Chapter Text
Wendy looked at the small group gathered in front of her. “I wanted to come first and ask nicely. Give Neverland back it’s magic.”
"Even if we wanted to we don’t know how," Rumpelstiltskin responded, eyeing her warily.
"Rumpelstiltskin and the evil queen…" Wendy raised an eyebrow.
"Wendy, what happened?" Neal asked, his tone confused.
Wendy flickered her eyes to him. “Bae…” She quickly shook her head, this wasn’t the time nor place for explanations. Maybe later. “Peter-.”
"Peter?" Neal asked, taken aback, "you call him Peter."
Everyone else called him demon, the shadow, the boy who wouldn’t grow up, Pan, the Pan, but never Peter. Wendy didn’t respond though. “He won’t ask nicely.”
"And you’re here out of the kindness of your heart?" Hook asked. "Everything with him is a game, a well thought out move. And Pan doesn’t let his Wendy bird out of sight very long does he?"
Wendy narrowed her eyes at Hook. “Of course he’s hoping to take care of this without to much trouble. This is the last place he wants to be. But this warning is coming from me, give up Neverlands magic or he’ll take it from you.”
"Didn’t you hear?" Regina snapped. "We can’t."
Wendy turned her gaze on Regina. “I hope for your sake you can.” The evil queen scoffed, but Wendy ignored it. Turning, she moved to the exit, but someone caught her wrist. Wendy spun around, eyes wide. No one grabbed her, ever. The lost boys knew that. “Baelfire…” She warned.
"Wendy don’t do this. Let me help you."
She blinked at his request and her heart broke a bit for him. If he knew she had gone back for him then he’d hate himself. “Let go.”
"I know how he is," Neal said, ignorant of her demand. "I can’t just let you-."
"You have to," she said again, more urgently and pulled at her wrist.
"Neal mate, let her go," Hook said carefully. "Nothing good will come of this."
Emma, noting the concerned look on Hook’s face stepped forward. “Neal, maybes he’s right.”
Neal shook his head and stepped closer, grasping her shoulders gently. “I can’t just you go back to him.”
She gasped, fear making her heart thump in her chest, not fear for herself though. “Bae…” She said and tried to step back. The lights went out, plunging the little restaurant into darkness. Hoping Bae would release her then had been a foolish wish. He yanked her next to him, thinking he was protecting her. The door flew open, people exclaimed, someone said something about a light, but even the evil queen admitted she couldn’t draw on her magic just then. Then the room was illuminated again and she swung her eyes around, finally coming back to look at Bae, finding who she feared. The teenage boy smiled down on her from over Bae’s shoulder, an evilness in his eyes that never left. It wasn’t until then did she notice the dagger at Bae’s throat.
"Let him go!" Emma said and drew her weapon.
"Hurt my son," Rumple said and stepped forward, "and I’ll kill you."
"You’ve taken Neverland from me, and now you want my Wendy?"
"Peter…" Wendy said gently. "I wouldn’t have let them."
"She isn’t yours." Neal responded angrily.
"Let her go," Peter said and leaned closer to whisper into his ear. "Or I’ll rip your shadow from your body."
"Do it," Hook said forcefully. "It isn’t worth it."
Bae released her and Wendy immediately took steps away from him. Peter in turn stepped away from Bae dropping his hand with the dagger.
"What did you do to her?" Neal asked angrily. "We had a deal."
"Bae," she said gently and took a couple more steps backwards until she felt her back come in contact with Peter, "it’s my choice." His eyes narrowed in confusion and she felt Peter’s hand settle on her hip, pulling her back against him.
"Wendy thought she might be able to make you see reason," Peter began and looked around him at those gathered, "but I can see that was a bad idea. Stay away from her Baelfire. You only get one warning. As for the rest of you, what do you say we play a game?"
"I’m not in the mood for one of your games," Rumple responded. "And this isn’t Neverland."
"And I’m still the most powerful one here," Peter snapped. "So I say let’s play."
He pulled at her hip, tugging her towards the door. Wendy turned to let him guide her away, but he stopped, this time pulling her chest against his own as he faced them once more. Wendy lifted a hand to his chest, smoothing it over his heart, trying to soothe the anger in him.
"You’ve got twenty-four hours," Peter warned, "to figure it out. "One rule, leave my little bird out of it or I’ll rip your shadow so slowly from your body you’ll think I’m skinning you alive."
Wendy swallowed at the venom and harshness in his tone. His hand though, still on her hip, pulled her gently along. Peter’s words were violent and cruel, but as the door closed behind him, the bell dinging, he pulled her closer to his side and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He was cruel, but his touch, his eyes, when on her, they were gentle. Wendy strived to be a good person, even with him in her life. But Neverland had twisted her regardless. So no matter of how good she should have been, Wendy looked up at him and smiled.