Memories We Keep (part 5 of 'My Brave Wendy')
by Isabelle
Disclaimers: The rights to the film and book "Peter Pan/Peter Pan and Wendy" do not belong to me; this is just done for entertainment. Chapter Disclaimers:
Rating: PG-15 (for adult themes and mild sexual references)
Feedback: isabelle@komodo-skin.com
Archiving: It's a requirement that I have that you ask me before posting any of my written work. Thank you.
Summary: This is a work of fiction based on the 2003 film "Peter Pan"; it is centered, like the film around Peter & Wendy's relationship, just so you know. Basically the whole "never saw each other again" is out the window and for the purposes of the fiction they did.
Setting: This happens 1 year after Peter last saw Wendy, she's now been sent to a boarding school in Switzerland with her parent's new found fortune, but it's nothing like the place they thought it to be, as WWI is in it's starting stages there's fear all around and she's left without adult supervision along with some of her boarding school girls to find a way home and hoping that a certain first love will find her.
Spoilers: The film, it'll spoil you if you have not seen the film!!
Appreciation: Special thanks to Rogue, who is my dedicated beta—thank you, girl! I also want to thank all of you Fanfiction.net reviewers who send me such lovely words of encouragement! I really appreciate it :)
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"He's coming, around, Marie!"
"Oh, thank God!"
"Shall I fetch him some soup, mother?"
"Yes, darling... do that."
"He's a strange looking young man, is he not?"
"Yes! If I dare say do, he is."
"I've started heating the stew, mother."
"Daniel, do find him something suitable to wear."
"Yes, my dear."
"It's a miracle he survived, poor thing!"
"He seems ... very strong."
"Julianne! Advert your eyes, young lady! Go fetch the stew."
"Yes, mother."
"Here, darling. Should fit him a bit loose but better than that."
"Yes, thank you, dear."
He could hear their voices, their conversation, almost see their shadows move about the room though his lids were firmly closed. He was simply so very tired, his entire body ached and he wished and longed to be back in his home where nothing of this sort would ever happen.
But he was warm... finally he was warm. So warm. He hadn't felt this warm since Wendy had been in Neverland.... Wendy!
He sat up, eyes wide and fearful.
"Wendy!" he cried.
The woman before him jumped and cried of fright, the man next to her, held her back.
"Good gracious!"
"I need to find Wendy!" Peter cried again.
The man pushed the woman behind him and held his hands up kindly in front of himself. "Calm your self, lad. No one is to hurt you here. You're safe."
He was panicking, he looked around wildly searching for some string of recognition but nothing came to him. "It's not me who is in trouble! I have to find her."
"O-of course," the man said, too calmly for Peter to feel that the man understood the desperate situation.
"Where is she?"
"Is who?" the woman asked.
"Wendy!" he cried, standing up letting the sheet fall from his body.
The woman gasped and a young lady that came in at that moment looked at him, bushed red and then....fainted. He quickly looked down to reveal he indeed was missing all of his clothing. He quickly grabbed the sheet once more, wrapping it around himself.
"Julianne!" the woman cried, looking down at the fallen girl. "Daniel, help!"
The man stopped looking at Peter and pulled out a small vial, waving it over the girl's nose. The girl suddenly gasped, sitting straight up.
"Mother, he was nak--" she turned to look at Peter then proceeded to scream.
Peter cried out himself, frightened, and cornered himself against the wall.
"Hush up, you silly girl!" the man hissed, standing up to face Peter. "You're scaring him!"
"Come, Julianne, this is no place for a young lady!" the woman said, standing her up and pulling her out of the room though the girl keep staring at Peter in an almost daze.
Once they had left the room the man turned to Peter and chuckled. "Used to have that same effect on them once myself!" he looked very proud.
Peter looked at him like he'd grown another head.
The man's smile faded and he cleared his throat. "Right, then..." he sat on the bed. "So, young man. Care to tell us your name?"
Peter studied him, his body still poised for a fight.
"Of course, I understand." the man continued. "My name is Daniel. Daniel Van Hurst."
"Peter. Peter Pan."
The man smiled once more. "Peter Pan. Good name.... so, by boy. How did you happen to end up in the middle of my frozen lake?"
"I was flying."
"I see."
Peter walked closer to him. "You don't believe me. I know, you're a grown up. Grown ups don't understand."
Daniel chuckled. "If I'm a grown up, what does that make you?"
"I'm a boy! As soon as I find Wendy all will be well." Peter told him, his ears turning red.
"Right, well. Why don't you put these on, we'll get you some food and then we'll talk, eh?"
Peter eyes the clothes the man had in his hand and nodded once. Daniel set them on top of the bed and walked out, leaving Peter to change.
By the time he changed and walked out of the door the household seemed much more tranquil. No screaming, fainting or gasping.
"There now, that's better." Daniel stood from his chair to meet him.
"Thank you... for the clothes. I don't remember how I lost my own." Peter looked down at his attire. He hated it, he looked like a man.
