When Pan Grew Up
For all my dearest friends. This is our year guys, it's time to grow up, but not without a fight. I hope that if you ever read this, you're able to figure out who is who, and what is really true.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters created by Walt Disney
CLAIMER: I do own any self-made characters and self-made plot lines
"Bye, Peter. Thanks for all the adventures." Slightly says as he and the other Lost Boys climb up the ancient, wooden steps of the underground tree house. I ignore him and go towards my room, whipping the bear skin back and going to sit stubbornly on the bed. Stupid Lost Boys, thinking I'll fall for their trick. They'll be back before sunrise.
Except there have been many sunrises since, I scowl to myself as I push back the memories of the Lost Boys. I don't need them! I've got Tink, and surely there are still billions of adventures for me to have! Surely...and my next will be to get new Lost Boys, and hell, maybe even some Lost Girls! I look out my window to check the positions of the stars. I grin to myself and take off for England.
...
After only a few moments I land on the perch of the old, familiar window. To my joy it's unlocked and I can see the silhouette of Wendy sitting by the fire, telling Jane and her brother a story. Wendy was always good at telling stories. I get ready to make a big dramatic entrance, except when I do enter I hear Jane's voice saying, "And then he burst into the room! Wendy whispered in awe, 'Peter, is that you? It's been so very long.'"
"Jane, I'm the one telling the story here, let Danny enjoy it." Wendy tutts. Jane gives an exasperated sigh. During this I'm still watching from the window, waiting for the perfect moment. "Alright, so then, Peter replied with..."
"Of course it's me! Whoever else could it possibly be?" I say haughtily. I hear a round of gasps as they turn towards me, I in turn am shocked to see Jane and Wendy looking...older.
"Peter? What are you doing here?" Jane gasps, her sea glass-blue eyes wide with shock. I put my hands on my hips in that familiar way and grin wildly.
"I'm here to start a new adventure of course!"
"Oh Peter, Danny can't go with you, he's already 13, and Jane is 17!" Wendy cries with disdain.
"Well I could tell that the lot of you had gotten older, but I'm not here for them, I'm here to ask you all something." Jane and Wendy consider this for a few moments; Danny just sits there in a state of pure shock.
"What is it exactly, Peter, that you want?" Wendy asks warily.
"Well it's quite simple actually! I need the lot of you to pass on the stories of me to everyone so that I can have myself some new Lost Boys, and maybe even some new Lost Girls."
"Peter...you can't just trick children into never growing up. Getting older is okay, it's another adventure in itself." Wendy says darkly.
"What do you mean 'trick'?" I ask, offended. I have never tricked a child in my life.
"Peter, let's be honest here, you're sadistic, childish, sometimes heartless, and very good at twisting words and making up fake truths. I remember how you got me to go with you to Neverland, I'll never forget. And I'm not saying that I regret it, I never will, but you did trick Michael, John, and me." Wendy says again, this time with pleading eyes, willing me to understand. Discussion like this continues for another few minutes, passing back in forth like in a tennis match. Finally Jane breaks the streak.
"Enough! Peter, we'll pass on your stories, but on one condition!"
"And what condition is that, Jane?" I ask rather cockily.
"You must come to visit us every thirtieth sunrise." I contemplate Jane's request, but only for a mere second.
"Deal! Let's spit on it!" I say confidently. Jane nods, spits on her hand and stretches it out. I do the same and we shake on it.
...
"Jane, must you go? I've only been here for a few minutes. Forget about those friends of yours...and that boyfriend of yours." My face screws up at the word 'boyfriend'.
"Yes, Peter, I must. I told them last week that we'd hang out this weekend, I'm sorry I forgot it was your visiting day, but I'll be back before sunrise." Jane chirps as she nearly flies out the door, her skirt fluttering behind her and her dirty blonde hair ruffling from the movement. She quickly turns around and breathlessly says to me, "wait for me, Peter." And then she's gone, with her precisely brushed hair, taxingly perfect makeup, and pretty clothes. I sigh and kick at her bed post. Danny walks into the room soon after to see if I'm still there, which obviously I am.
"You know, Peter, Jane is 23 now, and she'll probably get married to that boyfriend of hers soon." Danny says, with all his 18 year old grown upness. "And Mum is 44 now. Everyone is growing up except for you, Peter, and last time I checked, you haven't gotten any new Lost Boys or Girls who have stayed for long."
"Danny, I don't care who grows up or how old Jane and Wendy get, I'm never staying here. Never!" And then I take off, still flaring. As I fly back to Neverland I mutter to myself about how stupid Jane, Wendy, the whole lot of them would get old someday and die, and then the joke would be on them! And then I somehow manage to talk myself into never going back there again, I mean, it isn't like Wendy tells stories anymore, and Jane always complains about having school the next morning. Well, forget them!
...
