Chapter 11
Killian was helping to fix the rigging when a shout met his ears. Looking around, he saw that the crew of the Royal Navy ship was continuing on for the most part, those who were coherent anyway. His alter ego had done a number of things of these men, some of whom were still unconscious. David, now carrying Neal, Snow, Henry, and Captain Norrington, however, all looked up at the cry.
Looking over the railing into the town that he used to know so well, he saw two figures running toward the ship. As they came closer to the ship, one looked very familiar.
Norrington went down the gangplank to join the couple on the pier. Robin Hood was breathing heavily and the woman he was with looked angry. So Robin hadn't been kidnapped with the others. Killian looked at the others in his party, and he saw that Snow and David were staring at the man who so resembled their dead friend. The woman with Robin was discussing something with the captain, and the way she was gesturing, Killian could only guess that she was demanding answers.
Killian walked over to Snow and David, "Looks like Robin wasn't kidnapped after all," he said.
"I guess not," David said still watching the captain attempting to calm the woman.
"But who's the woman with him?" Snow wondered aloud. "Maybe they know something about what happened to Emma and Regina. Robin was supposedly part of their party after all."
Killian nodded, and he led the group down on to the pier to meet the others. When the woman noticed them, she stopped mid-sentence and stared for a few seconds. Then she forcefully pushed the captain out of the way and seized Henry.
"Henry! Oh my god!" she said shrilly. Her voice sounded familiar, but the way she had exclaimed at seeing Henry, Killian wasn't sure if he knew it or not. Henry stood there awkwardly, arms at his side, not sure what to do.
She released him, but continued to hold him at arm's length. "Umm… sorry, but do I know you?" Henry asked, sounding as confused as Killian felt.
"What?" the woman said, sounding more calm but surprised. And then Killian realized why the voice sounded familiar.
Snow apparently recognized it too, "Regina? Is that you?"
"Of course it's… oh damn," Regina said, and then she waved a hand over her face, turning back into the woman they all knew. "Sorry, I forgot." The captain was staring at her, mouth open.
"Mom!" Henry cried in joy, and he hugged his mother again.
"Oh it's so good to see you!" Snow said, hugging the other woman when Henry released her. "We were so worried."
"So you must all be from this Storybrooke, I take it?" Robin asked. Snow nodded, releasing Regina, and glancing from him to Regina and back and giving Regina a meaningful look.
David quickly walked over to Norrington and muttered, "please don't mention this to anyone, Captain. We appreciate your discretion."
"But isn't that…" the captain started, staring at Regina.
"Discretion, Captain," Snow said, looking at him. Noticing the captain's face, Regina waved her hand in front of her own again, changing back into the unrecognizable woman.
"We found it easier to travel, when people weren't scared of me," Regina shrugged. Then she was looking at them all each in turn. "How the hell did you all get here?" she asked.
"Never mind that," Killian said impatiently. He didn't feel much relief that Regina was safe, Emma was still kidnapped and with his old self. "Where's Emma?"
"She went to see you," Regina explained sounding frustrated, and motioning to him. "We'd heard that you had the Sorcerer's Wand and she thought she could get it from you." Killian could feel hatred rising for this other man.
"You let her go alone?" David asked incredulously.
"Begging your pardon, Charming, but I didn't let her do anything. She's kind of a stubborn woman, in case you hadn't noticed. She thought she could control him, and it would be easier if she could seduce him. At least, I assume that was her thought process, judging by her actions," Regina said, sounding annoyed.
"She was trying to do seduce him?!" Killian burst out, feeling enraged. Suddenly he remembered feeling this same jealousy the last time Emma had flirted with a different version of himself. He wanted to punch this one out too.
"But aren't you him?" the captain asked sounding thoroughly confused. Killian ignored him and stared at Regina who was raising her eyebrows at Killian.
