Chapter 29: At Last I See The Light

"Pan! CALM DOWN! You scared her! You just scared her! It's not her fault, she doesn't remember –"

"YES SHE DOES!"

Peter attacked. Half-flying he propelled Jim into the pavement. Jim's hands snapped apart as he hit, freeing Peter to fly at Wendy's nursery window.

"Don'!" Jim reached, "Don't let him – "

"Peter!" Merida slung an arrow, but Rapunzel reacted first. Swinging her hair, she lassoed Peter before he left the ground.

"Hey!" Flynn yelled as Peter rolled over Rapunzel's hair. "Hey! People! We got a tape!"

No one listened, especially Peter. Ankles tangled in hair, he charged for the Darling's door.

"She gave me a kiss! She remembers!"

"Pan!" Jim hugged Peter's middle. "Wendy doesn't remember!"

"Yes she does!"

"No she doesn't!"

"SHE DOES!" Peter punched. The acorn necklace trailed from his fist. "She does remember! She has to remember! She gave me a kiss! I REMEMBER!"

"It wasn't true love!"

Peter stopped dead. He bobbed in midair, arm-locked with Jim.

"What?"

"True love's kiss – it's magical." Gripping Peter's collar, Jim gave a slight shake. "True love's kiss is why you remember. It's why I remember too. Peter I do. But…"

Jim stiffened. "Ariel doesn't. We kissed. But in Ariel's story, Eric is her true love. Not me. That's why she doesn't remember. And Wendy – "

Helplessly, Jim shook his head. "Peter I'm sorry – but Wendy left Neverland. She left. On her own. It's in your story. That's the only explanation why you can remember and she can't. Peter. Wendy – is not - "

"Jim." Ariel warned. "Don't."

But Jim had already spoken.

"—your true love. That's why Wendy can't remember. For her…it wasn't magical. It was just a kiss."

Jim meant well. He did. In the instant he had to protect Wendy from a harrowing misunderstanding, Jim did what he could with the information he had. Wendy was scared, Peter was outraged, and both were confused – the situation was volatile. So Jim ended it the only way he knew how: a brutal, calculated explanation.

But, Jim also understood he would cause pain.

Gently, Jim released. "Peter. I'm…I'm sorry."

Peter withdrew. And in one motion, fluid as running water, Peter touched his chest and sunk to the earth. For a moment he merely knelt, squeezing his chest to make the ache go away.

Finally, he gasped.

"This – This – is how – she feels – all the time."

Jim stared. Then, painfully, he looked away.

"…not anymore."

So it was. The tides had turned on the great Peter Pan. Before, despite all his fondness for Wendy, Peter had been unable to understand her love. So Wendy ached alone, longing for a boy that could not love her back.

But now, through the smallest, simplest adventure, Peter understood love. He recognized its power, he accepted it within himself, and he desired to share it. But in a cruel twist of fate, the girl Peter ached for, did not love him back. She did not remember, and she was so scared.

Wendy and Peter were worthless for love.

Peter caved. In agony, he clutched his chest. Then, screaming like a wild animal he staggered into the darkness, unable to fly.

Jim lifted a hand, staying Merida, Rapunzel, and Ariel from following.

"I think I just killed him. Let him go."

The girl's receded, and Rapunzel sniffled in the silence.

"Jim." Ariel gazed after Peter. "He's not supposed to understand love. It's in his story. How does he know now?"

Jim hadn't an answer. Neither did Merida or Rapunzel. Lost, they listened to Peter's fading screams.

Then Flynn, ever the cynic, threw his arms into the sky.

"This is ridiculous! We've got the ding-dong tape! WHY don't we just grab Wendy a box of tissues and show her the video?!"

"Tape?" Merida called as Flynn approached the Darling's house. "What tape? What are ye doin'?"

"Flynn!" Hurriedly Jim crossed the street. "Flynn I wouldn't – "

Ignoring Jim, Flynn rapped on the Darling's front door. He beamed as Mr. and Mrs. Darling appeared.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. D! My name is Flynn Rider and I'm a friend of Peter Pan. Funny story: Peter – "

"GET OUT!"

Flynn catapulted over the pavement.

The door slammed. "AND STAY OUT!"

"Nice Flynn." Running over, Jim hovered over Flynn with Merida and Ariel. "Good plan."

"Eugene!" Rapunzel hauled Flynn upright. He was slightly cross-eyed. "Eugene! Eugene! Are you hurt?"

