Author's Note: Thanks to my readers for reviewing. Please, keep reviewing.
I'd like to know that people are enjoying it. ::smiles encouragingly::
Chapter 5: Tink's Heartache
Kensington Gardens is particularly quiet this night. The trees sway when the spring breeze rolls in and the few couples that walk there sigh contentedly. It is a night of change for one child, a child that arrives unnoticed in the middle of the Gardens. He looks around apprehensively at the pathways that lead in and out of the rest of London. He does not know where to go. He feels rather safe in the confines of this place because it is where he met a certain fairy and began his new life.
Peter Pan climbs up a nearby tree and rests on its branches. So many questions fill his mind now. What is it like to grow up? How will he find Wendy? Will he ever fly again, now that his happy thoughts are gone? Tinkerbell flies onto Peter's knee and watches him sadly. She is so bright that Peter needs to squint to see her face. "Thanks for coming, Tink," he murmurs. She bows gracefully in the air and Peter smiles. He starts to play his flute, and Tinkerbell claps her hands joyfully.
The sound of Peter's playing echoes throughout the Gardens and a couple stop to listen to it. "Do you hear that, Henry?" the woman asks her husband happily. "It sounds so nice, doesn't it?"
"Yes, it does, but where is it coming from?" the man replies. They start walking towards the sound, curious as to who is playing it.
Officer Kilkenny is whistling a tune, whilst patrolling the grounds. He is watching for any juvenile delinquents roaming around the Gardens at this time of night. He is tired and annoyed because no one seems to be causing any trouble. "This is a waste of my time," he grumbles and starts whistling a childhood song. He swings his police club back and forth carelessly as he saunters down the pathway. Suddenly, the haunting music of a flute drowns out Kilkenny's whistling.
"Wha' is that?" he asks aloud. Whoever is playing that must have nothing else to do. "That's disturbin' the peace tha' is." Officer Kilkenny strides off in the direction of the playing, eager to bring the musician to justice.
Peter keeps playing the flute. It soothes him greatly when he is unsure of what to do next. Tinkerbell lounges on the highest branch of the tree, looking at London's skyline. She glances at the grass below her and spots two people walking down the pathway. She sees a uniformed man huffing and puffing to the right of them. They are all coming to the tree! Tink descends to Peter's level and struggles to pull the flute away from him. He stops playing the flute on a high-pitched note and eyes Tink angrily. "Who dares disrupt my playing?" he snaps, and laughs quietly to himself. What could possibly be happening now? Tinkerbell points crazily to the ground and Peter bends down. Three people are making their way to the tree, one of them running. Peter gasps in horror, pushing himself against the rough bark. It scratches his skin, but the boy does not think about the pain. He has to get out of there. He is so scared. Peter latches his flute onto the grass belt he has tied around his waist and starts to climb to the other side of the tree. He pulls himself onto a higher branch and the branch shakes violently. It cannot hold him for long and Peter enfolds the tree trunk in his arms.
He can hear the voices of the people now. They are so close. Peter makes one more attempt to steady himself on the branch before it breaks. Tink rushes to Peter's aid, sure that he would be able to fly on his own – but he does not. The boy falls backward and the impact of the ground knocks the wind out of him. Tink stares terrified as he hits the grass. Peter struggles for air, and tries to sit up. His back is killing him.
"Hey! Your under arrest!" a gruff voice yells. Peter scrambles to his feet, breathing loudly. He wants to get away, fly away! All the fear inside of him explodes and he jogs from the tree. Peter winces at his aching back and finds that he is becoming slower. He hears the heavy footsteps behind him and a large black figure blocks his view. Someone grabs Peter's shoulder harshly and jerks him onto the ground.
"Ow, let go of me! Let go!" he snaps, trying to shrug off the strong grasp. Peter gropes for the knife on his belt. Why he cannot find it is beyond him. The figure drags him to the tree and Peter arches his back. He grits his teeth as a sharp pain shoots up his spine.
