Author's Note: So now that the episode has aired, I will be taking it into account. Slight spoilers for Shattered Sight.

Thank you so much to Outsiders Obsessor for being my first and only reviewer.

Oh, and I forgot, for the last chapter. I could not find The Rabbit's wife's name, but his name is Percy, so I went on line to find what Percy means, and I looked for female names that had similar origins and similar meanings. Cynthia was the one I liked the best.

I hope you like this chapter. Please review, because I've only got one and I'm sad.

Chapter Two

Anastasia gasped, unable to comprehend what was happening. "Will." She breathed.

"I wouldn't talk if I was you. The more you move, the easier it would be for me to accidently slit your pretty throat, and that's something I would much prefer to do intentionally. Plus, hearing your voice, only goin' to make me want to kill you more."

"What on earth has gotten into you?" The knife dug in deeper to her throat, and she felt a trickle of blood run down her neck. How could this be happening? Will, her sweet Will, he would never do this to her.

"I told you not to talk." He said, "But if you insists, let's have a nice chat. You can be the accused, I can be jury, judge, and executioner."

"Will-"

"Oh, I know it's not as fancy as a beheading with a crowd cheering for your blood and all that but, short notice, ya know."

"Will, please, I don't know what's happened to you here, but please, PLEASE, try and remember. You're not a murderer. You're Will Scarlett, you're-"

"Tryin' to talk yourself out of it now, are ya? Well, give it your best go. I'm immune to your lies at this-"

Anastasia heard a thud. Then, the knife was no longer at her throat. She took a deep breath, and looked down. Will was on the ground, unconscious. She knelt at his side, trying to shake him awake.

"You best get out of the street, lass."

Anastasia had been so happy to see Will, and so confused and scared when he put the knife to her throat, she had not realized he was not alone. She looked up, and saw a tall man, with dark hair and dark clothes, looking at her. He was holding Will's knife, "Will," she started, took another gasp of breath, and then tried again, "Will he be all right?" she asked.

The man nodded, "I just knocked him out. At most, he'll have a headache. And you could say thank you."

Anastasia stood up straighter, gathering her composure, "I don't need charity from some smart mouthed man in leather. Somebody I trusted caught me off guard, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

The man looked at her, slightly confused, "Wasn't saying you couldn't, lass. Simply appreciate being appreciated. But, as I said, you should be getting off the street. It's something of a mob scene at present."

Anastasia stood up, taking in her surroundings. It was a bizarre place. The clothing, the buildings, the very ground beneath her feat was strange. And the people. They were all fighting like maniacs, tackling each other in the middle of the street. Why would The Rabbit send Will to such a place?

"Take all the time in the world making up your mind then, lass. It's not as though they'll be bowling you over in a minute."

"Will." She said, turning to the man, "I can't leave Will. He's unconscious. They'll kill him."

"They may not even notice him. He's just lying there-"

"I won't leave without him. So, why don't you be a proper gentleman, and help a lady and her husband find shelter?"

His eyebrows went up slightly at her demand, but then he bent down and lifted Will over his shoulder.

"Thank you. Now, which way?"

"Follow me. I know a place that should be rather safe."


She followed him to a little cottage, quite far off from everyone. It was something of a hike. When they got there, she discarded her shoes and rubbed her feet.

"Haven't gone for a walk like that since Sherwood." She muttered.

"Not many know of this place. It only surfaced recently, with the new curse, so… anyway, I best be going."

"Wait!" Anastasia stood, "What's going on? You never explained to me. What land am I in, and why-?"

"Look, Lass, I'd love to answer your questions, truly, but I'm beckoned elsewhere."

He didn't know her. Anastasia Scarlett did not take no for an answer. She stood between him and the door, "You shall not pass, until you have told me what I want to know."

He smirked, the sort of smirk a man gave a girl throwing a temper tantrum. He raised his hand, which she noticed was not a hand at all. It was a hook. No matter. He lunged for her, but she saw it coming. She raised her hand, concentrating her magic. It had been a while, and she was a little out of practice, but she was still more than skilled enough to stop this man with a hook for a hand.

He froze in place, shock showing on his face, "Now, I shall ask you again, and nicely, for the last time. Where am I?"

"I have to go." He said, grimacing. He tried to break away, and for a second, it almost seemed like he might.

She noticed it. Something pulling him, a magic working against her own. "A sorcerer, are you?" She asked. He shook his head, twitching as he did, "Or under the control of one? You said you were beckoned. By who?" He didn't answer, but she could tell she was right, "You couldn't stay here if you wanted to, could you? Someone is controlling you, forcing you to go somewhere. Someone powerful." She was working it out, thinking out loud, as she often did.

"Please." He begged.

