After 3x11, Emma watches Henry's school production of Peter Pan and can't shake the feeling they've gotten everything wrong, especially the evil one handed pirate.
I know in Peter Pan a woman is traditionally cast as Peter but given that Henry is what 12? and for the purpose of my one-shot I changed it. Also this story is based off of the musical. If you've never seen it I highly recommend you do.
I own nothing.
Walking into the auditorium Emma felt a nervous anticipation fill her limbs and a smile spread across her face as a young man handed her a playbill. Looking around Emma still couldn't believe this was a middle school theater. It was large enough to fit almost 500 people, and the stage was huge as well; with a full pit, fly system and two catwalks. She knew a number of high schools that didn't have one so grand. But hey, this was New York.
An usher showed her to her seat and she sat amongst other parents and families chatting excitedly waiting for the play to begin. She offered polite greetings to parents and families of kids she had seen around the school before and knew in passing. Glancing at the playbill cover Emma smiled reading the title: Peter Pan. Henry had been so excited to be cast as the lead character, though he confessed he had hoped to be Captain Hook instead.
As the orchestra struck up the overture and the lights went down leading into the introduction, the theater went quite as the curtains opened and the lights upon the stage lit up. Seeing the Darling children play about their nursery Emma smiled watching them play pretend and complain about having to take a bath.
But the expression quickly faded as Mr. and Mrs. Darling began to discuss a shadow she had found. Emma paled at the flimsy, black, translucent fabric that was shook out. A flashing image broke into her mind of a incorporeal being flying about, a devilish whispering voice and screams of pain as the thing attacked living people.
Shaking her head Emma cleared the image and the lingering foreboding feeling and went back to enjoying the play, laughing as Mr. Darling attempted to get his children to take their medicine. The mood changed though as the father kicked Nanna out of the nursery and into the yard. The dog barking a warning of danger. Mrs. Darling and the children sang a goodnight song as the lights dimmed once more.
Suddenly a little green light appeared on the nursery wall and the tinkling of a bell sounded. Emma smiled knowing Tinkerbelle had arrived. But the little blond pixy she knew from other versions didn't seem right. She had always been spunky yes, but Emma had always envisioned a deep sadness and loss in the tiny fairy. As the giant nursery windows opened and Henry, dressed as Peter Pan flew into the room she sat up a little straighter.
"He might look like a teenage boy but he's a devil in disguise with psychotic tendencies."
Whipping about Emma glared at whoever had said such a thing about her son. But everyone was intently watching the action on stage, so she calmed herself down and did the same. But seeing Henry dance around singing in his Peter Pan outfit of green and brown she had a extreme desire to jump up on stage and tell him to take off the costume and run. But again she brushed it off as motherly worry as Henry and the other's rose up into the air on the flying rigging. The director apparently had a friend from college who worked on a flying crew on Broadway. So at least there were professionals controlling the rigging, Emma tired to sooth the crawling feeling racing across her skin.
As the first intermission commenced Emma rushed from the theater, attempting to gulp in the cool night air and settle her stomach. What troubled her most was she had no idea why she was feeling like this. After a few moments she retuned to the lobby and purchased a bottle of ginger ale from the concession, drinking it slowly to help ease the clenching in her abdomen.
Once the play began once more she made her way back to her seat. But as the curtain opened once more on Neverland the feeling came back stronger then before. The bright colorful foliage was all wrong. The cute little mushrooms and rocks were out of place as well. But the thing that caught and held her anxiety were the vines. They were bright lime green with little emerald colored leaves and pink flowers, but in her mind flashed a much more sinister plant. One with dark purple bark, and giant thorns dripping black sap.
Suddenly the pirates made their entrance, causing her and many others to jump, as they sang about the greatness of Captain Hook while they made their way up the aisles through the audience. When the fearsome pirate made his own appearance Emma couldn't help but let out a loud laugh at the giant black curly wig and ridiculous hat with a large feather. But the image played at her memory as well, bringing up a much different man.
