Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or its characters or plot ideas. The only things I own in this story are my own ideas and my own characters.

~ Chapter Twenty-Four ~

Just as I expected Felix doesn't take me back to Peter's camp to stay with the rest of the lost boys, but instead he takes me to the treehouse that I woke up in. Also, just as I expected, Peter is nowhere to be seen and Felix tries to leave as soon as he drops me off.

"Hey, hey, hey!" I call once Felix starts walking away. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you." Felix smirks and I narrow my eyes. "Why? Do you need something?"

"Entertainment, Felix. That's what I need. There's no way I'm going to let Peter lock me away in this treehouse with nothing to do. Let's go have some fun!" I throw my arms in the air and grin. For the first time since arriving on this island I'm starting to feel like the old me again… Not the villainous part, of course. But the part of me that was able to have fun all the time and not worry about anything else.

"Peter wanted you back here." Felix tells me seriously, his expression stern. I make a face back at him in an attempt to match his expression but I'm really just trying to get him to see how ridiculous he's being.

"No, he just wanted me away from the heroes, which I am. He's going to know I'm with you. He knows everything and when he's ready he'll come find us." I raise an eyebrow and dare him to tell me otherwise. "Come on, Felix! I know you missed me, let's go have some fun."

"I did not miss you." Felix huffs but I can tell he's just putting up a tough front. Throughout our time together here in Neverland we were the only ones who truly understood each other. While I had close ties with Peter, Neal and the other lost boys, Felix was really only close to Peter and me. "What do you want to do?"

"Let's go swimming." I flash him my best crazed grin and hop back and forth on my feet. "I haven't been in forever. I want to jump off the rocks." There is only one place on this entire island where someone can go swimming without the fear of the mermaids. It's a large cove surrounded by tall, looming rocks and the only reason the mermaids don't go in there is because Peter's declared it off-limits to them. It was another one of his presents to me. He knew I like swimming and wanted me to have a safe place to do it. Any mermaid that dared to question his rule would find themselves incinerated rather quickly. They may be stupid fish but they're not stupid enough to go someplace that some of their own have died.

"You realize that if Pan gets mad at us for leaving this treehouse I'm blaming you, right?" Felix asks as he already starts to walk in the direction of the cove.

I scurry along after him, my smile getting impossible larger. "So does this mean we're going swimming?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Felix sighs, that same stern expression souring his face. I cheer and he sighs again and looks away only this time I can see a hint of a smile gracing his lips.

"Wonderful. I've been needing something fun for a while now." Something in my tone must have caught his attention because suddenly he's turned all of his attention on me.

"What was your life like? In Storybrooke?" He says 'Storybrooke' with so much disdain that I can't help but laugh. "When you first got here you had this sad look in your eyes… Now you talk like you've never had fun."

"I had fun in that world… It may not have been as wild and crazy as my life here, but it was still fun. I have friends there that made it fun…" I trail off, unsure of what to say next.

"But…" Felix probes.

"But it still got kind of lonely. When Regina cast the curse she had the opportunity to give people families and people who cared about them… But for me, she left me alone. I don't know why. I never bothered to ask. So at the end of the day, even though I had those friends I never had anyone to really care for me." When I look up Felix is giving me a knowing look and I rush ahead before he gets the wrong idea. "Don't get me wrong, the Charming's and Emma were great. Henry was awesome, too… But, you saw the way they turned on me the second they thought I did something they didn't like. How does someone just get over that? Even after they apologized?"

"You can't." Felix, being his usual self, tells me exactly how it is. It's one of the big reasons as to why we became friends. He would never sugar-coat things for me.

"I want to be able to forgive them… I mean, I told them that I forgive them… But there's this constant anger that I feel inside of me, Felix. And it just gets stronger everyday." I shake my head bitterly as the two of us arrive at the cove. "I thought I learned to control that a long time ago, back when I was a pirate. But lately it seems that I'm losing that control again."

"All the more reason for you to come back to us. We don't judge you for that, we never have and we never will. Not only that, but you won't have to feel anger with us because it will always be fun." Felix nods his head towards the water and grins at me.

My answer is to start stripping out of my clothes to my underwear, an excited gleam in my eyes. "Meet you at the bottom!" I giggle and then race towards the water, not even bothering to look back to see if Felix is joining me.

My bare feet slap against the rocks and my dark hair whips past my face as I reach the edge of the cliff and propel myself off of it. My excited scream ricochets off the cove's walls followed by the loud splash as my body becomes submerged underwater. I let myself sink closer and closer to the bottom as another splash parts the water above my head and Felix starts to sink with me.

