Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Four

Henry sat on the ground against a tree within Pan's camp, watching the Lost Boys closely while they talked amongst themselves too quietly for him to hear what they were saying. However, after Pan left to go about his business, whatever it was he needed to do, it was clear that many of the boys he had left behind to stand guard over him were beginning to grow restless and frustrated as they had started to argue about whether or not they needed to wait for Pan's orders, or if they could leave to attack their prisoner's family for a little fun. Finally, Felix made the final decision to have them all wait for their leader to return, as Felix was the second in command and had the final say. When the arguing between the Lost Boys finally ended, Felix turned back to the spot where their prisoner was sitting and found that Henry was no longer there.

"Find him!" Felix shouted angrily. "Pan will have our heads if the child makes it back to his family."

"He couldn't have gotten far," Tootles responded in frustration as he ran over behind the older boy. "We'll catch him."

Felix glared at his friend as he replied, "We'd better. I've never failed Pan before and I won't now."

Deeper within the woods…

When neither Hook or Neal returned to the clearing where the others were impatiently waiting for them, Tinker Bell slipped away to search for them herself and finally found Hook twenty minutes later as he was kneeling down low to the ground, holding his flask within his hand as she spoke up saying, "For crying out loud, Hook. We've been waiting for you to come back and you're out here drinking? Now isn't exactly a good time to get drunk on your rum."

"I'm plenty sober, I assure you," he answered coldly as he stood up while he placed his flask back into his back pocket where it belonged and then turned to look at the Green Fairy. I have a high drinking tolerance. I've had centuries of practice. I should think you would know that better than anyone, Tink."

"What, because if you were actually drunk you'd be coming onto me right now?" she asked sternly. "You were never interested in me back when we were working for Pan because you were too busy being obsessed to get your revenge on the Dark One for killing the one woman you did love, but that doesn't mean you didn't flirt with me. And now, we both know that your interests have changed."

Killian turned his back to her as he responded with frustration, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She looked at him with surprise as she responded, "Oh really? Look, I know that you've fallen for Emma. It's written all over your face. It'd be great if she wasn't who her parents told me she is, or completely devoted to only saving her son, not to mention that Bae also is in love with her…"

"I believe you forgot to state the most obvious fact," Hook replied as he looked toward her with darkness in his eyes. "That I'm a pirate and not good for a woman as special as Emma is. Go ahead, everyone else has said it. Why not you?"

"I wasn't going to say that," Tink answered sadly as she walked over to stand inches in front of him, then reached out to gently touch his cheek in order to get him to look at her directly. "I've always known that you were better than the man you've always pretended to be, Hook. But you certainly know how to make it difficult. Because you think that she's rejected you and Baelfire's pissed at you, you're out here wallowing in self-pity when you should be helping Emma and everyone to save her boy. Please, come back with me. We're nearly ready to get this all over with, but we need your help too."

Hook nodded and was about to follow after her until all of a sudden, they both heard someone cry out for help, then rushed to stand on a cliff face nearby as they looked over and saw a boy running through the tall plants and trees surrounding him in the distance below. It was hard to tell for sure from so far away, but the pirate and fairy knew that the only child who would be running away from something, or someone, and needing help would be Henry.

Killian quickly looked back at Tinker Bell as he said quickly, "Get back to Emma and the others. Tell them we've found Henry."

As he started to take off, she quickly grabbed his arm to stop him as she cried out, "Wait! What are you doing? You can't really think it's a good idea to go after him on your own?"

"If I don't, we'll lose him again," he responded. "We don't have much of a choice, love. Try not to worry about me. I'll be fine."

"You better be," Tink replied in frustration, then watched him run off to go try to save the Savior's son.

Down below, Henry ran through the jungle as fast as he could to try to escape from the small army of Lost Boys he knew would be on him in a matter of minutes after he escaped from the camp for a second time, especially since they knew Neverland far better than he ever could. As he continued to run, he called out for help in hope that his shouts were enough for his mothers and grandparents to hear him and get to him before Pan or the rest of his captors could.

Unfortunately, Henry suddenly tripped over roots sticking out from a tree beside him that he had failed to see when he turned his head to look behind him for any sign of someone chasing him. But before he could get up again, Felix found him and laughed upon seeing him down on the ground as Henry tried to crawl and back away from him until he backed into another tree that blocked his path. Henry let out a frustrated growl, then finally turned his head to look up again at the older boy still standing over him.

Felix reached his hand out to help Henry up as he stated smugly, "That was pretty foolish, Henry. I thought Pan made it clear to you that there was no escaping from us?"

The younger boy glared at him as he answered, "Maybe not, but I won't ever give up. My family doesn't like to give up."

"When you realize that your family won't survive long enough to rescue you, you'll give up then," Pan's second retorted in frustration while he grabbed onto Henry's arm and pulled him back to his feet until the sound of a branch snapping behind him caused Felix to spin around when he was suddenly struck hard across the face by Captain Hook's hook as the pirate appeared behind him.

"And you'll eventually realize that the entire Charming clan are annoyingly more determined to win than even your fearless leader," Killian responded after the Lost Boy fell to the ground unconscious.

