Wendy didn't really remember the hideout underground but when she saw it all the memories came flooding back and it made her upset that she wouldn't have any more chats with the lost boys or her brothers. Not noticing that she was crying she quickly wiped her eyes. Completely oblivious to the fact that Peter had been staring at her.
"This can be your bed." One of the youngest boys directed Wendy toward a hole made in the wall like all the other beds, but it was covered by a wooden plank. Smiling at the little boy she pulled up the plank and saw the red and yellow leaves on the bottom of the bed, acting as a sort of mattress. Wendy already knew it was warm enough in Neverland that she wouldn't need a duvet and she appreciated the space.
Peter shooed the new lost boys out of the hideout to go play fight outside, he walked toward Wendy and maybe got a little closer than he should have. When she turned, Wendy was about half an arms length away from him and he tried his best not to close the distance.
"You were sad earlier. Why?" He filled the silence.
"All the memories or when I was here, and the lost boys and my brothers and... " Wendy trailed off and swallowed nothing, licking her lips she looked into Peter's eyes and smiled sadly. "But I have the new lost boys now, and Tiger Lilly and Captain Hook and Tinker Bell and- and you." She faltered and stepped a tiny bit closer to him, almost unnoticeable but Peter saw and stared at her.
"Do you still have my kiss?" He asked, Peter pulled out the Thimble that she had given him all those hears ago and Wendy laughed as she brought out the acorn my around her neck. She didn't have the heart to tell him that it was a thimble and not a kiss he held in his hand and that she gave him a kiss not a thimble all those years ago. But it was a little thing they had and she didn't want to ruin it.
"Of course. Did you think I would take it off my neck?" Wendy asked with a laugh. He smirked, flew up to his bed on the other side of the room and retrieved something.
"It took a while but I made you a kiss from yours and mine." Holding out her hand, Wendy saw an actual thimble shaped and crafted acorn in her hand. With all the little details he had on his, it was magnificent and Wendy pulled her necklace around to the front so she could attach it onto it. The two kisses hung next to each other and she wished her and Peter could be so close.
"Thank you, I don't know what I can give in return." Wendy looked down and Peter smirked. You could give me another thimble but I doubt you want to, Peter thought.
"It's a gift, you need not give something back." She looked up at Peter and blushed.
"Can I see Tiger Lily?" Wendy asked. Peter smiled and nodded. They were just about to climb out of the hideout when there was a thump above them. Rushing out. They found John sitting there on the grass in a tunic and trousers, even the glasses he usually didn't wear.
"John? How are you here? I've only been gone a few hours." John stood up and seemed to have grown again, he was now at level height with Peter and his hair was longer.
"It's been half a year Wendy and I can't figure out why I'm here unless I count as a lost boy. Where's Michael?" Her younger brother looked around and then they heard a distant and constant yelling getting closer and closer till a ginger haired boy fell face first onto the grass. Wendy ran to him and turned him over, it was indeed Michael.
"How can you both be lost boys? You have parents... wait." Peter said, questioning.
"We ran away, we hated it at home, mother couldn't control father and he was absolutely horrible to both of us and all of the lost boys. They might be dropping in soon, I'm not sure." John said as Michael jumped up into Wendy's arms. He was too heavy to be picked up but she hugged him.
"Wait, it's been half a year? How fast does time go." She looked at Peter and he shrugged.
"Couple of months an hour perhaps?" Wendy bit her lip and sighed.
"Well your here now so you may as well come with us." Wendy said looking at her brothers.
"Come on then." Peter took Wendy's hand and they walked into the forest. He didn't let go of her hand even as they got close to the camp, Wendy could hear the sound of people and then a louder voice of a woman. Tiger Lily? John and Michael were lagging behind but Peter walked into the camp with a bow and she did the same. Then he walked up to who Wendy assumed was Tiger Lily and smiled.
"Wendy's back!" He exclaimed and Tiger Lily stood up.
"Is it really you?" She asked, Wendy loved her voice, so soft and silky but composed and firm.
