Um, just wow, everyone. I'm kinda speechless. The response to this has completely blown me away. Thank you all so, so much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. You're all the best! Hope you enjoy.
Henry!" Emma bolted upright, fear coursing through her as her last conscious memories flooded her mind. Her heart was racing and she could feel the panic starting to set in as she looked around frantically for her son.
"Emma! Calm down," Hook said, suddenly appearing in front of her. His hand slipped into her hair, grasping the nap of her neck, forcing her to look at him. "He's fine, love. You're all alright."
Emma took a gasping breath, staring back into his blue eyes for several long moments as she forced herself back under control. "Where is he?" she asked softly.
"Sleeping for now," Hook replied with a small grin.
She felt relief wash over her and she slumped, realizing for the first time that she was in an unfamiliar room. As her fear for Henry started to drift away, she became aware of the slow circles his thumb was drawing on the back on her neck, and she gently pulled away, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she looked anywhere but at him.
"What happened?" she asked, glancing at him swiftly, before continuing to inspect the room.
"Kraken got you. Threw you across the deck and almost dragged you over the side. Luckily, I got a sword on it."
"You did?" she asked, surprised. "But you were all the way across…"
He shrugged, pulling away from her slightly.
Emma swung her legs over the side of the bed she was on, once again looking around the room. "Where are we now? This isn't your ship."
"An inn. We had to pull in for some repairs."
Emma glanced at him skeptically. "We're in an inn?"
He shrugged and stood. "Albeit a rather poor excuse for one. The curse did destroy this land. Seems people are just barely back on their feet." He held out a hand to help her up.
She looked at it momentarily, vivid memories of the last time he'd offered her a hand up flashing through her mind, and stood without it. "I'd like to see Henry."
Hook let his hand fall back to his side. "Still not the trusting type, I see, darling."
Emma's eyes narrowed. "You kidnapped me and my son."
"Point taken, lass." He walked past her to the door, opening it and motioning for her to precede him. "Still awaiting your gratuitous thanks for that."
"Not going to happen," she shot back as she passed him. He was right behind her, his hook slipping around her arm and pulling her down the hall to another door. Inside she found two beds, one with Toothless playing some type of card game upon, and the other occupied by a sleeping Henry.
Emma moved over to the side of the bed, her heart clenching as she thought of how close she had come to losing him earlier. She knelt down, her fingers gently brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. She had to get him back home.
"He's a good lad. Much better at following orders than his mother," Hook said from close behind her.
She tensed and stood, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "And what exactly were you ordering him to do?"
"It's a pirate ship, love. There's always something to do."
"Hook…"
A crooked smirk lit his face. "Let's discuss this over a pint and some food. I'm not in the mood to placate your pesky demands on an empty stomach." He turned away with a glance at the other man in the room. "You're here for the night, mate."
"Aye, Capt'n," the man said, glancing up from his cards.
"Let's go, Swan." Emma hesitated despite her growling stomach. She glanced back at Henry's sleeping form, not wanting to leave him, especially with some pirate she had no knowledge of. "Thomas won't let any harm befall him," Hook said, coming back to her. "And I don't think you're going to want your boy to see some of our… activities."
Emma slowly turned away from Henry, giving Hook a look that clearly conveyed she was already tired of his comments. "Let's just go get something to eat so I can go back to sleep and get away from you."
As they made their way down to the common room, Emma noted how run down the place looked, like it had been thrown together with the pieces of other buildings and in a bit of a hurry. The main room didn't have many people in it, just a few disreputable looking folks keeping to themselves in a far darkened corner.
Hook guided her to their own darkened corner, even pulling out a chair for her, which she responded to with a roll of her eyes before sitting in it. "Lovely place, Hook. You bring all your girls here?" she asked sarcastically.
He leaned across the table towards her. "Are you saying you're my girl?"
Emma's face fell, knowing she had walked herself into that one. "Definitely not."
He gave her a knowing look. "Options are rather limited these days, what with this being an accursed land."
