The rat in the game
Gradually tired, Emma looked up to the fake roof that Pocahontas had made above their heads. She tried her best to ignore mostly Smee's nervous concerns because the Indian woman hadn't returned to free them yet. The pirates sat on the ground at the walls and waited. They looked up to the roof like she did, stood up and stretched, walked a little and sat down again. Most of the time they brooded about their won worries and memories but from time to time they tried to start a conversation. Each time they had worried about Pocahontas' reliability, which they had questioned in the end, and the deal, that she had made and that would destroy everything now. Therefore, some of them accused her of their dilatation, too. And even though not everyone of them had spoken about it like Smee - of course, it had been him - she knew that most of them thought the same.
Hook and Base were the only exception. They hadn't said anything like that and their behavior hadn't given away anything. When Pocahontas had left them Hook had ordered to avoid the few rays of sun that broke through the leaves above them and to stay calm and silent. After that he had leaned back against a wall and had closed his eyes, while Base had watched them all. He had taken a rest and when he had been done, he had switched places with Base. While Hook was awake none of them had questioned their deal. They hadn't said anything at all and the sound of her steps had been the only sound.
Emma had tried to relax like Hook and Base but soon she had been exhausted by the try to relax. She just couldn't calm down and shove aside her worries that were fired by the pirates' worries each time Hook seemed to be asleep. In the end she had given up and ever since she had been walking around in their prison. She watched the men, exchanged worried glances with Base, ignored Hook - no matter if he was relaxed or watching his men - and tried to shove aside the accusations. She was certain that Pocahontas would come back to save them - not to kill or betray them. Her instincts told her so. The problem was she didn't know how reliable her instincts were in Neverland - a place where everything was different.
Emma stopped for around the hundredth time and stared up. A lot of time had passed by now and slowly she was worried that her instincts had fooled her. Pocahontas had been gone for quite some time. The light that had reached through the branches above them had vanished a while ago and sometimes the silence had been disturbed by something moving above their heads. And yet she couldn't believe that Pocahontas would leave them here to die. Maybe she had died or she had been caught as she had tried to escape those monkeys or anything else in this shingle. In that case they would be screwed.
Emma sat down beside Smee exhausted. Her legs needed a rest and she was tried. However, she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep. Besides their situation, she was worried that some of the pirates might decide to attack her because she had done that to them. She didn't trust them but mostly she didn't trust what Neverland and especially their prison and their current situation did to them. It was possible that they would attack her out of stress and in that case neither Hook nor Base would be able to stop them all. Maybe she was paranoid but she didn't want to take the risk, which could be the result of Neverland's influence on her, too.
Emma sighed and looked at Base, who sat beside his seemingly sleeping captain and frowned. She could read the question in his eyes. He was surprised of her choice. She sat so close to Smee even though he had questioned her nonstop. Maybe he even thought she was up to something. She would have loved to say there was a bigger reason behind it. It would have been nice to pretend that she wanted to manipulate him by pretending to be on his side now that she obviously fought so much with Hook. She would have loved to believe that she wanted to fool the first mate and his possible partners in their group. However, the truth was different. She hadn't even thought about any of this. The only thing she might have considered unconsciously might have been to get away from Hook as far as possible under these circumstances. Sure, she had agreed to try and treat him like she had used to in the past, but she couldn't deny that to stay away from him might have turned into a habit. She didn't want to wonder about it, but for some reason her mind stopped at that thought.
"You should be careful", Smee suddenly whispered and she snapped out of her thoughts before she could imagine the consequences of her reaction. The first mate leaned back against the wall and watched Base as if he didn't want to be caught talking with her. His legs were crossed in front of him just like his arms were crossed in front of his chest.
"Tell me about it", Emma answered sarcastically. She didn't want to hear any warnings of a man who was as wicked as him. She didn't appreciate him nor did she respect him. He was the scared guy who tried to defeat them after all. The question was why?
"Didn't you question me the most the past hours?"
Smee looked at her as if he was surprised, "I didn't. You got me wrong. Even if you would have decided to risk the Jolly Roger on your own, Hook would have needed to agree on that, because his massage with his direct order would have been needed to convince Blackpool to do it. This is not your fault."
Ema looked at him in surprise. For a moment she wondered if she judged him wrong because she was too certain that he was the bad one here. But then she looked away and remembered how he had let them down as they had saved Hook from King Frederic. Smee was good in manipulations and if she hadn't known the truth, she might have fallen for it. She had decided on her own and the only reason it hadn't blown up in her face had been her deal with Hook. He had agreed to it just because of her offer. The truth was, she had decided on her own even though she didn't have any saying in matters that concerned the Jolly Roger and everyone - even Smee - had to know that. It had been more than obvious that Hook hadn't been informed after all.
She decided to play along, "I'm so glad that you realize that. It must have appeared to be different."
Smee smiled, "I'm sure that others noticed, too. I mean, Hook would never let you decide anything, would he?"
"Why not", she asked before she could stop herself. The moment those words left her lips she regretted it. She bit her lip and waited for his answer nervously. Yet she was certain she wouldn't like it.
Smee interpreted her reaction differently, which was a relieve. But she had been right, she would hate his way of thinking, "well, first because you are a woman and he would never let you decide something important like this. He is different in that point, you know? He gives you the impression that you actually had a choice but in the end he doesn't respect that choice because you are a woman. He isn't like Base and me."
Wow, he perfectly new how to pull the right strings. Even though she knew it better, this sounded almost plausible. Maybe Smee had overheard more than she had expected. How else could he know that she had blamed Hook for doing what he wanted no matter what she had said? She had blamed him for that often, but never in front of his men at least not as loud as they could have heard it. Smee was playing his cards well and even though she knew that, his words had hit a spot. She tried to ignore it, "and second?"
Smee hesitated and glanced at Base. His face turned pale and he looked at his hands. His voice was barely more than a whisper now, "well, I noticed that you fought a lot recently. I don't know what this is about, but Hook tends to get rid of people he is sick of. And recently he has been avoiding you quite a lot. I noticed that he left you with Base."
Emma glanced at Base pretending to be curious, which wasn't that difficult at the moment. The pirate watched them with caution and since Smee was trying to play her against Hook she wondered what Base would think now. Would he believe that she switched sides? Would he be next? Certainly he would be next. Smee was trying to isolate Hook as far as she could tell. Or was all this the plan? Had Hook decided to leave her with Base because he hoped Smee would do something? Hook had said something else, but she didn't believe that. As far as she was concerned all this could have been planned.
"What do you mean?"
"Neverland is a tough place", Smee said avoiding, "Hook has a problem with you and leaves you with a man who would follow him blindly and who knows the island best. Base is dangerous. He usually is the pirate to get rid of those who his captain wants him to get rid of."
Emma stared at him, "you mean, Base would try to kill me?"
Smee shook his head slowly, "here in Neverland he wouldn't even need to do it himself. He could leave it to an animal, a plant or even a shadow. And since the men do believe that you decided to make that deal with the Indians they would have the perfect excuse."
Emma swallowed hard and even though it was just an act, a part of her honestly reacted to his words. This part had to be the suspicious part of her that was hightened by the strange magic of Neverland.
"Just be careful", Smee concluded nervously.
"Why do you tell me all that", Emma asked even though she knew the truth.
"I respect you", he said without hesitation but she had the impression that he had practiced his answer, "I've seen what you can do and how capable you are and I like you. You are honest and nice. It would be awful if you'd be hurt or even killed. I don't want that to happen."
"And what shall I do", she asked after a long moment of silence.
"Try not to be alone with Hook and especially not with Base", he advised her after a moment of thinking, "and connect with the others here. It might not change anything because in the end Hook does what he wants anyway, but it could make it m ore difficult for him to do something. The men could question his decision to kill you and he as to respect them in order to be respected by them."
Emma felt sick. This was disgusting. Smee turned around the facts for his own benefit and switched positions with Base and Hook. He mixed his lies with the truth and changed it. If it wouldn't have been for everything she knew about Hook and Base and for her special ability she might even have fallen for it. He was as manipulative as it was really dangerous.
She choked out a "thank you" and took a deep breath. She glanced at Base, who frowned as he noticed her expression. She couldn't help it. She compared Smee and Base and thought of all the awful things the first mate had just said. She thought of Hook and his relationship to his ship and his men and how he treated them. As far as she knew Base had been with Hook longer than Smee. He knew him better and yet Smee was the first mate. His relationship to Hook had to be special. But he hated him enough to backstab him in the worst way and at the worst place possible. It was disgusting.
She frowned. Smee had referred everything to her gender, but she had the impression there was more to it than caught the eye, "may I ask you something?"
Smee nodded, "sure."
Emma looked at him closely and chose her words carefully. She didn't want to push him away or worse to reveal her real intentions, but it was a question that had bothered her for quite a while and now seemed to be the perfect opportunity to get an answer, "when you said… Hook pretended to respect my choices and decisions but actually he wouldn't… tell me if I'm wrong, but… Could it be that you weren't just talking about me?"
Smee looked at her in surprise and for a moment she feared she had revealed too much. But then he swallowed hard and his slimy conduct and his mask fell to reveal the real man behind all this. A scared, insecure and angry little man who'd do anything to save his own skin.
