Last chapter, guys! I hope you liked my story. I want to write a sequel so if you want one review below. 1) tell me if you want a sequel and 2) tell me if you want Peter and Illysa tragically separated or romantically together. Love you all and enjoy the next chapter. Reminder: PLEASE REVIEW! :-)
Peter whizzed around the trees, under crevices, and through waterfalls, clutching Illysa tightly. He would look down every few seconds to make sure she was alright, until she begged him to stop.
"You're gonna crash into something!" She insisted. Embarrassed, Peter looked straight ahead the rest of the trip.
Illysa looked thoughtful. She had always wanted to come to Neverland, but now they were here, she wished she had stayed home. Everything was so... dead. The trees were obviously rotting at their core. The water was tumbling downstream, but dead animals lined its banks. Illysa buried her head into Peter's shoulder, trying to get rid of the image in her mind.
Seeing Illysa in such discomfort worried Peter, and he tried to change the subject of her thoughts. He spent the rest of the flight telling her of how Smee had come and accidentally given Illysa the antidote for the poison, thus bringing her back to life.
Finally, Peter alighted on a bed of moss adjacent to a crystal pool.
"Where are we?" Illysa asked in wonder.
"We are at the source of Neverland's water supply. Only the fairies and those allied with them know where it is. Although Hook poisoned most of Neverland's water, I doubt he found this pool."
"How will you be sure it won't kill me?" Illysa asked fearfully.
"Simple." Peter said. "I'll drink some."
Deftly, he cupped his hands and took a long drink of water. Illysa watched anxiously as he sat on the moss. Minutes passed. Illysa let out a sigh, but then Peter put his hand to his throat.
"I- I- can't b-breath..." He gasped.
"Peter!" Illysa cried, hurrying to his side, holding her arm in pain.
The boy had fallen over. He lay motionless on the soft grass, pale and cold.
"Oh, Peter." The words were sad and empty. Illysa held her head in her hands and began to cry.
"Illysa. I'm fine." Peter grinned mischievously.
Illysa, looking up, cried, "Oh, Peter!" in a completely different way as done previously.
Peter took some of the fresh water and bathed Illysa's arm with it. She gritted her teeth, but managed to get through the ordeal without moving too much.
"There. All done."
"Do I get to meet the Lost Boys?" Illysa asked eagerly.
Peter shook his head. "Unfortunately not. They moved out when they saw what was happening to Neverland. I finally left too. I was running from Hook's new weapon when I got lost and landed at your house."
"I am so glad you found me," Illysa grinned.
Peter looked surprised. "Really? Even though you nearly died? And if it hadn't been for stupid Smee you would have been gone forever?"
"Even though all that happened. I'm still alive aren't I? Peter, you saved me from growing up! That alone has made this adventure worthwhile. Not to mention we left Hook with NYC security agents. Ha! I wish I was there right now."
Tink rushed to Peter's side, her bells chiming in a sweet euphonium of notes.
"What is it, Tink?" Peter asked.
More bells chimed, and Peter looked over his shoulder. Gasping he motioned to Illysa to come over to the edge of the precipice.
"What is it?" Illysa crawled over to where Peter was sitting, then gasped herself. All along the banks of the river and outward, trees began to grow rich and dark green in color, flowers everywhere blossomed forth into a cacophony of color. Deer, fox, turtles, yes, every kind of living thing began to revive from the banks of the river. Fish began to leap from the water's depths.
"What in the world is happening?" Illysa whispered
"Tink says that you saved Neverland." Peter answered.
"Me? How?" Illysa looked incredulous.
"She says the blood of a hero saved this land. Your heroic blood, put into this fountain, caused it to go all across Neverland, saving this world."
"But, but how was I a hero?"
"You saved Tink, you goose!" Peter grabbed her hands. Illysa laughed as they rose into the air. Peter grabbed her waist and spun in circles. Landing on solid ground, he repeated, "You saved Tink."
Illysa's eyes shone.
Peter smiled and said, "Let's go home ."
Illysa was surprised. "But, aren't we gonna stay here a bit?"
Peter hesitated, then shook his head. "There's nothing I'd rather do more than that, but you're needed at home."
"Since when do you worry about responsibility? You're really sounding like a grown up, Peter!" Illysa was indignant. "Finally, someone comes along who wants to stay young forever and you tell them to go home?"
