Felix cradled Reyna to his chest, as Regina pulled a very unwilling Henry from the police station at Emma's nod.
"Give her to me, kid. I don't want to have to hurt you," Emma said as she moved towards the pair on the floor.
Felix, who was taking Reyna's pulse, which was abysmal, glared up at the savior. "Haven't you done enough, savior?" he spat.
Emma simply rolled her eyes. "Come on, I got to get her to the hospital. I saved your life, kid, be a little thankful."
"I didn't need you to save me! It's your fault in the first place! She is a ticking time-bomb now without Pan, and you just gave her a fire to ignite the fuse with those memories," Felix snarled angrily. "This is Pan's doing?" Emma asked cautiously, suddenly nervous. Felix snorted. "He's locked in that demented box of yours, how could he be doing this?"
Emma, not believing him, tried once more. "You are still under arrest, Felix. Give me Reyna, I need to get her looked at, make sure she didn't do any lasting damage."
Felix shook his head, hoisting the girl up into his arms as he stood. "Not happening."
Emma stormed down the street towards Gold's shop, a scowl on her face as Snow and David quickly caught up. "Felix escaped with Reyna. We need to release Pan." The Charmings both nodded, trusting their daughter.
"I need Pandora's Box, give it to me."
Gold looked disgusted at the prospect. "Now, why would I do that?"
"We need to open it. Somehow he's controlling the shadow and the girl from inside the box. Henry's life is in danger. We could stop him finally, and forever."
"With all due respect, Miss Swan, we barely succeeded in apprehending him the first time. If there is one thing I've learned, it's not to tempt the Fates."
"I'm not looking to apprehend him. Wouldn't you rather make sure he is gone, once and for all?"
Gold looked interested. "What do you have in mind?"
They drove to the town line, and once they were lined up, they went over the plan.
"Once over the town line, there is no more magic. If we release Pan on the outside, he will be powerless to fight back," Rumple said, pointing at the red paint line with his can, moving to cross the line. He was stopped by Emma's arm. "I'm doing this."
"I can cross the line without consequences," Gold argued, moving to step past her. Emma simply mirrored his movements. "There is no magic over there. The real world is my expertise." They had a stare down before Gold gave a minuscule nod. Emma sighed, turning and crossing the line while pulling her handgun from her back pocket, readying to shoot a few feet away. "I'm going to deal with Pan on my terms."
"He is my brother," Rumple immediately argued, only to be refuted. "It's my hunch. If I fail, you are welcome to deal with it however you'd like."
"Be careful!" Snow called worriedly, clutching David's hand.
Gold, looking grim, began to wave his hand over the top of the box, making the red stone glow and rise. He slowly leaned over the line as the red fog began to leave it, placing it on the road in front of Emma. The smoke gathered, concentrating in a spot before dissipating, leaving the body of Peter Pan lying on the pavement, his back turned to them.
Henry jumped and slowly got to his feet, looking around and down at himself. Spinning to face the other direction, his breathing picked up as he saw his family gathered, and more alarming, his mother pointing a gun at him. "Mom?" he questioned, though it came out as 'mum' with his new accented voice.
Emma was obviously taken off guard. "What?" she asked as her finger shook over the trigger. "Shoot him!" Rumple exclaimed, glaring at his brother's body.
"No! Don't! Please! I'm Henry!" he pleaded, looked at Emma as he begged with his eyes. He didn't want to die, especially not in Pan's body. "Pan, he switched our bodies."
"You expect me to believe that?" Emma asked incredulously at the same time Gold, his ire rising, shouted, "Don't listen to him; this is one of his tricks."
"No it's not! He did it right before Mr. Gold captured me in the box. I swear!" He moved to step forward. Emma held up her hand in warning.
"Don't come any closer."
"Shoot him!" Rumple commanded once again.
Emma, not taking her eyes off of Henry, addressed Gold. "Maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe that's why I can't shake the feeling that something is off about Henry."
