Blame
By: Shorty Carter
Disclaimer: The only thing I own here is the plot, Virgina Darling, and Silver Wing. Everything else is not mine. Therefore, you cannot sue me! Ha!
She hides in both imagination and reality. Taught by the "Mother" herself, she can do many things most people consider impossible. But what is impossible is far from her mind. As is the truth.
She peeked out of the pink tinted cloud that was her hiding place. Far below sat Neverland in all its glory, blooming like the first day of spring. Off shore the Jolly Roger sat anchored, it's scuttling crew appearing as tiny dots to her eyes. Smoke billowed from both the volcano and the red skin's village; somewhere below fairies flew.
"Somewhere below he flies. Somewhere below is his home." She closed the opening in the cloud, rolling to her back on the soft pink fluff. Her eyelids fluttered shut, allowing her mind to drift. A plan was forming in her brain, a plan to right things in her world. No matter what it took.
"There is a new child on the island, Peter. A mysterious child." The words were spoken not with a voice, but mind-to-mind. He heard the words clear as day, the message sending chills up his spine.
"Who is this new child? Where does he come from?"
"It is not a he, Pan. It is a she!" Peter's eyes grew wide with shock, his mouth hanging open. A she! Maybe it was Wendy!
"Is it Wendy?"
"No. Wendy has grown up and cannot come back to Neverland."
"Then where can I find this mysterious girl?"
"She hides in shadows, flies in the darkened face of the moon. She doesn't want anyone to know where she is."
"She flies?"
"Oh yes, Pan. The fairies call her Ghost; the Indians call her Fox. Look for her when the clouds cover the moon. She darts from her cloud cover into the trees then." With that the mermaids slid beneath the waves, disappearing in the secretive waters. Peter Pan stood up, eyes to the starlit skies. It was dark now, for night had covered the land in velvety slumber. He flew out of the lagoon, careful not to be seen by the new pirate captain's spies. His eyes flickered everywhere, pausing on the darkened clouds and shadowy forest. Onward he flew, moving with a grace that comes from years of practice. Nothing looked out of the ordinary in the forest. Trees were of normal size, normal spacing, and normal appearance. But that's if you didn't know exactly what to look for.
For the most part the treetops above him melted together, blocking both the sun and the moon from shining on the forest floor. This was where Peter's new hideout was: the treetops. If you looked closely enough and had an eye for detail, you would see that several of the trees' lush tops were shoved closely together, as if they had been sewn shut. Peter flew through this wall of leaves, immediately entering a tree house of sorts. This was Peter's hideout; home to 5 new lost boys and the ever-jealous Tinker Bell.
"Tink! Tink, where are you?" The fairy flew from her small room, straight to him. "Do you know of a girl called Ghost?" She nodded quickly, her fairy language sounding like the tinkling of bells. "Have you seen her?" The fairy paused, as if deciding what to tell him. "Tink..." Tinker Bell sighed once before her musical voice filled the air again. "You know where she is! Why didn't you tell me?"
"Peter!" Suddenly the place was alive. Five young boys rolled out of their hiding places, laughing and talking excitedly.
"What new adventures have you had?"
"Any new boys?"
"What's for dinner?" These were just a few of the things Peter heard. He grinned, moving to sit in his 'throne'. Tinker Bell alighted on his shoulder, glad for the diversion.
"Boys, there is a new child on the island." The boys whooped with joy, for they always enjoyed a new playmate.
"Who is he Peter?" The one named Reason asked.
"What does he look like?" That was Lefty.
"Is he waiting for us down below?" Shooter inquired. The final two, Catch and Sprout, asked similar questions.
"It is not a he, me boys, but a she!" Peter grinned as a new round of questions was shot his way. He raised his hand to quiet them. "We must find her, for I have a great many questions to ask her. We hunt in the morning!" The boys danced with joy before racing off to bed. The faster they fell asleep, the faster morning came. Peter settled on his own bed, while Tink retired to her room.
"Tink?" The fairy poked her head out of her curtain. "You will lead us to her tomorrow. Do no try to leave before I wake." Tinker Bell grumbled, throwing a reply and a few obscene gestures his way before closing the curtain. Peter smiled as he crawled under the blanket, allowing sleep to take hold of his mind and body. Outside his tree-home stood the Ghost, eyes glued to the treetop.
"A far peculiar thing, he is. King of Neverland, forever-young Peter Pan. Wendy was right, though, he is handsome." She lifted off the branch she had flown to, flying quietly to one directly above the boy. Silver Wing, the fairy who had led her to Neverland, landed softly on her shoulder, his voice filling her ear. His fairy speech was not much different from Tink's, differing only in the deeper tone of a male's voice.
