Chapter 14

A Purple Feathered Arrow

Days. They travel for days.

They stop as little as possible, only long enough for Killian to force Henry to eat something, anything really.

"Not hungry." Henry muttered, batting him away weakly. Killian pressed his hand to the boy's head. He didn't seem any better. Killian took a rag, pouring water from his cantina onto a soft cloth, placing it onto his head.

"Come on Henry. You need to keep up your strength." Killian prodded, forcing the broth to his lips. He drank a spoonful or two before he fell back, unable to eat a drop more.

"Tell me another story Killian?" He pleaded. "I feel better when you tell me a story." He sounded so small.

Killian forced a smile, "How about I tell you about when the Princess and the Deckhand had to face the evil Ice Witch?" He prodded, it made Henry smile. Killian told it to him until the boy drifted into an uneasy sleep, it was only then did Killian release the breath he was holding.

Killian ran his fingers through his own hair, trying to calm himself down. He was bone tired but knew that he couldn't waste too much time. He had to get him to safety, whatever plan he had had about catching up to Emma was lost, Henry was what mattered right now. Just her boy.

He'd get an hours rest here or there, but Killian's main concern was to get to a village, one with a healer. He could rest once Henry was safe and healthy, not a moment before. Killian had considered turning back for the last one, but no healer existed and he had a sneaking suspicion that Ursula had already left. Henry was a strong lad. He could make it. Killian had hope.

Killian looked towards where he put Henry down so he can get a few moments of rest, under their blankets and Killian's own jacket. He smiled softly as he watched the boy's gentle breathing, looking a tad better with the wet cloth on his face.

"It'll be alright Henry, ok?" He said softly, reaching over to place his hand on the boy's arm. "I may not be your mother nor your father, but I'll make sure you survive this." He promised, leaning back to close his eyes. "But I need my rest, how else am I going to be able to carry you where we need to go?"

Just for a moment. Killian just needed a moment…

…

…

…

Killian's eyes snapped open in panic as he heard a rustling in the nearby bushes. It made him tense in unease, gripping his sword before rising on unsteady feet. It could have been the wind, or some animal, but Killian's instincts said it wasn't. He moved closer to the boy, keeping his ears and eyes circling, listening to the sounds of the forest.

There were none. Killian remembered another time when everything was this painfully quiet.

"I know you're out there." He called to the presences lurking just outside their camp. "I'm not afraid of you." He remarked boldly. "Come here and face me" He dared. They wouldn't come within feet of Henry, whatever thoughts Killian had about killing would be thrust from his mind. He'd end any life who was trying to keep him from his purpose.

He just remembered the cries of Swan as Henry was supposedly taken from her, murdered. He would get Henry back to her even if he never made it himself.

Killian saw the glimmer, the same glimmer he had seen one other time before, it made him react instinctively, moving swiftly just as an arrow head wizzed by his ear, hitting the tree behind him dead center. He raised his sword higher, could hear the way his heart was pounding in his chest. They didn't want to fight him, they wanted to kill him, loot his body for his possessions. If such people were so cold hearted, they'd leave Henry to die, or perhaps killing him themselves.

Another pair of arrows fired, barely skinning his arm as he used his sword to deflect them.

"Cowards!" He spat. "Take me out from a distance? Slay me without giving me a chance to defend myself or my property?" He demanded.

There was no response, he could feel their presence, closing in on him like vultures over a dying animal. It was only a matter of time before they fired again, perhaps multiple arrows, a frenzy even. Then they wouldn't be so easy to dodge, Killian needed a plan and he needed it now.

His eyes glanced over to the arrow lodged in the trunk, a simple glance but the second he saw the arrow, his eyes widened and he knew. He knew a way out.

"Wait! Stop." He exclaimed, going to his bag and digging out an arrow from his bag, he stuck it in there just weeks ago, on a whim, now he had to bet their survival on a hunch. "I have this."

He raised it up, light wood with a stone shaft nearly identical to the one in the tree, feathers tied in nearly the same way, the only difference was the color feathers attached to the arrow. "It was given to me by one of you. Please. I mean you no harm, I just need help." He begged.

He could hear their rustling and the feeling of being watched eased. "Please. The woman who gave this for me, she owes me a debt, she offered to save my life once, I want to collect it now." He demanded. If they had horses, or a healer, Henry could get somewhere safe and sheltered.

