CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
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i. a monster, unhindered !

storybrooke maine .

— IN THE BLEAK AND UNEASY DARKNESS THAT SURROUNDED THEM, Winnie had no understanding of exactly how much time had passed when she came to, stifling a groan at the painful pounding that rattled her skull. With no sun, no stars, only the unforgiving stone of the tunnel above her head, she couldn't tell she had been out for mere moments, or much longer.

She pushed herself up from the ground, grit and gravel pressing themselves into her palms as she did so. She heard a pained sigh to her left as David regained consciousness, helping Mary Margaret up off the floor.

"We're alive!"

Winnie heard his voice in the same way a wave crashed against the sand of a beach. A low background roar amidst a bevy of other, more distinct sounds. She winced at the sudden volume of it, and the dull but persistent ache throbbing in her temples. She reached out to steady herself against the wall, her shoulder crying out when she moved too quickly, and she knew without a doubt that a bruise would blossom there within the crawling discomfort in no time.

Christopher was safe, though. He'd be no worse the wear. She'd taken the worst of the impact, and they'd saved the town from certain destruction. Winnifred Robin would endure every possible harm if it meant her boys were safe.

She vaguely registered the Charmings as they helped their daughter up from the floor, frantically checking her over, as Regina picked up the diamond. It posed no more threat to them, reduced to little more than a pretty trinket, and with a relieved smile, the mayor put it in her pocket.

"We did it," Emma breathed, an uncharacteristically bright smile tugging at her lips as she looked over at Winnie.

"Yes, we did," said Regina. She stumbled over towards her dear friend, reaching out to gently check over the split skin upon Winnie's head. "Are you alright?"

Winnie shot her a shaky smile, pushing up her scratched up glasses and brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen from her now incredibly messy space buns. "Oh, don't you worry about me, dear. I'm tougher than I look."

"Gotta hand it to Henry," David said with a laugh. "He's right about a lot of things."

"Yes he is," Emma murmured, her features softening at the mention of her son. "Isn't that right, kid?"

She glanced over her shoulder, where she'd assumed the boys would be, sticking close to one another as they usually did, but Emma was greeted with an eerie silence. She paused for a moment, a frown pulling at her lips. "Henry?"

It was at that moment that Winnie realised, in her foggy state of mind, that Christopher was nowhere to be found, either. Her hand reached out, grasping blindly at the space beside her, hoping she was wrong, hoping she was merely concussed, and that he really was there- but her fingers met nothing but cold, still air.

"Christopher?" Her voice trembled, quieter than she meant for it to be.

"Henry? Christopher?" Regina called out, dark eyes frantically searching every nook and cranny for the boys. The five of them spread out, wondering if the boys had gotten thrown further, if they were still unconscious just around the corner.

But Winnie had held him tight, had kept him safe. She knew that in her bones... He wasn't there.

"Christopher?" Winnie called out for son again, clinging desperately to the vain hope that he would still pop out at her, as if he were just playing a little game of hide and seek to make them laugh and ease their fried nerves.

It wasn't until Emma stopped in her tracks, kneeling down to inspect something, that Winnie allowed herself to truly panic.

The blonde turned to them, shining her flashlight on the discarded material she'd found. Winnie stared, unable to tear her eyes away from it. Fear slid down her spine, freezing cold and sharp as knives, driving into her lungs and making it hard to breathe. She felt as if she'd fallen through ice on a lake. She felt like she was drowning. Like she'd never take a safe, steady breath again. She had only just gotten him back.

Henry's backpack hung limply from Emma's grasp.

"They took the boys," Emma said gravely, her own eyes wide with panic.

"Who took them?" Winnie surged forward, the anger she had been keeping calm, keeping quiet, sprung forward in an instant. "Who took my son?"

storybrooke maine .

— IT HAD BEEN TOO LATE TO SAVE THEM. The group had made it to the docks just in time to watch Greg and Tamara, the suspicious strangers who'd tried to destroy Storybrooke, plunge through a swirling green portal in the harbour, forcing the boys along with their wrists tied as it sealed hopelessly behind them.

They had no more magic beans. No way to follow them. Winnie slumped against an overturned lobster crate, drawing her glasses from her face with her eyes fixed upon the endless horizon. A million thoughts raced through her mind, a million impossible solutions to this dreadful scenario, but not a single one was even distantly plausible.

