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They broke through from Neverland; something they had done so many times before. And with each trip, Peter embraced it with a sense of fun and merriment, anticipating the adventure to come. But there was to be none of that this time in. He came through with a purpose this time. He was on a mission to find someone or something. And he wasn’t going to return to Neverland until he found what he had come for. With this in mind he flew through the night sky like a shot, leaving Tinker Bell trailing behind. “Peter, slow down!” the little fairy shouted. But she knew her cry was pointless, as it had fallen on deaf ears. “Here we go again,” she grumbled. With angry wings she sped to catch up to him. Tink knew from previous journeys what the task at hand was that which had Peter so focused and his mind squarely set. Granted, this was one of the few things that allowed Peter to have a controlled thought, rather than one that wandered about in his head. But it always frustrated her because the result of this almost always ended in disaster. “Peter!” Tink yelled louder, but he still didn’t respond. Peter had come through in search of a new mother for the lost boys. One that could undoubtedly replace Wendy. It had been some time since she had forever left Neverland, but she had left such an impression on the landscape that after a while Peter felt it necessary to replace her. But there was no immediate rush to accomplish this. Peter being the thoughtless imp that he was would put this notion out of his head for lengths at a time. Then suddenly remember, and grab Tink and be on his way. Every once in a while he would return with a prospective mother. But there was never enough in Neverland to make her want to stay. So Peter would return her, and the lost boys would be without a mother once more. This infuriated Tink to the point where she began to threaten not to travel with Peter anymore. She didn’t see the need to have a mother; or any female for that matter in Neverland. Tiger Lily and the mermaids were plenty. Besides she didn’t like sharing Peter, and every time he brought someone back he was absconded from her company. She would always find herself vying for his attention. Something Peter saw no trouble in, but Tink would not tolerate. So she was always glad when Peter made the return journey. The lost boys, though, began to look at the situation with a sense of indifference. They severely missed Wendy, but no one had been found to do right by her. There was even a time when Jane had come to Neverland, but it was only during spring cleaning. Though those stays lasted for several fun adventurous weeks; sometimes even months, whenever Peter tried to entice her to come at any other time, Wendy would say no thus denying Jane the chance to be the mother the boys wanted her to be, and the responsibility she felt was her duty to carry on with in the tradition her own mother had set. After Jane’s final visit they concluded that they didn’t want a mother anymore. They told this to Peter, who accepted their decision at first, but after time of his own, he had made up his mind that they did. Once the decision was made there was no changing it or even slightly nudging it out of place so that another idea could step in and side track him. The lost boys needed a mother and Peter was determined to find them one. Peter stopped suddenly and turned about, looking back at Tink he cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed, “Come on, Tink, quit dragging your wings.” “What?!” Tink squealed. She stopped abruptly and stomped her foot in the air. “I’m not dragging my wings, your flying too fast!” “Well, you didn’t have to come along.” Peter called as he began to fly back to her. This infuriated Tink as she felt herself turn red. Peter knew that if she didn’t go with him who would be the one to get him out of trouble. Besides, they went everywhere together, that’s just the way it was. But this remark hurt Tink terribly and she snapped at him once he was at her side. “Fine, go on your search. I’m staying here!” She then found a warm cushion of air and nestled down into it. “Tink, don’t do this.” Peter said, giving her a cross look. “No, you don’t do this.” she ordered, lifting off her airy cushion. “Why is this so important to you again? Why now? We don’t need a mother in Neverland. We’re fine without one.” Observing the jealous spark luminating in her eyes, Peter gave her a sly, mischievous smirk and said. “You just don’t want anymore girls in Neverland. That’s what it is.” “And what’s wrong with that?” she scolded. “All they do is cause trouble anyways. Everytime you’ve brought someone back all they’ve done is create problems.” “They have? I didn’t notice it.” “Of course you didn’t notice. You don’t notice anything beyond the tip of your nose half the time.” “Ah, Tink, I do to.” He was a bit stung by this rebuke. “No you don’t. Because if you did you would know the lost boys don’t want a