AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is picking up where Kimberly Appelcline's "The
First Kiss" fanfic leaves off (you can find the fic on this very site),
somewhere halfway through the epilogue.
So, HERE IT IS, my final chapter!! WHEW! It's been a blast, you guys, I hope you enjoyed it as much I have!
**NOTE: I have made a rather pretentious little media site dedicated to this story (heheh), featuring some extras such as a proposed "soundtrack" and full-color illustrations and other pertinent information relating to this fanfic. So please visit! Simply remove the spaces from the following web address:
geocities.com / zigs1379
THANKS!! And now here's the conclusion, Chapter XIX. Please send comments! :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
XIX. SACRIFICE
So he had wished it.
This was the too simple answer to the great riddle that Wendy had not even considered as she was rowed back to shore by the Indians. She had rather forgotten how the fairies told her that Peter's own ability to make whatever he wished become true would restore him to his coveted boyhood. But that was long before he sacrificed all of it in order to spend his life with her. And Wendy scarcely could imagine that the offer of eternal youth would remain open to him...Or that he would one day reclaim it.
But this is precisely what was revealed to her as she sat sullenly before the fairy court in the forest. Tinker Bell was there as well, listening intently but keeping her distance. Wendy stared numbly at the ground, trying to process everything she was hearing, only occasionally lifting her head to glance about her in order to make sure that Anthony was still off playing somewhere that he could not listen to any of it. He needn't be aware of this. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.
But the story did not quite conclude there. Peter's wish was but the end to a great many means, as Wendy came to discover. And with swollen eyes, she raised her head to the Fairy King and Queen, mouth agape.
"'Twas all your doing this whole time."
"Not entirely," the King confessed. "We were mere instruments at the disposal of a much greater power."
"What power?"
The Queen smiled sweetly. "Why, Neverland of course."
"I don't understand." Wendy was beginning to tear.
The King flew over to Wendy and sat next to her upon the tree root she currently occupied. "You see, my dear, Neverland is ever so much more than just an island. Even more than a paradise where all things magical and hopeful can coexist in harmony. Neverland is *alive*, Wendy. Much like any creature. It has thoughts and feelings, loyalties and enemies, just like you or I, or Peter, or even Captain Hook. But more than anything else, Neverland is so like a child. Indeed, 'tis in Neverland where the hopes and dreams of all children come to thrive, so it only stands to reason. And just as a child does, Neverland needs to be properly cared for, to be cultivated so much like a well-pruned garden. And nobody has ever shown so much care and nurturing for this little island than Peter Pan. Ever."
"Neverland knew this to be true the moment Peter left with you for good," the Queen added. "'Tis how it became so vulnerable to Hook's whims. Neverland fell quite ill. Neverland was dying."
"And Anthony could not save it?" Wendy asked.
"Anthony could only treat the symptoms, but he was not the cure," the King explained. "He had enough of the Pan magic in him to be a temporary solution until Peter could return to save it completely."
Wendy suddenly found herself quite perturbed. "So...you *used* my son to lure Peter back to Neverland so that it could steal him back, away from me and his children?"
"That was not our decision to make, Wendy." The Queen sighed. "And it was not our intention to 'steal' him from you. Alas, he had always really belonged to Neverland anyhow. As far as it was concerned, 'twas only reclaiming what rightfully belonged to it."
Wendy only shook her head and let it fall under her whisper. "How very selfish..."
The Queen smiled. "As I have told you, Neverland is but a mere child. And are not all children quite selfish and careless?"
And none were ever more so than Peter Pan, and Wendy knew it. With every word, it became clearer to her how quite inseparable Peter and Neverland were – both so very selfish and heartless; both the very figures of all children's fantasies. Perhaps they needed each other more than Wendy had ever realized. Perhaps they were never supposed to have been separated forever.
"And so this was planned all along," Wendy thought aloud. "Anthony being taken from us, Peter and I coming back to find him..."
"Oh, it started long before then, Wendy," the King said. "I daresay this has been preordained all along. Even before Peter met you."
"What do you mean?"
"From the moment Peter first hovered over you while you slept as a child, to the moment Tinker Bell sneaked a satchel of fairy dust in Peter's pocket before he left, all these instances have lead us precisely to whence we are sitting at this very moment."
The Queen continued. "Meeting you, marrying you, having Anthony, the storm in Kensington Gardens, Hook fatally wounding Peter...these were not a one of them a mere accident."
"But I don't understand," Wendy cried in frustration. "If Peter was always meant for Neverland, why was he to leave at all?"
"Isn't it perfectly obvious?" the Queen responded. "So that little Anthony could be born."
Wendy was not satisfied. "Why should that matter to anyone other than Peter and I?"
At this point, the King rose from next to Wendy and floated about the air, his wrists crossed behind his back in a most philosophical fashion.
"It is wholly important that a part of Peter Pan be able to exist and multiply within your world," he stated, looking upon Wendy gravely. "You are entering most cynical and troubled times, dear Wendy. Now more than ever do you and your fellow people need a spirit such as Anthony's to give them hope through hopeless days to come. He is to do great things for mankind, as only the son of Peter Pan could be expected. He is quite a special boy, you know."
