Everybody was in place. They only had one shot at this. Al's boys were scattered around grocery store, trying their hardest not to stray from the plan. They were to act natural until it was time to strike.
Fred was happily skipping around the store, earning scornful looks from the owner of the shop.
Rob was casually pacing around Aisle 4, inspecting the shop's selection of toothpaste and clandestinely shooting the young boy dirty looks.
Al was chatting up the local neighbors in the shop, hoping to throw off suspicion for their unscrupulous act. He was initially hesitant to carry out this heist with such an inexperienced lot but they'd come so long. Backing out now would not be wise.
And then there was Shay, standing in a corner, arms crossed and blazing red hair tied up in a ponytail. She received a few odd stares from passing customers but overall, her presence was overlook.
Of all the people in the store, the redhead looked the most felonious, with her piercing emerald eyes and wry smile. She adapted well with her new family, learning their ways and rising in renown among the criminal underground. Finally, she found her place among the riffraff of Storybrooke.
Sebastian covertly sauntered up beside Shay, watching the others from the sideline.
"Nervous?" Stan asked her as he cracked his knuckles.
"Why would I be?" Shay raised her eyebrow.
The blonde boy shrugged. "It's a pretty big job."
"I'm not nervous," the redhead stated sternly. "I'm ready for this."
The pair stood there. Over the months, Sebastian grew to be very fond of Shay; he thought of her as his little sister in a way. But as their affectionate relationship grew, Sebastian became more protective of her well-being. He thought that Shay deserved a life outside the world of crime and thievery, a pastime he wasn't too fond of himself.
Shay watched the clock closely, timing each passing second. Her eyes never wavered from the second hand, which was probably why she didn't see the vibrant little boy coming towards her from Aisle 7. Before she knew what was happening, Shay was tackled to the ground by the child.
"Oomph," Shay grumbled as her head hit the tiled floors.
"I'm sorry, miss," the boy exclaimed, "Are you alright?"
Shay rubbed her head as she got back on her feet.
"Peachy," she muttered.
She looked up and the entire crew was staring at her. Al flashed her a look of concern. It seemed like for a minute, the entire store froze and watched her as she recovered from the ambush. Shay shook her head subtly at Al. Their plan was not jeopardized.
The redhead helped the child pick up his scattered books from the floor: piles of comic books, pencils, and a random assortment of crayons. One particular thing that stood out. An antique-looking storybook, with flashing gold calligraphy composed on the leather cover. She held it in her hand for a long second. Weird thing for a kid to own, she thought.
Shay smiled at the young boy, handing him back his book. He had such a promising gleam in his eye, something she hadn't seen often in Storybrooke.
"What's your name?" she asked him.
"Henry," he chirped, stuffing the book back into his backpack.
Shay raised her eyebrow. "The mayor's kid?"
He nodded, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.
Shay smiled. Henry reminded her of herself when she was a young child, energetic and full of hope. She immediately liked his seemingly impossible zesty attitude; it gave him a rebellious contrast to Mayor Regina's humorless demeanor.
"Do you like to sing?" Henry asked her with a bright grin.
Shay blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Sing," Henry repeated. "Like Ariel."
Shay immediately understood the boy's possession of the storybook.
"Sure," she nodded. "What about you?"
Henry shrugged. "I'm not good at it though."
The redhead smiled. "Well you know what they say…"
Her grin was wiped off her face. The clock chimed noon and the entire store was filled with an ear-splitting fire alarm. It was the signal. Customers were racing out of the shop and the boys were rushing to finish the job: they had exactly ten minutes before the sheriff would arrive. Al stared directly at her, shooting her a look that said "Get rid of the kid."
"Henry," Shay said, leaning down at eye level with the child, "Listen to me. Get out of here right now."
She didn't stop to see if Henry heeded her warning. Shay stood up to her feet and hurried beside the rest of the crew as they stuffed toiletries into empty garbage bags. The redhead grabbed all the refreshments from the refrigerator, cramming them into her black plastic bag. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rob leaning over the counter and taking twenty dollar bills from the register, but keeping the hundreds safely inside. Sebastian made a grab the necessary fruits and vegetables for the lot of growing young boys. Fred stuffed his pockets with Mars bars and M&M packets, as many as his heart desired.
When ten minutes approached, the crew gathered up their things and escaped out the back door. The boys grinned at each other, sharing their treasure troves of candy and soda galore.
"Not bad for a rookie," Al smiled, patting Shay on the back.
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not a rookie anymore, Al."
"I know," he dipped his head, "But it's still fun to call you that."
Shay sighed in relief. They had made it out, every single one of them. The plan was completed without a single hitch, which was odd because Al's plans never worked out as planned. Shay embraced the feeling of success as she lifted her garbage bag on her shoulders and strolled away with her band of misfit friends.
That is, until she turned around and saw Henry still trapped in the convenient store.
Her green eyes widened as she peered into the windows of the shop, watching as the little boy looked bewildered by the empty store and loud noise. Without hesitation, Shay dropped her garbage bag on the concrete pavement and raced back into the store.
"Shay," Al called out for her. "What the hell are you doing?"
She ignored him, marching into the grocery store while the rest of the crew stood outside watching her in surprise. The moment she stepped foot into the store, many alarms went off in her head: What the hell was she doing? Shay pushed past the earth-shattering noise in her eardrums and found Henry wandering aimlessly around the store like a lost puppy.
"Henry," she shouted above the blaring alarm.
The boy leapt over to Shay's side, his hands covering his ears. The redhead quickly led Henry out of the store, seconds before the town sheriff had arrived at the scene.
"Are you okay?" Shay asked Henry, examining him with concern.
"Yeah," Henry nodded, rubbing his ears.
Shay patted the kid on his head and smiled. "Maybe you should've listened to me when I told you to get out."
Henry smiled weakly.
"Miss?"
Shay looked her. The town sheriff was hovering over her, staring down at the redhead with hard brown eyes. His hands were at his hip, his fingers lightly tracing the gun holster. After only a few months working with thieves, she was already caught red-handed by Sheriff Graham.
Deep trouble, Shay thought to herself.
"Got any bright ideas, pirate?" Shay stammered as her eyes followed the movement of the dark wolf stalking its prey.
"Still thinking," Killian flashed her a tense smile.