Gold wasn't having it. "That's exactly what he wants you to believe. The moment he steps over this line, it is all over, for all of us."
Emma, seeing why she should proceed with caution, spoke to Henry. "Alright, if you really are Henry, tell me something only he would know."
"I got trapped in the mines, I tried blowing up the well, I like hot cacao with cinnamon," he offered.
"This proves nothing," Rumple hissed. "He's right," Snow said, "He could have told Pan any of those things in Neverland."
"Pan might know facts, but life is more than that. Life is made up of moments, and Pan couldn't possibly know all of them. The first time you and I connected, not met but connected, you remember that?"
Henry got a soft, fond smile as he nodded, remembering that exact moment. "Yeah, at my castle. Right after you came to Storybrooke. I told you that I knew why you gave me up. You wanted to give me my best chance."
Emma lowered the gun, looking awestruck. "Henry," she whispered, "it's really you." She turned towards the others. "Promise you won't incinerate us as soon as we cross the line?" Rumple gave a nod, and the two stepped over, Snow and David pulling them both into a hug.
"Sorry I doubted you, Henry. And sorry I put you in this box in the first place," Gold apologized to his grandson. Henry just shook Pan's head. "It's okay; I would have done the same thing."
David couldn't help but break up the reunion. "If Henry is all the way out here, then where is Pan?"
Snow looked up, alarmed. "Regina," she whispered.
Pan kneeled over Reyna's lifeless body, which was still feeling the effects of what magic Pan couldn't remove immediately or without direct contact, like in the station, carefully channeling the rest back into him. Felix sat by her head, looking concerned. While he was itching to ask questions, he didn't dare break Pan's concentration. Reyna would always come first, for the both of them.
Pan dropped his hands, resting them on his knees as he stared down at her serene face. He carefully repeated the diagnostic, relieved that all his magic was gone, and now all he had to do was wait for her to wake up, her breathing to even out, and her heart rate to return to a normal rate.
"What is the plan from here?" Felix finally asked. Pan, grabbing one of Reyna's hands, looked up at Felix as though he had forgotten he was there. Clearing his throat, he answered, "We will have to return her memories, and then the real fun begins. First, she needs to wake up." Felix nodded. "Are you sure you can return her memories?"
"Of course, Felix, are you doubting me?" Felix quickly backtracked. "No, absolutely not. After the way she reacted, are you sure it is safe to force another set on her so soon?" Pan just ignored him, clutching Reyna's hand to him as he stared down into her calm, pale face. They fell into an uneasy silence.
Felix jumped as Pan keeled over, his body convulsing violently. As suddenly as it started, it slowed to a stop until Henry's body lay still next to Reyna's.
"Pan?" Felix asked, cautiously moving around Reyna (gently moving her from harm's way just in case) to get a better look at his leader's discarded body.
Had Pan not known that Felix was with Reyna, he would be beyond furious to wake up in his own body. Truth be told, he was relieved to be out of the twelve-year-old's body.
"Hello, brother."
Pan smirked at hearing his little brother's greeting. Of course Rumple couldn't resist the chance to taunt him. "I thought you'd of killed me in my sleep, laddie. Guess you changed you-" He stopped as he sat up and saw the new leather cuff that adorned his left wrist. He almost laughed. Was his little brother really stupid enough to think this parlor trick would work on him? "I see. You've taken away my magic. That's why it is so easy for you to strut around and pose, now isn't it?"
"I wanted to talk to you. I wanted you to see me, and think about what you've done."
"Of course," Pan said with a smirk, "to look at my brother right before the end and think of what might have been. Is that what you want? Because I do," he paused for dramatic effect, "I remember when you were born, the littlest babe, mum dying and papa gone after just a year with you. You were pulling away at me, my name, my childhood, my time, pulling away any hope, any chance I had of making something of myself. A disgusting, squirming pink larva that ate away all my dreams and wouldn't stop. And now, a couple hundred years later, can't I be free of you?"
"Oh, you will be. In death," Rumple ground out, barely keeping a grasp on his emotions.
