The water smashed against the deck. It was an odd sensation-falling. I had willingly jumped, or attempted to jump, to my death, once. A very long time ago now, but I hadn't thought about the falling then, just the disappointment on my mother and father's features. Now, I was falling and holding onto Killian like he was the first and last person I'd ever see, and then I was underwater.

I opened my eyes in the crystal clear, salt free water. Killian stared back at me, his eyes the color of the water around us. I pointed to the top. He shook his head. I raised an eyebrow. He nodded, and I trusted him. I sighed. We were floating. Weightless. Then, we were in the air. Right side up. I let out the breath. I was soaked, but the sight I saw was beautiful. It was an island. And not just an island, it was a paradise. Lush, light green trees lined the beaches and I could see the intricacy of the string of islands around us. I heard birds cawing and yelling out, I heard so many things. Neverland. We were in Neverland. I smiled.

"It's just-" I was stunned. Last time I had come here, I was blindfolded and in love. The place was beautiful.

The sky was clear, beautifully clear. A sweet summertime breeze blew through the air, and the sun shined warmly against my pale skin, almost causing a shimmery effect. I was amazed. I looked at Killian who was smiling at me. "I told you it was beautiful," He said. I laughed and smiled.

"I don't think beautiful describes it right," I said.

"Aye, I know the feeling," He said looking at me.

My eyes wandered to his lips. "Captain," A voice called. It broke us out of my trance. I untied the rope. I gave a weary smile to him before walking down the stairs. Helen came up the stairs.

"Wow, this is amazing," She said. I smiled looking around. "It really is," I said with a grin. "Emma." I heard, King Nostos say. He had a smile on his face.

He pulled me in for a hug.

"My, my child, you had me scared half to death," He said. I gave him a lopsided grin. "I'm good with my disappearing acts," I said. He laughed. "Gorgeous here, isn't it?" He asked. I nodded. Hook walked over.

"We're taking you lot to the shore in boats, make sure everyone is ready," He said.

I looked at King Nostos.

"Ready?" I asked.

The sand on the beach didn't make a noise as we walked against it. All the lords, myself, Hook, and Helen along with a few crew members were walking together. I walked by Hook, deciding that was the safest option. Helen tried to keep up, but it was too physically exerting for her. She eventually moved to the middle.

The Lords talked among themselves, complaining about the hostage situation. In reality, I should be planning something, but right now, there wasn't anything I could do. We were in another realm, and the best I could promise was that none of us were going to be killed...here.

We made our way through the forest and we came to a stream. "I'm going to let you all wash up. I have five bars of soap," He said. I nodded. "Together?" A Lord, Bennett, asked shocked. "No. You'll spread out. This may be one of the easiest times to do it." Killian said. Helen looked at me. I gave her a smile. "Fine. The women can shower after us," Lord Bennett said. I rolled my eyes and sat down.

"Jackass," I muttered. Helen daintelly sat next to me. I stretched my legs out. "I'll never understand men," She said. I looked at her. "And I do?" I asked. She laughed. "When you get back, do you plan to marry?" She asked. I shrugged. "Probably not." I said. "Why are you against marriage?" She asked. "I'm not against marriage, I want to marry my true love, not someone pretending to be him." I said.

Killian walked over. "Looks like the lords are taking a while," He said rolling his eyes. I shrugged. "They're royals." I said with a shrug. Helen hit my shoulder lightly chuckling. I shrugged again. I sighed. "I want to bathe," Helen whined. "Go down there though," I said. She looked at me. "I want you to bathe with me, so I'm not alone," She said. I stood up. "Fine." I said. Just as we said that the lords came back. Killian nodded. "I'll show you where to go." Killian said. I nodded. Helen trailed quietly behind me.

We walked to the river where there were three rocks in a row. "We each can go behind a rock," He said. He handed us each two new clean bars of soap. I smiled greatful. Helen sighed. "This is awful," She complained. I looked at the water. "Let's just get clean," I said. Killian walked over to his side and Helen to hers, leaving me in the middle. I took off the clothes slowly making sure to not get them wet or dirty. I unwrapped the wound, to see a now bleeding wound again. I hissed in pain and slowly walked into the water.

The water was pure and clean and stung like hell on my wound. I groaned. "Ouch." I said. I carefully ran the soap on the wound. "Queen Emma," Helen call. "Yeah?" I asked. "Um, are you alright?" She asked. I sighed. "Yeah, just um, a little cut," I said. "Alright." She said. I could see a reflection of Killian in the water, which meant he could see me. I went under the water to clean my dirty hair.

I came up and started to walk out of the water. I saw Killian moving to get out. I dried using the linen. I wrapped my stinging wound and dressed quickly. Helen smiled at me as we walked forward.

Killian stared at me for a moment before motioning us forward. Helen stopped. "Do you hear that?" She asked. I saw Lord Byron and the rest of the men moving. "Hook," i said not taking my eyes off the men. No answer. I turned to find him moving with his men; eyes glazed over, transfixed.

