Snow spotted a ship in the distance, her face twisted in confusion. The flag was familiar but she couldn't place it at this distance. She glanced back to see Hook and David speaking about their course, neither seemed to be entirely impressed with the other. She shook her head slightly and returned her gaze to the sea. It urked her to see the ship, and she didn't know why.

Her mouth set into a firm frown and she finally turned and marched over to where her husband and the pirate were bickering incessantly. The crew moved out of her way, unsure of how to react to her. Neither bowing nor showing her disrespect. She didn't care, the only thing she cared about was getting her daughter back.

"I need your spyglass," she interrupted David explaining where it would be better to enter from. Honestly, she agreed with Hook but would never say that. Hook looked up from the map and his eyebrow shot up cockily.

"Why would that be?" he asked, resting his hand on his sword hilt casually.

"That ship in the distance," Snow waved towards it, "It seems familiar."

Hook pulled a small metal device from his coat and used his teeth to extend it before peering through one end. He studied the ship for a moment before slowly lowering the spyglass. "Do you know the man aboard that deck?"

He handed the spyglass to Snow, she eyed it for a moment before gingerly taking it. Not commenting on the factor that the end had been in his mouth and raising to look at the ship. After a sweep of the deck she snapped back to the helm and gasped. Hook's eyes narrowed and he shifted into a more offensive stand. "One of Regina's old lackeys. From when you took back the throne, or am I mistaken?"

"...but his heart..." Snow trailed off lowering the spyglass and looking to her husband. "We need to get over there."

"We're going to get Emma, not trail after some lackey," Hook said heading towards the helm. David grabbed Hook's leather jacket by the sleeve. Hook shot him a dark look, grabbing David's wrist. "Step off, mate."

"I'm not your mate," David growled but pointed towards the ship, "We returned that man's heart. That flag is Regina's. He is someone who she used for all of her plots to kill either me or my wife. I doubt she has stopped that routine. My daughter is on that ship, and if she isn't? We can dispatch one of her naval ships so she can't attack my kingdom."

"It's a waste of our time," Hook pulled away, "I'm the captain here, and I will make the decisions."

"Please-"

Before Snow could get out another word, they heard a distant bang. Hook's head snapped towards the other ship. A moment later there was a loud crack as the bowsprit splintered. Hook's jaw clenched and he spat out a few curses under his breath. "All hands on deck!" he called grasping the helm and turning the boat. "You two below deck," he turned to look at the royalty. "Don't need deadweight running amok on my ship."

Snow stopped David from saying anything. "We're staying here, if there is going to be a fight, we're going to join."

He didn't even both to pretend to be listening to her, already barking out orders to the others as he steered the ship closer. The other ship had shot a few more round shots in their direction, but all fell to short. He knew once they got closer there was a chance that someone might die. He ordered his crew to prepare their cannons and get ready to either reel in the other ship or to be reeled in. Either way, there would be a fight.

His thoughts were on Swan, she was at the Evil Queen's lair or some diabolical place, he didn't have time to deal with one stupid ship. If it contained any information on her…he grumbled something under his breathe before there was a loud explosion by the opposite end of the ship. Fireballs were being launched against the Jolly Roger. They licked at the wood but could not get a hold, almost sliding off before being eaten up by the wind. The royals looked at the ship in surprise, the legends of the magical ship were true, he tried not to be smug about it.

The other ship swung suddenly and the two ships crashed into each other. Bow into bow. The wood splintered and pieces flung across the ship. Hitting no more than four crew members. The crash made Killian's anger rise and his hands clutched the pegs tightly. How dare they? If the bloody damage could survive sailing then he wouldn't care, but this hampered from being able to properly attack the damned Queen's false palace.

Yet, before he could shout orders, their ship was being boarded. Killian grit his teeth together and drew his sword, yelling at his crew to draw the others back. He jumped onto the railing and launched himself onto the other boat. If the fight spilled onto both boats, it would be fair. Whomevers boat was boarded more often failed, they all knew that.

His eyes quickly found it's target, the Huntsman. Anger licked at his veins, a lackey of the Evil Queen. Someone who should've been killed even if he had gotten his heart back. Killian didn't care whether the man had any sense of pride, honor, justice, or what have you.

