Chapter Thirty-Seven – Thimbles and Kisses
It was quiet that night in Never-Neverland. There were few visitors wandering about, and perhaps it was better that way. Peter sat atop a booth, staring out at the ocean with sad, blank eyes. Having led the others to the park, he took Ruff to the hideout where the fairies could work on him. Violet nearly had a heart attack when she saw him limp in Peter's arms. When the boys asked Wendy where their father was, she had to use all her strength not to break down in front of them. Peter made sure they were comfortable in the house inside the tree before taking off. He was certain that they wanted to be alone for a moment, and he knew that he certainly wanted to be alone.
Never had he felt so guilty about a grown-up except for the first Wendy. Every time he thought of Mr. George Darling, he couldn't think of a single kind thing to say. The fact that George had pleaded him to take care of his children rubbed salt into the wound, and he was nearly positive that Wendy would hate him for not being able to save her father. Hugging his knees, he hid his face, angry with Shade and most of all, himself.
"Peter…"
Lifting his head, he opened one eye. Hook, Christine, and Smee stood below him on the ground, all gazing at him with sympathetic eyes.
Christine felt her heart tear in two when she saw the frustration, shame, anger, hurt, and fear in his eyes, a tear escaping and sliding down his face. "Boy," she asked quietly. "Why are you crying?"
Peter gave a dark chuckle, remembering another time, another place, another person who had asked him the same question. "I'm crying because I couldn't save someone…because of me, Wendy, Jon, and Mikey are orphans…even Violet's aunt's death is my fault!" He sniffled, harshly rubbing his tear away. "…besides, I wasn't crying!"
Smee smiled sadly at the boy. "'T ain't yer fault, Peter…Shade is responsible-"
"Maybe I should give myself up," Peter cut him off, doubt flickering in his eyes. "Everyone would be better off-"
An iron claw sliced through the air, snagging onto the boy's shirt and yanking him down. He tumbled, bumping into Hook's chest. The man glared down at him, his eyes flashing red. "Don't you dare start with that, you bilge rat!" he bellowed. "Without you, we can't survive! Without you, we don't exist!" Seeing Peter stare at him in confusion, he grabbed the boy's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Are you not Peter Pan, the scurvy kid who cut off my hand and fed it to a crocodile? The boy who never grows up? The boy who lives in every child, who lives with fairies, who protects little urchins that need saving…?"
Peter gawked at him, unable to believe his words.
"You saved those children," he told him. "You're giving them a second opportunity…what about that baby you gave away, hmm? Didn't you just give him everything a child could have wanted in this world? And Miss Violet…and the Darling children…they're going to live and have adventures of a lifetime so long as they're with you. You saved all those Lost Brats from dying, from abuse, from a world that didn't seem to care…" Glaring cruelly at him, he sneered, "If you do not at least accept that, then you're not even a shadow of Peter Pan…the cocky Eternal Youth which will bear my hook in his chest when we return to N-!" He stopped, frozen, as Peter grabbed him.
Hugging the man, Peter knew that Hook was right. After coming so far, he would not give up. He needed everyone just as badly as they needed him. Pulling away, he smiled at Hook, patting the man's shoulder. "Thanks, Captain…you're right."
Hook blinked, his jaw dropping. What did he just say?!
Grinning, Peter began to float off the ground. "Don't get any bright ideas and start blabbing to everybody. I'll just deny it! And you can expect no more sappy hug moments from me!" Laughing, he shot off into the night sky, a crow echoing in the air.
"Aw, Cap'n, that was lovely!" Smee sniffled, wiping a tear away from his eyes.
"James, I had no idea you were so good with children," Christine smirked, pecking his cheek. "Ever think about becoming a teacher?"
"Not on your life," he chuckled. Watching Peter vanish into the distance, he heaved a sigh. "This makes things difficult."
"What do you mean?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I mean that when we return home things won't be the same between me and the boy," he explained, offering his arm to the young woman. "In Neverland, we are mortal enemies. Here, we've come to…respect one another, I suppose. I can't help but wonder what things will be like when we return."
Christine nodded, leaning on him as she looked away, her thoughts mixing and befuddled.
"Is everything all right?" he asked, noticing how distraught she looked.
"I was just…thinking," she said at last, trying to look cheerful.
Smee knew when to take his leave, and figured now would be as good a time as any. "Beggin' yer pardon, Cap'n, but I best check on the ship," he said, swiping his cap off of his head and giving a little bow before taking off.