Without a magic bean, there was simply no hope.

Winnie's shoulders shook with silent sobs. She'd lost her son to another realm again, and this time he was all alone. Before, he'd had Mary Margaret and Emma, and later other friends- such as Killian- all of whom she'd trusted to keep Christopher safe from harm.

Now, all he had was Henry. Though she knew the boy would do anything to ensure Christopher's safety, and she was certain Christopher would do the same for Henry, they were alone. In an unknown land. Kidnapped by two people with almost certainly wicked intentions.

It was almost too much to bear.

She felt David beside her, a soothing hand squeezing her shoulder. There was little else he could do to comfort the woman. Both his daughter and his dear friend had lost their children, he had lost his grandson, and his own heart bled with the futility of it all.

Vaguely, Winnie could register an argument sweeping the group, commandeered mostly by Regina and Emma.

"Without it, there's no way to follow!" Regina shouted hopelessly, her mind racing.

"There has to be," Emma countered desperately. "We can't just let them take Henry!"

"They've taken Henry?"

Mr Gold, limping slightly as he leaned on his cane, had entered into the conversation, with Belle on his arm. He furrowed his brow as he came up next to Winnie, silently gesturing her closer.

"Yeah, and Christopher." David spoke, watching warily as the man held a hand to Winnie's still bleeding forehead. "You're the Dark One. Do something."

"There's no way." Rumplestiltskin responded easily, observing as the split skin healed swiftly beneath his healing magic, fixing the cracked glass of the woman's spectacles for good measure, "I spent a lifetime trying to cross worlds to find my son. There's no way in this world without a portal."

"So that's it? They're gone forever?" Regina glanced at Winnie, looking apprehensive at the Dark One's casual show of kindness towards her friend. "I refuse to believe that."

Belle's gentle voice cut through the static in Winnie's mind as she squinted at the horizon, drawing everyone's attention. "What is that?"

Winnie's vision was blurred with tears, but she forced her eyes to focus on the small dot growing larger in the distance. Her heart gave a traitorous thud in her chest as that beautiful, disastrous emotion sang joyously within. Hope

"Hook." Emma's voice was thick with disdain as the Jolly Roger neared the harbour.

Minutes later, the ship was docked alongside them. Killian Jones strode down the gangway towards them, a devilish, disguising smirk tugging at his lips at the sight of his welcome. Though, his expression faltered at the sight of Winnie, all bloodshot eyes and blotchy, tear stained cheeks. His gut lurched uneasily, guilt clawing into his lungs.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Emma exclaimed, storming toward him, a hurricane of maternal angst.

"Emma." Winnie's watery voice was chiding as she shot her friend a disapproving look. She looked back at Killian, who met her gaze with a grateful smile.

"Helping." The man responded simply.

Emma scoffed at him, narrowing her eyes. He'd double-crossed them, stealing the last bean from under their noses, and now he had the gall to claim he was helping them? "Well, you're too late."

"Am I?" Killian looked at Emma, then Winnie, then cast his eyes further. A quick examination found the town to no longer be in mortal peril, or so it seemed. He reached for his belt as Emma continued her tirade against him.

"I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself." Emma's words were harsh, Winnie thought, and entirely undeserved. He might have stolen the bean, sure, but since his arrival in town, Killian had done nothing but demonstrate to her precisely how much he cared about other people. Herself and her son, in particular.

There were very few she would trust with the safety of her children. Her dearest friends, of course, had her complete faith- but then this stranger had appeared, and shown nothing but adoration for Christopher. Winnie could not quite understand why, but she knew with complete certainty that Killian would protect her son with his life, should the need arise.

That certainly wasn't behaviour that she would call uncaring.

Killian held out the small leather pouch he'd pulled from his belt. His eyes drifted to Winnie, his features softening at the edges. "Maybe I just needed reminding that I could."

It all moved rather quickly after that. Regina declared that they should get going, and after briefly explaining that Henry and Christopher had been kidnapped, Killian was more than willing to offer his ship and services to help track them down. His expression had darkened immeasurably at the news that Christopher was in danger, though it clarified Winnie's state in his mind.

Mr Gold volunteered his help to track the boys across the realms, now that they had a bean to do so. He assured them he was capable of locating the boys no matter where they ended up, and with that decided, they began to pile immediately onto the ship.

