Chapter 25 – Encroaching Darkness

The first thing he was conscious of when he awakened was the searing pain in his left side. He felt hands on his back that caused more agony. He gasped. "Stop!"

"Hush Hook, I'm only trying to help. Henry hold him still, I need to get this arrow out." Tinker bell responded.

"It's okay Captain Hook. Tamara is helping you." Henry explained.

Hook tightened his jaw against the pain as he looked at Emma's son.

The boy had a hand on his shoulder and one on his arm.

"Your mum's here looking for you." Hook managed to say in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Is she okay?" Henry asked.

"Aye…"he groaned as Tink pulled out the arrow.

"You are bleeding heavily, I'm going to pack the wound with moss to make it stop bleeding and then you are going to need something for the pain and some kind of antibiotic." When Tink touched the wound again, Hook's world went black.

When he next awoke he realized he was sitting up and draped over someone. "Emma?" he asked hoarsely.

"No Hook, its Snow. Where are Emma and Regina?"

"Don't know where Regina is, Emma's gone with Neal to find Henry."

Snow and Charming looked at each other frowning. "Why is she with Neal? Neal stole Henry." Charming asked.

"I don't know maybe she still loves him." Hook groaned as Charming touched the wound.

Snow asked softly. "What happened to you?"

Charming wiped away blood from the pirate's wound eliciting a cry of pain from him.

"Don't know, someone shot me with an arrow. Where's Henry?"

Snow figured the fever was making Hook confused. "We are here in Neverland to find Henry, we haven't found him yet."

Hook coughed and swore after a wave of pain tore through him again. He inhaled sharply. "Henry and Tamara were here. Tamara put the moss in my wound to make it stop bleeding."

"You saw Henry? Was he all right? Snow asked excitedly.

"Yes, he helped Tink. Where are they?" Hook asked wearily.

"I don't know, we found you lying unconscious." Charming informed him. "Gold can you heal him? He's lost a lot of blood"

Rumpelstilktskin looked annoyed, grimaced then came close. "Move over, let me try." his voice intruded.

"NO!" Hook tensed and tried to move out of Snow's arms.

Snow's grip tightened. "Calm down."

Charming growled, "Hold still. Gold, if you can heal him then heal him but don't make it worse."

Hook didn't feel anything but he knew the crocodile had knelt by his side.

"Nothing." Rumpelstilktskin said frustrated.

"You can't heal on the island." Felix informed them. "Only he can. We'd have to go back on the ship out in the water for healing magic to work."

Charming swore softly.

"We need to go to the native village, they probably shot Hook in error. I know a girl who would help us she knows healing plants that could be put on the wound and others that can be made into a tea that he could drink to fight off infection ." Felix advised.

"The wound must be infected, he's feverish. Although I can't see anything." Charming proclaimed.

"They put poisons on their arrow heads." Felix explained, his voice tight.

"Do you know where the village is" Snow asked.

The lost one nodded.

"Charming you and Felix need to go and get those plants." Snow suggested with urgency in her voice as she helped Hook lie down.

Rumpelstilskin sighed heavily. "Here let me." He waved his hand and a bed took shape under Hook.

Hook lay on his side, the side without the wound. It hurt just to breathe and he felt so hot.

"Here try to drink some cool water." Snow gave him water to sip and it felt great going down his throat but the effort it had taken to lie down had exhausted him and even though he tried to stay awake, he sank into darkness again.

When Hook next awoke, he realized Felix was sitting on a bed next to him. It was obviously dusk judging by the darkening sky and Hook realized he must have been asleep for a number of hours.

He was about to ask if they'd seen Emma or Henry when he realized the boy had his legs on the bed bent in front of him. His face was buried in his knees and his arms wrapped around them.

"Felix?" Hook asked, his voice rough.

The blond wiped his face but didn't say anything; he seemed transfixed on a necklace he clutched in his hands.

"What is that?"

The teen sniffed and wiped at his face again. "She's dead."

Hook's heart stopped beating for a moment. "Who? Emma?"

