That's it! The second chapter from Awake and Alive! Thank you very much because you read and follow my story. I hope you like this chapter.

Thank you Selivia for your help!


CHAPTER 2

Two months ago

Storybrooke, Maine

Ruby and Leroy waited until Milah left the room from Granny's. When she left, both started to run to her room. Milah came in town one month ago and yet they didn't know anything about her and her plans. Both Ruby and Belle asked her who Killian Jones was, or why she wanted to find him but the woman didn't say anything. Now, if this plan, made by Belle, didn't work, they would have to come back to the original plan, to wait until Milah left the town, because they all knew that this would happen when Milah found out that there wasn't a single man called Killian Jones in Storybrooke. Now all they had to do was wait until Milah left the room, then sneak up there and to try to find answers.

All this time they tried to be nice with the woman, to ask her nicely more about her past and this man, but Milah never said anything. Two days ago, the dwarves, Ruby and Granny met with Belle at the library and they made a new plan. Since Milah wouldn't say anything, Belle said that they couldn't try to sneak up in her room and tried to find what they want. It was a good plan, but good just in theory. Ruby was worried that when she and Leroy were in Milah's room, she would come back and see them.

"Leroy are you sure she's not coming back?"

"Yes, Red. Every day she leaves the room and goes to the docks. She stays there some hours and then goes for a walk in the forest. Besides, the rest of the dwarves are looking after her. If she changes plans, we will know."

"Ok. Let's do this." Ruby said determined.

They entered Milah's room and started to search for anything that could help them. After almost an hour they couldn't find anything. There were usual things like clothes and makeup. Nothing special. But when Ruby looked under the bed she found a big envelope with some papers.

Ruby took the envelope and started to look in the papers. There were just some acts like passport, identity card and other like that. After a moment she saw a paper fall on the floor. She took it from there and looked at it. It was an old and yellow paper. When Ruby returned the paper she froze. There was a sketch with Hook. It was a perfect sketch so Ruby was sure that he was Hook. Even if she saw him just a few times, she remembered his face perfectly.

"Le-Leroy!" She screamed after the dwarf.

"What is it, girl? You find something?" He said coming from the other room.

"Yes. And I think you'll want to see this."

He came near Ruby and stared at the paper from her hands.

"Red. That's... that's Hook?" He said with a questioning voice.

"Yes it is."

"Girl, what do you think? Why does Milah have a sketch with the pirate? You think they know each other?"

"I don't know, but it's time to find out." Ruby said seriously.

"What do you want to do?

"I'm gonna be a good girl and I'll ask her very politely why she has a picture of Hook."

And with that Ruby left the room followed by Leroy. He went back to the mines and Ruby back to the diner. After some hours Milah came back and ordered some food. She waited at her table when Ruby came to her.

"So... any luck with your search?"

"No." Milah seemed to be upset and Ruby had thought again what she would do.

"You know... If you tell us more about this man, maybe we could help."

"I don't know Ruby. Maybe you were right and he isn't here. Maybe it's the wrong town."

"Then let me ask you something. Why do you have a sketch of Hook in your room?"

Milah gave Ruby with a questioning look.

Good job Ruby. Now she knew you were in her room.

With all of that, Milah said just one word.

"Hook?"

"Yeah. Tall, back hair, very blue eyes and an accent very sexy. Oh, and he always wears leather."

After she said that, Ruby saw a strange gleam in Milah's eyes.

"That's seems to be Killian! Ruby! You know where he is?"

"Yeah I know. But first I want to know why are looking for him and how you know him."

"I know him from The Enchanted Forest. He was my lover but something happened and we were separated."

From The Enchanted Forest? Lover? Hook loved someone?

"What happened? I mean why you were separated?"

"The Dark One killed me." Milah said with regret in her voice and some tears came to her eyes.

'Mr. Gold killed you? But you're here. Alive. How is this possible?"

"Who is Mr. Gold?"

