So I know that this is going to be like at a fast pace here, however I find it necessary so yea. Hope you guys are enjoying the story and this next chapter.
Judgment Day
Emma had always liked a game of chess. She did not know how or why she liked the game so much; however she managed to apply the concepts to her life. In her mind, chess was a critical part in her life. When she was a bail-bonds person she would imagine a board and pretend that the targets were the pieces. As she would be doing that, she would then formulate a plan. She was taught to have multiple plans for any and all situations. That way she would never get caught off-guard. If she was stuck on a particular target, then she would really get out a chess game and start playing. As for this particular game, she was trapped. In her mind the King had them cornered and they were in trouble.
They had considered an ambush. Regina was supposed to mask them in a thick black cloud of smoke, while Snow, David, and Hook took out the lost boys. She was supposed to go in, grab Henry, and run like hell. Everything had been mapped out to a T…however what was not factored in the plan was Rumpelstiltskin and Neal coming out of nowhere and making their own plan which all in all sent their plan to hell. Now they were all trapped like rats. Emma had her blade pointed at Pan, who was looking smug as Felix held a blade to Henry's throat. No one dared moved a muscle, "Well it seems as if the Judgment Day is upon us at last." Pan said in a triumphant voice. Echoes of laughter from the boys rang throughout the area.
Emma looked around as the boys started collecting their weapons, however when one of the boys came for her blade, Pan stopped him, "No, let her keep it. I am not through yet." The boy backed away and Emma watched as they were pushed in the middle of the circle behind her.
"Emma I am so sorry," she heard Neal's voice, but did not look at him.
"Oh really? Why the hell did you go off on your own instead of finding us first?!" Regina demanded facing Neal as he winced.
"Watch that tone dearie. That is my boy you are talking to!" Gold snarled out trying to defend his son, "Besides I left you people on the boat for a reason!"
"It's a ship!" Hook yelled back to Gold, "Besides did you really expect us to do nothing?!"
"Guys stop-" Snow was about to say when, "SILENCE!" Pan yelled. They winced as they saw Felix's hold on Henry tightening and the blade was closer to his throat.
Emma now spared a glance at everyone and readied herself, "Look you won ok? Now let Henry go."
Pan smiled and shook his head, "I am afraid that is not quite right Emma. You see I have not won the game just yet."
Emma raised her eyebrows at him as she heard Hook ask, "Then what is it you are really after?"
"Well magic of course. I needed the Heart of the Truest Believer to get to the Savior," Pan answered motioning to Henry and then to Emma, "but sadly Savior you are not ready to fulfill my needs just yet."
"And what exactly do you want with me?" Emma asked.
Pan looked at Emma with a curious glance. He was watching her closely as she was still in her defensive stance, ready to strike at a moment's notice, "You know something doesn't fit," thinking for a moment he smiled again, "and I know what it is!" He waved his hand.
Emma saw the blade in her hand disappear in a thick cloud of purple smoke and in its place was a gun. She looked at him and then checked the gun to find it fully loaded. She looked at Pan and asked, "So what is the catch?"
"No catch Savior. Just trying to even out the playing field is all," he shrugged.
"I do not believe it." Emma stated as she pointed the gun at him, "Why give me a weapon that I am perfectly adapted to?"
"Well for starters you shoot me and Felix here hurts your son." He motioned to Felix and Henry winced, "Shoot Felix and you risk harming your son. Either way Henry gets hurt so I know you would not chance that."
Emma swallowed and lowered the gun, "You are right; so I ask again: what do you want with me?"
"Well that is just part of the next game we are going to play. It is called," He waved his hand again and two dummies appeared along with a cross bow appeared, "Target Practice. See the object of this game is to see who has the better aim."
"What is the point of this game?" Snow asks as she watches Emma's expression.
"Well whoever has the best aim wins. The loser has to reveal something to the winner. That is how you will get information; ready to play Emma?" Pan asks smirking.
Before Emma could respond Neal shouted, "Wait!" Heads turned to look at him, "Let me play instead."
"No it has to be the Savior." Pan stated firmly.
"But-"
"Let's play." Emma said firmly before Neal could talk.
"No Mom," Henry pleaded. He thought back to when they would play darts she couldn't hit anything, "Please-"
"On one condition," Emma said cutting him off.
Pan looked at her as he readied his crossbow, "Oh?"
"If I win, you let Henry go," She said firmly, "then I will continue playing whatever game you want."
"Double edge sword then Emma? You win I let Henry go," He repeated, "but you continue playing my games?"
