Peter paced restlessly in his hut, glaring at anything he could. It had been years, (or so he guessed, having never grown up, Time had seemed to leave him) since the Lost Boys had left him to Grow Up and get a Mother. Thinking of Mothers only made his mood worse, and he kicked a rock to the other side of the hut at the thought of Wendy. She had left him, too, and what's worse! She had broken her promise and never come back every year for Spring Cleaning. He had no more Tinkerbell; children now had lost even more of their belief, and some heartless child had said the horrible words which had finally made her disappear. (since everybody seemed too busy to hear the plea for claps)

In a terribly foul tantrum mood now, Peter flew out of the hut and to top of the highest tree in Neverland. Settling down in one of the firmest branches, he stared at the mountains with tears in his eyes, the far off cries of seagulls no help in consoling him now. It wasn't fair! They should have cared more about him than to leave him! He was the one that helped them after all! They owed it to him!

Sniffing a little, he crossed his arms over his stomach and squeezed. It wasn't for a boy to cry, that was girly stuff, and even though there was nobody else on the island besides the indians and the pirates now it didn't matter, he wouldn't cry. The indians wouldn't care; they were off stalking one of the wild chickens on the island, and the pirates were in their cove planning the next search for buried treasure.

Hearing someone shuffling in the bushes below, Peter leapt up and flew to one of the better hidden branches, peering down. Nobody was supposed to be by this tree today. And then he saw them- or, rather, he saw she. A girl. What was a girl doing here in Neverland? And one he hadn't brought in, either! Of course, since the Wendy event he wouldn't dare to bring another girl into Neverland.

He saw the girl look up at his tree, and shook the branches so she was showered with leaves. How dare she look up at his tree! She should get out of Neverland, Now and Ever!

"Hello?" she called up. Peter tensed, nervous that his guard was slipping and that she had seen him, "Are you crying up there?"

"No" Peter answered stiffly, angry that he felt the need to respond to someone so nice sounding. Another tear ran down his cheek, and he became angry at himself. He was crying! Just like some common girl! And missing Wendy at the same time! How could he ever let himself miss any of them, they had abandoned him, they should be missing him!

"Oh, well okay then." the girl responded serenely. She didn't look like an Indian, or a Pirate, or even a Fairy. So, what was she? She couldn't be another... girl, child, like Peter? "I'll take your word for it. Want to come down? I want to get a look at you."

"No" Peter said, a little more sadly this time, "I don't."

"Well, would it be okay if I came up?" she asked sweetly.

"No use, you can't fly. You'd get hurt climbing, you're only a girl." now he was feeling bitter, though at what he didn't know. All he knew was that it was the fault of this girl.

"Oh. Well, who are you? Are you Peter Pan?" Peter was shocked that some girl would know who he was, especially when he hadn't left the island in years! Maybe even a hundred billion years! "Won't your mother be missing you?"

He jumped down from the tree, landing in front of her defiantly, "I have no mother. She loves some other boy now. And I won't go find a new one! I won't grow up and you can't make me!"

Shocked, the girl stared at him, surprised at his reaction, and the fact that he came down. After a moment, she softened and smiled at him, "You are Peter! I knew it! I've heard so much about you, from my aunt!"

"Aunt? What's an Aunt?" Peter was suspicious of this girl now, having never heard of an aunt before, "You can't mean those little black and red things on the ground? You have one?"

The girl laughed, and for some reason it made Peter relax just a little more.

"No, silly, not an ant! An aunt! You know... your aunt and uncle?" At his skeptical look, she lost some of the merriment in her voice, knowing he was serious now, "You've never heard of an aunt and uncle?"

At the shake of his head, she went on, "Cousins? Niece, nephew? Brothers?"

"Brothers! I know them!" he exclaimed happily, jumping back a pace from her as fast as a jackrabbit. Pointing a triumphant finger at her, he shouted, "I win! You couldn't keep me not knowing forever, and now I win!"

"It... wasn't a game." she said, cautiously taking a few steps towards him. He backed up more from her, backing up against the tree trunk.

"Not a game? You're... not trying to give me... a... a thimble, are you? Wendy tried to give me a thimble, and now I hate thimbles!"

The girl laughed, the same pleasant laugh she had before, "You can't mean Wendy Darling, can you? That's my aunt!"

"...Wendy?" Peter stood, dumbfounded, wearing a glazed expression. So she had grown up, after all... He never wanted to believe it. That would have meant John and Michael had grown up too... and the Troop of Lost Boys... He couldn't help it, as he collapsed crying in front of this girl. But for some reason, now he didn't really mind if anyone saw.

Rushing over to kneel next to him, the girl started rubbing his back, murmuring comforting words like "It'll be okay" and "Everything will be all right" and "shhuhhh" along with a few comforting nothings. She never once said, though, "Here, here's some fresh baked cookies" which would have been very nice to eat right at this moment.

After he had stopped crying and was just shaking, she had asked, "Do... do you want to come see her?" Staring up at the girl with wide eyes, he nodded slowly and quietly.

Barely whispering, he asked her, "Do... do you think she would... want to be my mother again?"

Smiling sweetly, the girl nodded, "She would love to be your mother. Still! She never stopped missing you, Peter. And I'm sure my uncle wouldn't mind, they've always wanted a child and never had one."

"And... what of the Lost Boys?" he asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

"We can go visiting them, any time you like!"

"And... will there be cookies?"

"Anytime you wish, just as long as it's not too often since they'll rot your teeth out if you eat too many. So," she asked, helping Peter up, "will you come home with me?"

Thinking about it for a minute, he nodded. Though it would mean finally growing up, something he had sworn off ages ago, he was willing to go through with it now. Just as long as he wasn't so lonely as he was now, he would do whatever.

"Let's go then." Helping to support each other, they left Neverland, for good this time. The pirates would be able to find their treasure, the Indians hunt their food and dance their dances. And he, Peter, would not be there to see. He would not be there to mind if they missed their goals. But he knew, and they did too, that wherever he was, he would still care, and they wouldn't have to do anything they didn't want to. Ever.