Ok so its been a while again but not as long as last time. Unfortunately this fic is a LOT of work so it takes me a while to actually write it due to amount of detail it requires, so there's no hope of weekly updates due to me actually having a personal life. Anyway, hope this chapter is enjoyable!

~E&K~

Into The Deep

Pain. Pain in his arms. Pain in his legs. Pain in his heart. Hook grits his teeth as he makes his way back down the now slippery beanstalk, the plant slick and wet with rainwater. Ten hours after Emma Swan abandoned him, left him there in the great hall, the giant allowed him to leave.

Hook imagines hundreds, in fact, thousands of ways he could get revenge on the blonde woman who had betrayed him, no matter how much she made his heart race. He ignores the way that his head swirls with images of the woman, his chest aching to feel her touch. He hasn't longed for a woman like this in years, not since Milah.

Anger bursts within him like a fire, replacing the worrying ideas of blooming emotions and feelings for the Swan woman with hatred and rage. How dare she. How dare she just leave me like that. He cursed her name for the entirety of the ten hour wait, and the entirety of the climb down the beanstalk. He's still cursing her now, calling her the most rotten things in his head in order to cover up the fact that his usually non-existent heart is aching, something that hasn't happened since… since Milah…

Finally, eventually, after what seems like years later, his feet touch the rain-drenched ground, boots squelching in the wet mud at the base of the beanstalk. His entire body aches, the sweat from climbing being washed off by the rain that makes his leathers cling to his body, his hair plasters itself to his forehead. He wishes nothing more than to find a dry area to make camp and just sleep. But he's barely taken a recovering breath when the one voice he really doesn't want to hear rings out through the rainfall.

"My dear Captain. It seems you've been on quite an adventure." He lets out a sigh, head tilted back and his eyes closed. Bloody Cora. He tries to delay the inevitable by not turning around, trying to wish Cora away. If I wish hard enough, she might vanish… Right? "The compass, please."

He finally turns around at that. She's not going anywhere… Maybe he can sway the witch with flattery and flirtation, or just simply lying. That usually works well enough for him, he is a pirate after all. "Yes, that. Well… matters grew complicated. It's eluded me for the moment. The details of the affair are a bit of a bore." His smile is so obviously feigned - a large wide grin that pulls up the corners of his mouth. Hook turns to fully face Cora as he speaks, noticing instantly that she is not in the mood for him to taunt her. So taunt her I will...

"Really? Stealing my protection spell and climbing the beanstalk without me might seem like a bore to you. But to me, it's a betrayal." Damn. He's not going to let some damned witch desert him in order to chase that infernal bloody compass that has resulted in his heart lying in tatters in his chest.

"I was going to bring it to you." He attempts to reassure her, convince her that he definitely wasn't betraying her, definitely wasn't planning on heading to Storybrooke without the witch who wanted to kill her own daughter all those years ago. "Our agreement remains. We are going to Storybrooke, together. I'll get it back."

Hook can tell that his attempts are futile, the look in Cora's eyes, the soft smile on her lips a clear sign that she knows he's lying, knows he betrayed her. All because of some bloody blonde.

"I don't have time for your games." Cora says, and Hook knows that there is little point in trying to convince her otherwise. "I've crossed through too many worlds to be brought short at the brink of success. Who was it who bested you?"

"The Swan girl – Emma." Saying her name feels like a stab in his heart. "Rest assured, it won't happen again."

"No, it won't." Cora laughs, and Hook wants to slash her throat with the tip of his hook at the sound, a tone that seems to mock him for his failure. But of course he won't kill his only chance of travelling to that other world to kill the bloody Crocodile. "You chose her, and the consequences of that decision."

"Oh. Are you going to kill me now?" The pirate who's killed dozens, hundreds, possibly thousands who have attempted to usurp or threaten him in his long life finally rears his head. Hook grows cocky, rash, dark. His eyes narrow as he swaggers a little closer, a small smirk on his face as the witch in front of him speaks with an air of threat in her often calm demeanour. "Go ahead. Try."

"So brave. No, I'm not going to kill you. I have something far more satisfying in mind." His stomach churns at Cora's new found, 'suggestive' tone.Am I really going to have to end up seducing this bloody woman? "I'm going to leave you here with your thirst for revenge unquenched, while I complete our journey without you." It seems I am...

