Chapter 22: May the Truth Set you Free
Shortly after Killian was told that Neal is alive and in Neverland thanks to the demon child of Peter Pan, he's been thinking of whether he should tell the group. The only one who knows the truth besides him and Emma are Regina and Tinkerbell, who knows that Neal is not Henry's father. Neal is not important any more however the man insisted that he is Henry's, something he isn't seeing is right in his face, he doesn't have anything to Henry, no features that scream that Neal is the father, if only if he were a little bit smarter he would've seen the truth. This is what Killian is holding back on, to what his thoughts are on. Neal deserves to know the truth. The next game that they'll be playing is one should be feared about, as he knows what Pan was telling about. So, when night came and knows what he'll do the following morning, he takes a sigh and falls to sleep.
In the morning Killian told everyone that Pan had visited him. Everyone was holding a breath in fear of what Peter Pan would want. A game, another game that the master of the island wants them to do. Before he explained what game, he knows Pan wants to do, Rumpelstiltskin comes out of the blue, quite literally. Then Peter Pan makes his arrival, looking down upon the group and says, "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you another hint that will shall we say encourage you." Pan says then looking towards the Dark One and Captain Hook along with his wife as he says his next announcement. "To get your loved ones back, you all must share your secrets." Then he flies off.
"What does he mean, share your secrets, guyliner?" Regina snarky said, not happy that she couldn't leave because of that, that kid. She was planning to leave, as she didn't want to get the son of the Dark One, as they keep on wasting days of a hindrance, following a game that is becoming to have more obstacles than she ever had encountered.
Killian then shouts saying, "Follow me and listen." He said in his Captain Hook persona, determination to get their daughter as soon as possible when he knew Pan won't follow and that they all could finally leave. He already knew the location and in so strides off. "Prepare yourself, everyone, we are going to one place that I've never been to. I've lost half of my crew there in the early years when I came back here. We are going to a place called Echo Caves, where you must tell your deepest, darkest secret. Any secret that you haven't told to anyone, the vilest acts that you wish to be kept inside you, the secrets that you wish to take with you to the grave are all that you have to pour out when we get into that cave. The name of the cave derives from the saying the deeper the lie, the more truth there is in its echo."
As they all trekked through the forest, they all came to stop at the cave where the six of the party made a long breath before walking into the Echo Caves. One by one, everyone walked in. Inside the cave, there was a large cavernous area with simple rock pillars in the middle of nowhere standing about between five to ten feet apart, with no way of getting to it. Atop of the pillars lies a wooden crate where a person was caged inside. On the right side there sat a young man with dark brown hair with brown eyes who was once named as Baelfire, now named as Neal Cassidy. On the left side, there was a young woman who physically looked as she still looked like a child with dark brown hair with some curls with blue-green eyes. The party of six gasped at the sight of them, more so to a teenaged girl, as she looks more rundown than the others including themselves or Neal. They knew that taking in her bare appearance that she has been at Neverland for a longer time. Neal noticed the gang first and shouted Emma's name first before Felicity then looked at the gang and bellowed mama and papa. Snow comments that the gap must be one hundred feet across, so Charming suggests fashioning some sort of rope to swing across with.
"That's not how it works. Were you not informed when once you stepped in here?" Felicity said astutely. "Just so you know once I'm out of this cage, I'm going to hurt Rumpelstiltskin." She forewarned.
"Are you crazy, Felicity?" Neal says, "he's the Dark One and my father. Do you have a death wish?"
"I'm not crazy Baelfire, I know what I'm doing. Besides I want to hurt him, not kill him, there's a big difference between hurt and kill, Baelfire."
"It's Neal!" Neal irritated.
"Fine, Neal," Felicity said in astonishment and defeated, not wanting to go in a full-blown quarrel of something so minuscule. Seriously what has had happened to the Baelfire she once knew, that was once her friend upon a time instead this man has a different aura one, that she doesn't want to afflict herself with, someone who is troubled and cannot be trusted. She can't help but wonder what happened to him.
