Nightmare of Neverland
All Ava could do was watch as Jack and Maggie were taken away into the cold snowy London night.
"JACK! MAGGIE!" she cried out, desperately running after them. She got to the window just in time to jump and cling onto them as they were swept away into a huge net. She didn't let go.
Ava was their babysitter ever since they were born and she was going to be damned if anyone ever tried to hurt these children.
"Let them go!" she screamed. She managed to get her feet tangled into the net so she wouldn't fall to her death.
"AVA!" screamed the children.
"I'm here. Calm down. We're okay. It's okay," she said to them to try to keep them calm.
"Hang on tight to each other okay?" she asked with shakiness in her voice.
"We want to go home," cried the children.
"I do as well. Let's wait until we land and then we will try to make a run for it. I'm not leaving you guys ever," said Ava reassuringly.
Earlier that day:
Ava wasn't your usual teenager. She was seventeen and her whole life basically was infused with the Banning family. She was there at their house almost twenty-four seven. Her own mother didn't mind at all. She was just happy she was being paid and that her priorities were straight.
Ava was about five feet six inches tall. She had magnificent alluring blue eyes with long black hair that framed her facial features perfectly.
She was quite a petite girl when it came to her body but she didn't let that stop her from doing what she wanted to do, if it included sports or cuddling up with a good book with some hot chocolate on those cold winter nights.
After school every day for five days a week she picked up Maggie and Jack and brought them straight home. She did her homework with them, fed them dinner, played with them, and got them to bed just in time when their parents came home.
She didn't ask for tips. She was practically part of the family. She was their big sister they didn't have.
Moira and Peter always knew their children were fine if Ava was with them. It freed up more time for them in case they wanted to go out on a date or had to work late.
When the opportunity came around for Ava to spend Christmas in London with them, she jumped at the chance. She saved up all her babysitting money and paid her own way to go.
She also really wanted to me meet Granny Wendy, the original from the play that Maggie was in at her school.
Ava was always a huge fan of Peter Pan and she was overjoyed when she finally got the chance to meet her.
"It's such an honor and a pleasure to meet you," smiled Ava while shaking Wendy's hand gently. She even bowed.
"Now now dear child there is no need for that," said Granny Wendy now blushing at this gesture.
"Well to me it's a complete honor because I'm such a fantasy nerd," said Ava.
"You love to read?" asked Wendy.
"Oh yes. I plan to go to college for creative writing," said Ava who was vastly overjoyed.
"Child I wish you luck," said Wendy.
"Thank you Wendy and congratulation on the dedication to the orphan hospital," said Ava.
"Thank you again child," said Wendy.
Ava helped the children get settled into their room. She opened the two large white oak doors and was met with the greatest pirate themed nursery she ever saw. All along the walls were the paintings of Neverland, the mermaids, the fairies, and of course the fearsome pirates led by their ferocious leader Cpt. James Hook.
Maggie and Jack took the beds by the windows, to which there was one on each side.
"You guys going to be comfortable in here?" asked Ava. She looked all around the room which was littered with toys of all shapes and sizes, and even had a real crib for a baby or for a baby doll.
"We are going to be fine," said Jack who already had his baseball and baseball mit on his bed. He always slept with them.
"How about you Maggie?" asked Ava.
"Will you brush my hair tonight?" asked Maggie.
"I always do back home. It should be no different here," said Ava.
"Good! Then I can brush yours!" yelled Maggie in joy.
"Sounds like a plan to me," said Ava.
"Okay you guys. Into your pajamas and we will read a story as soon as you guys say good night to your parents," said Ava.
Later on heard shouts coming from the master bedroom.
"Get them out of here will you? I'm on the phone call of my life," came Peter's yelling.
"Come on Jack. Come on. Out. Out. Out," said Moira.
Ava turned the corner and saw the two children being shoved out of their parents' room and into Wendy's waiting arms. Wendy looked beautiful all dressed up for the dedication that night.
"Come on. Let me show you the window where your father and I used to stand and blow out the stars," said Wendy.
"What was that all about?" asked Ava going up to Wendy.
Wendy's smile turned to a frown.
"I think I know. Peter has been pretty distant lately with family. He has a lot of broken promises," said Ava.
Ava smiled at the kids.
"Go with Granny Wendy and I'll be right there," said Ava.
She went up to the Banning's bedroom and listened at the door to every word that was being said. She heard Moira talking.
"I'm sorry about your deal," said Moira.
"You hated the deal," stated Peter correcting his wife.
"I hated the deal but I'm sorry you feel so badly about it," said Moira.
"Your children love you. They want to play with you. How long do you think that lasts? Soon Jack may not want you to come to his games. We have a few special years with our children when they are the ones who want us around. After that you are going to be running off for them a bit of their attention. So fast Peter. Just a few years and it's over. You are not being careful and you are missing it," stated Moira in that motherly tone no one can ignore.
Ava sighed while sitting on the floor.
She was absolutely right. She wondered if her mom missed her that time. She was spending Christmas with the Bannings and not her family.
But to be in merry old London at Christmas was magical in itself. She didn't have time to think about that. She walked down to the end of the hall back into the nursery to see and hear Maggie and Wendy talking about fairies while Jack listened in at the open window.
She crossed her arms while she leaned against the door frame.
She was so lost in thought she didn't see Peter come up behind her.
"Ava," he said.
Ava jumped and squealed.
"Oh Mr. Banning you scared me," she said.
"It's almost time," said Peter.
"Yes sir," she said as she ducked out of the nursery to let the parents say good night to their kids.
She waited in her room at the end of the hall.
She lied down on her bed and watched the snowflakes out the window dance in the London night. There was something magical about London at this time.
She smiled to herself. She got up off the bed when she saw a shooting star.
She ran to the window and closed her eyes to make a wish.
"I wish for adventure," said Ava. She wished with all her might that maybe one day it would come true.
It was late once the adults had left to go to the dedication. Ava was left behind with the children, Liza, and Tootles who Ava thought was he an interesting old man.
He spoke like he was still a child.
She loved that about him.
Ava too was in her pajamas, which was a grey tank top with black shorts on. She loved the cold. Her hair was still down and now sleek thanks to Maggie's brushing she had done earlier in the night.
Ava got Maggie and Jack settled in their beds and then went to proceed to get into her own bed down the hall when she heard a squeak come from the nursery.
"What?" she asked, turning around confused.
She went back inside the room and looked around for what might have been causing the squeaking noise.
She got closer to the window when she saw the hook lock that was keeping the window locked was unlocking on its' own.
She gasped slightly.
She started to back away when the window opened on it's own, sending a blast of cold air into the room. The force from the window sent Ava flying backwards landing on the tent nightlight that Wendy and Maggie had been sitting on previously.
She smashed her body with such a force she broke the light bulb on her hip. She clung to her hip from where the glass had broken her skin. Ava looked at her hand. It was covered in blood. She was bleeding.
"Ow," she flinched in pain. She had no time to worry about the pain because then she heard the children screaming.
Ava looked around and couldn't see who had the children but she saw them being taken from their beds and being thrown into a huge net.
"Liza! Tootles!" she called out for the adults to help her. The bedroom door had been slammed shut right onto Liza's temple. She cried in pain.
"Oh my God! What's going on?!" shouted Ava. She heard the children's panicked screaming.
"Hey! No!" she called out, running to the window to try to stop the kidnappers.
"Let them go!" she screamed.
"AVA! Help us!" yelled the kids. They were scared for their lives.
Ava got to the window just in time and she jumped onto the net, not letting go no matter what.
And that's where Ava's adventures had started.