vi. the girl who forgot

━ ❝ nothing can break true love ❞

━━━━★✼☆｡━━━━

IT WAS THE third outsider they had in such a short amount of time. Greg, Tamara, and now this girl who couldn't have been more than eighteen or nineteen years old. With Regina missing, Belle becoming Lacy, and two other outsiders in town, StoryBrooke was a wreck. Emma wasn't even sure that that was a good enough word for it. She was so desperate to prove that Tamara was responsible for Regina's disappearance, to prove that Neal's fiancee was not who she said she was. Everything was in shambles.

Then there was the matter of the girl who had arrived hours prior. Emma was busy, running in and out of the hospital to check up on here and then leaving to go find Regina or take care of other things. But this girl - whoever she was - appeared at the town line, out of nowhere, unconscious, bloody, and bruised. From her journey previous, Emma took note that the girl's clothes belonged to those from the Enchanted Forst. So that ruled out the "outsider" issue. Sort of.

Nothing pointed as to who she was or how she got there. All Emma could do was wait, gnawing at her nails just waiting for the girl to wake up. Then the fun part came: the interrogation. She'd have to go easy on her because, well, the brunette was bloody and bruised which clearly meant that whatever happened to her wasn't good. Doctor Whale hadn't called her back to tell her about the girl's condition so it probably wasn't major. Right?

Getting sick of waiting, Emma dropped what she was doing and went back to the hospital. Maybe because she was only a young girl, but Emma felt a sense of motherly protection over her. What if this girl didn't have a family? What if she didn't have a home? StoryBrooke was not a good place to be with everything happening. What would this girl bring?

Henry joined her this time, bouncing with excitement. Evidently, he assumed that since the girl was from the Enchanted Forest, she was a fairytale character. He wanted to know what fairytale she was from. Dr. Whale walked out into the waiting room where the two of them were. "The girl is in stable condition. She is now awake but she is suffering from memory loss. I wouldn't push her."

"Stay here kid," Emma told her son, patting his shoulder.

Her boots hit the ground with taps, her gun weighing heavy in her pocket. Oh how she prayed she wouldn't have to use it on a child. The door was right in front of her face yet she hesitated. She just had that feeling that this girl - whoever she was - was more important than led on. But why?

After gaining up some courage, Emma knocked twice. She waited for a few seconds before hearing a faint "Come in". It sounded so proper like she had said it a million times before. Perhaps she had. But then that meant the girl was somehow tied to royalty.

Minor cuts on her face and arms were the only reminders of her rough condition. Her brunette hair was frizzy, a total mess. Somehow, she still managed to pull off her doe eyes, plump though slightly thin lips, and flawlessly skin besides the cuts and bruises. Her eyes darted around the room, then fell onto Emma. The gaze she held was soft, timid even. Beneath that layer was another layer. This one was of motherly concern. How?

Emma took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Hi. I'm Emma Swan, the sheriff. I just need to ask you a few questions, nothing to be worried about. So, do you remember how you got here?"

The girl shook her head, her eyes following the walls of the room. Her arms encaptured her own waist. "N-no. I-I can't remember."

Emma nodded slowly. There was a silence in the air before she fired another question. "Do you remember anything about your life, even the smallest detail?" Her question was quiet and gentle. She stopped herself from frowning. This girl had been through a lot.

The girl took a shaky breath. "I know my name's Arabella. Arabella Atkins. I was a Princess in the Enchanted Forest." Emma then understood why she sounded so formal. "The Kingdom of Drishia I believe. I can remember my parents and my friend Rebekah. I remember my Princess lessons and remember some of my childhood."

Emma smiled and nodded again. "That's good. Anything else?"

Arabella shook her head, looking rather confused and afraid. "No. But I feel like there's something.. something I'm forgetting. Someone." The way her eyebrows knitted together signaled an inner struggle. She cursed internally. She was forgetting someone. And it was someone important and she knew it. She could feel it.

Nurses walked by the room but continued on. Emma looked behind her then back at Arabella. "I'm sure there's something you don't remember. But no worries, we can get your memory back."

Arabella looked up hopefully, the first glimpse of hope Emma had seen from her. "You can?"

