"Hello, Emma."

"Hello, Felix."

Approaching the cell, the boy leered at her through the bars. "It's like the captain wrapped you up like a present for me."

"Your club won't break the locks," she told him.

"That won't be necessary." He uncurled his free hand and showed her a pair of bloody keys caked in tissue.

Emma resisted the urge to gag. Oh, God! Kenny. What did they do to him? How could they do anything to him?

As smoothly as she could she said, "What are you waiting for? Don't tell me you're afraid to fight me."

"Fight you?" He bared his teeth. "Emma, I'm not here to kill you…unfortunately. I'm to deliver you. Pan has requested you join him in the captain's quarters."

Emma bristled at the implication and slowly stood as Felix unlocked the cell. She was careful to keep her front towards him until they left the brigs and then followed behind him, the ship eerily quiet and the main deck vacant of any life with exception of fresh blood stains on the steps leading up to the helm.

Emma entered Hook's cabin and gasped when seeing Baelfire bound and gagged to a chair a few feet from the door. He made muffled sounds at her and then glared at the two figures behind Hook's table, one of them being Hook and the other Pan. She was about to ask what the hell was going on when a wide arm encircled her rips and the tip of a dagger pressed into her pulse point. She felt a rounded belly against her back, the scent of rum and rat tickling her nostrils.

"Mr. Smee?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Emma," he said and she knew he meant it, but that didn't clue her in on what was going on. Why was Hook just standing there? Why wasn't he rushing to Bae's rescue or ordering Smee to unhand her?

Hook leaned against the table, eyebrow arched in amusement. "Careful, Swan. We mustn't make any sudden movements."

Emma tried to catch Bae's gaze again, but his attention was on Hook, and she just saw the man die ten thousand ways in her friend's eyes.

"I don't understand," she said and stared at Pan. "I killed Tomas and Benjamin. Let Baelfire go, and you can take me back to the island. I'll go willingly."

Pan circled the table, hands clasped behind his back. "You can return to the boat, Felix," he said and the other boy nodded and left the cabin, but not without bidding Emma a chilling glare.

"Now, Emma," Pan started. "You seem to be a tad behind on the latest news. You see…how do I put this? You've-"

"Allow me. Your flowery words will keep us here all night," Hook interrupted and rubbed the curve of his metal appendage. "Since the moment I fished Baelfire out of the water, I've lost eight men and two more when you arrived. Their blood soaks both your hands, and I refuse to shelter such thoughtless sycophants any longer. Emma, you persuaded Starkey against me. My most loyal." He stalked around the table and pressed the tip of his hook into her cheek. "I should've left you at the north spring to die like I should've handed Bae over the moment he came aboard. You pathetic, lost children have been plagues on my life. Pan offered me a deal, and I'm taking it, sweetheart. I hand you both over, and I get to leave Neverland. For good."

"You're lying!" she yelled. "Pan. He's making you say this. He's threatening you. You don't mean this."

"Oh, but I do, love." He smirked coldly at her. "Pan's interest and mine are one and the same. I want you and the Dark One's son off my ship, and Pan wants you back on the island where all the lost ones belong." His hook skimmed her jaw and nestled at the spot beneath her ear where he nipped and suckled earlier. His tongue swiped at his bottom lips. "Although, if you beg real prettily, I'll be merciful and end your existence now. It'll be quick. A fate the Lost Boys won't bestow when they catch up to you. Let us not forget what they did to that boy you came with. What was his name? Ian."

Emma had never told Hook about Ian. It was too painful and sickening, and she prayed for just a night she wouldn't dream of her foster brother's death. Of how he took his last, pained breath while his tiny convulsing body slackening in her arms. She couldn't even stop and weep over the loss. Three of Pan's were tailing her. She had managed to lose them when she, by accident, stumbled upon Marooner's Rock. There, she had wrapped Ian in her jacket and sobbed, screaming at no one and nothing, asking the universe what she was supposed to do with him. She had been too frightened to go back into the forest and dig a grave, and the beach would be too exposed. She didn't want the Lost Boys to make a mockery of his grave.

