With the merge drawing closer, Riley and her brothers began to suffer painful symptoms, from dizziness to coughing up blood. At first, it was nothing more than a few droplets on the back of their hands, which was easy to conceal, but soon enough, there were copious amounts of blood staining their clothes and covering the ground. Emma and the others quickly noticed all three stopping behind the nearest tree to deal with their worsening symptoms but Sebastian assuaged their concerns with a flimsy cover story. He claimed that the magic passed down through the covens differed from the magic in Neverland and their illness stemmed from adjusting to the different atmosphere. Lacking much knowledge on the covens, all of them except Hook being too young to even know of their existence, they, without question, accepted his excuse. Seth was growing impatient, wanting to find the crystal as soon as possible instead of searching for Henry.

Emma had been leading them through the jungle for the past few hours, using the newly unlocked map as a guide. The sweltering heat was making the trip far more unbearable. Sebastian was at the front of the group with Emma, casting a spell to create tiny balls of light to illuminate the dark, winding path. Though they were merely discussing the best strategy to retrieve Henry from the camp, their growing closeness did not go unnoticed by Riley, who would rather gouge out her eyes than see another one of her protectors fall head over heels for her older brother.

It reminded her why she preferred to travel without her brothers since her protectors always tended to prefer Sebastian and his charms, acting like he was some bearer of great wisdom. Emma was not the only one immediately trusting Sebastian, both David and Mary Margaret treating him much better than they had ever treated Riley despite knowing him for less than a day. She was not expecting them to treat her like a saint but compared to their older brother, both she and Seth ended up looking like soulless monsters.

Pushing back a tree branch, she overheard Emma say that they were nearing Pan's camp. Riley flicked her wrist behind her back and suppressed a smirk when Emma questioned how the location of the camp shifted to a spot on the other side of the island. Regina jumped to the conclusion that she was reading the map incorrectly but Hook suggested that it was one of Pan's tricks. The supposed trick led to an argument amongst them about how to find Pan's camp, only Regina advocating for a magical solution.

"Pan will have shields against magic. I fear such an attempt would in your death and more importantly, mine," said Hook.

Seth scoffed. "How hard can it be to take down a few shields? I agree with her. We can just—"

He hunched over, clutching his stomach, and grasped Riley's wrist. In a split second, she felt a giant lump in the back of her throat and sped over to a nearby tree, blood spewing from her mouth and down her tank top. Sebastian appeared by her side, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"Okay, what is going on?" asked Emma.

"I already told you. With—"

"Yea, adjusting to the magic or whatever. If that were true, wouldn't Regina or I have the same problem? Don't even bother coming up with another lie, Sebastian. What's wrong with you three? We can't get Henry back unless we're all at our best and right now, you're not. Riley was just puking up enough blood to fill a swimming pool. Is it Pan?"

"This isn't Pan's doing. We've been feeling ill because of the merge."

"The what?"

Sebastian explained that after the covens fled to the land without magic, their close bonds were severed and replaced with distrust. Each of the covens split off into their own territories and, wanting to be the most powerful, began to force a merging ritual among the families. It was tradition that only twins, on their seventh birthday, would participate in the ritual, having to duel each other until one was the victor. It was essentially a fight to the death, with the victorious twin absorbing the other twin's magic. The council enforced the ritual out of fear that twins were too dangerous, especially together, and the covens were fearful of any shifts in power. In some families, all of the children participated in the ritual once the youngest turned seven despite any wide age differences. It was not set in stone that the ritual needed to be completed by the youngest child's seventh birthday but the council kept a close eye on any who postponed it, giving the siblings until the youngest turned twenty one to finish the merge.

"But Riley and Seth are twins and they're alive."

"I swear these protectors get dumber every time," Seth muttered to Riley.

Sebastian nodded. "We managed to avoid it the first time due to some extenuating circumstances. Our father wanted all of us to go through the merge and then he planned to absorb the magic of the victor. You can imagine why we've been avoiding it all these years. The illness is a reminder from the council that the merge is getting closer."

"And what happens if you don't complete this merge?" asked Regina, curiously.

"I'm not sure. We've never met anyone who actually avoided it past their twenty first birthday. There were plenty of rumors but from what we've heard, all of them ended up dead or missing. All we know is that there are consequences. Riley heard of a crystal hidden somewhere here. If we find it, we can channel its power and possibly override the merge. We have four days left and each day closer, the symptoms worsen until we have very little control of our magic and the only option is to go through it."

"Time stands still on this island. Surely that buys you time," said Hook.

Riley shook her head, wiping blood from her chin. "They don't care how time passes in other lands. People have tried that in the past. The council bases it off how time moves in the land they consider home. It doesn't matter where we are."

"But we won't let that deter us from helping you find Henry. We'll be fine. Along the way, we can search for the crystal."

"Or we just do a locater spell now to find it," said Riley.

As she reached for Seth's hand to link their magic, he held his hand out of reach, looking very uncomfortable. "I think we should focus on Henry and finding the camp. Four days is plenty of time."

Riley eyed him suspiciously while Hook proposed that they search for one of Pan's allies, a fairy who lived on the island. Seth was intrigued by the idea that she may have some pixie dust, which was like fairy dust on steroids and extremely powerful. Both Regina and Sebastian bristled at the mention of the fairy's name, Tinker Bell. She suspected that Regina had some sort of awful history with the fairy but her brother's reaction was strange. As Hook led them down another path, Riley tugged on the back of Sebastian's shirt.

"Why did you make that face?"

"I didn't make any faces. We should keep up with the others. We don't want—"

"You know this fairy? What, did you two get a little intimate?"

"It wasn't like that. I—yes, I do know Tink."

"Tink, huh?"

"The problem isn't that I know her. It's who she knows me as…and if she mentions it, the merge will be the least of our worries."

"Then make sure she doesn't. You better handle it before I have to and I won't be as gentle as you."

"I'll take care of it. Do you believe me about Seth now?"

"There could be a million reasons why he didn't want to link with us and risk that we'd see some of his memories. It doesn't mean that he's working for them, Bash. I trust him."

They walked along the path to catch up with the others, hearing Regina advocate against finding Tinker Bell. She was insistent that it was a waste of time and that their focus needed to be on rescuing Henry. Riley contemplated casting a spell to silence her to give them all a few minutes of peace. Passing by a large boulder, she stumbled, feeling a sharp pain in the side of her head like a hammer banging on her skull. She leaned against the boulder, panting heavily. Thousands of images rapidly flashed through her mind and she glanced around her surroundings in confusion.

"Where am I?" she whispered.

Soft whispers filled her head, making it impossible for her to think clearly. "Stop talking. I can't—I don't know. Just stop."

"Feeling ill again, love? You're falling behind."

A dark-haired man, holding a lantern, walked towards her. Judging by his attire, he was a pirate. His silver hook, in place of his left hand, shined in the darkness.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Renato?"

