A/N: Hey guys! This chapter is remotely on time. =P
We're back on track with Pan next chapter which is very exciting.

Stick with me to the end guys; we're almost there.

Enjoy! xx

Secrets

The Enchanted Forest - 94 years ago...

"Wendy," Indigo laughed, reaching for the bracelet that her daughter was fidgeting with. Each year, Indigo had made a new charm for the bracelet.

"But mummy," the five-year old whined, still slipping the charms between her small fair fingers.

"When you're older," Indigo replied haughtily. Her daughter pouted at her, a tantrum storming in her eyes as she reluctantly handed the jewellery back over, jumping down from her stool and running out of the room. As Indigo clasped it around her wrist, she was greeted by the sound of a light cough from behind her.

Spinning around slowly in painful anticipation she spotted the mirror that had begun to show Cora's face. Gulping, she said, "Yes my queen."

"I require payment my dear," Cora said sharply.

"Whatever you desire," Indigo replied, looking at the woman with the same cold eyes she showed her. Inside this cottage she had lived comfortably for years – she knew it couldn't last forever.

"I need a problem…eradicated."

Indigo breathed in deeply, hearing her daughter's happy babbling and looking up at Cora saying with the most forced smile she'd ever had to perform, "Just tell me who."

Present Day

"Look ladies and gents," Indigo started, "I don't want to spill my deepest secrets so I'm sure you'll understand if I stand back."

"But you could be so much help Indigo!" Snow exclaimed.

"We don't have time for this. Neal's trapped – "

"Let's go then." David was tired of the talking and eager to get into the action, despite Indigo knowing that they were all going to hate each other when they came back to her. As they all filed out of the clearing, Hook caught her arm and asked, "If you don't want to come, at least help."

"What do you want me to – Oh! Distract Pan?"

"Read my mind love," Jones smirked before following after the others.

Indigo outwardly groaned as she was left alone before she looked up into the foliage of the trees and jumped upwards, landing lightly in the trees.

"Oh Indigo," she muttered to herself as she stood up, watching the heroes, like ants trekking through the jungle, "You're far too much like Pan."

Spreading herself across the island, jumping from tree branch to tree branch, from limb to limb, was an incredibly freeing experience. Until of course, the distinct sound of chattering began to echo through the camp. Indigo smiled with the knowledge that she still had access to the camp; her status as a lost one was unable to be retrenched by Pan. Perhaps that was only able to be done by Felix…or even herself.

Either way, as Indigo got closer, she saw the boys milling about, a little less lively than they should be. It was as though they were being cooped up there, Pan's plans excluding them far too much for their liking. They should have realised in the past few centuries that he worked alone.

Indigo supposed he had some sort of relationship with him beyond them being minions. But it didn't mean much when the boy didn't know how to feel.

Of course, with those thoughts came the presence of a lightly muscled chest leaning against her back as a hand covered her eyes…the other winding its way around her throat. It was both playful and a warning.

"I wasn't expecting you back again so soon Indigo," Pan whispered dangerously in her ear.

"Do you really think I came unprepared?" she replied, her dagger in her backward bent hand, digging sharply into the cloth covering his stomach.

"Of course not my dear," he replied, taking his hand from her eyes and attempting to wave away the knife, allowing her time to twist around to face him, bringing it up to his face, impervious to the magic he'd tried to use to rid her of the weapon.

"Do you really think I'm that weak?" Indigo asked in astonishment. "Come now Pan. We understand each other."

"You know why I want to kill you," Pan responded, trying to cover up the fear that flashed through his eyes.

"Yep," Indigo smiled cheekily. "But you haven't. An entire island under your control; a fleet of lost boys to do your bidding – and still you haven't killed me."

"I was actually rather hoping you'd follow your friends to the Echo Caves. No matter," Pan shrugged. "I'm sure their secrets will destroy them. I was just curious to know yours."

"We're going to get Neal back," she said strongly.

