Emma had expected to immediately break through the clouds when she reached where they met the stalk. After all, that's what always happened in "Jack and the Beanstalk." But that wasn't the case this time. Somehow everything she'd experienced in fairytale land failed to meet her expectations. She had yet to decide if that was good or bad.
Emma could barely see a thing through the thick, muggy greyness. It clung to her face, and felt strange to breath in. She stopped climbing for a moment, coughing.
"Everything alright down there?" she heard Hook call.
"Yeah," Emma scrunched her nose as she called back, "I just wasn't expecting this weather."
"Yes," Hook replied from high up in the clouds, "Unfortunate that we had to climb on a cloudy day."
Emma started moving upward again, though it was slow going. The clouds made it hard to spot the next vine to grab until she was nearly on top of it. Suddenly, Hook's boot appeared out of the fog, right in front of her face. She was startled, and nearly lost her grip after almost running into him.
"What the hell?!" She looked up, just barely able to make out his face in the clouds. "Why'd you stop?"
"Go around me," Hook told her, "It sounds like you're struggling."
"I am not struggling," she glared up at him.
"I'm only trying to help," he said, frowning, "Climb ahead of me."
"So I can meet the giant first? I don't think so."
"You don't trust me?" Hook raised an eyebrow, "I'm hurt, Miss Swan. You know harming you isn't to my advantage."
"Sure, and you're also just a blacksmith," Emma shot back.
He laughed. "Do you really think that telling you my identity when you found me was in my best interest?"
Emma eyed him for a moment. "The truth would have been in everyone's best interest."
Hook's eyebrow rose and he smirked at her. "Is that so? Well then tell me the truth, Emma. Why is it that you don't trust me? It can't just be my little white lie to preserve my life?"
Emma hesitated. "I know your type, Hook, okay?"
"Really?" an amused smile danced on his lips. "And what 'type' would that be?"
She pursed her lips, not answering his question. "Just keep climbing," she muttered. Hook chuckled a bit, but started back up the beanstalk. Emma followed after him. She tried to suppress a cough as the mugginess filled her lungs. Hook was right; climbing on a cloudy day was less than ideal. She tried to push the image of his smile out of her mind. She disliked the reminder of a different cloudy day, though of course, clouds were strange for the Sunshine State.