The portal was a storm of crashing waves that surrounded them, whipping and whirling, rocking the ship from side to side and plunging lower and lower until it felt as if it would go on forever. Darkness loomed on the horizon and they knew they were near the other end. Near Neverland. The passengers of the Jolly Rodger held onto whatever they could get their hands, fighting not to be thrown overboard by the violent vortex that propelled them forward.
Finally, they shot out into the air and landed on calm waters like a rock being skipped across a pond. The skies were clear and the water crystal clear. The familial smell of the sea and salt filled the air and the thief and pirate visibly relaxed, inhaling deeply.
"Is that it?" Emma asked breathlessly detangling herself some rope and pulleys she had been tossed into looking over at the looming dark island in the distance. It was foreboding to say the least. "Aye. Neverland." Killian answered. Each wore a different expression. Some in fear, some determination and others even looked at in awe.
Killian slowed the ship gently. "Why are you slowing down?" Regina asked, noticing. "In case you didn't know, my son's life is in danger!" she snapped irately. "Oh I know my hot-headed Queen. The plan is to bring us to the far side of the island, link up with the widest part of the river and, then we sail right through, take him by surprise. The irony…" Killian chuckled.
"What Irony?" Regina raised her brows. "Oh, I spent more time than I care to remember trying to leave this place to kill Rumpelstiltskin." He explained almost flippantly. Like he had not nearly lost his life more times then he could count in doing so. "And here you are sailing right back into its heart with him as your guest of honor." Anthanasia teased perched on the helm like a cat lounging comfortably in the sun.
"It's not quite the happy ending I was hoping for." He admitted glancing over at her with a flicker of endearment. Anthanasia had always been comfortable
aboard his ship and it pleased him to see her taking to it so well again. That was her spot. Or that was what the crew had called it. If they could not find her, they knew she was probably up sitting on the helm staring up at the sky.
"Greg Mendell said something funny to me. He said I'm a villain, and that villains don't get happy endings. You believe that?" Regina asked the two who also could be considered knows Emma saw each of them as one.
"I hope not, or we've wasted our lives." Was Killians cheeky remark But he couldn't help but ponder that himself.
Anthanasia said nothing and spotted Emma below looking out over the waters, her emotions a pot ready to boil over. She leapt from her spot and landed on the deck below with ease. "Hey." She greeted leaning her forearms on the railing beside her sister. "Hey."
They were silent for a long moment. "What happened to Neal, and Henry, it's not your fault. You can't blame yourself." Anthanasia told her gently feeling the anger rolling off her like a tidal wave, unrelenting.
"I don't. I blame you." Anthanasia's eyes widened in surprise and she pointed at herself. "All this happened because I listened to you." Anthanasia was taken aback but patiently waited for her to explain. "Our parents always say good wins? It doesn't. I didn't grow up in some fairytale land. My experience is different, that's all I have to go on." She thought her life had been a fairytale? God how she had wished that was true.
"And all I have to go on is my own and it wasn't a fairytale I can assure you. But if you would let me share some of my experiences…" Emma wasn't willing to listen, per usual. "I appreciate you trying to be a big sister and all but we are the same age. We have the same amount of wisdom. And all I want is Henry back. I should never have broken that curse. I should've just taken Henry and…"
Anthanasia cut her off. "You're right. Then you and Henry would be
together. But meanwhile I would still be searching for both of my families. I wouldn't have known I had a sister and a nephew. I missed all of this because they lost me and it haunts me every day." She forced her voice to be calm and understanding. Yelling and snapping at her wasn't going to get her anywhere. "That's why I am here now. I don't want you to go through this alone. We will get Henry back."
"How can you be so infuriatingly optimistic?" Emma snapped, turning to face her sister. "Have you met our parents?" Anthanasia joked trying desperately to lighten the mood. "Ever since you got here your life has…well…sucked." That was putting it mildly.
"I found you and Henry." She countered. "And then lost him! And Neal, and countless other people." Emma yelled on the verge of tears. "Because the minute I let go of the belief that things will get better is the minute I know they won't." Anthanasaia admitted lacing her fingers together. "We will find him and get him back." Emma stared at her wishing she had her determination and confidence because at that moment she felt hopeless.