Hook watched him waddle off, grateful that the bosun was intelligent enough to know when to leave. Directing Christine into his cabin, he shut the door behind him and closed the windows, lighting the candle in the room. "Just what were you thinking of, my dear?"
Sitting in one of the spare chairs, she slipped her glasses off of her face and stuck them into a hidden pocket. "Nothing…just that…I'll…I'll miss you when you…go." She tucked her hair behind her ear, blush filling her cheeks.
The captain felt his stomach do a little flip, his heartbeat accelerating. "Ah, I see…" He swallowed, realizing she spoke the truth. Frowning, he took his hat off and placed it on its stand. "Well…perhaps it is better this way." When she looked up at him, he ran his fingers through his hair, sighing deeply. "After all, I am a pirate. That's not a proper match for someone like you, love. You need someone who can take care of you and make you happy-"
"But you do," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. He gawked at her, stunned, as she rose from her seat and said, "James, I haven't known you for very long, but I yearn to be with you constantly. I feel like I'm not satisfied with my life, and if you leave, I don't know how I'm going to move on." Placing her hand over her heart, she took a deep breath and confessed, "You make me feel wanted, happy…beautiful, even. When it's time for you to go…I…" She stopped, biting her lip. Containing herself, she gave a sad smile. "Well, maybe you're right. Maybe it's better this way. I'm just a teacher, after all, and you're Captain Hook…I couldn't possibly fit in to-"
Hook captured her in his arms, trapping her in a tight embrace. Harshly, his lips meshed with hers, her words stopping dead in their tracks. He felt his blood race as she entangled her arms around his neck, one of her hands trailing up to run her fingers through his curls. He didn't hold back, hungry for her as his teeth scraped her bottom lip, her mouth opening and allowing him access. He pressed her frame against his, feeling her breasts against his chest. Her leg slowly rose, her thigh brushing against his as she tightened her hold on him.
"Chris-tine," he breathed into her ear, nibbling her earlobe.
She shivered against him, loving the feel of his lips on her neck as he trailed down to her collarbone. "James…" she murmured.
The way she said his name nearly sent him over the edge until he remembered what he had scolded Peter about and warned him. "Be careful, don't let your body take over your brain…" "Christine," he said, struggling to maintain some sanity and self-control as he pulled away, desperately wanting more. "I must apologize…I don't know what came over me but…" He saw how her eyes dimmed and realized she misunderstood him. Pressing his mouth to hers once more, sweetly and chastely, he pulled away and smiled. "I may be a pirate, but I am also a gentleman. I do not wish to tarnish your honor and virtue, Christine…I love you too much for that." Her eyes shone at his words, urging him to continue. Awkwardly, he cleared his throat, putting on his best business-like look. Walking off, he found a small chest and opened it with a key. From the chest came a glittering necklace, something antique and elegant of olden times. The golden chain shone in the candlelight while the rubies embedded in it shimmered and sparkled. Her eyes grew wide upon seeing the treasure, her hand covering her mouth in shock. "James…!"
"This was my mother's," he said softly, lovingly caressing the delicate necklace.
She looked down at her hand and remembered the ring he had given her weeks before. It had remained on her finger, and as she looked from her ring to the necklace, she realized they went together.
"Christine…if you accept this necklace, you are accepting a future with me as my wife in Neverland…are you ready for such an adventure?" he asked, holding up the precious item before her.
Her eyes spilled with tears as she gently forced him to move the necklace aside, passionately kissing him once more. "James, with or without the necklace, I was hoping you would ask me to say…so very much." She smiled as she saw his elation in his enchanting forget-me-not eyes. Turning around, she pulled her hair to one side, allowing him to fit her new gift around her neck. Gently stroking the largest gem of the bunch, she faced him and held his hook in her hands. Giving a devilish smile, she cocked an eyebrow and asked, "So, where and when would you like me to become Mrs. James Hook?"
~NEVER-NEVERLAND~
Nana sighed as she lay in the corner of the home in the tree, wishing she had been more responsible. Neko nudged her, whining softly as he struggled to comfort her. Lifting her head to him, she licked his muzzle. He sat himself down beside her, resting his head on the floor and sighing when she rested her head atop his. Closing their eyes, they fell asleep.
Violet cracked a smile at the two canines. "Looks like they're happy," she noted, turning back to face the others. Wendy had put the Lost Boys to sleep minutes ago, all of them snoozing away. Ben had gone off to take Conch back to the lagoon, promising he would return shortly. The Darlings sat in another corner, Wendy comforting her brothers as they mourned the loss of their father. Ruff remained in the main bed as Blue Falls created medicines and chanted a reversal spell on him. Slowly but surely he was regaining control of his body and was no longer sleepy.