He searched for the right words as it seemed and she clearly had taken him off guard, which was a pleasure, "you've got me."
She decided to push a little harder, "what happened to you?"
Smee swallowed hard, "I never wanted to be a pirate."
"You didn't", Emma asked surprised, because Hook had told her that none of his men had been forced to be part of his crew the moment she had started to sail with them. Yet she couldn't find a lie in his words.
"No", Smee answered darkly and his voice was as honest as she had never noticed before, "I wanted to have a save life. I wanted to be rich and happy. I wanted to live forever. But then Hook showed up and he took me to this place. I didn't have a choice. He would have killed me if I hadn't agreed to join his crew. I didn't have a chance to leave. The moment I wanted to, he threw this bean into the ocean and told me we'd travel to a place where you don't age. He didn't ask. He didn't tell me that you could die here. He gave me an ultimatum. To come along or to die."
Emma frowned. She was certain that he was honest about his intentions but she wasn't certain about what he had said about Hook. Yet it could be true. Maybe he was right and Hook had forced him to come along but certainly he had never forced him to stay. Did he? She couldn't shake the feeling that he was manipulating her again. He had wanted eternity… And Hook had declared to travel to a place where you wouldn't age - Neverland… Maybe she just wanted to believe it, but somehow she couldn't shake the feeling that he had agreed to come along.
Smee continued and glared at Base, who was distracted at the moment, "and Base took my hat. If I wouldn't have gotten it back myself, I would have lost it to him."
Emma stared at him. So his hate for Base was about this unimportant, worthless and shabby hat he wore all the time? She didn't want to believe it. Yet she had to. While she searched for the right retort, the branches above their heads were moved. Emma stood up and held her breath. Hopefully Pocahontas was back and not one of their enemies. Base stood up and walked into the middle of their prison always focusing on the branches that vanished from their few piece by piece. As he noticed his moment, Hook opened his eyes. He didn't seem to have slept at all just as she had thought. Instantly he focused on her as if he had noticed her glance or as if he even had overheard her conversation with Smee. She didn't know which on eit was. And she told herself not to care but to concentrate on who or what finally pulled away those branches. She couldn't help but notice the hopeful and maybe even longing hint in Base's eyes as he stared up to the hole as if Ross, Monty and Tobin didn't draw their weapons. Just Base didn't think of fighting whoever was coming for them. He helped Smee to stand up and talked with him about his injuries even though he had enough of them himself.
Emma leaned back against the wall and looked up to the hole herself. It was difficult to ignore Hooks glance but she was set not to pay attention to him.
"Who is there", Base asked loudly but he didn't dare to yell for answers.
He didn't have to. As the last branch was moved aside a liana appeared in the air above them. It hung from the edge of the cave. Soon after Pocahontas' head appeared, "hope you can climb."
Base grabbed the liana and climbed up first while Hook stood up and pushed the dirt off his cloak. He wasn't in a hurry to get out of here and Emma assumed that he had send ahead Base to make sure that he would take care of everything up there while he would do it down here. They couldn't risk Pocahontas to be attacked - or worse even killed - after all nor that someone might cut the rope before all of them would be out.
Tobin and Blake helped Smee to climb up as good as possible. The closer he came to the top the better he suddenly seemed to be. She wasn't surprised. Next was Ross, then Tobin and Monty. Blake was the only one who hesitated and looked back at Emma and Hook questioningly. Even though he longed to get out of here just as much as everyone else he would let them go first out of respect if they'd want. She liked the young man.
Hook shook his head and he started to climb. As soon as he was out of reach the captain walked up to her with big steps and grabbed her left upper arm, "what did Smee want?"
"Nothing", she freed her arm and walked up the rope, "do you go first or shall I?"
Hook turned her around to him angrily, "what did he want?"
"I told you."
"Captain", Base asked yelling down probably because he couldn't see them so close to the wall and in the dark anymore.
"Just a minute", he answered, then he focused on her again, "didn't we agree on something?"
She didn't say anything. Yes, she had promised to at least try to trust him enough to be a team again. But she had warned him that trust wasn't something she could switch on, too. The truth was, nothing had changed between them since they had left the Red Forest. Nothing had changed maybe except for one thing and one thing only: she didn't trust him and she was hurt for what he had done. She was afraid of how easily he had been able to fool her and questioned if there had been other things he had lied about to her. What was different now was the fact that she wasn't torn between trusting him or not trusting him.
Neverland hat revealed it to her. Just in this moment she realized the truth. In this moment, in which he was standing so close to her that she could feel his breath on her skin and count his eyelashes, she realized that she distrusted him but wanted him anyway. She was drawn to him, wanted to feel his touch and to taste his kiss even though she didn't trust him. It was crazy and it scared her. She had never been drawn to someone she distrusted before. She would have never believed it to be possible but then again it was Hook who changed everything.
A suspicious glance appeared in his eyes as he watched her. Afraid he might notice something or do something she didn't know if she could resist, she decided to give him what he wanted. It was pointless and unimportant but if he wanted to know so badly, she wouldn't deny the truth to him, "he talked nonsense, but he did it in such a subtle way that you should be careful who he talks to. A fool might fall for his way of thinking."
For a moment she wasn't certain that he had even listened to her. He just studied her as if he had noticed her confusion. He looked at her as if he hoped that he really had seen more than that. He looked at her as if he was just as conflicted as her because he wanted to…
She looked away.
"You haven't answered my question", he said in a voice as if he wanted to lure her out of the reserve. She could feel his breath on her cheek and his glance on her forehead. She could feel it wander to her eyes, her nose and her cheek until it stopped on her lips. She didn't even need to check on him. She knew it for certain.
"You know what you need to know", Emma answered avoiding and stepped aside, but he stopped her. As she looked from his hook on her left arm to his face, she noticed his surprised expression. He looked as if his arm had acted on its own and he couldn't let go. As he noticed her glance, he focused on her eyes, "you go first", then he forced himself to let go of her.
As Emma reached the edge of their prison, someone offered a hand to her and helped her up. It was Monty, who looked at her curiously. Something in his glance was creepy. Had he allied with Smee? Or was she already seeing ghosts? Now that she thought about it, Ross and Tobin were suspicious, too. Bloody hell, if this would continue she might become paranoid. A prospect she could not be happy about.
"So what do you want from us so badly", Hook asked as Base pulled him up and focused on Pocahontas with a suspicious glance even before he had solid ground underneath his feet.
The Indian woman leaned at a tree and cleaned her fingernails. She was tired but the glance she directed at him was filled with anger and stubbornness. She looked at the men around her and stopped as she looked at Emma. Her expression instantly changed from suspicion and anger to curiousness and frustration. Then she looked away and pushed herself up from the tree.
"I'll only deal with her", she said to Emma's surprise and pointed at her.
The men looked from her to Emma and back as if they couldn't understand what was happening. To be honest, she could neither. She wasn't the captain and she wanted to stay out of their trouble as far as she could. Her only concern was the boy who was supposed to be her brother - a frightening and confusing thought, even after all this time now.
"But she is not our captain", Smee suddenly said and stared at Emma as if he was afraid or even jealous of her.
"I don't care", Pocahontas stated and glanced at Hook, "I don't deal with you anymore. I assume you understand why."
"She is not even a pirate", Ross mumbled and Emma couldn't shake the feeling that this was just one more reason for the Indian woman to chose her.
"Ross and Monty, fetch us something to eat. Tobin, Blake and Smee, you mend your wounds and get some water", Hook ordered and his men reacted immediately, but not without a curious glance in their direction. Pocahontas frowned as she noticed that Hook and Base didn't leave, too. She waited until the other pirates had left and crossed her arms, "and where will you go?"
"We stay."
"That's not an option."
"If you believe I'd let you make decisions over my head, you must be crazy", Hook growled.
"After everything you've done it's all you get", Pocahontas informed him coldly. She seemed to enjoy his anger, knowing that she had hit a spot.
"I won't leave her with you."
"She doesn't seem to need your protection", Pocahontas stated and looked at her.
"Accept it or forget it", Hook grinned icily at her. He knew he had won and he enjoyed it.
Pocahontas exploded and insulted him in a language Emma had never heard before. She talked as fast as she couldn't even tell when a word ended and another began. The more Hook enjoyed the situation the worse it was. Then she paused and said something very coldly and as slowly as Emma could finally detach separate words even though she couldn't understand it. Whatever she said, Base laughed and Hook exploded on his part. Then they screamed at each other without listening to one another.
Emma looked at Base in disbelieve and tried to shut out their words. This just couldn't be true. After all the trouble they had had to cross the island quietly and unnoticed, these two now organized a theater that had to be noticed across the entire island. Not to mention that they were wasting precious time.
Base sighed and walked up to her as she sat on a stone angrily. He sat next to her and watched them, too. Every now and then a corner of his moth twitched when Pocahontas said something.
"You understand her?"
He shrugged, "she taught their language to me a long time ago. I had no idea that I would still be able to understand her. I can't speak a single word anymore. But the curses and insults I somehow memorized perfectly."
