diadem

xiii. red light green light (part five // end)

Silence. Then suddenly, the bird seems to start in surprise. Before Alice can blink, it is gone, flitting up into the shadowy branches of the tree next to her.

She smiles bitterly. "Guess that story was too intense for the little guy." She sighs heavily and makes to get up. "Israel will be home soon," she tells herself. "Let's go home." She rises, dusts off her old, ripped skinny jeans -- her pride and joy -- and turns to start the long trek home.

And gasps.

For there is the one person she thought never to see again, standing before her, half-visible in the slowly-clearing fog.

"Hey, Wonderland," says Peter, a half smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

(A/N: muhahahahahahaaaa I could end it here but I'm dragging the story out too long plus I think someone might assassinate me)

For a moment, there is naught but the silence, thick and heavy as the fog swirling between the two young people. Their eyes lock, and Alice cannot look away, though every cell in her body wants to.

Peter does look somewhat different. There are more pronounced freckles on his nose now, and a hint of a five o'clock shadow, and his features seem to be more rugged, for lack of a better word. She would not have recognized him in the least if it wasn't for his eyes. The eyes that, even now, years later, still hold her captive in their addicting gaze.

Silence.

Alice decides that if he won't break the spell, she will.

"How--" she clears her throat, cursing the raspy voice that has only seemed to creep up on her now. "How long have you been here?"

Peter shrugs and does not look away from her. "Long enough. I could have been here longer if your little bird hadn't seen me and given me away."

So that's why the bird flew off. Alice is reluctant to ask her next question, but she knows she should. She has to know. Brave, she tells herself. Brave.

"How much of that did you -- well, how much did you -- I mean --" She can't do it. Alice lowers her head in shame. She is still so afraid and it is going to ruin any chance she ever had with Peter.

"How much of that did I hear?" Peter says, and Alice raises her head to look at him. His eyes blaze with intensity, but what intense emotion is swirling in those bright green orbs she cannot fathom.

"Everything."

Her head falls into her hands and she crumples, thudding to the ground on her knees before him, heart wrenching sobs she didn't know she was holding back. "Peter," she gasps, and she can't help feeling that she probably should not attempt to form logical sentences when her eyes threaten to drown her every word. But she has to say this.

"Peter," she gasps again. "Peter, I'm so sorry. I was a coward and selfish and everything else under the sun that is vile and despicable. I was so -- so scared of losing you. I didn't want to. When you opened up to me I couldn't even tell you what my dead mother's name was. I was so scared -- I loved you and didn't think you loved me and --"

She shudders to a stop. Peter's continued silence is crushing her.

"I'm so sorry, Peter," she rasps.

Silence. A sob catches in the back of her throat.

And then two familiar fingers are under her chin in a painfully familiar gesture. Her eyes, flooded with tears, slowly flutter open and take in Peter's warm, kind face. "Peter...?"

"Wonderland, I love you."

And that does it. That destroys the last of her defenses. Her wall, built over so many years to protect her fragile heart, is crumbling down around her. She is vulnerable.

"Peter," she says, still not quite believing her ears. "Peter, you can't love me."

"And why not?" Peter asks, staring intensely at her.

"I'm broken," she tells him, trying to look away.

"I'll fix you," he tells her, his hands coming up to keep her face in place.

"I'm vulnerable," she tells him, getting lost in his eyes.

"I'll protect you," he tells her, his face getting closer and closer to hers.

"I'm a mess," she tells him, a tear slipping out.

"I don't care," he tells her, and brushes the tear away with his thumbs.

"Peter," she whispers softly. "Peter, thank you."

He studies her face for a moment, then says, "I'm going to kiss you now."

Her eyes widen and her breath hitches but the only thing that comes out of her mouth is two words.

"Green light."

And when he kisses her, the angels cry tears of joy.

END

__________________

hi

you may pick up your fangirl WonderPan t-shirts to your left at the gift shop

WOOO IT'S FINALLY DONE

good thing too I was running out of inspiration

day after Christmas and I finish it so here's my Christmas present to y'all

it's great isn't it (not really)

dedicated to Cassandra because we grew up together and I MISS HER OHIBIOYVHIOGIOUKHGV

I miss you so much Cassie and good luck with all yo boy problemz xoxox

well I haven't eaten anything all day and I need to shower bc I smell like a dead moose so

bye y'all