Cruel Princess (No 20)

by DeadGirlEtarnal

Zelena isn't the only sister to the Evil Queen Regina, she has a younger sister, Octavia, and she's nothing like her older sister, though known for her fake alias, the Cruel Princess. Once in Storybrooke, things change maybe for the better for the two sisters, though the trouble seems to worsen once the Saviour steps into their town. Only Ocs.

22. Chapter Twenty-One-Blossoming Occurances

Chapter Twenty-One - Good Form

Season 3 Episode 5

In Neverland,

A place where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, and the Lost Boys live.

Although this place isn't like in the fairy tales,

It is quite magical

Deep in the jungle of Neverland, a group of Lost Boys drag an unconscious Neal while running through the undergrowth. They arrive at a wooden cage and lock their prisoner up. "You heard Pan. You know what to do with him," Felix tells the others, who take the cage with them further, heading for Echo Cave.

At Pan's camp, the Lost Boys play as Henry watches them from a distance, not joining in on their fun. One of the Lost Boys, Devin, approaches Henry, nudging him with a stick. "So, you're the kid Pan's been looking for all this time," Devin scoffs, nudging Henry harder, which makes Henry back away, not wanting to get in a fight with him.

"Ask him," Henry snaps, and Devin attacks Henry playfully, trying to anger the boy; Henry jumps out of his reach, startled. "Stop it!"

"If you can't take this, how are you gonna handle what Pan has in store for you?" He questions, looking down at the stick Henry notices lying on the ground. Nodding, Devin encourages Henry to pick it up, but as soon as the Mills boy arms himself, Devin charges, and they begin engaging in a playful fight.

"Not bad," Pan muses, watching, and Devin and Henry stop at Pan's voice. "But wouldn't it be more fun if you had real swords?"

"I've never used a real sword," Henry argues, having only ever used wooden swords when training with his grandfather.

"This is Neverland and you have the heart of the truest believer," he replies, looking at Henry. "You can use whatever you want." He places a hand on Henry's shoulder. "You just need to believe, Henry. Close your eyes and believe you're holding a real sword." Henry listens to him, closing his eyes. When he opens them, he finds himself holding a blade. "What are you waiting for? Go on." Henry charges at Devin, attacking the Lost Boy. The others watch, cheering the fight on. "Go on! Go for it! Keep going! Come on!" Henry cut Devin's stick in half with one swing of his sword. "Come on, Henry!" The Mills boy charges once again, hitting his opponent, cutting Devin across the cheek and drawing blood.

"I'm sorry," Henry apologises, shocked, dropping his sword to the ground. "It was an accident."

"Henry," Peter says, walking over to the shocked tween and picking up the blade. "Don't you know the best thing about being a Lost Boy?" He hands Henry his sword back. "You never apologise." The immortal teen turns to the Lost Boys, smirking. "Come on." The Lost Boys cheer loudly, and Pan encourages Henry to raise his arm in victory.

"Yeah," he cheers, pleased with himself, but Devin looks at him annoyed.

David lights a torch in Baelfire's hideout, looking at the chalk markings on the wall, trying to find a clue. Emma struggles to remove pillows in order to examine the markings more closely as Killian watches Emma. "You need a hand, Swan?" Killian asks her.

"Is that a joke?" Emma questions, glancing at him.

"No, I'm being quite serious," he replies, shifting the pillows.

"Wow," she mutters.

"What is it?" Hook asks her as she turns to look at the drawings and finds tally marks.

"It appears Neal marked his days trapped on this island," the blond woman replies before noticing something.

"What's wrong?" Mary Margaret wonders, stepping over.

"Look here. Neal stopped counting," Emma tells them, tracing the tally marks.

"Cause he got off the island?" She asks her daughter.

"He was here longer," the Saviour replies.

"Then, why would he..." Snow wonders, frowning.

"Because he lost hope," Emma mutters.

"You got that from scribbles?" Regina snaps, walking over.

"I got that because it's what I did," she replies. "Every time I went to a new foster home. I counted days until counting seemed pointless."

"You think the same thing is happening to Henry?" David asks his daughter.

"Pan said it would," the blond woman remarks, frowning.

"Hey, we're gonna rescue him," he assures her.

"Yeah, I know that. And you know that, but Henry doesn't know that," Emma argues. "Pan wants him to lose faith."

"So, what? You want to send him a message? Because I haven't seen a Neverland post office. What are you suggesting?" Regina asks her, getting annoyed.

"We take a page from Pan. And we start being clever. We need to send a simple sign. A sign that we're coming," she suggests, looking at the others.

"With Lost Boys running around trying to kill us all?" Octavia questions.

"Maybe it's time we use that to our advantage," Mary Margaret offers, making the others look at her.

"How?" Regina wonders, frowning.

"Follow me, I'll show you," she says, walking out. Emma follows her quickly, and Regina is not far behind. Octavia goes to follow them, but Killian stops her.

"Octavia?" Killian calls her, making her stop.

"What? We're wasting time," Octavia grumbles, wanting to find her nephew before Pan sinks his claws in Henry further because he's good at it.

"I...I just wanted to let you know that I do know what it feels like," he tells her. "To lose hope."

"Thanks, but that isn't very reassuring. It's easy to be swayed by Pan, he has a special way of doing it," she argues, frowning.

"We'll find him before that happens," he assures her, and she walks off, nodding. David approaches Killian once she leaves after Regina, Emma, and Mary Margaret.

"Let me give you a bit of advice, Hook. She's never gonna like you," David warns her, protective of his friend.

"Is that so?" Killian questions, frowning at the Prince.

"How could she? You're nothing but a pirate," he argues, walking past Killian, who watches him.

Long ago, in the royal harbour, the Jewel of the Realm was anchored in the Enchanted Forest, and sailors attended to their assigned tasks. "Look alive, men!"

"Take the sail, take the rig!"

"All hands on deck!"

"All hands on deck!" The Lieutenant shouted, and the sailors lined up as the Lieutenant walked down the line. He indicated one sailor whose uniform wasn't appropriately buttoned.

"Apologies, Lieutenant."

"It's Lieutenant Jones, sailor. The Captain is in transit with new orders from the King himself," Killian reminded them. "Before his arrival this ship will be swapped from stem to stern and..." He stopped before a sailor picked a bottle out of the sailor's pocket. "Rum, sailor?" He turned to face the men. "Does anyone know what happens to sailors who drink rum?" No one dared to speak. "They get drunk. And drunkenness leads to bad form. And if there's one thing that won't be tolerated aboard this ship, it's bad form." The Lieutenant threw the bottle overboard.

"My ship has never been in finer hands," the Captain remarked, announcing himself to the crew.

"Aye, Captain. We stand ready to receive the King's orders," he assured the Captain.

"To your stations," Liam ordered, addressing the sailors. "When the King summoned me, I knew there was only one man I could trust, to navigate this difficult journey. My little brother." He walked toward Killian, smiling at his younger brother.

"Perhaps you mean younger brother," the Lieutenant argued, smiling at his older brother, and Liam handed Killian a sextant.

"A gift. To commemorate our latest voyage together," the Captain replied.

"A sextant? You always were the sentimental type," Killian joked.

"Look closer, brother," Liam told him, and Killian took a closer look, seeing strange markings on the sextant.

"I've never seen markings like this," he mused. "To what strange land are we headed?"

"I'm under orders not to say until we arrived. But, brother, this is the mission of our dreams. A mission that will bring peace to the Kingdom and glory to the Jones brothers," the Captain explained, smiling.

"A hero's journey. That's indeed good form, brother," the Lieutenant replied, turning around. "Master Bosun?"

"Aye, sir?" Bosun asked, looking at the man second in charge.

"All hands prepare to set sail. Make speed," Killian commanded.

Emma, Regina, and Mary Margaret make some rope to enact their plan. "A trap?" Regina questions, looking at the mother and daughter. "That's your plan?"

"The Lost Boys wanna come after us, we need to go after them," Mary Margaret replies.

"You really think, the Lost Boys are gonna betray Pan?" Killian questions, frowning.

"Thanks for the advice. David?" Mary Margaret asks, calling her husband, who looks at her.

"Yeah?" David asks.

"We need more vines," she tells him.

"On it," he pants, feeling the effects of the Dreamshade. "You're coming with me, pirate."

"Why's that?" Killian questions, looking at the Prince.

"Because, we need more rope," Octavia tells him.

"If the lady insists," he replies, bowing before following David, and Octavia looks at him, frowning, having noticed a change in David.

David picks up vines as Killian follows close behind, watching him. "What would you like to yell at me about now, Dave?" Killian asks, looking at the Prince, annoyed.

"Stay away from my friend," David warns him.

"I guess she can take care of herself. She doesn't need your protection. Which is a good thing," he retorts.

"What does that mean?" Charming snaps, glaring at the pirate.

"It means you're gonna die in a day or so, anyway," the pirate Captain argues.

"Nothing I can do about that. But, if I do die..." David retorts.

"When..." Killian corrects, interrupting him.

"It'll be in helping my family, and that's something someone like you can't understand," he snaps, glaring at the pirate.

"What, if you would think that was the way to go," the Prince grumbles.

"What, if I told you there's a way to save you?" Hook asks him.

"I'd say no, cause anything that takes us off course of saving Henry, is selfish," David argues. "But, of course, you would think that was the way to go."

"Bugger off. You think I'm being selfish?" Killian questions. "I'm risking my life for all of you, every moment I'm here aligned against him."

"Please, you're not here out of any nobility. You're here for Octavia," he snaps. "And let me tell you something else. You're never gonna get her. I'll see to that."

"It's a good thing you're gonna die then," the Captain teases, and David tries to punch Killian in the face, but he staggers, letting Killian catch him by the arm. "Mate. Mate, stop. I don't fight invalids." He settles an unconscious David on the ground. "Mate? Mate?"

"What the hell happened?!" Octavia snaps, making Killian look up to see her looking at them.

"Uh..." Killian stutters.

"Move over," she grumbles, kneeling beside David. "Have you got any rum?"

"Aye," he replies, handing it to her, and she pours some into David's mouth, waking him up as he coughs.

"Have another drink," the Healer tells David.

"No, thank you," David declines, sitting up. "I'm okay now." He coughs as the pirate supports David, who tries to get to his feet.

"No, you're not. I thought you had days left," Killian argues.

"Days? What's going on?" Octavia snaps, looking between them. "Tell me now!"

"He got cut," he confesses, and Octavia groans.

"Let me see. Let me see that," she orders, trying to look at the Dreamshade mark.

"No," David growls, swatting her hand away.

"Let me see," the Cruel Princess orders, and David reluctantly lifts his shirt, showing the right side of his chest covered with black veins all over it. The uppermost veins begin spreading to the left. "The Dreamshade has almost reached your heart."