"There's no need to be rash. We can… discuss this." His smile is forced as he edges closer, trying to win her over with his charm and good looks. Oh yes, Killian Jones is well aware that he is a handsome man, he's well aware of the effects his smile alone can have on a woman. Even if that woman is quite possibly one of the darkest women he's ever encountered. But Cora is definitely uninterested. This could almost be luck? Despite the chance of never getting my revenge.

"Your pretty face buys you a lot, but not my time." For once, Hook feels the prickling sensation of loss seeping down his spine. His smile fades, a cold sensation settling in the pit of his stomach. "It's too valuable."

"I can do this. I can get it back. You need me." Come on, Cora. One more chance.

"No, I don't." A roar of anger catches in his throat as she turns away from him, her voice etched with laughter. "You've had your chance. Now, it's my turn to do this. The right way." The roar escapes and he lunges forwards, hook raised threateningly. He eagerly awaits the feeling of the metal slicing into flesh but all he feels is the wet grass against his cheek. Bloody hell… Cora disappears in a cloud of blue smoke, removing his chance of revenge on the Crocodile and also the chance to kill the witch who has been making his life hell. Hook is once again, well and truly alone.

~K&E~

It takes him a while to sneak into that damned pit without grabbing Cora's attention but Hook is a pirate, he manages it in the end. If he's anything, he's resilient. After climbing down the rope ladder, he enters through the rough wooden door, looking around the dark hole in the ground to see the princess, who had helped Swan and the others tie him up, laying motionless. An idea springs to mind. He glances down at his hook, drawing nearer to the princess. With this… She won't even know what she's missing. And I may gain favour with Cora and the heroes once again...

"Wake up. Wake up. Come on, sweetheart. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. On your feet. Hurry." He tries to act worried and caring, his face a mask of worry as she rouses, her eyes peeling open as she looks up at him. He wraps his hand around her arm, trying to pull her to her feet. But as her mind apparently clears, she pulls back.

"No! No! Are you going to kill me?" Bloody hell… For a princess she isn't half thick.

"If I were here for that, then waking you first might not be the best course of action." He says bluntly, hook crashing down on the princess' shackles, breaking them open instantly. The princess backs away, almost tripping over that ridiculous purple gown she wears.

"So what? Did Cora send you?" She really needs to learn to be more trusting, even if he is lying through his teeth to get what he needs to convince Cora to accept him back.

"Cora has no idea I'm here."

"I don't… I don't understand." Oh, for goodness sake love, wake up!

"Look, I know you're sleepy… Isn't it obvious? I'm setting you free." For love of god will she just see that he's genuinely letting her go?

"What is this? Some sort of pirate's ruse?" Evidently not...

"Cora's denied me passage to Storybrooke and my vengeance." Explaining, again. These women don't seem to understand that explanations take rather a lot of time, time that could be better spent escaping this blasted pit. "And now I'm going to deny her her wishes, starting with the compass. In pirate terms, you might say I'm firing a shot across my enemy's bow."

"You'd risk your life to break in here, all so you could thwart Cora?"

"I don't like being double-crossed. Now, go."

"Thank you."

The princess turns to leave, apparently accepting his excuse as to why he fought tooth and nail to get in here to let her escape. Hook catches her arm as she passes him. May as well attempt to gain a trip with this side as well, if my plan fails...

"You can thank me by doing me one favour." She pulls her arm out of his grip, apparently owning a form of gumption that he wouldn't have expected from a princess. Still not entirely trusting…

"What?"

"Give Emma a message." He tries to act sincere, to convince the woman that his words are honest and true, even if they aren't. "Tell her that the deal still stands. If she provides me passage back to her realm, I swear I will help her find that dust that opens the portal." It's not a complete lie… just an embellishment of the truth.

"You really want to assist us?"

"It hurts Cora and helps me. Of course I do. Now go." The princess follows his order, running out of the door. Hook watches her leave before turning away, letting out a soft breath displaying his satisfaction with that latest turn of events. Now all he has to do is sit and wait for the witch to return, and he can finally get his revenge.

