Odette walked beside Killian in a comfortable silence as the group trekked through the jungle again. This time, they were headed straight for Pan's camp with Tinker Bell leading the way as she walked up front. All it had taken to finally convince the fairy to help them was showing that they had what they promised. An escape plan.
"So, what of Regina? Are you just going to leave her behind?" Tinker Bell questioned as her conversation with David up front reached its end, eyes glancing back to Odette who walked behind her as well as him.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were pleased by the thought Tink." Killian pointed out in a teasing tone that had the fairy sending him a small glare. Even if it was perhaps a little bit true.
"Hopefully not." Odette admitted. She wasn't sure how they'd find Regina, or Gold, but for everything to go smoothly, they needed to. Because they needed their help. Not only for Odette's plan to make a deal with Gold for David's life, but also because of the magic they provided. Because she was quite sure they couldn't just command the shadow to take them home without some magical aid; even if she wasn't sure what form it would come in.
"What even happened between you? If you don't mind me asking." David questioned curiously. Remembering Regina's resistance in seeking out the fairy, and the anger with which Tink regarded her at first, they all wondered about it. It was unavoidable.
"I offered to help her once, long ago. Help her find her happy ending." Tinker Bell started to speak, explaining the story for them. "I stole fairy dust for her. And it led us to a man in Sherwood Forest. All she needed to do was walk in and go to the man with the lion tattoo. Instead, she ran, ruined my life as well as both of theirs."
"I'm sorry... Lion tattoo?" Odette somewhat tuned out after that part. Surprise could do that to you. Sherwood Forest... lion tattoo... there had to be someone else like that, right? But tattoos were rare back in the Enchanted Forest. Not like in their Storybrooke world where many people had them.
"That's the important part?" Killian let out a small chuckle as he sent her a confused look, wondering why she chose to focus on it. Especially when she started to stammer looking for some kind of an explanation.
"You know him." Tinker Bell, however, quickly caught on.
"I... Uh..." Odette tried to think whether she should deny it until she ultimately gave up. "Yes, I do. And, well, I don't know what his life might've been like if Regina listened, but I don't think he considers it ruined now." Odette pointed out. "If they're even the same person." She added quickly.
"Well, maybe-" Whatever David was about to say, he never let himself finish as a sudden rustling sound came from the jungle in front of them, forcing all of the group to come to a stop. On high alert with their weapons drawn, they stood together in a line, waiting for whoever it was to come out.
And then they did.
"Well, if this is your version of a rescue party, we got here just in time." Regina regarded them all with an unimpressed look on her face.
"What are you two doing here?" Snow asked curiously, surprised to see Regina and Rumplestiltskin standing in front of them.
"Well, same as you, except we actually have a chance." Regina now smiled as she motioned to something held in the Dark One's hands. "Pandora's box. It could trap Pan for eternity simply by opening the lid." She explained the object.
"You didn't tell me my father was with her." Odette, standing with Killian on one side, and Neal on the other, easily overheard when the latter silently spoke to Emma. She sent him a confused look, wondering why it may be an issue. Sure, things were tense between father and son, but having the help of Rumplestiltskin certainly couldn't be a bad thing when their causes were one and the same.
"I didn't know." Emma simply answered him.
"Wait, your father is the Dark One?" Tinker Bell asked in surprise.
"Yeah, and he's not getting anywhere near Henry." Neal announced, making everyone turn confused at the proclamation. Especially as Gold seemed to try and speak up with a pleading look sent to his son.
"What does that mean? Why?" Odette asked suspiciously.
"There's a prophecy that says that Henry will be his undoing. He didn't come here to protect him. He came here to kill him." Neal's announced had all of them back on alert, stepping away from the Dark One and so did Regina.
"That's why you didn't want to find Neal before you got Henry back? Because you knew he'd spill your secret." The queen accused; voice full of realization as she thought back to whatever happened during their time alone on the island.
"Everything I did was to protect Henry, to rescue him from Pan." Gold tried to reassure them, but no one believed it. Not when so many signs were pointing in the other direction.
"It all makes sense. You left before we even made shore." Emma's eyes widened as she thought back to it, sword rising into the air shortly after as she pointed it straight at him. And Snow wasn't far behind her, and arrow quickly notched in her bow and pointed in the Dark One's direction.
"You wanted to get to Henry first..." She said.
"To be on his own..." David connected the dots further, drawing his sword once again.
"So no one could stop you..." Hook raised his own, having no qualms about standing up to the Dark One to defend the boy they were all here to save.
"So you can kill him." Regina finished for them.
"Not happening." Odette rose her own sword, making sure she got the sides right. If dreamshade was what Killian used the last time, this time should work too.
"Not unless you go through all of us first." Emma dared.
"You're making a mistake." He tried to reassure all those facing him, weapons pointed at him, ready to fight no matter the odds. "I don't care if the boy is destined to be my undoing. I won't hurt him."
"Because that sounds just like you." Regina scowled.
"Without me, you will fail. I'm the most powerful amongst us." Rumplestiltskin tried to convince them of his value, making Odette raise a dubious eyebrow.
