Hands of Time

They were full aware that they were still on the ship. However in the corners of the ship they see dark shadows appearing and then they see flashes and hear voices. One of them is dark and fierce and Henry recognizes it as the voice that he had heard in the Shaman's tent, "I have seen your heart, and it is mine."

Emma starts struggling as if her life depended on it. Everyone is frozen with fear and dread as they hear Emma muttering, "Please…make it stop…I don't want to hear this anymore!"

"I have seen your dreams, Emma Swan, and I have seen your fears. All that you dread will come to light..." Pan continued to say.

"Emma do not listen to it!" David called out, but Emma continued to struggle as they now saw flashes of her life once more apart. Gold struggled to get up, but once he was on his feet he stood by watching in awe…it was almost he did not think that Emma's fears were this bad.

Then the images stopped and they saw a fourteen year old Emma on a bridge. Her eyes were red and puffy as her cheeks had tear tracks. Out of the mist came a grotesque figure, "This is the place where you could have ended it Emma. I think that your family has the right to see where it all took place."

All around the bridge faces appeared before them and what shocked the spectators were that they recognized these particular faces…it was themselves. They were glaring at Emma with hate and betrayal in their eyes.

Now the scene played before them and one face stood out amongst them and that was Snow's. Her eyes were glaring hatefully at Emma But that is not what struck them really hard, rather it was Snow's voice came, "I believed in you. You said you could have helped me, I knew you couldn't! You should have just left! You are nothing! You are not my daughter!"

Then her face vanished and David's face appeared before them, "You are pathetic! I risked my life to save you?! After all I did to protect you, this is how you protect us?! You disgust me!"

"No Mom! Dad! Please…" Emma cried out in pain as they faded into darkness.

It continued on like this going through each face: Regina, Gold, Hook, Graham, August…each person that had held Emma in high regards they shouted insults at her. Regina held on to Henry and Snow and David held each other. Hook had to look away as Emma's pleas grew louder, he tried to block out her screams, but he couldn't. Henry; based on what he just learned that these were his mother's deepest darkest fears, he wondered when he would come up, "Come on Mom," he muttered, "please fight this."

Pan made the scene change and now they saw the apartment. Henry watched himself hugging Emma...it was then that he remembered this scene, "You claimed you loved your son…yet you allowed this to happen?"

Henry watched himself ask Emma, "Where did you get that?"

The Emma before them whimpered as her past self answered, "Regina gave it to me."

Everyone held their breath as Henry sniffed the turnover and he suddenly exclaimed, "Apple!"

Emma looked at him and everyone could see that she was not getting it. Snow's heart, if possible, broke even more as they heard Emma respond, "So?"

"You can't eat that. It's poison." Henry's earnest voice came.

The present Henry felt himself being pulled into a tight hug by Regina. He knew that this was her way to make sure that he was still here as Emma's voice of disbelief came to them, "What?"

Pan looked at her as the past Emma and Henry continued talking; "Is this proof enough Emma? You wouldn't believe in you own son. He tried everything to make you believe and yet you wouldn't believe in him at all."

Emma whimpered as the scene continued to drag out as Henry's now frantic voice filled the dark void, "But it's the truth! And you leaving isn't going to change that!"

Emma took the turnover and stated, "I'll prove it to you."

"No!" Henry yells and grabs the turnover from Emma.

"Henry what are you doing?" Emma asks in shock.

Henry turned away not wanting to experience this again. Snow and David couldn't have been so lucky. Their eyes were glued to the smoky image as was Gold and now Hook who remembered what the boy had told him, "I'm sorry it had to come to this. You may not believe in the curse… Or in me. But I believe in you." He takes a bite of the turnover and for a few moments nothing happens.

Emma shakes her head, "See? You want to have some ice cream with that? And then we can go back to talking about…" Just as she starts her suggestion Henry suddenly collapses on the floor of the apartment and now Emma is frantic, "Henry? Henry? Henry!"

Pan shook his head as the cloud disappeared and Emma was crying, "Awe did that make you upset?" His voice was mocking as he floated around her, "You do not deserve to be upset! That boy believed in you and how did you repay him? Oh yea, you lied about his father! That boy asked you for one thing and that was to tell him the truth about his father and yet you lied!"

