A/N: Was Cassie's choice enough to save Peter?
Emma, Neal, and Regina were crouched at Henry's side in an instant.
"Oh god," Emma said, shaking her son. "Is he unconscious?"
"Henry, can you hear us?" Regina cried. Cassandra watched the panicking parents, as she swayed on her shaking legs.
"He passed out as soon as his heart went into Pan." Neal informed, though the mothers saw that for themselves.
"Is he breathing?"
Cassandra found herself wanting to help; to explain exactly what had happened.
"I don't know." Neal fretted. Cassandra wanted to yell at them all. For being so useless. They should be able to tell if a body was breathing. If they couldn't help him they needed to move ahead and think of a plan, instead of whining over a corpse.
The rush of power had caused Peter to rise into the air, and now he was slowly floating back to the rock floor. As he came into everyone's vision once more, Emma turned to him.
"What the hell did you do to him?" She spat. None of her anger hidden.
"Oh, I didn't do anything, Emma." Cassandra looked at his smug face. Did he feel the slightest bit of regret? Or even sadness that, despite being necessary, it had to come to this? "It was Henry. He offered me his heart of his own free will."
Still, he wore that confident and smug expression. Did he need to toy with the parent's anymore? He had what he wanted.
Emma quickly drew her sword. "I'm gonna take it back from you." She lunged forward towards Peter, slicing the blade through the air. Cassandra's heart squeezed. Luckily, he disappeared before the metal could scrape him.
Peter picked up Pandora's box from where it sat on a rock. "I don't think you have it in you." He drawled. "Rumpelstiltskin didn't." He chucked the box between his hands, a knowing smile on his face. "Why should you?"
"Where is he?" Emma demanded. Cassandra began edging her way towards the staircase. Peter antagonising them was the best distraction she was going to get.
"What did you do?" Neal looked between Peter and the box, wishing his suspicions weren't true. Cassandra took another step.
"Oh, he's right in this box." Peter smirked to himself with pride. "Safe and sound. And out of the way. Unfortunately for you, he can't hurt me anymore. And neither can you."
Another step. Peter's eyes flickered to her for a fraction of a second.
"Really?" Emma asked. Emma swung forward, jabbing the sword at Peter. He took a second too long to react, and the metal nicked his skin. "How did that feel?"
Cassandra paused. Heart pounding.
"Like a tickle." His mouth stretched into an eerie smile. Cassandra let out the breath she was holding. He was fine. Her foot slid backwards once more. Peter rose into the air, out of harm's way. He couldn't help but glance to Cassandra one last time, an odd look in his eyes. She had no time to figure it out before he flew through one of the skull's eyes and into the night air.
Emma had seen him looking at something; she spun around to see the pale blonde girl, hollows beneath her eyes, wobbling on her feet. The hot anger flaring within Emma vanished as a strange emotion flashed through her. Some combination of pity and heartache that she wouldn't have expected to feel when looking at the girl who helped kill her son. But that girl was her daughter. And she was frightened. Whether Cassandra would acknowledge it or not, she had been affected by the events that had occurred over the past few days. And maybe it wasn't just that. Perhaps the pain of all the trauma she had endured in her life had accumulated, and now she no longer had the strength to bury and hide it.
Which is why, when Cassandra tried to dash for the stairs, Emma shoved her palm outwards. A glowing ball of white, fired at Cassandra's legs, locking them into place.
Emma turned away from the trapped girl and kneeled next to Henry. "How is he?" She asked Regina, who hadn't taken her eyes off their son.
"You're going to be all right, Henry." She soothed her unconscious son, not answering the woman beside her. "We're gonna get you home." She waved her hand over Henry's body. "This preservation spell can keep him in this condition for a while longer. Buy us time to get to P-"
She stopped as she heard the near-silent sounds of a struggle. Light huffs of breath. Regina whipped her head towards the noise. Her eyes lay upon the form stood by the exit. Cassandra's torso was twisting and turning as she banged against various parts of her legs with her fists. Not questioning who froze the girl, Regina jumped to her feet and marched towards her.
"Regina!" Emma yelled as the woman curled her fingers, standing in front of the girl who now clawed at her own throat.
"Where is he!" She boomed. All Cassandra responded with were whispering breaths as she tried to fight the invisible hands strangling her. "Tell me!" She tightened her fist and Cassandra wheezed in pain.
