David drifted in and out of consciousness for the next two days. He hadn't been fed, and barely had gotten more than a swallow of water the day before. He was so extremely exhausted, but no amount of sleep seemed to help. He thought he heard someone calling out to him a few times. At first, he thought that it was Snow coming to save him, but even in his dire state he knew it was only his mind playing tricks on him. Snow was a thousand miles away, safe and sound. Or so he hoped.

He heard his wife calling him again, and he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. Was he asleep? He was so tired. . . He wished he could go back to the cave where he and Snow had spent their first night and just sleep forever. Hello, he heard Snow saying.

Snow. . . I've missed you. How is the baby?

She's started walking, Charming. Charming. The name she'd called him. Why had she started calling him that? He'd quite forgotten.

Does she look like me?

She has your chin and my eyes. She asks about you every day. Come home to me, Charming. . Come home to us.

I'm trying. I can't seem to get up. Part of him knew it was just a dream, but the other part held on, not wanting it to end.

Hello? she called.

I'm still here, can't you see me? I'm coming. I'm coming now, Snow. We'll all be together soon, I promise.

"Hello?" she called again.

I'm coming. I'll be there soon.

"Wake up," she said.

I don't want to wake up. I want to stay with you.

"Prince James!" a voice roused him from his sleep.

He opened his eyes slowly and turned his head. Every movement seemed to hurt. He saw now that he was in a barred cell. It had only been a dream. Snow was a long way off, and his daughter was dead. He was a fool for even allowing himself to hope that anything was different.

"Are you awake?"

He raised his head when he heard a woman's voice. Straining his eyes, he saw someone in the darkness in another cell. How many prisoners did Regina have? He sat up slowly. "Who are you?" he said sluggishly.

"My name is Belle," she said in an accented voice. "I've been here for almost five months now. At least I think. I can't seem to keep track of the time in this cell since there's no window and no way for me to tell if it is night or day. They moved me a few days before you arrived."

"Is this Snow's castle?"

"No, Regina doesn't live there. She built her own castle. That's where we are." She sat close to the bars. "So is it true? Are you really Prince James?"

"What of it?" he asked.

"You and the queen have become somewhat of beacon of hope for us all. A hope that one day you'll defeat Regina."

"Well, I don't think I'm going to defeat Regina any time soon," he said, fully aware of his sickly state. He didn't even want to look a mirror. He was surprised Belle wasn't staring at him in disgust.

"Maybe not, but you both have still given us all hope. No one I know of loves Regina."

"Is she as cruel to the people as she is to us?"

"At first it wasn't that bad. Some people even thought that nothing would really change. But then things did start to change. First, she had all the soldiers in the realm leave wherever they were and come here. That caused problems where I'm from, because the only thing keeping the ogres at bay was the soldiers who were fighting them off. After they left it was up to us only to protect the land, and we simply weren't enough. Anyway, rumor has it that she took all their hearts to make them serve her only. They're all loyal to her now. Then she started taxing everyone heavily. More recently she's been looking for you two, and has no mercy when trying to find her. She slaughtered a village because she was convinced Snow was hiding there and they were helping her."

"How could you know all of this if you're stuck here in a cell?"

She looked down. "I had something, a magic mirror that would show me anything I wished to see. It was my only link to the outside world. I would use it to see my family and. . . others. Once when they were bringing me food, they saw me trying to hide it. They tried to take it away, but I knew it would be dangerous if Regina had such a thing, so I smashed it against the wall. It doesn't work anymore. When Regina found out, she was furious and had me moved here where it's darker and colder."

"Besides that, do they treat you well?"

"Well enough for a prisoner, I suppose. Are you hungry? I noticed you haven't been given anything to eat."

"What about you?" he asked.

"I've had my fill," she assured him. She picked up a thick slice of bread. "Here, I'll throw it to you."

He watched her put her hand through the bars and swing it a few times before tossing it across the room to his cell. It fell short a bit. "I'm sorry," she said. "Can you reach it?"