"What did you call me?"

He looked at her, strangely. "Are you alright?"

"Why did you call me—shut up. I don't know what you're—no, I'm not talking to you. It's in my head. They keep talking. I don't know who—I can't make them stop. Where am I?"

"We're in Neverland. Perhaps I should get your—"

"W—what? No. I can't be—I'm not supposed to be here. If I'm here, he knows about—are you helping him? Where is he?"

"Calm down. I'm going to get your brothers, Renato."

"Why do you keep calling me that? Where is he? Please tell me he didn't—"

Her trembling hand rested on her stomach. "I don't feel anything. Why don't I—where is she?"

She backed away from the man as he reached for her arm, telling her to stay calm. Tears trickled down her face.

"S—she's gone.W—where did he…where is she? I can still save—I have to…she's all I have left to remember him. This is all my fault," she said, her voice cracking.

"Renato, come with me and I can help you."

"Stop calling me that! My name's—he knew she wasn't his and—please stop talking. I don't know what you w—I need to find her. I can't—"

She was cut off by a smack across the face. "I apologize for that. How do you f—"

Riley punched him, causing him to stumble backwards, and threw him a harsh glare. Hook rubbed his cheek, which was slowly turning bright red.

"I see you're back to yourself, Renato."

"If you smack me again, I'll do more than throw a punch."

"You were hysterical. Seems a quick smack brought you back to your senses. A proper thank you would suffice."

"No."

"Of course not. It would mean you had any manners. I suppose it was another symptom of this impending merge. You experienced memory loss and thought you were hearing voices in your head. You kept mentioning that you lost someone…that you needed to find her. Who were you talking about?"

Her body stiffened at his words. "Nothing. One of the symptoms is just going crazy."

"You're lying. Perhaps your brothers would know more about it. I could talk to them about what happened after I mention that there is no crystal."

Riley slammed him against a nearby tree, her arm pressing on his throat. She waited until the others were further down the path and she could no longer hear their voices.

"You must be part cat because the only reason you'd risk me ripping out your heart is if you had an extra eight lives. You are treading in very dangerous waters."

"Then I'm correct. There is no crystal on the island. Why give your brothers false hope?"

"It's not—fine, you're right. I made up that story because the truth is that the only outcome is me being the victor."

"Such confidence in yourself."

"I'm serious. My brothers will never beat me in the merge and all three of us know it."

"Then why not tell them the truth? Find another way to save ourselves."

"I already have but your big mouth might ruin it. That's what the daggers are for, you idiot. If they're daggered when the day comes, the council can't do anything about it. I'll be the last one standing."

"What about your eldest brother? Is that why you went off to New York? To dagger him as well?"

"Just keep your mouth shut or you won't make it off this island alive. You've had so much progress in getting the others to trust you even a little bit but I can shatter all of that if I tell them that you knew about David from the beginning."

"What of him?"

"Don't play dumb, Hook. Seth and I could smell it from a mile away and I'm sure Sebastian would've noticed it too if he wasn't so busy charming Emma. You know the symptoms of dreamshade poisoning. He looks like a horse on its last legs. I'd give him a week at most before the poison takes his life. I have an even better idea. When he dies, I could pin it on you and say that I saw you stab him with your hook dipped in the poison…just like you did to the Dark One. If you don't want that, you won't say a word to my brothers. I should just compel you to forget about it to save myself the trouble."

"I've spent enough time around people with magical abilities to know how to combat compulsion, Renato. Ever since my encounter with the Dark One, I've sipped nightshade three times a day. It's an acquired taste but by now, it's like sipping water. Your compulsion won't affect me."

"Look who's resourceful. I may not be able to compel you easily but I can still hold David's little secret over your head. Keep your mouth shut. Oh and stop staring at my ass. You don't have that privilege yet," she said, releasing her grip on his throat.

As she walked down the path, she noticed his lips twist into a tiny smirk out of the corner of her eye. Regina was, once again, advocating for using magic to sneak into Pan's camp. She suggested that by combining the magic of her, Emma, Riley, Sebastian, and Seth, they could remove any enchantments surrounding the camp and overpower Pan himself. Emma argued that it was a terrible idea, considering Riley and her brothers were not at their best and Riley was not supposed to cast big, powerful spells.

"I'm not even considering her plan. We're not using magic…not when it can put all of us, especially you, at risk," Emma assured her as Regina continued down the path with Mary Margaret and Hook.

"How considerate."

"You okay? You and Hook were gone for a while."

"I got sick again. That's all."

"Are you sure? Do you need time to—"

"I said I'm fine."

"Look, I know you must be nervous about this merge thing. It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me but I promise that we'll get Henry and that crystal before your birthday. I just…maybe Seth should be kept somewhere safe."

"Seth isn't a problem. How about you focus on finding your son instead of trying to imprison one of my brothers while you make googly eyes at the other one?"

"Googly eyes? I'm not—there is nothing going on between me and Sebastian, trust me."

Hook led them to a tree house in the middle of the jungle, with Regina choosing to return to the camp for, according to Emma, 'personal reasons'. Riley found it strange that there was a ladder into the tree house, considering that fairies had wings. The tree house was mostly empty, except for a hammock, a blanket, an unlit lantern, and several empty bowls. Searching for any sign of Tinker Bell or her whereabouts, Riley was relieved that there was no trace of pixie dust, knowing that it could unravel her entire plan. David picked up a dirty handkerchief that belonged to Regina and they realized that Tinker Bell had been following them in the jungle. Sebastian cast a simple locater spell on the handkerchief, making it float in midair and out of the tree house. The floating handkerchief brought them to a nearby cavern where a blonde girl in her early twenties, dressed in tattered clothes, was wiping dirt from her hands. Seeing Emma, David, and Mary Margaret with their weapons out, she held up her hands defensively. Regina left the cave, insisting that she was unharmed.

"She's okay. She's not going to hurt us. Just stand down."

"But is she going to help us?" asked Hook, casually leaning his sword on his shoulder.

"Well, look who the queen dragged in. Hello, Hook."

He lowered his sword. "Lady Bell."

Riley rolled her eyes at the shared looks between them and his pathetic attempt at getting her help with the rescue mission. With the others distracted, she kicked the back of Sebastian's leg. He quietly flicked his wrist and gave her a very subtle nod. Regina confessed that Tinker Bell no longer had her magic or any pixie dust and though she seemed useless, Mary Margaret offered her a home in Storybrooke in exchange for aiding them with sneaking into Pan's camp. Tinker Bell's eyes lit up as she spotted Sebastian hanging towards the back of the group. Riley was taken aback by her tackling him in a hug.

"Sebastian? I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"What the hell is going on?" Seth whispered in her ear.

"Just play along. I don't know the whole story either."

