Hi, here we are another chapter, i hope to have the next one published for you soon.
Disclaimer-Nothing is mine.
Please Read and Review.
And I hope you enjoy.
Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)
Chapter 25-Nothing Stays The Same.
Tinkerbelle and Regina have it out, Pan reveals to Hook that Neal is still alive, Regina strikes out on her own leaving Emma to ask Jack a favour, all as David is left with a life changing illness that will change everything.
What had happened between Regina and Tinkerbelle the other woman was still keeping close to the chest but Emma supposed that she was helping them which had to be a plus. Regina had given nothing for Emma to decipher other than the fact that they had a complicated history and that she 'did what she always did' and didn't Emma know what that meant. So naturally Regina offered to stay behind and therefore (naturally) Tinkerbelle kidnapped Regina and led them on a merry dance across the island to some sort of isolated little cave.
What had happened between the two of them in that cave was also a mystery because neither one of them were talking about it other than the barbed comment about belief and the fact that it was clear that Tinkerbelle was not going to help them unless she had a ready made escape route planned.
Emma wished she could say that, that was not sound advice but she had to admit that it was. One thing she had learned both as a foster child and as a bail bondsman was that you didn't break into somewhere without knowing just how you were going to break out. Common sense. Which meant they needed a way of this island and as Hook had left the island the last time with Pan's help they needed something new.
There was also the nagging feeling that they were wasting time. Emma did not take threats lightly and the fact of the matter was that now a serious threat had been made. Pan had said that it was only a matter of time before Henry had given up hope and became a Lost Boy. And despite her mother's promises that they would get to him before that a part of her didn't believe a word of it. She saw the added strain in the lines around Regina's mouth and knew she wasn't the only one wondering if what would happen if they got to Henry and Henry didn't want to leave.
The only good thing was that she now knew that Greg and Tamara were dead. That was one less thing she had to deal with. She suspected Gold if she was being honest but she didn't care. She should but she didn't. They had taken Neal from her, they had taken Henry from her…they had paid the price.
Her father David was also acting strange. There was something in the way he looked at her sometimes and he was being positively sweet to Jack which was something that had never happened before. They might have put their differences behind them but the way David was acting was just strange and out of character. Emma had come to the point in the road that was her life where she admitted that she could have two fathers. That Jack and David both played an integral role in her life but she was sure that something was wrong.
She wondered why her mother didn't see it and why she could.
How long had they even been on this island? What was it now days or weeks? She had asked only to be told by Hook that time moved differently and that he had been on this island nearly three hundred years and not aged a day which had not been the answer that Emma had wanted to hear.
So all in all they had achieved nothing.
Which did nothing to improve her mood.
And it was going to get worse of course.
Either Hook was trying to say something or he was in some sort of pain Jack thought. He, David and Hook had been walking towards some sort of plan that Hook had seemed to spring out of thin air that seemed to involve getting a good look at the island from a high vantage point. David was labouring harder than both of them which Jack thought was strange considering David was younger than he was. There was a humidity in the air but it had been worse by the fact that where they were going seemed to drag up more and more dry air. David pushed forwards steadfastly ignoring them both but Hook hung back a second reaching out to stop Jack with a touch on his arm.
"Listen I think you should head back" he said quietly. "There's something me and the Prince have to sort out. Besides if the women are serious about contacting Henry then there going to need a lookout. If Pan get's wind that the three of them are poking around the camp he'll move it to the very edge of the island or underground and we'll never find them."
"Regina's got a plan." Jack pointed out. "I trust her"
Hook gave him a very flat look that told Jack that this man was not the type to be played a fool.
"That's your own business mate. But I think you have to go back and make sure they don't kill each other. I've seen Regina in action, I've seen how she acts and how she responds when she's threatened. Snow White's not gonna like what she'll want to do to get a message to her son I'll tell you that much and Swan's gonna get caught in the middle and chances are we'll come back to the three of them rowing and that's exactly what Pan wants."
Jack was loath to admit that he had a point. There was something about walking through the dark forest alone that made him want to stay here. He wasn't used to being afraid like this, if he was being honest with himself he couldn't remember the last time he had felt like this.
"What's going on?" he asked finally.
Hook sighed. "He got caught with a dreamshade arrow and it's poisoning him. There's a chance for a cure that I know about problem is he wont take it. Seems to think even thinking about anything other than Henry is selfish. Course what he thinks is gonna happen to Swan and Snow White when he drops dead and they find out why I don't know but he wont think about that. Anyway if I can get him up there I can get him a cure but
There was an undercurrent of something in Hook's voice that he didn't like but it was far easier to believe the logic behind his words. Regina had her way of getting things done, Snow had another and Emma would be caught in the middle with her mother on one side and the chance to speak to her son on the other.
"You sure you can get him to do this?" he said eyeing David who was stomping back to them with a furious expression on his face.
"No. But if worse comes to worse then I'll knock him over the head and make him take it. He dies then we never get off this island and you and I both know there's no talking to him when he's like this"
"He does care about Henry" Jack said grudgingly. Hook nodded. "All well and good" he said "But his death doesn't help us get Henry, in fact it makes us one good fighter down and Pan will prey on that advantage as he preys on everything else"
And Jack couldn't disagree with that.
"Well" said a voice and they both turned to see David watching them. Upon looking at him—upon really looking at him Jack could see he didn't look well. Clearly he'd been hiding how much pain he was in, he was coated in sweat and his face was a rather pale colour that didn't sit well with him at all. Looking at him now up close Jack had to admit he was impressed with how well he had hid it the pain he was in.
"I'm gonna head back, give Emma, Regina and…Mary Margaret a hand"
He still was not comfortable with saying Snow White.
