Part 21

It seemed like half the town was at Granny's or just outside, partying to celebrate Henry's safe return in town and their victory over Peter Pan. Even the people who hadn't been touched by Henry's kidnapping or the rescuer's departure used this excuse to party.

The coconut had been burnt back in Neverland but they still needed to discuss what they were going to do with the box where Peter Pan was trapped and everyone seemed to have an idea, to want to share their opinion.

"We could free him outside the town line and shoot him. Quick, easy and definitive." Leroy suggested as he walked by them on his way to the counter to get more beer for his brothers and himself.

Bella wanted to object, to argue that this would be an execution and that it was wrong but she reminded herself of the last time she pleaded on someone's behalf. When she had stopped them from killing Cora before she could do anything, the woman had thanked her by almost killing Killian. Bella knew deep down that she couldn't argue on this, no matter what she thought or believed. She needed to stay out of this and let them do what they had to do.

"Bella, are you alright Love?" Killian asked her, worried by her silence.

"Do as you wish with Pan. I won't argue this time around." She replied.

"What? Why?" Emma asked her.

"You all wanted to kill Cora when we found her heart in her possessions and I convinced you not to. Killian almost died because of this. I'd like to think that I'm smart enough to learn from my mistakes. I won't stop you from killing Peter." Bella announced before she excused herself to go get something to drink for them all.

"We could simply keep him prisoner in this box somewhere nobody will ever be able to get him..." Killian suggested, feeling like he needed to argue Bella's side, even if she wasn't going to.

"What if someone gets a hold of my dagger and forces me to reveal his location and to free him?" Rumpelstiltskin argued.

"I think Leroy's suggestion isn't that bad... Pan has done enough evil to deserve death. What else is there to do?" David nodded.

"We could try to spin the clock backward and turn him back into a baby, if we had someone willing to take him in and try to raise him differently, with another name and another life...no memories of the past..." Belle suggested.

"Actually, it's not such a bad idea." Snow nodded.

"Who would be willing to take him in? Bella and Killian just spent over 2 hours finding families for the Lost Boys, who were all innocent..." Emma snorted.

"Maybe we should simply get him adopted outside of Storybrook, where there is no magic to corrupt him." Bella said.

She had come back with pitcher of beer to refill everybody's glass. Killian placed his arm back around her waist and she moved closed to him, placing her head against his chest.

"You think a do over in our world would be good for him?" Emma asked Bella.

"As long as we make sure that we find him a good family that won't place him back in Foster care or anything." Bella replied with a nod.

"Well, we can leave him in the box for now. It's well protected under the shop and nobody will be able to break through those protections to get to him. We'll spread the word that we killed him the way Leroy suggested sometime tomorrow and in a few weeks, we'll start looking for a family for him." Gold summarized.

"I'll spread the word of Pan's death tomorrow around 4 pm." Leroy nodded before he joined his brother dwarfs.

The rest of the party went on pretty well. Everyone was having fun and while Bella spent some time with her sister, she watched Killian, Neal and Graham drinking beer and shooting arrows at the target on the wall. Mulan and Ruby were being flirted on by Doctor Whale, Ariel was saying goodbye to Snow before her prince and her went back to his apartment and Henry was falling asleep in his booth.

"Alright, I think it's time for Henry to get to bed." Emma declared, making Neal and Graham turn to her.

"Why don't I take him with me to my father's? I'm sure you and Graham could do with the...um... rest." Neal suggested and Emma nodded, surprised by this nice move on his part.

"Thanks." She smiled and Neal nodded before he went to get his son and walked him back to his father's house, where Gold and Belle had already gone half an hour ago.

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Over the course of the evening, people started wondering if it would be possible to go back to their home, the Enchanted Forest. Snow and David promised to start looking into it and to see with Gold the next day if it would be safe enough. Thanks to Anton, they had a good reserve of magic beans and more were growing. They should be able to make several trips or even to establish a portal to go back and forth between the two lands.

"So, Captain, are you really going to stop being a pirate? I'm not the only man you've got here, a few of us came with the curse and we're all willing to follow you anywhere you decide to go." William Smee told Killian while Bella was a little further away, saying goodnight to Aurora and Mulan.

"I told you everything earlier Mister Smee. I'm a changed man." Killian replied.

Suddenly, before he replied, Smee bowed his head and said:

"My Lady."

"Bella, this is Mister Smee." Killian introduced her and she shook his hand.

"I... I'm going to go and... leave you two alone Captain." Smee bowed.

"You don't have to leave on my account. I'm guessing you were speaking about your conversation from this afternoon?" Bella guessed and her Love nodded.

"Even if the curse gave most of us a second chance at love and at a legal life, we all miss being with you on the Jolly Roger, Captain." Smee explained.

"Why don't you?" Bella asked.

"What do you mean Love?" Killian asked her.

Surely she didn't want him to leave her right?

"You said you've changed and that's great but it doesn't mean you have to stop going at sea if you like it. You and your mates could meet up once in a while and take the Jolly Roger out, just for fun. Pirates aren't the only ones at sea." She suggested.