The man's eyes met his, at first they didn't hold any recognization, until they flickered down to his hook. "Captain Hook," he breathed out, his own sword at the ready. "Emma's told me about you-"

Rage flashed through Killian's veins like white hot fire, his sword rose and he slashed it towards the man dressed in furs and leather. He swings were harder and stronger than he normally would fight with. His moves less graceful and fluid. It surprised the other man, but it didn't last long until the Huntsman began to fight.

The sharp clang of their swords parrying each others joined the clashing and scraping of the others swords. Their grunts and angry shouts meshing with the clamour of the shouts, scrapes, and curses of the other men. Killian swung but the huntsman jumped back, when the man retaliate, he sharp slicing pain on his cheek and pulled his head back. Warm liquid seeped from the wound but he didn't care. He had worse injuries.

He fought with renewed strength, but he pulled his attacks down. Conserving his energy. He didn't pay attention to the fights around him, because he knew just a stray of his attention could be his downfall.

Huntsmen were adept at fighting with a sword, but he knew the man was outmatched. Swordsplay was not something they did often. Their strengths lay in their bows and their daggers. They were no warriors fit for a battle field.

Killian ducked under a large swing and knocked the man off his feet, as he lunged to plunge the sword into the mans gullet, he disappeared. The sword stabbed through the wood, embedding itself stubbornly. A curse flew from his lips and he wrenched, it gave after another large tug and he twisted around. Where had the bloody man gone?

He noted that most of his crew were still alive, the other crew was dwindling and fast. His eyes locked onto the form of the King, slashing away at two sailors, defending himself easily. The Queen was beside him, handling herself quite as well. Though, just like the Huntsman, she was clearly better with a bow.

Sudden laughter pulled his attention away from the royals. A woman dressed in a black sleek dress stood beside the helm. He hair was pulled back in an elegent and simple way. She was watching the royal couple though. Killian knew he from the laugh alone, but couldn't believe she was truthfully here. "It's pathetic," she mused walking down the steps as if the fight didn't make her feel endangered in the slightest. Killian clutched his sword tightly waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Too far, and she'd be able to easily counter attack. Too close and it would be too late.

The huntsman was standing beside the helm, blood was seeping down from his hair line from when he fell. He was watching the royals instead of the Evil Queen with a look of foreboding. His body was tensed, like he wanted to burst in and fight instead of just sitting off to the side. He was under the Queen's spell, no more than a thrall to her wishes now.

Killian ignored the man, he was too far away to do any real damage with the sword in his hand.

"They come all this way to save a woman who didn't even want to be found in the first place," she said shaking her head, "Snow idoically believes everyone is pure."

"Except you," he snarled, "Your heart is so black, I doubt any light can be found in even it's deepest corners."

"I have no doubt," she said, meeting his gaze, "but I do not hide that. People like us cannot hide how dark our hearts are."

"I'm not like you," Killian whispered, his face falling into a hard glare.

"You are just a pirate, you will never amount to anything else," she turned to face him fully, her dress twisting around her legs in a way that looked like her legs could be more like tentacles than anything else. "You will never win her heart back, and you will never be seen as anything by her parents. You will be locked outside the gate once their precious princess is tucked safe in bed. Or, you can work for me. You can have the girl and her parents will never get involved."

Killian would have to be sick and twisted to accept that deal. Swan would never want a man who would so cowardly fall. His hands tightened further around the hilt, his knuckles turning white and all the scars on his hand and wrists stood out on his skin. "I would sooner die."

Her cool dark eyes looked deep into his, she was looking into his very soul. Yet she found no trace of a lie, "So be it," she said.

The pirate hadn't noticed how close she had gotten until she thrust her hand out. A blinding pain blossomed from his chest, making his eye sight flash out for a moment and a strangled cry leave his mouth. The Queen had her claws on his heart and was ready to pull it out.

Instead there was a cry and a sword swung down towards her arm. The queen's eyes flashed over towards before she vanished in a cloud of purple. Killian fell to his knees, the blade swinging into the wood just in front of him. Splinters cracked and flew from the wood. It took just a moment before the pain completely faded and he was able to stand up.

The rest of the other crew hesitated, Killian called out to tie them up. Snow looked to the Huntsman before turning and telling her husband something. The man looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded. The sword went safely into his scabbard and he went up to the helm. Killian knew they would spare the Huntsman's life.