"Yes, pirate. She was trying to seduce him," Regina said, patiently. Out of the corner of his eye, Killian noticed Henry and David looking extremely uncomfortable at the turn in this conversation. Maybe Regina noticed too, because she went on, "I'm not really sure what happened. The innkeeper offered the three of us, Robin, Prince Henry, and I, a bottle of wine. We each had a glass, and the next thing I know, Robin and I are both waking up in locked rooms in the inn, and Emma and Prince Henry were gone. I managed to get some of the truth out of the innkeeper," she added with a dark, but pleased, look on her face. Snow gave Regina a look, and Regina shrugged, "She'll be fine." Captain Norrington shifted uncomfortably.
"Yes, well, we've heard that the Jolly Roger sailed off with at least Emma late last night." Snow explained. "It wasn't clear if the rest of you were with her or not, since no one seemed to know where you'd gone."
"Wait, do you guys have a way to get back home?" Regina asked them all. Neal started crying and David tried to shush him, bobbing him up and down. "And come to think of it, how did you break the curse? And why on earth, did you bring the kid?" she asked, gesturing to Neal.
In response, Killian reached into his inside pocket, pulled the wand out and handed it to her. "You got Gold to give you the wand and Zelena to use it? How?" she asked, pocketing the wand.
"A few things have happened since you left," Henry said conspiratorially.
"And we were just trying to fix the ship so we could take off after them when you arrived. Lucky you woke up when you did. We might've left without you," Snow said.
"Fix the ship?" Robin asked. It was odd talking to a man that he knew to be dead. Vaguely, Killian wondered how Regina was handling that one.
"Sabotage," the captain chimed in, sounding as though he was happy to be able to be part of the conversation, and not liking that he didn't understand the rest. "The crew of the Jolly Roger must have known we'd try to go after the princess once we'd learned of the kidnapping, and wanted to stop us as long as they could."
"Well I can fix that," Regina said starting to raise a hand.
"Not here, Regina!" Snow said grabbing her arm to stop her. "At least wait until we're on board."
Regina growled but acquiesced. Norrington was still glancing from face to face as though trying to figure out what was going on. When Regina had raised her hand, he had watched it like a viper that was ready to strike. He was still watching it when he said, "well, why don't we all get on board then?"
The group agreed and they all followed him back on board. Regina walked to the far side of the ship where she couldn't be seen from the dock and she waved a hand. Ropes sprang into life and pieces of the rigging were suddenly back where they belonged. Some of the crew who hadn't regained consciousness began to stir as well. The ones who were already awake stared as their ship seemed to come alive. Norrington did his best to reassure them that everything was fine.
"Captain, do you mind if we use your cabin to talk?" Snow asked Norrington politely. Killian was ready to scream at all the pleasantries that some of his companions were showing. It was taking too long.
The captain nodded and led them all to his cabin where they grouped inside. He looked at them all carefully, realized that he wasn't wanted and bowed his way out saying, "Now, that everything seems to be in order," he glanced uncertainly at Regina and went on, "we will make our way south at once." He closed the door behind him.
"Regina," Snow began at once, "what happened here? We only heard bits from the blue fairy and Rumpelstiltskin. He said that he'd given you a bean, and you'd used it. But your still here, what went wrong?"
Killian saw Regina glance surreptitiously at Robin, who said, "I think that would be my fault, you Majesty." They all looked at him. "I might have been attempting to rob them at the time."
"You did what?" David said loudly.
Robin shrugged, "A thief has to make a living." Then he looked at them all, his face a mixture of curiosity and surprise, as though a thought had just occurred to him. "I was a thief in your reality, wasn't I? I take it the rest of you all know me as well?"
Regina grinned very slightly at him and nodded, but the members of Killian's party were watching him.
"Yes, we knew you," Snow said carefully. "Just how much did Regina and Emma tell you about our world."
"Everything," Robin said cheerfully. "At least, almost everything, I think."
"Never mind all that," Killian said waving his good hand at them all. Shouts from outside the cabin, and movement under their feet told Killian that Norrington had been true to his word. They were already setting off. He continued to the group, "How do we find Emma, and then how do we find our bloody way back to Storybrooke."
"Well," David said, turning to face him. "It's your alter ego that took her. What would you have done?"
"I already told you, mate, I would have gone south and planned to hold her for ransom."
"And would you have done anything else to her?" David asked quietly. His tone was mild, but his eyes were ablaze.
