A/N I actually wasn't planning on posting until next weekend, so lucky you guys, huh? Anyway, I'm dying waiting for once to come back so I just sort of needed to write another chapter. I hope you all enjoy this. Have fun with the reading and the REVIEWING and the following and the favoriting. (Pst, did you catch the emphasis on reviewing?) Jk, but seriously, I love hearing your opinions. Alright, hope you love it and just a heads up, we are nearing the end and I have just about the same amount of knowledge of what will happen as all of you.

It had been weeks now since Emma was captured at the inn. Weeks of being annoyed and deliberately aggravated by Arlo. Weeks of thinking about and crying about and dreaming about Hook. And eventually days of hating herself and giving up all sense of hope. But still every time Regina came and asked for her help Emma said no. Which was completely strange because before Regina came in Emma would tell herself to say yes, to just do what her grandmother asked and get this whole mess over with. Yet, almost like something came over her, she couldn't bring herself to do it when the time came to make that decision.

...

"Good morning princess!" Arlo said joyfully as he entered the cell with quite a large plate that was covered with one of those fancy silver domes.

As usual Emma didn't respond. He walked over to her and set down the plate and two glasses of wine. Emma looked up at him confused. This wasn't normal. Arlo lifted up the silver dome to reveal a plate covered in all sorts of food. There was fruit and vegetables and fancy cheeses. Arlo looked expectantly at her but she didn't understand. Then he kicked the plate towards her.

"Bon appetite." He said with a grin. Emma tried her best to read his face but it was too hard.

"Why? Is it poisoned?" Emma asked, thinking that that was the only logical reason behind this.

Arlo frowned then leaned down and picked up one of the grapes. He examined it carefully them popped it into his mouth. He chewed slowly and then swallowed.

"Well... I'm not dead." Arlo said, Emma still looked suspiciously at him. He sighed and grabbed another grape, holding it out for her to take it. "Go on, eat the food... don't act like you're not hungry."

Emma took the grape and began to chew it slowly.

"So.. Why all the food?" Emma asked as she picked up a slice of cheese.

"We're celebrating." Arlo responded as if it was obvious, taking a drink from his glass.

"Celebrating? What's the occasion?" She asked with her mouth half full. She reached over and picked up her own glass of wine.

"It's execution day!" Emma nearly choked when she heard him, spitting out the large gulp of wine she just took.

"What?!" She asked, her heart beginning to beat faster, he mouth hanging open in shock.

"Her majesty, the queen, has decided that she would like to see you executed... today." Arlo said in a very formal fashion. Then taking another grape and popping it into her open mouth he added, "So... eat up, 'cause as soon as you finish you're going upstairs to be beheaded or burned or whatever the queen seems fit."

Arlo smiled at the look on Emma's face, he put his hand under her chin and closed her, still, wide open mouth and Emma swallowed the grape whole. She continued to stare at him with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions going through her head. The biggest feeling of all was shock... sure she knew this was coming eventually, since she refused to help Regina, but right now? Today? She couldn't believe it.

He smirked once more at her reaction and continued to speak. However, Emma didn't hear anything he said, just looked confused. She heard him laugh and then watched as he left the room. Emma didn't know what to do. 'I guess... just get it over with.' She thought as she reached down and picked up some more food. It was going to happen... might as well make it quick.

...

She was scared, of course she was scared she was about to be executed. 'Maybe I can tell her I've changed my mind' Emma thought. But as she thought more about it she realized what she was saying to herself, that her life was more important than everyone else's. 'No,' She thought, 'no, I'm going to just have to put on a brave face'. Emma closed her eyes as she heard the screeching sound of the cell door opening. Arlo walked in slowly and smiled wickedly at her. Two guards followed behind him, one that she had seen many times before and another that for some reason was still wearing his helmet. Arlo walked over and picked up the now empty plate.

"Good... You finished." He said then handed the plate to a guard behind him. "You could still change your mind princess, we could all be happy."

For a moment Emma considered this but she remembered what she had thought earlier, 'be strong, Emma.' She glared at him. "I would never be happy with you!"

Alro let out a dramatically long sigh. "Fine."

He roughly picked Emma up off the ground. Arlo turned her around then pinned her to the wall. First he tied her wrists together as tight as he could, then he bent down and unlocked the chain attached to her ankle. When he was done he shoved her into the arms of the guard who was still wearing his helmet. The guard wrapped his left arm across her chest, insuring that she couldn't get away. And he held a small dagger to her back with his right hand.

"Which way?" She heard the guard behind her ask. His voice was strange, it sounded somewhat familiar, but at the same time she was sure she didn't know it.

"Up the stairs, then take her into the north wing... I'll meet you up there in a minute." Arlo said then left out the door.

...

The guard with the helmet continued to walk Emma while holding her in that uncomfortable position. The other guard walked just a few paces ahead of them. Once they were about halfway to the staircase Emma felt the guard behind her do something strange. He was using the dagger to cut the bindings that held her wrists together. They slowed down a bit too, now the other guard was out of ear shot.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked in a whisper, looking ahead at the guard in front of them.

"Don't worry, Swan. I'm gonna get you out of here." The guard whispered in a voice that could only belong to one person.

"Hook?!" Emma almost said this too loud but caught herself. Finally he finished with the ties and Emma's hands were free. She turned to face him, feelings of anger and confusion and hurt (and even a bit of joy mixed in) whirling through her head but before she could get another word out Hook stared talking.

"I'm going to take out this guy... You keep walking." Hook whispered then let go of Emma and picked up his pace.

He tapped the guard on the shoulder and when the man turned around he punched him in the face. When the man fell down Hook knelt and checked to see if he was out. After that he looked up at Emma and nodded.

"Okay... So now what? He's not the only one." Emma said, motioning to the knocked out guard as they started walking down the hall again.

'I can't believe he's just acting like nothing's wrong!' Emma thought in anger, 'and why am I going along with it.' For a moment she wondered if maybe she should confront him about how he just left her and sold her out. But then she started thinking rationally, and rational Emma realized that her best option was to get out of Reginas clutches first and deal with the pirate later.

The two turned a corner before Hook could reply. There were two guards at the end of the hall. Hook grabbed Emma again as if she was still tied up and Emma played along. Once they reached the guards Hook let go and passed Emma the dagger. She knocked out one of the guard and Hook kicked the other one down. He took the keys from the guard and opened a little closet and shoved both of the unconscious guards in, locking the door from the outside. Once they were alone again Hook continued the conversation and let Emma in on the plan.

"Some of the crew, the ones we left on the boat, are dressed like guards too. They'll be able to warn me if Arlo is coming our way." Hook informed her, "I'm going to help you get to the south wing, one of my men will be waiting for you there. He'll help you get to the top of the tower, then the two of you will climb down the side of the wall. You'll meet up with Smee somewhere in the forest and he'll help you get back to the ship."

"I see... And where will you be during all this?" Emma asked curiously, beginning to come up with her own plan.

"I still have a job to do princess... I'll be capturing Regina." Hook said with a smug grin.

"Okay, then let's do this." Emma said as they turned a corner.