One moment, they were in a tavern, boasting about the lands they conquered. The next, they were below deck on her ship, with their hot, intoxicated breaths mingling together. She pressed him against the wall, as her hands toyed with the hem of his slacks and her tongue traced his teeth. He attempted to tear at her vest, to taste her bottom lip, to draw her in, but it was hopeless. Her body encircled his as her tongue tantalized the sweet spot on his neck.
"Em—" He tried, but she placed her index finger over his lips him before he could utter another syllable.
"I thought you wanted this," Emma Swan said, exhaling warm air onto his face.
Time slowed down because of her breath tasting like bitter alcohol and sweet strawberries at the same time. He gazed into her bottomless eyes; bursting of countless tales she had yet to share with him. "Of course I do, just… give me a chance to touch you," He responded, with a whisper of a smirk stained on his mouth.
Emma threw her head back and chuckled. He could not understand why, and she did not bother to explain. Instead, she clutched his collar, opened the door, and drew him towards the bed. "Rule number one," she began, pushing him onto her cot, "This is my ship," she said, giving him a moment to sink into the pillows, "My quarters," she continued, climbing on top of him, and adjusting her legs on either side of his hips, "My bed," she declared, so close to his ear that her hot breath sent shivers throughout his body, "My rules." She ogled his auburn eyes for a few heated seconds, and then, she crashed her mouth onto his.
Emma already forgot his name, but he didn't notice, and it didn't matter to her. He bowled over the tactics she used, the voice she conveyed, the words she spoke. He thought she was a rare diamond in a mine full of rocks, but Emma knew it was years of seducing bartenders and enduring sexual encounters that fabricated her disguise. She never saw herself as anything more than a captain of a pirate ship, but she didn't care. She was Emma Swan, and she was the most wanted pirate in all of the Enchanted Forest. She hunted treasures, she captured royalty, and she stole gold. Emma made a person walk her plank for disagreeing with her, and she slashed someone's throat for information she needed. She cheated, she manipulated, she threatened. It's what pirates did, and it's what Emma did. She didn't owe an explanation to anyone, especially to a man that she'd be sleeping with for only one night.
Emma tugged at his partially unbuttoned shirt, feeling a sense of triumph as she heard the loud rip. A protest emerged on the tip of his tongue, disappointed in the destruction of a decent shirt. However, the argument died on his lips when he realized he didn't care. He grinned like a champion as Emma took a moment to marvel at his torso. A second later, he was groaning in reaction to her mouth colliding into his shoulder. She smiled onto his skin, knowing what she was capable of making him feel just by a feathery touch.
Her tongue slithered down his chest, caressing his clavicle, his heart, his nipple. Her lips brushed a new patch of skin as if he was a blank canvas and she was a watercolor paintbrush. Each new area she explored was as sweet and as warm as the previous one. She could feel his member twitch beneath her as her tongue slid closer and closer.
Emma sat up and tossed her jacket to the side, knowing it was time to move forward with things. She didn't want him to stay too long, but long enough so she'd have an occupation for the next couple of hours. She tore off her corset to reveal her taut breasts. His mouth fell open, as goose bumps formed and his length hardened. He licked his lips, an ache stirring in the pit of his stomach as he reached for one. Emma inched towards him, allowing him to play with a nipple. He used his fingers to stroke one, and she threw her head back; her blond hair spilling over her shoulders. She could feel her core dampen as he slipped two fingers inside of her. By now, he probably thought that he had the control, but Emma was clever. As soon as her eyes found his in the tavern, she knew she'd take him back to her ship. She called the shots, she let him fondle her, she decided the appetizers before the main course. For as long as she could remember, Emma never let someone else—especially a man—dictate her life. It was weakness to let someone else take charge, because it led to letting down her walls. As a captain, and as a person, Emma could never do that. She built them years ago around her heart to keep people out, so she could become the pirate, the captain, and the woman she needed to be. Enabling personal friendships and romantic relationships made those walls tumble down—so Emma made sure to never create those demons.
