Chapter 3
Tinkerbelle's Revenge
They were following where the map told them Pan's camp and Henry was. Suddenly the map showed Pan's camp was behind them. Hook told them "Pan, he's moved the camp".
Emma replied "if he can move his camp in an instant, this map is useless".
Tally said "not completely, it shows us where we are in Neverland. If we take a long way round Pan won't expect it and think we're going the wrong way".
"Or we can materialise in the camp and grab Henry" Regina proposed.
Emma said "because using magic worked so well the last time".
Tally commented "I didn't think it went well at all".
Mary-Margaret added "we don't know this island well enough to know where the camp is".
Hook said "plus Pan will have most likely have shields against magic, I fear using it will result in your death and more importantly mine".
Regina said "then what do you suggest we do".
Hook said "there's this fairy Pan trusts. I met her when I lived in Neverland. She can be an inside source".
Emma said "you mean Tinkerbelle"?
Hook asked "how did you know"?
Emma said "in the story of Peter Pan there was a fairy who followed him everywhere, Tinkerbelle. She helped the Darling children get to Neverland and back home with pixie dust. Every child has heard of Tinkerbelle".
Regina's face paled at hearing that name, Tinkerbelle was a fairy she had met before. Tally said "I haven't".
Mary-Margaret asked "why is that"?
Emma answered "sometimes when I got home I was so tired. So we decided it was Neal's job to read her bedtime stories. There were certain stories Neal never told her. When I asked him why, he said they freaked him out, I think now I know why those stories made him feel uncomfortable. The story of Rumplestilskin because he was his father. The story of Pinocchio because August persuaded him to leave me. The story of Peter Pan because Neal's been in Neverland, it's possible he has bad memories, in fact I'd bet on it. Now I believe we're wasting time, I'm the leader and I say we follow Hook's plan".
Regina said "fine, but believe me when I say this Tinkerbelle is not going to help us".
As they tried to find Tinkerbelle Regina tried to find another way. She suddenly suggested to Emma not to use her magic, but their magic together. Emma replied "not interested something I learnt about magic is it always comes with a price".
Regina said "sometimes not using magic comes with a price too".
Tally suggested "like stopping the diamond that would destroy Storybrooke".
Regina replied "exactly. Emma if we combine our magic we can overpower Pan".
Hook said "debatable, Pan is more powerful than you can imagine".
Emma said "we can't take any risks, not when we're trying to save Henry".
Regina said "I'm aware of that which is why I think we should take the chance".
Emma replied "I know you don't like this plan but let's at least see it through. Let's see if we can at least find Tinkerbelle".
Regina said "and you think it's the best plan because your boyfriend came up with it".
Emma said "my boyfriend, Hook? What's your problem"?
Mary-Margaret said "she just lost Neal".
Tally added "mommy loved daddy and Hook isn't daddy".
Regina said "sorry... I'm just worried about Henry".
As they walked along Hook noticed David wince and hold his side where he'd been shot. David had said it only cut his jacket but Hook could tell that wasn't the case. Hook asked "when are you going to tell her"?
David asked "tell her what"?
"I saw what happened to you, let me take a look".
David checked the other weren't looking and then lifted his shirt enough to show Hook his cut.
"I'm sorry mate"
"How long do you think I have "?
"Days, weeks at most, you won't see summer".
"And if had just been a nick".
"Why"?
David looked over at Tally and following his gaze Hook said "that poor child".
"She only has a nick, how long do you think she has"?
"If she was older I'd say three of four months, but she's not much older than a toddler, so a month and half, two if she doesn't exhaust herself too much".
"I don't want to tell them".
"But you have to".
"Maybe I don't".
"How is that"?
"Pixie dust, do you believe in this Tinkerbelle's power and her dust"?
"Indeed I do".
"Then let's go find her, and get that dust. It might have the properties to heal me and Tally".
They kept on trekking and Regina started slowing her pace, then stopped. Emma said "come on, you're falling behind, Hook says her place is just up ahead".
Regina sounding sceptic replied "if she even still lives there. You go waste you time searching, I'll stay here".
"Regina, what did you do to her"?
"Why would you assume I did something"?
Tally tugged on Emma's shirt "Mommy, I'm tired". Emma picked her up and Tally turned to Regina. "You want to save Henry, so you should be willing to try anything".
"She's right" said Emma, "so what did you do to her"?
Regina said "you don't need all the details, but if she sees me she won't help. And if she's our way in my staying out of her sight in probably best for Operation Henry".
Emma repeated "Operation Henry".
Regina sat down on a rock and replied "that's what I've been calling it in my head".
Tally said "Henry loves giving plans names and calls them Operation something".
