It was just after her noon lecture; her only class that day. Gwen left the lecture theater with an unsettled heart. After her bump in with James earlier that day, it was as if old worries and anxiety had crept up her spine. It was not like she believed James' words. She knew the truth.

He's the reason Pauline is gone. The reason Anna is dead.

The reason was Skul.

However, James had made her feel unsure. She did not enjoy feeling unsure. The mystery was not unraveling the way she needed it too. She was wading through mud, knowing the end, but crawling too slow to reach. There was no one she could confide to. She had turned on her helping hands; her best friend was gone. No one knew the whole story like she did. Except for Peter. 

A strange longing filled her heart. A person she knew for hardly any more than a month, a person she stalked for two years as a criminal, was obscuring her rational senses, making her yearn for him like no other. She wanted to lean on him, gain support, but wasn't that her job. She was supposed to be his pillar, not the other way around.

Months ago, she remembered how collected he was as she confessed her problem regarding James' avid pursuit to capture him. He made her feel assured; they would get out if it. Feeling protected... Felt good. It was selfish of her, but she wanted it all the same. The only other person who made her feel that way was Anna.

Gwen drove past the plaza down a familiar road. She parked at the side of a rundown building and got out. A dark looming alleyway was just before her. She remembered the place. As clear as day. The scar on her thigh throbbed.

She closed her eyes for a moment, igniting the memories from three months ago. Her hand almost felt the warmth of Peter's as he held it tight, tugging her along the twisted alley. She followed the sensation and stepped into the dingy path. Turning left and right and left and right, the path called for her. Her heartbeat quickened. This was the path to his place. What if he was waiting at the end of it?

Gwen never trod the path since the incident, in worries that she would lead James and his party straight to Peter. But now something was pulling her forward, the need, the urge, to see him once more. The alley grew darker and darker, her pace however only got faster.

Her mind was in such a befuddled mess she did not notice when another figure came smashing into her. Gwen fell and landed right on her butt. She grimaced in pain.

Peter? Her eyes shot up to the person before her. But her heart sank as it was not him.

Before her, on the ground, was a girl. She was petite but dressed in ripped denim shorts and a tank top, several tattoo etched on her forearms and legs. Her jet-black hair was in a jagged pixie cut. She shot to her feet. Gwen scrambled up after her. The girl eyed her with annoyance before scooping a backpack from the ground and slung it over her shoulder.

The girl ignored her and walked straight past her. However, it irked Gwen. This path was for certain secretive, she did not think many would know about it; in fact, she believed only Peter knew. But the girl was walking with purpose straight from the heart of the dark alley.

"Wait!" Gwen exclaimed, stopping the girl in her tracks. She turned and eyed her with an arched brow.

"Who are you? And how do you know this path?" Gwen asked.

The girl looked taken aback before her expression changed to curiosity. "Who are you? And how do you know this path?" She tossed the question back at Gwen with equal suspicion.

Gwen hesitated but introduced herself, nonetheless. "Gwendy Larson. And you?"

The girl was more skeptical to introduce herself, but then as if a thought occurred to her she decided to anyway. "Belle."

"Well then, Belle. Mind if I ask again. How do you know this path?" Gwen asked with a mustered half-smile.

"You mean, how do you know?" Belle retorted.

Gwen rolled her eyes, "Stop repeating my questions. Fine, I'll enlighten you first. I'm looking for someone... Thought I could get some clues," In all honesty, Gwen had no idea why she was there. But it seemed like a fitting explanation.

"Looking for whom?" Belle asked.

"Answer my question first!" Gwen demanded.

Belle let out a huff, "Fine, I'm looking for someone too. But apparently he's not here," she said clicking her tongue.

Gwen's heart lurched. Did she mean...?

"He...? Are you looking for... Peter?"

Belle's eyes shot up, as if she finally got her attention. It held even more suspicion. "You know him?! Are you looking for him too?" She started firing questions.

Gwen shook her head slowly, "I'm... Not supposed to..." She muttered.

"What do you-"

"Who are you to Peter?" She had thrown out the burning question.

She tilted her head to one side," A friend... And you?"

Friend. The notion made Gwen tense. Peter had so-called friends? Of course Gwen, did you think he was living his life alone all this time? It made her realize how little she knew about him. Their time together was short. It only made her wonder how important she was to him. A girl he had only known for a while and did not even tell her much about himself.

Belle cleared her throat, "Sis, you listening?"

Gwen snapped out of her thoughts. "I'm... I... Don't even know," she murmured with a sigh not meeting her eyes. Belle's eyes narrowed at her peculiar answers.

"Well, if you're not looking for Peter, who are you looking for?" She asked.

In a round-a-bout sort of way, she did not come here looking for anyone, but she was looking for Skul in reality. Was it okay to tell this girl?

"I don't suppose you know who Gregory Skul is? I'm not on his side, if you're wondering," Gwen said warily.

She saw Belle tense. Her eyes drifted to alley stretching out the back of Gwen and landed back to her. "Unfortunately, I do."

Belle turned on her heel and looked over her shoulder, "You intrigue me, Gwendy Larson. I'd like to talk. Perhaps we could share some information," she offered.

Gwen was quick to come to step beside her. Theirs eyes met, both bore equal stubbornness and curiosity.

"Tell me what you know."

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A/N: Hello, Lost boys. I've been getting many comments, and it's great hearing from my fellow readers. Share your thoughts with me!  Leave a vote, comment, and share!