'The hills are shadows, and they flow
From form to form, and nothing stands;
They melt like mist, the solid lands,
Like clouds they shape themselves and go.'
Verse and title taken from 'In Memoriam' by Lord Alfred Tennyson.
When the portal had deposited them in Neverland and the waters had calmed somewhat Killian lashed the ship's wheel to hold position and they all trooped below to discuss the rescue plan.
Everyone had an idea and much forceful putting forth of opinions ensued. After several minutes of going around at it, Killian noticed Emma had fallen silent. Looking her way his brow furrowed. Her eyes were darting about the ceiling and her face had paled considerably. She drew in a breath, threw her hand over her mouth and ran for the steps leading to the deck.
"Emma? Wha..?" Snow started watching her daughter's retreating back with concern.
Killian placed a hand on her shoulder, "Let me."
He pulled open a draw and took a pouch and a vial from within. The pouch he handed to Snow and pointed to a door. "The galley's that way. Make three pinches of this into a tea."
At Snow's concerned face he smiled, "She'll be fine. Lass just needs to find her sea legs."
Snow nodded and headed for the galley while Killian threw a thick woolen blanket over his shoulder and headed in the direction Emma had fled. The rest looked between the two, deciding who, if either, they should follow.
Killian found Emma leaning over the starboard side of the ship. She held a clammy hand to her forehead and grasped the railing for dear life.
"Hey, darlin', here." Killian waved the vial under her nose until he saw her breath in. Emma coughed a little then sighed, the fragrance working its way through her head. She started to slide towards the deck. Killian caught her and held her up. "Ah, we're not done quite yet. Come with me."
He threw the blanket around her shoulders, led her up the stairs to the helm and positioned her before the ships's wheel. He unlashed the wheel and holding Emma fast against him with his left arm about her waist he took hold of a peg. Emma was miserable enough to not complain at being held against him. Indeed, it seemed like Hook was the only stable thing on this rotten boat.
"Look up, Emma." Hook's voice was strong in her ear. Emma cautiously obeyed. "Watch the horizon."
Emma looked. She saw nothing but water. Everything was blue. Blue sky, blue ocean with a thin difference between the two. She began to feel better. Her stomach still felt like rebelling but it wasn't so insistent on it. With the salty breeze on her face and the horizon in her eyes she sighed a little and leaned back. Killian's chest was solid and still. Though as she rested against him she began to realise that he wasn't still at all, he was moving gently with the ship. Instead of fighting the rolls he moved with the Jolly Roger as she rode the waves. Held against him, Emma was moving with the same rhythm.
"Okay." Killian smiled, feeling Emma relax against him. "Now reach out and put your hands on the wheel."
Cautiously Emma obeyed, her hands instinctively grasping two pegs either side of the top, the right one of which Killian already held. He let her hand slip under his and cautiously resettled his over hers.
Emma's breath caught in her throat and she slowly breathed out.
"Okay." Killian's voice was low. "Now, we're going to take her over there." He nodded towards a dark smudge that had appeared on the horizon. Emma nodded, keeping her eyes on the smudge. For a while they were silent, the only sounds were the waves they were cutting through and the wind creaking wood and rope.
Killian absentmindedly rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand as it curved over the peg. Emma relaxed her grip and tentatively raised her forefinger to grasp his above it. The rest of his fingers moved to slide between hers, grasping her hand as it rested on the peg.
The dark smudge had steadily grown to form an island. Further out to sea a skull like outcropping of rock stood tall and ominous against the rapidly darkening sky.
"We'll weigh anchor just over there." Killian reluctantly released her hand to point to an area of sea on the far side of the rock where they'd be hidden from the main island.
"Thank you." Emma said softly. Killian looked down to find her watching him. He smiled and nodded.
"It happens to the best of folks." He found he couldn't pull his gaze away from her eyes. "It... It's just knowing what to do."
A smile started to lift the corners of Emma's lips and Killian's eyes sparkled back at her. He opened his mouth to say something, anything he could pull from his mind that was apparently too busy marvelling at the colours in her eyes for coherent thought.
Snow cleared her throat as she climbed the wooden steps, a large teacup two thirds full of hot tea held carefully in one hand. Killian smiled and led Emma to sit on a chair just behind them at the centre of the ship. Snow handed Emma the tea and left with a meaningful look to each.
Killian rearranged the blanket about Emma's shoulders and nodded, satisfied.
"Sit here awhile. You'll soon be right as rain." He stepped back to the wheel and righted their course. Emma watched his back, confused and thoughtful.