SCENE I
(It is the Darling nursery, almost seven years later. A teenage boy and girl are sitting center stage at a table playing a game of chess. The teenage girl is Jane Banning. The teenage boy is the former Peter Pan.)

JANE: (excitedly) Check mate! I win again!

PETER (out of sorts) Oh, no fair! You always cheat at these games, Jane.

JANE: Me? Cheat? Never. It's bad form to cheat.

PETER: (rising from his seat) Aye, and you know well my dear little sister that form has no place where sibling rivalry is concerned, Especially for you in a game of chess. (Jane giggles as Peter exchanged her smile. He crosses to his coat sitting on the rocking chair by the fireplace. Jane skips down to where he is standing.)

JANE: Is there a present in there for me?

PETER: (toying with her) Where?

JANE: In the breast pocket of your jacket, silly.

PETER: Now why on earth would I buy a beastly little thing like you a present?

JANE: Beastly?! (turning away from him) Why Peter! I am appalled at your lack of manners!

PETER: I am appalled that you even had to ask! (Peter pulls a tiny wrapped box out of his jacket and with a coy smile hands it to Jane. Jane takes the present with glee and proceeds to open it.)

JANE: Oh, what is it, Peter?! What is it?!

PETER: Calm down and open the package and you will see. (Jane opens the package hurriedly with a grin on her face. She pulls out a pearl hair clip.)

JANE: (hugging Peter) Oh, I adore it Peter, thank you! (She runs to the other side of the stage to a mirror and proceeds to put the clip is. She speaks to Peter while she is by the mirror) I am so glad that you are back to spend Summer break with us. I think Mother would have died of broken heart that you not come and gone off with those unsightly friends your yours to....where was it again you were going?

PETER: (sitting on the sofa and pulling out a magazine and casually reading) Rome, I do believe. (puts the magazine down with a disgusted look) Anyway, it was not just a leisure trip, we were going to study artifacts still remaining from the ancient centuries. Would have been rather fascinating. (Jane crosses back over to Peter)

JANE: But you would have never gone on such an adventure without me, would you, darling?

PETER: (laughing he stands) No, my pet. Turn around and let me see how it looks in your hair. (she turns). Well, then now, I made a good choice. (sighs and smiles) I am clever.

JANE: (flings her nose up and crosses to her desk on the other side of the stage and sits) Conceit!

PETER: Oh, yes, Jane to you I might be.

JANE: (she begins to write something on a sheet of paper) Honestly Peter, it's not polite to brag on one's self. Surely Mother has taught you better than that.

PETER: Wendy Mother knows I used to be far worse than I am now about my bragging. I would say that I have come very far considering I am a foundling.

JANE: (rolling her eyes) Boasting again. (Peter crosses to her, and pulls her up from the desk.

PETER: Now, now, Jane. I am not in town for very long, so why don't you and I go down to the park for a little walk. I can finish telling you about school, and you can tell me what you and Wendy Mother have been up to. ( he places Jane's hand though his arm)

JANE: I suspect you would rather stay here and discuss the Darling Family Business with Corey and Stanley. (childishly playing with him) You are getting too old for me Peter Darling!

PETER (shaking his finger) Nonsense! Who is older here?

JANE: Only by three weeks.

PETER: There you have it. Now, why don't we go for that walk. (Jane smiles at him puerile sort of way)

JANE: Well, all right, since I was getting bored. (Jane comes up and takes Peter's hand. Just as they are about to leave Wendy appears at the top of the staircase. She has grown older, appears to be in her early fifties.)

WENDY: Peter!

PETER: (Peter runs up the stairs and kisses Wendy on the cheek) Hullo, Wendy Mother!

WENDY: (surprised he hugs him) When did you arrive? Why didn't someone come and get me to tell me you were here?

PETER: Michael picked me up at the train stations an hour ago. You were napping and we didn't want to wake you.

WENDY :(Wendy takes Peter's arm and leads him back down to the nursery) Poppy-cock! I wouldn't wan to miss one moment I couldn't spend with my strapping young man. (They stop and Wendy examines him) My, my, you have grown up more than I certainly would have liked you to.

PETER: All little children grow up, Wendy Mother. (Peter leads Wendy her rocking chair. She sits down and Peter pulls up a chair beside her)

WENDY: All except for one, my dear.

