Author's Note: This is total fiction of my own creation; it is not written to offend anyone's personal views on religion. I am catholic, so I base my own theories and narrative on those beliefs. I completely understand other faiths have different viewpoints and ways of thinking. And so, with that in mind, this is mine…

My Darling Love

Chapter 67 – The Broken Wing

"The gates of Hell are open night and day; smooth the descent, and easy is the way: but, to return, and view the cheerful skies; in this, the task and mighty labor lies."

-Virgil

Just as Wendy was going to speak again, George got to the front of the line, and the ground underneath where they stood shook. The marble flooring, if that is truly what it was, cracked. Smoke and fire rose up from below and the sounds of steel and iron were heard bending in loud heinous noises painful to the ears. Trumpets sounded and the wind blew through the crowd of souls knocking each over to the ground. "No worries, dearest hearts, that's just the archangels flying overhead readying for battle." A thunderous voice bellowed out from a top the throne before them.

"Battle?" Wendy asked, looking above, "Lucifer and his minions are attacking the gates again, do not worry, child, you are safe. Stand at my side."

Who was Wendy to question God? So she did as she was told, and stepped to His side, actually, only the side of the throne. George stepped forward as he was summoned. The angel called "Jane," for that is what God called her, the same that spoke with Wendy, stood before the throne and opened a ledger of gold.

Wendy finally saw what the cloaked angel looked like. Tall and imposing, with enormous wings layered from neck to waist, protruding out through her heavenly robe, almost as if the cloak she was adorned with was not really a cloak at all. Not a costume or clothing, part of her body, it draped over her face, masking her identity. There was not one part of her true essence or shape exposed to the human eye, except her wings.

Wendy assumed it was God's invisible fingertips turning page after page after page in the ledger, and then when there were no more pages, there was only silence. George waited quite anxious to see his lovely Mary in her glory in front of God on his throne, looking about, expecting to see her run to his awaiting arms. But God it seemed had another agenda. "What do you think, Jane, handsome is he not? You know I crafted him myself. A very handsome mold of man I have never used on an angel. It would be a waste of heart to not make him the same and another also. Yes another, and yes, an archangel also I think…"

Jane, the angel, still holding her place in front of the throne, turned around completely to appraise George. She concurred with God and he spoke, "Very well, let it be then that archangel be created this day in heaven cast in George's likeness. He shall be in Jane's care and under her watchful eyes. What shall you call him, Jane?"

Although it could not be seen from under her hood of white, Jane's face was delighted and her wings flapped in anticipation of the honor. "James, I love the name James … One of my very best friends is named James. Saint James, dearest Lord, You titled him Yourself specifically, the lesser…"

"Named for Saint James the Lesser…he, who is the brother of God. Wise choice, Jane, very wise of you…"

And as God spoke, without question, there he was. James Hook, as Wendy Angelina Darling once knew him, standing completely erect with long dark locks of curls and angelic crystal blue eyes open to heaven for the first time. He was a bit different than Jane, there was no cloak covering him, only a wrap draped in heavenly white over his shoulder and around his waist. Already an adult in form, his mighty wings broadened out, flapping to stretch and show their enormous strength. In his right hand he held a spear, in his left a dagger, and as Jane whispered in his ear, red replaced the blue in his eyes, and without a word he took to his wings was gone. "Hmm … a rebellious one he will be … all there already in his heart."

Jane shrugged her shoulders, seemingly at that moment, not too concerned with James' fate, "He is so very handsome. I'm sure he won't be any trouble at all. I'll watch after him myself, thank you."

"You are his mother, Jane …"

Apparently Jane was not expecting a response, so when God replied, she looked upwards to where he rested above the clouds out of sight. She slowly moved about and faced George and repeated to George God's judgment without taking a breath so quickly Wendy heard not one word of it except, "Therefore, you are to be sent back to earth minus said years before already served."

George swallowed hard on the knot in his throat and wiped sweat from his brow. Before he could speak up, Jane spoke for him, "Do not wonder after your Mary, she is going back as well. As a matter of fact, George, one of her children is standing right over there." Jane pointed to Wendy who waved with a jolly grin to a bewildered George on the verge of tears. For first time since he arrived, he smiled as tears fled his eyes and returned the wave.

"Mine with Mary, please?" he politely asked in a whisper, and Jane, humbled by his adoring gaze at Wendy, looked up to the clouds and the Lord upon his throne. God must have been humbled as well, for Jane looked to George and nodded, "Yes."

