A/N - I'm really sorry it took me so long to update, right now I have so much going on with school. Another thing I realized, The story is halfway over! It's going to be 19 chapters long and we are on chapter 10. I'm so proud of myself.
Sickness of the Heart
Chapter 10 - Happy
Her father had failed her when she needed him most. It almost felt like he wanted to cause disaster in her life. He took everything that was sweet and innocent in her life and shattered it into a million tiny pieces. If it were up to him, he would throw those pieces into the nearest waste bin, but she wouldn't let him. It was Wendy's fight against her father that glued those shattered pieces together again. Even after they have been broken so many times.
Tears obscured her vision as she ran through the elegant halls of her house. Many family pictures lined the walls. In each picture, her father hovered in the back corner, distant from all the rest of her family. She stopped abruptly in one of the halls and leaned against a wall. The searing pain in her chest was no where near the torment that filled her heart. Why anyone would make another suffer like this was beyond her.
She let her legs collapse under her weight as she slid down the wall into a fetal position. She wanted nothing more then to go back to the days when she was a tiny infant. Her mother used to pick her up and rock her until every single last tear dried from her face, but now that she was older, everyone found that sort of behavior as improper for a young lady.
Suddenly a soft melody danced into the room from under the big oak door that lead to the outside. She wiped the tears from her eyes and approached the door. As Wendy got closer to the door, the sweet melody grew louder. She stepped outside and into the brilliant sun.
Her backyard was quite plain, but she loved the homey feel it had all the same. Soft patches of grass were concealed within the large brick fence that separated her land from everyone else Tiny white lilies popped up in various places due to the rainfall the other night, and of course, Nana's dog house sat in the far corner. Along side the house was a small plot of freshly grown roses, and sitting in the middle of that miniature garden was Mary Darling, singing a soft song to her flowers. Wendy sat beside her mother and let the song return her to childhood. Mary stopped singing when she noticed her daughters presence, but her smile fell when she saw Wendy's puffy red eyes.
"You met the doctor didn't you?" She asked Wendy seriously. In response, she shook her head sadly. Instead of comforting her daughter, Mary handed Wendy a handful of seeds. " Gardening always calms me." Wendy took the seed without question and began digging into the moist soil like her mother.
After a moment of silence, Wendy finally spoke. " Mother..." She said barely above a whisper. "I'm leaving tonight with Peter." Wendy saw her mother bow her head for a moment. In Mary's heart, she knew this was going to be her daughters final decision, but letting a child go was never easy on a mother. Even if it is for the best. "and ... I would love for my whole family to be there for me ... Even dad."
Mary put a comforting hand on her daughters arm. " You know we will all be there... Even your father." Wendy was glad to have her mother on her side. She needed someone who still believed in something other then what was expected of a lady now-a-days. Wendy scanned the garden for a good place to plant more seeds. In the middle of the fresh dew covered roses was a black withering flower. She reached over to try and pull it out, but her mother grabbed her arm.
"Leave it be."
"Why?" Wendy wondered why her mother would leave a dead flower in her beautiful rose garden.
"Whenever a flower in my garden dies, I leave it be. So it will become a part of the land forever, and I will never forget all the special roses that made my garden beautiful." Wendy smiled at her mothers brilliance. Mary was right, the gardening caused Wendy's mind to wander so she forgot all her problems. As she dug through the soft soil, she thought she felt all the spirits of the past roses that have lived in the garden. Even ones from long before she was born. Her and her mother spent the rest of their day in the garden, happy, carefree and childlike.
----
"Hurry Everyone! He'll be here any moment!"
"Can we come Wendy?"
"Of course not. You have to stay here and keep mum and dad company."
Everything was finally coming together. It all seemed so perfect, like a dream. But it wasn't, it was all real. Wendy even pinched herself to make sure of it. Her whole family gathered in the nursery around the open window. Even her father sat nervously on the edge of her canopy bed. Her mother had forced the stubborn man to be there for her, after she personally got rid of the doctor. Her father finally gave in. Wendy had no time to be worried about the mixed feelings rushing through her families head. She dashed around the room gathering many things she needed for her journey, and threw them into a bag. The whole time she was getting ready, she told her family stories of Peter Pan and the land she loved so much.
