Starlight

31

As casually and awkwardly as possible, Hook stepped forwards and looked over the group. Rubbing his forehead in thought he sighed. He idiotically opted to go first. Someone had to. He didn't see any of them willingly stepping forwards. "Emma and I shared a kiss." His words caused David to exclaim in annoyance.

"I don't think now is the time to argue about this." Mary Margaret said.

"I told her," Emma said while glancing at Mary Margaret. "So it's not a secret."

Aoife stretched and stood up, clicking her neck she walked past them. "Your task to confess all. Not mine." She waved over her shoulder and exited the cave. She didn't want to hear their deepest darkest secrets. Least of all one which involved romantic moments between Hook and Emma. That wound had already struck home hard and it hurt. She had secrets, she had enough of them to confess, but all she was tasked with was to lead them to Baelfire, that was all. She was not going to openly confess.

"You look so sad." Peter stepped beside her.

Aoife was standing with her back to the cave, Peter had stepped from the tree line. He looked up at her then to the rough path they'd previously walked down. "I think I feel sad." Aoife confessed.

Peter nodded slowly. "I am sorry, Aoife."

"I'm used to suffering."

Peter shook his head. "No one should be used to suffering."

Aoife looked to him. "Is the boy all right?"

"He's fine," he smiled honestly.

"That I believe to a point."

Smiling, Peter crossed his arms. "Not wanting to take part in the group activities then, hm?"

"I don't like openly blurting secrets out." Aoife sighed and looked to him. "Think in any other time we could have been friends?" She mused, it was something she had dwelt on. If they weren't on different sides, could they have got along? She didn't agree with how Peter went about his business, and he seemed to humour her most times.

"We still can be."

Aoife shook her head. "No...no, I don't think we could be."

"Why?" Peter asked interestedly.

Aoife let out a quiet laugh and looked at him. "Because-" she stopped when she heard talking from behind her. Turning she watched the group walk out. Looking to the side she frowned, of course Peter was gone. "Because we're too opposite." Aoife whispered to herself, that was why her and Peter could never be friends.

"Aoife?" A voice suddenly called out, her eyes snapped to the grey haired man which was walking steadily towards her. He looked utterly shocked, completely taken back that she was here and in front of him.

"Baelfire?"

"Neal," he corrected with a smile.

"You're taller than me now!" She laughed and ran forwards. Neal let out a quiet laugh when she had flung her arms around him and held him tightly.

"You...erm, you're still into randomly hugging people, hm?" He said awkwardly while patting her back. Couldn't ask her to change too much, he supposed. Not that he didn't return the hug she sent his way by encasing her in his arms and keeping him close. He had to admit, it was very good to see his old friend, even if she looked exactly the same...and he, well, he didn't.

Aoife jumped back. "You always gave great hugs."

Neal looked around slightly embarrassed. "That could so be taken out of context."

"You were a teenager." Aoife looked at him deadpanned.

"Yet again, that could seriously be taken out of context." He scratched the back of his neck with an awkward laugh, he wasn't surprised too to see she was awful with words and how to word a sentence.

Aoife frowned, "Why do you still pick holes and twist things around?" Neal smiled, despite of her pouting and exclaiming. "It's good to see you, Neal. Although I think it'll take a while to get over calling you Baelfire."

Neal smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Thank you everyone, for rescuing me."

"Perhaps it's a little too early for that." David said. "We still need to get Henry back."

"We found your star map," Hook said while looking between Aoife and Neal with a hard look.

Nodding slowly, Neal ran a hand through his hair. "That's good, if we can find Henry, I can get us off of the island." He glanced at Aoife, "You coming for the ride?" He couldn't help but grin, he wanted her off this island. Honestly he did.

"Uh-huh, I'm not missing out this time." Aoife smiled and rocked on her heels.

"Awesome," Neal nodded, he patted her on the shoulder and looked up when Hook started to speak again. He quite easily cut off their moment of happiness to get back on track. Still didn't stop the pair grinning rather happily at each other now and then, despite of the seriousness at hand.

"We should regroup with Tink," Hook said cutting their possible conversation off. "Regroup and continue with the mission from there."

"Tinkerbell?" Neal smirked, now that was a name he hadn't heard in a while. He was a little surprised she had agreed to lend a hand here.

"She's still the same," Aoife smiled and patted him on the arm and moved away from his side. Frowning to the side, she watched Hook divert off and disappear into the foliage. She wasn't going to comment on his eavesdropping, she continued to walk after Mary Margaret and David.

----

"I can navigate the stars. But to get off of the island, we need to fly." Neal explained, everyone was looking at him seriously, taking on board what he was saying.

"The Shadow," Mary Margaret said quietly.

Neal gave a slow nod. "I suggest we capture it." He said simply, it was something which had Aoife looking at him like he'd grown a second head. By all means, he knew of her past run-ins with it, none of them good. She was wary of it, as everyone usually was.

"What? How? How is that possible, we've never been within ten feet of Pan unless he lets us." Emma said while looking rather confused. "It's insane to sneak up on Pan and steal his shadow."

Aoife shook her head. "Peter and his Shadow are separate." Swallowing and getting her mind back on track, she pushed aside her worry and fidgeted slightly.

"They're rarely together. It can exist as its own entity, yet it can carry Pan's will out from miles away." Hook furthered on Aoife's words, which she nodded agreeing to.

"We can nab the Shadow without being anywhere near Pan." Neal said while looking up, he couldn't exactly contradict or add onto what they said. They were both right.

"Shadow hunting...oh, this is going to be nasty." Aoife muttered, a dark cloud was definitely creeping up and over her here. "You can't do things by halves can you?" She frowned at Neal, who just smiled and shook his head.

"You two know where it'll be?" Emma asked. Neal and Aoife exchanged a look, it was a dismal look which meant they knew full well where it was lurking. "I'll sign up to shadow hunting too then."

"And I too, the hike won't be easy, and the more people who know the way, the merrier right?" Hook asked, Aoife's nose twitched, Neal looked awkwardly between them before smiling at the suggestion anyway. Credit to the pirate, he did his best to ignore the awkward atmosphere.

"Makes sense," Neal nodded. "Thanks." He said honestly, whereas Aoife's shoulder slumped and she stuffed her hands in her pockets.

——

(Edited: 24/August/2020)