It'd been two days since Peter put me up here. I lay on my back, staring up at the cage top. Two days alone in a swinging cage, two days without eating. I watch the canopy sway miserably, when I finally here someone approaching.
I shift my head to the side and peek out to see Felix approaching along with Peter. Peter ignores me and my cage completely while Felix casts an anxious gaze in my direction. Charlie and him hadn't visited me since the first morning that I'd been up here.
*Flashback*
I shift my back across on the side of the cage, uncomfortable with the wood digging into my back and the cage sways dangerously. Anxiously I freeze movement and just sit there, breathing raggedly. I hate enclosed spaces, I need to be free.
I look up when I hear footsteps approaching and Felix and Charlie enter the clearing. They look up at me warily, not saying a word.
"What, no 'how's it hanging, Ellie'?" I ask them snarkily as they continue to watch me. Charlies mouth twitches at my quip, before setting in a worried line and Felix just watches me silently with an emotionless face, until he speaks.
"Ellie, what did you do?" Felix asks in a slow voice.
I sigh, "I don't know. He found out somehow that apparently Rumpelstiltskin plans on using me to distract Peter, and he won't believe me when I say I didn't know."
"Well, you did distract him, y'know" Charlie tells me with a grin and Felix gives him a sharp look which he ignores.
"What do you mean?"
"Peters furious. When he returned last night from bringing back Henry, he basically told us all to shove it for the night and went to his tree. I haven't seen him come out yet."
"Wow, Peters in a bad mood. Isn't that reassuring." I reply sarcastically, but part of me is actually reassured that I'm not the only one suffering.
"He'll come around, he as to. He likes you."
I look at Charlie in shock, and Felix also seems surprised as we watch our little brother.
"Isn't it obvious? Why else would he be so angry. If it was anyone else he'd probably have ripped your shadow out by now and be dancing around the fire. Not skulking all moody and keeping you in a cage."
I watch my brother, surprised by his wisdom. Before reality sinks in and I reply in a tired voice. "If he liked me he would have believed me, Charlie."
Charlie merely shrugs, before him and Felix depart, saying they were lucky enough to visit me as it is. And I return to counting the leaves in the spruce tree above me.
*End Flashback*
"Take Bae to the Echo Caves and place him somewhere that will aid us. Be creative about it Felix, I don't feel like fixing another one of your mistakes" Peter instructs Felix before glancing at me and returning to glare at Neal's cage.
Felix calls some other lost boys to help and I sit there watching them take Neal's cage away, but Peter doesn't leave. "Finally realized I'm innocent?" I ask Peter, and he slowly turns his face to smirk at me.
"Oh I wouldn't say that, love. But I must admit, bars really do match your skin." I flinch, thinking he's speaking of my scars, and my heart beats painfully in my chest. Peter seems to realize what he's said and surprise and guilt cross his face before he sighs and turns to look at me head on. I realize that he didn't mean his comment like that, and I almost smile as relief washes over me.
"You should get used to that cage though, laddy. You won't be coming down anytime soon.
"Peter, I swear, I didn't know! Please believe me!" I cry in frustration as I shift forwards and press my hands against the bars. The cage sways dangerously and I hear a vine creak above me. Peter glances at the cage anxiously before turning to meet my eyes.
"It's a little hard to believe that when you decided to pop up in a time like this."
"Rumpelstiltskin chose when to wake me I had no control! Please Peter!" Peter watches me and he seems, almost forlorn, before he turns around and walks off out of the clearing.
"I'll have one of the boys give you some water. We wouldn't want you dying on us with your punishment unfulfilled now would we?" He calls over his shoulder, and I'm left to stare off into the distance without even Neal to talk to."
I remember when Neal first got put in his cage. He didn't talk for a few hours, too drugged up I think. But when he did he introduced himself, and he told me who he was, and I told him who I was.
"I remember you," he'd said, and he told me what had happened the night before. He then went on to explain that he was Henry's father, and I told him of Felix and Charlie.
"I was told about you!" He says in shock, peering at me through the bars at me. "Charlie arrived a year after I did, and we all heard of what you did for him. That was brave of you."
"Really, I didn't know, " I answer sarcastically, and my hand unconsciously brushes along the scar on my sternum. I see Neal smile at that, and we continue talking, until a lost boy turns up, and redrugs Neal. Effectively ending the conversation.
Someone approaching once again breaks me from my thoughts and I turn my head to see Rumpelstiltskin enter the clearing. I shiver involuntarily as I watch him approach and glare at him in hate.
"Ah, I see Pan didn't take the news to well."
"Why did you say that to him?"
"Because, dearie, I needed him distracted, and it worked. But now I need my son, where is Bae?"
"Peter already moved him, he said something about the Echo Caves," I inform him. I realize I shouldn't be telling him this, but I'm too angry at Peter to care. Rumpelstiltskin nods, still watching me, and he seems to be contemplating something.
"I think it's time you come into use, Miss Bright." He says, before waving his hand, and suddenly I'm out of the cage and on the ground next to him. I jump to my feet and glare at him, preparing my next move.
"Oh, I wouldn't bother trying to run if I were you, dearie, I'll just bring you back." He tells me, before waving his hand and we reappear in a grove on the edge of a clearing which has a cave exit. Immediately I notice my hands and legs have been tied together. Then I hear voices trailing out of the dark cave exit.
"We have to save her, she doesn't deserve to be there, she helped Henry."