"Aren't you tired?" Tinker Bell asked as she made sure Ruff drank another dosage of medicine Blue Falls had concocted.
"Just a little," the blue fairy responded with a weary smile. "But I'll be sure to get plenty of shuteye after this."
"Falls, thank you for always being here," Tinker Bell said softly, flying over to him. "Without you, we'd be doomed…and without you, Peter would've been trapped with that horrible monster forever."
"Oh, Tink," he chuckled, modestly shrugging. "I'm sure you would've found him eventually. And technically, it was Flameburst who found the house."
"Still," she insisted, kissing his cheek. "We wouldn't be able to heal the boys without you…I can't even cast a decent spell without you for backup. Weeks ago, I tried to help Peter cast a spell on the Darling children to keep them safe from Shade…you can see how well that worked out." She shook her head in shame. "Wendy barely made it out alive."
"No, Tink, you did well," he protested. "But your magic wasn't strong enough to last that long. You just didn't realize it. Either way, in the end, nothing happened to them. They're all here and so are we." Pulling away from Ruff, he stretched and chimed at the boy, motioning for him to try moving.
Ruff did so, grinning as he stretched and sat up on his own. "I guess that disgusting goo was worth drinking," he said. Glancing over to Blue Falls, he offered his pointer finger to shake his hand. "Thanks, bro."
Blue Falls shook the boy's finger, bowed and yawned. He smiled as Tinker Bell linked arms with him and they flew off to Tink's private compartment, ready for a good night's rest.
"How do you feel?" Violet asked, relieved to see him back to normal. She squeaked as he lunged for her, capturing her lips. "Hm-mm…doing better, I see," she smirked, blushing. Her smirk faded as she gazed at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "That was dangerous…Peter almost thought you were dead, too…I thought I'd lost you…"
"I am a Lost Boy," he joked. Caressing her cheek he said, "You'll never lose me, Vi…even if I died, I'd fight my way back to you."
Her eyes watered but she held in her tears, kissing him on the cheek before snuggling into him embrace. "I love you."
"Love you more," he whispered, stroking her hair.
As they sat on the bed, enjoying each other's warmth and company, they could hear someone entering the home. Sliding out through the tunnels were Peter and Tiger Lily, skidding to a halt into the room. On his back was a sack, so filled that it looked like it would burst.
Jon lifted his head, seeing the Indian princess entering the room. Uselessly, he tried to clean his eyes and wipe his face. Cleaning off his glasses in an attempt to look casual, he sniffled and kept his eyes downcast.
"Pete," Ruff called, getting off of the bed with Violet alongside. "I see you found Lily."
"She wanted to visit," Peter whispered, watching the girl leave to meet with the Darlings. "I told her what happened and she said she wanted to pay her respects." Facing the couple, Peter held his head up and looked them in the eye. "I'm sorry, Vi. If it weren't for me, Ruff wouldn't have been hurt, so-OW!" he yelped, wincing as she punched his arm. "Would you knock that off?!" he snapped at the girl.
Violet crossed her arms over her chest, her hips jutting out to one side with attitude. "Peter, I'm pretty sure Ruff would've found a way to get into trouble anyhow. He's ok, so there's nothing to worry about."
"Tch!" Peter made a sound of irritation, pouting as he glared at her. "Here I am, trying to be a gentleman and apologize properly and all you do is punch me and act like it's no big deal! I know you were worried about him."
She smiled and tackled him with an embrace. "You're right…thank you." Pulling away, she winked at Ruff.
He smiled at her but quickly turned his attention to Peter. Looking down like an ashamed puppy, he scuffed the floor with his boot before looking Peter in the eye. "I didn't mean to cause all this trouble…"
"Ruff," Peter interrupted, offering his hand to the boy with a grin. "You're the best Lost Boy I've ever had. Don't forget that, ok?"
Ruff's eyes became huge, shining with pride at Peter's words. Gripping his leader's hand, he and Peter pulled each other forward so that their shoulders hit one another before pulling away. Hands on hips, they grinned at one another, looking as though they could be brothers.
"Aw, bromance. Cute," Violet rolled her eyes, smirking as she sarcastically made her comment. Taking Ruff's hand, she yanked him away, winking slyly. "Now, how about we have some quiet 'us time'?" Ruff glanced back and cast Peter a wink and a shrug.
