Wicked Game
By: Darkest Ember
Chapter 3: Mouse Trap
Admittedly, I haven't known Henry or anyone else from Storybrooke for very long. Whenever my father would go on a journey "too dangerous" for me to join, one of the few towns he'd drop me off at was Storybrooke – a town in a separate realm from the Enchanted Forest and created as the result of the Evil Queen's curse.
I met Henry one day at Granny's Diner. He was sitting alone, reading a rather large book filled with stories and illustrations. As it turned out, he was the son of the savior – the woman who undid the curse.
After a bit of small talk over grilled cheeses, we started exchanging back-stories. He gave me a surprisingly detailed account of how he tracked down his birth mother and how together they overcame Regina.
Despite the various adventures I'd been on, somehow my tales of being a pirate-in-training seemed slightly less exciting than breaking curses or fighting dragons.
Now, he looked nothing like that energetic boy. If it weren't for the flames adding flares of color to his face, I would almost mistake him for a corpse. The moment he recognized me, his glum expression dramatically brightened.
"Katelyn!" he exclaimed. "What're you doing here? Did the Lost Boys kidnap you too?"
I laughed, rustling his hair. "Nope, but they did try. I'm here to save you!" Since I could still feel Pan and Felix watching me, I bent down and whispered, "Your family is here as well. Their camp is closer to the beach, though."
Understanding my use of discrete communication, he responded in an equally quiet though very excited tone. "Seriously? I knew you guys would come find me!" Just as quickly as his excitement came, it was replaced with confusion. "Wait, if they're here, why aren't you with them?"
Smart kid. Avoiding eye contact, I laughed shakily, stumbling through an excuse. "They didn't know I was on the ship. My father told me that it was too unsafe, but you know me…I couldn't resist the challenge."
That seemed to ease Henry's concern a bit, though he still looked unhappy. "You're in danger here, especially by yourself." His eyes drifted along my arms where the bloodstains were still rather noticeable.
At first I felt incredibly self-conscious, but that gave way to feeling offended. Surely he wasn't implying that I couldn't handle myself? Wasn't that the point of this quest – to prove that I can?
"I took on at least ten Lost Boys at once, Henry. I'm not here because of force…I came here to see you, make sure you were all right."
"But you arrived here with Pan," he said, suddenly sounding terrified. "You're saying that you willingly came here with him?"
I glanced over my shoulder and saw that Pan was talking to a group of Lost Boys. He didn't seem all that frightening. I'd almost consider him friendly, but then again I only spent a couple hours with him. Clearly, he wanted Henry to be brought here for a reason. And clearly, based on Henry's reaction, it probably isn't a good reason.
"Has he told you what he wanted you for?" I asked, returning to a hushed conversation. Just because Pan appeared busy didn't mean he didn't have someone else listening.
"He said…he said he needed me for my heart – the heart of the truest believer – to save magic," he said, his voice carrying a nervous quiver.
Flashes of images from my nightmare played in the back of my mind. That man…that monster ripping my mother's heart from her chest and crushing it to dust. Suddenly, Henry's terror didn't seem so misplaced.
What if Pan planned to do the same thing to Henry's heart?
A wave of nausea spread through my body as the corners of my vision began to darken. I cringed as my body fell backward into the bushes with an unforgiving thud.
+Peter Pan's POV+
Despite my attempts to trick Henry into trusting me, none of them succeeded. Yet, the moment he saw this girl, he lit up with such happiness.
It bothered me that I don't know what relation she might have to the other trespassers. At first I thought she could provide me with some information, but I believe I already know enough about them. There's the dear savior Emma, the "evil" queen Regina, the lovebirds Snow and Charming, and of course, my eternal adversary, Hook.
So, how does a teenage girl fit in with them? Although I'm quite looking forward to unraveling that mystery, I now have an even greater purpose for her. Perhaps she will be able to lure Henry into a state of trust and acceptance in a way that I could not.
