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"The first test is a test of loyalty. You, human man, have to rescue human lady. From me. Simple enough?" Alosh classified. Emma sent Hook a look, who nodded.
"It's Hook. I'm Hook, she's Emma. Not 'human man' and 'human lady'," Hook corrected. Alosh shrugged. "Anyways, yes." Alosh put Hook down on the floor.
"One rule: no killing. If you cannot rescue her, you will be sent to the dungeons forever," Alosh smiled. Emma gulped. If the dungeons were anything like jail, she'd go crazy. And stuck with Hook... well, that could be a good or bad thing, all depending on how she looked at it. At the moment, bad. Very, very bad.
"Hook, you better save me," Emma growled. Hook gave her a wink.
"I always save damsels in distress," he smiled. Alosh put Emma in a person-sized cage. The key, he held.
"Begin!" Alosh commenced, expecting a second between 'begin' and Killian charging at him, but Killian was ready. He charged straight for Alosh's foot, which he drove his dagger into. His big toe, specifically. Emma could hear the cracking from up there.
Alosh howled, bringing his foot up and down. Hook held on, using the force of the stomp to send him flying towards Alosh's arm. He had a plan already. That couldn't be good. Quick plans never turn out well.
He landed on his shoulder, and quickly began descending towards Alosh's arm. Alosh waved his arm back and forth, trying to shake him. But he held onto the fabric of the sleeve, inching his way down. Alosh's other hand tried knocking him off, but Killian held on tight. Nothing could shake him. He was rock.
Emma grinned in spite of herself. Killian was very clever, cleverer than she gave him credit for. Verbally, at least. Mentally, she gave him all the credit he deserved. Sometimes more, but she was a generous person. And he deserved it. All the way.
Hook managed to get to Alosh's hand without being squished. That would be bad. At that moment, he was wrestling with his hand, trying to grab the key. He almost had it. Killian slipped, almost falling to the ground, but he grabbed onto the key in time. He was hanging onto the key, just barely. He was strong.
Alosh shook his hand wildly, trying to get Hook to let go. He swung back and forth, back and forth. Hook fell, but he had the key. Alosh didn't realize that until Killian was on the floor. He landed on the soft carpet, luckily. Emma let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Alosh tried stomping on him at first, then remembered the 'no killing' rule. Hook ran over to the table where Emma was in cage and started climbing.
Unlike the table they had hid under, that table was giant sized. He had to climb the table legs, which were smooth. There was nothing to hold onto. Emma bite her lip.
"Come on, Killian, hurry up before I whack you with a sword," Emma threatened, and Killian laughed. He began the climb, that much Emma could see.
"Looks like I'm the one climbing now, love," Hook gritted as he climbed. Emma grinned.
"At least you get some climbing in too," she said, cheerful. "It's only fair."
He was digged his hook into the wood to inch himself upwards. Killian was very good with that hook, careful and he knew exactly how it worked. It was admirable, to say the least. It was as if it was always there, the way he moved with it. She wondered if he prefered his hook over his hand.
Eventually he reached the top of the table, Alosh rocking the table rapidly. Hook ran, not affected by it at all. Or at least he didn't show it. He got to the cage and unlocked it, getting Emma. "Told you I saved damsels in distress," he smirked. Alosh smiled.
Emma gave him a quick hug. "One more test," she whispered into his ear. He nodded, a slight red in his cheeks. And it wasn't from rum. Not this time.
"You passed. Test two, is a test of willingness. How far will the two of you go to get the compass and the bean? All you have to do is say what you would. Then, you are set free. Simple enough?" Alosh asked. Killian and Emma nodded together.
"Anything," Killian said simply. "Emma?"
"Anything," she breathed. Their motives might be different, but their basic goal was the same. To get to Storybrooke.
"Why?" Alosh asked.
"I need to get back. My son, the father I never knew is in my world. My mother and father have remembered each other for only a matter of days, at very least I need to get her home. And I need to stop Cora from hurting anyone ever again, not just my family.
I need to protect that town. I need answers, which I can't get here. I need to keep my family together. That's why," Emma confessed, baring her soul. Or a part of it. Her past was so complex, so heart wrenching, she didn't like going into it. But Killian saw through it all, the first to do so.
"Your turn," Alosh said to Hook. He cleared his throat. Hook closed his eyes, nervous.
"Do you know what it's like to find the love of your life? If you don't, I'm not sure whether to pity or envy you. To not experience that bliss, but not have the pain of never seeing them again. To watch them die.
She was killed right in front of me by Rumplestiltskin, and she died in my arms. He tore out her heart and crushed it. Just like that. I need to get revenge, not just for me, but for her," Killian said quietly, eyes filled with remorse. If she didn't know better, Emma would've said they were also filled with tears.
Her throat went dry. It reminded her so much of Graham, him dying in her arms... No, she wouldn't think about that now. Suddenly, she remembered something he had said: He didn't have a heart. Was it possible that Regina had killed him the same way Milah had been? Her eyes narrowed. She and Regina would a have a talk when they got back. Her eyes teared up though, but she didn't show them. She hid her pain, just like Killian. They didn't like being taken care of. They were so alike. So, so alike. Not just personality wise. Experience wise. But so different. And the differences were big. And dangerous.
"You may leave. You passed. Take the bean, take the compass, and protect them. Goodbye, Emma and Hook," Alosh said. He then lumbered off to clean up the room.
