Chapter 1

Inky dark water lapped at the hull of the ship, furled white sails rustled against their ties, the material lifted apart by an inquisitive wind only to fall together again as the icy breeze died away. Standing at the bow of the Jolly Rodger, Regina shivered, drawing her dark coat closer to her body. Her dark eyes traced the line of the shore that Hook was steadily steering them towards, fear and desperation coursing through her veins with every beat of her heart. Somewhere in that dark, never ending wasteland was Henry. He was alone, and probably afraid, and right now he was the only reason she was still standing. After enduring hours of torture, followed by hours of throwing every inch of her magic at the failsafe to keep it from destroying the town, Regina was steadily starting to take strain. Her magic felt weak and thready, her body ached everywhere, and the little marks of burned skin where the electrodes had been placed still stung like a bitch. She needed rest – but rest wouldn't come until her son was safe. She lifted her hand as the shore grew ever closer, purple magic spluttering from her fingertips, much like the last droplets of water being squeezed out a bottle. She turned her head to watch as her magic took effect, wrapping around the ship and silencing every tiny tell-tale noise that might alert someone on the shore to their coming. The night was dark enough that they should not be easily visible – so she didn't bother with an invisibility spell. She wasn't sure she had the strength to cast one.

"You should have let Rumplestiltskin do that," a voice said. She flinched in surprise, turning towards Charming as he came to stand beside her. "Sorry," he added, his brows furrowing with worry as he stared at her.

"Keep your voice down," she advised him, speaking in just above a murmur. He nodded his head.

"You alright?" he asked, reaching out to her. She stiffened as his hand found her arm, gentle fingers caressing the bend of her elbow. It was the second time he had reached out to touch her, and she found herself as unprepared for the small gesture of kindness as she had been the first time. Her chestnut eyes flitted back towards land and she nodded, her throat moving up and down as she swallowed.

"Fine," she whispered.

"You should stay on the ship," he said quietly. "You've been through a lot in the past several hours. You need rest."

She made a soft sound of amusement, air huffing through her nose as she shook her head. "You really think I could rest knowing that my son is out there? I'm not staying behind."

"You're shaking," David said, his hand ceasing its light caress of her arm as his fingers curled around to hold onto her forearm.

"It's cold," she mumbled, unable to stop herself from again glancing down at the contact. What on earth was going through his head? She decided to sacrifice herself for his family and suddenly he wanted to touch her? She couldn't understand it.

"Regina…"

She lifted her head again, her eyes widening slightly as he moved closer. His blue eyes shifted between each of hers, filled with a gentleness she had never expected to see in him again. David Nolan had looked at her that way before, like he truly cared for her, like she mattered… But Prince Charming never had.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

Her brows dipped slightly and she gave the barest shake of her head. "For what?"

"For this."

As he spoke he lifted his other hand, the hand she hadn't even noticed whilst she was concentrating on him touching her arm, revealing a small rag in his palm. She flinched backwards as he pressed it to her face, her eyes widening in terror, a small whimper of fear escaping her as she breathed in the potion splashed onto the rough cloth.

"Shh," David hushed her, the hand that had been holding her arm moving around her waist as she fell against him. "I'm sorry. I've got you, you're safe. I'm sorry."

Her head fell limply against his chest, her eyes already fluttering weakly as he pulled the cloth away.

What was he doing? What was this? Had they decided to kill her after all, after everything that had happened? Why?

"I'm sorry," David whispered again, before everything went dark.

As the sorceress went limp against him, David shifted his grip on her so that he could scoop her up into his arms. For a moment he stood still, staring down at the dark head resting against his chest, feeling guilt and worry pick at him.

You had to do it, he told himself firmly. Regina was still fragile from everything that had happened, too fragile to allow her to come to shore with them and risk her being killed whilst they went after Henry. He would never have been able to convince her to stay willingly, so the sleeping potion he had gotten from Gold had proven to be the next best thing.

For a brief moment, he closed his eyes, remembering the stricken fear in her eyes as he had pressed the rag against her face. After being kidnapped and tortured less than twenty four hours ago, he could only imagine how terrified she must have felt to be drugged by him. In that moment, as her eyes had gone wide and that pitiful sound of fear had escaped her, he'd felt like a monster.

"You got her?" Mary-Margret's voice called, snapping him out of his thoughts. He opened his eyes, staring across at his wife as she walked the wooden deck towards him. He nodded his head, walking forwards.

"She's going to be furious when she wakes up," he commented, wincing a little as he walked past Snow and towards the trapdoor leading below deck.

"Well with any luck by the time she does we'll have Henry back," Snow responded. "He always seems to calm her down – we'll leave it up to him."

David nodded his head as he carefully carried Regina down the steps, feeling encouraged by the confidence in Snow's voice. They were going to get Henry back. Things always worked out in the end. Good would prevail. He took Regina to one of the empty cabins, setting her down gently upon a small wooden bed set against one side of the room. She gave a sleepy murmur as he moved to tug her boots off, before gently covering her with a blanket.

"Rest up, okay?" he whispered, gently brushing an errant ebony-brown curl of silky hair away from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. "When you wake up, we'll have Henry with us," he promised.

And then they would have to figure out how the hell to get back. Without a second bean, they were effectively trapped in Neverland.

"One thing at a time," he murmured to himself. With a last glance at Regina to ensure she was still slumbering peacefully, he left the room, closing the door to the cabin behind him.

Hook was tossing down an anchor when he clambered back on deck. Emma, Snow and Gold all stood a little away from the pirate, staring out to the shore. Emma glanced over at him as he approached.

