Disclamer: I don't own Peter or Wendy or any of the characters.

A/N: This is sort of Once Upon a Time, but I'm making Wendy's orgins different. I based Peter and Neverland and the lost boys off of the once potrayal

When I was a child we always had this tattered old story book that I would read to my brothers out of. When we were young they used to love to hear the stories I had to tell. They would listen with apt attention as I carefully read out of the story book, or sometimes spin stories out of thin air. They had always loved the story of Peter Pan, the boy that never grew up. That was understandable, since when you're a child the thought of never growing up seems like a very nice thing indeed. At one point even I used to dream that one day I would be taken away to Neverland, though I never believed that it was actually real.

I never believed that Peter Pan was a real who in there right mind would believe that a boy who could fly would possibly be real. I also never knew the monster that is Peter Pan.

As we grew older my brothers no longer asked me to read them stories and our old story book soon began to gather dust in the corner of my bookshelf. I never really looked at it for why would I need an old book of stories anymore. It gathered dust for years, and I never really thought to look at it. My once beloved childhood stories soon became forgotten.

The day the shadow came was Christmas eve. My parents had told me that the party tonight would be a good chance for me to make my debut. Both of my parents thought that it was high time for me to make my debut into society. As they often said I was nearing an age where I would soon be marriageable. My mother and I had gone on a shopping trip earlier that week to get a dress for my debut. My father had said that many of his business associates would be there with there sons and even some of his betters might come. He thought it would be a perfect way for me to move up in society, though I never wanted the status, all I really wanted was the love that sometimes came through marriage.

My mother had been overjoyed by my debut she was of much the same opinion of my father that I might certainly be able to move up in life should I marry the right man. She had taken me to one of the most expensive dress shops in town saying that we needed to get the best for such a splendid event. I felt like a doll as she had the seamstress at the shop pull many different dress styles. After she chose the style the seamstress had to pin the model dress sticking me with pins left and right.

After long thought and debate my mother finally decided on an emerald shade saying that it offset my skin and eyes well and was perfectly festive for Christmas time. We had only barely gotten the dress in time for the party, which was a relief since my mother would have considered it quite a disaster if I had had to wear one of my older dresses.

I looked in the mirror examining myself in all the finery I had been told to wear. My hair was mostly up, though there were a few strands hanging out curled perfectly to frame my face. My mother had done my hair for me also adding an emerald diadem saying that it was the perfect touch even when I argued that it was really unneeded and overly extravagant. The dress I wore had a green velvet bodice as well as a matching over-skirt with the faint pattern of vines embroidered along the hems. The greater part of the skirt was a dark green satin only slightly lighter in shade that the velvet. The satin fell in heave folds skimming the floor.

I huffed frustrated by the bulky skirts and petticoats that were apparently the height of fashion. I missed the times in my childhood when I could wear whatever I pleased and no one would be particularly bothered by it. When I was twelve no one cared whether of not I wore my petticoats or looked just so, for I was still only a child.

I walked over to my window to let the cold December wind into my room letting it clear my head. I sat on the seat next to the window resting my head on my palm. I had always thought that the best place to read in our home was the seat by the window. You could be taken away by the beauty of a book and look outside and see the beauty in the city around you. I always thought that London was beautiful, whether it be in the richer parts or the poorer parts, it was just the same and just as beautiful to me.

The wind whipped a couple of strands of hair out of their coif on my head. I could not bring myself to care as I watched the snowflakes make their lazy trip down to the ground. The snowflakes I watched then would surely be crushed by the party guests who would surely be arriving soon. I heard a sharp knock on my door and turned to see my mother enter the room. She smiles as she looks at me.

" You look wonderful dear." she said approaching me with a small box clutched in her hand. " I remember when I was your age and I made my debut." she said she seemed almost rueful as she talked of this night. " I remember I was so scared. I didn't want to mess anything up." she says chuckling to herself. " My mother gave me this and I thought it right that on the night of your debut you might wear it and pass it down to your daughter and so on." She handed me the little box and I opened it to find a little gold locket on a gold chain. Set in the center of the locket was an emerald and around it there were little vines outlining the shape of the heart.

I smiled up at my mother " Mother this is just splendid." I frowned looking down at the little piece of jewelry " do you really mean to give this to me it must mean a lot to you as a gift from your mother."

She shook her head " No I think it would be best that you get it. I no longer have need for the comfort that it might bring." She gently picked up the locket and fastened the chain around my throat. I fingered the locket lightly before looking back up at my mother. " There now you look perfect." She said giving me a quick embrace. " Your father says to be down in a quarter of an hour." she called over her shoulder while walking briskly out of my room.

