A/N again: Also, I'm looking for a Peter Pan beta, if anyone's out there looking. Just to get my name out there on the market. Well anyways, on with the story!
Prologue"Come away with me Wendy. Come away to Neverland," Peter Pan whispered into Wendy Darling's ear, sending a slight chill down her spine. She looked about the nursery room, thinking, if she truly wanted to leave with Peter. A barking off in the distance brought her back to reality.
"Alright Peter. I'll come with you." A broad smile split across her face as did on his face. Peter reached out a hand towards Wendy and she took it sealing her fate.
Chapter OneWendy sat outside the backup hideout underneath the setting sun. The sky was full of blues, pinks, and purples and the clouds made interesting patterns. She sat gazing up at them reflecting on the day that had just gone by.
They had been attacked. The pirates from the Jolly Roger had all come in an effort to capture Peter yet again, but thankfully he got away. Still, Wendy couldn't help but dwell on the fact that some of the younger boys had about died. A shiver ran down Wendy's back lightly and she hugged her arms tighter around her. Michael and the twins had been caught unaware by the attack. It had come so suddenly. Wendy barely had enough time to grab a sword and fight off a few.
Wendy continued to stare off into the clouds that slowly disappeared and the glittering stars of Neverland appeared over the island. She drifted off yet again to earlier that day. She could hear the pirates' growls, the children's screams, and the manic laughter of Captain James Hook. And the sudden desperate pleas from Michael and the twins as they begged for their lives.
The others had fled thinking that everyone was with them. They were heading towards the backup hideout when a blood-curdling scream pierced through the air.
"Michael!" Wendy had screamed and immediately went flying back to the original hideout to save her youngest brother and children. Peter was right behind her trying to tell her to go back, that he would take care of them. Wendy hadn't listened and kept going back towards the pirates at full speed. But before she could reach them Peter had caught up to her and pulled her to a stop.
"Wendy!" He had shouted at her. "There's no use barging in on them. We have to come up with a quick plan or else we'll both get killed." Peter reasoned with Wendy holding her close as she was starting to fall from the sky. Her thoughts had not been happy at all and they were starting to affect her flying. Wendy nodded looking up at Peter, who smiled sadly and turned back to the Lost Boys who had stopped in midair to see what the hold up was.
"Slightly, you're in charge. Take the guys and go. We'll be back soon." Ordered Peter. Slightly nodded then saluted. Wendy laughed softly at his reaction and then turned back to Peter. He was looking at the Boys making sure they got away safely and then he looked back down at Wendy.
"C'mon. Michael and the twins are waiting." Peter had said. He grabbed hold of Wendy's hand tightly and together they had made their way behind some bushes just by the old hideout. What Wendy saw there made her gasp and nearly gave away their position. Peter had jumped on her covering her mouth, but still kept his eyes on the scene before him.
Hook stood in front the cowering boys, whose hands had been bound and been forced on their knees before him. His dark eyes sparkled with victory and his shiny hook, where his right hand should have been, gleamed in the afternoon sun. A malice smile was spread across his lips.
"Not as good as I was hoping for but all the same." Said Hook to his pirates. They were all lined up in a half circle around Hook and the boys, who had their backs to Wendy and Peter.
"We've managed to capture that Wendy brat's youngest brother, and her two precious twin babies. No doubt her and that insolent menace Pan will come back to save their youngest children." Wendy almost had gasped again at this statement, but Peter's hand was still over her mouth preventing any sound from coming out. Out of the corner of her, Wendy could see Peter's face contorted in anger. He obviously felt her gaze on him and he turned to look at her. Peter could see the fear and anger in Wendy's eyes as well. Quietly he had bent closer to her ear and whispered into it.
"I'll create a diversion at the other side of the clearing, then when no ones looking you set the boys free and fly off to the other hideout. Remember, think happy thoughts." Wendy nodded her understanding and immediately began to think of different things that might let her fly.
Pictures of Peter had popped into her mind. The first time she had met him. The exchanging of the kisses. All the many different times he had rescued her from that crazy Hook. She smiled at Peter signaling that she had thought of some things and he smiled back. Then with a quick nod he turned and quietly crept around to the other side of the clearing, unbeknownst to anyone, but Wendy.
She didn't know how long she waited for something to happen. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, either way; Wendy wouldn't have been able to tell you. When she started to feel like Peter had abandoned her, a body suddenly shot out of a bush at the exact opposite side of the clearing.
"Hey! Codfish, shouldn't you be hiding in your ship from a crocodile?" Peter shouted joyfully. Pirates jumped back in alarm and Hook swiveled around on his feet. A sneer immediately graced his lips and he stalked over to the other side of the clearing. Peter laughed at seeing Hook's frustrated face and started to float further away from the one side of the clearing, actually luring him away from the boys so Wendy could get them out of there.
"Pan!" Screamed Hook in frustration. He took a quick swing at him with his hook and then proceeded to chase Peter. "If you're here, Pan, then your lovely little Wendy ought to be here too." Hook began to turn back around to face the boys when Peter flew straight into Hook's face.
"Hook, Hook, Hook." Peter chided. "I at least thought you would be enough of a gentleman to know to never bring a lady to a fight. Tsk, tsk, tsk." Scolded Peter. His diversion had worked again and Hook spun back around, taking another swing at Peter. Peter jumped back just in time and floated in midair laughing. All the pirates' eyes were trained on their fearless leader and Peter.
