Chapter 1: The Rescue
Emma:
Emma looked back at the beanstalk and then back at Mary Margret. She told Hook she needed a ten hour head start, yet something in her gut told her she needed him more than he needed her.
"Emma," Mary Margaret looked at her. "What's wrong?"
"Mary Ma –Mom, I think I'm going back for him," she told Mary Margaret.
"Are you sure? Can I trust that nothing will happen?"
"I'm a grown woman, you can trust me. Plus, he might know what Cora's up to; he might just be the key to getting us back to Storybrook," Emma gave a pleading look to her mother.
Mary Margaret knew she lost the argument. She took one last look and gave Emma a long hug. "Be careful, promise me that."
"I promise…Mom," Emma smiled.
Emma looked at Mulan and Aurora. "Mulan, I'm going back up to get Hook. Take Mary Mar –Snow and Aurora in the direction to the Evil Queen's castle. When I get back down from the bean stalk with Hook, we'll catch up."
"How do you know where we'll be?" Aurora asked.
The corners of Emma's mouth started playing up. "I'll have a pirate with me. He'll know the way."
"Emma, be careful, okay?" Mulan looked at Emma and gave her a hug. Emma nodded and gave Aurora a comforting hug.
"Mary Ma –Mom, I'll see you soon," Emma gave Mary Margaret one last hug.
The group parted and Emma approached the bean stalk once more. I wish Hook were here with me right now, Emma thought to herself. No, stop, she continued to think, I don't need support to climb this; I can do it. And Emma began her climb.
Killian:
Killian tried for at least three hours to unsuccessfully free himself from the bond. Three times he yelled for the giant, but the giant never came. The next time I see Emma, she's going to regret her actions, Killian thought.
He finally gave up and plopped to the ground in defeat. He let loose a large sigh before he heard the giant coming. He looked up and saw the giant looming above.
"What do you want, you big git?" Killian yelled to the giant.
The giant took one look at Killian and roared in laughter. "You're calling me a git? Have you looked at yourself?"
Killian wanted so badly to murder the giant, but the giant kept talking. "Is it true that you're the legendary Captain Hook?"
"Ah, so you've also heard of me?" Killian smirked. "Yes, it's true."
The giant's face turned into a malicious stare. "You're the one that stole the last bean from the giants!"
It took a minute for the words to register into Killian's mind before he spoke. "That was years ago. Besides, I needed it more than you did, you big bastard!"
The giant roared in fury and took a swipe at Killian. Killian ducked in time from getting hit by the beefy hand. Killian knew his death would come soon. The giant broke the chain that held Killian in place. Now that Killian was free, he made a run for it but the giant was pretty fast himself. In one fluid movement, the giant swept Killian off his feet and brought him up to an eye-level position. The giant began to squeeze Killian, cutting off his breath.
"Please –stop!" Killian tried to say through long, harsh gasps. It only made the giant squeeze even more.
Killian was turning blue, fast. His vision started to blur and the blood was draining from his face. He fought so hard to keep consciousness, but the giant was winning. He fought hard to find his breath, but it wasn't working. Slowly, his vision was fading.
Emma:
She ran as fast as she could into the giant's lair; surprisingly, she came in just in time. She looked in horror as she saw the giant literally squeezing Hook to death.
She found a golden spear and took aim at the hand that was keeping Hook captive.
"Hey!" she yelled at the giant and launched the spear with all her strength. The spear pierced the giant's skin; he roared and dropped Hook in an instant. Emma ran, and dove to somewhat stop Hook from falling onto solid concrete. The giant looked with fury into Emma's eyes and roared once more.
"You promised you wouldn't kill me!" he bellowed.
Emma yelled so the giant could hear her. "I'm not here to kill you. I'm here to save my friend!"
With that said, Emma tried so hard to make Hook regain consciousness. She checked his pulse and it was still there. I'm sorry Hook, but I have to do this, she thought. She held Hook in one spot and in one fast motion; she struck him hard across the right cheek. Hook's eyes fluttered open and he turned to Emma so showed a face of relief.
