AN: I recently posted the idea of it on Twitter and some of you really seemed to like it so I decided to start writing this.
I'll give you this little first chapter now and I plan on making this into a short multichapter. As of now don't really want to strech it too far but we'll see how it goes.
Hope you like it. Let me know, please.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

Summary: What if Robin's soul wasn't obliterated but just kind of stuck somewhere else?..


Chapter One: Blue? Are You Sure?

It's been a week since they had buried him. A week since she had tried to crush the heart of the Evil Queen. A week since Roland and the Merry Men went back to the Enchanted Forest.
A week since everything had changed.

But she couldn't seem to let Robin go entirely and more often than not had she found herself here in front of the headstone marking his final resting place.
It was the first time though that apparently she hadn't been alone, "what do you want Rumple?", she asked not even turning around.

"Are you sure the light was blue?", he asked her ignoring her annoyed tone.

"Yes", Regina muttered, "how do you even know about that?". She hadn't even told anyone about that. Anyone aside ..

"Henry", he just said, "and I'm asking because it shouldn't have been blue."

She turned around then not saying anything just staring at him until he kept on talking, "you're soulmates. And he died for you whilst you were present. It should've been green. Not blue. So are you certain?"

Of course she was certain. How dare he ask her that. Her soulmate had died in front of her. No matter what she'd never get that image out of her mind.
Rumple didn't need her answer. He could read it on her face, "did Hades say anything else?", he asked her then. Not having talked to her since that fateful night.

He had meant what he had told Regina back then when 'Marian' and Robin had crossed the town line. He wanted her to be happy. He knew how much everyone including him (to a great deal) had screwed her over in the past. And he did regret that.

"He said that he didn't want to kill me but to end me right before Robin jumped in front of me and
saved me", she eventually said.

"That's interesting", he said giving himself a moment more to think and to be sure.

"How so?", Regina asked.

"Well dearie, if he wanted to 'end' you he wouldn't have just killed you. Killing someone wouldn't really end them. I mean the Underworld under Hades might've been a nasty place to be but he was here then therefore there wasn't much to worry about. So killing you wouldn't have ended you. That would've just obliterated you. But you wouldn't have noticed. You wouldn't have suffered from that."

"So you're saying Robin isn't dead?"

"I'm saying that it's likely possible that he isn't dead. Yes. Or well at least hasn't fully moved on even though he may not have unfinished business..", Rumple stopped his own rambling realising exactly what they had been missing.

God it had been so easy.

"What is it?", Regina asked as she could see him thinking.

"There's something my father once told me. Or well more like I overheard him say it."

Felix: You never cease to amaze me, Peter. Outwitting the Evil Queen in less than a day. It's impressive.
Pan: She loves the boy. That makes her weak. This is it. This is where we'll cast it. The ingredients?
Felix: When it's done, will they all be dead?
Pan: Of course. They will be slaves to this new land we're making with no idea who they once were. Death is final, Felix. Their suffering will be eternal.

"Basically he said that death is final. But casting his curse and making everyone his slave would be eternal suffering for all of us .."

"So you're saying Neverland", Regina asked only half realising what Rumple was saying.

"Think about it. The island has been abandoned now for a while. No one would look for anyone there as it's still supposed to be 'haunted'. And it lacks communication and transportation ... and it's also where you'd almost met Robin"

"Huh?"

"Neal got to Neverland by using Roland as bait. If that plan had had failed well you'd likely have met Robin there... "

"So what are you saying with all that?", Regina asked.

"All I'm saying is that it couldn't hurt to check out Neverland, could it?"

"You really think that Robin might be there?"

"I wouldn't have said so if I didn't. I don't know in which form he might be there though. I've tried to get as much information about the crystal as possible but that isn't easy. All I know is that Hades loved punishing people. And I'm sure he wouldn't have just killed you."

"So how are we going to get to Neverland?", Regina asked trying not to be hopeful in case this didn't turn out as Rumple had said.

"Meet me at my shop tonight. I think I might have an idea about that."


A week ago.

