The Never Fairy

Friend or foe, maybe a lover in tow?

Tinkerbell knew trailing Captain Hook was a bad idea. Not only had they lost him for the third time that night, but now they found themselves awkwardly teaching the bewildered inhabitants of the large London house how to fly.

She glanced over at Wendy Darling, the eldest sibling with cascading curls and rosy cheeks, who had insisted they come along, convinced they could be of help. Michael, the youngest, was bouncing on his toes, eyes wide with excitement at the prospect of facing pirates.

The room was cozy yet cluttered, filled with the mismatched furniture and trinkets of a typical Victorian home. Tinkerbell sighed inwardly, regretting the dwindling supply of fairy dust that now limited their options. With a flick of her wrist, she sprinkled just enough dust on the three siblings, each of whom tentatively lifted off the ground under the watchful guidance of the Lost Boys. 

Wendy was offered help from both Slightly and Nibbles, but in the end, Slightly had to give up as Nibbles reminded him of losing the race. So now four boys were helping John Darling as he almost crashed once again. Peter on the other hand had been to most successful, in just a few moments he had made the youngest Darling boy an expert flyer.

Tinkerbell, seeing no one needing her help, moved toward Peter who sat casually on Wendy's dressing table, much to the Darling girl's dismay, while Michael curiously tugged at Peter's hair, fascinated by the tinkling sound that accompanied Tinkerbell's laughter. The soft glow of the gas lamps cast a warm hue on Peter's features, accentuating his mischievous grin as he observed the Flying 101 session unfold. 

"Are you giving him a new hairstyle?" Tinkerbell teased Peter with a playful smile, watching Michael's innocent curiosity.

Peter chuckled, gently lifting Michael and settling him on his lap. "Hm, something like that... He's curious about you. Thinks you're a fairy, you see."

Tinkerbell grinned, her heart, warming at Peter's affectionate gaze at the boy. 

"AHHH!" John Darling's sudden shout interrupted the gentle atmosphere, causing everyone to freeze in fear of alerting the Darlings' parents. They held their breath until the absence of footsteps reassured them. 

John struggled as Tootles held his shoulders, while each twin held an arm. Slightly was the least helpful, as all he did was hold John's ridiculous hat.

The room was quiet for a while, but It was Wendy Darling who broke the tension by chortling, drawing surprised and horrified glances from the others.

"Relax, everyone. Father snores so loudly he won't hear a thing, and Mother has earplugs," Wendy reassured them, prompting relieved sighs from the Lost Boys.

After the three boys gently lowered John back onto his feet he quickly turned his attention to Peter, "I think that's enough flying practice for today."

Peter clapped his hands decisively. "Exactly! We've had our fun, but we're no closer to Hook, and we're running out of time."

"I agree with Peter," Slightly chimed in, giving Nibs a pointed look as he made his way to Wendy, wedging himself between them. 

"Yeah, we need to rethink our strategy-auGH!" John was quickly hushed by his own hat that Slightly threw on his face.

Peter jumped down from the table, Michael still on his hip. "That's right. It's time for a new plan."

Tinkerbell's curiosity piqued. "What do you have in mind, Peter?"

"We're going back to Neverland," Peter declared boldly, the room falling silent as everyone stared at him in astonishment.

"What?" Tinkerbell exclaimed incredulously.

Peter grinned mischievously, his eyes glinting with excitement. "That's right! We're going back to Neverland, and I'm going to give you three" He pointed at each Darling child, "an adventure of a lifetime!"

Wendy stepped closer to Peter, much to the dismay of Slightly and Nibs. "When will we be back?"

Peter shrugged nonchalantly. "Whenever you want."

Tinkerbell sensed trouble brewing, especially with Peter's upcoming smirk and Wendy's fluttering eyelashes. 

"Peter, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Trust me, Tink," Peter replied confidently while avoiding her eyes. "It's going to be amazing."

Wendy looked around at her brothers, a mixture of apprehension and excitement in her eyes. "What do you think, boys?"

Michael pumped his fist in the air. "Adventure!"

John exchanged a hesitant glance with his brother before nodding reluctantly. "Alright, let's do it."

Wendy smiled warmly at Peter. "Lead the way, Peter Pan."

And just like that, amidst the uncertainty and excitement, the decision was made. Tinkerbell couldn't shake off the feeling that this impulsive journey would lead them into more trouble than they bargained for. 

_________

End of chapter 7.