"I don't doubt it Garcia," Pan smirked. "In fact, it's already accomplished. And everyone revealed their darkest secrets just in time for tea," Pan continued with a shrug. "I don't know about you, but I think that's a job well done."

"Oh," Indigo nodded in appreciation, playing Pan at his own game. "It is. And congratulations. One thing you didn't factor into account was me though." She spread her fingers loosely, imitating the jazz hands of the land without magic. "No deep dark secrets here."

"Really Indigo," Pan said with a smirk as he pushed aside her dagger and pulled her to her feet; his arm held tightly around her waist. She didn't bother struggling as he tilted his head close to her. "You've lived a long time." He was too close now; his breath was on her cheeks as Indigo gasped in a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. Pan began to trace his fingers up her arm, gently teasing her with a malice that came in his words. "There has to be something you've hidden," he whispered, his mouth in her hair, moving against her ear. "Many things." His teeth nipped at her earlobe, her heart beating increasingly faster as she fought the urge to react to him. "All that darkness," he murmured against her jaw line as his hands caught her hips and pulled her closer. "How much you want me."

Indigo sobered up at that, looking up at him with both hands firmly placed on his chest and saying, "I feel I could never match how much you want yourself Pan. Your ego needs its own world; I understand why you insist on owning Neverland now."

Pan let out a breath that sounded curiously like a laugh. "Well, you'll tell me sooner or later Indie," he continued, kissing her on the cheek and stepping back. "Until next time, lover."

And as Pan disappeared only to find himself back in his tree house across the campsite, his smile fell. His racing heart began to slow, and he collapsed onto his bed, not willing to admit just how empty it was – how empty he was – without the girl with the glowing hair.

The Enchanted Forest – 92 years ago…

"I've paid you Your Highness," Indigo whimpered, the princess scowling at her through the mirror. "I've…executed all of your plans."

"You think I haven't realised what you've been doing?" Cora responded. "You've been lazy; leaving trails. I expected the simplest of magic from you Indigo Garcia. Instead you act as a commonplace assassin. Tell me honestly, you have no magic."

"I do!" Indigo yelled back at her, before clapping her hadn't over her mouth in shock at the tone she had just used. "Your highness, I'm so sorry-"

"You're required at the palace Indigo," the princess said coldly. "Bring your daughter."

It was mere hours before Indigo was ascending the palace steps, through the gates easily with Wendy's hand clasped tightly in her own. She could not refuse royalty - especially particularly magical ones - however much she wished that Wendy never set foot there again.

"What are we doing here mum?" the child asked, as she continuously tried to pull her hand from her mother's. "Isn't this the palace of the evil-"

"Shh Wendy."

The guards opened the doors quickly and they ascended to the throne room directly.

"Seize her," the princess's voice came lazily.

Indigo let go of her daughter's hand quickly as her wrists were placed in chains. Wendy cried out for her mother but a woman came to take her away.

"What shall we do with you Indigo Garcia?" Cora began. "Your misdirection…your lies…I cannot let them go unpunished."

"Then punish me," she begged, looking out at the corridor down which her daughter had disappeared. "But please don't hurt Wendy."

"Oh," Cora shook her head. "I assure you. No harm will come to your daughter. In fact, she is merely befriending Regina as we speak."

Indigo looked down as she was thrown to her knees before Cora's feet. Her bright red shoes strolled around her in a circle. "Banishment?"

She winced as the word was thrown at her. Banishment to where? Neverland? The land without magic?

And what of Wendy?

"Your daughter still has value," Cora mused. "She'll make a good asset."

She's descended from far purer royalty than you, was all Indigo could think in that moment until the full impact of Cora's words hit her.

"Please," Indigo asked, looking up suddenly at the heartless woman. "Let me say goodbye."

"By all means," Cora continued, vanishing her cuffs with a swipe of her hand. "Second door on the left."

Indigo practically ran to find her daughter, Cora safe in the knowledge that she wouldn't run. No. This was a bargain that Indigo knew was the only way to save her daughter from the streets and give her…a mother.

