Author's note: Hi everybody! I love Once upon a time and can't wait for season three, so I'm writing my own version here. In my first chapter here, I'm just trying to give an idea of the types of plotlines I'm thinking of following. I may write this as a continuous story, or just write scenes that I want to see in the next season.

Either way, please enjoy reading my first chapter- it's a bit short, but it's really just a 'taster' of where I want to go- I'm hoping for longer chapters as we go on.

~..~..~..~..

Hook stood at the helm of the Jolly Roger, gazing across the azure blue waters towards the island before them.

"Welcome to Neverland, mates," he announced to his impromptu crew.

"Henry's in there," Regina whispered, her eyes scanning the island.

"And Greg and Tamara," Emma added.

Under Hook's instructions, they steered the ship into a sheltered cove and dropped anchor.

"So, what did you mean?" Emma asked Gold. "About Tamara and Greg working for someone we should all fear?"

Gold took a slow breath.

"There is only one person in Neverland I can think of who would be interested in Henry," he explained. "Peter Pan."

"Peter Pan?" Regina repeated, confused. She had never been to Neverland herself, so only knew him from the stories.

"As in 'the boy who never grows up'?" Emma confirmed sceptically.

"I take it from your tone, that you're not familiar with the true story," Hook's dark eyes were serious as they rested on Emma.

Emma's confused gazed travelled from Gold to Hook, seeing that for once, the two enemies were on the same page about something."How can Peter Pan be a bad guy?"She asked. "Didn't he just lead the Lost boys, fight pirates and fly?"

"Is this like your Jack and the beanstalk story, with the cow and the golden goose?" Hook queried lightly.

"Why would Peter Pan want Henry?" Regina demanded, wanting someone to get to the point.

"Like many stories from your adopted world, Emma, there is a grain of truth in it." Gold explained, his voice serious but surprisingly gentle. Almost sympathetic. "Peter Pan is indeed 'the boy who doesn't grow up', but ask yourself this: Why doesn't he grow up?"

David and Snow shared a worried look as Emma swallowed, feeling like she won't like the answer to that question.

"Why?"

Gold's eyes were serious as they travelled from Emma to Regina to the Charmings.

"Peter Pan doesn't grow up because absorbs the life force of boys."

"What?" Regina was aghast.

"But only a magical child will do," Gold continued. "The more powerful the boy, the longer he will remain young."

"A magical child?" Regina repeated. "Henry's not magical."

"The son of the Saviour," Gold reminded them all, his gaze landing on Emma. "The child of both the Daughter of Snow White and the Son of the Dark One."

Emma wanted to avert her eyes, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his gaze.

"True Love's Child," Gold whispered. "He may have been born in the Land Without Magic, but his blood," Gold assured them all. "His blood is most definitely magical."

"So he drains magical children, and that keeps him young," Regina surmised, feeling sick. Many people had called her evil in the past, but she would never have done something that horrid to a child. "How does he know about Henry? Can he see the future?"

Gold closed his eyes regretfully.

"No," he admitted softly. "But I can."

All eyes were on Gold, now.

"Did you tell him?" Emma whispered. "Did you tell Peter Pan about Henry?"

Gold nodded, seeing the time had come for him to come clean.

"After my son first fell through the portal that took him to the Land Without Magic, I visited a seer," Rumple explained carefully, bracing himself. "She gave me her power of Sight, wanting to rid herself of the burden. Before she died, she made me one last prophesy: That I would find my son, and that the boy who led me to him would be my undoing."

"Henry." Emma whispered.

Gold nodded into the silence that followed this revelation.

"I couldn't see anything clearly for a long time, but that prophesy loomed over my head," he continued in a rush. "Eventually, I was able to see a picture of the boy, but his face was all I could see. So I drew a picture."

"And you gave it to Peter Pan," Regina hissed.

"He travels so many worlds, I thought he would be the best person to find the boy for me, and to ensure my survival," Rumple granted before turning his pleading eyes to Emma, who was staring at him with loathing.

"I swear, I had no idea that the boy would turn out to be your son, Emma. My own grandson."

Emma lost it.

"Ahh!"

"Emma!" David admonished as he stopped his daughter from raising her fist again.

"It's alright," Gold granted, rubbing his jaw. "I deserved that."

"You deserve a hell of a lot more than that," Regina hissed as Hook smirked at seeing the Dark One punched in the face.

"I'll help you get Henry back," Gold told them.

"Damn right you're gonna help get Henry back," Emma got into his face. "Or else I'll be your undoing, Dark One."

Rumple kept calm.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life," he whispered. "And because of that, I lost my only son. I don't want to lose the last piece of him I have left." His dark eyes matched Emma's steadily. "Henry may be my undoing, but he's my grandson. I will help get your son back, Emma. For my son."