Peter chuckled, shaking his head at them as they left. "He's hooked, lined, and suckered," he smirked. Looking back, he saw Tiger Lily speaking to the Darlings. Inhaling deeply, he flew over to them.
Tiger Lily, meanwhile, had sat with the Darling children, cuddling with Mikey and hugging Wendy comfortingly. Jon kept his eyes downcast, embarrassed at the idea of Tiger Lily seeing him cry. It wasn't until he felt the girls' arms around him that he looked at her.
She gave him a sad smile, embracing him tightly. "I, too, cried, when I lost my mother…it's ok to cry, Jon, don't hide it…"
His eyes watered once more and though he struggled to control himself, he couldn't stop the tears from streaking his face. Biting his tongue to keep from sobbing, he accepted her comforting hug and kisses. He couldn't help himself as he blushed, catching her eye. Smiling weakly, he sniffled and said, "…thank you, Lily…"
Landing silently, Peter watched them, waiting for a moment to speak. He was glad to be back in his old clothes, having saved the costume Hook had given him. Fixing his ponytail, he sensed someone was looking at him. Turning his head, he saw Mikey's brown eyes locked onto him. Guilt pricked within him once again as he faced the child. "Mikey, I-"
"PETER!" Mikey cried, ignoring Wendy's hushing as he leapt up and ran for the Eternal Youth. Startled, Peter knelt down and caught the boy in his arms as he began to cry. "Peter…Daddy's gone, isn't he?" he whimpered, hiccupping from crying too much. "We'll never see him again…"
Hugging the boy, Peter held him tightly, his heart aching. He hadn't realized how attached he was to Wendy's brothers, especially little Mikey.
"I…I left my teddy bear back at the house," he cried.
A small smile grew onto Peter's face as he pulled away, getting Mikey to sit on his lap as he sat on the floor. "Maybe…but I happened to go back and pick him up for you." Sling the bag over his head, he set it down on the floor beside them and stuck his hand inside, pulling out the cuddly brown bear which Mikey adored.
The boy's eyes grew wide at the sight of his teddy, taking the bear in awe. "You got Teddy back?" A wide smile grew on the child's face as he hugged Peter once again. "Thank you, Peter! You're the best."
Peter pulled the boy off, shaking his head. "Normally I'd agree, but tonight wasn't my finest. Because of me, you guys are here…"
"But you saved Wendy," Jon protested. "And we're safe. You came flying from the party to save us." Fixing his glasses, he smiled at Peter. "You're awfully responsible for being a kid."
"Am not!" Peter huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
Mikey giggled. "What else do you have in the bag, Peter?"
"Huh? Oh, just some clothes I thought you might want," he said, pulling another item forth from the bag. "And this…"
Wendy gasped when she saw her Peter Pan book in his hands, the one he had fixed for her with Tinker Bell when she saw five years old. "Peter! How did you-?!"
"Let me tell ya, it wasn't easy with everybody gathering around the house," Peter shook his head. "But, I am something of an expert when it comes to sneaking into rooms." Handing it over, he shyly smiled. "Here you go, Wendy. It's yours again."
"Oh, Peter," she whispered, hugging the book to her chest. Fiddling with the acorn button hanging around her neck, she said, "Peter…could I talk with you for a moment…?"
He nodded, placing Mikey back onto his feet before he floated over and helped Wendy up. As they began to fly, Mikey hopped up and managed to touch Peter's boot. "Wait!" he cried. Having earned Peter's attention, Mikey glanced at Jon, who nodded, and looked back to Peter. "Peter…now that we don't have a home…can we live with you and the Lost Boys? Wendy's already the mother…you could be like the daddy, right?" He gaped at Peter with his big brown eyes, hugging his teddy bear to his heart. "Pretty please, Peter?"
Peter glanced at Wendy, uncertain as to how she would react. When he saw that she, too, waited for an answer, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, he smiled down at Mikey. Going to the floor once again, he knelt before him and crossed his finger over his heart before raising his hand. "Cross my heart, Mikey, you and your family are already part of the Lost Boys. You're welcome to come with us back to the real Neverland when this is over."
Mikey's face lit up as he cheered, jumping back into Peter's arms.
Chuckling, Peter carried the boy back to where the Lost Boys snored away, tucking him into an empty cot. "Meanwhile, you better get some sleep." He froze when Mikey kissed his cheek, reminding him of a smaller Wendy that he'd encountered many moons ago.
