"I taught you to fly and to fight. What more could there be?!" Peter yelled.
" There is so much more." Wendy replied.
"What? What else is there?"
"I don't know I think it becomes clearer when you grow up."
The conversation had been replaying in his mind all morning. Since he had woken up it was all he thought about.
"It becomes clearer when you grow up." The words echoed.
He never wanted to grow up but Wendy was the reason. The night on which he decided was on the night of Wendy's thirteenth birthday.
He had come to hear a story and did not know at the time of the occasion.
The minute he arrived was the minute the family had returned from their dinner out. He listened in on their conversation.
"Wendy you are know a young lady." Her aunt said proudly as they entered.
Before they saw her as nothing more then a child but hearing she is now considered a grown up felt he just had a sword stabbed through his heart.
Hook's words then echoed in his head.
"There is another in your place. He is called husband. She's forgotten all about you."
He shook his head. Wendy would never forget him. But she would one day replace him for another and he would take his place. Could he bear it? To see another make her happy?
"Peter?" Tink flew beside him. The fairy could tell something was up. There was always something up with him every time he came to visit Wendy. She never liked the girl because she stole Peter from her and she made Peter feel something she never could manage.
"Peter!" She said louder in fairy speak.
"Shh!" He loudly told her to be quiet. He didn't want anyone to know he was here, especially Wendy.
He peeked through the window of the nursery and Wendy had entered. She didn't look much different. She was a little taller and was starting to become a woman. How could he see her? He would remain a boy forever while his girl would become a woman.
She was looking at the room. Tonight would be her last night in the nursery. Tomorrow she would have a new room. She just didn't feel quite ready yet. Yes, she accepted growing up but it was all happening too soon. Once she was done reminiscing she proceeded to exit and return to the small party downstairs. Wendy stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a familiar voice whisper her name. Could it be?
The second she touched the door knob he had made up his mind. Even Tinkerbell realized and her protests remained ignored.
"If you stay you won't be able to fly or ever come back to Neverland." She warned.
"I know." He told her and sighed. Wendy would be worth it though. He chose to stay young because he wanted to have fun and never had a reason to grow up. He feared it, but then Wendy had the effect to make him forget about it and she could be the reason why he chose to stay young all those years. He had been waiting for her. He would die without her. What else did he have to live for? Hook was gone, he had ventured Neverland countless times and there were no more adventures. Now he had one more adventure left.
To grow up.
"Wendy." He whispered unlocking the window. He flew in and landed in front of her. At first both were silent and stared at each other.
Wendy was the first to break the silence "Peter? You came back." At first she was glad to see him but then her smile faded. "I..." She was about to say how she was sorry for leaving and choosing to grow up but he stopped her by placing a finger to her mouth.
"No. I had to see you. I've been alone without you. Since you left I've never felt complete. A part of me was missing and your thimble made it clear that you were what completed me. I've been a boy long enough only because I have been waiting for the greatest adventure." He said as he looked at her.
"And what adventure is that?" She asked.
"Wendy!" They both heard her mother called from downstairs.
"Peter I need to go." She urged him to quickly finish. She wanted to hear what he had to say before he would leave her again and not be seen.
"I know." He said. "But you were my greatest adventure. Love Wendy. Love." He held her by the shoulders.
At first she was confused and then she processed what he said. "Wait? Does that mean?" His familiar, mischievous smile told her all. He was telling her he was hear to stay. She couldn't believe it. It was all so much to take in.
Tinkerbell watched from outside the window as he had told Wendy what she feared to hear. He chose Wendy. His decisions were always final. What use would she be to him now? He had Wendy and he was to grow up with her. He had finally found a place where he belonged. She however belonged in Neverland with her kind. Not looking back the fairy flew off and headed straight to the second star to the right. She was happy for him even if his reason was the one person she loathe.
He had not once regretted his decision to be with Wendy. This truly was the greatest adventure. Her smile when he said he'd stay, when he bucked up the courage to ask her to marry him, seeing her walk down the isle and the first moment he...
"Dad?" His thoughts were interrupted by a small voice behind him and he turned to look down at a young girl with long, wavy, blond hair and sparkling, blue eyes. She even had a small hint of a hidden kiss on the right hand corner of her mouth. Of course she was still four but he could see it. Saved for her greatest adventure.
"Yes?" He kneeled down to her height.