Wendy could not help but smile. Anthony was indeed special. The dearest thing to her heart besides her daughters and her husband.
"So, you see," the Queen chimed in, "Anthony was not quite just some lure to bring Peter back to us. His purpose is far greater than that, I can assure you. And it was imperative that he spend that time with the fairies and birds of Kensington, and most certainly was it essential that he see Neverland for himself, for all this shall prepare him for the strength and leadership he will display in your world in the years to come."
Wendy was wholly pleased to hear such glowing words of her son. But the more they spoke, suddenly the smaller she herself felt. Where was *her* purpose in all of this? Was she simply some vessel from which this Wonder Boy was to be sprung? These new thoughts pervading her head brought her back to the tears and dismay of before.
"But what of me?" she asked. "Did I truly mean nothing to Peter then? Was I just some pawn in all these grand destinies to take place?"
"Oh, my dear!" The Fairy Queen fluttered to Wendy and settled blithely on her knee. "You mustn't feel that way at all. 'Twas his great love for you that has made all this possible. I do not think you can have any doubts, in your heart of hearts, as to how much he adored you. Indeed, two of the very most important decisions he has ever made in his life – to leave and grow up and to return and become a boy again – he has made out of his undying devotion to you."
"So that not only could Neverland survive, but you and your children could be saved as well," the King added.
The tears were flowing freely now, but not wholly out of sadness any longer.
"What a price to pay..." she whispered.
"Indeed," said the Queen, wiping a tear larger than her own hand from Wendy's cheek. "But 'tis this sacrifice he made to save so many more. So children everywhere may again have a place of solace and wonder to turn to in their most precious of dreams."
So much deeper was it beginning to set in for Wendy as to the permanence of this situation. She would have to leave Neverland just as she had expected to but a day before, but instead of departing with Peter and leaving her son behind, it was Anthony who would be joining her and her husband whom she would have to let go. And to be sure, she would not have even the luxury of such a choice had Peter not made the decision that he did. He would surely be dead, and she and Anthony would still be under Hook's diabolical spell. And Neverland would be a shriveled wasteland. Was there truly no going back?
Quickly did Wendy's mind think back to what had started all of this for her and Peter in the first place – her Kiss. It was her Kiss that proved to be the catalyst for Peter's maturity and ultimate surrendering of his reigns on Neverland, all for her. Just maybe...
"What if..." – And she was grasping for straws – "...if I were to...kiss him again?"
The King and Queen exchanged a pitying look.
"You may do so until the end of time itself," the Queen began delicately, "but never will the kiss of a grown woman effect Peter Pan the way the thimble from that young girl aboard the pirate ship had so long ago."
Wendy knew it to be so. How could she even consider kissing a little boy the way she had kissed Peter that crucial night in their youth? It would never be the same.
And if this notion were not harsh enough, Wendy soon felt her thoughts descend upon an even more concerning matter – a most dreadful notion indeed. Thus with wide, terrified eyes did she once more address the fairy court.
"But...what if," she stuttered, "Peter were to...fly away with some other little girl..."
She could not go on. The idea was simply too excruciating.
But such rotten thoughts the Fairy Queen was quite hasty to alleviate. With a reassuring smile, she said, "Dear child, just as there can only be one Peter Pan, also is there only but one Wendy. And so shall there always be."
Wendy felt herself able to breathe once again.
"You are still his wife," the King added, "And though he may not appear to acknowledge it any longer, somewhere deep inside, he will always know this to be true."
For the first time, Wendy smiled at the thought of the new-old Peter.
"I will see to this!" Tinker Bell suddenly chimed in quite brazenly.
And now did Wendy actually laugh. Good old Tink, just as saucy as always.
But quickly did Tinker Bell's exuberance turn to humbleness when she saw the King and Queen cast eyes on her, and she lowered her head respectfully.
"That is," she began sheepishly, "if I may."
The King smiled upon her. "You have proven yourself quite worthy of the task, Tinker Bell." Then his gaze turned slightly stern. "And now that Peter is back, I trust we shall have no further trouble from you."
Tinker Bell's light grew instantly brighter. "Quite not! Thank you, Your Majesties!" And with a mid-air curtsy, Tinker Bell reclaimed her inconspicuous spot near Wendy.
Wendy could feel herself slowly becoming more at peace with this most jarring situation – at least for now. She may very well have been in denial, and if so, all the better, for she knew she would soon have to leave Neverland and return to London to sort out her and her children's lives anew. To live will indeed be an awfully big adventure.
Oh, her children!
"What am I to tell my children?" Wendy asked starkly.
"I'm afraid that is not up to us to decide," the King proclaimed.
"You took him away from me and his son and daughters," Wendy retorted. "And I would like to know what I should tell them when I return home without their father. You at least owe me that."
But the King held firm. "We could not presume to hand you such delicate answers. You will know what to say when the time comes."
Wendy exhaled heavily. She so very much hoped they were right. But still, she felt that the fairies – alas, Neverland itself – were obliged to her somehow, for bringing Peter back to them and walking away willingly though begrudgingly.