"I love you, Peter!" Mikey smiled, snuggling in his bed.
The strange warm and fuzzy feeling returned and filled Peter's chest, the very same that he felt when he watched Gip's adoption to the Berris. Tucking Mikey in, he ruffled the boy's hair before kissing his forehead. "I love you, too, Mikey. Good night."
The child closed his eyes, a smile on his lips as he drifted off to sleep. Looking to Tiger Lily and Jon, Peter excused himself and led Wendy outside. Looking to the Indian princess, Jon glanced at Tiger Lily, scratching the back of his neck. "So…I guess this means we'll be seeing you more often…?"
She laughed, hugging him. "Yes, you silly! A lot more often." She gasped when he kissed her cheek, blushing after doing so. Grinning, she said, 'I could get used to a lot more of that, too."
A mischievous grin grew on Jon's face. "As you wish, Princess."
~NEVER-NEVERLAND~
"Will you be staying long?" Conch asked as they arrived at the lagoon. She stepped into the little pool the boys had swum in the last time he was there, her legs transforming into a tail once again. Ben watched in amazement as this happened while she slipped her gown off, her hair cascading all around her.
"Well, I don't know," he answered truthfully. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "My aunt's with 'the most fearsome scourge of the seven seas'," he said, imitating a pirate's gruff tone. She giggled at this, slipping further into the water as he threw his shoes off and sat on the edge, rolling his pants up so that he might dangle his own feet in the pool. "There's no telling how long they'll be together. Maybe Peter will let me sleep over at his place…?"
Resting her elbows on the bank, she cupped her face with her hands as she gazed at the boy. "Ben…are you happy here?"
He looked at her, a shy smile on his face. "Yeah…I really like it on the island with Peter, the boys…and you." She blushed, her eyelashes kissing her skin as she cast her gaze off to a patch of seaweed growing nearby. "I never would have dreamed that I'd be with someone like you, Conch," he confessed. "You're fun, beautiful-"
"That's only because you haven't seen my sisters," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "They're gorgeous! They're tails are so long, and they can sing-!"
"I've seen them, Conch," he reassured her. "But you're the most beautiful mermaid in the world." As she smiled brightly at his words, he pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose, thinking back to when Ricky had been bullying him in school. "To think a nerd like me would get to meet an awesome girl…"
"Nerd?" she asked, cocking her head.
He gave an embarrassed smile, scratching the back of his neck. "Um, yeah, that's what some of the other kids call me…nerds are considered smart and they're not all that special-"
"That's not true!" she frowned, placing her hands on her hips as she slapped the water with her tail in anger. "Who's been telling you that? Should I drown them?"
Ben's eyes became huge at the mention of drowning people, but he had to laugh at her reaction. "Conch, it's just something society accepts. I wear bulky glasses, I study a lot, I like to read, and I don't talk much. So I'm called a nerd."
"Well, forget sailors," she smirked, her body leaping out of the water as she wrapped her arms around his neck, coming nose to nose with him. "I'll take my darling nerd any day."
Blush filled his cheeks as he smiled, ready for her as she claimed his mouth. Holding her close to him, he didn't panic when she began to pull back or when they fell into the pool. Her kisses filled him with sweet air, and her eyes sparkled brighter than any gem in the sea. Swimming together, they danced in the moonlit waters, spinning around one another before she gave him another breath of air.
"Maybe I should wear a sailor's suit and see how she reacts," he jested with himself, bubbles surrounding them as they twirled underwater. "She is a mermaid after all…"
~NEVER-NEVERLAND~
Peter and Wendy landed on one of the many branches of the great tree which held the Lost Boys' hideout. The crickets were chirping harmoniously, hidden in the leaves of the forest. The stars blinked as they watched, curious to see what would happen.
Wendy found herself staring at Peter's back as he landed, taking a breath as if to steady himself. She couldn't help noticing how broad his shoulders looked, how tall he was…she began to feel strange and uncomfortable, as if she shouldn't be with him. After all, he was Peter Pan.
Turning, he locked his gaze with hers, his jaw set firmly as he contemplated the right words to say. "Wendy…I'm sorry about your father," he said at last, hanging his head. "I should've been faster…"
"Don't blame yourself, Peter," she shook her head, reaching for his hand.
