Okay, so I had a lot of fun writing this, especially near the end. I really hope you guys like it! And fair warning, there's some serious angst first...

3 : Kraken

Getting off the island proved to be a bit more difficult than Gold had led them all to believe. The pixies carried quite the grudge. It seemed Emma had injured the creature she'd caught the day before and the rest were hell bent on giving the entire group at least a few scars before they escaped back to their boats and the ship.

"Those little shits." Emma cursed, examining the cut on her hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hook making his way towards her with a flask and she raised her eyebrows at him. "Don't even think about pulling that crap on me again." He just stopped and smiled innocently at her.

"I've no idea what you're talking about, Swan."

"Don't even." Her eyes narrowed and she turned away to help her mother. Snow had gotten one of the nastier injuries in the frenzied run back to the beach. One of the pixies had held a sharp branch down from the trees as she'd run by and caught the skin of her shoulder quite well. Needless to say, David wasn't leaving her side for a minute.

"Just pour the rum on it, David. It's the closest thing to antiseptic we have right now."

"Fine. I still think we'd be better off washing it with water."

Snow just gave him a look as she cocked her head to the side. "That's the only drinking water we have. Just use the rum."

He popped open a flask and dribbled some of the liquid onto her shoulder. She hissed, but immediately nodded for him to bandage it.

"Are you sure you're all right? I mean, that branch got you pretty bad."

Snow smiled at her daughter and shrugged. "I've had worse. Don't worry about me."

Regina grumbled next to them, fanning her hand over one of her cuts to heal it. "Why isn't this working?"

Gold leaned heavily on his cane as he answered her. "Agravain Pixies inflict magic resistant injuries. Don't worry over a few scratches, dear. Your pretty skin won't scar." Regina gave him a dirty look before she walked away towards the cabins.

Emma looked over to where Hook was leaning against the doorframe of his cabin. He seemed to be in thought, his brows furrowed over his eyes. She decided now was as good a time as any. She needed to get this conversation over with as soon as possible and move on to tracking down Tamara and Greg so she could get her son back.

When she came up a few feet in front of him, he shifted his intense gaze to her, immediately becoming amused and light as he smirked at her. Like he knew something she didn't. She decided she didn't like that.

"Ah, have you come to your senses?"

"We need to talk."

He raised a dark brow at that. "Talk away, lass. I've got nothing but time."

"About last night-" His smile broke off her sentence as he barked out a laugh and walked closer to her, getting in her personal space.

"Last night I saw a siren I'm not soon to forget." His breath fanned over her face with the words and Emma suppressed the shiver that threatened to run up her spine. Tensing, she glared up at him.

"I was going to say that if you ever do that again I won't hesitate to knock you out, Hook. And if you tell anybody about what happened, I'll just have to castrate you." She smiled mockingly at him, tilting her head to the side almost innocently. Hook, much to Emma's annoyance, just widened his smirk, his teeth showing bright.

"I wouldn't dream of telling a soul, darling. It's our little secret." The last word was whispered, intimate. And he winked, one eyebrow rising up with the motion. Emma rolled her eyes and left abruptly; afraid of the impending blush sneaking it's way over her ears hotly.


David's eyes had followed after his daughter when she'd walked away from them towards the infuriating pirate. The sight of Hook leaning closer to his Emma, his only child, made his blood boil and he nearly stormed over, stopped only by Snow's soft hand on his arm, a warning. His jaw tensed.

"I don't like her near that bastard." He gritted through clenched teeth, his eyes never leaving his daughter's form as she turned and walked away towards her cabin below decks. Snow's thumb drew soothing circles on his skin and despite the feeling of protectiveness coursing through him, David began to calm down, his muscles one by one consciously relaxing under his wife's touch.

"I know. I don't like it either, Charming. But she's an adult. It's not like we can forbid her from going near him."

"No, but I could threaten him." Snow just shook her head at that slowly and smiled.

"Now that really wouldn't help. Do you think telling Hook of all people to stay away from Emma isn't going to make him want to be around her more? If only to make you angry?"

His eyes darted back to Snow's, the calm assuredness there making him smile. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him, gently rocking them with the sway of the ship.

"At least we know Emma still has her gun," he muttered offhandedly and Snow laughed out loud.


Hook took up the task of reeling the anchor back once everyone had gone off to different parts of his ship. It was in this solitude, this quiet, with nothing but the sound of the wind and the waves and the gentle sway of the deck beneath his feet, that he allowed himself to fall back in his thoughts. The decision to help her, to put himself at risk yet again, for her sake, weighed heavily on him once more. He had given up everything. Had chosen to take the fragile peace offered by his crocodile and focus on finding Henry, Milah's grandson, Emma's son. The offspring of his own almost-adopted boy. Baelfire.

