Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where I was convinced they were going to screw over a certain couple and then OH MY GOD! What is this feeling? It's like the opposite of angst... Is this happiness? Anyway, thank you so much for the reads and reviews, I really appreciate it. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!
Belle carried a basket as she walked behind her mother past the village.
"Where are we going?"
"It's a secret."
Belle rolled her eyes. Her mother was full of secrets lately, ever since they had set off on their summer sojourn. After enjoying the whole season, they had spent some time in Padua until it was finally time to return to Avonlea where Reinette's demands on her daughter's time had become even stranger.
Reinette caught Belle's frustration. "You are to be a great lady. You need to be able to help your people in all perils."
"And what peril am I learning today?," asked Belle.
They arrived at a small cottage. Belle heard screams of anguish from inside.
"The greatest peril a woman must bear all on her own," said Reinette. "The most important form of magic in the world."
"What?," Belle asked, her eyes huge.
Reinette looked back at her. "Childbirth."
Beatrice sat on the sofa with her blanket and the dog.
"Could I get my slippers out of my room?"
"No!," Gold shouted back at her.
"Rumple, you have to talk to us," said Belle.
He walked past them.
Beatrice looked up at Belle and pulled out her iPhone. "I'm just going to google shadow and fairy tale."
"Rumple!," called Belle.
Beatrice looked on her phone. "Oh, that's not good..." She leaned forward. "Dad, you aren't really your own shadow, are you?"
"What?," said Belle. She inched closer. "Let me see that."
They were interrupted by a knock at the door.
Gold walked in. "Don't answer it."
"Rumple, we are going to have to open the door eventually," said Belle.
"Yes, let's just open the door for the shadow trying to steal away our daughter."
"There's a shadow trying to steal me away?"
The knock resumed. "Belle? Are you there?," asked Mary Margaret from the other side of the front door.
"Go away, dearie! We're busy!," said Gold.
"It's an emergency!"
"Yes, it always is with you!"
There was a pause.
"Belle?," called Mary Margaret.
Belle scowled at him and went to the door.
Mary Margaret and David followed her in.
"Gold, we need your help," said David.
"I'm busy," said Gold.
"Something's wrong. There was this shadow, it's been spotted around town. It took two boys-" said Mary Margaret.
Belle glared at Gold.
"Emma seemed to think Neal knew what it was, we all agreed to meet over here," said Mary Margaret.
"Who was taken?," asked Belle.
"Mr. Drury's youngest son and Mike Foley."
"Gods..." Belle turned to Gold. "Rumple, if you know something, you have to tell us all."
"I disagree. All I have to do is look after her and that's what I intend to do."
"Save it, sunshine."
Beatrice looked up to see Merlin.
"Seriously, someday I want to know how to do that."
Merlin ignored Beatrice and looked to Gold. "Time is up."
David turned to Merlin. "Do you know what this shadow is?"
"I do." Merlin looked at Gold again. "You've got about thirty seconds before I tell them."
"Rumple, just tell us," said Belle. "Please."
"We're waiting, sunshine."
"Merlin, please, just give him a minute."
Beatrice looked to her father, then back at Merlin. "Peter Pan has a shadow."
"Indeed he does," said Merlin.
"Is that why you told me about Neverland?," asked Beatrice.
"Did you know this was coming?," asked David.
"I thought Pan might be coming, yes," said Merlin. "I also thought he would be coming for Beatrice. Taking the other boys, I'm sure it's all part of the game for him."
"Children are disappearing, this is not a game," said Mary Margaret.
Neal and Emma came in.
"Hey," said Emma. "You will not believe what Neal just told me."
"That Peter Pan's Shadow is behind this?," asked Beatrice.
"Okay, I guess you will believe it," said Emma.
"How did you guys know?," asked Neal.
Beatrice looked to her father. "How did you know?"
"Rumple, what aren't you saying?," asked Belle.
"Were you a lost boy or-" Beatrice paused. "It was you."
Gold wouldn't make eye contact with her.
"What was him?," asked Neal.
"The child that Pan threw away to have power. That was you."
Gold looked to Merlin. "There. Are you pleased with yourself?"
"Peter Pan's your grandfather?," asked Emma.
"My grandfathers are Peter Pan and Merlin..." said Beatrice.
Gold walked out. Belle hurried to follow him.
"Oh, and the guy who tried to kill me," said Beatrice. "And I've gotten one Christmas present between the three of them."
Neal turned to Merlin. "Why wouldn't he tell us that?"
