"Really, Bash? You're still giving me the silent treatment? What do you want from me? I can't just stop using magic. It's the only thing keeping Pan from killing all of you and besides, if I stop using it, that will only make these symptoms worse."

Sebastian had not spoken a word to her since giving her a stern lecture upon his return from his miniature quest with Hook and David. She was not the least bit fooled by Hook's sudden discovery of a sextant that could aid them with returning to Storybrooke, knowing that it was a cover story. Spotting a no longer ill David, who mere hours ago had looked like he was near his deathbed, she realized that Hook had taken him to Dead Man's Peak, which possessed magical water to cure David of his dreamshade poisoning. She did not bother questioning why Sebastian joined their side mission, consumed with her own thoughts and worries. When he glimpsed into the puddle that she had been staring at for hours, he was angry than fearful that she was planning to make a very risky and reckless mistake.

Drawing symbols in the dirt with a stick, he let out a heavy sigh. "I never said that you needed to cut off your magic completely but you will drive yourself mad if you keep using it to…spy on others."

"I got a little paranoid. I know that he can't set foot on this island but it still makes me nervous sometimes, especially with us getting sicker by the day. What if he—"

"That hallucination was just that, nothing more."

"He may not be able to travel here but he can always send someone else to do his bidding," she said, allowing a caterpillar to crawl onto the back of her hand.

"Riley, I swear on my life that you are safe. No one is going to harm you. He could send a thousand of his men and I will cut through them like carving a cake."

The tiniest smile tugged at her lips. She was distracted by another argument between Emma and Regina over magic lessons. For the first time since she discovered her abilities, Emma decided that she wanted to learn how to use her magic, thinking that it would be useful in rescuing Henry from Pan. Riley imagined that if Sebastian was not extremely ill from the impending merge, she would be asking him for lessons instead of Regina, who proved to be a very tough and strict teacher. Her attempts at the simplest spells ended in failure, with her unable to even conjure a flame. Part of her failure was due to Regina's suggestion to channel her anger despite Emma refusing to resort to the darker side of magic, no matter the quicker results.

Fed up with Emma's lack of progress, Regina threw her hands up in frustration. "You're such a pathetic waste of ability."

"And you're a monster!" retorted Emma, showing her own frustrations with the lessons and her tough teacher.

Unintentionally, her magic lit the campfire. "That was very good," said Sebastian, smiling.

Emma shrugged, a slight blush in her cheeks. "I made a tiny fire and I didn't even do it on purpose. It's nothing."

Riley sat beside her, sensing that Emma was frustrated about more than just her lack of magical skill. Each day without finding Henry was taking a toll on her and though she hid it well, it showed in the desperation in her eyes.

"We all start somewhere. No one wakes up a magic expert."

"You didn't just get out of bed one morning with the ability to shapeshift and possess people?"

"No. I started showing signs of magic as a baby but I don't think anyone knew that it was really me. They just passed it off as weird incidents. The first one I remember was when I was three and I dumped a bucket of water over my father's head. I had no control over it either but it got better when I found a teacher. She was a lot like Regina, telling me to channel my anger and every other negative emotion."

"Well, that might work for you and Regina but—"

"I never said I listened to her. At first, I did because it felt like the only way that I could have control but then I realized that everyone is different. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. For some, anger is the way to go because they think it makes them stronger. I'll admit that anger can get you very far but my own method is even better."

"And what's that?"

"I think about why I'm doing something. Who am I trying to protect…my friends, my family, even just myself. You might have only known Henry for a short time but you're still a mother, Emma. There's nothing more fearsome than a mother protecting her child and if you can channel that, you'd even have the Dark One pissing himself. No matter what you choose to draw on, magic has a price, whether it's light or dark. It requires sacrifice."

"So what, I need to cut off the heads of some chickens?"

Riley cupped her hand over the caterpillar that was crawling across her thumb. "It's not always that literal. The sacrifice can come from within but it doesn't have to be seen as negative. Sometimes, especially when it comes to protecting those you care about, a part of you has to die so another can thrive in its place."

Moving her hand, a black and blue butterfly fluttered its wings. Emma, stunned, watched the butterfly disappear into the jungle.

"You know, Gold told me something like that once…thinking about who you're protecting. He said it when we were dealing with Cora back at his shop."

"Great minds think alike, I guess," replied Riley, her fingers brushing over her leather bracelet.

As Emma attempted another spell to make the flames bigger, Riley noticed Hook, David, and Mary Margaret whispering amongst themselves and gathering supplies. When Emma questioned what looked like another side mission, her suspicions only grew with Hook and David's inability to tell the same lie. Hook confessed that Pan visited him while he was gathering firewood and informed him that Neal was alive and in Neverland. To those who were not familiar with Pan, it would be easy to dismiss such an admission as a lie to distract them from finding Henry but Riley knew that telling the truth was far better for his manipulative games. Just hearing that Neal was alive did its job, clouding Emma's mind with the possibility that Henry's father was somewhere on the island. Regina refused to fall for Pan's tricks, thinking it was nothing more than a distraction. Mary Margaret pointed out signs of a scuffle but Emma herself was skeptical to believe that Pan was telling the truth, simply based off of a few broken branches and footprints in the dirt.

