¥ - Lost and Found - Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) - ¥

¥ 16 - No Hero ¥

Aria felt her heart flutter, whispers of an apology. His apology. Trusting as always, she chose to believe his words (though this time with a pinch of salt), releasing the Lost Boy from his frozen state. He would be delayed now and she had plenty of time to find Henry and save his family without Pan catching up to her.

She wanted to trust him wholeheartedly, but she couldn't quite forgive him for everything yet. He had been kind to her too, the night she had told him of her illness he had broken her from an anxiety attack. Just recently he had allowed her to cry on his shoulder as he consoled her. But the bad did not outweigh the good and she wasn't ready to forgive just yet.

Using her power she searched for Henry's family. They were gathered on the trail leading to Echo Cave. Aria herself knew nothing of the area, but her heart told of its secrets. Echo Cave was the place to go where you revealed yourself, where to traverse it you would have to spill something so private you would be the only one to know it. Aria spent no time investigating why they were there and moved instantly.

At the opening of the cave, Aria could hear their voices from inside, bar one. Regina's. Easily the most dangerous of the group, Aria was wary that the fire-wielding Queen was nowhere to be seen and kept her guard up as she joined the others inside.

"What are you doing here?" David demanded to know, his blade pointed at Aria. Hook and Emma drew their swords and Mary-Margaret drew her bow.

"I'm here to repent. I learned something thanks to you," Aria apologised, looking to Hook as he had been the one to awaken her.

"The Heart of Neverland that you stole is within me. It's why I remember you stealing it. Because I have it. I didn't know until now, but Neverland is a part of me, it's why Pan can't hurt me. His power comes from the island, from me."

Aria waited for them to react negatively, force her to leave, bind her with magic but all four lowered their weapons. "Can you get across the cave for us?" Emma asked.

Aria looked over at the man in the cage and remembered something. The man had been a boy once. A Lost Boy.

"I can't override the Cave's order, but can offer you a secret to start the path. Though why Pan would imprison a former Lost Boy is beyond me," Aria explained.

The group looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to tell them her secret. She wanted to say that it was her love for Pan or that her heart was not her own but they were known by others now. She had only one secret left.

"I'm scared. Terrified. I have all this power, this heart inside of me and I'm still petrified. I fear of becoming a tyrant, but also fear that such a gift inside of me means I have something that I must live for and no longer an excuse to hate myself. Before I could reason I was worth nothing, but now I have to learn to love myself and I'm afraid it will be harder than it should be."

As she spoke her final words, the bridge began to grow, the structure forming the first steps across the cave. "That's... some secret love," Hook commented, a little concerned. Aria smiled a small reassuring grin to him. "It only accepts secrets which are deep and meaningful. You'll have to bare your heart as I did," she warned him. Hook nodded in understanding and the others waited for Hook to take his turn next, being the first to step up before Aria's arrival.

Aria knew they would feel more comfort from her not being there to hear their secrets and took herself out of the Cave. She would show her respect for them and allow them their privacy. When they came out, the former Lost Boy was with them, rescued from Pan's cage. He caught up with Aria after his reunion with the others. "I only heard rumours about the heart, but you really have it?" He wondered.