Chapter 5

A Lost Boy Postbox

They took Tally to Neal's cave, Emma said "Tally this is where daddy lived as a boy. We're hoping to find a way to read a star map he made".

"But Peter Pan said"... Tally started.

Still not believing her Emma decided to explain in a way that even if what Tally thought was true. "Even if he did let daddy leave, he gave daddy the way to leave, and it might work for us too".

Emma saw something by the bed and went over to try and pull the mattress off so she could see. Hook asked "need a hand love".

Emma said "is that a joke"?

He replied "no, I'm being quite serious" and helped her pull off the mattress and saw number marks as everyone came round to see Hook said "it would seem Baelfire marked his days trapped here".

Emma saw and unfinished mark "he stopped counting here"

Tally asked "why daddy stop"?

Mary-Margaret said "because he got off the island".

Emma said "no, he was here longer".

David asked "then why did he"...?

"He stopped counting because he lost hope" answered Emma.

Regina asked "you got that from scribbles"?

Emma said "me and Neal fell in love because of how alike we were. I know because it's what I did every single time I went to a new group home. I counted the days until counting seemed pointless"

David could see what she was thinking by the look in her eyes "you think the same thing is happening to Henry".

Emma said "Pan said he would".

"We're going to rescue him".

Tally said "that didn't work when daddy and grandpa Gold got him".

Hook said "it didn't work because Baelfire isn't here lass".

Emma answered "we are coming to get him back, you know that and I know that but Henry doesn't know that. Pan wants him to lose faith".

"So you want to send him a letter" said Regina. "Because I haven't seen a Neverland Post Office".

Tally said "there's no post office in the jungle".

Emma said "Tally, she said that because it's obvious. We need to be clever, we need to send a simple sign, a sign that's we're here and we're coming"

Regina said "with Lost Boys running around trying to kill us".

Mary-Margaret said "maybe it's time we used that our advantage".

Regina asked "how"?

Mary-Margaret said "I'll show you".

As they left Hook said "I just want you to know I do know what it's like to lose someone you love".

Emma said "I know what this is, you trying to bond with me but save your breath I'm not in the mood".

Mary-Margaret, Regina, Emma and Tally were shredding vines and winding them together to make rope. Regina said "a trap, that's your plan".

Mary-Margaret replied "Lost Boys want to come after us we need to start going after them".

Tally asked "what if they're scary"?

Emma replied "we need to be brave in order to save Henry. And remember how scared you were of Grandpa Gold when you first met him"?

"Yes" replied Tally.

"Well, you stopped being afraid when I arrested him because you saw he was just human, so when we catch a Lost Boy you won't be scared of them anymore either".

Hook replied "you really think a Lost Boy is going to betray Pan".

Mary-Margaret still hard at work said "thanks for the advice. David we need more vines".

David went to get more vines "Pirate, you're coming with me".

Hook asked "why"?

Emma answered "because we need more rope".

Hook said "if the lady insists".

Tally mentioned "I don't like him".

"A sextant" said Emma "and you waited till now to tell us".

"I thought it was lost" said Hook

Tally asked "what's a sectent"?

Emma said "sextant, sailors used it to navigate using the stars".

Hook said "it's the best we've had yet of an exit plan and don't forget we're going to need it to get off this island".

Emma asked "what about Neal's star map".

Hook answered "it's useless as the only man who can read it is dead".

Emma said "then let's go get this sextant"?

Hook said "me and your father will go, you need to get that message to Henry, every day without hope is a day closer to becoming a Lost Boy".

David said "he's right,"

Mary-Margaret asked "you want to split up"?

David said "if Hook says splitting up is the best plan we need to trust him. It's the last thing I want to do but if there's a chance he can get us home".

Mary-Margaret said "okay"

David said "Emma while I'm gone..."

Emma guessed "listen to my mother".

David said "be careful, and when you send that message to Henry add something to it, tell him Grandpa love him"

"I will" said Emma. David hugged her which Emma found strange "good luck".

