Some kid: "Hey dad what's that sound?"

Some dad: "That my dear is the sound of a collective gasp that the beloved (as if) writer Batfan3 has actually updated on time. It happens once every millennia..."

I'M ON TIME! Here we go with chapter 8! I am so pounding out these last chapters! Last battle is comin' up so send in the requests!

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time, aside from my OC Ven. If I did Peter would be in more than twelve freakin' episodes.

Chapter 8: The Heart of the Matter

"Where are we?" Henry asked, looking around the innermost cave of Skull Rock.

Peter placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "This place is called the Chamber of Dreams." Henry's eyes were questioning. "There are many stories and legends surrounding Neverland, one of the more popular ones is the tale that Neverland is the land of lost dreams. The place that the dreams of humans young and old from the lands of the Enchanted Forest, Oz, Earth and Wonderland, as well as others, go to once they've been lost or given up on. It is also the most accurate of the stories. This Chamber, specifically the Life Glass, holds the most powerful of those dreams. It's the base of all magic in Neverland."

Henry's eyes were now wide with wonder as he stared at the big hourglass. "What do I have to do?"

He took a deep breath. "There's a spell that must be performed. As Ven has told you the two of you share the same heart, or to be more precise, have two halves of the same magical whole. The spell's goal is to separate the two. Once that's done I will be able to use the power of the Heart of the Truest Believer to replenish Neverland's magic."

"So I won't have the Heart of the Truest Believer anymore?" Henry asked, Peter could hear the worry in the boy's voice.

"Not exactly… it's like this: Ven has the lock and you have the key, in essence you'll be giving the key to Ven, understand?"

Henry nodded. "Yeah. So what do I have to do?"

He waved his hand and red mist whirled through the air in an intricate pattern. "For now…we wait. Ven will be here soon." He closed his eyes. "It's time Ven."

***Ven***

"It's time Ven."

The words echoed in her mind the second the word 'belief' left her lips. She met the stunned eyes of her mother one more, then snapped her fingers, a barrier shot up between them.

"Ven-"

She didn't hesitate and immediately teleported to the heart of Skull Rock…The Chamber of Dreams. Her eyes flitted over the massive gold hourglass, the sands of life were slowly trickling away, they didn't have much time left. He didn't have much time left. She walked forward letting her hand brush against the golden skull-crusted base.

She felt something heavy on her, like eyes boring into her back, she turned quickly but only he was there.

"Ven."

She met his eyes. "Peter." Henry came out from behind the not-so-immortal boy. "Have you explained?" she asked. Peter nodded. "Good. Let's get started then."

"My barrier won't last long," she told Peter in her head, he gave her a slight movement of acknowledgement. Her eyes drifted over to the twisting pattern of red mist. This is it. She turned to Henry. "Henry, take my hand." He slowly obeyed and grasped her outstretched hand. She stepped upwards and the red mist caught around her foot and she stepped up, proceeding thus until she and Henry were in the middle of the red mist.

"Is it going to hurt?" Henry asked quietly.

She smiled at him. "No. You'll be fine." Probably. Hopefully. She closed her eyes. I on the other hand… She opened her eyes again and turned slightly to face Henry, letting go of his hand. She gave Peter a single nod.

Peter nodded in return and raised his hands. She gasped sharply as the mist entered her chest, it was cold. Like ice. She saw Henry wince, but he stared straight ahead in determination. Gold light began to lace through the tendrils of red mist, it twisted around Henry's limbs while black light wrapped around her.

Suddenly images and memories flew through her head, London, the streets, growing up in that awful place with it's smog and cruelty, then the shadow, Neverland, Peter, Felix, the Lost Boys, Rumplestiltskin, Regina…everything was there, happening all at once. Her past, her present, her life, her love…all right there…

And then all the sudden…it was gone. She was once more in the Chamber of Dreams, her body was entirely covered in black magic, Henry was coated in gold.

"This is it," she murmured. She looked at him. "All you have to do is grab my hands…that's all."

Henry's eyes were wide. "And then I can save magic?"

She nodded and smiled. "That's right. You'll be a hero." He reached out.

"Henry!"

She looked towards the entrance sharply as the Charmings, Regina, Neal and Hook all ran in at once.

"Stop this!" Emma shouted desperately. "Don't do it Henry!"

"But I have to," Henry said. "It's the only way to save magic."

"No it isn't!" Snow shouted. "Pan is lying to you!"

"Stop this Ven, please don't let him do it," Regina pleaded.

She looked down at her. "You can't stop it," Peter said, he looked to Henry. "They're just lying to you Henry, that's what adults do. But you can't let them stop you, you have to finish this. Save magic."

Henry looked from person to person, then finally to Ven.

"This is your choice Henry," she said. "I've already made mine." I made it a long time ago.

Henry looked to his mother, both of them, then smiled.

"I love you both…but I have to save magic." Then he grabbed her hands.

A blinding light exploded between them, she heard herself scream as searing heat ripped through her chest, constricting around her heart. She could feel every spark, every tendril of magic that rippled through the air suddenly converge on her. It felt like she was going to explode.

Then the light disappeared and everything went black.

***Peter***

"VEN!"

Peter bolted forward the second Ven began to fall, catching her in his arms as Henry's family did the same. Her mismatched eyes were closed, her chest rose and fell gently.