A bowl of something steaming was suddenly dropped in front of Emma and she started slightly, looking up to see a rather busty barmaid standing next to her, giving her a dirty glare before turning to Hook.
"Haven't seen you in forever, Captain," she said in an obnoxiously flirty voice.
Hook gave her a cursory glance. "Ah, yes… it has been a while, sweetheart."
She set his bowl down in front of him, still obviously trying to get his attention.
Hook looked back at her, his eyes turning cold. "No time for all that, dear. Now be a good lass, and fetch us some drinks."
The barmaid cast him a bit of a pout but turned and left, leaving them alone at the table again. Emma sat back with a frown. "Huh, that is not how I pictured that going."
He looked up from where he had started eating. "Really, darling? And what, exactly, were you expecting?"
"More of you being… well, you, I guess. You kind of just blew her off." She picked up her spoon and looked into the bowl, wonder what exactly she was about to eat.
Hook shrugged slightly. "Time's of the essence tonight, love."
Emma stopped with the spoon half way to her mouth. "What does that mean?"
"We're going on a bit of a trip."
"Why?" she demanded, all pretense of eating gone. "I thought we were already on a trip."
"True, but before we continue on, we're going to need a few items."
"Why?" she asked again, slamming her spoon back onto the table. "I'm not playing this game the entire time I'm with you. You better tell me everything, Hook."
The pirate set his own spoon down with a grim smile, pulling out a black bag and throwing it on the table between them. Emma looked at it warily, pulling it closer to her slowly with a glance at Hook. "What's in it?"
He just motioned at it with his hook, sitting back and crossing his arms with an expectant look on his face.
Emma tugged on the cord tying the bag closed and pulled it open, almost gagging as an overwhelming stench hit her and she finally saw what was inside. "Is that an eyeball?" she asked shoving the bag away, repulsed.
Hook just continued to stare at her, waiting.
She quickly closed the bag, cutting off the fishy smell emanating from the thing. "Is that from that monster that attacked the ship?" she asked in a low voice. "And if it is, please tell me that you didn't plan for that whole situation, because if you took me and my son out there with a kraken—"
"Do you think I'd sail my ship through kraken infested waters by accident, love?" Hook asked with a brow raised in disbelief. "I thought my reputation had preceded me."
Emma was on her feet. "You told me Henry was going to be safe! You lied to my face!"
"Last I knew, your boy was fine. This isn't the first time I've taken on a sea monster, darling."
Emma let out a disbelieving, sarcastic laugh. "Of course not! Why would it be? You may be terrified of flying lost boys and crocodiles, but sea monsters, no problem—"
Hook was on his feet and had her slammed back onto the table, food and spoons scattered, faster than she could blink. "I don't take kindly to being called a coward," he growled, and Emma sputtered a denial that he ignored, pressing on. "No more games, Emma." His hook was twisted up in her shirt, holding her down, the cool metal pressed against her skin. "I never lied to you. You know that," he said simply, and she knew it was true no matter how much she didn't want to believe it. "We both want the same thing, love. Stop fighting me."
Emma let out a long breath, beyond flustered by everything that was happening. Besides the kraken truth bomb, their new quest she knew nothing about, and Hook on top of her, pressing her into the table, the blatant honesty in his words was like a slap to the face. She looked away, trying to get her bearings before turning back and forcing herself to meet his searching gaze. "I don't want to fight you. I just want to get home, but I need you to tell me everything." She swallowed hard, fighting to get the next words out. "If we're going to… to trust one another, we both need to stop hiding behind half truths."
His blue eyes stared into hers for another drawn out moment before he nodded and moved back, pulling her up with him. He held out his hand. "Truce then, lass."
Emma looked at his hand, an unsettling feeling stealing over her as she realized how important this moment was for both of them. She'd betrayed him before, and though she wasn't proud of her actions, she could justify them to herself. After this, however, they had an understanding, and she knew, if she turned her back on him again, there would be no going back. Whatever tenuous trust they had would be gone forever.
