A/N: Hey! :D So I'm excited to start this story. I have had this idea for a while and can't wait to continue it! I really hope you enjoy the first chapter. :)) Also, I would love to hear what you thought. So, review?
Chapter 1:
~Emma's POV~
Emma was wondering the streets of New York that day. With Henry in school and no criminal case for the day, Emma decided to enjoy the city that has allowed her and her son to create a new home. The aftermath of the fire that had destroyed her home not too long ago forced them to start off fresh somewhere else. Every day since then, Emma was very pleased in the decision to move here. She has accomplished so much with her bail bonds person job and had even found herself a boyfriend.
"Emma!" said a familiar voice from behind her. Emma smiled as she slowly turned her head towards Walsh. It had been four months since Walsh had first asked her out to dinner. She had met him in his furniture shop, completely taken aback by the eagerness to help her out. After she had gone back to the store to pick up her order two weeks earlier than expected, it confirmed her theory that he was defiantly flirting with her. Emma was really hesitant to except going out to dinner with him when he first asked her out. The ability to bring her walls down was not an easy thing to do, but he was quite persuasive. Having made the decision to agree to this date, Emma had known that her decision was right since they have become inseparable for four months.
"Hey, Walsh," Emma said, smiling into his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "what are you doing here?"
"I decided to get off work early today and surprise you. Knowing you were off work yourself, I couldn't miss this opportunity to spend the day with you."
Emma laughed as she pulled away from his embrace. "What did you have in mind?"
Walsh laughed with her, "How about a walk through central park, with hot chocolate and cinnamon?"
Emma leaned in licking her lips, "That sounds perfect-, shoot! Sorry, Walsh I can't," she said as she looked down at his watch, "I told Henry I was going to pick him up early from school today and I'm already late."
She started walking down the sidewalk when Walsh grabbed her arm. "Hey, why don't you and Henry come over to my place for dinner tonight? Around 7:00?"
"That sounds great!" Emma answered, as she gave him one quick kiss on the lips before turning around and running down the street.
~Hook's POV~
The sky had never looked more blue, the wind so perfect as it helped sail the Jolly Roger. Hook was at the wheel barking orders at his crew. "Smee, I swear! If you dare come any closer to me with that broom, I am going to personally throw you off board myself, with no luxury of walking the plank first!"
"Yes, Captain." Smee walked away quickly towards the other side of the deck, taking his bucket of water and broom with him to clean someplace else.
Hook called out to another member of his crew to take the wheel while he made his way down to the captain's courtiers He sat at his desk taking a swing at his rum before closing his eyes and relaxing. It took only a few minutes before he started hearing a commotion above deck.
"Bloody hell," Hook swore slamming the flask of rum on the table before making his way back up the deck, "I can never get any peace and quiet-."
Hook gasped staring at the figure that had gotten the attention of his entire crew.
She was covered in rages, her hair a mess, and her face and arms covered in bruises.
"Please," she cried "you have to help me, I need to escape h-him. Before it's too late, you have to help me Hook!"
Hook made his way toward her, stopping just a few inches away. "I'm sorry, but who are you?" The women literally gasped reaching for him. Grabbing the collars of his coat, she started shaking him and cried. "Hook you have to help me… you have to remember me! I need you! Please, it's Emma. I'm… I'm Emma. Please!" She screamed.
Suddenly they were in a dark room surrounded with mirrors. Hook looked around startled with the new location, the atmosphere felt dry and creepy.
"Please! Oh god, he's here! This is where he got me the first time." A chill ran down his spine not comprehending who this woman was or what she was trying to run away from.
"I'm sorry, Emma? I really don't understand what is going on-"
A loud laughter echoed the room as a gasp escaped Emma. Hook looked over her shoulder and saw a figure of a man holding a dagger in the mirror. Hook quickly grabbed the women and pulled her into his arms. Every mirror surrounding them had this figure in it, each second the mirrors moved closer engulfing them into a tight area. As the mirrored figure surrounded them, his dagger raised high, ready to attack at any moment.
All of a sudden everything went still, everything but Emma, who was still in his arms crying "Please!" into his chest.
In a heartbeat, the chilling calmness changed and all hell broke loose. The figure screamed in a high pitched shriek of joy, breaking out of the mirror. When the multiple copies of the figure broke out of the mirror in a dizziness spin, the figure became one and transported himself in between Emma and Hook. Emma cried out at the loss of Hook's embrace and Hook angrily swung his hook at the figure. But it was too late; the figure grabbed Emma and pulled her into the mirror.
