ATHENA'S POV
I was walking back to the camp with Baelfire when we started talking.
"Feels like just yesterday I welcomed you to Neverland the first time, Bae. Gotta say, I hoped I'd see you again." I said, a smirk forming on my face.
"Well maybe Pan shouldn't have taken my son." He replied, a clearly annoyed tone in his voice.
"Maybe you should have left well enough alone." I replied.
"I'm gonna get him back." He told me.
"You really believe that? You were a lost boy. You know my brother and I are not to be trifled with. You know how long we've been searching for the heart of the truest believer. Do you really believe we'll just, give him up?" I asked.
"Maybe if I asked nicely." He said in a half-joking tone. I chuckled darkly.
"You may have grown up Baelfire, but it would appear you have grown up stupid." I replied.
"I have grown up. I don't know if I'm stupid or not, but I do know I know how to tie an overhand knot." He said, before hitting me over the head, causing me to fall to the ground.
"I'm not a boy anymore, Athena, and I sure as hell ain't lost." I vaguely heard him say before I lost consciousness.
~ Athena regains consciousness ~
I awoke to find Bae gone, and the rope I had tied his hands with on the ground. I cursed in frustration. I decided to follow his trail and see where he had gone. After a while of tracking him, I found something quite interesting. I found both of the centuries we had posted at the entrance to the compound, where our camp was situated, knocked out by a sleeping spell. I sighed, I can't find Bae tonight so I best get back to camp. With that, I began to walk back to our camp.
I came through the trees into the camp with an extremely irritated look on my face. Peter was talking to Henry, but as soon as I came through the trees, his eyes wandered to me. He said something to Henry then got up and walked over to me.
"I know that look. What happened?" Peter demanded.
"Baelfire. I'm afraid he got away." I replied.
"Well why didn't you get him back?" Peter demanded.
"I tried! I followed his trail and found two of our centuries knocked out...by a sleeping spell." I told him. He looked up at me slowly.
"The Dark One." He said. I nodded. "So father and son have been reunited."
"They'll be coming for Henry, we should move him somewhere safe." I advised.
"Now now little sister. Where's your sense of adventure?" He asked. I glared at him. He then turned back to look at Henry. "We can't end the party when the real fun is about to begin." He said.
"Do you want me to watch them?" I asked. He looked at me once more.
"For tonight, let's just have fun. Tomorrow, we can change the game." He said.
~ The Next Day ~
PETER'S POV
I got up to see Athena pacing back and forth across the camp. I walked over to her and grabbed her by the shoulder
"What's wrong?" I asked. "You only pace when something is bothering you."
"Just thinking about stuff and people." She replied. I rolled my eyes.
"Well that's helpful." I said sarcastically.
"Come with me to our Thinking Tree. I need to talk to you. In private." She said. I frowned, but nodded and we headed, silently, to our Thinking Tree.
~ At the Thinking Tree ~
We climbed up the tree into the little treehouse we had built. We sat down and faced each other.
"So what did you need to talk to me about?" I asked.
"So, how are you going to change the game?" She asked. I explained everything I had in mind and an evil smirk appeared on her face.
"What are you smirking about?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.
"Just the awesomeness of your plan." She replied nonchalantly. I grinned and looked down.
"Come on, we should get back to camp before the boys wonder where we are." I said.
~ At Pan's camp ~
When Athena and I entered the camp, a Lost Boy came up to immediately.
"Pan. We have a problem." He said.
"What is it?" I asked, interested in what he had to say.
"Felix told me to tell you that Emma and her group are getting close to camp. Should we move?" He asked. I looked at Athena to see what she thought.
"I think we should move." She said, knowing exactly what I was asking her.
"Tell the boys that Athena and I are moving the camp to the other side of the island, just so they know. Our layout won't change, just our position will. Make sure you are all inside the compound, preferably the camp when we do move it. You have 15 minutes to get here." I replied. The Lost boy nodded and went off to tell the others.
~ 15 Minutes later ~
All the Lost Boys were sitting on logs around the camp. Peter and I got up and walked over to the centre of the camp. Once we were there, we faced each other, making eye contact and putting our hands flat against each other. All the Lost Boys were used to this ritual every time Athena and I moved the camp, so they thought almost nothing of it. They just knew they had to be in the camp when we did.