"Then one last lesson, little brother. Never make a cage that you can't get out of." With that, he tore the cuff off, smirking at Rumple's expression. "I made this cuff, you know. It doesn't work on me. But on you." He waved a hand and the cuff appeared on Gold's wrist, using his magic to throw Rumple backwards. "Let's see how you do without magic. You're right back to where you started," he kicked Rumple, making him scramble back out of reach, before crouching down to get in his face, "the village coward."
Rumple tore at the cuff, his face red from strain. Pan simply chuckled darkly. "Every last one of them will die for the wrongs you've done to me. Everyone you care about, all the way down to your precious Belle, and your son, Baelfire. After all that work to get him back, after you abandoned him, all to be wasted because you don't stand a chance against me. Peter Pan never fails."
He stood up, kicking a sword towards Rumple. "Time to have some fun, laddie." He turned and left the shop, knowing he couldn't fail. He was powerful, and the time spent in Henry's body seemed to patch him all up. He teleported away to find Reyna and Felix, get her memories back, and begin the torture of all the citizens of Storybrooke. Their suffering would be eternal.
Of course, the one time Felix couldn't keep his mouth shut, he gets his ass kicked.
While most of the boys had been skeptical about the girl, none dared defy Pan's orders and some even tried to be nice to her. Felix wasn't having any of it. She was just causing problems in his eyes, and he wished to put an end to it. She had been on the island for three days and still had yet to do something of worth, in Felix's eyes.
So, naturally, when she confronted him on his frosty and less than pleasurable attitude towards her, he was as honest as he felt he should be. She, of course, didn't take it, and automatically threw just as biting retorts back, both their tempers rising.
On Reyna's behalf, it is necessary to say that Felix had the first hit. Had she not been paying attention, she would have ended up flat on her back. She side stepped his fist, his face red with anger, and the dance began. Felix threw punches and attempted to maneuver her to tight spots, but for every blow he landed, she would land one as well. Her size and speed also helped in dodging. While she mostly remained on the defensive, the fight was fairly even.
Felix landed a good shot in her gut, sending her sprawling to the edge of the circle of Lost Boys that had formed. She huffed for breath, but still got to her feet, if slightly unsteady. She was about to dash forward when she had another idea. She feinted left, dashing right and around, using Felix's weight and momentum against him, sweeping her leg at his feet, sending him crashing to the ground.
As a spur of the moment decision, she snagged a sword from one of the boys' belts, holding it in front of her as Felix regained his footing. His lip curled into a smirk as he raised his own sword, and moving at the same time, the swords clashed in the middle. While Felix had strength on his side, she had strategy, which was all she needed. Pulling back, she moved it once more. As he moved to block it, she flicked her wrist, revealing a dagger from within her sleeve. Catching him off guard, she slammed to hilt of her smaller blade into his hand, making him relinquish his sword. She kicked it out of the way, tossing her own backwards before using Felix's frozen state to flip him over her shoulder onto the ground at her feet on his stomach, twisting his arm uncomfortably behind his back. Using a knee at the center of his back to pin him, she used her free hand to poise the dagger to slit his throat.
"I win," she said lowly, her breathing heavy. She released him, keeping her attention on him but allowing him to roll over and sit up slightly. Felix looked pissed, and wanting to wipe the expression from his face, Reyna slammed the hilt of her dagger into Felix's nose, creating a sickening crunch as it bones cracked, his head banging forcefully on a rock behind him.
A slow clapping broke through their trance, and Reyna spun to see Pan standing at the edge of the clearing, an impressed smirk on his face. "Good job, not many have the pleasure of saying they've beaten Felix in a fight, especially on their first try. Much less a girl."
While Pan wanted to rip Felix a new one for laying a hand on her, he knew that she would have to gain respect somehow amongst his boys, and by winning, she shouldn't have any more problems with seclusion in the Lost Boy ranks.
She glared at the last comment, but Pan simply moved forward, lifting her arm into the air. "Come on!" he shouted towards the boys, who began cheering.