He bent down and said "Tally you be a good girl for mommy".

Tally said "I will".

He hugged her and said "I love you".

"I love you too grandpa" she replied.

As David faced Mary-Margaret she asked "is everything okay"?

As he hugged her he answered "yeah, I just need to go".

Mary-Margaret said "see you soon".

David replied "well, you know Neverland's a dangerous place, you never know what's going to happen".

As they broke apart from their hug Mary-Margaret said "you're going to be fine". David kissed Mary-Margaret on the head and then a more lingering one on the lips.

A while after Hook and David left Mary-Margaret, Emma and Regina put their trap into action. As a Lost Boy hunted a hog with his spear Mary-Margaret shot an arrow which dropped a net they'd made on him. They gathered round but as soon as Tally saw him she hid behind her mother's legs. Getting out of the net the Lost Boy cried "what are you doing, are you trying to start a war with Pan"?

Emma replied "Pan started the war when he kidnapped my son".

Regina said "but that doesn't make you our Enemy".

Tally said "that's the one who tried to kill me".

Trying to stick to the plan Emma said "but that was Pan's fault". Then she bent down and whispered in Tally's ear "we need him to help us but I promise he won't hurt you".

Regina produced a chocolate bar and held it out to the Lost Boy, he asked "what is that"?

"Chocolate" said Regina "I thought you might like the taste of something sweet".

Emma said "we don't want to hurt you, we just need you to deliver a message".

The Lost Boy asked "why should I help you"?

Emma said "you had a home and a family once and you lost faith you could get back to them, now we're here we can help not just Henry but all of you, we can get you home".

The Lost Boy threw the chocolate bar until the undergrowth before declaring "don't you get it I'm here because I don't want to go home, none of us do".

Emma said "Pan's a monster look what he did to you" gesturing to a scar on his cheek.

The Lost Boy said "oh Pan didn't do this Henry did".

Emma pushed him against a tree and whispered "that can't be true"

Regina used her magic to tie him to the Lost Boy said "it's too late, Henry is a lost boy now, your boy is one of the most vicious new recruits we've have had in ages". Mary-Margaret had to push her off him.

As they talked the Lost Boy said to Tally "do they know yet"?

Tally cringed and then said "no, all they should do is think how they can save Henry not worrying about me. I'm using it as motivation to get Henry back, when I die mommy will have Henry back and they can comfort each other".

The Lost Boy said "you're going to die so why do you care how she'll feel when it happens".

Tally said "because she's my mommy and I love her and I love Henry, but don't you know about love. Didn't anyone ever love you"?

The Lost Boy looked away "great thing about Neverland, you don't need love, just yourself".

Suddenly they heard a commotion and Regina came up to the Lost Boy and Emma said "Tally don't look as she held Mary-Margaret back as Regina ripped out the Lost Boys heart.

While Regina was giving the Lost Boys orders Emma released Mary-Margaret and Tally came over to them. Emma said "Mary-Margaret, I'm sorry".

Mary-Margaret looking angry replied "you don't need to apologize to me, it's Henry I'm worried about".

Tally said "I'm worried about him too, that Lost Boy said Lost Boys don't need love, but that sounds lonely".

Emma said "which is why I have to be willing to let Regina do whatever it takes to save him".

Mary-Margaret said "when we get to him I want to make sure the line is still there. Between what Regina is willing to do and what you are".

Emma said "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get him home, no matter the cost".

Mary-Margaret replied "the cost can't be this family".

Tally asked "why would it"?

Emma said "it wouldn't, and it won't be".

Regina came over with the Lost Boy behind her Emma said "okay let's give him that message".

Regina said "we're going to do more than that", she got a compact mirror out of her pocket and broke it in two and gave one half to the Lost Boy. "We're going to see him".

