1 - Again

"Give up, Hook! You'll never win!"

"Blast you, Pan! I'll get you for this!"

The young boy laughed. It really was very funny. The red-faced Captain stared up at him with undeniable rage in his eyes, his hook the only barrier between life and becoming a crocodile's dinner.

The pair had battled it out for over an hour; Peter with a look of absolute enthrallment on his face, Captain Hook with a bitter sneer, pining for revenge on the boy who had made his life a living nightmare. Their swords clashed again and again, creating a dull ringing that echoed all across Neverland, the small island they both inhabited. Eventually, however, Peter had gotten the upper-hand, and Captain Hook was left dangling over the side of the Jolly Roger, holding onto the plank for dear life. His face was very white. The hungry crocodile snapped its jaws below.

The boy grinned with delight, wedging the small dagger he carried under the Captain's hook. The Captain cried out in terror.

"Smee! SMEE!"

There was a scrambling of feet, followed by a low wheezing sound. The door that led to the galley below creaked open noisily and a small, pudgy man burst forth. He surveyed the situation quickly, and then hastened to his superior's side.

"Cap'n!"

Waddling as fast as his stubby legs would allow, he crossed the deck, eyeing Peter suspiciously. Peter raised an eyebrow, grinning.

"SMEEEEEE!" came the Captain's voice.

Peter laughed even more uproariously, doubling over onto the deck. A golden comet whizzed past his ear. Then, bells chimed. He stopped and looked up.

"Hiya, Tink!" Peter said, beaming.

But something was not right. The tiny pixie responded, in what Peter thought to be, an extremely icy tone. His eyebrows furrowed. Tink was rarely, if ever, unkind to him. He had grown used to the looks of admiration she constantly shot at him.

This was just…bizarre.

"Tink, what's wrong?" Peter asked, eyeing his small friend with apprehension. He rocked on the balls of his feet, and floated to where she was hovering. She merely frowned, kicking the air in front of her with a decisive snap, sending a plume of pixie dust into the air. Her eyes were bloodshot. A spasm of alarm erupted in Peter.

"Tink," he said, panicking, "Tink, what's wrong? Are ya hurt, Tink? Who did-?"

"Aha! Taste your defeat, boy!"

Peter whirled around, dagger at the ready. Somehow, and Peter wasn't quite sure how, Smee had managed to pull the Captain to his feet; His knees shook as though ice cubes had been dropped down his back, the plank quivering under his weight. His face was alive with fury.

"Never!" Peter screamed back dramatically, grinning from ear to ear. Hook stomped over to him, growing more menacing with each step. Peter had barely raised his dagger in time, before, crash. The two weapons collided with thunderous force. Under the mass, Peter's arm trembled. This did not go unnoticed.

"Pan is losing his nerve, is he?" Captain Hook jeered, pushing his greasy black hair out of his eyes.

Turning very red in the face, Peter growled loudly, his blood boiling in his veins. With a strangled cry, he summoned all the force he could and shoved. The move caught Hook by surprise. He stumbled over his own feet and landed with a loud thunk onto the deck, cursing loudly. His body went limp. Smee scrambled from where he stood to Captain Hook, fanning his face with a worried expression.

"CAPTAIN!"

Still angry, though slightly pleased with himself, Peter looked over his shoulder and whistled. "Come on, Tink! Let's finish him!"

Tinkerbell still glared at him, floating in the same spot she'd been in two minutes earlier. She surveyed him, biting her lip.

"Tink?"

And then with no warning, she collapsed onto the deck, sobbing.

Stunned, Peter could only stare for a moment. Then he dropped to all fours, gently placing the small pixie in his hands. His heart was racing. He had never seen Tinkerbell like this. Her tears burned against his skin. Unsure of how to act, but knowing he had to something, Peter carefully patted her on the back, trying to comfort her. That is, until he realized he might be crushing her in his hand; he stopped immediately.

It seemed to have done the trick. Either that or Tink was just embarrassed. Either way, she sniffled once, rubbed her eyes, and sat up.

"Tink, what is it?" Peter asked one final time.

She chimed back at him in a small voice. He froze.

"Wait. Say that again."

She repeated it.

This time, Peter knew he had heard correctly. His eyes widened. It couldn't be… Not here. But… In a whisper, so low Tinkerbell had to strain to hear, he said one word.

"Ariel."

Joy flooded his body.

Slowly, Tinkerbell raised herself from his palm, waiting. He did not notice her. Mechanically, he got to his feet.

"She's back?" His mind was numb. Numb with bliss.

After a short, curt nod by Tinkerbell, his face broke into a huge smile. His feet naturally floated off the deck. He stared off into space, then, with a loud, clear, happy rooster crow, he was flying. The small firefly blinked once. Peter was gone. She traced her eyes along the landscape, finally spotting him. He was already fifty yards away, heading in the direction of the Mermaid Lagoon. Tink hovered, rooted where she was, then seemed to come to her senses and launched herself into the air. She blasted after him, a whirlwind of light, her face livid.

And as both boy and pixie flew away at full force, neither noticed the man on the deck, his eyes watching the scene unfold before him. He had considered striking; the moment had been perfect. But this–this delectable piece of information–was far more interesting.

He clambered to his feet, ignoring Smee's relieved blabbering. Captain Hook maliciously began twiddling the end of his mustache, mulling over the name, and Peter's reaction to it.

Ariel.

Then, he chuckled.

"Losing your nerve, Pan. Losing your nerve."

Author's Note:

Subject: Peter Pan + The Little Mermaid crossover

Rating: PG

Couples: Peter Pan/Ariel

Back story: Ariel used to live in Neverland with the mermaids, until her father decided to move to a new home, Atlantica. Tearfully, she had to say goodbye to her best friend, Peter Pan. Now, 4 years later, on her seventeenth birthday, she has returned to pay him a little visit. What will happen when everyone's favorite boyhood hero unwillingly learns to grow up for the girl he loves?

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I just borrow them. This was written for my own amusement.