Binged on Peter Pan last night and couldn't sleep despite my exhaustion, I don't know where this came from, but much love to my reviewers and faithful followers. Don't own, my last name isn't Barrie
D.R.
"Come quick, something's wrong with Peter!" Curley froze at the familiar voice of Twins. A dull sense of dread filled him. Peter had been away to London again, spying on the Wendy Bird's offspring and her stories again no doubt. He had been bringing the lads back tales of a girl named Alice this time. Curley often feigned disinterest during them though he found himself drawn to the tales despite. He thought Peter would be cured of his obsession with the Darling family after he realized Wendy had chosen to grow old instead of remain with them forever, thought that their adventures would return to normal and there would be no further talk of such fiddle faddle and nonsense. He had his shadow and he had his crew, they should get on with the adventuring, but no. Alas, it was Cinderella this and Alice that. Then there was the pining when he went too long without seeing the Darlings from their nursery window. When Michael and John left for university and Wendy was off on some adventure, Curley was ready to string their leader up himself.
Still, his irritation with Peter did not stop his heart from pounding or his hands reflexively dropping the fishing net he was mending. "Take me to him." He responded urgently, swallowing back his fears. Peter had mentioned something about bombs falling from the sky on a regular basis, but- He shouldn't have let him go. He should have made him stay. Images of Peter in pieces in some god forsaken alley flooded his mind as he shoved through the dense foliage behind Twins to leaping across the snowy caps of the woods. He had half a mind to snap at the younger boy to go faster but he tempered his tongue. "Peter!" Curley exclaimed as he finally caught sight of their leader's dark crown of hair leaning against one of twisted trees. Tootles was already there, kneeling next to him and whispering what Curley thought sounded ridiculously like nonsensical comforts as he gripped his hand. Tinkerbell was fluttering next to his shoulder, the odd sound of her wings sounding more alarmed than normal. Curley dropped by his other side. "Peter." He seemed to be in one piece.
Dark eyes cracked open before fluttering shut with a moan of pain, "Twins, I told you not to tell him." He murmured hoarsely, tilting his head slightly towards Curley who found himself alarmed by the odd play of colors on his friend's cheeks. He was more gray than anything alive and underneath the silver sparkle there was an unhealthy red flush that reminded Curley of the lads when they had spent too much time in the bitter cold. Then there was the bright red blood that dripped from his nose, painting a crime like picture of gore against the fragile white backdrop.
Curley waved off Twins stammered but's and put his free hand to Peter's heated cheek. He shared a concerned glance Tootles who had taken to playing with Peter's sweat drenched hair in a way that, since Jimmy abandoned them, Peter, if he was in any right state of mind, would have brushed off as girly. Right then Peter didn't seem too opposed or at least didn't have the energy to do anything about it. "Toots, has he told you what's happened?" Curley asked feeling more anxious that what he thought the situation warranted.
"He's right here thank you, and 'he's' fine." Peter croaked, "Never better."
"You leave us for a few weeks and come back like this. I don't call that fine Peter. Anyways, you've got Tink in a right tizzy." The blonde jibed lightly, Curley might not be able to hear what she said, but it was pretty obvious from the way she was flitting that she was in no way calm or at ease with the situation. "Tell us what's happened Peter, what kept you away so long?"
Peter finally reopened those dark eyes and looked at his friend, "Wendy's sick." Curley thought he could see the desperation and loss in those soulful eyes and was tempted for a moment to mirror Tootle's nearly motherly ministrations, but he refrained. "'s Real bad Curley. I stayed, but they took her away, the baby-" Peter's words choked off. "Her other children went to the country before- but the baby, I couldn't do anything, I was holding it and-" Silver tears finally spilled over, and Peter turned his head away ashamed. Ashamed for letting the child die though there was nothing he could do, or for his tears Curley could not tell.
Oh Peter.Curley thought catching Tootle's rather stricken look as the slighter let his hand fall from Peter's hair. "C'mon, let's get you home." He moved to pick up the other but Peter batted him away.
"I can walk Curley." He stated irritably, shoving himself up with more energy than Curley thought he possessed. More energy than he apparently did possess.
The blonde only let him stagger a moment before catching him and swinging him into his arms. Peter was light for his size, but that didn't mean he was easy to carry, he was still a boy, and as he sagged against him, nearly dead weight. He would have slung him over his shoulder if not for the groan of discomfort and the way Peter and screwed his eyes shut and turned his face into Curley's tunic to assuage the vertigo. "Don't you dare puke on me Peter, this is my only clean tunic." He warned though it lacked heat, their leader was already getting his blood all over it as it were. Suddenly Peter went so entirely limp that Curley had to fight not to drop him as his head lolled bonelessly. "Tink!" Curley intoned urgently, and so the tree spirit took off guiding them to the shortest path towards what constituted home or hide out of the month.