A/N: Some dialogue taken from S2E21: Second Star to the Right. I'm keeping the main thrust of it, but there are a couple of tweaks.

Chapter 41

"Well, Cassidy," Mr. Darling said to Bae the next morning, "you seem to have formed quite the friendship with my elder son."

Bae blinked. Had he? "With John, Sir?" he asked, trying to conceal his surprise and certain he was doing a poor job of it.

Darling smiled. "Well, he seems to think so at any rate." He pushed the ledger he'd been writing in aside and reached for another one. "I'm no fool, Cassidy; John's barely ten and you're more than halfway to twenty. I daresay you've not much in common. But he seems to look up to you and I'm not about to discourage him. At any rate, he's asked me to invite you to dinner tomorrow evening. I trust you won't mind eating in the nursery, Cassidy, seeing as you'll be his guest and childish conversation has no place in the dining room."

"Uh… no, Mr. Darling," Bae managed. "Dinner in the nursery should be fine. Thank you." He gave his employer an apologetic smile. "I'll just need to make sure it's okay with my papa."

"I shouldn't anticipate any problems there, I trust?" Darling asked a bit huffily.

Bae blinked. Had he somehow given the impression that he didn't want to accept the invitation and was using Papa as an excuse? He was a little nervous about it, now that Papa was sure that this Shadow was one of his grandfather's creatures, and the invitation might be a way for him to be up in the nursery should it arrive. But that didn't mean he didn't want to go, just that he wanted to find out from Papa what to do if it did happen to turn up! "No, sir," Bae said quickly. "But I still need to check with him."

Darling relaxed. "Carry on, Cassidy," he said. "I'll expect your reply by the end of today."

It had been more than three hours and Rumple still couldn't believe he'd screwed up the courage to ask her. He loved her, of course, but that wasn't the only reason for his proposal. The truth was that although he was heartily tired of being in the hospital and happy to hear that his discharge was imminent, the thought of going home to an empty house where it might be hours or even days before anyone came to see whether he was still alive bothered him in a way it never had before.

He acknowledged that Belle would probably still check up on him regardless, at least initially. But he never had been the sort of person people remembered until they needed something from him. In his heart of hearts, he wasn't fully ready to believe that had changed. He'd been away for quite some time; one year or four, depending on how one looked at it. Doubtless, in his absence, Belle would have found interests with which to occupy herself. She would have made friends. She would have made a life without him and while she might want him to be part of it, once he was out of the hospital and back on the street, surely she would realize, like the other women he'd loved before, that he wasn't worth her time.

She'd said yes. He still couldn't believe she'd said yes. Immediately, unhesitatingly, she'd said yes.

She must not have thought things through enough.

She'd said yes today. But would he see her again tomorrow? And if he did, would she still be of the same mind?

He wouldn't read too much into things, not now, not yet. He wouldn't let himself dream. He wouldn't even let himself hope.

Not until he knew for certain that she'd meant what she'd said and hadn't reconsidered.

Because if she had any doubts preying on her now, if she'd already changed her mind, if she… If she dashed his hopes now, he didn't think he'd be able to come back from this new loss. He'd already lost Bae. If he lost Belle, too?

Then he would truly, truly… be dust.

"What do I do, Papa?" Bae asked. "If this shadow means to harm Wendy or her brothers, I can't just stand back and let it happen!"

Rumple bit his lip. He wanted to tell Bae emphatically that he most certainly could, but he knew his son would never listen. Worse. Rumple well recalled the disillusionment in his boy's eyes the moment when Bae had realized that the knight commander hadn't been lying when he'd called his papa, 'the one who ran'. He never wanted to see that pain again, and he knew he would if he told Bae what he truly wanted.

Instead, he shook his head sadly. "No, son," he murmured. "I don't imagine you could." And I don't imagine you did the first time, either. He forced himself to smile. "Well. I think your first instinct—telling the girl not to open the window to that creature—was correct. Darkness, however, frequently presents an alluring façade, at least initially. One seldom recognizes the danger until it's too late. You need to make her see that danger as best you can."