Emma had met Ariel not too long after that. The mermaid had surfaced, nearly scaring Emma to death. Once things calmed down some, Ariel listened to Emma's tale and with a tender expression, the mermaid gently patted her chest and offered her arms, silently telling Emma to give Ian to her. Emma had been reluctant, but something inside her told her she could trust her. There was nothing malicious or wooly about Ariel, so Emma handed over Ian and wept as the mermaid cradled the boy and disappeared beneath the ocean's surface.

Pan must've told Hook everything, and Emma stupidly thought if the man did ever find out about Ian, he would sympathize. Baelfire told her he lost a brother a long, long time ago because of Neverland. Shame on her for foolishly believing Hook would care. He was a pirate and had been for too long. It was expected he'd forgotten what it was like to be a decent human being.

Emma felt dirty, used, and disgusted with him but most of all, herself. She had killed for him and given him something she hadn't given anyone before. She glanced quickly at the bed where she had allowed him to please her. Never had she let a boy do that. He had been her first in that aspect, and she was so glad it hadn't gone beyond that. What if the pheromones hadn't lifted, and she insisted he take all of her? Emma knew many girls who never said stop because everything felt perfect and good and sexy.

In her time in Neverland, she discovered herself a prude in comparison to the pirates and to other girls with similar upbringings. In no way, though, was she one of those promise ring kind of girls. Emma did have plans to hand over her v-card someday to someone who probably wouldn't be her husband, but she wasn't going to throw it at just anyone at any time. She was still trying to persuade herself that a guy's dick wasn't gross-looking.

Hook, despite how she wanted to dump gasoline on him and light a match, thankfully kept that part to himself in her moment of weakness.

Emma lifted her chin and willed the unshed tears away. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry, of seeing her heart break. "I would gladly act as a pin cushion for every Lost Boys' arrow and spear than give you the satisfaction of doing me a favor. When I die on the island, at least it will be at the hands of those on my level and not below it."

Her words were harsher than a slap to the face, and a thrill shot through her when he flinched. She almost smiled, but there were more pressing matters than her small moment of satisfaction. She needed to get her satchel in Smee's cabin. Bae's Shadow Trap should still be in it because, oh, she'd swim to the island and French kiss every Lost Boy if it meant getting away from Hook fast enough, but she wasn't going to stay there. She would get back to Boston if it was the last thing she did. Baelfire would go with her, and if his plan was to get to London, she would go with him. She would go with him anywhere because he had to be so over people claiming to love him and then abandon him. They could be fed up together.

Emma bravely placed a hand on Hook's forearm and pulled his weapon of choice away from her neck, coolly staring him in the face. "Bae and I will leave, and you'll never have to see us again. Let us just get our things, and we'll be off your ship before either of us can say fuck you."


When Mr. Smee untied Baelfire, Emma had to rush and grab ahold of the boy and yank him towards the door to keep him from attacking Hook.

"He's not even worth it," she told him.

"He betrayed us, Emma! After everything-"

"I know, but he's not worth dying over. It's us against his crew and Pan."

"And we both know, Emma, you can't kill me," Pan reminded. "Be a smart lass and put a leash on your pup. You've two minutes to get to my boat. Felix will be waiting to take you to the island."

Baelfire took nothing, not even his cutlass. She only grabbed her satchel from Smee's cabin and shared a knowing look with Bae when they lowered themselves down to Pan's rowboat. Felix shoved a paddle into her hands, and they rowed to the island. When they made shore, she slid off her satchel and offered it to Bae. He hesitantly took it, frowning, and then got out of the boat, and all three of them maneuvered the small vessel into the trees.

"Follow me," Felix said and put his back to them. Emma flew into action and hit him on the back of the head with the paddle, and he fell to the sand unconscious.

"We need to get to Marooner's Rock as fast as we can," she told Bae and broke out into a run.

"Emma," he called out, sprinting after her.

"Sh!" She chanced the route through the forest, never resting to stop, even when her lungs burned and her mouth yearned for water.

An hour later, they came to their destination, both bending over and resting their hands on their knees. Through gasps and heaves, Emma finally spoke, "It's safe here. They won't bother us, and we can stay here until night. And then…" She stood tall and sighed. "And then we go to Dark Hallow. After tonight, we're not spending another day in Neverland."


Long after the sun set over the horizon, Emma and Bae circled the island, only pausing to stare at Skull Rock one last time and to bid farewell to the tribe at the reservation. They had taken the long way, but it was away from the lost boys' hunting grounds. When they finally reached Tinker Bell's treehouse, Emma guessed they had two hours before dawn.