"I see why you love her so much Captain. Well, I'll go and see if I'm lucky in love tonight. I'll talk to you soon Captain, My Lady." Smee declared before he rushed off to flirt with someone Bella had seen before but had never been introduced to.

"You're amazing Bella." Killian told her before he kissed her.

"Thank you. Now what do you say about walking me back home? I'm exhausted and I promised to check in on the boys tomorrow morning." Bella asked him.

"It'll be my pleasure." he nodded.

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The next morning, Gold was both surprised and happy to see his grandson join him for breakfast. They weren't alone for long because soon, Neal and Belle were sitting with them around the kitchen counter and they were living an almost normal family moment.

"Some people wanted to know if it'd be possible to go back to the Enchanted Forest..." Henry informed his grandfather.

"I'll look into it this morning." Gold promised as he served the pancakes he had made to everyone.

As soon as he was done, the Dark One went to his shop and started spinning, trying to have a vision of the Enchanted Forest and what would happen if they all went back now. It didn't take him long to have visions of the envious Zelena taking residence in Regina's castle and plotting against her sister. Concentrating even harder, Rumpelstiltskin saw that she was planning on going back in time and he also saw what she needed in order to do that. Going back to the Enchanted Forest would only help her in her plan and he couldn't have that, they weren't ready.

Thinking back on it, he knew that it was his fault, that he hadn't been very clever in the way he had dealt with her. She wanted to be better than Regina and when he denied her that, she had made new plans. Now her new plan was to go back in time and prevent her mother from abandoning her. He couldn't have that either. It would mean No Snow, No Emma and no Henry. Without them, he wouldn't have his son back, he wouldn't have them to convince Baelfire to give him a second chance. He needed to find a way to stop her, he needed to start making plans to protect this town and his loved ones.

Plus, what would happen to Bella if Zelena went back in time? Would his beloved daughter still exist or not? He couldn't lose her, she was just as important to him as Baelfire was.

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While in Storybrook, Snow White was getting ready to visit Regina in the hospital, in Neverland, Felix had a plan ready to get his revenge on Bella and he wouldn't need to curse an entire town to achieve it. He was willing to drain Neverland of all of its magic if he had to. She was responsible for Peter Pan's failure and for that, she needed to pay, whatever the cost.

He wanted to take everything from her. Her family, her love, her hope. He wanted her to be all alone and all of her loved ones to suffer her loss as well. He wanted her in danger, without her precious pirate to save her. He wanted her to forget about who she was, about her family, about her love. He could simply erase her memory with a potion that Pan had left behind but it wasn't enough. He could curse her somewhere she would be alone and her family would be able to see her suffer without reaching her, Pan had left the necessities for that behind as well but it wasn't good enough. He needed to curse her with something even her Dark One father or her Savior sister wouldn't be able to fight.

Smiling, Felix bend forward, grabbed one of the biggest seashell and called someone special in it. He smiled when, a few minutes later, the leader of Neverland's coven of mermaids appeared before him.

"You called. What can we do for you Felix?" She asked him.

"You can help me get revenge for Peter's death against the woman who killed him." Felix smirked.

"Now we're talking. Tell me Felix, will we finally get to have some fun?" The mermaid replied with a smile.

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When Mary-Margaret entered the hospital room where Regina was still in a coma, she was shocked by how bare the room looked. It looked like even the volunteers had stayed away from the Evil Queen's room. Even though the woman had done horrible things to her, Snow couldn't help but feel bad for the woman who had once saved her life.

On the bedside table, Snow saw the woman's personal effects and was surprised to notice a letter addressed to her there. Taking it in her hand, she remembered that before Henry was taken, Regina had asked for some pen and paper to write a letter from her cage. Opening it curiously, Snow almost dropped it once she had read it.

Cora had had another daughter named Zelena. She had been abandoned. Regina had an older half sister whose father was unknown.

Taking her phone out, Mary-Margaret called her husband who was with Gold, talking about the current state of the Enchanted Forest and the dangers of going back there. She told him what she saw in the note Regina had left her and Gold informed her that Zelena was the Wicked witch of the west and that she wanted to use them all to go back in time and change everything. If he didn't go into details, Gold's warning was enough for them to know that Zelena was bad news.

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In the old rusty trailer he had taken refuge into shortly after the curse broke, August had done a lot of thinking and he knew that hiding his shame in the woods wouldn't help him change back into a man of flesh, blood and bone. Blue had been clear. He hadn't been honest, truthful and unselfish. He had lied ever since he left Emma and Bella, he had worn dishonesty on his chest, using it at every turn and he had definitely been selfish, especially when he left Storybrook to hide away. Even his motives to go back to the saviors had been selfish. He had come to them so they could help him stop from turning into woods. He had been selfish.

He had been a bad boy and deserved what he had gotten.

If he even wanted to be a man again, he needed to act like one and face his father and the two young women he had failed so long ago. His first stop was his father's house and he was greeted by who was apparently his two adoptive brothers, former Lost Boys that Bella had helped find a loving home. It took him a while to explain everything to his father and the understanding man that he was welcomed his first son back and introduced him to the new members of the family.

