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The Truth And Secrets

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SHE WASN'T GOING TO CRY. Melody refused to seem weak though the frustration made her hard for her not to. There wasn't a way out. Pan had thought of everything; getting rid of the magic books, sealing off every entrance, she even tried busting through the wall but it proved to be indestructible. Couldn't he just have trusted her? Sure, she was honest when she said she thought it was wrong to turn her family against each other, but she never said anything rude during that conversation or something that indicated that she was turning her back on him.

And here she was, locked in a room with nowhere to go or escape. Heck, not even any of the potion bottles helped.

Sighing in frustration, Melody looked out the window where she could see the boys. Pan sat sharpening and Felix sat next to him. Angry tears sparked in her eyes but they didn't fall. He didn't deserve the satisfaction.

But what was she going to do? And when - or if - the others ever found her, who would she choose? Them?

Or her father?

---

Felix sat silently, even though he wanted to punch the immortal leader in the face. The second in command just couldn't believe that Pan had locked Melody in the treehouse. And the only way to escape was if Melody accepted that she was staying on the island, that she couldn't go back with her family. It was sick and twisted, then again, most things in Neverland were.

Pan inhaled sharply and Felix looked at him.

"What is it?" he asked.

Pan exhaled. "Someone's leaving Neverland."

"Where? How shall we stop them?"

"It's too late. Don't worry, Felix. We simply need to get word to our friends on the ground."

"In Storybrooke?"

"They can handle this. All it does is move up our timetable a touch. We need to get Henry ready," Pan told him as he stood up. "And I need to have a chat with our friend in the other cage."

Before he walked away, Felix stopped him. "Melody. Does she know the spell you put on the treehouse to keep her in there?"

"No."

He walked away and Felix walked toward the treehouse. Melody still sat on the bed, her head against the board. Felix walked in and she looked at him.

"What?" she asked.

"I know how you can get out of here," Felix told her.

Melody sat up, looking curious. "And how's that?"

"You can only leave when you accept that you are to stay on the island."

She shook her head. "Why didn't he just trust me?"

Felix shrugged. "Pan just doesn't want to lose you, Melody. And I know he has an odd way of showing that, but it's just because he's afraid."

He left without another word, but of course not before giving her a smile, leaving her alone. Melody laid her head on the board again and sighed.

Afraid? But she just couldn't understand why Pan didn't want her to go back. Why couldn't he just tell them the truth? And there was still that question that nagged at her, even though she promised not to push for the truth.

Why did he hate Gold so much?

---

Pan walked over to Henry who was sitting by a tree. Henry faced away from him and Pan sighed.

"There you are. Do you care to take a stroll? There's someplace special I'd like to show you."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Henry snapped.

Pan crouched down on one knee behind him and sighed. "Why not, Henry?"

"I think you're lying to me. My family... they're here, on Neverland. I know it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Does it matter?"

"No. It doesn't. But I'd remiss if I didn't point out what does. If your family's here, Henry, why haven't they come for you? Or Melody?"

Henry turned around. "Maybe you're keeping them from me."

"Henry, I promise you, I'm not holding your family prisoner."

"Then why do you keep disappearing into the jungle? Why are you and my sister so close? You're hiding something from me, and I'm gonna find out what it is."

Henry got up and left. Pan got up, looking annoyed. Felix came up from behind him, his club resting on his shoulders.

"It would appear we're losing the boy," Felix observed.

"He just requires... some effort." He smirked. "Given his lineage, I'd expect nothing less."

"Shall I bring the cage here?"

"No. I have another idea." Pan's smirk fell as he looked over at his treehouse. "How is she?"

"She's upset. She hasn't gotten out yet. I think you should speak with her."

Pan sighed. "I'll tell you the plan first."

Pan explained the plan to him and Felix nodded before walking away. When he reached the treehouse, he entered and saw Melody still sitting on the bed. She looked angry, but there were no tears and her eyes were her normal brown color.

Walking over, the atmosphere thickened and Melody didn't turn to him.

"I'm sorry. But I had to do it. You would've left otherwise. Or they would've taken you. I need to know you'd choose me over them."

Melody couldn't help but scoff. "So my word doesn't matter?"

"It does. But things could change."

"Why don't you trust me? How do you expect me to trust you when you don't even trust me?"

"I thought this was what you wanted. To be a family again?"

"Not if you're going to force me to trust you."

"Well forcing you seems like the only way."

Melody got up and stared at him incredulously. "How can you even say that?! Why would I want to stay if you're going to be like this toward me?"

"Then I'll make you stay!" he yelled.

Pan was scaring her but she wouldn't let him win. Melody knew he was being dead serious. He would make her stay. The question was why.

Pan calmed down some and saw Melody's face.

"Melody... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."

He went to hug her but she jumped back and she shook her head.

"I said I wasn't going to push. But you can't keep treating me like this. We keep going back and forth and it's getting old. Is the truth that bad?"

The immortal boy didn't say anything as he thought. He couldn't tell her about the truth about Henry or the past. She would go back to her family and it was only a matter of time before Gold killed her.

"Yes. You would hate me. But I promise, when Henry saves magic, I'll tell you everything."

Melody didn't say anything for a moment as she stared at him. "And after you do tell me everything, no more secrets. Please."

He nodded. "No more secrets."

Melody knew he was telling her the truth so she stepped forward and hugged him. Pan sighed in relief and hugged her back.

They were one screwed up family.