"Tiger Lily" Felix choked.

"Who?"

"She was my girlfriend. She would have helped with healing you." He explained his voice cracking.

Hook didn't know what happened but it was obvious the teen was heartbroken. "I'm sorry lad, what happened to her?" Hook asked softly, his hand reaching out to touch the boy's knee briefly.

"I think, I think he took her shadow, his way of punishing me for not dying and for helping all of you. So he took hers and she died in the sun. All that was left was a pile of ashes and beside it this necklace that I made for her." His voice became barely audible.

Hook winced knowing the pain of losing a loved one. He frowned. "Felix, why didn't the necklace burn?"

"I don't know." He responded tearfully.

"Don't you think that there is a chance she may still be alive?' Hook asked carefully.

Felix sniffed and was silent. "Do you think maybe she left it so I could find it?" He asked slowly not daring to hope.

"Aye lad" Hook responded.

"If there is any chance she is still alive I have to find her. Then I can get the plants we need to heal you." Felix responded.

When Hook didn't respond he realized the pirate had fallen unconscious again. He felt his forehead and still found him feverish.

"How's he doing?" Charming came and repeated the gesture of feeling the pirate's forehead.

"He thinks Lily might not be dead."

Charming looked at the shaken teen. He had been devastated to find the necklace by a pile of ashes. He hadn't been able to say much until they were well on their way back from the native's abandoned camp. It was then he learned of the lost ones girlfriend and how he thought she had died.

"Maybe Hook is right." He responded softly. "But we can't go anywhere in the darkness, it's too dangerous. Get some sleep. I'm just going to wet a cloth in the stream to try and cool him down."

"Here," came Rumpelstiltskin voice as he handed Charming two bags of ice.

"What prompted this?" the prince asked.

The Dark One sneered. "The goodness of my heart or perhaps the fact I've grown tired of you all looking at me like I'm some monster."

Charming smirked. "Whatever works to bring some humanity out in you." He put one bag against the wound and to the other beside Hook's front side. It worried him the pirate didn't move or flinch. He was getting weaker.

"I'll take the first watch." Snow offered as she came to stand beside Charming. "I'll keep an eye on Hook as well."

Everyone turned in except for Snow.

After a few hours Hook moaned. "Emma?'

Snow was amazed he was calling out for Emma instead of Milah but reasoned that it was because Emma had taken care of him when he had the concussion.

"It's Snow, Hook. Emma is still off looking for Henry."

His sky blue eyes opened and he looked sad.

"What is it? Are you in a lot of pain?"

"She's with Neal." He said groggily.

She sat carefully on the edge of the bed." They have a son together." She said softly. "It's to be expected they would look for him. It doesn't mean she want to be with him." Snow explained and squeezed the pirate's shoulder.

"They still have feelings for each other." He stated.

"I don't know. If there is anything left Emma is in denial. Have faith, Hook. Whatever is meant to be will be." Snow stated, she put her hand on the pirate's forehead and was worried as he was still too hot.

Felix had fallen into an exhausted sleep when he was awakened by someone caressing his hair. Startled he sat up when a voice whispered. "Shh, it's okay, it's just me."

He heart leapt into his throat. "Tiger Lily?"

"Yes Barke made a huge mistake he accidentally shot Captain Hook with an arrow. We all got scared and deserted camp; I lot my necklace in the rush." She explained.

He threw his arms around her. "You're alive. I thought he had killed you to punish me."

"Why would he punish you? You work for him?" She asked.

"He took my shadow, I almost died. They…"he waved his hand over the camp" kept me alive."

Her dark eyes grew wide with fear. "Oh Felix how are you even still alive without your shadow?"

"They have a witch who created a spell that protects me from the sun. Lily, I need your help. Hook is dying. He needs something to stop the infection and take the pain away."

"I know, I've been working on a poultice." She handed him some mashed leaves and flowers that had formed a paste. "Put this over the wound. " Then she handed him crushed, dried flowers. "Make tea out of this and make him drink it for a couple of days. It tastes awful. He won't want to but he it will control the pain and fight off the infection. Please tell him how sorry we are. He was always good to my people."

