"Fire." Jean called.
"S'mores." Devin responded immediately.
"Forest..." Toodles called out next.
"Destruction," Felix said slowly with a grin.
"Love?" said Slightly.
Jean cocked her head to the side.
"Are you asking or telling me?" asked Jean smartly, chuckling.
Slightly shrugged, muttering, "I guess 'telling', but i don't see the point of the game. How do you know you've won?"
"It's not a game," Jean returned. "Not exactly. It's like word association; you're supposed to tell me the word that comes to mind whenever i say a word. It's a bit like a psychological thing."
They were sitting around the fire, all of them...except for Pan, who had gone off on some adventure...perhaps. All of them had to assume he was on an adventure but they could never be quite sure. One day, he would tell them that he had just been doing nothing for a while but then one of the Lost Boys would be missing and then on the way to Mermaid Lagoon or Pirates Cavern, they'd stumble across a dead body, and it would be that missing Lost Boy. Pan was charming, but he could be really unpredictably dangerous and a damn demon.
The daylight was pleasant, not a cloud in sight, and the sun was giving way to bright summer fun. At this certain point, Jean had gathered them around and asked each boy to say the first thing that came to their mind whenever she said a word. So far, she had said the words 'fire', 'Neverland', and 'Mermaid'. The answers for the latter had ranged from 'beautiful' to 'bloody little bitches'. The last had been Felix's answer and it had amused Jean to no end.
As the boys ate the cakes that Pan had left for them earlier in the morning, Felix stood and Jean glanced at him from her own seat on the tree branch which paid homage to a good bench.
"How about we make it a game?" Felix said, smirking. He always spoke slowly. Maybe it was to plan his words carefully, or make an emphasis on just how clever he was for coming up with the game. He was no doubt the eldest of the Lost Boys, maybe older than Jean. Hearing the proposition, Jean's ears perked up.
The Lost Boys (including Felix) looked at Jean for approval. There was a chain of command here in Neverland. Pan was the commander at all times; Jean was his second-in-command (his lovely Queen), and Felix served to be a bit of an advisor of sorts. Now with Pan out of the picture temporarily, Jean was calling the shots.
"Sure," Jean commended. "But you can come up with the rules, Felix. I'll be part of the game as a player."
Felix beamed with pride. He stood, in charge, one hand on his waist, the other on his trusty club. He stated the rules of the game. Rule one: It had to be the first word off the noggin, no hesitation or reconsideration and once spoken, the word could not be taken back or replaced. Jean found this rule the most interesting.
"What if it's a bit embarrassing?" Devin asked shyly.
"Doesn't matter." Felix said.
"But..." Devin began.
"Shut it. I'm making the rules. That's a rule." Felix overruled.
Devin looked at Jean as though wanting to have his side taken by her but Jean gave him a sweet look as though to allow Felix to have his moment and just deal with it. Devin slumped against the rock he'd been leaning against and sighed unhappily. Jean looked at Felix, nodding for him to continue.
Felix continued.
Rule Two: After every round, the best word spoken or really-the most interesting-would be the word chosen to win for the round.
"How many rounds are we doing?" asked Toodles.
"Can we eat during the game?" asked Nibs, who was currently snacking on a chocolate cream pie.
"What happens if we say the same word?" asked Slightly.
"Do we get more food if we win?" Nibs interjected.
"What do we get if we win?"
The last voice made everyone stop shouting and blurting out random questions (granted, they had been really important questions), and they all turned to see Peter Pan leaning against a tree, arms crossed, and his eyes watching his group of friends talk about this new intriguing game.
"Hi, Peter." Jean greeted smiling at him.
"Hey, babe." Pan returned. He kissed the top of her forehead and she beamed at him.
Pan took a seat on the ground in front of Jean, sitting right in front of her. Jean inwardly smirked but Pan was more than exuding his happiness to be where he always enjoyed most when it came to Jean: between her legs. His back leaned against her, one leg on either side of body. Pan took her hands and moved them so they rested on his chest. Jean beamed again.
Pan was becoming more and more openly affectionate. And that was just fine with her.
"Joining in, Pan?" Felix prompted.
"You know me," Pan returned. "I love new games. What are we playing?"
"It's a new one," Felix explained freely. "Jean thought of it."
"Is that so," Pan mused, glancing up at Jean. "What game did your twisted mind come up with today?"
