So, I went to see the Peter Pan traveling performance this weekend, and almost cried, it was so good! And it inspired me to start writing for this book again.. so pardon my rustiness! It has been a while! This chapter is a lil rough, they will get better, I promise! (:

- Risea Moone

The trees whispered softly to each other as the wind gently passed through. Crickets chirped, nightbirds sang, and the creek gurgled lowly, snaking along the endless field of soft green grass and vibrant wildflowers. The stars laughed and chased each other, occasionally looking down to observe the strange antics of the people and critters residing below. It was night time.

A spazzy, frantic ball of light zipped across the velvet sky, followed by a large, darker shadow of a figure. The ball of light flew into a large oak tree, resting on one of the branches. The boy joined her.

Peter Pan's blue, mischievious eyes darted back and forth, scanning the open field for signs of life. Deciding the coast was clear, he floated off the branch slowly, then sped up as he continued across it. Tinkerbell followed him, laughing and flipping around. Peter dropped down to the creek, and when Tinkerbell floated near, he splashed a bit of water on her. Screaming and shaking her little fist, Tink plopped on a rock and promptly shook her dress dry.

"Tinkerbell, quit being so serious," Peter scowled. "You get upset over every little thing."

Tinkerbell gasped and began to protest.

Peter laughed. "If you keep being so sensitive, you're not going to have any fun. And nobody will want to play with you, and you will be lonely your whole life."

Tinkberbell stuck her nose in the air and fluttered away from him. But, of course, she never went too far from her favorite boy.

Peter stood straight and glanced around the field. "I know I left it somewhere around here," he said to himself. "At least, I think I did. Tink, do you see my dagger anywhere?"

Tinkerbell's chiming voice responded.

"We will go back to Neverland after I find my dagger." Peter glided along the ground, pushing around rocks and leaves and acorns. "Maybe, if you stop flitting around and actually help me look, we can find it faster, and go home faster. But that's just a thought."

Tinkerbell scowled and flew towards the treeline, using her light to scan the ground for anything reflective.

"Remember how I lost it?" Peter called to her, laughing. "We were playing with the farmer's children. Remember? Jacob and Ronny. Remember them?"

Tinkerbell agreed that she did.

"I wish they had come home with us," Peter said, with a tinge of sadness in his voice. "New Lost Boys are always welcome. But they said they couldn't, because they had chores in the morning. Whatever those are." Peter kicked a rock. "No 'chore' is worth not seeing Neverland."

Tinkerbell jingled her agreement, her high little laugh piercing the night. She rounded a tree, looked down, and gasped as loudly and deeply as her little lungs would allow her to. Peter jerked around. "Tink!" he called, shooting away from the ground and towards her. "You okay?"

Tinkerbell swirled around Peter's head, finally resting on his shoulder. "What is it?" he asked. All she could do was point.

Peter poked his head around the tree and looked down. There, laying face down in the grass, was a young girl. Peter's eyes bugged out of his head. He flew so that he was just over her, and turned the girl over onto her back. She wasn't very long, and was skinny. She had sun-kissed skin, and her cheeks were lightly peppered with freckles. She had long, dark lashes and a small nose, her lips thin but very pink. Her dark brown, wavy hair reached down to the small of her back.

For a minute, he just stared at her, unsure of what to do. Then, after a long pause, he tapped her foot. She did not stir.

"Is she alive?" Peter asked, more to himself than to Tinkerbell. She only shrugged in response.

He flew over her body and laid his head on her chest. He heard a quiet thump, followed by another. Peter smiled. "She lives!"

Peter scooped the girl up in his arms, turned, and began to fly towards the sky. Tinkerbell zoomed after him, shouting.

"I will get the knife later," Peter called. "There's a sick girl. I have to help her. It's my job as a boy."

Ignoring Tinkerbell's whining, Peter continued. The stars smiled and winked as he passed by them, the girl's t shirt and shorts flapping in the wind. Planets and meteors zoomed by, brilliant colors swirled around them. Peter braced himself, pulling the girl closer into his chest as he broke through the barrier of Neverland, Tink following suit.

