sultal's note: I planned this chapter WAY back but I am DELIGHTED that it falls so close to Mother's Day! wah -hoo.

Chapter 40: Your Mother and Mine

"Kill her."

"…kill? No."

"What else? Imprisonment? Banishment? Headmaster….surely you jest. This girl should be removed. Immediately."

"Captain Amelia. I said no."

"Headmaster! Please, see reason. The Sector leaders are rampant outside. This girl is dangerous! Everyone saw what she did to that boy. She tore out his soul."

"No."

"Consider at least eternal sleep. Your magic paraphernalia friends have spells for that sort of thing, have they not?"

"You can't be serious!"

"Madame: with all due respect, you are unacquainted with the situa – "

"—she is not a situation! She is a child!"

"Ladies! She's waking….Wendy?"

Wendy gasped. The effort to breath was ferocious. Someone was stroking her forehead, tilting her head back, opening her throat to the air.

"Breath. Breath, Wendy."

Wendy coughed. She tasted blood. Her tongue was thick, mossy, disgusting.

"Oh dear God. Wendy, honey, come on. Come on. Oh dear God. Headmaster..."

Nightmares swallowed bits of her mind. Wendy blinked, fighting the lucid dreams and struggling to consciousness.

Suddenly, Wendy winced. Someone was squeezing her index finger.

"Wendy. The thimble. Concentrate... fight the nightmare. Concentrate on the thimble."

Three figures blurred before her. They hovered like angles. The closest figure lowered. A lovely smelling someone stroked her hair.

"Wendy. Wendy, everything is all right! Wendy, honey wake up."

"…Mother?"

Wendy opened her eyes.

Three faces stared back: Captain Amelia, testy and aloof. Headmaster Mickey, pinching her index finger.

And…Wendy felt the hand on her cheek. Heart insane with hope, she looked to the angelic woman kneeling at her bedside.

"Moth…" Wendy's insides shattered. "…Sarah...Sarah?"

Sarah Hawkins rose. Quickly, she settled on the bed. Her hand never left Wendy's cheek.

"Wendy. Wendy look at me. Honey?"

Helplessly, Wendy's gaze pulled past Sarah. She was in the school. In Dr. Sweet's Nurse's Office. White beds, lined with white sheets regimented in two white rows. Students, fully bandaged and partially frozen occupied every bed.

And by the window, white as a ghost with hair red as blood, was Peter Pan.

The sunset colored Peter's bed purple, marigold, and pink.

But Peter, covered in the warm light…did not have a shadow.

Then, Wendy remembered.

She did that. She hurt Peter. She…she tore the shadow from his body. And the shadow…the shadow…hurt her. It opened her mind. Read it like a book. Exhumed every last deep, dark, secret…and hurt her.

Utterly alone, Wendy caved into her fear. And, for the first time, wept.

"Madame!" Captain Amelia barked. Infuriated, she watched as Sarah cradled Wendy against her chest. "Don't touch her for glory sake! Are you daft?"

Wendy felt Sarah's grip tighten. Frantically, Wendy buried her head. She hugged Mrs. Hawkins with all her might.

"It's all right. Honey, it's all right." Sarah patted Wendy's hair. She glared at Captain Amelia. "It's all right. I'm not going to let you go."

Wendy nodded but clenched her fists harder together. Something pressed into her index finger. Squeezing a tearful look through Sarah's hair, Wendy saw the silver thimble.

"Don't be ludicrous." Captain Amelia rounded the bedside in one step. She hip-checked the standing IV for more room. "However well intent, Madame, you are acting irrationally. I insist you unhand the girl for your own safet – "

"Don't you dare! Can't you see she needs me?"

"Madame! You are not her mother!"

"Neither are you!"

"Ladies!"

"HEADMASTER! HEADMASTER! HEADMASTER MICKEY!"

The door jolted. Two nails popped from the Nurse's Office plaque. Several students, dozing under white linens, stirred.

"HEADMASTER! COME OUT! We know you're in there!"

Captain Amelia hissed. Her sea green eyes flashed at the door. "Well! Those will be the bloody Fantasia Sector Leaders! Parents of all these children! Headmaster now will you listen to reason?"

Headmaster Mickey considered. Calmly, he unfolded his hands.

"Captain Amelia…" Headmaster Mickey began. Adjusting his gloves, the little mouse regarded Wendy. The girl avoided eye contact. She stared blankly across the room, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Captain Amelia." Headmaster Mickey repeated, this time more forcefully. "Would you come with me, please? Give these ladies a moment?"

