Title: Of Youth and Winter
Author: bookworm
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story
Summary: Jack has never met Peter. Neverland has no winter, after all, unless Peter leaves.
AN: For Lynse
Do you remember the Island? All its sun-drenched shores that are oh-so-familiar, as if a familiar friend you have not seen in ages. There is a boy who plays there, in that endless summer – you may have heard his voice in your dreams. It is always summer there, when the Boy is home, and he has never known a winter. Right now he is hesitating, waiting, just at the border, where the sun arrows fade into night, but who is he waiting for?
"The new librarian's got some really awesome stories"
It's just a throwaway line during one of their countless snowball fights, but it gets Jack wondering.
"Y'know the funniest thing, Jack? One of 'em 's about a boy who sounds almost like you but not."
He ignores it for a while (it's winter, and there's Fun to be had), but Jack has always been a curious sort, and eventually he finds himself drifting over to the local library during story time for more reasons than bugging Jamie and the others.
Margaret Darling quite likes Burgess, she thinks. She wasn't sure about the move, at first – she's not getting any younger after all – but it has been worth it, to see her grandchildren. Burgess is very different to London, but people are still people, and children still love stories. She especially likes winter in Burgess – the snow is clean and white, so different to London's drab grey slush. It makes her feel young again, tempting her outside to play. It is so magical she almost expects to see Peter come knocking, but no – she hasn't seen him in… oh, so many years, and Neverland has no winter.
"Can we have another story?"
"Of course you can, dear. What sort of story would you like?"
As the children cheer and demand another tale ("Pirates!") she thinks for a moment that she sees… not Peter, but a boy, very like him, peeping through the window.
She does tell excellent stories, Jack thinks, ducking back around the corner so Jamie won't see him and settling in to listen.
"And most fearsome of all was their captain, oh, such a terror was he – his hair was dressed in long curls, and his eyes were as blue as forget-me-nots, until he was stabbing you, when they turned as red as flame. He was always dressed as if he was going to court, and endeavoured even while killing you to be polite (which was, of course, when he was at his most sinister), but by far the most terrible thing about him was the fact that he had no right hand – no, instead he had an iron hook!"
The oddest thing is that it almost seems as if she saw him, but of course, that can't be right, she's an adult, and adults can't see them (Jack tries hard not to think about that – Jamie isn't getting any younger after all).
The children shriek and gasp at all the right intervals, as she describes the bloodthirsty crew and their terrible captain, who "has no fear, except for one creature – a crocodile!"
"Long ago, you see, Peter Pan cut off his hand and fed it to the beast, and the creature loved the taste so much that he followed after them always, hoping for another bite! But fortunately for Hook, the crocodile also ate a clock, once, so he could always tell when it got too close by the ticking."
"Who's Peter Pan?"
"Ah, but he's the most marvellous boy…"
Jack listens and learns and wonders. He doesn't know this Peter Pan, who sounds too real to be only a made-up story, and he had thought he had met all of this world's Legends by now. But the island, the island sounds almost familiar, as if he knew it once in a dream.
Second star to the right, wasn't it?
Jack has never met Peter. Neverland has no winter, after all, unless Peter leaves.
There is a house in Bloomsbury in London, where a girl is telling stories to a boy who never grows up.
"And they say that when Winter is here, Jack Frost comes to town to paint the windows and dress the eaves, and prepare the parks for games."
"Who's Jack Frost?"
"Ah, he's a boy, like yourself they say, but he's a Guardian…"
Peter has seen snow before, of course, but he doesn't know Winter, not really. He thinks to himself that it sounds like fun, maybe, and it might make for a good adventure. This Jack too, perhaps he'd make a good Lost Boy, it's been a while since he's gone looking for more playmates. Maybe later, though – right now… right now he's a bit jealous that his Mother is telling stories about someone else.
"Tell me a story about me"
You cannot find Neverland, you know, unless the island is out looking for you. It is only thus that any one may sight those magic shores. But Jack is friends with the Sandman, and the stars are happy enough to let him pass, even if he cannot clearly remember the Way. So he comes with the Wind at last, following a million golden arrows directed by the Sun, and see! There is someone waiting.
There are two boys staring at each other, carried by the same breeze, with the same mischief curling their lips, and the same uncertainty in their eyes. One is older, pale as the snow; one is younger, dressed in bright leaves – but there is something about them that makes you think they might almost be brothers.
A moment later the same fun sparks in both their eyes, the acknowledgement of a kindred spirit, and they reach out.
"Hi, I'm Jack" I am Winter, the snow and the games, the ice and the frost, the fun and danger.
"I'm Peter" I am Youth, the joy and the laughter, the careless freedom of flight, adventure and dreams.
"Let's be friends."
And for the first time, Winter comes to Neverland while Youth is in residence.