It didn't take long for Peter to find his way to a residential district. He walked as he always did, inches above the rooftops, as he fiddled with the pan flute around his neck. The moon was high in the sky now, it looked down upon him with the cool gaze of a loving parent. The moon was the closest thing to a parent Peter could ever remember having. He turned his head towards it and closed his eyes, allowing the cool white beams of light to seep into his skin as he walked. It was peaceful, a feeling he did not often take pleasure in but after the anger he felt his body was hollow, any emotion was welcome.

The night was growing long, but in his bones Peter felt it was still he made his way along the paths that he and only few others had ever dared tread. He could see a few lights remaining in nursery windows, the sight brought a small smile to his lips. Perhaps the night would end on a high note after all. He moved to a rooftop where the nursery windows looked more like twin doors and positioned himself right above them.

The song that wafted through the air from his pan flute sounded reminiscent of a lullaby. Calm soothing tones that wafted through the air like silken strands of a spiders web. More lights came on in windows around him and soon small heads poked out of the windows, eyes were rubbed and groggy questions were asked but Peter only continued to play. Suddenly the window below him was opened and a small head of mousy brown curls poked out. The boy was absolutely tiny, but not sickly thin like the former Cubby had been before he needed replacing. The child turned his head up and Peter was captured by a pair of bright blue yet still sleep hazed eyes. He smiled at the sight of the young boy, this child was perfect for Neverland.

Peter held out his hand to the boy as he continued playing on his flutes, the notes now lower due to him no longer being able to work the smaller of the pipes. The boy blinked and rubbed his eyes once again before reaching out to take Peter's offered hand. With the boy in his grasp, Peter dropped the pan flute and reached into the small satchel at his hip, filling his palm with pixie dust and pulling it out to blow the dust over the boy. They were both lifting into the air now, the boys eyes closed and his head lulling forward and back as Peter flew them over the city.

"J-John?" The boy asked in a sleepy and slow voice. Peter chuckled and pulled him up a bit higher.

"It'll be better soon, just go to sleep." He told the boy as he looked down to see a line of carriages leaving the building that held the blasted party. The adults were on their way home now, soon they would discover that there was one more lost boy for Neverland. It would be fun to watch them scramble around like ants until they gave up the search, but Peter had to get the boy settled in and used to his new home.

"Come along Cubby." He said as he looked down at the half asleep boy once again, "everyone is waiting for us." Without waiting for Cubby to respond to him, he turned them towards Kensington Gardens and began the descent as they made their way over the city. He would have to change the door in a few days, if only to keep his new lost boy from wandering off on him.

The shed came into view and the pan flute that hung from shone brightly like a star with a color that only Peter knew, he had named it Pan, it looked like something between dreaming and wakefulness, a lingering emotion more than a physical sight. The door swung open as they landed, light that mimicked what was emitted from his pan flutes seeped out to surround them. Cubby began to glow in the same way as Peter placed his hands on the young boy's shoulders.

"Welcome home, Cubby." Peter said as he pushed the young boy through the door and swiftly followed behind him. The light momentarily blinded them but soon Cubby was stumbling along the deck of Neverland as Peter floated alongside him.

"Where am I?" the new Cubby asked as he blinked away the sleep from his eyes.

"You're on Neverland!" It was the twins who spoke up, speaking in sync as they always did when they were excited. "It's a great place, no bedtimes, no adults! We can do what we want when we want right Captain?"

"Aye," Peter puffed his chest out with pride at the twins words. "Not to mention you never ever have to grow up!" he added as he moved to lounge on the stars leading up to his cabin. He glanced over the boys who were now crowding around Cubby and welcoming into their ranks in their own special way and felt his eyes narrow. "Where is Slightly and Curly?" He called out as his gaze settled on Nibs who jumped and looked to Tootles before staring at the deck below his feet.

"Slightly fell and he had to be thrown over Captain." Tootles was the one who spoke up, "And Curly went out looking for you." Peter tilted his head and placed his fingers against his chin as he thought over his first mate's words.