"Killian," She screamed. Hook threw himself at the mirror screaming in a frustrated growl. How did she know his name? Who was this woman? All these questions forgotten as he desperately tried to get her back.
One last impact with the mirror caused him to stumble into the middle. He couldn't see her anymore but he could still hear her cries of "Please Killian, help me!"
He couldn't take it anymore; he slowly sunk to the ground holding his one good hand to his ear. He screamed calling out her name while tears ran down his face. Suddenly all the mirrors shattered falling on top of him. Blood dripped down his body and then everything got sucked into the darkness.
Hook woke up with a started gasp, "Emma!" he choked out. He slowly raised his head when he started hearing murmurs around him. "What the…?"
"Captain, are you alright?" Smee asked. When Hook finally made eye contact with him he realized that Smee was not his only company. His crew and the bar wenches had all surrounded him. "Captain," Smee said again.
Hook slammed his Hook into the bench he had fallen asleep on. "What!" He growled. This signaled everyone to move back to their own business. Smee slowly sat on the other side of the table, eyeing the captain as he said "I was just asking if you were okay, it seemed as though you had a night terror. With all the rum you drank, I'm not really surprised you passed out right here in the tavern."
"I'm fine," Hook mumbled "and don't you dare question the rum, it's none of your business as to how much I drink."
"Yes Captain, my apologies." Smee replied gingerly.
Hook sighed looking out the window; his expression seemed tired, maybe sad even. But that was not to be shown in front of his crew so he quickly changed his expression into a snarl.
"Who's Emma?" Smee finally asked. His words were said in a hesitation, cringing back when Hook faced him again. "None of your damn business," Hook spat at Smee, hiding the clenching of his heart and the emptiness he felt when he heard her name.
Smee spoke up in a quiet whisper, "It's just that you were screaming her name over and over again in your dream, I thought perhaps you knew her personally?"
Hook looked up from the flask of rum in his hands "I did once," Hook said as the wave of the dream hit him hard in the chest.
"What happened to her sir?" Smee asked.
"She's… gone," Hook replied.
"I'm sorry to hear that." There was a long silence until Hook finally stood up making his way to the entrance.
"It doesn't matter now; she was no one special." Hook struggled with the snarl he gave Smee, but he managed it in the circumstance of his anger. "I didn't allow you a part on my ship so you could talk to me freely; you only take orders from me, not question me."
"Yes sir, but mind I remind you, we don't have a ship anymore." Hook growled at Smee.
"Do you want to work for me or not?" He questioned dangerously.
"Yes Captain, of course I do." Smee replied, the fear of being replaced written all over his face.
"Then I suggest you go tell the crew that we are leaving to continue our planned robberies." Hook spat. It was the only way he and his crew could live their pirate lives without the Jolly Roger.
"Yes… Yes sir." Smee waited until Hook stormed out of the tavern, slamming the door behind him, before making his way to the crew.
~Emma's POV~
It was 6:45 p.m. and Emma and Henry were making their way to Walsh's apartment. Walsh lived close to his shop, but that was a good twenty blocks away from where they lived. Henry, who was always excited to see Walsh, was very giddy in the back seat of her yellow bug.
"Mom, it's already 6:55 we are going to be late!" Emma laughed as she stopped at a red traffic light.
"I'm sure Walsh won't be offended if we are a few minutes late, kid. It's not my fault I was called into work at the last minute." She smiled into the rear view mirror, watching Henry as he played his game boy.
"Whatever mom, I'm just really hungry." Henry explained and Emma laughed again. Her adorable little boy always knew how to make her smile.
When they finally pulled up to the parking lot behind the apartment, Henry was too eager to wait until his mom got out of the car. He shifted to the other side, getting out of the car first.
"Race you!" Henry shouted at her as he ran towards the apartment's back entrance.
Emma locked the car doors and walked down the path to the entrance, her car keys shifting from one hand to the other.
"Looks like you win kid," she said as she caught up with Henry inside, "there is no way I am running in these 6 inch heels."
Henry just smirked, running circles in the small spaced entrance in triumph.
Emma pressed the button that buzzed Walsh's apartment so he could open the second door leading into the lobby.
"Hello?" Walsh asked through the speaker.
"Hey, Walsh it's me and Henry." Emma explained.
"Emma? What are you doing here?" Emma and Henry exchanged a glance before Emma said, "Um… we're here for dinner? Remember you invited us over earlier this afternoon?"
"Oh yeah, I completely forgot. Sorry Emma." Walsh let out a long frustrated sigh.
"If you want us to go…"
"No no no! Of course not, this actually works out perfectly." Emma raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything else when Walsh buzzed them in, allowing the second door to open freely.
