A Bit of Magical First Aid

CS Genre: Deleted Scene (between 3x7 and 3x8. I used the prompt: after the attack in Dark Hallow, Emma checks Hook's injuries)

Emma turned over, punched the bunched up coat she was using as a pillow and tried to get comfortable. She stared up at the ever-present stars of Neverland, tried to count them, tried to focus on them, hoping something inane like that would soothe her to sleep.

No such luck.

The jungle was quiet; eerily so. As it was technically the middle of the day in Neverland (although, given the fact it seemed the sun never rose on this damn island, who would have even known?), even the sounds of lost boys crying didn't break the silence.

There was nothing, nothing to distract Emma from the thoughts that were spinning out of control within her frantic brain. She was worried about Henry, of course, but now that they had a plan, a course of action, and a reasonable hope of success, that fear was gradually beginning to fade.

Tinkerbell (yeah, she was never going to get used to that) had finally agreed to help them after they'd trapped Pan's shadow, and Emma had hoped that they'd immediately head for the little demon's camp, but Tink had had other plans. She'd insisted that the best way, the only way to succeed was to take Pan and his minions off guard. They had to wait for nightfall before they attacked.

"What difference does nightfall make?" Emma had asked, her arms crossed. "Not like it's any darker in the night than in the day."

"Maybe not," Tink had answered, "but there's a difference nonetheless. Pan and the lost ones sleep during the night. While they're sleeping, when their guard is down, that's the time we have the best chance of success."

Emma hated to admit it, but it did make sense. The group as a whole had agreed to Tink's terms, and then David had suggested they make camp, try to get a few hours of sleep before their mission was to begin. There was a pretty good chance they were going to need to be as well-rested and alert as possible when they struck Pan's camp.

It was a good plan; Emma knew it was, but the thing was no matter how hard she tried, Emma couldn't relax, couldn't sleep.

And, okay, if she was being honest, it wasn't just worry for Henry that was keeping her up. So much, so very, very much had happened in the few days they'd been on Neverland, and Emma felt like her head was spinning.

Turning her head to one side, she peered on Neal who slept peacefully some ten feet away. Emma's heart clenched looking at him, and she felt the guilt well up. She still felt love for Neal despite everything, of course she did, but…well, she wasn't a lonely, scared teenager anymore. She wasn't even close to the same person she'd been when she and Neal had had their couple months-long fling. She still loved him, but she was no longer in love with him.

And even if she now knew the full story of why he'd done what he'd done so long ago, even if she could kind of understand it…the pain and betrayal had still consumed her for ten years. That was not something a woman could just get over. Even if she could forgive Neal, she knew instinctively that any hope of a romantic relationship between the two of them had died that day long ago when he'd let Pinocchio send her to jail.

Thoughts of one suitor naturally brought to mind thoughts of the other. She turned her head, glancing to the edge of camp where Hook sat tense and alert, keeping watch until it was her father's turn to take his place as lookout. Emma took a deep breath, putting a hand to her stomach as the butterflies swooped there.

To say Hook had turned out to be…not what she was expecting…was a massive understatement. Who would have known the villainous Captain Hook would voluntarily return to the last place he ever wanted to be just to help her find her son? Who knew he'd end up doing everything in his power to help her? Who knew he'd perpetuate a giant ruse simply to save her father's life?

Who knew he'd look at her like she hung the moon and the stars in the sky? Who knew he'd kiss her like there was no tomorrow. (And for the record, no, she couldn't handle it, but then from his reaction afterwards she'd swear to her dying day, neither could he.) Emma put a hand to her lips reliving the moment. It had been…the most intoxicating kiss she'd ever been a part of. Much as she'd like to deny it, it wasn't just the physical attraction. It was the fact that she knew he'd saved her father's life for her. It was the knowledge that he would do anything in his power to save her son. It was his belief in her, his trust in her, his feelings for her. It was everything.

It had completely freaked her out.

And then his confession in the Echo Cave. The man had basically told her he loved her. It was just…way too much, and not enough, and perfect, and terrible, and…she didn't even know what to think about it all. She didn't know what she thought about it, any of it. All she knew was that once this whole Neverland nightmare was over, she planned to take some serious time to think about all of it, decide what she wanted.

Part of her wanted to say the same thing back to him; part of her wanted to run screaming in the opposite direction. Fact was, Hook made her feel way, way too much, and it was terrifying.

If the kiss and Echo Cave weren't enough, then this morning had to happen.

"When I win your heart, Emma, and I will win it, it won't be because of any trickery; it will be because you want me."

Emma closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the words, the intensity in his eyes, the utter conviction that she was worth fighting for. No one had ever thought she was worth fighting for. She'd always been expendable. Her happiness, her well-being could be sacrificed for the greater good. But not with Hook; never with Hook.

Visions of Dark Hollow filled her mind. The darkness, the oppressive feeling of evil, (the two idiots who were fighting over a lighter to show her who was the most macho).

The shadow taking Hook and pinning him to a tree, ripping at his shadow. The panicked scream that had torn from her lips as terrible fear overcame her. She didn't know what she thought of him, what she wanted from him, but in that one blinding moment of truth she knew one thing. She couldn't bear to lose him.

It was that thought, that emotion, that utter conviction that had given her magic the push it needed to light the candle and save them all.

Emma didn't even want to think about the implications of that.

She turned over again and then groaned, frustrated that she couldn't find a single comfortable position. Finally giving up, she got up and headed toward the edge of camp, telling herself it was just because she thought they ought to be even more careful on their lookout since it was the middle of the day. Her destination had nothing to do with the pirate who sat on his coat on a downed log, keeping watch.

