AN: To respond to a question about how long this fic is going to be. Well... that's a good question. I do have a definite trajectory for it, and it will be on the long side. It has three defined parts, and we are almost through with the first part! I don't know exactly how many more chapters it will take, to be honest with you. Probably a lot. I know it takes a lot of dedication to follow a story that is so long, and I'm sorry about that. I'll do my best to get to the end sooner rather than later.

That said, we are starting to venture through stuff that is touched on in the show. I will use quotes that I remember from scenes, but do remember this is an AU! Not everything that happened in the show will happen in this fic. I'm having fun with taking my own path in that respect. You will definitely see some familiar situations in the next two chapters, though. Emma and Hook on the Beanstalk was my favorite part of S2. :) 9 days, everyone, I'm excited! It'll be interesting to see the show in Neverland, and it might adjust how I take the story.

Lastly, thank you to all of you for reading. It's incredible the response I've gotten for this fic and I know I've been slow, so I appreciate everyone that continues to read.

GOD ONLY KNOWS

...what I'd be without you.

I may not always love you

But long as there are stars above you

You never need to doubt it

I'll make you so sure about it...

God Only Knows, The Beach Boys

"Well, I don't know what I was expecting," the blonde murmured, shading her eyes as she looked up at the towering plant set in front of them. Okay, yes. The plant before her was undeniably a giant beanstalk. It had an oddly haunted look, as it twisted and stretched up higher and higher, its vines snaking across the surface like snakes primed to snap. It was alive and tortured looking, and somehow it looked distinctly malicious, in a way that unsettled her to look at it. And worst of all, it was tall. As in, insanely tall. The beanstalk was easily multiple stories, practically a skyscraper of a plant, stretching on and on into the sky. It even curled and curved like a rollercoaster, or one of those silly curly straws Henry liked to stick in his drinks. The end was not even in sight from her current position at the bottom. Looking at it now, Emma did not see how either of them had any hope of climbing it.

Not that it was going to stop them from trying, apparently, as the pirate had yet to suggest they give up the effort. Then again, he'd seen this beanstalk before; maybe it was less overwhelming to him. Emma was certainly not confident that either of them could climb it. There seemed to be so many ways for the trek they were undertaking to go suddenly and terribly wrong. Yet, they were both apparently dead set on making the climb regardless, for better or worse. She was still trying to decide on what exactly she wanted from him in exchange for her assistance, but she would likely ask him for instructions on finding Lake Nostos, and if there was any possibility of restoring it.

She hadn't induced any more migraines thinking about the Lake, thankfully. At least that was progress. Emma wasn't sure why she was determined to find the fabled lake, but for some reason she was. It seemed almost as important as finding a portal home. It was like the reason as to why was buried so deep within her own head she couldn't manage to find it.

It was maybe an uneven request compared to climbing a life-threatening plant for him, but maybe she could get something else out of the bargain. Information on Lake Nostos, and then his magical healing pirate charm. Now that sounded a little more even, though Emma doubted he would go for that. Hook had probably used it a lot over three hundred years. That must have been how he'd healed so quickly after he'd been shot through and poisoned. He might be reluctant to let it go, but still. It was worth a shot.

"One would hope you were expecting a beanstalk," Hook's accented rumble came from behind her, where he was securing most of their things. They had agreed to carry only what they needed, and leave the rest behind. Now that Emma was up close and personal with the plant they intended to climb, the plan only made more sense. It was going to prove to be a hell of a climb with just her, her weapons, and a canteen of water at her back. She could hardly imagine it with a bag or two in tow.

"In my head, it seemed less ominous," Emma admitted, even though she felt a little foolish for confessing it. Hook chuckled at that, returning to her side. Emma reached out to touch the plant, before recoiling with a sharp gasp. Uh, ouch. "Is it supposed to do that?" She wondered, shaking her hand in hopes of returning feeling to her fingertips. It felt like she'd just touched an electric fence, sort of, only magical. Emma wondered if her hair was frizzy now.

