Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and any unrecognizable characters and dialogue.

Well, it's a few hours late, but Happy 4th Birthday Goodbye Means Forgetting!

Phoenix - Eleven Years Ago

"Big breath." The Doctor, contracted by the Correctional Facility to assist in the birth soothed the gaping, perspiring teenager as she began to bear down. At his patient's side, a nurse held the blonde girl's hand, quietly urging her to follow the doctor's directions. "Breathe away, breathe away."

Across the room, standing at the door, a correctional officer watched, pity clouding her normally stern expression.

"Okay, here we go." The nurse told the girl, glancing down to where the doctor sat.

"You're doing great," the doctor praised. "Hang on, hang on."

"You're almost there." The nurse added, squeezing the girl's hand.

Laying back on the bed, body wracked with pain she'd never imagined, Emma panted heavily as another contraction ripped through her. The calm voices of the doctor and nurse as they urged her to keep breathing, telling her she was doing fine, became white noise as the pain intensified.

"- big push, big push!"

As the words managed to pierce the fog of pain, Emma did as she was told, eager for the baby to be out and her pain to end. A scream was torn from her throat, even as the doctor encouraged her to keep pushing. As the infant became to cry, swaddled safely in the doctor's arms, Emma collapsed onto the hospital bed in exhausted relief.

If anyone noticed how, at the exact time the baby was born, the lights flickered and briefly went out, no one commented on it.

"Great. Here we go." The doctor stood, carefully adjusting the newborn with a warm smile. "That's good, that's beautiful. How you doing? I know." He cooed, grinning when the baby fussed up at him. "It's a boy, Emma."

Emma turned her head, refusing to look at the mewling bundle in the doctor's arms. Puzzled by her reaction - he realized the situation wasn't ideal, but Emma's sentence would be over within a few months - the doctor gently called for her.

"Emma?" The girl resolutely shook her head, tears dribbling down her cheeks as she tried to ignore the baby's cries. The nurse stepped closer, whispering quietly in the doctor's ear. "Oh…" The doctor breathed, smile fading as he rocked the now squalling infant. "Emma, just so you know, you can change your mind."

"No," Emma's voice broke on the word. She kept her face and body twisted away from the baby, trembling violently. "I can't be a mother."

Sighing quietly to himself, the doctor nodded and left the room with the newborn. Emma shut her eyes as they walked by her, only opening them when the cries of her baby had begun to fade in the distance.

Tears dribbled down her cheeks as the first of many sobs escaped her throat.

Jolly Roger

With Hook at the wheel, and everyone holding on tightly to the rigging, the Jolly Roger sped wildly through the portal. While everyone, Gold included, was plainly terrified, the pirate captain looked like he was having the time of his life. Hook steered the ship carefully as they traveled through the portal, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief when the portal shot them out into the still waters that surrounded Neverland.

As the howling wind ceased, everyone tentatively began to relax, looking around warily as the ship creaked quietly.

"Is that it?!" Emma shouted to Hook, glancing back to catch his darkened expression.

"Aye," Hook answered, expression sobering as the mist shrouded island came into view. While part of him recoiled at the sight of it, at the thought of walking on its cursed ground again, a larger part of him rebelled at the thought of refusing to save Lily and Baelfire's little boy. "Neverland."

Emma turned her attention back to the distant isle, eyes narrowing in grim determination.

Neverland

Though she had been unconscious, due to both the blow to the head and the chloroform, Lillian was awakened the moment they broke the surface of the water. Somehow managing to keep herself from swallowing a lungful of water, she sputtered and looked around, frantically trying to locate Henry. He was bobbing dangerously in the water, zip-tied hands unable to do much to keep him afloat.

Swimming to him, Lillian wrapped an arm around his before she propelled them to the shore. Once there, she attempted to haul him to his feet, only to find that she was barely able to stand herself. Henry grabbed her hands and pulled her towards the jungle, quietly urging her. "Go! GO!"

They barely made it several feet before Greg overtook them. Grasping the neck of Henry's coat and the hood of Lillian's, he dragged them away from the trees, shoving them to the side. Still dizzy from the drug, Lillian stumbled into a heap in the sand, breathing hard.

"No, uh, uh, uh. Slow down, you two." Greg chided as Henry helped the still swaying Lillian into a seated position. "You've got nowhere to go."

Raising her head to glare blearily in Greg's general direction - everything was still a spinning, blurred mess of color - Lillian twisted her fingers to form a fireball. Her breath caught when nothing happened, though a quick glance at her wrist confirmed what she had been afraid of since Greg and Tamara had grabbed them from the mines.

There was a thick, leather cuff peeking out from beneath her red flannel, much like the one that had previously been wrapped around Regina's, blocking any and all magic.

Henry glanced down, his eyes suddenly too large for his head when he realized what was on her wrist. Keeping his hands at her shoulders, Henry glowered at their captors with a renewed hatred.

Tamara slung her wet hair away from her face, dropping her backpack with a sigh. "We made it." A shaking hand went to touch her half-burned face, though she stopped before her fingers made contact. "Mission accomplished."

Greg's eyes were soft with sympathy when he stepped close to trail his fingers along the unmarked side of her face. "Are you alright, T?" He asked gently, pitching his voice so their captives couldn't hear. "Did that cream the Home Office gave us kick in?"

Honestly, it had been a stroke of pure luck that, several days prior to Tamara's injury, the Home Office had sent a cream that promised to be both a painkiller and anesthetic all at once. Assuming they'd need it if their dealings with the Evil Queen got out of hand, Greg had been deliriously relieved when he'd remembered the little container after their run-in with Lilith.

Tamara nodded mutely, grabbing hold of his wrist and leaning into his gentle caress. "I'll be fine, once all this is over." Her eyes slid to the only half-aware Lillian, fear flaring briefly before she shoved it aside. "Let's deliver these two to the Home Office - then we'll be one out way home."

"Are you sure about that?" Henry demanded at her whispered words, his little face contorted into a fearsome scowl. Lillian swayed unsteadily on her knees beside him, barely able to keep her eyes open. "'Cause my mom is coming to get us. Both of them."

Greg could barely stop himself from rolling his eyes at the thinly-veiled threat in the little boy's words. "You might wanna take a look around, kid." He gestured expansively to their surroundings, lip curled when Henry finally did look around. "Do you see any clock towers? We're a long way from Storybrooke."

"It doesn't matter!" Henry exploded, both at the state they'd left Lillian in, and at the condescension in Greg's voice and mannerisms. "My family's been to the Enchanted Forest before, and they can get here again!"

A low, long howl split through the tension, startling everyone, even Lillian in her still drugged state. Slowly coming aware of where they were, her eyes took in the sharpening area, stomach dropping when she realized that she recognized everything, down to the positioning of the rocks and leaves. She even knew what, or rather who, was behind the howling.

"We're not in the Enchanted Forest," she whispered through still numbed lips, drawing everyone's attention, though she focused solely on Henry. His brow creased in confused terror, and her eyes shut tightly. "We're in Neverland."

"Neverland?" Henry repeated, bewildered. He turned to their captors, who were staring at Lillian with new eyes. "You're here to destroy Neverland?"

Despite her clear unease, both with the noises coming from the jungle, and the new information on Lilith, Tamara answered, "It's the mother-lode of magic." Struggling to regain some control over the situation, to hide her unease, she turned to Greg. "Where's the communicator? We need to signal the Home Office."

Greg knelt in the sand, digging through the abandoned backpack before he tossed the communicator to her. "Here you go, T."

"An office in the jungle, huh?" Henry scoffed as Tamara fiddled with the communicator, frowning to herself. "Who works there?"

Greg rose with a tired expression, irritated of the kid's mouth already. "Who we work for is not your concern, kid." At his approach, Lillian shifted, looking more alert, if only slightly, and his eyes narrowed. After what she had done to Tamara, she was lucky the Home Office wanted her alive, or he would have left her to drown in the Storybrooke Harbor. "Just know that they take care of us."

"Do they?" Henry demanded, purposefully pulling Greg's obvious hatred from settling on Lillian. " Can they tell you how to get home after you destroy magic?"

"We don't ask questions." Greg replied, eyes shining with the fervor of a man dedicated to his cause. "We just believe in our cause."

