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"I, I don't even know where to begin. I'm not even sure what to ask." Wendy breathed.
"I have no doubt"
Seven sets of eyes bore into Wendy as she released Peter's hands and gathered her thoughts.
"So I have been here before, with my brothers."
Peter nodded.
"And you believe the reason I have forgotten everything is because of the wish that you made?"
"It seems as if that is the case, yes."
"Why did that other man, Hook? Bring me back here?"
Peter's eyes grew hard. "That I am totally unsure of. I also have no idea how he was able to get you back here. Once the way was lost to me it seemed to be lost to all of Neverland."
"So his bringing me here had nothing to do with you?" She asked suspiciously.
Slightly exasperated Peter replied, "Wendy, although the Pirates and the lost boys no longer engage in petty witless battles we are hardly companions. No, why Hook brought you here he did it completely on his own accord."
"Why were you at his ship when I awoke?"
"Ah, well I had become aware that Hook had managed to leave Neverland. The Pirates have done that from time to time but always return relatively quickly. It seems that those who arrive in Neverland cannot leave, at least not permanently. I was finally going to ask him what he was up to and if he was working out a way to finally get away from this place. A great deal of our going there was curiosity. I was surprised to be fired on, especially since our truce has lasted as long as it has. Then I saw you."
"Can you bring me home?" She asked with a touch of hope.
"It pains me more than you will ever know to tell you that I am sorry, I cannot. I truly do not know the way. If I tried we may become lost forever."
A tear slipped down Wendy's cheek as she slumped her shoulders in defeat. "What happens now?"
"I suppose that depends on what you would like. Slightly built you a space of your own long ago when we had hoped you might be able to return here, we would be delighted to have you back with us. We can show you Neverland all over again and we can teach you what we have learned since you have been away. I will also continue to see if I can relearn my way back to London." Snarling Peter finished "And of course I will arrange a meeting with Hook to discover his intentions and see if he can teach me how to return you. I assume that you do not want to return to him?"
Wendy paled at the thought of returning to the frightening man who had so violently turned her life upside down. She shook her head quickly.
"I assumed as much. Is there anything we can answer for you before I take you back to your room to clean up?" He asked looking at her dirty, bloodstained clothing.
"You said there was a way to see my home, even communicate with those there. Would it be at all possible to see Michael? He has… that is, he is, away, from home right now. He will not know that I am gone but I would very much like to see him."
"Of course! We can take you to the lake tomorrow you can wish to see Michael and John and anyone else you so desire." He smiled reassuringly, then stood and began walking toward the others in the middle of the room who had all risen.
"John is dead."
Peter stopped midstride and spun to face her. The other men wore various expressions of shock and dismay. "Wendy, I am so sorry. John was becoming a fine man. We saw the deaths of your parents, but I had no idea. What happened?"
"He went to war. I had just received word before I was taken."
"Yes, we have seen the wars wrought on your world. We are no strangers to violence but what is happening there is an abomination. Perhaps maybe you can see where they have laid him. Perhaps that will bring you some peace?"
"Yes, thank you. That actually might help."
"I assume when you say Michael is away you mean he has also been swept up in this atrocity?"
"Yes."
"We will find him in the lake Wendy. Hopefully we will find him whole and safe and will be able to keep watch over him until his safe return. But now I really do think a bath, fresh clothing and a real meal would do you well."
"Peter, would you mind if I took her up? I have a few things I would like to show her." The red head, Slightly, asked.
Peter hesitated and looked at Wendy searching for approval. Seeing her tentative smile he replied, "That is fine. I have a few things I would like to do quickly before dinner." Peter took her hand in his once more and touched his lips to the top. "Until tonight then." Without another word he strode to the door and dove out of it, soaring into the sky.
"Alright then, shall we head up? I have so much to show you that I fear we may miss dinner before my tour is complete. And the last thing I am willing to do in this life is miss a meal." Slightly said through a wonderfully crooked smile.
His enthusiasm was contagious as Wendy felt the corners of her mouth draw up for the first time in a long while. "Yes please, thank you."
"Your wish, my command Wendy Lady." He held out his arm in an exaggerated gentlemanly way which Wendy hooked her arm through.
"Shall I see you all at dinner?" She asked the rest of the room.
All nodded or called out in the affirmative.
"Be careful with her." Called out one of the twins, "She still has considerable injuries," finished the second.
"I will consider her a porcelain tea cup sirs," sang Slightly leading Wendy to the door, which earned him an eye roll from both twins.
The shadows were lengthening and a cool breeze signaled evening was fast approaching as Wendy stepped out onto the large branch of the Nevertree.
"Do you mind if I carry you? I don't want to risk you hurting your wrists by holding on. And frankly the twins may skin me if they knew I let you try."
"No of course, that is fine, thank you." Wendy blushed slightly as he lifted her into his arms. Finally awake and aware enough she was becoming embarrassed by both her reliance on these men as well as the manner of which she was allowing them to touch her.
If he noticed her reddening cheeks he made no mention of it. Slowly they rose through the huge limbs of the tree. In but a moment they reached the door she had fallen from. How long had it been? Hours? Minutes? Time seemed like an abstract thing in this place.
