Planet Neverland: A Space Age Fairy Tale (Star-Crossed Tales)

by J. M. Page

  She nodded, her lips pressed together so tight they disappeared. She looked so lost and vulnerable that it took every bit of Peter's strength not to take her in his arms and kiss her until her worries melted away.

  "The boys think this is all their fault," she said, looking down at the floor instead of him. Her hands trembled and she tried to cover it up by hugging herself. "They think the show going bad, the dust... this—" She waved between them, indicating the new tension that hadn't existed before. "They think if they'd done better, no one would be mad at you and we'd all be celebrating right now instead of fighting."

  Peter stood up a little straighter, connecting the dots. "That's why they want to break into Hook's," he said. But it wasn't their fault. He was the one who'd pushed them before they were ready. The one that didn't see the signs that they were going to bomb. The one that didn't pull the plug until it was far too late to salvage it.

  If anyone was to blame, it was Peter. They were all right to be mad at him. No one blamed the twins — except the twins themselves, it seemed.

  Wendy nodded, taking in a shuddering breath. "Yes. They think that they're terrible and won't be able to help you save the show. But if they can get your other performers back..."

  Peter shook his head, disbelief warring with gratitude. He couldn't fathom that they wanted to help him still after everything. That they were still loyal to him and the theater. This family was more than he deserved. All three of them.

  "You've really raised a pair of honorable guys, you know."

  At that, Wendy's lips curled up into a small smile and Peter's heart nearly leaped from his chest. "Honorable, but reckless," she said. "Tink is encouraging the idea and they're never going to listen to me. You're the only one that can talk sense into everyone."

  Peter nodded, glad that he had something to focus on other than his failures. "I'll talk to them." Then, thinking on it just a second longer, he said, "Actually, we should all talk together, as a group. It's not going to go away until we put it to bed for good," he said, feeling a little lighter now. Like his burden had lifted ever so slightly. He was grateful — and a little excited — for the opportunity to show Wendy that he could be the man she wanted to be with. That he could be better than he was.

  "Really?" she asked, moving to the edge of her seat, her knees only inches from his thighs where he rested against the front of the desk. They were so close now, but still so far apart.

  He nodded, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth. It almost felt unnatural now, to smile with the turmoil raging under his skin, but Peter knew he couldn't dwell on the past. He had to move forward. It was the only way. "Really." He was still sure he didn't deserve her, but he was determined to try his hardest to earn that honor. To be better for her and make her happy.

  He wasn't even sure she was willing to give him another chance, but hope was a persistent feeling that refused to die off just because of a few doubts.

  Wendy stood from her chair, looking back towards the door before turning to face him again. "Thank you," she said, visibly relieved now that Peter had agreed to talk to her brothers. Their eyes met, and Peter tried so hard to say all the things he needed to, without saying anything at all. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she said.

  The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she'd said. Her eyes went wide and a flush of red colored her face. She looked more surprised to hear it than he was.

  Actually, she looked utterly mortified. But Peter wasn't the type to dwell on it, to tease her about it or make her repeat it. At least not with the way things were between them right now.

  He stepped forward, not able to bear the distance between them any longer. His hand moved of its own accord to cup the side of her face, the contact between them sending a shiver through Peter's entire being. "I'll always be here for you, too, you know," he said, pausing to drink her in. The hurt was still there in her eyes, exposed and raw, but there was something else sparkling in those deep green depths now. Something Peter recognized from himself: hope.

  "Always," he repeated.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Wendy

  God, it was nice to be close to him like this again. Wendy knew she shouldn't feel this way. She should still be angry with him. She should be hurt and betrayed and not thinking about kissing him.

  But she couldn't help it. Everything Peter had done, he'd done for the good of the show and for her brothers. Maybe it wasn't the choice Wendy would have made, and maybe she didn't agree with it, even still, but she could appreciate what a difficult situation he'd been in. And the fact that he used it to save her brothers instead of using it on himself had to count for something, right?

  Her heart thundered with the closeness of him. With the husky promise in his voice as his rough thumb stroked the ridge of her cheekbone. "Peter, I..." She closed her eyes, hoping the needed words would suddenly be projected on the backs of her eyelids.

  "Wendy, I'm sorry," he said for the first time. "I'm sorry that I disappointed you. I'm sorry that wasn't able to handle the situation better. And I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you about everything. I'm just so sorry, Wendy." His hand fell away from her cheek and Wendy's chest ached with an emptiness she hadn't felt since the loss of her parents.

  No matter what he'd done or hadn't done, Wendy couldn't deny how she felt about him. And she couldn't stay angry at him.

  "I know," she whispered, repeating his own words. This time, it was her hand that cupped his face and before she knew what she was doing, Wendy leaned up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips to his.

  Peter's arms instinctively went around her, pulling her tight against him, but then he seemed to realize what he was doing and his grip on her loosened. She hated that there was this weird force between them now, in the way of what they both wanted. And only she could clear the air.