Then the smoky cloud returned and Henry saw his image and winced at the tone of his own voice, "You lied to me! You are no better than she is!I trusted you! You are supposed to be on the side of good!"

"See even your son knows how worthless and pathetic you are." Pan taunted.

"That is not Henry…you are lying." Emma whispered out. It was so low that everyone had to strain to hear her, but Snow, David, and Henry found it a sign of hope. She was beginning to fight.

Pan laughed, "How can I be lying? Everything I am telling you is the truth! Your father nearly died trying to save yourself from the curse; then your mother takes you into her home and nearly gets sent to jail for a murder you almost failed to solve. Your son, the one who had such high hopes from you…he keep getting hurt!"Emma tried to look away but the force of Pan's magic keeps her glued to the cloud as it keeps spitting out images.

One of which was David fighting to get to the wardrobe with Emma in his arms, then another was Snow and Emma fighting against Jefferson and then of Snow in jail with Emma looking at with pity, and then each of Emma with Henry from him finding her to when he ate the turnover, to them in New York, and then finally ending when he was taken in the portal,"Ever since you stayed Henry kept getting hurt! Not just by Regina, but by you and other's from you world! He nearly died twice because of you!" They saw Henry's almost lifeless body lying at Pan's feet on the island with a dark mass of energy hovering over it and Emma was standing there in stunned shock then when that vanished Pan now spoke, "Face it you would probably sacrifice your own son if it was in your best interest."

Emma was now crying and now Gold had enough of watching. He could tell that she was breaking and that if she broke, all realms were doomed. Not sure what kind of magic this required, he knew that he had to do something so he raised his hand and a fireball formed, "Enough!" Just as he was about to hurl it Pan turned on him.

"No!" Pan yelled and with a mighty invisible force Gold was thrown backward and smashed into the mast of the ship. Before Gold could do anything else his body became immobile although he still called out, "Emma snap out of it! It is not real! None of what this monster is saying is true! Fight it! Snap out of it! You are stronger than this!"

"Not real…none of this is real…they love me…" Emma muttered as her cries diminished, "I am stronger-"

"Lies. All lies. You are weak." Pan spoke as he made the cloud changed, "Emma, look around child, this is what kind of life they could have had if it was not for you…and because of you, that was taken from them…" The scene was Snow, David, Henry, and another child. They were happily playing in a field…without Emma in sight.

"No! It is not true! Emma come on! You are our source of happiness!" Snow finally managed to cry out. David was silent and holding her as if he were afraid everything would disappear although Snow could hear him muttering, "Come on Em…please…"

Emma could not hear her mother's cries as Pan spoke softly, "See how much their lives are happier? They never loved you. They only saw you as the Savior and eventually they would have thrown you out on the streets, just like everyone else."

A cloud came forward once more as they heard Snow's cruel voice, "I want you to move out."

They watched as David stood behind her, "You have over stayed your welcome," David's eyes flashed as he spoke again, "We no long wish to see you again."

"We will treat Henry like the child we always wanted. You are unfit to be a parent. Now leave," Snow's voice was hard to match their dark and uncaring eyes.

"No…no! Please!" Emma called out thrashing in the bindings.

"See! You are nothing to them! Nothing! You belong to me now!" Pan yelled as he now transformed into a giant, dark, and sinister looking snake like creature.

The scenes once again flashed violently before them as Emma kept crying and pleading and Pan's laughter as he continued to taunt her, "You were nothing but a pet to them and now you are nothing." The demon snake yelled. Then as Emma was trying to break the bindings it got into her face and yelled, "YOU ARE NO SAVIOR! YOU THINK YOU CAN SAVE THEM THIS TIME?! YOU CANNOT EVEN SAVE YOURSELF! THEY WILL DIE AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP IT!"

Emma then started to scream in pain, "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Henry finally yelled trying to push his way pass Regina, Snow, and David. Hook had to try and restrain him as he was winning the fight. But then just as he was about to yell something else, the feeling of being suffocated overcame him and he fell to his knees choking.

"Henry!" Everyone yelled frantically. Emma's eyes were wild as she heard her son's name and looked over to the crowd of spectators. Henry was on the ground clutching his throat, his eyes were wide and fearful as he tried to let out sharp gasps.

