So I did it again!
I am so sorry, I fell asleep typing... It has been a long week.
Any way... a bit more of the plan unravels.
As always please review.
"Belle please" Rumple hissed quietly as he tugged her sleeve to get her attention " I have things that I need to do"
"I'll just be a minute" she hissed back looking annoyed as she tugged her sleeve free and followed Emma "What is wrong with you?"
He gave a heavy sigh and just stepped back letting her get on with whatever the hell she was doing but inside, his mind was working non stop trying to work out what to do. He turned back and watched the boy as he splashed about in the pool with Henry and his anger built... This boy knew something.
Rumple had heard him them the boy had practically backed him into a corner and he had been forced to heal the damned Pirate's leg. That had not been part of the plan. He wanted Hook in as much pain as possible and now Hook was one step closer to being back to being his annoying old self but at least one thing had been proved... the boy and the Pirate were not linked telepathically. Rumple had checked when he let his magic flow through both of them, they merely felt emotions and apparently some of the other's pain too.
Rumple narrowed his eyes as a thought popped into his head, he no longer needed to test the boy but that didn't mean that he couldn't torment him a little but not by using him directly, it would seem that the boy had a strong bond with the Pirate already, looking to protect him from harm. Perhaps what they needed was a little emotional distress... well maybe with some physical thrown in, just for good measure!
A smirk broke out on to his lips as his plan formed but in the next second he was pulled from his musings when the shepherd and the former Lost Ones, Rufio and Rapha started up the stone steps to the side of the house.
"Rufio! Mate, what brings you here?" Hook called stepping forward throwing his stumped arm around the elder boy's back pulling him into a quick hug while he still leaned heavily on his crutch obviously protecting his damaged hip.
David gave Hook a look that meant that they had something to discuss and instantly Rumple knew that they were here to talk of Tootles, they must have realized that he was missing. This could be interesting, suddenly Rumple wasn't so keen to leave anymore.
Henry and Junior pulled themselves from the pool and made their way over to the newcomers, the minute they got close the younger Lost One ran forward.
"Hi Henry" he beamed
"Hey Rapha, how are you?"
"I'm good" the boy replied then looked at the young Jones boy "You must be Junior, Hi, I'm Rapha"
"Pleased to meet you Rapha" Junior replied
David stepped forward and put his hand on Rapha's back moving him and the boys off towards the other end of the pool.
"Come on boys. Rapha, how do you fancy joining Henry and Junior in the pool. I'm sure we can find something for you to change into once you get out"
The minute they walked away Rufio spoke in a low voice but Rumple just used a very basic spell to amplify the Ranger's voice. Rumple turned his back to them so that they wouldn't suspect that he was listening and lent lightly on his cane trying to look like he wasn't interested.
"Tootles has gone missing"
"What? When?"
"He didn't turn up for work today. It's not like him Hook. I know that boy has had issues in the past but I'm worried, he was making such good progress and he and Rapha had become really close. He was excited for the future for the first time and was even talking of doing night classes to bring up his reading skills"
"What do you think has happened?" Hook asked and Rumple could tell by his voice that he was nervous, did he think that Tootles would come after him?
"I don't know. The last I heard from him was yesterday when he was working out by the well. David and I are heading out there now but we didn't want to take Rapha, David suggested leaving him here, is that alright?"
"Of course Mate, you need not ask. The boy is always welcome"
David made his way back past him giving him a quick smile, Rumple rolled his eyes and held out his hand at Belle trying to show that he was waiting for her and David gave a slight laugh but just carried on walking.
"We'll try and be as quick as we can but we might be back late" David said in a hushed tone
"Alright" Hook sighed then added "If Rapha needs to stay he can, I'm sure the boys will be only too happy to have him here"
"Thank you" Rufio replied "I am hoping that we find Tootz quickly, Tiger Lily is going to meet us at the well with Leroy and we will split up. Hopefully we can track him, I just hope that he is alright and not lying hurt somewhere"
That idiot Devin had said that they wouldn't miss that damned Lost One. Rumple seethed inside but when he heard the two men leave and Hook shuffling towards where he stood he schooled his features and tried to look innocent but the minute the Pirate past him he ground his teeth as he watched the only man in the whole universe he truly hated creep his way towards his "family".
Why was it so hard to just keep this damn Pirate down? He gave a low growl as Hook lowered himself down into one of the chairs still holding onto his ribs tightly but the Pirate wore an idiotic smile on his face as he watched the boys playing in the pool.
Rumple just wanted to see the Pirate writhing on the ground in agony but instead here he was watching the man look happier than he had ever seen him while Rumple himself was trying in vain to find a tiny stone in a mine shaft full of stones so that HE could be happy, that's all he wanted.
Was it too much to ask?
How was this fair?
When the Pirate laughed loudly again but then gasped in pain as a result Rumple narrowed his eyes in blind fury when Belle lent in to comfort him... that was the final straw.
