Chapter 10 – Desperate Times

A/N: Ok seriously 2 seconds of Hook last Sunday! That's hardly enough to put a dent in lessening the withdrawal LOL but this Sunday sounds good for keeping us 'sated'. But yikes those spoilers are causing anxiety- Hook, darlin' stop aligning yourself with people who betray you.

Emma awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. She yawned, she stretched and she suddenly remembered she had spent the night sleeping in Hook's arms. She opened her eyes to find herself alone in his bed. Fear gripped her heart, where was he?

She called out, "HOOK!"

"Right here, sweetheart." He came out of a small room off the Captain's quarters. He had what sufficed as a towel wrapped around his waist and he was busy towelling dry his wet hair. The rest of him was 100% soaking wet almost nude pirate. She stared. He smirked.

She finally found her voice. "How did you get so wet?" She tried to focus solely on his eyes but it was hard to ignore his glistening shoulders and chest.

"I took a bath, I'm sorry would you have wanted to perhaps join me?' he asked raising one questioning eye brow.

She scowled at him; the sweet vulnerable pirate of last night was gone again, replaced by the rogue she knew so well. "You actually have a bath tub?"

"Aye." He turned his back on her as he returned back to the small room, which she had always surmised, was a storage closet.

Her eyes opened wider on their own violation as she enjoyed the nice backside view of the pirate.

So he had a bath on board. That's how he always smelled so good; he likely used a soap made with exotic spices. He must have somehow hooked it up to the stove in the galley and the rain barrels located on the ship. She shook her head, it didn't matter she told herself. Her time here was over.

"Emma? Hook?" she heard Whale call out from the deck. She quickly bolted off the bed, pulling on her shoes and jacket. "Come on down."

"How's Hook feeling, was he a model patient?"

She smirked. "For the most part."

Hook came out of the bathroom, wearing black pants, a black shirt and leather vest.

Whale remarked. "Well you are looking a lot better than the last time I saw you."

Hook glanced at Emma "You mean without Swan's handprint on my cheek." He grinned.

Whale laughed. "That too. Let's check you out. Anymore dizzy spells?"

"No."

"Headaches?"

"Yes yesterday but I didn't have one last night." He smirked at Emma.

"Good, come sit on the bed."

Hook obediently obeyed. Whale ran his hand along the back of Hook's head.

"The swelling is gone, no more bump. When was the last time you threw up?"

"Two days ago I think?" Hook looked at Emma for confirmation.

"He was nauseous yesterday but he didn't get sick." She confirmed.

"How about now? Any nausea?" Whale asked as he shone a light into Hook's eyes.

"No, I'm feeling good."

"How are the ribs?" Whale lightly ran his hands down the pirate's sides making him wince.

"They still hurt at times."

Whale nodded, "That will last at least another 3 weeks for the pain to start to disappear entirely. You can start slowly and I emphasize slowly getting back to your regular activities. Nothing strenuous."

"Aye, Doctor."

"That means no stabbing." Emma's threw in for emphasis as Hook glared at her in reply.

Hook thanked Whale. Emma turned away marvelling how polite he was a times. Her stab happy pirate had manners. She stopped herself, not her pirate. She sighed.

She then escorted Whale off the ship. "Thank you for all you've done."

Whale laughed. "It's not often I make ship calls. Good luck, I hope he stays out of trouble."

"So do I." Emma unexpectedly found herself feeling sad. Her time on the ship was done and she would have to leave him here by himself. She smiled perhaps she should get him a pet; at least he'd have some unconditional love.

She went back down to find him still sitting on the bed. He looked kind of forlorn.

"Hey. So you are once again a free man."

He gave her a genuine smile. "Even though you were in actuality the cause of my injury I thank you for ensuring my recovery."

She grew serious. "Hook, I want to talk to you about Rumpelstiltskin."

His expression darkened and closed off.

"What are you going to do?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you really believe that I would tell you so you can thwart my plans again?"

Her temper rose. "Can't you get it through your thick skill that you can't win this? He is too powerful. He will kill you long before you get anywhere near him."

Hook's eyes narrowed and he spoke bitterly. "The one chance I had to kill him when he didn't have magic – you ruined! I'd been waiting 300 years for an opportunity like that and you wreaked it because he is your son's grandfather and you felt what? Protective of that demon? He's a monster, Swan! He's as likely to kill your son if in his twisted mind he thinks he has cause."

Emma was breathing hard. "I understand why you are angry and you can blame me but as you feel like what you're doing is right – so do I feel like what I'm going is right. You didn't get to kill him when he didn't have his powers and now he does again and you can't. Hook, you have to give this up."

His look was pure ice. "I can't give this up, you know that, Swan. I haven't made it a secret. I came here for one reason and that was to exact my revenge for my love, for my happiness. I will find a way to do it or die trying."