Jean smirked at him, then glanced at Felix, who more than happily explained the game to Pan. Unlike some of the lost Boys, Felix was most relaxed around Pan; he and Pan didnt act like friends, more like brothers. For Felix, Pan was his best mate.
"I like the rules you've made so far," Pan approved in a low voice. "But let's make the game more interesting."
Felix grinned broadly and waved a hand in his direction, more than ready to hear any other suggestions. The other boys looked equally eager and maybe a little nervous. The game was going to test nerves of steel...and the honesty amongst friends.
"We won't use one words. Words are too easy." Pan said. "There's no backbone to it. Instead, we will all ask a question. We all must answer honestly, and quickly. You're given three seconds to come up with one. If you don't come up with an answer in time, you have to do whatever that person says."
There was no objection, but this was Pan of course so who could object? Jean gave some leniency-being Mother and all.
"Any objections?" asked Jean lightly.
Devin and Jock looked most uncomfortable. Jean knew why Jock appeared so; the word spread the other night that he had a bit of a physical crush on Jean and if that were to come out, no one really knew just what Pan might do. He wasn't exactly a jealous type being that Jean had gained his trust time and time again and a long time ago, but that wasn't to say that the natural boyfriend instincts would not slither out.
"Devin." Jean called on the uncomfortable boy.
"It's a good game but what...what would we have to do?" asked Devin. "And what questions do we ask? Are there any boundaries...or anything?"
"Actually," Pan uttered smoothly, "Let's take it up a notch. No boundaries. And any of the tasks given can be from doing a hand stand to...oh i don't know..." He lifted a hand as if thinking and then articulated slowly and darkly, "Jumping into Mermaid Lagoon."
"That would kill us." Devin muttered nervously.
Pan sneered, saying, "Well, you'd best hope you can answer the question in less than a second."
"Wait..." Slightly began quickly. He gained the attention from everyone. "I thought we had three seconds."
"It's one now." Pan overrode him.
Everyone hitched a breath (besides Pan, of course). Challenge accepted?...by most of them, anyway. Felix quirked an eyebrow. Pan was a savage when it came to coming up with the harshest of rules but thats what made Neverland so adventurous, so fun. Felix nodded, chewing on a toothpick.
"I'm in." Felix said.
"Me too," Jock chimed in bravely.
"Us two," Toodles and Nibs said.
Devin looked hesitant, but he sighed with resignation: "Sure..."
Slightly nodded his own silent agreement and then Pan smirked.
"Who wants to kick things off?" Felix asked the crowd.
"I'll go." Jock offered.
He stood to his feet, looking at everyone.
He looked at Felix.
"Do you have a crush on any of the mermaids?"
Immediately, Felix answered: "No."
Jean rolled her eyes. Felix called them bloody monsters; of course he had no crush. That was a wimpy question. She looked down at Pan, who also appeared disappointed.
Jean placed her hands on his shoulders, her thumbs locked just below his neck and she pressed down, moving her finger tips in concentric circles. Pan responded to her touch and his shoulders, which had been tensed, rolled back and relaxed. Jean continued giving the shoulder massage as Felix stood to his feet, shaking his head.
"Gotta ask better questions than that, Jock. Here. I have one...For Jean."
Jean glanced from the top of Pan's head to Felix, who was watching her with obvious amusement.
"Go on." Jean said. "Ask me anything."
"Nothing too strong," advised Slightly. "I don't really wanna know everything personal about a girl."
"Who doesn't wanna know something about a girl?" asked Toodles. His chubby face went all screwy as though he couldn't figure out what kind of sane person didnt want to understand how girls thought or worked. They were confusing to him.
"Like the monthly thing-no, i don't wanna know either." Nibs offered shyly, turning red at the mention of menses.
Jean smiled at all of them, not embarrassed at all. She looked at Felix.
"Have at it." She gave him full permission.
"Jean..." Felix began slowly as he considered his question carefully. "When you came to the island, the first time you arrived-not in dreams, but for real-what was your reason?"
The boys were impressed by the personal question and per the rules of the game, Jean responded promptly.
"I didn't feel like i belonged anywhere, not even when my foster parents were good and gave me a good home. I was a problem child and the only place i could be that wouldnt give me a hard time was Neverland and after i met Peter, i stayed with him on the island and never left."
Pan remained unblinking, but the tension in his shoulders was back. Something disturbed him about the answer she had given, but then again, Jean had never told another soul about how she had come to Neverland...or the problems from her other life back in the real world. That part of her-the life she had left behind-had only been between her and Pan...and maybe he had preferred to keep it that way.
