Set Your Sails...to Neverland || Peter Pan, OUAT

Chapter 19 - Advancement and Conflicts

~ Davina

I take away the telescope, making it smaller. Cora's not looking up at me, she's waiting patiently with her hands folded in front of her, looking out at the dock. I grab the rope and slide down onto the deck.

"It has been quite...interesting," I say, "how do you know who I am?"

She turns to face me, "I know more than I let on, Miss Jones. And I do listen to the stories of my travelling companions. Hook was quite detailed when talking about his family, and well, the resemblance isn't exactly subtle."

"Nice to know I look like a family member. Very reassuring," I reply sarcastically.

"Why are you so interested in me? It's a dangerous game you're playing if you don't mind me saying."

"I'm not interested in you. I'm interested in what you want with Regina."

"Well, she is my daughter."

I roll my eyes, "That's not news. No, I want to know what you want with Regina now. After all of these years, you decide now is the time to come back into her life. And don't give me that speech about how you're trying to find the 'one person in this world who might still love you'. I'm positive that there were times when she needed you far more than now, but you were nowhere to be found. She's told me about you. Whilst everyone else was busy being her enemy in this town, I was her friend. I still am. I look after her son, who at the moment, refuses to talk to her because he thinks she killed Dr Hopper when really, you and I both know who it really was," I say, smirking.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I chuckle, "You think no one saw you? While Regina was making one of her many attempts at mending relationships at the Diner, you were busy 'killing' Dr. Hopper. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Or wrong place, wrong time, for you. I saw you walk in as Regina, and walk out as yourself. What Hopper's dog saw, was Regina. So when everyone went to investigate, they saw Regina in the dreamcatcher, not you, because that's all they needed to see to confirm their suspicion. But why is what I can't understand," I begin, and then it clicks.

"I'm trying to help her, why is that so hard to believe?" Cora says.

"Because...I know more than I let on," I echo. "Sometimes saying everything you know helps the puzzle pieces click into place. Regina has been doing so well with changing herself, making herself a better mother to Henry, a better Mayor, a better friend, because she doesn't want to be alone anymore. She wants to know that if and when she needs help, there will be people there. You have ways of watching her, I'm sure of it, although I don't know what," I pause, letting her process my information. "So, you know your daughter is finally doing well for herself, but not in the way you want her to. Dr Hopper begins to help her, which means he knows how she's doing. You come into Regina's life just when she's turned a corner, 'kill' one of the most selfless people in the town - who Regina just so happened to have a little argument with the day before - whilst pretending to be her so that everyone is forced to assume that it was either her or Mr Gold or, Rumplestiltskin, whatever he goes by. Knowing that Gold will make Emma use her magic, she uses a dreamcatcher, sees 'Regina' in Dr Hopper's office. This means that Emma has to tell Henry because he deserves to know, forcing Regina into hiding because no one will trust her and she will be at the top of everyone's hit list, leaving her...alone. And the only person she'll be able to turn to...is you. And because no one trusts her, and you're her mother, Regina will run right into your arms, where you can manipulate her into doing unforgivable things, undoing everything she has worked for. And the saddest thing? This is the only way you can get back into her life, because you know that trying the simple way will give you an instant rejection. Did I miss anything out?"