"No you won't." The sisters turned to see Rumpelstiltskin standing at the helm dressed in his old garb that he had worn when he was the Dark One in the Enchanted Forest, well full time anyway. "Oh that's a great use of our time, a wardrobe change." Killian snarked, rolling his eyes. "I'm gonna get Henry." Rumple stated matter of factly.
"We agreed to do this together." Regina warned him her voice was low and dangerous. "Actually, we made no such agreement." He shook his head. "Why are you doing this?" Emma asked her temper resurfacing again. "Because I want to succeed." It was really that simple for him. "What makes you think I am going to fail?" There was the spark that had temporarily gone out.
"Well, how could you not? You don't believe in your magic, or anyone else around you." He had a point no matter how much they all wanted to deny it. "We defeated a dragon. I think I believe." Emma growled.
"Only what was shown to you. When have you ever taken a leap of faith? You know, the kind where there's absolutely no proof? I've known you some time, Miss Swan. And sadly, despite everything you have been through, you're still just that…bail bonds-person, looking for evidence."
Anthanasia scowled at him. "We can do it together. She doesn't have to take everything on blind faith." Rumple laughed but it lacked humor. "You are no different. You still don't believe in the same ways that she doesn't. Yes you lived in the enchanted forest and have your…gift but you have shut yourself off to believing that you yourself can do anything. You are a thief looking for a place to belong yet believe you don't belong anywhere."
"Well, dearies, that's not going to work in Neverland." He informed them. "We'll do whatever it takes." Emma argued defending both herself and
her sister. "Well, you just need someone to tell you what that is. Sorry dearies, our foe is too fearsome for hand-holding. Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild. And, sadly, yours do not." Rumpel
spun his cane and as it fell to the ground he vanished, his cain the only proof he was ever there.
After Gold's disappearance Anthanasia had headed below deck. When Snow and Charming moved to follow her Killian had stopped them telling them that she needed time to cool down. If he knew anything about Anthanasia was that you didn't press and pry when she was upset. It would end well for anyone involved.
Killian waited about an hour before he went in search of her. He found her in one of the cabins just sitting on the cot staring at her hands. She heard him approach and looked to the door. "Oh don't stop wallowing on my account,
love."
"Wouldn't think of it." She answered, rolling her eyes and returned to staring at her hands. "What are you doing?" Killian asked stepping into the
room. "Getting ready for a fight." By staring at her hands? Maybe she was mentally preparing. "Well, I've never known you to get ready for a fight. I thought it was a natural state." He teased but the corners of her mouth didn't so much as twitch.
"Don't let Rumpelstiltskin get you down, love." He said more softly, stepping farther into the room. "What do you want?" She asked, standing up and facing him with a sigh. "To give you something. You can give it to your sister."
"You know, Baelfire and I once spent a lot of time together." Anthanasia looked at him. "He was always Neal to Emma." He nodded."Yeah. Right." He reached over and unlocked a chest. Gingerly he took a sword and held it out to her. "This was his." he looked at it with fond nostalgia. Anthanasia took it into her hands. "I didn't realize you were sentimental." She teased her anger slowly starting to dissipate.
"I'm not, Emma is." He corrected her as he handed her a tin cup. He opened his flask with his teeth and poured some Rum into it. "Thanks." Anthanasia sighed heavily. "To Neal." She raised her cup. "To Neal." They clinked the cup against the flask and swallowed the amber liquid.
"I just don't understand her. She acts as if she is the only one who has had
it hard. Hell at least our parents worried for her. While I was missing they made her. Doesn't seem really worried if you ask me." She said sitting down. "She just doesn't understand love." He said, trying to comfort her. "No, she is acting like a spoiled child, thinking that this all only affects her. It affects me and Snow and David as well."
" I just found them and the kid is the only one who doesn't act odd around me.
He is my nephew. I care for him too but in her mind it is just her and only her. She refuses to even see how distraught Regina is and Regina raised the boy!" Killian smirked at her little outburst.
"Have you told her as much?"he asked. Anthanasia shook her head. "Don't know if you noticed she is one for monologues and doesn't let anyone get a word in edgewise." Killian laughed.
"Aye, like someone else I know." She looked up knowing he was talking about her. "I do not…" She trailed off knowing he was right. "Come, love, it's been awhile since I have had the pleasure of seeing you at the helm of my ship. What do you say you let Captain Hood out to play?"
