The warmth of the sun kissed every inch of visible skin, while the wind chapped his cheeks and tousled the dark brown strands adorning his head. The water sloshed against the sides of The Jewel allowing the ship to slowly bob with the waves and the wood to creak from the motion. Killian stood proudly at the helm as he looked out to the horizon. The sky was clear with cotton candy like white clouds scattered as far as the eye could see. Emma was draped around waist; her head nestled into the spot on his shoulder that seemed to be molded just for her. It was perfect.

A little too perfect.

"You never were one to take heed to my warnings, little brother." a stern voice sounded from behind.

His posture stiffened at the haunting familiarity of the tone, "Younger." he corrected in annoyance, "And if you haven't noticed, everyone of importance is still alive." he bit out. Killian glanced down to his right, seeing that Emma had completely vanished and drifted his eyes closed. "Seems I can't even enjoy my own dreams anymore." he muttered under his breath. "What do you want, brother?"

"I told you to end this."

Turning now to face Liam, he was met with a vexed expression that nearly matched his own. "And I have."

"Oh, indeed have you? You think coming back here was the solution?" he asked. The sun had disappeared behind a blanket of dark gray clouds, the wind had begun to pick up, and the sea was beginning to churn.

"Wasn't it?" he asked through gritted teeth. "I can't bloody well kill him, can I?"

Taking a few steps forward, Liam crossed his arms across his chest to look to his brother in complete disapproval. "So instead, you've continued on with being the self-destructive man I've warned you not to ever become? What happened to your honor, brother?"

"I am honorable!" Killian yelled, taking a few steps forward himself. The sky had completely darkened and the air was charged with electricity. He wasn't sure if it was caused by the incoming storm, or the thick tension between him and his brother.

Liam looked down to wood on the upper deck as he took a deep, slow breath in. "We shall see."

"What in bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked in anger.

"I believe this is where I take my leave." The older male stated as he casually strolled towards the rails.

Killian looked on, still seething from their disagreement, until something snapped in his mind. This scene was all too familiar. The sporadic storm. The jostling of the vessel from the angry sea. The water spilling onto the deck of the ship. "Wait-!" he started in realization, yelling over the heavy downpour of rain that had already begun to fall. "Liam!"

His back was still turned to him, but his blue eyes met his, "Tie yourself down, Killian. It's a rough storm ahead." With a single nod, he turned to face the sea.

"No, brother!" he ran forward just as Liam jumped overboard. "LIAM! NO!" Before he had time to process his irrational decision, he followed after him.

Killian gasped as he shot awake just as his dream self had breached through the surface of the water. His body was glistening with sweat and his hair was glued to his forehead. His head fell into his hands while he desperately attempted to catch his breath. This… this is why he doesn't sleep anymore. His dreams are constantly filled despair. Haunting reminders. Which is why he's turned to his old friend; Rum.

And plenty of it.

"Boss?" Adam pulled the keys from the ignition as he turned to the distressed man in the passenger seat of his car.

He immediately pulled himself together before exiting the vehicle in a hurry. Running his fingers through his dampened hair, he took the chance to breathe in the fresh air. "Honorable." he breathed. "I am honorable." Killian popped the collar of his black leather jacket, the one with all the zippers, and made his way inside the warehouse to collect his pay.

The double doors flew open as he stormed inside and approached Gold's desk. "What are you playing at?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Gold had the fingers of his right hand wrapped around the thick golden handle of his cane as he returned his gaze. More amused than he, of course. "I'm afraid I've no clue what you're talking about." a hint of a smirk teased the corner of his mouth, but vanished just as quickly as it was noticed.

"Like hell you don't!" his fists were balled as they punched down onto the surface of the desk, rattling a few knickknacks around. "You knew who she was!"

"I know many things." he responded simply. "For example-" he began, tightening his grip on the cane as he moved his left hand to lie atop the other. "I know about your unapproved absence to go halfway around the world to go and woo your girlfriend for a single night. A fact that you very well tried to hide from me. If you wanted to lie, perhaps next time choose an airport location where I don't have eyes."

Killian pushed himself away from the desk as he straightened his posture. "What I do in my time has no baring on my employment matters with you."

