Chapter 14.

Third Person P.O.V

Peter gave the boys the locations of their weapons and they took off running, no questions asked about how he knew exactly where each one was buried or anything.

"Damn it, Peter!" Amy said in exasperation. "It would have been so much more fun to watch them running around like idiots."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, I need them ready. And thanks to you, you've put us off track. I'm sure the Dark One would be very proud."

Amy shrugged. "If it helped Henry get away, then I'm proud."

He smirked. "I said you put us off track. You didn't stop us in the slightest."

She narrowed her eyes, making him have to fight the urge to smile. She wasn't intimidating in the slightest. It was like a mouse trying to scare a snake.

"Don't be so surprised," he drawled. "All magic comes with a price."

She frowned and blinked slowly. "Huh?" She put a hand to her head, looking dazed and confused.

Her eyes fluttered shut and she began to sway unsteadily. Realizing immediately what was going on, Peter scooped her up into his arms before she dropped to the ground.

He was extremely curious as to what she was remembering this time. Trigger words or events were what caused certain memories to return, or so Cora told him. His expression darkened at the thought of her mother. It was a good thing she was dead, or he might have gone and killed her himself. Their last encounter had been extremely unpleasant, to say the least.

'Don't think about it,' Peter practically hissed at himself. The last thing he needed was to get angry over thatagain. It didn't even matter anymore. Cora had ultimately lost the game, he had won. Amy was his. And once he had the heart of the Truest Believer he'd be a powerful immortal. He'd never die and she'd never be alone again.

He carried her over to a tree and laid her down carefully, propping her head up against it. He stared at her a moment before reaching out and slowly stroking her cheek. Whatever was going on in her flashback, she was in distress. But he had to go.

He wiped a tear away that had begun to trickle from her eye and kissed her softly, though he knew she was too deep inside the memory to be comforted. He hoped she wouldn't wake up and run off again while he was gone.

It was time for him to join his Lost Boys and retrieve Henry.

Amy's P.O.V

I ran into the forest, crying my eyes out. Belle was gone. Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, had taken her. Sir Maurice had come home and explained to me what happened. I didn't want to believe him at first, I refused to believe him. How could he let his own daughter sacrifice herself? Besides, she had just been here with me this morning. She couldn't be gone forever.

But he'd been quite serious. The moment the truth of it registered in my mind I ran off, desperately seeking solitude. It suddenly seemed like years ago when Belle took me to the village for my tenth birthday, when in reality it had been yesterday.

Finally I dropped to my knees and began to cry so hard my entire body shook.

"Don't cry, Amethyst." I looked behind me and my eyes widened. Floating towards me was a tiny woman, wearing all blue as well as glowing. Her hair was dark and she had tiny wings and a wand in her hand. It was the Blue Fairy. I'd heard stories about her and how wise and knowledgeable she was. I was too sad to care though.

"Belle is gone," I whispered. "My mother is gone. Peter hasn't come back for me." I buried my face in my hands. "I'm all alone."

"There, there," she tried to comfort me. "Let's try and figure this out together, okay?"

"You can't help me," I said tearfully. "The Dark One has Belle. There's nothing anyone can do."

"All is not as lost as it seems," she said kindly. "Perhaps there is something else I can do to help you."

"I just want to be with my mother," I said sadly. "I'd give anything to be with her, away from here."

The woman hesitated. "Are you sure that's what you really want?"

"Yes!" I wailed. "If I can't have Belle, then I want my real mother."

"If you're sure . ." She reached into a tiny pouch attached to her dress and pulled something small out.

"What is it?" I asked, getting to my feet. I shook the dirt off my dress and walked over to her.

"It's a magic bean," she told me, holding it out. "It can take you anywhere in any realm."

"Really?" I asked, starting to feel excited.

"Really." She placed it in my outstretched hand. "It will take you to wherever your mother is, if that is where you want to go."

I beamed. "Oh, thank you!"

"But I must warn you," she said gravely. "Your mother isn't what you expect."

"I don't care," I insisted. "Being with her will be enough."

She nodded, still looking solemn. "Remember; all magic comes with a price."

"I understand. Thank you, Blue Fairy."

She smiled at me. "Good luck, Amethyst." She disappeared into the night, leaving me with the clear-colored bean in my hand.

"I'm coming, mom," I whispered.

