Something was wrong. If there was one thing Regina Mills was good at, it was sensing when something was not quite right and currently she was sensing that something was very, very wrong. Something other than being trapped on a godforsaken island with her mortal enemies, searching to find her son, whom she wasn't quite sure loved her any more, to rescue him from some purportedly magically potent teenager who calls himself Peter Pan. Something other than that was amiss, and she was most certainly going to get to the bottom of it. Because if one of the Charmings or the damned pirate messed up whatever chance she had of saving Henry, she'd destroy their happiness if it was the last thing she did, again. And this time she'd make sure it stuck.
Regina had been closely walking next to Emma as the ragtag group of rescuers made their way through the jungles of Neverland, because even though Emma had appointed herself leader, Regina was not going to allow herself to be led. She had been queen, the Evil Queen even, and a queen was not led, especially not by the likes of Emma Swan.
But, despite the fact she'd never admit it out loud, Emma was doing a fairly decent job as leader, and whatever was wrong, Regina was sure it didn't have anything to do with Emma this time. So she started slowing down. She received a sideways look from Emma, but she ignored it and muttered something about her shoes. Because, if Regina Mills could count on anything, it was Emma's lack of appreciation for fashion. And she knew that, yes, Emma would accept the excuse that her 'insensible' heels were bothering her on this jungle trek. More importantly, Regina knew that Emma would let it go.
That was one thing she truly liked about the Savior. Emma Swan was good for a challenge, expected it even, but when Regina, for whatever reason, backed down, Emma allowed her to without any questions and Regina had no fear that Emma would bring it up in a future argument as a weakness on Regina's part. And Regina tried to afford Emma the same courtesy, most of the time.
As Regina slowed her pace, she tried to gauge the moods of the rest of her companions. Gold had abandoned the group, certain that he had the answer to their problem and that he would be better off on his own. Snow was, well, Snow and while Regina would probably always find her a tad bothersome, if not totally frustrating, Regina knew that her former stepdaughter was not cause for concern at the moment. Which left Charming and the pirate.
Regina slowed her pace even more until she was trailing behind Snow and she could get a good decent look at Charming and Hook in her peripheral vision. They seemed to be deep in conversation, and if Regina's senses were right, it was an argument. She tried to slow down even more so that she could overhear what they were saying, because if they were fighting then it had to be about something important. And if they were discussing something important, she definitely needed to know about it. They were trying to rescue her son, after all.
She stopped and crouched down, pretending to inspect some of the brush lining the path for clues. If anyone asked, she'd say she heard something and wanted to make sure another ambush wasn't being set up. And that's when she noticed that Charming and Hook had stopped as well. Hook had lifted up Charming's shirt and that's when Regina heard it.
"How long?" Charming's voice, a strained low tone, carried to where Regina was crouched. And Hook's answer of: "Not sure, mate. Not long. You need to tell them." also reached her ears.
Regina was furious. Whatever was going on, whatever Charming needed to tell everyone needed to be said right now. Abandoning all pretense of looking for adolescents hiding behind the underbrush, Regina stomped in the direction of the pirate and the farm boy-cum-prince. She paused before she got too close, because that's when she noticed what Hook was looking at under Charming's shirt. A wound.
Dreamshade. No doubt when Charming had stepped in front of Snow White during the latest attack from Pan, the arrow that nicked him was covered in the poison. The same poison Hook warned them was deadly.
"Shit," muttered Regina. This was so not what she needed right now. As incompetent as she generally found the Charmings to be, she was counting on them to help her save her son, in some capacity. And now they were one member weaker, and the prince was keeping his impending death a secret. How noble.
Her whispered curse got the attention of Hook and Charming, and the latter quickly brushed his shirt down and shot her a sheepish smile. Regina glared at him before turning around to make her way back toward Emma.
She quickly stormed past Snow and was next to Emma in a flash. Regina noted that the side of Emma's mouth quickly turned up in a half smile before going back to the scowl she had sported throughout their time in Neverland. Regina momentarily forgot the anger she felt at Charming's idiocy and shot Emma a questioning glance.
Emma shrugged, "Doesn't look like your shoes are bothering you much right now. You got back here awfully fast."
"Oh," Regina said. She hadn't expected that. "I wanted to make sure you weren't getting us lost."
Letting out an empty laugh, Emma brandished the map she had been carrying since Pan had turned it over, "I might be a Lost Girl, Madam Mayor, but I know how to read a map. We're headed in the right direction, for now."
"For now?" Regina quirked an eyebrow.
"Pan's camp keeps moving," Emma shrugged again. "But I think I've figured it out."
"Really, Sheriff?" Regina asked. "Have you?"
Emma nodded, "The camp is moving counterclockwise and it only moves every two hours. I figure with our pace, if we move in this direction, we should be able to intercept the camp the next time it moves."
Regina was impressed and she made it known, "Very clever."
Emma smiled again, briefly, before her face took on that same serious expression. "Why were you in such a hurry?"
"Pardon?" Regina asked, Charming's predicament almost fully forgotten now that she felt like she and Emma were closer to finding Henry, to saving him.
"Earlier," Emma gestured with her hand to the path behind them, "when you came rushing back up here. I know it wasn't to check on me." At Regina's expression of disbelief, Emma just said, "Superpower, remember?"
Regina nodded, well aware of Emma's superpower. "I was thinking about what I said earlier."
"When?" Emma asked, slowing her pace ever slightly, paying more attention to Regina.
Regina appreciated the gesture, because even though she could walk perfectly fine in her heels no matter the terrain, it was slightly difficult keeping up with the Savior's lengthy strides. "When I said we should split from the group." Before Emma could protest again, Regina continued, "I know you don't think that's a good idea, and I'm willing to compromise."
"I'm listening," Emma said, and Regina was surprised to find that Emma actually was listening and considering her opinion.
"Well, like I said, I might not be strong enough to defeat Pan magically on my own," Regina went on, "but I think together, if we combine your powers and mine, we can do it."
Emma shook her head, "I don't know how to control my magic."
"I know," Regina said, "which is why I propose I teach you. I know it'll put a bit of a damper on your plan to intercept Pan's camp right away, but if you're right, we should be able to track them the next time they move. And we shouldn't try to ambush them without being ready to fight."
Emma eyed Regina warily, "I know that's not the whole truth. You're hiding something, but I'll let it go, for now."
This time it was Regina who eyed the Savior, "And why is that?"
"Because I think you're right," she answered simply. "We'll stop soon and then we can practice."
Regina just nodded, because she was right. She and the Savior would have to combine all of their power to defeat Pan, if the rumors were correct. The two kept walking and Regina was feeling rather odd. She knew she should probably alert Emma, at the very least, to her father's predicament, but Charming wanted to keep it a secret and as of yet it had not hindered their progress. And, unlike Snow White, Regina could keep a secret. So she wouldn't tell, not until his foolishness seemed to actually prove to be a problem.
Because as far as Regina was concerned right now, the only ones that needed to, and could, save Henry were herself and Emma. The Charmings and the pirate were just extraneous company and, perhaps, decoys if things got harry. It was she and Emma that possessed magic, and it was magic that would defeat Pan.