A/N: Thank you for the reviews and follows! I appreciate every one of them and every one of you guys! Enjoy the update!
Emma looked around the ship for guns or knives or both. She knew Captain Hook had weapons somewhere. Not that she needed them to fight Baelfire but it always made her feel comfortable to know she had something as backup. She had taken him down before and she would do it again if it meant stopping him from harming someone. She grunted in annoyance watching his boat moving faster and faster in the water and she wondered why she was important to him, what role he had here. She racked her brain for answers but all she could think of was what Peter had told her once, "if magic is a part of you then magic will always find you." She had always had magical people in her life, she always felt some sense of connection to this world but even at the thought of a connection she felt her heart beating in her chest and she tossed the thought from her mind. "I'm sure his heart doesn't beat here," She mumbled about Baelfire. He was a pain in her ass.
She grunted as she picked up crates and barrels searching for something, anything. "Fuck. No weapons? He always had weapons," Emma says to herself, looking frazzled. This new Hook was not one she was used to. Where was his crew? His weapons? His demanding demeanor? Emma looks around helpless. She hadn't used magic in years and she doubts she could do much with it now. "Maybe if I just focus myself," She thought but she knew magic wasn't going to come shooting out of her fingertips like an old friend. She wasn't even sure if magic still existed here.
"Emma!" a voice yells from below her and she stands up at the sound of Baelfire's voice, looking to the captain's room to make sure his lights were still off. They were and she breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't want Captain Hook dealing with Baelfire, especially when he had been drinking. Although she wasn't sure if Hook would attack Baelfire, she wasn't sure of much anymore.
"Baelfire…" Emma says back, turning slowly around to where he was climbing up. His feet scraped against the sides of the boat and she feels her eye twitching a little. He had no dignity for the Jolly Roger.
"Emma!" He screams, pulling himself over the side to stand before her. He was disheveled, breathing heavily and looking at her with confusion. She sighed a little, he looked like hell.
"I… what are you doing?" Baelfire asks her.
"Uh… escaping from you?" Emma shrugs, eyeing him warily.
"You're a prisoner!" he says looking around the boat.
"Do I look like a prisoner?"
"Well… uh…no," Baelfier admits, looking at Emma who was leaning easily against the side of the boat, her hair a little messy but she overall looked fine compared to him.
"Why are you here?" Emma asks him and he stands taller, looking hurt that she'd even ask.
"I'm here to save you," He says back to her and it's her turn to look confused.
"Baelfire…"
"I know that he took you," Baelfire says, walking towards her and she takes a step back.
"He took me to protect me… You took me to give me to Pan," Emma says, trying to keep her voice level and clear. She had a feeling he wasn't in the best state of mind.
"You don't understand… You have no idea how important you are," Baelfire says to her but she shakes her head furiously at him.
"I've been through this before…In fact, Neverland is like this because of me," Emma spits at him, trying to get through to him, "I do nothing but hurt this place."
"And you can change it back! You can change Pan back!" Baelfire screams at her.
"I'm sorry… I just can't do that," Emma says, turning her back again to Baelfire. She can hear him moving about but she just leans against the wood of the boat, sighing, her hands shaking and she presses them on her cheeks trying to calm herself. He was a foolish dreamer and he had no idea the damage she could cause. She hears a little click behind her and it makes her still for a second. She knew that sound.
"I'm sorry too Emma… but I need you to change Pan back. If you don't, he's going to die and all of that dark magic is going to be released once again into the world for anyone to capture… and if you think Pan is bad you obviously haven't fought much with the Evil Queen," Baelfire says to her and she turns around furiously, about to scream that she doesn't want this, that she never wanted this but he's holding a gun, no not a gun, her gun, and pointing it straight at her head, his hand steady and his face serious. She stops.
"You wouldn't kill me, you need me," Emma says back, her eyebrows narrowing.
"You're right. But I think you also know how much pain I can cause when I want to," He spits back at her and she touches the scar on her chin absentmindedly.
"I thought you were above that now," Emma says to him, hoping to reach the clutsy, scared, boy she knows is in there.
"You don't understand. Pan's my brother," He says back to her, his jaw tightening and Emma opens her mouth in shock. A flash of fear crosses Baelfire's eyes at the mention of his brother. He didn't want to hurt her, she could see that now, but he would do anything to save his family.
"Is that why you hurt me all those years ago?" Emma asks him.
"My brother… he sent me through a portal when I was little… he said he was trying to protect me but all of a sudden I was alone and terrified and I was desperate," Baelfire says, his voice cracking as he talks.
