A/N: Before you guys read I want you to know that I have a poll on which story I should write next. I would like to know what you guys think and I won't be publishing it until after this story goes on break. Thank you all for reading! Enjoy!

Aurora:

We had all gotten closer to the beanstalk and it looked even scarier close up. Vines were winding all around it and the color was like a mix of green and grey. "It's a little creepier than I remember from the story." Emma commented.

"It reminds me of death."

I turned to Mulan, slightly terrified and back to the beanstalk. "Encouraging." I said sarcastically.

"Well," Hook said as we walked closer to the beanstalk. "Your compass awaits, shall we?"

"Wait," Emma said turning to him. "If these beans create portals why don't we just pick one and go home?"

"Because there aren't anymore beans. Whatever story you think you know I assure you its wrong."

"There was a guy named Jack and a cow and something about evil giants with a treasure and a golden goose," She turned to me. "Or was it a harp?" I shrugged. I didn't even like the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.

"Sounds like a lovely tale." Hook said sarcastically. "The truth is a little bit more gruesome. The giants grew the beans but rather than use them for good they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack is the man who fought the terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. They thought if they couldn't have the magic no one could."

"The evil giants who made magic portal beans?" Emma practically whispered so she could make sense of it. "So why doesn't anyone go up there and make some more?"

"Because one giant survived," Hook said as he looked up at the beanstalk. "The strongest and most terrible of them all and we'll have to get past him to get to-"

"The compass." Snow finished.

"Indeed, the treasure remains and amongst it is the compass. Now, it will guide us to your land. Cora has the means to open a portal with the ashes from the wardrobe, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it we steal the ashes from her and we're on our way."

"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora?" Phillip asked skeptically.

"Because the five of you are far safer company. All I need is a ride back and I'll swear allegiance to whoever gets me there first."

"Then we better start climbing." Emma said as she stepped toward the large beanstalk.

"Right," He said looking down. "I failed to mention that the giant enchanted the bean stalk so no intruders will disturb him."

"Alright," I said getting annoyed. If he took us here for nothing I was going to scream. "So how do we get up there?"

"Well, I've got a counter spell from Cora," He gestured at his still tied up wrists. "If you'd be so kind?" Snow moved to cut the rope with her sword and he gave her a slight bow. "Thank you my lady." He moved his sleeve down revealing a black band around his wrist. "I've got two more of these; Cora was supposed to accompany me so which one of you will take her place? Will it be the three beauties from Storybrooke or the lovely lady from this world or will it pretty boy?" We all looked at him annoyed and then at each other. "Come on," He said with an amused smile. "Fight it out, don't be afraid to get really into it."

Then the fighting commenced. At first we were all talking at once and it was getting hectic. "All do respect," Mulan said moving towards Snow and I. "I am the best to go, how many wars have you been through?"

"My share." Snow said getting annoyed.

"And so have I." Phillip said as he got closer to her. "I'm the man, it should be me."

"Oh that is so sexist Phillip." He gave me a dirty look and I stepped forward. "It should be me."

Phillip looked at me confused. "You? You haven't fought in a battle."

"But I can fight." I argued. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't."

"You're in a skirt." Snow said plainly.

I looked down at my skirt. I hadn't changed since the day I found out about magic. Mulan shook her head. "You have people waiting for you back home. Why would you-"

"Because I know how to use magic!" I screamed.

Everyone looked at me shocked. "You know how to use magic?" Snow asked in a small voice.

I nodded. "A little bit, yeah." She gave me a frightened look. "Jefferson taught me just a few for protection. That's it, it's not like I learned from the Evil Queen."

"Aurora and I are going." Emma said turning to everyone. "We're going and we're not going to fail."

"You're new here." Snow argued.

"I'm not," She turned to me looking defeated. "I'll help her."

"If it's about getting back to Henry I don't care what I have to face." Snow nodded understandingly and Emma was confused. "You're not going to argue with me?"

"Will it do any good?"

"No." Snow nodded.

I turned to Phillip and looked at his satchel hanging from his belt. "Is there anything in that bag that will help with a giant?"

"Or Hook?" He asked staring him down.

"Hey." He said offended.

"Come with me." Emma and I both walked over to Phillip. He began going through his bag and pulled out something wrapped in a cloth. "This is powder made from poppies. He has to inhale it."

Emma looked down at the sword and back at his face. "Your sword, how strong is it?"

"The most powerful blade in all the realms." He seemed confused by her question, but I knew where it was going.

"Strong enough to cut through that beanstalk?"

"Of course."

"Give us ten hours, if we're not back by then keep going."

