Nettle was so engrossed in talking to such an interesting young woman, that she did not notice that Peter had gone, and Tink with him.

She stood up quickly, and began to look around, her face creased into a small frown. 'Peter? Peter?' she called, looking most closely at the sky showing in the frame of Wendy's elongated window.

Wendy looked sadly at her thickly carpeted floor. 'I wish I could tell him how much I love him,' she sighed, brushing a glossy, honey-bran lock behind her ear.

Nettle looked back at her, and suddenly felt much older than she felt she should.

'He knows you love him.' She said simply. 'Even I can tell and I haven't a clue what love really is.'

Wendy's eyes glowed with sympathy but Nettle shrugged the look off. 'Nah,' she said smiling, 'I don't want love. I'm too young.'

'I was your age when I fell in love with Peter,' Wendy reminded her, and Nettle gave her an acknowledging nod.

'I know.' She said quietly, 'but I'm not like you in that way.'

Wendy's pink lips twitched into a half-smile. 'Yes. I know.'

'Will he come back?' Nettle wondered, staring out the window, talking to herself more than to Wendy.'

'Yes.' Wendy answered, not noticing whom the question was directed at. 'He will.'

For a moment, Nettle almost threw her hands up in the air in a movement of frustrated exasperation. This is impossible! She thought suddenly, her heart sinking, how am I supposed to bring them together if they can't even see each other?

She looked back at Wendy, masking her apprehension with a brief smile.

Wendy was not fooled. Apparently, her time as mother to the Lost Boys had also given her the sight a mother possesses when she knows her child has a preoccupation.

'You have courage, Nettle, dear.' She said softly. 'And I'm sorry to say that, it doesn't look like this is going to happen. I'm sorry.'

Nettle's ears pricked.

All in one moment she saw the little girl on the ship, blue eyes alight chanting, "I do believe in faeries, I do! I do!"

And something… someone flicked on a light inside her head.

'Stop right there!' she said, raising a threatening finger to Wendy. Suddenly she saw it. If Wendy continued to be this…adult then there was almost no hope for both her and Peter's love.

'Stop what?' Wendy asked, looking rather abashed.

'Enough!' Nettle said, glaring. 'I know what hides inside you! It's the bud of an adult!'

'What nonsense!' Wendy cried, standing up to comfort her dignity in standing over the younger, smaller girl.

Nettle, however, lifted to the air so that she was at eye level with the young woman.

'Sit down, thou foolish adult!' she growled, and saw Wendy frown haughtily.

'What? Nettle, I…'

'Don't you see it?' Nettle asked, as Wendy shook her head.

'You're becoming an adult!' Nettle shrieked, her voice high, 'You're becoming what you're already swearing not to become!'

'I'm not!' Wendy retorted, but Nettle cut across.

 'Look!' Nettle crowed. 'There! Denial! Refusing to accept when one is wrong! Accepting the inevitable! Children…and teenagers don't do that! Snap out of it Wendy Darling!'

Wendy suddenly sat down with a thump. 'But… I…'

'That's what's wrong!' Nettle said, somewhat more quietly.

'You're not even out of this window and you're already accepting what an adult would! I can tell. You accepted what your adult mind told you. That seeing Peter is impossible, when somewhere inside you, everything else screams that you can.'

Wendy shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. 'You're right,' she said in despair. 'I am. I'm growing up.'

'Stop it!' Nettle shrieked.

Wendy suddenly realized what she was saying and her head snapped up, making her long glossy hair flip up.

'Am not!' she squealed. 'I am not growing up! Ever! I'll stay a child forever! Always! Forever, and ever. I believe in faeries!'

She looked at Nettle, eyes glowing, 'I believe in faeries!' she squeaked insanely.

'I BELIEVE IN FAERIES I DO I DO! I BELIEVE IN FAERIES, I BELIEVE IN FAERIES!'

Suddenly, Nettle gasped as she realized Wendy was no longer standing on the ground.

'I BELIEVE IN FAERIES!' Nettle crowed back, laughing.

'I BELIEVE IN FAERIES!' Wendy called back, somersaulting, her laugh ringing out in loud, echoing peals, 'I LOVE PETER PAN!'

Suddenly, the two girls were flying about the room for the sheer joy of merely being alive, Wendy caught Nettle's arm in mid-air and the two of them performed a mad sort of jig in mid-air, laughing, clutching their sides, giggling as if they had never laughed before.

They stopped suddenly and hugged each other, and came to rest on the ground, panting from the insane dance.

Nettle's eyes returned to the window, as she suddenly felt a presence, standing there, eyes filled with tears, was Peter.

Nettle looked pointedly at Wendy, who followed her gaze.

Her eyes widened like saucers as she saw him, and through his blurred vision, Peter's eyes sparkled.

'OH PETER!' Wendy squealed, and threw herself at him, throwing herself into his arms, which encircled her a tight embrace that promised never, ever to let go.

'Never.' He breathed softly into her honey-brown hair, smelling it. 'Never never.'

SNIFF! Aww, I'm glad they're back together – THIS ISN'T THE END!!! I have more to write!!!

Wild Blood Rose