A Way Home

CS Genre: Canon divergence (2x9)

"So any ideas where Cora might have gone?" Emma asked as she, Snow White and Captain Hook convened a mini strategy session while Mulan and Aurora went off to look for ways to save Philip from the wraith.

"She believed Lake Nostos would be the ideal location in which to open the portal," Hook said. "It's a place of great magic, and it's thought to be the place by which all the realms are connected."

Snow gasped, and Emma looked toward her, curious about her reaction. "What?"

"It's just…" Snow said, looking suspiciously at Hook, "yeah, Lake Nostos has powerful magical properties, but there's a bit of a problem. It's gone."

Emma's brows furrowed. "Gone? What do you mean it's gone?"

Snow explained of a time she, Charming and Lancelot had gone to the lake in order to cure his mother. They'd found only one, tiny snail shell full of the precious water. Now the lake bed was completely dried up.

Emma whirled and glared at Hook, arms crossed. "What would Cora want from a lake that's no longer there? You sure you're not leading us astray?"

Killian frowned, taking a step forward. "And what the bloody hell would I have to gain by lying to you? If you'll recall, Cora has the compass and the ashes. By leading you on a merry chase I'd merely ensure I missed my opportunity to travel to the Land Without Magic where I can finally skin my crocodile."

He had a point. Emma may not totally trust the too-hot-for-his-own-good pirate, but she did trust that he wouldn't work against his own self-interest.

"Fine," Emma said. "Lead us to Lake Nostos. We can work out a battle plan on the way."

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

Emma was the first to spot Cora just as she waved her hand and water began to sprout from the dry ground like some kind of geyser.

"There!" she pointed. "Quick! We've got to stop her before she opens the portal."

The three of them took off running, but before they were able to reach the witch, she poured the sparkly wardrobe ash into the pool of water, and a swirling vortex opened up. They were going to be too late! Any moment Cora would drop the compass into the portal and leave them high and dry.

"Don't worry, Emma," Snow said, pausing long enough to grab her bow, "I've got this."

Emma watched in amazement as her mother fitted an arrow into the bow, took aim, and expertly knocked the compass from Cora's hand into the sand on the far side. Cora retaliated immediately, tossing a fireball in their direction. Snow dove to the ground just in time.

"Mom!" Emma shouted.

"Don't worry, honey," Snow said, getting to her feet and reaching for another arrow, "she missed. I'll keep her occupied. You go get the compass."

Emma hesitated another moment, but then nodded and headed in the direction of the compass, feeling Hook fast on her heels. The sounds of the battle could be heard behind them, and Emma tried desperately to put it from her mind. The only chance they had was to get the compass and get through the portal before Regina's bitch of a mother, and she couldn't do that if she was worrying about her mom.

"Don't worry Swan, we'll find it, and your mother will be fine. She can take care of herself," Hook muttered as he sprinted past her.

It was kind of unnerving just how well he could read her mind.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Captain," Cora called as a blast of magic knocked Snow off her feet and she crumpled to the ground unconscious.

"Mom!" Emma shouted.

"Get the compass, love!" Hook shouted.

Emma swallowed down her panic, and scanned the sand around her once more. Suddenly she saw a glint of something metal in the distance. She'd found it! She dove to the dry lake bed and reached out for it. Hook, looking back to keep an eye on Cora, tripped over her, and fell to the ground, landing atop her.

The breath left Emma in a whoosh, as the heavy pirate landed on her. Hook froze for a moment, shock evident on his face, and Emma was suddenly uncomfortably aware of how very blue his eyes were, how very good he smelled, how right his heavy presence atop her felt, how easy it would be to lift her head and find out if those full red lips were as soft and luscious as they looked.

For a moment they lay there, frozen against each other, the danger around them fading away, but then Hook blinked, shook his head, and reached above her head, snagging the compass. In a single, fluid move, he got to his feet, reached down with his hook and helped her up.

"Excellent job, Captain," Cora said with a nasty smirk. "It seems you've served your purpose after all. Now, hand over the compass and we can be on our way."

Emma's eyes widened, and she felt her stomach plummet. He'd…he'd been playing them? The betrayal rose strong and almost tangible as she whirled on him. How had she let herself be such a fool as to believe a handsome, charming pirate could actually be worth their trust?

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

Hook watched as the betrayal and pain crossed the Swan girl's face. Damn Cora and her manipulative ways! He'd only just won Emma's trust, and now the bloody witch meant to destroy it.

Precisely why it was he craved Swan's trust, he didn't wish to contemplate too deeply. It was simply because, as he'd told them at the first, the princesses were far safer company, and he needed to retain their trust long enough to get to Storybrooke. That was all.

Or so he told himself.

He took a step back. "Oh, I think not."

Cora took a menacing step toward him. "Excuse me."

"I said, your majesty, I think not," Hook said firmly. "I've tossed my lot in with the heroes, and with them shall I travel to this Land Without Magic."