"I know that, Silver. But I rather like being illusive and unseen. To show myself to him would mean being shown to everyone. Sooner or later someone who isn't supposed to find me will, and what will I do then? Hmm?" Silver rattled off again, pulling at her rather short hair. To his surprise, she moved, though not in the direction he wanted her to go. She shot straight up, bursting from the treetop and into the moonlight.
Peter awoke suddenly, eyes wide at the sound the Ghost had made. He looked up, shocked to see a hole in the hideout's roof. How had that gotten there? He jumped from his bed, grabbing his sword as he roused the boys.
"We hunt tonight! Someone has been inside our house!" He ran over to Tink's small room, throwing the curtain open. But Tinker Bell was not in her room. Nor could she be found anywhere inside of the hideout. She had disappeared, and now Peter was angry. "I won't do it. You cannot make me." The fairy queen threw her a nasty look, rattling off for the 5th time since she had landed.
"No! Do you not understand? I will NOT reveal myself! I will go ahead with my own plans, not yours!" Silver Wing sat on one shoulder, Tinker Bell on the other, both throwing their comments into her ears. Each yelled opposing comments: Silver agreeing with the queen and Tink obviously not. She ignored them, frowning at the queen and her company. She was about to say something nasty when a boy landed in the clearing, mysterious eyes wide in shock.
"Great, just great. First fairy arguments and now Peter Pan. Can this get any worse?" He began to walk toward her, his stride arrogant and sure. "Yes, it can." In one quick movement she lifted off the ground, spiraling up through the trees and once again into the moonlight.
Peter had come to the Fairy Court hoping to find out more about the Ghost. To his luck, he found her, though he had not expected it. Ignoring the fairies' warning chatter, he took off after the girl, following her easily in the moonlight. The girl was surprisingly quick, darting between clouds. He was slowly catching up, straining until he was close enough to touch. Quickly he grabbed her ankle, holding on with both hands as she panicked and dove.
He had her! How had he caught up so quickly? Her mind raced with questions as she dove at a startling speed, hoping to dislodge his grasp on her ankle.
"Good thing I'm wearing pants. Else wise he'd be getting quite a view!" She laughed, diving straight into the cover of the forest. She darted between trees and other forest things, shaking her leg as she flew. She glanced behind to look at him, arching an eyebrow. She turned her head forward just in time to see the forest floor mere feet away in front of her face.
She was laughing! Flying head long into the trees, darting wildly, and she was laughing! Why this surprised him, when he did exactly the same thing everyday, we will never know. But what she didn't see was the fast approaching forest floor as she turned her head to look at him. His last thoughts were of pain as they both hit the ground with a startling force.
"Never again will I fly with a boy on my ankle. The results hurt too much." She was pinned to the forest floor, staring at the stars with a bored fascination. Peter Pan wasn't as small as he looked. Tink and Silver were both laughing themselves hoarse nearby, laughing harder when she yelled for them to help.
"When I get up, you BOTH are in trouble! Now get him off me!" The two fairies stared at her momentarily before bursting out laughing again. "Oh, shut up the both of you!" She raised her hand, poking the boy square in the ribs. "Excuse me, but could you please wake up and remove yourself from me?" He didn't stir.
"GET OFF ME, NOW!" That got his attention. Within seconds he was off her and on his feet, a blush rising in his cheeks. "Thank you." She stood up, brushing the dirt off her pants and shirt. When she raised her head to look at him, she found him staring.
For a second he thought he was looking at Wendy again. Only this girl looked more like Wendy's brother John than Wendy. She wasn't tall, her eyes just reaching his shoulders. She didn't have Wendy's brown hair, either. Shoulder length dirty blonde hair took its place. Dark, daring green eyes stared back at him, challenging him. She didn't wear a nightgown, but a pair of green-striped pants that were ripped off at the knee and a worn, ripped, long sleeved black shirt. No, she wasn't Wendy at all. But she had John's features, Michael's curious eyes, and Wendy's hidden kiss.
"You can stop staring any time now. It's quite unnerving, especially from a boy covered in leaves." He blushed again, shaking his head. Hands on his hips, he took his usual pose and continued to look at her.
"What is your name?" She raised an eyebrow, smirking.
"Virginia Darling. Ginger if you wish to live." Peter's eyes went wide. Darling? Wendy!
"Where did you learn to fly?" This question had been bothering him since he found out about the girl earlier that night.
"If you must know, Peter, I learned from Wendy. I learned a great deal from Wendy." Until she started going crazy, that is.
Peter walked towards her cautiously, looking her up and down, as if critiquing her. He walked around her, scowling at her clothing. Didn't girls wear dresses anymore?