"Yes," he said, moving across his cell and reaching his arm out through the iron bars. He could almost reach it. . . just a fraction closer. A loud noise jolted him out of his concentration when a soldier walked in. He jerked his arm back inside, and cast a glance at Belle, but she didn't seem afraid. The man looked at him for a moment longer before he took his helmet off, revealing an unshaven face and wavy hair. He bent over to pick the bread up, and handed it to David between the bars. David looked at him suspiciously before accepting it. The man reached into his jerkin and pulled out a flat loaf of bread, and tore it in half. He offered it to the woman first, who thanked him, then gave him the other half before giving them both some fruit as well.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked. It was clear that he was smuggling the food in, but why would a soldier of Regina's be risking his life to bring them food?

"I owe you a great debt, my lord," he said.

"I don't recall you being in my debt."

"That's because you've never seen me," he said slowly. "I was the one who shot you that day when you were leaving the orphanage."

David raised his head sharply. "You," he said in a low, accusing voice. "Do you have any idea what you put her through?"

"I've regretted shooting you since the day I did it—"

"I'm not talking about me. Do you understand what that did to her? She spent weeks thinking that the whole kingdom hated her. Not to mention the emotional trauma you put her through. You giving me bread doesn't make up for what you did to her."

"I stopped her from going after you at the execution. Does that make up for it?" he said with an angry tone.

"You what?"

"She was about to go after you and get herself and you killed by Regina."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I told you. I owe you a great debt. I don't know what I can do for you; Regina's hold on me is strong. But I will do whatever is in my power to atone for what I've done."

David tried to keep himself calm, but it was difficult. "So it's true, then? Regina has your heart?"

"Yes," he said. "Along with the entire army. She knew that they would give her no loyalty, so she took them all. Her hold on them is stronger, though. It is as though she has completely wiped away their old selves."

David leaned back against the stone wall. "Do you know what her plan is?" he asked.

"She wants to use you to find Snow."

He already knew that much. "How does she intend on doing that?"

"I don't know," he said. "She doesn't tell me everything because she knows I despise her." He heard something beyond the door, and glanced up. "I should be going now. I'll bring you both something else tomorrow if I can," he said, and left them.

"Thank you," Belle called out.

When he was gone, he looked at his fellow prisoner, who was watching him curiously. "He shot you?" she asked.

"Regina hired him to assassinate Snow a long time ago. He shot me while in the attempt, and ended up letting her go. He came back again to get the job done but didn't do it then either. Regina punished him by taking his heart."

"I knew about his heart, but he never told me why she'd taken it. He never actually harmed her, yet you seemed angry at him."

"Snow forgave him," he said tiredly. "She forgives people easily. She would always defend him if I said anything about him, saying that he was merciful and was simply put in an impossible situation. Unfortunately I don't hand out forgiveness so easily. No, he didn't ever really harm her, but you have to understand. She's my wife, and that man put her through something she shouldn't have had to go through. If it was just me he went after, I'd be able to forgive him, but not after what he did to Snow. Maybe he really is trying to make up for what he's done, but I don't know if I'd ever trust him."

"He's been risking his life ever since I got here to bring me food. The guards are lazy and sometimes forget to bring me something to eat, but he always remembers. I don't think he's a bad person."

He said nothing, still not wanting to forgive him.

"Prince James?"

"You don't need to call me that, but what is it?"

"I'm sorry. About you and your wife. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of Regina's fire, but this is worse than anything she's ever done to me. I'm so sorry. I just wish there was something I could do. Some way I could help."

"So do I," he said tiredly.

ooOoo

"Two people go in, two people go out. Hat's rules, not mine," the hatter said as though he'd said it a hundred times.

Regina looked at the fluid mirror-like doorway uncertainly, and cast a look at Jefferson.

"Go ahead. It's not going to hurt you. I've done it a hundred times and then some," he said, gesturing ahead.

She went through, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she was in a sunny, dreamlike looking land. It all looked so surreal. Had her mother really spent the last sixteen years in this place? Anyone could go insane in a place like this. She took a few steps when he came through as well, and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw an abnormally large caterpillar smoking on a mushroom. What in the world was this place?

Beside her, Jefferson scoffed. "I hate Wonderland."

"How many times have you been here?" she asked.

"One too many," he said wryly. "I never thought I'd be back. I shouldn't be here."

"Trust me, Jefferson, you'll be paid handsomely for your services. In a day, you'll barely even remember you were here."

