A/N This is a short little thingy that came to me after 3x17 and was lying around on the shelf of unused ideas. So I decided to dust it off and upload it. I didn't much care for the Zelena twist, so it's sort of how I wished the episode had ended or something along these lines anyway. Just a one-shot.

He was standing before her now. Riddled with regret. She didn't deserve it. He had taken her chance at love away from her. No one deserved that kind of cruelty. He of all people should know that. Looking at her beautifully innocent face, he knew what he had to do. It was now or never. He took a deep breath before confessing to her that they had indeed met before. As he relayed to her their past together, all the while looking her in the eye, he could see that her heart was breaking all over again. Just like that day.

The slap wasn't unexpected as much as it was a déjà vu. She had slapped him like that when they'd just taken back the Jolly Roger from Blackbeard. He deserved it then as much as he did now and eventhough she had struck him on his cheek, the pain was only ever in his heart.

"I would give anything, anything to take it back. To make things right."

Her eyes, filled with tears, narrowed to study him more closely. She was still shaking with anger, however, taking a few deep breaths helped calm herself down. "Would you?" she asked him in a shaky voice.

"Would I what, love?"

"Make things right. Would you?" Ariel questioned again, this time a bit firmer than before.

"Aye," was his undeniably sound response.

"Then finish what you started. Help me find him."

"But I..." What about Emma, how could he leave her just like that. She needed him... right? Or, perhaps, it was him that needed her.

"I knew it, you're not sorry at all. There's only one other person you'd help beside yourself," she accused as if but a moment ago, she'd read what was in his mind. "I hope she makes you happy Hook, because if your happiness depended on you alone, you would never find it."

With that she turned around and walked out of his life, her red hair swaying in the wind as she went. But he couldn't let that happen. Watching her walking away from him... it made him feel emptier with each step she took.

For the second time that night he chased after her and called out her name. "Wait!" He grabbed her by the shoulder gently and turned her around.

"Let me come with you. I'll help you."