17/3/2004<br>
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Title: All Because Of A Thimble Pt.II - The Adventure Continues.<br>
Author: Squeezynz<br>
Chapter: One - The First Step.<br>
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Author's Note: Yup.....you caught me......I'm back writing again after an indecently short break...what can I say....I'm hooked!!
This is a baby-fic, so if you're not into the whole Peter/Wendy/grown-up relationship stuff, as per my previous three stories.....run away.....NOW. Otherwise, settle in for a comfortable ride on the adventure rollercoaster that is the Squeezynz Express.
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The young woman in the hammock held her hand up so that the sunlight glinted off the gold band encircling the third finger of her left hand. She smiled to herself, the ring glowing as she lowered her hand to rest across her middle, her eyes sliding shut as the hammock rocked lazily in the hot afternoon. She didn't usually feel so tired in the daytime, but this one had been especially warm, the insects buzzing loudly among the leaves and lulling her to doze, her lips curved up slightly at the corners. It had been two months since she'd returned to Neverland, the first few weeks fraught with danger and adventure as she and Peter had battled Captain Hook and a wicked Indian Princess, their lives frequently hanging in the balance. Now the island was at peace, Hook banished back to his past, never to return; Tiger Lily banished to the other side of the island. Peter had wanted Wendy to order a far worse punishment, still seething over the girls wicked deception of himself and attempted murder of Wendy. But after a blissful honeymoon, Wendy simply didn't have the heart to cause more bloodshed or heartache for the Indian Chief, father to Tiger Lily, so she left the exotic Princess's fate up to her own kind. Peter had fumed, but accepted her reasoning, especially as she offered to explain her motives while they took a dip in the waterfall pool, to allow him to cool off. As it turned out, cooling off was the last thing on their minds when they eventually left the pool, the secluded glade mute witness to their passionate lovemaking, their cries of release drowned by the roar of the falls. 
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Now Neverland basked in sunshine, her forests lush and burgeoning with new life. Their tree house was almost hidden with the luxuriant growth of the vines that wound their way around and through the huts perched in the branches. Their sleeping hut was redolent with the scent of the trumpet flowers that continued to bloom and pervade the air with their exotic perfume. She had one of the brilliantly coloured flowers in her hair, and occasionally a bumble bee would hover about her head, irresistibly lured by the sweet honey-suckle scent. The sound just added to the background hum of the insects and Wendy found herself dropping into a light sleep, her face dappled in shade from the overhanging branch above the hammock.
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In the short time she'd been on the island, her skin had lost its fashionably pale complexion, the fresh air and sunshine giving her a softly glowing golden colouring that only enhanced her sun-touched hair which still hung down to her waist. She had suggested cutting it once, as she didn't think it very practical, but Peter had argued vehemently against it, and she'd happily conceded, not ready to give up her crowning glory quite yet. All the fruit and fresh caught fish and meat had rounded out her slim figure, so frequently starved of food before she left London, so that she could fit more snugly into her tightly laced corset. Those days were a thing of the past, her clothes now more practical than pretty, her body softly rounded while still slender. Wendy felt more vital now than she had in her entire life, barring her earlier adventure as a child. If she had any complaints, it was the persistent nausea that nagged at her. It never got bad enough to make her ill or throw up, but it persisted all through the day, regardless of what she ate or drank or did, or, as in today's case, did not. It had started a couple of days before, a general feeling of upset, nothing serious, just a nagging nausea that she put down to the changes in her diet and the way she was living now, compared to her previous life. She hadn't told Peter, not wanting to worry him, or to have any fuss over the whole silly matter. She just did her best to ignore it and hoped it would eventually go away. As if conjured up from her thoughts, a shadow passed over her and a drop of water landed on her cheek.
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As she ignored them both, a pair of warm lips pressed against her cheek, a tongue darting out to lap up the errant drip.
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"That tickles Peter!" 
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Opening her eyes, Wendy found herself nose to nose with her very wet and impossibly handsome husband.
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"You were snoring," he announced, grinning at her, his eyes alight with mischief. 
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"I don't snore....and its very impolite of you to say anything if I did....which I don't!"
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Laughing, Peter shook his head, a spray of water covering Wendy with icy drop, her hands reaching out to push him away. The force of her push tumbled her out of the hammock so that she ended up landing on top of Peter, both of them giggling, Peter finding himself with an armful of pliant and warm Wendy. Leaning over him, Wendy gazed down into his face, her finger tracing the path of a drop of water as it slid down from his hairline. As she reached down to kiss it, Peter shifted and she found her lips possessed by his, her eyes sliding shut as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her firmly to his damp skin.
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Breaking free, she sucked in a much needed breath, her hands bracing herself on the decking as she pulled away, Peter pouting up at her in disappointment. As she raised her head she saw a length of twine with three plump fish threaded through their gills, their scales glittering in the sun.
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"Good fishing?"
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"Not me.......Jack sends them with his best regards."
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"Oh....then why are you wet?"
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"I was telling Merrill the story you told me last night.....and I, er, fell in."
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"Fell in!"
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"Well....Merrill pulled me in.....she got tired of waiting for the end and decided I looked like I needed to cool off."
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"Oh....I see." Wendy looked down at Peter, her eyebrow arched as she pursed her lips in annoyance. Unaware of anything wrong, Peter stretched, his muscles rippling as Wendy pushed herself back on her heels and got up. Still grinning, a trifle smugly to Wendy's miffed eye, Peter leapt to his feet, reaching down to snag the fish before heading off towards the eating hut.
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"I'm starved......ready for something to eat?"
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Wendy watched as he sauntered over the rope bridge, his arm swinging the fish back and forth.
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"Ravenous.." Wendy called, turning back to pick up the rug and pillow tossed out of the hammock in all the kafuffle. As she bent down, she suddenly felt dizzy, the wooden slats whirling around in circles as she reached out and grasped the edge of the hammock to regain her balance. The hammock proved useless, swinging wildly as Wendy closed her eyes, nausea rising as the trees around her started to join in the dizzying dance. With a small sigh, she collapsed, her head landing fortuitously on the edge of the pillow as she slumped to the ground.
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Peter heard the soft thump and turned to look back to where he'd left Wendy. Seeing nothing, he frowned slightly, putting the fish down on the workbench before turning back to cross the rope-bridge. As he approached the platform he saw Wendy's slumped body, alarm shooting through him as he hurried towards her unconscious form laying on the boards.
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"Wendy!" Reaching her, he knelt down, noting her pale face and shallow breathing. He felt for the pulse in her neck and breathed a little easier when it responded to the pressure of his fingers with a strong and steady beat. Unsure what had precipitated her collapse, Peter lifted her in his arms and flew with her to their sleeping hut, carrying her to the bed and laying her down, his shaking fingers brushing the few strands of hair that dared to stray across her face. Worried out of his mind, Peter could only sit by her, one of her limp hands in his, his other hand stroking her hair, taking comfort from her steady breathing and strong heartbeat. It was only a few minutes later, although it seemed like hours to her worried husband, Wendy's eyelids fluttered and she moaned softly, coming awake to see Peter's anxious face above her, his eyes darting over her face, his own creased with worry.
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"Peter....what happened.....why am I here?"
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"You fainted....collapsed, I don't know what..I found you lying next to the hammock. How do you feel? Does it hurt anywhere?"
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Pushing herself into a sitting position, Wendy blinked at Peter, unable to account for her inexplicable blackout.
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"I don't think it hurts....no it doesn't, and I feel.....fine, I think."
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"Did something bite you.....or....or.."
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"Peter," Wendy lay a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm his frantic questions, "I'm fine....I don't know what it was, but I'm fine now."
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"I'm taking you to see Jack.......he'll know what it is."
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Seeing the look on his face, Wendy thought it better to acquiesce than put up a fight. When Peter looked that determined, it was simply better to allow him free rein, than try to dissuade him. Nodding, Wendy swung her legs over the side of the bed, ready to stand up, but as she rose, the room started to swirl again and she put a hand to her head, nausea once more choking her throat. Peter, already beside her, saw her sway and instantly put his arms around her, his face furrowed in alarm as Wendy leant against him, her eyes shadowed with fear. Ignoring her faint protest, Peter scooped her into his arms and walked out of the sleeping hut, Wendy shutting her eyes to stop the trees from whirling dizzying around her. With the ease of long practice, Peter launched himself into the air, Wendy's weight no hindrance to his ability to fly. His heart thumping in his chest, he flew them both towards the new Pirate Town that lined the shores of the Mermaid Lagoon, the mast of the Sea Witch clearly visible from some way inland as she lay at anchor in the natural harbour. As he approached the small town he saw Jack sitting outside his hut, mending a net. A shout from Peter alerted Jack to their arrival and he rose to greet them, curiosity replaced by worry as Peter hurried towards him with Wendy clasped in his arms.
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"Jack....something's wrong....Wendy's sick."
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Seeing the girls pale face, Jack didn't hang about, ushering Peter into his hut, following him in as several other pirates peered out of their dwellings in curiosity.
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"Put her down here lad," Jack told him, indicating a narrow bed. Peter lay Wendy down as gently as possible, kneeling on the floor beside her, his fingers threading through hers as he waited for Jack to return. When Jack appeared, he was holding a battered medical bag, which he placed on the small table beside the bed.
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"You'll have to wait outside, Peter lad, I need to examine this young lady," he raised his hand when Peter started to protest. "I won't keep you waiting long, but you must allow me to work. Now outside with you, I'll call you as soon as I know anything."
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Climbing to his feet, Peter leaned down and pressed a kiss to Wendy's brow before letting go of her hand and backing out of the room, Jack closing the door firmly on his anxious face before turning back to survey his patient.
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Peter kicked at a pebble, his hands on his hips, his face pulled into a scowl as he paced up and down in front of Jack's hut. Rufus sat cross-legged on the ground in front, his broad back against the huts wall, his round face looking up at Peter as he paced back and forth.
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"Missy Wendy be alright.....Jack'll fix her."
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"I hope you're right Rufus....I just wish....." Peter kicked at the ground again, swinging around to pace away until the sound of the door opening brought him running up to face Jack. The ships doctor was wiping his hands on a clean towel, his expression one of suppressed delight.
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"What is it Jack.....she not...she won't..." Peter couldn't force the words past the obstruction in his throat, his eyes burning.
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Jack took pity on him and stepped down to place a warm hand on Peter's shoulder. "Steady lad....there's nothing to worry about....it's a perfectly natural reaction."
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"Perfectly natural reaction to what?"
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"Peter lad......you're going to be a father!"
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Jack grinned broadly, his face wreathed in lines of merriment as Peter stood as if poleaxed, his mouth dropping open in shock as he stared at Jack, his hands slipping off his hips to rest at his side.
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"Are you saying...er..what are you saying?"
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"I'm saying lad, that your Wendy is expecting a baby....in about seven months, or thereabouts....." Jack glanced down at Rufus, winking at the giant as Rufus grinned up at him.
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Reaching for Peter's lax hand, Jack started to shake it vigorously, "Congratulations are in order.....if only I had a cigar!"
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Peter came out of his shock and pumped Jacks hand enthusiastically, a grin stretching across his face as the doctors words sunk in.
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"I'm going to be a.....father!"
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"Yes lad.....you are. Now go and see your young lady, she's fine..." Jack tailed off as Peter leapt past him and galloped into the hut before Jack could finish speaking. Jack only shook his head, still grinning as more of the former pirates gathered around to hear the news. 
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Inside, Peter knelt once more beside the cot, his eyes bright and his grin, impossibly wider, still in place as he held Wendy's hand in his own.
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Wendy looked up at him, a trifle apprehensive but quickly squashing her fears as Peter leant forward and kissed her.
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"I don't know why I didn't think of it myself......I guess I should have realised......but there's been so much..." Wendy rambled, a flush creeping up her face as she dropped her eyes from Peter.
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"Are you feeing better?" Peter asked, his eyes noting the flush as he raised her hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on her palm.
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"Jack says I'm fine....very healthy for someone expecting....a baby," 
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"Do you need to take any medicine or anything?"
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"No Peter.....I'm expecting....not sick. I just need to rest, Jack said, and take care of myself."
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"I'll take care of you Wendy......you won't have to do a thing."
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She looked up into his sparkling eyes, seeing the love and pride there, his face brimming with excitement. Ruthlessly pushing her own fears aside, Wendy smiled back at him, her free hand unconsciously smoothing her dress over her stomach, no hint yet in its flat contours of the baby growing within.
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Jack re-entered his hut, walking over to beam down at the happy couple, his eyes twinkling.
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"Now just you take good care of yourself." He wagged a finger at Wendy, "lots of fresh air and fresh fruit...a little of whatever you fancy....but don't be surprised if what you liked one day, you hate the next. Try and avoid any heavy lifting and let me know if you have any concerns. I've birthed a few babies in my time, so there's no problems on that score."
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Peter helped Wendy to sit up, her face still a little pale. Leaning heavily on Peter, Wendy got to her feet, thanking Jack for his care of her before they walked to the door. Once outside they found themselves surrounded by a crowd, Mister Smee pushing his way to the front to place a kiss on Wendy's cheek and to shake Peter's hand.
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"Wonderful new.....wonderful news....never were such times!" Smee gushed, his wrinkled face smiling broadly.
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Accepting the congratulations of the crowd, Wendy felt her smile starting to crack and pressed Peter's hand, drawing his attention to her.
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"Take me home Peter.....please." She whispered, Peter noting her strained expression. Saying a brief goodbye, Peter once more lifted her into his arms and leapt into the air, the pirates waving goodbye as they flew up into the sky and disappeared out of sight, beyond the forest canopy.
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Peter carried her back to the tree-house, Wendy unusually quiet in his arms, her face turned into his neck. On arrival he took her directly to the sleeping hut, setting her on her feet just inside the door before releasing her, one hand remaining around her waist in case she still felt faint.
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Wendy turned and hugged him, her face buried against his shoulder. Peter gladly hugged her back, his smug grin still in place. They stayed there for several minutes before Wendy pulled away and Peter saw her eyes were sheened with tears.
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"Wendy...what's wrong....do you still feel sick?"
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"No Peter....I just.....I......" She rested her head against his chest, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm....afraid."
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Drawing her to him, Peter wrapped her in his arms, his cheek resting on her soft hair. She could hear his heart beating strongly under her ear, her fingers smoothing the long muscles on his back as her hands roamed against his satin skin.
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"Don't be afraid.....I'm here....Jack's here.....we're all here to help...I won't let anything happen to you....or the...baby."
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"I know...I just feel.....its such a huge thing...having a baby, I feel so unprepared."
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"Is anyone ever prepared for a baby?" Peter asked, a warm chuckle rising in his throat.
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"No....I guess not....I didn't expect.....silly really, I should have expected, afterall, my mother had two babies after me.....you'd think I'd know the signs."
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Pulling away only enough to lead her to the edge of the bed, Peter sat down, Wendy beside him, their arms still around each other. 
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"I think you'll make a wonderful mother......look how you were with the Lost Boys.....you're a natural."
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Wendy snorted against his chest. "They weren't babies Peter, looking after a handful of naughty boys is vastly different from looking after a tiny baby....."
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There was a long pause before Peter spoke again.
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"You do want this baby......don't you Wendy?"
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Raising her head, Wendy looked up at him, her eyes wide, a small gasp parting her lips as she took note of Peter's serious expression.
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"Of course I want it.....why wouldn't I. It's ours Peter.....as my Aunt would say, an expression of our love. Whatever it is, boy or girl.....it's ours. I want it with all my heart."
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Smiling at her vehemence, Peter leant down and kissed her, his eyes sparkling wickedly as he pulled them down to lay on the furs, his hand reaching up to stroke her face. 
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"I love you Wendy.." Peter kissed her again, his hands roaming over her curves and hollows as she returned his kiss with a passion.
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Pulling away only briefly, Peter looked down at her as she lay breathless beneath him. 
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"Jack didn't say anything about us not doing.....this.....did he?"
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"No...nothing at all...." Wendy replied, reaching her arms up to draw him down to her.
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Outside the hut, the bees droned in the hot afternoon sun, the scent of flowers intoxicating as sunlight sent its golden shafts down through the rippling leaves to dapple the ground.
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Chapter: Two - Gift horses<br>
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Never look a gift horse in the mouth, even when you don't like what its saying.<br>
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Peter stared off into the distance, his mind far away from the rock that he currently sat upon, his thoughts turned inward as he considered all that had happened to him since he'd awoken all those weeks ago to find his known world turned upside down. He'd had to cope with coming to terms with his newly matured body with all its attendant urges and needs, as well as his newly awakened feelings, many of them confusing and quite alarming in their intensity. One of those new feelings was causing his current state of bemusement. Two weeks had passed since Jack had informed him that Wendy was expecting a baby. Two weeks in which Peter had been unable to wipe the unbearably smug, as Wendy was wont to call it, smile from his face. He sometimes felt that he was floating several feet off the ground, a sensation similar to flying, but more intense, his emotions see-sawing from  elation to mind numbing fear, as the implications of his impending fatherhood crowded in.  Wendy was his one constant, his lodestone, his morning star, in her arms he found all his fears washed away, all his uncertainty wiped clean. He marvelled that she seemed to be taking it all so calmly, her serene smile adding to her bloom as she carried out some small task or other. He never tired of watching her, all the more so with the added knowledge that she carried the future of Neverland within her delectable curves. Alindra had told him that his heir would take over the care of Neverland, when Peter's time had passed and it seemed that the prophecy, if that was what it was, was coming true.
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Sighing, Peter felt his smile slip just a little, his arms folded around his knees as he sat waiting for the Mermaids to appear. He had asked Wendy if she wanted to join him, but she'd declined, saying she would be visiting the Indian village that afternoon, the Chief Wife, Autumn, had specifically asked for Wendy to meet her there. Peter had a suspicion that Wendy was really just trying to avoid meeting the Mermaids, her feelings regarding Merrill very poorly concealed, despite her best efforts. Peter took a conceited pleasure in the knowledge that Wendy was jealous of the Mermaids, but rather than disabuse her and tell her that she was his one and only, he let the situation continue, rather liking his teasing of her, and having her react so predictably.
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Relaxing his legs, he let them dangle over the edge of the flat rock to the sea gently lapping below, his feet sinking up to his ankles in the cool water, his hand reaching for the pan pipes held by a cord to his belt. Lifting the delicate flute, he placed it against his lips and started to play. The notes danced out across the water, skittering across the waves as he played a soft melody, his eyes closed in concentration. After several minutes a head appeared, surfacing beside the rock, the Mermaids' liquid eyes gleaming as she bobbed in the water. Opening her mouth she started to sing, softly at first, her song combining with the pan pipes, lifting the tune and entwining it with her voice, making an ethereal sound that echoed around the bay. Peter kept playing for some time, the Mermaid singing along, more heads appearing out of the water to listen, as Merrill and Peter drew their impromptu concert to a close. When the last note died away, Peter opened his eyes to find he had an audience of nearly twenty Merfolk, Mermen as well as Mermaids, all of them watching him intently. Beside the rock, Merrill preened, launching herself out of the water to land on the rock beside Peter, showering him with sea water.
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"Hey.......no fair!" Yelped Peter, tucking his pipes inside his shirt to keep them dry. Merrill leaned towards him, her long seaweed hair draped over her shoulders and down her torso.
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"Peter play....lovely." Merrill purred, reaching out a webbed hand to touch his shirt. A chorus of sound drew Peter's attention back to his audience, finding that several of the Merfolk had left with the end of the music. Those that remained had disapproving looks on their faces before they dived away, only two of the Mermaids remaining behind. They swam towards the rock, circling it, making waves that slapped against his leg. Peter felt a twinge of uneasiness at Merrill closeness, his respect for the Mermaids not abashed one whit as he eyed her long, muscular tail and sinewy arms.
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"Thank you Merrill....you sing very nicely too."
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"Peter play some more?"
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"Er......not today.....I thought you wanted to hear the end of the story.....we only got halfway through, yesterday."
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"I don't care for stories any more," said Merrill, her voice low as she continued to stroke her webbed fingers down Peter's back, like she was petting an animal. "I want to hear Peter play some more."
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Finding her intense regard faintly unnerving, Peter made to get to his feet but found Merrills hand on his shoulder, holding him down. The two Mermaids that had been circling the rock now bobbed, shoulder to shoulder, in front of Peter, their wet eyes staring at him.
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"I have to go now.....Wendy will be wondering where I am," Peter said more forcefully, smiling at the Merfolk, but seeing no answering humour in any of the Mermaids eyes.
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"You don't have to go........the Wendy will wait for you return."
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"Maybe she will.....but I want to go now."
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The two Mermaids in the water made a grab for his feet and legs, their broad hands latching onto his lower limbs, starting to pull Peter off the rock. Belatedly realising his peril, Peter kicked out, but the Mermaids had too strong a hold. Merrill bared her blackened teeth at Peter in a parody of a smile. Her strong hands gripped his arms from behind, pinning them to his sides.
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"Let go of me.......Merrill, what are you doing?" Peter cried out, his body twisting in her relentless grip.
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With a flick of their tails, her two accomplices yanked Peter forward, his body sliding into the sea, scraping against the rocks' edge before plunging under the surface in a froth of bubbles. Merrill launched herself off at the same time, joining her sisters as they held on tight to their struggling prey. Peter's head surfaced briefly, his mouth open wide to suck in much needed air before he was pulled under again. Merrill dived below, her face coming close to Peter's as he struggled in her sisters remorseless grip. As she watched Peter let go the breath he'd been holding and fought to return to the surface, she waited for the moment he stopped fighting before pressing her lips to his and imparting life giving air to his starving lungs.
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Once again she waited for him to release the breath and stop fighting her sisters grip before approaching him again and giving him her breath of life. Peter finally got the message, his eyes open wide as he stared at the Mermaid, his lips clamped shut to hold in her last breath. Smiling her deaths-head grimace again, Merrill took hold of Peter's hand and started to swim away with him, dragging him behind her. Her sisters flanked him, their powerful tails giving them more freedom of movement than Peter could ever hope to have. As they travelled, just below the surface of the sea, Peter only had to indicate and one of the sisters would approach and lock her lips to his, giving him a new breath. Merrill ignored them, her head turned towards the open ocean while her sisters kept Peter alive as she towed him far away from Neverland's shores.
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Wendy alighted on the springy turf, her toes curling in the grass as TinkerBell buzzed around her head, the fairy's light glancing off her face under the shadowy overhang of the tall trees. They were standing on the outskirts of the Indian village, the tepee's clearly visible through the tree trunks. Wendy smoothed her skirt and patted her hair before starting to walk forwards. As she approached one of the women saw her and gave a glad cry, the call echoed by other women as they surged forward to welcome Wendy to the village. Autumn came forward and clasped Wendy's hands, leaning towards her and pressing her cheek to Wendy's.
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"We are so pleased you came, Wendy. My village is honoured that you visit with us."
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Slightly overwhelmed, Wendy smiled shyly back at the woman, blushing under the scrutiny of the Indian women as they crowded around. Autumn shooed them away, drawing Wendy after her towards the largest tepee in the village, its sides ornately decorated with lifelike depictions of animals common in Neverland. The crowd of women followed, all laughing and chattering, the menfolk standing well back between the tents, their faces rueful in the face of their womenfolk's take over of the central area of the encampment. Autumn held back the flap of the tent and indicated for Wendy to enter. TinkerBell followed Wendy into the tepee, her light bright in the dim interior. Inside were fine furs scattered around a small central fire. Wendy sat down, crosslegged where Autumn showed her, settling her skirts around her while Autumn shooed the curious faces away from the doorway and pulled down the flap, shutting off the outside.
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Wendy let go a sigh, glad to be out of the sun, her head throbbing a little, her face still heated with a blush from all the attention.
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"You are feeling fine, I hope?" Autumn asked, passing Wendy a beaker of water. Sipping the cool liquid, Wendy smiled back at her and gestured to the flap.
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"I wasn't expecting quite such a reception."
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"It is a great honour to welcome the mother of Pan's child to see us. We are all so happy that Peter has brought you here."
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Wendy looked down at her hands. "You are very kind to say that.....given all that's happened since I arrived."
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Autumn looked grave for a minutes, her face hinting at sadness deeply buried. "You are referring to my daughter.......I have tried to forgive her for all she had done, she is my daughter after all is said and done, but she has disgraced our family, brought pain and dishonour to my husband. I still love her, but I am glad that she is now in the care of Grey Wolf...."
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"I'm so sorry Autumn......if there was anything...?"
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"Pan's Wendy is very generous.....you of all people have cause to hate my family," Wendy started to protest but Autumn waved her down. "No....I am right, you have more cause to wish my daughter dead, but you were compassionate, and I thank you for your kind heart." Autumn reached over and patted Wendy's hand.
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Feeling unsettled, Wendy fidgeted slightly, looking around the inside of the tent as Autumn pulled forward a cloth wrapped bundle which she started to unravel.
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"I have collected these from all the women in the tribe, they all wanted to contribute, but this is only a sample, there are more to come." Autumn unravelled the bundle and pulled out the first item. Wendy couldn't help but smile as the woman held up a small tunic the colour of spring grass, obviously intended for a small child. Autumn passed it over and Wendy felt the softness of the material, rubbing it between her fingers as she smiled back at Autumn.
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"This is beautiful work, did you do this?"
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"No, Little Acorn did that tunic, she will be pleased that you liked it." Autumn smiled broadly, pulling more baby clothes out of the bundle, the tent floor rapidly covered in tiny clothes, miniature copies of the adults, down to the fringing and beading. TinkerBell hovered over the many items, darting back and forth, touching one then moving to another, before setting herself on a pot hanging from the central pole, content to watch from a distance as Wendy and the Chief's wife viewed the extraordinary gifts from the Indian women.
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After half an hour Autumn once more packed up the clothes into a neat bundle before handing them over to Wendy, and indicating that they should rise and leave the tent. Pushing back the flap, Wendy ducked down and passed through, finding that the women hadn't left, that they were, in fact, sitting outside the Chief's tent waiting for Wendy to emerge. When she did, a trifle startled to find them all there, they rose and came forward, reaching out their fingers to touch her, lifting tendrils of her hair or plucking at her dress. Wendy smiled and nodded, embarrassed but not put out by the women's curiosity. She saw a large women pushing her way through, her face beaming at Wendy as she elbowed the last obstruction out of the way.
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"That is Crying-Gull...she tended you when Peter brought you to our camp...." Autumn whispered in Wendy's ear as the large woman finally came forward. Wendy smiled at her, aware that she largely owed her life to the Medicine Woman.
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To her astonishment, Crying-Gull engulfed her in a warm hug, the woman squeezing Wendy, almost lifting her off the ground in her enthusiasm.
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Finally releasing her, the Medicine Woman beamed at Wendy.
<P>
"You are all well again, it is as I suspected, you are a strong spirit, not easily devoured by the Dark Nothing."
<P>
"Dark Nothing?" Asked Wendy, a little bewildered.
<P>
"The Dark Nothing.....that which takes us all...." she pointed to the sky with one pudgy finger. Wendy raised her eyes skyward, rounding her lips in a silent oh as she saw Autumn nod her head.
<P>
"I knew you had a strong life force.....you will need it for the trials to come." Crying-Gull suddenly gripped Wendy's ring hand in both of her own, her eyes staring into Wendy's with a frightening intensity.
<P>
"You will know great danger, great fear, but you will also know great joy......you will return to those that love and miss you.....you will endure much for those you love, you will sacrifice all to save the one that is you destiny."
<P>
Wendy felt a little faint, her eyes mesmerised by Crying-Gull's. As she stood there, Autumn gently disengaged their hands, putting an arm around Wendy's shoulder, breaking the contact between the two women.
Wendy blinked, coming out of her daze, feeling the hot sun burning a hole in the top of her head. Of the Medicine Woman there was no sign, the women still standing in a circle around her, looking on curiously as Wendy turned her head to look for the large woman that so unsettled her. With her arm still around the girls shoulder, Autumn led Wendy to a stool in the shade of the tent and sat her down. Wendy moved like one in a dream, her hand lifting to press against her burning cheek, as the Chief's wife pressed a cup of cool water into her nerveless fingers. Gulping down the water, Wendy drew in a shaky breath before turning to speak.
<P>
"What did she mean.....I will know great danger, fear......return to my loved ones?"
<P>
"Crying-Gull is our wise woman, our soothsayer.....she has a window into the soul, into the future....what she says will come true....it is already happening around you."
<P>
"But....Neverland is at peace, Captain Hook is gone....the pirates live peaceably.....what is there to fear here?"
<P>
"Neverland has a purpose.....you are part of that purpose now....we all have our part to play."
<P>
"I don't....I don't understand?" Wendy rubbed her temple, feeling the start of a headache as she tried to make sense of Crying-Gulls words.
<P>
TinkerBell appeared beside her, flapping her wings to make a breeze to help cool Wendy down, her tiny voice tinkling as she hovered.
<P>
"I think you're right Tink.....I'm sorry to cut this visit short, but I want....I need to go home."
<P>
"As you should......I understand...there will be other afternoons for us to visit. Don't forget the bundle." Autumn pressed the wrapped parcel into Wendy's arms as she rose. Smiling weakly, Wendy leant forward and kissed the Indian woman on her brown cheek, Autumn looking at her wryly, before pulling her into a hug.
<P>
"Take care, Pan's Wendy.......there are many dangers in this place, not all of them as easy to recognise, as Captain Hook."
<P>
With Autumn words ringing in her ear, Wendy walked out of the camp, the bundle of clothes clutched to her chest as TinkerBell floated worriedly around her head. Once among the trees, Wendy leant against one of the trunks, her forehead pressed to the rough bark.
<P>
TinkerBell came down and floated just beside Wendy's face, looking at her anxiously. Wendy turned her head to look at the fairy.
<P>
"Sorry Tink....it was all a little much..." She shrugged, straightening up and turned around to lean back against the tree, her head tilted to look up at the leafy canopy far above her head. Drawing a deep breath, Wendy pushed away from the tree and started to walk again.
<P>
On reaching a relatively clear space, Wendy launched herself into the air and flew slowly skyward, her fairy companion close beside her.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Three - Oceans away<br>
<P>
Where Peter discovers a side of Neverland he never thought to see.<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter lost track of time, his mind always on the brink of blacking out, his lungs screaming to breath normally, his eyes stinging from the salty sea. Merrill kept her remorseless grip upon his arm, his body helpless to do more than relax and go boneless against her powerful pull. He briefly thought of his new found, and sorely untested powers, so briefly exercised aboard the Jolly Roger when Captain Hook was returned, along with those that also chose, to his original time. Since then, Peter had not pursued Alindra to find out what else he could do, despite her assertion that he only had to wish for something, for it to come true. He'd tried wishing himself out of the Mermaids power, but all his wishing was in vain, he was still Merrill's prisoner, and her sisters were still keeping him alive, just. He had his eyes closed, withdrawing into himself, his whole focus on the effort required to keep what little air he was given in, and all of the ocean out of his lungs, blackness and the relentless flow of water over his body the only constants. Cold was the other sensation, the sea water sucking his body heat away, so that he felt numbed to everything but the need to breath. He was so inured that he didn't notice when Merrill let go of his hand and her Mermaid sisters no longer pressed their chill lips to his to impart their icy, life-giving breaths. It was his body that alerted him to the fact that he was no longer being towed through the ocean, when it started to shiver, reacting to the bone chilling air that surrounded him. His lips, so long pressed together to preserve his air, suddenly parted, dragging in damp air into his starved lungs.