"What do you want?" Came a response, crisp and cold in the shadows. It was her; he recognized her voice, the way irritation made her voice sound like a low growl. He turned in response to the sound, but didn't see her.

"The boy, he's ill. He needs a healer." He said, allowing his voice to waver in desperation. "I'll do anything, tell you anything, just please, I know you are many. You must help us."

Henry cried out just then, making Killian stop and go to Henry's side as he whimpered painfully, hands trying to scratch at the bandage Killian had applied.

"It hurts." He begged, meeting his eyes with a fevered cry. " I want mom and Granma." He cried, sounding every bit the scared child he was.

"It'll be alright. They're coming." He lied. He looked at the bandage, bleeding and in need of changing, he moved Henry's hands from his wound and replacing the cloth at his head, trying to be quick about it, not to lose the strangers' attention, nor invite them to shoot him in the back, that was the last thing Henry needed. He was glad he did it however as it seemed to ease Henry's pain, even a bit.

"He'll die without help." Killian insisted, turning to the empty forest. "I saved your life! Either let me go get him to a healer or bring one to us." He snapped. "The Dark One was ready to burn you all to dust, but I risked my life to save all of you! You owe me."

Silence, but Killian was sure she was whispering to her friends, hopefully on his side. Killian's fight was draining from his body as he gripped a tree to keep his form steady. He was exhausted. If they decided to shot at him, he guessed he'd last a total of 5 seconds. If they just left, Killian wasn't sure he was strong enough to make it to the next town, not in time.

"Surely the Dark One knows of your situation, are you her enemy? We can't afford to help you and earn her wrath." They explained. He could hear the rustling, they were leaving.

They were leaving!

Killian shook his head frantically. "She's been captured by the Queen" He said quickly. "Please, don't go! The boy got this injury fleeing, I promise you. The Dark One would be pleased with your help." He insisted. "If you don't help us, a boy's death will be on your hands!" He shouted, body shaking slightly in exhaustion and furry.

More rustling in the woods caught his eye. The figure came closer and Killian found himself stunned.

"Throw your sword away and get on your knees, hands behind your back and don't try to resist, not that you look like you can in your state" She instructed. "We don't trust outsiders, you'll be our prisoner, but your boy will get the medical attention he needs"

Killian let out a sigh of relief, doing as he's told. "Anything." He breathed, hearing someone approach on his other side, tying his wrists together with thick rope. "Just help him." He added before feeling a sack being placed over his head. He panicked for a moment at the sudden helpless feeling before easing.

"But know this, I believe the woman who tried to save me meant to help me, but if I'm wrong, if I'm just a naïve fool, if I'm walking into a trap, if I've made the biggest mistake of my life, then none of you will be safe if the Dark One learns of your treachery." He warned. "I'll be dead, but she'll come after you and there will be no stopping h-." Suddenly something hit him square in the head, from rage or fear he wasn't sure, but it made him drop to his side, unable to get back up.

"Syd! Stop! Can't you see he's worried about his son?" The female snapped. Killian was barely conscious as two figures hauled him up by the shoulders as his head hung low.

"You're not wrong. I'll take care of the boy, I promise" The woman said softly, close by, as they forced him back onto his feet and led him in a specific direction. Killian believed her, especially as he heard her coo softly as someone, hopefully her, picked up Henry.

"Killian? What's happening?!" He heard Henry shout from where he was. He turned in the direction he heard them.

"It's alright Henry, I'm over here, they're going to help you alright? Everything is going to be ok, I promise."

XXXXXXX

"It's your fault!" Shrieked a voice.

Killian looked around, seeing a brunette figure standing on unsteady feet screaming at something in another corner of the room, a brunette woman on the floor and a blonde sitting beside her.

"You killed my son!" She screamed. "You were never happy with what we had, the four of us, and you've made it your mission to destroy everything we love! I love!"

The woman on the ground smiled towards the woman standing.

"Good." She sneered. "Then my mission is complete."

Killian stood watching, unsure what was happening, what they were talking about.

The woman turned and looked in another direction. "Emma." She gasped. "Emma!"

Killian's breathing hitched as he saw her in the corner, shaking and crying. He went to her, hoping this time she could hear him, hear him tell her. The brunette went to her.

"She gave it to her." The brunette exclaimed, glaring daggers at the two on the other side. "Emma, you have to get out of here. Do you understand? Mom gave her the curse to use on you! We can't curl up into our grief, not yet."

