Where is he?"
Goldilocks turned in her chair wearily, "Where is who?"
"Don't play games with me." Emma warned, "Tell me where Hook is."
"I haven't the faintest idea. Really Emma you should be able to keep track of him. I thought you two were true love?" Goldilocks said mockingly.
"You did something. I know you did something."
"Then prove it, Emma."
"Where were you last night?"
"Let's see…last night I got a drink at the Rabbit Hole. Played a little pool and stayed with Will Scarlett."
"I know you're lying. You know where he is and I'll prove it."
"Let me know when you have some evidence." Goldilocks slipped off her chair and walked to the door and smiled when she saw David, "Prince Charming. How are you friend?"
"Told you I wasn't your friend."
Goldilocks shivered "Ohh I see where Emma gets her iciness. Really Charming it doesn't become you."
"My name is David."
"I prefer Charming." She smiled as she slipped past him.
The door slammed shut and David sighed as he walked to his daughter.
"I'll kill her." Emma murmured.
"We'll find Hook." David assured her. "Lets check out her alibi."
"Starting with the Rabbit Hole."
….
"Yeah I know her." The large man behind the counter wiping glasses eyed them suspiciously.
"Was she with anyone?"
"Can't say. Men are attracted to her though. Even had the attention of the Captain last night."
"The Captain?" Emma asked anxiously.
"You should know him blondie. Captain Hook. Word is he used to keep her on his ship. He even had a drink with the lady."
"They had a drink together?"
"Yeah." The man shrugged "Talked for a bit then he left and she went over to the tables."
"Did you hear anything they said?"
"I might have."
David reached into his back pocket and slipped the man a twenty. "She said something about wanting to be partners and he said he never did anything right by her."
"That's it?" Emma asked. "They just reminisced? No threats?"
The man shrugged, "That's all I heard. He must have hurt her bad but she didn't threaten him. Just seemed lost and broken when she spoke to him."
"And you said he left right after?"
"Yeah. Finished his drink and walked out."
"What about her?"
The bar tender gave David a sly look. Annoyed David reached into his pocket again. Clutching the bill the man continued, "She played pool till about one in the morning. Left with one of those merry men."
…..
David and Emma moved quickly along the path to the merry men's camp. Nothing was making sense to Emma. Why would Hook talk to Goldilocks?
"We can talk to Scarlett and see if that checks out." David seemed to be reading her mind. "Then we can bring her in to see what they were talking about."
"We need to find him. And someone needs to be tailing her."
"Emma wait." David took her arm and turned her to face him "Are we sure he's even missing?"
"Yes!" Emma wrenched her arm away from him and walked towards the camp.
"How do we know?" David paused as Emma tried to think of something, "We don't know yet. And this doesn't seem like her style."
"He doesn't just disappear."
"Emma, Hook has done this before." David gently reminded.
"Something is wrong." Emma insisted as they came upon the Merry Men's camp.
"Sheriff." Robin greeted them with a smile.
"We're looking for Scarlett."
Robin Hood sighed, "What has he done now?"
"Nothing" David held a hand up to Emma. "We just have a few questions to ask him."
"Right this way." Robin led them to a small tent "Scarlett. Get out here."
"Not always in there." A voice called from behind. Turning the party saw Will entering the camp. "Now what can I do for you today, Sheriffs?" Scarlett wondered looking between the two.
"Were you with Goldilocks last night?"
"Aye I was."
"Tell us everything." Emma demanded.
"It's rude to kiss and tell…"
"Alright. Just give us the jist." David interrupted.
"I picked her up about one from the Rabbit Hole. We came back here and she left this morning."
"I saw her leave, Emma." Robin confirmed.
"Where was she going?"
Scarlett shrugged, "Probably to Granny's. She really likes the coffee."
"What time did she leave?"
"It was around nine."
David and Emma left on their timed walk to Granny's. It took about fifteen minutes to arrive and Emma quickly made her way inside. The morning crowd was thinning out and Ruby was behind the counter prepping for lunch.
"Back again so soon?" Ruby greeted them
Emma scanned the room, "Ruby what time did Goldilocks get here this morning?"
Ruby thought a moment, "She came in at nine fifteen."
"Are you sure she got here at that exact time?"
"I do. I was late this morning and when Granny was lecturing me I saw her walk in."
"Her alibi's check out." David sighed.
"I still want to talk to her."
…..
"How are you doing, Charming?" Goldilocks settled back into her chair across from David at the interrogation table.
"My name is David."
Goldilocks rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Emma, "Why am I here?"
"Hook is missing."
"You said that this morning." Goldilocks reminded her. "What's that got to do with me?"
"You've already made an attempt on his life."
"Emma if I had Hook…you'd already have found his body."
Emma slammed her hands on the table and David pulled her back into her seat, "You talked to Hook." He told her calmly. "You were the last person he was seen with."
"And I had a room full of witnesses."
David nodded, "We just want to know what you two talked about."
"And why didn't you tell us you talked to him last night?" added Emma
"Hook goes missing and I'm the first person you think of. If I told you we talked I would already be in a cell. Our conversation was innocent enough. I didn't threaten him."
"What did you talk about?" David repeated.
