Thank you everyone for the amazing comments and follows. When I started this story I didn't think it would be so well received. :)
So I struggled with this chapter today and decided to play a bit on Tink and Hook's relationship with each other as well as the fact that Hook has secrets about his past experiences here he's not sharing with the group. Quite a bit of Captain Swan hinted at here as well. I love these two!
Anyway leave a review if you care or follow if you want to keep getting chapter updates!
Through Mary-Margaret squeezing her hand, David pulling her into a hug and kissing her forehead and the life size pixie smiling at her, Emma locked onto Hook's eyes. The expression on his face told her many things, the first and foremost being that he still cared for her despite his ill tempered behavior toward her all day. She couldn't understand the why but she knew that she wasn't going to give up on him. He was a pain in the ass sure thing, but he had kept her grounded in more ways than one since they'd taken the portal; she found herself needing him.
"So, Captain," Tinker Bell looked up from where she leaned against his arm, a hint of mischief in her eyes, "What's the story here? I never thought I'd see you back here in Neverland, not that I'm complaining but please, amuse me."
Her arms were crossed while she slacked a hip and he felt relief in the fact that even though a lot had changed, she hadn't. Her face still held her youth, courtesy of the magic of the island, and if the smirk covering it was any indication, she was still a mighty spitfire.
"It's a long story that we don't have time for, honestly. I have to take them through the meadow and who knows how long that trip is going to be."
"The meadow? Hook, you can't be serious."
"Aye, love."
"But Hook, the dark magic there…do they even know?"
Dark worry tainted her light features as he responded with a bout of silence, averting his eyes from her face to the trees surrounding them as if they were the most amazing thing he'd seen all day.
"Hook, you need to tell them. That and there's a worse danger there now than when you left."
"Of course there is," he grumbled wondering why there couldn't be a day where death wasn't lurking close by. "Information, lass?"
"There's a creature living in the meadow and pixies didn't release him there," she let out on a deep sigh. "They haven't exactly tried to get rid of him either since he's been a deterrent to anyone who wants to steal their dust."
A grim look crossed over Hook's face and she watched as rare concern lit in his eyes. He glanced at Emma with her family and she took a step back to study him better.
"Is it me or is the mighty Captain fond of the Girl Who Fell?"
"It's nothing like that," he bit out before turning on his heel but Tink didn't let anyone off the hook that easy. Before he could breathe in and out again she was in front of him, pinning him with a dark green look.
"Would it be so terrible for you to love again? Seriously, if this is true love…"
"Tink! Press on this matter more and I'll make sure you never fly again."
His tone was venomous but she'd dealt with his worst. She jut her chin out, rising to her full height that fell just below his shoulder and squared him with a look. Toe to toe was how she and Hook operated; she didn't count on years apart to make it any different.
"Don't throw around empty threats. It's not good for you just like holding back from love isn't either."
"You and this true love thing was old then and it's old now. You have to let it go, Tink."
"Hey, you two! What's the plan?" Emma's voice cut into their hushed conversation before anything more could be said, completely unaware of anything they'd been talking about.
Hook looked over to see David helping Emma to her feet showing he had gained most of his composure back and the only injury Emma seemed to be concerned about were her wrists. Mary-Margaret gathered their bags from the ground where they had been abandoned; her face was splotchy and her eyes shone red but the smile on her face was radiant as she came up behind David and Emma who purposely walked toward Hook and Tinker Bell.
"I still can't believe you're real," Emma murmured as she glanced at the pixie, unbelief widening her eyes.
"That's not what you said on the bridge or do you need reminding?"
"That was for fairies in general," Emma explained, "I didn't know I would be summoning Tinker Bell and well, you're the Tinker Bell."
Her appraisal earned her a bright smile from the pixie. "It's nice to know my reputation precedes me," Tinker Bell winked and Emma was pretty sure Disney himself would have fainted from amusement.
"So, Hook," David interrupted, "You know the way to the meadow?"
"Aye, that I do, but I do need to warn you of several things."
Emma noticed the hesitance in his voice and she wasn't the only one who did.
"What do you mean "several" things?" Mary-Margaret asked as she crossed her arms, the look on her face one that Emma was sure had put many students back in line.
"Well, this meadow is cursed with black magic that makes you remember memories but not just any memories. You will relive the darkest secrets you've suppressed, even the ones you may have forgotten had ever happened."
"I may have a spell, however, that can counteract the magic for a while. It'll at least buy you time," Tinker Bell said, trying to sound as comforting and encouraging as a pixie could in this situation.
"Tink has also just informed me that there's word of a beast roaming in the fields so we also have that to wager with as well," Hook added as he met David's thoughtful look. He was a prince who had fought dragons and many armies; fighting a beast didn't sound phasing in the least.
Emma and Mary-Margaret both wore the same expression and he worried less. He realized each of them had fought their own terrible battles and right now family was their main motivation for conquering whatever obstacle came their way. Even he had to admit that not many evils made it past the ones who stood for family.
"I'm pretty sure whatever it is, we can handle it together. Will you be coming with us Tinker Bell?"
Tinker Bell smiled at Mary-Margaret and shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I promised your friend I would see to it that you were well and give a full report."
"Our friend?"
David's question and the alert look on his face matched Hook's own concern. The last thing they needed was someone using an alliance as a means to spy on them and he would hate for that informant to be Tinker Bell. As much as she irritated him, he was fond of the little pixie.
