────── ★★★ ──────

────── ★★★ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟕
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

────── ★★★ ──────

The three of them didn't hesitate to pull Jackson away from Elsa to tell them their newly formed plan. After listening to everything they had to say, the former Lost Boy agreed that it was a good plan. Unfortunately, he needed to get back to work before he got on Jacob's bad side. The group of teens wished each other luck before Everly, Sam, and Katherine headed back to Granny's to try to figure out what happened to Marian. They just hoped they would discover a way to put a stop to it before the woman got any worse.

"So, let's start with the information we got from Robin," Everly said while Sam and Katherine watched her from the other side of the booth, "they started their morning with a walk around town to show Marian what Storybrooke is like. Then had lunch at Granny's before going to the lake."

"After that, they went to a meeting when the curse started," Sam added, causing the Jones girl to nod in response before the former let out a long sigh, "I don't understand what could've happened."

"Don't forget the ice cream," Katherine told them, drawing the attention of the Jones siblings, only to see the confused look in their eyes before she continued speaking, "remember? Robin, Marian, and Roland went into the ice cream shop. The shopkeeper gave Marian a cone on the house."

Silence surrounded them for a moment before Everly and Sam agreed with Katherine, all of them knowing that the ice cream shop was the only thing that seemed off about the Hood family's adventures. After coming up with a somewhat decent plan, the three of them paid for their food and made their way out of Granny's. However, when they got out onto the patio, they stopped in their tracks.

Standing around the outside of the diner was a group of about fifteen people, all of whom seemed to be regulars of the establishment. Normally, Everly would just walk by them and go on with her day. But there was something about this crowd that made chills run throughout the Purest Heart's body. And it all had to do with the angry man standing in the center.

"Elsa's the problem. Today it's Marian, tomorrow she could freeze the whole town," Leroy told them before the crowd nodded in response to his statement.

"As much as I like to move the hot cocoa, somebody's gotta stop her," Granny added while the group of people continued to mutter things to those surrounding them.

"Wait. You can't just condemn her without all the facts," Archie retaliated in an attempt to calm the crowd, only for everyone to send glares his way.

"Look around. Who else can turn people into popsicles?" Leroy scoffed as the crowd continued to nod in agreement with the man, "it's Elsa and we all know it. So she's got to be stopped before she hurts someone else."

When the crowd turned to leave, Everly, Sam, and Katherine quickly followed. The three of them stopped at the entrance of the diner's patio and watched as the group walked down the street. It wasn't long after that when the Purest Heart spotted the ice cream shop owner in front of her store. She was simply standing in front of a sign she had just put up with a smirk on her face.

"They're going after Elsa," Katherine stated, drawing Everly's attention back to her before she continued speaking, "what are we going to do?"

"Need some help?" a new voice asked, causing everyone to turn their attention toward the sound to find Jackson walking over to them.

"I thought you were at work," Sam said as Jackson placed his arm around Everly's shoulder and pulled her into a side hug.

"I heard that some damsels...and you needed some help," the Overland boy responded, earning an eye roll from Sam in response before Jackson turned his attention towards the girl next to him, "what do you need?"

"A phone," was all Everly said before Jackson pulled out a phone from his pocket and placed it in her hand.

After sending the blonde boy a grateful smile, the Purest Heart dialed Killian's number and listened to it run until she finally heard his voice. "Hello?"

"Killian, it's Everly," the blonde girl greeted while keeping her eyes glued to the retreating mob in the distance, "people are looking for Elsa. They think she froze Marian."

"I know. Look across the street. In the alley," he responded, causing a wave of confusion to wash over Everly as she looked over in the direction he told her. As soon as her eyes landed on the alley, she spotted the pirate captain hiding with Elsa by his side.

Everly just stared at them for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Just be careful and let me know if you need anything."

"Will do," Killian responded before hanging up the phone and walking in the opposite direction of the Sheriff's station.

The Jones girl couldn't help but roll her eyes at the pirate captain, fully knowing that he couldn't see her actions. She watched him for another moment before turning around and handing Jackson's phone back to him. As she stared at the smiling boy, an odd feeling formed in the pit of Everly's stomach. She just stared at him for a second longer before opening her mouth to ask the question that was bouncing around in her head. "How is it that you always show up when we need help?"