Wendy, quietly as she could, crept out of her hiding spot in the bushes towards the boys.
"Boys." She whispered. "It's me, Mother. Now don't look back at me, but I'm going to untie you and when I do, fly away as fast as you can towards the other hideout. Do you understand?" The boys all nodded slightly. Their eyes were wide with fear and awe as they watched Peter and Hook spatting. Immediately, Wendy began to untie the closest boy, one of the twins, and had him free in just a few short minutes. The boy hurriedly got up to his feet and flew off into the sky. Wendy sighed with relief as she watched him fly off to safety for a split second and then began to hastily untie the other twin.
The other twin had flown off and Wendy had been working on Michael when she heard a loud ruckus in front of her. Wendy's head snapped up just in time to see Hook turn around and stare directly into her eyes. Hook growled and immediately turned back to Peter.
"A gentleman would never bring a lady to a fight, huh Pan?" Growled out Hook in fury. Peter shrugged with a smile on his face hoping to keep Hook distracted enough for Wendy and Michael to get away.
"I never said I was a gentleman." Retorted Peter and in a flash Peter had drawn his sword and him and Hook were dueling. Peter was laughing every now and then and Hook would growl in anger.
"Make sure those two brats don't get away!" Commanded Hook. Wendy looked around her, wide-eyed, and noticed the pirates running towards her and Michael. Quickly, she looked back down at the knotted rope and pulled one end through the last loop.
"There! Fly Michael! Fly!" Screamed Wendy throwing her little brother up in the air. He got up just high enough to be out of the reach of the pirates and then turned around to watch his mother and father. Wendy pulled out a dagger from an inside pocket of her dress that she had made and fought off as many pirates as she could. She tried to think happy thoughts, but none were coming as pirate after pirate attacked her. The fight was beginning to look grim as two pirates pounced on Wendy at once and nearly caught her. She ducked and ran out of their way just in time for the two surely pirates to run into each other with a sickening smack.
Wendy looked up to make sure Michael had gotten away safely and saw him floating just above the trees. "Michael! Go!" She screamed. The distraction of trying to goad Michael to flee was just long enough for a pirate to grab her arm and throw her towards the area where Hook and Peter were fighting.
"MOTHER!" Michael had screamed in alarm. Peter ended the eye contact he had been keeping with Hook as he fought him in swordplay and looked down to Wendy, who was trying to pick herself up off the ground. Hook took advantage of Peter's lack of focus and struck his right arm with his sword, causing a large cut. Peter dropped his sword in shock and crash landed beside Wendy. Wendy looked into Peter's face and tears formed in her eyes.
"Peter, I'm so sorry! I couldn't get away." Whispered Wendy. Peter smiled encouragingly and grabbed her hand.
"It's ok. We can get out of here." Peter whispered back.
"Aw! Now isn't this touching? Too bad it won't last for long." Hook had raised his sword getting ready to strike his final blow when Peter suddenly shot up off the ground and into the air, Wendy in tow. "WHAT!" Screamed Hook. Peter laughed down at Hook and flew higher up into the air and over to Michael who grabbed his other hand.
"PPPPPAAAANNNN!" Yelled Hook so loud that it echoed throughout all of Neverland.
Wendy shuddered again under the blanket of stars and pulled her knees up to her chest. The children had been so close to dying and Peter was almost killed because of her, because she couldn't fly away.
Haunting thoughts along those same lines continued through Wendy's head until tears were falling freely from her eyes. She was in such distress that she didn't notice Peter coming up behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, noticing her tears, but didn't expect her to jump up with dagger in hand so suddenly.
"Peter!" She exclaimed letting out a huge breath of air. "Goodness you scared me." Peter smiled apologetically.
"Sorry. Shouldn't have snuck up on you. What are you doing out here in the dark anyways? The boys are getting ready for bed." Said Peter sitting down on the log Wendy had just jumped up from. She smiled down at Peter and joined him on the log as well.
"Just thinking Peter, that's all." Answered Wendy. Immediately she drew her knees in again as previous thoughts came back to her. "I'm sorry about earlier Peter. I told you that I would be able to fly away and then I couldn't." Whispered Wendy. Peter frowned at Wendy and pulled her into an unexpected hug. Wendy was surprised by Peter's sudden action but then fell into his embrace.
"It's ok Wendy. I wasn't really expecting you to be able to fly anyways. Our children were in danger, you were distraught, and I knew that." Said Peter consolingly. Wendy smiled at Peter's words and looked up into his eyes. He looked back down at her and smiled as well. They sat there together, underneath the stars, staring into each others' eyes for quite some time. Peter didn't know what was happening, but suddenly a weird, fluttering sensation filled his stomach and his whole body began to tingle. It wasn't a bad sensation. Peter rather liked the sudden new feeling, but he didn't know what to make of it.
Peter was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts as he heard one of the Lost Boys calling from the new hideout.
"Mother! Father! Where are you? We're ready for bed." Called out Tootles into the night. Wendy laughed lightly next to Peter and blushed, obviously being shaken out of her own thoughts.
"Well, it seems like the children need us Father." Said Wendy standing up smiling. Peter smiled as well, stood up, and followed her inside.