Emma nodded. "It's a good thing you remember being from the Enchanted Forest because this realm can get...odd if you don't believe."

Birds flew by the window, perching upon a telephone pole outside. Clouds rolled across the sky, though there wasn't enough to block out the sun that managed to shine brightly in the sky. Arabella gazed in wonder. Buildings lined up next to one another and it was unlike anything she'd seen before. Strange. "So then what realm am I in?"

"You're in the realm without magic," Henry said from the doorway.

The two looked at him. A smile passed over Arabella's lips at the sight of the younger boy. Something poked at her in her brain. An image of a little boy passed through her vision. He ran through the hut, smiling excitedly. "Mommy! Daddy took me to the market and we got you flowers!"

Arabella snapped out of the memory to see that nothing had changed except for that Emma was now standing, arms crossed over her chest with a scolding look. "I thought I told you to wait out there."

Henry smiled innocently then shrugged. "You should know by now that I don't listen."

The way Emma looked at him made it clear that he was her son. Son. Arabella pulled a piece of hair behind her ear, ducking her head to look at the sheets. Another flash. "Mommy? Why are you sad?"

———

Flashback

It had been hours when they came to a stop. The sun had completely set and Malcolm insisted that they stop to get some rest. Reluctantly, Arabella pulled the horse's reins to a slow and stop on the path they traveled on. She sighed, getting off. Malcolm followed soon after.

Crickets chirped around them but besides that sound, it was undeniably quiet. She wasn't quite familiar with being out of the castle. Now she would have to live without gourmet dinners, fancy dresses, and maids to cook and clean. Arabella would have to live like the people in her village. And while it scared her because she knew nothing about that life, it made her feel giddy. Because she was selfless and ran away from a life full of power for one full of happiness and love. She was selfless because she put someone else before herself. Malcolm.

Her said love looked hesitantly at her. "You aren't having second thoughts are you?" Though he tried to make it sound like he was joking, there was a shakiness to his tone. Malcolm was worried she was having second thoughts.

Arabella turned to him, smiling. "No. Of course not. I'm just not good at these kinds of things."

"Don't worry." He pressed a kiss to her cheek fondly. "You'll get the hang of it." She held his hands close to her like she was afraid he'd disappear. The horse shuffled behind them. The moon was bright in the sky, casting a glow onto the land in front of them. "Come on. It's time to get some rest."

Malcolm had found a spot for them to rest and began to lay down a blanket Arabella conjured when she waved her hand. A small hut appeared just ahead of him. He blushed in embarrassment, remembering how she had magic brewing inside her veins. The former princess crossed over to him, intertwining their hands. "We can stay here for the night."

She settled the horse near their temporary home before entering the hut and going over to the table. Arabella sat some things down. Malcolm came up from behind her. "Are you sure you want this?"

A scoff passed her lips. Arabella put her hands on his cheeks, leaning close. "I want this. I want you. I am happy as long as you are by my side."

He sighed in relief and then kissed her. They pulled away after a few moments, resting their foreheads against each other. "I love you."

"I love you too."

———

Present

A few days had passed since Arabella had arrived in StoryBrooke. The problem with Tamara and Greg was increasing with each passing second. Everyone was in a frenzy with StoryBrooke now being destroyed by the two outsiders. Gold did not understand what came over him, but the moment he regained Belle's memories, he went to the hospital where the former princess was.

Trying to ignore the fact that her life might be coming to an end when she didn't even remember, she curled up on her hospital bed, reading a book. Her door was wide open, people were long gone. And yet she stayed there. Who would miss her anyway? Even if someone would miss her, she didn't remember them. But that hope that was buried in her chest was strong. The hope of someone from her past, coming back to see her.

Someone passed by the door. Arabella did not look up until she got the feeling as if she were being watched. There was an older man standing there, a suit and tie on. His face was wrinkled but not like a man in his seventies. The man looked shocked, confused. And there was something familiar about him. She probably just being silly and stupid.

"Can I help you?" she asked, shutting the book closed.

The man said nothing for a moment before speaking. "What's your name?"