  "I'm still angry about it," she said, breaking the kiss to look him in the eye. "But your heart was in the right place and I don't know what I would've done in the same situation with the boys at stake..." Wendy sighed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I appreciate you helping them, even knowing that all of this would be the outcome." It was uncharacteristically selfless of Peter and Wendy couldn't help but think she'd had some influence on him.

  "Those boys are like my family. I don't want to see them suffer any more than you do," he said, his eyes drifting toward her lips, filling Wendy with a tingly warmth that seeped all the way down to her toes.

  "Maybe that's what they need to hear," she said, her voice barely more than a breathy whisper.

  Peter rested his forehead against hers and reached up to sweep her hair behind her ear, their eye contact never breaking. Wendy almost couldn't contain her affection for this man. Even after everything he'd done, she still felt the good outweighed the bad.

  "Are we okay?" he asked, looking unsure of himself. She was so used to him being swaggering and confident that this uncertainty and doubt in his features made him look so vulnerable and adorable that she couldn't help leaning in for another kiss, finishing it with a nod.

  "I think so. But you can't keep something like that from me again. It was different before... but now..."

  He smiled, tightening his arms around her. "We have to be on the same team, I know. I can do that. I'll do anything for you," he said. And she believed him. She believed he meant it and it meant the world to her.

  Wendy grinned, her heart feeling lighter now that they'd made up, now that she was back in Peter's arms where she belonged. "Well, right now, I need you to talk my brothers out of their suicide mission."

  He kissed her on the forehead and released her from his grip, instead reaching to take her hand. "Well then, let's go."

  A short while later, Wendy, Peter, the boys, and Tinker Bell were all gathered in the green room behind the stage. Wendy didn't make a habit of coming to this room — mostly because Tink did make it a habit. But she'd always liked how well lived-in it felt. The couches were worn and faded, the f
loor was scuffed from years of wear and tear, and though the paper on the wall was starting to lift at the edges, she appreciated the shiny gold filigree.

  They all sat together around a circular table and Peter prompted the boys to explain their plan.

  The boys launched into their ideas, but Wendy had trouble focusing on anything they said. Peter's hand found her knee under the table and he distracted her by drawing lazy circles around her knee, up to her thigh just above it, then back down again. She wasn't even sure he realized he was doing it, the movement was so absent and natural. Wendy certainly wasn't protesting.

  She was so happy that they weren't at odds with each other anymore. That he was on her side for this. She needed an ally when it came to her brothers. They were so headstrong and so unlikely to listen to her opinion. But if there was anyone they would listen to, it was Peter.

  She knew they'd never listen to her on their own, and with Tink's encouragement backing them up, their determination was like a runaway freight train and Peter was the only one who could pull the brakes. He could be the voice of reason, and he'd said he would be. He just had to do his due diligence and hear them out. If he dismissed them straight away, they'd know Wendy got to him and wouldn't take the verdict lying down.

  No, Peter knew what he was doing and Wendy was glad for it. She was so grateful she didn't have to be the one to look out for them all on her own anymore. As his fingertips drew figure-eights on her leg, Wendy tried her best to focus on the conversation at hand.

  "We've looked into it," John was saying, "Hook is holding an open casting call at the Jolly Roger in a few days."

  At the mention of Hook and the Jolly Roger, Peter's fingers tightened on her knee. It was an involuntary reaction, because as soon as he realized he was doing it, he loosened his grip and went back to his gentle caresses, focusing on the places his fingertips had dug into her like he was worried he'd hurt her.

  "We could show him our act," Michael said. "No one knows who we are, and after the dust," he paused long enough to send furtive glances at Wendy and Tink, expecting some kind of reaction from them, but they both kept their expressions neutral. "No one will remember seeing us here at all."

  Wendy had to admit that she was impressed with the amount of thought and planning they'd put into their scheme. She was almost tempted to think it was a good idea — after all, she was supposed to be more supportive of her brothers in their newfound role of being adults capable of making their own decisions — but then she remembered her conversation with Tink earlier. How she'd said no one knew what was going on in Hook's casino. And no one ever came out. The people that went in were cut off from those they loved and nobody knew why he was doing it, or how Hook was managing it.

  There was too much mystery surrounding the casino, and Wendy couldn't risk her baby brothers and their fragile hearts. If they were captured or interrogated or something terrible, who knew if they'd be able to take it? If their hearts would be strong enough to withstand the pressure?

  It wasn't a risk Wendy was willing to take.

  Peter's hand left her leg and Wendy had to consciously suppress the pout she felt coming on from the loss of him. Under the table, he widened the spread of his legs so their thighs brushed together, leaving her content once more. It was strange, how much she craved being near him, but she couldn't deny it. When they weren't together, Wendy felt an emptiness settle within her that nothing else seemed to fill. She'd never been very invested in dating or anything like that with everything going on in her life, but she was starting to really enjoy this whole relationship thing.

  If that's what this was.

  It was, right?

  It had to be. Her feelings for this man were far too strong for this to just be some kind of casual fling. And she was pretty sure he felt the same way.

  Peter steepled his fingers together, resting his elbows on the table, adopting a thoughtful expression while considering the boys and Tink for a long while. After thinking it over, he looked to Tink.