"That's unlikely," he said, casting another glance at the blue caterpillar. "What do you have to get here anyway?"

"Something. Something that was stolen from me."

"Well, we'd better hurry. The Queen of Hearts doesn't like visitors."

She raised a brow at the mention of her mother. "What do you know of this Queen of Hearts?"

"She has an uncanny obsession with hearts. That much is obvious. She also likes decapitating her prisoners. It's best to stay away from her."

"Well unfortunately, what was stolen from me is in her palace."

"What?" he asked, stopping in his tracks. "You told me nothing about this!"

"I told you she had something of mine and I needed it back. How is this any different?"

"No," he said, shaking his head and taking a step back. "I want no part in this. She almost killed me once. There is no way I'm going there again."

"Jefferson—"

"No," he said firmly. "I have a daughter to get back to. I'm waiting here. I'm a portal jumper, not a retriever. I'll be here when you get back."

"Fine," she said indifferently. She went forward by herself, trying to figure out which way to go. She came to a large maze formed out of a countless walls of hedges. This place just got more and more strange. What was next? A dancing bear?

She scoffed as she made her way through the maze for what seemed like hours. This was ridiculous. When she heard someone coming up behind her, she was almost relieved to see another soul. She saw two armed guards wearing ridiculous uniforms running toward her. She lifted her hand to fight them off, but her magic didn't seem to work the same here, for instead of sending them flying back, she was swept off her feet and went flying into the hedges.

She gasped when she felt the branches snake around her arms, legs, and her entire body, and pull her in. She began thrashing, but they only seemed to pull tighter. She felt a strange sensation as if the branches were taking her somewhere. The jagged edges cut her as they tangled around her, making cuts on her face and tearing her dress.

Finally, she felt herself falling into what looked like a large courtyard. She hit the ground hard and the wind was knocked out of her. It was a moment before she could breathe. She rolled over onto her back and looked up at the ceiling where she could see a hole with branches coming out of it.

"A wonderful security system, is it not?" she heard someone say behind her. "Whoever or whatever touches the hedges is taken in and transported here."

She looked at the woman speaking, and came face to face with her mother. "Hello, Regina," she said with a slight smile.

Regina had expected something more. After all, she hadn't seen her mother in sixteen years. And this was how she was going to receive her? "Mother," she said, a soft catch in her voice.

"Have you come to try to kill me? Don't bother. You magic won't work here. Not for a while, at least. It took me a while to master it. Things are very different here, you see."

"I haven't come here to kill you. I've come here to bring you back home."

"Home?" she laughed. "This is my home now," she said, arms outstretched. "Here, I am queen over all the land. It's not divided like your land. I am the supreme authority over everything. Why would I want to go back to that land when I have all of this?"

"Mother," she said, coming forward. "Much has happened since last time I saw you. As you could sense when I got here, I do have magic. I learned it from the same who taught you. I have used it to finish your work. And now I'm nearly done, but I need your help. I almost have Snow White. She's nearly within my grasp."

"And?"

"I want you to be there with me when I have my moment of victory. Our victory."

"Last time I saw you, Regina, you hated me."

"I was a fool. I know now you were right all along. I've come back to make things right."

"Have you," she sneered. "I don't believe you. You're vulnerable without your magic, and you'd say anything to make me believe you."

"Mother, please! I found father. I need you too. I want our family to be whole again. Please. But to make it completely whole I'm going to need your help."

"I'm not going back."

"She took my son," she said. "Snow White did. She kidnapped him and gave him to the fairies to keep him prisoner. By myself, I have no chance, but with you at my side, I might. Please, mother, I need my son back. Don't you want to see your grandson?"

She looked into her mother's eyes, but saw nothing but indifference. Everyone knew that she'd taken out her own heart, but it still made her shudder every time to look into her cold eyes. She was, quite literally, heartless.

"And the father? Please don't tell me it was that stable boy you were pining over for years."

"Yes, it was Daniel. Snow White killed him, too." She was satisfied to see her mother's brows raise at that. Maybe, somewhere inside, she still did care. "Mother, don't you think that family has caused us all enough suffering? How can you be content to stay here in this ridiculous place when you now have the chance to take everything that should have been yours? Why not take it back once and for all?"

