Peter Pan: Forevermore

[hourglass244]

Title: Forevermore
Author: Serena-chan
Category: Books
Sub-category: Peter Pan
Rating: G
Genre: Romance
Pairing: Peter Pan / Wendy Moira Angela Darling

Part One:

All the lost boys, Peter, and Tinkerbell sat down in their hideout.
Slightly was leaning against a rather large tree root, reading a book
that Wendy had given him. He sighed, turning the pages in a melancholy
manner. He had already memorized the book, he had read it so many
times.

He looked bordly around the room and found that the twins were playing
marbles and some of the other boys had gathered around to watch. The
rest of the boys were off sleeping. Tinkerbell was in her little house and
Peter was laying in a hammock playing a little wooden flute that Tiger Lily
had made for him.

It had been a year since Wendy, Michael, and John had left them and
gone back to London. Slightly missed them all terribly. He hated the
fact that the other boys seemed to have forgotten that they were ever
there. They went on merrily with their games and if they did miss Wendy,
they never showed it.

On a very rare occation, when she was mentioned, Peter always hurridly
changed the subject. When this happened, Slightly always thought that
he could see a troubled look in Peter's eyes. He often wondered if Peter
really missed her more than he was letting on.

It was a boiling hot day, and there was nothing more to do than to just
sit in the cool shade of their hideout and wait for the heat to let up.
Slightly remembered that when Wendy was here, even on days like this,
there was never boredom. She always had a story ready, or Peter would
take her to show her new parts of the island.

Slightly missed those days terribly, but he had never voiced this to any of
the boys. Snapping his book shut he stood and nervously made his way
over to Peter.

"Peter?" he asked softly. Peter put down his flute and gave him a
quizzical look. Slightly took a deep breath and continued, "Peter, don't
you miss Wendy?"

Instantly, the troubled look returned to Peter's eyes. "No." he said
flatly.

"I was just wondering," Slightly went on hurridly, "if you might go and
bring her back for a visit? I miss her and Michael and John terribly.
She did ask you to come and get her so that she could do our spring
cleaning. Tink told me."

Peter sighed and considered this. Then, his deturmined spirit seemed
to return and he jumped up hurridly, shouting, "Come on, Tink! Let's go
get Wendy!"

He gave the boys a cocky grin as he rose into the air and flew out of the
hideout, Tink trying to keep up.

Peter looked happily at the rooftops of London as he sailed over them. He
had a bit of trouble remembering the way to Wendy's house, but soon he
saw the familier window and darted over to it.

He peered in through the crack in the curtains. He could clearly see John
and Michael asleep in their beds. He couldn't quite see Wendy as it was
too dark, but the lump in the bed told him that she was there.

He opened the window softly and alighted in the room. He walked quietly
over to the bed where Wendy lay, asleep. He could see her face clearly
now, lit by the soft glow of the nightlights that burned above her bed.

In the year that she had been away, she hadn't changed much. Her golden
curls lay scattered on the pillow, rather like a halo. Her face had beautiful
pink tint to her cheeks and her mouth was turned up in a slight smile.

As Peter looked at her, something changed in him...forever. His heart
seemed to beat twice as fast. Peter, who had always avoided any physical
contact with anyone, suddenly found himself wishing that she would throw her
arms tightly around him and never let go.

He took a step back, trying to shake those foolish thoughts from his head.
Wendy's eyes fluttered open and she looked up into his face.

"Peter!" she cried, throwing the cover's back and leaping out of bed. She
ran toward him with her arms out, ready to embrace him. Peter leaped
back away from her, half-heartedly this time.

"Yes, I know." said Wendy sadly. Her smile returned as she continued,
"I've missed you so! I was begining to think that you'd forgotten about
me."

Peter looked at her and noticed the slight changes that had taken place
since he last saw her. Her hair was longer and she was an inch or two
taller. Now, she was only about an inch shorter than he was.

Wendy gave him look for look, noticing how he hadn't changed a bit since
she last saw him. He still wore the same tattered clothes that he had
when he first came to get her. His hair was still wild and unkept.

