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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟓
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐃𝐄

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When they got back to the Jolly Roger, Regina and Emma rushed to find Henry while Everly took in the sight of the ship she hadn't seen in years. She continued to stare out at the ocean before the footsteps cut through the sound of the waves against the ship then she felt a presence at her side. After watching the water for a moment longer, the leader of the Saved Ones looked over to find Killian standing next to her with a smile on his face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as Everly looked away from him and back at the water that surrounded them. After another moment of silence passed, she felt a hand on her chin before her attention was slowly turned back to the blue-eyed pirate.

"What is there to be sorry for?"

"Leaving you. Twice."

"To save me and everyone else you cared about on that island."

"Soon to be a third time," the blonde girl told him, causing the smile on the raven-haired man's face to fade before a curious look appeared, "I had to drink water from the Spring after Pan used his Dreamshade dagger on me. I can't leave-"

The rest of her response was cut off by him tossing a canteen at her before she not-so-gracefully caught it in her arms. Everly stared at the object for a moment then she looked back up at the man with confusion in her eyes before he pulled her into a tight hug and gently kissed the top of her head.

"That canteen contains water from the Spring of Neverland, which means you can come back with us. When we get back to Storybrooke, the Dark One is going to make a potion to cure you and David of the water's curse," he explained, causing the Jones girl to look up at him with a small smile on her face before the pirate captain continued, "I'm never letting you go again. Not willingly, at least."

After the two pirates finished their moment, they joined the rest of their group to watch to bring Henry back from his dream-like state. As soon as they stopped next to their companions, Regina turned towards Everly before explaining how she needed to be the one to give Henry his heart back since she was the one who enchanted the boy's hand. The Jones girl sent the Evil Queen a skeptical look before taking the glowing object into her hands and placing it back into Henry's chest. As soon as his heart was returned, The Truest Believer woke with a gasp before his family said their greetings to the boy then Killian led him into his cabin to rest.

Once everyone knew Henry was safe in the Captain's Cabin, they gathered on deck to help Neal put Pan's Shadow on the sail of the Jolly Roger. While Mary Margaret, David, and Everly got the Lost and Saved Boys at a safe distance from the action, Regina prepared herself to use her magic as the son of the Dark One placed the coconut that contained the Shadow in front of the cannon. As soon as Emma made sure Regina was ready, the blonde lit the fuse of the cannon before taking a step back. Right as the cannon was about to go off, the man opened the coconut and released the Shadow before the Evil Queen used her magic to trap it in the mainsail of the ship.

"You think it'll fly?" Emma asked Regina as everyone continued to stare at the formerly white sail of the Jolly Roger.

"It has no choice."

"Then let's get out of Neverland," Everly said, causing cheers to erupt from the boys behind her before her eyes landed on Felix, who was staring back at her with a blank expression on his face.

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As the Jolly Roger continued its journey away from the island she called home for the last thirty years, Everly found herself sitting on the railing near the wheel as Killian sailed them towards freedom. Every now and then, the blonde girl glanced down at Felix, who had been staring down at his shoes since the moment they left Neverland. No matter how much she wanted to ignore the boy who practically tossed her aside for the Demon King, she couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to figure out what was going through his head.

Her thoughts were soon cut short by the sound of her name being called by the pirate captain. Everly watched the blonde boy on the lower deck for a second longer before finally turning her attention to Killian. "Did you miss sailing the seven seas on the Jolly Roger?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course, I missed it," she responded as a laugh passed over her lips before she once again felt true happiness rising up inside her, "I've dreamed about returning to this ship every time I fell asleep on that island."

"What are your boys going to do?"

His question caused Everly's eyes to leave the man in front of her before they landed on the Saved Boys, who were talking and laughing with the Lost Boys. After seeing the smiles on their faces, she turned her attention back to Killian to find him staring back at her with curiosity and anticipation in his eyes.

