Notes: This is an AU ending to the first half of Season 3: instead of killing Pan/Rumple, they manage to take away his magic permanently and render him harmless enough to keep in the cell. Storybrooke was never destroyed. Instead, life has reached a strange sort of calm for the residents. Some of the characters - specifically Peter Pan - will be slightly out of character, mainly for the purpose of humor and Pan not being a total jerk. Expect plenty of sass, though. In terms of pairing, each of them are canon, though Emma is still caught in the love triangle of Neal and Hook. I'll try to provide equal fluff for both couples, but there's probably not going to be an endgame ship for her. Enjoy!
Peter sulked as the group stepped into line for the screening tents. Here he was, former ruler of Neverland and feared by even the most powerful of magical beings, reduced to the prisoner of the imbeciles he had failed to defeat. What's worse was that they dragged him into their sickening little family trip to a place that mocked magic and all its potential, a quaint little place they called Disneyland. If this Disney fellow hadn't already been dead, he would have hunted him down and killed him. Oh, he had heard of how that man had twisted his story - his entire being - into some adorable fairytale, and although he never bothered to evaluate it himself, he knew it was the farthest thing from the truth. Henry had told him that in this tale he was some sort of hero, and that they had his imposter running about the odd land they were about to enter. He hoped this pitiful copy was at least entertaining.
The Truest Believer bounced on his feet beside him, as if waiting in this line was the best thing that had ever happened to him. It was the lad's fault he was there in the first place: both his mothers and Peter's son were set to go on this "vacation," so who was to look after Pan? No matter that his magic had been taken from him and that those fairy pests would have been there to supervise him. Both Gold and Regina had magical objects that, should they be left unsupervised by them, Peter could be able to find and use for his schemes. No one involved liked it, but they knew they had to keep him under their noses. Besides, Rumplestiltskin found some solace in the fact that it would be a small torture to his father.
He would just have to find a way to repay him.
"They'd better check you carefully, Rumple," Peter noted with a smirk. "I hope you weren't stupid enough to carry your dagger in your pocket."
"No," the Dark One answered calmly, "only stupid enough not to stab you with it."
"And upset my precious daughter-in-law?" His father raised a brow. "You wouldn't dare. It's amazing how the so-called Dark One has been leashed by a mere girl," he sneered at the brunette at his son's side, "a beauty, but a funny girl."
Belle grabbed Rumple's hand in an effort to calm his building rage. Peter's gloating was interrupted by Henry's smug voice.
"You watched the movie, didn't you?" the boy asked.
The ex-king of Neverland blinked, honestly puzzled, "What?"
"Beauty and the Beast," Henry clarified. "You quoted the song."
"I did no such thing," Peter protested.
Rumplestiltskin chuckled, mocking him, "Amazing how the so-called King of Neverland has been leashed by a mere cartoon."
The magical being glared at him, further irritated by Henry's muffled laughter.
Peter had not brought a bag (not like the self-proclaimed "heroes" would ever let him carry something concealed), so with a sarcastically grandiose gesture at his lack of luggage he was free to pass through. He had been tempted to inquire just what a defenseless mortal could hope to accomplish should he have possessed a weapon, but aside from a brief moment of amusement, he knew it would cause more trouble for him in the long run than it'd be worth. He figured simply being at the God-forsaken place was enough pain to look forward to, not to mention his lack of magic.
"Can we go to Disneyland first?" Henry requested, eying the train station in the distance eagerly.
"Sure, kid." Emma slung her inspected backpack over her shoulder and ruffled her son's hair.
"I presumed we already were in Disneyland," Hook remarked with a frown, "unless we should be required to be inspected by amateur sentry once more."
Peter assumed the pirate was sore because he hadn't been allowed to bring his hook with him - this pleased him.
"We are, but there's two theme parks," the youngest of the group explained, "Disneyland theme park and Disney California Adventure. The second park was added in 2001." He had been reading up on his Disneyland trivia the entire flight over.
"Are we actually going to go in, or did we come all this way for a history lesson?" Pan interrupted, bored.
Regina scowled, jumping to her son's defense, "I say we leave him strapped to the It's a Small World clock tower."
"As satisfying as that sounds," Prince Charming spoke up, "there's no way we can leave him unsupervised. He may not have magic, but he's still dangerous."
