Emma shut her eyes to the sight of Neverland's tropical shore and opened them to the deck of the Roger. Her fingers trembled within Hook and David's tight grips. David was the first to let go, inviting the cool morning breeze to dry her sweating palm.
Mary Margaret's arms were crossed as Emma caught her looking out to the far away shore. She must have been watching them as they transported from the island to the ship.
"Snow," David exclaimed with relief.
Turning her attention to the new party, Mary Margaret smiled joyfully at Emma. She quickly ran over and threw her arms around her. "You had us so worried," Snow muttered as she pulled away to look at her tired daughter.
"Where's Henry?" Emma asked tentatively. The door across the deck swiftly opened, revealing Henry and all his eagerness.
"Mom!" He shouted with a wide smile as he ran over. His cheeks were flushed pink again. The darkness in his eyes was gone and replaced with the youthful brightness of her long lost son. He looked alive again. His ripped and dirtied clothes were the only reminder of the monster that Emma and Hook encountered the previous day.
At first glance, Emma was overjoyed by this sight. She took a few steps toward him with outstretched arms when suddenly Henry abruptly tripped over his own feet. He fell flat against the hard wooden planks of the ship. Everyone gasped as Regina, who had followed Henry out from the lower levels ran over to his side. Emma could feel her alarms go off as Henry slowly regained his footing.
Hook took a casual step between the boy and her. "It'll take a while to find your sea legs, lad."
Henry grinned innocently as he began to close his distance between with Emma at a calmer pace. "Mom," his smile slowly returned.
Emma hugged him back tensely. She threw on a false grin as she faced him head-on. She could feel Hook tense up by her side as she convincingly kissed Henry's forehead, "Are you okay?"
Henry looked back up to her with a boyish smile and nodded, "Yeah, I'm feeling a little better. I missed you." She looked down to his feet where there was no shadow protruding out to the west. Unlike everyone else on board, Henry was the only one that didn't a shadow.
"I don't have one anymore." Henry frowned as he read her thoughts. "I guess it was just the price of getting away." She was taken aback by his honesty, but then again, they were always honest with each other for the most part. If he were still truly Pan, would he have brought up the shadow in front of everyone else?
"Come Henry," Regina took his hand, "Let's give her a few minutes. You still have some breakfast to eat downstairs." Henry gave Emma another innocent smile before following Regina. Just as he turned, Hook noticed the subtle smirk twitch up his lip.
"He told us everything," Snow mumbled down to Hook and Emma, who were sitting together at the table in the Captain's Quarters. "Emma it's a miracle that you two were able to escape in the first place. Now you want to go back to the island?"
"That's not Henry," Emma snapped, gripping the ends of the desk. "I'm telling you that the kid I just saw is not my son."
"Who is he then?" Regina crossed her arms angrily.
Emma dropped her shoulders, "Pan."
Regina scoffed and turned to face the window. Snow exhaustingly closed her eyes.
"I'm serious you have to believe me!"
"I agree that something is not right," Hook interrupted, "the boy is far too chipper. He was under the possession of an evil spirit until just recently and apparently also had his shadow ripped from his being. Any child that undergoes such suffering would have a hard time talking, let alone smiling."
"Excuse me Captain, but you would think that I would be able to tell if Peter Pan possessed my son's body."
"Indeed," Hook's voice lowered, "it is rather troubling that you cannot distinguish your son from a malicious demon."
Regina rolled her eyes and swallowed her animosity towards the pirate. "It's clear that the two of you have let the trauma of the island confuse your better judgment."
He suddenly slammed his hook against the table in frustration as he stood to tower over Regina, "Do you think that the boy is capable of doing this?" He lifted his shirt to reveal the healing pink scar that ran across his chest.
Snow winced, "Okay, let's just give this some time. You two must be exhausted. Let's just relax for a few hours and continue this conversation when David and Gold get back later."
Emma's eyes darkened with impatience, "I refuse to go back to Storybrook until Henry is safe and away from that monster."
"This is quite enough," Regina snapped. She stood from her chair and took a few paces over to the door. "I will not sit here and argue over something so ridiculous. You can deny Henry's sanity all you want, Miss Swan. You're only hurting your chances with him when we return home." She swiftly left the room, slamming the door on her way out.
"I made a promise to her," Hook gestured over to Emma, "that I'd retrieve her son to safety. I intend on holding myself accountable to my word."
"But what if he really is Henry?" Snow countered, "Think of how this will affect him if he finds out that his own mother doubts his identity."
Emma could feel herself tremble with aggravation. The longer they spent arguing, the longer Henry was alone and still in danger. If this really was another one of Pan's tricks, then what has become of Henry? Was he still a shadow, now detached from his body and held captive? Was he fully repressed into his being, now existent only in suppressed thought? Could a shadow be held captive?
How could David and Mary Margaret not trust them? Trust her?
"I know Pan better than anyone on the ship," Hook spoke with resolve, "Give me today and tomorrow to prove that he is an imposter. In two days' time, if I have not convinced the lot of you then I'll return you all to Storybrook."