"Regina, stop!" Emma raced to her friend, leaving Neal to watch over Henry. "She can't tell us anything if she can't breathe!"
Regina turned to Emma, her hold still strong. "She's the reason he's dead." Her voice cracked and tears pricked her eyes.
"No. Pan is." Emma said carefully. "Every second we spend hurting her, is one second further from finding Pan, and saving Henry." Emma sighed in relief as Regina's hand dropped to her side, breaking both the spells, and Cassandra hit the hard ground.
Bending down, Emma nudged her daughter's shoulders, rolling her face-up. "And she's unconscious. Brilliant."
"Don't you get at me like that." Regina growled. "I'm the only one doing anything!"
"Well you just knocked out our best lead so-"
"Do you think she was just going to help us that easily? I'm sorry for trying to save my son."
"Our son. I want to save him too believe it or not. I know how you feel but-"
"You have no idea what I feel." Regina jabbed. "You have your parents. You have this-" She gestured to Neal trying to find the right word. "-person; a pirate who pines for you. You have everything and yet you claim to know what I feel?" Tear began pricking again. "All I have is Henry and I'm not about to lose him because he is everything."
"You're right." Emma said softly, surprising the tearful woman. "I don't know what you feel. So, what do you want to do? You want to run the show? Run it. How do we save Henry?"
"I don't know." Regina mumbled, defeated. She waved her hand towards the sleeping body of Cassandra, and she disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Where'd you send her?" Emma asked.
"Back to camp. They'll make sure she stays there when she wakes up."
"What happens if we find Pan?" Neal worried. "He was powerful enough before without Henry's heart. I-I don't know if we can hurt him."
Something on Emma's sword caught Regina's eye. She smiled as an idea came to her. "Yes, we can. Look." The others looked to where she was pointing. A small trail of blood pooled on the blade. "You nicked him. He can bleed. We can hurt him. And if we can hurt him, we can kill him." In the place of Regina, stood the Evil Queen, smiling her malicious grin.
///
___
Lying comfortably across the length of Neal's sofa, Cassandra tried not to doze off as she waited. Her heavy eyelids flew open as she heard a sound at the door. She swung her feet off the cushions, placing them gently on the cool wooden floor.
It should have been Neal at the door, but Cassandra knew better. She knew what the picking of a lock sounded like. And to top it off, there were hushed voices. None of which were Neal's. Grabbing her shoes from the floor, she sprung to the window. Rapidly, she crawled onto the fire escape, her bare feet recoiling at the frigid metal. She slid the window shut behind her and dived out of view just as the door swung open. She sat on the cold stairs and shoved her shoes on, suddenly wishing she'd grabbed a jacket too.
She had been spending time with Neal in his apartment till Tamara got home from work. He'd needed to buy something and with the promise that he would only be gone half an hour, Cassandra waited for him. Of course, it was only after he had gone, that she remembered how boring his small apartment was.
It had been several minutes since she'd been forced to flee outside and Cassandra wondered how long it would be until Neal returned. If the trespassers in the apartment were indeed thieves, Cassandra would have taken care of them- anything to pass the time. However, she had received a message from the 'Home Office' which informed her and Tamara that Rumpelstiltskin, Emma Swan, and the Truest Believer, had left Storybrooke and were headed towards New York. It really didn't require that much thought to realise who it was that had broken in.
The window reopened, catching Cassandra's attention, and a small boy appeared. Quickly, she scurried further up the fire escape, before he could spot her. Peering through the gaps in the grating, she looked down at the child. She knew who he was. Her brother. But more importantly, he was the Truest Believer.
"Henry. Henry?" A blonde woman clambered after him.
Emma Swan. This woman was the monster Cassandra had grown up hearing about: her birth mother. She could sense the rage banging at the door to her mind, trying to flood her body. But she knew this was neither the time nor place for vengeance, so Cassandra shut the anger firmly out.
"So, that's him?" Henry asked. Cassandra raised a brow, perplexed.
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned desperately.
"Because I never thought I would see him again. I never wanted to." Emma answered solemnly.
Cassandra had to stop herself snapping her finger as her brain caught on. Henry had just discovered who his father was... which meant Neal was home. She sighed with relief. Now all she needed to do, was introduce herself to the visitors from Storybrooke in such a way that did not spark any suspicion.
