Chapter 8

Choices

On the way to Pan's camp Emma noticed her parents were more acceptant of David's condition. Mary-Margaret admitted that they talked about it and they decided she would stay on Neverland with him. They all suddenly drew their weapons when they heard someone approach but it was only Regina and Mr Gold. Tally glanced at her daddy ready to jump to Grandpa Gold's defence. Regina said "if this is your version of a rescue party I'd say I got here just in time".

Mary-Margaret asked "what have you being doing"?

Regina answered "same as you, except we actually have a chance, Pandora's box it can trap Pan for eternity simply by opening the lid".

Neal muttered "you didn't me my father was her".

Emma replied "I didn't know".

Tinkerbelle asked "wait the dark one is your father"?

Neal answered "yeah, and he isn't getting anywhere near Henry".

Mr Gold whispered "Bae"

"There's a prophecy that says Henry will be his undoing he didn't come here to protect him he came here to kill him".

Regina took a step back "that's why you didn't want to find him before we got Henry back, because you knew he'd spill your secret".

Everyone started redrawing their weapons again Mr Gold argued "everything I did was to save Henry, to rescue him from Pan".

Emma said "now it makes sense you left before we even made shore".

Mary-Margaret aimed her bow at Mr Gold "you wanted to get to Henry first"

David said "to be on his own".

Hook said "so no one could stop you".

Regina said with much spite "so you can kill him".

"NOOOO" cried Tally running out in front of Mr Gold with her arms outstretched "I believe Grandpa Gold. If he wanted Henry dead he would have done it by now. Why did he even come if he wanted Henry dead? We're not doing good".

Mr Gold said "have I mentioned you're my favourite person"?

Tally smiled sweetly at him then looked back at everyone else saying "and I believe in him".

Everyone had mixed thoughts Hook and Neal still didn't trust him, everyone else was unsure but still cautious. Mr Gold said "you're making a mistake, I don't care if the boy is destined to be my undoing, I won't hurt him".

"Because that sounds just like you" said Regina.

"I told you before I came here to kill Pan and die in the process".

Regina replied "and I told you that wasn't going to happen, not with your survival instincts".

Mr Gold faced everyone "without me you will fail".

Neal said "I think we'll find a way".

Mr Gold said "quick question Bae, where is Henry? Because last I saw him you had him".

Nervously Neal answered "Pan captured him back".

Mr Gold asked "and who said that was exactly what would happen without me"?

"You did" answered Neal.

Mr Gold said "I've faced him before, I know who we're up against".

Neal said "so tell us what happened between you two"?

"Pan destroyed my father" Mr Gold replied "I know how he thinks and I'm the most powerful amongst us".

Neal said "that why we can't trust you".

Mr Gold replied "I can't give you my dagger, I would if I could".

Neal said "but you can give me Pandora's box, I don't need to trust you if I can stop you".

Mr Gold walked up to them and said "sorry Bae, but no" giving the box to Emma.

Neal asked "why not me"?

Mr Gold said "truthfully, you don't trust me well guess what I don't trust you. You say you made the mistake of trusting me too many times, once was enough for me".

Confused Neal asked "when was that"?

Mr Gold said sadly "any father would give into the darkness if it kept their child in the light. I needed you to forget what happened, your soul was breaking so I had to do what was necessary to save it. I still can't tell you what happened, I need to protect you from the truth".

Neal said "Emma if he so much as lifts a finger to perform magic".

Emma agreed "I'll put him in".

They were about to move about when Tally collapsed, they rushed over to her. Neal and Emma sat her up Hook poured a little water into her mouth which woke her up. Her eyes looked feverish and she was pale. David said "no, not yet" he looked over at Hook.

Hook said "last I checked she still had plenty of time".

Neal knew what he was talking about and lifted her shirt, the Dreamshade was almost at her heart.

David asked "what could have sped it up".

Mr Gold said "a great deal of things, too much exercise for her little body, the stress of not having Henry back, the fear that she could die".

Emma said "no, Tally wasn't afraid of dying. But she did have a big scare recently".

Neal asked "what was that"?

Emma looked at him in disbelief "you, seeing you nearly have your shadow ripped off. I know I was scared so she must have been too".

Neal looked at Tally and asked "were you scared Sugar Plum"?

She nodded crying knowing where this was going.

Mr Gold said "whatever the reason, she's dying, she might make it to tomorrow but no further than that".

Hook said "Emma, Neal, it's your call, what do you say"?