She pitied him, knowing it must hurt like hell, "You want the pain to end? I assure you, I'm not causing it. It's simply two spells fighting for control. I want to keep you here, but someone beckons you elsewhere. That's the pain." She looked down at Will, her sweet Will. Unconscious, but still so beautiful, "I don't inflict pain anymore," she said quietly, "not by magic, or any other means." She lifted her head and stood up straight, "If you wish me to release you-"

"No. Please." He gasped, "Keep me here. I don't want to do what he wants me to do."

That surprised her. Most would choose anything over the pain of your body being magically pulled in two directions. She looked at him, curious, "You want to be under my control?"

"Better yours than his." He said bitterly.

She nodded, understanding, "So, how's he doing it then?" He looked down, "Can't say, can you? He won't let you disclose that?" His silence was all the answer she needed, "Well, if I am to keep you here, might as well answer my question. Where am I?"

"Storybrooke, Maine."

She nodded. Will had told her of his time here. Alice and Cyrus had also recounted their brief journey to retrieve Will's heart. "I thought it was a land without magic." She said, "How can somebody be controlling you in a land without magic."

"It was a land without magic. The magic came back years ago."

She nodded, "And the ruckus out there?"

"Spell of Shattered Sight." She nodded again, "It makes people-"

"I know it. I mean, I've never seen it in use, but I've read about it. My schooling in magic was quite extensive."

"Schooling? Don't tell me, you're another of Rumpelstiltskin's prodigies? Why doesn't that man just open a bloody magic school?"

"Actually, her name was Cora. The Queen of Hearts."

Realization dawned on the man's face, followed by another wince of pain, "Ah. I knew her."

"Knew?"

"Yes, before she … haven't you heard? She's gone."

Anastasia felt her heart drop. No. It couldn't be … "Gone?"

"Passed on I'm afraid."

She stood up as she felt tears come to her eyes. Cora had been like the mother she never had. She had known Cora disappeared from Wonderland, but she had never thought, … "I'm sorry lass. I didn't mean to upset you." Anastasia realized she was crying. She turned her back and wiped at her face quickly. This strange man did not need to see her cry.

"That's quite all right. I just wish I'd known." She could hear the sorrow in her voice, the hint of mourning. Heading over to the cabinets, she took a moment to compose herself. When she opened them, she found nothing. So, she conjured up some jam, tea, and biscuits.

"Care for something to eat as we wait for the storm to pass?" She offered.

He nodded, gratefully, and she brought him a plate, "So tell me …" she trailed off, realizing she didn't know his name.

"Hook," he said, seemingly catching on.

"So tell me, Hook, why aren't you under the effect of the Spell of Shattered Sight?"

She held a biscuit to his mouth so he could eat, as his arms were still frozen to his sides, "Hell if I know. Why aren't you?"

"My guess would be that it was cast before I came through the portal. If you miss the initial impact, you would remain unaffected for the duration. But, considering how familiar you are with this place, I ask again, why are you so unaffected?"

"Already said, I haven't a clue. Nice jam, by the way."

Anastasia shook her head. She couldn't tell if he was being evasive, or if he really didn't know, "This sorcerer of yours, how exactly is he controlling you?" He said nothing, "Is it possible whatever hold he has on you could counteract the effects, somehow?"

"Possible. But I don't know much about magic, lass."

"With all the time you must have spent in Neverland, I find that rather hard to believe Dahling." He looked at her, surprised, "A man named Hook, with a hook for a hand no less. I doubt there are two out there. I'm sure the stories aren't all true; stories never are. But you did live in Neverland, didn't you?" he nodded, "Then you know magic well. You must. You simply don't want to know magic. You fear it. And you should. Magic brings trouble. But sometimes, it can fix the trouble too. Something tells me magic is more a part of your life than your ready to admit." He winced, "Whoever's calling you wants you desperately. Can they track you to here?"

"Probably." He said resentfully.

"All right. Then I best let you go, before he finds all of us." She weakened her hold, and the one-handed pirate started for the door, "And Captain?"

He turned, "Thank you for saving my life. When this is all over, I will find a way to repay the favor."


Author's Note: So, I know Will is pretty much unconscious for all of this, but he had to be. He will wake up next chapter. I haven't decided if next chapter, he'll wake up when the spell is still going, or if he should wake up after it's lifted. I am opened to suggestions.

I wanted to wait for the episode to air, because there had been speculation on whether or not Hook would be affected by the curse without his heart. I wanted to remain as true to the story as I could. Now that we know he was, in fact, unaffected, it makes this story so much better to write.

Obviously, this takes place just before Hook goes to Gold, who then tells him to fetch Henry. That would mean Will confronted him before, and that small part with him never happened. However, I don't think it changed the episode much.

I hope you liked this chapter. Please review.