"No." Killian answered without thinking. It was the truth that Neverland made you forget, and he couldn't bear the thought of Emma forgetting anything, not just as they were finally building a life. A cold wave ran over him as he remembered the last time he had looked into her face and had seen not a single glimpse of recognition. That was so long ago and their history had only just begun. She'd already been the most important thing in his world, but now she was his whole world. He let his arm drop to cover hers where it wrapped around him, dragging himself back to the present.

"No?" Emma made no move to pull away from him, but he knew her questioning response was deceptively calm. "Killian, am I wrong in thinking you're about to head off on an adventure?" He chose not to answer that out loud, but he knew 'adventure' wasn't how he would describe his desire to find Pan, save the Lost Boys, and somehow remove this guilt from the pit of his stomach. She didn't wait on his reply. "Do you think I can't take care of myself?"

At that question, Killian let out short laugh, forced to acknowledge another truth. "You can take care of yourself better than anyone else I know, Swan." He was rewarded for his response by feeling her lips press a kiss against the skin of his back.

"That's what I thought." He would swear he could feel her confident smirk. "And you are thinking of going back to Neverland, are you not?" He sighed, and apparently she took his tacit response as assent. "You're not leaving me behind." This time it wasn't phrased in the form of a question, and her tone gave the impression that this statement was carved in granite. Killian knew that he wouldn't be able to convince her otherwise, and any attempt would be a waste of their time. He resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be leaving Storybrooke alone.

"Any ideas on how to get there, love?" Emma squeezed her arms tighter around him when she realized that he wasn't going to argue with her.

"According to the book, second star to the right and straight on 'til morning." She paused. "Granted, those kids were flying." She pulled away from him, and he couldn't help feeling a sense of loss as her skin left his. Tugging on his arm, Emma turned him to face her. "How do you think they got this message to you?"

Her brow furrowed in concern as she contemplated the issue, and Killian acknowledged that it was worrisome. How had they found him, let alone delivered him a message?

"I don't know," he answered her honestly, " but I intend to find out." The note drifted to the floor as he ran his fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck and drew her forward for a kiss. He had intended just to offer quick reassurance, but the surge of adrenaline that had filled them both earlier became redirected to another outlet. It was morning before either of them moved any closer to Neverland.


The next day flew by, and it turned out to be a shockingly simple matter to get Emma and himself to Neverland. It may have seemed suspicious to some, but Killian took it as a sign that he was doing the right thing in his return to the island.

Regina appeared more than happy to wave goodbye for a while to Killian and Emma, seemingly delighted to have a break from the happy couple and to have more time with Henry. Lord knows where it came from, probably not somewhere good, but she also happened to have a bag of pixie dust she'd been saving for a rainy day. It didn't serve much purpose beyond flying you around, and she preferred other, more dignified, magical means of travel.

This had led to Killian and Emma standing on the deck of the Jolly Roger that evening with a few supply trunks, and the Charming family standing on the dock, some of them with very concerned faces.

David had his arm around Snow, and little Neal was clutched in her arms. Henry stood beside them with an expression that read more of jealousy than worry. It had taken some stern talking to convince Henry that he wasn't joining them. The kid seriously needed to spend some time in school, not in diving into around more fairy tales. Regina stood calmly behind them.

"Tell me again that even if it takes off, it won't fall out of the sky." David muttered to Regina, not taking his eyes off of his daughter on board the ship.

"They'll be fine," she answered. "Hook can navigate that ship anywhere, and most certainly to Neverland, where it's longing to be. And there's plenty of pixie dust where that came from in Neverland to secure a return trip." Regina's sharp, confident tone gave more reassurance than a comforting tone could have provided. David watched as Killian began to shake gold pixie dust onto the bow of the ship.

Everyone on land and sea took a deep breath as the Jolly Roger began to glow.

Emma watched as Killian shook out the last of the fairy dust, and then she turned towards the docks. As confident as she was that she needed to go on this trip, she hadn't let on about some of her fears. The Captain Hook of Neverland had fueled nightmares in children for the past century, and returning to the place where that story began would cause anyone some trepidation. It was the main reason she had insisted on coming- she knew he would be safer with her there.

She had no doubts about Killian, but who knew who many enemies he had on this magical island they were headed to. What was he going to have to face? Would he truly let her be a part of it?

"Swan," his voice cut through her stream of worries. She snapped back to the present, turning back to face him.

"What?" Emma glanced around, and she noticed that while they'd sailed a distance out into the ocean during her reverie, they hadn't left the water. Her family, along with the docks themselves, were nearly out of sight. "Why aren't we flying?"

He cocked his head to side and lifted an eyebrow. Killian raised his arm and rested his hook in the rigging. "Don't you know how pixie dust works?" She ran back through the saying in her head, 'faith, hope, and trust.' She felt like she had a handle on those, and none of them were in question at the moment.

"Am I missing something?" she questioned, and Killian drew closer, dragging his hook along the weathered rope. He looked every inch the pirate captain, back in his long coat to ward off the cool evening air.

"Apparently," he answered. He came to a stop directly in front of her, his eyes seeming to grow darker as she looked at them. "Let's see if I can help jog your memory." His gaze dropped to her lips, and Emma's last thought before her mind went blank was that this method, while very welcome, wasn't likely to focus any memories.

As his lips made contact, all she focused on was him. His lips brushed gently over hers at first, and her eyes drifted shut as she felt the pressure of his arm at her waist. She reached up to grab the lapels of his coat and pull him closer as his other arm reached behind her. His fingers restlessly pushed up the material of her shirt and jacket, not giving up until they made contact with the skin of her back.

She knew logically that at some point the touch of his fingers would have to stop causing such an electric reaction in her, but she couldn't imagine growing used to the sensation. It felt like it's own kind of magic. She had just pushed up on her toes, trying to bring more of him in contact with her, when abruptly he ended the kiss. Emma let out a soft whining sound as he rested his forehead against hers.

He let out a low chuckle before softly whispering, "Open your eyes, love." His lips remained just a hairsbreadth away. She was loathe to pull back from the moment, but the instant she opened her eyes and glanced behind him she realized that they were surrounded by clouds.

"Wow," she breathed. Emma tightened her grip on the edges of his jacket as though he might fly away into the sky.

"Happy?" Killian asked quietly.

"What?" Startled at the question, Emma leaned back just enough to look into his eyes.

"That's what you were missing- happy thoughts." His gaze was soft, but there were embers burning in the back of his eyes. She thought that she should probably be annoyed at his method of bringing about those happy thoughts, but she couldn't drum up the the indignation. Emma took a moment to contemplate whether or not she could ignore the fact that she was on a flying pirate ship and continue on with their present course, but Killian made the decision for her.

"While I'd be happy to ignore our mission for a while, I'd hate to end up in entirely uncharted waters… or sky." He smoothed her shirt & jacket back down before dropping his hand away from her. "I need spend a bit of time at the helm, Swan." She didn't break eye contact with him.

"How far?" she asked.

"A few hours journey and we'll be in Pirate's Cove."

"Your cove."

He paused before answering. "Aye."

"You know I can't wait to see your island." He raised a questioning eyebrow, and she answered with a smile before leaning her forehead on his shoulder, looking out over the clouds. "I know we have work to do, and I know there's people to help, but you spent so many years there. And there's the fact that it's an island of magic. I want to see it all." He answered by running his hand down her back and pressing a kiss against the top of her head before releasing her to step away.

"Well, who I am I to disoblige a fair maiden's request?" He grasped the wheel in one hand and lodged his hook against a spoke. His coat billowed around him as the wind filled the sails. "If you are wanting a tour of Neverland, then that's what you'll get."