"Maybe if I brought her here," Bae suggested. "You could probably explain it better than I could, and I don't think that shadow would come here, would it?"

"That's more than I know," Rumple admitted. "But I think you'd have a hard time bringing the young lady into this part of town and if her father should hear of it, even if no harm befell her as a result, I daresay you'd find yourself out of work—"

"I don't care about tha—" Bae started to say.

"And barred from the Darling home," Rumple continued. "You won't be of any help to the children then," he added, as Bae's jaw snapped shut.

"So, how can I help them?" Bae asked.

Rumple sighed. "I'm not certain. But if you're to have any hope of persuading them to keep their window shut, I suppose you'll need to attend that dinner. Be careful, son," he added, his brown eyes deadly serious. "The shadow seems to have set its sights on those children. Should you thwart its design, it may well choose to take you instead."

"Is there anything I can do to protect myself?"

Stay here with me tomorrow evening, he wanted to plead. Forget your destiny, forget the children, and stay here. And what would that do to the timeline? What would happen to Bae, alone in London, when he succumbed to his illness? Part of him didn't want to care about any of that. Part of him didn't want to believe it mattered. But deep down, he knew it did. So all he said was, "Be careful tomorrow, son. Very careful. But in case your caution avails you naught," he took another wheezing breath, "let me begin to tell you tonight the things I know of Neverland. For some of this is what you will one day tell me in the future…"

Bae was more than a little nervous the following afternoon when he accompanied Mr. Darling home. His mind was reeling with stories of a wild island of swamps and jungle where his grandfather ruled undisputed. There were other dangers, too: fierce mermaids who could call up storms to scuttle any boats that might approach or leave the island, trees that fed off of despair and regret, a pirate ship captained by a man who had sworn vengeance on Papa for something Papa's younger self would one day do, perhaps already done…

…There was something bothering Bae about that. It wasn't just that Papa hadn't gone into detail about what had happened; as open as Papa was trying to be, he still had his secrets. Oh, he'd tell Bae that a thing wasn't important, or that he was too tired to talk, or that Bae wasn't old enough or ready enough to hear it, but sometimes, Bae wished Papa would just tell him anyway and if the details went over his head, then so be it. No, but in this case, it was something else, something Bae could almost put his finger on, and yet at the same time, he was nearly afraid to probe further. As though this time, Papa was right and he wasn't ready to hear what he wanted to.

He tried to banish his fear; he tried to tell himself that Papa was probably right and he didn't need to know the details of… Of what, exactly? Bae wasn't sure. He was torn between wanting his curiosity satisfied and dreading what he'd find out when it was.

…Almost as much as he was dreading dinner with the Darling children tonight.

"Walk smart, Cassidy," Mr. Darling said heartily, swinging his brass-knobbed cane—not that he needed one for anything other than show, and Bae couldn't figure out what was so 'showy' about using a cane when you didn't have a limp—as he strode along the pavement. "We're nearly there."

And Bae pushed down his doubts and quickened his pace to match that of his employer's as they approached No. 14 Bedford Square.

"Congratulations!" Emma beamed. She wasn't much of a hugger under most circumstances, but the half-giddy, half-laughing expression on Belle's face was grounds for an exception. "Belle, that's…" she hesitated only for an instant, before continuing, "great. Really great."

Belle tilted her head to one side. "What's the matter?" she asked, her smile waning slightly.

Emma sighed and released her. "Never mind," she said. "It's not my business."

"But there is something," Belle said. "Tell me."

"It's probably nothing," Emma said quickly. "A-and, you know each other better than I know either of you, so—"

"So?"

Emma took a breath. "You don't think this is a little… well… rushed? The timing?"

Belle blinked. "Emma," she said, "he proposed to me after you all came back from Neverland. That was over a year ago; I'd hardly call it rushed."

