The Dark Days

Nineteen.

I'm in a bed. A big, fluffy bed with crimson sheets.

"You're finally awake," says a gentle, tired voice beside me. I turn my head to see Peter's soft, tired smile. I smile back and he kisses me gently. "How'd you sleep?"

"Could've been better," I say tiredly. "How 'bout you?"

"Good," he says, nodding. He kisses my cheek. "You'll be happy to learn that I've decided something."

"What?" I ask, and blink rapidly to stay awake. "That you love me so much you decided to stay here today?"

"Yes," he says, "and I've decided that you need more clothes. We're going to the nearest mall." He shoots out of bed and I groan.

"Does it have to be the mall?" I demand, covering my head with a pillow. "I don't care if it's just a thrift store."

"Yep," he chirps. "And I care if it's just a thrift store. I want you to be happy."

"Designer clothes don't make me happy," I say, sitting up and setting the pillow aside. "You do." Peter pulls his pants on and I realize, with a jolt, where we are. "Peter, why are we back here?"

"I thought you would like more privacy," he says, but I can tell that isn't all.

"And?"

He sighs, pausing his boot tying. "I need you to be safe, and you're more likely to be just that down here, where no one would be able to see you."

"But what if the grownups come back?" I ask, crossing my legs under me.

"I've put a very, very powerful cloaking spell over this room," he says as he continues tying his shoes. "Trust me, even if they're staring right at you, they'll never see you."

I only nod. Neither of us speak until he stands. "Come on," he ways gently as he comes to my side of the bed. "Get dressed. We've got quite a drive ahead of us."

"But I just want to stay in bed all day," I mumble. "Can't you go for me?"

Peter smiles and sits, his hand going to brush through my hair. "If I get clothes for you," he says, leaning down to plant a small kiss on my hair, "you won't like them very much."

I moan, annoyed. "I don't really care what you get, just get something."

"Kase," Peter chides. "You need to get outside. You need to walk around. You're much too pale. Come with me, please. I want to be with you, I don't want to go alone."

"Why not?" I whine. "You were alone before I came to Neverland. What's different now?"

"I need you," he says quietly, finding my hand with his own and wrapping his fingers around it. "That's what's different."

I stay quiet for a moment, then sigh. "All right. Fine. But only for an hour."

"Two hours."

"Hour and a half."

"Deal." I sit up and Peter catches my face in his hand. He presses his mouth against mine softly for a few seconds before pulling back and letting me climb out of bed. This particular morning is strangely chilly, so I shiver as soon as the comforter is gone. Goosebumps cover the skin of my bare legs.

Peter holds out a pile of clothes for me and I take them, ordering him to turn around. "Why?" he asks. "I've seen you half-naked before. A lot."

My face flushes. "That's not what I'm talking about."

He smirks devilishly. "I know, Kase." He stands and goes over to the wall the front of the couch faces. He waves his hand over a random space and a door appears. He turns the knob and it opens will a loud creak. He motions me over and I come, looking inside.

The bathroom is small, and has only a sink, toilet, small shower and mirror, with barely any room to move otherwise. But it's a bit on the fancy side nonetheless. I thank Peter and enter, closing the door behind me. When I finish I look at myself in the mirror.

The beanie I wear is dark gray. My shirt is a dark red and my jeans are dark denim, almost black. Both hug my figure in a snug way and show off my curves dramatically at the same time. I roll my eyes and step out.

Peter is raking a comb through his hair, and it looks like he's having trouble, too. He tugs and tugs and tugs until the thing breaks in half. He groans and I can't help laughing. "Here, let me help you," I tell him, coming over to him and ordering him to get a brush. He holds up a huge brush and I take it, forcing myself not to shiver when our fingers brush. I tip his head down and begin to gently brush out his huge tangles. Peter leans into my left hand, which smooths his soft locks down and massages his scalp occasionally.

When I finish I drop my hand and tip his chin up. His eyes are closed and there is a soft smile on his lips. It looks as if he's asleep and having a very good dream. I can't help smiling and placing a small kiss to his upturned lips. His smile widens and an arm goes around my back, a hand to my hair. We kiss for a while before I pull away and tell him that we should probably go.

"Yeah," Peter mumbles, pressing one more small kiss to my mouth and then moving his hands to my waist. "We should. But now I don't want to."

"Oh, no you don't! I'm already up and dressed, we're going!" I grab his hand and drag him towards the door, where he stops me.

"You forgot your jacket," he tells me. He jogs to the bed and picks it up. When he reaches me, he helps me put it on. I can't help blushing and he kisses my flaming cheek.

"Thanks," I say, and he opens the door behind me. I go through and wait for him on the other side. He steps past the threshold and closes the door behind him. He reaches for my fingers and I allow him to take them as he tugs me down the hall and up the stairs and out the big door to the crypt. The sky is a smudge of gray and it's quite cool. I shiver and Peter wraps his arm around my shoulders.

We get up to the road and a car is waiting for us. It's the same car we were in when we were watching that movie in the field. He opens my door and I sit. He closes it and then appears next to his door, opening it and getting in. The door closes and he starts the car, which instantly begins to blow warm air, making me shiver. Peter shifts into drive and then places his hand on my knee. I place my hand over his and he interlocks our fingers. In seconds we're cruising rather swiftly down the barren road.

****

Kasey is asleep in the passenger sleep. Peter wants so badly to lean over and pull her into his lap. She's adorable when she sleeps.

Peter turns his attention back to the road before him. He's so excited to get to spend time with the one reason keeping him from enacting his curse. He hadn't told her, but he was ready to do it now. He wasn't sure why he kept putting it off.

After about an hour, Kasey jolts awake. She seems startled and dazed for a moment before her eyes clear and she sits up in her seat. "How long was I asleep?"

"Only an hour," he says, and raises their joined hands to kiss the back of her palm. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," she says, yawning. "Better now that I took a nap."

"That's good," he says. "We're here."