"Of course it is! I have missed you so Tiger Lily." The two young women stood up and embraced each other closely, it was like Wendy could smell the woodlands on her. It was in her blood, the welcoming scent of pine, leaves and bark.
"Tiger Lily?" A voice behind them asked. As Wendy withdrew from the hug, she saw John. Looking at Tiger Lily with a longing she hadn't seen before.
Lily thought he never looked so handsome, he was taller and more masculine and had a deeper voice and was coming straight toward her. They stood face to face and she smiled up at his, she had grown as up like Peter had, they kept each other company usually and spoke about the past.
"John." She said, testing out how it sounded again, laughing a little she wrapped her arms around his neck and went up onto her tip toes to hug him, John's arms soon snaked around her waist and his head tucked in next to hers. She had missed him ever so and thought about him more often than not.
"Come on you two." Peter said to Wendy and Michael and they headed back to the hideout.
"It is too long since I saw you." Lily whispered in his ear, "Only in my dreams I saw you." John didn't want to let go of her because he was scared they would be separated again.
"I'm here now even though I'm not sure why, but I saw you in my dreams too." They withdrew and smiled at each other. Reaching forward, John pushed a jet black hair out of the way of her face and kept his hand there.
"Come on." She said taking a John by the hand. His palms were a little sweaty and he wiped them before taking her hand again, they walked through the camp where many of her tribe looked on surprised as he walked through but not angry. They approached a large tent that Lily entered still pulling his hand. It was a tent with furs in one corner as a bed, burnt out embers, a spit, some clothes, jewelry and head dresses. But no one else was in it.
"Is this yours?" He asked.
"Ours now. My father died and I am leader now, with help of others." John smirked, he could tell she had tried to learn English and he appreciated it.
"I never forgot about you, even when I thought Neverland wasn't real I knew somehow you must have been." John's eyes stung a little at remembering when he had questioned her existance and cried silently for it.
"It's okay John, we never really forgot, me remember everything and dreams. Maybe we spoke through dreams." She wondered, John would have usually said it was utter balderdash that you could speak through a dream but now he knew Neverland was real he didn't reject anything, everything that seemed impossible was possible.
"I don't know how, but maybe." He replied.
"Come and sit with me." Lily pulled him over to the furs and they sat opposite each other crossed legged.
"Lets ask each other questions so we can more familiar with each other." John said, "Do your tribe hate me?" Was his first, Tiger Lily laughed and blushed.
"No. Silly John. They only hate the pirates or anyone who wishes to harm the tribe or home. Why are you here now, and why is Wendy here?"
"Well I ran away from home with Michael so I suppose that makes me a lost boy, Peter took Wendy back with him of her own will. She wanted to come back and so did I. Did you think about me much?" He asked.
"Some days, mostly when it got dark because I was not doing anything. Thinking back, I remembered you and the lost boys and your siblings and often got upset because of it. But anyway, I shouldn't cry. Does Wendy love Peter?" Tiger Lily asked John staring deep into her eyes. He believed there was an underlying meaning for asking that question but he took hold of her hand.
"I know she cares for him a great deal. But I don't think either of them love each other, they don't know each other well enough and they haven't seen each other in years plus they don't really know what love is but I..." John trailed off because Tiger Lily had tears in her eyes. She let go of John's hand."Your crying, what's wrong?" He asked putting a hand on her face. She pushed it away.
"You think you can't love someone if you don't know them or havent seen them in ages. You are wrong. Maybe it is you that does not understand the love because you are so blind to it! Or are you just a fool?" Tiger Lily didn't understand why he couldn't see. She loved him and she knew it. She hadn't seen him in years but it made no difference, why should it?
"I'm sorry I didn't realise you-"
"No you didn't. You did not even think about it." Tears streamed her face now and her vision was blurry but she saw him push his glasses up his nose. He got closer and closer until he embraced her and she fell into his arms. Her head on his chest she leant on him as he stroked her hair. John understood how to calm girls such as Tiger Lily, as he had with his sister.
Wendy would often have panic attacks and anxiety and all she needed was to sat down and talked to, to keep her mind off it. Or just held while she cried, Wendy had found it hard to believe she was safe and she always needed a hug. Maybe Lily was the same.
