Wicked Game
By: Darkest Ember
Chapter 7: Guess Who
As I stood in this abandoned clearing, I could've been in any forest, in any realm. The trees seemed normal in appearance, though there was an underlying sense of sinister intent that couldn't be ignored. I didn't need a map to know where I was.
I knew I was in Neverland.
When I managed to escape this hellish place all those years ago, I swore I'd never return. That promise was quickly discarded the moment I realized that Pan was after Henry. I knew Emma and the others would find a way to Neverland, and I had to do the same. I was absent for most of Henry's life, but that didn't mean I couldn't start making up for that – first and foremost by saving his life.
Although I was still familiar with this island and its secret passages, I struggled to come up with a good rescue plan. Was Henry still in Pan's camp or did he make his way back to the others? Did they figure out the dangerous properties of dream shade? Was there even anything left for me to do here?
While lost in reverie, my feet continued leading me forward. Excitement and caution simultaneously overcame me upon seeing another person. It didn't take long for those feelings to turn to resentment and disappointment.
It was the Dark One…my father…
Upon hearing my voice, he abandoned his focus and spun around to face me. He didn't bother shielding his happiness. "Bae," he said, smiling. "You made it here…how?"
It was only natural that he'd have questions for me. After all, everyone presumed that I had died. I explained to him how I ended up back in our realm…how Robin Hood fulfilled his debt to him and helped me get to Neverland.
"Guess I shouldn't be surprised to find you working alone," I commented, once I finished catching him up to the present.
He smiled sheepishly, holding his hands out in defense. "It was very noble of the others to come here and save Henry, but taking down Peter Pan is no easy task. You have to be willing to die, which I am. It's the only way."
"Don't be so dramatic," I muttered. "There's always another way."
I could tell that he wanted to protest or insist on portraying himself as a martyr, but I didn't care. I'm done losing family members or, in my case, causing them to think they've lost me. All of us will be leaving this island alive, plain and simple.
Inspiration seemed to strike after hearing about his suicide mission. After crawling through some branches and vines, we reached a lake. "People say when you hold a shell to your ear, you can hear the ocean," I said cryptically, bending down to pick up a rather large conch shell. "Some shells allow the ocean to hear you."
"And why would we want the ocean to hear us?" he asked, his sharp tone indicating his growing agitation.
Ripples started violently making their way across the water as the giant squid's tentacles flailed into sight. "What have you done?" he demanded, voice filled with premature hurt.
It was strange to be the one with the power over a situation, to hear anything resembling fear in his voice. It had been such a long time since I had seen any sort of human vulnerability from him. "This squid's ink is powerful enough to immobilize magical creatures, even Pan, for a short while."
"There are too many ways for this to go wrong," he protested.
Sick of his doubt in my abilities, I tore the spear from his hand and harpooned the squid. We just needed to get the beast close enough to extract some ink from the nearest tentacle, so I started tugging on the rope. "Help me get it closer," I gritted.
Once we got a jar full of ink, we let the squid sink back to the ocean depths. "All I need is one good shot," I said, picking up my crossbow. "And then this nightmare will be over."
+ Hook's POV +
It took everything I had to excuse myself from a rousing conversation with Emma. For the first time since we've met, her looks of distrust and contempt have vanished. Perhaps the rum could be responsible for such a miracle. Or maybe, just maybe, she's starting to see that I'm not some sort of felon.
I couldn't help but grin as I walked over to a shaded section of shrubbery to take care of business. As I pissed behind a bush, the grin turned into a frown. How could I enjoy such jubilation when my daughter is still missing? What if Pan got to her before us?
The discomfort continued to grow. What kind of father am I? Just as I turned to return to the group, considerably more sober than when I had departed, I heard a rustle in the bushes behind me. It was evident that no one was standing directly behind me, but my eyes were quick to notice two figures standing on the hill.
One of them had already headed back into the shadows, but I didn't need to see her face. Just that whip of long black hair told me it was dear Katelyn. Her companion remained in place, looking right at me. After squinting to adjust my vision, I realized it was Pan.
Just a moment ago, I felt as though I were in a dream. How is it that I've woken up in this hellish nightmare?
+ Neil's POV +
"You know, this could all be solved if you'd just let me continue with my original plan," he said, for what felt like the hundredth time. "There's no reason for you to put yourself in danger-."
"My son's not a good enough reason?" I asked, incredulously. "I'd like to assume that you would do the same thing for me."
"I would."
"Good, then I don't see anything else to discuss," I smirked, ending the debate.
We were getting close to Pan's camp. I could feel the heat from the fire…hear the lost boys chanting. Before we charged in, we crouched down behind some bushes. This seemed far too easy; Pan wasn't even here. What was so important for him to be doing instead of protecting the person he kidnapped? Something wasn't right.
It took mere seconds to locate Henry. He was walking out of a tent with Felix, which couldn't possibly lead to anything good. Felix was Pan's right hand man, always looking for trouble. "We should take Henry now, especially since Pan's not around. Cast your spell, or whatever."