mother. “And everytime I think I have this crazy notion out of you head, something happens that triggers it and then we start this all over again. When are you going to give up on this, Peter? When?” Rather than give her an answer, Peter looked down and noticed an open window with light beaming out. “What about that one, Tink?” he asked, quickly forgetting the scolding he was getting from her. “That looks promising” Peter had begun to descend down to the window. “Maybe we’ll find one there.” Tinker Bell snapped with irritated sarcasm, stating the obvious. “It’s an open window, Peter!” He shot a glare up at her and looked at the window once more. “ I know that. But it’s somebody’s open window. Maybe we’ll find a mother in there.” “Agh, Peter, you silly ass, the lost boys don’t need a mother. They’ve all told you this.” “I know. But I say they do, and they’re going to get one.” Just then Peter and Tink saw a figure begin to close the window. “No, wait,” Peter quipped, but it was too late. “The windows shut.” He was clearly agitated by this circumstance and he snapped roughly at Tink. “Whatever potential mother that might have been in there in now gone. Are you happy?” Responding smugly, “Actually, yes, I am. Can we go home now?” “No, I’m not leaving until I find a mother for the lost boys. Even if it takes all night.” With this Peter caught hold of the night breeze and skimmed through the sky. “PETER!” Tinker Bell cried. Shaking her head, she let out a groan of discontent. “Why do I even bother.” She then bolted to catch up with him. Magey perched herself on her window seat and looked out into the night sky. She scanned the blackness looking for any trace of pixie dust, all the while listening for the fall of her grandmother’s footsteps on the staircase. She wondered if he was out tonight. She hoped he was and that he would find her and take her to Neverland with him. But how? She was no longer at the place where it had all began; the nursery at the Darling home. She was now at her grandparent’s. “Peter, how will you ever find me here?” she asked out loud. “You have no idea where to look.” She knew Peter would make a visit to the Darling house, if he hadn’t already this night, like he had so many times in the past. After all, that was where all the adventures had begun. First Wendy’s, then Jane’s. It was supposed to be Magey’s turn now. Like her mother before her, Jane and her husband Malcolm, had bought the Darling home. Jane couldn’t bare to part with such wonderful memories, and she wanted to share them with Magey, as well as have her create memories of her own. Most of all, Jane wanted her to know the magic of Peter Pan and Neverland. Nights upon nights were spent in the nursery, telling the stories and adventures, watching this one little face light up with delight. “Someday, Peter will come and take you to Neverland,” Magey remembered with such fondness. “After all, he and the lost boys do need a mother. And it’s your turn now.” Yes, it’s my turn now, Magey had said to herself with pride. But now Magey felt like her turn was lost forever. Peter wouldn’t find Jane, or Magey at the Darling home. He would find nothing familiar there now. Magey firmly gripped the NeverStone in her hand, dimming the brilliant light that shone from it, and rubbing her thumb across the smoothness of it’s surface. While she did this she couldn’t help but think of her mother. Her mother had died six months earlier, along with her father, and this, along with her stories, was the last token she had of her. Her mother had received the NeverStone as a gift from Peter Pan; reminding her of the wonderful time she had with him in Neverland. Magey had hoped she too would experience the wonderment her mother had spoken about. But she didn’t see the possibility of that happening now. Your time will come, spoke a tiny, faint voice in the back of her head. “Margaret? Margaret Elaine are you up here?” “Magey, Grandmother, it’s Magey,” she forlornly whispered, moving to hide the NeverStone under the window cushion. “Why can’t you call me that?” But she knew the reason why, as absurd as it might have sounded to her. It was because of the accident. That horrible train wreck that had claimed the lives of her parents. It also claimed the lives of everyone on her mother’s side; the Darlings. Leaving Magey the only survivor. But, according to her grandparents, a part of her had died in that wreck, leaving only “Margaret” behind to care for. She never quite understood the meaning behind this, and she had learned it was pointless to ask. She was never given an answer, only told she would understand when she was older. She had come to live with them after the accident. Taking her away from the one place she knew Peter would find her. They were the only known living relatives that could take her in. Although she found salvation with them at first, this soon disappeared. Her father’s parents; they were strict, solemn, practical people. A far cry from the fun, loving