Team True Love started into the cave. I stood a good distance away. Snow turned, noticing I wasn't going in. I dreaded her next words. Please just thank me for leading you here or call me a traitor. Even that is better than what I know she's going to ask. My pulse kicked up. My stomach knotted. Sweat formed on my palms.
"You aren't coming with us," she trailed.
"I led you here. That's as far as I go if you want Neal to make it out of there." I turned, headed to the treeline.
"Yeah, about that." Before me stood Pan. My blood ran cold. This was as much a trap for me as it was for them. I should have known as much. "See, Love, you haven't quite been honest with me. I think I deserve the truth don't you?"
I gulped, "don't. Please, no." He smirked.
"Oh, well." Pan waved his hand, sealing up the cave. "I suppose Baelfire can always starve to death."
Emma shouted, running at Pan. David just barely caught her, trying to calm her down. I just felt so small. Emma's cries slowly faded. The air around us stilled. My hands were shaking. The small twinge of clarity Pan had given me vanished. It hit me, all of it, all at once. The pit in my stomach returned. I dropped to my knees.
"Make a decision, Elyssa. You or Baelfire." Pan egged.
"Elyssa, please! Please," Emma called. I dared to look. Her eyes were glazed over. "I can't lose him again--Henry can't lose him again!"
Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! Henry. Of course, Henry. Always, Henry. Never me. Never me. I don't have a choice. I never have a choice. No choice. Nothing. I gathered myself enough to speak. "Baelfire. I choose Baelfire."
Pan knelt and cupped my cheek, "I always knew you would, Love."
He vanished. I was hollow. As warm as Neverland was I was cold. No one moved, just frozen in stunned silence. Half of me wanted to run, but I gave them my word. I gave him my word. If I ran, he would know. He always knows. Pan never fails.
My arms were still shaking as they braced my weight. I was hunched over, nauseous. I could feel the leaves and the dirt. That's what I had to focus on, the dirt. I don't have to be here. Maybe I'm dreaming. The dirt. The dirt. Please not now. Don't do this now. Can't do this now.
"Elyssa," Hook? No. no. Focus. Focus on the dirt. The dirt. The dirt. The dirt. Don't. Don't think about it. Just anchor. The dirt. You're fine. It's all okay. The dirt. "Elyssa, come on."
"Don't!" I jerked away. "Don't... no..." shit. Shit. Shit, shit, shitshitshitshit! Focus. Focus. The dirt. The dirt.
He stepped forward. "Lass--" I tossed it at him. The dirt. Just stop, just everyone stop!
I tried. I tried to breathe. I can't. I can't, damn it, the dirt! Focus. Don't. Don'tdon't. Just breathe. Calm. Calm. It's fine. I'm fine. I'm fine.
"What the hell did you do?!" David shouted.
"What? This isn't my bloody fault, mate!"
Stop yelling, please stop yelling! "It doesn't matter whose fault, get her up! If she stays out here, Neal dies!" Emma grabbed me, yanking me off the ground. I pushed her away. Her grip tightened.
"Let--let go!"
"Emma!" Snow shouted. This was it. They know. They know. I can't. I can't. Let go!
YOU ARE READING
Once A Lost Girl | Once Upon A Time Story | Peter Pan
Fanfiction**this is a canon-compliant fic. Please read entire description and all warnings before continuing. Thank you! Throughout her life, Elyssa has only trusted herself. Her village betrayed her, hunting her like a common animal. However, it only took on...