Emma looked at them again, "this is crazy and pointless."
"But they won't stop and everyone who gets in their way will have to suffer."
"What did she say to anger Hook so much?"
Base hesitated.
"Come on. I know you understood", she said before he could pretend otherwise, "you laughed."
Base looked at her for a long moment as if to decide what to tell her. He seemed to be tempted to tell her, which made her think it had been something about her.
"Sorry Swan", he finally said and chuckled, "but there are things a man should only reveal to himself."
"Was it a curse?"
"It was a truth he didn't want to hear", Base said and raised an eyebrow as he glanced at her. Somehow she felt proofed in her assumption. Even though he was amused he wouldn't say anything more and she gave up.
Emma stood up and walked between them, but they just argued around her. She had to raise her voice so they would hear her, "I'll talk to you and Hook won't do anything to disturb us. What is so bad about them being around?"
Pocahontas stared at her, "I don't trust them."
Emma couldn't blame her for that, but she couldn't admit it or Pocahontas would insist on her childish and stupid request, "but if you want their help you'll have to tell him what they are supposed to do."
She glared at Hook and her expression darkened as she noticed his expression. Emma didn't even have to turn around to him to know that he had a satisfied and winning expression. For certain he smirked all over his face. She chose her words carefully and with a touch of icy satisfaction, because she knew the effect her words would have, "he stays and he won't say even a single word. He'll just be here and you'll pick the information he'll get."
"Swan?"
"He won't say a single word?"
"If it helps", Emma rolled her eyes.
"Swan!"
"What do you want from us", Emma asked ignoring Hook's protest. She had to admit she enjoyed hit.
Pocahontas grinned and glanced at the men with grim satisfaction in her eyes. Emma couldn't tell if she was lost in her little success over them or if she was choosing her information and words very carefully. She only knew it took her too long.
"Let me guess", she said to make time, "you want us to defeat the shadow."
Pocahontas relaxed a bit and sighed, "not only. There is something more important at the moment."
"What is it?"
"My grandmother."
"The tree", Base asked insensitively. As Pocahontas glared at him, he overcame his surprise and noticed it. An apologetic smile appeared on his lips.
"What does that mean?"
Pocahontas hesitated, glared at the men and leaned back at the tree sighing. She gave up because she knew she wouldn't have another choice. Obviously it cost her a lot of surmounting to talk about her tribes problems in front of Hook and Base, who she made responsible for it exclusively.
"When you arrived in Neverland the second time, my tribe had been in war with both Pan and the Evil Shadow. For many years we had been fighting Pan and the lost boys for freeing him. We managed to steal the bean from them that you used to betray us", she growled and glared at Base, then at Hook. She paused to overcome her anger for at least this moment as it seemed and sighed, "when you arrived the shadow used our distraction and focused on strengthening himself. For that he collected children of other worlds to steal their shadows. I guess it was easier for him, than to take adults. When you left he was too strong for us. He started to kill the members of our tribe and forced us into the darkness so he wouldn't steal our shadows. The problem was, the more men he killed the weaker the tribe became."
"What does that have to do with your grandmother and this tree Base mentioned", Emma asked confused. So far Pocahontas hadn't told her anything new.
It was Base who answered her, "Pocahontas' grandmother is the only left shaman and she is the eldest of the tribe. Long before we came here the first time, she became sick and was about to die."
"All that could save her and us", Pocahontas continued after glaring at him, "was the island."
"I don't understand", she shook her head slightly, "what is a shaman?"
Pocahontas glared at Base, "did you tell her even a little thing?"
Suddenly there was something in Base's glance that Emma had never seen before. It wasn't meant for her so she looked away a little ashamed feeling that she had spied on a very intimate moment. All he said was, "I did."
Pocahontas turned fire red and glared at him as icily as she could have killed him immediately with one look if she would have had the power to do it. Hook's chuckle wasn't of any help.
Emma hurried forward before they could fight again, "so?"
Pocahontas looked at her, "a shaman is responsible for everyone's health, the great spirits and here in Neverland for the existence and the survival of the tribe. My grandmother was the first woman to take this position and she was the last member of our tribe born with the required power to do it. Without her it's impossible for us to age."
"So when your grandmother became sick-"
"There was nobody there to replace her", Pocahontas finished her sentence, "I was still a child and even know I don't know everything necessary to create the potion that helps us to age. I'm not strong enough."
"So you'd be next?"
"Yes", she said softly, "but she couldn't teach me before she turned sick."
"I see."
"She tried to save her life and with that the entire tribe through bonding with Neverland", Pocahontas continued but she didn't explain what exactly she meant with 'bonding' and Emma had a feeling that she wouldn't understand it anyway, "but Neverland's magic comes with a prize. My grandmother was turned into a tree."
Emma frowned, "and how did she-"
"Her fruits", Pocahontas explained before she could finish the sentence, "who ate from her fruits healed from sickness and during a special period of time they aged. Through Neverland's magic her shadow couldn't be stolen. She was invincible but she couldn't move."
"And that's important because?"
Pocahontas glared at Hook and Base, "when you disappeared with our bean my father decided to visit the Evil Shadow's prison to check on the ancient symbols that had locked it for so many years. He wanted to share his discoveries with my grandmother."
"How", Emma asked, "she is the tree, isn't she?"
"But she is alive and she can talk to us."
"Oh…"
"My father was attacked."
Base stepped forward his eyes filled with concern, but the Indian woman ignored him, "the men he had taken with him died but he returned. What we didn't know was, that his shadow had been stolen. So when my grandmother was turned back into a human, the Evil Shadow used my father to steal her shadow."
"Why was she turned back", Emma asked curiously.
"The island turned her back", Pocahontas answered without looking at them, "she told me the great spirits had turned her back so she could save us from the Evil Shadow. As the eldest she knows how to do it and she has the power to do it."
"What happened then", Emma asked.
"The Evil Shadow fulfilled his vengeance on both my father and my grandmother by killing my father and along with him many men of my tribe. We are dying without my grandmother. And without her we can't defeat the shadow."
"So you want us to find your grandmother", Emma concluded.
Hook snorted but they ignored him.
"I know where she is and to get her back won't be enough", Pocahontas corrected her, "I want you to get back her shadow."
Hook laughed sarcastically and shook his head in disbelieve, "you're insane."
Emma stepped on his foot and glared at him but he ignored her, "and how are we supposed to do it?"
"We made a deal", Pocahontas reminded him instead of an answer. Obviously she was afraid he'd let her down again. But there was more to her words than caught the eye. It also implied that she didn't care how they did it as long as they would do it.
Hook opened his mouth to say something and closed it without a word. He snorted angrily and glared at Emma. They both knew that he would not run away again not just because she wouldn't let him, but because he had changed. Yet he was angry with her because she had caused this impossible situation for them. His glare spoke volumes. It implied that she was at fault.
"I got us out of a hole you got us into, so shut up", she replied without a word and was satisfied as he stormed off to lean at a tree somewhere behind her. Even though she didn't look at him she could feel his piercing glare in her back right between her shoulder blades. He wanted to curse and run, but he would stay and hold on to their deal, which was a huge progress on his terms.
Pocahontas looked from one to the other, then she focused on Base with a questioning glance. The pirate shrugged, but didn't say anything.
"Do you have plan", Emma asked more politely than the men would have done.
Pocahontas shook her head, "no. All I found out so far is that the Evil Shadow is hiding in the north. And while the stolen shadows can hunt us in the sunlight the Evil Shadow can't leave the trees. They lit up torches to keep it alive."
"Who?"
"The men whose shadows it controls."
"But how did it even steal other shadows if it can't leave the jungle", Emma asked surprised.
Pocahontas shook her head, "I don't know. It's what my father told me."
"That means this Evil Shadow can stand the darkness", Emma concluded, "so it should be at the darkest spot of the island." She looked at Base and noticed that he seemed to be just as concerned about her father and her grandmother as Pocahontas.
Hook snorted.
Angrily she turned to glare at him, "don't you have something else to contribute but your stupid snoring? It doesn't take us anywhere."
"I thought I wasn't allowed to talk", he growled referring to their wordless discussion earlier. He was upset and acted like a spoiled child.
Pocahontas looked at Base questioningly, but the pirate didn't answer. He smirked and shook his head. The Indian woman snapped out of their little exchange and looked away angrily as if she wanted to show him, that nothing had changed between them and she still despised him.
"That's all you've got to say?"
Hook clenched his jaw but didn't answer. He was furious because she had treated him like a kid and she had chosen Pocahontas' side earlier. And maybe he was even frustrated because of her, but Emma didn't want to think as far.
Pocahontas cleared her throat, "and what do you want?"
Emma turned around to her just in time to see the short glance she shot at Base. For a second there was no hate or anger in it but just curiousness and the hint of a shy affection. Before Base could see, the Indian looked away. The way she acted she hadn't noticed that she had been watched by Emma, "what did you come back to Neverland for?"
Emma sighed but before she could say something, Hook stormed forward and stopped her, his hand on her shoulder.
