A/N: Firstly, THANKS SO MUCH for all your amazing feedback and all the follows and favorites. It makes me want to hug you all 3 Also, a PSA: I really don't know how long this is going to be, I've always have a kind of concise style when it comes to writing. This is the 10th chapter (omg ten already), but my guess is that there won't be more than 17, 20. Around that number. Just so you know.
Disclaimer: Actually, no *sobs*.
Well, you and I collapsed in love
And it looks like we might have made it
Yes, it looks like we've made it to the end.
~To the End-Blur~
Killian, Snow and Charming ran to the slumped figure of the pixie-girl, whose body was firmly secured against the bark of the tree by a tight rope. Snow started to cut the rope with her dagger, helped by her husband. Killian turned around and saw Regina and Gold a few feet behind them; she was keeping a close eye on their surroundings, as if preparing herself in case they were ambushed, while the Crocodile leaned on his cane, narrowed eyes inspecting Tinkerbell, who let out a weak whine when she was finally free of her bounds and fell forward. Charming caught her in his arms before she fell flat on her face and carefully lifted her up, cradling her against his chest.
Killian's heart twisted at the sight of his friend. She looked even worse than when he had rescued her from the pixies' wrath. A big, black bruise covered the right side of her forehead; there were dark shadows under her eyes and scratches all over her arms. Staying awake seemed to be taking all of her remaining strength.
"Should we take her to the ship?" Charming asked.
Killian shook his head. "Too far away. I know a small waterfall hidden in a covered clearing, about three miles away from here. It's quite a concealed location; we should camp there for the time being."
"Lead the way, then," Snow said.
The Prince grabbed Tinkerbell – who seemed to be sleeping now – tighter in his arms and set to walk behind Killian. Snow, Regina and Gold followed suit.
"Why did the Lost Ones attack us? I thought you said they never moved during daytime," Regina asked about half an hour later, breaking the tense silence that had fallen within the group during their journey to the waterfall.
"They don't," Killian answered, doing his best to ignore the bitterness and accusation in the Queen's tone. Did the bitch really believe that it was his fault that they were ambushed? "They must have known about our presence here for a long time, and the fact that they did something about it only just now means that we were getting closer to whatever it is they don't want us to find."
"Emma," Snow murmured, a pained whisper under her breath.
Killian didn't say anything. The very same thought awoke in his mind and heart as soon as he saw Tinkerbell was the Lost Ones' prisoner. Emma probably was too. His only hand turned into a tight fist as he tried to push away unwanted thoughts about her wellbeing. He knew what the Lost Ones were capable of, the cruelty that they could remorselessly resort to if needed. He knew what the Shadow did to its victims. Over and over again, he repeated the same mantra, trying to ease his soul: The strongest, bravest lass I've ever met, Emma is. She'll be fine. She'll be fine.
They reached a part of the jungle where the vegetation was getting thicker and the amount of huge insects and small animals that tried to bite them was getting larger. A few more paces and they reached a wall of green vines with bright orange flowers. Killian used his sword and hook to cut all the vines down, revealing a hidden area whose beauty and peace contrasted with the rest of the damned island. He had stumbled upon it by chance during his previous stay in Neverland. Dark green plants with exceptionally big leaves framed a small waterfall, not even nine feet tall, which flowed into a small pond of nearly transparent water.
"The rocks behind the waterfall will make a decent cave for us to stay until we're able to resume our quest," he said, stepping into the clearing, followed by the group. He turned around and saw Regina putting back together the wall of vines with a flick of her wrist and a small cloud of purple smoke, effectively hiding the group.
David carefully settled Tinkerbell on the soft grass and Snow splashed some fresh water on her face. It was slightly puzzling for Killian to see how protective of the little pixie the pair was, almost parental. He wondered if Emma not being around had enhanced that. A few seconds later, with a low groan, Tinkerbell started to stir.
"Tink?" Killian asked softly, approaching her. "Wake up, sweetheart."
