First Bean Stalk

Chapter Nine

The dark night sky began to turn pink as the sun began to rise, the three travelers stopped at the forest's edge to a clearing, where a giant bean stalk grew. The travelers pressed on.

As they all found themselves feet away from the bean stalk, Emma could not stop gawking. From what she could tell the bean stalk grew past the cloud line, maybe more, she also remembered she wasn't a fan of heights either. She couldn't focus on that now, she made the deal now she has follow through.

"Ummm, it's more….freakier than what the story describes." Emma said, still looking at it with awe.

"Well, shall we press on? His daughter awaits." Killian said, as he continued to walk.

"Wait, if every fairytale character is real here, doesn't that mean that Jack, the giant slayer, killed the giant and every one lived happily ever after?" she asked.

"Whatever story you think you know, my dear, is most certainly wrong." he answered.

"Something about a magical golden harp, and land that was happy and cheerful because of the magic golden harp, but one day a giant shadow cast over the land and the harp was stolen. A farmer named Jack sold his cow for some beans, then later that night under the moon light the beans grew under his house, and the bean stalk led him to giants realm. He defeated the giant and returned the harp and everyone was happy again." Emma quickly explained. She looked at Hook who was trying hard not to smile.

Oh, how the girl amused him. "Sounds like a lovely tale." he replied, smiling. "But the truth's a little bit more gruesome." his smiled faded. "Jack, this man fought in a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. However, one giant survive, strongest and most terrible one of them all, now we'll have to get past him to-"

"Get my daughter." Jefferson finished.

"Indeed." Killian said.

"We better start climbing," Emma said, her hands were shaking at the height of this bean stalk.

"Wait, in case we get separated," Killian took off his dagger holster and motioned for Emma to come to him.

He spun her so that her back was to him, "Stand still." placing his hands on her hips. "There's a good girl." he whispered to only where she could hear. He secured the holster to her waist.

"To give you some protection, but luckily you've got me to protect you." he said, grinning at her, which sent shivers throughout her body.

Emma took one last look at Jefferson, then she eyed the bean stalk. She let out one big breath and began to climb, Killian soon followed.

How long have they been climbing? Hours? Days? It felt like an eternity to Emma, they were way beyond the cloud line now, she couldn't look down if she did she freeze in place, no would be able to move her.

Killian, however, was having no trouble. He was ahead of her a bit and each time he glanced back at her she was struggling.

"First bean stalk?" he teased, she glared at him. "Well, you never forget your first." He continued to climb. "You know, most men would find your silence off putting, lucky for you, I love a challenge."

"I'm…concentrating." she lied, partially. She was concentrating on not looking down, she was terrified but wasn't going to let him see that.

"Sorry, love, I don't buy that," he saw right through her, "You're afraid, afraid to talk, to reveal yourself, to trust me. This would go a lot smoother if you do."

"Giving the way you've treated me, I have my reasons not to trust you." she said, "Besides, you're used to people not trusting you." she stated.

"Ah, pirate thing. Well, I don't need you to share, you're somewhat of an open book."

Oh, this ought to be good. "Am I?"

"Quite." he smiled, then he turned serious. "You've got a lost look in those lovely eyes of yours, the look of being abandoned." he said, which stopped her short. How would he know anything about being abandoned?

"How do you know about that?" she asked.

"Like I said open book. I spent many years in Neverland, home of the lost boys. They all share the same look in their eyes, the look you get when you're left alone." he explained.

"Yeah, well I didn't come from Neverland." she said, she wouldn't admit it but he had nailed it.

"An orphans' an orphan." he replied.

They continued to climb for Emma what seemed like forever, they finally reached the top. Killian jumped on a ledge of a wall circling the top of the bean stalk.

Emma was about to do the same when she made the mistake of looking down, just as she feared she froze in place unable to move. Her breathing was similar to a fish that's been pulled form the water, she had a vice grip on the vines, and her eyes were tightly shut.

Killian looked back wondering why she was still there, "Come on, love, here we are slaves to time, so in other words, tick tock."

"I can't." she said.

"What do you mean you can't, just jump." he told her. What was she scared of? The giant, perhaps.

"You were right, I am afraid. I'm afraid of heights but couldn't the Mad Hatter know, I didn't want him to think I chickening out of the deal. Now you and the crew won't be free. I'm such a coward" she revealed. She didn't like people seeing the vulnerable side of her, especially Hook, now here on the bean stalk he's got a clear view of it.

Killian's heart softened, she was afraid of heights yet she climbed all this way just to free him and his men. His likeness for grew a bit more.

"Listen to me, love, you aren't a coward. You nearly there, all you have to do is jump a few inches, and I'll be there to catch you if you fall." he soothed. His words were true, he didn't think her a coward. She was facing her fears to help him and his crew, it didn't brand her a coward in his eyes.