  "You support this plan?" he asked.

  Tink turned her head to look at the boys on either side of her, shrugging. "I don't know, honestly. I want the other guys back, though. And the show could use the help. I think this is our best shot."

  Michael narrowed his eyes at Tink, looking at her like she'd wounded him, turning his attention to his brother instead, before looking back to Peter. "We can do this," he said. "We know we can."

  "Just give us a chance," John added.

  Wendy's heart sped up at the determination still ringing in her little brothers' voices. They really had grown up so much. Even more so since they'd all come to Neverland. They weren't the freckle-faced little boys she remembered anymore. They were men now, strong and willful.

  Her throat tightened with the thought of something terrible happening to them. But that wouldn't happen. She had Peter now. They were a team. Under the table, Wendy let her hand drift to Peter's thigh, giving the space just above his knee a gentle squeeze. A reminder. Don't let me down, she tried to say with that squeeze.

  Peter turned to look at her, something like regret shimmering in his eyes. Was he still silently apologizing for everything earlier? The knot in her chest tightened anyway.

  He looked back to the boys, a little grin flitting to his lips. "Call me crazy, but I think it could work."

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Peter

  The moment the words left Peter's mouth, he knew he'd made a mistake as far as Wendy was concerned. Her hand tensed, then fell away from his leg and Peter knew it was because he'd decided to indulge the boys.

  They, on the other hand, were grinning at him with pleased disbelief.

  "Really?" Michael asked, his voice hopeful again.

  Wendy folded her arms in front of her, just glaring at Peter. Yes, he'd made a mistake in her eyes, but not one he was willing to go back on. Not just yet.

  Sure, she'd be mad at him for a little while — after all, he did say he'd look after her brothers and make sure nothing happened to them — but he knew he could get her to come around.

  Peter nodded. "Yeah. It'll take some prep and planning, but we might be able to pull it off."

  Wendy still looked at him like she didn't recognize him and after only just making up with her, Peter felt intensely guilty. Still, he had to do this. He had to know if it was a viable option. He'd sat around without a plan for saving his guys for too long and he couldn't just forget them. Not when Wendy had taught him how important family was. Those three guys were like family to him and he'd try anything to get them back to his theater.

  "We'll get started in the morning," he said, looking at each boy in turn. "Make sure you get a good night's rest. There's a lot of hard work ahead of you."

  Tink sat back in her chair, looking satisfied but still apprehensive. Peter didn't know what had gotten into her. Normally, she would be the first to charge into trouble for the good of the show — or, at least, send others to do the charging in for her.

  But the fact that Tink was even a little reticent about the boys' plan to infiltrate Hook's casino meant that Peter couldn't quash that tiny shadow of doubt.

  Not enough to really worry him, though. And not enough that he wasn't able to hide it from everyone involved. It would be fine. They'd get the crew back, save the show, and everyone would be happy. He just had to get Wendy on board with it.

  The boys stood and left, talking animatedly in their patented way and Tink slowly rose from the table and followed them out, her eyes narrowed at Peter the whole way. He didn't know what that was about. Tink had gotten weird since these newcomers arrived.

  Or maybe he had.

  Once he was alone with Wendy again, Peter braced himself for what he knew was coming. Her face morphed from dismayed to downright angry, her cheeks flushing with color, her eyes sparking fire in his direction.

  "What was that about? I thought you said you were going to talk some sense into them?"

  Peter reached for her hand, squeezi
ng it gently as he nodded. "Of course, but I had to hear them out, didn't I?"

  "You didn't have to agree!" She practically hurled the words at him, her hand limp in his even though she didn't pull it away.

  Guilt sank its claws into his chest, but he tried to ignore it. He knew he could make this work. He just had to keep everyone happy, he repeated to himself. Juggling was his thing. He could do this.

  "Just trust me, okay?" he said, his voice dropping down an octave, getting softer, more pleading. He didn't want to fight with her. He certainly didn't want to argue with her any more than they already had tonight. "I'll spend a couple days prepping them for the audition and when they're not ready, I promise you I won't send them in. Is that reasonable?" Absently, he slid his thumb back and forth over the inside of her wrist, feeling satisfied when he spotted the goosebumps that climbed up her arm.

  Her scowl softened and Peter could tell she was losing the war in her own mind. Finally, she sighed, nodding even though he could tell it was a reluctant surrender. "I guess. If you promise," she said, narrowing her eyes at him, challenging him to back out of it now.

  "I do," he said with a huge grin, leaning in to kiss her. "Those brothers of yours aren't going to take no for an answer. At least this way, I can make it seem like I'm agreeing with them until I'm not."

  Her teeth tugged at her bottom lip and her forehead wrinkled. "Isn't that manipulative, though?"

  Peter lifted one shoulder. "Is it bad to be manipulative if it's for their own good?" Or the greater good? he added in his mind. Yes, he was subtly manipulating Wendy, but it was for a good cause. The cause of restoring his family and his livelihood. Besides, who knew what was happening to his guys? They needed the help, he was sure of it. Wendy just didn't have enough faith in her brothers' abilities. But Peter did.