Pan started laughing manically as he turned back to Emma, "See you are a burden and a danger. Your son is filled with so much light…just like you are," His snake like lips curled into a sick smile, "when I am done with you…he will become my perfect source for my energy…"

Emma had finally heard enough as her mind started to become sharper and filled with the good memories of her son. Operation Cobra, his smiles, his laughs, and the way he looked at her with admiration, "I believe in you. Always have and always will." He had told her as his face came into her mind's eye, "No!" She breathed out.

Pan laughed as he continued to literally suck the life out of Henry. Snow, David, Regina, and Hook all tried to talk to Henry to keep him with them. Gold was still immobile as he tried to say all sorts of spells, but because of Pan's consumption of darkness from Emma, he was useless, "NO!" Emma yelled and everyone looked at her, even Henry stole a glance at her as she yelled, "THIS IS ENOUGH!" There was a flash of light and once again they were blinded. Henry slowly began to feel the air returning to his lungs. When the light dimmed they saw Emma standing there and powerful energy swirling around her. But what drew their attention the most was a golden staff and at the top was a figure of a Phoenix and in its beak was an amber amulet in her hand.

"Look who finally found the will to fight," Pan mocked, "I broke you once. I will break you again."

Emma glared up at the snake, "I will not let you hurt him again! You do not control me anymore!"

The snake's eyes narrowed and fanned back its hood, "And just who the hell do you think you are roadside nothingness?" It hissed at her.

"Who am I? I am Princess Emma Swan: daughter of King David and Queen Snow White of the Enchanted Forest," Snow and David's eyes widened. This was the first time Emma had made any claim to her birthright, "I am the Savior, I am the Hope, and I am the Light!" Her eyes started glowing and she started to chant as the words flowed out of her mouth, "I am one too strong to fight! Return to darkness where shadows dwell, you will not send my soul to hell! Go away and leave my sight, and take with you this endless night!"

At the final part she slammed the butt of her staff on the ground and the demon snake started to wither in pain as it suddenly got bright. Then when the light faded they were back on the Jolly Roger. Emma was panting as the staff in her hand vanished and she collapsed on her knees, "Emma!" Snow, David, and Henry yelled running over to her. Regina and Hook looked at each other and decided to go over to Gold, who was able to move again. They helped him up and Hook handed his once enemy his staff. They gave each other another look and then looked toward the blonde in sheer shock.

"What the hell was that?" Regina finally choked out as she watched Snow fuss over Emma and at Emma who was still trying to stay strong for Henry.

Gold was silent as he recalled the Shaman's words, "Many things can be deceiving when it comes to darkness. You may think it is over…however it may just be beginning."

He sighed and said, "I have no idea dearie. It would seem however it is just the beginning."

Hook was looking at the crocodile hoping that he would elaborate, but it was like he went back into his own thoughts. Hook then looked at Emma whose face as hard to read, although if he was honest with himself, she looked much better than before. Emma could sense Hook looking her way and she turned. She watched as he gave her a smile and she nodded and turned her attention back to Snow, who started to pull her to her feet, "Come on honey, let's get you to bed."

"I am fin-"

"No," Snow said firmly, "You used a lot of magic."

"Yea mom," Henry said smiling, "we can talk later…please just listen to grams."

Emma looked at her son and then back at her parents. She saw nothing but love and tenderness in their eyes…nothing like the fears she experienced. So looking at Henry she relented, "Fine. But we are talking about this later."

David smiled and led the way to the cabin and Snow looked back to Gold, Regina, and Hook and mouth a thank you.

Regina was still pondering Gold's wonders as he started to walk away, "Hey wait," She called out. Gold turned his head as Regina continued, "What is just beginning?" She asked.

"That my dear we have to wait and see." Gold stated as he turned his back, "Now if you do not mind, I am getting some well deserved sleep."

This left Regina and Hook alone on the deck. Hook stretched and said, "Well for once I agree with the crocodile; good day your majesty."

Regina watched as he too walked away from her. Looking to the sky she noticed how the sun started to rise over the horizon, "Good day in deed." She muttered as she made her way down to the rooms.