"We have to go below deck," Snow ordered, walking towards the door to lead to the lower levels. Killian picked his sword from where it had fallen and followed after her. He insisted on going before her, she was an adept fighter, but if there was anything down here he wanted to use up the last of his energy. Even though he felt drained from nearly getting his heart stolen, he was angry that he had let his guard down just enough that the Evil Queen had been able to get so close to him. To be able to touch his heart.

His hand went up and he rubbed at the spot she had grabbed. The decended into the dark hold. A few candles were light, by a gaping hole created by the cannons of his ship provided theway with more light. Thankfully no water had gotten through that hole yet, or else the ship would sink with everything inside.

The scuffles of men on the deck were the only sounds, no doubt Regina had ordered for all the men to go aboard ship, hoping it would be enough to take down his crew. It seldom was.

"Do you think she's done with us?" he asked, even though both knew the answer.

"No," Snow answered softly, "She'll never be done with it. She's let revenge cloud her sight for too long, I just wish she would clear it."

Killian reached one of the few doors that weren't already opened and kicked it open. He didn't care if it splintered or broke the wood. His men would take any pieces of the ship they could salvage and bring aboard their ship to fix or trade, anything they couldn't would be given to Davy Jones' Locker.

Inside was just the treasury. Simple trinkets, nothing that Killian didn't already have or want. The Queen moved on immediately, it was not her daughter. Killian didn't even feel like pocketing one simple gold coin. Swan was on the ship, the Evil Queen wouldn't have left her alone with most of her best men on the ship.

At the next door Snow opened it. Killian didn't object. Inside the room was dark, it seemed to eat at the light that spilled in. Neither entered until their eyes adjusted to the darkness, and Killian went first.

The room was bare. Not even a single box littered the floor. He glanced around before smoething moved in the darkest corner. It was accompanied by fabric brushing against wood. Snow rushed past him, her hands groped into the darkness before she let out a strangled sound and clutched something to her chest. Killian hurried over, dropping his sword. Emma body was crushed against Snow's chest. Her lip was split and she had a bruise from her temple to her cheek bone, a dark contrast to her pale face and blonde hair. Her lips were pale and cracked.

"Emma," he breathed reaching out, his fingers brushed against her cheek so gently he scarsely felt it. She looked so small and helpless, nothing like the firey and strong woman who graced his ships not a week ago. Snow's face was streaked with tears as she held her daughter. "Love, wake up," he murmured sliding his hand down to her shoulder, feeling the smoothness of her neck. "Please."

She shifted slightly, but made no move to awaken. Killian's eyes ran down her length to see if there was any injuries. She was wearing a coarse white dress that was covered with dust and wood splinters. Her wrists were bound together and a single length of rope tied her thighs, calves, and ankles together. He pulled a dagger from his belt and carefully slid it between her skin and the rope and cut her from her bounds.

"You're safe now," he whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open, revealing their colour. She licked her lips, but it didn't help. "Henry," she managed.

Killian's eyebrows pulled together, "I haven't seen him."

"Here," she breathed out and her eyes fluttered closed again. He straightened.

"I'll go get your husband, your highness," he got out before he turned and scooped up his sword. He dashed onto deck and called for the King. The look on the man's face was not anything less than relief and complete joy. He followed Killian back down.

Hook headed to the last room that hadn't been opened and looked in it. It was dark and there were boxes filled nearly to the brim. Henry wasn't here, he decided, she was simply asking if he was.

As he moved to turn away, he hesistated. Without a second thought he headed into the storage room and moved through the darkness, hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike out immediately.

Something moved in the darkness, a scuffle and then quiet.

He moved silently, not even a creak of the boards below his feet. Another scuffle, closer this time. Killian reached forwards and felt warm cloth. He grasped and yanked towards him. There was a childish yelp and he dragged the person from the room. Once they were in light, he saw Henry. He was a bit ratty, and he looked undernourished, but his eyes held Emma's wildness. Once he saw Hook, his eyes blinked away the wildness. "Hook?"

"Peg," he nodded at the boy, "What are you doing here?"

"I stowed away when I saw what my mother did," he said, "I didn't think she would do this…"

"Your mother is gone, and you and Emma are both safe," Killian gripped the boys shoulder before steering him towards the deck. "Let's just hope it stays this way."