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

by J. M. Page

  Flashes of memories raced through her mind. Visions of the twins as infants going in for their first surgery. How scared she was to see them all wired up with tubes and monitors attached to their tiny frail bodies. Even as strong and resilient as they seemed these days, what if whatever Hook was doing was too much for their hearts? What if they couldn't handle it?

  She had to act fast, but she also had to be smart about it. She was the only person coming to rescue the boys and if she failed, all hope was lost.

  "I could... try to get a job there?" she tried, but she knew that was a terrible idea before she even said it. It would take too long, and there was no guarantee that Hook's employees even knew what he was up to.

  She dropped her head to her hands and groaned. "It's hopeless," she cried.

  Alina tutted softly, reaching over the edge of the tank to pat Wendy's shoulder with a damp hand. "You can't give up. They need you... Just think. There has to be a way."

  Wendy blew out a breath and massaged her temples, hoping to force an idea to manifest.

  "Well, I could pretend to be a customer and worm my way into the back area. I think I could find the room he took them too from memory, but if they went somewhere beyond that..." If she got caught, she could pretend she was just lost, but that hardly seemed like a plan. And certainly not one that she had any confidence in.

  The other mermaids were suddenly whispering and giggling among themselves, a flutter of activity and excitement rippling through them like a wave. Wendy looked over her shoulder, and there was Peter, walking straight toward her.

  Even after everything that had transpired between them, Wendy's heart sped up like it was trying to run toward him without her. She hated the traitorous thing. He let her down; she couldn't forgive him.

  The closer he got to her, the higher in her chest her heart rose, until it was in her throat, beating so fast it made her dizzy. He stepped right up to her, his eyes roving over her face, looking at her like she was a treasure he'd lost long ago and never expected to find again. It was so intense, the look in his eyes, that Wendy's mouth dried up in an instant and she licked her lips, entranced by his gaze.

  Peter took her face in his hands, running a thumb along the ridge of each of her cheekbones, a brightness in his eyes she hadn't seen since that night on the rooftop.

  He kissed her with such a ferocity that Wendy's knees buckled and she fell into him, losing herself to his masterful kiss for a moment. By the time she realized what she was doing, his hand had slipped around the back of her head, his other arm dipping to her waist to drag her up against him. Her eyes flew open and she shoved against the hard planes of his chest, a tide of anger boiling up in her chest.

  Peter never took his eyes off of her, his gaze still so raw with emotion. He swallowed, sounding pained when he said, "I thought I lost you."

  Her heart seized like someone was squeezing it in their fist, but as much as Wendy wanted to melt into him and forget everything, she was still annoyed that he thought he could betray her and just waltz back in and kiss her whenever he felt like it.

  She crossed her arms and turned away, sniffing. "Who says you haven't?"

  Peter's thrusted his fingers through his hair in that adorable way that he did, ruffling it into that recklessly unkempt look that always made her smile. Or normally did. She was not smiling now.

  "No. I mean... I thought..." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm sorry. You were right. We have to get your brothers out of there... I was just scared."

  The last words had a ring of truth to them that Wendy hadn't expected. She expected excuses and apologies, but... he was scared? That was new. Her stance relaxed a little and she turned to face him, her head tilting slightly. "Scared of what?"

  Peter swallowed, mussing his hair again, looking like he was trying to gather his courage to say what he needed to. "I know how Hook's keeping people there against their will," he said, looking at Wendy, then over to Alina, a heavy burden shadowing his eyes.

  "How?" Alina asked, leaning over the edge of her tank, her swishing tail sending water splashing over the lip.

  "Dust."

  Wendy gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. What would happen to the boys under the effect of that stuff? Could their bodies even handle it?