Shay turned her head towards the flippant pirate. "Well, could you think a faster? We're kind of on a deadline."
They were pushed as far back as the ship would allow, Shay's wavy red hair drifting in the cool night air like a mass of pure flame. Any further and they would've been toppling headfirst into the water. The wolf thing growled at her, its large eyes a reflection of the pale glimmering light of the full moon.
Werewolf, Shay noted as she put the pieces together. Figures.
With the wolf's ravenous snout inches away from them, it seemed that all hope was lost. Shay shut her eyes. So this was how it would end for the two of them: death by the Big Bad Wolf.
Then suddenly, Hook's cocky smirk returned onto his face. The brilliant gleam in his eyes could only mean one thing: the captain had a plan.
"Do you know how to swim?" he asked the mermaid.
Shay opened her eyes. "You're kidding right?" she retorted sarcastically.
Taking that as a sign of approval of his plan, Killian carried on with his impromptu escape route. Without warning, the pirate lifted Shay off her feet.
"Hey," the redhead protested, "What the hell are you doing?"
Ignoring her objection, Killian smiled wickedly, one eye watching the wolf and another peering at the girl in his arms. He had exactly one second to make this work. Immediately, the pirate threw Shay overboard into the unfriendly waters of Maine.
"Hook," Shay shouted right before she splashed, fully clothed, into the freezing ocean.
Killian climbed upon the ledge and faced the werewolf with a sly grin. With that, he followed the redhead into the water, plunging headfirst into the sea, narrowly escaping the werewolf's fatal teeth.
Shay resurfaced, gasping for air. The wolf had backed away from the ledge and stormed off the Jolly Roger, heading into the heart of town. She watched as the pirate emerged from the dark ocean's waters, his eyes twinkling with a job well done. Shay glared at him, flicking water at his face.
"What was that for?" Killian smirked.
Shay narrowed her eyes. "You know exactly what that was for."
The pair made sure that the wolf was nowhere in sight before heading to the wharf. They climbed up onto the docks, soaking and shivering from the cold wintry air.
"Well, I'd say we made some excellent progress tonight," Hook grinned, running his fingers through his drenched hair.
Shay twisted her bundle of wet red hair, squeezing all the water out of her shiny strands.
"If you call that excellent, I'd hate to see terrible progress," Shay muttered scathingly, still angry with Hook for his spontaneous maneuver.
As the pair dried off, there was an uncomfortable silence but an unspoken understanding. They were both thinking about their previous intimate conversation on the ship, knowing that the two shared things that had been buried for so long. Though they couldn't deny it felt pleasant to be able to share so openly, neither one wanted to mention the incident again.
"I suppose we should head back to the ship," Hook suggested, walking back in the direction of his invisible vessel.
"Are you kidding?" Shay remarked. "There's a werewolf on the loose and you expect us to just sit there and do nothing."
Killian turned back around. "Normally I prefer living to being mauled by savage beasts."
Shay scrunched her eyebrows. "But if we don't do anything, people will die."
The pirate examined her from head to toe. "I never took you for the heroics type, love," Killian joked.
Ignoring him, Shay urged on. "So you'll help me?"
Hook shook his head. "I'm afraid not, darling. Much needed sleep awaits me."
Shay clenched her jaw, watching as the captain strolled back to his ship.
"Funny," she shouted at him. "I never took you to be the cowardly type."
Killian turned around, narrowing his eyes.
"Don't tempt me," Killian said. "You will regret it."
"Empty threats," Shay smirked, crossing her arms. "Typical, Hook. All you ever do is talk. Where's the fearsome pirate that I heard so many stories about?"
He marched towards her, holding onto his precious self-esteem.
"You really want to play this game, love?" Hook stared intensely at her. "Why don't you eat your own words? Where's the infamous queen slayer tonight, eh?"
Shay grimaced at the thought of her dark past.
"You know those stories about me are true," Shay gritted. "I haven't the faintest idea about what is true and what is legend about you. How do I not know that all your stories are just stories?"
Hook clenched his teeth in seething anger as he watched the redhead blatantly insult him. If he weren't so angry with her, he'd applaud her courage. Not many people bad-mouthed him and lived to tell the tale.
"But if you stop the werewolf," Shay smiled, "Consider my opinion of you restored."
Hook surveyed her, his mouth drawing a thin line. After he considered her words, he scoffed.
"That's some silver tongue you have there, lass," Killian smirked. "Consider me convinced."
Shay smiled. She may not be the most virtuous, the most upstanding of citizens in Storybrooke, but at least she could say that when the time called upon her, the redhead managed to convince the most corrupt of pirates to fight the battle for good. Just this once.
"I can explain," Shay said to the Sheriff Graham, her palm sweaty and her face flushed.
"There's a store stolen of most of its stock," the sheriff acknowledged, "And you two are the last seen fleeing the scene. You expect me to believe anything that comes out of your mouth?"
Shay held her tongue. It seemed unlikely to talk her way out of this one. After all, if Henry were there the whole time, he would've seen her join her criminal accomplices in robbing the store. It was only a matter of time before the truth was revealed one way or the other.
She peered at her friends, standing in the corner across the street from the grocery store. Al stared at her with a worried expression spread across his face. Sebastian was out of his mind distressed, angrily snapping at any likely person responsible for this situation. There was only one and she was receiving her reward for her dimwitted valor.
"It wasn't her fault," Henry pleaded.
Shay turned to him with surprise written across her face.
Sheriff Graham shifted his gaze towards the mayor's son. "Are you sure, Henry?"
The young boy nodded. "Yeah. I saw the whole thing. The real thieves were long gone before you came."
Graham took his hands off the holster and placed them on Henry's shoulder. "Do you think you could describe them?"
Henry turned to the redhead standing beside him and then to Graham. Her heart began to race. Don't say anything, kid, Shay thought.
"I don't think so," he mumbled. "Everything was happening so fast."
The sheriff nodded sympathetically. "I understand. If you think of anything, please let me know."
Graham then turned his glance at the young girl. "And you."
Shay held her breath. Was she off the hook? Did he suspect her? Was the sheriff going to throw her in jail?
"I do believe I owe you an apology," Graham smiled. "And a thank-you. For saving Henry."
Shay nodded. "It was no big deal."
