Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Three

Hook didn't go far after he left the others. But he needed to get away from them and their condescending glances, especially with Neal and Emma both being so angry at him. Not that he could blame them. As far as he was concerned, they were right to be angry. He had hurt Neal badly years ago and nearly cost them their chance to save their son now. At least he could rationalize it and say he wasn't the only one at fault for that, as Neal messed up too. However, it didn't make him feel any better.

When he stopped, Hook leaned up against a tree and pulled out his flask to take a drink and as he did so, Pan suddenly appeared before him again as the boy chortled and then stated smugly, "Still drinking I see. Is something bothering you? I would think you would be happy right now. You did after all manage to capture my shadow."

While keeping his eyes on his hook, the pirate replied curtly, "I thought you might now about that by now. Indeed we have. And you're not ever going to see it again, at least not in your own possession."

"If you, Emma, and the others really think that they can use my shadow to get off this island, then I'd say you've helped them for no reason at all, except perhaps to give them all false hope," Peter responded as he slowly walked around the man once in his services. "I'll tell you what, Hook. I will help you out a little. I can help you to win Emma's heart. I think you're a fool for being attracted to her, as she is just another orphan and weak. All I want from you is my shadow back."

"If you believe I'm desperate enough to believe you can help me with that, then I'd say you're the one who is the fool," Hook answered in frustration, raising his head to finally look at the demon child. "Sod off. There'll be no more deals between us."

Pan smiled and started to walk away as he replied, "Very well. But don't say I didn't try to help you. She'll never love you, Killian. You're a pirate. And a villain like me. How could the Savior ever love a man like you?"

As his nemesis finally left him alone again, Hook lifted his flask once again to his lips and took a big swig of the rum he always carried on him. He glanced down and stared hard at it for a few moments until he suddenly pitched it at a tree in front of him upon realizing that the one truth Pan spoke was that Emma would never be able to love him, as he already loved her.

Meanwhile…

Neal wandered throughout the woods in the direction Hook had left earlier, hoping to be able to find him and encourage him to come back with him to rejoin the others, but he knew that in order to do that, he would most likely have to apologize to the pirate for being a jerk to him earlier even if he had the right to be angry. It wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to having in the least, but for Emma he would make nice to him even if Hook actually succeeded in stealing her away from him.

Neal's thoughts were interrupted as Peter Pan walked out from behind a tree in front of him and spoke up asking, "So, enjoying your freedom again are you, Baelfire?"

"I think enjoying might be the wrong word," Neal responded snidely as he stopped walking and kept his eyes on the villain. "But I like not being your prisoner any longer. Are you here to try to capture me again? Where's your small army?"

"Relax, I'm only here to have a chat," Pan answered as he knelt down on the ground beneath his feet and looked up at man he knew better as the boy he was years ago before Neal had managed to escape from Neverland. "In fact, I'm here to offer you a deal that you just might like. Before you object, hear me out."

The younger man scoffed and then replied, "I don't have time for this."

Peter responded snidely, "Because you have to go apologize to the pirate, you mean? I know that Emma sent you off after him. He isn't far. You'll find him having himself another drink. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you."

"Just say what you have to say and get the hell out of here," Neal answered in frustration.

"Very well," the child replied. "Straight to the point then. I'll let you go ahead and keep trying to save Henry, though eventually you'll learn you won't succeed and when you do, I will give you passage out of Neverland. All I want from you in return is my shadow back, as well as to see you run your cutlass through Hook's chest."

Neal looked at Pan with surprise as he asked, "You want me to kill Hook? Why is that? I thought you kept him alive all these years, whether he's been on your side or not, because he amuses you and you find it fun to mock him? At least that's what you told me once a long time ago to try to get me to trust you."

Pan shrugged, then responded, "That's true, but I've grown weary of his newfound defiance. Meeting Emma has made him brave and foolish. I can't let him go on fighting me any longer."

"I may not care one way or another about what happens to him, but I won't kill him either," the Dark One's son answered sternly. "I'm not my father. I'm not a murderer no matter what you tempt me with."

"Are you sure about?" Peter asked smugly. "Any man is capable of murder so long as the price is right. Think about it, Baelfire. Hook has begun to interfere with your yearning to get back together with Emma. He likes her. And he won't stop trying to fight for her. But what's worse… I've seen how the Savior looks at Hook. She's drawn to him too. She may not admit something's come between them, but it's obvious. Surely you've noticed it too?"

Neal looked away, back toward where he knew Emma was waiting for him to return with Hook in tow, then he turned back as he replied, "I've noticed. But she'll never fall for his fake charm and brief phase of decency."

The boy laughed and responded, "I'm not so sure. I'd like to say I agree with you, but Hook's smarter than I would like to give him credit for. If you kill him, he'll be out of your way and you'll be free to pursue Miss. Swan for as long as you like, for as long as it takes for her to come to her senses and realize that you're the better man."

"No," the younger man answered after a few moments, almost considering Pan's offer until he snapped out of his thoughts again and glared at Pan. "Forget it. I won't do your dirty work for you. I don't like Hook. But I don't like you either. And I don't trust you. Besides, I would lose Emma if she finds out that I've killed him."

"Would you kill Captain Hook if I told you that I would give you all passage off this island, including Henry?" Peter Pan asked smugly. "I may need your son, Neal. But I also realize that you heroes will never give up until you're all dead, as well as a large number of my Lost Boys and that could make things very difficult for me. After all, you lot have my shadow and I really need that back."

Neal kept his eyes trained on Peter as he opposed, "You just want to see if you can turn me into a villain too. If I knew with a certainty that you would keep your word to give me and Emma our son back, I think that I would do anything. But I don't trust you, Pan. You said it yourself. You need Henry for whatever your plans are. Forget it. If you want Hook dead so badly, do it yourself."

As Neal walked away, the villain smiled as he said quietly, "I think I just might."