The group of four stepped out of Rapunzel's Story door, blinking in the sunlight glowing through the canopy of trees. Red tossed her hood back, frowning. "Trees," she said. "Why is it always trees?"

"Most Stories take place in either villages, cities, or forests," Rapunzel explained in an admittedly superior voice. Red turned a baleful look on her.

"The question was rhetorical," she told Rapunzel irritably.

Rapunzel had the grace to blush a little. "Of course it was," she answered. "I knew that."

Merlin tugged at the hem of his robe, caught on one of the briars pulling at their clothes. "For pity's sake," he grumbled, "why does this keep happening?" Finally freeing his robe, he turned to the others. "Any clue where we are?"

He was rewarded with three blank looks. He sighed. "One day I'm going to visit a Story and know exactly where we are immediately. But then, that'd be too easy, wouldn't it?"

"Neverland," Theseus said suddenly. Everyone turned to stare at him, and he flushed. "What? I can read." He pointed, and Merlin followed his finger to a sign stuffed in the trees, overgrown with weeds and foliage. Neverland.

"Well done!" Merlin said enthusiastically, slapping his shoulder before kneeling in front of the crude sign. It looked as though it had been written by someone with bad handwriting and tree sap as ink. "So, we're in Peter Pan's Story. What do you think the odds are of someone knowing where the Editor is?"

"We should split up," Rapunzel suggested. "There are two people who probably could know. Captain Hook, or Peter Pan himself. And we know we won't get answers from them when they're together."

"I agree," Merlin said.

"I don't," Red argued shortly. "Do you not remember what happened the last time we split up? Morpheus—Ewan—ended up dying."

"We're not walking into an obvious trap," Merlin said. "Relax! Everything's going to be fine. Go with Theseus."

"Me?" Theseus said. "But...you two are the Guardians."

"Precisely," Merlin said. "We're going to see Captain Hook, which could potentially get very ugly and will require the two more powerful people. You two, on the other hand, are going to see Peter Pan and a bunch of boys. How dangerous could that get?"

"If any of our other 'safe' situations count, it could get very dangerous," Red protested, but Merlin was not taking "no" for an answer.

"Come along, Rapunzel," he said, deciding that arguing with Red was only delaying them. He could still hear Red grumbling about him as he led an unresisting Rapunzel along behind him.

"You've annoyed her," Rapunzel commented as they pushed their way through the trees slowly. Both Rapunzel's hair and Merlin's robes kept getting caught on twigs and brambles, slowing them down.

"She spends most of her time annoyed," Merlin answered. "Splitting up is a tough concept for her. She was madly in love with Morpheus, you know."

"I'd gathered that," Rapunzel said. She scowled as one of her hairs wrapped around a bush somehow. "We need to get out of this stupid forest!" she complained.

"We've got to get to the water anyway," Merlin decided. "I highly doubt the Jolly Roger will be on land, unless Captain Hook is particularly stupid."

"Suits me just fine," Rapunzel agreed, finally disentangling herself from the bush. "If I ever see another forest, remind me to burn it down."

They walked in silence for a few minutes, and Merlin started to feel extremely warm. He rolled up the sleeves of his robes, grimacing as sweat beaded on his brow. To distract himself, he said to Rapunzel, "I'm still not certain how you got involved with this mess. I know Will got you to come with him, but why did you remain with him?"

Rapunzel shrugged. "Why not? Better than rotting in some moldy old tower."

"I'm rather good at reading people's words and determining the truth," Merlin said, though he really wasn't. It was pretty obvious with Rapunzel, though. "I think there's a bigger reason. Perhaps involving young Will?"

The blush that rose to Rapunzel's cheeks answered all questions for Merlin. "If you say anything to him, I'll dangle you off a cliff by my hair," she threatened.

