There was a chorus of "Tinkerbell!" in a mix of confusion, joy, and anger. Some of the boys were overjoyed, and some, like John, felt his ire rising to the surface, angry for Wendy's sake.
Tinkerbell had not expected the dire situation that brought her to her sister to be Peter Pan. She swallowed hard.
Her eyes rested on Wendy. She shifted between shame and anger trying to feel something else. She finally settled upon anger making her little body turn red with fury. Why was Wendy here? The girl who ruined Peter. Why was she summoned like this to feel the regret and hurt again? She flew to the Queen's side, and crossed her tiny arms in front of her harrumphing.
Peter gaped at Tinkerbell, never feeling so many things at once before. He suddenly wished he was a fairy so he could only hold one emotion in at a time. He was overjoyed to see her, angry at her, tired, confused, guilty, hurt. It was too much.
Wendy breathed slowly. Seeing Tinkerbell again was not as difficult as she'd imagined. She had grown into a woman since she had last seen her and understanding began to grow in Wendy's mind. Here was a tiny creature, completely without control of her emotions. No, it was not acceptable that she had tried to kill Wendy, but then she could understand jealousy. She had felt such envy at Tiger Lily and Peter, that if she had not had more to live for, more to feel she might have let it carry her to a dark place.
Nibs clapped his hands. "Tink!" he cried. She looked at him, and turned back into her lovely shade of green. She twinkled a greeting at him.
"Sister," said the Fairy Queen. "They have come for answers, and you must give them."
"Sister?" asked Peter. "Greenblossom? Tink, who are you?"
She sighed her little sigh. "You named me Tinkerbell," she chimed. "When you were a baby. Soaring Eagle named me Greenblossom." She felt herself glowing pink at the memories. "Remember the adventures we had Peter? Remember the fun?" She buzzed around growing excited. Then she saw Wendy again, and soured, shifting back into anger. "Until she came, until you brought her here." She scowled and pouted.
"Sister," said the fairy queen. "You must tell them what happened."
"Sister?" Peter asked again.
Tinkerbell exasperated began to chime very quickly. "Yes, she is my sister. I am the Fairy Queen's sister. I am a princess, and I must live with the knowledge that I will never be in control of myself the way she is." Tinkerbell said angrily. But then she softened, shifting to remorse. "She has been very patient with me." She flew to her sister and touched her arm, expressing regret. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for this."
The Fairy Queen nodded. "Continue Sister…"
"I don't know what else to say." She crossed her arms in front of her again, and turned her back on the group.
"Tinkerbell, you can't just turn your back to me. What you tried to do to Wendy was wrong, no matter how angry you felt. I knew you were jealous sometimes," he said as her head came around to look at him annoyed. "…with the mermaids, with Tiger Lily. I knew it bothered you and I let it, because it made me feel grown up. I know now that's not what growing up is about. I'm sorry. You mean so much to me Tink."
Tinkerbell sniffed little tears, leaking out with fairy dust. Oh Peter! How she loved him! Then she shifted back to anger. "Then why did you bring her here?" she asked, gesturing at Wendy.
Peter looked back at Wendy and smiled. "Because I love her."
Wendy took his hand. "Peter," she said quietly, saying all the things she felt in his name.
Tinkerbell flew into a rage. "Then you lied to me!" she cried, chiming like furious bells.
"I never lied to you Tinkerbell, I love you too." She quieted. "But not in the same way."
Tinkerbell hung her head in shame. Neverland was feeling the affects of her stubborn nature. And there had to be a sacrifice. It was her fault. She began to cry in little tinkling spurts.
The Fairy Queen sighed. "What my sister will not tell you is this. She is in command of choosing the children to be brought to Neverland. And on occasion when one is deemed a strong leader, she will stay with them to report back to me on. To make sure none would try to take what is not theirs."
"What is that? Take what's not theirs?" asked Peter. The Fairy Queen surveyed him scrupulously.
"The power to influence." She waved her scepter.
"The power to control living things," said Tiger Lily, remembering her father's words.
The Fairy Queen corrected her quickly. "Not to control. None can do that. But we underestimate the power of influence. There are many that would use such a thing for great evil. That is why it must stay here, hidden from unholy desires. Hidden away from man." She gazed at Peter. "My sister has said you are one that would not seek such things. She said you were unruly, selfish at times and wild, but that you had a good heart."
Peter wished he felt the same. He could not even be trusted to take care of Wendy properly, or even to prevent Tinkerbell from doing terrible things. He was not worthy of such high praise.
Wendy felt partly responsible as well. She wasn't to blame, but it was because of her that Peter banished Tinkerbell. And she could sense Peter's guilt. He had to know that the blame didn't lie on him. He had been a little boy. He had done the best he could.
"Tinkerbell," she said. The fairy locked sullen eyes on Wendy. "I'm sorry. I never set out to take Peter away from you. I understand your jealousy, the idea of someone steeling away the affections of someone you love. I know that you think it was done to hurt you, but it wasn't. I wanted to meet you so badly." Tinkerbell looked at her with surprise. "It's true. I always wanted to meet a fairy, and when I saw you, I thought you were the loveliest thing I'd ever seen. I came to Neverland not just for Peter, but to get to know you too."
Tinkerbell blushed pink at the compliment.
"Please Tinkerbell, could you forgive me?" Wendy continued. "I've forgiven you."
Tinkerbell stared at Wendy. She was tired of feeling angry. She was tired of hurting. She shifted to love, the anger melting away. "I forgive you Wendy. I'm sorry. But you may not forgive me after you learn what must be done." She looked sadly at Soaring Eagle. "There must be a sacrifice." Peter translated for her and she looked back at Tinkerbell confused.
"What is this sacrifice?" asked Peter, sliding his arm around Wendy. "What does it mean? You said fairies don't murder."
"They do not," said the Soaring Eagle. "But the magic must be appeased. I sacrificed myself for the good of my people. You must stay behind here to live out your days with them. You will be young for many many years, and they will provide for you." He spoke pointedly at Peter.
Wendy gripped him around the waist, tighter and tighter. Horror overtook her as the realization of what the Fairy Queen wanted became clear. "No!" she cried. "I won't let you take him. I won't let you go!" She clung violently to him and buried her face in his shoulder.
"Does it have to be Peter?" came a tiny voice behind them. Nibs pushed past Wendy and Peter. They stared at him.
"No!" cried Wendy. She grabbed his shoulders in her hands and spun him around, falling to the ground to look in his eyes. The thought of any of her children not being with her was too much to bear. "Nibs no! There has to be another way!"
"It's ok Wendy. I want to stay." He smiled and touched her face, nodding his head. "I love you, but I want to do this." He pulled out of Wendy's hands and turned to the Fairy Queen. "Does it have to be Peter?" he asked again. Wendy stood and hugged Peter, her head shaking her disagreement back and forth against his neck. Peter looked on, brows furrowed, trying to figure a way out of this dilemma.
The Fairy Queen stared at Nibs for a long while. "No, it does not have to be Peter."
Wendy's knees hit the ground, her heart aching in her chest. Nibs kneeled down to hug her.
She opened her mouth to speak but as she did, a commotion arose from outside. There was growling and clanging. The Fairy Queen nodded to her body guards, and they began to grow larger, becoming truly terrifying giant beasts.
Everything happened so fast, pirates rushed into the tree, amidst noise and scrambling. The dust settled. Peter and the lost boys were on one side of the tree, gathered in front of the Fairy Queen's throne, and on the other, twenty or so pirates. And in front of them stood Captain Hook, gripping Wendy, his hook to her throat.