Swan and Hook arrived back at the hiding place first and, after two hours had gone by, they both started to get even more worried than before. Hook was sharpening his hook rather fiercely and Swan was pacing the floor.
"Alright, I'm going up there," she said. Hook rose to his feet and grabbed his sword.
"You're not the only one," he said. They froze as a light scattered across the floor from the hatch being open. They waited for whoever was climbing down, both of them keeping their weapons within reach. Killian jumped down to the floor and held his arms out.
"It's just me," he said. Swan lunged into his arms and kissed him.
"We were so worried," she said, kissing his cheek again.
"Where's Emma," Hook asked, looking up the ladder. Killian clenched his jaw and looked away.
"They took her. She's probably at the palace by now," Killian answered. Hook tore him away from Swan's grasp and threw him against the wall.
"You were supposed to protect her. That's why we split up," Hook yelled. "Did you leave her to fend for yourself?" Killian pointed to the bruise on his face.
"She knocked me out before the guards approached and hid me. I didn't have time to argue her strategy," Killian said, defending himself. "We were gridlocked, we would have both been captured. I guess she thought that this way, she would have a chance to be rescued." Hook released his grasp and picked his sword back up. "Mate, you can't just go charging in there." Hook glared at him and grabbed the pouch with the magic bean and tucked it in his satchel.
"I'm getting Emma out of there and as soon as I do we are going home. Sorry that we can't help you further, but if Emma's life is in danger, we can't afford to stay in this world for much longer." Killian and Swan exchanged glances and smiled, causing Hook annoyance. "What?!"
"There was a time you would have left her behind," Swan said. Hook nodded then headed towards the ladder.
"She and I are in this together," he said before climbing up the ladder. To his surprise, the two of them followed him. "Are you joining me?"
"You helped us," Killian replied. When they reached the top, they collected themselves and headed towards the castle.
"We don't have a plan," Swan stated.
"Get her out," Hook said, striding ahead. Killian pulled him back.
"Emma and I observed the guards for an hour. The place is heavily guarded and there are absolutely no breaks when the guards change. They have a constant eye on everything. Getting in isn't going to be easy and getting out is going to be be even harder," Killian said.
"I'll find a way," Hook said, striding towards the castle.
The guard brought Emma into the Queen's chambers and left her in the middle of the room, leaving her manacles on. It wasn't long before the door opened and Regina emerged. She circled Emma, inspecting her. Emma kept her head held high and her gaze fixed on Regina.
"You look pretty good for being dead," Regina stated.
"Funny, you look a lot older than when I saw you last," Emma said. "Maybe you should try freezing time." Her comment took Regina aback.
"You seem more confident than the frightened little girl you used to be. Did your pirate's manners rub off on you?" Regina said. She looked her over again, grabbing her face and looking into her eyes. "Yes, you do seem stronger."
"Do you want to remove these manacles and see how strong I really am?" Emma challenged.
"I don't know how it's possible, but you are not the Emma I remember. Even running away with a pirate wouldn't change you this much. Maybe some time in the dungeon would remind you of the order of things around here," Regina said. "Guards!"
"Wait! I want to talk to my father," Emma said as the guards pulled her away.
"He doesn't know you're here and I'm going to keep it that until you learn your place!" Regina commanded. "And you will learn your place if I have to whip you myself."
As Killian, Swan & Hook neared the castle, Hook steered them towards the secret entrance that Rumplestiltskin lead them to. Hook found the door in the grass on the hill and opened it.
"If I'm not back within an hour, we either went home, we're both captured, or we're both dead," Hook said.
"And how are we supposed to know which one?" Swan asked.
"Um...I'm not sure. Maybe just focus on getting to your father," Hook offered.
"Hook, wait," Swan said. She kissed him on the cheek then rejoined your husband's side. "Take care of her."
"Aye, lass," Hook said. "And you- you are one handsome devil," he said to Killian.
"Hook- don't hold back," Killian said.
"What?"
"You'll understand," Killian said to Hook as he closed the secret passageway behind him. Hook went down the long corridor slowly. He could hear guards' voices echoing through the tunnels. He held tight to the grip of his sword as he moved.
"Back so soon, dearie?" came a voice from behind him. Hook turned around and pulled his sword from the scabbard. "My, my, don't you two get yourself in these situations often? Your counterparts could at least stay hidden."
"Stay back, Crocodile. I'm in no mood for your mockery," Hook hissed.
"Yes, you need to find your Emma, the one the Queen has," Rumplestiltskin said. "If only you had a way home you could solve all your troubles."
"We're fine," Hook said, putting his sword away and looking down the corridor. "Where's your guard?" Rumplestiltskin giggled and pointed to the sleeping guard on the floor. "I thought you couldn't do magic in this cell."
"I couldn't, when I was first imprisoned. I've worn the magic down, I could leave whenever I want," he said with glee.
"Why don't you?"
"I've been waiting for you, sonny boy. For this moment. What's some twenty some years to an immortal?" Rumplestiltskin said with flare. "You have something I want."