"Intuition," he responded without an ounce of hesitation. Before any of them had a chance to continue the conversation, Jackson sent them one last grin before turning around and heading back in the direction of the mechanic's shop.

Once he was out of sight, Everly looked back to where they first spotted the owner of the ice cream shop, only to find an empty chair. The confusion flowing through her veins did nothing but grow as she poked Sam and Katherine in the sides. "Where did she go?"

Before either of them had a chance to respond, Emma and David appeared around the corner and began walking toward them. But what made the three teens stop their conversation was the sight of an unknown man walking between them. Everly, Sam, and Katherine kept their eyes glued to them until they were close enough for Katherine to ask the question that was running through all their heads. "Who's this?"

"Will Scarlet," Emma answered before letting out a long irritated sigh, "he broke into the ice cream shop during the power outage and said none of the ice creams melted so we think the owner may have the same powers as Elsa."

"You're working with a bunch of kids?" Will asked, earning glares from the three teens standing in front of him.

"It's better than working with a thief," Katherine retaliated before the brunette man looked over at her with a slightly annoyed look in his eyes.

"Now you listen here-"

"Enough," David interrupted as he pulled Will away from Everly, Sam, and Katherine while Emma looked through the ice cream shop's window.

"I don't know. Looks pretty normal to me," the Savoir announced after turning back around to face the group standing behind her.

"It was bleeding cold in there, I'm telling ya," the Scarlet man responded, earning a small scoff from Everly.

"Because they sell ice cream," the Purest Heart said with a small smirk on her face, only to receive an eye roll from Will in response.

"During the blackout?"

"Says the guy who's trying to avoid jail," Everly muttered under her breath followed by laughter from Sam and Katherine.

"I may be a thief but I'm no liar! And I can bloody well prove it!" he exclaimed before bending down to put something into the lock.

"Really? You think breaking in again is going to prove your case?" Sam scoffed as a large smirk appeared on his lips.

"Can you just be quiet for a second, mate? I'm just trying to do this," Will responded while sending the Jones boy a sharp glare before turning his attention back to the lock, "it takes concentration. A bit tricky. It's all about-"

"Yeah, the tumblers," Emma interrupted while grabbing the tools away from the thief, "I got it."

"You do?" David questioned, only for his daughter to unlock the door a second later.

They all watched the door swing open with shocked expressions on their faces. It wasn't long after that when the Swan woman looked over at them with a large grin on her face. "Neal taught me a few things."

A small smile appeared on the Jones girl's face as they walked passed the shocked thief and into the ice cream shop. Silence surrounded them as they looked around the shop to see how much of an impact the blackout had on it. But instead of finding a bunch of melted ice cream, all they discovered was the frozen merchandise perfectly intact.

"Emma, it doesn't look like-"

"Wait. Shh. Listen," Emma cut David off while continuing to look around the small shop with a hint of determination in her eyes. No one said a word as they stood around the shop. When all they were met with was silence, their attention turned back to the Savior.

"I don't hear nothing," Will announced, only for Everly to send him a slightly irritated look.

"Exactly," the Purest Heart responded, causing the Scarlet man to turn towards her before she continued speaking, "no compressor hum means no cooling system."

"So, the thief was telling the truth," Sam added with a small smirk on his face while the man in question sent him a glare, "something's not right here."

"I'm not liking these kids," Will told Emma and David as if the three teens couldn't hear him. When all he received was annoyed looks in response, the expression on his face changed before he stood up straighter and continued speaking. "Check the back. You'll see how right I am."

The heroes just stared at the thief before exchanging looks amongst themselves. It wasn't long after that when Emma began walking into the back room followed by David, Everly, Sam, and Katherine. What they found next surprised all of them. Every inch of the kitchen was covered in a thick layer of ice.

"Well, look at that. Looks like we owe the thief an apology," Katherine announced while her eyes continued to scan over the frosty room in front of her.

