"Wendy, what is a 'hamburger'?" asked Peter loudly, leaning over his menu and squinting at the words.
Wendy snatched the menu from him and hissed: "Don't worry about it, I'll order for you."
Peter nodded happily and looked around the diner bemused. He was sandwiched between Wendy and Katherine. Across the table Nathan was glaring at him. Peter smiled openly at Nathan.
"So..." Gale (or Abby?) cleared her throat. "What's it like in Missouri? I've never been there."
Peter took a moment to look playfully thoughtful before answering. "Well, it's wonderful, I'm from there—"
Everyone laughed again.
"—except, sometimes there are pirates, but The Lost Boys are always there to help me out."
Wendy clapped her hand to her forehead and Nathan scowled.
Katherine giggled lightly and touched Peter's arm. "You're so funny. Does everyone in Missouri have a sense of humour like you?" she asked, batting her lashes.
Peter shakes his head, eyes wide. "Oh no, not many people are funny at all. Especially not the pirates."
More laughter followed. Peter beamed around the circle.
Next Katherine tugged at one of Peter's curls. "How 'bout the looks? Does everyone look like you?"
Peter looked confused. Nathan looked angry. Wendy looked embarrassed. Tinkerbell was furious.
She zoomed out of Peter's pocket and yanked Katherine's hair.
Katherine screamed and Donovan yelled. Isabella jumped onto Christopher's lap and Abby and Gale ducked into their collars. Wendy sighed loudly, Nathan glared at Peter some more, and Peter smiled mildly as Tinkerbell circled the diner.
"What...what was that?" asked Katherine cautiously, removing her hands from her eyes.
Later
"Can't you control that damn fairy?" shouted Wendy.
Peter looked annoyingly unconcerned.
"I don't see the problem," he said cheerfully. "Tink's just a little overprotective."
Tinkerbell jingled.
Peter laughed. "Actually, she says everyone else just isn't protective enough."
Wendy screamed loudly into the afternoon and Peter floated around the park, several obvious feet from the ground.
Peter cleared his throat and waited a few seconds. "So...your friends are nice."
Wendy glared at him. "And now they'll never talk to me again, thanks to you!"
"You're welcome," said Peter.
"You're hopeless," said Wendy. "Don't you learn anything about how to be normal in Neverland?"
Peter smiled dully and turned a few in-air cartwheels before answering. "What does 'normal' mean?" he asked.
Wendy threw her hands into the air. "Of course, of course! Your land doesn't even know the word! You're such a...freak!" she cried, distressed.
Peter blinked stupidly. Tinkerbell tugged at Wendy's hair.
"Stop pulling my damn hair!" she exclaimed, snatching her braid from Tinkerbell.
Tinkerbell chattered wildly and hovered beside Peter who was now floating on his stomach in mid-air. People passing whispered into their hands and Peter waved happily at them.
"And how do you do that?" asked Wendy irritably, in regards to his flight.
Peter smiled cheekily. "You'd like to learn then?" And, before Wendy could answer, Peter had grabbed her arm and dragged her upwards towards the clouds.
Wendy screamed, but it got caught in her throat and she choked up laughter.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her cheeks burning from the wind and her eyes watering in exhilaration.
"I've just got to find the spot," called Peter, keeping his hold on her.
Tinkerbell brought up the rear, a scowl on her face.
They landed atop a high office building. Below Wendy could see people swarming the streets and yellow taxis end to end in traffic. Bravely, she leaned over the edge and stared below.
Peter jumped off the building, plummeted a few feet, and rose so he was nose to nose with Wendy.
"How do you do that?" she asked again, more quietly this time.
"Oh, it's simple," said Peter, doing several back flips. "I just think of something happy!"
"Like what?" asked Wendy sceptically. This gave a whole new meaning to 'walking on air'.
"I don't know, I think about Neverland," he rose a few feet. "Or maybe...Princess Tiger-Lily..." he rose even more. Wendy felt slightly taken aback.
"Princess who? Neverland has princesses?" she asked.
Peter shook his head. "Oh no, when I first came I was looking in a window to a store!" his hands formed a flesh-coloured window. "'Adult Entertainment' it read, and on a wallpaper, like in your room, there was a picture of a lady, dressed like an Indian!"
Wendy couldn't help but laugh.
Peter looked shocked. "What's wrong? She was a lovely lady!"
Tinkerbell jingled.
"And Tink says, much nicer looking than you."
Wendy blushed. "Well," she cleared her throat. "Are we going to do this?"
Peter nodded. "Yes, just think of something happy and step off!" he mimicked stepping off the building.
Wendy closed her eyes and thought about strangling Tinkerbell. Her little head turning red as it spun around...
Wendy stepped off. And fell. And screamed. She opened her eyes and saw the passing windows. She wasn't flying, she was falling.
Tinkerbell...Tinkerbell...
It didn't work. The pavement was drawing closer.
Something jerked her upwards. Wendy cried out in relief.
Peter's face swam into view. "Sorry about that," he said lightly, not sounding too sorry. "I always forget about this."
He grabbed a nearby Tinkerbell (who was laughing hysterically at Wendy's plunge) by the wings and shook her so that her glittery dust fell onto Wendy. Then he let go.
Wendy fell again.
"Think something happy!" called Peter.
Wendy squeezed her eyes shut and tried.
End Chapter
I wrote this listening to two different CDs, so if it doesn't flow, that's why. Sorry, it was a bit short!
Shoutouts:
C.M. Higgins—good thing I picked the right genre, that's what I'm bad at, I never pick the proper ones.
The Girls with the Evil ComputerJam!!!—I don't know it they will, I never liked Wendy much for taking Peter. Made me angry. Still, I can't change what's meant to be...
Lizzie Presscott—ah, you have mastered the double-faced comment! Congrats!!!Kasmira36—it should, you're right, but I thought a New York twist would be cool. (I'm not from either place, so it's weird that I'd do that. I have visited London, though)
Calista Angora—wow, don't be so insulting, really. Joking, of course. Thanks for the compliment. As I said, this is one of my better/most satisfactory fics.