Author's Note: Once again, you all rock. Thank you so much for all the reviews and follows and favorites! We're in for some bumpy seas here, guys; I hope you enjoy the next part! (Also, tomorrow! Eeee!)


Hook reached the spot Emma had been standing when she went under in less than ten seconds, but she was already gone. Between the undertow and the creatures that called these waters home, she could have been dragged a hundred feet away by now. He muttered a curse that would have made her proud before diving into the waves.

Salt and sand burned his eyes as he peered through the murky water. There was no sign of her anywhere. No bubbles, no sign of a struggle, nothing. He stayed under as long as he could, swimming out further and further. Eventually, the burning in his lungs became too strong and he had to come up for air.

Maybe she's surfaced, he thought as he greedily took in large gulps of air. One swift looked around, however, proved that hope false. Damnation, she'd been under longer than he had. "Dammit, Swan," he cursed before diving back underwater.

Just like before, there was no sign of her. Another string of curses ran through his head. Where the hell had she gone? His vision was starting to blur and spot even further, his eyes burning and gritty from the salt water and the effort. Just when he thought he was going to have to go up for another breath of air, his fingers tangled in a clump of seaweed.

No, not seaweed, he realized a second later. Hair. Swan's hair.

In less than a second, he'd wrapped his arm around her waist and was hugging her to him. It was only when he tried to push her to the surface that he realized something had a tight hold on her ankle. Using the last ounce of his strength, Hook gave the creature a hard kick. The grip on Swan's ankle loosened immediately, and Hook shoved her to the surface.

He emerged from the water himself a moment later, gasping and spluttering. He thought he could hear a voice calling his name, but before he had the chance to register whose voice it was, the prince was beside him. "What the hell happened?!" David cried as he helped Hook bring an unconscious Emma to shore.

"Mermaid, siren, take your pick," Hook replied, still panting from a combination of his underwater search and the adrenaline coursing through his veins. "I dove in as soon as I saw her go under but whatever had hold of her dragged her away too swiftly."

And it had dragged her far, farther than Hook had originally thought. It took him a moment to recognize the figure standing on shore, hollering to them even though they couldn't hear her, as the princess. The second he could touch bottom, David gathered his daughter in his arms and carried her bridal-style to the beach, where Snow was frantically waiting.

David dropped to his knees and gently lay his unconscious daughter down on the sand. Snow knelt by her side in a fraction of a second, hysterically calling her name. "Charming, she's not breathing!" she cried, already repositioning herself to begin chest compressions.

Hook stood in the surf, watching helplessly as the princess counted off chest compressions. The prince tipped Swan's head back, lifting her chin to open her airway and breathed into her mouth when Snow told him to do so. They worked in concert, Snow pumping their daughter's heart and David providing her breath until, at long last, a gurgling sound came up from Emma's throat.

"That's it, baby," Snow murmured, cautious relief lighting her eyes. "Breathe, sweetheart, breathe."

And then Hook heard the sweetest sound he would probably ever hear: Emma's sputtering cough. Snow quickly repositioned herself, kneeling behind Emma to sit her up slightly so she wouldn't aspirate on the seawater that was currently pouring from her mouth. Hook released his breath as Emma raggedly drew in hers, filling her lungs with sweet, fresh oxygen.

She coughed and wheezed until she'd gotten all the ocean water out of her lungs. And then, struggling to sit up and still panting heavily, she rasped, "What … the hell?"

Hook dropped to his knees in the sand, relief washing over him like a wave. She was back. She'd scared the hell out of everyone, but she was most definitely back, feisty as ever. The prince and princess laughed, intense relief mingling with their amusement, as they wrapped their poor, confused daughter in tight embraces.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again," Snow sternly murmured into her daughter's dripping hair. Though clearly still bewildered, Emma reached up and weakly gripped her mother's arm as an apology.

The four of them sat in silence until Emma's ragged and heavy breaths slowed to normal. The prince and the princess continued to hold her tightly; Snow had even begun rhythmically running the side of her thumb along Emma's cheek. "Shit," Emma muttered, pressing a trembling hand to her sternum. "My chest freakin' hurts."

"Almost drowning will do that to you, love," Hook said softly. Upon seeing her start to shiver despite the humidity in the air, he grabbed the leather coat he'd shed before diving into the water after her and draped it over her legs. What she really needed was to get out of her wet clothes, but the extra layer would help until then.

Her perplexed eyes met his, and he watched as light dawned. She'd almost drowned; that explained not only the pain in her chest but also the fact that her parents had yet to release their death grip on her. "Did you get me out of the water?" she asked him, suddenly realizing that he was soaked to the bone as well.