"I recognize that look," Felix said. "What're you planning?"
I smirked. "I know you have your doubts, but I believe this girl will be of great use to us."
Felix's interest seemed to evaporate. He rolled his eyes. "I'll believe that when I see it."
"Have I ever been wrong before?"
He sighed in defeat. "'Pan never fails,'" he replied in a droning tone.
Before I could continue thinking through this new plan, Sam, one of the Lost Boys sent to patrol the island, burst through some bushes. "I found them," he said, nearly out of breath. "I found the trespassers you were searching for."
Such wonderful timing. "Excellent work," I said, grinning. "Felix, get the boys ready. I need to go fill in our guest of honor and his friend."
Felix reached out and grabbed my arm. "Do you really think it wise to trust her?" he asked, glaring in her direction. "You know she's going to run."
Felix's loyalty over the years has been unwavering, but ever since he encountered the girl yesterday, he won't stop this incessant questioning. Doesn't he understand that it matters not what she does with Henry? There is no escape off this island, and there are very little places to hide.
"Relax, Felix," I laughed, easing out of his grip. "Regardless of whether she chooses to stay, the game has only just begun. I'm simply being courteous and letting her make the first move."
Waves of frustration and doubt were silently rolling off him, but I didn't care. It won't be long until he sees that I was right all along.
When I turned back around, I was surprised to find her passed out on the ground. Henry was looking around the camp trying to find someone to help, but it was obvious that he didn't trust a single Lost Boy. Perhaps if I revive her, his disdain for me will lessen.
"You two seemed to be enjoying your reunion. I don't understand…" I said, trying to sound genuinely concerned. "What happened to her?"
Henry looked up at me with a mixture of fear and defiance. "I-I don't know. We were just talking then she fainted!"
I bent down so that we were closer to eye-level. "I can help her."
"No!" he shouted. "You'll only hurt her."
Any anger I felt at his insistent defiance was carefully masked beneath a pained expression. "My magic can heal her. I helped her after her encounter with the Lost Boys," I replied, nodding toward the slashes and stains in her shirt.
Desperation settled in as his shoulders slumped in defeat and he distanced himself from her body, giving me silent consent. I placed a hand on either side of her face and watched my fingertips glow green. As her eyes shot open and her vision adjusted, her expression quickly shifted from dazed to disgusted. The last time she looked at me like that was when she figured out who I was back in the tree house.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, shoving her palms against my chest in a weak attempt to distance herself. I stayed hovering over her, which only added to her frustration.
I pushed some stray locks of hair out of her face and pulled my hand back with blood coating my fingertips. "I healed you, again," I replied, showing her the blood. "You fainted and hit your head."
She strained to pull herself into a sitting position as she tried to recall what led to her passing out. Apparently it didn't take long – she further distanced herself from me and blocked Henry. "Stay away from us."
I laughed bitterly. "Is this how you always thank someone who helps you?"
"I didn't ask for your help."
"Forgive me for assisting a damsel in distress," I said, standing up.
Henry, though he tried to display confidence, continued scooting behind Katelyn, now peering at me over her shoulder.
"Perhaps you'll be happy to know that I must leave. Something's happened in the forest that requires my immediate attention," I said, pleased with how serious I sounded. I focused my gaze on her in particular. "Can I trust you to stay here…stay safe, Katelyn?"
Her brows arched with temporary surprise upon hearing that I knew her name, thanks to Henry's earlier exclamation. Once that passed, I could already see the wheels turning in her mind, plotting their escape.
"Look," she said, standing up and glaring at me. "I don't need your protection or advice. I took care of myself just fine before meeting you and I'll continue to do so."
Deciding to take a risk, I reached out and cupped her face in my hands, feeling her skin burn beneath my touch. "I don't doubt for a second that you're incapable of defending yourself, Katelyn. The forest can be a dangerous place if you don't know where you're going, and I don't want you or Henry to get hurt."
