Believer || OUAT Peter Pan x OC

Chapter 17; The Thing She Loves Most

(A/N - Just a quick reminder that yea, I did tweak the original story between Rumple and Pan because I don't want Peter to be, like, an adult in a kids body 😂 kind of weird to write about, so basically he was the same age as Elena is when he abandoned Rumple to stay in Neverland, and he had to be like a parent to him as his older brother because their father sold them to a blacksmith 😊💕 hope this isn't too confusing! 😅)

When Pan awoke from the switch of bodies, returned to his former self, Rumple was standing over him with a stone-cold look on his face. Elena's lips were parted slightly; now that the moment was here, she didn't know where to start, what to think or feel. Rumple contrasted entirely to Elena.

"Hello, brother," he greeted icily, as Peter hoisted himself up.

"Thought you'd have killed me in your sleep, laddie," Pan said in mock surprise. He noticed Elena standing a little behind Rumple, and his expression almost instantly softened. "Hello, love."

"Don't try anything," Gold warned him as he began to step away for Elena. "It won't work anyway."

Pan glanced at his wrist, and he scoffed lightly, looking back up at Rumple. "Oh, wait. I see. You've taken away my magic. That's why it's so easy for you to strut around and pose, isn't it?"

Rumple didn't answer, nodding at Elena as he left the room silently.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena said when Gold was no longer in the same room. "You apologise for tricking me once in Neverland but go and do it again here. Why?"

"Because I had to, Ella. They left me for dead in Neverland, and you know I can't survive without the Heart of the Truest Believer. You'll understand. When this part is all over, you'll see this is for a cause you'd agree with."

"And what's that?"

"You know," Peter responded. "I don't want to lose you. And I know you don't want to lose me."

"You know that because you switched with Henry and then got me to spill everything to you. Every time I doubt your supposedly bad motives and everything, you always make me have to face up to the truth that you're a villain. Why can't you just stop?" Elena was close to tears, and she moved a little closer, hope in her voice as she continued. "You can, Peter. You don't have to do this. There's always another way. You've read Henry's book - you should know. Look at how Regina transformed! There's still time to change things. If you won't do it for them, will you do it for me?"

Pan sighed lightly, shaking his head. "It's not that simple, Elena. What I'm doing will solve everything."

"And what then? When you get all power over Storybrooke? The catch with having power is that even when you get it all, you're never satisfied. You'll feel empty. And you might think you'll have me, but I'll be brainwashed like the rest of them. And you'll have to live with knowing that all I'm saying and doing, and the relationship you want - it'll all be fake and forced. Do you really want that? Will that solve everything?"

Peter didn't answer for a few moments, thinking her words over silently, his expression unreadable. His gaze dropped, then met hers again - but before he could say anything, Rumple came back into the room. Elena looked to Peter desperately before stepping back, watching Gold stand over Peter Pan with a look of cool contempt.

"Perfect timing," Pan said sarcastically.

"I wanted to talk to you," Rumple started, and Elena bit her lip anxiously. "I wanted you to see me, and think about what you've done."

"Of course," Peter responded, not seeming bothered, "to look at my brother, here at the end. And really see him. Think about what might have been. Is that what you want?" Peter's expression instantly changed to serious and emotive. "Because I do. I remember us when you were younger. Helpless and all mine because of our father, who sold us to a blacksmith." Elena's eyes widened at the revelation, and wondered if she should leave - but Peter seemed well aware of her presence in the background, unwavering as he continued. "Those big eyes always full of tears. Pulling at me. Pulling away my name, my money, my time - pulling away any hope of making my life into something better for myself. You ate my dreams alive and never stopped, Rumple. What's childhood if you have to play the parent every day without fail? And what are you now, a couple hundred? Can't I be free of you?"

Elena studied Peter Pan's face, which was downcast and seemingly vulnerable. He was speaking so vigorously and his eyes were brimming with painful, accusing recollections. Rumple's look didn't change - if anything it hardened.

"Oh, you will be," Gold said with an acidic tone, suddenly grabbing a sword from a nearby table. "In death."

Elena flinched and immediately stood up, leaving the room, not waiting to watch the scene she'd been working so hard to avoid. Tears finally spilt from her eyes as she ran out of the shop, not knowing where to go or what from that point. She didn't want to reunite with Emma and the others, not yet. Instead, she went to Granny's Diner and sat at the table she was at last, a bitter-sweet memory where she and 'Henry' were talking. There were a few people sitting at the diner, and so she tried to keep her state quiet and discreet. However, after a minute or two she felt someone sit beside her and put a comforting hand on her leg. Looking up, she was surprised to be met with the calm and sympathetic gaze of The Blue Fairy.

"I know what you're feeling," Blue spoke in understanding. "I know you're torn and upset because of Pan, and I won't pretend to overlook the many villainous acts he has carried out. But I'm sure you can't deny the evident affection and weakness in his part when it comes to you, Elena."

Elena shook her head, not meeting Blue's eyes. "It doesn't matter. He wants power more than he does me. He's a villain."

"And so was Regina," Blue pointed out, hands linked in front of her on the table. "You're aware of what terrible things she's done in the past. But could you ever see her doing them again? Really?"

Elena shrugged and shook her head again, thinking. "Well, she's definitely come a long way since then..."

"She has," Blue agreed. "And what motivated her change, do you think?"

"Henry, I suppose," Elena answered. "She adopted him because she felt empty."

"Yes, she did. And she was - and still is - willing to do anything for him. No one's born a villain." Blue sighed and Elena met her gaze as she continued. "Listen, Ella, I'm not going to persuade you to do anything. But I will say this. Everyone has the capability to love. It's one of the strongest emotions in all of the realms. And when they know they're loved back... well. It can change and influence a lot. Sometimes, they just need to be shown."

"She's right," Grumpy said from another table, coming over to sit with them. "Listen, sister, I get the gist of how you're feelin'. And I know first hand what it's like to lose a love. But you know somethin' Snow told us once?"

Elena shook her head, listening in interest.

"'Love can save even the darkest souls'" Grumpy quoted. "'You just have to believe in it.' Pan there is a dark soul all right, but there's always a cure. Question is, do you believe in it?"

Elena nodded, wiping away the tear-stains trailing down her cheeks. "Of course I do. But villains like him are always convinced that love is weakness."

"Love is weakness," Blue admitted, "but it's the best kind. And it doesn't only act as weakness. It makes you strong too. Just look at how it saved Snow White and Charming."

"We're here for you, sister," Grumpy said with a nod. "You just do whatever you think you need to."

"He's probably dead by now," Elena said quietly, "Rumple seemed pretty set on making sure of it."

"No," Blue said in contradiction, shaking her head with a soft smile, "he's alive. I feel it."

Elena's eyes lit up then, and she smiled, newfound confidence and determination flowing into her mindset as she stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to try one last time," Elena said, with a thankful smile to the both of them, "to give Peter Pan the cure."