"It's hours now. You have to tell your family," Killian tells him.

"No. Not when I can still help them save Henry," he argues, trying to move, but he staggers again, and Killian catches him again.

"Catch your breath, mate, or the little time you have, will be less," Hook warns him, and David picks something up from the ground with some effort. "What's that?"

"It's a military insignia," the Prince mutters, taking a closer look and reading the name embossed on it. "'Jones.' You know him?"

"Aye, he was my Captain. And my brother," Killian replies, and Octavia looks at him, seeing the loss in his eyes. "We voyaged this infernal island a long time ago. This was on the strap of his satchel my brother lost during a duel with Pan. It must have washed down with the rains from the storms that wrecked the Jolly Roger."

"From where?" David asks, frowning.

"There," he says, pointing up at the mountain nearby. "Dead Man's Peak. I thought it was gone forever."

"What was gone?" Octavia questions.

"No, it's too dangerous," the pirate Captain argues.

"What's too dangerous? If you know something that can help us, don't hold back," David snaps.

"If this insignia survived all these years, then perhaps my brother's satchel did as well," Hook suggests. "And inside this satchel is a sextant, that can help us to decode Neal's star map that can get us off this island."

"I know now, how I'm gonna spend my last hours, we're gonna find that thing," David argues, looking at the pirate, who smirks as his plan works.

"Well, look, you might reach the top, but you'll die before you return," Killian warns him.

"Then, come with me and make sure the sextant gets back to Emma. You ready to be a hero?" He asks him before walking off.

"There is no sextant up there," Octaiva hisses lowly, making Killian look at her.

"How do you know that?" The pirate Captain questions, turning to look at her.

"I've been here. But there is the spring," she replies, frowning before smiling. "You really are turning into a hero."

Liam and Killian stood aboard the Jewel of the Realm as they sailed through the sea. "Relay that order!" Liam shouted after Killian tried ordering the men and pulled out a book.

"Aye, sir," Killian replied, taking the book from his brother, and they looked through it. "Star charts. I've never seen these constellations before."

"No one has," he assured him.

"That's right. We're going to a new land, brother," the Captain beamed.

"Enemy sighted off the port quarter!" A crewmate yelled, and the Jones brothers grabbed a telescope, looking at the approaching ship.

"A frigate and two corvettes gaining fast," Killian announced. "Master gunner, roll out the port cannons! Stand by to bring her about." Liam grabbed the sextant, deciding the time was right.

"Belay that order!" Liam ordered as a cannon fired from the enemy ship, but it just missed the Jewel of the Realm. "That was close.

"We'll never outrun them," he argued.

"Have faith, Lieutenant. Deploy the Pegasus!" The Captain shouted.

"Deploy the Pegasus!" They repeated, and a bell clanged as the crew began deploying a mast. "Heave! Ho! Heave! Ho! Heave! Ho!" The mast deployed shows a pure white and feathered mast.

"What is that?" Killian questioned, frowning at the sight.

"Let's go!"

"That is a sail woven from the last remaining feathers of the great creature, Pegasus," Liam explained.

"Legend has it that horse could fly," Killian remarked, looking at his brother.

"Indeed. So can we. Hang on!" He chuckled as the ship began rising from the water into the sky. The crewmen cheered as the ship lifted off the water. Another cannon was fired but still missed as they were too high. "Whoo-hoo!" A third cannon fired and missed as well. The crewmen cheered as the cannons kept firing but to no avail. "Set a course, Lieutenant. Second star to the right, and straight on 'till morning." Killian looked at the sextant.

Killian, Octavia, and David return to the camp, telling the others about the sextant. "A sextant?" Emma questions. "And you're telling us about this now?"

"How do we know you're not lying?" Regina argues, glaring at the pirate.

"Oh, you don't, but I'm not," Killian assures them. "It's the best hope yet we've had of an exit plan, and don't forget we're going to need one."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Emma questions, getting ready to go with them.

"Emma...you were right. We need to get that message to Henry," he argues. "Every day without hope is a day closer to becoming a Lost Boy." He wraps a rope bundle around himself to climb Dead Man's Peak. "Your father, Octavia, and I should go." He leaves quickly.

"Hook's right," David says.

"Uh, you wanna split up?" Mary Margaret questions, frowning.

"It's the last thing I wanna do, but there's a chance he can get us home," he argues.

"Okay," she agrees, and David sighs, moving towards his daughter.

"And, Emma, while I'm gone just..." Charming mutters, looking at her as if it's the last time.

"Listen to my mother?" Emma asks.

"Be careful," David corrects her, chuckling.

"Always am," she assures him.

"And when you send that message to Henry, add something to it for me, would ya?" He asks her.

"Mm-hmm," the blond woman promises him, nodding.

"Tell him...tell him grandpa loves him," Charming suggests, hugging Emma.

"Oh. Uh, okay. Good luck," Emma tells him.

"Yeah. You, too," David whispers before turning to Mary Margaret.

"You all right?" Mary Margaret asks her husband.

"Yeah," he lies, hugging her. "I just - I've gotta go."

"Mmm. I'll see you soon," she replies.

"Well, you know Neverland's a dangerous place, and...you know - you just never know what's gonna happen," the Prince argues.

"David. You're gonna be fine," Snow assures him, interrupting, and he pulls her head towards him, kissing her on the forehead, then kisses her again. "Mmm."

"I love you," David whispers, leaving and joining Killian and Octavia again as they walk off to find the pretend sextant.

Emma, Regina, and Mary Margaret get ready to entrap one of the Lost Boys, finding Devin. Mary Margaret draws her bow as Devin hunts a pig for dinner at Pan's camp. Snow fires the arrow into a rope, releasing a net, which falls on top of the Lost Boy, making him fall to the ground with a loud grunt. Emma, Regina, and Mary Margaret surround Devin, with the Princess drawing her bow. "What are you doing?!" Devin shouts, breaking free of the net. "Are you trying to start a war with Pan?"

"Pan started the war when he kidnapped my son," Emma argues, glaring at the boy.

"But that doesn't mean you are our enemy," Regina reasons, opening her palm and conjuring an Apollo Bar.

"What's that?" Devin asks, looking at the chocolate bar.

"Chocolate. I thought you might like the taste of something sweet," she suggests, trying to sweeten the boy.

"We don't wanna hurt you. We just need you to deliver a message to Henry," Emma informs him.

"Why should I help you?" Devin snaps, glaring at the women.

"Because you had a home and a family once and you stopped believing you could get back to them," she argues, looking at him. "Now we're here. We can help - not just Henry, all of you. We can get you home." Regina moves her hand closer, offering the chocolate bar, and Devin snatches it and smells it, checking to see if it's safe to eat.

"Mmm," he chuckles and immediately throws the chocolate bar into the jungle, and Emma draws her dagger. "Don't you get it? I'm here because I don't wanna go home. None of us do."

"Pan's a monster. Look what he did to you," the blond woman argues, gesturing to the cut on his cheek.

"Oh, Pan didn't do that," the Lost Boy replies, pointing to his cut, smirking. "Henry did." The three women look at him in shock at the new information.

David, Octavia, and Killian navigate the dark jungle to Dead Man's Peak. "How are you holding, David?" Octavia asks, looking at the struggling Prince with concern.

"Don't worry about me. Just worry about getting us to the sextant," David argues.

"I think she meant the goodbyes. Looked a bit stormy there," Killian comments.

"I did what had to be done, and I did it out of love," he replies. "Emma and Mary Margaret will understand that." David stops, needing a moment to catch his breath, and leans against a tree. Killian stops to wait for him.

"You gonna tell them that from beyond the grave?" The pirate Captain questions, looking at the Prince.

"No. You are. You're gonna tell them that I died a hero, fighting for their way home. What you're not gonna tell them is that I left already a dead man," Charming tells him.

"The truth, you mean," Killian argues.

"Their last moment of me won't be of a liar," David reasons, walking past Killian, who starts following him.

"Why should I help you?" He questions.

"Well, if you didn't steal that bean, they wouldn't have had a chance to take Henry, we wouldn't be on this island, and I wouldn't be dying of Dreamshade," the Prince chuckles.

"Fair point. At least you got to say goodbye. Most people don't get that much," Killian argues, making David stop to think while he continues walking.

"You lost someone, didn't you?" Octavia asks, stopping Killian, who looks at her, smiling sadly before walking off with David following them. They stop.

"This is where we ascend. I'll climb ahead and throw down the rope," he announces, looking at the mountain from bottom to top and how tall it is. David and Killian continue walking towards it.

"He was your brother, right? I had a brother, too, you know. A twin. He died before I ever met him," David says, breathing heavily.

"There were two of you? I can barely stomach one," the pirate Captain jokes.

"Ah, you would've liked him. He was a thief and a liar," David replies.

"Yeah, you would've liked my brother. He could be a stubborn ass. Now wait here," Killian tells him as they stop at the base of Dead Man's Peak, and Killian starts climbing while David waits.

"I could get you up there without climbing," Octavia suggests, looking at David. "I don't want you straining yourself while like this."

"I'm fine, Octavia," David argues.

"Yeah right," she mutters.

Killian and Liam set foot onto the shore of Neverland, and the Captain picked up an envelope from their rowboat containing the reason why they were there. "What exactly does the King have to find on this island?" Killian asked, and Liam showed him the envelope; he opened it, pulling out a drawing of Dreamshade vines.

"A plant," Liam explained.

"We journeyed across the realms for a plant?" He questioned, frowning.

"Our sources say it's magical. Potent enough to heal any injury," the Captain argued.

"So we never have to bury another sailor at sea again?" The Lieutenant asked, astonished.

"Now you understand the importance of our mission," Liam replied when Peter Pan appeared suddenly behind them.

"Are you two lost?" Peter wondered, startling the Jones brothers, turned around swiftly, and they drew their swords. "You look lost to me."

"Identify yourself, boy," He ordered, glaring at the strange green-clad teen.

"I'm Peter Pan. I live here. Who are you?" The immortal teen replied, looking at the Jones brothers.

"Captain Jones," the Captain of the Jewel of the Realm introduced himself, pulling his sword back. "And my Lieutenant." He gestured to his brother, Killian. "We're here by order of the King." Killian hesitantly puts his sword back.

"The King, huh? We don't have any Kings in Neverland. Just me," Peter replied.

"That's funny. We seek this plant," Liam scoffed, pulling out the drawing of the plant and showing it to Peter Pan. "Now tell us, boy, where can we find it?" Peter took the picture and saw the illustration of Dreamshade.

"Your King sent you for this plant?" He questioned, surprised.