Cora stared at her for a moment, not sure of what she was going to do. She went to her daughter, and touched her cheek almost affectionately. "You know, I've thought about our reunion many times. Of all the millions of scenarios I've thought up of, this is the most surprising." She ran her hand over her face, erasing the cuts.

Her brows rose. "Wait. Mother, how did you do that? Your magic was stripped away."

"You can't entirely strip away something that has been learned. If I had been born with magic, it would have worked, but I learned it, just as it seems you have. It took a long time to learn again, but I have," she said with a slight smile.

"So you'll come with me?" Regina asked.

"Fine," she said indifferently. "I tire of this place, anyway. How did you get here?"

"A portal jumper," she said.

It was nearly dark by the time she got back to where Jefferson was waiting. "It's about time," Jefferson said, standing up. "I've been waiting here for hours."

"I ran into a friend," Regina said, moving aside so he could see her mother.

His eyes widened hugely. "Regina, that's the Queen of Hearts," he said, panicking.

"Mind your manners, Jefferson. This is my mother," she said.

The portal jumper looked between them both, dumbfounded. "You can't bring her," he said firmly, taking a step back. "The rules are that only two can go through."

"I'm very well aware of your hat's rules, Jefferson," Regina said, stepping forward. The man barely had time to take a few steps before her mother stopped him with her magic and brought him flying back. He landed a few yards behind them, and struggled to get up. "Goodbye, Jefferson," she said casually as she and her mother went to the doorway.

"No," he gasped, running toward them. "No!"

When they were through, Cora took a deep breath, and Regina grabbed her arm anxiously. "Mother, what is it?"

After a moment, her mother smiled. "It's like I've been living in a cell hundreds of miles below the ground, and I'm finally breathing fresh air again." She spread her fingers and wafted them through the air as thought she was running them through water. "I can feel the magic here. It's strong."

Regina smiled. "Welcome home, mother."

ooOoo

When Snow awoke the next morning, she wasn't quite sure how long she'd been asleep. Maybe it was just because she was out on sea, but she couldn't remember the last time she had slept so well. Not since they'd taken David, at least.

She sat up, resolving not to think about him. If she did, she would lose it, and she wasn't about to give into emotion. Especially not on a ship full of pirates. She got up off the floor and laid the blanket out on the captain's bed again. She waited by the door for a moment, not wanting to go outside. What was she supposed to do on a pirate ship, anyway?

Finally, she pushed the door open and walked outside. She went down the hallway and nearly collided with a man. When he realized it was her, he took his hat off, but she wasn't sure how much of it was mockery and how much of it was respect. "Milady," he said.

Feeling extremely uncomfortable, she walked quickly down the rest of the hall and went outside. When she opened the door, she saw a dozen men on deck, and they all stopped what they were doing to look at her. She tried to ignore some of their overlong stares. She searched the deck with her eyes and saw the captain up the stairs. By the time she'd gone up them, he had noticed her arrival. "Good day, princess. I hope you enjoyed your long sleep. It's nearly midday."

She looked away uncomfortably. "I was tired. I've had a busy week," she said sardonically.

"You would have enjoyed your rest more had you slept in my bed instead of my floor."

"How did you know—"

"I had to get something this morning. Besides, I've got to keep an eye on you. I still don't trust you."

Snow had to force herself to bite her tongue. "How long until we go back to land?"

He chuckled slightly. "I really need to teach you sailor talk, princess. We'll go back the day after tomorrow when it's safer," he said, and turned around to give orders to one of the crew.

She followed him, annoyed at his departure. "Two days is too long," she stressed. "Anything could happen in two days."

"My mind is made up, love. No amount of your begging will change it."

"But—"

He turned around quickly and came within inches of her face. "My mind is made up," he said firmly.

"Well what am I supposed to do for two days? Just follow you around and try not to think about my husband who is with Regina?"

"You might make yourself useful instead of sleeping all day," he said dryly.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?"

Now that she had put him on the spot, he didn't seem sure of himself. He scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know. What do they teach you princesses?"

"I'm not a princess," she snapped. "I can do whatever you want."

A nearby crewman laughed. "What about me? Will you do whatever I want?"

