Chapter Seven

Wicked

As soon as they got to the room with the trap door Bell locked it. The door was strong and sturdy. Gold clearly had wasted no expense with these warehouses. Peter pulled the heavy door open and Henry was the first inside. Peter pushed him down into the passage before jumping after him. It was then they heard a body slam against the door. Then what could only be a gun being fired at the lock. However, Gold had spared no expense on his warehouse and the lock held even against bullets.

'Come on out little Children' they heard Nimue say.

'The door won't hold for long, we have to run' said Wendy as she dropped into the tunnel.

Outside the Warehouse Emma and her forces were in a strange type of fight. Usually when she was in such a situation as this Emma was trying to win but here was just a diversion. So, they had to fight hard enough not to lose but not hard enough to win. It was a strange situation to fight aiming for average. Especially when it was usually the average police who were killed. The good ones were able to stay alive and the bad ones ran away. It was the ones who were not good enough to fight and who did not know when to cut their loses that got killed usually in these situations. She had made it so none of them were visible targets. The warehouse complex gave small but effective coverage to hide. Just as long as they kept the enemy at bay. But it was then and only then that she heard a hissing sound. She knew that sounds. It was a grenade. It came out of the second-floor window and landed just near to wear Ruby and Dorothy were hiding. The Wolf has heard it coming though and they had made a dash for it just in time.

'Shit' thought Emma 'we didn't count on them having a weapon like that one. We need to get out of here now. If another one of those things lands near to one of us, then we're done for'. She sounded the retreat signal. Maleficent would be last and she would provide the others with coverage using the Dragon. August, Graham, Ruby, Dorothy and Emma would retreat in that order. They got out one by one.

'So far so good' thought Emma. But then she heard the hissing sound again. Grenades made one hell of a sound and the only target left in danger was Maleficent. The grenade went off. Where Mal had been hiding. Ruby however was not called the Wolf for nothing. With a nod from Emma the red detective swooped back towards the fight. She emerged with an injured but alive woman on her back. They bundled into the van they had for retreat.

'Get to the hospital as soon as possible' said Emma. She could only hope they had bought Regina, Zelena and Peter enough time.

Zelena spun around at the sound of the gunshot. What had happened was so fast that she missed it entirely but it takes time to describe. Hades had come around from the bend on the other side when Zelena had her back turned and putted the gun at her intended to take her out. But he had underestimated how dangerous Cora's knife was. He had thought she would lounge at him but instead she had flung the knife straight into his chest. She had hit his upper stomach and he was bleeding out. He slumped down the wall and pulled the blade from his body but the blood flowed freely now. Cora too had slumped down the wall. She had been shot by Hade's just a second after her knife had left her hand. She smirked though.

'At least I took the bastard with me' she thought as she tried to keep her eyes open. She felt herself go limp as Zelena grabbed her. Regina still wounded crawled to their side. Cora smiled at them softly. 'My beautiful girls' she said before her eyes saw nothing. Zelena realized her cheeks were wet and Regina let out a silent scream. Hades meanwhile sloped to the ground, his eyes closed and he struggled for air. Regina tried desperately to wake up Cora. She pulled at her mother's hair still choking back sobs. In the end Zelena was about to pull her away and toward the trap door. But then she heard Hades voice.

'Help' he said 'please help me Zelena, forget about her I always loved you'. Zelena turned to look at him. She remembered the handsome men who had first offered her a wedding ring. A home for her and her daughter. But now things were very different.

'I won't help you. You're right you do love me but that would never have been enough for you. You've just killed my mother. A woman I spent my whole childhood dreaming about. She was a monster but she was my monster' with that Zelena raised her gun and shot Hades in the head. Finishing her mother's work. Regina was still clutching onto Cora's hand. Zelena pulled her sister up by the waist.

'You're still hurt and we need to get out of here. Nimue has certainly gone after your son. These are Gold's assassins. We don't want to have to rescue him a second time. One-time round was enough for heaven's sake.' Zelena slipped her gun away. She had no need to arm herself right now with Hades dead and Nimue gone. All the other henchmen of Cora's were certainly out by the front now. Emma and company would be keeping them very well occupied. Zelena half carried, half lead her sister down the hall of the warehouse heading back to the tunnel.

'Henry' she heard Regina croak out 'please be okay please dear Gods be okay'. Zelena brought Regina to the trap door before she heard Regina say 'contact Emma tell her to leave off the charge outside there is no more need for pointless fighting.' Zelena fumbled as she pulled out a walkie talky but it wouldn't connect. All she could hear was static. She gulped. Whatever was going on out there wasn't good.

