I own nothing. Least of all this.

1:33

We had walked quite a ways. What tracks Henry had made had disappeared quite early on, probably due to Pan. And yet we kept right on going, Gold leading, and I following. Presumably he knew where we were going, because I for sure didn't.

When we finally stopped for a breather, Gold took out the doll again that Felix had given him. I kept forgetting just how messed up this family was; emotion-wise and flowchart-wise. Once upon a time, comforting Gold would have been the first priority on my list. But I had learned since then. And losing my soul had nothing to do with it. Sometimes, people just need to be alone.

A rustling, from behind Gold, but directly in my line of sight.

"Who's there? Show yourself."

I turned to offer the figure the chance to do what it wanted; steal the doll.

"That doesn't belong to you, dearie."

And we were off on the chase. It was a relatively short one; then again, the culprit had never been great at running. Gold tackled them to the ground, then threw back the hood to reveal...

"...Belle?"

Pan's shadow. This bit, I remembered well.

"Belle. I don't understand. How did you get here?"

It reached up to touch his coat. "I thought you didn't dress like that anymore. I thought that was in your past."

"Well, this is now my future. Becoming this again, the Dark One...that's the only way I'll save my grandson."

"But you haven't completely become him, have you? There's still hope."

I cleared my throat. "Well, you're half-right, I'll give you that."

Two faces turned to face me; one clouded with confusion, the other with anger. Guess which was which.

"You're not really here, are you?"

"Well of course she is. If you can see her, then she must be here."

"Not necessarily. Storybrooke. If you are really here, then you would be more than willing to tell us how it was protected when you left."

The shadow froze.

"...Well?"

"...The...dwarves are patrolling the border. Granny is...arming whoever is willing to fight."

"I lent you a weapon before we left. One that could stop any and all problems that might arise. Who did you leave it with?"

"...The Blue Fairy...she's the only one who everyone trusted with it."

*CLICK*

"Wrong answer. On two counts; one, this is the weapon. And two, the Blue Fairy is the last person I would ever trust with it."

A smile lit it's face. "Oh well. You can't blame me for trying."

A snap from Gold, and ropes wrapped themselves around the shadow.

"...Witcher, put the gun down."

"Is that an order, Dark One?"

"...Yes."

I felt the command echo through my head, controlling my entire body. Resistance was futile, but I still made it slower than it had to be. Better not to have Pan questioning why I was seemingly willing to take orders from the Dark One.

"Now then. If you're not Belle, what are you. Answer truthfully. Because every lie you tell me will only mean more pain for you."

The shadow smiled again. "Don't you know? I'm the better half of you."

"There is no better half of me. I know what I am; a coward, through and through. What you are, is an attempt to have me doubt that. Now, I'm going to ask again."

Lightning flashed from his fingers, and the shadow's face froze in a silent scream.

"What. Are. You."

The shadow began to writhe in pain, struggling against the ropes. The more it struggled, the less and less it resembled Belle, and the more it began to revert back to it's true form. Back to…

"A shadow, then."

"Pan's, I believe."

He turned to face me. "...You could have just told me that."

"You didn't ask. Besides, it looked like you were having fun."

"A bit. But now, that's done. Everyone knows shadows don't talk, they only reflect. We'll get no more information from it, helpful or otherwise."

"No. I suspect not. Not when it's no longer tied up, anyway."

Gold whipped his head back, but it was too late. The shadow floated just off the ground, obviously still in pain. Yet defiant enough to give us both one last rude hand gesture, before it flew off into the night. Neither of us made to stop it.

"...You knew what it was from the start. You knew it would try to use Belle's likeness to get close to me."

"No. I knew it would mirror the only soul left that was tied to your body to try and get you to fall."

"And what, you knew I wasn't strong enough to take it?"

"Of course not. Quite the opposite. The shadow would never have questioned your dedication, merely your ability to follow through, as it were. It would have done its best to convince you that the very fact you were willing to lay down your life for your grandson meant that you were worth saving as well. It would have taken what Belle, the real Belle, would have told you, and twisted it to suit its own purpose. To keep you from doing what you had to. And that's something she wouldn't have wanted for you."