"I suppose I neglected to mention it's been enchanted to discourage climbing," Hook said wryly. Emma turned to him, ready to light him up for wasting her time, when he took her hand. "Hold still then, love," he admonished, as her immediate reaction was to pull her hand back, which only resulted in the pirate's grip tightening. Emma forced herself to relax, and Hook watched her for a moment, like he was testing how long her patience with his touch would last, before he clasped a brace to her wrist. Emma blinked, but didn't stop him.

"I'm touched, but I'm really more of a gold jewelry kind of girl," she deadpanned, turning her wrist about to admire her new accessory. It was a weird mix of metal and leather, with a pattern stamped into it. She looked at him, expectant of an explanation why he was snapping bracelets onto her.

"Darling, I do promise I'll keep that in mind for the future. All the same, I hope you'll make an exception, seeing as that eyesore is charmed to keep you on the beanstalk." Emma couldn't say the bracelet was her style, but she shrugged. Yes, fine, she could handle wearing it. A part of her considered thanking him for it, but she was only making this climb because of him. It was to be expected that he'd provide her the means of accomplishing the feat.

"Where did you get it?" she wondered, as it seemed like a fair question. Apparently the wrong one, as Hook's expression was suddenly quite cloudy. Which meant the answer was not one he was inclined on sharing. Emma exhaled, wondering how many secrets the pirate was keeping from her. It seemed like a lot lately, or maybe she was just better at noticing when he was trying to hide things, whatever it was, his closed off nature was starting to worry her. Why she couldn't say, seeing as their temporary partnership hardly required him to give a life story. Still, working with a guy that refused to give you simple answers hardly eased the mind, especially hers. "Nevermind," she sighed, as clearly he wasn't going to tell her anyway.

Or was he?

"I got it from a woman I was working for. Suffice to say she'll be right displeased to hear I shared with you." Hook was watching her with those steely blue storm clouds and Emma was downright unsettled. Okay, so that was a burst of honesty she wasn't expecting.

"Great, good to know you're making me an accomplice to your crimes," the blonde muttered, once again her fingers reached out to touch the beanstalk, and thankfully not encountering the same magical jolt as before. "Are we going to do this thing or not, Jones?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Swan," he replied with shark-like grin. Emma paused, realizing the terminology he was hanging onto, and shot him an unimpressed look. Nice try, but not so much. He was not going to be having her against a beanstalk today, thank you. Or, you know, ever, though Emma was not going to pretend she didn't like sex against a wall. Actually, she quite enjoyed it, though her partner had to be strong enough for it and it seemed like in modern times, they weren't. Emma hadn't had sex up a wall in years, why was she even thinking about sex right now? At least that was a pleasant enough thought to start climbing on. Hook seemed to recover, giving a wide gesture to the stalk in front of them. "Ladies first, of course."

Of course. He seemed to be a gentleman only when it was convenient for him, or inconvenient for her. Emma shook her head, for once not airing a protest, instead reaching out to hoist herself up. She had some experience with rock climbing and similar pursuits, and she was athletic besides. Still, the beanstalk promised to be quite a climb and she was not looking forward to it. Emma was focused enough in her climb that it took her a bit to notice the pirate was contentedly watching her go.

Right. What a gentleman. Emma did not miss where his eyes were lingering, but it was hard not to stare at her ass when it was suspended above him. Not so hard that he couldn't have avoided it, granted, but… she found she didn't mind as much as she maybe should have.

"If this is a race I've got a hell of a head start," she called down to him. Hook gave a dark chuckle. It was a rare change for her to not firmly discourage his lechery, but hey. Looking was free, after all.

"Well, my dear, I'm quite skilled at catching up," he assured her, but he did start clambering up after her like a leather-clad monkey. Good, because if she had to climb this thing on her own, she was going to keep that damn compass for herself.