"Us." She shrugged. "When Killian took me I tried to reason with him. I tried to convince him to be my partner. That didn't work…I lost hope while on that ship. I told him my ring was all I had left of my family. He said what he did to me was his biggest regret."
"I don't want a history lesson." Emma grit her teeth.
"You wanted to know what we talked about." Goldilocks voice was void of emotion, "That's what we talked about. How can you not care? How can you just look away from all the things he's done? All the things he's done to me?"
"He isn't that man anymore." Emma informed her.
"He is to me." David noticed her eyes glisten, "Every time I close my eyes…. That man you insist is gone…I see him in my nightmares. That year on the Jolly Roger will haunt me till the day I die."
"Last question" David said gently, "Do you have any idea where he was going after the bar?"
Goldilocks shrugged, "Your guess is better than mine."
…
Hook sat in the prison cell of his own ship. His eyes fluttered shut as he listened to the lapping of the waves against the ship's side. The waves and the rocking of the ship sent him into a lull.
"She's looking for you."
Hook's eyes snapped open at the voice. Goldilocks sat across from him on the other side of the bars.
"Hasn't even been a day and she's already busting down doors."
Hook smiled slightly, "That sounds like Emma." Hook studied Goldilocks as she looked at the planks beneath her feet. "Doesn't seem like you came to gloat."
"I don't know why I came."
Moments passed as the two sat in a place they'd been many a time. "I almost took your deal."
"What?"
"To be partners…I considered it after we set sail. But at that point…the crew would see me as weak."
Goldilocks wiped a tear that escaped, "Your men….your men were far worse than you."
"I told them to never touch you. That you were mine."
"Your crew defied you many times."
Hook paused, "I never knew."
"They took care that you wouldn't. I could never tell you…"
"Why not?"
She let out a choked laugh, "I was your prisoner…you never would have listened to me. Not against your own men. I was terrified of them…I was terrified of you." she whispered.
"Are you still afraid of me?"
"Yes." Goldilock's voice was small in the interior of the dark ship.
"You seem braver than you are."
"I'm not brave….a thief isn't brave. I don't even know who I am anymore….I feel like a ship lost at sea…threatened by the waves…never to find a harbor. Ready to sink at any moment."
Hook watched her as she spoke, "Why are you telling me this?"
Her golden head ducked at the question. Standing Goldilocks paced in front of the cell, "There isn't anyone else to tell…the town…they look at me with distrust in their eyes. Others hatred….some pity."
"Scarlett?"
"Yes" she whispered
"Never thought you'd go for him. Any woman for that matter."
Goldilocks shrugged, "He's safe. We were friends….before. After I told him how…h-how you raped me…it was never the same."
"Then why go back to him?" Hook questioned
Goldilocks twisted her ring, "He's still my lighthouse."
…..
Bare feet passed quickly over the wooden planks of the Jolly Roger. Slipping like a ghost over the ship's deck Goldilocks ran dreading the moment the ship's watchmen would spot her. Warm blood drenched her torn dress. She stopped at the ship's side and hope filled her for the first time in a year when she saw they were docked. Descending the gangplank she ran across the docks and into the night. As she ran she saw nothing that looked familiar to her, turning corners she dove deeper into the labyrinth of a town. Stone roadways bruised and bloodied her feet; the final corner she turned led to a dead end. Stopping for breath Goldilocks huddled in a dark corner watching for anyone who may have followed her. Her own ragged breathing filled her ears as her head pounded. A white rabbit scurried past the alley. Goldilocks blinked at the apparition. Slowly pulling herself up she rounded the corner just in time to see him take a sharp turn a few blocks down. Renewed energy filled her as she ran after the White Rabbit. Turning the corner she heard him muttering about lateness.
"Rabbit?" she whispered hoping to believe her eyes.
Startled he turned to her voice, "Not you again."
"Rabbit I need help." she begged taking a step nearer.
He held up a paw, "Not again! Last time was a catastrophe!"
"Please, Rabbit! I'm begging you. Just get me to Wonderland. I won't bother you I just have to get away."
He shrank away from her, the smell of blood was overwhelming, "I'm a White Rabbit. Not a White Knight to save you from whatever trouble you've gotten into."
In an instant she grabbed his ears and shook the creature. Rabbit squeaked and kicked as she shook him. A pair of hands grabbed her arms, shoving her against the wall. Her grip on Rabbit broke as she screamed at her assailant. A firm had clamped over her mouth and she felt paralyzed with fear.
As she struggling her face caught the light, "Goldi?"
She stilled at the voice, "Will?" she gasped as his hand slipped from her.
"What the bloody hell?" he asked as he took in her appearance. A dark bruise formed on her face, her golden hair was stuck in clumps from something dark and sticky, her dress torn and bloodied, her eyes wild and frightened.
"Will please. Please help me" she gripped his shirt desperately. "Please…"
Her gray eyes shimmered in the moonlight, "Rabbit get us to Wonderland." he took her protectively under his arm.
Rabbit stamped his foot, "Do you remember what happened last time you helped her?"
"Rabbit get us home." Scarlett grit his teeth
"The queen will have my ears."
"I'll have your ears now if you don't open the bloody portal."
"I don't like it." Rabbit declared. "Not one bit."
"Do you want to end up a pelt?" Scarlett threatened.
Rabbit shrank away and began his work and a shimmering blue circle opened up before them.