"Can't you stay here with me?"

"You know I can't, I don't belong here."

"You belong with me." Felix whispered desperately.

She reached over cupping his face in her hands and kissed him.

"Start a new life away from here. You deserve it and a family." She said tearfully then left as quietly as she had come.

Felix sat with his hands over his face .Then tried to wipe away his tears as he went over to Hook. Snow joined him.

"Tiger Lily was just here and brought the medicine." He said hoarsely.

""Is she okay?" She ran her hand over his blond curls.

He nodded and looked at her tearfully. "She as much as said goodbye."

"I'm sorry sweetie," she hugged him close and patted his back.

The lost one sniffed then pulled back handing her the packages.

Snow then carefully removed the blanket from Hook and removed the bandage. In the pale light the wound looked red and raw. She put the poultice over the wound eliciting a moan from Hook as it seeped into the injury. Snow could tell he was worse. He barely moved.

"How long does it take to work?" Snow whispered.

"I don't know exactly but he needs to drink the tea. I'll put the kettle over the fire."

When Felix was finished they poured some of the tea into a mug and waited for it to cool.

Then Felix lifted Hook's head while Snow held it to his mouth and tried to get him to drink.

He took one swallow and then Snow couldn't get more into him as his eyes closed again.

"He's lost too much blood, he's so weak." Snow worried.

"The tea would help but he has to drink it." Felix said desperately.

Suddenly both heard a rustling and jumped to their feet. Snow pulled her sword as Felix grabbed his. A bedraggled Emma came out of the bushes.

Snow ran over and hugged her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, are you? Emma asked wearily.

"Not so great, Emma - Hook is badly injured."

Emma's eyes grew wide. "Hook!" What happened to him, where is he?" She spotted him on the bed and tore over. "Hook? Hook!"

"Shh Emma, you'll wake everyone. He was hit with an arrow. He saw Henry with Tamara. Apparently Henry is fine. When we found Hook, they were gone." Snow explained. "Where's Regina?

"I don't know, we think she took off by herself." Emma brushed aside the pirate's hair. "Why isn't he waking?"

"He lost a lot of blood, he needs to drink this tea but he's out again." Felix explained.

"I can heal him, like I did when he broke his wrist." Emma said hopefully.

"No, healing magic doesn't work on the island." Felix explained.

"We have to do something!" Emma looked desperately at them both.

Snow put her hand on Emma's shoulder. "When he wakes we'll have to get more tea into him"

Emma patted his face. "Come on Hook wake up, you have to wake up!"

Hook felt something repeatedly lightly slapping his facey. He wished it would stop but then he heard her…Emma.

"Please Hook, wake up."

He fought his way out of the dark place he was in and opened his eyes. His eyelids felt like a ton of bricks.

"Swan?" he said faintly.

He was so pale, Emma's heart clenched. "Here you have to drink this to get better."

"I saw Henry, he's okay," he whispered.

"I hear, now stop talking and drink." she ordered.

Hook took a sip and grimaced "Bloody hell what is it?"

Emma couldn't help but smile, there he was half dead and swearing over the taste of the tea.

"It's a special healing tea. Stop complaining and drink it." She said firmly.

He took another sip and started coughing. She could tell by his expression he was in pain. She rubbed his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

He nodded.

"Seriously Hook you have to drink it. Please." Her hand cupped the side of his face.

He summoned up every last smidgeon of energy he had and took another sip. He could feel the darkness descending on him again but stayed it off long enough to empty the mug.

As Hook fell unconscious again tears filled Emma's eyes. Snow's arms wrapped around her. "It's going to be okay, we will find Henry and Hook will recover and start making innuendos before you know it."

Emma couldn't help but laugh. "What I wouldn't give to hear one of those flirty remarks right now." she choked.

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews and pms. So sorry for long delay, deck painting time infringed on writing time but it is all done now. Hope you like this chapter!

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