Wendy turned from the window and felt her heart sink the same way it would every night. She would sit in her small room, facing the window, until sleep over took her, using the excuse of reading or studying whenever her parents questioned her.
She sighed as she made her way across the room to her bed, and wondered when she would finally forgive herself for the decision she had made, when she would finally let herself move on.
As she closed her eyes she vowed, as she did every night, that tomorrow would be different; that bit by bit her heart would forget his face, and those days would slowly return to the realms of make believe, where they should belong.
Peter's bare feet touched the rough granite of Wendy's window ledge as soon after sunset as possible. The days were becoming longer here, and soon Wendy would be socialising and mixing with suitable young men her own age. Peters breath hitched as Hook's words echoed in his mind.
'There is another in your place. He is called husband.'
He knew the words were true, and when he thought of Wendy with anyone but him it gave him feelings that confused him and his chest would ache for hours or feel completely hollow.
He edged his foot further towards Wendy's open window, supporting his weight against the wooden frame and leaning in as far as he could without actually entering the room, gasping quietly as his head hit the edge of the frame. He ducked his head and looked up, squinting at the unthreatening wood as he wondered how the windows of Wendy's house had shrunk, it only crossed his mind for a second that he had grown taller, but that fleeting thought was enough to make him pause as Wendy stirred.
"Wendy" he whispered as his feet landed lightly on her wooden floor. Without making a conscious decision he was drawn to her side, as he always would be.
He felt the emotions he had buried in himself for so long, overflow from their locked chest and immerse themselves in him once again
He stood beside her bed, clad in clothes created from nature, his skin darkened by sun whilst hers was the colour of moonlight, and realised why his greatest wish could never be granted.
They were not alike, their worlds were too different, for either to exist with the other.
He had not lied to her when he had told her he wanted always to be a boy and to have fun, but he had left out the third condition to his list.
That he wanted to be with her always.
Wendy stirred, and Peter found himself studying her features; in the three years they had been apart Peter had, in all his visits, never been able to see her face as clearly as he would have liked.
The three years had changed Wendy in ways that Peter had not begun to comprehend; her face had become much more slender, her features more defined. And even as she slept on unawares, Peter could feel her pulling him closer. He watched her face closely for any signs of her awakening, and noticed a small lock of hair curling across her cheek. He reached out to her, wanting to brush the strands of hair away, but before he could Wendy turned towards him in her sleep and Peter pulled his hand away quickly, backing away from the bed and automatically glancing towards the window; judging the distance.
Peter was three steps away from the bed when he heard his whispered name. Heart thundering in his chest he turned, expecting to see Wendy awake, but she was still deep in sleep and he realised that it must have been her unconscious lips that his name had fallen from.
All thoughts of leaving forgotten Peter tread carefully across the cold floor until he was once again beside her. Without thinking he whispered her name.
"Wendy" his face bore the softest expression and his eyes shone a heartbreaking sadness as he swept the stray lock gently from her face with a feather light touch. Peter didn't know why but his hand lingered on her skin, tenderly brushing her cheek with his thumb even as she stirred.
"Peter" She murmured as her eyelids fluttered slowly open, and Peter felt a rush run through him as she said his name.
"Wendy" his breathing increased as his whole body told him to flee, to run from this girl that made him feel so many dangerous things.
But something held him in place, and as he slowly stroked her face one more time Wendy's eyes widened. She gasped and as she sucked in the breath of air she prepared to scream. Sensing her reaction Peter's expression became confused and as the beginning of a scream formed on her lips. He sat on her bed and placed himself so that his face was directly in front of hers.
"Wendy it's me!" His hushed whisper was frantic as his eyes searched hers, full of pain as he wondered why she was scared of him.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Wendy gasped.
"Who am I. Wendy you know who I am!" he grinned, expecting her smile to light up the room, but his own faded when he saw the uncertainty on her face.
"What? What is it Wendy? What's wrong?" his questions were frantic and Wendy knew she should be trying to run from this beautiful stranger, but there was something in the way he said her name that was familiar, something in the way he had stood that reminded her of happier lifetimes.
"It can't be him. You can't be him" she whispered, only half to the stranger, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and turning her body away from him, trying to ignore the fact that his hair and eyes were the same colour as Peters and that his skin had the same glow.
"Wendy? It's me, Peter" he frowned, asking himself why Wendy was being so strange.
"Who else would I be?" When Wendy didn't respond he said her name and she jumped.
"How do you know my name?" she whispered "Why are you doing this?" and she sounded so heartbroken that, not knowing why, Peter slid next to her and took her hand in his.
"I knew you before Wendy." He whispered in an intense voice as Wendy's shining eyes stared into his familiar ones. "In Never Land, you remember me, I know you do- you said my name just now"
"You're not him! You can't be!" her tears had stopped but her voice was still full of raw emotion as she tried to suppress the memories that the sound of this strange man's voice brought her.
"He never came back so he's never going to grow up- So you can't be him" she explained, unsure why she was still talking to the beautiful young man, only knowing that fate was cruel as she realised that this was what he may have looked like had he stayed with her and grown up.
"It's me Wendy, you've changed but you should recognise me"
Wendy drew her hand away from his.
