Chapter 36: In Your FACE!

Of course it was true love. Love might be star-crossed, but it can also be true.

However, love can also be forbidden.

"No! NO!"

Captain Hook thrashed. Merdia's arrows popped free as he wrenched against Rapunzel's hair. He lunged, buckling over his injured leg and slamming onto the bed. Flynn seized Rapunzel's hair, but Captain Hook was unsurmountable with rage.

"No!" he barked, chopping his hook at Wendy. He hacked at her eyes, but Peter pulled and the hook caught her hair.

"No! Tis not true love! Tis NOT!"

Although he was restrained, Captain Hook assaulted the children through his ropes. Tangled in hair, he twisted Wendy's neck until she cried.

"Stop!" Mickey Mouse protested. "Stop! Stop! It's true love! Captain Hook stop! The evil is undone, the spell is broken – it's true love!"

Donald, Goofy, Pluto, and Minnie trampled by The Darlings. Hot on Mickey's tail they quickly retallied the points as Captain Hook snarled at the little mouse. The score had been left at a tie: 7 to 7. Time for the final round. Winner takes all.

"It is NOT – " Captain Hook clawed Wendy. "TRUE LOVE! I made them worthless for it! I made her hate him! I made her fear him! I made - "

Peter pounced. Bouncing over Wendy, he reared back a fist and –

Whack!

Captain Hook staggered. Red gook shattered from his nostrils as his nose exploded beneath Peter's fist. Tripping over Rapunzel's hair, he collided into Jim, Merida, Ariel, and Flynn, all of whom locked him like iron chains. His nose was broken, his scheme was crushed, his was dignity was gone.

But Peter was not through. Not nearly.

"You codfish!"

"Wait, Peter!" Flynn grabbed Rapunzel's head. He pushed down, and Rapunzel ducked as Peter swung at Captain Hook. Ariel and Jim swerved, forcing Peter to miss.

"Pan!" Jim called as Merida cheered. "Pan! Hold it – we still need him to confess – "

"He confessed!" Peter swung again. Furiously he seized Captain Hook's justaucorps. "He tricked Wendy! He hurt her! He made her cry! He made her not ache for me! He – "

"—lied!"

Wendy appeared aside Peter. And before anyone could stop her, she slapped the captain's broken nose.

"Whoa!" Peter snatched Wendy's wrist. Beaming, he pulled her back as she attempted a second swipe. It wouldn't be proper for Wendy to bruise her hand. So Peter afforded her a very sincere compliment instead. "Nice shot!"

The compliment was appreciated, but disregarded in her anger.

"He lied!" Wendy stood as Peter forced her to sit on the bed. Flushed, she confronted Captain Hook.

"He lied! He lied! He lied! He told filthy, wicked, unthinkable lies! He said that Peter – that Peter – hurt me! While I slept! It was a lie! He said Peter hurt me for fun without care, or concern, or – "

"How do you know?" Captain Hook roared through a bloody mustache. "You worthless little wretch! How do you know? How do you know Peter Pan did not touch your pure white body and slaughter your shining white virtue – "

"Because I REMEMBER!"

Wendy trembled so violently her bow unraveled.

"I remember!" Wendy cried. "I remember everything! I remember Peter asking me on our date! I remember Peter protecting me when you kidnapped us and made me walk the plank. I remember kissing Peter one second to midnight! I remember your lies, and your hate, and your filthy mind! I remember everything – and nothing you can say, imagine, or do can ever take it away because you are the most evil, despicable, worthless creature in the world! I REMEMBER Captain Hook! I remember Peter Pan saying he loves me on our second date!"

Blood dripped into Captain Hook's open mouth. The Darlings, similarly astounded, gaped at their daughter with the remaining company of friends. Had Peter been less stunned, he would have found his senses and kissed Wendy all over again. Maybe twice.

No one could outshine Wendy's rage.

Except perhaps, Mickey Mouse.

"Captain Hook." Mickey fired imaginary guns. "In. Yo'. Face."

Donald, Goofy, and Pluto agreed: A zillion points awarded. Mickey wins. Captain Hook sucks. Game over.

Needless to say, Captain Hook was promptly dismissed of all services to The Darlings. He was then dumped down a deep dark tunnel where he could beg solace from unsympathetic villains and a very angry pixie.

