Author's Note: I wrote the last part while listening to "Fallen" by Sarah
McLachlan. It's a pretty good song. Sorry for some of the errors in the 1st
chapter! This chapter is better though. If I get more reviews, then I'll
continue writing this story - so review please!
Chapter 2: Forgetting Peter
"Wendy, it is for the best," Mrs. Darling says wearily. "Your father wants to protect you." Behind the locked door, Wendy is lying in bed, reading a book. She does not want to talk to anyone, let alone be comforted. She just wants to be left with her thoughts. Is that too much to ask for? Wendy hugs the "kiss" in her palm and glances at the door. "Wendy, answer me," her mother's voice insists.
"I'm fine, Mother. I'm just - tired," Wendy sighs. She puts her book down on the end table and peers around her room. It is so dull. It does not have the same airy feeling as the nursery. Wendy throws the covers off and stretches. She has just realized that her nightgown is not as long as it used to be. "Hmm, how strange," Wendy murmurs to herself. She breathes in deeply and goes to the window. Peter will not be able to come visit her anymore. He must think that she forgot about him, but she has not.
"I don't want to forget you, Peter," Wendy whispers, her hand touching the cold glass. "It's so hard, though." Tears burn her eyes and she bites her lip. Someone knocks on her bedroom door and Wendy spins around. "Mother, I told you, I'm all right." The person knocks again. Wendy goes to the door and wrenches it open.
"I told you to leave me - alone," Wendy says, infuriated, and sees eight pairs of eyes staring at her. Her expression softens and her brother, John, smiles at her. "What are you doing here?"
"We know how you feel," John assures her. "You have been sulking in your room for the past week. Why don't you tell us stories? We used to have fun acting out Cinderella and pirates." Wendy looks at each of her brothers and they nod their heads in agreement.
"I suppose I don't have time for fun anymore," Wendy responds.
"Aww, You're talking like a grownup," Tootles says scornfully. He rolls his eyes and Wendy opens her mouth. She does sound like an adult, somewhat like Aunt Millicent.
"I - everyone has to grow up sometime. Even little children, like yourselves," she states, indicating the boys.
"Except Peter," Nibs mutters and Wendy sighs heavily. John gives him a cold look and turns to his sister.
"One more story, Wendy. One more before you grow up completely and don't play with us," John pleads. A smile comes to Wendy's face and she nods.
"If you wish," she agrees and the boys run to the nursery. The girl laughs, and strolls behind them. John lets her enter the room first and sees him staring at her oddly.
"What are you staring at?" she asks.
"You've gotten taller!" he answers.
"Have I?" Wendy looks at her legs and Nibs starts to moan loudly.
"Oh what a horrible day! Wendy Darling is growing up, lads! Let's get another sister!" the boy hollers. Nana, their nurse, barks and runs into the room. The children are surprised that she never came to see Peter the week before. She is a heavy sleeper, after all. Nana's tail wags crazily as Wendy calls her name.
"Hello, Nana. I haven't seen you in a while," Wendy giggles, petting Nana's soft head. The dog whimpers and licks Wendy's hand. Nana must see the change in Wendy too. "All right, boys, quiet down. It's time for my story."
Her brothers clamber down in front of her, clad in pirate costumes and holding toy swords. Wendy smiles down at them, and puts on a paper crown. She peers at the window, with the heavy metal bars and the lock in place. She looks up at the ceiling, which resembles a beautiful blue sky, and remembers flying around up there.
"Wendy," Michael chirps. "What story are you going to tell us?"
"Which one should I tell? Should I tell one about mermaids, pirates, and princesses?" she asks, the excitement in her voice rising.
"Yes!" Tootles shouts, and the boys laugh raucously. They quiet down as soon as Wendy clears her throat.
She begins at once. "Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named,"
"Wendy!" Michael yells and Wendy blushes.
"Named Wendy and a handsome prince named,"
"Peter!" another voice screams. Wendy stops and the boys are smiling at her. I wish, Wendy thinks and she has a faraway look in her eyes. Peter was lying on the deck of the Jolly Roger, about to die. Wendy fell to her knees, while the pirates and Lost Boys looked on. She remembers touching Peter's pale cheek, and kissing him. He was the first boy she ever did that to. It was a wonderful feeling. If only that could happen again. Wendy blinks and continues with the story. By the time she is finished, the children are jumping on the bed, waving swords at each other. Wendy is the captured princess, waiting for Prince Charming to come rescue her.
