A/N: This is my second fan fic here. Please excuse any and all errors. Please review. I own nothing. Again this is for my own entertainment.

Summary: Slight A/U. Begins pre curse and runs through the original curse. Jefferson met Tiger Lily on a trip to Neverland. Their lives become entwined but then they separate when Jefferson gives up portal jumping. They meet again in Storybrook, but will Tiger Lily, now named Star ever remember him? Will he ever find out how or why she's even in Storybrook?

8 Months Pre Curse

Jefferson got what he came to Neverland for and just as he was going to go back through his door hidden behind the brush, his arm was grabbed by a petite hand. "You've got to go help her! Please." He turned to see Tinkerbell, small as she was holding, his arm firmly.

"Help who? Sorry, but the only person I help is me and you're halting me from my departure." He asked stopping his exit from this dark, not just literally, land.

"You know who!", Tinkerbelle said exasperated, "Tiger Lily! Felix got her." Tinkerbell pleaded as she tries to pull him back.

This causes him to stop immediately. "How? I just saw her. Where does he have her?"

Tinkerbell motions for him to follow her. His exit forgotten, he rushes to follow her. Running through the jungle he recalls the black haired beauty he first met 2 years ago.

She was running free through the open field, oblivious, or simply not caring about the multiple dangers that lurked in Neverland. He prided himself on being a professional at locating and procuring items, but this time he did find himself lost. She saw him and smiled. A pure smile of innocence. "Hello." she said as she walked over to him. "You are not from here. I would remember you."

He smiled, trying to get her to guide him without actually having to ask and reveal that he needed assistance. "Now what would make you say that?" He asked flashing a grin.

"Your clothing for one." She said. "Where do you come from?" She curiously asked.

"Here and there." Jefferson says noncommittally. "I came to see what this land was like. I was hoping to map the area. I consider myself an amateur cartographer. Care to give me the grand tour of your land?"

She smiled eagerly. She showed him her land where the natives camped in their tents and camp fires. She explained the general customs of their land. She saddened when she told him how her tribe was diminishing. The Lost Boys were free to do what ever they wanted and sometimes that included them venturing off on to her people's land. She cheered up when she showed him some of the more beautiful spots, although he was sure they would have displayed much more beauty in day light but the darkness had prevailed for most of her life. She showed him the river where her people would fish. He wasn't one to ever really enjoy the physical tasks of fishing especially with out a pole, but she made it fun. Everything she showed him was through eyes that saw beauty in a dark place.

"So, my tour guide." Jefferson told her as he sat on a rock by the river, plucking flowers nearby. It was nice to just relax and be. He didn't have to convince anyone of anything. He wasn't running a con. He wasn't evading nor committing thievery. "You've shown me a sizeable amount of this land. I know how your people fish and weave and your appreciation of the land yet I do not know your name."

She smiled. She did that a lot and it definitely was not a difficult sight for the eyes to behold. Her dark eyes would dance around as she excited talked about things held so dear to her. "It's Tiger Lily"

"What an interesting name. Were you born with it or do you earn it some how?" Jefferson inquired as he twirled a white flower in his hand.

"When a child is born, it is given a name by the tribe, but as soon as something significant happens, I suppose you can say the name is earned or given. Mine is due to, what my father says is, my stubborn bravery, like the Tiger combined with the soft beauty of the lily." Tiger Lily explained.

"Like a lily pad? The green things frogs jump on?" Jefferson asked.

Tiger Lily laughed. "No silly. That white flower you twirl in your fingers? That's a lily."

Jefferson looked at the flower amusedly. "Well! I'm definitely not one to ever be confused with a gardener. I supposed I'm learning a variety of things today. Your name suits you well. It was lovely to meet you Tiger Lily." Jefferson said as he held out his hand, "I'm Jefferson. No significance to it, no tribe gave it to me, just my mother."

She reached out to shake his hand, "Very nice to meet you too, Jefferson."

He actually did map of some parts of Neverland especially her tribe's area. He did find what he was looking for, with her help of course. But he would never admit, he enjoyed the tour much more than the joy he usually felt when he found whatever item he was sent to find. And at that time, he would also never admit, that day spent with her soothed the ache in his heart that he felt after his wife died the year earlier. And he would never ever admit he had a lily dried between the pages of a book in his satchel.