"Is Wendy your mother?"
"No, she's my aunt. Her brother John is my father." He moved away from her, scowling.
"How did you get here? Who led you to Neverland?" Ginger sighed, shaking her head.
"Silver Wing brought me." Peter opened his mouth to ask yet another question, but she stopped him. "No more questions. You will hear in good time the answers to your other questions." She began to walk away from him, bare feet stepping nimbly over the forest floor. Peter ran after her, grabbing her arm and pulling her to face him.
"How could Wendy have taught you to fly?" Ginger closed her eyes, gritting her teeth. She was tired from the events of the night and ready for her bed.
"She remembered, Peter. Everything, she remembered everything. She kept a bag of Tink's fairy dust in her dresser drawer, safely hidden until she found a use for it again. I was that use." She opened her eyes and stared at him defiantly. "Happy thoughts and fairy dust, the two things that equal flight. At first I needed to use fairy dust in order to fly. But over time I learned to fly without it." She laughed at the memory. "Father had to tie me to my bed, for I dreamed of flying every night, and the dream would lift me into the air." Her laugh faded; her scowl returning.
"Wendy remembered?" Ginger rolled her eyes, nodding.
"Now if you would please let me go, I'm rather tired." He let her go, but once she began walking he fell in step with her again. Tink and Silver followed behind, talking softly to one another.
"Where do you sleep?"
"Under a tree." Peter suddenly remembered the lost boys, and motioned for Tinker Bell to come to him.
"Go tell the boys that I have found her, and that they must return to the hideout." Tinker Bell nodded, saluting him before taking off into the forest. Peter returned his attention to the girl, who had taken off into the forest. Growling in frustration, he took off after her, flying rather than running.
"Doesn't he EVER give up? All I want to do is sleep, is that too much to ask for?" Her bare feet barely touched the ground as she ran through the forest, carrying her over logs, sharp rocks, and other hazardous things. Up ahead was her current home, looking welcoming to her weary eyes. Without glancing behind to see where he was, she sped up, excited at the prospect of sleep. She leapt into the hole of one of several trees surrounding one larger tree, sliding down the hollow trunk easily. She landed softly, crawling out of the hole at the base of the trunk and into the spacious interior below the large tree. She sighed, running a hand through her messy dirty blonde hair. Walking over to where water trickled down an exposed root, she dunked her head below the falling liquid, allowing its coolness to wash over her head. After a few moments she stood straight, lazily ambling over to the large bed occupying a corner of the floor space. She collapsed onto the soft fabric, allowing sleep to engulf her immediately.
Ginger woke refreshed and ready to take on the day. She hopped out of bed, stretching her arms above her head as far as they would go. It was only then that she realized she wasn't in her usual home. Crude wooden planks replaced a dirt floor; tightly packed leaves where a tree's roots once were. Where was she?
"Ah, good to see you're awake, Lady. Pan will be pleased." She whirled around to find herself looking eye to eye with a boy roughly her own age. Curling black hair sticking up at strange angles, soft, boyish hazel eyes and a crooked smile faced her, one eyebrow raised in amusement. In his hands he held a cup and a small bowl, both offered toward her. She took them cautiously, staring at the boy.
"Don't worry, it's not poisonous. I did it all myself, and didn't let Lefty get his dirty hands in it." She finally managed to look away from the boy and down into the bowl and cup. Lifting the cup to her nose, she cautiously sniffed it, finding it to smell quite delicious. Taking a small sip, her eyes widened at the taste of a fruit juice like none other she had ever tasted. She proceeded to gulp this down in one shot. Next came the bowl. A strange assortment of fruits, nuts and flowers sat within the wooden dish, all vividly colored and sweet smelling. Ginger picked up a small violet colored flower, tentatively putting it in her mouth and chewing. It tasted good! Next came a piece of green fruit, the flesh soft and slick in her hand. This also tasted good. Finally, she tested out a strange looking white nut, finding this to taste as good, if not better than the fruit and flower. She disposed of the bowl's contents quickly, licking her fingers when she was finished. The boy stood by and watched, grinning the entire time.
"That was good!" She handed the bowl and cup back to him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "What's your name?"
The boy bowed slightly before replying. "Reason, Lady. Shall we go see Peter? He will be happy to know you're awake." Ginger nodded, following the boy out of the room and into a larger, more spacious room. Four other boys were tumbling around on the floor, play fighting with each other. A fairy flew amongst the fray, her laughter ringing through the boys' shouts.
"Good, you're awake." Ginger spun around for the second time that day, coming face to face with Peter Pan. Her lips formed a frown, directly aimed at him.