Both of them sank into silence during the climb, at least initially. It went faster than she would have thought. The vines were strong and well dispersed. Emma had actually had a harder time at a gym on a rock-climbing wall. There was always something to grab onto when climbing the beanstalk. There were a few treacherous handholds but Emma tested everything before she put her weight on it. She would not be falling all the way down, not when she had no harness to fall back on. Emma might have been content to focus and not waste any energy on conversation, but the pirate, true to form, didn't give her the chance. It had hardly been fifteen minutes of climbing before he called over, "You know, some might find your silence off-putting. Me, I like a challenge."

Emma gave a huff of a laugh. She was more challenge than he could keep up with, Emma was at least confident in that.

"I'm concentrating," she told him, as that should have been obvious. She was trying to keep her handholds steady so she made it through this climb alive. Her silence was not to put him off, though at this point Emma was not sure anything would. He was annoyingly persistent.

"Or you are evading," suggested Hook, who was not as winded as she would have liked. Emma could feel the exertion of the climb humming in the muscles of her arms, but Hook seemed particularly unbothered by the effort.

"Evading what, exactly?" Emma asked, though it was not the best question to ask and Emma only saw the trap only after she'd stepped right into it. She was too busy climbing to keep up with his mind games, too.

Hook was a little ahead of her and paused for a moment as she pulled herself level. Emma matched his stare for a second, before turning her attention back to the climb. Did not stop Hook from talking to her, however. "You're afraid of revealing too much, so you think silence will protect you. What you don't know, my dear—" Hook gave a grunt as he hefted up after her, "Is that your silence is just as revealing."

Emma threw the pirate her best unimpressed look, though it was a lot harder mid climb. "You hardly know anything about me," she reminded him, but that wasn't as true as she would have liked it to be. He knew some things about her that Emma kept quite secret, as long as she could manage it.

The look Hook gave her seemed to say just that. "I'm starting to learn," Jones confessed, and it sent an uncomfortable prickle down the back of Emma's spine. "You're somewhat of an open book, you know."

Even if this was another loaded statement, enticed to entrap her, Emma asked, "How do you figure?" Because maybe she was a little curious how the pirate read her so easily. Emma had been skilled at keeping her thoughts and her feelings in her head for decades. She'd known the pirate for less than two weeks and he was merrily picking away at her walls and Emma wasn't even sure how he'd gotten as far as he had. Or maybe she was sure, as Hook was hardly subtle about the way he tried to tear them down. Emma was just unnerved by the realization that despite seeing him coming, knowing his type and being too smart to let him close, she had started to.

"Open book, darling. We're a lot more alike than you realize." Emma evaluated this statement but did not respond, expecting the pirate to give her a little more than that. "Don't believe me, do you? Well. For starters, you've been abandoned."

"I already told you that," Emma reminded wearily, testing a vine and ending up with a fistful of plant. Well, good thing she'd tested it. She dropped the green behind her without looking, as they were already high enough that looking was incredibly ill advised.

"So you have, but I saw it on your face the moment I met you." Emma's brow furrowed at that. It was not as if she had a band across her forehead, I grew up in foster care. "During my stay in Neverland, I grew acquainted with the Lost Boys. They all have the same look, darling. Being unwanted, unloved, it leaves its mark, and those who have experienced the same can see it if they know where to look."

Emma was not sure she liked how this line of conversation was going, so she deflected it. "Meaning you were abandoned?" By his own logic, if he could see this mark of loneliness on her, that meant he had it himself. Emma had not looked closely at him to notice, but he maybe had a point. She could see the emptiness in those blue eyes when he wasn't pretending to be this extravagant pirate. It was rare to see just Killian Jones. Emma associated most with Hook, and she was starting to realize they were two very different people.

