Chapter 25
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His breathing came in hot pants, and his good hand grasped the soft skin of her hip, squeezing it tightly. There would be bruises on her flawless pale skin where he was touching her, of that he was certain. But he didn't mind – quite the opposite as they were rather marks of possession than of hurt. His eyes trailed upwards, watching mesmerized as her angelic soft body moved in pure bliss and ecstasy. As his gaze reached its destination, it almost took his breath away. Where her body was exquisite, a vision of soft perfection, the expression on her face was even more beautiful. Her crystal blue eyes were closed, and her rosy petal-like lips parted in a silent scream as she moved her hips in a pace that would give her the most of pleasure. She wiggled her head almost desperately from one side to the other, making her chestnut colored hair sway sensually around her mildly flushed face. Her soft small hands were placed onto his muscular chest, her fingers clinging to his dark chest hair as if for support.
Hook groaned in primal appreciation as he felt how her nails dug into his skin, leaving marks just as he did on hers. He gasped as she suddenly altered her pace, the prior speed changing to torturous slow movements. Belle's crystal blue eyes opened, the beauty looking down at him through heavy lidded eyes. Hook growled as he saw the evil, almost mocking smirk that was toying around her plump lips. The beauty knew exactly what she was doing to him. His eyes shone with mischief as he smirked up at her. She still had to learn how dangerous it was to challenge a pirate. With one quick movement, he suddenly sat up, his hands moving from her now bruised hips directly into her dark mane of curls to grab her nape. He held her head in place and crushed her mouth with his while his hooked arm wrapped around her rear. She moaned into his mouth as he pushed his hips forcefully upwards, the hopeless struggle of her fragile body against the vise grip of his strong arm mere fuel to his burning desire for her. The beauty threw her head back as the pirate hit a particularly sensitive spot, giving him access to devour her swanlike neck with open-mouthed hot kisses. Hook tasted the sweet and salty sweat of pleasure on his tongue as he licked her heated skin, causing him to move his own hips more desperately. He knew she was close as he felt her inner walls clench around him, and he let out hoarse moan of satisfaction, knowing that his own release was close. He closed his eyes then, too overwhelmed by Belle's body and scent that showered all of his remaining senses. The pirate felt her mouth her way up his neck until she reached his ear. He shuddered in pleasure as he felt her hot breath fanning over him, hearing her excited pant so closely.
It was shortly before he exploded in a white cloud of pleasure that he heard her husky voice whisper, her sweet lips lightly touching his ear.
"I love you Rumple"
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Hook shot up in his bed, panting heavily and feeling as if a bucket full of ice-cold water had been thrown right into his face. Cold sweat was glistering on his forehead as he stared with wide-open eyes into his cabin, the images of his dream playing quite vividly in his mind's eye. He heard his own heart beat painfully in his chest, pumping hot crimson liquid through the veins of his tense body as he remembered his dream.
"Killian?" a soft, drowsy voice whispered through the darkness, startling him out of his reverie.
His eyes moved to his left, gazing down at the sleepy beauty that lay next to him. The morning sun's soft rays poured through the cabin's window, filling the room with warmth. He stared down at the brown-haired beauty that had been the protagonist of his recent dreams.
The weird expression on his face must have startled the sleepy beauty, because she furrowed her brows in concern. She let out a soft sigh and slowly sat up, taking the blanket with her to cover her nude form.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, reaching out one of her soft hands to cup his scrubby cheek.
Hook stared at her for a moment longer before he let out a soft chuckle.
"Of course." he said, giving the beauty a reassuring smile. "Just a bloody nightmare."
Belle's brow furrowed further in concern and she bit her lower lip gently.
"Again?" was all that she said and gave him a look that clearly said that she knew that he had quite a lot of those since they had returned from Neverland's main island a few days ago.