"I was put into the foster system with a new name and a new life… and… and nobody cares for a pushover Emma and that's what I was my whole life. A pushover," He says to her, his voice stammering, "Well, I finally got a message from my brother saying that he had escaped too, that the curse hadn't hit him and that it hadn't hit you but you were here… in the foster system. He told me that you could take away my father's magic, that you could bring my family back together. He told me I had to get you to wish that you could go somewhere else. I had to get you to wish for my brother… he said he would come save us both… but he didn't. He only saved you. When I saw him… what I saw wasn't my brother… He flew, he… he had magic… he was different. And I knew I had to get to him I just didn't know how," Baelfire was speaking faster, running his hands through his hair anxiously.
Emma stays quiet, nodding in understanding and standing taller, walking a little towards him. Baelfire kept his gun aimed at her, both staring at each other, trying to figure out what the other wanted.
"And I could do that because…"
"Because you are from the enchanted forest. You are Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter… taken for use by the creator of Neverland, Peter Pan," Baelfire nodded to her, confirming a truth that Emma didn't even realize she had been waiting for.
"If you help me… I will help you find your home," Baelfire says quietly to her. Emma stops, her mind racing fast, neither noticing the Captain's door flying open on the deck.
The Captain moves fast, practically breaking the door open in anger. Killian's jaw is clenched, his hand pulling the sword from his side easily and his eyes daring Baelfire to try and run.
"Lower the gun from her or I kill you, right here and now," Killian snarls at Baelfire, his eyebrows furrowed on his forehead and his hook shining menacingly at his side. Baelfire starts to take a step back and Hook aims the sword at his neck.
"Killian no… Don't!" Emma starts but he barely glances in her direction, his eyes baring into Baelfire's soul.
"Nobody threatens my Swan," He spits and Baelfire's eyes glance between the two of them, a glimmer of confusion across his eyes but he nods, lowering the sword.
"I didn't realize she was yours," Baelfire smirks at Killian.
"That's because I'm not his," Emma states, and she sees Killian glance at her out of the corner of her eye but nothing more, "I don't belong to anybody," Emma states, standing between the two boys. At that Baelfire smiles a little and Hook's eyes gleam with territorial anger at him.
"You're going to regret stepping onto this ship," Hook threatens.
"Well you're going to regret getting in my way," Baelfire threatens him back, aiming the gun at him instead and Emma rolls her eyes at the pair of them. "You think you follow a code? You're nothing but a washed up pirate, with no crew, and so little dignity you actually had to kidnap Emma just to see her!" Baelfire laughs at Hook, who just stares back silently, taking in his words. Emma sighs, staring between them, wanting to comfort Killian and also smack him for being so stupid but instead she just stands where she is, waiting for Killian to call Baelfire a girl and start pulling his hair. "This ridicu…" Emma begins but Hook cuts her off.
"If you knew me… you'd know I don't follow a code anymore… I don't show mercy on this ship," He snarls, taking a swipe at Baelfire. Emma shouts in shock and Baelfire immediately jumps back, the blade just barely nicking his chest and he shouts in pain, dropping the gun at Emma's feet. His chest is bleeding lightly and he looks up to Killian's face, which has turned white with anger, his eyes dark and soulless. Even Emma looks surprised at the outburst. "I am not the man I used to be," Hook snarls, trying to bring his sword down again, finishing him. Baelfire screams, closing his eyes and instead feeling a strong shove pushing him out of the way and he opens his eyes to see Emma standing next to him pointing the gun at the Captain.
"Emma… move," He says to her.
"No. He may be an ass, and a kidnapper, and a bully, and…wait…" Emma starts, confusing herself and making Killian smile a little at her insults, "but he's human… and he's just trying to save his family," Emma states and Baelfire lowers his eyes to the ground.
"He tried to hurt you," Killian says simply.
"So have you," Emma shrugs, lowering the gun, "but I still don't wish you were dead."
Hook stares at Baelfire, glaring at him but he lowers his sword all the same.
"If you try to hurt her again. I will do more then a little scrape," Killian spits at him.
"He won't… Because I'm going with him," Emma states.
"You are?" Baelfire looks at her in shock but she just nods to him.
"But only if you help me find my home," Emma nods.
"Well then I'm coming too," Hook shrugs and Emma opens her mouth in protest but Hook raises his hand up to silence her, "Don't test me, love. I'm coming."
"But it's dangerous," Emma says, immediately regretting opening her mouth.
"Yeah it's dangerous," Baelfire says to Hook, standing next to Emma and crossing his arms over his chest, to which Emma replies by moving herself a step away from him mumbling something about personal space.
"That's fine, lass. I don't mind a challenge," Killian smirks, eyeing Baelfire with disdain.
"Whatever. Where to first?" Emma asks, turning to Baelfire.
"Skull Rock," He answers, watching Emma's face turn white.
"Are you alright, Swan?" Killian asks, reaching to hold her if she fainted but she shakes it off.
"Of course. Let's go," She states blankly, looking across the waters and pushing down any memories of her and Pan and that cave.