"Don't hurt him," Peter hears a woman's voice say and he looks at the couple standing a few feet away from them.
"It's none of you' concern, miss," the man holding Peter brags. "This juvenile delinquent is going to be put in jail immediately." Officer Kilkenny grins smugly and Peter tries to shrug the policeman off. The pressure on his shoulder is too much.
"Excuse me, but I think it is of our concern," a man's voice responds. "A child who was playing a little music should not be condemned to prison." The grip on Peter's shoulder loosens and Peter stands up slowly.
"Oh – I'm terribly sorry. I – I didn't know, honestly," the policeman apologizes and Peter turns around, his hand on the hilt of his knife. The officer looks cowardly and Peter lets out a silent laugh. What could be frightening him so much? "Forgive me, Mr. and Mrs. Eddington." Peter faces the couple that has been standing there for the last fifteen minutes.
The woman who spoke has light brown hair, gathered under a black hat. Her skin is pale, a strong contrast to Peter's. Her eyes are hazel, and they look sad. She has suffered a great loss. A small smile forms on her deep red lips as she looks at him and Peter can see her hand squeeze her husband's. The man standing next to her is tall, dressed in a black suit. His black hair is slicked back and he has a thin moustache. His eyes are green and he observes Peter oddly. Peter stands erect, assuming his confused stare is a challenge.
"What is your name, boy?" the woman asks, and Peter is startled. His name? Surely he could not say his last name. They would want to see him fly then and fight. Peter opens his mouth and tries to find the right words.
"Peter," he blurts and the woman nods.
"Have you a last name, Peter? Where are your parents?" she asks in a motherly tone. Peter eyes her and shakes his head slowly.
"I don't have a last name and I don't have any parents," he explains in a low voice and the policeman behind him sighs heavily.
"All the more reason to put him in jail. Wasn't raised right," Officer Kilkenny interrupts. He goes to grab Peter, but the boy ducks out of his way and unsheathes his dagger. He backs away, ready to fight if necessary. The man in the black suit puts his arm around his wife and she gasps.
"No – no. He doesn't know any better. Henry, please, let us take him home," she responds. Her husband's eyes widen and he manages to speak.
"Absolutely not, Patricia! This is a person we are talking about – not an animal!" Henry refutes. He glances at Peter and he lowers his voice as he continues. "We might as well be talking about an animal. He's holding a weapon – a knife! He looks like he's from the jungle for God's sake! He should be in an orphanage or a hospital! Oh, and if we were to adopt him - what would our neighbors think?"
"I don't care about the neighbors, Henry!" she whispers angrily. "I want to help him. We have been waiting too long." The man sighs and sees the pain etched in his wife's face. He feels pain whenever he thinks about what happened. He cannot forget. He turns to the policeman and shifts from side to side. Patricia is holding his arm tightly.
"We are going to take him to our house, Officer," Mr. Eddington states. Patricia smiles brightly and Officer Kilkenny's mouth drops open.
"Are you sure 'bout tha', Mr. Eddington?" he inquires. The man nods and turns to Peter. He clears his throat and Peter lowers the dagger. Before he can say anything, Mrs. Eddington tells Peter the news.
"Peter, would you like to come with us to our house? We shall be your parents and we will take care of you," Patricia asks benevolently. The boy looks around for Tink, but she is nowhere in sight. If he chooses to go with them, then he will most likely be sent to school and an office. The man will be his father and the woman will be his...mother. Peter always told himself that he did not need a mother. Wendy was his "mother", but he did not see her as that anymore. He knows it was all make-believe. Mrs. Eddington bends in her satin evening dress to see Peter more clearly and he looks at her forlornly.
"You'll be my mother?" Peter questions.
"Yes," she says in a motherly voice and smiles at him. "Will you not come with us?" She holds her hand out to him, just like Peter did to Wendy. He realizes that Wendy must have been nervous, going to another land and all. He feels what she might have felt as he stands in front of the Eddingtons. A breeze passes by him and Peter hears the faint tinkling of bells.