Hook's heart clenched painfully in his chest. It was true, since they had come back onto the Jolly Roger, he had been haunted by nightmares. They weren't that bad in the beginning… but rather… enjoyable to be honest. Those dreams would always start with Belle and him having amazing sex, but would end with Belle telling him how much she loved the bloody Crocodile. Hook had tried to ignore them at first, but they were becoming more and more realistic, and he somehow couldn't get Belle's voice from his dream out of his head.
I love you Rumple.
Those four simple words were enough to make his blood boil, to unleash that fierce monster of jealousy within him that he had quite a tough job to cage. It was something that he had never experienced before. The worst thing was, however, that he couldn't deny the small flame of something akin to hatred that started to blaze deep within him – a feeling that was directed towards the beauty who was sitting next to him. Hook couldn't help it, but whenever he would look at her, he would hear her hoarse voice whisper how much she loved the Crocodile.
"Killian, why don't you just tell me what is wrong?" he heard Belle sigh and forced his mind to focus back onto the real Belle.
His gaze softened as he looked into her crystal blue eyes that were filled with love and compassion. He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently.
"It's nothing, love." he assured as he traced her knuckles with his lips. "Neverland just never fails to get under my skin, I guess."
Belle managed to offer him a compassionate smile and nodded.
"I don't like this place." she confessed and wrapped her arms around her body as she glanced out of the cabin's window. "I really don't understand what we are doing here."
The fingers of Hook's good hand dug deeply into the bed sheet, but he made sure to keep his face as neutral as possible.
"I've already told you, darling." he said and moved towards her to press her back against his chest, leaning his chin onto her right shoulder. "It's a necessary evil. We need to stay here as long as Gaston is still looking for you. It's not safe in our world."
Belle made an almost protesting sound but stayed silent. Hook closed his eyes for a moment, thankful that Belle had stopped arguing. He was glad that the beauty didn't seem to suspect the real reasons why the pirate had led them to Neverland, why he wanted her as far away as possible from their world. Gaston wouldn't be problem anymore, of that he was sure. He had no idea what had happened to the young prince, but he was certain that the Dark One had dealt with him in his own way. An evil smirk appeared on the pirate's face. Gaston had surely gotten what he deserved.
The smirk changed into a deep frown. As certain as that Gaston was dead by now, as certain was the fact that the Crocodile was still fresh as a daisy, and probably seething like a volcano shortly before its eruption. He would stop at nothing to get Belle back – he would never accept her being in Hook's arms. And as long as Hook didn't finally find a way to destroy him, he would make sure that the Crocodile would never be able to dig his claws into her.
A tickling sensation on his left upper thigh pulled him out of his deep thoughts. He smirked as he realized that Belle's fingers were trailing a soft path up his inner thigh.
Belle had her face turned towards him, looking at him over her shoulder, and Hook's eyes darkened as he saw the seductive and wanton expression on the beauty's face.
His hand captured hers under the blanket, making her stop before she could reach higher.
"And what exactly are you trying to do, darling?" he whispered lowly with a smirk on his face, his dark eyes now flashing with desire.
Belle smiled at him, her blue eyes reflecting the desire he was sure she was seeing in his gaze.
"Oh I was just thinking…" she drawled and turned in his embrace so that she was facing him fully.
She let one finger trace softly over his chest muscles, following the line of the dark breast hair she found there. He eyes were firmly glued down onto her hand's movement, her long, dark lashes touching her rosy cheeks.
"Since it will take a good hour 'til Smee is going to rush in with our breakfast in hand, we still would have time to…"
But before she could finish, she let out a shocked but at the same time delighted squeal as Hook whirled her onto her back, covering her body with his.
"Time for what, love?" he whispered as he was already busy with nuzzling her soft neck.
Belle giggled happily, a sound that made Hook's heart warm with equal joy.
"I think you are already heading in the right direction." she laughed, as Hook's good hand roamed her body hungrily.
Hook chuckled against her skin. He had to admit that he was still slightly aroused from the dream he had – a nightmare, of course, but with pleasurable parts as well.
