She was a princess, about to marry her king, yet on the eve of her wedding, she felt like a lamb about to be thrown in with a lion. Wendy was the daughter of a banker, who had lost everything, and her marriage had been arranged to save the Darlings from going under. She never loved him, though. He was arrogant, presumptuous and rude, especially to her friends. What made it worse was that at seventeen, Wendy was nowhere near ready to grow up and get married and do all the things a proper lady should.

At that point, though it all seemed hopeless, that inevitably, she, Wendy Darling would Charles, the Prince of Wales. That night her Brother's John and Michael had returned from school and they busied themselves playing board games and at their request told them one of her pirate stories, she was working on. Wendy was going to be a writer and already she was a part of the way through a manuscript that was sure to set the world on fire.

"Captain James Hook, rallied his men," I whispered dramatically. "As they prepared for battle against Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, the crocodiles snapped their jaws below, in eager anticipation. They would not let Hook win. That would sentence Never-Neverland to its impending Doom. "

Deep in the Jungle, Peter and his fairy Goddess lover, Tinkerbell shared one last moment of pure bliss before he was to fight and hopefully defeat Hook and his men and save Never-Neverland.

"Come back, safe, Peter," she whispered to her lover, already missing him as he disappeared out the door. The lost Boys waited loyally, but somewhat impatiently for Peter to arrive at their meeting spot and give direction. They huddled together, deep in that forest, hatching a plan that was sure to work on the pirates. Then they charged through the forest, their bows and arrows at the ready.

"John, Michael, maybe you should let Wendy rest before her big day," Mother whispered, poking her head in the door.

"Why does she have to go and get her self married?" fourteen-year-old John asked.

"Who's going to tell us stories, when she goes to live in that big Palace?" whined nine-year-old Michael, the baby of the Darling family.

"I will," Mother assured them.

The boys groaned. "But Wendy tells the best stories!" Then mother guided them away and Wendy felt the sting of loneliness. Wendy had never wanted to marry. Of course she had always dreamed of being swept off her feet by someone who loved her and she would instantly fall for him. All of that seemed impossible, even more so now that she was to marry the Prince. Her friends envied her, but all Wendy wanted to do was run away, forever.

She sadly removed her slippers and lined them up at the foot of her bed, picked up her journal and climbed into bed. "Tonight is the last night of my freedom," she sobbed as she wrote. "If only I could just fly far away from here, and just be the girl I am, forever."

As she curled up in a ball under the blankets and sobbed herself to sleep, she heard the voice of her hero, Peter Pan whisper. "Don't cry, Wendy. It will all work out."

"Oh, Peter, If only you were real," she sobbed, half asleep.

He touched her tearstained cheek. "Oh but I am real," he whispered. He leaned across her and kissed her cheek. Suddenly he flew backwards as Wendy sat up.

"Peter! Is it you?" Wendy gasped.

"I'm as real as you, Wendy." He stood and stared at the girl in the bed, her hair flowing down like a golden waterfall. "Come with me, I can save you, Wendy."

Then he lifted off the ground and hovered over her, taking her hand. "But I can't fly," Wendy said in a frightened voice. He carried her to the window.

"You must believe Wendy. You must believe you can fly. Its the only way!" He brushed his fingers down her face, tenderly and she closed her eyes. "Now say it! I believe I can fly. I believe I can fly."

"I believe I can fly," Wendy whispered.

"Louder!"

"I Believe I can fly!" Her voice was more audible.

"Scream it! Show me that you truly believe it"

"I BELIEVE I CAN FLY!" Wendy cried, raising her arms in the air and with Peter's hand grasping hers tight, they lifted into the air, weightless and drifted off into the night sky.

They flew past the second star and Peter smiled as he flew alongside Wendy. "See, I told you, you could fly!"

"I'm really flyng!" she chose that moment to look down and saw how high she was above the ground. She could see the whole city of London beneath her. When she saw Buckingham Palace she lost momentum and was falling faster and faster and she was sure she was going to die, but then Peter caught her in his arms and carried her onwards. "I've got you," he whispered. "I won't let you fall."

She rested her head against his chest and he carried her on til morning.