"Yes, you know…Rumpelstiltskin. Your crocodile," she smirked at Hook.
If the others hadn't been present Hook would have been tempted to shake the twisted smile from her lips but instead he squared his shoulders and clenched his fists. She had rescued Emma after all so there was something he should be grateful for but the idea that the Dark One was out there on the island crawled under his skin.
"He's on the island?" Emma asked with complete disbelief. "What in the world has be been doing this entire time?"
"He seems to be fighting an internal battle that he didn't indulge with me the first several moments we met. He sent me off almost right away so I couldn't tell you what he'd been doing the entire time but I do know that he separated himself from his shadow," Tink informed before turning to both Hook and David. "You guys better get going. Camping on the outskirts of the meadow isn't wise and I know I'm amusing but I'm not worth burning daylight over. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other soon."
David nodded the affirmative and Tink let her eyes rest on Hook once again, this time with a hint of sadness in her emerald eyes as if she'd just remembered something. She had the kindness to hold off until David, Mary-Margaret and Emma were busy adjusting their packs and out of earshot before she stepped closer, her voice lowered in a low whisper.
"I almost forgot…do they know the deal you made? The one you had to make to get off the island last time and if you came back then you would-"
"Tinker Bell," he cut in, his voice harsh as he looked over her head toward the other three, relieved that they seemed to be conversing. Emma was keen and smart and if he'd discovered anything new about her this trip, it was that she had amazing hearing. He sighed in relief before focusing on the pixie before him who still stared up at him.
"I remember, love, and I plan on honoring it unless of course, mercy and kindness interfere."
"You'll be-"
"Don't say anything about it again. Don't you dare mention it to anyone or I will…"
"Remember, Captain," she chimed, feigning a cheery tone as the others came closer with more attention focused on the two, "No empty threats."
"Who said it was empty, love?"
"Are we ready?" Emma cut in once again, glancing between the two of them curiously with a raised brow. Decent enough, she didn't ask about it knowing that the two went way back but she still felt a tiny pang of jealousy at the intimate, teasing way they interacted with one another.
"Oh before I forget," Tink turned as she reached deep into her light cloak. "The spell. Just blow a bit of dust on each of you right before you go in. Don't meander because the time is crucial."
Hook handled the small glass vile Tink handed him fondly before putting it in his pocket. "Quite well, my love, now shall we go?"
"After you," David motioned with his hand as Tinker Bell stood back and faded into a shimmer of glowing green dust. Emma watched in amazement as she appeared once again but this time she was about the size of her hand.
"Good luck to you!" she called and with one last wave, she was flying off above the trees leaving the group to their journey.
"I think you were right," Mary-Margaret whispered in hushed tones to David as they followed Emma who trailed after Hook who after the event of her near death had thawed considerably. Emma had asked about what it was he did for exactly three hundred plus years and he had taken the pleasure to oblige her in several stories thus far.
"What am I right about this time?"
Judging by the smile on his face, she knew he was aware of what it was she was referring to but he wanted to hear her say it. The knowledge made her roll her eyes but he knew she was amused.
"About him…and her. I think they care more than they think."
"Wait, they? I was just talking about him when I mentioned anything possibly happening…between them," he frowned as he stared at the two ahead of him in new consideration. Mary-Margaret couldn't help but find the lost look on his face endearing as he watched the baby he had lovingly placed in a tree laugh at something Hook had said, everything about her conveying that she was a grown woman who could handle herself.
"Well, it's just the way he looks at her when he doesn't think anyone is paying attention to him. I don't even think he's aware of the way he looks at her. It's almost tender…and lost," Mary-Margaret started. "And she I think is slowly starting to let him under her skin which is why she was so upset today when he was distant. She had finally let someone else in who wasn't family and he became a different person the next day."
"So what you're saying is you think that they…well, they might like each other as more than just travel buddies?"
"Travel buddies? David, seriously? Are we in Kindergarten?"
"I just don't like to think that my daughter could possibly be falling for a pirate. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I dreamed of raising our daughter."
"Well, there are a lot of things that didn't come to mind that happened anyway and I think that Hook is the least of those problems," Mary-Margaret countered before softening her face into a cheery grin. "Besides, he looks at her like you do me."
"He does not look at her the same way my face looks at you. Not a bit," David spat, the conversation already driving him crazy. "I think this talk needs to end now before I do something stupid; like break my hand punching a tree."
"Or shooting him in the face?"
"Don't tempt me."
She smiled and squeezed his arm as he helped her over a fallen tree before speeding her walk up ahead toward Emma and Hook who were stopped just under a canopy of trees that looked much different than the ones she had seen thus far.
"We're here," Emma said with a stern voice as she looked ahead of them with a set jaw. Mary-Margaret followed her gaze and as she absorbed what it was she was looking at, she felt the blood slowly drain from her face as David placed a hand on her back as if to steady her.
Skeletons laid askew over the barren strip, in some places almost piled on top of each other. Dead grass burned brown, contrasting greatly with the green foliage they had been so used to the last several days and Mary-Margaret felt a sense of despair wash over her. Suddenly, she didn't feel ready to visit the worst parts of her past and when she looked over at the others' solemn expressions she realized she wasn't the only one who had something to fear from the past.
Everyone had their secrets.