"Lad, if Pan wants her he's going to keep her. There's nothing we can do."
"I won't leave her."
I feel a surge of comfort as I recognize the voices as that of Neal and Hook. Neal wants to save me, I smile at the thought, and then Rumpelstiltskin speaks, making everyone entering the clearing, and me, jump.
"I don't think you have to worry about that now, son." Rumpelstiltskin says, and then he pushes me forward so I fall on my face in the clearing, swallowing a face full of dirt. Everyone gasps as they see me and Emma and Mary Margaret run forward to help me with David close behind, while Hook and Regina remain impassive. (AN: In this story, Regina didn't leave with Gold to find Pandora's box. At least not yet.)
Rumpelstiltskin steps in front of me before anyone reaches me and holds his hand up. "Not just yet, I need her. Once I have Pan distracted, I can go find Henry."
"Papa, what are you going to do?" Neal asks, eying Rumpelstiltskin suspiciously. I notice Emma watching Neal, and her expression is so similar to how I felt when I found Felix, I'm curious as to what's between them.
"Well, I think it's time that Miss Bright be introduced to the wildlife here." I feel my stomach knot with dread as I read between the lines of Rumpelstiltskin's answer. Oh no.
"You're not throwing her to the mermaids are you?" Hook asks incredulously.
"What the hell, dad!" Neal yells.
"You can't do that, she's just a girl!" Mary Margaret cries.
"Ah, but she isn't, dearie, in fact, Ellie is older than all of you, well, perhaps not you Hook. She was living off in the woods when you were born, Charming, in fact, you're part of the reason she was there."
I stare up at Rumpelstiltskin in confusion, along with all the others in the clearing, and Rumpelstiltskin seems both amused, and impatient at the same time. Regina has narrowed her eyes in suspicion at him.
"What do you mean, I'm part of the reason?" David asks him slowly, and I realize that David must also go by 'Charming', given he answered to that earlier.
"Oh, did I forget to mention," Rumpelstiltskin continues, and he looks to be truly enjoying himself now. "You see, when Ellie's brother left, and her father died, her mother couldn't bear the grief." I look down at my bound hands as Rumpelstiltskin continues, I hate this story. "So she left, abandoning her two young children, and starting her life anew. And that new life, happened to include two children, one of them, being you, David."
My head snaps up to stare at David in shock, he's looking at me with a similar expression. David... a voice whispers, and the chubby child with the blonde hair comes back to my mind, blonde hair so similar to Felix's. "I remember you," I whisper in awe, "I went to find her when Charlie disappeared, and she had a little boy. She called him David." I continue to stare at David, mouth gaping.
"So you're saying that..." Emma asks slowly.
"Ellie is Charming's older sister, yes."
"But that makes Felix and that other boy-" Mary Margaret begins.
"My other siblings, yes." David finishes, and his shocked expression has finally shifted into something softer. But there's still something else in his eyes. Sadness, I realize. But then Rumpelstiltskin returns to talking.
"Since you didn't get the opportunity to meet your twin brother, I thought it only fair you meet your sister. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a grandson to rescue."
"No, wait-" I begin as Rumpelstiltskin turns towards me.
"You can't do this Gold!"
"She's still just a girl!"
"This is madness!"
Suddenly all the voices drop off and I whip my head around to see I'm standing on a cliff, next to Rumpelstiltskin as the wind slashes against my face and waves crash onto the rocks beneath us.
"You're not going to... are you?" I ask, and my voice wavers.
"Push you?" Rumpelstiltskin suggests, and he laughs. "Well of course I am dearie. I just hope Pan makes it in time, for your sake." He continues as he drags me towards the cliff edge.
I realize then, that if I am to survive, I need Peter. What if he doesn't come, a voice whispers to me, he said he didn't care. No, I shake my head, he wouldn't let me die, he said that.
But despite my concerns, I scream for Peter as we reach the ledge and Rumpelstiltskin tosses me off and I plummet towards the sea.
The water surrounds me and I tumble in its rough depths as I try to right myself. I will not die this way, I think as I furiously try to paddle upwards. But I don't know which ways up, and my arms are tied together so they can't aid me.
Suddenly I'm tossed aside by another wave and my side smashes into a rock wall. Pain bursts through me as I release the air from my lungs and my internal timer to reach the surface is shortened. But I keep searching for the surface.
The waves yank me sideways and I narrowly miss another rock as I try to right myself again. I start to lose hope as my lungs burn, and I feel myself drifting deeper. Still unsure as to which way deeper is.
I think of Henry, as my vision blurs and my arms stop flailing, and I hope he reunites with his parents and family. Then I think of Charlie and Felix, perhaps they can leave with David, and they can learn to be a family.
Lastly, as my oxygen runs out and my eyes begin to grow black spots, I think of Peter. I think of Peter, and how I wish I could stay with him, even if he thinks I betrayed him.
But then I crash into the rocks again and my mouth opens to take a breath of air. But instead of air, salty sea water pours into my lungs and burns down my throat as I slowly sink into unconsciousness.
Sorry for the cliff hanger guys! But I just had to. And yes, it's finally revealed, Ellie, Felix and Charlie are David's siblings! I know that in a lot of these fan fictions they're all related, sorry, but I couldn't help but do a stereotype in this one. It was just too easy and I wanted a connection between the Brights and Charmings. :)
I'll update in the morning, but until then I'm exhausted!
Have fun reading and let me know your thoughts! :)