I am so sorry for the delay... Life has taken over, stolen my inspiration for a while. This update won't be followed by another too soon, but eventually, it will.

At first I wanted to wait until I had finished writing the story to start updating again but I decided to update one chapter now, to let you know that I hadn't given up, that this story is still alive and will be completed, eventually.

Chapter 27:

Tamara arrived in front of the dinner Neal had told her to meet him in, "Granny's", sure that they were playing their cards right and that her partner and herself would without a doubt win. Looking all around her, she couldn't help but think that this place was really creepy. Everywhere she looked, there was a reference to the fairytale world, on the sign of a shop, the name of a street or even the name of a meal or drink in the dinner. Even knowing what the home office had told her, it was overdone a bit. She couldn't wait to get rid of it all.

Greg was already hiding on the docks, in an empty building, with provisions and all of their equipment. The couple of people they met there, they knocked out and held prisoner until they found a use for them. She knew that there was a chance she'd meet August in town but she knew that she'd be able to buy his silence with the Dragon's potion that she still had in her purse. After all, he was the kind of man ready to do anything to get what he wanted, or needed, and he needed to be real again, to get rid of the wood. She was sure that he wouldn't have found a way to do it on his own, that he didn't have it in him to do it the right way: by his actions.

When Tamara entered the small dinner, every person inside stopped talking and turned to look at her for a few seconds before they went back to their previous occupations. She felt like she was in a scene from a movie or something like that. She went to the counter and ordered a coffee, not noticing Regina, sitting in a corner, taking a picture of her with her phone for Emma. She had agreed to help as much as she could and this was her way of showing that she was willing to be part of the team, that they could trust her now. She was trying to become a hero and helping the Savior and her friends was the right way to go.

"It's her. It's the same woman." August nodded, looking at the picture.

"Then we need to be careful. For now, it might be best if you didn't cross her and when you do cross her, pretend you don't recognize her. If Neal tells her about the magic and she officially knows, we'll tell her that when you turned back into a man of flesh and blood, you lost all the memories of when you were part wood. She'll believe that, I doubt she'll have any ways of checking on wether it's true or not." Bella suggested.

"Good idea." Graham nodded while Emma came back in the room, having rushed to the bathroom after receiving the message.

"Are you alright?" They all asked her at the same time, making her smile.

"Yes, don't worry, probably something I drank or some sort of bug. I'll get better soon." She nodded, praying internally that Doctor Whale would be able to tell her what was wrong with her soon.

"Anyway, do we warn Neal?" August asked.

"It might be best, why don't we simply tell Gold and let him tell Neal? It's his son after all and he wants to protect him, he should have a say in what we do." Bella replied.

"I agree." Graham nodded.

"I have to pick up Henry from school, I'll take him to Gold's shop and tell them both at the same time. I'll tell you later what we decide. You're right, Gold should have a say in how we handle this." Emma informed them.

.

Tamara had gotten some coffee with Neal before he took her on a walk around town. He wanted her to meet his father and so they headed that way slowly while he talked to her about how special this town was, trying to bring up the subject of magic. From afar, Tamara thought she saw August and even though she knew that she couldn't ask Neal, she decided that it would be best not to take any chances. Without Neal seeing her, she got her cell phone out of her purse and started texting Greg to hurt Marco, aka Gepetto, so that he'd end up in the hospital in a serious condition.

They had prepared several plans, trying to be ready for any situation they could find themselves in and she knew that the poison her partner and lover would use would make it impossible for the old man to be healed using magic. He'd be stuck in the hospital for a long time and August, his son, wouldn't have any other choice but to stay with him, like a good son. If he's not with the other, he won't be able to recognize her and her plan would be safe.

Neal was still trying to find a way to tell his fiancée that magic and fairytale characters where real in this town when they saw an great dragon flying above them, roaring angrily while a blond woman that Neal recognized as Maleficent, rushed under it, trying to yell for it to calm down.

"What happened?" Bella asked, rushing to Maleficent while Neal and Tamara came closer as well.

"Lilly hit her little toe on the corner of Granny's fireplace. The pain took her by surprise and added to the roller coaster of emotions she's had since coming here, it triggered her change. I fixed Granny's before following after her. I need to guide her to the woods so she can calm down without hurting anyone or herself." Maleficent replied.

"Why don't you change? Wouldn't it be easier?" Bella suggested.