Later, while she was eating dinner by the fire with Tootles and Nibs, Felix stormed over, slumping into the seat next to her and sending the younger boys away with a glare.
She raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed by his show of authority. Felix cleared his throat, staring into the fire angrily. "Um... You... You fight…good," Felix said uncomfortably with grudging respect, bringing a smirk to Reyna's face. "Oh. Thank you," she said politely, though there was a burning pride beneath her tone.
"I need to be able to defend myself. This is Neverland! You can't keep treating me like a child!"
Peter glared at her from their dining table. "You already know how to fight. Learning magic is out of the question! It is too dangerous, and I'm not willing to put you through that."
Reyna groaned, falling into the chair across from him, putting her head in her hands. "It is my decision! If you refuse to teach me, I'll try to learn it myself, which might be even more dangerous," knowing she was baiting him, she repressed a smirk as she saw his eye twitch, "Maybe I'll get Shadow to take me back to the mainland and have Rumplestiltski-"
"Not a chance! You aren't leaving, and you aren't learning, end of discussion!" he shouted as he stood from his seat, moving so fast that the chair fell backwards.
She got to her feet as well, though she was much calmer. "You can't just decide that. It is my life. If you won't, I will use any means to learn." She was bluffing, but she needed him riled up to make him agree.
"It is mine to decide, it is my island, my rules, and you're mine too," he snarled.
She didn't mind when he got possessive, but she found this irritating. "You're right, but it is my life. If you care about me as much as you say you do, then why won't you teach me? Are you really going to leave me unable to protect myself if I ever find myself against a more formidable opponent?"
"It would never get to that," Peter vowed confidently. He would always be ready to protect her and destroy anything that tries to harm her.
"But what if it does? You might not have me much longer if I can't keep myself and everyone on this island safe."
"Magic isn't the answer," Peter said, losing the fight in him as he got more worried about her getting hurt. This was his last angle, and he only wanted her to agree. Usually he appreciated being able to argue with her, seeing as she was strong, something that made him proud and swell with love, but this was one he wanted to win. He hated fighting with her, but it seemed she wouldn't let this go.
"And why isn't it? You use it, all the powerful people use it, even the savior will."
"Of course I use it, but that doesn't mean you should! I know what it does to a person! It corrupts them! I will not put that onto you when I can prevent it!"
"Anyone else and you would teach them, why am I any different?"
"Because I don't love any other people! It is my job to keep you safe, and that includes not teaching you magic! If you got seriously hurt, do you really think that I could forgive myself? Or if you died?"
"You said it yourself, you wouldn't let it happen."
"Fine! If you won't do it for me, think about all the Lost Boys out there, all of which care for you. They would probably do anything for you, considering I obviously won't!"
Reyna's eyes narrowed. "Are you seriously getting jealous all because I want to learn magic? Are you kidding? My gods!"
"If you would realize how much you are asking of me, I don't think you would be too happy about it either! People die trying to learn magic. Under no circumstances can I lose you. You are trying to force my hand, but I cannot cope with even the prospect of losing you. Can you grasp that? I want to give you everything you want, and to not be able to give you this kills me, but I need you to be safe above all else. Can't you just accept that and move on?"
Reyna's eyes softened as she listened to his speech. He almost had her convinced, but she was stubborn, and this was something she needed. She needed to be equal with Peter, she need to be able to protect him and her Lost Boys.
Peter couldn't believe that he agreed to this, but it seemed there was no going back now.
They stood in a random clearing in the forest, Reyna standing opposite of him, her face determined. He shook his head. This was a mistake, he just knew it.
"We'll start with something simple," he said, his voice cold, "lighting a fire." To make his point, he gestured towards the pit between them, make large flames billow up immediately, only to disappear with a second wave. Reyna watched in interest.
"The first thing to remember is that magic feeds on emotions and belief," Pan told her, walking around the fire to stand next to her. "It takes concentration and will to use it, more so to learn it. Ignite a fire."