He brought his leg between Belle's legs, making her moan softly. The pirate was eager to make his dream reality, but he wanted Belle to scream his name in the end, not the bloody Crocodile's.
He showered her soft skin with kisses as he made his way to her mouth. He tightened his hold on her hip as he finally captured her sweet lips, kissing her deeply.
I love you Rumple!
The pirate pulled quickly away from her lips, staring down at the beauty beneath him with wide open eyes. When Hook didn't continue to move, she slowly opened her eyes, staring up at his shock-frozen face.
"What's wrong?" she asked confused.
After a moment of silence, Hook shook his head determinedly, forcing a smile onto his face.
"It's nothing." he said and bent down to continue to shower his lover's face with kisses. He smiled as Belle let out a soft whimper as his good hand trailed down her body, the rough skin of his fingers gently brushing against the side of her body.
Sparkling green skin suddenly flashed before his closed eyes, big reptilian eyes staring at him pleadingly.
"Please Jones! She's hurt. She'll die if I don't heal her!"
Hook gasped as the words echoed in his head, making his body freeze in motion. He felt how Belle's body wiggled against his lower parts, urging him to continue. The pirate shook his head to dispel the images within his mind and continued to kiss down Belle's breasts.
Belle's fingers dug deeply into his shoulders as he mouthed his way downwards, his lips and tongue gently caressing her bellybutton. Before he could go any further, however, the beauty giggled and suddenly rolled him onto his back, changing their position until she was straddling him. Hook smirked up at her, impressed and delighted by her boldness. She bent down and kissed him hungrily onto his lips, her silken hair brushing his chest and face softly.
"You want me to believe that you do not wonder, not even one bit, if she is thinking of him when she kisses you? If she is imagining his face when she gives herself to you?"
Hook's eyes shot open as he remembered Pan's voice. Belle didn't seem to notice for she continued to kiss him, leaving his lips in favor of his chin and neck. Hook groaned as he closed his eyes again, forcing his mind to concentrate on the sensation of Belle's lips and teeth nibbling gently on his skin instead of the voices in his head. He took in a deep breath to steady the nerves.
What was wrong with him?
Belle loved him! He shouldn't let some bloody doubt that!
He grabbed her face in his good hand and brought her to his lips, kissing her with all the passion within him.
The pirate couldn't help the muffled groan as he tasted her. She tasted so good. Like sunshine and freedom, like happiness and hope. He would never let her go. He loved her like he had only loved once before, and yet it was so completely different from what he had shared with Milah. Belle was so beautiful, in and out. Cunning like a vixen, brave like a lioness, and caring and loving like a mother bird. She was perfect, and so much more. Belle – she was the light in oceans of darkness, the only woman who had managed to capture his heart since Milah.
And she was all his.
"Well then I'm afraid you're fighting a lost cause with me, Captain."
He heard her sweet taunting voice echo in his head. He saw her, sitting there before him with a sad but determined smile on her face on their first night on the Jolly Roger when he had invited her for dinner.
"You can't win a heart that already belongs to someone else."
Hook forcefully pushed Belle forcefully away from him, the beauty uttering a startled cry when she landed on the other side of Hook's bed.
Her eyes narrowed as she took in the expression on Hook's face, a strange mixture of anger and confusion written across it.
"What is wrong with you?" she hissed like a cat as she stared at the pirate who had just pushed her not too gently off of him.
Hook tore his eyes away from her and let his good hand roam forcefully over his stubbly face.
Long moments of tensed silence stretched out between them, causing the anger within Belle to be replaced by plain confusion.
"You told me he was still holding your heart." Hook finally said, his voice hoarse.
Belle's eyes narrowed and she shook her head.
"What are you talking about, Killian?" she asked.
The pirate whirled back around to face her, eying her with an almost accusing expression on his face.
"Your first night onboard my ship." he told her gravely. "When we had dinner. You told me that I cannot win a heart that is already taken. That he is still holding your heart."
