Chapter 28 - The Jolly Roger

She could feel some fear and the death surrounding her. She could feel the heartbreak as she saw the death bodies. She failed. She failed everyone, her friends, her family, her world… him. She could feel a cold metal on her arm pulling him to her. Comfort. She doesn't remember anymore what that feels. She was just another numb warrior in a lost battle. Must like him. They both lost. But his cold arm could always bring fire to her, always bring that little sparkle inside her.

Hope.

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Helena woke up slightly confused with the strange haunting dream. As she tried to move to get up she left arms around her. Warm arms. Not a cold one like in her unforgettable dream. Suddenly she left the hook traveling over naked back and knew he was awake.

"What time is it?" She asks turning to him as she noticed a genuine smile on his face that makes her smile.

"Pass 9 I believe." She stares surprised. She can't remember the last time she was in bed for that long. She suddenly turned and saw a message on her cell.

Emma: We need you. Meet us at the loft.

"I need to go, Emma needs me." she says getting up looking for her clothes as notices Hook getting up as well catching her lacy bra and grinning at her, completely naked.

"I think I found something."

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"See, the enemy battle plans that were used are easier to decode than this." she could hear Emma protest as she enter the house leaning against the door with Hook's arm around her waist. She and David are trying to build a crib for the baby as Mary Margaret watched them clearly amused by the lack of progress.

"Let me see. Alright, it says, "take screws E, with washers D, through bar C, using wrench F, which is not provided".

"Why don't we just call Marco? He's really good at this sort of thing."

"No!"

"No! We're fine." She couldn't help but let out a short laugh as their as they turned to me surprised. "Hi. Helena how long have you two been there?"

"Along enough to know you and Emma can't build a thing." She teases them clearly amused as well by the lack of progress.

"Should we even be doing this? Ever since the showdown between Regina and the Wicked Witch, we haven't seen Zelena or Gold at all. Shouldn't we be focusing on her next move?" Mary Margaret asked and Helena couldn't help but agree with the woman. This doesn't seem the time to be building a nursing room.

"We are. We just can't stop living."

"Yeah, this crib is a statement. We're not gonna lose another baby."

"And thanks to me, you won't. I'm finished." Regina says appearing at the loft as she and Hook walk inside to let her in.

"So? Did it work? Were you able to put up a new protection spell?"

"One that can't be undone by blood magic. Which means, Zelena won't be able to put her hands on that baby."

"Any idea why she would want to?"I asked Regina who is not next to me with a raised eyebrow at Hook and my closeness.

"The number of spells involving baby parts would surprise you."

"I know she's your half sister or something but that greeny is clearly one twisted witch."

"Don't I know it." Regina says with a bit of her sassiness back. "But as long as we're in here, we're safe."

"That's useless. I think we need to stop playing defense and start taking the fight to her." Emma protest, she could understand her point. She really could but it's not like they can kill her with bullets.

"Did you not see how I barely outwitted her yesterday? She has magic! Powerful magic."

"I have magic too. You've seen me use it. I just can't always control it. But if we teamed up, if you taught me."

"Now why does this feel so familiar?"

"I'm ready this time."

Regina laugh clearly not believing Emma has what it takes to defeat her.

"What if I join too?" Helena asks Regina surprising everyone. "Well I only did magic like once… back in Neverland, but I did."

"Okay. But if we do this, we do this my way. This isn't drinking stale coffee at a stakeout, or whatever you did as a bail bonds person. This is a way of life. You have to fully commit to it."

"Not a problem."

"You sure about this?" Regina asks her as everyone could noticed a conversation happening between them with just looks. Emma is starting to wonder when did Helena and Regina started to have mental conversations.

"Meet me at my vault in one hour." She says leaving as she and Hook follow her. She could hear Emma talking with David and Mary Margaret about her choice being the right one.

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"Don't touch anything." Regina tells Emma as the three woman stand inside Regina's vault.

"How am I supposed to learn magic if I can't touch anything?"

"The same way I did with Rumple. We're going to create a solid foundation first, and then build your skills from the ground up."

