Disclaimer: Peter Pan, all characters, places, and related terms belong to J.M. Barrie.

Start of Something New

Slowly Peter reached through the leaves at the top of the large oak tree. Ever so carefully he lifted the nest from its perch between two small branches and brought it out into the sunlight. Five tiny blue eggs lay nestled inside. A smile spread across the boy's face. "Oh, the cleverness of me!" he breathed. Then he slowly descended down to the forest floor, holding the nest protectively.

Once again on firm ground, Peter looked about. He discovered Wendy near the edge of the clearing, still sitting amidst the flowers, admiring them. ("They are not as sweet or colorful in London!" she'd explained when Peter had asked why she found them so fascinating.) The boy started towards the girl, excited to show her his find. Perhaps this "London" did not have such small birds' nests.

Suddenly Peter's smugness slipped behind confusion, and he stopped mid-step. His eyes, puzzled, tracked Wendy as she now moved about the clearing, white nightgown swaying around her. She ran on her toes. She spun in slow circles, arms above her head or spread at her sides like wings. She would do strange jumps like she was trying to fly. And sometimes she stood still on one leg, with the other stretching before or behind her. The boy had never seen anything like it before.

"Wendy," he said slowly as he followed the girl who now twirled like an autumn fairy.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"Dancing."

Curiosity filled Peter's eyes. He had never seen dancing like this before – only the fairies' where their tiny feet never touched the ground. He watched as Wendy curtsied and seemed to offer her hand to someone. Placing the now uninteresting birds' nest down on a rock, the boy walked after the girl who'd balanced with a leg behind her and skipped in a circle while holding her invisible partner's hand. In his observing the blissful smile lighting her face and the twinkle in her eyes as she danced, a thought tugged on Peter's ear, and he acted accordingly.

He flew the last couple yards, the bottoms of his feet just above the waving grass. When he stood inches before Wendy with his right hand extended towards her, standing straight and tall, head respectfully inclined, first teeth flashing a polite smile (good form), she had just finished her curtsey and looked up to discover the empty space in which her pretend partner had been to be occupied by Peter Pan.

"Peter!" she started, taking half a step back, eyes full of surprise. She had trouble meeting his gaze.

"May I be your partner?" he requested hopefully, most interested in learning this new dance.

The girl's cheeks turned a lovely pink, and she stammered, looking from his hand to his face and back. "Oh! You – I –" She half-lifted her hand, a glow coming over her face before vanishing as quickly as it had come. Her hand returned to her side.

Peter's hand waited between them.

"I probably shouldn't," she murmured to the ground, turning away with a faint shake of her head.

The boy's hazel eyes clouded over as Wendy turned her back to him He stared at his open, empty hand for a moment. An unfamiliar pang of disappointment settled in his chest. Instinctively he moved to stand before her once more and bowed deeply. He waited until she looked at him, his head cocked quizzically.

"Miss Wendy, would you to do me the honor of teaching me to dance like that?" he asked as politely and formally as he could. He offered his hand. Unconsciously he leaned towards her.

She bit her lip, brow furrowed. After a moment's thought her eyes cleared, and she gave him a beautiful curtsy. "Yes, Peter," her smile was wide and bright, and she placed her hand in his.

The smile that lighted his face was like a sunbeam.

The afternoon passed merrily. Peter enjoyed them jumping together, though sometimes he would hover in the air. He laughed with her as he knelt, holding her hand while she circled him. And his smile was cocky and amazed as she stood on her toes and he helped her do what she called an "arabesque." He was not aware how well they danced together. And if sometimes tingles raced up and down his spine when Wendy smiled at him or he took her hand, or if at times she blushed under his gaze or shyly focused on the ground, he did his best not to wonder about it.

None of that was as important as the hope he and Wendy could do this the next day and the day after that!

THE END