"Greg?"

He turned, more because of the panic in Tamara's voice than her words. "Yeah?"

"I'm not getting a status light on this thing."

Greg accepted the small communicator, ignoring the way her features were twisted in unease. "Did you check the batteries?" He pried the back compartment open as he spoke, trailing off when sand fell out of it.

"What the hell is this?" Tamara demanded, discomfort churning in her gut. "A toy?"

"It's a good thing you guys don't ask any questions."

Fed-up with the snarky comments, Greg rose and stalked to the boy, hoping his actions alone would intimidate him into silence. He barely made it two steps before Lillian was on her feet, eyes struggling to turn red as the cuff inhibited her magic. Shaking from head to toe from exertion, she tucked Henry behind her, glaring fiercely at the older man when he towered over her.

"You don't touch him." The air tensed around them, her magic attempting to force him away and being blocked by the cuff on her wrist. Even so, Greg was mildly disturbed when the color or her eyes became a bright, glowing scarlet.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about little Henry," Greg muttered, savoring each word. "If I was you, I'd worry about what the Home Office is gonna do once they get hold of a magical user to study."

It took everything she had not to scoff at his words - if the Home Office was who she thought it was, the leader of it wasn't going to be interested in studying her. As it was, she remained mum about who really lived on Neverland, and tilted her head mockingly.

"Just like you "took care" of Regina?"

Nostrils flaring and lip curling in irritation, Greg glared down at her, fists clenched uselessly by his side. Deciding he wasn't going to bother, he whirled on his heel and stalked to Tamara to gather her and the bag.

"Let's go," he snapped, wilting when Tamara sent him an annoyed glare at his tone. "Come on," he whispered, stroking along her arm carefully. When she acquiesced, he turned his attention to their captives.

"Walk!"

Jolly Roger

It took her a moment, longer than she wanted to admit, given how tense everything had become, for Regina to notice that the island was growing farther away, rather than closer. Whirling, she stormed across the deck to glare up at where Hook stood at the helm.

"Why are you slowing down?" She demanded hotly, teeth gnashing when Hook merely spared her a lazy side-eye. "In case you didn't know, the lives of my son and his baby-sitter are in danger!"

Muttering quietly to himself, he kept his gaze fixated on the island. "Oh, I know, my hot-headed Queen." He said the words like a term of endearment, though Regina wasn't fooled by his so-called charms. "The plan is to bring us to the far side of the island, link up with the widest part of the river, and… then we sail right through, take him by surprise. The irony… "

Regina joined him at the helm, twisting to arch a brow at his muttered word. "What irony?"

"Oh, I spent more time than I care to remember trying to leave this place to kill Rumpelstiltskin." He wanted to groan at the unfairness of it all. "And here I am, sailing right back into its heart with him as my guest of honor. It's not quite the happy ending I was hoping for."

"Greg Mendell said something funny to me." Regina began thoughtfully, hiding how much the words bothered her. "He said I'm a villain, and that villains don't get happy endings. You believe that?"

"I hope not, or we've wasted our lives." He retorted flatly, eyes darting to see Emma Swan leaning against the railing of the ship before he returned his attention to the sea.

Staring moodily at the distant island, Emma didn't even turn when she heard her parents come to stand beside her.

"What happened to Neal, and Henry, Lillian… it's not your fault." Mary Margaret encouraged her daughter with a smile, unaware of the growing irritation in Emma's demeanor. "You can't blame yourself."

"I don't." Emma retorted flatly, gripping the wooden railing. "I blame you. All this happened because I listened to you." Both her parents went still at her words, encouraging expressions crumbling. "You say good always wins? It doesn't. I didn't grow up in some fairy tale land - my experience is different, that's all I can go on."

"And all we have to go on is ours, so if you would just let us share our wisdom- "

"I appreciate you trying to be parents," Emma cut her mother off, not sounding sorry in the slightest, "but we're the same age. We have equal amounts of wisdom and all I want is Henry back." Eyes snapping back to the turbulent waves that battered the hull of the Jolly Roger, she added darkly, "I should never have broken the Curse. I should've just taken Henry and- "

"You're right." Mary Margaret said quietly, unable to hide the sorrow she felt at Emma's words. "Th-then you'd be together. We missed you growing up Emma, and it haunts us every day."

"And that's why we're here now. We don't want you to have to go through the same thing, too, and you won't." David chimed in quietly, hoping to soothe his daughter. "We are gonna get our family back."

"How can you two be so infuriatingly optimistic!?" Emma demanded angrily.

"It's who we are." David answered calmly as Mary Margaret stuttered over a reply.

"Why?!" Emma demanded, unable to stop herself from exploding. "Ever since you got your memories back, ever since you remembered that you're Snow White and Prince Charming, your lives have… they've… we'll, they've sucked!"

"No." David refused to let her think like that. "No, we found you."

"And lost Henry! And Neal, and Lillian, and countless other people!"

"Emma, the minute I let go of the belief that things will get better is the minute that I know they won't." Mary Margaret's voice was hard. "We'll find Henry."

"No," Mr. Gold corrected faintly as he emerged from below deck. "You won't."

All eyes went to the man as he stood at the top of the stairs, expression faintly mocking. Emma's eyes swept down, taking in the dark, scaled looking leather coat he wore, though the effect was almost ruined by the cane he still held.

"Oh, that's a great use of our time - a wardrobe change!" Hook jeered from his position at the helm.

Emma approached, grabbing hold of a lantern to gape more closely at the strange outfit Gold was wearing.

Gold ignored him. "I'm gonna get Lillian and Henry."

"We agreed to do this together." Regina snarled, irked by his arrogance.

He raised a finger, stalling her protests. "Actually, we made no such agreement."

"Why are you doing this?" Emma demanded, lowering the lantern.

"Because I wanna succeed."

"What makes you think I'm gonna fail?"

"Well, how could you not?" He smirked at the blonde's thunderous expression. "You don't believe in your parents, or in magic, or even yourself."

Emma bristled at the finger he pointed her way. "I slayed a dragon, I think I believe." She retorted dryly.

"Only what was shown to you." Gold corrected airily, eyes hardening when she opened her mouth to protest. "When have you ever taken a real leap of faith? You know, the kind where there's absolutely no proof?" He didn't wait for her to respond. "I've know you some time, Miss Swan. And, sadly, despite everything you've been through, you're still just that… bail bonds person, looking for evidence. Well, dearie, that's not gonna work in Neverland."

"I'll do whatever it takes."

"Well, you just need someone to tell you what that is." He had neither the patience, nor the time to deal with the woman before him. "Sorry, dearie, our foe is too fearsome for hand-holding." He chided her, gathering his magic around him. "Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild. And, sadly… yours doesn't."

With that, he released his cane, let go of the last thing that held him back from embracing the full power of the Dark One. The cane spun in place, clattering onto the deck as, within one second to the next, Gold disappeared.

Neverland

With Lillian still recovering from the aftereffects of the drug, their journey through the jungle was slow. Tripping every so often, it was only Henry who kept her upright, as Greg and Tamara could clearly care less if Lillian fell flat on her face. Stumbling over yet another tree root and into the small clearing, Lillian nearly wilted in relief when Greg called for them to stop.

Lillian slumped against a nearby tree, Henry at her side, while Greg busied himself with building a small fire. Tamara stood away, arms crossed, an uncertain expression on her face. Despite the cuff, Lillian had been able to sense Tamara's growing discomfort with the entire situation and was thinking over how to use that to her advantage.

"We making s'mores?" Henry quipped, unable to stand the heavy, oppressive silence anymore.

Greg spared the boy an exasperated sneer as he prodded at the smoking wood. "No, I'm building a signal." Patting his palms dry on his pants, he stood and gestured to Tamara. "Help me gather some dry leaves - we need to let the Home Office know that we're here."

"And what if that's not enough?" Tamara demanded, glaring at him when he looked to her, clearly lost as to why she was on edge with the situation they were in. Nothing had gone right since their arrival and now, learning that Lilith clearly knew more about Neverland than they did, was even more unsettling. "What if the empty communicator wasn't an accident?"