A few minutes later, Lily had stopped crying.
"I'm sorry, I don't blame you. Your probably right about it." She whimpered sitting up.
"Don't worry. I should have just shut up." John smiled at her and pushed a piece of hair away from her face.
"No, no. That's not fair. But I need to tell you something." Lily breathed slowly and closed her eyes.
"No, I need to tell you something first. I love you. I don't care that I haven't seen you in years or that I haven't spent every day with you, I know how I feel and I have wanted to tell you ever since I left. Many won't understand our connection but I know we spoke in our dreams, we communicated when we couldn't see each other face to face and that proves our connection. Maybe were not like other-" John was cut off by Lily pressing her lips to his, she wrapped her arms around his neck and they fell backward together.
She straddled him and his hands ran cautiously up her back, feeling the feathers of her necklace he placed a hand on her soft skin.
Breaking away for a second, she was still nose to nose with him. She leant on her elbows that were either side of John's head, they looked at each other then began laughing.
When Peter, Wendy and Michael got back to the hideout Michael saw the lost boys and ran off with them. Leaving Peter and Wendy.
"Hold my hand." Peter suddenly said and Wendy slipped her hand into his. He clicked his fingers and suddenly they were in a part of the forest that was quiet. She let go of his hand and walked forward, when she saw the waterfall she breathed in
loudly.
"It's so beautiful here. How come I didn't see it when I came here?" Peter chuckled.
"Well I didn't think you would like waterfalls after the whole incident with the mermaids." Remembering she laughed.
"We were only trying to drown her." Wendy imitated.
"Yeah, only. Plus this pool is magic." She stepped closer to the turquoise shimmering water and stooped down to it.
"It's looks quite normal even if the colour is magnificent."
"It's disguised to the naked eye. But if you have the eye you can see the pixie dust in it. It's also there if someone has been captured or fooled into something, they will remember what they need l and it would help them." Looking back at Peter she stepped backward to stand next to him. They linked hands and she smiled slightly.
"I wish I had never left." Wendy said as they stared at the waterfall.
"You wouldn't be suprised by anything and I'm glad I grew up a little because of you leaving." Biting her lip she pawed at the ground with her foot.
"I thought that was your worst nightmare. Why are you happy you grew up?"
"Because you don't have real emotions when your young except sadness and happiness. When your grown you experience and express excitement, disappointment, hope, hate... love." He stopped and they continued looking at the waterfall. She wanted to say something to him, but couldn't think of what to say. Wendy knew that she had feelings for Peter, but love? Love was a word she had only used for family or when she said "I love English." Or "I love chocolate." She never spoke about it that often.
Did Peter have feelings for her? Wendy didn't know. When they had first met there had been moments where they were close, but he had never really known girls so maybe he was just being nice or doing what he believed to be right. But they had kissed, well, she had kissed him. Had he even realised? Oh God, maybe he never knew and I'm just being foolish.
"Love? I thought the word itself offended you." Peter shook his head disapprovingly.
"I also thought that beating Captain Hook was the most important thing in the world. I wasn't as clever I thought so was." She smirked and he gripped her hand just that little more.
"You know, I don't think I do regret leaving. I mean I would have left for university and that would have been away from home, this alternative just has more fun."
"Did you ever wish you could just settle down, find a husband have some children and live happily ever after?" The question surprised Wendy.
"I don't think so, I never was one to just sit down and do nothing. That only happens when I'm writing or reading." The sky was starting to turn a beautiful shade of orange and red.
"What do you read if you don't read stories?" She nearly laughed but remembered Peter didn't understand these things.
"Things I would have needed for my degree, books about discoveries and interesting people and history. It's not all stories Peter. I think it's best to remember that." His face seemed to sink, she was talking about growing up things and he disapproved at the mention.
"Degrees. University. The words disgust me." Wendy clenched her jaw.
"Just like love?" Wendy stared at Peter and he couldn't reach her eyes, he kept them low. She knew he felt something, but she couldn't be sure if it was what she felt.