Author's Note: Hi, everyone! I hope you all had a great Christmas. Mine was great. I saw Peter Pan yesterday at 10:05 PM! *dances about with glee* It was amazing. The cast was great. The music was great. The special effects were great. I loved the whole thing! Everything was great. I will definitely be seeing it again. Even my mom liked it; and that's saying a lot because she simply said the movie looked "interesting" when I showed her the teaser way back in June. And she prefers to wait until a movie comes out on video or DVD to see it, not go to the movie theater. So, yeah. *calms down*

I am very sorry for taking so long to update. This chapter decided to take its time. I hope this is worth the wait. I will try to update sooner – but I cannot make any promises.

I want to thank everyone who reviewed chapter four: Sarah, Abby, toby, happychaos, anon, and laura. You all begged for more, and now you have it!


Chapter 5: The Second Kiss

Peter floats in the air, terribly pleased. He shakes slightly with wonder. Oh, to hear the stories that Tiger Lily claims to know! Perhaps she can tell them to him when Wendy tells the boys' their bedtime story…

"Peter."

His train of thought interrupted, Peter returns his attention to the young girl sitting on the rock. Dark eyes shine up at him. Silent, he looks at her questioningly, waiting for her to continue.

"May I give you a kiss?" Tiger Lily asks softly and a little shyly, her cheeks starting to turn a little red.

Peter's eyes widen in surprise at this unexpected question. He frowns in confusion – a feeling he does not often experience. It is a simple question, really. But he is at a loss. Does he want a kiss from Tiger Lily? He absently reaches into his pocket and rubs between his fingers Wendy's kiss. Would she allow him to accept a kiss from his friend? Or is it only the mother who can give such kisses? The frown slowly ripples from his features. He releases the kiss from his fingers and takes his hand from his pocket. He reaches a decision.

"If you like," he says in a nonchalant tone, shrugging. Only the slight stiffness of his back gives away his uneasiness.

A beam of pleasure spreads across Tiger Lily's face. Eyes sparkling with excitement, face becoming thoughtful, she ponders what to give him, for she wants to give him a special kiss. She brightens and reaches into a small pouch she wears on her leather belt.

Peter lands gracefully and soundlessly on the rock and crouches next to the Indian princess, curiosity building up inside him.

Withdrawing her hand from the pouch, Tiger Lily turns to face Peter and raises her hand between them. Peter meets her gaze for a moment before looking at her hand.

Tiger Lily does not own a thimble, but what she now offers to Peter is far more eye-catching and interesting than Wendy's simple thimble.

In the palm of her hand is a small round piece of leather. It is painted in a variety of bright colors. In the center of the circle is a white feather; across the circle is a sword: the handiwork of the princess herself.

Slowly Peter takes the token from the girl. He peers at it closely. He returns his eyes to Tiger Lily and smiles uncertainly. She gazes back at him with an expression he does not understand nor dwells on. He gives her, in turn, an acorn button. She smiles as she runs her thumb over it. Then she puts it in her pouch for safekeeping.

Peter also moves his fingers over his kiss. Lazily he traces the small hole near the top of the circle.

"You can wear it around your neck, if you like."

Peter looks up at Tiger Lily and nods simply, expectantly. From her pouch she brings forth a cord and loops it through the hole in the leather.

"Turn around," she requests.

The boy obeys silently. She puts the painted circle around his neck and ties the cord.

"There," she states, finished.

Peter turns to her, and she admires the leather resting against his tanned chest. Raising her eyes, she discovers him looking at her with a wondering expression, his head tilted to one side. She gives him a small smile.

"Tiger Lily –" he starts.

"Peter!" a loud call interrupts the boy.

Both are stunned and try to pinpoint where the voice came from…

Wendy steps into the clearing and switches her gaze back and forth between the boy and girl, who look at her in surprise. It does not escape her notice that they are sitting close together on the rock.

"Peter, Tiger Lily," Wendy speaks, smiling and nodding to both.

"Wendy?" Peter asks, raising an eyebrow and getting to his feet.

Tiger Lily nods in silent greeting. She then sends Wendy an annoyed – and possibly jealous? – look for interrupting her and Peter. She looks the girl up and down. Wendy swallows hard and meets the Indian princess's gaze. A great tension passes between the two girls; an unspoken challenge hangs in the air.

"Wendy," Peter repeats, following the silence to his first calling, oblivious to the silent standoff taking place.

Wendy blinks and backs off first, turning her attention to the boy. He looks at her curiously, and she blushes remembering her appearance: her nightgown clings to her body, and her hair is still wet and possibly has leaves and twigs tangled in it.

"I have been looking for you, Peter," she says, smoothing her nightgown and trying to look dignified. "You were late for dinner."

"Oh!" Peter explains. "I forgot."

Wendy nods. "The boys are waiting for you," she says simply. Clasping her hands, she waits.

Peter floats from the rock to the ground. He gazes first on his mother, taking in her untidy hair and wet nightgown. She shivers and appears a bit pale. He frowns slightly. She looks…different, not quite right. He then turns to his friend who looks expectantly at him from her place on the rock. He returns his gaze to Wendy and smiles.

"We shall return to the boys," he decides.

Wendy nods and watches as Peter tells something to Tiger Lily. She cannot hear what words are exchanged, but Indian princess's pout disappears and is replaced with a bright smile. Tiger Lily nods happily. She jumps off the rock and bows to Peter.

"Goodbye, Peter. I look forward to our next meeting." She then turns to Wendy, and her smile seems to fade a little. "Goodbye, squaw. Until we meet again," she says, nodding stiffly.

There is no mistaking this time the jealousy that swirls in Tiger Lily's eyes. Jealousy directed towards Wendy – being close to Peter as his mother. Wendy gives the princess a small, tense smile in return.

"Goodbye, Tiger Lily, my friend," Peter says.

Wendy quietly echoes the farewell.

Quickly the Indian princess disappears into the dark forest.

Smiling and carefree, Peter comes to Wendy. It is then that she notices for the first time the painted piece of leather hanging around his neck. Her eyes widen in shock. A "kiss," she does not doubt. From Tiger Lily. She grudgingly admires it. And her heart sinks. Never, to her knowledge, has Peter exchanged "kisses" with anyone other than her. Seeing him now display a "kiss" he received from Tiger Lily makes Wendy feel embarrassed; she only gave him a simple thimble. Perhaps he does not even remember it…. She, however, often fingers his acorn button.

Peter halts beside her. "Ready to go?" he asks her.

Wendy nods absently in reply.

Peter blows some fairy dust on her from his hand. It is not surprising that it takes Wendy a while to think of lovely, wonderful thoughts after seeing Peter's "kiss" from Tiger Lily. She manages to turn her mind to more pleasant things. With thoughts of kind Slightly keeping the food warm; of her sweet silver-gray companion and friend, her lovely wolf; and of playing with rainbow color bubbles in the Mermaids' Lagoon – and a helping hand from Peter – Wendy at last finds herself rising into the air. Peter and Wendy start to fly back to the house under the ground.