Charming didn't want to be in Neverland. Not again. He couldn't tell anyone that he had seen this Island before; He could never tell anyone that he had walked and played on the sand and in the forest when he was a child-a naïve, idiotic child.
"Are you ok, Charming?" Snow's voice pulled Charming from his thoughts and her gentle, concerned face made him feel guilty. Guilty that he was hiding something.
"Yeah mate, you've been a tad off for a while" Hook grinned smugly. "Can't handle the Island?" Hook laughed and only stopped when Emma punched him on the arm and by the wince that emitted from Hook, charming guessed it was a hard punch. The amusement that came from seeing the cocky captain hurt soon faded.
'Can't handle the Island?' Charming wished that was true.
"Listen-" Emma cornered Charming when the Sun was falling and the team of 'Rescuers' had set up camp for the night. "I didn't want to say anything earlier around Hook but…..David, are you ok? You do seem really off since we got to the Island….if it's about Henry don't worry because-because we're going to save him" Charming felt that Emma was trying to convince herself more than him but he smiled at her concern anyway (deep inside Charming wished his uneasiness was due to Henry and his safety but it wasn't-and that really broke his heart because he knew it should be).
"I'm Fine" Charming smiled-that fake, convincing smile he had learned so quickly as a prince. "Really, Emma I am"
Emma gave Charming a funny, concerned look before sighing and walking away. Charming dropped his smile and looked up. The trees were so tall-just like he remembered them; he could just picture it in his mind, three boys running, jumping (flying) through the forest like maniacs but they smiled and laughed like brothers and it hurt Charming to think about it even after all this time-it really did.
"You're up early" Hook commented dryly when he saw the Prince sitting on the ground in the middle of the camp site.
"Yeah" Charming said with no emotion. He was too lost in his thoughts to care about Hook's presence.
Hook raised his eyebrow in an amused manner. What was up Prince Charming's arse this morning? He shouldn't care but he was curious. Ever since they got deep into Neverland the Prince had barely uttered a word, not even to argue with Hook.
"I wonder-"Hook began. "Is all this silence due to Henry and his current danger or is it something else? Scared of what's on the Island?"
Hook could have sworn he heard the prince mutter 'what's on the Island is scared of me' but he couldn't have, because that was too complicated and Charming-Prince Charming- wasn't complicated, far from it. He was boring, normal by Hook's standards…So he ignored it. Hook ignored the way the prince seemed to know the Island, seemed to understand it because that was too complicated and Charming wasn't complicated.
Charming walked through the forest and tried to not look at all the trees and all the land that he had once jokingly claimed as his own, the hills and mountains, the sea that he had made memories (nightmares at this point) on and continued to walk. He especially ignored the eyes that bore into him.
He ignored it until he couldn't.
Charming turned around and his eyes were caught in a staring contest with another-his eyes were darker than before Charming mused. Regina, Snow and Emma were all arguing so they failed to notice Charming stop. They failed to notice the figure in the Tree and who he was.
"You" Charming whispered more to himself than the boy in the Tree.
"You changed" the boy bit out like poison.
"I grew up" Charming bit back.
"You deserted this place, what right do you have to come back" the boy argued and Charming noticed that look in his eyes but he couldn't let himself be scared.
"I'm here to save my Grandson" Charming declared.
"Ever the Hero, Davy" the boy sneered.
Charming wanted to argue back, to fight but he couldn't. No, no he had to move on.
"You knew I wouldn't stay in this place forever" Charming whispered. "Didn't you Pan?"
Pan stayed quiet.
God, thought Charming, He didn't.
Charming clenched his fists and walked away. It was the second time he had done that to Pan and the prince wondered if Pan even cared. Charming heard a small (almost sad) laugh before he felt a rush of wind pass him and despite himself Charming turned around and was happy (it saddened the prince how happy he was) when he found no boy in sight. He sighed and ran to catch up to his wife and daughter.
Hours later when they all sat down to work out a real plan Hook stared at Charming longer than he should have, he knew that but the Pirate couldn't help but stare. Little prince Charming- was he really the boy that broke Pan? Was he really that Story? The Story no one in Neverland could ever speak of.
Hook sighed and shook his head. No that wasn't possible (but it was, Hook knew that) because that's too complicated and Charming-Perfect fairy-tale Prince Charming-wasn't complicated.