Chapter 10
Pan's Masquerade
The ship flew over Storybrooke, as they came in for a landing Hook gave David and a Tally a cup of the water to drink the moment they landed. They saw people gathering to welcome them back and cheered as they came off the ship. Everyone reunited with the people they loved. As the Lost Boys came off the ship they knew they'd have to find volunteers to open their homes and hearts to these boys. Mary-Margaret asked David "how are you feeling"?
"Pretty good, I think the water must be working" he replied.
"Aye it is" said Hook. "Dreamshade over took my brother the moment we returned home".
Mary-Margaret said "Gold can find a cure, you'll be okay".
Hook turned to Tally "how about you young lass, how are you feeling".
She said "hungry, can we go to Granny's for Hot Coco with Cinnamon."
Emma replied "sure sweetheart, I must admit there was a moment there I wasn't sure we were all going to make it out of that place".
David said "well we did".
Seeing Regina all on her own Mary-Margaret said in a loud voice "and we owe a lot of it to her, Regina helped save us all".
Before going to Granny's Mr Gold put the box in a compartment in the floor of his shop. "Once I seal the box away in here no one can break the spell but me". She waved his hand and the compartment dissappered.
Henry said "and you're not going to do that"?
Mr Gold replied "believe me I want Pan trapped as much as you do".
Tally asked "are you sure he can't get out"?
Mr Gold said "absolutely".
Tally said "when he appeared on the ship it was so scary".
Neal said "well he's never getting out of there Sugar Plum".
Emma looked at Henry and said "Pan isn't getting free, he'll never hurt you again Henry".
Regina added "we'll never let anything hurt you".
Pointing at where the compartment was Mr Gold said "trust me, as long as I'm alive that boy will never see the light of day".
At Granny's everyone was celebrating, Henry was sitting next to Tally who was finishing her Hot Coco with cinnamon. "Aren't you going to have your Hot Coco Henry" she asked.
He pushed it towards her "go ahead little sis".
As Tally drunk his Hot Coco with cinnamon Emma came up holding something behind her back "look what I have for you". She brought out his book, but Emma found it odd Henry looked indifferent, last time he'd been separated from his book and she brought it back to him his face lit up. "Well don't look so excited, we thought you'd want it, especially since you just lived a fairy tale of your own".
Henry smiled and took it "right, thanks"
Emma asked "are why alright"?
Henry said "yeah, I'm great".
Tally asked "can you read some of your book to me.
Henry opened it and started reading.
Later the celebration was still in full swing and Henry was still reading to Tally. Emma came up to them "sorry kids, it's bedtime".
Neal came up and said "at least tonight you can sleep in the comfort of home..., and know no monsters are coming to get you".
The kids got out of the booth Emma said "say goodbye to Regina".
Regina said "goodbye, I didn't realise it was getting so late, it's going to be hard to let you out of my sight".
Henry suggested "maybe you don't have to, maybe I could stay with you tonight"?
Regina said happily "of course".
Emma replied "okay, call me tomorrow and let me know what time you want me to pick you up".
Regina said "okay Henry, let's go home".
Tally hugged Henry which he seemed to flinch at and left with Regina's arm around him.
Neal said "I'm sure he's fine, he'll be back with us tomorrow".
Emma said "I'm probably paranoid, but something just seems off about Henry".
Tally said "his hug felt strange".
During lunch the next day David said "I must have really missed this because it never tasted better".
Mary-Margaret replied "there was a point you thought you'd never have Granny's food again". She took a bite of her own food and added "and after nothing but nuts and berries it's bound to taste better in comparison".
Mr Gold put a bottle on the table and said "perhaps you'd like to wash it down with this".
Mary-Margaret said "is that"...
Mr Gold said "an elixir, I'm a man of my word. This shall cure your Dreamshade once and for all".
David asked "and I owe you nothing".