When I opened the portal, I had no fear. It was huge and green, swirling around in a terrifying mass. But all I could think about was what it'd be like to have a mother to care for me.

I jumped into it, a huge smile on my face. But unfortunately, I flew out of the portal and into some maze where a knight knocked me out immediately.

I woke up not much later, when something kicked me.

"Is she alive?" I heard someone ask.

I blinked and lifted my head up. I was outside somewhere, in bright sunshine. In front of me was a throne that seated a woman in the biggest, puffiest dress I'd ever seen. Her face was covered by a mask. Gathered around were people, also wearing masks. The whole essence of this place scared me.

But I slowly got to my feet and stared at the woman on the throne. "Are you Cora?" I asked uncertainly.

There were disgusted murmurs among the people.

"Show respect for the Queen of Hearts," said a man firmly.

The queen pulled down her mask and stared at me. Her hair was a dark red and her eyes were silver.

"It's not possible," she whispered, studying me.

"Mother?" I asked, not daring to let myself get excited.

There were small gasps from the people as the Queen stared at me.

"Yes," she finally said coldly. "I'm your mother, Amethyst."

Third Person P.O.V

"You were so close to finding her."

Neal jumped to his feet and turned around to see Peter stepping into the camp site that had been Emma's and the others. Henry lay on the ground, still unconscious.

"You disappoint me," Peter said as the Lost Boys began to emerge from their hiding spots. "I thought I taught you better. Never break in somewhere unless you know the way out."

Neal glanced around him, unimpressed, though certainly on guard.

"I'll remember that next time."

"Oh but there isn't going to be a next time," Peter said shortly. "But don't blame yourself. Your father could have protected you, I'm sure."

Neal glanced down to see Felix pick up Henry. Neal didn't move, knowing it would be pointless. He was surrounded.

Peter put on a mock questioning look. "But then, who would have protected Henry from him?"

Felix stepped back, Henry slung around his shoulders.

Peter smirked. "Talk about a rock in a hard place."

"I will get my son back no matter what it takes." Neal stepped forward so that he was in Peter's face.

Peter raised his eyebrows, looking almost amused. "You're not getting it. That's not the problem. You got him, I got him back." He chuckled. "It's the game."

"Then what does Regina's sister have to do with it?" Neal asked, stepping back a few feet. "What's in it for you?"

"Amy and I have our own game to play," he said, malice in his tone. "It's sad how easily she's succumbed to me. But who can blame her?"

"Really?" Neal said, raising his eyebrows. "Because she seemed all too willing to help save Henry. I think there's something else."

"Oh do you?" he asked mockingly.

Neal smirked. "You know, when I asked her if she was coming with us, I saw something in your eyes I never thought I'd ever see."

"And what might that be?" Peter asked, rolling his eyes.

"Fear."

There was silence for a moment. The Lost Boys eyes flickered back and forth between the two comically as they watched the intense exchange between their leader and their former Lost Boy.

"You're not playing any games with her, Pan," Neal said quietly. "You love her."

Peter's eyes flashed dangerously for only a moment, before it was replaced by his signature smirk.

"Love?" he repeated thoughtfully. "Is that what they call it nowadays? I thought I was merely using her for my own personal needs."

The Lost Boys snickered, pleased that their leader hadn't lost his touch after all.

"You sick bastard," Neal said, his voice dangerously low.

He shrugged, his smile growing more and more wicked. "Staying eighteen forever can leave you with a bit of a dry spell, you know."

"She's a child!" Neal said, so furious he could barely speak.

Peter shrugged. "She's certainly old enough to have her own desires."

Neal narrowed his eyes. "I swear to God when I get Henry, I'm taking Amy to Regina and we're going the hell home, whether I have to tie her up and drag her away from you."

That hit home. "There is no escaping Neverland," Peter snarled viciously. "No one gets off this island without my permission."

"I've done it before," Neal said smugly.

"Did you?" Peter asked in amusement, looking him up and down. "Look where you are now." He blinked innocently. "It's like you never left."

"Are you saying you let me go?" he asked, almost scared to know.

"I'm saying everyone is where I want them."

Henry made a groaning noise and shifted slightly on Felix's shoulders.

"Something to chew on," Peter said cruelly, before calling out, "You know where to take him!"

Two Lost Boys grabbed Neal and began to drag him away.

"Henry!" he shouted, thrashing uselessly against the teenagers.

