A/N: Henry learns about the prophecy. How will he react?
Chapter Thirteen
The waterfall rumbled to the lake below while Rumplestiltskin and Henry sat near a tree and a small fire circle sat a few feet in front of them. Rumplestiltskin had caught some fish in the lake by using magic and Henry had imagined a knife so he could help him clean the fish. Rumplestiltskin used sticks to cook the fish over the fire and he picked off a piece of fish, placing the cooled piece in his mouth.
"Do you think my mom and Neal are looking for us?" Henry finally asked.
"Yes," Rumplestiltskin said after swallowing. "I also think Emma is as well."
"That's who I meant," Henry said with a small smile.
"Ah," he said and placed another piece of fish in his mouth. Suddenly he remembered what the Seer had told him about a boy being his undoing and the drawing of Henry she had given him and he sighed, closing his eyes.
"I swore to kill that boy," he thought and Henry looked at him and frowned.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes," he said then sighed. "Guess I'm not used to all this walking."
"Then maybe we should make camp here."
"No, we need to get moving." Rumplestiltskin said when he got up and put the fire out and Henry wondered why his grandfather was in such a hurry.
Belle watched while the first stars came out as Charming put some logs on the fire and she wondered where Rumplestiltskin and Henry were.
"Come back to me," Belle thought as she wiped the tears from her eyes when a twig snapped and Charming and Hook drew their swords, Snow White placed an arrow in her bow, Neal drew a knife from his boot, Emma removed the gun from her red leather jacket and a fireball appeared in Regina's hand.
"Don't hurt me," Tinker Bell said as she came out from the bushes when Neal growled and held the handle of the knife tightly in his hand.
"Tinker Bell," he said as she looked at him and frowned.
"Do I know you?"
"I'm Baelfire," he said as her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.
"Bae?" she asked then walked closer, but Hook came between them and she gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Is that really Tinker Bell?" Belle asked as she stood near Neal and he nodded his head.
"Where's Pan?" Hook asked, pointing his sword at Tinker Bell's chest.
"Right here," a voice said as they turned and Belle's eyes widened. Coming out of the bush with several Lost Boys was a fourteen year old boy with brown hair and brown eyes and he was wearing a tan tunic, tan trousers and brown boots.
"No," Belle whispered as Neal looked at her and she wrapped her arms around his arm. "That's the boy from my nightmare."
The Lost Boys surrounded them as Pan walked closer then glared at Tinker Bell.
"Where is he?" Pan growled and Tinker Bell winced and moved behind Hook, who moved away to stand next to Snow White.
"I don't know," Tinker Bell said and Pan growled, balling his hands into fists.
"He got away?"
"Yes, he told his grandfather…."
"They're together," Belle thought when Pan swung his hand back and slapped Tinker Bell.
"Hey!" Emma shouted as Tinker Bell sniffed and covered her face with her hands.
"Go find them!" Pan shouted as he ignored Emma and Tinker Bell turned and ran into the jungle. He then turned to look at Emma and the others and an evil smile spread across his face.
Rumplestiltskin sat on a stump while Henry placed some wood on the fire then looked at his grandfather and Rumplestiltskin looked tired. He hadn't talked since they left the last camp and he had to half run to keep up with him. Wiping his hands on his jeans as he stood up, Henry walked to him then sat down next to the stump and looked up at him. Rumplestiltskin glanced at him when he sighed and placed his hands on his knees.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked.
"I don't want to talk about it," he said and Henry frowned.
"How did you hurt your leg?" he asked and Rumplestiltskin looked at his right leg.
"I broke it."
"How did you break it?"
"I smashed it with a hammer."
"Why?"
"Henry, please stop asking me questions."
"Ok," Henry sighed and Rumplestiltskin rubbed his face with his hands then sighed.
"I do apologize. The reason I don't want to tell you what's wrong is that I'm afraid you'll hate me."
"It's that bad?"
"In a way," he sighed. "You have to understand. After I lost your father, I became very self-centered and only cared about my survival. I had to survive in order to find him or find a way to get to him. The last thing I expected was to run across a Seer."
"You mean like a psychic?"
"Yes but only much more powerful. I had met this Seer before. It was her prophecy that led me to cripple myself in order to be there for your father."
"Whoa."
"Even though I was the Dark One when I saw her again, she knew who I was and mocked me about trying to find him."
"I bet she regretted doing that."
"Yes, she did."
"What did she want?"
"She wanted me to kill her to free her from her power," he said and Henry's eyes widened.