"5 miles due East of here." Athena suggested. I nodded and we closed our eyes, envisioning where she had suggested. We began chanting in an ancient language, long since forgotten, I felt magic surround the two of us for a moment and then it stopped. My eyes flashed open and I looked around and knew it had worked. Just then, Athena collapsed, but I caught her with ease before she hit the ground. This happens to one of us after the ritual, last time it was me. I carried her to her tent and placed her gently down on her bed. She would wake up in a few hours.
I went back outside and decided to light the fire because it was getting dark by this point. I flicked my hand at the fire to light it, and sat down on a log. I looked around the camp at all the Lost Boys, most of whom were eith getting food, playing games with knives, play fighting, or climbing ropes. I thought of all the Lost Boys who had come to Neverland since I had brought the first group. At first, I had no more than 10 here, but over the years that number had escalated and I now had just over double the original number - 22 last time I checked (not including Athena and I). Their ages ranged from between 10-17, as I would not let anyone at or over the age of 18 on the island because, after that age, they were technically an adult and adults are not allowed in Neverland. I must have zoned out because next thing I knew, Henry was sitting down next to me.
"You ok Pan?" Henry asked.
"I'm fine. Just thinking." I replied. "I'll be back soon." I said, before walking away and heading to my Thinking Tree.
~ At the Thinking Tree ~
PETER'S POV
I was in my treehouse running my hands over my pipe thinking of all the things I had done with it, and thought of the day I brought the first group of Lost Boys to Neverland.
*Flashback*
I was playing my pipe around a fire with boys dancing around me when someone ripped it out of my hands and I heard a snapping noise.
"Where's my son, Piper?" I heard a voice I knew too well ask.
"Is that what they're calling me?" I said. I turned towards him, lifting my hood off, and showing my face. "I think we both know who I really am." I said, looking Rumple in the eyes. He looked shocked to see me. "Been a long time laddie. Glad you could make the show." I said. "Surprised to see me Rumple? Well I don't blame you, I'm a little surprised myself." I said. "Look who's all grown up and become the Dark One. Good for you." I added, smirking at him.
"What are you doing here?" Rumple asked me.
"Well, it's lonely in Neverland. Apart from my sister, the only friends I have are the children who visit in their dreams. But they can't stay, the boys I take back with me will." I replied.
"You're here for my son." Rumple said in realisation.
"I am." I replied.
"It's going to take a lot more than a magic pipe to take my son." Rumple said in a challenging voice.
"The only thing magic about this pipe is that only certain boys can hear it. Boys who feel unloved, boys who feel lost." I told him. "I guess that's why you can hear it Rumple. Isn't it?" I sneered.
"Don't pretend to know me. You don't, not anymore." He retorted.
"Oh I think I do. Beneath all that power, you're nothing more than an unloved, lonely, lost boy." I paused. "Hey I like the sound of that. That's what I'll call my new group of friends, the Lost Boys. Has a nice ring to it don't you think?" I asked him, more of a statement than a question.
"You can call them whatever you like. Baelfire will not be part of it." He replied, his gaze hard.
"Oh, he's already a part of it. The question is, what are you willing to do to get him back?" I asked.
"I'm going to make you regret ever asking that question." He spat through gritted teeth.
"Oh, I understand you're upset. Most parent's worst fear is that their child will be taken away from them. But that's not yours it is Rumple? No. You're not afraid Baelfire will be taken from you, you're afraid that he'll leave. After all, being abandoned is what your good at isn't it? Everyone you've ever known has left haven't they? Like Bae's mother - Milah, your best friends, not to mention your own father. Why should Baelfire be any different?" I asked.
"You're wrong." He replied, as if not wanting to believe it.
"Am I? Well let's find out shall we? You ask Baelfire if he wants to come to Neverland with me, or stay here with you. If he wants to stay, I'll leave and never return. Deal?" I asked and offered.
"I'm don't have to make any deals with you." He countered, his tone turning defensive.
"But why wouldn't you? If you're so sure he'll stay." I asked, tilting my head to the side. He glared at me, walking away from me and around the camp, looking at the dancing boys and trying to find his son. I knew Rumple didn't recognise Baelfire because he was happy, and with Rumple, he was not. I followed him as he began to look around the camp for Baelfire.
"You don't even recognise him do you Rumple?" I asked.
"How can I? He's wearing a mask." He replied, looking around, trying to spot his son.
"Well he might be wearing a mask, but that's not the reason. Look at him, playing with other boys, out in the world, he's happy, Rumple. That's why you don't recognise him." I said, indicating to where he was.