Flynn probed his nose. "Oh no this is bad! This is very, very bad! Rapunzel – how's my nose?!"

"Greek-god like."

"Zeus?"

"Apollo."

"Close enough! Ooooo. Yeowch!" Flynn wagged a finger at the Darling's door. "Mr. D is sure buff for an old English dude."

"Poor Eugene!" Rapunzel felt for broken bones. "Did you break anything?"

"Just my pride. And…." Wincing, Flynn eased the videotape from under his rump. The tape had snapped. Camera film hung from the broken center. "….this."

Rapunzel covered her mouth. "Eugene! Oh no! Now how will we help them remember?"

Flynn pointed at Jim. "I think he already does. Jimbo – last night? Did any date shenanigans go down? As in date shenanigans we can't remember because of Maleficent's curse to make us all forget a night of splendor and love-making, as of twelve o'clock midnight?"

Jim nodded. "Yup." He turned to Merida and Ariel. "You two up to speed now?"

They were not. But following a brief summary and series of questions, the date night was accepted, if not completely understood.

"Okay – so wait!" Flynn said. "You're saying, essentially, that because you and Peter received true love's kiss - illegal by the way: you and Ariel are crossovers, and Wendy and Peter are star-crossed, JUST SAYIN – "

Jim rolled his eyes. "The point, Flynn?"

"Oh you just listen Grumpy, I've got a point all right! Anyway, you're saying that because you and Peter received true love's kiss….you can remember the dates. Right?"

"Right."

"And – " continued Flynn. "—because Ariel and Wendy are not your and Peter's 'true loves'—"

Ariel grumbled, clearly not in accordance with Jim's theory.

"—that's why they can't remember the dates." Flynn finished. "Right?"

Jim nodded. "Right."

"Oh this doesn't make sense!" Ariel exclaimed. "Jim – you are my true love – "

"Then how come you can't remember? We just – " Jim glanced at the onlookers. Flynn and Rapunzel were a little too engrossed. Leaning towards Ariel he lowered his voice. "—kissed. Twice. You still don't remember. So even though I love you, your story ends with Eric. Eric is your true love. And you shared true love's kiss. It's the only explanation."

Merida massaged an arrow across her jaw. Suddenly, she turned to Rapunzel and Flynn.

"Did ye two kiss?"

"Um." Flynn looked highly offended. "Cha. You have to ask?"

"So ye kissed at the Magic Kingdom gates?" Merida clarified. "Before midnight?"

"Again," said Flynn. "Cha. Rapunzel and I are the quintessential definition of true love's kiss – "

Flynn stopped. His mouth dropped.

"Oh. Oh Jimbo –" Accusingly, Flynn pointed at Jim. "You messed up!"

Jim frowned. "What?"

"We shared true love's kiss." Rapunzel said. "Eugene and I shared true love's kiss."

Wide-eyed, she looked to Jim. "Eugene is my true love. And I'm his. It's in our hearts and in our story. So how come…we can't remember."

Merida shrugged. "That's what I thought."

Ariel turned. "Jim?" she said, taking his hand.

"That's….?" Jim's brain buzzed, scrounging for the answer. "It had to be true love. True love is the most magical thing in the world. But it doesn't make sense! It – "

Jim worked his fingers across Ariel's. He squeezed, trying to reflect on the events.

Suddenly, Jim noticed their interlocked hands. Strangely, Ariel's touch was helping him think. It felt new. It felt different. And it felt great, like energy was coursing between their palms.

Jim blinked. It was the first time he'd held her hand.

Ariel, Merida, Rapunzel, and Flynn heard the answer click inside Jim's head.

"….damn it. I'm an idiot."

"Um." said Flynn. "Share with group?"

"What is it?" asked Ariel. "True love? Or not?"

"It wasn't true love's kiss…" Jim whispered. "…it was my first. His first."

Jim turned to Wendy's nursery window. "It was the first kiss. Wendy gave Peter…his first kiss."


sultal's note: Hi Fiona (guest)! Thnx for the comment. Actually I AM on wattpad (same name), and I agree the format is 164% better (plus you can add pics and videos which just makes me squee). 2nd Date is posted there :). But ehhhhhh...ARBB on Wattpad? I honestly don't know if I will do that. I have reasons - I get more draw from those stories, and I wanted to see if my other stories could do the same without EGOB and ARBB to attract readers. Not fond of resting on my laurels if you know what I mean. Plus ARBB needs major editing. Tell you what - let me THINK. I will give it serious thought, okay?