Chapter 46: Death Threat

"There she is."

"Look over there."

"Do you think it's safe?"

"…better take the long way around. Don't want my shadow sucked out of me."

"Creepy, right?"

"Can't believe she's still allowed to go to this school."

"Totally. Come on."

Wendy stared at her shoes. People weren't even trying to hide their whispers anymore. The auditorium was buzzing. Hugging her backpack, she glanced to the side. The closest student was seated ten rows away.

No matter which direction she turned, people were staring. But whenever she looked, heads immediately snapped down. Groups shuffled by as if she had a disease. And always – always – people were whispering about Wendy Darling: the Shadow Worker that tried to kill Peter Pan.

Wendy didn't know whether it was best form to confront or apologize to her classmates. Sighing she returned to her shoes. Either way, Wendy had never felt so uncomfortable.

"Hey. Um…Wendy?"

Wendy looked up. Ariel, Alana, and Eric hovered at the edge of the row, two seats away. Eric and Alana shifted uneasily as Ariel scooted into Wendy's row. She did not sit down.

Wendy wasted no time with politeness. "Did you talk to Admiral Triton?"

Ariel closed her mouth. She seemed surprised at Wendy's abruptness. "Um, yes. I talked to Daddy last night."

Wendy leaned forward. "And?" she prompted hopefully as Eric and Alana leaned back. "Is he going to…?"

Ariel wrung a green and purple beanie. "I'm sorry, Wendy." she finally said. "I tried – I really did! It's just that…"

Sympathetically she scratched the beanie against her thigh. "It's just that Daddy is very stubborn. Very…hand of justice and all that. And…I don't think there is anything he can do. Sorry."

Wendy didn't speak. Crestfallen, she bit her lip. "It's…it's all right." she finally managed to say. "Thank you for trying."

"I really am sorry." Ariel offered sadly. "I can't imagine what I would do if my Daddy was in jai – "

"It's all right." Wendy interrupted. Worriedly, she glanced at Eric and Alana. "Thank you."

Ariel nodded. Slowly, she sunk into the seat beside Wendy.

"Ariel." Eric lifted a cautious hand. Embarrassed, he quickly lowered it as Wendy looked up.

"She doesn't bite, Eric." Ariel said irritably. Still, she adjusted a safe distance from Wendy's armrest. Her eyes darted to the needle woven into Wendy's hoodie. "Plus, this will only take a minute."

Eric nodded but exchanged unconvinced glances with Alana.

Secretively, Ariel lowered her voice to Wendy. "I need to speak with Jim. Do you know where he is?"

Wendy shook her head. "He is not my boyfriend." she reminded with a sigh.

"I know, I know. And I'm all for that. But – "

Ariel wrestled over her words as Wendy's eyebrows raised.

"It's just that, my Daddy thinks…but really what he should know is that...well I would but um…well, Jim isn't exactly…I mean…I mean I think that he is…"

Wendy narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"

Eric cleared his throat. "Admiral Triton dislikes Jim."

"To put it mildly." spoke Alana, avoiding eye contact with Wendy. "Very mildly."

Wendy wasn't surprised. Furthermore, she was sure Jim wouldn't be surprised either.

"Why are you telling me this?" Wendy asked.

"Because I don't want my Daddy to do anything…rash." Ariel said, squeezing the green and purple beanie. "Especially not to Jim. So…I don't think it's a good idea for me to see him anymore."

Wendy's eyebrows almost flew off her forehead. "Anymore?"

Suddenly, a chorus of cheers trumpeted across the auditorium.

"Hey! Hey! Look!"

"Peter! It's Pan!"

"He's alive! He's alive!"

"Halleluiah!"

"Hail the conquering hero!"

Eric, Alana, and Ariel turned as Peter marched into the auditorium. He was white as a sheet, but smiled cockily at his admirers. Ariel rolled her eyes as Lana, Adella, and Cordelia covered Peter with hot pink kisses.