"We have to leave, now," Emma said, dragging Killian with her. He was quiet, which wasn't a good sign. It meant he was thinking about his story. Mulan was going to cut the beanstalk soon, and they had to get off before than. She wouldn't let him get hurt. She couldn't let him get hurt.
"You're right. We need to get going," he said, hopping off the table and landing in a pile of gold. Not the softest landing, but kind of cool. Coins splattered everywhere, making Hook laugh. Emma hid a grin, jumping down.
She landed next to him. "You hold the bean, okay?" she directed, brushing herself off and handing him the small pouch holding the bean.
"You trust me?" Killian said, shocked.
"Hook, I'm not sure," Emma answered, uncertain. Killian smirked.
"Same," he replied. She smiled at him, then punched his arm lightly.
"Come on, let's go," she said.
"Help me up?" he asked sheepishly. Emma nodded. 'Don't do this,' she said to herself. Her fingers were shaking. "Emma, are you okay?" he asked, concern in his amazingly blue eyes. He really cared for her. 'Don't,' she cried one more time to herself.
'He's not going to hurt you, Emma. Don't do it, please. Just forget it. You can trust him. He won't betray you. He loves you, you can see it in his eyes. Trust him,' she begged herself, but she couldn't listen. She couldn't let anyone else get hurt. Emma had to get Snow and herself back home. At very least Snow, and she couldn't do it without her.
Emma reached to help him up, but instead chained him with chains close by. She took a couple steps back, hyperventilating. Her hands were shaking. Hook looked nervous. Panicked. 'Don't do this, Emma,' she told herself, but she had to. She was too stubborn, too cautious. She couldn't let herself make a mistake, not with everyone who was relying on her. Not with what was at stake.
"Emma, what are you doing?" he asked. She turned away so he couldn't see the tears in her eyes. Or hopefully hear the shake in her voice. Feel her uncertainty.
"I can't let myself trust you," she whispered, tears running freely down her cheeks. It was low enough that he couldn't hear it. "Alosh, keep him here for 10 hours and then let him go. Don't hurt him," she said, mouth dry. Alosh nodded, confused, but obeyed. He gave her a sad look. Alosh was disappointed in her, but he understood why she was doing it. And that was all she needed.
Emma ran, ran as fast as she could. "Swan, SWAN!" Hook screamed for her, but she couldn't answer. If she did, she would go back for him. All it would take would be a simple 'lovie' or 'darling'. She couldn't let her feelings get in the way of her mission.
Even if it felt like spears were tearing through her heart. Even if she would regret it for the rest of her life. Even if the world around her fell down. Even if she was wrong. Even if she was right. Even if her walls were crashing down. Even if she didn't want to. Even if she hated herself for it. Even if she want to go back there and run into his arms. Even if she wanted to kiss him. Even if she hated it. Even if she believed in him. Even if she trusted him.
Even if she sorta-kinda loved him.
Emma quickly descended the beanstalk, Killian's screams still roaring in her ears. She got down too fast, too quickly. She had too much time to think about him. When she got down, Snow embraced her in a hug.
"Where's Hook?" she asked, curious.
"Up there. We have head start. Let's get going," Emma said briskly.
"We're ready," Mulan reported. Emma nodded.
She walked ahead, not letting anyone see her tears. Letting no one see her pain. Just like him.
Her heart ached, but she didn't let it stop her. She said she would do anything to get to Storybrooke. Emma meant it. She really would do anything, no matter how much it hurt her.
"Emma, are you okay?" Aurora asked, sneaking up behind her. "What happened up there?"
"I'm fine. Nothing. Nothing happened," Emma said tonelessly. Aurora bit her lip.
"What happened with Captain Hook?" she asked.
"Hey, Aurora, Emma, we're going to go hunt. You two set up camp here, okay? It'll be night soon," Mulan directed.
"No! We can't stop moving, we only have 10 hours until Killian comes down!" Emma growled. Snow, Mulan, and Aurora looked at her, confused. Then she realized that she used Hook's real name. "We only have 10 hours until the giant let's Hook go. We have to keep moving," Emma re-phrased.
"We move for 5 hours, then rest. You of all people need it, Emma," Snow solved. Mulan nodded.
"Good by you, Emma?" Aurora asked. Emma nodded.
"Come on," she said, walking faster. The farther she got away from the beanstalk, the farther she got away from Alosh, the farther she got away from Killian. The quicker, the better. She missed him already.
From the tips of his leather shoes to the top of his dark hair, from his scent (sea breeze, oranges, and spice) to his smirk, to his amazing eyes. She missed his being, missed the comfort he gave her, their stupid banter. She missed him.
She'd go back for him, but she couldn't face him. She couldn't bare to explain why she did it. Emma had told him she had trust issues, didn't she? She said she'd do anything to get back. Her logic was twisted, but if made sense almost.
If she ever told, Emma hoped he'd understand. They were so alike, but so different. He'd either instantly understand, understand but fight it, or hate her. Emma couldn't deal with any of them in her life. Not now. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready Killian Jones, but Emma missed him more than she ever thought possible.
Emma knew she could never forget him. But sure as hell she would try.
Yeah, I'm evil. Bring them together, tear them apart. Well, tell me what you think, what you'll expect, you know? While you're at it, tell me you're favorite animal. I like owls.