She bit her lip and with a deep breath reached out and grabbed his hand. "Truce," she said softly, meeting his eyes.
A wide grin spread over his face, and he raised her hand to his lips, placing a lingering kiss on her knuckles while keeping his eyes locked with hers. "Good form, love."
Emma was caught by surprise when he moved, keeping her hand in his and tugging her towards the door. The barmaid yelled something about the mess and Hook threw a gold coin at her before they were both outside in the cool, moonlit air. He let go of her and turned to a man standing beside the door. Emma couldn't really pick up their hurried conversation, but Hook turned back to her a moment later, pressing a belt and sword into her hands without hesitation. "This way, love."
Emma quickly buckled the sword around her waist, and hurried to catch up, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a stop. "I thought you were going to tell me what's going on?"
"I presumed we could talk on the road," he replied, motioning at the path leading into the woods.
"How long is this going to take? I don't want to leave Henry here alone, especially if there is a good chance I'm not coming back."
Hook gave her a tired look. "We'll be back by dawn, Emma, and you will come back. I'll make sure of that."
She forced herself to push down the lingering doubt and nodded. "Okay, let's go." She ignored the surprised look on his face and walked past him down the road.
"So what's the kraken eye for?" she asked when he caught up to her side.
"We're going to trade it for access back to your Storybrooke."
Emma's hand clenched on the hilt of her sword. "So, as of right now," she said slowly, reining in her temper, "we have no way of getting back."
"We have a plan, love, and that is as good as having the way back in our hands."
"And what is it, exactly, that we're trading the eye for?"
Hook grinned. "A pair of magic slippers."
"You've got to be joking. Seriously? Dorothy's slippers?"
The pirate shrugged. "Cora provided me with the name of a certain witch that was in possession of the slippers, and she has a vested interest in getting us back."
"And you trust Cora?"
Hook looked at her pointedly. "Of course not, but she can't afford to abandon me here. I have a certain item of hers that she is desperate to get back."
Emma shook her head. "We really need to work on your sharing skills. Getting information out of you is like pulling teeth. What item?"
Hook's grin turned vicious. "Her heart."
Emma stopped walking. "You have Cora's heart? With you right now? How?"
Hook stopped with her, stepping uncomfortably close. "Afraid I'll steal another one, darling?"
She wanted to laugh, but it stuck in her throat. "The heart?" she asked again.
Hook reached out, idly playing with a strand of her blond hair. "It's in a safe place, never fear." Emma grabbed his hand, pushing it away, but his satisfied smirk remained in place. "I'll reveal the location when you've proven your loyalties, Swan. Trust works both ways, darling."
Emma tried not to huff in frustration. "Fine, Hook. "
They started walking again, Hook watching her out of the corner of his eye. "And as much as I love what your mouth does when you call me that, love, when we get to our destination, you should most likely use my real name. The witch has a bit of a grudge against Captain Hook."
"What a surprise," she muttered, keeping her pace.
"You do remember my name, don't you? I know it seems like forever ago that you tied a poor innocent blacksmith to a tree to die."
"There was nothing innocent about you, Hook!" Emma snapped, irritated that he'd called her out.
"Killian, love. Don't want to slip up around Almira."
Emma frowned slightly. "Killian," she said, testing it out. "I think I like Hook better."
"You'd be the first."
Howling erupted off to their right, and they both froze, gazing into the darkness of the trees. "What is that?" Emma asked in a hushed voice.
"Her pets," Hook said, matching her tone. "Tread carefully, love. We're close."
"Why did you bring me? Why not one of your sailors or more people at least?" Emma asked nervously, her hand tight on her sword.
Hook shrugged. "You're still the most motivated, and I wasn't lying when I said we made a great team. You'll do whatever needs to be done to get back home."
"I feel like more people would have been a good call right about now," Emma countered, unconsciously inching closer to him.
The howling picked up as they continued, occasionally seeing flashes of movement through the trees around them, or hearing branches crack a little too close for comfort.