"We'll need to hurry," she said, throwing a rock at the treehouse's siding. Tinker Bell came to the window, and Emma whispered, "Come with us. It's time."

The former pixie shook her head. "I can't."

"Yes, you can."

"Just go without me. Before it's too late."

"Please, we need you. In my realm. Bae and I, we'll get separated."

"What?" hissed the boy, gripped her elbow.

She shirked his hold. "I'm sorry. I should've told you on the way here, but you're already so upset. I've told you what an orphan's life is like where I'm from. There is no way we can stay together with the exception of an impossible chance you get put into the same home as me or even the same city. They could send you across the country for all I know."

"Emma, no."

"This was not the plan, and I'm sorry about that. Hook was supposed to be your safety net." Emma swallowed thickly and looked up at Tinker Bell pleadingly. "But if you come with and claim us, we can stay together. We can start over, but we need an adult to do that."

Tinker Bell shook her head. "You're almost there, Emma, and you'll both be fine. You're better off without me."

"Tink, please!" Bae begged and Emma laced her fingers through his.

"Leave her, Bae. We have to go."

He stumbled behind her, reluctance in each step. "I don't want to be away from you."

Emma stopped and cupped his face, kissing him gently and then hugged him. "There will be ways to stay in contact and when it's time, we can be together. I have one more year of school and the foster system. When I'm done, I'll find you and I'll be close. Maybe one day we can even go to London but right now we need to leave."

He kissed her this time, holding her to her words, and then they both darted towards Dark Hallow. Inside the thicket of gnarled trees, they moved almost blindly until they came to a clearing.

Bae fished out the star projection from the satchel, and Emma started on a fire. When she smelled the smoke coming from her two sticks, she sped up her rubbing and sighed in relief when seeing a small yellow flicker. She hurriedly ignited the wick inside the coconut, and Bae covered it. Flecks of light hit the leaves and branches of the trees surrounding them, and no more than a minute past before Shadow came to investigate the new light. Emma watched in nervous excitement as Shadow gravitated towards the coconut in Bae's hands. He clamped the cover on it, holding it securely to his stomach. "I got it!"


The rum finally dulled his conscious state, and Hook found his chin tipping towards his chest. He then jerked awake when sensing a presence and narrowed his gaze on Pan's darkened figure. He stood on the other side of the table, his back facing the door to the captain's cabin.

"Bloody hell, you're still here," Hook muttered and stood up from his chair, kicking it before finding his bottle on the sheets of his bed. When he grabbed it, his fingers skimmed the material and swore he caught Emma's scent on them. He stared at them shortly before slashing a hole through them.

"They're gone, Jones," Pan quipped. "Thought I would inform you, is all, and also congratulate you on your brilliant performance earlier. Emma's reaction was priceless, and Bae's? Well, I'm sure his would've been cute, too."

"Get off my ship."

"Ah. Don't be that way. It had to be like this or else they would've been too hesitant in leaving their precious captain behind."

Hook whirled around faced the demon, fury boiling his veins. "What exactly is your angle, Pan? Why not just kill me?"

Amused, Pan replied lightly, "Because you and I have a common cause. The Dark One. You remember him, right? The man that killed the woman you loved. Or did our lovely, young Emma blot out her existence? Face it, Jones. I did you a favor by making you lie to her and Baelfire. Perhaps one day you could've loved her, but in the end, she's a child and you're a pirate. What could you have offered each other here in Neverland?" Pan casually walked around the table, sticking his nose up in the air and inhaling. "The lovemaking would've lost its appeal after a while. Despite your rotten heart, captain, your good form shows its head at the most inconvenient times. There would've come a point where you couldn't stand to touch her any longer, and she'd grow frustrated, knowing she'd never be woman enough to satisfy you. As for Baelfire, you would've lost him anyway. The lad's been besotted by Emma since the moment he saw her. You'd feel his wrath and then absence when he'd discover you stole another woman he loved. Now…back to the Dark One. I want him dead, Killian. He's a threat to you and most importantly to me and my future plans."

Shaking with anger, Hook popped the cap of his rum bottle and downed a good amount. "I've sworn vengeance upon that beast, but if you can't kill him yourself, then I see very little hope for my cause, Pan."

