The Never Beginnings

Triumphs, Thimbles, and Tears

Nibs watched Mother and Father from his hammock. Dinner had been a tense affair. Hardly anyone spoke, and when they did it was met with a cold glare from Peter. The lost boys had helped Wendy with the cleanup, which was very unusual but they were eager to please. She then finished the story of the "Goose Girl" and added several gory details, much to the satisfaction of her listeners.

Nibs noted with curiosity that her sparkle, that was normally present in her beautiful eyes, wasn't there tonight. And her smile didn't seem quite as sincere. He wondered if it had anything to do with the fight that Wendy and Peter had. But he wasn't allowed to dwell on it as Mother deemed it time for all children to go to bed.

Wendy sat in a chair by the fire mending one of the lost boy's jackets. Peter sat in his throne and played his pipes idly; the melancholy tune weaving through the night air. The haunting music plus the crackling of the fire was enough to send Nibs off to dreamland, and he curled up in a fitful sleep.

Peter put down his pipes after he's sure that all of the boys have fallen asleep. A strange silence settled over the hideout. He gazed up at Wendy, the fire light flickering across her face. Her hair glowed bronze and fell around her face in a soft curtain. Her head was bent as she was focusing on a particularly troublesome stitch. Peter watched Wendy with a mixture of curiosity and confusion as he tried to figure her out.

What was it about this girl that made him...feel? Why was it that when she smiled he could soar over the highest cloud but when they had a cross word he was up in arms? What made her so interesting? Sure she told wonderful stories; she was brave, determined, and witty. But so was Tiger Lilly and her smiles didn't send him over the moon. Why did he get this warmth spreading throughout his chest when she was near? And why, when she was captured by Hook, did he feel a sense of dread and fear? The lost boys had been captured many times yet he hadn't worried about their safety one bit! But when he was fighting Hook he hadn't been able to concentrate until he knew she was out of harm's way. It was strange!

But what was even stranger was what had happened earlier, when he had been tickling Wendy. They had been so close; he could feel her heart beating alongside his. His stomach had done flips, and his mind was fuzzy. All he could focus on was her mouth. It had to be magic, because he felt it pulling at him. Making him wonder what her lips might feel like. He had wanted to touch them, to be nearer them, but they were interrupted.

What was this girl doing to him? He didn't understand it. He didn't understand the feelings and it terrified him. He didn't know if he wanted to understand them. He didn't like unknown things, and feelings were very unknown. They also sounded like grownup things. Peter scowled. He would never grow up. And if Wendy and these feelings persisted...Peter sighed. He didn't know. He just didn't know what to do.

Wendy's sewing fell to the floor, the sound bringing Peter out of his reverie. He looked up and laughed softly. Wendy's head had fallen to her chest, eyes drooped shut. Silly girl, he thought. Carefully he took the needle out of Wendy's hand and placed it on the sewing on the floor. Gently he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her bed. Silly, silly, wonderful girl.

The next few days flew by in a frenzy of activity. Wendy and her brothers trained until the sun went down. The Twins taught balance, Nibs worked on their strategy, Cubby worked on strength, Tootles taught stealth with games of hide and go seek, and Slightly was in charge of teaching weapons. Michael and John had picked up parts of the training with ease. John became a master of strategy and quickly learned to be one of the best at hide and go seek, winning more often than not. Wendy struggled with just about everything, but she was determined to prove to Peter, and herself, that she was capable of whatever he threw at her. It wasn't without its price though. She spent many nights nursing bruised shoulders and hips.