Later at Pan's camp Henry drew a house in the dirt missing his home and his family. The Lost Boy nudged him with his spear, Henry said "please, I don't want to fight again".

The Lost Boy said "I didn't come to fight came to deliver a message". He pushed Henry aside "your family is here, on the island, and they're trying to find you".

Henry replied "no, you're lying, you're trying to get back at me for cutting your cheek".

"It's not a lie, look" the Lost Boy said and then he gave him the mirror. In the mirror he saw his moms, Mary-Margaret and Tally.

In the mirror his family said his name and asked if he was alright, and if he could hear them.

Henry was shaking "no, this is a trick".

Emma said "it's not a trick, kid it's Operation Cobra rescue, it's us".

Henry said "you're really here".

Emma said "yeah, we're coming to get you".

At that point Peter Pan came back to the camp Henry said "Pan's coming, I gotta go".

They all said that they loved but Henry was already gone.

Soon after David and Hook came back, David went straight to Mary-Margaret and pulled her into a kiss. Regina asked where the sextant was Hook regrettably informed them that it was gone, that Pan must have gotten to it first. When David and Mary-Margaret stopped Mary-Margaret said "I'm not complaining but..."

David pulled her into another kiss Tally awwhed but Emma said "okay, I'm complaining"

Regina said "what I wouldn't give for another sleeping curse".

When David broke the kiss he told them Hook saved his life. He said "on our trek we were ambushed by Lost Boys, pinned down and outnumbered, and Hook risked his life to stop me from being shot by a poisoned arrow. If not for Hook I wouldn't be alive, I thought he deserved some credit".

Tally was confused, the whole time they'd been here David had despised Hook but know he was commending him.

Tally noticed her mommy and Hook going off to one side where they wouldn't be seen the others. Tally crept up to see what they were up to. Her mommy said "you and David aren't exactly as you say mates".

Hook replied "that doesn't mean I'd leave your father to die".

"Thank you"

"Maybe I do deserve a thank you".

"That's what the thank you was for"

"Is that's all your father's life is worth to you"?

Tally was confused how else could her mommy say thank you. Her mommy clearly knew, she said "oh please, you couldn't handle it".

"Maybe you're the one who couldn't handle it".

Tally's eyes widened at what happened next, she watched in horror as her mommy kissed Hook. She gave a cry and they saw her Emma took a step forward "Tally".

Tally ran back Emma looked back at Hook and said "that was a one time thing".

Tally didn't tell the others what she saw because she couldn't understand it herself. David came up to her and said "Hook really saved me by taking me to a spring that can cure Dreamshade. I got a bottle to give to you".

Tally said "after we save Henry I'd rather go home to die and stay here forever". David looked confused how did Tally know the price of the water. "When Pan took Henry back after Daddy and Grandpa Gold saved him he told him there was a cure but I'd only survive on the island, if I went home I'd die instantly".

"So I don't have to explain the choice to you, if you take the bottle you can use it if the poison gets too close".

"I don't want anything from Hook, he's trying to take mommy from daddy".

"Tally, your daddy died, I don't like it any more than you do but she's gaining feelings for someone else she should embrace them." He gave her the bottle "at least take this for an emergency, if not for yourself, at least for your mommy". After David went back to Mary-Margaret Tally decided if mommy could kiss Hook she didn't care. She opened the bottle and poured out the water.

At Pans camp the Lost Boy who'd been captured asked Henry "what's love like"?

Henry looked confused "you don't know, it's wonderful to love and be loved. When you love someone you're willing to do anything for them. Surely there was someone who loved you before you came here, don't you remember them".

The Lost Boy shook his head "your sister said she loved her mommy and you so much she doesn't care if she dies in the process as long as your mom gets you back. Are you willing to die for the person you love"?

"Yes, but why would she die"?

"She was poisoned, I poisoned her a while ago but she hasn't told anyone because she doesn't want them to worry about her".

Henry felt terrible surely Tally was here for him and now she was going to die soon.