And so I have made another plot twist. Thanks for your reviews MissiB and Anny Rodrigues.
Hook set Regina back on her feet. They walked hand in hand through the jungle casting away vines and other plants as they went along.
"You look tired, you want to rest for a second your majesty?" Hook asked after a while.
"Yes, thank you." Regina took a seat on rock, looking quite pale, with a film of sweat on her forehead.
"You alright?" Hook asked.
"I'm not sure." Regina placed a trembling hand on her forehead. "I don't feel alright."
Hook pulled her into his arms. "It's pretty hot out right now, perhaps that's all it is."
"I don't know…" Regina trailed off and then collapsed—rather she would have had Hook not been holding her body in place, sort of, she slumped over his arms.
"Oh come on mate! Now what's wrong with you?" He questioned out loud. Hook resumed the task of carrying her. Hook began to wonder if it was a better idea to bring her to Tiger Lily to see if the Indian girl could be of any help or if the crocodile was his best bet. As hours slipped away Regina was becoming harder to carry, Hook's arms growing limp. "I do wish you were easier to carry."
"What are you trying to say?" Regina looked up at him with tired eyes.
"I wish I was stronger." Hook mentally slapped himself, embarrassed that the queen had thought he called her fat.
"That better be what you mean." Regina gave a weak laugh. "Where are we?"
"A good hour and a half away from the Jolly Roger." Hook told her.
"You got that far, with me in your arms?" Regina asked.
"I said I'd carry you all the way home" Hook smiled. Out of nowhere Regina gave a small cry and put her hand to her head. "What is happening to you." Hook asked. "I'm going to put you down, okay?"
Regina nodded. "Okay." And Hook did just that. Leaning over her Hook placed his one and only comforting hand on her arm and squeezed.
"Just hang in there your majesty." Hook muttered. "Hang in there." And just like that Hook found himself staring at little Regina. "Oh come on, not again. I wanted a wife not a child!"
"What are you talking about?" Regina asked.
"You're a kid again." Hook answered.
Regina blinked at him. "I thought I fixed that."
"Apparently not mate." Hook frowned.
Regina mirrored his frown upon inspecting her tiny hands. "But I fixed this problem." She repeated herself.
"This morning you had trouble using magic. Do you think that has anything to do with it?" Hook asked.
Regina considered. "Possibly."
"I'm almost afraid to bring you back on my ship." Hook confessed.
"I can still think like an adult. I just don't look like one." Regina pointed out.
Hook lifted Regina back up. "You don't need to carry me anymore." Regina stated.
"Yes, but I want to." Hook responded. Regina smiled and leaned over his shoulder. Eventually the pair arrived back at the Jolly Roger. "I'm going to let the crocodile know what's going on, wait here if you will." Hook sat Regina on her bed. He then went back on deck, Henry taking his place.
"Where did you go?" Emma asked.
"After you all so kindly left me buried in the sand a deranged little boy—Peter Pan if you can't take hints—decided to take me on an adventure. Madame Mayor decided to come along for the trip." Hook explained.
"And you let her?" Mary Margret asked "Jesus, Hook she's only, what, 5 years old right now?"
"Yeah, about that, I found out she could still use magic and convinced her to turn herself back to normal." Hook explained.
"Yes, that does explain why you boarded this ship with a little girl in your arms." David replied snidely.
"That's what I came to ask a certain crocodile." Hook spared a glance in Gold's direction.
"She wouldn't listen to the mermaid's song and now it has a reversed effect on her. No matter how much of her own magic she puts forward she'll revert back to her child form. And her magic defiantly won't be as reliable. We need Peter to turn her back." Mr. Gold explained matter of factly.
"Well let's get on that." Hook suggested.
"How about we get you two something to eat first?" Emma asked. "While we don't that, you can go let Regina know what's going on."
Hook walked back below deck to see Regina coloring on the wall. "Hey pirate, ya wanna join me?"
"Regina Mills!" Hook screamed. "I thought I'd never have to deal with this again."
"You don't." Regina laughed "I'm just messing with you." She put down the crayon and walked over to Hook's side.
"It was my idea!" Henry declared with some degree of pride.
"Don't do it again." Hook rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed.
"No guarantees." Regina smiled and took a seat in his lap. "So Hook, what's going on?"
Hook took a deep breath and began explaining the situation.