"Ah, but it most certainly does." he leaned his head to the side as he continued on with his beady eyed stare. "You seem to think you have some sort of power to make the decisions of when you come and go. You lost that privilege when you decided to run off to find your blonde friend. You've been neglectful of your duties to me and I won't tolerate it any longer." Gold pushed himself up from the chair and situated his stance around his bum leg.

Giving a low, menacing chuckle Killian raised his hand to the back of his ear while his tongue ran along his lip. "I'm not negotiating my rights with you anymore. I've made my deal and I've kept my end of it. I came back."

"Not entirely."

"Not my problem."

"That, dearie, is where your wrong." he limped around the sturdy wooden desk as he brought a hand into the air. "If you don't sort through your loyalties-" he began in a singsongy voice. "I'll prioritize them for you. And I don't think ya want that." he gave an impish giggle as his eyes trained to his, a playful smile on his face.

"You can't touch her." he reminded with a shrug. "There is no possible way for you to do so. I've kept my side of the deal. Emma is completely safe as long as I'm here. You hurt her, our agreement is null and void." a brow arched as he stiffened his stance for intimidation. "Break our deal and I'll break you neck… and this time I won't think twice about it. I'm through with talking. Hand over my pay so I can leave."

Gold stood in contemplation before eventually moving from his own business like stance. He crossed the small gap between he and the desk before reaching for the plump envelope. "You know, dearie… there are other ways to be rid of nuisances without the motive to kill." he slowly turned to face Killian, tossing his head to the side to shake the gray hair away from his eyes. "Keep that in mind."

He gave a sneered smile as he snatched his earnings from the irritating man, before digging into his pocket. "Just as long as you keep in mind, Crocodile, that I'm capable of matching move for move." he stepped uncomfortably close, so close that the tips of their noses just barely touched. "Try. Me." he threatened with an arched brow and bared his teeth. Just then, a loud bang sounded behind Gold as the broken phone landed harshly on his desk. Killian backed away and moved to leave. "I expect a new phone by the end of the evening."

Before Gold had time to answer, he left.


Neal Cassidy
400 Atlantic Ave
Boston, MA 02110

Icy blue eyes continuously read and re-read the name and address on the crinkled envelope. Killian thoroughly despised this man, but it was no excuse to murder someone he loved. Taking away someone's happiness for a wealthy amount of cash was despicable. It never used to be, though. It was his life and at one point in time he thoroughly enjoy doing it. But now it seems as if it's just a way to live. If you call this living.

Giving a deep sigh, he tossed the letter to his side before rubbing his hands over his face. The thoughts circling through his mind were beginning to drive him crazy. There are times in which he doesn't even know who he is anymore, the very same reason why he left this shit in the first place. He has nothing here to ground him, which is why he's just completely… done.

"Who's Neal Cassidy, then?" Adam asked through a mouthful of his Giotto cake as he picked up the envelope from the wooden box.

"Tamara's fiancé." he angrily spit out. "Were you not present yesterday evening?" he lifted his face from his hands and immediately rolled his eyes. "Do you ever bloody well stop eating pastry?"

"I like me cakes, alrigh'? Piss off!"

"A whole box, Aikens?" he asked motioning to the flimsy, chocolate brown container in his hand. "Really?"

"Well it's not all cakes. There's some tarts and frangipanes as well." he offered. "Care for one?"

"No."

"Fine then! Don't be askin' later."

"Trust me. I won't."

Adam gave a shrug as he tossed the paper back down to open his box and finish his Giotto cake. "Well," he mumbled, chomping around the tiramisu filling, "-going back to me question." he swallowed down the creamy center and licked at lips. "Just seemed you knew 'im is all. The way you were prying into her affairs. Askin' questions."

Killian jumped off the stack of wooden boxes taking his Colt M1911 in hand, "I've met him once, alright? And I don't care to do it again." And with that, he walked off towards the makeshift shooting range. "Where's Smee?" he asked as he propped his gun into position, readying himself to shoot.

"Eh… well…"

His jaw tensed as the pistol lowered back down to his side. "I'm not liking the sound of that, Aikens." he started. Adam carefully placed his box of delicious treats upon the wooden crate as he fumbled over his words. "Adam!"

