Chapter 9: A Stolen Kiss

Six months later Wendy stood at the front door, dressed in a gown of light blue, held up by thin star-speckled silver straps, ultimately bringing out her eyes magnificently.

She was to be attending her first social gathering with her parents and family tonight. They were to see what she had become in the time she had been with Aunt Millicent. Her aunt was only anticipating the fact that this was all her fine work. She had, "tamed the wild animal."

Wendy was feeling a little nervous. She didn't know what to expect. Would she please her parents? Would her father accept her as his daughter once more? Speaking of which, this would be the first time that she would see him and her family for the first time since leaving the Darling house.

She held her hand to her stomach, trying to breathe as she felt her corset digging into her stomach. She had lost a lot of weight in order to look her best for this night. Not that she needed to. But it was first impressions that made you who you'd be in five years time, she remembered her aunt's words clearly.

Just breathe Wendy.

She glanced into the full-length mirror, hanging in the foyer next to her. There stood, young miss Wendy, tall and elegant. Graceful, beautiful, intelligent and all grown up.

Maybe growing up wasn't such a bad thing. Maybe it was something I could get used to. Maybe…

She reached up to pull a tiny strand of hair out of her face. But after a few moments, she pulled it back down and smiled cheekily. Maybe not too grown up.

Her blondish hair was done up into a loose bun on top of her head, with little tresses of hair hanging loosely from it, shining like gold.

Around her neck sat a gold necklace her aunt had given her. She frowned and pulled her hands behind her neck, removing the piece of jewellery from her body. No amount of riches or style could ever replace the one thing that she longed for most.

"Wendy are you ready?" called her aunt as she elegantly ran down the bottom hallway towards her, looking quite stressed mind you.

"Yes aunt, almost for an hour now." She replied giggling at her aunt's worried look.

It was just a simple gathering of her family, what was there to be worried about?

"Oh Wendy, you should make sure you are perfect tonight. Remember everything we went over in the last two weeks? Don't rest your elbows on the dinner table, don't chew fast, no staring, no…" she trailed off as Wendy cut her off.

"Aunt Millicent calm down. It's only family after all." Wendy said smiling reassuringly, patting her aunt's hand.

Her aunt gave her a rather strange, discomforting look before nodding and instructing Wendy to follow her outside to the carriage. Yes a carriage. They had to arrive in style after all.

Wendy was about to leave when she heard the stairs creak behind her. She turned around swiftly, her gown swishing around her feet gracefully.

There stood Slightly with eyes of bewilderment. Wendy had not spoken to Slightly very much, since the night she had told Peter that she never wanted him to come back. She had a feeling that Slightly was Peter's source of information. Peter wasn't very well skilled in hiding the truth most of the time.

She had questioned Slightly as well that night. He had denied everything. But she knew he was lying.

Now here he stood, looking at her as if she was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen.

"Wendy…" he trailed off looking at her in her gown, looking like a real lady.

"Yes Slightly…what is it?" she questioned as she raised an eyebrow from under the lock of gold hair hanging in her face.

"You…you look like an angel." He whispered in awe. Eyes wide and mouth in an 'O' like shape.

This statement shocked Wendy. She looked away and said, "You've never seen an angel Slightly have you? So how would you know what one looks like?"

He gazed at her, still in awe and whispered, "Why do I have to find a real angel when there's one in the foyer with me right now?"

Wendy seemed quite flattered by his words but frowned when she realised that she didn't have time for childish nonsense.

"Slightly it's just a dress and some make up. Go find something better to do with your time." Wendy said brushing him off, as she headed outside towards the carriage, her gown trailing out behind her across the snow-covered footpath.

She felt somewhat horrible for what she had just said to Slightly, but it was true. She didn't have time for his games anymore. She had to focus on making a good impression tonight. All the studying, lessons, everything that had happened at Aunt Millicent's in the past six months had all led up to this night. She couldn't afford to ruin anything. Otherwise everything would have been a waste of time.

Wendy slid into the back seat of the carriage, with the help of the coachman, as he picked the end of her gown up off the ground and carefully laid it at her feet on the carriage floor. Her aunt sat in front of her, admiring her fine work.

Wendy smiled and her aunt smiled back and placed her hand on Wendy's, "Wendy this is it, tonight you show the woman you've become, to everyone. Tonight will be your future."