Henry, Peter, Wendy and Bell emerged from the tunnel. They hurried towards the car they had left with Felix and Violet. They all bundled in, fumbling with seat belts.

'Quick, quick' said Peter 'before she' but too late one of the windows of the car shattered. Nimue stood out in broad daylight with her gun at the ready. She smirked and aimed again. The only one she wouldn't hurt was Henry. He was her bounty, her gold but the others where Deer head she would hang on her wall. She took aim again this time pointing at Peter. Henry shoved himself in front of his boyfriend. Nimue shook her head and instead aimed her gun at Felix. But then Henry struggled out of the car. His hands were up.

'Get back in here you fool' came Peter's voice but Henry ignored him.

'I will go with you' he said 'just please leave my friends alone. I don't want anyone to get hurt' he began to walk slowly over to Nimue as she lowered her gun and a smile plastered onto her face. But then Henry felt a hand grab his. It was Peter shaking his head repeatedly.

'I am not letting you go back. I am not letting you put yourself in danger' said Peter.

'You do not get a say in this Peter' said Henry 'she will kill all of you. I can't live with that'.

'He's quite right Peter' said Nimue 'how pretty the son of two women of the law and the city's biggest criminals standing as lovers'. Peter's eyes shifted to Nimue.

'No one will ever love you like me and Henry love each other. I want to be with him every day' said Peter. He pulled Henry out of the way and stood in front of Nimue. 'I want to spend every day I can with him. I won't let you take him away'.

'Now on your last day he will be your last thought' Nimue said 'how sweet'. She pointed her gun straight between Peter's eyes. But then there came the roar of another car. A large black car that swung around the corner. It took less than a minute before the car slammed into Nimue. The assassin was sent flying up and over the car. She came down again with a slapping sound as she hit the road. Her neck was twisted and broken. Her mouth was open and her eyes saw nothing.

Peter held onto Henry still not letting Henry get back into the car despite everyone's protests. He stared at the girl sitting in the car.

'Tiger Lilly' he choked out.

'Hey Malcolm' she said 'long time no see. I was hoping to meet you without having to run over someone but hell it couldn't be helped really. Not if I was to bring you back to your parents alive. Like your mother was very firm on'.

'My parents?'

'They've been looking…...we've been looking all this time' said Tiger Lily.

'Why send you though and not police or something like that' he said.

'I suppose all those tracking skills my father thought me came in handy, I'm sorry I took so long but' before she could continue Wendy interrupted her.

'I'm sorry to spoil this little reunion but we need to get the hell out of here. We almost got shot and you just ran over someone' she shouted 'we can continue this somewhere safe. For heaven's sake Peter call the lost boys and have them clean up the body we need out of here and now'. Peter nodded.

'Head to the Neverland. It will have my people there. We will be safe in the back rooms' he said. He got back into the car and both vehicles moved down the road. Peter pulled out his phone and texted in code to one of his boys to clean up the mess. They drove fast, breaking red lights.

'We're drawing far too much attention to ourselves' said Bell.

'So what, there were two of them said Henry 'another one could be behind us'.

'Unless your mother and aunt were able to finish them off' said Bell.

'Mum' said Henry and clutched Peter's arm 'we need to go back there. We need to make sure my mother and my aunt are okay'.

'No' said Peter 'it's you they want. Once you're safe I'll make sure to find out what happened to them. But don't worry Henry. As your mother, herself has said she is an Evil Queen and your Aunt, well she is Wicked.'

'But' said Henry.

'No buts' said Peter 'your mother told me to take you and run. That's what I am doing'. Henry hung his head.

'Wicked eh' said Felix 'that makes a lot of sense, I've also thought of Zelena as some kind of Witch with the way she gathers info for Regina'.

'She is a Wicked Witch' said Wendy more to herself than anyone else.

They arrived safely at Neverland and locked themselves into Peter's office. Tiger Lily and James looking around the grand room picking every tiny little detail. Henry sat in a corner by himself seeing nothing and everything at the same time. Wendy and Bell sat in another corner with their eyes closed. Awake or asleep it wasn't possibly to tell. Peter sat behind his desk head in his hands. Felix and Violet sat on one of the couches. Violet was looking at her feet. Felix was staring at his hands. Silence was the only voice in the room. It was Peter who broke it.

'We've had rather an exciting day' he said.

'I would call it terrifying' said Wendy 'I still don't know where my brothers are'.

'I can ask Ruby to track them down' said Henry.