It wasn't even a second after the words left her mouth when the sound of a bell cut through the air. Emma instantly let out an irritated sigh before rushing out of the backroom with everyone right behind her. But instead of finding Will waiting for them to return, they found nothing but an empty room. While Emma and David went to check the cash register, Everly, Sam, and Katherine rushed out the front door to see if they could spot him, only to be greeted by the empty streets of Storybrooke.

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What felt like an eternity of Everly staring up and Felix passed, making the latter squirm on the tree branch they were sitting on. As they sat in silence, the former Lost Girl tried to process the information the blonde boy gave her. She tried to come up with a reason as to why he would need someone to bring light to Neverland, only to fail. The only thing left to do was ask, which was something she didn't want to do...but she had to.

"Why would Pan's right-hand man need someone like me on Neverland?" Everly questioned, causing a dark look that she hadn't seen since her early days on the island to form in Felix's eyes.

"He did nothing to prevent or stop Griff from killing Fletcher," Felix responded, making the girl next to him quirk an eyebrow in his direction before he let out a sigh and continued speaking, "you were right. I do blame Pan for his death...no matter how much I don't want to."

The Jones girl once again stared at him in silence as she thought back to everything he had said to her over the years. "You told me that he couldn't do anything to save Fletcher."

"Well, I was trying to get you to trust Pan but that doesn't really matter now," the Thorne boy told her before a small laugh passed over his lips. It wasn't long after that before the slight joy in his eyes faded. "He had time to stop Griff...a lot of time. But he just stood there. Every time I look at Pan, it reminds me that he let Fletcher die. I blame him for everything."

"Then come with me."

"You know the second I do Pan will check every inch of this island to end us both."

"It's almost about the same time Bae opened the portal," Everly announced, trying not to let her negative emotions take over as she thought back to the day when she was left behind by her best friend, "maybe we can open it again and get everyone off this island."

"And you don't think Pan will figure it out before we even get a chance to leave?" he questioned with a single eyebrow quirked in her direction.

"He doesn't know where we are now."

As soon as the Jones girl finished speaking, a small smile appeared on Felix's face. It wasn't long after that when he laced his fingers with hers. "That's how I want it to be."

An identical smile formed on Everly's face as she moved closer to him and placed her head on his shoulder. The two of them sat in silence while they watched the clouds roll by in the sky. At that moment, the Jones girl forgot about everything. She forgot about Pan and the Lost Boys hunting her down. She forgot about her island nightmare and the constant feeling of being alone. Felix made her feel wanted and loved. He made her feel hopeful and like she belonged somewhere. But most of all, Felix made Everly believe that happy endings were possible.

There was just one problem. A happy ending on Neverland was impossible.

────── ★★★ ──────

A day had passed since her last meeting with Felix and her mind was uneasy. All she could think about was happy endings and how she was destined not to have one. Everly will either be running or a slave to Pan for the rest of her life. The thought of losing Felix internally killed her but she knew in her heart that they couldn't happen. Ever. The former Lost Girl felt a single tear roll down her cheek at the thought but she quickly wiped it away and focused on her task.

Finding a way to reopen the portal that got Baelfire off this island.

────── ★★★ ──────

After Emma received a message from Killian, the heroes all rushed to David's truck and headed toward the forest. Everyone sprinted through the trees and down the trail that the Jones man described to them before they found Killian and Elsa. And by the looks of it, they arrived just in time. Everly's entire body runs cold after stopping in her tracks to take in the scene in front of her. It was just too unbelievable.

A few yards away from them, Killian struggled to free his feet from the ice that kept him frozen to the forest floor. But what really made Everly panic was the sight of sharp icicles hanging high above the pirate captain's head, just waiting to break at any second.

"Hey, Dairy Queen!" Emma shouted, drawing the unknown woman's attention to them before a shocked look appeared on her face.

"Emma?" the woman in white said just loud enough for them to hear as she stared at the Savior with shock in her eyes.

"Do we know each other?" Emma asked in confusion after looking away from Killian to meet the stranger's gaze.

"Of course not. Your reputation precedes you," the woman responded as she slowly lowered her arm before her eyes landed on Everly, "as does Rapunzel's. Do you really think either of your magic is a match for mine?"