"In that case," she negotiated, "Can you at least arrange a safe passage home for myself and my son? I daresay I could not find my way back, even with all the fairy dust in Neverland."
The King and Queen nodded their heads to her. "Of course."
Wendy made a move to rise, but she stopped as one last barter entered her mind.
"I can never come back, can I?"
The King tilted his head considerately. "We would never deny you entrance. Neverland is forever indebted to you and would always welcome you. The challenge lies within your ability to find a means with which to return."
And so Wendy had her answer – a definitive no. She and Peter had found their way back on a fluke – or rather, on Neverland's good graces. She highly doubted Tinker Bell would slip a satchel of fairy dust in *her* pocket as she was leaving.
So with that, Wendy rose waveringly from her tree root seat and bid the fairy court farewell. And she thanked them, though she made it clear that she was only doing so in gratefulness for their kind answers and for nothing more. She could not very well thank them for taking Peter from her, no matter how accustomed to the idea she might ever become.
And before she took her leave, she asked where she might find Peter, to which Tinker Bell responded that she had left him last atop the outlook platform above the tree home. And so that was whence she headed.
Wendy first stopped on the way to check upon Anthony, still playing most contentedly with some of the Indian children in the forest. So sweetly oblivious to all the turmoil around him.
From outside of the tree home, Wendy could see the small silhouette of Peter Pan crouched upon the lookout platform above. He appeared to be toiling at something.
Wendy made her way wearily up the rickety ladder toward the top of the platform, her heart sinking further which each step. This would surely by far turn out to be the most difficult moment of her life. And the cruelest part was, Peter would never realize it.
When Wendy breached the platform, she found Peter sitting cross-legged, his back to her, fiddling with the soiled workshirt that he had arrived in Neverland wearing. He was tearing off little bits here and there and affixing an assortment of leaves, vines, and acorns to it, although with amusingly little success, though he seemed not to care. So like Peter not to care. He was simply having fun.
"Hello, Peter," Wendy said softly, standing full upon the platform.
Instantly did Peter shoot up into the air with a gasp. He spun around to look at her, his features obscured by the rising sun behind him.
Wendy squinted up at him, holding a hand aloft. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
Peter folded his arms indignantly and let himself begin to settle back to the platform. "I wasn't scared! You just snuck up on me is all."
Now his feet once again touched the ground, and he continued to stand erect for a few moments until he suddenly seemed to remember he was in the presence of a lady, and so he bowed deeply before her.
Out of reflex did Wendy respond with a light curtsy, but the gesture was cut short when her eye caught upon a shiny golden object dangling from Peter's now-unobstructed chest, hanging from a vine. She knew instantly what it was, and it bade her nearly burst into tears.
She made a move toward him, her arm outstretched. "Peter..."
He saw what she was going for, and he covered the object with his hand and jumped back. "I found it first! 'Tis mine!"
Quickly Wendy remembered herself and stopped. "What...that is, where did you find it?"
Peter fingered it blithely, as if quite curiously taken with it. "I found it on Blind Man's Bluff when Tink woke me up." His brow furrowed and he scratched his head. "You know, I must have hit myself hard this time, because I don't remember a thing, and I have no idea where these clothes came from!"
Wendy nodded obligingly as Peter veered off course, but he soon found his way back. "Anyway, it looked to be some sort of a ring, though it will not fit any of my fingers. But I thought it so delightful that I made a necklace instead! Isn't that so very clever of me?"
It was indeed, Wendy thought. The Fairy King was right – he would always be her husband. And he still had the precious wedding ring to prove it.
"Oh, Peter," Wendy whispered, feeling quite pleased despite everything. "I...I should like to...give you a..." – she chose her words carefully – "a kiss. A real kiss."
Peter seemed suspicious but intrigued nonetheless. He loved gifts. "What is a 'kiss'?"
"It is something very special, something that shall always belong to you and no one else. But..." she added sternly, "In order for me to give it to you, you must let me touch you."
This was quite off-putting to Peter, but this lady seemed harmless, despite how fiercely she had defeated Hook earlier. "Will it hurt?"
Wendy wanted to say yes, for it may very well be the most painful for her. "I hope it shan't."
Peter relaxed a bit, and with wary eyes said, "Very well then. I shall accept this 'kiss'."
He held out his hand, so much like he had when first Wendy had offered him a kiss an eternity ago. But this time, she took no thimbles off her fingers or anything of the sort. Hurt feelings be damned. Peter should forever know what a true kiss was.
And so Wendy approached him carefully, and whence just before him, she leaned down and placed her Hidden Kiss upon his cheek. And there should it remain forever.
When Wendy straightened, Peter put his hand down and stared past her, almost as if disturbed. Then, he looked back at Wendy, and with an approving grin, stated, "So strange! But a good sort of strange! Thank you, Wendy-Lady, I shall keep your 'kiss' safe with me."
He said it in such a businesslike manner, but Wendy could see that he was to be true to his word. She looked longingly upon his little face and tried to imagine her life henceforth without it.
