Here is Chapter 4. I am super duper sorry that this took so long to get posted. I was completely distracted with school, movies and other unimportant things. Chapter 3-part 2 was written in only a few hours. This chapter is way longer than the others. :)

Okay, so I changed it a bit. In order to keep the story going and not end it this chapter or the next, I have moved the next section of my poem to the next chapter, or the one after it.

Enjoy, and please review. Aren’t you just drawn to that little button at the bottom of the screen? You know you want to... :P

Disclaimer: Here are some reasons why I do not own Peter Pan: I am not a man, I am alive and not over a hundred years old, and my imagination is not that awesome, despite my mother telling me that it is. [Thanks Mom. :)] On with the story!

*****

Captain Hook’s grin grew wider as the blade sliced through the air. “Finally, I will have my revenge!” he cried.

*****

Wendy closed her eyes and waited for the pain that would accompany the harsh steel blade of Hook’s sword. Peter, I love you. I am sorry you didn’t remember. I will always love you, even though you will never remember me. Goodbye, my love. She breathed deeply and felt a calming peace wash over her. Maybe he would join her someday in Heaven.

*****

“Wendy!” Peter cried as he hurtled towards her. Pulling his sword from its sheath, Peter slashed it through the air and ripped Hook’s descending blade from his hand. The fallen blade slid across the deck and stopped right before tumbling off the edge of the ship, only inches from Wendy’s feet.

*****

“No!” Hook screamed in rage. “I must have my revenge!” Drawing a second sword from his belt, Captain James Hook ran at Peter, swinging his blade wildly.

*****

When she heard her name, Wendy’s eyes snapped open and she was amazed at the sight before her. Peter Pan had just appeared and disarmed Hook a second before his blade would have entered her heart. Crying out, Wendy struggled against her bonds. She stretched towards Hook’s fallen sword and, hooking it on the tips of her fingers, used it to saw through the ropes that bound her.

*****

The air was wracked with the sharp sounds of swords clashing together as Hook and Peter spun on the deck, each trying to gain the upper hand in the fight. Peter was being pushed back with each blow of Hook’s sword. Suddenly, a cry of pain was heard. Looking down, Peter was shocked to see the blade of a sword protruding from Captain Hook’s chest. As blood began to spill from his mouth, Hook’s body toppled forward to reveal Wendy, staring at her hands in horror.

*****

Peter didn’t hesitate as he stepped over Hook’s body and the ever widening pool of blood surrounding him. He wrapped his arms around Wendy, pressing her face to his chest.

As soon as Peter’s arms were around her, Wendy began to sob into his chest. “You remembered...oh Peter, you remembered.” she sobbed, half in shock at what she had just done and the now-felt pain in her ankle, and half in joy from being held in Peter’s arms. The arms around her small, shaking form only held her tighter as she let out all her pain.

*****

“Wendy...I am so, so sorry. How could I ever have forgotten you?--so sorry...” he whispered into Wendy’s ear, tears welling up in his emerald green eyes. The pain held in those eyes was immeasurable when he saw Wendy’s tears.

Peter pulled away a little to look into Wendy’s face. “I know you feel horrible about what you did, but you had no choice. He might have killed me, and he would have killed you. If I had gotten here a minute later, you would have been...” Peter trailed off, anguished at the thought of what might have happened.

*****

“Peter, it’s just--he was--I just couldn’t lose you again. Not after this long...but Peter, how did you remember...when did you remember?” Wendy’s voice was muffled through her tears. She looked up at Peter with questioning eyes.

*****

“I’ll explain it when we get off the ship.” he said as he picked her up. The pirates who had all been in shock temporarily after Hook’s death were beginning to get rowdy. It seemed that without their Captain, they didn’t know what exactly to do.

Peter and Wendy did not speak until they were safely in the tree house with the New Lost Boys, who were anxious to know who Wendy was and why she and their leader were both crying. Peter shooed them all out of the house and began his explanation.