"You! Where am I? I won't ask how I got here, because I already know the answer to that one. But where am I? And how dare you bring me here!" He blinked, not moved at all by her anger.
"You are in my new secret hideout. I brought you here because it's safer. The pirates don't know about this place." He grinned, turning away from her and yelling at the fighting boys. "Lost boys! We have a lady in the house!" Immediately the fighting stopped, the four boys standing quickly. "Introduce yourselves."
"I'm Sprout."
"Lefty."
"Catch. Pleased to meet you."
"Shooter, Miss Lady." She smiled at them, looking at each one.
"Call me Ginger." Peter came up beside her, Tink sitting on his shoulder. Silver appeared out of the tree's lush vegetation, alighting on Ginger's shoulder. The two fairies immediately began a conversation.
"Boys, how would you like Ginger to be your mother?" The boys were delighted, immediately voicing their agreement.
"A mother!"
"Our very own mother! What do you think of that, Sprout?"
"A great idea! How 'bout you, Reason?"
"Terrific! Don't you agree, Catch?"
"I most certainly do!" Ginger smiled at the boys before turning to Peter, her face pale. Her thoughts were racing, remembering what Wendy had told her of her own time in Neverland. Wendy had been mother to the lost boys then, and it appeared to be that Ginger would have to be mother to the lost boys now. But she didn't want to be a mother. She didn't want to be like Wendy.
"How dare you!" Peter grinned his cocky grin, not replying. She turned around in a huff, a smiled plastered on her face. "Of course I'll be your mother!
Weeks passed by and things were as they should be in Neverland. Ginger was a much more lenient mother than Wendy had been, though she could be stricter at times. The boys adored her, pampering her against her will. Within the first week Ginger had grown to love the lost boys as her own. She even grew to like Peter, though the fairies and red skins claimed they saw more in her eyes than mere friendship.
"I do not like him! How many times do I have to tell you?" She'd then proceed to storm away, face red in anger.
We will fast forward a bit in time, to speed things up and get along with the story. The scene is the hideout, the characters Silver Wing and Ginger, though I think Tinker Bell might be found here, too. Let us jump right in.
"What do you mean she's still alive?" Silver rattled off again, making wild motions with his hands. "She's staying alive for Peter? No!" She grabbed one of the boys' many knives, hurling it at the far wall. "Will I ever be free from her?"
"You might want to watch where you throw knives. Someone could get hurt." Ginger glared at Peter, who stood in the doorway to her bedroom. He grinned, walking towards her. She started backing up, un-nerved by the look in his wild eyes. She stopped when a tree branch pressed against her back. He stopped when their bodies touched, placing his hands on either side of her.
"What are you doing?" she asked, trembling slightly at his touch. Her hand gripped the hilt of her knife, her knuckles white. Peter didn't answer her. He kept staring into her eyes, as if trying to read her thoughts. She watched in disbelief as he leaned in, placing his lips over hers gently.
Silver observed the whole thing, his ever-glittering light shifting from golden to red. Frowning, he flew to Tink's room, voicing his anger to the female fairy. In the blink of an eye Tink was out of her room and hurling herself towards Peter, her face as livid as Silver's. The male fairy followed.
Peter was just pulling away from a dumbfounded Ginger when he felt someone grab his hair and yank him backward. His feet slipped out from beneath him, leaving him on the floor with two very angry fairies chattering at him.
"What? All I did was give her a thimble, that's it!" Tink continued to yell at him, while Silver resorted to yanking the hair from Peter's head clump by clump. "Ow! Stop that!" He pulled the fairy away from his aching head, scowling at it. Tink gave up on Peter, darting over to sit on Ginger's shoulder instead. Peter raised his eyes to meet the girl's, finding tears in the piercing green eyes. Had he hurt her?
"You shouldn't have done that, Peter," Ginger whispered, lowering her eyes.
"And why not?"
"Because...because-you just can't!" That wasn't good enough for Peter. Keeping his hold on the male fairy, he moved closer to the girl, ignoring the fact that she stepped away from him.
"Tell me why!"
"Because I've lied to you! I've lied to everyone!" Peter stared at her in confusion, cocking his head to one side.
"Explain...please?" She sighed, closing her eyes.
"Remember when I told you that Wendy was dead? That she died in her sleep, safe and warm?" Peter nodded, motioning for her to continue. "Well, she's not dead." Peter blinked, sure he had heard wrong. Wendy had to be dead! That's why she wasn't at the Darling house anymore.
"But...you told me..."
"Forget what I told you! She's alive!" She sank to the floor, putting her face in her hands. "You want to know the truth of it all? From the beginning?" He sat down across from her; finally releasing the fairy, who flew to Ginger's other shoulder.
"Tell me everything. Leave nothing out."
