Sins of the Past

by SiriuslyHooked

While searching for a way back to Storybrooke, Emma receives a mysterious note that only she can read and she is given the task of protecting someone special. Struggling with her role as the savior, she is unsure of how to protect Riley, a girl with many trust issues and secrets. Her secrets involve the town and her own past with its residents, including a handsome pirate captain.

11. Home

"This is pointless."

Regina overturned a pile of rubble with a flick of her wrist. Several minutes of endless searching through the partial destruction of Pan's camp failed to provide any sign that Riley was alive, not even a body. The smoke had cleared away from the camp, leaving behind small mountains of debris and ash. Together, they searched every inch of the camp and Swan was getting more and more desperate as each pile of rubble only revealed more beneath it. She refused to give up easily, believing that Riley somehow survived the explosion.

"Keep looking. She's here."

"Emma, we've been searching for ten minutes now. There aren't any bodies," said Snow in a sympathetic tone, wiping ash from her hands.

"There has to be something."

"That explosion must've burned her and Marcus to nothing but ash."

"No."

"I know you don't want to believe the worst but Riley caused the explosion herself. It might've been her only option. I think you're denying it so much because it was your job to—"

"To protect her? Yea, that was my job, Mary Margaret. I was supposed to keep her alive and—"

Swan inspected both sides of her hands and then pressed two fingers against her neck. "I'm still alive," she muttered.

"Of course you are, Emma."

"No, you don't get it. I'm not dead. When I first got that note that said I needed to protect Riley, it said that if she died, I would die as a punishment. If she died, I'd be dead too."

"Perhaps it takes a few hours to kick in," replied Regina, earning a harsh glare from David.

"We have to wake up Seth and Sebastian. Maybe they have some magical connection that they can draw on…a way to find her."

"This is ridiculous. We saw her get blown to pieces. If you want to invoke that little monster's wrath for failing to protect the one person that he may care about, that's your funeral. He already tried to murder you once."

Ignoring Regina's loose attempt at a warning, Swan bent down beside Sebastian. Killian could not doubt the tiny sliver of hope within himself that she was right and Riley's brothers would be able to locate her among the destruction. She immediately retracted her hand as it gripped the tip of the dagger piercing his chest.

"What happened?" asked Baelfire, worried.

Swan winced, cupping her right hand. "It burned me."

"It may be enchanted to prevent someone from removing the dagger," said the Dark One.

"Then unenchant it."

"It's hardly that simple, Miss Swan. Even if I was able to determine the enchantment on these daggers, it may take time to reverse it and time is not on our side."

Hearing a soft crunching noise behind him, Killian turned his head towards a pile of burnt branches that were rose far above him. His heart seemed to do a flip inside his chest, hoping that Riley, likely injured yet still alive, was digging herself out of the debris. A badly burnt hand, the skin barely hanging on, emerged from the pile. The debris was blasted apart in every direction and they quickly ducked their heads to avoid being impaled by the sharp branches. Killian reached for his sword at the sight of Marcus, who was nearly unrecognizable due to his injuries, but found that it was missing from its scabbard. The explosion had charred the left side of Marcus's face, exposing the muscles underneath, and he was missing his entire left hand. His clothes were torn to shreds and the severe burns were visible all along his body, from his shoulders to his thighs. As he chuckled quietly, Killian could see the muscles in his jaw moving up and down. It did not go unnoticed by any of them that his burns were slowly healing, a sign that most of his injuries were only temporary.

"Were you expecting my sister? I'm afraid she's dead but don't fret. You'll be joining her soon. Now you see the truth. She knew that she couldn't win against me and she resorted to a desperate ploy. It's quite sad. Now, who did I say I'd kill first?"

His dark, bloodshot eyes flickered to Killian. "Oh yes, the pirate who called me a coward."

Killian felt a tightening in his chest as if Marcus's hand was inside him, squeezing his heart. Marcus suddenly lurched forward with a groan, blood dribbling down his chin. Riley appeared in front of him, piercing his throat with Killian's sword. Though she did not survive the explosion unscathed, her injuries were not as severe, no more than a few scrapes, a burn on her cheek, and a hole at the bottom of her blouse.

"You really do talk too much."

In one swift motion, she slid the sword from his throat and drove it straight through his heart…

~Riley~

As she pulled the sword back, Marcus fell flat on his face, blood pooling around him. Her face remained emotionless but on the inside, she was throwing herself a little celebration. She had waited years for this moment and just like with Lukas, she felt no remorse. Sebastian and Seth were daggered themselves but they suffered no pain, having been unconscious when Hook and Emma plunged the daggers into their hearts.

Emma hurried over to her, looking torn between hugging her and strangling her with her bare hands before settling on firmly gripping her shoulder. "I don't care how you survived that. I'm glad you're—it's over, right?" she asked with a relieved grin.

"I think so."

"Do you feel any different?"

"No but I don't know if you're supposed to feel anything."

"Well, now that it's over, we can focus on getting Henry. Just take those daggers out of your brothers and we'll go."

"I'm not undaggering them."

Her smile faltered. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if it worked yet. If I undagger them now, the merge could still happen and it's too late to use the crystal. I think it's best if we wait until we're back in Storybrooke so I know that the council won't try to use any loopholes to get us to fight again. Only someone from my bloodline can remove the daggers so it's my choice."

"How convenient for you," said David, clearly suspicious.

"What reason would I have to keep my brothers like that? They've never wronged me…well, Seth has a little but I'm over it. I'm doing this to keep them safe. You can trust me."

"Oh, that's reassuring."

"David, we don't have time to argue. Once we rescue Henry from Pan, we'll get back to Storybrooke and then she can wake them up. It'll be fine. Let's go," said Emma.

As Riley handed the sword back to Hook, she noticed an odd gleam in his eyes. He simply nodded, placing the sword in its scabbard, and she followed Gold, Neal, Emma, and Regina towards the nearest shore. Finding a rowboat tethered to a tree, they climbed inside and Neal rowed them towards Skull Rock, an island aptly named for its skull-like appearance where Pan was planning to take Henry's heart. The eyes of the 'skull' were lit up inside by torches, giving off a creepy vibe. Rowing through the 'mouth', they found another rowboat docked inside the cave. Casting a spell, she was able to hear Pan speaking to Henry about the island being the source of Neverland's magic. Emma spotted a trail of footprints leading to stone steps. She had barely reached the bottom step when a protection spell enacted, blasting her backwards. Regina foolishly attempted to break the spell with one of her fireballs, almost singeing off all their heads.

Gold stepped through Pan's barrier, explaining that the spell prevented all those with a shadow from entering the cave. He claimed that Pan knew that he no longer had his shadow and the spell was meant to draw him in for a one on one confrontation. Neal, finally trusting his father, was about to hand him Pandora's box until Regina intercepted it, doling out her own threats. Taking the box, Gold headed up the stone steps to face Pan.

"What are we supposed to do now?" asked Regina, displeased that she had to trust Henry's safety with Gold.

Neal suggested the spell that Gold had used to rip off his own shadow. "You think if I knew how to do that, I wouldn't have done it already?"

Riley felt a surge of energy, almost like electricity, running up her arm. Bending down, she blew lightly over her shadow. A thin silver thread traced the outline of her shadow and it rose into the air, a faceless version of herself. The shadow flew out of the cave, to the surprise of Emma, Neal, and Regina.

"Riley, how—your shadow's gone," said Neal.

"It's not exactly like your dad's spell but it has the same results."

"Can you do that for the three of us?"

"No. You'd have to cast it yourselves but it's way too advanced."

"I'll be the judge of that. Tell me how to cast it," insisted Regina.

"I don't have time for magic lessons. I'll go help Gold while you try to find another way around Pan's spell."

"I'm supposed to trust my son's life in the hands of a man who wanted to kill him not that long ago and a girl who only looks out for herself?"

"Pretty much."