"Mummy says breakfast is ready." She informed. Peter smiled and picked her up. She was his. But not just him alone but Wendy's as well. She was theirs. He found Wendy, beautiful as usual, in the kitchen making pancakes. He smiled his cocky smile the minute she turned around to see him where she too returned a smile.
"Are we still going to Kensington Gardens?"
Both Peter and Wendy looked at her.
"Of course we are Jane dear." Wendy said as she kissed her cheek which was at her height since Peter was still holding her.
It was a tradition with them. Every Sunday they would have a picnic there. If they could they would take Jane to Neverland. It was only a memory now. Kensington Gardens was the closest they felt to Neverland. A place where they had adventures, a place they once called home. Who knew what it was like now and how it had been since Peter left?
Neverland was still the same as it was. Still beautiful and there had not once been snow. Meaning Peter was happy where he was. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she had last seen him on the night he chose to be with Wendy. Tinkerbell looked around the underground tree house. The new lost boys were asleep. She thought she could visit Peter. To see how he was. How he and Wendy were. The lost boys wouldn't notice she was gone. They hardly notice her at all.
She flew out of the tree and headed straight for the mainland. Her first stop was the Darling home. No sign of Peter or Wendy or any of the other children. The house appeared to not have had a child stay for years. But there was a small aura that a few children had visited here. A few toys appeared to be recently played with. The beds however appeared untouched. She tried Kensington Gardens. The place seemed to be the same. She then saw a group approaching. She hid behind a nearby leaf hanging from a tree and peeked. The first to become clear was a small child. A girl with familiar features. The fairy looked at her curiously. She swore she could see a hint of Peter in her.
"Jane slow down!" A deep voice called. Although it did sound familiar.
"But father I thought I saw a fairy." She said.
The next two people had come. A couple. Tink recognized the two straight away. Peter and Wendy. He had gone through with it. He had grown up and now he was married to...well...her and he had a daughter. No wonder she saw Peter in the little girl.
"A fairy?" He chuckled. "But they live in Neverland."
"Well I saw one." She pouted and crossed her arms.
"If you say you did then you did." He smiled kneeling to her height.
A fairy? Here? Why would any fairy visit... It then hit him. The only fairy who'd come to the around here was Tinkerbell. Was it possible she was here? Watching over them? To see of what he has become? What he and Wendy had become?
He would be pleased to inform her that although he may be a grown up now, happily married and with a child he was still Peter Pan. The best there ever was.
"Peter? May I talk to you?" Wendy asked. He got up and Jane began to search for the fairy she said she had spotted earlier.
"Yes?" He said with a curious look similar to when she first asked to give him a thimble all those years ago.
"I don't know if you have noticed but I've been acting strange lately. It has happened before. But it is rare that I do." She began.
He could only think of one time when she had acted completely strange. That was when she was carrying Jane inside her. Wait?! Was that it? Was there another being inside her?
Wendy smiled at his realization. He got what she was trying to say. Yes she was pregnant for the second time. She saw Peter's grin look from her to her stomach. It was still flat as she had only found out recently herself.
"Another adventure?" His eyes shine with excitement.
She wouldn't exactly call the giving birth part an adventure but it was worth it in the end.
"Yes Peter." She nodded. "Another adventure."
Jane passed through and both went to look down at her. "Let's find your fairy then." Wendy said and both proceeded to join her.
The little girl ran to every corner of the area. She searched many places more than once. She knew what she saw. It was not sunlight. It was too small and wasn't bright enough to blind her. And it moved. The sun couldn't move like that. Jane then looked up and saw the same glow of light up upon a tree branch. There was the fairy smiling down at her. Jane returned the smile. A pure innocent child like smile. She then heard a tiny "bye bye." And the fairy soon flew off into the skies. Jane waved as she did.
"Jane lets eat now!" Her mother called. She turned around to see both her parents smiling at her. They must've seen the fairy too. She ran to them and joined them to sit on the blanket.
The way the girl smiled at her was like when Peter smiled and her eyes were just like Wendy's when she first saw Peter fly. A happy young child eager to explore and enjoy childhood as long as she can. She was the daughter of Peter Pan. Maybe one day she could return to bring her to Neverland. Did she need permission though. Peter was known for getting angry at her when she misbehaved. Well until then she flew off back to Neverland. At least Peter was happy and she saw it herself. There was no denying as she looked back below to see the family enjoying themselves.
For all children grow up. But their inner child remains in their hearts forever.