Emma was equally curious about this joyous reunion. Sebastian lied that he had met Tinker Bell once before, not going into much detail. Seemingly swayed by just his presence, she agreed to assist them with entering Pan's camp, warning them that they had one chance to retrieve Henry. Returning to the camp, they gathered more firewood and food for the night. Hook pierced a hole into the top of a coconut with his hook and handed it to her.

"Where's Seth?" she asked, taking a sip.

"He left to get some water. We were running low."

"My brother offered to do actual work? Doubt it. I'm going to go look for him."

"Alone? Is that wise?"

"He's probably just wrestling with a wolf before tearing out its throat."

Riley left the camp in search of her brother. It seemed like she had been walking for hours before she stumbled upon him in a small clearing, bending down behind a boulder. Hearing him speak in soft whispers, she peeked around a tree to catch a glimpse of who else was in the clearing. Her nails dug deeply into the trunk as she recognized the king cobra at his side. He hissed at the snake in varying tones and lengths. Sneaking up behind Seth, she snapped his neck. The cobra let out a series of violent hisses, baring its fangs.

"Stand down. I'm afraid you won't be returning to your master," she said, letting her eyes shine beneath the contacts.

Riley stabbed the cobra with a sharp tree branch. Grabbing Seth by his shirt collar, she dragged him back towards the camp. She waved her hand in a circular motion and when she stepped into the camp, she found the others fast asleep on the ground. With another flick of her wrist, Seth was restrained by his wrists between two trees. She spent the rest of the night snapping his neck whenever his head began to move and by the next morning, she had snapped his neck thirty times. Emma was the first to wake from the sleeping curse, rubbing the side of her head.

"My h—Riley?"

The others awoke minutes after her, lightheaded from the curse but all of their attention was on the unconscious Seth. "You were right, Bash. He's been lying. I caught him."

"Caught him doing what? Riley, let's just talk," said Emma, warily.

Riley jammed the blunt end of the log into Seth's chest. His eyes popped open and he wheezed quietly, sweat dripping down the side of his head.

"What the hell? Why do I feel like I was hit by a truck?"

"Because I've been snapping your neck all night, cupcake. Want to talk about your new buddy?"

"I uh don't know what you mean. I was getting water."

"Let's not play dumb. It wasn't the first time you were talking. You two seemed pretty friendly. Maybe seeing him will jog your memory," she said, conjuring a plastic bag containing the dead cobra.

"A snake? Has all that blood loss made you lose your mind?" asked Regina.

Recognizing the snake, Sebastian turned towards Seth. "Tell me you've been under compulsion. I can't imagine that you'd purposely be this foolish."

"It's not what you think. Tell her to put the log down before she knocks my head off."

"You're right. I am going to slice your head right off, then put it on the end of this log, and leave it on the doorstep of your new friend. Better yet, why don't I just shove it straight up your traitorous ass?"

"I'm not—would you just hear me out? I had someone working at the club to tell me what they were doing. You were wrong about why Marcus was taking Gale's magic when you were in New York. It wasn't for him. My contact followed Marcus to a bar and eavesdropped on a meeting between him and Seffie. They've been gathering magic for almost a year now…mostly from the weaker covens because they can't put up as much of a fight but they needed something stronger."

"Are you talking about Pan?" asked Emma, confused.

"No. The pathetic, demoted gods," said Riley, still not trusting Seth's story.

"Gods? What, like Olympus? Are you kidding?"

Riley explained that the covens and Greek gods shared a complicated history that predated their journey to the land without magic. The rivalry began after their first ancestors were given magic by the fairies. Over the years, the different bloodlines became as revered as the gods themselves but were seen as far more benevolent, offering to share their teachings with those who were not born with magic. There were rumors that some of the gods had a hand in the siege against the covens back in the Enchanted Forest and when the covens fled, the council and Zeus worked to maintain peace. It was a struggle due to the covens expanding their power even more in the new land, where magic was seen as merely fantasy and it was not difficult to convince someone to join their ranks. The gods retaliated out of anger and it led to decades of violence and bloodshed on both sides.

A truce was eventually formed and the gods that were part of the uprising were given the punishment of being sent to the land without magic, severely weakened. Some of the gods, like Gale, were framed by those who wanted to avoid such a punishment, one where they were inferior to the covens. Ever since they arrived in the land without magic, they attempted to stage another uprising to take the power back from the covens and eventually return to their homes but they were always thwarted by the covens. Their abilities were weakened enough that Emma herself could hold her own against them for a few hours and against the covens, it was like a rabbit fighting a tiger. According to Seth, Marcus's deal was to give them all of Emma's magic in exchange for a way to ensure his victory in the merge.

"After Riley kicked his ass, the deal fell through so I stepped up in his place."

"You came here to steal Emma's magic?" asked David, taking out his sword.

Seth rolled his eyes. "No. They heard the stories about her being this amazing savior and thought her magic would be enough to tip the fight in their favor but judging by what I've seen, she doesn't live up to the name. I convinced them that she was useless. They were desperate so I offered someone else. I told them...I said that I'd get Riley's magic."

As Riley raised the log in anger, she was restrained by two hands. Sebastian grabbed the log from her, tossing it into the fire. She was surprised to see Hook on her left, his fingers wrapped around her forearm.

"Let me go. He told me because he wants to rip off his head."

"Riley, calm down."

"Calm down? Bash, he was planning on taking my magic."

"I was in the middle of—"

"You're in the middle of getting your head shoved so far up your ass that you'll be eating your underwear."

"I only offered you because I knew it would get me on their good side. It was all a trick."

"Oh, I'm sure. Is this you being honest? I can play this game too. You never killed Elena. I had one of your idiots grab her and she came with me to Storybrooke. I messed with her so badly that she practically begged me to kill her myself. You can ask Hook. He saw her."

"What?" chorused Mary Margaret, David, and Emma.

Hook's eyes were shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose. With a snarl, Seth sped towards her, knocking both him and Sebastian aside and pinning her against a tree.

"I don't give a damn about her! I've been doing this for you! Despite what everyone thinks, I do care. You're my sister! Why do you think I even bothered with her? I told her about New Orleans on purpose because I knew that you would hate her so much and drive her away…right to The Underground. I wanted them to let him out as a distraction. I was going to kill him for good, hoping that would be enough to scare them off or at least scare you know who. I needed a backup plan and I'm sure you saw the burning manor so you know about that failure. There was an emerald in the manor and I wanted to channel its power to get rid of him myself. You keep saying that you'll have no trouble doing it but maybe I don't want you to do it because if one of us has to be the fucked up one in the family, I'd rather it was me. I was going to take your magic and then double-cross them right away, taking all that magic to end this stupid merge and finally get some damn peace for this family. There we go. Aren't I such a terrible person?"

"If those were your intentions, why keep them secret?" asked Sebastian.

"As if you, Mr. Honorable, would agree with any part of that plan. If Riley was with us, I would have been honest because she at least understands that sometimes, you need to be willing to get your hands dirty. Compared to you, it's no wonder that I'm seen as the bad guy."