"Oh, it's our pleasure!" The woman who had been in the room said as she came in, tray in hand. "Come eat, young man."
"I'm not hungr...." the smell of the stew hit him and his stomach growled in response. "I suppose I am a bit hungry."
"All of your... supplies were soaked to the bone," Daniel explained. "So you better eat."
Peter nodded, grabbing the spoon and basically gulping down the warm soup. His noise was loud, his slurping spilled off into the side off the tray while the woman gapped at his manners.
When he finished he smiled, contently. "That was amazing."
"Y-yes... well, I'm glad you enjoyed it," she told him, taking the tray back.
Daniel looked a bit bewildered.
"I thank you for the clothes and the food... but I must go now."
"Go?"
Peter's head snapped up to see the same girl who fainted starring at him from the room entrance.
"My daughter, Mr. Pan. Julianne Van Hurst."
The girl whose very blonde hair was tied into an elegant bun, dressed in a dark red dressed smiled charmingly at him and extended her hand.
Peter looked at it seriously.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Pan."
Her hand was still at his face and with reluctance he reached out and shook it, obviously too rough.
The girl gave a small cry, looking at him hurt.
"Sorry for making you die." Peter told her.
The girl blinked. "Die?"
"Died? Who died?" Daniel cried.
"Who is dead?" the woman asked, exasperated as she re-entered the room.
"She did... when she saw me..."
Julianne blushed so red she matched her dress.
"Oh! Peter, she didn't die!" Daniel chuckled. "She merely had a fainting spell caused by the ... excitement." He cleared his throat.
Peter looked at the girl with mere disgust. Wendy would've never fainted. "Oh."
The woman laughed. "I did not introduce myself, dear. I am Marie Van Hurst, Daniel here is my husband."
Peter nodded at her. "I really am thankful for all you've done for me... but I have to be on my way."
"So soon, dear?" Marie questioned him.
"Oh yes! Wendy is in danger and I have to find her!"
"Wendy?" Daniel asked, lighting up his pipe. "Who is this Wendy, my lad?"
Peter's brows furrowed. "She's a girl."
Marie smiled. "Oh that is nice."
Julianne face fell, looking down at her hands.
"Your sister, perhaps?" Daniel asked and Julianne's head was raised in hope.
"Oh no!" Peter made a face of disgust. "I have no family."
"Oh you poor dear!" Marie cried, sitting down herself.
"It's alright! I don't need one. I just need my Wendy." Peter told them, standing up and looking out the windows.
"So... this Wendy. She's in trouble?" Daniel asked.
"Yes, I must find her before she dies!" he said, dramatically.
Marie gasped as did Julianne.
"My word!" Daniel said, exhaling the smoke.
"So you see, I have no time to waste, she's out there in the snow."
Daniel stopped and looked at his wife curiously. "Peter, how long have you been believing in this Wendy?"
Peter turned to look at them surprised. "Believing? She real!"
"Right, of course we don't doubt that," he chuckled nervously. "Do we, dear?"
Marie flushed and chuckled also. "Of course not, darling!"
Peter paid them no more thoughts. "I have to be on my way."
"But Mr. Pan, really! There's a storm coming you couldn't possibly travel under these condition," Julianne said as she stood up to him. "Do be reasonable and stay a few days with us... at least until the weather is more formidable."
And he did. Only for a little while, he told himself. As soon as the snow let out... then he right back to finding Wendy.
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It was almost frightening to say that they had almost become friends, Wendy pondered. Only a few nights ago when she felt a sharp pain within her chest as they walked they were kind to her and understanding though her grief was so great she thought she might die of sadness right then and there. All except for Anna, of course.
"I keep getting this feeling that someone is out hunting for me," she told the girls on early morning as they had just settled to rest over their open fire.
"You think the soldiers know?" Helen asked, her eyes wide. "The general?"
Wendy shrugged. "It's not a bad feeling, I suppose."
"Perhaps it's your father," Rosalind commented as she bit into her piece of dry bread.
Wendy shook her head. "Not father. He would never."
"Mine either," Helen commented.
"No my father. I say he's out there right now hunting for me," Anna told them, her nose slightly raised.
Though they had made it obvious to Anna that they no longer wished to hear of her family or their five homes she put in a little jab once in a while, whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Like now.
"I'm sure he is, Anna," Wendy commented dryly, turning her attention back the roasting meat.
"How did you learn to hunt, Wendy?" Joanna asked her, munching on the bread herself.
Wendy smiled for a moment. "Peter taught me."
Helen's eyes went wide and Rosalind smiled prettily.
"Is he really your sweetheart?" Joanna asked and the girls giggled except for Anna, of course who scowled at them.
"He's not a sweetheart!" Wendy told the, flushed red herself.
"He's a sweetheart if you've kissed him," Helen told her, giggling a bit.