"I'm flattered," said teen drawled cockily.
"Whatever, let's just go inside," Emma hurried them along, leading them toward the shortest queue. "There's a churro calling my name."
They had their tickets printed out before they'd arrived; Mr. Gold insisted on carrying them, as he had been the one who'd bought them. He offered their papers to the cast member taking tickets with a polite smile.
She beamed at him before scanning them one at a time. "Hello, Prince Charming! How are you doing today?"
Henry coughed to hide a chuckle, but Peter had no qualms about his scoff being heard. Even Regina smiled her amusement.
"Fine, dearie," Rumple ignored the laughter behind him.
The cast member, a young woman in her twenties, pressed on despite his curt reply, "Are we celebrating anything special today?"
"A birthday!" Snow piped up, nearly as enthusiastic as her grandson as she pointed at him, "Henry."
Much to said boy's delight, the park greeter fished out a light blue birthday button and wrote his name on it in big, black letters. "Happy birthday, Henry!" she chirped, handing it to him.
"Thanks!" Henry pinned it to his shirt.
"Cool." Neal placed a hand on his son's shoulder, pleased to see his son smiling and, much more, to be sharing his happiness alongside him.
The cast member rattled on instructions before she would hand them their new wallet-sized tickets (get a handstamp if you leave, don't throw away your ticket, yadda yadda). Peter wasn't listening, peering above Hook's shoulders to appreciate the steaming locomotive arriving at the train station above the colorful arrangement of flowers. They didn't have anything quite like that in Neverland, he admitted to himself, reluctantly impressed. He wouldn't voice it, but he was growing rather intrigued by this place.
He followed the others through the turnstile, his green eyes drawn to a family of four entering a few feet away. There were two little girls that couldn't be older than five dressed in glittery gowns. Normally, he would have been disgusted - the Lost Boys, himself included, would never be interested in that fancy dress-up game - but the happiness that emitted from their faces was almost tangible, like some kind of magical force. It reminded him of the childlike belief that had sustained the island for centuries. Surprisingly, the parents of the children looked just as giddy.
"Disneyland is a lot like Neverland," Henry stated suddenly, as if reading his thoughts. "It brings out the kid in you. This whole place runs on belief."
A smile tugged at the older boy's lips despite himself, but Baelfire cut in before he could respond.
"Where to first, kid?" The father handed a guide map to his son.
"Definitely Space Mountain!" he determined.
Peter raised a brow; how did they expect to get into space here? Much more on a mountain in space...
"Well, have fun," Rumplestiltskin told his grandson, Belle at his arm.
"You're not coming?" Henry inferred, deflated.
"Considering how much trouble you all get into in Storybrooke, this is likely as much of a honeymoon as Belle and I are ever going to get," he explained.
"So you're just going to leave us here with him?" Regina summarized. "He's your father!"
"You have my cell if you need anything," Gold reminded her, chipper.
"You sneaky-"
"Let him go. He's right," Emma cut Regina's insult short. "They've earned it."
Belle smiled gratefully at the "savior." "Thank you, Emma."
The couple strolled off. Hook inquired, "So, what exactly is this Space Mountain you spoke of?"
"It's awesome!" Henry described it as they walked through a tunnel under the train tracks, "It's a roller coaster in the dark, but it looks like you're flying through space!"
"And there's a... mountain?" Mary Margaret added dubiously. She had heard of Disneyland in Storybrooke, but never many specifics about its contents.
Peter stopped listening as a poster on the wall grabbed his attention: "Peter Pan's Flight." The sign had a painting of a flying pirate ship covered in pixie dust. "Cute," he noted dryly.
"You have no idea," Neal muttered to him.
They passed through the tunnel and ended up in a town seeming even more out of time than Storybrooke. Cheery music surrounded them, along with a the delicious smell of a food Peter couldn't identify. Even with all the wondrous places they'd been to, each of them studied their surroundings with awe.
As impressive as the fake city was, it was nothing in comparison to the fake castle they saw at the end of the street: Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Snow White's heart clenched with nostalgia as she breathed out, "It's just like home."
Charming shrugged. "A bit smaller."
His wife rolled her eyes with a smile, nudging him with her shoulder.
For a Land Without Magic, this place was pretty familiar.