The beautiful island shone in the distance, with its dreaded pirate ship looming in the distance. The beautiful waterfalls cascading into Mermaid Lagoon reflected the colors of the smiling sun, and wispy smoke rose from the shamrock green forest. The mountain of Neverland loomed over the entire scene, casting a shadow on the forest.

Peter lowered to the sandy beach, breaking into a run as soon as his feet hit the ground. He pounded through the forest, knowing the way to the Underground Home like the back of his hand. Before long he had come across it, and without thinking twice, he flew to the top and dropped through the tree trunk, slowing his fall.

He landed in a large, warm room. In the middle of the room was a table, with 10 chairs. A basket of swords, tomahawks, and other weapons sat in a corner. The entire back wall was a map of Neverland, with drawings and trails etched into it. There was a hallway that lead to the bedrooms to the right, and Peter walked through to lay the girl on his bed.

Tinkerbell sat on the bed post, her arms crossed, watching Peter tuck the girl into the bed. "Tink," he started, "go find the Lost Boys and tell them to come home."

For once, she was not in the mood to argue, so she stood up and flew out of the room. Peter stared at the girl for a minute, then left to set a fire to the fireplace. As he worked, the girl began to stir. Peter shot up and flew over her to look in her eyes when she opened them. But she didn't. Instead, she just rolled onto her side and sighed.

Peter groaned and floated back to his position, kindling a fire. After that was long over, the girl had still not moved. Walking back out into the main room, he grabbed a stone and sword and began to sharpen the blade, taking his time and periodically glancing through the doorway to make sure the girl had not moved. She would stir a little every once and a while, but Peter never noticed her eyes opening.

Not long after Peter's blade was readily sharp, Tinkerbell returned with the Lost Boys. Tumbling and slipping through the holes of the tree, Tootles, Nibs, the Twins, Slightly, and Curly all scrambled to stand at attention before their leader. Peter held his chin high and looked over each of them. "Lost Boys, I have an announcement," said Peter, a smile cracking his face, as he crossed his arms and floated above them.

"Oh, what is it Peter?" cried Nibs, all the other chirping in agreement.

"While me and Tinkerbell were in the real world, looking for my knife-"

"You found your knife?" cried Slightly.

"Well, no," replied Peter. "I found something even better."

"What!" asked Tootles.

"I found us a new mother!" Peter exclaimed, pointing down the hallway to the girl lying in the bed. When the boys caught a glimpse of her, they squealed in delight, rushing past each other to run into the bedroom and get a better look at her.

"She's very pretty," commented Slightly, stroking a piece of her hair.

"Will this one stay?" asked the Twins.

"Yes," replied Peter. "When I found her, she was laying all alone behind a tree. She has no family to return to."

"What is her name?" asked Curly.

"I don't know," said Peter, scratching his head. "She hasn't woken up yet, or else I would have asked her."

"You stole a sleeping lady?" yelled Slightly.

"I didn't steal her!" shouted Peter, his cheeks flushed. "She was all by herself asleep. I didn't take her from anywhere! Besides, she doesn't have a tag or anything."

"That doesn't mean she doesn't belong to someone," remarked Tootles.

"Regardless," started Peter, floating onto his back, "she belongs to us now."

"So you don't even know what color her eyes are?" asked Nibs.

"We will find out soon enough!" barked Peter. He returned to the ground and put his hands on his hips. "Anyways, it is getting late. I'm going to get more wood for a fire. I used our last log today. Nibs, Tootles, stay behind and watch over her."

"Aye," they replied in unison.

As the others scampered up the log and out to retrieve more wood, Nibs and Tootles sat on either side of the bed, watching the girl sleep.

"I don't want another mother," said Tootles softly.

"Why not!" asked Nibs.

"Because they all leave," responded Tootles. "Every single one of them. We will have a mother for a few days, she will love us and take care of us for a few days, but she always goes back home to have real children. No girl ever wants to stay here."

"I know," agreed Nibs, resting his elbows on the bed and his cheek on his fist. "I don't get girls. Neverland is so much more fun than anything in the real world."

Tootles nodded. His eyes drifted down to the sleeping girl. "Do you think she will stay?"

"Well, like Peter said. She has no one to go back to."

Tootles sighed. "I sure hope she doesn't."