~AVA'S POV~
I didn't know why I was so nervous. Maybe it was because once Pan knew I had double-crossed him(again)he would be furious(again). In addition to my fear, I could tell that Mr. Gold was anxious too. We were just about to enter the open space of the rock, when I stopped at the end of the stairs.
"Mr. Gold?" I asked.
"Hmmm?" He answered, turning to face me. My gaze flickered to the box in his hand.
"Can that really trap him? He'll be completely powerless?" I asked. Sensing my apprehension, he put a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, dearie. I'll handle this." He said with a crooked smile. I smiled back nervously, and we entered the open space. Torches burned brightly, casting a golden glow on the rock walls. A giant hourglass on a pile of golden skulls dominated the room. The lower basin was almost full. I saw Mr. Gold tense out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head. Pan was standing at the end of the room, with his back to us. Hearing our footsteps, he turned. His eyes were slinked, like a cats.
"Hello laddie." He said. He eyed the box in Mr. Gold's hand. "I see you come bearing gifts." I raised my sword.
"Where's Henry?" I demanded.
"You mean my great grandson." Pan said. I nearly dropped my weapon.
"What?!" I stuttered out. Pan smirked.
"You haven't told anyone who I really am, have you?" Pan asked Mr. Gold.
"And who are you exactly?" I interjected.
"I'm his father, isn't that right Rumple?" Pan teased.
"You're his son?" I blurted. Mr. Gold's eyes were downcast and his mouth was set in a hard line.
"Indeed he is. You haven't told anyone, not even your own son. Why?" Pan asked Mr. Gold.
"Because you're nothing but a coward to me." Mr. Gold said. Pan scoffed.
"We both know if that were true, I'd already be in that box." Pan said. Mr. Gold's face spread into a grin.
"You don't think I can do it." He said. "You let us inside just to, uh, taunt us?"
"No. To see you again." Pan said looking from Mr. Gold to me and back. "To give you both one last chance."
"Stay with me. Let this go. We can start over, the three of us." Pan said.
"Do you think I want to be with you? That I could ever forgive you after you abandoned me?" Mr. Gold replied.
"Do you honesty believe that I would want to be with you after all the things you've done?" I asked. Pan sighed.
"I'm disappointed in you two." He remarked, approaching the hourglass.
"After all these years, Rumple, I thought you'd be more...understanding." Pan said, looking thoughtfully at the hourglass. He turned and walked back towards us.
"Considering you did the same to your son. You traded Baelfire, for the power of a dagger. And I traded you for youth." Pan stated. "We're a lot more alike than you care to admit."
"We are nothing alike!" Mr. Gold snarled through clenched teeth.
"Oh, of course we are." Pan argued. "Neither one of us was cut out to be a father, my boy."
"I regretted leaving my son the moment I let him go. I spent my life trying to find him. To get him back. And what did you do? You forgot about me." Mr. Gold thundered.
"I never forgot about you!" Pan shouted. "Why do you think I call myself "Peter Pan"?" I shrunk back awkwardly, feeling like I was intruding in the situation. Mr. Gold looked unfazed.
"Don't think for a moment I believe it's because you care for me." Mr. Gold said. Pan's brows creased.
"But I do. For both of you." He urged. He had a peculiar look in his eyes, almost vulnerable. "All you have to do is put down that box, and you'll see its true. We can make the fresh start you always wanted. Together. Just as we planned." Pan pleaded, holding out his hand. Mr. Gold smiled.
"I'm going to make a fresh start. Just not with you." He said. Pan looked nervously at the box. Mr. Gold waved his hand over it, but nothing happened. Pan chuckled. He waved his hand over it again, with a desperate expression. A flower of panic blossomed in my stomach.
"I don't understand." Mr. Gold muttered.
"Because you don't have it." Pan said proudly, raising his hand to show the box in his palm.
"You switched them." Mr. Gold whispered hopelessly to himself.
"Follow the lady. Still having trouble remembering. In Neverland all you have to do is think of something to have it, even something fake. But the real one..." He inspected it. "Well, let's see what it can do." Mr. Gold's eyes widened. I raised my sword in an attempt to throw it, but it was too late. Pan waved his hand over the red jewel on the top of the box and a red smoke snaked its way around Mr. Gold's body.
"I'm sorry, Rumple. You had your chance. The choice was yours." Pan said. He smiled as the red smoke was sucked back into the box, and the lid twisted shut with a definite click. Pan stared at it satisfyingly, then turned his gaze to me. I pointed the tip of my blade at him. He rolled his eyes and flicked his wrist impatiently. The sword was flung out of my hand and clattered to the floor. Pan teleported right in front of me. He pushed me up against the wall and wrapped his hand around my throat, squeezing the air out of me.
"Oh, Ava. How many times do we have to go through this?" He spat in my face. I gasped for air. "Now, your going to listen to me very carefully and do exactly as I say, understood?" I managed to nod under his grip.
