Will and Jasmine crouched among foliage as they surveyed the pirate camp. Silver, as soon as they stopped moving, had his first mate bind Allan hand and foot and directed that the boy should be guarded at all times, lest he escape.

The pirates gathered to one side, where a few had built a small fire. Silver lowered himself on a rock and laid his crutch on the ground. Packs were opened and the rum and victuals passed around, and soon not one pirate paid the least attention to their prisoner at all. They were too busy planning how to get into the house (for Silver had pumped Allan for information on the way) and what they would do with all the treasure he promised they'd find.

Meanwhile, Will and Jazz went over plans of their own.

"All right," Will whispered, "'ere's how it's gonna be: you'll be the lookout, or the diversion if need be, and I'll get the ropes off Allan and we'll all race off together before you can say knife!"

Jasmine tossed her head. "And go where?" She pointed out. "We can't go back to the harbor-town because no doubt Anastasia and Lady Drizella are there. We can't go on to the house because the pirates are headed in that direction anyway."

"But Jazz, we need to go there, to get the bottle," Will countered. "So we lose the pirates, race for the house, grab the bottle, and then we can go anywhere we like, far away from here! I know a few places where we can find portals that cross into other worlds where we never have to fear anything chasing us or kidnapping us ever again!"

A twig snapped before Jasmine could respond.

Jasmine looked up, but Will froze with his eyes on the ground.

"Tell me that's not what it sounds like."

"'Ere! Wot's 'is? Coupl'a barnacles?"

"Yeah, it's exactly what it sounds like."

"Bloody hell."

In no time at all, the two were bound and brought before Long John Silver. He leered at them, his greasy grey hair hanging limply over his shoulders.

"And look what we've found? A lass an' her lover, lost in the woods!"

Will immediately donned his Knave persona. "Who, me, mate? Nah, I'm not the girl's lover; I don't even—"

"He is," Jasmine suddenly spoke up, looking at the trussed young man yonder. "Allan is the one I love; I asked my friend here to help me rescue him."

The whole crew erupted in mocking noises and catcalls, and Silver laughed. "Aww, ain't it sweet?" He glanced between Allan and Jasmine. "I'll hand it to you boy; I was fixing to gut you for a liar—and here's all the proof I need! Looks like this house o' gold might be real, too," his piggy eyes narrowed, "is it? Or did ya make that part up?"

Allan, for his part, stared owlishly at the last person he ever expected to see again.

"Jasmine?" He cried.

She smiled apologetically to him, and answered Silver, "It is true; my mistress is very rich." A smile played around the corners of her lips, "She is not at home presently, but will return very soon. If you intend to rob her, you best do it quickly."

Silver frowned as he weighed her words. Finally, he nodded, "The grove is not far from here. We move at first light!" He signaled one of the pirates. "Tie these two up with the prisoner. We'll take all three with us. And you two," he pointed out others, "check the perimeter and make sure there aren't any others. I don't want to lose any of our booty." He sat back onto the stump, and turned his back on the trio.

This time, the pirate crew took special effort to gag the three as well as bind them. Will, Jasmine, and Allan sat on the cold, damp ground with their backs against a sappy, rough pine tree. The pirate crew settled around the fire as the scouts returned and reported no one in the vicinity. Soon, they all were snoring.

Will sighed and leaned his head back against the tree, feeling the edges of the bark digging into his scalp. Allan let his head sag forward and attempted to sleep, resigned to his fate as a prisoner. Will's sharp ears caught the soft sounds of steady movement coming from Jasmine's side of the tree. She timed her movements with the same old precision, blending her noise with the raucous snoring. Just when Will wondered what on earth she could be doing, her voice sounded in his ear.

"All right, Will; I've gotten free."

He sighed with relief as she loosened his gag. He spat the greasy cloth and asked, "How did you do that?"

Jasmine showed him the broken rope and whispered with a grin, "I used one of the wishes."

Will's head whipped around so fast that he smacked his face on the tree. "What the bloody hell were you thinking?" He hissed. The genie cuffs cut into his wrists, but he hadn't felt any burst of magic like he was expecting. "I don't feel any different."