"Did you kill her?"
"Yes," he sighed and Henry frowned. "As she lay dying, she wanted me to take her power."
"Did you take them?"
"Yes."
"So you can see the future?"
"Yes, I can, but not everything."
"Cool," Henry and Rumplestiltskin smiled then sighed.
"Just before she died, she told me one last prophecy."
"What did she tell you?"
"She warned me that a boy would be my undoing."
"What does that mean?"
"I have no idea. She did give me a drawing of what the boy looked like."
"Who did he look like?" Henry asked and Rumplestiltskin looked at him. "Wait! It was a drawing of me?"
"Yes," he said then sighed.
"What did you want to do to him?"
"I…was going to kill him," he said and Henry got up then ran into the jungle. Sighing, Rumplestiltskin got up then waved his hand to put out the fire and ran after Henry.
Pan circled Emma, Hook, Charming, Snow White, Regina and Neal while he smiled then stood in front of Neal and Neal gave him a blank look.
"So, one of my Lost Boys has returned," Pan said, placing his hands behind his back. "You got old."
"I was never yours," Neal growled.
"You almost were," Pan said then frowned. "That was until your father came and took you back."
"Yes, but not before you made him try and figure out which one was me."
"He couldn't," Pan said with a smile. "You were so angry."
"It wasn't his fault. You had us wear masks."
"He still should have known his own son," Pan said and poked Neal in the chest.
"Could you have done it?" Neal asked and Pan laughed.
"I don't have a son," he said and Neal felt his heart breaking.
"Yes, you do," Belle thought as she looked at Neal and sighed.
"But could you have known who he is even if he was wearing a mask?" Neal asked.
"No," Pan said with wide eyes. He walked to Emma as he looked at her then at Regina and smirked. "So, which one of you is the boy's mother?"
"We both are," Emma said and Regina's eyes widened. Emma smiled at her as she shrugged and Regina smiled back.
"That is impossible."
"A lot you know, Kid," Regina said and Pan glared at her.
"Why did you take Henry?" Snow asked.
"I took him because he's special," he said as he looked at Snow.
"What's so special about him?" Emma asked.
"He has the Heart of the True Believer," Pan said and they gave him a shocked look.
"Well, we know he believed in fairy tales, but a lot of kids do," Neal said.
"But he can influence his belief," Pan said then grinned. "How else could he do what he's done? I mean don't you think it's odd that you're all got together? You wouldn't if it wasn't for him."
"You don't know that for sure," Emma said.
"Hold on," Charming said as he walked to Emma and looked at Pan. "How did you find out about Henry? You've been here on this island."
"That's my secret," Pan said then looked at the Lost Boys. "Bring them."
Emma sighed as the Lost Boys surrounded them then they headed into the jungle and Neal walked beside her. She smiled at him when she slid her hand into his and Neal wrapped their fingers together.
Henry slowed down as he stood near a tree and panted.
He couldn't believe that his own grandfather would want to kill him.
"Well, he is the Dark One," he thought as he leaned against the tree and tried not to cry.
"It's not a good idea to run from me, Dearie," a voice said as he looked to his left and saw Rumplestiltskin sitting on the log. He looked hurt as he placed his head down and had his hands on his knees. Henry looked at him for a long time when he finally walked closer and sat next to him on the log.
"Are you…Are you going to kill me now?" Henry asked as Rumplestiltskin looked at him and sighed. Henry didn't move as Rumplestiltskin slid his arm around his grandson's shoulders and moved until they were side by side.
"I never was," he said and Henry gave him a puzzled look. "After the Seer gave me the drawing, I thought about it. After the curse was cast, I had forgotten all about it. When your mother showed up and triggered my memories, I couldn't."
"Why?" he asked and Rumplestiltskin smiled.
"I like you too much," he said and Henry leaned into him. "Imagine my surprise when your father called and told me not only had he known your mother, but you were my grandson."
"What did you do?"
"I dropped the phone," he said and Henry laughed. "That's when I decided to ignore the prophecy."
Henry placed his head against Rumplestiltskin's shoulder as they sat still for a few minutes when Henry noticed the torches mounted on the trunks of the trees and frowned.
"Do you think we're safe here?" he asked.
"No," Rumplestiltskin said then stood up and Henry stood next to him. Taking his hand, they headed for the jungle when Tinker Bell came out of the bushes and Rumplestiltskin flicked his hand up. A fireball appeared in his hand as she backed up and held her hands up in surrender.
