"Addy! Hurry up! We're going to be late!" The pale girl whirled around, her blue eyes wide and round, and she gasped. She saw two figures down the street flailing their arms and waving her forward. She turned back and tucked a blonde curl behind her ear.

"Ethan, I'm so sorry. I must be going." The boy straightened up and gently took her hand into his, his lips brushing against her skin. She shivered and smiled up at him.

"Until tomorrow then, Miss Adette?" Adette sucked in a breath as her long golden curls were caught in the wind and swept around her face. The young man smiled and gently pushed her hair back behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek.

"ADDY!"

"I know, I'm coming! I shall see you tomorrow Ethan." And with that, she turned and hurried back down the street where the two figures were waiting impatiently.

"Dad is going to go insane when he hears you fancy a boy," her brother said with a smirk. Adette blushed bright red, which only made her siblings laugh.

"I don't…fancy anyone," she mumbled and her twin sister snickered, tossing her red curls out of her face.

"So stop blushing."

"It's cold out here. My skin isn't used to this chill."

"You lie worse than the fairies," her brother teased. He shifted his bag over his shoulder and glanced at his watch. "We were supposed to be at Uncle Curly's ten minutes ago! Let's go." The two girls and the boy took off running and were soon shivering from the cold. The girls both stopped and their brother turned to them, looking irritated.

"We're never going to get there if we keep stopping."

"It's never cold in Neverland," Farrah snapped. "Give us a break."

"You know, we could use some—"

"NO," Adette cut her brother off quickly. "No, we can't. We swore to Mother and Father while we're here in this world, we wouldn't use any Neverland magic."

"No one would see us," their brother protested. "We can get into the clouds really quick." Farrah looked like she considered it but Adette stamped her foot.

"Absoluetly not. You're supposed to be the oldest, Wyatt. You're supposed to be smart."

"I am smart. Which is why I say we fly rather than freeze to death out here."

"We're not far from Uncle Curly's home, let's go." The girls lead a grumbling Wyatt and they continued on their way.

Not more than ten minutes later, they opened a black iron gate and entered a grand-looking house. Wyatt and Farrah spotted cookies and a hot pot of tea on the table and immediately dove in. Adette removed her scarf and gloves and looked around.

"Uncle Curly? Are you home?"

"I had thought you all had gotten lost," said a deep voice from the stairs. Adette rushed into her uncle's arms and he chuckled.

"My god, Addy, you look more and more like your mother everyday." Adette pulled back and smiled.

"Father says that all the time."

"And how are your parents doing?" He lead Adette into the living room and smiled at his neice and nephew, who were apparently quite ravenous.

"They're wonderful. Father recently reclaimed lands that the Valdes long ago stole from Neverland so we have expanded across the planets. Mother has been studying medicine from the Healers and has been learning Nautical sciences and how to sail from Captain Smee and some of the other pirates."

"Captain Smee. That's strange to hear," Curly chuckled, stroking his chin. "Last time we saw him, he was Hook's first mate. Staying out of trouble, is he?"

"Father makes sure he and the other pirates stay within legal grounds when they leave Neverland. He did have to interfere on Smee's behalf a year ago, when they plundered a governor's mansion. But Father took care of it."

"And how is little Chitsa doing? How old is she now?"

"Mother says she'll be five next month, although you know that we do not keep track of birthdays at home. Only Mother does. I think it drives Father crazy." Curly laughed and nodded.

"Peter has never had to keep track of age and time. Your mother changed his world in so many ways, I'm sure there was a lot he had to get used to. Speaking of getting used to, how is he coping with letting you grow up here?"

"He still doesn't like it," Wyatt appeared before them and quickly hugged his uncle. Curly froze, his eyes wide and traveling Wyatt up and down.

"And you, Wyatt. My god. The spitting image of your father. I imagine you two look like you could be brothers now." Wyatt grinned.

"Not quite yet but I'm sure it won't be long. Mum says Neverland froze them in time when they were twenty. I'll be sixteen soon, so I'm not too far behind."

"Bloody hell, sixteen? Where did the time go?" Wyatt merely shrugged.

"It's like a ticking crocodile, chasing us all."

"That it is, my boy. Well, make yourselves at home. I expect your uncles to be arriving very soon. Perhaps you want to get your homework out of the way first?" Adette settled herself in a comfortable chair and withdrew one of her books from her bag, while Farrah stretched out on the carpet with her book and notepad. Wyatt glanced at his uncle as he sat in a chair across from him.

"Dad still feels like school is a waste of time."

"Oh? He said that to you?"

"No he didn't," Adette said sharply, not looking up from her book. Wyatt glared at her.

"Dad feels the same as I do. Why should the Prince of Neverland go to school and learn this stuff? One day I'll rule over Neverland, like he does, and I don't need any of it."

"Your father was lucky enough to find your mother," Curly said, helping himself to tea. "She is a very smart young woman and I'm sure she helps him rule. You still need basic knowledge, Wyatt, whether you are here in the mortal world or on a mystical island where people do not age."

"Mum tries to tell him that," Farrah said, smirking a bit. "She's been cross with Wyatt because he isn't applying himself in school."

"Your Uncle Tootles is a licensed doctor from Cambridge. Michael runs the factory and is responsible for over two hundred workers. Nibs and I are publishers for the MacMillan Publishing House. We all have to have an education, Wyatt, whether we want to or not. Princes and Kings still need to be learned. You might want to apply yourself a bit more from now on."

"Yes Uncle Curly," Wyatt mumbled, feeling somewhat ashamed. Curly clapped his nephew on the shoulder and smiled.

"As you said, my boy, that ticking crocodile is always chasing after us. Enjoy the moments you live and don't try to make life go by too quickly." They settled into silence while Curly watched his nieces and nephew complete their schoolwork, and he was soon lost in thought.