{ Dreamshade }

•Chapter 49•

The Evil Queen threw her hands up in the air and groaned.  Neal, Killian, and Regina were, yet again, traveling back into Neverland's jungle. After Killian checked on her, and she wasn't there, he turned the ship around. "Are we really going back here? Again?!" Regina exclaimed loudly. "She couldn't have gotten far! We have to find her." Killian replied. Regina rolls her eyes at the pirate. "Don't you understand that she might not want to go back to Storybrooke with us?" She questioned. Killian swung his cutlass at the plants in front of them, clearing the path. Regina let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm going to stop you right here," Regina said. She raised her hand and used her magic to stop Killian from moving any further. Killian groaned as he struggled to get free. "Regina," He said in a warning tone. "Regina, what are you doing?" Neal asked her. "This is a waste of time!" The Evil Queen tells them. "Let me go, Regina," Killian ordered. Regina stood in front of the pirate. "No! We're not taking another step on this island!" She yelled, "I came here to get my son back. Twice. I tried to give that girl a chance but she's nothing better than Pan! She doesn't belong in Storybrooke, Hook!" She continued. "All she wants is a home," Killian said. "She is home!" Regina replied. Her eyes traveled to Neal, who was standing behind Killian. "This is where she belongs. She doesn't want to come with us. She wants to stay." Regina continued, now in a calmer tone. "She chose to come back with us to Storybrooke." Neal said quietly, "What if Pan took her?" He asked. Regina shook her head. "He gave her a choice. He was letting her go." She spat back at the young man, "She got off the ship herself." She added. Neal rubbed his chin, trying to think of another way. "We should leave. Now." Regina said. Killian lowered his head in defeat. "Regina," Killian called out. The Evil Queen turned her head back to the pirate. "I want what's best for her. She's been an orphan her whole life." He started. Regina glared at him. "How is this helping?" She asked. Killian looked into Regina's eyes. "Your boy was an orphan. You wanted him to feel loved." Killian continued. "She has a family. Here, in Neverland." Regina tells him.

"Oh, for god's sake, they're kids. None of them belong here. They need someone who truly cares for them." Killian exclaimed. Regina stands in front of the pirate. She puts her hands on her hips. "And who's going to be responsible for them?" She questioned. The Evil Queen was right, their parents were all dead. No one in Storybrooke would want them to be there. No one would give them a home. "That's what I thought," Regina said. She removed the spell that was holding Killian in his place. The pirate turned around to look at Regina. "Aren't you some kind of hero now? Isn't this what heroes do? Give people second chances?" He questioned. Regina turned around again. "We already gave them a second chance." She replied. Neal stepped forward. "He's right, Regina. We can help all of them." He said. The Evil Queen's eyes traveled to the young man. "Even Pan?" She questioned. Neal and the pirate looked at each other in silence. They all knew Pan would never allow it. "He will kill all of us," Regina tells them, "And what use would that bring us?" She questioned. Killian shortly glanced at his feet. "Then we kill him." He said. Regina rolls her eyes and Neal frowns at him. "How are you gonna do that?" Neal asked. "He absorbed all the power in Henry's heart. He's immortal and very powerful." Regina started, There is no way we can kill him." She added. Killian thought for a few seconds. "There has to be something we can do. Everyone has a weakness." Neal spoke. "Killing Y/n? We've tried that. It didn't make him weak, it made him more dangerous." Regina reminds him. Killian looked up at them. "There is something we can do." He spoke up. The Evil Queen and Neal looked at him. "Dreamshade," Killian said. Regina frowned at him. "Do you really think that's going to kill him?" She asked. "It's a poison. The dark one couldn't stop it either." Killian reminds her. Regina lets out a sigh. "Let's say it does work. How are you planning on getting close enough to use it?" She questioned. "Arrows. I've used them before." Neal explained. Regina glared at the two men standing in front of her. "Fine." She said, "But when your plan backfires, I won't hesitate to get out, grab Henry, and get back to Storybrooke without you." Regina tells them sternly.

