Forever Neverland: Chapter Six

"WENDY?!"

This was Peter's reaction when a stricken-looking Mrs. Darling answered the door that July afternoon. She was a small woman, and was trying to remain on her feet, despite Peter's sudden outburst.

Peter was so alarmed that he had remained frozen in place at the doorstep, still clutching his sack of clothing. "Wendy?" he whispered.

The woman before him looked like her, yes, but she was frail and graying. Exactly how long had Peter been gone?

"N-no, Peter," said Mrs. Darling, trying to explain. "I'm Mrs. Darling."

"Y-y-you're M-M-ARRIED?!" he exclaimed, disbelieving.

Just then, a beanpole of a man came to the doorway, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder to steady her. "What's the matter, dear?" he asked, only to see the boy on the porch, staring.

Peter eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled backwards. All happy thoughts escaped him, forbidding a quick getaway. He couldn't believe it. Wendy--his Wendy--was married! To a husband!

Situation forgotten, Peter sat on the step and cried. He was bawling like the small child he was at heart, feeling betrayed and hurt and hopelessly sad. She had grown up. Without him. If only he hadn't forgotten her…Peter began to regret everything--leaving her, coming back. He didn't want to see her now--grown up when he was still a child. He didn't want to see her with a man, a man he had refused to be so many times, though now he was wishing he was...

"Boy, why are you crying?" came a girl's voice, a sweet melodic sound ringing in his ears, a familiar question…

Peter looked up through his tears, and sure enough, it was Wendy. His Wendy. Immediately, the tears vanish behind a swipe of the hand, and Peter was on his feet, bowing low to the girl before him. Knowing her manners, the girl curtsies, and offers him a smile.

"Wendy." he breathes.

"Peter Pan…"

And then, she flung herself at him, like all those times she had dreamed, capturing him in her arms and not wanting to let go, afraid that if she did, he would never return.

He was a bit surprised by this…this thing that was happening, but it felt good, and his heart beat steadily in his chest, and he felt right. He pulled away after a bit, and looked at her face, shining with tears.

"Girl, why are you crying?" he asks quietly, wiping them away with his thumb, gently, one by one. She was smiling--such a radiant smile--but her face was wet, and he didn't like seeing her this way. He felt as if he were going to burst into tears himself…

For once, he felt weak.

"I'd thought you'd forgotten," said the girl in his arms.

For once, he was ashamed.

"I had," he spoke softly, not wanting her to hear, but knowing she would. "But I remembered, Wendy. I came back."

The girl's eyes only filled with more tears, and Peter didn't know what to do.

"Wendy, please don't cry," he pleaded. "Please don't cry. I don't like seeing you sad."

"Oh, Peter," she said. "I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because I'm happy."

Peter did not understand the logic in this at first, but reasoned if you were extremely sad you would cry, and if you were very mad, you could cry also. So it made perfect sense that if you were happy the chance of tears were great. He smiled, knowing that Wendy wasn't sad or angry with him, and embraced her again.

"Um, Wendy?" asked Peter, a bit shyly. "What is this?"

"What is what?" she murmured into his chest.

"This." he said, enveloping her more securely as to show her what he meant.

"Oh." she said, this time, a bit flustered, for they had been standing there in the middle of the entryway for quite some time, the whole of the Darling family surrounding them with dumbfounded faces. "It's called 'hugging.'"

"Hugging," repeated Peter. He rather liked it.

Peter crowed, flying to the ceiling. "Oh the cleverness of me!" he shouted to all that would hear, only to land back down again in front of Mr. and Mrs. Darling, succumbing to another bow.

"Hullo, Mister and Missus," he greeted, now offering a hand to which Mr. Darling shook uneasily. "Do you happen to have any food?"

A/N: That was a rather quick update, don't you think? Don't expect them all to be like this, though...the last one was so unfairly short, and I felt like another quick chapter would even it out...I'd probably update Friday at the earliest...Leave a review if you'd like~

Thanks! :D

Next chapter: The Darlings' Reaction.