"Wendy," Peter began, "would you come back and stay with us for awhile?
You could do our spring cleaning and mend our pockets and tell us stories!"

"Of course I'll come." Wendy replied with a smile. "Do you want John
and Michael to come too? Oh, but Peter! I've forgotten how to fly!"

"I'll teach you again." Peter said, trowing the glittering fairy dust upon her.
"Remember, just think happy thoughts, and up you'll go!"

Wendy tried her hardest. Maybe it was because she couldn't think of
anything happy enough, or maybe it was because she was a year older, in any
case, she just couldn't seem to maker herself fly.

"Here," said Peter, extending his hand, "I'll help you."

Wendy reached out very slowly and clasped his hand. Peter jumped excitedly
as they touched for the first time.

"Just concentrate." Peter told her, drifting slowly into the air and bringing
her up with him.

Once she was up there, she seemed to get the hang of it. Carefully, Peter
let go of her hand and she remained floating in the air.

"I'm doing it!" she cried happily. She gently floated downward and made a
graceful landing with Peter next to her.

Before Peter knew what he was doing, he had pulled her into a tight hug.
They stood there with their arms wrapped tightly around each other, Peter's
heart pounding in his chest. He burried his face in her hair, noticing for the
first time that she smelled faintly of rose petals.

"I missed you." Peter whispered, choking back tears.

"I missed you too." she whispered.

Peter felt so warm and happy, standing there with her. They both wished
that the hug could last forever. Wendy pulled back slightly so that she
could look him in the eye.

"Silly Boy," she said smiling, "why are you crying?"

Peter never got the opportunity to answer for suddenly, the window doors,
which had been left open, started to rattle in their hinges. Wendy clung
to Peter in fear as green light and smoke came billowing into the room.
They could see a ship floating on a cloud of the green smoke outside the
window, and on the window ledge, stood a pirate in a red overcoat with a
shiny silver hook where one of his hands should be.

"Hook!" cried Peter. He flew angrily over to him, but Hook was ready for him.
He hit Peter hard with the hilt of his sword, sending him crashing into the wall.
He slid down and lay, in a heap, unconscious on the floor.

"Peter!" Wendy cried, as more smoke filled the room and everything went black.

Part Two:

Peter began to come to about an hour later. He lay still on the carpet,
trying to remember where he was. Tinkerbell was fluttering above him,
talking very quickly about something he couldn't quite grasp.

He slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. Moaning at the pain
that was throbbing in his head and back. When his vision came clearly into
focus, he then realized where he was. He was in the Darling's home.
Wendy's home...Wendy...

Peter, finally remembering what had happened, quickly leaped to his feet.
A quick glance around the room told him that she wasn't there. Another
glance revealed that John and Michael were gone, too.

Panick rose within him as he flew over to the window and looked out. The
sun was just begining to come up, scattering colors of pink and gold into the
blue/black sky. He was then aware of Tinkerbell pulling on his shirt collar.

"What is it, Tink?"

Tinkerbell was pointing to something on the wall above Wendy's bed. Peter
flew over to it and saw that it was a note attached to the wall with a
sword.

He ripped the note from the wall and, with some difficulty, read it:

Dear Peter,
I have stolen the thing most prescious to you. If you
wish to save her and her brothers, your presence will be
required in Neverland by sundown tomarrow.

Kindness,
personal regards,
J. Hook, Captain

"Hook!" Peter said through clenched teeth, "I'll murder him!" Peter flew
through the nursery window with Tink beside him. "First, we'll head back
to Neverland and prepare the boys. Then, we'll have to get Tiger Lily and
the other Indian's help..."

"Peter!" called Tinkerbell, in farie language, "Slow down!" She sighed as
Peter continued his rappid pace.

He continued to mutter different strategies to himself until he reached the
hideout. He flew down into it to find that the lost boys were still asleep.