"Oh, Peter," She was beginning to tear. "I shall miss you so."
And then, as if quite not understanding why, Peter responded, "I know."
Wendy regarded him in silence for a moment until she saw the merest of grins creep upon his lips, and for a brief instant, she once again saw the face of her beloved husband hidden behind the youthful countenance of the boy standing before her. And she knew indeed that he shall be with her always.
The epiphanous moment was soon drastically interrupted by another little boy bounding noisily up from the latter and onto the platform, and in seconds flat, Wendy's dress was being tugged upon by her son.
"Mummy, Mummy!" Anthony exclaimed breathlessly, "The fairies are ready to take us back home now!"
"So, you are both leaving?" Peter asked rather disappointedly.
"Yes," Wendy replied simply.
"Shall you come back?" Peter was hopeful, as was Anthony.
"I do not think that will be possible, Peter, I'm sorry."
Peter thought a moment. "May I come to visit you where you live?"
Anthony looked to his mother expectantly, and she could hardly deny the boy.
"We shall see," came the answer. 'Twas the closest to a lie she had ever told any of her children or even Peter himself. But she could not say no. And even a yes would put such false hopes into Anthony's head. She knew Peter would soon forget all about them anyhow.
But indeed the answer was not a 'no', which was as good as a 'yes' to Peter and Anthony, and so they were satisfied.
"Well, we must be going now," Wendy declared, steadying her voice. With Anthony at her side, she slowly began to back away from Peter toward the latter.
"Goodbye, Peter," both she and Anthony said in turn.
Peter tossed them a noncommittal 'goodbye' in return and immediately turned back to what he was doing before Wendy had interrupted him. Wendy could not help but be so very unsettled by his apparent indifference, but she knew more than anybody how this was simply the way it was for Peter Pan.
And so with one last glance upon he who had slipped in and out of Heaven itself, she bade a final farewell to her greatest adventure.
Once Wendy and Anthony reached the inside of the tree home once more, Anthony finally asked of his mother: "Mummy, what has become of Daddy anyway?"
She hadn't expected the Moment of Truth to come upon her so soon, but it was bound to happen sooner than later. She thought back to all that the fairies had told her.
"Your Daddy..." she began, crouching before him, "He had to go away. He had to go to another place where people need him even more than you and I. And there he shall take care of them as he took care you."
"And he shan't come back?" Anthony asked.
"I'm afraid he cannot," she replied gently. "But he asked me to tell you how very much he loves you and always will."
Anthony sighed. "'Tis a shame. I really did like Mr. Peter."
And without a word more, Anthony tread lightly out of the tree home, leaving Wendy in awe. Did he still think this all but a game? Perhaps it was better so.
Outside the tree home, Wendy was greeted by several Indians and fairies, all leading her toward the beach beyond the forest where a small canoe lay in wait for her. Several more fairies stood at different posts upon the canoe, one of which was happily familiar to Anthony.
"Sixem!" he exclaimed, dashing toward the canoe to greet his friend. "I thought I was never to see you again!"
The young fairy smiled pleasantly. "I got you here, and I intend to deliver you back safely."
Tinker Bell was there as well, and before Wendy boarded the canoe, she flew upon her and affectionately tugged a lock of her hair. Wendy smiled at her gratefully.
"You have saved Peter so many countless times, Tinker Bell; I hope you shall continue to be forever steadfast in your loyalty to him."
"You know I shall," Tinker Bell responded.
"Do take care of him," Wendy said. "He needs it so."
Tinker Bell gave a hearty jingle, promising Wendy that she should always look after Peter Pan.
The Indians helped Wendy into the canoe, followed by Anthony, who sat snugly upon his mother's lap. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and pressed her cheek to the top of his head.
The Indians cried out a ceremonious farewell to Wendy and the boy in their native tongue, as did the remaining fairies. And with the strict order from Sixem, the fairy guides anointed the little canoe with their dust until it shimmered golden and began to ascend into the air.
Sixem shouted out her directions, the guides turning the canoe due west of the rising sun. And with a gentle tilt, the boat began its journey back to London.
Wendy kept her eyes toward her feet as the fairies carried them off. But Anthony shifted in her lap and turned to look behind him intently. And she could sense he was smiling.
Against her better judgment, Wendy lifted her head and turned it to follow Anthony's gaze, and thus was when she saw, standing proud and erect upon a small bluff near Mermaid's Lagoon, Peter Pan's silhouette cast darkly against the brilliant sun, creeping steadily over the horizon of Neverland. He stood with his hands on his hips and his legs spread slightly apart – the vision of eternal youth that Wendy and countless others had so emblazoned on their consciousness – and watched silently as Wendy and Anthony disappeared into the sky above.
And finally did Wendy smile genuinely, for she knew it to be true how Peter was to bring such joy and hope into the lives of children for generations thereafter. He would always be there, lurking behind the giggles of a newborn child, in the faces of childless mothers everywhere, and in the hearts and dreams of Wendy herself and her children. And I daresay that, even now, if you were to lay your precious head upon your pillow at night and recall all the sweet thoughts of your own youth, maybe, just maybe, you too might hear the faint echo of Peter Pan's victorious crow.
