────── ★★★ ──────

────── ★★★ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟕
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐁𝐘𝐄

────── ★★★ ──────

After discovering the information that had been a mystery all her life, Everly agreed to go back to the motel room to meet up with Sam while everyone else figured out what to do about Pan's Shadow. The Jones girl told the blonde boy everything that happened not even an hour ago as soon as she returned to the room and how she possibly found her birth parents. The pair brainstormed different ways for the two royals to actually be her family before they finally gave up and began to lounge around the room.

While Sam was lying on the bed with a book in his hands, the blue-eyed girl sat at the bay window and looked out at the streets of Storybrooke. Her fingers fiddled with her bracelet once again as her mind raced with a million thoughts she couldn't keep track of even if she tried. All her life, Everly believed her parents abandoned her on the streets and she finally came to terms with it after years of it eating her up inside, only to discover that she was possibly taken from them.

Her train of thought was derailed by the sound of her newly discovered name being called before her attention turned away from the window to find a smiling David standing in the doorway. As she stared at the man near the door, her mind went back to her never-ending thoughts before settling on the possibility of her being descended from royals. The idea of Snow White and Prince Charming, the same people who fought against the Evil Queen, possibly being her parents was just too overwhelming for her.

"Mary Margaret and I talked to Killian. We aren't totally happy with letting you but, after everything that happened today, we think it might help us get some information about Pan," he said, causing Everly to raise an eyebrow at him before David let out a long sigh, "we want you to talk to Felix."

"Will I be alone with him?" the blonde girl questioned as Sam placed his book on the nightstand next to him and tuned into their conversation, "if not, there won't even be a chance of me convincing him to give up any information."

Once they received a nod in response from the man, Everly and Sam got to their feet. The two of them followed David out of the room and down to Granny's to find everyone except Regina and Pan waiting for them by the door. After receiving small smiles from the group, they exited the diner and began their journey. As they walked through the streets of Storybrooke, Killian remained silent by her side until they finally arrived at the Sheriff's Station.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the pirate captain asked as soon as they stopped in front of the glass doors, only to receive a small nod from the young girl in response before a small sigh passed over his lips, "just be careful, Evie. While you're in there, we'll be taking care of Pan's Shadow."

As soon as those final words left his mouth, a wave of guilt washed over Everly before she found herself turning away from Killian to face Emma. The blonde woman sent her a confused look as the latter let out a quiet breath to calm her nerves then the Jones girl opened her mouth to tell them information she hoped she wouldn't regret sharing.

"Pan and Henry switched bodies back on the Jolly Roger. I didn't tell you sooner because he threatened to kill all of you if I did," Everly explained before her eyes scanned over the faces of Sam and Neal before they landed on Killian, "I'm done being a pawn in his game."

After receiving a smile from the pirate, the blonde girl's eyes returned to Emma then she studied the blank expression on the woman's face. A moment of silence passed between them before the Savior sent Everly a grateful smile. "We'll handle Pan, you talk to Felix. If there's anything he knows that can help us, try to get him to tell you."

Everly sent the woman a nod in response before Sam gave her a tight hug then they leave the young girl alone in front of the Sheriff's Station. A long breath passed over the Jones girl's lips as soon as her allies were out of sight then she turned around and entered the building. After walking around the corner and down the hall to the main part of the station, the leader of the Saved Ones stopped right next to one of her desks while her eyes landed on Felix sitting on a bed in one of the cells.

Second thoughts began to fill her head as she watched the Lost Boy who was looking down his intertwined fingers. Before Everly had a chance to make another move, Felix looked up from his hands and made eye contact with the girl on the other side of the room. The two of them just stared at each other for a long silent moment before the boy got to his feet and gripped the bars in front of him.

"So they finally let you come see me," he said as a smirk began to form on his face while his eyes stayed glued to the blonde girl's, "how much did you beg before they caved?"

"I didn't beg at all," Everly replied as she walked towards him before leaning back on the desk closest to his cell and crossing her arms over her chest, "the only reason they let me come here is to try to convince you to help us defeat Pan."

"Can I ask you something first?"

"If doing that means I can talk to you without you sassing me, then go ahead."

