Author's Note: Hey Oncers! Thank you so so much for the reviews. I love them and they keep me motivated! Keep them coming! Here is Chapter 14. Enjoy!
He felt the urge to pull her closer into him and wrap his arms tighter around her at the sight of the monster. His heart raced at the thought that this just might be the end; that the crocodile would take her away from him only just after they had reunited. He glared at him standing before them with that smug grin on his face. "I will not let you take her from me, you bloody crocodile!" He said viciously.
The man replied with a gesture of the hands as he turned to waltz around the small cabin casually. "I'm afraid you have no choice in that matter, Captain. However," the imp turned to face them with his finger in the air and his wicked smirk, "I can make it more beneficial for you."
"I know exactly what you're dealing in, crocodile, and I will have none of it. You are not taking her." Hook glared into Rumple's golden eyes with anger.
"Not even if it will save your precious little boys?" His eyes looked upon Regina's. He knew that this was her weakness, the idea that her sons would be safe, would live.
He watched her eyes connect with his. They were hopeful. "You mean," she pushed away from Hook, though he struggled to keep her in his embrace, and stepped towards Rumple, "if I go with you and cast your curse as you wish, you will save my boys? They will be safe?"
"Regina," Hook took a hold of her hand, pulled her back and looked at her with confusion. "What are you doing? You can't go with him. You don't what this curse shall entail. It's a fool's deal."
"Killian," Regina placed her hands to his chest, feeling his heart beating nervously. "These are my children, our children. And this is the only way we can get them back." She stared into his eyes with so much confidence of what she was about to choose.
"At your expense, Regina! I can't allow you to do this. I can't lose you."
She brought her hands to his cheeks and smiled reassuringly, "And I can't lose those boys. This is our family." She bowed and shook her head as she continued, "I couldn't protect them; it is my fault that they were taken back there. But I can now; this is my chance to keep them safe, to be their mother and protect them." She looked at him, knowing that all he wished was to stop her from making this deal. She sighed, "I have spent so much time allowing others to create my life for me, a life that I never wanted. It's my life, Killian. I'm the one who chooses my fate. I know that you only want to protect me, but… this is my choice."
Regina watched tears fall from the pirate's eyes. He knew that he couldn't persuade her otherwise; she was a stubborn woman. But he couldn't help but continue to fight. "How long?" He asked her. He saw her confusion as she tilted her head to the side. "How long must we be apart if you do this?"
Regina sighed again, her eyes also welling with tears at the thought. "Twenty-eight years." She said quietly with a small whimper.
"Regina, that's a lifetime! The boys can't be without you for that long. I can't be without you for that long."
The woman leaned in to kiss is lips. She could taste the salt from his tears on the tip of her tongue. As they parted, she whispered, "It'll only feel like passing moments. I promise you."
"Not a day will go by that I'm not thinking about you, about seeing you again."
She smiled up at him. "But you have to stay strong for our boys. Take care of them." Regina leaned into his warm body and rested her head lightly upon his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. "I know you'll find me again. I have faith."
"I give you my word." He whispered deeply, choking back more tears as she backed out of his embrace and stepped towards the crocodile.
Regina looked at Rumple with complete seriousness in her dark eyes. "I have conditions before I agree to anything." She warned firmly.
"Well go ahead and name them, dearie. We haven't all day."
"Firstly, you will return our sons to us safely. Secondly, you must assure me that neither them nor Killian will be harmed or hunted by anyone or anything, especially the Lost Ones, Peter Pan, and you."
"My, my-" He was quickly interrupted.
"I'm not finished." She continued. "Thirdly, you will allow me to say goodbye to them before returning to our land."
"I admire a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to demand it." He smiled tapping his fingers together wickedly. "You have yourself a deal, dearie." Regina nodded her head to the imp, and then turned to look back at her nervous lover. He didn't want her to go, but the deal was struck. All he could do was prepare himself for the boys' arrival, for being the only parent they would have for that time.
The couple watched as the magical man disappeared before them. His voice echoing, I shall have my end of the deal in twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours and they would part ways for another twenty-eight years. They stared into each other's scared but loving eyes and allowed passion to overcome their kisses. They wouldn't waste their finale hours together.
0-0-0
Hands bound, the boys were led up the stairs of the platform. The three of them stood upon the trap doors that would drop them instantly. Blake stood in the middle with each brother on one side of him. He listened to their soft crying as one of the Lost Ones placed and tightened the ropes round their necks.
Blake kept his stare upon the one monster responsible for this, Peter Pan. He glared at his pleased smirk and his soulless black eyes as the Lost One tightened his noose. This was merely a show for Pan, his favorite kind at that. This form of death provided the torture for those who disobeyed or escaped. Unlike men, boys were lighter in weight. When they'd drop, they would struggle as they hung; it was their punishment.
He stared furiously at his murderer; his eyes wouldn't move anywhere else. But Blake could still hear the sounds of his brothers' fear. It made him close his eyes and just wish one last time. His mind brought back thoughts of his family and his parents; he wished that there was still a chance that they could be together again, that they could be happy.