He looked hesitant, probably also bothered by Pan's absence, but ultimately gave in. With a flick of his wrist, a thick mist spread across the camp, causing everyone to drop.
"It appears we have a guest," Pan announced from the darkened half of the camp. How does he do that? He was nowhere to be seen, and now he just pops up the moment we strike. My father held out an arm, indicating that he wanted me to remain hidden, probably for the element of surprise. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I remained in the shadows.
+ Hook's POV +
"What's wrong with you? Looks like you saw a ghost," Regina sneered.
I shot her a dirty look before accompanying Emma near the fire. "You know, she's right. You don't look so good. Did something happen?" she asked. The feeling of her fingers grazing my knee reduced me to a bumbling fool unable to speak.
Taking a swig of rum seemed to loosen my tongue. "I saw her…I saw Katie. She was standing atop the hill over there," I said, pointing my hook in the general direction. "But she wasn't alone. She was with Pan."
Emma didn't seem understand the severity of this situation. "Well, we knew that, Hook. Both her and Henry are with Pan, that's why we're here, looking for them."
"The boy wasn't with them!" I said, exasperation quickly seeping into my tone. "And she didn't appear to be eager to escape Pan."
I could feel Regina rolling her eyes behind us. "Maybe she doesn't want to get away from him. Maybe she'd rather be with him than go back home with you."
"Hey," Mary Margaret said, stepping into the conversation quite literally. "There's no need to say something like that." She turned from Regina to me. "Let's just get some rest and resume searching tomorrow. We're not leaving this island until all our loved ones are back on that ship."
+ Katelyn's POV +
Everything seemed to change the moment Pan said Henry was in danger. It was obvious that we'd have to go back to the camp, yet I felt remarkably hesitant. I would never admit it aloud, but I quite enjoyed these couple hours spent not rescuing or worrying about Henry.
"What are we waiting for?" I said, cringing from the lacking conviction. "Let's go."
We flew back to the camp, though this time felt far less magical. The sun was setting faster, casting a dark and uninviting shadow on the land below us.
As we landed just a few feet outside of camp, I pondered how Henry could even be in danger. The only other people on the island besides Pan's lost boys were the rescue party. If Felix made it back to the camp already, I could see him being a threat. Then again, he wouldn't dare go against Pan's orders.
Pan picked up on something while I was lost in contemplation. "It's far worse than I thought," he murmured. Although his words sounded grave, the twinkle in his eyes and slight smirk indicated he seemed oddly pleased with the situation.
Disregarding that detail in favor of getting a better look at what was ahead of us, I followed him forward. He paused, holding out an arm and blocking my path. "I need you to stay here, be my backup." He turned to face me, placing a hand on my shoulders. "Don't come out until I tell you to, Katelyn."
Didn't he understand that I was sick of being left in the dark, of being considered too fragile to fight? I reached for his arm and tugged him back into the shadows. "The least you could do is fill me in," I whispered angrily. "Who's out there? Who else is after Henry?"
That odd look of pleasure finally turned solemn. "The Dark One…and someone else. Someone who wasn't on this island earlier today."
He probably didn't know about my father's mysterious interest in the Dark One. Or maybe he did, since he seemed to know everything. Either way, it didn't matter - he can't possibly expect me to stay out of the way. The Dark One could have some answers for me, especially now that he's apparently isolated himself from the others.
"It appears we have a guest," Pan announced, walking toward the center of camp. From what I could see through the leaves, all of the lost boys appeared to be unconscious - including Henry. "Surely, it's someone who knows how much I love guessing games. Wonder who it could be."
He lit a few torches with a flick of his wrist and revealed the Dark One, though I only recognized him as "Mr. Gold" from my time spent in Storybrooke. Any other knowledge pertaining to him as the Dark One was hazy and almost mythic. Once my vision focused and I got a good look at him, I felt a chill creep down my spine. Hadn't I seen him before, though with more…monstrous features?
Images from that nightmare I had the other night started flashing through my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped my head, struggling to restrain myself and hold in my screams. Why do I keep experiencing such horrible thoughts on this island?
Even though they were standing mere feet in front of me, Pan's voice sounded like an echo as he said, "And he's not alone." Pan lit another set of torches and revealed a younger man. "It's been a long time, Bae."
Why did that name sound so remarkably familiar? Since I wasn't exactly a part of the confrontation at the moment, I felt perfectly justified in tuning out their conversation in favor of raking through memories. After a couple seconds of sifting, I was able to place a face and memory with that name.
On a stormy night, we were trapped at the dock of some small village on the outskirts of the Enchanted Forest. After we had dined at the local pub, my father told me to return to the ship. He said he had some last minute business to attend to. I was unsure as to why he was in such a rush; it wasn't as if we'd be able to set sail in this dreadful weather. When he finally returned, about an hour later, he had company. A boy, a few years older than me, was with him.
Despite the fact that they were soaked, they continued to walk casually through the stormy streets, laughing as though they were long lost companions. How could my father be so much friendlier with a complete stranger, when his own child had been waiting for him?
He was introduced as Baelfire, though he went by Bae. What kind of a name was that?
Ah, so this is who that boy grew up to be.
