Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer still owns the Twilight universe, the characters, phrasing, and images. I'm just happy to spend some time in their world. J.M. Barrie definitely owns the World of Peter and Wendy and their friends. And this is the tale of what happens when two worlds collide.
A/N: My apologies for the delays in getting this chapter posted. Aside from a visitor from out of the country which limited my time to write, I also have been doing some traveling and visiting with my family.
I have not been able to have my beta work on this as much as I normally do so I apologize in advance for any mistakes. I tried to review it carefully but there may be things that slipped through. And thank you miss understood615 for the feedback you were able to give me. It was very helpful.
Thank you to everyone who has been continuing to read and review this story. It is for you that I have continued to pursue this story even when faced with writer's block and crazy schedules.
**The title of this chapter refers to the song "The Homecoming Song" by Owsley the chorus seemed to me to fit the sentiment of this chapter. Sorry, no YouTube link for this one. I have included the words to the chorus at the end for those who are interested.
"Homecoming"**
" 'Oh, all right,' he said at last and gulped. Then he unbarred the window. 'Come on, Tink,' he cried, with a frightful sneer at the laws of nature; 'we don't want any silly mothers'; and he flew away.
Thus Wendy and John and Michael found the window open for them after all, which was of course more than they deserved. They alighted on the floor, quite unashamed of themselves; and the youngest one had already forgotten his home." – J.M. Barrie Chapter 16, page 189.
Esme's POV
We were in the backyard wrestling with a set, when I heard the unmistakable trilling laughter of my daughter, Alice, as she and Jasper rounded the side of the house. They were the first to arrive home. I extricated myself from the material that I was currently working with and ran over to embrace both of them.
"Oh, Alice, Jasper, it is so wonderful to have you both home again." While I was hugging Alice, Nessie nearly flew from the stage into Jasper's arms.
"Hi Uncle Jasper, hi Aunt Alice. I really missed you."
Jasper was grinning as he returned Nessie's hug. "We have missed you too, Miss Nessie." Alice reached up on her toes and gave her niece a kiss on the cheek indicating her own feelings of joy in their reunion.
Carlisle approached me and watched the scene unfolding in front of us. He moved forward and patted Jasper on his back and pulled Alice in for an affectionate squeeze. "The place has not been quite the same without the both of you. Welcome home!"
At this point, Jasper and Alice both noticed the stage and commotion happening in the backyard. With Alice's gift, she didn't need to ask what was being planned. "Esme, we don't have a lot of time. We need to get invitations made and sent out. The yard needs to be decorated. Food needs to be ordered. What are we waiting for everyone? Let's get moving." Jasper suppressed a laugh, and just shook his head at his wife knowing that he would be dragged into this plan whether he wanted to be or not.
Nessie eagerly showed Alice and Jasper the stage and sets and costumes and told them of her plan to perform scenes from Peter Pan. "Jacob and his pack have agreed to be in the play. Uncle Jasper, I want you and Uncle Emmett to be in the play too. And you too Aunt Alice."
Alice gazed off into the future for a moment and then placed a small reassuring hand on Jasper's arm. "It seems that you are going to be a pirate and no amount of fussing is going to change the outcome." He knew better than to argue with her about this.
"So what are you going to be or dare I ask?" responded Jasper.
Alice grimaced slightly and grabbed my arm to drag me into the house "Oh, you'll see. Esme, we need to get moving on all the details if we are having this party in less than a week."
Carlisle and Nessie pulled Jasper towards the stage where Jacob and Seth were testing out how to move the set pieces around and where things needed to go so that on the night of the performance no one would trip over anything. While Nessie explained her plans to Jasper, Alice and I began catching each other up on time away from one another.
After weeks of Carlisle and I putting Nessie to bed, Alice and Jasper had insisted on spending time with her. I took this opportunity to curl up next to my husband on the sofa. He was engrossed in the newspaper and I had several home decorating magazines that I was flipping through. It felt good to have some of my family back at home. Though the house had been far from empty, Jake had been around with his pack, it hadn't been the same.