Riley walked up the stone steps, eavesdropping on Pan and Gold's conversation. Pan offered a chance for mend their relationship as father and son, an offer immediately shot down by Gold who had not yet forgiven Pan for abandoning him. Entering the main part of the cave, she found Pan standing beside a giant, enchanted hourglass nestled on top of golden skulls. He pointed out that he and Gold were very alike, both abandoning their sons for selfish reasons. Riley flicked her wrist. The ground rose higher, encasing him up to his waist in stone.

"I see we have another guest," he said, smirking at Riley.

"What are you waiting for? Put him in the box. If you're too much of a coward to do it, give it to me," she told Gold, feeling something fall into her hand behind her back.

"We can make the fresh start you always wanted…together. Just as we planned…"

"I will. I am going to make a fresh start…just not with you."

Gold waved his hand over the box but it remained closed. "I don't understand."

"Because you don't have it."

Riley walked towards Pan, holding out the real box. "What do you call that again? Follow the lady?"

Several emotions passed over Gold's face, including surprise, confusion, and anger. He accused Riley of working for Pan, along with Greg and Tamara, to kidnap Henry and being a spy for Pan since she first arrived in Storybrooke. She tossed the box between her hands.

"I don't work for Pan. We have a mutually beneficial alliance. He helps me with something and then I help him. Turns out we have something that we both want…to be rid of you."

"You may be quite powerful but if you think that you can go against me—"

Riley giggled. "Ooh, is this a threat? I know all your tricks, dearie. I taught you half of them myself. I don't blame you for not remembering, Rumple. I do a very good job of making sure people don't remember me, especially when they can blab to one of my enemies. I thought that all the time we spent together might trigger a memory but I guess I'm just that good."

"We've never met."

"Of course we have. Several times, in fact. You know, I was so ready to let you die from that dreamshade back in New York but Cassandra made me see that you're still useful. I got everything I needed from your shop so now, there's really no reason for you to be around. I can't think of anything more enjoyable than letting my face be the last you see," she said, snapping her fingers.

Gold blinked twice as though snapping out of a daze. The moment he looked at her, his eyes widened in fear and he stepped back, his hand trembling.

"T—that's not possible. You can't—"

"You really thought I was gone after that day? I expect that's how you got your hands on a few of the things in your shop. It's just like you…sneaking in when you think I can't catch you. Too cowardly to face me?"

"How are you alive?"

"That's the least of your worries."

"Whatever you're planning with Pan, I will stop you and when Miss Swan learns the truth about who you are, she won't care if I crush your heart."

"Do you really think they'd believe you? One snap of my fingers and you'd forget all over again. All that proof wiped away. They'd never believe such a story anyway. Maybe Hook would because he's almost as old as you and has probably seen a lot of crazy shit over the centuries. The others? Not a chance. I could easily convince them that you were trying to hurt me…to take my magic. Let's not pretend that the thought didn't cross your mind. I think it's quite fitting that your end comes at the hand of the two people who shaped you into who you are today."

"I won't be the one meeting their end. You underestimate me. I'm stronger than I was the last time we met."

"Rumple, you could suck the magic out of this entire island and you still wouldn't be able to defeat me. We both know that I can kick your ass and brush my hair at the same time. Would you like to do the honors?" she said, handing the box to Pan.

Pan waved his hand over the box and the gears on each side spun in a clockwise direction. A dark red mist seeped out from its edges, surrounding Gold. As the mist retreated back into the box, along with Gold, the gears spun once more and the box sealed shut.

The stone around Pan's legs crumbled into dust. "And here I thought you'd be on his side."

Riley felt a sudden chill in the air. "I'm not on your side either but between the two of you, there's less of a chance of you standing in the way of what I want. Did you feel that? They actually found a way around your spell."

"I thought they might. If they catch us together, it won't end well for you. Should I make it convincing?"

"Enough that they think I can't help out in the fight. Just avoid the face."

Pan pushed his hand forward and an invisible force struck her chest, knocking her down the staircase. Pretending to fall unconscious from the blow, she heard several footsteps, followed by Emma's voice. She checked Riley's neck for a pulse and after confirming that she was still alive, Riley felt herself lying on much softer ground. A hand rested on the back of her head.

"Renato?"

Blinking several times, she found herself inside Pan's camp. The Lost Boys were awake from Regina's sleeping spell and tied together with ropes. Her eyes met Hook's and she brushed the back of her head with a slight grimace.

"What happened? Did they save Henry?" asked Tinker Bell, jumping from the boulder where she was guarding Felix.

"I don't know. Pan protected the cave with a spell that only Gold and I could cross and…I saw him trap Gold in Pandora's box. I tried to get it back but I think my magic's weakened from the merge. He hit me before I could even cast a spell. They must've gotten past the spell somehow and sent me back here while they dealt with Pan."

"You've had a rough night, love. You need to rest," said Hook, his hand still cradling her head.

Riley spotted her brothers in the same spot, the daggers still piercing their chests. "My brothers are okay?"

"Of course. It's not as if they can move with those daggers in place."

"I'm just worried that the council—forget it. I'm being paranoid. You're right."

A wave of bright green light passed over the camp. Riley dug her fingers beneath the dirt, feeling the magic of the island travel up her arm. It was more powerful than usual, likely meaning that Pan had gotten Henry's heart. Shortly after David and Mary Margaret returned from Dead Man's Peak, Emma, Regina, and Neal returned themselves with an unconscious Henry. Regina had protected him with a preservation spell, giving them an hour to retrieve his heart. The task was easier said than done, with Pan having vanished from Skull Rock. Leaving Henry to rest on a cot, an enraged Regina questioned Felix about Pan's whereabouts. Her anger did not frighten him, both because he was deluded from centuries of living on the island and extremely loyal to Pan.

Emma tried a different approach by offering to bring the Lost Boys to Storybrooke. Felix was obstinate in his faith in Pan, refusing to accept that he only cared about himself and used Henry's heart for his own selfish gain. The younger boys were far more easier to reason with, having more of a need for a family and a home. One of the youngest boys confessed that Pan was at his thinking tree, a spot where he liked to be in private. While Emma, Regina, and Mary Margaret raced to the tree to retrieve Henry's heart, the rest of them boarded Hook's ship, preparing for their escape.

Riley placed Sebastian and Seth in one of the rooms below deck. She pushed a few strands of hair away from Seth's face.

"I know you're going to be angry with me when you wake up…when you realize what I've done. I wanted to tell you but you wouldn't understand, not like Bash. He knows how long I've wanted this. I'll let you get one last shot in to make up for this."

"Is that what you did to Lukas?"

A dark-haired boy, no older than fifteen, was standing in the doorway. He lowered the hood of his cloak.

"Y—you're his sister, right? I'm um Adam. I recognize you from a picture he has of you…of you and your other brothers. He got one of his mermaid friends to travel to the land without magic to check on all of you from time to time."

"Did he? Well, I haven't seen him on the island since I came here. Sorry."

"You're lying."

The boy tensed up as she stood up from Seth's bed. "What was that?"

"I—I only meant…Lukas was one of my closest friends in Neverland. He wouldn't just go missing. Pan said that he angered the shadows in Dark Hollow after Felix dared him but I think that was a lie. Did you put a dagger in his heart too?"

"No. Like I said, I never saw him. I'm sorry that you lost your friend. To be honest, he was a terrible brother but I guess he treated his friends better than his family. I can see how much you're hurting. If you like, I can take that pain away."

She let out a low whistle. Adam glanced around the cabin, confused.

"I'm sorry. Was I interrupting? I was just—I was looking for some bowls."

"No, you weren't interrupting anything. Here. I'm Riley, by the way," she said, conjuring a stack of bowls.

He smiled, taking the bowls from her. "Adam. Thanks so much for helping us get off the island. I can't wait to sleep in an actual bed for the first time in nearly a century."