Emma was about to flip them over, until someone came charging into the room. She covered her chest, draping an arm over her breasts. She sat up, turned around, and saw Regina Mills, a member of her crew. Emma sent her a tight smile accompanied by a threatening look, angered by the fact that she barged into her bedroom. Emma motioned towards the man beneath her, and hissed at Regina. "You. How many times do I have to tell you to never come back here?"
Regina shrunk back, but not enough to let Emma notice that she was weary of her. "Sorry Captain, but I thought you should know that we found Hook's whereabouts."
"Can't you see I'm a little bit busy? That amateur can wait until tomorrow." Emma said, with an irritation in her voice that kept growing.
Regina cleared her throat. "I know Captain, but I think you want to hear this. I wouldn't bother you and your… company if it wasn't important."
Emma rolled her eyes and looked back at him. "You'll have to excuse me for a few minutes. But, how about this," she said, leaning over until her mouth was hovering over his ear. "Finish undressing, so when I get back, we can have that dessert you mentioned back at the tavern earlier."
Her suggestion sent chills down his spine. He nodded, breathless, and gestured for her to go. "Don't take too long, though. I'm rather hungry."
Emma hopped off the bed, smirked, and grabbed a long jacket from her desk. "Oh don't worry, I'll satisfy your appetite right when I get back."
As soon as she closed the door behind her, Emma turned to Regina with a fire in her eyes. "What was so important that you had to interrupt my evening? Hook couldn't wait another twelve hours?"
"Not with this piece of information, Captain. I know tracking him isn't your number one priority. However, now it should be, because he's as far away as you could possibly get," Regina explained.
"Well, where is he? Have you drawn a map that will lead us to his location? Have you acquired all of the needed supplies? Is everyone even ready to set sail?" Emma paused and waiting for Regina to answer. However, a few beats passed, and she didn't. "Of course you have none of this planned out. Where's Snow when I need her?"
That comment felt like a hard blow to Regina's face. Her eyes grew small and dark and she clenched her teeth. "I may not be your right hand man anymore, but I am a lot more prepared than you think. Just because Snow was too good to disturb you tonight, it doesn't mean that you don't need to know this."
"Well at least someone knows how to take care of their captain. Tell you what, Regina, why don't you go mop the upper deck and then get some rest. We'll worry about Hook tomorrow," Emma ordered, leading her towards the supply closet.
In any other case, Regina would obey her captain's orders, but this time, she followed her gut. She knew that she was right, and that Emma would want to find Hook right away. Regina stopped dead in her tracks and looked at her captain. "But, Emma, you see… Hook isn't even in this land."
Emma sighed. Of course Regina would over exaggerate. So, big deal, he wasn't in this kingdom. It was unlikely, given their rivalry. It didn't mean that this quest couldn't wait until tomorrow. Emma and her crew had plenty of treasures to steal, lives to ruin, and adventures to explore before they even found Hook. He was never Emma's number one concern—just her number one enemy. "Big deal. Regina, please leave, before I make you walk the plank! You know how angry I get if anyone disobeys me!"
"Before you make me walk the plank—which you won't, because you never follow through with your threats towards your crew—you should know that when I say land, I mean realm. He isn't even in the Enchanted Forest." Regina finished.
Emma stared at Regina, a million thoughts zooming through her mind and on her face. Could this be why she hasn't heard of Hook in years? How she was able to achieve whatever she pleased for so long? Hook never went down without a fight; he was never the type to just let Emma have what she wanted. He strived to be the number one most wanted pirate, just as she did. So, after her third raid in a kingdom's castle, with no trouble from Hook and his crew, she realized that he had vanished. Emma didn't know why or how; all she knew was that Hook either found something valuable beyond anyone's dreams, or he found trouble worse than anyone's nightmare. It was at that moment; Emma knew she had to find him, although she ignored that tiny part of her heart that told her she might be worried. For the last four years, Emma wanted to know what Hook was up to, and now, she was about to find out. "That's impossible. No one can travel between realms, unless…"
"…You have a magic bean," Regina finished for her. "Which he acquired. I paid good money to find out where he got it front. Turns out, he fooled the Dark One. Few people are capable of that, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. It doesn't make him any better than me. So, where is he?" Emma asked, trying to contain her jealousy. Not even she succeeded in tricking Rumplestiltskin.
