Chapter 21

The flight back to London was difficult; Peter kept fighting, and Banning lost his grip on the child more than once. Having only just regained his ability to fly, Banning found racing after the plummeting child exhausting, and he yearned to reach their destination so that he could rest.

At long last, with dawn breaking, they found themselves flying over the streets and houses of the capital, and it did not take long for Banning to get his bearings.

As Wendy's rooftop appeared in the distance, Banning began to descend. As soon as they landed in the back garden, Peter tried again to pull away from the man restraining him.

"Let me go!" he repeated, for the umpteenth time.

Banning took his dagger from his boot and cut the boy's bonds, but kept a firm grip on his arm.

"I'm sorry Peter, but I can't do that. You need to grow up."

"Never!" the boy hissed in disgust.

With the last ounce of pixie dust, Banning took better hold of Peter, and soared up to the nursery window. Through the net curtains, they could make out the shapes of Banning's family, and could hear the excited voices of his children, regaling the adults with their adventure.

As Banning began tapping on the window for attention, Peter tried to pull back and panicked as he teetered on the edge of the sill. Luckily, Banning still had hold of the boys arm, and pulled him back to relative safety.

It was Jack who came to the window and pulled back the net curtain.

"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" his son jested, before unlatching the window. But as it opened, and Jack saw Peter there, he was reminded of him and grew quiet.

Banning dragged Peter into the room before releasing him, and hugged his son, joy and relief overcoming any fatigue.

On seeing his wife, he put Jack down, walked straight to her, and kissed her passionately on the lips.

Peter was looking around fearfully. He remembered this room. This was Wendy's room. Where was she?

Suddenly, he became aware of someone starring at him. He glanced over and met the eyes of an old woman. She was looking at him as though shocked. Peter felt incredibly uncomfortable under such scrutiny, and started trying to identify an escape route.

"My God," the old woman said.

At the sound of her voice, Banning and his wife broke their embrace to look at her, and Jack and Maggie fell silent. As Moira followed Wendy's gaze, a gasp escaped her as she beheld a boy standing by the window; a boy she recognised immediately.

"Peter?"

She felt the shock overwhelm her, and she collapsed to sit on the floor. The boy looked at her when she spoke his name, and scowled at her nervously.

"How?" asked the old woman.

"I don't know," replied Banning, "But I had to bring him."

With everyone now staring at him, Peter also felt overwhelmed, and was mortified with himself when he burst into tears. Moira took a step towards the child, but he backed away.

"He's just frightened." Banning explained, "Perhaps we should make him some tea?" he suggested.

"Tea?" Moira looked a little incredulous at her husband's casual suggestion, but relented. "Yes. Tea. Wendy? Would you like a cup?"

Hearing that name, Peter looked up. Wendy? Where? Then he realised that the lady had been addressing the old woman and, as Peter turned his gaze on her, his heart sank.

"Wendy?"

At hearing the sweet, youthful voice she remembered, Wendy gasped once again. She had wished for Peter to never see her when she was old, preferring him to remember her as the little girl she once was... But since Peter Pan had grown up, she never thought she would have to face that concern again. Yet here he was, the child she had adored. And he was in pain.

"Yes, boy. I'm Wendy."

"No no no!" Peter shouted. "You aren't Wendy! You can't be!" Even though he could never keep track of time in Neverland, surely he hadn't been gone for this long! This woman looked like she was about a hundred! It couldn't be his Wendy-lady.

"I'm so sorry, child. But it is me." She moved towards him, and he too fell to the floor, fresh sobs racking his body.

Just then, a lightning fast glow shot in through the window, and came to an abrupt halt in front of Banning's nose. As it came to a stop, they could all see it was, in fact, a fairy.

"Tinkerbell!" exclaimed Banning, as he raised a hand to shield his eyes from her light.

"Peter, you need to take that boy home!" Tink demanded, pointing towards the child sitting on the floor. At her words, his sobbing subsided.

"I can't, Tink! If he doesn't grow up, my kids will never exist!"

"Of course they will!" she admonished, "Don't be such a silly ass!"