The voices are quiet for a moment. Fear rises in my chest and spreads like wildfire across my skin as I wait for them to speak again. As I wait for a sound, any sound, to clue me into where they are, what they might want with me. Rufio’s last comment has my mind racing with thoughts and memories I don’t want to relive.

“Shit,” I hear Rufio laugh. “When Tink told us you said to meet you here,” my body goes rigid with the mention of her name, I stop breathing, suddenly alert and awaiting the worst, “she made it sound like you were willing to share. Like you do from time to time with Tiger Lily.”

“Fucking Tink,” I hear him rasp out again.

Him. He’s just him now. No Peter. No Hook. Just a cruel mixture of something so familiar yet so far out of reach, I fear I will never be able to understand him ever again.

“And maybe,” I hear him continue. “Maybe that is not a bad idea after all. Get her on her fucking feet.”

I try to suck in a breath around the gag but it’s no use. Before I can even finish my useless attempt, I’m grabbed by each of my arms and hoisted up onto shaky legs in loose gravel. I push outward as best I can at each of my sides, but my pathetic attempt is only met with roaring laughter.

“Untie her eyes,” I hear him say, and then notice, he never laughed when the lost boys did just now. I didn’t hear the sound of his voice mocking me. All I hear is his utmost displeasure.

For what? Bringing me here? Restraining me? Sharing me? Oh God, please don’t let it be that. He wouldn’t, not after the past. Or would he?

Harshly, I feel one of the boys grab at the tie around my head and start to unlace the fabric. Everything inside screams that I’m not ready for this. That I was not ready to return. I thought I could do this, but I was so wrong. There are so many memories here. So many things I have been attempting to suppress. To hide. My whole life since he left me and never returned, I’ve been fighting this nightmare. Now, it’s staring straight back at me and for the first time I shake with fear that I am not ready to confront it. Not like I thought I was.

“Fuck, she’s prettier than she used to be, am I right boss?”

“One more fucking word, Rufio, and I’ll gut you with my hook.”

“Yes, boss.”