Neverland update!!! At last!! Chapter thirteen...*s/x*

[tabaqui]

I know! I am so terrible, making you all wait so long. But...i just had so much trouble writing this past two or three weeks. Dunno - maybe the holiday and such just got me all...discombobulated. I'm gonna have pictures from that up soon... :)

Anyway - snow! Ice! Cooooold temperatures! At least we're having some *winter* weather. And to hear the weathermen talk, it's like 'the end is nigh'!! People - please. We've had mild winters, but we haven't like - evolved past being able to survive them! Sheesh. It's just a little *snow*. And ice.
*rolls eyes*

Anyway - my undying and most sincere thank you to reremouse for unflagging support and beta-work and for always telling me the truth. And to darkhavens, as well, for helping me over a little hump. And Snow!! You always cheer me on - and up. *smoooooch*
Previous chapters are here.
One. More. To go. :)






Pan came down in the midst of them like a stooping hawk to the center of a flock of pigeons. Pirates and lost boys alike yelled, stumbling back. The fairies swarmed for a moment and then dispersed, lining the shrouds and rails all around. A blue one buzzed drunkenly into Spike and then settled on his shoulder.

"Feeling better, mate?" Spike asked, and Tinkerbell chimed softly at him.

"Hook! You coward. You wait until I'm gone – you attack when my boys are already hurt –!"

"Not your boys, Pan," Hook purred, and Peter checked, staring at him.

"Of course they're my boys! They're the lost boys, they'll always be –" Peter's voice choked off as two pirates shouldered through the crowd and flung Tootles' limp, blood-smeared body to the planking at his feet. Pan stared, open-mouthed, for a long, long moment. Hook watched him, eyes slitted like a cat's.

"Oh. Oh, it's... Tootles?" Peter crouched down, one hand going out. His fingertips lightly touched the torn flesh of Tootles' throat – the rivulets of still-wet blood and then he snatched his hand back, horror on his face. Eyes fixed on the bloom of scarlet across his skin.

"There's the last one loyal to you, Pan," Hook said. He crouched down as well, gaze on Peter's pale face, the skirts of his scarlet coat spreading out around him. "He's the only one who wouldn't swear loyalty to me – wouldn't swear to be a pirate."

"So you killed him..." Peter whispered. Hook nodded slowly. Peter wiped his fingers on the wet deck, hand shaking. He looked up at the other boys, his eyes wide. They stared back, still dazed from the drug – from what they had done.

Spike could hear them – the click and wheeze and rush of their lungs, the rabbit-fast thump thump of their hearts. The creak of the ship – the muted tinkling of the hundreds of fairies that looked on from aloft. The storm raged overhead, all but silent, the thunder like great, soft beats of a fan.

"Why would you – how could you betray me?" Pan whispered, and the boys swayed – shuffled. Shifted on their feet, looking down. "How?" Peter shouted, and Xander stumbled forward with a gasp.

"We tried to be loyal to you Peter but you hurt us. You get us killed and you leave us and you – you're all Joan Crawford with the 'no more wire hangers!'" Xander heaved in a sharp breath, glancing swiftly around at the other boys – at Spike. "You stole us! We never wanted to come here – we never wanted to leave home!"

"Of course you did! When I came for you, you were crying! You were sad, you were hurt! Slightly –"

"No!" Xander screamed, and Peter flinched back – everyone did. Spike felt Tink flinch into his neck with surprise. "My name's Xander! I'm Xander Harris and I'm from Sunnydale, California! I'm not the Slightly!"

Peter's eyes were wet – glinting with tears that finally spilled over, sudden streak of quicksilver in the tarnished-black air. He held his blood-streaked hand out and it...shook. "But –"

"And I'm not a lost boy anymore. I'm not a lost boy."

"Yes you are!" Peter whispered. He wiped furiously at his eyes with the back of his hand – took a step toward Xander, his hand still outstretched. "You're all –"

"No," John interrupted, hugging his arms tight around his thin ribs. "We – I'm not a lost boy, either."

"Neither am I," Michael said. He looked over at the twin, who shook his head slowly.

"I'm not either. I took a blood-oath, I'm a pirate now," the twin said, holding up his hand.

Peter shuddered and his own hand fell to his side – fell on the hilt of the dagger he had through his belt. "Curly? Surely you –"

"It's Danny," the boy said, lifting his chin. "And I'm n-not a lost boy anymore."