Pocahontas read his reaction just as easily as her, "how am I supposed to help you, if I don't know what I have to do?" Her logic was disarming. Emma smirked. Of course it was. She had used it on her before. The women exchanged a knowing glance and Hook sighed.
"Come on", Emma said and pushed him with her shoulder. The gesture was as relaxed and unassuming as she surprised herself. Somehow, it implied that they were closer than they actually were at the moment. Emma tensed instantly. She had done it without thinking about it, yet it felt out of place. They had trouble. They argued. They weren't friends. Yet she treated him just like that.
Hook looked at her in surprise and hope, but as he noticed her reaction, he swallowed and he caught himself again. He put on a mask and shut her out.
"What we need first, is the cave your Evil Shadow had been captured at", Hook stated tense and even though his reaction was of no use for her, Pocahontas seemed to understand immediately. She whistled through her teeth.
"What's the problem", Emma asked.
"There are several caves on this island", Base answered, "we don't know which one is the one it was captured in."
"What do you need it for", Pocahontas asked curiously.
He hesitated and glanced at Base for a short second. Suddenly Emma felt as if they weren't a team anymore. It was as if there were three parties now. Pocahontas standing for the tribe of the Indians, Hook and Base positioning the pirates in this deal and her. Yet she didn't understand what her role was in this. Or was she just overreacting?
"We have to get rid of someone", Base said slowly.
"A cheater", Pocahontas concluded and Emma thought of Smee immediately.
"We don't know if he's alone", Base said after a short glance at Hook. They hadn't even told her about that little detail of their plan. At least she couldn't remember.
"The cave… I couldn't find it", Hook growled angrily, "the last time I searched it wasn't where I found it with Pan."
"It keeps moving", Emma asked.
Pocahontas looked at him as if she knew how he would react even before she said the words, "it did. But you can't find it anymore because it's impossible."
"Why", Hook frowned.
Pocahontas looked at Emma, "the cave is gone. The shadow destroyed it."
Damn it!
Something was strange. She felt warm and sleepy just as if she had slept for days. She felt like on those days when you slowly wake from a really nice dream, which you can't remember and you know that everything's alright. The sun is shining, no evils exists in your world and you can cuddle into your bed and dwell in the warm and comfortable feeling of just waking up.
At first she couldn't remember anything but this feeling, but then she realized that there was no bed she could cuddle into and there was no warmth. Slowly she opened her eyes and remembered that she had been searching for Rumpelstiltskin and that he had taken her.
She was chained to a chair without seat cushion but entirely in gold. Her necklace was gone. As she looked through the room, she was surprised that she couldn't recognize where she was, since she used to clean up this entire castle. There was just too much gold here. Everywhere were golden statues, figures, jewels, coins, frames without paintings inside and candelabras. From the ceiling hang a golden chandelier. A huge golden rug covered the floor below her feet, a fireplace that she had never seen before in this entire castle shimmered golden in the sunlight to her left and even the furniture in this room was turned to gold. This didn't feel like a room in a castle where people lived but more like a treasure chamber.
Belle tried to free her wrists but the chains were to tight and too strong. The leather buckles cut into her skin as she pulled at them and soon she gave up. Like this she would never be able to free herself, left alone to find out what was going on or how she could stop it. Not to mention that it would be impossible to find out if Rumpel still loved her even after all this time they had been separated. He had chased her away last time they had seen each other and she had been so certain that he loved her that she had wanted to return to him, before she had been caught by Regina. Yet she feared that she had been wrong and that he hadn't loved her. But her attempt to free him with true love's kiss had shown its effects on him, so he had to love her. And Regina certainly wouldn't have caught and imprisoned her for such a long time, if she really was unimportant to him. The question was, did he still love her after all this time?
There was just one way to find out.
"Rumpelstitlskin", she yelled as loud as she could. Something warned her that he might not come and that if he would he might be dangerous for her. She shut that voice down and yelled his name until she was hoarse. Exhausted and quite desperate she whispered, "Rumpel."
There was a giggling sound behind her and she winced in her seat. Belle tried to turn around to the sound but her chains wouldn't let her. She cursed and thought something she would have never believed to be possible. She wished to have back the shackles that she had worn the first time she had come here. Like that she would have been able to see him and to move at least a little bit.
"I have to say your acting is good", Rumpelstiltskin said and surrounded her chair, "but I won't fall for it."
She whispered his name astonished by what she saw. His skin was different. It shimmered differently. Was there a green catch to it? What was this? Was he sick? What could she do to help him? Then she remembered his words and frowned, "what do you mean?"
"You chose the wrong person to fool me", he stated icily, "she is dead."
Belle was puzzled, then she realized what he was saying and who he was talking about. She pulled at her chains desperately and insisted, "I'm not! And you don't believe that, either."
"Oh dearie, why else should I have chained you here", he said amused but something about him was different. His eyes war pitch black and he wasn't as carefree as she remembered him to act like. Actually he appeared to be driven by something or under pressure.
"If you would believe I was dead, you already would have killed me", Belle stated and noticed that he didn't like to hear it with satisfaction. She was right and they knew it both.
"Where is my necklace", Belle asked demanding.
"It's not yours", he growled angrily which was new at least toward her. Usually he hid his true emotions behind a mask of amusement. Just when he was close to kill someone he sometimes revealed them. This situation had to be harder on him as expected. The question was just what was more difficult to believe her or to deny the truth? It had to depend on his personal wishes in this situation.
"It is", she said softly, "you gave it to me. Remember?"
His eyes turned even darker and she stopped. For a second he had scared her. She had always been convinced that he would never harm her but in this moment she wasn't certain what he might do. He didn't believe her after all. And there was so much more that was different about him. All the stolen gold around them, his attitude, his eyes, his skin and his disbelieve. Damn, he believed her to pretend to be herself. How could she not consider that he might harm her?
As he noticed her reaction he smirked, then he giggled again. That was more like him.
"We ate together", she continued and his smirk twitched, "you told me about Bae and-"
Within a second he was gone. He had just vanished. Belle exhaled and looked at her hands. How was she supposed to tell him everything, to make him remember and to convince him, if he ran away form her like this? And yet again this wasn't like him.
Suddenly someone grabbed her hair and pulled her head back violently. He lurked above her, his eyes as dark as it looked like nothing and growled, "stop this."
Tears appeared in her eyes out of pain because of her hair end even more because of him. She tried to bite it down and continued, "you told me about the time when he had put stones into your boots and how he had laughed as you had hopped around on one leg and tried to put off the show. You told me about all his antics before you became the Dark One and about his hate for your power, when he was older." She cried out as he pulled stronger but his expression changed. There was pain.
"Then you gave the necklace to me", she said through gritted teeth, just as he eased his hold on her hair again.
"How do you know that", he growled and she could hear all the pain others never noticed in his voice.
"It's me", she whispered as silently as she wasn't certain that he could hear it, "believe me."
He hesitated.
"When we danced the other night, you turned my dress into gold and when I kissed you, you chased me away."
He let go of her as if he had burned his hands at her hair. Rumpelstiltskin surrounded her, watched her carefully and stopped in front of her as if she could jump at him any second. Even though it was hard to say through his leathery green skin, she was convinced that he was pale.
"When I left I warned you that you'd regret it and I called you a coward."
His eyes darkened.
"Why did you chase me away?"
He didn't answer.
"Why do you collect all this gold?"
He vanished and this time she was certain that he wouldn't return so soon.
At first Belle tried to catch his attention again. She wanted him to come back and to face the truth. She wanted to know what was going on here and what it would take her to change him back. But he had run from her. When it was clear that he wouldn't come back she stopped shouting for him and spared her voice. She listened to her surroundings, hoping to hear him come. After two hours she just closed her eyes and imagined what this reunion could have been like if he hadn't been so different. Maybe he wouldn't have believed her in the beginning but she knew that he wouldn't have treated her like this. He wouldn't have hurt her. Maybe he would have asked why she was back and pushed her away as he had done all those years ago, when she had kissed him.
She sighed. Regina had destroyed more than either of them had expected when she had imprisoned her. It was a shame that they had lost so much time because the witch had caught her, before she had been able to return to fight for their love.
Belle looked down at her hands and stared at them. Her chains were gone. She rubbed her wrists gently and stood up, "Rumpel?"
No answer. She could feel that was there, sensed his glance but not matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find him between all the gold, "where are you?"
A door opened to her right. She hadn't even noticed that it was there through all the gold. She frowned and walked up to it but as she saw where it would take her, she froze in disbelieve. The door didn't lead to another room, but out into the forest. He threw her out and she had no idea why. Didn't he want her back? Had she done something wrong? Didn't he love her?
Belle stepped back. No matter what the reason was, she wouldn't repeat her mistake and leave him. This time she would fight and she wouldn't stop until she would get him back.
"I won't leave", she insisted with a hoarse voice and shook her head. Then she turned around and tried to find him. She cried because his decision hurt her so much. After all those years of missing him, longing for him, regretting that she had run from him instead of fighting for their love and imagining this moment he just wanted to throw her out as if she meant nothing to him? How could he dare to? She sniffed one last time.
"I won't leave", she repeated stubbornly and the door behind vanished with a clicking sound.
