Chapter 119: Peter's Proposal

"Peter…?"

Peter took Wendy's hand. It was trembling. Gently, he placed the other on her stomach.

"Don't freak out." Peter grinned, expression scintillating. He was exhilarated and unable to hide it. "This is a proposal."

Wendy felt everything inside her swoop up and over the Wishing Star. Peter's fingers burned against her palm. "What?"

"Wendy. Wendy Darling….Shadow worker, pirate killer, Fantasia saver, pre-health major, story writer, over achiever, blue eyed blabber mouth, big sister, best friend, and all around damsel in distress…"

Wendy raised an eyebrow.

Heedless, Peter's voice pranced up and down. "…I remember the first time I saw you. I remember the first time you ran away from me. I remember every time I tried to talk to you and I remember being scared out of my mind. I remember every second I craved your attention and I remember hating myself for the tricks I played to get it. I remember thinking of you in every thought…happy or sad. Just so I could protect you in my nightmares and see you in my dreams. Wendy…"

Peter's voice dropped. He squeezed her hand. "…I remember wanting you…"

He drew the other hand. He brought it to hers. "…I remember needing you…"

Peter held Wendy's hand between both of his. But still they shook. Struggling to breath, Peter clenched Wendy's little hands, probing for the strength he needed to ask her a question.

"Wendy…" Peter closed his eyes. He bowed his head. And he lay it against Wendy.

"Wendy. Marry me."

Silence.

And in the silence, Peter and Wendy shared a single unhappy thought.

"…Peter…"

"Before you say no –" Peter spoke quickly, trying to catch the moment before it slipped away. "—Wendy please before you say no, look. Just look at me – " Desperately Peter lifted his elvin face. "Just look at me and think. Think before you say no to me. Please."

Helpless Wendy shook her head, trying to unfasten Peter's gaze. Because she was thinking. And the thoughts horrified her. They horrified her because each time, the thoughts danced through her heart and sprinted up her tongue to tell Peter yes.

"We…can't."

Peter hardened. He squeezed Wendy's hands. "Why not. It makes sense. Neither of us has a family."

"Peter – "

"No parents. No adults. No grown ups. None of us have them. Your brothers. My friends – the orphanage lost boys and lost girls. You. Me."

"Peter – "

"And I have an idea! We can all be a family! Like your story remember – Neverland? We can make a whole new family! You and me, Wendy. I'll be the father – "

Wendy faltered, overwhelmed by Peter's momentum. "—Peter –"

"—and you'll be the mother!"

"—oh Peter," Wendy tried to shy away. Peter pulled her back. Flushed, she fell into his gaze. "—Peter stop, oh please you mustn't – "

"Say yes." Peter urged. He pressed Wendy's hand to his chest and gouged her with every word. "Say yes and I'll protect you. Say yes and I will give you forever of me. Say yes and I…I will be your family."

Peter's grip nearly broke her hand. Wendy's silver thimble gleamed above his throbbing heart. "Please. Marry me."

Wendy hung in Peter's gaze, paralyzed by his proposal and crippled by his perseverance. The moment froze as Wendy Darling stared at the boy before her on bended knee, cockily and desperately offering himself to her. Forever.

Forever.

Forever, was an awfully long time. And Wendy – although she despised the rationality – wondered if Peter would flourish or erode. Peter Pan. The one and only Peter Pan. Magician of the moments that spit and sizzle like colliding comets. King of freedom, wild as laughter and unbounded as the wind. Lethal enchanter, life of the party, and irresistible to a fault.

Peter Pan. Could he…survive forever? With one person? With her? With…Wendy Darling?

Could…she?

Wendy was struck. Utterly. For years, far longer than she could remember, she had admired Peter Pan. He was larger than life, flamboyant as an imaginary character from her storybooks. Peter was dazzling. So dazzling that he was almost like a dream. A fairytale. Unreachable. Transient. Unreal. Like a shooting star.

And Wendy knew that her love – the love that she could give Peter Pan – could only be the opposite. Enduring. She could only give enduring love. Love that lasted. Love that was neither fleeting or cheap. Love that was…enduring. And forever.

Wendy gazed at Peter. She could not speak, for the little pain in her heart. So instead she gazed. And…she noticed.

Peter Pan, for all his fiery spirit and infuriating conceit, had changed. The Peter Pan she knew before, had sabotaged the feelings of everyone around him, and delighted in the unkindness. Hers especially. The Peter Pan she knew before had pleasured himself with any passing girl, and was clever enough to evade friendship. Until he met Wendy. And she said no.

