Stranded In Neverland |Andley|

-3-

"Why? Why did I have to take the stupid way out?" I can't help but think over and over as I stagger my way to Hangman's Forest. Yet, I'm not referring to the drugs themselves as per say. Drugs are a beautiful thing, especially in Neverland. One sniff and you're out of your mind, floating in a euphoric state, your heart relaxes its beating and your pupils dilate letting all the light in. It's the perfect time to have deep talks if you ask me. What I'm actually talking about is my rush to return home. I knew my body wasn't fully functional when I decided to head back, the effects had only just started to wear off. This has happened twice now, both of the times the first thought in my mind was him.

My head's buzzing, not only with the high, but with thoughts of him. I miss his power, the determined look in his eyes when he speaks, the sensation of our bodies pressed against one another. Sometimes I wonder if he thinks of me wherever he is, whether he even wishes we could turn back time to those simpler times. Who would have thought I'd be calling an endless game of hide and seek simple, but I guess whoever said it was somewhat right Ignorance can sometimes be bliss. That in mind, I grab onto the ladder and clumsily proceed to climb it. My hands slip, my feet don't exactly co-operate and I lose my grip a couple of times, but I eventually manage to open the door to our tree house.

It's empty, just as I left it, but that's no surprise to me. The night table is still flipped over, shards of broken glass surrounding it, yet all I can focus on is the bed. I lay on my back, my head still spinning. I should really give up on visiting the Den, but deep down I know very well that it's too late for that. Even if for some reason I don't experience any symptoms of withdrawal, the loneliness and that ever-growing void inside me is too much for me to bear. The old me would've never get engaged in such situation. Despite my irresponsible ways, I liked being in alertness, with the exception of the occasional hangover. Now I can't even confide in my senses when I'm sober.

Suddenly there's a knock on the door, to the sound of which my body jolts right up. Nobody ever visits, unless they're after Andy for something. The sound's heard again, it's firm and consistent. Finally, curiosity gets the best of me and as quickly as possible in my tipsy state I pull the front door open. My eyes widen at the sight of my visitor, someone I'd thought I'd never see again. But yet, here he stands, with his freshly bleached blonde hair, his muscular tattoo covered body and stupid smile, Peter Kingston Louis Wentz the Third. Before I can get a word in, Pete steps forward engulfing me in a bear-hug and letting himself in.

That's no surprise either, considering one of the most remarkable characteristics of him is his flare for the dramatic. But my memories of him are not the fuzziest, as the guy with the ridiculously long name was the leader of the expedition that unknowingly ruined my life. One day I was chained to a bed, the other I was in this guy's office being yelled at for disobeying the orders my 13-year-old self had been given. Pete finally opened some kind of portal to transfer as to this universe and this is the first time I see him since.

"Andy's not here." I mutter, guessing he'd be the one Pete would have wanted to see. We didn't part in the best of terms after all.

"I thought so... But it's mostly you I wanted to catch up with. You weren't exactly happy with the turn of events last time I saw you." he replies.

"As if you'd be, having had your whole world turned upside down in a matter of a few days." I say, not in the friendliest of ways, but he remains unfazed.

"I'll give you that." he smiles, taking a seat on our couch and making himself comfortable. I roll my eyes at that and choose not to say anything about it.

"So tell me, how has your transition been so far?" he breaks the newformed silence, making my blood boil. I head to the armchair opposite to where he's sitting trying to hide my staggering and to ignore his question. But he's not having it. "Well?"

"As if you really care!" I snap, having easily lost my temper.

"If I didn't care, would I be here right now?" he replies calmly.

"If you did, you would have shown your face during this lengthy period of thirty days."

"I do not appreciate your sarcasm Ashley. You seem to keep forgetting that even though I know almost everything there is to know about you, you don't know the first thing about me. You can't simply demand anything out of me."

"Oh, and you can demand that I leave my entire world behind and there's nothing wrong with it. I didn't ask you to come here and nurse me, but dropping by to say hello every once in a while is not too much work, is it? And just so you know, I've never been worse in my entire life. I was a parasite in Clicheland and I'm a weak and worthless parasite in Neverland. As you said you knew I'd fucked up, you could've simply left me be. But no, you had to drag me here to be miserable and on top of that disappear from the face of earth. Thanks Pete." I blurt out, not once stopping to think twice about the words I spat.

Pete's looking at me, his eyes examining me fully. He doesn't speak for a few moments, probably processing what I'd just said. And I do the same. I should've watched my mouth, I realize bitterly, trying to come to terms with the fact that I've just opened up to Pete Wentz. This is not going to end well...

"Wow, you're really fucking clueless, aren't you. Do you even realize that having left you there would have resulted in you dying within a week. You'd be unable to eat, drink or even see properly! What do you think would've happened? Or would you even take it as far as to demand we waste precious resources to change you back?" he mocks me, not once raising the tone of his voice. I clench my teeth to contain a frustrated scream, the nerve of this guy! He hasn't been through the endless agony I experience every single day and he'll never have to. Pete's strong, strong enough for me to sense it.

"And again, blaming me for all your problems is the easy way out," he continues, "but I was just paying my duties to my birthplace. My duty was to find you and bring you back in one piece, I didn't have to come over to check on you, it was my own choice. You might not be able to imagine it, since apparently you view me as some sort of demon, but I have a life of my own. People I need to take care of and I have to put them first. I had to sacrifice time with them to be in Clicheland and I had to make up for it. So don't you dare blame me again for your misfortune."

"Y-You don't understand..." I stutter.

"Oh, but I do, better than you might think. You feel worthless and as if you don't fit in anywhere. What you need to understand though is that even a tiny spark of essence makes you a part of this universe, and Neverland needs all of its children."

"I really don't see what good can I be..." I say, thinking back to my previous whereabouts.

"Well, get up! I need you to meet someone." he orders me, almost, and even though I know no good will come out of this I find myself dragging behind him, hoping not to knock over all the furniture in the house in the process.

Α/Ν So we have the first come back huh? As always leave some feedback if you enjoyed, which I hope you did. Thanks for reading xx