*****

“You mean Neverland was dying because you forgot about me?” Wendy asked incredulously. She had never realized how much she influenced this magical land when she left. She thought about the reasoning behind this amazing revelation and then spoke. “Love--Peter, you once said that the very sound of it offended you. What do you think of it now?” she asked quietly, looking at Peter with questioning eyes. When he didn’t respond, she began to turn away, hurt and disappointment clear on her face.

*****

Peter looked at Wendy’s retreating back as she began to walk away from him. “Wait!” he called. He stepped forward and caught her delicate wrist. “What does love feel like?” he asked when she had turned back to face him.

*****

“It feels like--it feels like your heart will burst from your chest when you see the person you love. Like your soul is tied to theirs, and you feel their joy or sadness as if it were your own. Or you could be doing something as simple as talking to them, but even that feels like heaven on earth.” Wendy spoke from her heart, telling Peter the very depths of her soul and secrets of her heart.

*****

Peter’s face brightened, a soft smile emerging on his face and reaching to his emerald eyes. “Wendy, if that is love, I feel it for you--have always felt it for you. Every look, every touch since I met you. Every second of anguish when I thought Hook was going to take you away from me--and right now. Right now, there is nowhere in the world I would rather be than here with you...” he trailed off as he saw Wendy’s eyes fill with tears of joy. He stepped forward a little. “Wendy, I have something for you--a kiss.” he said as he held out a closed hand. He stepped closer and slowly brought it closer to Wendy’s face before unfolding it gently against her cheek. He saw her eyes widen momentarily, and then he was kissing her--tenderly, lovingly--with more love than any living person had ever felt. The kiss was full of lost emotion, and a longing to never let go.

*****

When they pulled apart, Wendy’s smile was bright enough to illuminate the entire forest, eyes shining with love. Suddenly, she hit Peter on the arm. Surprised and confused, he cried out. “Don’t you ever leave me again Peter!” she told him. Then her voice softened. “I simply couldn’t bear it.”

*****

“I won’t. I promise. I will never leave you Wendy.” he replied softly. A pensive look crossed his face, and he remained silent for many moments before speaking slowly. “Wendy, I think--I think I want to grow up. If it means I can stay with you, I’ll go back to London with you and grow up. I love you, Wendy.” He smiled, taking her small hands in his.

*****

“You would really do that for me? But--what about Neverland? Can it survive without you?” Wendy asked, her voice betraying her emotions. Suppose he hadn’t thought of that? What if he couldn’t leave? Wendy knew she couldn’t stay in Neverland forever. It wouldn’t be fair to her parents, or her siblings.

*****

Peter smiled. “I have already spoken to the Fairy Elders. They know that if we are ever separated again, Neverland will die, and they understand that you cannot stay here forever. I will be appointing a new leader tomorrow, and we may leave the day after that. Soon you will be back home Wendy.”

*****

The next day Peter called a meeting with all of the Lost Boys to choose a new leader. “Men, tomorrow Wendy and I will be leaving Neverland. I am picking a new leader and caretaker of Neverland from among you who I feel will lead well. That is why I am choosing you, Birch. You have always been there ready to help the younger boys and to protect me. You will make a good leader.” Peter drew his sword and held it out towards Birch, who knelt down and reached out to take it from his leader’s hands.

*****

The day after the short ceremony, Peter and Wendy gathered Peter’s few worldly items and said goodbye to the Lost Boys and the fairies, thanking them all for the great help they had given. Then the pair was covered with one last sprinkling of fairy dust and took off, heading for Wendy’s home in London.

*****

The long journey home provided Peter and Wendy with an opportunity to catch up on the last two years of their lives. Peter felt horrible when he heard how Wendy had suffered when he hadn’t returned, but she wasn’t angry. If he hadn’t known before that he loved her, he would have then. The fact that she had forgiven him made her the most beautiful and wonderful person Peter had ever known. He smiled at the beautiful girl flying beside him and squeezed the delicate hand he held in his.