Belle took in a shuddering breath and shook her head.
"I thought we've decided not to talk about him for the present." she said firmly, but averted her eyes. She grabbed the white blanket and wrapped it tightly around her nude form.
"Well maybe I've changed my mind on that matter." Hook replied gruffly and eyed the beauty with a new determination in his eyes.
Belle's eyes blazed with anger.
"Why?" she exclaimed and shook her head. "Why for Heaven's sake do you suddenly feel the need to talk about it?"
Hook eyed her closely with a strange expression on his face before he answered.
"I never wasted much thought on your previous love, Belle." Hook growled in response. "But I now wonder why it was you who behaved like the heartbroken one back then when it had been you who had left him!"
Belle averted her gaze, but Hook didn't miss the short glimpse of guilt on her face.
"You left him, right?" the pirate said, eying her through dark eyes. "You didn't want to stay with him any longer, am I right?"
Belle bit her lip but remained silent.
"Am I right, Belle?" Hook repeated, more forceful this time.
"It's … it's complicated." she finally said in a sad voice.
Hook inhaled sharply and felt how the anger started to bubble within him.
"What is complicated, Belle?" he growled darkly. "You told me you left him!"
"I did!" Belle exclaimed and whirled back around to face him with fresh tears in her eyes. "But I left him because he wanted me to leave! Because he was too afraid to face his true feelings!"
Hook felt as if his world would collapse right before his eyes. He felt his heart sink in his chest, pulled down by dark feelings of doubt and jealousy. He had always assumed that Belle had been the one to end whatever she and the Crocodile had shared. That she had been the one to make the final decision.
"But it doesn't change anything, Killian." Belle continued as she saw the shocked expression on Hook's face.
"It changes everything!" the pirate couldn't help but shout.
He abruptly stood up from the bed and put on his pants. Belle watched from the bed as the pirate let his good hand roam through his dark hair, shaking his head in disbelief.
"It doesn't." Belle insisted with determination in her voice. "He pushed me away. He didn't want me. So I left."
Hook couldn't help the dry cheerless chuckle that escaped his mouth.
He clearly remembered the look on the Crocodile's face back in Gaston's castle. This hadn't been the look of someone who didn't want Belle. It had been a look of a man who clearly wanted her, who loved her.
"And this is exactly what I am going to tell him when I next see him." Belle said, hoping to convince Hook of her feelings.
Hook's entire body went rigid, the blood in his veins freezing immediately.
"When… when you next see him?" Hook echoed and turned slowly back around to stare at her in utter disbelief.
The beauty on the bed shrugged her shoulders and nodded.
"Of course." she said. "I owe him that much after all."
"You… you owe him?" Hook said, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
When Belle simply nodded, Hook couldn't help but laugh tauntingly.
"You owe him nothing, Belle!" he yelled, his amusement quickly changing back to anger. "I won't let him come near you again!"
He would rather spend eternity in Neverland than giving Rumpelstiltskin the chance to get Belle back! he silently added in his mind.
Belle's eyes softened, the beauty mistaking Hook's reaction for concern for her safety.
"You don't need to worry about me, Killian." she said softly, shaking her head with a reassuring smile on her face. "I am not Milah. Rumple would never hurt me."
Hook shook his head, glaring at the beauty with newfound anger.
"This is not what I am concerned about, Belle!" he hissed, causing Belle's friendly face to fall.
"Then what is it?" Belle sighed in exasperation. "Tell me!"
Hook replied with a furious huffing sound and walked towards his liquor storage, taking a bottle of rum in his hand and drank from it.
Belle snorted at his reaction and shook her head furiously.
"No matter what you think, Killian, I will talk to him as soon as we return. He deserves to know the truth. Especially given your past with him."
"You will do NO such thing, Belle!" Hook holloed and smashed the bottle of rum forcefully back onto the shelf.
He whirled around to face her, his normally blue eyes dark and blazing as he stared at her.