"And then, when Peter kissed me, it felt only like pure magic! His eyes sparkled like a million stars. Oh! He's just the sweetest boy ever!" She said dreamily.
"You forgot to tell them how clever he is!" A voice called from the window. Wendy spun around. All of a sudden, every dream, every childlike memory came flooding back to her as she looked into the vibrant green eyes she knew so well, and the form of a proud boy on her windowsill.
"Peter Pan!" John and Michael shouted. Mary Darling let out a happy sigh once she saw the boy her own childhood was based around. Everyone ran for the eternal boy. Wendy hugged him with tears of joy in her eyes. When she let go of the boy, he stepped further into the room. Peters cheeks flamed red from the physical contact with Wendy.
Mary shyly approached the boy once he was settled.
"Peter... Pan?" She nervously fiddled with her dress. " Do you ... remember me?" Peter gave Wendy's mother a playful smirk.
"Of course I do! I never forget anything!" He proudly put his hands on his hips. All this time, a very discomforted George Darling attempted to slink out of the room unnoticed, but Wendy saw him and loudly cleared her throat to get his attention. The man stopped dead in his tracks, but did not turn around.
"Father..." Wendy said sternly. " I would like you to meet Peter Pan."
Peter eyed the back of Wendy's father strangely. To Peter, he seemed sort of familiar. Slowly, the man turned to meet Peter eye to eye. The second Peter got a good look at the mans face, he gasped loudly.
"You!" Peter hollered. "Your Wendy's Father?"
Mr. Darling gave Peter a disgusted snort. " And your that little brat that refuses to grow up!"
"Don't ever call me a brat! Your the brat!" The two of them stood there for a few seconds, giving each other cold stares. Wendy became very uncomfortable with the whole situation and broke Peters icy stare.
"Can someone tell me what's going on?"
"Your Father is a betrayer!" Peter edged closer to the man. "He could have gotten me and the lost boys killed, but you looked much younger then. Looks like you were destined to be an old man just like I thought! You didn't belong in Neverland!"
Mary got off her daughters canopy and rushed to her husbands side. "George, you went to Neverland too?" Her husband shook his head yes. Everyone in the room grew quiet. This very same man claimed that Wendy was crazy for believing in Peter Pan, yet he was once in the same place he now calls 'poppycock'.
"Neverland is a dangerous place. Which is why I think it's a bad idea for her to go off with this reckless brat!" Mr. Darling yelled. Peter balled his fist but Wendy put a hand on his shoulder to hold him back.
"Everyone calm down." Wendy stood between the two rivals. "What happened to make you hate Peter and Neverland so much?"
Peter smirked at the man he hated so much . " Yes Berry ... Why don't you tell everyone of the time you betrayed me!" Peter egged him on. George sat down on the canopy bed as everyone gathered around to hear the story.
"A long while ago ... I was a little boy who wished never to grow up. That's when this retched brat came to get me. He made me a lost boy and nicknamed me 'Berry' for the large amount of them I always ate ..."
----
A young pudgy boy at about the age of twelve, sat on the soft mosses of the Neverland forest. The batch of bushes he was sitting in front of held a large batch of plump juicy berries. The boy took a handful of the sweet fruit and shoved them into his mouth, leaving red stains on his face. A high pitch crow sounded from somewhere deep within the forests. The lost boy stood from his buffet and ran in the direction of his leaders call. Berry never did really memorize his way through the forest. Directions were never really his strong point. Every tree and path looked exactly like the other. Of course, he was sure he had passed the same large oak tree several times already. A low rustling sound came from a nearby bush, but Berry just ignored it. Friendly creatures always roamed the woods in Neverland, so the noise wasn't all that threatening to him.
It had been awhile since he had heard the crow of his leader. He knew if he was late to yet another lost boy meeting, Peter would surely forbid him from the next adventure and he would be forced to sit all alone at home with nothing to do. Berry stopped for the millionth time at the big oak tree he knew he seen before. Finally giving up, he leaned his tired body against the trunk of the tree. Another rustling came from the bushed behind him. This time he jumped, just feeling a bit frightened because now he knew he was truly lost, and everyone knows not to trust anything when you are lost.
That's what I get for stopping to eat. ' Berry thought.