Lillian didn't hear Greg's response, she didn't even see their reaction to the new arrivals. Her eyes searched eagerly through the jungle, finally falling on the tallest, hooded boy that had a club slung over one broad shoulder. Henry heard her sharp intake and whispered, "Felix", turning to watch as several hooded boys came out of the shadows to flank him.

Felix's attention was drawn to his princess, eyes lingering over her in a familiar, almost brotherly fashion. They narrowed at how she slumped against the tree, clearly unable to hold herself upright with aid. They then landed on the child at her side, lips twisted into a small smirk that crawled up his scarred cheek.

"Who are you?" Greg demanded, stepping into Felix's line of sight. The Home Office had made no mention of teenagers and he was, for the first time, wary of the instructions they had been given.

"We're the Home Office," the boy quipped with false cheer, arms spread mockingly. "Welcome to Neverland."

Stomach sinking, Tamara stepped to flank Greg and eyed the group. "The 'Home Office', is a bunch of teenagers?"

"They're not teenagers." Lillian contradicted her, pulling from the tree to meet Felix's gaze again.

Henry peered at the boys curiously. "They're the lost boys."

"Well, look at that," Felix drawled, looking faintly amused by the expressions the adults wore. Deciding to add to their obvious confusion, he swept into a deep, mocking bow. "Welcome home, Princess." He greeted as the rest of the lost boys followed his example.

It was hard to tell what bothered Greg and Tamara more - that the Home Office was made up of teenagers, or that said teenagers clearly knew one of their captives.

"Why do the lost boys wanna destroy magic?" Henry asked, more to himself than anything.

Felix heard, smirking in mock bemusement now. "Who said we wanna destroy magic?" He asked archly, eyes raking over Pan's would-be crusaders.

"That was our mission." Greg reminded him, heart seizing in his chest when the boy rolled his eyes.

"So you were told, yes." Bored already, Felix glanced back at their princess and the boy, and extended a hand. "We should be going, Lily - I promise that Pan cannot wait to see you again." His eyes glinted knowingly, forcing Lillian to duck her head to hide her faint smile. "Oh, and the boy… hand him over."

Tamara stepped in front of Henry, shaking her head. "Not until you tell us the plan - for magic, for getting home."

"You're not getting home." Felix returned shortly, tiring of the game already.

Standing to his full height, refusing to be intimidated by teenagers, Greg stared the boy down. "Then you're not getting the boy."

"And you're not keeping him." Lillian snarled, eyes flaring red before an eerie roar filled the air, startling everyone but Lillian and the lost boys.

A Shadow with gleaming yellow eyes swept down from the sky, hovering briefly to glance down at their princess before it followed her wordless command. Screeching, it swept down and grabbed hold of Greg's shadow, freezing him in place as it ripped the shadow from his body. Greg fell to the ground, lifeless eyes glazed over as the Shadow flew away with its prize.

Henry watched the scene, wide-eyed, only coming to his senses when Lillian shoved at his shoulders. "Go!" He gripped her hands in return, gratified when she began to move with him. They fled deeper into the jungle, both all too aware that they had pursuers on their tail.

Sighing faintly to himself, Felix quietly ordered for his fellows to "Follow them," smirking when one of the boys shot Tamara in the back with an arrow. Knowing what he did - that she was directly responsible for Baelfire's 'death' - he figured their princess might like it if the woman was still alive for some 'fun' later. Therefore, he waved the boy with the bow away to join in the chase.

Practically blind, despite her connection to the island, Lillian led Henry through the trees. A branch snapped her in the cheek, just below the eye, though she didn't stop to make sure there was no lasting damage. Gripping Henry more tightly when he nearly toppled over a rock, she was unprepared for a hand to close around her arm and pull them both off of the trail.

"Come on," a hooded boy panted, hauling them deeper into the brush. He raised a finger to his lips, causing any protests to die on Lillian's lips as the lost boys came thundering past.

"Where'd they go?!" One shouted as the boys paused, briefly, too close to their hiding spot.

"This way!" Another shouted from farther away, causing the others to follow.

Resting against the nearest tree, her head swimming, Lillian dared a glance at their would be rescuer. He had a tanned, narrow face with pale grey eyes half hidden by his dark hood. Drawing it down to reveal mussed sandy-blond hair, she allowed that she had never met this boy in her life.

"Thanks," Henry panted, more than exhausted by their short, speedy escape.

The boy raised a finger, listening intently before he glanced around, relaxing somewhat. "Pan and his forced are in tune with every grain of sand of the island." He warned them, unnecessarily in Lillian's case. "We must be careful."

"Are… are you a lost boy?" Henry dared to ask, swallowing thickly when the boy paused.

"I was." He admitted, drawing a dagger to cut the ties around Henry's wrists. He glanced to Lillian, freezing when he took in her features. "Y-you're her, aren't you? His princess."

"I…" Something about him pricked at the back of her mind, though she couldn't say what it was. She did see no point in lying, though. "Yes."

He nodded, looking at her in wonder, before he turned back to Henry. "I escaped. And now they're after me, too."

"How?" Henry queried, looking too curious for his own good, given that they were being chased by homicidal teenagers. "What happened?"

"Not time for questions." The boy replied as the sound of shouting came closer. "We must keep moving." He grabbed hold of their arms to tug them deeper into the trees. "Come on!"

Jolly Roger

Deeply irritated by Gold's parting words, Emma stormed her way down into the crew's quarters. Discarding her turtleneck and finding a somewhat study metal bar, she began to do pull-ups in an attempt to burn off the rage that threatened to choke her.

As she drew herself up over the bar, she became aware of Hook casually entering the room. He paused in the entryway, no doubt enjoying the view. Scowling to herself, she didn't have to wait long.

"Oh, don't stop on my account." He smirked playfully, eyes raking along the taut muscles in her arms.

"Wouldn't think of it," she groused, rolling her eyes but resumed her sudden workout.

"What are you doing?" Hook asked after a while, voice losing its playful quality.

"Getting ready for a fight." She replied, as if it was obvious.

"Well, I've never known you to need to get ready for a fight - I thought it was a natural state." He complimented with a sincerity that surprised her. "Don't let Rumpelstiltskin get you down, luv."

With her arms beginning to scream in protest, Emma slipped from the bar to the floor. "What do you want?" She asked archly.

"To give you something." He held up a small key before going to a chest settled on a ledge. "You know, Baelfire and I once spent a lot of time together."

Emma raised a brow at his back as she sat. "He was always "Neal" to me."

"Yeah," Hook muttered at the strange name Baelfire had taken in the Land Without Magic. "Right." Unlocking the chest, he withdrew a short sword, one that was more fitting for a novice to the craft, a child, than an adult. "This was his."

"I didn't realize you were sentimental."

"I'm not." He retorted flatly, neatly deflecting the accusation. "I just thought you could use it where we're going. You know… to fight."

With a purse of her lips, Emma accepted the sword without another word. Hook sat down, gesturing for her to do the same. Emma followed, withholding a scoff when he produced his flask of rum, uncorking it with his teeth. She wondered how he afforded to throw away a cork every time he wanted a drink of rum. Handing her a shot glass, Hook poured her a drink with a faint smile.

"Thanks." Emma allowed.

"To Neal," Hook raised his glass.

Emma followed suit, clinking their glasses together. "To Neal."

Enchanted Forest

Gaze trained on the stranger, Mulan was the first to notice when he began to stir. Laying upon the bed, the man looked horribly out of place, especially given the way he was dressed. Mulan went to stand by the bed, watching the man closely as he took in a sharp breath, eyes fluttering open.

"Who are you?" Mulan asked quietly, though she didn't expect an answer right away. The man was very clearly out of it and, given the state of his wound, she wasn't surprised.

"Neal," he replied, voice hoarse and low from disuse.

Mulan turned, catching sight of Aurora and Phillip approaching. The man - Neal - struggled to raise his head to observe the newcomers.

"Is he well?" Aurora asked, clutching a small goblet in her hands.

Mulan inclined her head. "Well enough to be questioned."

"Here." Aurora perched herself beside the man, offering the goblet as he raised himself onto his elbows. "Drink, drink. You must be thirsty."

"Where am I?" He asked after taking several deep swallows, draining the cup.

"You're in our kingdom."

Neal, if possible, paled even further at her words. "Where's your… where's your kingdom?" He swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat as he, for the first time, took in the clothes the three wore.