She timidly opened her eyes, "You promise?"

"I promise." putting his good hand over his heart.

Again, she looked down. She could almost feel her heart stop. "It's so high."

Killian could hear absolute terror in her voice, she truly was afraid. He tried a different approach, "Emma," this was the first time he's called her by her name, "look at me." he asked her softly. When she didn't he tried again. "Emma, please look at me."

Her eyes slowly met his, "Now, all I want you to do is focus on me and do as I say." he said in feathery tone. Oddly, it was relaxing her, all she could do was look at him everything around them seemed to disappear, only her and Hook existed.

"Now on the count of three, I want you to jump and I'll catch you." she only nodded.

"One." I can do this, I can do this she chanted to herself.

"Two." she took a deep breath.

"Three. Jump!" she closed her eyes and she did. The next thing she knew strong arms were around her, Killian had kept his word in catching her. Still holding to her he brought her away from the edge. She was afraid to open her eyes.

She was panting, holding on to him. "You're alright, darling, look around you did it."

Her eyes fluttered open, she looked around the place was made of stone, and in ruins too. Giant skeletons laid here and there, it reminded her of a war zone that was left to be observed.

She realized that she and Hook were still holding each other, "Ummm, thank you."

He smiled at her that caused her insides to melt, she pulled away from when he noticed her hand was red, not good.

"Emma, give me your hand." he asked, urgently.

"What?" she said breathlessly.

"Your hand it's cut, let me help." he said.

"No, it's fine." she tried.

"No," he grabbed her wrist using his hook pulling her to him, "it's not."

"So now you're gonna be a gentleman?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Giants can smell blood, and I'm always a gentleman." He pulled out a small bottle, pulled the cork out using his teeth then poured the liquid on to her hand.

"Ow, ow! What is that?!" she asked, trying to pull her hand away but he didn't let go.

"It's rum. Bloody waste of it." Then he produced a scarf wrapping it around her hand.

"Here's the plan, wait for the giant to fall asleep. When he does we sneak past him into his cave, where prisoners are kept." he told as he bandaged her hand. Then took one end with his hand and the other with his teeth, not taking his eyes off hers tied it. He did this in such sexual and seductive way that it caused her to wonder what else he could with his teeth.

Whoa, there! her mind screamed at her. "And then." she asked dumbly.

"Then we run like hell." he grinned.

"We don't have time to wait for the giant to fall asleep. We can you use the powder Jefferson gave us to knock him out, that way it'll give us time to find his daughter and climb down the bean stalk." she said. Oh, his grins and smiles made her weak in knees, but now wasn't the time to think about that.

"Point well taken," he said, he smiled, "You'd make one hell of a pirate, if you ever consider becoming one." He handed her the powder, the buttons on his sleeve were undone which gave her a full view of a tattoo he had on his wrist.

"Who's Milah?" she asked, curious.

His smile disappeared his face turned sad and slightly angry. "Some one from a long time ago, and let's leave it at that." he said, walking away from her.

Oh, great now she upset him. So long charming Hook and hello pirate. "Hook, wait! I'm sorry, I didn't know." she apologized.

He turned back and looked at her, her face apologetic and she was right she didn't know. "Don't worry about it, love. Now let's catch ourselves a giant. Before we do I want to do something."

"What's that?"

"This." He closed the distance between them and crushed his lips to hers, he kissed her passionately making her go weak in knees once more. She wove her arms around his neck, her fingers tangled in his hair.

He loved how responsive she is to him, he also loved how their lips fit together perfectly. And this was the second time he's kissed her. How he pressed her body close to his that it felt right, soft meeting hard, heaven. And any pain he had over Milah's death seemed to disappear when Emma was around, especially in a moment like this.

Slowly pulling apart from each other trying to catch their breath, "I wanted to do that in case we meet our doom." he whispered, as his knuckles caressed her cheek.

"And if we don't die?" she asked, leaning into his touch a little.

"Then there's plenty more where that came from." he winked. "Oh, and another thing I think you and I are at a point where you don't need to call me by my nick name anymore. You can call me by my given name."

"Which is?" Emma felt odd at not knowing his actual name, his crew referred to him as captain or Hook not his name.

"Killian Jones." he said.

"Killian, I like it. It fits you." she said truthfully. Much more him than Hook.

The way his name sounded coming from her mouth excited him in such way that he had to pull away slowly, if she felt that it would terrify her.

"Thank you, lass, now let's get ourselves a giant!" he said enthusiastically.

Another chapter for you guys :) Please leave a review!

And in case you haven't heard Once Upon A Time season 3 returns Sept. 29th!

*I do not own these characters*