Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Fourteen

Present…

Emma remained quiet while she walked behind Rufio, Neal, and Tinker Bell as they led the Savior and her parents though the jungle toward Skull Rock. David and Mary Margaret became more and more worried for her the longer they traveled, as they could see how stressed their daughter was while they understood her silence, as not only was her son in danger even if for now he was safe, but because a friend, whether she would admit she considered Hook a friend or not, was in danger too.

"I don't understand," Mary Margaret said to the former Lost Boy quietly in order to break the silence that had fallen over them. "Why would you pretend to be crazy if everyone other than the Indians believe that you're dead?"

"I started to act crazy before Hook nearly killed me because I thought it would help our deception better if they believed I couldn't possibly have survived a fall like we planned due to the fact that I was going crazy," Rufio answered curtly. "That, and I wanted to know if what Hook told me about my brother was true. I figured acting nuts would make Felix less nervous to try to kill me if that was his plan, then he would have been if he believed I was still as dangerous as I could have been. Pan and the others also spoke more freely while I was around, as they believed I wasn't paying any attention at times. It turns out that Hook was right. Pan was manipulating Felix, hoping to get him to kill me. But when the time actually came, everything went wrong."

It was then that Emma spoke up as she asked, "What do you mean everything went wrong? Is it why Hook believes he actually killed you?"

The boy sighed in frustration and then replied, "Yes. We attacked the Indians, us and Hook per Pan's orders. I don't think Hook actually knew that we were going to, but once the fighting started, he not only killed anyone who got in his way, but he also killed the Chief, Tiger Lily's father like I told you he did. That's why Pan has brought him to the Indians by now. And why they will have most likely begun to torture him. After he broke free and ran, I followed after him and we pretended to fight each other on a cliff. He was supposed to make it look like he stabbed me for the benefit of Pan's shadow as it watched from nearby. But then Felix interfered and he and Hook fought for real. In a moment, I saw my brother as a pirate was about to kill him and I couldn't help, but react. I ran in front of Hook's sword and he actually stabbed me and then I fell. That's why he thought he killed me. And he would have if Tiger Lily hadn't been watching also, then jumped into the ocean after me. She saved me because she wanted information, which I gave her. It didn't do her much good though. Pan is always two steps ahead of everyone and Hook eventually found a way out of Neverland and never came back, until now. Hook's a villain just like Pan and the rest of the Lost Boys. I don't understand why people like you, who proclaim themselves heroes, would want to help someone like him."

"Because you're wrong about Hook," Tinker Bell responded firmly. "He might have been a villain like Pan, but he's changed. I've seen it. We all have even if some of us aren't willing to believe it."

"I get it, all right?" Neal stated as he scowled at the Green Fairy in frustration, knowing that she was directing the comment at him. "But it's going to take more than a couple of good deeds to make up for the wrongs he made against me."

Charming looked at the older man as he answered, "Hook got himself caught trying to save your son. I should think that's a good start."

Both David's wife and daughter looked back at him with surprise, then Snow replied, "I have to say I wouldn't think you'd be so quick to defend Hook."

"Believe me, I'm just as surprised as anyone," he responded and continued to walk alongside the women in his life. "I've made it quite clear how I feel about Hook, but I remember what he told me on our trek to get the cure for dreamshade. Hook told me about how he was risking his life every moment he was here upon the island aligned against Pan. I didn't really understand what he meant by that until now and I also know that I owe it to Hook to save him as he did for me. Especially since Pan offered him a chance to leave Neverland if he killed me to prove his loyalty again to him and Hook didn't take it."

"You never told us that," Emma said worryingly while she looked back at her father, then turned back to the path ahead. "I just want to rescue him and Henry and then get the hell off this island. After that… Well, I don't know what's going to happen after that. But it's my job to save everyone, isn't it. No matter what we all might think of Hook or anyone else. That's why Rufio here can return with us if he really wants to be free of Pan for good. How much further is this Rock?"