"Bae? Baelfire. Are you alright?" Rumple asked, pulling the mask off his face.
"I'm fine. Why are you here?" Baelfire asked.
"I know you think I don't care about you son, but I do, and I'm here to prove it." Rumple said to Baelfire.
"How?" Baelfire asked.
"Go ahead Rumple." I said, egging him on. Rumple grabbed Baelfire.
"Papa, what are you doing?" He demanded.
"I'm protecting you." Rumple said to Baelfire.
"You're gonna regret not taking my deal Rumple!" I yelled as he and Baelfire disappeared in smoke.
*Flashback over*
There is one feeling that I don't feel very often, and that is guilt. However, whenever I thought of Rumple, I was filled with it. I don't know why, because what Athena and I did to him is so far in the past that I should have forgotten about it by now, but I never forgot about it, and I never forgot about him. I knew in my heart that he hadn't forgiven us, but I also held on to the small hope that someday he would.
"Whatcha doin'?" I heard the curious voice of my sister from next to me.
"Just reminiscing on the past." I said.
"You're thinking about when we brought the Lost Boys here and the last time you saw Rumple aren't you?" She asked. How did she-?
"How did you know?" I asked, frowning as I asked the question. She smiled softly at me.
"You are running your hands over your pipe and you have a very rare look on your face. A look you only have when you think about him." She replied. "Plus the fact that I can read you like an open book." She added. I sighed.
"Yeah, I was." I admitted. She sat down next to me.
"Well, at the moment, I think we have more pressing matters to worry about, like Henry for example." She replied.
"True." I said, nodding my head to the side.
"Well, I'm going hunting now, just thought I'd pop by." She said, before getting up and walking towards the exit. "See you back at camp." She said, giving me a mock salute and disappeared down the ladder.
~A little while later ~
PETER'S POV
I had made my way back to camp by now to see what everyone was up to and I noticed that Athena wasn't back from hunting yet. Suddenly, there was a gust of 'wind', the torches went out, I covered my face so that I would be protected from the spell, but all the Lost Boys and Henry fell to the ground. I smirked and stood up.
"We have a guest. No doubt someone who knows how much I like guessing games." I said, turning around. "Who could it be? I guess..." I flicked my hand and started up the fire once again seeing who was standing there, looking at me with a cold look on his face. "The Dark One." I said, glaring at him. "Come to save Henry have you laddie? How exciting. The Dark One ready to sacrifice his life for his family." I said. "Speaking of family..." I flicked my hand and lit another torch. "You can come out now Baelfire." I said, knowing full well he was hiding behind a tree. He came out of the bushes, aiming a crossbow at me.
"Name's Neal now." He said.
"New name but the same old tricks. It's heart warming to see father and son working together, especially after you abandoned him Rumple. This is a real family reunion." I said smoothly.
"What are you waiting for?" Rumple asked Baelfire.
"I got this." Bae whispered before shooting an arrow at me. I caught it with ease.
"Cleaver, but we've been through this before Baelfire. Have you remembered nothing?" I retorted, looking at the arrow.
"I remembered plenty." He said, as I threw the arrow down. "That's why I didn't coat the tip." He finished. My hand began to shine blue, then the liquid made it's way up my arm and coating my body, paralyzing me. Squid ink, how cleaver. I smirked as Baelfire picked up a sleeping Henry and threw him over his shoulder.
"Well how about that. I'm impressed. But are you sure you are really saving him Bae?" I asked, frozen to the spot.
"What could be worse than leaving him here with you?" He asked.
"Why don't you ask your father?" I suggested. Baelfire looked at his father in confusion. "Sometimes the people we should fear most are the ones closest to us." I told him.
"What's he talking about?" Baelfire asked.
"Don't listen to him." Rumple said. I scoffed.
"You mean you haven't told him?" I asked.
"Told me what?" Baelfire asked.
"Why, about the prophecy of course." I said.
"What prophecy? What's he mean?" Baelfire asked confused. I heard a faint rustling in the bushes and knew Athena was here, but I was too focused on Bae and Rumple to pay much attention.
"The prophecy that says you've been tricked. Your father isn't here to rescue your son. He's here to murder him." I told Baelfire through gritted teeth, a hard look on my face.