Hook heaved the lever again and another length of chain clanged back into the spool below his feet, the anchor inching it's way back to the ship. Surely he was making the right decision. He had realized while chained to that blasted metal installment that the knowledge of killing Rumplstiltskin had left him empty. There was nothing to look forward to, and even before Milah, all Killian had wanted was a reason to go on. He had none now, save for his unsubstantiated loyalty to the Swan girl.

"So you can join us, and be a part of something, or you can do what you do best…. And be alone."

The words rang over and over again in his ears, ever since she said them in that gathering. He'd noticed in the light that her eyes were green in fact. He thought them blue previously. The conviction in her words sparked behind those greens, making them almost spin dizzyingly at him. There seemed to him to be an underlying invitation in those words, an offer of belonging. With her. But that couldn't be, the girl was far too cautious to give him such a chance. No, she must have meant for him to decide to align with the sides of good, not specifically her. She couldn't want him. But, a small part of him whispered, she just might need you.

He shook the thought away. This was not the time to let such thoughts burden him. His task was simple, find the boy and return him safely to his mother. Nothing more. And yet.

The image of Emma in that water, the drops slithering through her moonlit locks, her skin a satin glow in the night. He couldn't help but feel the want.

He cursed himself inwardly as he hoisted again, finally raising the anchor enough to set course for Neverwood. The siren would be the end of him, he was sure. Hard as he tried, it seemed he was unable to resist her song, even if it meant her annoyance at his advances.

He made his way to the helm and firmly turned three notches starboard as the wind picked up the sails.


It had been two days since the island, or vanishing island as Hook seemed intent on believing. Emma looked out over the ocean as the breeze tangled with her hair, her arms resting on the banister in front of her. She'd been growing anxious as the time passed, becoming more and more irritable. She needed to get to Henry. Now. The thought of the sweet boy, his bright smile and trusting nature an endearment back home, alone with Greg and Tamara was enough to set her teeth on edge. She'd walked past Regina's room the other night and had heard her crying into her pillow, whispering Henry's name over and over. Emma could definitely relate to that. She'd been close to breaking ever since he was taken from her. He was just a kid, for Chrissake! Why do these impossible things keep happening to him? She growled low as her grip on the railing tightened painfully.

"Emma, are you okay?"

She turned her head in the direction her father's voice had come from and smiled weakly.

"Not really."

He casually leaned against the railing next to her, his back to the sea and one hand coming out to stroke her hair tenderly. With that simple gesture, Emma had to hold back the stinging tears that threatened to fall fast. It was too much. She hadn't had her father all her life, and just a single, loving movement had her missing what she never had. David just pulled her to him, noticing the strain on her brow, and hugged her. He kept brushing her hair and making soothing circles on her lower back. His heart broke when she was like this. He couldn't stand the pain on her face. His little girl, his sweet Emma. He just wanted to make the pain go away, but he had no idea where to even start. She'd been alone for so long, he didn't know what he could do. And slowly, Emma pushed herself away from him, and his arms loosened around her, falling to her shoulders as he bent to look up into her face.

"I-I'm fine. Thanks." She wiped at her cheek, and it was then that he knew for sure that she had been gently crying. A small part of him was so happy that she had let him comfort her, let him be there for her finally, even while the rest of him hated that she needed to be comforted at all.

And as quickly as she had cracked, she was strong again as she smiled reassuringly up at her father. "I am. Don't worry about me. Let's just focus on getting Henry back."

He searched her eyes, but for what he wasn't sure. Slowly, he nodded at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Okay, well I'm gonna go ask Hook how far we are from Neverland-Neverforest, whatever it's called." And with that she quickly turned from the almost painfully loving look David was giving her and made her way to the captain's quarters.

The door was slightly ajar and Emma carefully pushed it open, finding Hook leaning over his desk, maps littered over the fine mahogany wood. At the creak of the door, he glanced over at her and nodded for her to come in. Taking the invitation, Emma quickly closed the door behind her and firmly came to lean over the map he was currently contemplating.

"What- that doesn't show anything." She looked at him, a bit peeved that he seemed to be wasting her time.

Hook just chuckled a bit and lifted his hand to the map, touching the corner as finely drawn lines and words scrawled out to show a dot in the middle of the ocean and land in the far corners.

"It's an enchanted map, Swan. No need to tear my head off."

"Well, how far are we then?"

He contemplated a moment, going back to the map and then rifling through several others beneath it. "Another week's worth."

"A week!?" She was ready to punch him. Any minute, and she was going to knock the life out of him.

"Calm yourself, darling. Remember, we're not the only ones on our way there. Henry has yet to reach Neverwood as well." He leaned against the table and crossed his arms over his chest, quirking one eyebrow at her as she tried to control her sudden anger at him.