THE END.
So, HERE IT IS, my final chapter!! WHEW! It's been a blast, you guys, I hope you enjoyed it as much I have!
**NOTE: I have made a rather pretentious little media site dedicated to this story (heheh), featuring some extras such as a proposed "soundtrack" and full-color illustrations and other pertinent information relating to this fanfic. So please visit! Simply remove the spaces from the following web address:
geocities.com / zigs1379
THANKS!! And now here's the conclusion, Chapter XIX. Please send comments! :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
XIX. SACRIFICE
So he had wished it.
This was the too simple answer to the great riddle that Wendy had not even considered as she was rowed back to shore by the Indians. She had rather forgotten how the fairies told her that Peter's own ability to make whatever he wished become true would restore him to his coveted boyhood. But that was long before he sacrificed all of it in order to spend his life with her. And Wendy scarcely could imagine that the offer of eternal youth would remain open to him...Or that he would one day reclaim it.
But this is precisely what was revealed to her as she sat sullenly before the fairy court in the forest. Tinker Bell was there as well, listening intently but keeping her distance. Wendy stared numbly at the ground, trying to process everything she was hearing, only occasionally lifting her head to glance about her in order to make sure that Anthony was still off playing somewhere that he could not listen to any of it. He needn't be aware of this. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.
But the story did not quite conclude there. Peter's wish was but the end to a great many means, as Wendy came to discover. And with swollen eyes, she raised her head to the Fairy King and Queen, mouth agape.
"'Twas all your doing this whole time."
"Not entirely," the King confessed. "We were mere instruments at the disposal of a much greater power."
"What power?"
The Queen smiled sweetly. "Why, Neverland of course."
"I don't understand." Wendy was beginning to tear.
The King flew over to Wendy and sat next to her upon the tree root she currently occupied. "You see, my dear, Neverland is ever so much more than just an island. Even more than a paradise where all things magical and hopeful can coexist in harmony. Neverland is *alive*, Wendy. Much like any creature. It has thoughts and feelings, loyalties and enemies, just like you or I, or Peter, or even Captain Hook. But more than anything else, Neverland is so like a child. Indeed, 'tis in Neverland where the hopes and dreams of all children come to thrive, so it only stands to reason. And just as a child does, Neverland needs to be properly cared for, to be cultivated so much like a well-pruned garden. And nobody has ever shown so much care and nurturing for this little island than Peter Pan. Ever."
"Neverland knew this to be true the moment Peter left with you for good," the Queen added. "'Tis how it became so vulnerable to Hook's whims. Neverland fell quite ill. Neverland was dying."
"And Anthony could not save it?" Wendy asked.
"Anthony could only treat the symptoms, but he was not the cure," the King explained. "He had enough of the Pan magic in him to be a temporary solution until Peter could return to save it completely."
Wendy suddenly found herself quite perturbed. "So...you *used* my son to lure Peter back to Neverland so that it could steal him back, away from me and his children?"
"That was not our decision to make, Wendy." The Queen sighed. "And it was not our intention to 'steal' him from you. Alas, he had always really belonged to Neverland anyhow. As far as it was concerned, 'twas only reclaiming what rightfully belonged to it."
Wendy only shook her head and let it fall under her whisper. "How very selfish..."
The Queen smiled. "As I have told you, Neverland is but a mere child. And are not all children quite selfish and careless?"
And none were ever more so than Peter Pan, and Wendy knew it. With every word, it became clearer to her how quite inseparable Peter and Neverland were – both so very selfish and heartless; both the very figures of all children's fantasies. Perhaps they needed each other more than Wendy had ever realized. Perhaps they were never supposed to have been separated forever.
"And so this was planned all along," Wendy thought aloud. "Anthony being taken from us, Peter and I coming back to find him..."
"Oh, it started long before then, Wendy," the King said. "I daresay this has been preordained all along. Even before Peter met you."
"What do you mean?"
"From the moment Peter first hovered over you while you slept as a child, to the moment Tinker Bell sneaked a satchel of fairy dust in Peter's pocket before he left, all these instances have lead us precisely to whence we are sitting at this very moment."
The Queen continued. "Meeting you, marrying you, having Anthony, the storm in Kensington Gardens, Hook fatally wounding Peter...these were not a one of them a mere accident."
"But I don't understand," Wendy cried in frustration. "If Peter was always meant for Neverland, why was he to leave at all?"
"Isn't it perfectly obvious?" the Queen responded. "So that little Anthony could be born."
Wendy was not satisfied. "Why should that matter to anyone other than Peter and I?"
At this point, the King rose from next to Wendy and floated about the air, his wrists crossed behind his back in a most philosophical fashion.
"It is wholly important that a part of Peter Pan be able to exist and multiply within your world," he stated, looking upon Wendy gravely. "You are entering most cynical and troubled times, dear Wendy. Now more than ever do you and your fellow people need a spirit such as Anthony's to give them hope through hopeless days to come. He is to do great things for mankind, as only the son of Peter Pan could be expected. He is quite a special boy, you know."