This poor little lost boy had every right in the world to feel threatened by the noise. Because in the darkest shadows of the pine needle trees, a sinister man grinned at his prey that was just innocently wandering through the forest. From deep within the shadows, that mans hand and hook flew out and grabbed Berry faster then he could know what was happening. With the hook around his waist and the hand holding his mouth shut. Berry tried with everything he had to try and escape the man, but the more he wiggled, the harder the hook dug into his side.
"You would be wise to hold still boy." The man whispered in his ear. Suddenly, the boy stopped moving. Hook looked down at the boy who was now laying limp in his arm. Passed out. Probably from fear. The captain handed the fainted boy off to his gunner, Billy Jukes
"Take him to me ship."
---- A few hours later
Berry opened his eyes to see nothing but darkness. A black strip of fabric was tied tightly around his eyes. Lifting it, he found that the small room he was in wasn't much brighter. The room was empty, except for the small barrel he was propped up against. He tried to get up, but his limbs were so heavy, it was impossible for him to stand. All of a sudden the door burst open, sending rays of light into the room and blinding Berry.
"Welcome to the Jolly Roger!" A man said from the doorway. It was the same man that had grabbed him in the forest. He held his hook high so that it gleamed in the midmorning sun. From Berry's point of view, it was nothing but a threat. Hook grabbed Berry's collar with his hook and pulled him up to eye level. "Listen boy, I know your one of Pans little brats. Which means you know the location of Pans hideout. Is that correct?"
"Y-Yes." Berry stuttered nervously.
"Now we can do this the easy way , or the hard way. I'll let you go, it you tell me where Peter's hideout is." Hook gave the boy an eerie smile.
"What if I refuse?" Berry talked back. Hook slammed his metal claw against the wall of he brig and pulled downward, creating a large gash in the wall.
"That will be your throat."
Peter had told all the lost boys to never give away the location of their secret hideout. If it ever got out to the pirates, they would surely throttle them in their sleep, but Berry didn't want to die by the hands of Hook either. He sighed loudly, knowing what he was about to do was the wrong choice.
"Do you know where mermaids lagoon is?" Once Berry received a nod from Hook, he continued. "Well... if you climb the mountain just north of it, you'll run into forget-me-not falls. The hideout is ... behind the falls."
"So that's where our young Pan has been hiding." Hook laughed. " You did a good thing boy. My men will escort you back to the island whenever you give the word." Hook set Berry down and the boy began to back away. "One more thing boy. If your tongue happens to slip, and you tell of our meeting ... I will know." He motioned toward a scraggly looking bird who was keeping a vigilant eye on the boy. Berry's stomach turned as he thought of what Hook would do to his leader. He bowed his head, not knowing what else to do.
"Take me home ... "
--- Later that night
Long before Peter lived in the underground home, he had another place of hiding. Peter's waterfall home was the most spectacular thing you would ever see. If you climbed the mountain north of mermaid lagoon, there is a forest with so many trees clumped together, you would miss the natural pond nestled between them. Over the pond, a high mountain was the holder of a large gushing waterfall, Forget-me-not falls. At night, this waterfall was most magical. Fairies would dance and bathe around the cascading waters, filling it with enchanting music. If someone would look beyond the falls, they would notice the back opened up into a large cave, and in that cave, you can see evidence that someone lived there. This was Peters hideout.
Berry had a hard time getting home. Not only was he so tired, he felt like he could just fall out and die, but the thought of how Peter would punish him slowed him down. By the time he got home the sky was pitch black and all the others were safely in their beds. He flopped down on his own bed and let the pounding falls put him to sleep.
Berry slept for only a small amount of time before he was abruptly awoken by a loud scream.
"Let me go Codfish!"
Berry sat up fast in bed. There stood the evil man, but this time he was after Peter. He had Peter held down the same way he had captured Berry earlier that day. In the middle of the room, all the other lost boys were tied together with a tight rope. Peter put up one hell of a struggle in Hooks arms. He jerked away quickly, which caused his claw to dig into Peters side, creating a deep gash on Peters hip. Peter grind his teeth to stop from crying out.
"How did you find me!" Peter yelled
"You've been betrayed Pan!" Hook enjoyed the look of torment on the young boys face. "by one of your own."
"By who!" Peter now angrily turned his attention to the lost boys. "Come forth the one who betrayed me!" Shyly, Berry stepped forward with his head bowed. He looked up and saw Peters cold stare. A look he hoped to never see again. Then, almost as if a miracle was sent to them, the boys heard the rhythmic tick-tock of a clock. All the boys smiled at the scared face of Hook.