Of course August couldn't trade his trailer for his father's home, he needed to face the music and so he went with his father and his adoptive brothers in town for lunch, knowing he wouldn't be able to eat anything. Of course everyone was curious as they looked at him, the wooden man that was walking by Marco, but he ignored them all. He smiled at the Blue fairy's approval nod and was greeted by Neal and Henry who were apparently joining Emma and Graham for lunch. Pinocchio was sad for Neal, to know that because of the part he played in the couple's past, Neal and Emma had lost each others for good and it only added to everything that was weighing on his heavy conscience.

He was happy to know that Bella had found True Love though. He might be a pirate but he was still the woman's True Love, more than that he was also her Soul Mate. That was rare and powerful and it reassured August to know that he hadn't completely ruined everything for everyone.

As everyone welcomed him back in town, August promised to do his best to make up for his mistakes. He would make everything right again.

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A few days after their return from Neverland, Regina woke up.

Snow had made a point to visit her everyday and to bring her flowers and she was present when Regina finally opened her eyes. David, Graham and Emma came to see if Regina would be trouble again or if she was willing to be peaceful.

"I... I wanted to apologize for everything I did... When I was in coma I did some soul searching and..." Regina started.

"Soul searching? Really? Did it hurt?" Graham interrupted her making David and Emma smile.

"I'm serious. I'm sorry for what I did. I'm ready to sign any magical contract you wish, I'll try to restrain my use of magic... I help you next time someone comes to hurt you... I'm ready to try and be good, or at least better." Regina swore.

"It's good enough for me." Mary-Margaret smiled.

"Well, it's not good enough for me. I'll call Gold and ask him to make a contract right now." David announced.

"I'll go and get it. I need to pick up Henry anyway. He was spending time with Neal at the shop this afternoon." Emma said before she kissed Graham and left the room.

"What about Henry?" David asked Regina.

"I failed him, I understand that I can never have him back. I'll just be happy to see him from time to time." Regina nodded.

"Good." Graham nodded before he left David and Snow to bring the fallen Queen up to date with recent event and what Gold had told them about her sister Zelena.

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For the past few days, Bella had been busy checking on each Lost Boys, making sure they were happy and had a nice family, that they settled well in school. Then she met Killian's old crew and got to know each of them, knowing that if something happened to Killian, they would be there to help her or that if something happened to her, they would be there to help Killian. Having a band of previous pirates on her side could only be good.

She had also gotten to know more about Killian and his past and if they hadn't been intimate yet, they had spent a lot of time together. She had introduced him to cell phones and to the wonders of internet. They had also watched a few movies together and taken several walks around town. It was common knowledge to the people of Storybrook that Bella and Killian were now truly together.

She had also spent some alone time with her mother, something she hadn't done much since the curse was broken and she went to a couple of girl's night with Emma, Ruby, Aurora and Mulan.

.

"So, what is your plan Felix? Why did you call me? What is it you need from me?" The head of Neverland's mermaid asked the new 'king of Neverland's jungle'.

"I want to change Bella into a mermaid. I want her to be changed into a mermaid." Felix informed her with a triumphant smirk on his lips.

"She's presently human... so she'd forget about her present and past life and fall victim to the call of the sea... and here I thought Peter was the brain in your little group. I never knew you were such a thinker. Makes you look even hotter." The mermaid winked at him.

After being given the specifics of what Felix wanted along with the items he was willing to trade, the mermaid left the shore and swam far away, until she found herself in front of Ursula's underwater castle. The sea goddess accepted Peter Pan's potion in exchange for the bracelet Felix wanted without asking for the specifics.

"Your human friend who wants to be a mermaid won't be able to take it off on her own, no would magic would be able to be used to take it off. Only her one True Love would be able to take it off, and only if she allowed him to do it. You need to be careful because as a human, the call of the sea will be too tempting to her, she'll forget everything and everyone she knew and loved on dry land to remember only the sea and its wonders." Ursula warned the mermaid.

"Don't worry, my friend knows what she's getting into. She has nothing to lose on dry land." The mermaid lied before she took the bracelet and gave the payment to the sea goddess before swimming back to Neverland as quickly as she could.

Felix was waiting for her on the beach and smiled widely when she appeared and threw it at him before she explained the specifics of the bracelet to him and it only made him smile wider.

"Now, all I have to worry about is finding a good plan to go to Storybrook, find Bella, place the bracelet on her and push her in the sea." Felix smiled.

"How are you going to do that? Do you need our help?" She asked him.

"Don't worry about it, Peter left a few other things behind, among them is a magic bean. I think I'm going to go and concentrate at Skull Rock before I leave. There might be something else for me to do if I want my revenge to work the way I want it." Felix replied as he stood up and started making his way to the giant Skull Rock where he'd be able to try and have visions of the best way to put his plan in action.

So, what did you think?

Since nobody guessed the plan, nobody gets to name to evil mermaid.

When I started this story I warned that there would be no redemption for Regina... Obviously I've changed my mind, mainly because I love her and Robin Hood together.

Next chapter, you will see a lot of Felix and little of everyone else.

Don't forget to review,

Lorelei Candice Black