"I'm really happy for you…all of you. Let's get back above deck before Hook starts to think that you're stealing from him."

Above deck, the Lost Boys were helping out with prepping the ship. Felix was sitting by himself towards the stern, a sullen expression on his face.

"You should just leave him behind," she told Hook, walking over to the ship's wheel.

"Do you think Swan would let you do that?"

"He's too loyal to Pan. As soon as he hears that Pan failed, he might just throw himself off the ship."

"We are not leaving Felix behind," said David, overhearing their conversation.

"Just a suggestion."

"Do you want to hear one of mine? Undagger your brothers."

"Maybe you should be more concerned that your grandson is literally minutes away from death. I can feel that spell weakening by the second."

"Henry? Where is he?!" shouted Emma.

Emma, Regina, and Mary Margaret hurried onto the ship with both Henry's heart and Pandora's box. Regina placed his heart back in his chest but he remained unconscious. Riley sensed the moment that his heart began to beat again and he shot up, breathing heavily. Regina and Emma nearly squeezed the life out of him and there was a collective sigh of relief among all of them. Wanting him to rest, Regina brought him down to Hook's cabin. Emma handed Pandora's box to Neal, in hopes that he could release Gold. Taking out a bobby pin from her hair, Riley pierced the palm of her hand. The dark red mist seeped out of the box again, releasing Gold onto the ship. She quietly mocked their happy reunion as she wrote on her hand with the pin. The smile was wiped from his face as he noticed her by the wheel. Before he could even open his mouth, she pricked her finger with the pin. Neal winced, wiping blood away from the cut on his own finger. She quietly held up her hand, showing Neal carved into her palm.

"Miss Renato, would you help me with a spell? I want to ensure that Pan cannot follow us to Storybrooke," he said, barely hiding the contempt in his voice.

"Sure."

Riley followed him over to the left side of the ship. "So what spell did you want to do? I personally think—"

"Remove the spell on my son," he hissed.

"I don't think so. Call it my insurance that you'll keep quiet. You tell anyone what you know about me and I'll drive a sword right through my chest. I'd survive that but Neal? Not even the Dark One can revive the dead. Even after I get rid of Neal, I have plenty of other people you care about to use the same linking spell on…like Belle and Henry. It'd be such a shame to lose your son after you just got his trust back."

"Do not ever threaten my boy."

"Oh, it's more than a threat, Rumple. It's a promise. You know better than anyone what happens when someone breaks a deal with me. Let's not make that mistake twice."

Gold whipped his head around, looking fearful. "You felt that chill too? Seems daddy doesn't want to give up just yet."

"This isn't over."

With his last bit of magic, Pan had managed to sneak onto the ship in an attempt to take back Henry's heart but Gold stopped him by trapping him in the box. Riley spent most of the trip back to Storybrooke below deck, watching over her brothers. Feeling the ship land, she peered out of the nearest window, seeing the town. She made her brothers vanish from their beds with a wave of her hand. The docks were filled with the townspeople welcoming back from their journey and as she stepped off the ship, she was tackled in a hug by Ethan.

"Riley, we were all really worried. We didn't know where you were until Belle got that message from Gold and—"

"I'm okay. Ease up on the hug. You might break my ribs if you squeeze any harder."

Her other friends did the same, the girls panicking over the tiniest scratch. Vivienne was the last to hug her but certainly the most emotional, trying her hardest to hold back tears. Though Riley hugged her back, it was not as heartfelt.

"We planned a welcome back party at Granny's. After being stuck on that island for days, you can get as drunk as you want," said Alec.

"Good. I need a party."

"But first, you need to rest," said Celeste, acting like a nurse.

Vivienne followed her back to the inn. "Why was Gold looking at you like he wanted to set you on fire? Did something happen?"

"I gave him back his memories."

"W—what? Why would you—what if he tells Emma or—"

"He won't. I've made sure of that. Don't bring me down, Viv. I'm celebrating my victory. The merge passed."

"Well, it was easy with all your siblings daggered."

"Except Marcus. I had to kill him. He somehow got out of the mines."

"That's—no, it's impossible. I triple checked those enchantments. Do you think Pan somehow—it was obviously him. Who else? I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not keeping a better eye on things and—"

"You're my dearest, most loyal friend. I couldn't be mad at you for something that was out of your control."

"But now you can't go through with your plan with Marcus dead."

For a brief second, Riley gripped the door handle so tightly that it almost snapped in half. She nodded, opening the door.

"It's a shame but I'll try to find another way. You know me. I never give up."

"I'm just glad you're alive. I couldn't stand not being able to help you in Neverland but I had to keep up appearances."

"I know that. I was never in any real danger there anyway."

Later that night, they attended the welcome back party at Granny's. Nearly half the town was packed inside the diner, throwing back beers and having fun. Vivienne managed to sneak away some bottles of hard liquor from the Rabbit Hole by flirting with the bartender. Riley intended to enjoy the night, not wanting a single care in the world. Though she had every right to be celebrating, she found herself unable to get into the party spirit, a small amount of doubt nagging her in the back of her mind. She was in her own little world as her friends got excessively more drunk with each passing hour, something that did not go unnoticed by a disapproving Mary Margaret. Grabbing the bottle of scotch, she sat down at the far end of the counter.

"Feeling alright there, love?"

Hook walked towards her, carrying a mug of beer. With a halfhearted shrug, she filled an empty glass to the brim.

"Just thinking."

"That sounds quite dangerous. What's on your mind?"

"I should be celebrating."

"Winning the merge or the death of your brother?"

"Yep," she replied, earning a chuckle from him.

"And yet you're sitting alone while your friends test Granny's patience by drinking enough liquor to take down an entire crew."

"I don't feel like drinking games right now."

"You shouldn't be alone at a party. I'll keep you company, if you don't mind."

"I don't want to talk either."

"We don't have to talk, Renato. If I recall correctly, you owe me a drink."

Flicking her wrist, she filled another empty glass with everclear. He merely laughed off her warning that it was very hard liquor, assuring her that he had his fair share of drinks over the centuries. She stifled a laugh at the grimace of his face as he downed the shot.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, coughing into his sleeve.

"Wuss."

"That was terrible."

"You don't drink it for the taste. You drink it to get so smashed that you forget all your troubles."

"Are you talking from experience?"

"Maybe."

"Sure you don't wish to talk?"

"I doubt you'd understand what's going through my head at the moment."

"It can be about anything you like. Your brothers, your adventures in this land, the many ways you intend to drive the prince insane…"

She smiled into her glass. "I said I don't feel like talking but that doesn't me you can't. Try to convince me that you deserve your reputation as the fearsome Captain Hook."

When she first arrived at the party, she expected to be tossing back drink after drink with her friends and gossiping about what she had missed in her time away from Storybrooke. She never thought that she would be listening to Hook's stories about his pirate adventures or ignoring her friends' requests to join them for a drinking game. There was a heavy tension between the boys and Hook, mostly due to his pirate past. None of them voiced their opinions out loud but the only one who plainly did not appreciate his presence was Vivienne, who was looking more and more irritated each time that Hook made her laugh or smile. Each of his stories were getting progressively farfetched and clearly made up to sound more impressive.

She poured the remaining scotch into her glass. "Liar. You did not fight a yaoguai"

"It's not a lie."

"You said the fight was near the docks but they'd never go near water. They prefer the mountains."

"For someone who didn't spend much time in the Enchanted Forest, you know your magical creatures."

"It's called reading a book, something I doubt the women you usually charm these stories with ever did."

"Perhaps I exaggerated that tale."

"Good job using a fancy word for completely made up. You still haven't convinced me. You're not a scary pirate."

"And yet I took your mind off of what was troubling you."

"For a little bit, yea. I'll tell you what I was thinking about if you tell me your whole secret…the one from the Echo Cave."