Meanwhile, Y/n smiled as she and Pan made their way towards the camp. The Lost Girl had her finger locked with his. "Can I ask you something?" Y/n asked him. Pan turned his head to look at her. "You always said that there was no escaping Neverland. That no one would get off the island without your permission." She started. Pan nodded, listening closely to her words. "If I had asked to leave. Would you have let me?" She asked him. Pan tilted his head slightly. "Why are you asking me this?" He questioned. Y/n shrugged in response. "Curiosity." She replied. Pan took a deep breath. "Well, it would depend on where you'd be going." He tells her. "The seas," Y/n replied quickly. Pan raised his eyebrows. "Are you trying to tell me something, Love?" Pan asked her. Y/n giggled and shook her head. "You know what I mean." She replied. Pan let out a sigh. "I don't know for sure," He tells her honestly. He stopped walking and looked at her. He brushed a few hairs out of her face. "I love you, Darling, without you... well, I'm not sure what I would do. When you got on that ship, that was the first time I didn't know what to do next. I could feel the time standing still for the first time." He tells her, "If you had asked me if you could leave all those years ago, I wouldn't have let you. I knew you would hate me for it. But I would ask you to understand." He tells her. Y/n tightened her grip on his hands, gently squeezing his hands. "Well, from now on, it's you and me." She said, "No more leaving the island. No more traveling between worlds. You and me." She assured him. A small smile appeared on Pan's lips. "I can't forbid you anything-" Pan started. Y/n puts her hands on Pan's chest. "I'm not leaving you again. As long as you're here, I have nowhere I would rather be." She tells him. Pan cups her face in his hands. "What about Killian?" He asked her. Y/n nibbles her bottom lip as she looks down at her feet. She inhaled deeply before she glanced up into Pan's green eyes again. "He's safe. That's all I care about." She replies. The Lost Girl stood on tiptoe and kissed Pan's lips.

The two continued to walk towards the camp. "Wait here, Darling," Pan whispered. Y/n waited by one of the trees. She watched as Pan stood in the middle of the camp. He used his magic to light the campfire again. "My brothers!" He called out, gaining the attention of the Lost Boys. "We have a very special guest tonight," Pan called. He held out his hand and glanced over his shoulder. Y/n stepped out of the shadows. She could hear some of the Lost Boys gasp around her. All eyes were focused on her. The silence was soon broken by the cheering of the Lost Boys. Y/n smiled at the sound of their happiness. Even Felix was smiling. A few minutes after cheering for their Lost Girl, the Lost Boys looked at Pan. The demon had a smug smile on his face. He pulled out his flute. "I would like to play a song!" He called out. His green eyes focused on Y/n. "This one is for you, Darling." He tells her. The soft music, which was so familiar to all, slowly played. Y/n was the first one to start dancing. The Lost Boys followed her movements. They all danced with each other to the music. When the song was over, the Lost Boys gathered their sticks and started to make music themselves. Y/n closed her eyes and turned around with her hands in the air. After a few seconds, she bumped into Felix. She smiled as she looked up at him. "Glad to have you back." He tells her. "Glad to be back." She replied, "Couldn't let my best friend do anything stupid until I got back." She added. Felix let out a chuckle. He reached behind her head and grabbed the hood of her cloak. He carefully pulled it over her head. "How could I? You took all the stupid with you." Felix said. Y/n laughed at him, as they had the same conversation they had a few weeks ago. "Come on, Felix. Let's enjoy the celebration." She said. The Lost Girl puts her hands in the air again and closed her eyes. She danced around the fire with the Lost Boys. "Let's hear it for Y/n!" Devin suddenly called out. Everyone started to cheer again. Y/n blushed and made her way over to Pan, who was sitting down on a log. She put her hands on his shoulder. "Won't you dance with me?" She asked him. Pan smiled at her and shook his head. "You have fun, Darling. I will keep a close eye on you." He tells her. Y/n smiled and kissed the top of his head.