A/N Rumple is in the next chapter, I promise...

XXXX

They arrived on the main deck not long after Ariel had appeared in the ROV room, Victor was right the sun does help, Belle thought to herself as the sun's warmth settled on her skin. She could see August in his trademark leather jacket, how has he not gotten heat stroke?, dragging his things off the sea taxi and onto the Fairytale with Archie's help. Everyone was gathered around him to greet the last member of DERT, all except Victor and Killian who were probably still dealing with his wrist.

"Oh, its nice to be back." Said August. "Being around so many Aussies was strange." He looked over to Belle. "No offence."

Before the auburn haired beauty could answer Ruby was speaking.

"You had better have remembered out candy."

Her tone was in jest but there was an underlying tone of or else. It had been decided rather early on that if they were spending time in the Tasman Sea they wanted real Australian candy.

"Of course. Do you think I was going to come back here with nothing, that would be suicide."

Ruby nodded as August crouched down to a black duffel bag in front of him. Seconds later he raised a bright bag up in the air towards Ruby, she took it.

"Jaffas for Ruby." He lifted something else. "Violet Crunch bars for Belle. Tim Tams for Victor and Ariel. Gummy Snakes for Jefferson." The ROV pilot took the bag with a nod of thanks.

"Jefferson, you know you can get those things anywhere right?" Questioned Graham.

"Yeah, but they could taste better in Australia." Strangely Jefferson did have a point.

"Oh, and Twisties for Archie and Emma."

"Thank you, August." They said in unison.

"You know I looked like a freak buying so much junk food, right? And I seriously wanted to eat those Twisties on the hundred and seventy-nine mile trip out here."

August stayed crouched as he recanted his tale of odd looks and cravings Doctor Whale and their Captain appeared on deck, Killian got some strange glances due to his bandaged wrist enclosed in a black sling, his face was still a little red with pain but Belle was sure that Victor had given him something to take the edge off. Victor wouldn't let him suffer.

"What the hell happened to you?"

August looked baffled, confused and worried all at the same time, which Ruby found made for a rather amusing expression.

"Fuckin' cabin door swung shut on it."

"Oh dude, that had to have hurt."

Killian threw him a look that said yeah, no shit before changing the subject.

"You, mate." He paused as he took a step towards the dark-haired researcher. "Had better have gotten me my rum."

August, still in his crouched position, rummaged around in the duffel bag for a moment before pulling out a dark bottle and standing where he offered to Killian.

"Here, a bottle of Bundy especially for you, and you drink like pirate."

Killian took the bottle.

"Yeah, now we're talking. Bundaberg rum, fresh from Queensland."

Bundaberg was a dark rum made in Bundaberg, Queensland for which it got its name and Killian had been talking about getting it since the words Killian, we're going to Australia had left Graham's lips. August was right, Killian did drink like a pirate, acted and spoke like one too. If the cabin door had slammed against his left wrist he may have even gotten a hook out of it as well.

"Now the important things have been dealt with," Killian began. "Move your things into the cabin, would you? You're making the deck untidy."

With that Killian wandered off towards the bridge.

XXXX

The heated sun beat down on young Emma Swan as she sat on the main decks stern surrounded by scuba equipment, re-breathers and an open dark red tool box. She glanced up to the tranquil waters of the Tasman Sea, soft greens mixed with a mosque of blues that slotted together so perfectly that for a moment Emma thought the world spiritual, pious even. Of course then she remembered all the foster families she had met, the street she was found alone by. Fate was overrated in her opinion. The blonde set down the black pressure gage from Ariel's re-breather, and pulled her her yellow tank top from her chest over and over again to fan herself, sitting in the sun for so long was beginning to get to her. A drop of sweat ran slowly down her neck darkening her lemon tank, like so many drops before it. Her hair was retaining too much heat and finally she had suffered enough, Emma pulled a thin lime colored hair tie from her wrist and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail; instantly she felt relief as her skin cooled. Oh, that's better!