"You know it?" The Captain asked.

"Dreamshade? It's the deadliest plant on the island. Your King is really ruthless," Pan remarked.

"Nonsense," Liam scoffed.

"It's medicine," Killian argued, looking at Peter.

"It's doom. Why fight a messy battle when you can kill an entire army with the sap of one plant?" Peter commented.

"Is it possible?" He whispered to his brother. "The King would turn poison upon our enemies."

"Don't be so gullible," Liam scoffed at his brother before turning to Peter. "This boy is playing games, and I'm quickly tiring of them." He snatched the picture from the immortal teen. "Come. We should keep moving." He stormed off, and Killian slowly followed, turning back to glance at Peter.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Peter said, waving Killian goodbye.

Killian ties vines around a dead tree at the top of Dead Man's Peak and looks at the edge to see David waving from the base as Octavia holds him steady. As Killian is about to throw the vines down, Peter Pan appears suddenly behind Killian. "Don't pull them up yet," Peter tells him, making Killian turn around. "I wanna talk. Alone." Killian drops the vines and advances toward Peter.

"What do you want?" Killian snaps, glaring at him.

"To offer you a deal. Come back and work for me, like the old days," he suggests, smirking.

"I don't miss the old days," Hook chuckles.

"What if I were to offer you something hard to come by," Pan replies, teleporting before Killian's face. "Passage off the island."

"Still not interested," Killian snaps, shaking his head.

"What if I were to sweeten the deal? You can take someone, Octavia," Peter offers. "You can have her, I'll hold no grudges." Killian doesn't miss the anger and jealousy in his eyes, and the pirate can't help but wonder what happened when Octavia first came to Neverland when she was younger.

"Octavia would never leave her nephew, nor would Emma leave her son," he argues.

"She did once before, and you can be there to pick up the pieces for sweet Octavia. We've known each other a very long time, Killian. We've done business before and I think this is the perfect time to restart that relationship," the green-clad teen reasons, trying to sweeten the Captain.

"What if I'm not interested," Hook retorts.

"Of course you are. Because that's what I've always liked about you. You're good at surviving," Peter remarks.

"What do you want me to do?" Killian asks.

"Be in my employ. Do my dirty work," he replies.

"What dirty work?" The pirate Captain questions, frowning.

"When the time comes, I'll let you know. But first, I need a signal that you've taken my deal," Pan argues.

"So my word right now wouldn't be good enough?" Killian muses.

"You know me," Peter retorts, teleporting behind Hook. "I like action. I'll know you've taken my deal when I see the Prince's dead body up on that peak."

"Oh, you'll see that anyway. He's on his last legs thanks to Dreamshade," he argues.

"I wanna see you kill him before the poison. I want to see your hook inside his body," the immortal teen orders him.

"And what if I don't take your offer," the pirate Captain retorts.

"Remember the last time you didn't listen to me," Pan argues, pulling Hook's flask out, but he swiftly takes it back. "Have a drink. You know it always helps you think." He disappears as Octavia and David appear in a cloud of smoke behind him on top of the climb, having overheard the deal between Killian and Peter.

"Bloody hell. I told you to wait," Killian snaps, stepping towards the Prince and Cruel Princess.

"Were you talking to someone?" David asks, panting.

"Just talking to myself. It's an old habit from many nights on the lonely seas," he replies, lying, and David looks down at his hand, holding the flask.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're enjoying the refreshments while you do it," Octavia snaps, trying to keep David standing with a struggle.

"Apologies, love. It isn't much farther now," the pirate Captain tells them, and Octavia and David walk off with Killian following close behind.

Liam and Killian walked toward a Dreamshade plant atop Dead Man's Peak, and Liam compared it to the one in his drawing for reference. "Well, it certainly doesn't look like medicine," Killian commented, comparing them to the dark, evil-looking vines dripping a deep purple liquid.

"You choose to believe that boy over our King?" Liam questioned, putting the drawing away.

"That boy showed us the path to the Dreamshade. Why would he lie about its nature?" He argued.

"To keep it all for himself. You actually think our King would send us to retrieve something so dangerous," the older Jones brother reasoned, blinded by loyalty, before walking over to the plant for close inspection.

"I would hope not. This is not what I signed up for," the Lieutenant snapped.

"You signed up to listen to your King," Liam retorted angrily.

"Because I thought he was a-a man of honour," Killian sneered.

"He is!" He yelled.

"If this is a poison it won't just end the war," the younger Jones brother reasoned. "It will obliterate an entire race."

"What do you know of any of this? I am your brother and your Captain. You will listen to me," the Captain snapped at his younger brother.

"No. I'll fight my enemies, but I'll fight fair," Killian argued, having a sense of honour even in battle.

"Then allow me to disabuse you of that illusion," Liam replied, drawing his sword and cutting off a branch from the Dreamshade bush. He turned to Killian and showed it to him, then dragged one of the thorns up his wrist.

"Brother, don't!" He shouted, trying to stop his brother.

"See? Perfectly fine," the older Jones brother assured him, showing him. "I told you; our King would never lie to us. Now let's collect our specimens and get off this -." Liam paused, suddenly gasping in pain from the effects of the Dreamshade.

"Liam?" The Lieutenant questioned, looking at his brother.

"Killian..." Liam gasped, turning and showing his veins as they turned black from the Dreamshade.

"Your arm!" Killian yelped, racing to his brother's side and supporting him as he started to fall, gasping in pain.

"I'm sorry, brother," he muttered.

"No... No. No!" The younger Jones brother shouted as his brother closed his eyes.

Emma, Regina, and Mary Margaret tie Devin to a tree, not wanting him to escape. Emma gets in his face, interrogating the Lost Boy. "It's too late!" Devin shouts. "Henry is a Lost Boy, now! Your boy is one of the most vicious recruits we've had in ages!" Emma starts pressing her arm against his throat, choking him, but Mary Margaret pulls her away.

"Don't let him get to you, okay?" Mary Margaret tells her, looking at her daughter.

"Move aside," Regina orders the mother and daughter, stepping forward, but Mary Margaret blocks her.

"Why?" She asks her stepmother.

"So I can rip his heart out!" The Evil Queen snaps. "Then he'll do exactly what we want."

"This is not how we do things! Emma, we can find another way," Snow argues, turning between the blond woman and the Evil Queen.

"Really? And what do you think, Emma?" Regina asks, looking at the Saviour.

"I think we need to talk to our son," Emma replies, looking back at Regina.

"We can't do this! That is brutal -," Mary Margaret argues, but Emma pulls her mother into her arms, stopping her from moving towards Regina and Devin.

"We can't but she can. Do it Regina!" She yells.

"Emma!" Emma holds Mary Margaret back, Snow shouts, and Regina walks over to Devin.

"I'm sorry," the blond woman whispers, hearing Devin grunt in pain as Regina pulls out his heart.

Emma sits beside Mary Margaret after dealing with the aftermath of Regina taking Devin's heart and the blond woman stopping her mother from interfering. "Mary Margaret, I'm sorry," Emma apologises.

"You don't have to apologise to me," Mary Margaret replies. "It's Henry I'm worried about."

"I know. That's why I'm willing to let Regina do whatever it takes," she tells her.

"When we get to him, I just want to make sure the line is still there," Snow warns her.

"What line?" The blond woman asks. Regina unties the rope binding Devin to the tree and motions for him to follow her.

"The line between what Regina is willing to do, and what you are willing to do," Mary Margaret argues.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get him home!" Emma snaps

"But the cost can't be this family," she replies firmly.

"It won't be," the Saviour assures her.

"Second thoughts?" Regina asks, walking towards them.

"Let's get him that message," Emma replies, standing up and walking towards Regina.

"Oh, we're going to do more than that," she replies, taking out her compact mirror from her blazer pocket, breaking it in hand and handing one half to Devin. "We're gonna see him."

Meanwhile, Killian, Octavia, and David approach the Dreamshade vines on Dead Man's Peak, one with which Killian is overly familiar. "Well," Killian sighs, "since you're already dying from the stuff, you won't mind if I stand back while you...?"

"Yeah," David replies, rounding Killian and drawing his sword, raising it to the pirate's neck and trapping him between the blade and the Dreamshade.

"David!" Octavia shouts, moving towards him.

"I know about your deal with Pan," he announces, making Octavia sigh as she looks at the two men.

"You heard that, then?" the pirate Captain muses, awkwardly looking between the sword and the Dreamshade.

"Yeah. We heard that," Charming sneers.

"Then you know I didn't agree," Killian snaps.

"Yeah, you also didn't disagree," Octavia retorts, making Killian look at her in guilt and betrayal.

"Don't you see? This is what he wanted, to turn us against each other," he argues, grunting as David presses the blade into his neck.

"Well, it worked," David snaps.

"You're making the poison spread quicker, mate," Hook warns him.

"I don't care," he argues. "I just have to last long enough to get the sextant back to my family. Now take me to it!"

"My brother didn't lose his satchel up here! I made that up," Killian confesses, and David slowly lowers his sword in disbelief.

"What about the insignia?" The Prince questions, looking at the pirate.

"I dropped it on the path so you'd find it," he replies, deeply inhaling.

"Why?" Octavia asks him.

"Because I knew you'd never make the journey here if I told you the truth," the pirate Captain explains.

"The truth? The truth - you brought me here to die?" David wonders.

"I brought you here to save your life!" Killian snaps.

"You're a liar!" He shouts, charging at the pirate and grunting from the Dreamshade poison, but Killian punches him in the nose, making David fall backwards and knocked out cold.

"About time," Octavia grumbles, making Killian look at her. "The spring?"

"Marvelous, love, you really are marvelous," Killian muses, smiling.

Killian hovered over Liam's unconscious body above Dead Man's Peak, scared for his brother's life. "Come on, Liam!" Killian shouted, shaking his brother and trying to rouse him. "Hey, hey," his voice broke in panic. "Let's get you back to the ship, come on." The Lieutenant tried picking his brother off the ground when Pan appeared behind them.

"I tried to warn you. He'll die as soon as the poison reaches his heart," Pan informed him, walking towards Killian.

"Please. He's my brother. He's all I have left," he whispered, begging for help.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have goaded him into it," Peter argued.

"He's so stubborn. I didn't mean to. Can you help me?" The Lieutenant begged him.

"Well," Pan sighed deeply, "I might not feel like it, but today's your lucky day. There is a way to stop him from dying." Killian stood to his feet with urgency.

"Tell me," Killian ordered, and Pan walked over to the Dreamshade and waved his hand, revealing a spring tucked behind it.

"This spring. These waters are rich with the power of Neverland," he informed him. "It's what keeps this land and all on it so...young. If one was to drink directly from it, its powers could cure any ill."

