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Fatherly Instincts

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THE WHOLE TOWN WAS ON EDGE. Everyone was worried that the young girl that lied in the hospital room, suffering from memory loss, would never remember who she was or anyone of them. It was easy to the say that the fairytale town wouldn't be the same without Melody Mills. The girl was always the one who picked them all up when they felt down. No one felt the same without the bright and happy teen around. Ruby wasn't even the same.

She slowly cleaned the tables as she fought the tears. Ever since the curse had been cast, she and Melody had always had a close relationship, like sisters really. Without the girl, she didn't feel as happy anymore. And everyone else felt the same way.

---

Henry was walking the halls of the hospital to Melody's room when he caught sight of Pan outside the door against the wall. The immortal boy had his head on his knees as he looked down. His eyes were red and puffy, it clear to Henry that the immortal boy was crying all night. Felix wasn't there and Henry had remembered he saw the second in command getting some coffee for the boy, Emma helping him out since he'd never used one before.

The blonde was skeptical in trusting the two Neverland inhabitants, but she could see the way they looked at each other. And besides, Pan was Melody's father and Felix was there because he cared about Melody too. But he was also there to support Pan and help him through this.

Henry walked over to him and sat beside him.

"I'm surprised you're sitting next to me. After all, I did try and take your heart then proceeded to switch bodies with you and got you stuck in Pandora's Box," Pan pointed out, lifting his head to lay it against the wall.

Henry shrugged. "Yeah so? My mom hasn't done the best things either. Neither has my grandfather. And you're Melody's dad. You meant a lot to her."

Pan looked over at him, looking confused. "So we're good then?"

Henry nodded and stood up. "Everyone's having breakfast in the cafeteria. Why don't you come?"

Pan shook his head. "I'm not sure your family would like that very much."

"Well, that sucks seeing as your family."

Pan smirked and chuckled slightly. "I suppose you have a point."

He got up and followed Henry to the cafeteria.

"Melody will remember. She's not gone forever. Think positive. The heroes always win," Henry said positively.

Pan made a face. "Well I'm not actually a hero am I?"

"You'll get there. Even the evilest villain has some good in them."

Pan shook his head smiling. "You do give some pretty good advice, Henry."

Henry smiled. "Thanks! Mel used to give me a lot of positive advice. I'm just carrying it on."

He raised an eyebrow. "Mel?"

"It's Melody's nickname," Henry explained.

"Oh."

They reached the cafeteria and Henry led Pan over to the table where everyone was gathered. Felix was sitting and talking to Emma when they arrived and upon their arrival, he stood up and went over to Pan, sitting next to him. Mary Margaret smiled behind her cup of hot chocolate.

"What is he doing here?" Regina asked as Henry sat down next to Emma. Pan sat on the other side of Henry, with Felix at his side, them holding hands. Regina's eyes were red and puffy and it didn't take long for Pan to realize that she had cried all night too.

"I invited him," Henry replied nonchalantly.

"That was nice of you Henry," Mary Margaret complimented with a smile.

Regina glared at her but Mary Margaret ignored her.

"Yeah, I guess that was nice," Emma said unsurely.

Hook glared at Pan and Pan returned the glare.

"So we were going to get cinnamon rolls," David spoke up, breaking the tension.

"Cinnamon rolls sound good," Henry said nodding.

David got up and went over to the counter and ordered their food. Pan looked down at the table where his and Felix's intertwined hand was.

Last night was quiet between the two of them for the most part. Pan had started talking to him, apologizing again and how he was sorry he didn't tell him how he felt. Felix once again said not to apologize and said that they would talk about it after Melody got better. But it seemed like to two were already together, though it was unspoken by the both of them.

Pan sat quietly until he felt the burning gaze of someone. He clenched his teeth and looked at Hook with a glare.

"Is there a problem pirate?"

Hook smirked a took a swig of his rum. It seemed as though he was taking it hard too. The pirate had nearly gotten drunk to ease his pain when Emma came and stopped him. He cried and cried as the blonde held him. And never had Emma seen him so broken before.