Emma studied Gold's face for a moment before nodding.

"Alright," she said slowly. "But I'm watching you, Gold."

"So," Snow said quickly, turning to the Pirate Captain. "Where's Peter Pan? That's where Henry would be, right?"

"Indeed," Hook granted, turning his gaze towards the island before them. "Peter Pan's home is in the centre of the island. Problem is," he admitted, "I've never been able to find it. It's well guarded by fairy magic."

"Fairies?" Regina repeated.

"Why would fairies guard someone who kidnaps and sucks the lives of children?" Snow couldn't believe it.

"These aren't like the fairies from the Enchanted Forest, Milady," Hook explained, casting his eyes over the group.

"You're going to find Neverland a much Darker place than you would imagine."

"So," Emma was impatient to get going, "how will we find him?"

Rumple sighed, sharing a look with the pirate before casting his eyes over the ocean. "By contacting those who know all about this island," he told the group.

"Are you mad?" Hook demanded of the older man. "They're merciless killers. And if you're lucky to survive their clutches, you'll be driven insane."

"There are exceptions to every rule," Rumple stated firmly. "On occasion, one is born with the rare trait of compassion, and will help, rather than kill. Fortunately for us," he smiled confidently, "I happen to know one."

"You know one?" Hook asked sceptically.

"One what?" David asked warily.

"A Mermaid," Rumple answered simply.

There was silence for a full five seconds.

"A mermaid?" Emma repeated. This day was getting weirder by the minute. 'Guess I should be used to this by now,' she thought.

"She saved my life when I was a young man," Rumple explained. "As the Dark One, when I came to see Peter Pan, I found her living here." He paused, as if reliving a memory. "She'll help us find Henry," he assured softly.

Emma's mind landed on the only friendly mermaid she had read about in stories.

'No way...' she thought.

"This mermaid," she began slowly, "what's her name?"

Rumple grinned.

"Oh, you've heard of her, Miss Swan," he said surely. "Her name is Ariel."

~..~..~..~..

Greg slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying on a beach. Carefully, he shifted until he was on his hands and knees. Nothing seemed broken.

'Oh, no.'

His stomach suddenly heaved, and he started coughing up sea water. Unpleasant.

Panting as he recovered from almost drowning, Greg shielded his eyes from the sun as he scanned along the beach.

"Tamara!"

The boy had been held between them as they'd jumped into the portal. It had been a struggle to hold onto him in the swirling water, but as it settled, the boy had broken away.

Greg shakily got to his feet, turning, eyes searching.

"Tamara!"

Further along the beach, Greg spotted something move.

Hurrying over as quickly as his weak limbs could allow, Greg was relieved to see Tamara lying on the sand, coughing and spluttering as she purged the sea from her lungs.

"Portals are a bitch, huh?" She said, looking up at Greg shakily as he knelt beside her.

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling as he helped her up.

Greg wrapped Tamara in his arms, relief flowing through him.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he told her.

"Me too," Tamara smiled before her eyes began searching the coast line.

"Where's the kid?" she demanded.

Greg's eyes darted along the tide line, searching for the boy they'd risked their lives to get.

"We can't lose him, Greg!" Tamara frantically scanned the area. "They said he was important."

"I know what they said," Greg tried to calm the woman down. "And don't worry, Tamara, we'll find him."

"How?" Tamara whirled around to demand.

Greg pointed.

Following her partner's finger, Tamara smiled as she spotted the footprints leading from the beach and into the forest.

"Let's go."

Together, Greg and Tamara followed Henry's trail.

~..~..~..~..

Neal felt something cool and wet being dabbed on his forehead. Blinking water from his eyes, he slowly was able to focus his gaze to find himself lying on the floor of a wooden hut, a woman kneeling over him, pressing a cold compress gently against his face.

"He's awake," she called out.

Moments later, a man came into his line of sight. The man smiled.

"You have the healer's touch, Mulan," he told the woman affectionately before stepping closer to the straw pallet. "What's your name?"

"Neal," he rasped, wincing as pain lanced through his side. "Where am I?"

"Your safe," the woman, Mulan told him. "This place is a safe haven,"

"My name is Phillip," the man added. "This is Mulan, and this," he gestured to a woman who had just entered the cabin, "is Aurora, my True Love."

"I'm so glad to see you're awake," Aurora said in relief. "We found you unconscious and wounded on the beach. You've been drifting in and out of consciousness for a while."

"You would have died if we hadn't found you," Mulan added seriously.

"I thought I was dead," Neal commented drily. He tried to sit up, but fell back on the straw mattress, panting. Mulan quickly brought a cup of water to his lips and he drank thirstily.

