One - London

Peter reached London by evening.

He peered through the window where he last found Wendy only to see her two brothers and the Lost Boys sleeping in the nursery. He furrowed his brows and wondered where could she be sleeping or if she even lives in the same house.

The window beside him slid open and Peter flew above it. A girl with blonde hair stuck her head out, looking for something. Peter crept directly above her and peered at the exact moment the girl decided to look up.

"Wendy?"

"Peter!"

He would've jumped on the roof and immediately announced his greatness of finding her. He would've galloped with joy in her room with their reunion but instead...

Peter held the reins of the roof and jumped inside Wendy's room. He smiled and calmly said, "Oh, the cleverness of me."

Wendy looked at him with curiousity. She wondered why something seemed off with Peter. He seemed to be lifeless and the adventure in him seemed to be gone. That's when tears streamed down the sides of his face. He hugged Wendy and whispered in her ear,"I...I missed you, Wendy."

Wendy patted Peter's back. She was as glad as he was to be reunited. Peter was glad that Wendy had not forgotten him like his parents. He took a step back and it was Wendy who spoke first.

"It's good to see you, Peter."

Peter didn't know what to reply. There was such formality in the air. There was a lot of things to say but he didn't know how to word them out. He was a kid faced with a lady. He was a boy clothed in leaves and vines in front of a woman who was preparing for marriage. Peter looked at the floor and he could feel his energy draining out of him.

"Are you alright?" Wendy asked.

Peter snapped out of his reverie and replied, "Oh yes, of course, of course. I'm just uh-"

Mrs. Darling was going to her room when she heard life in Wendy's room. She crept close to the door and neared her ear to the door. A boy was in Wendy's room and Mrs. Darling knew that it was not just any boy. It was Peter Pan. She pushed the door open. Just in time, to save Peter for his silence.

Mrs. Darling smiled at him and said, "You must be Peter!"

Wendy was filled with excitement and gladly made introductions. She quickly forgot that Peter was not himself. He was not the happy boy she had first met. Sadness filled his eyes and also fear, uncertainty.

"Wendy, I think Peter must be tired from his trip. Perhaps he could stay in the guest room." Mrs. Darling said.

"Oh yes, I suppose, after all that flying." Wendy turned to Peter and filled with hope she asked, "Will you still be here tomorrow?"

"Of course!" Peter replied. The day after, and the day after that, he thought.

"Well, come along now." Mrs. Darling ushered Peter to follow her. "Wendy, you still have school tomorrow," She reminded her daughter and shut the door.

Mrs. Darling led Peter to the guest room and acquainted him with the room. She gave him John's sleeping clothes and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Thank you...for all of this." Peter said.

"It's not everyday that I see a young boy filled with sadness."

Peter remained silent. He realized that he could not say anything to express his emotions. Why exactly was he sad? He could not remember. He strolled the room and took everything in. The brown walls, the wooden floor, and he suddenly felt far away from home yet, near at the same time.

"Do you...want to go back to Neverland?" Mrs. Darling asked to break the silence. She was trying to be friendly and to make the boy at ease with her home but perhaps that was the wrong question.

Peter looked out the window and saw the second star to the right glittering on the vast darkness covering London. Neverland. He touched the window's glass and felt intense emotion. He curled his fingers away and asked, "Is there a way to cover...this?"


George Darling was an uptight English gentleman. So you could say Peter's arrival at that exact day and time was perfect.

It would've caused quite a ruckus had Mr. Darling gone home earlier into the night. There was an event that night and he decided not to bring Mrs. Darling along after what happened with the kids the first time he wanted to make small talk with the bank manager.

The night was nearing midnight and it was time for him to head home.

He went straight upstairs silently and got ready for bed. His wife was snugly asleep or so he thought. As soon as his back touched the mattress Mrs. Darling asked him.

"What would you do if I tell you that someone was staying in the guest room?"

Mr. Darling made a little noise at his surprise which made Mrs. Darling laugh. "Oh George," she teased.

"You had me surprised, you know me." he chuckled. "Might I ask who's staying?"

"Peter Pan." Mrs. Darling replied.

Mr. Darling furrowed his brows. "The boy from your stories? Well, that's absurd, Mary."

"I wouldn't call it absurd when you've seen the boy in flesh, George."

Perhaps she's making this up or she's so sleepy that she's seeing things, Mr. Darling thought. "Perhaps this can wait until morning." He yawned.

"Of course but don't tell me I didn't warn you."


The house is very lively in the morning. Everyone's rushing to go to places, school and work. Mr. Darling and the kids left the house long before Peter woke up. The sun was well-covered by the blinds Mrs. Darling put the night before. It was until a sliver of light crept through Peter's room that he realized it was morning. He was so used to Tink's wake-up pulling and pushing or the rooster's early morning sound. In London, none of those were present. No roosters, no pixies but perhaps it was what Peter needed.

He sat on the bed and scratched his eyes.

Mrs. Darling appeared on the guest room's doorway and greeted, "Good morning, Peter."

Peter stretched his arms and yawned. "Where's everyone?" he asked. The house was silent. You could've heard a pin drop.

"School...or work. There's breakfast downstairs." Mrs. Darling offered.

Peter approached Mrs. Darling and together they went to the kitchen. They ate pancakes with maple syrup. Mrs. Darling watched Peter as he devoured the food. His hunger and exhaustion from yesterday's travel showed. If George Darling ought to meet Peter, he should at least be more...English.

It took a while for Peter to notice that Wendy's mother what looking at him. She was obviously stifling a giggle. He slowed his chewing and swallowed.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. It's just really...I dunno...I was just imagining George." Mrs. Darling chuckled. "My...husband. Wendy's father."

"Oh." Peter nods. It didn't occur to him that in London society, it was always the father who had a say in everything. It was his acceptance that he needed the most and perhaps this may prove to be a challenge to him.

"You may meet him tonight." Mrs. Darling said.

Peter was still hungry but he thought that maybe he was being...weird. He nods and takes another bite from the pancake but Mrs. Darling holds his hand.

"I want him to accept you so, you need to go by English rules...for a while that is." Mrs. Darling explains. Peter is confused about what she means but then again, he is from Neverland and he'll never know what it feels like to be an English person.

Mrs. Darling took the serving fork, took one pancake from the pile and placed it on her plate. She smiled at Peter and he did the same. She cut the whole into small, pieces and he did the same. They both took small bites, put the fork and knife together, cleaned the wares and so on.

That's how they spent the day.