Pan just stared at him – stared at them all, his face smeared with tears and his chest heaving – shoulders shaking. He backed away from them as if they were menacing him and Spike felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

"Xander, get down!" Spike yelled and lightning clove the sky – the ship – nearly clove Curly. Everyone was in motion, Smee was screaming for buckets and then the storm came back. "Tink, get to Xander," Spike muttered, lifting the tiny body off his shoulder – lofting Tink gently up and out. Pan rose into the air in a whirl of smoke and a deafening crack of thunder and Spike launched himself up the stairs – up to the poop-deck rail and from there...leapt.

Peter's body was thin and hot and supple as a cat's. Twisty as a cat's, and Spike hung on grimly as Pan spun and writhed and kicked at him – tried to slash at him, but Spike had his own hand curled around the hilt of Peter's dagger, over Peter's hand. Crushing the slender fingers and Spike was not letting go. The boy shot upward, fast and furious, until the ship was a toy and the clouds were closing around them, cold and black and stitched with lightening. The thunder was physical, reverberating through Spike's bones.

"They've given up on you, Pan!" Spike shouted. He locked his arm tighter around Pan's chest – dug his elbow into the thin, heaving ribs and jammed his chin down onto Pan's shoulder, the pale-golden sweep of Pan's throat under his cheek. "They're gone. Loyal to Hook and no other!" Spike felt them dip in the air – felt Pan's body shudder. His free hand was clawing at Spike's arm – slipping on the leather of Spike's coat.

"They sealed the oath with their blood, Pan! They don't want to play anymore." Spike felt Peter's hand go lax under his at that – felt their upward momentum slow and then stop and they hung in the air. Hung in a furling veil of grey, the thunder gone silent and the lightning hopscotching in tiny, hissing crackles. Nothing like it was before. Nothing at all.

"But...why?" Peter whispered. His head hung a little to the side – his clawing hand dropped down from Spike's arm and hung, motionless. "Is it a...game?"

"No game," Spike murmured. He pressed Peter closer to him, the heated whipcord of the boy's body gone boneless now. No fight left. "They're deadly earnest. They've grown up, and they want to go home." Spike closed his eyes for a moment as they dipped lower, easing free of the clouds – sinking slowly back down to the ship. He took a long breath, shivering a little. Pan's scent was the same as any boy – cake and blood, salt and earth. But something else was there – some low, musky undertone that murmured of dim forests and hidden grottos – of time and knowledge and age that lay – so heavy. "You have to let them go, Peter," he said, watching. Watching as Peter's gaze roved distractedly to and fro, seeing nothing.

"But I need them. There's always...always lost boys. It...says so. In the book. It says..."

"Shhh...." Spike opened his mouth – rested it for a moment on the sweet-salt skin of Pan's throat and then carefully, delicately, bit. Peter didn't move – didn't make a sound – and Spike drank. One long mouthful that was like wine and pure oxygen and honey – like sunlight and dew. With a sigh, Peter closed his own eyes, and they slipped down and down until Spike's boots touched the deck of the Jolly Roger.

Touched down in the midst of the boys, the pirates, the fairies. The storm was silent now – the clouds still streaming overhead, the sea still rushing up the beach. But all muted – all washing to shades of charcoal and ash and shadow. Only Hook's coat stood out, crimson slash upon the air. As Spike let his arms loosen – prepared to let Peter slide to the deck – Hook stepped forward, cutlass raised, and drove it through Peter's heart.

"Proud and insolent youth," Hook gasped, white as salt and breathless, his bottle-blue eyes wide. "Prepare to meet thy doom."

An inarticulate groan was wrenched out of Peter's mouth and Hook jerked his sword free, staring at the blood-stained tip. "Oh, please," Peter whispered, sagging, and Spike tugged Pan's head over gently, laying the golden head on his shoulder.

"No worries, boy. Won't hurt now."

"Stop! What – what are you doing?" Xander pushed his way past pirates and boys alike – did a funny little catch-step over Tootles' outflung arm.

"Killing Pan, Xander – what we said." Spike watched Xander's gaze go from Pan to Hook and back to Pan – to Spike, furious and horrified. Tink was on Xander's shoulder, tangled in the draggled locks.

