Chapter 31: Under Arrest

"Wen! Wen, wait!"

"Lana gave Mr. D her credit card." Tiana said as they ran after Wendy. Jim skidded, knocking over a stack of perfectly folded napkins. "They said they were celebrating magical powers or something. Joe just brought out five bottles of wine!"

"Call the police." Jim sprinted as Wendy pushed through the kitchen doors. "Tell them underage drinking – Wendy! Wait!"

Jim plowed past a bewildered Joe. He burst through the kitchen doors…and tripped.

Something was tangled around Jim's ankles. Twisting, he reached. Lightning fast, Jim snapped back his hand. Facilier's shadow was snarled around his feet like a rope.

"Holy shit!"

Laughter.

Still clawing at Facilier's shadow, Jim turned on his side. A throng of students, bloated with wine, crowded Mr. Darling's table. Despite his panic, Jim recognized most of the students. Ariel's cousins, mixed with several of the Triton girls, a few Pixies, Aladdin, Flynn, Kay, Anastasia, Drizella, Gaston, LeFou, Lampwick, Facilier, and…

Jim growled as someone swooped down from the ceiling.

…Peter Pan.

"Father!" Wendy elbowed through the inebriated pyramid. Desperately, she grabbed Mr. Darling's shoulder. "Father. Father! Come on! Let's go home!"

"Fath-ah! Fath-ah!" Lana laughed, mocking Wendy's accent. Scooting across the table, Lana held the wine bottle over Mr. Darling's head. "Come here Fath-ah! Come here boy!"

"Stop it!" Wendy shouted as Lana dunked the entire bottle over Mr. Darling's open mouth. The red wine sloshed over Mr. Darling. His bank suit stained like blood. "Stop!"

Lana laughed. Spurred by her coeds, she tossed the bottle over her shoulder. Mr. Darling clapped as the bottle splintered. The students roared.

Desperately, Wendy pulled her father's arm. "Father, please! Please! Fa – "

"—GO! GIT!"

"Hey!" Jim yelled as Mr. Darling seized Wendy and shoved. Wendy toppled backwards. Kay caught her. He didn't let go.

Kicking, Jim struggled against Facilier's shadow. "Wen, get out of there!"

But Wendy was beside herself.

"Leave him alone!" Wendy cried as Lampwick uncorked Lana's second bottle. The laughter subsided as the wine fizzed onto Lana's mini skirt. "How dare you take advantage – "

"Oh look everyone." Adella leaned across Lana's lap. "The prude without a magical power."

"Unless being a drunk's daughter is a magical power." burped LeFou. "Can you hold your liquor like Fath-ah, my little croissant?"

Wendy writhed. "Disgusting. You're all disgusting!"

"I'll tell you what's disgusting…" Peter Pan dropped onto the table. Wendy's backpack was slung over his shoulder. The zipper was undone and the contents were clearly rummaged. In one hand, Peter held a composition notebook. In the other hand, he tossed Jim's metal orb.

Jim yelled. Facilier's shadow crawled up his back and hooked around his throat. Gagging, Jim inched along the floor. But the shadow squeezed his jaw and clamped him down like a vice.

Peter cast Jim an imperial glance before returning to Wendy.

"Disgusting…" Peter continued leafing through the composition notebook, "…is this writing. If you can call it writing…"

"Ooooo. Oooo. What is it, Peter?" Lana flapped her hands. She held a finger against Mr. Darling, grappling for more wine. "Oh my God. Is it her diary?"

"Close enough." Peter grinned, flipping the notebook around for all to see. Wendy's face drained as Peter read aloud. "Stories…by Wendy Darling."

"Future doctor and author." Gaston chugged the wine bottle. "Multi-tasker. What else you good at, Sweet-cakes?"

Wendy grabbed for the notebook. Peter flew just out of reach. He smiled, toes skimming the table as Wendy fought Kay. "That is personal! Put it – "

"Once upon a time!" Peter announced, thumping onto the table. Extending his arm, he recited from the notebook like a thespian delivering a soliloquy. "Once upon a time, there was a magical place. A magical place where no one ever grew old and no one ever died. Damn, already got my attention."