"Ladies!" Peter's black eyes caught Wendy. Instantly they snapped away. "Ladies!" Peter continued sliding his hands under Lana's blouse. "Ladies, one at a time!"

Alana gaped. Turning, she glanced shyly at Eric. "That's a whole lot of tongue."

"Bet he feels better." Eric murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ariel come on. Master Cogsworth and Master Donald just came in. We better get to our Sector."

Ariel nodded. The masters were filing into the auditorium. Hurriedly, she stood.

"Will you tell Jim, for me?" she asked, shouldering her backpack. Guiltily, Ariel surveyed the empty seats around Wendy. "And…will you tell him I'm sorry? Really sorry?"

Wendy's eyes flickered to Peter Pan. He was fighting off bear hugs from Flynn and Aladdin.

"Sorry enough to tell him yourself?" Wendy finally said, looking Ariel in the eye. "I think you should."

Ariel paused. Smiling, she stretched the beanie over her red hair. "You really do care about Jim, don't you? You really want to protect him from getting hurt."

Wendy paused. She fingered the thimble around her neck. "Yes. I do."

Ariel nodded. She turned from the row. "Huh. Me too."

"Students!" Master Cogsworth tapped the microphone. "Students! In your seats. We start in five minutes! Headmaster Mickey has your groups all ready! Captain Lee Shang also has a word about basic training! Promptly now – we start in five minutes."

Wendy sat back. Staring at her shoes, she tried to ignore the festivities around Peter. Then honestly, she admitted gratitude that people were paying attention to Peter and not her.

"Seat taken?"

Wendy looked up. "Jim!"

Unclenching her backpack, Wendy turned. She was never so happy to see Jim's sullen, grumpy face.

Business like, Jim sat. His eyes washed over Wendy, inspecting every detail. Dissatisfied, he grunted.

"Is…?" Wendy looked down. She touched her shoulders. "…Something wrong?"

Jim grunted again. "You look skinny. Too skinny. Did they feed you in the Nurse's Office?"

Wendy suddenly realized how hungry she was. On cue, her stomach growled. "I slept quite a lot." she said, trying to remember. "I had some chocolate. With Headmaster Mickey."

Jim perked at mention of the headmaster, though he still regarded Wendy disapprovingly.

"Idiots. We'll get pizza for lunch. You feeling okay though?"

Wendy nodded. "Much. Sarah helped."

"Yeah I know. They only let in parents."

"You don't have to apolo – "

"I'm not." Jim cut her off. "I don't need to apologize. They were idiots and wouldn't let me in see you. Case in point. Story over."

Wendy nodded. "Okay." she said in a very small voice. "I'm sorry."

Jim sighed. "No, no." he groaned, kneading his eye. "No I'm sorry. I'm being an asshole. Freakin' huge asshole."

Wendy tilted her head. "Bad night?" she guessed cautiously.

"The worst. " Jim said. He glimpsed Ariel and Eric from the corner of his eye. "But that's no excuse for jumping down your throat. Sorry, Wen."

Wendy smiled. "It's all right, Jim. I'm just so happy to see you. Everyone is acting so…"

"Weird?" Jim glared to the side. Aurora, Snow White, and Adam quickly looked away. "Yeah, I noticed." Wryly, he gestured to the radius of empty seats. "But I could get use to this repulsion thing. It's like you have a super power."

"Heavens." Wendy squeezed the spool of thread in her pocket. "No more of those."

Jim and Wendy were quiet. Both thought of Wendy's gift.

"How…" Wendy avoided eye contact. She heard Peter, parading around the mermaids. "How…bad was it? At the finish line?"

Jim considered. "Pretty bad." he admitted quietly, uncrossing his legs. "Pan was toast."

"And…did I…did you…?" Unable to look up Wendy pointed to the needle on her hoodie. "When you tried to help me? Did I…get you?"

Jim exhaled. "Yeah. You did. But only a little. Silver pulled me away."

Wendy closed her eyes. "Did it hurt?"

