Wendy

At first, Wendy did not know if she was already dead. If she was, then it would be ideal for Peter to be the first thing she saw but if she wasn't, then it would come as a surprise to her to be looking at the one person she was sure she would never see again.

Peter had both hands on either side of Wendy's shoulders, ultimately preventing her from falling two stories down. She was slanted at an angle and when she opened her eyes, she was startled to see his face only inches from hers. For a moment, she became incredibly lost in his green eyes and she had to remind herself of the situation.

Here was a boy; a boy who, one night, scooped Wendy up and took her on the most amazing adventure. The time she spent with him made her feel young and innocent and adventurous and free. But, her time was eventually cut short. The heartbreak she experienced when Peter left her was emotionally draining, and made Wendy believe that he would never come back. Although that part was true, she still hoped; she still waited for him for a whole year, clinging on to the belief that he didn't forget her. Five years have passed since then, and now she's a woman. She's all grown up.

And here he was. Here was the person she had been waiting for all these years, standing- hovering, really- right before her very eyes.

His eyes were so captivating that she lost track of time and didn't know how long she had been silently looking at them. How perfectly beautiful he was. Before she could stop herself, a single tear snuck out of the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek.

A sense of pain came over Peter as he witnessed his dear Wendy crying. Fearful that she would slip from the barriers if he moved back any, he thought it best to break the tense silence. In a whisper, he said his favorite word, "Wendy?"

Wendy didn't say anything, but blinked a few times at the complete shock left behind as he said her name. She couldn't believe this was happening. I must really be dead, she thought.

Peter continued, "Wendy, I think…I think you should go back inside now."

Wendy then realized that if anyone were to wake up in the night and look out their window, they would probably faint from the sight of her and Peter. She nodded her head in agreement and without taking her eyes off Peter, she slowly stepped off the barrier and onto the ledge of the window. Peter dropped his hands from Wendy's shoulders as she moved out of his reach. Very hesitantly, she took a step back and then stopped, waiting to see if Peter would follow or just fly away. Peter remained in midair as he watched Wendy return to safety. He knew what Wendy was waiting for and just as hesitantly as she, moved closer to the window. Keeping both eyes on Peter, she took a few more steps back until she was completely protected by the nursery walls. With every step she took, Peter followed until he was no longer out in the cold November air.

The nursery was still dark and eerie. He waited a few seconds, not wanting to alarm Wendy with sudden movements, before cascading to the other side of the room and turning on the oil lamp that hung on the wall. Immediately, the room became engulfed with the golden glow of light and both Wendy and Peter had the first chance to get a good look at each other.

As Peter sought back to land directly in front of Wendy, she noticed that for the most part, he looked the same as she remembered. His short, curly hair was still a sandy-brown color and his body was still covered by vines and leaves and small pieces of the forest. The only thing about him that had changed was his obvious increase in age. Peter was no longer a boy. His tall stance, muscular limbs, and masculine stature suggested that he was not a little boy at all. Peter was a man. Knowing that aging was not possible in Neverland, Wendy soon realized that Peter must have spent some time in the real world- in her world, and she became hurt.

Her eyes must have given her away because as she came to that conclusion, Peter moved toward her, trying to comfort her. "Wendy, please don't cry. Please!" He said, reaching his hand to her face. His voice was much deeper than it had been five years ago.

Before his skin could make contact with hers, she hastily moved back a step. "Don't."

Peter knew that Wendy was hurt by his neglect but he didn't know if there was, perhaps, some fear in her tone. Was she afraid of him? Was she so deeply damaged by his absence that she couldn't bare to be touched by him at all? He knew coming back to the Darling house that he would have to face the challenge of receiving Wendy's forgiveness, but he never imagined that her disgust with him would be this much of an obstacle.

"Wendy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Forgiven or not, Peter would always feel regret for what he'd done.

Wendy stared him hard in the eyes and tried not to be hateful towards him even though she felt like she could scream at any moment. When she spoke, her words came out frail and broken, "You say so…but I think it is your biggest pretend."

Wendy could distinctly hear his intake of breath after her words left her mouth. They were both thinking of the time when she had said that exact phrase before; when Peter claimed that he did not have feelings even though Wendy saw right through him. He couldn't lie to her. But, when he said he would come back five years ago, she believed him with all her heart.

There wasn't much more Peter could do at this point; he didn't want to leave her but he also didn't want to stay if it meant Wendy would be filled with anger. "Okay…" He said, defeated. Peter looked Wendy over one last time. She was just as beautiful as he remembered. He could never forget her captivating eyes and he prayed this wouldn't be the last time he ever saw them. "Goodbye."

Slowly, he turned back to face the window and sighed at the realization that she didn't want him anymore. The wind called to him, beckoning him to come forward and forget he ever returned. Within a few short steps, he was back at the ledge. The moonlight doused him in silver as he prepared for flight.

Wendy watched, silently, as he leant back on his heels and bent his knees. If she blinked, she would surely miss his departure. Peter let go of one last lungful of air and jumped, but before his feet could even leave the wood, Wendy shouted, "Don't!"