"You already know that secret," he said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"I want to know what convinced you to give up your revenge against Rumplestiltskin. You spent centuries trying to find a way to kill him and suddenly, it's not worth it. I just don't see how you could give up all of that so easily. I mean, he killed someone you cared about so much. How do you just throw away centuries of hatred?"

"Make no mistake, I still despise the crocodile. I started out on my vengeance, thinking that I had nothing left to live for…"

"But now you do? What is it?"

He was cut off by Vivienne joining them at the counter. If looks could kill, Hook would be impaled on a fence post.

"Riley, can I talk to you outside? It's about Celeste's surprise party on Friday."

"I'll be back in a minute," she told Hook.

As soon as they stepped outside the dinner, Riley flicked her wrist and sent them to the docks. She sat on a bench, gazing at the calm waters. Vivienne hesitated to join her before deciding to remain standing, awkwardly twirling her ponytail around her finger.

"Why won't you talk to me? You've barely said more than five words since you got back."

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Viv."

Her nostrils flared. "I'm not jealous of that…dirty pirate. Why were you even talking to him? Last I checked, he tried to kill you."

"I'm over that. He wasn't really going to kill me. Besides, I like talking to him. He keeps my mind off of things."

"Like what?"

"Just things. He helped me survive the merge too. I gave him the daggers and he used them on Bash and Seth."

"You gave him the daggers? How could you—what if he tried to use it on you?" she asked, looking at Riley like she was insane.

"I trusted him. Seems I can only trust a few people these days but you want to talk? Okay. Why didn't you tell me that Marcus escaped or that he released Pierce? I had to hear about Pierce from Hook who found out from Pan. You shouldn't have had any trouble sending me a message."

"I—I didn't know he escaped until you told the others what happened in Neverland. I don't know how he—"

Vivienne immediately stopped talking as Riley closed her hand into a fist. She lightly grasped her throat, struggling to make the tiniest sound.

"Please do not play dumb with me. You've been doing it since I came back here. We've known each other for a very long time. Have I ever been easily tricked? The moment I saw Marcus, I knew. The only person who knew where he was…happens to be standing right in front of me. Want to tell me why you released him and how you even pulled out the dagger?"

Riley uncurled her fist. "I dug through my old satchel and found a box of potion ingredients. One of them was a vial of your blood from the time we were casting that linking spell. I poured it on a rag and it was enough to pull out the dagger. Marcus never saw me. I didn't think he'd know me but I wanted to be careful. I left him a note, telling him that you never actually killed Pierce and where he was being held."

"So you betrayed my trust not once, but twice."

"I wasn't betraying you. I…I knew what you were planning to do once the merge was over and I didn't want you to do it. I'm trying to protect you from making a stupid mistake."

"Spare me the dramatics. Tell the truth. You were being selfish."

"If being selfish keeps you alive, then yes. I was being selfish. I knew that if you faced Marcus, it would only end in death and your plans would be delayed. Forgive me if I don't want to see you dead. You're my oldest friend. You're—Riley, you're everything to me. The only reason I ever put on this act of working for Regina was for you. Everything I've done since we've met has been for you…to protect you. You've had me from the day we met and you will until my very last day. Please don't be angry with me. I know what I did was reckless and with Pierce released, it puts countless lives in danger…but if I tried talking to you, you would shut me out like you're doing now."

Riley stood up from the bench and walked over to the end of the docks, playing with her necklace. "Do you remember how we met?"

"Of course. I'd never forget it. You saved my life and nothing can ever repay how much you've done for me."

"It was by an ocean like this and we were standing on the shore. I used the water to heal your wounds and you kept asking how you could repay me. I told you that just being alive was enough and offered to bring you back to your home but you didn't want to be around your father. You begged to come back with me and swore to always be loyal."

Vivienne fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. Leaning her head against Riley's hip, she gripped her hand.

"And I never broke that promise. I am loyal to you. I made a mistake and if I have to spend a lifetime making up for it, so be it…as long as I'm with you, I don't care how long it takes."

"There's a beautiful symmetry to this moment."

"R—Riley, please forgive me. Tell me what I can do. I will do anything you want. I will go kill Porter myself. I'll make sure those pathetic gods never think of rebelling again. Just say the word and—"

"I want you to go home."

"If that's what you wish. I'll give you time to think about it and maybe we can get breakfast at Granny's tomorrow."

"I don't mean your lovely little house next to Regina's. Listen to me carefully. I want you to go home."

Her own hand trembled as her grip tightened on Riley's hand. "Y—you don't mean that."

Riley grabbed her by the front of her blouse, seething. The clear night sky was replaced with dark grey clouds rolling in, along with lightning and rumbling thunder, and the once calm waters turned rough, a swirling portal forming just inches away from the docks.

"I mean every word. I have bided my time and made sure that everything goes perfectly. I've always been fifty steps ahead of everyone else. If you think that I am going to abandon all of it for some silly little infatuation, you're wrong! I've done my waiting! I can do as I please and no one is going to stop me! Do you really think I told you every part of my plan? I'm not that foolish. I never needed Marcus alive for it to work. All I needed was the dagger so thank you, Vivienne. You helped me get rid of one thorn in my side and to repay you, I'm going to send you home."

"Riley, you can't. Please don't—if I go back there, he will kill me."

"No, he won't. He's going to torture you for awhile but you should be thanking me. His torture will only last a few weeks, maybe months. If you were to stay with me, I would be torturing you for years and begging for your death would only make your suffering last longer. I'll do you another favor."

She ripped off Vivienne's necklace. "He won't be as rough if you don't have your magic. He is a gentleman, after all."

"R—Riley, you can't send me there! I'm begging you! Let me—"

Tired of her pleas, Riley threw into the ocean. The last thing she heard before the portal sealed itself shut was Vivienne screaming her name. With the portal closed, the waters and the sky returned to normal. She held the necklace, its dove-shaped pendant gleaming in the moonlight, over the water but could not bring herself to toss it away, choosing to keep it in her pocket. Returning to the diner, she was surprised to find sitting in a booth with her friends, drinking beers.

"Where did you go? China? You were gone forever. Where's Viv?" asked Alec.

"She was feeling a little sick so she went home. What's going on?"

"Nothing much. We're just showing Hook some of this world's drinking games. For only having one hand, he's really good at quarters."

She slid into the booth beside Ethan. "You don't need two hands to bounce a quarter, genius. With those smarts, you're lucky you're good looking."

"Oh, am I?"

"So sexy. Let's go in the bathroom so I can have your pretty, blonde-haired babies."

Hook's grin faltered briefly as he drank from his mug. With each drink, the night became more of a blur and the only thing she remembered clearly was sending Vivienne through the mortal. By the next morning, she was unable to shake the feeling that she acted too rashly, no matter how much she assured herself that she made the right decision. It was not only anger that drove her to send Vivienne away but also hurt from her betrayal. She wanted to believe that Vivienne had good intentions but she could not let go of the fact that she had spent years setting up the pieces for her plan and not even her closest friend was going to ruin all that hard work.

Dodging calls from Ethan to join him and their other friends in the woods, she sat on a log near the shore. Her head had been between her knees for so long that she thought she might curl up into a ball. She clutched the dove-shaped pendant in her hand.

"Riley?"

Glancing up, she saw Emma nearby, looking like she had her own fair share of problems. "What are you doing out here?"

"Trying to get some privacy but in this town, it's apparently impossible. Shouldn't you be doing sheriff stuff? I'm sure one of the dwarves got so drunk that they're lying naked in the middle of the street."

"Thankfully, that didn't happen. I came out here to do some thinking. Looks like you had the same idea. Is it about Marcus?"

"What, you think I'm upset over his death? I'm not."

"Not upset but he was your brother. It couldn't have been easy to kill him."

"I've been waiting for it since I was a little girl. Seeing him die brought me nothing but joy. He deserved it for a lot of reasons. Before you ask, it's not about my dad either. You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

"As your protector, I think it's in my job description to make sure you're okay. Maybe talking about what's up with you will take my mind off of what's on my mind. Spill."

