More chapters coming your way, people! Also, what did you think of last night's episode? I can't believe how brilliant this half of the season is; I was *this* close to giving up on the show during Neverland because I felt like nothing was progressing. And now every episode has me screaming!
I'd also like to thank you for your reviews; they really mean a lot to me :)
Now let's start the show!
At the hospital things progressed at a slow rate. Ella was not showing any signs of waking up, making the others in the room tense and uncertain. They all had a go on the enchanted ropes binding their wands together – at least now they understood why there were fifteen wands and not fourteen – but they would not budge and cutting them left no marks at all. In a way it seemed like the only way to get the bonds off was to break the wands, something they were, of course, not willing to do.
Rachel had somehow acquired a sketchbook and a pen and was busy drawing things on the blank sheets of paper with her forehead wrinkled. Every now and then she would pause, study what she had drawn or written and then scratch something out before continuing.
"What are you doing?" Catriona eventually asked.
"I'm trying to understand exactly what is going on", Rachel responded. "Considering we don't have all the facts, unlike the real inhabitants of this place, it's turning out to be a bit harder than I thought."
Catriona walked over and sat down on the side of the bed occupied by the older Ravenclaw. In the sketchbook she had propped up against her knees she had written all of their names, along with several names belonging to Storybrooke inhabitants, and also the words Courage, Heart (Love) and Brain (Mind).
"The Wicked Witch stole a symbol of David's courage yesterday", Rachel said, pointing at a line she had drawn between the name David Nolan and the word Courage. "If this theory is correct she's going to go after somebody else's mind, or brain, and a third person's heart, which I've translated to love."
"And you're trying to figure out who they might be", Catriona filled in. Rachel nodded.
"Like I said, it would have been much easier if we had all the background facts, including what happened here during the past curse. I mean, Regina isn't even known as the Evil Queen anymore, so something must have happened that changed who she was."
"You think we might be possible victims of whatever she's going to do next?" Catriona asked, pointing at the list consisting of their own names.
"It's an idea, though I'm not sure", Rachel answered. "She must want us for something since she held you guys captive, but she already had the wands, so that's not it."
"Well, whatever she's after we'll figure it out soon enough", Filipi said, walking up to them as well, "along with actually untying our wands."
"I can't believe we actually have wands", Clarissa remarked. "Like, does this mean we'll be able to use them when we get back as well?"
"Who knows?" Chris responded with a shrug. "We just..."
Commotion out in the hallway cut him off midsentence and caused everyone, except for Rachel, to stand up and look out through the glass wall at what was happening. A body was being rolled into the opposite room, followed by Hook, Maryse, Arianne, Toby and a short brunette whom no one on the other side recognized.
"If it's another monkey I'm going to freak", Jade remarked.
"No, they wouldn't bring another case like that in here", Rachel responded. "It's too dangerous. This guy's got something different."
"And he's awake", Tessa remarked, standing by the windows next to Chris. When she looked over at him, however, she found his eyes distant, sad and surprised at the same time. She placed a hand on his shoulder, waking him from his thoughts.
"Chris, are you alright?" she asked. He blinked multiple times.
"Yes, I'm..."
He looked at the man now moving, on his own, to a hospital bed in the other room and being attached to an IV.
"I'm just certain I've met that guy before."
"Neal", Emma said as she rushed into the room, followed by David and Indira. "You're here. What happened?"
Neal Cassidy removed his hands from his face, which he had been rubbing as the new guests entered, and turned to look at her.
"I don't know", he admitted. "I remember seeing the yellow bug cross the town line, and next thing I know I'm running around in a forest back in Storybrooke where, apparently, there's been a whole lot going on."
Hook, standing on his right, looked up at Emma as well.
"Are you going to tell him or shall I?" the pirate asked. Neal frowned.
"Tell me what?"
He looked from Emma to Hook and back again, but the one who eventually answered him was David.
"Neal, we think your dad's back."
"Back?" Neal asked, blinking as he tried to process what he had just been told. "I just watched him die; what do you mean he's back?"
"Take it easy", Indira ordered, causing him to focus on her instead.
"Who are these people?" he asked, looking at her, Toby, Maryse and Arianne. Toby was clutching a large book to his chest.
"They're victims of the new curse, even though they're not fairytale characters", David answered. "We're trying to help them get back home as well."
"But how can my dad be back?" Neal asked, seemingly accepting the explanation David had just given him. Emma was about to answer when her eyes caught a strange-looking symbol burned into his right palm.
"What the hell is that?" she asked.
"No idea", Neal responded. "It was there when I woke up."
Emma quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the symbol.
"Belle, can you do some more research?" she asked. The brown-haired woman nodded.
"Yeah, sure, absolutely."
"I'll send you the picture."
"Guys, can we... can we have a minute?" Neal asked, indicating at Emma.
"Yeah, of course", David quickly answered. Indira watched as Hook shared a quick glance with Emma before they all moved out of the room. Toby immediately led the way into the one on the opposite side of the corridor, where the rest of the gang had watched the events through the glass.
"Alright, I need background information; who is that?" Tessa asked as they entered.
"The son of the man we think was locked up in the empty cage in the Witch's basement", Indira answered. "He's been missing ever since the others woke up here."
"And what's his story with Emma?" Wolfgang asked.
"He's Henry's father", David responded. "Neal, or Baelfire, as he was called back in the Enchanted Forest, tried to persuade his father to quit using magic by bringing him to this world, but his father, Rumplestiltskin, refused in the last minute, causing Neal to be transported here on his own."
"So he came here before the first curse?" Miranda asked.
"He did", Hook answered, looking conflicted. "Only he did not remain here for long; he ended up on my ship close to Neverland after grabbing on to Peter Pan's shadow. I took care of him for a long time, making sure Pan did not get him, but in the end... we decided to go our separate ways. He allowed Pan to get him and I went back to the Enchanted Forest."
"You mean he's one of the Lost Boys?" Chris asked.
"Not quite", Hook responded. "He never joined them. In fact, before we had to venture to Neverland a year back he is the only one who has been able to leave without Pan's permission."
"And then he met Emma", Rachel guessed. "What happened to them? Why didn't they stay together?"
"He left her", David responded. "It's probably better if she tells..."
"Alright, Toby, what is it with that book of yours?" Maryse asked, interrupting him. "I've been wanting to ask since you came back to the shop, but I guess we got a bit distracted."
David frowned as Toby placed the book down on an empty bed.
"It's Henry's storybook", he said.
"It doesn't look like any storybook I've ever seen", Miranda said, sitting next to it on the bed. "What's it about?"
"Our pasts", David responded.
"AJ, I could kiss you!" Rachel exclaimed from her bed. "Finally some answers."
"Your wife gave it to me", Toby explained to David. "She said it might help us understand what is going on here."
"Good idea", David agreed. "Maybe there are clues hidden in there as to who the Wicked Witch is as well."
"You think her story's included?" Tessa asked.
"Maybe", David responded. "I'm not sure."
He looked up and saw Emma exiting the other room, signalling that she and Neal were done talking.
"Do you still want to come along?" he asked, looking at Indira.
"Count me in", she answered. "The more eyes the better."
"Yeah, and we should get back to the shop to do some more research", Arianne said. "I guess Belle left at once."
"I'll stay here", Hook said, to everyone's surprise. "Someone's got to keep an eye on Neal."
"You've got an entire room of people across from him perfectly capable of doing that", Miranda pointed out.
"Well, maybe research just wasn't my thing", the pirate responded. "Besides, you lot are going to be busy reading up on history. Keeping an eye out won't be your first priority here, love."
Neal's back, people!