"Not that this would mean anything to you, but it's dangerous. There's not a big chance that we'll ever leave that place. His rules and all," Regina said, feeling tension build in the air.
"His?" Emma repeated. "You don't mean—"
"Peter Pan. I have no idea why, but Hook took his crew and the Jolly Roger to Neverland," Regina clarified.
Emma pondered this piece of news for a few moments. What the hell is in Neverland for Hook? What does he get out of it? He must know something that she doesn't. Maybe he discovered a hidden treasure, or maybe he got dragged there. Either way, Emma intended on going after him. She looked at Regina, prepared to give her new orders. "Summon the crew. Prepare to set sail. I'll be upstairs in a moment, I just need to… be rid of my nightcap."
"Captain, we can't even get to Neverland," Regina said in a soft voice, afraid of upsetting her again.
Emma beamed, remembering the secret drawer in her nightstand. "You see Regina, that's where you're wrong. I'm a pirate. I deceive, steal, and intimidate. I take what I want when I want. Yes, I have a crew, but you guys don't even know half of what I do behind your backs. Newsflash: I collect items from our escapades. Souvenirs, if you wish to call it that. I do it in case of emergency, in case that one day, I may need one of those treasures when there are no other options."
Regina raised an eyebrow. "And you think Hook is an emergency? Enough to use whatever you have to get us to Neverland?"
Emma nodded. "You know I've suspected that something is going on with him for a while now. It's been almost four years since we've last heard of him. Now that we know where he is, we must travel there to find out what could have made him gone there in the first place. No one goes to Neverland unless there's something special. Something big. And I intend to find out what it is. Even if that means we'll never come back to the Enchanted Forest. However," Emma continued, motioning towards the upper deck, " if you choose not to go, you can walk the plank."
"You know Emma, one of these days, you have to be serious about your 'walking the plank' threats. Otherwise we'll never be able to take you seriously," Regina pointed out.
Choosing to ignore that comment, Emma continued. "Didn't I just give you orders? Summon the crew! Prepare the ship! I'll be up in a moment. Be ready to set sail within the hour."
At those instructions, Regina climbed up to the top deck to carry out her captain's wishes. Emma tossed her blond hair, tangled from her previous endeavors, and walked back in to kick him out.
As soon as she opened the door, she found him stretched out on the bed, naked. Ignoring him, she walked over to her desk, took off her jacket, and went to her closet to find a sturdy corset. "You have two choices," Emma began, calling out to him from her wardrobe. "You can either leave my quarters and this ship by the time I am finished dressing, or, you can walk the plank. No talking. Your choice."
When Emma finished lacing her corset, she found a vest and shrugged it on. Then, she zipped up her favorite pair of black boots, eager to leave her chambers and set sail for Neverland. When she finished dressing, she walked out to find that he disappeared. Emma cackled to herself, thinking this was why she only did one nightstands. Why would she do anything else, when almost all men she met couldn't handle her as a captain, let alone a pirate?
After arriving on the upper deck, Emma saw each member standing in the middle of the ship, preparing to move her out into the ocean. Emma headed to the ship's wheel, feeling the pouch in her pocket grow heavier with each step. This was it. She was going to use the magic bean she saved since before she was even a pirate—on the person she despised most. Emma never wanted to use it before. She couldn't bear it; she thought it would hurt too much. However, those thoughts dissipated into thin air by the time she reached the head of her boat. Facing her crew, she began voicing the goals for their upcoming journey. When she finished speaking, she threw the bean into the sea and watched it turn into a portal. Pride swelled in her heart as her crew chanting "Captain Swan! Captain Swan!" echoed in her ears. Her fears of hurting herself by using the magic bean were long gone. Replacing those worries were harsh words in her head, reprimanding herself for weakness. She shouldn't care whether she used the bean or not. Hook wasn't an exception to the rule; he was an opportunity. So, when Emma's ship sank into the swirling green hole, there was only one thought on her mind: Hook.