Chapter 38 - Confrontations

"What are you doing on my ship?" Hook growled.

The crocodile grinned. "Just visiting."

"Like last time? To threaten Emma's life? I know you can't rip her heart out like you did Milah's." Hook proclaimed.

"True. Not that the threat of me doing that stopped you from telling what I threatened." Rumpel said ominously.

"Get off my ship. You are not welcome here now or ever!" Hook stared him down fiercely.

Rumpel ignored him and stared down at the spot where he had crushed Milah's heart to dust.

Hook pulled his sword free.

"Relax, I'm just reminiscing. This is the spot of one of my worst mistakes. The first was the portal when I let go of Baelfire's hand. Or perhaps it was becoming the Dark One in the first place." The crocodile looked pensive.

Hook scowled. "Forgive my skepticism, but it's hard to take someone seriously when one moment they are full of regrets and in the next are trying to kill you or someone you love."

Rumpel looked up and into the pirate's eyes. "I would not have hurt Emma, I swear to you. I only wanted you to back off so Bae and Emma and their son had a chance to rekindle the love they once had and become a family."

"They always had that chance. Bae is the one that ruined it. He let her go, he didn't look for her even when the curse ended and he fell in love with someone else. Emma because of that betrayal has had a lifetime of not trusting her heart to anyone, including me. The choice has been hers all along, whether or not I backed off." Hook stated angrily.

"I know. Bae made that clear to me just recently. He and Belle made me see that I owe you an apology." The former dark one said sincerely.

Hook gave a short laugh. "You are here to apologize? I find that hard to believe."

"Be that as it may, I was wrong. On your ship on the way to Neverland you woke from a nightmare about Milah. In a moment of clarity I knew then that you truly loved her and that I had done you and Milah a grave injustice and let my anger and jealousy rule my actions. I apologized to you then."

"And shortly after you attempted to kill me." Hook spat. "Obviously not a heartfelt apology."

Rumpel nodded. "In the mermaids lagoon. I saw you and Emma growing closer and it brought back all my anger and jealousy over Milah and her choices."

Hook responded sarcastically. "Of course, your actions are our fault.'

"No, not in that case. But Hook or should I say Captain Jones, may I remind you how we first officially met? I was a hapless cripple looking for my wife whom I had been told by the villagers you had stolen. I pleaded with you to return her to our boy and me. What did you do? You challenged me to a duel you knew I had no chance of winning." Rumpel pointedly reminded him.

"You should have fought for her instead you limped off like a coward. It was obvious you didn't consider her worthy of fighting for." Hook admonished.

"Oh I would have fought for her if I only had myself to think about. Did you ever consider Bae? My innocent child? I didn't know at that time that Milah had chosen to go with you and chosen to abandon our child. I thought you had stolen her for your crew to have fun with. I would have done anything to rescue her except leave our child an orphan. He had already lost his mother I couldn't do that to him, he had no other family. Did you ever once consider what a position you put me in as a father? I'd like to see if you ever have children of your own if you would handle it any differently." Rumpel stated quietly.

Hook looked shamed for a moment. He reflected back. He had been a different man back then. He was Captain of the Jolly Rogers sailed the seven seas seeking adventure. Then he met Milah fell in love for the first time and all rational thought had escaped him. He felt on top of the world when she asked to come with him. He had fully believed her when she told him what a coward her husband was. He knew he could beat Rumpelstiltskin but he wouldn't have killed him for the sake of the lad. He was only having a bit of fun with him but the crocodile didn't know that.

"Nevertheless my actions eventually were far worse than any of yours. I killed Milah in front of you, I maimed you. I almost killed you more than once, And I threatened to kill the woman you love in the same way I killed Milah. I am sorry." The crocodile said sincerely.

Hook regarded him suspiciously. The man enjoyed playing games He couldn't be sure if this was just another game or if indeed he truly meant it.

"You will excuse me if I don't readily accept it. Your actions will speak louder than your words. For now I would like you to leave my ship." Hook jerked his head towards the stairs.

Rumpel nodded and walked towards the stairs then suddenly turned and waved his arms with a flourish muttering some incoherent words, a golden smoke erupted enveloping Hook.

Hook cried out as a searing pain tore through his body, he felt himself losing consciousness and felt a sharp pain split through his head.

The Charmings found Emma at Granny's. She had just left the station for a caffeine fix. They filled her in on what had occurred.

