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Peter experiences the reality of London on his outing and Jane gets a bit of a shock. Please review, I do love hearing what you think and what I can do to improve this story and my writing!
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Chapter 12
Peter hadn't said a word since they'd left the house but his face had been all too expressive; his eyes grew darker at every corner they turned, every gray building he saw made his lips tighten and each cold gust of wind drew his eyebrows closer together.
"What is it?" Jane asked eventually, smoothing out the wrinkled shopping list and glancing at him surreptitiously.
"Nothing." He said shortly, she gave him a disbelieving look.
"Well...this is not how it looked. When I was flying over this place it was all lit up and exciting, now...everything's gray and dull." He said, regarding an overflowing dustbin with distaste. "And it's cold." He added.
Jane sighed, "There's a war on, what do you expect? It's not so bad here, you're just used to Neverland." She said.
"You actually like it here?" peter asked incredulously, wrinkling his nose.
"Yes." She snapped.
Peter gave a sidelong look at her and realized he'd done something wrong, as usual he hadn't thought before he spoke.
"Sorry." He muttered contritely.
"You can't just insult peoples homes." Jane said, coming to a halt. "It's rude and will never go down well."
"I really am sorry, I was just surprised...it's just different to how I remember." Peter apologized sincerely. Jane half-smiled.
"It's alright. Come on – we're here." She said with a broader smile, taking Peter's hand and pulling him round another corner.
Peter breathed in sharply as he was greeted with a heaving crowd of people, all gathered round a small collection of stalls. He instinctively took a step back and Jane laughed a little.
"It's alright, just push through." She said lightly.
Peter gingerly tapped a woman on the shoulder. "Um would you mind moving? Out of my way, I mean. So I can get through?" He asked with a bright smile. The woman turned and placed a hand on her large hip, her mouth was open making her look gormless and emphasizing a lack of teeth.
"'Ere, 'oo d'ya fink yoo are?" She screeched. "Ain't I been standin' 'ere in the freezin' cold same as yoo mister?"
Peter looked at Jane in panic as the woman jabbed him in the chest at the word 'mister' and then turned back round, her large form again blocking the way.
"Just push through?" He hissed at Jane and she laughed.
"You were too direct, I just meant slip by people. Unobtrusively, you know?" She demonstrated, slipping between a man and a woman and Peter followed, keeping his head down. It was clear that Jane had this skill to a tee and was very practiced so in no time at all they were at the front, staring at a vegetable stall.
"Right." Jane said, unfurling the crumpled list. "We need artichokes, onions, tomatoes and cabbages." She reeled off. There was a silence then Peter blinked.
"You realize I don't know what half those things are, right?" He said skeptically and Jane laughed.
"Whoops! I'll get them." She said, moving forward and standing on her tiptoes to point out the vegetables she wanted to the large owner of the stall.
Peter watched her, a smile playing about his lips as she laughed and her whole face lit up. The man behind the stall grinned along with her as he bundled the vegetables up and then placed them in a paper bag.
"There you go luv." He said, handing them to Jane who thanked him sweetly and beckoned to Peter.
They made their way back through the crowd and turned a corner, Peter took the bag from Jane so she wouldn't have to carry it and instead held her hand, swinging his arms slightly as they walked. Jane smiled up at him. "Well aren't you a gentleman!" She commented, squeezing his hand slightly.
"So it would appear." Peter said lightly, raising an eyebrow at her and laughing.
Jane was laughing with him when she heard her name, she turned swiftly to see her childhood friend Elizabeth Rodgers waving at her from across the street.
"Hey Lizzie!" She called, raising her free hand in greeting. The other girl ran up to them, her blonde curls bouncing wildly.
"Jane! I haven't seen you in the longest time!" She squealed and then stopped as she noticed Peter. "Oh, hello." She said with a sweet smile.
"Hello." He said warily, looking at Jane. "I'm Peter."
Lizzie appraised him with a raised eyebrow and smiled as she saw their clasped hands. "I don't think I've seen you before..." She said with a meaningful look at Jane, "Peter who, did you say?"
Peter tilted his chin arrogantly. "I didn't but it's Pan."
She looked blank for a minute and then broke into peals of laughter. "I like him Jane, he's funny." She giggled, putting a hand to her mouth. "Well I'll leave you to it." She waggled her fingers at them and sauntered off.
Peter nudged Jane lightly. "See, your friend thinks I'm funny." He teased.
Jane rolled her eyes. "She thinks everything's funny." She shot back.
Peter laughed and began to walk again. "I won't feel too special then."
Jane looked at him and although the teasing light was still in her eyes there was also something genuine as she smiled softly at him. "You can feel a bit special."
Peter chuckled and then did a double take as he saw a little boy of around three years old run past in a pirate costume to where his Mother was waiting.
"Wha – Jane!" He squeaked as the boy brandished a toy sword, making his Mother laugh.
"Relax. It's only for play – there must have been a birthday party." She assured him, smiling as she watched the little boy.
"Why would you dress as a pirate for a party?" He asked, dumbfounded.
"Well it's...I don't know really, people just do." She said with a shrug. Peter still looked confused but didn't press the matter, he thought he'd never understand Jane's world.
Jane watched as the Mother picked up the little boy and turned the corner, out of sight. She smiled slightly and turned back to Peter but was distracted by a flash of red from the street behind him.
She frowned and craned her neck and he followed her gaze warily. "What is it?"
"I don't know." Jane replied, her frown deepening. "Lets go the other way." She tugged at his hand and led him down a different side-street, unable to shake her feeling of unease.
Peter didn't ask questions as he sensed she wanted to be left alone but he paid sharp attention to his surroundings just in case.
Jane walked quickly in the other direction, her heart pounding in her chest – she had thought she'd seen..."Impossible." She whispered to herself.
"What is?" Peter asked in confusion and she started, surprised to hear she'd spoken out loud.
"Oh...no nothing." She smiled. "I'm just being silly."
Peter studied her for a second and then shrugged, knowing he wouldn't get anything else out of her. "Nothing out of the ordinary then." He smirked, hoping to lighten the mood. Jane smiled at him gratefully.
"Watch it, you." She warned teasingly and gave him a slight push but behind her teasing she still felt a bit scared.
Taking Peter's arm they resumed walking and passed the walk home with idle chatter but all the while Jane was thinking and worrying.
For a split second, a heartbeat, she'd thought she'd seen Hook.
