It was snowing.
It was cold.
Everything was covered in white.
It was Christmas Eve and Luna felt the world had stopped the moment she had opened her eyes.
It had been a month since she had come back from Neverland or that was what she had continued to believe until some time ago. She had woken up in her room, her mother next to her, having fallen asleep as she waited for Luna to wake up. Luna was confused and disoriented as she had quietly ran to Ben's room only to find her brother sleeping peacefully and wearing his normal clothes, nothing out of the ordinary.
No one believed her story.
Her parents had told her she and her brother had been gone for a few hours and when they had returned home they had found them in the forest, out cold and with a fever. Luna never mentioned anything after trying to explain they had been in Neverland. She had thought she had died, but somehow Neverland had returned her home just as Smee had said. All she had to do was wake up to her reality.
Then again she questioned everything about her adventures, nothing was ever right. Nothing added up.
Every memory became blurry; she could hardly remember the Lost Boys' faces.
Benedict, her only proof to what had happened denied her everything. He didn't even talk to her like he used to, her parents didn't understand what was going on saying it was just a phase, but Luna knew it was post dramatic stress. The only thing that made her believe something of her story had happened.
"Ben, please, just, tell me something, anything," She had begged him one day when she went to her room. "I know it's not a lie, I know it was not a dream, so why can't you just admit it?" He stared at her quietly. "I'm not mad, I understand why you did it, so don't be afraid. It can be our secret."
She needed someone to talk to someone to point her in the right direction.
"Tell me a lie."
Ben got up from his seat at his desk and walked past her not saying a word. It was the last time she tried to talk to him about it.
Her parents had agreed to stay with them until Luna's graduation and then they would move. They were more a family now than before, yet Luna could not find it in her heart to smile, and slowly she forgot the feeling of laughter.
Something was missing in her life.
She had lost something when she woke up.
Luna had gone to the book store in the mall where she had seen the Peter Pan book, but they had only one copy and it had been sold. Still she walked the hallway were she had met Peter trying to recall his voice, but it was mute. She heard books falling near her and thinking it could have been Silver Bell she almost ran to them, but only found a young woman who was picking the fallen books.
"Let me help you," Luna said as she bended down to help her, noticing the books that had been chosen. "You like Christmas stories?"
"Oh yes, it's a little hobby of mine to collect every edition, I have a big collection." the young woman looked up; she had short blond hair and very pale skin, her eyes widened when she met Luna's. "Oh."
"What?"
"You're the girl who comes almost every day, sorry I must sound weird," she said looking embarrassed.
"You noticed?" Luna asked trying to have a calmed and friendly face.
"Yeah, I've also been here a lot." She smiled.
"You're not from around here are you?"
"I'm here on vacation, for Christmas" she said finally getting up with all her books at hand as she let them down on a table. "I've wanted to talk to you for a while."
"Why?" Luna asked, curious.
"You look sad," she lowered her tone of voice again embarrassed. "I heard you were looking for Peter Pan."
Luna's eyes widened surprised, but realized the girl must have meant the book "Yeah, but it's out of stock."
The girl remained quiet.
"I'm Luna, Luna Saintclaire."
"Nice to meet you Luna, my name is Winter West." she smiled.
Luna felt her cellphone vibrate and saw it was her brother who was waiting for her.
"I'm sorry I have to go. Can I see you again?"
"Sure, I'll be around."
Luna nodded and ran out bumping into someone; she apologized not being able to see his face hidden under a blue hood. She got out in time to get on the bus as she sat down, feeling cold as snow had started to fall.
She rested against the fence of her house waiting for Ben who wanted her to accompany him to see a comet.
"Luna!"
She turned to see Ben; he had grown a little, his hair now covered his eyes.
"Sorry, I lost my phone; I think I'll need to check the backyard since I was reading there this morning."
"Its fine, I can wait," she told him, but he remained looking at her. "What, Ben?"
"Do you believe all of that happened?"
It was the first time they had talked about it, the first time Ben had even mentioned it. Her heart skipped a beat.
"I don't know," it was all she dared say, too afraid of any other word.
"If you don't know why do you keep looking for traces of it?"
"I... I'm not so sure it was real."
"What does your heart say?"
Luna stared at Ben; not understanding why he was so interested all the sudden.
"When you close your eyes what do you see?"
"I can't see nothing anymore, it all blurry."
"You want it to be real?"
"Yes."
"Then why do you keep asking, if you believe, then it's real enough," Ben whispered and went to the backyard leaving Luna to think on his words.
She realized he was right.
She had just been afraid of her own doubt.
She had closed her eyes, she saw herself in the window waiting for long hours into the night for him to come. Wondering if he had forgotten about her, if he didn't care anymore. She had preferred it be a dream, that it had not been real so that the rejection didn't hurt so much, so that being alone wouldn't break her heart.
She looked up to the sky and saw the stars shinning bright, she noticed it was strange there were no clouds yet light snow was falling. To her it felt lighthearted and she remember Peter's pan flute lullaby he used to play for her.
Luna smiled at the memory ...
Then she saw it, the comet Ben had mentioned he wanted to see with her.
"Ben! It's the comet! Hurry! She ran towards to the forest to the clearing they had prepared to go to. "Ben! Come on!
"Wait Luna! She heard him from afar but continued her way she had reached the clearing but Ben was no where
"Ben!? She called but no answer, only silence "Ben! She tried to call his phone, but the signal was off and she began to worry. She was about to go back until she heard an echo of her name but could not recognize the voice. "Ben is that you!?
No answer ...
Then the echo from far away..
"Silver bells... silver bells" she began to sing as she closed her eyes her voice echoing around the forest hoping it would reach Ben "it's Christmas time in the city, ring- a- ling hear them ring ... soon it will be Christmas day"
"Luna"
She opened her eyes seen Ben wide eyed at her as she smiled feeling happy "Ben"
"You smiled" he whispered
She realized she felt happy something that had not happen in a while as she laughed "Yes, I did"
A shadow reached her from behind
The smell of pine trees reached her senses.
The sun colored hair reaching autumn eyes that remained on the ocean azure.
Laughter found its way into the heart and restored the lost soul.
And had called out the youngest of them all.
As he reached down, eyes full of joy.
She touched his face slowly, taking in every detail, tears covering her eyes.
He stared at her holding her gaze.
Once again reunited
"I found you" he whispered to her "You stopped believing, so I lost you" he held her closer
"My captain" she hugged him "My Peter"
"Always" he answered
In the shade of the trees Ben watch them
"You think it can last? Ben asked as Cindy appeared next to her
"As long as they can fight they will"
"What about the visitor in town?
"Let it be"
"It's getting cold"
"A little frost will make things more interesting" she turned to him smiling wide "Don't you think?
They both watch Peter and Luna knowing that there reunion soon will bring a new adventure.
AN: I'm very sorry it took so long to post it I had trouble with it and no time to work with it and I got sick D: sorry if there r errors I missed. I hope you enjoy it. there is a little surprise I hope u all get the hints since is related to ma next book lots of hints ;) also thank u all 4 joining me on this adventure I am so happy and thankful 4 ur support *hugs* I cant believe I made it to the end XD u guys r awesome and I hope u will join me on other adventures that will soon come. I will answer any questions so don't b shy guys ;) Winter wonderland will b up soon and so will other special surprises. as for a sequel 2 Neverland, I wont try it until I finish with the other book but its the reason the ending has lots of things to question jeje. thnks again guys! :D