"Thank you," the young Jones brother said, walking towards it, but Pan stopped him.

"But...I must warn you. All magic comes with a price, and that spring is no exception. Don't leave the island unless you're willing to pay it," the immortal teen warned him.

"Of course, whatever you want. It's yours," Killian assured him, filling a canteen with water from the spring. He brought it over to Liam to drink. "Brother!"

"That's Captain to you," Liam groaned, wiping his mouth, and Killian started laughing in relief. "What happened?" He sat up.

"It doesn't matter. Now let's pay the boy," he replied.

"How?" The older Jones brother asked.

"Boy!" The Lieutenant yelled. "What do you want?" He turned around in silence, not seeing Peter Pan anywhere, having disappeared. "Boy?"

Henry sits on the outskirts of Pan's camp, wishing he was home with his family. He draws a picture of a house in the dirt when Devin approaches him under the influence of Regina, holding his heart. "I don't want to fight again, okay?" Henry asks, standing up, not trusting the Lost Boy.

"I didn't come to fight. I came to deliver a message," Devin replies, pushing the Mills boy further towards the edge of the clearing. The picture in the dirt disappears as Henry shuffles backwards. "Your family is here."

"What?" He questions, not believing him.

"They're on the island..." The Lost Boy says as Regina holds his heart, controlling his actions.

"...trying to find you," Regina says into Devin's heart as the boy almost repeats in a trace. "...trying to find you."

"Y-You-You're making this up because I cut your cheek. You're trying to get back at me," Henry argues.

"I'm not making it up," Devin replies, repeating Regina's words. "I'm not making it up. Look." He hands Henry half of the compact mirror Regina gave him earlier. Devin quickly leaves to go stand guard so no one else sees.

"Henry, are you okay?" Regina asks, coming into the reflection of the mirror.

"Henry! Can you hear me?" Emma questions, jumping in beside the Evil Queen.

"Mum?" Henry exclaims.

"I'm here too, Henry!" Mary Margaret replies, peeking into the compact mirror.

"No," he argues, looking up at Devin. "This is a trick."

"No. No, this is not a trick," Emma assures her son. "Henry, I promise you this is real, Kid, it's Operation Cobra Rescue. It's us."

"Y-You're here?" The Mills boy asks, tearing up a little at seeing the three women.

"Yes. We're coming to get you," she tells him, and he glances to the side, hearing someone approaching.

"There's someone coming," Henry announces, checking again to see Pan walking through the brush into the camp after talking with Killian. "It's Pan. I-I-I gotta go."

"Henry-," Regina yells, not wanting to see him go as the three women stammer.

"I-I gotta go," he tells them.

"We love you!" She shouts, and Henry drops the mirror, shattering it and walking back to Camp as Emma, Regina, and Mary Margaret stare at their half lovingly.

Killian and Liam stood in the Captain's Quarters on the Jewel Of The Realm, flying over Neverland as they returned to the Enchanted Forest. "How are you feeling?" Killian asked his brother.

"Shipshape," Liam replied curtly and sighed, turning to his younger brother. "Killian... I should have listened to you."

"Oh," he muttered, waving off the comment, standing. "I'm just glad you survived. What now, brother?"

"We reveal our King's cowardice," the Captain announced, rounding his desk and grabbing his coat.

"Well, let's hope the realm sides with us," the younger Jones brother retorted, unsure of this idea but behind his brother all the way.

"Oh, they will," Liam assured him, putting on his coat. "To fight battles with unholy weapons is, as you say, bad form."

"Aye," Killian agreed, putting his hands on his older brother's shoulders. "I will follow you to the ends of the earth, brother."

"All hands, brace for landing!" The crewmen shouted, and the Jones brothers heard the ship creaking and waves crashing as the ship set down in the water. "Land ho!"

"What do you say, Liam?" He asked, chuckling as he looked out onto the ocean. Liam quietly gasped, feeling the sudden onset of the Dreamshade poison again. "You want some company when you report to the Admiralty?" Liam grunted as he fell to the ground. Killian turned, realising his brother was in pain. "Liam?" He muttered softly as Liam groaned, gasping for air. "No. No!" The Lieutenant shouted, running to Liam. "Liam!" The older Jones brother started choking. "Liam. Liam!" He took his brother into his arms. "No, no, no, no! No, no, no!" He screamed. "Help! Help!" Liam gasped and then went limp in his brother's arms, dying. "Liam..." He cried, his voice breaking in despair at the loss of his dear brother.

David lies unconscious on the ground of Dead Man's Peak as Octavia tends to him. "It's going to be okay, David," Octavia mutters, placing her hands on his chest, which glows a light green, as she tries to ease his pain. Killian takes his canteen, grunting as he straightens himself and prepares to get to the spring, no matter the price.

"Bloody hell," Killian mutters, covering his face and drawing his sword, then hacking at the overgrown Dreamshade.

"Killian!" She shouts, watching as he quickly fills the canteen with the water from the spring. "Careful!"

"I will," he yells, quickly fills the canteen with the water from the spring, and returns, checking himself for scratches. When he finds none, he sighs in relief.

"You okay?" The Healer asks, checking him over with her eyes and sighs with relief.

"Mate, wake up," the pirate Captain mutters, kneeling beside David and slapping him awake gently.

"Oi, careful," Octavia warns him, slapping Killian's arm.

"Hey!" David coughs, waking up. "Get off me!" He struggles to get away from the pirate.

"Hey, whoa, whoa!" Killian snaps, pushing David back. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa, whoa. Look." The pirate Captain shows him the canteen, making David pause and panting. "In this canteen is the water that will stop the Dreamshade and will save your life."

"That's why you brought me up here?" Charming questions, coughing.

"Yes," he replies.

"You knew I wouldn't come on my own; that I wouldn't leave my family," David argues, glaring at him.

"That you were stubborn? Yes, I gathered that rather quickly," the pirate Captain retorts.

"Well, give it to me," he orders, inhaling deeply and holding his hand out for the canteen, but Killian retracts his hand quickly.

"There's something you need to know first," Killian informs him. "Because its power comes from the island, once you drink this water, you can never leave Neverland."

"It's a small price to pay for what I get in return - the chance to save my grandson..." The Prince argues, panting for breath. "...and to help my family get home." Killian gives David the canteen, drinking it all. David laughs with relief as the effects of the Dreamshade disappear, and Killian helps him up. "One question. Why risk your life for me when there wasn't anything for you in return?"

"I didn't do it for you, mate," Killian replies, winking at Octavia, who can't help but blush at the pirate.

Emma, Mary Margaret, and Regina walk back to their clearing after talking to Henry, returning to their camp. "You think he's okay?" Mary Margaret wonders.

"He's fine," Emma replies.

"You know this how?" Regina questions, frowning at the blond woman.

"Because he's our son, and he's a survivor, and now he has something to survive for," she argues. "He knows we're coming, and we're not gonna let him down."

"I'm sorry I doubted you," Mary Margaret replies. "I'm just..." she sighs, and Emma turns to face her mother. "I know how easy it is to give in to the darkness. I didn't want you to -."

"She didn't," Regina snaps, interrupting curtly. "I did. That's what I'm here for. One happy family." They hear something rustling, making them jump into battle mode, but they relax when David, Octavia, and Killian emerge from the foliage.

"Stand down, it's us!" David yells, making Emma and Mary Margaret lower their weapons, and Regina extinguishes her fireball. David leaps at Mary Margaret, pulling her towards him before kissing her, making Regina visibly cringe.

"Nice welcome," Octavia remarks. "Why didn't I get one like that?" She jokes, looking at her big sister.

"Don't be ridiculous," Regina scoffs. "Uh, where is the sextant?" She asks, looking at the Prince and pirate.

"I'm afraid Pan got to it first," Killian informs them, telling the lie he, Octavia, and David came up with on the walk back, making the three women sigh deeply with disappointment.

"I'm not complaining but what was that -?" Mary Margaret wonders, but David silences her with another kiss.

"Okay, I'm...complaining," Emma voices awkwardly, turning away so she doesn't have to see her parents making out.

"What I wouldn't give for another sleeping curse," Regina grumbles.

"I could make one now," Octavia suggests, making the others look at her in disbelief. "What?!"

"Hook... He saved my life," David announces, making everyone look between the Prince and Killian.

"You sure you want to tell them that, mate?" Killian questions, looking at Charming.

"On our trek, we were ambushed by Lost Boys. Pinned down, outnumbered," he quickly lies. "But Hook, he risked his life to stop me from getting hit by a poisoned arrow but if it wasn't for Hook, I wouldn't be alive." He walks over to Killian. "Your flask, please." Killian hands it over to him, raising it in a toast. "I thought he deserved a little credit."

"Thank you," Hook replies, and David takes a swig before coughing and handing the flask to Mary Margaret.

"To Hook," Mary Margaret cheers, drinks, and then offers some to Regina.

"I don't do rum," Regina scoffs, walking away, and Emma takes the flask from Mary Margaret.

"To Hook," Emma agrees with her mother, toasting and capping the flask. "Did you really save his life?"

"That surprise you?" Killian questions, looking at the blond woman.

"Well, you and David aren't exactly..." She inhales deeply. "How do you say it?" She tries a cheesy English accent. "Mates?" Killian can't help but smile at her try and then becomes serious.

"Doesn't mean I'd leave your father to perish on this island," he argues.

"Thank you," the blond woman replies before walking away and leaving Octavia and Killian alone.

"That was nice of David to compliment you like that," Octavia comments, making Killian look at her.

"Indeed," Killian replies, smiling.

"Thank you for saving him," she says, looking him in the eyes.

"Um..." He mutters, scratching the nape of his neck. "Perhaps gratitude is in order now." He smirks playfully. Octavia smiles at him, knowing where this is going.

"Uh, yeah. That's what the 'Thank you' was for," the younger Mills sister argues.

"Mm. That all your friend's life is worth to you?" Killian questions, taking a step toward her.

"Please," Octavia scoffs, rolling her eyes. "You couldn't handle it."

"Perhaps it's you who couldn't handle it," he whispers, and Octavia grabs Killian by the collar and kisses him. "That was, um..."

"A one-time thing," she pants from the kiss, though she wouldn't mind another; she doesn't want her heart to get broken again. "Don't follow me. Wait five minutes. Go get some firewood or something." The Cruel Princess walks back to the group.

"As you wish," the pirate Captain mutters, taking a deep breath and walking in the opposite direction, his mind full of Octavia Mills.

The crew staged a burial at sea on the open ocean aboard the Jewel of the Realm for their late Captain Liam Jones. "This belongs to you now," a young crewman announced, holding out a bag with an insignia to Killian, "Captain." Killian took the bag and held it with care.