"Especially given my past with this monster! And especially now that I know that you didn't leave him willingly!"
Belle raised one brow at him and eyed him with a slightly astound expression on her face.
"Is this what this is all about?" she couldn't help ask. "You think I will leave you for Rumple?"
"Don't mention this disgusting name!" Hook hissed, his body shaking from barely suppressed fury.
"Well is it?!" Belle hissed and stood up from the bed, the sheet still tightly around her form.
They stared at each other for long moments of tensed silence until Hook growled his response.
"You never answered my question." he said, glaring at her as if his answer would explain everything.
Belle opened her mouth to ask him what he was talking about, but Hook lifted his good hand to stop her before she was able to voice a single word.
"I ask you this one more time, Belle." he said with a serious expression carved into his features as he slowly approached her, his eyes never leaving hers. "And I expect you to answer truthfully."
He stopped right before her, eying her reaction closely. Belle had her chin lifted defiantly, preparing herself for what was about to come.
"Do you still love him?" Hook said, the words growled as his hard stare met hers.
Belle swallowed hard and took a deep calming breath before she answered.
"He is my True Love." she said softly. "A piece of my heart will always belong to him. Just like a piece of your heart will always belong to Milah."
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It was later that day when Hook found himself staring at the glistering dark sea beneath him. He was standing at the edge of a cliff, his eyes fixed upon the ship he was able to make out in the distance. The sails were struck and the anchor dropped to keep the heavy ship in place. The darkness of the night was surrounding him, the blankness only broken by the soft moonlight that was shining down at him. Only few of his men knew that he had left the ship earlier that day, and he had instructed them to wait for his return. After his conversation with Belle, he had needed to leave the ship… had needed to clear his head. Had needed to leave her.
He closed his eyes then, drawing a deep breath to calm the whirlwind of anger, frustration and jealousy in his heart and mind.
She had admitted that she still loved him. Had even dared to compare her feelings towards him with what Hook had felt – was still feeling – for Milah. Hook let out a dismissive low chuckle at that, shaking his head angrily.
Their situations were nothing alike. Belle had insisted that they were – but they were not. Could never be! For the very reason that Milah was dead, an innocent that had found her final resting place somewhere deep on the ocean floor, while her murderer was still walking happily the earth! The murderer that Belle still claimed to love!
Her True Love, he thought with disgust, the fingers of his good hand making a cracking sound as he clenched his fist.
He would always have a hold on her heart, Belle had admitted as much… had even declared to see him again as soon as they would return from Neverland. The thought alone made Hook sick with anger and jealousy.
Oh, Belle had told the pirate how much she loved him, had desperately clutched his good hand with her slender fingers as she had made promises and declarations of love and loyalty. The look in her eyes had almost convinced him to believe her.
Almost.
But then he had remembered the look on her face when the Crocodile had appeared at Gaston's castle. How her entire face had lit up, how her crystal blue eyes had shone with relief and love for this monster. He had seen it in her eyes, even before she had finally admitted that she would always have feelings for him. The softness within her eyes whenever the Dark One's name fell was etched in Hook's mind and heart, causing burning wounds that were starting to consume his sanity.
Belle was too loving, too caring to see the truth. A bitter laugh was bubbling on his lips when he thought about the fact that the most beautiful and caring creature on earth would be destined to be the Dark One's True Love. How disgustingly bitterly ironic. She was a woman who believed in second chances, a woman whose heart beat for seeing the light in the darkest of places, in the darkest of hearts.