She whipped away her tears and took a deep breath to calm down. She walked to her chair. As she sat down, she noticed her legs. Her trousers were gone and so was her shirt. She was dressed in her old dress with the apron, which she had worn so many years ago to serve him. She stood up and stared down at herself. When she looked around all the gold was gone. All that was left was the dirt that had been hidden underneath it and a broom, a cloth and a bucket with water. So this was what he had to offer.
He offered her to act as if nothing had happened ever since she had vanished. Belle realized that it was all she could expect form him now. If she wouldn't accept it every door she would open would lead into the forest. But from there she wouldn't be able to change anything nor to help him. From in here she might have a chance. She took the cloth that felt like a gauntlet and looked around. Maybe it was more than an offer. Maybe it was a test. But she was convinced that she would win. At least she wouldn't give up until she would.
The first two hours she tried to snoop around hoping to find a hint on what was wrong here and hoping to run into him. But soon the doors lead into the forest again, so before he would throw her out for real, she started to clean everything. She cooked tea as he liked it. After one day she was done with the first room and the gold appeared where it had been before. However, each time she tried to touch it, it vanished right underneath her hand.
The following eek nothing changed about this. One week of working as she had done it in the past. One week of sneaking around, hoping to find something useful or even to find him. At night she slept in a cell that filled with pillows and blankets more and more with each passing day just as if he was trying to make it more comfortable for her.
After seven days she was finally able touch the gold, too. She dusted it wondering how Snow, Charming and Merida were and when she would finally achieve something. After two more days she was as frustrated that she stopped working and tried to snoop again.
Belle opened a door and looked into the forest again. She closed it roughly and yelled at him. If he would argue with her at least, but he didn't. He just opened the door behind her magically again. This was enough. Anger mixed with her tears and ran through her entire body and before she knew what she was doing, she grabbed a golden cauldron and threw it out of the door into the forest.
It felt amazing. She was intoxicated. Blindly she grabbed the next golden item she could reach and threw it after the cauldron. She heard crazy laughter as she threw the next thing and was surprised to notice that it was her own laughter. She hesitated and stopped laughing. She felt like crying.
Rumpel didn't care for her. She could die right here right now and all he would do would be to open a door to the forest for her. He didn't want her and she had been foolish enough to accept his offer to go back to old times. She must have been crazy to do it. She sobbed and steadied herself at statue next to the door. As she looked into its face through the veil of her tears she froze. This wasn't just an ordinary golden sculpture but Merida. Belle stumbled back and stared at the statues face in shock. There was no mistaking it. It really was her. The stature had appeared here around five days ago but this was the first time she actually recognized her.
Belle felt as if she had been slapped. Scared and hurt she started to search through his gold hoping and at the same time afraid to find Snow and Charming as well. She opened a door and cursed as she stared into the forest again. This was enough!
She grabbed a golden chair and threw it outside. He didn't show up. She took a golden vase and threw it out. Still nothing. Furious she turned around and grabbed everything she could find and threw it after the other two golden items. Nothing changed. Then she notice something he would definitely react to. She grabbed the golden spinning wheel in the middle of the room and stumbled back, as she tried to raise it above her head. As she balanced it above her head and turned around, the door closed magically and vanished into the wall. The spinning wheel became too heavy and it slipped out of her hands. She closed her eyes knowing that this would hurt like crazy and waited for the thing to hit her badly. But it didn't. As she opened her eyes it was gone. Rumpel stood in front of her, his face a furious mask.
"Are you crazy", he growled and stared her down.
"You turn people to gold and call me crazy?"
"If you can't live with it, then leave", he said and another door opened. Of course, it lead to the forest, "would be better for both of us."
"If you'd really want me to leave, you'd-"
"If? Wasn't I clear enough by showing you the way", he came closer like a tiger ready to jump at her any moment.
This hurt, but she wouldn't back off, "if you'd really want me to leave you'd just throw me out."
"Maybe I felt sorry for you."
"All you care about is your stupid gold", she stated and stared into his eyes. He was as close now as she could sense the iris of his eyes behind pitch black color. He grinned evilly but his voice sounded pensive, "do I?"
"Then proof it", she challenged him desperately, but she hid her true emotions behind anger.
His face turned into a furious mask. His forehead wrinkled as if it cost him physical strength to control his mind. The old around them vanished, the next second it was back and vanished again as if he couldn't decide what to do with it. It flickered in the room like heat over a hill.
"I knew it", Belle said as if she had won, knowing that he would get mad. And he did. Rumpel grunted and clenched his jaw, before the gold vanished. She looked around unimpressed, "you know that this means nothing. You still have it somewhere."
"What do you want from me", he demanded to know through gritted teeth.
"Nothing", she said hurt and stepped back, "you just screwed up."
Belle turned her back on him but as she turned around he stood before her as if she hadn't moved at all. She had wanted to awaken emotions in him, but she hadn't considered that it might hurt so much. Now she had to endure it.
"Where are you going?"
"So you can just leave as you please but I can't?"
"Yes", he growled and forced her to step back.
Suddenly she was afraid he might have opened a door behind her to push her into the forest. She stopped and refused to let him push her around, "and what is it you care for?"
He froze and his eyes answered her question. Even though she had longed to hear him say her name all she could see in his eyes was that she had been right. All he cared for right now was this stupid gold.
"So I was right", she pointed out and was surprised of her own strength that hid the pain in her voice perfectly, "you don't care for anything but gold."
Rumpelstiltskin pushed her back against a wall and build a cage around her with his arms. At first she was just relieved that he hadn't pushed her out into the forest, but as she noticed the furious glance in his eyes a part of her suddenly wished he had done it. Without thinking about, she placed a hand on his cheek and pushed forward with words, "you can't even proof it."
Her mockery had an unimaginable effect on him. He seemed to explode in rage and like that he pressed her against the wall and kissed her as roughly as she couldn't breathe anymore. But this wasn't a kiss of love. This was pure rage and his wish to win their little fight. His attempt to finally shut her up somehow. He wasn't even really there. In his mind he was with his gold once he had started to kiss her. But she didn't want to accept it. She put emotions into the kiss, tried to slow it down and met his roughness with softness. Surprised he tried to wince back, but Belle didn't let him. She wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss. Slowly it worked. He softened, his muscles relaxed and he pressed her against the wall hungrily. He breathed hard and clawed at the dress in her cross. She loosened her arms around his neck and was relieved, when he didn't leave. He didn't even seem to notice that he was free to leave. His hand touched her cheek and she fondled his hair in his neck. Her other hand slipped down and rested upon his heart and he vanished.
Belle stared at the opposite wall in surprise and disappointment, her hands fell useless to her sides and she breathed as if she had run for miles. Where he had touched her she felt cold as she blinked and searched for him. He had vanished completely and suddenly she was certain that he wouldn't return so soon. She tried to steady her breathing and leaned back at the wall. She wetted her lips and swallowed hard, disappointed because he had vanished just like that. The moment she had touched his heart he had been gone.
Maybe she wasn't as unimportant to him as he had pretended her to be. Maybe she really had a chance to get him back. And maybe she would finally be able to free him from the Dark One one day. She wanted to believe it.
Belle looked to the side and found that he hadn't removed all the gold. Merida was still there. She had to free her. She had to find a way to save her. She didn't deserve to be imprisoned and doomed like that. She just had no idea how to do it. Maybe she could find books that would help her. She would have to search.
Belle sighed and rubbed her neck. Certainly the books would be of gold, too. Maybe she wouldn't even be able to open them. She froze as she noticed something around her neck.
Her necklace.
It was back.
"What shall we do now", Robin asked and sighed. He sat across from her his arms crossed. He looked just as directionless as she felt and he didn't even know everything yet. He knew that she had something left to do for Genie, but he had no idea what this would be. How could he when she didn't know herself yet?
"I don't know, she answered and sighed, too. Sitting around like this made her sick but she couldn't complain for the princesses had convinced the jinn to give her some days in order to make plans with Robin. It could have been a nice time with him if they wouldn't have worried about the dagger of time, Henry and her unknown and yet so close future all the time.
"So everything was for nothing", he stood up and walked through the room towards the fireplace, "the dagger - shouldn't have searched for it to begin with."
She swallowed hard and looked at him, "it wasn't for nothing."
"No?"
"No", she insisted and he turned to look at her in surprise, "you are back."
"But I wouldn't even have vanished if we wouldn't have come to search for the dagger to begin with. Nothing of this would have happened", he stated and growled, "you were right."
For a second Regina didn't understand what he was referring to but then she understood. When Belle had told them about the dagger, she had been the one questioning it all the time. However, she wouldn't allow him to accuse himself for everything that had happened. It wasn't his fault.
"Seriously? What-ifs so do not help us now", Regina stated and focused on him, "it was right to come here. The dagger exists and I was wrong about it. We just need to find it."
"And how", he asked disillusioned. She felt as if they had had this conversation several times before during the past days.
"The princesses do not even know where to search for it", he continued as he had done so many times before, "and if they do they won't tell us, remember?"
"Jasmine did", she said softly as she usually did when he said this, "we just need to find out how to use the information."