"But – you can't –"

"It's the deal, Xander. I kill Pan – Hook gets us home. Want to go home, don't you?" Peter was limp – nearly unconscious – and Spike hitched him up a little bit. "I'm bloody well getting out of here, and I don't give a fuck who I have to kill to do it."

Xander looked like he wanted to say something else, to stop Spike, but Hook interrupted. He dropped his cutlass to the deck and slipped his coat off, holding it up. "Sir – Spike. Give me the boy, will you? Give him to me."

Spike frowned at Hook, not wanting to give up any advantage. Hook nodded, lifting his coat encouragingly – looking up and around with a lift of his eyebrow and Spike did the same. Everything was going...still. The waves were rippling into smoothness – the clouds flattening out, smoothing like sand on a beach. And the horizon...

*Getting closer. Bloody hell, what does that mean? It's... Fuck. It's going away.* "Yeah, I – yeah, alright." Spike shuffled Pan a step or two toward Hook and Hook met him, wrapping his coat around the slim shoulders and lifting the boy in his arms. Standing there, his hair slick with rain and pushed back – his white shirt a-gleam in the dimness, Hook looked very like...

*Looks like any man. Any man holding his son...*

Hook held Peter close to him, the wound of Pan's chest pressed to Hook's own heart – the costume of ragged leaves covered by the thick velvet of the coat. Peter's head was on Hook's shoulder and his hand curled loosely at Hook's neck, his eyes half-shut, his mouth a little open, showing the tiny, pearly teeth.

"You cheated...Hook, you cheated..."

"Shh now," Hook whispered, smoothing his hand down and down Pan's back. He looked up at Spike, his eyes fierce and glinting and somehow...not so tired. "It's going, vampire. All of it. The Great God Pan is dead and with him dies everything and everyone."

"Then tell me how in hell to get back home!" Spike snapped, and he felt Xander move up beside him – the other boys all around, Curly leaning on Michael and John still huddled, hugging himself.

"Spike –"

"Don't you know, vampire? When Pan dies – so does Neverland. And when Neverland dies....we all go home. Isn't that where you go, when you're hungry and cold..." Hook lifted his hand and stroked Peter's hair back from his forehead – rested his thin cheek there for a moment. "When you're so, so tired..."

"Tired," Peter whispered, and Hook closed his eyes for a moment.

"I know, my little man, I know. We're going to rest now. We're all going to rest and have lovely, happy dreams."

Peter's eyes opened a little wider and he seemed to struggle for a moment. Spike could smell his blood, thick and warm – could imagine that the breast of Hook's shirt must be scarlet with it. Hook shushed him again, stroking his back.

"No, no. Don't fret, boy. I know about your dreams. I know that you cry. You won't cry anymore, my boy."

"Your boy," Peter murmured, and his eyes fluttered closed. Hook looked up – looked around, his eyes darting from pirate to pirate and boy to boy – lingering last on Spike.

"It's over, you dogs – you mad hellions! It's over and now we go to our reward. Down to perdition or up to paradise – or to Davy Jones, to serve out our sentence... The finest pack of brigands on the Seven Seas!"

"Hook!" the pirates shouted, fists raised – eyes wet. "Hook, Hook, Hook!"

"Roxy – I have to get Roxy –" The twin – Tony – bolted for the hatch below and Michael gathered John close to him – looked at Spike with frightened eyes.

"Is it true? Are we going home?"

"I don't have a sodding clue, mate," Spike growled. He looked anxiously at the horizon and it was much, much closer – and moving fast. A boiling mass of darkness and all of Neverland was unweaving itself into it. As he stared, the furthest beach-head twisted and whirled and siphoned away, streaming up and out and gone into a void even his demon's eyes couldn't penetrate.

Xander was standing there staring with him, thin shoulders hunched and his hair curling damply over his neck. Spike reached out and pulled him close, face to face. Put his hands flat on Xander's shoulder-blades, feeling the thrum of Xander's heart through his palms. Tinkerbell disentangled himself from Xander's hair and fluttered upward, his glow flickering madly.

"I just – fuck, I want to be home, Spike. Anywhere but here, you know?"

"Yeah, me too," Spike said. He watched over Xander's shoulder as the nothingness advanced – as the clouds raveled away and the sea drained into the air – as the mermaids arrowed through the water away from it, but it was on all sides now, and there was no escaping it.

"No, I mean...it's a game we used to...we'd say 'anywhere but here' and then...then tell where we wanted to be most." Xander shivered, his breath getting a little shorter – his eyes flickering here and there, wide and scared.