  Peter's hands closed around her upper arms and he turned her to look at him. "It's true," he said, and she could tell by the hard set of his jaw that it was. She didn't doubt him. But her mind raced with this new information. "I saw it on the feed. Every person in that place is dusted." He paused, looking down at the floor, his shoulders sagging. "And I was afraid if I went in there and they tried to dust me, I'd never get away from it again." He sighed and shook his head, his fingers softening their grip on her arms.

  "You don't know how hard it was before, Wen, but it wasn't pretty, and staying away from it hasn't been easy."

  The constricting snake around her heart loosened its grip as Wendy finally understood why he refused to help. But she still didn't know if she could forgive him. He should have told her about it the moment he spotted it. They could have worked around it. But he didn't want to trust her with all the information. He thought he could deal with it all on his own. And that was a big problem when someone claimed they wanted to be a team.

  "So? What are you doing here then if you're not going to help me?" she asked, folding her arms again and sounding much harsher than she intended to.

  Peter dropped his head, his arms falling to his sides. "I am going to help you," he said, a hollow note in his voice. "I have to. I can't let you go in there alone and I won't be able to live with myself if Hook gets you, too. I already went through that once..."

  Wendy didn't know what he was talking about, but she could recognize the haunted look in his eyes and she believed every word he said. He meant every word he said. Those circles under his eyes weren't earned without a lot of hard consideration and a sleepless night.

  She drew her lip between her teeth, nibbling on it, lost in thought, thinking about the dangerous position he was considering putting himself into. For her. For her brothers.

  "But you said..."

  "I know what I said," Peter said resolutely, determination taking over his tone. "I don't know if I'll make it out, or if I do whether I'll be able to keep away from the dust. I don't know, Wendy. I wish I did, but I don't. I do know that if we don't go after your brothers, you're never going to see them again."

  She swallowed, her heart still fluttering like mad, her pulse thumping in her ears. "And you'd risk that for me? For them?"

  He nodded once, his jaw set firm. "I didn't think I could. I know if I go back to that life that I'm going to lose you and the boys and Tink and... everything. But at least you'll have your family. That's some solace. I can't let Hook take you. Even if it means he takes me one way or the other."

  Wendy blinked and was surprised to find that she had tears in her eyes. She choked back a sob, reaching for his hand, trying to imprint the feeling of it into her memory as she traced her finger around the edges of his palm and then joined their hands. "That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever offered to do for me..."

  "I told you," he said, his free hand moving to brush through her hair, sending shivers all the way to her toes. That intense look was back in his eyes, making Wendy feel like her feet weren't even touching the ground. Making her forget that there was a gaggle of mermaids as spectators to their emotional reunion. There was nothing in Wendy's world except the two of them, Peter with that fiercely protective gleam in his bottomless eyes. "I'll always be there for you. I may be an idiot and forget to look at the big picture sometimes, but I'm working on it."

  He looked down briefly, something dark passing over his eyes for just a moment. If she'd blinked she might have missed it, but there was no blinking with the way he entranced her. "Too many times in the past I've let things slip away from me because of my inaction. And I can't keep living like that. It's no better than being dus
ted all the time."

  Wendy's lips pulled into a little frown. She wasn't sure she really agreed with that assessment — the thought of Peter being a dust zombie was unbearable, but she had to believe that he was strong enough to withstand it. Still, whether she agreed with what he said or not, she understood what he meant.

  Until she'd come to Neverland, Wendy had led a very cautious life. A life that wasn't really living at all. She knew what it felt like to think that life was passing you by while you were relegated to being a spectator. Maybe that's what Peter felt like after all his time of being too late and not doing enough. Maybe this was what he needed to prove to himself that he was more than he thought he could be.

  Maybe there was hope after all.

  She nodded slowly, trying to calm the torrent of emotions and worries that swirled through her brain. "Okay," she said, accepting his apology and his intent to help her all at once. "But I hope you're better at coming up with a plan than I am. I've got nothing."

  A warm chuckle tumbled out of Peter and he grinned, leaning in to place a whisper of a kiss on her temple. "Just leave the scheming up to me, love."