"You will never leave my side, brother..." Killian muttered, looking at the bag. "We are sworn..." He addressed his crew "to serve the King and this realm." The new Captain traded the bag for a torch. "They sent us to retrieve an unthinkable poison, one that killed our dear Captain." Killian ran to stand near the Pegasus sail. "Never again shall anyone sail to that cursed land." He set the sail alight, burning the white feathered mast. "And never again shall we take such orders!"

"Yes! Here, here!" The crew shouted.

"Serving the King. Fighting his wars!" Killian yelled.

"No!" They exclaimed.

"This is the way of dishonour! And all you who disagree, flee now or walk the bloody plank!" He shouted. "For those who stay will be free men, and I will be your Captain."

"Aye!" The crew cheered.

"We'll sail under the crimson flag and we'll give our enemies no quarter. We'll take what we please!" The younger Jones brother declared.

"Yes!" A crewman shouted.

"And we'll live by our own rules..." Killian announced, making the crewmen cheer, "for that is the best form of all!"

"Yeah!" They cheered.

"Our Kingdom is corrupt and immoral. They took my brother from me, and now I'm gonna take everything they've got..." He yelled.

"Yes!" A crewman shouted, and Killian moved from where he stood and crossed the ship.

"Starting with this ship," the new Captain declared, making the crewmen cheer. "Bring the paint from below!" Killian shouted.

"Sir?" The young crewman questioned, looking confused.

"It's time we rename this vessel. We no longer sail as the 'Jewel of the Realm'. We now sail as the 'Jolly Roger'!" He announced, taking off his coat and throwing it overboard.

"Yes! Yeah!" They cheered.

"...and when they come for us, I want them to know exactly what we are -," The younger Jones brother said. "Pirates!" Killian shouted as the crew cheered. "For at least among thieves, there is honour!"

"Long live Captain Jones!" The young crewman shouted, and the crew cheered.

"Captain Jones! Captain Jones! Captain Jones! Captain Jones! Captain Jones! Captain Jones! Captain Jones! Captain Jones! Captain Jones!" The crew chanted and cheered for their new Captain.

Killian sits alone in the woods after his kiss with Octavia, and Peter appears behind him, clearing his throat. "You really should have taken my deal," Peter remarks, standing upright and walking toward Killian.

"It looks like I don't need your help with Octavia after all, mate," Killian retorts, smirking.

"What, you think that kiss actually meant something?" He questions, faking a look of concern.

"I do. I think it means she's finally starting to see me for the man I am," Hook argues.

"What?" the immortal teen scoffs. "That you're a one-handed pirate with a drinking problem? I'm no grown-up, but I'm pretty sure that's less than appealing."

"A man of honour," Killian corrects him, capping his flask, and Pan steps forward and crouches beneath Killian.

"So tell me, what would a 'man of honour' such as yourself do with a big, fat serect?" Peter questions, wanting to drive a wedge between the group.

"Um...well that depends what the secret is," he replies, sighing.

"Baelfire," Pan says, smirking, and Killian turns in disbelief. "Neal." He stands and backs away a bit. "Whatever name he goes by these days. The guy Emma loves. Henry's father." Killian stands, looking at him apprehensively.

"What of him? He's dead," the pirate argues, stepping closer to Pan.

"No. I'm afraid not," Peter announces, taking another step toward Killian threateningly. "He's alive. That's not even the best part." Peter turns, starting to walk away before spinning and walking backwards into the forest. "He's in Neverland."

"Is he?" Killian questions darkly.

"Oh, yes. Can you believe it? I'm sure that Emma would love to know that Henry's father is still alive. But if you tell Octavia, what will happen? I mean, she's here for Henry, not for Neal; you should find out what happens. But I'd hate for that to get in the way of a," the immortal teen smirks, "'budding romance'. So, I'll leave it up to you to tell her or not." Pan starts walking away before turning back around. "Let's see what kind of man you really are." He chuckles and disappears into the forest."

Felix and the four Lost Boys carry Neal's cage through the dark jungle when Pan joins them after talking to Killian, stirring up trouble. "How's our guest?" Peter asks, walking alongside Felix.

"We drugged him. He'll be asleep for a while. Where do you want him?" Felix asks him.

"Hang him up. Over there. Next to the other one," he replies, chuckling and leaving the Lost Boys to hang Neal's cage with himself still unconscious beside another cage, silently shaking.

Chapter Twenty-One - Ariel

Season 3 Episode 6

In Neverland,

A place where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, and the Lost Boys live.

Although this place isn't like in the fairy tales,

It is quite magical

Snow White ran into the woods from two Evil Queen's guards after spotting and chasing her. "Hurry! After her! Stop!" The guard shouted, and Snow stopped running when she reached the edge of a cliff.

"Uhh! Oh! Really?" Snow questioned.

"You're a long way from home, Snow White. Did you really think you could hide from the Queen here?" He snapped.

"Actually, yes," she replied as he and the other guard unsheathed their swords.

"Well, don't worry. We're here to take you back. The Queen is eager to see you again," the guard sneered.

"Not gonna happen," the Princess scoffed, stepping toward the cliff's edge.

"No, no, no! Wait!" He shouted, running toward the cliff's edge to get to the rogue Princess, but she jumped off before they could catch her. The guards watched Snow White plummet into the water below with a large splash. Under the water, Snow began drowning when a pair of arms grabbed her and brought her to the surface. Snow gasped when she reached the surface for air and swam around to face her Saviour.

"Thank you," Snow said.

"No problem. You might wanna try diving in calmer waters next time," Ariel suggested. Snow looked down at the water and noticed Ariel had a fishtail.

"You're a..." She gasped.

"Yeah, I'm a mermaid. Name's Ariel," the red-haired Mermaid introduced herself, smiling at the rogue Princess.

Emma stands before an unlit campfire in their new camp, concentrating as she practises her magic with Regina. "Focus. Concentrate," Regina instructs her.

"It's kind of hard when you're talking in my ear," Emma argues.

"And when the wind blows or it's raining, or...someone's shooting arrows at you. Yes, concentration's hard. That's the point," she retorts. "Find your anger and use it to focus."

"No. There has to be a way without going dark," the blond woman snaps.

"You're such a pathetic waste of ability," the Evil Queen grumbles.

"Regina, those methods aren't always full proof," Octavia argues, looking at her sister, but Regina and Emma ignore her, making her scoff and roll her eyes.

"And you're a monster," Emma growls, waving her arms around.

"...Smell that?" Regina asks her.

"What?" She snaps.

"Smoke," the dark-haired woman replies, and Emma looks at the campfire, seeing a tiny flame flickering.

"This is a bad idea," David mutters, watching Regina and Emma practising magic together from across the camp.

"She has it in her. She should learn to use it," Mary Margaret argues. "We just have to trust her."

"Yeah, it's not Emma I don't trust," he grumbles, and Killian enters the camp after another of his encounters with Pan. "Octavia would be a better teacher."

"We need to talk," Killian announces to Mary Margaret and David, moving them away from Emma and Regina. "Pan paid me a visit. He, uh... He told me that Neal is alive, that he;s on this very island."

"Emma saw him. He was shot," Mary Margaret argues. "He fell through a portal. No one could survive that."

"Well, he did, and now he's here," he replies. "He said he took him from this very camp while we were off in his cave."

"According to Pan, if he's telling the truth," she snaps.

"And, uh, why would he tell you? What does he hope to gain?" David wonders.

"Who knows why he does anything? He has his reasons, but it's a sure bet they're not good ones," Killian retorts.

"He's telling the truth," Mary Margaret announces, making the two men look at her as she glances at the ground. "Tracks...and a scuffle. Someone was here while we were gone. We have to tell her."

"No, no, no. She already lost Neal once," David argues. "And if this is a game, we can't put her through losing him again."

"He's right. Either way, telling her is what Pan wants, which is why we shouldn't do it," Killian agrees with Charming.

"You want to find him without letting her know?" Mary Margaret questions, looking at the two men.

"Why hurt her unnecessarily?" He asks.

"I've never lied to her before," she mutters.

"You're not lying. You're just keeping a secret until confirmation," Hook reasons.

"Secrets always seem to keep us from the people we really care about," the raven-haired woman argues.

"And sometimes secrets protect the people we love," David says, making the others look at him, only one knowing what he's talking about.

Snow and Ariel made it to shore by Prince Eric's castle. "What on earth would possess you to jump like that?" Ariel asked Snow.

"You ever been chased by an Evil Queen?" Snow questioned.

"I can't say that I have," she replied.

"Makes you do crazy things," the raven-haired woman remarked.

"Well, that I know," the Mermaid mused.

"Are you on the run from someone?" Snow wondered.

"More like on the run to someone," Ariel replied.

"What's his name?" She asked, making the red-haired Mermaid blush. "Come on. The one thing that makes everyone crazy is love."

"Eric. He's a Prince in this Kingdom," the red-haired Mermaid told her.

"So wait. He... Lives on land? He's human?" The rogue Princess questioned.

"Okay. Here's the thing. About a year ago, his ship wrecked, and I rescued him. I do that. He was unconscious. We never spoke, but... When I looked at his face, I just... I knew," Ariel replied, smiling.

"Love at first sight," Snow agreed, knowing that feeling.

"It sounds dumb, I know," she sighed.

"No. It doesn't sound dumb at all," the raven-haired woman assures her, and Ariel emptied her bag, which surprised Snow. "Interesting."

"I collect things... And I found this," the Mermaid said, showing the Princess a piece of paper. "There's a ball at his castle tonight...the annual under the sea celebration honouring the sea Goddess Ursula... And I was hoping to meet him there."

"How are you planning on doing that? With a tail? How did you do that?" Snow asked, watching as Ariel's fishtail disappeared.

"You really know nothing of your Mermaid mythology, do you?" Ariel laughed.

"Un, probably about as much as you know about people mythology, I think," she replied, still a little stunned.

"Good point, Well, anyway, every year at the highest tide, the legend says that the sea Goddess Ursula grants our kind with the ability to walk on dry land until the next high tide," the red-haired Mermaid explained.

"Which is when?" The rogue Princess asked.

"Twelve hours. Enough time for dinner and dancing and..." Ariel beamed.

"Twelve hours? Why don't you ask this Ursula for a little more time?" Snow wondered, frowning.

"Well, no one's seen her in a thousand years. She's a bit of a myth," she argued.

"Well, myth or no myth, you saved my life. The least I can do is help you find the love of yours," the raven-haired woman offered.

"Thank you. But can you keep a secret?" The Mermaid asked her, and Snow nodded, agreeing. "I'm a Mermaid."

"Yeah, I got that," Snow replied.