"Tink," Peter mutters underneath his breath and looks at the people surrounding him. They are all waiting for his answer. "I'll come with you," he says. His dirty hand touches the woman's clean one and she flinches slightly.
"We will clean him up and give him more suitable clothing," Mr. Eddington informs Officer Kilkenny.
"I agree, Mr. Eddington," the policeman laughs haughtily. "Clean 'im up good n' send those clothes back to the jungle." Patricia glares at him coldly and he stammers another apology.
"Come now, Peter," she beckons him and Peter goes willingly. He walks in between Mr. Eddington and Mrs. Eddington, out of the Gardens, and in to his new life. This time, he is not going to run away.
Tink is waiting in the tree, watching the commotion underneath her. When Peter follows the couple out of the Gardens, Tinkerbell follows close behind. She wants to know where he is going; she wants to know that he is safe. Peter gets into a carriage, along with the people. Tinkerbell places herself on the top of the stagecoach and holds on for dear life as it speeds off into the night. Pedestrians stop when they see the strange light passing by. The carriage stops in front of a massive house on the outskirts of the city. It is a Victorian style mansion and it reaches way up into the sky. Tinkerbell sees Peter gawking at it too and he hesitates before entering through the door.
The fairy jumps on to Peter's shoulder and tugs on his ear. His eyes fall on hers and she squeaks excitedly. He puts his finger to his lips and Tinkerbell tries her best to pull a leaf over her body. The house is so big that Tinkerbell could easily hide in its many rooms. Peter ascends a winding staircase and enters a large room with an equally large bed. Mrs. Eddington tells him that this is his room and Tink can feel the boy quivering. When he is sure he is alone, Peter tells Tinkerbell that she can come out.
"Tink! You're here! I thought you left! This is a big house and everything is so neat!" he prattles, jumping on the bed. Tinkerbell flies around him, laughing. "I can't believe it! That man could have put me in jail – whatever that is! I was prepared to cut his throat!" His eyes glaze over at the thought of fighting the officer and Tinkerbell nods unhappily. She stands on the end table next to the bed, staring at her reflection in the wood. Peter loses the excitement in his eyes as he realizes where he is and what will happen to him in the future. "I'm scared." Tink glances at her Peter, sitting cross-legged on the floor. She flies down to him and he squints at her dazzling brightness. The fairy kisses his cheek, but Peter cannot feel it. Fairy kisses are so small, that only the fairy knows the true meaning of them.
"It's your job to take care of Neverland now," Peter whispers. "I can't go back...even if I could fly." Tinkerbell nods, unsure of how she is going to take care of such a huge island by herself. She would do anything for Peter, anything at all. She loves him and he will never know that. Peter stretches his hand out and Tink falls in to it. He finds the window, and pulls back the heavy burgundy curtain. A tiny star twinkles in the distance and Peter opens the window wide enough so a fairy could fit through.
"I'm going to miss you, Tink," Peter whimpers and the bedroom door starts to open. "Go...before they find out who I've been talking to. Good- bye!" He tilts his hand so the fairy can fly out quickly. Pixie dust remains on Peter's hand and he wipes it off. The window is closed just before Mrs. Eddington walks in.
"Whom were you talking to?" she asks, glancing around the room.
"Um...nobody..." Peter lies and he grins at the woman. "I was just looking out the window...at the sky."
Tinkerbell hovers outside the window, her face pressed against the glass. She is straining to hear what they are saying in there. A fairy tear rolls down her cheek and her heart aches terribly. She does not want to let go of Peter. She does not want him to grow up and marry that Wendy. Peter cranes his neck toward the window and smiles at Tinkerbell. The last smile he will ever give Tinkerbell. He hurries to the door and disappears out of the room. The curtain falls back into place and Tinkerbell vanishes from the house, knowing that her Peter is in good hands and always will be.
Author's Note: This is the last time Peter will be seen as a boy. I'm excited about updating the coming chapters 'cuz...well you'll just have to find out! Will Peter and Wendy ever meet???