He was proper mad now. "I have had. Quite enough. Of people telling me what they want for me. No more. I will save Henry. And I will do it, even if it takes my life. Neither you, nor any other, will take my redemption from me, Time Lord. And that...is an order."

"...As you wish."

He marched off into the jungle, and I had no choice but to follow. After all, I didn't want him mistaking his son for another trick and killing him by accident, now did I?


"Stop! By order of Pan!"

One *whoosh*, and the two guards fell to the ground unconscious. For a while I had been afraid Gold wouldn't be able to access his own magic, since his shadow was now tied to me. I was relieved to find that wasn't the case; judging by the pull I felt at my feet as Gold knocked the Lost Boys out. One less thing to worry about.

"I don't take orders."

"No, you just take forceful suggestions."

"Do shut up."

I complied.

The minute I did, we both swung in the direction of the rustling my snark had been drowning out. There was only one person on this island crazy enough to not only travel alone, but do it while making an absolute crap-ton of noise, and that was…

"Bae?"

I tensed, ready to hold Gold back if he did something stupid.

"You can't be real. You're dead."

"What? Of course I'm real!"

"You thought you could just come back with another face and try the same thing again, didn't you?"

"No, hey, listen to me. It's me. I was shot, okay? But I survived. See? I'm alive."

"My son is dead! You're just here to remind me of my failure!"

"That's not why I'm here."

Gold paid his words no mind. "My weakness."

Neal raised his hands. "Put the spear down."

"Gold, it's okay. He's the real deal."

"No, I'm not falling for this again. You're here to make me question my resolve. But you won't succeed. I will sacrifice my life for Henry. And nothing will stand in my way!"

I leapt. Blimey, he was strong for an old man. Neal went to work on wrenching the spear out of his hand, while I did my very best to keep his mouth closed before he tried to command me.

"Gold! Stop! He's real! I swear! I knew this was going to happen!"

The spear was still dangerously close to Neal's neck.

"...Please...Papa."

And with that, the fight went out of Gold completely. I slowly unwound my arm from around his face.

"...Bae? Is that really you?"

"...Yeah."

"...I thought I'd lost you forever."


"How is it possible?"

"It's kind of a long story. Let's just say that the debt Robin Hood owes you has been paid."

"You were back in our land?"

"Yeah, but I made it here. The only thing that matters now is that I help Emma save Henry. Where is she?"

"I left her and the rest of them aboard Hook's ship. As noble as their intentions may be, they don't have the stomach to do what needs to be done."

I called out from where I was rifling through the knocked-out boys' pockets. "Oi! I'll have you know Jayne and Rose are perfectly capable of getting things done, no matter what."

"Be that as it may, they are still outnumbered three to one by incompetents."

"...Yeah okay, that's fair."

"I very much doubt the rest of them would be able to see things through, if it interfered with their precious morals."

Neal gestured towards me. "Morals like your new friend there?"

"Oi! Name's the Witcher, mate. Not 'your new friend there'. Rude. First rule; how do you do and shake hands, state your name and business. That's manners."

"Fine. I'm Neal, and you've already heard my business. I'd shake your hand, but it seems they're both occupied. Satisfied?"

"...It'll do."

"At least tell me they're not, uh…"

"No, they're just sleeping. For now."

"Let's leave it that way, okay?"

*CRACK*

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"What? You said to leave them sleeping! You didn't say anything about making sure they were at a disadvantage when they woke up."

"You can't just go around dislocating people's knees!"

*CRACK*

"Why not?"

"Because...because…"

Neal was completely lost for words.

"...You don't have the stomach, either. Do you."

"...I'll do what needs to be done. But robbing Lost Boys? Hurting them when they're already down?"

I cut in. "Don't forget killing them."

"...We don't have to do any of that."

"...We shall see."

"And for the record, I wasn't robbing them. I was checking to see if they had any spare pixie dust."

"And did they?"

"Afraid not."

"So that's one plan of yours out the window, then?"

"Something like that. Time to hear a plan of yours, I reckon."

