Hello! Thank you to everyone who's reviewed! And please if you're reading this - tell me what you think :)
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 11
Jane was sat at the breakfast table the next morning when Johnny came into the room and sat down so close to her that their knees were almost touching.
"Hi Johnny." She greeted him, looking into the big brown eyes that were raised to hers imploringly.
"Jane." He said in a quivery voice.
"Oh what's wrong?" She asked, horrified something should have upset him. She drew him into a hug and he wrapped his arms and legs around her, clinging on like a limpet.
"W-will you st-still love me now that you love Peter t-too?" He sniffed.
Jane pushed his hair back and kissed his warm forehead. "Of course! I'll love you forever and ever Johnny." She soothed him. He nestled his head into her shoulder and she drew gentle patterns on his back, it always calmed him.
"You're my brother and so you'll always have pride of place in my heart, Mother too." She went on and he finally stopped crying and smiled.
"We will?"
"Definitely."
The little boy paused. "Just – Peter's going to be there too?" He asked.
"Peters always been there." Jane said quietly.
"Oh good, he doesn't even have to move his stuff in." Johnny said cheekily and Jane laughed.
"Makes it easier doesn't it?" She said, ruffling his hair. "Do you..." She paused, wondering if she should ask or not. "Do you like Peter?"
Johnny considered the question, climbing off Jane's knee and sitting in the chair next to her, swinging his chubby legs. "Yes." He decided with a firm nod. "But I don't like it when he makes you sad." He said, and then added as an afterthought: "And I used to be jealous of him."
"It's not his fault that I'm sad sometimes, John." She said and he nodded.
"Yes, you were sad a lot more before he came." He said, remembering how he had heard her crying before bedtime every night.
Jane looked at him in surprise – she thought she'd hidden her feelings and sorrow at least from him.
"You're right." She said with a small smile.
As if on cue Peter walked into the room, gave Jane a beaming smile and picked Johnny up to whirl him around. Johnny shrieked with delight and lifted up his arms.
"I'm flying, like you!" He squealed. Peter laughed and set him down on the chair.
"Good morning." He said sweetly to Jane and she smiled.
"Good morning."
"Good morning!" Johnny shouted, not to be left out, and Jane chuckled.
Peter grinned and went to kiss Jane but was stopped by Johnny screwing up his face.
"Ew." The little boy proclaimed.
Peter turned round. "What's 'Ew' about it?" He inquired mischievously.
"Kissing's yuck." Was Johnny's staid reply.
Peter sighed and sat down, raising his hands as if surrendering. Jane raised an eyebrow.
"Johnny, don't you have something you wanted to show Peter?" She hinted (they'd discussed this the day before), Johnny's eyes lit up and he ran out of the room.
As soon as the door shut Jane crossed over to Peter and he pulled her onto his lap, she smoothed his hair and as her hand came to rest on his cheek they kissed.
They were too intoxicated to notice the door open and Uncle John walk through it. He stopped in his tracks and his eyes seem to bulge as he stuttered indignantly.
"Excuse me!" He managed to say eventually and the two sprang apart, then they saw his horrified expression and simultaneously burst out laughing.
"I see nothing humorous!" John insisted, drawing himself up to his full height. At that moment Johnny flung the door open and it knocked John forwards causing more hilarity from Peter and Jane, the whole thing was funnier because Johnny was in a Peter Pan costume.
He ran into the middle of the room, paying no attention to John's indignation, and crowed. Peter cheered and Jane clapped.
"Couldn't have done it better myself." Peter congratulated and Johnny gave him a beaming smile.
Jane smiled and placed a hand on Peter's back. "You're so good with him." She said under her breath and he grinned.
"Is there anything I'm not good at?" He said and Jane sighed.
"It's bad because you're only half-joking." She said with a roll of her eyes.
Wendy appeared in the door and took in the scene: John looked affronted, Johnny was in his Peter Pan costume and looked perfectly happy and Peter and Jane were oblivious to anything but each other. She cleared her throat and they all turned to look at her.
"Oh hello Mother." Jane said, dragging her eyes away from Peters.
"Good morning." She said warily.
"Good morning!" Chorused Johnny and Peter, Wendy's face relaxed into a smile and she picked Johnny up.
"What on earth's the matter, John?" She asked.
He put his hands on his hips and snorted. "Well I was greeted this morning with the sight of those two (he indicated Peter and Jane) canoodling in plain sight and they took no notice of my entrance! Obviously too engrossed! And then I was knocked by this little tyrant parading in -" He went on, waving his arms but Wendy stopped him.
"John, you sound like Father." She told him gravely and he juddered to a halt in his rant.
"Oh God I do." He said faintly and sank into a chair.
Peter and Jane exchanged looks and then Jane spoke up. "Peter and I were planning on going out today, is there anything you need?" She asked her Mother.
"Is that such a good idea?" Wendy asked slowly.
"Yes, I think so." Jane replied.
Wendy's eyes flicked to Peter's and, seeing no trepidation there, she nodded her head. "Okay, well if I could give you my shopping list that would be a great help." She said, handing over a scrap of paper. Jane took it with a smile and then got to her feet.
"Come on then – oh." She said, stopping with a frown. "You can't go out dressed like that." She gestured to Peter's clothes and he grimaced.
"Why not?"
"Because that's not what people wear here." Jane said firmly. Wendy gave her a look and reached into a bag that had been by her feet and drew out shoes, trousers and a shirt.
"Problem solved." She said, handing them to Peter who looked at them suspiciously.
"They won't bite." John encouraged him.
"I'm not scared." Peter said, standing up. "In fact I'm going to put them on right now." He added proudly as he marched out of the door.
"Too easy." John grinned, stretching leisurely and Jane and Wendy laughed.
"JANE!" They heard Peter shout from the next room.
Jane jumped slightly. "Peter? What is it?"
"Could you come here?" He asked. Jane shrugged slightly and hastened into the next room.
"What's wrong?" She said as she opened the door and then stopped short; Peter was stood in the middle of the room wearing the shoes and trousers but holding the shirt in his hands. He had definitely grown up since the last time she'd seen him shirtless, his muscles were defined – Jane blushed, he looked like a statue of Hermes she'd seen once in a museum.
"I can't work these stupid things." He said, pointing to the buttons. "I need you to – what's wrong?" He asked suddenly, noticing the strange look on Jane's face.
"Nothing. Here." She said quickly, crossing over to him as he put the shirt on. They were very close, she took the shirt and swallowed – suddenly nervous – trying not to touch his skin. Peter let her do the buttons up, now realizing the source of her discomfort; it seemed like there was a tangible connection between them, bringing them closer together and still pushing away. At one point Jane's hand brushed his skin and he shivered.
"Sorry." She murmured, flicking her eyes up to meet his. "Done." She stepped away hastily, putting her hands behind her back.
"Um – thank you." Peter said, reminded of how he'd felt when he'd seen her dress fall to the ground, remembering how she'd looked bathed in the glow of moonlight from the window.
"We'd better go." Jane said, pushing her hair back from her face.
Peter blinked and then nodded, following her.
"We're off." Jane told Wendy as they passed the kitchen.
"Alright darling." Came the soft response. Peter looked at the front door somewhat warily and Jane hesitantly held out her hand. He took it, closing his hand around her smaller, soft hand and kissing each of her fingers gently.
"Let's go."