Chapter 5: Tink's Heartache
Kensington Gardens is particularly quiet this night. The trees sway when the spring breeze rolls in and the few couples that walk there sigh contentedly. It is a night of change for one child, a child that arrives unnoticed in the middle of the Gardens. He looks around apprehensively at the pathways that lead in and out of the rest of London. He does not know where to go. He feels rather safe in the confines of this place because it is where he met a certain fairy and began his new life.
Peter Pan climbs up a nearby tree and rests on its branches. So many questions fill his mind now. What is it like to grow up? How will he find Wendy? Will he ever fly again, now that his happy thoughts are gone? Tinkerbell flies onto Peter's knee and watches him sadly. She is so bright that Peter needs to squint to see her face. "Thanks for coming, Tink," he murmurs. She bows gracefully in the air and Peter smiles. He starts to play his flute, and Tinkerbell claps her hands joyfully.
The sound of Peter's playing echoes throughout the Gardens and a couple stop to listen to it. "Do you hear that, Henry?" the woman asks her husband happily. "It sounds so nice, doesn't it?"
"Yes, it does, but where is it coming from?" the man replies. They start walking towards the sound, curious as to who is playing it.
Officer Kilkenny is whistling a tune, whilst patrolling the grounds. He is watching for any juvenile delinquents roaming around the Gardens at this time of night. He is tired and annoyed because no one seems to be causing any trouble. "This is a waste of my time," he grumbles and starts whistling a childhood song. He swings his police club back and forth carelessly as he saunters down the pathway. Suddenly, the haunting music of a flute drowns out Kilkenny's whistling.
"Wha' is that?" he asks aloud. Whoever is playing that must have nothing else to do. "That's disturbin' the peace tha' is." Officer Kilkenny strides off in the direction of the playing, eager to bring the musician to justice.
Peter keeps playing the flute. It soothes him greatly when he is unsure of what to do next. Tinkerbell lounges on the highest branch of the tree, looking at London's skyline. She glances at the grass below her and spots two people walking down the pathway. She sees a uniformed man huffing and puffing to the right of them. They are all coming to the tree! Tink descends to Peter's level and struggles to pull the flute away from him. He stops playing the flute on a high-pitched note and eyes Tink angrily. "Who dares disrupt my playing?" he snaps, and laughs quietly to himself. What could possibly be happening now? Tinkerbell points crazily to the ground and Peter bends down. Three people are making their way to the tree, one of them running. Peter gasps in horror, pushing himself against the rough bark. It scratches his skin, but the boy does not think about the pain. He has to get out of there. He is so scared. Peter latches his flute onto the grass belt he has tied around his waist and starts to climb to the other side of the tree. He pulls himself onto a higher branch and the branch shakes violently. It cannot hold him for long and Peter enfolds the tree trunk in his arms.
He can hear the voices of the people now. They are so close. Peter makes one more attempt to steady himself on the branch before it breaks. Tink rushes to Peter's aid, sure that he would be able to fly on his own – but he does not. The boy falls backward and the impact of the ground knocks the wind out of him. Tink stares terrified as he hits the grass. Peter struggles for air, and tries to sit up. His back is killing him.
"Hey! Your under arrest!" a gruff voice yells. Peter scrambles to his feet, breathing loudly. He wants to get away, fly away! All the fear inside of him explodes and he jogs from the tree. Peter winces at his aching back and finds that he is becoming slower. He hears the heavy footsteps behind him and a large black figure blocks his view. Someone grabs Peter's shoulder harshly and jerks him onto the ground.
"Ow, let go of me! Let go!" he snaps, trying to shrug off the strong grasp. Peter gropes for the knife on his belt. Why he cannot find it is beyond him. The figure drags him to the tree and Peter arches his back. He grits his teeth as a sharp pain shoots up his spine.
"Don't hurt him," Peter hears a woman's voice say and he looks at the couple standing a few feet away from them.
