A/N: Ok always a huge fan of Wendy/Peter so I'm interested in where OUAT takes them in the next episode. Peter is so twisted and he's such an excellent villian. But we've learned from OUAT that the villians always have their reasons and they always have a soft spot. My heart broke for Wendy's brothers in the past episode and I confess, I took some dialogue from that scene. But with good reason. This is a Wendy Centric chapter but it's settling loose ends.
Time is relative and waits for no one. It just continues: with or without you.
The clouds had begun to break up, and between them, an occasional star blinked, as if to remind her of the time she had spent in Neverland. Numbness was all she felt, all she could feel. Her parents were now worried of her sanity, and her dear brothers were insistent on optimism and becoming heroes by thinking of ways to save Baelfire. Wendy bitterly laughed as she thought of the stories she had told the children. No,he was gone. Baelfire was gone. Wendy silently cried as she thought of Bae's sacrifice for her and her brothers as she knew unlike last time, the Shadow would not be returning Baeflire back to them.
Michael and John were playing a quick game of marbles before bed, while her parents were readying themselves for some adult party. Wendy opened the window further, but not before ignoring her brothers' pleas to leave the window shut. Wendy would insist that it was in case the Shadow brought Baelfire back, but truthfully Wendy dreamed of paradise. She dreamed of finding adventure and escaping the hardships that came with reality.
"Wendy! Get away from that window this instant!" Mrs. Darling demanded.
"What is the issue?" Mr. Darling questioned as he and Mrs. Darling continued in the children's room, their nursery, as they liked to call it.
"You don't even believe me! I just needed some fresh air, that's all" Wendy yelled back.
Mrs. Darling took a step toward Wendy and knelt before her, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Wendy, I know you're upset about Baelfire-"
Wendy felt herself stiffen up "It's true, mother. I swear it. A shadow, A shadow of Peter Pan came to this window. He was going to take Michael but Bae stopped him."
"Now, that is enough!" Mr. Darling shouted. "Wendy, you have to stop with these stories. You've got the boys concerned about you. They are even believing what you're saying. No Shadow came for Baelfire. I know you two were getting close and I'm sorry Wendy. But it's time you stop this foolishness."
Wendy pulled away and quickly got up on her feet. "It's true. Why can't you just see that?" Wendy's voice trembled.
"It is, Father." John rushed to Wendy's defense as did her tiny brother Michael.
Mrs. Darling motioned Michael and John over to her and tried to get down to their level to comprehend the range of emotions they were dealing with since Baelfire disappeared.
"I think you children are upset that someone you loved left without saying goodbye. I'm sorry if it seems your father and I don't believe you, but there was no Shadow that came and whisked Baelfire away. And the sooner you three realize that, the sooner we can move on."
Wendy bitterly laughed "Move on?" It was painfully clear through her mother's candor that she believed what she was saying. It would be just as easy in her parents eyes to just forget Baelfire. There was no way of forgetting the sacrifice he made for her and her brothers. Someone needed to fight for Baelfire and clearly her parents were willing to write her off to an institution before they would ever try to understand any of her stories of Neverland.
"Yes, Wendy. It's time to move on." Her father repeated in a stern voice. Wendy whirled away from her father not wanting to face him or her mother. She stormed over to her bed crashing into a puddle of tears. Wendy's mother ushered the children to their beds as Mr. Darling debated on what to do with Wendy.
Wendy swiped at a tear, avoiding any contact with her family. "He didn't leave us." she siad. Her voice was almost inaudible. "I don't care what you think. John and Michael know the truth."
"That's it!"
Mrs. Darling gave the boys a quick peck on the forehead before joining her husband. "We're worried about you, sweetheart."
"I'm sorry Wendy. Your mother and I love you, but it's time you grow up. Tomorrow we're moving you out of the nursery and we're putting a stop to these silly stories. And that's final!"
Refusing to look up at her father, she watched him head toward the window to lock it. Wendy crossed her arms in anger as she then watched her father leave their nursery.
"Darling, it's not healthy. I know you loved Baelfire, like your brothers. But your father is right. Now I can see if anyone knows anything about Baelfire's disappearance but it's not uncommon for someone like Bae-"
"It's fine, mother. I'm sorry for my outburst." Wendy whispered, tired of trying to convince her parents that the shadow was indeed real. Adults only see what's in front of them.
"Wendy, your father and I love you children very much and we're sorry you're all hurting, but maybe this is for the best."
Wendy's mother attempted to give her daughter a goodnight kiss, but Wendy quickly turned away. Unwilling to allow her anger to subside, she waited till her mother left their room before she whispered out "I wish I never had to grow up." Unbeknownst, that her tiny whisper was heard.
"That's not it! We don't care about Magic!" John announced to Belle in hopes of gaining some sort of alliance with the two girls. Maybe if they could just see that they two had something to lose, then they would be more willing to hand over that Pandora box.
"Then what we're you trying to do?" Belle questioned, in hopes of getting answers from these two strangers.
"Trying to save our sister." If anything, Neverland taught you pessimism. You didn't dream of getting rescued, you dreamt Pan took pity on your poor soul and freed you. But just like magic, everything comes with a price with Pan.
"Your sister?" Ariel stood puzzled at these two lost boys. Maybe she watched people too much, but these boys looked lost. It was obvious in their faces that they loved their sister, and would move heaven and hell just to have their sister back.
John continued to explain their sister Wendy's disappearance to the two girls. "She's been Pan's prisoner for a long time."
