Once Peter, the lost boys, Michael, John and Wendy were well into the woods, Peter scooped Wendy up into his arms. "John, take the boys back to the hideout, I'm going to fly her back to fix her shoulder." Just like that they were gone, up into the air.
"You heard him men," said John. "Onward; and if we happen to find some food along the way, all the better!" They marched along at a slow clip. John's words sounded nice and they would have liked to have their spirits rallied, but they felt as if they had just awakened from a bad dream. There was no game afoot, and if there had been, they had lost horribly. The weight of the world seemed to be crushing down on them.
"What was Tiger Lily talking about?" asked Nibs.
John sighed. "I don't know. In London I would have told you superstitious nonsense, but our very presence in Neverland has convinced me otherwise." He shook his head. "But whatever it is, the Chief seems to know something about it, and I think I'd like to go back and find out what he's thinking."
"But not right now. Right John?" asked Michael pulling on his nightshirt.
"No, not right now. Now, lets find some food and go home."
They marched on, looking in the bushes for fruit but they had little luck. Most of the produce they found had fallen to the earth and was beginning to rot. "Oh dear," thought John.
...
Peter needed nothing else besides Wendy safe in his arms. Holding her, feeling her body move under his hands as he flew her home was indescribable. Her arms around his neck, and her head lolled onto his shoulder. She was safe, she was his. But why was she still trembling? He couldn't imagine how scared she must have been. His anger began to bubble up inside again. He would get her home, fix her wound, put her to bed, and hold her through the night. He could wait to finish kissing her later. Right now, she needed a mother. He would try to qualify.
They alighted in front of the hideout entrance. He refused to set her on the ground and carried her inside.
"You can put me down now Peter," she whispered. It sent chills up his spine to hear his name whispered on her lips.
"I'll be the judge of that," he said. He bent forward, and grabbed some herbs with his teeth and somehow picked up a rag, all while holding Wendy securely. He brought her into his room and laid her on his bed. He kissed her cheek and went to the basin of water she put in his room to help remind him to wash. He dipped the rag in the water. He turned back to her, and saw that she was crying.
"I know it hurts, it looks deeper than before. I think it tore." He sat next to her, lifted her up a little, and began to carefully clean the blood from her arm. She flinched at the coldness of the water, but relaxed into Peter's ministrations. He blew on her arm, that sent goose bumps racing down her flesh.
"Peter, don't," she said. "I'm alright."
"Don't? I want to take care of you Wendy."
Wendy's heart was positively aching. She knew what she must do to protect the ones she loved. But would she be able to do it before she died inside? Right here in Peter's hands?
He crushed the herbs in his fingers and squeezed some water from the rag on them. Carefully, he put them against the wound. She hissed through her teeth, but felt the Neverland herbs start to work to relieve the stinging. "Thank you Peter," she said.
"Wendy," he whispered. He moved a strand of hair from her face. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I'm so sorry." He kissed her palm and held it to his face.
"It's alright Peter," she said. She didn't have the strength to pull her hand away. She didn't want to.
"It's my fault that this happened. If I hadn't been so selfish, if I hadn't wanted you so badly…" he trailed off.
"No, Peter, this is my fault. Didn't you hear Tiger Lily? All of this… It's me. I forced my kiss on you. I'm forcing you to grow up." She'd said too much already. He couldn't know she was going to leave, he might try to stop her, and she knew if he tried he would succeed. How funny that it had only been twenty four hours since she had felt pure bliss in Peter's arms in this very bed. Now it was becoming a nightmare.
"I don't care Wendy, I don't care if it is," he said making her look in his eyes. "I don't care if you're forcing me to grow up. I want to, I want to," and he captured her mouth with his own, tasting her lips, her tongue, angling his head to fit with hers. She kissed him back. She couldn't help it. They fit. Slowly they fell back onto the bed. It was the natural flow of being together.
No! thought Wendy, I have to stop this, I must. She pulled away bit by torturous bit. "Peter, I want to, but I'm so tired, I'm so tired…"
Peter's eyes slowly came back into focus. He took several deep breaths. He searched her eyes. She was guarding herself against him and he didn't know why. Did he do something wrong? She was the one to first initiate their kiss. Now he was the one who wanted to move forward. He was confused but he was scared to push her. She might never want to let him explore her again.
"Alright, alright." He sat up and rubbed his face with his hands. "I'll let you rest. Do you want me to stay with you…"
"No!" she said. "No, I think I should just sleep."
Peter cast his gaze down. He got up slowly. "I'll sleep in your old room Wendy. I'll tell the lost boys not to bother you," he said over his shoulder. He pushed past his door and was gone.
If Peter had only seen the agony in Wendy's face as soon as he was gone, he would never have left. "It's the only way," whispered Wendy. She sobbed, curling in on herself.