Emma turned her attention back to Ariel's re-breather the readout screen flashed red and read, do not dive. It always did before checks. Emma quickly set the readout screen down and disconnected the rubber mouthpiece, setting it into closed circuit mode, she breathed normally via the mouthpiece and then pressed her hand against the left and right mushroom valves alternately making sure the air flow was correct. After she had checked the mushroom valves the blonde dive tech set the mouthpiece into open circuit mode and breathed deeply to check that the diaphragm vented and sealed, it did just like everyone else's. She attacked the mouthful back to the hoses that lead to the tanks, just as she had finished screwing the re-breather back together Archie appeared with Pongo not far behind him.

"Hey Emma. Need some help?" He asked with a smile.

"Em, no thanks Archie. I'm almost done." The blonde returned his smile and patted Pongo's head for a moment.

"Okay. Why do you have our suits?"

The team all had black scuba suits lined in a different color: Ruby's was obviously red, Belle's was blue, Archie's was green, Ariel's was pink while Emma's was white on account of her surname. Graham's however, was pure black. As far as they knew no other team did that but to them it was more than style, it was so as if their comms went out or they needed someone in particular they were easily identifiable. That had been one of Belle's ideas, she is a bright one thought Emma.

"I like to check the suits as well. You know, just to make sure."

Archie nodded in understanding and perched on one of the crates that took up space in the stern. He held a neon orange tennis ball in his right hand that had Pongo's full attention.

"Why do you think Regina had us come and do this when she has teams so much more suited to the task?"

"Partially to annoy us." Emma answered quickly. "Mainly though, because we're the best damn team she's got." It was true and they all knew it. "Lets not forget, you graduated top of your class."

Archie was always modest and brushed over Emma's words, the Marine Archaeologist didn't like to show off.

"Maybe we'll find some interesting coral down there." The redhead mused aloud.

"Maybe." Emma agreed.

There was silence for a moment and then Doctor Hopper spoke again.

"If you're sure you don't need any help, I'm going to go and play with Pongo. He's been so patient bless him."

It was true, Pongo hadn't barked once since Archie and Emma had begun their chat, he'd simply sat down and waited for his human to be finished. Emma said a quick bye Archie before returning to her dive checks as the red haired Marine Archaeologist stood and threw the neon orange ball down the deck towards the bow of the ship. Pongo charged after it at such a magical speed that the Dalmatian was there one second and gone the next. Normally Doctor Hopper threw Pongo's tennis ball into the sea but with sharks littering the sea he didn't want to risk his beloved pet. Archie followed after the dog leaving Emma alone to continue her work, Emma had always been a rather solitary person and Archie could respect that. After a while of wrestling the ball of Pongo so he could throw it again the grey-brown bulkhead door to Archie's left bust open revealing Doctor Whale. The blonde leaned against the door frame and closed his arms to watch Pongo running back and forth for a few moments before he spoke.

"I've been looking for you." Said Victor pulling Archie's attention towards himself. "Even Jefferson has gone through his check up, and you know how much he hates doctors. I'm just waiting on you."

The truth was that Archie had completely forgotten about his check up, he was just so happy to be with Pongo again that Victor had slipped his mind. Archie looked apologetically at the blonde still leaning in the doorway.

"I'm sorry. I got caught up with Pongo."

At that moment the Dalmatian returned the orange tennis ball to his master. The Archaeologist looked around for a moment and found Ariel looking over the bow of the ship at the crystal blue ocean, her long red hair dancing in the soft breeze that the whole DERT team was thankful for.

"Ariel!" He called out to the botanist grabbing her attention, she turned and approached. "Would you mind playing with Pongo for a little while so I can have my check up? He'll tire out soon."

"Sure." Ariel crouched down to Pongo and gave him a scratch behind the ear before raising and taking the offered tennis ball from Archie. "You know I love playing with him."

"Thank you."

Without another word both doctors made their way into the ship and out of sight. Ariel threw the ball a few times and after everyone she would collect the ball from Pongo and happily announce the words good boy before throwing it again. The redhead had almost lost track of how long they'd been playing fetch before Emma appeared at her side.

"Can I play?" Emma asked.