Phillip looked over at Snow who was studying the beanstalk. "Snow won't like that."

"That's why we're asking you." I told him. "If we don't come back you get her home."

"Ladies," We all looked over at Hook. "In this world we are slaves to time and ours is running out so in other words, tick tock." Emma took the powder from the poppies and we walked over to him. "I was hoping it would be the two of you."

I rolled my eyes. "Just get on with it."

"Put your hand right here." He said as he grabbed my hand and put it on his shoulder. "Good girl." I rolled my eyes at him. "This will allow you to climb," It attached to my wrist and then glowed yellow. I took my hand off of his shoulder and then he grabbed Emma's and did the same. "But there are other dangers, but thankfully you've got me to protect you." He looked down at his hand and then at Emma. "I can't climb one handed can I?"

Emma looked to Snow and she took his hook from her bag and handed it to Emma. "Don't think I'm taking my eyes off of you for a second." Emma said as she handed it to him.

"I would despair if you did." He said as he put it back on.

Emma probably didn't see it, but Hook had a thing for her. "Let's go." She said as she grabbed one of the vines.

I followed and then Hook was last. We climbed in silence for a few moments when Hook turned to Emma. "First beanstalk?" She didn't answer. "Well, you never forget your first." Neither of us said anything to him. "You know, most men take your silence as off putting but I like a challenge."

I rolled my eyes. He was just going to spell it out to her wasn't he? "I'm concentrating."

"No, you're afraid," He turned to me. "Both of you," I turned to him confused and Emma was looking at him that same way. "To talk, to reveal yourself, to trust me, things would be a whole lot simpler if you do."

"You should be used to people not trusting you." I commented. It was about time I weighed in on the conversation.

"Well, I don't need the two of you to share because it seems that being an open book runs in the family."

"Am I?" Emma and I asked at the same time.

"Quite," he turned to Emma. "You volunteered to come up here because you were the most motivated; you need to get back to your child."

"That's not perception, that's eavesdropping."

"But you don't want to abandon him like you were abandoned." We both looked at each other wondering how the hell he knew that.

"Was I?" She asked.

"Told you, open book."

"How would you know that?"

"I've spent many years in Neverland along with the Lost Boys and they all share the same look in your eyes, the look you get when you're alone."

"Yeah, well," Emma said turning away. "My world ain't Neverland."

"An orphan is an orphan. Love has been too rare in your life hasn't it? Have you ever even been in love?"

Emma turned to him with a smile. "No, I have never been in love."

He turned to me. "And you," I turned to look at him. "When was the last time you've slept?" I looked over at him shocked. "Come on, those bags under your eyes are obvious. Nightmares?"

"I don't think that's any of your business." I said as I looked away from him and began to focus on the beanstalk.

"You're a bit more of a cracked book." I turned back to him confused. "Not completely open, but not completely closed."

I chucked. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means you have a secret that even I can't solve." I began climbing again. "Just remember you can't hold onto something that big forever. One day you're going to have to share."

"I have shared." He looked at me quizzically. "With my fiancé."

"Look," Jefferson was obviously getting frustrated so I sighed. "The only thing I'm asking you to do is make the cup move. You couldn't possibly hurt anyone with a cup." Jefferson and I had gone to the woods everyday this week so I could get a crash course in magic. Let's just say I'm not the best student. He put his hands on my shoulders and I stared at the cup. "Now, do like a told you and move the cup." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, clearing my mind. "Aurora,"

I still hadn't opened my eyes. "What?" I asked in a terrified voice.

"Look." I opened my eyes and the cup was floating in the air.

"I did it." I whispered to myself.

"You did it." Jefferson said proudly.

I turned around quickly. "I did it!" Jefferson made a worried face as he looked behind me and I heard the cup crash to the ground. I turned to look at it and back at Jefferson, biting my nails. "I'm sorry."

He laughed. "Its fine, the good thing is that you're learning how to use magic and soon you'll be able to protect yourself with what little magic you know."

"You really think this is a good idea?"

"I think it's a good idea for you to be safe in case someone runs into you."

"Like King George?"

"You saw what he did to James's mother." I looked down and nodded. It had been about a week since what had happened to Ruth and Jefferson was obsessed with teaching me simple magic to defend myself while Phillip was stalling for me or I hope he was stalling. He wasn't a very good liar. "Let's try it again." I nodded and turned back to the cup, focusing all my energy on it.

Thirty minutes of annoying remarks from Hook later we had gotten to the top of the beanstalk and were pulling ourselves onto the stone floor that was built around a huge castle. We all looked around and there were skeletons along with a feeling of sadness and terror. "What happened here?" I asked in a small voice.