Tearing into the room, Indigo fell to her knees, her arms surrounding her daughter in a suffocating hug.

"Oh my Wendy-bird," she murmured into her honey coloured hair, clutching her to her body as she fought back tears. "Be brave."

"Mum?" she asked quietly, fear in her eyes.

"This is for you," Indigo said hurriedly, trying to remove the bracelet from her wrist, but her shaking hands making it impossible.

"Don't mummy," Wendy said, placing her hand gently on the chain before pulling a small charm from her pocket saying, "I made this for you."

And there upon her palm lay a small dagger, moulded in the shape of hers – the one she had carried for centuries. Indigo felt a single tear slip down her cheek as Wendy hooked it onto her bracelet. Her daughter leaned up to kiss her cheek saying, "Be brave mummy."

"I'll come back for you," Indigo promised, pulling her back into a hug. "I swear I will."

Looking over at the young girl who was watching them across the room with innocent observational eyes and dark hair, Indigo muttered, "Look after her Regina."

She nodded as Indigo stepped out of the room, walking slowly to the throne room with Cora looking down at her from her throne.

"You've said your goodbyes?"

Indigo nodded as Cora said to the apparently empty air, "Use the bean; send her through."

She braced herself for the sudden magic of the portal, but it didn't come. Instead, she felt the barest whisper of air coming from down the hall. Opening her eyes, Indigo looked up at Cora curiously before the direction of the wind hit her and she ran back down the hall.

But by the time she reached Regina's room, her daughter was long gone.

Indigo fell to her knees, hopelessness spreading outwards from her heart as Cora's hand touched her shoulder. Her skin was like ice; the notion not even remotely comforting.

"What have you done?" Indigo breathed so lightly it was almost impossible to hear. Her breaths were coming in gasps, catching in her throat much too often to constitute normal breathing. This couldn't be happening.

"I sent her to a place where she'll be safe; a land far from here."

"You can't know that Cora," Indigo said suddenly, standing up and turning to face the woman. "You can't know she'll be safe." She began to advance, a fire burning in her fuelled by her place at the lowest point of her life. What else could she do, but feel rage? "What have you done?" she repeated angrily, her palms heating, beginning to glow red.

Cora's lips began to slip into a cold smile as small flames burned in Indigo's palm. As Indigo looked down at the magic escaping her for the first time in eight years before looking up in shock as Cora spoke again.

"I did exactly what I intended my dear. Now, I expect you to do exactly what I say."

Present Day

"Baelfire," she commented, acknowledging the new addition as everyone arrived back. "Nice to see you."

"Likewise Indigo," he replied.

"So that went well," Indigo said to Hook as the group came filing back to the campsite, all stony faced and silent.

"I told them that I may feel something…more, for Emma."

Indigo nodded, needing a distraction from her recent encounter with Pan. "That was brave."

"It was my secret. I understand why you didn't want to go," he continued, shivering as he watched Neal pass by Emma carefully.

"No one needs to know more than necessary about me."

"And what about the necessities?" Hook enquired. "How much does Snow really know about you? Emma knows nothing. I feel like sometimes even I don't know things."

Indigo looked up at him and gulped.

"There's something…"

"Yes love?"

"Nothing," she shrugged, getting up and going to sit with the others. Pulling him up with his good hand she said, "Let's go fill them in on me then."

As they came back into the clearing, Indigo called everyone together so that they were sitting in a circle. Lighting a small fire by magic, Indigo started slowly.

"I was born over a thousand years ago," Indigo started watching as Hook sank backwards comfortably, having heard the story before. "In a kingdom named Hainor as a Princess."

"But…Hainor was the name of our kingdom," Snow protested, "Long before I was even born."

"Times have changed," Indigo answered, glancing over at Hook as she continued, "Names have changed."

"How is that possible?" Emma asked suddenly. "How can you still look eighteen?"

"I can't age while I use magic," Indigo explained. "Every day I use it, I stay still. I stay an eighteen year old girl."

