Wendy almost ran all the way home after that first day back at school, completely forgetting her friends on the playground step and running right past John and her other brothers.

Quicker than a fairy in flight she had reached their terraced house, flung open their front door and shot up the stairs to the nursery. She didn't know why, but she had been feeling incredibly anxious all day; ever since she had walked out of the door after breakfast. Wendy had dreamt so much of Peter coming back, that as the day had progressed she had convinced herself he was again merely a figment of her imagination. She had never dared to tell her friends about him, just in case he wasn't real.

Wendy had expected to find him sitting on the window sill, still dressed in green leaves and whistling on his pipe. She thought her worst fears had been realised when she couldn't find him, and in half a panic she ran back down the stairs into the kitchen. The sight that met her eyes was stranger than if the pirates of Neverland had come to London and decided to open a button shop.

There was a boy sat on the table in front of her. He could of been a fallen angel who'd lost his wings; alien in the beige coloured room. His weathered, olive-toned skin contrasted sharply with his new grey jumper. His teeth were brushed, his hair combed. His hands were clean and he had a new pair of shiny black shoes on his feet.

And yet, his eyes were still alight with a fiery blaze that the most soapy bath would be unable to wash away. They were like the reflection of light from a thousand daggers, glaring at Mrs Darling as she tied up his tie. His face was as sullen as a naughty child at Christmas, but a dazzling grin erupted across his features when he spotted Wendy.

'Wendy!'

He leapt off the table, higher than any normal boy could leap, and landed lightly on the floor. In a flash of movement the real Peter Pan was back, and she smiled a smile to match his as he wrapped his slender arms around her.

'I thought you would never come back!'

'I ran straight home after embroidery...'

'That's how long school lasts!? he asked in horror, his smile slipping from his face.

'Well, of course Peter, we have a lot of lessons and...'

'Oh, I know Wendy. It just seemed like such a long time sat inside all day.'

'Oh, young man, we have not been! We've been out for shoes, a new school uniform and...'

Peter looked at Wendy's mother blankly, obviously of the mind that trips to the shops didn't count as being outside.

A clatter in the hallway announced the arrival of the rest of the family, followed by various shouts and laughs.

'Boys! 'Ow was your first day?' said Susan, and eight boys immediately chimed a response, and the poor maid was bombarded by various shouts of 'fabulous', 'spiffing' and 'the best thing I could hope to wish for'.

'Except,' said Tootles, his voice sounding thoughtful. 'There are an awful lot of rules.'

'Yes,' Slightly agreed. 'And we were just sat around all day looking at words in books.'

'But oh!' cried John. 'Don't you remember what happened at lunch? Oh Susan, it was a merry sight! Paul fell down playing hopscotch, then his trousers, which are far too large for him, fell down with him!'

The laughs of the lost boys filled the hallway, their distaste at the stiff school rooms immediately forgotten.

'Darlings!' called Mrs Darling pleasantly. 'Won't you come in here?'

The lost boys, led by John, turned the corner into the kitchen. At the sight of Peter each and every jaw hit the ground and the house fell silent. 'Who is that?' Michael muttered into Susan's sleave.

Wendy looked across at Peter, who had a complicated look etched into his features.

'Doesn't Peter look dashing darlings?'

''e scrubs up well, don't he!' exclaimed Susan, but she said it without smiling.

'Peter?' asked John warily. It was strange. It would of been easy to think that Peter would look far less fearsome in a school uniform, compared to when he had wild hair and a knife at his hip. And yet Wendy could see that, rather than being in awe of him like they normally were, the boys looked scared. Now that Wendy looked at him his countenance did seem rather foreboding. He could of been a wild dog locked up in a cage made of gold and jewels. The cleanliness and ordered clothes he wore made him look even more maddeningly feral.

Wendy's eldest brother jumped back wearily as Peter flashed a grin, his teeth as white as chalk. 'How different do I look then?'

'Quite different,' Slightly said, half hiding behind John.

Mrs Darling hadn't noticed her new foster son had stunned the rest of her litter into silence. 'Did you enjoy school dears?'

'Yes,' said John, tearing his eyes away from Peter. 'It was brilliant!'

'And I... I learnt about dragons,' said Nibs timidly.

'You did not!' cried John in outrage. 'They were lizards! Lizards is what Madam Pots said they were. Dragons indeed!'

'They were dragons! They had wings.'

'They most certainly did not!'

'Did!'

'Did not!'

The spell was broken. John chased Nibs out of the room, with the rest of his brothers following in his wake. Mrs Darling promptly followed, and Wendy and Peter were left alone.

'Well,' Peter said, pulling off his tie and dropping it on the floor. 'They all seemed rather odd.'

'Oh Peter! I think you frightened them!'

'Why would I want to do that?' Peter asked, looking at her.

'Well, it doesn't matter if you meant to do it Peter, but they were terrified, you look so different! You even scared me for a moment.'

The strange boy laughed. 'Don't be daft Wendy. How could you be scared of me? I'm the one that protects you! From all the horrible things like pirates and monsters.'

Wendy was annoyed at that. Whatever she needed it certainly wasn't protecting.

'I can look after myself Peter! And besides, there aren't any pirates or monsters or anything like that in London.'

'Really?' asked Peter, as cheeky look started flying on his features. 'Well then I suppose I'll have to find something else to fight.'

Thanks for reading. Should I keep writing this? Motivation is lacking, but I do enjoy writing it...