Title: An Awfully Big Adventure
Rating: T (minor character death)
Genre: Adventure, Romance
Warnings: OMG, FLUFF
Summary: Rufio returns from his adventure in death just in time to embark on another adventure- in love. Oh, and he also has to find Maggie, before Peter returns to Neverland.
A/N: Written in response to a raven like a writing desk 's contest: Rufio/OC. Deadline is October 31st. 2001. Inspiration in review form is greatly appreciated!
DISCLAIMER: SEE PROFILE
Chapter 1- "RU-FI-OOO!"
When you find yourself alive after a while of being dead, you feel very disoriented. Or, that's the way Rufio felt right now. He was still lying face up, and the last thing he remembered was being ran through by Hook. Slowly, other things came to him, a little house with a dog and Peter and- oh, there's Thud Butt.
The robust younger boy stretched his hand out to Rufio. "You're alive!" He exclaimed, his face torn between a weird mix of happy and forlorn. "Peter left, you know. He put me in charge."
Rufio just looked at the younger boy. Peter was already gone? It stung a little, to know that he had been abandoned so easily. At least his friend had his family with him.
Rufio looked at Thud Butt and nodded. "That's great," He said easily, seeing the other boys come running up. A loud chorus of "RU-FI-OOO" could be heard.
Thud Butt eyed the older boy. It seemed strange that Rufio would just give up his position so easily, especially with the way that he had tested Peter. But, in a way, they had all tested Peter equally has hard.
As the other boys surrounded them, asking Rufio about death and what one did while dead, Thud Butt watched his friend closely. Usually, Rufio would take something like this as a means to brag, but the older boy was strangely quiet.
"Was it an awfully big adventure? Like Peter says?" One boy asked Rufio, tugging at his arm. Rufio blinked and nodded.
"It was," He said, but he didn't really remember.
It had only been a few days, but Rufio saw himself falling into the role of Thud Butt's lieutenant easily, which most found strange but dared not comment on. Other than his duties in their war games, Rufio was withdrawn.
He didn't know what it felt like to be dead, because what he remembered was like a dream. He figured that it was heaven, if such a place existed, but it wasn't like the stories he had heard. Instead it was a little house where he lived. It was always sunny and he had whatever he wanted at his disposal. There was a dog, but Rufio doesn't think it had a name.
Peter was there, too, and they would play ball and go camping and fish in the pond behind their house that appeared whenever Rufio wanted it to.
Sometimes, Rufio thinks that perhaps he didn't die at all- he was simply dreaming. Sometimes, Rufio wishes he could have that dream back, when his imagination isn't strong enough to conjure up something to eat and he feels a little too old and a lot too fatherless.
Time doesn't go the same way in Neverland as it does in London, and the rest of the 'real' world, but Rufio thinks that maybe its been almost a year since he saw Peter. He's slowly come out of his shell, but it isn't difficult to tell that dying had taken some of his youth.
Thud Butt approached him one day.
"Hey, Rufio."
Rufio looked up from the log he was sitting on. He wasn't in the hideout, but rather in a clearing a little way's away. The Lost Boys generally didn't play here, so when he felt like he had had enough of their antics, Rufio came here to be alone.
"Whatcha doin' out here by yourself?" Thud Butt asked, taking a seat beside his friend and causing Rufio's end of the log to rise.
Rufio shrugged his shoulders. "Nothin'. Just sitting."
Thud Butt scrunched his face up. "Rufio, ever since you died, you sure been actin' weird. Why don't you hardly ever play with us anymore? Its dodge-Sooner-and-Later!"
Rufio rolled his eyes slightly at the ridiculous game that they had made up so long ago, which was basically just a combination of Dodge ball and Tag, You're It! but with the twins instead of balls. And no identifiable teams. It was a rather unfair and painful game, Rufio thought.
"I don't like playing little kid games, that's all."
Thud Butt recoiled as if Rufio had suggested they all clean up the hideout and begin going to bed early. "Little kid games!" He bellowed, and Rufio knew it was the wrong thing to say. "Don't tell me you want to go to the 'real' world and have kids, too! So, that's it, huh? You're just going to abandon us, like Peter? Well, fine! See if I care- go!"
Thud Butt stormed off and Rufio stayed. Did he want to go to the 'real' world? No, and yes. Rufio didn't think he wanted kids, and he definitely didn't want to leave the Boys, but he wondered if it was too much to ask that Peter came back.
Rufio smiled at Tink. They had become friends over their shared sadness of Peter's absence. The fairy was flying towards him now, on his way back to base.
"What's up, Tink?" He asked, when he noticed the alarming speed she was going. "Everything okay?'
Tink landed on Rufio's outstretched palm, doubled over and clutching her middle. He breath came out in uneven, labored pants. "It's- Peter- he's- in- London."
Rufio's eyes widened. "Really?" He asked, excited. "Can we go see him?"
Tink looked up, a bright smile on her face. "Duh!" She shouted, flying up and smacking Rufio on the forehead lightly. "What'd you think I came to you for? Let's fly!"
London, Rufio found, was really cold. Snow covered every surface the eye could see. He flew behind Tink, smiling brightly when she pointed to a house with a big open window. "There it is," Tink said. "That's Wendy's house, I'm sure Peter is there!"
The two landed on the window pane silently, and Rufio shivered from the cold as he peered into the room. It was empty. "Huh," Tink said, flying to a bed and sitting down. "I know I heard his voice here."
Rufio stepped into the house and shut the window, then grabbed up a blanket from the bed Tink wasn't on. Wrapping it around himself, Rufio settled down by the fairy. "Didn't you say he'd be in this room? I don't think he's here, Tink."
Tink shook her head. "No, this is the room we came to before he grew up. But, if he was here, I'm sure his kids would have been in this room."
Rufio nodded, and seeing the distraught look on his friend's face, stood. "Come on," He said, motioning for Tink to follow him. "Maybe he's just somewhere else."
Tink smiled. "Yeah!"
As the two crept out of the room and into the hallway, they noticed another door. Light spilled from within the room as the door was slightly ajar. "Quiet," Rufio admonished Tink, when she began to make happy noises. "Let's surprise him!"
Coming to stand by the door, Rufio peered inside. But Peter wasn't there.
Instead, it was an old woman- Wendy, perhaps?- reading a book by her fireplace. Rufio could see from the door that the book had pictures. It sort of looked like an upside-down-young-Peter.
Rufio's brow furrowed as he glanced to Tink, who seemed to be looking at the woman intently. "That's Wendy Darling," Tink whispered.
Suddenly, Wendy began coughing, dropping the book as she hacked her lungs into her hands. "Oh, no," Tink said. Rufio's eyes widened. "Is she...?" He started, but he couldn't finish.
"I think so," Tink said quietly.
Suddenly, Rufio turned and headed for the bedroom they had come in through. Tink tore after him. "Wait, Rufio!" She called, flying as fast as she could.
The boy was already throwing the window back open and trying to take off. His thoughts must have been too dark, however, because no matter what he couldn't get himself to fly.
"Don't you think we should do something?" Tink asked, wringing her hands.
"What!" Rufio yelled, throwing his hands up. "What can we do? She's, she's... She's dying, Tink!"
Hanging her head, Tink nodded. "I know..." She whispered. "You're right. Let's go."
Hauling Rufio into the air and out of the house, both knew that they were each thinking the same thing- Wendy's big adventure was coming soon, and here- in this world- she wouldn't be returning.
A/N: Okay, some angst for the first chapter, but I swear it doesn't stay this way! Remember, one review helps feed a starving author for days.