Chapter 4 : The Consultation

Someone had hit their bedroom window. More accurately, someone had crashed into it.

Wendy jumped out of bed and glanced at the nursery door. No grown-ups in sight.

She opened the window and saw...

"Peter!"

There was Peter, clinging onto the windowsill, completely drenched and looking as if he had seen a ghost. He was shivering.

"Peter!" cried Wendy. She helped him onto the window seat. "Oh dear, Peter, whatever has happened to you?"

Michael and John jumped out of bed, while John grabbed a quilt and Wendy strung it over Peter.

"I'm fine." Peter protested, but he didn't move from the window seat. "Just a bit shaken up." He felt a buzzing inside his hat and then he took it off. There was Tink, wings dripping and dejected about being back at the Darlings'. She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at Wendy. Big ugly girl.

Wendy grabbed a small hand towel and offered it to Tink. Tink took it and flew into the farthest corner of the room away from Ugly Wendy and her Silly Brothers.

Wendy sighed and then turned to Peter. She had given up on trying to be friends with Tinkerbell. But Wendy was naturally concerned. "What happened?" she asked again.

Peter blushed a deep shade of red. Wendy's heart fluttered. He was blushing! Wendy wanted to scream out in excitement. However, Peter seemed embarrassed, so she tried to be compassionate.

"Well, Wendy," Peter smiled cockily, "I had an adventure!"

Wendy nodded. "I can tell."

Peter pushed his red bangs back. "There's a ship! A pirate ship!"

"The Jolly Roger?" John questioned as he adjusted his glasses.

Peter shook his head. "No way! That's the thing! It's a haunted pirate ship!"

"Haunted," Michael clutched Wendy's nightgown.

Wendy stared at Peter. Her heart thudded as she imagined him on the haunted pirate ship.

"What was the name?" Wendy pressed.

Peter's mischievous brown eyes bore into her blue ones. "The Pirate Ransom..."

"Oh!" Wendy turned to John frantically as he returned her panicked gaze. "Father!"

"Your father owns the ship?" Peter seemed surprised (and perhaps a smidge impressed), but John shook his head. "No sir. We heard Father discussing the topic after the party."

"Party?" Peter stared at Wendy. "You went to a party? A grown-up party?"

John and Michael immediately began telling Peter about all the marvelous things they had done.

"We ate chocolate-covered strawberries!"

"I wore my new coat and Florence embarrassed John!"

"No, she didn't. And if it looked like it, it was very unladylike." John flushed. Then he very flatly (and rather unnecessarily) added, "Wendy danced with a boy."

Wendy shot John a deathly look. Peter seemed mad. "A boy?"

Wendy looked down and felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "Father told me to."

Peer grumbled, "Stupid grown-ups. With their stupid parties, and stupid boys who aren't half as good as the wonderful Peter Pan!" He paced around the room. "I'll bet he was just a stupid blockhead."

The sound of footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.

Wendy gasped. "Peter, hide!"

Peter glanced around then flew to the back of a purple armchair as Wendy, Michael, and John ran to their beds.

The door opened.

Mary Darling's eyes immediately flicked to the window. A hidden smile twitched on her lips as she walked over to Wendy's bed.

"Wendy!"

But Wendy didn't answer. Guilty as she felt, she couldn't let her mother find out about Peter. She pretended to be asleep.

Mrs. Darling glanced around once more. She thought she heard the jingle of bells, but then murmured, "Poor dears. They must be so tired after the party." Then she kissed them each on the head and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Wendy waited while she motioned to Peter behind the armchair to remain still. Peter nodded, looking a bit sad.

Oh! His mother, Wendy realized. Poor Peter. He must miss his mother. If he even remembered her.

After five minutes of utter silence, Wendy crawled out of bed. John and Michael followed her, while Peter flew with Tinkerbell to the window. "I need to go check the ship for safety," he said. "I'll see you later, Wendy. John. Michael." Then he nodded at them and began to open the window.

"Wait! Peter!" Wendy grabbed his shoe. "Peter, let me come with you!"

"What?" Peter, John, and Michael asked simultaneously.

"Yes!" Wendy searched Peter's eyes. They seemed… scared. "I mean honestly, if I can come, maybe I could identify the ship! Oh Peter, please!" Wendy begged, although she had no idea what the ship looked like.

"No, it's too dangerous," Peter said, placing his hand on the window sill.

"I'll be alright," Wendy stated firmly.

Peter looked at her softly and said, "Wendy, if anything ever happens to you..."

Wendy swallowed hard, "Please..."

Peter looked into her dazzling blue eyes. Something urged within him. "Fine," he groaned, "but I'm going to be with you always. And you must…"

Wendy hugged him. "Thank you, Peter!" she said, pausing for a moment before quickly kissing him on the cheek. Tinkerbell lunged at her, but Peter stopped her.

Wendy ran to her brothers, while Peter ducked his head and said, "Uhh…well, you're welcome." He watched as Wendy tucked her brothers into bed.

"Aww, Wendy," Michael whined. "We want to come too!"

"Yes!" John exclaimed. "It would be jolly good fun to explore Father's pirate ship."

Wendy shook her head. "No, boys. You need your rest. And as Peter stated, it could be dangerous."

"Dangerous poppycock," John grumbled.

Wendy scolded John. "John! You mustn't say such things!"

"I beg your pardon, dearest sister!" John mocked as he often did when angry, "Have fun on your date with your dear sweetheart."

Wendy's eyebrows shot up. She turned and was relieved when she saw Peter was fighting with Tinkerbell, not paying attention to their argument. In a huff, Tinkerbell stuck her tongue out at Peter and flew out the window. Peter shrugged and turned to watch them. "Goodnight, boys," she said. "I'll be back before morning, so do get some sleep."

Then she walked over to the window as Peter flew outside. He bowed to her, "Milady?"

Wendy grinned as she curtsied. "Thank you, kind sir!"

And together they flew away, hand in hand, to the land of their dreams.