Killian rolled his eyes and shoved the man back. "Hands off."

"Captain!" someone yelled.

Swearing, he left her, running to the other side of the ship. She followed him, and strained her eyes to see what everyone was looking at. "What is it?" she asked. And then she saw it. Another ship, bearing the banner of Regina. Her heart skipped a beat.

Hook turned around and grabbed her arm, leading her roughly back inside. "What are you doing?"

"It's Regina's navy. I have to hide you."

"Do they know I'm here?"

"They must. Why else would they be here?"

"I thought you said that no one would go up against you while you were at sea!" she exclaimed as he pushed her back in his room.

"Well I was wrong, alright? You have to get in the crawlspace," he said, gesturing to the spot above his chest of drawers.

"Give me my weapons," she said.

"Get in there!" he growled, pushing her toward it.

Growing angry, she pushed him back. "If they are coming after you, then they must know I'm here. You said no one would go up against you, so they must have a really good reason for doing it. I'm not going to just sit there hiding in the wall while they come fighting their way in. Now give me my weapons!" she yelled.

Scowling and muttering a dozen swear words under his breath, he knelt down and placed the tip of his hook into a small minute hole in the ground. He lifted it, revealing yet another hidden compartment. He raised one brow as he looked at her. "Doesn't it drive you mad that you were sleeping on it the whole time?"

He handed her the sword first. "Use this against any of my men and I'll hand you over myself. I don't want to do it, but my crew are more important to me than any stranger. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said solemnly.

"Good. Now come with me," he said, handing her the bow and quiver and a few daggers to tuck in her belt, then led her back on deck. "No matter what happens, stay hidden until they come on board. There's a chance they don't know you're here and they'll just want to talk. If they board, find me and stay close."

"Alright," she said, following him. When they got on deck, the ship was closer. He nodded off in one direction, and she went in it to hide behind a stack of barrels.

When the other boat was closer, he called out. "What business do you have here?" he bellowed in a threatening voice.

"We have it on good authority that the fugitive Snow White is on this ship."

"Snow White, eh?" he mocked. "If I had that wench on board I would have handed her in for the gold a long time ago."

"Then you wouldn't mind if we checked your ship?"

"I'm warning you right now. No one goes up against the Roger out on sea. I'll give you one last chance to leave now. Otherwise, you're all going to regret it."

A beat passed in tension. Finally, the captain of the other ship spoke. "Fire!" he bellowed.

A sea of arrows came from the other ship, and she saw several men fall. She looked beyond the barrels and saw several men boarding the ship. Fighting began, and several of the Regina's men fell. She pulled out her sword and jumped from behind the barrels in time to thrust it into a man coming toward her. She blinked, seeing his body go limp as he died, but only had a brief moment before she had to raise her sword again.

She began swinging it madly, with all the skill David had taught her over the years. David. David was the name on her lips as she swung at another man, bringing him down. Killian called out to her, and she fought her way toward him, putting down others on the way. When she got to him, he put his back to hers, and they continued fighting.

A sailor came at them from the side and slashed Hook's arm. Snow rushed forward and hacked him down madly, then pulled out a dagger and plunged it into the throat of a man behind her. She looked at the captain. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes," he called sidelong as he fought another man, taking on the offensive. By now, all the crew were on deck and were fighting them back.

"Retreat!" called the other captain. The rest of the men fled back across the wooden bridge back to their ship, then brought it back on board to prevent anyone from following them on.

Hook looked at his wound and grew angry. "Ready the cannons!" he yelled.

She looked at him in question. "The what?"

He smiled an almost sinister smile as the men went below deck. "Precious weapons from another world. Paid a pretty price for them," he said as he followed the rest.

She went below with him, not knowing what he was talking about. The crew started opening holes in the side of the ship, and uncovering large weapons on wheels. They thrust a cloth-covered stick down the shaft, then pulled out large round metal spheres and placed them inside. They aimed the cannon, then lit a fuse. Seconds later, the loudest noise she had ever heard erupted, one after the other, as the cannons began shooting at the other ship.

Her ears were ringing, and she lost her balance. She hardly noticed when the captain caught her and steadied her against him. When she could finally hear again, she looked at him and pulled away. "What is this madness?"