"You're right, I'll do just that." She nodded, stepped away from them and turned into a dragon before she flew after her daughter.

"So, by the way, magic is real here and the town is filled with fairy-tale characters." Neal told Tamara who nodded.

"I believe you." She whispered, acting surprised and staring at the two dragons flying away.

"Hey Bella, this is Tamara, my fiancée. Where's August?" Neal asked Bella a few seconds later.

"He's helping Hook fix something on the Jolly Roger. It's enchanted wood and the Captain doesn't want just anyone touching his precious ship. Since August has worked with this kind of wood before, Hook decided to trust him, which you know as well as I do, is rare for him. Marco was supposed to join them later, he's just finishing something for Cinderella's daughter. A doll house I think, or maybe a rocking chair." Bella replied after nodding Tamara's way, pretending she didn't know what the woman was playing at.

"I wanted to introduce him to Tamara." Neal replied.

"You'll probably get the chance later on. Are you heading to your father's?"

"Yes, I want Tamara to know him and Belle. Henry too, later." He nodded with a smile.

"Well, Henry went to the shop after school but Belle took him with her to the library, he had some research to do for a school project and she offered to help. Apparently it's a subject she knows well but given how much she reads, I doubt there's a subject she doesn't know at least a little bit." Bella replied, hiding that Gold had sent his girlfriend and grandson away to protect them from Tamara after learning who she was.

When Neal entered his father's shop, everything was calm.

"Papa, are you here?" Neal called out.

"In the back room. Come on in. I'm just fixing an old watch, or trying to. Something seems to be stuck inside." Gold called back.

"This is Tamara, Tamara, this is my father." Neal did the introductions and it took all the Dark One had not to attack the woman.

Indeed, they had decided to wait and see what she wanted before they did anything. They had even agreed to wait until they knew more before they told Neal about her, they knew that he wouldn't believe them without hard evidence and telling him would only get him to get himself hurt or to warn his girlfriend so she'd change her plans.

While he shook Tamara's hand with a fake smile on his face, Gold discreetly placed a tracking spell on her so that he'd always be able to find her.

.

Once she had left Neal and Tamara, Bella headed to Marco's house, thinking of maybe walking with him to the Jolly Roger. When she arrived, the old man was laying on the ground of his garage, bleeding from the stomach. A few tools were on the floor, so was the large doll house he had been fixing for Cinderella's daughter Alexandra and Bella knew that it hadn't been an accident.

"Marco! Can you hear me?" Bella asked him as she rushed to his side.

"Bella… Hurt…" Marco managed to whisper, barely opening his eyes.

Bella placed her hands over the bleeding stomach and tried to use magic to heal her love's father but it didn't work. After that, she tried to transport them both at the hospital but it didn't work either.

"I'm so sorry, Marco, my magic isn't working, I don't know why. Hang on." Bella told him before she called for an ambulance and texted Emma to find August and join her at the hospital as soon as possible.

"Can you speak, Marco? Try to stay awake, tell me what happened." Bella asked the injured man.

"I… didn't… see…" he managed to articulate.

"Was it a man or a woman?"

"Man… I… think. Didn't see… Didn't speak…" he replied.

"Don't worry, Emma and Graham will find out who did this to you, just stay with me. Stay awake."

Bella managed to help him stay semi-conscious until the ambulance arrived and then she rode with him to the hospital. Whale rushed Marco to the operating room after Bella told him that magic didn't work on him at all, it couldn't even transport him, and she went to wait for August, Emma and Graham in the waiting room.

August arrived at the same time as Emma and Graham did. He had Hook with him, proof that the men had grown close and that he wanted to be there for his new friend. Bella told them what had happened, the fact that magic hadn't been able to heal him or transport him and what she had managed to make him say.

"Papa doesn't have any video surveillance, I don't know about the neighbors but I doubt it." August commented while Bella hugged him.

"We'll go and see what clues we can find back there. Call us when he gets out of the operating room, alright?" Emma asked and Bella nodded.

"I'm glad you found him, who knows what would have happened if you hadn't." He whispered in Bella's ear.

"I'm just worried about the fact that magic couldn't heal him. Maybe it's just white magic that doesn't work, I should call Gold and ask him to come here and try. Maybe he'll know what hurt your father and know how to heal him faster." She suggested.