"Yeah? Sounds like fun. Here – Xander?"

"Oh, god, it's really – really moving fast –" Xander was shaking now – looking around a little wildly and Spike caught Xander's face in his hands – made him still. Made him look at Spike, and nowhere else.

"We'll be fine, yeah? Hook...he knows what he's talking about. We'll be fine."

"We will?"

"We will."

"Dust! Fairy dust!" Hook was looking up at the fairies – lifting his hand for a moment from Peter's back. "Give us your magic – lift us up! Don't let the Roger meet her fate shackled to the earth!"

Above them the fairies stirred – lifted – began to flit madly to and fro, skeins of sparkling dust sifting down fine as flour over the ship. And, impossibly – she rose. Righted herself and floated up and turned, the sails belling in an un-felt breeze. She seemed to pause a moment – to gather herself – and then she plunged forward into the air, and the crew let out a wild cheer. The nothingness – was almost upon them.

"Oh, Jesus, it's coming, it's coming –" Xander muttered and Spike gave him a tiny shake.

"Xander – just...close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close your eyes, pet." Xander stared – swallowed and shivered and did it and Spike smiled. He glanced over at Hook, who was climbing the stairs – taking up his wide-legged stance behind the wheel. He nodded once to Spike – turned his head a little and kissed Peter's cheek and then the blackness touched the top of the mast and the bowsprit and Spike closed his own eyes – pulled Xander in tight.

*Second on the right, straight on 'til morning....* Xander's lips were cold under his, and the end of it all came without a sound.


Hook's line - you know the one - is a direct quote from the book.

Comments

[sweptawaybayou.livejournal.com]

How can you make me feel sorry for Pan, after all the insanity?!

Spike, holding tight to Pan as he flies and BITING HIM!!!

And Hook, holding Peter as he dies. Guh.

And Neverland disappearing and Xander wrapped up in Spike's arms ... Dude. You are a magician with words, you weave a spell with your stories. I am completely caught up and swearing loyalty to be one of your crew.

:)

Wonderful chapter. Well worth the wait.

**hugshugs**

[tabaqui]

*hugs you hard*
Yay! Exactly the reaction i was hoping for!
:)
*bounce*

Thank you thank you thank you.

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

Excellent work. Did they go home? or did they just end? Who knows? Great stuff. (lj is being bad, ate my first post. *smacks lj*)

[tabaqui]

One more chapter to go!
Thank you!
And yis - lj sucks lately.

[lady-alys.livejournal.com]

Ooooooh....


The line, that line, has a typo. "Prepare to meet thy doom."

[tabaqui]

Heee.
:)
Thanks!!
*fixes*

oh boy

[(Anonymous)]

I didn't realize until I got to the end that I'd been holding my breath the whole time I was reading. This was intense. I'm so looking forward to re-reading the whole story again when it's done.

(ps: "Of course they're my boys! Their the lost boys...–" I think you meant "...'they're' the lost boys...")

So, great stuff.

N

Re: oh boy

[tabaqui]

Thank you!
:)
*fans you*
Breathe!

And thanks! Fixed!

[(Anonymous)]

I've had conflicting feelings about this story (I never read the original Peter Pan), but this chapter really turned it around for me. It was magical.

[tabaqui]

Have you? Do you mind to say why? I'd really be very interested.

And thank you!
So glad you stuck around and enjoyed.
:)

[50ftqueenie.livejournal.com]

This was an absolutely spectacular chapter. I could see it all so clearly, your words were just perfect in this chapter, the descriptions of Pan and Hook, the fight with Spike... GAH! I can't wait for the final chapter.

[tabaqui]

Thank you so much! :)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I think that was perfect. I felt that whole chapter, I breathed that chapter.
You're just fucking amazing.

[tabaqui]

*snuggles you*
Thank you so much, bay-bee.
:)

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Heee! Once I got you ove that hump you really picked up speed, didn't you? *g*

I was on the edge of my seat for the whole thing, even the parts I already knew, and the Hook-Pan scene made me sniffle. :D

[tabaqui]

Yes! Hehe. You and Rere, man - what would i do without you?
Thank you thank you!

