WARNINGS: ANGST, VIOLENCE, ATEMPTED MURDER?, ARGUING AND LOTS OF IT, SWEARING, FEAR OF ABANDONMENT, BEING LEFT BEHIND, ONE REALLY LONG POST (AROUND 5K words), LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING I FORGOT
Childhood felt so long ago. The nights spent in Neverland having adventures and fighting pirates. Spending time with Peter Han. But Wendy wasn’t a kid anymore, she was an adult. She had a job and everything. Long since her days running around in the lush forest and swimming in the clear blue waters of Neverland. She rarely thought about those times anymore. You see, Peter promised to see her again after she turned seventeen, but he never came. She waited for years and he still never came. She knew that it was time to forget about him. He didn’t feel the same way she did. So, why worry about him?
“Miss Darlington,” one of the young girls in your class asked, “can we hear the story of Peter Han today? For our last story time.”
She smiled, remembering the times she had back in Neverland. She wondered if any of them would ever meet Han and the Stray Boys. If they’d ever get to be in a fierce battle with Captain Hongjoong and the Ateez Pirates. She wondered if Han ever thought about her. Probably not, he’d have come back if he still cared. “I’d love to tell you. Now let’s all sit in the reading corner criss-cross apple sauce.” Her students all rushed over to the reading corner, ready to hear the great tale of Peter Han and the Stray Boys.
The exhaustion of the day finally hit Wendy. First graders could really take it out of you. Plus they were even more rambunctious because it was the last day of school. Once her nightly shower and skincare were done she looked at herself in the mirror. She definitely wasn’t anything like her fourteen year old self anymore. Her hair was much shorter. Her face is less round. She was definitely more exhausted, at least if the bag under her eyes told her anything. She entered her small bedroom. There wasn’t much there. Just her simple white bed on the left wall with the matching nightstand on the left side of it. Her vanity facing the bed on the far wall and her dresser facing the window. But there was something tonight that was odd. Her window was open, thin cotton blinds billowing in the wind. She didn’t remember opening it. So she walked from her door to the far wall. When Wendy looked outside, her eyes widened. There was a pirate ship, flying outside her window. Okay, she thought, you are just tired and imagining things. There’s not an actual pirate ship outside.
“Hi Wendy,” the voice of a man said from behind you. You jumped out of your skin. Captain Hongjoong. What was he doing here? Why was the Halazia flying? What did he even want with her? “What,” she said before she felt a hard impact and everything turned black.
“Seonghwa,” Hongjoong yelled, picking up Wendy’s body and throwing it over his shoulder, “let’s get her to Neverland. With her, we’ll finally be able to get Han this time.”
Wendy opened her eyes slowly, but the world was still dark. And the throbbing pain in her head didn’t help her in figuring out what was going on. It wasn’t until she caught a whiff of sea salt that she remembered the events of last night. The flying ship. Captain Hongjoong. She tried to rip the blindfold off, but it was no use. Her hands were tied behind her back, the rope digging into her skin. Suddenly the door opened and she could hear the clomping of boots. She was roughly grabbed and carried up the stairs. She must have been below deck was all she could figure. She felt herself being thrown onto the hard wooden deck before being forced on her knees. Her blindfold was ripped off her face. She winced from the brightness of the sun. Once she was able to adjust, she was face to face again with Captain Hongjoong and the Ateez pirates again.
“He won’t come,” she mumbled sadly as tears welled in her eyes. Hongjoong grabbed her chin roughly, “oh, dearie. You clearly don’t know the power you have over the boy. Boys, you know what to do.”
She knew Hongjoong was kidding himself. How much power could she have over a boy she hasn’t seen in over 10 years. But, a part of her secretly hoped he didn’t forget about her. Seonghwa and Mingi untied her hands quickly, not giving her any time to fight back before her hands were tied in front of her, a large brick attached to the middle. As the two men led her to the side of the ship, she tried to break free of the grip they had on her arms. Mingi, unamused by this, held his dagger to her neck causing Wendy to stop. As she approached the side, she looked into the ocean. The ocean she used to love. This would be her deathbed. She started to think of all the things she never got to do. The things she never got to say. Tears streamed down her face as she was pushed harshly into the ocean. She wanted to do something, anything. But she was sinking too fast and she couldn’t undue the rope around her wrist no matter how hard she tried.
