CS Fanfic #8: SWORDPLAY
When Neal saw Emma Swan facing Captain Hook after finishing sword practice with Henry, he froze. However, this response was soon overwhelmed by the urge to defend his son's mother from one of the most villainous men he knew. Charging the pair, he somehow managed to wedge himself between them without either of them even noticing. He shoved Hook away from Emma and pointed his sword at the other man. The pirate raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Neal, what are you DOING?!" Emma demanded from behind him.
"Protecting you," he answered.
"Protecting me?" the woman exclaimed incredulously, "I don't need protecting! Especially not from Captain Hook. If anyone needs protecting, it's him. The man's a menace to himself and no one else."
"What are you talking about? He shot Belle! He's tried to kill my father!" Neal responded, gesturing with his free hand while keeping his eyes trained on his opponent.
"And failed on all accounts. Even I was able to beat him in a swordfight, " Emma commented dryly, with a touch of pride in her voice.
"Swan, you wound me," Hook finally spoke, "The only reason I've failed is because of your interference. As for that fight, I let you win."
"See! He's not even a little bit sorry!"
"Not in the least," the pirate agreed.
Before any of them could blink, Neal lunged. The ship captain was able to parry the thrust with his hook, then drew his own sword. A wide smile spread across his face.
"Are you sure you want to do that, Baelfire?" he asked the other man.
"That's not my name anymore," Neal answered, "And yeah, I'm sure."
"So the student is challenging the teacher," Hook mused.
Emma was finally able to speak after the hurried action of the last few seconds. "Student challenging the TEACHER?!"
"Oh, he hasn't mentioned that little nugget of wisdom to you?" Hook asked, "You recall that I spent some time with the Lost Boys?"
"Ye-es?" Emma trailed off, not sure she liked where this was going.
"Wait, when did he tell you that?" Neal demanded, a confused look crossing his face.
"Long story lad, another time," the leather-clad man responded dismissively, then looked at Emma, "He was one of them." The woman's eyes widened.
"WHAT!?"
"Well, for a time he was one of the Lost Boys, no need to go into detail," the pirate went on, tilting his head, "I took him aboard my ship and taught him the ways of the sea. Even taught him a bit of swordplay. Not that any of that will do him any good now."
"That's what you think!" Neal exclaimed, lunging again.
Hook parried the thrust and then went into the battle fully. Flashes of silver and clangs of metal hitting metal surrounded Emma. Hook's story had thrown her for a loop, and all she could do was vaguely watch the fight as she tried to process it. Gradually, she came back from her stupor and noticed that Hook wasn't fighting Neal as he'd fought her. He was more aggressive, quicker. Neal wasn't doing too badly himself, definitely better than she had been fighting the pirate at Lake Nostos, but he was having a hard time keeping up. Who knew when was the last time he'd fought with a sword? Practice with Henry may have helped him remember things, but there was no way he'd be able to be in top form after a few sessions of training a kid.
The fight didn't last much longer than another minute or so. With a flourish, Hook disarmed Neal, who had somehow ended up on his knees. The sword flew out of the man's hand and stabbed itself into the sand a few feet away, standing straight up. The pirate leveled his sword at Neal's throat with a sad smile and strangely disappointed look on his face.
"As I said, lad, it won't do you any good now," he sheathed his sword, then walked over to where the other was still standing. Wrenching it out of the sand, he walked to Emma and offered it to her. Shocked yet again, she dimly registered taking it from his hand.
"I wouldn't recommend taking any lessons from him," Hook commented, then began strolling down the shore in the opposite direction.
By the time he was a few yards away, Emma had come back to her senses fully.
"Hook, wait!" For some reason, she couldn't move her feet…Otherwise, she would have run after him.
The pirate paused in his walk, then turned slightly so he could see her. "Yes, Swan?"
"Why did you let me win our fight at the lake?"
A ghost of a smile passed over his face. "You're a smart lass, Emma, I know you'll figure it out."
With that cryptic remark, he turned again and resumed his walk as Emma watched him, several explanations swirling through her mind, each one making her feel that something had just changed…everything.