Her eyes fluttered open and she took in her surroundings. "What..." she trailed off, disoriented. Suddenly a shocked expression took over her features and her lips formed a perfect 'O'. "Oh my...the Lost Ones..."
"What happened, Tink?" he asked.
She didn't look at him. Starting intently at the ground, she bit her lip and batted her eyelashes, as if she was trying to keep tears at bay. "They got me."
"Was Emma with you?" Snow asked, bordering on desperation.
Tink nodded softly. "I...I spotted Henry. Two nights ago. I rushed back to the camp and Emma was the only one awake. There was no time to lose so we flew together to try to retrieve him. But when we arrived to the place where I'd seen the boy, we were surrounded by Lost Ones. Dozens of them. It was a trap..." a single tear rolled down her cheek.
"Where is she? What happened to her?" the Prince asked.
"I don't know. Before I could defend us from the Lost Ones, one of them threw a dart at me and everything went black. I woke up alone in a dark dungeon, chained to a wall. Tried to free myself with magic but it wouldn't work. I haven't seen Emma or Henry."
"Why did they take you out? Where were they taking you?" Regina butted in, narrowing her eyes at the pixie.
"They didn't tell me, just grabbed me and made me go with them," she said, gingerly touching the bruise on her head. "But from what I heard them saying, they knew you were around and wanted to use me to negotiate with you."
"About what?" the Evil Queen pressed.
"I don't know! I'm telling you what I heard," she whined, defeated, burying her face in her hands.
"Shh, it's ok, dear, don't worry," Snow murmured reassurances at her, gently rubbing circles in her back, minding her scars there.
Regina turned around and fixed her eyes on the pirate. "Do you think they wanted to bargain about Henry?"
He cocked an eyebrow; it was the first time she had turned to his knowledge of the island and its inhabitants instead of stubbornly rejecting it. "It's a possibility," he conceded. "Perhaps they wanted to release Tinkerbell in exchange for information about his whereabouts. They have, after all, been looking for a boy, the Chosen One, for centuries. They might believe it's him."
"Maybe they already have Henry and wanted to hurt the pixie in front of us as a warning of what would happen if we meddle in their business," Gold suggested with his mouth turned downwards in a frown, approaching them from behind and making Killian's blood boil. The worst part is that he was possibly right, too. Though he'd never admit that out loud for the Crocodile to gloat. "Captain. A word?"
Not a little shocked, Killian studied the Crocodile for a minute. His usual calculating and cruelly mocking gaze was nowhere to be seen, he kept his eyes focused on the Captain's face and his stance was completely serious. Finally, he turned his head towards Regina, who got the message and made herself scarce, leaving the two swore mortal enemies alone.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Your friend, the pixie," he said, lowering his voice so only he could hear him. "I don't trust her."
"Well, you aren't a beacon of trust yourself, to be quite honest," Killian spat, not able to hold himself.
"I'm being serious here, dearie. Forget our...differences for a moment, and listen. Don't you see that there is something a little, let's say, peculiar about Tinkerbell's behavior?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Oh, I'm glad you asked," he twitched his mouth up mockingly before sobering his expression. "She happens to be the only person or creature in this whole realm to have seen Henry, and guides us to the place where he's supposed to be. We arrive there only to find no hint whatsoever of my grandson ever setting foot there. She takes off again and turns back mysteriously in the middle of the night claiming again that she knows about Henry's whereabouts, this time taking Miss Swan with her. I don't even think Miss Swan went with her willingly; she knows better than leaving without warning any of us."
He made a pause, letting his speech sink in. Killian felt painfully torn in half. A part of him, the stubborn and predominant one, was screaming at him to ignore the Crocodile, claiming that he only wanted to mess with his head, to turn him against their only ally in Neverland, to make him suffer even more for his own pleasure. The other part, however... It whispering to him, begging him to open his eyes to things he refused to see.
