Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 59: Son of a -- !

Chapter 59: Son of a -- !

Jim threw up once. Twice. He changed his shirt once. Twice –

"Okay." Grabbing his motorcycle helmet and shrugging on a leather jacket, Jim beckoned Wendy down Pirate's Point. "Let's do it."

Wendy followed. She made no comment of Jim's bathroom delay, but she did study him across the motorcycle.

As she expected: Jim looked like a gladiator bound for the Colosseum. She recognized his If-I-die-I-am-dragging-you-down-to-Hell-with-me face. Silently tucking stray ringlets under her bowler Wendy granted Jim the quiet he needed to remain calm. Jim was confronting ten years of bitterness – this expedition was a nasty can of worms.

Wendy herself was a little nervous, and for multiple reasons. First, she disliked Sinbad. True, she'd never met the 'gentleman,' and prayed she never would, but Wendy had observed Sinbad's malevolence for years. His memory hurt Jim every day. Every single day. Wendy despised Sinbad for that – he'd gouged a hole inside Jim that would never heal.

But more significantly, Wendy was nervous about...tonight. 

Nervous? 

Well. That was an understatement: she was scared to death. The thought of ...giving herself...giving herself....to ...Peter...

Wendy's heart roared at the mere thought. She glanced at Jim, ashamed to have even been thinking of making love with Peter in his presence. If Jim found out – oh. Heaven save her. If Jim ever found out...

Wendy lagged behind the motorcycle. Jim slowed a touch, but maintained deliberate course for the ocean.

Aching with guilt, Wendy watched from behind. She had tried to tell him this morning; she had tried to tell him that she was scared, that she needed his help. But Wendy realized – she didn't want Jim's advice. She just wanted his blessing. She just wanted Jim to give her a hug, and promise that everything going to be all right

But it wasn't. Nothing was all right. Time was against her – Peter's intentions were against her – Tinkerbell's insults were against her – Wendy's own desires were against her –

Only Jim respected her fears. And now...

Wendy halted in the sand. Reliving a hundred wonderful memories, she gazed after her best friend.

She and Jim had shared so much. So much. And now, she was betraying his trust.

Please Wendy begged as Jim turned, noticing her delay Please don't let Jim ever find out. Please.

"Something up?" Motorcycle cradled against his hip, Jim nodded upwards. "Besides dumb and dumber?"

Wendy looked. Morph was harassing Peter's shadow (via squiggling up it's nostrils). The shadow was retaliating with rude gestures.

"Goodness." Wendy finished bunching hair under her hat. "I've kept him  under the bed for too long."

"Yeah. Morph too." Deftly, Jim pulled a clutch lever. The motorcycle shuddered several inches above the sand as he continued along the beach. "Surprised Morph hasn't sucked Pan's shadow to into soup yet."

Wendy raised a brow – Jim sounded more hopeful than 'surprised', but she graciously overlooked his tone.

"Jim." Wendy pointed across the way. "Is that Flynn?"