Wendy felt pretty happy about this, but a nagging feeling inside was making her feel scared and a touch confused. Was this really it? If I stuffed up anything tonight would my life be ruined?

She removed the thought from her mind and pictured seeing the looks upon her family's faces when she saw them. She wanted to please them so much. She wanted to tell them that she had done what they wanted and grown up. She wanted to hug them and say she loved them, and would never disappoint them again.

The carriage left the house with a jolt and Wendy looked out of the window at the stars. Goodbye childhood dreams. Goodbye stories and games. Goodbye…everything else.

Wendy turned away from the window and stared down at her hands and twiddled them nervously. Please help me tonight. Whoever hears this; please make sure I please my parents. I want them to look at me as if I was their daughter once more.

These thoughts and worries ran through Wendy's mind for the remainder of the ride, as she stared down at her lap with a furrowed brow.

"Wendy we're here." Aunt Millicent whispered.

Wendy looked up from her thoughts and said, "Hmm…"

"We're here my child. I'll leave the carriage first." She said as the coachman helped her out with his hand.

Wendy sat in the carriage, staring at the large rented out ballroom outside. She was nervous. So nervous that she didn't think she could go through with it.

"Miss are you all right?" questioned the coachman as he waited for her to step out of the carriage.

She stared at him for a few seconds as if she was considering saying, no I'm not. I don't want to go in there.

But she simply smiled and breathed, "Of course I am." And took his hand as she was helped to land onto the pathway.

Her tiny shoes touched the ground and she felt a cold shiver shoot up her spine as a tiny piece of snow flung up onto the top of her foot.

She looked up to see aunt Millicent anxiously awaiting her to hurry up.

Wendy decided not to run however, because one: it wasn't lady like. Two: she could possibly fall and break her neck.

So she hurried along as best she could, steering clear of the two hazards mentioned above.

Wendy was now metres from the building and as she saw a butler open the door for both her and Aunt Millicent, she felt a wave of panic wash over her. This was really it. No going back. This was the beginning of her life as a woman.

As Wendy entered the room it was dead quiet as faces turned to gaze upon her radiant beauty. A few gasps from the sides of the room made her feel even more uneasy. Why are all these people looking at me? I'm just dressed up nicely that's all. But after a few minutes of briefly looking around at the people, she realised that she knew hardly any of them at all. What was going on? Her aunt had told her it was only family. Not people from all over the countryside.

She turned to give her aunt a questioning look, and her aunt only stared back with the same strange, discomforting look that she had given her back in the foyer. However, now was not the time to make a scene. She was to find her family and prove herself to them once and for all.

She looked around as the orchestra in the background began to start up and people began to sip from their wine glasses once more. Suddenly someone was tugging on the back of her gown. She turned around to see who it was. There looking up at her was the blue-eyed boy she had told bedtime stories to, a long time ago. Little Michael, looking at her in both happiness and shock.

She smiled happily and bent down to hug him affectionately.

"Michael, I missed you so much." She said with pure joy, her eyes shut tight.

He held onto her tightly and whispered, "I'm sorry Wendy."

Wendy opened her eyes confused and pulled away to look at him with concern. Now that she took more notice of him, he wasn't that young anymore, but his eyes were weeping tears like a child.

"Michael what do you mean?" she whispered as she wiped away his tears gently, with her right thumb.

"I was mean to you before you left. I made the others laugh at you when you ruined your breakfast." He said as if he'd been thinking of that day ever since she left.

Wendy felt tears come into her eyes as she said quietly, "Michael, that was a long time ago. I hope you didn't worry yourself over it the whole time I was gone." She said hoping that he would be okay.

"It doesn't matter if it was a long time ago or not, it still happened and that's all that matters." He said as he ran away into the crowd.

Wendy kneeled on the ground for a little longer, until her aunt rushed over commanding her to stand up before anyone saw her.

She rolled her eyes and stood up straightening out the wrinkles in her gown.

"Now go meet your parents, they're waiting for you over near the buffet stand." She instructed as she pointed towards the far, left hand corner of the room.

"And when you're done there, I have something to show you out in the courtyard." She said smiling happily as she flounced off towards the courtyard.

Wendy didn't know what had made her so happy, so she shrugged her shoulders lightly and refixed her gaze upon the buffet area.

Okay…here I go.

