The last chapter left off with Hook taking off after Emma who's chasing Regina who's under the spell of a siren she believes is her mother. Let's just say that stuff happens...
"Hook!"
Emma watched in horror as the pirate was dragged below the surface of the Lagoon's blue waters, her heart dropping in her chest as he completely disappeared from sight. She stared at the waters in disbelief, her wide eyes scanning the murky depths below for a sign of life from him, any sign of life. She hadn't even known he was coming after her, she was so busy trying to catch up with Regina.
After a few desperate seconds she finally stepped back, acknowledging that he had possibly met his end and drew her sword in preparation for the next attack lest another one should happen. She turned back around to face the task of breaking Regina from whatever trance she was in only to find that while she had been distracted with Hook, Regina had returned to her quest, lengthening the distance between them.
"Regina! Don't touch her!"
Emma leapt to the next rock, wincing at the slight pain that raced up her ankle. After a second's hesitation she was about to make a jump for the next one when she saw hands come up and grab hold of the rocks in front of her.
"Oh this can't be good," she muttered to herself as she watched mermaids pull themselves up with great agility, fixing her with glares full of icy hate that contrasted rather sharply with their soft beauty.
The one closest to her only sat a couple of feet away, surveying her from head to toe with sea green eyes that were just as enchanting as they were dangerous.
"What do you think you are doing?" she finally spoke. Her voice would have been a pleasant sound had it not been so venomous.
"Just move and I won't have to kill you," Emma exhaled, inwardly wincing at how weak she sounded.
Her threat was met with lilting laughter that brought a chill to the core of her being and tingled up her spine.
"You? Kill us? Have you even ever killed a person?"
Emma left the question unanswered, not trusting herself to own the confidence she needed to convince the mermaids with a lie. The amusing spark in the mermaid's eyes slowly faded into a glint that resembled blood lust, a look that Emma had seen in Regina's, Gold's, as well as Hook's eyes plenty of times.
"That's what I thought."
She smiled wickedly as she and the others slowly slid into the water, leaving Emma standing there bewitched and confused. The water suddenly started to slowly churn into choppy waves, transforming from sparkling blue to inky black while an ominous feeling settled over Emma's soul. She returned her focus to Regina who was struggling up the same rock where her siren beckoned with open arms, a melodic tune drifting from her lips that was both beautiful and haunting.
"Regina!"
Emma tried to push her dread aside as she made the jump to the next rock. She had just barely found her footing when something thrashed up out of the waters beside her and she felt a sting in her side. She crouched down, her hands resting on the rock by her feet as the pain spread rather quickly. Biting her lip, she slowly began to stand up regardless of the injury when she felt something hit her leg. Stunned, she crouched back down drawing her hand to her leg as she grit her teeth.
"Emma!"
She felt a hand touch her shoulder then give her a rough shake, causing her to look up to see Hook standing over her, concern shining in his blue eyes.
"Hook? But I saw you…you got dragged."
The slightest smirk lit his features as he pulled her up in front of him, his arm supporting her around the waist as she caught her bearings.
"I have defeated many a monster in my lifetime. Now, love, can you stand?"
Emma steadied herself and he slowly let go.
"What did they hit me with?"
"Poisoned darts…extracted from their bloody sea urchins."
She felt his fingers feel along her side before she felt him pull something, a numbing feeling replacing the sting. He leaned over and did the same with her leg; his hands gliding down the length maybe more than he should have but she didn't care as long as he drew the dart out.
At that moment the water exploded around them, blinding them with white as the water crashed on the rocks, showering them with a heavy downpour of salt water.
"Hold onto me, lass."
It was an order more than a request and Emma found herself grabbing him around the waist as he slowly started walking them forward, both of their swords drawn. They had barely made it to the second rock when something grabbed her and pulled her from Hook. She elbowed the mermaid in the ribs, wincing in pain as a scream that wasn't human filled her ears. Arms held her tighter and she desperately flailed, trying to keep her eyes on Hook who had his own problems.