He smiled again, sending shivers down her spine. "Cannon fire."

After firing a few more rounds, Killian ordered them to stop, saying it was enough. "What's the damage?" he asked.

"Seven of our men dead, captain," one said.

His jaw grew rigid as he looked at the sinking ship. Snow heard the men screaming as the ship filled with water and they were forced to jump off.

But she felt no pity.

ooOoo

"Have I mentioned that I don't like this?" Frederick said dryly.

Abigail looked at him sympathetically. "Yes, you've told me. I don't like it either but you know it will work better if I do it."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"This isn't about me, or you. This is about everyone else. Think about that."

"I know," he sighed. "Please be careful Abi. And if anything happens—"

"I'll scream and you'll come rushing over to save the day," she teased and gave him a quick kiss.

"This isn't a laughing matter."

"Well we might as well make the best of it. Frederick, I'll be fine. Trust me. I'm not an incompetent princess anymore, I can defend myself if the need arises."

"You were never incompetent."

"No, but I was practically helpless," she said as she wrapped a plain brown shawl around herself. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful."

She shot him a look. "Do I look normal?"

"If you're asking if you could pass for a peasant, then yes. But you look—"

"Don't start," she said wryly.

"Be careful," he said.

"I will." She walked to the tavern where she knew he'd be. When she went inside, she saw him immediately. He saw her and waved at her with a smile.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," he said.

"Of course I was coming, Rowan," she said in a cheerful voice. "I told you I would."

"I wish I could see you more often."

"Is three nights a week not enough?" she laughed.

They talked for what seemed like hours. Thankfully, she had become a much better liar over the years than she had been when she was engaged to James, so the man had no idea how much she detested him. She kept his mug full, too. After they finished their first drinks, she went to refill them, but got water for herself instead unbeknownst to Rowan. All she had to do was pretend she was as drunk as him, and he wouldn't suspect anything; the man was a fool anyway.

After his sixth mug, Rowan was so drunk he could barely keep his head steady. "You really are a wonder, Rose," he said in a shrilly voice. "I think I'm in love."

Abigail giggled. "You make me blush, Rowan. What would my father say?"

He stood up quickly. "Your father couldn't tear us apart if he had all the power of Her Majesty the Queen. Let it be known that I am Rowan the Great, and this is my woman!" he said loudly before swaying and falling down.

Abigail laughed hysterically as he got up sluggishly and sat back down. "Sit down, Rowan the Great. You'll hurt yourself."

"You're so beautiful. . ." he said dreamily.

"I think you need another drink," she said, waving drunkenly to the innkeeper.

Rowan shook his head. "Oh no. This woman is trying to kill me."

"Come on," she whined. "I have to go soon."

"Don't leave me," he said in a pathetic voice. Maybe if you'd stay the night with me," he said, leaning forward. "We could get a room here, stay the night. I can have someone else cover for me in the morning. What do you say?"

Abigail giggled as she took up the new mug and drank some. "Only if you drink with me first."

He grinned sheepishly as he lifted his mug and took a long swallow. "I should bring you tomorrow. You'd love it in the castle. It's big," he said, his voice trailing.

"I've never been in a castle before," she said happily. "What do you do there?"

He straightened there as if to make himself seem more important. "I am the Master of the Keys. No one does anything without me knowing about it."

"You're so important," she said in awe.

"I know. I'm more important that that insufferable Huntsman. I don't know why the queen likes him so much."

"Who?"

"Oh," he said, waving it off. "He's the head of the guards. He doesn't even like the queen, but she chooses him." He leaned close. "Do you know why?"

She leaned in as well. "Why?" she whispered eagerly.

He looked around dramatically to see if anyone was listening. "She has his heart," he said, not quite whispering like he had intended to.

"No," she said as though disbelieving.

"It's true," he said, leaning back proudly. "He doesn't like her, but she has his heart so he can't leave."

"You have my heart," she said in a serious voice. He looked at her for a moment before he burst out laughing.

"Another drink!" he called out.

It took two more drinks before he finally passed out on the table. She looked behind her where Frederick was sitting and nodded. He came over quickly and pulled out a small cloth bundle with clay inside while she pulled the ring of keys from his belt.