"Makes sense. Rome wasn't built in a day." Emma looks between the two women clearly not happy with this decision. "Come on Emma, you think I became a martial arts expert in one day. Magic I believe and Regina can correct me if I am wrong. It's just like it or a sport or dancing. It's takes practice you might have been born with it but if you don't learn how to use and practice it's won't be any use in a real fight."

Regina just nods clearly agreeing with her but Emma picks something up and is looking at it.

"I said" She takes the item away from Emma's sight. "Don't touch. So, while we're here, who's looking after Henry? The uncharmings?"

"Actually, Hook is." Helena turns to her sister surprised. Since when Henry spends more time with Hook then the rest of the family?

"Well, those two have been spending a lot of time together lately." Regina speaks to Emma but looks at Helena during it. Oh the formal Evil Queen knew exactly what happened between her and Hook last night.

"Hook's good with Henry and Henry likes him."

"He's prone to violence, impulsive, and has a hook for a hand. What about him would a twelve year old boy not like?

"I trust him. He brought us back to Storybrooke and he didn't have to."

"Of course he brought Helena back." She says as they both stare at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Helena almost demands from Regina.

"Seriously? Emma is the savior; he didn't need to bring you Helena."

"I happen to be very useful and he needed me to convince Emma."

"Really? You're going to pretend everyone doesn't see the yearning looks and doughy eyes?

"I don't yearn."

"Well maybe. But he does. Especially today."

"What does Regina means with especially today?"

"Come on Emma you can't be that blind. They arrive at the same time, he barely separates from here. What do you think they were doing last night? Seeing Wizard of Oz?" Before Emma could say anything of what Regina just implied, the Queen picks up a book. "Let's start with roots for incantations."

"Are you kidding me right now? What language is this, Spanish?" Emma asks picking up the book.

"We're not making tapas, we're making magic. It's elvish. Well, half elvish."

"I'm never gonna get this. Is this how Rumple taught you? Just think about your training. What other methods did he use?"

"Rumple was a bully. He didn't suffer fools, and he certainly didn't coddle his students. And if he tried to teach you how to swim, and you couldn't learn, you drowned."

"Drowned?"

"That's it."

"That's what?" They both ask Regina as the woman used her magic on his. When they opened their eyes again and found themselves on a rope bridge that spans across a canyon. The bridge is clearly not safe.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emma screams at her clearly with fear.

"Teaching you to swim."

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"Every time either of you exhibiting your power, it's been spurred by your instincts. So, today we're going to push those instincts until you master them."

"A little reading doesn't sound so bad now right?" Helena teases her sister who just stares at her like she's crazy.

"You can stop me."

"Stop you from what?"

"This." Regina says as she uses her magic to tear down the bridge

"What the hell are you doing.?!" Emma screams hanging out on the rope as Helena remember everything she has been learning about magic until now. Magic is about believing and feeling. Emotions. Anger or love.

"Making the bridge collapse. You can either stop it... or die."

"Regina! Enough! Stop this!"

Helena keept trying but her magic wasn't working. She didn't have in her.

"No, you stop it. No more hand holding. You have to do this. Reach into your gut. You know you can do this. It's inside you, Emma. Save the bridge. Save yourself."

"Aaaaah!" Emma says as the rope snap and they start to fall suddenly she could feel the magic getting to her and Emma. Before they noticed they came back up floating on a piece of the bridge and to Regina.

"Did I... Did I just do that?"

"Yes. When all I wanted was for you to retie the rope."

"It was like you said—instinct."

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"Then swear to me on it, this woman who broke your heart, do you still love her?" Ariel almost demand from Hook as the man responded almost defeated.

"Yes."

"Then swear to me on her name."

"I swear on Helena Elizabeth Coulson."

"Thank you, Captain. That's exactly what I needed to hear." She says as Hook feels magic on his lips.

"What the hell?" He asks and suddenly Ariel transforms into Zelena. "Zelena? It was you. Where's Ariel?"

"Relax. She was never really here. After she left you on your beloved ship, she actually found wear black beard had been keeping prince."

"She found him? How do you know that?"

"My spies are always circling, Captain. Through every realm, always circling. She found him on Hangman's Island, which was outside the force of the curse. They've been living happily ever after ever since. Don't you just love a good twist?"