"If only the window were open - then he could fly in and take me away!" Wendy wishes. She looks at the toys strewn around the floor. "Oh dear, Mother is going to kill me." She starts to gather stuffed animals in her arms and throw them in the closet. The boys stop and Nibs points to the pillows on the beds. They snicker and Wendy turns around.
"Pillow fight!" Tootles roars and eight pillows come flying at Wendy. She shrieks and tries to get away. One of the pillows tears and feathers fall all over her. She trips on the rug and lays there, chuckling in amusement. She cannot help but laugh as the boys pelt her with pillows.
"S - stop!" Wendy stutters, trying to catch her breath. She gets up and feathers are everywhere. "Horrible! All of you are horrible! It's not funny!" she snaps, trying to keep a straight face. The boys start to giggle and Wendy giggles with them. Her mood has gone from depressed to happy-go- lucky all in a matter of hours. Wendy hears Nana growling at the window and
"I think it's time to go to sleep!" Wendy announces. "Nana, stop. Help the boys into bed." The dog obeys and pulls the covers over each of Wendy's brothers. The floor is littered with hundreds of white feathers that look like fresh snow. Wendy feels a hard object underneath her foot and she bends down to pick it up. It is Peter's "kiss". It must have fallen off during the pillow fight. Nana ambles up to her and sniffs the acorn confusingly.
Wendy glances at the window. It pains her to think that Peter is out there. He cannot get in. She cannot get out. Why does she keep thinking about him? Wendy knows that there will be a time where she will not be able to remember him at all. Why cannot it be now? Wendy turns off the light and the moonlight pours through the bars. She goes to the rocking chair and Nana lies at her feet. "Good night Wendy," the boys say in unison.
"Good night," she answers, grinning. Wendy pauses and her eyes close slowly. "Good night- Peter," she says, barely in a whisper. Sleep is pulling her into its vastness and she cannot stay awake. Wendy slumps in the chair and relaxes. Her hand falls to her side and the acorn slips through her fingers.
"No!" a muffled voice cries, but Wendy does not hear it. She does not hear the "kiss" hit the rug and become lost in the feathers and toys either.
Chapter 2: Forgetting Peter
"Wendy, it is for the best," Mrs. Darling says wearily. "Your father wants to protect you." Behind the locked door, Wendy is lying in bed, reading a book. She does not want to talk to anyone, let alone be comforted. She just wants to be left with her thoughts. Is that too much to ask for? Wendy hugs the "kiss" in her palm and glances at the door. "Wendy, answer me," her mother's voice insists.
"I'm fine, Mother. I'm just - tired," Wendy sighs. She puts her book down on the end table and peers around her room. It is so dull. It does not have the same airy feeling as the nursery. Wendy throws the covers off and stretches. She has just realized that her nightgown is not as long as it used to be. "Hmm, how strange," Wendy murmurs to herself. She breathes in deeply and goes to the window. Peter will not be able to come visit her anymore. He must think that she forgot about him, but she has not.
"I don't want to forget you, Peter," Wendy whispers, her hand touching the cold glass. "It's so hard, though." Tears burn her eyes and she bites her lip. Someone knocks on her bedroom door and Wendy spins around. "Mother, I told you, I'm all right." The person knocks again. Wendy goes to the door and wrenches it open.
"I told you to leave me - alone," Wendy says, infuriated, and sees eight pairs of eyes staring at her. Her expression softens and her brother, John, smiles at her. "What are you doing here?"
"We know how you feel," John assures her. "You have been sulking in your room for the past week. Why don't you tell us stories? We used to have fun acting out Cinderella and pirates." Wendy looks at each of her brothers and they nod their heads in agreement.
"I suppose I don't have time for fun anymore," Wendy responds.
"Aww, You're talking like a grownup," Tootles says scornfully. He rolls his eyes and Wendy opens her mouth. She does sound like an adult, somewhat like Aunt Millicent.
"I - everyone has to grow up sometime. Even little children, like yourselves," she states, indicating the boys.
"Except Peter," Nibs mutters and Wendy sighs heavily. John gives him a cold look and turns to his sister.