"Wendy was fine after you left. She lived a normal life: grew up, got married, had a daughter. She didn't remember you, though she left the window open almost every night. Then, one night, she got a glimpse of you again. That's when things started to change." She swallowed, unsure of how to go on. Somewhere, a voice in her head urged her to continue. "I was 10 when that happened. I used to spend almost everyday at her house, because my mother died giving me life. Wendy was more like a mother than an aunt. She used to tell me such wonderful stories. Mostly about you, though some she made up especially for me.
"She started acting strange after she saw you. She began to mutter constantly, started to forget her duties as an adult and began to act like she was 12 years old again. She started to hallucinate, claiming to see you or one of the other Neverland inhabitants anywhere she went." She paused, sighing, "We could handle that. What we couldn't handle was the memory loss. She forgot all about her husband, her daughter, her entire family. Benjamin, her husband, stood by and helped the best he could, but we finally had to admit her to a hospital. Things only got worse from there. Then, one night, after spending most of the evening trying drinking away his problems, my uncle was killed in a car crash." Tears were now coursing down her cheeks, dripping off her chin. "She didn't even care! When we told her, she thought we were talking about you, and she became hysterical. We finally told her you were still alive and she calmed down.
"My father was struggling to keep food on the table for the two of us and still keep his sister in the hospital when I left. I couldn't stand it anymore! She was ruining my family!" Sobs tore from her throat, cutting her words short. "And Wendy didn't teach me how to fly. Silver did. He came one night when I was in need of comfort, and soon we became friends. He only returned to Neverland when he had to. He led me to Neverland when things got really bad at home." She stood hastily, wiping at the tears on her cheeks. Peter stood also, glaring at her. How could she lie to him? If Wendy was going crazy with the thought of him, he would've found a way to help her! Why didn't Ginger give him a chance?
"I want you to lead me to her, right now." Ginger started to shake her head, eyes wide. Peter grabbed her chin, forcing her to stop and look at him. "Maybe I can help."
"How? How could you help?"
"I'll find a way." He looked up, searching for Tink and Silver. The two fairies had hidden in the girl's rather short blonde locks, peeping out between strands. "You two stay here and watch the lost boys. Ginger and I are going for a visit." She spiraled straight up the moment he released her, racing away from the tree. She would lead him to Wendy, but she wouldn't be responsible for what happened.
"Oh Wendy..." He gently touched her frail cheek, noticing the transparency of her flesh. An IV ran in one arm, another steadily dripping sedatives into her other. A weak smile played on her lips, showing that she was dreaming good dreams.
"Ginger?" Ginger looked up from her corner, biting her lip when she saw who it was. Immediately she was engulfed in a tight hug, returning it after a moment's hesitation.
"Hello Father," she whispered, taking in a shaky breath once he released her. Her father grinned, finally noticing the boy at his sister's bedside.
"Peter Pan." Peter looked up, taking a hard look at the man standing beside Ginger.
"John?" John nodded, extending a hand to the leaf-clad boy. Peter accepted it, giving John a good firm hand shake before pulling his hand away.
"Good to see you again." John put an arm around his daughter's shoulders, leaning over to press a kiss against her temple. "Were you with him the entire time?" Ginger nodded, fearing that if she spoke, her voice would betray her.
"What's wrong with Wendy? I know she's...what did you call on the way over...clinically insane? Yeah, that's it. But why does she look this way?" John raised an eyebrow at his daughter, wondering why she hadn't explained it fully to the boy.
"Wendy has cancer, Peter. She only has a little bit left to live." Peter lowered his eyes, hiding his tears. "Ginger, why didn't you tell him about the cancer?" Ginger shrugged, refusing to look at her father. "What's wrong, beloved? Why won't you speak?"
"Because she hates me." Everyone in the room spun to look at the bed, eyes wide in shock. Wendy had her blue eyes open, her lips parted to breathe better.
"Wendy?" Peter whispered. Wendy smiled at him, tears forming in her eyes.
"Peter, you came back. I knew you would." Peter smiled, talking her fragile hand in his golden one.
"I'll always come back for you." Ginger had had enough. She tore away from her father, running for the window.
"Ginger! Where are you going?" She nearly had the window open when someone stopped her, yanking her hands away from the lock.
"Let me go!" She struggled, teeth bared, tears racing down her face. Peter held her, allowing her to struggle in his arms. He continued to hold after she gave up.
"Why do you hate her, Ginger? What did she do to you?" Ginger turned livid eyes on Peter, emotions rolling over her face.
"Because she ruined everything! She was the only mother I knew! But when I needed her most, she wasn't there! When my family needed her, she wasn't there! And it's all your fault!" She pulled away from him, her knife gripped tightly in her hand. "You did this Peter! You hurt my family."