"You are going to stay right here while I deal with Henry." My lungs were screaming for air, and black spots danced across my vision. Pan let go of my throat and I coughed and gasped for sweet air. Once I composed myself, Pan eyed me.
"Just to be sure..." He waved his hand, and I heard the rattling of chains. I looked down at my hands, and found that manacles were secured around my wrists, chaining me to the wall. I tugged on them, but they proved stronger than I was.
"Pan!" I shouted. I struggled against the chains, but they didn't budge.
"Don't worry, I'll be back to fetch you when this is all over." Pan smirked. I grunted in frustration. He turned away and sauntered out of the room. I cursed at him colorfully, but he ignored me. I yanked on the chains until my wrists were near bleeding. Then I heard footsteps. I turned my head and saw Regina, Emma, and Neal racing up the stairs. I shouted their names and they ran over to me.
"Ava, what happened?" Emma asked.
"Pan put Mr. Gold in Pandora's box. He's in there with Henry." I explained. Regina raised her hands and the chains fell away. I grabbed my sword and we bolted to Henry.
Pan and Henry were standing side by side. Pan had his hand on Henry's shoulder, and Pan's shoulders were tense. In Henry's hand was a beating red object glowing with gold light.
"Henry, wait!" Neal shouted. "Whatever Pan's telling you to do don't do it." Henry's eyes softened.
"Dad? You're alive?" He stammered. Neal smiled.
"I am, buddy." Pan narrowed his eyes. "Pan's lying to you." Neal continued.
"Pleasure to see you too, Baelfire." Pan said sarcastically. "Not to mention the Savior, the Evil Queen," Pan's eyes ran up and down my body. "And Avalon." He let my name roll of his tongue.
"Henry," Emma began cautiously. "You need to get away from him, he's trying to hurt you."
"The Heart of the Truest Believer, it's what's going to save magic. It's what's going to save all of you."
"No, Henry, this was never about magic. The only thing Pan's interested in saving is himself." I snarled in Pan's direction.
"That's not true!" Henry pleaded.
"Of course it isn't!" Pan said, stepping around Henry.
"Yes it is! Pan can't live without you dying, if you give him your heart it's gonna kill you." Neal said.
"Henry, listen to me. I've been on Neverland for over half a century, and in all that time I've never seen Pan be anything but a liar and a monster." I said. Henry looked conflicted.
"Why would they lie?" He asked Pan.
"Because that's what adults do, Henry." Pan said. "And as for Ava," He looked at me. "She's letting what happened to her family blind her." Henry looked at us accusingly.
"They're trying to stem your belief, Henry, but don't let them. Remember, every hero gets tested." Pan said, leaning down to Henry's level.
"Henry, I know what being a hero looks like and this isn't it." Emma said.
"You have to believe us!" Regina pushed.
"Your parents don't care about Neverland. 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 want to lose you." Pan said, shooting us a glare.
"Henry, you have to trust us." Emma said gently.
"Trust! I'm the only one who's ever been honest with you Henry. The only on who ever believed in you. This is your choice, not theirs." Pan glanced nervously at the depleting hourglass. "You have to choose now, we're running out of time." Pan said, a little fear pinching his voice.
"We believe in you, Henry." Neal said.
"Because we love you." Emma coaxed.
"More than anything." Regina added. Henry smiled warmly at them.
"I love you too." He said. They smiled and took a step forward. "But I have to save magic." Pan grinned triumphantly.
"No!" We all screamed. Henry raised his hand and pushed his glowing heart through Pan's chest. A wave of green energy shot out towards us, and nearly rocked me off my feet. Henry fell to the ground with a thud, his eyes closed. Pan's head was tilted back, the wind ruffling his hair. We ran to Henry's still form, yelling his name. Everyone kneeled down next to him, except me. I stood facing Pan, my sword upraised to keep him at a distance. He was lifted off the ground, his body vibrating with power. He stared down at us like we were nothing but mere ants. He smiled without pity. Emma looked up at Pan.
"What the hell did you do to him?" She demanded. Pan lowered himself back to the ground.
"Oh, I didn't do anything, Emma. It was Henry. He gave me his heart of his own free will." Pan condescended. Emma drew the blade on her back.
"I can take it back from you." Emma threatened. I stood beside her with my weapon ready, showing her I had her back. We lunged, shoving own blades towards Pan. They met empty air.
"I don't think either of you have it in you." Pan's voice said from behind us. We whipped ourselves around. Pan had the box in his hand.
"Oh, I have it in me alright." I assured.
"I don't think so, and I'm exceptional at reading people." Pan quirked and eyebrow at the hidden meaning. I tried to hide my blush. Emma didn't see it, but Pan did.
"And too bad for you, Rumplestiltskin can't hurt me anymore." Pan said, staring at the box. "And soon, nobody will be able to." Pan shot up into the air again. He swooped down and wrapped an arm around my waist and lifted me up with him. I was so startled I dropped my sword. Before I could blink, he flew out of the cave and into the night air. Carrying me like some giant predator would it's prey.