It was her most beautiful and most dangerous trait. It was the reason why Hook had fallen so deeply in love with her, but it was also the reason why he feared that he would lose her in the end. She might be the Dark One's destined salvation – but same could be applied to the pirate. Since Milah's death, even before when his brother had died, Hook had found himself captured in a dark water vortex of hatred and ruthlessness. The world, destiny, had made him the pirate that he had become. Hook had gratefully accepted his new role as a villain – had even enjoyed it and the advantages it brought along. Ah… the pleasures of a little darkness in one's heart were as tempting as they were pleasing. It was not until Belle had suddenly appeared in his life, that he had remembered times before the darkness. She had made him think of a time when he had been a lieutenant, something close to a hero. His life back then had circled around codes and honor, about bringing justice to this world. Deep down, he had always held on to this – and it had probably been the reason why he so desperately had wanted to make the Dark One accountable for his deeds. But Belle had lightened his dark heart, had made him dream of more than that. She had stirred another longing within his heart: she had made him want to change into a better man, an honorable man.
To find peace. With her by his side.
Without the Dark One shadowing their love.
Hook heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head.
One last ruthless decision needed to be made, one last dark deed needed to be done.
To free them both.
"What a pleasant surprise to meet you here, Captain Hook." he heard the devil's voice chirp happily from behind him.
Hook inhaled deeply before he slowly turned around to face the boy that was leaning causally against the bark of a tree.
Pan was eying him with an innocent look on his face, but the triumph that was shining within his dark eyes gave him away.
"I want to make a deal." the pirate stated flatly, trying to veil the disgust he was currently feeling towards himself.
"Oh?" the teenager asked surprised, the mischief now gleaming unmistakably in his eyes.
Pan eyed the pirate for a long moment, clearly reveling in the man's defeat. He then pushed himself away from the tree and took a few steps forward.
"How can I be of assistance, Captain?" he said, eying Hook with genuine interest.
The pirate took in a deep breath.
One last ruthless decision, one last dark deed.
"My request concerns the woman I am travelling with." Hook said as calmly as possible.
"Ah, what was the name you gave her? Clara, wasn't it?" Pan taunted with a chuckle on his lips, the sound of his cheerful voice making Hook's blood boil.
"Cut it, Pan." the pirate hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I'm sure you already know that her name is Belle."
The teenage boy offered him a knowing smirk.
"The name's much more fitting, wouldn't you agree?" he chuckled. "So how can I help you with her? Already bored and now you want me to get rid of her?" he offered with a mischievous smile on his lips.
"No." Hook growled, the mere thought of Pan hurting Belle causing feelings of fear and anger to run through his veins.
His gaze wandered towards the ship in the distance, where Belle was.
There was no other way. He needed to do this.
For both of them.
"I want you to erase her True Love from her memory." he declared in a steady voice when he turned his head back around to look straight into Pan's face.
Pan's face stayed unmoved, the triumphant smirk still plastered across his face.
"Not so confident about her feelings for you after all?" he taunted lightly, watching as the stern expression on Hook's face darkened significantly.
"She loves me." Hook growled. "But she will always harbor feelings for another. And he will stop at nothing to convince her to give him a second chance. I won't let that happen."
Pan eyed him thoughtfully, his index finger taping softly against his chin.
"I admit it's quite refreshing to see the self-assured Captain Hook fearing to lose a woman to another man." he said. "The other man must be quite an exceptional specimen."
Hook couldn't help the scornful chuckle that escaped his cheerless lips.
"Oh believe me." he snarled darkly. "This monster is far away from being a man."
For the first time, the cocky expression on Pan's face vanished and was replaced by a confused frown. He studied the pirate's dark face closely, trying to figure out what Hook wasn't telling him. There was more to the story than mere jealousy, there was too much hatred, too much hurt in Hook's eyes.
"I'm getting more and more curious." Pan admitted with a crooked smile. "There's more to it, isn't it Captain? What is it that you aren't telling me, I wonder?"
Hook met Pan's curious gaze for a moment longer before he finally averted his gaze.
"Of course you don't have to tell me." Pan drawled casually. "But if you want me to help you…"
He left the rest of the sentence unvoiced, knowing as well as Hook did that the pirate wouldn't have any other choice but sharing his secret.
Hook clenched his jaw tightly in initial resistance before his shoulders slumped in defeat. He moved his eyes to look at Pan, staring him right into his face.