So…

So…why now…didn't she say no?

Wendy felt Peter's fingers. Holding hers. Gingerly. Wendy looked at Peter's eyes. Searching hers. Desperately.

Peter Pan…had changed. He had. Certainly, he was still shamefully conceited and outrageously stubborn. But…there was something else there. Something sweet. Almost kind. And very, very…grown up.

Wendy breathed. Unable to say yes. Unable to say no.

"I'm…" she whispered, heart beating as the moment unfroze. "I'm only…fifteen."

Peter's eyebrows raised. They curved, face lifting hopefully. She didn't say no.

Peter grinned. He massaged Wendy's hand against his jaw. "Too fast?"

Wendy stared. Her eyes flickered to the thimble, still sitting on Peter's chest. "…I…don't…know…"

Spark. Wendy looked, but missed the wicked twinkle in Peter's eye.

"Well." Peter unfolded one hand. He inched forward. "Well there is another option. One I originally wanted to take. But…" Grinning like lovesick imp, Peter reached under Wendy's skirt. "…I didn't think you'd go for it."

Wendy snapped back to reality. "Peter!" she sparked backwards, banging into the door like a firecracker. Grabbing her sundress and wrenching it back, she kicked at Peter to keep him away. "Stop! What are you – "

Peter dodged. Catching her foot, he stood, hand running up her calf and behind her knee. "Cutest thing about you, Wendy…" he laughed, leaning against the door. "Is that you keep fighting! You never really learn that I am always going to win this game!"

Wendy jerked.

Peter jerked back, grinning like a wolf. "Come on. That all you got?"

Fuming, Wendy turned. "Shadow!"

Peter stopped. That was unexpected. "Oh no. Whoa! Whoa!"

Peter shot into the air. His shadow chased, and they tumbled over the ceiling and across the floor, exchanging punches. Peter was unnerved, but rather enjoyed the bizarre experience. Especially since he had Wendy's thimble and quickly won.

"Sorry shadow!" Stuffing his shadow in a chest of drawers, Peter resumed his pursuit. "We'll duke it out later! Right now, I gotta girl to love! Come here!"

"Ohhhh – Peter!" Caught by the sash, Wendy reeled backwards. Flumping on the bed and skirting over the edge, she pushed Peter away. "Peter! Stop! Stop! You are terrible, wicked, evil, completely out of your mind!"

"Ohhh you have no IDEA!" Peter kicked, intersecting Wendy. He grabbed her sash, growling for good measure. "I was this close to losing you! This close! World was ending! Life was flashing before my eyes! Thought I was going to die! Thought YOU were going to die – "

"—you very well might if you don't stop!"

"Teachable moment!" Peter said, half picking her up. He sat in midair, Wendy tangled in his lap. "I am going all out! I've made the executive decision that you are mine and I am yours. Etcetera, etcetera until the end of time. Bam. That happened."

Wendy was livid. "So it's always been this?" She wrestled Peter's hands, clasp around her bottom. "Just this horrid game of yours? Just to do this to me? Just to – just to – "

"What? Huh? Oh! The virgin thing?" Ears pricking, Peter laughed. "Come on? Sex? You seriously believe when I proposed I wasn't serious? Come, come, come now Miss. Darling." Affectionately, Peter rubbed his nose against Wendy's. "You're smarter than that! Silly girl!"

"Stop it! I'm not a silly girl! Just look! Look at what you're doing – "

"—dream come true, I know. It is for me too."

"How dare you! How dare you come here bending on one knee pretending to – "

"Hey!" Peter's voice was sharp. Hand off her hip, he took Wendy's chin. "Hey! Now you listen to me, Girl! I'm a daredevil! The biggest! But I won't risk you saying no to a life with me. I know you want me, but holy Hell I want you a million forever times more! Believe me – I mean this. But…as for the other thing – "

Peter leaned forward. He squeezed her chin. "Do you honestly think that if I wanted to take you against your will…I wouldn't have done it by now."

Peter waited until he saw the realization in Wendy's eyes. Releasing pressure from her chin, he smoothed a hand over her cheek. "Wendy. You are not all they think you are. You are not all daisies and buttercups. You are steel beneath the velvet. And I love that. I love that I'm bigger and stronger than you, but you still fight back. You know you're going to lose. But you still keep going. And…"

Peter wove his hand under Wendy's injured arm. The scars gleamed on her skin as Peter spoke. "Most girls.. all girls…either gave in or made excuses. But not you. You had the guts to tell me I was wrong."