Wendy stopped struggling. Kay guffawed in her ear as Peter continued.

"In this magical place…" Peter read, taking a swig of wine. "…children stayed young forever. They never grew up."

Tears welled in Wendy's eyes. Peter crawled across the table, waddling over Lana, Adella, and Cordelia until he was nose to nose with Wendy.

"This magical place…" Peter leered, "…was called Neverland."

The notebook snapped shut in Wendy's face.

BANG!

A siren wailed.

The tiny bell clanged.

The door split open.

And Captain Amelia, PI Basil, Dr. Dawson, the Sheriff of Nottingham and a police brigade force burst into Tony's Restaurant.

"Under arrest!" Dr. Dawson exclaimed, trudging breathlessly after Basil, "Under arrest by Jove!"

"Unlock that door!" Captain Amelia barked as Basil's sharp eyes scanned the room. Three officers scurried to open the kitchen door as Lana, Adella, and Tinkerbell bolted for the exit. Captain Amelia zeroed in. "Stop! Right! There! Everyone freeze! No one is leaving!"

"Fat chance." Tinkerbell muttered flexing her wings. Lighting fast, she, Rosetta, and Fawn flew out the window. "Peace out losers."

"Dawson!" Basil shouted as Facilier's shadow rattled off Jim and soared for the window. Peter was hot on the shadow's heels . "Dawson! Dawson you fool! The window! Shut the window!"

"Oh! Oh confound – oh my!" Seizing the sill, Dr. Dawson pulled the window down with an almighty jump. "Oh my!" he repeated as Peter smacked into the window and onto the floor. Hissing with laughter, Facilier's shadow slithered under the sill.

"Good Lord!" Dr. Dawson wiped his brow as the Sheriff of Nottingham scooped Peter by the scruff of his neck, "I say, what goes on here!?"

"Criminently! Fantasia School brats!" said the Sheriff, herding the students like sheep. "Drinkin' and a-smokin' and a-drugin' and a-hoaxin'!"

"No we weren't!" Lana burst into artificial tears. Taking her cue, the Mermaids covered their faces and turned into faucets.

"We didn't mean to!" Lana continued, gasping through sobs. Dramatically she pointed at Mr. Darling. His torso was draped over the table. "That bad man made us drink!"

"No!" Wendy objected. The Sheriff waved his billy stick, keeping her in place. "No that's a lie! He wouldn't – "

"We were celebrating the Magic Bag of Tricks!" Lana wailed as Captain Amelia focused on Mr. Darling. "And – and…and he said he would buy us grapefruit juice! It tasted so sweet – how were we suppose to know it was wine?!"

"She's lying!" Jim pushed against the Sheriff of Nottingham. "Are you blind? I work here! She's lying!"

"Chef says Darling ordered the wine, enough to grow a vineyard." Basil muttered, though he looked suspiciously at the teenagers. "However, if we take the objective evidence and massage it with a little logic, I'd wager the whole thing a clear case of peer pressure."

Captain Amelia picked up Mr. Darling's bill. Her thin eyebrows rose. "The check is in his name…" she mused. Fingering the bill, Captain Amelia addressed Mr. Darling.

"George Darling…ehm! Mr. Darling." Captain Amelia rapped on the table. "Mr. Darling! Can you hear me, Sir?"

Mr. Darling looked up. Huge dark circles weighted his eyes. Groggily, he smiled at the captain. Then, he belched.

Captan Amelia's nose twisted to the ceiling. "Mr. Darling." she said reproachfully as Aladdin and Flynn sniggered. "Mr. Darling. Did you purchase alcohol for these children?"

Mr. Darling nodded droopily, as if his head was loosely attached.

"Yesh, M'dear." said Mr. Darling as Tony, Joe, and Tiana finally escaped from the locked kitchen. Happily Mr. Darling toasted the bar. "Drinks all 'round! Huzzah. Twa for you Cat Lady!"

Captain Amelia straightened. "Supplying liquor to minors." she concluded, flicking aside the check. "Sheriff: arrest Mr. Darling."