"How did I hurt your family?" He was confused. How did he play a part in this? Ginger was visibly shaking, the knife in her hand jerking. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"My uncle is dead, my aunt is insane, my father is struggling to make ends meet. And it's all because of you." Something was dawning in Peter's mind, the pieces of the puzzle falling together slowly.
"You're looking for someone to blame this on." Ginger's eyes went wide, still shaking. What was he talking about?
"I don't have to look. He's standing right in front of me." John stepped forward, realizing the same things as Peter was.
"Ginger, there's no need to blame anyone. What's happened to our family could have happened to anyone's family, regardless of Peter's influence on us."
"No, no it couldn't happen to anyone else! It's his fault my aunt's crazy, his fault my uncle died! Heck, maybe it's his fault mother died!" John stared at his daughter, hurt that she had said such a thing. Ginger continued to glare at Peter, noting the changes in his emotions.
"Quit blaming everyone, Ginger! No one could have done this!" The voice in Ginger's mind chanted otherwise. She didn't know who to listen to: Peter or the voice. Her brain struggled to sort the lies out.
"Maybe I am looking for someone to blame. But I have my reasons."
"Ginger, beloved, there is no justifiable reason to blame anyone. What happens happens, no matter what the circumstances." Ginger turned to open the window, the cold outside air rushing in as the window squeaked open. Peter's anger got the best of him, words surging from his mouth before his brain had a chance to stop him.
"Know what I think, Ginger? I think you're trying to blame your mother's death on me! This isn't about Wendy; it's about your mother!" He moved closer to her, whispering the horrifying words for her ears alone. "Maybe you killed your mother, Ginger. Ever thought of that?" She shook her head, lower lip trembling, tears returning to her eyes.
"NO!" She took off out the window, leaving a confused trio of people behind.
"What did you say to her, Peter? What did you say?" Wendy asked, breaking the silence.
"I blamed her mother's death on her." John and Wendy both closed their eyes, fighting emotions.
"Peter, Ginger's mother died after giving Ginger life. She wouldn't stop bleeding after the birth, no matter what the doctors did."
"Internal bleeding. Ripped the inside of the womb during those long hours of labor," John whispered, tears streaking down his face. Emotions rolled through Peter's eyes, never settling for a moment.
"Go after her, Peter. Right the wrong...for me," Wendy pleaded, a faint smile on her lips. Peter shook his head, leaping from the window into flight.
She flew away from the hospital in a fit of tears and anger. Things had gone so horribly wrong! Blindly, she returned to Neverland, willing herself to hold onto her one last happy thought: the lost boys. Who knew being the mother of five rough and tumble boys could be a happy thought? But it was all that kept Ginger in the air. She barely skimmed the ocean surface, forcing herself to keep flying.
"You have failed, Ginger! Peter hates you; your father hates you! Even the lost boys hate you! No one loves you anymore!" She tried to ignore the biting voice in her mind. When that didn't work, she argued back.
"No! The lost boys love me as their mother! No matter what!"
"They hate you, Ginger! Despise you! They'll kill you if you come near them again!"
"No!" She had made it over the ocean, and was now flying crazily over the forest.
"Peter will banish you from Neverland, and then where will you go? No one loves you in London; no one loves you in Neverland. You. Are. Alone."
"NO!" But she had lost her happy thought. Down she tumbled, crashing through trees and bouncing against sharp rocks. Branches ripped at her clothing, tearing them to shreds. She hit the ground with a sickening thud, passing out as her head came in sharp contact with a rock.
She awoke groggy and in pain, blood blurring her vision. Rain fell from dark clouds, mixing with the blood that seemed to be everywhere. She rolled slowly to her stomach, finding this to hurt immensely. Allowing her brain to clear a bit, she began the slow, painful movement of dragging herself along the ground. She needed to get out of the rain. She had no idea where she was going, clutching at the mud with mangled, bloody hands. She was completely, painfully alone.
"Blood. Something's been wounded."
"Let's follow it!" The boys began to follow the blood trail in the rain, scarcely making out the red splotches in the thick brown mud. The path was twisted and sometimes crossed over itself, as if the creature didn't know where it was going. The boys persisted, each soaked to the bone. As they walked on, the blood became clearer, until it was a somewhat solid, twisted line. And then they saw it. Only it wasn't a wounded creature like they had thought.
"PETER!" Peter heard the lost boy's cries and, thinking them in danger, sped to their aid. But what he saw was not what he expected. The five lost boys had formed a circle around a brutally mangled girl lying still on the ground, her blood mixing with the mud and rain surrounding her. Reason looked up at Peter, tears in his hazel eyes.
