I am so sorry for the incredibly long hiatus! Thank you for all those who have waited, your patience overwhelms me! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now please, read on.
Chapter eighteen- Hiraeth.
The Darling children spent the next few days floating in and out of a daze. They seemed to react only when necessary and were quite content to remain with themselves. Only Wendy was the one to notice the pained looks shared between the Depurets.
The Depurets had opened their country home to them, gave them their children's old clothes (who had since grown into maturity and had begun families of their own,) and gave as many of their old belongings to the children as possible. Their desperate attempts were acknowledged and thanked, but never seemed to pull the children out of their haze.
Wendy was distracted by the thoughts of her mother, falling out of a second story window, presumably calling after her children flying away to Neverland.
John, consumed with his father fighting for his family until the end.
Michael, wanting to know why he couldn't talk to Wendy or John without them becoming withdrawn.
Not one of the Darling children had remembered Peter Pan.
Nana rubbed up against Wendy's leg as she bent over the kitchen sink. Anita had brought back the last of the breakfast plates with the washing almost done, when Wendy looked at Anita with such a look, Anita had hoped she would never receive that look again in her lifetime.
"Wendy, please, you know you can talk to me." Anita softly pleaded.
"I do know, it is just that Mr Depuret and yourself have done so much for my brothers and I that I don't think we could ever thank you enough." Her eyes lowered to look to the floor in a moment of sadness. "I miss my mother and father so much. I am… ashamed that I wasn't here. Maybe things could have turned out better, mother would still be alive and father…" Wendy's eyes filled with tears as a sob escaped her throat.
Anita rushed to her side as Nana stopped to look at her distressed charge of care.
"Wendy, Wendy, please know that nothing you could have done would have improved this situation. What will happen is not in control by us, but in control of God. We cannot change what has happened. I know this is upsetting, but Lawrence and I will be here with you all for as long as you need us. We will look after you as if you were all our own." Anita comforted. She gently stroked Wendy's hair as her sobs echoed throughout the kitchen, wiping away her own soft tears as they rolled. There was nothing more she wanted than to take away the pain of the Darling children, however that was not possible. All she could do was wait.
And wait they all did.
A season had passed, turning into a hot summer as they had never seen. It would have been stifling in the populace, but as they were in the countryside, the shady trees blocked the suns waves. The children were outside playing with some rope and Lawrence and Anita were sitting underneath the only willow in the back garden.
Since the children had arrived, Anita was feeling incredibly strange. A sensation that something was amiss, something was missing. It was not the fact the parents were departed, the dark mood could be felt by everyone, but as if something was yet to come. These children had their hopes taken apart and had been left with nothing, but they started to talk of a faraway place again.
The conversation had started gradually with a word here or there that wouldn't make sense, a mention of a pirate and games that had never been played around London before. Then it suddenly became a massive part of their lives, having vivid conversations between themselves about hunting for treasure and fairies.
But what most concerned Anita, was how excited Wendy had sounded when she described; "The rooftops were ever so beautifully detailed as we flew over London, remember John?! How I do miss flying. The wind in our hair and everyone looking as tiny as ants!"
That was the first time Anita had lost her calm composure and dropped a dining room plate with a loud gasp. The children had looked up and very quickly offered to help, unaware their conversation had just been overheard.
Anita shook her head of her reminiscent thoughts and watched how happy the children looked playing. They reminded her of their own children, who had grown, married and left their house to make their partners happy. She looked over at Lawrence, incredibly proud of the husband she had married. She was very thankful her father had introduced them, he a promising young man who had started climbing the ranks in her father's business, she- looking on in admiration.
"Leave. Again. But this time make sure you don't come back. If you don't want to be a lost boy, you don't want to be here at all."
Wendy woke with a gasp. That horrible night had replayed itself over and over in her mind, saying goodbye to the lost boys…
…and Peter…
…Peter Pan.
That one boy who was charming and playful could be equally reckless and dangerous. He had confused Wendy to the point where she wasn't sure if she would like to be his mother, or whether she would like him to be the father to her being the mother.
She knew she could never forget the pirates, the blunt object hitting her head. But she could not forget him. She was beginning to understand that Anita was worried about her. She had overheard a conversation between the Depurets about how the children were feeling and if they needed to talk to someone who "knew how to help those involved in trauma". Wendy could sense something was changing with the Depurets. The worried glances, having Nana come to play with them whenever they mentioned something of Neverland, Anita desperately trying to teach Wendy cooking and sewing skills, the distractions continued.