She shrugged. "What does it matter? Everyone is dead, maybe the curse will be like death, maybe I can just stop fighting and join them..."

No. This wasn't Emma, not his Emma. She was a fighter.

"Emma, the sleeping curse, there is no waking up from it. Henry wouldn't want us to let her do this! He'd want us to fight just to spite the damn Queen!"

Killian nodded, agreeing. Emma didn't react, curling deeper in herself. He knew what he had to do, she wouldn't fight for herself. He had to make her.

Killian went to her touching her arm, trying his best to hug her, she flinched at his touch, looking up, meeting his gaze. "Give it up Lily, I'm never getting out of here. Not this time, and even if I did, Even now, the ghost of my sort of boyfriend is haunting me." She said in a bitter laugh. "I'm tired. Let me rest." She asked. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"I'm not a ghost." He said. "Do you hear me Emma Swan?" Killian, took her hand but she refused. He cupped her cheek but she recoiled. He needed her to believe him. He needed her to fight.

Desperate, he went to the brunette, taking her hand, she didn't seem to see her. This was Lily, Henry's mother, he hoped she could get through to Emma with a little bit of help. He watched her eyes widened as she let him expose her arm to him, feeling his gentle grasp of her wrist. "Emma, your ghost boyfriend is touching me." She tattled. Emma refused to look up, just shaking her head.

The fact that he could touch this woman in a bloody dream alarmed him, but he didn't put much thought into it.

"Killian. Please. Go, leave, pass on." She asked. "Take care of Henry...wherever you are."

He traced his words on the woman's skin.

"He says 'No'." The woman said. "He tickles." She commented.

"Ignore him." Emma snapped. "He'll go away."

He groaned, tracing again more furiously. "Your boyfriend says as I quote. 'bloody hell woman, will you just listen to me?'" She chuckled. "Stubborn ain't he?"

Emma glared at her. "How do we know that this is him and not your mommy taunting us?" Lily asked.

Killian hesitated, wondering what to write that would make Lily believe him, and Swan to listen to him.

"Oh it's him." Swan said with a small smile. "Believe me, I know." She sighed, standing. He went to her.

"You're really blurry Killian." She sighed, he could barely feel her hand on his chest. "Why are you still here? You shouldn't be trapped Killian." She whispered. "Move on."

Killian shook his head. "I'm not dead." He told her. "Neither is Henry."

She furrowed her brows. He wondered if she could hear him. It seemed she could see him better than last time he dreamed, he had no clue what was going on, but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Please Swan." He begged. "Hear me." It was tearing him apart to watch the conflict in her eyes as he grasped her wrist. She eventually sighed and let him have it, pulling back her sleeve. He traced his words quickly. Henry was right, Emma needed hope.

"He's ok." She breathed. "Killian, is that really you? How is this possible? Are you saying…"

He traced his next words on her arm, pressing as deeply as he could so that she could really understand them.

"Henry is safe." She repeated. "He's alive."

"Killian. Come on, wake up."

He was waking up, Killian realized. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, tracing his last message over her wrist.

"Keep fighting."

She heard him call him, begging him not to go.

He'd be back. He'd be-

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, come on, wake up." Someone said, shaking him awake. He stirred, and for a second he forgot where he was, thought he was back with her in that dingy room, he pulled at his wrists and found them bound to a tree he was laying against, making him gasp and struggle desperately. "Hey, hey, relax." He was in complete darkness, adding to his confusion.

It was slow to come back to him, Killian was being kept tied to a tree for the last few days, fed and given water regularly, but not permitted to see Henry, or much of anything as they kept his vision shrouded, a way to keep him from being able to identify them or their home base he assumed.

It was reasonable, especially since it gave him the impression that they didn't plan to kill him.

"Swan-Henry." He gasped, as the sack was pulled off his head, he flinched as sudden sunlight blinded him. He blinked several times to clear his vision, he suddenly saw a woman kneeling besides him, dark hair that curled unevenly around her with deep brown eyes in a wary untrusting gaze. She smiled softly, a smile that seemed miles from her eyes.

"Come on." She prodded, cutting the bounds around his wrists with a hunter's knife, and pulling him to his feet. "Henry wants to see you." She said, instantly getting his attention.

"He's alright?" Killian asked. "He's awake?"