When they arrived in front of Walsh's door, Henry knocked and started jumping up and down.
"How much sugar did you have, kid?"
Henry just smiled at her as Walsh opened the door. "Walsh!" Henry jumped into his arms.
"Hey buddy! It's good to see you." Henry ran towards the kitchen and sat down at the table taking out his game boy again.
"Emma," Walsh pulled her into an embrace, "I'm so sorry, I completely forgot. Some stupid issue occurred at the furniture shop."
"Oh, like what?" Emma asked.
"Nothing, it's fine now. I got rid of it," Walsh smiled, leading Emma towards the kitchen where Henry was seated. "How about we order in pizza?"
"Yes!" Henry said, putting his game boy aside.
"Alright then," Walsh smiled, picking up the phone and dialing the nearest pizza store's number. Emma excused herself as she left for the bathroom. Staring at herself in the mirror, Emma took out her lip gloss, re-applying it. She stopped short when she noticed a shattered crack of glass on one side of the mirror. She stared at her reflection, the cracks causing her face to be multiplied a few dozen times. A chill ran through her, not knowing why, as she quickly exited the bathroom.
"So anyway, I was really excited to show my science teacher this really cool remote control car that didn't run on batteries, but she didn't believe me," Henry explained, throwing his arms in the air, "It took a while but I think she finally understands that science is more than chemistry labs and textbooks." He sighed as Walsh leaned against the other side of the counter listening to every word he was saying.
"Emma," Walsh sat up with a goofy smile on his face, "Henry was just explaining to me how much he loves school." He turned his head towards Henry, winking at him.
"Yeah, right," Emma smiled; she walked towards Henry ruffling his hair as she put her arms around his shoulder.
Henry smiled and this time he excused himself, leaving Emma with arms stretching out after him.
"Well then…I was thinking we should eat the pizza at the store, by the time we get there it will be ready." Suddenly there was a knock at the door, Walsh was about to get it when Emma ran before him, telling him she got it.
Emma opened the door and two strange tall men, drenched with black coats, awaited.
"…Um, who are-"Emma screamed as one of them unexpectedly picked her up and threw her towards the wall opposite the door.
"What the…?" Walsh ran toward the door, Henry trailing behind him. "What are you two doing here?"
"Mom," Henry made his way towards his mother's limp form on the ground. She stirred as Henry kept shaking her, "Mom!"
"Wha-…" Emma gasped as she awoke, arms immediately grabbing Henry and pulling him behind her.
"This is not the time, the boy, he is not ready." Walsh said to the two men.
One of them snarled, "Well regardless if he is or not, she wants him now, her plan is in action. She needs the boy now!"
"Walsh? What is going on?" Emma slowly stood up, her arms immediately guarding Henry.
"Well this is awkward," Walsh smirked at her, "It appears I won't need to act as your boyfriend anymore."
"Walsh! What are you talking about? Who are these people?"
One of the men started walking towards her, "We are the people who are going to retrieve your son. Think of it as a favor, your son will be working for my boss from now on. What a lucky kid. The little brat won't be much more trouble to you anymore."
"Henry, run!" Emma grabbed the umbrella stand from beside the door swinging it at one of the man's head. He screamed cursing as he yelled at the other one, "Get the boy, now!"
The man ran down the hallway after her son, she only had a second to wish he got away in time before the other man grabbed her, spinning her into his embrace. Her back was towards him while his arm covered her mouth, she screamed attempting to bite his hand but he only smirked.
Emma cried at Walsh, pleading with them to let her go, to let her son go. Walsh grinned at the man, "She is way too clever, she could mess with our plans, but we can't kill her. What do you suggest?"
The man let go of her mouth, allowing her to scream some more. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bean. Walsh looked at the glowing bean in his hand, sighing, "Very well."
"It's your turn to change, sir" said the man.
"Sorry it had to come to this, Emma." The man covered her mouth again and nodded towards Walsh as Emma stared daggers into his eyes.
Suddenly, Walsh, who was staring back at her, closed his eyes and then re-opened them a second later. This caused them to turn red. Emma gaped at him in disbelief as his shape started shrinking, he grew wings, and his whole form turned into a monkey. Sharp teeth smiled at her and he let out a shriek. The man pushed Emma towards the monkey. She gasped getting up, trying to reach for a weapon, anything. The man threw the bean to the ground and a green vortex opened up. Emma fell to her knees beside the vortex, cursing herself for being so close.
"Emma dear, it's time for you to visit a place that will only bring you hell," said the man.
He nodded towards the monkey, "You can do the honors," and with that Emma felt a strong force shove her forward.