It's been many, many sunrises since I last visited Jane and Wendy. I look out my window and grin, I even almost crow! I bolt up and fly like a mad-boy towards the familiar England window. Much to my surprise, the window is open when I get there. I grin to myself and climb in the window, but stay in the shadows. Someone is sitting in Wendy's rocker with a little girl on their lap.
"Oh Granny, can't you please tell the Peter Pan story again? It helps me sleep." The girls begs, and so the lady begins. Suddenly there is another woman at the door.
"Oh Mother, don't you think that Winifred is a little old for the stories? I mean, she's 13." The lady at the door says with concern.
"Jane, you know just as well as I do that one can never be too old for the stories." The old lady tutts. I step out of the shadows in shock. The unfamiliar, old version of Jane registers me being there and calmly turns towards her daughter.
"Winifred, honey, will you do me a favour and go check on your uncle Danny? He wasn't feeling well earlier."
"Yes, Mother." The girl, Winifred says reluctantly as she leaves the room. I'm shocked to see that she looks to be about 13. "Good night, Granny Wendy." My shock grows. As soon as Winifred has left the room and Jane and closed the door behind her and rise off the floor and precariously fly over to them.
"Peter? Is that you? Don't look at me, Peter. Please, don't." The old lady says with distress as she sees the shadow the fire casts.
"Who are you people? What have you done with Wendy and Jane?" I ask, scared. The old Jane pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.
"Peter it is us, it's just that you haven't visited us for many, many years, and now we have aged. But what are you doing here, Peter, after so many years of us leaving the window open?" Jane asks. My eyes glaze over with tears.
"No, it can't be you. Jane, you weren't supposed to grow up and have a daughter, last time I saw you...No!" I scream.
"Peter, please, don't scream, or Winifred will come back."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Peter, we don't want her to feel the sorrow we did when we waited for you and you never showed up." Wendy says this time. I finally turn to her and gasp. Her face is wrinkled, her eyes seem dull, and she seems so frail that she might blow away on the wind.
"No, I can make things up to you! I'll teach Winifred how to fly!"
"No, Peter, please don't. I don't think my sick heart can take it to see Winifred's disappointment when you leave for Neverland." Wendy pleads.
"Then...then I'll stay! I'll stay with you Wendy, and with you, Jane, and even with Winifred! I'll stay!" I say frantically, knowing that if Winifred does not believe, then no other Darling child ever will again. Wendy and Jane are silent for a few moments, when finally Wendy let's out a weathered sigh.
"Are you sure, Peter? You'll get older, and you might forget how to fly."
"Yes, I'm quite sure! I'll practise flying whenever I can, and I'll fly back to Neverland sometimes to get pixie dust from Tink! I'll stay!" Now I'm begging, and I'm not exactly sure why. Finally, after some consideration, Jane nods in agreement.
"Fine, Peter, you may stay, but on one condition. You shall never show Winifred how to fly or enchant her with your stories of Neverland. I simply cannot bare to see her disappointment why she cannot go there." Jane says firmly. I reluctantly nod my head, and so it begins.
...
"Thanks, Tink, see you in a month!" I call as I take off for England again. When I get back, I land about a block away and walk the familiar streets towards the Darling home where I already know a warm dinner is waiting for me. When I enter the threshold I'm attacked by the smell of juicy chicken, fresh out of the oven, with seasoned mash potatoes, and sultry gravy. Yes, today really is a special day, which calls for a special meal; it is Wendy's 62 birthday and all. Today I brought back some extra pixie dust with me for Wendy's birthday present. The coat rack is completely full as I walk by it, and I already know exactly which one belongs to who. A sound of excited chatter grows and grows as I approach the dining room. When I enter I'm greeted by a round of excited 'hello's and 'it's about time's from everyone. I grin and take a seat between Slightly and John . Everyone, Lost Boys and all, are here for Wendy's birthday.
"Peter? You haven't changed a bit!" Slightly cries as I sit beside him. I simply wink and whisper.
"Well I have only been here for 11 months."
"But Peter, that's nearly a year! Can you still...you know, fly?"
"Of course I can, Slightly, hell, I was flying just a few minutes ago." I whisper as Jane walks in with Winifred, both of them carrying heaping trays of food. I study Winifred as she sets her tray down. She's an interesting girl, truly, but certainly not as interesting as Jane and Wendy. Winifred doesn't look like them either, she gets all her looks from her father's side of the family.
"Alright everyone, dig in." Jane beams, and immediately it's just like being back in Neverland, the boys are digging in ravenously, even though they're grown men now, and Wendy is still carefully cutting each sliver of food. The nostalgia is overwhelming and I ask to be excused from the table. Once I am I fly to the roof and cry for awhile. I truly do miss living in Neverland, but I don't miss being as lonely as I was. After awhile I go back down and continue dinner.
There you have it, the first chapter of my newest fic. Anyways, I hope you liked it! I'll be updating soon. Review and keep reading!
-JAMZD