The woman nodded. "It was a tough couple of nights but his fever is down now and within a few days, he should be good as new." Killian sighed with relief, looking around the clearing. There were dozens of tents around in all shapes and sizes, people of all kinds were going about their days. It looked very nice and peaceful, shrouded by layers of trees. When they passed by and some got a look at him, the woman would call to their children hide them behind them and the men gripped their tools like weapons. It made Killian feel uncomfortable, like they all thought that he was going to run up and attack them if they looked at him funny.

It made him wonder…

"In here." She said, leading him into a dark green tent. Henry was lying on a blanket in the back of the room sitting up, eyes open, looking up and meeting Killian's gaze. He dropped to the boy's side with a smile on his face, Henry appeared tired, but he also looked much better than he had the last time he'd seen him.

"Killian." Henry greeted with a smile, pulling him in, wrapping his arms around his chest. The close movement stunned him briefly, before he put his arms around the boy and reciprocated the embrace. "They told me you got me help, that you said anything you needed to make sure I was alright." Killian nodded, releasing a breath Killian didn't know he was holding.

"Of course, did you even doubt me lad?" Killian snickered, getting a chuckle from Henry as he released his hold. "How do you feel?" Killian said, pushing Henry's bangs back a bit, feeling the lack of heat from his forehead.

"Tired. Is it true that they tied you to a tree for the last three days?" The boy laughed. Killian rolled his eyes.

"Of course they'd tell you that." He muttered, his hand going to his sore back and neck, trying to rub the kinks out of it before turning back to the boy, turning serious.

"Bloody hell Henry you scared me half to death, why didn't you tell me you were injured?" the boy shrugged, obviously embarrassed.

"I didn't want to get in the way, or prologue finding her." He admitted sheepishly, "It didn't even hurt." Killian gave a sigh. "Killian, I want you to promise me something." He said suddenly, like a thought that had just occurred. "I want you to go after her." He flinched, because the boy was making a very adult request. "Without me. I can barely keep my eyes open, and she needs help, she needs hope." He continued. "Please."

Killian nodded, the image of a defeated Swan replaying in his head yet again. "Hope is a powerful thing. She has it Henry, I can't explain how I know, but I know it." Killian wasn't exactly sure if his dream was anything more than a dream, but he had to believe it was.

"I know how, True Love. Mom says it has the power to transcend realms and break any curse." He recited. Killian chuckled at his belief.

"I promise Henry, I'll save her." He vowed. He'd do it if it was the last thing he'd do.

(In all honesty, it probably would be)

"Ahem." Said another voice, just before Killian was about to start his lecture about the importance of a clean wound.

Killian turned around suddenly, rising to greet the new presence, but the figure, a woman with red hair shook her head, shook her head. "Don't get up." She insisted. She smiled thinly.

"I take it you're the one who saved Henry? I'm in your debt. Thank you." He insisted, watching Henry struggle to stay awake. It was better that Henry got some rest, after all, he wasn't too sure of the motives of these people, they'd have to be careful.

"No, let's call us even; after all, you did save my little sister." The woman explained, smiling at the dark haired woman, patting the spot besides him before she sat down. "But I would like some information, for my trouble, you understand of course."

Killian tensed. "Of course." He said with an edge. "What do you want to know?" The dark haired woman narrowed her eyes at him. He met her gaze evenly before returning to look at the older of the pair, the red head. She had this look about her, obviously the one in charge, but the dark haired woman was who Killian had to watch out for; she was the cynic of the pair.

"Let's start with your name; I already know his name is Henry." The red head began.

"And I have yet to know your name, either of you. I'm grateful for your hospitality, but I don't enjoy being at such a disadvantage." He stated, growing tense.

The dark haired woman scowled, gripping what looked like a dagger under her cloak; Killian simply chuckled. If the woman was getting nervous with just his attempt at their names, then she definitely had something to hide.

The red head on the other hand, seemed cool and confident in the face of his distrust, not even batting an eye. "My name is Zelena." She introduced, saying her name slowly. "I'm the leader of the Merry Men, this is my sister Gina, my second in command." Her eyes flickered to the brunette. "Calm down sister, your making our guest nervous." She said with a bit of a crackle of a laugh.

Killian nodded a greeting, holding his comment about how her voice was getting him nervous. "Killian Jones." He replied carefully. "Captain of the Jolly Roger."

Zelena smiled a bit more, as Gina released a bit of her tension "Killian, my sister here says that you are allied with the Dark One." She stated, as if waiting for him to deny the claim. Killian didn't think lying seemed in his best interest.