"If you really are him then why do you look older?" her voice was calm and defeated but her eyes accused him.
"I-I don't" he stammered, his expression turning slowly from confusion into a scowl. And then Wendy looked up and recognised the way his eyes flashed when he heard something he didn't like and his bottom lip unconsciously protruded when he was frowning and she knew it was him.
"You do" she whispered, transfixed by his defined features, he looked as though he could be a year older than her, maybe a little less. Wendy stood and took Peters warm hand, leading him towards her dresser.
"See" she whispered, guiding him so that he was facing the mirror before standing slightly in front of him. Now that they were both on their feet she could see that Peter was a head taller than her, and she stared into the mirror in amazement.
"Wendy" Peters voice pulled her from her staring and her cheeks flushed.
"I missed you" his smile was strangely sad and uncertain as he stood behind her, only touching her hand, as though he were afraid she would break.
"I missed you too" Wendy breathed so quietly Peter wasn't sure he had heard her correctly as she laced her fingers through his.
"Why have you grown up, Peter?" Wendy whispered, and was surprised that he wasn't panicking, he seemed to have acknowledged his fate with a grim acceptance.
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I visited you so often" Peters eyes were fixed on the floor as Wendy studied his reflection, taking in the defined jaw line and subtle curve of his lips.
"You never visited" she whispered, letting go of his hand and turning around, taking a step towards her bed.
"I did"
Peters whispered words stopped her movements more effectively than him placing himself in her way did.
"You didn't" Wendy's eyes were slowly beginning to tear up and she bent her head so that he wouldn't see the pain his absence had caused.
"I did Wendy. But I was a coward" he whispered "I visited almost every night, but I never came in. Not until tonight"
Acting on an impulse he placed his finger under Wendy's chin and slowly guided her face upwards.
"I said I would come back" Wendy felt her heart skip a beat as he gazed into her eyes and cradled her cheek in much the same way as she had his on the Jolly Roger so many years ago, taking her hand with his free one.
"Peter" her eyes shone as she whispered his name and he impulsively pulled her closer, holding her to him "I thought I'd never see you again" she whispered into his shirt.
When she pulled away he smiled down at her and she felt her face break into a smile of her own, revelling in the way his smile enhanced his good looks.
"You're wearing clothes?" she questioned.
"Yes. Its colder in Never Land now" he explained simply "Tink thought of it"
"Oh she is clever." Wendy smiled up at him, not wanting to ruin the moment by asking what was so wrong that Never Land was cold.
"Where is Tinkerbelle?" she asked suddenly, as though only just being reminded of the fairy by the mention of her name.
"Tink's gone" Peter whispered, reluctantly pulling away from Wendy and turning towards the window where the night sky would soon be lightening.
"Gone where? What happened?" Wendy walked towards him, reaching out to touch his shoulder but stopping herself at the last moment. "Peter, what's wrong"
"She fell in love" he whispered softly, and Wendy felt her heart swell.
"Oh Peter" she breathed, realising that he must be so alone.
"Don't pity me" he said roughly, and Wendy almost smiled at how much like the old Peter he sounded.
After a moment he turned back to her and watched her for a moment before seeming to make a decision.
"Wendy" he took another step towards her before taking her soft hands in his scarred ones.
"I want to stay with you. And if that means I have to grow up, then I will"
"Peter I-"
"I understand if you don't want me to" he interrupted "but I don't want to be away from you anymore- and if that means I must become a man then, well- I'll do it." He smiled wistfully "To live would be an awfully big adventure"
Wendy stared at the boy in front of her, not quite a man but past childhood, eyes proud and intense as they burned into hers.
"Peter" she whispered "I want to live in Never Land with you" she held his gaze as she realised what he was willing to sacrifice just to stay with her and how all she really wanted was the oposite.
"I never want to grow up Peter, not if it means losing you."
"But Wendy you don't have to lose me, I want to stay with you." Peters face was a mask of confusion as Wendy reached up to touch his cheek, marvelling at how soft it was as Peter took her into his arms.
"Peter, I want to live in Never Land, to go back to the mermaids and the fairies, and you. I don't want to live with mother and father anymore." She grinned up at him. "It's awfully dull."
The only emotion on Peters face was shock before he spoke, his voice filled with joy.
"Really? You really mean it?!" Peter grinned as Wendy nodded. He placed his hands on her waist, twirling her around as she held onto his shoulders, his feet stepping on air as they rose above the floor.
"Yes!" he half-whispered as she giggled feeling the familiar sensation of flying as Peter's proximity helped her to stay in the air and they spun around.
He spun her around once more, laughing quietly as she did before he lowered her slightly so that her feet were level with his, leaning in slowly so that his soft warm lips touched hers. He pulled away after a moment and drew her towards him in a warm embrace.
"I missed you, Peter" she smiled softly as he raised her hand and brushed his lips against it.
"Can we leave tonight?" Peter smiled at the eagerness in her voice and just nodded, feeling that strange yet familiar feeling he always got when he was around Wendy.
As they walked to the window, with their hands linked, Wendy took one look back at her old life before stepping out next to Peter onto the cold granite of the window ledge.