"Not at all Pan. Say, did you know that Melody and I spent some time together in the Enchanted Forest? Oh yeah, we had this talk about you. Even though she knew you were her father."

Pan put on a smirk as well, to ease the pain. "Oh really?"

Everyone at the table exchanged fearful glances. This was not good. Felix squeezed Pan's hand as if to warn him not to get in a fight but Pan didn't acknowledge it.

"What did the two of you say about me?" Pan asked.

"Oh you know, I told her how you were a demon and how evil you were and such. She was upset, to say the least, she couldn't believe that the Peter Pan was evil. Her little kid dreams were crushed."

"Right so you telling her how terrible I am, crushing her kid dreams involves her laughing after you fell off a beanstalk." Hook's smirk dropped, surprise covering his face. Pan smirked even more. "Oh yeah. I heard the whole conversation. From you saying how much she reminded you of me to her snapping at you."

Hook slammed his hook down onto the table.

"Guys seriously? We're in a hospital because Melody helped save us all and the two of you are arguing?" Emma said in disbelief.

"It's what enemies do Savior," Pan snapped.

Emma shook her head. "We are all working towards a common goal here. Get Melody's memories back. Not going at each other's necks."

"I'd prefer the heart."

Hook glared at him fiercely. David walked over with the cinnamon rolls and drinks and everyone started eating. And there was a tenseness in the atmosphere.

For they were all suffering from the loss of Melody.

---

The teen sat up in her hospital bed, staring off into space. A doll sat not too far away from her and the girl was confused as to how it got there. But she didn't know that Gold had visited her last night, hoping to talk to her to only find her asleep. So he left the doll on the bed for her to find the next morning.

Her eyes focused on the doll and she felt a haziness in her head. It didn't hurt but it was uncomfortable. Then all of a sudden, a memory flashed through her mind.

A rumbling sound interrupted her gaze and she jumped up in surprise. She smiled slightly. She remembered something! The rumbling sound was coming from her stomach and she reached over and pressed the button that called her nurse.

Soon, a nurse came in and smiled at her. "Hello dear. Are you ready for your breakfast?"

"Yes, please."

"Would you like someone to accompany you?"

Melody thought for a moment. "There was a boy about my age with brown hair."

"Henry?"

"I don't know his name," Melody admitted sheepishly.

The nurse smiled kindly. "Of course, I'll go fetch him and let the chefs know that you are ready for your meal."

She left the room and Melody looked back over at the doll.

Finally, she remembered something.

---

The StoryBrooke gang had finished eating and were all getting ready to leave the cafe when Melody's nurse approached them.

"Sorry to interrupt but Melody would like Henry to accompany her for her breakfast," the nurse announced.

Henry smiled. "She remembers me?"

"I don't think so, honey. But she still would like you to join her."

"Oh, um, ok. Henry, you can go on. Regina and Pan are staying the night so when you're ready to go home just call," Emma said, giving her son a kiss on the head before following the rest of them out of the hospital

Henry followed the nurse to Melody's room and the three people left stood awkwardly.

Felix looked at Pan and sighed. "If you need me, don't be afraid to let me know. I'll be here."

Pan nodded gratefully, smiling. "Thank you, Felix."

The second in command then smiled at him and then left with the others. The two remaining people stood awkwardly before Pan finally went over and sat down on one of the couches in the entertainment room. Regina sighed and followed as well, sitting next to him.

But neither of them talked.

---

Henry knocked politely on Melody's hospital door, not wanting to scare the girl

"Come in," a voice called from inside.

Henry opened the door and walked in to see Melody looking to see who knocked. She saw Henry and smiled.

"Hi. You're Henry right?"

Henry smiled and nodded. "Yeah."

Although was disappointed that she didn't remember him, he could get her to remember something. He just had to figure out what.

"I hope you don't mind but, I didn't want to eat alone so I asked if you could join me," Melody said with a shy smile.

Henry pulled up a chair and sat next to her. "No, it's fine."