"Your father and I," he answered, giving a nod to the prince, who was pressing a kiss against the side of his daughter's head. "Your mother and father were the ones who got you breathing again."

"Thank you," she murmured, her eyes closing against the tight, comforting hold her parents had on her.

Silence settled over the group again as they all let their adrenaline levels return to an even keel. Eventually, Emma seemed to realize that her parents were essentially cradling her in their arms and tried to sit upright. In response, the prince and princess loosened their hold on her, allowing her freedom of movement.

"Emma, what happened?" David asked. He seemed to be unable to keep himself from touching her, as if physical contact would reassure him that she was all right. He'd begun rubbing soft circles on her back.

"I … don't really remember," Emma answered, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall what she'd been doing before she woke on the beach. "I think … a voice was calling to me, promising to take me to Henry if I followed it. I didn't want to follow it because something felt ... off, but it was like I couldn't help it."

David and Snow exchanged a glance with the Neverland expert over Emma's head. Hook gave a slight shake of his own head, answering their silent question. There was no magical creature in this land who could have taken her to her son. Whatever had tricked her, it had done so because it had wanted her.

When Emma's teeth began to chatter, Snow cupped her daughter's cheek one final time before preparing to stand. "Let's get you dried off, hmm? Can you stand up?"

Emma nodded and gathered Hook's jacket in her hands as her parents helped her to her feet. She wordlessly handed the slightly wet garment back to him, her head ducked in embarrassment. With the severity of the situation behind them now, she was beginning to feel chagrined over the scene she'd made and the worry she'd caused. Out of consideration for her near-death experience, Hook decided to give her a break and accepted the jacket without a single innuendo.

Which pained him greatly, by the way.

Snow began leading her daughter towards the Jolly Roger, fussing over her as they walked. Emma allowed the attention for all of ten seconds before pushing her mother's hand away from her face with a half-embarrassed, half-annoyed, "Seriously, I'm okay." Only then did Hook relax completely.

The tension in the prince's shoulders relaxed as well. He let out a heavy breath and turned to face Hook. The look in his eyes was inscrutable, and Hook braced himself for what Swan had once delightfully referred to as an ass-chewing. (She'd had to explain that term in great, flustered detail while telling him to get his mind out of the damn gutter for once in his miserable life when Hook had waggled his eyebrows at her.)

It never came. Instead, David gave him a weary but grateful smile. "Thank you for getting her out of the water."

Well. Would wonders never cease. "You're welcome, mate."


Apparently, a near drowning took a lot out of a person. By the time Emma set foot on the deck of the Jolly Roger, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Of course, in typical Emma fashion, she kept insisting that she was perfectly fine and that all she wanted to do was change her clothes before resuming the search for Henry.

A mother knew her child, however, and Snow knew that continuing the search was not on the agenda for Emma today. Still, she made reassuring noises to her daughter, telling her that of course she could go back out and search after she changed.

"She needs to sleep," Hook murmured into Snow's ear. Snow gave a quick nod to let him know that she'd heard him and that she understood. She knew her baby needed to sleep; the hard part was getting her to agree.

Despite Hook's attempt to be quiet, Emma must have heard him anyway. "What I need is some dry clothes," she grumbled.

"Take her to my cabin," Hook suggested.

Emma groaned. "Seriously, do you ever stop?"

A corner of the pirate's mouth twitched up in a tiny smirk. Despite the nature of the conversation, Snow hid a smile of her own. Emma's fight was coming back. "It'll be more comfortable for you in there than in your quarters, lass. That's all I meant by the suggestion, though your mind was clearly elsewhere."

The comment earned an eye-roll from Emma and a grumble from Charming. "Don't push your luck, pirate," he muttered. Grinning devilishly, Hook raised his good hand in mock surrender.

Snow decided to take the pirate up on his offer and followed him to the captain's quarters. Any other day, she would have taken the time to examine the maps and bottles and ledgers strewn about the comfortable little room. Today, though, her focus was solely on her baby girl.

Hook strode to a trunk in the far corner of the room and pulled out a long nightshirt that was once probably white but had slightly yellowed over the years. Emma still had the presence of mind to arch a single eyebrow at him, ready to protest wearing a nightshirt of his that was who knew how old. "Dry clothes, darling," he shrugged, stopping her argument before she could get out even one word of it. "I apologize for the lack of those tight denim pants you favor."

Snow took the proffered garment from him before Emma – or David – could say a single thing. "Thank you, Hook. We can take it from here."

