Chapter Seven
The world shuddered, bucked the entire enclave into the air with frightening fierceness. Screams rent the air. Levi clutched at Griffin, trying to protect him from the earth's wrath.
Blackness swooped down from the sky, covered them in all heavy darkness like a woolen blanket. Levi felt like she could not breathe, her chest felt tight. Nothing felt real or solid except Griffin, trembling in her arms and retching.
The light came rushing back with an audible whooshing noise, filling her entire existence with glorious, life-giving warmth and illumination.
Warm seawater frothed around her ankles, wet sand squished between her toes. A fragrant breeze lifted her hair off her shoulders and seemed to fill her soul with promise. Griffin let out a little gasp and looked around with true coherency for the first time in over a day.
"We're home," Levi whispered, every nerve ending tingling with excitement and wonder. A grin spread across her weary face. "WE'RE HOME!" she yelled, hugging Griffin and letting out a whoop.
Griffin giggled and rose into the air. "Look, Mommy! I'm not stuck down anymore!"
Levi laughed with sheer joy and spun in a circle with her arms flung out, almost not believing it all. But it was real- so much more real than Morgan and DJ's world.
Suddenly her chest tightened. She looked around desperately- if Never-Land could materialize out of nowhere, maybe…
"Lyris."
Chills ran up Levi's spine at the whispered word. Turning slowly, she looked to see the speaker.
Peter was standing in the sea-foam, looking tousled and windblown as if he had just flow a great distance at speed. He looked a little more care-worn, a little wiser, and so utterly wonderful that Levi almost felt she couldn't breathe with the power of it all.
He strode toward her with an even, measured stride, eyes flickering with so many thoughts and emotions it was impossible to track them with any certainty. Levi's breath hitched in her chest as he stopped before her, meeting her gaze with his own.
"Hi," Levi whispered. Peter's lips quirked into a wry smile.
"Hi."
Levi flung herself into Peter's arms, shuddering with emotion-spawned sobs. Peter clutched her close without thinking, the pair of them holding each other as if afraid it was only a cruel dream, that the other would vanish at any instant.
"Da!" Griffin came swooping in from apparently out of nowhere, tackling his father and wrapping his small arms about Peter's neck. "You disappeared and now you're back! And we're home again! And I'm all better!"
Peter laughed gaily and pried Griffin's hands away so he could breathe properly. "I'm happy too," he said, eyes glittering with barely contained laughter. "Go find your friends, 'Fin."
"Okay!" And Griffin flew off towards a distant cluster of Lost, once again the hyperactive, short-attention-span child that Levi knew so well. She wanted to cry from sheer relief.
This all fled from her mind when Peter seized her by the upper arms and kissed her with almost manic intensity, which she gladly returned.
When the came up for air, Levi laughed breathlessly. "Miss me?"
"More than you could ever imagine."
It was then that Mad came and grabbed Levi about the waist, swinging her around and talking so fast she couldn't understand a word. And then TK and Fox appeared, and then Quin. The afternoon dissolved into a long, confused tangle of friends meeting each other with relief and mourning the death of those who would never see Never-Land again. It was a glorious day.
Levi threw back her head and laughed for the first time in who knew how long.
They danced through the skies, laughter, joy, and relief filling their entire beings. Griffin was not sick anymore, they could fly again, and they were home.
They paused, high in the air, and soaked in the sight of the island that spread out before them. Griffin held his mother's hand and made various oohing noises. Levi and Peter each wrapped an arm around the other, looking utterly satisfied with themselves.
"We made it," Levi said. "We're really home."
"I almost thought it would never happen," Peter mused. "That we'd be stuck there."
Levi shook her head. "Nah- we didn't belong there. We belong here."
"Well, wherever we belong," Peter replied, meeting Levi's gaze, "we're still all together."
They kissed again, ignoring Griffin's childish protests. It was a kiss of mingled relief, happiness, hope, and love, and rolled into a single touch.
Peter pulled back first. "Love you," he murmured, brushing his thumb across her lower lip. A delighted shiver ran up Levi's spine.
"Love you more," she teased.
"Impossible."
"What about me?"