Peter held Wendy's waist. Suddenly he looked down, almost shy. "Believe me. I wanted to take you. I wanted to take all and every part of you for myself. But…" Peter stared at the silver thimble. "…but. I wanted you to as well."

Peter waited, holding his breath. Wendy did not speak. So, naturally, Peter concluded it was either affirmation of her love, or a good omen and the very least!

"Besides…" Peter said, head perked. Delightfully, he tickled Wendy's stomach and sang in a mocking voice. "Peter Pan is your happy thought and lets you control shadows without a thimmmmmmmmmm- bulllllllllll!"

Wendy squeaked. She grabbed Peter's hands. He retaliated by tipping forward and suspending her in midair. Then, gracefully, Peter released, swooped, caught, and cradled Wendy into his arms. He smiled triumphantly as his shadow rattled against the drawer.

"Peter!" Wendy wriggled.

Peter dipped. "Yeah?" he answered as Wendy gasped.

Wendy glared, curls grazing the floor. "Peter! This is not proper! Oh!"

"Nope!" Peter agreed, flouncing Wendy upright. Cheerfully he rocked back and forth. "Not proper, but a lot of fun! Something that you deserve more of! And that's what I can promise you, Wendy Darling. How about that? A life of fun with Peter Pan. Oh the horrors! But!"

Peter twirled Wendy in circles. Once, he caught her smile, although she smothered it well. Elated, Peter spoke. "I happen to have a sterling memory and you, Wendy-Goody-Too-Shoes-Darling said that I, Peter-Up-To-No-Good-Pan was in fact GOOD ENOUGH for you! SO! Unless you think you can do better – "

"- off course not!"

Peter stopped. He blinked. "Wait…what?" Incredulous he laughed, eyes crinkling with happiness. "Yeah? That – what you just said! Me? You mean that?"

Wendy glared, frustrated and embarrassed beyond all belief. "Don't be silly." She snapped, scooting down the hem of her dress. Angrily, she glanced up at Peter. "You know that I love you."

Peter stared. "…you…love me?"

"Well at present I can't see why. What with your disorderly, uncouth, mischievous –"

"Hey, Wendy?"

"What?!"

Peter twinkled from head to toe. Leaning forward, he grinned into Wendy's lips. "Shut up a sec?"

They kissed. And if it hadn't been for Peter's shadow – scratching the dresser like a puppy – they might have never stopped.

Gently Peter drew back. Wendy opened her eyes. Simultaneously, they both giggled and smiled.

"Whew…" Peter puffed. His pointed ears were bright pink. Stars bedazzled his midnight eyes. "…gonna need to pick up my game. Wow. Okay…now. Miss Darling."

Flopping down on one knee, Peter took Wendy's hand. "You were saying?"

Wendy smiled. She shook her head. "Peter."

"Aw. Okay. Well, how about this. No marriage yet but…" Peter cocked his head. "…engaged?"

Wendy laughed. Feebly. "We haven't ever…well." She blushed. "Gone on a date."

Peter smiled, charmed by Wendy's demure. "So those near-death experiences didn't count?"

Wendy laughed. This time, she actually, wonderfully, truly laughed. Peter smiled, please with himself. Rolling thumbs over her fingertips, he offered a compromise. "Okay. Okay. Well, then. Miss Wendy. Would you like to go on a date? To celebrate our engagement?"

"Will you act like a gentleman?"

Peter's eyebrows raised. A challenge. A quest. This girl was a fighter.

Smiling, Peter rose. Then, he bowed. His smile widened as Wendy curtsied. He already liked being engaged to Wendy Darling. What an adventure it was going to be!

"Miss?" Peter offered a hand. His fingers tingled as Wendy accepted. Winking, he drew her near. "May I escort you?"

Wendy blushed. Engagement or not – her heart would always ignite a little under Peter's gaze. Hiding her blush by releasing Peter's shadow, Wendy suddenly felt her feet leave the floor.

"Where are we going?"

Suddenly a bell chimed. The sound rang into every Fantasian heart.

Peter's eyes softened. Bathed in the rich, violet sunset, he drew Wendy out the nursery window.

"The vigil."

Wendy was silent. Peter squeezed her hand, feeling the weight of unhappy thoughts. Ready to be brave, Peter carried Wendy towards Fantasia School for the Magically Skewed.

Then Wendy spoke. "I…I have to see someone. First."