Wendy Darling

Jack beamed at her words, and nodded, understanding the loss of a library when he’d left his childhood house. “Ah, as do I. There was something like going home in diving into a book. I like all of this,” he motioned to the island. “The adventure, the danger, the people,” he smiled over her before continuing. “But what I wouldn’t do to curl up in a chair by the fire, a good book to get lost in.”

Charlie smiled wide as she gave her full name, knowing that this was something important to her and the true name wouldn’t be bestowed without a level of trust there. “Well, it’s nice to meet you Wendy.” Charlie grinned, before pausing, head tipped to the side. She had of course heard the name Wendy before in her old life, but there was something far more familiar than that pulling at her. “Did we meet before or something? Don’t tell me I’ve forgotten. I feel like, that name, I know it somehow.” 

Her footsteps filled the all too familiar cabin, but the air was different. She stood taller, and the dagger she selected was ornate with a ruby crest. There was the stench of death in the air on island, all that was left after the caves had been cleared the children all snuffed out the pirates’ long dead was the last two souls on the island…… the man with one hand and a bird.

Strange to think she would bring the death of him, the one whose only hope and aim in life was to be a mother and now she was another ‘m’ word, murderer. “I should enjoy this…” she offered with an odd sort of expression her once ocean blue eyes now purple. Blue forget me not eyes looking up at her now with an almost horrid fascination. The innocent little bird from so long ago covered in the blood of others and not seeking his. It would be funny if not the oddest sight in the captains’ long years. Maybe it was still funny…… 

 She moved to straddle the man tied to his chair with a glint in her eyes. “I could take your other hand…….” She offered tracing the dagger so lightly it could tickle like a feather upon his wrist. “But I think I’ll settle for a finger first…..” the red blood oozing as she severed it from his last good limb and the face and sounds he made fueled the red that now seemed to mirror his own. Wiping the dagger on her dress she found her had wrapping around his chin pushing his head back before claiming his lips, she wasn’t sure if it was anger or lust that fueled him to bite the bottom of her lip causing her own blood to fill her mouth. All she could do was rub it upon his own lips smearing it down his chin with a ‘tsk tsk’. And a harsh slap meeting the man’s cheek. It turns red as the curtain draping his windows. 

 “I do love it when you fight.” She teases as she stands and pulls away. Returning to the daggers, and needles still there for her to continue her “fun.” She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, and with each cut or severed limb she would simply wipe his blood on her baby blue dress staining it. It was hours she went on like this, never letting James pass out from pain, or sleep deprivation. She was just getting started, but when all was said and done, she took a small dagger. One that had been a gift from James when she had once called herself red-handed Jill and plunged it in his heart. She felt excited as the life drained from his eyes, and she finally understood why he enjoyed it so much and it was in that euphoria as she sat in his lap, hand wrapped around the dagger plunged into his heard that the purple haze faded from her eyes. 

And the darkness that inhabited Wendy deep inside had been returned to its little box she looked at what she had done. She could feel the bile rise and as quickly as she could move she was on the ground as the contents of her stomach were removed. The shame and sorrow that washed over her at her lack of strength to succumb to her darkest impulses. It was when she had the dagger in her hand without even knowing, and looking at herself in the mirror that she plunged it towards her own heart………

It was as the blade met her chest that Wendy Darling woke up next to Jack, covered in sweat and a silent scream ripped from her throat. This wasn’t a dream, this was a memory but there was no memory of it. It was like something was warning her of things yet to come but it was jarring. She hadn’t seen James in months…….. it’s not like she would really kill him would she? She couldn’t even bring herself to get revenge for her husband and yet what she had just witnessed herself do……. She needed Jack…… but didn’t want to wake him.

Jack smirked as she bumped him, and back against her gently, as though they were a human Newton cradle. He gave a quizzical look as she commented about not seeing one, and he wondered for a moment if they had left the island. “Hm? Oh, no. I just like to learn; this belongs to one of my crewmates,” he commented with a shrug. 

Charlie shook her head no, and when Jill - no, not Jill - sat down, she sat beside her. “Of course not.” She pursed her lips and looked down, thinking it all over again, then continued. “My real name is Charlotte.” It probably wasn’t the same, a nickname wasn’t the same, but she just wanted to make the point of being open to it. 

Wendy smiled softly at her reply, Charlotte was a beautiful name and for a brief moment she wondered why she went by Charlie. Though if it made her friend happy why not? 

Fauna beamed at the lady’s words and nodded. “Oh, I do that all the time!” she enthused, thinking about the bonfire nights with Peter and the lost boys, where they all came up with three stories; two true and one false, and they’d all have to decide which was the lie. Those nights usually resulted in a huge, friendly brawl. “But I want to hear yours! Did you make up that one about Cinderelly?”

Fauna nodded, agreeing heartily. “That’s true,” she commented, scratching at a scabbed over bug bite on her shin. “Do you know a lot of stories?” She asked, cocking her head and looking up at the woman. She had nowhere to be and nothing to do, which suited her just fine if there were stories to be listened to.

It was heartwarming to see Jill enjoying the items she’d brought. Charlie was a gift giver for this exact reason, seeing how others. “Okay.” She nodded, reaching out and touching her hand. “You can tell me anything, and if you need, it will be in the strictest confidence.”