Abruptly, he landed back on his heels and turned to face Wendy. "Don't?" He asked. That word seemed to be very popular tonight.

"I don't want you to go." Wendy said softly. "I don't want you to leave again."

Deep inside Peter, there was a hope that Wendy would never truly want him gone and it filled him with endless joy to have his suspicion confirmed. He knew, right then that Wendy didn't hate him. He just had to deal with her anger and trust that she would be forgiving. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He replied, meaning every word with every ounce of his being and hoping that she would believe him. A huge smile spread across his face as he stepped back into the nursery.

Wendy nodded, hoping that he was telling the truth. "Tell me why you look different." She said, not as a demand but as a request.

Even though he knew this question would be coming at some point, he still didn't know how to fully explain. "It's a long story."

"It's a good thing I like stories then." Said Wendy, challenging him and taking a seat cross-legged at the head of her bed. Peter was quick to follow suit and sat at the other end of the bed in the same position.

He took a deep breath, "You see…five years ago- when I returned back to Neverland- I realized something. I realized that I was alone. You were back here and you had the lost boys with you and you had your family and I…I didn't have any of that. Sure, I had Tinkerbell but it wasn't the same as having an actual person to talk to and spend time with." He paused to gather his thoughts and see if Wendy was paying attention; she was holding on to every word. "So, I came back to look for my family. That's why I've grown. That's why I'm not a boy anymore; in this world, my age caught up to me." He stopped and gave Wendy a second to process his words.

"And how long have you been here?" She asked, almost sure that she already knew the answer.

Peter looked down and fumbled with his fingers as he spoke, "A few months at a time, on and off, for the past five years." That sentence hung in the air like dust.

"You've been here?" She said, trying not to raise her voice. "The whole time?"

Peter nodded and immediately became ashamed. "But, it's not like I haven't been around since then. I've flown over your house loads of times. And…and sometimes when you were asleep or when you were brushing your hair, I would fly by and sit on the windowsill, just to watch you for a bit."

Wendy couldn't believe it! "How could you sit there and watch me and not even try to talk to me? I thought you would never come back but apparently you've been here all along!" Her voice had definitely gotten louder and she had to remind herself that the rest of her family was sleeping and the last thing she wanted was a rude interruption by a curious parent.

"I know I should have," Peter began, hoping Wendy would calm down, "but I couldn't. How could I Wendy? This is your life. Here. This is where you belong."

"How can you say that when I've been miserable every day you've been gone?" Replied Wendy with sorrow. "I've been waiting for five years and now it's too late…"

"Why?" Peter asked.

"Because, Peter! Since you've been gone, things have changed a bit around here." Wendy didn't mean to be cold but it was frustrating to her that Peter could act like nothing had changed between them, between everything.

"Nothing's changed, Wendy." Peter knew that not everything was the same but he had still hoped his words were true.

"You don't understand." Wendy started as her cheeks began to heat up with aggravation. "You don't see that I'm not the same person." Suddenly, her body became heated again and she knew she couldn't sit still for much longer. She stood up from her spot on the bed and left Peter staring as she paced around the room. "I mean look at me! I don't even look the same! How can you tell me that nothing has changed when you and I are both proof that everything has?"

"You're right." He began, "I don't understand. I don't understand why you're being so difficult. You're still Wendy and I'm still Peter. Why does it have to be any more complex than that?"

"Because…" Wendy wanted to tell Peter about the happenings of that evening even though she knew that it would probably upset him. "I'm all grown up. I don't play with dolls or pretend I'm a pirate with my brothers or write stories anymore." Her heart sank a little as she realized that was the cold, hard truth. "Now, my days are filled with lessons and manners and…and marriage."

Peter's face had definitely lost its' color as that last word filled the room. "Marriage?" He couldn't believe it. Not Wendy.

Not his Wendy. "You're getting married?"

Wendy couldn't bring herself to answer out loud and she didn't need to, for her blank expression spoke clearer than she ever could. "I have to. I don't want to but I have to."

Peter stood up from the bed and glided over to where Wendy was now standing by the window. He grabbed both sides of her arms and stared deeply into her eyes. "If you really don't want to…then come back with me to Neverland."

"Neverland." She had been dreaming about returning to Neverland for the longest time and now that the opportunity presented itself to her, it became too overwhelming and she couldn't wrap her head around the idea of leaving behind her lost life. The last time she left her family she had nearly forgotten their existence and she didn't want to be in that predicament again. Then again, if she stayed she would be forced into doing something that she really didn't want to do. She could always come back to her home but if she ever got married, her father would make sure it was permanently.

Peter's eyes were filled with nothing but complete sadness and heartbreak. He hated himself every day for deserting Wendy and not letting her know that he had never really left. When he saw Wendy leaning out of her window about to greet her death, he promised himself that he would never abandon her again. If he had anything to do with it, he would never again allow her to feel miserable, alone, or forgotten.

"Come back to Neverland." After all he had put her through, convincing her to leave her home would be a difficult task.

"I can't." Although it made perfect sense to leave with Peter, she couldn't easily sway herself to leave her parents and brothers.

