"Growing?" As she asked she noticed that he had indeed changed. His voice
had deepened imperceptibly and he had grown so as to tower over her by
several inches, though she herself had also grown in the passing time.
"How can that be?"
Peter shrugged, though it was clear that he had often mused over the cause, "I think I may be spending too much time here."
"Does that mean...does that mean that you mean not to come?" Wendy asked, slightly shrill.
Peter sighed, "You know that it means a great deal to me to stay as I am. I do not wish to risk growing up."
"And what? Do not our visits also mean a great deal?" Wendy asked.
"I am not saying that I will never come, I will just come less often then I have," Peter replied. "I should not leave Neverland as much as I do anyway. The new Lost Boys need me."
Wendy nodded, though still hurt. Peter had told her of the boys who had been sent to Neverland since her departure. They were still quite young and needed a lot of care. Tiger Lily and her tribe helped with their raising, but they still needed Peter.
"So you understand?" Peter asked.
Wendy studied him, matching this new Peter to the old. He had also grown more mature, before he would have disregarded any feelings that may inhibit his freedom, but now he took care. How had she not noticed the difference before?
"No, but that won't stop you," Wendy resigned.
"Wendy –"Peter sighed.
"Just go," Wendy said tightly.
"I'm sorry – "Peter tried again.
"No, if you were sorry you wouldn't do it. I see exactly where I come on your list," Wendy replied, icily calm.
Peter, realizing that Wendy would not listen, departed from the nursery in the direction John and Michael had gone. Peering through the open doorway she saw him quietly conversing with John, as was usual.
What do they speak of? Wendy wondered, not for the first time. She stood watching them as they showed no signs of ending the conversation. This is taking longer than unsual...
After several suspended moments Peter drew back from his conference, nodded sharply, and flew out the window without a word to Wendy.
"What did he say to you?" Wendy immediately questioned. But as she suspected, John held out his chin stubbornly and refused to say anything. Sighing with exasperation at his stubbornness, Wendy left the nursery and went into her room.
Hours later she could not ignore the thoughts gnawing at her. Things were changing to quickly. Peter, the one constant thing in the universe, was changing, Neverland was changing, she was changing. When she fell asleep or what she dreamed that night, Wendy would never remember. All she did remember was suddenly being jolted awake in shock without apparent cause. She was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, so she assumed she had drifted off and had a terrible nightmare, but what could shake her so she couldn't figure. Wistfully imagining that Peter would come to comfort her, she stared out the window at the refulgent stars for a shadow to pass, but none came. Eventually abandoning hope, she hugged herself tightly and laid back down.
Peter shrugged, though it was clear that he had often mused over the cause, "I think I may be spending too much time here."
"Does that mean...does that mean that you mean not to come?" Wendy asked, slightly shrill.
Peter sighed, "You know that it means a great deal to me to stay as I am. I do not wish to risk growing up."
"And what? Do not our visits also mean a great deal?" Wendy asked.
"I am not saying that I will never come, I will just come less often then I have," Peter replied. "I should not leave Neverland as much as I do anyway. The new Lost Boys need me."
Wendy nodded, though still hurt. Peter had told her of the boys who had been sent to Neverland since her departure. They were still quite young and needed a lot of care. Tiger Lily and her tribe helped with their raising, but they still needed Peter.
"So you understand?" Peter asked.
Wendy studied him, matching this new Peter to the old. He had also grown more mature, before he would have disregarded any feelings that may inhibit his freedom, but now he took care. How had she not noticed the difference before?
"No, but that won't stop you," Wendy resigned.
"Wendy –"Peter sighed.
"Just go," Wendy said tightly.
"I'm sorry – "Peter tried again.
"No, if you were sorry you wouldn't do it. I see exactly where I come on your list," Wendy replied, icily calm.
Peter, realizing that Wendy would not listen, departed from the nursery in the direction John and Michael had gone. Peering through the open doorway she saw him quietly conversing with John, as was usual.
What do they speak of? Wendy wondered, not for the first time. She stood watching them as they showed no signs of ending the conversation. This is taking longer than unsual...
After several suspended moments Peter drew back from his conference, nodded sharply, and flew out the window without a word to Wendy.
"What did he say to you?" Wendy immediately questioned. But as she suspected, John held out his chin stubbornly and refused to say anything. Sighing with exasperation at his stubbornness, Wendy left the nursery and went into her room.
Hours later she could not ignore the thoughts gnawing at her. Things were changing to quickly. Peter, the one constant thing in the universe, was changing, Neverland was changing, she was changing. When she fell asleep or what she dreamed that night, Wendy would never remember. All she did remember was suddenly being jolted awake in shock without apparent cause. She was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, so she assumed she had drifted off and had a terrible nightmare, but what could shake her so she couldn't figure. Wistfully imagining that Peter would come to comfort her, she stared out the window at the refulgent stars for a shadow to pass, but none came. Eventually abandoning hope, she hugged herself tightly and laid back down.