Peter gently glided Wendy through the nursery window and placed her on the floor. It took a second for Wendy to find her land legs. Once she was stabilized, she was dancing around the room. Her head and heart were pounding! There was fire running through her veins and she felt so alive! She couldn't stop smiling. There was so much happiness and energy inside, she was about to burst!
"Oh Peter! That was just glorious! Flying is so exhilarating! Riding the wind, dancing with the stars, just floating through the air! How I wish I could fly all the time! My heart was pounding every second and I couldn't have imagined it any better! I am just so incredibly happy I could just burst! I'm so happy I could..."
Wendy paused. How could she possible express these emotions she was feeling right now? A little thought sparkled at the corner of her mind. She quickly brushed it aside. But it only grew stronger, claiming all attention. Could she do that? She turned to look at Peter.
Peter was sitting quietly on the window seat smiling at Wendy. There was a mixture of mirth and mischief in his eyes. Eyes that met hers.
Wendy's heart began to thud more quickly, and the rushing in her ears got louder. She suddenly became a bit dizzy.
"Yes Wendy? You could what?" Peter prompted.
Wendy took a deep breath and tried to gain some control. "Peter I'm so happy tonight! This is the most wonderful night of my life."
Wendy glanced down at the floor and then shyly up at Peter. She clasped her hands protectively in front of her heart and took a deep breath. "I'm so happy, I could...I could give you...a kiss!"
Peter held out his hand expectantly. He didn't know what a kiss was. And he was not going to admit that. But it seemed to make Wendy very happy, so he waited for her to give it to him.
Wendy looked between the opened hand and Peter. Her confusion at his reaction was clearly written on her face.
"Peter, don't you know what a kiss is?"
"I shall know when you give one to me." Peter looked at her, waiting for his "Kiss."
Wendy's heart deflated and her shoulders slumped just the tiniest bit. "Oh."
He didn't know what a kiss was. She started to panic! How was she going to get out of this situation without looking foolish? Mind whirling, Wendy decided she would give something to Peter and call it a kiss. After all, she rationalized; he might not know the difference. It was such a silly idea anyway.
Peter cleared his throat impatiently. If she was going to give him this "Kiss" she'd better hurry! He was growing restless and Wendy still had that last part of flying to learn.
Cheeks flushed from embarrassment she looked around the nursery for help. "Well a kiss is...a kiss is...." There! On her dresser! She hurried over to her dresser and picked up her sewing thimble. She rolled the silver thimble between her fingers. Perfect! Wendy took a deep breath to calm her and to bury her slight disappointment. Then thimble in palm, she turned around and walked to Peter.
"Well a kiss is a very special thing. It is a gift, but a kiss is also magical. It will protect you from harm and bring you luck. And you give it so someone you lo..."
Wendy paused; her cheeks were now flaming pink. She hoped the darkness hid it. She cleared her throat and started again.
"You give it to someone who makes you incredibly happy. So Peter, for your efforts in making me so happy and for teaching me to fly, I bestow upon you a kiss," Wendy did a dramatic curtsy and placed the little silver thimble in Peter's palm.
Peter eyed the kiss with a curious expression. This was a kiss? He didn't see what was so magical about it. But it was a gift from Wendy, and she said it was magical so it must be true.
"Thank you Wendy," Peter replied sincerely and put the "kiss" into the pouch on his belt. "Now!" Peter leapt up from the window seat. He looked down at Wendy and grinned, this was his favorite part! "Are you ready to learn the last part of flying?" He didn't wait for a response, "Great! The last part is Happy thoughts! First things first! We need dust!"
Wendy raised an eyebrow, "Dust?"
Peter started to rummage through his pouch. "Uh huh! Dust. Pixie dust to be exact!"
Wendy tilted her head, "Pixie dust? Oh! Pixies! Like your fairy? Tinkerbell? I remember her from my stories, but I haven't actually met her. Could you introduce me? I'd love to meet a real fairy! How magical that must be!"