"He chose you and because of that, he will have to die," a voice hissed in her ear as a blade was drawn to Emma's throat.
Never had Emma felt so helpless as she watched Hook fight the sirens that sprang on the rocks, his sword flashing as it sometimes hit his target causing screams of anguish to cut through the air and oftentimes missing. He was brilliant, but despite how brilliant he was, numbers were the higher power. It wasn't long before he grew exhausted; the events of the day taking their toll and the mermaids started making their marks on him as well with their crudely made daggers.
There was another scream that filled the air the same time a blade dug itself into Hook's leg. Emma tore her eyes from the scene in front of her to see Regina's siren holding Regina flush to her body, a wicked grin covering her face as she brought a blade to her throat. Emma felt white hot anger begin to build in her and she looked back towards Hook only to see his face contorted in pain as he felt for the dagger in his leg. He was knocked on his back suddenly and several of the hellish sirens fell upon him drawing their blades to his throat, poised for the kill. It was then she felt something warm and borderline electric course through her body like a tidal wave.
Light suddenly burst through her, blinding her in the process. She felt the arms holding her tightly finally loosen their hold and let go as a numbing sensation ran through Emma's body. The cold was shocking and it was only when Emma tasted salt in her mouth that she realized she was sinking into the black depths of the Lagoon.
"Emma? Emma? C'mon, love, don't do this again."
Regina watched from where she sat in the sand as Hook pumped Emma's chest with his hands, desperation shining in his blue eyes. She couldn't believe she had been so easily fooled; so drawn out. Her mother was dead. If she was alive, her mother wouldn't be here in Neverland but the illusion had been all too real and she'd fallen for it.
She turned her dark brown eyes back to Hook to see him cover Emma's mouth with his own in an attempt to breathe life into her lungs. She looked so pale against the sand, helpless even. A prick of guilt surged through Regina causing her to look away in shame. If she had just agreed to go up the mountain they wouldn't be in this mess. Who knew how long they had been out on those rocks, battling a hoard of sirens that were bloodthirsty for anyone's life?
"C'mon, Emma love. Wake up!"
Water sputtered violently out of Emma's mouth just then, her eyes opening wide as she struggled for breath to fill her lungs. Relief flashed over Hook's face, a real smile coloring his mouth as he fell back in the sand, physical exhaustion coursing through his body as quickly as poison. Emma sat up looking confused as she took in their surroundings silently for a moment and then looked between Hook and Regina with a thoughtful look on her face.
"What happened? I thought we…"
"We would have been," Regina nodded the same time Mary-Margaret's voice shouted from up the beach a ways. The three of them looked up to see her and David slowly covering the distance, his body leaning on hers in a way that looked most uncomfortable.
Hook waved them over, the act costing him pain all through his arm and down his back.
"That still doesn't answer the question. What happened?"
"Well, love. Magic happened."
"Magic?" she stated in disbelief at Hook's comment, lifting her eye brow at Regina.
"Not my magic," she whispered. "Yours."
"My magic? But why?"
Regina felt the sand in her hands as she pushed herself off from the ground before slowly facing Emma and Hook.
"That's only for you to know. The only thing I can tell you is magic is controlled by emotion; by whatever you're feeling. And I can't tell you what you were feeling."
Emma watched as Regina slowly walked way toward David and Mary-Margaret, noticing that she walked as though the weight of the world was on her shoulders.
"You okay, love?"
"Yeah," Emma quietly answered before turning to look at him. His blue eyes locked into hers with a look that hadn't been there before and she felt somewhat weird being on the receiving end of it. "Why did you come after me?"
He smiled as he slowly stood up to his full height, trying not to wince as he did so before offering her a hand up. She allowed him to pull her up, albeit closer to his body than what was necessary, his eyes focused on hers as he leaned forward.
"Because, lass. It was the right thing to do."
He reached his hook up, pushing a wet strand of her hair back over her shoulder before stepping away to help her parents. She watched his retreating back, feeling something tingle down her spine that wasn't caused by fear or a chill.