"Yeah," Emma said, "but in that year, he died, he came back, he lost Neal, he was Zelena's slave, he was forced to fight all of us, he spent about three years in the past, where he lost Neal again, and he's recovering from a disease that might have killed him if he'd been back there any longer. He lost his life, his son, his freedom, his health, his… If I were in his shoes, I'd be trying to grab onto something or someone solid and hold tight with both hands, too. But with all that baggage…" She hesitated. "Maybe he needs to deal with all of that first, before he makes any other… changes."

Belle winced. "I can help him through that," she said.

"Yeah, but…" Emma smiled nervously. "Look, maybe a long engagement is the way to go."

"Or maybe he'll think I'm having second thoughts," Belle said. "And I'm not."

"Belle…"

"I understand what you're telling me," Belle said. "And I'll keep it in mind. But after everything he's been through, all you've pointed out to me that he's lost… He's not going to lose me. And I'm not going to give him a moment's worry that he might."

The Darling children welcomed Bae happily when he joined them in the nursery. He smiled in return, though he couldn't help thinking that Wendy seemed almost too old to be in this room. Back in the Enchanted Forest, a girl of her age and class might already be betrothed. And she certainly wouldn't be sharing a bedroom with her little brothers; not in a house this size—though in a Pen Marmor one-room hovel, it would have been a different story. Even then, there would have been a curtain or hide partition to give some semblance of privacy.

"Oh, Bae," Wendy said, smiling dreamily, "I do wish you'd been here last night. The Shadow was so engaging!"

Bae's answering smile dropped abruptly. "Wendy, you promised—!"

"Yes," Wendy said patiently. "I promised I wouldn't open the window that night. But I never promised about the nights afterward. I'm hoping it will come again tonight, though. So you can see it too! Then you'll see for yourself that it's real."

"I know it's real!" Bae snapped. "It's real and it's dangerous."

"It's wonderful," Wendy countered. "And if you'd ever seen real magic before, you'd know it too!"

Bae warred briefly with himself. She believed in magic, but would she believe the truth when he told it to her? He didn't know, but he didn't think she'd believe anything less. "Wendy," he said, "I have seen real magic before. I come from a land where real magic is everywhere."

Wendy's eyes widened. "Is that really true?" she asked, wondering. "Because that sounds wonderful."

"It's not what you think," Bae said frantically. "Real magic is the reason my papa and I left. It was destroying our family. We had to get away from it before it was too late. Please, Wendy, if it comes back tonight, don't go anywhere near it."

Wendy stared into Bae's eyes for a long moment. "All right," she said finally, holding out her right hand to Bae, who shook it uncertainly with a nervous smile. She returned it. "I won't go near the Shadow."

Bae wouldn't have been smiling had he been able to see the left hand that she held behind her back, with her middle and index fingers loosely crossed.

"I know it's not my business," Emma sighed. "I know it. I keep telling myself, but I feel like…"

Regina took another sip of coffee. "Your parents would say that True Love conquers all," she pointed out. "And I must admit it has for them." Then, almost nervously, she added, "And I'm beginning to think that they're not the only ones."

Emma's eyebrows shot up. "You and Robin…?" she ventured. Regina didn't answer, but a faint flush rose to her cheeks as she looked away. "Well… good. Great," she said smiling. "Seriously, I hope it works out for you. And them," she added.

"But you're more confident about my prospects," Regina finished. "I suppose I should thank you for that."

"I just think that…" Emma frowned for a moment, trying to figure out how to phrase the worries running through her head. "I think he's trying to grab onto the one person he's got left in his life that he loves and who loves him back, but…" She took another breath. "Sorry to bring it up, but I guess it's been going through your head, too. I read Henry's book and I've talked to my mom. I know about…"

"Daniel?" Regina supplied coolly.

