Peter Pan Imagines (Once Upon a Time)

Coming Back (Part Two)

You had the strangest dream this morning. You were running through a forest, running as fast as you could, as if you were pursued by a monster. All you knew is that you couldn't look back, because if you varied in your flight for even a second, it would get you. You just didn't know what 'it' was.

It ends the same way every time. You run until you reach a clearing. There's a boy across the clearing from you, but you cannot see his face. You hold out a hand as if he can pull you from this horror, and then it all disappears in a cloud of inky black.

You wake with a start, a scream building in your throat until you manage to silence yourself. If you didn't know better, you'd say that you recognize that scene, like that forest and that clearing had been yours to walk before.

This, of course, is ridiculous. You were brought to Storybrooke just after you were born, so there's no reason you would have remembered any forests at all, let alone been able to run through them as if your life depended on it.

The forest of this nightmare also doesn't seem like a part of the woods surrounding Storybrooke, so it has to be from somewhere else. You lie in bed for a moment longer, staring at the ceiling as if it'll be able to give you any answers, before giving up and starting to get ready for the day.

Henry joins you soon enough, peeking his head into the hall to make sure you're awake. He smiles when he sees you. "Good morning, Y/N." You raise an eyebrow. "Good morning yourself. What's with the polite greeting?"

Henry does his best to look innocent. "What's wrong with wanting you to have a good start to your day?" You fold your arms across your chest. "Yesterday, you woke me up by throwing a pillow at my head and then sprinting back out into your room so you could pretend to be sleeping. What changed?" Henry smiles sheepishly at you. "Okay, maybe there's something. I just had this weird feeling about something last night, and I want you to check it out." You frown, walking over to him. "Weird feeling about what?"

Henry takes your hand, leading you over to his room. "Last night, just before I fell asleep, I saw this strange thing hovering near my window. It looked like a shadow, except it wasn't attached to anyone. It almost looked like it was checking in on me, making sure I was there or something." You eye the window suspiciously. "An independent shadow ?" Henry nods. "I got up to get a closer look, but once it saw me moving, it flew away."

You tug the curtains away from the window, scanning for any sign of a forced entry. "Well, if it was here last night, I don't see it now. Tell you what, tonight let's keep the blinds closed so it can't look in." Henry looks serious. "That's a good idea." He glances up at you gratefully. "Thanks for checking it out. I don't think anyone else would have believed me." You ruffle his hair, grinning at his protests. "Of course, Henry. Any time. Besides, you seem to have a track record for getting this sort of stuff right, so I feel like I have a good reason to believe you."

Henry stares at the window, then nudges you in the side. "Do you see that couple there? Man and woman, sitting on the bench?" You nod, and start to frown. "How long have they been looking at us?" Henry shrugs. "I don't know, but I swear I saw them the other day. They were walking past my school just as we got out, but they turned around and started walking after me once I left. I managed to shake them by taking a few quick turns, but those are definitely the same people."

You quickly shut the blinds, leaning back against the wall as if to keep out that man and woman. "Tell you what, Henry, I'm going to walk you to and from school today. Don't go anywhere outside alone. If they're following you, then that's not good. We should talk to Emma about this, she usually knows what to do."

Henry glances back at the closed window. "You think they're a threat." You shiver slightly. "I feel like everything's a threat. I keep feeling like I'm missing something, or forgetting something that I shouldn't have. Maybe I'm forgetting who these people are, and they're our enemies or something." Henry seems relatively unconcerned, but this troubles you. As the child of Emma Swan, and Regina's adopted son (and your adopted brother), he's a pretty big target for any opponents of your friends. When you walk Henry to school, you look around, but you don't see the man or woman anywhere.