"He killed your mother?" Wendy gasped.
"Not directly," James said bitterly. "When he took my father's hand, he became so bitter he didn't even see us anymore. All he saw was his rage. My mother was so brokenhearted she left him and came here, but she never recovered from her despair."
"That's awful," Wendy patted his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, so am I," he replied coldly.
"But don't you think you're repeating the same pattern?" Wendy persisted.
"Oh, so your going to take his side, I should have guessed as much," he smirked.
"I'm not taking sides here," Wendy retorted. "But it seems like you are allowing yourself to be destroyed by your hatred."
"Next you'll ask why we can't be friends, Peter and I," James rolled his eyes. "Even if either of us wanted to be, we couldn't. The laws of Neverland forbid it."
Wendy sighed, "Then there's really nothing to be done, is there?"
James looked up swiftly, "Nothing to be done about that, but there can still be an us."
"You've already admitted the only reason you pursued me was to hurt Peter," Wendy reminded him.
"That was how it started, true, but now its become something else," James said. "I never thought that two men so different could love the same woman, but it happened. I can't imagine my life without you, and I don't want to."
"But – "Wendy started to reply, but James pressed on, "Wendy, I know that it's asking a terrible lot, but will you come with me to Neverland? I fear I have been absent too long, especially during the reconstructive phase."
"I couldn't do that to my parents again," Wendy replied sadly.
"I wouldn't ask you to leave in the middle of the night without a word of warning," James objected. "We can tell them when they return home that your going back to Neverland and that they'll hear from us every week."
"I'm not sure that I could – "Wendy blushed.
James shook his head, "I'm not asking for anything but your company."
"Alright, let's go home so I can pack properly this time," Wendy nodded and they descended the outer staircase.
What Wendy hadn't known was that a silent figure had been observing them from just inside the ballroom and now sullenly stepped away, shaking its head in dismay.
"Not directly," James said bitterly. "When he took my father's hand, he became so bitter he didn't even see us anymore. All he saw was his rage. My mother was so brokenhearted she left him and came here, but she never recovered from her despair."
"That's awful," Wendy patted his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, so am I," he replied coldly.
"But don't you think you're repeating the same pattern?" Wendy persisted.
"Oh, so your going to take his side, I should have guessed as much," he smirked.
"I'm not taking sides here," Wendy retorted. "But it seems like you are allowing yourself to be destroyed by your hatred."
"Next you'll ask why we can't be friends, Peter and I," James rolled his eyes. "Even if either of us wanted to be, we couldn't. The laws of Neverland forbid it."
Wendy sighed, "Then there's really nothing to be done, is there?"
James looked up swiftly, "Nothing to be done about that, but there can still be an us."
"You've already admitted the only reason you pursued me was to hurt Peter," Wendy reminded him.
"That was how it started, true, but now its become something else," James said. "I never thought that two men so different could love the same woman, but it happened. I can't imagine my life without you, and I don't want to."
"But – "Wendy started to reply, but James pressed on, "Wendy, I know that it's asking a terrible lot, but will you come with me to Neverland? I fear I have been absent too long, especially during the reconstructive phase."
"I couldn't do that to my parents again," Wendy replied sadly.
"I wouldn't ask you to leave in the middle of the night without a word of warning," James objected. "We can tell them when they return home that your going back to Neverland and that they'll hear from us every week."
"I'm not sure that I could – "Wendy blushed.
James shook his head, "I'm not asking for anything but your company."
"Alright, let's go home so I can pack properly this time," Wendy nodded and they descended the outer staircase.
What Wendy hadn't known was that a silent figure had been observing them from just inside the ballroom and now sullenly stepped away, shaking its head in dismay.