After their little dispute, Killian and Emma looked at their daughter's curiosity in their eyes with amusement as they heard that Felicity wanted to hurt the Dark One. Okay, maybe there was more amusement then curiosity that they were letting on. Due to this, they asked the not so trustworthy Rumpelstiltskin about his secret about why Felicity where was forced to live in Neverland, for all these centuries. However, he didn't answer and told them they should explain first about her, first as he pointed to Felicity with eyes toward the confused couple that is Emma's parents, the Charmings.
"What is he talking about Emma?" Mary Margaret and David asked.
"There are no secrets between us," Mary Margaret says reassuringly but when Emma stays silent and moves closer to Killian's comforting arms that were placed around her daughter she asked, "Emma is there something that we should know?" As she asked this, her husband David looks like he wants to kill the pirate as he watches Emma go toward Captain Hook's side.
"Yes, we have been wanting to tell you two ever since we left Storybrooke," Killian says surprising the Charmings as they expected an answer from Emma with his eyes in contact with David and Mary Margaret. Then he shifted his eyes to Snow White, "seems like today is the day where you Snow White and Prince Charming get to know the truth. Today's the day." Killian says although cryptic, might help bring back memories from a certain conversation they had talked so little about, where before he left the town in a trance to kill Mr. Gold.
At first, Mary Margaret was confused. However, the words he said were brought back on the eve of the morning when she talked to him on the deck of his ship. The words were familiar to her as if she already heard them, it was déjà vu as memory plays back. When all this happens, Emma and Killian are having a silent conversation between them told through them eyes wondering who should start first, seeing the expression on Snow White's face when she figured it out, Emma's voice was heard in a clear voice.
"When I was seventeen years old while I was sleeping, someone or something made me go through a time portal. I was sleeping then I was drowning, I was shocked needless to say that I didn't know what has happened to me, that I didn't notice that I was at a place I didn't recognize or didn't notice the time of the place I've arrived." A small smile was seen upon her face.
"I saved Emma from drowning." Killian then says, "that's how we met, at that time I was a young and proper lieutenant. A time when I still had my brother. Shortly after saving Emma, I was then assigned to take care of your daughter from my captain who was also my brother and would be the last true voyage I would share with him. While still on my original duties, I took care of Emma and due to that, we got to know each other that led to being courted. As the trip was winding down, I proposed to Emma and when we got back to the mainland, no less than a fortnight later we were married. A couple of weeks passed when I got another mission from the king, Emma fell immediately pregnant shortly from our short honeymoon at the time and stayed there while my life changed from being a proper lieutenant to the pirate captain."
"When Killian came back home, I got the shock of my life and I knew our lives were changed forever. He came back to me and took me away from the king, as he suspected that the king knew what he was doing and wanted to get rid of us, so we found a secluded island with a cottage. We stayed there and for a while, it was home, then I gave birth to our firstborn, our daughter, Felicity Amelia Jones. We stayed there for about eight years but then the king found out where we're living so we left on the Jolly and lived there for another eight years. Until one day when the Jolly was docked, we went out and I told Killian and Felicity that I had good news to tell them unfortunately that never happened as Rumpelstiltskin here than appeared and said that I had changed things ever since I've arrived at the Enchanted Forest and that he had to fix it. So he poofed Felicity away from us, dealing with her past so that she'll be forced to live here for centuries, while he took Killian and mine's memories away from those seventeen years and had us deaged then I was gone back to the land without magic meets Neal. While Killian was beginning his new life as Captain Hook with false memories and since I was back, with no memories from the Enchanted Forest, I didn't remember that I was pregnant and believed that it was Neal's."