"Maybe." August nodded and Bella got her cell phone out and called the Dark One, hoping he'd have an answer for them.

.

Unfortunately, the Dark One couldn't do anything to heal Marco, neither did he know what had poisoned him.

"Killian, do you mind keeping August company? There's someone I should talk to about this, maybe he can help." Bella asked the pirate who was still there, providing a comforting presence to his new friend.

"Of course, who are you going to see?" he asked.

"The old man Henry was interrogating everyone about, my godfather. I'll be right back." Bella told him and August before she left in a hurry, making herself disappear as soon as she was outside.

Once she appeared in front of his house, she rang the doorbell a few times, hurriedly.

"Bella, what's going on?" he asked her as soon as he saw her look.

"Marco's been stabbed and somehow magic can't heal him. Whale isn't even sure if he'll wake up once he's out of surgery. I tried healing him and it didn't work, I couldn't transport us and Rumpelstiltskin couldn't heal him either, he just tried. Do you know what could have done this?" Bella asked him.

"Unfortunately, there's quite a few potions and poisons that could have been put on the blade to have this effect, even a few curses." He replied, shaking his head.

"Gold says that he doesn't feel any curse." Bella added.

"Let me grab a few things, I'll go with you." He smiled and, after filling a bag with a few objects, bottles, powders and herbs, he allowed Bella to appear them both in the waiting room of their hospital.

They had to wait for Whale to finish the surgery he was doing on Marco but, 30 minutes later, they were able to see the injured man.

"I honestly don't know if or when he'll wake up. He's lost a lot of blood and there seem to be some sort of poison, I guess. Nothing I've ever seen. I don't know how to treat it. He has a slight fever, we're giving him antibiotics but for now I guess that's all I can do. I'm open to suggestions, though." He told them.

"I'll take a look." The Apprentice promised.

"In any case, it might be good for him to have someone familiar around, maybe read to him or talk to him. He can probably hear you and it will help him fight for his life." Whale informed them.

"Thanks." August nodded while the Apprentice did several tests on him.

"Can you find anything?" Bella asked her godfather in a small voice after a while.

"I've never seen this combination before. It seems to be a mix of dream-shade and several other poisons. The mix makes the effect act slower. It's painful but gives us more time to find a solution, gives him time to fight back. I can make a few doses of potion to inject him with for a while, to help him get stronger until I can find a more permanent cure. I should go and ask… people. Consult them to see how we can fight those ingredients combined together." The apprentice replied.

She knew that by people and them, he meant her father.

"I know dream-shade very well, I have some on my hook, if you need it, I'm sure you can use magic to gather it." Hook offered.

"You do? Why?" Bella asked him, surprised.

"I gather I was for me." Gold nodded.

"Aye. It's what killed my brother Liam a long time ago. It's from Neverland and water from a special spring there can heal it, but you die as soon as you leave Neverland. It's the price you have to pay for this magic." Hook explained quickly as the Apprentice used his powers to transport the poison from the hook to a small vial he had on him.

"Could we get some? Maybe it could help?" August asked.

"I could most certainly make a permanent cure for dream-shade here if we had some of this water but going to Neverland is never easy." Gold shook his head.

"I have the wand, I can use it to open the portal." Bella nodded.

"Peter Pan is a very dangerous lad. I could go with you but we'd have to make it quick, appear just in the right place and leave as soon as we can. The little devil knows everything that goes on on his island and he has no limits." Hook explained.

"I think I know where to find a vial of these waters. I'll see what I can do with it first, no need to take unnecessary risks. I'll tell you if I need more. Stay safe, Bella. I'll keep you updated on what I find." The apprentice told them before he left the hospital room, to gather more herbs and talk to his powerful master, Bella's father.

"I should stay here with him." August decided.

"Of course. I'll go and see what Emma has found and be back with dinner later." Bella told him before she kissed him and left the room.

.

After leaving the hospital, Emma and Graham had rushed to Marco's place to try and find some clues. There, they were attacked and a hooded man blew some sleeping powder on their faces. When she woke up, Emma was alone in the garage. Graham was nowhere to be found and Bella was running towards her, calling her name.

"What happened?" Bella asked Emma.

"I have no idea, we came here, some hooded man blew powder at us, I woke up just now, when you called my name and Graham is gone! He wouldn't have left without me. They took him." Emma exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I'll find him. I have magic, remember? I'm sure you could do it too, if you wanted to tap into your inner magic. I just need something of his."