Emma and Neal looked at each other and nodded "get the water" Emma said crying.

"No" Tally sobbed.

Emma said "sorry sweetheart but this might be the only thing that can save your life".

Regina took Hooks hand so she could teleport to the spring with Hooks mind navigating the way. Once they got the water they teleported back and poured the water in her mouth. Once she was cured she pouted, folded her arms, and stood with Mr Gold.

On the way to the camp Neal said to Tally "I'm sorry Sugar Plum but your mother and I were trying to save you".

Tally said "but now I can't leave. I'd rather be with you and mommy when I die than live forever here without you".

Emma went over to Hook and said "Hook, we need to talk".

Hook replied "when I woman says that you're rarely in for a pleasant conversation".

Emma asked "there has to be a way for David and Tally to leave".

"There isn't" Hook answered

Emma replied "you told me what happened to your brother, I know it can't be easy to talk about".

Hook said "then let's not. The water that cured them from Dreamshade is connected to the island, if they leave the connection is broken and the Dreamshade will kill them".

Emma suggested "what if we take some of the water with us, that way they stay connected, they can stay alive in Storybrooke"?

Hook asked "for how long, once the water is gone the Dreamshade will take their lives".

"Unless there was another cure" said Mr Gold gaining their attention. "Finally interested in what I have to say, thought I wasn't to be trusted".

Emma said "you're not, but to keep my family I'll take my chances".

Mr Gold said "if you remember I too was poisoned with Dreamshade by a cowardly pirate" looking right at Hook "yet"...

"And we know how you survived" said Emma. "The candle that takes another person's life, David and Tally are not that selfish, right"?

Tally looked up at Emma and replied "yes mommy, I can't save my life if it kills someone else".

Mr Gold added "after my near death experience I discovered much about the poison. I'd been in the middle of creating an elixir in my shop, when we get back home I can finish it".

Emma said "what's your price"?

Mr Gold "from Tally, an adorable and faithful granddaughter who believe, just a smile. But for David, this is quite the favour I would expect something of equal weight in return".

Neal said "no, when we get to Storybrooke you're going to save David because it's the right thing to do, no deals, no favours

Looking at his son he replied "as you wish".

They were at the perimeter Emma said "okay, Tink will sneak us in the back like we planned. Then stays back with Tally while we grab Henry, in and out simple".

Tally asked "why can't I stay back alone"?

Emma said "because you being alone cause's problems, we're so close to getting Henry back I want to know you're alright". She looked at Neal and Hook "you good on Pan patrol"?

Neal patted his bag "locked and loaded".

Mr Gold said "do you mind if I"... he slipped Hook's sword from his sheath. "Borrow this. You say no magic I agree, but I'm not going in there with nothing but my good looks".

As he moved forward Hook said "I on the other hand".

David tossed him a dagger "here in case your good looks fail you".

Grabbing it Hook said "thanks mate".

Emma said determinedly "let's get Henry".

Just outside the camp they could see loads of Lost Boys Mr Gold said "can I at least use magic on these boys"?

"No" said Neal.

Regina said "I'll do it"

Mr Gold asked "do you remember the spell"?

She looked at him with an annoyed look and with a wave of her hand all the Lost Boys fell asleep.

They all rushed in but with no problems Neal asked "where's Pan"?

Emma replied "I don't know" looking around.

Neal called back "it's clear you can come in".

Tink and Tally wondered into the camp Emma called "Henry".

They heard a little voice call for help following the sound Emma found a young girl in a cage a lot like the one Neal had been in.

When Emma got closer the young girl said "you're an adult".

She said "my name's Emma, I'm looking for my son".

"Wendy" Neal said coming over.

The girl asked "do I know you"?

Neal told her "it's Baelfire".

Emma asked "you two know each other"

Neal answered "yeah, we do".

"Bae" Wendy said as Neal tried to break her cage open with a coconut. "Is it really you"?

Neal replied "yeah it's me, what are you doing here"?

Wendy said "I thought if I got here I could save you".

Neal asked "you came to save me"?

"Wendy said "well I couldn't bear for you to be without a family not after you told us your mother and father were both dead".

Mr Gold asked "you told her I was dead".

Neal said "easier than telling the truth, my father abandoned me".

After they'd gotten Wendy out they put a blanket around her and asked her about Pan and Henry. "Wendy since you've been here have you seen my son"? Neal asked. "His name's Henry".

Wendy asked "you have a son"?