Not wanting to waste another minute on a fool's errand while Henry's life was in danger, Regina left the camp. Riley sent a message to Pan behind her back, warning him that he now needed to keep his eye on three separate groups.

"You owe it to Henry to find out if his father is still alive and you owe it to yourself," Mary Margaret told a reluctant Emma, her sickening optimism shining through her voice.

"You wouldn't have a way of knowing if Pan's lying, right?" Emma asked Sebastian.

He shook his head. "It's difficult on this island with his tendency to use illusions to trick people but your mother's right. If Neal is alive, he can help decode that map and it's one step closer to getting back to Storybrooke. On the other hand, it could very well be a trap but there is nothing wrong with having a little hope."

For a moment, he scratched the back of his left ear. Mary Margaret led them through the jungle with her tracking skills, using the scuff marks and broken branches. Riley quietly giggled to herself, sneaking a glance at her older brother.

"What do you find so amusing?"

"There is nothing wrong with having a little hope? Good line. I know what you're hoping…that Neal isn't alive. You want that for a few reasons."

"Riley…"

"Let's say he is alive. On the plus side, Henry is reunited with his father...well, if Henry's still alive."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "On the negative side, it could mean that he and Emma rekindle their little teenage romance and then you can't flirt with her anymore."

"How many times must I tell you—"

"Oh please. We both know how long you've had a thing for the savior. You probably almost jumped for joy when you learned that she was my protector and if you think I haven't noticed the looks between you two, you're wrong. You've never been subtle. I'd say that you still have a shot with her even if Neal's alive but when he sees you, all that hope will go crashing down in flames. He wouldn't easily forget your face or the part you played in that sad day."

"You said he didn't remember you."

"I look a lot different than I did back then but you, not so much. Better be very quick and alter his memory like you did to that fairy's or you're screwed. Perhaps you shouldn't. I'd kind of like to see how they'd all react to my noble brother's dirty little secret."

"It would not kill you to dial down your glee."

As they passed by the entrance to the mermaid lagoon, Hook grasped her wrist lightly, telling her to allow the others to continue down the path. Sebastian, clearly suspicious, stayed behind with them. Both noticed the conflicted expression on Hook's face, a mixture of hesitation and concern.

"We need to discuss another matter. I thought it was best to do it in private as it only concerns the two of you. When I spoke with Pan, he mentioned something else to me. He claims that your father has escaped."

Though Riley pretended to be confused, as if what Hook said made no sense, it was not all an act. Part of her knew that it was nearly impossible for her father to escape his prison but it did not stop her from fuming with rage at the idea that someone was making moves behind her back while she was stuck in Neverland. The fear in Sebastian's eyes betrayed his calm demeanor.

"Our father's dead."

"Spare me the act, love. Pan rarely lies."

"Well he is this time. If our dad was somehow alive, which he's not, there's no way he could escape…wherever he would possibly be."

"If we're speaking hypothetically, why not?"

Sebastian crossed his arms. "Because this door would hypothetically be sealed with blood magic. It would—there's no point in putting on this façade, Riley. He knows the truth but our father could not have escaped."

"Perhaps someone stole blood from you or your brother one night when you were unaware. A drop of blood is all it would take to open this door."

Riley scoffed. "This is just a trick, Bash. We'd know if he was out. We'd feel—"

"I did feel something while you were under the sleeping spell. It was a chill. I felt more than one. When Emma asked, I told her that it was simply a warning that Marcus was attempting another escape but I knew it had to do with Father. Hook may be right. What if someone stole blood from Marcus in his weakened state? There's no reason to alarm the others. He's much too weak to travel here. He'll need time to build up his strength. We need to find Henry as soon as possible. I'm going to run ahead…see if I can find where Pan is possibly hiding Neal. I'll tell the others so they don't worry about my disappearance."

Sebastian, doing a poor job of hiding his anxiety, hurried down the path and spoke to Emma, who looked concerned, before vanishing in a wisp of silver smoke. Riley was reaching her breaking point, bottling up what felt like a million emotions at once.

"Renato, if you're worried—"

"About what? Like Bash said, he's not strong enough to travel here. Even if he was, I still wouldn't be worried. He's harmless."

"If that were true, why was he locked up in the first place? I assume you or your brothers did that part considering his prison was sealed with blood magic. He may not be very strong but he could release your brother. I doubt you want to deal with the two of them working together."

"Marcus is not going to be a problem either. He's staying right where he is…"

"You sound rather confident about that. Are you telling me that you're not the least bit curious how your father escaped?"

"Nope. Why are you?"

"Clearly, you have a complicated history with him. He could intend to harm you."

"And why would you care about that? Did that little trip up the mountain turn you into David's twin? Now you have to be all heroic and save every damsel in distress? Well, I'm not. I can take care of myself, Hook."

"I'm well aware. It doesn't mean someone can't have your back in times of trouble. It's not a terrible thing to have someone in your corner, particularly a pirate who is very skilled with a sword."

"I've heard rumors of how good your sword is but from personal experience, you're not that remarkable."

He stepped closer to her. "Well, you haven't seen all I can do with it, love. Perhaps I can show you another time…when there aren't so many eyes watching us."

"But I prefer it with them watching. It's very exciting. No one's ever watched you jab your sword in another?"

