The tent was filled with the dimmed light of the candles, both of them were laying on the ground, Regina still in Hook's tight embrace. She was feeling much better, the poison wasn't that dangerous for her now, so they decided to spend the night there. They were totally drowning in each others arms, eyes and so deep in the love they just found in each other that for a moment they forgot about Jacinda and Henry, and even about Alice. The remembered about them when a piece of the tent moved and two of them entered the room. At the sound of Henry's voice Regina jumped from Hook, she was still weak and when she did that, her head spinned.
"Mom! Are you okay?" Henry asked with concern in his voice, holding her by her elbow.
"Yes." she looked at Hook.
"What happened here?" Henry asked, looking at Hook's heart.
"We found a way to cure him."
"Your mom saved my life, taking…"
"Stop! We don't have to tell him how we did it right?" she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Right." Hook scratched his head.
"I would want to know if you don't mind…"
"Henry…" Regina said seriously.
"Mom." he looked at her with a hard look.
They both stood in front of each other, both were too stubborn to let go and even Jacinda's voice didn't help with making them forget about how Regina saved Hook from nearly death. Henry couldn't understand why his mother would put herself on any danger.
"We couldn't find her. She probably jumped to another portal." Jacinda said, looking at Hook.
"I have to find her! Now that Regina saved me, I can finally hug my daughter... I can finally have a daughter." he shouted.
"It's not that simple." Regina said, looking at him. "you are too weak…I'm too weak to teleport the two of us." she said, looking at Hook.
"We can stay here and you can go find Alice." Jacinda said, looking at Henry.
"I won't let her go alone." Hook and Henry said at once.
The space was filled with unspoken words, fear and rushed ideas about what to do next. Henry and Hook looked at each other for a moment, but none of them said anything about the awkward situation of the moment. Henry knew that something had changed between the Captain and his mother, but he didn't know if he wanted to know what it was.
"Do you have something that belongs to Alice?" Regina asked, looking at Hook. "I'll need that to convince her that I won't hurt her."
"Yes." he answered, giving her a c
Henry looked at his mother, that little smile didn'hess figure, "if you feel that something isn't right… run. I don't want to lose either of you." he whispered, touching her hand.
t appear often on her face, he knew that there was no chance to dissuade her from this plan. Henry took a few steps towards his mom, he saw that spark in her eyes… happiness. Henry hugged her tightly and, after a moment, whispered into her ear.
"Be careful, okay? I'm not ready to be an orphan." he smiled. "I don't know what happened here, but he isn't ready to lose you either." he whispered.
"Henry…" she whispered back.
"I'm okay with it, as long as I can see that spark in your eyes, mom." he kissed her cheek.
"I love you." she whispered to her son.
Regina looked at Hook once again, he was standing in the corner, trying to hide how worried he was, but when they eyes met she knew that she had to bring his daughter home, he would have done the same for her. After a second a violet fog covered her body, transporting her to the other world.
Regina landed on the hard ground, hurting her knees, after the long journey her head spinned even more. She looked up at the dark sky above her, the stars shone, but something in this picture wasn't right. The cold wind made her shiver and after she heard strange noise from the bushes, a cold shiver ran through her spine. She turned around quickly with a fireball on her hand. Regina looked at the bushes, now perfectly still, but she knew someone was there, someone or something was watching her. Then a little fireball flied from her hand and lit the dark space. She looked at the scared face of the blonde, hiding in the bushes. It was her, she found his daughter.
"Alice!" she shouted, "please don't be afraid."
"You're here to kill me!" she said, almost soundlessly.
"No! Look!" she took the chess figure from her pocket, "I got it from your father. I want to take you to him." Regina smiled.
"Papa." Alice's eyes lit up, "but… I can't be near him. It will kill him." she said with tears in her eyes.
"Not anymore. I fixed him. He's ready to meet you."
"But…I can't!" Alice said, standing fast from the ground.
Regina looked at the blond girl, standing in front of her, she was scared, but Regina didn't know what kind of fear it was. She wanted to take her to his father, her only parent, who loved her more than anything, but something in Alice was too scared to accept her help. Regina took a step towards her, holding the hand where only seconds before she had put the chess figure.
"Why don't you want to meet with your father?" she asked gently.
"Because I'm the cause of all his trouble, all his pain." Alice said, starting to cry.
Regina pulled the girl gently to her arms, she didn't have any experience with raising girls, but she knew exactly how she felt. She sat with Alice on a big stone near the woods, she put a fireball on the ground, making a nice and warm fireplace for the both of them. When Alice had stopped crying a bit, Regina put her arm around her and finally spoke.
"I have a son, you saw him in the woods, I was the cause of all the trouble he had, well I was a cause of any trouble you heard in this realms. I was the Evil Queen." Regina took a deep breath, "but he was the reason I changed, I grew and I can't imagine a world without him in it. He's my world and you are Hook's world for sure. He loves you so much he was ready to die, just because he wanted to hold you in his arms. He loves you, Alice. His only dream is to hug you and get to know you better." Regina smiled.
"I'm scared that that curse will be back as soon as we get there." she looked into the fire.
