A REQUEST

"HOOK!" shouted Emma Swan as she tore up the ramp of the Jolly Roger, leaving her parents in her dust. She practically ran over the pirate as he turned to see who had dared invade his ship. Though he'd already known the instant he'd heard his name called…

"Hello, Swan. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked politely. His calmness irritated her. Couldn't he tell she was halfway out of her mind?

"I don't have time for a chat, Hook. I need you to take us to Neverland," she demanded. A dark cloud settled over he pirate's features when he heard her…request.

"Why would you want to go there?" he asked stonily. Emma was somewhat taken aback by the sudden change in his expression and voice. He didn't seem so politely interested anymore…but she didn't have time to analyze it. She was in Mama Bear mode now.

"Tamara and Greg have taken Henry there," she answered hotly, "I need to get him back."

Hook's face remained tight, but she detected an air of…concern? Wariness? Apprehension?

"Why would they take him there?" he asked carefully.

"I don't know! Maybe they want Tinkerbelle's fairy dust or something. All I know is they took him there and I need to get him BACK!"

"What are you hiding, Hook?" David had finally caught up to them and had also noticed the pirate's change in demeanor. He might not have been as great at detecting truths or personalities as well as his wife and daughter, but he had his moments. And this was one of them. He rested his hands on his hips and glared at the other man.

Hook's gaze darted to the prince, then back to Emma. "Neverland is no place for a child…or even a grown man, especially if he's as incompetent as that one. The woman may survive, though," he mused.

"What are you talking about? Isn't Neverland that place with mermaids and fairies where you never grow up and live happily ever after as a kid?" Emma asked.

The scruffy man let out a dark laugh. His face took on a hard expression. "Hardly. I have no idea where you hear such nonsense, love. Though that would explain the steady stream of children I saw there, if they also believed such lies."

Emma may have been frantic with worry, but she was aware enough to be offended by the remark. Apparently, so was Charming, because he pulled one of his classic moves—grabbing Hook by the collar and getting in his face.

"Well, this brings back memories," the pirate commented wryly.

"Shut up, mate," David growled, "And get to the point."

"That WAS the point," Hook spat back, sick and tired of being shoved around—literally and figuratively. He pushed Charming away from him and gave him a dirty glare. David seemed ready to go ballistic on him, but Mary Margaret laid a calming hand on his arm and shot hard looks at both men.

"This isn't the time to be one-upping each other," she told them, "There's a little boy out there who was kidnapped by strangers and taken to a world which apparently isn't going to welcome them with open arms. I think that's a little more important than your male posturing."

"Exactly," Emma answered. She turned to Hook, who continued to glare at her father.

"Hook?" she queried. After hesitating for a brief second to continue glaring at the prince, he turned to the blonde woman. "Can you take us to Neverland?"

He didn't answer for a few seconds, but Emma could see when he made his decision. "Aye," he growled, "But you had best be prepared for a world that is nothing like you expect it to be."

For a moment, Emma wasn't sure if this was the right decision. But she didn't have the time or the resources to come up with a better plan.

"Take us there," she told him.