The Lost Boy looked around him and then answered, "We're not far now. I think Baelfire and the fairy can take you from here. If you don't mind, I'd rather no one learn I'm alive. You know where to find me when you're ready to leave for home. I'll have my answer for you then. I certainly hope you have a plan to beat all of them."

As Rufio walked away from them, Tink spoke up again saying, "I think I do know my way from here. It's a large rock in the shape of a skull. We can't miss it."

"What if we're too late?" Emma whispered worryingly as she looked between both of her parents.

"We won't be," Mary Margaret replied sounding hopeful until all of a sudden, they all heard a sounds of people chanting loudly in the distance. "What is that?"

Neal turned his head in the direction that the chanting was coming from as he listened and then he responded, "That… is the sound of trouble. I don't think they've gone to Skull Rock after all."

David looked towards him and Tinker Bell as he asked, "Then where are they? And what are they doing?"

"They're performing an old native Indian ritual Tiger Lily's tribe used to do long ago in the days of her ancestors," the Green Fairy answered nervously. "I don't know anything about it really, except that if that's what they're doing, then Hook's in more danger than we feared. We need to hurry."

Meanwhile, within Hook's mind…

"I need something else," the Pirate Captain heard the Crocodile say when the images changed again, the very monster who haunted him more than anything or anyone else could as Rumpelstiltskin in the form of Gold stood with his back to him while he was bound to what appeared to be a large gate behind him, though the images revealed a moment Hook couldn't remember, a moment he realized then was an incident he feared was in his future as Tiger Lily had explained to him would happen before they began his torment. "A secret ingredient. One I didn't know about… until an associate clued me in, a heart."

While Gold slowly turned around to face him, Hook watched and heard himself as he firmly replied, "Well, if you need my help procuring it, know the only help I give you is with your demise."

Mr. Gold responded coldly, "Oh, you're gonna help me, all right."

"Ah," Killian chortled with disbelief as he smiled, believing for a brief second that his enemy had gone mad, as Hook would never agree to help him, except for when he did so to offer his services to help him and the heroes save Emma's son from Pan.

"You see, this spell is gonna finally separate me from the dagger so it no longer holds power over me," his captor continued while he glared at the pirate before him. "But to cast it, I need the heart of someone special, someone who knew me before the dagger… Before I was the Dark One. Unfortunately, everyone who fits that description is already dead, but one still lives."

When he finally understood what the Crocodile wanted, Hook began to struggle against his bonds while the Dark One slowly approached him, then he stated fearfully, "No. No!"

When his enemy was standing directly in front of him, Gold answered, "Yes. As luck would have it, dearie, you're my oldest friend."

"Agh!" Killian screamed in anguish as the monster suddenly thrust his hand into his chest and ripped out his still beating, glowing heart just like Rumpelstiltskin had done centuries ago to Milah, then crushed it while Hook was helpless to stop him.

"Get on with it, then," Hook said angrily, struggling against his pain while he looked up weakly into the Dark One's eyes. "Just do it."

Gold glared at the pirate as he sneered cruelly, "Oh, no. I promised you we'd have some fun first. You're gonna do everything I say because you're my puppet now. You're gonna find another way to fill that hat with the power it needs. And then? Then I'll kill you."

While the chanting was sustained behind them on the other side of the blue flames and smoke that surrounded them, Tiger Lily, Pan, Felix, and a few others kept their eyes captivatingly on their enemy still lying upon the altar before them as his body remained within the trance, or enchantment he had been placed under. It was clear that Hook's torment was great as his body continued to tremble and writhe from the strain of the images being forced into his mind.

Though Hook's suffering brought no pleasure to the Indian Princess or even to her people, as pleasure wasn't the reason why she was torturing the man who had killed her father, it certainly brought immense satisfaction to the demon and his army of young boys who stood with her and her warriors.

The images changed as Hook found himself once more standing with the Dark One within what appeared to be a clock tower, realizing he was still within his future as he and Gold stared up into a bright purple light that now engulfed them while he spoke up saying coolly, "It's time."