"Does no one listen to me about the surprise relatives?," asked Beatrice.
Belle followed her mother inside the cottage.
"Lady Reinette," said the woman.
"Mistress Leigh," said Reinette, putting her basket down. "Have you ever met Belle?"
"No," she smiled. "Hello, Lady Belle."
"Hello."
"Belle, take off your cloak and put your basket down. We need to get to work."
"I..."
Leigh laughed. "She looks like she's wandered into a den of snakes."
"Belle has never seen a child being born," said Reinette. "I thought it was time."
Leigh smiled. "Are you getting married, milady? I didn't know there was a date for the wedding with Sir Gaston."
"There isn't," said Reinette. "Hopefully we can secure alternate arrangements."
"There's nothing to be frightened of, milady," said Leigh. "Just the pain and blood and other mess."
"Shouldn't we call a midwife?," asked Belle.
Reinette turned. "Mistress Leigh is a midwife. Actually, she's the only one in the village who is any good."
"Your mother flatters me. She means I'm the only one in the village that isn't ruled by the Clerics."
"Why do the Clerics have any rule over midwifery?," asked Belle. "Surely that's a woman's domain."
Reinette smiled.
"Clever and beautiful," remarked Leigh. "You'll go far in the world."
"I would commend Mistress Leigh to you when you need her, Belle," said Reinette. "Where is your husband?"
"Another tour on patrol watching the Ogre frontier."
"So silly to tear a man from his family when the Ogres haven't been here in years..." said Reinette.
"If only someone had influence with the ruler of Avonlea..." said Leigh.
"Speak so to me again and I shall you leave you to your own devices..." teased Reinette.
"I suspect I could manage without getting your soft noble hands dirty," the woman teased back.
"Belle, won't you make us some tea?," asked Reinette.
"Tea?"
"I trust you have been learning something in the kitchen," said Reinette.
Belle nodded and went to the kitchen.
Belle was the only one brave enough to follow Gold into the cellar. He sat at his wheel, not touching anything. Belle smiled and took his hand as she knelt down in front of him.
"Why didn't you say anything?," Belle asked softly. She squeezed his hand. "You can tell us anything."
Gold scoffed.
"Bae and Beatrice love you and so do I," said Belle. "We just can't understand why you wouldn't tell us."
"If your father abandoned you, would you brag about it?"
"How old were you?"
"Six."
"It wasn't your fault."
"Yes, but it is my fault that I am as bad a father as he was."
"But you're not. No one could love his children more."
"Why do you continue to believe that?"
"Because I can see the good in you and now you can beat him."
Beatrice dressed in the downstairs bathroom with no windows and then Gold used magic to take them to the pawn shop. The others were coming by car.
Beatrice looked at Gold. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Gold continued to fidget with the box of potions. "You didn't need to know."
"Like I didn't need to know about Bae?"
"Beatrice, I would do anything for you..."
"I know."
Gold sighed. "These past few days with you have been wonderful, but they have also been a reminder of just how much I lost. I never held you as an infant, I didn't watch your first steps..."
"You didn't know," said Beatrice.
"I should have been paying more attention."
The door opened. Gold held his hand out and conjured a fireball as Regina entered, holding Henry by the hand. She rolled her eyes at him as he closed his hand, extinguishing it.
"As if you would dare."
"Oh, I would."
"Great use of our time, guys," said Beatrice.
"Emma said we would meet here. Your son has a way to capture the shadow?"
"He seems to believe so, though he needed a coconut."
"Really?," asked Beatrice. "This is our plan?"
The door opened again. Belle entered with Martha and reunited the puppy with her girl. David and Mary Margaret followed.
"It's getting worse out there," said Mary Margaret. "That shadow has taken five more."
"Five more?," asked Regina. "How can he be getting back to Neverland so fast?"
Gold shook his head. "It must be some other magic. He's hiding them somehow."
"Once we catch him, can you undo it?," asked Henry.
Gold nodded. "Perhaps."
Then Emma and Neal entered with Hook.
"What is this?," asked Gold.
"The only other guy in Storybrooke who has fought Pan," said Neal.
"He's been trying to kill me."
"Which he can't," said Neal.
"Alas, a solution has yet to present itself," said Hook.
"What about my family?," asked Gold.
"Taking the girl's heart was Cora's plan, not mine," he said, glancing at Beatrice. "Besides, I've been very appreciative of Belle's book cart."
Gold looked to Belle. "Your what?"
"I take books to the jail. That was my first job in New York, I was the prison librarian at Riker's Island." She said this as if she couldn't believe he hadn't realized it.