Her hardened expression seemed to soften as a different plan formed in her mind. "You know what? You're right. If we were to wonder off, we'd probably just get lost. And I could do without another chase through the woods." She finished with a strained smile and mischievous glint in her eyes.
Despite what I assume to be her best efforts to gain my trust with an obvious lie, I had to give her credit. Based on the horrified and betrayed expression on Henry's face, it's safe to say she managed to trick one of us.
+Katelyn's POV+
My heart continued to pound roughly in my chest even after Pan left. I felt worn down from all these intense emotions – fear of what Pan really planned for Henry, sadness from thinking about my mother's death, and relief after standing up to Pan and hopefully fooling him into trusting me.
Taking all that into consideration, I suppose my passing out isn't all that unusual. Although I have every intention of escaping with Henry, I can't shake this feeling of guilt for betraying Pan. I shook my head in an attempt to clear this foggy feeling. But the way he looked so concerned when I first opened my eyes…the way he acknowledged my abilities…
No. I shouldn't care about him. When I bring Henry back to the camp I found yesterday, when I bring him back to Emma, I'll be a hero. And my father will never have a reason to stop me from joining him ever again.
When I turned around, Henry backed away from me. "What's wrong, kiddo?" I asked, wondering what could've possibly gone wrong in the last five minutes. This look of shocked betrayal was such a tremendous contrast to how he looked before that encounter with Pan.
"You said you came here to rescue me!" he said. Although he kept his voice low, I could still hear the accusation.
I placed my hands on his shoulders to stop him from backing away. "Of course I'm here to save you. But Pan didn't need to know that. If he doesn't expect us to leave, he probably didn't think to instruct anyone to stand guard. It was all a trick."
"That's…genius!" he cheered, reaching up and wrapping his arms around my neck.
As great as it felt to have Henry back to his old self, that didn't ease my concern as I took note of the remaining Lost Boys. Some of the boys were shirtless and covered in paint, hopping around the fire to the beat of a soundless rhythm. Others were gathering where Pan and Felix had been standing. Unlike the carefree boys by the fire, these boys appeared to be preparing for battle.
Thankfully, I'm not their target this time.
As I watched them march down a trail leading to the middle of the forest, I tried to configure an escape plan. Obviously, our best plan of action would be to go in the opposite direction and try to find our way back to the beach. Then we could hide out on the ship until I found a better way to navigate this place.
Spotting a quiver of arrows and a bow nearby, I finalized the plan. "Okay, Henry," I said, a smile slowly spreading across my face. "Let's do this."
His face lit up as he was once more filled with excitement. "How do you plan on getting out of here?"
"Leave that to me," I said, winking as I crept over to the weapons.
Usually my weapon of choice is a blade or sword, but I do have some experience in archery from many years ago. I tugged on the bow, getting a feel for the pressure required to shoot. As I grabbed the quiver, I noticed that the arrowheads looked wet, but dismissed that detail.
If it's sharp, then it'll do its job just fine.
We crept along logs and makeshift tents, heading toward the trail on the west side of camp. No one seemed to notice us until just before we dashed for the trail. A boy swung over to us on a vine, landing a couple feet ahead of us.
"Where do you think you're going? Pan said–."
"Does it look like we care what Pan says?" I asked, feeling my fingers tighten on the bow. "You can either move or get an arrow to the chest. It's your choice, really."
He laughed, unfazed by my threat. "You expect me to be afraid of a girl?"
"You should be. Katelyn's already taken on a handful of you Lost Boys," Henry chimed in.
The Lost Boy drew a sword, but I was already prepared. With precise motion, I reached behind and grabbed an arrow. I waited until he got a little closer before shooting and hitting him directly between his shoulder and arm.
He dropped to his knees with a cry of pain. Considering him to be harmless now, I strolled past him and scoffed. "Don't be such a baby, kid. You'll bleed a little, but you won't die."