The boy winced and bobbed his head from side to side. "It's complicated. Let's just say I really can't, but you can with that hatred and anger burning in your belly. You'll find a way. You're rather resourceful in a pinch, and you've been stewing on this for over two centuries. I doubt you'll disappoint, but I should warn you about something before I give you this." He extended a fist and opened it, revealing a magic bean. Hook went to grab it, but Pan recoiled and shot the man a hostile glare. "Your impatience just cost you dearly, captain. I suppose my caveat will go to waste."

"Give me the bean, Pan. We had a deal. You go back on it, I'll gladly postpone the Dark One for another two hundred years and stay here, spending every waking moment making your existence unbearable, starting with cleansing the island of every child you've corrupted and every new one you bring." Hook cleared his throat and tossed Pan his own malicious grin. "I'd love to give you a private showing of how resourceful I can be."

Pan's mouth twisted into a smirk and offered the magic bean again. "As I said, your impatience cost you. Maybe you'll find some again in the Enchanted Forest."

Hook took the bean, and Pan left the ship. When Hook surfaced from below deck, he found his crew gathered in a clump muttering about themselves.

"The sun."

"It's gone."

"Should've been up an hour ago."

Hook stared at the night sky and full moon. Indeed, dawn had yet to grace Neverland.

"Neverland is cursed!" shouted McCormack and pointed a thick finger at his captain. "And it's your fault! You sold out Emma, and Pan killed her! Her spirit has forbidden the sun to rise!" He withdrew his sword, rage reddening his round face. "The captain must pay for his misdeed!"

The rest of the crew unsheathed their weapons and started towards Hook. The man calmly lifted his palms. "Easy, mates. Miss Emma lives as does Baelfire." Hook explained the deal with Pan and that Emma and Bae were no longer in Neverland. His crew listened intently before sheathing and stowing away their weapons.

McCormack stepped forward and bowed his head. "It has been an honor sailing the realms and seas with you, Captain Jones, yet on our return to Misthaven, I ask to retire from the Roger."

"As do I," said Davis.

"And I," said Luther.

With the exception of Mr. Smee, Hook was without a crew when he tossed the bean into the sea of Neverland. At the helm, he sailed the ship through the churning portal, keeping his mind focused on their destination, not chancing even a fleeting image of Bae or Emma. It wasn't time to find them as of yet, but one day he would. They could very well still hate him for his betrayal, and he would explain the circumstances. Perhaps they could find it in their hearts to forgive him. The chances would be slim, especially concerning Baelfire. Hook had every intention to follow through on his vengeance against Rumpelstiltskin.

Hook saw a sunny sky at the opening of the portal's end and he shouted in anticipation, "We're almost there, mates! We're almost there!"


Storybrooke 2001

Regina Mills purposefully stalked into Mr. Gold's pawnshop, not stopping until she was right in front of him. His fingers tapped on a thin stack of forms, his eyes fixated on the mayor as if he already knew she was coming.

"I want a child," she said, flicking a piece of hair out of her face.

He smiled quizzically with a hint of distain. "Well, I'm flattered but uninterested."

Annoyed, she snapped, "Not like that. I spent all morning talking to adoption agencies. The wait lists are over two years long. But you, Gold, you know how to cut through red tape. And if anyone can work the system and find me a baby, it's you."

"You wish to adopt?"

"Well, don't look so surprised."

Gold appeared amused. "Oh, I'm not. I'm sure you'll make…well, a mother of sort."

"Can you help me?"

"Don't get your hopes up, dearie. These things can take time. Until then, I suggest you put your name on some of those waiting lists."

"I don't want to wait! I want a child now, Gold!"

He chuckled. "Well, I can place a few calls and see where it gets us, Madam Mayor, but I wouldn't decorate the nursery as of yet. Adoptions are delicate matters to behold, I hear."

"Get. Me. A baby."

"Do yourself a favor and help yourself before you ask me for some. I'll stand by what I said, however. I'll make some calls. Someday, perhaps when the time is right, you'll find yourself in care of a child. Until then, wait your turn and take this time to ask yourself if this is something your ready for."

"It's something I need."

"Well, that may not be the same thing. When you become a parent, you must put your child first." He paused and then finished, "No matter what."