Wendy could not help but smile. Anthony was indeed special. The dearest thing to her heart besides her daughters and her husband.
"So, you see," the Queen chimed in, "Anthony was not quite just some lure to bring Peter back to us. His purpose is far greater than that, I can assure you. And it was imperative that he spend that time with the fairies and birds of Kensington, and most certainly was it essential that he see Neverland for himself, for all this shall prepare him for the strength and leadership he will display in your world in the years to come."
Wendy was wholly pleased to hear such glowing words of her son. But the more they spoke, suddenly the smaller she herself felt. Where was *her* purpose in all of this? Was she simply some vessel from which this Wonder Boy was to be sprung? These new thoughts pervading her head brought her back to the tears and dismay of before.
"But what of me?" she asked. "Did I truly mean nothing to Peter then? Was I just some pawn in all these grand destinies to take place?"
"Oh, my dear!" The Fairy Queen fluttered to Wendy and settled blithely on her knee. "You mustn't feel that way at all. 'Twas his great love for you that has made all this possible. I do not think you can have any doubts, in your heart of hearts, as to how much he adored you. Indeed, two of the very most important decisions he has ever made in his life – to leave and grow up and to return and become a boy again – he has made out of his undying devotion to you."
"So that not only could Neverland survive, but you and your children could be saved as well," the King added.
The tears were flowing freely now, but not wholly out of sadness any longer.
"What a price to pay..." she whispered.
"Indeed," said the Queen, wiping a tear larger than her own hand from Wendy's cheek. "But 'tis this sacrifice he made to save so many more. So children everywhere may again have a place of solace and wonder to turn to in their most precious of dreams."
So much deeper was it beginning to set in for Wendy as to the permanence of this situation. She would have to leave Neverland just as she had expected to but a day before, but instead of departing with Peter and leaving her son behind, it was Anthony who would be joining her and her husband whom she would have to let go. And to be sure, she would not have even the luxury of such a choice had Peter not made the decision that he did. He would surely be dead, and she and Anthony would still be under Hook's diabolical spell. And Neverland would be a shriveled wasteland. Was there truly no going back?
Quickly did Wendy's mind think back to what had started all of this for her and Peter in the first place – her Kiss. It was her Kiss that proved to be the catalyst for Peter's maturity and ultimate surrendering of his reigns on Neverland, all for her. Just maybe...
"What if..." – And she was grasping for straws – "...if I were to...kiss him again?"
The King and Queen exchanged a pitying look.
"You may do so until the end of time itself," the Queen began delicately, "but never will the kiss of a grown woman effect Peter Pan the way the thimble from that young girl aboard the pirate ship had so long ago."
Wendy knew it to be so. How could she even consider kissing a little boy the way she had kissed Peter that crucial night in their youth? It would never be the same.
And if this notion were not harsh enough, Wendy soon felt her thoughts descend upon an even more concerning matter – a most dreadful notion indeed. Thus with wide, terrified eyes did she once more address the fairy court.
"But...what if," she stuttered, "Peter were to...fly away with some other little girl..."
She could not go on. The idea was simply too excruciating.
But such rotten thoughts the Fairy Queen was quite hasty to alleviate. With a reassuring smile, she said, "Dear child, just as there can only be one Peter Pan, also is there only but one Wendy. And so shall there always be."
Wendy felt herself able to breathe once again.
"You are still his wife," the King added, "And though he may not appear to acknowledge it any longer, somewhere deep inside, he will always know this to be true."
For the first time, Wendy smiled at the thought of the new-old Peter.
"I will see to this!" Tinker Bell suddenly chimed in quite brazenly.
And now did Wendy actually laugh. Good old Tink, just as saucy as always.
But quickly did Tinker Bell's exuberance turn to humbleness when she saw the King and Queen cast eyes on her, and she lowered her head respectfully.
"That is," she began sheepishly, "if I may."
The King smiled upon her. "You have proven yourself quite worthy of the task, Tinker Bell." Then his gaze turned slightly stern. "And now that Peter is back, I trust we shall have no further trouble from you."
Tinker Bell's light grew instantly brighter. "Quite not! Thank you, Your Majesties!" And with a mid-air curtsy, Tinker Bell reclaimed her inconspicuous spot near Wendy.
Wendy could feel herself slowly becoming more at peace with this most jarring situation – at least for now. She may very well have been in denial, and if so, all the better, for she knew she would soon have to leave Neverland and return to London to sort out her and her children's lives anew. To live will indeed be an awfully big adventure.
Oh, her children!
"What am I to tell my children?" Wendy asked starkly.
"I'm afraid that is not up to us to decide," the King proclaimed.
"You took him away from me and his son and daughters," Wendy retorted. "And I would like to know what I should tell them when I return home without their father. You at least owe me that."
But the King held firm. "We could not presume to hand you such delicate answers. You will know what to say when the time comes."
Wendy exhaled heavily. She so very much hoped they were right. But still, she felt that the fairies – alas, Neverland itself – were obliged to her somehow, for bringing Peter back to them and walking away willingly though begrudgingly.