"Do you know which one it is?"

"Yes," she said. "By the end he was so drunk that he told me anything I asked him." She pulled one of the keys out and handed it to him. He imprinted both sides of the key on the clay, then they replaced it.

"There's something else," she said as they quickly left the tavern. "He told me about someone who might be able to help us. He called him the Huntsman."

"Abigail, he won't be able to help us."

"You know him?"

"I don't know him, but I've heard of him. Everyone has. He's Regina's bed slave."

"But not by choice," she said. "She took his heart somehow and he doesn't have a choice in the matter."

"Which means we can't trust him. If she can force him to sleep with her, she can also force him to tell her anything. We can't put our trust in him if he can't keep anything from her."

Abigail nodded. "I suppose you're right," she said. "But I can't help but pity him. Can you imagine what that must be like?"

Frederick grabbed her hand. "I know. But that's out of our hands."

ooOoo

Snow sat at a table with Hook as she sewed up his wound. It wasn't life threatening, but it was deep. He winced slightly as she pulled the string through his flesh, but he didn't complain. "What about you. Any wounds?"

"No," she said slowly. "I'm alright."

"Good."

"Those cannons. Where did you get them?"

"Bought them from a world vendor years ago."

"World vendor?"

"Men who travel worlds to sell things only made in certain worlds. Bloody expensive, I might add. But we learned how to make the cannonballs and powder. They say that they've even made smaller cannons that you can hold with your hand. Guns, they call them."

"What good would that do?" she asked. "The cannonballs would be small."

"Could kill a man easily enough. Cannons are like an improvement on catapults. These guns are like a bow and arrow, but more deadly."

Snow fought off a shiver. "The cannons were deadly enough."

He looked at her then. "You think me wrong to have used them?"

"Not at first," she admitted. "But now that I think about it. . . they were leaving, Killian. They weren't fighting anymore. But you went after them anyway. They had no chance, and now they're all dead."

"Many things must be done to ensure that I'm lord of the seas. If I let them go, it makes me look weak, and I'll not have that. Besides, they would have fled back to Regina and told them we have you."

She pulled the needle through his skin again, feeling shame. "I'm sorry. If I had listened to you and stayed hidden, they wouldn't have come on board and you wouldn't have lost those men."

He waved her off with his hook. "They started firing on us before they saw you. They would have done it anyway."

She tied off the knot and cut the string. "Well I'm still sorry this had to happen."

He didn't answer. He muttered his thanks for her closing the wound, and went for the door. Before he left, he turned around. "You saved my life today. The man who did this to me, he would have killed me if you hadn't cut him down. My thanks."

She nodded gravely, and followed him back on deck. The fallen were being wrapped in white cloth. The captain bent over to help. No words were said over their bodies. No ceremony was given in their honor. But it was silent, and oddly reverent as the captain picked up the first body and gently let it fall over the side of the ship. He went to each and every one, and did the same. It surprised her; one wouldn't have thought a pirate would care much about his crew, but this man gave them all their due as he gave them their burial at sea himself.

When it was over, he stood, looking out on the waters for a long while before he went back inside.

She helped bandage any wounds the men had. Some of them were small, and some of them were more serious. She nearly lost it when she saw someone with a wound much like David had had when the man went after his mother. It brought back so many memories. . . him waking up the next day and laughing when she called him "Charming," or how he hadn't wanted her to help him walk because he wanted to look strong in front of her. She missed him. She felt so empty without him. Was he alive? Was he alright?

She forced it out of her mind as she told the man she was going to have to cauterize the wound. Everything passed in a blur as she did the deed. When it was over, she went to the next wounded man, then the next.

When she was finally done, she searched out the captain, but didn't find him. He was probably in one of his hidden places. Finally, she went back to his chambers to sleep. She half expected him to be there, but he wasn't. Like she had the day before, she pulled off the blanket and settled down on the floor.

Her heart begged her to think about David, but her mind wouldn't let her. It had been a long day, and she needed to sleep. There would be a time to think about it, but it wasn't now. What good would thinking do? What use was it to hope, when so many times, she had hoped and hoped with all her heart in vain?

No, she wasn't going to think about anything.