Riley sighed as Emma sat beside her. "Do you ever feel like you can never have a good moment? Like as soon as everything seems perfect, something bad is just lurking around the corner, waiting to tear it all away?"

"Wow. I wasn't prepared for you being all philosophical. I thought you were going to whine about David or something. I do feel like that sometimes. Actually, for most of my life. When I was in the foster system, I never really felt like belonged in a new home because I kept thinking that somehow, I'm going to mess it up. I think I'm feeling a little bit like that now and it's what's keeping me from meeting Neal for lunch. Are you sure you're not feeling this way because of what happened with Marcus? Be honest. You must feel a little bad."

"No. I don't feel anything. I'm sure Bash mentioned that to you while you two were getting all friendly in Neverland."

"He did and he also told me that it's not hard to turn on your emotions."

"It's better if I don't. I can't do what I have to if I flip that switch. The minute I do, it'll be like getting hit by a truck…all that pain and suffering and the damage I've caused to get to where I am."

"Even after I got reunited with my parents in Storybrooke, I was a big supporter of the not feeling anything idea. Sometimes, not feeling is worse. Maybe if you told me what you think you have to do, I could help you figure out another way."

"No matter how much you think we're alike, you'd never understand. The only person who would understand died a long time ago."

She rolled her eyes as David arrived in his truck. He had been searching for Emma, to encourage her to meet Neal at Granny's for lunch. When Emma mentioned her concerns that Henry seemed unlike himself and trouble could strike the town at any minute, he gave a sickeningly heartwarming speech about finding the good moments in life.

"Get up. You're coming with us," Emma told Riley.

"Says who?"

"Me. No more philosophical thinking. You are going to Granny's and meeting up with your friends who have been looking for you all morning."

Emma practically forced her into the back of the truck. Upon arriving at the diner, they were distracted by a piercing scream and Tinker Bell and Hook left the diner together, alerted by the same sound. Even from a distance, Riley was able to smell the rum on his breath. Hearing the scream again, Emma and David hurried down the street.

"Not out with your knight friend, Renato?"

"I'm friends with a lot of knights. Be a little more specific."

"You do seem like the type to get around."

"What?" she asked, clenching her fists.

"Riley, he didn't mean that. He's…been drinking a little too much," said Tinker Bell.

"Maybe I do get around but thankfully, my standards don't sink so low that I'd settle for a drunken prick."

Riley followed the screams to the nunnery where Mother Superior was lying face down on the stone steps, her eyes lifeless. Emma and David had seen Pan's shadow rip out her own shadow, killing her, despite the shadow only taking orders from Pan. She called Mary Margaret, Regina, and Neal to tell them about the shadow while David covered Mother Superior with a blanket. Regina and Henry were the last to arrive at the nunnery. Not having spent much time around Henry since he was revived on the Jolly Roger, Riley noticed that something was off about him.

"You are the biggest idiot," she whispered, standing beside him as the others attempted to figure out how Pan's shadow was freed from the sail.

"They suspect nothing. Be nicer to me or I won't help you escape my new curse. If you reconsider my offer, I can guarantee that you'll leave Storybrooke unharmed."

"You're not quite as threatening in an eleven year old's body. Like I've told you countless times, I will never take your offer."

"Riley, come with us to the ship. If the shadow comes back there, it might be good to have someone with magic to fight it off," said Neal.

While Neal and Tinker Bell retrieved the candle from the Jolly Roger, Riley and Hook waited on the docks amid the awkward tension. "Perhaps you should call your knights to come to the rescue. I'm sure with their skill, they can cut that shadow into pieces."

"What the hell is your problem? You seemed fine with them last night."

"I can certainly see the appeal of the blonde, the one who seems like he idolizes the prince. The boyish good looks, charming personality…"

"Hey, if you want a date, I can set it up."

"You are the one who wishes to bear his children."

"I didn't think it was a concept just in this land but I guess it is…it's called a joke. We were kidding around. I'm not into Alec. Why do you even care?"

"I don't."

"Even if I was interested in Alec or if I want to get with a bunch of guys and girls, it's none of your business. It's my body, not yours. If you have a problem with that, you can shove it down your throat and choke on it."

"Apologies. I never meant—as Tink said, I've had a lot to drink."

"Well, while you drink away the few brain cells you have left, I'm going to get back to my room…check if I have anything that can help us against the shadow. If Pan is around, that candle might not be enough."

Instead of returning to her room at the inn, she headed towards Vivienne's house. Her friends were not yet concerned about Vivienne's mysterious disappearance, believing that she still felt ill. Her home was organized and tidy, which perfectly fit her usually strait-laced personality. In her closet, she found a box of mementos, including tokens from their past. She sifted through the box, remembering how Vivienne acquired each trinket, and as she picked it up, she noticed a stack of letters taped to the bottom. The letters were all sent from Nicon. She read through the letters, each wanting information on Riley, her whereabouts, and any worries that she was a danger to herself. Her eyes skimmed the last sentence of the most recent letter: You know that it is best for her not to remember everything and she must be kept in line, whether willingly or by force. The letter unintentionally burned to ash in her hand.

Seeing a text from Emma, she walked down to the cemetery where everyone was gathered in front of Regina's vault. She pretended to be confused at the sight of Pan standing beside Neal until he explained that he was actually Henry inside Pan's body. They were too late to stop the real Pan from stealing an item from the vault: the curse that Regina used to curse the inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest and create Storybrooke. Gold explained that if Pan cast the curse again, its effects would be whatever he desired and the only way to stop him was to have Regina destroy the curse scroll though, like any magic, it came with a price. To retrieve the scroll, the plan was to use a spell to return Pan and Henry to their original bodies. A wand that belonged to the Black Fairy, a powerful yet exiled fairy, was necessary to cast the spell and they assumed that it was in Mother Superior's possession.

While David, Hook, Neal, and Tinker Bell left to retrieve the wand, the rest of them waited in Gold's shop. Gold was barely able to conceal his hatred as he watched Riley flip through an old spellbook.

"Is there any way that I can help with the spell, Mr. Gold?" she asked, innocently.

"No, there isn't," he replied, tersely.

"Rumple, be nice. She wants to help," whispered Belle.

"I'm Riley, by the way. We haven't actually met since you were in the hospital and then cursed when I came to Storybrooke."

Belle smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you and Rumple says you're very talented with your magic."

"Well, he is just such an amazing teacher."

"Miss Renato, I was wrong. You can help me. Part of the spell is written in your ancestors' language and as you are the only one who can translate it, your knowledge is of some use. Follow me to the back, please," said Gold.

Riley followed him into the back room. He quietly cast a concealment spell over the doorway, hiding them from view.

"She's just as sweet as I remember. You better treat her right or I'll make good on what I said all those years ago. How long will it last anyway? You're so old. She needs someone who can keep up with her...someone with a good tongue."

Using his cane, he pinned her against the bookshelf. "If you'd like to keep yours, you will not ever go near Belle. Is that understood?"

"I think you're confused about who has the leverage here. Do you not remember our talk before Daddy Dearest put you in time out?"

"You may think you have the upper hand but the truth doesn't have to come from me. Your little bird traveled with you. She may have magic but not enough to win against me. It would be very easy to get her to tell Miss Swan everything."

"My little bird has flown away, I'm afraid. She flew all the way back home."

"Lies," he hissed.

"You'd be able to sense her. If she were here, don't you think you'd see her perched on the roof of the shop to keep an eye on me? Tell Emma about me, if you want. It'll just make it that much easier for me to ruin your relationship with your son and your girlfriend…especially when Vivienne's dead body is found inside the shop and all the signs point to you as the killer. Sure you could get Emma to use a dreamcatcher to prove your innocence but how will you get around me altering your memories to fit the crime? You're good but you're not as good as me."

