Author's Note: Since I was obviously not around in 1904, I have no idea how the Duke of York's Theater looked then or how it looks now. If my descriptions are completely off for anyone who has been there, I am sorry. Enjoy chapter two and please review!

Peter Pan belongs to JM Barrie.

Chapter 2

At the Theater

The street in front of the Duke of York's Theater was packed with carriages by the time Wendy, Peter and her parents arrived. The building itself was a tall white structure and from the outside, did not resemble a theater at all. Wendy had never been to this particular theater and assumed that its height was due to the massive stage that it must hold.

The driver stopped as close to the door as he could get, and the Darlings and Peter got out to join the throng that was heading for the doors. After a minute or so, Wendy noticed that Peter was gripping her hand very tightly. She smiled a little at this and squeezed his hand reassuringly, thinking that he had not experienced such a large crowd before.

Once they were through the large doors, they found themselves in an enormous foyer lit by glittering crystal chandeliers. Rich red carpeting covered the floor and two wide staircases on both sides of the room led to the balcony seating.

Their fellow theatergoers were dressed in all matter of finery. Wendy saw women in dresses of every color and men wearing their crisp black suits, a few coming up to Mr. Darling and shaking his hand. While her parents talked, Wendy listened to the conversations around her.

"Well, I hope this production will be an improvement on the last one!" remarked an older man in his fifties. "Absolutely awful! No plot at all! Have you heard what this one is about, William?"

"I heard there were pirates and fairies in it," said William, a scrawny brown haired man with glasses.

"Fairies!" scoffed the older man. "Well, this play is doomed then. There are no such things as fairies!"

Wendy tore Peter away before he could act on the man's comment. A few feet away, she was surprised to see that he was unaffected by the words. No doubt seeing her concerned look, Peter said, "Don't worry, Wendy. I know grown ups don't believe in fairies, it's only children that can kill them."

At the mention of children, Wendy realized that other than Peter and herself there were no other people their age or younger.

Perhaps their parents thought them to young to go to the theater, Wendy thought. At that moment, Mrs. Darling turned to them and said, "Come along, you two, we should go find our seats."

They joined the line outside of two tall doors where an usher was collecting tickets. Once Wendy, Peter and her parents were given permission to enter, Wendy couldn't help but gasp in awe.

Like the foyer, the theater was adorned with the same red carpeting and chandeliers. The stage took up the entire front wall and a red velvet curtain hid the main part of it from view. Wendy glanced at Peter to see that his eyes were as big as saucers as he took in the enormous room, his face filled with wonder.

"Isn't it beautiful, Peter?" she whispered.

He only nodded in response and Wendy smiled.

They stopped at the second row on the left and took their seats halfway down the row. While her parents talked with the people around them, Wendy turned to Peter and said, "Peter, before the play starts, I think I should, ah, establish a few rules."

"Rules?" he asked.

"Yes, remember how I told you that this play was about us and our adventures?"

"Of course!"

"Well, that means that another boy will be playing you and another girl will be playing me."

"They're the ones called actors, right?"

"Yes, so that means that they may not get every detail right. What I'm trying to say is that you cannot, um, try and correct them. Do you understand?" Wendy asked, feeling very guilty having to treat Peter like a child, even though in a way, he was.

Peter cocked his head and then said slowly, "So, you don't want me to yell out anything?"

"Yes, Peter, exactly!" said Wendy, happy that he understood. "But, you can ask me questions if you want and you can whisper your complaints to me, alright?"

"Yes, Wendy," said Peter with a grin. Wendy smiled too and settled back in her seat, waiting for the play to begin.

Backstage and unaware of the famous people who were seated in the audience, thirty-seven year old Nina Boucicault surveyed herself in a full length mirror. She was dressed in a green tunic covered in green and brown leaves and matching tights. Her short blonde hair gave her more of an appearance of a boy. A small pouch was attached to a belt buckled around her waist and black boots donned her feet.

She looked every bit the part of Peter Pan.

Nina sighed heavily. She wouldn't admit that she was nervous; she had already performed the role twice but she couldn't help wondering how tonight's audience would react. Would they laugh? Would they clap? Would the harness fail?

"You needn't look so nervous," said a voice behind her.

Startled, Nina whirled around to see none other than James Barrie himself standing before her.

"You make a wonderful Peter," Barrie continued with a smile. "I don't think even a boy could do it better!"

Nina smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Barrie. I just hope I'm able to live up to your…imagination."

"You have already surpassed it," said Barrie. Just then a man in a black suit sauntered over to the two.

"Still here, are you James?" he asked.

"Why, yes, I couldn't miss another one of your sister's excellent performances!"

"Is it a large crowd, Dion?" Nina asked.

The director, Dion Boucicault smiled at his younger sister. "It's a full house, Nina. You'll have quite a crowd to perform to tonight! Come on, it's almost time to start. We'd better get you into the harness."

Nina nodded curtly and looked back at Barrie, who gave her a reassuring smile and said, "I'll be watching from the balcony. Break a leg, as they say in the theater, you'll do fine."

The actress nodded in reply and as Barrie exited the stage, she followed her brother to the flying harness to assume her role as Peter Pan.

Author's Note: Nina Boucicault was the first actress ever to play Peter Pan on stage. The first stage production was directed by her brother, Dion and their father was a playwright like James Barrie.

For this story, Boucicault's appearance and characteristics are based upon those of Cathy Rigby who is better known in the role of Peter Pan and Boucicault, in my opinion, looks nothing like Peter.