"Seth—"

He vanished from the camp in a wisp of green smoke. Sebastian chased after him, knowing Seth in a bad mood was one short step away from something terrible. With the impending merge, his temper was ten times worse, making him much more dangerous.

"You kidnapped someone and brought them to Storybrooke?" said David.

"I'm not in the mood for one of your lectures."

"Yea well, you're going to hear it. What about you? You said that you never met her before New York. That was obviously a lie since you were in her room. What, have you two been secret buddies all this time? Did she know you were planning on killing Gold?" Emma asked Hook.

Hook sighed. "Yes but I'm to blame, Swan. When your parents forced her to join them in their search for Cora, I recognized her from the Enchanted Forest and I returned to her room while the giant was attacking the town. I spotted the girl and I blackmailed Renato into assisting me with finding the Dark One. I was the one who harmed her, not some stranger outside the town line. She healed the Dark One despite my threats," he replied, telling a partial lie.

Riley was suspicious of him taking the blame for the plan to murder Gold in New York. She assumed it was his backhanded way of forcing her to be in his debt and in the future, she would owe him a favor.

David crossed his arms. "Be that as it may, you didn't force her to kidnap an innocent girl."

"Innocent? Hardly. I know you're expecting me to apologize but I won't because it doesn't matter. I could apologize a million times. I could bring her back from the dead. I could save your entire stupid town from utter destruction and you would still treat me like some evil, manipulative bitch. Let's be honest. We are never going to get along because you are the exact person that I will always hate."

"And what kind of person is that?"

"A hypocritical prat who sees the world in black and white. You think everyone is either a so-called hero like you or a villain…that there is no in between. You act as though you and your precious wife have never done anything wrong in your entire lives and somehow, it gives you the right to judge others. Newsflash, Charming? Your opinion means nothing. Oh boo hoo, you've been through such hardship. If you had to step outside Storybrooke, you wouldn't last a minute because in the real world, everyone is dealing with actual problems. Some of us didn't have the luxury of being in a coma for twenty eight years. While you were lying in a hospital bed, I was trying to not get killed so forgive me if I don't feel the need to fit into your standards of what makes a good person. It doesn't matter what you think. I am a good person. I'm also a huge bitch and I love it because if I wasn't, I'd be like you and I would've died a long time ago. If you have a problem with my methods, fine but it's not like I claim to be a saint. I know that sometimes, you need to do some questionable things to get results…the ends justify the means. I'm not going to apologize for what I did to Elena because I'm not sorry. She deserved what she got for screwing with me and my family."

Riley stormed out of the camp to find her brothers. Sebastian was standing near a cliff about a mile away from the camp, peering over the edge. On the other side of the cliff, Seth was pacing around the sandy shore, muttering to himself.

"This is my fault. If I didn't put the idea in your head, you never would've believed that he was betraying us."

"Bash, I still would've been suspicious when I saw him speaking to that snake. Worrying about the merge is messing with our heads. We're all not thinking clearly. Besides, he's right. You never would've agreed with his plans."

Seth reappeared at the edge of the cliff, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He stared at the bottom of his sneakers, seemingly avoiding any eye contact with either of his siblings. Riley pushed his shoulder lightly.

"Stop with the moping. We're not mad at you, Seth. Your plan had a lot of problems but you had good intentions."

"Yes. Once we find that crystal, we won't need to lower ourselves to working with such people and I think it is best that Father stays where he is," said Sebastian.

"Agreed."

"After we deal with the merge, we will travel there together to ensure no one can release him. For now, we need to focus on getting Henry back."

She stopped Seth from following Sebastian back to the camp. "What did trying to drown Emma have to do with this plan of yours?"

"Nothing. I don't see why the council gave her the job and I think I'd be better at it."

"Just having the title of my protector doesn't mean anything. I know you have my back. For now, leave her alone. She's got enough problems with Pan kidnapping her son."

"Fine. Then I've got a better plan. We use the power from the crystal to take down the council so you don't need to be stuck in that lame town anymore and we can go wherever we want."

"Sure."

At the camp, Emma was discussing their latest plan to rescue Henry, with assistance from Tinker Bell. She used rocks and twigs to simulate Pan's camp and pointed to various spots with a thin stick. Their plan was to sneak in through the back while Tinker Bell distracted the guards. Tinker Bell reminded them that there was a possibility of running into other Lost Boys, besides the guards, and that their weapons were dipped in dreamshade. David became very jumpy at the mere mention of the poison. Though Tinker Bell was already prepared to execute the plan, she was curious about their exit strategy. The others seemed to have traveled to the island without any thought of how to escape after rescuing Henry. She showed them Tamara's watch, claiming that Pan had killed both of them and if Pan was that ruthless with those under his employ, he would be far worse with his enemies.

Refusing to help them until they had a solid escape plan, she left the camp. David questioned how Hook managed to leave Neverland several years before Regina cast her curse. He admitted that he received magic from Pan to create a portal after a deal was made between them.

"And you two? How did you get here without a magic bean?" Regina asked, looking at Sebastian and Seth.

"The covens have their own ways of traveling between realms. We don't always need a bean but in our current state, it's unlikely that we'd have enough strength to create a portal back. We would need to find that crystal first," replied Sebastian.

"What about Gale? He could probably open up a portal," said Seth.

Riley shook her head. "He's still recovering from what happened with that siren. Besides, he's not going to risk it with all this uprising business. Helping us would be like a death sentence."

Hook suggested that Neal, who was the only one to ever leave the island without Pan's permission, could have left a clue to his escape. Though Seth wanted to split up, between finding a way off the island and locating the crystal, Sebastian insisted that they all stick together, their main priority being Henry. As Hook led them through the dark jungle, Riley heard a soft rustling in the trees. She hunched over, pretending to feel ill, and disappeared behind the trees, where Felix was waiting for her.

"Pan wanted me to tell you that he hid the crystal at a cave on the Spiral Islands in the southeast corner. He made sure it looked very real."

"I hope it does because if my brothers suspect any trickery, I will come after every Lost Boy, starting with your pretty blonde head."

"As long as you keep up your end of the deal, the crystal will remain there."

"Do they look any closer to finding Henry? They're too busy trying to find a way off the island. Tell him he doesn't have to worry. I'm curious what makes Henry so special though."

"That is Pan's business. Keep them far away from the camp."

Riley returned to the path. Seth and Sebastian looked genuinely sick, panting heavily and wiping sweat from their foreheads. She gripped their wrists, absorbing some of their pain, despite their protests. The others were standing in front of a sealed cave covered in thick vines.

"If someone would be kind enough to lend me a hand. What do you say, Renato?"

"I'll do it," insisted David.