"I shall name you Gwendolyn!" he called out to Wendy and she jumped up and down with excitement and anticipation of being born centuries in the future.

"Remember to be patient, George, and you will know your Mary when you see her. Very well, follow me." And just like that, George was gone.

"Wait a minute, where did he go?" Wendy shouted out as another anonymous soul stepped forward before the throne. "Did you not tell him to follow you?"

"It's alright, Wendy, he's getting in another line to be sent back, did you not hear?" Jane replied, walking over to where Wendy was standing. She removed from her cloak two massive books, one was entitled, "The Goods" and the other "The Evils". Jane flipped through page after page of both, and ran her gloved white finger down the pages of each. At each book she finally stopped on a single page, and on each page she stopped at a single point halfway down, the same exact spot in each book.

Another angel took her place with the next soul, and while God read over that person's ledger Jane shouted up to him, "Smith?" There came no reply so she repeated this action and called out, "Deters?" Still there was silence, "Martin? Davis? Jacobs? Luther? Thompson?" Only silence and so Wendy asked, "Are you looking for a last name? My father's last name is Darling."

Jane removed her hood and showed Wendy the face of an angel, very pretty and quite fanciful in fact, especially when giving an agreeable smile. "'Darling' you say. Hmm…" She flipped through the books, finding the name and shouted up, "Darling? Although they are not on the same page or line. Oh no, we can't use Darling, already taken, forget it." Jane shook her head to Wendy, "No good."

Wendy would not hear of it so she shouted as loud as she could up into the clouds, "PICK ANY LAST NAME BUT FISHER! MY MOTHER HATES THE BIGGER FISH!" Jane had already begun rummaging for another surname when God spoke. "Darling." Was all he said from above and Jane slammed her books shut and retorted to a relived Wendy, "Darling it is."

Jane placed her hood back on and took Wendy by the arm, ushering her down a long corridor that appeared out of nowhere, "What does it mean if the name is not on the same page or line? Is that why the name was no good?" she asked as Jane dropped her off to a mass of people moving forwards and backwards in and out a great bright white light.

"Well, you see, Wendy, it's a very complicated procedure to choose the right family for a soul. Each soul has stuff they need to accomplish and lessons that must be learned and it's all about playing a fair game. You have to even out the goods and the evils and the knowns and unknowns or things get all jumbled up the wrong way. Let's just say, the Darlings already have much more evil to work out than blessings coming to them. That is an unpleasantly motley bunch of souls that will not mingle well with the poor George. The knowns and the unknowns aren't going to help that confusion any. It is going to be chaotic down there, well; you're down there now so you know. The one on the almighty throne up there knows in Mary's case, the devil is watching …"

Jane stopped and looked up and then back to where they had just come from. She shouted loudly, "Oh now I get it, good on you! Hide him in plain sight, wise move!" Jane's declaration that the Lord was truly in fact all knowing was appreciated with a bolt of lightening that jetted her in the rear, moving her and Wendy both forward with a giggle.

"That tickled…" Wendy exclaimed. "But why is the devil watching?" Wendy asked baffled by the information.

"You heard the story, Queen Mary was once wicked and being so rotten in her youth, unbeknownst to her, she was actually working for the him-who-shall-not-be-named working down there. And she was a very good at being bad." Jane spoke plainly, pointing below the never-ending fires that burned away in the distance. "But she made her peace with God and did her penance and proved herself worthy of her heavenly rewards. Her sins were forgiven, and she changed sides. God loves her and George so much and is so impressed by their work; He is sending them back to finally be together on Earth. The devil does not like to lose his servants, and let's just say; Mary's new life will not be full of pink roses in full bloom even with George there. For as God will always keep her in the corner of his eye, so will Lucifer. And he will use his evil powers when in play and orchestrate his own revenge using those who are closest to her, George included, but you already know that. Don't worry, there will be a happy ending for eternity, I hope."

Wendy was speechless, so Jane lightened the mood with, "Since you have seen your father and Captain Hook as an angel, do you want to see your mother?" Wendy forgot her question and its importance and she smiled happily nodding her head. Jane pointed and Wendy went running. "Remember dearest heart, she does not know you yet!"

"MOTHER! I MEAN -- MARY! WAIT! PLEASE WAIT!" Wendy was not quick enough even racing at full speed to catch Mary who was standing in another line. "QUEEN MARY! YOUR HIGHNESS! PLEASE! DON'T GO!" Wendy called out only a few steps from her mother.