"Not that I can recall, no."

"For a pirate, you're quite inexperienced. Perhaps I'll have that honor."

She could feel his heart practically leaping out of his chest. He raised his brow with a crooked half smile.

"Perhaps?"

With a small shrug, she turned around and followed after David. "Perhaps."

Mary Margaret and Emma were having their own conversation at the front of the group. Quietly casting a spell, she eavesdropped on them, listening to Emma worry about Sebastian. She suggested that he should not have run off on his own, considering he was weak and there was a good chance that Pan could attack him.

"I think Sebastian can handle himself, Emma. He has his magic."

"Yea, I just…he shouldn't have gone alone. If he wanted to check ahead for any sign of Neal, the two of us could've—don't take that the wrong way. I meant that it would be quicker for two people to check if Pan was lying instead of all of us. Riley already thinks that I like him."

"She's being a protective sister. I'm sure she's like that with any woman he speaks to, Emma."

"There has to be something wrong with him."

"Why would you say that?"

"He's nice, smart, sweet, charming…and nothing like his siblings. Maybe he was adopted."

"Riley's gotten better since the first day we met her. You two seemed to be bonding at the camp before."

"I guess but there's just still so much that I…we don't know about her. I mean, her brothers are here and she's still this big mystery. I feel like there's a lot she's not telling us."

A ball of silver light appeared in front of Emma. Knowing that it was a message from Sebastian, they followed it down a separate path. The foot prints ended in front of a cave shrouded by tall grass and large leaves, where Sebastian was sitting on a boulder. Emma assumed that he had knocked out any nearby guards but Hook explained that no guards were required for this cave, referred to as an Echo Cave. Its name was derived from an old saying: the deeper the lie, the more truth in its echo. Rescuing someone from inside required a person to reveal their darkest secrets and he recalled losing many of his men in the caves during his time in Neverland. Emma looked unamused by Hook's story, calling it ridiculous. Though revealing a few secrets sounded silly, it worked to Pan's advantage, with his hopes that their secrets would drive a wedge between them.

Riley was not the only one reluctant to step inside the cave. Sebastian had not moved from the boulder, busying himself with his shirt cuffs. She wondered if he was anxious about exposing a little secret to Emma.

"Sebastian, are you okay?"

"Of course. I was just um—this seems silly. Perhaps there's another way to get Neal from inside the cave."

"According to Hook, there isn't and I'm pretty sure it's going to take all of us. Pan wouldn't give up Neal that easily…if he's uh alive."

One by one, they entered the cave. At the end of the path was a wide chasm with Neal in the middle, locked inside a cage. As he called out Emma's name, she immediately took a step back, her heart racing fast. Sebastian doubted that Pan would make the solution of rescuing Neal as simple as throwing a rope across the chasm. Waving his hand, he attempted to move the cage towards them but the cage did not budge, a sign that their magic was useless in the cave.

"So, what? Someone tells their secret and they sprout wings?" asked Emma.

"I don't know the particulars, only what I've been told," said Hook.

"Well, how do you know it'll work?" said David, uncertainly.

"There's only one way to find out, I suppose."

Hook turned towards the rest of them, not looking keen himself to spill any secrets. "I've spent quite a long time attempting to avenge my love…to get my revenge on the crocodile. My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my love…my Milah…to believe that I could find someone else. That is, until...until quite recently."

The ground quaked and a large piece of rock extended from Neal's cage, forming part of a bridge. Hook remained quiet, keeping his eyes on the ground. Mary Margaret decided to tell her secret, admitting that despite having Emma back, she wanted another baby because she and David missed out on being parents. Her hopes were quickly dashed by David's own secret. He admitted to being poisoned by dreamshade and that Hook and Sebastian led him to a cure with a price: drinking the magical water meant that he could never leave Neverland. With both of their secrets, more of the bridge formed, bringing them closer to Neal.

Wanting to avoid the awkward, quiet tension between her parents, she turned towards Riley. "You uh want to go next?"

"I'm sure you can make that jump. It's not that far."

"Riley, come on. If we're going to rescue Neal, we need to work together."

"I hate you so much, you little shit," she hissed, hoping that Pan heard every word as he likely spied on them inside the cave to relish the tension created by their secrets.

Riley clutched her leather bracelet. "I'm jealous of you."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Really? This isn't the time for jokes. Neal is right there and—"

"It's not a joke. I'm jealous of you and Henry."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Feeling all of their eyes on her, she wished that she could disappear from the cave and leave Neal to rot in the cage. It would be better than having to open up about a secret that very few people knew about and being vulnerable.

"This isn't my first time in Neverland. I've been here before. I was younger…barely eighteen."

"I thought the shadow only brought boys," said Mary Margaret.

"The shadow didn't bring me. I came with someone else...the person that I've been running from all these years. I was…pregnant when we came here but I hid it from him because it wasn't his."

"Riley," whispered Sebastian, hearing the tremble in her voice.

She held back the tears pooling in the corner of her eyes. "He freaked when he found out and I um…I lost her. He kept saying it would be okay…how we could just—have another one but I—he got mad again when I said I didn't want—I didn't want one with him and he cursed me so that I never could have one again. He's the only one that can reverse it so it um kind of screws me over. I'm jealous that you get to have that second chance with Henry and I never will."

