocked for a moment. Pan looked like he was something like twenty five years old, and it creeped me out. Pan had always been young and was like a symbol of youth, and seeing him older than seventeen just felt wrong.
                          
"What is it Peter?" Katherine asked. "What's wrong? What's happened?"
                          
"Your father," he panted, "he found us."
                          
***
                          
The scene blurred and shifted. 
                          
We appeared in a forest, the trees tall and thick, allowing very little light to filter through the canopy of leaves. Katherine and Rumple were sitting on a tall white horse, bundled in furs and thick wool sheets while Pan led it by harness down a dirt road. They seemed to have packed very few things, only a few bags. Probably only enough space for provisions and a few prized possessions they couldn't bear to get separated from.
                          
The air was crisp with a trace of upcoming winter chill, as their breaths puffed out in small clouds of vapor. They all looked worn and tired, like if they had spent many days traveling with very little sleep. Rumple was asleep on his mother's shoulder, while she was constantly tensed, turning to look behind and around them, her head snapping towards any random sound, like if she were expecting to be ambushed at any moment.