"It's none of you' concern, miss," the man holding Peter brags. "This juvenile delinquent is going to be put in jail immediately." Officer Kilkenny grins smugly and Peter tries to shrug the policeman off. The pressure on his shoulder is too much.
"Excuse me, but I think it is of our concern," a man's voice responds. "A child who was playing a little music should not be condemned to prison." The grip on Peter's shoulder loosens and Peter stands up slowly.
"Oh – I'm terribly sorry. I – I didn't know, honestly," the policeman apologizes and Peter turns around, his hand on the hilt of his knife. The officer looks cowardly and Peter lets out a silent laugh. What could be frightening him so much? "Forgive me, Mr. and Mrs. Eddington." Peter faces the couple that has been standing there for the last fifteen minutes.
The woman who spoke has light brown hair, gathered under a black hat. Her skin is pale, a strong contrast to Peter's. Her eyes are hazel, and they look sad. She has suffered a great loss. A small smile forms on her deep red lips as she looks at him and Peter can see her hand squeeze her husband's. The man standing next to her is tall, dressed in a black suit. His black hair is slicked back and he has a thin moustache. His eyes are green and he observes Peter oddly. Peter stands erect, assuming his confused stare is a challenge.
"What is your name, boy?" the woman asks, and Peter is startled. His name? Surely he could not say his last name. They would want to see him fly then and fight. Peter opens his mouth and tries to find the right words.
"Peter," he blurts and the woman nods.
"Have you a last name, Peter? Where are your parents?" she asks in a motherly tone. Peter eyes her and shakes his head slowly.
"I don't have a last name and I don't have any parents," he explains in a low voice and the policeman behind him sighs heavily.
"All the more reason to put him in jail. Wasn't raised right," Officer Kilkenny interrupts. He goes to grab Peter, but the boy ducks out of his way and unsheathes his dagger. He backs away, ready to fight if necessary. The man in the black suit puts his arm around his wife and she gasps.
"No – no. He doesn't know any better. Henry, please, let us take him home," she responds. Her husband's eyes widen and he manages to speak.
"Absolutely not, Patricia! This is a person we are talking about – not an animal!" Henry refutes. He glances at Peter and he lowers his voice as he continues. "We might as well be talking about an animal. He's holding a weapon – a knife! He looks like he's from the jungle for God's sake! He should be in an orphanage or a hospital! Oh, and if we were to adopt him - what would our neighbors think?"
"I don't care about the neighbors, Henry!" she whispers angrily. "I want to help him. We have been waiting too long." The man sighs and sees the pain etched in his wife's face. He feels pain whenever he thinks about what happened. He cannot forget. He turns to the policeman and shifts from side to side. Patricia is holding his arm tightly.
"We are going to take him to our house, Officer," Mr. Eddington states. Patricia smiles brightly and Officer Kilkenny's mouth drops open.
"Are you sure 'bout tha', Mr. Eddington?" he inquires. The man nods and turns to Peter. He clears his throat and Peter lowers the dagger. Before he can say anything, Mrs. Eddington tells Peter the news.
"Peter, would you like to come with us to our house? We shall be your parents and we will take care of you," Patricia asks benevolently. The boy looks around for Tink, but she is nowhere in sight. If he chooses to go with them, then he will most likely be sent to school and an office. The man will be his father and the woman will be his...mother. Peter always told himself that he did not need a mother. Wendy was his "mother", but he did not see her as that anymore. He knows it was all make-believe. Mrs. Eddington bends in her satin evening dress to see Peter more clearly and he looks at her forlornly.
"You'll be my mother?" Peter questions.
"Yes," she says in a motherly voice and smiles at him. "Will you not come with us?" She holds her hand out to him, just like Peter did to Wendy. He realizes that Wendy must have been nervous, going to another land and all. He feels what she might have felt as he stands in front of the Eddingtons. A breeze passes by him and Peter hears the faint tinkling of bells.