"He told me not to say!" he yelled out as he fingered a delicate looking apricot tart.

Click.

Killian shoved the pistol into the back of Adam's head as he asked one last time. "Where… did he go?"

Adam dropped the tart from being startled and sighed in aggravation at the broken mess, "That was my favorite bloody one." he grumbled under his breath before yelling out, "England!"

"Whereabouts?"

"I can't-" Killian shoved the gun harder into the soft spot just above his neck, "Ow! Fucking London! Bloody hell!"

"On whose orders?"

"I don't know!" he yelled as he moved out of the way. "That's all the information I found out." he muttered, rubbing the back of his head as he turned to face the angry blue gaze of his commander.

"I gave him strict orders not to fucking go. I knew it. I bloody fucking knew it!" He brought his lower lip between his teeth at an attempt to calm his nerves. His nostrils were flared as he raised the gun and fired.

"OH, COME ON! MY FUCKING PASTRIES!"


"Give me a London assignment." Killian stated in a firm voice as he stormed back into Gold's office.

The dark, beady eyes focused onto the light shade of blue as he tilted his head in curiosity. "And why, may I ask?"

"I fancy a spot o' tea." he smiled in a sarcastic tone. "Are you going to bloody well sit there and ask fucking questions, or are you going to allow me to do me job?" he asked in complete irritation. "I demand a case in England. You want Hook? You got him. Now show me the marks."

Killian glanced over a few different files from his requested location. Some in Blackpool, Manchester, London and Nottingham. "Why is Greene marked? She doesn't have any sort of background listed."

"Miss Greene is insane. Kills out of envy." Gold explained.

"But why is she marked?" he asked, raising his head from the file.

"I tend not to ask questions. Bad for business. You understand."

Giving a roll of his eyes he looked back down to the information lay out before him. "Insane?" he asked, more to himself than to Gold. "I'll need a car… and Aikens will be assisting me." he snapped his file closed and tucked it under his arm, "Phone?"

A drawer was pulled open and a smartphone lifted out of it. "Try not to break this one." he sneered, shoving the device across the desk. "A bit pricey."

Snatching the phone from the surface, he booted it up with a smirk. "All magic comes with a price."

Gold moved his hands through the air as he presented a roll of his eyes, a bob of his head and an annoyed smirk in a 'Very funny, fuck off' sort of manner. "Leave my sight."


~New York Airport~

"I'll be fine!" Emma groaned at her mother who insisted that she and David drive her and Ruby to New York for their flight. "Just… make sure dad doesn't have an aneurysm, alright?" They both glanced in David's direction whose face was as red as a tomato. She wished it was from blushing but… wasn't so lucky.

"I don't like this!" he yelled out. "My little girl is flying to gods know where, doing gods know what!" His head snapped in Ruby's direction who was innocently checking over her chipped nails and muttering about how she would need to repaint them once they got settled. "With her!" he pointed in accusation.

Ruby scoffed, dropping her hand to place on her hip and shifting her weight to one side. "Excuse me? I'm not that bad of an influence. Thank you very much! You're just bitter because Kil-"

"Don't! Don't say it." he warned, plugging his ears like a child.

"David." Mary Margaret warned. "Our daughter is flying overseas and all you care about doing is making a fool of yourself. Shame on you!"

"She's going to miss Thanksgiving for this... this… idiot!"

"David James Nolan! How dare you say such hurtful things! That man-" she continued on in her lecture as Emma sighed heavily and locked eyes with Ruby. She mouthed a sarcastic 'Thanks.' to the brunette who in turn gave a playful wink and a pouty kiss.

"Guys! Guys- we have to go!" she urged but they were too busy arguing to hear her. Slowly, she backed away from the two of them with her luggage in hand and motioned to Ruby to follow suit. If she didn't just leave, they'd definitely miss their flight.

Mary Margaret gave a deep and victorious huff as she turned back around. "Now- Emma?"

"Emma!" David hollered as they searched through the crowd. "Damn it!"

"Look at what your hatred to the men Emma chooses to date has done now, David!" she complained. "You're sleeping on the couch until further notice!" she muttered as she turned up her nose and stormed off.

"Me? Now, wait just a minute-"