Another part of the bridge formed across the chasm, nearly reaching the entrance to the cave. Riley recoiled from Mary Margaret's attempt at a hug before her hand so much as touched her shoulder. She had heard about the echo caves plenty of times but experiencing it for herself was much worse. Most people would probably appreciate the sympathetic stares but she despised every single one, particularly Hook's gaze as if she was some wounded puppy. Emma was at a loss for words.

"Sebastian, it's uh your turn," she said, tearing her gaze away from Riley.

He was staring at the ceiling, refusing to make any eye contact. "Sebastian?"

"I could say plenty but I know which one is going to get you to Neal. I knew, Riley."

She looked at him, strangely. "What?"

"I knew. I remembered everything when you were three. Mother already had her suspicions but she knew it was true after I spoke with her."

Her fists clenched. "Is this a personal thing between you two or—"

"Shut up," she snapped at Emma.

Sebastian swallowed hard, tears already in his eyes. He nodded towards her leather bracelet.

"I worked with her to make that bracelet…to inhibit your magic. I thought if you weren't at full strength, it would take you longer so that you'd have more time. Marcus, Lukas, and Seth never knew about it. Like you, they thought the bracelet was just a gift."

"So you screwed me over to make everything better for you?"

"To protect you."

"Bullshit. It made me weaker...which is exactly what Father hated about me. I was the weak little runt of the family."

"You began to fight against it by the time you were six. I strengthened the bracelet but I never expected what happened on that day. It was too much and—you broke through the enchantment. I was trying to protect you. That's all I wanted…to keep you safe. If you knew before you were ready, you would've been dead before you learned how to ride a bike. It was selfish of me, I readily admit, but I was trying to keep you safe…to keep you alive. I don't expect you to forgive me now or maybe ever. I've regretted that choice every day since I gave you the bracelet."

He closed his eyes as though expecting a slap across the face or to be struck by magic. The final piece of the bridge formed across the chasm.

"Okay, I don't know what any of that meant but it's obviously bad, judging by the murderous look in her eyes."

Not saying a word, Riley left the cave. She ripped off the leather bracelet, which she once considered a treasured possession, and threw it deep into the jungle, feeling a tingling sensation traveling up her arm. Sebastian followed her out of the cave, looking guilty.

"Riley, I can't even imagine how you must be feeling with me right now. No doubt Seth will be equally angry, if not more, when you tell him. I deserve every bit of your anger."

"Oh, I'm not angry with you, Bash."

"Y—you're not?"

"No. I'm furious. You kept me in the dark for years. If that bad business with Pierce hadn't have happened, I bet you would've made sure that I never remembered the truth."

"Of course not. I would've told you when you were ready."

"That wasn't your decision. I think you're forgetting your place. You must have enjoyed it…holding that over my head."

"Don't twist my words. If you remembered everything as just a little girl, he would've found you and killed you in an instant."

"Whether I'm three or twenty one, I could've kicked his ass and if you didn't decide to hide it from me, I could've been done with all this shit a long time ago!"

"What does that mean? It would've been just like every other time. Why would this be different?"

Grabbing a log, she smacked him across the face. Sebastian stumbled backwards, clutching his cheek. She twisted her wrist, causing him to cry out in pain and fall to his knees. Kicking him to the ground, she straddled him, digging a dagger into his chest.

His eyes widened in fear. "How do you—Seth has kept them locked up."

"These aren't Seth's, dear brother. They're mine…very special ones. I should use it on you right now. It would teach you a lesson about loyalty."

"I've always been loyal to you. I've been by your side since—Riley, please put the dagger away."

"I didn't think I'd be able to use it on you but your little confession in that cave made it much easier."

A silver hook wrapped around her arm and with a sharp tug, she was pulled away from her brother. Hook snatched the dagger from her.

"Don't be foolish. You don't want to do this, love. You're angry."

"It's none of your business."

"If you use this on your brother, you'll never forgive yourself. You're not thinking clearly."

Sebastian stood up, his hand over his chest. "Angry or not, she intends to use it. Was this your plan all along? Pretend there's a crystal to give that little glimmer of hope and then when it fails, dagger us? I suppose that's what you've done with Marcus. Yes, I know the crystal is a fake. I'm not easily tricked, Riley. I'll meet you back at the camp. I need time to…clear my thoughts."

He vanished in a wisp of silver smoke."Is he telling the truth? The daggers are how you intend to survive this merge?"

"Yes, because it's the only way. Bash knows it too. Like I told you, they'll just be under an enchanted sleep."

"Until the merge passes?"

"Might keep Bash asleep a little longer."

"I apologize for your loss. I can't say that I've ever experienced the loss of a child of my own but it must be difficult."

"Don't."

"If it's any consolation, you would've been a good mother."

The mere thought made her instinctively touch her stomach. As she glanced up at Hook, he gave her a weak yet comforting smile. She stopped him from placing the dagger back in her jacket pocket.

"I can't do it."

"Because you care about your brothers?"

"Because I'm weak."

"Your brother told me how you turned off your emotions when you were younger…to move past a traumatic experience. Emotions don't make you weak, Renato. Are you telling me you don't miss feeling something…anything?"