"Headmaster – "

"—Captain Amelia." the Headmaster lowered his nose, disapprovingly. "By the door. If you please."

The captain's ears prickled. However, she acquiesced with no more confrontation than a suggestive sniff.

"Stay with her, won't you?" Headmaster Mickey patted Sarah's arm. "I'll be back in a second. And…Wendy?"

The girl did not look up. Tears welled heavily in her eyes.

"Wendy." Headmaster Mickey repeated. He smiled even though she was not looking. "Wendy. Why don't you try some chocolate?"

That got her to look up.

Eyes crinkling, Headmaster Mickey joined Captain Amelia. Soon, hands placed against the door, they were quietly bickering.

"Barbarian." Sarah muttered. Suppressing her anger, she circled a hand over Wendy's back. "Shhh. Shhh. Wendy…Wendy everything is all right."

Wendy shook her head. Her tears trickled onto Sarah's sleeve.

Sarah closed her eyes. Covetously, she wrapped Wendy in her arms, caressed her hair, and promised that everything was going to be all right.

Just as she had done for Jim…before…

Sarah pressed her cheek against Wendy. Rocking back and forth, just to ignore the ache in her heart, Sarah knew it was wrong to nurture Wendy as her own. And worse…to desire it.

She had watched Wendy grow with Jim over the years. She easily loved Wendy as a daughter, just as Jim loved her as a sister. But Sarah had forced herself to be reserved, respecting the memory of Wendy's mother.

But what Wendy needed most…right now…was a mother.

Gently, Sarah shifted. Wendy trembled as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"I hurt him."

Sarah glanced at Peter Pan. The boy's face was clammy and cracked. His eyebrows were upturned, as if in pain.

"Wendy. Honey. You didn't mean to."

"Yes I did."

Sarah paused. She felt Captain Amelia's gaze from across the room. "You did?" Sarah rubbed a thumb over Wendy's hand. The thimble gleamed on her finger. "You knew about the shadow?"

Wendy blinked back tears. "No…I…was scared. At the finish line…I didn't want him to tag – "

"Wendy." Sarah smiled as Captain Amelia relaxed. "That is different. You were afraid. You were defending yourself. Just like the masters told you to do. Those were the rules of the games."

"But – "

"And you didn't know anything about your…gift." Sarah continued. "Did you? You probably still don't know anything about its power? Yes or no?"

"…no. But – "

"No 'buts.' You did nothing wro – "

"—But I hurt him!"

Suddenly the door banged. Headmaster Mickey and Captain Amelia straightened. They watched the door like a bomb. The voices on the other side crescendoed and boomed.

Headmaster Mickey regarded the door. Eyes flicking like a watchdog, he made a decision.

"Captain– try to calm them. I'm right behind you….just after I have a little chat with Miss Darling."

Captain Amelia looked dubious. Regardless, she clicked her heels in salute "Very well, Headmaster. I'll expect you presently."

"Yessir." Headmaster Mickey murmured as Captain Amelia slid out of the Nurse's Office. Angry voices bellowed down the hallway. "Oh boy, oh boy. Can't wait."

Then, with a small sigh, the headmaster turned, strode across the room, and hopped onto Wendy's bed.

Wendy inched against the bedpost. She gazed at him, shyly.

Headmaster Mickey smiled, expecting the reaction. After all he was the mysterious mouse headmaster – and an allusive one at that!

Kindly, he nodded. "You can take that off now, Wendy."

Wendy looked down. The thimble. Gingerly, she slid it off her index finger.

"Put it on the bedside table, if you like." Headmaster Mickey suggested. He pointed to a bowl of chocolate truffles. They were wrapped in flamboyatly colored foil. "And please…try some chocolate. They're good. All filled with different flavors. The ones in pink wrappers are my favorite."

Obediently, Wendy turned to the bedside table. Suddenly, she drew back. There, sitting beside the bowl of truffles were her needle and thread.

The needle glinted. The black and gold thread glistened.

Wendy breathed deeply. Carefully she placed down the thimble. Then, taking two truffles from the bowl, she quietly offered one to the headmaster.

Mickey was delighted. "Why thank-ya, Young Lady!"

"Wendy." Sarah prompted to the girl's muted response.

Wendy toyed with the bright green wrapper. "You're welcome, Sir." she said to the headmaster's feet.

"See?" Headmaster Mickey popped the truffle into his mouth. "Nothing but a milk-chocolate-strawberry-cream loving mouse! Nothing to be afraid of at all!"

