Yes, I probably shouldn't be starting another story, and yes, this isn't an original idea. But hopefully it's an original take on a less-than-original idea! Anyway, I really, really hope you enjoy it because I'm loving writing it.

As always, I own nothing and that includes Mary Poppins and Peter Pan, who are property of P.L. Travers and J.M. Barrie respectively.

"Bert, have you seen my pearls?" Mary asks loudly as she rummages through her jewelry box. "I can't seem to find them."

She doesn't get a response, but she does get two very suspicious sets of giggles coming from her son's room and follows them. She rolls her eyes at what she finds.

Bert has donned their son's pirate cap and is waving around a sword, his other hand clenched into a fist with only his pointer finger extended and curved into a hook. "Avast ye, shiver me timbers!" he bellows, making a grab for his five-year-old son.

Benjamin hops up on to his bed, neatly sidestepping Bert's swipe but struggling with the climb, waving a dagger of cardboard in his little hands."You'll never get me, Hook!"

"Curse you, Peter Pan! Yo ho ho!"

Mary can't help it and starts laughing. "Now Bert, you know Hook would never say that!"

Benjamin looks up. "What do you mean, Momma?"

"Your father is failing to remember that Hook doesn't usually speak in pirate clichés." Mary sends a pointed look Bert's way. If he's going to be telling their son the story, he should tell it properly!

"But how do you know?"

"You think your father is the only one who dealt with Captain Hook?" Mary turns her nose up and sniffs. "Highly unlikely."

"But Hook lives in Neverland!"

"Yes, he does."

"Did you live in Neverland, Mummy?"

Mary smiles and sits down next to her son. Without a word, he crawls into her lap, settling in as he faces her. Mary wraps him in her arms and kisses his forehead. "Where do you think I met your father?"

Benjamin' eyes grow wide. "Daddy wented to Neverland too?"

"Your daddy was in Neverland even longer than I was! He and Peter-"

Her son interrupts her to turn to Bert. "You knew Peter Pan?"

Bert chuckles, sitting down next to Mary. His weight slopes the small bed and makes her lean into him, so he just does what makes sense and pulls her even closer. Mary rolls her eyes but doesn't move away. "I suppose I did," Bert responds.

"Don't let your father fool you," Mary jumps in. "He and Peter were very close. Your father was Peter's very first friend. When I met them, they were nearly inseparable."

"But… but…" Benjamin looks back and forth between his parents. "No!"

"No?" Mary laughs. "You think your dad and Peter weren't friends?"

"Peter Pan doesn't like grown-ups and Daddy's a grown-up!"

"Well, that's certainly debatable," Mary mutters under her breath.

Bert pinches her gently. "I 'eard that."

She smirks at him before returning her attention to her son. "He wasn't always a grown-up!"

"But he's a daddy, not a little kid!"

"No, it's true, Benjamin!" Bert exclaims. "I was once your age. A very, very long time ago."

"No way!"

"'s true! So was your mum, once upon a time. Mind you, she might 'ave known a few dinosaurs in 'er time."

"Oh, Bert, really!"

Benjamin gives his father a scolding look. "Mummy's not that old."

Mary huffs. "I'm not old at all! Now your father on the other hand…"

"Oooh, Daddy's in trouble!"

"Don't you worry, bud," Bert says with a lopsided grin. "Your mum loves me almost as much as I love 'er!"

Mary rolls her eyes, but says nothing.

"And you love me most!" Benjamin exclaims.

"Yeah, bud," Bert chuckles, reaching out to ruffle his son's hair. Mary smiles as she watches the pair. Benjamin is an exact copy of his father, cowlicks and all. "We love you most."

"Yay!" Benjamin exclaims and hugs Mary tightly. "Wait! But if Daddy was Peter's friend, why is he here with us?"

"It seems to me that that's a question you should be asking him. I don't want to put words in his mouth."

"Daddy? Why aren't you with Peter Pan?"

"Well, bud, it's a bit… complicated."

"It is?"

"The most important thing was that your mum 'ere, she was ready to come 'ome to London."

"But wasn't Neverland your home?"

"Bud, let me tell you something and I 'ope and pray you'll find it out for yourself one day."

"What's that, Daddy?"

"One day, you're going to meet somebody and from then on, your 'ome is never going to be any place they're not."

"Cuz you love them?"

"Because you love 'em more'n anything else in the world, more'n the moon and stars." Bert grins and wraps his arm around his wife's waist. "Your mum, she's my 'ome. She makes my life better just by being in it."

"Oh, Bert, really," Mary sighs.

"Well, it's true!"

Mary shakes her head but lays her head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of her head and she smiles. The man is positively insufferable at times, but he has a way of saying things at just the right moment, in just the right way, that remind her of just how truly lucky she is. She's known him since she was twelve, and even then, though she had found him rather obnoxious and lacking in any sort of manners, she could see the true kindness and loyalty that were simply a part of him.

"Daddy?" Benjamin asks.

"Yeah, bud?"

"Will you tell me about Neverland?"

"What do ya want to know?"

"All of it! All about Peter and Captain Hook and Mummy and you and everything!"

"That sounds like a very long story," Mary interjects. "And it's nearly bedtime."

"But Mummy…"

"Why don't we get you ready for bed and then your father can tell you all about it when he tucks you in?"

"Okay!" Ben says with an easy grin. He clambers down off her lap and runs to get his pajamas so she can help him dress. She's lucked into a truly happy child. He's very rarely difficult and incredibly agreeable. Not a day goes by that Mary doesn't see her husband simply cloned in their son. "Mummy?" he asks as she supervises him cleaning his teeth.

"Yes?"

""Will you help Daddy tell the story? Sometimes I don't think he tells it right!"

Mary hides a smile. "If you wish."

"Please! You tell stories good."

"You know, I've been told that."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm." Mary nods. "But that's part of the story. Are you ready for bed?"

"Yep!"

Mary and Ben return to his room and find Bert prepared for story time, having dragged the armchair across the room to sit by Ben's bed. Mary tucks in her son tightly and he snuggles into bed. She perches on the arm of the chair and Bert gives her a questioning look. "Your son has requested I help with the story. Apparently you don't tell things right sometimes."

"Well, that's just no fair! You've 'ad more practice than I 'ave."

"Just admit it, Bert. I'm a better storyteller than you!"

"Of course you are! 's why you were in Neverland in the first place! You've got an unfair advantage."

"Mummy told stories?" Ben speaks up.

Mary and Bert smile at each other before she answers. "Well, you see, it was a long time ago…"