"The Dark One." he whispered hoarsely. "I want you to erase him from her memory."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he saw something that he had never hoped to observe on Pan's face: shocked disbelief.
"She's Rumple's True Love?" Pan concluded, his brows furrowed in confusion.
He let out a startled laugh, shaking his head.
"You cannot be serious!"
Hook narrowed his eyes dangerously, his nerves on edge as he listened to Pan's laughter.
"Do I look like I'm kidding, Pan?" he growled, his eyes blazing with pure hatred.
Pan stared at him, an amused, sharp grin now cutting his face in half.
"Forgive me, old friend." he laughed. "But that was quite a revelation, don't you think?"
Hook growled in response and his good hand tightened painfully around the handle of his sword.
"Enough of that!" he then barked. "What is your answer? Will you help me?"
Pan pursed his lips, weighing his head from one side to the other.
"Well as far as I remember, you were offering a deal, weren't you?"
Hook met Pan's mischievous expression on his face with an icy glare, but he eventually nodded his head curtly.
"Aye." he confirmed gravely. "I do remember that there's always a price attached when dealing with you."
Pan nodded his agreement and smiled.
"Of course there is." he confirmed lightly.
He then gazed towards the Jolly Roger that was harboring in the distance, the teenager lost in thought for a moment or two.
"I will help you erase the Dark One's memories from the girl's memory." he finally said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "On two conditions."
Hook cocked one brow and eyed Pan warily.
"Two conditions?" he echoed warily. "But I'm only asking for one thing."
Pan let out another chuckle and shook his head.
"Well the price is always as high as the effort, Captain." he answered. "And erasing someone's True Love from his or her memory is quite … effortful. Especially when this certain someone is the Dark One. We wouldn't want his own magic to break the spell, now, would we?"
Hook ground his teeth, but nodded eventually.
"Fine. What do you want?"
Pan's eyes lit up in excitement.
"As soon as I have erased her memories, I want you and your pirates to travel to another world to retrieve a young man and bring him back here."
"Another world?" the pirate repeated, raising his brow in interest. "What world? And who is it that you want me to retrieve?"
"The boy was one of my Lost Boys not long ago." Pan explained and sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, he no longer seemed to enjoy our …" he whirled his hand gracefully through the air as if searching for the right word. "…company. And even more unfortunate is the fact that he left us years before he would actually be ready to return to the Enchanted Forest and is now stuck in a world without magic. I need you to bring him back so that I can send him back to his world when the time is right."
"When the time is right?" Hook said, shaking his head in confusion. "What is so special about this boy?"
"Nah… nothing too interesting, really." Pan said, waving his hand dismissively. "He just needs to fall for the right girl during the right time, must father the right child. Quite a complicated thing, actually. But nothing that should bother you or your future love."
Hook stared warily at the teenager.
"Why don't you just send one of your minions to do the job?" he asked.
Pan rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"The boy is quite clever, I'm afraid." he huffed angrily. "He found a way to fight my shadow, and to be honest with you, the rest of my Lost Boys clearly lack the skills and ambition to do the job."
"You on the other hand…" he continued with a broad grin on his face as he slowly approached the pirate. "You benefit from the boy's capture just as much as I do. A life with Belle by your side, just imagine what life still has in store for both of you! Love, the family you have missed so much over the past years, a happy ending. Quite a motivator, wouldn't you agree?"
Hook inhaled deeply. Images formed in his mind's eye. Images of Belle and him, laughing happily as a young boy with dark curly hair and crystal blue eyes played on white shiny sand near the glistering sea before them. Hook would kiss the beauty then, while placing his hand affectionately onto the swell of her pregnant belly.
Hook shook his head then, clearing his thoughts.
He looked up to meet Pan's cheerful smile.
"Who is this boy?" he asked, still wary about Pan's assignment.
Pan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
"Does it really matter?" he said as he looked at the pirate with a challenging expression on his face.
He then heaved a sigh, shaking his head. For a ruthless pirate, Hook was quite softhearted when it came to children's well-being.