"No. It's easier. If I fail, it won't hurt as much."

"I've never known you to fail."

"You'd be surprised. I just hide it really well. Feeling nothing is better than feeling everything…especially when there's no hope. I can't do what I have to if feelings cloud my judgment."

"And when you succeed, will you allow yourself to feel then?"

"I won't have to."

In the aftermath of the echo cave, there was a heavy amount of tension amongst the group. Between Mary Margaret and David, Riley and Sebastian, and Emma and Neal, the only one who was left out of the awkwardness was Hook, though he seemed to be just as shaken from the experience. Riley thought his secret was a bit lacking, not even going into detail why he was willing to move past his revenge, but she assumed that his past history with Pan allowed him some leniency.

She was experiencing the worst of the tension, with everyone knowing about one of her biggest secrets and wished that they would stop looking at her like she was some fragile doll. Sebastian had it almost as bad, dealing with Riley refusing to speak to him and the possibility of Neal recognizing him despite altering his memory. Rescuing Neal, unfortunately, did not guarantee an easy way off the island. He explained that to escape, they needed to capture Pan's shadow, an entity of its own that lived in a dangerous part of the island called Dark Hollow. Riley had thought it was best if she aided in capturing the shadow but she was forced to join David and Mary Margaret in finding Tinker Bell, acting as a messenger between them to hash out their anger towards each other. Mary Margaret also attempted to use the opportunity to discuss Riley's secret in the cave, hoping that they could connect over the loss of a child. All it took was a reminder that Mary Margaret was reunited with Emma, while Riley would never see her child again, to end the conversation.

Making matters worse was that merge getting closer by the day and their symptoms worsening, with Riley and Sebastian needing to rest every few minutes. Seth had not yet returned with the crystal, having run into trouble with mermaids surrounding the island and other nasty creatures. If the constant vomiting and dizziness was not bad enough, their emotions were running wild, going from calm to vicious in the blink of an eye.

Following Tinker Bell, they headed towards Pan's camp. Riley tasted blood as her tongue ran across her bottom lip and wiped it away with the back of her hand. Feeling a sudden chill down her spine, she leaned against a tree. Further ahead, the same happened with Sebastian. Emma placed her hand on his shoulder, asking if he needed rest. A flask dangled in front of Riley's face. Grabbing the flask from Hook, she took several sips, the rum burning the back of her throat.

"You can barely walk, love."

"Are you going to carry me to Pan's camp?"

"Is that an offer?" he joked.

"Something's not right."

"Well, as you said, the merge occurs when the moon rises and you're merely an hour away from that moment."

"Not that. I felt…just forget it. I'm fine."

"Far from it but if I disagree, I may get punched in the face. I could carry you, if you like."

"You just want an excuse to grab my ass."

"It's called being a gentlemen."

"You're not one. You're a pirate."

"Can't I be both?"

"Please stop before you make me vomit," she heard.

Seth jumped down from the tree, carrying a small leather pouch. Riley hugged him tightly, burying her head in his shoulder.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"I told you that I had a few complications. Seems like you and Bash had a few too. Did you think I'd leave without checking up on you two? I saw what happened in the cave."

"We'll deal with it later. You got the crystal?"

"Yep. Let's end this stupid merge already. I'm tired of hallucinations and puking. Unless you two want to keep eye-fucking each other…"

She pinched his arm. "Shut up, moron."

Sebastian was relieved to see Seth alive and unharmed, worried that he would not return from the Spiral Islands. Hearing a rustling sound in the bushes, they prepared for a fight, taking out their weapons or in Riley and her brothers' cases, conjuring a ball of fire in their hands. Regina and Gold emerged from the bushes, seemingly working as a team. In their absence, they had devised their own plan to deal with Pan: using Pandora's box to trap him for an eternity.

"Wonder where he got that," Seth whispered in her ear.

Riley nudged his side roughly and shared a quick glance with Sebastian, who was wary of making any direct eye contact with Gold. Not everyone agreed with the new plan, particularly Neal. He revealed that Gold had ulterior motives for joining their mission to rescue Henry. There was a prophecy that claimed that Henry would be Gold's undoing and he intended to kill him, though Gold assured them that he was on their side. As a sign that he could be trusted, he handed Pandora's box to Neal. The box was not enough for Neal, who warned that if his father performed any magic, he would end up inside the box instead of Pan.

Continuing on their way to Pan's camp, Riley and her brothers agreed to channel the crystal's magic at the last moment before the moon rose at its highest point, when their magic would be at its strongest.

"What did your brother mean before? I've never heard that word. Eye—"

She rolled her eyes at Hook. "Do not even finish that sentence. He was kidding."

"What word?" asked Sebastian, curiously.

"Nothing."

Emma interrupted their terse conversation, wanting to talk about a way to get David off the island. David had mentioned to her what happened with Hook's older brother, a less than enthusiastic topic for him. He insisted that without the magical water at Dead Man's Peak, David would die the moment he left Neverland. Gold, hardly being noble, offered to create an elixir to cure David, having studied the poison extensively after his own near death experience. A fool would believe that he was making the offer out of the goodness of his heart but Riley knew better, expecting some kind of price.

