* Was inspired by the musical productions of Peter Pan…As he is played by a girl…SO I thought, what if Peter was a girl. ANYWAYS, here you have it. Never Grow Up. I don't own anything the involves Peter Pan, just this story*

Chapter One

Peter

The sound of a crash infiltrates Wendy's ears, causing her to jump up from her chair and dropping the needle she was using to mend hole on Michael's trousers. She picks up the skirt of her nightgown and runs upstairs to the nursery. Nana is sitting by her bed, paws covering her eyes from the chaos that follows John and Michael as they play Hook and Pan. She should have never told them that story, for now they seem obsessed with the idea of a boy named Peter Pan fighting off pirates. Wendy clears her throat; causing the boys to turn around- John drops the hanger he had been using as a hook, while Michael only grips tighter to the small wooden dagger in his small hands.

"Boys, mother and father have yet to leave, and you have already destroyed our room," she walks over to the pile of fallen wooden blocks and picks them up, "Are you trying to kill father…you know his blood pressure will spike if he sees this…John, you know better."

"You're right, Wendy," her mother emerges from the doorway, already in her purple party dress, blonde hair up in a twist, every finger nail painted, "Boys, look what you have done to your beds. I this room to be picked up by the time I return to say goodnight, as well all of you in bed."

"Yes, mother," the boys say together, jumping off John's bed, as Wendy nods her head and resumes picking up around the room. Their mother offers a smile before returning to her husband, to help him finish getting ready.

Wendy picks a blue ribbon from the dresser tying her hair out of her face, before finishing helping the boys pick up. The miraculously finish, before their parents return to the nursery. Their father stays at the door while their mother bids the goodnight with a kiss on the forehead and tells them of how angels will guard them at night. Wendy knows, however, that it is not angels who guard them, but a boy who refuses to become an adult, a boy who fights pirates and befriends Indians. Their parents leave, keeping the nightlight on for Michael, who has yet to grow out of the monsters that live under the bed. And Wendy closes her eyes, hoping to dream of Neverland.

Just as her eyes seem to finally shut and stay shut, she hears Michael callout her name. Her eyes open quickly as she sits up in bed, "Yes, Michael?"

"Tell us a story of Peeta?" His voice almost a whisper; she nods her head anyways and get out of bed, to slowly make her way across the room to the stool between John and Michael.

"Which story about Peter do you want to hear?"

"I wanna hear a new story about Peeta," Michael replies, emphasizing his pronunciation of Peter's name.

"Well alright… give me a second," Wendy says taping a finger to her chin, "One day Peter…"

"Peeta," Michael says interrupting her.

"He finds a map just lying in his chair, as if it were waiting for him. Peter…"

"Peeta."

"He picks up the map to examine it. Quickly, he realizes it is a treasure map. Not only is it a treasure map, it was Hook's map and Peter…"

"PEETA!"

"Michael," Wendy stands up, hands on her hips, "It's Peter. Why do you keep insisting that his name is Peeta?

"Because her name is Peeta," he replies as if it is the most obvious thing in the world; however, this is new news to Wendy.

"No, HIS name is Peter," she replies, not returning to her seat, "Go to bed, Michael."

"But, Wendy, her name is Peeta…she told me so," Wendy turns to him, her head now full of confusion. Peter talked to Michael? Why would he talk to Michael and not her? She is the one who tells stories about him, after all. And just like that she feels jealous, hurt even.

"I'm sure Peter had his reasons…" she mumbles to herself as she begins to tip-toe back to her bed.

"Peeta did not want to wake you," Michael says, just loud enough for you to hear, "she says you do not sleep enough and something else… She knows lots of big fancy words that try to use."

She. She. She. Wendy brings her hand to her head, just after her head hits the pillow. Maybe Michael met a lost girl. But there are no lost girls. It must have been a dream then. Peter Pan is a boy and Michael is delusional.

Wendy eventually hears Michael's snores and she knows she has stayed up too late once more. She squeezes her eyes shut in hoping that the action will have some effect, but her mind refuses to rest.

Suddenly a crash explodes from the wall behind her. She sits up quickly to see that the large window has opened and quickly gets out of bed. First she examines the wall that had been affected, to see her dresser all out of order, with makeup, ribbon, and sowing tools scattered along the top. She puts it off as nothing but the wind, knowing the boys sometimes forget to lock the window. Quickly she puts her things back in order before turning around. A gasp escapes her mouth when her eyes land upon the boy of her stories sitting on the widow seal, leaning his back against the frame, and his eyes directed above her. He is wearing a dirty white dress shirt, along with a green vest and brown pants that hand been cut and rolled up, and of course no shoes. His red hair seemed to be shaved on the right side and chin length on the other. Leather cuff line both wrist and a long chain hangs in the middle of his chest.