Meanwhile, Hongjoong waited patiently. He’d come. Han would come. It was Wendy after all. And he was so right. Peter had heard from some of the fairies that there was a girl on Hongjoong’s ship. That was an immediate red flag for everyone. So everyone flew looking for the pirate ship. Just as they made it, Wendy was already plummeting to her death. Han felt his heart stop. She looked the same, just older. And because of him, she was gonna die. “Chan,” Peter said stoically, “save her. Hongjoong’s mine.” He refused to look at the boys, he knew if he did, he might break down and right now, he needed to be focused.
Chan dived into the ocean. Changbin had given him some pixie dust he got from some water fairies that would allow them to see underwater. He found Wendy sinking fast, struggling against her restraints. Chan swam quickly and caught up with her, pulling out his dagger. Wendy was losing air fast, her struggle becoming weaker and weaker. Chan could tell it wasn’t long until she was gone. had to act fast. He pulled out his hunting knife trying to cut it, but it was harder than he originally imagined. But he kept struggling, kept sawing at the ropes. As her eyes closed, the rope finally broke, the brick sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Chan scooped her up and swam to the surface. When he broke through the surface he gasped for air. He held onto Wendy tighter as he swam to the coast.
The boys excluding Chan, Changbin and Seungmin landed on the deck of the Halazia. “You guys take care of the rest,” Han commanded, before glaring at Hongjoong, “he’s mine.” The deck became a free for all for the other boys. But all Han needed to do was focus on Hongjoong. But his mind was with Wendy. She needed to be okay. He couldn’t live with himself if she were to die. Hongjoong swung at him with his sword. Han flew up a little higher, but he barely missed. He pulled out his knife to fight back. The weapons clashed, both barely missing the other. He needed to know what was going on with Wendy right now. He needed to get to her, but he couldn’t defeat Hongjoong. He wasn’t in the right mindset. Both him and Hongjoong knew that.
“Peter,” someone yelled from above. It was Changbin, the group’s fairy. “She’s safe,” the fairy exclaimed as he flew closer to the pirate ship, “Seungmin’s trying to get the water out of her lungs or whatever he’s doing.”
Han felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Wendy was safe. Seungmin was gonna save her. He felt the fog in his mind. The distractions were gone. He got up and ran towards the captain and kicked him right in the gut. Hongjoong fell to his knees, the air was knocked out of him. Han tried to gather as much strength as he could to kick him again. Once his foot met Hongjoong’s shoulder, the man flew into the ocean. “That’s for Wendy,” he yelled as he rose from the deck into the sky.
“I’ll get you Peter Han,” the captain yelled back, trying to stay afloat, “I swear I’ll get my vengeance."
Han stuck his tongue out at him and flew to the beach of Neverland. He hoped Seungmin was able to save Wendy.
When Han reached the beach, Seungmin was working on saving Wendy. He pressed on her chest, trying to get the water to come out. Han’s heart was breaking as he watched this. She was soaking wet, her beautiful brown eyes were closed. They may never open again and it was all his fault. If he never brought her here all those years ago, she’d be okay. When Han landed on the sandy beach, Wendy spit out water. They had gotten the water out of her lungs or at least a lot of it.
“Wendy...” he whispered, tears forming in his eyes. Her breaths were labored but she managed to answer, “Peter?”
“Yeah it’s me,” he cried, pulling her into his chest. She was still here. He hadn’t lost her. One of the most important people to not only him, but Neverland itself was still here.
“I’m tired.” Han looked over Seungmin who shook his head. “You can’t just yet. We’re gonna head to the hideout okay? We’re gonna get you dried off.”
“Okay,” she replied, snuggling into his chest. Trying to capture the warmth she felt being in his arms again. He picked her up bridal style and flew back to camp with the rest of the boys.
