But I’m still too stunned to answer back.

Rising to his full height, he comes a step forward and I instinctively push to the edge of my bed, needing to be closer to him.

“You know my name,” but he only just smiles, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he looks down at me. “How did you know my name?”

“I’ve always known your name, Wendy.”

I can’t help but join him in smiling as he makes me forget the way I was feeling moments before. I forget Jake. Nana. John. Michael. Shadows and twinkling lights. I forget everything except for the magic, in the beautiful blue eyes I’m mesmerized by, staring back at me.

“I’ve come for you every night, since as far back as I can remember.”

“Why?” I hear myself question.

“I love to hear Nana’s stories,” he shrugs with a smile. “And… I always knew one day I’d save you. And in return, one day you’d also save me.”

I jolt awake in bed in a cold sweat. Pixie Dust. I knew the wine tasted different. It was laced with Pixie Dust.

When spread across your body, it’s the same as having wings. Think happy thoughts, and away you’ll go.

Tasting it, drinking it, acts like a truth serum. You can try to fight it, but it’ll always pull you under. Drag you down. Drug you to the point of no return. It’ll show you things you may not want to see. Always show you what you’ve been running from.

The darkness in the master quarters is thick but I can still make out his shadow across the room. The tip of his cigarette glistens red as he takes an inhale and then snuffs it out quickly on the floor. Taking a step forward, a sob falls from my lips as he steps from the shadows.

“Not such sweet dreams after all, are they, Darling?” he whispers.

“Some parts can be.” I sniffle back more tears as he takes another step in my direction.

“The parts about me?”

“Always the parts about you, Peter.” It’s a confession that I didn’t intend to make but can’t hide inside anymore. There was a time when what we had between us was beautiful, and I can’t deny that any longer.

His jaw ticks at the mention of his first name, but he doesn’t correct me. “I’m not that same boy, Wendy. I don’t care so much about games anymore. They irritate me. Annoy me. Cause me to do bad things to good people.”

“You’d never hurt me.”

His fists clench at his sides. His eyes widen with violence. Not for me, but for some unknown truth he’s withholding.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Darling. I already did.”