[yaburetayume.livejournal.com]

I adore your description. You put the reader right into the story, hit all the right senses to create a clear and vivid mental image. I love it. Everything came together so perfectly. Pan's actions and reactions, Spike and Pan rising into the air and Spike biting him, Hook cradling him like Peter's his son--I don't even have words for all of it. And the "end" or Neverland! Where do you get these ideas? They're so fantastic (er, in both senses of the word, I suppose)! Again with the superb description. You continue to be stunning. I'll have to go make a small animal sacrifice at my altar now or something. I'll look forward to more. Best wishes.

[tabaqui]

Heeeeee!
Ummm - i recommend a small hamster or guinea pig - those are the preferred small animal sacrifice.
*cough*

And thank you so much! I've had that scene with Hook and Pan in my head for just *ages*, waiting until I could write it. So glad it worked!
:)

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Oh hells bells. I've been hating Pan throughout this entire story and then you go and show his vulnerability and all of a sudden I want to cuddle him just a little. He's the real lost boy.

Hook cradling him like a lost son was just beautiful and the last scene of Spike holding Xander and telling him to close his eyes literaly did make me cry.

Bows down and worships at your feet. Everytime I think your stories can't get any better, you go and prove me wrong. Can't wait to see how you wrap this up.

Beautiful, gorgeous, emotional chapter. Now I'm going to read it again.

[tabaqui]

Heeee!
*smooch*
Thank you thank you thank you! In the book, Pan has dreams from which he can't wake, and make him cry - dreams he won't speak about. That always intrigued me and gave his character that little bit of pathos.

Thank you!
:)

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

Missed this last night, which leads me to suspect, again, that LJ has been falling down on the job of posting friendslist stuff (there's been other examples lately of stuff just not being here).

This chapter is jammed with great writing-as-the-thing-itself, especially the description of Peter ad Spike's flight. And {shiver} at the ending!

Julia, of course my brain has gone off to the first chapter of The Golden Bough, now, and the necessity of death and rebirth, with soundtrack by Stravinsky

[tabaqui]

Heee.
LJ sucks hardcore just lately. Stupid lj.
Thank you!
So much.
:)

I could go for some Stravinsky...

[mokalicious.livejournal.com]

Heart stopping-ly great and so sad, sad for Pan i still can't believe it, but i am.

Worried for a minute that this was the end, but looking forward to next chapter.

I can imagine the end going a way i won't expect, not that i actually expect anything right now.

*bites nails in anticipation*

[tabaqui]

Yay! I'd hoped to get him some sympathy.
Thank you so much!
:)

[sorrelchestnut.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, this was fucking gorgeous. Spike's observation about how Hook looked like any man holding his son... Jesus. Fantastic, my dear. Simply fantastic.

[tabaqui]

Thank you so much.
:)

It definitely helped that in the play, Hook and Mr. Darling are as a rule the same actor...

[mineko-kitsune.livejournal.com]

:D Great chapter as aways :D Totally enjoyed it, and felt so sorry for Peter. Poor little boy, who is in his own little world..

[tabaqui]

Thank you so much!
:)

[yourlibrarian]

"It's going, vampire. All of it. The Great God Pan is dead and with him dies everything and everyone."

Actually I'm not sure which quote you meant was from the book, but I definitely love this one. Great chapter.

[tabaqui]

Thank you so much!
'The Great God Pan is dead' is actually an old, old, old quote from an entierly different book, heh. Basically:
f one were to believe the Greek historian Plutarch (in "The Obsolescence of Oracles" (Moralia, Book 5:17)), Pan is the only Greek god who is dead. During the reign of Tiberius (A.D. 14-37), the news of Pan's death came to one Thamus, a sailor on his way to Italy by way of the island of Paxi. A divine voice hailed him across the salt water, "Thamus, are you there? When you reach Palodes, take care to proclaim that the great god Pan is dead." Which Thamus did, and the news was greeted from shore with groans and laments.

But the line 'Proud and insolent youth...' is from the book. Peter says back 'Dark and sinister man, have at thee', and then they fight. :)

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

You've left me speechless. The twist with Hook and Pan I never saw coming, and yet it felt completely right when Hook cradled him, like any man holding his son. Absolutely wonderful!

[tabaqui]

Heee!
Thank you thank you!
:)

[bendtothesun.livejournal.com]

Oh.... *sniffle* Here I was expecting this big confrontation (all swords and piratey fighting and Spike doing what he does best- kick ass) and then all of sudden it's this whole poignant scene where Pan becomes this... child. All sad and confused and almost unable to understand why his playmates don't want to play with him anymore.