As part of her bedtime routine, Nessie had convinced Jasper to read to her. Carlisle had been working through a series of Shakespeare readings with Nessie to teach her about plays. We could hear Jasper pick up the volume of Shakespeare's A Mid-summer's Night Dream, and began reading it to her with a thick, exaggerated southern accent of all things. Carlisle lowered the newspaper he was reading and rolled his eyes mumbling something about "what was this world coming to".
The next day Alice and I were deep in discussion about the plans for Nessie's theater event. The dining room table was covered with costumes and props, and materials and supplies for the play were scattered around the room. Alice stopped in mid-action and then commented "Esme, Rose and Emmett will be arriving this afternoon. Great! We can really use their help to get ready."
"Wonderful, and Edward and Bella will be her in two days. It will be interesting to see Bella's response to all of this." I knew that Bella was not one for big events, but in this case the focus was more on Nessie and her play than on Bella.
"Bella really needs to get over her dread of parties. She can't spend an eternity not having any fun."
"So how do you think Edward will react to all of this?"
Alice looked off pensively before replying "He'll want to over react as usual, but since Nessie has her heart set on doing this, he'll give in."
While we were working inside, Jasper and Carlisle were working alongside Jake and his pack. We could hear Nessie assigning parts to the pack. "Jake, can you be Peter Pan? Seth, Embry, and Quil, you can be lost boys." Alice and I moved to the door and poked our heads out to watch what was going on. Alice had assured me that it would be good.
"Awww, I wanted to be a pirate" admitted Seth who was echoed by the others. "Pirates have swords and sail on a ship."
Nessie stood before Seth and the others and placed her hands on her hips ignoring the fact that they all towered over her. In as stern a voice as she could muster, she said "I'm the director and I get to decide who will be what." It would have been completely comical, if it wasn't so serious to Nessie. We silenced our giggles behind our hands.
Jake had quietly moved behind her and just glared at the others. It wasn't as if he was forcing them to go along with her that wasn't his style but the others knew that their cooperation was important. "Well, I guess the lost boys win in the end anyways" muttered Embry and the others conceded to being part of Peter's gang.
Nessie then turned to Leah who was putting some finishing paint touches on one of the canvas sets. "Leah, I think you will be a perfect Tiger Lily."
Everyone inhaled and held a breath, even if breathing was unnecessary for some of us. No one including Alice was certain as to how Leah would respond.
Leah froze with her paint brush dangling in mid-air and then surprising us all a smile appeared on her face and she nodded her head "Nessie that would be great. Tiger Lily led all the Indian fighters and she kicked butt. I'll be happy to play her."
"Thank you Leah, you'll be great" exclaimed Nessie as she threw her small arms around Leah's neck. Leah dropped her brush and again momentarily froze before placing an arm around the little girl and returning her hug.
Just at that moment, Emmett and Rose arrived. We all rushed over to exchange greetings and give hugs. Having my family return was better than any gifts that I could receive on Christmas. Emmett scooped up Nessie and gave her a bear hug. "Uncle Emmett, will you be a pirate in my play?"
Without missing a beat, Emmett began to talk like a pirate "Arr, me hearty, I be just the one for yer play. Cap'n Emmett at yer service." He finished with a sweeping bow in her direction.
Everyone just groaned, and Nessie burst out in giggles. Jasper slapped Emmett on the back and said "So what gives you the right to be captain? I think I should be captain. I've had military experience and you haven't."
Rose rescued Nessie from Emmett's arms and moved her out of the way. This kind of brotherly bickering usually resulted in some sort of tussle and it would be best to have Nessie away from them. Jake mouthed a silent "Thank you" to Rose from his place near the stage.
Alice signaled for Rose to follow her inside so that she could update her on the plans for the play, leaving the guys to work out their positions.
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Finally the morning for Edward and Bella's return arrived. Carlisle and I drove Nessie to the airport. After dropping us at baggage claim, my husband went to park the car. As soon as we had exited the Mercedes, my darling granddaughter nearly knocked me off my feet as she dragged me into the building.
"C'mon gramma, hurry up."Her excitement and enthusiasm over her parents return was more than evident.
"Darling, we need to walk at a normal pace or those around us will be suspicious." Nothing was going to convince her to slow down. Carlisle joined us shortly while we waited at the bottom of the stairs. Nessie kept dancing around us and all those waiting could not help but smile at the little girl's excitement. Just when it seemed that she was about to explode, I caught a glimpse of Edward and Bella moving through the crowds and descending the stairs to where we waited. Nessie caught their eye as they stepped off the last step and she threw herself into the arms of her parents.