Emma looked wide-eyed completely stunned.

"That's why the Captain backed off." Felix said quietly.

She turned her eyes on him and scowled. "You knew all along?"

"No but when I found out the Captain make it clear that I wasn't allowed to say anything because it would have endangered you. The Captain was furious with me when he found out I had told Baelfire." Felix explained apologetically.

"Where is Hook now?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't know we all split apart to look for you or Gold." Snow explained.

"His ship, I bet he went to his ship. He might have thought that I had gone there." Emma blurted out.

"What if Gold followed him? Belle said Gold wouldn't hurt you but what if he is furious at Hook?" Charming surmised with worry."

They all headed towards the Jolly Roger. As they got closer Charming put his hand out holding them all back. "Let me go first."

"NO!" Emma growled pulling her gun. "Gold threatened my life. I get first dibs."

She ran up the stairs frantically calling, "Hook! Hook!"

Everyone followed close behind. Emma suddenly gasped and screamed, "NO! Hook!'

The pirate lay crumpled on the ground with a small pool of blood by his head.

Snow immediately yelled to Felix to go fetch Dr. Whale as Charming knelt alongside Emma by Hook's side. "He's alive." Emma stated with relief after checking to see if he was breathing.

"Looks like he hit his head on the barrel, he has a gash on the side of his head." Charming noted.

Charming grabbed a blanket and Snow wrapped cloth and gauze around Hook's head to stop the bleeding.

"Head wounds always bleed a lot, it's likely not serious." Charming assured his daughter.

Looking pale she nodded. "He probably has a concussion again and indirectly it is again my fault."

"We'll have him fixed up in no time. Don't worry." He put the blanket over Hook and carried him down to the Captain's quarters.

Felix came back dragging a wheezing Dr. Whale.

The doctor immediately set out to examine the pirate's head wound. "He needs stitches." He gave him a shot then expertly sewed up the wound saturating it with an antibiotic spray. He then examined Hook's eyes. "I believe he has a mild concussion again. Emma, just give him Tylenol like last time. Same routine, wake him frequently. He may feel sick, dizzy, just keep him resting quietly."

Charming and Snow walked the doctor back to town, while Emma ran into the village to buy Tylenol and other supplies. Felix sat by Hook's bedside.

When Hook opened his eyes he felt dizzy and disoriented. He tried to figure out where he was and what had happened. Then he remembered the crocodile had done something to him. His head hurt terribly. He realized then that Felix was sitting by the bed. He was hunched over with his head in hands.

"Felix?"

The lost boy looked up his expression both worried and guiltstriken. "Are you okay Captain? I'm so sorry; I never thought…" He stopped his voice hoarse.

"What happened?" Hook asked with a groan as he attempted to sit up but decided the pain wasn't worth it.

With a sniff, Felix cleared his throat. "I don't know but I think the Dark One did something to you. It's my entire fault I should never have said anything to Baelfire. You can make me walk the plank or flog me or whatever punishment you think I deserve. You were right I should have kept my mouth shut. I'm sorry, so sorry."

Dread washed over Hook. "Is Emma all right?"

"Yeah, she's fine, she's all worried about you. You have a concussion or something like that, Dr. Whale was here examining you. She went to get you some drugs." Felix explained.

Despite the pain in his head, Hook couldn't help but smile. Emma was going to take care of him again.

"Was Rumpelstiltskin still here when you came? He did something to me that caused me to black out. I must have hit my head." Hook explained.

"No he must have left. It looked like you hit your head on a barrel. Did he hurt you elsewhere? I think Dr. Whale only examined your head. Did you fight?' Felix inquired worriedly.

"No he actually apologized but just as he left he turned and muttered some spell. This gold smoke enveloped me and this terrible pain shot through me. It was ever worse than when he took my hand." Fear suddenly shot through the Pirate's eyes as he lifted his right hand. He sighed with relief to find it still there. "For a moment there I thought I'd have to have double hooks."

"Oh that reminds me." Felix pulled his hook off the nightstand. "Found this on deck it must have come off when you fell. Emma thought it better to leave it off since Charming had you all wrapped up in blankets."

Hook frowned. "It doesn't just fall off." He lifted his left arm to examine the stump.

Felix gasped. Hook stared.

There was no stump there was…. a hand.

A/N: Obviously not the last chapter but I can honestly say it is the second to last chapter. One more, and it's called "and they lived…"