She had no desire to listen to Emma's ramblings which were only designed to gain pity from her son. Blankly watching the pair of them, Cassandra grinned as Emma disappeared inside. Steadily, Cassandra climbed down the fire escape and perched herself next to Henry.
The boy jumped and began edging away uncomfortably.
"Hey, it's okay. You know Neal?" She asked, plastering a friendly and trustworthy smile on her face.
"Um, kinda." His mouth contorted into an expression that could only be described as discomfort. "Sorry, who are you?"
"Cassandra." She held out her hand. "A friend of Neal's." Henry gripped her hand and Cassandra smiled. What a stupid kid. He was too trusting. This was going to be too easy.
Their conversation was cut short when Neal joined them.
"Cassandra? What're you doing out here?"
"I heard someone picking the lock." She said sheepishly. "Thought it'd be safer to hide out here, till you got back."
"You didn't call the police?" He frowned.
"No phone." She shrugged.
"Well I suppose your safety's more important than a TV anyway." He smiled. "It's alright though, I know these guys so there's nothing to worry about." His voice was calm and reassuring. Cassandra nodded. "This is... my son- Henry." He motioned to the boy. "And we've got quite a bit of catching up to do."
Sensing that was her signal to exit, Cassandra stood up. "Well it was nice to meet you Henry. Neal, I'm just gonna head home so I'll see you later." The blonde skipped to the window and slipped inside.
As her shoes slapped the wooden floor, the warmth of the apartment seeped into her skin. She was greeted by Emma and Rumpelstiltskin.
"Who are you?" Emma asked, confused.
"Cassandra. I hid on the fire escape when you broke in." She said casually, her urge to kill Emma well hidden. "And you are...?"
"E-Emma." The woman replied, caught off guard. Rumpel stared down at Cassandra intimidatingly. Emma saw he wasn't going to answer. "This is Mr Gold, not much of a conversationalist."
"Right." The girl fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. "Nice to meet you, I've got to home so... " She shuffled awkwardly to the door. "Bye."
___
///
The first thing Cassandra noticed as she clambered into consciousness, was the scratchy rope tied around her wrists. Same with her ankles.
"You won't talk?" A voice yelled angrily. Cassandra's ears pricked at the loud noise, though it was slightly muffled as one ear rested against the soft earth. "How about I make you talk?"
"Regina, wait." Emma's quiet yet commanding tone appeared. There was at least three people: Henry's mothers and someone being questioned. Though chances were, there would be more.
"There's no time!" Regina snapped.
"I don't think torture is our best move here. Look at these kids." More than one Lost Boy? How many had they captured? After debating whether to continue her role as the unconscious lump, Cassandra cracked open her eyes. "They've been to hell and back. We need to try something else."
Sat in the dirt, wrists bound, was a line of Lost Boys. All of them. Even Felix, who was perched on a chair at the opposite end to where she lay. Well that was hardly fair- she had half her face covered in mud, and he got a seat! In front of her tall friend, stood Regina with Emma at her shoulder. So, it was Felix being interrogated first then.
"Yeah, we tried that." Regina argued. Cassandra couldn't see who else was there, which of Henry's rescuers, not without moving her head. "They don't respond to reason. What else do you have to offer?"
Felix, who was now confident the woman wasn't going to hurt him, was looking around lazily. He glanced to Cassandra's slumped form and his eyes widened marginally as he found her watching him. They exchanged a look. A skill they had developed over their time knowing each other, for Felix wasn't one to throw words about carelessly.
Most of the boy's kept their conversations with him rather short, they all had great respect for him, but he was more of an authority figure than a friend (similar to how they viewed Peter). Cassandra, on the other hand, spent a lot of time with Felix. In the early days, it was to irritate him, getting under that boy's skin was too fun of a pastime. But over time, she grew to like him, sometimes the Lost Boys were too rowdy and energetic. Felix was calm and steady, if you didn't agitate him of course. She appreciated that.
"What every kid wants." Emma spoke slowly. Cassandra's eyes darted away from Felix and to the blonde. She kicked herself. Emma had spotted she was awake. The woman smiled kindly. "A mother."