"It won't. I cured him, all of that poison is in me."
"In you? How?" she asked.
"The true love kiss." Regina blushed.
"So… you and my papa are… together?" Alice asked, looking at the former Queen.
"Yes… No! I don't really know." Regina said, looking into Alice eyes.
"But you love him?" she asked seriously.
"More than anything on this world. Just as much as I love my son and as I'll love you. You're my family now too."
"I am?" she asked with tears rolling from her eyes.
"Of course! I don't use teleport for ordinary people. You're very important to your father and to me too. It's up to you if you want to join me and go home." Regina said, standing up with her hand pulled out to Alice.
"I want to meet my papa." Alice smiled, grabbing Regina's hand.
Hook was standing in one corner of the room while Henry was sitting in front of him. The Captain's hand rested on old book Regina left, the spell was written with fancy letters and dark paint on the yellow cards of the book. His heart fluttered when he remember about the taste of her lips, the cold of her skin and the spark of her eyes. He wanted her, and Alice, to get back to him as soon as it possible. Hook had just closed his eyes when he felt Henry's sight on him. He hadn't spoken since Regina had disappeared in the violet fog.
"My mom fixed it." he pointed to Hook's heart.
"Yes." he said, looking at him.
"Will you tell me how she did it?"
"Your mom…"
"My mom is the most stubborn woman I have ever met, so am I. It's not about I'm mad or something, I'm very happy that you will get Alice back...but I want to know what happened here."
Hook looked at him, he would want to know too if it was his mother. He reached for the old book and gave it to Henry, he read some and after a moment looked at the pirate.
"You two kissed?" he gave Hook small smile, "you and my mom are a thing now?"
"I don't know… she used that spell even though she didn't know if I loved her too. She could die because of it…" he looked at the Henry.
"I have a questions. Just one. Can I ask?"
"Of course!" the Captain answered.
"What are your intentions towards my mother? Do you love her? Because you could be the greatest pirate in the world, but if you hurt her or if she cries because of you, and they aren't be tears of joy… I will hurt you. Badly."
"I love your mother. I would give my life for her Henry, not only because she saved mine. She's fearless, intelligent, beautiful and that little vein that pops every time she tries to figured out something makes me want to kiss her and protect her…" he said, smiling, "you won't have to hurt me… I would do it to myself if I ever hurt Regina."
Henry looked at Hook, he seemed stressed, scared, but Henry knew now that he wasn't only worried about Alice. Henry lifted his hand and put it around Hook's shoulder, he didn't know how to react to all those news, but the most important thing for him was his mother's happiness, even if it meant the pirate would be his step dad. Then the tent filled with violet fog, they both covered their eyes, but after a second the fog dropped and they were standing in front of them. Alice and Regina.
"Papa!" Alice shouted, "I missed you so much." she took a step towards him and one back.
"Alice! What's wrong, starfish?" he asked with tears in his eyes.
"I don't want to cause you pain." she said.
"You won't. Regina cured me."
After a second Hook was by Alice's side, hugging her as tight as he could. The tears were rolling down the face of both of them. Regina was so happy and proud that she was a part of their reunion that she didn't notice Henry by her side. He kissed her forehead and hugged her tight.
"You saved them both." he said, "I talked with Hook… it was a man talk and now I'm sure he is ready to be your boyfriend." he smiled, whispering.
"You did what?!" she almost shouted.
"You're my mother, I love you and I can't let the wrong guy date you."
"Henry Daniel…" she started.
"Not this time mom, I want you to be happy. I know he can give you that happiness and I'm here to enjoy it with you. You deserve it mom."
"Thank you. But if you interrogate my boyfriend one more time…" she smiled, hugging him.
After Jacinda and Henry decided to take Alice for a walk, Regina couldn't focus on anything. Hook's presence was overwhelming for her and even though she tried to collect all the books she was had used, she couldn't. Then she felt his body behind her, his hook was resting on one of her books, his hand was gently grabbing her hip, she closed her eyes trying to control herself, but when he kissed her neck, her body shivered without her will. Hook stood behind her for a moment, inhaling scent of her hair, after a second her turned her towards him, their eyes met and both of them couldn't control themself anymore. His cold lips crushed against hers, his tongue greedly entered her mouth starting to swirl around her tongue. Regina pulled herself closer to his body, she wanted to feel him, all of him, but after a second the passionate kiss broke, they need some air, while heavy breaths mixed with desire filled the room. Regina looked at him once again, but it was him who finally broke the silence between them.
"I didn't thank you for bringing back my daughter." he said.
"I think you already did." she answered, biting her lower lip.
Hook looked into her chocolate brown eyes, there was no way to not fall in love with her, she was beautiful, sexy and when she bit her lip he was already hers. He pulled her closer to his body, hugged her tightly.
"I love you Regina." he said, touching her forehead, "not only because you brought Alice back, you are the queen of my heart." he smiled.
"And that has nothing to do with being interrogated by my son?" she smiled.
"He loves you, I don't blame him for that, because I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you Regina." he kissed her softly.
"I love you too." she said, putting her head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart.