ATHENA'S POV
I had just come from a walk to see The Dark One, Baelfire, and Peter talking about something. Baelfire had Henry hanging unconscious over his shoulder, and Peter had this purple-blue transparent coating covering his body, shimmering around him and paralyzing him. Not this again. I thought, rolling my eyes. I docked an arrow in my bow and aimed it at the tree next to Baelfire's head.
"Your father isn't here to rescue your son. He's here to murder him." Peter said through gritted teeth, fire dancing in his eyes and a hard look on his face.
"You can come out now Athena." I heard Peter say. I came out of the trees, bow loaded and pointed at the two men talking to Peter.
"Father and son working together. I should have guessed." I said, looking at them, not lowering my bow. "Heart warming actually to see such a loving family reunion. Isn't it oh Dark One?" I said, an evil smirk on my face.
"Athena?" Bae asked. I smirked.
"Hello Bae." I replied, still not lowering my bow. I noticed Henry was over Baelfire's shoulder, my eyes narrowed at him.
"You know, even if you take Henry, we will get him back." I replied.
"You can lower your bow Athena. They're not going to hurt me." Peter said. I did as I was told and put the arrow back in my quiver.
"Bae should remember what happens if they do." I said mysteriously. I noticed Baelfire gulp.
"Name's Neal now." He said, Henry over his shoulder.
"Ah, so we've renamed ourselves have we?" I asked. He just glared at me.
"Come to save Henry have we?" I asked in a mocking voice. "Well, you'll have to go through me first." I replied.
"Gladly." The Dark One said, glaring at me.
"I wouldn't try anything. She's basically a trained assassin." Peter told them. I smirked and Rumple's eyes widened. Baelfire didn't look too stunned because he already knew what I was capable of.
"Are you going to try something or are you going to just stand there?" I asked. The Dark One sent a spell flying towards me, but before I could react, it knocked me out.
~ A little while later ~
I woke up to find everyone else awake and crowded around me.
"What?" I asked.
"You were asleep when we awakened and we couldn't wake you up."
"I need to be alone." I said quickly, before getting up and teleporting to the one place Peter and I go to when either of us wants to be alone...our 'Thinking Tree'.
~ At the Thinking Tree ~
I can't do this. When I saw Rumple again, all the mental walls that had built up over so many years came crumbling down, and all the emotions and memories of Peter, Rumple, and my time together, as well as the day we abandoned him, came flooding back like a dam wall that had broken. I went over at sat in one of the corners of our treehouse just crying my eyes out.
"Athena?" I heard the voice of my brother ask quietly.
"W-W-Wha-at?" I stuttered through my tears. He knelt down next to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"What's wrong? What happened? I haven't seen you break down like this in years." He said, sitting down next to me and putting his arms around me.
"It was just, seeing Rumple again after all these years. I never forgot him and never forgave myself for abandoning him." I said, tears still trickling down my face.
"I know, Athena, I know. I missed him too." He replied, pulling me into a hug.
"You know, when I welcomed him to the island, I was perfectly fine, so why am I like this now? Am I weak Peter?" I asked in a small voice, looking up at him with tears still in my eyes.
"No! Of course not! You're one of the strongest people I know!" He said, trying to comfort me.
"But I feel so weak." I said in a small voice. "I feel so guilty whenever I am around Rumple. It makes me feel weak and I don't like feeling that way." I said. Peter then placed the tips of his fingers under my chin and guided my face up so that I was looking him in the eyes.
"Athena, listen to me. He made his choice and we made ours, there is nothing we can do about it. I wish he was with us just as much as you do, but we cannot change the past, and we definitely cannot expect him to forgive us." He told me. I looked down, but nodded none the less. Peter then stood up. "Now, it's time to get Henry back. You coming?" He said, offering his hand to me to help me up. A half smile appeared on my face, and I gladly took his hand. I erased all evidence that I had been crying, and followed him back to camp.
~ Back at Pan's camp ~
All the Lost Boys looked at us as we came back into the camp.
"You ok Athena?" Felix asked. I smiled.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied.
"Baelfire and Rumplestiltskin have Henry. We need to get him back." Felix said. I closed my eyes and did a quick search of the island. Ah, there he is. He's heading towards Emma's old camp in Pixie Forest. I opened my eyes.
"Baelfire is heading towards Emma's old camp in Pixie Forest." I informed them. "He left Rumplestiltskin because of what Peter said." I added. Peter and I smirked in unison.
"Ok. So here's what we're gonna do..." Peter explained how we were going to corner Bae and get Henry back.