"But Eric doesn't know that," Ariel told her. "So... Can we just maybe... Keep that under the sea for now?"

"Isn't that something he eventually needs to find out?" She argued.

"Just let him fall for me first, okay?" the red-haired woman asked.

"Okay. Your secret's safe with me," the rogue Princess assured her, and they walked towards the castle.

David, Killian, and Mary Margaret get ready to head out to search for Neal without Emma knowing. "If we're gonna hide this, we need a good cover story," Mary Margaret suggests.

"Done," David announces.

"That's no problem," Killian agrees.

"Where you guys going?" Emma asks, looking at them as she walks over.

"Firewood. To get water," David and Killian say at the same time.

"Guys, what's going on?" She questions.

"Neal's alive," Mary Margaret blurts, not wanting to lie to her daughter.

"Neal i...is... Alive?" The blond woman repeats in shock.

"Maybe," she replies before turning to David and Killian. "Sorry, she deserved to know."

Meanwhile, Gold is in deep concentration somewhere on the island in the dark jungle. "You can't see the future here," Pan informs him. "It's impossible to see the future in a place where time stands still."

"I may not see the future here, but I can make one happen," Gold retorts, annoyed at the mere presence of the immortal teen.

"Was that a threat?" He scoffs. "And here I made you your favourite breakfast...eggs in a basket." He reveals the meal, smiling. "I thought you could use it. You looked a little down in the dumps.

"I'm fine," the Dark One snaps.

"Sure you are, Rumple. You lost your son, Neal. Again. And Henry's unattainable because... Well, you'd have to go through me, and we both know you can't. You still like the yolk runny, don't you?" Peter questions, aggravating Rumpelstiltskin.

"What do you want?" Mr Gold asks, glaring at him.

"Well, if you won't eat, then I will," Pan replies, taking a bite. "I'm just trying to point out the silver lining in your cloudy life."

"That by killing you, all our troubles end?" He questions, smirking.

"We both know that's not going to happen, because the only way to do that is for you to die, too," the green-clad teen argues. "You can go, leave the island."

"And abandon my son? And Henry? I don't think so," Rumpelstiltskin snaps, shaking his head.

"Look, even if you did save them...which you won't...what would be the point?" Pan questions. "They'll never forgive you for all the horrible things you've done."

"You don't know that," Mr Gold argues.

"Have you forgiven your father?" He asks, seeing the hatred in Gold's eyes. "...You see my point? Back to the silver lining...you have a nice girl waiting for you back in Storybrooke. Belle, is it? Stop this foolishness and go back to her. Make a new start. She looks fertile. Maybe a new child? You and I both know that's the only future for you... Assuming you want to live. Enjoy the eggs." Peter leaves the Dark One alone to his thoughts.

"This is a waste of time," Regina groans at the others inside the camp before they head out to look for Neal. "He's toying with us."

"I don't think so. Look. More scuffling. Someone was definitely resisting," Mary Margaret says, ignoring Regina.

"How do we know that means Neal?" Emma questions.

"Well, then someone was fighting for his life," she argues.

"Are you really going to fall for this?" Regina asks, making the others look at her. "Fine. You wanna follow the Evil Munchkins dirt road? Be my guest." She scoffs before heading the other way.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Emma questions, looking at the Evil Queen.

"To save our son," she snaps.

"We need to stick together," Octavia argues, making Regina laugh.

"No, we don't," the Evil Queen chuckles. "You may be prepared to risk Henry's life over some heartbroken fool's errand, but I'm not. I'm tired of waiting around."

"What if she's right? Pan could be lying," Emma wonders, looking at the others as Regina leaves them, but Octavia races after her older sister.

"Regina!" Octavia calls after her, stopping her.

"I'm not coming with you," Regina argues, looking at her.

"I know. But I was thinking...Rumple could help. He might have something to stop Pan," she suggests, and Regina smiles.

"Good idea," the older Mills sister replies, smirking before leaving.

"Just because it seems too good to be true doesn't mean it is," Mary Margaret argues. "Don't give up. You owe it to Henry to find out if his father's still alive, and you owe it to yourself."

Inside Prince Eric's castle in the Maritime Kingdom, Snow White and Ariel wore ball gowns for the under-the-sea ball. "Wow!" Ariel marvelled. "It's even better than I imagined. Do I look okay? Is this how people dress?"

"You look fantastic," Snow assured her.

"Does it fit right? Because it just feels a little..." She wondered.

"Tight? That's a corset. It's supposed to be," the rogue Princess replied.

"How do you know all these things?" The Mermaid asked.

"In another life, I was a Princess," Snow told her.

"Wekk, perhaps you'll be one again," Ariel mused.

"I doubt it. But tonight, you can be," she replied, and Ariel laughed softly. Snow picked up a fork. "Remember what I taught you." She showed Ariel the fork. "What's this?"

"Mini-trident... Salad-trident?" The red-haired woman questioned.

"Fork. Salad fork," the rogue Princess corrected her, and Ariel pocketed the fork. "Oh. It's really not that valuable."

"There. Look," Ariel beamed, spotting Eric.

"Is that him?" Snow asked, looking at the Prince.

"Yes," she laughed. "That's him. He's just as I remembered. Less wet... But more handsome." Eric and Ariel locked eyes and smiled at each other.

"Go to him," the raven-haired woman encouraged her.

"Just...walk over there?" The Mermaid asked nervously.

"Love at first sight doesn't need much prompting," Snow assured her, pushing Ariel forward. She walked over towards Prince Eric but tripped over her own feet.

"Oh! Uhh!" Ariel cried, and Eric approached the red-haired woman.

"Would you like to dance?" Eric asked, holding a hand and helping Ariel reach her feet. "Might be easier than walking."

"No one's dancing," she argued, laughing nervously.

"Well, that's one of the perks of being the Prince," he replied, smiling down at her. "If I want to dance," he held out his hand, "I can." He nodded to the musicians, and music started playing. "I'm Eric."

"Ariel," the red-haired woman introduced herself, smiling back at him.

"You look familiar," the Prince mused, bowing and curtseying. "Have we met?"

"I don't think so," Ariel replied, avoiding his gaze, and a look of realisation crossed his face. Eric took her hand, and they began dancing.

"I know where it's from," Eric announced.

"Where?" She asked.

"I was in a shipwreck. I nearly drowned. Someone saved me," he told her. "I didn't see them, but... I've had a recurring dream since then, of a face. Your face."

"That can't be," the Mermaid argued. "I'm new in town, so... How could I have possibly saved you?"

"I know. Ursula's the one who saved me," the Prince replied. "And in doing so, she showed me a vision of my future. That's the face I saw. That's you."

"Ursula is just a myth," Ariel reasoned, never having seen her, just heard stories.

"Is she? 'Cause you're right here in front of me. Now what brings you to our Kingdom?" Eric asked her.

"Well...I wanna see the world," she told him.

"Then you and I have something in common," he remarked. "I'm leaving in the morning...a grand expedition...to do just that."

"What?" The red-haired woman questioned, frowning.

"I've been planning it for years. This shall be my final Ursula ball, for tomorrow, I'm exploring the unknown lands...the desert from this realm to Agrabah," the Prince explained.

"You're actually doing it. I've always wanted to see the world," Ariel replied sadly.

"Then come. I see it in your eyes. You want to," Eric replied, surprising her. "Unless I've misread things."

"No. Um, I mean... Yes. I mean no," she stammered, at a loss for words.

"I'm pressuring you. That's unfair. How about this?" He suggested. "Tomorrow morning, I'll wait for you/ If you show up, I'll be filled with joy. If you don't, well... I may be heartbroken, but I'll understand. So nice to meet you, Ariel." He bowed, and she curtsied. The crowd applauded. Ariel walked away towards Snow and a full-length mirror behind them, unaware that the Evil Queen was watching them.

Regina and the two guards chasing Snow White earlier are at her palace watching through the Magic Mirror as Snow speaks to Ariel at the ball. "Uck," Regina groaned, rolling her eyes.

"That's the woman that rescued Snow White," the guard confirmed. "The red hair. It's unmistakable. I thought she had a tail, but yes, I'm sure."

"Next time you let someone fall to their death, make sure they're actually dead," she demanded.

"She looked dead," he argued.

"No. Death looks more like this..." The Evil Queen sneered, flicking her wrist, and the guard's neck snapped before he dropped dead to the floor.

"Sh-Shall I lead more knights after Snow White?" The other guard wondered, scared to speak after witnessing his fellow guard's death.

"You boys have proved unequal to the task," Regina snapped, about to kill the other guard, but her face changed, and she smiled. "... No. I've got a new idea."

Felix stands beside Peter in the jungle as the immortal teen looks through his telescope, spotting Mary Margaret, Emma, and the others walking through the trees. "Look at them go. So determined to find their missing friend," Peter muses, smirking to himself.

"Speaking of that friend... What should we do with Neal?" Felix wonders.

"It's time to move him," he announces. "Take him to the Echo Caves." Felix looks back at several Lost Boys, signalling for them to lower Neal's cage. "The game is about to get interesting."

"You don't know what to do, do you?" Belle questions, appearing beside Mr Gold as he sits by a cliff in deep thought.

"No, I don't," Mr Gold replies.

"Come home to Storybrooke," she tells him, trying to get him to leave Neverland.

"And just leave...Henry, my family behind?" He asks, frowning.

"Come with me, and we can start a new family. Our own family," the bookworm suggests. "That's what I want. Don't you?"

"No, you...you can't want anything," the Dark One argues. "You're just a figment of my self-conscious."

"No. No. I'm really here. Take my hand. Believe in our love, and we can go back," Belle replies firmly. "Take it, Rumple. Please. Come home to me." Belle suddenly starts choking. Her hand is stretched when Regina emerges from the foliage, and she chokes Belle with magic.

"Enough of this," Regina snaps, glaring at the fake Belle.

"Regina!" Mr Gold shouts, standing up.

"Are you really going to fall for this?" She questions, looking at her old mentor.

"Rumple, st...stop her," Belle chokes, struggling for breath.

"Don't listen to him," the Evil Queen snaps.

"What are you doing?" Mr Gold shouts at the woman.

"Showing you the truth," Regina retorts as Belle collapses with a cry.

"No!" He yells, and Belle is consumed by a cloud of smoke, revealing to actually be the Shadow, which then flies away from the Evil Queen and the Dark One.

"Look who you're really dealing with," she remarks, staring at her former mentor.

"Pan," the Dark One mutters, surprised.

The hero group walks through the dark jungle searching for Neal, who has a way to escape Neverland once they find and take Henry from Pan. Octavia, needing to talk to someone, stops Emma and Mary Margaret, who look at her. "I kissed him," Octavia blurts out, making the two women look at her in surprise.