Together, they tugged on a rope hanging from the side of the cave, lifting up the stone door. One by one, they entered the dimly lit cave. There did not seem to be anything of value and as Hook struggled to light a torch by striking flint against his hook, David used a lighter from his pocket. The fire from the torch illuminated the inside of the cave, revealing several drawings etched onto the walls and various items like bowls and wooden chests. Hook explained that during Neal's time in Neverland, he lived in the cave and they began to search the cave for any clues among his old belongings. Seth tossed aside a piece of rope fashioned from vines.

"This is stupid. We should be looking for the crystal. Bash won't like it if we both leave so let me go off on my own," he whispered.

"I don't want you alone, especially when you're not feeling that well."

"I'll be fine. Come on, one quick locater spell and I'll do the rest."

Linking together by holding hands, they cast a silent locater spell. An image of a cave and its surroundings flashed through their minds.

"It's in a cave off the southern tip. It shouldn't take more than a couple days to get it and come back."

"Don't use too much magic. Pan knows how powerful those crystals are and he wouldn't want anyone to get their hands on it."

"I'll be careful. If I run into any trouble, I'll send you a message."

Giving her a quick peck on the cheek, he sneaked out of the cave. Riley walked towards Emma, Sebastian, and Hook, who were all observing a series of drawings on the back wall. Sebastian immediately noticed Seth's absence.

"Tell me you did not let Seth leave."

"He was getting annoyed. It's better to occupy him. When he finds the crystal, he'll come back."

"If you wanted to find it sooner, I could've gone. He shouldn't be alone, Riley."

"Maybe you should stop treating us both like children. Seth knows how to control his…urges."

For a moment, he clenched his left hand. "You okay?" asked Emma, concerned.

"Yes. It's just another symptom. I'll be back," he said, leaving the cave with his hand still clenched tightly.

Riley glanced at a drawing of a clock tower. "This is pointless. I'd rather take my chances with asking a favor from those idiots at The Underground. Take one for the team, Emma. They both like blondes."

"Funny. There could be something we're missing. I didn't even know he liked to draw," said Emma.

"He got it from his mother," replied Hook, looking pained by just the memory of his old love.

Emma picked up from a candle from one of the crates, using it to get a better look at the drawings. Losing hope that the cave contained any useful clues, Hook deemed the drawings to be nothing more than a way to pass time on the island. Feeling slightly dizzy, Riley sat down on the ground, leaning her head against the wall. Emma bent down beside her.

"You okay? Do you need water or anything?"

"I'm not dehydrated. It's my magic."

"Well, you can absorb it from other people, right? Maybe if you take some of mine—"

Riley tried to ignore the pounding sensation in her head. "It's like stealing magic from a baby. It won't do anything."

"I'll stay with her until her brother returns, Swan. Keep searching the cave," said Hook.

As Emma walked over to her parents, who were inspecting a pile of cups and bowls, Hook held out his flask. "You think rum is going to make me feel better?"

"Doesn't hurt, Renato. It is quite strong so I would—"

Riley downed the contents of the flask in one sip. "Be careful," he finished, looking impressed.

The flask magically refilled itself with rum. "Convenient."

"I won it in a pub shortly before the curse."

"You need something stronger like Everclear."

"Never heard of it. You'll have to give me some to try when we return to Storybrooke."

"I buy you a drink? Look who's being all progressive."

Among the cups and bowls, David found a coconut filled with holes. After Emma had Hook snuff out the torch, she placed the hole-filled coconut over the candle, creating a star map on the ceiling. Hook had taught Neal how to navigate the stars during his time aboard the Jolly Roger. The only problem was that the map was hidden in code that only Neal could decipher, leaving them nowhere closer to a way back to Storybrooke. Emma, clearly distraught, left the cave, Mary Margaret and David following after her.

"There has to be some way for you to read that map," Regina said to Hook, frustrated.

"Afraid not."

"Then this trip was a waste."

As they bickered back and forth, the pain in Riley's head worsened. She lifted herself up from the ground and found the cave completely empty, the voices of Hook and Regina fading until there was nothing but silence.

"There is one upside to you feeling sick. It makes you vulnerable enough that we get a chance to talk," she heard.

A dark-haired boy, not much older than her and dressed in dark jeans, a henley, and a leather jacket, entered the cave. Her heart seemed to leap from her chest and she gripped her leather bracelet so tightly that it nearly tore in half. He disappeared in a wisp of silver smoke and reappeared in front of her, his hand cupping her cheek.

"I'm not really here. You know that banned me from ever visiting the island again. Seems he still holds a nasty grudge. It doesn't mean I can't visit you. I can make this feel real, if you like."

"I want you gone."

"That's not true. Everyone misses you back home. Stop this foolishness. All this death and fighting can end. I know you miss me."

"You're an idiot."

"I can make all this pain stop. Tell me you miss me and I'll stop this ridiculous merging ritual. I'll even get rid of the council. I can ensure that no one ever tries to hurt you again."

"I'd rather die a hundred times than ever beg for your help. I'm not going to stop until you're rotting in the ground."

The boy chuckled softly. "You couldn't do it all those years ago. What makes this time any different? You can say that you despise me and wish me dead all you want but you'll never go through with it because deep down, you love me and you know that we are meant to be together. It may take a hundred lifetimes for you to accept the truth, my little dove, and until then, I'll keep our home waiting for you."

His lips brushed against her cheek and in a split second, he vanished from the cave…

~Killian~

Tensions were running high back at the camp. With the star map only decipherable by Baelfire, it seemed that there was no possible escape from the island without some sort of portal. Regina suggested that Riley and her brothers could create a portal themselves once they channeled the magic within the crystal hidden on the island but Killian began to wonder if they would survive another day, particularly Riley. She was suffering the worst from these symptoms of the impending merging ritual and according to Sebastian, it was due to her having to suppress all of her magic most of the time to protect herself from the malevolent force that was after her. Unlike others with magical abilities, she could not use magic whenever she wished and the buildup was causing the symptoms to manifest much more quickly within her body.

One moment, she had been a silent observer to his and Regina's bickering in the cave and the next, she was panicking and mumbling to herself. It reminded Killian of when she experienced temporary memory loss and the only solution was Sebastian placing her under a sleeping curse. He decided that it was best to wait for to sleep until the symptoms subsided, which they expected to only be a few hours, but by the following morning, she remained asleep on her makeshift bed.

Heading back to the camp to set up a trap for the Lost Boys, they found Sebastian speaking to Riley, who was now awake but there was something off about her. Her eyes no longer held their fiery sparkle and she was quite withdrawn, not saying a single word and avoiding her brother's gaze. She sat down on the ground, pulling her knees to her chest.

"Hey, look who's aw—"

Sebastian silently shook his head at Emma. "What's wrong? Shouldn't she be feeling better?" she whispered.

"She is but she…needs a little time. These symptoms get progressively worse and the merge is only two days away. The hallucinations cause more damage mentally and it's not easy to recover from, Emma. You don't choose what you see. She just needs quiet to gather her thoughts."