After that the confession, Mary Margaret and David listened in rapt attention, hearing the long story of their life together, of their daughter live intermixed with Captain Hook's life. David didn't want to accept the story because Captain Hook is his son in law through both deemed that everything makes sense now that they know the truth. They were silent as they took the many life-changing information, it was overwhelming. They learned a lot. They learned many things, many secrets one Emma is married to Killian Jones for many years, they have a granddaughter named Felicity Amelia Jones who is currently still in the wooden crate waiting to be saved, Neal isn't Henry's father but Killian's the pirate captain, and Rumpelstiltskin will always interfere with our family causing havoc including Killian as he made him Captain Hook. In the silence, the cave shakes when three-quarters of the rocky bridge that is made to Felicity's pathway is made that was filled with amazement and shock that the long confession by Emma and Killian was shared between was filled with three secrets. Those secrets were their marriage, Henry's true father, and that Killian didn't become Captain Hook by himself rather than it was Rumpelstiltskin's making.
The Dark One has many confidences of his own from his long life that he still lives, he doesn't have many regrets, only a few but the wonder of keeping many secrets that the Jones have shared brought them an almost complete bridge towards their daughter. It was this simple action like so many in the cave were in shock of, their secrets were going to change the dynamic of the group no doubt. Yet he's afraid to spill his confidences, he could spill out why he left Felicity here to Neverland but does Peter Pan want him to let him know who his parentage was to the group including his son, who will hear his family background. He deemed it to never tell Baelfire who his grandfather, his father is or his mother is, he wanted to protect his son from the darkness instead the darkness came to him so easily as it did to his mother and father that no one knows about. It's his greatest secret, the thing is will today be that day to share his greatest secrets including the prophecy involving the child Henry who is not his grandson. Then there's his fear of Felicity Jones which will be explained in a few moments after the shock from everyone including himself have endured.
The silence fell out as the gang then looks at Rumpelstiltskin and he speaks with his eyes belonging to the pirate captain with his savior wife. "My secret of your daughter is simple. I fear her. I fear Felicity Amelia Jones because of the power that she withholds. As the Dark One, I wanted to kill her however she was young, still full of pure innocence and I couldn't. Due to her innocence and fearful if I did kill her, I was worried that Mrs. Jones and Captain Jones here would try to kill me, so I sent her here to avoid a mess that I didn't want to foresee." Another rumble was sent throughout the cave again as a completed bridge to Felicity's pathway was finished.
Emma and Killian felt like want to kill him as the Dark One as he wanted to kill their daughter. He was fearful of her powers that she withheld which was full of light magic. They know their daughter was powerful regarding light magic alone. While Emma has magic, it came as a subset of rare light magic that she encompasses, which is also her destiny. Being a savior has a destiny that she can't foretell and has the more powerful magic as her magic derives from light magic but having savior magic is powerful magic. There is no difference between her and her daughter, they are both powerful in their birthright however savior magic is different from the general light magic.
Anyway, she felt with her magic that she wanted to kill him, it was like singing to her, to let it all out and hurt him. However, after another silence that changed that atmosphere inside the cave, it was tension so before she could do anything David who looked he wanted to say something however Mary Margaret started to share her secret before her he did. Mary Margaret tells him that ever since the curse broke and they found each other and Emma, there has been something she hasn't wanted to admit. After a moment of hesitation, she tells her husband that Emma is a beautiful, smart, and an amazing woman whom she loves very much and could not be prouder of. However, she adds that she's all grown up and she's not okay with that, no matter how much she pretends. She tells her husband that they missed 'it'. She explains that their relationship with their daughter is unique, but it isn't what she wanted. "We were cheated out of everything, her first step, her first word, her first smile... we missed it all" Snow cries. David asks what she's saying, so the princess tells him that once they leave Neverland, she wants another go at "it" and she wants another baby. With this secret revealed, the caves begin to shake again and more of the bridge forms.
