Her chest felt heavy as she sat at the edge of the cliff of Dead Man's Peak, looking out over the Dark Jungle that spread over her island. Calliope's cheeks had stained with tears. Tiger had offered to accompany her there. But after Tinkerbell's news, she'd insisted on going alone.

Dead Man's Peak always stood silent. Pan and the Lost Boys steered clear of it, preferring to catch her in other, more vulnerable places around Neverland. She liked to think there. Especially when her thoughts drifted to the Jones brothers.

The wind whipped through Calliope's brown hair, tossing it about and into her face. Her loose tunic, so different from the leather she'd been used to wearing as protection against her many enemies, pirate, lost boy, and shadow alike, billowed around her body. The sense of freeness she felt dangling her feet over the cliff helped her breathe.

When Tinkerbell had sought her out the day before, she'd been devastated, but not surprised. She'd run into Killian, to Hook, traipsing around the island with Mr. Smee. People trusted Tinkerbell. It didn't seem to matter if they were pirates or otherwise. Maybe her fondness for rum was what got Killian talking. Regardless, Tink had cared enough to seek Calliope out, and for that, she owed the fairy.

Killian had made a deal. After over a century of being stuck in the realm of Neverland, he wanted off. She had rarely spoken to him since he'd used Tiger Lily as bait at Skull Rock, and when they had talked, it had been merely cordial. It seemed he had once more turned to Pan to secure a way off the island that had once belonged to her.

Calliope took a sip of water from her canteen. It soothed her parched throat. She'd been sitting there for hours, staring off over the trees and pillar-like rock formations that she'd called home for so long. This place, the last connection she had to her sisters, though overgrown and dark in places, still felt like home to her. She loved it, with all her heart.

But Pan liked his games. He never did anything without a purpose, that purpose often resulting in danger and entertainment for him, and him alone. And Killian, eager for revenge, didn't mind being a pawn in his games so long as it helped him survive. She should've predicted it. She should've known Pan couldn't resist using him.

Tink had found her with Tiger Lily at Mermaid Lagoon. Calliope had known something was wrong because of the deep glare that Tinkerbell couldn't hide as she'd approached them. She didn't think particularly highly of anyone on the island but she was friendly with the other women. Tiger Lily had been livid at the news. But Calliope had just felt a deep sadness.

Killian had been tasked with killing her. Pan had been clear, rid the island of Calliope and he'd grant the pirates passage out of the realm. A simple deal. Extremely beneficial for both parties. Pan and the Shadow still couldn't kill her. They couldn't get close enough. Her magic still repelled them and she'd only honed that over the years. But Killian? She knew he'd perfected a poison from the Dreamshade and his combat skills far exceeded anyone else on this realm. But more than that, Pan was counting on something else.

He was counting on Calliope not fighting back. As she sat on the edge of the cliff that had put everything in motion, she still didn't have her answer. She didn't want to kill Killian. Some part of her still loved him. Tiger Lily hadn't understood that, but the two of them had teamed up enough that Tiger trusted her to make the decision for herself.

As she saw it, Calliope had three options, none of them good. The first was to kill Killian before he could kill her. As she sat on the cliff, Calliope turned around. She looked back at the ground where Liam Jones had lain, writhing from the poison that coursed through his veins. She already felt responsibility for the death of one Jones brother. Calliope knew she couldn't be responsible for another, no matter how dark Killian's heart had gone. Her heart wasn't dark, and she wanted to keep it that way.

The second option was to let Killian do it. If she died, maybe she'd end up with her sisters again. But their shadows lay in Dark Hollow and hers would not. She guessed they were caught in the Underworld with their uncle, Hades, unable to move on because of Pan, and unable to return to life because their bodies were destroyed as much as their shadows. But if Killian murdered her, she didn't know what would happen.

Calliope frowned. She stood up from the edge and dusted off her pants. Death didn't sound appealing, anyways. She still wanted to find a way to end Pan for the sake of her sisters. If she died, she couldn't do that. Besides, allowing Killian to destroy her would only darken his heart more. She had no desire to be a part of that.

The crunching of sand and gravel beneath boots made her turn. The sight of Killian Jones, red vest beneath leather jacket and bottle of rum in his hand, didn't surprise her in the least. She moved to stand across from him, away from the edge.

"Thought I'd find you here," he said.

Calliope could feel the tension in the air between them. Neverland had been good to him. He still looked as young as the year they'd sailed between realms on the ocean. But his eyes had a sadness and an anger that she'd only seen hints of then. Shivers ran down her spine as she took a half step to the right.

"I come here to think." Calliope gestured off into the distance. "This is my favorite spot on the island."

Killian rolled his eyes. "Ironic, given it's my least."

"I suppose so." She looked at him closer. He hadn't drawn his sword, just stood looking between her and the ground that had sealed his brother's fate. But she noticed the dark gleam on his hook immediately. "You don't need to do this, Killian."

"Oh, so you've suddenly got enough power to save me on this bloody island?" His anger rose, movements becoming more agitated as he gritted his teeth. "You couldn't save my brother. How could you possibly aid me?"

Calliope couldn't breathe. What he said was true. As loathe as she was to admit it to herself, Calliope couldn't help him. She had a few magic beans left but though Pan couldn't kill her, he could definitely kill the pirates, and would doubtless do so if they even tried to leave without his permission. Cheaters never win, he liked to say.

He dropped his rum bottle a few feet away. With the grace he'd always displayed in training, Killian drew his sword from its sheathe and pointed it at her. "You're my way off this bloody island."

"Killian. Don't do this."

She could see him hesitate. His hand trembled as he pointed the cutlass at her and for a moment, she thought maybe he'd give up this pursuit. But he didn't. In a split second, Killian lunged forward.