Wendy nodded. She waited as Headmaster Mickey smoothed the pink foil against his knee.

"You were very brave today, Wendy."

Wendy stared at the linen.

"Shadows can be very scary. Very hard to control. And that was my fault. I was not prepared to protect a Shadow Worker. Wendy…what happened today was not your fault."

The truffle softened under the heat of Wendy's grip. "Shadow Worker?"

"Yes. Shadow Worker." Headmaster Mickey twisted the pink foil. "Shadows, you see, are amazing things! Shadows are extensions of our souls, literally attached right to them! They are exterior reminders of our potential to be very good…or very evil."

Headmaster Mickey cocked his head. "Shadows are untouchable to most, despite being part of us. But shadow workers…shadow workers can! They can touch shadows like any physical medium. And they can…"

Headmaster Mickey placed his hand over Wendy's. "…control shadows."

Wendy lifted her eyes. The headmaster, despite his short stature, met her gaze powerfully.

"You are a Shadow Worker, Wendy." Headmaster Mickey looked to the side. "That is your gift from the Wishing Star. It is a marvelous gift. But, you need to learn how to control it. And that…"

The thimble reflected purple rays from the sunset. "…that is why you need the thimble. As is true for the sewing instrument, the thimble provides protection when you hold a shadow in your hands."

"That's how he saved you, Honey." Sarah said softly. "From…the shadow. The headmaster put the thimble on your finger and the shadow…" Sarah shuddered, "…ran away."

Wendy's eyes wavered. They settled on Peter. "…shadows are…souls?"

Headmaster Mickey nodded. "Parts of them." he said, guessing Wendy's concern. "Young Mr. Pan will live – you can live without your shadow. Quite normally. But…"

The headmaster rubbed a weary hand between his ears. "…it takes a strong spirit to heal."

Wendy nodded. Pausing, she looked at Peter again, swearing his eyes had opened. Nothing. Sadly, Wendy turned, blaming her mistake on a crow, playing with reflections as it lurked on the sunlit ledge.

"Then…" she said, overwhelmed with guilt, "I should throw the needle away."

Shouts shook the door handle. Captain Amelia yapped but the shouting increased.

Headmaster Mickey frowned at the door. Reaching over the sheets, he took the truffle from Wendy.

"No." answered the headmaster. He unwound the green foil. "The needle and thread detach shadows, clearly. But! But…"

Ignoring the raucous outside, Headmaster Mickey placed the truffle in Wendy's hand. "But…I think…I'm sure that with the needle and thread, you can darn – mend – Peter's shadow back onto his body. Onto his soul. All we need to do is find his shadow. And all you need…"

Mickey's dark eyes filled with the sunset. "…is to wear that thimble."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"HEADMASTER!"

Mickey sighed. Quickly, he nodded at Wendy hands. "Eat it."

Wendy looked down at the truffle. She felt silly, but obeyed. White chocolate. Coconut. Her favorite.

The headmaster smiled. "Feel better?"

Wendy swallowed. The creamy chocolate coated her insides. Instantly, she felt warm as a spring day. "Yes. Thank you."

"Anytime, young lady. Now. Get some rest."

He rose. Sarah followed. Slipping off the bed with a bounce, Headmaster Mickey crossed to the pounding door.

"Sweet dreams…" Headmaster Mickey said, cracking open the door. "…and Wendy: I will see you tomorrow. In class."

Wendy hugged Sarah as the headmaster's tail swished from the room.

"Do you have to go?"

Sarah's heart throbbed. Smiling through her sadness, she laid Wendy onto the thick, white pillows.

"Oh…can those eyes get any bigger?"

Sarah took her time. Adjusting the linens, smoothing them neatly. Then, when time had lingered enough, she stood. Tenderly, she brushed hair from Wendy's eyes.

"Honey, I'm sorry. But, I can't stay. You have to get some sleep. All right?"

Wendy's eyes flickered across the room. "…John and Michael?"

"Don't you worry. Delbert and I will take care of them tonight. John is all right – unfrozen. Michael sends Teddy's love."

Wendy smiled.

Sarah tucked the linens under her chin. She waited until Wendy's eyes drooped and her breathing slowed.

Then, smoothing a loose curl, Sarah rest a hand on Wendy's head. "You are quite a young lady, Wendy. Mary…Mary would be proud of her little girl."

The sun set as Sarah left. Evening filled the infirmary with an indigo blush.

And silently, thinking of her mother, Wendy cried.

Tears watered her eyes so deep, she did not notice the silent figure limp across the room and place her blue bow beside the thimble.