"Well, we will give him a few days, Tink ought to have Cubby's key ready by then, if he doesn't return we will move without him and he will just have to find his own way back home." He decided with a firm nod before clapping his hands together and flashing the small group of boys a bright smile. "No matter, for now we have to get Cubby acquainted with Neverland. Slightly… right Slightlys gone, Nibs!"

"Aye Captain." Nibs called as he straightened his back to appear taller than that of his usual slouched physique.

"Show Cubby to his bunk and then teach him what he needs to know about the ship. Tootles, I need you to go tell Tink I'm back home. Sure she's bout ready to blow a fuse by now. I'll be in my quarters." With that he turned, shifting his body into a standing position before making his way up the curved staircase towards his cabin. A hiss of steam came from a pipe to his left and he jumped at the unexpected shock. He placed his hand on the pipe and felt the warm hum radiate up his arm to his shoulder.

"Woah girl." he murmured under his breath, "What's gotten into you today?" He turned his gaze to where Nibs was leading Cubby below deck and felt his brow furrow at the sight. "It'll be fine." He whispered as he patted the pipe, "You'll see, he's perfect." with that said he moved up the stairs and away from the rowdy bunch of boys who were playfully shoving each other across the deck.

His cabin was large, but crowded with the treasures he had acquired over the years. It resembled a messy dump with piles of things strewn about haphazardly and a large fur covered bed stuffed into one corner. The only spot that resembled cleanliness was his desk where maps of cities around the world, and even cities in world's only known to him who had been on the Neverland the longest. He moved to the desk and unceremoniously flopped down to lay sideway across the large throne like fur covered chair that waited behind it. His eyes scanned over star charts and city streets inked out on paper and parchment. He had no need to rush a decision this time at least, the last time he had switched their gate Hook had been hot on their heels and Red Jessica had already killed a Nibs and a Cubby before his very eyes. This time though, they could take a moment to decide which would be best, perhaps a door closer to a city center so they could better get a lay of the land before deciding how to handle each outing.

The sound of his door opening had his eyes glancing up from the desk, but only momentarily as the sound of bells filled the air around him. Peter sighed and adjusted his sitting position so he could brace his arms on the desk before leveling his eyes at her once again. She did not look happy, though Peter doubted he could ever tell how the last fairy was feeling as fairies did not show emotions in the same way humans did.

"I know, I took a long while getting home." He began, only to sigh as a quick chorus of bells followed the statement. "Look, I found a new Cubby, that was the whole point of leaving yeah? Then you should stop your hissy fit and get to work on his key. The boys will show him the ropes and before you know it he will forget everything but Neverland." He ran his fingers through his messy ginger hair as he spoke and shook his head when more bells followed. "I know! I know okay, the first one took a tumble because he was at some adult party of all things." His nose snarled up in disgust as he recalled what had happened, if the boy had been in his room then his body would have simply followed a known route, instead it walked right off and over a railing to his death. "It wasn't my fault Tink, I'm busy anyway and so should you be." He grunted as a gastly screech of bells filled his ears, but did not respond to them. Tinkerbell was always such a dramatic that it was best for him not to answer most of the time. There was a sound equivalent to a chime as the fairy huffed, he glanced up in time to see her cross her arms and turn to the door with her nose jutting into the air.

"Go on then, be angry, see if I care." He grumbled as she made her way to the door which opened with a wave of her hand and slammed shut behind her. He shook his head slowly as he turned his attention on the papers spread out between his arms. It had been quite long since the last time they faced Hook and his crew of cutthroats. He knew the pirate captain was smart, it wouldn't take the man long to figure out where Neverland was, or was headed if all went as planned. He was down a Slightly, possibly a Curly as well but he still had to wait and see on that. If he didn't keep enough boys around to keep Hook's crew busy then it would be simply Peter versus a large group of adults who were trained to kill. It was terribly boring but outmaneuvering Hook was the best course of action until the Lost boys numbers were up once again.

"Bloody adults." Peter sighed as he leaned back in his seat. He scratched his head furiously before resting it against the furs of the chair back and closing his eyes.

Part four is finished, hope whoever reads this enjoys it.

much love;

Ad