One dressed in all black, with short brown hair, electric blue eyes and a knee weakening smile.
"Tell me something love, in these stories, what was I like? Other then a villain. Handsome I gather?"
Letting out another laugh; Emma suddenly had a slight panic. Where did that come from? Yes, the version her mind had created of the Captain was dashing, and lets face it down right sexy, but every other version of the pirate had him portrayed as a cowardly fool. Twisting the playbill in her hands Emma tried to quiet her mind and get back to the play. But as the pirates planned to kill the Lost Boys, and danced a tango Emma smiled wondering if the Captain truly knew how to dance.
After the pirate's first plan to kill the lost boys failed and they had planned another, to the tune of a tarantella, the lost boys and Darling children returned to the stage, only to be frightened by Peter pretending to be Hook. Once being scolded by Wendy, Peter and the Lost Boys began to sing of the joys of never growing up. But the sight of the dancing and words of the song pulled at the back of her mind once more, causing a much different scene to play out in her head. One where the children danced around a fire beating sticks together. The dance wasn't joyous as it was more aggressive and primitive. The Lost Boys onstage were happy and virtually carefree as they reveled in their eternal childhood. The one's in Emma's mind were hurt and lonely; lost in the truest sense of the word.
But once Peter called Captain Hook a codfish, Emma felt anger seep into her heart. Hook wasn't a codfish! He was a good man, one with honor, brave and loyal. True he had made mistakes, but they had been done due to a wounded soul, twisted by grief and revenge. Again Emma was bewildered at her sudden new take on the pirate's character and she tried grasping at the reason. But somehow it was buried deep inside her mind and when she tried to access it, it was like water slipping trough her fingers.
By the time she returned her full attention to the play, The Darling children and the Lost Boys are leaving their underground hideout to journey back to London, all of them missing their parents and now ready to grow up. As Hook poisoned Peter's medicine, Emma tried to keep her mind blank, silently hoping that no more wild thoughts or images would suddenly spring up. But as Tinkerbelle's light began to dim and Peter called to the audience to clap if they believed in fairies to revive her, Emma realized she was clapping with all her might, chanting with the rest of the children, "I do believe in fairies. I do. I do. I do."
As the light went out on Peter Pan's silhouette against the backdrop, vowing to end Hook if it was the last thing he did, Emma breathed a sigh of relief as the second intermission began. Exiting the theater once more she made her way into the cool night air. Looking up into the sky the stars shone brightly above. Standing there Emma picked out different constellations, having always loved astronomy. There was Canis Major, Orion, and Taurus all grouped together in an eternal hunt. But as she continued to gaze at the giant "V" making up the head of the bull a ironic thought crept into her mind. Smirking she mumbled, "Second star to the right and straight on till morning." before turning and once again making her way back to her seat.
Once the play began again, the curtain rose on The Jolly Roger, with Captain Hook celebrating the death of Peter Pan and the capture of The Lost boys and Darling children. As they sang about the pirate being the nastiest, meanest being to ever live Emma felt her annoyance at the portrayal grow. But once Peter appeared and did battle with the Captain, she found herself secretly rooting for Hook, but politely clapping when he was beaten and jumped ship rather then admit defeat.
As the play ended and Wendy, Michael, John and the Lost Boys sang about their joy and acceptance of growing up when they returned to The Darling House, Emma again felt a memory stir in her mind. About a little boy looking up at her with large brown eyes, guarded hope filling them as she promised to return him home. Sweeping the image away once more Emma frowned slightly watching Wendy's daughter Jane be swept up by Peter's talk of going to the place where dreams are born, and time was never planned, and then being taken to Neverland.
After the play ended and the curtain rose once more for casting calls Emma stood with the entire audience and clapped as each of the characters returned to the stage to make their final bows. She wondered when Henry would make his appearance when suddenly the Nursery windows were flung open once more and Henry glided down onto the stage, a trail of glittery "Pixy Dust" spilling from his hands, causing sounds of wonder and laughter to escape many people, especially the children.