Peter frowned. " Illysa, it's hard for me, too. But I need to do what I feel is right, ok? Can you please try not to make it harder for me?"
Reluctantly, Illysa took Peter's outstretched hand, and flew off into the night sky.
Peter landed on the windowsill, and gently put Illysa onto the floor. "Do you think your parents miss you?" He asked.
"I hope not. I'm in big trouble if they did." Illysa looked worried.
They stared at each other for a small period of time. Peter finally spoke.
"Illysa, Tink tells me that since you saved a fairies life, you get a wish." He chuckled at Illysa's gasp of surprise. "You can choose anything you want."
"I wish that I never grow up." Illysa answered with surety in her voice.
Peter looked sad. "I'm sorry, Illysa. That is probably the one thing you can't wish for."
"Why not? Don't you want me to be a kid forever?" Illysa asked.
"In order to stay young forever, you need to live in Neverland. But I don't want you wasting your life like I have. I want you to become something like your history teacher talked about, someone who changes the history of the world."
Illysa didn't try to argue. "You really mean that, don't you?"
"I do."
"Then I wish," Illysa closed her eyes, and said, "I wish that I could fly!"
Peter grinned. "Tink, you heard her!"
Tinkerbelle flew to Illysa. Starting at her feet, she began to slowly encircle the girl, covering her in pixie dust.
"Oh my word," Illysa gasped. She began to slowly rise in the air. Everything on her was rising, even her skirt.
"Oh my," Illysa said, holding down her skirt. "Peter, don't look."
"Don't worry, said a muffled voice. "I wasn't."
Illysa had such a hard time controlling herself, she soon sopped trying. Her hair went wild, her skirt billowed, and she was slowly spinning in circles. Finally, Tink poured every last ounce of fairy dust she could on Illysa. A burst of light exploded out of the girl's window, causing Peter to fall backwards.
"Whoa!" He flew back up to the third floor window. Illysa was a heap on the floor.
"Illysa?" Peter approached her cautiously. "Illysa? How you feeling?"
Illysa slowly raised her head. Instantly, she shot into the air.
"Woohoo!" She cheered. About a second later, she fell to the floor.
"Ouch. That ceiling really shouldn't be there."
Peter laughed. "How does it feel to be able to fly?"
"It feels so good!"
The two children stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds. Peter then cleared his throat.
"Mhm, well, I suppose I better go."
"Will I never see you again?" Illysa croaked.
Peter smiled. "You can fly, can't you?"
"Yeees." Illysa was confused.
"You can visit me whenever you want. Well, that is till your eighteen. You'll be too old by then."
"Five years." Illysa's eyes sparkled. "Five years. Oh, Peter, I'm so happy."
She cleared her throat. "Well, I suppose it's goo-"
"Don't say that." Peter covered her mouth with his hand. "Don't say goodbye, cause that means going away, and going away means forgetting." He frowned. "You won't ever forget me, will you, Illysa?"
Illysa laughed. "Me? Forget you? Never!"
Peter let out a sigh of relief. "Good. See you soon."
"See ya, Peter."
Illysa leaned out her window, watching as the boyish figure flew off to his home in the stars. As she closed her window, her mom walked in.
"Illysa-," Michelle began, but Illysa interrupted her.
"Mom, I'm really sorry about the window, but I'll pay for it I promise. I'll even ground myself from my computer if you want."
Michelle looked surprised, but said, "thank you dear, but I was coming in to tell you your father and I were discussing what I told you last night and we decided I was a little hard on you, albeit you should not have broken the window. You will have to pay for it, but I will let you go out with Craig this weekend."
Illysa couldn't believe her ears. "I-I can go out with Craig?"
Michelle smiled. "Yes, honey. Ate you happy?"
"I'm speechless." Illysa sat on her bed. Visions of Peter flashed through her mind. His laugh, his care. Him holding her in his arms.
"Thank you, mom, but I don't think I want to grow up just yet." Illysa said slowly.
Michelle raised her eyebrows, then smiled. "You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that."
Illysa ran to her mom and hugged her tightly. Happy thoughts coursed through her body, lifting her off the ground.
"Illysa Joy Miller. What is happening?" Michelle screamed.
"Oh. Oops. It's a long story, mom."
"I'm listening."
Illysa squirmed, then said, "Well, it all started with the first star in the sky..."
