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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

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Everly just stared at her parents as they began to bicker back and forth about how they hated each other. About how they wished they never build their lives with each other. Behind the Jones girl, Kristoff was talking to Anna about how he was grateful they kept postponing their wedding and how it was a terrible idea in the first place. That caused Anna to walk away from the blonde man to join her sister and Emma in the latter's office. Despite the arguing going on around her and the shouting coming from outside the building, Everly was grateful that Sam and Katherine were sitting silently in the chairs next to her. But even she knew that wasn't going to last much longer.

When she finally turned her attention toward her brother and best friend, Everly found them staring back at her with blank expressions on their faces. It was as if no thoughts were going through their heads, which made the Jones girl nervous. She had a feeling that the longer they were silent, the worse their words and actions would be. It wasn't long after that when Everly watched Sam turn his attention towards Katherine, signaling that the arguing was about to begin.

Instead of sitting there and listening to their bickering, Everly decided to copy Anna's actions and go into Emma's office. However, when she saw all three women staring at each other with sadness in their eyes, the Jones girl somewhat regretted her decision.

"By the looks on your faces, I missed something important," Everly said, making Anna jump before all eyes landed on her.

Emma exchanged a quick look with Elsa before the former's gaze landed back on her sister. It wasn't long after that when the Swan woman forced a smile onto her face and opened her mouth to speak. "Elsa and I are going after the Snow Queen. I need you to stay here with Anna and keep everyone safe."

All Everly could do was nod in response then Emma handed Neal over to her. The Purest Heart hesitated before she carefully took her brother into her arms. She just stared at Neal until her attention moved back to where Sam and Katherine sat on the other side of the window. It wasn't until a hand was placed on her shoulder that Everly broke her gaze away from them to look back up at Emma. "You need to stay strong. We're gonna fix this."

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It took a lot of persuading to finally convince Adam that he'd be safe in the cove while Everly and Sam were out. Even after he agreed to be left alone, his allies could see the worry in his eyes. Despite that, the Jones girl led her closest ally into the forest. Neither of them said a word as they jumped over boulders and fallen trees. It wasn't long after that when they finally arrived at their destination.

What felt like an eternity of the two of them sitting on the tree branch passed when they finally heard footsteps below them. Everly kept her eyes glued to Felix as she climbed up the tree at sat down on the other side of her. Confusion flowed through his veins as he stared at Sam before the Thorne boy's attention moved to Everly. "What's he doing here?"

"He has a question that I thought you should answer," the Jones girl explained, making the confusion in Felix's eyes grow as he looked over at Sam.

"Why were you near our camp yesterday?" the blonde boy questioned, not even bothering to hide the uncertainty in his voice.

The Thorne boy simply stared at Sam for what felt like an eternity before letting out a sigh. Everly and Sam watched as Felix looked at the ground in silence as he gathered his thoughts. When he looked back up at them, the Lost Boy's face was expressionless. "My brother was killed by an old Lost Boy. Adam...he reminds me of Fletcher. I just wanted to make sure he was safe."

Sam couldn't help but look at Felix with shock in his eyes, not expecting the answer he received. "I'm...I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," Felix replied in a tone that didn't convince anyone that his words were true. After a moment of awkward silence, the Throne boy started gathering his things. "I need to get back."

A small smile formed on Everly's lips as she watched Felix and Sam shake hands. It wasn't long after that when she and The Thorne boy shared a kiss before they watched Felix jump down from the tree and head back to his camp.

As soon as he was out of sight, Everly looked over at Sam, who still had a shocked look on his face. "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Sammy."

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Everly didn't know how much time had passed since she began watching Storybrooke's citizens fighting out the window. Their shouting was barely audible through the glass, making chills run throughout the Jones girl's entire body. After watching Doc screaming at Dopey across the street, Everly closed the blinds before turning around to face Anna. "Emma and Elsa need to hurry."

"I know," Anna responded right as Mary Margaret and David began shouting at each other again.

Since the curse began, Everly couldn't bring herself to go anywhere near them. She was afraid of what they would say about her, which was why she was also avoiding Sam and Katherine. Despite knowing that what they were saying was just the curse talking, she knew her friends wouldn't hold back. They knew too much of what she'd been through and had a feeling they would use that against her, especially Sam. He knew almost everything about her, including just the right words to say to tear her apart.

"Oh! Me! Pick me!" Kristoff shouted, making the Jones girl turn around to face the cells to find Anna standing between Kristoff and Everly's parents.

"Oh, shut it, iceman," David hissed while stepping forward and wrapping his hands around the cell bars.

"'Iceman'? Who are you calling 'iceman,' stable boy?"

"I'm calling you 'iceman.' And you're from Arendelle. What are you doing selling ice? The whole place is frozen!" the Nolan man responded while Kristoff continued to glare at him from his spot on the desk.

"Pst. Everly," a new voice said, making Everly's breath get caught in her throat. She just stood there and listened to Sam call out to her a few times. But despite all her efforts, she was having a hard time ignoring the blonde boy sitting in the chair behind her. "Everly."