"If it weren't for me being so reckless, this wouldn't have happened. I should've known better and made sure the house was being watched," he argued. Raising his head once more, he closed his eyes, not wanting to say the words. "…I understand if you don't want to see me again…I understand if you're angry with me…I could make sure you all are well taken care of here, you don't have to come to Neverland if you don't wa-"
The feeling of someone tackling him cut his speech short, his eyes opening to see what was going on. He stumbled backwards as Wendy slammed into his chest, wrapping her arms around him. With her chin resting on his shoulder, he could hear her struggling not to cry.
"How could you say that?!" she sobbed, hugging him tightly. "You just promised Mikey we could all come with you…we don't have anywhere else to go! We want to come with you to Neverland, Peter! Especially me…I love you, and nothing's going to change that."
She was trembling now, tears falling down her face. "Please, Peter, don't leave us…don't leave me…you're all I have now…I…" She stopped as Peter pulled her off of him, embarrassed for having reacted that way. Keeping her eyes downcast, her head bowed, she was frightened as to what he would say as he lifted her chin gently.
"Wendy."
Looking up, she found herself staring into his eyes, full of raw, untamed emotion that could not be described. It startled her, and at the same time, it drew her in. It was feral, but playful…
Leaning in, tilting his head, Peter closed his eyes as he bent to claim her. Wendy stood perfectly still, unsure of what he was thinking or feeling but nevertheless curious herself. She, too, closed her eyes, and waited.
Their lips brushed against one another, the same shyness there that usually took place when he went to kiss her. He pulled away for a second, then pressed his mouth to hers once more. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her in, her hands placed on his chest as if for support, her fingers gripping onto his coat. Placing one hand behind her neck, he felt his heart race, his mouth opening. Wendy responded, and this time, he did not pull away. Shaking with excitement and uncertainty, he licked her pink lips before entering her mouth, tasting her. She moaned, shivering as he deepened the kiss, his fingers tangled in her dark locks. Her blood raced as she let her hands travel up to his neck, frantically pulling him closer, wanting more.
He was elated – never had he felt so euphoric in his life. The taste of honey and strawberries filled his mouth as he dominated her, loving how she clung to him.
Wendy surrendered as he withdrew for a moment, allowing them to catch their breaths, before he returned, gentler this time. He kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, and her lips once more. He nuzzled her, holding her to close that she couldn't move. She breathed deeply, wondering if this was a dream. Opening her eyes, she blinked, frowning when she noticed that the trees had vanished. Turning her head just so, she caught sight of the endless midnight sky, the stars twinkling mischievously at them. She gasped, realizing that they were airborne, and she had been given no fairy dust. Clutching onto him for dear life, she whispered, "Peter…!"
"Sorry," he chuckled, also noticing where they were. "I guess I couldn't help myself…" Gathering Wendy in his arms so that he held her bridal style, he saw her blushing, a heartbreaking smile on her lips. "Will you come away with me, Wendy lady?" he asked, cocking his head expectantly with an impish grin.
She pecked his lips in response, resting her forehead against his. "Of course, Peter Pan…I'll go wherever you will you."
A childlike smile made his face light up and suddenly, he burst forth with a crow, flying faster than he ever had before. Clinging to him, Wendy laughed, watching in awe as he flew high and higher, stars within their grasp. Sneaking up behind one, he took a deep breath and blew it out, a sharp yelp emitting from the star as it vanished from sight, nothing but a tiny dot flickering in the air. He laughed merrily, flying off to another.
"How do you do that?" she asked, her hair flowing around her face.
"It's just like blowing out a candle," he grinned. "Let's blow out the stars together, Wendy!"
"Doesn't that hurt them?" Wendy asked, remembering the first star he blew out.
"They always come back," he reassured her. "Don't tell me you've never wanted to blow out a star?"
Shaking her head with a smile, she hung onto the boy as they flew together, blowing out the next star they came across. So it continued for hours until the sun's rays began to streak the sky. It wasn't until then that they landed on a great tree and, lying side by side, fell asleep.
~NEVER-NEVERLAND~
He hissed as the night died, daylight invading through the cracked curtain. Hiding in a secluded room, the dark creature curled into a ball, his slanted eyes glaring at the door.
"Prepare to die, Neverland…prepare to surrender, Pan…"
"No…he's my son…!" a voice weakly protested from within the monster's mind. "Don't hurt him-!"
"He's hurt us more than once!" the monster snarled at the human voice in his head.
"The lives I've destroyed because of you…this isn't what Agatha would've wanted-!"
"That's something you should have thought of before killing my master," snickered the creature. Shade chuckled, sinister. "Once they're all gone, and with the boy in my grasp, I shall be able to retrieve my lost book, and then…nothing can stop me."