Tinkerbell woke them up shouting in farie language. "Lost boys! Lost boys!
Wake up! Pan's back! He needs your help!" She continued to shout in this
fashion until all the boys but Nibs were up. Nibs continued to sleep and
ignore her cries. Clenching her teeth, she dove down toward him.

A few minutes and a slashed pillow later, all of the lost boys, still groggy
with sleep, were assembled before Peter.

"Boys," Peter began, looking more serious than he had ever looked in his life,
"I need your help."

"Where's Wendy?" Slightly asked.

"She's been kidnapped by Hook." replied Peter gravely.

"Kidnapped?!" shouted Nibs. The other boys began to murmer to each
other in worried voices.

"Be quiet!" shouted Tink, "Captain Hook found a way to come into the real
world and kidnap Wendy, Michael, and John! We have to be at Hook's ship
tomarrow at sundown or he'll kill them. Now, the only way that we'll win
this battle is for us to work together. So everyone be quiet unless you can
think of a plan!" Everyone was completly silent after that.

"Thank you, Tink." said Peter, "Alright everyone, here's what we're going to
do: Nibs, you and the twins go down and try to convince the mermaids to do
some spying for us. Ask them to go to Hook's ship and find out as much as
they can. Tootles, you go and see if you can convince any of the animals to
help us. Take Tink with you. As for the rest of you, you stay here and
prepare the weapons and armor while I go and talk to Tiger Lily. Slightly,
your in charge while I'm gone." Everyone nodded and scampered off to do
their assigned task.

Wendy, Michael, and John stood before Hook with their hands tied and their
feet chained.

"So, children," Hook began, an evil smile playing on his lips, "we meet again."

"You'll never get away with this!" said John bravely, "Peter will come for us."

"Ay, the brat will come," agreed Hook, "but when he does, we will be ready
for him! Right, men?!"

A loud cry of agreement arose from the pirates assembled on deck as they
began to hastily sharpen swords and load cannons.

"Now," said Hook, "you boys will work down below deck. You're not important.
Jukes!"

"Yes, Captain?" Jukes answered.

"Your in charge of these two simpering idiots, now remove them from my
site!"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Jukes scurried to follow Hook's orders.

"As for you," Hook turned to Wendy, "you're too valuable to be forced to work.
Smee! Taker her and lock her in the spare room!"

"Yes, Captain." Grabbing Wendy roughly by the arm, Smee took her to a little
door off to the side of the ship. Opening the door, he shoved her inside.

Wendy could hear the scraping of the key in the lock as she lay in the dark on
the floor. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that she was in a
small room with a bed in one corner and a little nightstand in the other. Wendy
curled up on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

Part Three:

Tiger Lily sat in the center of her village weaving a basket
from long dry leaves that she had gathered from the river. She
hummed quietly to herself, enjoying the warm sun as it poured down
onto her, making her hair shimmer.

She was startled out of her peaceful state as a green blur shot out
of the bushes and raced toward her. The thing stopped when it had
reached her and landed beside her.

"Peter!"

"Tiger Lily! Tiger Lily! You've got to help me! It's Hook! He's-"

"STOP!" screamed Tiger Lily, a confused look on her face, "No talk so fast!'

Peter sighed and explained at a normal pace what had happened, adding, "and
we need your help. We'll never be able to fight Hook and his pirates
alone."

Nodding to show she understood, Tiger Lily replied, "We help. Help you
rescue Wendy!"

"Good!" said Peter, "I am glad! We're going to need all the help we can get.
I know Hook's got something planned!"

"Peter will win." she declared, "Peter Pan is the sun, the moon, and the
stars!"

"Yes, I know." replied Peter.

"When we attack?" she asked.

"I'm not sure yet. It must be before sunset. Why don't you bring your
tribe to our hideout when the sun is directly overhead? We'll have a plan
ready by then."

"Right." said Tiger Lily, "Tiger Lily bring tribe to Peter's home. We make
plan."

"Don't worry! We'll win this battle!" Peter then flew off through the
trees, feeling even more deturmined than before.