Henry stared at the Pirate Captain in surprise as he spoke up saying, "You? What are you doing here? I thought you were back in Storybrooke, causing trouble for my family and everyone else."

Hook smiled sadly and replied, "Aye, I was. Until I learned that you heroes had something more to offer me than any of the villains we've faced as of late. I came here with your family to help save you."

"I'm afraid you won't be," Pan answered as he suddenly appeared behind him as Hook swiftly drew his cutlass from his scabbard and pulled Henry behind him in attempt to protect him. "I'm disappointed, Killian. I've given you several opportunities to prove your loyalty to me again, yet you continue to defy me despite my power."

"I don't fear your power," the pirate responded coldly while he continued to glare at the real villain of Neverland. "Not like I did when I first arrived here on this island centuries ago. I believe I've made myself clear. My loyalty to you is long over."

Peter slowly walked around Hook and Henry as he nodded and replied, "Yes, I suppose you did. I can't say that I'm not disappointed, but I expected as much especially after we spoke not that long ago. Which is why it's high time you finally pay for turning against me after all I've done for you."

Killian glared at the demon as he answered angrily, "All you've done for me? I may have come back to Neverland to gain information to help me kill the Dark One, but you've done nothing except order me around to do your dirty work. I was the one who discovered the information I needed without you."

"And I released you from my services so you could get your revenge," Pan continued. "It's your own fault that Rumpelstiltskin still lives, just as it's your fault your brother's dead."

"Enough talk!" Hook shouted. "You want to fight me, fight me."

Peter smiled and then suddenly threw pixie dust into Hook's face, causing Killian to slowly lose consciousness and fall to the ground as his enemy responded, "I'm afraid that's not exactly what I had in mind for you, Captain."

Felix rose to his feet again as the pirate landed hard beside him, while Henry knelt down to check to make sure that Hook was alright and asked worryingly, "Why did you have to do that? He was only trying to protect me."

"I know," Pan replied as several more of his small army arrived and stood around them. "That's why I had to stop him. You're worried about the wrong person, Henry. You should worry more about yourself, especially if you try running away from me one more time. Hook's nothing, but a drunken pirate with one hand. And not very smart for thinking he could actually best me. I wasn't afraid he could beat me in a fair fight, but I just don't have the time to deal with his bravado right now. I have one more visit to make. Felix, try not to let either Henry or the Captain here surprise you again while I'm gone. I would hate to believe that you out of everyone would be disloyal to me."

"I'm more loyal to you than anyone," his second answered with sincerity. "I always will be."

Their leader nodded as he looked between each of the Lost Boys, then turned to Henry as he said to them again, "Take them back to our camp and make sure they're both tied up. We'll have some fun when I return. And if Henry gives you anymore trouble, feel free to use the pixie dust on him again too. But I don't think you'll have to. Will they, Henry?"

He nervously shook his head and muttered quietly, "No. Not until my family arrives and proves to you that heroes will always defeat villains like you."

"You hear that too?" a boy asked quietly from behind Emma as she walked away from the heroes camp to listen for the sounds of boys crying somewhere within the woods that surrounded them. "You're Emma, right? I wonder why they can't hear the crying."

"Who are you?" she stated curtly as she kept her cutlass raised.

Pan responded, "Oh, did I forget to introduce myself? I'm Peter. Peter Pan."

Emma suddenly pinned Pan against a tree behind him and held her sword at his throat as she questioned angrily, "Where's Henry?"

"You've got fire," the boy replied cruelly. "I like fire."

"Where's my son?" she asked again, more curtly than before.

He looked coldly into the Savior's eyes as he answered, "Henry's still alive, if that's what you're worried about."

Emma glared at him as she continued, "Why the hell did you take him?"

"He's a very special boy, Emma," Peter responded firmly.

"I know," she replied with frustration. "That doesn't answer my question. What do you want with him?"

Pan answered smugly, "I came here to see who I was up against… 'the Savior.' Gotta say, I'm not disappointed."

Emma looked at him callously as she asked again, "What do you say now? You're gonna tell me how I'm never gonna see Henry again?"

"No," he responded as she slowly lowered her blade away from his throat, then watched as he pulled a parchment from within the shirt he wore. "I'm going to help you find him. I'll give you a map. A map that will lead you straight to your son."

"If this is some kind of trap…" she began to reply again until Peter cut her off.

He chuckled and then continued, "I may not be the most well behaved boy on the island, but I always keep my promises. The path to finding Henry is on this parchment."

The Savior lowered the sword even more as she questioned once more, "Why are you giving it to me?"

"See, it's not about finding Henry," Peter answered vigorously. "It's about how you find him. And, Emma you are the only one who can."

"It's blank," she responded in frustration as she opened the paper he handed her, revealing nothing.

Pan replied, "You'll only be able to read that map when you stop denying who you really are."

As Pan broke from his thoughts when Felix began to tie Henry's hands behind his back, while the other boys lifted Hook off the ground to carry him back to their camp, Peter looked into Henry eyes as he answered, "You certainly have your mother's fire in you. That's partly why you're perfect for what I need. But it won't help you forever. Either you'll give in to me as the rest of the Lost Boys here have, or you'll die… as Captain Hook soon will."