"Yep!" Peter scratched his head only half listening to Wendy. He couldn't find his extra pixie dust! He could have sworn it was in the pouch last time he looked. Tink had given him extra just in case she was never around. Not that he needed it to fly, but you never know when pixie dust could come in handy. Where was his extra pixie dust?
"Come to think of it, where is Tinkerbell, Peter? Doesn't she usually come with you? I thought she always flew with you, does she not?" Wendy enquired, gesturing with her hands.
Peter looked up in surprise, caught off guard by the question. "No she does, it's just...she's with me and sometimes she stays in Pixie Hollow. But I don't know why she wouldn't come tonight. She put up such a fuss. And she turned redder than Smee's hat when I said I was coming to the city."
"Oh?" Wendy was curious, "What would make her so upset?"
Peter rubbed his chin and absentmindedly played with an acorn strung around his neck. "That's just it, I don't know! Fairies are so tiny they can only hold one emotion at a time, but I couldn't figure out why she was angry! Girls are sure strange!"
Wendy was about to open her mouth to agree, but decided against it at the last minute. The children sat in the silence of their thoughts for a moment.
Peter looked down at the acorn he was playing with in confusion. When did he get that? Not a second later he could have slapped himself.
"Of course!" Peter exclaimed!
Wendy jumped startled by his sudden outburst. "Of course what?"
"I should have realized!"
"Realized what?" Wendy questioned.
Peter looked at Wendy and back at the acorn and smiled triumphantly. "Dust!"
Wendy wasn't following, and her expression showed it. Peter grabbed Wendy's hand and pulled her over to the window seat. He carefully popped the top of the acorn off and poured a small amount of something into his hand. Smiling, Peter held out his hand to Wendy.
Wendy gasped! The moonlight caught the dust turning it into a thousand grains of tiny gold diamonds. It was beautiful!
"Neat huh?"
Wendy only nodded.
Feeling a little mischievous Peter raised his hand to his mouth. Wendy followed his movement with curious eyes. Then with devilish grin Peter blew the dust onto Wendy's face.
The dust formed a cloud and settled onto her hair and face. Wendy was opening her mouth to scold Peter when she felt a very un-lady-like sneeze coming on. She quickly turned away and covered her mouth.
"Ah-choooo!" Wendy wrinkled her nose at the sneezed pixie dust in her hand.
Peter laughed at the disheveled Wendy. Wiping her hands, she turned back around to give him a scathing look. "Peter Pan I could jus..."
Peter still laughing clamped his hands over her mouth to stop her from talking.
"Shh! Wendy Don't, you'll ruin the pixie dust! You can only fly with pixie dust AND happy thoughts! And I'm sure that wasn't a happy thought you were about to say."
Wendy forcefully removed Peter's hands from off her mouth. "Well there you are wrong, because "Pushing Peter out a window" was indeed a happy thought. At least for me!" she quipped.
Peter feigned hurt, but smiled. "Well that's not going to work! It's got to be a happier thought! The happiest thought you can think! So come on! What is your happiest thought?"
Wendy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Calming down she smiled. What were her loveliest happiest thoughts?
"What about Christmas, sleigh bells and snow?" Wendy asked hopefully
"Nope! Happier!"
She tried again. "Mermaids! Pirates? Treasure hunts! Neverland?"
Peter laughed, "Happier! The happiest thought in the whole wide world!"
Wendy looked up and slightly to the left. What was her happiest thought? Flying itself was happy. She was happy when she was dancing. But she needed something stronger. Something special. Something magical. Something that had meaning. Something romantic. Something.... That was it!
She suddenly became very warm. It felt like the days she stepped out of the damp classroom and into the brilliant sunshine. A waterfall of sunshine spilled down her head, onto her shoulders, to her arms and fingers, down her back, legs and to her toes. Until she was completely full of sunshine and warmth! She looked to Peter for an explanation.
Peter just beamed back at her and then gestured towards the floor. "I guess your happy thought worked!"
