The air was cool; the forest quiet save for the low hum of insects. "Shh." Thorn cooed. "Can you hear them?" he asked. The fragile body of the fairy delicately hovered just above the aged man's shoulder. Her wings fluttered faster than anyone could blink, but were soundless. Then there it was, the rumbling sound of a cannonball. It bellowed throughout the island, and sent shivers down the small body of Tink. The tiny fair winced, but the feeling of exhilaration pulsed steadily through her. She smiled, her laughter the sound of small chiming bells. The man Moved forward, stepping out of the wooded area to a cliff that overlooked the pirate ship. He climbed atop of a rock and sat, gazing below. The young fairy followed behind, landing silently beside him. From what they could see, it was the familiar ship of captain Hook. Poised, they waited. A boy had washed up on the shore, an Englander. The pirates were occasionally put face to face with an oncoming ship, which they always got rid of the moment it was in range of destruction. The pirates were interested in the boy of course, not wanting anyone still alive from the ship. As was Thorn also interested, so it seemed.
Tinkerbell and Thorn both knew the boy wouldn't last long, if Hook had his way. Thorn wearily looked down at the fairy, staring meaningfully at the girl. Fairies could feel thoughts as well as hear them, and she knew Thorn was aware of what she wanted to do. She wanted to save the boy. The man spoke to her, his deep but worn voice like velvet. "I'm not a stranger to your love of lost causes, dear one. But you have to be careful who you meet." He watched carefully as the fairy floated at face level. "You can't unmeet them." He looked away from the fairy, staring out at the marmalade sky. Tinkerbell fluttered away at an average pace, reluctant to leave him but drawn to the boy plastered to the sand. "Farewell, Tink." he mused, his voice in the distance as she quickened her pace.
She didn't have as much time as she'd hoped. The crew of Hook's ship rowed at a swift pace, but seemed unaware of the fairy's presence. A fever of panic rushed over her, quickening the heartbeat of the small girl. Being so small, fairies can only hold one emotion at once; without any other emotion to balance it. Practically fainting, she managed to pull herself together. Thorn had always taught her to push bravery over anything she'd been feeling.
Starstuff, or pixiedust, were tiny molecules of stars, so they say. But, before it is dust, it is chunks of star. Star so powerful, that with strength if it were to be forced together it could be dangerous. A small fairy would need great strength, Thorn had always taught her. She hovered before the boy, who seemed slightly dazed and confused. She glanced back to the pirates, who inched closer by the second. Acting quickly, she took two star rocks from a small pouch she carried. They were light but dense; both pieces barely fitting in her tiny hands. Squeezing her eyes shut she faced the water, the gracefully breaking waves seemed peacefully out of place. Taking the two pieces, she smashed them together in front of her. A large bright light blinded her even through closed eyes. A deafening ringing sound rung out, and the small sound of rustling leaves and wind brush over everything, the unaware creatures on the other side of the island only feeling a strong breeze. There was a moment where she was floating, but shortly after her breath caught in her chest, and she began plummeting in a downward spiral. Though it was only a few feet from where she'd been hovering, the fall into the cold water was long for a being of her size. With a splash she was submerged in what felt as cold as ice. Her heartbeat slowed, and as hard as she tried she couldn't move. Inside she struggled but the fight to keep any warmth in her was unbearable.
But, he'd seen her.
Her small glow still flickered even in the dark water. Realizing the small butterfly thing had miraculously saved him, he leaped to his feet. The pirates were cast away, their ship half smashed into rocks. The cliff they'd smashed into had somewhat of an avalanche, the boulders sliding and tumbling into the ship.
He stumbled into the water, still trying to regain his balance. It was dark and somewhat cloudy, though the faint glow was still lingering. He splashed at the water as if trying to move it out of the way, its icy temperature stinging at his numb fingers. Frantic himself, he plunged his hand below the surface, careful as to scoop the delicate body without grabbing at it.
It was cold, and as soon as he saw the tiny fairy his eyes widened. He rushed out of the water, holding the tiny body gently to his chest trying to keep it warm. The glow of the fairy's body was dim, but visible. He held her up close to his lips, trying to warm her with his breath. He felt tears well up and slowly trickle down his cheeks. Silly- he didn't even know what it was and he was crying over it. "Please... Please live." he begged, choking his words out between small sobs. He could feel the almost unnoticeable movement of her chest, the soft breathing. The fairy couldn't tell if she had much time left, but out of the water she found that her energy wasn't all lost. "What can I do?..." the boy pleaded, fearful of the creature's life.
She spoke, her voice still rang out like bells. Fairies had their own language, that only few beings other than fairies were able to understand. To anyone, it sounded like chimes. It was possibly one of the most beautiful things to hear, even the boy was left in awe. "You need to... give me something of yours." her voice rang in soft rolls.
And that, was the day Peter gave Tinkerbell his heart.
It wasn't the last time they'd saved each other, both meaning the world to the other. Though, she never saw Thorn again after that day. But the memory was from long, long ago. Centuries perhaps, but time was the hardest to read, for it always changed everything here. They didn't have time in Neverland. Things just stopped; but at the same time continued forever. But many things were unexplainable. It was to her knowledge now, that Thorn was one of Tink's soulmates. She'd learned from him, that soul mates weren't what everyone one wanted. They are a mirror, a person who shows you everything that is holding you back. They tear down your walls and smack you awake. They aren't meant to be there forever, just to come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then vanish. They break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life. It was that day that she'd met Peter, her best friend to this day. Her life changed drastically, and she couldn't ask for much more.
As she sat by herself in their small apartment, she picked anxiously at her arm. Even now as a human she could really only hold one emotion, but with worry came anxiety. Sometimes her emotions ran through her like pages. They flipped fast, but not too drastically. She'd began with bored. Whenever Peter left her alone, she rarely went out to do much. She had a few other friends, but she prefered to stay by his side, only wandering without him occasionally. Her emotion went from boredom to wonder. She wondered where he'd gone, the idea of him wasting his time looking for Wendy, poisoning himself with some drug, or doing something else toxic to himself crossed her mind. She'd brushed it off at first, but he next emotion was worry. Hours past by, not that she could really tell. She was fearful for his health, and mental state. He was sick. Constant sadness plagued his seemingly lifeless eyes. It pained her to even look at him sometimes, always wishing there was something she could do for him.
Her emotion from worry was anxious. In a stage of anxiety she was always jittery, and never felt still. Her thoughts fluttered as fast as her wings used to, and her breathing was uneasy. If she tried to sit still, she began picking at her skin, until the point where she'd bleed. Her cheeks were streaked with dried tears by the time she heard the door open. She was too tired to spring up and greet him; realizing she'd been up all night. She sat gravely still, frozen in what seemed a mix of hurt confusion and anger. Not that she could have that many emotions, she was just in the process of choosing one that fit her mind set best.
Instead of being angry, she let go of the tenseness of her body that had been stressing her the whole time he'd been gone. She stood from the couch she sat on, her weak body moving toward him. Her usual confident stride was replaced by a somewhat sloppy trudging, as she wrapped her arms around the neck of the man that had once saved her life. She buried her face into his chest, and cried. Slowly he put his arms around her as well, the two supporting each other.
After a few moments she stopped sobbing, and she looked up at him. "I know what you've been doing. You smell." she confessed, shrinking away from the embrace. She leaned against the counter, still. She was frustrated now, but decided not to lash out at him; yet. She sighed, taking a deep breath and moved into the kitchen before he could answer her. "I'll make breakfast. Sit down at the table, Peter." she requested, hoping he would cooperate for the sake of both of their well beings.