"Whatever sick game you want me to play," Emma said.
"And how do I know that you will not try anything like you did with the map?" He asked smirking.
Emma looked back at the group, then at her son, and then to her parents. Closing her eyes she sighed. She knew what answer Pan was looking for and she knew that she always kept her word, so she said looking back at him, "You have my word as a Lost Girl."
Henry's eyes widened at his mother's words and he stole a glance as his grandparents and father at their sorrowful expressions. He began to wonder just what Emma's words mean. How could she possibly be a lost girl when she had both parents right here with her; just like he now had his father and mother right here with him? Pan however looked at her and sighed to himself, "You are not fully one just yet, however I will adhere to your condition. If you win, then I will let Henry go."
He led the group a bit closer to the shooting area and from this view Emma saw the targets were about twenty or so yards away, "Ladies first?" Pan offered with a light smile.
"I believe it is customary that the host should go first." Emma said returning the smile just as mockingly.
"As you wish," He readied the crossbow, took aim, and fired.
Everyone watched in awe at the speed he was able to re-load the weapon and when all was said and done he looked to Felix, "You and the boy check the dummy and agree on where I had hit." He ordered.
Henry felt Felix loosen his hold and he looked at the group and then at his mother as Felix pushed him forward to look at the dummy. He was in awe at the aim that Pan had and once they were back with the group Pan asked looking at him, "Well?"
"Six arrows through the heart area," Henry muttered looking at the ground wondering how his mother was going to beat that. Really? Emma couldn't help but think to herself, what is it with villains and hearts around here?
Pan was smiling clearly satisfied, "Well Emma you are up."
"Gun or crossbow?" Emma asked motioning to both weapons. Snow and David looked at one another in questioning. They knew that Emma had a somewhat good aim with a gun; but Pan already had an advantage since he managed to aim at the heart.
"Well there was a reason I gave you the weapon." Pan said smoothly and faux politeness as he motioned to the gun in Emma's hand.
Emma looked at the dummy and then turned her back on it and took a step toward the group to give herself a bit more room. Closing her eyes she heard David say, "Come on Emma, you can do this."
"Come on Lass." From Hook who was watching her carefully. He was not entirely sure what Emma was doing, so he couldn't get a read on her feelings. However he thought that a bit more support would help her.
"Emma," she heard Neal sigh. Neal had never actually seen Emma shoot a gun, but when they used to play darts, he knew she didn't have the best aim; but he knew that he had to have faith in her…for everyone's sake.
"Mom," Henry's plea reached her. He was watching her carefully as she kept her eyes closed. He didn't know what she was thinking…or rather not thinking; but he had to have faith…he would always have faith in his family.
"Sweet heart?" Snow called out, not sure of her daughter's mental state, but she believed in her daughter and she always would. Emma could do this; she thought to herself, if these past weeks proved anything, Emma can pull through.
"Don't screw up." Regina muttered, but earned looks from Neal, David, Snow, and Hook. Gold however just watched with a passive expression. He could tell something was shifting with Emma, and he did not like it. This was one of the reasons why he wanted them to stay on the ship. He knew that Neverland would affect Emma the most out of all of them…and she just placed not only herself at risk of its magic, but she was risking their lives as well.
Different images flashed through her mind as she tried to focus and control herself; but then she heard the taunting of the boys and finally Pan's voice reached her, "Going to give up Road-kill?"
She snapped her eyes open suddenly at the way Pan said that word and everyone watched as in one swift movement Emma turned and fired the gun. She kept firing deafening rounds until she heard the clicking of the gun. Panting she kept her poise as Pan sent Henry and Felix back over to check, once they came back Felix said, "She fired right in the middle of the eyes." He motioned to the area on himself to show them.
Everyone was in awe, but Snow was looking at Emma with concern as Pan stated, "Very well. A deal is a deal. Henry you may go stand with the rest of your…family." Henry did not move as he was still watching his mother closely. She managed to lower the gun slightly as he slowly made his way to the group, "Well Emma; Questions?" Pan asked smugly knowing what she was going to ask.
"That name…how did you know that name?" Emma asked looking at him with a deadly glare. She didn't know why the name still struck her, but it did. It was beginning to bring up things she had thought she buried. It was as if she could hear the taunts and sneers in her mind as the name echoed in her head.
"Really? I kidnap your son and you ask how I know all of your old nicknames as a kid?"
Emma felt like everything was closing in around her; it was like her memories were coming to life as she looked at him, "You know them all?"
"Oh sure. Road-kill, Roadside Trash, Roadside Nothingness; must I go on?" Pan asked as he noticed how white Emma's face gotten, "That is not all I know of course."