It felt like days of you resting and seeing no one but Seungmin. She laid in one of the extra cots in the Stray Boy’s hideout while she recovered. He filled her in on how everyone was doing, not that much changed. She filled him in on her family and her friends. She told him about her job as an elementary school teacher. Some sewing fairies delivered new clothes. It was pretty boring. But today, Wendy was cleared to do things outside of talking to him, so he encouraged her to go for a walk with Han. Well, she walked and he flew around.
“I’m happy you’re back,” Han said as he flew around you, “we’re gonna have to get a lot done before you have a full room in the hideout. You think you’ll be okay to sleep in your current room. I know it’s kind of bare and all.”
“I’m not staying,” she blurted out confusedly. Han stopped right where he was in the air, Wendy continuing to walk past him.
“But, you said you’d stay when you came back,” he questioned, catching up to the girl who had passed him.
“You promised you’d come back for me when I was seventeen,” she argued, “And you never did. I’m an adult now. I have a job. I have responsibilities now. I can’t just goof around all day.”
Yeah, she was older. She wasn’t the same girl from years ago, but that didn’t mean anything to him. She was still Wendy Darlington. The same girl he promised to bring back to Neverland. So the promise should still be in effect. “You can. You’re here now. Just stay. You promised you would.”
She rolled her eyes. “I was fourteen, Peter. Things change. I had to grow up. You left me.”
“I couldn’t come back for you! It was too dangerous here. And I didn’t want you to get hurt. You gotta believe me Wendy.”
“No! I’m done believing in you,” she screamed.
It was as if on cue that Peter Han plummeted to the ground, crushing in a lush bush. When she went to check on the boy she noticed something. He wasn’t a boy anymore.
The pair ran back to camp as fast as they could. Wendy was extremely confused. No one is supposed to age in Neverland. Peter Han is supposed to be able to fly. And now he was an adult, not a teenager anymore. And he can’t fly. She needed answers. She was going to ask Han, but after the fight they just had, she was too afraid to ask. Plus he seemed off. He wasn’t his goofy self anymore. He was quiet, too quiet. As the two reached the hideout, she yelled for the seven others to come out. They were all older. Full grown adults.
“What is going on,” Minho asked as he approached the panicked girl.
“I was with Peter and we got into an argument. I said I don’t believe in him and now you’re all old and I…” she explained, rushed and in a frenzy as she tried to let them know.
Chan placed his hands on her shoulders. “Wendy, your belief in us and Neverland is what keeps the magic alive here. You said that you didn’t believe in Peter anymore, correct? Well, because of that, all the magic here that allows us to fly and not age is gone.”
“So pixie dust doesn’t work anymore?”
“No. It’s just dust now,” Changbin told her weakly. Since he was a fairy and thrived on pixie dust. This was taking a huge toll on his little body, making him extremely sleepy
“So if I say I believe in Peter again, everything will be okay,” Wendy inquired, nodding as she was processing everything from her being the main source of Neverland’s magic to everyone being older.
“It’s not that simple,” Chan notes, “you can’t just say you believe. You have to go to pixie hollow. That’s where all the magic is held. There you confess your true belief and then you save Neverland. If not, the pixies die and you’re stuck here.”
“Then let’s go to Pixie Hollow,” she cheered as she started walking in the direction of the fairy capital.
The whole journey was a nightmare so far. Han complained about his feet hurting and blamed Wendy for taking away his ability to fly. “If you just agreed to stay,” he’d reiterate, “we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
She’d argue back with a “maybe if you just came back before or just dealt with the fact that I have a life now, you could fly now!”
The rest of the lost boys were about ready to kill Han. They couldn’t kill Wendy because without her, Neverland would be no more. So they’d settle for killing Han. Changbin didn’t care because he was asleep the whole time inside Hyungin’s messenger bag.