The sheriff waved Henry good-bye before heading off to inform the storeowner about the predicament. Shay let out a sigh of relief. The girl turned around and looked down at Henry.
"Henry?" she asked. "Did you just lie to the town sheriff?"
The mayor's son simply smiled. "Like I said, it was all a blur."
Shay smirked. Now, she really liked this kid. Not just because a few seconds ago, Henry just saved her ass. She liked that he had his own spark in spite of the mayor's constant attempts to prove him psychologically insane.
"Henry!"
Shay looked up and saw a young woman approaching them. She looked around her mid-twenties, with smooth olive skin and enthralling brown eyes. The redhead narrowed her eyes at the woman, but Henry eased her suspicions.
"It's okay," he remarked. "That's my babysitter."
The woman came up to Henry and examined every strand of his brown hair.
"Are you alright?" she inquired, "I came down as soon as I heard about the robbery."
"I'm fine," Henry smiled. "Ariel saved me."
The woman furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Ariel? As in the mermaid?"
The redhead rolled her eyes. "It's actually Shay."
The brunette stood up from the ground, smiling warmly at her with genuine gratitude radiating from her expression. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Jen."
She turned to Henry and linked hands with him. "Your mother is going to be worried sick. I better get you home quick."
Henry nodded, his bright smile wearing away from his face. At the slight mention of his mother, all the light in his eyes drained away. Shay frowned.
"It was nice meeting you," Jen smiled at Shay.
"You too," she nodded as the pair walked away from the store, back to Henry's home.
Shay stared at the boy, Henry, until he was out of sight. The poor kid.
The redhead turned around and headed towards her family. The crew burst out in excitement, as they watched one of their own narrowly escape the grasp of the law enforcement. A few even applauded as Shay approached them.
"You stupid idiot," Al smiled, embracing her in a tight hug. "Why would you do that?"
Fred jumped up and down excitedly, hugging her kneecaps.
"We thought you were toast," he remarked.
Shay smiled. "The police aren't fast enough to catch me, guppy."
Sebastian gave her the biggest hug she'd ever. She felt suffocated for a good minute before she could draw a breath of fresh air.
"Don't ever do that again," he said. "You had me worried sick."
"Sebs," Shay choked. "You're smothering me."
"I'm trying to have a sentimental moment, Shay," Sebastian remarked, "Don't ruin it."
"No," she gasped. "You're actually literally smothering me."
"Oh," Stan realized, letting go of the young girl. She caught her breath for a few seconds, before realizing how truly meaningful Sebastian's words were.
She smiled. "But glad to know that you care so much about me."
Sebastian shrugged. "Who else do I have to care about?"
As the entire crew walked back, entertaining themselves with the tale of the red-haired girl rushing into danger to save a young boy, Al pulled Shay aside. He made sure there was a slight distance between them and the others before beginning to speak.
"Who was that girl you were talking to?" he asked her.
Shay stared at Al curiously. She couldn't help the slight smile that emerged on her lips. Was Al in love?
"Her name is Jen," she said. "She's Henry's babysitter."
Al nodded, pretending to be indifferent at this bit of information. Shay could tell however that it was already too late for him. In a matter of hours, Al couldn't stop thinking about her. After all, true love was very powerful indeed.
The pirate and the mermaid strolled down the main street of Storybrooke, as ignorant townspeople went about their daily routine, unaware of the terrible danger they were in. The lamps were lit and the stores were closing. Night had fallen upon the town, the perfect hunting ground for a werewolf.
Shay rubbed her arms, fending off the blistering wind against her damp clothing. Out of the corner of his eye, Killian noticed the young girl shivering from the frosty air.
"You're trembling," he frowned.
"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Shay said through chattering teeth.
Ignoring her sarcastic comment, Hook removed his lengthy black coat from his back. As much as he disliked the girl for besting him in a battle of wits, Killian hated to see the girl freeze to death.
"Here," he said. "Take my coat."
"How noble of you, pirate," Shay rolled her eyes.
"There's no need to be harsh, sweetheart," Killian said as he placed his jacket around her shoulders. "A simple thank-you would suffice."
Shay bit her lower lip. "Thanks," she uttered reluctantly, wrapping the coat tighter around her chest to conceal her from the cold.
Killian grinned. "Now was that so hard?" he whispered in her ear.
They approached Shay's apartment, still slightly wet from their fiasco earlier. As they entered the building, the neighbors eyed them suspiciously, especially the pirate with his polished hook. However their eyes didn't stray for long: one ferocious look from the pirate sent them walking away in fear.
The unkempt duo climbed up the stairway, leaving a trail of stray water droplets wherever they walked. The trail ended at Apartment 2A, Shay's place. When they pushed open the doors to the apartment, she could already imagine the surprised reaction on her roommate's face.
When the disheveled pair stepped into the living room of the apartment, a stupefied Sebastian jumped from the couch. His eyes widened, staring from the wet pirate to his wet roommate to the borrowed jacket she sported around her shoulders. Confusion was written all over his face as Shay pursed her lips.
"I'm going to go change," Shay announced, evading the awkward conversation Sebastian undoubtedly wanted to have.
The redhead left the pirate and the crab standing alone in the living room with the nighttime news playing softly in the background. Sebastian glared at Killian like a disapproving parent as the pirate shifted his gaze from the blonde boy to the magic speaking box centered on the carpet.
"So I assume you're the reason why Shay was late coming home today?" Sebastian reflected disdainfully.
"Complications arose," Killian stated, his blue-green eyes turning to face Shay's roommate.
The two men stared at each other distastefully. Killian didn't understand why he despised the roommate so much: perhaps it was his self-righteous impression. Sebastian scrunched his nose at the idea of someone like Shay spending so much time with a sleazy pirate. In their minds, they imagined murdering the other in a thousand imaginative ways to get their point across.
When Shay changed out of her wet clothes and reentered the living room, she could taste the heated tension between the two men in her life. I was only gone a minute, she exasperated to herself.
"If you want to fight," Shay interrupted the silence. "Take it outside."
They broke their death stares the instant the redhead stepped into the room, realizing how immature their silent showdown was.
Killian cleared his throat. "Shall we?"
Shay took one look at the soaking wet pirate and made a face. "You're going to freeze to death in that, Hook."
He looked down at his pirate getup. "I'm flattered that you care so much, little mermaid, but I'll live."