It wasn't like it was actually his fault, she reminded herself.

Suddenly, the ship lurched, and Emma fell forward into his chest, his arms quickly wrapping around her waist to steady her.

"What the bloody hell?"

And it lurched again, much more violently this time and Emma found herself pressed against the wall behind her, Hook's body keeping her from losing her footing at the violent rocking. She was almost surprised he wasn't taking the opportunity to hit on her again.

Instead he was looking around towards the door as it flew open to reveal the sight on deck. Emma's eyes just widened in shock.

Tentacles the size of tree trunks were grabbing and sliding across the ship, trying to drag it down towards whatever they belonged to. Hook immediately cursed under his breath and ran out of the room, sword drawn. Emma stood there, leaning against the wall for support as she tried to process what was happening.

"That is way bigger than a dragon," she muttered as she hauled herself forward and fought her way out into the sunlight of midday, trying desperately not to fall.

As luck would have it, there was a sword near the door of the cabin and Emma quickly grabbed it as she ran out, unsheathing it and cutting at a nearby tentacle. The blade sliced through like it was butter and a dark turquoise liquid flew through the air as the appendage jerked back at the onslaught. Looking around her, she noticed David and Snow fighting other parts of the monster, freeing up some of the masts before they were torn down. Regina was trying to use magic to attack the beast, and Gold had slid the thin sword from his cane.

"It's immune to magic!" Gold shouted to Regina, and she cursed as she jumped and rolled towards the stairs to the lower decks. Running down, she came back moments later with her own weapon, fighting one of the limbs that slithered near her.

Hook, meanwhile, was at the helm, fighting the monster away in the upper decks, protecting his ship. David had gotten closer to him and fought by his side, shouting over his shoulder that they needed to find the head. Hook exclaimed his agreement and jumped over the railing onto the main deck with the prince, both making a sprint towards the edge of the ship where the tentacles seemed to be coming from.

One snake like feeler swiped at their heads, David ducking just in time as Hook decided to slide over his slick deck and jump up to the railing, hook snagging a rope to keep from falling into the perilous waters below.

"Kraken!" He shouted back to David, his eyes never leaving the razor toothed mouth pulsing against the hull of the Jolly Roger, beak opened and raging, an unimaginable hissing and sputtering emanating from the creature as it tried to devour the ship. Snow had run over to one of the railings and pointed her small, seemingly harmless arrows at the mouth of the beast and, with a nod from her husband, began shooting at it.

One sharp point lodged itself in the side of the krakens open mouth, causing it to recoil and screech, shaking the ship violently as it cried out. Sea water rushed up and over the deck momentarily, foaming white and green, and Snow held fast to the ropes nearest her from the mast, David hitting the deck and grabbing hold of the small bars at the bottom of the railings. Regina had been flung against the cabin door, Gold still fighting one tentacle, even as he crashed into another. Emma had somehow managed to hit the wood hard and slide towards her father, bracing for impact as she felt his free arm slide around her waist, sword still in hand.

Quickly, she got her bearings and leaned over the edge of the banister, watching as another one of Snow's arrows struck the sea monster's huge eye, making the ship shake once more. The tentacles loosened their hold; a few sliding back into the dark waters below and Emma watched as the kraken sunk back and down, back from whence it came.

It was out of sight, and Emma felt her knees fail beneath her as she slide to the deck and leaned her back against the railing, still feeling the violent rolling of the ship, even as it slowly faded and calmed. She felt rather than saw Hook jump down from his vantage point above her. Looking up, she was almost irked to see the wide smile on his face.

"What the hell are you so happy about!?" And he laughed loudly, Snow's own echoing laughs rising from the far end of the deck.

"We're alive! We're bloody alive!" And he took her by the arms and lifted her up, hugging her to him close in his happiness. Emma stiffened, not sure what was happening, but she could hear her parents bubbling with excitement, even as Gold glared at the lot of them and Regina just lay exhausted, a look of disgust on her lips. And suddenly, she felt herself laughing too. It was too absurd, even as Hook set her down and offered a hand to David, pulling him up and clapping him on the back.

It was so ridiculous. A kraken! A sea monster of all things and they had escaped alive, if only a bit banged up. Emma suddenly realized what it was about the adventures in fairy tales that Henry so loved. It was the sheer shock of knowing you've just survived impossible circumstances.

Okay, so I couldn't help myself. All that popped into my head the moment they set sail for Neverland was Pirate ship - kraken attack! Also, to address a few things, I don't want it to seem like Hook just completely swings back and forth on his personality, going from beanstalk hook to angst, sad hook. To me, they are one and the same. One is an exterior, something to keep up appearances at this point. And can I mention how much I love the Charming family relationships? It so wonderfully tragic! Okay, I'm done. I promise. Until next time! Please review!