"Oh come on," she laughs, reminiscent of the amused disbelief she felt so long ago at Henry's avid imagination…yes, his theories may have turned out to be well-founded but in this moment, certainly not, "you're telling me that a handful of dust is going to tell me who I'm supposed to be with?" Her eyebrows were raised in challenge as she looked at the man sitting before her, his lips still glistening with the rum from the last pull of his canteen.

His eyes glittered with both amusement at her scepticism and simple joy that she was there, actually spending time with him. Yes, they'd kissed not three night prior but, as was the norm with Emma Swan, she was still allowing her uncertainty to hold her back.
"Not only who you are supposed to be with, love" he drawled whilst leaning in closer to her, "but your soulmate."

Her scepticism faded for a moment at that, the thought of knowing her perfect match quite an attractive notion and one she had thought of for quite some time. She was getting older now, Henry needed some stability and…well, having someone to love and care for that she could do the same for in return…
"It's ridiculous," she scoffed, Hook rolled his eyes before looking back at the pouch sitting on the table before them, "how can…pixie dust" she bit out, still not completely comfortable with talking about things most had read about in fictional tales as children, "how can that lead you to the person you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with?"

He shrugged without looking up, the leather of his jacket creaking with the movement as he toyed with the sash keeping the pixie dust safe within. He'd gone to Tinkerbell desperate, his need to show Emma that they belonged together had only grown in the past few days, she needed to believe and he needed help.
"Beats me love, but it does."

Emma chewed on the inside of her lip, her brow furrowed as she fought with the desire to agree. What if it didn't lead her anyway and simply showed Hook to be her soulmate…he was already beyond infatuated with her whereas she, though feeling a strong attraction to him, couldn't find the intensity within her that she knew he was feeling. Surely indicating him as her soulmate would only be like signing on the dotted line and shackling herself to him for life…

"Come on Saviour," his rum scented breath washed over her face as he leaned closer to her again, challenge deep within his eyes that had her gut churning, "live a little."

—

"Look, you don't have to-"

"Yes I do," he practically growled as they made their way through the town, Emma with an apologetic frown on her face and Hook with only a scowl to hide the heartbreak he was feeling within. He had been sure the dust would fall upon him, that Emma would realise they were meant to be and…well, then they'd live happily ever after…or whatever it is they're supposed to do.

Although she felt bad for the pirate, she couldn't quell the butterflies taking flight in her stomach. She was about to find the person she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with…what the hell?! Who was it? In some ways she found herself almost believing she'd be lead to the graveyard, that she'd find the trail ending at Neal's grave and realise that her happy ending wasn't meant to be…but it hadn't.

After a little while of walking, she realised that they were headed towards Granny's, figures…right in front of her and she hadn't even known…not that she believed of course, this was still some stupid way of meeting Hook's pointless challenge…wasn't it?

"What in the…"

Her head snapped around to find the pirate staring forward open mouthed, unable to continue speaking for some reason, "what?" She questioned, her heart doubling in speed, "what?!"

He laughed then, like actually laughed out loud, his eyes never moving. "Well I'll be damned," it was let out on a breathy laugh, "I suppose it makes sense though" he mused more to himself than anyone else.

"What does? What are you-" she was cut short by the sound of the diner door opening, her son's laughter filling the air and causing her to turn. Beside him walked Regina, her arm wrapped around his shoulders whilst her free hand dug into his ribs, her own laughter matching his yet it wasn't that that had Emma gasping…the green glow around the brunette was unmistakably that of pixie dust…"no, that…there's got to be some kind of mista-"

"Pixie dust never fails love," Hook reminded from beside her.

"But that can't- she…that's" her mind was short circuiting at the fact. Regina Mills was her soulmate, the person she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with, the other half of her…"what the fuck?!"