"Mother's hurt, Peter. She won't move, won't answer us."
"There's so much blood, Pan. So much blood," Shooter whispered, unwilling to meet Peter's eyes. Silver and Tink arrived on the scene, both outraged that none of the boys had done anything. They screamed their curses and insults at each boy, ignoring the tears and downward glances they received. Silver flew straight at Peter's face, beating at him with tiny fists. The boy gently removed the fairy, noticing tears in the small being's eyes. Any anger or pain he had felt towards the bloody girl slowly washed away, replaced by sadness and concern.
"Go to the red skin village and get the medicine woman. Tell her it's urgent and to go straight to the hideout." He gently picked her up, her blood smearing across his bare chest. Without so much as a look at the boys, he lifted off the ground and flew for the hideout.
Rain continued to fall as the days passed, never letting up for a second. Neverland's inhabitants grew worried at the never-ending rainfall, whispering their concerns to one another. The lost boys were considerably quieter, refusing to leave the hideout even to hunt. Peter didn't leave Ginger's side for a moment, though he nodded off more than once in the long days that Ginger slept.
Ginger dreamt horrible dreams, lashing out in her sleep at unknown enemies. More than once Peter heard her call out his name, the names of the lost boys, even Wendy. On the third day this happened the medicine woman and Peter were forced to tie her to the bed, keeping her from further injuring herself.
"Why is she doing this? Why isn't she getting better?" Peter inquired one day, his eyes never leaving Ginger's twisted face.
"She is struggling with evil spirits, Peter. She must fight them, and fight the illness, in order to win." So the battle raged on, with Peter unable to help in any way.
"Father, I didn't mean to! Please, you have to believe me! I didn't kill her! I didn't!" She struggled against her binds, face contorted in pain. She clenched her teeth, tears coursing down her cheeks. A scream ripped from her throat, brimming with emotion. Peter awoke quickly, leaning over her immediately.
"Come on Ginger, wake up. It's only a dream; you didn't kill anyone." Gently, relying on instinct, he began to comfort her with soft spoken words and hesitant touches. Responding to these gestures, Ginger began to slowly come out of her sleep world, opening blurry eyes marked by pain. Peter smiled in relief, continuing to whisper softly to her. Careful not to startle her, Peter moved to get the medicine woman, shaking her awake. The old Indian woman was up instantly, bustling about the girl like a worried mother hen.
"Here child, drink this." Ginger obeyed, struggling to drink the liquid the woman offered. Little Feather, that was the medicine woman's name, was patient, helping the girl swallow the bland tasting liquid.
"Peter, untie her hands and feet. She doesn't need them now that she is awake." Peter quickly untied the bonds, scowling at the red marks circling her ankles and wrists. "Don't worry, I will give you something to put on those bruises. Now, Peter, come here. I have a list to give you." Little Feather continued to move about, gathering herbs, cloths, bowls and other things. "Oh, best get Reason in here. He'll need to help you." Reason came running in, having been listening through the door.
"I'm sorry, but I had to know when she was awake! She's my mother, you know." Little Feather raised an eyebrow, smiling.
"Alright, here's what you need to do." She proceeded to explain in great detail what Ginger would need in the following days. When she was finished, Peter wore a look of exasperation, while Reason just grinned. Little Feather moved to Ginger's side, smiling down at the girl.
"You are in good hands, child. I look forward to seeing you in the future." Bidding good night to the boys, she left, Lefty and Catch helping her down the tree. Reason and Peter began to treat the red marks on Ginger's body, each working silently. Ginger dozed off while they worked, her mind completely void of evil dreams.
Days passed by, and soon Ginger was out of bed. Soon she ridded herself of the dirty cotton shift she had been in for so many days, donning the soft deerskin breeches and crisp white shirt left by Little Feather. She didn't talk much, instead focusing all of her effort on regaining her strength. A smile rarely touched her lips, her face to the ground most of the time. The nagging voice in her mind spoke constantly, confusing her. Many a day would find her at the cliff's edge, her hair dirty and uncombed, tears flowing down her cheeks. Finally, she could not take it any more.
"Shut up! Just, just up!" she screamed at the sky, voice cracking with emotion. "I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry I killed her! I'm sorry I blamed everyone for something I did!" Silver and Tink watched from the shadows, confusion in their tiny eyes. The lost boys were behind them, breathing hard for they had come running when they heard her screams.
"What's going on?" Lefty asked, watching as his mother continued to vent her pain to the heavens. Silver began to speak, Tink throwing in her comments from time to time.
"What do you mean she doesn't think we love her? Of course we love her, she's our mother!" Tink rattled off, arms going wide as she tried to explain what had happened to Ginger.