"In that case," she negotiated, "Can you at least arrange a safe passage home for myself and my son? I daresay I could not find my way back, even with all the fairy dust in Neverland."
The King and Queen nodded their heads to her. "Of course."
Wendy made a move to rise, but she stopped as one last barter entered her mind.
"I can never come back, can I?"
The King tilted his head considerately. "We would never deny you entrance. Neverland is forever indebted to you and would always welcome you. The challenge lies within your ability to find a means with which to return."
And so Wendy had her answer – a definitive no. She and Peter had found their way back on a fluke – or rather, on Neverland's good graces. She highly doubted Tinker Bell would slip a satchel of fairy dust in *her* pocket as she was leaving.
So with that, Wendy rose waveringly from her tree root seat and bid the fairy court farewell. And she thanked them, though she made it clear that she was only doing so in gratefulness for their kind answers and for nothing more. She could not very well thank them for taking Peter from her, no matter how accustomed to the idea she might ever become.
And before she took her leave, she asked where she might find Peter, to which Tinker Bell responded that she had left him last atop the outlook platform above the tree home. And so that was whence she headed.
Wendy first stopped on the way to check upon Anthony, still playing most contentedly with some of the Indian children in the forest. So sweetly oblivious to all the turmoil around him.
From outside of the tree home, Wendy could see the small silhouette of Peter Pan crouched upon the lookout platform above. He appeared to be toiling at something.
Wendy made her way wearily up the rickety ladder toward the top of the platform, her heart sinking further which each step. This would surely by far turn out to be the most difficult moment of her life. And the cruelest part was, Peter would never realize it.
When Wendy breached the platform, she found Peter sitting cross-legged, his back to her, fiddling with the soiled workshirt that he had arrived in Neverland wearing. He was tearing off little bits here and there and affixing an assortment of leaves, vines, and acorns to it, although with amusingly little success, though he seemed not to care. So like Peter not to care. He was simply having fun.
"Hello, Peter," Wendy said softly, standing full upon the platform.
Instantly did Peter shoot up into the air with a gasp. He spun around to look at her, his features obscured by the rising sun behind him.
Wendy squinted up at him, holding a hand aloft. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
Peter folded his arms indignantly and let himself begin to settle back to the platform. "I wasn't scared! You just snuck up on me is all."
Now his feet once again touched the ground, and he continued to stand erect for a few moments until he suddenly seemed to remember he was in the presence of a lady, and so he bowed deeply before her.
Out of reflex did Wendy respond with a light curtsy, but the gesture was cut short when her eye caught upon a shiny golden object dangling from Peter's now-unobstructed chest, hanging from a vine. She knew instantly what it was, and it bade her nearly burst into tears.
She made a move toward him, her arm outstretched. "Peter..."
He saw what she was going for, and he covered the object with his hand and jumped back. "I found it first! 'Tis mine!"
Quickly Wendy remembered herself and stopped. "What...that is, where did you find it?"
Peter fingered it blithely, as if quite curiously taken with it. "I found it on Blind Man's Bluff when Tink woke me up." His brow furrowed and he scratched his head. "You know, I must have hit myself hard this time, because I don't remember a thing, and I have no idea where these clothes came from!"
Wendy nodded obligingly as Peter veered off course, but he soon found his way back. "Anyway, it looked to be some sort of a ring, though it will not fit any of my fingers. But I thought it so delightful that I made a necklace instead! Isn't that so very clever of me?"
It was indeed, Wendy thought. The Fairy King was right – he would always be her husband. And he still had the precious wedding ring to prove it.
"Oh, Peter," Wendy whispered, feeling quite pleased despite everything. "I...I should like to...give you a..." – she chose her words carefully – "a kiss. A real kiss."
Peter seemed suspicious but intrigued nonetheless. He loved gifts. "What is a 'kiss'?"
"It is something very special, something that shall always belong to you and no one else. But..." she added sternly, "In order for me to give it to you, you must let me touch you."
This was quite off-putting to Peter, but this lady seemed harmless, despite how fiercely she had defeated Hook earlier. "Will it hurt?"
Wendy wanted to say yes, for it may very well be the most painful for her. "I hope it shan't."
Peter relaxed a bit, and with wary eyes said, "Very well then. I shall accept this 'kiss'."
He held out his hand, so much like he had when first Wendy had offered him a kiss an eternity ago. But this time, she took no thimbles off her fingers or anything of the sort. Hurt feelings be damned. Peter should forever know what a true kiss was.
And so Wendy approached him carefully, and whence just before him, she leaned down and placed her Hidden Kiss upon his cheek. And there should it remain forever.
When Wendy straightened, Peter put his hand down and stared past her, almost as if disturbed. Then, he looked back at Wendy, and with an approving grin, stated, "So strange! But a good sort of strange! Thank you, Wendy-Lady, I shall keep your 'kiss' safe with me."
He said it in such a businesslike manner, but Wendy could see that he was to be true to his word. She looked longingly upon his little face and tried to imagine her life henceforth without it.
"Oh, Peter," She was beginning to tear. "I shall miss you so."
