Return to the Island

Safe Haven

"I did it, I actually did it!" Hook exclaimed as only Peter's hat emerged from the inky waters. "I am finally free of that insolent youth! Smee, who is the most brilliant, bold, and brazen buccaneer to ever sail the briny blue?"
"Uh, Blackbeard?" Smee guessed.
Hook turned back to glance at the sea, sighing, then banged Smee on the head with his hook. Turning to the crew, Hook asked, "Boys?"
"Hook, Hook, Hook!" chanted the crew.
"Thank you, thank you, it was only a matter of time before I came up with this most brilliant plan," Hook grinned. A crow from behind him caused him to pause and whirl around.
"Did you miss me Captain?"
"Pan! But how did you escape the beast?" As if in answer to Hook's question, Tink used her pixie dust to bring up the bewildered octopus and dropped it smack dab onto the pirate captain. Hook managed to get out of its jaws, but it was too late, the creature had gotten a taste of Hook and was licking its chops. It chased after Hook around the ship before Hook and it crashed through the deck rails and into the ocean. Hook was caught by the octopus, but he was snapped from his tentacles into the plank and back on board the ship. He finally landed in the galley with Smee. "Smee, be a good lad and fix the plank. So I can make you walk IT!" Hook shouted from below.

Peter chuckled and brought Wendy over to a nearby rock to free her from her bonds. "Hey Wendy, you should have seen the look on Hook's face when we dropped the octopus on him."
"Well, I could see a bit. What's wrong, Peter?" He was looking at her rather intently, and Tink wasn't looking to happy about it either. "Uh, is there something wrong?" she inquired.
"Oh, uh no . . . not really, just, um." Peter was interrupted by a cannon blast, and managed to get himself and Wendy out of the way before it crashed into the brush behind them.
"Pan, come back here and fight like a man!" Hook roared from the Jolly Roger.

"Then come and get me, you codfish!" Peter jeered back. Then, after getting Wendy on his back, he zoomed out of range of the cannon fire, Hook's shouts following them.
""So, Wendy, how long has it been? You're still a child, right?" Peter asked her as he flew over the island.
"Yes, it's only been two years Peter, so I'm fourteen now. Though, in another four years, I will be a grown-up. I'm kind of glad Hook captured me, I got to see you again," Wendy said, snuggling into Peter's back.
"Two years? You look different though," Peter said.
"Not that much different, I have grown some, of course, but not much. Was that what you were wondering about earlier?" Wendy asked him.
"Yeah, kind of, your hair's longer, for one thing, and you're, uh . . . prettier," Peter mumbled the last part.
"What? Oh!" Wendy screamed as Tink pushed her off Peter's back, the fairy giggling as the girl fell to the ground. She didn't get to enjoy it much as Peter took off after Wendy and caught her in his arms.
"Hey, um, I'm sure the Lost Boys will be glad to see you," grinned Peter.
"Yes, and I would be glad to see them," Wendy smiled.
"Well then, let's go see them!" said Peter, taking off, this time keeping Wendy close so as not to give Tink another chance to endanger her life.

"Oh, Peter, it's simply lovely!" exclaimed Wendy, when she saw the new hide-out.
"Yeah, isn't it great? You can't see it from the ground, you have to fly in order to find it. Unless you already know where it is," beamed Peter.

Wendy returned his smile, before her stood the reason for Peter's two-year absence, a tree-house located snugly amid the branches of a giant oak. He then showed her the two entrances, one located at the base of the tree for those who didn't fly as often as Peter, and one that looked like a regular door that was attached to the tree-house itself. When they got inside, Peter gave a shrill whistle. The clamor of six pairs of feet answered, followed by greetings and delightful hugs.
"Hi Wendy! It's been a while! What do you think of the new hideout?" the boys said.
"Whoa, let her see the rest of it before you ask her that," Peter said.
Wendy chuckled, "Well, from what I have already seen, it's lovely! And you have a nice view of Neverland, especially the Jolly Roger."
"Yup, that's why I got there so quickly today, I knew Hook had to have been up to something when he returned," Peter boasted.
"So, Peter, can we show her the rest of the tree-house?" the Lost Boys asked their prestigious leader.
"Sure, we'll all show her," grinned Peter.

"What about us? We'd like to see it too," came a voice. The group whirled around to view the second entrance. Wendy gasped when she saw the new arrivals.