For a moment, he thought Cora would curse him on the spot, but suddenly her face softened. "Come now, Hook. You're an intelligent man. I know the Swan girl's lovely, but you're far too cunning to be swayed by a pair of green eyes and a head of blonde hair. These princesses may possess the ability to get you to Storybrooke, but only I can help you accomplish your revenge once you get there."

For a moment Hook hesitated. Cora did make an excellent point. He knew hero types. They tended to frown upon the kind of cold-blooded murder he had in store for the Crocodile.

But his hesitation was over as soon as it began.

"You locked me in the Crocodile's bloody cell," Hook said, taking a step back, a step closer to Swan. "I'd be a fool to trust you again. No thanks, Cora, dear. The compass will remain with me, and you can remain in the Enchanted Forest and rot."

For a long, heavy moment there was silence as the thunderclouds gathered on Cora's brow, and then she struck, as quick and deadly as a snake. With one wave of her hand, the compass flew from his grip directly toward her.

"That was most unwise, Captain," Cora said, her voice low and menacing. "And for that, you shall pay. Dearly."

Her hand shot out toward his chest, and for one horrifying moment, Hook knew exactly what was about to happen. He vividly recalled the sharp, white-hot gripping pain as Cora plunged her hand into his chest and squeezed his heart. He braced himself for impact.

But it never came.

Hook's eyes widened in alarm as Swan stepped in front of him just as Cora struck. "No!" he shouted as the witch's hand plunged into Emma's chest. He couldn't watch another woman murdered before his eyes via heart crushing. He couldn't! Killian reached for his sword, but before he could pull it from its scabbard, Cora shot him with magic, freezing him in place.

"Oh you foolish, foolish girl!" Cora said with a sickening smile. "Don't you know? Selflessness is weakness."

"No," Swan said, suddenly standing straight. A beam of pure light shown from her chest, blasting Cora off her feet. "It's strength.

Cora jumped to her feet, and before any of the rest of them could make a move, she tossed the compass into the portal and jumped in after it. It was all over in but a moment. The portal closed, and they were left standing by nothing but a placid pool of water.

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

"No!" Emma shouted, running toward the lake. Cora couldn't have taken their only ride home. She couldn't! That wasn't how these stories went! The good guys won; the bad guys got left behind.

Emma felt a comforting arm go around her waist, and looked over to see her mother standing at her side.

"Mom, we failed," Emma said. "Now we're stuck in this God forsaken realm forever while Regina's freaking mother has free range to terrorize everyone we love!"

"We'll find another way," Snow said firmly. "We always do."

Emma growled deep in her throat. "You know, Mary Margaret, sometimes your optimism is infuriating."

Hook swaggered forward, cocky grin in place. "Now love, I'd give your mother more credit if I were you."

Emma crossed her arms and glared at him. "Yeah? You have some sort of, I don't know, magic…whatever…up your sleeve that can suddenly get us home?"

He swaggered into her space, so close she could feel the heat radiating off of his ridiculously exposed chest. "You've no faith in me at all, do you, darling? As it happens, I do have a method to transport us to Storybrooke."

"Yeah? What exactly is this 'method' that you suddenly have?"

Hook reached around his neck and grabbed the small, brown shriveled bean he'd placed there. "The bean that the giant kept."

"You mean the one that's dried up, dead and useless," Emma said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

"Ah, but you forget, love," Killian said, pulling the chain over his head. "As your mother said, Lake Nostos has curative properties. It can make new what once was old."

For just about the first time since she and Mary Margaret had landed in this stupid realm, Emma felt a shot of pure, unadulterated optimism. "You really think that could work?"

"Of course it could work, Emma!" Snow said, brilliant smile draping her face. "Hook, you're a genius!"

"Aye," he said with a grin. "There's more to me, my lady, than my devastatingly handsome looks."

With that, Killian stepped forward, submerged the bean in the water, and then turned back toward them. Where once was a shriveled, lifeless thing, now was a bright, sparkly bean, glowing with life.

They'd done it! They'd found a way home.

"And that's it? No need for a compass or…some kind of portal jumping GPS?" Emma asked.

Hook's brow furrowed. "GP…what?"

"Nevermind," Mary Margaret said. "That bean's all we need Emma. It'll get us wherever we want to go, no matter the realm."

And as Killian took Emma and Mary Margaret to his ship, tossed the bean into the sea and then sailed them through, Emma felt a smile creep up. They'd done it! Despite all odds, they'd made it home, and it was in large part due to the handsome pirate at her side.

Maybe, just maybe she could take a chance that her instincts had been right about him all along.

Notes:

-Sorry for no update last week. The muse just wasn't cooperating with me. I knew what I wanted to happen, but the words just weren't there.

-Happy Once Day! I'm not as crazy excited about the start of this season as I have been in the past, but OUAT is still my favorite show, so I'm happy to see its return!

-And there ends my season 2 canon divergent scene. Up next: Adam and Eddie have insisted we don't want to see a show where our faves are just happy doing regular things, but I, for one, would like to disagree. I think I'm going to write a deleted scene/future fic that just chronicles an ordinary week night in the Swan/Jones household.