"You couldn't have shared this Garcia?" Hook enquired. It had been mere weeks for her since she'd last seen him. He had barely changed at all. As if he wanted to live for longer than he had to. Centuries was enough. She'd kill for her life to just...end.

"But, hang on," Snow began, "If you don't age or change, how did you have your daughter?"

Indigo froze, her eyes widening on Snow. Why would she bring that up?

Her eyes moved to Snow from David, darting everywhere, looking anywhere but at the one person in the group who she needed to. It was Emma who realised finally, mouth widening in an 'o' of comprehension. But Indigo didn't wait for anyone else to say anything. Instead she did what she knew; she ran.

Snow went to follow after her, immediately regretting bringing it up. But David's hand flung out to stop her looking pointedly over at Hook who was gazing after Indigo's back. His face was a mask of confusion as though he honestly hadn't realised where that was going. But he didn't need anyone's words to tell him to run after her, he was gone within a moment.

Killian Jones was pushing aside branches left, right and centre in search of Indigo, but he didn't have to go far. Down the hill, she was standing on a rocky outcrop, her arms bracing her body against the wind that was rushing through the jungle in the wake of the oncoming storm. Hook had never seen Indigo that sedate. She wasn't crying; she hadn't cried since he first met her, she was just still – looking out to sea longingly. His anger faded as he watched her like that, simply boiling in the pit of his stomach, a calm sort of rage

"She was a beautiful baby," Indigo started wistfully, not turning to look at him. "She had a smile that lit up the room. She loved the stories of the Enchanted Forest and the pirate who sailed on the seas…"

She took a breath before she turned to face him, her face looking deep into his eyes. They were the same. Indigo was torn between getting lost in them and stepping away from them. In the end, she confirmed what Hook had been concluding in his head by muttering, "She had your eyes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would I?" Indigo returned. "You had everything here. You had a life of beauty upon the seas; you had freedom. I didn't expect you to give that up; I didn't want you to."

"I would've given it all up," Hook answered, taking the few steps forward to her. "I would've given up everything for a family."

"You met her once," she continued, looking over at him, her eyes shining. "I suppose it paled to insignificance in comparison to the months you spent with Baelfire. She spent one night in Neverland. She told me that you were spying on Pan from the shadows of his island. She remembered you when I found her again."

Hook was confused by her words. Saw her…again? One day in Neverland. Nobody spent one day in Neverland unless…you were a girl.

"It was Wendy," Hook stated evenly, suppressing his anger once more and yet feeling a rush of affection when he realised that the girl was named after his mother. "Wendy is my daughter. And Cora destroyed her childhood. Pan…I hate him even more now. He's a demon in a boy's body."

"Pan never touched her," Indigo answered honestly. She'd heard that from both Wendy and Pan. In fact, Wendy had felt at home here, just like her mother. And Peter Pan had never wanted her.

Hook's hand made its way into hers as they sat out on the ledge. Eventually she grew tired of staring out to sea, holding back tears, and turned from him, letting go of his hand. Hook moved his hands to her shoulder, consoling her, as he felt her back rise and fall unevenly in silent sobs. He himself didn't know how to feel. This day was like losing a daughter he never knew he had.

"Is she," Killian breathed out, "is she okay?"

Indigo had to take in a deep breath before answering him. "She's grown up now. I missed twenty three years of her life."

Hook's fingers were running over her shoulder as he held back his own tears. He hadn't cried since Milah died. But with Indigo there, he knew in that moment it was okay. He pulled her around by her shoulder and looked her in the eyes and when they saw each other, they saw each other at their weakest once more.

Touching the dagger that he had taken from her upon his necklace she muttered, "When did you take this?"

"Before I left Neverland," he murmured as she touched her fingers to the cool metal.

"She made it," Indigo murmured, her voice catching. "Wendy made it."

And as Killian held her closely, she cried into him, and he mourned along with her – the life that they never had; and knew they never would.