"What about Tinkerbell being the Lost Ones' hostage?" he countered back, incredulous. The stubborn yelling voice within had won this battle. For now. "You think it was staged?"
Gold merely shrugged. "If there is something I've learned in my long life, and that seems to be especially true in this realm, is that anything is possible. No option is too far-fetched; it's us who refuse to acknowledge certain truths." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the pirate alone with his troubled thoughts.
Killian turned around to look at Tinkerbell, who looked too broken, still sobbing; Snow White still trying to comfort her. He couldn't believe that her, the innocent pixie-girl who had helped him all those decades ago, to whom he bowed protection out of his gratitude, was actually part of a plot against them, deliberately taking them off course and guiding them to the wrong ways. He didn't want to believe that; yet...
The seed of doubt was already planted in his head and there was nothing he could do about it now.
He didn't speak to anyone; the Crocodile's words quickly festering inside his head. Stealthily, he kept an eye on Tinkerbell. She hadn't done or said much, she'd just eaten some fruit Snow had handed her and then lied down on the grass, sleeping soundly. Captivity was taking its toll on her. If it was real captivity.
He needed to ask her questions, needed to see if she was in fact tricking them, but had to approach the subject as gingerly as possible. Had to make her step on her own foot and admit it by accident. Most of all, he needed to do it in a way that didn't give out that he was suspecting of her.
In order to do that, he needed a plan. He couldn't just start interrogating her out of nowhere. Good thing she had been asleep for hours; it gave him time to think about what to do. It was already nightfall and everyone had gone to rest, except for the Crocodile, who volunteered to take the first guard shift. He glanced at Killian, and the pirate understood instantly: being the most powerful magician of the group, he wanted to stay vigilant and face Tinkerbell if she in fact decided to attack them or flee in the middle of the night. Sleep alluded him, however. His brain working overtime and the pressure in his chest tightening kept him awake. He glanced at the Crocodile's form, sitting by the waterfall, before turning on his back and focusing on the lulling sound of the falling water. He imagined he was back in the Jolly, and the sound were the waves crashing against the ship, easing his troubled mind. Eventually, he fell down the sweet edge of oblivion.
He washed the last bits of soap from his now smooth face and glanced at the clock. A quarter to nine. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and combed his hair to the side before leaving to his shop downstairs. She'd be there any time.
He caught sight of her crossing the street towards his shop through the windowpane and quickly turned around, busying himself with rearranging the ship models in the lower counter. He didn't want her to know he'd been waiting for her. The doorbell rang when the door opened and he smiled to himself before turning to face her.
"Good morning," she practically sang, radiating happiness. He'd never seen her like that, and he liked it too much.
"Would you like to...go out? Tonight?" his heart beat so fast during those agonizing seconds of waiting that he thought it would pop out of his chest. He saw the shock in her face before she smiled at him.
"I'd love to."
They were in a small boat together; moonbeams falling on her and giving her skin a silvery glow. He observed, mesmerized, her expression of wonder.
"So beautiful," she breathed.
Never taking his eyes off her, he thought exactly the same.
They stood at her apartment door, hand in hand, trying to delay the inevitable goodbye. He wanted to be with her, to hold her and kiss her senseless, but he also could sense that she was a guarded woman who wouldn't give herself away so easily. Nor did he want her to. He found that he wanted to respect her wishes, get to know her, make her laugh and smile...
"Thank you, Eric. Tonight was wonderful."
He bent down and brushed his lips against her soft cheek. The minute their skin made contact, a tingling sensation sent shivers down his spine and flooded his head with bizarre images.
An old but well-maintained ship, railings painted with blue, yellow and red. Emma on the helm of said ship, manning it dexterously as the wind played with her golden hair. A girl with strangely-pointed ears and two big scars on her back; sparks igniting from her hands.
A tall tree standing apart from the others in the middle of a dense jungle, with a secret entrance by its trunk.
Emma disappearing through that entrance.