The redhead rolled her eyes. She wondered how long the tough act would last when they were running through the woods chasing down a wolf and the pirate was shivering uncontrollably from the wind blowing at his chest. If he gets pneumonia, there may be a slight chance I could be rid of him for a few days, Shay thought.
She cast out all these thoughts and reached for a clean shirt, jacket and a pair of jeans from the laundry basket.
"Change," Shay said, handing the pirate the attire.
"I love it when you're so authoritative," Hook winked, grabbing the clothing and sauntering off into the guest bathroom.
Her roommate shot her a worried expression, which Shay chose to ignore. When Killian emerged from the bathroom, the mermaid's emerald eyes couldn't help but linger on him for a while. He didn't look half bad in normal clothing, not that he looked bad in his pirate vest either.
"You clean up nice, pirate," Shay smirked. "Even I'm impressed."
Killian couldn't help but grin as the two prepared to leave the apartment to embark on their journey.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "You're going with her?"
The pirate smirked. "A gentleman doesn't let a woman walk alone at night."
"If you're what passes for gentleman these days…" Sebastian caustically seethed.
"Would you relax," Shay interrupted. "I can take care of myself."
"It's not you I'm worried about," he scowled at the pirate.
"It's not like we're doing anything illegal," Shay hesitantly said, hoping that her roommate wouldn't catch onto her wolf hunt scheme or her association with Storybrooke's worst criminals. He, however, misinterpreted entirely.
Sebastian turned to face his roommate with a panicked look on his face. "Are you sleeping with him?"
The girl almost laughed, thinking that her friend was joking. Obviously between the sneaking around town and intense chases, she had time to sneak in a quickie with the last person on Earth she would sleep with. She flashed him a look.
"Yes," Shay rolled her eyes. "That's why we're heading out. So that we can make sweet love to each other in the town center."
Killian raised his eyebrows.
"Don't even say it," the redhead glared at him.
Sebastian frowned. "Shay," he cautioned.
"I'll be fine," she repeated, scurrying out the door, "Quick worrying about me, crabs."
Unconvinced, Sebastian continued to glare at his roommate as she left the apartment with the debauched company. He stood there unmoved, watching closely at Killian's movement. As the doors shut behind the pair, the pirate smirked as he snuck in one last quip.
"Have a good night, crabs," he mocked. "I most certainly will."
Before Sebastian could protest, the doors of the apartment shut and the pirate dashed off to catch up with Shay. She glared at him for ruthlessly tormenting her roommate.
Killian smirked. "So about this sweet love?"
Ignoring his comment, Shay wandered down the stairs, plotting in her mind how exactly they planned to capture a werewolf and subdue her. Even combining both their strengths, it seemed almost impossible for Hook and Shay to surmount over a beast that had them trembling over a ledge half an hour ago.
Shay sighed. She had to do what she does best: improvise.
"There are only so many places a big wolf can hide," Shay exclaimed as she paced around an abandoned street, pondering where their monster could possibly have wandered off. The pair had already searched the majority of the town: the neighborhood homes, the cemetery, the hospital, the town center. The only place left was the forest which neither one of them wanted to explore at the dead of night.
Townspeople were receding back into their homes, as midnight grew nearer. Soon enough they were the only two people on the streets, save the wolf.
Hook leaned against a lamppost, watching as his accomplice anxiously formulated a plan. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the redhead fingering her golden locket and tapping her foot. She was anxious and frustrated, judging from her jittery appearance.
"You still haven't told me what that is," Hook nodded at her necklace.
Shay looked up, her fingers entangled in the necklace's chain.
"It's nothing," the redhead shrugged, releasing her grip on the locket.
Killian scoffed, pushing off against the lamppost, "You were willing to associate yourself with a pirate for that necklace."
"Maybe I just enjoy your sweet company," Shay mocked, remembering one of the first words the pirate said to her.
Normally, she expected him to retort her or at least make some inappropriate gesture at their nonexistent sexual relationship. But he did none of that. He, quite simply put, stared at her. His fiery blue-green eyes blared down at her, shooting her a look that would haunt her dreams with nothing but those deep eyes. This was far from the Hook she had grown to know.
"You trust me, right?" Hook grinned.
"No," Shay smirked. "I endure you."
Killian chuckled. "And here I thought we reached a certain level of intimacy."
Shay pressed together her lips. She didn't like the way Hook said "intimacy". It made it sound like a come-on. Then again, most things that came out of the pirate's mouth were come-ons.
The redhead broke her gaze when she saw a figure approaching down the street. She met her on several occasions, but was never formally introduced. Not that she wanted to. Shay was the town thief. She was the town sheriff. Emma Swan strolled down the abandoned street, walkie-talkie in one hand and Henry in the other. Shay didn't have the most decent of records when it comes to involvement with the law, which was probably why she avoided confrontation with the sheriff.
She panicked, watching as the pair neared them more and more. Though they were mere meters away, they never looked up from their conversation with each other. They hadn't spotted them yet: good.
Before she knew it, Shay tackled Killian into a dark alleyway, pushing him aside from the unforgiving eyes of the sheriff. Just before Shay landed on top of the pirate, she saw Emma and her son wandered past them, oblivious to their presence among garbage cans and rats. The girl sighed a breath of relief: successfully evading the law once again.
"There are simpler ways to get my attention than attacking me, love," Killian joked.
Shay rolled her eyes. There's the Hook I know, she thought as she climbed up off the ground. The sheriff and Henry were no longer in sight when Shay emerged from the alley. Hook, still toppled on the ground, tried to process what just happened.
"All clear," Shay announced, her arms hanging at her side.
Her eyes glanced down to her left, watching as Emma and her son walked hand-in-hand down the road, unbeknownst of the mermaid's presence. She sighed. Shay had managed to elude the police once again.
However, when she turned around to look at Killian, another figure emerged before her eyes. Shay began to panic as she saw Rumplestiltskin, angrily glowering at her with his dark magic looming over them like an impending omen. She held her breath and stood there in fright, soon wishing that it were Emma that caught her rather than this man.
"Where is it, dearie?" he demanded with a cruel grimace on his face.
"Where's what?" Shay muttered, her hands balled into a fist.
Mr. Gold shot daggers at the redhead, his eyes blazing with a fury that only true anger could provide.