Neal replied "yeah, Pan needs his heart".

Emma asked "has he said anything about the heart of the truest believer"?

"No" Wendy said shivering "sorry, he never mentioned anything about a heart".

Mr Gold glared at her and declared "she's lying". As he walked menacingly towards Wendy Neal and David jumped up to keep him away from her. "Where is he"?

David asked "what are you doing"?

Mr Gold answered "I've carried enough lies in my life to recognize that burden, she knows where Henry is".

Neal turned back to Wendy "is that true"?

Wendy said "you don't understand".

Mary-Margaret said "you're working with Pan".

Wendy replied "he's keeping John and Michael alive, but only so long as I do as he says".

Mr Gold said "whatever Pan promised you he will go back on his word".

Wendy asked "why should I trust a man who abandoned his own son".

Regina replied "because your brothers did. They trusted a woman named Belle and helped her get this... box so we can defeat Pan".

Wendy whispered "they're okay".

"For now" Mr Gold said "and only for so long as we succeed".

Neal said "we will save John and Michael, I swear, but right now I need your help, please".

Wendy thought about what they said then confessed "he told Henry he needs his heart to save magic, but it's a lie. He needs it to save himself".

Hook asked "what do you mean"?

Wendy said "Pan is dying, he needs the heart of the truest believer to absorb all the magic in Neverland. Once he does he'll be immortal, and all powerful.

Mary-Margaret asked "what happens to Henry"?

Wendy replied "well, it's a trade, when Pan lives, Henry will die".

David asked "how do we stop Pan".

Wendy said "Pan took Henry to Skull Rock, but you haven't got much time".

David said "we need to stay behind to guard the Lost Boys when they wake up".

Tally said "but they're mean".

Emma said "you don't need to stay behind".

Mary-Margaret replied "no he'd right, when you get Henry home tell him we love him".

Emma replied "you can tell him yourself, when you get back from dead man peak". She looked at David "Gold has been working on an antidote back in his shop so you can survive in Storybrooke, we just need to take some more of the water".

Mary-Margaret wrapped her arms around Emma "you didn't give up" she looked over at Mr Gold "thank you".

Mr Gold replied tersely "apparently, that's all I need these days".

Hook said "Tink and I will take care of things here and meet you back on the Jolly Roger".

Mary-Margaret said "if your father and I don't make it back you get Henry home".

Emma declared "we're all going home.

Regina said "so the four of us go to save Henry, The Charming's are going to get more water from Dead Mans Peak, and the pirate and Tinkerbelle are restraining Lost Boys".

Emma asked "out of those which do you think is the safest"? she glanced over at Tally.

Neal said "it doesn't matter, Tally didn't go with Mary-Margaret and David when we went to Dark Hollow and I know you well enough to know you didn't permit her coming along here meaning she snuck along. She wants to be with us, and she wants to save Henry so she'll come to Skull Rock with us, at least if we let her we know to keep an eye on her".

They sailed to Skull Rock as they approached Tally said "it's scary".

Neal said "don't worry sugar plum, mommy and daddy are here".

To change the subject Emma asked "so the Darlings were you first foster family"?

Neal answered "yeah, sort of, just without child services or money or the system".

Emma asked "then how did you end up with them"?

Neal said "I was there barely a week. It wasn't long after I came to the land without magic, I was living on the streets and was starving. One day while searching for food in trashcans I spot an open window. I think surely I might be able to sneak into their kitchen and steal a morsel since they probably had more than enough. When I climbed in the window I was sure when I saw three loaves of bread on the table. I started ripping pieces off one loaf and stuffing pockets. When Wendy came in she armed herself witha candlestick to hit me but when she saw I was only stealing bread she realised I was only hungry, she actually offered me the other two loaves. She let me hide in the crawl space in her nursery and she'd sneak me food. After a few days her parents discovered me when Wendy was bringing me food. I thought they's throw me out or send me to the workhouse but instead they let me stay as a part of the family. Wendy and her brothers told me about the magic shadow from another world that had been coming. I warned them not to trust the shadow but Wendy didn't listen, she went with the shadow to Neverland. They'd given me a bed but I slept on the window seat that night. Wendy came back in the morning, she told me I was right, the shadow only let her come back because it didn't want a girl, and it was going to come back fro one of her brothers. I helped them to try a prevent the shadow from taking anyone. We locked the window and put jacks on the window seat but the shadow still got in. We ran towards the crawl space but Micheal didn't get there. I rushed in front of him and told the shadow I'd go with him but he'd have to promise never to bother this family again. As the shadow was taking me I thanked Wendy for making me a part of her family".