"Regina asleep?" she asked.

David nodded his head. "Out like a light. How long will that potion last?" he added, turning to Rumplestiltskin.

"Twelve hours," the imp said. "More than enough time for the queen to regain her strength."

"And for us to get Henry back," Emma nodded. She gestured towards the short stretch of water separating them from the shore as Killian moved towards them. "What's with the anchor? We haven't landed yet."

"Yes, well I'm not running my ship aground just so you don't get your feet wet, princess," Hook responded. "We'll take a rowboat to shore."

"I have a better idea," Gold said, lifting one hand from the cane he was leaning upon. Purple smoke surrounded them all and David blinked, waving the air in front of him as it started to clear. When he opened his eyes, they were standing on a rocky stretch of beach. He turned, disorientated, towards the water lapping quietly to his right, his blue eyes barely able to make out the shadowy form of the Jolly Rodger waiting in the bay.

"What if someone finds the ship?" David pointed out worriedly.

"Regina's helpless," Snow added, following his gaze.

Sighing, Gold waved his hand again, and the ship disappeared from sight.

"There," he nodded, turning away from the sea and towards the thick stretch of jungle that loomed darkly to their left. "The ship is safe. Now let's go."

"We're going in there?" Killian groaned, following a pace behind the rest of the group as they all turned towards the trees. "How do we even know where Henry is? Shouldn't we have a plan?"

"I have a plan," Emma nodded her head. "We scour every inch of this place until we find my son."

"A real strategizer your daughter is," Killian muttered, coming to walk at David's side. David ignored them all, intently focused upon the mass of tangled flora that they were steadily approaching. The gloom between the trees fell over them like a blanket as they carefully picked their way through the outskirts of jungle. It wasn't long before they were forced to knock aside heavy palm leaves and creeper from their path.

"This way," Hook muttered, taking the lead. "If we're going to go anywhere, we should head towards the Lost Boy's fortress."

"You know where that is?" Snow asked, picking her way easily along behind him.

"I spent quite some time in Neverland," the pirate said idly. "You learn a few things eventually."

There was a muttered curse from behind them as Emma tripped over a root. David turned in time to see her stumble forwards, catching her balance before she could go sprawling completely. He offered her his hand, giving his daughter an apologetic smile. It wasn't hard to see that she was already completely out of her element with all this. She waved his hand away and then swiped her hand at a gnat that was buzzing around her head, her lips curling in annoyance as it flew away unharmed.

"I'm fine. Let's just keep going."

Nodding, he turned back to the pathway that Gold was forging with sparks of purple magic, causing the plants ahead of them to shrivel and die.

"Someone's bound to notice that," Killian muttered, gesturing to the singing tunnel through the green overgrowth.

"Let's hope we're done here by the time that happens," Gold returned grimly. "Come on."

David followed after them, carefully picking his way through the ashes left behind in Rumplestiltskin's wake. They hadn't been walking long before a piercing, long wail echoed through the night. The hairs on the back of his neck stood to attention and as one the five of them froze in their tracks, their heads swivelling back and forth as they futilely tried to search the inky dark forest surrounding them for the source of the scream. Seconds passed, and the echoes of the cry died to nothing, leaving only the sounds of their own breaths in the stillness.

"Does anyone know…?" Emma started in a whisper, only to be cut off abruptly by the beginnings of another cry, much closer this time. The scream seemed to last forever, so loud it left his ears ringing when it was through.

There's more of them, David thought, his heart racing in his chest. His hand moved instinctively, his fingers curling around the butt of his gun even as he wished it was the pommel of a blade. He was better suited to the weapons of his world than of earth.

The silence stretched on, and they all stared at one another in anticipation, counting the moments that passed without another scream to shatter the night.

"We should keep moving," Gold muttered. He started to turn, and suddenly the bushes to their left began to rustle and shake, and another ear piercing scream ripped through the silence, coming from right beside them.

"Run!" Snow screamed, bolting forwards. Panic seizing all of them, they followed her command blindly, each of them plunging into the overgrown forest. For only a few moments, David could make out the sound of the others running somewhere nearby – their heavy footfalls, their panting breaths, the swish and snap of foliage parting as they blundered through the overgrowth of green… and then… nothing. He could only hear the noises of his own escape. Another scream echoed over the jungle, this one more distant, but it only served to make him run faster. Those screams had shattered his nerves and turned his insides to jelly. Those screams turned him from a fairy-tail hero into a panicked mess stumbling blindly for escape. Those screams promised a fate worse than death should they find him. So he ran harder, sweat breaking out on his brow as he sprinted through foliage, palm leaves slapping him as he passed, thorny creepers tearing at his skin, leaving stinging scratches in their wake. He couldn't see a thing. The foliage overhead had obliterated the night sky, leaving only blackness. His foot caught against something and he stumbled, and then suddenly he was tumbling head forwards, being lifted into the air by a rope that had tightened around his ankle.

"No!" he screamed, panic overtaking him as he writhed futilely, trying to reach the rope that held him captive. His body swung wildly, heavy leaves smacking against his skin as he swayed into them. Another scream. Then another. Each one far away, each one sounding from different ends of the forest.

They're not here, he thought desperately. Just calm down. You're okay. You're safe. You're safe.

Was it possible to throw up while upside down? He felt certain he was going to soon find out. He took slow, controlled breaths, trying to force his body back into a semblance of calm.

Where are the others? he wondered fearfully.

"Please," he whispered aloud. "Let them be safe."

He closed his eyes and tried not to wonder when his captors would come for him.