Helpless

27-The Conversation

   I spend the day with the lost boys trying to find a cure. Peter lurks around to ensure my safety, occasionally appearing behind me to grab my waist and scare the shit out of me.
  "Peter, stop!" I laugh and elbow him behind me as he scares me for the fourth time. He pouts.
  "It's fun," He says, his arms hanging loosely around my waist and his chin resting on top of my head.
  "I'm sure of it, but I'm actually being productive. I've even-" My words are cut off by Peter's grip tightening on my waist. I twist around to see him extremely alert, listening deeply for something.
  "I have to go check on someone," He says. "Felix! Jack! Watch her. Protect her with your lives," He commands before rushing off. I watch him disappear behind the trees before returning to my task. I got bored trying to find a cure and Peter said I didn't need to help since he has all the boys working, so I gave up and starting making flower crowns.
  "Damn, I'm out of daisies. I'll be right back," I tell the boys as I discover the bottom of my basket.
  "Mhm, be careful," Felix mutters, engrossed in his work. Jack doesn't even look up. I shrug and skip off with my basket.
  I wander in and out of the maze of trees, looking for the perfect flowers to pick. I try not to stray too far from the camp, but everyone knows the best flowers are near the other side of the island. After getting nowhere in about ten minutes, I look around carefully before teleporting myself to my favorite garden on Neverland.
  But as soon as I arrive, I hear voices. My entire body tenses. I panic for a moment, debating whether to teleport myself out of there or just hide. I quickly make up my mind and rush behind a tree. Peter did say they can identify magic easily and I wasn't looking for any dead giveaways.
  "Is she really here? How do I know you're not screwing with me to throw off my motives to find Henry?" Mayor Mills- or Regina- or, the Evil Queen? I'm not sure what she goes by here- says. My heart nearly stops. My mother, the woman who's been causing me pain since my birth, who could kill me with one flick of her wrist, who hates me with all of her heart, is on the other side of the tree. I bite my lip.
  "Why would I do that? I need the boy too. That'd only set myself back as well as you, and we both know I don't inconvenience myself," A man replies. I can't tell who he is, but something about that voice...
  "Look, Rumplestiltskin," She begins, and I have to cover my mouth to keep from making noise. "I don't know why you're telling me-"
  "Yes you do. You know exactly why," He interrupts her. They both stay silent for a beat.
  "So you know why I'm interested, but here's the real question. Why are you? How did you even find out she's here?" Regina asks.
  "I discovered her presence as we arrived. I can feel people with magical abilities, you know."
  Magical abilities? What the hell is he talking about? I keep listening intently.
  "Why is she here?" Regina asks. I hear something strange in her voice. Almost... fear...
  "Well it appears that my father has taken a great liking to her," He explains.
  "There is no way in hell I'm letting him corrupt my daughter-"
  "I didn't think you'd be too happy about it. But I have a solution."
  "Well keep going, Stiltskin," Regina urges.
  "My father won't give her up. He's very stubborn about the things he loves. Even if we abduct her, he'll come back for her. The way around this is to make him disinterested."
  "You mean, use magic?"
  "If only it were that simple. You and I both know magic isn't strong enough to defeat love-"
  "She loves him? We need to get her off of this island."
  "If you'd let me finish speaking, we could. There's only one way to make my father disinterested. Even after we do that, we still need to even out the Mills children. In a family with so much power, it must be split between both sides if they are to reside in the same realm. Once we save Henry, we must create a balance of dark and light."
  "What the hell does that mean?" Regina accuses.
  "Well, it's no secret Henry is the hero. We've got to turn your daughter into a dark one-"
  I get a wave of dizziness and appear back at the camp.
  "Audrey! What the hell were you thinking?" Pan asks, angrily yet afraid. He hugs me tightly. I don't move. I can't move. I look to the side to see Felix and Jack with bruises on their faces. "Audrey? What's going on?"
  I look up at Peter with wide eyes filled with fear. My breaths are heavy. I grip the basket in both of my hands, my knuckles white from holding on so tightly.
  I whisper to him, so quietly it's barely audible.
  "I heard them."