"I don't understand. Why would you pretend to be her?"

"To corrupt your love. As a said earlier, I've known about your dirty little secret for quite some time, seen the guilt on your face over the decision you made that day. I knew it haunted you and I knew I could use it."

"Use it for what?"

"When you invoked the name of your love, in a selfish plea for redemption, I was able to curse you, more specifically your kiss. See, the next time your lips touch Helena Coulson's, all of her magic will be taken. Everything that makes her special, everything that makes her powerful, everything that makes her a threat, will be gone."

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"What happened back there? On the bridge." Regina confronted Helena as she found the woman outside the loft with a cigar. Everyone was inside talking about Ariel and discovers of the day. However Helena was not the one for celebrating or anything. So she went outside took some of her pills and enjoyed the darkness of the night.

"Emma passed the test." She says putting down the cigar and turning to the queen. "Apparently I didn't."

"Why not, back in Neverland you had no problem accessing your magic."

"Exactly." She snaps as Regina leans on the door waiting for her to explode. "Back then I had nothing but pain and anger. That made magic work."

"And now you only have the memoires of that anger and pain." Regina nods understanding.

"There is no point in trying my magic. Work with Emma, she can defeat her."

"No. She can't. Emma is not as strong as you are. You know that. She knows that. Zelena knows that. It doesn't matter. You need to access your magic. The instinct on the bridge should have worked." Then Regina comes to the realization. "Unless. You're numb."

"Now you're a psychologist."

"You are." Regina says shocked as she sat next to her. "You're magic doesn't work because while you think you're close to get what you want, you're too haunted. You're numb. That is why you haven't been screwing Hook all day. Because you don't feel what everyone's is talking about. At least not in complete. You just have memories of feelings."

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"Well, I guess I'll leave you guys to it." Hook says as the charming family and Regina makes dinner plans at Granny's.

"You're not coming?" Helena asks him as she could see something wasn't right.

"Another time, perhaps."

"Well, if you change your mind, you'll know where we'll be." Emma says as they all enter the dinner but Helena stays behind.

"Killian." She calls him as the man turned and saw the little smile on her face, one she was forcing, as she put her arms in her shoulder, even that action is shaken with some uncertainty. Hook wants nothing but to pull her into his arms and kiss her. But he can't – not anymore. "I just wanted to say whatever happened this past year and half, whatever you're not telling me, I don't care. I'm tired of living in the past." She says pulling herself closer to him.

"I know how you feel." He says trying to escape her but she just stares at him.

"I know I'm not the most – ummm – open person. But last night."

"Don't worry about last night." He says very fast, trying to make her go away. Not now. She couldn't want to be with him now.

"You were right I can have it both. I can be an avenger and be with you. I want too. To try. Be with you." She says very slowly like she was afraid of something. Then Hook noticed she was about to kiss him so she pulled away.

"I don't." He says as she looks at him blinking, clearly confused with his reaction. He's going to have to do it. He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds to gather the courage. Then he opened them and pull her away from him. "I don't want you anymore."

"What the hell are you talking about Killian? Last night, this morning."

"It's a game. You were just another conquer." She takes a step back as she starts to laugh. Dark, unbeliever laughs.

"Gosh I'm so stupid." She keeps alighting and Hook doesn't know how to deal with this. "I actually believe. Congratulations Hook. You actually did it. Played me. You made me feel for you, I had sex with you. I feel more. And now." She laughs again and starts to clap as she takes steps back. "You managed to fool me. Not many people can say they did."

"Elizabeth." He calls her out because he can see that this is her way to deal with it. Heartbreak.

"It's ok Hook you don't need to make it nice and sweet. After all I know all about having sex and leaving in the morning routine. I'm a master by now."

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As soon as she was out of sight she went to her apparent and got the drugs she had hidden. She could feel it - the tightness on her heart. She hated it. Just to think she was about to ask him to be with her. As in a relationship. Gosh she really is stupid. She left for it. Suddenly she felt energy leaving her body as she turned around she saw the entire room as trashed. Her magic did this.

Guess I found my anger and pain again.