The next day we had already left Neverland behind and London was now coming into view, I have to say I really thought for a moment there Peter would come and stay with me but I guess Neverland means too much to him, more then me.
Peter's POV
I felt so bad. I wanted to cry, why wasn't I staying with James? I wanted to stay with him but I just can't grow up. I want James to be happy and going home will make him happy so I guess he has to go home. I don't think he was keeping this ship so I guess I could, it would be all that I had left of him. I remembered the heavy feeling I had had when I had believed James to be dead. What would he do without him? I know another pirate captain and his crew will wash up at Neverland eventually but I don't want another pirate or captain...
I only want James. Maybe he should stay with him on Earth and grow up? If there was ever a reason to grow up, it was James.
James came back up to the deck from doing what he was doing which I think was packing as I was standing on the captain's deck above James' cabin and his eyes lit up at the sight of London which was now in full view.
"Where are we?" James asked in astonishment once he had found his voice and made his way up to the bridge. I gave him a slightly surprised look. What was he talking about? This as his home wasn't it? "We're in London. I thought this was your home?" "Yes, Peter it is my home I was querying. What year is it?"
I shrugged. "1998, I think..."
"1998? Not as long as I thought, time was must be different in Neverland that hardly anything has changed here." "Yeah but the world changes, even just a little bit." I said quietly.
James tore his eyes away from the sight to look at me standing next to him. "Unlike you." He commented and I sighed.
The ship glided silently above the city until we reached a large park where the ship docked on a field so James could disembark. Unlike usually, I decided walked next to him instead of flying, making James wear a curious expression.
James' POV
I don't want to know how hurt Peter was by this; I wanted to be happy. I had finally gotten what he had dreamt for god knows how long and my feeling bad leaving Peter alone was was going to ruin it for him. I offered him to stay he didn't want to.
Once we had stepped off the Jolly Roger, I paused and turned towards Peter standing next to me.
"Well... I guess this is it." I didn't know what to say. I wasn't good with goodbyes. Especially not ones I had a romantic connection with.
Peter nodded. "I guess so." He looked upset but I couldn't do it anything about that. After a moment of hesitation, I dropped the bags that I had slung over my shoulder in order to pull this sweet boy into a tight embrace that Peter returned immediately and as I held thus delicate, light frame in my arms, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. The feelings of love not making me willing to let go. Of course I was in love with him, there was no denying that and I knew Peter was the same but this was what he wanted.
Home, It was what I had always wanted, right? I wanted to live in the normal world; I wanted to grow old.
A small voice in the back of my mind asked me if I was sure about that but I ignored it. This was what I wanted. Nevertheless, I still had trouble releasing my grip on Peter, inebriated by the fresh scent of leaves, flowers and earth that always clung to Peter's hair and skin. It was intoxicating and beautiful.
Despite the long, long time we had spent hating each other, the devastating truth was that Peter had become the only person I had ever come close to loving in a long time. Why didn't he want to stay? Why couldn't I keep him?
Peter's POV
I felt tears stinging my eyes and my lips beginning to tremble. I wanted to stay with James; I wanted to grow up. But I knew I wouldn't; I couldn't. What would become of Neverland without me? Tink and the fairies? What was Neverland without me, Peter Pan? But... what was I without Captain James Hook either...? James pulled away, taking a step back with a warm smile as he suddenly held up his sword for Peter to take. "I want you keep this for me, make more use of it than me. Can you do that ?" Of course I could. I swallowed the lump my his throat as I took the sword with a nod.
The sword felt cold and heavy my hand but I didn't care because it was James' "You won't forget me, will you?" I asked in a whisper I knew sounded desperate. James smiled that warm, tender smile that I had come to love so dearly. "You're the one who always forgets, not me, remember?" I laughed a bit, still trying to hold back his tears. "I'm never going to forget you." He chuckled.
"Of course you will. You live in the present. Another ship full of pirates will try and raid Neverland and you will find another captain to annoy and tease yet be playful with, and before you know it, I will be nothing but a distant memory. Though those pirates should be careful they don't know who's island they're dealing with." I smiled slightly at his words as he slung his bags over his shoulder.
i know I will never be able to forget James, but before I had a chance to argue, James continued talking.
"Take care of yourself, Peter Pan." With that, he turned to walk away.
"You too, James Hook." I whispered after him, unsure if he could hear me from the distance, and watched until his silhouette disappeared into the darkness of the trees surrounding them. I knew that wasn't his real name but it was the name that still felt right to me.
James' POV
I took a shuddery breath as I reached the edge of the tree line, where I finally dared to turn around in secret hope that Peter had followed me, but as I turned to look, I saw the illuminated ship silently flying off into the night, reminding me of that night on the beach where I had believed I would never see it again. This time though, I knew for sure: that was the last time he would ever set eyes on the Jolly Roger and Peter Pan, for the story of Captain Hook had finally ended and I was home.
Navigating my way through the streets back to my family home wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I sighed and switched my bag to my right shoulder as my left was getting sore from the weight and I went to shift to get comfortably on my shoulder when I noticed I wasn't using my left hand as usual. I mean I know I'm good with my hook but I'm not that good that it feels like a hand.
I looked from my left hand and arm hanging by my side and to my right to see that the bag on my shoulder was being held up my not only my right arm but my right hand also! I-I I have a right hand again, I have a right hand again! I curled it around the strap of my bag and laughed. Neverland really does have some magic, doesn't it?
I'm really really glad because I wasn't looking forward to explaining the hook to my mother or any of my family or friends. I was back home and with two hands, not bad. I found my street again and walked along it until I stopped at my family house. It looked exactly the same except for maybe the garden was tidier and more cleaned up. The house was no longer a dark looking mansion that was buried in vines and leaves and bushes but now a pristine landscape of a garden surrounding a beautiful remodeled and refurbished mansion that was my home.
I walked though the gates and up the stairs still in awe of the garden and it's magnificence. Now on the wall beside the front door there is doorbells with a name tag for each member of the family, everyone's individual doorbell name tag lights up then they are home or coming home and stay unlit when they are out so they are known as unavailable. When a name tag is rung a bell inside rings that has the respective name under it and people inside the house can tell which family member is at the door.
I pressed the doorbell that had a faded name tag that faintly had "James" written on but it hadn't been used in so long obviously it was a bit dusty and faded. After pressing my doorbell, I blew the dust off it and seconds later the door opened in a flash.
A gasp on the other side of the door as it opened. "James?! Is that you?"
