THE BRILLIANT DANCE

By Spike and The Creative Team

Pre-Story Rant

Spike: In writing this, I was debating over the title of this, having it be the title of a very lovely Dashboard Confessional song.

Heero: She thought it didn't share the same "meaning."

Gadget: Well, if you think about it, when you listen to the lyrics of the song, it's about breaking up and such, which this is not about.

Spike: Aside from that, I feel that the title really fits this fic. So...yeah. Enjoy.

THE BRILLIANT DANCE

One, two, three, one, two three, spin, one, two, three...

I can vaguely remember the steps--Tink used to waltz when her husband was alive. They used to dance on my hand, and Tink would smile and wink at me as he twirled her about. He told me how to waltz, once upon a time, but I wasn't really paying that much attention, anyway.

I wish now I had.

It's much harder to dance when you're flying. Especially when you're dancing with her. Dancing with My Wendy.

She looks so lovely in this light. The soft pink and yellow glow from the faeries lights up her smile and her lovely golden hair seems to dance with us.

My Wendy.

Her face is so flawless. Her skin looks so soft that I have the strongest urge to reach out and touch her cheek. I couldn't do it though. My hand is trembling from her touch.

What is this?

My heart thuds in my chest so hard I can practically hear the pounding, like the drum the Indians play when someone dies. I can only recall one time my heart beat so loudly--Hook had almost had me, almost killed me.

But for some reason, this beating is different.

This makes me afraid...and yet...happy...

I don't understand it. I don't understand why when no one else can make me fear them at all, she can make me tremble by smiling.

But, ah, I recall one other who made me tremble by doing the slightest thing, by touching my arm.

Tiger Lilly.

I used to feel like this when she was around, as well. That time when I was wounded so badly, and the Indians took care of me. She was always there, Tiger Lilly. My heart would thud like this when she came to tend to me or change my bandaging or bring me food and drink.

But I abruptly stopped feeling like this around her when Hook found out that I cared, when he threatened to kill her if I didn't tell him how to fly. I knew that if I cared for her, he would kill her.

A thought strikes me...

What if Hook finds out about My Wendy?

If he touched her at all...if he threatened her...I don't know what I would do.

Yes, I do.

I'd kill him. She is MY Wendy and he has no right to touch her.

I wonder briefly about her lips. What it would be like to touch them--I want to touch them. It's something I don't know about, and I don't know why I desire to do it.

But I do.

Oh, my lovely Wendy...

"Peter?" she asks softly.

Oh, her voice. My throat is dry, and my palms are sweaty, but she doesn't seem to mind. I spin her again and manage to will myself to smile. I can only hope she doesn't see right through me.

My Wendy smiles back. I love how she smiles. Such a toothy grin--I've never seen someone smile so wide. Her smile makes my knees feel like water and I swallow hard again.

I can't take this anymore. This tension--these confusing emotions. this brilliant dance. I wish I could stop thinking, just stare at her and dance, looking at my reflection in her gorgeous blue eyes.

But the nervousness is making me think and I can't take it.

I have to end it before I explode.

"It's make-believe, isn't it, Wendy?" I ask.

The smile leaves her face as we start to float down. Our brilliant dance is over--and my happiness is gone.

"Oh." She forces a smile to her face. "Of course it is, Peter."

R&R, Fools.

END.