"The Enchanted Forest." Phillip answered kindly.

"I'm back." Neal whispered faintly, shutting his eyes to block out the horrible realization.

"Back?" Aurora repeated, eyeing the man dubiously. "You mean you're from here?"

"He's lying." Mulan shook her head firmly, glaring at him. "Look at his clothes. He's from the same world Emma and Snow are from."

Somehow, Neal found the strength to sit up on the bed. "Emma? Emma swan?" He clarified, slumping when the one he assumed was a princess nodded. "You know her?"

Mulan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How do you know her?"

"She's…" He trailed off, voice low and strained as he struggled to move past Emma's tearful declaration of love seconds before he went through the portal. "She's my… I… I don't know. But she's in danger. I have to get back to her." He struggled to sit up on his elbows, grimacing when it sent a spasm of pain through his chest. "Oh! I have to help her!"

Phillip moved to assist Aurora, helping to prop the man up. "You need to rest," he told him as Aurora and Mulan encouraged him to lie down. "You were gravely injured when we found you. Were you hit by some kind of arrow?"

".45 caliber arrow." Neal replied dryly, not bothering to elaborate as he peered at the wound beneath his shirt. "Look, I-I need your help. I need to know that Emma and Henry are all right."

Aurora paused, rapidly raking her wide eyes over the man's features, comparing them to the little boy she'd met once upon a dream. "You're… you're Henry's father?" She didn't wait for him to confirm, already sure of the rightness of her words. "I was once under a sleeping curse. Snow taught me how to control the nightmare. And with practice, I'm able to walk the dream world, find others like me who have passed through. It's possible I can make contact with them."

She smiled faintly at the rapid lightening of his expression. He slipped off the bed, gazing at Aurora in unchecked wonder.

"If I can, what would you like me to tell them?"

"Tell Emma I'm alive," he asked her. "And I love her.

Neverland

Emma stared off, eyes unfocused as she sipped at the rum. The drink warmed her insides, though she quietly refused Hook's offer of a refill once her glass was empty. Trying to dull the pain was a tempting idea, but she knew it was a bad one. The last thing she needed was to be inebriated while they were trying to find Henry.

"How long was he with you?" She asked Hook, when the silence in the crew's quarters became too much to bear.

"Long enough for me to know that I miss him, too." He replied just as quietly, khol-rimmed eyes glinting faintly in the dim light.

There was a sudden, echoing bang, one that brought both Emma and Hook to their feet. The ship shook violently as they raced back onto the deck.

"What was that?" Emma demanded, question dying in her throat as the chaos on deck was revealed.

"What the hell are you two doing?!" Regina demanded over the roar of the waves, gripping the rigging of the ship for dear life. Mary Margaret and David were at the helm, both on either side of the wheel as they tried to keep it steady.

"Trying to keep it steady!" Mary Margaret shot back as Hook raced up to relieve them.

"Hold on!" David shouted as the Jolly Roger crested another rough wave.

Having sailed the waters of Neverland enough to recognize what was happening, Hook shouted, "Prepare for attack!"

Regina scowled up at him. "Be more specific." She ordered, hating how out of her depth she was.

"If you've got a weapon, then grab it!" Hook snarled, sparing her an irritated side-eye before he focused his attention on regaining control of the wheel.

There was a sudden, heavy silence on deck as a high pitched screeching came from the distance. Cursing loudly, Hook doubled his efforts, refusing to allow his ship, after all these years, be sunk by the underwater menace that Neverlands waters contained.

"What's out there?" Emma cried out, scanning the waters warily, waiting to see a large, dark shape in the water. "A shark?! A whale?!"

David joined her. "A kraken?"

"Worse." Hook retorted, hissing quietly when the screeching grew louder and closer. "Mermaids."

As he spoke, the slim, shimmering bodies of the mermaids became visible beneath the frothing waters of the sea. Everyone watched as the creatures screeched and hissed up at the boat, flashing fangs that looked out of place on them.

"Mermaids?!" Emma screeched herself, too thrown to really do much else. Her only experience to go on was the little mermaid, and these creatures in the water looked nothing like the red-haired Disney character.

"Yes, and they're quite unpleasant."

Regina's head whipped around to glower at him. Though her experience with mermaids was admittedly different than his, most of the stories warned you to stay away at all costs. "You think?"

"I'll try and outrun them." Hook answered instead as he regained control of the wheel.

Emma was still scanning the water. "How many of them are there?!" As she spoke, she counted at least a dozen flashes of their scaled tails, though wasn't too sure on that number.

"I will not be capsized by fish!" David shouted before he rushed to one of the smaller cannons and began to load it.

Mary Margaret followed him with her eyes, pausing to fall onto a collection of fishing nets near the cannons. "Emma!" She gained her daughter's attention before she raced to begin untangling one of the nets.

"What are you doing?" Emma followed her as David lit the fuse on the cannon.

"Fishing." Her mother replied grimly. Unable to come up with a better idea, Emma quickly helped her mother untangle the net and toss it overboard.

As they did so, David took aim with the cannon and shot the cannonball into the water, cutting off a mermaid's path and forcing her to swim into the net. Surprised, but pleased that her plan had worked, Mary Margaret crowed out, "We caught one!"

"One?" Regina repeated. "There are dozens of them." Returning her attention to the waves, her lip curled at the sight of the shimmering scales. "Enough of this." Summoning three fireballs, she sent them into the water, scattering the mermaids. "There. They're gone."

"Not all of them!" Mary Margaret reminded them as she and Emma struggled to keep hold of the thrashing mermaid in the net. "What about that one?!"

Peering over the railing, Regina waved her hands, transporting the infuriated mermaid onto the middle of the deck.

Neverland

Henry pressed himself against the nearest tree, eyes sliding warily to the side as the lost boys sprinted by their new hiding place. Lillian had a hand pressed over her mouth, eyes closed tightly as she panted as quietly as possible. The hooded boy listened intently as the lost boys began to shout indistinctly to each other, too far away to be a worry for the moment.

"I think we lost them," the boy muttered, slumping against the tree beside Lillian. He side-eyed her, trailing his eyes along her reclined form before snapping to Henry.

"Okay," the younger boy whispered, hunched over as he tried to catch his breath. "Can we rest for a minute?"

The boy nodded wordlessly, the three of them lapsing into silence that was only punctuated by their heavy breaths. Lillian pried her eyes open to see the boy staring at her again, open curiosity in his narrowed eyes.

"What?" She asked, sharply enough that it caught Henry's attention.

"N-nothing," the boy looked down, expression abashed enough that she almost felt bad for snapping. "I-it's just… you're her."

"I'm aware." Lillian retorted dryly, looking away and praying he let the matter rest.

The boy seemed to get her hint, as he turned to Henry. "You're new. Did the Shadow take you, too?"

"No," Henry whispered. "I was kidnapped by some people who work for Pan."

The other boy exhaled sharply with an expression of resigned pity. "I'm sorry. If he sent for you, he wants you." His eyes slid back to Lillian. "And if Pan wants you, he will get you."

Lillian's eyes narrowed at his almost reverent tone, but didn't comment on it. "We'll see about that," she muttered darkly instead. "Why would Pan want some random lost boy?"

"Pixie dust," the boy answered, seemingly oblivious to her slack-jawed surprise as he pulled a small vial, hanging from a silver chain, from beneath his dirty tunic. "I stole it from him 'cause I thought I could use it to fly away and go home. But it doesn't work. It's useless."

"Let me see it."

The boy slipped the chain from his neck, handing it over without a fuss. Their fingers briefly brushed, sending chills down Lillian's spine. Her head jerked, staring at him warily, though the boy stared back in apparent confusion. Shaking herself, she raised the vial, studying it in the faint moonlight.

"This is real, alright," she sighed, returning it to him. "Fairy dust on steroids, is what it is."

The boy's lips twitched, but he didn't comment as he slipped the chain back around his neck. "We must keep it away from Pan - this is the last of his pixie dust."

"Don't worry." Henry encouraged, unaware of the horrified expression Lillian wore at the lost boy's words. "Our family's coming to rescue us, and you could come with us."

The boy couldn't hold in his scoff. "You really think you're the first boy to believe that his family's actually coming for them."

