Second Love to the Right (Neal Cassidy/Baelfire Love Story)

Chapter 13: Under Control

I continued to slowly sulk my way through the Neverland grass and followed the group. I occasionally turned around to see if Neal was still following. He was, but I noticed he never brought his head up. I truly never meant to hurt him with what I said. Unfortunately, by me turning him down, I think I re-opened old wounds, especially ones about Emma. I look back at the group and notice we've come to another open area. I see Emma and everyone sit down to rest, so I do the same.

"So, what's the plan to get off the island?" I say trying to bring up a conversation to break the awkward silence.
However, the silence lingers in the air for a few more seconds until Neal breaks it.
"I think I know a way off the island."
"You do?" I ask.
When did he have time to devise a plan to get of the island?
"Yeah, the same method we used to get here. Pan's shadow" he says.
I smile a bit on the inside. At least Neal's still talking to me.
"Pan's shadow? That's your way off the island?" Emma asks.
"Unfortunately, it's the only way" Neal states.
"I thought you knew how to navigate stars?" David asks.
"I do, but I can't fly" Neal says.
"So then we need to gain attention of the shadow again. Since we don't have a little boy with us this time, we'll have to do something far-fetched like....capture it" I say.
I'm getting the hang of this. Neal nods but Emma looks at me like I had a second head or something.
"Capture it? We've never been within 10 feet of Pan unless he wanted us to be. How can we sneak up on him to steal his shadow?" she yelled.
I guess she never saw the shadow.
"Pan's shadow is rarely with him. It's an entity of its own. It can carry out his will from miles away" Hook adds.
"So what does that mean?" David asks.
"It means we can get his Shadow without having to be anywhere near Pan. I know where to look for it" Neal says.
"Good, you and I are on Shadow duty" Emma says.
"As am I. This won't be easy so you could use another veteran of the island" Hook adds.
"In the meantime, we'll give Tinker Bell a heads up" David says.
"Okay, then we'll meet at Tink's, get Henry, and get the hell back to Storybrooke" Emma says.

As everyone is getting ready to leave, I quickly think of which group to go to. It seems as if anyone forgot I was here. As much as I wanted to help with the Shadow, I don't think they need me. Plus, I just feel it's best to keep my distance from Neal for a while. I then catch up to David and Mary Margaret. They heard my footsteps and turned around to face me.

"What are you doing?" David asks.
"Um...following you guys. I think it'd be pretty cool to meet Tinker Bell. Plus, I think the Shadow people are good with 3 people" I say.
"I think it's best if you go with them. Wouldn't you want to be with Neal anyway?" David says.
What the hell did he mean by that?
"David don't be rude. Thank you for your offer Molly, but I think we'll be good" Mary Margaret says.

She then glares at David and walks away as David followers her. That was a little weird. I then turn around and walk to where I remember the Shadow people went off to. The good news I think Mary Margaret has finally sided with me as well. It's obvious however that David and Emma still don't trust me. I finally spot the Shadow people and catch up to them. I walk alongside Neal as usual. However, he had his head down again.

"Hey" I say to get his attention.
He immediately looks up.
"Oh hey" he says sadly, "decided to do Shadow duty?"
"Well, I originally was going to go with David and Mary Margaret, but they felt I would do better here. I'm kinda glad they suggested it since I don't wanna get caught up in their fight" I say.
All Neal does is nod. Alright, I'm already sick of this.
"Neal listen, I just..." I say.
"No Molly, it's okay. You made your choice. Just stop explaining" he says.
"It's just that you're kind of ignoring me. I don't want that" I say.
"I'm not trying to. I'm just upset" Neal says.
"And I'm just confused. You know what it's like to be involved in one big love mess like this one? I didn't want to do or what to think of it anymore and obviously no one else withdrew, so I had to take initiative and I withdrew myself. It's not that I don't want a relationship. It's just that I'm not willing to be involved in this mess anymore" I say.
I really should've said that before.
"I understand Molly. How about we just not worry about it anymore? Worry about capturing the Shadow and rescuing Henry for now?" Neal asks.
"Okay" is all I say.
"Good" Neal replies.
He then walks ahead of the group and begins to head in the direction of a cave. I am last to enter. Neal then immediately starts digging through some boxes.
"What are you looking for?" I ask.
I take it Pan's Shadow is not in here.
"A coconut. It's carved in two" Neal replies.
What does a coconut have anything to do with what we're doing?
"Oh yeah your star map. We hid it" Emma says.
I guess she's been here before. Emma then walks away to look for it. I then notice some strange marks on the wall of the cave. They looked like tally marks.
"Neal, what are these?" I ask.
He then walks over to take a look.
"Well, when I was on Neverland, this was my cave I stayed in. These tally marks I made was to keep track of how long I was here" he replies.
He sounded kind of sad at the last part. I continue to look at the marks until I suddenly hear a conversation between Hook and Neal go on behind me.
"I owe you thanks for being so understanding" Hook says.
"Understanding about what?" Neal asks.
"Emma and me. Our dalliance" Hook adds.
So, are Emma and Hook seriously a couple?
I don't hear Neal really answer. I simply hear a "mmm hmm" come from him.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Emma was accepting of you and Molly. I take it you guys are together now?" Hook asks.
I squeeze my eyes shut and bite my lip. Did he seriously have to bring that up?! I don't hear Neal answer. Mainly due to the fact that I heard footsteps. I turn around and see Emma with the coconut. She couldn't have came at a better time.
"Everything alright?" she asked.
Awkward silence passes through the air until Neal says, "Never better."
Emma hands him the coconut.
"Here it is. Your star map" she says.
"It's not a star map. It's what we're going to use to trap Pan's shadow" Neal says as he puts the coconut in his bag.
"A coconut? Are you daft?" Hook asks.
"You came to Neverland on a pirate ship thought a portal, but you draw the line on a magic coconut?" Neal asks.
I laugh a bit at their stupid argument.
"Fair enough, what's our next stop on this mission?" Hook asks.
"Dark Hollow" Neal replies.
I take it by the name that it isn't good.
"What is it?" Emma asks.
"Just what it sounds like. The darkest spot on the entire island. Any light light is snuffed out by the shadows" Hook replies.
Great, just great.
"That where we're gonna find Pan's shadow, right?" Emma asks,
"Yeah, it's the only way we'll ever get back to Storybrooke" Neal says as he immediately walks away.
A look of confusion crosses Emma's face. She shakes it off and starts walking after Neal, and so does the rest of us.