Gold was aghast, not just imagining her in the Storybrooke jail, but now among all the truly despicable scum this world had to offer. "Why would you do that?!"
"Well, I can't just leave them in there without books!," Belle protested.
"Yes!," said Gold. "Yes, you can!"
"Mother Superior doesn't read and Gaston only likes stories with pictures so it's mostly Hook," said Belle.
"Hey, it kept Hook from talking to me for a while," said Emma. "Then he mostly started speaking in sonnets..."
"Why is this my life?," asked Beatrice.
Leigh happily sipped the brew that Belle made in between contractions.
"A princess who can make a very good cup of tea," said Leigh. "Is there much call for those?"
Belle shrugged. "I don't think there's call for princesses to do much of anything."
"Belle has been taking lessons with Mrs. Potts," said Reinette.
"Oh," said Leigh. "I know the lady well. Seven children. It's a wonder that your mother keeps such an unreliable cook."
"Have you not tried the grey stuff? It's delicious," said Reinette. She looked back at Belle. "I shall have her teach you that next."
"Cooking lessons. What's next?," asked Leigh.
"Well, when you're recovered, I thought you could be of assistance," said Reinette.
"Midwifery?," asked Belle. "Mama..."
"I also do some nursing. That can be a useful skill even for a princess," said Leigh. "Anything people don't want to take to the Clerics or Gods forbid that awful medicine woman."
"What medicine woman?," asked Belle. "Is she a witch?"
"Not quite a witch so much as a master of poisons," said Leigh. She stopped and exhaled deeply.
"Another one?," asked Reinette. "They are getting closer together."
After the adults talked and they were joined by Sister Astrid, it was time to go hunt the Shadow which had taken more children even as they planned.
"We'll put a protection spell around the shop," said Gold.
"Four protection spells," said Merlin. "Light and dark magic. It will give even Pan's Shadow a great deal of difficulty."
"What about you guys?," asked Henry.
"We're going to go catch the shadow," said Neal.
"You'll be safe here," Gold promised.
"Let's head out," said David.
They left and Henry joined them to see them out the door. Belle stopped and looked at Beatrice. "Sweetheart?"
"I'm okay."
Belle turned to leave.
"Mommy?"
Belle turned back. Beatrice burst into tears and Belle hurried to embrace her.
"I don't want to go to Neverland. I really don't want to go to Neverland-"
"You're not going. I'm going to make sure of that."
"I can't go. What does he even want me for? What if I'm supposed to die? I don't want to die."
"You're not going to die." Belle put on a brave smile. "You're the Dark Princess. You can do anything."
Beatrice shook her head fervently. "I don't want to be the Dark Princess, I don't want to have magic. I just want to sit in my room and watch TV and go on tumblr and talk about TV and drink Starbucks and eat Reese's."
Belle shook her head. "You don't need to be afraid."
"Dad is afraid of him," Beatrice said trembling.
"Your papa is afraid of a memory from his childhood. You don't have to be. You don't have to be afraid of anything. You're the strongest person I know."
"How can you say that? I mean, look at me."
Belle didn't have to put on a smile. "You survived a witch before you were born. You were scared to ask for a straw at restaurants, but you were brave enough to feed a hungry man. You were scared of the dark, but you never stopped going in it. You fought a dragon with little more than the belief you could."
"You defied me." They looked up to see Gold had joined them. "You thought I was a monster who stole children and you couldn't see and you didn't know where you were going and you still tried to fight me. Not many others have attempted as much with many more advantages."
Beatrice paused.
"I thought you bargained for them..."
"Don't worry," said Gold. He kissed the top of her head. "You are not going anywhere."
Belle smiled again, then gave Beatrice another squeeze.
Belle sat outside the cottage on a log. It had been awful and terrible and there was pain and blood and more and then... it was wonderful. Leigh held her new son and wept tears of joy.
Then the placenta came out.
At which point, Belle decided she had to get out of the cottage.
Reinette came out.
"I needed fresh air," said Belle.
"It is overwhelming the first time," said Reinette. She sat down on the log next to Belle. "So much emotion. So many revelations."
"Why would anyone do that?," asked Belle.
Reinette laughed.
"Gods, Mrs. Potts has seven. Who would be stupid enough to do that more than once?"
"You'll understand someday."
Belle shook her head.
"Being a mother isn't so much about giving up yourself which some women mistake it for. It's giving of yourself because someone else needs it more. Your body, your love, your courage. I can recommend no one better to motherhood than you, Belle."