"Good question." Jock commented.
Felix nodded. He sat down.
"I have one for Slightly," said Jock. "What do you reallllly do when you say you're going to take a sabbatical? You say you go hunting for pigs, but you never come back with anything of a pig. So...what do you do?"
Slightly grimaced and said quickly, "I look for fairies...Because. I dont know. They're pretty and stuff."
"Slightly loves fairies!" the boys started poking fun.
Jean frowned when Slightly started looking unhappy and so she decided to be the mediator as always and told the boys to stop and move onto someone else.
"We're just poking fun," Jock muttered.
"Well, enough is enough." Jean retorted harshly.
Jock nodded.
"Wha-tsshh..." Felix muttered, snapping his hand forward then back and mimicking the sound of a whip to demonstrate that Jock was really pussy whipped at this point. The boys giggled.
Toodles stood up.
"My question is for Pan."
And the bar was lifted. Pan looked at Toodles with a satisfied grin, although Toodles was the last person he thought would engage Pan in the questionaire. However, he admired that kind of courage. Toodles cleared his throat.
"Do...ahem-sorry, i was still eating cake...Do you love Jean?"
Pan returned without hesitation, "You know the answer to that, Toodles." He leaned his head back into Jean's lap and said pointedly, "of course, I do."
Jean beamed. Pan situated himself so he sat with his legs bent in front of him, knees towards the sky and his elbows resting on them while he began carving a new set of pipes. He glanced back at her and said, "Don't stop." Jean continued massaging his shoulders.
"That was a stupid question to ask," Felix muttered.
"Well, then *you* ask one." Toodles rebounded, shrugging.
Slightly stood, looking at Jean, who met his gaze.
"Jean."
"Slightly." Jean returned and the boys giggled.
"When we were hunting for you the other night, what we were doing in the tree that occupied so much time?" Slightly asked.
"I was fucking Peter, what kind of question is that?" Jean responded callously.
Slightly was a bit perturbed. Maybe he had thought Jean would not answer for embarrassing reasons or maybe, thinking this, he might have had the upper hand in asking Jean to do some outrageous task. The reaction stunned even Pan, who had stumbled on the carving of his pipe and raised his eyebrows in response. Felix stood and smacked the back of Slightly's head.
"Pan said 'No boundaries'!" Slightly reasoned, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was just playing stupid game."
"It *is* part of the game," Jean reminded Felix, who grumbled some words and then sat back down, shaking his head and muttered something about disrespect and such. Jean moved her hands along Pan's shoulder blades, digging her fingertips. Pan groaned when she hit a knot, but a sigh of relief echoed soon after. Jean smiled, hearing that lovely noise.
"I don't know why we're playing this game-its not even..." Jock began.
Felix stood and said quickly, "Jock. I have a question for you."
"Damn it!" Jock hissed, pinching his eyes shut with the most regret Jean had ever seen.
"Do you like Jean?"
"Of course," Jock said quickly, laughing nervously.
"Not like a mother," Felix said carefully. "Do you like her in the same way that Devin does?"
Devin immediately stood and shook his head saying, "W-w-w-what do you mean 'like Devin does'? I certainly don't like Jean that way, like not in a like-like way, i like her in the-stop staring at me, guys!"
He was sweating profusely as he stood up and was almost hysterically upset. Jock stared at Devin incredulously and said to Felix hurriedly, "I...I mean I do but i don't."
"Do you...or do you not." Felix interrogated harshly. "It's one or the other. You cant have it both ways."
"It's-it's not an easy question," Jock said quickly. He glanced at Pan uncomfortably then at Felix with some kind of look that said 'you just threw me under the bus, you stupid fuck'; apparently, Felix had found the best way to point out Jock (and possibly Devin's) true nature, even if they had never acted on their feelings before.
"You like Jean, do you?"
Pan stood to his feet, smiling at Jock and Devin.
"I...well 'like' is such *strong* word," Devin offered and Jock shaking his head furiously agreeing.
"I can understand," Pan offered.
The two boys opened their mouths, shocked.
"You do?" Jock asked nervously.
"Of course i do," Pan said smoothly, waving his hands as though this was nothing. "Jean is a beautiful, smart, lovely girl. Of course you would like her. But my question isn't about that. It's what youd be willing to do to have a turn with her. What would you do if you could?"