"What? Who?" Mary Margaret questions, looking at the younger Mills sister in shock, and Emma smiles.

"Hook?" Emma guesses, seeing the blush coating the Cruel Princess' cheeks. "You kissed Hook?"

"Oh! Well... Why?" She wonders, making Octavia frown.

"I...I don;t know. I... I was... It's been a while. I was feeling good. I don't know," Octavia replies, stammering as the blush worsens her cheeks.

"Did it mean anything?" Emma asks her.

"I... I don't know. I mean, it could," she mutters, hoping Killian feels the same way, but she can't know what he's thinking.

"I'm sure it means something," Mary Margaret assures her.

"I guess. But we should be focusing on finding Neal," the Cruel Princess.

"If he's still alive," Emma retorts, sighing.

"Emma, I get what you're doing, you know," Mary Margaret comments. "You don't want to open yourself up to the hope that he's alive, but you should."

"Why?" She asks.

"Because you deserve a happy ending, Emma. And happy endings always start with hope," Snow tells her. "And so do you, Octavia."

Snow and Ariel sat on a bench in the ballroom during the Under the Sea Ursula Ball, talking to one another outside Eric's castle. "This was a terrible, terrible mistake," Ariel groaned, thinking about Eric.

"You met him. It's a start," Snow assured her.

"More like an end," she argued. "I can't ask him to give up his dream for someone he just met."

"Maybe you're the dream," the rogue Princess reasoned.

"Maybe. But I can't make him choose. It's not right," the red-haired woman groaned.

"You can't make him choose?" Snow asked. "Or you don't want to make him choose? You're afraid."

"Of what?" Ariel questioned, frowning.

"Of his choice," she replied, looking at her.

"There is nothing about any of this...that's easy," the Mermaid mused.

"So take my advice. Do the hard thing. Be honest. No secrets. Open your heart to love. It is so worth the risk, even if you get hurt. Then you'll know...you'll know you tried," the raven-haired woman told her, trying to help her new friend.

"I just need some time to think," Ariel replied.

"Well, you have three hours. So I'll be here if you need me," Snow assured her, taking her friend's hand and giving her a smile, and then Ariel walked away, needing time to think alone.

Ariel walked along the beach by the castle, still in her human form, back in her regular clothes, needing to clear her mind, and stood by the water. "What should I do?" Ariel wondered aloud. "That's right, I'm talking to you, Ursula, mythical Goddess of the sea. He thought you brought us together, but we both know that's a lie, so... Tell me, between girlfriends, what do I do?" The Mermaid was met with silence. "Nothing, huh? Well, what should I expect from a long-dead myth? You gave me legs, but that's it, right? No answers? Thanks...for nothin'." Ariel turned away from the water when the Evil Queen emerged from the sea with octopus tentacles. "Ursula?"

"Hello...Ariel," Regina said, smirking.

After Regina shows Mr Gold that Belle is really Pan's Shadow, they face each other. "What is this? Amateur hour? Did you really believe that was Belle?" Regina asks him, annoyed at his stupidity.

"Why are you here?" Mr Gold questions, avoiding her gaze.

"Well, for starters, it appears I'm saving your ass, it's a good thing, too, if Octavia hadn't told me to come to you. You were about to be Pan's lunch," she snaps.

"Oh, what do you care?" He groans, rolling his eyes.

"I care because I've been camping with the Charmings and my sister for a week and getting nowhere. If we're gonna get Henry, I need you. I need Rumplestiltskin," the Evil Queen tells him.

"Well, the problem, dearie, is that Rumpelstiltskin can only stop Pan by dying," the Dark One explains sarcastically.

"You're not gonna die at anyone's hands but my own," Regina argues. "We're the two most powerful practitioners of magic who have ever lived." Rumpelstiltskin muses, thinking about Octavia, who he classes as powerful as she is, but doesn't say anything. "The Evil Queen and the Dark One joining forces? I'd say we can find another way to handle one smug teenager."

"You've never faced him. I have. And I know what killing him requires. And that is - my life," Mr Gold replies sharply.

"Well, as much as I want to, maybe we don't have to kill him. If that's the case, then... Maybe we can find another way...something to contain him, some other fate," she suggests.

"A fate worse than death," he agrees.

"Now we're talkin'. There's my malevolent imp. Is there a spell you know? Something we can enact? " The dark-haired woman asks him.

"No. But back in my shop, I might have just the thing," Rumpelstiltskin replies, grinning.

"Well, why didn't you bring it with you in the first place?" Regina groans, waving her arms around in annoyance.

"Because I came here to kill him and die in the process!" Mr Gold snaps.

"Well," she laughs, "I could've told you that wasn't gonna happen. You forget, dear. I've known you a long time. I know all about your survival instincts."

"Yeah, well, they just kicked in," he argues.

"Good. So now we just need a change of plans. We need to get back to your shop, pick up this magical item, and then all of our problems are solved," the Evil Queen declares, coming up with a plan.

"Crossing realms? Is that all?" The Dark One questions, following her as she makes her way into the jungle.

"Yes. That's all," Regina replies confidentially.

Ariel stared at Regina, disguised as Ursula, on the beach, trying to mess with Snow. "You're...real." Ariel marvelled.

"As real as the legs you're standing on," Regina laughed.

"I'm sorry if I was rude before. I..." She apologised.

"My dear sweet child. Don't fret," the Evil Queen replied. "I understand. But you're also in luck. I can help with your...dilemma."

"With Prince Eric? I have to tell him the truth, don't I?" The red-haired woman asked her.

"Bah! Your friend was mistaken," Regina told her.

"Are you sure?" Ariel questioned.

"Of course I'm sure, if you tell him the truth...that you're from two different worlds...he won't accept that. Or you," she warned her.

"How is this helping again?" The Mermaid wondered.

"What if I told you that you could keep your...legs?" The dark-haired woman mused. "That you can walk on land, be a part of his world... Forever, without ever telling him your secret, that you're a mermaid? Would you be interested?"

"Of course," Ariel blurted, making Regina laugh to herself.

Snow White sat on the edge of the docks, waiting for Ariel to return, when the red-haired woman ran up to her. "What is it?" Snow asked, looking at her. "What happened?"

"Something amazing. And not just for me, but for the both of us," Ariel exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" She questioned, frowning.

"I received a gift...a gift that will allow me to spend the rest of my life with Eric, and a way for you to escape your Evil Queen," the red-haired woman explained.

"How is that possible?" The rogue Princess wondered.

"Look," Ariel said, pulling out a bracelet and putting it on Snow's wrist.

"What are you doing?" Snow asked her.

"This is no ordinary bracelet," she replied, and a dark green smoke formed around Snow's legs. "Look."

"Ohh..." The raven-haired woman gasped, falling to the ground as the smoke encased her legs, and Ariel helped Snow sit down.

"Here," the Mermaid said.

"What's happening? Oh! Oh!" Snow yelped as her legs turned into a mermaid's tail, making her fall, but Ariel helped her to stay upright.

"You're a mermaid," Ariel announced.

"Ariel.. What have you done?" She asked her, shocked.

"The bracelet is magic. I got it from Ursula," the red-haired woman explained. "By wearing it, you get my tail, and I can keep my legs. That's the price, but it's a good price. Don't you see? You can escape. You can travel to my land...a land where the Evil Queen cannot follow. And you can have a life, a wonderful life, under the sea."

"Ursula gave you the bracelet?" The rogue Princess questioned.

"Yes," Ariel replied.

"Ursula is a myth. She hasn't existed for thousands of years. She's not real," she argued.

"Yes, she is," the Mermaid told her.

"Actually... It's not entirely true," Regina said, strolling towards them, no longer in her disguise with Octavia, in her ballgown from the Under Sea ball.

"What's going on?" Ariel asked, confused.

"Well, well, well. Look at the catch of the day," she mused, looking at Snow White, now as a mermaid.

"Ursula?" The red-haired woman questioned, looking at the glamorous Queen.

"No, this isn;t Ursula. This is Regina, the Evil Queen. And that's her sister, Octavia, the Cruel Princess," Snow introduced them, and Ariel looked between them in shock.

"The tracks lead directly into that cave," Mary Margaret announces, stopping outside Echo Cave. "This must be where Pan is keeping Neal."

"If the cave is some sort of prison, why aren't there any guards posted to stop us?" David wonders, frowning.

"Because this prison doesn't require guards," Killian informs them. "Echo Cave."

"You know it?" Mary Margaret asks him.

"All too well," he replies. "I lost half my crew inside those rock walls. The only way to rescue someone from inside is to reveal a secret."

"A secret? That's all?" She questions.

"Your darkest secret. Echo cave derives its name from an old saying...'the deeper the lie, the more truth in its echo.' The cave demands that you reveal a truth about yourself. A secret you would never admit to anyone," Octavia explains.

"This is ridiculous," Emma mutters, rolling her eyes.

"Don't kill the messenger, Swan," Killian replies.

"Even if we spill our guts, how do we know Neal's still alive in there?" She wonders.

"Because this is what Pan wants. He wants us to rescue him," he argues.

"Why?" David questions.

"So that we reveal our secrets. He believes once we do, our secrets will destroy us," Hook tells them before they head inside.

"Having trouble with your fin?" Regina questioned, smirking down at Snow White as she tried moving.

"I'll figure it out!" Snow snapped at her.

"Snow, the bracelet," Ariel muttered, and the rogue Princess attempted to remove the bracelet, but it wouldn't come off.

"The wearer can't take it off," Octavia revealed, making Ariel and Snow look at her.

"Oh. Did I leave that detail out? For once, Snow, you won't be able to run away," Regina beamed.

"You tricked me?" Ariel asked, looking at the Evil Queen.

"You went to a long-dead octopus for advice, and you're going to blame me for your problems?" She questioned.

"This is wrong," the red-haired woman argued.

"Unh-unh-unh. Sorry, dear. You're not helping her," the Evil Queen snapped.

"Ariel, get out of here," Snow warned her.

"For once we're in agreement," Regina mused, smirking down at Snow.

"Get out of here, mermaid!" Octavia yelled at Ariel, who looked conflicted, wanting to help her new friend.

"Not if you're gonna hurt my friend," Ariel argued.

"You have a choice. Your friend's going to be hurt either way. The real question is whether you're going to join her. Or are you going to run off and get your happy ending? Hmm? Go on. There are no second chances," Regina warned her, and Ariel looked between Regina and Snow, wanting to help.

"It's okay, Ariel," Snow assured her. "I can't keep running forever. You have a chance at happiness. That's something the Queen will never have. Eric is going to leave any moment. Go to him."

