Crocodile's Daughter - Back to Their True Selves

4 - Nasty Habits

Bae was sitting at the table, drawing as I stirred our stew when Papa came in. "Bae. A present. Something to sharpen your coal with," He said, putting a knife down on the table. "Where did you get it?" Bae asked. "Oh, from a man who no longer needed it," He said. "You mean taken from a man who couldn't pay you," Bae said.

"Bae..." He started. "Papa, I told you, I don't want any more gifts from the people you terrorize," Bae said, shoving the dagger to the floor. "Then what do you want? Tell me, son. What would make you happy?" He asked. "Leaving this place. We're tired of staying in this hovel all the time," Bae said, getting up. "Well, that's easy to fix. How about a castle, huh? I could build you a palace so magnificent its shadow would blanket the countryside," He said.

"That's not what I mean. We wanna go out, have friends, see the world beyond these four walls. Papa, why can't you just trust us to do that?" Bae asked. "I do trust you both. It's...it's others that I can't. You see, I have many enemies beyond that door. And once you leave, any one of them could hurt you," He said. "You sure that's the only reason? Maybe what you're really worried about is if we leave, we might never come back," Bae snapped. "No, no. I...I-I'm worried about your safety. This is the best place for you both. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost either of you,"

-

This is where they're keeping Henry. Pan's compound. According to, uh..." Emma said. "Tinker Bell," Tink said. "Yes, I know. Still weird to say," Emma said. "'Tink' is fine," Tink said. "Not sure that's any better. Anyway, she says that there are sentries positioned across the front, which is why we are gonna come in through the back entrance here. She's gonna talk her way in. Once she makes sure the coast is clear, then we are going to sneak on in," Emma said, pointing at her map of Pan's compound with a stick.

"You'll still have to deal with any lost boys once you're inside," Tink reminded us. "I think we can handle a few children with pointy sticks," Regina said. "It's not the sticks you need to worry about. It's the poison they're dipped in," I reminded them. "Dreamshade. Hook and Reagen warned us," Mary Margaret said. "Good. Because one nick, and you'll spend the last of--" Tink started.

 "Poison sticks equal death. We got it. Now when can we put this rescue mission into action?" I asked. "I'm ready to go, just as soon as you tell me the exit plan. You do have an escape plan, don't you?" Tink asked as we all looked at each other. "It's--it's more of a last-minute trip," Mary Margaret said cautiously. "If you don't have a way off this island, then none of this matters," Tink said. "We'll figure it out," Regina said, standing up.

"You'll figure it out? No one comes and goes from this place unless he allows it. This is a waste of time," Tink snapped. "Hey, when it comes to family, we always find a way," David said. "You don't get it. Here. Let me show you something. Do you know what this is? I got it from the people who brought your son here for Pan," Tink said, showing us a watch. "Greg and Tamara? Where are they? Why'd they give you that?" Emma asked. "I got it off the girl's body. Spent half the night cleaning the blood off it. And the other guy...well, there wasn't enough left of him to find anything useful. This is what Pan does to people he employs. What do you think he's gonna do to you? I'm not sticking my neck on Pan's chopping block without a way off this island. When you figure that out, you know where I live," Tink said, walking away.

"Where the hell is she going?" Mary Margaret asked. "I'll get her, bring her back," David said. "Don't. She's right. If there's one thing I've learned, you never break in somewhere unless you know the way out," Emma said. "And where'd you get that, bail bondsperson school?" Regina asked. "Neal taught me that," Emma said sharply.

"What about you, Hook? Reagen? You got off this island before," David said, looking at us. "Yes, aboard my ship, which would require some form of magic to create a portal, which...I got from Pan in a deal I don't think he's ready to repeat," Hook said. "So one's ever left the island without Pan's permission," Regina said. "One man. Her partner in crime Neal," Hook said, nodding at Emma. "How?" She asked.

"Maybe we can find out,"

-

"I was thinking...only a king should live in a castle. So why don't you try this on for size? Bae?" Papa said, looking around. "Where's your brother?" He asked me. "I don't know. I haven't seen him all day. I heard some other boys in the town had gone missing, too," I said.

-

"What is this supposed to be?" Regina asked, looking at the cave in front of us. "So...what, Neal swung out of Neverland on a vine?" Emma asked. "Well, if someone would be kind enough to lend me a hand...what do you say, Savior?" Hook asked. "I'll do it," David volunteered. They pulled up the stone that prevented us from entering, and Hook turned to us.

"Ladies first," He said, and we all filed into the cave. "Hook! What is this place? What are we doing here?" Emma asked, and Hook went over to a torch, attempting to light it, but David just used a lighter. "Neal," Emma said as we looked at the drawings that covered the walls. "This is where he lived," Emma said. "Aye. Baelfire spent some time in Neverland as a boy. This was his home," Hook said, setting down his flint.

"So you think he may have left a clue as to how he escaped from here?" Mary Margaret asked. "Well, let's hope so, or we'll be lost just like he was," Hook said. We searched the cave, and I ran my finger along with the drawings on the wall. "Anything important?" He asked. "I can't tell yet. I didn't know he liked drawing," Emma said.

"He got it from his mother," Hook said. "I'm hoping Neal left something useful in the details of one of these. Maybe a map? Some kind of clue. Hand me that candle," Emma asked, and David lit a candle, handing it to her. "What about you? Any luck?" Mary Margaret asked. "No potted bean plant or swirling vortex under the rug, if that's what you mean. There may be no rug at all. There are other drawings on the far wall, but as far as I can tell, that's all they are. Probably just a way to pass the time and keep occupied," Hook said. "You knew him pretty well, didn't you?" Emma asked.

"We spent some time together. You all right there, Swan?" Hook asked. "I'm fine. Looks like you're right. They're just a bunch of pictures. What's all this?" Emma asked, looking at a pile of stuff. "Uh, just some cups and bowls he fashioned from things he found here," Mary Margaret said. "Don't know how great a cup this coconut could make. It's filled with holes," David said. "Uh, maybe it's a tiny colander," Mary Margaret suggested.

"Yes, because my teenage brother probably made lots of pasta," I said snarkily. "Hold on. Hook, snuff out that torch," Emma said, and he did so. Emma put the non-colander coconut on top of the half she was holding. "Am I supposed to be impressed that he made a night-light?" Regina asked. "Look up," Emma said, and we looked at the ceiling.

Across it was a star map. "Stars," Mary Margaret said. "It's a map," I said. "To where?" David asked. "Home," Emma said.

"How can you be so sure it's a map?" Mary Margaret asked. "There was a short time in Neverland when Baelfire was aboard my ship," Hook said. "What?" I asked, looking at him. "The boy we fished from the sea. That was your brother. Anyway, I taught him to navigate using the stars. What you're looking at is the fruit of my labors," Hook said. "Then you can read it," Regina said.

"Sadly, no," Hook said. "I thought you just said you taught him how," David said as we all looked at him. "Yes, but I also taught Neal something else. The key to being a pirate--secrecy. The best captains conceal their maps in a code. He was an apt pupil," Hook said. "So you're saying the only person who can read this map is Neal?" Mary Margaret asked. "Which means the only person who can read it is dead," Emma said, then walked out.

David and Mary Margaret followed them out, and I went after them, but got dizzy and had to sit down. "Reagen, are you okay?" Hook asked. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just have a headache," I lied. "No. You've been looking bad the past couple of days. Are you sure you're fine?" Hook asked. "I'm fine," I said, getting up and walking out.