"You can't have it. It's our only way home," Hook said, gripping his satchel.
"Not quite. That bean is from this universe. You use it here, it won't get you where you want to go," he explained. Rumplestiltskin slashed his hand into the air and formed a tear. "This is where you want to go, isn't it?" Hook looked through the opening in the bars to see Lake Nostos just as they had left it.
"Not exactly our final destination," Hook said.
"But it's where your ship is. Don't you want it?" Hook looked down and away. "Let's make a deal. You give me the bean, and I can easily send you back to where you came from." Rumplestiltskin stuck his hand through the bars and Hook swiped at it with his hook.
"I don't make deals with demons," Hook growled. "Something always comes at a price with you. And I can't leave without Emma."
"Tsk, tsk, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said, rubbing away the tear in the space with his hand to seal it back up. "What if I sweeten the deal? What if I promise that I can open the portal again and you can enter it with your 'twue wove'?"
"My true love is dead," Hook said through his teeth.
"Well in that case, I guess I can give you each a free one. But this is the last time," Rumplestiltskin said. "My offer will still stand, but you better hurry up. I'm getting impatient."
"Free what? What are you talking about?"
"Just get to talking, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said as waved his hand. A cloud of smoke enveloped Hook and when he reappeared, he was in a dark chamber. There was a single candle light with a figure huddled in the corner. Hook grabbed the candle and took it over to the figure, who seemed to be unconscious. He shined the light in the person's face.
"Emma?" Hook said, trying to shake her. "Emma!" Panic started to set in. He saw bruises on her wrists and a cut on her forehead. Why didn't he come sooner? Why didn't he protect her? Emma slowly roused and Hook set down the candle so he could cradle her in his arms.
"Hook?" she said weakly.
"Aye, lass," Hook said, gently pushing her hair away from her face.
"Did you get captured too?"
"In a matter of speaking," Hook said, shifting so he could get more comfortable, still cradling her in his arms. "I was coming to rescue you and had an encounter with Rumplestiltskin." Emma smiled a little, but then shifted back to concerned.
"Did you try to kill him?"
"I always want to kill him, but he was too busy offering me a deal," Hook said.
"Obviously you didn't take it if you ended up here," Emma said, trying to sit up a little. Hook placed his hook gently on her shoulder to guide her back down.
"You were just unconscious, dear. You don't have to get up so fast," he said. "Trust me, I've been knocked out many times."
"I thought you've only been bested by less than..." Emma said starting to get up, but hesitated and laid back down in his arms.
"There now, that's a good girl," Hook said with a smile. Emma shot him a glance at the familiar words, but shifted so she could get comfortable herself. Without thinking, she curled into him so she had her head on his shoulder, to which Hook then lifted her onto his lap so he was cradling her fully in his arms, as if it was the most natural thing to do. Once they realized the position they put themselves in, they looked at each other for consent, and smiled at each other in agreement. Emma laid her head back down on Hook's shoulder and he leaned his cheek on her forehead. "I'll get you out of here."
"I know. That's why I allowed myself to be taken," Emma said. Hook raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"You knew I'd come for you? You'd trust a pirate to save you instead of saving his own skin?"
"Yeah," Emma said. "I guess I'm starting to trust you."
"You waited long enough," Hook joked, which to his surprise, Emma let out a small chuckle. She looked up at him, causing him to shift and lock eyes with her. Emma was instantly lost in his calm blue eyes. Hook's gaze kept shifting from her eyes to her lips, which were only inches from hers. He came slightly closer and her heart leapt inside of her.
"Hook," she whispered.
"Yeah?" he said, almost breathlessly.
"What deal didn't you take?" He swallowed hard and turned his head away from her.
"The bean in exchange for going back to our world. He said the bean wouldn't take us to our home in our universe anyway."
"Why didn't you take it?" He turned back to her and looked straight in her eyes.
"Because we go home together or not at all," he whispered. "I'm not leaving you." His last words swirled in her head and her heart pounded. It's as if in a single sentence, the wall around her heart fell down in a crashing blow. She slowly moved towards his lips, and he met her in a soft kiss. A warm rush passed through them and they held each other a bit tighter. When their lips parted, their lips lingered near each other. They both kept their eyes closed, not wanting to come back to reality. Emma leaned her head back on Hook's shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her more and rested his head back onto hers. They both laid there for a while, not knowing what to say. Hook's mind was racing between his kiss with Emma and to what his counterpart said. What he felt on the beanstalk, in the forest, right now- he couldn't hold himself back in anger forever. He may be a pirate, but he could love again, if he'd only let himself. The kiss broke down a wall in his heart too, and he wanted to open it to her. "Emma, I think..." It was then he realized that her breath had slowed. He craned his neck to look at her and saw that she had fallen asleep. He smiled down and her and leaned his head against the wall and tried to sleep himself.
A/N: Thank you for your patience as I'm getting these chapters up for this and my other story. Things have been pretty busy lately. Thanks for the comments/reviews, they've meant a lot to me during the craziness. Hope you're still enjoying the story!