"It's where the final battle was." Hook answered. "Give me your hand."

"What?" Emma and I asked.

"Emma, your hand is cut, let me help."

He reached out for it, but she pulled it away. "No, it's fine."

He grabbed it and pulled her closer to him. "No it's not."

Maybe it was a bad idea for me to come with them. "So now you're going to be a gentleman?"

"Giants can smell blood." He whispered. "And I'm almost a gentleman."

"Yeah," I commented. "You really showed it when you prying into our personal lives."

He ignored me as he opened a bottle and began to pour liquid on her cut. "Ah!" She screamed and I moved closer to her. "What the hell is that?"

"It's rum." He said studying her hand. "And a bloody waste of it." I tore a piece of Hook's clothing and he looked at me like I was insane. "What the hell are you doing?!" I moved to Emma and tied the piece of clothing around her. "Oh," He said as I turned around, giving him a smirk. "Wise idea." I gave him an exaggerated bow and he moved closer to us. "Here's the plan, we wait for the giant to fall asleep and when he does we'll sneak past him and into his cave, that's where the treasure is, where the compass lies."

"And then?" Emma asked.

"And then we run like hell."

"We don't have to time to wait for a giant to fall asleep." I told him. "The powder Phillip gave us, we need to use it."

Emma nodded. "We could knock him out."

"That's riskier."

"Than waiting for a giant to fall asleep when we need him to?" Emma countered.

"Point taken." He smiled and looked back and forth at us as I pulled out the powder. "You're a tough lass." I handed the poppy powder to him as he was still looking at Emma. "You'd make a hell of a pirate." Then I got a glimpse of his arm.

There was a tattoo that had a heart and a scroll in the center of it with a name. "Who's Milah?" His face softened as he looked at me and then he looked back down. "Oh come on, you made us miserable asking personal questions back there and I can't ask you one-" He looked back up at me pleadingly as if it hurt him to even think about it. "Rumplestiltskin took more than your hand from you didn't he?"

He took his hand away and walked past me. "Let's get on with it." I turned to look at Emma and she shrugged. I followed first. Hook was actually starting to get interesting.

After a long hard day of practicing magic in the woods Jefferson and I began to head back. "Believe it or not," He said as he put his arm around me. "You are making excellent progress."

I smiled at him. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, I don't know if it's because it's in your blood or what, but you're good with magic." He moved his head closer to mine and whispered in my ear, "It took me almost an entire year just to learn how to move a stupid cup."

I began laughing and looked down. "My satchel!" It wasn't anywhere on me. I put my hand to my head. "I must have left it. I'm gonna go get it."

I began heading off in the other direction. "You want me to come with you, mushroom?"

"No," I said turning my head to him. "I'll only be a moment."

I quickly ran to the clearing which was only a few feet away from where Jefferson was standing and picked up the bag, tossing it over my shoulder. "Aurora?"

"I'm coming." I called out as I began to turn around. When I saw what was happening I dropped my bag. There was a man pressing a knife to Jefferson's throat and he wore a wicked smile.

"Why," He began. "Hello princess. Tell me, what are you doing with a mushroom collector?" His smile grew wider when he saw how terrified I looked when Jefferson sent me a pleading look.

Emma was up on a statue with the poppy powder as Hook and I were on the floor. I had grabbed a sword off of a skeleton and Hook a giant bone. "You ready?" He asked Emma.

"Yeah."

He looked at me as if to ask the same question. "As ready as I'll ever be." I answered.

He led the way to what looked to be a giant breastplate and we began pounding the sword and the bone on the metal. Nothing happened at first until there was a loud roar and the ground started shaking with every step the giant took. I had to grab onto the breastplate so I wouldn't fall. When the giant emerged he began looking all around and Hook began banging the breastplate again. "Oi!" Hook called. "You big lug! Yeah, you!" The giant had completely forgotten about me and was focusing only on Hook. "You want to kill a human? You want to kill a human?" The giant was moving closer to Emma. Maybe Hook did know what he was doing. "I'm the worst human around! Come on then!"

Hook had turned the giant around so it was now facing Emma and she threw the poppy powder in his face. The giant wobbled and was about to fall right on Hook. "Hook!" I called out. I ran and knocked him out of the way right as the giant fell.

We both looked at the giant and then at each other. "Thank you." He told me.

I shook my head and moved his hands off of my waist. "It was nothing."

He was about to say more when Emma had climbed down from the statue. "Are you guys alright?" She asked as she helped me up.

"Fine." I answered.

Hook had walked over to the giant and was studying him. "He's knocked out cold." He looked over at us. "I don't mean to upset you ladies, but the three of us make a pretty good team."

