The funeral was held on a rainy Monday morning. The whole town filed into the little church to pay their respects to the Darling family. Teachers, other students, even Mr. and Mrs. Gold attended, and they usually preferred to distance themselves from the rest of the town. The amount of people Wendy had made an impact on was incredible. She'd impacted practically the entire town in one way or another.

Peter stood outside the church, not knowing what to feel. When he'd first heard the news, he'd gone from confusion, to anger, to complete despair. How could his Wendy Bird do this to him? He told her time and time again he couldn't live without her, and he'd meant it. It had taken great effort just to get out of bed and go about his day. And now, standing in the front of the church, it was suddenly more real than ever.

Peter had to fight back tears at the mere sight of the casket. How could he go on without her laugh, her gentle and kind nature, without listening to her animatedly tell stories. When they were merely separated, he could keep himself going by thinking about how they'd be together one day, but now... Even that was gone. Wendy Darling was gone from his life for good, and he was stuck outside her funeral, where he was sure he wasn't welcome.

Michael Darling came outside, puffy eyed and dressed in black.

"I told my parents you were coming. No one will say anything," he assured him.

"Maybe not to my face," Peter muttered ignoring how childish he was being.

"Are you coming or not?" Michael demanded. He looked so much like Wendy in that moment, it physically hurt. Peter nodded weakly and followed.

Inside, the funeral was coming to a close. Everyone was standing around awkwardly, unsure what to do next. Peter ignored the eyes boring into him and walked up to the open casket. There she was, his Wendy Bird, her hands clasped over her stomach. It would've been almost like all those nights he'd watched her sleep if it weren't for the mark of her neck.

"I can't believe you did this to me, Darling. I would've come back for you, I would've..." He trailed off, tears stinging the back of his eyes. He suddenly didn't care that all of Storybrooke was eyeing him like some sort of caged animal. He didn't care about anyone or anything other than the girl lying dead in front of him.

"You promised me you wouldn't leave. You promised! What do you think this is then? How do you expect me to keep going after this? To live without you? I need you, Darling. I- I love you. So much." He whispered the last few words, his shoulders shaking with sobs. He turned to face the shocked townspeople.

"I hope you're all happy. I hope you're all bloody proud of what you drove her to. I don't care what you think about me, I really don't. The only thing I've ever cared about is right behind me and she's dead." Peter spit the last word out venomously. He needed to get this out, no matter what the consequences.

"Say what you want about me and what a horrible person I am, but one thing is true. I love Wendy just as much as any of you, possibly more. Going to New York was both of our ideas- she thought that was the only way to get some peace- to leave. But you couldn't just leave her be could you? We were happy. Those were the best two months of my entire life. I know what you're probably thinking. That you loved her, just wanted to make sure she was safe. Well she was. Like I'd let anything happen to her. So here it is, here is what love gets you. I guess we've all learned our lesson."

With that, Peter walked out, only stopping to get his letter from Michael. He ignored everything else, the questions on people's faces, the devastated looks on others. He said what he had to say. It was time to turn his back on Storybrooke once and for all. He sat down on his bike and opened the letter.

Dear Peter,

I know you're mad and confused. Why wouldn't you be? I've left you after promising not to time and time again. But the thing is, I just couldn't take it anymore- being torn from you over and over, being split between two sides of myself. I'm running out of goodbyes Peter, and I wanted to make sure my last one was to you. Our time together held some of the most precious moments of my life, and I'll never forget it. When you're lucky enough to find a love like ours so young (twisted, passionate, rare), sometimes it gets taken from you early. You're such a good person and I wish more than anything that I could stay to remind you of that whenever you need to hear it, but I can't do this anymore. Everything has just come crashing down onto me, and I don't have the strength to fight it anymore. Being with you gave me more strength and pure joy than you'll ever know, and I'll cherish all your little presents and all our nights together forever. I don't know what's coming next, but hopefully I'll be able to stay with you and watch over you wherever you are. My broken, lost boy, I love you. I love you to the moon and back. I'm sorry it had to end this way, but hopefully one day many, many, many years from now, we can be together again. Goodbye for now, my love.

-Forever and always,

your Wendy Bird

Peter folded up the note and placed it into his pocket before it could get tear stained and rode off. He stopped by the Darling house to take a picture of him and Wendy, and then left Storybrooke, never to return again.

Meanwhile, the people of Storybrooke watched Wendy Darling being lowered into the ground. No one said a word, but they all had the same thought about what Peter had said. They had learned their lesson: To love was to destroy, and no one loved bigger or more fiercely than Wendy Darling.

A/N: There you have it, the end. Thanks to everyone for their support and reading/ reviewing- you have no idea how much I appreciate it! xoxo