Only when my lungs start to starve for oxygen do I finally force myself to the surface. I suck in a deep breath of air and throw my head back, laughing in pure joy. Felix resurfaces just a few feet from me, his already unruly blonde hair even more so now that it's wet.

"Thank you." I say to him and when he responds with a confused look I clarify, "Thank you for letting me go swimming and actually swimming with me. I needed something like this."

"You're welcome. That's what family is for, right?" We grin at one another until a thought occurs to me that causes me to frown. "Oh no, I know that look. What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking… You asked me what Storybrooke was like and what my life was like when I was living there. But you've never told me what your life has been like since I left." I cock my head to the side as I study the scar on his face.

"It's been… Hard. It was like as soon as you left Peter got angry. And then when you got the amulet to hide yourself from him and broke your deal he got even angrier… Now that I've heard you talk about your anger it makes me think about his. When you're together neither of you seem very angry. It's like you two balance each other out…"

"Oh that would be great… Both of us incredibly evil people balancing each other out to make one single, evil unit." I mutter sarcastically.

Felix shoots me a dry look. "You know what I mean… Life here is just better when you two are together. You say you're evil but honestly, I think you have just enough light to balance Peter's completely black heart. I knew him before he met you and trust me, he was pure evil… Now it's like he thinks before he does something."

"How philosophical of you to notice." I smirk and Felix rolls his eyes.

"Ok, our girl moment is done." With that being said Felix splashes water in my face.

"Oh, it's on!" I splash him back and soon the two of us are chasing each other around the cove trying to splash water in the other one's face.

The two of us goof around for what seems like hours when suddenly I notice Peter standing on top of the cliff, staring down at us. When he sees that I noticed him he starts to walk down from the cliff towards the edge where the rocks meet the water. As I swim up to him he reaches out his hand and pulls me out of the water. Immediately he's wrapping a towel around my shoulders and I know it's not because he's worried about me getting cold, it's because I'm in my underwear and Felix is around.

"Always jealous." I tease and Peter rolls his eyes but he says nothing. He grips my chin in between his fingers and pulls me in for a kiss. As we're kissing I hear the sound of splashing water and from the corner of my eyes Felix walks past us, not saying a word.

Peter and I pull away and Peter's eyes follow Felix, his green eyes darker than I thought possible. Felix quickly dresses, nods his head at Peter and I and then picks up his club off the ground before leaving. Peter looks like he's about to follow him when I grab his arm.

"Hey… No." As he turns back to face me I reach up on my tip toes and peck his lips gently. "Come on, let's talk." I lead him back up the cliff that I had previously jumped off of and the two of us sit down across from each other.

"So I assume you had a very tearful reunion with dear old dad?" Peter asks me, smirking. For a moment I wonder if he had been watching the whole thing but then I notice the hidden curiosity in his gaze and I know that he's being genuine when he asks.

"Actually, yea. It was." I look down at our intertwined hands and bite my lip. "I told him about how you cured me with water from the spring. He wasn't too happy, but he understood what it means."

I feel Peter's hand touch my cheek and I look up to meet his gaze. "It's for the best. You know that we can't live without each other."

"I know." I smile sadly as Felix's words come to mind. "It's just going to be hard saying goodbye to him when I just found him."

"If you like… I can make sure he doesn't suffer the same fate as the others. I can send him back to Storybrooke, or the Enchanted Forest or wherever you ask me to. I will let him live." My eyes widen in shock at Peter's proposal. For him to offer something so selfless is unlike him.

"You would do that for me?" I ask as my eyes well up with tears.

"Well there's no need to get all emotional about it…" Peter mutters, looking away. Before either of us can process my next move I throw my arms around his neck and hug him tightly.

"Thank you." I whisper in his ear. I can feel his arms wrap around my torso and then suddenly he's pulling me onto his lap so I'm sitting on it. "Hey now! I'm still in my underwear."

"All the more reason." Peter replies innocently. I try to get out of his grip but his iron tight arms won't budge. With a huff I settle into his arms and place my head against his chest. My legs dangle over the side of the cliff and yet I've never felt more comfortable.

The two of us remain silent for what seems like an eternity and I can't remember the last time the two of us were so at peace with one another. We've done nothing but argue and threaten one another for so many years. We haven't been able to sit together like this since before I left.

Which is why I'm about to hate myself for ruining it.

I pull away from Peter with a sigh and look up at him. Knowing me all too well he sighs too and narrows his eyes. "What?"

"I have to talk to you about something." I bite my lip and this time when I try to move out of his lap he lets me.

"I figured you would after you met with the heroes. I'm sure all of you concocted some heroic plan to bring about my downfall and you're about to enact the first phase." The bitterness in his tone gives me pause.