Emma shook her head and walked forward. "Let's go steal that compass."

"They hoarded all of their greatest stolen treasures in here." Hook explained as we walked through the entrance and into a room filled with gold. "There are piles of jewels and every room is filled with coins." He stopped and began going through one of the baskets filled with coins. He seemed to be in a trance.

"Look," I began. "I know you're a pirate and its like hardwired in your brain to want to steal gold, but we need the compass, like now."

He didn't say anything, still looking through the gold and Emma put her hands on her hips. "How long do you think magic knock out dust lasts?"

"I have no clue." He said with a shrug.

"That's why we need to get the compass and go." Emma said as Hook looked up at her.

He pocketed the gold coin and walked ahead of us. "Everything we need is right in front of us."

We walked into another huge room where everything in it was scattered everywhere. "What," Emma began. "Did they kill all the magic house keepers too? How are we supposed to find a compass in this place?"

"By looking." He said as he moved into Emma's ear. "Start searching." We began looking around in silence for a few moments still staying together as we walked through. "I wonder how much treasure we could carry down the beanstalk." Emma and I both gave him a look and when he saw it he smiled. "In addition to the compass of course."

We got to a lone skeleton in the middle of the floor. "What the hell?" Emma asked.

"That would be Jack."

"As in Jack-" I began.

"The giant killer."

"With that toothpick?" Emma asked as she pointed at the sword.

Hook began walking backwards. "It packs quite a wall up you'll be surprised-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Emma yelled as she grabbed Hook and pulled him away from a white string in the middle of the room.

"It's about bloody time." He said as he pulled her closer to him.

I rolled my eyes as Emma squirmed out of his grip and pointed to the string. "It's a trip wire." She pointed up and there was a cage that was connected to the sting. "Quite a security system."

"Well I suppose that's an excuse for grabbing me, but next time don't stand unceremonious."

"Let's find the compass," I said walking up to them and then turning to Emma. "And then go home." I turned to Hook and made a gesture for him to start walking. "After you." He walked off with a smirk and I turned to Emma as we shared an eye roll.

"Tell me Jefferson," The man said as he pulled his knife closer to his neck.

"Stop!" I screamed.

He ignored me and kept talking. "What is a gutter rat like you doing with this lovely princess?"

"I don't know." He muttered out. "Maybe it's my undeniable charm." He coughed. "You mind loosening your grip there?"

"No." He said menacingly into his ear.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

He turned to me and smiled. "Jefferson," He tightened his grip on his neck again and I had to look away. "You want to take that one?"

"This is Ty. Um," He began. "Remember when I told you I wasn't always a good guy?" I nodded. "I kind of killed his brother."

My eyes grew wide and my mouth dropped. "Kind of?" He screamed at him. "You ripped him to pieces!"

"I technically didn't I told him what would happen if we went to that world."

"And I don't care."

"Please." I said as I moved a bit closer to him and they both looked. "Don't kill him."

"Aurora," Jefferson called out. "It's useless. He's unreasonable."

I shook my head. "I'll give you anything you want."

"Can you give me my brother back?" I shook my head. "Then you have nothing I want."

He was about to slit his throat. "NO!" He stopped and turned to me again with an eye roll. "Please!" I pleaded. "I love him."

He smiled and turned to Jefferson. "You made this poor girl fall in love with you?" Jefferson didn't take his eyes off of me as Ty turned his head back to me. "Sorry sweetheart, I'm an eye for an eye kind of guy."

"I'm warning you." I growled.

"He took my brother's life and now I will take his."

He turned back to Jefferson and I could see his arm tense up. Jefferson looked at me and whispered, "I love you."

I had so much rage flowing through my body. If he was going to kill Jefferson and I couldn't let that happen. He was my one true love. I could feel the energy from the magic at the tip of my fingers and right before he slid his knife across Jefferson's throat I pushed my hand out and snapped his neck. He fell to the floor and I put my hand to my mouth. Jefferson looked down at him and then back at me. "No," I whispered as I moved to Ty. "Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead." I got down on my knees right next to him and turned him over. His eyes were empty and glazed over and he had no breath. "Oh my god."

"Aurora," Jefferson said as he got down right next to me.

"Oh my god." I whispered again. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."

"What you did wasn't wrong. It was self defense, I guarantee he would have killed you when he was done with me or he would have taken you for ransom."

I turned to him with a tear flowing down my face. "I killed someone." I looked back at Ty. "I actually killed someone."

I gasped as I looked at him and put my hand back to my mouth. Jefferson put his arms around me and held me as I cried. I was no better than my mother and that was my worst fear. I didn't want to turn into her because everyone was good once before they were evil and what if I was destined to be just like my mother. What if I was destined for evil?