Wendy looked down. She was flying, well floating again, but by herself this time! She attempted a little twirl. "Oh look Peter look!" Wendy was glowing with happiness.
Smiling, Peter pushed off the window ledge into the night sky. "Come on Wendy! You can do it!" He beckoned encouragingly.
Wendy wobbled over to the window and looked down. Not the most brilliant choice. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes.
Peter sensing her hesitation floated closer and extended his hand. "Remember, trust me, I won't let you fall. But I know you can do this on your own."
Wendy opened her eyes and looked at Peter. He's right, she can do this. And she can do it on her own. With one more deep breath she pushed off of the ledge and Wendy was flying.
.............................................
Wendy was getting the hang of flying quite nicely. It was awkward at first, lots of wobbles and dips, but she held on to her happy thought and did very well. A few laps around the house and Peter thought she was ready for a little adventure.
"Wendy would you like me to show you where Neverland is?"
"Oh yes Peter that would be lovely!" She smiled floating just a bit higher.
Peter laughed, a dangerous hint to his smile. "Follow me then! Let's see if you can keep up!" And with that Peter dashed off into the night leaving Wendy behind. But Wendy was not one for losing, so she thought of winning and her happy thought and gained the speed she needed to reach Peter.
She finally reached him at the big clock tower; he was sitting on the big hand without a care in the world. Peter, ever the gentleman, held out a hand to help Wendy sit down.
Once she was settle she turned to Peter, "So! Where is Neverland?"
Peter scanned the sky. "There it is Wendy" He pointed. "Second star to the right and straight on till morning!"
Wendy looked to where Peter had pointed. The second star was far brighter than any other star, so it was easily recognizable. Wendy sighed. "It must be so wonderful to live in Neverland!"
Peter looked over at Wendy. She had a dreamy expression in her eyes. "I'll take you there someday Wendy... if you'd like."
"Really Peter?"
Wendy turned and smiled. Peter gazed back; Wendy still had pixie dust clinging to her eyelashes. He thought it made her look....enchanting. His heart skipped a beat without permission. Peter cleared his throat effectively clearing the moment.
"Of course! I said I'd teach you to fly and I did, didn't I? So I say I'll take you to Neverland and I will. I always keep my word!"
A few seconds of silence past. Then it was Wendy who spoke up and this time it was Wendy that had a glint in her eye. "True you do keep your word," She rose up off the clock. "But," she said smiling, "Can you keep up?"
Peter cocked his head. What was she doing? "What are you doing?"
"Come on Peter! I bet you can't catch me!" Wendy taunted!
"Wendy, I just taught you how to fly, and I've been flying for....as long as I can remember. And you are saying I can't catch you?" Peter smirked. Boy was she in for a rude awakening.
Wendy giggled giddy from starlight and pixie dust, she wanted to fly and she wanted a challenge. Without warning she took off. Peter rolled his eyes, allowing her to have a head start. Because even with a head start he'd catch her in a matter of seconds. Ten seconds later, "Ready or not Wendy here I come!"
Peter took off, a dash of green against the dark blue sky. Wendy was determined to not get caught. True Peter had been flying far longer than she had, so she couldn't win with speed, at least not yet. But maybe just maybe she could out fly him with agility. Thinking of her happy thought she flew started to zig-zag between houses.
Suddenly Wendy caught a flash of green, and sped up more determined than before. Then to her left she caught a glimpse of green eyes. She paused mid flight. Wendy felt funny, as if she had been here before. But it was stronger than dejavu. It felt more like....more like a dream. A dream! That's it! Flying being chased by green eyes and then....
Wendy couldn't breathe. After the green eyes came those eyes. The horrible nightmare eyes that haunted her imagination. Those crystal blue eyes that turned black and burned red. The eyes of a killer, the eyes of a tortured soul. All happy thoughts fled, leaving Wendy alone with those terrible evil eyes. And with no happy thoughts Wendy began to fall.