Wendy slowly made her way past several people who all took at least a minute to gaze upon her, as if she was what Slightly had called her, an angel.

Wendy cast her eyelids downwards politely and looked up only to make sure that she was headed in the right direction.

Five minutes later she had arrived at the buffet and was searching every face for her parents, until finally, she saw them talking to another couple seriously. Wendy gathered every ounce of confidence that she could muster and walked towards them as if in a dream. She hadn't seen them in so long that she felt that all this wasn't even real.

As she got closer she noticed that her father was laughing at something, but as soon as he caught a glance of Wendy out of the corner of his eye, he stopped.

She too stopped in her tracks and waited for his reaction or for him to say something.

He didn't say a word; he did however excuse himself and walk off into the crowd leaving her mother alone. Wendy's mother frowned after Wendy's father but turned back to Wendy with ecstasy.

She ran over to Wendy and embraced her warmly, which made Wendy feel at home and loved. She hugged back and heard her mother sob quietly.

Wendy pulled away, "Mother what's wrong?"

Her mother wiped away her tears and smiled, "Nothing is wrong, its just…I'm so glad to see you again. I love you so much."

Wendy didn't know what to say. She loved her mother, but she had sent her away to her aunt's for six months…away from her family.

Wendy looked away and stared into the crowd, "Where did father go?" she whispered.

Her mother's eyes showed uncertainty and she quickly blurted out, "He'll be back soon. Come with me. I have someone I'd like you to meet." She said as she motioned for Wendy to follow her lead.

Wendy obeyed and looked down saddened, because she knew that her father had seen her, he had just not wanted to talk to her.

Wendy stopped at her mother's side to see the couple her mother and father were talking to only moments ago, were looking down at her in awe.

What was happening tonight?

"James and Amelia, I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Wendy Moira Angela Darling." Her mother said smiling with happiness as she gestured towards Wendy affectionately.

The lady named Amelia smiled widely at Wendy and said, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you at last."

Wendy gave her a look of confusion.

At last? She didn't even know who these people were.

"Yes you are most certainly a very beautiful woman indeed." Complemented the man named James as he sipped from his wine glass.

Wendy looked at her mother as if looking for an explanation, but got distracted when her father came back towards them. She became nervous and looked away until he arrived by her side.

"Ah I see you've met my daughter then." Her father said proudly.

Wendy gazed up at her father quite shocked. He seemed somewhat pleased to show her off to these people, but he didn't have the nerve to even talk with her yet.

They nodded with large smiles upon their faces and began to talk once more.

Wendy was beginning to wonder why her parents seemed so eager for her to meet these people. She had never met them before. Why were they so pleased to meet her?

"She has the most beautiful eyes." Marvelled the woman, staring back at Wendy as she spoke with Wendy's mother.

Her mother nodded in agreement.

"And those lips, so scarlet and lush. The hair is like gold." The woman sighed, discussing Wendy as if she was a piece of art.

Wendy smiled back and excused herself from their presence, as she headed outside towards the courtyard. Her aunt had wanted her to meet her there for something. So it was the perfect excuse to escape from their watchful eyes.

A few minutes later Wendy ran outside to see her aunt talking to someone in a quiet manner. She couldn't quite see the persons face because they were facing away from her. But from what she saw from the back, she knew instantly that it was a young man, most likely no older then herself.

She became curious and crept quietly towards the rose garden her aunt and the man were standing in. She ducked out of her aunt's view and peeked her eyes over the hedge in front of her.

She could hear them now. Her aunt was talking about what kind of house was appropriate for a young couple. Wendy thought how strange this was, considering that she was supposed to be meeting her aunt here for something at this exact moment. She didn't want to interrupt, it would be rude.

So she began to creep away, only to get her gown caught on the hedge behind her, causing her to fall over onto the lawn below, letting out a cry. Seconds later she was being helped up by someone. It wasn't her aunt, it was the young man.

"Miss are you alright?" he asked concerned as he helped her up, with his hands gently holding onto hers.

She looked up to see her rescuer. As she did, she looked into the most beautiful blue eyes she'd ever seen, reminding her of something she missed a lot.

She tried to say something but could only stutter, "I…I…think I am."

She was now standing in front of the man, looking into his caring eyes. But before the moment got any further, aunt Millicent interrupted.