<P>
His eyelids were too swollen from the immersion in brine to open at first, the air moaning past his shaking lips as he fought to remember how to breath without holding it in. Eventually his heart stopped pounding and he managed to prise his eyelids open a crack, blinking wetly as they stung, tears streaming as he lay with his cheek pressed to the cold, wet floor. Slowly his other senses returned, feeling coming back to his arms and legs, like a thousand daggers pricking his skin, sound starting to intrude above the thrum of his pulse, wet sounds of lapping water and the muted sound of voices. His fingers started to flex against the wet surface beneath his body, slipping against the slick stone that chilled his clothes and sent violent shivers down his spine. His eyes, red-rimmed and blurry, could only make out indistinct shapes against a swirling background, the light changing as objects passed in front of him.
<P>
His lungs finally stopped their labouring, returning to their familiar pattern now that air was no longer at a premium, his body relaxing fractionally, as he drew his knees up to preserve what body heat still remained. His eyes were partly open when something large loomed over him, blotting out the light, an overwhelming smell of fish assaulting his nose as he tried to squint up at the apparition.
<P>
"This is a bad business.....he should never have been brought here."
<P>
The voice tutted, the shape moving away as Peter lay like a stranded fish, unable to do more than gasp and blink. Suddenly hands were reaching down and grasping his arms and legs, Peter crying out hoarsely at their rough handling as they picked him up and carried him a short distance, before laying him on a yielding surface. Hands started to tug at his soaked clothes, the glint of a knife registering in front of his streaming eyes before it was used to cut off his shirt and trousers, Peter incapable of stopping them in his weakened state. Finally, as he lay naked and shivering, a warm cover was thrown over him, hands once more manhandling him, tucking the cover around his shaking form until he was surrounded from his toes to his nose in dry warmth.
<P>
Once more a shape approached and leant over Peter, the fish smell announcing it to be the same person as before.
<P>
"Sleep boy....you've had quite a trip...sleep and I'll see you in the morning."
<P>
Peter tried to speak, his salt chapped lips moving but no sound came out, his head moving restlessly.
<P>
"Don't try and speak, you need to recover.....rest," a hand patted Peter's shoulder, "rest....you'll be better in the morning."
<P>
Unequal to the task of struggling any more, Peter closed his eyes and his mouth, the warmth of whatever they'd covered him in, stealing through his limbs and sapping his will. Within a minute he was unconscious.
<P>
Captain Benedict Harvey stared down at the tousled haired young man laying on the dried seaweed mattress, his dark, almost black eyes narrowing as he tapped his lip with the tip of the knife he'd used to cut off the boys' clothes. He'd noted the ring on the boys finger, and the fine gold chain with a gilt thimble around his neck, as well as the evidence from numerous scars on the young mans athletic body, that this boy had seen considerable fighting action in the not too distant past. Where and why remained a mystery, but Captain Benedict was a patient man, the morning would bring him the answers to all his questions.
<P>
Turning away, Benedict walked to the wall of water that separated him from the fathoms of ocean beyond the cave, his boots scuffing against the wet coral-stone floor as he gazed out at the shapes swimming beyond the curtain, their bodies twisting and turning as they glided effortlessly amongst the coral spires that made up their underwater city.
<P>
It was an ocean ballet that he never tired of, his hands clasped loosely behind his back as he watched the lithesome forms in their natural element. They appeared distorted through the curtain of water, the many coloured fish darting between them, lending colour to the seascape.
<P>
Turning on his heel, he approached the bed, his hand reaching down to lay the back of his fingers against the boys cheek, faint colour starting to steal into the pale face as Peter's body warmed itself amongst the pelts of sealskin tucked around him. Satisfied that the newcomer was recovering, Benedict walked away, nodding to the man delegated to stay and watch over the boy, before yanking open the wooden door that lead into a maze of tunnels dug deep into the coral reef, the door closing quietly behind him.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Wendy paced the balcony, her thumb against her teeth as she chewed at the skin, her brows drawn into a worried frown. It was getting dark and Peter hadn't returned. She'd returned hours before from the Indian village, not surprised to find Peter still gone. He'd taken to visiting the Mermaids in payment for one of them, Merrill she suspected, saving his life when Peter had been chained to the traitors rock by an old shipmate of Hooks, Billy Boyd Runcimen who'd captured Peter and Wendy and planned on trading them to Hook for his own freedom. The Mermaid had freed Peter and extracted a promise that he would tell the creature stories in payment for her rescue. Wendy sometimes wondered if Peter just liked to get away and return to doing something that he used to do before all the upheaval caused by his maturing body and his relationship with herself. It was a hurtful thought, that Peter wanted to get away from her, but she shrugged philosophically. In the real world, her mother had only seen her father when he wasn't at work, as was the way with all married couples. She had heard that sometimes people only saw each other in the marriage bed, the husband gone before the wife rose in the morning, and not returning until after supper at night. In Wendy's case, Peter had been almost constantly in her company since they'd flown to Neverland all those long weeks ago, so she supposed, not knowing all that much about grown-up relationships between married people, that it was entirely natural for such an active young man as Peter to want eventually to escape the domesticity of their current life.
<P>
All that understanding aside, it didn't make it hurt one little bit less, jealousy rising to choke her as she fought to regain her composure.
<P>
"If you prefer their company to mine......then you're welcome to them!" She stormed at the sky, her eyes burning, her chin set stubbornly as she turned from the railing and walked back into the hut they used as a sitting room. Wendy flounced down onto the cushioned window seat, her elbows resting on the window ledge as she stared moodily out at the rapidly darkening forest around her. 
<P>
She must have dozed because it was full dark when she opened her eyes again, tiny fireflies darting around the interior of the room and outside, echoing the stars visible between the branches as she stared up at the sky. A little spurt of fear shot down her back, making her shiver, her hands coming up to rub her arms as goosebumps chased their way down her chilled limbs. Rising off the window seat, Wendy made her way by starlight out onto the landing platform, the trees dark and forbidding around her as she leant on the railing. She could hear the night insects clicking and grating, the occasional call of a bird as it passed overhead, the rustle of some creature making it's way through the underbrush far below. All these sounds were familiar to her, but tonight they seemed to take on a sinister tone, the hairs on the back of her neck rising as she stood there, alone and apparently unwanted. A faint breeze brushed against her and she shivered, turning away to make her way to the sleeping hut to find a shawl to wrap around her shoulders. She'd never known Neverland to feel cold, its climate bordering on the tropical most days, its ocean warm, its jungles humid. But somehow, maybe because for the first time she felt truly alone, it was too chilly to stand outside without something on her arms. Finding a warm shawl, she wrapped it tightly around her shoulders, hugging it to her. She thought about lighting a candle or lantern but felt too miserable to bother, laying down on the fur covered bed, her eyes burning as she wallowed in self-pity, her fears becoming dread as she contemplated life in Neverland without Peter. Her head filled with non-sensical, and completely illogical assumptions, Wendy curled herself into a ball and cried bitter tears, convinced that Peter didn't love her any more and fancied instead some slimy, seaweed covered, fishy Mermaid instead of his pregnant wife.
<P>
Morning fortunately brought a measure of sanity and commonsense, a good cry and a deep sleep dispelling alot of the hysteria, so that Wendy looked upon the day with new eyes and a new worry. Despite her misgivings of the night before, Wendy castigated herself for ever doubting Peter or his love for her, her thoughts turning to the words of the Medicine Woman and her prophecy that she would know great danger, great fear, maybe this was what was happening, right now.
<P>
Quickly she changed her clothes, the sun warming her as she hurried to the eating hut and made a quick breakfast, her nausea, for once, taking a back seat to her fears for Peter's safety. First she had to find out if Peter was, in point of fact, missing or in danger, not just sleeping over at the pirate village or in the Indian camp. With a purpose and renewed hope, Wendy launched herself from the treehouse and flew towards the coast, the sun rising in the sky as if to greet her, promising another fine day.
<P>
She chose to alight a little way out of the village, not wanting to appear suddenly and raise undue alarm, in case she was worrying for nothing. Walking towards the small fishing village, she looked out to sea and noticed a storm gathering, far out on the horizon, the clouds dark and menacing, the occasional flash of lightening faintly visible. Above her the skies remained blue, dotted with the usual fluffy white clouds, so she ignored the distant storm and looked ahead as the first of the ramshackle buildings appeared. Seagulls cried and wheeled above the crudely made stone jetty that served the small community, several small boats tied up to the rocks with nets spread out to dry on the sandy beach.
<P>
She walked down the main street, acknowledging the few pirates already abroad, their calls to her polite and deferential, Wendy replying with a wave and a smile as she passed. On reaching Smee's tiny house, she paused before lifting her knuckles to knock on the salt-stained wood. She heard noises from inside and stepped back as the door creaked open, Smee's sleep tousled head peering out to survey his early morning visitor. On seeing it was Wendy, Smee pulled the door wide and fumbled with his spectacles as he ushered her in, one trouser brace hanging over his arm, his shirt rumpled.
<P>
"I'm so sorry, Mister Smee....did I get you out of bed?"
<P>
"Ur...no....I was just taking a.....nap."
<P>
"I'm sorry to rouse you so early, but I have a little problem,"
<P>
"Problem? What sort of problem, if I may be so bold to enquire?"
<P>
Smee ushered her to sit on a stool while he bustled over to the tiny stove in the corner, lifting a steaming kettle off the hob and carrying it over to the table to sit beside a large brown tea-pot.
<P>
"Tea?" He inquired, one eyebrow raised. Wendy nodded and Smee busied himself with the cups as he poured the hot brew into his best china, in honour of his visitor.
<P>
"I'm afraid there's only goat's milk.....but there's a bit of sugar left, if you like."
<P>
"Milk will be fine Mister Smee......thank you." Wendy accepted the proffered cup, amused at the old pirates genteel behaviour. With a cup balanced on his rather shabby trousered knee, Smee looked inquiringly at Wendy, indicating for her to speak.
<P>
"I was wondering if you've seen Peter this morning?"
<P>
Blinking, Smee took a hasty sip of the tea and had to waft his hand in front of his mouth as the hot brew burnt his tongue. "Peter, ya say. No I haven't seen the lad since......a couple of days ago when he was here to get some more fishing hooks from ol' Patrick."
<P>
"So you didn't see him yesterday either ?" Wendy asked, knowing the answer but hoping for a different one. Smee shook his head, taking another sip, more cautiously this time.
<P>
"Sorry lass, the boy hasn't been here....not to my knowledge at least," Smee chortled, "it's not exactly a metropolis, so everyone pretty much knows everybody's business, and I don't remember anyone mentioning seeing Peter recently."
<P>
Wendy swallowed her disappointment and raised her cup to sip. Smee watched her shrewdly, his rheumy eyes not missing much.
<P>
"He didn't come home last night, did he." Smee stated, causing Wendy to rattle her cup in its saucer.
<P>
Wendy looked up, her eyes worried. "I haven't seen Peter since yesterday morning, he didn't return from visiting.....the Mermaids. I went to the Indian village to visit, but he wasn't at home when I got back, of course I didn't expect him to be.....but then he didn't come home at all and I spent the night alone......oh dear....where could he be?"
<P>
Smee placed his cup back on the table and reached over to pat Wendy's hand, his face serious.
<P>
"Now you are not to worry, in your condition, worry can be very...detrimental. I'll go and see Jack, and we'll make some enquires. Have you been to the Indian's to see if he spent the night there?" Wendy shook her head, her eyes shadowed. Smee nodded, getting to his feet. "You just stay here and let me make myself presentable, then I'll go see Jack."
<P>
Wendy finished her cup of tea, more out of politeness than actual need, her brain churning to find a reason why Peter would be missing. She was sure he wasn't deliberately hiding, there was no reason and she didn't think he'd be that cruel to worry her unduly. That left only one real solution, that Peter was lying injured and alone somewhere, maybe even......Wendy refused to think the word, let alone voice it. Smee emerged from the back room, his clothes all in order, his stocking cap on his head. Putting down her cup, Wendy sprang to her feet. Smee took in her pale face and engulfed her cold hands in his large, work roughened palms.
<P>
"Why don't you come with me....it'll save my old legs and you can maybe supply some more information."
<P>
Tucking Wendy's hand in the crook of his arm, Smee led her out of his cottage and along the street, several curious pirates leaning out of their houses to watch the pair as they approached Jack's shanty. Before Smee had a chance to knock the door flew open and Jack's beaming face appeared.
<P>
"What a pleasure.....Miss Wendy, how are you this morning....looking a mite peaky...not sleeping well, are we?"
<P>
Smee cut across the doctors rambling. "We seem to have mislaid the lad, can we come in?"
<P>
Ushering his visitors into the house, Jack shut the door and turned to survey Wendy. "What's happened....tell me everything!"
<P>
As fully as possible, Wendy related all she knew from when she last saw Peter, to what he'd been doing and where he'd been going. Jack listened, asking a question here or there, but mostly letting Wendy pour out her fears until she stuttered to a halt. Smee had remained silent through her recital, occasionally patting her hand in an avuncular fashion, as if to give her courage.
<P>
"So......I would say we need to do one or two things first. Check with the Indians to see if they know anything......make sure there is someone at your home, in case he returns, and go and find a mermaid, see if it can shed some light on the mystery. As he was going there yesterday, its logical that they would have seen him last."
<P>
"Oh thank you Jack.." Wendy whispered, fighting to keep her composure.
<P>
"I'd say you've been worrying yourself into a fit, haven't you?"
<P>
Wendy nodded, blushing under his scrutiny. Jack only tutted. "You have to look after yourself, Miss Wendy. Let me and Smee sort out the Indians and the mermaids. You just make yourself comfortable here, there's really nothing we can do until we know some more."
<P>
"But I want....." Wendy started only to be waved down by Jack.
<P>
"That's as maybe...Peter won't be thanking me if you get yourself into a state. He'd expect us to help, so that's what we'll do. Leave it to me.....we find out where he's gone off to, don't you worry."
<P>
There was no great distance between the two encampments, so Jack dispatched one of the comparatively younger pirates to make inquiry's of the Indians, while another was sent to check if he could see any Mermaids in their lagoon. Another man was sent to find the fairy tree and inform the Fairy Queen of the state of affairs and maybe shed some light on the event. For the rest of the morning, Jack and Smee worked hard to distract Wendy from her fears, their attempts meeting with limited success as the hours dragged by. The runner sent to the Indians returned and reported that no-one had any news there. 
<P>
TinkerBell arrived alone, the man sent, having relayed the message to the fairies, travelling on to the Pan's treehouse to wait, in case Peter returned, while Tink passed on promises that if the fairies could help, to send Tink and they'd be there in no time at all. TinkerBell fluttered around Wendy, her tiny hands wringing together as Wendy told her what had been happening. Finally the man sent to the Mermaid Lagoon returned in the early afternoon to report, unusually, that none of the Merfolk had appeared in their usual places, in itself almost unheard of as the Mermaids almost daily liked to sunbathe and gossip in their own special place.
<P>
In all the news was not encouraging, Wendy almost desperate now for something to do.
<P>
Smee was fixing another pot of tea, the kettle whistling merrily, dispelling some of the gloom within the small cabin. A knock at the door heralded another pirate who doffed his had before entering, nodding towards Wendy but turning to speak to Jack and Smee.
<P>
"There's a fearful storm out at sea Jack.....I think we should batten down the hatches and pull up anchor. She looks a fierce'un."
<P>
"A storm......but...." Jack rubbed his chin, casting a speculative glance over at Wendy. "Peter can affect the weather..can't he?"
<P>
Wendy looked up, her eyes wide as she suddenly understood something that had been bothering her. "The storm!!"
<P>
"You think it might be Peter?" Smee chimed in, putting the tea pot down as Jack watched Wendy.
<P>
Rising to her feet, Wendy had eyes only for the small doorway, moving towards it like a sleepwalker. Smee made to stop her but Jack waved him back, letting her go but following close behind her. Outside the sky was still blue over the pirate village but a bank of black clouds was rapidly filling the horizon, roiling and crowding the sky, lightening flashes visible among the towering cumulus thunderheads. Wendy walked to the sea wall, her face turned to the sea, the rising wind lifting her long hair so that it streamed out behind her like a flag. Jack came to stand next to her, his arm coming up to hug her around her shoulders. Wendy stared out at the sea, the storm coming closer but still miles out to sea.
<P>
"Why would he be out there Jack......there's nothing out there but ocean....and why is the sky like that.....surely....it doesn't mean.....he's not...."
<P>
"What does your heart tell you girl?"
<P>
Wendy unconsciously reached for the gold acorn hanging around her neck on a delicate chain, her fingers gripping the talisman as she closed her eyes. Jack simply waited and watched, the wind messing his usually neat hair into wild tendrils around his line face. With a deep sigh Wendy opened her eyes and turned to face Jack.
<P>
"I don't know Jack.......I feel....that he's alive, but I have this awful feeling of fear...and..cold. I can't seem to get warm."
<P>
Pulling off his jacket, Jack draped it around Wendy's shoulders, a wan smile his reward before Wendy turned once more to stare out to sea.
<P>
"We have to go out there Jack.....I have to go out there."
<P>
"No way....there is no way you can go out there....look at it girl, its a cauldron, a seething, boiling cauldron. If Peter is out there, he must either be above it, or below it....no one could survive in it."
<P>
"I'll need a boat...."Wendy continued, ignoring Jacks words.
<P>
"Are you not listening.....I said you can't go out there......it's madness! You'd be drowned for sure....and what do I tell Peter then?"
<P>
"Peter is out there Jack......so I have to go there." Wendy turned to regard her friend, her eyes strangely calm. "With or without help...that," She pointed to the horizon, "is where I have to be."
<P>
"No..." Jack moaned, realising that short of tying her up, Wendy was set on going.
<P>
Jack rubbed his chin, his hand on his hip as he considered their options. "We can't take the Sea Witch....we don't have enough men to manage her, except for short voyages in safe waters around the island. It'll have to be the new sloop. That only needs four men to crew her. She's light and fast. She should be able to run before the storm, but I don't fancy our chances if we're caught in the core of that monster."
<P>
"I'm sorry Jack....I wouldn't ask this of you for the world.....but Peter is missing, and I don't think he went of his own free will. He is still alive.....I think the storm is telling me that. I know that it's a risk, but then Peter has risked much to rescue me in the past. I think its time I risked something for him."
<P>
"But Wendy......what about......" Jack flicked his expressive eyes to Wendy's still flat stomach. Looking down herself, Wendy laid her hands across her middle before smiling a strange smile and looking up at Jack.
<P>
"Do you think I would want to live if Peter died for want of me risking my own life, if he died because I did nothing?"
<P>
Jack could only gape at her, his expression shocked. He'd known pregnancy to do some strange things to women, from unusual cravings to bizarre behaviour, but her calm announcement that she'd take her life and that of her child, chilled Jack and made him fear for Wendy's sanity.
<P>
"Wendy......" He stopped as she raised her ocean blue eyes to his. He started again. "Wendy......Peter wouldn't want you to risk yourself, or your child in some foolhardy venture. I couldn't live with myself if you were to come to harm, I couldn't face Peter is he came back and found you'd been.......didn't come back." Jack waved his hands, flustered and not at all happy.
<P>
"Then don't be here.....come with me Jack......then if the worst happens, you won't have to face Peter at all!"
<P>
Faced with her completely illogical argument, Jack gave up.
<P>
"As if I would let you out of my sight lass.....of course I'll be coming with you....and I'm sure Smee and Rufus will want to come as well...just see if you can stop them!"
<P>
Shaking his head, Jack patted her arm and turned to leave. "I'll see about organising some supplies and the boat. Don't stand here too long and get chilled..." He cautioned automatically, shaking his head again when he realised the absurdity of it, given the raging storm they would be sailing into. Catching a chill would be the least of her problems.
<P>
Wendy grinned at his retreating back, his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets as he tramped away. Turning back to face the distant storm, Wendy wrapped her arms around her middle, holding the edges of Jack's jacket around her. "I'm coming Peter.......I'm coming."
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Four - Under the Sea<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter coughed, his throat raw as he awoke from a nightmare where a Mermaid had dragged him under the sea and taken him so far from Neverland, he could never get back. His eyes opened wide, blinking up at the unfamiliar curve of the stone roof, many feet above his head.  As he coughed again a sound drew his attention to the side, as a man stood up from his vigil beside the pallet, his unsmiling face staring down at Peter before turning to leave. Peter tried to call to the man but his voice was mute, his throat working as he tried to swallow down a cough unsuccessfully, the force of his expectoration making him curl up, pain lancing through his chest. What little he managed to expel tasted briny, his tongue wetting his chapped lips as he peered around the room. He saw very little. More rock walls and a wooden door, through which the man had passed, a rough stool with a small table beside it, an earthenware jug and beaker on it's scarred surface. Moistening his dry lips once more, Peter lifted his arm out from the confining seal skins and reached for the jug, his teeth pulling on his bottom lip as he strained to reach the table. He was about to lose his balance and topple off the bed when the door opened and a tall man entered, taking in the situation at a glance before hastening over to catch Peter about the shoulders before he fell. The man righted him, before turning to fill the beaker with water and holding it to Peter's mouth.
<P>
"Not too much, mind. Don't want you bringing it all up again. Just sip.....that's right."
<P>
Peter held the mans hand around the cup as he sipped the heavenly liquid, the water slipping down his sore throat like nectar. After a few seconds the man pulled the beaker away, placing it on the table again, before pulling up the stool closer to the bed and sitting down. Peter felt a cough rising and tried to suppress it, but couldn't, so turned his head away as the spasm racked his chest. When it passed he returned his gaze to the stranger.
<P>
"I'll have Smitty find something to help with that cough. Don't want you catching your death for a sake of a spoonful of one of Smitty's concoctions." The stranger smiled down at Peter, his eyes very dark but with crinkled laughter lines at the corners. 
<P>
"Where am I?" Asked Peter, his voice barely above a whisper.
<P>
"Ah.....well that could take some explaining. Lets just say, you're safe, for now. Safe and dry, which is more than I can say for when you arrived."
<P>
"Who are you?"
<P>
"Captain Benedict Harvey at your service." Benedict reached over and lifted Peter's hand, shaking it briefly.
<P>
"How....how long have I been here?" Peter's eyes flicked briefly around the room.
<P>
"Not long.....a few hours....you were exhausted and cold when you got here, so you've been sleeping and getting warm.....haven't really missed much. Now, how about you tell me who you are, and why the Mermaids have such an interest in you. You must be someone very special, Merrill hasn't brought a human to these caves for nearly ten years....so I'm interested to know why she's chosen you."
<P>
"My name....is Peter.....Peter Pan."
<P>
"Well....nice to meet you Peter....welcome to the bottom of the ocean."
<P>
"W-w-what?"
<P>
"Well I suppose that's a slight exaggeration, we're aren't quite at the bottom, that's several fathoms down yet, but we might as well be. This is Aqualicia, one of the seven Coral Cities. It's one of the smaller cities, but no less beautiful for that, and its quite shallow by comparison with Oceanicae, which is the deepest city. But I've never been there, it's so far down the water would crush me in an instant."
<P>
Peter closed his eyes, too befuddled to take it all in. The one fact he was able to glean was that he was somewhere under the sea. 
<P>
"So....did you're ship founder?"
<P>
Peter stared at Benedict blankly, his sea-green eyes shadowed with confusion.
<P>
"Ah, well you see, I supposed you to have come from a sinking ship, maybe.....did you fall overboard?" Peter could only shake his head at the Captain. Benedict continued, "Didn't fall overboard...well you must have been on a ship," he laughed softly, "'cos there ain't no land near here within a hundred miles."
<P>
Peter stared at the man, "I come from Neverland." He croaked.
<P>
"Neverland? Can't say I've heard of that place before.....what country is it in?"
<P>
"It's not a country....it's an island......it's just.....it's Neverland!"
<P>
"Ah...well you see, it's been some little time since I was out in the world, and I wasn't particular about learning all the islands on the map, just the ones on my shipping route. Don't ever recall one called Neverland before, but then, that's not a surprise, it's a big world out there."
<P>
Peter felt more and more bewildered. He wet his lips, a cough working its way up his throat, pain cutting into his side as he curled up. Benedict waited for him to relax again before speaking.
<P>
"How long you been married lad ? You hardly look old enough to have a wife, mind you."
<P>
Peter lifted his hand, staring at the gold band still encircling his finger. Slowly he clenched his fist, the ring pressing into his finger. "Not long....not long at all."
<P>
"Ah.....I'm right sorry lad...she'll be grieving for you now."
<P>
"I have to get back to her....I can't stay here!" Peter made to rise, his face contorted into a grimace as he coughed again. Benedict helped him to sit up but his expression was sombre.
<P>
"You won't be going back to her.....or to the world you've known lad. Your wife is lost to you now, you are a captive of the Mermaids. There is no escape from here."
<P>
Peter gaped at him, his eyebrows climbing to his hairline. "I can't stay here.....Wendy will be frantic, she's going to have a baby, I have to leave."
<P>
"You're not listening Peter.....no-one leaves this place. No-one. You're here for good now....or for as long as the Mermaid's want you to be here. This is their world, their city.....we are just servants, slaves to do their bidding. Whatever you had up there," Benedict pointed a finger at the roof, "is no more....your wife will think you drowned, there is no going back."
<P>
"No....you don't understand," Peter tried to disentangle himself from the seal-skins but another coughing fit racked his chest and he had to lay back on the mattress as Benedict tucked the skins around him once more.
<P>
"Calm yourself.....we all have to come to terms with the state things are, it's natural that you'd be distressed, but it will pass." Benedict patted Peter's shoulder, not surprised when Peter turned his head away, his eyes tight shut. "I'll leave you now....don't try and get up too soon, I'll arrange a change of clothes for you, and when you're ready I'll get you settled in your new quarters."
<P>
Rising to his feet Benedict Harvey stared down at the young man, his own face twisting as he remembered his first day as a prisoner of the Mermaids. It had been hard, but time proved the cure, acceptance the only way to survive in their underwater prison. Turning on his heel, he left the room, closing the door behind him, but not locking it. He had a feeling Peter would find adjusting to his new life all the harder, having left behind a wife and his future child. It was always hard, but eventually everyone accepted. If they didn't, they died.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Wendy cinched the belt a fraction tighter around her still slender waist, her lips compressed into a thin line as she thrust her feet into a pair of bucket boots before pulling on the long oil-skin coat. She was in Jack's back bedroom, donning the clothes he'd found for her, her dress and shawl quite inadequate for the rigours of an ocean voyage. She plaited her hair into one smooth rope down her back, tying it off with a leather thong before snatching up the stocking hat and walking out of the room. Smee and Jack were waiting in the front room, Smee puffing on a pipe as he sat staring out of the small window. Jack was pushing a knife into a battered leather sheath attached to his belt, before allowing his coat to fall forward to hide it. Both men were dressed for rough weather, with long-sleeved closely knitted fishermen jerseys and woollen hats, complete with thick sea boots. They both looked up as she appeared, neither man smiling or saying a word. Smee climbed to his feet and they three, walked out of the small house, Jack turning to lock the door behind him. The pirate community was ranged up and down the street, forming a guard of honour as they passed, no-one waving or cheering, their countenance' reflecting the same grimness as on the faces of Smee, and his companions. Wendy stared out at the sea, the storm still raging on the horizon, the breeze chill against her cheek. She followed Smee as he made his way down to the rock wall that acted as their landing jetty, a boat bobbing on the high tide. Rufus was taking a box from another pirate on the quay, his round face as serious as everyone else. He secured the load before standing amidships to await the arrival of his small crew. Smee climbed aboard first, followed by Jack who turned to hand Wendy into the boat. The rest of the pirates lined the shore and rocky outcrop, their silence broken only by the occasional cough and the cry of a gull, as they watched the small sloop prepare to depart. Wendy settled herself by the rudder, her hand curled around the smooth arm of the tiller as she settled herself on the hard bench, her eyes glancing up at the sails as Jack and Rufus lowered the mainsail, and the wind caught the canvas. Smee cast the tie-lines and the boat started to move away from the makeshift dock, gathering speed as Rufus trimmed the sails and Wendy steered them out to sea. She glanced back once, the silent pirates starting to disperse, turning their backs on, what she was sure they considered, a suicide mission, a waste of good sailors on a rescue that had no hope of succeeding.
<P>
"With this wind we'll make good time," Smee commented, his grizzled face turning back towards shore briefly before he pointed his nose into the wind. It was starting to get rougher the further from land they sailed, Jack and Rufus keeping the sails tight and the rigging secure as they sped across the waves, the bow of the boat sending up spray as she cut through the whitecaps. Wendy passed the tiller over to Smee, making her way to amidships, keeping out of the men's way as they worked. She buttoned the oilskin coat up to her throat as spray dampened everything and it started to rain. The clouds on the horizon looked black and menacing, the tops now hundreds of feet in the air with lightening zigzagging through the darkness, the strong winds teasing the edge of the clouds into long streamers. It was a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight and completely terrifying.
<P>
They set a course for the heart of the storm, Jack referring to his compass, noting that the apparent centre hadn't moved, in all the hours they'd been on the water. The sea was now very choppy, with occasional giant swells that launched the sloop high in the air and then down deep into the back-trough so that the sky was almost shut off by the steep waves. It was both exhilarating and monstrous, Wendy hanging onto the gunwales and the ropes as they pitched and tossed in the mounting seas. Smee, oblivious to the salt spray and rising wind, had his pipe clenched between his teeth, his eyes glancing between the sea and Jack, taking his direction from ships doctor as he steered them into the maelstrom. They were now at the outskirts, the sky obscured with dark, forbidding clouds, the ocean the colour of slate, its waves like hills to be climbed, the troughs like chasms to be survived. The sails of the little sloop gleamed palely in the darkness, the ropes straining against the rising gale as they fairly flew across the water, coming ever closer to the center.
<P>
There was little conversation or comment between the four people on the boat. Wendy spoke not at all, her teeth clenched as the boat soared and lurched, her face pale and set. Her hands were frozen, entwined with the ropes to keep her from being flung over the side, her eyes fixed on the boiling sea ahead. Rufus sat slightly forward, providing much needed ballast as the wind tried to push the boat over, the sails taught, almost torn from their halyards as the wind howled its fury. Jack stood by the foremast, his arm wrapped around the sturdy post, a rope snaked around his wrist as he grimly rode out the waves, his body soaked every time the prow dug into a wave and showered them all with sea water. In his other hand he held the compass, glancing down at the tiny instrument which hung around his neck on a chain.
<P>
Just when Wendy thought she could take not more, the wind abruptly dropped, the sails sagging like deflated balloons as they found themselves in the eye of the storm, the sea ahead relatively calm. They all gasped with tension and relief, Wendy releasing the breath she hadn't been aware of holding as she loosened the ropes that held her arms. Smee shifted slightly at the tiller, his brawny arms flexing as he eased the kinks, from holding the rudder steady for hours.
<P>
"Well then......what now?"
<P>
Smee voiced what they all were thinking. They had survived the journey and arrived at the heart of the storm, but there was nothing around them except more sea. Looking up, Wendy marvelled at the towering clouds swirling above their heads, lightening flickering among the vapour. Behind them she could see the tortured waves beyond the wall of the eye, the gale force winds sending spray spiralling up to the sky. Ahead, the calmer water stretched unmarred by either rocks or any landmass. She had hoped that they'd find something to indicate what lay beneath, a submerged volcano or something similar, but there was nothing. Jack worked his way back toward where Wendy sat, his face crusted with salt, his coat drenched.
<P>
"Well...we're safe enough here. The storm hasn't budged an inch since we set out from Neverland. That in itself is just not natural....with all that wind, it should be moving at a fair old rate, but its completely stationary. It has to be Peter."
<P>
"But how do we find him?" Wendy gestured to the featureless ocean around them. Jack shook his head.
<P>
"That I don't know lass."