Hook was waiting on deck when Smee brought Wendy to him. "Good morning,
my dear." said Hook cheerily, "Sleep well?"

"I have nothing to say to you!" declared Wendy.

"Really?" asked Hook, "I thought that you'd want to know how your brothers
were fairing. Perhaps I was mistaken?"

Wendy tried not to answer him, but, at last, her worry for John and Michael
won, "Where are they?"

"They are working below deck." Hook replied evily, "Rowing and other
back-breaking chores. The little one was quite disagreable when we separated
him from his brother, but he seems quite subdued now."

Wendy gasped in fear for poor Michael. "How could you? Why have you brought
us here?!"

"I knew you'd get around to asking that sooner or later." Hook chuckled,
"It's quite simple really. I wanted revenge on Peter Pan. I wanted him to
die, but no matter what scheme I thought of, he was always one step ahead of
me. Then I thought, what thing in this world would he be most afraid of
loosing? I had to figure out what was the most important thing in his life.
It would have to be something big, something that he would die for. For weeks
I pondered, searching for a solution; that Indian brat? No, she would never do.
That blasted fairy? No, he'd miss her, but he wouldn't suffer as much as I
wanted him to. Then, I suddenly thought of what that something was: you."

Wendy remained silent for a couple of moments, digesting this new information.
After a while, she spoke, "Don't be silly! Peter doesn't care that much for
me."

Here, Hook laughed, "Oh, child! How naive can you be? Peter would throw
himself to the crocodile if he thought it would save your life!" Wendy was
silent, so Hook continued, "I knew that if I was to have my revenge, I would
need to capture you. But how? I didn't know where you lived. Then, one of
my men, Cecco, stumbled upon his hideout one day and happened to hear that he
was coming back to get his 'mother'. Well, I knew that this was what I had
been waiting for! So, I followed him to your house and kidnapped you and your
lazy brothers."

"So, this is all a trap for Peter?" Wendy asked.

"Aye, me deary, and you are the bait. Oh yes, Peter and his friends will
come at sundown tonight, and they'll fight my men and probably win. But then
he'll have to face me, and I have the very thing he wants. He will have to do
every thing I tell him...or I will slit your throat!"

Hook broke out into a crazy laughter. Wendy just stood there, too afraid to
move.

Just below where the ship was anchored, a mermaid sat listening. "Very
interesting..." she murmered quietly, "Peter will be very interested to learn
Hook's plan..." With that, she dove under the water and headed for shore and
the waiting Nibs.

Part Four:

Peter, the lost boys, Tiger Lily, and her Indians sat clustered together in the hideout, working out the last details of their attack plan when Nibs burst in.

"Peter," he cried, "I have a message for you, from the mermaids. They think they've discovered Hook's plan."

Peter beckoned Nibs to sit next to him. He told Peter everything the mermaid had heard.

"So," Peter said angrily, "Hook's planning to use Wendy as bait, is he? Well, this changes everything." He thought for a moment before announcing, "Everyone! New plan. You all attack with everything you've got. Cause a big distraction, and keep all the men busy. I'll look for Hook. Be careful, though, Hook's got a plan cooked up so be ready for anything!"

Wendy sat in her little room, miserably trying to think of a plan for escape. Suddenly, she heard a key turning in the lock. Hook entered the room followed by two of his strongest men.

"It's almost sunset, Miss Wendy." Hook said, grinning. "Let's place you in a much more...secluded location."

Peter flew alone through the night air. He landed on a rock near where Hooks ship was anchored. He crouched low, so as not to be seen.

Any minute now, the boys and the Indians would lead the attack, leaving Peter free to find Wendy. He just hoped Hook had not hurt her. Those strange, new feelings Peter had obtained that night in the nursery began to churn within his chest. He felt tears begin to burn his eyes at the thought of loosing her. He quickly shook the tears away angrily. Peter Pan did not cry!

His muscles were beginning to cramp, and he shifted himself slowly, trying to ease the pain. He had to be prepared. This battle was going to be different than any of the ones he had fought in his entire life. Before, when he fought Hook, it had been playful, for fun. Now, Wendy's life was at stake. There must be no mistakes.

