Chapter Three: Dreamshade

"I'm beginning to think there isn't a map on here," Regina said as she snagged Peter's map away from Emma. They had been trying to decipher the map since daybreak to no avail, making everyone more than a tad stressed and irritable. The sun had risen and set but they were wasting time, the longer they wasted on the blank sheet of paper the further Henry could be getting away from them and everyone knew it. A thick mist had settled around our heroes by the time that Regina had finally had enough coddling of Emma, it didn't seem as if being the great Savior was going to cut it in Never Land. "But it doesn't mean it can't lead us to Henry," Regina said as she began casting a locator spell on the parchment, "it'll lead us to him." The plain, yellowed page began to glow and glimmer with golden light as if floated from her hands, above their heads, out of the clearing and back into the trees.

Hook groaned internally, it had become a trend in life that no one seemed to ever listen to him. "So it appears that we will, in fact, be journeying into the dark jungle after all." Sarcastic wit was his best defense. Alice thought he wore it rather well, it never ceased to charm her.

"You mean the place you told us never to set foot?" Emma deadpanned.

"That's the one."

Left with no choice but to venture after the only clue to Henry's location, the rescuers marched on. The ground beneath their boots (or in Alice's case, tennis shoes) was slick with dew and they were back where they started whacking at the vines and branches that dared block their path. The soaring map seemed undeterred by roadblocks as it glided up and down and all around through the arboreal terrain. Alice had to admit it, by the glow of the moon the jungle appeared much more fearsome than it did when she'd wandered off by daylight. With Regina and Emma adamant about leading the troops, Alice had elected that hanging back with Hook was probably the safest bet. If memories served her right, it was unusual for Alice to feel like the weakest link, but by comparison to the others, she conceded that she was. For some reason though staying near Hook made her feel like Alice was supposed to, a feeling she only got from the presence of Rumpelstiltskin and Jefferson. She felt just a little more brave and self-assured, but she couldn't ignore the facts: Emma was the Savior of Storybrooke, Regina the all-powerful Evil Queen, Prince Charming a master swordsman, Snow White had the best shot in all the lands with her crossbow, and Hook had the home advantage. Somehow Alice felt a bit bashful with her hand-me-down sword from Hook's vessel. Besides, she was more interested in Never Land than defeating the "evil" Peter Pan. Of course Alice wanted to return Henry home. Emma and Regina needed him; Henry didn't have to be a Lost Boy. Alice wished she had someone who was willing to fight for her, but since she didn't she was contented by helping the others fight for Henry. He didn't have to grow up the way she did, running into the arms of magic to escape—well, to escape everything. Alice had always had to fight for herself or no one else would, but for Henry it didn't have to be that way. Little Henry had always given Alice a twinge of hope.

"Ready to thank me?" Regina asked Emma as the group trekked further into the jungle.

"Actually, Yeah."

"If you'd let me do it sooner, maybe we'd have found him by now." Suddenly distracted, Regina stopped in her tracks. "Wait. He's there. I can feel it, I can feel his smugness."

Charming gently pushed his way to the front, gallantly checking the area for Lost Boys. "Shall we?" He pulled out his sword, "while we still have the element of surprise on our side?"

They followed Charming forwards preparing for a fight but Hook warned the women quietly, "careful. He may look like a boy, but he's a bloody demon."

"No one's here," Snow said as they moved further into the jungle's trenches. It had been mere minutes since Regina had claimed Pan was around but it felt like ages in apprehension. "Maybe your spell was wrong, Regina."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, blame me. Again…"

Distracted by beginning of another increasingly common quarrel among Snow and Regina, only Emma noticed that they were entering some sort of camp. The area was dirty and scattered, boys clothing hung dingy on drying lines strung between trees. Logs cluttered the ground where old fires once roared, a dark figure stood at the far end. His back faced the group and his head looked upwards towards the sky, "guys…hold on. Is that…HENRY!"

The figure turned towards the group that had begun charging towards him in anticipation, only to be struck down by lightning when he faced them, "Hi Emma."

That was definitely not Henry, Alice thought.

"Where the hell is Henry?" Emma asked.

"You broke the rules," the boy began pacing in while he spoke, "that's not fair. Bad form." He turned towards Hook, "I'd expect more from you, Captain."

"Aye, and you'll get it," Hook snarled.

Emma wasn't feeling like pleasantries tonight as she interrupted them getting right to the point, "give Henry to me."

"Sorry, can't." Moonlight filtered through the trees onto pan as he spoke, illuminating impish features. Alice soaked it all in, this must be Peter Pan she thought. Peter was a story from her childhood, and even after all that she had been through in Storybrooke, she was a bit shocked coming face to face with him. Until now, she hadn't stopped to wonder had it all been a dream. Abruptly, Never Land didn't feel very real at all. Pan stopped short before them, he looked at each of them slowly and deliberately. "Don't you know, cheaters never win."

Suddenly the jungle filled with the howls and warlike calls of boys and young men as the Lost Boys encircled the rescuers. Mischievous boys flew from behind tress wielding weapons ranging from axes to swords to arrows; it was obvious now that they never had the element of surprise as Charming had claimed. There were so many of them. Peter Pan had long been prepared, and they played right into his palm. Rushed from every angle, it had begun. Alice clambered for her own unfamiliar weapon.

