By the way, I'll be posting the first chapter again at some point – I forgot to add that James puts the box in a bag before leaving J - it'll be important later.
Peter was as light, agile and as lively as a dust mote in the air, his lithe form darting through the sky as if with wings as a faint mist began to close around three figures that swept through the late night air. A tiny firelight lit their way through darkness as the mist entwined around their forms, a faint breeze ruffling hair as they flew blind, high above land and almost touching the stars.
James shivered with cold, his mind still muted by shock and wonder as he lifted his hands and watched as the fog filtered through his spread fingers, a faint gasp of wonder breaking from his lips. Beside him, and gripping tightly to the sleeve of his pyjamas James was unusually quiet, his eyes tightly shut as they passed through the patch of clouds.
'How much further?' James muttered to himself, glancing from his brother to the figure ahead, who suddenly dove from view, plunging deep into the cloud.
'Pan!' James cried, panic in his voice as he grabbed his brothers hand securely, pulling him closer, 'Pan! Where'd you go!' Pulling to a stop, and struggling to keep in the back of his mind that single thought that kept him aloft, James looked about wildly and called again, suddenly aware that his brother was shivering violently, eyes now wide and staring up at him appealingly
'Where'd he go James?' James closed his eyes briefly, and forced his breathing to calm,
'I don't know Francis, but don't worry, I'm sure he'll be back any second now. We'll just stay here until he does. Okay?' Francis nodded slowly, and James felt his brothers small hand tighten it's grip on his own, 'just keep that happy thought right?'
'I'm thinking about Mummy,' a little voice replied softly, and James nodded his approval,
'Keep that thought. I'm here, don't worry,' though he kept his voice calm, James was fighting rising panic himself, what if Pan had ditched them? What if he'd forgotten about them? The fog was increasing, and by now, James was squinting through the thickening air just to catch a glimpse of his brother.
A faint tinkle nearby reminded him suddenly of the fairy's presence, and James looked to the little firelight who was hovering nearby. He'd never seen the creature up close until now, and now she was tinkling faintly at him, and although James couldn't understand he seemed to sense that she was reassuring him. Mustering a faint smile, James asked
'Is he coming back?' The fairy smiled, eyes bright beneath a fountain of silver hair and gave him the thumbs up, then, to his astonishment, winked playfully, blowing a little dust into his face. James sneezed violently, and the fairy tinkled happily, before settling on his shoulder.
'Miss me?' Suddenly, emerging from the cloud Peter burst into view, a grin plastered across his face and a bunch of feathers in his hand. Tinkerbell suddenly set about remaining true to her namesake, and began to tinkle angrily at Peter, who stared at her blankly for a moment, the grin still wide, and cocky.
'Where the hell did you go!' James yelled suddenly, the shock from Peter's emergence quickly replaced by rage,
'You left us,' Francis whispered, eyes brimming with tears that he was fighting to hold back. Peter just glanced at them both, and shrugged,
'I promised Tiger Lily I'd bring her back some goose feathers,' he replied languidly, leaning on thin air and smirking, 'anyway, come on, we're almost there!' And with that, he grabbed the still fuming James before he could reply, and dragged them forwards, until suddenly, dissipating as abruptly as an April shower, the fog lifted. A scope of slate sky now emerged, dotted with bright stars and graced with a pale moon that gazed down on the three children as they continued on their way, the faint sound of bickering lost to the night air.