"One more story, Wendy. One more before you grow up completely and don't play with us," John pleads. A smile comes to Wendy's face and she nods.
"If you wish," she agrees and the boys run to the nursery. The girl laughs, and strolls behind them. John lets her enter the room first and sees him staring at her oddly.
"What are you staring at?" she asks.
"You've gotten taller!" he answers.
"Have I?" Wendy looks at her legs and Nibs starts to moan loudly.
"Oh what a horrible day! Wendy Darling is growing up, lads! Let's get another sister!" the boy hollers. Nana, their nurse, barks and runs into the room. The children are surprised that she never came to see Peter the week before. She is a heavy sleeper, after all. Nana's tail wags crazily as Wendy calls her name.
"Hello, Nana. I haven't seen you in a while," Wendy giggles, petting Nana's soft head. The dog whimpers and licks Wendy's hand. Nana must see the change in Wendy too. "All right, boys, quiet down. It's time for my story."
Her brothers clamber down in front of her, clad in pirate costumes and holding toy swords. Wendy smiles down at them, and puts on a paper crown. She peers at the window, with the heavy metal bars and the lock in place. She looks up at the ceiling, which resembles a beautiful blue sky, and remembers flying around up there.
"Wendy," Michael chirps. "What story are you going to tell us?"
"Which one should I tell? Should I tell one about mermaids, pirates, and princesses?" she asks, the excitement in her voice rising.
"Yes!" Tootles shouts, and the boys laugh raucously. They quiet down as soon as Wendy clears her throat.
She begins at once. "Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named,"
"Wendy!" Michael yells and Wendy blushes.
"Named Wendy and a handsome prince named,"
"Peter!" another voice screams. Wendy stops and the boys are smiling at her. I wish, Wendy thinks and she has a faraway look in her eyes. Peter was lying on the deck of the Jolly Roger, about to die. Wendy fell to her knees, while the pirates and Lost Boys looked on. She remembers touching Peter's pale cheek, and kissing him. He was the first boy she ever did that to. It was a wonderful feeling. If only that could happen again. Wendy blinks and continues with the story. By the time she is finished, the children are jumping on the bed, waving swords at each other. Wendy is the captured princess, waiting for Prince Charming to come rescue her.
"If only the window were open - then he could fly in and take me away!" Wendy wishes. She looks at the toys strewn around the floor. "Oh dear, Mother is going to kill me." She starts to gather stuffed animals in her arms and throw them in the closet. The boys stop and Nibs points to the pillows on the beds. They snicker and Wendy turns around.
"Pillow fight!" Tootles roars and eight pillows come flying at Wendy. She shrieks and tries to get away. One of the pillows tears and feathers fall all over her. She trips on the rug and lays there, chuckling in amusement. She cannot help but laugh as the boys pelt her with pillows.
"S - stop!" Wendy stutters, trying to catch her breath. She gets up and feathers are everywhere. "Horrible! All of you are horrible! It's not funny!" she snaps, trying to keep a straight face. The boys start to giggle and Wendy giggles with them. Her mood has gone from depressed to happy-go- lucky all in a matter of hours. Wendy hears Nana growling at the window and
"I think it's time to go to sleep!" Wendy announces. "Nana, stop. Help the boys into bed." The dog obeys and pulls the covers over each of Wendy's brothers. The floor is littered with hundreds of white feathers that look like fresh snow. Wendy feels a hard object underneath her foot and she bends down to pick it up. It is Peter's "kiss". It must have fallen off during the pillow fight. Nana ambles up to her and sniffs the acorn confusingly.
Wendy glances at the window. It pains her to think that Peter is out there. He cannot get in. She cannot get out. Why does she keep thinking about him? Wendy knows that there will be a time where she will not be able to remember him at all. Why cannot it be now? Wendy turns off the light and the moonlight pours through the bars. She goes to the rocking chair and Nana lies at her feet. "Good night Wendy," the boys say in unison.
"Good night," she answers, grinning. Wendy pauses and her eyes close slowly. "Good night- Peter," she says, barely in a whisper. Sleep is pulling her into its vastness and she cannot stay awake. Wendy slumps in the chair and relaxes. Her hand falls to her side and the acorn slips through her fingers.
"No!" a muffled voice cries, but Wendy does not hear it. She does not hear the "kiss" hit the rug and become lost in the feathers and toys either.