~K&E~

Cora sure does know how to make an entrance. The witch bursts through the door, heading straight towards the broken and empty shackles on the dirty floor, not even noticing Hook lurking in the corner. Her face clearly displays her stress, her lips pursed.

"Looking for someone?" She turns to look at him and he spots the moment she comes to a realisation, her neck straightening as she puts two and two together.

"Oh, don't tell me you were dumb enough to let her go." Not very ladylike, Cora. Watch your bloody language… He's not going to let her try to intimidate him. Not when he has something useful for her.

"She was never going to give you what you wanted anyway." He can't contain the smirk on his lips at the fact that he bested her.

"So you freed her. And stuck around for the petty satisfaction of seeing me suffer?

"Oh, watching you suffer is a tempting motivation, but it wasn't that."

"Well then you must have a death wish."

Before he knows what's coming Cora flings her hand out and a hard force hits him in the chest, pushing him backwards. His back slams against the stone wall painfully and he grunts as she holds him there with her magic, the stone wrapping around his wrists. He watches as she walks closer to him. Bloody hell… This wasn't a part of my plan…

Hook clenches his jaw when she reaches down, clicking his namesake from its brace, removing it from his arm. The bloody nerve… killing a man with his own hook? Then Cora decides to taunt him further, using the hook to pull his shirt open, the cold metal dragging across his skin. In any other situation, this would be rather enjoyable. Hook tries not to let the image of a blonde with green eyes performing the same action as Cora into his mind. That would not be helpful right now.

"You know I have to kill you."

"You should try thanking me." Time to reveal the truth.

"Oh, really? Why's that?"

"Because I've brought you a gift. It's in the satchel." He nods his head to the bag that is currently dangling from his body. He can feel the soft pulsating of the so-called 'gift' against his hip.

"What is it?" She asks. Oh,come on, Cora… Have a little faith...

"Customarily surprise is part of the fun of gift giving. Open it."

She seems reluctant, but she does reach down with the hand that isn't currently holding his hook to his body, detaching (more like ripping) the satchel from his belt. He watches with contained glee as she opens the small brown pouch. He knows the moment she sees it, her eyes widening as she looks back up at him.

"Is that..?"

"Indeed it is. And with it, you'll get everything you want." She smiles at him, a small, barely there smile, but a smile nonetheless.

~K&E~

Hook stands and watches as Cora instructs the princess Aurora through the heart he stole, the glowing red muscle pulsing in her hand. He smirks as he listens to half of the conversation, being that he can only hear Cora's side.

"It was Hook. He let me go." He smirks, knowing that Emma will see the 'compassion' in his heart. Compassion that may not exactly be real. At least this way, he will gain favour with not only Cora, but with the heroes as well. Unless Cora decides to ruin it all by abusing the power he has given her along with the heart.

"Because of you. He said he wanted to prove to you, that you should've trusted him. That if you had trusted him… you could've defeated Cora together." It hits him slightly that the words Cora speaks are technically true. He would have betrayed Cora if Emma had taken that step in trusting him. But none of that matters now, she didn't trust him. And now she has to reap the consequences. "That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the wardrobe. Without him you'll have to go up against her all by yourself. He only wants to help. I… I think he may care for you."

"Nice touch, that." He smirks, absentmindedly scraping under his nail with the point of his hook as Cora lowers the heart, turning to look at him.

"But you know she won't trust you." Cora says, and he shrugs in response.

"Ah, she doesn't have to." Hook retorts, even though deep down he knows he wishes that Emma would trust him. "All I need is for her to believe that I was genuine in letting the girl go, which I wager she does now. You're welcome."

"Impressive. You took a heart."

Only with the aid of your daughter, love. Not that I'm going to remind you of that fact...

"Now you've a princess."

"Indeed I do."

This mindless chatter is all well and good in cementing the strangeness of this sort-of friendship. But he has a job to do. A crocodile to skin.

"Now, can we get on with the business of going to Storybrooke… together?"

"Why not? I hate to travel alone." Perfect. "All we need is the compass."

"Which will soon be delivered." He says softly, turning away from Cora to leave the pit in which he has spent far too much time. Time which can now be spent getting back that compass and showing Emma Swan that no one betrays Captain Hook. Not even a beautiful woman. He will make her pay for leaving him on that beanstalk, because that's just the kind of man he is. The kind of man he will always be.