But all that stopped when the group reached Mermaid Cove. The lagoon was just the same way she remembered it. The water was clear aqua blue. On every rock there were mermaids laying out in the sun. This place was prettier than Wendy remembered. That could also be because last time she was here the mermaids kept pushing her into the water while trying to flirt with Peter. “Is that who I think it is? Wendy Darlington?,” one of the mermaids exclaimed as she caught a glimpse of her, “Wow girl, you grew up. Not the little brat from before.” Wendy was shocked that they were being nice. She approached the rock they were resting on happily “thank you. I for sure thought you were gonna try to drown me…” She was interrupted when another mermaid pushed her into the water. “Hi Peter,” another mermaid said, “don’t you look handsome. You were always cute, but now you look even better. How about you ditch her and stay with us?”
Wendy stood up from where she was pushed. Her once fluffy chocolate hair was now soaked along with the clothes she finally got to dry from the last time was pushed into a body of water.
“Sorry ladies,” Han apologized as he walked over to help Wendy, “I’m not interested. The only girl I need in my life is Wendy. Besides, she’s a whole lot cuter than you.” Wendy’s cheeks started to heat up and turn a light shade of pink as he held out his hand for her to grab. She grabbed onto his rough hand as he continued, “you guys can give up on the flirting and trying to drown her. She’s staying here so be nice.”
And at that moment, Wendy was officially annoyed. She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away before storming off. Han went to go after her before someone grabbed his shoulder. “Peter,” Minho said sternly, “you need to understand that you can’t keep try to get her to stay or trying to explain why you didn’t go. Just talk to her. Nothing crazy. Just talk to her about her life, instead of trying to tell her how she should live it.”
Han nodded as he headed for the woods again to find her. The boys followed far behind, they wanted to see if he could fix his relationship with Wendy.
The trek from Mermaid Cove to Pixie Hollow wasn’t supposed to be too long. But yet it felt like it was taking forever. Ever since Wendy got here, Han couldn’t talk to her without something causing an argument. Minho said that maybe he needs to stop trying to justify his actions and believing she’s gonna stay when she has made it clear that she is not. He needs to start off small. Just talk to her about anything other than why he never came.
“So, how’s your brothers,” Han shyly inquired, walking a few steps behind. He figured if she was going to get angry at him, he didn’t want to see the hurt in her eyes.
“They’re good,” Wendy replied smiling, turning around to face Han, “John is in medical school and Michael just graduated college. He’s gonna work in human resources for some bank.”
Han’s eyes widened, he couldn’t believe it. “Are they really that old?”
She giggled, “it’s been years Peter. They had to get rid of the tophat and the teddybear eventually.”
“I know,” he said looking at the ground again, “what about you?”
“I’m a teacher. I teach a bunch of six year olds.”
“I know that,” he told her matter of factly, “But did you get rid of the old Wendy things?”
Wendy was used to try to decipher things, but this made zero sense to her. “Like what?”
“The hair ribbons, the story telling, the belief in me?”
“If I didn’t believe in you,” she explained placing a comforting hand on his shoulder,
"Why would Neverland stay magical for so long?”
“True, but that doesn’t mean anything,” he answered as she let go of his shoulder, still refusing to make eye contact with her, “Maybe you just have to say it out loud or something!”
“I tell my kids about Peter Han and the Stray Boys. And every year, it becomes their favorite story. I might have given up that you were gonna come for me, but I’d never stop believing in you.” Han looked up at her. He never noticed how pretty she became. She wasn't fourteen years old anymore. He always thought she was beautiful, but now it was on another level. His heart started to race. He had to tell her. She had to know.
“Wendy, I…” Han tried to explain before a bullet flew right past his face. He looked over to see Captain Hongjoong.
Hongjoong laughed as he watched the two stare back at him, “sorry to ruin the moment, it was touching really. How sweet.”
Han gritted his teeth, “what the hell do you want Hongjoong?”
“Your head of course.”