<P>
Rufus passed them a water bottle and Wendy drank gratefully, handing it on to Smee before taking the bread offered. As they sat rocking gently on the swell something rose up out of the water, several feet from where they were. Everyone was too intent on their meal to notice  when the dark shape disappeared back under the water to re-emerge directly under the wooden sloop, its humped back pushing upwards, sending the occupants of the boat plunging over the side and into the cold sea. wendy screamed as she fell, her mouth filling with brine when she hit the water. The boat continued to rise up, canted to one side, as the mast started to heel over. Wendy found herself beside Jack and Rufus, all of them staring at the dark shape that seemed to be pushing itself out of the ocean, their boat like a bizarre hat on its broad back. Smee surface spluttering not far away and they swam towards him, keeping as far as possible from the black hump.
<P>
"What the hell is that?" Cried Rufus, treading water as they watched the creature start to descend, the sloop sliding off its gleaming skin to land right side up with a loud slap on the water, rocking madly before settling. The black shape started to submerge as the four swam back towards the sloop. Wendy found herself making heavy weather in her sodden clothes, her boots dragging at her feet. 
<P>
They had only just reached the side of the ship when the black creature started to rise again, this time directly beneath both them and the sloop, lifting them all out of the water, like some smooth rock rising from the ocean. All four held onto the side of the boat, their feet slipping against the slick skin. Jack lost his grip and started to slide back towards the sea, but Rufus managed to snag his hand and pulled him back up, the creature now quite high out of the water with the sloop and its frightened passengers clinging to its back. 
<P>
"Don't let go.....any of you....if you drop now, the fall will kill you!" Jack shouted above the sound of the churning water as the creature moved forward, its back arched so that its unwilling hangers-on were now fifty feet above the surface of the sea. A great plume of water and air erupted out of the creature from somewhere close to the water-level.
<P>
"Is this a whale?" Wendy shouted above the sound, her face turned towards Smee. The old man shook his head in the negative.
<P>
"It's no kind of whale that I've ever seen!"
<P>
As she scrabbled, her grip on gunwales slipping, Wendy felt the creature start to descend again, the arched back lowering them all towards the water. 
<P>
"Hang on tight....or you'll get sucked down with the creature!" Jack shouted, winding another trailing rope around his arm in desperation. Wendy tried to do the same, but the creature suddenly dropped the last few feet so that the boat and its crew found themselves suddenly emersed once more in the cold ocean, the pull of suction too strong as they found themselves dragged from the foundering sloop and tossed in the back wash of the creature, all of them spiralling down into the depths.
<P>
Just as blackness descended on her oxygen starved brain, Wendy felt something touch her mouth and her eyes flew open to find a Merman pressing his lips to hers, her shock rendering his efforts useless as she fought to free herself. As she kicked for the surface, the Merman followed, wrapping his preternaturally strong arms around her and bringing his lips back to hers, his chill breath surging into her starved lungs as she went limp in his tight embrace.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter struggled to get into the clothes left at the end of his bed, his flesh cringing from the cold as he shucked the seal-skin blankets and pulled on the rough shirt and loose trousers, before shoving his feet into scuffed boots. Lastly he pulled on the heavy coat, pulling the edges together to keep in his own warmth. Beside the bed sat a beaker of foul tasting cough remedy, brought by a man that had the greenest eyes that Peter had ever seen, and the longest mutton-chop whisker to grace a man's face. Smitty proved to be a sensible man, his examination of Peter brief but competent. The syrup had all but rid him of the cough, Peter feeling more easy in his chest each time he sipped the noxious brew. Smitty had also brought the clothes, laying them across the bed before examining his patient. Peter had tried to ask the man a few questions but received only a stony silence, Smitty taciturn to the point of muteness.
<P>
Now Peter was alone again, warm and dressed, his head clear and his cough subsiding. He wandered across the room to stare at the curtain of water that made up one wall of the chamber. On the other side of the barrier, shapes flitted through the water, together with tiny coloured fish, distorted by the broken curtain, darting back and forth across his vision. He tentatively reached out to touch the wall but a shout made him pull his hand back. He turned around and found that Captain Benedict had returned, the man's long strides quickly bringing him over to stand in front of Peter.
<P>
"Unless you want to find out what is swimming around outside, don't put your hand anywhere near that wall. They're just waiting for you to do just that, so they can pull you out there...into their world." Benedict jabbed his finger at the wall. "You wouldn't survive two seconds without help from one of them, and they delight in watching land-dwellers die."
<P>
Peter took a precautionary step back, glancing at the wall as shapes appeared to gather on the other side, their features indistinct but their presence still menacing.
<P>
Benedict turned to leave and Peter followed, the two men leaving the cave through the wooden door. The Captain led the way through a series of tunnels carved into the rock, the walls slick under Peter's questing fingers. They passed several rooms and more corridors leading off theirs before the reached a much wider passageway where several men of varying ages passed by, before Benedict pulled Peter into it and proceeded to walk down its length. This tunnel was high and wide, broad enough for a horse and cart, with still more room for people to walk either side. Again, several branch tunnel opening appeared but Benedict ignored them, keeping to the main tunnel with Peter walking briskly behind him. The light was strange, not like torch light or from candles, but seemed to come from the rock itself. Peter thought of the crystal caves of Neverland and supposed that this rock was from a similar vein, but a different consistency as it glowed continuously, not just when struck. The men that passed them nodded to Benedict, ignoring Peter, their eyes sliding over him as if he were invisible. Peter was too intent on his surroundings to worry about their rudeness, his mind occupied with thoughts all of getting out somehow and returning to Neverland and Wendy. 
<P>
Benedict turned down a branching tunnel and they emerged into a large rounded chamber about thirty feet across, the roof disappearing into murk as they stood on a stone gallery that ran right around the rim of the room, a rope railing stopping anyone from falling off the edge. Benedict started to walk around, towards a tunnel opening on the other side, but Peter stepped to the edge and looked over. Far below he could just make out the figures of many men working on the floor of the huge shaft, their tools ringing out as they hit the hard stone, the noise like the chiming of church bells, sometimes in rhythm, sometimes discordant as the men worked to break up the ore.
<P>
"They are digging for aqualite, a crystal unique to this underwater mountain range." Benedict explained, coming to stand next to Peter as he stared down at the men working below. "It is highly prized by the Merfolk, they use it in  their jewellery and as a form of currency. It's softer than diamonds but more brilliant, with a heart of rainbow colours as varied in shades as a sunset."
<P>
"Why don't the Merfolk dig for it themselves?"
<P>
"They've exhausted all their water mines, the only source available now is this vein that runs right through the center of the mountain. It's inaccessible to them, but not to us. That's why they take anyone they find in the sea, to boost the work force and replace those that sicken and die. That.." Benedict pointed to the men far below. "That is your future....all our futures, there is no escape."
<P>
"You're wrong....this is wrong....I won't be a slave!" Peter glared angrily at the Captain, his hands clenched in fists.
<P>
"You have no choice boy....your food, your life is dependant on the Merfolk, they hold all the cards. There is no access to the surface, only through the sea. There is no food other than what they provide, and no water that they don't distil. Rebellion is not an option, so choke down that anger and resign yourself. This is your world, there will be no other."
<P>
Although his expression remained kindly, his voice had taken on a note of steel, resolute in the face of Peter's youthful defiance. Turning away, the Captain walked the remaining distance around the gallery, waiting at the tunnel mouth for Peter to catch up. 
<P>
Determined to find a way to escape, Peter drew in a deep breath, calming his anger and relaxing his fists. Angering the only person he knew, was not the best way to get information, so he closed his eyes for a second before opening them and walked the rest of the way, joining Benedict at the tunnel before the two men continued on their journey into the bowels of the mountain.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Five - Reunited<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Jack opened his eyes and wondered if he was dead. If he was, it was damn cold and wet, as well as smelling faintly of fish. Groaning, he rolled over onto his back, his wet clothes sticking clammily to his back, sending a shiver down his spine. Groaning again, he stared up at the rocky ceiling, bluish lighting gently emanating from the surface, as if lit from inside. Taking a mental inventory, he carefully tested his limbs and other faculties before attempting to rise, his body feeling chilled as he lay uncomfortably on the stone floor.
<P>
"Get up Jack.....you're not dead yet.....get those arms moving!" Jack hissed at himself, moving his arms to try and get them working as his knees lifted, flexing his legs. After a few seconds he felt more in control and rolled onto his side again, this time bringing up his knees before pushing himself upright. Again he shivered, his clothes clammy and cold, his boots squishing against his toes as he flexed his foot. In the blue gloom he could make out the shapes of other bodies slumped on the ground around him, three in all, which meant one of them could be Wendy. Galvanised into action, Jack got himself onto his hands and knees and approached the first body, finding it to be Smee, the grizzled man's chest rising and falling, while his eyes remained tightly shut, despite Jack shaking him and tapping his cheek to wake him. Leaving the old pirate, Jack crawled to the next, pretty sure from the size of the outline, that it would be Rufus. The large man was peacefully out cold, curled like a child on his side with his knees drawn up, as unresponsive to Jack's calls as Mister Smee. Which left the last body. Jack crawled over, feeling his limbs start to shake with cold as he huddled over Wendy's still body. Rolling her onto her back, Jack reached to feel her pulse, finding it strong but a little erratic. Smoothing the hair from her pale face, Jack saw that her lips were cast with a blue tint that owed nothing to the gloomy lighting, her body trembling under his touch as he picked up a lax hand and chafed it. 
<P>
"Wake up Wendy.....you have to start moving.....you'll catch your death if you don't wake up!" Jacks voice was barely more than a hoarse whisper and his chattering teeth made him almost incomprehensible, but he kept shaking the girl, his knees protesting the hard ground as he repeated his litany, hoping that Wendy would hear him. A door opened behind him but he ignored it, his ears deaf to anything but a response from the girl lying insensible at his feet. A blanket was placed around his shoulders and he brushed it off, that small action alerting him to the fact he was no longer  alone. Turning his head slightly, he noticed that several people were now in the room with him, their dark eyes staring at those still on the ground, their silence complete and unnerving. Jack left off his ministrations and lurched to his feet, swinging around to address the men watching him. 
<P>
"Please....I need dry clothes, blankets, heat.....I need...heat."
<P>
One of the silent watchers stepped forward, casting a quick glance at the bodies still on the ground before looking up at Jack.
<P>
"We're here to help you but you must keep quiet. You'll have the clothes, and the blankets, you just have to follow us and you'll have everything you need. Is your cabin boy alright?"
<P>
Jack stared blankly at the man, glancing down at Wendy and seeing her as they did, her face washed of all colour, her hair hidden under the stocking cap, her body shapeless under the oilskin coat.
<P>
"I need to get....him warm, or he'll get pneumonia. Please."
<P>
"I'll carry him...." the man started forward but Jack waved him back, turning and bending down to lift Wendy himself while the other men roused Rufus and Smee, the older man peering around blearily, his glasses lost when they were dumped out of the sloop. As they shuffled out of the room, the man in front led the way down a stone tunnel, the eerie blue light continuing to glow from its unknown source, but brighter in the corridor than in the room. A short walk brought them to an even more brightly lit dormitory, the walls lined with beds, each one with a chest beside it and rough bedding over it. Jack lowered Wendy to one of the nearest beds, her eye dark ringed, her skin cold to the touch. Most of the party of silent men left, once Jack and his companions were in the room, leaving only the man that had spoken to Jack.
<P>
"You'll find clothes in the chest's beside the beds, and there's blankets a plenty. I'll arrange for someone to bring a kettle of hot water and some food and drink."
<P>
He turned to go but Jack touched his arm, to halt him.
<P>
"Where are we, what is this place?"
<P>
The man stared at Jack with haunted eyes. "This is hell."
<P>
Jacks hand dropped from the man's arm in shock, watching him walk out of the room without looking back. Shaking his head, Jack turned to face Smee and Rufus who both sat on a bed each, hugging themselves and shivering.
<P>
"Get out of those wet things....quickly, and get dry. I'll see to Miss Wendy."
<P>
Fumbling with the catch, Jack flung open the closest chest and pulled out an assortment of men's clothes. Smee and Rufus retreated to the end of the room and turned their backs while Jack stripped Wendy as quickly as possibly, redressing her in the dry clothes and snugly wrapping her in several covers, pulled off the other beds. Once she was encased in the blanket cocoon, Jack saw to his own clothes, stripping off and rubbing himself down, stirring his circulation before donning dry clothes and draping a blanket around his shoulders. Smee and Rufus joined him as he sat watching for any sign of Wendy waking up.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter was led by Captain Benedict to a room that contained row, upon row of beds, the cots spread with a variety of coverings, the walls bereft of any pictures or personal momento's, everything uniform and without a shred of the clutter you would expect in a room occupied by a dozen or more people. Peter raised an eyebrow at Benedict who shrugged. 
<P>
"This is just one of many sleeping dormitories, there should be a couple of free beds here, near the door, so pick one."
<P>
"Tell me Captain.....I've only seen men here, what happens to the women from the ships?"
<P>
Benedict shuffled, his eyes looking down at his feet before flicking up to meet Peters.
<P>
"The Mermaids don't bring women here. They only want workers."
<P>
"But....." Peter began, but Benedict raised his hand to cut him off.
<P>
"The Mermaids don't want the women, but the Mermen....that's another story. They will rescue any female and bring her to the colony, if they can keep her safe from the Mermaids. As the male Merfolk are outnumbered ten to one by the females, there are precious few women here. What few there are, are kept in the kitchens and laundry, the Mermaids keeping them busy and as far from their Merfolk as possible."
<P>
"Has nobody ever escaped from here?"
<P>
Benedict shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing away from Peter before speaking.
<P>
"Some have tried.....men and woman, wanting to return to their lives up there. But it's usually only those people that really want to end their lives, not return to them. There is nothing up there, 'cept miles of ocean, so that even if you made it to the surface, and I've never heard of anyone who has, you'd never see a passing ship and drown anyway."
<P>
"So it has been tried,"
<P>
"Yes lad.....people have left....never to return, and they have lost their lives in the attempt. In my time here, I've seen too many drowned corpses to ever think of trying it myself, or encouraging anyone else to. Escape is a sure fire death sentence."
<P>
"Some might think that a preferable alternative."
<P>
"Aye....for some that can't adjust....it's an option. But I think life is far to sweet to give it up, just for the sake of seeing the sun again."
<P>
A dull gong sound could be heard resounding through the tunnels, and Benedict's head shot up, turning to stare at the doorway, his eyes going wide.
<P>
"What is it?" Peter asked, almost smelling the man's fear.
<P>
"It's the Merfolk.....they want us all to gather. We have to hurry!"
<P>
"But....." Peter started, but Benedict wasn't listening, the man grabbing Peter's arm and dragging him out of the room and down the corridor, other men joining them as they hurried along.
<P>
The tunnel started to slope steeply downwards and the crowd increased, until Peter found himself jostled and pushed along by the surge through a doorway, into an enormous chamber that stretched into the distance and was rapidly filling with the population of humans trapped beneath the sea. As he looked around, Peter saw all ages and nationalities, all with the same haunted look in their eyes, looking past or through their neighbours, chatter kept to a minimum as they congregated in the center of the chamber, milling around each other.
<P>
Benedict pushed his way forward, Peter following close behind so that they ended up on the edge of the crowd to one side. In front of them Peter could see a water curtain, similar to the one in the room he'd first awoken in, the water gleaming very blue, with shapes swirling beyond the wet veil. In this room a channel had been carved into the room itself and was filled with water, providing a conduit between the worlds of water and air. At the end of the conduit was a raised platform, smoothly rounded, its surface gleaming wetly. As Peter watched several men approached the raised platform with large wicker baskets, two men per basket, which they heaved up to sit on a ledge carved into the platform, leaving them there. Peter couldn't see their contents but Benedict leant over the hissed " Aqualite," before returning his attention to the water curtain. Peter looked about him, his height giving him a good view around the chamber, his eyes meeting some of those men near him, their own sliding away after giving him a curious stare, their pale faces, for the most part, expressionless. Nearly all the men gathered looked overworked and defeated, their skin sallow from lack of exposure to the sun. In contrast Peter exuded health and vitality, his skin a golden hue, so different from the sun-starved features surrounding him. Unsettled by the quietness of the crowd and the curious, often hostile stares, Peter turned his attention back to the front, missing the late entrance, at the back of the chamber, of three men, one of them carrying another bundled in his arms.
<P>
"I don't like this Mister Smee......not one bit," hissed Rufus, shuffling nervously, as he gazed out over the heads of the men gathered in the huge rock chamber. Smee could only look up at Rufus and give him a reassuring smile.
<P>
"We're not dead yet, me hearty, so don't cave now. We'll just find out what all this malarky is about, then we're out of here."
<P>
Jack was kneeling down behind them, settling Wendy on the stone floor, her body still swathed in the covers and blankets, her white face peering up at him from the folds as she sat with her back to the wall.
<P>
"What is this place Jack.......where are we?" Wendy whispered, keeping her voice as deep as possible to hide her gender from anyone close enough to be listening.
<P>
"I don't know .....we've yet to find out. But it looks like I was right to pass you off as a boy.....I haven't seen one woman in this crowd, or a boy below seventeen summers of age. There's something terrible going on here, and I think you'd better keep hidden, I don't want you put at risk."
<P>
"I want to see Jack, please help me stand up,"
<P>
"You won't be able to see anything over all these heads...keep down and I'll tell you what I see."
<P>
Their whispered conversation was drawing attention so Wendy withdrew back into her blankets and Jack stood up to see what was happening nearer the front. Given his height he was at a severe disadvantage, plus Smee was almost blind without his spectacles, so they both had to rely on Rufus to give a running commentary on events happening further down the room.
<P>
"There's some sort of wet...no, it's like a waterfall...but it's across an opening in the cave...like an archway." Rufus relayed, speaking from the corner of his mouth as Smee and Jack listened. Their immediate neighbours, after staring with mild curiosity at them, largely ignored the newcomers. "There's a channel dug into the floor that runs from the waterfall to a round rock. Some men have placed big wicker baskets on a ledge, but I can't see what's in them."
<P>
A man standing in front of them, turned briefly and addressed them in a whisper. "It's Aqualite crystals.....the reason we're all here in this hell hole," before turning his back once more. Jack and Rufus exchanged a look before Rufus continued his commentary.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter glanced around the room as a hum of noise started among the waiting crowd, the men shuffling as they waited for whatever they'd been gathered for. As Peter swept his gaze over the restless crowd, he spotted someone standing tall at the back of the room. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the man who appeared to be speaking to someone out of sight below the height of the men around him. It was impossible, but the man looked uncannily like...Peter shook his head, it was not possible, but he looked again. The man raised his head from speaking to whoever was beside him and his head turned toward Peter, the mans mouth dropping open as Peter raised himself on tiptoe to get a better look. A raised hand was all the acknowledgment he needed, it was Rufus, and against all odds the man was here in the same stone chamber as Peter. If Rufus was here, then it was likely that Jack or Smee were with him. Galvanised into action, Peter started to work his way through the crowd, leaving Benedict behind as he pushed and shoved his way towards the back of the room. Behind him he heard a cry but ignored it, fighting his way towards the back wall.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
"Oh my God!" Rufus suddenly yelped after trying to describe the scene to his companions. To Jack's surprise Rufus raised his arm and waved to someone in the crowd.
<P>
"What are you doing? Stop waving!" Jack hissed, pushing past a bewildered, squinting Smee to pull at the big mans arm.
<P>
"But it's..." Rufus started to say when the gong sounded three times and everyone turned to face the front, the water curtain parting and admitting a mermaid, who swam up the channel before climbing up to sit on one side of the rounded rock platform. Another three followed in quick succession, one of them a Merman, until there were four Merfolk draped over the round stone, their tails flapping slowly as they stared at the assembled humans. 
<P>
Peter had heard the gong sound, but hadn't stopped his progress through the crowd, taking a different tack, making for the back wall at right angles to where Rufus still stood, his head searching back and forth for sight of Peter Pan. The men he passed through were straining to see whatever was happening at the front of the crowd, their eyes glinting with mixed emotions, Peter seeing fear and anger in their expressions. With a final shove he reached the cold stone back wall, breathing heavily. He turned to look back and saw the four Merfolk draped over the rounded rock, their sleek bodies preening as they stared at their captive audience. Turning his attention back to his current mission, Peter started to push his way along the wall, getting ever closer to where Rufus was standing. When he was barely ten feet away he saw Smee and Jack, someone else, wrapped in blankets, being held up between them. With a final burst of energy Peter found himself catapulted through the crowd and standing at last beside Jack, who turned and gaped at him in surprise.
<P>
"Peter!" Jack's cry pulled Smee and Rufus around to stare at their missing friend. The figure beside Jack dropped the enveloping blankets and threw herself at Peter, clutching him to her, her pale face flooded with a welter of emotions. Rocked on his heels, Peter clutched the slender form to his chest, Wendy raining kisses on his neck and cheek as he stood for a moment in shock. Within seconds his arms had closed around her and his lips were seeking hers in a desperate kiss, his strong embrace lifting her off the ground as she wound her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with equal passion, oblivious to the people around them.
<P>
Rufus, a grin curling his lips was splitting his attention between the couple lost in their own world, and the scene taking place at the front of the crowd. Turning to Jack he tugged at the man's sleeve to gain his attention. Jack looked up at Rufus, his smile slipping when he noted the man's suddenly serious expression.
<P>
"What is it Rufus?"
<P>
"I'm not sure.....but I don't like it.."
<P>
Down in front of the rounded rock the Merfolk were pointing to men in the crowd with anyone indicated being led forward to stand beside the rock. One of the Mermaids was searching the crowd, obviously looking for a particular person, her gaze passing over Rufus before quickly returning and calling out, her long, sinewy arms raising to point directly at Rufus, her eye's gleaming like oil.
<P>
"She's pointing at me Jack......what do I do?"
<P>
"Nothing Rufus....just stay still.....maybe she'll move on to someone else."
<P>
Peter and Wendy were still embracing, touching each other to reassure themselves that their presence together was an actuality not just a heartfelt wish. Jack coughed to get their attention and they both turned, Jack finding himself stunned momentarily at the love shining from the young couples faces as they looked at him.
<P>
"Urr...there's something happening....the Mermaids..." Jack said, looking back at Rufus who was staring at the front of the room. The crowd was starting to part in front of the small group, leaving a clear passageway, exposing the newcomers to the direct gaze of the Merfolk.
<P>
Peter held Wendy close to his side, his eyes meeting Jack's before turning to stare at the Merfolk at the front of the chamber. Peter saw Benedict start to walk towards them, down the cleared pathway, the man's face grim as he approached the small group. He started when he saw Wendy pressed to Peter's side, his surprise almost comical before his mouth thinned into a grim line and he looked at each of them before speaking.
<P>
"You are all called to serve the Merfolk, there is no chance of refusal.....you have to go."
<P>
"What does that mean Benedict ?" Asked Peter, Wendy looking up at the man, her hands clutching Peter's coat convulsively.
<P>
"It means they want to take you to another city....what will happen there I don't know....no-one has ever returned to tell us."
<P>
A call behind them drew their attention back to the Merfolk, who were all staring at the small group of humans at the back.
<P>
"What if we don't want to go?" Peter challenged, lifting his chin in defiance.
<P>
"They will order your slaughter as a demonstration of their power, you remains will be hung in the chamber to act as an abject lesson on the foolhardiness of defying their rule."
<P>
Wendy gasped, the sound echoed by her companions as Peter's arms tightened around her.
<P>
"I don't think so...." Peter glanced down at Wendy, a smile tilting his lips as he looked down at her. "Tell them we will only speak to Merrill.....she brought me here.....she is the only one I'll go with."
<P>
Benedict gaped at him, the men standing around them starting to press themselves as far as possible from the foolhardy newcomers.
<P>
"I can't tell them that!"
<P>
"Then I'll tell them myself."
<P>
"You speak Mertongue?"
<P>
"As well as anyone here. Better, most likely."
<P>
Shaking his head, Benedict turned on his heel and walked back down the room. Wendy looked up at Peter, a question in her expressive eyes.
<P>
"Trust me Wendy....I'll get us out of this.....all of us."
<P>
"Peter....what about your magic. Can't you wish yourself out of this place?" Asked Jack, Smee and Rufus crowding closer to hear his answer.
<P>
"I tried to use it on the way over.....it didn't work, maybe I'm too far from Neverland."
<P>
"What about flying.....has that gone too?" Asked Smee, peering short-sightedly at Peter.
<P>
Peter cocked a crooked grin, before replying.
<P>
"Where would you have me fly to....." He glanced up at the rock roof far above their heads, "Even the famed Peter Pan can't fly through a mountain."
<P>
"Peter, you still have the power to disrupt and change the weather, it's what drew us here, to find you. There's a storm raging above, it  showed us where you were." Wendy explained, glancing around at the silent audience hanging on every word.
<P>
"Then I'll have to find a way of using that.....to our advantage."
<P>
Benedict had stopped, beckoning them on. With a glance at his would-be rescuers, Peter started forward, Wendy's hand held firmly in his, confidence surging through him as they walked towards the Merfolk. Around them voices rose in a crescendo of muttering and murmurs, the captive men watching round-eyed as the small group walked the length of the chamber to end up in front of the rounded boulder.
<P>
The three Mermaids and one Merman looked down on the small group of humans standing in front of them. The Merman pointed to Wendy and said something to his companions, Peter scowling as he listened. 
<P>
"What is he saying Peter?" Wendy stared up at the Merman, her eyes suddenly meeting his as he turned his head to regard her. She felt a shiver run down her back, already fearing Peter's answer.
<P>
"He won't have you Wendy....I won't let him take you."
<P>
"Peter?" Wendy gripped his hand tightly, moving closer to his side. The Merman above saw the slight movement and hissed in anger, his tail slapping the side of the rock. Peter stared back at him, his mouth opening to emit a sentence in Mertongue, incomprehensible to everyone but the Merfolk. They started in surprise, the Mermaids rising up on their tails before breaking into a torrent of speech, pointing at Peter and exchanging shocked glances between themselves.
Getting over their initial surprise, the Merfolk started to reel off a series of short sentences, their webbed fingers pointing and flexing as they gestured to Peter and his friends. Peter replied in kind, his chin lifting as he addressed them in an arrogant tone, his expressive eyebrow lifting as he seemed to mock them. Wendy could only take comfort in his warm hand entwined with her own, her eyes darting from Peter to the four Merfolk, the conversation apparently stirring the creatures into a frenzy of speech, incomprehensible to most of the listening crowd around them.
<P>
At length, one of the Mermaids turned and slid off the rock into the water beyond, her powerful tail propelling her towards the curtain and out into the open ocean, leaving her the two Mermaids and the Merman behind.  Peter adopted a bored expression, before turning away and speaking to his anxious friends.
<P>
"The Mermaid has gone to fetch Merrill....they don't quite know what to make of me....." Peter smiled to himself, "I told them  I was a powerful sorcerer. That I was the Pan that killed the famous Captain Hook, and ruled the island of Neverland. I also told them that the storm raging above is a taste of my power and if they didn't let us go, I would turn my attention to their city and destroy that with a whirlpool."
<P>
"Can you actually do that Peter?" Asked Wendy worriedly.
<P>
"I don't know....I've never tried, but they don't know that." He grinned down at her cockily, his infectious smile winning an answering smile from his friends.
<P>
"You're taking a might big risk," said Jack, rubbing his chin.
<P>
"Do you have a better plan?"
<P>
"It's a very big bluff...." said Wendy, glancing over Peter's shoulder at the Merman perched on the rock. He was glaring at Peter's back, his eyes flicking to hers before she lowered her gaze and turned away.
<P>
A loud splash alerted them that the Mermaid had returned, this time she was accompanied by Merrill, her long seaweed hair swirling behind her and she raised herself out of the trench and onto the rock beside the other Merfolk. Peter turned slowly around to face her, his face set in angry lines. Merrill saw Wendy standing beside him and she hissed loudly, her mouth opening to show off her pointed, blackened teeth. Wendy tilted her chin and stared back, hoping that the trembling in her limbs didn't show.
<P>
"What nonsense is this you speak, Peter Pan. You are no sorcerer...you are just a boy!" Merrill leaned forward, her upper torso gleaming as she preened her hair back over her shoulders, her grey skin flushed with dark mottling that appeared and disappeared as she glared at Peter. "If you are a sorcerer....why are you still here, why have you not escaped?"
<P>
"I would have.....but I was intrigued to know what has been hidden from the sight of men, so far below the surface." Peter swept his arm wide, "this is a crime against us all.....to keep these men here as slaves."
<P>
"They are lucky to be alive.....they would have drowned if we had not brought them here." One of the Mermaids said, rearing back on her tail smugly.
<P>
"Then you should have freed them, not turned them into  slaves. You've taken away their choice to live or die. They belong back in the world of man, not here in your world."
<P>
"Why should we listen to you, Pan. You are now our slave...you are alive because we choose to let you live."
<P>
"No Merrill...I am here because you took me against my will. I'm no sailor lost overboard from a ship, or a survivor of a foundering, I was brought here by you for your own reasons."
<P>
The Merfolk turned to stare at Merrill, their glassy eyes registering surprise and suspicion. It was one thing to take advantage of a situation, another to deliberately snatch a creature from their world unwillingly. The Merman turned and regarded Merrill with something close to disgust.
<P>
"Is what this Pan says true?"
<P>
Merrill drew back her lips and hissed angrily, her eyes flicking from Peter to the Merman. "What does it matter what he says, he is here now, and as much a slave as the others."
<P>
"Is what he says true?" Asked one of the other Mermaids, her expression stony as Merrill shrugged, tossing her hand airily.
<P>
"What if it is.....he has no power down here. This is our world, with our rules..he will obey as they all do."
<P>
"No I won't Merrill....I thought you our friend, you and your sisters, I told you stories, played my pipes, we were friends."
<P>
"No Mermaid can befriend a man....you are weak and useless except as slaves, this is wasting time. Kill his companions, especially her......she should never have sought him out."
<P>
"No!" Both Peter and the Merman shouted at once, surprising the Mermaids and themselves. Glaring at the Merman, Peter drew himself up  to his full height and raised his chin.
<P>
"You were warned, touch one hair of mine or my friends heads and I will unleash a storm that will destroy all you know."
<P>
"He's bluffing!" Merrill shouted, her long arm lashing out, Peter dodging back as she swiped her webbed claws at him.
<P>
Taking a step back, Peter let go of Wendy's hand after giving her a reassuring smile. Jack, Smee and Rufus also backing off, giving Peter room. Wendy remained by his side, not touching but closing her eyes, willing her strength into Peter, her hands coming to rest across her belly as Peter raised his arms and tilted his head back, his eyes closing. Almost immediately the air above his head started to move, the breeze swirling his curls around his head, lifting tendrils of Wendy's hair, the mini tornado expanding so that Merrill found her seaweed hair whipping around her head, dust and dirt joining the tunnel of air, giving it substance. In the centre, Peter stood with his arms outstretched, his face tilted up with a smile playing over his lips, a glow starting to surround him as the funnel of air grew in strength, beating at the men cowering behind him and blasting the Merfolk on their rock, their hands coming up to shield their faces as debris pelted them, the wind whipping up water from the channel to join the maelstrom forming in the air above where Peter stood.
<P>
Wendy stood within a protected area beside Peter, a glowing warmth starting to spread from her stomach into her whole body, enveloping her in a bright heat. Peter now had a bright light around his outline, his eyes still closed as the storm gathered strength above him, reaching as high as the stone ceiling far above. The force of the wind started to dislodge rocks. As they crashed down, the men scattering to the back of the room and down the tunnels to escape the danger, their cries and yells barely heard above the scream of the wind. Jack, Smee and Rufus were crouched as flat to the floor as possible, their heads covered as they rode out the force of Peter's power, Jack glancing up to see the Mermaids starting to leave the rock but stopping when they found the channel devoid of water, it all sucked up into the funnel of wind that roared around them.
