Here's to Never Growing Up

Chapter 12

"R-r-right behind the barrels, sir."

The Captain walked over to the barrels and checked behind them, irritated and slinging them out of the way. "There is nobody there!" He bellowed as he turned on Smee, the deepest frown lines sculpted his face into that resembling a grotesque or a gargoyle.

"B-b-but, they were there." Smee stuttered, nervously twiddling his thumbs as he cowered in on himself.

"I don't care where Peter Pan was. I want to know where he is now! Find him!"

Smee ran away, searching frantically for any sight of Peter Pan and the girl he was with.

+++

The both of them had quickly jumped into the air after they witnessed Smee walking away.

Peter led them to the back end of the boat using the side of the boat to get around to the other side of the boat. There were a few canons sticking out of the side of the boat that they both had to tread around carefully and hesitantly but Lola was running on pure adrenaline on this. No wonder Peter never wanted to grow up.

They stood behind the female pirate with long matted, blonde hair with a sword hanging limply by her side. The lost boys had smiles on their faces and Tiger Lily was making her way over to hug the pirate. Peter raised an eyebrow at this and immediately stormed over to them, asking abruptly what they thought just what they were doing.

He was about to scold The Lost Boys when the pirate sprung on him, arms wrapping around his broader shoulders. "Peter!" She squealed.

"Wendy?" Peter pulled back with a deep frown.

"The one and only." She swept her hands from her face down to her toes with a beam on her face.

"But, you're a pirate." Peter scorned and stepped away from her, his mouth distorted in disgust.

"I know. You wouldn't believe all the perks you get!" Wendy stopped speaking as Peter's eyes filled with a tone of sorrow that made Wendy feel the same sort of regret that Peter was experiencing.

"We need to go before you betray us and hand us over to the other pirates. C'mon guys." He gestured with his hand and everyone followed him hesitantly, The Lost Boys not believing that how Peter was reacting was the right way to act.

"That's Wendy!" Tootles exclaimed sadly as they walked across the deck.

"It was nice to see you, Wendy." Lola remarked politely throwing a courteous smile in Wendy's direction.

"Wait, Peter. Who is this?" Wendy sounded like a jealous wife.

"She's my friend. A better friend than you've obviously turned out to be." Peter's words stung as Wendy flinched at his disdain.

"Look, Peter. I can explain."

"Well, I'd love to hear any explanation that you've got for turning to the enemy."

+++

"When you took me back home, I memorised the route in case I wanted to come back some day. I also stole some of Tink's fairy dust. Well prepared for an eleven year old, right?" Wendy was trying desperately to lighten the tense mood. So far, her efforts were failing miserably. "I sent The Lost Boys home as soon as they came back with me. America wasn't their home. Never Neverland was where they belonged." She looked at each of the boys as they smiled at her, remembering.

"It was a few years before I contemplated coming back to Neverland. I thought about it all the time, constantly. I was twenty when I decided to come back. Adult life at home was becoming too tedious, too stressful. I planned to escape, to come back. I followed the route, second star on the right and straight ahead." Wendy smiled wistfully. "I got captured by the pirates when I arrived." Peter made an inhuman sound in disbelief.

"You have to believe me. I was coming to see you straight away. Honest."

"I believe you." Curly stated, moving towards Wendy.

"They kept me captive for a long time. The only way they'd let me live was on the ship, as a pirate. I kept refusing, for as long as I could. i had to succumb, to give in, okay? It isn't as if i wanted to." By this point, Wendy was shouting directly at Peter, their eyes connecting.

"You've grown up." Wendy's arm was held out, her hand ready to caress his face. He jerked away.

"So have you. If you think that doing this was the right thing, you've grown up in the wrong way. Adulthood has screwed you up more than it could anyone."

Wendy was crying, sobs contracting her chest, distorting her breathing. She hiccupped as she leant over with grief. Peter flew off, Lola not far behind with Tink by her side. No matter how much the fairy disliked Lola, she could never dislike anyone than she dislked Wendy. She had never really liked the girl all that much. This was just another reason to like her less and like Lola more.

 "Do you think you were a little harsh?" Lola questioned Peter as they flew towards the woods.

"Probably," Peter replied simply.

"Do you really dislike pirates that much?"

"No. Not really. But this has nothing to do with pirates."

OOOOOOOH What do you guys reckon to that then huh? What could it mean?? Sorry that it's a cliffhanger, actiually I'm not feeling too guilty ;)

I have no clue where Wendy's storyline is headed but you should expect to see her again!!! And what do you guys think about Lola and Pan's friendship? Am i portraying Tink, Tiger Lily and The Lost Boys well? Do you think Lola will go back home eventually or stay in Neverland?

Are you in love with the Peter Pan legend all over again yet?