Helpless

29-Memories

  We begin a light-footed trek to the other side of the jungle. I know exactly where to go since I've just encountered them. Peter's gripping my hand rather tightly.
  "You know you don't have to suffocate my hand, right?" I whisper, glancing down and witnessing how white his knuckles have grown.
  "You can't blame me for being protective," He attempts to reason. I smirk.
  "I don't think you're being protective, I think you're scared," I taunt. He lightly laughs and shakes his head.
  "You're insane if you're not afraid," He claims. I laugh.
  "Oh how the tables have turned."
  "What do you mean?" He asks confused.
  "My first day here, remember? I accused you of being psychotic once you told me you're Peter Pan-"
  "Help!" A scream interrupts my explanation. I look up at Peter. The blood has drained from his face. His look tells me not to engage.
  So I run towards the plea.
  "Audrey!" Peter calls after me as he chases me through the winding trees. I ignore him and keep running.
  My hair flies back behind me as I zip through the forest. I've gotten fairly good at running since I arrived, so my breaths are steady and even. I barely even break a sweat.
  The cries of agony continue on, and I use them as my guide. Peter's voice gets softer and softer behind me until it disappears. I don't turn back.
  I eventually come to the edge of a cave, and running into it I spot a cage on a pillar of rock in the center. I can't see who's in the cage, but the voice sounds so familiar.
  "Hang on!" I shout to them. I quickly teleport myself to the pillar. I kneel down to look into the rectangle window in the front. Upon looking into the eyes of the prisoner, my body is hit with a cold shock.
  Abandoned in a river, Katrina Van Tassle, Brom, the broken alcohol bottle, the portal... my memories.
  They're back.
  "Baelfire!" I exclaim. Tears of relief and fright flood my eyes.
  "Audrey... is that really you?" Bae asks, grasping the bars to steady himself. I nod my head. "What are you doing here? Did Pan take you as a prisoner like he did to Wendy?"
  "No, not at all. But that's a long story. Why are you here?" I ask him. "And more importantly, why are you in a cage?"
  He sighs. "I fell through a portal when my... I'm not sure what she is to me but, Emma and the others came here to rescue our son Henry. I ended up in the Enchanted Forest. I was shot when I fell," He pulls up his sleeve to show me, "I was sure I was dead, but some friends in the Enchanted Forest helped me heal and get here to help save my son. But when I arrived, Pan found me and took me as leverage over Emma."
  "He... what?" I mutter. "I can't believe he didn't tell me."
  "I spent time here when I was a kid, Audrey. Get away from him. He's dangerous-"
  "Says the son of the Dark One." I shudder at the voice behind me.
  "Peter..." I whisper.
  "Why are you lying to her? Why are you holding her captive?" Baelfire accuses Peter. He just laughs.
  "If I was, she'd be in a cage right beside you." My eyes widen. This is not the Peter I fell in love with. Bae can read the confusion on my face.
  "You're here willingly?" He asks, bewildered. I clear my throat.
  "I was."
  Peter's confident expression drops to fear for a moment. He tries to grab my wrist but I sharply pull away.
  "Run away, Audrey," Baelfire begs. I bite my lip and shake my head.
  "I wish it were that simple," I sigh before teleporting myself away from the both of them.
  I end up back in my favorite garden. Sometimes when I teleport myself, it just takes me to where I long to be. No thought required. A tear drips down my cheek, but I wipe it away.
  Someone catches my wrist.
  "Hello, dearie. It's been much too long."  I whip my head around to find the person to which the sinister voice belongs.
  Rumplestiltskin.