AN: wow. this snuck up on me. Last Chapter guys! fluff abounds. Please review. And keep an eye peeled for the short companion oneshot I promised somebody. More Peter in that. Read on!

Chapter 8

With a brilliant flash of gold, Olivia found herself sprawled on top of someone in the darkness. "Oof," she said.

"Tell me about i'," Xander said from underneath her.

"Oh!" She rolled off of him. "I'm so sorry."
"It's fine," he said. "Let me go find the lantern. Nobody move."

Olivia heard him get up and pick his way across the cellar. "John, Michael, Wendy? Are you all right?"

"Yes, I should think so," John said.

"Yes," said Wendy.

"Have we come home?" Michael asked.

"Yes," Olivia said, and as Xander struck a match and lit the lantern right at that moment, they could all see her smile. "We're home."

Xander peered around the corner, checking that the coast was clear to the Darling home. Dusk was just beginning to fall, but there were still people about, and it would look exceedingly odd for some children in their nightshirts and nightgowns to walk down the street. He turned to look back at the huddle of Darling and nodded, waving them forward. "All clear," he said.

Olivia led the way up the street and to the door of the Darling residence, and felt some odd feelings when she had to ring the bell of her own home.

"George, dear, get the door, would you?" her mother's clear voice said from a distance.

"Who could be calling at this hour?" her father's baritone asked, as footsteps came closer and the door opened.

George Darling could merely stared in shock at the ragtag group on his doorstep.

"Hello, Father," Wendy said.

At last he gave a glad cry and opened his arms, shouting, "Mary, they're BACK!"

The children fell into his arms as Mother asked, "George, what –" she dropped the vase she had been carrying, and didn't even notice it smash, though it had been a gift from her sister. She threw herself in with her children, laughing and crying at the same time. Wendy clung to her, and Olivia, forgetting how old she was, called her 'mummy' and hugged her just as tightly.

No one noticed Xander quietly closing the door behind him.

When they finally settled down enough to listen to explanations, Wendy elected herself spokesperson, spitting out details of their adventures. "Oh, and then we had the grandest time at the Indian encampment! We got to see some of the fairies besides Tinkerbell, too! Oh, and then Olivia and Xander came to bring us home, and then Olivia and I got captured by pirates –"

"Who is Xander?" Mrs. Darling asked.

Olivia's head shot up and saw that he was nowhere to be found. "I'll be right back," she promised, running out the door. Scanning the street, she saw his tall frame walking away with his hands in his pockets. She hiked up her skirts and ran after him, calling his name. He turned and met her halfway.

"You can't just leave like that!" Olivia exclaimed, grabbing his hands. "Why did you go?"

He looked into her eyes sadly. "I don't belong in your world, Olivia."

She stared at him with such honesty and sincerity in her eyes that they bled forth into her words as she said, quite clearly, "Says who?"

"Says…" he trailed off, motioning toward the building around them. "Everybody! Society."

"Hang society," Olivia snapped. "It's stupid."

The fierce expression on her face coupled with her words made him burst out laughing.

"No, really," Olivia said. "There are all sorts of reasons, and they're all so silly. Why do they matter?"

He stared at their clasped hands. "I guess they don't."

"Come on, then," she said, giving his hands a gentle tug. "I won't let you walk into what may be danger alone."

He smiled at her and let her lead him back to her house, where she found her parents and siblings in the sitting room, still regaling their parents with tales of their adventures.

"Mother, Father," Olivia said from the doorway. "This is Alexander Royce, Xander for short. He helped me bring them back."

Mrs. Darling had been too caught up in joy to notice the change in her eldest daughter before, but now she took note –there was still a kiss in the right hand corner of her mouth, but it was not her kiss… an exchange had taken place.

She smiled at the pair as George got up and shook his hand, expressing his thanks for the help he offered Olivia.

"Xander," Mrs. Darling said kindly, "welcome to the family."

The End