"No. When we get back to Storybrooke, you're going to save David because it's the right thing to do. No deals, no favors. Understand?" said Neal.

"Fine. I'll do as you ask. If you're worried I won't hold up my end, my dear pupil can aid me in creating the elixir."

Seth chuckled. "Yea, I kind of think my sister wants to see him dead. No offense."

Riley stamped on Seth's foot quietly. Holding back a groan, he watched as Gold's eyes flickered between him, Riley, and Sebastian.

"Your sister? Yes, I did hear you had siblings, Miss Renato. Regina mentioned that Marcus was your older brother as well. How interesting you never mentioned it yourself."

"Didn't think you cared about my family."

"Have we met before?" he asked, his eyes on Sebastian.

"You came to the land without magic before I was even born. How would that be possible? I tend to have one of those faces where I look familiar."

"I suppose you do."

Reaching the edge of Pan's camp, they spied on the boys inside, counting about a dozen. Regina cast a sleeping spell to knock them unconscious just as Riley felt another shiver down her spine. There was no sign of Henry inside the camp though they did find another prisoner, a young girl named Wendy. Riley did not care much for her sob story about venturing to Neverland after Neal sacrificed himself to protect her brothers, not wanting him to be without a family. He had spent some time in Wendy's home after leaving the Enchanted Forest through a portal. After a pathetic attempt at lying, she admitted that Pan wanted Henry for his heart. Henry possessed the heart of the truest believer and with it, Pan would be able to save himself, dying from his dwindling magic that kept him young, and become immortal. By taking Henry's heart, he could absorb every last bit of magic on the island and the price was Henry's life. Only half listening to Wendy, Riley scanned her surroundings, sensing that they were not alone…

~Killian~

Killian listened as Wendy explained Pan's scheme to make himself immortal at the expense of Henry's life. Forming a plan, they decided to go their separate ways, with Snow and David retrieving some of the water from Dead Man's Peak, Killian and Tinkerbell guarding the Lost Boys at the camp, and the others heading to Skull Rock to stop Pan's plan. Regina was skeptical to bring along Riley and her brothers, who all looked very ill, not wanting any distractions.

"Regina's right. You need to use that crystal now."

"No. We said we'd use it after you retrieved Henry," said Sebastian, coughing into a handkerchief.

Riley was walking along the edge of the camp, peering through the trees. "Sebastian, no offense, but you all look like you're a second from dying."

"Well, I certainly feel like I'm dying. Thank you for the confirmation."

"He doesn't mean to be that nasty. It's just the pounding in his head," said Seth.

"That's him being mean? Wh—there's no time. How long does channeling the crystal take?"

"A minute, at most. We just link together and then poof, magic goes in us and no more merge."

"Then do it. If we're going to rescue Henry, we need to all be at our best. We can't—"

She jumped back as Seth and Sebastian's necks snapped sideways and they collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The same happened to Riley barely a second later but Killian caught her before her head collided with a boulder. An invisible force tugged at his navel, sending him flying across the camp. The others joined him, all of their wrists restrained by shackles. Regina attempted to remove the shackles but it was as if she lost her magic.

"These shackles inhibit magic. You can't use it," said the Dark One.

"Who's doing this? Pan?" asked David, checking for any sign of the demonic boy.

Riley was the only one tied against a tree, still unconscious. Her brothers were inches away from them.

"No, it isn't Pan. Much worse."

Marcus was leaning against the tree closest to them, dressed in a dark button down shirt and trousers. His ghostly pale face and the dried blood under his nose suggested that he suffered the same symptoms as his siblings.

"M—Marcus? How the hell are you in Neverland?" asked Swan, surprised.

"I'm sure my siblings have mentioned that it's very easy for the covens to travel between realms. We have our own ways."

"You can't be here. You were locked up."

"Well, it seems not everyone is on your side in Storybrooke, Emma. I can't imagine why. Perhaps they don't see you as very good protection…what with the town almost being blown off the map and all."

"Storybrooke? What are you talking about? You were in New York. Even if someone knew about you being trapped, we can't cross the town line without losing our memories. No one there could've released you," said David.

"Very true but that would imply that I was in New York at the time."

"Wh—are you saying that you've been in Storybrooke? How is that possible?"

"You can ask my sister though she does love her secrets. Seems I came just in time for our special day."

"You don't have to do this merge. Seth found a crystal on the island. If you channel its power, you don't—"

Marcus interrupted Mary Margaret with a chuckle. "Don't be silly. Of course I want to go through with the merge. I've done it once before, you know…with my twin sister. Clearly, you can see that I won but this time, I think it'll be a lot more satisfying. How can I give up the chance for all that power? After I win, I'll let you decide who I kill first."

"Why would you kill us?"

"Because I can. Do I need another reason? Besides, it's just such an amazing opportunity. Perhaps I'll start with you, Neal. I'd love to see the look on your father's face when he loses you for a second time…or is it third? Are we counting when you fall through that portal after being shot by your fiancee? Wait, is it ex-fiancee now?"

The Dark One snarled. "If you lay a hand on my boy—"

"You'll what? Kill me? You can walk without your precious magic, Rumple. You're hardly a threat. Maybe I'll reconsider if you offer me something good. I don't know what I could possibly want once I have all that power but I'll let you try. It's only fair."