At that moment, Mary caught sight of something; dare say, someone off in the distance. Wendy ran as fast as her legs could carry her, following behind Mary who was racing with twice as much speed away through the crowds. Mary single handily broke through a legion of angels trying to hold her back. "GEORGE! GEORGE! I LOVE YOU! I'VE BEEN WAITING GEORGE! I LOVE YOU! I'VE BEEN WAITING!" Mary shouted and did not stop pushing and shoving her way to her intended, an archangel readying for battle still holding his spear and dagger.

Wendy was not so lucky. She did not -- at that age in her childhood -- have the love in her heart to carry her to James Hook who awaited Mary with open arms. Wendy was held back by several others and watched in awe as Mary kissed his perfect lips and pledged her undying love to him, actually to George, for that is the name her sentences began and ended with. He dropped his spear and dagger and lifted her up into his arms gazing over her beauty. Just as she held onto him, he did also to her with just as much, if not more, adoration and affection. James could not reply nor correct her, for at the moment, in his current situation of blessed defender of heaven's gate he was unable to speak.

"Cast in George's likeness, Gwendolyn, with the same heart and all the emotions contained within it," Jane whispered from behind.

"Are you telling me, my father, George Darling, was truly my mother's first and only love? And James was cast in his likeness and not the other way around?" Wendy Darling's face was absolutely indescribable at that exact moment.

Jane grinned and held Wendy's hand to her heart, "Oh yes, and that is not even the beginning of the story. Look beyond them and you will see a devil in disguise who will tempt my son to Neverland and his fall from heaven."

Wendy gazed over her mother and James Hook to see Peter Pan, in the body of the adult she knew him as, already watching James and Mary with great interest. He snickered as James, the angel who was to become Captain James Hook later in his lifetime, placed his own kiss upon the lips of Mary, the former queen who was about to be sent back to earth as a wife and mother. In that moment, she broke their embrace and stared deeply into his eyes. "She is looking for something that is not there," Jane told Wendy.

True to Jane's words, Mary stepped away still staring at him. "You are not my George…" Mary said softly.

Mary stepped back further and further away, bumping into angels who harshly pushed and pulled her and farther from James. He attempted to follow after her and was caught by the same archangels who shoved Mary back into the lines of souls going out of heaven to their intended destinations in time. Those angels yanked James from his deepest desire, standing just as tall and powerful as he. They faced him, chest to chest with their spears and daggers, correcting his missteps away from his vocation of blessed defender of the gates, giving silent voice through their eyes, all of which burned red.

God was correct, James Hook was rebellious, and he wanted Mary. James looked beyond into the direction she had been lifted to out of harm's way, and he now stared directly at Wendy, rooted in her spot. His face filled with rage, and he pressed on to her, moving against the relentless crowd of angels that gathered to control him. Horns sounded as the infighting began amongst them, centered on James, who was defiant and unyielding in his quest. It could not be seen, but God on His throne was watching and He shook His head, displeased by the display. He, Himself, almighty in power, gave warning to James that his pursuit of love was futile at best, "Queen Mary does not love you, James, her heart already beats for another evident by her error in the name by which she addressed you."

James did not listen, if anything, God's voice only angered him more. He stepped into the line attempting to hold him back, and thrashed himself about, shrieking, emitting a high pitch noise, which caused Wendy to cover her ears. "What is his saying?" Wendy asked Jane. She could tell by Jane's silence, not to mention, her shifting about on her feet, God's voice and James' subsequent behavior had made Jane nervous of the outcome. God raised his voice again, giving his second warning, "She does not belong to you, James! Mary belongs to another!"

Still, James would not heed the advice of his comrades, or God for that matter. The only other angel present, who seemed to fight with him instead of against him, prodded him on. Oddly, this angel, unlike all others engaging in controlling the conflict of mutiny that was erupting, could speak, and he did, "Come with me, James, and I can give you all your heart desires. I promise I will get you your Queen. You will have her love and adoration, maybe not on earth, but just the same. Her name is Mary, and I swear, one day you will have her all to yourself! It is not that God cannot give her to you, HE WILL NOT GIVE HER TO YOU. Lucifer already has her, James. She has been his servant all along, and that is why God is angry with you. I'm leaving heaven for Lucifer promised me eternal sunshine and happy days away from servitude if I join him in his crusade. Hell is a far better place than this heaven. There is no work, only earthly pleasures that are unceasing. Come with me, right now. Together, we can reign in our own world away from all these foolish rules forever! All you have to do is follow me…"

God heard Peter Pan. He heard the lies and the deceit, "Traitor – go to Lucifer then, Pan. See how much better you will fare as his servant as opposed to mine…" Peter Pan heard and took flight, only to be struck down by an angel who flew overhead, another that been appraising the entire situation below.