"Sorry. The Dark One. Rumplestiltskin. His name here is Mr. Gold."

"He's here?" In Milah's voice could be detected some fear.

"Not right now. But he lives here. But you didn't tell me. If he killed you, how are you here?"

"I don't know exactly. After he killed me, I woke up in a cave in Tibet. That was 28 years ago."

"With the curse."

"What curse?"

"I'll tell you later. Why did you wake up there and not here with the rest of the people from the Enchanted Forest?"

"I don't know. The man who took care of me was a wizard or something like that, anyway he was powerful. He knew my story and who I was. When I asked him why I was alive he told me that my heart was taken, but my soul and my power weren't. He said that I had some power, magic if you want to say that, and this power kept me in a state of maintenance and kept my body alive."

It was a strange story, but after all, in this land they all were fairy tale characters, so maybe it wasn't too strange. But Ruby read some books and she knew that Tibet was on the other end of the globe so why did Milah wake up there? Ruby moved her attention from her thoughts to Milah who continued her story.

"All this time the man took care of me. Five months ago he told me that Killian was here, in this land. I asked him why he didn't tell me earlier and he told me that he was dying and wanted to tell me that before he died. He told me about this town, that here are people from the Enchanted Forest but he didn't tell me why. After one month he died and I came here. It took me along time to find the town because it wasn't on a map. When I arrived here I started to search after him, but he is nowhere. So if you know where he is, please tell me."

Should I tell her? Well... she was his girlfriend... but maybe I shouldn't tell her...

"He is in Neverland." Ruby said after some minutes.

"What?"

"I mean, I think he is in Neverland. Before you came in town, we all almost died because two idiots, a woman and a man, tried to kill us. Regina, The Evil Queen, the mayor of this town and Emma Swan, who is the sheriff and the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming saved us, but Emma's child was kidnapped and fell through a portal. Hook, I mean Killian, offered his ship to go search for the boy. The next think I knew the ship went into a portal."

"When did that happen?"

"Two or three weeks before you came here."

"Who is with him?"

"Um... Emma, her parents, Regina and Mr. Gold."

"Killian and Rumple are on the same ship?" Ruby could see that on Milah's face was a total fear. But why?

"Yeah."

"What happen with them? Why is Mr. Gold with them?"

"I don't know exactly. All I know is that Hook tried to kill Mr. Gold and his girlfriend, but when Emma's child was kidnapped, they made peace, I believe. Because Mr. Gold had to go with the rest."

"Why did he have to do that?"

"Because Emma's child is Mr. Gold's grandson."

This was something that Ruby knew for sure. After Hook tried to kill Belle, Mr. Gold needed a good reason to go with them. So if Neal was dead, the only reason that remained was Henry.

"What? Mr. Gold has a grandson?"

"Yes. Mr. Gold's son, Neal or should I say Bae, is Henry's father."

"And Bae is with them on the ship." This time Ruby saw hope in Milah's eyes.

Ruby this woman know more than what she say.

"No. He... he died."

"What? Bae is dead?" For the second time that day, in Milah's eyes Ruby saw tears.

"Yes. His fiancée, the one who wanted to kill us, shot him and then he fell through a portal."

In the next seconds Ruby didn't say anything and neither did Milah. In her eyes were tears, but she tried to keep them there. Ruby needed to find more from Milah. Now Ruby knew why Milah wanted to find Hook, but she wanted to know why Milah was so scared when she said that Hook was with Mr. Gold on the same ship or why Milah almost cried when she heard that Neal was dead.

"Wait a second. You said that you are from there. From the Enchanted Forest. Who are you there?"

"I told you. I was Killian's lover."

"Yes. But you sound like you knew Bae and you seemed scared when you heard that Hook and Mr. Gold are on that ship. So I don't think that Hook is the only person you know from there."

"It's a little complicated who I am."

