Alice in Never Land : Prologue

"Don't you dare pull out of that harbor again without me, Hook!"

The sky was gloomy after Henry's departure for Never Land and the Atlantic Ocean chopped furiously against the antiquated pirate ship floating in its water. All heads aboard the Jolly Roger whipped in the direction of the shouting figure jogging down the boardwalk.

"We don't have time for this," Emma said under her breath, not relishing another pause after Rumpelstiltskin's dramatic goodbye to Belle.

From the wheel, Hook rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue, "the more the merrier."

The girl boarded the ship promptly before its exodus of the port; she paused to catch her breath. She hadn't had much of a plan in mind when she chased down the Jolly Roger, but of course she rarely did plan such adventures.

"What could you possibly want to go to Never Land for, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin asked skeptically while the others gathered round to stare at the intruder.

"To get to Never Land, of course."

Regina snapped irritably at young girl, probably just seventeen or eighteen years of age, "I don' t know what you think this is but this is certainly not a leisure cruise. My son has been kidnapped and we do not need you, girl, getting in the way of finding him!"

"Relax, Queen. This isn't her first portal. Isn't that right, Alice?" Hook gave the foreigner a wicked, knowing grin.

Alice brushed stray strands of coffee colored hair from her face while plotting the best course for combatting Regina in her mind, "as a matter of fact, I have a bit of experience with travelling amongst the realms." Regina opened her mouth to argue more but Alice straightened her posture and continued addressing the Evil Queen with more confidence, "Captain Hook has long owed me passage on this ship, so I'm afraid—with all do respect your majesty—that you have no authority here. I am going to Never Land whether you prefer it or not."

As foamy water rushed beneath the boat it seemed that our dear protagonist gained the support of the crew after standing up to Regina, "well what are we waiting for, Hook? We have a portal to open!" Charming cried. The passengers scurried to their positions on ship, with the exception of the awestruck queen, Rumpelstiltskin, and Emma, who sent Alice a warning look before taking the bean to Hook.

Rumpelstiltskin braced the girls' shoulder before turning to Regina, "and now perhaps you now may see why I took young Ellie under my wing, can't you? It seems my apprentices share a certain…oh, let's say gritty tenacity for getting their way."

Regina stormed away with in a huff. "I hope you know what you're doing Alice," Rumpelstiltskin chuckled darkly, "for your own sake of course."

And as the Jolly Rodger sailed at full mast into the swirling vortex of azure ocean, Alice gripped the wall of the ship and for a moment so ephemeral, that to blink would to be blinded, she genuinely smiled for the first time since the magic beans had been planted.

Alice had freed herself, from herself.

May you, dear readers, see with not only your eyes but with your hearts, that Alice was a girl in charge of her own destiny. She was the keeper of her heart, the creator of her dreams, the protector of her spirit, and while Emma may have been the savior of Storybrooke, Alice was in fact her own heroine. Not to suggest that Emma is anything but our beloved rescuer, but Alice is the protagonist of this story, for this is not the tale of Emma Swan but the tale of Alice in Never Land. And Alice she shall be.