A/N: Hey all, I'll try to update with 3 new chapters every other day to keep things rolling. Happy reading!
It had been three days since they arrived in Neverland and three days since Hook looked like he knew where he was going. Every time he lead them in a new direction, the rest of the group exchanged uneasy glances. Yes, he came back for them when he had thought Storybrooke would be wiped off the map-but not before dooming the town by pilfering the magic bean that could have saved it.
Every step further could be another step into a trap. Regina thought as she stumbled through the lush green jungle-forest that was Neverland.
She glanced back toward the rest of the group. Behind her the sheriff struggled to wrangle her blonde waves into a tight bun. The air in Neverland was thick with summer's heat and she noticed that Snow's raven bangs had become matted to her forehead with sweat. Snow ran a delicate hand through them while the other remained firmly in the grasp of her husband. His eyes were locked just as firmly on his daughter in front of him, watching her every step in case the pirate were to take one out of line.
She understood what that felt like now, more than ever. The urge to protect your child from anything and everything that might hurt them. Her arms ached to hold Henry again. She felt a mixture of grief and impatience swell in her chest at once.
"Captain!" she yelled, quickening her pace to catch their wayward navigator. "Hook! How much farther?"
"Not far now, lass. If I remember correctly, the Boys should have a lookout somewhere around here. Lightly-guarded, child's play," he smirked.
"Interesting thing about children, though, isn't it? How their play can seem so very real to them," came a voice chillingly close to Regina.
Rumplestiltskin cracked a twisted smile at the rest of his companions as they turned at the sound of his cryptically infuriating input.
"Father of the freaking year," said Emma, dryly. The sting of Neal's apparent death still weighed on her like a terrible secret that she wished to share but couldn't. It's not a weight you can see but one you can feel with each breath. Regina remembered how hard Daniel's death had made it to breathe and for once in her life, Regina actually felt sorry for Emma Swan.
The feeling didn't last long. A rustling in the bushes had stopped Hook in his tracks. He reached instinctually for the sword at his side, eyes sliding left and right wildly. His next words sent Regina's heart into her stomach.
"I've made a terrible mistake," he whispered.
With that, dozens of figures burst violently from the jungle around them.