"There's only one way to find out," the Swan woman declared before shooting a wave of magic at the ice cream shop owner.

The impact caused the woman to fly backward, giving David the opportunity to run toward Killian to help him escape his icy trap. The Nolan man began hacking at the ice with his knife as the icicles grew another inch. It wasn't long before the woman in white noticed what the prince was trying to do, causing her to shoot her hand out toward the men. That was when the icicles started to fall.

Everly's instincts took over before she could even think as she pushed her arms out in front of her. The force from her magic freed Killian from the ice that surrounded his feet and sent him and David flying through the air. They landed with a loud thud but out of harm's way right as the icicles made hit the forest floor.

The Jones girl just stared at where her father figures once stood in total shock. Before another thought could do through her head, she felt someone grab her arm and spin her around. It wasn't long after that when she came face-to-face with Sam. "What was that? I thought you could only teleport and heal."

"I can enchant things, too," Everly responded, earning a slightly irritated look from the blonde boy before she looked down at her hands, "I don't know where that came from. I just felt I needed to do something."

After staring at her fingertips for another moment, the Purest Heart looked up to find everyone staring at her. Silence filled the forest as Everly took in the mixed emotions on everyone's faces. It wasn't long after that when Emma became the first person to break her gaze away from her sister. Her attention soon landed on David and Killian, who were still lying on the dirt floor. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah. We're fine" David told her before he looked around the clearing, only to see nothing but his allies surrounding him, "where is she?"

His question caused everyone to look back to where the woman once was, just to find nothing but trees and logs.

"She's gone," Emma announced with defeat and irritation in her voice.

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After walking for what felt like forever, Everly went back to the cave where Baelfire always snuck off to. The moment she arrived she began looking around at everything that the boy left behind. To her surprise, all there was in the cave was a coconut and sketches on the walls that Everly would never understand. Every time the Jones girl went to the case, she tried to make connections but nothing ever added up.

The coconut was cut in half and cleaned out with holes in the top. After studying it one more time, Everly concluded that it had a candle in the middle of it at some point. Her attention soon turned to the walls to look over the same tally marks that she had on the cove walls. Just a bunch of lines, marking how many days he was stuck on Neverland.

Just as she was about to grab her stuff and leave Baelfire's cave, a sudden chill cut through the air.

"Just a heads up," a new voice said, causing Everly to jump and turn around to find a smirking Jackson standing at the only exit of the cave. "Al's band of misfits are coming."

The Jones girl just stared at him for a moment, slightly confused as to why he was just talking to her without his bow aimed at her. But she quickly shook it off and mentally prepared herself for a fight. "So you beat them here to take me to Pan and get the credit?"

A small chuckle passed over the boy's lips, making Everly's eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. It wasn't long after that when Jackson opened his mouth to respond. "I'm just here to warn you. They're getting closer. Better run, little Lost Girl."

"Why are you helping me?"

"I have my reasons," the blonde boy responded before stepping away from the case entrance and gesturing towards the forest, "now go before I change my mind."

Everly didn't hesitate to sprint passed Jackson and out of the cave in the opposite direction of the approaching Lost Boys. The chill that surrounded her in the case vanished as quickly as it came as soon as she was far enough away from Baelfire's cave. However, to the Jones girl's surprise, it reappeared when she got to a clearing near the base of Dead Man's Peak.

The Jones girl's confusion did nothing but grow as she tried to wrap her head around where the sudden cold could be coming from. There was hardly any weather on Neverland and, when there was, it was usually raining to bring them more water. Because she was so distracted by her thoughts, Everly failed to see the boy appearing out from the trees, making her smack right into him. After stumbling back a bit, she looked up to find Jacob staring back at her.

"Why in such a hurry?" he questioned with a smirk on his face, only for it to fade when he heard the Lost Boys' cries getting closer in the distance. Everly was surprised to see a serious look forming on his face as he looked back at her. "Go! Get out of here!"

The Jones girl just stared at him for another second before getting to her feet and sprinting to the cove. Once she reached her destination and knew she was out of harm's way took over, Everly sat on one of the rocks and tried to catch her breath.