<P>
"Stop.....stop!" Merrill screamed, her arms raised to shield her face as another rock slashed her skin, the wind lashing her hair about her shoulders.
<P>
Opening his eyes, Peter narrowed his gaze and lowered his arms, his green eyes glowing with an unearthly light as he smirked at the cowering Merfolk. Taking in a calming breath, Peter lessened his concentration, the wind starting to drop as he let go of the power throbbing through his body, the glow around him fading as the tornado dissipated, dirt and debris dropping to the floor as the wind lost its grip.
<P>
Finally the gale turned into a breeze, ruffling Peter's hair before dying out all together, leaving only Peter and his friends facing the four Merfolk still perched on their rock. Jack helped Smee to his feet, Rufus glancing up before unwinding his tall form from the stone floor to stand beside his friends. Wendy slipped her hand once more into Peter's, the heat inside her subsiding as his glow disappeared.
<P>
"Do you need a further demonstration?" Peter demanded, staring at each Merfolk in turn, Merrill still defiant, baring her teeth at him.
<P>
"You have proved you are a great sorcerer, Pan." The Merman said, his former arrogance cowered by Peter's display of power. "We will release you.....and the others."
<P>
"NO!" Shrieked Merrill, back-handing the Merman so that he fell back into the channel, the shallow water splashing up as he hit. The other three reared back in shock, one starting to back away as Merrill whipped around, her tail lashing out and sending the Mermaid to join her fellow thrashing in the channel.
<P>
The remaining Mermaids slithered off the rock onto the floor, clumsily using their arms to drag themselves away, scattering the baskets that had formerly stood on the ledges, their glittering contents scattered over the floor. Merrill reared back, tall on her tail, her hands raised like claws in front of her. With a sudden movement she snapped one hand back as if throwing something, a dart flying from her hand, Peter ducking to the side in reflex, the missile burying itself in Wendy's chest before Peter could jerk her out of the way. Her eyes wide with surprise and shock, Wendy looked down at the black thorn protruding from the shirt covering her chest, a ragged circle of blood starting to stain the rough fabric.
<P>
"Peter?"
<P>
Horrified, Peter gathered Wendy in his arms as her legs gave way and her head flopped back on her neck. As Peter knelt down, Jake pulled his knife from behind his back and sent it flying towards Merrill, the blade hitting her in the throat, dark blood spraying out as she scrabbled to pull the hilt from her gills. It proved ineffectual, her chest quickly stained with her life blood as she screamed her defiance, slipping off the rock to land with a thud almost at their feet, her eyes fogging over as death claimed her, her last breath gurgling in her lungs.
<P>
Peter ignored the noises behind him, his eyes staring into Wendy's as she struggled to keep her eyes open, the poison from the dart making it difficult for her to breath or think. Jack knelt beside him, pulling Peter's arm to get him to release her, Peter glancing up in anguish as Jack explained he needed to see the wound. Rufus bundled up his coat and laid it on the floor to act as a pillow as Peter lowered Wendy gently to the floor. Jack plucked the black dart from Wendy's chest before pulling her shirt aside and examining the wound, the flesh red and inflamed, blood seeping sluggishly from the hole, Wendy's eyes rolling as she finally succumbed to the darkness pulling her under.
<P>
"Wendy.....come back, don't shut your eyes!" Peter cried out in fear,  Wendy's body starting to convulse as dark streamers started to fan out from the center of the wound. "Jack...save her!" Peter implored, staring wild-eyed at the ships doctor, who could only stare back helplessly.
<P>
"I don't know what to do.....I don't know!" Jack whispered, his eyes round as he stared at the long black fingers radiating out from the small hole which no longer bled. Wendy's breathing was becoming labored, her lungs heaving as she tried to drag in each breath, her eyes closed, her body trembling with the strain of breathing. A wet sound behind them made Peter leap to his feet, his teeth bared as the Merman approached awkwardly, his body balanced on his hands, his tail trailing behind.
<P>
"It's a poison.....Shatung has gone for the remedy......we didn't know Merrill was armed, its not...." He stopped, gesturing helplessly  as Peter turned his back on the Merman, kneeling down to take Wendy's limp hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a kiss, his eyes burning with unshed tears.
<P>
The Merman shuffled back, leaning his back against the rounded boulder, his hand coming up to press against the back of his head, his webbed fingers coming away coated in dark blood from his fall from the rock. The channel behind the rock had once more refilled with sea water, a mermaid appearing suddenly through the curtain and swimming quickly up the channel before climbing out and coming to sit beside the Merman.
<P>
"Shatung is here......Pan, the cure is here.....quickly!"
<P>
Peter let go of Wendy's cold hand and reached out for the vial held out by the Mermaid, his fingers closing around the small bubble of glass, his eyes bleak. Turning back he passed the bottle to Jack who pulled the cork and held it to Wendy's blue lips. He managed to get some into her mouth but a trickle ran out one corner, her throat muscles paralysed.
<P>
"She can't swallow Peter....I can't get it down her," Jack cried out, his hands shaking as he glanced over Peter's shoulder to the Merfolk watching the tragedy unfold. "What can I do....she can't swallow!"
<P>
"Pour it on the wound.....quickly!"
<P>
Jack looked at Peter for a translation. "Pour it on the wound Jack...." 
<P>
With trembling fingers, Jack poured the light blue liquid onto the small hole left by the dart, the potion rapidly disappearing directly into Wendy's skin. Where it touched the black lines, they started to recede. As Jack poured the rest of the liquid onto her chest, the black lines started to fade, Wendy's breathing becoming easier, her chest slowing its frantic heaving as air flowed in more easily. Within seconds her lips lost their blue cast, parting to let life-giving air flow into her lungs as the cure banished the poison from her system.
<P>
Peter gathered her into his arms, rocking her as she lay limply in his embrace, her eyes still shut, her heart thudding against his own as he breathed her name into her hair, his hands holding her pressed to his chest.
<P>
Behind the small group, the Merfolk sat quietly talking, the Merman gesturing towards Peter and the others as he argued with the Mermaid he'd called Shatung. Rufus, glancing warily  between the drama taking place at his feet and the Merfolk, stepped towards the body of Merrill, laying slumped at the base of the boulder. Looking at her mottled skin, Rufus lifted her arm and found a cleverly disguised holder under the Mermaid's wrist. Tearing it off, he opened it and found four more darts gleaming in their holder. Closing the case carefully, Rufus returned to the group gathered around Peter, seeing Wendy's eyelids flutter as she regained consciousness.
<P>
"P-p-e-t-e-r-r..." Wendy's slurred whisper brought Peter's head up, his eyes alight with hope as he returned her heavy-lidded gaze, his lips lifting in a half smile.
<P>
"You gave us all a fright....how are you feeling?"
<P>
"Th..e.....ba...by?" Peter glanced up at Jack, unable to answer Wendy's question, his eyes pleading with Jack to give her the answer she needed. Jack could only shrug slightly, his gaze anguished. Peter closed his eyes briefly before returning to look down into Wendy's glazed eyes.
<P>
"The baby's fine love.....don't worry, you're both fine." He lowered his head and kissed her, his lips trembling slightly as he heard Wendy sigh in relief, his heart heavy in his chest.
<P>
"Jack.....take care of Wendy for me....I need to talk to the Merfolk."
<P>
Lowering Wendy to the floor, Peter got to his feet and turned to face the Merman, his face impassive as he approached the creatures sitting  against the rock. Folding his arms across his chest, Peter stood, legs slightly apart, waiting for the Merman to speak.
<P>
"She will live now.....you got the potion to her in time. We are glad." The Merman announced, his eyes flicking from Peter to the half-hidden figure still laying on the ground behind him.
<P>
"We need to talk about the situation down here.....these people....they need to be freed from their bondage." Peter stated, his tone implacable.
<P>
"We have had long discussions about the situation here, long before you arrived Peter Pan. The mine is rapidly running out of Aqualite, this last offering is the most that has been mined in many years. There had been some proposals to shut the mine down, but there was the problem of what to do with the men."
<P>
"Where were you taking those you'd chosen, before you brought me forward?"
<P>
"We try and distribute the men around the various cities, spread the load of caring for them, although they are no longer needed for the mine. We usually choose the oldest or sickest, farm them out as servants for various families....we thought we were doing them a favour....it seems that we weren't. The men we take usually don't survive after the first few days, the losses to suicide have been.....upsetting."
<P>
"Why did you choose me and my friends?"
<P>
"I don't know......the Mermaid that picked you out, she has disappeared. We suspect she was in league with Merrill to keep you for herself......even though Mermaid and Man relationships are banned by our laws, as an abomination."
<P>
"Will you free the remaining people here?"
<P>
"What if we don't?"
<P>
"You've seen what I can do......do you really want me to get angry and unleash that storm among your coral cities?"
<P>
The Mermaid made a small noise and the Merman turned to her, before turning back to face Peter. "We don't want that.....we would be happy to release the workers....but if they return to the surface as it is, they will drown.....there is no ship to take them back to where they came from."
<P>
"Neverland is not far from here.....that is where Merrill took me from. If they could be taken there......?"
<P>
"I have heard of Neverland....although I have never been there. Is the island large enough to take so many?"
<P>
"More than big enough. What we would need is a ship."
<P>
"That can be supplied.....not all ships that sink are unsalvagable. There was one only last week......but I digress. First I must put your proposal..."The Merman paused, his mouth twisting wryly. "Your request that the men be freed, to our council of Ten. But I don't think there will be any opposition. This problem, as I said before, has long been under discussion, and a solution sought. This will bring it to a head and I'm sure, please everyone."
<P>
"How long before you have an answer?"
<P>
"By the next tide you will have your answer."
<P>
"Good. Let us hope your council of Ten agrees with you."
<P>
As Peter watched, the Merfolk worked their way back to the channel cut in the rock and dived in, swimming strongly for the cascading curtain before disappearing into the sea beyond. Peter's shoulders relaxed visibly before he turned on his heel and came to kneel beside Wendy. She smiled up at him, her left hand resting on her middle, the other outstretched to him. Peter took it and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, smiling back at her.
<P>
"We need to get her somewhere more comfortable than this rock floor lad."
<P>
"You're right Jack....we'll go back into the tunnels, Benedict was showing me a room with many beds just before the gong sounded. That should do fine."
<P>
With relative ease, Peter knelt and lifted Wendy into his arms. Rufus offered his arm to Smee to guide the short-sighted old man, while Jack brought up the rear, returning briefly to pull his knife from Merrill's neck before walking after the others.
<P>
As they trooped out of the chamber, Rufus glanced back to stare at the devastation left behind, the rock strewn floor and dead Mermaid. Shaking his head, Rufus turned back and followed his friends up the tunnel, Smee's firm grip, warm on his arm.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Six - Surfacing<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Wendy looked over at Rufus, the giant sitting uneasily on a cot beside her own, his head swinging between glancing at her and the doorway beyond her bed. As he kept watch he twisted his hands together anxiously, his fleshy bottom lip pulled into his mouth and worried by his top teeth.
<P>
"Rufus.....you don't have to stay if you want to go and see what's happening."
<P>
"Oh no....Peter asked me to stay.....and stay I will....it's just....I don't like it here, its too closed in. I like being on a ship, its open and free......here its dark and pokey."
<P>
"You really don't like enclosed places, do you Rufus....I'm sorry I got you into this mess."
<P>
"Not your fault...."Rufus shrugged, "it's the reason I became a sailor and not a miner." He stared off into space for a second. "My father was a miner, and his father before him.....all my brothers worked in the mine, but I couldn't......great disappointment to my family, I was...." He heaved a sigh, looking down at his fingers.
<P>
"Well I'm very glad you're not a miner Rufus....you've proved a good friend to me and Peter...and I'm sure your family would be very proud of you..."
<P>
Wendy was rewarded for her kindness with a broad smile from Rufus, his blunt face quite transformed by his grin and twinkling eyes.
<P>
Wendy smiled back, before shifting on the lumpy mattress, her hip digging into a particularly hard lump as she turned to face the door, as eager as Rufus to find out what was happening.
<P>
Peter, together with Jack and Smee had left hours ago, to meet with Captain Benedict to explain what they'd learnt from the Merfolk, and the proposed plan to release the men back to the surface. Absently she rubbed the spot on her chest that still felt a little sore, hardly believing that she had been struggling to draw a breath, on the brink of dying as the poison from Merrills dart spread its poison through her body. Now she felt fine, a small puncture wound the only evidence that it hadn't all been a bad dream. She longed to return to Neverland, to their treehouse, to having Peter to herself for a little while. She reached up and pressed her fingers around her talisman, the gold acorn cool against her finger-tips. A commotion outside the door drew her up onto her elbow, Rufus rising to his feet, his hands clenched into fists.
<P>
A face appeared around the edge of the door, a woman, followed by several more, all of them crowding into the room, shuffling inside and sidling down the wall of the room, keeping as far from Wendy and Rufus as possible. Wendy sat up as Rufus positioned himself close beside the bed, eyeing the women with caution. The women were of mixed ages and races, one coming forward, pushed by her silent companions to approach Wendy. 
<P>
With her eyes darting back and forth between Wendy and the women, the lone spokesperson drew in a deep breath and hesitantly opened her mouth. "Are we going to be freed too?"
<P>
Swinging her legs over the edge of the cot, Wendy stood up, the women shrinking back from her as she moved towards them. Halting, Wendy stared back at the curious faces, her own adopting a calm expression as the women regarded her with a mixture of fear and awe.
<P>
"Whatever we are able to organise will included everyone down here,"
<P>
"It's been so long....I haven't seen the sun in so many years....." 
<P>
"It's still up there..." said Wendy, holding out her hand towards her, finding her fingers clasped tentatively by the woman, her face apprehensive as Wendy drew her down to sit beside her on the bed. The other women crowded close, keeping their distance from Rufus but surrounding Wendy as she sat on the bed.
<P>
"We heard that if we get out of here, we'll be going to an island, called....Never....er....Neverland?"
<P>
"That's right....its where we came from, it's my home."
<P>
"What's it like?" Asked one of the women, the others leaning forward to hear the answer.
<P>
"It's beautiful....full of jungles and waterfalls and birds and flowers...." Wendy told them, her voice betraying her love of the island.
<P>
"Is there a town there.....people?"
<P>
"Well no....there is a pirate village and an Indian village....."
<P>
"Strange sort of place....pirates....Indians.....?" Said another women, her expression disbelieving.
<P>
"No stranger than this......plus it has plenty of space and food and shelter."
<P>
"It sounds like heaven.....but anything would, after this hell." One of the women said, other voices agreeing with her.
<P>
A lone voice piped up from the back, "I want to go home.....please, can't I just go home?"
<P>
The whole scene reminded Wendy of the Jolly Roger and the pirates that wanted to return to their own time and place. Biting her lip, she pondered whether to tell the women about Peter's ability to send them home, but she remained unsure, Peter's power to wish seemingly affected by the distance from his home.
<P>
"There may be a way to send you home...I don't know yet....we'll have to wait until you arrive in Neverland."
<P>
The women looked at each other, then at Wendy, hope, fear and caution warring with each other, overlaid with worry for their future. Wendy had no way of reassuring them, her own fears for herself and her baby starting to crowd in as the hours passed and Peter didn't return. Eventually the women drifted away, leaving Wendy alone with Rufus again.
<P>
Feeling unbelievably weary, Wendy settled back on the cot to sleep, her hands cradled protectively around her middle, while Rufus resumed his watch over her.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
She awoke to the feel of a warm pair of lips pressed to her cheek, her eyes opening to find her husband scant inches from the end of her nose. Blinking, she smiled, receiving an answering grin as his eyes roamed over her face, his eyebrow raising as he leant forward to kiss her lips.
<P>
"Come on sleepyhead.....it's time to go home."
<P>
Suddenly very much awake, Wendy rose up onto her elbow and stared at Peter. "Home.....we're going home?"
<P>
"That is, unless you've taken a liking to these caves and want to stay?"
<P>
Pushing herself up, Wendy took Peter's proffered hand and rose to her feet, his arm snaking around her waist as she looked up into his beloved  face.
<P>
"Does this mean I have to get wet again....I've only just got over my last dunking."
<P>
"I promise your feet will remain as dry as dust......well, atleast only a little damp....come on....I want to show you..."
<P>
Belatedly, Wendy looked around and saw that Rufus was missing.
<P>
"He's gone to join Smee and Jack, they're waiting for us....."
<P>
"Oh....did I sleep that long?"
<P>
"Long enough.....come on."
<P>
Tugging at her hand, Peter led her out of the dormitory and along the passageway, leading her back to the stone chamber where she'd been struck down by the Mermaids poisoned dart. The tunnel was deserted, Peter and Wendy the only people to be seen.
<P>
"Where is everyone?"
<P>
"Most of them are up there," Peter pointed towards the roof, smiling when Wendy's mouth formed into an oh of surprise. Leaning down, he kissed her again, grinning at her blush as he picked up the pace, Wendy almost running to keep up.
<P>
They entered the large stone chamber in a rush, Wendy almost stopping dead as she took in the scene across from them. There was a small crowd of people standing near the curtain of water, their faces turned to watch as a group of men filed into a large glass bell jar made up of different shaped pieces of crystal that gave it a jewel like appearance. The base of the bell was a thickly woven mat of rubbery seaweed that extended up the sides to form a net ending in a ring at the top. Five people could stand or sit inside in comfort, another man closing the door behind them, a seaweed seal making the door watertight. The jar currently sat half in-half out of the cascade, with a signal that all was secure, the bell was lifted by a means that Wendy couldn't seen and pulled through the curtain and out of sight, into the sea beyond.
<P>
"Oh Peter......where is it going, what's happened to it?"
<P>
"It's been taken to the surface Wendy.....our own magic carpet ride, just like that story you told once, of Aladdin and the genie."
<P>
"But....what happens when it gets there?"
<P>
They were approaching the group remaining by the water-curtain, Rufus, Jack and Smee all turned to greet her, Jack hugging her as she  arrived to stand beside them.
<P>
"The Merman I was speaking to, mentioned a ship that went down, not too long ago. It had a number of life boats that weren't used when the ship sank. The Merfolk salvaged them and took them to the surface to form a flotilla." Peter explained, looking very pleased with himself. "Some of the Mermaids will tow the boats to Neverland."
<P>
"But how.....I don't understand....they've just let us go?"
<P>
Peter kissed her on the temple, squeezing her shoulders as she gazed a trifle confusedly up at him.
<P>
"Enough to say, they were looking for a solution to a problem....and we've unwittingly supplied the answer." Peter looked grave for a moment. "There's something you should know, Merrill was suffering from a disease, it caused the mottling on her skin, it also affected her reasoning. She was sick, Wendy, that's why she behaved the way she did. I know the Mermaids, at least the ones that normally frequent Neverland, and she wasn't one of them. The first time I saw her was when she rescued me from Traitors Rock. Even then she must have been in the early stages, according to what I've leant from the Merfolk here." He hugged Wendy to him. "Normally there is only limited contact between men and Mermaids...the few that visit Neverland come from a separate colony, unique to Neverland. Most of the Mermaids here, have never heard of the island, or of me." Peter shrugged depreciatingly, "the situation with the mine arose with the last council of Ten, who were overthrown only recently. Since that coup, they've been trying to find a way to solve the question of what to do with the people. The mine is all but exhausted, but they couldn't just evict the humans into the ocean. So you could say that Merrill kidnapping me was a...." Peter hesitated, not knowing the best way to describe the anguish and pain caused by the dead Mermaids thoughtless abduction, or the relatively happy outcome for everyone concerned. " um......"
<P>
"Serendipity!" Announced Smee, beaming vaguely in their direction.
<P>
"So we really can go home....Oh Peter, I so want to go now..."
<P>
"We just have to wait for the bell to return. Once it gets us to the surface, I think I know a way to get us home more quickly than by boat."
<P>
"Oh please say we can fly home.....I don't think I want to hazard another sea voyage......I feel queasy just thinking of it!"
<P>
"Then fly you shall......all of us.......yes, even you Rufus," said Peter, laughing at the expression of the big man's face. 
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
The return to Neverland was achieved with as little fuss as possible. The bell, towed by the Merfolk, bobbed to the surface of the sea and floated there, the water streaming down the walls as the small group peered out at the sunlit sea, a gentle swell making the bell jar rock from side to side. Peter and the others were the last to leave the undersea world, their trip to the surface accompanied by a swarm of Merfolk, twirling and twisting through the water like seals, peering at the strange beings in the crystal jar. Once the door was opened, Peter sucked in a deep breath of salty air before feeling the well of energy fill his body, lifting him off the seaweed mat floor and into the air above the rolling sea. For a few minutes he revelled in the freedom, twisting and coiling himself through the air in a similar way that the Merfolk  moved through their own watery domain. Several heads were bobbing beside the crystal jar, as they watched Peter perform a series of aerobatics before flying down to hover outside the door of the bell, holding out his hand for Wendy to take. Feeling nervous at first, Wendy took his hand willingly, quickly rediscovering her confidence and leading Peter on a merry chase over the waves before returning to lift the three waiting patiently below.
<P>
Wendy took charge of Jack, holding his hand as she lifted into the sky, her laughter ringing out as he squeezed his eyes shut initially, his death grip on her hand and wrist turning his fingers white. Peter held out a hand to Smee and Rufus, drawing them up into the air beside him, Smee, blissfully unaware because of his short-sightedness and previous experience with flying, relaxed and let Peter tow him home. Rufus, at first tense and fearful, relaxed when Peter showed no signs of dropping him, Smee's calm face and demeanour an added incentive to let go of his fear and enjoy the ride.
<P>
The skies above Neverland were their usual blue and fluffy-cloud self, a welcome that everyone relished. Peter dropped their friends in the middle of the fishing village, the place crowded with milling, pale faced men and women, a dozen boats bobbing in the small harbour as the former crew of the Jolly Roger organised quarters for the night and food, while their unexpected guests simply absorbed their new found freedom, along with the abundant fresh air and sunshine.
<P>
Peter took a firm grip of Wendy's hand and flew with her back to the treehouse, their feet touching down on the bamboo slats with a warm feeling of coming home.
<P>
Flying to their sleeping hut, wendy touched down and instantly kicked off her sea-boots. Just as quickly, she shed her salt stained and sticky clothes, standing naked and unafraid for the first time in days, her fears and worries banished by the bright sun, familiar surroundings and Peter's presence by her side. As she worked at freeing her hair from its long plait, she found Peter's hands joining hers, teasing her hair from its tightly woven knot, his fingers combing through her long hair as she finally freed it from its confinement. Turning around, she looped her arms around his neck, her hair hanging loose down her back. Peter gazed down at her with amusement playing around his mobile lips as he took in her bluer-than-blue eyes and lush curves.  
<P>
Wendy smiled up at him, her eyes heavy lidded and sultry. "I feel positively decadent, no clothes, no worries, no cares.....I think I'll be content if I never see another Mermaid or the sea again...or at least not for a little while!"
<P>
Grinning at her, Peter kissed her on the forehead, "That could be a little difficult, not seeing the sea I mean, we are on an island..."
<P>
"I don't care......I intend to sit and soak up the sun, watch the birds in the trees and think about all sorts of things, but no salty water or watery creatures."
<P>
"You'll end up as brown as a berry, I won't be able to tell you from one of the Indians,"
<P>
Peter pulled slightly away, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it hastily over his head, as Wendy turned away and sauntered provocatively over to their bed, her hair swaying around her shoulders as she stood with her back to him. As he divested himself of his confining clothes, Peter found himself trembling slightly, his fingers clumsy as he shucked his trousers and kicked off his own boots.
<P>
"I thought I'd go back and see about sending those people back to their homes....if they want to go.." Peter mused as he kicked off the last item of clothing and padded over to where Wendy stood, her head half turned, her arms by her side. "But that can wait......" He swept some of her hair away from her shoulder, pressing a kiss on the top of her arm, working his way up towards her neck, Wendy leaning her head over to expose more of her skin to his questing lips. Peter continued his musing, "I was also thinking....that we should look for a somewhere to build a home..." He found her ear and nibbled on that for a minute, his hands sliding down her arms, coming around the front to rest on her hips. "Somewhere on the ground....so you don't have to risk any falls when......" He placed his hands over her abdomen, rubbing small circles over the softly rounded mound. "You get too big to want to fly...." The heat from her body was sending him into a frenzy of want, his mouth resting on the juncture where her neck met her collar bone, his hands still circling lazily around her middle as Wendy pressed herself back against his front, her head falling back to rest on his shoulder.
<P>
"That sounds nice," Wendy replied, her voice low and dreamy. She drew in a breath and started more strongly, "Peter.....when you've sorted out all there is to sort out......I want to go back to London......I want to go home."
<P>
As if suddenly frozen solid, Peter stopped all his ministrations as shock stiffened his joints and stilled his breath. Gasping slightly, as if he'd forgotten how to breath, Peter pulled away from Wendy, his hands lax as they fell to his sides, his eyes rounding in disbelief as she turned to face him, her own eyes faintly surprised at his reaction.
<P>
Finding his voice through vocal cords that seemed to have become strangled, Peter forced words past his stiff lips.
<P>
"You want..to go.....home? You are home...this is your home.....here with me.....us....here....." He slashed the air with his hand as anger fought for supremacy among his churning emotions. "There is no other home Wendy......ever!"
<P>
Shocked at his sudden vehemence, Wendy could only stare as Peter seemed to vibrate in front of her, his handsome face contorting in anger, as he fought to choke back the pain trying to rend his breaking heart in two.
<P>
Suddenly realising that he had misconstrued her request, Wendy reached out a hand and laid it flat against his chest, his heart beating frantically under her fingers as he stared at her, his eyes dark with disbelief, his confusion plain.
<P>
"No Peter...I didn't mean I wanted to go home......for good! How could you think that? I meant......I want to go home and tell my family about us....about this," She held up her left hand, where the gold ring glinted in the fitful light coming in through the windows of their hut. "I want to tell them about this," She pulled one of his  chilled hands to rest against her belly, pressing it tightly against her flesh. 
<P>
His fingers curled reflexively against her warm skin, his tense muscles relaxing as he let her words sink into his panic, soothing his fears as he realised she wasn't saying she was going to leave him, leave Neverland.
<P>
Wendy drew closer, her full breasts pressing softly against the hard muscles of his chest, her arms slowly wrapping around his sides and back, pulling him against her warmth, her head coming to rest against his heart as she surrounded him in her scent and heat. As if coming out of a dream, or rather a nightmare, Peter raised his hands to splay them over her smooth back, her hair flowing over his fingers as she inched impossibly closer, all her curves fitting his hard planes as if designed for no other purpose.
<P>
"I want to show you off to my family......as my husband, my lover, my all and everything, the father of my child and future children. That's why I want to go home.....to show them how happy I am with you."
<P>
Her words acted like a flame, igniting a light inside him that burned more fiercely than anything before, his cheek coming to rest against the top of her head as he folded her more tightly into his arms, his face curving into an impossibly smug smile as he closed his eyes and just let the feeling wash over him, all his panic and fears vanishing like mist.
<P>
How long they stood there, neither knew nor cared, but eventually they parted, Wendy taking Peter's hand and leading him to their bed, both of them sinking down onto the soft furs as they channelled all their feelings into expressing their love in every way physical. Through touch and murmured words, through heated kisses and ultimately their joining of body and soul, lifting them beyond their earthly bodies and into the realm of passion and ecstasy, only to return and find themselves inseparably entwined, sated and sweaty, once more cast upon the shores of their own private world.
<P>
They dozed in the warm, sunlit hut, only to awake and rekindle their passion anew, blazing trails over their skin with lips and hands until they exploded into cries and murmured names, their bodies melded impossibly close, their hearts beating an echo of the other as they lay pressed together.
<P>
Later, Peter lay with his head just below Wendy's breasts, his finger idly tracing patterns around her belly button, stroking the warm skin as he ran his fingers back and forth in wonder at the life growing within. Wendy had her fingers buried in his sun-kissed curls, her nails scraping against his scalp as she combed it, loving the feel of his silky hair through her fingers. The air was redolent with the smell of sunshine and salt, of the jungle and sex. A perfume that enveloped them, enticing their senses and teasing their libidos.
<P>
"Wendy....."
<P>
"Hmmmmm?"
<P>
"I would never.....I mean...I know you were jealous of Merrill.."
<P>
Wendy made an inarticulate sound and stopped combing her fingers through his hair. Peter swallowed and continued.
<P>
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you.....it was only a game...I didn't...I wouldn't...."
<P>
"I know Peter....any more than I would....I was upset because I thought you were bored with me...bored with having to play house. I mean, it hardly compares with fighting pirates and all the other exciting things you used to do."
<P>
Wendy started to comb his hair again and Peter smiled against her stomach. " I do miss it.....sort of. But I'd miss you more, I'd miss this more..." He raised his head, twisting it to look up her body and catch her eye. "I wouldn't ever want to give this up, not for anything...."
<P>
"Not even to have back all the excitement and danger? All the sword fights and thrills?"
<P>
Pushing himself off her, Peter rolled onto his back, pulling her onto his chest so that she now lay on top of him, her face above his, her hair falling forward to surround him.
<P>
"It wouldn't be fun if you weren't there....what point is there in doing heroic and daring things, if there's no one to tell about it, or share it with...and it wasn't all fun, this last adventure has taught me that....when that dart," he swallowed hard, his throat working as Wendy stroked light fingers over his face, "When I held you, and thought you were going to......I don't think I could have gone on living....I would give up anything to keep you from harm, to not have that happen again. I couldn't bear to lose you.....not now, not ever."
<P>
Moved beyond words, Wendy felt tears slip over her lashes and roll down her cheek, her lips parting on a sob as she smiled tremulously down at him, her eyes shining with love for this man that cherished her so much and meant so much to her.
<P>
"Oh Peter...." She barely managed to whisper, before kissing him with all the love she had in her, her elbows bracing her as she poured her heart through her soft lips, her fingertips smoothing his skin as she gave him her all.
<P>
As they made slow, glorious love on the furs, the sun started to lower in the sky, the clouds turning rainbow shades of gold and orange, pink streaks turning to red as the sunset coloured the heavens, before laying herself to rest over the horizon, the first star shining brightly in the darkening sky above the jungle while two lovers slipped in and out of heaven on earth, once more.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Seven - A Return to a Past Life<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Author's Note: Lot's of fluff and some naughty stuff, nothing too graphic. 
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Life continued at a pace that could almost be called normal, or at least normal for Neverland. Peter returned everyday to the pirate village to help organise the people freed from the Mermaid mine. Those that had a home to return to, were wished there, Peter finding that his magic had returned with his arrival back on the island. Alindra, whom Peter visited the day after they got back, confirmed that his ability to control and wield his special magic, was entirely dependant on his proximity to Neverland itself. His other abilities, such as flying and the weather, were not so dependant on actually being on the island, but still needed Peter to be within the sphere of the islands particular influence, the boundaries of which were not clearly defined. The Fairy Queen's answers provided a clue to why Peter's trips to London had seemed always to leave him drained, his return to Neverland filling him with a surge of energy, as if recharging his reserves. 
<P>
Armed with this knowledge, he worked with the pirates and miners to create a new township that all were happy to call home. Almost half of the men and women brought to Neverland wanted to stay, their experience under the sea giving them a greater appreciation of the beauty of the island and their freedom. All those that chose to stay, viewed their arrival as a chance to start again, a new life away from what had gone before. At first they viewed Peter with scepticism and some amount of awe, several people frightened of his power, so that Peter had to approach each person individually to give them the choice of staying or returning to the real world beyond the boundaries of Neverland. It all took time and each day Peter returned to Wendy and the treehouse a little more drained, weighed down with the responsibilities of his world, glad to shed it all for a short time within her arms, her touch enough to rejuvenate him.