"He left his jacket in the car." Emma nodded and they followed the flying jacket until they found themselves in front of a building near the docks.

"We should call for back-up, we don't know who we're up against." Bella whispered as they stood across the street from the building, hidden.

"Who do you want us to call?" Emma asked, completely lost.

"You call your parents, I'll call Hook. I'll also call Gold and ask him to keep an eye on Henry."

Emma nodded and, half an hour later, Snow and Charming arrived with Regina and Robin, who had been with them when they received the call and had decided to come and help while Hook arrived with Lilly, her mother and a few of his men. Leroy and his dwarfs were also there, always ready to help the heroes.

With so many people ready to help, they were able to surround the building and were about to go in when Gold appeared in front of them.

"Henry's gone. Belle said that she was opening a box of new books, Henry went to the front desk to help a kid check out a book and she hasn't seen him since. I found the kid and he said that a woman came in right after he left. Henry was still behind the desk when he left." Gold explained.

"Tamara?" Emma growled.

"I think so, yes. Sure fits the description the kid made. I can't find Neal anywhere either." Gold replied.

At that moment, Emma's phone rang but she ignored it. She'd check her messages later. Right now, finding Graham and Henry was all that mattered.

"He's probably inside. Let's go." Emma decided and they all rushed to their assigned entrance, ready to stop anyone who'd come at them.

They were all armed with a sword, a gun or magic. Each group had a gun, a sword and magic in it.

There were a few traps placed all over the building but they all managed not to get hurt and to make their way through it. They freed the couple of people that had been made prisoner simply because they were in the way and, eventually, found Graham who appeared to be in terrible pain.

"Dream-shade!" Hook exclaimed.

"How long does he have?" Bella asked.

"Not long, no more than a few hours, but he'll be in terrible pain." Hook explained.

"I can put him under a sleeping curse, it would stop the poison. Once we have the water and I manage to make a cure for it, Emma will be able to wake him up with true love's kiss and we'll cure him." Gold offered.

"Do it." Graham nodded.

"Where's Henry?" Emma asked.

"They took him, spoke about something called the Home office. That's where they're taking him. They wanted to destroy the town but they couldn't find Regina's town destructive device." Graham replied.

"That's because I managed to render it powerless. I took care of it last week, figuring that it would be best not to give people more reasons to hate me, especially after everything I've done." Regina explained.

"That's good thinking on your part." Bella nodded.

"They won't hurt Henry, whatever the Home office is, they need him alive. Something about him being the Truest Believer." Graham added.

The name, Truest Believer, was very familiar to Bella and it reminded her that Henry was the one supposed to reunite her with her father. If Henry never came home, did it mean that she'd never see her father? She shook her head, refusing to think about this.

"Have you seen Neal?" Gold asked.

"I'm not sure, but they locked someone in the closet." The sheriff replied and Hook rushed to open the closet.

Neal was inside and he was only knocked out. Gold reanimated him and explained what had happened to his son. Of course Neal was very angry to have been fooled by someone he trusted.

"I have something in my shop that can help us locate Henry." Gold declared.

"And once we know that, I can use the wand to open a portal for us to get there." Bella added.

"I… Emma, you have to save Henry first, get what you need to heal me later. But first, while Gold prepares everything, will you marry me?" Graham asked Emma.

"I already agreed to that." She smiled.

"I mean now, before I'm put under the sleeping curse, before you leave to find Henry. Let's have a small ceremony, just us. We can have a big party later, once everything is fine again." Graham explained.

"I'd love that." Emma nodded.

"I'll start preparing everything right now." Gold declared before he vanished.

"I should warn August before we leave, he might want to stay here with his father." Bella told Emma before she left.

"I'll organize everything." Snow told her daughter before she left with her husband.

"I'll prepare the Jolly Roger, it can cross realms and will be able to transport us all wherever we need to go." Hook offered.

"I'll help." Neal stated before he followed his old friend.

Lilly and Maleficent went to help Emma carry Graham home while Regina and Robin discussed going along to help. Robin agreed and they decided that Roland would stay in town, with Little John to watch over him. Robin wanted to set a good example for his son and doing the right thing, helping save a friend's son, was definitely the right thing, especially since Henry had been so nice and welcoming to little Roland.