And when Neverland dies....we all go home. Isn't that where you go, when you're hungry and cold..." Hook lifted his hand and stroked Peter's hair back from his forehead – rested his thin cheek there for a moment. "When you're so, so tired..."

Yes, just yes. That's to me what the whole chapter was about, everyone's just so tired and they just want to move on. They're grown-ups who are living in a child's world and it weighs them down. And the whole Xander not wanting to kill Pan, even if Pan has essentially ruined his life... it's a very Xander thing to do.

Also love the Pan-Hook father-son thing. Throughout the whole story I was having difficulty defining the exact nature of their relationship. I mean Hook wanted Pan dead but it really didn't seem to be out of any... malice or anything and that ambiguity intrigued me. Then Hook asked to hold Pan and suddenly it just clicked.

So definitely not the chapter I was expecting but something... better. As always the writing itself was stunning and just perfect. Thanks for another great chapter and I can’t wait for the next one!

[tabaqui]

Oh wow. Thank you so very much!
:)

I had that scene with Hook and Peter in my head for *so long*, writing all the other bits and just....waiting. In the play, Hook and Mr. Darling are traditionally played by the same actor, so the 'daddy issues' in this play are enourmous and it really seemed to be the perfect way for Hook and Peter both to go out.

Thank you so much! This just made my day. :)

Neverland

[redrayne717.livejournal.com]

I just love this story. This last chapter was amazing - edge-of-your-seat suspense, the relationship between Hook and Pan.

I've only ever seen Disney's version, but I'm definitely going to check out the original.

Love you, love your stories!

Re: Neverland

[tabaqui]

Thank you so much!
*hugs*

I know the style/language of the book might be a little hard to get used to at first, but it's definitely worth it.
Yay!

[nashmaveric.livejournal.com]

::blinks away tears:: I can't believe you got me crying for Peter Pan. And Xander, cause he's so scared. The whole scene was pulling on heartstrings left, right and centre.

Now...about that cliffhanger ::eyes you::

[tabaqui]

*passes tissues*
Thank you so much!
:)

Heeee. Cliffhanger.
*rubs hands*

[tempestsreach.livejournal.com]

Another fantastic and gripping chapter that had me liking Spike and even Pan. Spike has until now held totally true to the superior vamp thing and just a little cold and unlikeable(as he should be cos it works)and Pan just doesn't see the damage he's doing. The final scene where Spike stands as Xander protector and focus rings totally true as Xander works his way under his skin. :~}

Much enjoyed and I can not wait to see how you wrap it all up.

[tabaqui]

Thank you so much!
Yeah, spike is all about the front, but there's *always* something going on under that pale hide.
:)

[postholedigger.livejournal.com]

Oh I am never unhappy with your writing, and this is just fabulous. So dark. Can't wait for the next bit.

[tabaqui]

Thank you very much!
:)

[reddwarf75.livejournal.com]

My suspision was right, that place can't excist without Peter Pan *bounce bounce* Made me shiver this chapter, almost whimper, damn u write good!
Marie

[tabaqui]

Heeee. Yes!
Thank you so much!
:)

gah.

[tiger-lantern.livejournal.com]

Just read the last 4 chapters in a heady rush, so completely caught up in the world you've created. Really all I can do is add more praise, I am a bit too dumbfounded at just how well you write at this moment to add specifics! On tenterhooks (npi) for the next chapter. *tosses long-stemmed roses at you in honour of an amazing performance*

Re: gah.

[tabaqui]

Oh, thank you thank you!
:)
*bounce*

[hippychc.livejournal.com]

This was simply beautiful. Such a tragic perfect picture of the end of the world (or at least Neverland). I'm speechless.....***goes off to reread and commit to memory***

[tabaqui]

Thank you so much!
:)

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

After all his crazy, manipulative scariness, I felt sorry for Pan in the end. The image of Spike holding on through Pan's wild flight was vivid and you wrote the intimacy of the bite beautifully. Hook comforting Pan into death was also intimate and richly detailed. This chapter was wonderful, loaded with haunting visuals and tremendous tension. I can't wait to see where they all end up now that Neverland has unravelled.

[tabaqui]

Thank you!
I was so hoping to make Pan a sympathetic figure in the end - glad that it worked!
:)