"Why are you still here?"

"Emma's protecting me. Where else would I go? The council told me to stay in Storybrooke and I obeyed."

"I've never known you to give a damn what the council says. You can threaten me all you wish but whatever you intend to do in Storybrooke, I will stop you and see to it that you never see the light of day."

Pushing against his chest, she sent him flying across the room. One of the bookshelves collapsed on top of him and while he struggled to move out from under it, she broke off a leg from a rickety chair.

"Shall we play a game like old times?" she asked, pressing the sharp end against his chest.

~Killian~

Entering Gold's shop, he found the others in one of the back rooms. The only ones missing were the Dark One and Riley though Swan explained that they were going over the spell required to switch Pan and Henry's bodies. Baelfire showed her the wand that belonged to the Black Fairy.

"Good. Let's get Gold and Riley out here and then we can get back—"

The wand vanished from Baelfire's hand. "You should be very careful with this," he heard.

Turning around, he spotted a small group, consisting of three men and two women, standing in the doorway. Each person could not be more vastly different from the others. The middle-aged woman on the far left had the most striking appearance with her bushy dark brown hair and an elegant dress that would fit in better in the Enchanted Forest than Storybrooke while the man beside her seemed like he was minutes away from death with his round glasses perched on the end of his nose and a long snow white beard. Of the five, the most intriguing was the man in the middle, who looked to be in his early thirties, yet dressed the best to assimilate to this land's attire. Killian thought that with his leather jacket and tousled dark blonde hair, he resembled one of the rock stars that Riley had shown him on her phone in an effort to teach him more about the land without magic. Despite his youthful appearance, he also appeared to be the leader of the group and was holding the Black Fairy's wand.

"It's not a toy. It's capable of very dark magic."

"Who the hell are you? Give that back," demanded Swan.

"My apologies. We never had the pleasure of meeting in person though you should speak to me with more respect. After all, I am the one who can take your life, whether or not you keep Riley safe."

"Riley? Are you—wait, you're the council?"

"Yes. Not all of us are present but that doesn't matter. My name is Nicon."

"We happen to be trying to save my son so forgive me if I don't care that you're here," said Regina.

The burly man to his right, who possibly was part ogre, crackled his knuckles. With a quiet chuckle, the boy raised his hand.

"No need for that. Reina, isn't it?"

"Regina."

"Forgive him, dear. He hardly remembers people's names, particularly the names of amateurs," said the bushy-haired woman.

Snow placed her hand on Regina's shoulder, stopping her from conjuring a fireball. "Your son is fine. We've frozen the town for the time being until business is settled. You should thank me. It seems you're under the threat of another curse. Your town attracts quite a lot of trouble, doesn't it? It's hardly a difficult curse to stop but I suppose it would be harder in the hands of someone less experienced with magic."

"You can stop this curse?" asked David, hopefully.

"Easily but council matters come first. It shouldn't take very long. Where is Riley? I can sense her magic so I know she's here."

"Riley!"

The concealment spell on the other room was lifted, revealing Riley by a bookshelf. Killian noticed that Nicon looked tense when he spotted the Dark One beside her, straightening his suit. Upon seeing the council, Riley's expression was unsurprisingly stoic. She closed the spellbook in her hand, placing it back on the shelf.

"Dark One."

"Nicon," said the Dark One, matching his contempt.

Riley leaned against the doorway. Her face showed no emotion but in her eyes, Killian could detect the tiniest gleam of scorn. The feeling seemed to be mutual as all of the council members, particularly the middle-aged woman, looked as though they would rather be anywhere else than in a room with her.

"Oh yay, the boring committee is here. Come to congratulate me on my win?"

"Hardly a win when you rig the game," said the bushy-haired woman.

"Still a bitter, old hag, Mim? Glad to see you haven't changed."

"Don't let her get a rise out of you. You know how she is," the other woman, not much older than Riley herself with light blonde hair in a long plait down her back, whispered to calm the angered woman, her piercing dark blue eyes boring into Riley with disdain.

"You missed my brother's funeral. It was lovely."

"You had a burial for your brother?" asked Nicon, surprised.

"Not so much a burial as tossing his body to the wolves and letting them tear apart his charred, bloody corpse."

"And yet your other brothers remain daggered."

"Because I don't trust you. I undagger them and you'll make up some stupid loophole that means we have to go through the merge again. Maybe you won't but you did curse Bash for failing to hold up a promise that he made when he was twelve. I know I've done some horrible things but that is a whole other level."

Killian's eyes widened slightly at her flippant mention of Sebastian's curse. When he had learned about the curse bestowed on him by the council, Sebastian made it seem as though it was a big secret. It reminded him of Sebastian revealing that he knew the crystal was a fake and showed that they shared a very deep connection. He wondered how long Riley was aware of her brother's predicament and if leaving the dagger in his chest was her way of delaying the inevitable.

"We aren't here to discuss Sebastian and though you did win the merge through nontraditional means, a win is a win. You do understand, however, that when you choose to wake your brothers, they must take on new identities and it must be believed that you were truly the last one standing."

"Why would they need to do that?" asked Swan, crossing her arms.

"The merge has helped us maintain peace for centuries. If others learned of Riley's…unique situation, they will attempt the same and it will throw off balance. Rules are rules, Miss Swan. As I said, we're not here to discuss Sebastian's ailment or the merge. Another member of your family is our concern at the moment."

With a wave of his hand, he conjured a stack of papers and photographs. "Look at you, getting all good with your hands. Claps all around for you, buddy. Sure you don't want to do this in your natural habitat? Go for a little dip in the water? Maybe you'll find your descendants," she said, making a series of clicking sounds.

Nicon, holding back a snarl, showed her the photographs. Each one was more gruesome than the last, depicting severely maimed bodies. In one photograph, an entire diner was filled with these corpses and the blood splatter on the white walls had turned them completely red. He suggested that Riley's father was to blame for these attacks, his body count nearing five hundred in the short time that he was released from his prison. Her father was supposedly killing these people, mostly those capable of magic, in order to regain his strength.

"How do you know it was him? Do you use some sort of spell to trace his magic?" asked Belle, curiously.

"Usually, that is our method but in this case, it was not necessary. He has a certain…style to his attacks."

"He rips the bodies apart piece by piece then puts them back together to make it look like they were doing ordinary stuff like eating dinner or watching TV. It's hilarious," replied Riley, earning a glare from Nicon.

"He's killed nearly half of the New Orleans coven already. It's drawing suspicions from the people in this land as well. He moves too quickly for us to clean up the mess before the police stumble upon the bodies," said Mim.

"Sucks for you but I fail to see how that's my problem."

"Riley," said Swan, lightly smacking her arm.

"What? No offense but this is on them. I did all the dirty work in trapping him and when I offered to kill him, they said no. Why was that again, Nicon? Oh right, because you thought that he deserved a shot at redemption. Well, that idea bit you in the ass, didn't it?"

"I will admit that we had high hopes that your father would see the error of his ways but with all of the covens and our own lives at risk, he is too much of a liability and needs to be put down."

"If you have magic yourselves, why do you need her to handle her father?" asked Killian, suspicious of their intentions.

Nicon's eyes flickered between Riley and Killian and for a moment, he looked unnerved. "Pierce has dabbled in some of the darkest magic and when he was not much older than Riley, he cast a very dark spell…one that made him invulnerable. Of course, no one is ever truly immortal and though he is very difficult to get rid of, all it takes is a special blade imbued with dark magic. Riley has that blade in her possession. She forged it herself shortly before he was imprisoned. One nick and he's weakened to the point that the tiniest spell will kill him. Pierce is not only a threat to the covens. It is only a matter of time before he arrives in Storybrooke. If Riley gives us the blade, we will handle your Pan problem."

"Y—you would do that?" asked Snow.