"The shawl and the cup," Rumplestiltskin growled. "Where is it?"
Shay slightly inhaled. She recalled the shawl and cup that the pirate and her stole from the shop as leverage for the dagger's location. The redhead had completely forgotten about her possession of those two items: they were stashed somewhere in her apartment along with mountains of laundry and dirty clothing. She assumed that the Dark One had no use for such trivial pieces of sentiment: her mistake. With Rumplestiltskin clasping her throat and cutting off her oxygen supply, Shay should've known that her antics would catch up to her someday.
"If you don't tell me, I'll have to dig up the memory myself," the Dark One gritted. "And trust me when I say that it will be painful."
Shay grimaced. She received many death threats throughout her life, but the only one she truly feared were those words that came out of Mr. Gold's mouth. But still, she held her tongue.
"Fair enough," Mr. Gold clenched his jaw. "You leave me no choice."
Shay shut her eyes, waiting for the excruciating pain that would come with the dark magic Rumplestiltskin planned to use. Her waiting was in vain.
"Crocodile."
The redhead opened her eyes. Emerged from the alleyway was Hook, smirking and scowling at the man whom he sought vengeance for so many years. She shot looks at her accomplice, expressing his insanity for revealing himself so openly. Rumplestiltskin's eyes widened in shock. He obviously never suspected his old nemesis to make an appearance in his interrogation of the local bartender.
"Hasn't anyone told you never to hit a woman," Killian grinned.
Before Rumplestiltskin could respond, the pirate punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground in one swift blow. The Dark One, ambushed by the element of surprise, fell quickly, bereft of any conscious magic to protect him.
Hook smiled, though he could not kill the Dark One, he was satisfied to finally confront the man who killed his true love after so many years.
Shay gasped for air as she stood there in shock. The cocky pirate had the audacity to pummel one of the most powerful dark magicians of the Fairytale realm, something she couldn't say for herself.
"You just…him…" Shay stammered, trying to find the words.
"You're welcome," Hook smiled.
Shay coughed, examining the unconscious Rumplestiltskin on the sidewalk. He lay there so peacefully: nobody would suspect the old man was someone powerful enough to rip a person's heart from his or her chest.
"Let's get out of here," Shay said, "Before the sheriff comes back."
Killian shot one last menacing look at his unconscious nemesis before following Shay across the street, leaving the Dark One robbed of his most treasured possessions.
They scurried around the corner, hiding in plain sight as she heard some townspeople gather around the unconscious pawnshop owner. Shay sighed. Once again, I'm on the edge of the law, she thought as she paced through closed stores and empty streets. The pair came to an eventual stop when the Dark One was nowhere in sight and the people of Storybrooke could no longer spot their whereabouts. However, no matter how far they ran, Shay and Killian both knew that the moment Mr. Gold wakes up, Captain Hook would be revealed.
"So much for a low profile," Shay muttered, flicking a stray strand of hair from her eyes.
Killian smirked. "I was never one for hiding in the shadows in the first place."
The redhead sighed. The only progress they've made tonight was Killian's encounter with an old enemy. Ever since the sighting at the wharf, the pirate and the mermaid hadn't seen the werewolf anywhere around town. Shay was beginning to think that the wolf had left the townspeople to be and their endless chase was simply to no purpose.
Shay stood there, leaning against the wall of an old shoe repair shop while the pirate fastened his prosthetic hand.
"Was that the first time you've actually talked to him?" Shay inquired. "Since…"
Killian nodded, his eyes glued to the ground. He didn't have to look up for the redhead to realize that seeing him again, locking eyes with the murderer of his love was a feeling that shook him to the core.
"Can't be easy," Shay muttered, remembering her own encounter with the Dark One a week ago.
The pirate looked, flashing a grin at the girl. "Is that a hint of concern I sense, mermaid?"
"Hardly," Shay said, trying to stop the blood rushing to her cheeks.
Killian leaned behind the corner, watching the townspeople gather around Mr. Gold, looking worried and relieved at the same time. He faithfully stood there, watching with a slight tinge of panic as the Dark One rose from the ground, regaining consciousness.
"That was awfully quick," Shay muttered to herself, her eyes fixed on the pawnshop owner.
Shay turned around from the corner, refusing to give Mr. Gold the satisfaction of knowing that they trembled behind a building watching him reenter the world of the living. Killian's eyes were glued on the scene as he watched Mr. Gold converse with Emma about their newest arrival in Storybrooke. He smiled as he watched Gold slightly quiver in fear of his name.
The redhead swiftly moved away from the scene of their assault, preparing to continue on he quest for the werewolf. She came out here for one purpose and so far, it looked bleak. Little did she know that in searching for it, the werewolf was looking for them.
Leaving Killian to his private musings, Shay started to off in the other direction of town. The redhead quietly snuck around the corner, hoping to prevent any light sleepers from waking. She was convinced that they'd eventually find the wolf.
Until disaster struck.
Shay turned the corner off of Elm Street and Main, passing a couple of rustling trees and a mass of eerie silence. That was when she came face to face with it. The second she rounded the bend, the mermaid was staring directly into the yellow eyes of the werewolf they had came across earlier that evening.
The young girl gulped, watching as the wolf surveyed her like a feast to be had on Thanksgiving. With bright auburn hair and glowing green eyes, she assumed she probably looked like a well-cooked turkey with cranberry sauce and green bean sides to the wolf, eyeing her like a delicacy waiting to be tasted.
"Sweetheart," Killian exclaimed delightfully, "I was beginning to think you were kidnapped."
As he turned the corner, he smiled. "Have I finally rendered you speechless, love? It was a challenge, but I must say, you did put up a hard fight."
When his deep green fell onto the black figure, his quips ceased. Killian immediately understood the mermaid's silence. The pirate's flippant demeanor dissolved into an expressionless look of trepidation. The two stood there, watching without a plan as the wolf inched towards them.
"Come on," Killian cried out, grabbing the young girl's hand. The pirate and the mermaid ran as fast as their legs would take them back into the town center.
The werewolf swiftly followed, each step a colossus compared to Shay and Hook's miniscule treads. They ran, knowing that the moment they stopped, the wolf devour them. Eventually, they managed to lose the wolf in an alternative route around the town, heading back to the scene of the crime.