"What-?" Emma started to ask.
"I know everything about you. I know your past, I know your present, and if I am correct I know your future as well." Pan said looking at her, "For instance I know how you became a sharp-shooter. Besides the family that you had before you were three, the second longest was for about a year when you were nine and the father of that family was a Marine Sniper."
Everyone watched as Emma's face paled, but Pan continued, "He would take you camping on the long weekends and teach you how to shoot. You were really gifted if I remember correctly. No wonder though right: Your mother's archery talent and father's sword skills in the genes and all. Sadly though you did not get adopted with them…what happened again?"
Henry watched as his mother looked like she was going to be sick as she responded, "Car accident."
"That's right. You got in trouble at school for fighting and he thought a camping trip was in order to clear your head and as you two were going to the camp ground that was when the accident occurred. Head on collision…drunk driver right?" Emma didn't respond as she shook her head, "You begged to go on the trip and she was saying no, but he had to say yes and therefore it was like you caused the accident so she sent you back saying you were…oh yes cursed."
"Shut up." Emma said in a low hard voice.
"What? Can't except the fact that you may as well be cursed? After all you have two deaths on your hands already. Let's face it, you are cursed."
Everyone was stunned as they were looking at Emma. She was shaking as she tried to block out Pan's words as he continued, "Then I believe when you turned eleven you were in a total of four homes in the span of four months. Each involved you getting sent back for fighting. The worse fight I think is when you were fourteen and that was for what again? Trying to earn respect? You smashed a perfectly good…what was it?"
"It was a 1980 Harley-Davidson Flt Tour Glide." Emma answered trying to keep herself together as that night was fighting its way to the surface, "It was my English teacher's motorcycle."
Pan nodded as he continued, "Then that same night you were sent back was the fight you had with Ms. Wilder. You got into a shouting match and ended up storming out, just to go back to the orphanage to find-"
"No," Emma shook her head, "no more. I get it ok?"
Pan shook his head, "I do not think you do."
"Leave her alone." Snow demanded taking a step forward followed by Charming. The boys immediately surrounded them so they could not reach the duo, "Leave-Our-Daughter-Alone!" Snow demanded fiercely emphasizing each word as Regina held on to Henry, who was trying to fight his way to Emma. Hook and Neal also stepped forward to back the King and Queen as Gold was ready to try and set a shield up as the boys were readying for another fight to defend their leader.
Pan smiled wickedly, "So they finally claimed you as their daughter? Which leads me to believe," he looked between Emma and the royals, "you never told them that you caused Ms. Wilder's death. Shame too, she was a nice woman. Dedicated her life to helping children…made the best cookies too if I remember correctly."
"And how the hell would you know that?!" Emma shouted as she could hear the sirens in her head getting louder and hearing the cries of the children in the orphanage when they brought the stretcher out the door.
Pan smiled evilly and took a step closer to Emma as she took a step back, "How do you think I would know that? It is because I was there with you…Emmy."
Emma looked at him closely trying to find a lie in that statement and found none…but still that was impossible he couldn't have been, "No that is a lie. I would remember a demon child like you."
Peter smirked again and laughed and said, "How could I be lying Emmy? You and I both know that I never lie. I keep my promises unlike some people we both know…" He motioned to Neal and Gold in particular, "and I was the only person for the longest time not to abandon you either." He then motioned to her parents and then to Neal. He looked back at her seeing that she was still in denial and said, "Fine I will just have to prove it to you then…where to begin? Perhaps the beginning might be a nice refresher?" Emma didn't say anything as he started to recite, "Once Upon a Time there lived a lovely little princess named Snow White. Her vain and wicked step-mother, the Queen, feared that someday Snow White's beauty would surpass her own. So she dressed the little princess in rags and forced her to work as a scullery maid…"
Snow and Regina looked at one another not knowing where this was headed, because everyone knew that is not what happened. David then looked between the Queen and his wife as Pan continued telling the wrong story. This was not their story at all…so what did Pan mean that he would start at the beginning. He looked at Neal and Gold seeing if their knew what was going on…however one look at Neal, his heart began to break and following his line of sight he saw why. Emma's body was shaking. She had her eyes squeezed shut and her fists balled at her sides. It was like she was trying to summon all of herself control not to break down, "Dad?" Heads snapped toward Henry's whisper and Regina reluctantly let Henry go over to his father. Neal held on to his son as he asked, "Why-?"
