Neal used the oars to paddle the five of them to Skull Rock. They docked near the shore of Skull Rock when Dream looked around. "These are Henry's shoes. Wendy was right; they're here." Emma said as she followed the shoe prints to stone stairs. She kept walking until a boundary pushed her back. "Are you okay?" Neal asked, rushing to her side. "I think so." Emma groaned, getting back to her feet.
"What was that?" Neal asked, looking at Regina and Gold.
"Pan cast a protection spell." Gold explained, making Dream look at the invisible wall.
"There has to be a way to break it," Regina said, creating a fireball, while Neal grabbed his sister's arm, moving her close to him. Regina threw the fireball at the invisible wall, causing everyone to duck as it ricocheted back to them. "Whoa! Careful with that!" Neal yelled, raising up from covering Dream.
"Try all you want, but Pan's magic is too powerful. At least for you." Gold said, pointing to Regina before he walked up to the barrier, walking through it.
"What--" Regina mumbled in shock.
"How did you do that?" Dream asked him.
"The spell is designed to keep anyone who casts a shadow from entering." Gold explained as Dream looked lost. "And you don't have one. You were telling the truth about ripping your shadow off." Neal said in disbelief. "And Pan knows it. That's why he cast the spell he did. This isn't about keeping you out. It's about drawing me in. He knows I won't give up the chance to finish what I came here to do." Gold explained as Neal sighed.
"You really did come here to save Henry," Neal said, almost not believing his own words. "I gave you my trust with that box. Now I need you to give it back." Gold said as Neal went to reach the box before Regina took it from him.
"Hey!"
Regina sighed, looking at the box as she walked closer to Gold. "You better come through, Gold, or I'll make whatever Pan has planned for you look like child's play. You understand me?" Regina asked after threatening Gold. "Well, a simple "good luck" would have sufficed." Gold smirked, taking the box from Regina. He started to walk up the stairs when Dream stopped him. "Be careful... D-Dad." Dream said, making Gold smile to himself. He nodded before walking away. Regina hugged her daughter as they waited.
After a few minutes, Regina paced as Dream stared at the moon. Emma and Neal were sitting off to the side, just waiting for Gold. "What are we supposed to do now?" Regina asked aloud. "What about the spell my father used to rip off his shadow?" Neal suggested, making Regina scoff. "Do you think if I knew how to do that, I wouldn't have done it already?" Regina scoffed, resting her hands on her hips.
"The moon." Dream spoke up, still staring at the sky.
"What, Dream?" Regina asked, following her daughter's gaze up to the moon. "The moon?" She continued to ask.
"The moon is what causes our shadows, right? What if there was a way to block it out using magic?" Dream suggested, pointing to the moon.
"What, you mean, like an eclipse?" Neal asked her.
"Is that even possible?" Emma asked, looking at Regina."Maybe," Regina said, looking up at the moon. "So?" Emma asked her.
"I need help."
"With magic?" Emma asked, looking at Dream and Regina.
"It requires a lot. I guess we're about to find out how much those lessons I gave you paid off. Follow my lead." Regina said as Emma and Dream followed what Regina was doing. Neal moved to stand behind them as they cast a shadow over the moon. The moon was covered by a shadow when the four of them rushed up the stairs. Dream stopped when she gasped as Regina held onto her daughter.
"We have to hurry. Dad couldn't stop him." Dream said, starting to run up the stairs. They stopped when they saw Pan and Henry. Henry was about to rip his own heart out of his chest. "Henry!" Dream yelled, but Henry took his glowing heart out.
"Henry, wait!" Neal yelled, making Pan and Henry look over at them. "Whatever Pan's telling you to do, don't do it." Neal continued as Henry looked over at them in disbelief.
"Dad. You're alive?" Henry asked in disbelief.
"I am, buddy. And I need you to listen to me. Pan is lying to you." Neal continued.
"Oh, a pleasure to see you, too, Baelfire. Not to mention the Savior, the Evil Queen, and the Dreamer." Pan said, looking annoyed at their present.
"Henry, you need to get away from him now. He's trying to hurt you." Emma said to her son. "No. The heart of the truest believer, it's what's gonna save magic. It's gonna save all of you." Henry fought, believing the lies that Pan told him. "No, it's not. This was never about magic, Henry. You have to believe us. The only person Pan's interested in saving is himself." Regina said to Henry.
"That's not true!" Henry fought.
"'Course, it isn't," Pan spoke up, making Henry look at him.
"Yes, it is! Pan can't live without you dying. If you give him your heart, it's gonna kill you," Neal said, making Henry and Pan look back at him.
"They're trying to stem your belief, Henry. But don't let them. Remember, every hero gets tested." Pan kept lying when Henry looked at his dad, his moms, and his sister. "Henry." Dream spoke up, making Henry look at her. "I know what being a hero looks like, and this isn't it." Dream said, knowing her little brother wanted to be a hero like his family.
"Why would they lie?" Henry asked Pan.
"Because that's what adults do, Henry. You know that better than anyone." Pan said, trying to keep him from listening to his family. "Henry, you have to believe us," Regina said, making Pan scoff. "Your parents and sister don't care about Neverland, Henry. They know if you give your heart to save it, then you'll have to stay. And they're being selfish because they don't wanna lose you." Pan said, moving to Henry's side and looking at the four.
"Henry, you have to trust us." Emma sighed, looking at her son.
"Trust? I'm the only one who's ever been honest with you, Henry. The only one who ever believed in you. This is your choice. Not theirs." Pan said, pausing to look at the hourglass. "But you have to choose now. We're running out of time." Pan said as Neal sighed.
"We believe in you, Henry," Neal said as Henry looked at his family. "We love you," Emma said as Henry smiled at them. "More than anything." Regina smiled at him.
"I love you, too." Henry smiled at them. "But I have to save magic. I'm sorry." Henry said before shoving his heart into Pan's chest.
"No!" The four of them screamed as a green blast of magic knocked them back. Dream rose up, seeing Pan smile as Henry was knocked to the ground. Pan floated up when the four of them rushed over to Henry. "Henry!" Emma yelled out as Dream looked at Pan.
"You monster!" Dream yelled with tears in her eyes when she used her magic to try and pull him down. She was actually doing it, to Pan's disbelief. Pan was stronger, using his magic to overpower her as Dream fell back on the ground with her nose and ears bleeding. Pan smirked as the others looked at him.
~season 3, episode 8: "Think Lovely Thoughts"~
~1261 words~