Peter slept for days, it had even been difficult to get him back to the Nevertree and into her bed before he succumbed to his exhaustion. Even though his physical strength returned with Wendy the mental scars would take longer to heal. It didn't matter, they had forever to make up for lost time. She spent that time reconnecting with those she had lost in her self-imposed exile. There was nothing but joy in her reunions. No one blamed her for her time away as they were all overjoyed to have her back and all set right. During this time she also found herself scouring the island for any sign of permanent damage. To her relief she found none. On the 4th day she went back to the lake. All here was as it should be, but she had some things she needed to do. She knelt by the clear water, glancing around as if she were a criminal and gathering her courage asked the only question that was weighing on her mind still.

"Will James be alright?" She finally managed in a tight voice, twisting his ring about her finger.

The water shifted and blurred. Her heart tightened as she saw her only other love dressed in his finest appearing noble and proud. The voice of the pool spoke to her.

"Captain James Hook will find his true purpose and be happy in his choice."

A tear trickled down her face. She was unsure of what that would be, but to hear his name and happy in the same sentence gave her hope that she was sure had been stripped from her. The answer gave her contentment that she did not think she could get again. She was unsure if she had anything else to ask. She watched the lazy clouds drift and her mind turned to London and her family.

Without meaning to she smiled and said, "I wish I could tell John or Michael about everything that has been happening."

The water in the lake began to glow, Wendy's eyes went wide as she scrambled to the edge. In the water she saw an image on John, now mostly healed, in deep sleep.

"Speak and he will hear." The voice thundered in her ear.

The weight of what was happening shocked Wendy to her core. She had just found the right thing to say to communicate past Neverland.

"John," she whispered "John, I am well and I am so happy you are healing. I have missed you so much my brother. I love you."

She watched as John shifted slightly in his slumber, he threw his arm over his head and mumbled "I love you too, Wendy."

The water went dark before she burst into laughter and tears.

It took Wendy 3 times to finally explain to Peter what she had discovered. She raced back to him and had shaken him awake. Over dinner that night Peter and the lost boys plotted ways to impart their knowledge to the world.

"Do you think I could just ask to speak to an engineer? Or even the best mathematician in the world?" Curly asked excitedly?

"I don't know, we will need to explore this slowly." Nibs cautioned.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to overwhelm the world with our brilliance." Slightly said winking at Wendy.

Wendy smiled at him past the glow of the little fairy that had been no more than a foot away from her practically the entire time she had returned. Tinkerbelle was currently lounging on her shoulder.

"It's a new world for all of us." Peter grinned and he linked his fingers with Wendy.

It was so easy, the time they had spent apart had only deepened their resolve to stay together. When Wendy broke down and confessed everything about all her time with James, Peter responded in an easy and calm voice rubbing his hands down the lengths of her arms.

"How can I blame you for taking solace with him? Hook and I have been rivals as long as time has existed here. He was the obvious choice for you to go to. Given my transgression I can hardly blame you for what you did when we were apart?"

His fingers intertwined with hers and brushed his thumb across her right ring finger that displayed the Captain's ring.

"Does it bother you much?" Wendy questioned. "I can remove it if it does."

"No, please don't. It is a reminder for me. A reminder to never forget how close I came to losing you forever."

Peter told her of his time among the stars. Of his fear and determination that had eventually driven him mad. He told her that if one good thing had come of all of this, his knowledge of the skies had increased tremendously. There was no talk of finding her way back to earth. They both knew her desire for that had melted with the snow. Wendy told Peter of her time with the pirates and what she had learned. She smiled as she asked if he thought Tootles might like an assistant.

One dark night they were watching the stars from the top of the Nevertree. Safe within its branches and Peter's arms Wendy again felt content. She knew a piece of her heart would always be on the Jolly Roger but distance was proving helpful. They had watched the sun set from this tree every night for weeks, but something tonight was different. The air itself seemed thick with anticipation. It was as if the skies themselves knew the inevitable had finally arrived.

"It's late." Wendy whispered.

"Mmmm. I will see you home." Peter replied moving from behind her to begin the descent down the tree.

"No, wait." Wendy's hand darted out to catch his arm.

In that small movement electricity burst between their flesh. Without a word they crashed into each other, two storm fronts colliding. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he trailed kisses down her neck. Hot desperate sounds she hardly recognized as her own sang out through the quiet night. James had shown her passion, but she now found herself reaching a new level of need. Pressed against the trunk of the tree she tore at the neckline of his shirt wanting to feel all of him. Shreds of material from them both floated heedlessly to the ground. His fingers laced patterns of ice and fire down her spine as he pulled her closer to him exploring her silken skin. She traced the patterns of his strong shoulders with her palms. He was hard and ready against her. They had countless time to learn each other. Tonight she wanted, needed, to finally feel him.

"Please." She panted.

Peter's eyes were deep as emeralds at midnight as he pressed her back into the tree and lifted her legs around his lean hips. Wendy threw her head back as he entered her and let out a silent cry. They were a perfect fit, as the key to the correct lock. She pulled him back to kiss him again and they both began to move. He held her tightly, bruising her skin, she clawed at his back. They were one, every movement was pure pleasure. Through the haze Wendy realized they were floating up through the branches into the sky, she could not find it in herself to care. She was racing, her heart, her mind, her blood. Rushing toward the end and the beginning. Their tempo mounted, hot, wet, right. She managed to look into his eyes as they both shattered, exploded, felt the knowledge of the universe sweep through their bodies. The stars rained with flickering light as they clung to each other, star children drifting in the heavens. Nothing could ever be the same again, no amount of happiness or pleasure she had felt to that moment could compare to what they had just created. All was finally as it always should have been.

They watched daylight break over Neverland from Wendy's bed, limbs tangled in her bed clothes. The sky stained with yellows and oranges, Wendy smiled at the sight.

"You are happy today." She mused watching the colors melt into each other.

"Indeed." He laughed, then after a pause he asked. "Are you happy Wendy?"

She turned in his arms to meet his eyes. "More so than I have ever been. It has been a painful path to get here, but yes Peter, I am happy."

He rested his forehead against hers with his eyes closed enjoying the closeness that he had never before encountered. He remembered nothing of his life before Neverland and love had always seemed like a puzzle that was unsolvable until he had spied Wendy through her window. She had become his whole reason for being. Stroking her cheek with one hand he slid his other under the pillow to capture an item that had been concealed there earlier.

"Marry me." He breathed, slipping a small band of metal onto her finger.

Wendy looked at her hand to see the long lost thimble cut and refashioned into a ring.

"I can never give you all that you deserve, but please, allow me to try for the rest of time. Be with me, forever."

Her eyes misted as she kissed him. Her reply was simple but true.

"Yes."