"Well, my life is complicated. I ate my boyfriend and it's possible to be in love with Dr. Frankenstein. So I think that I can listen to a complicated story."

In love with Dr. Frankenstein? In love with Whale? Gosh Ruby! Why did you say that? Ok. Maybe he is attractive, but to be in love...

FOCUS RUBY! You are here to find about Milah, not to think about Doctor Whale.

Right, right. Milah. Hook. Story. Focus!

"I will tell you who I am only if you tell me why you said that Killian is now Hook."

"I don't know that story. All I know is that he has a hook where his left hand should be. And now he is Captain Hook."

Without saying another word, Milah stared at Ruby, like she couldn't believe that Hook's moniker was because he really had a hook like a hand.

Well, maybe when she was with him, he had both hands.

"I was Rumplestiltskin's wife." Milah said in a breath and then she continued. "I fell in love with Killian and ran away with him. After a couple of years we went back in the town and Rumple was The Dark One. He was furious when he saw Killian and tried to kill him. He couldn't do that because I stopped him and after a quarrel with me, he killed me. I don't know what happened then, I woke up years later in a cave. I told you this story."

Nobody said anything after that. Ruby couldn't believe that Milah was Gold's wife and he killed her and now she was alive again. And if she was Neal's mom that means that she was Henry's grandmother. But she was here for Hook. What would happen when Emma and the rest came back? What if when they were in Neverland, Emma developed some feeling for Hook? Because clearly he had some feelings for her. Even Ruby could see that when he was in the hospital. You can't just wake up after an accident and try to find a woman just because you didn't know what Jell-O was. Not when you could ask any person from that damn hospital.

After some minutes of silence, Milah spoke again.

"Ruby? Can you tell me why all the people from the Enchanted Forest are here?"

"That I can tell you." Ruby said smiling at her.

They spend the next hours talking about the curse and the reason for why they were in this land.

Neverland

Emma couldn't sleep. They were in Neverland for almost two months and they still couldn't find Henry. Or just a sign that he was here. So Emma stood up from her bed and exited the cabin she shared with her parents.

She went to the deck. Neverland sky was covered with clouds and there were signs that a storm would begin. There was nobody. Her parents slept, Regina and Gold too, and Hook was probably in his cabin, drinking alone. So she could stay alone, just her and her thoughts about Henry and about all this time spent in Neverland until now.

"You can't sleep lass?" A voice came behind her. She wasn't prepared for that.

"You try to scare me to death, Hook?" She said recognizing the voice.

"Me, love? Never. I don't want you dead." He said coming closer to her.

"How long were you there?"

"A few minutes."

"And why you didn't say something?"

"Because you clearly wanted to be alone."

"How...?"

"Open book. Remember?" He said with a finger raised. "So. Why are you here?"

"I can't sleep."

"What happened?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because we will fight with The Lost Ones soon. And I don't want you to be tired when this happens."

"How can you know that? How can you know that we will fight with them soon?"

"I know. Trust me princess."

"Uh... Don't call me that."

"Princess? Why? That's what you are, isn't it?"

"I don't like that. I'm not a princess."

"You are a princess, your parents are Snow White and Prince Charming, so you are a princess. And you can't change that, even if you like it or not."

He was right. Her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming so she was a real princess. After some minutes of thinking she said to him:

"Let's make a deal."

"I learned long ago not to make deals with anyone. And on this ship you aren't the one who to do that. You and I both know that."

"But I can make a deal with you. And I want that."

He looked into her eyes and knew that he couldn't argue with her.

"Then what is it, love?"

"You don't call me princess and when we are alone, I call you by your name."

"You already do that, love."

"I will call you your real name. And that's not Hook."

"I told you my name just once. Are sure you can remember which is my real name?"

"I'm sure of that. Killian."

He didn't say if he agreed with her deal, but they stayed in silence a while until the first raindrops fell.

"Come." He said grabbing her hand and pulling her inside.

"Where?"

"My cabin."

