Chapter Eight –

"You see Wendy... No.... Isn't it funny? One day you're... No, that's not right either..."

Peter had been pacing at the secret entrance to his home under the ground muttering to himself like this for the past ten minutes, debating what his next move was to be. He knew that he had to tell Wendy what was really happening, but he couldn't seem to find the right words to justify his rash actions.

"The thing is... I love you more than anything else in the world and if I could I would give up my eternal childhood, Neverland and everything in for you..." pausing, he sighed added, "Now all I have to do is say it to her face."

'Sure,' came a sarcastic voice from the deep recesses of his mind, 'Indians and pirates you can handle, but an adolescent girl... now that's a challenge!'

"Shut up," muttered Peter knowing that what the voice said was true. He could never muster the courage to tell Wendy how he really felt. He had too much to lose.

Turning around to open the door, Peter pulled on a large vine and revealed one of the many hidden entrances to his hideout. Swallowing the dread that was welling in his throat, Peter walked into the foreboding darkness to face his biggest fear.

His mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of Wendy that Peter completely forgot there was a sudden drop almost immediately after one walked through this particular entrance. Feeling the ground fall away beneath him, Peter tumbled noisily down the rocky slope and rolled onto his filth-covered floor before crashing onto the large oak table in the middle of the room. The loud clatter stirred Wendy from her dreamy state of mind and made her sit up so quickly that she forgot how low the ceiling was, thus resulting in her receiving a rather forceful blow to the head.

Rubbing her head, Wendy slid of Peter's bed and looked around for the source of the noise. It took her all of three seconds to spot Peter at the other end of the room, attempting to untangle himself from the fallen chairs.

'The great Peter Pan meets his downfall at a table and a couple of chairs,' she thought, giggling to herself before walking over to him.

Stopping before she reached Peter, Wendy leant back against the wall to examine the boy who had taken her from her home in the dead of the night and couldn't help smiling. "Oh... the cleverness of you," she said while doing her best not to burst into laughter. "An exceptionally graceful entrance if I do say so myself."

Peter grimaced at the sound of her voice. He had desperately hoped that Wendy wouldn't see him sprawled on the ground entangled in several chairs and muck. Pushing the remaining chairs off him, Peter got to his feet quickly and placed his hands on his hips.

"You obviously haven't changed a bit," Wendy said, giggling again while giving him a once over, noting the dirt that had attached itself to his body and stuck to his hair as a result from his fall. She probably would have been angry if he hadn't looked so adorable.

"Are you hurt?" she asked pushing off the wall and stepping forward.

"With the exception of my ego everything seems to be intact," he replied, ruffling his blonde hair in an attempt to dislodge some of the dirt. Wendy giggled again. 'Well, someone's certainly in a better mood,' thought Peter smiling. Maybe Wendy had indeed forgiven him.

It seemed that Peter hadn't noticed that his face and body were also covered with dirt, not just is hair. "Here," said Wendy pulling a handkerchief out of her pocket. "Let me help you."

Sceptical as to how a piece of material was supposed to help get the dirt off him, Peter stopped rumpling his hair and gave Wendy leave to try her way. She smiled at him and wet the tip of the handkerchief with her tongue before closing the distance between them.

As Wendy reached up to rub some of the dirt off his face Peter felt his body go rigid. Wendy was so close to him that he could almost taste her breath. Her left hand felt warm and supple on his right cheek while her right hand was gently caressing his left cheek under soft material that encased her small fingers. The very essence of her being made his entire body tingle with delight. A feeling of bliss washed over him and Peter wanted nothing less than to stay there for eternity. He lowered his gaze to meet Wendy's and was surprised to see that she looked just as intense as he felt.

They were both completely lost in moment though through his delirious mental state, Peter managed to remember why he had brought Wendy back to Neverland. 'I have to tell her,' thought Peter. Calling forth every ounce willpower he possessed, he was only just able to force his arm to grab Wendy's hand and break her touch.

"Wendy," said Peter softly, letting go of her arm and making a mental note to shoot himself later from ruining the moment, "there's something I have to tell you."

"Oh, yes?" said Wendy raising an inquisitive eyebrow at him, "and what might that be?"

Before Peter could reply, Wendy had slid her arms around his neck and playfully pulled him in close to her. There was only one thing on her mind and it wasn't conversation. She'd had an ample amount of time to decide what she was going to do when Peter got back and listening to his reason for bringing her back was only second on the list.