"What have you done?!" Emma's panicked voice barely registered.

He brushed a lock of hair out of Ven's face. "It worked Ven. Wake up. Wake up-" The air suddenly vanished from his lungs and he flew back from Regina's solid magic blow.

He stood. "Regina stop!"

"What the hell did you do to my children?!" Regina screamed. "Tell me!"

He raised his hand and blocked the fire ball hurled his way. "That's enough! The magic is unstable enough as it is, your boundless rage won't help matters."

Regina stopped by Ven's side and knelt down. "Ven?" A hot rod seemed to pierce his chest as Regina touched Ven's forehead. She had no right to touch her. He waved his hand and Regina flew to the side.

Snow strung an arrow and David and Hook drew their swords, but just as they were about to attack time seemed to slow and come to a halt. Ven slowly rose from the ground, gold and black markings had risen along her arms and up her neck and face, her feet and visible legs were also marked.

"Enough…" the word was a mere whisper but it carried the power of it's speaker. Ven looked towards Henry. "He's alive… he'll be fine." She turned and their eyes met. He stared at her in shock, her brown eye now glowed white. She walked forward, hovering just above the ground, and stopped right before him. He tried to speak but the words refused to come out.

She stopped just shy of him, hovering there for a moment, then leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

"Make your choice." She took his hand and place it over her heart. "Take it…or don't. Choose."

He felt his limbs loosen and he regained full control just as the others did.

"What are you doing Ven? Get away from-"

Regina was cut off as Ven tilted her head and she suddenly flew back, slamming into the wall and eliciting the concern of her friend.

Ven looked back at him and raised a hand to his cheek. A chill tingled against his skin at her touch.

"Choose."

He didn't released her gaze as his hand entered her chest, she gasped slightly but her gaze never wavered. He slowly removed his hand, her beating heart coming with it. Only then did he drop his gaze to the glowing red soul in his hand. Red, blue, white, gold, black, it was every color imaginable all meshed together.

All those years, the history between them, the people in the room, The Chamber, Skull Rock, Neverland…it all seemed to fade and disappear until it was just them. Just Peter and Ven.

Just a lost boy and a lost girl.

" 'The most important person in my life'," he murmured.

Ba-dum…ba-dum…ba-dum…Her heart beat steadily. The sand lowered further. The end was approaching. Choose. Life…or love?

He leaned forward until their foreheads touched, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

"What are you doing?" Ven asked. "You have it. Use it. You're running out of time."

He suddenly replaced her heart, back to it's rightful place. "How could I lose the only one keeping me alive?"

"Your choice…?"

He stepped back. "I would rather lose a thousand lives than take yours."

The other people watched them, Regina took a step forward, but then all of the sudden a mass of black flooded the room, cackling rebounded off the walls as the darkness intensified.

"What's that?"

"Who's there?"

"The light is gone!"

"This magic…"

"No."

"AHAHAHAHA! SO THAT'S YOUR CHOICE BOY?! AFTER ALL THIS TIME YOU THROW AWAY THE GREATEST POWER IN THE WORLD!?"

He grabbed Ven's hand, pushing her behind him.

He uttered a single word. "Mim."

The shadows converged and shuddered, coming to form the cackling old witch. Regina's eyes widened in recognition.

"No…"

"Oh yes deary! I'm the mad mad madame Mim!" she screeched with horrific delight. The witch spun around and around. "I thought I could count on you for something interesting! A tragic tale from start to finish." Then she stopped, turning slowly to stare at him with her beady black eyes. "But then you had to go and ruin it…you humans and your nasty emotions."

"Who are you?" Emma asked.

Mim rounded on the blond. "Why I'm Madame Mim! And you're the Savior…HA! How deplorable! Disgusting little ingrate, you should just go and DIE!"

"NO!"

Regina slammed her foot down and a wall rose up to block the blast of black magic that shot towards Emma.

"Get Henry out of here!" Regina shouted at them.

"Oh shut up mosquito!" Mim screeched, she jumped up and down. "Shut up shut up shut up!" They cried out and slowly sank to the ground. Mim turned back towards Ven and Peter, the only ones standing.

"This wasn't part of the deal Mim," he said, shielding Ven. "What are you doing here?"

Mim giggled madly. "I wanted to bring them down, all of them! All of the disgusting little heroes! You were supposed to kill them when you got the power! But this interesting story is gone because you fell victim to the horrifyingly beautiful thing called love," she sneered. He backed up.

"Stay back." Ven was too stunned to move.

"So I'm going to make things more interesting," Mim screeched. "I'm going to take that little precious…AND BREAK HER! Shadow to me!"

BA-THUMP!

His heart slammed against his ribcage.

…plink…

The final grain of sand falling sounded like an explosion…and then in a single instance…the hourglass shattered!

AAAHH! CLIFFHANGER!

Hehehe... I love cliffhangers. When I'm the one writing them anyway.

Just ta let ya'll know, the AN offer thingy I posted is still up, but ya better send in suggestions quick, I'm pounding out these last chapters!

Also thank you to Laura and the two guests that reviewed! They mean a lot! And to the rest of you, I love feedback from you guys so please, for the love of my sanity (eh who am I kiddin'? I've never been sane) REVIEW!

See ya'll next week! Sayonara!