Complying, she replied, "Arabella." The said girl raised an eyebrow when the man's face went slightly pale. "Are you-" She stopped suddenly, getting flashes of the same boy she'd seen when Henry arrived just days prior. The boy laughed, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She tucked the boy into his bed, saying "Goodnight, Rumple".

And that's when the memories faded away. Tears pricked her eyes and she cautiously got out of the bed, stepping toward him. "Rumple?" He himself held tears. But as soon as she uttered that word, he couldn't contain them. They ran into each other's arms, Arabella sobbing uncontrollably. "My son." She pulled away and cupped his cheeks in her hands. "My beautiful son. You're alive. How are you alive? Oh, my goodness, you're all grown-up."

"That's a long story," Gold told his mother with a chuckle, the tears still falling.

She sniffled, wiping away each tear that fell. That was how she always was. It was almost like she was fit to be a mother. Like it was in her DNA. The way she used to hold her son, rocking him to sleep. The way she healed his cut with a simple wave of her hand. The way she tried to give her son everything he could hope for. And he rarely ever saw her use her magic because she told him long ago that magic gave you an advantage over people. His mother did not like that, hence why he hardly ever saw her use magic.

"I'm so glad you're ok Rumple. I've missed you so much," Arabella whispered, clinging to his suit.

He looked extremely confused, holding onto her. "How is this possible? How are you here?"

"I don't know," she confessed. There was a tremor that shook the ground. Arabella looked at her son. "But that doesn't matter right now. We can worry about that later."

When he saw the look on her face, he hugged her again. "There's no need to worry. Everything will be alright."

She hugged her son back, still holding in tears. Her head laid against his chest and it would look odd to someone who did not know what was happening. Arabella was shorter than him by a long shot. Gold looked back his mother and out the window. If she was back, then what would his father think? Would he come back for her? What lengths would he go to?

———

Belle had the honor of meeting Gold's mother just shortly after their reunion. Emma was on the chase after Greg and Tamara who had stolen Henry. Regina and the Charmings were following along with. But when the three arrived, it was too late. The portal had closed, Henry was gone.

"Without it, there's no way to follow," Regina told Emma in response to going after the two outsiders.

The blonde fought against David who held her back. She couldn't accept that he was gone. He couldn't just be lost forever. Emma had gone through too much to get him back. "There has to be. We can't just let them take Henry!"

Once Arabella heard that, she immediately became concerned as they approached the group. "They've taken Henry?" They all turned to her and Emma raised an eyebrow. Before she could question her, the teenage girl answered, "My son helped me remember some of my past."

Emma was about to question that as well. Then she saw Gold and looked at the two of them, realizing that he was Arabella's son. Regina gaped in shock. "Rumplestiltskin is your son?"

She held up her hands. "That is the least of our concerns. We need to find a way to find Henry." Arabella had missed much of her son's life, lost him. She couldn't remember why or how let alone who the father was. Hopefully, he was worth remembering.

"There's no way," Gold revealed. "I spent a lifetime trying to cross worlds to find my son. There's no way in this world without a portal."

The news of him having a son should've been surprising. But it wasn't. After all, Gold told her he had become the Dark One. So there was no telling how long he had lived. This meant that her husband - whoever he was - probably wasn't alive. How could he be? If her own son had a son and became the Dark One, the man she loved back when would've died a long ago.

"So that's it? He's gone forever? I refuse to believe that," Regina replied, shaking her head.

Belle's voice interrupted their conversation as she made out an odd looking shadow in the distance. "What is that?" Everyone followed her line of sight to see a ship, the Jolly Roger to be exact, making its way back to the dock. There was only one person who could be on that ship.

"Hook," Emma realized.

As soon as the pirate made his way down the ramp, the group bombarded him with glares. Gold had told her about this pirate, as did Emma when the unconscious girl first arrived in the fairytale town. There was certainly a ton to catch up on.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Arabella exclaimed.

He didn't at all seem fazed by her outburst nor the fact he had no idea who she was. "Helping."

None of them looked convinced. This man had betrayed them before, what was to say he wouldn't do it again. But they were out of options. Arabella did not possess enough power to travel lands. She never did. However, if Hook had a way to follow Henry, they would go through with it no matter what. They could not just let him go.