<P>
For her part, Wendy set about finding a site for their new home, taking Peter at his word that they needed to find somewhere at ground level, to avoid as many chances of mishaps, as Wendy's body grew to accommodate their child. She was more than happy to comply, her thoughts having already been moving in that direction when the whole episode with the Mermaids arose. Now she spent most of her mornings flying over the peaks and valleys of Neverland, exploring every glade and wood, to find the perfect place to live. It proved harder than she had originally thought. Neverland was filled to the brim with suitable sites, all of them well served with water and food, all of them more beautiful in aspect than the last, until Wendy felt she couldn't choose one from the other. It was proving most vexing.
<P>
After a month of searching, she was still as undecided as before, her body starting to swell as she entered her second trimester. She was still slender, but there was a definite rounding to her belly and Peter seemed to spend hours, when they lay together during the night, just caressing the soft mound, still in a state of wonder at the life growing within her, before making gentle love to her as the dawn broke over their treehouse. For Wendy, her nausea was a thing of the past, her appetite as healthy as before, with only the occasional craving for the unusual or unobtainable. Jack kept a regular check on her general health, his prognosis always a happy one, his demeanour always positive that everything would work out fine. Wendy had her own doubts about the whole business of delivering the baby, her fears not always conveyed to those that cared about her, but she sought to push them to the back of her mind and not worry herself unnecessarily. She trusted Jack, his competent manner putting her mind at ease over most of her niggling concerns and questions.
<P>
She hadn't forgotten her request to Peter, to return to London, but had put if aside for a short time, Peter's preoccupation with getting the pirates and miners sorted out taking priority. Now time was ticking by and Wendy felt a restless need to see her Mother, a feeling she attributed to her present state, which in no way lessened her desire to return, in fact only heightened it, until one day she brought the matter to a head.
<P>
They were laying together, relaxed and sated after an particularly energetic bout of afternoon love-making, in a meadow bordered by tall trees and a small brook. It was one of Wendy's favourite places, full of flowers and sunshine, the air soft as it wafted over her damp skin, sheened with the sweat of her recent exertions. It was here she wanted to build their home, sheltered and private, but not so far from everyone that they felt cut off or isolated. Peter was laying on his back beside her, his chest heaving as he recovered from their passionate coupling, his arm thrown over his face to shield his eyes from the bright sun. Wendy lay on her side facing him, her head propped on her elbow as her fingers, holding a stalk of grass with a fluffy seed head, stroked over Peter's belly, making his muscles jump as she tickled him.
<P>
"Peter?"
<P>
"Hmmmmm.." He used his hand to brush the distracting grass stalk off him for the umpteenth time.
<P>
"I think it's time...."
<P>
"Time? Time for what ?"
<P>
"Time we made that trip.....back to London, back to see my family."
<P>
Lifting his arm, he narrowed his eyes and looked at her.
<P>
"You want to go now?"
<P>
"Well.....you've done all there is to do for the people at the village, haven't you?"
<P>
"I guess..."
<P>
"And I'm over all that fainting and nausea stage, and I'm not too big yet.....and Jack said it would be alright......"
<P>
"And you want to go now?"
<P>
"Well.....yes."
<P>
"Okay...." Peter replaced his arm back over his eyes.
<P>
"....and I thought, well we could take back some presents to the boys, like shells or suchlike....."
<P>
"Okay."
<P>
"...and I'm sure Mother would love a cutting of that heavenly scented flower we found last week, and I could give Father one of those fossil rocks you brought back from the volcano...."
<P>
"Okay..."
<P>
"Peter.....are you actually listening?"
<P>
"Okay..."
<P>
Scowling in mock fierceness, Wendy threw the grass stalk at Peter before pushing herself up and swinging her leg over his body to straddle him, her fingers digging into his ribs to find all his most sensitive and ticklish places. Peter yelled, his arms coming down to clamp against his sides, as he tried to stop her relentless assault, his legs pushing up to buck her off to the side, his own arms and legs quickly covering her as she lay giggling under him, his hands holding her instruments of torture above her head, while she wriggled to dislodge him.
<P>
"No fair...that was an unprovoked attack....."Peter laughed, looking down into her bright eyes and flushed face.
<P>
"No it wasn't....you were not paying attention. You didn't hear a word I said!" Wendy retorted, sparkling up at him.
<P>
Peter grinned down at her, his eyes alight with wicked mischief as he lowered his head until they were nose to nose.
<P>
"You have my attention now.....whatcha going to do about it?"
<P>
"Well get off me and I'll show you."
<P>
Giving her a hard kiss, Peter rolled off and lay once more on his back, while Wendy slowly resumed her previous position, her hands on either side of his head, her knees either side his hips, as she slowly lowered herself so that her bottom sat squarely on his groin, wriggling around until she felt him swell under her.
<P>
"Now that I have you're full attention," Wendy pushed her backside down against him again, Peter's hands coming up to rest on her hips as his breath hissed between his teeth.
<P>
"I'm listening......just don't move, or I won't be held responsible for my actions, you evil tormentor!"
<P>
Laughing down at him, Wendy lowered her head to kiss him before raising herself up again.
<P>
"Seriously Peter......when can we go?.....I long to see my Mother. She'll be so excited, I know she will, about the baby, about us."
<P>
Peter had his own ideas about her parents reactions to the situation, but he wasn't about to provoke an argument with his wife at this point.
<P>
"Why don't we go tomorrow......as you said, there's nothing needing my attention, I can check with Jack this afternoon, in case something comes up while we're away."
<P>
"Oh Peter......thank you." Wendy lowered her face again, kissing Peter with renewed enthusiasm, heat starting to coil inside her as the kiss deepened and his hands started to caress her body, his arousal pressing hard against her sex, as need overrode reason.
<P>
Sitting up once more, Wendy rose up on her knees and reached behind her, positioning Peter before sheathing his hardness inside her, Peter groaning as his eyes slammed shut, his hands clutching her waist.
<P>
Leaning down, she whispered in his ear, her warm breath wrenching another groan from her husband.
<P>
"I love you Peter..."
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
If truth be known, Wendy was more nervous than he was, as she bustled around their sleeping cabin, clothes scattered every-which-way while she tried to decided what to pack for her return to London. She felt full of energy, her movements slightly jerky as if not able to keep up with her thoughts, which were currently racing a million miles an hour, in an effort not to forget anything.
<P>
From his position on the bed, well out of the way of the hurricane currently inhabiting his wife, Peter watched indulgently, ignoring the growing pile of items that she expected to take back as gifts and necessities.
<P>
He never tired of watching her, her beauty only enhanced as she bloomed before his eyes. She had put on weight, her figure more full, her limbs nicely rounded, her slight belly hidden beneath the full skirt of her dress. Her skin and hair simply glowed, a feature of pregnancy that Jack had told Peter would happen, but which he hadn't entirely believed, until he saw the evidence before him.
<P>
Wendy disappeared into the back room again, leaving Peter alone to contemplate the heap of bits and pieces that Wendy wanted him to carry. It wasn't that it was all that much, it was just that the day was already advanced, and they were no closer to leaving than when they arose at first light. Peter fidgeted with the gold chain around his neck, his wavering attention drawn to his hand as a shaft of sunlight glinted off the ring on his third finger. Whatever happened, there was nothing that Wendy's parents or family could do now to part them.
<P>
Wendy rushed back into the room, her face flushed as she stood staring down at the items on the bed, her eyes glancing up to see Peter's patient expression as he lay with his hands behind his head, watching her.
<P>
"I know......I know....." She huffed, sitting down suddenly on the edge of the bed.
<P>
"You don't have to do this Wendy.....if it's too difficult?"
<P>
"Don't be silly......I do want to go.....it's just...." She looked down at her hands, twisting the ring on her finger in a nervous gesture. "I just feel......odd."
<P>
"What's worrying you?"
<P>
"Oh I don't know......It's only been a few months, but its feels like years. I just want......I don't want to find they've......forgotten me."
<P>
Peter started to smile at her foolishness, then checked himself when Wendy put her hands over her face, her shoulders hitching. Scrambling to the side of the bed, he drew her to him, turning her so she could lay her head against his chest.
<P>
"Ssshhhhhh.....they won't have forgotten anything.....least of all you."
<P>
"I know....it's all so silly.....I'm just so....unsure."
<P>
Peter held her a minute more before putting her away from him and tilting her chin up so he could see her eyes.
<P>
"They will be too pleased to see you back, to be anything else but thrilled ...so gather together what you want, and we'll leave now."
<P>
Wiping her eyes, Wendy smiled weakly, "You're right.....I'm being stupid."
<P>
Getting to his feet, Peter held out his hand to her, pulling her up, his lips finding hers in a quick kiss before turning to find something to carry all her presents in.
<P>
Pressing her hands to her flushed cheeks, Wendy wiped the last of her tears away and turned to help sort out the pieces they were taking.
<P>
Within half an hour they were ready. Peter had already organised everything with Jack, and felt content to leave Neverland in his and Alindra's care while they were away. Wendy appeared in the doorway of their sleeping hut, her face calm and composed, her hair tied behind her head to cascade down her back. She walked over to him, smoothing invisible creases in the long sleeved silk dress that skimmed her curves in all the right places. It was possibly not at all a dress considered suitable for staid London, but Peter thought she looked beautiful and that was enough for her. Peter had dressed in his cleanest shirt and trousers, still managing to look more like a buccaneer, than a gentleman, but there was nothing they could do about his sun-bronzed skin and untamed curls, and Wendy was more than pleased to let them be, inordinately proud of her strong and handsome husband. Almost as proud as he was of her.
<P>
Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Peter held out his hand which Wendy took, slipping her fingers between his in an unbreakable grip.
<P>
"Ready?" Peter asked, a twinkle in his eyes as she twitched an errant piece of hair behind her ear.
<P>
"As I'll ever be."
<P>
"Then....let's go."
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Michael stared morosely out of the nursery window, his fingers making patterns in the fog caused by his breath steaming up the glass. He was in disgrace, banished to his room while everyone else sat downstairs in the parlour listening to Mother play the piano. He could hear the strains of the notes wafting up the stairs, his face pulling into a fearsome scowl as he contemplated how unfair life was when you were the youngest of a large family of boys. All his brothers were considerably bigger and older than him, the youngest still a couple of years older, the eldest, his brother John, almost a man full grown. Michael still retained some of the chubbiness of his youth, his freckled face deceptively angelic, hiding the naughty boy within from plain sight, to anyone not familiar with the family.
<P>
He didn't deliberately try to be naughty, it just happened that every time something ended up broken, missing or in a mess, he had the finger of blame pointed squarely at him. It was most unfair.
<P>
As he stared out at the darkening sky, he saw something flash on the horizon, a star suddenly where there had been no star before. Blinking, Michael rubbed the fog off the window and stared again. Sure enough, there was a bright star and off to the side a slightly less bright star, perfectly set just above the rooftops, winking cheekily. Sitting up a little straighter, Michael felt something surge inside him, an excitement that rose up and made him want to jump around the room and all over the beds. He had seen those stars in his dreams many time, his imagination taking him towards them as he flew over the chimneys and rooftops of London. But he hadn't seen them since his beloved sister had left so many months before. Now they were back and that could only mean one thing.
<P>
Scrabbling to his feet, Michael wrenched at the catch holding the window closed, his hands pulling up the sash, cold air rushing in as he pushed it up as high as it would go. Running back to his bed, he pulled his thick dressing gown off the bed and thrust his arms into the holes, belting it around his middle before returning to the window. Staring up he could see something in the sky above the house, two figures, too far away for details. But Michael didn't need details, he knew who it was. 
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter circled the terrace house, seeing the window open as if expecting them. He smiled at Wendy as they floated down, hovering outside for a minute before she stepped onto the window ledge and inside, Peter close behind her. Almost immediately a cry rent the air and someone threw themselves at Wendy, knocking her back on her heels and against Peter. He instantly reached for his sword, only to remember he'd left it in Neverland, not expecting to need it while visiting in London. He steadied Wendy as she clutched the figure of her youngest brother to her chest, his sandy head almost reaching her shoulder as he hugged her fiercely.
<P>
"OH WENDY...WENDY.....YOU CAME BACK!" Michael shouted, pulling away and almost jumping up and down in his excitement. Then it was Peter's turn to receive Michaels enthusiastic welcome, finding himself gripped around the waist and squeezed. 
<P>
Wendy stepped further into the room, her eyes roaming the walls and furnishings, reacquainting herself with her old room. It all seemed so long ago, her perceptions all turned on their heads after living in Neverland. She'd largely forgotten how crowded the houses were in even the most affluent of London suburbs, their chimneys sprouting like mushrooms across the roof-lines. The nursery now seemed very small after the wide open spaces of their island, the light somehow dimmer, not entirely due to the night falling outside. She suspected it was because Neverland was so bright and full of life and colour, that here the colours appeared muted and washed out, as if faded and worn, all life and brightness somehow forgotten. Had it always been like this before Peter?
<P>
She turned back to face Michael, his endearing face lit with a huge grin.
<P>
"Do say you're going to stay awhile.......everyone will be so glad to see you, Mother was so sad when you left without saying goodbye. I did try to explain and I think she understood, but I could still hear her sometimes....crying at night." Wendy met Peter's eyes over Michaels head, her nervousness rising to almost drown her as Michael happily prattled on.
<P>
Peter interrupted the flow of words. "Michael.....where is everyone right now?"
<P>
"Oh...they're all downstairs. Mother is on the piano and Father is trying to beat John at chess again."
<P>
"John is here?" Wendy exclaimed, having not had the opportunity to see her brother before she left, as he had been still at school.
<P>
"Well yes.....he's home for a term break. Only until Monday, then he's off 'til the end of the year."
<P>
Michael watched as Wendy and Peter joined hands, noticing for the first time the glint of gold on both of them. His mouth formed an oh before he pressed his lips shut, noticing suddenly just how grown-up his sister really looked. 
<P>
"We should go down......" Wendy said, her eyes never leaving Peter's.
<P>
"We can still go back.." Peter replied, lowering their bags to the floor as his eyebrow rose mockingly, Wendy shook her head, frowning in mock reproof.
<P>
Wendy turned back to Michael, smiling despite her quaking knees.
<P>
"Would you go on ahead Michael...we'll be down in a second."
<P>
His face still split by a huge grin, Michael whisked out of the nursery door and down the hall to the stairs. He could hear the murmur of voices below, and took some pleasure in thinking about their shocked faces when the couple behind him made their appearance.
<P>
Wendy and Peter walked out of the nursery and along the landing, pausing at the head of the stairs.
<P>
"Whatever happens Wendy....I won't leave you. You only have to say the word, and we can be back in Neverland in a blink of an eye."
<P>
"I know Peter.....don't worry, its just my silly nerves."
<P>
Squeezing his hand, Wendy started down the stairs, Peter close behind her. At the bottom they could hear the hum of voices, the sound rising suddenly as Michael entered the sitting room, closing the door behind him. Wendy heard her Mother ask Michael why he was down again so soon, and Michael answering that there was a big surprise coming.
<P>
Screwing up her courage, Peter's fingers strong and warm against her own, Wendy put her hand on the porcelain door knob and twisted the handle, the door swinging wide into the room beyond.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
John was the first to see them, his mouth dropping open as he jumped to his feet, scattering the chess board to the floor, his father exclaiming as he jerked back from John's sudden movement. Mary Darling was next to notice, her head turning as if pulled by an invisible string, her eyes widening as she saw her daughter standing slightly nervously on the threshold of the room. Mary noted that her hand was being held by a tall, handsome youth who watched warily, his eyes taking in all the occupants of the room in a glance, his stance protective at Wendy's shoulder. All this was in a split second before Mary rose to her feet and rushed across the room throwing her arms around her daughter in a hug that almost lifted the girl off the carpet. George Darling took a little longer to regain his wits, his spectacles slipping off his nose as he turned to survey the couple in the doorway.
<P>
He almost didn't recognise his own daughter, her maturity of face and figure as far removed from before, to be almost incomparable. He too noted the well built young man hovering protectively behind Wendy, his eyes never leaving her for long, his gaze quickly sweeping the room, sliding briefly over the older man before returning to George Darling and locking there. The two men surveyed each other over the heads of their womenfolk as Mary Darling continued to smother her daughter in hugs and kisses and a few tears, her hands stroking and touching, as if reassuring herself that Wendy was indeed real. Wendy was similarly overcome, her face buried against her mother's slender shoulder, incoherent with the emotions welling up inside her. Peter remained silent behind her, content to let Wendy get over the first hurdle before facing her father. George Darling hung back as well, his pale blue eyes fixed on Peter, neither welcoming nor hostile, just consideringly, as if not entirely sure how to handle the extraordinary situation. Peter understood that feeling completely.
<P>
With the initial shock over the boys crowded forward, Michael content to sit back and let his sibling make fools of themselves, smug in the knowledge that he was the first to know the momentous news, the first to see his sister and Peter return. The former Lost Boys jockeyed for position around Wendy and Peter, speaking all at once, bathing the young couple in a warm welcome of smiles and laughter that Peter returned with his ready grin, his own eyes sparkling with relief that, so far, everything was going fine. Mary Darling drew her daughter towards the couch, pulling her down beside her before kissing her again and hugging her, the warmth returned tenfold by Wendy. 
<P>
John approached Peter with something akin to incredulity. He hadn't seen Peter when he first returned, or seen him grown up as he was. Although Michael had tried to explain, John simply couldn't put an image to the rough description given by his younger brother. Now the boy that had never wanted to grow up, was standing before him, very much grown up, but still retaining that air of otherworldliness that was the essence of Peter Pan. John was now almost as tall as Peter and, after shooing the younger boys away, John held out his hand to Peter for him to shake. 
<P>
"Welcome back Peter......it's been a long time since I last saw you."
<P>
Peter put his hand into John's and they shook solemnly. 
<P>
"It has been quite awhile....how have you been John?"
<P>
John adjusted his glasses, peering intently at Peter as he took in his changed appearance, at once alien and yet so familiar.
<P>
"Oh you know.......the usual, school and more school."
<P>
Peter looked at John almost pityingly, "Isn't there anything else but school?"
<P>
John only laughed, not at all offended by Peter's scathing expression.
<P>
"Only another year and I'll be off to University. I'm hoping to get into medicine, become a Doctor you know."
<P>
"Oh....well if that's what you want to be." Peter smiled at John, pleased that Wendy's brother seemed so comfortable with him. His father was going to be a quite different matter. 
<P>
George Darling was standing behind John, listening to their conversation without a hint of embarrassment, his glasses reflecting light back at Peter as he stood surveying the young man that had all but stolen his daughter for a second time, and now had the affrontary to stand so brazenly in his own living room.
<P> 
Peter swallowed, his chin tilting slightly as he stood his ground, George Darling moving forward to stand toe to toe with his daughter's abductor. As the silence stretched between them, Peter felt Wendy's fingers entwine with his, breaking the staring contest as Peter turned his head to look down at her. George Darling also turned, taking his first real look at his errant eldest child. It was hard for him to equate the delightful little girl that he'd given piggy backs around the nursery, with the woman in the full bloom of her youth, slender and elegant in a dress that flowed over her figure in a style, to his mind, quaintly old-fashioned, standing beside her young man, her eyes shining up at him. A second later those bluer-than-blue eyes were turned on him, her expression cautious as she faced her father.
<P>
"Father, I'd like to introduce to you....my husband.....Peter Pan."
<P>
A collective gasp ran around the room, George Darlings own mouth forming the shape of shock, finding his breath quite knocked out of his lungs by Wendy's simple introduction. For a moment he could only gape at her, his eyes dropping to their hands, suddenly seeing the twin gold bands on each of their hands, before his eyes rose to once more meet the challenging gaze of his daughter. 
<P>
"Married...?"
<P>
Mary Darling came to stand beside her husband, her own hand linking with his, giving it a hard squeeze to caution him. George turned to look at her, noting the sheen of tears in his wife's eyes before turning back to the young couple, his mind for the moment a blank.
<P>
Wendy was biting her bottom lip, her expression anxious as she exchanged a glance with Peter before facing her parents again.
<P>
Peter drew himself up to his full height as Wendy sucked in a breath before dropping the next bombshell.
<P>
"And Mother.....Father.....I'm....We're expecting a baby..."
<P>
Still unable to form a coherent thought, George Darling dropped his shocked gaze to the still slender waist of his daughter, the dress not entirely hiding the roundness beneath.
<P>
"A baby...?" Mary Darling repeated faintly, her hand against her throat as she tried to assimilate all the shocks at once. "Oh George.....a baby....our first grandchild...."
<P>
"Poppycock......she can't be pregnant.....can she? I'm not old enough to be a grandfather.....am I? " George looked at his wife in some bewilderment, having only just reconciled himself to looking at his daughter as a grown woman, now she was to be a mother as well.
<P>
"I am pregnant..... about four and a half months along, according to Jack." Wendy continued, trying to give her parents time to recover from what had obviously been a considerable shock.
<P>
"Jack? Whose Jack?" George Darling was feeling completely out of his depth, his wife clinging to his hand like it was a lifeline.
<P>
"Oh, Jack is a......well.....he's was a ship's doctor...now he lives in Neverland....um......at the...pirate village." Wendy's voice tailed off as her parents faces poorly concealed their dismay as she explained who Jack was. Wendy glanced up at Peter again who smiled wryly down at her, his eyebrows raised as he shrugged.
<P>
"Are you  really going to have a baby?" Michael's voice piped up from the silent group behind them, making Wendy turn around to address the wide eyed boys.
<P>
"Yes Michael.....I am having a baby."
<P>
"Oh my dear..." Mary Darling came forward and pulled Wendy towards her, kissing both her cheeks. George came out of his shock and suddenly move, wrapping Wendy in his arms and hugging her, at first tentatively, but when Wendy hugged him back, more firmly until all three were clasped into a tight embrace, tears once more flowing freely. Peter stepped away, letting go of Wendy's hand, his presence forgotten for the moment. He caught John's eye and the two young men smiled at the same time.
<P>
John walked up to Peter and shook his hand again. "Never thought I'd ever see the day Peter Pan became a real father. Married, and a baby on the way....don't exactly do things by halves, do you?"
<P>
Peter chuckled. "Wendy wouldn't have it any other way."
<P>
"Now that I can well believe....I bet she has you all organised and running around like obedient slaves to her bidding."
<P>
"Not exactly....it's very different in Neverland.....nothing like this," said Peter, glancing around the room with its comfortable furniture and knick knacks on every surface. 
<P>
"So.....where did you get married?"
<P>
"On Neverland....in our treehouse."
<P>
"A treehouse," Michael piped up, "I bet that's way up high. I wish I could see it."
<P>
"It is up high.....you can only reach it by flying."
<P>
"And you got married there.....who married you?" John persisted, his expression all polite inquiry.
<P>
"Well.....no-one.." Peter glanced over at Wendy, wishing she was answering these questions. "We exchanged rings and made a vow.....and Wendy said I was....her husband."
<P>
"Aaaaaahhh..I see." John looked very worldly for a moment, before grinning at Peter and shaking his hand again. "I'm sure that if Wendy say's you are, then you are. Besides....at least you got them in the right order." John snickered, while Peter just stared at him blankly.  John explained, "you became a husband, before you became a father, not the other way around."
<P>
Peter still failed to see the joke, so John swallowed his smile and turned to see what his sister was doing, leaving a rather bemused Peter to sit down on the couch and answer the Lost Boys far simpler questions.
<P>
Wendy was showing her father the gold ring, and explaining a little about the tree house. John could see that his father was having difficulty understanding most of what Wendy was talking about, having no point of reference for a tropical island paradise, never having seen or been within a hundred miles of one. Certainly not one as magical as Neverland. Their mother was still holding Wendy's hand, as if afraid she might disappear in a puff of smoke, or take off into the air, if her mother didn't hold onto her firmly enough. Every now and then Wendy would casually cast a look over to the other side of the room, and as if sensing her gaze, Peter would look up and catch the look, returning it in kind. Watching this little by-play, John was pleased to see that Wendy was just as much in love with Peter as she ever was, and that Peter was completely besotted with his sister.  Whether they had been married "officially" seemed a moot point, but John thought it might just become more of an issue, if they stayed in London for any length of time.
<P>
For now, the family were just pleased that Wendy was home, and seemed to be in fine health and spirits, as happy as they could wish her to be, albeit in a way that was almost beyond their understanding and comprehension.
<P>
With the initial shock and surprise now past, Mister Darling choosing to set aside the issues of marriage and babies for the time being, the family sat down, the boys on the floor, to catch up on their lives over the past few months. Peter and Wendy had already decided not to say too much of her adventures aboard the Sea Witch, sketching only a few details, realising that they must sound very vague when  quizzed about the pirates and Captain Hook. But the truth would have been too much for her parents to grasp, Wendy imagining her father's horror if he knew half of what went on when she was a captive aboard the Sea Witch, Wendy's cheeks burning when she remembered the nights spent with Peter in the small first-mates cabin.
<P>
No, her parents would never understand all of that.
<P>
So they spoke about the island and its residents, the Indians and the Pirates, and the new additions from the Mermaid Mines. Even so, Wendy could see her parents eyes become glazed with incredulity as they struggled to grasp a fraction of their daughters incredible life with Peter Pan.
<P>
The boys started to yawn, and Mary Darling clapped her hands and announced it was bedtime for the younger members of the family, extolling them, amid their chorus of dismay, that they would still be able to see and talk to Wendy and Peter, as they weren't leaving anytime soon. As she said this, she glanced over at Wendy, receiving a nod in reply. Mrs. Darling shooed the boys, still complaining, out of the living room and up the stairs, standing over them while they washed their faces and brushed their teeth and got very reluctantly into their nightclothes and into bed. Because of all the excitement, there were no bedtime stories for the younger members, although Wendy did come up to see them and wish them all goodnight with a round of affectionate kisses for all the former Lost Boys and her little brother. Together, Mother and daughter closed the door of the nursery and walked arm in arm back down the stairs. They had carried the few pieces of luggage and placed them outside the guest bedroom, the sleeping arrangements to be sorted out later. For now, they were happy to return downstairs, heading for the kitchen to organise a much needed cup of tea.
<P>
In the living room, George, Peter and John sat on the worn but comfortable couch and chairs, a silence stretching between them. 
<P>
George Darling was still trying to equate this tall, handsome buccaneer with the boy that had spirited his children away so long ago, and apparently stolen his daughters heart in the process. It was clear that the young couple were deeply in love and with a child on the way, they had obviously committed themselves deeply, one to the other. It was just that somehow, it all seemed very havey cavey and hole-in-the-wall, as if they'd eloped, which was still considered not the done thing in polite society. But as he looked Peter up and down, he considered that his daughter could have done alot worse for herself than the personable young man sitting opposite him. Wendy was obviously in excellent health, despite her rather strange lifestyle, so Peter could very ably provide the necessities for her, but what about money? Being in the trade, George had instigated all the necessary safeguards to insure his wife and family were taken care off in the event of his demise, could Peter say the same? And what about their child? Would it be right to let some former pirate called Jack take care of his only daughter when it came time to deliver, in goodness knows what sort of conditions. It was all these sorts of thoughts that chased themselves around Georges mind as the minutes lengthened and John fidgeted beside him. 
<P>
Peter, racking his brains for something to talk about, suddenly opened his mouth, addressing Wendy's father.
<P>
"Wendy tells me......you work in a.....bank?"
<P>
George started, his hand rising to push his glasses more firmly on his nose. "Um....yes, that's right, I work as a branch under manager, for...um....the First Municipal Savings and Loan. I was recently promoted from Head Clerk to Under Manager."
<P>
Peter smiled politely, not having a clue what being a branch under manager entailed. John smiled too, but contributed nothing to the deafening silence. Peter tried again.
<P>
"I sound's like a very important job."
<P>
George Darling smiled thinly, "It is a very prestigious job."
<P>
"Oh.....good, that's nice then."
<P>
The clock ticked loudly, filing the pauses as they sat looking at each other.
<P>
"What exactly do you do in a......bank?"
<P>
Peter's innocent question, born of ignorance not mischief, shocked George Darling to the core. What sort of person didn't know what a bank was? John looked at his fathers face, before turning to answer for him. 
<P>
"A bank is where people put their money. They save it there, then draw it out when they need it again."
<P>
"What's money?"
<P>
Now John was struck dumb, his eyes rounding as he shot a quick glance at his father, noting the strange colour sweeping over the older mans face. Peter leant forward, keen to know more of Wendy's world.
<P>
"You don't know what money is and you've married my daughter. How do you expect to support her, support her child..? George Darling spluttered to a halt, too shocked to continue. Peter had reared back as Wendy's father roared at him, John leaning away from his father as well. Agitated beyond measure, Mister Darling leapt off the couch and started to pace, one palm pressed to his forehead, his other hand set against his waist as he stared unseeingly, trying to digest the unwelcome news that his daughter appeared to have married, if in fact they were legally married, a penniless adventurer. Peter exchanged a worried look with John, as George stopped pacing and flung his hand out to point at Peter.
<P>
"I won't have my daughter a beggar on the street! What do you mean by it?....no money, living in a treehouse on some misbegotten island in the middle of goodness knows where....it's not to be borne!"
<P>
During this tirade, Peter had slowly risen to his feet, anger bringing a scowl to his face at the tone of Mister Darlings accusing voice, his eyes narrowing as he wished he'd brought his sword to put this grown-up in his place. John had also risen off the couch, putting out a placatory hand as Peter bristled and John's father drew himself up in righteous indignation.
<P>
Into this charged atmosphere, through the door leading to the kitchen, came Wendy and her Mother, their maid Liza pushing a tea trolley behind them. All three stopped and stared at the tableau, Wendy noting Peter's lowered brow, his lips pressed into a tight line, Mary Darling noting her husbands heightened colour and tilted, militant chin. Each went to their respective spouses and attempted to find out what was the matter.
<P>
"He knows nothing of money, or securities or savings! How does he mean to keep our daughter and grandchild, when he knows nothing of money?" George darling spluttered, pointing at Peter, who bristled further.
<P>
"But George dear......they have no need of money, they live on a tropical island."
<P>
Instead of calming him, this casual statement inflamed him further, causing him to glare at Peter quite belligerently. "It is preposterous, no one can live anywhere without money for the basic comforts.....its unheard of!"
<P>
Wendy was trying to put herself between Peter and her father, her hand coming up to cup Peter's cheek to get his attention. As soon as she did, Peter dropped his aggressive stance, his scowl lifting but his eyes still keeping a wary watch on her father.
<P>
"Peter....please....you can't fight with my father....its....ungentlemanly."
<P>
"Then tell him to stop pointing his finger at me.....and explain to him why money isn't important.....whatever it is,"
<P>
"Oh Peter....I can't do that.....my father works in a bank!"
<P>
"I wish I'd brought my sword!"
<P>
With her back to her parents, Wendy allowed a smile to light her face at Peter's artless comment, hastily suppressing a giggle as she pictured her usually quiet and passive father facing a fully roused and armed Peter Pan on the end of a wicked blade. She didn't fancy her fathers chances.
<P>
"Please Peter...it's our first night here.....let's not start off our visit with an argument."
<P>
With a curt nod, Peter relaxed his face and smiled blandly at Mr. Darling, Wendy turning to face them as well, her face hopeful.
<P>
While the younger couple had been conversing, Mary Darling had been explaining a few things to her husband, that good man reigning in his uncharacteristic flash of temper as she filled him in on a few details, not least of which was that if he chose to brawl in her house, he could sleep in the yard for the rest of Wendy and Peter's visit, after which his wife would never speak to him again.