.

Very quickly, a small ceremony was organized for Emma and Graham, making them husband and wife before Emma had to leave to save her son and before Gold placed Graham under the sleeping curse to protect him. He was transported at the hospital, in the same room as Marco.

While the ceremony was being organized, Gold used magic to find out where Henry was and Hook had his men prepare the Jolly Roger for departure.

August had decided to go with Bella to Neverland to try and save Henry. He knew that his father wouldn't be alone, Archie would keep him company, so would Granny and the other members of the town. His father had many friends who wouldn't leave him alone. Plus, he was sure that his father would understand his decision and would tell him to go if he was awake.

They were all on the ship, listening to Gold telling them everything he knew about Neverland and who Peter Pan was to him. For this reason, he strongly believed it would be best if he stayed behind and they agreed.

Emma's phone hadn't stopped beeping since Henry was taken and she finally took it out. She had a few missed calls from the hospital and a message from Doctor Whale. Nervously, she listened to it.

"Emma, it's Doctor Whale. I have your results. I can guess that with Henry being taken and Graham's condition you have other things on your mind but you need to know… you're pregnant. I've heard that you're going to leave to find your son so I'll stay available to see you for a checkup as soon as you come back. Be careful, you're not alone now. Congratulation and good luck on your quest. Be safe."

"Are you okay Emma?" Lilly asked her once she had hung up.

"I… I'll be fine." Emma tried to smile, deciding not to tell anyone about this news yet.

She had one child to worry about for now, she needed to concentrate on Henry.

"I'd really like to come with you, to help. I know that my mother can't leave town without dying or turning into a dragon but I'd like a chance to help out." Lilly offered.

"Of course, the more the safer." Emma smiled.

"Thanks." Lilly nodded before she hugged her mother goodbye and went on the Jolly Roger, smiling at Hook on the way.

In the end, Neal, Snow, David, Emma, Bella, August, Lilly, Hook, Smee, Regina and Robin would be going on this rescue mission to Neverland. Roland, Robin's son, would stay with Little John in Regina's house until they came back and the dwarfs would stand in as sheriff until everyone came back.

They were about to leave when The Apprentice arrived. He reminded Bella to bring back some water from Neverland to make the cure but also to be careful. He gave her a few hints on how to use Neverland Magic and to remember to be herself and give people a second chance. He also wished her good luck and promised her to watch over Marco and Graham until they came back. Since everyone had a weapon, he reminded her that magic wasn't always the best option and he handed her a sword. It wasn't a magical one, but it was pretty, not too heavy for her, and it looked like it had been made just for her, to fit her hand and to be a rightful continuation of her arm. Holding it felt natural to her.

After telling him goodbye, Bella planned on asking David to help her train. She didn't have any experience with a sword and she wanted to know what she was doing when they had to fight.

.The Sorcerer's thoughts.

I never liked Peter Pan.

He wasn't a good person, and before he turned back into a boy, he wasn't a good man. I get that heartache can change a man, but if he had been just a little bit nicer to his son, if he hadn't abandoned him, then none of this would have happened. Fiona would have been stopped sooner, she wouldn't be threatening everyone. Fiona's actions had never been the boy's fault. She made her own bed, it wasn't fair to blame their son. I'm glad my daughter gave him a chance, I can see him changing, trying to be a better person.

I even saw him make a list of all the women he knew that could possibly be Bella's mother. He was trying to deduce who it was, or who it could be, according to what Bella told him and the similar traits she had with each of them. It was nice of him. He was finally turning into the good man he could always be. A man Neal was proud to have as a father, a man that would make Belle happy.

I can't help but be proud of my daughter though, she's strong, smart, kind and brave. I can't see how things will happen in Neverland and I can't control anything on this land, I can't even see anything, I'll be blind while she's there, but I have to concentrate on the fact that she's capable of handling herself and that she's not alone.

Once again, I'm sorry for the delay... My only excuse is Real Life taking over my time and stealing my inspiration away. Plus, since the last update, I finally was lucky enough to become a mother, but all alone, and it's not easy. It's time consuming and I wasn't left with much time to write.

I hope you liked it... I know I rushed things a bit there, but I really didn't feel like expending this over several chapters.

Review please? If you manage to guess how they'll deal with Peter Pan, I'll answer any question you have on this story.

Lorelei Candice Black