"I'm going to try to get Bobby and Robby back to their family. They told me that they just lost their parents before they were taken by the shadow and were feeling alone but they have other family members that they can stay with. J.P. and Adam said that they wanted to stay with the Lost Boys and make new lives for themselves in Storybrooke."

"What about Sam?"

"I was actually gonna talk to you about that but we can wait until we get back."

"Sounds like a plan."

Once the two pirates fell back into a comfortable silence, Everly's mind went back to what Pan told her about being the one with the Purest Heart. Without thinking, the blond girl's eyes landed on her hands that were used to take Henry's heart. She stared at her fingers for a long moment as if expecting them to start glowing right then and there before she looked back up to meet Killian's concerned gaze. "There's something you need to know."

"And what's that?" he asked with a curious look on his face.

"I guess there's something called 'the one with the Purest Heart' and, according to Pan, that someone is me. That's why he needed me after we left the Echo Caves."

"Why do who make it seem like it's a problem?"

"I...I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Guess we're gonna find out."

Everly's mouth opened to respond to the pirate captain before her ears picked up on the sound of approaching footsteps. After watching Killian send her a sheepish grin, confusion flowed through the girl's veins as she turned around to find Neal walking up the steps with a small smile on his face. The two just stared at each other for a long moment before the brunette man gestured for her to follow him.

A small sigh passed over the Purest Heart's lips as she sent the son of Rumplestiltskin a small nod and jumped off the railing. Everly was silent as she followed Neal across the upper deck and towards the small set of stairs. Once they reached the bottom step, he sat down and made himself comfortable then motioned for the younger girl to sit next to him. The blonde hesitated for a moment for reasons she didn't understand before she took her place next to the man she used to call her best friend.

"I'm sorry," Neal whispered, breaking the silence that surrounded them as Everly's full attention landed on the man, "I shouldn't have left you on Neverland all those years ago. I should have fought for you, but instead, I practically gave you a death sentence."

"I forgive you. I did a while ago," the blue-eyed girl told him before she broke her stare with him to gaze down at her intertwined fingers, "I overreacted a little bit when I saw you again. It took me off guard but I forgave you while I was stuck on that island. I probably would have...I did do the same thing."

"And that will be a story for a different time. For now, I'm just glad I have you back. I also have something for you."

Everly's eyes returned to Neal when shifted on the step and he reached into his pocket. Her whole body stilled at the sight of the necklace that she gave him to him many years ago dangling from his fingers. A small smile formed on her face as she took his necklace off her neck before the pair returned the precious objects back to the correct owners. Her blue eyes studied the golden sun charm for a moment before she put it on and tucked it into her shirt. After sharing another smile with the man, Neal got to his feet before he helped Everly to hers.

"Now that that's settled, I need to go talk to Henry."

"Have fun!"

After watching him disappear into the Captain's Quarters, the former Lost Girl walked back over to Killian before hopping back up onto her spot on the railing. Her eyes scanned over everyone that occupied the Jolly Roger before her eyes landed on Felix once again, only to find him gazing back at her. The pair stared at the other for a long silent moment before the Lost Boy looked back at the wood beneath his feet.

Even though Everly didn't regret what she did back on Neverland to gain her and the boys' freedom, knowing that Felix felt she betrayed him made her feel like she lost just as much as she gained.

"I'll be right back," the blonde girl muttered just loud enough for the captain of the Jolly Roger to hear as her feet came in contact with the floorboards once again. She ignored Killian's stare as she began to make her way towards the steps that lead to the lower deck before she felt his hand wrap around her wrist. When she turned around to face the man who gave her a home when no one else would, Everly was met with a pair of concerned eyes before a small sigh passed over her lips. "I need to talk to him, Killian."

"Are you sure about that, Evie?" the raven-haired man questioned while glancing down at Felix before his attention returned to the girl in front of him, "he's always had more loyalty for Pan in his pinkie finger than the rest of the Lost Boys combined."