As they reached the town center, the gathered townspeople stared at the incoming intruders. Shay and Killian attempted to avoid their judging glares, hoping to escape with their lives still intact.
"Hook?" Emma exclaimed.
Low profile, my ass, Shay thought to herself as the pair halted at the sheriff's commanding presence.
The blonde sheriff eyed the pirate with particular distaste as he flashed her a cocky grin.
"Emma," he smirked. "You look well."
Ignoring his flirtation, Emma went straight down to business. "You've only been here for two days and you're already terrorizing civilians, Hook."
"A week, actually," Hook shrugged.
Emma glared at him. "I'm going to have to arrest you."
"Can we have this lovely exchange another time, Swan?" he said, "We're in the middle of something rather important."
Shay turned around. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the wolf nearing them once again. The black figure, catching onto their scent, beamed directly at them, charging at full speed towards the entire crowd of Storybrooke citizens.
"Hook," she warned.
He turned to face her. Sensing the tone of her voice, Killian need not turn to look towards their back to know the wolf was coming. Emma gasped, watching as panicked townspeople fled away in fear, hiding in darkened alleys and apartment complex. The roaring growl of the wolf filled the entire street with panic.
"Oh my God," she exclaimed, pulling out her gun from her holster, "Ruby."
The three stood there as dozens of town people beside them were cowering in fear of the Big Bad Wolf's return. Shay pursed her lips, vowing to herself that she wouldn't leave the bar with Killian Jones at night when his line was "Cora needs you"; cooperating with those two can only lead to trouble. Killian stood besides her, instinctively reaching for his sword, which, of course, wasn't there.
Shay turned and stared at Emma's pitiful weapon. "You really think that's going to hold off a werewolf?" she remarked sarcastically.
"You have a better idea?" Emma said, aiming the gun at the wolf, "I'm all ears."
With the wolf only two paces away from them, the sheriff let out a speeding bullet aimed directly at the leg of the creature. The wolf collapsed to the ground, letting out a whimpering sound of pain.
"I think I stopped it," Emma announced, examining the creature lying wounded on the ground.
Shay scrutinized the wolf's every movement, every groan that emerged from its mouth. Something was not right. A tiny bullet could barely stop Captain Hook in his quest for vengeance, let alone a beast ten times the size of a normal being. She didn't buy it.
"No, you didn't," Shay breathed cautiously. "It's playing possum."
Inherently, the three backed away from the wolf, readying themselves to run if need be. Knowing its act was up, the beast jumped to its feet and started charging at them once again. Emma impulsively aims her gun at the wolf, knowing full well that this was no longer a viable way to stop it. The wolf stormed towards them, its wild eyes thirsting for nothing but to kill.
The wolf assailed the trio, striking the gun out of Emma's hand and throwing her up against the wall. Hook was hurled towards the edge of the street, groaning at the painful landing. Shay hurdled across the street, crashing into the brick wall of a deserted shop. With one blow, the werewolf managed to knock three fully-grown adults to the ground without strain or remorse. They all knew, in that instant, the werewolf was not to be trifled with.
"Granny," Emma spoke through her walkie-talkie, helping herself up from the ground, "It's the sheriff. We have some serious problems here."
Shay was groaning on the side of the road, attempting to gather enough strength to get up. However, before she could move, the wolf trailed over to her side, leaning over her chest and growling at her with malice. The mermaid didn't know if it was her red hair or green eyes that stood out to the wolf: all that she knew was that the beast chose to kill her. Shay's green eyes widened. Its yellow eyes showed no resemblance to the girl she met on the ship that evening: what replaced her was pure evil.
In a split second, the wolf dug its teeth into her right shoulder, slicing through her flesh with its razor-sharp jaws.
The young girl screamed out in pain, watching as trickles of blood flowed from her shoulder. She shut her eyes to escape the excruciating agony of her prolonged death.
Suddenly, the jaws released themselves from her shoulder blade. Shay opened her eyes in surprise, steadying her strained breathing, as she saw the wolf slumped against a wall, temporarily wounded. She turned to her left and saw her savior aiming Emma's smoking gun at the fallen beast.
Killian rushed towards the girl, pocketing the gun around the belt of his jeans. Shay laid there on the ground, wincing at the slight movement of her arm. Without hesitation, the pirate lifted the mermaid off her feet for the second time that night, removing her scent of blood as far away from the injured werewolf. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as the crowd gathered around the creature while Hook set lightly set her down on the ground. The pirate leaned down and examined her wound.
"It's rather deep," he remarked, furrowing his eyebrows.
Shay let out a labored laugh. "Is that a hint of concern I detect, pirate?" she choked out.
He smiled. Hearing her make a sarcastic remark was one of the telltale signs that her wound wouldn't be fatal: she would survive.
Shay stared off to where the wolf stood. People were maintaining a significant distance but gathered close enough to watch as the werewolf snapped at them. She saw an elderly figure emerge from the shadows, the owner of that quaint breakfast shop down the street. She held in her hands a red cloak and a crossbow in the other. Shay winced. She didn't want to know what the crossbow was for.
Like that, the old woman wrapped the cloak around the fallen wolf, watching as the figure slowly shrunk into the size of a normal person. Emerged from red clothing, Red Girl (or Ruby as others know her) crawled out, in her human form, eyes darting about in confusion.
Shay shut her eyes. At least they stopped a werewolf from killing an entire town. Despite the aching pain in her shoulders, the redhead felt an ounce of success at their victory tonight, though it was rather difficult to celebrate given the circumstances.
While the town was hovering over the recovered Ruby, Hook helped Shay to her feet.
"We have to get out of here," Killian said, lifting the wounded girl off the ground. "Can you walk?"
Shay nodded, covering the injury with her free hand. She slowly limped off with Hook, watching as Ruby rubbed her head in confusion. The redhead couldn't believe that a minute ago, the girl was disguised as a wolf, chasing innocents throughout town.
Shay looked away. She knew Ruby already had enough prying eyes from the judgmental fairytale characters of Storybrooke fixated on her, trying her for her actions. She need not have the mermaid with the largest track history in town judge her as well. As the pair turned the corner, mermaid stole one last glance at the poor girl before turning away, letting the pirate lead her to safety.