father she had so admired. Yes, he had been strict in his own right, but nothing like his own mother and father. Magey soon learned there were hard rules she had to adhere to, and a strong policy of sensibility. The notion of fun and imagination were frowned on and the mention of Peter Pan and Neverland was strictly forbidden. Her grandparents told her they would have “no such ridiculous nonsense running about under our noses. You need to grow up and be practical” they told her over and over. “You need to have common sense, not silliness.” Since she had nowhere to go, Magey did her best to abide by these rules and live up to their expectations of her. But she never forgot her mother’s stories, or Peter Pan. She spent many quiet and secret hours imagining what it would be like to be in Neverland, and kept a careful vigil for him every night. She was even more careful to keep the NeverStone hidden. She knew her grandparents would get rid of it at the first opportunity, and to part with it would be - at least to Magey -a fate worse than death. But at times she would grow careless and her grandmother would catch her lost in her imagination and she would be severely scolded. This was the case tonight. Although she tried to put the stone under the cushion as quick as she could, it dropped to the floor. By the time she retrieved it and hid it away she was too late to close up the window. “Margaret, what are you doing?” came her grandmother's stern voice as she walked into the room. “N-nothing, Grandmother....Just letting the breeze come in.” But her grandmother was not easily fooled. “You’re looking for that Peter Pan again, aren’t you?” she said with discontent in her voice. Eyes wide, Magey opened up her mouth to defend herself but before she could speak, her grandmother had taken strides across the room to the window. Sheepishly, Magey moved out of her way as her grandmother closed it, continuing on with the reprimand. “Margaret, how many times must we go over this? We will not allow such wild and childish ideas to carry on in this house. Peter Pan is not real, no matter what your mother - God rest her soul - might have told you. And I will not have you making a fool out of yourself, or us, by continuing on with this ridiculous nonsense. The sooner you realize this, and give up these crazy ideas, the better off you’ll be in life.” Hanging on to her frustration, Magey spoke out quietly, her eyes never leaving the floor. “But Peter Pan is real. Even Grandma Wendy said he was. She too went with him to Neverland.” Surprised by this impudence, but daring not to speak badly of the dear friend she had lost, Magey’s grandmother spoke in kind. “I’m sure she did, Margaret.” Magey looked up with a spot of hope shining in her eyes. But this was soon dashed by the words that came next. “But only in her dreams, nothing more. And because Wendy was such a dear, dear friend I cannot speak one bad word about her. But I will never understand how she, and your mother, could ever have possibly believed in such, such folly. It’s completely beyond my comprehension. “But enough of this. It’s time for you to go to bed.” Obediently, Magey did as she was told and climbed into bed. She knew better now than to ever go against her grandparents words. It was a moot point and nothing she would say would ever change their minds. Her grandmother tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. Noticing the sorrow in her eyes, her grandmother spoke. “Now Margaret, don’t misunderstand me. Your mother was a wonderful lady , and I loved her as though she was my one. Ah, Jane, God rest her soul. But, like I’ve said so many times already, I will never understand why she filled your head with such childish nonsense. At least Malcolm was sensible about things, my dear, dear boy....But, enough. That’s neither here nor there, and there’ll be no more talking about this tonight. I’m upset enough as is, and from what I can see, so are you. So lights out and go to sleep.” Saying good night, Magey waited a while after her grandmother closed her door before she stole out of bed and quietly snuck to the window. Feeling under the cushion, she grabbed the Neverstone firmly in her hand, closing out it’s light once more, then silently opened the window. Looking out into the starry sky she rested her gaze on the second star to the right. “Oh, Peter, where are you? Please come take me away with you.” Just then something caught her trained eye. It was a faint trail of pixie dust falling through the sky. Her heart pounding in her throat, she quickly searched the sky, but could see no sign of Peter Pan or Tinker Bell. Disappointment sunk down inside her as she sat down on the window seat and placed her face in her hand while her elbow rested on the sill. She was too late. she told herself. Peter and Tink were gone. But she promised and swore that someday she would go to Neverland, no matter how long it took. Chapter 1 Back
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