Regina said "he would have a better name for it, but it's the best I could do".
Emma said "fine, we'll go find Tinkerbelle and then come get you".
Regina said "no, don't bother it's probably best if we never see each other".
Tally asked "aren't fairies forgiving"?
Regina answered "I'm not sure, I don't think so. And if you can't find her keep going and just save Henry".
Emma asked "what did you do to her"?
Regina replied "what I always do".
They climbed into a roughly built tree house. Before Mary-Margaret, Emma and Tally came up David tried to find fairy dust but Hook told him "she wouldn't leave dust just lying around mate, it's not here".
Emma came up and said "it's pretty bare, it reminds me of someplace".
She pulled up Tally and then Mary-Margaret came up "you would think a tree house would be more cheery".
Emma said "that's it, my childhood homes".
Mary-Margaret continued "because it's just a place to sleep".
Emma asked "what would you know about that"?
Mary-Margaret said "I didn't always a canopy bed and a palace. I had a place like this once"
"You did"?
"A tree stump, when I was running from the queen. Believe it or not I understand this Tinkerbelle. The real question is why does she have a ladder? Fairies have wings".
Tally suggested "maybe so friends can come visit".
Hook said "trust me, Neverland isn't the best place to make friends".
David picked up a white piece of material "I found something, a handkerchief".
Mary-Margaret recognized it "that's Regina, what is it doing here"?
Emma realised "she was tracking us, watching Regina".
Mary-Margaret said "but if she's been tracking Regina"...
Hook finished "we're in the wrong place".
Emma said to herself "what did Regina do to her"?
They rushed back to where they left Regina and found Tinkerbelle with Regina's heart in her hand. Tally ran out "no, don't hurt her".
They all came out and Tinkerbelle said "I don't have to hurt her, she does a pretty good job of that all on her own".
Tally asked "where your wings"?
Tinkerbelle said "I tried helping Regina, and although she took it she rejected the solution. I was flying back when Blue confronted me, I asked for her forgiveness but she wouldn't accept my apology and she said those words that destroy a fairy 'I don't believe in you'. Now you Regina, had you had just gone in, you would have been happy and I would still be a fairy, why didn't you go in"?
"You said I could let go of all that anger that was weighing me down, and I felt like without it I would just float away".
Tinkerbelle cried "that's what love is supposed to feel like. Give me a good reason why I shouldn't crush your heart"?
Tally said "fairies don't kill".
Tinkerbelle said "I'm not a fairy anymore, because of her".
Regina said "you're right, I never went in because I was afraid. I chose revenge over hope and you are holding the result, a small, hard, dark heart". Tinkerbelle looked at the heart, it was mostly dark with patches of light trying to get to get to the surface. "Now you're making the same choice, and if you kill me what you're looking at is your own future".
Tally commented "it looks like a giant prune"
Ignoring Tally's remark Regina said "now you can either kill me or act like the fairy you are".
Tinkerbelle replied "you said I was terrible fairy".
Regina said "then prove me wrong and help me get my son back".
Tinkerbelle asked "you love your son"?
With true happiness in her eyes Regina replied "very much so. With Henry I finally got something right".
Emma commented "even Neal once said she was an alright mother".
Regina asked "wouldn't you like to say the same thing".
Tinkerbelle said "it's too late for me. I won't kill you, but I won't help you either. It might already be too late, he's been with him for too long".
Hook said "Tink after all we've been through"...
Tinkerbelle said "I might not have a lot but I'd like to keep my life. If the leader of the fairies stopped believing in me what chance do I have against Pan".
Mary-Margaret said "but you know where Pan is"?
Tinkerbelle folded her arms replied "yeah, but it won't do a lot of good. And even if I wanted to he's too powerful".
Mary Margaret said "let us be the judge of that. Does he trust you"?
Emma asked "can you get us inside his compound"?
Tinkerbelle answered "maybe, why should I"?
Tally went right up to her and said "I still believe in you" and wrapped her arms around her legs causing a small smile in appeared on Tinkerbelle's face.
Emma said "if you can get us in, we'll take it from there".
Tinkerbelle pushed Tally off her legs, folded her arms and asked "and what do I get out of it other than a death sentence from Pan once you're gone with your boy"?
Tally asked "if he scares you why don't you leave"?
Mary-Margaret said "right, we could take you home with us, that is what you want isn't it"?
Tinkerbelle thought and finally said "alright, listen closely, Pan trusts me, he'll let me in. And maybe, just maybe I'll leave a way open for you. But you've only got one chance so you better have a good plan".
Emma replied "thank you".
Mary-Margaret offered "come with us to our camp and we'll figure something out". Tally put out her hand and Tinkerbelle nervously took it.