"Hallucinations? Like what?"

"Fears, past memories…"

"But she'll be okay?"

"Yes. As I said, give her time. Did you find anything else in the cave?"

"Nothing that could help us read that map but Mary Margaret has a plan to get a message to Henry."

Their plan was to trap one of the Lost Boys and use him to give a message to Henry as a sign of hope. Killian highly doubted that any boy would betray Pan, knowing that they were extremely loyal to him. As the women fashioned ropes out of vines, he drank from his flask, sneaking glances every so often at Riley. She had not moved once since their return, simply staring out into the jungle. David forced him to join in gathering more vines for the ropes. He ripped vines down from the surrounding trees.

"What would you like to yell at me about now, Dave?"

"You should be focusing on helping us get Henry, not on how you're going to get Riley in your bed. You think I haven't noticed how you constantly look at her?"

"You're imagining things, mate. Even if I were, she's made it quite clear that she can take care of herself and she doesn't need your parenting. It almost sounds as if you care about the girl."

"Only because her life is tied to Emma's. If Riley gets hurt, it could cost Emma her life so I intend to keep both of them safe."

"Then the burden will soon be lifted off your shoulders."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're going to die in a day or so anyway."

"Nothing I can do about that but if I do die—"

"When?"

"It'll be in helping my family and that's something someone like you can never understand."

Killian watched him struggle to perform a task as simple as ripping out vines. Beads of sweat were dripping down his forehead and his breathing was getting shaky, a sign of the dreamshade getting closer to his heart. He contemplated whether to tell him about the possible cure on the island, though it had its fair share of risks. Even as he subtly brought it up, David reacted as he expected, thinking it was selfish to divert their attention away from rescuing Henry.

"But, of course, you would think that was the way to go."

His nostrils flared. "Bugger off. You think I'm being selfish? I'm risking my life for all of you, every moment I'm here aligned against him."

"Please, you're not here out of any nobility."

"Then why am I here?"

"I'm not sure but it's not for selfless reasons. Maybe it's because you thought that by rescuing Riley, she would want to repay you. She's dealing with enough at the moment. She doesn't need you to complicate matters. You're going to stay away from her. I'll see to that."

"It's a good thing you're going to die then."

David swung at him, staggering forward. Killian held him back and rested his unconscious body carefully on the ground. Placing an old, tattered leather patch beside him, he poured rum over his face. Once David was awake, they checked to see how far the poison had spread, discovering that it was inches away from his heart and he only had hours left before the poison took his life. Despite his ever nearing grim fate, he refused to tell the truth to his family. He spotted the patch on the ground and, wiping the dirt away, noted that it bore a military insignia.

"Jones. You know him?"

"Aye. He was my captain…and my brother."

Taking the patch, he told David about how he and his brother ventured to Neverland many years ago and the patch was lost during his brother's duel with Pan at the top of Dead Man's Peak. He mentioned that his brother's satchel contained a sextant, which could aid them in decoding Baelfire's star map. David proposed that, in his last few hours, they could retrieve the sextant to ensure their passage off the island, even if it was without him. The women were skeptical about the sextant, wondering why he never mentioned it when they were searching the cave.

"You were right. You need to get that message to Henry. Every day without hope is a day closer to becoming a Lost Boy. Your father and I should go," he told Swan.

"I'll join you," said Sebastian.

"Is that a good idea? What about Riley?" asked Swan, lowering her voice.

"She won't be much of a hassle. Perhaps this is a good time for you two to get along better."

"I don't think that's possible, Sebastian."

"Always good to try."

"What if she gets worse while you're gone?"

"I'll leave a vial of nightshade. It's very simple. Just pour two drops down her throat and it should inhibit her magic."

"That's simple?"

"Or put her under another sleeping curse. I trust that you can watch over her, Emma."

After David gave some heartfelt goodbyes to his wife and Swan, they headed towards Dead Man's Peak. Killian was curious why Sebastian was willing to leave Riley alone in her vulnerable state. He sensed that there was another reason for joining them on the journey, besides wanting to help with rescuing Henry. David was looking worse and worse as they ventured deeper into the jungle. He tried to distract himself by bringing up his own twin brother, who died before they ever met, and how he was very much like Killian. It did not take much thought for him to guess that Killian had lost his brother to dreamshade during their past journey to the island. In Killian's mind, he imagined David and Sebastian getting along with Liam, both tending to be all about honor and righteousness.

"It's very honorable what you're doing. One last adventure to help your family before your death," said Sebastian, cutting away at vines with a flick of his wrist.

"My what?" asked David, stopping dead in his tracks.

"I know about the dreamshade. My younger siblings may not be children anymore but they still act like it sometimes, including their penchant for gossiping. I overheard them talking about it on our way to find Tinker Bell. They were placing bets on when you would die and who would be around to see it. My apologies for their callousness."

"I'm not that surprised."

"I know what you think of them, particularly my sister. I don't condone how she treated Elena. The girl was far from innocent but it doesn't mean that she deserved her fate. Believe it or not, my sister was once the most compassionate of my siblings. She would never even hurt a fly."

"You're right. I wouldn't believe it. What changed?"

"I failed her and it left her broken beyond repair. I should've been there for her but my own cowardice won out. In my absence, she ensured that she would never feel that way again."

"She took out her own heart?" asked Killian, knowing many people in his past who made such a choice.

Sebastian shook his head. "It's there. It just doesn't work, so to speak. She turned everything off. She feels nothing."

"I don't understand," said David.

"My father's partially to blame. He beat it into our heads since we were able to walk and talk that feelings made us weak. Riley never listened to him but when she was in such a broken state, I suppose it's what she clung to most of all. I sometimes see glimpses of her beneath the surface and I've tried to make up for that mistake every day since but I fear that nothing can ever repair the damage. Seth says he doesn't mind it since she's more willing to agree with his more violent methods but even he misses her old self at times."

Reaching the base of the mountain, he offered to climb ahead and throw down the rope for them, aware that David, in his worsening condition, was unable to climb without assistance. He climbed halfway up the mountain and prepared to toss over the rope.

"Don't pull them up yet," he heard.

With a heavy sigh, he dropped the rope and turned around to face Pan, who was partially shrouded in the fog. He had been mentally preparing himself for a meeting between them ever since he arrived on the island. Their long history did not make them close friends but at times, they were allies. Working for Pan was sometimes the only way to ensure Killian's survival and that he would live to see the Dark One dead at his hand. Pan wanted them to be allies once more, like the old days, but Killian was not interested in doing him any favors, even if it allowed him to leave Neverland.

"What if I were to sweeten the deal? You can take someone with you. Riley, perhaps."

Killian gripped the flask inside his coat. "Why would that make me more inclined to work for you? You went through all that effort to bring her here and yet you'd be willing to let her leave?"