Although his eyes were watery, he managed to fully express his contempt toward me. "That wasn't an ordinary arrow. It was laced with dreamshade…with p-poison."
The skin beneath the torn fabric had already turned black as blood poured out of the wound in thick globs. "Poison?" I whispered, feeling my flesh grow cold. So that's why the arrows appeared wet…
I chewed on my lower lip, unsure of what to do. If I leave him unattended he will die, but if I call attention to us, someone else will try to stop us and all I can do is slice them with my hidden dagger or continue using these damned poison arrows.
"What're we going to do?" I asked Henry, knowing how silly this looked – asking a little boy for advice.
Despite all the fights and battles I'd seen, I have never been responsible for someone's death.
+Felix's POV+
It was amusing to watch the adults in their poorly constructed camp, entirely unaware that they were surrounded. All the Lost Boys spread out and hid beneath bushes or behind tree trunks. We had plenty of laced arrows and sharpened blades to combat their limited weapons and weak magic.
Their foolish belief in their strength and intelligence reminded me of the girl…Katelyn. I'm sure Pan also wonders what her real association with these people is.
Before I could consider any conspiracy theories, Pan had already put the plan in motion. Using magic, he changed his attire to match Henry's. He stood with his back facing them, but from that distance it was fair to assume that their little Henry was standing there.
"Henry?" Emma called with an unmistakable amount of hope.
All their anticipating expressions were reduced to a mixture of disappointment and disgust as Pan turned around to reveal himself. "Hi Emma," he grinned.
She scowled. "Where the hell is Henry?"
"Safe and sound, don't worry," Pan replied, taking a few steps down the hill that separated us from them. "But I'm not here to talk about him."
"All we care about is getting Henry back," Regina snarled. "We don't have interest in anything else you have to say."
Pan didn't seem at all bothered by the ferocity in her voice. Instead, he gazed around at each of us, giving the silent signal to reveal ourselves. "Do you feel like listening now?"
"We're not afraid of some little imps with toy weapons," Regina said. Each of them took a fighting stance, indicating that they would not back down.
Pan sighed and shook his head with mocking regret. "I had hoped to avoid bloodshed so early in the game, but it seems as though you're giving me no choice."
I walked along some bushes and watched as a barrage of arrows flew toward the entrapped rescue crew. A poisoned arrow nearly hit Mary Margaret, but her prince shoved her out of the way just in time, taking the hit instead.
Hook was getting ready to fight off some of the boys who were going after Emma, but I leapt in front of him before he could get there. "It's been a while, captain," I jeered, my sword clashing with his hook. "Where have you been all these years?"
"As far away from this hellish place as possible," Hook grunted. He backed out of the brace and tried swinging his sword, but I easily blocked him. "Speaking of my absence…seems like you've found someone else to fight. That blood looks fairly fresh."
I could tell that he was taunting me, but it didn't affect me. "Funny you should ask," I said, swinging my sword in a different direction. "After we secured Henry, some foolish girl decided to come out and play. I did far more damage than she did to me."
Although brief, I saw a flicker of concern flash in his eyes. How very interesting. The thought of Hook settling down and having a family was laughable, but not impossible.
He scoffed, trying to gain a better hold on his emotions. "I thought you only kept boys captive on this island."
"Oh she just arrived here yesterday. In fact, I think she came off your ship."
His body slackened with panic, giving me the perfect opportunity to slash him. He fell to his knees, clutching his already bleeding side. "Katie," he whispered.
It appears that Pan was right. She will be useful to us.
A/N: Hmm what will Felix do with this new information? Will Katelyn and Henry be able to escape before Pan and the others return to the camp? How will Hook feel knowing that his daughter is in Neverland? Find out in the next chapter!
Thank you so much to everyone who has read, favorited, and commented on this story! I'm glad you all like it and hope this chapter was equally enjoyable :)