I looked at Helen. I walked forward and saw what they were walking towards. Beautiful mermaids sang their song, loudly. They were almost sparkling in the sun.

I realized they were sirens. "NO!" I shouted running in front of the men. "PLEASE STOP!" Helen and I started shaking and begging them- they remained unflinching.

The Sirens laughed at us. I stared angrily at them. They paused their singing. "Isn't that the virgin Queen?" A brunette beauty asked. "I believe it is," A red haired one mused.

"The virgin Queen, a tragic story indeed," They began to sing. I looked at Helen who was now dangerously close to the water. "HELEN NO!" I said rushing towards her. Mistake was mine. I shoved her out of the way as a mermaid grabbed the both of us and took us underwater. She snickered.

Helen started to struggle. The mermaids swam to us and laughed. Helen was completely gone under their spell. I was still fighting. I managed to give a right hook to one and she fell, unconscious, to the ocean floor. The others tirned their attention to me. I felt a bite in my right calf, one on my wrist and I shrieked. The pain was immense. It felt like my body was on fire. My blood had turned into this liquid heat and I screamed. I managed to shove Helen from their grip by pushing her towards the surface.

I began to wildly punch them as they continued to bite me. My lungs burned for air that they were not recieving.

My vision blurred as they laughed, but I was in a pain so great, it felt as if I were dying.I saw a spear pierce through the water and go through the red head's chest. She wailed something unintellagable. I saw the water get tinged with red blood. I heard them shout something as they swam away.

Something lifted me up out of the water and I was struggling. I wasn't seeing straight. My eyes were seeing Neal. "Neal, Neal, run," I said. I began coughing wildly. "She's been bit-we need Particks!" Neal shouted. When did Neal have a rough accent?

I pushed his shoulder weakly. "Neal, run, please, please, take me with you this time, " I begged. Neal stood and went to leave. "NEAL DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN PLEASE!" I shrieked. I saw his body crumple. He was dying again.

"No!" I cried. "NEAL COME BACK I LOVE YOU!" I wailed. I felt my arms being pinned down. The burning intensified. I let out a moan of pain.

"The poison is moving too fast," I heard "Neal" say again. I took my hand and wrapped it around his wrist. I heard him say sucking poison out. I felt a cool hand on my head. Helen. "Emma, don't leave me yet," She said, tears flowing down her face. My hands were bloodied, and shaking as I reached up to wipe her tears away.

"Emma, you survived jumping off a cliff, you can't die this way." She said. "Live for Neal, for your son," She said. I screamed as the burning continued. "She'll be like this for a few days. I'll stay with her." I heard a accented voice say. Killian?

"Smee! Take the others to the hollow!" The same voice screamed.

Who were the others? A faint voice told me who, but I couldn't focus on anything but this burning sensation that bit through every nerve in my body.

I'm unsure of how long it's been when the fog in my brain clears, the burning dulling for a moment. I feel hard and wet rock below my back and under me. I open my eyes to see a bright cave looking back at me. I had been to Neverland once, with Neal, but after his indescretion, I hadn't wanted to come back.

I try and sit up, but a sharp pain in my side and ribs cuts my movement short. "You're awake," Killian says. My heart pauses momentarily from freight. "I suppose I am," I said. He nods and walks over to me. He sinks down the cave wall. He looks tired and ill rested. My Queenly -ness takes over. "You should rest," I say placing a hand on his arm. I almost fly my hand back. I can see the dried blood over my body. It's a second skin. "I managed to suck the poison out the day it happened, but you were in a terrible state. I worried that I had lost you," He said.

How long had we been here? How long had I been in this hell? "A week tonight," Killian said answering my question. "I see." I said. A week? I sighed and closed my eyes again.

The burning was still there, a slight throb. "The others moved onto the hollow," He said. I nodded. I felt my body temperature spike immediately. I layed my head against the cool cave wall. Killian moved closer to me. "You spoke a lot, delirium," He said casting a glance at me.

"Oh?" I asked. "You mentioned a man named Neal," He said. I sighed. "You're going to send me to the Queen on my death anyways, I should be able to tell you." I said taking a deep breath. He paled visibly. "I was born into a good kingdom. My parents the original starters of true love. I, the product of such love, was considered a saviour of sorts. I was to vanquish all evil from the land." I said with a sad smile. "Not much saving on my part." I said with a disheartened smile. "When a prophet gave a well prophecy to Cora and Regina, they knew I must be killed." I said. My eyes met his. "Why did you have to be killed?" He asked. "Part of the prophecy was that I would kill them, and take their power." I said.

"I was five years old and my mother had tucked me in after reading a sotry about pirates and princesses. My father had taught me sword fighting, my mother archery during the day, the next day was my fifth birthday." I said. I could see his eyes sadden. "I woke up to the smell of smoke filling my lungs and I screamed and ran out of the room. My castle was burning, my home was being destroyed." I said.