"You know me, Killian. If I really wanted her in Neverland, she never would've left my camp."

"If you never gave the order, then why would those under your employ take her to the island?"

"Something for you to think about, I suppose."

"Renato would never leave her brothers behind."

"She's done it plenty of times before. Besides, they're all simply avoiding the inevitable. Her brothers could harness the power of that crystal for themselves and it still wouldn't be enough. No matter what, Riley will be the last one standing, whether it is through the merge or by her own hand."

"The girl means nothing to me."

Pan chuckled. "How the tables have turned over time. If you knew as much as me, you'd see that life is full of irony and you would take that deal without hesitation. You'd consider it your second chance."

"At what?"

"I'll let you figure out that puzzle yourself. I'd be careful though, Killian. There are people outside this island who wouldn't want you to solve it."

As proof that Killian was accepting the deal, Pan wanted him to kill David before the poison reached his heart. He reminded Killian of a time when not listening to him had terrible consequences, including the loss of his own brother.

"I'd tell you to get rid of Sebastian as well but call it a favor to her that I'm giving her a bit more time with her dear brother. Finding that crystal won't solve all of their problems."

Pan vanished from the mountain, leaving Killian with the flask in his hand. Killian snapped out of his daze when he noticed David climbing over the side of the cliff. Sensing that David was suspicious that he was not alone, he told an effortless lie about an old habit of speaking to himself. Sebastian climbed up moments later, breathing heavily though each breath seemed to give him a great deal of pain. Killian grabbed his left hand, keeping him steady as he reached the top of the cliff.

"I apologize. If I'm slowing you down, you can go on ahead and I'll catch up."

"It's not your fault. Take your time, mate," said Killian, catching a glimpse of a black dot indented into the palm of his hand.

"Are you sure you're alright, Sebastian?" asked David.

Sebastian nodded. "Yes. The pain is passing."

"Then let's grab the sextant and get back to the camp. Maybe Seth is already back with the crystal."

David was in more of a rush to retrieve the sextant, thinking it would be his last act to save his family before his death. He hurried up the path to the top of the mountain, with Killian and Sebastian several steps behind him. Sebastian wiped a spot of blood under his nose.

"I can't imagine the pain you three must be enduring. Luckily, when your brother returns with the crystal, it will all be over."

"You can stop pretending. You've lived on this island a long time. If there was a crystal to find, you wouldn't have needed to make a deal with Pan to leave because those crystals can make portals themselves. I know my sister is lying."

"Then why send Seth to retrieve something that doesn't exist?"

"Despite his demeanor, my brother is very paranoid…constantly worrying that others are planning to stab him in the back, sometimes literally. If he knew the truth, it would not end well. I suppose she created a fake crystal."

"You're not angry with her? It was your only chance of avoiding the merge."

"She has something up her sleeve. If she isn't telling me this plan, I assume it's because she'll fear that I won't agree with it but all I care about is her safety. If that means that the merge must be done, then I will accept my death. Seth claims that he has a chance but even he knows that Riley will be the victor if we are forced to fight each other."

Killian's thoughts wandered to the dagger hidden inside his coat. Knowing that Riley likely possessed more than one, he wondered if using them was her way of avoiding the merge. She suggested that the daggers incapacitated her and her siblings and if her brothers were unable to fight, it stalled the merge. He refrained from mentioning the daggers, remembering that Riley called them a form of punishment by their father, and he did not want to risk Sebastian turning against her.

Reaching the top of the mountain, they cautiously walked past a massive thicket of dreamshade. Killian turned his head, only to have a sword pointing at his throat. David revealed that he had overheard the conversation with Pan while climbing up the side of the cliff. Sebastian attempted to diffuse the tension, assuring David that Killian had no intention of working with Pan. With only hours left to live, David's paranoia was getting the better of him, making him unwilling to listen to reason.

"He's telling the truth. He was never going to take the deal."

"You don't know that, Sebastian."

"This is what Pan does…he manipulates his enemies to take each other out without having to lift a finger."

"Well, it worked. He'll probably kill you after he finishes with me so you can't warn the others."

"Why would I need to do that when he's already dying?" said Killian.

"What is he talking about?" David asked Sebastian, who looked very tense.

"The mark on his hand. I've seen my fair share of it, even before my days as a pirate. He keeps clenching his hand because of the pain. He may survive the merge but the crystal may not be enough to stop the curse."

David lowered his sword. "Is he telling the truth? You're cursed?"

Sebastian clenched his left hand into a fist. "Yes. It wasn't Seth, if that's what you're thinking. I was cursed by the council after I saved them. After the incident that caused my siblings to go their separate ways, we were all in hiding and the council was very displeased for numerous reasons, such as avoiding the merge when Riley and Seth turned seven. I was found by the head of the council one day while I was gathering some herbs to heal a wound Seth had acquired from the incident. In exchange for keeping my father far away from us, the council wanted Riley and Seth to go through with the merge. They believed that they were far too dangerous, even as children. I swore that I would keep both of them under control. I was only twelve at the time so I never realized that it would be a difficult task. After I saved them, I was blamed for Seth's actions as well as Riley being in Neverland. The curse is my punishment."

"Seth is the one who attacked the council, not you, and Riley didn't come here by choice. She was kidnapped by—"

His eyes brimmed with tears. "They don't care about that. All they see is that I failed to live up to my promise. I don't know how much longer I have left. It could be weeks or days. I've wanted to tell my siblings ever since I arrived here but I don't want them to blame themselves. It's my burden to bear, not theirs. Only the council can lift the curse but they won't unless they get what they want."

"For you to complete this merge."

"More than that but I won't let them have it."

"There has to be a way to save you, Sebastian. When we get back to Storybrooke, we can look through Gold's shop. Maybe one of his spellbooks has a solution. First, we need to get that sextant."

Hearing Sebastian's predicament, Killian, with great guilt, confessed that he lied about the sextant and planted the leather strap to bring David to the mountain. David immediately assumed that it was all a ruse to kill him and swung at him angrily. He was knocked unconscious by a single punch. While Sebastian tended to him, Killian lifted his scarf up to his eyes and hacked through the dreamshade with his sword. He held out a leather pouch, filling it up to the brim with water from the spring inside the mountain.

Judging by his concerned expression, Sebastian was aware of the water's magical properties. With a flick of his wrist, he woke David up from his unconscious state. Killian explained that while the water would heal David of the poison, it came with a hefty price: never being able to leave the island. David was willing to make that sacrifice it meant saving his family. As he drank from the pouch, its effects were immediate.

"Why risk your life for me when there wasn't anything for you in return?"

"I didn't do it for you, mate," he replied with a subtle wink.

"We should head back to the camp. See if they made any progress in sending a message to Hen—Sebastian?"

Sebastian was further along the path, scooping up dirt from the ground. He blew softly on the dirt and as it struck the side of the mountain, cracks slowly formed in the shape of a door. The stone crumbled, creating a passageway.