After he had set the dagger that the Dark One has been tethered to for centuries down a few feet away upon a crate, Rumpelstiltskin walked directly underneath the strongest power of the magic around them as it slowly began to work to release magic into the villain until he was suddenly interrupted when Emma and Mary Margaret entered into the room several feet beneath the platform where they were standing beside the large clock, causing both Gold and Hook to look down at the Savior and her mother in surprise upon seeing that they've come to try to stop him.

"Gold, stop!" Emma immediately cried out, as Killian could see that she was afraid upon seeing the Dark One about to crush his heart.

"I'm sorry," he replied cruelly with a laugh. "I can't. I've waited too long for this. And I'm too close."

As Emma attempted to fire a burst of her own magic to try to stop him, Rumple swiftly froze her and the other hero before she could aim the magic, then he turned back to Hook as he stated smugly, "Well, maybe not everything has went to plan. But this next part… I'm really gonna enjoy."

He smiled maliciously as Killian fell down to his knees while he screamed out again, then groaned when his anguish flared upon feeling Gold begin to crush his heart. However, before the vision could continue, the images changed again. This time, Hook found himself within a dark room and slowly rose to his feet while the darkness that created the Dark One suddenly began to surround and consume him as the worst pain he's ever felt in his whole life caused him to scream while he relived only split seconds of his worst memories once more.

At first he saw himself onboard the Jolly Roger, watching as Milah's heart was crushed by Rumpelstiltskin while he cried out, "Milah!"

"You're no less a coward," Hook spoke again angrily after his enemy once again cut off his hand.

"I want you to suffer," the Dark One sneered.

Mr. Gold stood before him as he ripped out his heart while Hook was bound to the gate of the mansion and unable to save Emma, who was unwittingly about to become sucked into the sorcerer's hat, then Killian said weakly, "Just do it."

The villain was squeezing his heart again as he responded, "I promised you we'd have some fun first."

"Emma, please!" Killian cried out fearfully as he saw the Savior choosing to sacrifice herself to the darkness in order to save Regina.

"Hi!" an image of Rumpelstiltskin in his true form stated as Hook suddenly emerged from within the Dark Vault after he had become twisted into that which he feared more than anything else, and then finally all images faded as his vision became nothing but pitch black as they had faded before.

While those within the circle of fire were distracted by Hook's screams, the Indians and Lost Boys standing outside of the flames were suddenly attacked by the Savior, Baelfire, and David as they swiftly rushed forward and fought against them, then both Tinker Bell and Mary Margaret ran in to join the others.

The Green Fairy swiftly knocked a few of her attackers unconscious with a powder she had mixed earlier to make them sleep when their enemies immediately began to fight back against them, while Snow shot a few more arrows toward the boys and pinned them either to the trees behind them or to the ground to knock them down.

When Emma suddenly heard Hook begin to scream again, despite the warning shouts from bother her parents and Neal, the Savior suddenly jumped between the flames and raised her sword given to her by the pirate she had come to save, then fought against one of Tiger Lily's warriors as the Indian charged at her. She knocked him back, but as she took him down, Felix came up behind Emma and was about to strike her down until all of a sudden, Tink appeared and blew the powder into his face as he fell to the ground unconscious.

The Savior turned around and came face to face with Pan once again as he too raised his own cutlass, then clashed it against hers. They fought while Neal rushed forward as the fire died because the chanting had finally ended while the heroes fought against the warriors. When he saw as another of the Lost Boys was about to shoot one of his arrows at Tinker Bell, Baelfire struck him down by swiftly picking up an arrow from off the ground and then plunged it into the boy's back before he could kill his friend.

She looked at Bae with surprise, then whispered, "Thank you."

Neal simply nodded and then turned back to Emma to find her still fighting against Peter Pan, as the Green Fairy immediately spun around and rushed over to Hook upon the altar in hope that she would be able to help him. Finally, when the rest of their attackers were all either taken down or those that weren't ran away, David and Mary Margaret rushed forward upon seeing their daughter in combat with Pan, while Tiger Lily stood still as she looked upon the heroes with admiration, especially the woman who she knew right away was the Savior that Pan had told her so much about and whom she had seen in her visions of the future.