"That I was," Hook agreed, and Emma felt a little unsettled by the open nature of the statement. Emma had not meant to reveal she was orphaned; she'd given it away accidentally due to impaired thinking. Emma had spoken of her time in foster care last night over rum. Emma did not talk often of her childhood, as there weren't many good memories to reminisce about. Mary Margaret's plea to know about her life rang in Emma's ears, but Emma hoped her mother never learned what her childhood was like. Emma may have resented her parents for what they'd done, for leaving her to face the world alone, but she didn't want to hurt them, either. What had happened to her had not really been their fault. "My mother must have died when I was young, I don't remember her. Neverland is incredibly hard on the mind. But for a time I had a father. We sailed together, and he promised to show me any world I wanted to see. And we did, for awhile, but one night he left, escaping for some crime, he left me behind and never looked back."

Emma is not sure what to say, so for a pace favored silence. She stares at the plant under her hands because it is easier than looking at the pirate when she offers a simple, "I'm sorry." Hook was a lot of things, but nobody deserved to be abandoned by their parent. And yet, Emma had done it herself, to Henry. It was painful irony that despite wanting to be a better parent than the example she had, she fell into the same problems. At least she had not abandoned Henry to face the world by himself. She'd given him away because she was desperate to give him a family that could love him and protect him. As much as Emma disliked Regina, the Evil Queen had provided for Henry and raised him very well. The mayor had made some mistakes, too, but that didn't erase all the good she had done.

"So was I, for a time," Hook said, tone impressively casual, but as Emma glanced at him, the storm brewing behind his eyes was not. Emma was not sure why he was telling her this, why he wanted her to know that they had their similarities. It did not help their limited partnership to talk about their pasts. "But being alone marked me, just as it as marked you. We understand each other, better than you like to admit."

He was uncomfortably close to the truth on that one. Because it definitely did bother her how easily he could read her and how easily she seemed to open up to him without meaning to. Emma was used to being the one doing the reading, the analyzing, to having the upper hand. She was not sure she liked the shoe on the other foot.

Emma gave a soft mutter of frustration, freeing a hand to rub at her forehead. "Is this going anywhere, Hook?" So what if they were similar? Were they just pointing out random facts to each other in lieu of actual conversation? If so, she had a few obvious things to share. Like, grass was green, water was wet, and pirates were aggravating.

"I've been courting you to work with me, my dear, and if you would find it in yourself to trust me I think we'd be an admirable team. You have a reason that is driving you to return home, don't you?" Emma schooled herself into complete non-reaction, but Hook did not stop. "You have someone waiting for you in the world without magic. You don't want your child to be abandoned as you were." Emma felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice water at her. How the hell had he known that? Emma had not spoken of Henry and for very good reason. Hook didn't need to know that. And somehow, he'd managed to figure it out all the same. He was way smarter than she gave him credit for, though with his guyliner and tacky pirate come ons, it wasn't surprising she didn't take him seriously. Hook seemed to be waiting for an answer but Emma found her voice stalled in her throat. "I want to help you, Emma. I'll help you get back to your child. We can help each other, we want the same things. Once I get to the World Without Magic, you'll never have to see me again."

Emma wasn't sure she wanted to see him anymore right now, and that was pretty awkward mid-beanstalk climb. Emma did not know how to take Hook's offer, but she was far more inclined to take it than she had been before, and she sort of resented herself for even considering it. Emma wasn't even sure why it seemed like a better idea now. Maybe she was tired of being alone. It wasn't totally untrue that they made a good team when they were trying to work together. And she could use the help, honestly. Trying to find her way out of the Enchanted Forest on her own might be impossible. Hook had already given her most of the knowledge she was currently using to try and find her way out. He was smart and knowledgeable and yes, he could be helpful.

However, trusting him felt like a dangerous game, like playing with fire. And Emma couldn't get burned, not now, not when the stakes were so high.

"Let's get through this deal before we make another one," Emma decided, amazed with herself that she did not refuse the bargain full-out. If Hook made it to the world without magic and managed to kill the Crocodile he was after, she'd be an accomplice to murder. Even if Hook thought the kill was justified, ends did not justify the means. However, Emma would do anything to get back to her family… and she hated herself for considering it, but if agreeing to work with Hook got her home, then it might not be the worst of ideas. "It'll be a moot point if you get squished by a giant. Do you have a plan for finding this compass, by the way?"