"I'll admit that I had my own reasons for coming here."

"What are you doing?" asked David, confused.

Instead of giving an answer, Sebastian stepped inside the mountain. Killian and David followed after him, both concerned that another symptom of avoiding this merge was madness. The inside of the mountain was bare and there seemed to be nothing of interest, unless he had a fascination with rocks. Sebastian barely fit his arm through a small hole in the wall. The mountain suddenly began to shake as dozens of hands, mangled and stained with blood, burst out of the ground.

"We need to leave," said Killian.

"Not yet. This is important."

"More important than your life?"

Men, though they looked more like corpses, rose from the ground, dressed in armor and holding swords. One thing they shared in common, besides their deathly appearance, was a tattoo on their left wrists, similar to Sebastian's down to the last detail. As the men advanced towards them, speaking in a strange language, the walls began to move closer, sealing the passageway. Killian and David fought with the men, who appeared to be highly skilled knights in their old lives. Their fighting style was quite different from what he encountered in the Enchanted Forest but he had seen it once before, shortly before he became a pirate. No matter if they lost a limb or had a sword pierce their chests, the men continued to fight as though they were protected by some kind of magic. With the passageway sealed, Killian searched for another way out of the mountain. He cut through two of the knights and began to pull out loose rocks from the wall, the only problem being that the walls themselves had not stopped inching closer.

Sebastian grabbed an object from the wall, placing it in his pocket. One of the knights raised his sword, preparing to slice off his head.

"Mate, look out!"

Killian swung his sword, slicing off the knight's arm, and kicked him to the ground. Sebastian looked around at the undead knights fighting against David, as if he just realized what was happening inside the mountain.

"How are they—that's not possible," he whispered.

"Any idea how to get us out of here?" asked David, blocking a series of attacks.

A split second later, they found themselves in the jungle, not far from the camp. "I—I'm sorry. I didn't realize…that shouldn't have happened."

"You knew those men were in there?"

"Yes. They are knights who perished on the island but—if I knew what was happening, I would've helped you sooner."

"How could you not see them?"

"I was concentrating on my spell. I apologize."

"Why were you even in there, Sebastian?"

"Just as you were willing to get the sextant as one last act to help your family, I wanted to do the same. I wanted to help my sister. It doesn't matter. Once we left the mountain, those men disappeared as well."

Returning to the camp, David wasted no time in reuniting with his wife, though their overt affection was slightly uncomfortable. He claimed that Killian had saved his and Sebastian's lives from a few Lost Boys who ambushed them in the jungle. The women were led to believe that Pan had stolen the sextant instead of learning the truth behind their journey to the mountain. He gave a toast to Killian, taking a sip from his rum with a grimace and passing the flask to the others.

"Where's Riley?" asked Sebastian, reaching into his pocket.

Swan and Snow shared an awkward glance. "Well, the good news is that she moved from that spot and she started talking again. Bad news is she hasn't been moved from her new spot by this puddle and she just keeps staring into the water. I tried talking to her but all I got was her flipping me off and calling me a bunch of things that I'm pretty sure were insults."

"I assumed she was using something similar to mirror magic but she's cloaked it so we can't see what she sees," said Regina.

"Maybe she'll talk to you. Just some advice? Don't get too close or she'll chuck a rock at your head."

Riley was kneeling down beside a puddle at the edge of the camp. Sebastian walked towards her and as he peered into the water, the grin was wiped from his face. Grabbing her arm, he dragged her into the jungle. Killian entered the jungle, pretending to get more firewood, and found Riley by herself in a small clearing, holding a silver chained necklace with a dove-shaped pendant. In place of the dove's eyes were dark red gemstones. The mere sight of the necklace had changed her demeanor in an instant, with the twinkle in her eyes shining brighter than ever before and a very rare smile.

"And here I thought I would find you receiving a stern lecture from your brother."

"You missed it. He left to check if Seth found the crystal yet."

"I suppose he gave that to you as well. I almost lost my life for a little trinket?" he asked, considering the idea of sending Sebastian back to the mountain to face those knights.

She placed the necklace around her neck, the eyes of the dove shimmering in the light. "He told me about that. Better be careful. Some might think that you're a hero."

"Is that a problem?"

"Well, you do have a fearsome reputation to uphold."

He lifted the pendant, noting an inscription on the dove's wing. "Karina. That's a lovely name. Was she your mother? Sister?"

"No. She's just someone else that I lost a long time ago. David's not dying from dreamshade anymore. Why did you save him? There was nothing in it for you."

"If I recall, you did threaten to pin his death on me. You've lost that leverage and yet I still haven't told your brother that there is no crystal on this island or that you possess those daggers. Perhaps now you'll see that you can trust me without needing to resort to blackmail."

"I'll think about it."

"You know, I would expect some sort of gratitude from most people for saving their loved ones but seeing how stubborn you can be, I don't—"

Killian was taken aback by her arms wrapping around his neck in an embrace. Before he could fully grasp what was happening, she vanished from the clearing. His fingers brushed against the spot where her hands had been moments ago and for a second, he thought he could smell the vanilla scent of her hair on his collar. Taking a sip from his flask, he sat down on a boulder. Pan appeared in the clearing, leaning against a tree.

"You really should have taken my deal," he said, looking displeased.

"Doesn't look I would need your help with Renato after all, mate. Appears that she's warming up to me all on her own."

"You think that hug actually meant something?"

"If you knew her well, you'd know that getting so much as a thank you from her is like pulling teeth."

"Hmm, irony strikes once again. If you knew what I did, you'd find it amusing that you're so hopeful over something as simple as a hug."

"I've no interest in your puzzles. I think it means that she's finally starting to see me for the man I am."

"What, a one-handed pirate with a drinking problem? I'm no grown up but I'm pretty sure that's less than appealing."

"A man of honor."

"So tell me, what would a man of honor like yourself do with a big, fat secret?"

Killian placed the flask inside his coat. "That depends what the secret is…"

Pan revealed that Baelfire had survived his journey through a portal back in Storybrooke, despite his fatal injury. He had not only survived but somehow traveled to Neverland. Killian was unsure if this was another one of Pan's manipulations or the truth.

"I'm sure Emma would love to know that Henry's father is still alive and the others will be pleased as well. You won't hesitate to tell them the good news. Would you like to hear another secret? It seems that Riley's father has escaped his prison in the land without magic."

"Her father's dead."

"So she claims and she's hidden him so well. She went to such great lengths to keep him trapped all these years. I can only imagine how she and her brothers will react. I don't believe they've ever quite recovered from the pains of their childhood. Once you tell her, it may be the last time you ever see her again…but I'd hate for that to get in the way of a budding romance. I'll leave it up to you to tell her. Let's see what kind of man you really are."

Pan walked deeper into the jungle, leaving Killian alone in the clearing with a heavy weight on his shoulders…