In the home under the trees

"Wendy!"

Wendy smiled sweetly gently touching the ground as the gathering of Lost Boys grew larger around she and Peter. She cast a swift glance at her friend and saw the gleaming pride in his eyes, feeling ever more the hero and leader of this group.

She looked to the group of young, dirty children and felt her heart swell ten times larger than ever. This is where she truly belonged, where people were overjoyed to see her. Where she felt not terror, but joy.

"Wendy!"

"Mother!"

The group rushed towards her and then seemed to stop all at once, as if there were some invisible force holding them back. Wendy feared for an instant, they were being attacked and quickly looked behind her. But no. There was nothing.

She looked back and felt her breath hitch as they suddenly glanced at her from top to bottom, shooting bewildered looks at one another and then back to her. She suddenly felt very self-conscious.

"My...you're so tall."

"And...grown up looking."

"I'm only nineteen." Wendy insisted, feeling her point hadn't been made as they all gave mighty gasps of horror, backing up even further, as if growing older were some contagious disease.

Tink darted forth then, a brilliant gold pest. Wendy offered a civil hello, for she and Tinkerbell had never, truly been the closest of friends.

Suddenly Peter charged forth from beside Wendy, "You dare speak to your mother like that?"

"But look at her!" Curly exclaimed, "She's so tall!'

"And strange looking." Another added.

Before Peter could jump to her defense (which he needn't really bother in doing, since she was more than capable) Wendy stepped forward swiftly.

"Well, if I'm to be your mother, it only makes sense that I should be older that the rest of you. Doesn't it? I mean, how can a little girl take care of a whole group of little boys?"

The Lost Boys gave each other looks of question a moment, looking pensively from one to the other.

"That's grown up logic for you." Nibs said gently, glancing at Wendy a moment, and then slowly, one by one they all began to nod, until they all were merry and excited, shouting out requests as she smiled once more.

"Tell us a story, Wendy!"

"Oh yes, the one about the glass slipper!"

"No! The one about Bluebeard!"

Wendy laughed gently, nodding and informing them all that she would be happy to tell them a story. One about a young girl rescued from a dark castle from a flying prince, she promised, giving a sly wink at the grinning Peter.

And there, in the clearing of their small fort, Wendy found herself a spot amongst tri colored flowers, and soft grass and began, with great gusto, the story of the amazing, flying boy.

"So," Hook said to Smee, pacing back and forth on the deck in his dark and glossy boots. "Wendy Darling has come back to Neverland, and as a grown up no less! Will wonder never cease?"

He let out a soft chuckle then, as if he couldn't himself believe it. Softly he shook his head, tossing his telescope at Smee, who frantically tried not to drop the valuable item.

"She hardly looked that grown up, Captain." Smee offered with a shrug. "Not even twenty, I'd wager."

"A perfect age." The Captain said thoughtfully, "that age where one must face the responsibilities of adulthood, but undoubtedly yearns for the gentle comfort of adolescence. A most vulnerable age. A perfect age, indeed."

"But, why has she come back?" Smee wondered aloud, looking towards Wendy and Peter had diminished into a dark cloud of large trees. "What could she possibly want here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Hook said with a knowing smirk, "she's hiding from real life, the foolish girl! She thinks she'll be content here, with that group of boys! She'll tire of them soon enough though, all grown girls do. A woman of her age, wants a man."

As if this had started some deep-seated spark, Hook sauntered off then, preferring to be alone with his thoughts for the moment. Smee watched the Captain disappear from sight below decks, and prayed there wasn't something too devious afoot.

"One more story, Wendy!" Winks insisted seated on her lap, giving Wendy large, doe like eyes of desperation. She gave a gentle smile, followed soon after by a yawn and prodded him off her lap.

"No more for tonight." Wendy replied, looking into the crackling fire. "It's far too late, and I am much too tired!"

And it was late. It was already dark in the woods, and most of the younger boys had already fallen asleep. Feeling more maternal that words could say, Wendy bit back a small spring of tears, building up and making her eyes quite shiny.

She saw the rest of the boys mutter something to one another then before lying on the sweet smelling grass, or self made hammocks, and falling asleep. Wendy was about to do the same when she felt a small tap on her shoulder.

"Peter?"

"I have something to show you."

Wendy nodded, and as Peter helped her to her feet she blushed. Not because she felt romantic inclinations towards the boy now, but because she had once. It was all so frightfully bizarre.

She'd been in Neverland three days already, and at this moment she felt nothing but relaxing comfort. In the presence of this land she felt completely at peace. Peter had taken her on trips around the island, to treasures at the ocean floor and much more.

The moments spent with Peter were ones in which she felt as if she were in the presence of something amazing. Something in which Wendy felt as if it were a legend in the making. She only hoped she could someday write the stories of Peter's adventures.

They walked along a long while, momentarily stopping to see things of interest, like small wildlife that did not exist back in dreary old London.

"Did you think of this often at home?" Peter inquired suddenly as Wendy gently shooed a small purple and orange bird from her shoulder.

"Of what?"

"Neverland, the Lost Boys...me?" Peter turned his head slightly then at the latter, not wanting to meet her questioning eyes.

"Of course I did." Wendy insisted, "Every day...but you never came back."

"You never called."

"They moved my room. They locked my windows. They made me go to finishing school and stop telling stories to Michael and John after we returned." Wendy trailed off then at the mention of her two brothers.

"You miss them, don't you?" Peter said perceptively. Wendy nodded, swallowing tears that should never had been shed in a place like Neverland.

"Always and forever." She breathed, "I love them."