"Listen to her, Ariel! Are you really going to give up the love of your life...? For a friend?" Regina questioned, smirking.

"I'm sorry," Ariel muttered, walking away and leaving Snow with the Evil Queen, who turned to her stepdaughter.

"Now... Where were we? Oh, right. The catch of the day," she mused, using her magic to choke Snow, who gasped for air. Ariel ran up and stabbed Regina in the neck with the fork she stole at the ball. Regina cried out in pain, and Ariel ran up to Snow, taking the bracelet off and throwing it into the ocean.

"Regina!" Octavia yelled, rushing towards her sister, pulling the fork out of her neck and healing her.

"What are you doing?" Snow asked her, her tail changing back into legs, and Ariel regained her mermaid tail.

"Hold your breath," Ariel told her, diving into the water with Snow, and they quickly swam away, leaving Regina.

Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Octavia, and Killian enter Echo Cave; moving forward, on the other end of the cave, locked in a cage and unreachable because of an extensive gap in the cave floor, is Neal. "Emma!" Neal shouts, spotting the blond woman.

"Neal," Emma says, shocked.

"It must be a hundred feet across," Mary Margaret comments, looking around.

"Even if we fashioned some sort of rope, there's nothing to attach it to. Now way to swing over," David remarks.

"So what do we do?" Emma wonders, looking around.

"I told you what needs to be done," Killian tells them. "Consider this the moment of truth, literally. Now...who wants to kick things off?"

"So, what? Someone tells their secret and they sprout wings?" She questions, frowning.

"I don't know the particulars, only what I've been told," he replies.

"Well, how do you know it'll work?" David asks, and Killian takes a deep breath and turns to face Neal.

"There's only one way to find out, I suppose," Hook says, turning back to face everyone. "I kissed Octavia." Everyone looks at her, making her blush at the confession.

"You did what?" He snaps, glaring at the pirate.

"David, now is not the time," Mary Margaret scolds him.

"I already told Mary Margaret and Emma, so technically it's not a secret. But it was just a kiss. How's that your darkest secret?" Octavia questions, looking at Killian, who sees the growing blush across her cheeks.

"It's what the kiss exposed," Killian replies, looking at the younger Mills sister. "My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love...of my Milah...to believe that I could find someone else, that is until I met you." The ground quakes, and a large chunk of rock grows from the ground, forming a partial bridge and reaching the other side of the cave where Neal is.

"Really?" She asks, smiling at Killian, who smiles back at her.

"Uh... Mary Margaret..." David mutters, looking at his wife.

"No, no, no. Me next. Ever since the curse broke, since we found each other, since we found Emma..." Mary Margaret confesses. "And all of that happiness, there is something I haven't wanted to admit. Our daughter is a beautiful, smart, amazing woman whom I love very much, and of whom I could not be more proud. But she's all grown up. And... As much as I wanna pretend I'm okay with that, I'm not. We missed it, David. What we have with her is unique, but it's not what I wanted. We were cheated out of everything...her first step, her first word, her first smile. We missed it all."

"What are you saying?" He asks her.

"When we get off this island and get back to Storybrooke, I want another go at it. I wanna have another baby," she tells him, and the ground quakes again as the bridge extends further.

"Nothing in this world would make me happier, and I know with all my heart that you would make... An amazing mother. But it can never happen... At least not with me," Charming replies, making his wife look at him in shock.

"What do you mean?" Snow asks, frowning.

"When Hook and I went to search for the sextant, he was really taking me to find a cure," David confesses.

"A cure for what?" Mary Margaret asks, growing angry.

"Dreamshade," he replies.

"The Lost Boys, the arrow...you pushed me out of the way -." she realises, looking at him.

"- I wasn't fast enough. I was hit. Hook was able to find a cure, but it comes at a price. I can't leave Neverland. If I do, I'll die," the Prince tells her, and the bridge forms another length, but it's not enough.

"My turn then," Octavia grumbles, making everyone look at her. "I've never told anyone. Not even Regina. I came to Neverland when I was a teenager."

"We know that," Emma argues, looking at her.

"Yeah, but I kinda had a...a stupid romance with Pan," she tells them. "It was years ago. And it was for like a week, it ended when I returned home." With that said, the bridge finishes forming with the last confession. Emma unsheathes her sword and carefully walks across. Killian looks at Octavia, surprised, and she smiles back at him. "I had terrible choices in men when I was younger apparently."

"I hope to change that," Killian whispers, looking at the Cruel Princess, smiling at her, who smiles back at him. When Emma's halfway across, she knows it's sturdy enough. She breaks out into a run the rest of the way and bends down to face Neal.

"You okay?" Emma asks him.

"Yeah. But Henry..." Neal replies.

"I...It's okay. We're gonna take care of him," she assures him. "Just need to get you out of here first." Emma takes her sword and starts hacking at the bamboo bars, though she doesn't do any damage.

"Wha... Emma, Emma, Emma, Emma!" He shouts, making her stop. "You know that's not how this works. It's okay. You can tell me anything."

"When I heard you might be here, and that you might still be alive, I knew I should be happy, but I wasn't. I was terrified. I didn't understand why until now," the blond woman confesses. "From the moment I saw you in New York, in the instant you stepped back in my life, I knew. I knew I'd never stopped loving you. And before I even had a chance to take a breath, I... I lost you once more, and all that pain that I had pushed down for all those years, it just came... rushing back, and I... I didn't know if I could go through it again. I love you. I probably always will. But my secret...Is that I was hoping that this was a trick. I was hoping you were dead... Because it would be easier for me to put you behind me than to face all the pain that we went through all over again." The cage bars dissolve, and Neal gets out, hugging Emma, who hugs back.

After saving Neal, Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Octavia, and Killian emerge outside Echo Cave. "Thank you," he says to everyone, keeping close to Emma.

"Well, don't thank us yet," David argues, leading the others out of the cave's entrance. "We still have to save Henry."

"We found your star map, so the real question is, do you know how to get off this island?" Killian asks, looking at Neal.

"Well, if we can find Henry, I can get us home," Neal assures them.

"Let's go get Tinker Bell and...retrieve the boy," he replies, and he, Mary Margaret, Octavia, and David walk ahead, and Emma and Neal stay behind.

"You all right?" Emma asks him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Neal says, both acting a little awkward.

"About what I said..." She mutters.

"Hey. Hey, Emma, it's okay," he assures her, knowing there's a lot of history between them.

"No, it's not. I wish I could change how I feel more than anything, but... I can't. I'm sorry," the blond woman tells him.

"Don't be. After everything I've put you through, you don't ever have to apologise to me about how you feel," Baelfire replies. "Hey, I'm glad you told me. I have a secret, too, Emma. I'm never gonna stop fighting for you. Never." Neals walks away, heading towards the others, seeing Killian and Octavia walking further behind Mary Margaret and David, the pair smiling and exchanging glances between each other.

"Look, I know I should've told you..." David mutters.

"Don't. Just...not now," Mary Margaret grumbles, walking ahead.

Ariel sat in the water on the beach as Snow White crawled onto the shore again like before after being saved by the red-haired Mermaid. "I am so sorry, Snow. Are you okay?" Ariel asked her new friend as she took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'm fine! But you need to go," Snow told her.

"What?" She asked, worried she would upset her friend.

"Eric...tell him the truth. Go to him," the rogue Princess replied, smiling.

"The caravan is probably long gone by now, and we're miles from the docks," the red-haired Mermaid argued.

"I saw how he looked at you at the ball. He'll wait as long as possible," Snow assured her.

"You think he's still there?" Ariel wondered.

"There is only one way to find out. Go!" She shouted, smiling.

"Thank you, Snow!" The Mermaid yelled, swimming away.

"Go! Just go!" The raven-haired woman exclaimed as Ariel dove underwater, swimming towards the castle to catch Eric before he left.

Prince Eric waited on the balcony of his castle for Ariel to return, but it was getting too late. "Your Highness... It's time," a man announced.

"Just a little longer," Eric argued, wanting to wait for Ariel till the last second. Ariel saw him as she surfaced and moved her mouth to speak, but no noise came out. She tried shouting his name, but still, nothing came out, and she touched her throat, wondering what happened as she tried calling for him. Eric walked away, unable to hear Ariel as she tried calling for him. She shouted for him not to leave, but he walked away, and she shook her head in despair.

"I told you there'd be no second chances," Regina remarked, walking over to the end of the docks with Octavia behind her. Ariel looked up at the docks to see Regina standing with her younger sister. Regina took a seat on some boxes as Octavia stood behind her, looking at Ariel. "Hmm?" Ariel touched her throat. "Oh, that. Your voice. I took it. The only thing worse about telling your Prince how you feel and rejecting you is... Never telling him at all. Never knowing. Never even having...a chance at true love. That's right, dear. He's gone. Time to swim back home... Little Mermaid." Ariel dove back underwater in sadness at losing her chance to say something to Eric.

Regina returned to the palace, walked into her chambers, and stopped when she heard a voice coming from her full-length mirror. "Hello, Regina," Ursula, a golden half-octopus, said, making Regina stare at her in shock.

"You. You're real?" Regina gasped, and Ursula thrust her tentacles from the mirror and wrapped them tightly around the Evil Queen.

"Next time you claim to be me, you'll find out just how real I am," she warned her.

"Oh!" The Evil Queen gasped as the tentacles grew tighter.

"Don't ever do that again," the golden figure snapped before withdrawing her tentacles, leaving Regina alone.

Regina and Mr Gold walk along the beach, and she stops when she sees a conch shell and picks it up. "If you think summoning a giant squid is the answer, I've already tried that," Mr Gold argues.

"Oh, you've had fun, haven't you?" Regina muses. "I have no intention of ordering calamari." She whispers into the conch shell, and Ariel surfaces from the water a few moments later. "Hello, Ariel. Long time."

"It's true mermaids can travel across realms. But they can't be trusted," he warns her.

"This one can. We have history together," she replies, smirking.

"Well, that would explain the distasteful look on her face," the Dark One muses, looking between the two women.

"And now she's going to help us," the dark-haired woman tells him, and Ariel mouths 'No', shaking her head. "Oh, right, your voice." Regina waves her hand, reversing the spell.

"Why would I help you?" Ariel snaps, glaring at the Evil Queen.

"Because I can give you what you want," Regina replies, putting out her hand and the bracelet from before appears in Ariel's hand. "I can give you legs, Ariel, and this time, control over them. But more importantly, I can give you what you need most."

"What?" She asks her.

"The place I'm sending you...among its residents...is your Prince Eric," the Evil Queen reveals.

"What's the name of this place?" The red-haired mermaid wonders, wanting to be reunited with Eric again.

"Storybrooke," Regina says, smirking.