He nodded. "That I am." He confirmed. "But I mean you and your people no harm, truly." He insisted.

"Can I ask why you'd ally yourself with the greatest force of darkness in the entire realm?" Zelena asked next. "A literal monster?"

Killian tensed. A monster was someone who would throw a child overboard knowing very well that they'd drown. A monster was someone who would torture a teenager until they were scared of their own bloody shadow, a monster was someone who would keep another under their thumb for no reason whatsoever.

Emma was not a monster; Killian was insulted by anyone who would say otherwise.

"No." He said sharply, hoping they could see his distaste for their question in his voice. "You can't bloody know why I'd ally myself with the Dark One. My reasons are my own." He stated boldly. He knew that Emma hated weaknesses, and to learn that he was involved romantically with her would be devastating, he had to make it seem like some sort of alliance.

"Are you being forced against your will?" Zelena asked, not keen on dropping the subject. "I just detest the thought of a pretty sailor like you being used."

Killian glanced at Gina. "I already told your archer that I'm with her under my own free will. My choices are my own." Her dark eyes didn't waver, they just flickered with realization.

"Are you aware that she's killed people? She killed our parents on a whim fifteen years ago." Gina snapped back. "Cursed us?"

Emma was 28, fifteen years ago would make her 13. He wasn't sure if she aged the same as he did, but if she had, then the chances were that she was still under her daggers control at the time.

"I'm aware of her past lass, more than you know." He snickered, trying to pretend like orphaning these girls who looked around his age was nothing. "It's of no concern to me. I'm a pirate, I can tell where the wind is blowing, and it's gusting her way…for the moment." He said crossing his arms, allowing his eyes to wonder a tad making Gina's smile tighten in irritation.

It was amusing to make the brunette's eyes flash.

"Keep your eyes to yourself pirate." She snapped. He just laughed and returned to look at Zelena.

"And you said she's been captured by the Queen?" He nodded. The woman, Zelena scowled.

"Then you're right, we need to get her out of there, we can't have her locate the camp." Zelena said quickly, tapping her fingers to her chin. "She could also fix us if we help her, that's how she works yes? Favor for a favor?"

Fix them? Favor? She was not going to like this.

Killian was always bad at keeping his emotions in check. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and often found himself over his head.

"Aye. I believe so."

Zelena looked towards Gina hopefully, while the younger just glared. "How do we know we can trust you? Either of you?"

He looked over towards a sleeping Henry. "I trusted you; I trusted you with this boy, someone very special to me, surely you can return the favor? The stories you know of her…they're not entirely accurate. " He admits carefully.

"Well we-" Gina grabs the older sister's arm.

"Sister. Let me do this. You know what the Queen took from me, from us, let me be the one who-" They are interrupted when another figure enters the room. Killian watches them bristle in the presence, Gina more so than Zelena, and he suddenly recognizes him, it causes him to take a defensive position in front of Henry.

"Relax pirate" The man laughed. "I have no quarrel with the boy." He cocked his head. "Tell me, what does it take for a man to give up his soul to the Dark One?"

It's meant to intimidate him, strike a nerve, but it brings a cocky grin to Killian's face. He ignores the question, a cocky man like this would find that insulting.

"Tell me, do you still pine for her? The woman that has your heart and doesn't even know it? The one you were willing to barter with the dark one over?" He quips, mocking a bit more than he should. He glances as Gina tenses.

"Oh! Now I see." He says; enjoying the anger on the man a little too much, he looks her over quickly. "I can see the appeal."

The man snaps, striking him in the face.

"Sydney!" Gina snaps. Killian wipes the blood from his lip.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I hit a nerve?" He sneers. "Sorry mate, it appears the lass isn't interested."

The man aimed another blow, but Killian turned, grabbing his fist and pinning him to the floor.

"Jones!" Gina exclaims, pulling him off of him. Sydney was up with a dagger at his throat in the next second, backing him into the far tent wall.

"One reason I shouldn't slit your throat." He snarled. Killian leered at him.

"Because I command you not to." Zelena said, no hint of any sort of emotion, just blatant power. Killian winked as the dagger was lowered. "What do you need?" She asked the man.

"The men were asking what you plan on doing with these two." He said gesturing to Killian and Henry. "They need to be punished for their sins." Killian clenched his fist.