'You mean the Red Wolf?' said Wendy 'Why would she help him?'

'Because I asked' said Henry.

'You would do that for me after what I did to you?' said Wendy.

'I am hardly doing it for you, it's to make sure you never do something like that to me again' said Henry. Wendy turned her head her head away and hid her face in the crook of Bell's neck.

'Do my parent's really want me back?' said Peter.

'Yes they do, they always have wanted you back' said Tiger Lily.

'It's strange. I always have this dream at night. I go home and try to get back into my room from the window I left but it's closed and I can't get in and James has taken my room over like he always wanted to' said Peter. James looked away.

'You never seem to have that when your sleeping with me' said Henry.

'I don't dream like that when you're next to me' said Peter.

'Could the two of you be any gayer' said Tiger Lily. Her and Peter's eyes mate for a fraction of a second and then they looked away again.

'I never wanted to go home' said Peter 'I wanted to stay here in Neverland. Run my Empire be feared and respected. Never go to school. Never have to be a man like my father. I am not going with you Lily'.

'That is all a lie. It is and was your biggest lie. If we could stay young forever, we all would Peter' said Henry 'being feared and respected is not your happy ending. I am'.

'You really are in love with him' said Wendy 'you've figured out what took me years to realize'. The silence continued. Only then there came a banging on the door.

'Henry' came a woman's voice. Everyone stood but Henry motioned for everyone to be quiet.

'It's okay I would know that voice anywhere its Ruby' said Henry. He pulled open the door to Peter's office to find the Red Wolf standing there. Out of breath. Henry knew then something was wrong.

'Whose hurt? What happened?' he said.

'It's your mother...I mean Regina. She's at Storybrooke Central. It's bad Henry' she said 'after you and the others escaped she was shot in the upper leg. The bullet hit an artery and she was bleeding out. Emma is there already. They need you'.

The doctor approached Zelena in the hospital waiting room.

'Your sister is in a stable but critical condition by now it is simply a wait and see situation' he said 'you can go in to see her'.

'I shouldn't be the one going to see her it should be Emma' said Zelena.

'No, it should be you. You saved her life and I abandoned her along with my son' said Emma.

'Oh stop acting so melodramatic' said Zelena 'my sister has been waiting for you to come back for years and you're finally here. Now go and see your wife'. Emma nodded and followed the doctor to the operation room. What greeted her was an ugly sight. Regina lay in a bed with only a hospital gown on. The bed operation bed had no pillows or blankets. Her leg was bound in bandages. Next to the bed was a table with many different surgical instruments-covered in blood. Emma clasped Regina's hand.

'This is all my fault I never should have left all those years ago. If I hadn't then none of this would have happened not any of it' Emma felt the tears coming out of her eyes. She shook and cried.

'No, it's mine' came a voice from behind her. She turned to see their son standing there. He wasn't crying. But the look on his face made Emma wish he was. Anything tears even would be better than the grim expression he wore.

'How is it your fault?' said Emma.

'I pursued a relationship with one of the most dangerous men in Storybrooke. I was going to run away from him. Leave both you and Regina behind. I was just looking to run away from my problems' he said.

'Guess that is something you got from me' said Emma 'running away from your problems and the interest in bad boys'.

'He's not all bad' said Henry.

'There you go again always trying to see the good in people, even when they are dark' said Emma 'I wonder where you got that from. It's certainly not from me or Regina'. Mother and Son then hugged one another.

'Please don't run away with Pan' Emma said 'before all of this happened me and Regina were talking about how we can be a family again but it will take all of us. Zelena has found a good marriage counsellor. Please Henry give us another chance'.

'I will' said Henry 'but it's not going to be easy'. Mother and son held onto one another tightly both prayer that the third member of their family would be okay.

'If she is not' said Henry 'I'm not going anywhere'.

'Neither am I' said Emma 'but what will you say to Peter about it all, don't forget he's still Storybrooke's number one criminal'.

'I'll talk to him and figure something out' said Henry.

Zelena lead Lily down a corridor to where Maleficent was being kept.

'She is not in a critical condition and is very stable' said Zelena 'she is a lot better off then Regina is'.

'Any more word on her?' said Lily. Zelena shook her head and Lily walked past her and into the hospital room where her mother was.

'No her condition remains very critical' said Zelena. She pulled open the door to Maleficent room and Lily slipped passed her and to her mother. Mother and Daughter hugged.

'Never come out of your retirement again for Regina or anyone else' Lily said 'I'm putting the dragon down for good'. Her mother laughed.

