Author's Note: Since both of my Peter Pan stories are depressing, I decided to lighten things up a bit and do something humorus. I've had this idea in my head since I saw the musical over the summer. Please read and review!

A Night at the Theater

"There are at least three reasons why people of ages enjoy Peter Pan: the play, the flying and Peter Pan himself."

---Bruce Hanson, J.M. Barrie and the Lost Boys

Chapter 1

A Surprise Guest

London, 1904

One snowy night in late December, Wendy Darling sat at her vanity, meticulously brushing her long brown hair. On any other night, she wouldn't have cared how her hair looked but tonight was a very special night.

Tonight, she and her parents were attending a performance of what was quickly becoming one of the most popular plays in London. Her father had received tickets from a (supposedly) anonymous sender and could not pass up the opportunity to attend the event.

The performance in question was that of James Barrie's play Peter Pan or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up. It was Barrie, Wendy knew, who had sent the tickets to her father.

She paused in her brushing and gazed into her mirror for awhile, remembering her meeting in Kensington Gardens.

Nearly three months after her return from Neverland, Wendy could not get thoughts of Peter and her adventures out of her head. So, she walked to Kensington Gardens, the same park where Peter's own journey to Neveland had begun.

There, she had met James Barrie. Strangely, they had been the only ones in the park that day and wanting someone to believe her stories, Wendy had told him everything about Peter Pan and his magical home in the stars. While she talked, she was surprised to see Barrie scribbling in a notebook and when she finished, he gave a mysterious smile, wished her good day and left the park.

Wendy was surprised at his abrupt exit and was sure that it meant that he did not believe at all and that his 'notes' remarked on how mad she sounded. With these thoughts, she promptly forgot about her meeting with the playwright.

That is, until two months later when her father had received the tickets that had come with a note from Barrie, telling her that he had turned her story into a play.

She jumped when the nursery door opened and her brother John entered, followed by the former Lost Boys.

"Why can't we go to the play, Wendy?" Nibs whined without preamble.

"Father was only sent four tickets, Nibs," Wendy replied gently.

"Besides, they're very hard to get and I'm sure whoever sent them wasn't counting on me having seven brothers."

"But why does Michael get to go?" protested Curly.

"Because he is the youngest," said Wendy. To herself she added, And he still believes in Peter Pan.

Before the boys could think of any more retorts, Mrs. Darling glided into the room wearing a beautiful cream colored dress. She smiled at her sons and said, "Come along, children, I must speak to Wendy alone for a moment. Why don't you go see if your father has managed to tie his tie?!"

With a few pleading glances at Wendy, the boys reluctantly turned and left the nursery, leaving Mrs. Darling and Wendy alone. Mrs. Darling smiled at her daughter who looked breathtaking in a simple, yet elegant sky blue dress that Wendy had picked out herself. Finally, she said, "Wendy, I'm afraid that Michael cannot come with us tonight."

"What?! But why, Mother?" Wendy cried, getting to her feet.

"His cold has gotten worse and I fear he is just too ill to travel. It is the middle winter and I don't want him to get worse," her mother replied sadly.

Michael had had a sore throat and cough for about week, but had still managed to remain cheerful and was not going to let a little cold keep him from seeing Mr. Barrie's play. Now, however it seemed that the cold had gotten the better of him.

"Oh, he must be so disappointed," Wendy sighed as she sat down slowly. "Poor Michael, he was looking forward to this play."

"He is very disappointed," said Mrs. Darling nodding. "But he says he will let you pick one of the other boys to take with us. I will leave now so you can make your decision." Wendy's mother turned and sauntered to the door but when she reached it, she paused and added, "I think your window is open. I feel a slight draft."

Once she had heard the door close behind her mother, Wendy got up and moved to close the window, which was open enough to admit a person about her size when a dark shape leapt out from behind a curtain and landed in front of her.

Wendy's hands flew to her mouth, stifling her scream of surprise at the sight of Peter Pan standing before her.

He looked the same as she had remembered him. His dirty blonde hair was still as tousled and his sky blue eyes sparkled with merriment and wonder.

"Peter!" Wendy gasped as she struggled to calm herself. "Have you been hiding all this time?!"

In reply, the boy grinned and bowed courteously to her. When he straightened up again, he said, "Yes, I was. I've come for you again just like I promised! It's spring cleaning time you know!"

Wendy's face fell and she smiled sadly at her dear friend, "I'm terribly sorry, Peter, but I can't come with you this time."

"Why? Have you forgotten how to fly?"

"No, Peter, it's just that Father got tickets to a play this evening and---" She stopped suddenly and her eyes widened as a thought struck her. "Peter, why don't you come with my parents and I! You can use Michael's ticket and you can borrow some of John's clothes!"

"I don't go about with grown ups!" said Peter as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh, they won't bother us. You can serve as my escort. Please, Peter, say yes!" Wendy pleaded.

Peter looked at her for a long time, his face unreadable. Finally he asked, "What's a play, Wendy?"

Wendy smiled and said, "Well, a play is a story that is acted out by people called actors. The stories don't all have happy endings though and sometimes they can be rather boring!"

"And what's this 'play' about that want me to come to?" Peter asked.

Wendy hesitated, "Well, it's about---it's about…you and me and our adventures in Neverland."

As she expected, a large smile spread across Peter's face as he flew into the air. "Me?" He cried. "A story about me! Oh, how clever I am!"

Wendy laughed as he descended and landed in front of her again with his hands on his hips and a cocky smile on his face.

"Yes, Peter, it's about you," said Wendy.

"Well, of course!" cried Peter. "I'm the best there ever was!"

"So, am I to assume that you want to go to the play?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Good! Now, stay there and I'll go get Mother and John!" With that, Wendy hurried from the nursery.

To prevent the other boys from getting sick, Michael was kept in his parents' room. He overjoyed to hear that Peter had returned and gladly gave his ticket to Wendy, asking her to tell every detail about the performance when she returned. Wendy promised she would and ran back to the nursery with her mother and John.

There, they found Peter floating near the ceiling, waiting patiently for them. When he landed, Mrs. Darling showed him to the bathroom where he could change into clothes more suited for the theater.

Thirty minutes later, he appeared looking very handsome in black pants and white collared shirt (he refused to wear the tie) but was looking very perplexed about the socks and shoes.

"Peter, you have to wear them," said Wendy. "You don't want to walk around barefoot, do you?"

"Yes, I do," said Peter. "I always do in Neverland."

"This isn't Neveland, Peter! This is London and people don't walk around without shoes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Quite sure."

"Alright, as long as I can take them off at the---what do you call? Theter?"

"Theater," said Wendy, "and yes, I suppose you could." She added in a whisper.

Once Peter was fully dressed, Wendy introduced him to her father.

"So, this is the boy who took you away from us?" said Mr. Darling as he eyed Peter intently. "To that magical island, eh?"

"Yes, Father," said Wendy calmly. "He came back for me so that I could do his spring cleaning for him, but I invited him to the play instead. I'll watch out for him, don't worry."

"See that you do and perhaps we can enjoy tonight," said Mr. Darling. He paused and then said, "Well, come along then. We best get going before the show starts without us!"

They said good-bye to John, Michael and the Lost Boys (who did not seem to recognize Peter), got into the waiting carriage and drove off into the frosty night.