"Our family's different." Henry replied shortly. "We always find each other."

"You better hope they don't, or else Pan will rip their shadows into oblivion, like he did to those adults."

Lillian stiffened, something that did not go unnoticed by Henry. He wanted to ask so many questions: did she know why Greg and Tamara kidnapped them, did she know what the lost boys wanted with them… how had she taken command of the shadow?

Instead, he attempted to comfort everyone. "It's gonna be okay. I promise." He vowed to the other boy, who stared back in disbelief. "Don't lose hope. All we need is time. Is there a place where we can hide from the lost boys?"

The boy sighed. "There's a place they can't track us. The Echo Caves."

"That's halfway across the island." Lillian told him crossly. "They'll have found us long before we reach it."

"Lillian, we don't have a choice." Henry told her quietly, frowning when she scowled blackly. Satisfied that she wasn't going to protest - though they would be having a much needed heart to heart sooner than latter - Henry turned to the waiting, nervous boy. "What are we waiting for? Lead the way."

Enchanted Forest

Philip was seated near the bed, watching over Aurora as she slept. He never liked it when she ventured too deep into the dream world, though he respected her enough to allow her to make her own decisions. Seated several feet away were Neal and Mulan, who watched in silence.

"Feeling better?" Mulan asked, suddenly, though her normally stern features were softened by the knowledge that Emma knew this man.

"Yeah."

She peered at him curiously. "How did you get here?"

"I fell through a portal." He began raggedly, still pained over Tamara's betrayal and Emma's tearful confession. "I thought… I thought I was gonna die, and… and I thought about this place." He glanced around, taking in sights that, while not too familiar, were close enough that it made him feel like a kid again. "I thought about growing up here. That's how portals work. They take you to wherever you think of."

"Well, what's it like, the other world?" Neither Emma or Snow had said much about their home; with Cora lurking about, it had been better to not give the witch any more information than she already had.

"Uh, well, for starters, they think that this place is just a fairy tale. Like a… like a legend, like we're all just characters in a story."

Mulan blinked, looking slightly pleased. "I'm in a story?"

Neal nodded, lips twitching. "Yeah. They made a movie about you." He shrugged, smiling now. "It's actually pretty good."

Mulan tilted her head. "What's a movie?"

Neal paused, unsure how to explain such a thing when Aurora gave out a shrill cry and shot up on the bed. He and Mulan raced to where Aurora was halfheartedly batting away Philip's helping hands.

"It's worse than I feared." The princess gasped out, clearly rattled by her venture into the dream world. "I couldn't make contact. I wish I could be more help. I… I fear no one can."

Neal leaned back, shaking his head ruefully. "My father can. He always had a plan." At their bemused expressions, he continued. "Uh, he would've left something behind, if he ever found himself back here. Something that can be used to contact Emma, to get to her. I know it. I just need to get to his castle."

Phillip glanced at him. "Who's your father?"

"Rumpelstiltskin."

Neverland

While he hadn't expected to find his son's killer during his venture into the island, Gold couldn't say the turn of events displeased him. Stalking across the ground to where Tamara was painfully crawling, an arrow lodged in her back, he knelt beside her. Half her face was badly burned, a telltale sign of Lilith's handiwork.

"So, where are they? Henry and Lillian?" He waited, though it soon became obvious that the poor woman was unable to speak from the pain. "There, there," he soothed, waving his hand to remove the arrow and heal the wound. "I can help you speak."

Tamara cautiously sat up. "Thank you." She whispered, eyes trained on the ground.

"Where's Henry? Lillian? Did they kill them?"

"I don't think so." She shivered, eyes darting back to where Greg's corpse lay. "They… Lillian, she… she summoned some kind of Shadow and… and she and Henry ran off."

Stiffening, Gold struggled to keep the surprised from his face at the news that Lillian could control Pan's Shadow. "Where?" He asked instead.

"The jungle." Tamara's voice thickened as she spoke. "Pan wants them. He's behind all of this. Look, Mr. Gold, I didn't know who I was working for." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "I'm sorry about Neal. I'm so sorry."

"I know." Gold cooed lightly, inwardly hiding his building rage. He didn't need to have Lilith's gift of empathy to know a lie from truth. "You were merely a pawn."

"Can… can you forgive me?"

Gold's expression contorted into a fierce snarl that reminded Tamara of Lillian's. "No." He uttered flatly before ripping out Tamara's heart and crushing it, rising slowly to tower over her.

He watched with grim satisfaction as the startled, gasping woman fell limply into the dirt.

Jolly Roger

"Get that thing off my ship!" Hook shouted, skin crawling at the sight of the mermaid on his ship. The last one had been that cursed wench Ursula, though he preferred to forget that sorry business, given how it had gone south in the end.

"No." Regina answered shortly, eying the mermaid with malevolent intent. "Now we have a hostage."

"I hate to say it, but I'm with Hook." David said, descending from the helm, though keeping his distance from the creature that reminded him far too much of the Siren of Lake Nostos. "Those things tried to kill us."

Regina ignored their suggestions. "And perhaps we should find out why." As she spoke, unnoticed by them all, the mermaid began to fidget around on the net.

"How?" Mary Margaret demanded, glowering at the look in her former step-mother's eye. "By torturing her?"

"Well, if need be. Sure." Regina allowed easily, only mildly amused by Mary Margaret's glower.

Before they could react, the mermaid lunged to the side, fingers folding around a conch shell. Raising it to her lips, she blew hard into the shell. As she let it fall from her lips they curved into a smirk at the alarmed expressions of her captors.

"What the hell is that?" Emma demanded, hands lowering from her ringing ears, skin prickling as the air around them shifted.

"A warning." The mermaid hissed as thunder rumbled ominously above them. "Let me go… or die."

Enchanted Forest

"Can I ask you a question?" Mulan broke the companionable silence as she and Neal crested a sandy hill. Though she was instantly wary about the son of the Dark One, the man himself was likeable and friendly.

"Yeah, I don't know how to explain what a movie is." Neal said wryly, smirking when the warrior smiled somewhat sheepishly.

"You say that you're fighting for Emma." She clarified, knowing that she was prying but unable to help herself. "But, she never mentioned you while she was here. Why is that?"

Emma Swan had indeed mentioned plenty of loved ones during their quest to return the blonde and her mother to their home, but never had she mentioned the father of her young son. Mulan had privately assumed the man was dead and, unwilling to pour salt into old wounds, hadn't asked.

Neal paused, clearly considering her words. "Because I broke her heart. I let her go so she could break the Curse and fulfill her destiny." He didn't meet her eye as he spoke, still reeling from the guilt and heartache his actions had caused. "And when it was broken, I could've gone after her. I could've told her I loved her." He sighed heavily. "But… I was afraid she would never forgive me, so I wound up taking the easy way out, which is not trying."

Mulan leveled a steady gaze his way. "Your belief in love wasn't strong enough to overcome your fear of rejection."

"Yeah." He accepted her obvious censure, acknowledging that he deserved it. "Greatest regret of my life, and not one I wish upon anyone."

Neverland

Head throbbing, Lillian stumbled along another tree root, hissing when a low branch snapped along her cheek. The world careened suddenly, and the next thing she knew she was on the ground, face pressed in the dirt. Breathing heavily, she was only somewhat aware of hands gripping her shoulders to haul her upright.

The lost boy gazed worriedly at her dazed features, his grey-green eyes searing into her own. Alarm suddenly prickled along her skin, though it was drowned out by the woodpecker that had currently taken up residence in her skull. The boys fingers trailed along the gash in her cheek, before he produced a handkerchief and gently dabbed at the blood.

"Lillian!" Henry skidded to a stop, doubling back to kneel at her other side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She answered shakily, tearing her eyes from the boy before her to look into Henry's worried gaze. Inhaling deeply, she attempted to stand on wobbly knees, only to half collapse onto the lost boy. His arm hooked around her waist, carefully hauling to to stand on her feet. Her head lolled on his chest, eyes raising to gaze blearily up at him, heart suddenly caught in her throat at the look in his eye.

The distant sound of shouting came closer, snapping Lillian out of her stupor. Jerking away from the lost boy, her eyes scanned through the foliage, blue struggling to bleed to red as she caught sight of several of their pursuers.