The words sent a chill through her body. It was a peculiar chill though. One where her body couldn't decide if it was experiencing good or bad feelings. Was it disgust? Dread? Maybe- and Cassandra hated the notion- relief? Or hope? As if she could now relax, saved... by the very people she despised less than a week ago.
She couldn't be having that. Where was her integrity? She chose Peter. She was glad. Now she needed to own up to that choice.
"Sorry Emma," Done playing dead, she sat up, her fingers beginning their magic on the rope. "But I think mothers are a little overrated." Now able to see her entire surroundings, Cassandra was a little unnerved by the amount of people present. All of Henry's rescuers were there. Apart from Rumpelstiltskin, thank god, who must still be in the box. Though, chances of everyone escaping were still low with that many watchdogs.
"Cass-"
"No thank you, we don't need to hear your tale of woes. One which you're only telling us because you need us." She smiled wryly. Behind her back, she was almost finished untangling the rope. Her hands came free, only to suddenly become bound again. Cassandra's brows furrowed.
"I'm not asking you to pity me. I know what you've all been through-"
"You don't know us! You've been here a week!" Cassandra gritted her teeth as she struggled to untie her hands again. "How could you possibly know?"
She made a small triumphant noise as the rope fell slack, she swung her arms in front of her and then her grin dropped. The rope flew around her and retied itself around her wrists.
"You have got to be kidding me." She muttered.
"Genius as always, Andie." Felix hollered.
"Shut your face, how was I supposed to know?" She spat back.
"Maybe because we're all still tied up." He nodded to the line of Lost Boys. Before Cassandra could make a sarcastic remark, Regina cut their chat off.
"Hey!" The pair fell silent. "Shut up." She warned, then looked to Emma.
The Saviour nodded to her friend. "I'm not claiming to know everything about each of you." She said gently. "I'm saying I know what it's like to be an orphan. For a long time, I thought I was never gonna find my family. I was a Lost Girl." She ignored Cassandra's scoff. "And I was reminded today that I am not alone. That I have a lot of people who love me."
Cassandra saw the Charmings exchange soppy smiles. David caught her glaring at them and he fidgeted uncomfortably.
"And I never thought that was going to happen. If that can happen to me, it can happen to you." Emma finished her speech off with a hopeful and pleading look.
"Pan is the only family we need." Felix hissed.
"No," Emma said bluntly. "Family doesn't do what he did. Pan lied to you and made you do terrible things." She pointed to her son still on the verge of death. "He lied to Henry and convinced him to give up his own heart!"
"To save the island." A quiet voice reasoned. Cassandra glanced down to see it was Tootles, the boy she had nicknamed due to his usual incessant whistling.
"No, to save himself." She revealed.
"Don't listen to her. Pan cares about all of us." Felix declared. Cassandra eyed him thoughtfully. He looked back at her, a subtlety in his expression confirming her theory. He knew. He knew Emma was telling the truth. Of course Peter would have told him, Felix was his Second-in-command: loyal and trustworthy.
"No, he doesn't." Emma persisted. "We care about you. And we can save you. We can take you home with us- "
Cassandra coughed, getting Emma's attention. "Sorry, but did I hear you say you care about us?"
The woman nodded.
"Well... that's a blatant lie, isn't it? You don't care about us at all. If you could save Henry without our help, you wouldn't be here right now, trying to take us home with you. Saving us," Cassandra said the words with disgust, "as you call it. You wouldn't care, we wouldn't even cross your mind." She stretched out the last words, piling endless resentment into each syllable.
"Cassandra. People change. Obviously, I came here only thinking about Henry, but that changed. I saw the looks in your eyes. We want to help, but we can only do that if you let us.
"There's no reason to fear Pan anymore. Until he absorbs the power from Henry's heart, he can be stopped." She revealed.
"You just have to tell us where he is." Snow explained.
Felix stood up from his chair. "Leave now while Pan still allows you to breathe." He seethed as Hook placed his hook on the boy's shoulder, forcing him back down into his seat. "That's the only help you'll get."
"Where. Is. Pan?" Emma asked him.
"Not. Telling." Felix responded stubbornly.
"Can you really bring us home?" Despite being the youngest Lost Boy, Tootles had never been shy or timid, he never stopped moving or making noise. Constantly racing, jumping, climbing, and of course, whistling. However, the boy she watched now, looking up at Emma with big, vulnerable eyes was not Tootles. It was a mere shadow of him.
