"Thirteen! He was so young." Wendy looked down. Charles lifted her chin.
"And so are you."
"I'm really and truly not. I feel so old. My mother said that soon I'll be too old to be married off." She began to laugh.
"Then marry me!" Charles said, completely serious.
"What?" Wendy looked up at his hazel eyes. "But I already told yo-"
"Yes, I know. Peter. But I'm here!" He held Wendy's hands. "Think of it like this. Out of all of the men who have asked you, all of the men who have told you they cared, which one do you think you could laugh the most with?" Wendy looked down. Of course, it was him. But how could she betray Peter? Get married, run off, leave the nursery.
"You. But, I don't wish to leave the nursery!" She stood up, placing her hands on her hips.
"Ha-ha, of course! Whatever you want." He smiled up at her, eyes gleaming.
She felt terrible. For she knew she would never return his feelings. I could never kiss this man. "I've promised myself to someone else. I can't break such an important promise!" She said to the trees. They slowed their sway, and Wendy knew they had to be listening. "I wonder why his brother left home."
"MOTHER!" She ran down the stairs, screaming for her family. "BOYS! FATHER!" Within the next thirty seconds, all members of the family were present at Wendy's orders.
"Why do you scream so loud?" Mr. Darling asked.
"What is it Wendy?" Mrs. Darling asked.
"Charles brother! He ran away from home, and they believe he died from an accident on a bridge, but boy's! No body was ever found!"
The boys automatically knew what she had meant, but her parents were confused.
"Why are you so happy about this?" Mr. Darling asked.
"Father," Tootles took over. "Once a child runs away, if not claimed in seven days, they are sent to the Neverland."
Mrs. Darling's eyes shot open from their sleep state, and Mr. Darling smiled.
"Father, he could be there somewhere. Or better yet," She turned to the boys. "He could be here." Everyone gasped. She walked to the boys. "How old are you?" She asked. All of them looked at each other, then shrugged. "You do not know?" They shook their heads. "Then we must find Peter. Maybe he knows."
"Oh, Wendy!" Charles ran up to Wendy as she was leaving a market. "There you are! I need to talk to you."
"Of course. What about?" She stopped and turned. Charles was beginning to speak, but then he noticed Wendy's groceries. His serious face fell off, and he began laughing.
"Whatever are you going to do…with that?" He fell to his knees laughing.
"I'm visiting an old friend." She smiled. Her arms were filled with children's clothing, flowers, water jugs, flour, and a pirate hat.
"Peter." It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes." She swallowed. I have words to tell him, also, I must tell him of us. Just in case he comes back.
"Yes, I don't want you breaking any more hearts then you have to."
Wendy slightly laughed, then asked, "What were you going to say before?"
"Ah, father said your father was acting peculiar today, and even told mine that he had a surprise for him… Whatever does he mean?" He asked, confused.
Wendy giggled. "I do not believe I know what you are speaking of." She turned her head smiling and began to walk.
That night, she sat at her window, dressed in a child's gown, with a flower in hand filled with water. She had placed flour around the window, just in case he didn't come when she was awake, she could know if he came at all.
"Peter. Please come. Please come and drink your medicine." Wendy Had the pirate hat on, holding one of the swords the boys brought back. "I have much to tell you." The snow blew through the window, causing goose bumps to cover Wendy's body. "Then I shall tell another story. One that you will love." The trees, as expected, began to slowly come to a stop. "This story is of a girl, and a boy. The girl loves the boy truly, but the boy doesn't quite feel the same. Or, maybe he does." Wendy's eyes began to tear up. "But, how should she know if she never sees him? He told her. He told her he would come back, but he never did." A tear dropped as she stood. "The girl feels forgotten! Betrayed even!" She then sat back down. "But time is passing. The boys' refusal to grow up…create quite a damper on this growing girl's heart."
"Don't cry Wendy." Wendy turned to see Michael. She bit her lip, as the tears fell heavily from her eyes. She stood up, running to Michael.
"Oh, Michael!" She hugged him, knowing he would disappear.
"I don't like sad stories." Michael said. "When your sad, I'm sad Wendy. Please, Don't cry." But this just broke her heart even more.
"Michael, why have you left us?" She looked into his eyes. Her tears began to cloud her vision, so she wiped them away so she wouldn't miss a moment, but when she wiped away, Michael was gone. She stood up and ran to the window, which was covered in snow. She jumped through it, landing on the deck of the house. The snow blew against her, but she stayed out as long as she could. But she had frozen to her extent, so she went back in the window, cuddled up in a blanket next to the window, and fell asleep.