As if on cue the Jolly Rodger rocked violently sending Anthanasia stumbling forward into his chest. He caught her with ease and any other time would have made a lewd comment or two. But that close to Neverland, only one thing could be happening. Trouble.
"What was that?" Anthanasia asked as they rushed up to see what was going on. "What the hell are you two doing?" Regina yelled as the ship rocked violently again. Snow and David were at the helm. "Trying to keep it steady!" Wind whipped around them and the water crashed against the ship with enough force to tip it. "Hold on!" David yelled. "Prepare for attack!" Killian yelled, realizing what was going on.
"Be more specific!" Regina yelled back. "If you've got a weapon, then grab it!" Anthanasia simplified. Killian grunted trying to regain control of the wheel. They could hear high pitch screeching in the distance but it was growing closer rapidly.
"What's out there? A shark? A whale?" Mary Margaret asked terrified. "A kraken?" David supplied. "Worse." Killian answered darkly. "Worse? What
could possibly be worse?" Emma asked confused as the screeching rang out again. "Mermaids." Anthanasia answered.
"Mermaids?" Emma asked in disbelief. Weren't mermaids supposed to be nice and talk to fish? "Yes, and they are quite unpleasant." Killian called. "You think?" Regina's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"I'll try to outrun them." Killian assured, already knowing that the chance of it working was slim to none. "How many of them are out there?" Mary Margaret asked. "I will not be capsized by fish!" Davish declared angrily as he began to load one of the cannons.
"Emma!" She watched Snow grab a net. "What are you doing?" Anthanasia hollered. "Fishing!" Together Emma and her mother lifted the heavy net and threw it overboard. This was not going to end well. The cannon fired, rocking the ship. Chaos began to unfurl on the ship around her.
"We caught one!" Mary Margaret yelled triumphantly as one of the mermaids
swam into the net. "One? There are dozens of them!" Regina yelled. She turned towards the water. "Enough of this." She began to hurl fire balls at the mermaids that screeched and swam away. One by one Regina picked them off.
"There. They're gone." Regina smiled triumphantly. "Not all of them! What
about that one?" Mary Margaret asked, pulling on the net. Regina sighed and used her magic to transport the mermaid on deck. She appeared before them struggling with the net, her fins flopping frantically.
"Get that thing off my ship!" Killian bellowed upon seeing the mermaid with dark hair flopping about on deck. "No. Now we have a hostage." Regina argued. "I hate to say it, but I'm with Hook. Those things just tried to kill us."
David agreed. "And perhaps we should find out why." Regina snapped. "How? By torturing her?" Mary Margaret asked horrified.
"Well, if need be, sure." The mermaid flopped around until she found a conch shell and brought it to her lips blowing in it. The sound of a horn filled the air like a signal of war. "Fantastic!" Anthanasia muttered sarcastically. "What the hell is that?" Emma asked removing her hands from her ears.
"A warning." The mermaid said as the thunderclap filled the air, shaking the ship. "Let me go. Or die." David snatched the shell out of her hands. "What the hell is this? What did you do?" He snapped glaring at the mermaid. "Let me go." She seethed wet hair sticking to her hair.
"Not until you tell us, or we make you tell us." Regina sneered. "Threatening her isn't the way to motivate her." Mary Margaret argued. "Well, I'm out of fish
food." Regina snapped. The tension in the air was growing thicker and thicker with every snide remark. "Doesn't matter if you get her to talk. You can trust her. Mermaids are liars." Anthanasaia explained standing beside Killian.
"Of course they are." Emma sighed. "Maybe they're just scared of Pan. If we let her go, maybe they'll be on our side." Mary Margaret suggested optimistically. "Or maybe she and her friends will come right back and kill us."
"Oh, I don't need my friends to kill you. You'll kill yourselves. Now let me go." They all looked at the mermaid and thunder clapped again above them. "What the hell?" David yelled looking up at the darkening sky. "It's a storm. She called it. Don't let her go! She'll swim off and leave us all to die. At least with her, we've got leverage." Killian announced glaring at the half fish woman.
David pulled out a blade and put it to her throat. "That's more like it, Charming. Filet the bitch." The mermaid gasped and whimpered in David's arms. "No we aren't barbarians." He said releasing her and stepping back shaking his head like he didn't recognize himself. The thunder clapped again. "What we're going to be is dead." Emma said. "Hold on! I'm gonna turn her around. I've outrun many a storm." Killian ran up to the helm.