The beastly crocodile had followed Hook all the way to Peter's hideout. It stood tall, grinning and hissing at the captain. The crocodile forced itself into a race toward Hook. In defense Hook threw Peter in the path of the crocodile. The crocodile swiped its claw at Peter to move him out of the way, slashing through Peters leg. The beast continued it's blood thirst for Hook and chased his straight out of Peters hideout. The lost boys managed to get free from their bonds and ran over to Peter.
The eternal boy sat on the rocky ground, clutching at his leg. Slightly asked Peter to remove his hands so they could see, He held his hands out for the lost boys to see. They were covered in dark red liquid that was flowing out of Peters leg. His leg was swollen to the size of a ripe orange. The crocodile had swiped her mighty claw down on Peter leg very hard, leaving four very big cuts. There were also little scratches across Peters face that were to minor to worry about. The worst wound was the one on his waist. Hooks claw was forced into Peters side due to his excessive wiggling. It was extremely deep. Poor Peters eyes looked on the brink of tears, but he was to proud to cry.
From somewhere, Peter found the strength to stand up and look dead in Berry's face. "For betraying me... you are hear by banished forever!" Peter shouted. He clutched at his bloody side, since every time he inhaled, a sharp pain shot through his body. Berry slowly backed away from Peter, shaking his head in denial.
"No-no-no , you can't! I'll grow up if I go back. I don't want to grow up!"
"A fairy guide will escort you home. You don't belong in Neverland." Peter turned away from the boy . Berry would have rather gotten killed by Hook then grow up.
"I hate you Peter Pan ..."
----
"I got really sick after that and my leg was broken. I tried to fight the pirates back as best I could, but they kept coming back. Each time, they got closer to ... killing me." Peter bit his lip to hold back tears. He hated to admit the fact that Hook and his crew had almost won the fight against him.
"That's why you hate Peter so?" Mary finally spoke up. " You never wanted to grow up?" Mr. Darling nodded. Wendy stood in front of her father. She tried to imagine him as a young boy, no bigger then John. All Wendy's talk of Neverland an Peter Pan must have brought him so much sadness that he told her she was crazy for believing in it, just to make her stop talking about it. His own childhood dream of not growing up had failed. She finally realized why her father didn't want her to go to Neverland. She would be living his dream of Never growing up. Wendy looked into her fathers eyes and almost felt tears spill from her own.
"Neverland is the best thing that could happen to me .." She let tears freely run down her cheeks. " You know it is, you've been there." She was surprised to see her father look at her and smile. He walked over to peter and kneeled down to eye level with him, putting a hand on peters shoulder.
"Look after my little girl."
Peter saluted Wendy's father "Aye sir!" The whole family stared at him in shock. Even Peters eyes were wide at his decision.
"I can really go?" Wendy flung herself into her fathers arms. "Oh thank you father!" The whole room burst out in joyous yells and song. John and Michael ran up to Wendy to hug her one last time. Mrs. Darling gathered the last of her daughters belongings while Peter and Wendy walked hand in hand toward the window.
"One more thing." Mrs. Darling said. She walked over to her daughters jewelry box and took out the wedding ring she had given Wendy. "Keep it with you." She slipped the ring into Wendy's hand. Wendy stared down at the long drop from the window. She was quite weak from the other nights events. Much to weak to hold up her own weight.
"Peter, I don't think I have the strength to fly." Wendy whispered.
"That's ok, I'll carry you." Peter said. "Ready Wendy?" Once she gave him the Ok, he lifted her into his warm arms.
"I'll miss you all so much." Wendy looked one last time at the faces of her family, trying to stick this image into her mind forever. "Goodbye ..."
It was a very sad event, yet at the same time, it was happy. Everything was falling into place. As Peter turned from the window toward the starry night sky, she forgot all the problems that troubled her head. Peter turned back to the window one last time to see only George standing there.
"I still hate you Peter Pan ..."
Peter just smiled at him before turning his back on the Darling house for good. As Peter flew to Neverland, the girl in his arms fell into a peaceful sleep.
A/N - Thank you so much for being patient with me. Sanouske S. Sagara , I kept your critisism in while I wrote this chapter. Did I do any better?