<P>
Feeling his ears burn as she castigated him roundly, albeit sotto voce, George Darling swallowed his ire and wiped his hands down his trousers to relax them. He still felt outraged at Peter's apparent ignorance, but he wasn't prepared to forgo all his good manners and fall to fighting with his daughters young man. If truth be known, George Darling didn't entirely fancy his chances in a bout of fisticuff with the young man, if tales of his fighting with pirates was any indications of his prowess. So, choking down his indignation, George Darling stepped forward and held out his hand, his wife and daughter bathing him in their warm approval. After a brief hesitation, Peter also stepped forward and shook the proffered olive branch, his face lighting up in a wide grin, not echoed on his father-in-law's face.
<P>
Pleased that peace was once more established, the family made a hasty supper from the tea tray, not lingering over the pot, before announcing that it was time for bed. John said his goodnight's and kissed his sister affectionately before retiring for the night. Wendy had risen to bid her brother goodnight and now went forward to kiss her parents, wishing them a good night as well. Peter waited for her by the door, still wary of igniting another reaction from Mister Darling, but he need not have worried. After embracing her daughter, Mary crossed the room, and after the briefest of hesitations, enfolded Peter in a warm hug, kissing him on the cheek before releasing him. Wendy entwined her hand in his, pulling him out of the room and closing the door behind them, but not before hearing the first words of her parents continuing conversation as they left them alone.
<P>
"Where are they going to sleep? They can't sleep in the same room together.......he's positively a heathen!"
<P>
"Oh George....for heaven's sake.....they're married..."
<P>
"Yes....and that's another thing......."
<P>
Wendy closed the door, her face burning. In the dimness of the hall, Peter waited for her to turn around.
<P>
"Where are we going to sleep?"
<P>
Sighing, Wendy started up the stairs. "In the guest room, its the next room along from the nursery...the bags are outside the door."
<P>
Hearing the fatigue in her voice, Peter ran up the few steps to catch  up to her before sweeping her off her feet and carrying her the rest of the way up the steps. On reaching the door he didn't stop, opening it with a deft flick of his wrist and putting his shoulder to the wood, swinging her around as they entered the darkened room. The light from the hall showed him enough to carry her to the bed and lay her down.
<P>
"Stay here....I'll fetch the bags...."
<P>
Within seconds he'd returned and dropped the bags on the floor of the second best guest room and shut the door. Wendy found the box of matches by the bed and struck one, lighting the lamp beside the bed, sending a faint yellow light into the room. A door led to an adjoining bathroom that served both the nursery and the guest room. Feeling unbelievably weary, Wendy performed only the most necessary ablutions before pulling out a crumpled nightie from their bag and putting it on. Peter was lying on the bed, his hands behind his head as he watched her. As Wendy approached, he flung back the covers for her, sliding off the side to start his own preparations. Usually that involved merely shucking all his clothes and dropping them on the floor, which routine he stuck to now, despite the alien surroundings.  Sliding into the bed, he spooned up behind Wendy and pulled up the covers, finding her already half asleep. Tucking her warm body into his, he wrapped his arms around her middle, his nose buried in her hair.
<P>
"I'm sorry I made your father angry......all I asked was what's a bank?"
<P>
"Oh Peter.." Wendy sighed, her hand coming to cover his as it lay spread across her rounded belly. "Don't worry.....I'll explain it better to him in the morning...."
<P>
"We don't need money.....do we Wendy?"
<P>
"Not in Neverland....no, we don't....but here....here in London...money is the measure by which everyone is judged, Peter. But don't worry...it's not important....not to us."
<P>
He lay there thinking, as Wendy dropped easily into slumber, her body warm and relaxed in his arms. Peter pondered on a few things that had been niggling at him, John comments about their marriage, and now the father and his anger over Peter's ignorance about money. Both were things that Peter simply didn't see were important enough to get upset over, but upset George Darling had certainly become. If he had his way, Peter would whisk Wendy off back to Neverland and leave them all to their stupid money, and incomprehensible jokes, but Wendy wanted to be here, wanted to spend time with them, so Peter would try his best not to lose his patient with them. Rampant Pirates, Murderous Mermaids, magic and miners were so much more simple to deal with.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Eight - Domestic arrangements.<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
They were awoken the next morning by a hoard of excitable, pyjama clad adolescents who demanded to be told everything, and to not leave out anything.
<P>
Peter, uncaring of his nudity, happily wrestled with the boys, falling out of bed and battling with them on the floor until a poorly aimed foot ended the noisy game, Wendy shooing the boys out to let Peter recover in peace.
<P>
Kneeling down beside her husband, Wendy had difficulty suppressing a smile as Peter hobbled, bent double, back to the bed, falling onto it and groaning.
<P>
"You should know better than try and take them all on at once, and without a stitch of protection either."
<P>
"It's only a flesh wound," Peter panted, rocking himself while his hands cupped the offended area.
<P>
"But such tender flesh," Wendy teased, sitting down on the side of the bed, making it bounce and Peter wince.
<P>
"Can I come in dear?" A second was all the warning they got before Mary Darling put her head around the door, Wendy throwing the covers over Peter's naked backside before turning to smile at her mother. Mary saw the lump under the covers and chose to ignore it, coming into the room and embracing Wendy before bustling over to the curtains and flinging them wide. Sunlight flooded the room, making Wendy squint, her mother a dark shape with her back to the window.
<P>
"Now Wendy dear, I hope you slept well......no morning sickness?"
<P>
At Wendy's shake of her head, Mary came to sit beside her, taking her hand, the bed bouncing again, eliciting another groan from the comatose Peter. Giving the lump a curious look, Wendy's mother turned her attention back to her daughter, noting the smile hovering on her lips.
<P>
"What's so funny?" She asked, an answering smile curving her own.
<P>
"Oh nothing.....really.....how's father this morning?"
<P>
"Like a bear with a sore head.......he and I had a talk last night....so I hope that's all sorted out, in the meantime, we're getting ready to go to morning services with the boys, although John is staying behind.....are you and Peter.....?" Her voice trailed off, looking expectantly at Wendy.
<P>
Wendy cast a quick glance at the shifting lump under the covers before answering. "I'll come with you......but I think Peter will want to stay behind too."
<P>
"As you wish dear.......Liza has breakfast all ready, and the boys will be finished in the bathroom if you need to use it. In half an hour then?"
<P>
Leaning forward, Wendy kissed her on the cheek. "Half an hour....oh but I'll need to borrow a coat, most of what I brought isn't suitable.....I mean.....it's so much warmer in Neverland...."
<P>
"I understand perfectly...leave that to me...I'll see you downstairs."
<P>
Looking once more at the lump under the blankets, Mary Darling turned to go. "Good Morning Peter.....I hope you slept well?"
<P>
The covers suddenly flipped back, revealing a grinning, tousled haired Peter Pan, his eyes dancing.
<P>
"I slept very well, thank you Mrs. Darling..."
<P>
"Oh please......that sound's so......formal, you're my son-in-law now....and the father of my first grandchild......you must call me Mary...."
<P>
Blinking, Peter sat up, the sheets falling away from his chest and arms, leaving him naked from the waist up. Glancing at Wendy before replying, Peter grinned toothily, "I thought you'd want me to call you Mother....like Wendy?"
<P>
Despite her mature years, Mary Darling blushed like a adolescent girl, her eyes darting away from the expanse of tanned skin and the implications of a half naked youth in her daughters bed, her hand coming up to cup her cheek as her skin flamed.
<P>
"I don't think so Peter.....unless you particularly want me too...Mary will be fine. I think I'll see if George has a spare nightshirt you can borrow....."
<P>
Without waiting for a reply, Mrs. Darling whisked out of the room leaving a bemused daughter and son-in-law behind her.
<P>
"What do I want with your father's nightshirt?"
<P>
"Young men, especially married, soon-to-be-a-father young men, don't go to bed without a nightshirt or pyjama's." Wendy explained, having difficulty in containing her laughter. Her mother's expression had been priceless, Wendy taking in Peter's state of undress as perfectly normal. Peter looked down at himself, one hand going to his hair and scratching, making it even more of a mess.
<P>
"But I don't wear anything at home...."
<P>
"It's a London thing, Peter....don't worry, I don't think mother will be coming in here quite so unannounced in future."
<P>
Shrugging, Peter flopped back against the pillows, his eyes half closed as Wendy rose to rummage through their bags for something to wear. Pulling out a dress, she held it with one hand while she blew Peter a kiss with the other before going into the adjoining bathroom and closing the door.
<P>
Linking his fingers together behind his head, Peter relaxed back, listening to the sounds from beyond their bedroom wall as the Darling family prepared for the ritual of breakfast.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Wendy sat beside her mother and father and the boys, staring between the heads at the alter several rows infront of them, her hand idly rubbing circles on her rounded stomach under the wool coat her mother had helped her into. She had a dreamy expression on her face and didn't notice the young man shooting her curious glances from the pew behind. As the service drew to a close, Wendy rose along with her parents and prepared to leave the pew, her mind free of worry having enjoyed the familiar patterns of church rituals once more, her thoughts serene.
<P>
"Wendy? Wendy Darling.....Good Morning."
<P>
A deep voice pulled her from her thoughts and she turned to regard the youth standing at the end of the pew behind. His hazel eyes were rimmed with thick black lashes, his mouth pulled into a smile of recognition as Wendy stared in surprise.
<P>
"Oh my goodness.......David......what a surprise, I thought you were up at Oxford."
<P>
Mary and George Darling proceeded out of the church, the boys craned their necks curiously, but to no avail, chivvied along by their parents, leaving their sister behind.  Wendy paused, her hand coming up to shake the young mans, her eyes warm with welcome as she smiled into his admiring eyes.
<P>
"I was, I'm on holiday, staying at my Uncles'. I visited your Aunts house when I got back to London several months ago, but your Aunt told me you'd gone away......er....overseas."
<P>
"Oh....yes.....I have been away." Wendy flushed, unable to find words to describe exactly where she'd been. David continued to smile, his handsome face expressing flattering interest as Wendy floundered. "John is home on holiday too....did you know?"
<P>
"No....I haven't seen John since last Christmas....how is he?"
<P>
"Well why don't you ask him yourself.....I'm sure Mother and Father won't mind if you join us for lunch."
<P>
"I'd like that.....you're looking very well Wendy.....I'm so glad I decided to redeem my wicked soul and go to church."
<P>
Finding his grin hard to resist, Wendy started down the aisle, David walking by her side, extending his arm as they approached the doorway and the steps beyond. Hesitantly, Wendy lay her fingers in the crook of his elbow.
<P>
"So what did you decided to do afterall?....the last time John mentioned you, he said you were applying for an apprenticeship in your father's firm."
<P>
"I was.....and I did....it was rather forced on me when my father died in the January,"
<P>
"Oh I'm so sorry,"
<P>
"Thank you, it was very sudden, pneumonia."
<P>
"And you've taken over the family firm?"
<P>
"When I come of age, next year, I'll take over as manager. It's still controlled by the board of trustee's and I'll have help from the current man in charge, but.....I'll be the boss."
<P>
"That's alot of responsibility."
<P>
"Yes.....and its not what I was expecting to do, but I have my mother and sisters to think of."
<P>
"How is you mother?"
<P>
They were walking along the footpath among the other church goers, Mary and George Darling waiting a little further along for them to catch up, the boys having run on ahead with permission to visit the local park.
<P>
"Hello David," George held out his hand for the young man to shake, Wendy releasing his arm and standing beside her mother.
<P>
"Hello Sir...Mrs.Darling..."
<P>
"Hello David....it's been awhile since we've seen you, how are your family."
<P>
"My mother and sister's are well, thank you."
<P>
"David's father died earlier in the year," Wendy added, her parent instantly offering their condolences. As the small talk flowed over her, Wendy looked at the tall young man that she'd not seen in so long. She remembered meeting David when her brother was on holiday from school, the two boys almost inseparable, despite David being a handful of years older than her brother. Wendy remembered with painful embarrassment her crush on the dark haired adolescent, with her brother teasing her unmercifully until she deliberately avoided any mention of John's friend. She'd lost touch with alot of her past when she'd moved to her Aunts, but seeing him again brought back memories that left her smiling.
<P>
"I would hope that smile was for my benefit?"
<P>
David's voice broke into her thoughts, making her start.
<P>
"I was just remembering some of the times you came to stay....you and John were as thick as thieves, I often wondered what you were plotting."
<P>
"Nothing so dramatic," David laughed, "mostly just silly games, and intrigues." He leant closer, "I have something to confess.."
<P>
Wendy looked up into his face, a trifle alarmed, but she softened her surprise with a laugh. "Gracious, should I blush now or after?"
<P>
David joined in her laughter, smiling conspiratorially. "Nothing that outrageous I assure you. I remember John used to tease you about me, he thought it a huge joke."
<P>
Wendy interrupted, muttering, "the wretch."
<P>
"He used to think it funny that you had a crush on me."
<P>
Wendy blushed furiously. David leant down again and whispered near her ear. "I had a crush on you too."
<P>
Startled Wendy faltered, tripping over a raised edge of the paving. David quickly gathered her to his side as she regained her balance.
<P>
"I'm sorry....it's this pavement....it's so uneven." Wendy pulled away, unsettled by his disturbing nearness as much as his revelation.
<P>
"It is dreadful, the town council should set it to rights."
<P>
Walking more briskly, Wendy attempted to catch up to her parents, David falling into step by her side.
<P>
For the rest of the walk back to the Darlings townhouse, the foursome exchanged small talk, catching up on known acquaintances and relatives until they were outside their door. Once more, David assisted Wendy up the steps and through the front door, where they shed their heavy outer wear. As Wendy pulled off her gloves the ring on her finger glinted in the weak sunlight slanting through the window above the door, attracting David's attention.
<P>
"Congratulations are in order I see." He commented dryly.
<P>
"Oh yes....thank you."
<P>
"Who's the lucky fellow?"
<P>
"I am!" Peter's voice made Wendy jump slightly, his tone almost cold as he made his way down the stairs, his expression hostile. Wendy made to move towards him as he reached the bottom of the stairs, but David was ahead of her, holding out his hand, a smile across his face.
<P>
"Congratulations then, you've got yourself a wonderful girl."
<P>
Taking the stranger's hand reluctantly, Peter eyed him warily as they shook. Wendy came forward to make the introductions.
<P>
"Peter.....this is David, David Marsham. We met in church. David is an old friend of John's."
<P>
"And a friend of yours I hope," David smiled down at Wendy, his eyes reproachful.
<P>
"Of course." Wendy smiled back, Peter stiffening as he watched the interplay. Suddenly the thunder of feet on the stairs drew everyone's attention as John came running down.
<P>
"David...as I live and breath.....how wonderful to see you!"
<P>
On reaching the bottom, John hugged David fiercely, the two young men obviously great friends. Peter stood back, his posture fractionally less tense as Wendy stepped to his side, her hand finding his.
<P>
"Let's leave them to catch up," tugging, she started to lead Peter away, John and David already talking animatedly, their faces alight.
<P>
Happy to remove Wendy from the proximity of the young man she'd arrived with, Peter followed, turning his back on them.
<P>
In the parlour, George and Mary Darling were already seated, a tea trolley between them, Mary dispensing the tea with practised ease.
<P>
"Was that John I heard on the stairs?"
<P>
"Yes.....he's catching up with David."
<P>
"Such a nice young man. I'm was sorry to hear about his father, he was such a lovely man, his wife if one of the most generous women I know. I wondered why I hadn't seen or heard from her in such awhile. I sent her a letter after Christmas but never received a reply, now I know why."
<P>
Wendy took a proffered cup and went to sit on the sofa next to Peter, who was sitting rather uncomfortably on the edge of the cushion.
<P>
"You didn't tell him you were married?" Peter asked her quietly, once she was settled.
<P>
"Well.....no. It somehow didn't....um...come up."
<P>
"Did you tell him about the baby?"
<P>
"Um......no." Wendy flushed under Peter's speaking look, her eyes dropping to her cup. "It's not exactly a topic of conversation when you meet someone after so long."
<P>
"So when were you going to tell him?"
<P>
"What is wrong with you?" Wendy hissed, starting to feel angry at the interrogation. Peter frowned and sat back, turning his face away from her. Wendy sipped her tea, fuming. Suddenly the door burst open and John, followed by the tall figure of David entered.
<P>
"I invited David to stay for lunch, if that's alright?"
<P>
"Of course, very welcome David," answered George, looking up from the paper. Seating himself across from Peter and Wendy, David smiled at the assembly, John dragging another chair over to join him.
<P>
"So Peter," David started, "John tells me your new to London."
<P>
"Not exactly," Peter countered, his eyes narrowing as John grinned unashamedly back at him.
<P>
"Where did you and Wendy meet?"
<P>
"Here....in her house."
<P>
"Did you know each other long?"
<P>
"For years....six in point of fact."
<P>
Peter glanced at Wendy, noting her rigid shoulders. Sighing inwardly he realised she was still angry at him. David was talking again so he turned his attention back to him.
<P>
"Six years.....but surely Wendy wouldn't have been more than a little girl when you met?"
<P>
"That's right."
<P>
David laughed lightly. "You never mentioned your sister had a beau John, I'm sure I would have remembered if you had?"
<P>
"It was a long time ago....and Peter had to go away for some time. He only returned recently."
<P>
"Not so recently if you got married," David retorted, almost as if he didn't really believe they were. Peter laced his fingers together across his stomach, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth.
<P>
"We're expecting a baby soon."
<P>
Wendy choked on her tea, coughing and turning pink, Peter reaching across to pat her on the back, all the while smiling his smug smile as David gaped, his eyes drawn to Wendy's middle as if in horror.
Collecting himself, David smiled blandly once more.
<P>
"Again, congratulations are in order. When is the baby due?"
<P>
"Wendy?" Peter prompted, his eyes dancing. Wendy shot him a glare before turning to address David.
<P>
"In about five months."
<P>
Peter could see David calculating the dates, and couldn't help feeling sorry for the man, his obvious hopes of furthering his acquaintance with Wendy dashed to smithereens.
<P>
"Well then....that's wonderful news for you both."
<P>
Wendy muttered something before getting to her feet and walking over to the tea trolley, her back rigid. David followed her with his eyes, longing in every line of his body. Peter looked on, his jealousy squashed for the moment, having routed his rival on all counts. Wendy kept her back to the boys, leaving them to make small talk which Peter largely kept out of, knowing nothing of the people John and David spoke about, or the happenings that had occupied them since they last met. All his attention was on Wendy and her emotional state. He had wanted to flatten David when he'd first seen him, having watched the couple approach the house, the young mans proprietary air, hovering over Wendy, making Peter grind his teeth. He'd been consumed with jealousy that she'd allowed anyone, especially such a one as he, to get so close to her, to touch her, even in an impersonal way. He had almost felt the red rage rise up, reminding him of that time on the Sea Witch when Hook had kissed Wendy, his blood boiling at the memory. To then find that she hadn't told him that she was either married or pregnant seemed to his jealous mind a deliberate lapse, but with hindsight he could see that she simply hadn't thought the youth important enough to tell, or else wanted to wait until they got home and she could introduce Peter to him. Now she was mad at him, and rightly so, her posture screaming at him, even if no one else could interpret the signals except Peter. Ignoring David and John, Peter rose to his feet and walked over to where Wendy was standing by the window, her back to the room, her tea forgotten on the table beside her.
<P>
"Wendy...don't be mad at me. I'm sorry I made you choke on your tea."
<P>
"I'm not mad at you.....no, you're right I am mad at you. What was that little scene about? 
<P>
"I didn't want him thinking he had any chance with you."
<P>
"What do you mean, he doesn't think of me that way.....and anyway, I'm married to you, something you seem to have forgotten."
<P>
"He'd like to think of you that way.....I saw his eyes."
<P>
"Good grief.....you're jealous. Thank goodness we left your sword behind, or I wouldn't put it past you to run him through."
<P>
At her indignant whisper, Peter couldn't help the chuckle that burst out, his shoulder shaking as Wendy glared daggers at him.
<P>
"I don't think it would have been a very fair fight. Do you?"
<P>
Casting a glance back at the room, Wendy turned back, a smile tugging at her lips.
<P>
"Not exactly. But that doesn't let you off the hook. I'm still cross over your high-handedness. You have no cause to be jealous Peter. David is just an old friend, nothing more."
<P>
Remembering the look of longing, Peter felt a muscle jump in his cheek, but he turned a bland face to his wife, his eyebrow quirking as he placed his hand on his heart.
<P>
"I promise not to run him through if he looks at you like that again.  I can't help that I can't bear to see anyone else touch you."
<P>
Her insides melting as Peter turned the full force of his wicked eyes and heart-wrenching smile on her, Wendy leant forward and pressed her lips to his cheek, bringing out his buccaneer grin as she pulled way.
<P>
"Your forgiven, but don't think I'll let you off so easy next time."
<P>
"Your forgiven too." Peter pressed his lips to her cheek as she gazed up at him in surprise.
<P>
"What am I forgiven for?"
<P>
"For bewitching every man who meets you...at this rate I'll be fighting off your admirers every time you step outside the door."
<P>
"Oh Peter....you do say the most wonderful things sometimes."
<P>
Smiling mistily up at him, Wendy swayed forwards, Peter taking the opportunity and kissing her soundly on the lips, ignoring the audience that looked on with varying expressions of indulgence, disgust and shock as Peter drew her into a passionate embrace.
<P>
Mary looked over at David and John, noting their visitors rather stunned expression. 
<P>
"They're very much in love, newly weds really."
<P>
"Not so new, if Wendy is four months pregnant." David retorted with asperity, trying to keep from staring at the couple by the window who seemed oblivious to the spectacle they were making of themselves. Glancing at George Darling, David saw that Wendy's father didn't approve of the situation any more than his visitor did, his mouth turned down at the corners despite his attempt to seem nonchalant about his daughter being kissed in his parlour by a boy who looked hardly old enough to be out of school, his whole demeanour reminding David of an illustration out of a book he'd read that showed a pirate at the helm of his ship, riding out a storm. David felt that this Peter, wherever he came from, wouldn't look out of place on a pirate ship with his roguish looks, unfashionably wind blown hair and outlandish clothes. Compared to David's smart suit and neatly trimmed, wavy dark hair, Peter was positively uncouth. That Wendy had somehow become attached to this creature was beyond David's understanding. He would have to find out from John the exact details of this extraordinary liaison.
<P>
Breaking apart at last, Wendy belatedly recalled where she was and she blushed fiercely, her face turned away from the occupants of the room.
<P>
"Really Peter, we can't do this here.....we have an audience,"
<P>
"Then lets go up to our room....I want to make love to you....now!"
<P>
Casting a quick look upwards, Wendy almost fainted form the heat in Peter's smouldering gaze, her heart setting up a violent tattoo as she felt a quickening in her body, her skin tingling in anticipation. Licking her lips, Peter eyes following that small movement and almost setting her on fire, Wendy nodded almost imperceptibly, her hand slipping into his as Peter grinned in triumph, his eyes alight with wicked delight. Turning back to the room, Wendy brushed her hair back with a nervous hand, smiling at her mother who turned as they approached the tea trolley.
<P>
"Um....there's something I need to do......er.....before lunch."
<P>
"Oh alright dear......are you feeling okay? You look a little flushed."
<P>
"Hardly surprising," muttered George, his nose buried in the paper, which shook slightly.
<P>
"I'm fine....really, I just need.....to do this.....thing."
<P>
"If you say so....lunch is at one."
<P>
Wendy glanced at the ormolu clock on the mantelpiece.
<P>
"One...we'll be there."
<P>
Smiling at John, who gave her a knowing wink, making her blush harder. Wendy scuttled from the room, dragging Peter behind her, his face smugly satisfied as the door closed behind them.  Too impatient to wait, Peter scooped her up and flew up the stairs, ducking to avoid hitting his head on the landing as they reached the first floor. Kicking open the door to their room, Peter carried Wendy through, slamming it shut behind him before carrying her over to the bed and falling upon it and her.
<P>
"Oh God.....they'll know what we're doing." She managed to gasp between Peter's impassioned kisses on her lips, face and neck.
<P>
"Good....they won't interrupt us then." Her husband muttered, his lips finding hers in a kiss that silenced all her protests for several long minutes.
<P>
Downstairs, David and John sat in a slightly stunned silence, Mary Darling stoically sipping the remains of her tea, George Darling muttering darkly to himself, the paper held resolutely in front of his face. With the slamming of the door upstairs, everyone moved at once, David leaping to his feet, stammering that he needed to be excused and would John please accompany him into the garden. Mary Darling rattled her cup on its saucer and hastily placed it back on the trolley and George snapped his paper shut, almost tearing it in half as he glared up at the ceiling, his expression thunderous.
<P>
After their son had left with his guest, George threw the remains of the paper to the floor and drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair.
<P>
"It's outrageous Mary.....its Sunday, for heavens sake, have they no sense of decency?"
<P>
"Oh come now George....it wasn't that long ago when we used to spend our Sunday's just as pleasurably," replied his wife, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.
<P>
Abashed, George sat up and gave his wife a rueful look, his hand coming up to comb through his hair in a nervous gesture his wife found quite endearing.
<P>
"I'm being the most awful bear about this...aren't I?" Said George, a smile tugging at his lips.
<P>
"Yes you are......but I know you're trying your best."
<P>
"I don't suppose we should wait lunch for them."
<P>
"No George dear......I'll let Liza know, she can put something aside for them, for later."
<P>
Rising gracefully to her feet, Mary dropped a kiss on the top of her husband head before turning to leave the room, her skirts whispering across the carpet. At the door, she paused and looked back.
<P>
"You know George.....we could have something put on a plate for us too.....for later?"
<P>
Seeing the twinkle in her eye, George rose to his feet and walked the short distance to join her, his arm going around her waist, his hand resting on her hip.
<P>
"Capital idea my love.....capital."
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Nine - Ungallant Behaviour<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Lunch was a rather strange affair with several members of the family missing from the outset. David and John sat waiting for his parents to appear, but after half an hour they gave up waiting and served themselves, Liza bustling about and passing them dishes as they filled their plates. The former Lost Boys and Michael had arrived only moment before, but were sent upstairs to clean up and make themselves presentable before returning to the dining room. David and John were already eating when the room suddenly filled with young men, Michael bringing up the rear, the table surrounded by chattering and laughter and the clanking of crockery as dishes were emptied and plates filled.
<P>
"Where's Peter and Wendy?" Curly asked, his fork poised before his mouth as he waited for John to answer. John exchanged a quick glance with David before turning to answer his foster brother.
<P>
"They went up for a rest....they'll be down soon.....er....I expect."
<P>
"A rest? But its only lunch time....what have they been doing that's so tiring?" Asked Nibs, his mouth full of sliced ham smothered in spicy chutney.
<P>
"It's rude to speak with your mouth full," stated one of the twins, "you mouth full!" echoed his brother smugly.
<P>
"Never-mind what they've been doing, they'll be down when they're...er...rested. So eat your lunch and no more questions." Said John, a trifle flustered.
<P>
David kept his eyes firmly on his plate, his mouth set in a grim line. He had quizzed John about Peter, but John had been unusually reticent, only answering vaguely and giving few details to satisfy David's curiosity. It only made David more determined to find out exactly what the story was concerning the strange boy that had Wendy in his thrall so completely. What little David had managed to prise from John was that Peter didn't have a job, didn't apparently have any means that John could quantify, hadn't gone to school anywhere in England, not unusual but certainly a little strange, and didn't live in London...precisely. In all it painted Peter as a wastrel and a loose fish in David's estimation and the sooner he found out the truth the sooner he could set about prising Wendy away from the unsuitable match. Even the fact of their marriage seemed in question, John unable or unwilling to give David any details on that subject, raising David's suspicions that possibly they had eloped or were only a common-law husband and wife, not married, in the legal sense, at all. All this turmoil made his lunch sit very uncomfortably on his stomach as the noise of John's foster brothers washed over him while he pondering all, as little as it was, that he knew.
<P>
As he prepared to rise from the table, the door behind David opened and Peter appeared, looking unbearably smug and satisfied as his eyes glanced over David, acknowledging his presence with a small nod. Peter arrival made the room erupt, nearly all the younger boys leaping from their chairs to rush at the newcomer, who, instead of chiding them, embraced them and mock fought with the unruly brood, his laughter ringing out, quite ignoring the riot around him as he made his way around the table, his entourage of young boys hanging off him like a swarm of monkeys. David gaped at the display of appalling behaviour, John attempting to bring some order, his voice rising to be heard above the cacophony of sound as Peter brushed off the boys like so many flies before sitting himself down and reaching for a plate. As the boys scattered back to their own plates and places, they started firing the oddest questions, to David's mind, at Peter, asking him about pirates and mermaids and fairies and other extraordinary things that David was astounded to hear Peter start talking about as if they really existed. David sat stunned as the strange young man answered all their questions as if talking about the weather, not about some fantasy place called Neverland that seemed to be populated entirely by red Indians and fairy folk, if Peter was to be believed. During a lull in the barrage of talk, David ventured a question.
<P>
"Peter..." David's deep voice cut through the childish chatter, silencing the boys and bringing Peter's head around to look down the table at the stranger. "John tells me you aren't currently employed."
<P>
Peter cast a quizzical look at John, while he chewed his food. John coughed and fidgeted. "He means, you don't have a job, Peter."
<P>
"What do I need a job for?"
<P>
David snorted, hardly believing what he heard.
<P>
"I would have thought that was obvious. You need a job to earn money, to support your family, support your wife!"
<P>
Peter shrugged, turning back to his plate. "We don't need money where we live, so I don't need a job to earn it."
<P>
David stared, thinking that either Peter was an imbecile or the worst kind of wastrel to give such an answer.
<P>
"I see...so how do you propose to keep Wendy supplied with clothes, food, a roof over her head?"
<P>
Peter turned to look at David as if he was talking complete nonsense.
<P>
"Wendy has all that. We have a home, and we're planning on building another on the ground, in case the baby can't fly straight away. There are chests and chests of clothes for her to choose from and the Chief's wife if supplying her with baby clothes, there's plenty of food on the trees and in the sea. We have no need of money."
<P>
Peter turned back to his plate, winking at Michael across the table as the youngest boy started to giggle behind his hand.
<P>
"Do I take it, from what you say, that you intend to live on an....er...island?"
<P>
"Don't intend to....already do." Peter told him, around a mouthful of bread lavishly spread with thick butter and jam.
<P>
"And do I understand that you intend to fly to this island.....isn't that a little unsafe for a woman in Wendy's condition?"
<P>
Peter saw John trying to signal, the young man's face flushed and perspiring as he tried to stop Peter from telling his friend about Neverland. Peter ignored him, turning to regard David with wide, sea green eyes.
<P>
"Of course we fly.......all the time. How else would you get to Neverland?"
<P>
John clapped a hand over his eyes, groaning to himself. He'd deliberately not told David too many details, sure that to anyone outside the family, the whole idea of Neverland would sound like madness, a fairytale at best, insanity at worst.
<P>
David was sitting back in his chair, his arms folded over his chest as he regarded Peter with a calculating look, his eyes narrowed, his lips turned up in a faintly derisive smile.
<P>
"Tell me more Peter...this Neverland...from what I heard you telling the boys, it sounds like an......enchanted place, full of interesting creatures."
<P>
"It is...almost magical."
<P>
"Almost magical," David repeated. The younger boys had finished their meal and now sat quietly, sensing the undercurrents but not sure what was happening. John half rose, opening his mouth to entreat David to leave the table, but his friend put out a hand and clamped it around John wrist, pulling him back into his seat. "Don't leave now John, it's just getting interesting. Peter is going to tell me all about Neverland. You want to stay and hear about that don't you?"
