Penny Pan the heir to neverland // Peter Pan

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     "I have to go home."

"What?" Peter raced to her. "Why? What's wrong?" Peter stumbled right before he made it to her, landing on one knee.

"It's been a week," she stated as she started to throw her clothes into her bag. "A week Peter. I have to go home," as if Peter could ever forget the past week with her, it was spectacular.

"Actually it's been 8 days but we don't really have 'time' here sooo..." Peter dragged the words out hoping she would decide to stay if he smiled large enough and leaned in close enough.

"School Peter." Her voice was so logical and plain.

"What about it? I didn't go to school and I'm doing wonderful." Her smile grew but faded oh too quickly.

"I have to go back to my 'realm'" she quoted thinking back to what Peter said to her when she thought Neverland was just fictional. "I'm starting my second year of college Peter. I'm going to the University of Illinois."

"You could go to the University of Neverland!" Peter suggested, "I teach all the classes and you could get a one on one with me daily." She leaned in and kissed Peter's cheek, "you won't have to compete for my attention seeing as though you will be the only one in the class."

"Peter," his hope disappeared and Peter felt as though his name was like a curse the way she said it. "Come back with me for a little while."

"Come to college? Darla, I'm not going to school." He had never been to school, ever, and he was fine with that. Why did she want to go to school and then more school? It didn't make any sense.

"I'm not asking you or telling you to come to school with me I'm just asking that-" she hesitated and her eyes flickered down to her feet. Peter looked down as well unsure of what she was thinking for once. "You can come and help me pack up my room at home and help my move into my off campus apartment?" She was so hopeful that Peter moved closer to her. He pulled her chin up so her eyes met his and her soft smile made him want to mold into her, give up on Neverland and go to school just so he could see that smile every day. Her eyes pleaded to Peter and he opened his mouth not thinking just speaking.

"Yes."

************

"You know my house in Neverland is much bigger than your teeny, tiny apartment and you won't have to pay anything to live with me." He looked around the small space "and you are paying so much money for this tiny room and-"

"Peter," would she stop saying his name like that Peter thought, it made him go mute. "Thank you, but you can't convince me to leave, not yet anyway." She was happy and sad at the same time and Peter couldn't find the words so he didn't speak at all. He just enveloped her in a hug and her arms wrapped around him as well.

"Heeyyy, get a room" a voice called from the door.

"This is my room," Darla said and walked over to slam the door but the girl wormed past her and stood face to face with Peter.

"Hi," Peter squeaked out, he felt like was going through puberty again. That was another thing Peter didn't like about growing up, voices change, hair grows in strange places, and he tended to smell more than usual.

Her eyes scanned Peter and he felt exposed in his shorts and green t-shirt.

"Hey new guy," she gushed. New guy? Peter thought glancing to Darla, did Darla have a new guy often?

"Hi," Peter said again dully and he looked to Darla, she stood in the doorway, her eyes rolled away from them as she picked at her fingernail polish.

"Patrick was it?"

"Peter," he sternly articulated the small girl still standing in front of him.

"Alright, no interrogating tonight Amber, get out and leave Peter alone." Her voice was calm and cool, not harsh but still commanding, Peter didn't know how she did it. She was going to be a great mother for Neverland.

"Fine, bye new guy" she said flirty flipping her hair in Peter's face as she turned away closing the door behind her.

"Sorry," Darla said pulling a blanket over her shoulders. Peter gave a small smile to let her know that her friend's interrogation wasn't going to scare him away. He dealt with pirates, a small over protective roommate was nothing in comparison. "Stay tonight," she said pulling out the air mattress from the previous nights of Peter sleeping there.

"I can't stay forever," Peter said holding her close again, "but I'm staying until your classes start. I don't want to miss being you with a second more than I have too."