Jean raised her eyebrows, a bit offended but more than anything: shocked. Those words actually came out of his mouth.
"Peter, I-"
"Not right now, babe." Pan responded, holding his hand.
Jean frowned, stepping forward and pushing his hand away.
"Don't tell me 'not right now'." Jean hissed.
Pan looked at her pointedly. That look, though.
"Devin. Jock. Go to bed." Jean ordered.
"But-"
"*You heard her*," Pan snapped.
"On it!" Devin and Jock sprinted back to the tree house with another word.
Pan turned around to look at Jean, who crossed her arms. They both looked at the rest of the boys. Felix took the initiative and raised his arms and yawned too long and said, "Well, i think its time for bed, boys...so...you know...let's go to bed."
"But i'm still hungry." Toodles protested.
"Time. To go. To. *Bed*." Felix emhasized, gesturing his eyes to the argument between Pan and Jean that was about to happen. Toodles caught on and he yawned too long a well.
"Is it that time already?" Toodles said loudly. "Sun's still up but man I am tired, yeah bed time is a good idea soooo good night Pan...Jean."
Felix and all of them started hustling away. Jean watched after them then she turned to Peter.
"Mind telling me where you were going with that conversation?" Jean questioned.
"No where, really." Pan offered. "I enjoy scaring the little ones from time to time."
"And what if they agreed to 'have a turn' with me?" Jean asked.
"I'd never let that happen." Pan said smoothly.
"What if i did?" Jean offered coldly.
Pan frowned, saying, "Then I would say 'good luck' and all, because we both know I am the only one who can handle you." He flashed a smug smile her way.
Jean narrowed her eyes at him.
"I feel like you're taking me on." Jean uttered, putting her hands on her hips.
"Well, the challenge is all mine." Pan responded.
At this point, it was hard to tell if they were still arguing or flirting. Maybe both? Jean could tell he meant his words and Pan could tell Jean had been offended by the suggestion of having just anyone take a turn with her. However, the distance between them was becoming smaller as they each had taken a step closer with every threat.
"Do you want to fight?" Jean asked.
"With you-No. But I like a good debate." Pan offered slyly, smirking at her.
"Im being serious."
Pan shrugged, saying, "Well, so was I. Arguing with you leads to amazing nights."
"Is that *all* that's on your mind, Peter? Sex?"
"How can it not?" Pan responded. "Your face, your voice..." He glanced her up and down, adding, "That body."
"You're a piece of work."
"And you're..." Pan began and struggled with a good comeback so he settled with, "Something else."
"I have a question for you." Jean said quietly.
"Oh, i thought the game ended."
"It hasn't."
"Well, pardon *me*." Pan replied smartly, holding up his hands in surrender.
"You answer my question. If i like your answer, you win. If i don't, you're sleeping all alone in that treehouse," Jean uttered coolly as she pointed behind her in the direction of the treehouse in which they'd spent countless nights sleeping together...and taking naps.
Pan became more serious, his savage smirk lost to an expression of solemn concern.
"Why do you love me?" Jean asked.
Pan stepped towards her.
"Because you make me feel young."
"Cheap answer, Peter-*Neverland* makes you young."
Pan smiled and said, "Well, it gives me the ability to appear young but i am older than i look." He shrugged, saying, "Even back then i had several years over you."
Jean knitted her eyebrows together, saying slightly skeptically, "What, so you're really an adult?"
Pan sighed deeply as though he couldn't believe that they were going to start in on this conversation, which he'd hoped he would never have. Pan nodded to her question.
"So you're really an adult in a boy's body?"
"Yes."
"Did you ever marry?"
"No." Pan said. "But..." He stopped himself.
"What?"
"It's...nothing. It's nothing."
Jean stopped him from leaving as he had intended and instead, she snatched his wrist.
"There's something you're not telling me." Jean said. "Peter, you know literally everything about me from my shoe size..."
"6." Pan responded.
"...To my darkest secret..." Jean uttered.
"You kissed your sister."
"Damn, not so loud!" Jean hissed. "Besides, i didn't know it was her until the stupid closet light came on...by that time, it was already over and-that's not the point! Peter, i thought i knew you. What else are you hiding from me?"
Pan gave her a look and said, "Is this part of the game, still?"
"I'm not playing anymore."
"Good, because i wasn't having fun anymore." Pan returned honestly.
"Tell me what you're keeping from me. I'll understand."