Reyna nodded slowly, drawing her eyes away from Peter's hard gaze, staring at the pit at her feet. Her brows furrowed as she concentrated, imagining, believing, that there was a fire at her feet. Her eyes narrowed as nothing happened, her anger rising at not being able to do it. "It's not working!" she shouted in annoyance.
"Again," Peter commanded without sympathy. She snarled and shot him a glare before turning and trying again, coming up with the same results.
Hours later, she was exhausted as she fell into bed, glaring at the ceiling. Why couldn't she create a fire? The bed moved as Peter got in next to her. She frowned slightly, wondering why he had been so hard on her. She knew that he wasn't happy about her wanting to learn, but the way he was teaching her? It was cruel and backbreaking.
She groaned as she pulled herself off the ground, her whole body swaying as she fought to hold up her weight. They had been practicing magic for weeks, and while she was okay with it, she was wearing herself out at an alarming pace and she still didn't stand a chance against Peter.
They were currently working on battle skills, and she had to revert to physical attacks and dodging because she couldn't keep up with what Peter was dishing out. She had jumped out of the way in time for a spell to miss her (not something that would hurt her) only to slam into a tree and fall to the ground.
"Again," she panted, trying to move forwards though the ground was suddenly rushing towards her. Two arms caught her just before she crashed, and she was pulled into Peter's arms bridal style.
"Nope. We're done, most likely forever."
She grumbled, shoving against his chest as she fought to get down. "No! We have to keep going, I'm fine. I need to learn this, and I never will if you won't let me."
"Let you! I've been pushing you to your bloody limits since I gave in to your plan of learning magic! And you aren't fine! You are practically a dead man walking at this rate!"
While she didn't like his teaching method, she knew that it was her best chance. He didn't give her breaks and pushed her harder than he would push anyone else, but it would be worth it when she could use magic as easily as Peter.
"One more time, then we can stop for the day, just one more time," she said pleadingly. Peter sighed, knowing this would be over quickly enough and that she wouldn't stop until she got her way. He carefully set her on her feet, moving to the other end of the clearing. "This is the last time. Got it?" She nodded, willing to accept his terms.
It turned sideways fast. Peter threw the first spell, as he always did in their magical spars, and she dodged it, her lungs aching in protest to her hurried breathing. She raised her hand and forced the magic to be channeled by her, her hands shaking violently, though it was effective in throwing Peter off his feet. Mid fly, he disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke. She spun, her eyes darting around, focusing all her senses, stretching them to their limits. She heard the sound of a twig breaking behind her, and she spun with her hands raised again. Peter stepped out of the forest, smirking slightly, before raising his hand, about to end the battle.
At the last second, Reyna forced the swirling magic around her into her palms once more, burning with the amount of magic that was leaving Neverland's atmosphere. Her ears were ringing, her heart rate breaking out into a sprint. Peter stopped dead, looking worriedly around before darting towards her. "Reyna! Stop!" he shouted, forgetting all about ending the battle.
Reyna clenched her jaw, not giving up as she concentrated every last one of her cells into the magic. Peter as not even a yard away when the magic lashed out, an unmanageable whip of fire exploding from her palms. It swung and thrashed, wishing to break free and attack. It came in contact with Peter's chest, burning through the sleeve of his shirt and eating away at the skin of his shoulder.
"No!" Peter shouted as it snapped backwards, attacking the one thing that was holding it back. Reyna cried out in pain as her torso became enveloped in fire, licking her skin. She dropped her hands at the same time Peter dispersed the magic, forcing it away from the clearing.
She fell, tears prickling at her eyes, as she clutched her burned body, her clothes singed. Ashes surrounded her from what had burned, the smell of charred flesh permeating the thickened air. Peter grabbed her, teleporting them both back to Hangman's Tree.