"Would you really be that surprised if I created a plan with them to bring about your downfall?" I ask, staring at him intently.

"No, of course not! It's not like I just declared my feelings for you or anything. But go ahead! Continue with your plan to kill me or trap me or whatever it was." Peter waves his hand and stares over my head, a grimace on his face.

"Peter, look at me." When he doesn't I decide to get more forceful. "Peter, I said, look at me!" When he finally does I reach forward and grab his face in my two hands. "I love you. Maybe I shouldn't and maybe the love I have for you will get me killed one day… But it's true. I love you with every ounce of my being. And because of that, I would never help them plan to kill or hurt you in any way possible. Do you hear me?"

Like a petulant child he says, "Yes, I hear you."

"Good." I sit back down and the two of us stare at one another. "To prove that I'm really on your side… I'm going to tell you something I shouldn't." Suddenly I've become sick to my stomach as my resolve thickens. Emma and the others had accused me of really working for Peter and being on his side. I just proved my loyalty to them and now they trust me again… And yet, here I am, about to ruin that loyalty with a few words.

"Karina, what it is?" Peter asks me, his eyes narrowing again as he realizes that I really do know something that could be very important to him.

What I'm about to tell Peter… It has the potential to change everything. If my plan doesn't work and Peter doesn't take the deal that I'm about to put before him, Emma and the others will go through with their plan to trap him in Pandora's Box. I can't let that happen. If Peter knows about it he can stop it and hopefully I can keep him from killing everyone when they try to use it on him. I already told Neal that I will choose Peter over everyone else and I plan to follow through with that.

"There's something that you should know." I look down at my clenched hands as I try to work up the courage to say what needs to be said. "Gold and Regina… They have Pandora's Box. I don't know how they got it but they have it and they plan to use it on you… Unless…"

"Unless what?" Peter asks, his voice barely containing the fury that I know is simmering underneath the surface.

"Unless you take the deal that I'm about to offer you." I look up so I can judge his reaction.

"What's the deal?" His voice is so quiet I can barely his question.

"I told them about why you took Henry… And since I'm stuck on this island for the rest of eternity anyways I thought you could bind our lives together. That way I have to stay in Neverland, you get to remain immortal and they get to take Henry and go back home. They promise that if you take this deal and give them back Henry they'll leave and never bother us again as long as we don't bother them again."

"And I'm just supposed to take this deal? They do realize that they are guests on my island? I can kill them all, especially now that you've told me what they have planned and I'll have no problem doing it either. The only reason they are still allowed to breathe while on this island is because of you. But now that I have you and Henry, I don't even need them for entertainment." Peter jumps to his feet and I follow him. He starts to walk away but I rush after him and grab onto his arm.

"Peter, please… I'm begging you. Take the deal. I don't want anyone I care about to get hurt. You have me… All you need is the immortality. I can offer that to you if you bind us together and then I won't ever be able to leave because it will kill both of us! You'll win everything you've wanted and more." I try to look deep into his eyes to see if I can find any hint of agreement but his dark eyes are so cold I flinch.

"What I want is to show them that they don't get to show me mercy by offering me some kind of deal. That's not their choice to make! It's mine. This is my island!" Peter laughs coldly, shakes off my arm and then storms down from the cliff, disappearing as he walks.

I stare at the place he disappeared from for a long time until my frustration becomes too much and I start to search for something to help quell my sudden rage. I find a rock and examine the small thing before I pick it up and throw it across the cove. "AHHH!" I scream as it flies through the air, landing in the water with a splash.

I have to go see my father and the others… Before they all end up dead. Peter was furious when he left. He must be planning something to hurt them all now. I rush to my pile of clothes, still sitting in the same spot where I had left them. Peter and I had talked for so long I've already completely dried off so I don't even have to imagine myself dry.

I dress in a hurry, grab my weapons and then hurry back through the woods in which Felix and I had come earlier. By running nonstop, I manage to make excellent time from the cove to the camp.

When I crash through the trees I see everyone has their weapons drawn but when they see that it's me they all relax. "Karina! It sounded like an army was coming through those trees." Mary Margaret exclaims.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Neal asks curiously.

"Pan… He's… Pissed…" I say through my gasping as I lean forward and place my hands on my knees. The others look at each other worriedly as they crowd closer to me. "I offered him… The deal… But he thinks… You guys… Are offering him the deal out of pity… Or mercy… Something like that. It pissed him off. Now I don't know what he's going to do to you."

"Well, I guess it's settled then." Emma looks at her parents and they nod. "We're going through with our plan. We'll storm Pan's camp and trap him in Pandora's Box. Then we'll grab Henry and be out of here."