"Isn't the Wicked Witch from Oz?" Emma asked, needing something to take her mind off the horror show going on around them. "What is she doing in this world?"
"Almira came here after the Wizard tried to have her killed. Decided a nice, quiet retirement in the Enchanted Forest was preferable to being dead. Lucky for us, too. Oz is damn hard to get to."
Emma shook her head. "Of course." Every time she thought she got a handle on all the crazy fairy tales come true, she'd learn something else. "So should I be expecting Flying Monkeys?"
Hook looked at her like she had gone crazy. "What the blazes are those? Flying Monkeys?"
She just threw her hands up. "Never mind."
A small cottage appeared out of the darkness as they drew closer. A few lights lit the windows, making it look homey and inviting. "So do we just knock?" Emma asked.
"As good a plan as any, love. She already knows we are here." Hook said as he unlatched his hook and slipped it out of sight before continuing forward. When they were a few feet away, the door creaked open, sending a sliver of light out into the darkness. The two glanced at each other, a flash of understanding passing between them, and then stepped into the cabin.
Emma didn't know what exactly she had expected, but it wasn't what she found upon entering the cottage. The house was surprisingly tidy, almost too clean. When meeting an evil witch, she had anticipated something different, maybe more of a mess.
"Ah, Killian, dear. It's been ages," a crackled, breathy voice said from across the room. Emma jumped, spinning to find a withered old crone sitting in a simple wooden rocking chair. Her long gray hair was braided into two long plaits hanging down her bony shoulders, and an eye patch obscured her left eye, the other, faded blue and watery, gazed at them piercingly.
"Almira," Hook said with a deep bow. "Charmed to see you, as always."
"Don't be rude, dear. Introduce me to that pretty thing behind you." Almira pointed at Emma with a knobby finger, her lips cracking in a smile to reveal her remaining three teeth.
Hook glanced at her, warning in his eyes. "This is Emma Swan."
"Come closer, Miss Swan," the witch cooed, beckoning her forward.
Hook grabbed her arm, holding Emma in place. "That's not necessary today, Almira. I have a business transaction I'd like to discuss with you."
The witch turned her piercing eye on the pirate, her tongue darting over her lips. "Really, Killian? What are you in the market for this fine night? A new hand? A dagger?" A cackling laugh escaped her as she looked pointedly at Emma again. "A way to change your fate?"
Emma shuddered at the laugh, utterly uncomfortable, and felt Hook's grip on her arm tighten. "We're here about the slippers."
The blue eye snapped back to him. "What could you possibly have that would warrant such a trade?"
Hook let go of Emma, advancing on the old woman. "The eye of a kraken. I've heard you've been looking for one."
The witch was on her feet faster than Emma would have thought possible. "You lie!" she hissed, her claw like hand coming up and clenching in midair.
Hook choked, clutching his throat as he fell to his knees. Emma felt her heart slam into her chest. "He's telling the truth!" she cried, hurrying to his side, facing the witch. "We have it! Let him go!"
Almira turned slowly, letting her hand drop, and Hook gasped, falling forward onto his hands, panting. "Ah, she speaks. Much like your last girl, Killian."
Hook coughed, sitting back on his heels. "Leave them out of this," he said, his voice rough.
The witch shuffled forward, her gaze fixated on Emma who found herself unable to move. "Then why bring them, Killian?"
Emma struggled to move, frozen where she stood. "What do you want?" she demanded as strongly as she could, trying to ignore the fear that flared inside her.
"I will give you the slippers for the eye, and a taste of your heart." She licked her thin lips again, her singular gaze dropping to Emma's chest.
"Emma, don't!" Hook said, struggling to get to his feet.
She hesitated. "What do you mean, a taste? Will you hurt me?"
The witch shook her head. "No, dear. I simply touch your heart, understand you a little bit more. You will miss nothing. You will leave with all you entered with."
"Then why do you want this as part of your deal?" Emma asked, wary.