Despite my best resolve to not dwell on the past, it would seem this island had different plans. Honestly though, what were the odds of some random person from my past showing up on this same island? Had he run into my father? Maybe they had a special little reunion. It was amazing how the bitterness I felt as a child so quickly resurfaced, as if it had been just yesterday. Trying my hardest to prevent that hatred from overcoming me, I tuned back into the conversation at a rather interesting point.
Bae had an arrow aimed at Pan. The Dark One was urging him to fire, and eventually he did. Of course Pan caught it. If there was one thing I was starting to notice from my time on this island, it was that Pan was nearly invincible. "I thought I taught you better than that," Pan sneered, discarding the arrow.
"You did," Bae replied nonchalantly. "That's why I didn't coat the tip."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Pan became paralyzed. A glowing purple substance appeared and held him in place, thus allowing them to grab Henry. Nearly invincible as he may be, I didn't see a way for Pan to stop them from escaping, given his current predicament. I know he told me to wait, but I was tired of waiting. Now it was my turn to do something, to make a difference.
Without further hesitation, I leapt out of the bushes and drew all of their attention, though it wasn't quite the attention I would've preferred.
"Is this supposed to be your backup?" The Dark One scoffed. "You expect some girl to stop us from taking Henry?"
Before Pan could answer, I took a few more steps forward and crossed my arms over my chest. How dare he speak so lowly of me, without even knowing my skills or motivations?
"Why exactly are you taking him in the first place?" I asked. "I know you came here with the rest of them, yet you show up with someone who wasn't aboard that ship. Do they know that you're here? I'll bet you have some alternative agenda."
"Trust me, I would've been on that ship if I could've been," Bae interjected. "But I was trapped in the Enchanted Forest and had to find…more creative means to join everyone."
Since I had no way to prove or disprove his story, I had to take it at face value. But that still didn't explain why he was aligning with the Dark One…as a matter of fact, why was anyone aboard my father's ship aligning with him? "Be that as it may," I said slowly, "I can't understand why you'd seek help from someone like him."
Bae laughed flatly. "Have you seen who you're siding with? Don't you know what someone like Pan is capable of?"
"I had my doubts at first, but he has kept me and Henry safe, albeit with a hint of captivity, but safe nevertheless."
"That's because it's what he wants you to think. He'll brainwash you and use you until he no longer needs you. Pan claims that Neverland is a place for unwanted children, but really it's a place for him to rule."
Growing frustrated with the back and forth of this conversation, I let out an exasperated sigh and ran my fingers through gritty locks of hair. Moments later, a brilliant thought crossed my mind - maybe if I maintain this conversation, it'll kill just enough time for the paralysis to wear off. Then they wouldn't stand a chance.
"How can you expect me to believe anything you say? I don't know either of you very well, but everything I do know about you is shrouded in doubt and deceit."
Bae's brow furrowed. Clearly he didn't recognize me from all those years ago; though, to be fair, I wouldn't have known it was him had I not heard his name. "We've…met before?"
I nodded. "A long time ago…aboard a pirate's ship."
It didn't take long for realization to dawn upon him. "You were that girl on the ship," he said slowly, mentally reliving the whole thing.
The Dark One turned to face him with an unexpectedly confused expression. "What are you talking about, Bae? What ship?"
"When we were younger, my father took him aboard our ship," I supplied. "And I'd like to know why he's taken such an interest in both of you."
The confused expression he'd donned morphed into a darkened rage. "You want to know the truth, dearie?" he asked in a sickly sweet voice. "There is but one reason for your father to have any interest in me or my son: your mother."
"What are you -?" I began to ask.
"Let me finish," he snapped. "Your father stole my wife, Milah."
My eyes widened, and my heart stopped. "But Milah is my mother. She was a part of my family not yours."
He grinned. "You want to talk about lies…your father has been lying to you your entire life. Regardless, I took back what was mine in the end."
My flesh turned to ice as the realization dawned upon me. That wasn't a nightmare I experienced – it was a memory…the memory of how my mother truly died, at the hands of the Dark One.
Everything made sense now. The subsequent rush of realization came with waves of nausea. This was why my father was so hellbent on finding the Dark One and extracting his revenge. Perhaps his time spent with Bae was also a part of his plan. How could he have possibly thought that keeping me in the dark would've protected me?
The hatred that I felt toward my father was alarming and probably would've continued boiling inside me had Pan not given his snarky opinion of what had transpired. "What a wonderfully tangled web you've all woven," Pan sneered.
I had almost forgotten that he was here, since he seemed to have vanished from the confrontation all together ever since I participated. "Didn't I warn you, Katie? The people we hold dearest to us are the first to stab us in the back." Although the words were directed at me, his gaze was focused on the Dark One.
I found myself quite literally standing between the two opposing sides, with a lifeless Henry just within my reach.
A/N: What will Katelyn do? Will she take Henry and run...stay by Pan's side...or join Bae and the Dark One? I already have the next chapter or two planned out and things will start to get interesting, especially once Katelyn meets Wendy!
Leave a comment if you like/love what you've read thus far ^.^
XoXo Amber