Mary Margaret looked at the Indian Princess nervously as she spoke up saying, "You must be Tiger Lily. We don't want to hurt you, but we will if you force us to."

"Hook has suffered enough," Tiger Lily answered sadly. "He deserved to feel the pain he caused me when he murdered my father. But vengeance is not what I wanted. If you truly wish to try to save his life, I will not stop you… so long as you let me and my people leave here in peace."

"Of course," Mary Margaret replied quickly and stepped aside for the other woman to walk past.

While the Indian leader helped her warriors to rise from the ground and walked away without so much as another word, David, Neal, and Snow surrounded Emma and Pan as the Savior fell back upon being slashed across her arm. She cried out, but didn't falter in her stand against the demon before her.

David glared at the boy as he called out, "It's over. You've lost."

Pan smiled cruelly as he quickly glanced over at the Pirate Captain lying deathly ill upon the altar, then back between the Prince and the Savior as he responded, "You're right. This battle is over. Good luck with saving Killian. He was no longer of any use to me. I warned him what would happen if he turned against me. You only have yourself to blame for this, Emma. See you soon."

"We're coming for Henry!" Emma screamed angrily when Pan suddenly flew away, then she turned back to her parents and Neal until she suddenly remembered why they came as she rushed over to the altar to where Tinker Bell was trying to help Hook. "How is he?"

"Not good," the fairy answered sadly as the whiteness that clouded her friend's eyes slowly began to fade before they fell closed when Hook mercifully lost consciousness. "I can still feel the enchantment within him. I've heard rumors of the natives' magic, but I hardly know where to begin in trying to save him. He's very ill. I'm not sure… Wait, Emma you have magic within you. I haven't actually seen it, but Regina told me of your power and your strength. You're the Savior. If anyone can save him, it's you."

When the Savior took Hook's hand within her own as she felt the tremors coursing through him, Mary Margaret moved to stand beside her daughter and then whispered, "Tink is right. You can do this, Emma. You can save him."

The blonde woman shook her head as she replied with frustration, "You don't understand. I can't just turn my powers on like a light switch whenever I want to. My magic's hardly developed. Mom and Dad, you know this. I've only used it a few times and certainly never to break a spell over someone."

"What about us, and Henry?" David responded calmly. "You broke Regina's dark curse and the sleeping curse over Henry because of the magic that's inside of you. You can help Hook too."

"I don't even know what the hell's happening to him," their daughter continued to argue because she didn't believe in herself as everyone else who saw her as their Savior seemed to believe, including Hook.

The Green Fairy answered, "What's happening to him is that he's dying, Emma. If you don't try to break this magic's hold over him, Hook will die. You may be struggling with you feelings for him, whatever they might be, but it's clear to the rest of us that you at least care for him as a friend. And if you let him die… it will tear you apart inside. No one was more adamant in coming here to save him than you."

Emma sighed and then with frustration she replied, "You're right. All right, what do I have to do?"

"Just try to concentrate," Tinker Bell responded as Emma gently placed one of her hands over his heart and the other on the side of his head, then began to do as the fairy was telling her to do. "Focus on Hook and think about all he's done to try to help you, to try to help Henry, and how he saved your father's life. Think of the bond the two of you have formed. Let your magic flow through you and into him in order to force the dark magic out."

Time passed slowly as Tink fell silent while Emma continued to fight to bring Hook back and finally he gasped as he awoke suddenly, then the woman who freed his mind gently lifted his upper body up from the altar and pulled him to her, holding him close as he struggled to breathe through his pain in hope to reassure him that he was going to be alright now.

"Emma," he whispered weakly before she released him. "You truly are… the Sav… Savior. Thank you."