Winnie had taken only a single step up the gangplank before Emma held out a hand to stop her.

"Wh-what are you doing?" The blonde stuttered, her eyes wide as she looked Winnie up and down.

Winnie tilted her head, pushing up her glasses, entirely confused by Emma's question. "I'm coming with you."

"No." Emma shook her head firmly. "Absolutely not. It's not safe."

The mother bear clenched her jaw. She squared her shoulders, her usually soft expression growing hard and harsh at the edges. She could not stop it, not now, not with her son in danger- that monster lurking in the depths of her soul rose, unhindered, and sank its claws into her grieving heart.

Winnie was human. She was imperfect, and entirely susceptible to powerful emotions. And there was no emotion in the world more powerful than the anger of a bear who'd lost one of her cubs.

"Respectfully, Emma." Winnie's voice was hard, devoid of its usual warmth. Emma felt as though a frigid breeze had come in from the sea, and fought the urge to shiver. "You deliberately kept me in the dark, and now our children have been kidnapped. My son has been taken from me. You have no business telling me what I can and can't do."

"You don't even have your bow-" Emma tried, though she was interrupted by Mr Gold, who silently swept his hand out, as if offering something to the women. He conjured a familiar canvas bag, the strap dangling from his fingers.

Winnie accepted it with a grateful nod, appreciative that Rumplestiltskin seemed to encourage her presence, before he returned to his own devices. She hiked her bag over her shoulder and placed her free hand within on the stock of her crossbow, confirming that Emma had no further excuses.

"You're wasting time, Emma. I'm coming with you." The glare that Winnie shot her was so harsh, Emma feared it might cut her. The mother bear then turned to Killian, who'd stood a little further up the gangplank, watching their interactions with rapt attention. "Permission to board, Captain?"

It was his ship, after all, and she respected that authority. Though, as she spoke, Emma couldn't help but be made aware of a second implication. That Winnie would find a way, with or without their blessing. Nothing would stand between her and her son again.

Winnie had nothing to worry about though, as Killian offered her a grin that was sudden and dazzling. "Granted, Miss Robin. Welcome aboard."

Winnie softened a fraction, nodding slightly in his direction as a show of thanks. She turned back to the dock, where Belle was saying her final goodbyes to Mr Gold.

"I need you to tell the boys what happened." She said, her voice cracking over the words, her chest tight at the thought of leaving her other children here, though she knew it would be safer for them to stay. "I would go to them myself, but we've wasted enough time. Tell Denahi that I trust him to keep them all safe. If there's anything they need, they should go to Jefferson. He'll help."

Belle gave a solemn nod. "I'll tell them, I promise. They'll be fine here, I'll look out for them, too."

A sudden sob choked Winnie, but she swallowed it down. Her eyes shone with fresh tears. "Tell them I love them, and that I'm sorry. Tell them I'll be home as soon as I can, with Christopher, safe and sound."

"I will."

Fearing she would lose her nerve if she lingered any longer, Winnie thanked Belle, before retreating up the gangplank. She brushed impatiently at her tears, and pushed the thought of her boys to the back of her mind. They would be safe, and soon, so would Christopher. All would be well.

She would not lose anyone else.

When she arrived on deck, Killian limped over to her, catching her delicately by the arm. He leaned closer to her, smelling of salt, wind, and the faintest hint of rum, "Are you alright, Love?"

Winnie gave a resolute nod. "I will be, once I have my son back. Where are we going?"

Killian cast a glance over his shoulder, across the deck, to where Mr Gold was leaning critically over a blood-stained globe. When he looked back at Winnie, his features seemed overcome by pain and worry.

"Neverland."

author's note

aHHH neverland plot is FINALLY HERE i'm so excited y'all have no idea, i have lots in store for you guys- and ik Winnie is a lil unlike herself right now but that's because we're finally exploring her deep rooted anger, girlie has a lot of it if that wasn't made clear enough here akabsjdk

ANYWAY how have y'all been doing, whaddya think of the story so far? what are your thoughts on the characters? idk let's just chat, I miss you guys 💕

big big thanks again to my stunning faye for all their help with this update, she is a goddamn blessing so go show some love— -happyhaunt

okok I'll shut up now, thank you for sticking around, I love you all so much 💕💕