"What should I do to stall you for a few minutes until Pan arrives?" he asked as the grin on his face slowly grew while Everly's body froze. Silence surrounded them once again as they continued to stare in each other's eyes before her ears picked up on the faint sound of a door closing nearby. "Guess that was enough to get the job done."

Her brain finally came back to its senses as soon as he finished speaking before she spun around to find Pan blocking the only exit of the Sheriff's Station. Everly's fist clenched up underneath her crossed arms at the sight of the Demon King in Henry's form as fear began to mix with the annoyance that was coursing through her veins.

"Sorry to crash the party but we have work to do," the King of Neverland laughed before his eyes left his loyal Lost Boy and landed on the girl in front of him, "and just a reminder, Jones, I'm still in Henry's body. You can't do anything to me without hurting the boy when we switch back."

Everly's eyes followed the leader of the Lost Boys as he walked over to one of the desks and pulled out a set of keys. As soon as he found the one he was looking for, he made his way over to the cell that contained his second-in-command and unlocked the door.

"Let's go, Felix," Pan told the tall boy before the two of them walked straight past the emotionless girl and towards the door. As she watched them continue towards the exit, Everly tried to come up with a way to stop them without hurting them, only for her train of thought to pull to a stop when the Demon King turned around to face her. "And don't forget to bring our little Lost Girl."

"Why does she need to come?" Felix asked as he quickly glanced over to Everly before turning his full attention back to the brunette in front of him, "you promised not to hurt her."

"And I'm not going to hurt her. I just need to make sure she doesn't help them try to stop us."

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After walking for what felt like forever, the trio came to a stop in front of a wishing well at the top of one of the mountains that surround Storybrooke. Confusion washed over Everly at the sight of the old-looking object before she was pulled back to reality when Felix forced her to sit down on a log and used a rope to bound her wrists and ankles together. The Jones girl watched the blonde boy as he went through the steps of his actions before she caught the hint of regret in his eyes. That small spark was all it took to ignite the hope inside her once again.

"You don't have to do this," Everly whispered just loud enough for the boy to hear her, causing him to glance up from the ropes to meet her eyes for a moment before he went back to tying the ropes.

"I'm doing what's best for the both of us."

Before the former Lost Girl could say another word, Felix got to his feet and made his way back over to stand next to Pan by the wishing well. Everly's eyes stayed glued to the two of them while they had an inaudible discussion before she watched the Demon King pull a small scroll out of his pocket and unrolled it to show Felix its contents.

"A curse?"

"No, Felix. The Curse. The curse that tore everyone from the Enchanted Forest and dropped them here," the King of Neverland told his second-in-command, causing Everly's blood to run cold while continued to stare at the shorter boy.

"You broke me out of jail to tell me how everyone got to this town?"

"I broke you out of jail because this spell is going to give us everything we've always wanted. Everyone will forget who they are. Time will standstill. And, Felix, we will be in charge. And when we're done with it, it's gonna be the new Neverland."

As soon as he finished explaining his plans, Pan began to pour things into the well before he and his loyal Lost Boy continued having a hushed conversation about what they were going to do in their new Neverland. Everly took their distracted states as an opportunity to break free so she started messing with the rope around her wrists. Just as she thought she was making some progress at getting free, Pan's laughter cut through the silence that filled the forest then she looked up to find both boys watching her with amusement in their eyes.

"That's not going to work, Jones. You should save your energy for something more important."

"Do you ever stop talking?!" the girl snapped without thinking before silence surrounded them once again.

Everly's body became as still as a statue before she looked up to find both boys staring back at her with blank expressions on their faces. To her surprise, Pan simply went back to pouring liquid into the wishing well while Felix continued to watch her for another moment before copying the King of Neverland's actions.

As she watched the collection of small bottles dwindle, an uneasy feeling settled in the Jones girl's chest at the thought of Pan actually succeeding with his plans. Just the thought of living in another place like Neverland made her want to scream so loud birds flew from the trees. Everly knew she had to find a way to stop this but she also knew the only way to put an end to his plans was to convince Pan's most loyal Lost Boy to turn his back on one of the people he trusted the most. She just hoped that everything that happened between them on Neverland was real.

