Then you can live.

The words were almost enough to make him take it back. Almost. But Hook had promised Emma he'd do whatever it took to find her son, and he still wanted to be considered a man of his word, a man with a code, a man worthy of trust. He had a chance to start over and no bloody reptilian demon was going to stand in his way of that.

But that didn't mean he was going to sit and listen to the monster rewrite history over dinner on the very deck where the event had taken place. "Fucking accident. Maybe we'll have another 'accident' before this venture is over."

Though, there wasn't much point to thoughts such as these. Hook wouldn't betray his new allies and thus couldn't hurt the crocodile. So he shut himself away to fume in his quarters. Maybe this was the best way he could help. He would make sure they were on the right course, and then hide away where he couldn't be a problem.

Hook had just slumped down in his bed when he heard a knock at the door.

"Sorry, very busy with… mapping…and other… captain's duties."

"Come on, Hook. You're gonna have to do better than that."

"Emma?" Hook said, trying to mask his bewilderment with a slight confusion. He had thought that she would be glued to her parents, her family, especially at a time like this. So what was she doing below deck at his door?

"No, Tinkerbelle. Yes it's me. So are you going to open the door and let-"

But she was cut short when a rather disgruntled Hook pulled the door open just enough to slump against the frame. He was fuming beneath the surface, that much was obvious, and Emma was pretty sure she knew why. This was the side of Hook that he hated about himself, so she was going to have to push him to open up, to reveal himself. Emma fought back the giggle that almost escaped as roles reversed. She hoped she had succeeded in looking less pathetic when she was going for put out.

"Shouldn't make jokes about that lass, I might have come out sword brandished. Fairies are, well…" Hook trailed off with a smirk.

"Sword brandished, huh? So… Enemy or lover?" Emma quirked her eyebrow, a smirk of her own planted firmly on her lips. She was going to get through this door if she had to knock him out to do so. Once Emma Swan set out to do something, she didn't let anything stand in her way, least of all the sulky pirate she had come to help.

"Enemy, definitely," Hook said with a snigger. "If you have half a mind, you don't get involved with the likes of fairies: Fickle things with vicious mean streaks. Nothing to be jealous of, darling," he added with a wink.

"Jealous? Oh no. No, no, no. I was just trying to be supportive, that's all."

"Supportive?" She had just lost the father of her child, could have died saving the town, and then had her son kidnapped by the same people who killed his father. Was there still someone in any world who was really this selfless?

"Yeah, I, well… I know that you have sacrificed a lot today. Your whole life's purpose, actually. And you are doing so to save my kid. So I figure, the least I can do is make sure you are ok." Emma watched his face carefully, looking for signs of… gratitude, irritation, entertainment, something. But he stayed neutral. "Why exactly are you doing this, Hook?"

"It's the right thing to do, and…" How could he finish that? He could tell her it was for Bae's memory, but she would know he was not telling the whole truth. He could say he wanted redemption, but the same would be true. He could tell her the whole truth: that he wanted a family, hers in particular. He settled for, "and I wanted to prove I could be a part of something. That I could fight for the right things for once. It's been a long time, but I was once a very different man with a different set of values. I want to try to be him again. Otherwise, life isn't worth living."

Emma knew he wasn't lying. Dancing around something, yes. Lying, no. "I have every faith that you can be him again. But you are going to need to let others help you if you want to be a part of something." Emma smiled, and placed a hand on his crossed forearms, "will you let me help you?"

She was so warm and gentle when she wanted to be. He gave a half smile and nodded, more to himself than as a response. But he stepped aside and gestured for Emma to enter.

Emma hesitated for a moment, and then walked in like she owned the place.

It was beautiful, larger than she'd expected. It reminded her of a hotel suite. Well, a suite at a pirate themed hotel. But it had a living area, a desk with maps strewn across the surface, a dining table, and behind a curtain, Emma could just see the shadow of a four-post bed. Being captain had its perks.

Emma walked around the main area, taking in her surroundings as she traced her fingers over the maps. "He shouldn't have said that. About Milah," Emma said as her wandering hands uncovered a drawing of a beautiful dark haired woman. The parchment was excellently preserved, save the creases where it had been folded and unfolded through the years. "This is her, isn't it?"

Hook nodded. Why was it that he wasn't bothered as she rifled through his memories, let alone his things?

"She's beautiful," Emma looked up to gauge her approach. Hook stayed stoic, eyes cast downward, but Emma could tell by the dark stormy color they had taken on that she should try another method. "She'd be proud, you know. What you are doing for her grandson. She'd know better than anyone how hard this is."

"Lass, please don't. You don't have to try to understand what this is like. Milah is gone. She can't be proud and she certainly can't be here for me, so if you've come here to try to-"

"Easy, I just thought… You're right. I'm sorry."

Hook looked up. He hadn't meant to go off on her like that, and the look of stunned helplessness on the blonde's face was enough to break his heart, or what little he had left of it. "No, love, I'm sorry," Hook walked over to her, and pushed her hair behind her ear. He sighed, "Milah is a… difficult subject. Especially right now. But you are right, she would be proud." He felt so conflicted. Giving up revenge also would have made Milah proud, so why did he feel such a betrayal of her trust?

Emma moved slowly, as if he might spook and attack, but she placed her hands on his shoulders and gave them a tight squeeze. "I know talking about… her… is difficult. But, maybe now is the perfect time. I'm not here to judge, trust me. I may not know your pain in particular, but losing someone? I understand that pain." Emma paused, pleased to see the bright blue seeping back into the pirate's eyes, "You've been alone for a long time, but you made a choice to be a part of something, and that comes with the benefit—or curse—of people who care about you and want to help you, especially when things are difficult."

Emma had never been much of a speechmaker, especially not the inspirational kind, but she seemed to be getting through. "For what it's worth, Hook," Emma placed her hand under his chin forcing him to meet her eyes, "I'm proud of you, too."

And there it was. He was really falling for this woman. She gave him hope and brought light back into his world. She was more than enough to make him give up on revenge and seek a life of happiness, and maybe even love. But to live this life, to commit to Emma, was to let go of Milah. He knew it would be what Milah wanted, but he had held onto a ghost for three centuries and he wasn't sure if he could release her.

He figured that opening up to someone who cared would make a good start. Hook smiled, reaching up to his shoulder and taking Emma's hand in his. "Come with me lass. We can bring out some rum and swap war stories, and later maybe I'll let you try your hand at the helm."

Without her consent, Emma's face lit up. Partially because she had found a way to get through to him and partially because getting through involved sailing lessons from a pirate captain, no, the pirate captain, and in Neverland at that. She was like a kid on Christmas morning. It would have been humiliating, but somehow, things were different with him. After all of their bickering and leaving each other behind, they had already managed to help the other to grow. Emma had been able to inspire Hook to want more than revenge and Hook had come back for her, to help her. That was a first for Emma, and he was earning her trust.

Hook gave a warm chuckle at the gleeful expression on Emma's face, but knew her well enough not to make a big deal of it. "Alright love, have a seat and I'll return momentarily with the rum."

With that he took off for the galley. Hook couldn't believe the turn this day had taken. He had gone from the bitter loner, who would betray anyone to benefit himself, to a man who was willing to give up his precious revenge for a chance at being a part of something.

Are you done trying to kill me?

Then you can live.

The words echoed in his head once again, but this time, he heard it in a way it had not been intended. If he was truly done trying to get vengeance and he could co-exist with the crocodile, then maybe he could be the man he wanted to be, a man who was loyal; a man who would continue to make Emma proud. He would have a second chance to really live.