After David and Neal held Killian between them as everyone slowly made their way through the jungle in order to get as far away from the altar as possible, they found a small clearing where they could rest, but when the men gently rested Hook on the ground, it wasn't long before he stood uneasily again and walked away to be by himself for awhile until Emma appeared and sat down beside him. Neither one of them spoke right away, but she could see from the distance in his eyes that he was deeply troubled.

Emma finally broke the silence as she turned her head towards him and said quietly, "I'm not usually one to follow my own advice, but it usually helps to talk about whatever's troubling you. How are you feeling?"

Without looking back at her, he answered simply, "I'm fine."

"You're hardly fine, Hook," she replied worryingly, then turned her eyes down to his hand and noticed that it was still trembling. "I may have saved you earlier, but you're still sick and in pain, probably from whatever the hell the Indians did to you and from the lashes on you back. Don't think I didn't notice those. You paid a pretty heavy price for trying to save Henry tonight, or today… whatever time of day it is. I don't know how to thank you."

"Don't," Killian suddenly responded curtly. "You don't owe me any thanks, Swan. You and Neal still don't have your son because I failed. I truly appreciate you saving me. But please… forget about what you saw. I'll be alright, I assure you."

She remained quiet for a few minutes while she looked around her and then finally turned back to him again as she continued, "What you saw, what I saw when I reached into your mind to try to pull you back… That was somehow your future, wasn't it? I don't know how I know that, but somehow I just do."

Hook looked down with despair in his eyes as he answered, "Aye. Apparently their magic showed me my worst fears, both in my past and in the future as you saw. I saw what will happen if I continue to pursue my revenge against Rumpelstiltskin once our adventure here in Neverland is finally over. I will become the Dark One myself, the very monster I fear most."

"I felt your fear and pain, Hook," Emma replied sadly as she reached out to gently lay her hand on his knee. "I saw the darkness consume you as you relieved the memories and visions. I think I finally understand your need for vengeance, but is eternal pain and darkness really worth it? Don't lie to me. With or without my superpower I can always tell when you lie to me."

"Revenge is all I will have worth fighting for once you've all succeeded in rescuing your boy," he responded crossly until his eyes softened as he finally looked at the woman he was already in love with, despite her unreciprocated feelings towards him. "When I return you home to your little haven, I will do what I must and then leave. Face it, Emma. I'm a pirate and Neal loves you too. The best man has won. Besides, it's my fault that you all are in this mess to begin with. If I hadn't stolen the magic bean and absconded with it, then Greg and Tamara never would have been able to get their hands on Henry and we wouldn't be here. It's like you said before as we were about to enter Dark Hollow. I'm a pirate, love. And I'll never be seen as anything more than that by anyone. Perhaps I was all right with that once, but not anymore."

She looked at him sadly as he looked away again, then she answered with sincerity, "I was wrong to say that to you. And you're wrong about yourself, you know. Neal, David, Mary Margaret… They may always see you as a pirate who only cares about himself, although I think my parents at least might be starting to see you a little differently. But I don't. You tried to save Henry and you nearly died. You also saved my father even though you were given a chance to get off this island. David told me about Pan's offer. You saved him anyways. I won't ever forget that. I meant what I said that day in Granny's Diner. I told you that you could join us and become a part of something, which you have. And when you came back to help us, you told me that you just needed reminding that you could care for something other than yourself. You've proven that."

When he turned back to her, she carefully helped him to stand back onto his feet and then added, "This doesn't mean that anything will ever come between us. I also meant what I said to you and Neal about the only love I have room for in my life being Henry. But I do consider you a friend now, Hook. Thank you, for everything."

"Aye, you're welcome," Killian replied softly and then allowed Emma help him walk back toward the others so they could finally try to make a plan to save Henry at last. "Perhaps I was too hasty in giving up. You may not believe we could ever become more, Swan. But perhaps I still do. I won't ever stop trying to win your heart."

"You're hopeless," Emma responded as she chortled. "Just remember, you also have to win over my parents. Good luck with that."

The End