<P>
"Actually David I don't......"John let out a sigh, glancing over at Peter who returned his look with a raised eyebrow and a small lift of his shoulders. John started again. "David....I can tell you all about Neverland....because I've been there. It does exist..and all the things Peter spoke about, the pirates, mermaids, fairies, everything....it's all there, just like he said."
<P>
David stared at John, his face working as he digested his friends statement, disbelief writ large upon his handsome features.
<P>
"Pirates....mermaids.....fairies! For heavens sake John.....everyone knows that fairies don't...." David didn't get to finish his sentence. Peter had moved in a blur of motion and now stood behind David's chair, one arm around David's neck in a vice-like choke hold, his other hand clamped over the startled mans mouth, sealing it shut before he could utter another sound. David tried to rise out of his chair, but Peter pressed down on his shoulders, effectively pinning him in place, Peter's hand and iron hard arm immovable around his throat and mouth. David struggled but Peter just tightened the choke hold, bending the mans neck back and cutting off his air. David's efforts to free himself were ineffective, Peter leaning down so that his mouth was near to David's ear before he spoke quietly.
<P>
"Don't say it, don't even think it.....they do exist, and every time someone says they don't, one falls down dead. Whether you believe it doesn't matter, it's the truth and I won't let you kill my friends with your thoughtless words. If you don't believe me, look around the table, everyone here knows about it and believes it utterly. Trust them, if you don't trust me....."
<P>
David's wide eyes stared at the silent group standing in the dining room. The former Lost Boys were giving David solemn looks and nodding their heads, Michael as well. Beside his chair, David stared into John face, seeing the same serious expression and confirming nod. Finding himself helpless against Peter's implacable strength, David nodded his head in understanding, that faint motion instantly freeing him from Peter's hold, air rushing into his starved lungs as he fell forward onto the table, gasping like a fish.
<P>
John waved the boys out of the room, leaving only Peter and himself, along with his friend who still panted to regain his composure and breath after Peter's surprising move. Peter stood to the side, his arms folded across his chest in a relaxed stance that belied the tightly coiled tension in his stomach as David leaned back in his chair before rising to his feet. As he stood, his hand reached up to massage his neck before he turned to glare at Peter, his hazel eyes swirling with anger and some confusion. 
<P>
"I think you must be mad." David turned to regard John who stood behind him looking grim and unhappy at the turn of events. "And you are mad to think I believe any of this claptrap. Do your parents know about this lunatic and his imaginary friends?"
<P>
"Yes David they know, and they are not imaginary, I've seen them myself, Peter speaks the truth."
<P>
"Then you are as crazy as he is...and to think you allowed this madman to marry your sister, if in fact they are married, which I doubt!"
<P>
Not liking the tone of his voice, Peter growled and made a move towards him, David backing away hurriedly as Peter lowered his arms to his sides and clenched his fists aggressively.
<P>
John stepped between them, his hand coming to rest on Peter's chest, stopping him from coming any closer to David.
<P>
"Peter please.....David, I think its time you left. Whatever you think, we all need time to cool off."
<P>
Grabbing David's arm, John hauled him out of the dining room, David and Peter never breaking their eye contact until the door closed between them. David twisted around and shook off John's hand, pulling his clothes back into place and running a shaking hand through his disordered dark hair. At that moment Wendy came down the stairs, her lips lifting into a smile as she saw David and John approach.
<P>
"Are you leaving already David?" She asked as she reached the bottom of the stairs. David, hearing her voice raised his head and gave her a startled glance before darting forward and clasping her by her arms.
<P>
"Wendy, you don't have to stay with him. I don't believe you are really married to that lunatic, somehow he's forced you into it. Let me take you away from here, away from him."
<P>
Wendy stared up into his face, noting his flushed face and glittering eyes, not understanding what had happened to make his blurt out such an outrageous statement.
<P>
"David, please, I don't understand you." She glanced at John's startled face, before a hard shake drew her attention back to David. She struggled, finding his fingers digging into her upper arms, his face inches from her own. "David you're hurting me, let me go!"
<P>
"Come away with me Wendy.....I've always loved you....I can give you everything he can't.....just come away with me now!"
<P>
Thoroughly alarmed Wendy opened her mouth to protest but found instead that David seized the opportunity and sealed her mouth with his in a searing kiss, his lips grinding against hers as she struggled to free herself. Almost as suddenly she found herself free, falling back to land awkwardly on the stairs, pain shooting through her side as she hit the hard edges of the steps, her head bouncing off the wall with a thud. She could hear the sound of blows and muffled cries, but she was dazed and couldn't seem to get her breath for a few seconds. John's face swam into her blurred vision and he helped her to sit up, his voice coming from a long way off, calling her name and asking her if she was alright. She could still hear the sounds of a fight and tried to stand, only to feel dizzy and have to sit down again. John glanced over his shoulder and called to someone, the noises stopping abruptly as Peter suddenly appeared, pushing John out of the way and gathering Wendy into his arms, lifting her off the stairs before she could draw breath to answer John's questions.
<P>
"Take her into the front room Peter....lay her down on the sofa, I'll take care of David."
<P>
Before John had finished speaking, Peter had carried Wendy into the front parlour, kicking the door shut behind him, laying his precious burden on the soft cushions, his hands coming up to smooth her hair from her face as she stared up at him in some bemusement.
<P>
"Are you hurt Wendy, are you in pain?" Peter's anxious eyes swept over her, searching for any injury while she blinked up at him, still trying to understand what had just occurred.
<P>
"Where's David?" she finally managed to gasp out, her eyes looking past Peter to the door and missing the arrested expression on her husbands face. When Wendy turned her face back to him, Peter was already moving away from her, getting to his feet, his face closed and grim. Wendy finally noticed that Peter was sporting a cut lip, her eyes widening as she sat up. "Have you been fighting?"
<P>
Peter stood several feet from the sofa, the back of his hand coming up to wipe his mouth, the pain from the small injury almost welcome as it helped to distract him from the pain in his heart.
<P>
"Yes I've been fighting......and yes it was your David that gave me this. I thought I was saving you from his unwelcome advances, it would seem that I was mistaken."
<P>
Wendy swung her legs over the edge of the couch, her head ringing as she brought her hand up to feel the bump rising at the back of her head, under her hair. She couldn't quite understand what Peter was saying, her memory supplying images of David, his face close to hers, and the feel of his fingers digging into her arm.
<P>
"He kissed me!" She suddenly blurted out, her eyes staring off into the distance as she touched her bruised lips. Peter felt another piece of his heart shatter and fall to the floor as she appeared to be overcome with the memory of that kiss, as if it was something precious to her. Taking another step back, he glanced around the room as if looking for an escape. At that moment Mary Darling burst through the door, taking in her daughter looking shaken on the couch, and Peter standing rigidly across the room. 
<P>
"Oh my darling, are you alright? John said you took a fall." Mary seated herself beside Wendy and gathered her into her arms, as Wendy gratefully relaxed against her, still a little dazed. Peter chose that moment to duck out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him. The hall and lobby were empty, the house quiet as if holding it's breath. Peter leant against the door, his shoulders slumped as he chewed his lip in confusion and misery. How had it all gone wrong, what had he done to turn everything on its head. Pushing away from the door Peter took the stairs two at a time, his muscles taut and straining as he bounded upwards. On reaching the landing he paused, hearing the boys in their nursery, their chatter subdued. Not wanting to become embroiled in another play fight, Peter entered the room that had been their bedroom and closed the door quietly behind him. He felt tremors starting to shiver through his limbs as reaction to the scene downstairs started to overwhelm him. He felt as if lightning was shooting down his arms, the muscles flexing as he closed his fists, his teeth gritted as he shut his eyes, trying to blot out the image of Wendy being kissed by John's friend. With a wild cry he lashed out, his fist connecting with the wall and punching a hole in the plaster and wood, pain blossoming in his hand as he drew his arm back, his knuckles bleeding. Still feeling wired, Peter strode to the window and yanked up the sash, a stiff breeze billowing the curtains into the room. Breathing deeply, Peter rested his hands on the upper sill and closed his eyes again, his shoulders still stiff, his head hanging. He didn't hear the hurried footsteps that paused briefly outside the bedroom door before it opened, Wendy's face peering into the room, anxious lines disappearing from her forehead as she spied Peter by the window. Stepping into the room she closed the door and stood for a second, her back against the smooth wood. Peter hadn't heard her or didn't choose to acknowledge her so she straightened and started to cross the room. Her eyes flicked to the wall and she gasped when she saw a fist sized hole in the plaster, her small sound heard by the other person, his head coming up to stare sightlessly out the window as Wendy approached.
<P>
"Peter?"
<P>
"I think it's time I went home."
<P>
"W-wh-what?"
<P>
"It was a mistake for me to come. You stay here, I'll fly back to Neverland tonight."
<P>
"I don't....I don't understand. Why was it a mistake?"
<P>
Peter slowly turned to face her, his arms coming up to fold across his chest but stalled when his throbbing knuckles reminded him of their presence, his arms dropping to his sides instead.
<P>
"What don't you understand? Your father hates me, hates that we're married. I've just decked John's best friend, so he probably hates me as well. You seem to have taken an extraordinary liking to said friend, to the extent that you are more worried about his injuries than those to yourself, or your baby. So yes, I think it was a huge mistake for me to come here." Peter was shouting by the time he reached the end of his tirade, Wendy standing her ground but growing paler by the second. Peter was standing stiffly in front of her, his face contorted with barely suppressed rage, his eyes snapping fire as he snarled at her. "I'm leaving for Neverland tonight. I don't expect you to come with me!"
<P>
Wendy glared back at him, her face pale and set, her own temper rising as she tried to unravel all the accusations flung at her head.
<P>
"Why wait for tonight, if you feel so strongly about it....never mind that you seem to have everything arse about face, I have no idea where you've got all this rubbish about my father, or David." At the mention of his rivals name, Peter snarled making Wendy take a step back from the naked fury on her husbands face.
<P>
"You were kissing him.....on the stairs.....I thought he was forcing himself on you....obviously I was mistaken!" Peter bit out, his teeth bared as he swung around, turning his back on her, jealousy gnawing at his stomach as Wendy remained silent behind him.
<P>
He heard a faint sound and then nothing, the room silent as he seethed, his brows drawn down in a ferocious scowl directed at the house across the street. As the silence stretched from seconds to minutes, Peter felt his shoulders relax and he turned from the window, his rage dissipating as he prepared to make amends for his appalling tirade. He turned on his heel, his mouth opened but never got to utter the words. On the floor at his feet Wendy lay crumpled like a discarded doll, her hair spread over the carpet around her head like a halo, her face paper white.
<P>
Horrified, Peter dropped to his knees and touched her cheek with shaking fingers, finding her skin cool to the touch. Jumping up he ran to the door, yanking it open and yelling for help before running back to Wendy and gathering her limp body into his arms. Her head lolled against his shoulder, her skin almost translucent as he called her name, her body draped over his legs as he rocked her in his arms. George Darling appeared first, taking in the situation at a glance before turning back and seizing on the boys starting to crowd around the doorway.
<P>
"Nibs, Curly...run for the doctor, quickly now, don't stop for anything and don't take no for an answer. Hurry!" George watched as the two boys thundered down the stairs, passing Mary on the way up.
<P>
"What's happened George, who shouted for help?"
<P>
"It's Wendy...she's....collapsed, quickly dear, she needs you..."
<P>
His wife picked up her skirts and ran the remaining steps, brushing past him to enter the bedroom, gasping in shock on seeing Peter holding her daughter, his face looking up at her pleadingly.
<P>
"What happened Peter?"
<P>
"W-e...we were....a-arguing. I turned away, when I turned back she was on the floor....she won't wake up!"
<P>
"Let's get her on the bed, make her as comfortable as possible. Quickly Peter."
<P>
Mary stood aside as Peter carried his limp burden to the bed, laying her down with exquisite gentleness, his face working as guilt at having caused this latest disaster crowded in on him. Mary felt Wendy's forehead and face with the back of her hand, bending down to listen to her chest before turning to ask Peter to turn his back.
<P>
"Why?" asked Peter, his eyes bewildered.
<P>
"I need to check if she is bleeding.....down below. The baby....."
<P>
Turning pale, Peter swiftly turned his back, hearing the rustle of skirts as Mary Darling checked her daughter for signs of a miscarriage or any other symptoms. 
<P>
"You can turn back Peter....she seems fine, I imagine it was just all the excitement of this morning....the doctor will be here soon. He'll know what to do." Mary reached for Peter's hand, but he moved back a step, keeping himself away. His eyes met hers, full of self-reproach and sorrow, his hands clenching into fists despite the pain in his injured fingers.
<P>
"I did this....I should have gone when she said.....she'll never forgive me if she loses the baby.....I have to go!" As he gabbled, Peter backed towards the window, his eyes flicking between Wendy's face, barely distinguishable against the white pillows and her mothers, her hand still outstretched towards him.
<P>
"Peter no......"
<P>
But her words had no effect, with a last look Peter turned and dived through the window, his body swooping up into the air and disappearing before Mary Darling could reach the window and peer out.
<P>
"Peter!"
<P>
She craned herself out the window but he was gone, the cold wind cutting through her thin morning gown and making her shiver.
<P>
Outside the door, George Darling took Doctor Carlton's coat as he bustled up, puffing slightly, Nibs and Curly behind him.
<P>
"In here Doctor, thank you for coming at such short notice."
<P>
"No problem George...I was just coming back from another call when these two caught up with me. Now where's the patient."
<P>
George once more closed the door of the bedroom, leaving his wife to take care of the Doctor and any explanations.
<P>
"Come boys, Wendy needs to rest, we'll wait for the Doctor downstairs."
<P>
Unusually subdued the boys meekly filed down the stairs, Michael casting a long look at the bedroom door before following his siblings.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Ten - Absence Makes the Heart Bleed.<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Wendy lay on the day bed, her head turned to stare out at the sunlight shining brightly beyond the net curtains of the back parlour. Her hand rested upon the pronounced bump clearly visible beneath her light dress, her fingers softly stroking it, her eyes unfocussed as she stared out towards the brightness.
<P>
The door opened into the room admitting her mother, but Wendy didn't stir or react, her head remaining turned away, her fingers painting circles across her distended belly.
<P>
"Wendy dear....?" 
<P>
Getting no answer, Mary Darling closed the door quietly behind her, thinking that her daughter might be dozing, but as she approached she saw Wendy's profile and knew she was actually wide awake. Pulling over a spindly legged chair, Mary sat down, her back to the window, her anxious eyes searching her daughters, noting the vacant stare and pale skin.
<P>
"Wendy.....dearest, you should get up and come outside, it really is a lovely afternoon, the fresh air would do you alot of good."
<P>
Slowly, as if awakening from a deep sleep, Wendy blinked and turned her eyes to her mother, her lips lifting in the ghost of a smile.
<P>
"I felt him kick today.......he moved inside me.....isn't that wondrous?"
<P>
"Yes...it is a wonderful feeling. The doctor said you should start to feel some movement." Mary looked down at her hands, clenched almost white knuckled on her knees. "The doctor also said you should get as much fresh air as possible darling, can I not persuade you?"
<P>
"I'm sure Jack would have agreed with Doctor Carlton. Give me a hand mother, I feel so stiff."
<P>
Smiling her relief, Mary stood up and helped Wendy to her feet as she slowly sat up, then rose to stand, swaying slightly within her mothers clasp. Mary could feel the frailty of the bones as she held her daughter against her side, her eyes blinking to hold back tears of worry as she helped Wendy to the French doors that opened out onto the back garden.
<P>
It had been nearly two months since the dreadful fiasco with David Marsham and Peter's departure, leaving Wendy in the state she was in now. 
<P>
Doctor Carlton had ordered bed rest and complete quiet for atleast a week if a miscarriage was to be avoided, Wendy at first weakly fighting against the strictures but after several days and no sign of her husband returning, sinking into a fit of despondency that frightened her parents and alarmed Doctor Carlton enough for him to order a twenty four hour watch over Wendy until she started to regain her spirits. After a fraught fortnight, it appeared that Wendy had indeed regained some of her usual fortitude, coming down for meals and taking part in outings approved by the kindly Doctor. But after a month, her false bravado started to wane and she withdrew from her family, spending more and more time in the back room, her thoughts turned inward and her eyes unfocussed. During the day the boys and their noise was absent from the house as they went to school, but in the late afternoons they filled the house, albeit as quietly as possible, with pandemonium and cafuffle. Doctor Carlton had suggested that they include Wendy in all their usual family goings-on, not tip-toeing around her, so that she was almost forced to take part, not withdraw further into herself. For a time it worked, Wendy sitting in on family meals and other gatherings, but she was like a shadow, her movements mechanical, her face devoid of its usual vitality. For the most part, everyone ignored it, carrying on as if nothing was different but it only worked up to a point. When the boys were at school and her father at work, there was only Wendy and her mother at home with their maid Liza. As the day's passed, Mary fretted as Wendy seemed to be fading away in front of her, only the increased swelling of her advancing pregnancy an indication that Wendy was still very much alive and her baby apparently thriving.
<P>
They walked in the garden for nearly half an hour, the sun warming Wendy's face as she tilted it up to the sky, her feet brushing across the short grass as her mother chattered softly about her brothers, about her father's new appointment and such like. At one point Wendy grasped her mothers hand and laid it on her stomach, an intense look creasing Wendy's brow as she waited. Then Mary felt a faint movement, followed by a more pronounced push against her hand, the baby pressing against the pliant wall of Wendy's womb as it turned over inside her.
<P>
"Feel that? He's so active, I sometimes wonder if it's a foot or a hand pushing from the inside....its amazing, isn't it?"
<P>
"Very amazing dearest.....let's go inside, I think Liza will have the tea tray ready for us now."
<P>
Together the two women slowly made their way inside, Wendy's long hair catching the last of the sunlight as she passed through the door.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter sat on a ledge that overlooked Mermaid lagoon. Above his head the sky was deeply overcast, the sun struggling to find a chink in the thick layer, the sea appeared cast with a brassy sheen, the rocks pointing blackly through the sluggish waves.
<P>
A small rock suddenly sailed through the air and landed on the rock wall beside him, chinking loudly as it hit the surface before falling back to land on the beach far below. Another rock followed the first, this time hitting the cliff above Peter's head and sending a small shower of dust and grit down the back of his neck. Sighing heavily, Peter scrambled to his feet and walked to the rim of the ledge. Without looking down Peter shut his eyes and spread his arms wide then simply dropped off the edge in a dead-fall. A shout and his name being called snapped his eyes open seconds before he was about to hit the surface of the sea, his body executing a steep turn inches from the water's choppy waves. As he circled around he saw a figure waiting for him on the pebbly beach and came in to land, his bare feet crunching against the stones.
<P>
"That was a stupid stunt, even for you...whatcha trying to do, kill yourself?"
<P>
"What do you want Jack?"
<P>
"I want to know when you are going back to bring your wife home. If you don't bring her here soon, your child will be born away from Neverland.....is that what you want?"
<P>
"What's the point Jack.......she's probably already set up with John's friend......she won't want to see me after losing the baby."
<P>
"You don't know she had a miscarriage, you only heard her mother say she was checking......Wendy most probably only fainted, overcome with your bickering and general tiredness, it happens to women during pregnancy...its not fatal, just worrying."
<P>
"I hope she is alright Jack.....but it doesn't rule out her setting up house with....." Peter's face worked as he tried to say his rival's name.".....Him!"
<P>
"You don't know that either.....for God's sake boy....from what you told Smee, she had hit her head, you said yourself she seemed woozy, she probably didn't know what day it was, let alone anything else." Jack threw his hands up in the air, nearly dancing on the spot with frustration. "This is madness Peter.......you're as miserable as sin, just look at the sky if you don't want to believe it....and I bet a penny to a pound that your wife is just as sorely heartsick, not a good condition to be in when you're pregnant."
<P>
"She won't want to see me back again Jack.......I just mess everything up!"
<P>
Peter was unprepared for the slap when Jack's hand connected with his face, his head rocking back and pain shooting along his jaw as he stared in disbelief at Jack, Peter's hand rising to touch his flaming cheek.
<P>
"Grow up Peter.....you wanted to be her husband, now start behaving like one. You have a responsibility to that girl, and your child. Stop moping here and feelin' sorry for yourself. "
<P>
"What the hell!" Peter glared, his hand clenching into a fist as Jack started to push his shirt sleeve up his arms before lifting his fists in front of his face, ready to fight despite being several inches shorter than his opponent.
<P>
"You're just about the sorriest pain-in-the-ass husband I've ever had the misfortune to come across, Peter Pan....." Jack started to jump about, his brows pulled down in a ferocious scowl, circling Peter. "I've a good mind to go fetch the lass myself, as you're obviously not man enough to do so!"
<P>
Incensed, Peter snarled at the spritely ships doctor, his eyes shooting sparks as Jack took a poke at him, Peter dodging the blow easily but not before Jack got in a swipe and hit Peter's shoulder, rocking him on his heels.
<P>
"Stop it, Jack.....I mean it...."
<P>
Above the beach the sky was starting to turn an ominous purple, the clouds swirling and thickening, the sun giving up any attempt to pierce the gloom, leaving the two men on the beach in near twilight.
<P>
Jack feinted again, making Peter take a step back to avoid the swing but not far enough to dodge the slap that caught him on his ear and made it smart. Jack continued to jump and skitter over the stones, enraging Peter to point that he lunged at the shorter man, missing him as Jack sidestepped, his foot coming out to trip Peter and send him sprawling to the pebbles.
<P>
"I bet Wendy is pleased you haven't gone back if this is the best you can do to defend her honour. Not much use if you can't protect her!"
Jack taunted as Peter rose to his feet, his teeth bared.
<P>
"That's enough Jack.....shut up."
<P>
"No Peter......I won't shut up, I won't leave you alone to brood, I won't give up on you.....not like you've given up on Wendy!"
<P>
Peter lunged again and managed to grapple the older man around the waist, bringing them both crashing to the beach. Peter had the upper hand and managed to land a decent facer on Jack before finding himself swiping at fresh air as Jack wriggled out and landed a kick against Peter's backside, bruising his dignity as well as his rump.
<P>
"That's for making such a poor husband, Peter..." Jack darted out of Peter's reach as the youth jumped to his feet, rubbing his derriere. "Shame you can't put all this anger to good use and find out once and for all if Wendy wants to see your ugly face again." Jack dodged but Peter was quicker and tripped the Doctor, so that he fell on his back hard, the wind temporarily knocked out of him.
<P>
Peter jumped on him, raising his fist to smash it into Jack's face, seeing another face instead, with dark hair and hazel eyes. Peter hesitated and Jack took the opportunity, bucking Peter off and reversing their positions so that Jack now sat on Peter's chest.
<P>
"You're getting slow Peter......there was a time I wouldn't have been able to get close to you, let alone best you in a fight. I don't think you're worthy to have a girl like Wendy....." Jack got to his feet, staring down at Peter who lay on his back on the pebbles.
<P>
"Wendy needs a man for a husband Peter....someone who won't run away when its gets tough, someone who'll stand by her and take care of her....I thought you were the man, Peter.....but it seems I was wrong."
<P>
Turning his back, Jack started to walk away, his shoulders slumped.
<P>
"Jack....wait......please......."
<P>
Halting, Jack waited, his back still to Peter.
<P>
He heard the crunch of footsteps and raised his head when Peter stepped in front of him.
<P>
"Please Jack.......I've messed everything up....I don't know how to put it right.......please?"
<P>
Jack let out a sigh, looking up into Peter's face and seeing the confusion and misery in the boys eyes.
<P>
"Growing up is never easy lad......but you can't run away at the first hurdle.....we just have to hope that the damage can be repaired."
<P>
Starting off again down the beach, Jack looped an avuncular arm around Peter's shoulders, sighing gustily again.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Peter found himself outside the Darling house in Bloomsbury, his hand so damp with nerves that he had to wipe them repeatedly on his trousers before reaching up to use the brass knocker in the centre of the front door. It was early evening and he glanced up and down the street as he waited for the door to open. He heard footsteps and took a step back himself, steeling himself as the door started to open.
<P>
Liza's face peered out, her expression going from curiosity to alarm to disapproval in the space of a minute before pulling the door wide and letting Peter enter the house.
<P>
"I'm surprised to see you back here.....that I am."
<P>
"Is Wendy......is my wife here?"
<P>
"Can't say."
<P>
Peter's heart lurched as he watched Liza close the door before turning back to face him.
<P>
"Where is she?.....I need to know."
<P>
"Not my place to tell you, I'll fetch the Mistress. Wait here please."
<P>
His hope sinking into his boots, Peter watched as the maid bustled away and disappeared through the door leading to the dining room. Almost immediately it opened again and Mary Darling appeared. She paused in the hall, looking solemn as she stared at the tall, handsome youth standing nervously inside the lobby.
<P>
Walking forward she clasped her hands in front of her and approached Peter.
<P>
"Why have you come back, Peter?"
<P>
Peter swallowed, hitching his shoulders a little straighter. "I've come to take Wendy home."
<P>
"She's already home Peter....this is her home." Mary gestured to the walls around them. "Why would she want to go with you?"
<P>
Peter felt panic start to snake its way down his back, coiling like oil in his stomach.
<P>
"I love her....she loves me, I know she does. I want to take her home with me.....I need her with me."
<P>
Mary Darling regarded Peter with her solemn eyes, Peter feeling tremors start to shake his limbs as the silence lengthened. An awful thought forced its way past his stiff lips. "Has she gone to live...live with...." He swallowed again.
<P>
"David? No.....we haven't seen that young man back here these past months."
<P>
Something tight in his chest started to loosen. Licking his lips, he tried again.
<P>
"I want to see Wendy. If she sends me away....I'll accept that as my punishment for deserting her. But I have to hear it from her lips, not anyone else's." Peter lifted his chin slightly, refusing to give in to the terror chilling his skin.
<P>
Mary Darling seemed to sense the cost Peter was paying just to be there and took pity on him.
<P>
"Wendy is here Peter....she is well, but in poor spirits. I think she needs to see you, as much as you need to see her. But I warn you Peter....she is very frail."
<P>
"I don't want to hurt her....I just want to put things right again.."
<P>
Stepping back, Mary Darling indicated the stairs with a graceful sweep of her hand. Peter didn't need to be told twice, with a small smile of gratitude he took the stairs two at a time, bounding lithely up the steps, only pausing when he stood outside the door to the room they'd used as their own.
<P>
He lifted his hand to knock but lowered it almost immediately, his hand dropping to his side. Taking in a deep breath he reached for the door knob and turned the porcelain handle. The door opened noiselessly and he stepped into the room. It was getting dark outside, the sky a dull lead colour as he closed the door behind him and walked further into the bedroom. A cool breeze billowed the curtains and Peter walked to the window, lowering the sash cutting off the cold draft. Turning to face the room he saw the figure on the bed and stared for a moment, his eyes drinking in the beloved features of the women before moving down her body and gasping in surprise to see the prominent bulge under the softly draped negligee.
<P>
As if pulled by strings, Peter walked silently across the carpet, the faint gaslight from above the bed illuminating Wendy's face and glinting off the golden strands in her hair. Dropping to his knees, Peter stared into her face, noting the translucent skin, the dark lashes resting against her cheeks, her full lips slightly parted as she breathed deeply, oblivious to her audience. Wendy lay on her back, one hand resting on her rounded belly, the other beside her head, palm upwards. Peter couldn't resist and gently lay his hand on the raised bump, reaching to cover her hand with his. Before he could do that the skin under the thin nightgown moved and Peter started in surprise. Carefully he placed his broad, brown hand against the roundness again, palm flat against the warm mound. Again it moved and Peter felt something push outwards slightly. Entranced and a little afraid, Peter pressed lightly back and whatever was inside pushed against his palm with more force. Wendy's hand had slipped to the side so Peter, feeling drawn by curiosity and wonder, leant forward and lay his cheek against Wendy's belly. Again the baby inside kicked and Peter felt it against his face, making him smile broadly as the baby moved, sending a ripple over the flesh beneath his cheek. As he lay there, a hand tangled itself in his hair, combing its nails against his scalp in a familiar caress.
<P>
"Your child is eager to escape...." A sleepy voice whispered as Peter raised his head and looked up Wendy's body, his eyes meeting hers.
<P>
"I came back to take you home.......I want to take you home Wendy...."
<P>
"Why?....why do you want to take me home Peter?....you've been gone...so long,"
<P>
Peter ducked his head, unable to meet her eyes.
<P>
"I thought...I thought you wanted......."
<P>
"You thought I wanted to be with David...." Wendy finished for him. "I waited for you to come back Peter.....but you didn't come."
<P>
"I couldn't face you.....I thought you were going to lose the baby because of that argument....I didn't think you'd forgive me....that you'd be living with......him." 
<P>
"I didn't lose the baby Peter......I didn't go and live with David...I haven't seen him since that day.....I only wanted to see you, but you stayed away......."
<P>
Peter kept his head buried against her side, his burning face pressed against the bed covers as Wendy's words washed over him, piercing his heart like knives.
<P>
"Please don't hate me Wendy.......I'm sorry......I wasn't thinking....."
<P>
"Why now Peter? It's been over two months....why now?"
<P>
Lifting his head, Peter kept his eyes fixed on Wendy's middle, his fingers absently tracing circles over the bulge of her womb, his other arm resting on the bed, his fingers pleating the material of her nightgown.
<P>
"I want to show you what I've made for you....for us....for the baby."
<P>
Wendy remained silent, watching him through her lashes.
<P>
"I've built you a home.....in that meadow, near the stream, right where you wanted it....Jack, Smee and the other's helped....it just needs you to finish it....."
<P>
"Why should I go and live there with you Peter?"
<P>
"Because.....b-b-ecause......I love you, and I don't want to live there without you...."
<P>
Peter waited, his eyes still fixed on Wendy's body, watching it rise and sink as she breathed, his hand warm against her cloth-covered skin.
<P>
"Peter.....look at me."
<P>
Swallowing, Peter tore his eyes away from their current fixation and turned to look into Wendy's bluer-than-blue eyes.
<P>
"Peter.....you are my husband, the father of my child...where you go, I go.....there is no other way for us to be."
<P>
Peter frowned slightly, his mouth twisting.
<P>
"Does that mean.....does that mean you'll come back to Neverland with me.....us, together.....?"
<P>
"It means.....that I will come back to Neverland with you. It is my home, afterall."
<P>
Still not entirely convinced, Peter rose to his feet, kicking off his boot before climbing onto the bed as Wendy moved back to make space for him, her eyes never leaving his, her face calm but not smiling.
Peter settled himself beside her, his hand coming to rest on her belly, hers resting on his, her wedding ring cool against his skin.
<P>
"I'm sorry I made such a mess of everything.....I do love you and I hope....I hope you still love me.....a little, at least?"
<P>
Wendy's lips twitched as she regarded her contrite husbands face, his eyes pleading silently with her to relent. As if sensing his mother's capitulation, the baby decided to remind its parents of his presence and kicked enthusiastically, making Peter start as he felt an errant foot thump against his hand, Wendy breaking into a smile at Peter's expression as he glanced at his hand before returning to stare at her. He saw her smile and his lips curved into a grin. To Wendy it looked like the sun cresting the horizon, his smile warming her and chasing all her hurt and fears to the far corners of the room, leaving only love and heat in its place. 
<P>
Leaning down, Peter captured her lips with his own in a sweetly chaste kiss before pulling away, their lips clinging before parting.
<P>
"Does this mean you do love me a little?"