"Duly noted," Merlin said solemnly, hiding a grin. He had no doubt that Rapunzel would cheerfully follow through with her threat if he breathed a word of her feelings for Will to the outlaw in question. Not that Will probably needed to be told; Rapunzel wasn't exactly unobtrusive with her feelings. "Though I think there would be a lot less chance of anyone getting dangled off a cliff by your hair if you just told Will how you feel."

"That's not exactly an option now, is it?" Rapunzel returned sourly. "Besides, I only figured it out when the Forty Thieves took me and Will prisoner, and then by the time we were back together again he was grieving his friend. Not exactly the prime time to tell someone you're in love with them."

"True," Merlin admitted, his cheerful mood soured by the reminder of Alan-a-Dale. The more he thought about it, the less happy he felt.

They finally emerged from the trees, Merlin's robes in tatters. The only thing that cheered Merlin slightly was the sight of Rapunzel's hair. Leaves and twigs were caught all up and down the length of her blonde locks, and her cloak was torn. She pulled it off and tossed it back into the trees. "Don't think I need that," she said. It was the first time she'd spoken since their conversation with Will.

"No," Merlin agreed. If he hadn't been a sorcerer, he would have removed the robes and simply worn the breeches and shirt beneath them. But a sorcerer must have a certain amount of dignity, so he didn't.

They looked out over the ocean, searching for a ship. There was no sign of the Jolly Roger. "Any other ideas?" Rapunzel asked.

Merlin shrugged. "Let's go around the perimeter of the island," he suggested. "We'll see what we find."

They went down to the beach, Rapunzel removing her shoes to allow the waves to lap at her toes. Her hair trailed behind her in the water. Merlin walked beside her, lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't shake the last memory he had of Alan, or the image of the apple slipping from Rachel's fingers.

It all seemed so hopeless. It was the first time that everything relied on Merlin, and he didn't like the feeling. As one of Rachel's closest friends and a former Guardian, he felt that the safety of The Story was shouldered between the two of them. Now that Rachel was out of action, it felt like the entirety of the burden had been thrown on his shoulders, and it wasn't a feeling he enjoyed.

After all, he'd already failed to protect one of his best friends. What sort of a Guardian was he if he couldn't protect Alan? Then he'd failed to stop Rachel from eating the poisoned apple, resulting in the situation he now found himself in. He chewed his lip anxiously, trying to disguise his nerves from Rapunzel.

He didn't do a very good job of it. "You don't have to feel like this is all you, you know," Rapunzel commented, her eyes fixed on the setting sun. "We're all in this thing together. What happens isn't on your shoulders alone."

"How comforting," Merlin said bitterly. "But you do not understand anything. You don't know what it's like to have caused deaths."

"Don't I?" Rapunzel challenged him angrily, spinning to face him. "I caused the entire rewrite of everyone in my Story! That's far more deaths than you've caused, I think. I also completely failed to help Will when Ariadne abducted him! So get your head out of this self-pitying state of mind and get some work done! We're never going to accomplish anything with you doubting yourself all the time."

"I am not doubting myself," Merlin lied. "I am in a perfectly good state of mind."

Rapunzel eyed him suspiciously. "I think you've got to be the worst liar I've ever met," she said after a long moment. "At least I didn't deny that I loved Will!"

"Those two things are entirely unrelated," Merlin insisted. He stiffened when he saw her gaze slide from his and look behind him. "Let me guess. Pirates?"

Rapunzel nodded, and Merlin turned around slowly. He was met with five cutlasses being waved in his face. "Lovely," he said, feeling in control of the situation for once. He rubbed his hands together enthusiastically. "Hello, gentlemen! Fine day we're having, isn't it?"

The pirates watched him suspiciously. He tried not to focus on what a rank and ugly bunch they were, and how all of them looked anxious for his blood. None of them answered his initial welcome. He went on, "I've come to your lovely island in search of your captain. Might you take me to him?"

"We'll take you to the cap'n, alright," one of them finally spoke up. "An' he'll probably make you walk the plank!"

"Sounds exciting," Merlin said, forcing a smile. "Let's carry on, shall we?"