"I'm pretty sure we know how to open a box." She bit back.
"We can't trust you." Neal stated the simple truth. So many of them have already seen the Dark One and the way he treats any threat to power. If Henry was his ultimate threat, no one trusted the Dark One to step anywhere near him.
"If I could give you my dagger, I would. But I can't." Gold said, and Odette couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. How convenient.
"But you can give me Pandora's box." Neal said as the idea came to his mind. "I don't have to trust you if I could stop you." He pointed out. For a while, everyone remained quiet, watching as the Dark One silently pleaded with his son, yearning for his trust, but when it became clear it wouldn't happen, he relented.
Stepping forward, Rumplestiltskin extended his hand to Neal, the box passing between them. "Look at me, you so much as lift a finger to perform magic, you're gonna spend an eternity in this box." Neal threatened.
Perhaps it wasn't the dagger with which they could control him and have one hundred percent assurances, but it was the next best thing. And with a way to stop Rumplestiltskin should he try anything, much of the group was ready to continue. All it took was Emma's call and soon they were on the move again.
"I need to speak with you." Odette's voice came out silent as she finally managed to fall to the back of the group where the Dark One walked. Truly, she'd been wondering how to get a hold of him on this island before they left, and now that he was here, she wasn't about to pass up the chance.
"Whatever you're thinking, I can't help you. The necklace was-" Rumplestiltskin started to dismiss her quickly, but Odette interrupted him before he could fully finish what he had to say.
"It's about David." She said, cutting off all talk of the necklace. "He got struck by an arrow dipped in dreamshade. Killian managed to cure him with the water from the island, but because of it he's now connected to it. If he leaves, that connection is broken and the poison will kill him."
"Well, then simply take some water with you." The Dark One said in a bored tone, making Odette glare at him angrily.
"And how long will that work? Once the water runs out, the dreamshade will come back and kill him." She pointed out what she suspected he probably already knew anyways.
"And what would you have me do?" The Dark One glanced down at her with a questioning look in his eyes.
"Something. Anything. There has to be some way and if anyone will think of it, it's going to be you." She didn't bother denying that, at any point. "And whatever you ask for in return, you'll get. From me, not him."
Odette wasn't an idiot, she knew there were people around them listening in to their conversation. Although, she didn't expect them to so instantly jump in after what she said.
"Love, making deals with the likes of him-"
"Odette, you shouldn't just jump in-"
Both Killian and Neal were cut off as Odette looked towards them and spoke over them. "I know what deals with him are like. I don't care." She told them firmly before looking back at Rumplestiltskin. "So, is there a way?"
"Well, if you remember, I, too, was poisoned with dreamshade by a cowardly pirate. And yet..." He waved his hands around in a theatrical manner, showing off the fact that he was alive.
"A way that doesn't require us to kill someone else in his place." Odette pointed out in a sharp tone. "David would never agree to that." She knew him. And while, maybe, if there was no other, she'd be willing to debate doing it herself behind his back, she knew she couldn't.
"Oh, how noble." The Dark One mocked. "The point is, after my near-death experience, I discovered much about the poison. I believe I could create an elixir back in my shop." The revelation had hope sparking within Odette that this could actually work.
"And in return? What do I owe you?" She asked, knowing there would be something. And she needed to know what it would be before she agreed. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she waited for an answer, hoping it wouldn't be something she couldn't do.
"Well, this is quite the favour. I'd expect one of equal weight as payment." Rumplestiltskin said with a thoughtful look on his face as he regarded her up and down.
"You know you can't call it a favour and ask for payment at the same time, right?" Odette bit back in an unamused manner. She was willing to pay, but he could stop pretending to be all noble about it.
"No." Neal and Killian spoke in unison again, making the blonde glare their way.
"This is my-" She was about to scold them, however, it was her who was getting interrupted this time.
"No, there isn't gonna be a price." Neal finished what he intended to say, sending her a pointed look to shut up and let him talk. As he spoke again, his eyes turned back to his father. "When we get back to Storybrooke, you're gonna save David because it's the right thing to do. No deals, no favours, understand?"
"Fine. I'll do as you ask." Gold begrudgingly agreed, making a wide smile spread over Odette's face.
"I'll go tell David, Snow, and Emma." She announced happily, about to step away before turning to Neal with another smile. "And I'll mention you helped. Thank you." She spoke in a knowing tone before rushing away with quick steps to catch up with the front of the group, Gold following after her as the conversation was officially over.
Neal was about to go as well when he noticed Killian watching the direction in which Odette left. "Sorry, I'd have let you be the hero, but..." He trailed off, both of them knowing that his father certainly wouldn't have listened to anything the pirate had to say or offer.
"It's fine, mate. At least this way you get to be one to Emma." Killian smirked his way before glancing back into the jungle again to where Odette had managed to catch up with her goddaughter, talking in an animated manner before Emma pulled her into a sudden hug. "They're not making it easy on us, are they?"
"No." Neal let out a small laugh as he looked over at the two as well. "Good thing we don't give up." He clasped Killian on the shoulder, the two sharing one last laugh before they finally started walking again.