<P>
Wendy smiled again, her eyes drinking in his features, her free hand reaching up to tangle in his sun kissed curls as he lowered his lips to hers once more. This time the kiss was more intense, more passionate, their lips parting to allow their tongues to join the fray and excite their senses. Peter drew Wendy into his arms, pressing her to his heart as he deepened the kiss, the months of separation and frustration, longing and desire pouring out in that one kiss leaving them breathless and gasping as Peter pressed kisses over Wendy's face and neck, wringing a moan from her throat as he caressed and stoked her, his hands firm and strong against her curves. As he rained kissed on her eyes and cheeks Peter kept asking the same question, over and over between nips and kisses.
<P>
"Tell me you love me Wendy......tell me you love me...."
<P>
Lowering his head, he pushed the nightgown off her shoulder with impatient fingers, dragging it down to free her breasts, his mouth fastening on one full peak as Wendy arched, pushing her more fully between his eager lips. Lightening shot like fire from her sensitised nipple down to her abdomen, making it tighten before sending heat to her sex as her skin started to blaze under Peter's ministrations.
<P>
Releasing her breast, Peter once more dined on her mouth, his hand sliding up her leg, hot and urgent on her thigh as Wendy writhed beneath him, her hands clutching at his head as they mouths devoured each other. Breaking the kiss, his eyes wild with arousal, Peter once more whispered hoarsely, his question the same as before.
<P>
"Do you love me Wendy....?"
<P>
"I love you Peter....I love you!"
<P>
With a groan Peter once more claimed her mouth, his busy fingers rucking her nightgown around her waist as he found all her secrets, bringing her to a fever pitch of longing. Wanting to feel nothing but skin on skin, Wendy plucked at Peter's clothes, helping him shed them as he helped her to remove the nightgown until they lay flesh on flesh, heated with desire.
<P>
Very aware of her distended belly, Peter spooned up behind her, his arms cradling her back against his chest, his hands roaming over her breasts and stomach, caressing and stroking, her backside snug against his manhood. Sweeping her hair away, Peter feasted on her nape, nipping and kissing behind her ears and along her shoulder. Lifting her leg, Wendy felt Peter position himself behind and between her thighs, slipping into her with ease, setting up a rocking motion, their bodies moving tightly together, Peter's breath hot against her neck as they joined in the dance of love. Peter's hands held her close against him, his heart hammering against her back, her own racing as the pace quickened, Peter's thrusts pushing her forward as his broad hands held her to him, one sliding down her belly to nestle between her legs, bringing her to her peak with his long fingers before shouting out his own release moments later, shuddering against her, her body wrapped in his arms, his legs tangled with hers.
<P>
Panting, they lay entwined, Wendy's hair a silken pillow under Peter's cheek, his tongue snaking out to lap at a bead of sweat on Wendy's shoulder, tasting her salty sweetness as they relaxed, boneless and replete.
<P>
As if reminding his parents of his existence, the baby kicked again, Peter able to see the movement as well as feel it. Peter grinned against Wendy's neck, seeing an answering smile as she craned to kiss him over her shoulder.
<P>
"When can I take you home Wendy......I so want to show you what I've made for you.....for us."
<P>
"Tomorrow Peter.." Wendy yawned, snuggling into him, her bottom wriggling into his lap. "You can take us home, tomorrow."
<P>
Reaching down, Peter snagged the bed covers and pulled them up and over them both, Wendy's breathing already slow and steady as Peter settled her more comfortably in his arms. Pressing a kiss to her warm, naked shoulder, Peter relaxed his head on the pillow, his hand giving her belly a final stroke before he closed his eyes, a proprietary smile curving his lips as he slipped into  sleep.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Downstairs, Mary Darling cast a glance up at the ceiling before returning her attention to the embroidery in her hands. 
<P>
"Will she go with him?"
<P>
"Of course she will George....its all she's wanted, all she's thought about these last weeks."
<P>
"He should never had gone in the first place.....damn ramshackle of him to desert her like that....I've a good mind...."
<P>
"Now George.....they are still young, and bound to make mistakes. I think this has taught them both a lesson or two about love and marriage. I  don't think this will ever happen again..."
<P>
"Herumph!" George Darling rattled his newspaper noisily before folding it in half and looking over at his beautiful, serene wife.
<P>
"If she leaves.....we won't see her again..maybe not ever."
<P>
"Then we'll have to go and see them......if the need arises."
<P>
"What!!! I'm not going gallivanting off to some mythical island full of pirates and Indians!!"
<P>
"Then I'll have to go without you George....which would be a shame, for I'm sure you'd like to see your grandchild as much as I would."
<P>
"For heavens sake Mary......you can't go flying off.....it's not.." George spluttered for the right word.
<P>
"Not at all grown-up.....yes, I expect your right dear. We'll just have to make sure Wendy and Peter come back, every now and then, to keep us up to date with everything, or maybe we'll send Michael with them, to bring back stories to tell us."
<P>
"Really Mary......I sometimes wonder....."
<P>
"Yes George?"
<P>
"Why living with you is never boring....did you ever go to Neverland with Peter Pan?"
<P>
"No dear.......my life with you is quite enough of an adventure for me."
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Chapter: Eleven - New Arrival<br>
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Wendy stood barefoot in the knee-high grass, her hand resting on her stomach as she gazed at her new home.
<P>
"It's perfect Peter......just perfect."
<P>
In front of her stretched the meadow, bordered by a small stream that provided a background accompaniment to the birds in the nearby trees.  Nestled into the side of a low hill sat a small house, it's rounded roof part of the hill behind, it's doors and windows also rounded so that it seemed to be peering shyly from the hillside, sheltered and cradled by the land around it. It wasn't a house, in the true sense of the word, it didn't have a peaked roof, or stone steps or bear any resemblance to anything built in Bloomsbury, but it was perfect for Neverland.  Part of the house was proud of the hillside, a wide porch shading the door and front windows from the sun with shallow wooden steps leading down to the grass. It looked secretive and safe, and Wendy was dying to see inside.
<P>
Peter's hand tugged at hers as he urged her to inspect the house more closely and Wendy was more than willing to do so.
<P>
Only minutes before Peter had dropped their many bags and baggage on the grass when he landed a little ahead of her, turning and catching her in his arms before she could set a foot down, twirling her around while she shrieked and clutched at his neck in mock terror. Breathless and laughing, Peter set her on her feet, coming to stand behind her with his hands resting lightly on her shoulders as she surveyed their new home.
<P>
"The windows and doors came from the wreck of the Jolly Roger, from Hooks cabin no less, same with the balustrade on the porch."
<P>
"I can see Peter.....can I go inside?"
<P>
"Of course..." Peter handed her up the steps and onto the broad verandah, the door solid and ornate in front of her. Reaching across her, Peter pushed the door open wide, but before Wendy could step over the threshold Peter scooped her up into his arms.
<P>
"Smee told me this is what you do when you enter a new home."
<P>
Turning sideways and ducking slightly, Peter carried Wendy through the door, setting her down lightly once inside. 
<P>
Reaching up, she kissed him on the cheek and turned away but Peter pulled her back, his lips engaging hers and kissing her quite thoroughly before letting her go, breathless at his audacity.
<P>
Light was streaming through the windows at the front of the house, the stained glass in some of the panes painting bright splashes of colour on the wooden floor of the front room. The house was basically one very large room with a polished wooden floor, windows at the front and plastered walls. Several alcoves had been dug out of the earth to create ledges and shelves and seats, all plastered over to seal them and stop the hardpacked sandy earth from crumbling. At the back were several doors leading into more rooms. It was snug and warm and reminded Wendy of Peter's original home under the old tree, but with more room.
<P>
"We'll get the furniture moved from the treehouse in the next few days.....that's if you want to move in here?"
<P>
"Oh Peter.....its darling......you've worked so hard.....and the others.....we must hold a house-warming party to thank them."
<P>
"Do you really like it Wendy?.....it's not like your house in London...."
<P>
"It's perfect Peter......I love it."
<P>
Turning to face him, Wendy threw her arms around him and hugged her husband fiercely. Peter buried his face against her hair and smiled, happy that he'd finally got it right.
<P>
A noise drew their attention and Peter drew Wendy back to the front door, letting her go through first.
<P>
"Welcome home lass!"
<P>
Outside, spread over the grassy meadow, all the residents of the pirate community were gathered together, their voices raised in a cheer when Wendy stepped onto the porch, followed closely by Peter. Jack and Smee stepped forward, grinning broadly as Wendy smiled down at them, overwhelmed to be welcomed home so warmly.
<P>
"We're right glad to see you home Wendy-girl," said Smee, climbing the steps and giving her a resounding kiss on the cheek. "Do you like it?"
<P>
"It's wonderful Smee.....I don't know how to thank you all."
<P>
"No need to thank us lass," Jack elbowed Smee to one side, hugging Wendy to him and kissing her on the other cheek. "We're just very glad you're back here with us."
<P>
"Thank you Jack......"
<P>
"I expect to see you soon, for a quick check over......I don't trust these London quacks, don't know their stethoscopes from their tongue depressors, most of them."
<P>
"Oh Jack.....you would have liked Doctor Carlton....he was alot like you."
<P>
"What.....an old pirate?"
<P>
"No.. a kind and sensible man, and a good doctor."
<P>
Wendy reached up and kissed Jack on his weathered cheek, making him blush and causing Smee to roar with laughter. Peter grinned at Jack's discomposure over Wendy's shoulder, receiving a glare softened by a wink before Jack stepped to the side to allow Wendy to greet some of the other people waiting to see her.
<P>
"No problems Peter?"
<P>
"No really Jack."
<P>
The three men watched Wendy slowly make her way through the crowd of ex-pirates and former miners, still graceful despite her obviously advancing pregnancy.
<P>
"She's too thin Peter......needs to get some flesh on those bones, don't want her to fall ill." Jack observed, his eyes worried while his mouth kept smiling.
<P>
"I know Jack. I'll take care of her.....Doctor Carlton said she needs plenty of fresh air, sunshine, good food and love."
<P>
"There you go then......just like I said." Jack announced smugly, folding his arms over his chest.
<P>
"Just as you said." Peter agreed, his eyes never leaving the slender form of his wife as she turned back, walking towards the house again. Running down the steps, Peter met her half way, pulling her into an embrace, ignoring the people around them.
<P>
"Do you really think there's any cause for worry?" Smee asked, sidling over to Jack and watching the young couple below.
<P>
"Nothing that love and care won't put right, Mister Smee."
<P>
Wendy emerged from Peter's kiss flushed and laughing, her arms full of flowers, now sadly crushed. Jack came down the steps to join them, the rest of the crowd starting to disperse, wandering back to the pirate village.
<P>
"We're having a celebration tonight, do you think you're up to joining in?"
<P>
"Oh yes.......I'm fine Jack, don't worry so."
<P>
"Ah well....that's what I do best," Jack grinned, winking outrageously and making Wendy laugh.
<P>
"Bring yourselves along about sunset, everything will be ready then." Smee told them before setting off across the meadow, following the other, whistling cheerily.
<P>
"Now rest up young lady......don't want you falling asleep over your supper."
<P>
With a wave Jack left them, catching up to Smee and slinging an arm around the pirates shoulders before sauntering out of sight around the hillock.
<P>
"We're very lucky to have such friends Peter." Wendy sighed, leaning back against his chest, his arms coming around her, holding her tight.
<P>
"I'm very lucky to have you." Peter replied softly, placing a kiss on  the top of her head.
<P>
When the last figure had disappeared around the curve of the hill, Wendy and Peter walked amongst the tall grass back to their new home, the meadow once more left to the stream and the birdsong.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
The party was in full swing when they arrived at the brightly lit pirate settlement at sunset. Every house and shack blazed with torches, lanterns and candles, lighting the main street and chasing the shadows into the trees. A space had been cleared near the centre of town and a large bonfire was alight, sending sparks into the darkening sky, the embers competing with the swarms of fairies darting around and among the revellers.
<P>
Smee nudged Jack when Peter appeared with Wendy.
<P>
"They look like the bloomin' King and Queen."
<P>
Jack peered between the dancers careening around the bonfire.
<P>
"Well they are, you silly old codger...the King and Queen of Neverland, dontcha know."
<P>
Climbing to his feet, Jack weaved his way through the throng, appearing in front of Peter and Wendy like a jack-in-a-box, all broad grin and flashing eyes.
<P>
"Quite a party you have here Jack. I see you started without us." Peter commented wryly, moving closer to Wendy when an inebriated pirate staggered a little too close while trying to whirl his partner around. Jack pushed the importunate pirate back into the throng with a laugh.
<P>
"Come this way, I kept a seat for you both, a ways from all this,"
<P>
Keeping to the edge of the crowd, Jack led the way back to Smee, Peter keeping himself between Wendy and the dancers to avoid her being jostled unduly.
<P>
Smee greeted them heartily, subsiding back on his chair with a thump, grinning toothily.
<P>
Jack bustled around, supplying them both with food and drink, the dancers taking a rest while the rag-tag band slaked their thirst. While most of the pirates and miners rested in a wide circle, well back from the flames, a drum beat started, slow and steady. Across from where they were sitting, Peter saw a line of Indian braves start to appear, followed by a line of Indian women, their dark hair braided and beaded, the braves oiled and painted. The drum beat started to change, weaving a tempo while the Indians started to dance and leap, the men performing acrobatic jumps and twirls, the women weaving a dance around them, graceful and intricate. The drums were joined by a flute from the pirate musicians, as well as the kettle drums, adding to the swell of music as the Indians danced, their shadows leaping across the beaten earth, their bodies painted in gold and copper.
<P>
Wendy watched entranced, the people starting to clap in time with the drums. Another sound started to thread its way through the music and Wendy saw that Peter had seated himself beside the Indian drummers, his pan-flute against his mouth, the high, sweet sound lifting the rhythm and sending a haunting melody through the air. Above it all the fairies danced, darting and weaving their way through the smoke and embers, creating patterns in the night sky. The ground started to reverberate from the stomping of feet as the Indians' leapt higher, the women twirling faster, their fringed dresses a blur of motion around them.
<P>
Finally the music built to a crescendo and stopped, Peter's pan-flute the last sound as the notes of the melody tailed away, leaving the dancers panting and the audience cheering wildly, clapping their hands and whistling in appreciation.
<P>
Peter returned to Wendy, his face wreathed in a grin as he flopped down beside her, tucking the flute into his belt.
<P>
"I thought you lost that ?" Wendy said, passing him a glass of fruit juice to slake his thirst.
<P>
"I did.....this was made by one of the pirates, old Josh. He's quite a craftsman, as well as a musician."
<P>
Peter raised his glass towards a grizzled pirate sitting amongst the band, who grinned happily back, his tin whistle clutched in one hand.
<P>
The band started to play again, a lilting tune this time, haunting and slow. After the wild abandon of the dance before, this was relaxing and soulful, the audience swaying, some couples getting up to dance slowly together. Peter climbed to his feet and held out his hand to Wendy, who took it and followed him onto the cleared space.
<P>
"Dance with me Wendy," Peter whispered, holding out his hand, the way he did when they'd danced so many years ago. Wendy slipped her fingers into his, his hand coming to rest on her waist as her hand lifted to rest on his shoulder. As the music surrounded them, they forgot everyone else, their eyes only on each other as they came together and moved apart, circling in the movements of the dance as the flames gilded them in gold. Several other couples were circling the fire around them, but they didn't notice, their dance becoming an embrace as Wendy leant her head on Peter's shoulder, his arms coming around her to hold her close, their feet barely moving, circling slowly.
<P>
As the last note died away, Wendy raised her face to Peter and he claimed her lips, his bright head bent to her honey gold, her arms around his neck as they kissed.
<P>
The sound of clapping intruded on the moment and they parted, Wendy blushing as they realised that everyone was applauding them, the other couples having left the dance area to them alone. Grinning wickedly, Peter scooped Wendy into his arms and carried her back to her chair, her flaming face hidden against his chest.
<P>
Jack and Smee were grinning broadly, slapping Peter on the back when Wendy was comfortably settled.
<P>
As the evening wore on, more drink and food was passed around but eventually Wendy couldn't stop a yawn from almost splitting her face in two, her hand hiding it poorly from Peter's watchful gaze.
<P>
"Come on, I'll take you home." He held out his hand and she took it gratefully.
<P>
"I'm sorry Jack, Smee....it's been a lovely party, I've enjoyed every minute of it."
<P>
"Thank you for coming back and giving us back Neverland the way we like it. You have no idea how dismal it was here before....rain everyday, clouds like you've never seen....dead depressing it was." Jack grinned up at Peter's scowling face, Smee having fallen backwards off his chair and lay sprawled on the ground, snoring gently.
<P>
"We'll see you in a few days......when you've recovered from all this." Peter swept his arm out to encompass the pirate village, now populated by it's drunk, and very merry population.
<P>
"Right you are lad......take ya lady home. Goodnight, dear lady." Jack lifted Wendy's hand and kissed its back. "Take care of her lad, she is a precious jewel."
<P>
"I will Jack....goodnight."
<P>
"I'll see you in a few days Jack," Wendy hugged the Doctor, kissing his cheek before Peter once more swept her up in his arms and turned to fly away with her, back to the treehouse.
<P>
Jack watched them go, his face plastered with a silly grin, until they disappeared into the night sky.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Over the next few days the furniture from the treehouse was moved to the new home, The Burrow, as Wendy affectionately called it. Peter had alot of help from the fairies, their dust lifting the furniture into the air and helping to carry it to the new home with effortless ease.
<P>
By the end of a week they were set, Wendy happy with the arrangement of everything and Peter glad not to have to be moving anymore chairs from one side of the room to the other. 
<P>
They gave a small party as a house-warming, inviting Jack and Smee and Alindra and the Chief and his wife. Wendy felt very proud to be able to have a real home, all of her own and it showed in her smiles and bright eyes. Over the next few weeks Wendy filled out again, her body responding to Peter's care and love and Neverlands' unique environment.
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She was well into the end of her third trimester when she felt restless and started to rearrange stuff around The Burrow, Peter often walking into the house to find everything changed around. He spoke about it to Jack who explained it was all quite normal, to be expected in a woman due to give birth. Jack told him that Wendy was nesting, which Peter found funny, imagining Wendy building a birds nest in the middle of the floor. Still laughing over that, Peter flew back to The Burrow, picking a bunch of flowers from the meadow before bounding up the steps and pushing open the front door. 
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"Peter.......please, you have to get Jack!"
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Wendy stood beside the table, her hands gripping the edge, white-knuckled, her face contorted in a grimace. The flowers dropped forgotten to the floor as Peter went to her side, stepping around the puddle of water on the floor between Wendy's feet.
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"What is it? What's happening?" Peter cried in alarm, his eyes darting from Wendy's face to the floor and up, noting her drenched dress as her hand left the table edge to clutch his in a bone breaking grip. 
<P>
"My water's have broken.....the baby's coming Peter.....get Jack.......NOW!"
<P>
Moaning, Wendy let go of Peter's hand and pushed him away, returning her hand to the edge of a table as another contraction gripped her body, her eyes screwed shut as she panted through it. Peter stood frozen for a second, noting Wendy's expression, seeing it clear as the contraction eased, her forehead sheened with perspiration.
<P>
As if stung by a bee, Peter ran for the door, leaping into the air and streaking back to the pirate village, his body a blur in the noonday sky. Jack was just sitting down to his lunch when Peter burst through the door, wild eyed and hyperventilating. Jack got to his feet, handing Peter to a chair as the youth trembled, too breathless to speak. Gulping, Peter pushed himself up and grabbed Jack, shaking him.
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"Wendy.....the baby.......NOW!"
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"Steady on lad.....now what this all about....?"
<P>
"It's Wendy.......she's in pain....the baby's coming."
<P>
His lunch forgotten, Jack patted Peter on the shoulder and turned to find his bag. Peter almost hopped from one foot to the other, his body thrumming with fear and frustration as Jack pottered around the room, gathering his tools and necessary implements.
<P>
"Come on Jack........Wendy needs you."
<P>
"I gathered that lad, first baby's are often impatient, but there's hours to go yet.....and I have to gather everything I'll need."
<P>
Peter almost groaned, wanting only to return to their home, hating having to leave Wendy alone, even for a minute. Finally Jack had everything he needed and turned to Peter.
<P>
Not waiting for further delays, Peter yanked Jack out of his house and prepared to fly him back to Wendy. Smee was just coming out of his house and called to Jack, asking what was happening. Before Jack could open his mouth Peter had him in the air and he could only shout down to Smee that the baby was coming, to which Smee stared round eyed and open mouthed at the pair as they disappeared from sight above the tree-line.
<P>
The trip back to The Burrow was, by necessity, slower that Peter's hectic race to the village, so that they arrived to find Wendy trying to clean herself up while enduring another contraction.
<P>
Jack bustled into the house all business like, taking Wendy to task for bothering with the mess and not getting herself to bed. While Peter filled buckets and started them heating up, Jack helped Wendy to change into a clean nightdress, using a wadded towel to stem the trickle of amniotic fluid between her legs. As Peter cleaned up the soiled clothes and floor, Jack examined Wendy, feeling the surface of her belly to gauge the strength of the contractions, listening with a stethoscope to the heartbeat and timing her contractions as she panted, sitting with her knees up in the centre of the bed.
<P>
"This baby is impatient to be born my girl," Jack announced, clicking his pocket watch shut before patting Wendy's hand and smiling reassuringly. Peter had filled a basin with hot water and Jack rolled up his sleeves, washing his hand thoroughly in preparation for giving Wendy an internal examination to check her progress.
<P>
Peter, having done all he could do, sat next to Wendy on the edge of the bed, waiting to be told what to do.
<P>
"You need to lay down for this lass....it'll be uncomfortable, but I need to know how far along you are."
<P>
Wendy nodded, her eyes wide with a little alarm as another contraction cramped her body, making her moan and clutch Peter's hand. Jack waited for it to pass before completing his examination, washing his hands again afterwards while Wendy panted and Peter looked worried.
<P>
"It's happening too fast Jack," Wendy cried, another wave of contractions forcing her to grit her teeth, her fingers clutching the bed cover as she rode it out. Jack exchanged a look with Peter before answering.
<P>
"It is a little precipitous girl....but first babies can be like that....sometimes they take hours, sometimes they come in a rush. You're well along, nearly half dilated already. Don't be afraid to cry out, shout and scream if you want to....."
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"I'm scared," Wendy wailed, another pain forcing her to cry out, her eyes squeezed shut as a tight band wrapped itself around her middle, squeezing and squeezing before releasing her, leaving her panting.
<P>
"I've heard that is sometimes helps, in the early stages, if you walk about a bit, helps gravity work for you." Jack suggested, "and gets the baby into the right position."
<P>
Peter helped Wendy wrestle herself upright, a contraction hitting as she sat on the edge of the bed. When it passed, she rose to her feet and started to pace slowly, Peter by her side. When her body tightened she leant against one of the chairs or the table, Peter stroking circles on her back as she groaned and waited for the spasm to pass.
<P>
While Wendy laboured, and Peter tried his best to help, Jack checked over his meagre supply of medical paraphernalia, hoping that there would be few complications, but knowing that anything could happen. Wendy wasn't some brawny farmer's wife, with broad hips and stamina, she was a slender girl with fine bones and a narrow pelvis. Jack had delivered several babies in his time, and each one had been different from the last. Now he was about to bring another precious life into the world, he only hoped the outcome of this birth was better than his last.
<P>
The afternoon wore on and Wendy started to tire, her body racked with contractions getting closer and closer together. Peter kept her supplied with cool drinks and clothes to wash her face and smooth back her hair, his hands aching from her grip on them in the throws of her pain, his heart twisting painfully every time Wendy screamed as another ever-tightening band squeezed her body.
<P>
Jack checked on the progress regularly, announcing as the sun started its descent to the horizon in a blaze of colour that Wendy was very close, the contractions almost continuous. Peter was behind her at the head of the bed, Wendy between his legs, her knees drawn up, her head thrown back on Peter's shoulder as she felt an overwhelming desire to bear down. Jack was at the end of the bed, his eyes encouraging Wendy as she concentrated fiercely on his words, pushing when he told her to push,  relaxing and fighting the urge when he told her to rest. 
<P>
"You're doing fine girl....not long now......"
<P>
"Oh God, I have to push....."
<P>
Wendy arched back, pushing Peter into the wall, her grip on his now numb hands punishing as she bore down, her mouth opening on a scream as Jack watched intently from the end of the bed. 
<P>
"That's it Wendy....the head is crowning....another push girl, lets get those shoulders out......"
<P>
Wendy panted and gritted her teeth, her body a mass of pain and exhaustion as she pushed down, Jack encouraging her, Peter urging her on until she felt something slip from her body in a rush, the relief instant, leaving her breathless and crying.
<P>
Peter watched in wonder as his child slipped into the world, cradled in Jack's competent hands, the baby covered in a white, waxy substance, still attached to Wendy by the cord which continued to pulse as Jack wrapped the bundle in a dry towel, wiping its face and nose, clearing its mouth before placing the baby on its mother's stomach.
<P>
As the baby lay on her, it gave a bubbly snuffle, then a wail, its eyes tightly closed, its mouth opening and closing as it took its first, tentative breaths.
<P>
"Congratulations Peter.....Wendy......you have a beautiful son."
<P>
With Peter's help, Wendy sat up slightly and gathered the bundle carefully into her arms while Jack busied himself severing the cord and tying it off. So entranced by the new life in her hands, Wendy didn't notice Jack pressing on her deflated belly to deliver the afterbirth, she was completely focussed on the tiny pink face, so petal perfect and in her arms. Peter was similarly entranced, never noticing the tears that slipped down his cheeks as he gently touched the tuft of golden hair that peeked out of the towel, his fingers tracing the minute fingers with their perfect fingernails that stretched and waggled in the air.
<P>
"Oh Peter.......we have a son," Wendy whispered, the pain forgotten in the miracle of the life cradled against her heart.
<P>
A Jack carried on with the business end of the birthing, Wendy and Peter sat admiring their new child, each discovery of perfection bringing more tears and smiles and soft laughter as the new parents marvelled at their creation. Finally Wendy's exertions took their toll and she slipped into a doze, Peter taking the baby into his arms and easing himself from his cramped position behind her. Jack had cleaned Wendy up, changed the bed linen and made sure she was as comfortable as possible before covering her and leaving her to sleep.
<P>
Peter carried his son to a chair and sat down as Jack went around and lit the lanterns and candles, casting a golden glow over the room.
<P>
"You must be exhausted too, Peter...I'll look after your son, if you want to take a rest."
<P>
"I'm fine Jack......quite fine......I have a son," Peter stared up at the Doctor, his expression bemused and wondering. Jack smiled back, having seen that face several times with other new fathers. He felt tears prick the back of his throat as he remembered his own child, long gone in the past now, emotion overwhelming him.
<P>
"I'll put the kettle on, I need a hot drink and yon lassie will need something when she wakes up."
<P>
"I can't thank you enough Jack.......that was amazing."
<P>
"Yes lad......birth is always a miracle. Never take your child for granted Peter....they are a gift that can never be replaced."
<P>
While Wendy slept, Jack bustled in the small kitchen, getting a meal for himself and Peter. At one point, he looked around and Peter was gone, the baby with him. Looking out of the window he saw Peter standing in the middle of the meadow, the white bundle in his arms, while around his head a cloud of fairies fluttered and darted, dipping down to see the new arrival, their fairy dust showering down on Peter and his son so that the air danced with glittering light. One brighter light appeared, the Fairy Queen Alindra, who approached Peter, her light shining down on the face of his child, its tiny face dusted with fairy glow.
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"You have a son, Peter......a prince for Neverland."
<P>
"He's beautiful Alindra....and so perfect."
<P>
"All babies are beautiful Peter.....it's the nature of babies to be so."
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"He has such tiny fingers and toes.....see," Peter peeled back a corner of the blanket and the fairies crowded in, tinkling and laughing in agreement.
<P>
"He is quite wondrous Peter."
<P>
"I have to go back now.....I just wanted to show Neverland to him."
<P>
"Give our thanks and love to Wendy......she has given us a future."
<P>
As the fairies dispersed, Peter slowly walked back to The Burrow, his face alight with love and wonder, already cooing and making those sounds that parents are incapable of not making when faced with a baby in their arms. Jack met him at the door, smiling tiredly.
<P>
"So.....the King has a son......long live the Prince of Neverland."
<P>
"Long live Neverland, Jack......"
<P>
"Right you are lad.....long live us all."
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
Wendy awoke to the lusty wails of her hungry baby, her breasts already aching and full. Peter saw her eyes open and brought the child to her, laying him on the bed beside her. Propped on her side, she was able to bring her engorged nipple to the babies lips, a bead of milk leaking out and coating the eager mouth. Turning into the breast, the baby took a few seconds to fit its lips around the warm food source, but he latched on after a second try, pulling hard on the breast, causing Wendy to wince at the unfamiliar sensation.
<P>
"It's take a while for you to get used to that....and it will be uncomfortable sometimes....but persist.....let him dictate when he wants to feed....he'll tell you when he's hungry," Jack chuckled, smiling as the baby suckled vigorously, his tiny hand pressed into Wendy's breast, his eyes closed in concentration.
<P>
Wendy stared down at the scrap of humanity feeding from her body, her heart full of love for her son. She looked up at Jack.
<P>
"How will I know if he'd getting enough?"
<P>
"The more he feeds, the more you produce.....and I have a feeling he will be a greedy feeder." Jack laughed, as Wendy frowned in mock disapproval at his implied criticism of her boy. "Give yourself plenty of rest and lots of fresh food. Your body needs to recover, so no........" Jack looked meaningfully at Peter, " for atleast a couple of weeks." Wendy blushed, understanding his meaning. "Oh and you most probably won't get your monthly courses while you breast feed, so don't be surprised if they don't arrive when you expect them to."
<P>
Jack had a feeling he would have to repeat all that information at a later date, the new parents too focussed on the baby to take much in. Sighing to himself, Jack gathered his bit and pieces together and prepared to leave the family alone.
<P>
"I'll come back tomorrow and check that all is well with you all."
<P>
"Thank you Jack....for everything." Wendy called, her eyes soft with the joy of motherhood. Jack's heart twisted painfully as jealousy lanced through him. Clamping down on his emotions, Jack raised a cheery smile before closing the door of the hill house behind him. Outside the night was clear, the stars brighter than ever before. Dragging in a deep breath he started to walk back to the pirate village, his shoulders slumped with tiredness and a heavy heart.
<P>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<P>
"What are we going to call him Peter?" Wendy asked, looking down at her fed and fast asleep son, nestled in the crook of her arm. Peter was spooned up behind her, looking over her shoulder, still marvelling at the tiny creation so new to their world.
<P>
"I don't know.........what about squib, or shrimp...."
<P>
"Peter!......nothing to do with marine life, thank you. What about.....um......George, after my father....or even Peter, after you?"
<P>
"No....your father fits his name, and I fit mine, but he will need his own name."
<P>
"We could call him Jack?"
<P>
"We could......but what about a new name, that no-one has on Neverland.......the first born of Pan......"
<P>
Wendy thought hard, presenting and discarding names in her mind, before one leap out at her and she smiled.
<P>
"I would like to call him William."
<P>
"Why William?"
<P>
"It was the name of my great-grandfather. It's a good, strong name Peter.....?"
<P>
"William......William Pan...." Peter reached out a finger and stroked the soft cheek of his sleeping son. "That will be your name...William Pan, first born of Peter Pan and his beautiful wife, Wendy."
<P>
"Oh Peter....the cleverness of you."
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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The End of All Because of a Thimble II.......
<P>
(*sniff*......there ya go......*sniff*.......all done......*sniffle*
<P>
Of course......I could be persuaded to do a sequel, of the sequel? who knows.......bye for now! Oh, and why William?......my teeny reference to POTC....who could resist Will Turner......*sigh*)
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