"You do have a plan, don't you? The whole 'sacrifice your life' thing was just you being dramatic, right?"

"Well, it's the only way. Pan's too powerful. You can only beat him if you're willing to die. Which I am. And I suspect our friend here already has."

I gave a sideways glance at Gold. Just because you lost your soul didn't mean you died. Even I knew that. But maybe Gold didn't?

Regardless, it didn't matter. I had other things to worry about. Namely, Neal's plan.

"What if I told you there was an easier way?"

The real reason I had tagged along with the Dark One for; a chance to speak to Pan when he was at a disadvantage.

Priceless.


"So what exactly is your plan?"

"You know how if you hold a shell up to your ear you can hear the ocean? Certain shells, the ocean can hear you."

Neal held the conch up to his mouth, and blew.

"Why would we need the ocean to hear us?

Neal paid him no mind, and kept blowing."

"...What have you done?"

"Give me the spear."

A squid emerged from the lake, roaring it's displeasure.

*BANG*

"...Somewhat easier than a spear fight with a sea monster, wouldn't you say?"

"...Show off."

"I believe you know how to extract ink from one of these bad boys?"

"Squid ink. So this is your plan?"

"It can immobilize even the most magical of creatures. At least for a little while...even Pan."

"...I have some experience with it."

Oh didn't he just.

"Can you get it out?"

"Indeed. But how do you plan on getting close enough to use it?"

A sigh from Neal. "I don't need to get close. All I need is one clean shot to get Henry back."

"Well, leave that to me."


I watched as the Lost Boys fell to the ground, asleep. Ridiculously easy, as I knew all traps would be. But there was one thing Pan had yet to learn; never, ever put a Time Lord in a trap.

I was surprised he hadn't made any other arrangements; after all, I was an unknown, who could potentially cause him quite a lot of trouble. Perhaps it was the fact I had expressed no interest in Henry specifically; perhaps it was the fact I had seemed quite confident in my ability to kill him, and thus he wished to avoid antagonizing me. Either way, the end result was the same; the exact same positions I remembered from before. Pan, standing amidst the bodies of his Boys, Gold facing him down, and Neal behind, ready with an arrow.

"The Dark One. Come to save Henry, have you laddie?"

Silence from Gold.

"How exciting. The Dark One, ready to sacrifice his life for his family. Speaking of family...you can come out now Baelfire. You too, Witcher."

Neal slowly walked out of the foliage. "Name's Neal now."

"New name, but the same old tricks. It's heartwarming to see father and son working together, especially after you abandoned him Rumple. This is a real family reunion."

I couldn't help myself. "In more ways than one, I suspect."

Pan turned to regard me with a blazing interest. A bit of a gamble on my part, but I needed Pan to be looking at me when Neal…

*WHOOSH*

"Clever. But we've been through this before, Baelfire. Have you remembered nothing?"

"I remember plenty."

The arrow dropped from Pan's hand as the squid ink took effect.

A smug look crossed Neal's face. "That's why I didn't coat the tip."

I held up a finger. "Pretty poor choice of words, Neal. Might want to think that out a little better next time."

"Grab Henry."

Neal nodded, and made his way over to a very specific sleeping boy.

"Well, how bout that. I'm impressed. But are you sure you're saving him Bae?"

"What could be worse than leaving him here with you?"

"Why don't you ask your father? Sometimes the people we should fear the most are the ones closest to us."

Ooooo, foreshadowing.

"Wh...What's he talking about?"

"...Don't listen to him."

"You mean you haven't told him?"

"Told me what?"

"Why, about the prophecy of course."

"What prophecy, what's he mean?"

"The prophecy that says you've been tricked. Your father isn't here to rescue your son. He's here to murder him."

Time for me to step in. "Right, that's enough of that. You two run along with Henry. I've got a few answers I need to get, and they're probably not ones either of you need to hear."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to be around when that ink wears off."

"I assure you, I'll be fine. He knows if I wanted him dead, he would already be in his grave. I'm no threat to him; I just want a parley."

