~One More Child and One More Caregiver~
Wendy smiled as she flew past towering clocks in London, hidden by the darkness of the night. She was here to check up on her mother, father, and Nana. As much as she love living in Neverland with Peter and the other, Wendy still loves the family she and her brothers left behind.
A glowing golden mass of sparkles came up to Wendy's side and the girl child smiled. It only took a near death event and a mutual understanding for Tinkerbell and Wendy to become friends. The fairy was actually the one who volunteered to accompany Wendy when something came up and Peter had to go meet the Big Red Man.
The two slowed down and landed silently on the roof of the Darling children's former home, right next to the window that leads into the nursery. Wendy peeked inside and, deeming it safe, quietly slipped into the room through the open window. The girl looked around. Everything was just as when the Darling children left. The only thing that was different was the white letter that was sitting on Wendy's unmade bed. The girl picked up the slightly warm paper and unfolded it. As she read it, something tugged at her heart-
Dear Wendy,
Hello my dear. I knew you would be the one who would come to visit us. I hope you are having fun in Neverland. How do I know that you, John, and Michael are in Neverland? Because I am your mother, and I will never stop being your mother. Because I knew, from the way that you spoke of Neverland and Peter Pan, that if you had the slightest chance of being able to go to that place and meet that boy, you would go and your brothers would be right behind you. I miss you and your brothers. Your father misses you. Nana misses you. We all love you. But we know that, no matter where you are, you and your brothers are happy. Stay happy Wendy. All children should be happy
Love,
Mother
(P.S. - Would you take Nana with you? Poor girl is still heartbroken.)
Wendy gulped down the lump in her throat and looked at Tinkerbell, who was sitting on her shoulder. "Can we take Nana?" Tinkerbell smile and nodded. "Thank you Tinkerbell." Just then, the door opened and the two girls turned sharply. Through the crack in the door came Nana. The old girl looked up and, having caught sight of Wendy, ran into Wendy's waiting arms. "Oh, Nana. How I miss you."
The two pulled apart and Wendy looked at Nana and asked, "Will you come with me to Neverland? The boys and I miss you. Mother said it was ok." The dog stood up straight and nodded in such a way that it was like she was saying, 'oh course. You are my children.' Wendy smiled and looked to Tinkerbell. The little fairy sprinkled a little bit of dust onto the St. Bernard dog as Wendy said, "Think happy thoughts."
The dog rose up into the air and, for a minute, kicked her legs as if she was swimming. Wendy giggled and flew up to dog. The two flew out into the night and towards the second star to the right. Just as they past Big Ben, Wendy heard something and she stopped onto one of the clock's hands to listen. The faint noise sounded like a baby and reminded Wendy of the times that she cradled the then baby Michael in her arms to quiet his cries.
The girl flew off to find the crying child with Tinkerbell and Nana on her heels. The crying got louder and louder as Wendy came closer to an alley way. She flew down and saw something that broke her heart. In the middle of a pile of boxes, a baby girl wrapped in a blanket was crying, her hands in tight fists. The girl dressed in blue picked up the baby and cradled her to her chest, whispering, "Shh. No need to cry. I got you."
Almost as soon as Wendy finished, the girl's cried stopped and the baby just stared at the older girl. Her blues eyes were identical to the shade of blue of Wendy's own eyes that Peter often said was 'like the sky on the clearest day'. The baby's fuzzy head was the shade of Wendy's own hair. In fact, the little girl could might as well past as Wendy's daughter. But it was the spirit behind those twin blue eyes that made Wendy think of Peter. They had the same fire of mischief as her 'husband', as she has token as late to calling him.
Wendy looked up at Tinkerbell and Nana. The question was clearly seen in the girl's eyes because Tinkerbell nodded and Nana seemed to smile. The girl flew back up to the waiting pair, still holding onto the now giggling baby.
*Some Time Later*
Peter was sitting in his chair and tapping his fingers impatiently against the arm rest. 'Wendy and Tink should be back by now', he thought as he sighed. He missed Wendy and Tink, but mostly Wendy. Probably because she was his 'wife'. He vaguely remembered that word from one of his visits to Wendy's world. As Wendy put it, a wife was what you called the girl you love just as a husband was what you called the boy you love. Peter stood up to go outside to see if he could spot his wife and his best friend when John came in and said, "Wendy and Tinkerbell are back." The boy in green raced outside to see the other boys pointing at Wendy and Tinkerbell and some kind of animal that was next to Wendy. Wendy was holding something pink in her arms.
As soon as the two girls and the animal landed, John and Michael hugged the animal, crying out, "Nana!" Peter walked up to Wendy and raised an eyebrow. She smiled up at him and said, "She's Nana. She took care of John, Michael, and I. Our mother wrote me a note asking me to take Nana with me because she was heartbroken when we left."
Peter nodded and wrapped an arm around Wendy's waist. Tootie came up and tugged at Wendy's dress, pointing at the bundle in Wendy's arms. "What do you have Mother?" asked Slightly as the rest of the boys circled around the pair. The girl kneeled down and revealed a sleeping baby. "I found her abandoned on the way home and I couldn't leave her."
The baby suddenly yawned and opened her eyes, looking at each new face and giggled. Michael looked up to his sister and Peter and asked, "What's her name Wendy?"
"Jane."
Everyone looked up at Peter after he spoke and he shrugged. "I heard it once and I liked it."
Wendy looked at the baby girl and smiled, "Welcome home Jane." The mother stood up as the John started to bark out orders so they could make the baby comfortable, sometimes looking at Nana to make sure he was right.
The two oldest children walked back to the new hideout as everyone scattered to find things to help the baby be at home, except for Nana who trotted after the pair. Peter held up the opening for the three girls into the hideout before closing the hatch. He hugged Wendy from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Do you think I will be a good father?"
"Of course Peter. My mother once said that a good husband makes a good father, and you are a perfect husband."
"You aren't lying?"
Wendy looked at him and asked, "Have I ever lied to you?" Peter shook his head and the girl continued, "That's right, and I'm not about to start now."
Peter smiled and raised a hand to brush some hair from Jane's face. The baby giggled and reached for his hand, a huge smile on her face. "I love you Wendy."
"I love you too Peter."
