"Let her go, Hook," Felix said through clenched teeth, his hand clutching the club painfully. He could feel his body shaking in fury as he watched the thin line of blood trail down her neck and beneath her shirt. If he ever got his hands on Hook.
"I want to leave," Hook answered, digging the sword deeper when Felix moved.
Pan hadn't moved from the moment he saw the blood, he was as still as a statue weighing his options. Losing her would send Felix over the edge, driving him mad with rage and sadness; many of the boys had grown fond of her as well, her death would be seen as his own fault in their eyes; and there was his own fondness for the girl who'd been more lost than any of them, one he'd never admit to even himself. He wasn't left with many options. "Then why haven't you?" he demanded, his mouth turned down in a scowl.
Hook laughed shortly, his eyes trained on the leader - he was the more dangerous one, even if Felix's eyes were screaming murder. "No one can leave without your permission," he told Pan. "Give me and my men the permission to leave and she is all yours, no further harm." He watched Pan's eyes narrow as he thought. It was a good deal, Hook now just had to wait for Pan to take it.
Cami blinked a few times before she realized she was awake, her eyes staring at the expanse of the sky above her; her heart pounding in her brain. "Ah good, you're awake," she heard Hook say.
Painfully she turned her aching head to glare at him, seeing she was laying on the deck of his ship. She was on her feet in an instant, which was a mistake because her legs gave way the moment the world turned on its side.
"Easy now, love," Hook said having caught her before she fell, gently lowering her to sit.
They were sailing away from Storybrooke, away from the people she had come to know - away from Regina. "What the hell are you doing?" she yelled even though it only made her head hurt worse. "Turn around now."
"That isn't going to happen," he told her amusedly as he took his place behind the helm, though a look at her pale face told him that wouldn't cut it for her.
"Oh yes it is," she said struggling to her feet once more, grabbing onto a rail and clinging to it. "We are not leaving them all to die," she said angrily.
Hook's eyes hardened at that, already warring with himself about going back; but he had the bean, he had his ship, he had her, there was no reason to go back. "And why should I listen to you?"
"Because you hit me over the head," she retorted, feeling anger boil in her blood at his amused smile.
"You wouldn't have come with me if I hadn't," he admitted, shrugging at her look of bewilderment.
It left her not knowing what to say anymore, though she had to think of something and quickly. "Since when do you care about me?"
He shrugged again, as though he had to think about it. "I always have," he said flashing a smile at her.
She stared hard at him, even after he'd turned away. She knew him, she knew him too well to have believed his words. "You weren't really gonna take me back to Neverland, were you?" she asked, knowing it was true even before he answered.
He didn't offer much of an apology, nor did he really care to. "I had hoped it would get you to come with me," he told her honestly though he didn't look at her.
She stared up at him distrusting, knowing Hook was in things only for himself. But she didn't quite believe that, not completely.
Pan could feel Felix's eyes on him, his body tense ready to attack, knowing he was pleading for him to say yes. "Fine," he said, his mouth pulled so tight it looked like he was grimacing; he so hated to lose," you can leave."
"And my men," Hook bargained, tightening his hold on Rapunzel, a small sound escaping her mouth as the blade dug deeper into her throat.
Pan's eyes were as dark as they'd ever been, murderous even. "And your men," Pan agreed through clenched teeth, hearing Felix nearly growl in outrage at the sight of more blood. He watched Rapunzel closely, seeing Hook whisper something he couldn't hear in ear. She was looking at Hook out of the corner of her eye and even then Pan could see her surprise. He was watching her so intently he saw the small movement of her head that meant no and moments later Hook released her. Felix didn't waste a second before charging forward to sweep her into his arms and off the ship, not caring about the pirates anymore now that he had her back.
...
"Come with me," is what Hook had whispered, staring hard in her blue eyes. He'd known her for years, when she was completely happy with Felix, and now when she wasn't. He saw the want in her eyes, he knew a part of her wanted to leave; he'd have taken her if she'd yes. But she didn't.
"Go back," she told him softly, seeing the questioning in his eyes when he glanced up at her. "It's good form."
The look in his eye softened at her words. This was the Rapunzel he knew, the sweet girl who knew there was good in everyone - had known there was good in him. There was a time when she'd had him wrapped around her finger, had convinced him to take her on his ship because she'd never even seen one. And now he wondered if she always would; the sweet girl with the sad eyes who just wanted to be loved.
Cami sat down in a heap when he turned the ship around, entirely relieved that he was finally listening; she knew he would, he was really a good man even if he tried not to be. "You like her," she said with a smile, seeing his appalled eyes when he looked down at her. "It's okay," she told him, raising her hand in a whatever gesture, "everyone likes her."
He looked at her smirking, seeing she was dazed from how hard he'd hit her. "You don't," he said. "I can hear it in your voice," he said answering her questioning stare, smiling when she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah well," she offered before losing her train of thought and slumping against a beam, "whatever," she muttered making him laugh lightly.