Pan said ironically, "The fact that you say you will makes me believe that you really would but you're not going to believe me."
Jean hardened her gaze as she said boldly: "*Try me*."
Pan then told her nonchalantly about how he became Peter Pan. From 'follow the lady' tragedy, to visiting the ladies who cared for his son while he 'looked' for a job.
"You have a child?" Jean asked, surprised.
Pan smiled in spite of himself and said, "I did tell you I'm older than I look."
Jean nodded, affirming that. She invited him to go on.
Pan then explained that his son, Rumplestiltskin, came across a magic bean and this would take them to a new land where no one knew them.
"Your son is Rumplestiltskin?" Jean asked.
Pan sighed tiredly, saying, "Are you going to keep interrupting me?"
"Sorry. Go on." Jean said.
Pan then explained (with much reassurance that Jean wouldn't interrupt again) how he and Rumple had arrived in Neverland via magical bean, but the attempt to fly had become futile when Pan had realized he was not welcome since he was an adult.
The Shadow then had taken Rumple because as long as he had a child, he would always be reminded that he was older. A child couldnt have a child.
Pan finished off with the fact that the Shadow had restored his youth, and that Rumple had been taken back to live with the other older biddies, but he had named himself after Rumple's doll, Peter Pan, in something of a remembrance.
At this point, Jean and Pan were in his treehouse. Pan appeared quite exhausted from the long tale. He sat on the edge of the bed, hands clasped together as expelled the tale from his lips and by the end, he'd been hoarse. Jean, who was standing with her arms crossed, looked as though she lacked any kind of expression. There was no judgement on her face, but this only made Pan more curious and concerned as to how she would react.
Pan abandoning his only child in the same way that Jean had been abandoned time and time again. At some point of telling the story, Pan noticed Jean had been somewhat afflicted by the fact that he had traded his son for youth, but the expression had gone as quickly as it had appeared. Pan looked up at Jean, silently awaiting her reaction.
Jean was quiet for a long time. Minutes passed.
"Do you regret ever leaving him?" asked Jean.
Pan said honestly, "No."
"Did you ever love him?"
"I never loved Rumple." Pan said. "I was never meant to be a father."
Jean nodded, appearing to understand.
"But you were happy to join the process of making one."
Pan had no comment.
"What did the Shadow do after Rumple was gone?" asked Jean.
"I dont think you're prepared for that," Pan muttered.
"Tell me." Jean encouraged.
"Do you really want to know?" Pan asked carefully, looking from the ground to her in a meaningful, dangerous gaze.
Jean said softly, "I want to know the person i have been spending the last century with, Peter. Wouldnt you want the same thing? I want to know who i have been claiming to love."
Pan frowned, closing his eyes.
"If you wish it." Pan muttered. "But instead of telling you. How about i just show you."
Jean gave him an odd look, but instead, she allowed him to take her hand and with a fritz of pixie dust placed over the two of them, Pan guided her to the roof.
"Think lovely thoughts." Pan said softly in her ear. "And we can fly there."
Jean didn't exactly know where she was heading or for what reason, but Pan had told her everything thus far so she trusted him further.
She closed her eyes, and Pan watched her with a light expression on his face, wondering what thoughts and images came to her mind. Whatever they were, Jean was lifted off the ground and Pan flew with her; his thoughts were of he and Jean together on the island, laughing, being together-the passionate nights filled with heavy panting and love bites.
Pan flew them to Skull Rock. Jean landed on her feet, looking at the place with some more interest than fear.
Pan walked her up the stairs, his hand on the small of her back. Entering through the door, Jean turned in a circle on her feet, taking in the bones, and skulls. On top of the lot was a gigantic hour glass, filled with what appeared to be greenish gold fairie/pixie dust. There was more than half of the dust in the upper portion-at any time given, Jean always presumed this to be a good thing. She eyed it curiously, placing her hand on the glass. It was warm to the touch.
"What is this?" Jean asked.
"My life."
Jean looked at him, concerned.
"What do you mean?"
"When all the dust from the top is at the bottom, I will die." Pan stated-he truly wasnt one for tact. His brutal honesty was almost blunt force trauma and Jean remained stoic upon hearing of a timed demise. She turned to Pan.
"How long were you going to keep this from me?" Jean asked quietly, walking towards him.
"Well..." Pan began.
Jean frowned, saying, "You were never going to tell me."
"No." Pan said, smiling weakly. "I wasn't."