"Belle" he called suddenly "I am sorry but I must insist"
Belle just rolled her eyes but grabbed her purse anyway, she bid the others farewell then made her way across to him chatting to Blue as she walked, she just threw him a "look" as they went past and she never even paused to talk to him, she just marched down the steps towards the car.
"Thanks guys" Emma called from behind them
"Thanks Grandpa" Henry's disembodied voice carried out too but Rumple didn't stop he just hurried after his wife, he needed to see Devin NOW.
He had to try his best to not look like he was in a hurry as he drove back to the convent, he dropped off the Blue fairy then dropped Belle at home before driving to the shop. He quickly got himself inside going straight to his safe and grabbing a bottle of potion that he had prepared for circumstances just like this. He moved to the door dropping some of the bright green liquid on the door handle before doing the same with the back door then dropping some onto his own palm. Now if Belle walked in, no matter where he was or what he was doing he would instantly re-materialize here before she saw that he was gone.
He replaced the potion into the safe, turned on his heal and disappeared into his red smoke to appear in the cave. Devin was stoking a fire and the others all lay about eating what looked like roasted chicken.
"Leave" was all he said to the boys and to their credit they did as they were told and scrambled through the hole to disappear into the tunnels.
"You look angry Dark One" Devin said in a slow drawl
"That's because that Damn Pirate just seems to know how to irritate me and apparently so do you" he said rounding on the boy who suddenly looked shocked
"Me?!"
"You assured me that Tootles would not be missed yet there is currently a team of people searching the woods for him as we speak. They seem to think that his going missing is out of character. I warned you Devin, I told you that I would not be happy"
The boy looked nervous as he stood up, his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he tried to find words. Rumple let him stew for a few seconds before carrying on.
"Luckily for you I can think on my feet. What do you say to a change of face for a few hours?"
Devin's expression changed from one of fear to one of confusion in the blink of an eye and he stammered "What?!"
"Tonight I need you to forget about the boy, we can keep that little treat for another night. No, tonight I need "Tootles" to make an appearance and make everybody realize how wrong they were to trust him. He is going to attack our Dear Captain and with a little manipulation they will all think that he has been planning it for months. They will never see this coming"
"I like how you think Dark One" Devin replied with a smirk "Tell me more"
"Well I will leave the finer details to yourself but I will warn you it will be quite tricky to get him alone, half the town seems to be hanging around him but I'm sure you can think of something. Once you are done though I am afraid that I cannot let you take the real Tootles back to Neverland with you."
"Go on" Devin raised a brow at him
"He will be a martyr to your cause" Rumple said with a smirk "Unfortunately for your "Tootz" he will have to meet a sticky end to keep those Heroes from searching too hard for him. We cannot have them checking in this cave now can we?"
"I would say that I am disappointed but in truth I am not, Tootz has changed. He no longer thinks that he is lost... he has no place with us"
"He won't be missed by either party then" Rumple replied
"Not in the slightest" Devin said laughing lightly "Poor Tootz never was too bright, he's not gonna know what's hit him... literally. Then once we find that gem and get Rapha and this "Junior" we will be ready to go home. I must thank you again Dark One. This realm has not been an experience that us TRUE Lost Ones have enjoyed but I know that once we get back everything will return to how it should be"
"Don't thank me just yet Devin. You have yet to find that gem. I am getting impatient you know, my generous offer may not last much longer so I suggest you whip those boys of yours into shape and get searching"
Devin just gave a little bow of his head "Of course Dark One"
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His heart was thumping in his chest as he stood by the small hole that they had all scrambled through minutes before trying to look like he was still searching for the stone while actually listening intently to the conversation that was taking place between Devin and the Dark One but as their plan unfolded he knew he had to act... they were planning on attacking Hook, blaming him THEN kidnapping Rapha and someone called Junior and returning to Neverland!
Oh and they planned to kill him too!
Tootz knew that he couldn't let that happen, he looked frantically around. If only he could find that stone. He hadn't really been trying up until this point not having the right motivation but now that he knew his new family was in danger something inside him just snapped. He had to stop this, he had to find the stone and get out of there... he had to warn the others of Devin and the Dark Ones plan. He moved away from the hole in the wall walking past the other boys who all just lounged around the tunnel not really looking and carried on up the tunnel until he came to a bit that they had not searched yet. He instantly dropped down to his knees and studied the ground intently by the light of the fire torches that lines the passageway. Rufio and Tiger Lily had been teaching himself and Rapha tracking skills and within seconds he found what he was looking for... someone had been this way.
He jumped to his feet, looked over his shoulder checking to make sure that he was not being watched then took off up the tunnel just hoping that he could find the gem quickly then somehow find a way to the surface.
He had to stop Devin... he had to save Rapha.
He followed the trail deep into the tunnels taking many twists and turns until finally the footsteps stopped, he studied them closely following them as they showed the person had paused here for a while then carried on up the passageway.
The gem had to be here somewhere... now all he had to do was find it.