"Don't move a muscle," he commands, his voice softer than she imagined; however she does as she is told and remains still. Slowly he arises from his spot and walks cautiously towards her. He isn't much taller than her, which surprises Wendy greatly, for she is only about five feet tall. Peter stops right in front of her, his blue eyes watching the wall above her head.

"Pe.." he cuts her off, by placing a finger upon her lips. He sharply moves his eyes down to hers and it clicks.

"Quiet," Peeta says, before jumping into the air. Wendy ignores the command and quickly turns around to see Peeta chancing a black figure on the wall. Finally, she hits her hand against a spot of the black figure, stopping it. It's a shadow. Her shadow to be exact. Peeta grabs hold of it and slowly falls to the floor, landing on her two feet, the other hand on her waist.

"I thought you would be better at taking orders, Wendy," she says with a smirk walking back towards the blonde girl clad in a blue nightgown, her voice like a low bell.

"I…I…Peeta?" Wendy eyebrows lower, her head swirling in revelation.

"Yes, that is my name," Peeta's smile widens, "It's nice to finally hear you say it. But tell me, Wendy, you wouldn't happen to know how to attach a shadow back to its person, would you?"

"Peeta," Wendy says again more to her self, as she makes her way back to her bed, "Peeta…"

"There is a time and a place for you to be repeating my name, doll, but now is not it, unfortunately," Peeta sits beside her on top of the cover, shadow still in hand, "now, I asked you a question…"

Wendy brings her knees to her chest, her hands to her head, and her forehead down to the top of her knees.

"You look like I just crushed your hopes and dreams," Peeta places a hand on her shoulder, before quickly taking it off, "Which, I understand completely…"

"You're not suppose to be Peeta," Wendy says sitting up now, meeting Peeta's blue eyes with her brown ones, "You're not suppose to be a girl."

"Well, I know my father would definitely agree with you on that one," Peeta says standing up now, "Sorry to disappoint you."

"It's fine," Wendy replies, shaking her head, finally thinking clearly, " You said something about your shadow."

" It's fine, Wendy. Go back to bed. I shouldn't have bothered you," Peeta looks down at her hands, a crease appearing between her eyebrows, then beginning to turn around, mumbling under her breath, "This wasn't how it was suppose to go. Damn shadow. Shouldn't even be here."

"Peeta," Wendy calls out to her, getting out of bed and walking over to her sowing supplies, "go sit. I'm sure sowing it will fix it. Though, I've never sown a shadow…but it can't be much different then sowing lace."

Wendy turns around to see Peeta, sitting Indian style by the window, watching her, with an eyebrow raised. Hesitantly, Wendy makes her way over to the girl, thread and needle in hand. She sits beside her, looking down at her own hands now, "Maybe it would work best if I attach it to your feet…"

"Certainly, Wendy," Peeta replies, uncrossing her feet and scooting away, and places her feet where she once sat. Wendy prepares a needle as Peeta pulls at her shadow's own feet placing them at hers. With determination now entering her brain, Wendy attempts to sow the shadow back on its owner. Peeta doesn't say a word as Wendy does this, astounding the young seamstress, knowing she would be crying if the positions were switched.

"Alright," Wendy announces, breaking the last thread, "That should to it."

Peeta wiggles her feet before standing upon them, her eyes landing across the black wall in front of her. With a huff, she jumps again into the air and flicks the shadow from behind her to the once blank wall. She brings her fists to her hips and grins, "Perfect. I knew I could fix this without the fairies help."

"You could fix it?" Wendy questions her arms folding across her chest, "Conceited."

"Speaking of fairies," Peeta says, ignoring Wendy's comment, "I seem to have misplaced mine in here."

"Do you mean to tell me there is a fairy in here…this very second?" Wendy replies standing up to join the redheaded girl.

"I sure as hell hope so," she says, before making her way to the dresser, "She was chasing the shadow for…I believe she could have landed over here…"

Abruptly, Peeta starts opening the drawers, waiting for a flicker of light. And on the last one, it finally appears, "there you are, Tink. Getting lost, especially in the Darling house...you should know better than that."

The fairy flies out of the drawer and lands upon Peeta's shoulder, making a chime-like sound, causing Peeta to laugh.

"Did she say something?" Wendy asks her arms return to the folded position across her chest.

"Nothing that concerns you, Wendy," she replies with a wink, "Tink and I should be off now. Its getting, well, early, and you need your sleep."

Peeta begins to make her way back to the open window, Wendy following right behind, "Wait."

Her request causes Peeta to turn around instantly, "Yes, Wendy?"

"Will I see you again? I mean I just met you…you can't go back to being just a story."

"Wendy," Peeta walks over to the other girl, grabbing a blonde piece of hair between two fingers that had fallen in front of Wendy's face, "That's your choice."