"Shut your mouth!" Felix snapped at the small boy. Cassandra frowned. She focused on each of the boys. Devin and two others looked just as resolute as Felix. Eddie seemed as defeated as Tootles. The rest... looked unsure. They, Darrel amongst them, kept flickering between Felix, Emma and Cassandra.
They knew Felix's stance. They knew Emma's. They thought they knew Cassandra's, but she seemed more subdued than she would normally be, and they began to second guess themselves. If Cassandra of all people went against Pan, the Lost Boy's would follow immediately. But... would she?
Emma kneeled in front of Tootles. Her pleading gaze unwavering. "Yes, with your help."
Tootles eyes glued themselves to the floor in shame as he prepared to disclose what they needed. Cassandra could see the conflict in his head, and she was powerless to influence. "His Thinking Tree."
Though, which way she would influence, she didn't want to know.
"NOOO!" Felix yelled, horrified.
"Yes, his thinking tree." Eddie confirmed. Cassandra's chest tightened at the grateful smile Tootles shot him. This was what it meant to be a Lost Boy. They stuck together. They were family. Given, the mutiny wasn't typically part of their description.
"Stop it all of you!" Felix protested again. Cassandra realised she wasn't reacting the same way, she wasn't screaming at the betrayal. She was tired. Sick of this back and forth conflict between conscience and heart. She just wanted it all to stop.
"What is that?" Emma quizzed Tootles and Eddie.
"That's where he goes when he wants to be alone." Tootles answered.
"Not how it sounds I promise." Cassandra piped in, gaining a baffled, naive look from the small boy.
"You can find him there." Eddie added. "It's not far."
"No, don't trust her!" Felix warned. "Andie, tell them!"
Everyone's eyes darted to the hunched girl. She didn't move in response to the stares, she just looked straight at Felix.
"Have a little faith Felix." The corner of her lips turned upwards. "Peter Pan never fails, remember?"
Felix observed her for a moment before he smiled too. "Fair play."
Emma could sense the Lost Boys were starting to drift, Cassandra's words had made their mark. She needed to get the information now before they changed their minds about betraying Pan.
She turned to the pair that had told her about the Thinking Tree. "Can you tell us where that is?"
Tootles watched the woman in silence. Her tangled, blonde hair sticking to the grime on her jaw. She looked desperate. Desperate people did extreme things but... maybe it could be a good sort of extreme. Like saving over a dozen Lost Boys from their incredibly powerful leader.
Tootles nodded hesitantly. "But you have to swear... swear that you'll take us with you."
"I promise." Emma's eyes began to water. "We are going home." Those words, said with so much compassion, were the best Tootles had heard in all his life.
So, he told them the truth.
"The Pixie Woods? That's where he is?" Regina checked.
"It's just north of here." Tootles nodded. "It's where the pixie dust used to grow."
"Funnily enough." Cassandra chimed.
Emma looked to Hook. "You know where that is?"
"Aye." The pirate drawled. "The whole region is deserted now. No one but Pan has set foot in those woods in centuries."
"Then let's make history." Neal said, a determined look on his face.
Emma shook her head. "We're gonna need you here. Once we get Henry's heart, it's a race back. We need help on both ends."
Neal paused whilst the logic of her words sunk in. "Okay."
"What do you need from us?" David questioned, referring to him and his wife.
"Let's gather up the Lost Boys and get them aboard the Jolly Roger." Neal commanded." The grins that lit the Lost Boy's faces did not go amiss. Cassandra wondered when it was that they turned against Neverland. "Prepare the ship to fly."
The few that were still loyal to Pan, they begrudgingly accepted their fate. It was unlikely they could prevent being taken to the ship, but perhaps Peter wanted this... if not, he would create a window in which they could escape back onto the island.
"Let's hope you have a Pegasus sail." Hook pointed out to Neal. Was that a bit of tension Cassandra sensed? "Or we're at the mercy of the trade winds."
Neal held up a coconut and Cassandra found herself looking at the evidently-confused man with concern. "Pan's shadow is in here." Wait. What?
She turned to Felix with wide eyes. 'Peter's shadow?' She mouthed. The boy shrugged, his brows furrowed and forehead creased. When did that happen? How did that happen?