---

As a sorry "gift", Pan left Melody come with him as he took care of the next part of his plan. Which - evidently - was about a girl that was in a cage. It didn't take long for Melody to realize who indeed was inside the cage.

The girl had messy hair and hair clothes were extremely dirty. Pan undid the chains on the cage and opened the door.

"Am I... am I free?" Wendy asked.

"Not yet, Wendy." He reached his hand toward her. The girl let him pull her out and Melody saw she couldn't have been maybe a year older than she was. "But that doesn't mean you can't come out and play."

Melody and Wendy made eye contact and Melody smiled at her softly. Wendy smiled slightly back and Pan gave Melody a look.

"Melody you go back to camp. Come on Wendy," he instructed as he led her away.

Melody watched them walk away and pursed her lip before following.

---

Henry wasn't always so careful when it came to sneaking around. Felix had nearly seen him but luckily he had hidden behind a tree just in time. There was a ladder that led up to somewhere and it was led by a cough as Henry approached.

Wendy laid in a small bad and Henry stood at the foot of the bed.

"Who are you?" Henry asked her.

"You're not supposed to be here," Wendy said.

"I know. I thought Pan might be keeping my family here. Why are you so far away from the camp?"

"I'm... I'm sick, and he's afraid someone might catch it."

"Who are you?"

"My name's Wendy."

"Wendy Darling?" Wendy nodded and Henry sat on the bed, putting the bag he had grabbed from the floor in his lap. "I'm Henry. W... what's wrong?"

"It's the island, Henry. Its power is fading. I've been here a long time, but... well... for some reason, it's affecting me more than the others," Wendy told him. There was a pause. "You look like him."

"Like who?"

"Your father."

"You knew my father?"

"We were friends. A long time ago, when he was just a little bit older than you. He saved my brothers from danger. He would do anything for my family."

Then Wendy coughed. Henry looked at her concerned.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Henry asked.

"You should go."

"M... maybe there's something I could do to help."

"Just 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 it is not enough."

"There has to be a way-"

"Please go, before you, too, become ill."

"I'll come back for you. I promise."

He put the bag on the bed and went back down the ladder. Henry ran off back to camp and Pan entered the room.

"Well done. I couldn't have played the part better myself," he smirked. Wendy sat up and Pan out his hands on the railing at the foot of the bed. "Oh, and that bit about dear old dad. Excellent job."

"I don't like lying to him," Wendy admitted.

"Well, don't think of it as lying. Think of it as... providing motivation."

"Motivation for what?"

"Doing what needs to be done, for all of us. See, Henry has the heart of the truest believer. And I need to control that belief."

"What do you need him to believe in?"

"Me." Wendy looked down at the sheets with a sad look. "Now back to your cage."

But he didn't know, Melody was outside. Having heard the entire thing.

---

Henry walked back to camp and he ran his conversation with Wendy in his mind. Wendy was dying because magic was dying. And how could he just let an innocent person die?

"Why so glum, chum?" someone asked.

Henry turned around and saw Pan as he got up from his spot that he was sitting at by the tree.

"You said you weren't keeping any secrets. But you lied. I found Wendy," Henry revealed.

Pan faked a sad look. "Henry, I can explain."

"She's dying, isn't she?"

"I'm afraid she is. Like much of the island, because the magic here is slipping away. I would've told you, but... I didn't want you to have that weight on your shoulders, knowing that a young girl's life depends on you."

They were silent and Henry looked at him skeptically.

"So I'm the only one who can save magic?"

Pan sighed, nodding. "You are."

"How do I do it?" Henry asked.

"The question isn't how, Henry. It's where. Follow me." Pan led Henry into the woods and led him to a rocky area that overlooked a bit of the ocean surrounding the island. A huge rock was sitting in the middle of the ocean and Henry looked at it while Pan stood behind him. "See that?"

"Is that skull rock?" Henry questioned.

"Yes. Inside is where our salvation awaits... a salvation that only the heart of the truest believer can bring."

"Me?"

"That's right, Henry. But I won't lie to you. It won't be easy. It will require heroism and sacrifice. The only question is, are you up to the task?"

Henry thought for a moment.

"Yes," he decided.

Pan smirked from behind him. After years and years of waiting...

He was going to finally win

---

Wendy sat in her cage as she laid her head against it. Everything was quiet except for the occasional sound of animals scurrying around. She was used to being by herself most of the time. No one bothered to visit her besides Pan, but the visits weren't ever nice.

There was a rustle and Wendy looked up, expecting to see Pan, but instead, Melody appeared from the forest.

"You aren't supposed to be here," Wendy told her. "You better go before Pan gets upset with you."

Melody smiled slightly and sat next to her cage.

"That's ok. He can be mad at me as long as he likes." Wendy smiled back. "I'm Melody."

"I'm Wendy." Wendy laughed slightly. "You know, I haven't seen another girl on this island besides me and Tinkerbell. It's odd that another girl is here. Neverland usually consists of boys."

"I came with Henry," Melody explained. "And I agree about the boy part. There's so many of them." They stopped laughing and Melody looked at her. "Can I be honest with you?"

"Of course."

"I've never had a friend that's a girl my age before. So um, if you don't mind, we could be friends?"

Wendy nodded. "I'd actually like that. I haven't had a friend that's a girl my age either."

"Well then. I have time before Pan needs me. So why don't we talk?"

Wendy sighed and smiled. "That sounds like fun."

---

Another short chapter... sorry guys. But I believe the next chapter is longer!

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