Images of Broken Souls

Chapter Six: Which Should Go On? Life Or The Show

6/18

Please R&R

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There's nothing for me here

I'm starting to get old

- The Happy Ending, Phantom Planet -

There a few things that should be cleared up, and one of them is about to be.

When the subject of aging is brought up in the same context as Peter Pan and Neverland a lot of people forget what the story says. To quote J.M. Barrie; All children, except one, grow up. That is what he accurately said, not that all children grow up, except the ones in Neverland. The one that doesn't age is, obviously, Peter Pan. The Lost Boys grow up, just like the braves, pirates, fairies, and everyone else on the island. Neverland hasn't a thing to do with Peter's lack of change.

The Lost Boys age at a different rate than anyone else in Neverland. They age at the same rate as us in the 'real' world. They used to grow at the same speed as those born on the island, but since Wendy influencing some Lost Boys to go home it was altered. This was because the occasional Lost Boy did decide to return to our world, and this would allow him to be the age he looked. It was decided that this was a good thing, regardless of the fact that the boys rarely found out who they'd been before.

As Nicole waited for Walker to return she secretly admired the bracelet Peter had given her. It was made of a pale silvery metal designed to look like miniature hyacinths, a favored flower of the fairies, and studded with the occasional tiny gem. She didn't wish to admire it in the open because Mandy would tease, Peter would prove to be a braggart, and any other would worry about the consequences. Truth is that she cared for it because it was pretty, nothing more. She held no feelings that would cause consequence, because she thought that Pan caring for her was delusional. No matter how much that thought hurt.

Startled by a noise, Nicole turned to see Walker a short way over in the trees. He was named Walker for a reason. As you've probably noticed he tends to wander away in order to think. "You scared me for a minute," she called out.

As he walked over he replied, "Just about anything can cause a scare in Neverland at night. What are you still doing up, Mo- Nicole?"

"When did you start calling me that?"

"Just now, actually. Do you prefer if I call you Nicole, or Mother?"

Nicole shrugged, and gestured for him to sit down. "Neither way bothers me. Walker, what's going on? And don't you try and tell me nothing. The island's tension is always visible in the night air, and it's more than normal."

After much thought he answered: "The pirates are coming back this week." While not even close to the complete problem, it was the truth. Nicole studied him for awhile before deciding that she wouldn't be able to get him to tell her any more than what he had. She'd known him since she was six, and knew he'd never let go of information he didn't want you to know. It made him great to tell secrets to, but in times like this it was just annoying.

Deciding to go on to a different issue that had been troubling her, she broke the silence. "Okay… I don't want to offend you or anything, but I've got to ask: Why are you still here?" He was one of the people she'd built the least expectation to see on the trip over from Detroit. Of the three older Lost Boys she knew, he'd been second on her list of the order they'd leave in. Yet, Shon and Ting were no longer there and he was.

"It doesn't bother me. I have actually been planning on leaving. But when Peter said he was off to find Mother I decided to wait and see if he brought you back, or a different girl. Since it is you I'm going to wait until you leave."

"You don't have to wait because me."

Walker's face darkened. "I think it would be best if I did. I'm not leaving until I know you're out of here."

Sensing again that they had stumbled onto things Walker wouldn't tell her about, Nicole resolved to see if she could get the information elsewhere. John and Tiger Lily would probably see the benefit of telling her, instead of having Nicole find out whenever whatever the problem was decided to come out of the dark.

"Honestly, I'd figured I'd be more likely to see Ting than you. When'd he leave?"

A painful, and bloody, memory flashed through Walker's eyes, but Nicole wasn't looking at him during the split second it showed. "About two years ago."

"Really? Huh, oh well. The past few days have been full of surprises. I'm starting to wonder if it would be better not to think. Then you would be prepared for anything. As it is I keep thinking something would be true, and being proven wrong."

"I know what you mean. But I guess I've gotten used to it. I mean, for example, I did stay, regardless of thinking Pan wouldn't be bringing you."

Nicole turned to face Walker, with a very serious look on your face. "You called him Pan. And don't you even think I'm going to believe that you just started, or that it was an accident."

"Don't you think of him that way? I can't believe you would noticed the name change if you didn't do it too." Seeing her shoulders slump, accompanied with a tired look, he continued. "I think it's part of growing up. We start seeing more than Peter's cheer."

"We start seeing his anger, and possessiveness. Shon was the first to notice it, remember? I still have a hard time believing Ting left first, out of you three. It seemed so obvious to me that Shon would. Then again I was nine, maybe I missed something."

"No, he was the first to notice. It makes sense for you to think he'd be the first to leave, as well." Seeing her interest peak, and knowing that, while vague, he could truthfully explain he continued, "He started to react to what he saw until Ting couldn't take the tension anymore. He… never mind."

"No, please keep going. I want to know."

"I'm not sure you'd like Shon anymore if you somehow met him again."

Nicole answered with a soft smile as she remembered the boy. "I doubt I could ever dislike Shon." Returning to the present, "But you've decided to grow up. Any idea what you'll want to do with your life?"

"Not really. I mean, what is there out 'there'? I don't have the slightest clue."
"There are a zillion things someone could do, probably more. Some I couldn't even imagine you doing, and others the idea of you doing it is easy to come up with. For example I doubt you'd work very well in a cramped little office. But it's easy to imagine you traveling, and writing about your experiences in the various areas you visited." The two continued talking about the wonders of growing up for a short while before deciding to get some sleep.