The two wounded took longer to drop than Killian had expected and a third expired after an unexpected fight with a poisonous snake that had them all searching their steps before taking them. Clara moved hesitantly beside the larger man she'd previously assumed might have been just a nice old man and she glared up at him occasionally, knowing she'd always had a penchant for being too trusting.

"Clara Oswald, what have I told you about talking to strange men."

She could hear her mother's voice, clear as day after she'd strolled up to a swing to sit next to an oddity of a man she could barely remember now. He'd lost a friend – that's all she remembered – and he'd been sad. Wasn't that her weakness? A sad smile and a lonely heart. Glancing ahead at Killian, she smirked. Maybe a long coat and a complex conundrum.

"How far?" Barnibus asked, shoving Clara forward when she'd slowed.

Turning, Killian nodded, "Not far." He gestured upwards, at the mountain looming over them before looking Clara over knowing she had to be exhausted. He was surprised she'd lasted this long in the heat with little water after the past few days. If he could get her back home, he would find a way to repay her for her troubles. Bowing his head, he kicked at the ground and then stopped, kneeling and rummaging through the foilage as Barnibus and what remained of his men stopped.

Smiling, he plucked at the items he'd spotted and offered, "Why not stop a moment, catch our breaths?"

"So close to…"

"Yes," Killian interrupted, straightening to turn and hand him several gold coins, "So close."

With a crooked smile, Barnibus nodded and released his grip on Clara to examine the gold and she quickly hopped the distance to Killian, glad to have the pressure of his palm at the small of her back to usher her towards a fallen palm tree to sit. He looked over her temple and his knuckle hovered over the hot skin in desperate need of aloe and she grimaced. Then his hands fell to her lap, lifting hers before testing her knuckles and slipping something cool onto her ring finger with a small uptick of the left corner of his mouth.

"What?" She whispered, glancing down at the small gold band now sitting around her skin. She lowered her brow and smiled up at him, giving him a shake of her head.

He sighed as he took her in and then looked away, knowing there would be no point in indulging in the notion that she'd have been interested in anything more than a casual tryst. Killian chuckled, "Small token," he told her softly before reaching for his water and handing it to her. "Drink."

"How are we going to escape this?"

The words were barely audible, almost a breeze on his ear just before she took a sip of water and he glanced up at her curiously, "Hate to break it to you, pet, but there are still four men with guns and swords aimed at our heads. If we're lucky they shoot us mercifully before they depart."

"They could strand us here," she nodded.

"Always an option," he laughed, "Left to die of starvation."

Clara shook her head and glanced around, "Nah, I bet we'd survive."

With a small shake of his head, he breathed, "Always the optimist."

Giving him a smirk, she shrugged and replied, "What's living without far-flung hopes and improbable dreams and the notion that maybe, just maybe, they're possible."

"You'll make a good man out of your husband one day."

Coyly, she ducked her head and touched the ring on her finger, "Haven't I though?"

Killian closed his eyes to smile as she nudged his shoulder with her own and he finally chuckled, looking up at her – at this impossible woman – and he shook his head, beginning to ask if she'd take him as such when Barnibus stepped in front of them and barked, "Alright, Captain, lead on."

Hanging his head a moment, he nodded and stood, raising a hand to Clara, who took it and moved with him, thankful Barnibus hadn't secured her to his side again. She fell in step with Killian, pushing branches out of her face and watching the ground for snakes as he glanced around until his boot crunched on something and when he gestured down, Barnibus smiled. The ground was now littered with bits of gold within the grass and Clara shook her head, asking quietly, "I don't understand, if this is all just sitting out here, how come no one's found it?"

"Because most believe it to be a legend," he replied watching the men with Barnibus begin to pick at the coins around then, "That's the first map I've ever seen to it – I imagine not many were made and most were destroyed," he tapped his head, "Only map most pirates trust."

"Take it to the grave with you," Clara understood with a nod, "So, have you ever been here before?"

He glanced sideways at her, at the curiosity in her eyes before he sighed, "Yes."

Her voice dropped lower to ask, "Is that why Rufus knew you'd know how to get here?"

Sighing, he repeated, quietly, "Yes." She only nodded and Killian raised an arm, "Your pearly gates lie ahead, gentlemen."

Barnibus moved forward quickly and Killian shifted sideways as the other three followed suite, reaching into the thick of vines and roots that covered a wooden doorway. Giving Clara's hand a small squeeze, Killian took another step backwards as the men ahead of them began slamming their shoulders into the mess, grins spreading when the old wood cracked.

"Clara," Killian whispered, "I'm going to ask you to do something you're not going to like."

She nodded to him, replying quietly, "You want to make a run for the long boat."

He glanced down as she gave him a wide grin and an weary bop of her head before Killian turned swiftly, her hand tightly in his, and they tore off into the jungle.