We continued searching and Emma looked around at the room filled with gold. "So it's just in here somewhere?"

"Allegedly." Hook said as he was studying a golden cage. "Give me a boost love."

"So I can't see what you're pocketing, no way." Emma said as we moved closer to him. "Give me a boost."

"Try something new darling." He said as he leaned into Emma. "It's called trust."

"We do it side by side," I began. "And fast who knows how long before the-" The entire palace rattled and we all held onto the golden cage.

"He's coming up." I said in a small voice.

"Quickly," Hook said turning to us. "Get under something."

I ran after him, but Emma stayed as the giant entered the room. "Emma!" I yelled out.

His large steps made the ceiling began to crumble and it began to fall down on Hook and I. "Aurora! Hook!"

I had heard some talking from Emma and the giant, but it just sounded like mumbling. My leg was caught under a rock and I turned to Hook. "Are you alright?"

He nodded. "What about you?"

"Apart from not being able to wiggle my way out I'm fine."

I began struggling again, but it was no use. I was panicking now. "Hey." Hook called. I turned to him with a worried look on my face. "Let's just talk. That will take away some of the nerves." I nodded. "Do you want to tell me about those nightmares you've been having?"

I nodded. "I'm in this red room." I took a deep breath, remembering all of it. "And it's on fire, all of it and there are these blood red curtains, but I can't see outside. There's no door so I don't understand how I got in." I looked up at him and he was listening to me intently. "But there's someone else in the room." Hook turned his head to the side. "I can't see his face, but I can see his silhouette."

He opened his mouth to say something when Emma called out, "Aurora, Hook."

She began moving around the rocks releasing my leg and getting Hook out from under his rock. He smiled up at her. "You are bloody brilliant, amazing." Emma squatted down next to us and Hook looked to her. "Can I see it, the compass?" She brought it out and I gasped when I saw it. "It's more beautiful than I imagined." He tried to grab it, but Emma pulled it away from him. "Come let's go." He was about to stand up, but Emma cuffed his hand to the golden cage near by. I looked at her shocked. "What are you doing?" She helped me up and we stood up together. What was she doing? "What are you doing?"

"Hook, I- I can't-"

"Emma, look at me." We both turned to look at him and I didn't want to leave him here. Even though he was annoying he had been helpful. "Have I told you a lie? I brought you here, risked my own safety to protect you. The compass is in your hand. Why do this to me now?"

"I can't take a chance that I'm wrong about you." She began to walk back taking me with her. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" She turned around and walked a few steps. "You're sorry? I GOT YOU HERE! I GOT YOU THE COMPASS!"

She turned around angrily. "I got the compass!

"You're just going to leave me here to die? For the beast to eat me and crush my bones?"

"He's not a beast and you're not gonna die. We just need a head start, that's all." She turned around and began walking as she dragged me along.

"Swan!" I looked back at him. "Swan!" Emma pulled me forward so I wouldn't look back anymore. "SWAN!"

We got out and she turned to me. "Come on, let's go."

"You're just going to leave him there?!"

"He'll be fine," Emma said as she got on the beanstalk. "But we gave Phillip ten hours and I've got a feeling that our time is almost up so let's go." She extended her hand to me I looked back at the castle. "Come on!" I turned back and took her hand and we climbed down the beanstalk faster than before and then there was the feeling that the entire thing was rattling, signaling us that our ten hours were up. When we got to the bottom we saw a fight breaking out between, Snow, Mulan and Phillip. "Stop!" Emma cried.

We jumped down and landed on our backs. "Emma! Aurora!" Snow went running to us and squatted down next to us. "Are you okay?"

"Two earthquakes and a jump from a beanstalk." Emma commented. "I think my brain is still rattling."

"I did what the two of you ordered." Phillip said looking at us. "Nothing more than that." We both nodded. "Did you get it?"

"Yup." Emma said as she stood up and then Snow helped me up.

"Where's Hook?" Mulan asked.

"He's detained. Let's go," Emma began before anyone could ask. "Get your stuff, we've got ten hours before he follows us."

"What?! How?!" Snow asked.

"I've got a friend looking after him." Emma told her.

Mulan and Phillip began packing up the stuff and before we could join them Snow stopped us. "You told him to cut it down?"

"Yes I-"

Snow grabbed Emma's shoulders sternly and looked to me. "The three of us go back together." She turned to Emma. "Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

She pulled both of us into a hug and began to stroke Emma's hair. "Good. Let's get that dust from Cora."

"And go home." I finished. "Go home." I whispered.