"I bet you he's the one who out there trying to find you!" Rosalind sighed. "It's all very romantic, reminds me of those Jane Austen novels!"
"You are not allowed to read those novels!" Anna snapped at her.
"My older cousin had a copy of one and went I stayed in their Paris home one summer we read bits of it together!"
The girls squealed.
"I shall never read one, they're vulgar!" Anna told them, nose still in the air.
"I think it's simply dashing!" Helen turned to Wendy. "Tell us more of Peter, Wendy!"
Rosalind nodded next to her with enthusiasm.
Wendy looked down, her cheeks still flushed. "I... I don't know what to say on him."
"You certainly had a lot to say of him the other day," Joanna told her, a slight twinkle of delight in her eye.
"Y-yes, I suppose I did."
"What others things you did together... beside kissing him?" Helen smiled.
"We... we did so much together. We were always together." her voice was sad, melancholic.
"Were?" Anna observed. "How interesting that suddenly you're no longer a couple."
"Not suddenly," Wendy snapped, looking darling over at Anna. "He... h-he to go away."
"Away where, Wendy?" Rosalind asked, the mirth in her eyes fading.
Wendy took a deep breath and reached within her coat, pulling on her chain. "He gave me this."
The girls leaned forward as Wendy showed them the small battered acorn.
"He gave you an acorn?" Anna asked, an amused smile on her face.
Wendy pulled the acorn to her. Her only piece of Peter left aside from her very vivid memories. "He called it a kiss." She looked down at it and fingered the small hole. "His kiss saved me... just as my kissed saved him back."
"How did it save you?" Helen asked, she looked to be at the edge of her seat, waiting for more of the story.
"Well," Wendy took a deep breath. "After he gave it to me, I was shot with an arrow--" The girls gasped. "And here," she showed them the small hole. "His kiss prevented me from being hurt."
Anna rolled her eyes. "You were shot at?"
"Yes... by my... brothers...." she was highly aware how silly it all sounded and how difficult to believe it must be for them all and that this conversation might as well have unraveled what they accomplished these past few days but she was never one to lie. Peter had taught her that much.
Rosalind looked down. "It was a lovely story, nonetheless."
Wendy sighed. "Yeah... it was."
"Perhaps one day you should write it down! Become a world famous novelist like Jane Austen!" Joanna suggested, giving her a comforting smile.
"Oh, she would never write anything as bold!" Helen flushed. "Would you, Wendy?"
Wendy smiled back. "I suppose I could... maybe not as poignant as Jane Austen but I would enjoy writing very much."
"You shall never marry with that career." Anna commented, now biting on the freshly served meat.
Wendy was thoughtful for a moment. "My old stiff Aunt says the same thing."
The girls burst out laughing.
"Regardless, I shall love a sweetheart!" Rosalind cried above the noise.
"Of course you would!" Joanna laughed at her. "I think we all would."
"I'm glad to know I'm the only one who has a real sweetheart." Anna snipped.
"So am I, Anna," Wendy told her and once more the girls laughed while Anna fumed at them.
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Many would say he was a cruel man from a cruel race but he would say he was an envisionist. He saw what the world could be, the potential of the people in it and the necessary steps he must take in order to see it become that.
So when his afternoon tea was interrupted by a messenger he envisioned the boy dead.
"What catastrophe has made you take the required steps to loose your life, soldier?" he asked, his voice ice as his eyes narrowed.
If the young boy could he would be prostrated on the floor, begging for his life... since he couldn't do that he settled for bowing as low as he could.
"Pardon my intrusion, General but I have an urgent message from General Dushkanov," the boy said, his eyes still fixed on the floor.
The general sighed and took another sip of his tea. "Well say it, for goodness sakes!"
"Y-yes, of course," the boy stammered. "The General wishes to inform you that they have just received words that a few young ladies from the finishing school we attacked escaped and are heading north west towards the coast--"
"On foot?" The general asked, amused.
"Y-yes, sir."
Dosmasky chuckled. "He tough this urgent? This is a joke! We're at war and we're worried about small girls who will die in a few nights from the cold?"
"General... one of the girls is the daughter of Prince Pavlovia... and the other is.... well the other is Duke Waterford's only child."
Dosmasky stood abruptly at that message, knocking over his tea.
"Send out a search party, send the best. I want to child of Waterford here, alive and unharmed.... kill the others." he said. "Am I clear?"
The soldier hid his grief but nodded, saluted and did what was commanded.
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TBC.....
A/N: (I know you're probably getting impatient for Peter and Wendy to reunite, trust me it's going to come when you least expect it. And you don't need to worry about... other interests getting in the way, rest assured that this is a Peter/Wendy fiction. Many of you have asked me what is Wendy and Peter's exact age. Wendy is 14 in this fiction, the way I placed it was that she turned 13 in Neverland and since it's been over a year since then she's well in 14 now. Peter, I think, is a few years older than Wendy so I'm placing him around 15 or 16 years of age.)