The sound of a cutlass chopping through branches echoed through the woods as the group from Storybrooke traveled through the forest. Eden led the way, but was followed closely by Hook. She cut the branches down out of their way, but it was clear that she was angry. At least this way she could release her anger on a tree instead of bottling it up.
"Eden.." Hook started to say, however the girl immediately huffed. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to talk about any of it. She used to be innocent. She used to be loved by Pan and the lost boys. Now, Peter hated her. He wanted her dead for something that she had no control over. Even dead, her mother seemed to be ruining her life.
"I'm not going to tell you what happened. Why should I ever trust you again, you back stabbing rat?" She snapped at Killian. She had changed. The smiling, innocent girl was gone. She'd never be seen again. All that was left was the cold, broken hearted young woman who just couldn't seem to recover. Something about Neverland was so haunting, so unforgiving. Perhaps just as Pan was...
"There wasn't a day that passed by that I didn't feel guilty about what happened. The truth is that, I was a heart broken, angry person. I thought I could start over with you, with Baelfire, but when he found out about his mother... I was angry. I loved her, and I lost her too. I know I can't fix what I did then, but I want to make up for it now. Please. Let me help you. I'm sorry." Killian whispered. His apology was genuine. He missed her. He regretted everything that he did. But the old Eden was too far gone.
"Just leave me alone. Please..." She whispered, her eyes glassy. "You hurt me. You left me. You used me just like everyone else I have ever known. You can't fix it. I am done with love. It's not real. I was never loved. Not truly. Not once. I am done trying for something that I clearly must not deserve. I'm going to help you get the boy back, and I am leaving this god forsaken island. But after that, I am going to go far away where no magic, no pirate, and no lost boy can ever hurt me again." She cried, putting her sword away quickly.
"Set up camp here before it gets too dark. I'm going to find some fire wood." Eden muttered to the group before running off to be alone. Killian just didn't understand what she had been through. It was too hard to talk about, and she could never forget. The island just wouldn't let her forget it.
"Eden... I know we don't know each other." Came the voice of one blonde savior. She came over, helping Eden gather sticks and branches to use for the fire.
"No, and I don't want friends... so..." The brunette mumbled back, scooping up some of the dead leaves to toss into the fire. This group of heroes on an Island with as much of a haunting past as Neverland... It was too much for Eden to handle.
"I think I'm like you in a lot of ways. You've got the same look I had when I was your age." Emma sighed, to which Eden rolled her eyes.
"I was seventeen when I came. Its been over fifty years. I've got you beat, blondie. So if you'll Kindly leave me alone, I prefer to work in peace and quiet and-"
"You've never felt wanted." The savior interjected. This time, Eden didn't say a word. She didn't have it left in her to argue. She was so tired, so hurt. She just stayed quiet and listened.
"I don't know whats happened to you, but if there is one thing I have learned from my experience is that, trusting the people who love you, no matter how scary, its whats best." Emma said.
Eden slowly stood up, holding onto her stack of leaves and branches.
"That is the problem, Emma." Eden whispered, staring into the blonde woman's eyes, her own filled with tears.
"There isn't a soul left alive who loves me." And with that, Eden headed back to camp. She helped make a fire, leaning with her back against a tree. In the distance, she could hear the lost boys chanting. She could hear their drums, their laughs. It made her heart ache. How much longer of this could she take? Being so close, yet so far was killing her softly.
---------
The gang sat there for hours preparing their food, sharpening weapons, but not sleeping. None of them could stand the thought of sleeping. They were all worried about Henry, but Eden was worried for more than one boy... Peter... there had to be light left in him. She loved him still, even after he had ordered the lost boys to hunt her down. Even after what he had said to her. He couldn't really hate her, could he? After the connection the two of them had, was it possible to hate each other?
A twig snapped.
Immediately, everyone was on their feet, their weapons draw. Everyone was on edge. When two men stepped through the clearing, everyone lowered their weapons.
"Gold. Neil... You made it back." Emma said, making Eden sigh.
"Did you bring your whole town to NeverLand?" She sassed, looking at the two men. One of them was eyeing her. It immediately made her feel uncomfortable.
"Eden?" He questioned. The girl narrowed her eyes. "Do I know you?" She asked. She looked different. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks tear stained. Her brown hair was much longer, tangled up a bit. Her skin was dirty, bags under her eyes. But the expression on her face was different. She looked like a different girl.
"You're still here?" The man asked her and stepped closer. Eden pulled out her dagger, stepping away from him. She didn't recognize him. Even her memory was cloudy after fifty years...
"I don't know who you are, but if you don't get away from me, I will make you wish you never met me." She hissed. But the man looked surprised by her reaction, like he knew she shouldn't be acting that way. The Eden he knew was sweet. She helped him escape Neverland and was happy for him to go back to the Darlings. The girl before him now was angry. She was hurt.
"Eden, It's Baelfire. It's Bae." He whispered, shock written across his features. Eden kept her knife pointed at him, looking over his face. She didn't believe him. It looked like him... but could it really be? Why would he be back in Neverland after he had wanted to leave so badly? Eden grabbed his arm, checking his forearm for the small birthmark she knew Baelfire had. And there it was. Her eyes widened, her heart fluttering like it hadn't in a long time. Finally, some good news.
"Bae..." The girl whispered, throwing down her knife. She ran into his arms, holding onto him tightly. He was here again. She thought maybe he had come back for her... maybe someone out there did love her.
"What happened to you?" Bae asked. And unlike with the others, she didn't try to pretend that she was okay.
"Its been so awful without you here... He found out the truth about our mother's pasts. He threw me out. He wouldn't let the lost boys talk about me. And since I helped you escape, I've been alone. I stayed because I thought I could make him love me again... but..." Eden cried, holding onto him the entire time. She wasn't alone... finally.
Yet little did she know, there was a certain lost boy who was watching the whole thing...
A/N:
Fun fact. Its almost 2 am. I got inspo and started writing. Im going to try to update more again! Thanks to you guys who have stuck around this far!
y'all can follow me on my new editing account to keep up with me daily life! Its starlxght.aep
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My Allegiance
Fanfiction"I knew you couldn't. No matter how many times you tell yourself that you are strong, you're not. I think you wanted me to find you. You wanted me to talk to you. Because you're still that same scared, weak girl you were when I met you. In fact, I w...
