Bane of His Existence

Chapter Twenty-One

When the leader of the heroes' rebellion entered into the main tent again, followed by Ella, Henry, Regina, Jack, as well as a few others within the camp, the Queen of Storybrooke swiftly made her way back over to Hook who was resting on a makeshift cot until they came inside, then struggled to sit up despite her efforts to keep him lying down for his own good as he assured her that he was really alright again thanks to her healing. Henry also walked over to sit down next him at the bottom of the cot once Hook's feet touched the floor to make room for anyone else who wanted to sit down.

Princess Tiana looked to the three of them who just returned from Neverland as she asked firmly, "Regina, you have accused one of us here of being a traitor, which is a very serious accusation. I'd like to know why you think it's possible. Tell us all again, what happened to you while you were in Neverland?"

Regina looked over at Hook, until Rumplestiltskin walked into the tent to stand with them, then she turned back to the woman standing before her as she spoke up saying, "We were attacked by Peter Pan and his Lost Boys when we finally arrived at Dead Man's Peak, where the island's magical spring resided on top of. Hook and my son remained on the ground to fight them, while I used my power to transport myself to the top so I could gather the water we needed. However, Gothel appeared as well before I could. She used her own power to then expel the magic in order to render the waters magicless. I failed…"

"We failed," the pirate captain quickly corrected her. "I was wounded protecting Henry when Pan attempted to kill him. They cared for me despite that demon using his own magic to neutralize Regina's until his power wore off. She healed me and then we returned home, as soon as we could. They saved my life."

"You saved mine first," Henry replied proudly, patting his friend's shoulder as he did so.

Tiana nodded as she processed what they were saying, then asked again, "And you believe that Gothel being there in Neverland to stop you, is because someone here told her you three were going to be traveling there to collect the magical waters?"

Regina stood up to face her head on while she answered sternly, "I know that the protections spells I put up around this camp, are secure. No one with magic can look in to spy on us. Which means the only way that witch could have known what we were planning… where we would be, is if she has someone amongst us who's been feeding her information. Someone here is a traitor. We need to find out who."

"I can't imagine anyone here would knowingly betray us," Ella responded quietly in disbelief, as Henry reached up to take her hand and then stood beside her. "We're a family and we all fight together for the same cause. Because we can't stand the injustice brought upon us by my stepmother and stepsister. Or by Gothel. There must be another explanation."

"I wish that there were," Henry replied, then looked over at his mother. "Perhaps there's a way we can find out for sure. Mom… do you think you can cast a spell that will expose a traitor amongst us if there is one?"

Jack looked over at his friend of a few years worryingly and then the others, including Hook while he stated, "That isn't gonna be necessary. The traitor is me."

Henry stared at him in shock as he uttered, "I don't believe that. It can't be true. You and I have been friends…"

"For years now," the giant slayer finished for him before his friend could continue trying to defend him. "Look… I didn't want to hurt anyone. I never wanted Hook to be hurt, or for the three of you to lose the opportunity to help him cure the poison over his heart. She didn't say why she wanted to know what you were up to."

"She?" Regina asked crossly while she too stood up and took a few menacing steps towards Jack. "You mean Gothel?"

He nodded and then continued, "Yes. She and Drizella came to me not long after you three and Ella joined our rebellion. At first, they wanted information about all of our plans, but I refused. I could never betray all of you because you're my friends, just like Ella said. You're my only family."

Henry said coldly, "And yet you did betray us."

"No… I betrayed Hook," Jack retorted with a shake of his head and glanced over at the pirate nervously and watched him bow his head after he had seen the sadness in his eyes. "Gothel kept coming to me several times asking me for information. For some reason, she saw that I was capable of doing what no one else here would. I didn't want to believe her at first, but then she made a threat. She threatened me, but I didn't care if she killed me to protect you. However, she threatened to kill Ella too. So… I gave her something else she might have wanted even more. I knew about the witch's obsession with him and I told her I could keep her informed of his whereabouts and his plans. Hook's never really trusted me and he wasn't ever shy about making it known either. We've never really gotten along well, though I'll admit he certainly tried more than I ever did. I'm not proud of what I did, but Gothel left me no choice."

"Now you really are more like Lando Calrissian from The Empire Strikes Back than you ever were… you slimy, double crossing, no good swindler," the hero and Author answered darkly, until his eyes saddened. "Hook is my closest friend and like a father to me, just as my true stepfather is. You knew that."

More angrily, Regina then shouted, "Your choice almost got Hook killed! You made it so that we failed to get the spring's waters needed to help heal his heart. And so that he and his daughter still can't be together."

Jack answered curtly, "I know and I'm sorry."

At last, Hook stood from the cot as well and quietly left the tent to be alone for awhile without a word to anyone despite him still feeling weak as everyone watched him leave, then Henry continued, "You may have been given a tough decision, Jack… but there's always another option. You should have come to us the first time Gothel threatened you and Ella. We would have protected you both as we've always done. But I think I understand why you felt you had to protect Ella yourself. Because you're in love with her too. Aren't you?"

"I didn't realize you knew," he responded in frustration. "Or suspected. I never meant for it to happen because I knew how much you loved her. And she you."

"I could never love you as I love Henry," Ella replied sadly. "Not even before this betrayal. But I did think of you as a good friend. Now I can't think of you in that way anymore."

Jack nodded as he answered, "I know. I also know that I don't deserve your forgiveness for what I've done. However, I really am sorry. Like I said earlier. What's going to happen now?"

Tiana looked between the others within the tent as if to seek their approval for the form of punishment she felt was right and then she sternly responded, "There's more than one way we could deal with this. However, I feel that the best choice for everyone is to inform you that you're hereby banished from our camp and our rebellion. You are not to come back here again. I am grateful for what you've done that's been of help to us, Jack. But we can't trust you won't ever betray us again. If you can prove yourself…"

"I will," he quickly stated, then looked over at his own closest friend again. "You told me that by the end of Star WarsThe Empire Strikes Back, Lando redeemed himself and became a hero alongside the others. I hope to do the same. If you ever need me for anything… if you're ever in a battle where you're outmatched and need me to fight alongside you, I'll be there."

"I hope so," Henry replied, then watched as Jack finally left to leave their camp until his mother walked past him to leave in search of Hook and he immediately followed after her.

Regina was about to head down towards the river that flowed nearby on a path through the woods surrounding them, but her son suddenly stopped her as he grabbed her wrist and put his finger to his mouth to keep her from speaking, then he pointed off in the distance where he saw Alice watching her father from a far distance on the hill she was standing on.

The Queen watched as the young woman finally walked down to talk with Hook while Henry spoke again saying, "It looks like they're going to be needing some time alone."

Regina nodded and faced her son again, then answered, "You're right. Let's hope she'll be the comfort and assurance he needs right now. Especially after Jack's revelation."

"He's going to be alright, Mom," her son whispered quietly. "And later, once Alice leaves him again like she has to, you can be there for him like you have been since we learned she was his daughter he's been trying to find all those years. And I'll go be there for her. We'll find a way to help them."

"I hope so," she responded sadly, then she and her son finally turned and walked back to their camp to give Hook and Alice the space they needed without the two of them spying on them.