Hook knew what the man was asking, and it made him snarl in his throat. He narrowed his eyes at David. This man really did think the worst of him, didn't he? He may have been a pirate, but he wasn't a monster. He always held on to honor. Becoming a pirate hadn't changed that. "I wouldn't have harmed her, mate. Not in any serious way."
David was staring daggers back at Hook, distrustfully. The ring in his pocket suddenly felt very heavy. He probably shouldn't have brought it.
"Can we put away the rulers, please?" Regina said sounding annoyed. Hook broke eye contact with David and looked at Regina who was glancing from him to David. Bloody prince thinks he's so much better than me. Then Hook glanced at Snow who was looking at her husband, clearly annoyed. Killian let the anger go.
"So, if you were looking for the sorcerer's wand, you must have had a plan to use it?" Henry said to Regina, changing the conversation pointedly.
"Truthfully, that was Emma's idea. I wasn't sure what she had intended to do with it if we'd found it, since I can't use it. Maybe she'd hoped that she could now that she's experienced a little darkness herself," Regina said thoughtfully. "Doing anything to find a way home was better than doing nothing," she added more to herself.
"Well, now that we have the one from Storybrooke, maybe she can use it," Killian said hopefully.
"We have to find her first," Robin said. "They must have taken the prince too, we couldn't find him back at the inn when we awoke. Now I've heard that the Jolly Roger is the fastest ship in the realms," Robin looked meaningfully at Killian and continued, "is that true, or just rumor propagated by it's captain?"
"It's true," Killian said. Mostly. "It's unlikely that this ship will be able to catch up to her."
"I think it's time I help with that," Regina said. She walked over to the window in the cabin and glanced out. The port town of Liamsburg was shrinking away behind them. "I had warned Emma to be cautious when we sped up the ship before. We didn't want to get noticed, but I think the time for subtly has passed."
She put up both hands facing the sky through the window, back behind the ship. Hook could see clouds suddenly roiling above them. The sails were suddenly filled and he could hear the wind as it suddenly pressed into the wall of the cabin. Through the window he could see more than one of the sailors get pushed around, and even knocked over by the sudden explosion of wind. He smiled, he would find Emma soon enough.
It was completely dark when the captain came in to let them know that they were traveling faster than he'd ever seen. He subtly asked if Regina had anything to do with it, but she simply smiled at him. He looked uncomfortable knowing this and he left quickly. Neal had fallen asleep on Henry's lap, who had also fallen asleep while sitting against the wall. Snow and Robin appeared to be dozing as well, sitting at the small table in the room.
No one had said anything for quite some time, and Killian was thinking about walking around the deck to clear his head. He was still feeling irked from David's questions. After everything they'd been through, how could David still question his honor that way? Even as a pirate, he would have never done something like what he was suggesting. He'd always liked women who could compete with him. Strong, fierce, and independent. Like Milah. Like Emma. David did give Killian his blessing to propose to Emma, albeit grudgingly, so he must understand he was like that now at least.
Killian got up and started for the door. He could feel David and Regina's eyes on his back, but he ignored them. The cabin door opened silently, but a burst of wind slapped him in the face when he stepped out. Regina was keeping them moving quickly.
There were few crewmembers on deck, but more than he would have expected. Maybe because the captain knew why they were moving so fast and he was compensating for it? Ignoring the wind, Killian wandered to the railing and looked out, leaning on the hard wood. Glancing down at the water, he could guess how fast they were going, and Regina had been right. The ship was going faster than the Jolly Roger would have been able to unaided. They might even catch up by morning or afternoon tomorrow.
He wondered how his other self was treating Emma. He wouldn't have hurt her, not really. It's possible he might have been a little rough with her in order to make her come along with him. Probably just to get her into the brig. But nothing she wouldn't be able to handle. But then, Emma had magic, so how could he have been holding her against her will? Is it possible that she went with him willingly?
No.
There was no way Emma would have left Regina behind. And why take the Prince if that was the case? That didn't make any sense at all, so Killian dismissed the idea. The only thing that made sense was she truly had been kidnapped. But again, how could this Captain Hook have held her against her will when she had magic? Could he have drugged her? It's possible, but even the wine that had prevented Regina and Robin from following only lasted most of a day. She would have awoken by now and broken out.
