Chapter 18
Aweek after stopping the Bogdin and convincing the fairies to return to their previous homes in the Everything Plant bushes, Maggie walked across the beach alongside Peter Pan.
There was a cool breeze coming off the waves and coursing through Maggie’s long hair as she rambled on and on to the King of Neverland.
If there was one thing that she was eternally grateful for, it was that her kidnapper was a patient man.
If she could help it, Maggie would be going off about food for the rest of her life.
There was too much to talk about to keep quiet, and it seemed as though the King of Neverland rather enjoyed hearing it.
Somehow, they managed to be two peas in a very comfortable pod.
They hadn’t checked on the Everything Plants in a few days, in an effort to give them some much needed space.
Maggie was under the impression that, the more they hovered over them, waiting for it to fruit, the longer the entire thing would take.
Like watching water boil, or something along those lines.
Though Maggie told multiple people those reasons, she very much had another reason for not wanting to check up on the plants.
Not only did a part of her hate the idea of eventually having to leave the paradise she found in Neverland, but she wanted to spend all the time she had cooking in the perfect kitchens within the treehouse.
The Lost Boys had a long list of meals they wanted to try, and even Peter had a few of his own to add.
She worked diligently for them to try the things they wished for, and grew more and more delighted by seeing the pure joy spreading across their faces.
But she could only stall for so long. It had been a week, and it had been more than enough time for the Everything Plant to begin producing the berries once more.
So as they took their walk along the beach towards the grove, the bushes already visible in the distance, Maggie couldn’t stop rambling in nervous anticipation.
She couldn’t imagine what they might find, or even what it was that she wanted to see at the end.
Did she want a reason to leave, to return to the human world and the life she left behind?
Or did she want another reason to stay in Neverland, to keep cooking for the Lost Boys and getting perpetually lost in the King’s crystal-colored eyes?
Maggie shook her head as they walked, her words getting jumbled by her rambling thoughts, that were just as incoherent to match.
“I thought it would be fun to grill,” Maggie was in the middle of saying. “Building one wouldn’t be too difficult.”
Peter nodded, his arms behind his back. He had been carrying a smile on his lips for what seemed like hours. “What would you grill?”
“Well, all sorts of things!” She excitedly clapped her hands together.
“Different fruits are ten times better when on the grill. Just imagine the meats, the steaks! We can roast peppers and use them in sauces or salsas or literally anything you can imagine. I know Dusty asked for something smokey, so this could be my chance to do that.”
“You do a lot for the Lost Boys,” Peter suddenly said, his voice becoming more wistful. “I know I haven’t mentioned it much, but thank you.”
Maggie eyed him. “What for? Cooking?”
“They’re happy,” he replied. “And getting some of their dreams turned into a reality. Isn’t that what a king wishes to see for his people?”
She nodded and smiled. “I suppose it is.”
“And it’s all because of you,” he said. “Can you imagine if I’d found a different human to come to Neverland?”
Maggie laughed and felt a spark of jealousy begin to fester in her heart, though she was quick to shove it away. “I’m sure they would’ve been just as fine of a cook.”
“Oh, really?” Peter raised a brow. “You really think that another human could’ve handled a Boglin?”
“If I can do it, anyone can!”
“Not true at all,” Peter quickly replied, a smirk on his lips. “And just so you know, the entire island is in love with your food, Magpie. I’d hate to be the one to break the bad news to them.”
Maggie paused and looked up at him with wide eyes. “What bad news?”
“Why, that you’d be leaving us soon, of course. If all is well with the Everything Plant –”
She looked away sharply. “Right.”
A heavy silence spread between them as they approached the grove of Everything Plants.
The lights of the fairies could be seen from the outside of the bushes, bright lights in different shades of color sparkling in and out beneath the leaves.
As they walked by, the fairies' quiet chatter sounded like a low hum, their voices so small that they registered as a sort of twinkling music.
Maggie was stunned by how different it looked in the grove since getting rid of the Bogdin.
The lights from the fairies were beautiful.
Maggie remained behind as Peter went forward, looking towards the Everything Plants expectantly.
Maggie crouched down and peered within the bushes, stealing a glance at the fairies' small homes built within the branches and mossy leaves.
Some of the fairies were dancing around her fingers when Peter’s sharp yell sounded through the grove.
Maggie jerked up to her feet, lifting up her skirts and running to catch up to him.
Peter was crouched in front of the Everything Plant, his hands digging through the leaves.
When he looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes were wide with confusion, and his hands were empty.
There wasn’t a single berry on the tree.
Nothing had changed from before Maggie’s arrival.
In fact, the plant looked untouched from when she had last seen it.
The fairies' arrival did nothing to the plant or its growth of fruit.
Maggie staggered forward. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. She looked back towards the fairies, who were coming closer with curiosity. “Unless the fairies weren’t actually the problem in the first place.”
“Nothing else was different,” Peter said, his eyes troubled.
“There has to be something else.” Maggie turned to face him. “Concentrate, Peter. Did something change with the sand?”
He shook his head. “No one comes down here to mess with it.”
“I doubt sunlight’s the problem,” Maggie muttered. “What of the water, then? Do you rely on rain, or is it someone’s job to water the plants?”
Peter’s eyes grew wide as he thought it over. “I hadn’t even thought about the water.”
“What is it?”
“The Everything Plants in the grove get their water from Mermaid Cove,” Peter explained. “We built a rig a long time ago, a sort of aqueduct that brings the water over whenever the plants need it. No one’s had to water them in years.”
Maggie’s eyes narrowed. “So what changed about Mermaid Cove?”
“The mermaids damned it,” he said. “The plants haven’t been getting water, and I didn’t even realize it.”
Maggie snapped her fingers together and rose to her feet. “Don’t beat yourself up now, Peter. We found the next problem, and we’ll fix it just as fast.” She reached to grab a hold of him and hoist him up to his feet. “We’ll work together, and they’ll be growing berries in no time.”
Peter rolled his eyes, but there was a smile tugging at his lip. “You know what this means, don’t you, Magpie?”
She raised a brow. “Why don’t you tell me?”
He leaned down towards her, coming far closer than he ever had before. “You won’t be leaving anytime soon,” Peter cooed, “right?”
A week ago, that thought might’ve made Maggie angry and irritated with him.
She might’ve grown defensive, thrown up her usual walls and shut him down before he got too comfortable with it.
But at that moment, all she could do was smile back, entirely surprised at her lack of anxiety or fear by his damning words.
She was stuck in Neverland, it seemed, but it was proving to not be a bad thing at all.
She had her cat, Sunny, and a few boys to cook for. What was wrong about that?
“I suppose I might stay,” she said teasingly. “For just a little longer.”
And at that moment, Maggie didn’t care about what came next. As long as she was still in Neverland.