"And how", he asked and this time there was something new both in his eyes and his voice. Was it just fear or even pain, "we don't even know what will happen to you."
Regina stood up and walked up to him. Gently she forced him to look at her and caressed his cheek, "I'll be fine."
"How can you say that", he whispered and in his voice swung all his anxiety to lose a woman important to him for a second time.
Funny. Up to this moment she would have never even considered to be as important to him. It felt great to know and it warmed her heart in a way that she had forgotten about. The rest of her heart that had been dark and lost the part that Henry hadn't been able to touch - it glowed and suddenly she could feel it again.
She cleared her throat, "I'll deal with whatever it is that'll happen to me. I know I can."
"Why?"
She swallowed, "because I'll deserve whatever it'll be."
Robin placed a hand on her cheek. It was shaking but he didn't pay attention to it, "you don't. Not anymore."
She shook her head, "it's a test that I have to pass for everything I have done to harm others."
Robin caressed her cheek and shook his head, "no. You've done enough. You've saved them. That must be enough proof for your change."
She smiled slightly and thought of the first time she had seen him. Tinkerbelle had shown him to her many years ago. And even though she had pretended not to know if it had been him or Lancelot with the lion tattoo back then, she had known the truth all along. She had been too afraid to admit it even to herself because she hadn't wanted to pull him into darkness with her and she had been afraid to lose him, too. This time she wouldn't have been able to run away. This time it could have been him, to turn his back on her because he found out that she was twisted, dirty and evil. But now she knew better. Now there was no denying it anymore. He had proven his feelings for her too often. He hadn't known but he had convinced her with every touch and every kind word that Tinkerbelle had been right and that she could trust him. With every time he had worried for her, each time he had defended her and all the respect he had shown to her, he had proofed that he truly loved her. And moreover, that she loved him, too.
Regina felt like crying both out of happiness and grieve. She was happy for the love she had found and mourned the time they had lost through her fear and her blindness. And she already mourned the time they'd lose through her promise and Genie's punishment for her.
"You don't need to do this", he insisted whispering and all his desperate hopes swung in his voice.
Regina caressed his cheek and let her hand slip into his neck, "I don't have a choice."
"You are a witch", he stated desperately, "there must be something you can do."
She smiled. She would have laughed as happy as she was to have someone who loved her so much even after everything she had done wrong. But she didn't because he would misunderstand her laughter. Instead she kissed him.
At first Robin didn't react. He froze in surprise and stopped breathing. Insecure she leaned back, but he followed her. He dove into the kiss, pulled her closer, twisted her hair around his fingers as he caressed her and shoved her against the cold fireplace. Regina hugged him as if she was about to drown and he was her only rescue and in many ways he was. She lost herself in the mix of sensation and feelings and grabbed the collar of his shirt as firmly as it had to rip apart any second. As she thought she would drown in his kiss, Robin leaned back. They were breathing hard both and leaned their foreheads at each other. The caressed each other gently. Slowly they slipped into hug and Regina allowed him to cuddle her, to protect her to hold her. She allowed herself to be weak and scared and helpless and she cried. She couldn't remember when she had cried for herself the last time, but she cried.
Robin caressed her hair, kissed her cheek gently and whispered, "why now?"
"I don't know when we'll have the next opportunity."
"You don't need to do this", he whispered and his voice was rough. They both knew it was a lie. They both knew she didn't have another choice. There was a reason it was called an unbreakable promise. And even if she would have known a way as Genie did, she wouldn't have used it. She wouldn't run away anymore. She had done that too often and each time she had suffered the outcome and hurt others. She didn't want to live like that anymore. It was time to take responsibility.
"Please, let me do this", Regina leaned back and held his face in her hands, so he couldn't avoid to look at her. She wanted to see him and to remember him no matter what would happen to her. Maybe she didn't need his agreement and his promise not to interfere, but she wanted it. She wanted his support. She wanted his agreement and strength to do what she had to do. She couldn't need his temptations to run away again.
Instead of an answer, Robin kissed her once more. This kiss was stormy and impetuous. They stumbled through the room and she didn't care where they were heading. She got up in the kiss, his lips on hers, the taste of his mouth, the touch of his hands that heated her skin and fired her lust.
Before this moment she had always wondered how Snow White and Charming had been able to have the energy, love and time to have sex and to father a child even though Henry was missing. But now she started to understand that sorrow could link two people, too. She understood that dramatic situations could create a bond strong enough to make you forget your sorrows for the duration of a short moment. And a moment like this could be liberating. This was such a moment.
Regina forgot everything. There was no grieve for the time that they had lost or that they would lose, no fear of what might happen to her and there was no past that she had to defend or regret. There were no accusations and tasks, no enemies, no doubts and even Henry slipped in the background as long as she could dive in this sensation and this love. Henry didn't vanish and it wouldn't last forever, but in this moment the feeling of his loss was covered by Robin.
He gently shoved her back on her bad and climbed after her, kissing her each time he had to place a hand on the bed beside her. As she leaned back into the pillows, he kissed her deeply and covered her body with his. One of his hands slipped down to her waist, while she ran her hands through his hair and down his back. He found the hem of her shirt and slipped his fingers underneath to touch her skin. He broke their kiss just to kiss every inch of her belly that was revealed when he lifted her shirt little by little. Regina closed her eyes, caressed his shoulders and bit her bottom lip. Then he shoved it upon her breasts and froze as someone knocked at the door.
Regina opened her eyes and they stared at each other in surprise. She looked down on her half naked body and at the door and stopped breathing as she noticed that it already was opened a crack wide. She looked at Robin, waved her hand over them both and they vanished in a purple cloud.
As the smoke vanished, she cuddled into Robin, who was lying next to her, covered by the same blanket. His body was stiff until he realized that the were fully clothed again. Anyway, he pulled up their blanket and smirked down at her before he focused on the door, where a servant appeared. The poor man blushed, apologized for entering without permission, stepped back and asked them to meet the princesses in about thirty minutes. Then he closed the door and vanished.
Robin smiled into her hair, "so this is your idea of covering this?"
She drew circles on his chest, "it's my way to prevent the worst without hiding you, because I'm not ashamed of this."
"Of us?"
She nodded.
Robin kissed her gently, then he grinned wickedly, "thirty minutes he said?"
Regina laughed and kissed him, but their moment was destroyed. They both knew what was going to happen and reality had just crushed down on them.
Robin stopped their kiss and shoved heir hair out of her face gently, "this is not over."
It was a promise and she prayed to god that he would be right. She placed a kiss on his neck and cuddled into him. Like that they spent the next twenty minutes before they had to stand up and meet the royal ladies. Before they left the room Robin kissed her as if there was no tomorrow for them and maybe there wasn't. It hurt like hell but it was possible.
The princesses waited for them in the crown room. They didn't look happy. In fact, there was just one person who enjoyed the situation and she couldn't blame him for that. She knew what it felt like to be in his position and after everything she had done and he had watched her do, she had to admit, that he deserved this moment. Right now he appeared to be the big bad guy who hurt her, but they all knew better. She got what she deserved for what she had done to him. Regina never had been an angel and now she would have to pay the prize. Maybe she should be happy because he didn't kill her, but she wasn't as selfless. There were things that were worse than death and she was convinced that she was about to face one of them.
Robin held her hand, squeezed it gently and pulled slightly as if to test if she would run with him. She would have loved to do it. She would have loved to go back into that room and to finish what they had started before the servant had interfered. She would have loved to undo everything she had done in the past, even though there were things, she didn't regret. Most of them were connected to Snow White and they were the most evil things she could have done, but they had let her to Henry and Robin and her love for him. And just like she wouldn't undo all she had done, she wouldn't run. She would stay and give the jinn what he wanted.
"We want you to know that we thank you very much", Amara said gently. She was sitting on the throne as the representative of her sister and their council. Chihara sat on her right armrest and stared at her hands, while her big sister continued, "I know these are just empty words, but nobody here will ever forget what you did to help us."
"And still it's not right", Chihara stated and glanced at Genie, "but he won't listen to us."
Jasmine stepped forward. She looked upset and her eyes were filled with sorrow, "I don't know what you did to him or what kind of person you were in the past. Just be assured it doesn't matter to me, because the person I met today doesn't fit to all the stories that are told about you anymore. Please, remember that we only care about the Regina we were happy to get to know. And never forget, everyone deserves a chance of redemption and you made the best out of the chance you received." She hugged her and added whispering, "don't lose hope. There is always a way out. Remember that."
Rovalia hugged Abu and cried, Dobaria and Meralia looked at her sorrowful and tried to smile at her encouragingly - and they failed - and Bavaria sat at the window and stared at her. Her eyes spoke volumes. Usually she would look outside without any care for what was going on in here, but this time it was the other way around. She swirled around a white lily in her hands nervously.
A cold shiver ran down Regina's spine. She didn't know what to think of this flower. Would she die? Did Bavaria want to symbolize that she could make peace with her past or that she believed she already had? Or did she want to show her that there was still hope and light for her no matter what would happen now?
"There is nothing you can do", Regina said as Jasmine stepped back. Her mouth was dry and it wasn't easy to speak, "I made a promise and now I shall keep it."