Pan managed to smirk while immobilized. "And a parley you shall have. Run along, Dark Family. I'll be seeing you again."

Neal yelled back as he carried Henry off into the forest. "I doubt it!"

"...So, now that all of the dramatics are over, we can get down to the real reason for me letting you waltz in here. It seems you were just as anxious to talk to me as I was to you."

"Seems that way. How about we do a trade agreement: a question, for a question. Back and forth, one truthful answer after another. Sound fair?"

"Life is never fair. But your proposal is acceptable."

"Excellent. In the spirit of good form, I'll even let you go first."

"Sporting of you. First question, then: what's your interest in the boy?"

"Absolutely none whatsoever. Whatever happens, happens. I'm just here to make sure what shouldn't happen, doesn't happen. Savvy?"

"...Savvy."

"Good. My turn; I know the Templars offered you Henry. What did you offer them in return?"

"Why, to deal with their Assassin problem of course. It seems somebody let loose a bunch of villainous rogues upon an unsuspecting world, and they were oh so anxious to restore law and order."

I snorted. "Of course they were. I assume you would have turned the ones you could into Lost Boys, and ripped away the shadows of the ones you couldn't, then?"

"Ah, ah, ah. My turn, Witcher. You have to play by the rules."

I imitated a bow. "My apologies. Ask away."

"How is it you came to Storybrooke? I can see you are not of this world, and yet you seem to know the stories of each and everyone here, if your remarks about family reunions are anything to go by."

"I try. I came to Storybrooke purely on the whims of Fate, I assure you."

"So it was coincidence that you ended up in a world you knew everything about?"

"I have seen many things in my life, Pan, but never a coincidence."

"Quite. Final turn."

Ho boy. "...If I were to do my very best to stay out of the way of the events I know are about to occur, would you do me the courtesy of refusing all assistance to the Templars? I mean, after all, I could have killed your pawn any time I wanted. I merely let Henry fall through the portal because I needed an excuse to tag-along to this paradise island, and find out exactly what those cross-eyed clankers wanted. So, technically, since I'm the only one left of those who brought Henry here, you by rights owe me the debt you did the Templars."

"...You make a valid point. Alright; you have a deal. I promise that both I and my Lost Boys shall do our best not to help any 'cross-eyed clankers'. I quite like the sound of that, actually. Mind if I use it?"

"Go right ahead. But first, we shake."

"I would stick out my hand, but…"

"Quite."

A handshake later, and the deal was done.

"Not the first time I've shook hands with a devil."

"Not the first time I've shook hands with a Time Lord."

...Bollocks.

"You're surprised? You shouldn't be. I knew what you were the minute you mentioned wolves to Felix. I was told you would come."

"...By who?"

"A rather entertaining lady who wouldn't give me her name. Merely a deal."

"...And what was that?"

"That, when a Time Lord came to Neverland, he would bring hunters of both the Dark and the White with him. But the only hunt he would make would be one for knowledge. And when he had found it, I was to give him this…"

Pan moved. I went for the Colt, but he made no motion to attack. He simply stood there, holding a coin aloft for me to see.

A Gambit coin.

This one clearly emblazoned with the symbol of the Taken.

Ironic.

"For the life of me, I could never figure out what it was made of. Not jade, not emerald, nothing. It was only when I realized she was a traveler from another world that I knew I would never figure it out. It simply didn't exist here. Such a pity; virtually indestructible. Would have made for a nice dagger."

I gently took the offered coin. It felt cold in my hand. "...What else did she tell you?"

"Only this; one word. Bucket. Good luck figuring that one out."

I, of course, had already figured it out.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a pair of wayward boys to retrieve."

He whistled. And the Lost Boys began to stir to life.

"Oops. I said I wouldn't help the Templars. I never said I wouldn't hurt you. After all, you did hurt two of my men. I take that very seriously."

"I could have just killed them, you know."

"Of course. That's why I'm giving you a head start. Now run."

I smirked as I felt the pull of a summons from the Dagger. Gold's ink must have worn off as well. "No thanks. I prefer to do this."

And I disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Easy peasy, when you had someone else telling you how to do it.