"Our duty is not only to the covens, but to all the realms. We have always considered Storybrooke under our protection. It is because of us that you never saw yourselves harmed during those twenty eight years of being frozen in time while the rest of the world moved around you. Pan won't risk going against us. Once we have the means to put down Pierce, we will take him away from here and make sure that he can never harm you or your loved ones again. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes. Riley, give him the knife," said Swan, ignoring the blatant mistrust on Riley's face.

Following Riley back to her room at the inn, they witnessed the extent of the council's power. The entire town was indeed frozen in time, with people standing completely still in the middle of the street. Swan quietly assured Henry that soon, he would no longer be in any danger from Pan. As Killian attempted to listen to the conversation between Riley and Nicon, with her immediately recoiling from his mere touch, he caught the middle-aged woman staring at him from the corner of his eye. She whispered to the other woman, who responded with a shake of her head.

Entering her room, Riley walked over to the small bookshelf. "Hmm, no one tied up in the corner, begging for mercy…no blood on the walls…not what I expected," said Nicon, gazing at a painting of the sea on the wall.

She grabbed a thick, tattered book from the top shelf. The middle page had been cut open to create a small hole, large enough to hide an object, though it was empty.

"It was here. I don't know where it—Marcus must've taken it before he left."

"Do you think I'm a fool? Where is it?"

"I'm not lying."

"Are we supposed to believe that, you little whelp? For all we know, you altered this room with a spell before we entered and it's hidden in plain sight," said Mim, her eyes narrowed.

Nicon shrugged. "Mim has a point. Certainly doesn't look like the girl I know."

"Maybe you don't know me at all, you pompous prick. Has it ever occurred to you that none of you actually know a thing about the real me?"

"Enough with the dramatics. You want to play this little game? Fine. The others will check the rest of this inn. I wouldn't put it past you to compel someone else into hiding the blade for you."

The rest of the council left the room in search of the enchanted knife. Nicon lifted up a porcelain music box, checking its underside. As he placed it back on the small table beside her bed, Riley gripped her wrist in the same spot where she used to place her leather bracelet.

"That's not how it was before. It wasn't facing that way."

Nicon knocked the music box to the floor, causing her to tighten her grip on her wrist. Judging by his subtle smirk, he was purposely agitating her. He stepped inside her closet and in a split second, she was picking up the music box, repeatedly moving it in different directions.

"Riley?" asked Henry, noticing her odd behavior.

"It has to be exactly the same. It has to be right," she muttered.

Nicon slammed the closet door shut. "Enough of these childish games! Where is it?!"

"Hey! Don't talk to her like that!" said Swan.

Riley finally stopped moving the music box, taking a slow, deep breath. She continued to blame the knife's disappearance on Marcus, which was honestly a plausible explanation. Nicon refused to believe her, teetering between shouting until his voice went hoarse or tearing her head from her shoulders.

"I know it's here. Perhaps I just need to think like you, hmm? Now, if I were a distrustful, little psychopath, where would I keep such a dangerous weapon? It has to be well hidden but not too guarded…otherwise, I couldn't run with it in case I was in a rush and needed to keep it from my enemies."

She swallowed hard as he glanced at a round bowl containing water, colorful pebbles lined across the bottom. The bowl also had a few plants and a miniature treasure chest.

"Well, that is adorable. The fish bowl with the little treasure chest but wait, where are the fish? Not your best work."

He retracted his hand from the bowl, rubbing his fingers over the newly formed burns. "Nightshade water. Very clever."

Conjuring a rag, he wrapped it around his hand to protect himself from the nightshade. He grabbed the treasure chest and as he opened it, black dust shot into his face. He cried out before falling to the floor unconscious, his face covered in severe burns. The other council members hurried into the room at the sound of his shouting but before any of them could lift a finger, Riley pushed her hand forward, slamming them against the wall.

"Riley, what the hell are you doing? They were going to help us stop Pan," said Swan, looking at the four unconscious bodies.

"You really have learned nothing, Emma. Nicon was never going to help you. Maybe he would've stopped Pan's curse but then you would've owed him a favor."

"So what?"

"You don't want to owe the council anything. Look at what he did to my brother. This is what they do. They prey on a person's weakness. Nicon knew how desperate you all are and was using that to get what he wanted."

"I agree with Miss Renato. The council isn't known for its saintliness, Miss Swan," said the Dark One, looking like it pained him to side with Riley.

"The council doesn't care about Storybrooke. Like most of the covens, they wanted to get rid of it. Nicon makes you do a small favor but then it turns out that you were part of an even bigger mess. I was saving you."

David scoffed. "Because that's just like you, Riley."

She reached into Nicon's coat, pulling out a vial of black liquid. "This is nightshade. It's poisonous to people with magic unless you build up a tolerance. You want me to tell you what he planned to do with it? After he saved the town, you all would've been at Granny's to celebrate because that's what you do every time. You don't think the council has its own spies in the town? They watch your every move to make sure you stay within the boundaries set by them. You're all having fun, tossing back a few drinks, and then Emma and Regina drop dead from the poison that was in them. I know how he operates. This is how he gets rid of threats."

"He gave Emma the job of protecting you. Why would he kill her?"

"Because she's a wildcard. This whole town isn't meant to be here. They had centuries of keeping the peace until it showed up and when magic was brought here, it threw everything off. Like he said, the council likes to maintain balance."

"Let's say we believe that. Were you lying about Marcus taking the knife?"

"I'll take them over the town line. Make sure they can't get back inside."

Grabbing Nicon by the arm, she dragged him out of the room, passing it off as an accident when his head slammed against the doorframe…

~Riley~

Riley pulled each of the council members over the town line. As she finished with taking Nicon across the line, he grabbed her wrist, already beginning to stir from the nightshade poisoning. There was a brief burning sensation in her jacket pocket. Stepping back over the line, she cast a barrier spell to prevent the council from returning to Storybrooke without a personal invitation. She found Emma and the others near the library, surrounding an unconscious Regina who had fainted the moment she grabbed the curse scroll from Henry, who was back in his own body.

"You sent them all away?" asked Hook as Emma attempted to wake up Regina.

"They're just over the town line. I thought it would be more satisfying to watch them try and fail to cross it. Pierce is probably already causing chaos in New Orleans so they won't stick around here very long."

"And you're sure your suspicions were right?"

"I know the council like the back of my hand. Besides, I'm never wrong. Where's Gold?"

"Dealing with Pan."

Emma and Henry helped a stunned Regina up from the ground. When she touched the scroll, she was given a glimpse of the price for casting the curse.

"Mom, a—are you going to be okay?" asked Henry.

"The important thing is you will be," she said, placing her hand under his chin.

The scroll vanished from her hand and as they turned around, they saw Pan heading down the street towards them. He quickly waved his hand, keeping them frozen. Though she was unable to move, she felt Hook's fingers lightly grasping the palm of her hand. Her surroundings changed, Storybrooke fading away and being replaced by the inside of a cottage. She wrenched her hand away and turned towards Hook, who was dressed in slightly different pirate attire, including a dark red vest.

"I know you must be furious with me. I deserve every bit of your anger. I—I planned to come back sooner but there was a price on my head."

"It's been months. I thought you were dead. There were rumors that the ship had been taken over by pirates and I suppose that's true. They simply forgot to mention that one of the pirates was you."

"After I lost Liam, I couldn't bear to follow a ruthless king who cared more for himself than for the men sworn to protect him. Are you still being a thorn in his side?"

She held back a smile. "When am I not?"

"Come with me to the Jolly Roger. You always spoke of wanting adventures. This is your chance. It's only a matter of time before the king decides to make an example of you. I can protect you on my ship."

"I don't need your protection."

"I know but I will still offer it. I made a promise to keep you safe until my last day in this world. Every day apart from you feels like a century."