Mr Gold said "on the house, but we are family, should I ever need a favour I'm sure you'd be more than willing". As he walked off David took a swig.
Mary-Margaret asked "how do you feel"?
David kissed her and answered "like I want to give you that baby you wanted". Mary-Margaret smiled and then it fell "what's wrong"?
Mary-Margaret said "ask him".
David turned around and saw Neal take a drink of his coffee and checked his watch.
They walked over to him and saw the bottle on the table, and thought 'wasn't Tally suppose to get it first'? "What's wrong"? asked Mary-Margaret.
Neal replied "Emma and Tally were supposed to meet me for lunch and haven't showed up yet".
David asked "and when were they supposed to show up".
Neal's eyes cast down and Mary-Margaret said "a while ago".
Neal said "it's Henry, she's still worried about him. She's always looking for the next mission. I always have to coax her into taking a break. Every time she got one bail-jumper she'd go to sleep and then demand the next one".
David looked at Mary-Margaret said "now who does that sound like"?
Neal raised an eyebrow and Mary-Margaret asked "you think that's me"?
David replied "you were worried nonstop the whole time you were pregnant with Emma. If it wasn't the unicorns vision and was Regina's threat. I'll go get Emma".
"Hey, aren't you late for lunch" said David finding Emma and Tally the by waterfront.
Tally said "mommy's still worried about Henry".
Emma added "even Tally thinks something's off about Henry".
David asked "because he asked to spend the night at Regina's".
Emma said "yes and last time I gave him back his story book his whole face lit up, last night he barely recognized his story book".
Tally said "his hug felt different, Henry's hug are always tight and I can feel the warmth of his heart, last night his hug was loose and ice cold".
David said "after what he went through in Neverland he's probably still shaken up. As for Regina, she did help us save him and she did raise him until you came into his life. He come back tonight, I wouldn't worry about it".
Emma said "but I can't shake this feeling something bad is going to happen".
Tally said "mommy's right, bad stuff happens"
Emma said "every time I think I can relax some sort of disaster comes up. The downside of being the Saviour is I don't get a vacation".
David said "maybe something bad will happen but that makes it more important to look for the good moment's in-between. Life is made up of moments bad ones, good ones but they're all worth living".
Emma asked "and you think a simple lunch will be a good moment".
David said "yes, it will be normal, and after everythingthat's a rare occurrence".
Emma and Tally exchanged looks and realised he was right "come on I'll give you a lift to Granny's".
As they arrived at Granny's they heard a woman scream. They saw Hook, Tinkerbelle and Neal run out. Neal asked "where'd that scream come from"?
Hook said "I was asking myself the same thing".
They heard the scream again and they ran to find the shadow chasing mother superior and then ripped her shadow off.
By the time they reached her she was dead Emma saw that Tally was scared and held her.
David said "I thought the shadow was trapped on the ship"
"Aye it was" said Hook "and the shadow only takes orders from one person".
Regina arrived with Henry as David and Emma covered Mother Superior. It would take something very powerful to kill a fairy, let alone the Blue Fairy. Regina asked "what happened"?
David said "the shadow, it killed her".
Regina asked "Pan's shadow? How is that even possible? I trapped it on the ship".
Emma said "somehow it broke free".
Neal said "Hook, let's go back to the ship and get the candle, if it strikes again we need to be able to capture it".
Emma said "Pan is doing this I know it"?
Regina replied "but he's trapped in a box under the floor of Gold's shop".
Emma pointed out "who else would be doing this".
Tally added "Hook said the shadow only takes orders from Pan".
Worried Henry said "so Pan can still hurt me"?
Regina said "we don't know that".
Mary-Margaret said "but we have to assume he's still a threat
Emma added "and he's after Henry".
Henry asked "then what am I doing here"?
David agreed "he's right, he's not safe out in the open".
Henry turned to Regina "you'll protect me, right"?
"Yes, of course" she replied.