After letting out a long sigh that did nothing to calm her nerves, the Purest Heart slowly turned around to face her oldest friend. "What?"

The smirk that appeared on Sam's face only made Everly's nerves triple. She had never seen an expression like that form on his features and it was unnerving. What felt like an eternity passed before the Jones boy finally opened his mouth to speak. "You know, your heart isn't completely pure. You gave someone a death sentence."

"What are you talking about?"

"If you didn't go back in time, Felix wouldn't have ended up on Neverland. It's your fault he was there. Pan was right. His death is on your hands."

Everly quickly turned away from the smirking boy and focused back on the window. She tried her best to not let her emotions get the best of her, but she failed miserably. Tears began to form in her eyes and her breathing quickened. The Jones girl tried her best to convince herself that his words were wrong and that it was just the curse talking. She tried to persuade her mind that Felix would've made it to Neverland whether she went back in time or not. But she couldn't do it.

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Adam was fast asleep on a pile of sand when Everly and Sam returned to camp. A small smile appeared on the Jones girl's lips as she sat down on a rock near the water. It wasn't long after that when Sam walked over to join her. However, before he had a chance to speak, they heard chirping above them. When they looked up at the sky, they found one of Tinker Bell's birds flying towards them.

Everly didn't hesitate to hold out her arm, allowing the bird to perch itself on her forearm. She just stared at the bird for a moment before reaching forward and untying the note from its leg. Once the parchment was free, the bird flew up into the sky and out of sight. After letting out a long sigh, Everly opened the small piece of paper and read the note.

Pan brought in a replacement for Adam. His name's J.P. and he seems easier to convince than Adam. You should hurry.

Tink.

"Looks like we have another job," Everly announced before folding the paper and stuffing it in her pocket, "we'll come up with a plan tomorrow. We need to rest up."

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After wiping the tears away and steadying her breath, Everly felt a hand on her shoulder. She immediately jumped before turning around to meet Anna's concerned eyes. The redheaded woman just stared at the young girl for a moment before pulling her into Emma's office and closing the door behind her. "Don't listen to what any of them say to you."

"But Sam's right," Everly responded in a tone just above a whisper as a mix of emotions continued to flow through her veins, "it's my fault Felix is dead. If it wasn't for me, he would have never met Pan."

Anna couldn't help but stare at the Jones girl with a hint of confusion in her eyes before opening her mouth to speak. "Who are Felix and Pan?"

"Pan was a psychopath and Felix was...he was someone very special."

Before the redheaded woman had a chance to respond, they heard shouting coming from just outside Emma's office. The two of them instantly turned around to find Regina looking like her old self walking into the station. Fear began to replace all the emotions Everly was feeling after she saw the anger in the Evil Queen's eyes. It wasn't long before Anna and Everly rushed back into the main part of the station to see what was going on.

"Well, well, well, isn't this my lucky day," Regina hissed while glancing between Mary Margaret and David, who looked surprised to see their old foe standing in front of them, "I had come here to kill Emma, but now I get to kill the two idiots who started it all."

"Hey, I wasn't the one who told Cora about your secret boyfriend," David responded, pulling an irritated Mary Margaret's attention to him.

"Are you selling me out?!" the Blanchard woman exclaimed while glaring at the man locked up in the cell next to her.

"Shut up! You both deserve to die. Not just for what you did," Regina ranted while pointing at Mary Margaret before she turned her attention to David, "but for your whining! But your punishments should fit your crimes. Mary Margaret, you took my first true love from me. Now I'm going to return the favor by taking your baby."

"No!" Mary Margaret gasped while wrapping her hands around the bars in front of her.

"Regina!" David shouted right as Everly placed herself between Neal and the Mills woman.

"Please, You Majesty, let's be reasonable," Anna said after watching Regina glare down at the Jones girl, who continued to stare at the Evil Queen with an emotionless look on her face, "you're under the Snow Queen's spell, you don't actually hate Mary Margaret and David."

"It does sound like she has her reasons," Kristoff stated after managing to stand up and turn around to face his future wife.

"Kristoff!"

"I don't know who you are, but why don't you go back to where you came from," Regina responded before waving her hand through the air. A cloud of smoke instantly surrounded Everly, making the fear inside her grow even more. When it finally cleared, Anna and Kristoff were nowhere in sight. However, the Jones girl wasn't alone. Sam and Katherine were sitting behind her. And despite them still being handcuffed to their chairs, Everly knew she was nowhere near safe.

"I bet Felix hates you," Katherine hissed while glaring at the Jones girl, who kept her back facing her two friends in order to keep her emotions in check, "he would've been better off without you."

"If only you kept your promise. He would still be here," Sam continued, causing anger to mix with the sadness Everly was feeling, "Felix's life was ruined because of you."

"Enough!" the Purest Heart shouted after turning around to face her friends with her arms held out in front of her. A bright gold ring emitted from Everly's body and spread throughout the entire room, knocking everyone, including Everly, to the floor. After she realized what had happened, the Jones girl jumped to her feet and rushed over to help Sam and Katherine off the floor. Once they were upright again, the Jones girl turned her back to them and lay down on one of the beds with her back facing them. There was nothing but silence until a gust of wind cut through the room.

