Neverland's Angel

Chapter 8

Peter sighed. He was awake, but his body was still asleep. He didn't know how long he had been out of it, but he felt he had really been sleeping deep. He felt so good in his body after finally sleeping as long as his body wanted. One by one his senses peeled from the sleep rhythm, gradually gaining awareness. Resisting, Peter turned his head, relieving some strain off his neck. He tilted his head slightly, relaxing against the soft pillow supporting his head. He breathed, settling with the pace of the cool breeze brushing his cheek. Then he felt tiny hands brushing his side. His injuries were sore, but only a little. Sleepily, Peter curled his hand around the tiny body, thinking it was Tinkerbell , brought it up to his face and opened his eyes. Peter stopped. He gazed at his occupied hand. A girl. A tiny girl his age or a year younger was standing against his palm. He moved his fingers. Incomprehensively, he stared at the tiny blue fabric she was wearing, brushing against his fingertips. Still alarmed by the strange girl's sudden presence, Peter was nevertheless intrigued. Head cocked, he reached a finger to her cheek. Emily was released and sat on the pillow as he traced her face. He traced it all the way from the edge of her ear to her chin. He stared at her, an expression of surprise and bewilderment on his face.  For a few moments both stared at each other in stunned silence. "Wendy?" he uttered finally. The single syllable snapped Emily back to reality and reminded her of what she had been doing here in the first place. "It's nice to finally meet you, Peter Pan, I am Emily Jefferson."  He tried to prop on one elbow but it didn't take long before he immediately buckled, weakened by his injuries and his near fatal illness. "Hey! Be careful! Your fever may be gone, but your wounds are still healing! And let me tell you, those stitches and getting penicillin in you was not easy!"Emily snapped, her hands on her hips in a authoritative manner.Peter cringed slightly at her tone, really not wanting,  nor feeling strong enough, to pick a fight with her. His eyes then fell on three framed pictures sticking out of Emily's two duffel bags. Emily's eyes followed his gaze and she went to get them. Peter's jaw dropped seeing her move no girl he'd ever met could. Returning to her spot by Peter's head, she leaned over the one duffel bag and reached inside it. Pulling out
the photos one by one; Wendy as a young girl with her brothers, John and Micheal, a photo of Wendy with her husband, Edward and her two children, Jane and Daniel, or Danny as he was affectionately nicknamed, a photo of Jane as a young woman with her daughter Moria, a photo Moria with her kids, all the way down to the last one being of Emily, her parents and her grandmother. Peter stared at the photos and his mouth fell when he realized the old women were Wendy, Jane and Moria and not the young girl currently sitting beside his hand. "where are the boys?" Peter asked. Emily wrung her hands together, "they're in the other room playing. But Peter, there's something you should know-" Emily nearly lost her balance as Peter launched himself out of bed and started buzzing around the room, out of sight. "WAIT! Peter!" she yelled after the green-attired-boy, her eyes trying to follow him. Peter hissed at the fresh sting pain of his wounds from moving around as he pulled a pair of backup clothes out of a drawer. When he got dressed, he scooped Emily up before moving to the bear skin curtain, pushing it open. he looked around the room, not seeing his troop anywhere, then his eyes went to the floor, and his expression was shock, confusion and wonder. The boy's were still playing that hide and seek game Emily suggested, Tootles now being the one wearing the blindfold. He waved his arms out in front of him as he walked. Peter knelt, slowly and cautiously  he held his hand out in front of him, palm up and brought it down to him.  Tootles's hands bumped against the tip of Peter's middle finger and he examined the massive  hand attached to it, before removing the blindfold and looking up at his large eyes, seeing the sparkle in them that belonged to no one else. "Hey, Tootles. Good to see you, buddy." He barely had enough time to cradle Tootles in his hands before the littlest Lost Boy snuggled up to his chest, the others quickly following. He heard them cry and cling to his shirt so hard that he might disappear if they let go, and started rocking them gently. "Shhhh, it's ok boys. I'm right here." The boys sniffled and snuggled closer. Emily gazed at them from his shoulder before his rocking caused her to slide down his chest and was embraced by the boy's, she looked up at Peter as he mouthed the words "Thank you" She knew instantly he was thanking her for watching over him and his boys. She smiled at him before snuggling up close with the boys, feeling relieved that she'd saved them all.