She looked at him sadly. "You have stopped living. In a way Milah died to save you and it was a wasted effort. My guess is she would be heartbroken knowing what you've done with her sacrifice."

She knew it was cruel. She knew she hurt him. Her heart did a painful twist just looking at his expression. He didn't say anything, the look in his eyes reminded her how he had looked at her on the beanstalk –hurt and betrayed. She had been able to harden her heart against it then but now she couldn't. She quickly turned from him and went upstairs and left the ship. Her heart hammered and tears prickled in the back of her eyes. Her efforts to get though to him were futile. He wasn't going to budge, he was going to die.

Hook stood staring after her for a long time. His throat was tight. With a cry of frustration he grabbed the nearest object on the nightstand and threw it has hard as he could across the room where it shattered. He realized then with horror it had been a bowl Milah had bought at a market they had visited. It lay in pieces. He dropped to the floor and fingered the pieces and brokenly whispered, "I'm so sorry Milah – so sorry.''

Three days went by before Emma saw Hook again. She walked into Granny's and froze. Hook was slumped over the front counter with a latte in his hand. She stood back quietly observing him.

He was of course dressed in his pirate gear. He looked pale, his black hair mussed. She almost turned to go out the door again when Granny spotted her. "Emma, come on in, there is a latte with your name on it."

She smiled and glanced at Hook. He hadn't turned but she could see his body tense.

She had a crazy urge to go over to him and tell him she was sorry for her words and hug him. But she knew deep down what she had said was true and he needed to hear it but he was too obsessed and stubborn to recognize it.

"Emma!" came a voice from behind her.

She quickly posted a fake smile. "Tamara, how nice to see you."

"Likewise. I'm just finally meeting up with the Captain now that he's feeling better. I get my tour of the ship."

"Great, have fun." She said as she went over the counter to pay for her latte. She couldn't bear glancing at Hook again, yet it seemed her eyes had a mind of their own. He got up and their eyes met. She felt an almost physical jolt. His chin was up and he looked defiant. His eyes were cold. He didn't say a word nor did she. He looked away and strode past her greeting Tamara warmly.

She found herself gritting her teeth. She went to grab her latte to find Granny's narrow eyed gaze on her. "You are the one." She stated.

"Uh pardon?" Emma asked confused.

"Your pirate came here looking like he's lost his best friend. When I asked him if had girlfriend trouble he muttered something about birds. Judging by the looks between the two of you – I'm thinking he meant a Swan?" She smirked.

Emma shook her head. "There is nothing going on between us."

Granny shrugged "You could have fooled me."

It annoyed her to no end – it had been 3 days and she couldn't stop herself from thinking about him. Every look, every touch, and the kisses on the ship replayed in her mind. She fingered her cup; maybe it was better this way. Of course it was better. The last thing she needed right now in her life was the unpredictable complication that was Captain Hook.

Hook stalked back aboard his ship. He cursed his timing at meeting Tink at the coffee shop at the same time that Swan was there. She had no right saying what she did. He refused to think about how Milah might feel. His revenge against the man who killed her was all that mattered. Once that happened he would be sated.

Tamara smiled. "You seem distracted."

He glanced at her. "Not at all, what have you found out about Gold? Apparently he has his dagger back."

"I know, I heard all about it from Neal but Hook I have something powerful – a magical taser that can kill magical creatures."

"What? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"The only time I could have told you was in Manhattan but you were far too obsessed with using your poisoned hook. Your body guard Emma hasn't exactly let me hang around you."

"She is inconsequential. If you had given any indication you had this, I could have gotten her to leave. Bloody hell Tink, the crocodile almost killed me on my ship!

She shrugged.

Hook growled. "What are you planning on doing with it anyway? How can a taser help you?"

"Well my dear Captain, with it I can absorb the power the creature holds and absorb it as my own. Imagine the power I will have if I absorb the Dark Ones magic?"

He looked at her warily. "Why would you want all that power, why would anyone? Other than to perhaps become a demon!"

She smiled like canary eating cat. "Wouldn't you want it? You could skin your crocodile just like that!" she snapped her fingers.

"I will find a way to do that but not by becoming a demon like him." He spat.

"And that's why you will never succeed. You are too obsessed with one thing when you could have everything."

"Can I use this taser to kill him without absorbing his powers?" Hook wondered.

"No."

"Then I'll find another way." Hook declared stubbornly.

"I could kill him for you?"

"No! It's my vengeance; I have to be the one." Hook shouted.

Tamara rolled her eyes. "I could eliminate the ones he cares about, his son and grandson."

Hook's blue eyes flashed. "No!"

"Why not, Hook? Don't tell me sentimentality plays into your plans for revenge?"