"We've done nothing." He spat. "I saved your miserable life at nearly the cost of my own." He snarled.

The man met his gaze.

"Perhaps you planned it, just so you can invade our camp, just to come and kill us, after selling your soul to such a beast, who knows what you could be capable of." He shoots back.

"I'm here to get help for my ally. She doesn't deserve to suffer." He says honestly.

Sydney laughs. "In my opinion, there is no one who deserves to suffer more than she."

Perhaps it was the exhaustion, the threat to Henry, the image of Swan in misery, the threat of some curse on her life-

"I love you. God I love you so much."

-or maybe it was for an instant he didn't see the annoying thief, but the woman who'd taken his Swan, the man who had stabbed him in the back.

Whatever the reason, Killian Jones snapped. He punched the man in the jaw, then in the ribs, then…it was a blur, a blur of red. All he knew for sure was the feeling of Regina pulling him off of him, pinning him to the ground and sort of sitting on him as his ragged breathing calmed down.

"Zelena, you have to put this man down, he isn't stable, he's allied with the Dark One, she must have his heart, he's dangerous." Sydney scowled, getting to his feet. Killian only laughed.

"Perhaps your right mate, perhaps the Dark One really has my soul, perhaps without it I'm a little less…patient." He threatened. "But good news is that your lass has me under her, jealous?" He couldn't help but spitting out.

"Zelena-"

"Go on tattle to your mum." He felt Gina's knee pressing deeper into his back, right over the still sensitive wound, leaving him gasping. It still needed a bit more time before the sensitivity faded. Gina must have noticed that the spot was causing him greater pain than it should as she eased, pressing in a different place.

"Gina. Take care of it." The red head said in a bored tone.

Killian's eyes went wide. "Are you seriously doing what this arse-" He groaned as Gina pressed again before hauling him up to his feet.

"Henry! Kill me, fine! But don't you dare touch my boy." He roared, thrashing. "He's innocent." Sydney neared Henry's sleeping form. He was able to kick at the man, batting him away from him before another man came in, hearing the scuffle, helping Gina haul him away.

"Henry!"

He passed through the edge of the tent, obscuring his view of the boy.

"Touch him and you'll wish I was the bloody Dark One." He growled, glaring at Gina, the other had left and she was leading him past his tree and further out of camp. "She'd just crush your heart. You have no idea what I'm capable of." He warned. "Just let us go and we'll get out of your hair." He said pleadingly.

"Shut up." Gina hissed.

"I trusted you!" She suddenly looked around and pushed him to the ground. He rose; ready to defy his code, make her let him go so he could get to Henry when she lowered her blade in a symbol of peace as he got up warily.

"No one in camp would stand for a rescue mission of the Dark One." She explained. "No one except for my sister and me." She explained. "They've wanted to interrogate you for the last few days."

Killian had a feeling that would be a fairly unpleasant experience.

"So the two of us are going to sneak into the castle, get your love back." She snickered with an eye roll.

"She's not my-"

Gina rolled her eyes. "Please, I saw those eyes you were giving her."

Killian blushed.

"Lord knows how you met her and fell for the demo-" He narrowed his gaze.

"Watch it lass. She's no demon." He snapped. "And why are you helping me?" He asked.

Gina crossed her arms avoiding his gaze.

"You mentioned being cursed, what did the Dark One do?" She looked back at him.

"I'm 53 years old." She explained.

Killian blinked, looking her over. "You look-"

She nodded. "My sister is 62, when our parents died, she cast a curse on us, keeping us from aging a day. I want it to stop." She admitted. "I want to be normal."

Killian nodded, it made sense. "And also…" She continued. "The queen has my son."

His eyes widened. "Your son? You have-" Gina shook her head.

"I adopted him last year." She explained. "So I have as much to lose if we can't get in there." Killian nodded.

"And Henry, I take it your sister will take proper care of him?" Gina nodded, despite her guarded demeanor, he felt like she was telling the truth. "Good, then we should head off, you may want to take the lead since I don't bloody know where we are" He snickered.

Gina rolled her eyes, heading forward, not looking back to see if he was still following. Killian followed behind with a smirk.

"Still mad about that 'under you' comment eh?" He jested. Gina didn't reply, but Killian would bet that there was a scowl on her face.

He followed after her, unsure which direction they were going, or if it was even the right one. And after hours of blind following, Killian was getting a bit annoyed with the silent treatment. If he had an inkling of an idea to their location, at least Killian would be able to determine how far away they were.