Melody nodded and took a bite of the eggs that was on her plate. "Can I ask you something?"

Henry looked over at her. "Sure."

"That doll," she said then pointed over to the straw doll on the table nearby. She looked back at Henry. "Is it from my past?"

Henry got up and grabbed the doll.

"A talisman," he realized.

Melody's nose scrunched up in confusion. "What?"

Henry turned to her. "N-nothing. The doll, your dad gave it to you and your brother."

"Where are they? My dad and my brother."

Henry went back and sat down again in the chair, forcing himself to lie. "I don't know."

Melody sighed and nodded. She continued to eat and Henry smiled as he thought of an idea to cheer her up.

"What's your favorite color?"

---

Regina checked the clock on the wall and saw it had been about an hour and a half since Henry went to Melody's room. She got up without a word and Pan looked at her.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To make sure Henry and Melody are ok," she replied coldly.

Pan got up and followed her as they walked to Melody's hospital room, not caring that the ex-queen didn't ask him to come with.

When they reached the door, they could hear talking and laughing. They exchanged a look of confusion and Pan opened the door. The talking and laughing ceased and Melody and Henry turned to see them.

"Hey mom," Henry greeted.

"Hi," Regina greeted as she and Pan entered the room. "It's getting late Henry. Emma's probably waiting for you at Mary Margaret's apartment, so say goodbye."

"Ok." Henry got up from the chair and turned to turned to the girl. "Bye Melody." He waved at her and Melody smiled and waved back.

"Bye Henry."

The two were surprised that Melody didn't freak out by him calling her by her name. but didn't say anything. Regina led Henry out and Pan walked over to the chair Henry had sat in.

"So," Pan started. He cleared his throat to rid of nerves. "What'd you and Henry talk about?"

The girl smiled. "He told me about what my life was like. How I really loved my dad and that I have an adopted mom."

Pan smiled and nodded. "Yeah. You really did love your dad."

Melody noticed the slightly sad expression on his face but didn't ask about it.

"I-I think I remembered something," she said suddenly.

Pan's eyes filled with hope. "Really? What about?"

"A doll. Henry told me that my dad gave it to me and my brother when I was younger."

"Do you remember what the dolls name was?"

Melody nodded. "Peter Pan I think it was. Just like the Disney movie."

Pan chuckled at the irony. "Well, it's getting late and I think you need some rest."

The immortal boy stood up and closed the blinds. He pulled the cart that had Melody's empty plate aside and went over to her bedside. Pan helped her adjust to a comfortable spot since she had a hard time and smiled at her.

Fatherly instincts.

"You don't mind if I sleep on the couch do you?" he asked.

Melody turned to him from where she laid and shook her head. "I was about to ask actually. I don't want to be by myself."

Pan smiled. "That's alright. I would've stayed anyway."

Melody smiled back at him and turned back on her side. Pan flicked off the light and went over to the couch, fixed the pillow, and grabbed a blanket from one of the cabinets. He lied down and shut his eyes, though he did not find sleep.

A few minutes passed, an hour passed, two hours passed. And he still hadn't fallen asleep.

Pan heard a shuffle from Melody's bed and saw her moving around. She was mumbling. He got up and walked over to her. Once he reached her bedside, he shook her gently.

"Melody. Melody, princess, wake up," he whispered softly.

Melody gasped as she woke up. Tears streamed down her face and she looked at him.

"P-pan?"

"Hey, it's ok. Shh," he said as he gently brought her head into his chest.

She cried and he rubbed her back as she sobbed. Melody tried so hard to push the memory out of her head, the memory of when her father left her. The tears slowed and Pan continued to rub her back comfortingly. She pulled away and looked at him.

"Can you...can you stay right here with me?"

Pan nodded and went over to the couch and grabbed his pillow and blanket. He went over back to Melody and help her scoot over so he could fit. Melody laid her head on his chest when he laid down beside her and one of her hands grabbed his shirt as she fell asleep once more.

The immortal boy smiled sadly at her and closed his eyes as sleep overcame him.

Hope. He could only have hope.

---

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