Emma told them "go, we'll take care of the shadow"
As they walked away Emma said "Regina wait, keep a close eye on Henry".
Regina said "I just said I would".
Emma said "it's just he doesn't seem himself"
Regina snapped "you mean because he asked for me".
Emma replied "I didn't mean it like that".
Regina said "I think you meant it exactly like that. You just can't stand the fact I'm his mother too, and maybe just maybe he wants me when he's frightened. You forget I've got ten years of soothing his nightmares under my belt. He's fine".
Emma said "It's not about you Regina, I just have this gut feeling".
Regina replied "then maybe you can use that gut feeling to find shadow instead of obsessing over who's going to comfort our son".
"Grandpa Gold" Tally yelled running up to him.
Seeing the distress on her face Mr Gold "what's wrong sweetheart"?
Emma came up and said "Pandora's box, give it to me".
Mr Gold asked "and why would I ever do that".
Tally said "the shadow killed the blue fairy".
Mr Gold said "but that's not possible".
Mary-Margaret said "none of us know how, but Pan must be controlling the shadow from inside the box".
Belle asked "but why ask it to kill the blue fairy, shouldn't he ask it to try and free him".
Emma said "we can ask him when we open the box".
Mr Gold said "you want to let Pan out, are you crazy"?
Tally said "Henry's in trouble, please Grandpa Gold ".
Mr Gold replied "for some reason I don't think letting Pan out is going to change that". Then Mr Gold reminded them "and in all due respect Mrs Swan-Cassidy we barely survived in apprehending him the first time. If I've learnt anything, it's not to tempt fate".
Emma said "I'm not looking to apprehend him, I'm looking to end him. Wouldn't you like to be sure he's gone for good".
Mr Gold thought that would be nice and asked "what did you have in mind"?
They drove up to the town line Mr Gold said "there's no magic beyond the town line. If we were to release him outside Storybrooke he'd be powerless to fight back".
Emma said "oh no, I'm doing this".
Mr Gold reminded "I can cross the town line and retain my memories".
Emma said "it's not about that, there's no magic over there. In all due respect the real world is my expertise" She walked onto the other side of the town line and got out her gun. She said "I going to deal with Pan on my terms".
Mr Gold replied "he is my father".
Emma said "it's my hunch," she held out her gun ready to shoot Pan once he was released. If I fail, you're more than welcome to pick up the pieces".
Mary-Margaret said "Emma, be careful".
Mr Gold waved his hand over the box and as Pan was released he put it on the other side of the town line. Pan looked around, he saw everyone's scared faces. Then he saw Emma pointing a gun at him "mom".
"What"? said Emma.
Mr Gold demanded "what are you waiting for? Shoot him".
"Don't, please I'm Henry, Pan he switched our bodies" he said.
Mr Gold said "don't listen, this is one of his tricks".
Henry said "no, it's not, he did it just before Mr Gold captured me in the box, I swear".
He tried walking over to her Emma yelled "don't come any closer"
Mr Gold said "shoot him".
Emma said "maybe he's telling the truth, maybe that's why I can't shake this feeling something's off about Henry.
Mr Gold said "that what he wants you to believe, if he stepped over this town line we're all dead.
Emma said "If you are Henry prove it tell me something only Henry would know"?
Henry said "I got trapped in the mines, I tried blowing up the well, I like Hot Coco with cinnamon, like you, Tally and Mary-Margaret".
Mr Gold replied "this means nothing".
Mary-Margaret agreed "he's right, Henry could have told Pan all this in Neverland".
Tally said "Pan doesn't love us, Henry does, tell us something that only someone who loves us would know".
Henry said "dad's pet name for you is Sugar Plum, Mr Gold you took me and Tally for a carriage ride in New York, Mary-Margaret you gave me my book because you knew it would give me hope, David you gave me my wooden swords so I could start learning to sword fight. Emma, when I lost my book you saw how devastated I was, when you got it back for me I couldn't have been happier. You know how much I love my book".