"Why not?"
"Aren't you worried?" Pan asked. "Scared?"
"Incredibly so." Jean confirmed, although her voice was unnaturally calm. "But keeping this from me..what were you hoping to achieve? Some life cure or something?"
"Something like that." Pan replied. He placed his hand out in front of him, palm up. He made a fist. "The Shadow said there could be a way. I found one."
"What way?"
"Guess there's no harm in telling you...now that you know." Pan uttered almost bitterly. He grimaced as he sighed and a scroll appeared in his hand; he opened his palm, and Jean carefully took it from him.
"I need to find this one." Pan said.
"A boy?" Jean asked, looking at the scroll.
"Yes. The heart of the truest believer. With his heart, i can stay young forever. And i can live forever."
"What about him?" asked Jean, turning the picture towards Pan. "What happens to him?"
"He'll die."
Jean stared at him, horrified.
"It's not a good thing-I know. But it's the only plan i have so far." Pan stated. "Besides, you've seen me kill other boys and never protested before. Besides, it's my best option i have and it's the only thing that will keep me living forever and i need to live forever."
"So sacrificing him is the best option?"
"It's my only option."
Jean said softly, "what about me? My heart? Why could my heart not work?"
Pan smiled at her saying, "Well, as long as we are being honest-I had considered that before."
Jean gave him a look.
"What?" Pan questioned. "There's a reason i said this boy was my *only* option. I wont lose you." He snatched the picture, rolling it up in its tie and stuck in his pocket; he softly muttered, "I can't."
"So you'd rather sacrifice a young boy...than lose me?" Jean asked.
"It sounds terrible, doesn't it?" Pan stated.
Jean walked towards him and she smiled...She actually smiled at him. Pan grunted when she suddenly threw herself towards him, arms around his neck and her mouth attacking his own; he returned it, after recovering from the initial shock, and was breathless when she finally broke the kiss.
"Thats the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me."
"Human sacrifice is romantic?" Pan asked.
Jean smiled, shrugging. "I'm a quirky girl, Peter. You know that better than anyone."
"I do now." Pan reassured. "More dark than anything but sure. 'Quirky' works too."
Jean shrugged, saying, "But now that i know your darkest secret. I will now tell you mine."
"You kissed your sister," Pan reminded.
"That's not my darkest secret. Thats just an embarrassing one-thanks for bringing it up again, by the way," said Jean sarcastically.
"What's your darkest secret, babe?"
"I would do anything to make you happy." Jean said softly.
"Welllll i already know that." Pan offered.
"What you don't know is what i have done." Jean returned.
Pan gave her a curious look.
Jean smiled and stepped back from him. She then pointed to the wall and from the fire set ablaze on the torches of the cave, Pan noticed something quite important as he gazed at the rock wall. Neither of them had shadows.
Pan slowly looked at her.
"Jean...What did you do?"
Jean smiled at him.
"Your shadow has no one," Jean said softly. "I thought he'd be lonely so i let him tag along with mine."
Pan stared at her.
"You're definitely a Mother." Pan said, shaking his head. "Always looking out for people. For me...and apparently my shadow."
Jean smirked saying, "Well, i definitely know for a fact you're a father so this really puts our roles in perspective."
She touched his neck, sliding her hands down his chest as she whispered softly and seductively into his ear, "Doesn't it...Daddy."
Pan raised his eyebrows at the unique pet name. He thought it would have sounded odd hearing it from Jean but damn, it was hot. Jean smiled at him as he was staring at her and the phenomenal sexual tension between them was back at it again.
"So..." Jean said as they appeared back in the treehouse. "What exactly do you plan on doing in finding this boy?"
"I have a number ideas, all of which are currently enacted. Granted, i have about four hundred years before i have to do anything about it but i like action." Pan said.
He lied down and she was lying down next to him.
"So...you told me that you love me because i make you feel young..." Jean uttered quietly. "Neverland makes you young."
"Neverland makes me *appear* young," Pan said pointedly. "You make me feel young all the time. Your face, your voice, your laugh...all of you really...makes me feel how i used to when i was a lad."
Jean turned in his arms and looked at him.
"Feeling is believing," Jean said lightly.
Pan kissed her softly. Softer than any other time. Jean returned it.
"Do i still call you Peter or Malcolm?" Jean asked.
"Peter."
"I love you, Peter."
"And i love you too, babe." He kissed her again and she beamed at him.