David looked as if he wanted to say something but the strength had gone from him and instead he sat down on the rock. Without giving too much away Jack patted him on the shoulder. "I'll take care of them" he said and he for once hoped that David could see what he was saying. Judging by the way the other man's face seemed to soften for a second Jack thought he did and then he was walking back down the path. Hook followed for a second and Jack reached out to touch his elbow forcing the other man to stop.
"Hit him over the head if he gets difficult. One way or another we need him"
Hook grinned.
When he got back to the clearing he knew that something had happened. Emma looked simply furious, Snow White even more so and Regina looked supremely smug as she waved over a Lost Boy imperiously. Jack knew he had just walked into something primed to explode.
"What did I miss?" he asked finally.
"Don't ask" came three replies and in three very different tones.
"I need you to give me some cover" Regina said in the same imperious tone. "When we see Henry, when we give him the message I need to make sure Pan's not looking over my shoulder"
Jack shot another look at the three of them and then decided to do the smartest thing and keep his mouth shut and continue to keep his gun trained on the trees that were not moving despite the fact that there seemed to be a breeze in the air.
He knew why Regina had asked him to keep watch on them while they spoke to Henry. He too couldn't help but shake the feeling that they were being watched. If not by Pan then by someone who was working for him.
The sooner they got of this island the better.
He hadn't meant to tell them.
Alright he had. That was a lie. Of course he was going to tell them. He had just wanted five seconds to enjoy the moment. He had saved the Prince (granted he couldn't leave the island but at least he wasn't dead) and he thought that perhaps he might have put the ghost of his brother—tauntingly real whenever he was on this island to rest. And after all, Swan was an attractive woman who had gotten under his skin faster than Milah had (and that was not something he was going to dwell upon now) and when she had kissed him he had felt…something…he had thought long buried.
Of course that was the moment that Pan had turned up to ruin it. Swan had not noticed nor had she overheard the bombshell that had been dropped on him.
Bae was alive.
Killian's first instinct was relief. He couldn't help it. He had known the boy and had never known the man and despite the fact that he was alive there was still the flicker of dread both for pure selfish reasons. He still could remember with perfect clarity that look that Bae had shot him when he had told him that he was the man responsible for Milah's death. He could still remember that feeling being ripped away from him—that hollow ache where he thought that perhaps he might have been able to be a…well…some sort of father and then he remembered the feel of Emma Swan's lips against his own.
He was going to tell her.
He just needed a moment.
The problem was he couldn't get one. When it had been him and Smee on this island Smee had known well enough to leave him alone. Of course that wouldn't happen this time. No longer had he sat down to stare menacingly into the bushes did someone come over.
And that was how he ended up telling the Prince, and then Jack.
What was surprising was both of them were in agreement that they shouldn't tell Emma.
"It distracts us from the mission" David said. Jack nodded. "Besides" he added with a look that Killian didn't understand but led him to believe that there was no love lost between the two of them. "Neal will survive. If he can survive this he can get out of whatever cage Pan has him. When we get Henry if he's there we can get him."
Killian opened his mouth to ask what would happen if he wasn't but before he could Snow White came over.
And that was how Swan found out.
And the Queen.
"Are you mad?" Regina asked when Emma made it clear that they should go looking for Neal. Killian thought it best to make a tactical retreat to the other side of the clearing but everyone else seemed to be watching with baited breath.
"Our priority is our son Emma not the son of Gold wherever he is. I'm not being distracted by this just so you can play happy families"
"Neal might know a way of the island"
"And he might not. How do you know Pan didn't let him escape to go and see if he could find the Heart of the Truest Believer or whatever nonsense those boys are calling Henry. I wont go on some wild goose chase with you Swan. I've already been camping for a week with you and getting nowhere"
"So what are you going to do? Go off on your own?" Swan replied a note of derision in her voice. "Regina we need to stick together"
"No we don't" Regina said back. "If you want to go looking for your long lost love Miss Swan go and do it. I will go and find rescue our son"
And with that she swept off into the woods her blue jacket disappearing into the thick coverlet of trees.
Swan turned to Jack.
"Go after her and make sure she doesn't get herself killed please? Henry would never forgive me for it"
Jack raised one eyebrow.
"You want me to leave you here alone?"
"I'm not alone. I have my parents, and…well…Hook…and once we get Neal we can get off this island but I think she's going to go looking for Gold and she'll probably get herself killed so can you please go after her. I'll be alright but if she dies Henry…"
"Will never forgive you, you said" Jack said. He looked around as if hoping to see a solution to the argument in front of him. Finding none he nodded eventually though he looked mutinous at the thought of them separating. Killian didn't blame him. He had to admit that he didn't like the idea of separating that much either. Far easier for Pan to attack them if they were separated.
Jack hugged Emma once and then went about speaking to David for a second. Killian looked away not wanting to overhear. The memories of Liam were back. Thinking about the family he had lost was too painful.
He hated this island.
Emma took a breath. She trusted Jack, he was perhaps the only person she would trust with Regina other than herself and if she was being honest with herself then she had to admit that the idea of splitting up didn't sit well with her—but she wanted…she wanted to save Neal.
And to save Neal she had to go in with a clear head.
"Ok" she said as she turned back around.
"Let's get Neal, get Henry and then get the hell of this island"
She could deal with all the other problems later.
Henry knew she was coming for him. She wasn't going to let him down.
And there you are. I hope you enjoyed this chapter-Already i am working on the next one.
Next Chapter-Jack and Regina go in search of Gold and meet a mermaid along the way. Emma frees Neal and must deal with her complciated history. The group meet up to begin their final assualt on Pan's camp and Jack talks to Emma about the Lost Boys.