A distraught but pleased Charming tells his wife that nothing in this world would make him happier than having another child. As he says this, Hook gives an awkward look, knowing the price of the cure. Charming tells his wife that he knows she'd make an amazing mother, making her smile, however, her smile disappears when he tells her that it can never happen...at least not with him. A confused Snow shares a glance before the former asks Charming what he's talking about. After a moment of hesitation, the prince explains that when he and Hook went to find the sextant, he was being taken to find a cure. An angry Snow asks what the cure was for, so Charming explains it was for Dreamshade. Snow realizes that it was from when the Lost Boys attacked them and when he pushed her out of the way. He states he was not fast enough, and he was hit. Before Snow can speak, Charming continues to explain that Hook could find a cure...but one that came at a price. He reveals that he cannot leave Neverland, because if he does, he will die. Snow is left speechless, yet again, this moment is ruined when the cave shakes and more of the rocky bridge is formed. As Charmings told Snow this, he saw her expression and looks around the cave seeing everyone's reaction, Regina shrugged and shook her head, while the Dark One didn't cave though was amused by the situation at hand, as he sees her daughter she only looked at him, as if she already knew, as if her expression was nothing.
"You told her?!" David fumed to the pirate captain.
"Emma already knew something was up, mate." Killian stated simply and repeated it now that they know Emma is his wife, "Not my fault that my wife knew me too well to know something was up. She knew I have gotten rid of the sextant after my brother passed. I told her of my plan, my ruse to get you cured and she agreed."
As this confession was roused, Mary Margaret listened and looked at her daughter to find recognition. Most of all she was surprised that Emma, her daughter knew of David's delicate situation. Her memory was brought back to her when David said goodbye to her when he and Captain Hook was finding a cure for him. It was like who can be trusted and yet she finds herself and her family watch as they all spill their secrets that are creating a divide amongst them. She does not know where she falls in as she is speechless from what her husband had said, it was a great shock. She does not know what is going to happen once they exit the cave. The atmosphere in the Echo Cave keeps on changing.
Regina only shrugs, knowing that it was her turn. Throughout all the confession that she heard, she has been thinking, for the most part, thinking her deep secrets. It seems that she does not have many secrets, only two or three, that is it. From all that she has done, she has no regrets and only a few secrets, much to her consternation and surprise. Should she talk about her cowardice before she became the Evil Queen or tell them about her infertility? Weighing her options, she felt that she does not want her stepdaughter or anyone to feel her pity and sympathy.
"At one point in time, before I was married to your father Snow, a fairy felt sorry for me and decided to help me out. Her name is Tinkerbell and she found my True Love. My secret is that I was a coward. I could have met him, the guy who has a lion tattoo on his arm. Tinkerbell left urging me to go inside the tavern and meet him. I was afraid and I left, becoming a coward for only that night. I wasn't ready to meet him, so I did the only thing I can do at that moment, I fled." Regina revealed hoping that this secret was enough because she cannot tell anyone about her infertility. At first, she was afraid, waiting for the rumble, so that another part of the bridge towards Neal would create. A couple of seconds later, there was still silence. She groaned. "Why didn't it work!" she yelled exasperatedly.
"The secret that you've told Regina was because the cave deemed it to be an ordinary secret, not deep and dark. It wasn't acceptable." Killian said however Regina groaned at Captain Guy Linear even though he is right, she just was not ready. "Do you have any kind of secret that nobody doesn't even know about? Any dark secrets?" he asked. Regina solemnly nodded. She takes a long deep breath.
"I was devasted when mother killed Daniel. Rage, agony, and grief I was in that it brought me to learn about dark magic. This was before Tinkerbell came to help me, even before I was married. I had nothing left in me. I was still in mourning when I found a potion that could make you infertile. I made the potion and took it. When the curse was made and released, I thought I would be happy instead I was left with a hole in my heart. After a couple of years and after meeting Owen who was Gregg, I have decided to adopt a child. Though I didn't know I was getting a child who's my enemy of Snow White's grandchild, that the child I have learned to love is also Captain Hook's son, I know that I will always love Henry and that I don't what would happen if I no longer have him. I'm also afraid that the four of you (as she points towards the two couples, the Charmings and the Jones) will take him away from me." Another silence was followed with a rumble of cave building the last part of the piece of the bridge to Neal's pathway.