"Momma, Daddy, I missed you" squealed Nessie in utter delight at their return.
"And we missed you too dear" her parents chorused while embracing her in their arms.
Carlisle and I stood back and watched their family reunion. There weren't a lot of words expressed between them. Between Edward's mind-reading, Nessie's ability to share her memories with her touch, the exchange of touches and hugs and shared looks conveyed all that needed to be conveyed.
After a few moments, Carlisle laid a hand gently on Edward's shoulder. "Son, let's move towards the baggage carousel. As soon as we claim your luggage, we can head home and you can finish catching up." He guided the happy family to the designated turn-belt and soon had retrieved their luggage.
The ride home passed quickly and before long we were headed down the long driveway to our house. Nessie had insisted on blind-folding both Edward and Bella before they entered the backyard. Of course, Edward had already "seen" what Nessie had wanted to show them in everyone's minds, but he graciously played along for his daughter's sake. Both of them were amazed at how Nessie had gotten everyone roped into this whole project including doing this performance.
By the time that Edward and Bella had returned, Alice had been in full party planning mode for a couple of days. Invitations had already been designed, printed, stuffed into envelopes, and mailed out. Emmett and Jasper were roped into transforming the backyard to a theater setting under hers and Rose's watchful eyes. And Rose and I were working to make sure that all of the costumes fit now that we seemed to have a list of performers to match the clothes.
"Ahoy" Emmett called out to Edward and Bella from the stage "Arr, me hearties, the little lass below 'tis lookin' for a few deckhands to join us fer some adventures on the high seas. Are ye in or are ye a couple of scallywags?"
Jasper threw the hammer he was working with at Emmett who moved away just out of the path of the flying tool. Jasper shook his head while turning towards Edward and Bella. "It seems that Emmett is confusing 'Peter Pan' with the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' please just agree to whatever he says so that he'll stop all this nonsense."
"Daddy, I need you to be Captain Hook and Momma, you and Aunt Rose can be mermaids, and I am going to be Wendy."
Edward looked like he was going to initially protest his role as Captain Hook, but then he watched Bella's face turn even paler than it's normal alabaster. He quickly reached his arm around to pull Bella and Nessie closer to him and assured her "Bella, love, you'll make a beautiful mermaid."
Bella didn't look assured and Rose tossed her blonde hair behind her shoulder and smugly commented "Bella, when I get finished with you, you will be a perfect mermaid." Nessie smiled at her aunt and gave her mother a squeeze.
"Welcome home Bella" I said as I took Nessie from her arms and passed her to Edward. I led Bella into the house to get her away from the news of her becoming a mermaid and all of the commotion swirling around outside.
"Bella, your home!" Alice exclaimed, jumping up from what she was working on to give her favorite sister a big hug.
"Hi Alice, it is so good to see you." Bella returned Alice's embrace and stood there with her for a moment. "So I understand that you are on board with my daughter's plans for this play."
"Of course, we have already finished the invitations and now we are working on costumes, decorations, and other details for the play. It is going to be here before we know it."
"I know you heard about Nessie's plans for me to be a mermaid. What has she asked you to be?"
Just before Alice responded, I realized that she had avoided mentioning what she was going to be. I wondered if she would share it with us now or make us wait. I turned in Alice's direction as she was about to speak. "Oh, you will see on the evening of the performance." Alice gave us a wink and returned to her work. I could see the frustration and annoyance arising on Bella's face, but she had also learned that there was no arguing with Alice. We would just have to wait for the night of the play to arrive.
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Beginning quote is cited directly from The Adventures of Peter Pan, copyright © 1911 by J.M. Barrie
Did you know that there is an "International Talk Like a Pirate Day"? Amazing what you find on Google. I will try to get the links put on my profile page.
Homecoming
by Owsley
Chorus:
I've spent a long time away
And it's good to be home
And together is better than being alone
It's a far cry from anything I've ever felt like before
Yes and long is the road
That's been leading me back to your door
Our journey is almost at an end. Let me know what you think of this chapter…please read and review….Thanks.