"Yeah," Emma mumbled. Then, at a more normal volume, she continued, "And I know how it feels to lose people you care about. When I was in the system, I got… bounced around a lot. I'd go to a new placement, I'd settle in, start making friends, and then I'd come home one day and get told that my foster family was moving out of state and couldn't take me with them. Or their mother had just had a stroke and they needed to spend more time caring for her. Or they just didn't think I was a good fit for them. Or…" She shook her head. "I didn't always get a reason. When I was younger, they didn't bother explaining; the social worker would be waiting when I came in and my things would already be packed. Even when I was older, sometimes all I got was 'We don't think this is working'. After a while," Emma continued, "I guess I found it was easier not to let myself care. I think something like that must have happened with Gold, too. At least, until Belle."

Regina's brows arced. "You may be right," she conceded. "But one might think in that case, that his proposal was a good thing."

"I would," Emma agreed. "Except for the timing. I mean, talk about being shuttled from one home to another: he went from here to, uh, well, I don't know what really happens when you die, but I bet he does now. And then, Zelena got him, first in the Enchanted Forest and then here. And then, he ended up in the past and probably didn't think he'd see any of us again. So he tried to settle in, but then he ended up in England a hundred years ago. And he was there long enough to meet people, build a life, put down… roots," she added, remembering one of her earlier talks with Regina. From the other woman's slight wince, Emma guessed that she remembered it too. "And now, he's back here. In less than five years, he's been torn away from multiple homes and multiple people—including at least one that we know meant the world and more to him. I'm not saying it's bad that he's reaching out for the one person he thinks he has left, but I think he needs time t-to process it all."

Regina finished her coffee and reached for the pot to pour out another cup. "You may be right," she sighed. "In fact, I'll admit you probably are. But how exactly do you propose to stop them? They're two adults who happen to be in love with each other. Even if you could convince one of them that you're right, neither of them will thank you for it. Quite the opposite, in fact, I think."

"I don't care if they thank me," Emma said. "I just don't want them to make what could be a huge mistake."

"Why not?" Regina asked with a slight frown.

"Huh?" Emma blinked. "B-because if they do, they'll both be miserable!"

"And if you drive them apart, they'll still be miserable," Regina pointed out quietly. "So really, nothing's likely to change. Except that if you interfere, you're likely to lose another two people you've come to care for."

Emma lowered her eyes.

"For what it's worth," Regina said, "I do understand your concern and I don't think it's misplaced. But, as you said at the beginning of this conversation, this really isn't your business. And," she added unconvincingly, "who knows? It might work out after all."

Dinner was over and Liza had come to clear away the dishes. Bae knew that Nana would be in soon to give Michael his bath and he had to get up in the morning for work himself. He rose to his feet. "Thanks for inviting me," he said to John. "It's been great. But I should be heading home."

John and Wendy exchanged a look. "Actually," John said, "I was hoping that you might be able to help me with my sums. I can't make head nor tails out of the latest page and I think you might have had to learn this material for your exam."

Bae winced. "It's been a while since I had to look at it," he admitted. And then when John's face fell, he said quickly, "But I guess it might come back to me if you show me where you're getting stuck."

John smiled at once and went to fetch the book. He and John were still reviewing when Michael came back from his bath. Nana immediately came over to nudge John.

"Mightn't I have just a few minutes more?" the boy wheedled.

Nana whuffed and shook her head, nosing him again.

"I really do have to get back," Bae admitted. "But maybe next time."

"That'd be jolly good," John beamed. Then he got up and trotted obediently after Nana.

Wendy looked wistful. "Couldn't you stay just a bit longer? Until I read Michael his story? I was really hoping we'd be able to talk for a bit before John stole you away."

Bae considered. "Well, maybe a little," he gave in.

"Wendy!" Michael exclaimed, pointing to the window. "Look!"

Wendy and Bae followed the direction of Wendy's finger and Wendy's lips parted in a delighted gasp. "Bae! It's him! It's the Shadow!"

She took a step toward the open window and Bae seized her arm. "Wendy, no! No, get away from there!"

