The Second Star to the Right

The Woman Who Remembered

Wendy saw something in Peter's eyes in that moment. Something she had never seen in anyone before. It was strong, it was so strong, and scary.

"You...you closed the window."

He said it with anger and resentment. She was about to ask him what on Earth he was talking about but something stopped her.

She knew what he was talking about.

Five years ago, give or take a few days, after her adventures in Neverland, her mother had started insisting on Wendy to become a proper woman. Closing her window from 'Peter Pan' was part of that. It was so long ago but it played in Wendy's head like a movie.

"Mother! Please, don't make me close the window, then Peter won't be able to hear my stories!"

"Peter Pan is a fantasy! I let you indulge your fantasies before, but I'll have none of it now. Wendy it's time for you to grow up!"

She remembered crying for days after that. Peter wouldn't know the difference, all he knew was that she shut the window and that was that.

"Peter..." It came out in a soft whisper.

"No. Don't say my name. It hurts more when you say it." He backed away from the bed, rubbing his temple. "What have you done to me?!"

His face lifted and she gazed into his stormy blue eyes. They were bloodshot and dilated. Peter was so confused and so scared.

"You've remembered something." She encouraged lightly. "But not in the right context... What you remembered...was from 5 years ago, and I would never-"

"You obviously would because you did it!" He said, throwing his hands up into the air. "Who am I? Wendy what's happening to me?"

Wendy sighed in defeat, sitting up and resting her hand in her lap. The moonlight shone through the room nicely. "You're right. I did close the window, but it was of no choice of my own. I would never purposefully hurt you..."

His eyes were wild. Any girl would have been terrified of him, but oddly enough Wendy knew he wouldn't hurt her. Peter Pan was confused, upset, angry, scared, and broken, but he was not abusive.

"I just want to know why I'm in so much pain when I'm around you, but I'm in even more pain when I'm not around you." He moaned, flopping down to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I wish I could explain it without sounding crazy.." She mumbled, fumbling with her bed sheets. The bond between them was officially broken, there was no doubt about that, so it made her nervous that he indirectly referenced it. Was it more than just a "contract" pre-determined by fairies to him? Perhaps the true bond they shared had nothing to do with Wendy being a Child of Neverland, it had only helped them get together.

"I would believe anything at this point..." He sighed, running his hands through his bright auburn hair.

"Well..." She started, avoiding any eye contact with him whatsoever. "You and I... We were kind of destined to be together.. And something happened, that made that destiny go away, and I think that's what you're referring to."

He scoffed, although the moonlight gave away his blush "Destined to be together? What nonsense is this?"

She opened her mouth to respond but a loud rap on her door stopped her. The door opened to reveal her mother, standing in the lit hallway looking very groggy.

"Wendy!" She gasped, looking from the man on the bed to her daughter. Wendy's eyes widened. A stranger in her room at an ungodly hour must not have looked very proper at all. "What is the meaning of this?!" She stormed into the room and grabbed Peter by the collar, pushing him off the bed.