It was several long minutes before they reached the dock and he dropped the anchor before turning to where she sat. "Land ho," he offered making her smile.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Emma demanded when he walked down the stairs to reach the dock, seeing why Rapunzel didn't like her.
She was fiery, passionate, a little irritating and very untrusting. "Helping."
"Well you're too late," she told him sternly as she walked around the stairs to meet. "I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself," she said softly.
"Maybe I just needed reminding that I could," he said placing the bag in her hand, nearly hearing Rapunzel scoff like he knew she did - she was the one who deserved the credit, yet he was giving it to Emma.
Cami sat watching the sky above her turn in circles, hearing their voices but not caring enough to really listen. She was so tired, her eyes were so heavy; she just wanted to sleep. But with sleep came dreaming.
Felix set her down when they were far into the trees, completely separate from anyone else. He brushed her hair aside almost frantically searching for where she was hurt.
"I'm alright," she said trying to calm him down, seeing in his eyes he was very close to tears - something that she'd never seen before. "I'm alright," she said louder, though he didn't act like he'd heard her - he wiped the blood from her chest and her neck, seeing she hadn't been cut too deeply. "Felix."
He looked at her worried eyes, feeling her hands on his chest; his own hands were shaking and he was struggling to breathe as his heart pounded relentlessly - he had never been so afraid.
She stared up at him, watching his eyes glance over all of her face, seeing he was shaking. "I'm okay," she whispered, moving her hand from his chest to his face, seeing his eyes close at her touch. He pulled her to him, clutching her tight to his chest and breathing her in; he couldn't believe she'd helped Baelfire leave, not then. All he could think about then was that she was okay, that he could feel her warm against him, that she was his. She barely realized he'd moved before he'd already grabbed the back of her head and was pulling her mouth to his. He felt her sigh as she relaxed against him, letting him lower her to the ground and settle on top of her. She was okay. She was his.
"Rapunzel," she heard Hook's voice loud and hard through her gray fog.
"Cami." She looked up to see Regina kneeling beside her and she gave her a lazy smile. "Hey."
"What did you do to her?" Regina demanded turning hot eyes on the pirate.
He gave a weak smile. "I may have hit her a little too hard," he admitted, looking to Emma to see her hard eyes watching him.
"How do you know her?" she asked, what she'd wanted to ask in the diner but there'd been no time.
"Well," he started looking to the girl to see whether she wanted him to tell her, and instead saw Regina's hand over her head.
Regina helped Cami to her feet, brushing her hair back to see the faded bruise before turning at the sound of Gold's voice. "So, are you done trying to kill me?" he asked, his eyes glittering dangerously should Hook say no.
"I believe so," Hook answered reluctantly, relinquishing hold of the very thing that had driven him for years; not an easy thing to let go of. But he looked behind his crocodile to see Rapunzel, nodding slightly at her small smile.
"Excellent," Gold said with false pleasantness, "then you can live."
Cami didn't like him, never had; he'd scared her the first time they met, and then convinced Regina to stop caring about her - and what Baelfire had told her of him certainly didn't help. No, she didn't like him at all.
She stood beside Regina as they all watched Gold summon the Magic Ball and then prick his finger to activate it. The moment his blood swirled into a shape she knew exactly where they were going.
"Where is that?" Regina asked looking at the land mass and not recognizing it. "Where did they take Henry?"
Hook looked at Rapunzel, waiting for her to look up at him and seeing the wariness in her eyes when she did. "Neverland," he answered quietly, a place he had hoped never to return.
"Alright," Emma said stepping forward, seeing Cami still beside Regina, "you should stay here, it could be dangerous." Her son had been taken, she wouldn't be responsible for another kid.
Hook moved slightly to hide Rapunzel's angry eyes from Emma. "Trust me Ms. Swan," he said, "you'll want her with you."
Emma stared up at him confusedly, seeing he was waiting for her to understand. "She was," she started shocked before looking to Cami. It was all too much in so little time, she could barely comprehend that Cami had been in Neverland - had met Neal in Neverland because it made so much sense. They could have lived there for centries and come back looking the same as when they'd first arrived. There was a warning in Hook's eyes when Emma looked back to him, he wouldn't be leaving without her. And so she nodded stepping back, still trying to wrap her head around it.
Regina kept a hand on Cami's back, though she was no less surprised than Emma had been. She'd never thought Rapunzel could have been to another land, could have found other people to call family; she'd never talked about it. And even then, looking at Cami's face, she still wasn't talking.
Cami was as shocked as them. It was always the plan to go back, Peter hadn't thought she'd stay away - not when Felix was still there. But she thought she'd be ready when she'd return, ready for the hatred and the suspicion. Now it was being thrust upon her, she wasn't ready, she had no choice. She was going back to Neverland.