Fauna’s eyes widened at the lady’s emphatic words, and though she was a little disappointed, a childish desire to hear more thrumming in her chest, she nodded. Something warmed inside of Faun as the woman touched her, something oddly familiar about the action. It brought forth a memory; a memory that smelled of fresh cut grass, of a gentle breeze by a lake, of a kind face. She shook the thought away, knowing that when she remembered things like that, she often turned sad. “That is a happy thought,” she smiled, shrugging her shoulders up to her ears, and wrapping her arms around her legs. 

“And so they should be.” Wendy smiled so brightly it touched her eyes with a sparkle. She had forgotten just how much she loved telling stories to children, to the lost boys, to her brothers, and wee nieces and nephews. 

Faun sat at attention, gasping at the right parts; giving cries of righteous anger at the mistreatment of the Cinderella lady; crinkling her nose at the notion of true love at first, but coming around to it by the end of the tale. She gave a sigh at the words happily ever after, but it caught in her throat at the woman’s final words. “What? What does that mean? Didn’t they?” she asked curiously, scooting a bit closer to the woman. “What happened to Cinderelly? Are they still happy?”

Charlie smiled, pleased that Jill was happy. She hadn’t entirely seemed it when they were living together, she suspected it was something to do with her history that she’d hinted at but never elaborated. “Oh no, don’t worry!” Charlie nodded understandingly, not wanting to push her to do anything. “We can always meet elsewhere, to catch up and hang.” There were only so many women she had nearby, she wasn’t quite willing to let Jill disappear from her life just yet. 

Charlie gave Jill a tight squeeze, swaying them slightly before pulling back. “I’m good, really good, how are you?” She asked, eager to find out about this new group of people she was living with, and to make sure she was happy and safe. “I heard you were living out here and I wanted to come and see! You sort of disappeared after that battle, I was worried you might’ve been hurt or something.” She checked her over and was pleased that she looked okay. “Plus, I brought you a care package.” Charlie held out the basket to her, “It’s got some food, handmade soap, a blanket I knit for you. That’s not going to be majorly helpful right now, but when Autumn comes…”

Wendy’s hand instinctively went to the place where she had been hit on the head, there was a small divot there now barely noticeable to any one but her. Reminder of what pirates were....... cold, and violent. 

Fauna crinkled her nose when the lady said that it was a song about love, but curiosity as to what the story might be got the better of her. “Tell the story,” Faun commanded, but it was more in a tone of request. She pulled herself up out of the water and sluiced herself down before sitting cross-legged on the shore, elbows on her knees, chin in her hand. With Peter gone from the island, something changed in Fauna, and she felt a little more at ease with grownups; there was something about this woman that, in this moment, the lost girl felt she could trust. 

Wendy smiled softly wondering just how long it had been since she had told a story, and decided it had been one day too many if not years! “The story begins, as all stories do with Once Upon a Time......” and from there she recounted the story of Cinderella to the girl. The poor orphan treated poorly, meeting her prince in the wood, and then her fairy godmother helping her meet her prince at the ball...... the magic spell that only lasted til the stroke of midnight. The prince searching the kingdom, and the girls step mother locking her in a tower. Singing to the mice and birds a lullaby.... “Lavender’s green dilly dilly lavender’s blue... when I am king dilly dilly you shall be queen.” her voice wafting form the window to the King’s men below to only have Cinderella and her Prince, now King reunited and living happily ever after. 

It had been a while since Jill left, and even though they hadn’t become super close she did still miss her presence, and she hoped she was doing well. Occasionally the doctor from their settlement would visit and one day she’d mentioned her. Charlie had gotten directions, told Alex all about it, and started packing up a care package to take after lunch the next day. The walk was long but beautiful and finally she heard signs of human life. She made her way towards the singing, then grinned in sugar sweet excitement. “Jill!” She called out, waving at her. “How are you? Well I hope!”

“Charlie!” Wendy yelled out embracing her the woman in a hug. “How are you love?” she asked brightly. It had been a long while since she had seen her or Alex, but the idea of returning to the port after that blood bath...... the pirate calling her mother..... reminded her too much of a lost boy to bring her any comfort there.

Fauna had laid down in the tall grass beside a clear water, sighing as the breeze caressed her sun warmed skin. She’d spent the morning tracking a pair of tracks through the Neverwood, adamant on finding some lost boys to play with after having spent some time away. She’d trekked around for hours before realizing that the footprints were her own, and then she’d laughed so hard she had to sit down. She’d just closed her eyes when she heard a soft song coming from the other side of the pond, and she clung to a small boulder, peering over the side to see who had made the noise. Faun cocked her head to the side as she tried to determine whether or not she was a threat. Upon deciding no, the lady wasn’t, Fauna slipped silently into the water and slowly waded across underwater. Propping her arms up on the grassy side of the pond, the lost girl rested her chin on her forearms and watched as the brunette hung her clothes to dry. 

“What song is that?” she asked suddenly, breaking the stillness of the pond.

Wendy jumped ever so slightly at the sudden voice, the quiet allusion of solitude gone in an instance. Turning to to see the young little thing looking up at her she smiled softly. She instantly felt at ease, a lost one clearly. Wendy wasn’t sure how she knew, she just did.