"Everly," Sam called out to his sister, only for her to put a pillow over her head to try and block out the next insult, "I'm so sorry."

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Everly and Sam were on their way to Dead Man's Peak after Felix told them that Jacob and Jackson took J.P. hunting. Both of them tried their best to stay as silent as possible, knowing they wouldn't be able to take the Overland brothers in a fight. When they finally reached the top of the mountain, Sam and Everly found Jackson and Jacob watching J.P. chase a wild boar.

"You know that could kill him," the Jones girl said, making the brothers jump before they turned around to face her and Sam.

"You're finally here!" Jackson exclaimed, causing confused looks to appear on Everly and Sam's faces.

After seeing their expressions, Jacob opened his mouth to speak. "He drives us all mad. Jackson and I were just waiting for you two to come and take him. No one wants him in camp."

Before Everly or Sam had a chance to respond, the Overland brothers sprinted down the mountain, leaving J.P. behind. As soon as the boy realized what happened, he ran over to the newcomers and stopped a foot away from them. "Where did they go? And who are you?"

"Just come with us," Sam told him after sheathing his sword on his belt.

"Okay," J.P. responded without an ounce of hesitation in his voice before Everly and Sam led J.P. down Dead Man's Peak.

When they finally arrive back at the cove, J.P. instantly ran over to Adam. The two of them began to have an inaudible conversation while Everly and Sam watched from a distance. After seeing a large smile appear on Adam's face, Everly found herself turning to Sam. "I hope this isn't a trick."

"I feel the same way," Sam responded without taking his eyes off the newest addition to their group.

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It didn't take long for Sam's words to register in Everly's head. She just stared at the wall for another moment before removing the pillow from her head. The Jones girl slowly saw up and looked over at Sam and Katherine, only to find them staring back at her with regret in their eyes. Everly just stared at them until she finally found the courage within her to speak. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry," Sam repeated while keeping his eyes glued to his sister.

"Me too," Katherine added as she looked between Everly and Sam.

The Jones girl kept her eyes glued to them for a moment longer before she got up and walked up to Sam. Everly surprised her brother by grabbing his face to keep him still as she stared into his eyes. That lasted for what felt like an eternity before the Jones boy finally broke the silence surrounding them. "Uh, what are you doing, Ev?"

"Trying to see if I can tell if you're still under the spell," Everly responded as she continued to study Sam's pupils, "alright, we're good."

"Seriously?" Katherine questioned, drawing their attention to her before she continued speaking, "how did that tell you the spell is broken?"

"When you were under the spell, your eyes looked like broken mirrors. They look normal now," Everly explained as she looked back over at Sam, who was staring at Katherine in a way that made the Jones girl want to leave the room, "plus he's looking at you like that."

A small smile appeared on Katherine's face after she saw the look the Jones boy was sending her way. It wasn't long after that when Everly freed them from the chairs and pulled them in for a tight hug. The Jones girl wanted to stay like that forever, but then she remembered how they ended up in their motel room in the first place. All it took was the worried look in Everly's eyes for Sam and Katherine to understand what she was thinking. Not even a second after that passed when the three of them ran out of the room in search of the rest of their family.

The three teens sprinted throughout Stroybrooke with only one thought in mind. They all silently hoped that the Spell of Shattered Sight left their friends and family in one piece. It wasn't long before they arrived at the clock tower, where they found everyone they were looking for. A wave of relief washed over Everly as the three of them stopped right in front of their friends and family. However, her happiness soon faded when she noticed Killian was nowhere in sight.

"We are so happy you're okay," David said before he and Mary Margaret pulled their daughter in for a tight hug, "we would've died if we lost you again."

Everly couldn't help but smile as she wrapped her arms around her parents. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity before the Jones girl muttered three words just loud enough for David and Mary Margaret to hear. "I love you."

"We love you, too."

As soon as they ended their embrace, Everly turned around to find Sam staring at her with guilt plastered all over his face. The Jones girl just stared at him for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "What's wrong, Sammy?"

"I'm the worst person ever," the blonde boy confessed, causing Everly to send him a confused look before he continued speaking, "I told you that you should blame yourself for Felix's death. It wasn't your fault. I'm really sorry, Ev."

Despite all the emotions flowing through her veins, emotions that made Everly want to burst out in tears, the Purest Heart forced a smile onto her lips. "You don't need to apologize for speaking the truth."

Before Sam could argue with her, Everly pulled him in for another hug, only to spot Killian walking toward them over the Jones boy's shoulder. The sight of the pirate captain made Everly end her embrace with Sam before she walked toward Killian. It wasn't long after that when Sam and Katherine followed her.

"Hey," the Jones man greeted with a fake smile on his lips before he let out a long sigh, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you three into my duel with the Dark One."

"How long do you have?" Everly questioned, making the false expression on Killian's face vanish into thin air.

"Not long."

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