Jim brushed a hand over his mouth. Suddenly, he caught Ariel's eye. "Yeah." he answered as Ariel sadly looked away. "Yeah. It hurt a lot."

Wendy squeezed her eyes. Her hands trembled. "I'm so, so sorry Jim. I – "

"Not a big deal." Jim said. Insides boiling, he watched as Eric rubbed Ariel's arm. "Really, Wen. Really. Look, let's just talk about something else. Anything else. K?"

Flustered, Wendy ran a hand through her hair. "Um, all right. Well…I have a message from Ariel."

Jim's heart banged against his chest. "What? When?"

"Just now. Not a moment ago."

"Uh huh." Jim clenched his hands, trying to remain calm. "What did she say?"

Wendy squirmed, uncomfortably. "I think…something about Admiral Triton. Not…liking you."

"Hating my guts, you mean?"

Wendy shrugged. "More or less."

"Not surprised. Anything else?"

Wendy smoothed her tongue over her lip. She teetered over her words. "Well, becaue of Admiral Triton…Ariel doesn't think you two should see each other." Eyebrows raised, she inflected her voice at Jim. "Anymore."

Jim's eyes flashed up at Ariel. "Son of a bitch." he muttered. Immediately, he held up both hands. "Sorry. I know. No more swear—"

Jim stopped.

A paper airplane sailed down from the ceiling. It hit the back of Wendy's head. Turning, Wendy caught the airplane as it bounced lightly to the adjacent seat.

Curiously, she looked around. When the owner could not be identified, she looked curiously at Jim.

Jim shrugged. "Beats me." he said as Wendy unfolded the paper airplane. "Probably just some…Wen? Wen, what's wrong?"

Wendy didn't speak. Silently, she stared at the paper airplane, flattened against her lap. Jim looked down. Something had been written inside the plane. Squinting, he rotated his head to read.

His stomach turned to ice.

Inside, there was a picture. A stick figure drawing. The stick figure was hanging by a noose. And below the picture was a single word written in capitol letters.

BEAST

Jim's eyes jumped back up to the drawing. Suddenly he felt sick.

Someone had used blue marker to draw a bow in the stick figure's hair.

"What the fu—?"

Lividly, Jim grabbed the paper.

"Jim!" Wendy exclaimed as he jumped from his chair. "Jim! Stop. It's just a – "

"Sick joke? Yeah I don't think so." Jim's eyes immediately flew to Peter. Furious, he plowed down the aisle. "Dead. I am going to beat the shi – "

"Jim!" Wendy stood, dropping her bag to the floor. Running, she grabbed Jim's shoulder. "Jim sit dow –"

"HEY!"

Jim spun. Instincts on fire, he swerved into the chairs. Arm moving like a whip, he hit away Wendy's hand.

The auditorium was silent.

Wendy stood, stunned. Wide eyed, she stared at Jim, clutching her hand.

Slowly, Jim's brain caught up with his reflexes. He had been scared. Subconsciously scared that if Wendy touched him…she would rip out his shadow. So, his body roared into protective mode.

And Jim…hit Wendy. He hit his best friend.

"No." Jim shook his head as Wendy stepped back. "No, Wen. I didn't mean – Wen that was a mista—"

Wendy stumbled backwards over her bag. Wincing she looked helplessly at the solemn faces scowling all around her.

"Wen." Jim repeated, holding out his hand. "Wen look, it wasn't you, it was me! It was my fault!"

"I…" Wendy's head buzzed. Her heart was beating so hard she couldn't breath. "I am…I am a…"

"No. No your not. Wendy!"

"…beast."

Jim tried to catch Wendy as she ran away. Cursing himself tenfold, he skid to a halt as the auditorium doors slammed shut.

"Everyone in your seats." Master Cogsworth said, placidly as possible. Queasily, he ushered Headmaster Mickey into the awkward silence. "Time to group you into classes. Headmaster Mickey…please. They're all yours."