"It'll get us home. As long as your ship holds together." Neal replied simply.
How was it possible? It shouldn't have been possible. Peter's shadow was incredibly powerful. Hang on... was it Peter's shadow she saw on the way to Skull Rock. Did someone else have a shadow running amok?
"As long as your plan holds together, she will." Captain Sass quipped. Cassandra's whirring mind paused and she snorted at the jealous pirate.
She shoved the worrying thought under a figurative rug and decided to deal with it later.
"Henry's gonna be with me the entire time. Nothing is gonna happen while you two are away." Neal promised and received a warm smile from Emma.
"You mean three." Snow corrected.
"So even Charming's wife tries to escape his company." Cassandra joked quietly to the Lost Boy next to her. The boy rolled his eyes though Cassandra could tell he was trying to hide a smile.
///
___
Tamara slammed the brakes and Cassandra's head whipped forward.
"Was that really necessary?" Cassandra's head lolled back onto the headrest.
"Just checking the seatbelts are still working." She smiled. The pair only tolerated each other, any hope of false friendship long gone.
"Well if it's supposed to cut into your flesh then yeah." The blonde climbed out of the car, rubbing at her sore skin. "Is this the place?" She looked up at the sign that read 'Granny's'.
"This is it alright." The woman studied the building. "Come on, they're waiting. And don't mess this up."
They made their way inside and knocked at the door. It opened to reveal Neal's beaming face and Cassandra forgot for a split second that she was deceiving and using him. Then the reality of the situation hit her again. She stepped inside, her heart feeling heavier than before she crossed the threshold.
Emma and Henry sat in two weathered armchairs; greeting the new arrivals with a painfully forced smile and cheerful beam respectively. Exchanging the obligatory pleasantries, they all settled around the table and tucked into the bagels Tamara had brought. Sheer awkwardness filled every second of silence and the group tried to bury it by shoving in another mouthful of bagel.
Henry was the only one who successfully began a conversation.
"So how'd you guys meet?"
Tamara looked to Neal expecting him to instantly respond with mounds of enthusiasm. That didn't happen.
"Um... well," Tamara decided to answer Henry. "I was super late to work, rushing like crazy, guzzling my giant coffee, when this guy crashed into me." She chuckled, trying to further animate the story that was all based upon manipulation. "My coffee soaked my blouse. There was no time to change, so Neal gave me his scarf to hide the stains. And he said I could keep it or call him if I wanted to return it." She chuckled again, staring into Neal's eyes. "I decided to call, and, well, we've been together ever since."
"Sounds like fate." Emma smiled. Even Cassandra cringed at the insincerity. "I've gotta drop Henry off with his grandpa. Thanks for the bagel."
"Damn good bagel." Cassandra mumbled into the one at her lips.
"It was nice meeting you both."
"You, too." Tamara smiled the classic sickly-sweet-Tamara-smile.
"Likewise." Cassandra covered her full mouth with her hand and grinned, emphasising her food-filled hamster cheeks.
"Here you go, man." Neal held out a large brown book to Henry.
"Why don't you hold on to that?"
"Okay." Neal replied, slightly taken aback. He looked from Tamara to Emma who stood by the door. "Hey, Emma... Would you be able to take Cassandra with you?"
Emma looked at him blankly.
"Just because, well I need to talk to Tamara and it couldn't hurt for Henry and Cassandra to spend some time together."
"Oh... yeah sure." She blinked. "C'mon guys." She pulled open the door and ushered the kids outside.
Strolling along the street with Henry beside her, Cassandra had a feeling she knew what Neal and Tamara were talking about.
He was telling her about magic.
Which meant they were one step further into their plan.
___
///
"Careful, would you!" Cassandra stabbed her elbows into Hook's back as her head whacked into a tree. All she got in response was a gruff chuckle. She groaned. She was flopped over the pirate's shoulder, wrists and ankles still bound, being carried in a way that was anything but gentle. The other Lost Boys were trailing after Neal in a long line.
Raising her head as much as her position would allow, Cassandra saw that they still all had their wrists bound... and they were finding her predicament particularly amusing. She scowled at Devin, whose smirk was more prominent than the others. His eyes flickered to his left, motioning behind him. Following his directions, Cassandra beamed as she noticed Felix at the back of the pack, being carried by David in the same demeaning way. Sadly, she couldn't see his miserable face- only his legs and behind.
