𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋 ★ 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 ⁷

•Chapter 19: Operation Save Swan•

A small groan escapes me as I slowly open my eyes to find a bright light shining down on me. My hand lifts up to block the sun's rays before I look around to find myself in the middle of a clearing with trees surrounding me. My heart races as my instincts kick in before I jump to my feet and prepare myself for any sign of Pan and his minions. Memories of my time on that nightmare island fill my head while my breathing quickens just as the sound of a branch snapping fills the air. Without thinking twice, I sprint to the nearest tree and climb it as fast as I can before sitting on one of the branches, completely hidden by a clump of leaves.

Just as I settle onto the branch, two men come out from a group of trees before stopping in the middle of the clearing. After the two talk for a moment, they sit down on a fallen log before taking out canteens and looking around at the scene that surrounds them. As I watch them act as though they didn't have a care in the world, my heartbeat returns to a normal place while my mind finally registers that I'm not back in Neverland, I'm in the forest right outside of Storybrooke.

A relieved sigh passes over my lips as I try to comprehend everything that happened and where everyone disappeared to. Just as I'm about to head back in the direction of Storybrooke, my whole body freezes when I remember the one person who was never affected by the curse and the one who was always stuck with me and left behind. Henry was out there, probably on his own, and I need to find him.

When my feet return to the ground, I dash into the surrounding trees to avoid conversation with the hikers before heading in the direction of the town I've called home for the last few years, hoping that the curse didn't destroy it.

After running through the trees and jumping over various logs that are in my path, I finally reach the toll bridge that leads into the heart of Storybrooke. A breath passes over my lips as I slowly cross the bridge then walk down one of the roads that leads to Main Street. As I walk along the sidewalk, familiar faces pass by me, only to give me a look like they've never seen me before in their lives. My feet continue to take me down the path as my eyes scan the passerby to see if any of them are friends or family, only to come up short every time. 

Just as I walk around another corner, my eyes land on a familiar boy dressed in a long overcoat with a striped scarf around his neck. My feet move before I tell them to as I sprint in the direction of my nephew, silently praying that he recognizes me.

"Everly?" I hear Henry question when I get closer to him, causing a smile to form on my face before I pull him into a tight hug, "I only remember one other time I was this happy to see you."

"Same here, Hen. And I was really hoping we wouldn't be in this kinda situation again," I respond as I end out embrace while keeping my hands on his shoulders, "have you found anyone else?"

"Just my mom, uh, Emma, but she isn't herself. She doesn't remember anything," Henry responds then lets out a sigh before a small smile forms on his face as his brown eyes look up to meet my blue ones, "care to join me for Operation Save Swan?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

★★★

After Henry fills me in on everything that happened from when he woke up to when he first saw Emma, the two of us make our way back to the rehabilitation center she's in. For some reason, I'm not surprised that the Black Fairy's curse made Emma believe she's some sort of crazy person. If anyone outside of Storybrooke heard about half the stuff I've been through, I'd probably end up in someplace like this.

Once we enter the plain-looking building, we sneak past all the workers while acting as if we belong there before the brunette boy comes to a stop in front of one of the doors. While I stand lookout just in case we're spotted, Henry swipes the card I stole from Archie through the reader next to the door before a buzzing sound fills the air, signaling the unlocking of the door. My eyes scan the halls one last time before the two of us push the door open and enter the room.