Jasmine snorted, easing the ropes off her ankles. "No, silly, I mean I used the corner to fray the rope. Here, let me—" She pulled him over toward her, and Will landed heavily on his shoulder. There was a bit of scuffling behind him, then the sudden sensation of steel between his arms. The rope fell away, and Will pushed himself upright.

"Ow! Say, warn a bloke when you swing a knife at his mitts, you nearly took me 'and off—" he stopped at the sight of fair skin and golden hair where he expected dark hair and dusky skin.

Anastasia smiled at him. "Hullo, Will."

Will's mind spun. "Bloody—" he spluttered. "Ana? What are you doing 'ere? Where's Jazz?" He strained to peer behind the former queen.

Anastasia waved a red-gloved hand. "I sent 'er to free Allan; Will, we need to talk."

She was more earnest than Will had ever heard her, but his guard was already up. "No, we don't; oy!" He jumped up and called hoarsely into the shadows, "Run, Jazz! Drizella's 'ere!"

Anastasia grabbed his arm. "No she's not! My sister doesn't even know I followed you!" He shook her grasp and kept going. "Will, please just listen for one bloody minute!"

Will circled the tree and saw the pirate camp, still fast asleep—but there was something unnaturally deep about their slumber. They weren't even snoring anymore. He stepped on a twig right in the middle of camp, but no one stirred. "Wh—what happened to the pirates?" Will looked up in horror at Anastasia, who entered the camp like the Red Queen of old. "Did you do this?"

Anastasia shrugged. "They're only sleeping; don't you see? I did that to save you all: Jasmine, Allan, but especially you." She stepped forward and threw her arms around his neck. "I want you back, Will; why can't you understand that?"

Will shied away and pushed her arms back down to her sides. "All I'm understanding, Anastasia, is that long ago you made your choice and it wasn't me—and now you're using magic like the bloody Queen of Hearts!" He pointed to the slumbering pirates.

Anastasia's chin trembled. "But it's all for you! I love you, Will Scarlet! I always have!"

Will rubbed the back of his neck and started pacing. "Am I supposed to believe that? After you left me standing outside the palace wall just because the Red King promised you riches and glory? The only person you've ever loved, Ana," he stopped and gazed at her frankly, "is yourself." He turned heel and began walking away. He could see Jasmine and Allan waiting among the trees.

Anastasia tromped after him. "Will—I'm trying to show you that I've changed. I don't want fancy clothes or a palace. I want to live in our old cottage in the woods—with you."

Will pulled up short when he realized she would keep following him. When he turned back to her, she stopped. A little bit of moonlight shine behind her, while her face remained in shadow. "Don't you still feel even a little bit for me?" She asked hesitantly.

Will's blank expression did not falter as he answered, "No, I don't. Hearts don't really change, Ana; they're either full, or broken..." He shrugged and scuffed the ground with the toe of his boot. "Or gone."

Anastasia blinked, "What do you mean—" the realization dawned in the middle of her question, and she gasped, "Oh Will, you didn't!" His knowledge of the Queen of Hearts, the fact that she had all but left him—the memory of the fateful day returned in painful detail, and Anastasia realized at last why it had been so hard to get Will to return to her.

He shrugged now, jamming his hands into his pockets like he just did not care anymore. "You made your choice, Ana, so I made mine. If you've ever felt the pain of a broken heart, you would understand. Now if you'll excuse me, we'd best get a move on before the pirates wake up; no enchantment lasts forever." He turned to join Jasmine and Allan.

"Shall we?"

"Thank you," Allan said, "Jasmine told me what you went through to find me; I had given up hope of ever seeing her again, and you did the impossible and brought us both together."

Will seemed unaffected by the praise. "Well, that seems to be my lot in life. Let's get on if you still want to make it to happy-ever-after."

Anastasia appeared at his elbow. "I'm comin' with you!" She insisted.

Will rolled his eyes and walked onward. You can follow if you like, but don't expect that to change anything between us."

Anastasia stopped as she watched the others move beyond her. Her progress was much slower than theirs, but she kept on. Under her breath, she whispered, "Will Scarlet, I am sorry that what I did made you give your heart away. I am learning what true love looks like, and so help me, I will help you get your heart back so you can feel it again." With that promise, she forged ahead.