Robin could feel how he was pulled into something. He wanted to touch Regina, to hold her, to tell her that she would make it out there alive and that was all he wanted for her. He wanted to tell her to take care of 'their' kids. Wanted to tell her that he wished he could've stayed longer.
He wanted to tell her so much. Wanted to stay, to be there, seeing the kids grow up and getting old by Regina's side. But Hades took that away from him. Them.
He wanted to tell Regina that he loved her, wanted to show her. Wished he had done that more in the past but he couldn't change it now.
He felt himself getting weaker as he saw more tears appearing on her face. He wished he wasn't the reason she was crying right now but he was.

And then he didn't feel anything for some time. It was as if he had just blacked out. Maybe he had. He didn't know.
All he knew was that he was apparently somewhere sandy.
He opened his eyes and saw that indeed he was lying on a beach. He turned his head to the side and saw palm trees next to him and an ocean on the other side.
Was this how the afterlife looked like?

He was definitley not in the Underworld. That was for sure. But didn't Hades say the crystal would 'end' him?
Wasn't he supposed to feel nothing then? To not be anymore?
Robin tried to sit up then and noticed that his body appeared to be glowing blue.
Suddenly he heard some bushes ruffling not too far away from him and he got up.

„Robin?", he heard someone calling then, „Robin is that you, mate?"

He turned around and saw Neal. The man glowing some lightly orange colour, „Neal?"

„What are you doing here, Robin?", Neal asked walking closer to him.

„I protected Regina from Hades as he wanted to 'end' her with some kind of crystal and well that was about five minutes ago."

Neal gasped, „So you're? Dead?"

„I guess I am", Robin said.

„But this is impossible. You wouldn't be here if you where dead. I mean -"

„What do you mean? I mean you're dead too, you're here. Where are we by the way?", Robin asked.

„I was just on my way back from a task I got to do. Let's say Zeus is a nice man. But you can't just sit on your lazy butt all day so even in the afterlife everyone has to do something.
And now that no one has been in Neverland ever since we all escaped with Pan from here, well my job is to come by every week and see if things are all right here."

„So Neverland?", Robin asked Neal.

„Yeah, Neverland. But you don't seem like you belong here."

„What do you mean?", Robin asked.

„You have this blue touch to your soul. Which usually means your time isn't up yet, you know, you shouldn't be here. It also means I can't take you anywhere."

„So I'm stuck here?", Robin asked.

„Appears so", Neal said, „I will however ask Zeus about this later. I'll have to report to him about the island anyway. Don't worry, we'll figure this out."

„Don't worry? I just left my soulmate alone with two and half children facing the God of the Underworld on her own", Robin said angrily.

„I'm so sorry", Neal said.

„It's not your fault. I just wish things would be different. I wish I had had more time to protect them and see them grow up."

„I know what you mean", Neal said.

Robin smiled then, „Henry is a wonderful boy. He loves to read and write. David tried to teach him how to drive. And he quite recently found himself a girl."

„Thank you for sharing", Neal said, „Emma told me a bit about him recently when I briefly met her in the Underworld. So a girlfriend, you say?"

Robin nodded, „Violet. They met in Camelot and she came to Storybrooke then. One day Henry asked me for some courting advice."

Neal smiled, „I'm glad he asked you and not the pirate. What did you tell my son if I may ask?"

Robin smiled, „I told him to be truthful, to ask her about herself and to listen to her. Also to respect her and be kind. Basically I just reminded him of it because he's a great kid. He already knew that. Then I helped him to arrange a nice dinner for the two of them at Granny's."

Neal chuckled, „what did Regina say? Did she rip your head off?"

Robin smirked, „uh almost. But I have my ways. Also she realised that Henry was about the same age as she was when she met her first boyfriend."

„So you and Regina are soulmates?", Neal asked then, „I still can't believe it."

Robin nodded.

„I mean it's just so weird. Snow White's stepmother and Robin Hood. Have you seen the movies?"

Robin chuckled, „oh yeah, one night Snow offered to take the boys so Regina and me sat down and decided to watch them. Because up to that point we hadn't. And well we had a good laugh and for one reason or another I never actually got to see the end of Snow White."

„Please don't tell me the details", Neal chuckled, smiling.

„How did Roland settle in the new land?", he asked then.

„Oh he loves it. All the toys there are. Especially all of Henry's superhero things. He loves the stories too. And he really likes ice cream."

Neal smiled, „oh yeah ice cream. I'm sorry man, but it looks like I have to go."

A white light appeared not too far away from them, „but I promise I'll be back as soon as possible."

Robin then watched Neal step into the light and soon after he vanished within it.