Belle thought on that a moment. "That's quite a compliment knowing the critic."
Reinette smiled, she felt her eyes watering. "I am glad you think so."
"How could I not? You do so much for me."
"I do nothing less than I ought to and nothing less than you will do for your own daughter some day."
Belle shifted uncomfortably.
"Would you rather I just let you go into these things blindly? Gods, the marital bed and childbirth would be terribly frightening if you didn't know what was coming."
"They both also seem terribly unpleasant," added Belle.
Reinette smiled. "Besides the obvious, they both have in common that afterwards, you forget the pain. It never matters again. You get to meet this new person, you know nothing about her, but you're instantly bewitched and you are lucky enough to get to see who she turns into. What could be better?"
"What do we do?," asked Emma. "Are we just waiting for it?"
"I don't see a lot of options."
They continued to watch the skies. David listened to the dwarves' updates on the police radio.
"Leroy says they spotted it-"
Then a shadow flew directly over them.
And another.
"What's going on?," asked Belle.
"It's a trick," Gold sneered.
"What do we do?," asked Belle.
"We'll split up," said Mary Margaret.
"We've only got one coconut," said Emma.
"It seems like we could have gotten more than one of those," said Venus.
"They're not all Pan's Shadow," said Merlin. "We'll be able to contain the ones that aren't. Her Highness' plan is a good one."
David nodded. "Let's move out."
Beatrice looked up from her iPad as the ground shook. Henry looked at her with wide eyes.
"What was that?"
It shook again. The lights in the shop flickered.
It shook again. Martha whined.
It shook again.
Four shakes.
Four protection spells.
"Oh, God," said Beatrice.
She heard the cases in the front room of the shop rattle.
"Do you think that's..." Henry asked.
"Yeah," said Beatrice, hearing her veins start to throb in her head, "I think that's it."
Henry got up and tiptoed towards the curtain.
"Henry, don't-"
"I just want to look-"
She rolled her eyes. "Why do you have to be half Charming? Could you draw on the other side of your family?!"
Henry didn't seem to be offended or even listen because the Shadow grabbed him.
"Henry!," Beatrice shrieked.
She looked out in the shop. Henry was fighting the Shadow, but it stared straight at Beatrice.
It was giving her a choice.
She ducked back in the backroom and got her bag, frantically glancing for anything that might be useful to toss in. Beatrice kissed Martha and put her in the playpen. She walked back in the floor of the shop where the Shadow held still, its fingertips now just on Henry.
Beatrice looked at the Shadow.
"I'm going to make a deal with you," she said, her voice shaking. "I'm what you really want so I'll go with you."
The Shadow eyed her.
"Leave Henry and my family and everyone else alone."
"Beatrice, don't!," Henry protested. "Pan wants you for something, that can't be good!"
"It's better than the alternative," said Beatrice.
The Shadow pushed Henry aside and held its hand out. Beatrice took her phone out.
"Just one thing, okay? I get to do this one thing."
Beatrice typed into her iPhone and hit send. She put it back in her bag.
"Okay," she said and held her hand out.
"No!," Henry shouted.
Leaving her nephew's cries behind, Beatrice became slowly aware of Storybrooke becoming smaller in the distance.
"Did you find it?," asked Emma, as she and Neal ran up to Belle and Gold.
"No-" said Belle. She was interrupted by her phone beeping.
Gold held out a shimmering square. "Not Pan's shadow. Someone else's."
Belle got her phone out. Gold's went off.
"Guys, what is it?," asked Neal.
Belle didn't answer. She went running back towards the shop.
"Papa?," asked Neal.
The Shadow was a blip in the distance.
"Oh, God," said Emma.
As they ran towards the shop, they saw the other groups headed from other directions. The extra shadows came to the ground and the people of Storybrooke watches in amazement as they saw the missing boys suddenly reappear in their place.
"How the hell..." Emma didn't even finish the sentence.
Time stopped for Belle.
Sound stopped. She didn't hear Leroy shouting her name.
Nothing mattered.
When she was finally in sight of her target, she ran for the doors, not caring that there were four separate protection spells on it, she thrashed against the magic, not hearing her own cries.
"No, no, no..."
David was the one to pull her back and Mary Margaret was the one to hold her as Regina released her spell. Sister Astrid waved her wand. Merlin released his. Then Gold.
She broke free of Mary Margaret and rushed in.
"Hello!," called Henry.
"Henry!"
"We're coming, hang on!," said Neal.
The protection spell to the shop was released. Henry stood holding the puppy.