"They're too close," she muttered, wishing she could summon her magic to chase away the lingering effects of the chloroform. "We have to go- " She made to move, only for her legs to give out once again.

"I don't think you're going anywhere," the lost boy muttered softly, keeping her upright, though this time he didn't cradle her to his chest. "But you're right; we have to move."

"I can see them." Henry's voice was panicked, his face whiter than usual.

At the sight of his terror, Lillian quickly made up her mind. "You two go on ahead." She told them shortly, forcing her knees to lock, to keep her upright. "Go. I'll be fine."

Henry grabbed hold of her hands, while the lost boy backed away several paces, watching the jungle warily. "You can't!" He begged, trying to tug her away from the approaching lost boys, though she resolutely tugged her hands away from him. "What if they catch you!?"

"They won't hurt me, Henry." She promised him, smirking grimly. Peter was likely to tear a strip off their hides if she was hurt - Felix too, if he was in the right mood. "I will see you again. But right now, you need to go. Go. Get to the Echo Caves and hide until I come and find you."

"But-"

"She's right." The lost boy placed a hand on Henry's shoulder, gripping his coat tightly to draw him away from their pursuers. "We must go if we are to make it to the Echo Caves. We're almost there."

"Go." Lillian encouraged, forcing a cheerful smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'll see you soon."

Henry paused, clearly torn, but his decision was soon taken from him. And arrow whooshed past them, embedding itself in the tree right beside Lillian's head.

"They cut us off, they know about the caves." Henry said, eyes too large in his face.

"Go that way. Go! Lillian ordered and, taking advantage of Henry's surprise, the lost boy hauled him in the opposite direction of the caves.

She watched them race off into the jungle, steeling herself when the pounding footsteps came ever closer to her location. She was in no condition to fight, nor would she be able to physically stop the lost boys, but she had to try something. Forcing herself to remain upright, though all she wanted to do was find somewhere soft and lie down for days, she glared fiercely when several of lost boys reached her.

They paused at the sight of her, muttering among themselves. Clearly, they had no idea what to do with just her. Their muttering ceased when, the ground crunching softly beneath his heavy steps, Felix came to the front of the group.

"Well, well," he tilted his head, chewing absently on a stick. "Looks like our princess isn't so eager to be with her Pan just yet."

Alarm prickled along her skin, sending gooseflesh along her arm. "What are you talking about, Felix? Last I checked, the quickest way to Peter is through you."

"Oh, I normally agree with you, but this time, your little Henry is the quickest route."

His grin widened when the blood drained from her face. A sickening realization filled her, threatening to send the world careening once more. Felix watched, still smirking all the while.

"Oh, god. No." The strange lost boy's features filled her mind, his mannerisms, the way he held her… everything about him. "No! Henry!" She turned on her heel, terrified that she had unknowingly left Henry alone, left him at Peter's mercy. She barely made it a handful of steps before the Shadow's screeching filled her ears.

"Afraid so, princess." Felix said dryly as the Shadow flew through their princess, sending her into a deep sleep. He stepped forward, carefully sweeping her into his arms before she could fall into the dirt. He turned to the others, who waited eagerly to resume their hunt. "Well, go on. Pan's waiting for you."

Felix turned his attention back to Lily's too pale face, frowning faintly in concern. "And don't worry, Tiger. Pan misses his princess dearly."

Jolly Roger

"What is this?" David lunged at the mermaid, ripping the shell from her hands. She stared lazily at him. "What did you do?!"

The mermaid pouted her lips. "Let me go."

Regina towered over the fish, smiling. "Not until you tell us." She leaned in threateningly. "Or we make you tell us."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes. "Threatening her isn't the way to motivate her."

Regina shrugged. "Well, I'm all out of fish food."

"Doesn't matter if you get her to talk." Hook noted flatly, glaring at the mermaid. "You can't trust her. Mermaids are liars."

Emma sighed heavily. "Of course they are."

"Maybe they're just scared of Pan." Mary Margaret brought up, rather optimistically. "If we let her go, maybe they'll be on our side."

Regina glared fiercely at her. "Or maybe she and her friends will come right back to kill us."

"Oh, I don't need my friends to kill you." The mermaid pointed out spitefully. "You'll kill yourselves. Now let me go." As she spoke, there was a flash of lightning, accompanied by a booming thunderclap that shook the ship.

David swung his head to stare at the rapidly darkening sky. "What the hell?!"

"It's a storm. She called it." Hook had seen enough of the mermaid magic to know how they worked. "Don't let her go! She'll swim off and leave us all to die. At least with her, we've got leverage."

David unsheathed his sword, holding it out to threaten the mermaid. "Stop the storm. Then we let you go." He tried to bargain, lip curling when the mermaid smirked and shook her head. Incensed by the unspoken threat against his family, he grasped her hair, baring her neck before pressing the blade to it.

"That's more like it, Charming." Regina came to his side, eyes glinting maliciously as a low chuckle escaped her lips. "Filet the bitch."

David pressed the blade close enough that the mermaid began to gasp and whimper as a thin trail of blood dripped from her neck. David turned his head slightly to see the horrified expressions of his wife and daughter, allowing him to remind himself that torture wasn't the right way.

"No. We're not barbarians."

"What we're going to be," Regina snapped as the ship rocked violently beneath their feet. "Is dead!"

"Hold on!" Hook began to twist the wheel rapidly in one direction. Everyone blindly reached for something to hold onto to keep from falling. "I'm gonna turn her around. I've outrun many a storm."

"Make it stop or die." Regina leaned in toward the mermaid and threatened once her footing was somewhat stable.

"We are not killers!" Mary Margaret screeched above the wind.

"Yes, you are." The mermaid retorted, teeth bared in a snarl. "And you've brought this death upon yourselves."

Mary Margaret jerked her arm at the mermaid. "This is why we should free her!"

Regina didn't bother to conceal her scorn. "That feel-good nonsense, Snow, might play in the Enchanted Forest, but this… this is Neverland."

The ship jerked in the water, nearly sending all of them onto the deck. Hook struggled to keep the wheel from spinning wildly, hissing when the wood cut into his arm.

"Keep your grip, pirate!" David snarled.

Hook's expression was full of unease. "It wasn't me, mate! It was the ship!" He darted to the railing, peering over in concern. "We're taking on water!"

Regina threw her hand out at the mermaid. "Now may I resume killing her?!"

Mary Margaret and David both shouted, "No!"

"You kill her, and her kind have a personal vendetta against us." Mary Margaret scolded angrily.

"Look, the queen is right." Hook pointed out, teeth gritted as he tried to keep his grip. "They've already tried killing us."

"Stop! That's enough!" Emma snapped over their fighting, sick and tired of the way they were acting. "We need to think this through!"

"I already have." With a flick of her wrist, Regina turned the snarling mermaid into wood. "There. That should stop the storm."

Emma halted at the sight, unease filling her before she glanced out toward the water. "Regina! What did you do?!"

"No." Regina whispered, following Emma's line of sight to see the massive tidal wave looming behind the Jolly Roger. She, and everyone else, raced to grab hold of the rigging.

"What have you done?!" Was all Emma had time to say as the Jolly Roger was overtaken by the wave.

Enchanted Forest

Neal had never laid eyes on the castle his father inhabited; he'd acquired it after their parting. As such, like the manor the man owned in Storyrbooke, the castle was a gaudy thing that blanketed the surrounding countryside.

As he and Mulan entered the door, it became obvious that, while no one had dared bother the castle while the Dark One lived there, it had become fair game upon his disappearance.

"It appears abandoned." Mulan noted as they carefully made their way from the entry hall to what was obviously once a dining room.

Neal stopped to pick up a half-full glass that sat on a small table. There was some kind of liquid in the bottom, some kind of juice, it he remembered correctly.

"No, someone's here." An arrow flew through the air between the two, startling both as it hit the far wall right before Neal's face. "Whoa!"

Mulan drew her blade, staring warily at the hooded figure that stood at one of the windows.

"The first was a warning, milady." He inclined his head in what could have been a bow. "Chivalry and all that."

"Who are you? She demanded as she advanced on the hooded man.

The man jumped from his perch, drawing down his hood before he notched another arrow. "The name's Robin."

"No way." Neal's eyes widened, a faint smile curling his lips. "Robin Hood."