"I'm not coming with you." She said putting some space between them.

"I swear I'll behave, love." She knew he told the truth.

"Then why do you want me there?"

"Maybe I just need to talk with someone. And before you ask, I'm not drunk." He said smiling at her.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"About anything. Just come and talk to me."

She hesitated for a minute, but then she walked with him to his cabin. Maybe they both needed some time alone, just to talk.

"Don't get your hopes up," She said before entering his cabin and sitting on his bed. He sat next to her and began to speak.

"I don't have any hopes, lass. But I want to know something."

"What?"

"When we first met in Enchanted Forest, when I told you my name, you had a different reaction. You knew who I was. How? It was your first trip there, and I doubt that your parents told you about me."

"That's what you want to know?"

"Yes."

"Well, in my land, there is a book called Peter Pan. This book is about Peter Pan and Captain Hook and The Lost Boys and Neverland. I knew your name from there. It was my favorite book when I was young. Every night I dreamed of Neverland."

"Why?"

"Because Neverland is home of the lost boys and lost girls. I was a lost girl. I dreamed that one night Peter would come and take me to Neverland. But now... well... I came to Neverland with Captain Hook because Peter Pan wants to kill my boy. Let me tell you that this Neverland is different than what I read."

"And what about Captain Hook? How is he in this book?"

"Well... he is more different than the original. If you know what I mean." She said smiling. Hook look at her with a smile on his face.

"Tell me. How is he?"

"He is older than you, wears a lot of red. Has dark long hair, dark eyes. Hm... Oh, his hand was eaten by a crocodile. A real one. And of course he hates Peter Pan."

"A lot of red and long hair?"

"Yep. And has a red hat with a big plume."

"I really want to see this version of mine."

"Maybe I will show you when we're back in Storybrooke. If you choose to stay."

"Why do you think that I'd leave?"

"I don't know. I thought that maybe you would want to go back to the Enchanted Forest."

"What can I do there? Fight with ogres?"

"Well, Mulan and Aurora are there."

"Aye. The princess and the warrior. I don't think that I'd be safe there with them. Not after that thing with Cora?They'll let me be eaten by the first creature that appears in the way. So no, thank you."

"So you will stay in Storybrooke? With us?"

"I don't know, lass. We will see. Now, tell me that story."

"What story?"

"Peter Pan. I want to hear your version."

"Isn't my version."

"Excuse me. I want to hear the version from your land. Is this correct?"

"I think it is."

"Before you start. I agree with your deal, love."

Emma smile at him and start to tell him the story of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. They stay there, in his bed, all night, talking and telling stories. At a moment Emma feels that she is too tired, but she wanted to hear his stories. After she finished telling about Peter Pan, she told him to tell her some of his stories, and that he did.

He told her how he became a pirate, how he became captain and all his stories with pirates. She liked to stay with him and listen to his stories. After all, on this journey they became closer, and Emma felt something in her heart every time when she was with him. It was something that she did not feel since Neal. But she just couldn't let that happen, she was still scared of being abandoned again, so even if she felt something real for Hook, she wouldn't admit that.

When Hook told her a story with a certain Captain Jack Sparrow, Emma felt how her eyes closed and after some minutes she fell in the darkness in his bed. After he finished his story, Hook observed that Emma was asleep. He was happy in a different way.

After all, I have you in my bed, lass. And what you do? You sleep.

He was happy to have her there. Maybe after three hundred years, it was time for him to let go. Milah would always be in his heart but since there it was a long time. Now, when he closed his eyes, he didn't see Milah, but a blonde with green eyes. He saw Emma. His Emma. His Swan. Actually not his Swan. Not yet. But soon she would be. He knew that.

It's about bloody time.

He said to himself before falling in the darkness near her.


You like it? Please let me know what do you think about this story and about Milah's story? What do you think about it?

Next chapter is with Emma and Hook!

Thank you for reading and don't forget to let a review.