Killian struggled to unlock the shackles. He had been plenty of these situations before and gotten out of them without magic. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Riley stirring from her unconscious state, her fingers burrowing beneath the dirt. The veins on the back of her hand became blackened and more pronounced.

"You're nothing but a coward."

His dark eyes rested on Killian. "I have never been a coward."

"If you truly believed that you could win this merge on your own merits, you wouldn't have knocked out your siblings. You would've fought them till the end. You chose the easy way out to guarantee yourself a victory."

"You know nothing, you foolish pirate."

"I do know that you're denying something that your other brothers accepted quite some time ago. No matter if she fought you alone or all three of you at once, your sister would be the victor. You would be dead. I suppose you were distraught that your deal fell through after your little confrontation in New York. You expected that you would teach her a lesson, didn't you? When you saw her after all these years, you thought that she would be weak and nowhere near a match for you, especially with her being unable to use much of her magic for her own protection, and yet she beat you. She wasn't using nearly all of her power and you knew that. It frightened you."

A fire was burning in his eyes and his fists were shaking, red sparks emitting from his knuckles. "You're wrong."

"Am I? Why else would you have made that deal in Boston? It was your precaution. You know that your sister is stronger than you and the only way for you to win this merge is if she cannot fight. That's being a coward, mate."

"I think I'll kill you first, captain. It's clear that you have a death wish. Let's say you're right. My sister doesn't deserve to win. If anyone deserves all that power, it's me. After all I've been through—"

"Oh blah, blah, blah."

Marcus turned his head, seeing Riley awake. Baelfire quietly assured Wendy that she was safe.

"Is he going to kill us?" she whispered.

"No. I promise that we're getting out of this alive."

Riley pouted. "I'm Marcus. I'm just a big, whiny crybaby. I've had such a tough life, ruling over an entire city and having people kiss my ass all the time while my siblings had to hide because I had a price on their heads. Boo hoo. Everyone needs to feel sorry for me," she said in a mocking, childish tone.

"You're being quite brave considering you're the one tied up, little sister."

"And you're brave? Spare me. We both know why you really want to win this stupid merge. Let's pretend that you actually kill me. He's going to find out not even a minute later and he'll be pissed. You're hoping that all that power you'll get is enough to beat him…or at least get away with your life. Maybe you think it'll be enough to get you out of your debt. Tired of being his lapdog? Need to get yourself a new master?"

"I'm not his lapdog."

"Of course you are. That's how you've always lived your life. First, Daddy's little puppy then his then for a short time, you were also Seffie and Porter's. Two masters at once? You must really like it. Even in New York, you weren't really in charge. You're not a leader. You're a follower…a sycophant who enjoys licking other people's boots. I bet he isn't happy that you're somewhere he can't follow…when he knows I'm here too."

His right eye twitched more and more with each taunt. Riley clearly enjoyed mocking her eldest brother and though she was restrained, it was like she had the advantage in the situation.

"Did you hear that, Marc? I think it's your chain being yanked by your master. Heel, puppy!"

In a split second, Marcus reappeared by the tree and slammed her against it violently. His elbow was pressed into her throat.

"Shut up!"

"Aw, did I hit a nerve?"

Killian felt a warm sensation around his wrists. The shackles had crumbled into dust. Quietly, he used his hook to unlock the other restraints. He stopped David from questioning how he was released himself, having no doubt that Riley was somehow behind it.

"You're not going to kill me, Marc," she said as Killian worked on Swan's shackles.

"Oh, I am."

"You can't do it. No matter how much I piss you off, you can never do it and we both know why."

Marcus slammed her against the tree once more, enraged. "When that moon is at its highest point, I am going to kill our brothers while you watch and then your death is going to be long and painful. I won't stop until you beg me to end your pitiful life."

Riley smirked in amusement, her fingers wrapping around his shirt collar. Nearly all of them were freed except for the Dark One and Baelfire.

"Ooh, I like this side of you. So hot. Where has he been? Maybe if he came out more often, I wouldn't have left five years ago," she said, an oddly seductive tone to her voice.

Swan stopped in the middle of unlocking one of Baelfire's shackles. "What the hell is going on?" she whispered quietly.

"Something very strange," muttered David, also overhearing that strange tone.

Marcus was visibly distracted by Riley's words, his eyes softened. It was a gaze that Killian knew quite well, often looking at Milah in such a way. He found himself distracted as well, taking a second to realize that Riley was no longer restrained to the tree. Marcus made that same realization but before he could even lift a finger, Riley threw him across the clearing.

"Really? You used those lame shackles? I've seen Father use them a million times. Do you think I never figured out how to get out of them?"

He stood up weakly, rubbing the side of his head. "Going to wake up our dear brothers?"

"No. We both knew that it was going to come down to the two of us. Bash is too soft to do what needs to be done and Seth…well, he'd gladly give me the opportunity to kick your ass. You have no chance of winning. Just give up."

"Have you ever known me to give up? This only ends one way and you know it."

She snapped off a branch. "Yep. I'm going to enjoy every second of it. Don't think I'm going easy on you this time."