Everything happened so fast. The two were surrounded by the pirates. Hongjoong pulled out his sword ready to fight again. “Grab the girl. Han’s mine,” Hongjoong commanded. Wendy looked all around for some sort of escape. Something that could alert the boys that they were in trouble. And it didn’t take long before she had four men charging at her. Thankfully, she was small, so she was able to maneuver through the holes in between them to get out. “Chan! Minho! Hyunjin! Everyone help,” she screamed at the top of her lungs before she was tackled to the group by Seongwha. He grabbed her wrists holding her down on the ground. He was too strong compared to her, but she couldn’t let Ateez win. She had to save Neverland. But then it hit her. She didn’t have to overpower him. She just had to distract him enough to get away. She turned her head and bit down hard on his arm. The first mate pulled away. This gave Wendy her chance. She scooted away from him and started to run toward the direction of the Stray Boys, who heard her cries for help. Seongwha grabbed her arm ruffly trying to pull her away. But before he could get anywhere, she kicked him hard in the stomach sending him to the ground. She hoped the other boys were gonna be okay.
Han was struggling in his fight. He couldn’t use any flight which was something that he used a lot when fighting. So he just dodged and blocked his attacks with his small knife. “Not so tough now without your magic are you,” the captain taunted, going in for another blow, which Han barely blocked. He had to think about this logically. He looked around for something that would help and then he saw it. He saw Wendy’s finishing blow to Seongwha. He didn’t need magic. He just needed an opening. Look for a spot instead. It was what he did before, but this time, he didn’t have the advantage of flying. He continued dodging and blocking until he found it. He got down low and swept Hongjoong’s ankles out from under him. Hongjoong's sword flew out of his hand which Han grabbed. As the captain laid on the ground, Han stepped on the man’s stomach and pointed the sword at his throat, “don’t you dare. Hurt them ever again. If I were you, I’d run.” When Han lifted his foot from Hongjoong’s chest, he called his defeated crew to retreat. They all knew they would see them again, but for now, the battle was over.
Everyone stood in place breathing heavily. Wendy stared at Peter. Everything he said just made her head spin. Peter noticed her staring and for once, he actually made contact with her. His boba eyes held something in them. Words he never got to say. Feelings he never spoke. “The day I was supposed to bring you here,” Han huffed, looking at her with sad eyes, “Hongjoong attacked and…I got scared. I didn’t want you to get hurt. You weren’t just the thing keeping Neverland alive anymore. I realized that day that I’m in love with you Wendy.”
Wendy walked up to Han. She kissed him softly and quickly. “It’s okay,” she mumbled, “I’m sorry I was mad at you. I love you too. But I’d have been okay in Neverland because I have you.”
The two stayed like that for a while. Wendy felt safe now. She felt loved. She felt like things were gonna be okay. Han felt calmer now. He felt like everything was right in the world again. Once the two broke apart, they headed the final distance to Pixie Hollow.
After an hour of comforting silence, the group reached the willow tree that made up the entrance of Pixie Hollow. But unlike how it usually was, Pixie Hollow was bustling with fairies flying around in a frenzy trying to get their work done for the day. The fairies were in varying degrees of activity levels. The youngest fairies were fast asleep onto of rocks or mushrooms or even trees. Fairies who were around Changbin’s age weren’t fast asleep but were tired and had no desire to do much of anything. The eldest of fairies were still able to move around, but they could not do much given that their magic was no longer working. “It’s nice to see you all,” one of the eldest fairies greeted cheerfully. She was a tiny little fair with long white hair that was tied up in a high bun. She was wearing a golden gown with long sleeves and a big skirt.
“Mother Fairy,” Wendy greeted warmly crouching down to see the old fairy, “it’s so nice to see you again. I’m happy to know that you’re okay.”
“Of course dear. I may be old, but I’m stubborn. It takes more than a little bit of magic to take it out of me. The tree is up ahead. I think you know what you need to do my dear.” Wendy nodded as the group followed the fairy matriarch. They all stood in front of the Pixie Dust Tree. The once golden weeping willow was now just a normal looking tree. To be honest, Wendy thought without the golden dust emanating from its branches and leaves, it looked like any other tree.