Michael met the girls' eyes at the confession of how long it had been for their sister "For over a century."
Belle stood bewildered as she thought of how absurd this had sounded. "That's impossible. You'd be-"
"Dead? We're well aware." Johny abruptly interrupted. "Pan has kept us alive, so that we could do his bidding. And as long as we do, she lives."
"And then when we're done, he'll free her and us." Michael remembered the special bond he shared with his sister. She was always taking care of him, this time it was her and John's job to take care of her. They had to get her back, it didn't matter what the cost was. "But now-"
"But now, is your best chance." Belle gleefully announced. Confidence gleamed in her eyes. "We can defeat Pan and your sister can finally be set free."
Such optimism, this girl clearly didn't understand Pan's powers. "You think you're the first person who thought they could defeat him." John shamefully remembered how he and Michael had failed miserably.
"Why? Have you tried?" Belle wondered.
"But we failed. That's how our sister became Pan's prisoner in the first place. " After that night when father announced Wendy would be leaving the nursery, John and Michael hated watching their sister spiral into a depression. It should have been them, not Baelfire. They always talked about heroes, maybe this was their chance. They could save Baelfire and their family could be whole again. All they really ever cared about was Wendy and her happiness. Before Baelfire, Wendy would come up with these creative stories of Neverland and never having to grow up. There were mermaids and daring fights but the adventure was what kept that place alive. Adventure was what always kept the story going, and adventures in Neverland were never ceasing.
"We tried to be heroes, but it just made things worse. "
"Nobody gets off this island without my permission."Pan smugly pointed out.
"And now, now that we failed he'll kill her." John immediately hung his head as the sharp realization that once more they had failed Wendy came to point.
"I think I'll keep her around." Peter said as he allowed Felix to take Wendy away from her brothers. Felix taunting her into believing that Peter planned on ripping their shadows if they didn't do what was asked of them.
"Wendy!" both boys screamed, but with no prevail. Their Wendy was gone.
"I need her, just as I need you two actually." Peter confessed.
"For what?" Michael questioned
"I'm going to let you two leave Neverland and grow up-but when the time comes, you will obey my commands."
"We're not leaving without our sister." John stood up to Pan, fear creeping in as he realized who he was standing up against.
"Yeah, that's not going to work for me. We both can't have her. And I never lose."
"All we want is our sister home with us." Michael's throat tightened as he stood by his brother's side.
"I'll make you a deal. You can have your sister back after you complete my mission for you two."
"And if we refuse?" John's voice trembled.
"Wendy will die. I think you both know me well enough to know that I'm not playing around."
"What do we have to do?" John responded, his eyes drawn down as he realized he was fighting a losing battle.
"We get this box back to Neverland, Pan will have much bigger things to worry about." Belle tried to break down these boys' walls and get them to see their side. She truly believed they could save Henry and Wendy. But first she had to get them to believe.
"Can you really stop him?" John questioned. Him and Michael were tired of Pan's games, but none of that mattered if they couldn't' save Wendy. All they dreamt of was to be reunited with their sister.
"Yeah, I believe we can." Belle said assuringly. "And if what you're saying is true, we will save your sister."
"Who is she?" Ariel asked breaking the silence between the group.
John and Michael stood at each other questioning whether or not they could fully trust them, but after a century of Wendy being prisoner...could it really hurt to trust someone else? This girl in front of them was begging the boys to accept their help. At this point, they really felt they had nothing else left to lose. Michael broke the silence after John nodded that it was ok to trust these girls.
"Her name's Wendy. Wendy Darling. If you see her, tell her John and Michael are waiting for her."
Wendy sighed deeply. Poor Henry. He had no idea the monster he was dealing with.
All he wanted was his family. Wendy pulled her matted hair back as she too wished for her family.
Family. Wendy pondered what had ever happened to her brothers. She remembered the day Peter allowed them to leave Neverland. Wendy silently cried as she imagined her family. She regretted never telling her parents that she loved them. As the older sister, it was her job to protect her brothers and she too had failed them.
She lied to Henry. The poor child believes her to be dying. Peter always did say 'Dying was an awfully big adventure.' Maybe dying wasn't too bad off. Sitting in a cage, like an animal, a prisoner; that's not how life was supposed to be. Peter once had good in him. She just needed to bring that side out, but more importantly, she needed to save Henry before it was too late.
But in the process, could she save Pan? She knew deep down there was good in him. Peter was once kind to her, he once considered her a friend. Now it was almost like she was a possession. A prize that he wanted to show off, but nobody was ever allowed to play with except for him.
Wendy sobbed for her family, sobbed for the past, and sobbed for what could have been.
Walking into the jungle, the soft cries could be heard.
"Did you hear that?"
"We need to stay focused?" A voice reminded
"And we are." The steps appeared closer. Wendy appeared startled 'Oh please, not again.'
She closed her eyes, unwilling to face her tormentor. She was taken back from kindness as she heard the voice soothe her fear.
"Am I-Am I free?" She spoke in such a tremble. If Pan could evoke this much fear in a young girl, they only wondered about what this could mean for Henry.
A/N: Ok so I'm stopping it there. Who's rescuing Wendy? Review and let me know what you think. This is a Wendy Centered chapter. But I promise, we'll see her interactions with others. Let me know your thoughts on Peter/Wendy. It's a very twisted relationship right now. So I'm interested in how you would like me to portray that relationship. Please review. As Peter would say it's 'Providing Motivation' and it gives me motivation to continue.