Everyone on board really did love that animal, Pongo had always been their and was the unofficial eleventh member of DERT, a mascot of sorts. Ariel never got to reply as Captain Killian Jones appeared from the still open bulkhead door almost the second Emma had finished her question.

"Swan, just the woman I need." He gave her a, what he thought was charming, smirk.

"Do you now? What for?" The blonde didn't sound impressed.

"I need you to help me in the engine room, I-" Ariel cut him off.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, love. Everything is fine. I'm down a hand though." Killian nodded towards his left hand. "Since Emma here is our resident tech goddess, I thought she may be willing to help."

"Fine." Emma drew the word out before gesturing for the Capitan to lead the way.

Ariel looked down to Pongo who was sitting at her feet chewing on the tennis ball.

"Looks like its just you and me, pup."

XXXX

Jefferson sat comfortable in his high back leather chair in the ROV room with August sat beside him. The gummy snakes August had brought back for him were open and half eaten behind his keyboard for him to snack on as the pilot went about moving things around on his mass of screens. The room was painted in a dark green and was a rather dark room in itself, no windows to let in natural light since the ROV room was in the middle of the ship, just a few lights mounted on the walls creating little sun like balls of light. August's trademark leather jacket hung on the back of his chair while Jefferson's held his pale blue shirt, Jefferson had a habit of over heating and so he'd stripped off his shirt leaving him in just a white vest that showed of his toned muscles. After a moment of messing around with his screens Jefferson reached for his radio and spoke loud and clear.

"Graham, Ruby. We're all good to go here so you can drop Grace and Chesh."

There was crackling for a moment before Graham's voice filled the ROV room.

"Okay, we're going to start lowering them."

Jefferson and August watched the monitors as Grace's camera was plunged under the waters of the Tasman Sea closely followed by Chesh's own. After a while and another radio from Graham telling them he and Ruby were done the two men began to descend with the ROV's. Jefferson always piloted Grace, she was his baby, he loved that ROV like someone would a child, while August had Chesh. August was their researcher not a ROV pilot but their team had always been short, Regina just didn't want to pay more people. If Graham ever got his way they would have another ROV pilot, an extra Archaeologist, an assistants for Killian and at least two more botanists; yet getting ones own way when Regina Mills was in charge was pretty much, if not completely, impossible.

August followed Jefferson's lead and took Chesh down into the deep depths towards the rock formation that they had been sent to go over. I really don't see what's so important about a huge diagonally pointing lump of rock. Looks like a jungle gym for fish. The researcher mumbled in his own head.

"Careful, August. Don't get Cheshire too close to Grace, we don't want to get tangled on the guide lines." Jefferson never looked away from his screen showing Grace's camera feed. The dark-haired man looked over to a smaller screen on his right before speaking again. "The position beacon's are working nicely."

The small screen map Jefferson was looking at showed Grace as a little yellow spot and Chesh as a purple one. The two men performed a thruster check and flashed the LED video lights, all seemed normal and the camera feed was smooth, no lag. After a while Graham and Ruby entered the dark room letting in a cooling breeze behind them.

"How is it?" Asked Graham as he and the photographer approached the pilot.

"Both Grace and Chesh seem to be fine. We're all good." Jefferson answered him without taking his eyes from Grace's camera feed. "However, August is a crappy ROV pilot."

"Hey, I'm a researcher not a pilot. I'm doing pretty good considering its not my job." August laughed.

"Jefferson, he's better than I'd be so shut up and get on with it." Ruby announced in her silken voice.

"She's right, Mister Hatter. Get it done. I want all testing finished today."

Graham only ever called them by their surname when he was trying to re-enforce a point, that one being that they were already behind schedule and he wanted things done as quickly as possible while still being done right. Jefferson mumbled a yes boss that August mirrored.

"Emma's gone over the dive equipment at least four times, so we're all set there."

"I'm almost done, Graham." Said Jefferson swirling around in his chair to face him and Ruby. "With August's help I can get done even faster, everything will be set for main dive tomorrow. Just go and get ready for your practice dive, me and August can finish up here."

Graham nodded, he had plenty of trust in his team, and left the room with Ruby in tow behind him. Jefferson was right, and they had a practice dive to do.