"Oh don't worry," Peter said casually. "It won't be for very long."

"I'm alive!"

"Just until I reset the board." Peter turned and began to walk away, a dark look on his face. "The game is about to change."

"No, Henry! I WILL COME FOR YOU! I PROMISE!"

Amy's P.O.V

For more years than I would ever know, I played the part of perfect daughter for the Queen of Hearts. I never grew older than ten years old.

Each day was the same, sitting on a stool beside my mother as she sat on her throne, barely speaking to me. Then, in the evening she'd teach me magic. She grew easily frustrated with me when I couldn't do simple things, like spin straw into gold or summon an item to fly into my hands. Eventually, all of the days in Wonderland began to just blur together miserably.

Until one day, years later, I came across my mother's royal "hatter", Jefferson. He ignored me completely when I introduced myself and tried to talk to him. All he did was work on his hats, muttering to himself about how he couldn't stop, a dangerous look in his eye. There must have been thousands of hats in that room.

I came to visit him everyday, simply because he was more interesting than anything else in the castle. His rages scared me, but I became used to them.

One day, I sat next to him and watched as he finished up a particularly appealing hat.

"That's a pretty one," I commented.

"Pretty doesn't get me home to Grace," he snapped. At first I was startled. I hadn't been expecting him to reply. He never had before.

"Who is Grace?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to set him off into one of his fits. He had one at least three times a day.

"My daughter," he muttered. For the first time, he looked at me. Really and truly looked at me. "You remind me of her."

"Really?" I asked softly.

"You haven't given up on me," he said, handing me sewing materials. "Thank you."

After that, I spent hours with him everyday as he taught me to make hats, the two of us going mad in Wonderland together as we tried to create a hat that would take us home. The both of us were separated from the people we desperately wanted to be with. Him with his daughter, me with Belle and Peter. All I could think was, "Why hadn't he come for me?"

Then I made a hat work. Jefferson never even knew.

One day, I decided to give a hat to my mother as a present and I took it to her. She'd been unimpressed, of course, but she accepted it. The moment her hands touched it to take it from me, chaos ensued.

We were both sucked into a portal to Earth, right where Peter was as he played his pipes for boys he was trying to gather. He'd been what I was thinking of when I handed the hat to my mother, wishing that I could have had the opportunity to make one for him. So the hat took us to him, absorbing the power from mother and daughter.

This happened almost eight years ago.

I gasped, bolting upright. There was so much noise around me, so much confusion. I scrunched my eyes and slowly the world came back together for me, like a puzzle coming together. Waking up like I'd been shot every single time I had a memory was pissing me off, just like blacking out for the memory.

I opened my eyes back up and saw the Lost Boys dancing around a fire, using sticks as instruments.

"You've been out for a long time."

I glanced up and saw Peter kneeling front of me, with a completely straight face.

"I remember a lot," I whispered. "It was so much I can barely wrap my head around it."

He watched me, waiting for me to continue.

I sighed and shook my head. "There's still pieces missing."

"It'll come to you eventually, I'm sure," he said quietly.

My eyes wandered over next to me and saw Henry lying there. I felt my heart shatter. Neal and Gold hadn't gotten away.

Except, his name wasn't even Gold. He was the Dark One. He was the one that took Belle away from me, the reason I felt so desperate to run away from my world to find my mother so I wouldn't have to deal with the loss.

Yet I couldn't even muster the energy to hate him. I made my own choice. I chose to run away instead of facing my problems. I did it to myself.

Henry's eyes flickered open and he slowly sat up.

"Amy?" He looked relieved. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Me?" I said incredulously. "I've been worried sick about YOU!" I leaned over and hugged him tightly.

When I pulled away, Henry looked between Peter and I. "What happened?" he asked.

"You fell asleep," Peter said simply.

I snorted. "Yeah, right."

Peter glared at me in warning, while Henry looked uneasy.

"Don't worry," Peter told him, reassuringly. "It was just a little cat nap. The night's still young."

By how wild the Lost Boys sounded, I didn't think it mattered what time it was. It was always playtime.

AN: So I hope you enjoyed that scene between Peter and Neal ;). And I hope some more of your questions about Amy have been answered! What do ya'll think about it?

Speaking of back stories, I've come up with Peter's! I think you guys are going to really like it, though that chapter won't be coming up for a little while. But when it is revealed, I think you'll enjoy it.