"Thank you," Neal told the three of them. "Thank you for helping me."

"It was our duty and our honour," Phillip answered, the picture of nobility.

"Where am I?" Neal asked again, looking over his saviours and the small cabin he was in. "What's this land called?"

"It was once called The Enchanted Forest," Mulan answered. "But many years ago, the Evil Queen, Regina cast a terrible curse over the land. But for some reason, this small part of it was spared, and we know call it home."

"The Enchanted Forest," Neal repeated numbly, collapsing back onto the straw pallet in a mixture of disbelief and despair. Not only was he wounded, and would never see Emma or Henry again, but he was back in the last place he wanted to be.

"I'm home."

~..~..~..~..

"Okay Ruby," Belle instructed her friend, "pull over here."

Ruby carefully stopped her car by the side of the road, just before the town line. As instructed Belle had been following her Love's wishes, protecting Storybrooke once more from the outside world.

As Belle had no knowledge of magic, despite being the Dark One's servant for many months, she was thankful that Rumple had the foresight to prepare the cloaking spell in a way that made it easy for her to cast.

And that was how she found herself in Ruby's car, driving to the farthest points of Storybrooke, burying talismans in the earth, or throwing them in the harbour.

As Ruby dug the last hole right on the town line, Belle took out the final talisman and placed it in the ground, taking out the piece of paper as Ruby covered the object.

For the final time, Belle repeated the charm.

"By magical blood it was broken.

So by magical blood it's restored.

Invisible to outside detection,

Storybrooke is protected once more."

As the final word leaves her lips, Belle notices the ground where the talisman is buried glowing with the indigo light of magic. The light shot outward along the ground, connecting this taliman to the other three that she and Ruby had buried earlier. The two women watched as a shield rose up from the ground to envelop the whole town before fading from sight.

Belle watched sadly as the light of magic faded until the ground looked normal once more.

"Wow," Ruby was impressed. "It actually worked."

"Of course it did," Belle admonished her friend lightly. "It was Rumple's spell. Nice of him to make it user-friendly for me."

"You actually used Magic, Belle," Ruby commented.

Belle smiled slightly, happy that she held this small connection to Rumple: His protection spell was keeping them all safe.

"We did it," she announced. " Storybrooke is safe once more."

The drive back to town was sombre, as the two women had both become separated from the people they cared about.

However, they found their path back to Granny's blocked by a large crowd.

"What's going on?" Ruby wondered, stopping the car.

As the two of them got out of the car, Ruby heard a familiar voice that immediately drew a growl from her inner wolf.

"Your leaders have abandoned you!" King George was telling the townspeople. "They've left you to follow their own devices. They were going to leave you to die!"

"That's not true!" Archie pushed his way to the front to stand before the people of Storybrooke. "Regina was willing to sacrifice her own life to save this town. And Snow White and the Prince have always led us true. Sheriff Swan has kept this town safe, and she saved all of us!"

"So where are they now?" King George demanded. "Where are these 'great leaders' who are supposed to protect us?"

"They are on a quest to do just that: protect us!" Belle made her way forward until she was standing before George and the towns people. "Tamara and Greg stole the last magic beans we had, that could return us to The Enchanted Forest, and in the process, have also kidnapped Henry. Snow, David, Emma, Regina, Hook and Rumple have gone after them to rescue Henry, and find another way to make a portal to return here, and then take us home."

"And abandoning their people while they're at it," George sneered. "What kind of leaders abandon the very ones they've sworn to protect?"

"They left for their people," Belle turned to the crowd. "They left for you. Regina nearly died trying to save us, and she and Emma were able to work together to do so. And now," Belle finished, holding up the piece of scroll Rumple had left her, "thanks to Rumplestiltskin, our town is safe from outsiders once more."

"So we have The Evil Queen and The Dark One to thank for our safety?" George asked sceptically. "I doubt any of us wants to put our trust in them. Storybrooke now has no Mayor, no Sheriff, not even the fake Prince to lead them now. Therefore," George announced grandly, "I shall assume leadership over this town."

"And what makes you fit to lead this town?" Ruby demanded angrily before Belle could open her mouth. "You have killed in the past, to get things going your way, why on earth would anyone trust you to be a good leader?"

George regarded the werewolf with cold eyes.

"Because I am a good leader of people, beast," he answered softly.

Ruby moved forward angrily, but Belle held her friend back.

"You cannot hope to be a good leader for these people," Belle turned once more to the crowd. "This man has committed murder and framed innocent people in his lust for power and control." She reminded the men and women around her. "If anyone is truly a beast, it is him," she pointed a finger at the former king.

