Harper had never been more entranced in her life. She had heard more stories about fairies and pirates, redskins and lost boys than she had in awhile. Jane had the perfect storyteller's voice. A trait she inherited from her mother no doubt. And even though she was on in her years, her voice was still strong and passionate when it came to tales of Peter Pan.

            No one was around to see the merriment within the room- No one that is, except a lone boy who floated outside the window. He didn't recognize the girl who sat on Wendy's bed. Nor did he like the fact Jane was way into being grown-up. These reasons stayed his hands where they rested about to open the door. He thought it better to observe for a minute. Though it wasn't like him, Peter Pan wanted to make sure that this was to be his mother. She would have to tell a story.

            Jane stopped after a story involving birds and lost boys. Harper sat up straighter and waited for another story to come. Jane shook her head sadly "that's all I remember for now. Give me time, child, and I will think of more. For now, why don't you tell me one of Slightly's stories?"

            "Well you've probably heard this one already but it's my favorite one. Now, Peter had just returned to the Neverland with Wendy and her brothers in tow. Now they had been discovered while spying on the fearsome pirate Captain Hook!" Harper jumped up and made a hook of her index finger. "He had fired Long Tom at John, Michael, Wendy, and of course Peter Pan." Peter smiled at the mention of himself. "Wendy had been blown away and was flying all over Neverland looking for her brothers and Peter. Meanwhile, Slightly and the other lost boys were hunting for Peter. Slightly, who was in charge when Peter was absent was using his power to the fullest. He carried the telescope while Tootles carried him. At least for a little while that is…" Harper continued the story acting out as much as she could. She was interrupted near the end when Jane's phone rang. 

            Jane hurried to answer it. Harper took the minutes while she was out to explore the nursery again; stopping at the window to make sure it was unlocked before moving on to look at John and Michael's beds. Jane walked back in. "I'm sorry child, but you must return to your grandfather's house. Your mother is worried." Harper nodded and replaced Slightly's hat where it had been. She kissed Jane's cheek on her way out.

            "Thank you for sharing this with me" Harper said as she hugged Jane before skipping down the stairs and out of the house. She danced in the moonlight, not noticing the shadow that followed her to her grandfather's house.

            "Where have you been?" her mother demanded as Harper walked in.

            "I was visiting one of grandfather's friends mother. She is awfully lonely and did need a visit." Harper responded, pulling at her mother's sense of moral obligation to those less fortunate.

            "You shouldn't have stayed so late. I got worried. It's already time for bed. I'll show you where your bedroom is." Her mother ran a hand down the side of her face before turning and leading her up the staircase to the room at the far end of the hall. They paused outside the door and her mom turned to her "Now I know you're used to sharing a room with your brothers on trip, but Harper, you're way too old for that. It's time you start going to bed on time and…well, it isn't right for you to share a room with your brothers. Grown-ups have their own rooms. This room is much more fitting for a young lady." Harper nodded and kissed her mother goodnight then walked inside. Once the door was shut she heaved out a breath… Growing up? Not sharing a room? She huffed out another breath and looked around her room. It was sparsely furnished but what little that was in it was very fancy. Way too fancy in fact. There were ruffles and lace and …pink everywhere. She stuck her tongue out to the general concept of ruffles and her mother's idea of "growing up" and walked to the window. She opened it and stuck her head out. Technically there was enough room for her to step out onto the small window balcony, but it was a little cold out. She looked out straight above the rooftops and imagined herself flying, flipping, and flitting all the way to Neverland. She didn't notice the head that peeked out from the roof above her.

            She sighed and turned from the window. "There isn't a Neverland. I was foolish to believe…" Harper muttered, the joys of the day suddenly flushed from her system. She turned to her suitcase and flung it on the bed.

            "There is so a Neverland" an indignant voice spoke from her window. Harper whirled around to find herself looking into a similarly indignant face. It was a young boy, garbed in leaves. His face, though older than a boy of twelve and younger than a man of twenty, held an air of youth. His eyes danced as if he held multiple stars captive and they were fighting to be free. His hair was tousled such that it was questionable whether it was windswept or bed-head. "I've lived there all my life."

            "What's your name, boy?" Harper asked suspiciously. He looked familiar as if she had known him in a dream before.

            "I'm Peter. Peter Pan." The boy asked bowing before her. She smiled. The Peter Pan was in her room. It was a dream come true.

            "I'm Harper. Slightly's great-granddaughter." Peter seemed to think for a minute before the name rang a bell in his youthful mind.

            "How is Slightly? Is he here?" Peter asked starting for the door. Harper caught him with a hand on his shoulder. She hardly noticed she was holding down a boy who was floating an inch above the floor.

            "Slightly... he's gone away Peter. You probably won't see him again." Harper looked down at the ground, suddenly mourning the death of a relative she had never known. Peter however accepted the words at face value and said something about Slightly having a great adventure.

"So there really is a Neverland?" Harper asked after a short pause, her eyes looking up into Peter's. He nodded smiling. Harper mentally debated with herself for a minute before giving Peter a sly smile.

            "Oh, yeah? Prove it!" Harper challenged grabbing her suitcase. Peter looked shocked for a minute before grabbing a pouch from his waist. He came down until his feet touched the ground and blew a palm full of dust at her. She expected it to tickle her nose and make her sneeze but instead it lightly caressed her face and neck and settled into her hair. He floated behind her and whispered in her ear "Now think happy thoughts, and the joy will lift you from the ground." Harper closed her eyes and imagined Neverland as it was in Jane and Slightly's stories. She thought of the mermaids and the pirates and of Peter Pan. She felt two strong hands take hers and she opened her eyes. She found herself staring into Peter's eyes. He smiled and cast his eyes downwards before looking back up at her. She looked down and let out a shocked laugh.

            "I'm flying" she whispered then looked back up at Peter "I'm flying!" she laughed and spun away from eter, doing a quick flipping loop around the roof of the room. She tried to land and get her suitcase but overestimated the floor and landed on her rump. "Whoops, gotta work on landing" she giggled. She grabbed her suitcase and pushed off into the air to stop next to Peter. "Lead the way" she said. He took the suitcase from her and flew out of the window. Harper followed him willingly into a future of adventures and fun.

Author's note: Okay, this is the edited version… Much better than the crap I posted earlier. I think I'm mostly out of this mood funk ive been in. Happy is the day.