"Make it stop or die!" Regia threatened her voice making it clear it wasn't just a threat. "We aren't killers!" Emma argued. "Yes, you are. And you've brought death upon yourselves." The mermaid laughed evilly. "This is why we should free her!" Mary Margaret yelled. "That feel-good nonsense, Snow, might play in the enchanted Forest, but this…this is Neverland."
Again thunder clapped the clouds growing even darker making the thunder sound like it was right on top of them, lightning dancing across the sky. Anthanasia stared up at the sky as the ship rocked, making them stumble bracing on the railing closest to her.
"Keep your grip, pirate!" David yelled angrily. "It wasn't me, mate! It was the ship! We're taking on water!" Killian yelled back. "Now may I resume killing her?" Regina asked. "No!" Emma, David and Mary Margaret yelled at the same time. "You kill her, and her kind have a personal vendetta against us."
Mary Margarete argued.
"Look, the Queen is right. They've already tried to kill us." Killian agreed. "Stop! That's enough! We need to think this through!" Anthanasia yelled trying to get everyone's attention. "I already have." Regina moved toward the mermaid again and put her hand out. Suddenly the mermaid turned to wood. Like a perfectly whittled wooden statue that was placed at the front of ships.
"There, that should stop the storm." Regina said triumphantly. "Regina! What did you do?" Mary Margaret screamed when they heard a roar like nothing they had heard before. They turned to see a tidal wave heading right for them. It would destroy the ship and kill all of them easily.
"No." Regina couldn't believe what she was seeing. That should have worked. "What have you done?" Emma yelled. The Jolly Rodger climbed to the side of the wave as water began to spill on the deck making it slick beneath their feet. "I thought you could outrun the storm." Anthanasia said to Killian. "This isn't a storm. This is bloody damnation." He told her still fighting with the wheel.
The wind began to howl and the waves crashed into them. "Why would you do this?" Snow asked furiously. "You're going to blame me?" Regina growled.
"You turned the mermaid into wood!" Snow pointed out. "I did something about it, which is more than what you can say!" Regina yelled back. "Undo your spell!" Thunder shook the ship again. "Bring back the mermaid!"
"And what, you'll win her over with rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers?"
Regina scoffed. "Considering your plan failed, at least we could try!" Snow screamed. "You're such a naive princess!" Regina spat. "And you are such a…" Mary Margeret slapped her then and hard as more thunder boomed. "Huh. Is that your best?" Regina taunted. "Not even close! I am so tired of you ruining my life!" Snow growled. "I ruined your life?" Regina asked, lunging at Snow. "Hey!" David yelled trying to protect his wife. Emma jumped in to help.
Lightning struck the ship as Regina punched Mary Margaeret temporarily blinding them. "Hey let the slags go. I need you at the mast!" Killian called down to David. Anthanasia was distracted, seeming to be in her own world watching the scene unfold in front of them. "Don't call my wife a slag!"
David yelled back angrily. Killian and David began to brawl just like Emma, Snow and Regina.
Their anger seems to fuel the storm. Anthanasia paused. It was them. They were causing the storm. Whatever the mermaids had done had caused their emotions to feed the storm. Looking up at the clouds it reflected what Anthanasia felt. "Stop it! It's not the mermaid. It's us!" She yelled trying again to get their attention. Lightning struck the ship again sparks
Flying. "No. If you don't stop fighting, we're all gonna die! Don't you see we're causing the storm?" She screamed but her voice didn't carry through the howling wind. "Hey Stop! You need to bloody listen to me!" They were too caught up in their fights to even notice her.
Anthanasia looked around frantically trying to figure out a way to get them all to stop fighting coming up empty handed. Her eyes flickered to the tumultuous water below them. She did the only thing she could think of. She
ran through their line of vision making sure each one saw her and dove off the ship into the crashing waves before she could rethink her plan.
"Nasia!" Killian yelled. "Anthanasia!" They rushed toward the side of the ship and watched horrified as a metal pulley broke loose in the storm and tumbled into the water after her.
Anthanasia felt the ice cold water cut through her like a knife. Every nerve screaming out and then seizing. She let herself just sink for a moment. Reveling in the peace and quiet of the water surrounding her like an icy hug, numbing her. She opened her eyes and was about to swim back up to the surface so she wasn't pulled deeper by the waves when she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and everything went black.