"Finally!" Regina exclaims as she shakes her head in exasperation.

"Are you good for Pan patrol?" Emma asks Neal.

"Locked and loaded." He pats the small brown satchel sitting at his waist.

"Mind if I…" Gold begins as he grabs the sword from the sheath hanging at my father's waist and pulls it out, almost cutting his chin in the process. "Borrow this? You said no magic, I agreed. But I'm not walking in there with just my good looks."

The others cast one another a wary look as my father lifts his hand to object, "Now I, on the other hand…"

"Here." I say as I unsheathe the sword strapped to my back and hand it to him. He nods his thanks and weighs the weapon in his hand.

"Let's get Henry." Emma looks determined as she begins to lead the march into Pan's camp. The others follow her and I trail behind them all with my palms sweating and my stomach in knots. Although I can see the logic behind ambushing Peter's camp now I really wish they would have decided to hold off. At least until I had more time to come to terms with what's about to happen.

Either way, someone I care about is about to get seriously hurt or even killed.

As we approach the group I see Felix and the other lost boys sitting around the fire. Peter and Henry are nowhere in sight and that instantly puts a nervous feeling in my stomach. Where are they? What could Peter be doing already?

"Can I at least use magic on these boys?" Gold asks his son.

"No."

"I'll do it." Regina smirks and lifts her hand as she prepares to cast the spell.

"Do you remember the spell?" Gold asks snidely and Regina casts him a sarcastic glare. I have to keep myself from laughing at their small exchange because I know my laughter won't be taken kindly by either of them.

Regina waves her hand and each lost boy falls to the ground, asleep. Myself and the others hurry into the centre of the camp. Emma calls Henry's name as we all look around but he is nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Pan?" Neal asks me.

"I don't know." I shake my head and look around helplessly.

"He's got to be somewhere!" David exclaims.

"Where?" Mary Margaret shrieks as it becomes more and more obvious that Henry is not hidden somewhere within this camp.

"Help!" A new voice shouts from the distance. Immediately Emma and the others rush to investigate and I follow although I have a nasty feeling I already know who the voice belongs to.

Sure enough, as I make it to the place where Peter likes to keep his prisoners I find Neal hacking at the cage containing Wendy. Once she's free the two long lost friends hug and rejoice at finding one another after so many years.

As the two are hugging Wendy inspects the rest of our group over Neal's shoulders. The moment her eyes land on me her reaction is instantaneous. Her eyes go wide and her mouth opens as the colour drains from her face. She pulls back from Neal and screams so loud the birds sitting in the trees nearby fly away in fear.

"NO! KEEP HER AWAY FROM ME! SHE'S ONE OF THEM! SHE'LL KILL ME! NO!" She continues to scream and fight even as Neal tries to calm her down. The others look between the two of us in shock as I try to hide my grimace.

"Wendy! Wendy! Relax! Karina's not going to hurt you. She's no longer on Pan's side! Calm down!" Neal tries everything he can to soothe the little brat but she refuses to shut up and calm down.

"That's what she wants you to think! I know her! She's the most manipulative, cunning and evil girl I have ever met! She'll smile to your face and then stab you in the back because that's what she does! Now let me go!" Wendy screams as she claws at Neal's arms.

"Karina?" Emma turns to me and I try desperately not to roll my eyes in front of everyone but I'm unsuccessful.

"I thought we already established that I was a villain before coming to Storybrooke?" My words sound short and annoyed even to my ears but they seem to shut up any accusations Emma was preparing to throw at me.

It's then that Wendy finally manages to break free of Neal's hold. However, instead of running away like I fully expected her to do, she comes charging at me with a rock in her hand. I raise an eyebrow and laugh as I easily side step her attack and then grab her by her hair and throw her down on the ground at Neal's feet.

"Karina!" Mary Margaret reprimands as she kneels down to Wendy's side.

"Ugh, don't give me that. Just because I'm no longer as evil as I used to be doesn't mean I can't still remind this brat who she's messing with." I cast Wendy the most hate filled look I can muster and she flinches but when I look up at Neal I instantly regret my choices. He's looking at me as though I just ran over a puppy or something. It's awful.

"Ok, I think we all need to sit down and talk before we go any further." Mary Margaret orders. Of course, her husband agrees with her and the two of them help poor, innocent Wendy up to her feet and lead her away from me.

As the others follow my father walks up to me and taps me on the shoulder, "What in the bloody hell did you do to that girl?"

I turn back to my father and look him straight in the eyes as I say, "I was the villain."

A/N: Next chapter will contain a flashback of villain Karina! Also, in regard to the continuation of a possible second book… I will probably announce my decision in the next chapter. Meanwhile, keep voting on the poll!

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