"Tink," Peter mutters underneath his breath and looks at the people surrounding him. They are all waiting for his answer. "I'll come with you," he says. His dirty hand touches the woman's clean one and she flinches slightly.
"We will clean him up and give him more suitable clothing," Mr. Eddington informs Officer Kilkenny.
"I agree, Mr. Eddington," the policeman laughs haughtily. "Clean 'im up good n' send those clothes back to the jungle." Patricia glares at him coldly and he stammers another apology.
"Come now, Peter," she beckons him and Peter goes willingly. He walks in between Mr. Eddington and Mrs. Eddington, out of the Gardens, and in to his new life. This time, he is not going to run away.
Tink is waiting in the tree, watching the commotion underneath her. When Peter follows the couple out of the Gardens, Tinkerbell follows close behind. She wants to know where he is going; she wants to know that he is safe. Peter gets into a carriage, along with the people. Tinkerbell places herself on the top of the stagecoach and holds on for dear life as it speeds off into the night. Pedestrians stop when they see the strange light passing by. The carriage stops in front of a massive house on the outskirts of the city. It is a Victorian style mansion and it reaches way up into the sky. Tinkerbell sees Peter gawking at it too and he hesitates before entering through the door.
The fairy jumps on to Peter's shoulder and tugs on his ear. His eyes fall on hers and she squeaks excitedly. He puts his finger to his lips and Tinkerbell tries her best to pull a leaf over her body. The house is so big that Tinkerbell could easily hide in its many rooms. Peter ascends a winding staircase and enters a large room with an equally large bed. Mrs. Eddington tells him that this is his room and Tink can feel the boy quivering. When he is sure he is alone, Peter tells Tinkerbell that she can come out.
"Tink! You're here! I thought you left! This is a big house and everything is so neat!" he prattles, jumping on the bed. Tinkerbell flies around him, laughing. "I can't believe it! That man could have put me in jail – whatever that is! I was prepared to cut his throat!" His eyes glaze over at the thought of fighting the officer and Tinkerbell nods unhappily. She stands on the end table next to the bed, staring at her reflection in the wood. Peter loses the excitement in his eyes as he realizes where he is and what will happen to him in the future. "I'm scared." Tink glances at her Peter, sitting cross-legged on the floor. She flies down to him and he squints at her dazzling brightness. The fairy kisses his cheek, but Peter cannot feel it. Fairy kisses are so small, that only the fairy knows the true meaning of them.
"It's your job to take care of Neverland now," Peter whispers. "I can't go back...even if I could fly." Tinkerbell nods, unsure of how she is going to take care of such a huge island by herself. She would do anything for Peter, anything at all. She loves him and he will never know that. Peter stretches his hand out and Tink falls in to it. He finds the window, and pulls back the heavy burgundy curtain. A tiny star twinkles in the distance and Peter opens the window wide enough so a fairy could fit through.
"I'm going to miss you, Tink," Peter whimpers and the bedroom door starts to open. "Go...before they find out who I've been talking to. Good- bye!" He tilts his hand so the fairy can fly out quickly. Pixie dust remains on Peter's hand and he wipes it off. The window is closed just before Mrs. Eddington walks in.
"Whom were you talking to?" she asks, glancing around the room.
"Um...nobody..." Peter lies and he grins at the woman. "I was just looking out the window...at the sky."
Tinkerbell hovers outside the window, her face pressed against the glass. She is straining to hear what they are saying in there. A fairy tear rolls down her cheek and her heart aches terribly. She does not want to let go of Peter. She does not want him to grow up and marry that Wendy. Peter cranes his neck toward the window and smiles at Tinkerbell. The last smile he will ever give Tinkerbell. He hurries to the door and disappears out of the room. The curtain falls back into place and Tinkerbell vanishes from the house, knowing that her Peter is in good hands and always will be.
Author's Note: This is the last time Peter will be seen as a boy. I'm excited about updating the coming chapters 'cuz...well you'll just have to find out! Will Peter and Wendy ever meet???