Maybe that's exactly what happened and she was on her way back to Liamsburg? Maybe she was already there and looking for Regina? That thought made his stomach drop. What if they'd completely missed her? What if –
BOOM
The ship rocked and Killian was grateful he'd been holding on to the railing the way he had, otherwise, he might've gone flying. Shaking his head clear, he looked around. The few crewmembers on the deck were mostly on the ground, and trying to stand back up. Only a couple had managed to stay upright, mostly those who'd been holding on to something like he had.
Looking towards the bow, Killian could see another ship coming into view out of the darkness. It looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't be sure. A blast of light burst from the other ship, and their ship rocked again. The others from his party came spilling out of the cabin at the same time that the captain of the ship came up from below shouting orders and demanding to know what was going on.
"Pirates, Captain!" one sailor said loudly.
Glancing upward, at the other ship, as it came more into view, Killian could see the skull and crossbones of the pirate flag. This wasn't the Jolly Roger, but he was familiar with the ship. He swore.
"Return fire!" Hook shouted at the men, his captain's instincts taking over.
Captain Norrington looked at him angrily, but then shouted, "Do it! Return fire!"
Norrington ran over to Hook just as Regina, and the others did so too. "Hook, what's going on?" David asked quickly. Hook felt water splash along the deck, and he grabbed the railing again to steady himself. Neal was crying again in Henry's arms.
"It's the bloody Black Pearl," Hook said through gritted teeth. Of all things that could be delaying him from finding Emma, it had to be him. At least it isn't the Crocodile, he through wryly.
"The Black Pearl?" Snow said sounding incredulous.
"Henry, take Neal back inside the cabin!" David shouted at his grandson. Henry jumped and held the boy to his chest, then carefully went back to the cabin, trying not to fall over while the ship was rocking.
"The Black Pearl," Regina said thoughtfully. "Why do I know that name?"
"Pirates of the Caribbean, Regina. It's one of Emma's favorite movies," Snow said, grabbing David's arm as another cannonball hit the water around them. Regina stared at Snow for a moment, and vaguely Killian wondered why he didn't know this about Emma. Not that he'd ever been particularly interested in movies back in Storybrooke, he found the whole idea ridiculous, especially after Emma had tried to make him watch a movie called "Peter Pan" that got everything wrong…
The other ship was running parallel to them now, and Killian could vaguely make out people on the other ship. Norrington was ordering return fire again, and the sound of cannon blasts around him was deafening to the ears. It had been a while since he'd had to hear that sound.
Regina growled and a ball of fire appeared in her hand. She threw the fireball at the other ship, but suddenly there was a shining white light emanating from the other ship, and Killian saw no more.
Killian awoke to the sound of grumbling around him, but he couldn't distinguish the voices. He blinked several times trying to clear his vision, and he slowly sat up from where he'd been lying on the floor. Looking around himself he saw that he and the members of his party had been crowded into a small cell in what appeared to be the brig of Norrington's ship. Across from him, he could see most of the crew in a similar cell.
Sparrow was peering into the cell at him, looking confused. When he saw that Killian was awake, he said, "Explain to me, how it is that I'm locking you into a cell for the second time today?"
Killian blinked again, not understanding the question. Most of the others were already awake, Regina was still unconscious on the floor, lying next to Henry, who was standing over her protectively. Robin was sitting next to her too, looking worried.
"Where is my son?" David yelled at Sparrow. It sounded like it wasn't the first time that the question had been asked. Sparrow's eyes shifted to David and he tilted his head at him consideringly.
"Please," Snow chimed in, almost pleadingly. "Why have you separated us from our son? He's still just a baby, he should be with his parents." Hook thought, not for the first time, that Neal should have been left at home with the dwarfs.
"Answer them," Killian growled, still rubbing his head. What the hell had the man done to them?