"Are you going to tell me where we are?" He asked finally as they stopped for a quick water break. She glared at him sharply, an obvious no, as she sharpened one of her arrows.

"Bloody hell, I'm helping you!" He said in exasperation. "I may not look it, but I'm an expert in navigation. Just tell me where we are and perhaps I can help chart the best-" Killian was interrupted by an arrow wising by his ear.

"You know, I'm starting to take you shooting your bloody sticks at me as a term of endearment." Killian said sarcastically, pulling the arrow out of the tree tossing it back to Gina, who wasn't even looking up at him. "Come on lass? If you don't trust me with something I'm going to learn eventually, how are you going to trust me to watch your back?" He insisted.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't trust anyone." Was her only explanation.

"Well that's a lonely way to live." He observed. "What about your comrades in arms?" She shrugged.

"The Merry Men don't like taking orders from Zelina or I lately, they only do it because they know we'd kick their ass if they didn't. They need us, but I don't trust them not to stab me in the back at the first opportunity." She admitted.

"I served on a crew for fifteen years, hated nearly all of them, they always seemed to get a bloody kick out of making my life a living hell." He explained, "So I get it, but you're going to have to one of these days." He replied. "All it takes is trusting the right person and-"

She scoffed. "I'd never expect the Dark One's lover to be spouting a hope speech."

He groaned. "She liked my optimism." He said lightly. "Thought it was amusing."

Gina chuckled. "I find it annoying, stop talking and drink your water."

Killian took a sip, changing the subject. "So what's the story with that Sydney fellow?"

If Killian thought his optimism annoyed the lass, then her face with the thought of this man made her look like she'd swallowed a bug. "Curious pirate aren't you?" She droned, but answers him anyway. "Sydney has a problem with taking orders from a woman, constantly questioning our authority, especially mine." She growled. "Every word out of his mouth has some edged comment at how inferior we are just because of our gender, or to try to get into my bed." She groaned in annoyance. Killian noticed her motions becoming more and more hostile as she sharpened her weapons. "Disgusting little cretin, sexist animal."

Killian nodded. "I apologize for my comment earlier. I was angry, and said anything I could to get under his skin. It was bad form." She stopped, looking at him finally.

Gina chuckled. "Wanna know a secret? I absolutely loved you trying to rile him up; I can't afford to say anything to the jerk." She exclaimed. "I appreciate anytime anyone puts him in his place she admits."

Killian smirks. "I'll let Swan know, her tongue is sharper than any blade." She recalled.

"I'm sure not too sharp." She said with a look, making Killian blush.

"Touché," He replied with a waggle of his brows. She shook her head and then he saw it.

The beginning of a smirk, the closest thing to a smile he'd yet to see from Gina. He found victory in it. "Come on we should get going." Killian nodded in agreement.

"Yes, but Gina? I intend to win your trust, whether you like it or not." He vowed. "Everyone needs a friend." She laughed out.

"We'll see."

It took days to get to the castle, all tall and white marble, vines grew on it, making the castle look older than it was.

"We're here, now what?" Gina asked.

Killian looked at her quickly. "You don't have a plan on getting in there?!" He asked in amazement.

"Why do you think I brought you along, not for the pleasure of your company, that's for sure." She snapped back with, of course, an eye roll. He looked around for a moment, seeing two guards patrolling rather lazily.

"I have an idea."

Yes, an early chapter. I was so thankful for all the support the last chapter received that I just felt necessary to post early.

I think this answered a question that has been asked since the beginning of this sequel. Yes, Regina will be in this story, just not in the traditional sense of being Henry's mom. Hopefully she's in character enough, there's no Regina without her sass.

Zelena has an interesting role as well, her character is probably the most challenging for me. Maybe it'll get easier I watch them attempt (I think) to redeem Zelena in canon.

Guest Reviews:

Anna:I'm glad you like the dynamic between everyone, I quite enjoyed writing a bitter Aurora. Your theory is interesting, but I promise evil characters will continue to make an appearance, some that (hopefully) no one will expect. Yes, Regina will appear, in this chapter actually.

andria: Good news is, as you can see, Henry is alright. Unfortunately, Henry and Killian won't find Emma together, Regina will have to keep him company instead, hopefully she makes an Ok replacement.

I promise, Reunion happening VERY soon.

Don't forget to review!

~Luna