Chapter One:

The room smelled of musty perfume and fabric softener. The three beds, all were perfectly made, and the linens had been pressed down into smooth and stiff cotton.

It reminded me of a museum. The pictures in their frames, freshly dusted, seemed from another person's life. I picked up one of two women smiling on a park bench, arms cast around each other.

The younger one, with large blue eyes and a clear ivory complexion, was a younger version of me. I pondered at the lack of circles under my eyes, and reached up to feel the ones I had earned in the last week. The woman beside me, was my mother.

People had said she was my opposite in every way. Where I was outspoken and sarcastic, she was shy and gentle. Her lovely brown eyes were laughing at the camera, and her smile was like the sun breaking away from the clouds.

I set down the frame, simply not able to look at my old life.

She had always said she didn't want a funeral. She wanted a party, a celebration of her life. So, due to her wishes, below my feet, people were gathered by the hundreds laughing and sipping cranberry wine. Her favorite.

But I couldn't join them. I was too devastated.

I felt a strange dislike for her friends who were able to look at her life, not her death. How could they forget that in another room, my mother sat upon the coffee table in a blue erne? I certainly couldn't.

I sat down on Michael's old bed. The fabric, was worn and soft, but crunched under me from all the starch. Everything just felt wrong.

I felt up to the base of my throat, and felt the small "kiss" nestled there. Sometimes, when I was alone like this, and the whole world felt heavy and too much to bear, I wished he would come. Tap on my window, and lead me back to a land full of hope and adventure.

But that had been so long ago. Peter wasn't coming back. I had to accept that.

"You're my best friend Wendy, I'll find a way."

That was the last thing he ever said to me. I had believed him, even waited for him. But he never showed. No doubt finding new lost boys to care for.

I dropped the necklace and rubbed my temples.

This was just so much to take. Mom was gone now, along with Michael and John.

They had all passed within days of each other. John, a drunk driver, Michael, an accidental suicide, and Mom, well I suspect she died of a broken heart.

My whole family, wiped away from me in the span of seven days.

And everyone was looking to me.

"Wendy dear, can you go talk to Michael's fiancé? She's hiding in the bathroom again."

"Oh Wendy, do you like the blue or tan tux for John? I think the blue will match the periwinkle satin in the casket."

I didn't have their answers. I just nodded and when asked, just said yes.

I fell back onto the bed, ignoring the crunch underneath me. Something small and hard pressed against my back.

I reached behind me, and felt something fuzzy. When I retrieved it, I found it to be Michaels old teddy bear.

I quickly shut my eyes as I buried the little bear into my chest. Its ears tickled my nose and I breathed in the faint scent of its owner.

This was just too much.

I curled into a ball, and held it to me, trying to soak it in. My pencil skirt bunched up around my thighs, but I blocked it out.

Behind my eyelids I was watching Michael soar above the stars with me, the wonder on his small face. I saw John laugh uncontrollably at Peter after Peter gave me a thimble for a kiss. I held onto mom as she crushed herself to me, sobbing with joy at my return through the window.

The tears threatened, but I held them back, trying to revel in my memories.

When I awoke, the lights that had seemed to bright before were now dimmed, and the room was dark and shadowy. A blanket that was blessedly free of starch was laid around me, and I moved my toes against it. The bear, was on the floor looking up at me with wide, unblinking black eyes.

Rubbing my own, I slowly sat up, and felt my head rush.

I groaned and felt something flutter to the ground by my feet.

I looked at the floor and saw a note, that had been torn from the guest book for the funeral.

Oh crap.

I had come up here just for a moment, trying to catch my breath and had slept through all of the night. Quickly, I felt for my cell, and looked at the time. It was almost midnight.

What people must have thought…oh god I was going to have some explaining to do.

I reached down and felt for the paper.

Wendy-

I found you up here and you just looked so tired I had to just let you be. Don't worry, I'll take care of all these people. Just rest, and give me a call tomorrow.

I love you darling.

Shawn

I recognized his writing immediately, and bit my lip. He was such a nice man. A good man. A reliable man who cared about me.

We had dated on and off for a couple of years, and just recently he proposed.

Without thinking, I rub my bare left ring finger.

I didn't know what was holding me back. I had deep affection for Shawn and even I didn't understand my hesitation. I had asked him for time, time to think. And he, being the gentleman he is, accepted, and told me he would be there in the sidelines, waiting.

I fingered the thimble.

I could not stay here all night. Not with all this, all this death. I rose, and patted down my now wrinkled skirt and blouse. This felt wrong too. I longed even more to be in jeans and an old holey sweatshirt.

I walked over to my old chest, and popped it open. Inside laid a couple of faded yoga pants and an oversized Ramones t-shirt. With a small smile, I retrieved them, and quickly shed the uncomfortable "adult" clothes.

Once inside my old comfy PJ's, I felt just a little better. Not whole, just…not as broken. Just as I was about to close the lid of the chest, I saw a small skeleton of a leaf.

I gasped, and covered my mouth.

It had been years since I had thought about this. I carefully leaned down and cradled the delicate prize. I had asked for it when I was a young woman, and Peter, with a raised brow had plucked it off of his leather belt, and handed it to me.

I remember running my hands on its veins, when I returned. Trying to tell myself that it wasn't a dream. That it all happened.

Michael and John had long ago abandoned the validity of our adventure. They just passed it off as a dream we all shared.

When I produced the kiss and the leaf, they had called me ridiculous for trying to lie to them. But I knew, I remembered. One doesn't easily forget flying through the air in her nightgown.

Very softly, I caressed its weathered form, without looking away, crossed the room, and sat at the bay window, out looking the backyard.

I was a woman now. Twenty-two, and a career under her arm. But I hated my job, hated my life.

The man I was with deserved more. And the people around me, well the ones left, thought I was distant and detached.

The truth is, I was with Peter. In my head, I was always with him.

I laid the leaf down on the table beside me, and after a moment, opened the window to let in a breeze. The leaf skittered off the table and landed by the door of the other room.

I thought about getting up, but instead, looked up at the night sky.

My phone buzzed.

I reluctantly pulled it from my pocket and looked at the screen.

One Text Message: Shawn Hickories 11:57pm

I slid the lock, and read the message.

Hello darling. Just seeing if your awake. Text me when you see this.

I pressed the reply button, but before I began to type, a ringing sounded in my ear. It reminded me of something falling, really fast.

I followed the sound and looked up.

A shadow was soaring towards the window.

I shifted, pulling my knees to my chest. It was a very odd noise for a bird to be making.

I looked back at the phone and typed back:

I'm up. I'll be home in the hour.

The ringing got louder, and with furrowed brows, I looked up at the bird.

Oh my god.

The shadow had become clearer.

I scrambled up, my eyes wide.

It was a man. A man was falling! No, a man was soaring.

And he was coming towards the window.

Hey! So here it is! The first chapter! I'm really excited for this story and hope you are too! Leave a review telling me what you think is coming up! I'll update soon!