"Wendy what are you doing? Look at your dress." She cried bending down, squinting at a miniscule dot on the end of it.

Wendy looked down and said, "It's nothing aunt. No one will notice."

The man seemed quite amazed by Wendy's down to earth answer. Most girls would have been crying or rushing to the nearest bathroom, scrubbing at the invisible mark furiously. Not Wendy.

Her aunt stood up once more and still seemed upset, but moved on with what was more important at that moment.

"Well I see you two have met now. Wendy this is James Matthew Barrie the second." Aunt Millicent said waving her hands towards him.

Wendy gave him a short smile, but wondered why it was so important that her aunt introduced her to him.

"James, this is Wendy Moira Angela Darling, my niece. Daughter to George and Mary Darling as you already know, as you've met them quite a few times already." Her aunt said, with a glimmer of happiness shining in her blue eyes.

He smiled and reached out a hand, which Wendy accepted; as he bowed his head down to kiss it courteously.

Once the introduction to each other was over, her aunt left them together, sneaking away quietly.

Wendy was quite confused by this point but decided to put her lessons from the last six months into practice.

She waited for him to speak first, which was the polite thing to do.

"I don't believe we've met before tonight." He said giving her a small smile, as he noticed that she was looking quite bewildered.

She looked up and said, "No I don't believe we have."

She found this whole situation rather awkward, so she excused herself politely and headed back inside, beginning to think that her aunt had set her up.

He looked after her sadly, thinking that she wanted to get away from him, because he wasn't the kind of person she was interested in being courted by.

Wendy arrived back inside scanning the room for her aunt and when she laid her eyes on her, talking to a group of more people she didn't yet know, she walked quickly over to her, holding up her dress, so as not to trip on it.

Her aunt saw her coming and let an expression of disappointment cross her face. Her aunt was about to say something but Wendy was too quick.

"Aunt Millicent I need to talk with you." Wendy fumed through clenched teeth, giving the other people a smile before frowning at her aunt again.

Her aunt nodded, not wanting Wendy to make a scene. So she followed Wendy over to a corner of the room.

That was when Wendy let everything boiling up inside of her explode, but quietly.

"Aunt I know what you're trying to do with me and that boy. And it most certainly will not work." Wendy said folding her arms angrily.

"Wendy I am simply showing you the way things will be from now on. You have to get used to meeting new young men and starting up a new life." She said calmly.

"I'm only fifteen and a half. He is no older himself aunt. What exactly are you thinking?" Wendy said glaring at her aunt in disbelief.

Aunt Millicent simply rested her hand on Wendy's shoulder and explained, "I'm doing what is best for you. Fifteen is not that young at all. I myself was married at fourteen, your mother was married around the same age as well."

"But aunt, this isn't like when you were my age, times change." Wendy said calming down, but was still angry with her aunt.

'Wendy in this family in this world, things will never change. Only if it's for the best. And getting married now is for the best. So nothing will be changed" She assured Wendy.

Wendy couldn't listen to anymore of her aunt's words. It was too much for her. So she left her aunt standing there quite alone and walked back into the courtyard, crying tears of misery. She didn't want to marry now. She wanted to live a young life for a few more years before being forced into marriage.

She had forgotten that James was still outside and walked over to the snow-covered rose garden, head in hands, letting the warm tears drip slowly into the snow.

Suddenly a hand appeared on her left shoulder, startling her. She spun around coming face to face with James again.

He held up a clean handkerchief, which she accepted gratefully, dabbing at the corners of her eyes.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments until James spoke up.

"You know you are very beautiful." He stated quietly.

Wendy bowed her head shyly and smiled. Her tears had ceased and she was now feeling a little better.

Suddenly as she looked up she saw those blue eyes again and was instantly hypnotized. She felt her worries seem to leave her for a moment and suddenly his hand stroked her cheeks affectionately, causing her to close her eyes in peace. Then she felt two warm lips descend onto hers. There they stood in the middle of the snow- covered rose garden kissing away into the night.

A/N: Okay, most of you may be so angry with me for making Wendy kiss this guy. Hey I'm angry myself. But everything will turn out for the best trust me. The next chapter is typed up as well. I'll post it soon after this one. Don't hate me for this please. Okay, now hurry up and flame me.

P.S. I hope that this chapter is long enough for the people who said that my others were too short.

Yunie Tidus