"When it's done, will they all be dead?" Everly questioned, drawing their attention to her once again before her eyes met Felix's, "will I be dead?"

"Worse," Pan responded, resulting in the emotionless look on his second-in-command's face turning into concern before his gaze landed on the shorter boy next to him, "you'll be slaves to this new land we're making, with no idea who any of you once were. Death is final, little Lost Girl. Your suffering will be eternal."

For the second time in the last few hours, Everly caught a hint of hesitation cross Felix's features. The two of them continued to stare at each other before they turned their attention back to Pan when he drop the last bottle into the well. A sinister smile formed on the Demon King's face and the Jones girl waited in anticipation for something to happen to signal his victory, only for nothing to happen. The three of them waited in silence for a moment longer before the leader of the Lost Boys finally looked away from the wishing well and back up at the tall boy standing next to him with an unreadable look on his face.

"Are we missing something?" Felix asked with a hint of uncertainty in his voice as he turned his attention away from the well and back to Pan.

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"The heart of the thing I love most."

"You mean your son's heart? Rumplestiltskin?" the Lost Boy questioned as he fully turned his body around to face the boy who he'd been loyal to all his life.

"No. No, I never loved Rumple."

"Well, then whose heart do we need? Who do you love?"

"Love can be many things, Felix. It doesn't just come from romance. Or family. That's why Jones is here."

As Felix looked from Pan to the girl watching them in the distance and back again with confusion in his eyes, Everly's brain tried to decode the information the King of Neverland revealed, only to be more uncertain than she was before. That was until she remembered the hint of emotion she caught in Pan's eyes just a few moments ago when he looked at his second-in-command. Dread.

"I still don't understand," Felix said, drawing the leader of the Saved Ones' attention back to the conversation at hand, "Everly means almost nothing to you. What does she have to do with the heart of the thing you love most?"

"Jones is here because she broke our little deal, which means I have to follow through with my threat," Pan explained while casting a forced-looking smirk Everly's way. The two of them continued their staring contest before the boy looked back up at his one true friend with an emotionless look in his eyes. "Love can also come from loyalty. Friendship. Only one person has always believed in Pan."

"Wait, Pan stop!" Everly shouted after realizing what he was about to do, causing the boy in question to look away from his second-in-command and back at the panicked girl, "give me time to find another way for the Curse to work. There has to be another way."

"Even if there was another way, how would you learn your lesson?"

Before any of them could say another word, the Demon King plunged his hand into Felix's chest and pulled out his heart. Everly's screams filled the air causing as she watched Felix collapse to the earth while tears began to stream down her cheeks. The Jones girl struggled to make it to his side due to her bound wrists and ankles before she gently placed the blonde boy's head in her lap. While Felix carefully reached up to wipe away one of her stray tears, Everly tightly held his hand in hers before they both looked up at Pan when he came to a stop next to them.

"Just to show you that I can be a nice guy, I'll give you a minute to say your goodbyes," the boy told them then reached down and untied the Jones girl's wrists before looking directly into her eyes, "but only one."

"I'm so sorry, Sunshine," Felix whispered, drawing the blond girl's attention away from the smirking boy standing over them before her eyes landed on the boy in her arms once again, "I should have listened to you. I should have always listened to you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Felix. You're going to be okay," Everly muttered just loud enough for the Lost Boy to hear her while sending him a forced smile.

"You and I both know that's not true."

"You have to be. I can't do this without you."

Tears continued to stream down her cheeks as Everly took his hand into hers while Felix watched her with a sullen look on his face. After a moment of the two of them just staring at each other in comfortable silence, the blonde boy shook his head a little as if to clear his thoughts before pulling off his bracelet and putting it on the Jones girl's wrist.

"I want you to have this," he told her as his eyes began to fill with unshed tears, "always keep it close to you so you'll never forget me."

"Fifteen seconds," Pan announced then started to walk closer to the well on the other side of the clearing, "tick-tock."

"I love you, Felix."

The Thorne boy opened his mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by a loud crunching sound before all life drained from his eyes. The leader of the Saved Ones' breathing quickened while her hands began to shake uncontrollably as more tears slipped down her face. After staring at the motionless boy for a second longer, Everly carefully closed his once bright gray eyes before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

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