Emma said "so that's what you meant by when the youngest was in danger you took his place".

Neal replied "being a family means doing anything to protect each other".

When they arrived Emma looked at the footprints recognizing the sole pattern said "these are Henry's shoes".

Seeing where they went Tally said "then he went this way". Tally ran to where the footprints lead but then suddenly she was thrown back into Neal.

Neal asked "what was that"?

Mr Gold said "Pan cast a protection spell"

Regina replied "there has to be a way to break it". She gathered a fire ball and threw it into the protection spell but it rebounded.

Covering Tally's head Neal yelled "careful with that

"Try all you like Pan's magic is too powerful, at least for you" Mr Gold said. He walked though the protection spell with no problem.

Seeing everyone else's confusion he explained "the spell is designed to keep anyone who casts a shadow from entering".

"And you don't have one" Neal realised, "you were telling the truth about ripping your shadow off".

Tally said "see Grandpa Gold wants to save Henry".

Mr Gold said "he wouldn't leave anything to chance. He knows I don't have a shadow which is why he cast the spell he did. This isn't about keeping you out, it's about drawing me in. He knows I won't give up the chance to finish what I came here to do".

"You really did come here to save Henry" Neal realised.

Mr Gold said "Mrs Swan-Cassidy I need the box to capture Pan".

As Emma was about to hand him the box Regina took it and threatened "you better come through or I'll make whatever Pan had planned for you look like Childs Play, understand"?

Mr Gold took the box "a simple good luck would have sufficed".

Tally cried "good luck" as Mr Gold walked away.

After a while of waiting Regina asked "what are we supposed to do, just wait"?

Neal asked "what about the spell my father used to rip off his shadow"?

Regina answered "don't you think if I knew how to do that I would have done it already".

Tally said "too bad we can't go into the shadows, we wouldn't have a shadow then.

Emma said "you just gave me an idea, the moon".

Regina repeated "the moon"

"The moon is what casts our shadows, what if there was a way to block it out using magic".

Neal asked "like an eclipse, is that even possible".

Regina said "maybe".

Emma said "so"

Regina admitted "I need help".

Emma asked "with magic"?

Regina said "it requires a lot, time to see how much those magic lessons I've given you have paid off".

Tally said "they paid off in Dark Hollow, that's how mommy saved daddy and hook".

Regina said "so you got a little extra practice, follow my lead". Regina held out her hands so Emma did the same and slowly the moon got covered over.

They got to Henry in time to see him rip out his own heart. As they all ran out Neal yelled "Henry stop".

When Henry saw him he said "dad, you're alive".

Neal said "yeah I am. Now listen Pan is lying, whatever he's telling you to do don't".

Pan said "pleasure to see you too Baelfire, not to mention the saviour, the evil queen" and then he looked at Tally "and you, aren't you daddy's little Sugar Plum fairy".

Emma said "Henry, you have to get away from him he trying to hurt you".

Henry replied "no, the heart of the truest believer, it's what's going to save magic, it's going to save all of you.

Regina said "no it's not, this was never about magic, the only one Pan's interested in saving is himself".

Henry replied "no, that's not true".

Pan said "of course it's not true"

Neal said "yes it is. Pan can't live without you dying, if you give up your heart it's going to kill you

Pan said "they're trying to stem your belief but don't let them." He put a hand on his shoulder and added "remember every hero gets tested".

Emma called "Henry I know what being a hero look like and this is not it".

Henry looked at his heart and asked Pan "why would they lie".

Pan declared "your family doesn't care about Neverland Henry. They know if you give up your heart to save it you'll have to stay. They're being selfish because they don't want to lose you".

"You have to trust us" begged Emma

"Trust" barked Pan. "I'm the only one who's ever been honest with you Henry, the only one who's ever believed in you".

Neal said "hey Henry, we believe in you buddy".

Emma added "because we love you".

Regina added "more than anything".

Tally finished "in the whole widest world".

Henry said "and I love all of you" he looked at his heart again and said "which is why I have to do this, I'm sorry".

"NO" they all cried as Henry pushed his heart into Pan's chest.

A pulse of magic flew over Neverland, the force had thrown Tally, Emma, Neal and Regina back. When he sat up they saw Henry on the ground and Pan had risen off the ground.