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Peter

  "Alright, everyone know what they're doing?" Peter asked, calling into the green room where he'd been barred from entering while Wendy and Tink got ready.

  "Is this really necessary?" Wendy called through the door. "I look ridiculous."

  "She looks hot," Tink said in a sing-song voice, making Peter smile and laugh quietly to himself.

  "Is this really the best plan you can come up with?" Wendy protested again.

  Peter tapped his foot and tried to keep the smile out of his voice. "Come on out, let me see," he said.

  Wendy groaned on the other side of the door and then the knob jiggled, Tink's head appearing in the crack of the door. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

  Peter rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "We don't have all day," he teased, trying to peek past Tink to see Wendy.

  "Oh, for goodness sake... Just let him in," Wendy said, sounding despondent. Peter knew that this plan wasn't her favorite idea, but it was the one he thought had the best chance of succeeding.

  ...And maybe he was being a tiny bit selfish with the wardrobe he suggested for her. But hey, if this might be the last time he ever felt anything, he wanted to be sure he made the most of it.

  Tink looked over her shoulder and then shrugged, stepping back from the door, allowing Peter to push it open.

  On the far side of the green room, Peter could just make out Wendy's silhouette behind a changing screen. The moisture left his mouth and he licked his lips, clearing his throat.

  "You're stalling now," he said.

  "Promise me you won't laugh!" Wendy shouted over the screen.

  "Cross my heart," he answered.

  When Wendy stepped out from behind the screen, laughing was the last thing on Peter's mind. When she stepped into his view, it was like time stood still and he forgot how to breathe.

  Wendy looked down at herself, not at Peter, constantly smoothing her hands over the tight, revealing, strapless red sequined dress. She pulled it up over her chest, then tugged at the hem of the skirt, trying to pull it down over her legs.

  Peter let out a low whistle and Wendy's gaze snapped up, a furious blush coloring her cheeks. "What do you think?"

  For a moment, he only heard the rushing of his pulse, only felt the warm glow under his skin, but then, Peter shook himself out of his stupor and crossed the room to her.

  "I think I'm a bloody genius," he said, drinking in the sight of her.

  Wendy frowned, giving him an incredulous look. "Excuse me?"

  Peter laughed, unable to resist settling a hand on her hip, dragging it up and down to ruffle the sequins and smooth them back into place. "The first time we met, remember what I said to you?"

  Wendy eyes rolled toward the ceiling and she folded her arms. "You..." Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head. "You're a ridiculous person, you know that?"

  "Why? Because I knew all along that you'd look fabulous in sequins?"

  Wendy huffed. "Among other things."

  Peter grinned, his free hand going to her other hip, pulling her up against him. "Aww, come on. You know you like it."

  She shook her head, not even looking at him. For a split second, Peter thought he'd misread the whole thing, but then he spotted that tiny little twitch at the corner of her mouth. The beginning hint of a smirk that betrayed her.

  He leaned in, brushing his lips against the shell of her ear, whispering, "Come on, admit it. You like my ridiculousness."

  She shook her head again, but this time she shivered, too, goosebumps marching down her arm as she turned to face him eye-to-eye. "Heaven help me, I do," she said, her voice laden with disbelief.

  "I'm not that bad, am I?" he pressed, his hands circling around her waist.

  "Not all the time," she quipped back.

  God, he loved this woman and her fire.

  "A-hem," Tink cleared her throat from behind them. "I thought we didn't have all day? You two can have your weird dress-up fantasy later, yeah?"

  A leaden weight re-materialized in Peter's chest. Hopefully they could. Hopefully he'd make it out of this unchanged.

  Wendy took a step backwards, giving Peter a once over as a slow smile curved her lips. "Yeah, besides... You have to get into your disguise," she said, her voice sing-songy and light.