"Well, you're too late," Regina told him, glaring.

"Am I?" Hook questioned.

Emma put her hands on her hips with a pointed look. "I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself." The moment before all this had happened came rushing back to the raven-haired pirate. In all honesty, he did not know why he let his heart win over his brain.

Hook held out the bean and handed it to Emma. "Maybe I just needed reminding that I could." His voice was soft, gentle. My was it familiar. Perhaps someone once in her life had spoken to her like that. Maybe they even looked at her the way Hook seemed to be looking at Emma. There was something there. Arabella felt as if she were going to experience another memory but then Regina's tone snapped her out of it.

"Enough waiting around, let's go."

Hook looked around confusedly. "Go? Where? I thought we were saving the town."

"We already did," Arabella pointed out. "Well, I didn't but they did."

The blonde turned so she could look at Hook. Her eyes held a plea, her tone, however, did not and sounded much like a demand rather than a request. "We need to get Henry. Greg and Tamara took him through a portal." She was desperate to get back her son and Arabella did not blame her. Many parents would do anything to save their child's life.

"Well, I offer my ship and my services to help follow them," Hook offered, gesturing towards his ship.

Arabella put her hands on her hips. Getting a sense of déjà vu, she noticed that this is what she would do to th guards who she caught sleeping on the job. Strict yet commanding which would make anyone's bones quake. "Thank you for the offer, Hook, but how do we track them?"

"Leave that to me," Gold spoke up from where he and Belle stood side by side. "I can get us to where we need to go."

She nodded. "Then there is no time to waste." Arabella turned to Hook. "Prepare your ship, Captain."

The former princess was the first to board and everyone watched her go. Emma smiled. "She was a princess." It all made sense after she explained that because Hook looked surprised though he smirked while the rest just seemed astonished. Arabella was a princess after all. What did they expect?

———

Nervously, Arabella watched her son summon a Magic Globe. It held some remembrance to her because she recalled reading about it before in one of her many books about magic and its history. Apparently, Ivy saw it fit that her daughter read everything there is to know about magic. That way she would be more powerful and prepared.

Gold pricked his finger, a drop of blood spilling. The single drop assisted in transforming the blank globe into a red map of a strange island. Arabella's eyebrows knitted in confusion. It looked awfully familiar. Had she been there before?

"Where is that? Where did they take Henry?" Regina asked.

Hook's jaw was clenched as he stared at the map. "Neverland."

Everyone exchanged a worried glance beside Arabella. She rubbed her hands on her arms. Why did that place sound so familiar? Had she been there before? And maybe when they got there she could remember everything. Arabella wanted to remember everything. It was wrong for her to wander this land with no memory of the man she loved.

With the magic bean he stole, Hook threw it into the water. He hurried over to the wheel while everyone else held onto the ropes. "So who are we up against? Who are Greg and Tamara?" David asked.

Gold - who was near his mother - spoke up and answered the question for him. His dear, sweet mother would be forced to see her husband again, his father. What would she think when she saw the man he had become. Or rather, the boy he had become. What would she think about how he had changed? "They're merely pawns, manipulated by forces far greater than they can conceive. They have no idea who they're truly working for," Gold answered.

"And who's that?" Arabella asked confused, looking at her son with concern.

He frowned sadly. "Someone we all should fear."

But unknown to the rest of them, Arabella didn't have to fear their enemy. Of course, she didn't know that nor did she remember. The waves made the ship rock back and forth as they fell into the portal. And when they did, the waters that soared stopped and were still once more. None of them knew what would lie in Neverland.

No one besides Gold knew how one of their companies was quite close with their enemy. And Arabella did not know that she and the enemy had a past together. A rather close one at that. One full of love, happiness, laughter, affection. One full of kisses and touches of adoration. None of them besides the man who had seen what his father had become knew that Arabella was the one and only love of Peter Pan.

———

I tried one bit of the flashback and I took way too long to think about it. So, I'll just try to keep the future chapters longer with more details. I might do flashbacks from time to time but we'll see. But from the looks of it, I'll most likely stick with just the regular chapter.

How do you think Arabella and Pan will reunite?

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