Second Star To The Right

Chapter 4

Rumplestiltskin followed Belle as she led him through the forest to a cliff.

“So do you know why you brought me to the island?” asked Belle.

“I thought you were gonna show me the answer.” Rumplestiltskin said as he turned to face her.

“No, only you know that.”

“I’ve already told you.” He sighed.

“No, you haven’t.” She argued.

“I have no idea.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No.”

“You are holding back.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“Belle.”

“What is it you’re not saying?” She asked.

“I’m a coward.” He said quietly, “I’m just like my father.”

“You feel better now, don’t you? You know why I’m here.”

“You always saw the good in me.”

“I still do.” Belle chuckled, “And as much as you deny it, I think you see it, too.”

Rumplestiltskin stared at her.

“So why am I here? What are you wrestling with?” She asked.

“Pan offered me a deal. I let him keep Henry, and he allows me to live. The boy needn’t be my undoing.”

“And you’re afraid you’ll make a selfish choice.”

“I generally do.”

“You abandoned your son Baelfire and regretted it your whole life. You don’t need to do the same to Henry.” Belle said as she grabbed his hands. “Letting go of the past -- it’s the first step.”

“You know this is the last thing my father gave me.” He said looking at the doll.

“And what happened to him?”

“He left me.”

“If you don’t want to repeat the mistakes he made, you need to let go.” Belle said before she walked away. Rumplestiltskin looked at the doll for a moment longer before he dropped it off the cliff into the rushing waters.

~~~

“Ready to thank me?” asked Regina.

“Actually, yeah.” Emma said.

“If you’d let me do it sooner, maybe we’d have found him by now.” Regina lifted her hand to stop the map from going any farther, “Wait. He’s there. Pan. I can feel his smugness.”

David walked forward and unsheathed his sword as he stared ahead.

“Shall we? While we still have the element of surprise on our side?” He asked before he surged forward and Regina followed.

“Careful. He may look like a boy, but he’s a bloody demon.” Hook warned before he followed after them leaving Mary Margret and Emma behind.

“Hey. We can do this. You can do this.” Mary Margret said.

They walked forward and caught up with the group, they walked for a little while before Mary Marget spoke up.

“No one’s here. Maybe your spell was wrong, Regina.”

“Yes. Blame me. . . again.” sneered Regina as she looked back at her. 

“Guys. . . hold on.” Emma said as she walked forward into the camp more. “Is that. . . Henry!” The boy turned around to reveal Pan with a smug grin.