"And you," Peter said, growling playfully and rubbing his knuckles across Griffin's head. Griffin squealed and he and Peter went into a mid-air good-natured tussle.
Levi had never felt so glorious.
* * *
Morgan gazed with new awareness at the overcast sky, wondering if her new friends were happy. She did not bother wondering if she would see them again- she knew she wouldn't. It didn't stop her from longing desperately that she had followed them.
"Don't worry," said DJ, grasping Morgan's shoulder, being careful of her wound. "Maybe someday, we'll see them again."
"And until then?"
DJ grinned lopsidedly, hiding his own ache behind a playful façade that didn't fool anyone. "Why, we tell everyone else. Someone has to keep the hope alive."
"I suppose so."
* * *
Janus pulled himself up onto the bare rock of the cavern floor, groaning. Every fiber of his body ached. He supposed some good had come out of it- Never-Land had needed a good renewing, anyway, but he still hurt all over.
Morgan would live, he decided, as he stretched languidly. She would never stop believing, which was a good thing. With only two teenagers keeping them afloat, they needed all the belief they needed.
Janus smirked to himself. Of course, it would soon be three. There was no accounting for teenage hormones. And hormones being what they were, he knew perfectly well that there would eventually be a whole posse of children to keep the hope alive.
But for the moment, he just wished someone would give him a backrub.
* * *
Knuckles swung her legs over the edge of the platform, watching the dawn with new appreciation. For a while there she'd wondered if she would ever see daybreak over the mountains again. And yet…
Someone sat beside her. Knuckles didn't look up- she was too deeply entrenched in her own thoughts.
"You miss him."
Knuckles sighed. "You are too perceptive for your own good, Peter."
She heard the smile in his voice. "Just enough, I think. But you do miss DJ, anyone could see it."
"Yes, I do. It doesn't make sense."
"Love never does."
"You would know, wouldn't you," Knuckles said wearily. "What am I to do, then?" She turned to question Peter with her eyes.
Peter shrugged. "Follow your own heart, I suppose. All any of us can do."
"I know where my heart wants to go, but my head isn't so clear." Knuckles pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees. "Any advice?"
Peter shook his head, making his bangs flop into his eyes. He brushed them away impatiently. "No, I'm afraid not. But whatever you do, I'll stand behind you, along with every one else on this island." He smiled teasingly. "I think DJ was rather smitten himself."
Knuckles sighed. "I know."
"Well." Peter stood and patted Knuckles' shoulder awkwardly. "Just let me know, all right? I'll be needing a new kitchen hand."
He left, leaving Knuckles alone with her own thoughts. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, but only knew when she emerged from her reverie the sun was well above the eastern horizon. She made up her mind, and went off to find Peter.
Peter was standing on the Council platform, studying a map. He looked up and grinned good-naturedly when she landed.
"Hello, Knuckles."
"I'm going back," Knuckles declared. "I know it's stupid, but…"
"It's all right, Knuckles," said Peter gently. "You needn't explain yourself to me."
"I'm going immediately. Would you… say good-bye to them for me? This is hard enough as it is."
Peter nodded, understanding flickering in his clear hazel eyes. "I will."
The last anyone in Never-Land saw of Knuckles, she was a distant speck in the sky.
* * *
DJ poked the fire morosely. Morgan was asleep, curled up in a little ball beside the miniscule fire. He, though, could not fall asleep.
It had been two weeks, and he still missed her. He felt rather silly, but he couldn't change it.
They'd done all right since the strangers' vanished- they'd returned to the island and had fashioned something of a life for themselves. It meant relearning the skills of ancient man, but at least they were alive. A bit depressing, really.
"Hello, DJ."
DJ stood sharply and whirled, clutching his stick like it was a firebrand. The figure just outside the firelight chuckled.
"I won't hurt you, silly." It was a girl with a heavy Australian accent. DJ's hand went slack and his heartbeat sped up.
She stepped into the firelight, looking healthier than the last time he'd seen her, wearing the same clothes but cleaner. DJ didn't think he'd seen anyone so wonderful.
"Hi," he said breathlessly.
"Hi," she replied.
That was all, really.