Peter was exalted. Spinning, he hugged Wendy as if to never let her go.

"We did it, Wendy. We did it! They can't catch us. They can't stop us. You and me – forever!"

"Aw." said Rapunzel.

Jim and Ariel smiled. They held hands. Merida shot a celebratory arrow – just for kicks.

"But I don't get it." Flynn said. It was almost midnight, and the past hour had been exhausted with explanations ("What's a date?"), condemnations ("Nutty ol' Captain Hook!"), and vehement apologies (on part of The Darlings to Peter Pan). Still, Flynn was a tad confused.

"I get the rising-from-the-dead-because-of -true-love's-kiss thing. By the way…" Flynn paused for a salute. "Kids – congrats."

Peter grinned. Since her outburst Wendy hadn't spoken, but she glowed as Peter gave ecstatic thanks.

"But," Flynn continued. "That still doesn't explain how Wendy remembers the second date. Someone - answer me that!"

They reflected.

"Magic?" Rapunzel said – it seemed the easiest answer.

"Luck?" shrugged Merida – she had no idea. They had won and that was the most important thing.

"True love?" offered Ariel – since meeting Jim, her new mantra was true love.

"Brain rewiring?" Jim said – only because Ariel had taken true love.

Mickey Mouse deliberated. He considered the choices as Mr. and Mrs. Daring debated whether Wendy was too young for true love.

Suddenly, his ears perked.

"Ah! Of course! Ha-huh! It was a forbidden kiss." Mickey said.

"Forbidden kiss?"

Peter cast The Darlings a wary glance. "I did it anyway." he edged closer to Wendy. "And I would do it again. Forbidden or not."

"Exactly!" Mickey explained. "You see, kisses are powerful things! But each has a different power. And the forbidden kiss, binds lovers in secret understanding. So, when you kissed…"

"They unlocked the secret?" Rapunzel guessed, hand raised like a student. "The secret of why their love was forbidden?"

Mickey nodded, pleased. "Yup! And the secret involved everything, including the events before, during, and after the date. So…"

He smiled at Wendy. "Wendy would have to remember. Cool, huh?"

Pluto barked. Nana agreed.

"Then why didn't Wendy remember after the first kiss?" Jim asked. "That was forbidden? Right?"

Mickey winked. "No more forbidden than two Disney characters from separate movies dating in the real world. And if what you say is true, the date night was a special circumstance. Anything was possible, anything was allowed. So…Wendy and Peter's kiss was technically not forbidden. Just very special."

"I'll say!" Peter nudged Wendy. "The cleverness of me, huh? I saved the day!"

Wendy blushed. "What do you mean?"

Peter puffed with pride.

"I saved the day!" he repeated loudly. "I knew you'd kiss me if I ate that poisoned apple!"

The room lurched. Wide eyes and open mouths turned to Peter.

Wendy was aghast. "You what?"

"WAIT." Flynn pointed his pan. "You – did – that – on –purpose? You bit the apple – just to get a kiss?"

Peter smiled triumphantly. "Yup! I knew Wendy couldn't live without me! She aches for me, after all! So I bit the apple!"

Wolfishly, Peter drew Wendy to his lips. "Twice! So I deserve one more –"

Smack!

Not long ago, Jim Hawkins introduced Peter to the idea of 'a kiss.' He explained the mysterious concept, but cautioned Peter not to try it on Wendy. Wendy was a good girl, Jim had warned, and if Peter attempted a kiss, she would probably punch the pixie dust right out of him.

Well, it came to pass.

As Jim had predicted, Wendy Darling punched the pixie dust right out of Peter Pan. She scolded him for biting the poisoned apple. She scolded him for his conceit. And she scolded him for just being Peter Pan!

Then, she kissed him good and proper like a lady should.

sultal's note: PROPS go to AngelaLove072101 for the "In Your Face" line.

And I have to say - between you guys and the Wattpad folks, these are THE funniest comments I have EVER read. Omgosh the "Hook Haters" "Ariel/Jim shippers" "Peter/Wendy lovers" just SO great! Almost as fun as writing the thing!

ONE MORE CHAPTER! LETS. DO. THIS.

Happy Halloween! Be safe. Eat candy. keep writing.