Suddenly, a shout rang through the air so loud it made Peter jump. It was followed by more shouting, gunfire, and the clash of swords. Peter lept from his hiding place and swooped through the blackness toward the ship. He flew low, near the water. He could not risk being seen.

When he was directly below Hooks cabin, he darted up and landed on the deck. He dodged into the cabin. A quick look around told him that no one was there. As he was turning to leave, Peter saw a note on Hook's desk.

Peter, Take the main steps to the lower deck. Come alone. I will be waiting for you.

-J. Hook

Just as he finished reading the letter, Tinkerbell flew in the room. Peter showed her the letter.

"This sounds like a trap," Peter said, "but if I don't do as he says, he might hurt Wendy." He thought for a moment before his mind was made up. "Tink, I'm going down there. Don't follow me."

"Peter, you can't!" Tink cried in dismay, "That's just what he wants you to do."

"I know," Peter said softly, "but I don't have any other choice."

The lower deck was dark and quiet. Hardley any light shown through the cracks in the boards. He could see a light from a candle shining down a narrow hall.

He cautiously made his way down it, jumping at every little sound. The hall turned sharply to the right, and Peter found himself facing a room. The door was open, and it apeared empty except for a small table with a single lit candle upon it.

Peter drew his sword, and took a hesitant step forward. He was walking into Hook's trap, he just knew it!

He had taken no more than five small steps into the room when the door slammed violently behind him. Peter whirled around to find himself face-to- face with Hook, who was holding an unconsious Wendy in one hand and a sword in the other.

"Well, well, well," he snarled evily, "what have we here? It would seem that our brave hero has fallen right into my trap."

"Let her go, you codfish," Peter said, rage racing through his veins. "Your battle is with me."

"Exactly," Hook said grinning. "No matter how I tried to trick you, you always found a way beat me. You always knew exactly how to fight me to make me lose. Well, now it's your turn, Pan. I've finally found the one weapon to use against you. The one weapon that will make you obey my every command."

Peter snarled angrily and hurled himself at Hook. The captain calmly brought the edge of his blade up and gently pressed it against Wendy's neck, causing Peter to stop dead in his tracks.

"One more false move like that, Pan, and I'll slit your little girlfriend's neck."

Fear seemed to overtake Peter. Fear of losing Wendy. "You wouldn't dare," he whispered softly.

"Wouldn't I?" Hook said, madness seeping into his eyes, "Let's play a game, Peter. Every second that you hang onto your weapon, I'll dig my sword a little deeper into Miss Wendy's flesh."

Peter's mind seemed to freeze with fear. This had never happened to him before. He'd always known what to do. This was all just supposed to be a game! He felt paralized, unable to move as he watched Hook press the tip of his sword into Wendy's neck just hard enough for a little trickle of blood to run down onto her nightdress.

Peter stopped breathing. Everything seemed to go limp. He watched, as if in slow motion, the sword he had been clutching just a moment ago,fall from his loose fingers. It clattered onto the floor with an echo that seemed to shake the whole room.

Quick as a flash, Hook hurled Wendy to the ground and grabbed Peter. Taking advantage of his paralized state, he bound him tightly from head to foot.

Hook raised his sword and pointed it at Peter's chest. "This shall be your end, Pan!"

The first thing Wendy felt was a sharp pain in her neck. Then, she heard shouting and was aware that she was laying on something very cold and hard. Opening her eyes, she saw Peter tied tightly and Hook with a sword at his chest. He seemed to be in a trance, not caring that he was inches away from death.

"Peter!" Wendy screamed.

At the sound of her voice, Peter seemed to snap back into the real world. "Wendy!" Peter cried. He tried to leap towards her, but Hook held him tightly back.

"Isn't this touching?" Hook said sarcasticly, "Together for the last time."