"I'd bow but this quiver's rather tight." Robin commented lightly, arrow following their movements. "Now… what are you doing trespassing in my castle?"

Mulan bristled at his words. "This castle belongs to The Dark One. It is you who trespasses."

"He hasn't been seen since the queen's curse." Robin informed them blandly. "If he ever shows up, I'll be happy to vacate."

Neal shook his head, holding up his hands. "No, no need. In fact you can have it. I just… I need to look around for a bit."

"And who would you be to grant such title?"

"In this land, I'm known as Baelfire. I'm his son." Neal exhaled, chuckling nervously when the bowman stared for several heartbeats, clearly surprised by the announcement.

But then, Robin Hood relaxed his arms and returned the arrow to his quiver. "My apologies. Go ahead." He gestured expansively to the semi-ruined castle.

"You don't want to see I.D.?" Neal asked carefully.

Though he was unfamiliar with the man's words, he understood the general idea. "Who would claim to be that who wasn't?"

"Yeah, good point." Neal allowed, smirking faintly.

"Your father would not stand for imposters." Robin noted, returning the expression. "He had quite a temper."

"You knew my father?"

"We crossed paths once, yes." Robin answered diplomatically. He wasn't about to tell this Baelfire that his father had mercilessly tortured him once.

"Most crossings with my father don't end well."

"It was touch and go." Robin said sheepishly. "He spared my life. I owe him a debt."

"Well, I'm happy to collect." Neal told him, glancing around the torn apart room before he began to walk around the table. "I'm looking for something he left here. A magical item."

"Well, I'm very sorry to disappoint, but I arrived shortly after the curse." He gestured to the obvious ruin that the castle had become. "The place was cleaned out. Nothing of any value remains."

"Well, thieves and looters would only take what they could see." Neal returned, wandering around the room, pausing at the sight of a gnarled cane left abandoned on the floor.

"What's magical of a knotted old cane?" Mulan asked, eyeing said stick dubiously as Neal reached for it. "It probably belonged to one of the looters."

"No, it belonged to him." Neal assured her, raising it so she could see the faint dashes in the wood. "See these markings? He was keeping track of me growing."

Casually, and with the air of someone who had handled such an item before, Neal twirled the cane around his head. As he caught the cane underneath his arm, the movement a cabinet door appeared on the nearby wall.

Robin Hood blinked at the wall, then at the cane. "I've handled that walking stick a dozen times. It never released a cloaking spell before."

"My father enchanted objects so that what might be a useless piece of wood in the hands of a looter would become magical in his."

"Or in the hands of his only son." Mulan pointed out gently.

"He called it blood magic." Neal told them. "Might not always seem like it, but family was important to dear old dad.

"So… what's in there?" Robin ventured curiously.

Neal shrugged. "Let's find out."

Jolly Roger

Though they had passed through the tidal wave without sinking, there was no end to the storm in sight. Soaked from head to toe, Emma stumbled her way to the helm where she and Hook continued to struggle with keeping the wheel steady.

"I thought you said you could outrun a storm!" Emma accused as another wave splashed onto the deck.

"This isn't a storm." Hook denied, blinking water from his eyes. "It's bloody damnation!"

Holding tight to the rigging so she didn't fall onto the deck, Mary Margaret spat at her stepmother. "Why would you do this?"

Regina twisted her head around to glare at her step-daughter. "You're going to blame me?"

"You turned the mermaid into wood!"

"I did something about it, which is more than what you can say!"

"Undo your spell!" Mary Margaret ordered hotly over the booming thunder. "Bring back the mermaid!"

Regina's expression was full of scorn. "And what, you'll win her over with your rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers?!"

Mary Margret threw her arm at the now wooden mermaid. "Considering that your plan failed, at least we could try!"

"You're such a naive princess!"

"And you are such a… " Too overcome with rage, Mary Margaret lashed out, snapping her hand across Regina's exposed cheek.

Regina's head flew to the side from the blow. If she was surprised, she didn't show it as she turned back to face Mary Margaret. Instead, her painted lips curled into a mocking sneer. "Huh. Is that your best?"

"Not even close!" Mary Margaret snarled heatedly, fists clenched at her side. "I am so tired of you ruining my life!"

Regina laughed incredulously. "I ruined your life?"

David caught sight of movement just as Regina launched herself at his wife. Startled at the sight of the two women as they grappled with one another, he started forward to try and break it up. "Hey!"

Hook grabbed hold of his arm, tugging him away from the two women. "Hey, let the slags go. I need you at the mast!"

"Don't call my wife a slag!" David snarled before he drove his elbow into the pirate's gut. Taking advantage of the momentarily stunned pirate, he punched him in the jaw.

Emma watched from the wheel, struggling to keep it straight without another hand to help her. As the fighting between the pairs increased, so too did the storm. Eyes widening as she connected the dots, she darted from the mast to the main deck where she tried, and failed, to grab their attention.

"Stop it! It's not the mermaid - it's us!" As she spoke, lightning struck the deck, leaving behind a large, blackened scorch mark. "No." She breathed, eyes darting to watch as the sky above them darkened further. "If you don't stop fighting, we're all gonna die! Don't you see we're causing the storm?! Hey!" She screamed hoarsely, though the four others ignored her in favor of punching one another.

When they didn't listen, she darted to the rigging and hauled herself onto the railing. "Stop! You need to listen to me!" Heart sinking at their behavior and, knowing of one hopeful way to get their attention, she turned and dove into the frigid waves.

The sight of his daughter disappearing over the side of the boat snapped David out of the haze-like state. "Emma!"

He rushed to the side of the boat, his cry catching Mary Margaret's attention.

"EMMA!"

"Emma!"

"Oh!"

They all watched as, when a rope snapped, sending a metal pulley into the water, Emma was struck unconscious by a blow to the head.

Neverland

Despite Lillian's promise, it took everything Henry had not to double back and go find her. While she could take care of herself, she was also still weak from whatever Greg had drugged her with, and she was still wearing the cuff that stopped her magic. Resolutely pushing his concern aside, he focused on running side by side with the lost boy.

From a distance, they could hear the other loys boys shouting as they searched, growing closer and closer. As they raced out from the treeline, Henry's heart leapt into his throat at the sight of a cliff.

"Watch out!" Henry threw his arm out, skidding to a stop just before they both toppled over the edge.

Panting heavily, they both hesitated, though looked back in alarm at the sound of their pursuers.

"They're over here!"

Breathing heavily, Henry looked around wildly. "What do we do?" He asked the other boy. "Is there any other way to the echo caves?"

"No." The boy shook his head, panting heavily. "We're done for. I'll give 'em the pixie dust." He pulled the small vial from beneath his frayed tunic. "Maybe they'll let us live."

Henry stared up at him. "You wanna give up?"

"We don't have a choice." The boy shook his head in denial. "They got us. This is the end."

"No. It's our way out." Reaching up, he yanked the pixie dust from the boys neck and pulled them both back from the ledge.

"What… what are you doing?" The boy asked warily, eyes flicking between Henry and the ledge.

"Getting a running start."

The boy paused. "For what?"

"Everyone knows pixie dust is for flying."

"Don't you remember?" The boy asked, beginning to look terrified. "The dust doesn't work."

"That's because you have to believe."

"I definitely do not believe."

"That's okay…" Henry told him with the beginnings of a small smile as he popped the cork from the vial. "Because I do."

Racing towards the ledge, Henry let the pixie dust leak from the vial, he jumped off the ledge just as the dust began to glow a bright, vivid green. Instead of falling to their deaths, the boys began to fly across the canyon, above the jungles of the Neverland.

Jolly Roger

"Emma!" Mary Margaret screamed as her daughter sunk further into the waves.

Regina joined her at the side of the ship. "Idiot!" She spat, though the concern in her eyes softened the bite.

"Regina, get her up here!"

"I… I… I can't! Not in this storm." Regina cried, eyes darting around the roiling waves in a vain attempt to find the blonde. "I… I can't even see her. I'll just bring up water and half her leg."

David stopped their debate by climbing onto the railing, prepared to dive in after her.

"Wait!" Hook ordered, darting from his position at the helm where he had been struggling with the wheel.

David paused despite himself. "She'll drown!"