Holding in a laugh, Cassandra raised her fingers to her lips. A chorus of chuckles erupted from the Lost Boys and Felix drooping head perked up, twisting around as far as it would go. He caught Cassandra, with her fingers still at her mouth, and quickly deduced the source of the whistle.
His lips curled into a snarl and he wriggled about, trying to loosen David's hold. Hook spun around- causing Cassandra to hit her head again- and watched the agitated boy struggle to escape.
"Felix you should be flattered," He jeered. "Nobody else would dare whistle at that behind." He finished before turning back around... flinging Cassandra against a tree trunk again.
Rubbing her sore head, Cassandra still managed to laugh- although it came out as more of a deranged giggle.
"I think you should start being a bit more careful Hook." Neal warned, a hint of amusement in his tone. "We don't need another reason for Pan to come after us."
"Oh but I haven't had this much fun in a long time." He joked darkly, though he did stop, even going as far as to not jostle her too much when he re-adjusted her limp form on his shoulder.
Cassandra had grown quiet, the fluid inside her ears sloshing about making her feel nauseous. She tumbled into unconsciousness, only waking when they began scaling the gangway onto the Jolly Roger.
She was placed gently onto the deck, a warm mass beside her. Forcing her eyes open, she found it was Felix, a solemn look in his eyes. She nudged him with her elbow and gave him a smile that was supposed to appear comforting. In her current state, it was probably more disturbing than calming, but Felix understood its intent and smiled back.
"So now we wait?" He asked her.
She nodded, gazing around at the other Lost Boys who all seemed physically and mentally drained. "Now we wait."
The pair collapsed into silence, the kind that spread slowly like a heavy fog, gradually spilling over the minds of the other Lost Boys. Their quiet hums of frets and mumblings eventually stopped. The whole group observed the adults, watching them attentively as they readied the ship. Each of them looking out for any injuries, possible weaknesses to exploit. It was a habit. One they could not stop. Even Tootles, who had almost begged Emma to rescue them, was analysing the ease of their movements.
Tinker Bell, amidst her bustling duties as she assisted the others, spotted the odd behaviour. She paused, leaning against the wood of the ship.
Hook brushed past her, and Tink reached out to touch his arm.
"They're doing it." She whispered, her eyes still on the group. Hook turned to consider them. Not a sound was being made by the normally loud and obnoxious children. They were statues, only the flickering eyes indicating any life.
"Aye," He responded gruffly. "Did you expect anything else?"
Tink shook her head slightly. "Do you think they'll make a break for it?"
Hook thought for a moment. "They outnumber us. The ship is practically ready to set sail. They're capable of figuring out to fly it. In normal circumstances, I'd be surprised if they didn't try and overpower us... "
"But what?"
"These are hardly normal circumstances." He smiled knowingly, and swept away before Tink could reply. Her brows furrowed. What exactly did he mean? Their leader was about to be at his most powerful, surely that would persuade them to protect their home, not flee it.
///
___
"I can't believe you nearly killed Pinocchio!" Cassandra hissed, keeping her volume low.
"He knew things. He would have revealed the truth about us." Tamara explained calmly.
"You can't go 'round killing people." Cassandra almost smirked at the irony; that was not a sentence she ever expected herself to say. "Somebody will start getting suspicious."
The girl's head was whirring, flying down hundreds of corridors trying to plan for each possible outcome. Why did Tamara have to cause such a scene? Her reality was filled with constant fear that the plan would fail. Her companion's ability to keep a low profile made things all the more difficult.
"What was she supposed to do?"
"You shut your mouth Greg." Cassandra spat at the man to her left. "He was hiding in the woods, he didn't even know you were here till you went waltzing into his hideout."
"And what happens when he decides to return to town?" Tamara shot.
Cassandra opened her mouth, ready to retort, and nothing came out. She clamped her lips together in a frown.
"See. You just focus on gaining Henry's trust or this whole charade is pointless." Tamara looked at her smugly. "Now we've got that sorted... the package, are you coming?"
"No I'll pass." Cassandra answered, shoulders slumped. "If I'm seen by it the plan falls through."