"I may not have any respect for Baelfire but he carries Milah's blood as does his son. I won't see them harmed."

Tamara regarded him closely. "Is it Milah's bloodline you are concerned about or the fact that Henry is Emma's son?'

He growled. "That is irrelevant." Then he laughed. "You are grasping at straws, my dear!'

She smiled as she turned away. "You are right of course because nothing could ever happen between you and Emma since she is still in love with Neal."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "I happen to know that has no truth in it."

"Oh but my dear Captain, it is. She still harbours feeling for him as he does for her."

Hook frowned. "If that were true why are you still engaged to him?"

"Because I can keep an eye on the Dark One as well as Emma quite easily."

"For what purpose would you want to keep an eye on Emma?"

"Don't you know she has magical powers?"

"No she doesn't!" he scoffed. He remembered Emma telling him about what Cora did and how she could ward off the dark magic. He was growing increasingly worried about Tink's hunger for more magical powers.

"Hook." Tamara purred. "I've been helping you by tracking your crocodile, you owe me."

His anger rose. "We had no agreement. I do not owe you!'

"Fine then, you will receive no more information and when I get the right opportunity alone with him - I will kill the Dark One."

He took a menacing step towards Tink but she flung her hand out and the thing she held connected with his arm causing him to cry out and fall to the ground.

An excruciating pain coursed through his nerves as he heard her say. "Consider that a mild reminder to stay out of our way."

He gasped. "Our?"

"You'll see." She said sweetly.

It took him a full 30 minutes after she left to stop shaking from the effects of the taser. The pain was incredible but it thankfully ended. He lay on his bed, trying to plan his next action against the crocodile. He didn't believe Tamara could actually kill the crocodile but whatever the case vengeance needed to be his own.

Emma sat on the dock staring out at the ocean. She made a point of facing away from Hook's ship. Being close to the ocean always gave her peace. She loved the sound of waves lapping against the shore.

"Emma." She looked up to find Neal smiling at her.

"Hey, where's Henry?" Her son and his father had been having a mock sword fight at a nearby park.

"Your dad came and picked him up, wanted to take him to Granny's for a burger. Can I sit?" he indicated the empty spot beside her.

She nodded.

He sat down beside her. "I can't believe after all these years our paths crossed again."

Emma looked at him with disbelief. "They could have crossed earlier if you had bothered to try and find me after the curse lifted or better yet we could have stayed together instead of you letting me go to jail for your crime."

He shrugged. "You know I had to do that. Emma, I didn't want to leave you. August said I had to. When I sold all those watches I gave him the money to give to you and the car."

"Neal, those were things they didn't matter. You never wrote me a note, you never tried to contact me just because Pinnochio told you too. And it still doesn't explain why you didn't come when the curse ended."

"I was pretty sure you wouldn't want to see me." He explained.

"Guess I wasn't in your thoughts much considering you hooked up with Tamara at around the same time."

"I thought you would have moved on long before that."

She shook her head. "Maybe when I love someone I don't forget them so easily, maybe when I love it runs deeper." The words came out of her mouth as Hook entered her mind.

Neal looked stormy.

"And Neal it would really have been nice, knowing I spent time in jail for you, plus had your child, if you had at least once bothered to apologize!"

Neal's eyes widened. "That's what you want? You want me to say I'm sorry? Of course I'm sorry, I just figured you would know that. Emma, we share a child. I still care a lot about you, I want us to be close for Henry's sake."

Emma swallowed the thickness in her throat. "You've been a good dad to Henry in the short while you've known him, and I am grateful to you for that. We can be friends for his sake but nothing more. What we had ended a long time ago."

He nodded. "And I have Tamara to consider."

"Yes, yes you do." She said staring back out at the ocean. "She's probably wondering where you are."

He grinned as he got up. "See you soon."

She waited till he walked away and put her head in her hands. All these years she couldn't trust anyone, always feeling like they would abandon her. Neal apparently had no such issues nor any sense what he did to her. She wished she had never crossed paths with him again, then she felt horribly guilty for Henry's sake. He had a father now and he deserved a father. Tears started to choke her. She rarely ever allowed herself to cry, it didn't come easily for her to give in to the pain. She sobbed. Suddenly a hand softly brushed across her hair.

So my lovely readers as always my muse dances when reviews show up and sends pirate cuddles to all reviewers.

I have a question for you. It has been revealed that 'something' happens between rumpel and neal that is 'forever' a game changer between them. Do you think: A) Neal finds out Rumpel killed his mom? B) Neal is revealed to be evil? C) Neal dies saving Henry's life? D) Rumpel accidentally kills Neal while aiming for someone else? E) Neal is Peter Pan F)Rumpel turns back time and neal becomes 14 year old Bae.

Would love to hear your theories…