"Of course," the pirate said. He crossed the room to the door. "I'm glad you're all right, Swan." Then, after giving them all a nod, he left the cabin and pulled the door closed behind him.

There was a moment of slightly awkward silence before Emma slipped the nightshirt from her mother's hand and said, "I, um, can change myself."

"Oh, right, of course you can," Snow said quickly. She nudged her husband and gestured toward the door. "We'll be right outside, Emma. Call us when you're changed."

She could see the conflict in Emma's eyes, the debate within herself whether or not she liked this much loving attention. One day, Snow thought with a sad smile. One day she and Charming would be able to shower Emma with all the love and affection they wanted without Emma's independent side railing against it.

They left the cabin then, leaving Emma to change and get herself situated. Only after they closed the door did they embrace tightly and allow themselves to truly feel what had happened on the beach. They'd almost lost their baby forever. They didn't know what had taken their daughter, and they probably never would. All they knew was that if it weren't for some quick action on Hook's part and some quick thinking on theirs, they would have lost her forever.

"It's all right, Snow," Charming whispered, and only then did Snow realize that she was crying. "She's fine now. It's all right."

She stood in her husband's arms and indulged the tears a moment longer, but when she heard her daughter's weary voice calling both her and Charming, she forced herself to pull away. She wiped her eyes and blinked back the rest of her tears. "Are you all right?" Charming softly asked.

"Yes," she replied, even though she wasn't quite sure if that was true. Emma came first, though, and it was time to take care of her baby.

They entered the cabin to find Emma already sitting on the double bed, her wet clothes piled on the floor by her feet. Charming picked up her pants and tank top and draped them over a beam near the ceiling to dry. "Turn around," Snow murmured to Emma as she climbed up on the bed behind her.

Emma did as instructed and turned so that her back was to her mother. Snow began gently combing her fingers through the tangles in Emma's wet hair. It was only when Charming dragged the chair out from behind Hook's desk and sat down that Emma seemed to realize that her father needed to get out of his wet clothes as well. "You should get changed, too," she said. "You and Hook both. You're as soaked as I was."

"I can wait a few minutes," Charming replied, giving a halfhearted shrug. Though he was shivering just as Emma had been earlier, Snow knew he didn't want to leave his daughter's side for even a moment.

The three of them sat in comfortable silence as Snow continued to untangle her daughter's hair. She was hoping the soothing motion and the quiet would eventually lull her stubborn daughter to sleep.

Just when she thought it might be working, a soft knock on the doorjamb startled them. Snow looked up to find Regina standing in the doorway. From the discouraged and weary expression on her stepmother's face, she gathered that she and Rumple had been as unsuccessful in their search as everyone else had. "I heard there was some excitement," Regina said a little uncomfortably. "I'm glad to see that you're all right."

"Thanks," Emma replied, her brow furrowing slightly in confusion. Regina was actually happy that she was still alive? What was this, Opposite Day?

"Please do try to stay alive, Ms. Swan," she continued. She sounded annoyed but Snow knew her well enough to hear the concern beneath her exasperation. "Henry will never forgive me if something happens to you."

Emma must have caught the concern in her eyes as well because she didn't get angry at the self-serving statement. Instead, the corners of her mouth twitched up in a tiny smile. "I'll do my best."

Regina smiled back, gave the family a nod, and disappeared down the hall.

Silence again settled over the cabin. Snow had gotten most of her daughter's hair untangled and had just started to work through a stubborn knot when Emma's head began to drop forward. After a couple of nods, Snow caught Charming's eye, silently asking if Emma was finally falling asleep. He nodded at her, so she chanced whispering, "Lie down, Emma."

Emma didn't protest, and Snow helped her lie back until her head was resting on the pillow. Charming got up from the chair, drew the covers up around Emma's shoulders, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Sleep tight, princess."

As Charming stood up straight, Snow said, "You should get out of those clothes before you catch your death. I'll stay here with her."

Though reluctant to leave his daughter, he couldn't deny that he needed to dry off and get warm. He nodded at his wife and gave her a kiss on the forehead as well. "I'll be right back," he promised.

She watched him leave and then curled up on the bed next to her soundly sleeping daughter. She understood now why Hook had offered up his cabin; his bed was indeed far more comfortable than the bunks in the crew's quarters. Once she was sure that Emma was in a deep enough sleep, she lightly grasped her baby's hand and just lay there, listening to her daughter's steady breathing. It reminded her how grateful and relieved she was that Emma was breathing at all.