She woke up the next morning, her whole body aching. She reached out beside her, looking for Peter, only to grasp at cold sheets. Groaning, she pulled herself up, careful of all the bandages that were wrapped around her. Peter had managed to heal most of it, only the worst parts would scar (one that went from the crook of her elbow to in between her breasts, a second on her hip, and a third on her shoulder. The rest would remain unblemished once it healed).
She slowly lowered herself down the ladder, gasping at the pain that shot through her. Her feet touched the ground, and she turned to find the room empty. She swore quietly, knowing that as soon as Peter walked through that door, she was dead. She slowly made her way to the sink, grabbing a glass before turning on the tap, filling it up. She winced as she gulped it down.
More pain suddenly flared, and she dropped it, causing it to shatter, before crouching down, resting her forehead against the cool wood of the cabinet, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the counter. She wrapped her other arm around her torso, tears falling from the corners of her eyes. She mentally pleaded for Peter to get back.
While she knew that he wasn't happy with her (it was confirmed by the fact that he left much earlier without waking her up), she just need him to be there. She knew that she should have listened when he told her it would be dangerous and that she should stop when she was trying to finish the match, but she didn't and she would suffer the consequences, but she needed Peter, angry or not, by her side.
Peter, who came rushing as soon as he sensed her distress (though it had taken him a good while), found her lying in bed, tears rolling down her face. He frowned, conflicted between yelling at her and comforting her.
"Please don't cry, love," he murmured, resting on his knees next to her side of the bed and wiping her tears with his thumb. She sniffled, not daring to turn and look at him.
"I'm sorry," she choked out. Peter shook his head. "I should've been faster, love, or not let it even get that far. There is nothing to apologize for."
She slowly turned her head to look at him, shaking her head ever so slightly, trying to prevent any more pain. "Don't blame yourself. I pushed you into it." He just smiled sadly.
"Well get on with it," she said, turning her head back to the ceiling. "But when you're finished, would you please lie down and hold me."
"Get on with what?" he asked, confusedly. She rolled her eyes, "With the yelling. Tell me at how you were right and I was wrong. How you will keep me under tree house arrest for the rest of our eternal lives, and how I will have to have Lost Boys wait on me hand and foot, but only the young ones that couldn't make a move on me, and that I will have to sit around and enjoy myself while you and the others save your life, only seeing you when you leave in the morning, kissing me goodbye and at night when you come to 'sleep'."
Peter pulled a face. While he had considered keeping her locked up and out of harm's way, he certainly wasn't going to force her into it, considering she wouldn't let him, nor would that allow her to be happy. "Trust me, you are in for quite a lecture," He stood up and walked over to his side of the bed, "But, that can wait until you are feeling better."
He slid in next to her, carefully brushing her hair from her face and catching more of her tears. Taking a deep breath, he waved a hand over her, and she released a relieved breath, feeling her pain dwindle. She sighed, turning towards him. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking pointedly at his shoulder, knowing that it had been burned as well. Peter just shrugged, turning on his back and grabbing her hand. Reyna sighed, carefully pulling herself closer to him and curling in his side, knowing that it was useless to try and make him say anything more.
Of course, Peter didn't let her off the hook, as promised. As soon as she was well enough, his anger was shown and she was properly reprimanded. Even some of the other boys and Felix made sure to yell at her.
It was a lot better than she expected. She wouldn't be allowed to leave camp for a little while, unless Peter was escorting her, and she was forbidden from ever learning any more magic (or performing it at that). Peter was also very careful around her, making sure she didn't do anything stupid or overexert herself. If Pan was running an errand, Felix was left to watch her, and he was especially gentle with her, which was sweet at first, but began to frustrate her when her wounds were finally completely healed.
However, she had to admit that it was tame considering how Peter usually reacted. Though the worst part of the lecture was when he went on about how terrible of a decision she made, and accused her of trying to kill herself to get back at him (for what, she didn't even know), to which she laughed and assured him otherwise.
In the end, she was able to convince him to curb her 'punishment' by kissing it all better, and her hold on her Lost Boy may have made it all the more easy, but at least they were happy. They were in love.