"We will work something out Regina when we get back to Storybrooke," Emma said knowing this was not the time to discuss Henry. "Let's find him first." Emma then included in because the most important thing now was to find Henry and bring him back home where he is safe.
"What happens now, we all said our secrets, shouldn't my son and Miss Jones be out of the cage now?" an irritated Rumpelstiltskin asked.
"Don't even think about using any weaponry or magic to get us out of the cage because it wouldn't work. Someone in here has more secrets to be shared or maybe a darker secret that is yet to be told." Felicity said and somehow, she knew it would be the Dark One who would free her and Neal out of these cages.
Then the gang, from one individual to another said that they were no secrets that needed to be heard, as one by one declines, the more agitated did the Dark One became. As he is only filled with silence thinking about which greatest secret should he tell. He pondered will one great second do or will it not? He is so not inclined to tell them about the prophecy regarding Henry as no doubt, Henry is still the boy the prophecy was talking about. He only looked at his son, Baelfire, no Neal the name that his son chose to be, thinking about how he will react about his heritage.
"Neal there is something you should know about your grandparents. It is one of my greatest secrets and I wanted to protect you. There was a reason when I knew I arrived here instantly that I separated myself from the others. I knew who we are facing, and I've been trying to find a plan to get rid of Pan, he is one of my greatest enemies. However, he is also someone who's also related to us. Peter Pan is not who he seems to be, Peter Pan is a disguise of his evil self and I unknowingly helped him to implant his new name. His real name is Malcolm and he's my father, your grandfather, Bae. Your grandmother, my mother is still alive however she has been banished from the fairies, her name is Fiona and is mostly known as the Black Fairy."
After Rumpelstiltskin's confession, there was shocked expression written in everyone's faces including Felicity who knew about the familial connection between Pan and the Dark One, however she didn't know the mother connection. Regina shouted or more accurately yelled "WHAT!" While the others only stood there in silence. There were no rumbles, however, the sound of an unlocked sound came from the cages.
Felicity and Neal are now freed.
It all happened too fast. Felicity did what she wanted to do earlier as she told them, pinned Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, down on the ground of the cave. There were some punches she threw in her rage. Snow White and Charming looked at their granddaughter as if they were debating what she was doing was right or wrong. Emma and Killian were impressed and amused looking at the spectacle they were creating. Regina never thought this day would come, seeing someone take Rumpelstiltskin down, pinned on the ground and thought that the daughter of the pirate and savior is either very brave or stupid but she didn't care as she is amused at the sight. If only the Charmings could see that.
After that, everyone exits the Echo Cave.
Outside the Echo Caves, Felicity thanks everyone while Neal does the same although begrudgingly. Neal then walks to Emma sharing his secret to her he regardless of what he has learned. He tells her that he still loves her and wishes that he could fight for her but won't as he leaves with a sorrowful expression, in defeat.
Once everyone was out and stopped talking, everyone was split. This time it was a matter for what's more important or in actuality who to trust. The Echo Caves has brought in new perspectives with new information, for at which everyone is deciding on what to do. Rumpelstiltskin needs to find a way to defeat Pan and Regina decides to go with him for a change of scenery with the two couples and accepts the invitation as he wanted a familiar regarding magic. While the rest of them will handle how to get out of Neverland with plan A as Killian then tells Neal that they found his cave and found the coconut with holes and showed it to him. Neal then tells them this is how they're getting back home to Storybrooke and explains while he decides to stay with them rather than his father. Neal felt like what he learned was a lot about his family and no matter how weird and awkward it will be he decided to go not with his father but with the family of the Charmings and the Jones.
They said their goodbyes, made their split and left far away from the Echo Caves as soon as possible working on their new plans acknowledging the new dangers.