Regina looked at Robin, who was pale. She hugged him, then she shut them all out magically. She didn't want to take the risk that anybody would try to interfere and she was glad that they obviously couldn't see her. Robin searched the entire room for her and he was as desperate as she almost cried seeing him like this. She turned her back on him, as a blue light hit her and she stumbled back. Slowly her body fell apart like sand that floats through the air. It didn't hurt but it was scary and it was torture to know what was going on, to see every bit of it and to fear what was about to come. Then Regina was gone.
"How on earth shall we catch a shadow", Emma said and stared into the fire. The men around them already were asleep. Just Pocahontas and Hook were awake with her. The Indian woman sat at a tree further away from their campfire and glanced at Base every now and then when she thought nobody paid attention. She had a feeling that even though Pocahontas pretended to hate him, she secretly missed and loved him despite everything he had done to her tribe and her. Her situation was difficult and yet Emma recognized it was just like her own.
"Better tell me what to do with our special friend here", Hook whispered darkly and nodded towards Smee, "my plan just vanished into nothingness."
"Pocahontas might have an idea, but I assume you won't ask her", Emma retorted.
Hook growled angrily, "I have no reason to do that."
"Hm, let me think about it", Emma whispered angrily and acted dumb, "your plan won't work, you don't know the island as good as you did once and you have no better idea yet. Pocahontas knows this place as well as you know your ship, she might have an idea and I assume she would be happy to beat at least some pirates even if it's not you. Besides she has a huge problem with betrayal - thanks to Base and you - so if you would explain everything to her, she might even decide to help you for free." She paused, " you're right. You don't have any reason to overcome your stupid and childish behavior and ask for advice."
He sighed and stared into the fire frustrated because he knew she was right.
Emma changed the subject afraid Smee might overhear them, "have you ever caught a shadow?"
Absentmindedly he shook his head as Pocahontas walked up to them very silently. She had perfected the ability to walk around without making any sound in this jungle. It was impressive.
"I know someone who caught one", she stated and surprised them. Even though she had tried to be very silent and even though she had believed the crackling of the fire would cover their words, Pocahontas had heard them, "and you know him, too."
Did that mean Smee had listened to them as well? Was he really asleep? Hook and Emma exchanged a worried glance and stared at the pirate. He cuddled into his blanket as he was lying on the ground, his face turned towards the fire. Yet it didn't mean he was asleep.
Pocahontas noticed their concerns and shook hear head, "he didn't. He is asleep."
Hook looked at her just as surprised as Emma. Then his expression changed and became more serious, "he left the island. That's what he caught it for, remember?"
For a short second Emma was puzzled, then she realized that Hook had answered to Pocahontas' statement from earlier. They had changed the subject again.
"Yes", the Indian woman said slowly and sat next to them, "but I also know that he came back some years ago."
"Who are you talking about?"
Pocahontas opened her mouth to answer her, but Hook interrupted as he almost jumped forward as fast he sat up, "he's back? When did he return?"
She shrugged, "some years ago."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"How?"
"We're not exactly best friends", Pocahontas admitted, "as you perfectly know. He didn't tell me."
"Where can we find him", Hook asked.
Emma was curious and surprised. Who was this person they spoke of if he managed to keep them talking as normally? And what role did he play for Hook if he cared so much about him? The only times she had seen the pirate captain as concerned as now it had weather been about the Jolly Roger or… She refused to finish the thought.
"He keeps moving. You can imagine the Evil Shadow wasn't too happy about the way he escaped back then. So he has to hide just as much as us."
"I see."
"But shouldn't we take care of your problem first", Pocahontas asked and revealed that she had heard everything, "I might have an idea depending on what you want to achieve. Do you want to lock them up or to kill them?"
"There are actually options", Emma asked surprised not just by her offer but by her reference to several people as well, "don't get me wrong, but I didn't expect you to actually leave the option to leave someone dangerous behind to us."
"There are always options even in this world", she retorted and glanced at Hook, "you can respect rules or do what you please. You can decide to be loyal or to betray someone. Of course, there are options. And if they are locked up here, they won't be able to harm anybody anyway."
The pirate and the Indian stared at each other and Emma had the bad feeling the moment of peaceful conversation might be over.
"They could be freed", Emma pointed out.
"In this world they wouldn't survive for long anyway", she said confidentially.
"What do you have in mind", Hook asked suspiciously. Certainly he was worried that her plan might harm them, too. At least he hadn't started to argue with her, because of her taunts.
Pocahontas bit her bottom lip, "there is a bridge that leads to the holly mountain. Of course it changed during the past years and now not everyone is allowed to pass it. Who doesn't pass a test… it would be a solution once and for all."
They exchanged a glance, but didn't say anything. Immediately she wondered what rioting cost on board of Hook's Jolly Roger. She could imagine what the price would be on Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge. For certain he would pick death. But what would Hook chose?
"We will have to go there anyway", Pocahontas informed them, "my grandmother is imprisoned there."
"And the other option", Emma asked referring to her words from earlier.
"Locking them up could be useless", Hook spoke out what was on his mind, "they could be free before we leave."
"The shadow?"
"Yes."
"And this guy you mentioned earlier", Emma asked curiously, "how shall we find him?"
"That's the problem. He hasn't been seen for a while now. At least nobody of my tribe saw him."
"As I know him, he's already noticed us", Hook said distracted. There was something indefinable in his voice, "he wants to leave the island so he will try to steal my ship. It's the fastest and best way to leave Neverland right now."
"But how? The Jolly Roger alone is not enough to travel between worlds."
"Just like everyone else he certainly assumes that I didn't come here without a way out."
Pocahontas didn't seem to like that idea. She frowned and she avoided to look at them as if she was upset.
Hook noticed her reaction, too, "let me guess. You don't want me to know where your tribe hides."
"As if you were any better", she growled sensing an accusation in his words, "you haven't told me why you're back yet after all neither."
Emma rolled her eyes and leaned back, "if you continue like this we'll be stuck here forever and your tribe will die out. But if fighting is so important to you then keep going. I know at least one person - or whatever you want to call it - who'll be happy about your childish behavior. For sure he'll come to pay us a visit and to take advantage of us. If that's what you want, then go ahead."
They stared at her in surprise and as if she had slapped them both. Emma didn't care. She was sick of their endless fights and she definitely wouldn't watch them until she would be killed. She ignored Hook's expression and turned around to Pocahontas, "to be honest, we are searching for - "
"Are you nuts", Hook snapped before she could finish the sentence. Nervously he looked around as if he was afraid that somebody might have heard her. He was afraid that someone be spying on them. While she could understand his fear with Smee around, she couldn't see what the first mate could do to sop or to harm them here in Neverland. He couldn't get away from them after all.
"Don't tell her", he ordered.
"May I remind you that I'm not part of your crew", she stated, "you can't order me around."
"But this is my assignment", Regina will kill me, if I won't succeed."
"While you search for my brother", Emma stated without thinking, "forgotten?"
Hook stared at her. He opened his mouth to say something but decided to leave it be. He shook his head and looked at his men as if he wanted to shoot the first who would move even a finger.
Pocahontas stared at them as if she couldn't believe what had happened just now. She didn't want to discuss this, so she stood up and left them alone. She wouldn't go as deep into the jungle as she would have done in the Enchanted Forest. She missed it more each passing day because she couldn't be as carefree as she had been there anymore. It was funny. Before she had come to Neverland she wouldn't even have called herself carefree. But now she sometimes felt as if she had left behind a part of her there.
Emma leaned back against a tree and looked up to the sky that she could barely see through the trees. Had she really done that? Had she really just called Prince Henry her brother? She hadn't even thought about it and now that she did, she was surprised of herself. She felt awkward even though she had said something like that unconsciously. She had only said that to win over Hook. She wasn't convinced of her new family and her new identity yet. Snow White's and Charming's first child and the rumored savior… she couldn't see that they were supposed to be her. Had her subconscious accepted something that her consciousness could not accept? No matter what it had been, it had felt great to put Hook into his place.
She was sick of her own behavior. Ever since she had left the Red Forest with him, she had felt weak and Neverland had worsened that impression. But she didn't want to feel weak anymore. She wanted to be strong and to be the tough lass she had been before. She wanted to recognize herself when she would see her reflection. Where was the Emma who had entered a pirate ship to catch the captain all on her own? As bounty hunter she had been strong and independent. Why couldn't she be like that anymore? Just because she might be a princess? Okay, she was but she didn't identify herself with it.
"Here you are", Pocahontas suddenly said as she stepped out of the shadows silent as a panther.
Emma turned around to her, "what do you want?"
She shrugged, "I was hoping you might tell me more. What you mentioned is quite confusing to me."
She studied her for a long moment and there was curiousness and frustration in her eyes as it had been before.
"You're not just interested in our goals, are you", she asked out of an instinct. She could be terribly wrong.
Pocahontas sighed and leaned against a tree, "who are you? And why are you traveling with them? And why do you have so much influence on Hook? I don't understand this. In the past he never was like this. He was cold, stubborn, free, egoistic and mean. He was manipulative, followed his own goals without listening to others and he didn't care about anybody but himself. And now he argues with you and he listens to you. Hook even pays attention to you. He watches you all the time as if he was worried for you. I've never seen him like this before. Not to mention that he trusts you and he respects your decisions."