She could've died tonight...or worse. She could've been in one of Pan's cages again. If it wasn't for Jackson and Jacob, Everly wouldn't be safe. What did they have to gain from helping her?

────── ★★★ ──────

While Emma, David, and Killian went to look for the ice cream shop owner, Everly, Sam, and Katherine stayed with Elsa in the empty clearing. No one said a word as the Jones girl walked across the grass to sit down on a nearby log. She just stared there with her eyes glued to her hands, trying to figure out what just happened. It wasn't long after that when two people sat down beside her. Everly didn't need to look up to know it was Sam and Katherine. While the three friends continued to sit in silence, Elsa stood on the other side of the clearing and stared at the place where the woman with the same magic as hers once stood.

"I just don't get it," Sam finally said, breaking the silence while turning to look at Everly, "how come you can use more powerful magic out of nowhere?"

"I don't know," was all the Purest Heart said in response without taking her eyes off her hands.

"Could you do that before?" the Jones boy questioned, making her think back to the time when she first unlocked her magic. The time when Peter Pan threatened Felix's life.

"I've only done that once before but I never knew how I did it."

"How could this just-"

"I don't know, Sam!" Everly shouted before unfamiliar anger began to flow through her veins.

The blonde girl tightly shut her eyes as her hands clenched into fists. It had been a long time since she felt that way, and she couldn't even explain why she did. That caused fear to mix with the anger inside her and made Everly slightly panic. After feeling both Sam and Katherine quickly get up from the log, the Jones girl's eyes flash open, only for her to wish she kept them shut. Everly's entire body became stone as she stared at her brightly glowing hands. The sight of the gold emitting from her fingertips made the fear within her overtake all the anger. It wasn't long after that when the light began to glow even brighter.

Because she was so distracted by the magic coming from her fingers, Everly failed to notice someone rushing toward her. It wasn't until the person was squatting in front of her and placed their hands on her shoulders that the Jones girl looked up to meet Elsa's gaze.

"Take a deep breath. You need to relax," the blonde woman calmly told her, making Everly nod in response.

It wasn't long after that when the Jones girl tightly shut her eyes and let out a few breaths in an attempt to calm herself. When she finally opened them again, her hands stopped glowing. Everly just stared at her fingers for a moment longer before looking back up at Elsa. "What's happening?"

"It looks like saving David and Killian has unlocked more of your magic," the Queen of Arendelle responded with a smile before returning to where she was previously standing.

Everly watched her walk away before her attention went back to her now non-glowing hands. All she felt at that moment was fear and confusion. Just a second ago her fingertips were brightly glowing and she didn't even know what that meant. The Purest Heart didn't know if she wanted to find out...but something was telling her that she didn't have a choice.

The sound of approaching footsteps cut through the air, causing Everly to look up just in time to see Emma, David, and Killian returning. While they tell everything that they couldn't find the ice cream shop owner, the Jones girl remained on the log and returned her attention to her hands. Her mind raced with a million different thoughts, all trying to figure out what was happening to her. It wasn't long after that when she felt someone sit down beside her, making her look up to find Killian staring back at her with concern in his eyes.

"What happened back there?" the pirate captain asked, only for Everly to tense up a bit before he continued speaking, "how did you-"

"Don't ask her that," Sam told Killian, making the Jones girl's blood run cold at the sound of his voice.

He sounded like he was scared...scared of her.

Everly swallowed the lump forming in her throat as she looked back down at her hands. Panic began to build up inside her once again, forcing all of her other feelings away. The Purest Heart tried her best to calm herself down, only to fail as her hands began to shake. It wasn't long before her fingertips began to slightly grow, making Everly's fear double.

Without so much as a warning, Everly got to her feet and sprinted away from her friends and family. She heard Killian calling out to her in the distance, making her look back at him as she ran even faster. Despite wanting his comfort and support, the Jones girl knew she couldn't go back to him until she figured out how to control her new abilities. So instead, Everly ran toward the two people she knew wouldn't be frightened by her magic. A duo who might be able to help her figure out what was going on.

Everly ran towards Jackson and Jacob.

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