"And so will you!" Hook retorted, grabbing a rope and tossing it to Mary Margaret and Regina. "Let me help. Here, tie him!"

David allowed them to slip the rope over his head, settling it around his waist. Without waiting for someone else to stop him, David dove over the edge of the ship. The water was choppy, though he was able to quickly find Emma's prone form drifting beneath the surface.

Mary Margaret's heart stopped when her husband broke the surface, their daughter in his arms.

"He has her! Pull!" Hook ordered, gripping the rope with his good hand as he and the ladies began to pull the two to the surface. When it became obvious that the three of them would not be enough, Hook grabbed the end of the rope. I've got it." He rigged the rope to a pulley, pulling on it to haul both Emma and her father back onto the deck.

Spitting up water, David rolled onto his side to stare down at his pale, still daughter. "Emma?" He breathed, pressing damp fingers against her cold cheek.

Mary Margaret joined him, cupping her daughter's other cheek, cradling her head on her lap. "No." Her voice quivered when her daughter still didn't move.

Suddenly, Emma began to cough, spitting up lungfuls of seawater as Hook and Regina's faces joined those of her parents. Staring up past their concerned expressions, her eyes fell on the moon as it came out from behind the thinning clouds.

She looked at her mother dazedly. "I told you."

Neverland

Stalking through Neverland's jungle, senses spread out for even a hint of Lillian or Henry's presence, Gold paused at the slight energy that was coming closer. Resigned to meet Pan's messenger, he stalked into a clearing and sat down on a stump.

"Come out and say hello, dearie." He crooned, refusing to give the lost boy a chance to gain the upper hand.

"Hello, Rumplestiltskin." A blond, hooded boy with a scar across one side of his face entered, leaves rustling in his wake. Gold halfheartedly did his flourish, grimacing all the while. "Pan welcomes you to the island. He wanted me to tell you he is excited to see you again."

Gold's eyes narrowed. "Oh, yeah. I'm sure he is."

Felix continued into the clearing and began to circle the Dark One. "He wanted me to let you know you're welcome in Neverland, for as long as you wish to stay…" He raised a finger. "With one caveat."

"There's always something with him." Gold muttered darkly.

"If you're here for the boy… or our Princess… well… that makes you Pan's enemy."

Gold's expression flattened. "Then nothing's changed."

Felix's lips thinned. "If you go against him, you will not survive." (Chuckles)

"Well, the question isn't, will I survive?" Gold chuckled lightly, inwardly tensing. "Because we both know I won't. No, no. The real question is…" He sprang to his feet, crowding the unconcerned looking blond and snarling, "How many of you I take with me."

"So, is that your answer?"

"That's my answer."

"Well, then, I suppose that means I'll see you again, in less friendly circumstances." Felix stepped back, outwardly showing no signs of discomfort.

Gold spared him a feral smile. "Count on it."

"One last thing." Felix stopped, reaching into his cloak. "There's something he wanted you to have."

Gold stiffened when Felix withdrew a small straw doll and tossed it at his feet. Stern features crumpling into a deep sadness, Gold knelt down to pick up the small, well-loved doll.

"Isn't it funny… " Felix whispered as he bent down to be level with the suddenly heartbroken Dark One. "The things we haven't thought about in years still have the ability to make us cry?" Rising to his feet, chuckling faintly as tears began to roll down Gold's face, Felix turned to saunter back into the woods. "See you around… Dark One."

Gold didn't hear him, too lost in memories as the sight of the doll ripped sobs from his chest.

Enchanted Forest

"I spent my entire life running from magic." Neal muttered once they had found the item that he needed to show him where Emma was. "Now it's the only thing that can help me." He focused on the orb, thinking of Storybrooke, brow creasing when nothing happened. "It's not working. Why isn't it working?"

Mulan stepped closer, quietly encouraging. "Don't think of a place. Think of her, of Emma, and more than that, how you feel about her."

Nodding faintly, Neal refocused on the orb, thinking of Emma, of their last interaction. As he glanced at the orb, it began to glow a bright purple before it revealed Emma walking through a jungle.

Gasping faintly, Neal stared down at the familiar jungle. "Oh, no. It can't be."

Robin Hood stepped forward. "What's wrong? Isn't she there?"

"Yes, but that's not Storybrooke." He inhaled deeply, lips pressed in a flat line. "Emma's in Neverland."

Neverland

"We don't have to do it this way." Regina grumbled as they disembarked from the Jolly Roger, onto the sandy river beach. "I can fix the Jolly Roger. My magic is powerful enough. We can execute the pirate's plan."

Emma raised a brow. "Sneak attack? Let's not be naive. Save your magic." She told Regina smartly, somehow knowing she was right to be cautious. "We'll need it later, because Pan already knows we're here. It's time we stop running. Gold was right. This land is run on belief. All of us have been too busy being at each other's throats to be believers." She sighed heavily. "I was as wrong as anyone else. It's time for all of us to believe… not in magic, but in each other."

Regina couldn't stop an incredulous scoff. "You wanna be friends? After everything that's happened between all of us?"

"I don't want or expect that." Emma shrugged. "I know there's a lot of history here and a lot of hate."

Hook smirked from his spot. "Actually, I quite fancy you from time to time, when you're not yelling at me."

Emma wisely ignored him. "We don't need to be friends. What we need to know is the only way to get Henry back is cooperation."

"With her? With him?" David gestured towards Regina and Hook, looking faintly disgusted at the idea of willingly working with them. "No, Emma, we have to do this the right way."

"No, we don't." She scowled at her father. "We just need to succeed. And the way we do that is by just being who we are… a hero, a villain, a pirate. It doesn't matter which, because we're gonna need all those skills, whether we can stomach them or not."

Regina arched a brow. "And what's your skill, "Savior"?"

"I'm a mother, and now I'm also your leader. So either help me get my son back or get out of the way." Without waiting for their reactions, Emma drew her sword and stalked into the jungle.

Sharing a mildly stunned expression, Mary Margaret and David began to follow their daughter into the trees. Glancing at Regina, Hook shrugged helplessly and they both began to follow behind the Charmings.

As they flew over Neverland, both Henry and the lost boy were grinning in delight. When they crested another collection of trees, the lost boy pointed to a small clearing with his free hand, silently urging Henry to land them there. Taking them down, Henry was unprepared for the rough landing and both boys landed hard into the dirt.

Both boys laid there for several heartbeats, trying to catch their breath and come down from the adrenaline high. Panting and shaking slightly, Henry rose to his feet to smile at the taller boy.

"See? If you believe, anything is possible."

"You couldn't be more right, Henry."

As the boy spoke, his eyes lightened to a deep green, his hair darkening to brown while his features sharpened. A small, pleased smirk played at his lips, and he stared down at Henry, eyes glinting in the dim light.

"How… how'd you know my name?" Henry stuttered, taking several steps back from the suddenly very different looking boy. "I never told you."

The boy titled his head. "Let's make it a game, a puzzle to solve."

"You lied to me." Henry accused sharply. "You are a lost boy. You work for Pan."

"Not exactly." The boy suddenly moved clsoer, lwoering his face until it was inches from Henry's. "I am Peter Pan.'

"But you told Greg and Tamara that magic was bad, that you'd help them destroy it." He didn't understand why Peter Pan would even want to destroy magic. "Why?"

"Because I needed their help." Pan replied simply. "And it is so much easier to get people to hate something than to believe."

Henry's voice quivered. "Why did you bring me here?"

"For quite some time, I've sought something extremely important, something more elusive than the greatest of all mysteries."

"What?"

"The heart of the truest believer. And when you took that pixie dust, Henry, and jumped off that cliff…" He trailed over to the trunk of a nearby tree and knocked lightly on it. "You proved yourself. You are the lucky owner of that very special heart. And now?" He pointed at the shell shocked boy. "You… and it… are mine." His finger pointed to his own chest before he drew a knife from his hip. "Come on, boys!" He held the knife up in the air, voice raised to a shout.

Henry jerked his head around, eyes widening when at least a dozen lost boys emerged from the shadows and began to encircle them. Spinning around, Henry forced himself to stand up straight, to not cower, even as he rounded to meet Pan's smirking, pleased expression once more.

"Let's play!"

Thoughts? Comments? Questions?