Underneath

It had become a routine now, and she couldn't quite remember when she had not sat by her window. Her nights' were filled with prayer, for someone to take her away from this place. She had no desire to be here, her heart longing for adventure and excitement, not content with marriage. But a topic such as marriage was often brought up in the Darling household, for Aunt Millicent wasn't happy with the girl's dreams. She cared more about what others thought, and with Wendy growing older, the idea of finding a suitor was a usual topic between her and the girl's parents.

After several years of this, it began to take its toll on the young girl, who was carrying so many burdens on her shoulders. She wanted nothing more than to run away, hoping that the stars would answer her prayers, though the longer she pleaded the more she became doubtful of ever escaping. And now she sat, her cotton nightgown pooled at her knees as she rested her elbows on the windowsill, gazing at the stars as they shined down on her. Moments passed, and soon Wendy found herself growing tired, ready to submit to sleep.

She stood, closing the window as she turned the latches on both sides so that it was locked before walking to her bed, turning down the sheets before nuzzling her way in. It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes, but she felt herself slipping into a slumber. The latches on the window began to turn to the right, but Wendy did not stir as three soft taps followed. The girl shot up, fully alert when the large window flew open, letting in the warm summer air. In her dark room she could make out a silhouette stepping silently onto the carpet. She didn't know whether to scream or run, but she did neither as the figure became more clear.

A ball of yellow light zoomed through the open window, bringing a nice glow to her room. Wendy sat still, instinctively clutching the quilts around her. A boy stood at the end of her bed, clad in all colors and sizes of leaves, a thick vine wrapping over his left shoulder while a strap of leaves covered the other as they formed at X across his chest, an acorn adorning the front of it. Another vine wrapped around his right upper arm, and a belt held not only what looked like a knife, but a pair of carved flutes. His skin was sun kissed, his hair a dirty blonde mop of curls that stuck out every which way. Wendy would have been very alarmed if it weren't for his eyes, a beautiful sea green that seemed to lock her in a trance. The stranger smiled at her, a crooked grin plastering his face before he bowed to her like they were at a grand ball. By now Wendy had kicked her blankets aside, standing at her bedside a few feet from him.

"What is your name?" she asked, wondering if just maybe she had gotten her wish.

"I'm Peter Pan," he spoke, a broad smile on his face while his hands rested on his hips. "What is your name?" he replied, repeating her question.

"Wendy Moira Angela Darling," she replied proudly, curtsying as a small smile spread across her face. The ball of light stopped flying, landing on Peter's shoulder. Wendy squinted, able to see a small woman dressed in a leaf dress, blonde hair in a wild bun.

"A fairy!" she exclaimed, not being able to take in what she was seeing.

"That's Tinkerbell," Peter explained, but the fairy did not seem very polite with Wendy. In fact, she seemed distant and sluggish, like she had no life left in her. Wendy thought it odd, but did not question it. Instead, she remembered the important question, turning her focus back on Peter.

"Why are you here?" Wendy asked, hoping that maybe this was really happening. She had had dreams of a boy taking her to a distant land, but those were merely dreams. She would have never thought he'd be standing here, only a few feet from her.

"I'm taking you to Neverland," Peter replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Neverland?"

"You wont have to grow up there, you'll have so many adventures," Peter explained, glancing at the fairy still standing on his shoulder. "There's mermaids, pirates, Indians; every day is a new adventure."

Peter was already making it sound rather tempting, what without parents or rules to follow, it seemed like a paradise to Wendy.

"How do we get there?" Wendy questioned, but instead of an answer Peter held out his hand, and she contemplated taking his hand. She stepped back a bit, shaking her head. Now that her opportunity was right in front of her, the questions flooded her mind. She couldn't just leave everyone behind, what if she wanted to come back? What would John and Michael think?

"Wendy," Peter said, and she looked up at his sea green orbs, instantly relaxing under his gaze. "Do you trust me?"

She felt herself nodding without even thinking about it; she had only just met him. But something about him made her feel like she had known him for years. The worries concerning her family melted away, replaced by the idea of Neverland. She placed her hand in his and with a grin spreading on his face, he tugged her toward the still open window.

"Tink," Peter asked, and before Wendy could figure out what was happening, the fairy had started circling her body, showering her in a sparkly dust.

"We have to fly to get to Neverland," Peter said, watching Tinkerbell exit the house. He reached for her hand, which she gave him, before telling her to think happy thoughts. Wendy found it easy to do, and she glanced down at the floor, her feet floating a few inches above it. She gasped, holding her arms out at her sides as her nightgown dangled above her ankles. Peter stepped out on the ledge, guiding her onto the windowsill as she tried to control flight.

"A-Are you sure about this?" she stuttered, looking down at the ground about thirty feet below. Her throat tightened as she realized how high up she was, but Peter squeezed her hand, drifting her out further from the window.

"I wont let you fall," he said, and she nodded as she looked ahead. The wind began to pick up, causing her hair to fly around madly. Her eyes returned to the ground, now knowing there was no going back. They began to soar higher, and before long the pair broke through the clouds, the sky dazzled in stars as they continued their journey through the heavens. It felt much like a dream to Wendy, but the harsh wind and shortage of air told her differently.

She caught sight of Tinkerbell ahead of them, a line of shimmering dust left in her wake. Wendy gaped as they soared past planets, and a million stars filled her vision. She looked at Peter, he seemed much more tense now as he focused ahead at the fairy. Wendy found it hard to get air as their speed increased, and her hair tangled 'round her throat in a deadly dance. Something felt wrong, uneasy to her now.

"Hold on!" Peter yelled, and Wendy clutched his hand tighter as they broke through the barrier between Neverland and London. It felt as if her ribs were being trampled on, and her lungs felt like they'd give out at any moment, as the void seemed to crush her, causing her head to pound and ache. The feelings soon passed, however, as they glided over rough waters.

Wendy looked ahead now, her eyes widening as she took in the island's fearsome look. They soon reached the land, and Wendy looked confused as to why Peter would bring her to such a place. The far side of the island had a Volcano that had a huge cloud of dark smoke spewing from its top. Sharp mountains covered the sides of the island, and an almost dead forest lay out in front of her. Her bare feet scratched against the rough jagged ground, and as she stepped she felt the small rocks digging into her soft skin. She looked up at the moon, seeing only a red ring around it, casting an eerie glow down on the island. This place felt dark, negative, and she didn't like it.

She turned around to ask Peter, but what stood before her was not the boy who came to her window a short time ago. A body of a boy, yes, but a very distorted version. He looked deathly pale, and you could visibly see the ribs sticking out from his uncovered sides. His hair was much darker, almost black looking under the dim light the moon gave them. The leaves that made up his outfit were crinkling, like they had been dead long ago.

At first Wendy was very scared for Peter, but after a moment he smiled at her with chapped lips, revealing a row of tapered teeth. Her blue eyes widened in fear, and out of instinct she stepped back, heart racing as she thought of running. Peter whistled loudly, the sound echoing through the empty area as Tinkerbell flew into view.

"Welcome to Neverland, Wendy," Peter hissed, his voice cold and scratchy. With that, Peter took one last glance at the girl he had lured here, tempting her with a freedom she had wanted but had not received. He smirked at her, it sending chills down her spine before he took off with Tinkerbell into the dark sky, his form barely visible against the night sky.

A/N~ I hope you guys liked it! This was an old story of mine that had a lot of potential, but unfortunately I had accidentally erased it from my computer, thus causing me to rewrite this. Its not as good as my original version, but I tried to remember as much as possible! PLZ review and tell me if you like it, and thanks for reading!