~ At Emma's old camp ~
PETER'S POV
"You were so close to finding them." I said, walking into the clearing. "You disappoint me. I thought I taught you better. Never break in somewhere unless you know the way out." I said, walking towards Baelfire.
"I'll remember that for next time." Baelfire said. Felix went over to pick Henry up, and threw him over his shoulder. Baelfire's eyes flickered to Felix as he did this but he didn't move.
"Oh, there isn't going to be a next time. But don't blame yourself. Your father could've protected you out here, sure. But then who would've protected Henry from him? Talk about a rock and a hard place." I replied casually.
"I will get my son back no matter what it takes." He said, getting in my face.
"You're not getting it. That's not the problem. You got him, I got him back. It's the game." I said, a grin flashed on my face before I turned serious again. "No my boy, the real problem for you, is that there is no escaping Neverland. No one gets off this island without my permission." I said, my eyes narrowing.
"I've done it before." He said, looking pleased with himself. I cocked my head to the side playfully.
"Did you?" I asked, tilting my head to the side playfully. I then straightened it and looked him in the eyes. "Look where you are now. It's like you never left." I said, my eyes widening. He frowned.
"Are you saying you let me go?" He asked.
"I'm saying everyone's where I want them." I replied cryptically. Henry stirred and both Baelfire and I looked at him. I then looked back at Baelfire. "Something to chew on." I finished. I then took a step back. "You know where to take him." I said to the Lost Boys. Four of them grabbed him and dragged him backwards. He struggled.
"HENRY!!" He yelled.
"Don't worry, it won't be for very long." I said, a smirk forming on my face.
"I'M ALIVE!!" He yelled again.
"Just until I reset the board, see the game is about to change." I said, before turning around and walking away.
"DON'T GIVE UP HOPE HENRY!! I WILL COME FOR YOU!! I PROMISE!!"
ATHENA'S POV
I don't know why, but in a weird way, I kindof felt sorry for Bae. He was my best friend (apart from Peter and Felix of course) when he was here and losing his son must be hard for him. I turned around and followed Peter back to camp.
~ At Pan's camp ~
Felix put Henry down beside one of the trees since he was still sleeping, and Peter lit up the fire. He played his pipe for a while and all the boys, bar Felix, started dancing. I was sitting near Henry, almost waiting for him to wake up while I watched the boys danced around the fire.
As I was watching the boys dance, I heard Henry stir next to me. He sat up, rubbing his eyes as he opened them fully. He looked at me, slightly confused as to what had just happened.
"What happened?" Henry asked.
"You fell asleep." I replied, a small smile on my face.
"I did?" He asked, slightly confused.
"Oh don't worry, it was just a little cat nap." I reassured him. I looked over my shoulder at the other boys, who were dancing around the fire. "The night's still young." I said.
"Wait, I remember something. My dad, when I was asleep, I could have sworn I heard him calling for me." He said, not really believing what he was saying.
"Really?" I asked, interested in what he was saying.
"It must have been a dream." He said, quickly dismissing the possibility of it being anything else.
"Well how can you be sure?" I asked curiously.
"Because...because my dad's dead." He said sadly. Sadness filled my eyes as I looked at him.
"I'm sorry Henry. It makes sense for us to dream about the things we have lost, and the things we hope for, like your father being alive and your mother coming to find you. But eventually, you'll find new things to dream about, and when you do, they'll start to come true." I said, trying to cheer him up a little.
"How do you know?" He asked, curiously.
"Because that's what I did, and now you're here. Neverland used to be a place where new dreams were born. You can bring that magic back, Henry, and we can be your family." I said. He gazed at me, as if trying to confirm the truth in my words. I stood up suddenly. "Come on, dance with us, I'll get my brother to play a song for you." I said, offering my hand to him to help him up. He took it and I led him over to where Peter was standing. "Peter, would you like to play a song for our guest of honour?" I asked. He smirked.
"Absolutely." He replied. He lifted the pipe to his lips and began playing something. Haunting music filled the air and I began to sway from side to side.
"Go and dance with the other boys, Henry." I urged. He did as I suggested and went over to the fire. He began dancing along with the other boys.
"You can hear the music now, can't you Henry?" I asked, more of a statement than a question.
"Yeah!" He exclaimed. A smirk found its way onto my face as I looked at Peter. He had the same expression on his face, whilst still playing his pipe.