I looked down at the locket and smiled. It seemed as if my mother had picked the whole outfit I was wearing to go with the locket. The locket really did finish off my outfit and I was glad to have even the smallest bit of comfort. I sat for maybe ten minutes entranced by the locket until I heard footsteps above me. I was jerked out of my thoughts by this peculiar sound. There was no floor above me, so how could one possibly be on the roof. I rushed over to my window craning my neck to see the roof.

A pounding sound came from the door to my room and I jumped almost falling out my window. " Wendy! It's time to come down guests will be arriving soon" My father's loud voice came from the other side of the door.

" Coming father!" I replied hurriedly slipping on the delicate slippers that my mother had gotten me. I was happy that my mother had not bought a pair of heeled shoes that seemed to be all the fashion for I surely would have made a great fool of myself.

I slipped out of my room running down the hall to the stair case. My younger brother John stood at the top of the stairs waiting for me. " May I escort you m'lady" he said with a silly grin and a mock bow.

"Of course you may kind sir." I said giggling while executing a curtsy before slipping my arm through his. We made our way down the stairs laughing all the way. Even my father smiled when he saw us enter the room. My mother had made the small ballroom we had in our house look marvelous. It was very obviously ready for the holidays with a Christmas tree in the back corner of the room covered in sparkling ornaments.

" Good we're all here and ready." My father said be for busying himself with fixing his tie one more time.

A sharp knock came on the door and my father's head jerked up. He smoothed his hands down his pants one more time before reaching for the handle of the door a large smile on his face. He jerked the door open and guests started coming in. My mother went to tell the musicians to start playing while I stayed near the door to welcome guests to the party. When I had tried to leave my father had stopped me telling me that the party was about me and I should therefore wait and welcome all of the guests that came. The welcoming of guests was certainly not the most exciting job for many of the guests had already begun dancing to the jovial tunes that the musicians played.

After about a half an hour my father finally deemed it alright for me to move away from the door and join in in the festivities. The night began to pick up a pattern. Many young men were at the party. They were probably sons of some of my fathers associates. They would each ask me for a dance which I would be obliged to accept. I quickly became hot for there were many people in the room and I barely got to stop dancing before another man would come along and ask for a dance as well.

I was very relieved when it was finally time for dinner so that I might have a little bit of a break. Right as we were about to enter the dining room a boy maybe a year or two older than me appeared at my side. He didn't say anything just grabbed my hand and led me toward the dining room. I had to hurry to keep up as his steps were long and sure. His hand was strong and held my hand in a vice.

Right as we were about to reach the dining room the boy suddenly took a sharp turn in the other direction. I opened my mouth to protest, but the boy pushed me up against the wall into the shadows one hand on either side of my head. "Don't you dare make a sound" he said in a low voice. I looked up into his eyes and saw dark malice. The boy leaned in whispering in my ear "We wouldn't want me to hurt you now would we." I shivered with fright. I nodded my head slowly afraid to make any sudden movements.

The boy seemed satisfied and snaked his hand around my waist pulling me along forcefully. My heart pounded hard my blood running through me like ice. This boy surely had no good intentions for me. We rounded a corner and the boy picked up speed even more, soon he was half carrying me towards a side door that would lead to the gardens.

The boy burst through the door dragging me outside with him. The could air hit me surprising me. The snowflakes still floated down lazily as if nothing was wrong, except for there was something terribly wrong at least in my opinion. I didn't know what this boy wanted to do with me but I knew that it couldn't be anything good. If this encounter had been the good sort he would not have threatened me as he did.

I knew that I had to do something, anything to get away from him. I kicked him in the shin hard not knowing what else to do and pulled out of his grip. I ran back towards the door, trying to move as fast as I could in the blasted skirts I was wearing. The boy caught up to me easily capturing both of my wrists in one of his hands. "I thought we agreed you would not try to run away" he said lifting my hands and putting me in a vulnerable position. He leaned in putting his face so that it was mere inches away from my own. I could tell he was trying to intimidate me. I let out a soft whimper taking a small step backwards.

The boy let go of my wrists and began to walk in a tight circle around me. I was petrified by fear. I doubted I could possibly get away with the boy being this close. He seemed much faster than me especially when I was wearing a cursed large dress. "I doubt I can trust you anymore Miss Darling" the boy said calmly, almost as if he were only speculating to himself. "you've tried to run away even when I told you that the results of trying would not end very well in your favor." I shivered watching him closely. I didn't want him to come any closer to me than he already was.

Suddenly as the boy walked behind me he lunged putting something over my face. I struggled trying to hold my breath. I had heard stories of such drugs that would knock you out if you breathed them in. I was not about to let this boy use them on me if I could help it. I could feel the air in my lungs depleting and I knew that I only had a few more seconds left before I would have succumb to the need of breathing. The boy chuckled "you can't last forever Miss Darling" he whispered in my ear. I let out a strangled cry though it was not very loud before finally succumbing. "Sweet dreams" was the last thing I heard before I passed out.