"Who was that?" Wendy questioned Jane, for she could not see him in his all-encompassing light that radiated around his being.

"St. Michael the archangel … He who is God-like …" Jane whispered in reply.

Wendy began to pray, although she did not know why, "St. Michael the archangel, defend us in the day of battle, be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil … by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all other evil spirits who prowl through the world …"

Wendy repeated her prayer over and over again, louder each time, almost to the point of shouting at the top of her lungs, when in her sights came into view the shadow of Satan himself, leering at the goings on, right outside the gates of heaven. A horrid creature, frightening, ferocious and evil, terrified the child Wendy was in heaven nearly to the point of insanity. He was not at all like the pictures she had seen of him in storybooks. He was not red with horns, and hoofs for feet, complete tail. He was something far worse. He was a monster, a beast, a desecration of form and shape. The parts of him she risked gazing upon made her shut her eyes tightly. His hands held long, thin fingers with claws that twisted around covered in blood and gore. His face altered and distorted, showing many of his different identities, all of whom Wendy knew, polluted with foul and vile expressions of hatred.

She began crying as he called to her, in a menacing; creepy tone, "Wendy … darling …"

"Don't look at him … don't listen to him … Ignore him …" Jane spoke, quickly disrobing from her white cloak. She removed a sword from its sheath that hung about her waist, and stood in front of Wendy in defense, hissing and shrieking her own words of warning at the devil that Wendy could not understand. Still, in an ominous, haunting voice, taunting the child Wendy hid in, he cried for her.

Lucifer, the true devil, in the flesh, wept like an infant at the gates, changing his entire form once more to that of her own daughter with Captain Hook she left in her parent's care who had died at the hands of Peter Pan years before, her Baby Jane, "Please … Please Mama … let me in … I'm cold, Mama, hold me … help me, Mama, I'm scared … God won't let me into heaven because of you … please, Mama … I miss you and Daddy …"

"Unfair play, Lucifer! Stand down!" Jane commanded interrupting him. She seemed to grow in size, as did her wings, which spread to enormous lengths to shield Wendy. Something pulled at Wendy, something tugging in her heart. She could feel the temptation, the bad in her heart, the want and desire, the sin, all trying at the same time to burst forward and control her being.

Jane, sensing this change in Wendy, shouted harshly, "I SAID STAND DOWN!"

The devil did not listen and continued to pout, "Oh Mama, all I want is to be with you...Why won't you let me in, Mama? Don't you love me anymore … you pray at my headstone in the cemetery all the time … I can hear you praying for me … I'm trapped in my coffin below the ground … It's cold there Mama … It's so dark… I'm so scared … I forgive you, Mama … Now let me in so we can be together … forever …"

Although Wendy could not see it, Lucifer began to scale the gates of heaven. Jane held her sword, and now she removed her dagger, taking a step back against Wendy, securing her completely by covering Wendy inside her wings. So busy were the other angels trying to control James who was attempting to take flight, no one saw the devil's endeavored entrance back into heaven. "You cannot fly, Jane, hiding Wendy like that … Release her and save yourself," Lucifer mocked, sticking his head in between the golden gates that held him back.

Her reply to that proposal was simply, "NEVER."

And so Satan leapt up further and further, scurrying along quickly like a giant insect. He reached the top of the highest peak and looked down below, "Today, you can either save Wendy or your son. You choose, dearest Jane."

Jane opened her arms outward, holding tightly to her sword and dagger, keeping her wings around Wendy who was shaking inside against the soft feathers. "This is why James was insistent you name your daughter after me … and this is why you never forgot your promise to do it," Jane whispered to Wendy, right before she called out, "Do your worst, Lucifer!"

Lucifer smiled victoriously, and then pounced, jumping down at Jane with his claws extended outwards, ready to strike, slash, destroy, murder … God was watching, as He always does, and He was not having any of that. Already angered by the chaos, He did a little commanding of His own.