He reached for her hand, his thumb brushing against her palm. "All your life, you've been taking care of everyone else…doing what needs to be done for their sake but never caring about your own desires. Let me give you the life you always deserved. If that means staying in this village for the rest of my life, so be it. None of that will matter as long as I am with you. I don't wish to be separated ever again."

Riley snapped out of her daydream but it was as if no time passed while her mind was in its own little world. Pan was taunting them about their frozen state, calling them a 'captive' audience. Standing in front of Riley, he leaned close to her ear.

"You should've taken my offer when you had the chance, little dove. You're so confident that you've won that you can't see that someone's already ensured you won't," he whispered.

Patting her cheek, he moved on to threatening Belle and Neal. Gold arrived just in time to stop Pan from harming either of them. Riley listened as he gave emotional speeches about loving them, including how Belle's love made him a stronger person. Raising his hand, he summoned his shadow, which was carrying the dagger.

"What are you doing?" said Pan, struggling against his grip.

"You see, the only way to die is if we both die and now…now, I'm ready."

Stabbing Pan in the back, he drove the dagger in further, impaling himself. The spell that once made Pan young was lifted, revealing his true self, and both of them vanished in a flash of golden light, leaving behind the curse scroll. Pan's spell was reversed, allowing them to move again, and Belle fell to her knees, sobbing. Riley bent down beside Belle to console her, suppressing a smirk. Despite Pan's death, his curse was still in effect. Leroy rushed towards them, screaming that the curse was getting closer to the town.

"It's not too late. We can still stop it, right? Regina?" asked David.

Regina was lost in her own thoughts. "Yes. Yes."

She confessed that price of casting the curse was losing Henry and never being able to see him again. Once she cast the curse, Storybrooke would be ripped from existence and all of its inhabitants would return to the Enchanted Forest. Riley, Henry, and Emma were the only ones able to escape the curse, due to being born in this land and Emma's role as the savior. Emma was reluctant to leave her family behind, wanting to join them in the Enchanted Forest, but she had no choice.

Returning to her room at the inn, Riley gathered all of her belongings into a tote bag. She met up with the others at the town line after sending the coffins to a safe location outside of Storybrooke. At the town line, she had to endure several emotional goodbyes from her friends.

"I thought you could take this with you. We'll have our real ones again soon," said Ethan, handing her a wooden sword.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I have magic? I don't need a sword."

"You never know. Maybe you'll be fighting someone and you can give them a really nasty splinter."

Riley giggled, hugging him. "You're too sweet for your own good."

"If you somehow found a way to get to the Enchanted Forest, promise that you'll try to find us. You can tell us about the shows we're missing. I really want to know how that zombie one ends this season."

"Promise."

She overheard Regina tell Emma that even though they were escaping the curse, they would lose their memories of Storybrooke. Regina offered a gift of new memories, ones that made it seem like Emma and Henry grew up together. In the memories, Riley would be seen as an old friend of Emma's from her time in the foster system.

"But if I don't remember, how can I protect Riley?"

"I suppose that council will deal with that problem. Maybe they'll give your job to someone else…someone who remembers magic."

"But—"

"It's fine. I won't need a protector soon," said Riley.

"What does that mean?"

"Just trying to be optimistic. I think your parents are rubbing off on me."

Riley leaned against the yellow bug, her hands in her pockets. The dark green smoke from Pan's curse had just passed over the clock tower. Hook walked towards her, scratching the back of his ear.

"Seems this is goodbye, Renato."

"And I'll never get the chance to hear another made up story about the adventures of the amazing Captain Hook. Such a shame."

He chuckled. "I suppose not."

"Don't start telling stories to the first bimbo you meet in a pub. I wouldn't want you to get over me too quickly."

"I doubt I'll ever forget a lass like you. There are many pretty, dark-haired women in the Enchanted Forest but none quite as fearsome and quick-witted. If you lived in the Enchanted Forest, you could make a man as horrid as Blackbeard run off with his tail between his legs."

"Oh, definitely. I'd rule the seas with a flick of my wrist."

Remembering the look in his eyes when she handed back his sword at Pan's camp after her near death experience, she realized why it seemed so familiar yet daunting at the same time. The same look was in his eyes now, locked with her own, as he managed a sad smile.

"There's not a day will go by I won't think of you."

She pushed his shoulder. "Are you sure you didn't grow up here? You sound like you jumped out of a chick flick."

"I'll miss you as well."

"I never said that."

"With you, I've learned to read between the lines."

As the curse neared the line, she got into the yellow bug with Emma and Henry. She felt the burning sensation in her pocket once more and pulled out the dove-shaped pendant. The eyes of the doves suddenly changed from gold to black and the pendant practically glued itself to the palm of her hand. She ripped it off, stifling a groan. Her vision became blurry and Emma and Henry's voices were slowly fading into nothing but garbled noises. The last thing she remembered before fainting was the pendant falling from her grasp.

Riley sat up, breathless, finding herself no longer inside Emma's car. Taking in her surroundings, the disheveled villages and destroyed forests, it did not take her long to realize that she was not anywhere near Storybrooke or any place in the land without magic. A new leather bracelet was placed around her wrist, with an etching of a golden dove. She pressed her hand into the dirt, attempting to create a portal, but instead, all she felt was a severe pain in her head.

Nicon was sitting on a nearby boulder. "I see you're awake. You were only out for a few minutes."

"What did you do?"

"I was waiting around while you had your little goodbyes and I overrode that little loophole that let you escape the curse. I'm sure you know where you are…besides all the destruction, it hasn't changed that much. I know you found the letters that I sent to Vivienne. We've been exchanging letters for quite some time. She was so concerned about you, Riley. She said you were being too reckless and not thinking clearly."

"Then it's a good thing I sent that traitorous bitch home."

"Still so distrusting of everyone. You know, no matter how much you wish to be free of him, it seems like you get to be more and more like him by the day. I can hardly recognize you. You're no longer the girl I first met…all bright-eyed and wanting to learn magic. It's a pity."

"Why am I here?"

"Because your siblings are not. Vivienne never went into detail about your plan but when I discovered that you daggered your dear brothers, I figured it out. You always impress me, Riley…so clever. I should've realized it from the moment you were born."

"Maybe part of you did and that's why you let Bash remember first…to keep me from remembering anything."

"Perhaps. I am sorry that it had come to this but you must understand that I cannot let you go through with such a plan. I enchanted Vivienne's pendant long before you reunited. It was during the twenty eight years that she was cursed. It wouldn't enact until I said so and I truly hoped it wouldn't come to this. As long as you wear that bracelet, you can't use magic. Well, you can but it will be extremely painful. It's my insurance to keep you here until you learn to accept the council's orders. You hid the coffins well but no matter. It's not as if you can create a portal to go back."

"Why are you doing this to me? It has nothing to do with you or the council. I just wanted—"

"Oh, I know what you wanted but I'm afraid it doesn't align with the council's interests. You see, there is no end to this cycle because as much as the other council members, especially Mim, hate to admit it, our survival cannot continue without either of you. It thrives when you're both around. Your fates are linked and for the good of the covens, I can't let you ruin that."

"Nicon, please. If I stay here, he'll—don't make me go through it again. I can't."

"Yes, I'm sure he will find you soon now that you're not in a land that he doesn't have easy access to…but we all have to make sacrifices. Perhaps you should stop resisting and give him what he wants. Then there doesn't have to be any bloodshed."

Digging her fingers into the dirt, she glanced up at him with an icy glare. "I am going to make you suffer. When I find a way out of here, I'll make sure you know and you better put up every enchantment you know to protect you and your precious council."

"Your threats are meaningless. No matter how much power you have, it changes nothing. You will always be that little, doe-eyed scrapper."

As she lunged towards him, he vanished from the clearing. Her head collided with the boulder and she had to stop herself from casting a spell to heal the pain. Rubbing the side of her head, she traveled towards the giant cloud of purple smoke that was not far from the clearing…