Emma realized the giant had left while she was dealing with Hook. "Hook," she said to him, "we have to go, now."
"Why are you in such a rush, love? Can we not enjoy this moment for a while longer?" he smirked.
"Don't make me slap you again," Emma spit out words of bitterness.
The words make Hook laugh. "After you, my princess."
Emma glared at him and ran out of the lair, with Hook trailing behind her. They raced to the bean stalk and not once did they look back. They reached the bean stalk when they felt the ground rumbling. Emma turned and almost screamed; the giant was storming his way across the grounds in their direction.
She felt Hook grab her hand and hauled her onto the bean stalk. Emma took a firm hold on the vines and looked back at the giant. He was only ten feet away now, nine, eight, seven…
"Move, Emma!" Hook yelled.
Emma remembered she was on the bean stalk and began frantically making her way down, with Hook by her side. They made it one hundred yards down the bean stalk before they felt the shaking once more.
"What is that bloody bastard doing now?" Hook looked up.
Emma was scared and began having a panic attack. Why do I have to be afraid of heights, she wandered. Why me?
Hook looked over and saw the look of fright written all over her face.
"Don't worry, love, I won't leave you," Hook flashed her a million dollar smile.
Emma didn't have the time to throw him an award-winning death stare because she was too busy worrying about her life. She was too scared she was frozen in the same spot while the bean stalk continued to shake. Hook inched close enough so he could support her.
He looked her straight in the eye and tried to reassure her. "Just don't worry about the giant. I won't leave you alone, I'll always be right by your side. Keep going, your mother is waiting for you."
He took her hand and kissed it. "Let's go, Emma."
Hook said her name in a way that made Emma realize one thing: he was telling her the truth. She regained her focus and nodded. She took a deep breath and moved. Hook smiled and moved with her. Emma knew her mother needed her, and she needed to get back, for Henry, which motivated her to move faster.
What seemed like days to Emma was only hours; she looked down and saw the ground. She smiled and climbed faster, but lost her footing. Hook saw what happened and instinctively grabbed her left arm. "For Christ's sake, Emma, be careful!"
"Let me go!" Emma ripped her arm away from Hook.
"I was just trying to help," Hook looked at her and continued the descent.
I know, Emma thought, but I just can't trust you yet.
Killian:
He hated that one moment he could he passionate and sincere with Emma, but the next, she became the devil. He kept descending with Emma in silence. They were only twenty feet away from the ground, so he began to descend faster.
"Hook, slow down!" he heard Emma say to him.
"Speed up, my darling!" he laughed at her.
He loved it when Emma glared at him; it only made her mad and he loved it when she was mad. He loved watching her making the attempt to best him. She's like the female version of Killian Jones, he thought to himself.
The ground was close enough for Killian to jump. He landed on his feet and smiled. He looked up and Emma and saw her frozen once again.
"Don't worry darling, just jump. I'll catch you," he smiled to her.
"I can't!" Emma cried.
"If you don't jump sooner or later, I'll have to come up and get you myself," he smirked.
He saw the look on Emma's face changed and without second guessing it, Emma jumped off. Killian did as he said and caught Emma in his arms. He gave her his best smile and for a moment, they were lost in each other's eyes. Almost as quickly as it had come, Emma quickly got out of Killian's arms.
"Nice move," she glared at him.
"It's not my best, but thank you, princess," he bowed.
"Never do it again," Emma walked right past him, treating him as if he were some inferior person. She turned around and looked at him. "Be thankful I saved your ass up there."
"Let's not forget you were the one that left me in the first place, Emma Swan," Killian dared to challenge THE Emma Swan.
"Just forget it," she rejected the challenge and continued walking away.
"What made you do it?" he asked as he caught up with her.
"Don't worry about it!" she snapped. "Like I said, be happy I came to get you."
"Whatever you say, love," he laughed. "Please, lead the way."
Emma gave him one last hard look before walking.
The duo began their way towards the Evil Queen's castle.