Peter's hands lay softly on her hips and his body was pressed close to so close to hers that she could feel every muscle, every crevice, every laboured breath that escaped his lungs. Closing her eyes, Wendy drew his mouth down to meet hers. Their lips were barely an inch apart when Peter's hand moved swiftly from her hip to her right cheek, holding her at bay.

"Wendy, I really do need to tell you this, it's incredibly important."

Wendy opened her eyes and stared at him in with a mix of rejection and disbelief. They were still only inches away from each other and even though knew he'd regret it later, Peter backed away from her and continued with his request for Wendy to hear him out.

"There something you need to know... it concerns your brothers," said Peter.

"M-my brothers?" said Wendy sounding confused and hurt. "You choose now to bring up my brothers!"

"Wendy, you're not listening. Something has just come to our attention that involves your brother, John--"

"Our attention? Who else is involved here?"

"Galahad," replied Peter waving her query aside, "that's not what's important. What's important is that your brother, John, is Hook!"

An abrupt and unnatural silence fell over the room and Peter's final words hung in the air. It took a full minute for Wendy to regain the use of her vocal cords, and even longer for her to get her thoughts in order.

"Th-that's not possible," stammered Wendy. "John's too young to be Hook... Hook's name was James... and-and we just killed Hook! Besides the fact that it's literally not possible!"

"Have you learnt nothing of Neverland?" Peter questioned her. "Time passes differently here. In Neverland, it is very possible for John to become Hook. We originally thought that it was your father who was destined to be Hook, but we were wrong. That's why I let you go back last time. We realised that if your father was not to become Hook, then you would not be in any danger if you returned home. We never even considered that John could be a threat to your safety. He has already begun his journey along that path and in twenty years time he will re-emerge as Captain James Hook. A chain of events has started, a chain we can no longer break."

"But if John isn't going to become Hook for another twenty years then how could we have fought and defeated him a month ago? It doesn't make sense Peter!" Retorted Wendy, now being annoyed at his insolent stupidity. The scenario he was describing was illogical, not to mention impossible.

"It makes perfect sense," replied Peter calmly. "All someone would have to do is find the gap in the space-time-continuum that connects with the point in time where James Hook arrived in Neverland."

"Okay," said Wendy still sounding sceptical, "let's pretend I do believe all this rubbish about John being Hook, why did you need to put so much effort into keeping me away from the person, who you say, will eventually become Hook?"

"Because," Peter said slowly, looking into her deep blue eyes, "I am not the one who must face Hook in the Final Battle. My role in this is just to prepare you for you're encounter with Hook. I'm to teach you to how to fly with speed and agility, and the proper technique to wielding a sword."

"But Hook is dead!" said Wendy exasperatedly. "I saw the croc swallow him with my own tow eyes Peter. How am I supposed to fight him if he's dead?"

"He's not dead! I don't have time to explain it to you right now. Look, you had no problem believing me when I told you that fairy dust and happy thoughts could make you fly, which, to a normal person, would sound absolutely absurd."

"Are you saying I'm not a normal person?!"

"No! I... I'm just saying that I need you to trust me on this one."

Wendy looked into Peter's pleading eyes and caved within four seconds. "Okay," she sighed, still not sounding as though she believed a word he had said. "But I want to talk to this 'Galahad' first. I want to know where he gets all this information."

"But he's the Lord of all Fairies--"

"Well, we all know how well I get along with fairies. This should be fun," said Wendy grimacing.

"We don't have time to--"

"Oh yes we do," retorted Wendy scowling at him.

"Fine," replied Peter returning the gesture.

"Fine," muttered Wendy turning her back to him and walking towards the door.

"Fine."

A/N: Hi all, sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter done, I had writter's block! mutters 'bastardly writter's block' Anyway, thanx for reviewing, I feel so loved :D. Also, I've decided that I should name the chapters, but I'm terrible at coming up with decent chapter titles. If you have anythoughts send me a review with the title you think would suit the chapter and... well the chapter number. I don't really like the end of this chapter but it was the best I could come up with at 11 o'clock last night. I may change it later but I'm not sure what to quite yet. Again feedback would be good. Anyway, I must go but I'll try to get the next chapter written ASAP

Toodles kids!