Suddenly, the door burst open and a blurred flash of light sailed through the room, knocking Hook's sword out of his hands. Wendy lunged foreward to untie Peter, while Tinkerbelle zoomed wildly around Hook. She eventually darted strait at his stomache, knocking the wind out of him. He fell backward, knocking the candle off the table and onto the floor. The fire spilt out engulfing the room.

Grabbing Wendy by the hand, Peter pulled her from the room, leaving Hook unconcious on the floor. They raced through the passages, Tink close behind them.

Above on deck, the boys and the Indians were flying off to land. Pirates boarded the life boats quickly as the fire spread through the ship.

Peter took Wendy's hand in his, and the other arm he wrapped tightly around her waist. Together, they rose into the air and fled the burning ship.

They landed in a clump of trees, and Tink spead off the find the others. Wendy turned to face him, and they stared at each other for a long time, not saying anything.

Her eyes filled with tears, as she suddenly flung her arms around him, pulling him close. "Oh, Peter!" she sobbed, "I thought I was going to loose you! I love you so much!"

At these words, Peter felt his heart swell to the point that he thought it was going to burst. He had never been so happy before in his entire life.

But the part of him that was still the carefree little boy suddenly surfaced. Conflicting emotions fought a huge battle within him. "Wendy," he whispered softly, "I don't know if I can do this. I don't think I can grow up."

Wendy pulled back, a pained look in her eyes. She was about to say something, but she was interupted by a loud cry from behind her. Michael, John, and all the other lost boys surrounded her, all speaking and shouting at once.

Michael threw himself into her arms sobbing hystericly, "Oh, Wendy! I thought we were all gonna die! I want to go home! I miss my teddy!"

"Yes," Peter heard Wendy answer softly, "we need to go home."

Peter felt tears burn his eyes at the thought of loosing her again. He shot up into the night sky, and flew blindly for what seemed like hours, not really caring where he went.

At last he landed on a rock near the mermaid's glen and sobbed. He'd always sworn he'd never grow up. He'd promised to always stay a little boy, and to have fun, but something had changed in him that night in the nursery. Something that he knew he could never get rid of no matter how hard he tried.

True, he could stay here and live forever, never having to worry about death, but what was the point of forever if Wendy was not there to share it with him. He loved her, and he knew that if he did not go after her soon, he'd regret it always, no matter how long he lived.

It was nearly morning when Slightly found him. He was sitting on a rock near shore, staring out at sea with the most peaceful look on his face.

Slightly landed next to him and sat down. Peter didn't turn to face him, but he knew Slightly was there.

"She left," Slightly told Peter.

"I know, " he whispered back.

"She tucked us all into bed, told us a story, and left. She took John and Michael with her."

Peter sighed, he took his sword in his hands and turned it over slowly, as though trying to memorize every detail. At last, he grabbed Slightly's hand and pressed the sword into it.

"Peter, what-"

"I will not need it where I'm going." Peter stood and closed his eyes, taking in the scent of the air. "Take good care of them for me. Especially Tink, she will not understand."

Slightly stared at him a moment before standing also. Carefully, he extended his hand, and Peter took it. They shook hands for the very last time.

Peter landed softly in the Darling's nursery. He approached Wendy's bed and watched her as she lay there sleeping. She was so beautiful.

Peter remembered one summer's night the year before. Wendy had been telling Peter about a princess who had fallen under a witch's spell. In the story, the prince had kissed the princess to awaken her. At the time, Peter had thought that was disgusting, but now, the idea seemed to apeal to him.

He knelt besider her bed, and leaned foreward slowly. He pressed his lips gently to hers. He lost himself completely at that point, overwhelmed by the rush of emotion he was feeling.

When he drew back, Wendy's eyes fluttered open, and she stared up at him in disbelief. "Peter?"

"Wendy," Peter whispered softly, taking her hand, "I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She sat up slowly, and cupped his cheek in her hand. "But, Peter, what about Neverland? Can you really give up all your adventures?"

"I won't be giving them up," Peter laughed softly. "I think that growing up will be my next, greatest adventure."

THE END