Sound of Surviving

52

ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST

EXT. SPINSTER'S COTTAGE – DAY

Malcolm knocked on a door.

"Where are we?" Young Rumple asked.

Malcolm opened the door and ushered Young Rumple inside before saying, "These nice ladies are going to look after you for a little while."

"You must be the boy..." spinster one said.

"Rumpelstiltskin," spinster two finished.

"Do you know how to spin?"

"We can teach you."

"I... I don't want to stay here," Young Rumple told his father. "Please, I... I'll be good."

"This will give me time to get a real job, so we can be together," Malcom told his son.

"We can be together right now. Papa, please." His voice broke. "Don't leave me here." He hugged his father and cried.

"Don't be scared now." He handed Young Rumple the straw doll. "Hey, I got you a present. A friend. Someone to be at your side when I'm away. It will be with you when I cannot."

"It will?"

"Give it a name. Names always make things better. They make them real. Trust me. It will protect you. And I'll be back before you know it. I promise." He left and Young Rumple tried not to cry.

NEVERLAND – PRESENT

EXT. JUNGLE – NIGHT

Tinker Bell, Hook, David, Mary Margaret, Emma, Nevaeh, Jefferson and Neal trekked in the jungle.

"I'm gonna ask Tink how close we are to Pan's compound," David said. "I don't wanna be surprised by any lost boys on patrol."

"Good idea," Mary Margaret replied.

"Looks like you two buried the hatchet," Emma noted.

"Buried? Uh... I don't know. We've at least put it away for now."

"So you're really gonna stay here with him?"

"The thought of leaving you, Emma, it kills me. But there's nothing we can do. If David leaves the island, he'll die."

"So you're just giving up? Family means being together, all of us."

"But there's no other way."

"Maybe this is just you rubbing off on me, but I don't believe that. There's always a way."

Foliage rustled. Mary Margaret, Nevaeh and Emma found Hook, Neal, David, Jefferson and Tinker Bell with swords drawn. They followed suit. Regina and Mr. Gold appeared from the foliage, near a lagoon.

"Well, if this is your version of a rescue party, we got here just in time," Regina said.

"What are you two doing here?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Well, same as you, except we actually have a chance. Pandora's box. It could trap Pan for eternity simply by opening the lid."

Neal lowered his voice before saying, "You didn't tell me my father was with her."

"I didn't know," Emma replied.

"Wait, your father is the Dark One?" Tinker Bell questioned.

"Yeah, and he's not getting anywhere near Henry," Neal said.

"Bae..." Mr. Gold began.

Emma frowned. "Why? What are you talking about?"

"There's a prophecy that says that Henry will be his undoing," Neal explained. "He didn't come here to protect him. He came here to kill him. And I fear he might go after Grace as well."