A/N: Thank you for the wonderful comments, follows & favorites. Hopefully you'll like this chapter too. The song Hook's singing is The Girl by City and Colour. This song is so beautiful. I imagine Hook might like something a little heavier but I didn't think it would work into the story as well.
Emma had been sitting in the crow's nest for a while now. At first she was furious with Hook. She had screamed his name until she was almost hoarse. When she realized that he was ignoring her she calmed down. Trying a few deep breaths to calm her nerves and raging hormones. Damn that bastard pirate. She felt like she had been standing on a cliff and he pulled the ground out from under her, sending her tumbling over and over. With only the rocking of the ship and the horizon as company her mind started to drift, to process what had recently happened. Neal was back. She couldn't ask him to leave after seeing how happy Henry had been on the sail home from Manhattan. He had only just found his mother and now he had a father. It may not be a happy family but it was a family, something she had never had and always longed for. After all this time Emma had trust issues because of Neal, apparently he didn't have the same problems, moving on and getting engaged. That might hurt the worst, that Neal could be happy while she felt this giant hole in her heart. She resolved herself to not let the situation get to her, or at least not let Neal know if it did get to her. What was another link in the armor, another brick added to the wall already surrounding her? Eventually Emma got her emotions under control and she started to watch him. The wind shifting his dark hair this way and that. He smiled brightly as he sailed his ship. Emma could tell Hook was at ease behind the helm, he looked like he was right where he belonged. When the wind died down she could hear him whistling a tune, occasionally she'd hear a few snippets of the lyrics. After what seemed like forever, Emma could fight the urge no longer. She yelled as loud as she could to get his attention.
"Hook, you need to let me down. Hook, I …" damn it she thought to herself, he wasn't going to make this easy. "Hook I really have to pee" she yelled down. She knew he heard that by the sound of his laughter on the wind.
She was once again amazed at how quick he was at climbing the ropes with only one hand and his hook. As he climbed she could make out the words he was singing, his low voice drifting up to her "While I'm chasing my own dreams, sailing around the world" the wind picked up and she missed a few lines then heard clearly "my beautiful girl". The tune sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. When he got to the top his smirk couldn't be contained and he began to laugh.
"Darling, I am amazed that you've stayed up here. I see your knot un-tying skills have eluded you today. I half expected for you to unravel yourself and swan dive down to the water." He chuckled darkly, his mind briefly picturing Emma soaking wet. "Now what was it you were yelling at me?"
Emma made to stand and her knees gave out. Hook quickly caught her before she toppled over.
"It seems, love, that you have been sitting for too long. Have you, ah, cooled down? If you promise to keep your wits about you I'll help you down." He cooed into her ear, holding her a little closer as he untied her wrists. "Do you trust me, love?" He looked into her eyes as he rubbed her sore wrists for her.
"Again with the trust, Hook. Why should I trust you after you tied me up and left me here? And how are you helping me down Hook? It's a long way down." She said pulling her wrists free from him as she peered over the edge. And before she knew what was happening he had picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder, swatting her ass for good measure. Emma gasped at the unexpected arrangements. "Hook, please let me down, I think I can climb down myself."
"Aye, lass, but the view or you this way is just exquisite. You are in no condition to climb down. I'd hate to see you below me, from this high up. I'd much prefer you directly below me" Smirking, "If you don't trust me we will get nowhere fast. And if you choose to not trust I'm going to leave you trussed up here for longer." He felt her relax slightly at the thought of staying up here longer and he grinned, knowing he'd won again. He expertly scaled down the ropes as she held on for dear life to his waist.
She had to admit her view was fairly nice too. Without his long coat his rear looked fantastic in his tight leather pants. Emma tried to brush the thought of his muscular rear end out of her mind and also tried to forget how he had her at an advantage while she just prayed to reach the deck safely. When they reached the deck he set her down gently at the same time giving her another swat for good measure. He held her for moment, until he was sure she was steady on her feet.
When she had relieved herself she made her way back to the deck. The smirk on Hook's face made Emma tense, unsure as his plans. Trying to ignore him she walked around the deck, taking in all the strange contraptions, ropes and pulleys everywhere. Eventually she found herself near the helm. He was back to humming the slightly familiar tune.
"What have you been singing all morning?" She asked as she tried to keep her distance. Telling herself that she wouldn't let him too close and catch her off guard again.
"Just a lovely little melody I heard while in your New York. It seems that sad songs never go out of favor. I did hear other god awful noses while waiting for the Jolly Roger that the people around me were attempting to pass off as some sort of music. The assault to my ears was too much. I did however here this tune and thought it quite forlorn. A pirate can never know too many tunes to keep him entertained." He looked over his shoulder at her, but she was looking out over the water.
Emma only half listening to Hook ramble, about what kind of music he thought was god awful she had no idea. "It sounded familiar, care to sing me a few lines?" Emma was trying to get his kiss and the feel of his touch out of her brain. When she heard his voice, low and so sad she froze, turning slowly to watch the back of him.
Hook hummed a few lines that sang softly "While I'm off chasing my own dreams; Sailing around the world; Please know that I'm yours to keep; My beautiful girl" With the last line Hook turned to see Emma's expression. She couldn't hide the disbelief in her face. He continued his song, watching her face. "When you cry a piece of my heart dies; Knowing that I may have been the cause; If you were to leave; Fulfill someone else's dreams; I think I might totally be lost." He hummed a few lines and repeated "My beautiful girl, My beautiful girl." Hook realized that Emma was mouthing the words he had been singing and stopped. "Aye, so you know this tune? It is really quite beautiful isn't it? Leaving someone beautiful is always quite sad, love."
Emma looked away, not wanting for Hook to see the tears not shed. "It hurts worse when you're the one being left behind." She muttered, barely loud enough for him to hear.
"This morning you mentioned your son, Henry and his new found father. This is the cad who did not fight for you. I see that Rumple's son takes after his coward father" Hook practically spitting the last line.
"He's … I didn't …" Emma now at a loss for words. Feeling she didn't want to let Hook into this little bit of her life. She leaned over the railing, staring into the calm blue waters, so much like the color of his eyes. Where did that thought come from she wondered. Then she felt Hook's hand on her back as he stood next to her.
He pulled her face up to meet his, stared into her eyes and whispered "I will gladly kill them both for you, darling. He may be Milah's son, but men not worth fighting for what they want deserve nothing. He doesn't deserve you, or your son."
Emma was surprised at the fierceness in his voice. While part of her would love to see the pirate rid Neal from her life she knew it would break Henry. She had already hurt him with her lies and didn't want him to hate her for the rest of his life. "No, Killian." Emma sighed.
At his name on her lips he couldn't resist himself. He moved forward, unsure why he wanted to comfort her. But knowing he had to do something to erase the sadness on her face. He pulled her close, stroking the hair from her neck and grazing it gently with his lips. "Emma, love, I hate to see lasses cry, unless it is cries of passion at my hand." Pulling his face back to see the reaction he was getting from her. Raising an eyebrow cockily, "What say I pull out my rope again and make you forget all of your sorrows? If you let me try hard enough I might make you forget your own name, love. Which would be a shame as it is a lovely name. But a man must do."
Emma's eyes widened at his sudden change from heartfelt counsel to his usually bravado. She stayed her ground, wanting him to close the gap between them, but refusing to fall for his traps again.