But the question wasn't finished as Emma's voice cut Pan off just as he got to the part with the Queen creating the famous poisoned apple, "Stop. Enough." Her voice was dead as she opened her eyes. They were slightly red as she glared at Peter.
"Why? This used to be your favorite story remember? I believe the last present you ever got from those people you once called parents was a fairytale book." Pan's voice was laced with fake concern, "And this used to be your favorite story. After all you had me read it to you almost every night for the longest time."
"No I had a boy named Benjamin read it to me every night and if you were really there with me then you would know I-"
"Ripped the pages out and burned them right after I left you?" Emma's eyes widened as Pan laughed at her expression, "Idiot girl! Do you not see it yet? I am Benjamin. Of course I had to leave you otherwise I would have lost my magic. When you were placed in those homes, I had to come back to Neverland otherwise I would have started to grow up!"
"You…"
"Yes Emmy. It is me." He smiled, "And to further drive the point home…" He trailed off and waved his hand in front of his face and in a puff of purple smoke Pan's appearance changed. He was taller and had sandy blonde, "Remember me now Emmy?" His voice was slightly deeper and if Henry had to guess, he looked to be about sixteen in this form. Then he looked at his mother, whose face was really pale and she looked like she was about to be sick.
Snow tried to run over to Emma, but the tight circle of Lost Boys closed in. She wanted to tell Regina and Gold to use magic to fight them, but then that would risk Henry's life as well, "What is wrong with her?" Regina demanded to know, "Why is she letting this little bastard-?"
"Because Regina," Heads turned to Neal as he started to explain, "Emma grew up in the system and it was-"
"A hell hole," Pan's voice filtered to them as they went back watching the scene, "Poor little Emmy's life was really a living hell was it not? I believe it stayed that way until you ran away at sixteen yes?"
Emma shook her head as more memories came back to her and Pan's appearance went back to normal, "If you wanted me, why did you leave me? Why go through all this trouble? I was eleven, the same age as Henry!" Emma yelled motioning to the boy in question, then she began to pace as Neverland's magic started to hone in on her making her feel all the feelings she felt when she was younger and after Ben left her, "I was willing to leave with you! I was ready to leave with you! But you crawled out the window leaving me behind! Why?! Why torture my son just to get to me if that was the aim the whole time?!"
"Because you denied the existence of happy endings which means you started to deny the existence of magic!" Pan yelled back as he took a step closer to her and she took a step back, "You were also not yet exposed to any serious magic, besides being the product of True Love."
Snow and David's hearts were breaking at Emma tone of devastation. Hook shook his head, "This is not good. She is falling into Pan's trap and since she agreed to play his game…she is going to lose."
"Excuse me?" David asked whirling around to face the pirate, "What trap?"
Hook motioned to Emma and suddenly they started seeing what he was talking about as Gold said, "The pirate is right. This is precisely the reason you all should have stayed on the ship. Neverland's magic is made to exploit the fears and abandonment of the ones most vulnerable…like Ms. Swan."
"But my mom was not abandoned; not intentionally. She has her parents and my father right-" Henry started to say when Regina shook her head sadly, "I am sorry Henry, but your mother still-"
"Harbors deep rooted anger and hatred for her parents," Peter's voice finished for the Queen as Emma still glared at the boy in front of her, "for giving her away. She still has not forgiven them for what they were forced to do, and if I am not mistaken you still harbor deep hatred for poor Baelfire don't you?"
"Shut up!" Emma yelled as now she saw the police car and started feeling the metal cuffs being placed on her wrists in her mind.
"Oh I am sorry, does your son not know what happened to the two of you? Why you were forced to give him up?" Pan asked smugly shooting looks at Henry.
Henry wiggled out of Neal's hard grip and turned to look at both his mother and father, "Dad? What is he talking about?"
"You shut up! I did it so-" Neal called out ignoring his son. However Snow and David looked slightly confused as did Gold. Hook could see the devastation in Neal's eyes and somehow he guessed it was like something similar to what happened on the beanstalk. The way Emma had looked at him. Regina however reached for Henry and hugged him.
"She could break the curse? Reunite with the ones who sent her away…or was it that you were too much of a coward to face your dear sweet papa?" Pan asked mockingly as he looked away from Emma to meet Baelfire's intense glare, "Let him come forward." He ordered and the Lost Boys allowed an opening and Neal stormed past them and over to Emma who was also looking at him, but not really seeing him.