*****

The sun was just rising when the roves of London homes began appearing below the clouds. Wendy sighed, thinking of the vast changes in her mood from the time she left London to her return. So much had happened in just a few days, and Wendy couldn’t be happier. Her one worry was what her parents would say when she arrived home after disappearing for three days--and with a teenage boy no less-- one who was wearing skeleton leaves and vines. She was also more than a little apprehensive when she thought of her father’s quick temper.

*****

Peter and Wendy landed on the ledge of the nursery window, pushed open the glass and floated to the floor inside. Wendy motioned for Peter to wait there while she went to find the members of her family. She was approaching the stairway when she heard a gasp behind her. Turning, Wendy saw her mother standing in the hallway, eyes wide with astonishment. Running down the hall, Wendy launched herself into her mother’s arms and was hugged within an inch of her life.

*****

“Where in the world have you been Wendy Darling?” her mother cried, holding her teenage daughter at arm’s length. She was a little angry that her daughter had disappeared for three days, but it was pushed aside by the relief she felt to have Wendy in her arms again.

*****

“Mother, will you come with me? I’ll explain everything in a minute.” Wendy said, taking her mother’s hand and leading her to the nursery. They stepped into the room to find Peter sitting cross-legged on the floor, smiling serenely. “Mother, I have been in Neverland these past three days. Peter is here--to stay. He wants to grow up.” she explained, bracing herself for her mother’s reaction.

*****

Mrs. Darling gaped at Peter for a minute before speaking slowly. “Peter Pan?” Suddenly remembering the heartache this boy had caused her only daughter, Mrs. Darling’s voice rose. “Wendy, is this not the boy you cried over for the last two years? Why is he here now after this long? Where was he two years ago after he promised to come back?” she said with quiet anger.

*****

Peter slowly got to his feet. “Mrs. Darling, please let me explain. After I left here two years ago, I returned to Neverland with every intention of returning to see Wendy. However, being there makes you forget about anything outside of it. The fairies explained it to me. When Wendy came to Neverland, she brought a powerful force with her. When we were separated and my memories were lost, this caused Neverland to stop growing. It actually began to die, all because of Love.”

*****

“Love? You mean--Peter, you are in love with my daughter? Then that means...Wendy, your hidden kiss. It belongs to Peter then?” she asked, astonished. Looking at Peter’s mouth, she saw it. In the corner of his mouth was Wendy’s kiss. “Oh my...”

*****

Just then, a trampling of feet was heard on the stairs and Michael, John and the Lost Boys burst into the nursery. They had returned from an outing with Mr. Darling and heard voices, and being naturally curious, gone to investigate. When they settled enough to look at the scene before them, all was silent. Every one of their mouths gaped as they stared at Peter. Then chaos broke out as they rushed across the room and fairly crushed him with hugs and bombarded him with questions.

“Peter, what are you doing here?”

“Do you remember me, Peter?”

“Why do you look older Peter? Did you change?”

“Why haven’t you visited?”

A quieter, much calmer voice spoke from behind the boys. “Who is that strange boy wearing leaves, and what in heaven’s name is he doing in my house?”

All in the room turned to see Mr. Darling standing in the doorway, looking on the strange scene before him. “And Wendy, why are you wearing a vine around your waist--Wendy! And Peter Pan?!” He suddenly realized that his daughter was standing in front of him and rushed over to capture her in a bone-jarring hug. “Where have you been?!?”

*****

That, my dear reviewers, is Chapter Four. It took me far too long to get that posted, but now that summer has finally arrived, I should be quicker in typing my chapters. There will only be a couple more, and I have the entire ending written out already. Exciting, yet a little saddening to know it will have to end. I am so proud of my story--it is by far the longest I have ever written. Thank you to everyone who reviewed--please continue to support me, I love the positive encouragement.

Rebecca Rushton