Hook woke up in a cramped, wet space. It was dark out, so he couldn't begin to guess how long he had been out or how he had gotten here. Wherever here was. The Swan girl had gotten in a good blow at Lake Nostos, and perhaps this was her prison of choice for him. Certainly not the first time he had woken up in a less than preferable location.

He could barely move in the small, circular space. There was a slight glow coming from the ceiling that he assumed had to be from moonlight. It took some maneuvering to get into a standing position, but once he did, he could see faint ridges in the wall. Probably good enough to climb up, though climbing with the hook was a bit difficult.

It took what seemed like hours for him to climb out of his prison, which appeared to be a well in the middle of the woods. That certainly explained the water, though he was sure he hadn't seen a well anywhere near the lake, so he wasn't quite sure where he'd found himself.

"I see you've finally woken up." Hook whirled around, knowing that voice.

"Cora," he growled, watching as the woman seemed to appear from the shadows of the forest itself. "I was rather wondering where you'd ended up."

"You mean you can't tell, Captain? We're in Storybrooke."

He looked around for some kind of confirmation, but a forest's a forest. The fact that they both seemed to be safe did seem to suggest they'd won the battle though, so perhaps that was good enough.

"And when did we arrive in Storybrooke?"

"Several hours ago. You've been laying there useless for quite some time." She cocked her head to the side and started walking away. "Come along!"

Despite his frustration, he rushed off to follow her. "You left me at the bottom of a well!"

"I did. The bottom of a well in Storybrooke. You should be happy I dragged you along at all after you allowed that child to best you."

They walked along a moderately clear path, Cora with the comfortable familiarity of a woman on her own property. He was certain she couldn't have been here long enough to earn that degree of familiarity, but she was hardly the sort of woman to let slip she was anything less than comfortable in any circumstance.

When they'd first boarded his ship, it was clear enough that she had no sea legs to speak of. She didn't get sick, luckily, but despite her calm stance, one hand was always resting on a railing, knuckles white enough to show her tension. If he hadn't been around her as often as he was, he probably wouldn't have noticed it. Her condescending tone had certainly never wavered. It was one of the things he respected most about her. She didn't let anybody see her fear.

Of course, she didn't let anybody see her affection, either, which was a bit grating with how long they'd spent together. She'd use a man, surely enough, but always with commands and critiques. He'd seen her play nice for strangers they needed to sway, but he supposed when your introduction to a man was his hand in your chest, followed by your own in his, you didn't feel the need to fake niceties. Still, it would've been nice to hear a 'thank you' once or twice.

"She wasn't a child," he grumbled, thinking about how Swan had surprised him. He definitely should have seen it coming, but the woman was clever. "Besides, we wouldn't have had the compass to begin with if not for me."

"My dear Captain, you know that I appreciated your gift. This is my gift to you." As they finally finished the trudge through the woods, he caught sight of the town. Quaint and little, certainly no castles, but it seemed like the average house or shop was nicer than it would've been in their world. "Welcome to Storybrooke."

He took a look around, pleased to find that nobody much was around. It made it easier to gawk as he looked in the windows of the little shops.

"Thank you, Cora. Now, where would I go to find myself a crocodile?"

"Well, I'm afraid that is a bit of a complicated question. He's gone into hiding. Apparently, my daughter has enlisted his help in keeping me from my grandson. We'll have to continue working together if you want to complete your mission."

"Not as easy as you expected to win her back, eh?" He grabbed her, pushing the woman against the storefront wall, hook to her throat. "Don't see why your failed plans should keep me from mine. Even if you've made things… difficult."

She let out a laugh. That endlessly frustrating laugh that suggested he'd made a mistake that even a child could have avoided. And then she vanished in a puff of purple smoke, and he found himself pressed against the wall, an invisible force holding him in place.

"You're more than welcome to try to find your crocodile on your own, but if you do, I'm afraid you won't survive long enough to kill him."

"Magic. Wonderful. Then I suppose we will have to continue working together."

"I'm glad you see it my way." She smirked, looking him up and down. It was the greedy sort of look he would normally be excited by, but another stall in his plans didn't exactly put him in the right state of mind for her favorite exploits.

"Would you mind releasing me, love? If my revenge is put on hold, I'd like to find somewhere to change."

"You aren't very entertaining tonight, Captain."

He snorted. "I'm afraid I'm sore enough from everything you've put me through today. You'll have to find someone else to entertain you."

The magic released him, and he rolled his shoulders back before pushing off to continue exploring the town. Cora continued to follow after him, deep in thought.

"Perhaps I will. Just make sure to stay out of trouble while I make a new plan. You know how to find me if you need me."

"Indeed I do. Enjoy your night, Your Majesty."

"You as well. I'm off to find an old friend who might be of use to us. I will see you tomorrow, Captain." She kissed him on the cheek and then set off down the street. He stayed in town, breaking into a few shops to acquire some essentials, and perhaps a few expensive-looking non-essentials, before finding a place to stay the night. In the morning, he could sketch out a new plan to skin his crocodile.