Hook seemed unperturbed by her deflection, and answered without missing a beat. "Well, not in such clear terms. I'm sure we'll think of something. Perhaps we can wait for it to nap and sneak in."

Emma laughed despite herself. "Hook, seriously. Your plan is 'wait for the giant to nap'?" No wonder he wanted a partner.

"Do you have any better plans, gorgeous?" Hook parried back, looking mildly put out by her laughing at him.

Well, he might have her there. "I don't know Giants well enough to know what would work," Emma confessed, racking her brain for what she could remember of the Jack and the Beanstalk. "Maybe we can use the Golden Goose as a hostage."

It was Hook's turn to laugh, a sudden bark of laughter that surprised her. "What are you on about? A golden goose?"

Emma fumbled slightly, uneasy with being laughed at. "Well, in the story, the giant atop the beanstalk had a goose that laid golden eggs. And then a harp that played itself, too." Hook laughed again, and she hated herself for liking the sound of it, even if it was at her expense.

"Well now, as lovely as that sounds, that's not exactly how I heard it," Jones informed her. Emma frowned, wondering how off her perception of the tale actually was.

"Okay, fine. So what was Jack after, then?" she huffed, expecting information if he was going to laugh at how wrong she was. If she was wrong, then he should tell her how the story really went. Only seemed fair. She wondered if this particular story was in Henry's book. She really should have read it.

"Remember I told you that the giants grew the magic beans, Emma. And that they had been mostly killed off." Emma did remember him talking about that, but she remained silent. There had to be more to the story than that. "The giants used their magic beans to draw treasure and wealth from other worlds into this one. Jack led an attack on this very castle, in hopes of making off with their crop. Only one giant remains, and it's said he destroyed all the vines in mourning for his family."

Was it bad that Emma felt sort of bad for a giant when the story was told that way? Why did Jack have to kill all the giants for their magic beans? Emma could actually understand the Giant destroying what the humans had killed his family for.

"So he's just stuck up there all alone?" Emma muttered, expression contorting. She had hoped that her climb would distract Hook from noting her expression, but apparently she was not so lucky.

"Don't feel too terribly for a giant. We might have to kill him to get what we need." Emma's stomach flipped at that. Just because Jack had run around killing giants, didn't mean everybody could (or should). The poor massive bastard was up there rotting in the place his entire family had been slaughtered; it seemed kind of cruel to murder him just to steal something else. Emma did not want to resort to murder on her way back to Henry.

"There has to be a way to find your stupid compass without murdering a lonely giant," Emma said, tone surprisingly certain. She apparently caught Hook of guard as well, if the expression on his face was to be believed.

"Darling, don't go soft on me now. If the choice was between this grumpy bastard and your boy, who would you choose?" Emma's expression was downright dangerous at this, but Hook was severely unrepentant. Emma would do anything for Henry, and yes, that might include slaying a giant. It would never be her first solution, though. Killing was a last ditch effort. Emma did not appreciate Hook using Henry as a manipulation, and—

"How did you know it was a son?" she asked, voice brittle. Because honestly, she could not be as 'open' as he was implying.

"Just a guess, Emma. But apparently a correct one." Emma shook her head, frustration evident on her face, and did not answer him in the affirmative. It wasn't like he didn't already know. Hook surprised her, however, by adding another question. "What is the boy's name, love?"

This was possibly the most dangerous question Hook had ever asked her, and it seemed incredibly foolish to answer. And yet… "His name is Henry," she said, voice soft as her thoughts went to the boy she'd been forced to leave behind. Emma hoped desperately that he was okay. He had a small army to protect him and yet she was still worried. It just felt like something was wrong, like a weird supernatural instinct. Henry needed her for something and she was here with the snarky pirate with no idea on how to get back to him. "He's turning eleven soon." And Emma hoped to be there when he did.

"You'll get back to him, darling. If you are anything, Emma Swan, it is determined. I'd like to help you, if you'd let me." Emma closed her eyes, trying not to really consider the offer of partnership too heavily. Not right now. They had other things to focus on.