She screamed as she fell into the vortex. The last thing she saw was Henry struggling inside the embrace of the other man's arms, crying out to her, before the vortex swallowed her into a never ending pit of darkness.
Her stomach felt as though it was a heavy weight, causing her to crash down into swirls of laughing colors. Her throat was throbbing from the impact her screams made. Her body shifted in all different shapes and angles. The dizziness and nausea leaving her mind blank.
All of it was too overwhelming. She cursed herself for being so weak, for allowing those creatures to hurt her son.
This thought allowed more anger to swallow into her frustrated screams until she hit an unexpected surface, hard. Falling onto her stomach, the impact shoots a wave of pain from the tips of her toes to her hair line.
Emma let out an extended scream as she placed her arms under her to slowly lift up her body weight.
"What the…?" Her head shoots up as she hears horse hooves and people shouting a signal to stop. Her vision finally sets on two large horses, which are inches away from her. Her hands scraped the dirt underneath her; as she tried to understand her whereabouts.
She heard the crashing of boots, as a few shadowed figures made their way towards her, "and who might this be?" said one figure, as he leaned his head towards her.
"Looks as though we found a useless treasure for his majesty," this came from the figure standing beside the first one.
They both smirked and grabbed her by her arms, hauling her up. She let out a cry of pain, which only caused them to keep their hold on her much stronger.
"What's your name girl? And where did you get these ridicules clothing?"
They ripped her red leather jacket off, grinning. Emma only spat at them, her face mixed with disgust and pain.
"I will never answer you." Struggling to get free only caused her to whimper in more pain, she felt defeated as they dragged her behind the horses.
"We will not be disrespected by a peasant; you will obey us or suffer the consequences."
"A little help over here," they shouted, as a few more men made their way towards them.
"Open the lock; we need to dispose of her somehow." The men quickly grabbed their keys and unlocked the large box of treasure.
"You will be changing into these rags," said the man that was holding her in place, "if you refuse, we will have to do it ourselves. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want that."
He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her backwards so his face was up against her ear. "Trust me, we wouldn't want that either." A look of disgust passed his face as he picked her up and threw her into the carriage box, causing her to whimper some more. She held her head in her hands, refusing to make eye contact. They chucked her raged clothing at her and slammed the door shut. Her struggled sobs and the carriage wheels against the rocky path were the only sounds that filled her ears.
~Hook's POV~
"Captain, are you sure this is the path they are going to be traveling through?" Smee asked quietly as he approached Hook's side.
"Smee, I will not say this again," Hook leaned towards him, tapping an excusing hook into his chest, "questioning me will only bring you trouble. We may not be on the ocean, but there are numerous amounts of wild creatures that wouldn't mind to have you as a meal."
Smee gulped and nodded as he backed away towards the tree line.
This time Hook spoke out loud to his whole crew, "his majesty's castle in not too far down this path. He always seeks treasure and sends his men out every day to gather up as much as they could find. This is around the time they should be traveling back to the castle. Of course, that is only if they found anything of value, if not they would be running the hills in their undergarments in fear of what their majesty would do."
His whole crew laughed along with him.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves and carriage wheels filled the air.
"Men, at your ready positions," Hook mumbled.
With that he brought down his helmet, which covered his face, and reached for his sword. The carriage and horses halted a few meters in front of Hook.
"Who dares to stand in the way of his majesty's carriage?" shouted one of the guards.
"I am the man who is going to retrieve you of your treasure." Explained Hook in a much deeper voice.
The men laughed, "Oh yeah? And how are you going to do that?" shouted another guard.
Hook started walking forward as the tree lines beside him started burning. It followed him down the path until he stopped in front of the horses. "Allow me to demonstrate," Hook shouted back and raised his sword.
"Wait..." Said the guard closest to him, reaching out his arm in defense, "Turn around," another shouted towards the guards behind him. The horses turned around and galloped away with their riders, leaving their carriage behind.
Smee ran out, followed by rest of the crew, laughing.
"Well done, Captain!" Hook tore his helmet off with his good hand and laughed.
"Let's get this box of treasure opened up, shall we?" Hook signaled to Smee.
He made his way towards the door and unlocked the lock with his hook. He stepped back, allowing Smee to walk forward so he can pull the door open.
At first no one said anything, Smee made his way inside, stopping in his tracts as he let out a gasp.
"Um… Captain," Hook grabbed Smee's coat collar and threw him back.
"What are you waiting for Smee?" Hook growled and made his way inside the box.
A struggled sob escapes his throat as his eyes scan her limp form, which is covered in rags, making its way up to her bruised arms, and finally landing onto Emma's face.