Wendy approached the tree and placed her hand on the pixie dust tree. She took a deep breath, “I still believe.” The tree started to glow a bright golden hue. But the boy still looked like adults when she turned around to look at them. Did she fail? Her smile fell at this realization. She felt someone tap on her shoulder. When she turned around, there was no one. She turned back to look at the tree and an upside down Han was staring at her, “Peter Han!! Don’t scare me like that!”
“You do realize that on Neverland you stop aging because of the magic? So, since we grew up we stop aging now. Come on Wendy, you’re supposed to be the smart one here,” he laughed as he landed softly on the ground.
Wendy smiled as the realization hit her. “So, we did it,” she exclaims, giving Han a sweet kiss, “We saved Neverland!”
The pair break away, he rests his forehead on hers, “yeah. We did it”
“So that means I’m going home?”
Han backed away from her, his smile falling. He hoped that maybe she’d change her mind along the way. “But Wendy, what about our promise? Didn’t you enjoy being here?”
“I love it here Peter…” she explains looking at him sadly, tears threatening to spill.
“Don’t you dare say but,” Han screamed tears rolling down his cheeks, “Wendy, your place is here. You’re the heart and soul of Neverland. You can’t leave us.”
Chan placed a hand on Han’s shoulder. “Peter,’ he explains, “you can’t make her stay. Just let her go. Her place isn’t here.”
Han’s head hung low. He didn’t want her to leave now that she was back. But Chan was right, Neverland wasn’t her home. He knew that, but it still broke his heart anyways.
Wendy stood on the beaches of Neverland looking at the eight boys she cared about so dearly. It was a sad goodbye. There were hugs, tears, and promises to stay safe. “I’m gonna miss you all,” she cried, “I guess this is goodbye. One final goodbye.”
Minho walked up to give her one final hug. “We’ll take care of him,” he whispered in her ear, “just don’t stop believing in us. If life gets hard and you ever need us, we’ll always be there for you. Just call for us.”
Wendy nodded as she let go slowly. She looked over at Han who was still crying. He had been the whole time she was saying goodbye. She grabbed his hand gently and smiled. He tried to pull himself together. “I’ll bring you back one day Wendy. I know your life is there, but maybe one day. You’ll come back with me.”
Wendy smiled, engulfing him in a hug one last time. She looked up as tears threatened to fall. The pair broke apart. She grabbed his hand tightly before their feet lifted off the ground and the two flew away from Neverland.
It had been two weeks since Wendy was back from Neverland. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss it. She hadn’t realized how boring life was until she got a taste of life on Neverland again. She was getting ready for bed one night when she felt something strange. She felt like someone was watching her. At the same time though, she didn’t feel scared. She knew who it was. She made her way to the window and opened it wide.
“Peter, I know you’re out there,” she spoke looking to both sides to look for him. But in usual Peter Han fashion, he appeared from above her, upside down.
“I was never good at hide and seek,” he admitted shyly, flipping rightside up.
“You flew all the way here to see me?”
“I said I’d come back to take you back to Neverland eventually,” he replied, shrugging, “I got bored of waiting, so I decided to do it now.” This confession caused Wendy to laugh. That was very Peter Han. The boy wasn’t the most patient of people.
She sighed. “Peter, we talked about this. My life is here, but…”
“You know I hate when you say but,” he huffed, rolling his eyes "What is it this time?”
“But I wouldn’t mind spending my summers off in Neverland. Let me grab a few things.” Han perked up at this. She was coming back. It might not have been forever, but at least it was something. He waited as patiently as he could for her to come back.
When Wendy came back, she had a small bag and an alarm clock. “I’ll set this clock to midnight. After it rings 60 times, that means it’s time for me to come back here.”
“But how’ll I know when to pick you up again?”
“Because I know you’ll come here every night to make sure I’m okay or convince me to come early,” Wendy giggled as she grabbed Han’s hand, giving it a squeeze.
“That’s because I love you Wendy Darlington,” he confessed, kissing her on the cheek.
“And I love you too Peter Han. Now let’s head back to Neverland. To the second star to the right and straight on till morning!”
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