Peter's fingers had dropped from Wendy's arms and were now tightly holding on to her hands. He looked down and became entirely serene at the sight of his hand containing hers. Her skin was so soft and it looked nicely next to his.

"You can. You're just afraid." Wendy knew it to be true but she didn't expect Peter to come out and say it.

Peter looked up from their hands and peered into her eyes where her beautiful soul was laid out in front of him like a book ready to be read. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She doubted that it would really be that simple. As a child, she found the idea of leaving home to be quite easy to consider. Now that she was older and wiser, she didn't know if it was possible for her to go through that process. But, as that thought mauled over she realized that she would eventually have to leave anyway. What if she had accepted William's proposal? Surely, they would not live with either of their parents.

The more she thought about Neverland, the more she really wanted to go. At this moment, there was nothing she wanted more than an adventure. And even though she was still angry with Peter, she didn't want to be without him.

"Wendy?" Peter was waiting for her to reply. His face held a look of hope as he prayed that she would agree to return back with him.

In this case, the good far outweighed the bad, Wendy realized. She would continue to be miserable if she stayed so it seemed logical that she only go back to her favorite place. But, there was one little thing missing…

"You see Peter," She began trying not to give herself away, "I don't know if I can go for I have forgotten how to fly."

As soon as he realized what she meant, Peter's face became alive again. He nearly hit the ceiling as he flew around with utter excitement. This reminded him of the first time Wendy had agreed to come to Neverland with him, only now, he was much more excited and he had no intentions of ever letting her go again.

Peter landed back in front of a gleaming Wendy who was overjoyed to see him that content. Eager to not waste anymore time, Peter grabbed Wendy's soft hand and began to lead her to the window. "We must leave now! There's so much to do, I have so much to show you! The mermaids, the Indians, OH we must go to the mooncave, and I'm sure you want to see the Lost Boys." He somehow managed to gasp between his words that he had been speaking at an unusually fast rate. "The Lost boys! Oh they'll be so happy to see you! We have to leave!"

"But, Peter…" Wendy had been trying to fit a word in but Peter was talking too fast and his strong voice overpowered her weak one. "Peter!"

At last, Peter stopped and looked at Wendy with confusion, wondering why she was not as excited as he. "What? Is something wrong? Don't you still want to go?"

"It's not that." She said calmly trying to reassure him. "I really have forgotten how to fly." That's when she noticed that the key element to her flight was missing. "Where's Tinkerbell?"

"She's back in Neverland watching over the boys." Peter replied.

"Then how am I supposed to go back with you?" She asked. "Unless you happen to have another fairy lying around then I'm afraid I won't be able to fly."

"Wendy…I think you keep forgetting who you're talking to." He said with a smirk. Without letting go of Wendy's hand, he moved closer. His face was only mere inches from hers; he could taste the sweetness of her being. He reached up his other hand and placed it where her cheek met her neck. Peter leaned in a little closer until only an inch or two separated their lips. He waited for her to object to his actions but, when she didn't, he closed the distance and his eyes and met her lips with his.

Kissing Peter was exactly as she remembered it, only much more magnificent. She was in no way expecting him to kiss her but when he did, her body lost all feeling and she became weightless. Wendy had come close to kissing other boys but no other kisses would ever compare to the one she shared with Peter. He was the true possessor of her hidden kiss.

She didn't remember how long the kiss lasted but when she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find herself floating in midair. Wendy gasped, "How did you do that?"

"I told you," he began, "I'm Peter Pan. Thimbles are magic." Peter then flashed Wendy a dazzling smile that left her cheeks blushing.

She giggled a little at his confusion of the word and didn't mind at all that they were still very close together. Wendy was still dazed over their kiss and she wouldn't mind to stay like this for a little longer.

However, now that Wendy had the capability to fly, Peter was determined to seduce her into the night sky. His hand that had been cupping her face moved back down her arm until it was holing on to her other free hand. Slowly, he began to inch closer and closer to the open window; he moved backwards as he pulled Wendy along with him. Peter was the first to be admitted back into the cold air but before Wendy could be completely out of the confines of the nursery, she stopped both arms on either side of the window just as she had done earlier that night.

Wendy turned around to admire the nursery one last time; she didn't know when or if she would come back. Her room was simple and lovely and peaceful and perfect. It reminded her very much of her brothers who were soundly asleep in the next room. This time, Wendy saw it best not to bring them along for she wanted her own adventure and she knew it would be too much of a hassle to explain Peter's arrival to them. She couldn't bear to think of how her brothers or parents would react when they woke up in the morning to find Wendy missing from her bed.

Peter's presence slid up behind Wendy as she thought about her family. His body was so warm and comforting and Wendy knew she was making the right decision, but it was still hard. He moved closer until his head was right next to hers and his mouth was inches away from her ear.

He whispered, "Forget them Wendy…forget them all."

Wendy couldn't help but smile at his use of the same words that were made five years ago.

Peter was delighted to see that Wendy had not forgotten the significance of the phrase. He continued with as much seduction and wonder as he had used the first time, "Come with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again."

Wendy turned around to face Peter so she could deliver her part just like she did when she was nearly thirteen, "Never…is an awfully long time."