Shay gasped. The minute the purple smoke dissipated from her eyes, her fogged memory was unveiled before her mind. She remembered everything, every past action, every tear shed on Eric's behalf. The mermaid remembered who she was, what she'd done, why she was here.
The redhead looked up from her own epiphany. The townspeople were in shock, wandering aimlessly throughout Storybrooke with the discovery of their true selves. A couple reunited after many years of separation. A young boy and girl embracing their father after a long-lost reunion. A young woman smiling to herself, realizing that she was a princess, a ruler in their old realm.
"The curse is broken," Shay heard many of the townspeople exclaim.
Shay shut her eyes. 28 years of ignorance seemed too short, at least for someone wishing to forget her past. Of all the members of the cursed town, she was the only one that had wished the curse endured slightly longer.
"Shay."
The redhead turned to face her long-time beloved friend, calling out to her like a siren. A familiar face, once again.
"Al," she smiled.
The tall, scrawny boy stared at her with contentment, a look that he hadn't worn in the many years they were partners in thievery. He remembered everything, a luxury that they hadn't had for a long while.
"It's actually Aladdin," Al corrected, scratching the back of his head. "That's what people called me back home."
Shay smirked. "It's a nice name."
The pair stood there silent. It seemed that knowing the past hindered their ability to talk to one another anymore. In Fairytale Land, they had such different lives. One was a street rat struggling for food and on the brink of starvation. The other was a princess, living in a foreign land away from home. Another thing the broken curse deprived Shay of: their friendship.
"So," Aladdin articulated awkwardly.
"So," Shay pursed her lips. "I guess this is the end for us."
Aladdin nodded. They both knew that with the curse broken their family would be separated. Little Fred probably had a mother looking for him. Jason was likely a big brother to many younger siblings. Rob's parents were, no doubt, worried sick about their lost boy. One by one, they would each leave with the awareness of their loved ones.
"I have to find Jen," Al remarked.
Shay raised her eyebrow. "Jen? Henry's babysitter?"
Aladdin explained. "Her name is actually Jasmine. We were married."
Shay immediately understood. They were in love, separated by the Evil Queen's curse like many others in the town.
"Go, Al," the redhead smiled. "After all these years, you two deserve to find each other."
The young thief smiled. He gave her one last hug before departing.
"What are you going to do, Shay?" Aladdin asked.
The redhead smiled. "I don't know. But I always figure something out eventually."
Shay watched as her best friend walked down the sidewalk with true love in his mind. He didn't even notice the lost look in her eyes, the look that she felt return to her. If she wasn't Ariel anymore, who was she?
As Aladdin slowly disappeared from sight, Shay turned around. There, stood a bar before her eyes, filled with eerie silence. She recognized this place; it was owned by a rather short and stout man. It was one of the few places the girl didn't have the pleasure of robbing, usually because it was filled with people. However, today, nobody was there: they were all outside celebrating the good news of the broken curse.
The young girl raised her eyebrows. Might as well see if they have an opening, Shay thought, pushing the doors open to the vacant tavern.
Killian shoved open the doors to Smee's empty bar. He watched as Shay struggled to stand upright with the amount of discomfort she felt in her right arm. The pirate would've led the young girl home had it not been more convenient to come here; he himself couldn't have endure the damsel's pained expression any longer than the walk to the bar.
Shay, gripping her shoulder tightly, wandered into her workplace, her jaw clenched tight to relieve herself of the pain. With all the familiar
Hook displayed some gentleman-like honor as he escorted her up on the counter, grabbing the first alcoholic container he set his eyes on.
"Smee's going to kill you," Shay acknowledged as she watched the pirate tear open the bottle with his teeth.
"You truly think that man can take me in a duel, love?" Killian smirked. "How could you think so lowly of me?"
With the bottle opened, the pirate first took a sip of the beverage before tending to the mermaid's wounds. Shay rolled her eyes as she watched Killian dab a moist towelette with Smee's finest bourbon. She sat on the countertop, one hand on the table, the other covering her wound.
"Do you do this to all the girls you take home?" Shay quipped, trying to ease her mind of the open wound.
"No," Hook smirked. "Just you."
Killian, holding the wet towel in his hand, stared at her.
"You're going to have to take off that jacket, love," he said. "Or else I can't patch you up."
Shay looked down. Her favorite leather jacket was torn to shred thanks to that werewolf menace. She sighed, slipping off the outerwear, revealing a black tank top underneath. Hook smiled, eyeing her with a seductive look. The mermaid, too weak to shoot him a threatening expression, chose to ignore him.
Killian lightly pressed the alcohol-soaked rag against her cut. Shay bit down on her tongue and grimaced. The burning sting irritated the mermaid's smooth skin, so much so that the young girl was inches away from screaming out in agony.
"Is this really necessary," Shay pleaded. "Can't I just go home now?"
"Do you want an infection, sweetheart?" Killian simply said.
Shay attempted to jerk away from his grip, but the pirate caught her hand before she could slap away his rag.
"Hold still," the pirate said sternly.
The redhead frowned, knowing that she wouldn't be able to shy away from the stinging touch of the alcohol. She sat there very still, biting her lower lip and staring up at the ceiling as the pirate wiped away any blood caked on her shoulders.
"Where did you learn this first aid stuff anyway?" Shay asked.
"Being out at sea takes a lot of medical knowledge," Killian said, his eyes glued on Shay's shoulder. "If I didn't know how to wrap a bandage, I'd be long dead."
Killian reached for the bandages, carefully placing them on her clean shoulder. With the creative use of his mouth, the pirate wrapped around the gauze, his breathe hotly against the skin and his face inches away from kissing her shoulder. Shay shut her eyes, trying not to think about the last time a man was this close to her.
When the bandage was wrapped and the young girl was all patched up, the pirate look one look at Shay's back and began to chuckle.
Shay turned around and stared. "What?"
The captain's playful blue eyes twinkled with delight. "I don't mean to alarm you, Shay, but I believe I just found your tattoo."
The young girl whipped her head back in surprise. The pirate stood there, marveling at the mermaid's ink around the back of her neck. Shay had forgotten all about that tattoo and their discussion earlier that evening. She pursed her lips. Killian, peering at Shay's back, gaped at the image of two sparrows in flight.
"It's beautiful," Hook smiled, tracing the outline of her tattoo with his fingers, lightly stroking the bird's beak.