"Peter did that? How could he?" Sprout cried, hurt that his 'father' had hurt mother. Silver began to respond, but was cut short by a shout from one of the boys.
"Mother!" They raced from their tree cover, watching in disbelief as their mother stepped off the cliff. Reason and Lefty dove off the cliff, straining to reach their mother before she hit the rocks.
Ginger had given up. She had given in to the evil consuming her thoughts and listened to the nagging voice in her mind. She jumped, hoping to end her suffering on the jagged rocks below. But it was not to be. Strong arms grabbed her falling body, slowing her plummet to a stop. She opened her eyes, realizing that it was two of the lost boys she thought didn't love her any more. They were flying slowly upward, their concerned eyes on her.
"What were you doing? Why did you do that?" Lefty asked, holding fast to her legs. Reason had his arms wrapped tight beneath her arms and across her chest, rising at the same speed as Lefty.
"Ending my life." Her tone frightened them, making them cock their heads in confusion.
"But why? We don't want you to die."
"Yeah, you're our mother! We want you here so you can tuck us in at night and make sure we don't kill each other."
"But...I thought...since I lied about things and killed someone...I thought you didn't love me anymore," she whispered, closing her eyes. Reason hugged her tighter, his voice soft in her ear.
"We will always love our mother, no matter what she's done or will do."
"You didn't kill anyone, Ginger." Ginger's eyes flew open, shocked to see Peter flying beside her. The lost boys finally reached the cliff's edge, setting Ginger on her feet gently.
"What do you mean I didn't kill anyone? I lived and my mother didn't!" She frowned, biting the inside of her lip. "You were right, I blamed you for the death of my mother and the pain my family's gone through, when it was my fault all along." Peter shook his head, moving to grip her shoulders.
"I was wrong, Ginger. Sure, you blamed things that no one could control on me, but I would have done the same." Ginger gaped at him, realization sinking in.
"So, I didn't kill anyone? You forgive me?" Peter smiled, nodding. Ginger grinned, latching on to this happy thought. Without so much as a glance at the boys, she ran for the cliff's edge once more, pushing off it and into the open air. But she didn't fall; she soared. The weeks without flight had been hard, the knowledge that she may never fly again a hard one to accept. But here she was, racing the wind, spinning and diving to her heart's content in the clear, blue sky. The boys cheered her on, jumping and yelling like boys do. Tink and Silver flew amongst the boys, laughing with relief. Ginger glided down to where her 'family' was, hugging the lost boys tightly before her feet even touched the ground.
"Thank you, boys!" she yelled, jumping along with them. Peter laughed, wild eyes bright. Ginger went to him, gripping his shoulders as her lips met his. The lost boys whooped even louder as Peter's face turned red, eyes shutting in shock. Ginger ended the kiss, grinning as she shot into the air once again. Peter stood shocked for a moment before joining her, along with the rest of the boys. The air was filled with their joy; the island coming alive beneath them.
"Rest in peace, Wendy. I don't blame you for anything." They stood in the cold cemetery, staring at the fresh grave with tears in their eyes. The headstone before them was highly polished, the engravings clean and clear.
"She passed quickly. In her sleep; without pain or suffering. She was evening smiling," John said, putting one arm around his daughter and one around Peter.
"That...that's good to know," Peter whispered, fighting the tears that the other two were so freely showing.
"It's okay Peter. You can cry." Peter went into Ginger's arms, his sobs muffled by her shirt. Ginger whispered comforting words, her cheek pressed against the top of his head. John watched the two, smiling. After Peter had quieted, John asked a question.
"Will you visit from time to time? I'd hate to never see my own daughter again." Ginger grinned, releasing Peter and going to her father.
"Of course, father. Wouldn't want you to go crazy, now, would we?" She laughed, hugging her father. "I shall see you next year. Keep the window open." John nodded, wiping at his tears with a handkerchief.
"Come on, Ginger. The boys are probably attempting to murder each other as we speak!"
"I know they're attempting to murder each other as we speak. I'm their mother, remember?" Peter grinned, lifting into the air.
"Good-bye, John. See you next year." "Love you!" Ginger followed Peter, looking back to wave at her father. John waved back, watching as they flew towards the second star to the right. He sighed, walking away from the grave. Next year was an awfully long time away.
A/N: Okay, tell me what you think. I rather like it, but I'm biased. So send those reviews in! I'm planning on doing a sequel, a sort of "things get worse before they get better" thing where a lot happens and new surprises are just around the corner. It also explains the reasons behind Ginger's nicknames (Fox/Ghost). Alright, I'm off. I have a few Newsies stories to work on.