"You don't have to be afraid," Wendy said, almost as though she was soothing a child Michael's age. "He doesn't want to hurt us. He's from another land, a land with magic, but it's… different from the one you come from."

The Shadow was on the window sill now, holding out a hand to them. Wendy reached for it.

"Wendy," Bae said urgently, "please don't listen to him. My papa told me about him. He's not your friend. It's a trick."

"It's called Neverland," Wendy said merrily, even as Bae's heart plummeted. He'd still been desperately hoping that this wasn't the same kind of creature Papa had been talking about, but the name of its home clinched it. Wendy was prattling on about how wonderful Neverland sounded, but he could barely hear it over crashing waves of panic that were buffeting him now.

"It's a trick, I tell you!" he cried, holding fast to her hand. In another moment, Nana would be back, or her parents would come in to kiss their children goodnight and show him out. In fact, maybe he could get them here faster. "Don't go with him!" he yelled. "You don't need magic! You have your family right here and that's all you need! That's the only thing that matters!"

"This is what I've always dreamed of," Wendy said, twisting her hand out of Bae's. She smiled sadly at him. "You just don't believe." And then her feet were on the window sill and she was out and flying into the night with the dark figure Bae quickly lost sight of in the night.

"Wendy!" he cried, Nana barking behind him. "Wendy!"

Dawn was less than two hours away when Bae stole up the stairs to his room. Papa wasn't sleeping. Instead, he was sitting at the small table, his head pillowed on his bent arm, his shoulders heaving. "P-Papa?" Bae whispered, turning on the recently-installed gas lamp.

Papa looked up then and, in the soft lighting, Bae could see that his eyes were red and swollen, looking all the more garish against the pallor of his face. "Bae," he whispered. "Oh, Bae! I-I thought you'd g-gone to…"

Bae was hugging him. "No," he whispered. "Th-the Shadow came while I was there, and it took Wendy. I was yelling for her not to go and the dog was barking and then her parents came in and I tried to tell them the truth, but—"

"They didn't believe you," Rumple finished.

Bae shook his head. "They believed that someone had broken into the nursery and carried her off and that I'd tried to fight them. Mr. Darling took me to the police precinct and they told me it must've been a prowler. A burglar dressed in black, maybe in a mask or with soot on his face."

"What else could they have believed of such a tale?" Rumple murmured, coughing a bit.

"I know," Bae gulped, "but I couldn't think of a good lie so I had to go with the truth."

Despite himself, Rumple chuckled, but his smile faded abruptly when Bae continued.

"We were at the precinct for hours, it felt like. And then Mr. Darling, well, he drove me back to his house. I don't think he was thinking very clearly—I mean, can you blame him? When he got there, he looked surprised to see me sitting beside him and he said something about how he'd drive me back but he wanted to see how his wife was doing. I didn't want to let him, Papa, but it was already so late and I knew you'd worry. I'd hoped you were asleep—"

"I woke up," Rumple said hoarsely. "And when you weren't here…"

"I'm sorry!"

Rumple hugged him tighter. "It's all right, son," he murmured. "It's all right. You're home now. We're safe here."

"I know," Bae said. "I know. But when we got back, Mr. Darling told me to step inside for a minute and Wendy… She was home!"

Rumple looked up. "It brought her back?" he asked sharply. "That's… better news than I expected to hear."

"No, Papa," Bae groaned. "It's not. Wendy… When Mr. Darling asked his wife what had happened and how she'd got away—you'd think he'd have asked her, but that's grownups for you. At least," he seemed to suddenly remember that his father was also an adult, "at least, most grownups. At least in this place. Anyway, while he was talking to his wife, Wendy told me that… that the reason the place the Shadow took her is called Neverland is because once you get there, it never lets you leave."

"But it let her leave," Rumple pointed out. "It let me go too. Once."

Bae nodded. "Wendy said that the Shadow didn't want her. It let her go because it wanted a boy. It's coming back tonight to take one of her brothers."