"Henry, where's Beatrice?," asked Emma.
"The Shadow was here. He..."
"It's okay, Henry," said Regina. "You're safe now."
Henry looked up at Belle and Gold. "She made a deal. She said she would go with him if he left me alone. She saved me."
Hearing the words felt like lead on her chest. Belle was overcome with everything all at once, remembering how it felt to feel the little person kicking inside of her and nursing her and now that baby was gone. She could vaguely feel Mary Margaret's arms wrapped around her as the others talked.
"We have to go get her," said Belle. "We have to go get her."
"Of course we're getting her," said Mary Margaret.
"You're going?," Regina scoffed.
"I am," said Mary Margaret. She looked to David. He put his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm coming, too," said Neal.
"What?," Gold exclaimed. "Bae, no-"
"I'm not staying here while my baby sister is trapped with the worst guy I've ever met," said Neal. He looked to Henry and knelt down. "Buddy, I don't want to leave you, but-"
Henry beat him to it. "I understand. Beatrice needs your help and I've got my moms."
Neal gave the boy a kiss and stood back up, looking to Hook. "And you're going to help."
"I doubt that, mate."
Neal narrowed the distance between them. "You owe me. We need the Jolly Roger so she can go with or without you."
Hook grimaced at the option laid before him.
"Suppose he changes his mind," sneered Gold.
"He won't," said Merlin. "I'll make certain of that."
"You'll be joining us as well. How delightful," said Hook.
"I'm certain you're all very well-intentioned," said Gold. He looked to Hook. "Except you, of course, but I'm the one who has to do this. Alone."
Belle hadn't exactly been in a haze, but the events had felt like she was a third party watching. She snapped back, looking at Gold.
"I'm her mother."
Gold looked as if he didn't understand where this was headed.
"I am her mother," Belle said again. "I am her mother and I am going to go find her. You of all people ought to understand that."
"You have no idea how dangerous Pan is-"
"I am not scared of Pan-"
"Your courage as always is commendable, Belle-"
"I am getting my daughter back. You can come or not." Belle looked to the group. "Is three hours from now enough time?"
"Why not now?," asked David.
"To get supplies, weapons?," asked Belle. "We can hardly rescue Beatrice with just the clothes on our backs, can we? Three hours. The Jolly Roger."
Mary Margaret nodded. Belle walked to Emma.
"I know this is inconvenient-"
"No-"
"But could you and Henry look after Martha while we're gone?"
Emma looked on in stunned silence. "Yeah, of course."
"I'll take good care of her, Belle," Henry said solemnly. "I won't let anything happen to her."
"Thank you."
The others left. Belle turned to Gold. "Get what you need."
Gold watched helplessly as Belle opened a case of weaponry and started making selections.
Emma watched as her parents prepared for the trip and left instructions for the town. They got arrows and swords and Granny was even sending them off to the Jolly Roger with bags of food.
"Why aren't you going?," asked Henry.
"What?," asked Emma.
"You want to go," said Henry.
Emma shrugged. "Somebody has to stay with you, kid."
"I can stay with my mom. So can Martha."
Emma wasn't sure about that, though the puppy did certainly fit into Regina's color scheme. "I'm not leaving you, Henry."
"It's not leaving me if you're coming back," said Henry. "You're just... going away for a while."
"Decided to join us, sunshine?," Merlin called cheerfully from the deck of the Jolly Roger.
Gold glared. Belle looked to Hook.
"Where can I put these?," she asked, holding the satchels.
"Oh, good, luggage. I can assure you a change of wardrobe will have no effect on Pan."
"Books," said Belle.
"Even better," Hook muttered.
She scowled. "You liked Jane Austen. Don't deny it."
"Be nice, Killian," said Neal. "Here, Belle, I'll show you."
Neal and Belle disappeared below deck. Merlin approached Gold.
"I'm pleased you didn't go off on your own to do something stupid, sunshine."
Gold handed him a large velvet pouch.
Merlin eyed him. "Is this what I think it is?"
"I don't know what you think, dearie."
Merlin shook his head. "You don't have to do this, sunshine."
"I believe I do."
"Do you trust yourself so little? Do you think you would ever endanger the product of your True Love?"
"I wouldn't risk it to appease my own vanity."
"You're a better father than him. Did you know that your name appeared first in her book? You were the first link to what she would be. It has been your destiny to be her father since you were a baby in a basket. Your connection is stronger than you think."
"Just keep it," said Gold.
