All Angela could think about the next day at school was the puzzling shadow in the window. She tried explaining to her friends, but they just wouldn't believe her. Angela had many companions who she called her friends.

"But it's true! You heard my mother's stories."

"Stories of Peter Pan?" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Angela, you know Peter Pan doesn't exist." Kailey laughed.

"Besides, boys can't fly! If they could, I'd be far away from here!" Victoria said dreamily.

All threw out the warm, sunny day, Angela felt humiliated. Everyone was giving her looks. And Artemis choked on laughter every time she saw her.

Again that night her eyes gazed out the frosted window, searching the skies for proof. None was there. James screeched for her to turn off the light, so she sighed and went to her bed, still disturbed about the night before.

But there it was again, the shadow in the window. Although the lights were off inside, the light of the street lamps reflected outside the window. Angela was too frightened to say or do anything. The boy pressed his hands on the glass and turned his head left and right as if he was looking for something. Angela slowly got out of her bed and walked over to the window. When she opened it, the boy flew back about 20 feet.

"Don't go!" She leaned out and this time saw the boy who once looked like only a dark figure. His blond hair was curled, and he was dressed in green leaves and toad skin. He hesitated before he spoke.

"Where is Wendy?"

"What?" She sounded more shocked then she was frightened.

"Where is Wendy?" He asked this time more firm.

"Wendy is not here." She spoke as if Wendy was out for a short walk.

"Where is she?'

"I don't know."

"When will she come back?"

"I," she gave a great pause. "I don't know."

"Oh… Good night then, milady." He said as he turned around.

"Why are you looking for her?"

"I always visit. How long has she been gone?"

"Years, I suppose." It was then that Angela realized she was talking to a flying boy. "How can you fly?" He just shrugged. "Why are you here?"

"Looking for Wendy."

"Why?"

"I miss her."

Angela jumped a little in surprise. "You! You are…" She could not finish.

"I am Peter Pan. Friend and guardian of the Neverlands. Who are you?"

"Angela Marie Rose Darling." She said with pride. Peter looked down slightly as if he were upset. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I am a very happy boy who has nothing to be upset about." Angela giggled at this.

"Are you sure you don't know where she is?"

"I'm afraid she isn't coming back."

"I don't understand. Where is she?"

"I don't know. She left many years ago. She is my grandmother. Sort of."

"Did she want to go?"

"I don't think so."

"Why?"

"Because she was old."

"She is dead?"

"Yes."

"But..." Peter looked down as tears formed in his eyes. Angela didn't quite know how to respond.

"I'm sorry. But everyone dies sometime."

"I don't! I won't ever grow up and die! Never!" At this, James awoke startled and ran to the window.

"You leave her alone! Back off!" He said pulling Angela back. Peter laughed.

"It's ok. This is Peter. He was looking for Wendy."

"Wendy? Are you… Peter Pan?"

"Yes, he is, James."

"I'm sorry to have bothered you. Goodnight." He said turning around.

"Don't go!" Angela shouted

"Yes! Go!" James encouraged him.

"I will go." As his last words, he turned once more and flew high up into the

sky as far as the eye could see and further.

"Hmm." Angela said with no feeling at all.

"Where does he live?"

"Neverland, of course."

"I must be dreaming." James said as he slumped back to bed. Angela thought nothing of the event and also went back to bed peacefully.

The next morning, their father never came to wake them. Confused, Angela woke about two hours after school was supposed to begin. She looked at the snoring monster whom she called her brother and left the room to find her parents.

It turns out it was snowing very hard all the night before. School had been cancelled because everyone was snowed in. Angela and James were left upstairs watching television all day.

At midday, the children were getting tired of doing nothing. They could not go out because the snow was covering the door. Angela thought of something to say.

"Do you think he'll come back?"

"Who?"

"James, you know!"

"No really. Who?"

"Peter!"

"Huh?"

"Peter Pan!"

"What?"

"He was here last night! Don't you remember?"

"N… no." He stuttered trying to remember it as a dream.

"Fine." She said, again staring at the television.

"Alright, so I do remember," Angela faced him with interest. "But I don't trust him." Angela rolled her eyes and quickly dropped the subject.

Because of the horrid weather, Angela decided to dress for the occasion. She slipped on her new jean short shorts and a red tank top. Of course, James thought this preposterous.

All Angela could do was read until night. She had fallen asleep on top of the covers on her bed with her book in hand. James was downstairs helping mother make dinner and father was out trying to shovel snow from the door.

As Angela lay soundly sleeping, a delicate knock on the window announced the third visit of the strange Peter Pan. Angela woke up with a small shake and looked at the boy in the window. But this time, a small figure of light was floating next to him. Angela woke up dizzily and she walked to the window once more and opened it. She should have treasured that moment dearly, because that would be the very last time she would open the nursery window which she so often looked out at the sky.

"Should you not be in your night cloths?"

"I suppose I should be." She looked even closer at the glowing light. It resembled a miniature human with wings and a short, sleeveless dress on. "Is that a fairy?"

"Are you surprised?"

"Yes! I've never seen one before!"

"Hmm. Is that boy here?"

"Who? Oh, my brother. James. Don't worry about him, he's harmless."

"Hmm."

"What are you doing here? Not searching for Wendy, I hope."

"No. I just came to ask you something."

"Well… what is it that you want to ask?" She said as Peter stepped inside the room to observe. He began to look around.

"Ha! It looks the same."

"What looks the same as what?"

"This room," he said passionately as he turned to her. His face was nearly touching hers. She stepped back three steps. "This room looks the same as it did when I was last here. So Laura-"

"Angela."

"Angela. You live here?

"Was I not asleep in this very room?" Peter Smiled.

"Oh! I nearly forgot. What was it that you wanted to ask me?" Peter did not answer, but the small Fairy began to whisper in his ear. First, Peter made a confused face, then, a happy face, then an upset face. There were many more, but Angela was getting tired of the fairy whispering in his ear. "What is she saying?" she crossed her arms and waited for an answer.

"She says I shouldn't take you."

"Take me where?"

"Imagine a world like you've never seen. A world where every day is an adventure. A world where you'll never have to grow up, or grow old. Come with me. All you have to do, is leave home behind, but you can never come back. Never." Angela was entranced by his words, exited, but disappointed. She wanted more than anything to go, but was afraid to leave her family and friends. He waited patiently for an answer as he looked her in the eye.

"Never?"

"Never."

"Why?"

"You will find out."

"Can I bring a few of my friends?"

"How many?"

"Well, hmm." She said as she started to count in her head. "Five."

"Are they all girls?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Do they live near here?"

"Fairly."

Peter had a slight worry in his eye as he hesitated. "All right then. But we must leave now."

Angela smiled and began toward the window. But she stopped and looked down. "I can never come back?"

Peter sighed and rolled his eyes. "You won't want to leave. I promise."

"But my mother and father and my brother might forget me."

"No they won't. No one could forget you. You can visit them whenever you want."

"I thought I could never come back."

"You know what I mean." He said as he stood by the window with his hand reached out. Angela quickly ran over and picked up her book. She held it in her hand and took his with the other.

"I can't fly."

"Oh, of course you can't!" He said, hitting his head with his hand. "How dare I forget. Tink!"

"Tink?" the small Fairy flew over and glared at Peter with her arms crossed.

"Tinker bell…" He said in a firm, angry voice. She stared at him for a few seconds, and then she turned around and shook out some sparkly dust into his hand. He blew the dust to Angela and she slowly floated off the ground. Peter laughed at her smile and flew up to her, took her hand, and led her out the window. Angela didn't think to shut it, but immediately thought of whom to pick up first.