"First things first," Slightly said setting her down and ending her thoughts, "your door."
"My door?" Wendy said with surprise.
"Yes ma'am." He reached forward and pulled the door closed. Where a clear doorway had been Wendy saw only an intact tree trunk.
"That is incredible!" She said reaching out to the place where the door had just been. She pushed lightly and encountered complete resistance. It was as if there was nothing behind the bark but more tree.
"Keeps unwanted guests out." He said with a smile. "To get in you will want to find this knot and twist to the left three times." He placed his hand on a small unassuming knot on the tree and turned it, the door swung inwards without a sound. "Come on in!"
Slightly took Wendy on a tour of her new home. Both the door and the many windows in the space had locking mechanisms on the inside that would render their secret knobs on the outside useless. The pool in the center of the room turned out to be as magical as the place she now resided. "The water will never dirty." Slightly explained. "Neat feature about Neverwater." The walls of her new home also had magical properties. He told her that the wood would glow lightly anytime she closed the windows and door unless she asked it not to.
"How do I ask it to stop glowing?" She asked, no longer finding anything impossible.
"All you have to say is 'Glow please' or 'Stop glowing please.' The please is important, Nevertrees are very particular."
There were small cupboards under the staircases that held a variety of useful things, parchment and quills, candles, a few dishes, soaps and other sundry items. "I trade with the Piccaninny for the dresses for you. They remembered what you had worn your last time and attempted to replicate it a bit."
"But why would you bother? These are in my current size, wasn't it thought I would never return here?"
"Peter thought you would never come back. He was actually very certain of it. But I knew better. I don't think this place can live without you, not really. I figured it was only a matter of time. So I built this place and stocked it every few years with new things for you. Peter and I actually had quite a row about it. But I eventually convinced him that it was only wasting my time and that he should not worry about it. Good thing I have never been good at listening to him right?"
"Yes I guess it is a good thing. Nibs mentioned you each had developed vocations of a sort? Is this what you do? Carve things?"
"In a manner of speaking I guess." He said with a laugh, "Hmmm what would you call what I do? I guess you could say I coax wood to do what I want. Sometimes I use tools to whittle or carve things other times I work with the tree I and it grows into what I want."
"Well it is truly a gift that you have Slightly. I do not know how I can repay you."
He grew serious, "There is only one thing I can ask of you Wendy."
"What is that?" She asked in a hushed tone.
"Please try to help him, he has been lost for so long and we all fear what is happening to Neverland. He is trying to fix it but I don't know if he can do it without you."
She placed a hand on his shoulder and for the first time started to grasp the uncertainly Neverland's residents must have felt these last 10 years. "I will do everything I can to try."
Slightly smiled as only he could and then gestured up to where she had awoken. "You saw the loft already I take it."
"Yes thank you, oh Slightly, there were so many beautiful flowers up there. Can I ask who they were all from?"
"Of course!" he said leading them up the stairs. "The roses are from Peter, the wild flowers are from all of the lost boys, mine are the red ones, the tiger lilies are from the tribe, the water lilies are from the mermaids and the baby's breath is from Tink. She is fit to be tied that Peter wouldn't let her see you yet. But he thought the shock of seeing a Pixie might be too much for you before you heard the story."
"My, word of my return has traveled fast. It was very kind of everyone to do that."
"Your return is the biggest news to happen in Neverland since you left." He said with a wink. "But as always I have talked too much, are you alright here to clean up and rest for a bit? One of us will come for you when dinner is ready."
"Yes I will be fine. Thank you again, so much for your thoughtfulness."
Blushing a shade as red as his hair he again assured her it was nothing and hastily left.
Wendy locked the door and shutters of her little house and gingerly undressed. The glowing walls were a soft shade of blue that allowed her to see quite easily though the light was not overly harsh. She gathered a towel and soap and lowered herself into the water of her bath. The water was so soothingly warm that she had to keep reminding herself to mind the bandages on her head and wrists. She took her time bathing and noted that as Slightly had told her, the water remained as crystal clear and it was when she stepped into it. She dried herself and moved into the small dressing area. She selected a pale blue dress that was so similar to an old nightgown she had owned in her youth it brought tears to her eyes. In a drawer in the room she even found under things. She blushed wondering how difficult it must have been for Slightly to ask these be made for her. Her admiration of these young men, these Lost Boys was growing with every moment. If she was to be stuck in a place she did not know she could have had worst companions.
Once she was dressed and had smoothed her hair around her bandages as best she could she walked the stairs to her loft. She opened her window and sat on her bed to again admire the flowers that were as fragrant as they were beautiful. Nestled in the middle of the roses she saw something glint in the light of the setting sun. She plucked the object out of the blooms and found it was a plain silver thimble attached to a fine chain. Without even having to examine it closely she knew it was the one she had lost as a child. No, not lost. The one she had given Peter, the one that was her kiss. He had kept it. Of course he had kept it. Contemplating what this small piece of metal meant she laid down on her pillow and closed her eyes. She would rest now, her mind could take nothing more in.