  "Right," Peter said, almost forgetting about the trinket Alina had given him. He fished into his pocket and withdrew the necklace — a thin, nearly invisible, silver chain and a dainty pendant in the shape of a star. It definitely looked like something a mermaid would be wearing, but Peter knew it was more than decorative. It was the only help Alina could offer him, but hopefully it would be enough.

  "Come on, let's see what you look like!" Wendy cheered, her face lit up.

  Peter turned the pendant over in his hand and felt a pulse of energy from within. Alina hadn't tried to explain the technology to him, and Peter didn't expect he'd have been able to understand it even if she had. The general idea was clear enough — put on the necklace and change your appearance. But no one really knew how it would work on him. On the mermaids, it allowed them to walk on land, through some kind of quantum rearrangement. Alina was pretty sure that it would give him a passable disguise, but there was also a chance he'd suddenly become half-fish.

  "Should I have a bucket of water ready?" Tink snarked.

  Now they were just goading him. Peter shook off his reservations and slid the necklace over his head, tucking the pendant down inside his shirt where it rested against his heart. Apparently that bit was most important, according to the mermaid.

  A warm trickling sensation poured under his skin, sending all his hairs on end and making him feel like he was bathing in sunlight. Wendy's eyes went wide, and when Peter looked down at his arm, he saw that he was glowing. Not bright enough to be entirely noticeable, but enough to give him an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

  The trickling turned into a fizzing, like a million bubbles just below the surface were rising up and popping on his skin. It tickled, and then started to burn as the moment dragged on. Just when it was getting painful, everything stopped.

  Tink ran to Wendy's side and together, the two of them soaked in the sight of him, looking unsure as they exchanged a glance.

  "Well?" Peter asked. "How do I look?"

  "Uh..." Wendy said, her eyes darting away. "You look... different."

  Peter frowned and looked down at his feet. He hadn't become a merman had he? But no, his feet were still there and separate. He was still standing on his own without needing a tank of water to survive.

  He arched a brow at Tink and she shook her head. "Don't do that, it's weird. It looks like you... but not."

  "What are you—" Peter huffed and marched across the room to a mirror, stopping in his tracks when he caught sight of himself.

  That was weird.

/>   "I look..." he muttered, bringing a hand up to his face.

  Wendy settled a hand on his shoulder from behind and seeing her reflection next to his just made it seem even stranger. "Old," she said with a nod. "Definitely old."

  "And skinny," Tink said, wrinkling her nose and poking at his protruding ribs beneath the now-baggy coat and shirt he wore.

  Peter scrunched up his wrinkled old face and turned away from the mirror. "You think Hook will recognize me like this?" he asked, trying for levity.

  Wendy just shook her head, eyes wide, while Tink made another look of distaste. "I would hope not," she said.

  "Well then, we ought to go, I suppose," Peter said, resolute.

  Wendy reached for his hand and Peter gave her a small smile. Even looking ancient and hideous she was willing to hold his hand. "Let's go."

  When they arrived in front of the Jolly Roger Resort and Casino, Peter's palms started to sweat and he rubbed them on his pants before thrusting his fingers through his thinning silver hair.

  Wendy just shook her head. "Tink's right, that is weird. It's like... you're living in someone's body with all your same mannerisms."

  Peter laughed lightly. "Well, isn't that what's happening?"

  She frowned, thinking about it. "I guess... But that's not any less weird."

  Peter grinned and gave her a kiss on the temple. "I won't look like this for much longer, don't worry." Then he turned to Tink. "You remember what you've gotta do?"

  Tink gave him a long-suffering look that said she was a little offended he didn't think she could remember it long enough to get to Hook's place from theirs. "Yes, of course."

  He raised his eyebrows, prompting her to continue.

  Tink sighed and held up her hand, ticking off each step of the plan on a perfectly manicured fingertip. "First, you go in and get a way into Hook's audience where you can distract him. I'll get past the guards and find the boys, extract them and we'll all rendezvous outside the back door. Right?"