First He acted by sending forth a lightning bolt that hit Lucifer, and sent him plummeting back to hell. With that taken care of came another. Peter Pan was raised, by God's own hand, and cast down after Lucifer. Third and last was James. As if God lifted him out from the crowd by his wings, James was yanked up into the air away from the others. His third and final warning was one that would haunt Captain Hook for the rest of his existence, "If the heart I have entrusted you with, James, offends thee, dearest, cut it out."

James was dropped and landed before his mother, Jane. "What's going on?" Wendy asked, still hidden. She did not see James rise, nor could she see his face. His look was one of absolute rage, yet, as he gazed at his mother, Jane, that expression clouded in confusion and then resentment.

"Why?" He asked sorrowfully, finding his voice, which in truth and form, should not have been there. "I have no choice in my duties…" Jane replied as he took to his wings and followed after Peter Pan and Lucifer flying over the gates of heaven. Jane stepped forward suddenly, "my son," she whispered releasing Wendy, only to fall back next to her, lowering her head, sword, dagger and wings.

As James reached the highest peaks of the gates, he appeared to have sudden change of heart and tried to return back inside. But all for naught, for he inadvertently clipped his right wing, breaking it. An ominous sign of what was to come later in time. He fell forward, only to be hit with a spear, piercing the same shoulder blade, tossed by St. Michael. The force sent him backwards straight down towards the hellfire. "NO! HE WAS RETURNING TO GOD! PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON HIM GOD! PLEASE!" Wendy shouted.

"Do something!" Wendy demanded of Jane, "He is your son!"

"I cannot do anything, Wendy, he is deserving of his fate..."

"How could you say that? It was not his fault, he was coming back and St. Michael should have allowed him entrance," Wendy pleaded as Jane cried at the painful sight.

She simply replied, "There was no other way."

"But this is only a dream, and when it happened, I mean really happened…I was not here, right?" Wendy reasoned.

"No, you weren't here. It was not you hidden in my wings." Jane still looked outward to the gates, holding the hope in her heart, that somewhere in time, something could have been changed.

"Who then?"

"Your father, the soul of the man who was to be George Darling. Did you not see James looking at you?" Wendy nodded her answer to Jane's inquiry. "He was not looking at you, Wendy, he was looking at your father. And at that time, Lucifer used your mother, Queen Mary, as the temptation…" Jane replied.

"I don't understand…"

Jane turned to Wendy and showed her angelic blue eyes. She took her hands in her own and held them to her chest. "Do not be afraid, now close your eyes." As Wendy did, she heard the voice of Lucifer replayed in the peaceful hush of Queen Mary…

"George please…help me…I love you…I want to be with you forever…I am not allowed into heaven for you loved another on earth…how could you? How could you love another woman more than me … please help me … make it up to me … then we can be together … we can make love as we always wanted to but never could … I have longed to feel your body and your touch … I have waited all this time George, just for you…please say you still want me George …please say you still love me… touch me … please … please George … prove that you love me … kill the archangel … kill him, George, he who was created in your likeness … kill him before he kills you … kill him so we can be together … If you don't, he is who I will love for eternity … kill the archangel …"

Wendy opened her eyes with Jane before her. "You protected my father as you did me?" Jane nodded, "and it cost me my son. You see, my heart; it was not your mother James was after in his anger. It was your father, for he saw all that Mary held within her heart and soul belonging to him on earth. As long as George's soul was alive, Mary would always belong to him, and James would never be anything more than he was … unreal to her."

"What of Lucifer? Why would he want my father to fight James? I don't understand. What would that have done?" Wendy asked, crying hysterically.

"As James fell he begged for compassion and forgiveness. It was granted, for God is loving and merciful. But James was to be punished for sins, for the desire to love and exist in reality as man does. God, as an example, cast him from heaven. You see, Wendy, the infighting continues…" Jane extended her long gloved arm outwards towards the point James was lifted from. The angels still fought with one another. "He started a civil war among us, taking our attentions away from the demons at the gates. He might have cost us everything with his envy of man. But that will end … now …"

As she said "now" a brilliant light flashed in front of Wendy and Jane, there was no sound or movements, only silence and darkness.

"James serves his penance in Neverland, set against his fate, and his foe Peter Pan, at least until you showed up," Jane replied, looking below to the never-ending fires that still burned below. "God is not the only one with foresight. And Lucifer was already aware that there would be no happily ever after for anyone involved, Wendy, if George Darling and Captain Hook were never created. And the devil does not like happy endings."