"What?!" Jim and Wendy exclaimed. A huge smile plastered Lana's face.

"No!" Wendy begged, running to her father. Protectively, she held his shoulders as the Sheriff approached. "Please, please don't! You can't! He didn't mean - oh please, no!"

"Are you serious?" Jim watched as the Sheriff of Nottingham pulled Wendy from her father. "What the Hell!? We just told you he didn't do it!"

"Irrelevant!" Basil crossed his arms. "Evidence is evidence: our hands are tied by the facts."

"Bowl shit!" Jim shouted as the Sheriff of Nottingham shackled Mr. Darling in handcuffs. "In what universe is underage drinking not a fact?"

"Young Man." Jim felt sharp fingernails on his shoulder. He looked. Captain Amelia's sea-green eyes were narrowed dangerously. "If you please; Mr. Darling is clearly under the influence – "

Jim threw away Captain Amelia's hand. "You're under the influence!"

Captain Amelia's claws flexed. She looked ready to rip out Jim's throat. "Control yourself." she said in a deathly calm. "Or bear the consequences."

"And criminently!" said the Sheriff, pushing Wendy back and Mr. Darling out the door. "Get on out of the way you whippersnappers!"

"I said –!" Jim seized Mr. Darling and wrenched back. "— leave him the HELL alone!"

"What the – ?" the Sheriff stumbled. Lurching with Mr. Darling, the Sheriff howled. Furiously, he raised his Billy stick.

"Criminently!"

Jim grabbed the Billy stick and threw it at the Sheriff. The Sheriff ducked, avoiding the Billy Stick as it cracked against the glass door.

Crack!

Captain Amelia pounced.

"You are under arrest!"

Wrestling Jim into handcuffs, Captain Amelia dragged him from the restaurant. "Blatant and shameful assault of a Fantasian officer! Criminal offense, punishable by temporary imprisonment –"

"Good!" Jim snarled, bucking against the Captain's tall body. "At least you got the guilty party this time!"

"Captain!" Dr. Dawson objected as Jim was carted out the door. "Madam! But the War Games! We have orders not to detain students – "

"Tell the Headmaster!" retorted Captain Amelia as Jim's head jammed into her jaw. Angrily, she shoved Jim into the police car. Uprighting herself, Captain Amelia brushed a loose strand of hair. "And please," she said, breathing deep, " – oh please – let me take full responsibility! Dawson! Basil! Sheriff! Hup to!"

"Wait! Please wait!"

Captain Amelia turned, annoyed. Wendy sprinted to the police car. Tony, Joe, and Tiana wavered on the doorstep. Peter and Lana lead the students down the street for safe spectating.

"Please." Wendy pleaded. She saw Jim and her father intermittently through the rotating sirens. "Please don't take them away. I'll do anything. Anything, I promise!"

Captain Amelia paused. For a second she considered the young girl wearing a tiny blue bow in her hair.

"Please." Wendy begged again. She met Jim's eyes through the barred window. "Please…they're all I have."

For a moment, the captain's shoulders relaxed. Then, she glanced to the sky. The broken Wishing Star was directly overhead. The sirens overwhelmed the star's tiny light.

"Yong Lady." Captain Amelia glared down her nose. "The War Games are tomorrow. You have more problems than these two criminals at the present time. I can assure you of that!"

Clicking her boots, Captain Amelia turned. Ignoring Wendy's final plea, the Captain hit twice upon the roof of the police car.

"Basil! Jailhouse! Drive!"

And with a roar, Mr. Darling and Jim Hawkins were gone.

Wendy stood alone; needle, thread, and thimble in her hand.

sultal's note:

Hi! How was everybody's week! Mine was "blaahkkk and a yo ho ho and bottle o rum."

So I thought this chapter would hit home with the writers. Did you ever leave a story notebook out and have someone nose through it? I have, and this scene is based on that experience (my brother pretending to act it out...nothing major, but still, our writing makes us vulnerable ).

OH and just to be clear, there was a chapter wayyyyy back where Jim and Wendy discuss her future career as a pediatrician BUT her hobby as a writer. Jus so you remember!