"Watch out for their arrows, they're laced with dreamshade." With that last warning from Hook, he firing squad commenced. Alice deflected several darts with her sword as she eased herself back into the art of wielding a sword. To her left, Charming had been struck with a blade while defending Snow. Snow cried out but he shouted that he was okay. Alice had barely stopped to check on him but continued fighting the barrage of incredibly jagged arrows flying their way until a hooded swordsman advanced upon her.

Their swords met a storm of metallic strikes. "Not bad for a girl," her mystery opponent said. Alice dodged a jab at her thigh and blocked a move towards her shoulder, she pushed him back a few steps. She couldn't see his eyes so she would have to predict his moves in other ways. She looked at his feet and only nodded in reply. "What's your name, girl?"

"Alice." Their swords clinked piercingly forming an X in mid-air, "and yours?"

Peter watched the pair duel from above with approving eyes glowing in the night. He followed Alice, and he inhaled the way she flitted about like a ballerina, as if she had rehearsed this act before. The petite battle played out like a play, and it was a play that he quite enjoyed. Alice's hooded opponent grinned while slashing at her midriff, but she blocked it too and drove him back. "Name's Felix."

Alice blocked with skill and had him taking another step backwards, this time Felix tripped dangerously over his own two feet. He fell onto his back, his hood falling off too revealing twinkling cool blue eyes with a dangerous glint. A series of deep, elongated scars crossed his long face; his blonde hair was streaked with dirt and plastered to his face by sweat. "What are you waiting for?" He coughed; his sword had too fallen a few feet away into the muddy soil. Alice hadn't realized she'd been hovering with her sword pointed at his throat. She knew in an instant that she couldn't do it. He appeared only about her age.

"Regina!" someone in the group called, possibly Emma.

Alice twirled around instinctively, she found Regina was a few paces behind her with fireballs whirling in her hands but several well-armed boys were advancing towards her. Alice dove into the fray. "I've got your back," she said.

Regina proceeded throwing flames, staving off attackers from her front while Alice guarded her from behind. A boy with brown, curly hair jabbed at her with a lengthy spear. She cut off the arrowhead with her blade. Running on pure adrenaline, Alice barely noticed a haywire knife had grazed her but from his perch on the hill, Pan did. Crimson blood oozed from the gash on her wrist, her sword flew through the air until the hilt found itself buried into the trunk of a towering tree.

Peter let out a sharp whistle, signaling for the boys to begin retracting into the jungle. The sound carried through the air like magic, permeating the sound of clashing weapons and battle noises. The fight had been declared over.

"Alice…" Regina muttered while she put a fireless hand on her shoulder, they were now looking at her gory wrist. Alice let out a gasp through clenched teeth as the burning sensation set in.

"My oh my," Pan said aloud as he too gazed at her wrist, "it seems you're in a bit of bind now." He paused letting his eyes linger on Alice who had all but forgotten he was there before turning towards Emma, "remember what I told you. That map will show you where Henry is, but only when you stop denying who you really are. I'll give you cheaters another chance if you're willing to make a new deal."

The air was tense and the smelt of the exposed wound like open flesh. Emma arched an eyebrow, "a deal? I just want my son."

"And the map to him you shall have. We'll take the girl off your hands," he motioned at Alice.

Hook took a few steps forwards and Regina stepped before her, "No."

"No? I don't think that's an option, Queen. I'm the only one who can save her. Give the cripple to me and we're back to this finding Henry business," Peter chuckled darkly.

Alice looked at around with pleading eyes the size of saucers but it was obvious that Emma was wavering. The courage had drained from Alice like color from her face.

"He's right," Hook sighed.

"No!" Regina turned towards Snow and Charming, "absolutely not! I thought you were the type of people that didn't negotiate with 'evil'."

"Ouch, that's a bit of a stretch. Don't you think?" Pan laughed again.

"There's only one person who knows the island well enough to save her. As much as I hate to say it, Pan is her only chance." Hook sounded regretful. Vaguely mournful really as he wouldn't so much as look to Alice.

"I haven't got all night," Peter said growing stern. It was clear to most that his amusement was fading in haste.

"Fine," Emma said, "just don't let her die."

A malicious grin spread across Peter's face as he motioned for Alice to join him on the hill. "I assure you, this treasure will be kept in capable hands."

Emma walked towards Alice and took her by the healthy arm leading her away from the group towards Pan. Slowly, Regina let go.

"I'll make sure to send Henry your regards, Emma," Peter said when Alice reached hill. It was then in that moment that time froze for Alice. For the first time since she was but a little girl tumbling down a fated rabbit hole, she experienced an ache of fear of the unknown. In a blur, her new acquaintance Felix bound her wrists with coarse rope that dug into her open wound quite painfully and marched her away as Pan once again disappeared into the darkness.

Emma hoped silently that this would provide Alice with an opportunity to make contact with Henry but in her current disposition she knew it wasn't likely. Regina scowled once they were gone, "We can't keep giving that boy what he wants. I have magic, you know. I may have been able to save her."

"Black magic, Regina!" Snow cried angrily, "not the kind of magic that heals people."