"He goes by the name of Neal in this new world. I will give you further instructions shortly before your departure."
Hook continued to stare at him warily.
"Look." Pan said, the tone of his voice softer now. "I won't hurt him. I'm acting in his best interest. I want him to find his True Love in the future. Due to unforeseen twists of fate, however, his True Love is still nothing more than a thimble-tall princess in her mother's womb, whereas he is about 200 years old with the face of a fourteen-year-old. And we wouldn't want him to miss his chance at True Love because he looks like an old man when he returns to the Enchanted Forest, now would we?"
Hook slowly shook his head.
"I guess not."
Pan's smile broadened immediately.
"I'm glad that we were able to agree on that one." he chirped happily. "So do you agree to the first part of our deal?"
Hook bit something inside his cheek, but nodded eventually.
"What else do you request?" Hook asked gruffly, his eyes firmly trained on the teenager.
Pan stared back at him with an almost longing expression on his face.
"I want to meet her."
Hook drew his brows together.
"Meet whom exactly, Pan?" he asked warily, his eyes narrowed.
Pan chuckled, but Hook didn't miss the darkness and determination in his eyes.
"This woman of yours." he explained calmly.
Hook shook his head vehemently.
"No." he growled determinedly, and flashed his eyes darkly at the young boy. "Absolutely not!"
Pan rolled his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh.
"Calm down, Captain." he said in a bored voice. "I just want to see what kind of person she is."
"Why?" Hook asked no less furious. "Why would you want to meet her?"
Pan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
"I'm curious." he said. "It's not every day that one gets the chance to meet someone who was able to love someone like Rumpelstiltskin. I find it quite amusing."
The fingers around the handle of Hook's sword clenched and unclenched, the pirate far from willing to accept Pan's last condition.
"I promise I won't hurt her in any way." Pan offered with a sly smile. "And you are even allowed to stand by the entire time."
Hook swallowed hard, and every fiber in his body screamed at him to simply say no and go.
"Sooo…" Pan drawled, offering one hand for Hook to take. "Do we have a deal?"
Hook hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do.
Images of Belle and their happy future suddenly reappeared in his mind's eye.
Of a future with a family and with the beauty by his side. A future free from the Dark One.
He needed to do it.
For himself as much as for her: To free them both.
He firmly took Pan's hand.
"That we have."
.
.
.
.
.
.
Pan was standing on the moonlight illuminated sand, watching with an evil smile as the pirate rowed back towards his ship.
"So I can take it that negotiations went well?" someone said from next to him.
The smirk on Pan's face broadened.
"Better than expected." he shared, his eyes gleaming balefully in the darkness.
"I'm surprised." Felix said, watching how Hook's dark figure slowly vanished in the wafts of mist that were floating gracefully above the water's surface. "I never expected him to be willing to strike another deal with you. Giving his past…"
He trailed off, leaving the unvoiced words hanging in the cool night air.
"Ah, Felix…" Pan sighed. "You still have so much to learn. Love is weakness. The pirate would do anything to preserve and protect his small piece of happiness that he has found in this woman. He's always been ruthless when it came to following his own goals – be it love, or revenge. I knew it would only be a matter of time until he would call upon me for help."
Comfortable silence was stretching out between.
Felix glanced at the teenager standing next to him, noticing the spark of curiosity in his dark eyes.
"And yet, something seems to have surprised you." Felix observed, raising his brows quizzically.
Pan laughed cheerfully and nodded his head.
"Indeed it has." he agreed with a broad smile.
"As it seems, the Queen of Hearts' True Love seems to be no other than the Dark One himself." he let out a disbelieving laugh. "Can you believe that?"
Felix chuckled dryly and shook his head slightly.
"Poor Hook." he said without any real emotion but amusement in his voice. "What a shock it must have been to find out."
Pan agreed with a nod and a smirk on his face.
"Well he certainly wasn't the only one."