Greg and Tamara considered the girl who had just visibly deflated. She looked tired. Not just physically tired, but mentally. Over the months they had known her, her energy had plummeted. She looked as if she had not slept for years, time carving dark circles under her wide, frantic eyes.
Cassandra had always been cautious, wary of those around her, never being able to relax. Since she was also deceiving Greg and Tamara, there was nobody with whom she could let her guard down. Staying ahead of the game was her priority. She couldn't and wouldn't be the reason that his scheme collapsed. Rest could wait until everything was over and done with.
"It's stable though right?" Greg asked, deciding to do what he always did; leave Cassandra to herself.
"Very." The woman declared, eradicating all concern for the girl from her mind. "I'll bring the package in tonight. Be ready."
___
///
Cassandra's ears pricked as she heard the crunch of leaves under heavy, frantic footsteps, and the rustle of leaves as branches were smacked out of the way.
"Henry!" Emma shouted urgently as she raced up the gangway, followed by Regina and Snow. "Where is he?"
"He's over here!" Neal yelled back. The group gathered around Henry's body, that lay still on the ship deck.
All of the Lost Boys craned their necks, trying to see what was happening. The adult's conversation was nothing but incompressible murmurs from where they sat.
Cassandra's heart sunk. No. Her head chanted. No, no, no.
She prayed they didn't have it. That they had fled, unable to attain the object they'd gone to retrieve.
But she knew, there was hope on their faces when they'd returned. They weren't just rushing to say goodbye to their son (and grandson) before the preservation spell wore off, and he officially died.
Relief flooded the group's faces and they looked down at Henry. The small boy slowly pulled himself upright and hugged his mothers.
A mixture of feelings bubbled in Cassandra's chest. In a way, she too was relieved that her brother had been saved. But this slight joy, was clouded over by the knowledge and pain of what had happened to Peter. He couldn't survive without the heart. He would be weak. Most likely too weak to make it to the ship and reclaim the heart. Perhaps he would have used the last remnants of his strength, to drag himself to the camp... where he believed the Lost Boys to be waiting.
Only nobody would be there. He would be alone. Lost and confused. And he would die there. Not knowing where they all were. And knowing, for the first time, he had failed.
He had saved all of the Lost Boys from their terrible lives, they had been glad to be free of their pasts. He had taken children, so lost and broken, and given them a home. He had built a family in its own right. Peter had done a lot of bad in his life. But that in no way belittled the good. And after all he had done, he would die alone. Everything he had built... gone- like it were a figment of his imagination, a story that was finally at an end.
She couldn't let that happen.
Whilst everyone was watching Regina and Henry head below deck, Cassandra wobbled onto the balls of her feet. She pushed herself up, getting her balance proving difficult with the rope around her ankles. Dozens of eyes watched her in silence as she hopped towards the gangway. Not her most dignified moment but what could be done?
Almost at the side of the Jolly Roger, she suddenly lost her balance and toppled headfirst into a crate. The loud bang caught the attention of the crew; Hook and Emma dashed over. Cassandra was now crawling as quickly as she could to the side of the ship, the restrictions on her limbs causing her movements to appear more caterpillar-like.
"Cassandra!" Emma exclaimed as Hook grabbed her, turning her over so they could see her face. The girl had blood trickling from her hairline and a hazy look in her eyes. "What were you thinking?"
"There's nowhere to go." Hook added with twisted glee. "Pan is dead."
The injured blonde gave no reaction to their words, instead her vision came into focus as she saw Devin with a familiar look on his face. The guilty sort, but the kind where he would gladly repeat his actions.
That ass had tripped her.
A growl ripped from Cassandra's throat. "You bloody hag! You idiot!" She lunged forward at Devin, but was swiftly restrained by the two adults beside her. "He's going to die on his own. You liked him, why the hell would you let that happen!"
She was pulled backwards across the deck, away from the boy whose face she wanted to claw.
"Regina!" Emma called. The woman burst up onto the deck, looking around with worry. "Sleeping spell."
Those were the last words Cassandra heard before she drifted off into a deep sleep. The violent thrashing off her head and limbs slowed to a stop. Her eyes clamped shut and she fell unconscious, unaware of Devin's reason for stopping her.
Whilst she was struggling towards the gangway, Devin had been watching the shoreline. And he had seen him.
Peter Pan was aboard the Jolly Roger.