He looked up as she approached, and she noted the way his eyes lit up, his expression became tender, as he recognized her. Without a word he scooted to the side and, with a wave of his expressive hand, invited her to sit next to him on the log.

"Anything the matter Swan?" he asked softly.

"No, nothing like that," she answered, smiling slightly. "Just couldn't sleep."

"Worried about the lad?"

She shook her head. "No. I mean, yeah of course, but not so much anymore. It feels good to have a plan, to have the end of this whole nightmare in sight."

He nodded decisively, turned to scan their surroundings, and then looked back at her. "If it's not the lad that troubles you, what is the problem, love? You really should be resting and preparing for the mission."

Emma shrugged. "It's not so much that something is bothering me. It's just…a lot on my mind, you know? So much has happened so quickly, and I can't take it in. I mean…just a few hours ago we almost died in Dark Hollow."

Hook turned aside, reaching up to scratch behind his ear. "Aye, Swan, about that, I must apologize for my conduct as well. It was asinine and childish to choose that moment to…quarrel with Baelfire."

"Yeah, it was," she agreed, but this time the anger from earlier in the day was gone, "but, I don't know; we all got out alright, and we got the shadow and all of that. So, I guess it all worked out."

"Nevertheless, due to my behavior it almost didn't."

She turned to assure him again that all was forgiven and forgotten, but then she caught a glimpse of the back of his hand by the light of the moon. He'd wrapped it with a rag or something, but it was clear he was starting to bleed through the makeshift bandage.

"Hook! Your hand!" She said pointing.

Hook peered at it, then shrugged. "Not to worry, Swan. It's just a scratch. The shadow was none-too-gentle when it slammed me into the tree. I've taken care of it."

Emma reached out and took his hand, ignoring the spark that seemed to travel through her entire system at the touch. "Yeah, this is not just a scratch. You need medical attention, Hook."

He leaned down, invaded her space, one eyebrow raised in mischief. Suddenly he winked, slow and deliberately. "And are you going to…tend to me, love?"

If the low, gravelly tone of his voice went straight through her and made the heat settle deep in her belly, that was no one's concern but hers.

"Well…um…" she began, flustered (and angry at herself for being so), "someone needs to. Thing is, I didn't exactly have time to pack Band-Aids and antiseptic when we headed out to Neverland."

"Perhaps," he said, his tone becoming even more suggestive, "I'm merely in need of your…healing touch?"

"In your dreams, buddy."

There went the eyebrow again before he slowly, deliberately swiped his tongue across his bottom lip. "Oh Swan, you have no idea how much you factor into my dreams."

Emma rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress her grin. He was ridiculous. "Just let me look at your damn hand, pirate."

He nodded in a way that looked for all the world like a deep bow. "As the lady wishes."

Hook unwrapped the bandage to reveal a nasty gash long enough it would probably take a good ten stitches if they were anywhere near modern medical facilities. It still bled freely, which bothered Emma more than she'd like to admit.

"I could…" she said hesitantly, "I could, you know, try my magic? I mean, I'm only just starting to learn how to use it and everything, so it might not work and I totally understand if you don't want me to try and everything but…"

He stopped her with a finger to her lips. "I trust you Swan and I have utter confidence in your abilities. Heal away, love."

That simple, sincere statement shot straight to her heart. He not only said he believed in her, that he had faith in her, he meant it to such a large extent that he was willing to let her use magic on him. It honestly meant everything to her.

She couldn't have spoken over the lump in her throat to save her life, so she merely nodded, taking his hand with one of hers, and waving the other over his wound. She closed her eyes, let all the complicated emotions this man brought out course through her. She felt the magic well up and overflow. She knew she'd succeeded before she even opened her eyes.

"Bloody Hell, love!" he muttered in an awed voice, turning his now fully-healed hand this way and that, examining it, "you truly are a marvel!"

She smiled, the warmth flowing through her. "Yeah, well, least I could do."

After a moment of silence, Emma got to her feet. "I guess I better head back to my bedroll and turn in. I'll need all the rest I can get before tonight's fight."

"Aye," he said, once more giving her the "she hangs the moon and causes the sun to shine" look he'd nearly perfected by now. "So you should. Pleasant dreams, love."

"Thanks."

She started to walk away, but then abruptly turned back, put a hand on his shoulder. "Just so you know, Hook…what you said back just before Dark Hollow? You know, about hoping the kiss meant something? Well, um, it did. I just don't know what, and…and I can't deal with it right now."

"Finding your lad must be your priority," he said softly. She could hear in the tone of his voice how much her admission had pleased him.

"Yeah. I have to focus on Henry right now," she agreed, "but maybe when we get home safely….I don't know. I don't even know what I want, or what I'm trying to say here, but…maybe I wouldn't be completely opposed to you trying to win my heart."

She fled then, before he could respond, but once she'd regained her bed, she turned on her side facing him. She saw him holding his hand out before him, looking at it, a soft smile on his face. Just before she closed her eyes, she saw him bring the hand to his lips and tenderly kiss the place his injury had been.

Yeah, things were definitely going to get interesting once they made it back to Storybrooke.

Notes:

-I'm not sure why a new Neverland renaissance has been sweeping the land, but I approve; I definitely approve. That was such a good arc for CS! So much growing attraction! So many developing feelings! I am happy to add to all the Neverland goodness going around out there!

-Up next: Once again, I'm not entirely sure where I'm going next week, but I think a canon divergence of some sort is in order. Any requests for canon moments you would like to have seen go in a different direction?