Filing out of the theater, Emma waded through the crowd searching for Henry, the entire cast and crew having made there way to the lobby to meet their fans and family. Smiling, she watched as child after child requested pictures taken with her son, many asking questions about Neverland and if they could go back with him to have their own adventures. And being the kind, imaginative boy he was, Henry answered all their questions as if he was Peter Pan himself, while gently letting down some of the children saying his gang of Lost Children was full, though if an opening appeared he'd know right where to find them.
While signing a playbill Henry looked up and spotted his mother, waving and smiling while she waited for his fans to disperse. After the last question had been answered and final picture taken, he rushed up to Emma and hugged her tightly.
"How was it? Did you see me flying?" He asked excitedly.
Chuckling she replied, "I loved it. You were great Henry."
"Thanks, though I almost messed up the words in Ugh-A-Wug in the second verse."
"Well I didn't notice a thing." Emma assured him. "Here, I didn't think you'd want flowers so I brought you a thermos of hot chocolate."
Taking the offered jug, Henry opened the top and breathed in the rich smell. "Mmmh. Cinnamon." he smiled.
"Hey Henry. You were great tonight." The girl who played Wendy said as she and her family passed, having already changed out of her costume.
"Thanks Paige." He smiled back. "You too!"
"Come on Romeo," Emma smirked. "Go get changed so we can head home, gotta be up early tomorrow to get a head start on Christmas shopping and decorating."
Nodding Henry dashed down the side hallway to the backstage door and disappeared through it. Five minutes later he reappeared in his normal cloths.
"Ready Mom."
"So you really liked doing the whole theater thing didn't you?" Emma questioned on the ride home, glancing at the passenger seat.
"Yeah it was awesome. Still wish I could of been Captain Hook instead though." he answered.
"Why's that?" she questioned cautiously.
"He gets all the best lines and songs." Henry said. "Also, I think people have been going about playing him all wrong. He's not just a cowardly pirate."
Attempting to move the conversation away from her own thoughts on the Captain, Emma responded, "Well you were a great Peter Pan. Cathy Rigby has nothing on you."
"Thanks mom." Henry smiled, turning the radio dial searching for something to listen to.
"Anytime kid. Anytime." she assured gently, still attempting to rid her mind of her own vision of Captain Hook.
That night Emma had the craziest dreams she'd ever had in almost a year. When she and Henry had first moved to New York, Emma had strange dreams filled with fairy tale characters. From Snow White and Prince Charming, to Red Riding Hood and Pinocchio, they were all there. And the visions were so real it was more like they were memories then dreams.
But these dreams were filled with Captain Hook. He was swave, bold, daring. Innuendos sprang from his gorgeous lips like a second language as he attempted to get close, make her smile or laugh. The version her mind had created earlier came to life in fantastical scenes of outlandish adventures they had together and many personal conversations and moments. Not to mention one very steamy kiss.
Hearing her alarm clock sound she somehow resisted the urge to smash the thing into a million pieces for disturbing the slightly erotic turn her dreaming had taken. But instead she pressed the off button and begrudgely rose from her warm blankets to start the day. Putting on some music to help wake her up she began to prepare breakfast, smiling at Henry as he appeared from his room rubbing sleep from his eyes.
As they sat down to eat though a pounding at the door interrupted their quiet morning.
"Someone coming over?" Henry asked.
"No." Emma replied turning back to their breakfast only for the banging to continue. "Henry, wait here." she instructed, rising from the table.
Walking quickly to the door she turned off the music as she passed the stereo. Then flinging the door open she nearly gasped at the sight before her.
It was him. The man from her dreams. Her own sexy version of Captain Hook himself, every detail included from the all black attire, the brown hair and bright blue eyes.
And then he smiled. God, there should be a law against having that perfect of a smile. All boyish charm wrapped in a teenage dream inside a steamy romance novel.
But the icing on the cake was when he breathed out, "Swan." Like her name was the answer to a prayer. As if he had been drowning and she had somehow saved him at the last moment.
All she could think was Oh Crap!
The End
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