Second Date

Chapter 18: A Real Boy

Chapter 18: A Real Boy

"Peter. Peter wake up."

Peter rolled his head. Wendy's fingers were in his hair. It felt good. But everything else...

"....wowwww."

"Peter?"

Wendy's hand crossed his brow. Peter inhaled. Wendy smelled lovely. He hadn't noticed before.

"Peter?" Wendy shook his hand. "Peter? Are you awake?"

"I think so."

"Can you open your eyes?"

Peter tried. His lashes were stuck. Heavy.

"Um. Lemmie try..."

Peter lifted his arms. They were heavy. Everything was so heavy. Thickly he pried open his lids.

He was on the ground, laying quite unceremoniously on his back. Wendy was above him, fingers in his hair. Blurry figures hovered above her, one of which looked suspiciously like Captain Hook.

Peter squinted, trying to focus. Vision returning, he traced a line from Wendy's acorn necklace all the way to her lips.

Then, Peter understood.

"You lied."

Wendy peered. The faces over her became perplexed.

"Peter? I what?"

"You lied." Peter reached for her acorn necklace and tugged. "You lied to me, pretty girl. And now..."

Peter jabbed at her cheek. His arm was heavy and flopped behind his ear. But he smiled all the same. "And now you're turning pink."

"What the Hell is he saying?" Jim knelt by Wendy. He did not notice, but her blush nearly reflected off his skin.

"Yo, Pan." Jim tapped Peter's temple. "Open your eyes. Pan. Pan! Hm. Wendy look away."

"Why?"

SLAP.

"Jim!"

"Ow!" Peter's eyes popped. "That hurt."

"What's wrong?" Wendy and Jim eased Peter upright. "What's wrong with him?"

"His magic is gone." Captain Hook said. They all turned. Captain Hook was ashen, and tiny white wisps curled from his hair. "Peter Pan is flightless...and no longer ageless."

"No longer ageless?" Wendy held Peter like a mother bear. She had expected Peter would lose his flight, but never his youth. "He, he can't. He's Peter Pan. We have to change him back - where is Mickey Mouse?"

"Sweet mamma and sunnyside-up. Look." Flynn was cradling Rapunzel. Her hair was still long, but brunette. Shifting, Flynn pointed at Peter. "Look at his ears."

Wendy smoothed aside Peter's hair. Jim did likewise on Peter's opposite.

"Holy crap." Jim said. "They're..."

"...round." Wendy traced Peter's ear. The auricle was no longer pointed like an elf's. It was smooth and circular.

"Well." said Captain Hook. "It appears that Master Pan, in the words of that dratted Pinocchio puppet...is a real boy."

Peter blinked. He pulled his ears. Then he exclaimed. "Cool!"

"Cool? Oh wait! Peter wait!"

"Look at me!" Peter scrambled to his feet, using Wendy as a ladder. He nearly toppled back down. "Look at me! I can't fly!