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Somewhere, a bird chirped in her hearing.
Wendy's cunning blue eyes flickered, her vision became clearer as she blinked. Peter's sleeping face was several inches from hers. Blue widened.They were in their original outfits and lying just outside the Lost Boy's tree.
She whispered anxiously, "Peter?"
He mumbled, not opening his eyes, "What is it?"
"Peter, we fell asleep outside!"
Peter responded, "So?"
She murmured, "This isn't acceptable."
Wendy stood up and his divine eyes opened, suddenly, the Lost Boys burst outside and howled like Indians; Peter joined them. He announced, "We're lions, attack the Wendy-lady!" The Lost Boys tackled Wendy, pretending to rip her apart.She pushed them away angrily as Peter laughed clutching his sides.
She stomped her foot furiously, "Everything's fun and make-believe to you, isn't it? Nothing is real!" Peter noticed the moist film in her eyes, "Nothing will ever be real to you. You'll be a boy eternally, no more, no less."
Peter stepped towards her, a few inches taller, with clenched teeth, "If you don't like it, then you can leave Neverland. See if I care."
He flew away livid as Wendy rolled her eyes, the Lost Boys stopped their play and she ordered, "Go inside." They followed her, theday passed and the sun set.Wendy was growing restless, Peter had not came back. Despite their argument, she still cared about what happened to him, something deep inside herself told her so.
Wendy gathered the boys together, "We're looking for Peter, stay within safe limits of the forest and be careful."
They ran off into the late afternoon as she went into the bowels of Neverland. Wendy walked through a clearing with her sword held out to protect her. She halted when a curve of a polished blade touched the arch of her neck.
She turned to Captain James Hook, his vivid blue eyes flashing ingeniously. Wendy stammered moving back, "H-H-Hook." He bowed slightly, "Wendy Darling. Good to see you again my dear," Hook moved closer, "What have you say to joining my crew? You still have a chance to be Red-Handed Jill."
Wendy lifted her chin bravely, "I'll die before joining alliances with you."
Hook did nothing but look disappointed, "Strange, that's similiar to what Peter Pan said before I. . ."
He trailed off purposely and Wendy took the bait by asking, "Before you did what?" The Captain fingered his hook delicately, "When Peter Pan arrived here for the first time, I asked him to join my crew. He knew of what I did and refused. I tried to persuade him but he is a very stubborn boy, as you know well." Hook leaned against a tree, "So, I had a brief visit with his parents. I found them to be quite an interesting challenge, they didn't even scream, it's never fun if there's no screaming."
There was a sinking feeling in her stomach as Wendy whispered petrified, "You... killed them?"
"Yes, that's the reason he cut off my hand. Peter Pan found out what I had done and fought me, throwing my hand to the crocodile. I suppose you'll be the same, your parents weren't as easy to sway as his were."
Wendy felt numb all over, she knew it, she knew it at the pit of her heart.
Why else would he have been here talking about this?
Wendy lost the feeling in her knees and fell onto the forest floor, tears spilling down her face. TheCaptain bent down, carressing her cheek with the tip of his hook, "Think about my offer, my sweet." He finally disappeared into the undergrove and Wendy fell onto her stomach, curling up into a ball and shaking with sorrow.
Dead?
Her parents murdered?
How could this have happened?
Across the way, Peter Pan was flying over Neverland, very troubled by this morning. Tinkerbell flew beside him, chiming away like the day couldn't get any better. The sun's rays were about to vanish beneath the horizon and Peter saw the cliff that had the best overlook of Neverland.
A white outline stood near the edge, looking up into the orange-blue sky.
It was Wendy, her ashen nightdress hem rippled to the breeze as her red rimmed eyes stared upward. Her appearance ragged and leaves stick inher mane. She tottered over the edge on the balls of her heels and sighed, "Forgive me for my behavior." Demise was written all over her face.
Peter watched as she stepped off to plummet to her perishing end.
"Wendy!"
He flew down quickly and caughther before she could break her neck. She fought to get out of his arms as they landed in a rotten tree, "No! No!"
Peter said angrily, "What were you-?"
Wendy screamed at him, "NO, LET ME DIE!"
She let out an agonized bawl and fell against him, Peter knew that this was no game.
He asked inquisitive, "Why do you cry Wendy?"
She sniffled, "Hook...he killed my parents Peter." Peter's face contorted with wrath, "He's a lying ole codfish! I've visited your house and they were just fine. I'll show you!" He led her away with Tinkerbell, back to England and to the window of the nursery, arriving as quick as they could. Peter let her look, without checking it out himself. Wendy slowly looked through the stained glass window and let out a hysterical shriek, doubling over, floating down slowly.
He drew her close to keep her from falling. Peterpeered through the closed window, Aunt Millicent sobbed over a policeman. The hacked up bodies that were once Mr. and Mrs. Darlingstained white sheets. Tinkerbell glanced in as well and looked on somber.
Peter took Wendy back and Wendy cried the entire time.
She told the ill-fated news in grief, to her brothers and the Lost Boys as gently, and as calmly as she could. John and Micheal burst into tears immediately and the Lost Boys eventually broke down crying. Peter watched the incident unresponsively and noticed that Wendy had disappeared. He flew back to the cliff where she sat watching the starry sky.
Peter parked behind her and she asked, "Did he murder your parents?"
He nodded, "Ay, he did."
Wendy asked bitterly, "How come you never told me Peter?"
"I never thought it was that important," Peter floated beside her Indian style, "I forget them over time. I don't really care anymore. So what if they are dead, they were going to send me to school anyway." Wendy spoke not a word to him and he whispered almost optimistically, "Wendy, you can stay in Neverland now. You can have fun and not worry about anything. You'll never have to grow up."
She closed her eyes, "Peter, I can't. I have to go back, I still have Aunt Millicent. John and Micheal need to grow up. We'll stay to help you stop Hook but I don't think we can stay in Neverland."
Peter hid his deeply blighted hope by a careless grin and floating upside down but twisted back startled as Wendy moaned in angst, "Peter. . .it hurts so much. . . . ." She bent forward spinelessly, sobbing into her hands and he wrenched her up, clutching her wrists severely, "Pull yourself out of it Wendy!"
She whimpered feverishly, "Peter, you're hurting me!"
Peter let go, doing so out of shock and Wendy ran away to the hidout.
Later that evening, he paced around the tree-house then checked on the room where Wendy slept. His tousled-haired head stick in. She slept placidly in the fur bed, the only thing that didn't look right was the fresh tears coating on her cheeks. Peter came in and wiped them away cautiously with the back of this thumb. His striking eyes observed her.
She was so beautiful while she slept.
So incredible.
So complete.
Wendy did not stir in her sleep when he knelt down to face her.
"I'm sorry Wendy,"he apologized, "I'm sorry for not telling you..."
Peter tucked a frayed tress behind her ear and he saw the hidden kiss on the right corner of her perfect woman mouth. Peter very timidly touched the area, so intimidated that her skin was as soft as silky leaves. His fingers made a path across her cheek and he restrained himself from doing anything else. Peter sat in a chair nearby stiffly and watched her dream. He didn't notice the silhouette behind him lurking dangerously.
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