He heard the clomping sounds of the Lost One walking to the other side of the platform where he would pull the lever and the trap doors would drop. This was the end, but something forced him to keep wishing. "Please." He whispered quietly with his last breath as the door opened. But he felt no drop. Instead, he felt a cold, misty and smoky air surround him; he felt the ground return to him but kept his eyes shut. Was he dead?
Blake listened to Tucker yell out, "Mommy!" He could hear his and Willy's little feet running.
He also heard her voice. "My boys." She sounded so happy and thankful. Was it possible that she had found a way to save them? That maybe they were alive?
"Son." He heard a voice call him. He knew that voice. But could it really be him?
Blake allowed himself to open his eyes slowly, the vision becoming clear. It was him. "Father!" He yelled out joyfully running to him and crashing into his torso with his arms wrapped around him. Blissful tears overcame him, he clenched the leather of his father's coat and listened to the sound of his heartbeat in his chest. "You're alive." He whispered with a smile.
Killian could help but laugh as he wrapped his arms around his son. He placed his chin to the boy's head and said to him, "You didn't think a silly old pistol was going to keep me from finding you, did you?"
The dark-haired boy lifted his head to look into his father's eyes and smiled, "Never."
"Sorry to interrupt this lovely family moment," Rumplestiltskin chimed in, "but I've kept my side of the bargain. Now it's your turn, dearie. Say your goodbyes."
"Goodbyes?" Blake looked at his father who turned his head and glanced at Regina. "Wait, but we just-"
"It was the only way I could get you boys back." Regina said standing up from the floor. The younger boys kept a hold of her legs. "I have to go for a while."
Letting go of his father and stepping towards her, Blake's happiness quickly disappeared. "But what about our family? What's the point of getting us back if you're just going to leave?"
Regina leaned forward to meet his dark eyes. She caressed his soft cheek and smiled at him. "Because I know you'll be safe." Regina knelt back down to say goodbye to her two younger boys.
"We don't want you to go." Willy said tearfully.
She looked into their sad eyes but forced herself to stay strong. She didn't want to cry. "It'll feel like I'm only gone for a second."
"You promise?" Tucker asked.
"I promise." She smiled. "And you must promise to be good for your father." Both little ones nodded before wrapping their arms around her. "I'm going to be thinking of you the entire time."
"Only for a second, Mommy." Tucker whispered.
"That's right." She slowly let them go and kissed their heads. "I love you."
Blake barely allowed her to stand before stepping forward to hug her tightly. He whispered, "But we only just got back." He didn't want to let her go. He shut his eye and rested his head on her chest.
"Sweetheart, look at me." She placed one hand to his shoulder and her other to his chin. "I won't be gone forever."
"Give me your word." He said.
"I do." She said before kissing the boy's head and telling him that she loved him. A hand touched her shoulder suddenly, making her look to her side, at the man she loved so dearly.
"And I give you my word. We will find you again and be a family." He said softly.
"Because you'll never leave me to be alone." She felt the man wrap his arms around her and pull her into a light kiss. Her hands cupped his face, her thumbs softly caressing the stubble on his jawline. She kissed him again, choking back her tears and staying strong for the both of them. "I love you so much."
"I know." He whispered, their lips only centimeters away. He light touched her lips again.
"I don't want to say goodbye." Her eyes stared into his.
"It isn't goodbye, love. It is until we meet again." He smiled.
She kissed him one last time, knowing that she wouldn't feel his lips for another twenty-eight years. "Until we meet again." She whispered as she backed away. She sighed, straightened up and coldly stared at her former villainous teacher. She felt that if she looked back at them, she would surely break down. She felt her stomach churn as she stood before the golden-skinned man. "Let's go."
"Wonderful." The man cackled as he surrounded them in a purple haze and brought them to the portal in which he entered Neverland.
Regina stared at the hidden door. "The hat?" She asked. "But how are we supposed to return if only you came through?"
"Dearie, I know the rules of the hat. I am not the only one who came through this last time around." He glanced at her confused expression.
"Who else came through?"
"Some pirate I made a deal with. Wanted to find his son or something, I believe. But the poor sucker is dead now." He chuckled.
"Wait a minute." She stopped in her tracks directly in front of the portal. "You are reason Killian's brother was here when we arrived at Pirates' Cove? You planned this from the start. Didn't you? You knew that he would return the boys to the Lost Ones. You knew I would do anything to get them back. You knew that all of this would unfold so that I would go with you willingly."
Staring at her with his smug grin, he replied, "Dearie, I have no idea what you are implying. Now, let us go cast that curse you promised me." He put his hand to the woman's back and pushed her forward as they stepped through the portal together, returning to their land.
Well, I know most of you didn't want Regina to make the deal, but what else could she do? She's do anything to protect her children! And why else would I have brought Rumple in the mix?
Please review! Tell me what you think. Give comments, questions, anything. I love to hear your thoughts!