"No, don't kill me!" she said and Rumplestiltskin frowned, scrunching up his nose.
"Give me one good reason not to," he growled.
"I know where his mother is," she said, pointing to Henry.
"My mom's here?" Henry asked, wide eyed.
"I told you she would come," Rumplestiltskin said and Henry smiled then Rumplestiltskin glared at Tinker Bell. "Take us to her."
"Who are you?" Tinker Bell asked.
"He's Rumplestiltskin." Henry said and her eyes widened.
"You're…you're the Dark One?"
"Yes," Rumplestiltskin said then looked at Henry. "Now, for the last time, take me and my grandson to his mother."
"Uh…," she said as she looked from Henry to Rumplestiltskin. "Yes, follow me."
"No tricks, Dearie," he said and the fireball vanished. Tinker Bell nodded as they headed into the jungle and Henry saw the anger in his grandfather's eyes. Gently nudging him, Henry smiled up at him and Rumplestiltskin smiled back.
Emma wondered where they were going when Pan led them into a clearing and they stopped near the large fire circle. Pan stood near the fire circle then smiled and placed his hands on his hips.
"Welcome to our happy home," he said with a small bow and Emma frowned.
"Why did you bring us here?" she asked.
"Well, to have some fun of course," he said then walked to Neal and smiled. "You do want to have some fun. Don't you, Baelfire?"
"No," Neal said.
"Don't you want to see your Darling family?" he said then snapped his fingers and two of the Lost Boys walked closer. Neal's heart sank when he saw Michael and John Darling and Pan gave him a smug look.
"Where's Wendy?" Neal asked and Pan grinned.
"She tried to get away. Don't worry. The shadows took care of her."
"What does that mean?" Snow asked.
"They took her to the cliffs then…," Pan said then whistled while pointing down with his finger then made an explosion noise and she gasped.
"You killed her?" Neal growled then took two steps toward Pan, but Pan waved his hand and Neal found that he couldn't move.
"Let him go!" Emma said and Pan sighed, folded his arms over his chest.
"I will once Tinker Bell comes back with the boy," he said with a grin and Emma balled her hands into fists.
The Forbidden Forest
"Where are we?" Henry asked as they walked down the path and the shadows surrounded them. Rumplestiltskin held him to his side while every nerve in his body roared for him to run and anger filled his eyes.
"I don't know," he said then glared at Tinker Bell, who was leading the way. "You aren't leading us into a trap, are you, Dearie?"
"No," she said then stopped and looked around. The shadows seem to move as she moved closer to Rumplestiltskin and he frowned. "They're coming."
"Who is?" he asked when the shadows soared over their heads and they ducked. "Seven hells, what are they?"
"They're the shadows," she said and Rumplestiltskin growled. They ran then ducked behind some rocks and the shadows floated overhead. "Do something."
"What do you want me to do? Make shadow puppets?" he asked and Henry smiled. Sighing, Rumplestiltskin stood up when he walked around the rocks and looked up at the shadows. "I demanded to speak with the shadow who is master of this land."
Rumplestiltskin wasn't sure if they understood him when the shadows parted and a large shadow floated down to him. He recognized the shadow as the one who made the deal with his father as he placed his hands in front of him and stood his full height.
"We know you," the shadow said and Rumplestiltskin smiled.
"I would be surprised if you didn't."
"No, we mean we know you not only as the Dark One. You have been here before."
"Yes, I have."
"You were the Unwanted Boy."
"Yes," he sighed and his heart ached.
"Why have you returned?"
"I have come to confront Pan."
"Why are you protecting the boy?"
"He is my grandson," he said then smiled back at Henry.
"He belongs to Pan."
"No, he doesn't," Rumplestiltskin growled and the shadow moved closer, looking deeply into his eyes.
"Don't you want to be free of him?" Henry asked while coming around the rocks and the shadow moved to him. "I mean he did take over your island."
"Yes, he did," the shadow said with sadness in its voice.
"Is there a way to reclaim it?"
"There is a way. His belief must be broken."
"There is no way he will stop believing," Rumplestiltskin sighed. "This is what he always wanted."
"I am talking about the belief in him," the shadow said and Rumplestiltskin frowned, blinking his eyes a few times.
"You mean if someone doesn't believe in Peter Pan then he loses his magic?" Henry asked.
"Yes, but only the True Believer can do that."
"Who is the True Believer?" Rumplestiltskin asked and the shadow looked at Henry.
"He is."