"Love." Peter scoffed dimly, floating above the ground then and looking to Wendy severely. "Always love with you girls. And is it ever happy love? No! It's the kind of love that makes you cry like you are now! If that's love, I want no part in it!"

Wendy knew better than to test Peter's temper, and instead hoped to channel such rage into a topic of which he was accustomed to have such feelings.

"Have you battled with any pirates, lately?" Wendy said, her tears long forgotten.

"Oh yes," Peter said audibly excited. "Why only last month we stormed an entire group of those monsters from attacking Tiger Lily and her tribe."

"How wonderful." Wendy encouraged, "What happened?"

Peter told his tale of how he and the Lost Boys had managed to capture several of Hook's men, even though they'd managed escape somehow later. Then of how Tiger Lily's tribe had made them a large banquet, and they'd sat around listening to the Chief dispense his own tales of intrigue. Wendy listened intensely, all the time not mentioning one key figure.

"You haven't even asked me about Hook." Peter said suddenly, looking to Wendy surprise as he finished his story. "Wasn't he always your favorite of all my enemies?"

"Oh, of course." Wendy said jerkily, "I was just about to inquire if you'd any duels with that monster."

Peter grinned widely, and began to tell her of tales in which he and Hook had met over the course of her disappearance. Wendy drifted in and out, her thoughts suddenly turning to pale blue eyes.

Of course she hadn't forgotten Hook. How do you forget a man who tried to murder you and all your loved ones? No, Wendy doubted she would ever forget Captain James Hook, she supposed she just didn't like to mention him.

She recalled him now, tall and menacing, looking down at her with those icy eyes that had once appeared calm and inviting. She recalled the almost alliance of she, Red Handed Jill, and such a man and his crew. How naive she had been!

Suddenly she remembered in a moment how he'd had them all captive, tied up, in his ship. And that hook of his, shining and trailing down her neck as he rasped into her ear a promise of Peter's death. The claw had been so cold, and sharp against her flesh, her heart beating so loudly through her anger, she knew he could hear. And those eyes, those stormy, light eyes that consumed her even now.

She shivered then at the dark memory.

"Wendy?" Peter suddenly broke in, "Are you feeling well?"

"Of course Peter." Wendy said flushing, "Why?"

"You suddenly look so frightened."

Wendy did not answer, and Peter did not inquire further. They walked on a while more, until they reached a small waterfall, bathed in moonlight that shimmered in the rippling waves.

Wendy smiled deeply, closing her eyes a moment to savor the moment. She would forever remember the sound of the waterfall, and the feel of the bright moon upon her.

"What are you closing your eyes for?" Peter asked confused, breaking into her thoughts. "You may miss something. There's always something to be seen here. "

"Sometimes it's the feel of the moment," Wendy suggested gently "and not the things in it, that make a fond memory, Peter."

Peter gave her an unreadable look before motioning for her to follow. They'd been walking for a minute or so, drawing nearer to the waterfall when Peter had turned to her, looking solemn.

"Since you're so fond of closing your eyes so," Peter said dimly, "Do so now, and don't open them until I say."

Wendy suppressed a small smile at the petulant tone of her companion, but did so tightly. She felt a small hand grasping her own and heard the distant sound of her feet against the grass below, and then smooth rock. The water rushing sound was growing louder and she felt sporadic plops of water against her face from time to time.

Her hand was dropped.

"Now!"

Wendy opened her eyes quickly, and gasped a moment, a bit disoriented. Then, realizing she was standing with Peter behind a large waterfall. Wendy grinned widely, looking at the strangely lit cavern behind them and then the coursing water just steps in front of them. But what was giving off such light?

It was then that she noticed small flecks of bright and shimmering light inside the water, casting small dots of light on Wendy and Peter's face.

"It's perfectly thrilling!" Wendy crowed, "What are those beads of light, Peter?"

"Water sprites." Peter announced joyfully, "They live within the waters of this enchanted waterfall. They're even smaller than Tink!"

Indeed they were small sprites, Wendy noticed on closer inspection. Small child shaped, water faeries that seemed a bit offended at she and Peter's intrusion. In fact, in quite a flash most of them had vanished, leaving she and Peter with darkness, and the comforting sound of the waterfall and their breathing.

It was then that Wendy remembered the mouth of the tunnel she'd noticed in the light. She hoped that Peter had no reservations about-

"Shall we go exploring then?"

"Not in the dark!" Wendy insisted, horrified that Peter had intended on dragging her into that tunnel. "Why it's positively black in there, Peter!"

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Peter laughed.

"What if there are bats?"

"I'll bat them away!"

"And monsters?"

"I've my dagger."

"And...what of pirates?" Wendy offered darkly. "What if this is a trap. I insist we wait until morning when there is more light. Everything is less frightening in the light of day"

Peter heaved a mighty sight at that, and then relented, seeing how pale Wendy had grown at the mention of exploring the unseen cavern. He'd stumbled upon it just today and had saved it especially for Wendy.

"Not tomorrow." Peter retorted loudly over the waterfall. "I've a trip to make and won't return for several days."

"Alright." Wendy agreed, "Another time then."

Peter nodded, then as if on impulse: "Wendy?"

"Yes?"

"Nothing." Peter insisted quickly, grasping her wrist and pulling her alongside him as they rushed out from behind the waterfall and back to their comfortable home in the forest.

But Wendy knew, nothing was surely something after all.

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It should be noted, that Wendy and Hook's meeting
will come to be in the next chapter of this story.
Thank you again for all your reviews, they've been
most inspiring!
- R. H. J. )-

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