Neal saw the look in Emma's eyes and he recognized it immediately. It was the look of devastation and he knew exactly what the cause of it was, "Emma baby come on. You know you don't really hate-"
"Shut up! Both of you just shut up!" Emma yelled. No one spoke or moved for a moment as Emma tried to gather her thoughts, or rather tried to differentiate between the memories that were flowing through her head that made her feel like the abandoned child she was and the rational thoughts of the adult that understood what they had done for her.
Pan started laughing and once again the focus was on him, "Really Emma? You really cannot face the facts can you? You really cannot possibly believe that he was the one right?"
"You stay out of this!" Neal growled and then turned back to Emma, "Babe please, I said I was sorry. I was a coward I know that, but I really mean what I said over the portal. I love you."
Emma looked at him and suddenly she could see every kiss. Hear their voices, laughter, the hopes and dreams; however she could see the heartbreak, the pain, the cop's voice, Tamara, Greg, the moment that she had given Henry away, and that is when she shook her head and backed away from him, "No you don't."
"What?" Neal asked astounded, "I do Em, I really do! I love you now as I did then. I came back to you."
"Bull shit Neal. Bull shit!" Emma yelled and ten years of anger unleashed itself right there in front of all of them, "I tried to save your ass so we could have our Talla-fucking-hassee! Twenty grand Neal! I stole twenty-grand worth of watches for you! Then how did you re-pay me?! You sent me to eleven months in jail because you decided to turn me into the fucking cops!"
Henry felt like his heart just stopped. Never once had he asked his parents as to what had happened to them. Never once did he really sit down and talk to his mother about why she had lied to him, all she ever told him was that he broke her heart…now he knew how, "My son would never have done that!" Gold yelled, "He is brave and strong and-"
"Papa please be quiet." Neal said turning to his father. Then back to Emma he said, "Emma please, I didn't want to do that! I told you about August he-"
"Don't! Don't you dare say it. You gave the money to Pinocchio! If it wasn't for that then I could have kept Henry! Henry and I could have had Tallahassee! Or better yet if you really did love me, then you could have led me to Storybrooke yourself! I would not have cared where we were!" Emma yelled, "Besides I came to you for help. I told you that Tamara was a twisted psychopath and on top of it all, if you really did love me oh so god-damn much like really and truly, you would not have moved on with said psycho woman who should have been under heavy duty lockdown in a psych ward with a Thorazine drip!"
Neal gulped as he saw something in Emma's eyes. He was not talking to the woman that he shared a moment with on the beach in Storybrooke, instead it he knew he was talking to the heartbroken teenager that he had fallen in love with, "You know while we are on the topic of the psycho bitch…" Emma turned to her parents, "You didn't believe me either!" She pointed to her parents.
Snow and David knew that this was coming at some point and while she did not outright tell them when they first came here on the ship, they knew that she was angry with them about Tamara, "I told you there was something wrong! I told you that I did not trust her! But no! You had to claim I was the jealous ex! You had to claim I was over-reacting! If you would have believed me in the first place, we would have had her sooner and none of this would have happened!"
"You know what?" Pan interrupted before anyone could speak again, "I am just going to let you all go. I am bored of this game, as entertaining as it was for a bit."
Hook looked distrusting as everyone looked at one another unsure of where this was headed, "Just like that? You are letting us walk away?"
"Of course, however I know one of you is going to stay…" He trailed off as he motioned for the Lost Boys to disperse, "It is the law of this land. Anyone with a lost soul has to stay; the others may come and go as they please."
They looked at one another again and Henry went over to his mother who was still glaring at his grandparents, "Mom?" Emma swallowed and looked at him. He knew something was wrong, but he tried anyway, "It's ok we can leave."
Emma looked at Pan and he just smiled, "It was fun playing with you Emmy, just like old times right?"
Emma didn't say anything as Henry led her back over to the group. He kept a firm hold on her hand as she looked back toward the demon child, who was waving pleasantly at them and then turned to face forward.
As Pan dropped his hand Felix asked, "You really going to let them go?"
"Don't be stupid; of course I am not simply going to let them go." Pan scoffed as the boys went about their business and began to re-set up their campsite.
Felix followed Peter over to one of the boulders and sat down just as Peter sat on the top, "Then why-?"
"She still has raw anger and it wouldn't be very nice of me to deprive her the chance of reaming out her so-called family now would it?" Peter asked, "Besides Neverland is not done with her just yet, just like I am not done with her. She wanted to play my games; well this is just the start of my games."
Before Felix could ask another question, Pan took out his pipe and started playing the melody. As the song echoed throughout the area the boys started dancing around the newly built fire pit they created. Soon, Peter thought as he watched his boys dancing under the music's spell, I will have her.