JANE: (coming over impatiently to stop them) Please, Mother, not more of your stories.

WENDY: (acting as if she didn't hear Jane) Jane, darling, would you go fix me some tea. (reluctantly Jane exits to do so.)

PETER: Wendy Mother, you wrote in your letter that it was urgent I returned home as soon as I could. Now, tell me what's the matter? (hint of panic slips into his voice) Are you falling ill?

WENDY: (patting his hand) No, my boy, not at all (she points to her book shelf) Would you hand me that book on the top of the shelf? (Peter turns to look)

PETER: Which one?

WENDY: The big one with the gold rings on the binding.

PETER: (rising with a smile) Oh! Jane and I's old story book. (he crosses to the shelf and takes off a rather large book that seems to have withered with age. hr brings it back to where Wendy is sitting and hands it to her.)

WENDY: I have something very important to tell you, Peter, and I insist that it is of upmost importance that you try to believe me.

PETER: What is it, Wendy Mother? (pause)

WENDY: How far back can you remember, Peter? Before Jane, before me even. Do you have any recollection of who you were before the age of nine or ten? (Peter pauses and thinks)

PETER: No...I....I don't.

WENDY: That's what I was afraid of. (Wendy opens the book and reads.) 'All little children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day...'

PETER (irritated he breaking in on her) What does this story have to do with anything? I see no connection between this old bedtime story and myself. (Wendy sighs)

WENDY: Oh, Peter. I am so sorry about all of this. I never should have taken you away. All this is my fault.

PETER: (confused) You fault?.....Taken me from where?

WENDY: I had always want you for my own, and when you and Jane became so fond of each other, I allowed you to stay for a while, but you never went home. Memories you once had begin to fade. You started to forget things. So, one day I drew up so adoption papers. I had no idea things started becoming so horribly wrong, and now you must correct my unjustifiable error. You must remember Peter, and go back before it's too late. (Peter has been staring at her bewildered. He takes Wendy's hand)

PETER: (speaking with a shade of concern in his voice) Wendy Mother, what are you trying to tell me?

WENDY: (slowly) Neverland. There is something wrong in Neverland and its is calling for you to come back to it.

PETER: (letting go of her hand) Neverland? As in from your stories? (pause) Are you trying to tell me....I am....

WENDY: Yes, boy. You are the captain of the lost boys. You're every little child's dream, but those dreams are dying. It explains the nightmares you have written to me about and why you can barely sleep. They are all crying out to you to come back and save their world, Peter. Without you, fantasies are being destroyed by an evil which undoubtedly must be a returned and even more vengeful Captain Hook. You must find some way to remember and go back!

PETER: (going away from her) I should have never troubled you with my problems, Wendy Mother. You are starting to read in things to help me.

WENDY: (rising and crossing to him) Peter, I know this must be overwhelming for you to take in all at once, but for the sake of every dream that fades with every breath we are taking right now, you must try to believe what I am saying. I had these dame uneasy feelings and nightmares you have been having. I pushed them away, convincing myself these were merely old nightmares from years ago. Bad memories which have been reincarnated by knowing you would soon be coming home. But now I am convinced since you were feeling and dreaming the same things, the only things that could come from these premonitions is your past, our past, is coming back to destroy us all by the means of our children (Peter has kept her back to her this whole time trying to shut out what she has been saying. Wendy pleads with Peter) Please. Peter. Believe me. Believe in yourself. (She places her hands on his shoulders) Believe in the things you cannot see (pause. Peter turns angrily crossing in front of her. he goes and picks up his coat from a chair and then turns to face her)

PETER: Wendy Mother, how can anyone believe in something that does not exist? I don't know what is wrong, but it hurts to know you don't trust me enough to tell me what it is. (he pulls on his coat and sighs. Wendy turns from Peter. pause) Jane and I are going to the park for a while. We will be back shortly.

WENDY: Would you mind if I talked to Jane for a while before the two of you leave? (pause as Peter stares hurtfully yet angrily at her back, yet his tone is calm and reserved.)

PETER: Certainly.

WENDY: And tell her to never mind about the tea. If it has already been fixed, you may have it if you like. (pause. Peter exits)

Blackout