She remembered the mail St Mary Abbot's Hospital had sent through.
In that moment, she knew they had to go home. To the place that had always been a home, regardless of how she felt.
Wendy peeled back her bed sheets and crept out to the next room. John and Michael were sleeping in the same room, as Michael had refused to sleep alone. John had started to say he needed to grow up, but held himself back. Wendy had nodded her approvement, he was learning to care.
She quietly opened the door, swinging it slowly so the door hinges did not creak. She slowly made her way over to John's bed and gently shook his shoulder.
"John, John, please wake up." She whispered.
He groggily turned to Wendy, "What is happening?"
"Nothing bad John, but I think we all need to talk."
"Can it not wait until morning?"
"No. Wake up."
John begrudgingly sat up as Wendy woke Michael. He crept over to Michael and sat on his bed with Wendy.
Wendy looked at the boys before taking a deep breath, "I think we should go back to Neverland."
John looked up in astonishment. Michael looked up happily.
"Please, hear me out" Wendy whispered hastily, cutting off Johns attempted rebuttal. "I think that there is nothing left for us here. The Depurets, as kind as they have been, are beginning to look for solutions to help us, which do not look kind."
"What are you talking about Wendy?" John hissed. "I refuse to go back to a boy who let you get hurt! Who put your life in danger because he was too busy looking for his own glory!"
"Where were you John? When I got hurt, where were you? Peter rescued me and no, I am not justifying his actions but I do believe it was an accident, and I may have been too harsh…"
"John, Wendy…" Michael started.
He was ignored as the door creaked open and something entered the room.
The children froze, fearing that they had been caught out, but a furry shape crept over to the bed and jumped into Michaels lap.
"Oh Nana." He sighed as he pet her head.
Wendy looked at Nana and the boys, the love in her heart overwhelming her. This was her family, however reduced they had become. A fierce determination filled her.
"Boys, you are both all I have left. I think there is nothing for us here. The Depurets have been very kind, but they are not our mother and father nor will they ever be. Life here could be wonderful, but I know in my heart where we belong. It is together, but not in this place."
John held her gaze for a few moments before turning his head. Michael hugged Nana tightly. "What about Nana?"
"We will take her with us Michael." Wendy replied.
"Oh for goodness sake Wendy. We cannot get a dog to fly." John sighed.
"Well John, if you have a better plan, I am listening." Wendy snapped.
If Anita happened to walk by at this moment, she would finally reply back to St Mary Abbots Hospital before morning. She was aware of their 'alternate' treatments, but knew in her heart that she would help the children as best as she could. Luckily, this was not the case as the children would not have been helped. In fact, they would have deteriorated quite quickly.
"No!" Michael cried. "I am not leaving Nana! She is coming with us!"
"Yes Michael, I know. I am not leaving her either." Wendy remarked pointedly to John.
John sighed again. "Wendy. Michael. Do you really want to go back to Neverland? Or are you just saying this as there appears to be no other option?"
"I believe we are not meant to be here." Wendy replied.
"'I want to go home!" Michael agreed.
"Home." Wendy smiled.
"Well then Michael and Wendy, you must promise me one thing."
"What is it John?" Wendy asked.
"That you both look after yourself, Wendy you will learn to fight and look after us all as a mother again to bring back some order! Michael, you will learn from me. I will start teaching you lessons. We might not physically grow up, but we are more than capable of thinking for ourselves and growing up in our heads."
"Oh John! I agree to everything you have said! I will look after you both, the boys and keep Peter in line. We will do things better this time." Wendy clasped her hands together in excitement.
"How do we go back? When do we go back?" Michael asked.
"As soon as we're ready." John replied. "Should we say goodbye to the Depurets?"
"No John. I fear they will not let us go. When we leave, we must leave at night."
"How about now?"
"Oh John, do not jest. We don't have pixie dust! We are going to need to get in contact with Peter! If he will listen…" Wendy trailed.
"No. I thought this might happen." John replied as he walked over to his bed. He bent down and opened his suitcase.
The children watched him as he reached into one of the suitcases pockets, before closing it with his other hand and walking back to his siblings.
He looked at their confused faces before he opened his hand.
The shimmering of Pixie dust was unmistakeable to the children. They grinned at each other.
They were finally going home.
Until next time, my Darlings.