Evermore ~ Rumplestiltskin

Chapter Thirty-Three

                    Rumple's POV

I hated seeing Liana's expression on her face as I crossed through the invisible shield that Pan had created. I knew that she was going to worry for my safety, and for that, I felt guilty. But if I go in, at least I'll know that she's safe.

"Hello, laddie," said a familiar voice. It was Pan coming out of the shadows. "Oh, I see you've come bearing gifs."

I gritted my teeth, as I felt Pandora's box still in my hands. "Where's Henry?" I asked him.

"Oh, you mean my great-grandson? You still haven't told the others who I really am?" Pan scoffed. "You told Liana, but not even your own son. Why?"

"Because you're nothing but a coward to me," I spoke, using the same word that people often called me.

"We both know if that were true, I'd already be in the box," he replied.

"You don't think I can do it?" I asked. "You let me inside to, uh, taunt me?"

"No," he said. "To see you again, to give you one last chance. Stay with me. Let this go. Let's start over."

I glared at him. "Do you think I want to be with you? That I could ever forgive you after you abandoned me?"

"I'm disappointed, Rumple," he said. I narrowed my eyes at him. "After all these years, I'd thought you'd be more... understanding, considering you did the same thing to your son. You traded Baelfire for the power of a dagger, and I traded you for youth. We're a lot more a like than you care to admit."

"We are nothing alike!" I spat.

"Oh, of course we are. And it's nothing to be ashamed of. Neither one of us was cut out to be a father, m'boy," he said.

"I regretted leaving my son the moment I let him go. I spent my life trying to find him, to get him back. And what did you do? You forgot about me."

I was trying really hard to not let the tears fall, the tears that were starting to form in my eyes. I couldn't let him see me cry. I just couldn't.

"I never forgot about you!" he yelled. "Why do you think I call myself Peter Pan?"

I scoffed. "Don't think for a moment I believe it's because you care for me. You never have. I have others who care for me."

"But I do," he said. "All you have to do is put down that box and you'll see it's true. We can make the fresh start you always wanted, together, just as we planned."

"Oh, I'm gonna make a fresh start," I said. Then I whispered, "Not just with you."

I then tried to open Pandora's box but it wasn't working. I gritted my teeth and stared down at it in frustration before looking back up at Pan. "I don't understand."

"Cause you don't have it," he said, taking out an identical version of the box.

"You switched them?" I asked, my heart beating faster.

"Follow the lady. Still have trouble believing. In Neverland, all you have to do is think of something to have it. Even something fake." He laughed. "But the real one... well let's see what it can do."

My eyes widened. I have failed. "No!" I yelled as Pan trapped me in the box. I was now all alone, surrounded by darkness, thinking about how the others will be able to save Henry if I couldn't do it, and if Liana was safe and if Bae was safe...

Liana's POV

Regina and Emma successfully were able to create the eclipse, making the shield break down.