"I couldn't find my parents in the mess. I was crying, shrieking for them, they never came. I suppose Regina had them under wraps, but all I could see were her men. I ran from the castle but Lord Byron apprehended me. He easily lifted my small form. He knocked my unconscious." I said. I gulped. "I awoke, days maybe even weeks later, much like Neverland, there is no time there. Just the rising and the falling of the sun. Regina had come to see me. She smiled at how cold I was, it was winter, locked in a high tower, she laughed. She told me my parents were dead and I would die soon too." I said shaking my head.

"I believed her. I had been abandoned. Over the years, girls came in, and out, quickly. At first, dozens would fill into the room. They would smile at me, and give me pretty gifts, old clothes. They had no idea who I was. I was a dirty, skinny, cold and pale blonde girl who could barely speak from fear. Soon, the batch of once lovely women would come back, old and frail. They had once been so young, but a day after, they would be elderly, ugly." I said shaking my head.

"Anastasia, a girl who was my age explained what they did. Regina and Cora suck the life out of the girls. THey rip their hearts out and devour them, still beating. Soon the girls youth would drain and the murderer's would regain youth. The girls would die hours after." I said. I closed my eyes for a moment. "The night of what I assumed to be my sixteenth birthday, I had a visitor." I said.

"More like an intruder," I said with a laugh. "The Dark One had come." I said. Killian's fists clenched. "He told me things, such wonderful things, but I didn't trust him. I knew of what he could do, and I knew of his darkness, I refused him." I said. "It was a terrible mistake. Soon after, the land was plauged by sickness. Regina and Cora needed my heart sooner than expected." I said. Killian looked at me. "Looking back now, I should have just given myself to them then, not caused all this death, but I'm selfish like that I suppose. I was scared, young. The prophet came to Regina and Cora and let them know, I was purity is the most basic form. They were hungry for my death. Soon girls started to dwindle. One night I beckoned for the dark one." I said. I shivered. "HE came, intrigued. I begged he stopped the killing of the innocents. He told me he had just lost his lover and his son, but he had something for me," I said.

Killian's eyes blazed fury. "Please don't be mad Killian," I said. I took his cool hand and clenched it. "It was your hand, and it all makes sense now. I had thought it was to be my fathers, he promised me. He told me that within the hand was a bean, a magic bean, it would be the bean to save me." I said. Killian looked at me. "When you arrive to Regina's castle, stay for a moment, and when I get into the tower, among the cliffs, I will give you your hand, I swear it," I said.

"You would do that for me?" He asked. I nodded eagerly. "I would. You need it." I said. I shook my head. "His price was to bestow me with a child, his son's child. He required I fall in love with his son, no matter the circumstances." I said. I shook my head. "He gave me the potion so I could retain my innocence and I bargained, that I would still remain a virgin," I said. "Rumplestilskin found me amusing and agreed and laughed, and he was gone." I said.

Killian gulped. "On the dawn of the next day, Lord Byron came. I pretended to sleep, when really, I had anticipated his coming. I had set my fire, spoken my prayers and grabbed a iron nail. Lord Byron tried to rape me in my cell...I clawed him in the eye with the nail and ran. Freightened I took off, and miraculously made it to the cliffs. I could have run in another direction, but I was so miserably depressed. Fake love? Dead parents? I jumped without another thought. My body missed the rocks and I managed to swim. A boat picked me up, and on that day I met the dark one's son. I was charmed by him immediately. I hadn't had any social interaction in years. I craved what he could provide me. A few months after joining Blackbeard and his crew, Neal asked if I knew a way to Neverland. I have he and Blackbeard the bean, and we were whisked off to Neverland. Many men died on the first few nights there. I found out I was pregnant soon after arriving. I thought he would be happy. I hoped he would realize this was his chance to have a family, to get what he wanted, but he was furious. He seemed distant. We madeit to the hollow and the fairies were thrilled to have a pregnant woma in their midst," I said absently running my hand over my stomach.

"But about a month after arriving in the hollow I went back to our makeshift home to find a fairy wrapped around Neal's waist. They didn't acknowlage I was there, he just asked what I was doing letting the cold air in," I said. I shook my head. "I became very ill." I said. "I had lost the one thing that I had known. I was abandoned. I managed to win the fairy queen over, and she sent me home. The baby in my stomach did not survive." I said. I felt wetness on my cheeks and found tears. "I landed in Regina's castle. She ripped my heart out and controlled me for a year. While there a huntsman who I often saw from my tower had fallen in love with me. He managed to get my heart back and send me to my parents castle. From there on, I was given my old life back. No one knew of my old past, no one knew of Neverland. And I've been drowning ever since." I said.

Killian remained quiet and I let out a pained sound. "You might be bleeding still," He said. He touched my side and I groaned. "Not bleeding," He said. "You stayed," I said. His body loomed over mine. Our breath intermingled, his eyes searching mine.

"How could I abandon a princess in distress?" He asked. I smiled a little. He dropped his face closer to mine his nose brushing mine. His lips finally grazed mine and I felt sparks as his mouth captured mine in a soul warming kids. I wrapped my hands around his solid neck.

His mouth was warm, welcoming, it felt like home.

The temperature had dropped, the air had changed and so had Killian Jones and I's relationship.