Not For Me
By
TeenTypist (Erin)
John, Michael, and the Lost Boys were packing up the few things they would bring back home with them. To the real world. Where they would grow up. They took surprising things; pieces of string, slingshots, marbles, and anything else they felt would be necessary while growing up. They wanted to make sure they remembered out to be kids.
Wendy was there too. She had her few things packed away in a neat bundle. Now she was just tidying up. She was sweeping the dirt floor with a broom the Lost Boys and Peter had made her a week ago. She straightened out the animal skins on Peter's bed. She moved her rocking chair a fraction of an inch so that it was in just the right place.
Peter watched all this. She was leaving him. She was leaving him because she wanted to grow up and he didn't. He wasn't ready. He refused. But maybe, for her, it would be worth it? It might. But…growing up meant rules. It meant expectations. He didn't want that. If he grew up, he would have to give up playing at sword fights and being in charge of everything. But he couldn't leave Neverland. Neverland was his home.
But he didn't want to grow up. No matter how he looked at it, he didn't want to. It wasn't him. But maybe for Wendy he could do it. Maybe for Wendy, he could grow up. Maybe for Wendy, he would grow up. Just maybe, it wouldn't be so bad. People did it everyday, right?
He called to her, "Wendy?"
"Yes, Peter?"
"Come here. Please?" He added the "please" in an attempt to sound grown up.
She put down the broom and walked over to stand in front of him.
Peter was slouched and half-lying on a bench carved into the side of the wall. Realizing how sloppy and childish he must look, he sat up straight and let his feet touch the floor. Sitting up straight with good posture like this sure hurt. He didn't like it at all. "Wendy, I've decided to go with you. I…I'm going to…" He shut his eyes and bit his lip before whispering, "Grow up."
"What?" she gasped in shock.
"For you. I want to grow up so I can stay with you. If you won't stay in Neverland with me, then I've got to go back with you."
It was a long time before she said anything. Finally she said quietly, "I can't let you do that, Peter."
"What? Why? I just want to make you happy and stay with you."
"Because, Peter, growing up would change you. You wouldn't be the same person. You wouldn't be able to be the same person. Growing up changes people. I like you the way you are now. I love you the way you are now. If you changed…you wouldn't be you. You're Peter Pan. You're the boy who never has to grow up. Never has to worry. Never has to be responsible. There has to be one person like that in the world. One person to keep childhood innocence alive for those of us that are going to forget it. Growing up is not meant for you."
Peter's mouth gaped like a fish out of water. He didn't really understand a word she was saying. She was talking like a grown up, and during her speech, it almost seemed as though she'd grown three inches taller and her now dirty and torn (but mended) nightdress was the dress of a queen. She seemed powerful. She seemed mature. She seemed…like an adult.
Then Wendy relaxed and she was once more a girl, a girl standing in front of him wearing the same nightgown she'd worn since she flew out her window with the mysterious boy who had lost his shadow. "Peter, stay the way you are. Please. Stay that way forever. Never change. Give the rest of us something to hope for. I'll always love you, even if you don't know what love means. Just don't change.
Peter bit his lip, "If you wish it, Wendy."
She nodded.
Peter gave one of his trademark mischievous and quirky grin. "Good. I don't like change. Growing up is not for me. I'm going to stay a little boy forever!"
Peter and Wendy stuck out their hands, spit on them, and shook. A sign any child can easily understand as a binding deal.
---FINIS---
I don't know where this fits in as far as whether it's the book, the cartoon movie, or the new movie. But this is kind of missing scene/what-if. I don't Wendy would have really wanted him to grow up, because she loves him for who he is then. If he grew up to be a cranky, boring bank clerk or something, he just wouldn't be Peter Pan anymore, would he?
Please review and let me know what you think. I'm going to do another 1-shot, I think from Hook's point of view. It'll be about why Hook never catches Peter.