Almira laughed, like nails on a chalkboard. "I would like to understand true love. You're filthy with it."
Emma frowned, her heart pounding in her chest. "Okay."
The witch's grin widened, and suddenly she plunged her hand into Emma's chest. Pain radiated out from the point and Emma cried out, her body ridged as the witch closed her eye, her head falling back, and her hand tightening painfully around Emma's heart. It seemed to go on forever, so much worse than the time Cora had attempted to steal her heart. Just as abruptly, the witch pulled her hand back and Emma slumped, almost hitting the ground before Hook caught her, lifting her back up and pulling her away from the witch back across the room.
"You damn, bloody fool," he growled, his left arm tight around her waist as he held her on her feet as she struggled to control her trembling, pain wracked body. He glared back at Almira. "Our bargain, witch!"
"The eye, if you please."
Hook untied the bag from his belt and threw it across the room. Almira caught it deftly, quickly looking inside it with a delighted cackle before turning and disappearing into another room.
"Are you all right, love," he asked softly, his voice rough from either the witch choking him or something else, Emma wasn't sure.
"It hurts like hell," she said, a hand pressed to her chest.
"Yes, well, you just let her dig through every memory of love that you possess, darling. You could be in much worse shape right now."
Almira appeared again, shuffling towards them before setting a pair of silver shoes on the floor near their feet.
"I thought they were ruby slippers," Emma muttered in confusion.
"Why?" Hook asked. He made sure she wasn't going to topple over before he let her go, grabbing the shoes and slipping them into a satchel on his hip. "Always a pleasure, Almira," he said, barely containing a sneer.
Emma tried to take a step and nearly fell again. Hook was back at her side an instant later, slipping an arm around her and moving them towards the exit.
"Killian," the witch called, drawing them to a halt just shy of the door. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"
Emma glanced at the pirate, his eyes slipping closed and a profoundly irritated expression slipping over his face. "I was hoping you wouldn't."
"Then you're a foolish boy," she replied. "She knows you by another name. Is that why you didn't want me to read her heart?"
Hook turned to face the witch, moving Emma with him. "Not exactly. I didn't think I would be a topic of interest." Emma frowned, slightly confused by the conversation. "Emma," Hook said under his breath. "I need you to grab the canteen on my belt and throw it when I say." She was about to ask why, but his grip on her tightened painfully and she stayed quiet.
"You stole from me all those years ago, Hook," the old woman snarled. "Our deal today is done, and now I will steal from you."
"Emma, now!" Hook yelled as the witch started to raise her hands in a spell. Emma grabbed the canteen, pulling the stopper free and threw it at Almira as hard as she could with her shaking arms.
Hook was already pulling her towards the door, when she heard the witch scream. Emma glanced back, hearing the sizzle of flesh as the water started to melt into the old woman's exposed skin, causing her already haggard features to pop and sag. Emma blanched, looking away in horror, forcing herself to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other as Hook rushed them from the house.
They plunged into the darkness, trying to put as much distance between them and the enraged witch as possible. Emma pushed herself as hard as she could go, but something caught her feet in the dark and she fell, pulling Hook down with her as she tumbled, landing on top of him hard.
"Really not the time for this, love," he grunted, his hands resting on her hips as he rolled them so he could get to his knees, his breath coming fast from the run.
"How the hell did she know who you were?" Emma asked, sitting up, gasping for air herself.
"That's a question for you, not me. It's your heart she was rummaging around in for information." He brushed some dirt off his shirt, looking down at her with a furrowed brow. "Are you all right to continue, Emma?" They both heard the menacing howling start up again in the distance, and Emma sighed.
"Doesn't sound like I have much of a choice."
Hook smiled, reaching down and pulling her up with him as he stood. He brought out his hook, his eyes glinting eagerly in the moonlight as he attached it to the brace on his arm, obviously ready for a fight. "No, indeed it doesn't."
Back to Henry and the Jolly Roger next chapter. Thanks again for reading and all your wonderful comments!