"I got it a while back," Shay said quietly.
Killian stared at it for a long minute, hypnotized by its beauty. Shay sat there, shutting her eyes as she felt the captain's long stares bearing into her back. It took a while for her to process what was happening: she was allowing herself to indulge in Hook's decadence.
Awakened from her trance, Shay hopped off the countertop of the bar, leaving a dazed pirate staring at what formally was the mermaid's back. She lifted the jacket off the counter and held it close to her chest.
Shay smirked. "We should probably be heading back. My roommate's worried enough already."
Killian smiled to himself, recalling Sebastian's horrified look when he shot him that last one-liner. "Yes, it's probably for the best."
She slipped on the blood-soaked leather jacket as the pirate helped her out of the bar. The pain subdued thanks to Killian's medical expertise and Shay began to recover from the bite. Hook held open the door for the injured young girl, watching as she trudged out of the tavern with one arm arched to the side.
As she entered the cool atmosphere of winter once again, Shay stared out across the street. She wasn't sure if it was the pain gave her hallucinations or reality, but it gave her closure nevertheless.
A couple walked down the street, arms intertwined with one another. The man smiled at the young woman, staring at her like a man in love. The woman laid her head on the man's shoulders, basking in the feeling of utter security. Shay smiled as she saw her old friend Al, happily with his true love.
For a second, Aladdin turned and noticed Shay, standing there and staring at them with a faint hint of fulfillment written across her face. Neither one said anything because they were too far, but Al and Shay had an unspoken conversation written in one genuine expression of friendship. He smiled at her before leaving off into the night sky with his newly wed wife.
"Who was that?" Killian asked as he shut the door behind him.
"An old friend," Shay smiled, watching Al disappear from her life for the second time.
She thought back to the last time Al had said good-bye. Shay was standing in this exact spot, outside of the bar, watching the young scrawny boy leave to find his true love. The redhead smiled: she was so lost then, so resigned. She turned to peer at Hook who stood there smirking at her with those blue-green eyes reflecting the glimmering light. Now, the mermaid was slowly finding her way.
Killian ambled back to his vessel after escorting Shay back to her apartment building. It had been a long night and all the pirate wanted to do was head back to his chambers and sleep. Hook wasn't built for heroics, the rescuing of princesses or saving of civilians. Tonight, he went against his entire nature because of one young lass's caustic words. Serves him right to be so easily manipulated with those green eyes.
He truly worried for the girl, throwing herself in harm's way half-cocked and wrongfully brave. Killian had no doubt that if Shay were more reckless, she'd end up with a worse wound than the one she earned tonight. The pirate frowned at the thought of the mermaid in more agony than she displayed that night.
Do I care for her? Killian thought to himself. He immediately dismissed that thought, writing it off as an impossible fact. He couldn't care for her: Captain Hook was a heartless pirate after all.
As he reached the ledge of his ship, a darkened figure emerged beside him, looming over his shadow like an ominous warning. Killian turned around and gazed upon his accomplice. Cora smiled cruelly at the pirate. Last time they spoke, they weren't on the best of terms; it seemed that now wasn't much better either.
"You've been out late," she remarked, watching as Killian stepped down from the invisible ledge.
"All thanks to your magic tricks," the pirate sneered. "I spent a rather uneventful evening chasing down that werewolf you set loose."
The sorceress remained silent, staring at the pirate. She sensed something off about Hook, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. For her plans, Cora was determined to have no loose ends: she would hate to have the pirate captain become one of them.
"What do you want, Cora?" Killian demanded.
Her cruel smile melted off her face as she commanded a more serious tone. "The cricket is gone. He's escaped."
Killian smirked, holding his hooked hand out towards his partner in crime. "And whose fault is that?"
"I had business to attend to," Cora contended.
"Such as," Hook raised his eyebrow.
Cora shifted towards the left, revealing another concealed figure in the backdrop. Killian froze, immediately recognizing the woman that stood before him. He wasn't frightened so much as concerned. He heard rumors of her evil and feared that Shay may not stomach her as well as he.
"Hello, Hook," Regina smiled.
The trio stood there, beckoning in each other's wicked deeds. Hook uncomfortably moved his gaze from the witch to the witch's daughter. Their movements and gestures mimicked each other's almost in perfect synchrony. He'd hoped that there wouldn't be a second Cora in this realm, but it seemed his wishes were denied. As if one wicked witch wasn't enough, there had to be two in the same town.
What have I gotten myself into? Hook thought to himself.
Shay woke up mid-afternoon after the much needed nap. Sebastian was already up, cooking lunch while the redhead trudged through the messy apartment in search of coffee. Her right shoulder was still sore from the wound, but after a long rest, she felt recuperated after the long night.
"You're up earlier than I expected," Sebastian remarked as he sprinkled a few grains of pepper into his dish.
Shay made a face at him, reaching for the coffee machine.
"How was your date?" Sebastian remarked sarcastically.
The redhead rolled her eyes. "It wasn't a date."
Pouring herself a mug of black Americano, Shay thought back to last night. A lot of it was fuzzy, likely because the pain became a central focus of her memory. She remembered the wolf biting her. And then Killian taking care of her. Odd, Shay had thought that would be one of the things her mind would try to suppress.
She sipped her coffee, feeling a sensation of warmth encompass her. Sebastian slid a freshly baked quesadilla onto Shay's plate and set the meal before her.
"Before I forget," Sebastian remarked, "There's a package for you."
Shay looked up in surprise. She never got mail in her 29 years of living in Storybrooke: never had she grown close enough with someone that they would send her anything via mail. She hopped off the chair and went over doorway to see. What stood in front of her was something Shay'd never guess.
"It's strange someone would send you a large jar of jellybeans, huh?" Sebastian said, taking a bite of his own quesadilla.
Shay picked up the jar and examined them. A colorful assortment of the candy, her favorite candy, resting in her hands. She chuckled to herself when she noticed that all the blue ones were gone from the jar. The redhead knew exactly who sent them.
"Not that strange," she muttered to herself, carrying the jellybean to the kitchen and setting them on the counter.
Her emerald eyes glanced at them for a split second and subconsciously, she felt content sensation pass through her. It was only there for a second, but Shay knew it was there. She smiled at herself, picking up the coffee and sipping the last dregs of the drink.