Calliope ducked left. With a wave of her hand, she froze him in place. A few tears rolled down her cheeks as she could see the fury in his eyes and his stance. He'd fallen so far. Loss had destroyed a good man, and though she hoped someday he would relearn love, she couldn't take that chance and be anywhere near him. He wanted her dead. Pan wanted her dead. They'd backed her into a corner. Pan's perfect little game.

"You aren't going to kill me, Killian," she said, wiping away the few tears. He couldn't respond, still frozen from her spell, but he faced her head-on. She sighed. "But you and Pan win."

She had a third option. The only option, really. She spent all morning trying to figure out what to do and the only answer had been to leave Neverland for good. She had to say goodbye to her home forever. Even if she wanted to return after Killian and the pirates left, she'd not have enough of an edge in Neverland to protect herself from Pan and the Shadow. No, she had to leave, and she could never come back.

"I'll leave. Tell Pan the island is his," she said. Calliope waved her hand again and the spell dropped, Killian regaining his footing. "I won't come back."

He didn't say anything at first. They stood a few feet from each other, his blade pointed towards the ground, and Calliope without even a spell in her hand to defend herself. Neither moved.

"I hope you find what you're looking for, Killian Jones," she said. Her voice broke, looking at his shattered form, pristine in body but broken in heart. "If there's one thing you're good at, it's surviving. Just make sure your heart survives, too."

He didn't respond. Calliope drew a magic bean out of her pouch and ran her fingers over it. Smooth and glassy, beautiful in the sun as it sparkled like polished crystal. She closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, Calliope said her silent goodbyes. She said goodbye to her family, to Tiger and to Tink, to her home, and in heart, to Killian Jones. When she turned back to him from the cliff edge, he just watched her. There wasn't any anger on his face. She saw beneath that. She saw only the hatred he held for himself, and at that moment, Calliope tried to offer him a smile.

She turned away. Tossing the bean forward, it exploded into sparks just off the edge. The wind whipped her hair into her face. Cutlass on her belt and pouch of magic beans at her side, Calliope took a deep breath. She tried to take in the scent of her island one last time. Then she leaped.

Her body hit a forest floor, leaf litter covering tree roots that belonged to tall, straight moss-covered trunks. She'd been here once, long ago. Before Killian, before Pan. It was along this road that she'd first met the Blue Fairy who watched over the Enchanted Forest. As Calliope stood off the ground and brushed off the forest floor debris, she looked around. She'd had a talk that day with Blue about new beginnings.

She hoped this would be one of those. Calliope hadn't been back in the Enchanted Forest since her days with Killian. But she had always liked the place. Looking far down the road, she saw a tavern. Even with her aversions to taverns, Calliope knew she needed some place to get food and water. Taverns often had people willing to trade. And with the pouch of a dozen magic beans on her hip, she had more than enough.

A sharp blade crossed her throat. Calliope stopped breathing, the metal brushing her skin. With a grimace, she waited for her assailant to speak.

"We don't want to hurt you. Hand over the valuables, and you can be on your merry way." It was a man, though she couldn't see him behind her his breath was on her ear.

Calliope just rolled her eyes. With a quick wave of her hand, she made the sword disappear in a cloud of golden smoke. She turned around, drawing her own fancy cutlass, what must have tipped her off as owning some riches, and pointed at his chest. As they stood just inside the treeline, she took a good look at him. He wore green and brown, a quiver on his back filled to the brim with arrows. His brown hair looked a bit messy but well combed back. As he put his arms up in the air, she caught a glimpse of a tattoo of a lion on his arm.

"You're a witch?" he asked.

Calliope just smirked. "Not quite. Close though. Who are you?"

"With all due respect, my lady, I don't know I can trust you."

He still held his hands in the air but she could see him trying to find a way out. Calliope sighed and sheathed her cutlass. "I'm Calliope."

"Well by all rights, you could've run me through. Or worse, I suppose, given the magic." He lowered his hands and nodded. "I'm Robin Hood."

"It's nice to meet you, now that I don't have a sword against my neck," she said.

He let out a small laugh. "That would put a damper on any first impressions, I'm sure."

"Tell me, Robin Hood, where in the Enchanted Forest am I?"

Robin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. As he picked his sword up from the ground a few feet away where she'd poofed it, he gestured into the trees. "Sherwood Forest. How did you get so lost as to not know where you are?"

"I travel across realms," she said. "I don't know every nook and cranny of the places I end up."

With a grin, Robin sheathed his sword. "A portal jumper, then? Tell me, from what realm do you hail?"

"You seem a decent person, Robin, but I'm afraid that information is going to cost you," Calliope said. She put her hands on her hips. "I don't have food or water. If you can offer me those, I'd be delighted to share some tales."

Robin smiled again. "Fair enough. I have a camp deeper in the woods. You're welcome to join us. We're always looking to hear good stories."

"We?"

He nodded. As they started to pick their way over roots and around bushes, he explained further. "I'm the leader of a group of resistance against the kings and queens 'round here. We steal from the rich and give to the poor. You'll have to excuse me choosing you as a target, but that sword on your belt would fetch quite a price, and I thought it safe to assume you had more where that came from."

"You're all thieves, then?" she asked.

Robin nodded. "Thieves with a code of honor. We're the Merry Men."

Calliope smiled at the name. It seemed perhaps that the Enchanted Forest could offer the distraction she so sorely needed. Neverland needed to leave her mind forever. She couldn't go back, only forward. And as she traipsed through the Sherwood Forest behind this Robin Hood, she thought perhaps this would be a good way to start.