Merlin put the pouch in his jacket pocket. "I will return this when you ask for it and we will speak nothing of this to Belle."
Belle and Neal came back from below deck. Gold looked to Hook.
"Are you going to try to kill me again?," asked Gold.
Neal cut them off. "Nobody's going to kill anybody. We're doing one thing: getting my sister back."
"Yes," added Merlin. "And if anyone forgets that, I'll be happy to remind you. Shall we depart?"
"Wait!"
They all looked to see Emma running up the docks.
"Emma," Mary Margaret gasped in amazement.
"Whoa, Emma, you don't have to do this," said Neal. "What about Henry?"
"I left him in the apartment with some Hot Pockets." Emma glared at Neal. "He's with Regina and they're watching your dog, by the way."
They looked to see Henry and Regina coming up the docks with Martha.
"You are leaving someone to run the town, right?," asked Venus.
"Henry wanted to wish you luck," Regina said tightly. "And so do I."
"Come here, buddy," said Neal, giving his son a hug.
"Emma," said Belle.
Emma edged closer to Belle.
"I... really appreciate this, but I don't expect you to do this, to leave your son. He's your priority. I understand."
"Beatrice saved my son and when I needed to slay a dragon, she was the one who came with me and unlike me, she knew exactly what she was signing up for, so, yeah, I'm coming."
Belle threw her arms around Emma. The blonde stiffened, not knowing what to do with the gesture. Mary Margaret and David finished saying their goodbyes to Henry and Belle finally released Emma to give her own.
"Take care of my grandson," Gold instructed.
"Not a problem," said Regina.
"And if anything happens to that dog, I will kill you."
Regina eyed Gold as if he were crazy for not the first time. Henry came away from Belle, having missed his grandfather's instruction.
"We'll take good care of Martha, Grandpa."
"I am sure you will."
Henry impulsively gave Gold a hug and said another goodbye to Emma.
"You guys will get her back. I know you will," said Henry.
"We should let them get to it then," said Regina. "Come on, Henry. Bring Martha."
Regina, Henry and Martha left the Jolly Roger. Belle turned forward as the ship set sail. She felt Gold walk up behind her and took his hand.
"I'm going to get her back, Rumple."
"Yes, you will."
"Belle, come here," said Mary Margaret.
Belle walked to the aft of the ship. Smiling, Mary Margaret and David pointed at the dock.
Everyone was there. Henry and Regina, of course. Ruby and Granny. The dwarves. Sister Astrid and the friendlier of the nuns. Archie. Marco. Some others Belle didn't even know. They were all waving.
"I don't understand," said Belle. "What are they doing?"
"They probably wanted to commemorate seeing us leave," said Gold.
"No," said Mary Margaret. "They're seeing you off, wishing you good luck."
Belle shook her head. "And why would they want to do that?"
Mary Margaret smiled. "Because she may be the Dark Princess, but now she's a hero."
Belle thought back to that storm-ridden night that finally calmed down to an eerily calm dawn. The one where she had held a squirming pink blanket full of new life whose eyes couldn't even look back at her.
"I don't know anything about you, little one," said Belle. "Honestly, I don't even know who your father is. I don't know anything about you except that you're mine and that you are going to be magnificent. I'm just lucky to get to watch."
The shadow practically dropped Beatrice onto the beachhead.
Beatrice spat sand out of her mouth and stood.
"Kidnapping me, could at least not try to kill me."
"Well, lass, we meet at last."
Beatrice steadied herself before looking up. He was blond, the main quality in his face seemed to be eyebrows. A cadre of boys gathered behind him with torches.
"Welcome to Neverland."
"Thanks. Not staying."
"Oh, I think you are, lass."
Beatrice shook her head. "No..."
He arched a brow at her. "Do you think your father can save you? You're not the first child here to think that."
"Look, I know you've got this whole Lord of the Flies vibe going, maybe you can talk these guys into anything, but I know who you are."
"Do you?"
"Oh, yeah, read the book, but you won't be able to ever convince me that no one is coming for me. At the least, I've got Rumplestiltskin. I've got Merlin. I've got Venus. I've got my brother who as I understand it already got out once. Do you know what else I've got? I've got my mother."
"Oh, you mean, the librarian?"
The Lost Boys laughed.
"You're not here to read," Pan sneered. "You're here to play."
"That's a problem," said Beatrice.
"Oh?"
"I'm not playing."
Beatrice threw down one of the spells she had grabbed off her father's table and disappeared into a puff of garnet smoke.
A/N: If you're upset, it's okay. Just go watch the wedding again.
