At the Beginning With You

Chapter Two

While they continued to sail ahead, Hook steered the ship in the direction of the new land to where they were headed and Emma worked the sails as he had taught both her and her son how to do, the same as he taught Baelfire and very few others throughout his long life. Once the Jolly Roger was well on its way to its new course, the Captain stepped down into his quarters where Emma was preparing lunch for them both. She may like grilled cheese sandwiches and onion rings from the diner, but she knew that he preferred a BLT with fries and this voyage was as much for him as it was for her.

He spoke first saying, "I see Granny was kind enough to pack us a meal or two for our journey."

Emma smiled as she replied, "Yes and instead of what I usually order, I thought I would get something you would like better, at least for today."

"I'm perfectly fine with onion rings, love," Killian answered as he looked over at her skeptically while he sat down across from her. "Why is it that you're being so kind, not that you're ever not, but…?"

"I guess I'm just trying to show you that I am working on being more compromising," she responded in frustration. "And I'm failing by the look of things."

Hook gently put his hand over hers as he replied, "Not at all, but I do not understand. You've been plenty fair."

She scoffed and answered, "Not really, but it's just like you to say that I have been. Because of all the things that have happened in Storybrooke, between me and my family, everything that happens around us is about me in some way or another. So no, you're actually wrong, Killian. Which is why I say we go to wherever it is you want to go. Don't worry about trying to find a way to open a portal to some new world for me. I am perfectly happy just to live upon the ocean for the next few weeks, just as you used to do before you met me."

"Before I met you…" he responded, then paused and lowered his head in regret until Emma tightened her grip on his hand. "Before I met you, I was the villain I was who said those terrible things to you inside Cora's prison cell. The vile man who nearly killed an innocent woman for his revenge, and who nearly made it so that you lost your son. It's because of you that I am a good man again. Sailing the open seas is what the old part of me would want. You Emma, is all the man I am now wants. If another realm is where you want to go, or a deserted island, then so be it."

"I really did a number on you," the Savior replied smugly as she leaned forward and kissed him again, then started to eat. "You know what, I think we should go to somewhere we both have never been, but somewhere I think we will both love. It's also a place where we don't need magic to get to."

Hook looked at her in confusion as he asked, "And where is that?"

Emma smiled and answered, "Paris, or really all over Europe if we wanted to."

"I take it that this Europe is another part of your land?" he asked.

"Yes, well kind of," she responded quickly. "I mean, it's another continent. I've read a number of books that take place over there. I've been all over my own country for work, but never anywhere else. I say it's about time we explore our own first. If we still want to go to another realm later, we'll have plenty of time for that."

He replied quietly, "Aye Swan, that we do. So, it appears that it would be necessary to readjust our navigation once again. If you'll excuse me…"

Emma stopped him from getting up as she answered, "No, let me. You taught me how to navigate the stars, remember?"

"What the hell was that?" she cried out when all of a sudden, the ship rocked wildly as a blast struck the water on its starboard side, and both heroes rushed out onto the deck to find out where the attack was coming from, finding two ships coming up on them from behind. "Hook, do you recognize those ships?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell from here, love," Killian responded while he looked through his spyglass toward the danger coming up on them. "I for one however, do know that unless we can find someplace to find cover, we're…"

Emma interrupted, "Sitting ducks?"

He looked at her in confusion as he asked, "I beg your pardon?"

"Never mind, but I don't understand," she stated in confusion. "I thought this ship is protected by a cloaking spell. How is it that they're able to attack us?"

"It is, but whoever they are, it appears they have something to detect the Jolly Roger," Hook replied as he quickly scanned the maps in front of him. "They might not be able to see us, but they certainly know we're here. Which means that they're specifically looking for us, or my ship as the case may be."

Emma looked over at him like he was crazy as she asked again, "What are you doing? There's nowhere around for God knows how many miles. There's nowhere to hide and we certainly can't outrun two ships unless there's something you know that I don't?"

Killian nodded and answered, "Aye. It appears there's an uncharted island east of here only a few miles away."

"How do you know that?" she continued in frustration. "I don't see anything, but water!"

"There are birds flying overhead," he immediately responded. "They only fly out in the open ocean so long as there's land nearby for them to hunt for food or roost. I don't know why it's uncharted, but our only chance to get away from them is to land and hide, at least for now."

Emma groaned, then spoke again nervously saying, "That sounds great, but I've never had to survive on an island. I've never even watched Survivor. Not to mention there's two ships catching up fast. What are we supposed to do?"

Hook turned the Jolly Roger in the direction of the land ahead invisible to them, then looked into his wife's eyes and grinned as he said smugly, "Luckily for you, I have had to survive on an island before, a long time ago. And with a little help from your magic, we can outrun them long enough to by us time to land, hide my ship, then explore the island enough to find shelter. Don't worry, Swan. I will not let anything happen to you. And together, we can defeat whoever these men are."