Sparrow's gaze fell on him again, and Killian stood up to face him. Strangely, he realized, his hook had been removed. Studying Sparrow, he realized that it was hanging from his belt. Seeing that Killian noticed this, Sparrow grinned at him. "I assure you, darling," Sparrow said, addressing Snow. "No harm will come to the boy. He's with some of me most trusted crew right now."
"Pirates," David muttered so quietly that Killian wasn't sure anyone else heard.
Sparrow went on, looking back at Killian, "now, please explain to me, why it is that this is the second time today that I've captured you, Hook. And that lad as well?" he added nodding toward Henry. Regina was finally starting to stir and Henry and Robin were helping her sit up.
"I am the Captain of this ship!" came a voice from the other cell. Looking around Sparrow, Killian saw Norrington staring at him. "You will address your demands to me!" Sparrow spun around, the beads in his hair clicking together, his hand floating in the air. The man made his movements seem both graceful and drunk.
"And I am in the process of seizing your cargo and bringing it over to me ship," Sparrow said back, sounding like he shouldn't have had to explain this. "I have no demands, I'm already taking what I want. Right now, I'm just wondering whether I should keep your ship and strand your crew somewhere, or if I should give it back with an oath from you that you won't follow me." Norrington growled something about not negotiating with pirates, causing Sparrow to laugh. "Yet, you have a pirate captain on your ship," Sparrow said pointing back toward Killian.
"Wait a minute," Henry said, stepping forward. Sparrow spun back around, hands and hair flying. "Did you say that you've already taken Hook and me captive once today?"
"Aye," Sparrow said considering Henry. "The last I saw of you, you and a lovely blonde had control of the Jolly Roger and were sailing back from the way it'd come. So, how the blazes did you beat me here? Despite rumors, offered by her captain, no doubt, the Jolly Roger cannot outrun the Pearl."
"You've seen Emma!" Killian said walking up to the bars excitedly. Sparrow cocked his head at him again, looking confused, or maybe he was just trying to focus on him. So Emma had taken over the Jolly Roger and was on her way back to Liamsburg, no doubt to find Regina. She might even be close if they'd sailed quickly enough. But then, where was his other self?
"Emma Swan?" came a woman's voice. Sparrow didn't move, and within seconds, a woman came into view, holding Neal.
"Neal!" Snow and David shouted at the same time. "Is he okay?" Snow asked at the same time that David said, "Give us back our son!"
"Neal, huh?" the woman asked bobbing him up and down and cooing. She didn't take her eyes off the boy when she said, "He's a sweetheart, this one. Jack, he does belong with his parents." Finally she tore her eyes from Neal's to look at Sparrow.
"You know Emma?" Killian asked the woman urgently.
She looked at him and blinked, surprised. "How can you be here, Captain?" She studied the others in the cell with him and blinked at Henry too.
"Never mind that, love," Killian said, trying not to sound too impatient. "What happened with Emma? Is she okay?" The woman studied Killian, looking thoroughly confused.
"Enough of this!" Regina growled from behind them. A puff of smoke appeared around Sparrow and he disappeared from outside the cell and reappeared inside it. He looked around, startled. Within seconds, he was surrounded by everyone in the cell, Regina being the most threatening with a ball of flame in her hand. "Move and you'll be flame-broiled. David, the keys."
Grinning, David quickly grabbed the keys at Sparrow's belt and Killian took the opportunity to take back his hook. He reattached it with a sigh. Sparrow didn't look worried, just slightly surprised. The woman on the other side of the bars was watching with a curious expression on her face.
"Stay where you are," Snow told her, sounding half threatening, half reassuring, "and don't cry out." David unlocked the cell, took his son, and the other's filed out behind them. Snow prodded the woman into the cell behind Sparrow and closed the door behind her.
David handed the keys to Snow and she proceeded to open the other cells letting out Norrington and his crew. "Finally," Norrington said with a pleased expression, watching Sparrow, "Jack Sparrow will hang like he deserves."
"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please," Sparrow said, motioning with a finger, and sneering at Norrington.
Norrington ignored him and said to his crew, "Men, take back the ship!" The men shouted and jeered as they all ran forward, each trying to get to the ladder first.
"Now," Regina said with an evil grin, "let's see what this pirate knows..."