"We'll see," was her only limited answer. Hook threw her a grin like she'd just set a challenge and he was set and determined on meeting it. "Heads up, princess, we're nearly to the top."

Emma did not have time to complain about that nickname – princess? Really? So what if she technically was one, she did not appreciate the condescending moniker – as Hook started to climb faster, as if the end being in sight was some sort of spectacular motivation. And just like his grin before, Emma was not going to be bested by a scurvy ridden pirate. The challenge was unspoken but she was just as dead set on meeting it. They finished their climb in silence, and Emma was pleased to point out, she was the first to the top. She winced as she pulled herself over a stone wall near the beanstalk, hand grazing a bit of raw and sharp stone, but she paid it little mind. Emma rested against the small barrier, taking in her surroundings.

The setting at the top was somehow, not what she was expecting. This high she was expecting something out of a fairytale, seeing as it was one. Whimsical decorations, a castle, clouds drifting by close enough to touch or something trite like that. They were met by a castle, but it was massive. Massive, dark, ominous, and creepily silent. A cold chill settled in Emma's stomach as her green eyes took it all in. Maybe the castle was built to be ominous, in attempts to keep climbers out. She shouldn't let just the appearances unnerve her, but a part of her was already unsettled.

Emma was about to ask Hook what their amended plan was (because waiting for a giant to fit in a cat nap seemed like a terrible one) when he caught her hand. Emma snatched it back, instantly.

"Stop that," she tried, but Hook was not to be put off so easily. He caught her hand again, and this time she noticed the spark of pain she got from the movement. "Ouch. Stop-"

"You are cut, Swan, let me see." Emma could see the red of blood at her palm and unfortunately couldn't dispute him. She must have cut herself somehow during the climb.

"Oh, so now you're going to be a gentleman?" she baited, but Hook sent her an dry look and pulled her hand in closer to inspect it. Emma grimaced but didn't stop him.

"Giants can smell blood, darling," he warned her with an ominous lilt to his tone which somehow made his entreaty seem a little hollow. If giants could smell blood then presumably the one stranded up here had already smelled her. Hook pulled out a canteen of what Emma presumed was water, but she was quickly proven wrong. Emma gave a sharp gasp.

"You bastard," she hissed. He'd had more rum on him? Was the pirate a walking brewery? "What a waste of rum," she muttered, and Jones chuckled at that, beginning to wind a bandage around her hand.

"No arguments there," he told her, and Emma sighed, as she watched him work. Hook apparently really wanted to be a nurse, and when he got it in his head that he had to fix her up she never seemed to be able to stop him. And since the third time was the charm, when Hook ducked his head downwards to close the knot with her teeth, Emma was expecting it. That part, at least. When he turned those impossibly blue eyes on her, well, somehow that she was not expecting. The look made her feel a little weak in the knees, as it was incredibly intense, deep and wanting. Hook's lechery rarely seemed like he was genuinely interested in her, it mostly made him sound like a perverted old man. The way he looked at her in moments like this sent shocks all through her body and she felt desire creep into her core. Those looks of wanting that made her wonder just how skilled he would have been and what could have happened if she'd let him have her against that stupid beanstalk. Hook placed a kiss above the injury, on top of the cloth, and then released her, leaving Emma stunned and a little uncomfortable, for all the wrong reasons.

"Well, darling, we've got a giant to incapacitate. What say you we do a little planning?" Emma blinked, as she was not sure how they'd come to the plan of incapacitation. "Well, you don't want to kill him, you little sap, so we'll have to knock him out, don't you think?"

Emma blinked. Well… it was probably better than waiting for it to sleep, if only marginally. But how were they supposed to achieve that? Emma glanced around their surroundings again, the wheels in her head practically audible. What could they really use to knock-out a giant? Green eyes took in and evaluated all that they had at their disposal, and unbelievably, things started to click into place. "I think I have an idea."