Emma still held out her gun but he could tell she was starting to believe him . Tally stood in front of him "bend down".
Henry asked "why"?
Tally repeated "bend down".
Henry bent down unsure what Tally was thinking. Tally hugged him and then he hugged her tightly back and just like always with Henry she could feel the warmth of his heart. "He's telling the truth he is Henry. That's why the hug last night felt wrong, because it wasn't Henry".
Emma put her gun away "Henry".
Henry said "mom" and with that they hugged too.
Emma said to Mr Gold "promise me you're not going to incinerate us once we step over the town line".
Emma picked up Pandora box, once they stepped over the town line Henry hugged his grandparents while Emma gave Pandora's box to Mr Gold. Mr Gold said "I'm sorry I doubted you Henry, and I'm sorry I put you in this box in the first place".
Henry said "I understand, with how I look I would've done the same thing, you were just trying to protect me".
David said "you're missing the problem here, if he's here where's Pan"?
They rushed to the graveyard, on the way Emma called Neal and told him to meet them at Regina's vault in the graveyard and about Pan switching bodies with Henry. When they got there and Neal saw him he asked "Henry, is that really you"?
Henry said "dad" and they hugged".
David asked "any luck finding the shadow"?
Tinkerbelle told them "not yet"!
"But we'll be ready for it when do" Hook added holding up the candle coconut.
Mr Gold said "it's Pan we should be concerned about now. Why are we still up here".
Neal said "it's locked up tight".
Mr Gold said "we'll see about that". His magic wasn't enough "I can open it but it's going to take some time".
As Mr Gold tried to open the vault Neal asked "how do you know Pan was Henry"?
Emma said "we have a very smart little girl. But if Pan's down there I can't use my gun, he's in Henry's body".
David came over "we'll save him".
Emma said "will we? You think I should live my moments even though there terrible things out there".
David and Mary-Margaret said simultaneously "exactly".
"Thanks, but your wrong" Emma said. "I'm the saviour, I don't get the luxury of having moments, it's just not my life. Every time I think I'm going to enjoy myself I can't, because it's never going to stop".
They heard a sniffle and saw Tally Neal said "what's the matter Sugar Plum"?
Tally sobbed "mommy's not happy" she hugged Emma's legs.
Emma picked her up "thanks sweetheart I feel better now, why don't you go talk with Henry".
As soon as she was gone Neal asked "do you really feel better"?
"No" Emma answered "how can I. My magic comes with a price, the price of being the saviour is I don't get a day off".
Neal said "okay then, after this we are taking a long vacation to take the weight of the world off your shoulders".
Emma said "Neal, I can't, I..."
The spell on the crypt was broken and they all went in. They found Pan was gone and Regina unconscious on the floor. "All clear" Emma called as Mr Gold used his magic to wake Regina up.
"What happened"? Regina asked getting up rather groggy.
Emma answered "It's Henry, somehow Pan switched bodies with him".
Regina said "and I fell for it".
Mary-Margaret pointed out "we all did".
Regina said "I wanted to believe what he was saying so badly I missed all the signs. I wanted to believe he still wanted me to be his mother".
"I do" said Henry coming in and hugged Regina.
David asked "what exactly did Pan come down here to get"?
Mr Gold saw what had been deserved as placing his hand in front of it knew what it was. "Tell me you didn't keep it down here".
Regina replied "where else would I keep it"?
Emma asked "what is it, what did Pan take"?
"The curse" Mr Gold said "the dark curse. The curse that took everyone in the enchanted forest here".
Regina said "but I already cast it".
Emma said "and I broke it".
Mr Gold informed them "that doesn't mean he can't re-cast it. And this time without your parents true love woven in even you would be powerless to stop it"
Mary-Margaret asked "but we're already in Storybrooke, what would casting the curse do now"?
Mr Gold said "time would stand still just like in Neverland, and he will be in charge".