Peter had thought it best to not go in with Henry. He stayed in the public café of the hospital when Ruby took Henry to the private waiting room. Ruby then came back with Dorothy. The pair left with Bell and Wendy. Ruby was going to track down Wendy's brothers. Felix had left to take Violet home. This left Peter with his brother and Tiger Lily.

'I want to apologize' James said to Peter.

'For what?' said Peter.

'For the things I said to you when you left home' he said 'I was wrong. You will always be my brother, no matter what. I was just angry'.

'At me being gay?' said Peter.

'No. Because you hurt Tiger Lily. I had always had a crush on her and then she ends up with you and then you hurt her' James looked down at his hands 'it was a lot for me to process but it doesn't excuse what I said'.

'Peter' said Tiger Lily 'when I saw you with that boy it hurt me a lot but it didn't give me the right to out you in the way I did. Your sexuality is your own and it was yours to tell not mine. I am so sorry. I never should have done it'.

'I'm sorry too. Sorry I lied to you and sorry I cheated on you. It was very wrong of me Tiger Lily' said Peter. Silence fell on the three of them then. Around them they heard the hustle and bustle of the hospital Doctors and Nurses going about their business. Sick patients. Relatives. James took a sip of his coffee. Tiger Lily went to get some more tea.

'You still drink Early Grey' said Peter.

'You always remember' she said 'tell me about that boy now, Henry, isn't it? He must mean a lot to you for you to rescue him like that. Also, I think you have a bit of a story for us. How did Malcolm Barrie the boy I mate all those years ago in the gardens end up being Peter Pan? A powerful and respected criminal ruler of Storybrooke'.

'It's one hell of a story' Peter said.

'I think he have time to hear it' said James 'but first, are you coming back to our home? Mum has always missed you.'

'I need to talk to Henry about that' said Peter 'before he was kidnapped by Gold and his men I was planning on running away with him'.

'What makes him so special?' said Tiger Lily.

'A lot of things' said Peter 'he's a lot like you Lily. I did care about you, just when I was with you it was always missing that spark. I'm sorry about that. Henry always tries to see the good in everyone. Even in me. He believes in people even when they've done terribly things. He has the heart of the truest believer in people if you ask me. You know he once said to me he wanted to be a writer. I think he should'. James waved his hand.

'How about you start from the start' he said 'what happened after you left home?' Peter took a deep breath and began his story.

Dr. Whale gathered Henry, Emma and Zelena into the private waiting room.

'The mayor's condition is worsening he have no choice but to operate on her. We were able to remove the bullet and stitch her up when she came in but the artery won't close properly. This could soon result in internal bleeding. If we don't seal the artery soon then she may die from lack of blood internally'.

'How dangerous is this surgery?' said Zelena.

'It is difficult to say' said Whale 'but the success rate is very high. She should be okay'.

'You don't sound very confident' said Emma.

'I am cautiously optimistic Miss Swan' said Whale.

'It's the cautious part that worries me' said Emma. Dr. Whale did not respond to that only turned and left to prep for surgery. Emma slumped in a chair 'she can't die. This can't be the end of our story. I don't know what I will do without her.' Henry sat down and clasped his mother's hand.

'It's all my fault' he said 'if I hadn't gone after Pan then none of this would have happened. Regina would be okay still'.

'Don't talk like that this isn't your fault' said Emma 'it's all mine none of this would have happened if I don't run away from my problems when'-

'Stop it the both of you' said Zelena 'we can argue all day later about whose fault this is. Right now, though Regina needs all of us'.

'Wicked' said Henry 'in the good way I mean' as Zelena rolled her eyes at her nephew. They sat in the waiting room huddled together. Praying for the best and at the same time preparing for the worst. Emma and Zelena both closed their eyes as the sunlight from the window began to fade. But Henry couldn't sleep. He let go of his mother hand and got to his feet and went for a walk. He headed to the café. He wanted some chocolate. It was there he saw Peter, James and Tiger Lily. Peter stood up and came over to greet him.

'How is your mum and Maleficent?' he said.

'My mother needs more surgery but Mal is okay' said Henry.

'We need to talk you know. Things have changed' said Peter.

'I know. I wanted to get away from here before everything got this complicated. I knew it would' said Henry.

'It's Storybrooke Henry' said Peter 'there is always something going ask you mothers they will tell you all about it.

'I guess so' said Henry 'I know we have to talk but I can't right now. Not with my mum'….

'I know it's okay' said Peter 'is there anything I can do?'

'Just hold me please' said Henry. Peter did so and Henry allowed himself to slacken in his arms.