"I wouldn't read too much into that", Emma said avoiding.
"Oh please, how is there anything you could read too much into it? You just threw his ship into the deal and he didn't complain", she frowned, "or kill you."
"Well", Emma said slowly and a little ashamed.
Pocahontas stared at her, "who are you?"
She thought about it and suddenly she felt insecure again. All she knew was who she wasn't and who she didn't want to be, but that didn't define who she was. Anyhow, she couldn't tell her. It would sound insane and then Pocahontas wouldn't respect her anymore.
"All that matters for is, that I'm not a pirate", she answered slowly and it felt right, "I'm a fighter. If I want something I do everything possible to achieve it as long as it doesn't hurt my ethics."
"And those are?"
"At least it's not to break my word", she stated and looked into her eyes. It felt right so say this and it strengthened her.
Pocahontas seemed to be convinced, "and why does Hook listen to you?"
"I can be quite convincing."
For a second she had considered to tell her about the deal that they had agreed on when they had started their journey, but then she had decided to keep that to herself. Ever since they had started to search for Henry their deal had been unimportant somehow. Neither of them had respected it and they hadn't even tried to reach their goals yet. Maybe it had been important in the beginning but soon it had been meaningless. Their adventures had connected them and then there had been some attraction that wasn't completely gone yet. However, this wasn't something Pocahontas needed to know. In fact it might be better if she wouldn't know.
Pocahontas narrowed her eyes. She was suspicious, "and why are you traveling with them, if you're not a pirate?"
"We have a common goal", she answered. It was true. Now she really wanted to find Prince Henry and since Hook didn't really have another choice but to search for him thanks to the Evil Queen, they had a common goal.
"Is this goal the reason you came here?"
"Yes", Emma was relieved that their conversation had reach solid ground.
Pocahontas looked at her expecting and she sighed. Hook hadn't followed them, he usually acted on his own without consulting her and even if he wasn't too focused on his fight with everyone on this island and Pocahontas in general she didn't need his agreement to do what she wanted to do. She could share information, if she wanted to. There was just one thing she needed to know, "will you really stay true to your word and will you really help us to achieve our goals?"
The Indian woman blinked and looked at her confused, then she nodded, "as long as you do, I'll do it, too."
Truth.
At least she hoped she was right. Besides her special ability she wanted to believe her. Somehow it was hard to imagine that someone like Base could fall for someone who wasn't as loyal as himself and the way she knew him, he was very loyal. However, this way of thinking could be a problem, if she would be fooled by it. If she wanted to trust her to badly, she might be blinded in the end. Besides even a loyal person like Base had been able to betray the woman he loved. The question was, who was she loyal to? Certainly not to the pirates… Yet she had to rely on her instinct. It was the only thing in Neverland that didn't confuse her right now. And it told her that Pocahontas didn't lie.
"The way Hook and I met is not important", Emma stated and swallowed hard, "important is just our goal and nobody must know about it. Promise - no - swear that you won't tell anybody."
"Does Base know?"
"Just Hook and I know."
Pocahontas stared at her in surprise and she could understand why. Of all people she would share this very secret information with her, even though they didn't know each other very well. Maybe she really was crazy. Before Pocahontas could say something, she explained who and why they were searching in short words. She didn't tell her about their adventures nor their strange relationship. She just told her about the missing prince and the traitor Base had noticed.
Pocahontas had crossed her arms and leaned against a tree as she finished her story. Slowly she looked up to her, "so you want to find this boy?"
She nodded.
"If he is still a boy, he should be with Pan", Pocahontas said slowly, "if he is in Neverland that is. I couldn't imagine him to be anywhere else."
Emma frowned, "what do you mean by "if he's still a boy"? I thought without your special potion nobody could age in Neverland."
She shrugged, "Pan is the best option."
For some reason Pocahontas avoided to answer her. She was suspicious, but she accepted it for now, "Hook believes so, too."
Pocahontas smiled, "then he really needs my help."
"Why", Emma asked curiously.
"He's been here for a long time. My father was a boy, when Pan arrived, so you can imagine how well he knows the island", she explained, "I don't know what Hook told you about him…"
She paused as if she was waiting for the information and Emma fulfilled the silent request, "he said that Pan had freed the Evil Shadow."
She nodded, "and my father had been the one who had told him about it in the first place." Pocahontas seemed to be ashamed and sad, "when my father found out what had happened he blamed himself dearly for a long time. But they were friends - childhood friends and when my father was a boy he didn't believe in the stories the eldest told. He believed it was nothing but a legend. He told me that he had wanted to tell a scary story at the campfire. Just when Pan had freed the Evil Shadow with Hook's help, he realized what he had caused by his naivety."
There was a sound that let them wince both. Someone or something was coming and it was fast. They exchanged a short glance before they ran back to their camp. The sound was coming closer. Heavy steps on the ground followed them and Pocahontas pushed her aside. There was a scream and the sound of something hitting the ground. Something ripped as she fell to her knees. Her hands were muddy and her feet stuck in the ground. She couldn't move anymore.
Helplessly she looked around in the dark but as far as she could tell, Pocahontas was gone. She was all alone while the screaming sound reached her ears from the distance. Silently Emma tried to stand up but her feet had sunk quite deeply into the ground. She pulled and tried to get her legs out of the mud, but the more effort she put into it the deeper she sank.
Then there were bushes moving, a light came closer and passed by without anybody noticing her. There was whispering and while she hesitated to cry for help they distanced from her. She leaned forward and tried to reach a liana in front of her, but she sank deeper until she was caught to her chest. Soon she would drown.
"Pocahontas", she yelled as silently as she could, afraid of what might find her, if she'd be louder, "is there anybody?"
Somewhere behind her she heard Base shout and the screaming was back. Now that it was so far wary it sounded like a cat. A hissing cat.
Emma held her head up and tried not to move. She was stuck up to her neck now. The mud pressed against her body, she felt cold and she wanted nothing more but to get away from here.
A light came closer. It was very small and fast. Then someone stumbled through the bushes in front of her. It was a blond girl who didn't seem to belong here at all. She had never seen clothes like this before. She wore a blue dress that reached from her neck down to her dirty shoes. She had bound it up to both sides of her hips, so she could run easier and faster. It had long sleeves and at the collar there was white lace. It was badly ripped and quite dirty. Around her waist there was something like a belt, that she had made of lianas with bag, that she had bound to it. Her hair was bound up in a way Emma had never seen before and single strands reached into her face and her neck.
The girl froze as she noticed her. She was breathing hard while she stared at her. For a moment she stood there undecided, then she looked over her shoulder nervously.
"Please", Emma pressed out of her lunges and caught her attention again. She slipped a little deeper so the back of her head touched the ground and the girl's eyes widened.
She made up her mind, placed the lamp on the ground and threw the liana, Emma had reached for earlier, at her. The sound came closer and she looked over her shoulder, scared. When she focused on Emma again, she seemed to be desperate and very scared, "I'm sorry."
Then she ran away.
Just a second later someone crushed through the bushes and stumbled over the lamp. It was Smee. He was bleeding over his right eye and he was breathing hard. As he noticed her, he froze for a second before he relaxed and looked around. Once he was convinced that they were alone, he glanced down on her, "where did she go?"
Emma couldn't believe this. Why didn't he help her? She glared at him and focused on the ground around her hoping that he would understand. He didn't and he laughed, "sorry. But you dying here spares me a lot of trouble."
Emma frowned. What was his problem? Fine, so he was the traitor but that didn't have anything to do with her, had it? What use could he have killing her?
'You are his weakness and he is afraid one might use it against you', Base's words echoed through her mind. He had been right. This happened because Smee believed her to be important to Hook and he wanted to use her against him. He wanted to hurt and distract Hook by killing her and in her current situation he wouldn't have to do anything for it.
Emma swallowed hard and gritted her teeth. She snorted but it wouldn't change anything and she knew it. Smee bowed laughing, "I'm sorry, but I have to catch the small devil who stole my magic bean. I would have loved to keep you company. So excuse me and have a nice death." He kicked the girl's lamp once more, the light died out and he vanished.
Emma stared at the spot he had stood at just a second ago and blinked away tears. She didn't want to die yet. Before she would die she wanted to find out what had happened to Graham. She wanted to meet her family and rescue her little brother. She squeezed her eyes shut and sniveled. And she wanted the time to forgive Hook. She didn't want to end their relationship - of whatever kind it was - in a fight. She didn't want to leave like this.
There was noise. Emma breathed in deeply and swallowed hard as she noticed that she had sunk to her lower lip.
Bushes moved and rustled and suddenly Hook stood where Smee had left her a second ago. His face was pale in the light of his lamp and his eyes grew wide as he noticed her, "shit!"
He turned around and ordered someone to do something, while he searched around in hurry. Emma didn't pay attention to him. Even if she would have wanted to, she couldn't. She pressed her lips together and held her breath as she sunk into the mud completely. The world was gone.