"I still need to still try. He has to know that he needs someone to trust when he starts his new life."

The two Joneses continued to watch the other for another minute or two before Killian finally released his grip on Everly's arm and gestured for her to resume her journey. A small smile appeared on the girl's lips as she sent him a grateful nod then she turned away from the pirate captain and down the small set of steps towards Felix.

Every muscle in her body was telling her to turn around to avoid another argument with the loyal boy but she kept going. With every step she took, the girl knew she had to convince Felix that if he continued to blindly follow his heartless leader, he would be stuck in a rut for the rest of his life. When Everly stopped in front of him, Felix's gray eyes looked up to meet hers before she noticed how void of emotion he truly was. A while passed of the two of them just staring at each other before his blank gaze transformed into a glare, causing the former Lost Girl to let out a long sigh as she sat down next to him.

"I don't want to hear what you have to say."

"If it makes you feel any better, I only have one question. All you have to do is answer it and I'll let you return to your isolation," Everly told him before she broke her attention away from him to stare down at the floorboards in front of her. When he didn't respond right away, she took it as her cue to continue speaking. "How can we make you see that Pan only cared about himself?"

"Nothing you say or do will change how I feel. I don't know why I ever helped you escape. You deserved to be in that cage. I should have left you hanging in that tree."

"You don't mean that."

"Oh, but I do, little Lost Girl...with every bone in my body," he responded in a tone that made Everly's body tense before she glanced up to find him staring back at her with a sinister smirk on his face.

The blue-eyed girl quickly got to her feet in an attempt to hide how much his words affected her before a shaky breath passed over her lips. After glancing back at the boy one last time, Everly began to make her way back to the top deck, only to stop in her tracks when she saw Henry walking over with a bowl of food in his hands before he squatted down and offered it to Felix. Knowing that if Felix did something to harm the boy he'd get into even more trouble, the leader of the Saved Ones sat down on a nearby crate and watched the two boys interact.

"Go away, boy," Felix scoffed, not even glancing in the younger boy's direction, "not hungry."

"But I came to thank you," Henry told the blonde, causing Everly to look at the brunette with confusion in her eyes while the Lost Boy turned his full attention towards the Truest Believer with an unamused look on his face.

"No matter what those other traitors do, I'm on Pan's side," the gray-eyed boy stated, making the Jones girl let out a scoff before she got to her feet and resumed her journey towards the helm of the Jolly Roger, "and Pan-"

"Never fails."

Those two words forced Everly to stop in her tracks as her muscles tensed and her blood ran cold. Her hands started to shake before she slowly turned around to face the two boys once again. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me, Peter Pan never fails," Henry smirked then looked back to the boy sitting on the ground in front of him, "he can't be stopped, even when they think he's defeated, when they think they've won, he finds a way."

"So you think you're not safe?" Felix questioned as he finally became interested in what the boy was saying.

"Oh, no, I'm perfectly safe. During our struggle, my fate was sealed. The one who's in trouble...is Henry."

"But you're Henry," Everly muttered, causing both of the boys to turn to her as if remembering she standing a few feet away from them.

"Not anymore."

"You...you switched," Felix muttered while his gray eyes widened to the size of small planets before the younger boy held the bowl of food out toward him once again.

"You sure you're not hungry?"

After staring at the boy in front of him for a moment longer, the blonde boy took the food before the two boys shared a smile. Everly felt herself growing a bit dizzy as she watched the two continue to interact before she quickly came back to her senses and cast her gaze in the blonde boy's direction. "Felix, please. Don't help him."

"Sorry, Everly, but my loyalty belongs to Pan."

"And don't go telling your pirate captain about this...or anyone else for that matter," Pan warned as he got to his feet before turning to face the blonde girl, "I may not have my magic in this form but my Shadow still listens to me. We don't want anyone getting hurt because you can't keep a secret, do we?"

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