That night, 12-year-old d'Artagnan had her first nightmare in six months.
A shadow was chasing her. It was horrifying with its glowing eyes. The shadow grabbed her and flew higher than the clouds. d'Artagnan couldn't see anything until the shadow dropped her on a forest floor.
For a moment, d'Artagnan thought that she was back in The Enchanted Forest. But the energy of this place seemed different, more… sinister. The shadow was still flying above her, its eyes frightened her.
"Where am I? What is this place?" she demanded.
The shadow whispered in reply "Pan wishes to speak with you."
"Who the fuck is Pan?" d'Artagnan questioned.
"Now, d'Artagnan. That's no the way a young lady should speak." d'Artagnan looked up to see a boy flying down. Gods, does everyone fucking fly here?
The boy was almost as tall as she was. d'Artagnan thought he looked familiar, but she couldn't place her finger on it.
"I'll ask again: Who. The fuck. Are you?" d'Artagnan wasn't in the mood to play games. She wanted her bed, her home in Béarn.
"Come on, demon. You don't recognize me?" He raised his eyebrows in fake shock and hurt.
d'Artagnan froze. Only then did she see the boy's blue eyes and see who he was.
"M… Malcolm?" She couldn't believe it. It was impossible. It has to be impossible.
"I know, I know. You have questions." She didn't think it was possible, but this younger version of her stepfather seemed cockier. His smug, carefree expression was sickening.
"Where is Rumplestiltskin?" She glanced up at the shadow, searching its features for some sign of her brother.
"Relax, demon. He's still in The Enchanted Forest. I left him with those spinsters, the wool spinners. You remember them?"
She did. They were kind enough. d'Artagnan had never spoken to them, not really. But they were good guardians for Stiltskin.
"Where are we then, if not The Enchanted Forest?"
"It's called Neverland," Malcolm replied.
"Neverland? That story you used to tell Rumplestiltskin?"
"It was never a story." d'Artagnan sat down as she tried to wrapt her head around all of this.
"I cannot believe you abandoned Rumplestiltskin. Your own son, Malcolm."
"Malcolm is gone now! There is just Peter Pan." That's a stupid ass name, d'Artagnan thought. Of course he chose it. It's perfect for him.
"Do you want to see your brother? I can show you where he is." Pan smiled maliciously. They both knew it was bait. d'Artagnan decided to take it, if only for Stiltskin.
"Show me."
Pan smiled and gestured to a well that d'Artagnan hadn't noticed before. She stood and walked over to where Pan and the well were. He made and exaggerated bow and suddenly the well's water rippled and changed. d'Artagnan gasped as she say a 10-year-old Rumplestiltskin. He had changed so much in two years.
"How long has he been alone?"
"About two-and-a-half years." d'Artagnan looked up at the well to stare at her stepfather. Rumplestiltskin lost his sister and his father one right after the other.
"It's your fault that he's alone, demon d'Artagnan."
"Excuse me?"
"If you hadn't so selfishly left-"
"You know damn well why it's not my fault. You wanted me to leave. How dare you pin it on me, you fucking bastard."
"d'Artagnan! I hadn't realized those Frenchmen tolerated your mouth."
"Those Frenchmen have been kinder to me than you ever were." d'Artagnan looked back at the well to see Rumplestiltskin spinning wool. He seemed to be good at it.
"Why did you bring me here, Pan?"
"To show you that I won."
"... What?"
"You have lost Rumple, and you can't ever give him back."
"You brought me here… to fucking gloat?"
Pan did nothing save to wave d'Artagnan away. The shadow plucked her off the ground yet again. d'Artagnan flew away cursing her stepfather's name.
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d'Artagnan woke up in a sweat and in tears. Aramis and Charles had heard her sobs. d'Artagnan once thought that the d'Herblays would kick her out because of the frequency and noise of her nightmares. Now, this nightmare that was so real brought those fears back. However, instead of turning her out, Aramis and Charles soothed her back to sleep.