Queen of Neverland

Chapter 6

I had just gotten back to camp with the Lost Boys who helped get Baelfire to Echo Cave, and went straight towards Pan and Felix who were sitting together on a log sharpening their daggers. I sat down on Pan's other side and rested my head on his shoulder to rest for a few minutes before we had to continue our plan to get Henry to trust us.
"Everything taken care of?" Pan asked
"Mhm" I hummed
"Then why don't you head to the tree house and get some sleep" Pan said looking at me
"What about Henry?" I asked looking up at Pan
"Felix and I can..." Pan started, but stopped mid sentence
"What is it?" I asked
"Someone's leaving Neverland" Pan said
"Where?" Felix asked "How shall we stop them?"
"It's too late. Don't worry, we simply need to get word to our friends on the ground"
"In Storybrooke?" Felix said with a hint of doubt in his voice
"They can handle this. All it does is move up our time table a touch" Pan said "We need to get Henry ready"
"What do you want us to do?" I asked as the three of us stood from where we were sitting
"I want you to get some sleep" Pan said looking at me "Felix can look after camp for a while, and I need to have a chat with our 'friend' in the other cage"
Felix and I nodded to show we understood and I made my way to the tree house.

***

When I woke up it was dark out again, which meant everyone would be by the fire. I got out of bed and changed into a t-shirt and leggings before leaving the tree house and walking to the fire.
"Hey, sleep well?" Pan asked when I sat down next to him
"Yeah, how is the plan going?" I asked
"I informed our 'friend' in the cage what her task is, she's waiting in a tree house not too far from camp" Pan said
"So what now?"
"Felix is going to lure Henry to her, then she will convince him magic is dying and so is she"
"Got it, what do you need me to do?" I asked
Pan got up and motioned for me to follow, walking to where Henry was sitting alone with his back facing everyone else.
"There you are" Pan said as we approached the boy "Care to take a stroll? There's someplace special I'd like to show you"
"I'm not going anywhere with you" Henry responded
Pan sighed "Why not, Henry"
"I think you're lying to me" Henry said "My family, they're here. On Neverland, I know it"
Pan and I looked at each other before turning our attention back to Henry
"What makes you so sure?" Pan asked
"It doesn't matter"
"No, it doesn't. But I'd be remiss if I didn't point out what does" Pan said "If you're family is here, Henry, why haven't they come for you? Or Fern"
"Maybe you're keeping them from us" Henry said turning to look at Pan
"Henry I promise you, I'm not holding your family prisoner"
"Then why do you keep disappearing into the jungle? You're hiding something from us and I'm gonna find out what it is!"
Henry stood up and started walking away into the jungle. "Want me to follow him?" I asked looking at Pan
"Yes, don't let him out of your sight"
I nodded and started following Henry into the jungle.

***

"Henry wait up!" I called out running after the boy
"Sorry Fern, didn't know you were following me"
"It's alright. But I have a question, how do you know for a fact you're family is here?" I asked
"It's just a feeling" Henry said
"Henry you can tell me the truth"
Henry side then stopped to look at me "Devin gave me a magic mirror, I saw my moms and spoke with them. They said they're looking for me"
"Did they say anything about the Merry Men? Are they here too?" I asked
"I don't know, they weren't with my moms on the other side of the mirror" Henry said
"Oh..." I looked at the ground, acting upset and disappointed
"I'm sorry Fern, but when my family finds us I'm sure they'll bring you home too" Henry said placing a comforting hand on my arm. I gave him a fake smile before we continued walking.
Eventually I was able to convince Henry to walk back to camp with me. On our way we saw Felix leaving camp alone carrying a bag.
"We should follow him" Henry suggested as we watched
"I don't know, could be risky" I said "Let's just head back to camp"
"We need to know what Pan is up to, he's been lying to us this whole time Fern. I want the truth" Henry said
"Fine, we'll follow him. But as soon as you find out what he's doing we go straight back to camp!" I said
Henry nodded and the two of us started following Felix. We arrived at a tree house and hid behind some bushes to watch Felix. But all he did was drop the bag and walk away, probably heading back to camp. "Come on let's go" Henry said
"And do what? It's just a bag of food" I said
"Yeah, I want to know who he was bringing it to" Henry said leaving our hiding spot and going to grab the bag. I sighed and followed suit. Once Henry picked the bag up and checked it we started hearing coughing coming from the tree house, Henry started walking to the ladder but I stopped him. "We shouldn't be here, Henry, What if Pan finds out?" I said
"I don't care"
"You will! You don't know how powerful he can be"
"I don't care, I'm going to check it out. If you're so scared then stay here" Henry said, then he started up the ladder. I once again decided to follow him and when we got to the top we saw a girl lying in a bed. It was Wendy Darling, who has been a prisoner of Pan's for centuries, but I didn't think Henry would know who she was at first. Wendy's eyes widened when she saw me, I'm assuming she recognized me from when Pan first introduced us a few weeks after I arrived in Neverland. I held my finger to my lips telling her not to say anything.
"Who are you?" Henry asked stepping closer to the bed
Wendy looked at me and I nodded signaling she could speak
"You're not supposed to be here" she said
"I know. I thought Pan might be keeping my family here" Henry said "Why are you so far away from the camp?"
"I-I'm sick. And he's afraid someone might catch it"
"Who are you?" Henry asked
"My name's Wendy"
"Wendy Darling!?"
Wendy nodded. Henry moved again to sit on the foot of the bed while I stayed standing, watching the two and making sure Wendy doesn't let anything slip she isn't supposed to.
"I'm Henry. What's wrong?"
"It's the island, Henry, it's power is fading. I've been here a long time but, well, for some reason it's affecting me more than the others" Wendy responded "You look like him"
"Like who?" Henry asked
"Your father"
"You knew my father?"
"We were friends, a long time ago, when he was just a little bit older than you" Wendy said "He saved my brothers from danger. He would do anything for my family" Wendy started coughing again.
"Are you going to be okay?" Henry asked
"You should go" Wendy said
"Maybe there's something I can do to help!"
"Please! I don't want you to catch what I have, Pan is already doing everything that he can. But the magic here, I fear, is not enough"
"There has to be a way-"
"Please! Go! Before you too become ill" Wendy interrupted
Henry got up and placed the bag on the bed, he walked towards the ladder and looked back at Wendy.
"We'll come back for you. I promise" Henry said then he started down the ladder "Come on Fern, we should go now" he said
"I'm right behind you!" I lied, but instead I walked closer to the bed and sat down where Henry had a few seconds before.
"That was some good acting" I said picking up the bag and taking an apple out of it to eat
"I agree, very well done" Pan said coming out from behind the curtain in the room "Couldn't have played it better myself" he said standing directly behind me. I grabbed another apple and looked at Pan "Apple?" I offered
"Sure, love" he said taking it
"I don't like lying to him" Wendy said
"Well don't think of it as lying" I said
"Think of it as providing motivation" Pan finished for me
"Motivation for what?"
"Doing what needs to be done, for all of us" Pan said "You see, Henry has the heart of the truest believer, and I need to control that belief"
"What do you need him to believe in?" Wendy asked
"Me" Pan answered
"Now back to your cage" I said helping Wendy out of the bed.
Pan waited for me to leave the room and get Henry far enough from the tree house before transporting Wendy back to the cages.