"Well, you are the expert on beasts, now, aren't you?" George chuckled as Belle's jaw clenched. "Well," the man continued, "if you don't find me fit to lead this town, can anyone name a better candidate?" He challenged those around him. "I think you'll find the pickings rather... slim."

"I can think of a perfect candidate," Grumpy pushed his way onto the scene, followed by his brothers, including a recently restored Sneezy.

"Who?" George demanded.

But Archie and Ruby had already seen where grumpy was going, and together, they pointed at their chosen person.

"Belle."

Belle's blue eyes widened slightly as all eyes turned on her. She was well aware of the fact that she didn't look much like a leader at the moment, as she was still wearing Lacey's black dress under the long blue coat she wore. Not to mention that her clothes were now covered with soil and water from burying the talisman's around town.

"Her?" George scoffed. "She's nothing but the town librarian. What makes her fit to lead?"

Belle felt her jaw clench at the insult, and she drew herself up proudly.

"I am the daughter of Lord Maurice," she proclaimed for all to hear. "Our village was small, but it was ruled by a kind and just hand. I gave up my freedom to save my village and I will do everything I can to protect this town." Belle stepped forward until she stood directly in front of George. "I am fit to lead this town."

"Let's put this to a vote of the people," Archie interjected quickly. "We'll have a campaign and a debate, and the candidate with the most votes will become the leader of this town."

"I think that sounds fair," Belle agreed as a murmur of consent travelled around the crowd.

"Very well," King George nodded slowly, "it shall be put to the people. Let the best man win."

He offered his hand, and Belle took it cautiously, but matched his gaze steadily.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Librarian?" George whispered to Belle as the crowd slowly dispersed.

"I'm not afraid of you," Belle told him. "No one should be made to bow down to a power-hungry tyrant."

George's smile could have frozen the whole harbour.

"You should be afraid of me," he warned. "For, as you've already said, I have committed murder and framed the innocent. So I suggest you do the smart thing, and let me win, Librarian. Or else someone's story," his eyes travelled over Archie, Ruby and the dwarves, calculating, "will not have a happy ending."

~..~..~..~..

Henry's heart was pounding as he ran through the thick foliage that covered the island. He had no idea where he was going, but anywhere that was away from Tamara and Greg was fine by him.

He knew it. He knew Tamara was evil. His mom had been right.

Thinking of his mom brought Henry to a stop, gasping for breath as sweat trickled down his face.

His mom.

It had been the best thing ever, seeing both of his moms working together to save Storybrooke. Joint heroes.

But Tamara and Greg had used the last magic bean.

As Henry's breath calmed down, he finally took a moment to look at the thick forest around him.

He was alone.

He shook himself.

'Come on, Henry," he told himself firmly. "You can't act like a scared little kid. You're on a quest now: to find a way back to your family."

Finding his second wind, Henry began running again, full of fresh determination.

He didn't notice the young girl following him, a bow and arrow in her hand.

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: So, what do you think? Before anyone asks, yes the girl following Henry is Tigerlily- I remember the Indians being a key part of Neverland, but they were seperate from the lost boys, even though they interacted regularly, and I hope they'll be included in the next season. I have a theory that they'll grow magic beans, and that's how Baelfire escaped from Neverland to our world. Otherwise, how else do you escape from an island that doesn't allow people to leave?

I saw in an interview with Eddy and Adam that they really want to put 'the little mermaid' into season three, as it is a story they both love, and I can just imagine Rumple being the one to have that connection, as whever mermaids have been mentioned in the series, he was connected somehow (Regina asking for his help with a 'certain mermaid' and Rumple saying the only way to get the squid ink was 'if you were a mermaid, or me'.) I think these mermaids are going to be much closer to the 'old stories' than the more modern version of mermaids. For those of you who don't know many of the old stories, think of the mermaids in 'Pirates of the Carribean: on Stranger tides'.

I also heard lots of people wondering why Belle was left behind. I wondered that too, until I began thinking that Storybrooke has now lost it's Mayor, it's Sheriff and it's Deputy. Who would lead the town now? Why Belle of course. She may be the Librarian, but Snow White was a Teacher. And Belle's family did rule over a village. Not quite the same as ruling a kingdom, but still, I think she qualifies. She's better than King George, at any rate, and I love watching Belle standing on her own two feet. (I loved S2E11, except for the ending, of course.)

And I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to see much of Tamara and Greg. I think we have our hands full with 'Past/flashback fairytale land', 'Present-day Fairytale land', 'Storybrooke' and 'Neverland'. Not to mention the new 'Wonderland' series coming out. I think we have enough characters, worlds and plotlines to contend with, and any more will be over crowding and confusing.

So, please review and tell me what you think of my first chapter of season three. I love discussions and feedback. Do you have any ideas you'd like? I have a couple, but I may need some help later on.

Thanks for reading!