And then, as if quite not understanding why, Peter responded, "I know."
Wendy regarded him in silence for a moment until she saw the merest of grins creep upon his lips, and for a brief instant, she once again saw the face of her beloved husband hidden behind the youthful countenance of the boy standing before her. And she knew indeed that he shall be with her always.
The epiphanous moment was soon drastically interrupted by another little boy bounding noisily up from the latter and onto the platform, and in seconds flat, Wendy's dress was being tugged upon by her son.
"Mummy, Mummy!" Anthony exclaimed breathlessly, "The fairies are ready to take us back home now!"
"So, you are both leaving?" Peter asked rather disappointedly.
"Yes," Wendy replied simply.
"Shall you come back?" Peter was hopeful, as was Anthony.
"I do not think that will be possible, Peter, I'm sorry."
Peter thought a moment. "May I come to visit you where you live?"
Anthony looked to his mother expectantly, and she could hardly deny the boy.
"We shall see," came the answer. 'Twas the closest to a lie she had ever told any of her children or even Peter himself. But she could not say no. And even a yes would put such false hopes into Anthony's head. She knew Peter would soon forget all about them anyhow.
But indeed the answer was not a 'no', which was as good as a 'yes' to Peter and Anthony, and so they were satisfied.
"Well, we must be going now," Wendy declared, steadying her voice. With Anthony at her side, she slowly began to back away from Peter toward the latter.
"Goodbye, Peter," both she and Anthony said in turn.
Peter tossed them a noncommittal 'goodbye' in return and immediately turned back to what he was doing before Wendy had interrupted him. Wendy could not help but be so very unsettled by his apparent indifference, but she knew more than anybody how this was simply the way it was for Peter Pan.
And so with one last glance upon he who had slipped in and out of Heaven itself, she bade a final farewell to her greatest adventure.
Once Wendy and Anthony reached the inside of the tree home once more, Anthony finally asked of his mother: "Mummy, what has become of Daddy anyway?"
She hadn't expected the Moment of Truth to come upon her so soon, but it was bound to happen sooner than later. She thought back to all that the fairies had told her.
"Your Daddy..." she began, crouching before him, "He had to go away. He had to go to another place where people need him even more than you and I. And there he shall take care of them as he took care you."
"And he shan't come back?" Anthony asked.
"I'm afraid he cannot," she replied gently. "But he asked me to tell you how very much he loves you and always will."
Anthony sighed. "'Tis a shame. I really did like Mr. Peter."
And without a word more, Anthony tread lightly out of the tree home, leaving Wendy in awe. Did he still think this all but a game? Perhaps it was better so.
Outside the tree home, Wendy was greeted by several Indians and fairies, all leading her toward the beach beyond the forest where a small canoe lay in wait for her. Several more fairies stood at different posts upon the canoe, one of which was happily familiar to Anthony.
"Sixem!" he exclaimed, dashing toward the canoe to greet his friend. "I thought I was never to see you again!"
The young fairy smiled pleasantly. "I got you here, and I intend to deliver you back safely."
Tinker Bell was there as well, and before Wendy boarded the canoe, she flew upon her and affectionately tugged a lock of her hair. Wendy smiled at her gratefully.
"You have saved Peter so many countless times, Tinker Bell; I hope you shall continue to be forever steadfast in your loyalty to him."
"You know I shall," Tinker Bell responded.
"Do take care of him," Wendy said. "He needs it so."
Tinker Bell gave a hearty jingle, promising Wendy that she should always look after Peter Pan.
The Indians helped Wendy into the canoe, followed by Anthony, who sat snugly upon his mother's lap. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and pressed her cheek to the top of his head.
The Indians cried out a ceremonious farewell to Wendy and the boy in their native tongue, as did the remaining fairies. And with the strict order from Sixem, the fairy guides anointed the little canoe with their dust until it shimmered golden and began to ascend into the air.
Sixem shouted out her directions, the guides turning the canoe due west of the rising sun. And with a gentle tilt, the boat began its journey back to London.
Wendy kept her eyes toward her feet as the fairies carried them off. But Anthony shifted in her lap and turned to look behind him intently. And she could sense he was smiling.
Against her better judgment, Wendy lifted her head and turned it to follow Anthony's gaze, and thus was when she saw, standing proud and erect upon a small bluff near Mermaid's Lagoon, Peter Pan's silhouette cast darkly against the brilliant sun, creeping steadily over the horizon of Neverland. He stood with his hands on his hips and his legs spread slightly apart – the vision of eternal youth that Wendy and countless others had so emblazoned on their consciousness – and watched silently as Wendy and Anthony disappeared into the sky above.
And finally did Wendy smile genuinely, for she knew it to be true how Peter was to bring such joy and hope into the lives of children for generations thereafter. He would always be there, lurking behind the giggles of a newborn child, in the faces of childless mothers everywhere, and in the hearts and dreams of Wendy herself and her children. And I daresay that, even now, if you were to lay your precious head upon your pillow at night and recall all the sweet thoughts of your own youth, maybe, just maybe, you too might hear the faint echo of Peter Pan's victorious crow.
THE END.