Riley chucked the branch and as he dodged it at the last second, she reappeared behind him, blasting him in the back with a ball of silver light. Soon enough, their fight was similar to the one between her and Seth though far more violent and brutal, being nothing more than two black blurs moving between the trees. In their weakened states, it made both of them vulnerable, which meant Marcus was able to strike her a few times.

"Gold, do something. Hold him down or tie him up with vines," said Swan.

"You can't interfere."

Killian looked at Wendy, confused. "I—I heard Pan talking to one of the Lost Boys about Riley…and her brothers. He mentioned this merge. He said it would be good if it happened on the island because he could draw from its power as well once he took Henry's heart. He said that once the siblings begin fighting, no one else can get involved."

"So we just need to wait for either Riley or Marcus to come out alive? I don't like those odds."

"She's not helpless," said Regina as Riley snapped Marcus's arm.

"No, but he's not exactly an amateur at this either. What if he kills Sebastian and Seth in the middle of the fight? Finding that crystal will be for nothing if they're dead."

Killian felt a warm sensation beneath his coat. The tips of the two daggers were glowing bright red.

"Then we don't give him that chance."

Hesitantly, he plunged the dagger with a different tip into Seth's heart. "What are you doing?" asked David.

"She had a backup plan. If the crystal didn't work or Seth couldn't find it, she had these daggers. She claimed that the daggers are able to incapacitate members of her bloodline. When the dagger is in their heart, they're under a sort of enchanted sleep…like a sleeping curse. It was her way of getting around the merge. If they're daggered, they cannot fight and she would win. She must've put them in my pocket," he explained, telling a small lie.

"But they can wake up, right? They're not dead?"

"No. She assured me it was only temporary. She may have another dagger for Marcus. Perhaps she's going to use it once he's weakened and then the merge is over. This is your way of helping, Swan."

Swan picked up the second dagger and taking a deep breath, she pierced Sebastian's chest. Killian expected some sort of magical sign but they remained the same, unconscious. His head snapped up as he heard Riley groan in pain, followed by her being thrown through a blackened tree with gnarled branches. The trunk snapped in half from the force of impact. A sweet, flowery scent filled the air. Marcus was barely able to stand, leaning against the nearest boulder.

"Why isn't she getting up?" said Tinker Bell, watching Riley sit on her knees.

Blood from her wounds seeped through her blouse. Her hand rested over her stomach and she seemed to be in a daze.

"She's thinking about—Riley, listen to me. You need to get up. Marcus is going to kill you if you don't. You've come this far. You can't—just listen to my voice. Please snap out of it,"said Swan.

A light breeze brushed past them and as Killian glanced down, he noticed that pieces of dirt were shimmering brightly. The sparkly dirt expanded across the entire camp, disappearing into either side of the jungle.

Marcus snickered. "Oh, I see. Are we remembering a sad little incident that happened here? Does all that blood remind you of your little one? You couldn't save it then and you can't even save yourself now. I think it's better this way, Riley. It won't have to live with the disappointment of being related to you. I won't bother waiting for a response. You're too lost in your own cluttered mind."

"You've never been here before, right?"

"Can't say I ever had the pleasure. I can see why people avoid it. It's quite gloomy."

"People used to visit it all the time in their dreams, usually when they were at their lowest point. They'd visit the ember trees. It was thought that you could purge yourself by kneeling in front of the tree and be reborn, all your worst sins washed away. That's why Pan built his camp here. Most of them grow in this very spot. The way it worked is that you made a hole in the trunk, let the mist surround you, and then burn yourself for cleansing. Sounds insane but hey, people believe in crazier stuff."

"Are these your last words? A history lesson? I expected something more dramatic."

Riley stood up, turning towards her eldest brother. "My mind isn't cluttered. I told you that you weren't going to win. You should've listened to me. You probably didn't notice that our brothers are daggered, which means it really is just down to us. It's over."

"Hardly, little sister. I'm still standing…you're still standing. This fight doesn't end until one of us is dead."

"You're right."

"Why is the ground all shiny?" whispered Swan, looking at the shimmering dirt.

Regina commented that it was a sign of a barrier spell. "But it isn't around Riley. Gold, why did you put it around us?"

"I did no such thing, Miss Swan. My son told me not to use magic."

"If you didn't, then why—Riley put it up."

"That doesn't make any sense. Why wouldn't she put it around herself?" asked Baelfire.

Riley rubbed her thumb and index finger together. "The outcome of this is as clear as the mist that's been pervading the camp since you knocked me into this ember tree. I guess you would've noticed the smell if you weren't so consumed with kicking my ass. Have a nice afterlife, brother."

The moment she snapped her fingers, Killian understood the meaning behind her words.

"Riley!" shouted a myriad of voices, Killian's own voice lost amongst them.

A flame rose from the tip of her thumb, creating an enormous explosion that enveloped the entire camp. Killian shielded himself with his coat though he only felt the intense heat of the fire, not the flames themselves. Lifting his head, he discovered that half of the camp was shrouded in dark smoke. The barrier lowered, allowing the smoke to billow past them and into the jungle. Not bothering to wait for Regina to dispel the smoke with a spell, Swan raised her collar over her mouth and hurried into the destroyed part of the camp, sword in hand. Killian was not far behind, a black scarf covering his mouth, and he searched for any bodies, hoping that one of them was Riley's…