"Wendy." Peter whispered to her. "Wendy." She opened her eyes and smiled.
"Peter." She sat up.
"Why are you sitting next to an open window during winter?" He asked, confused.
"I didn't want to miss you if you came. And you did."
"I didn't."
"But, you're in front of me right now!" She stood, reaching for him, but he jumped back.
"You're imagining it." Wendy stepped closer.
"Why didn't you come back? Like you promised!"
"Because, I didn't want to see you." Wendy's heart nearly fell onto the floor. She stepped back.
"But Peter I-"
"I don't feel the same Wendy. I just don't feel what you do." He stepped towards the window. "I only liked your stories. You were a friend."
Wendy could hardly breathe. "A friend? I was a friend!" She stepped away from him. Away from her future. Away from fate. "You don't really mean to tell me, you felt nothing at all?" He nodded, as if she was asking any other question, instead of asking the most important question of her life. "So I just poured my heart, and three years of my life into a toilet, and flushed it all away." She grabbed her chest. "You're lying." She took the pirate hat off, and threw it at him. "You're lying!" Wendy grabbed her "kiss" and threw it at him. "Then go home…go home, and take your feelings with you." She turned away.
"Goodbye Wendy." She turned to see the window shut, and her acorn gone.
"No, Peter…don't leave." Her heart had a horrible pain in it. So horrible, that Wendy fell to the ground. Her whole body began to throb, and she closed her eyes. "Don't go…"
When she awoke, she was lying on the living room sofa. She tried to move, but her body ached much too much.
"She's awake!" Someone yelled. Wendy looked to where it came from and saw Charles sitting beside her. "Wendy…"
"Oh, thank god! Wendy!" Mrs. Darling began smiling and crying.
"What happened?" Wendy spoke weakly.
"You fell asleep in a gown with the window open! What do you think happened!" Mr. Darling exclaimed.
"George! She's still recovering." Mrs. Darling said.
"Asleep…" Wendy whispered.
"Wendy, you fell ill to the cold! You're very lucky to have Charles. If he hadn't come, you might have died!" Wendy looked to Charles.
"Thank yo-" Wendy's eyes shot open whenever she felt around her neck. Her kiss was gone. "Where is it?" She yelled as loud as she could manage.
Charles pulled it out of his coat pocket. "It was lying on the window seal." He handed back to her.
"So he didn't take it."
"Who?"
"Peter."
"Peter came?"
"Well…I thought he did." For the first time, she was glad he didn't. That meant the words he spoke were just Wendy, trying to rid herself of these feelings.
"Wendy, you must stay lying here until tomorrow." Her father said. Wendy nodded.
Charles stayed with her for most of the time, but after Wendy became sleepy, he told her he'd be back in the morning.
Wedy got up, feeling horrible all over, and walked up the stairs. "By the time I get there, Peter shall be a man." She sighed, crawling up the stairs.
When she finally reached her destination, she gasped. Michael was standing by the window, looking out. He turned when she entered. "Wendy!" His face brightened.
"Michael… Are you alive?"
"Of course I am." He laughed. "But, I don't live here anymore."
Wendy thought for a moment. "Do you live with…Peter?"
"No. Peter lives on the second star, I live on the first. Along with all the other children who…pass on at a young age." Wendy smiled, and tears filled her eyes.
"May I come with you? And, maybe, you could take me to the second star?" Michael looked around and gasped. He ran to his teddy bear. "Oh! Yes Wendy! If I can take him!"
Wendy nodded happily. "Take whatever you wish."
"Oh, may I take that pirate hat?"
"Yes."
He laughed and put it on. "Just like back then."
Wendy smiled. Michael walked to her, taking her hand. "Delamon?" He asked, and a young fairy came in. The fairy, bowed, and Wendy laughed and curtsied. She closed her eyes as the fairy flew above her, spreading Pixie Dust. She automatically lifted into the air.
"Oh Michael! How I've missed flying!" She swirled into the air.
"C'mon." He grabbed her hand, and they left into the night. Wendy couldn't help but laugh. She was going to see Peter, and she could fly again.
"You have to go by yourself from here. I'm not allowed to go past Everland." He flew away.
"Michael!" She yelled, but he didn't return.
She carried on, going straight.
"Peter. I'm coming." Suddenly, the clouds parted, and Wendy nearly fell into the ocean.