A/N: Sorry for the delay, my muse ran away with Matt Murdock for a bit (long story). Fair warning - it will get whumpy later on.

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT, or the characters, or the locations, but they are fun to play with

Chapter One

Killian's knees ached as he scrubbed yet another section of the quarterdeck of the Jolly Roger. His back burned with each stretch of his muscles. He'd been given some time to tend his wounds after being let out of the hold this morning, but there wasn't much he was able to do one handed. He haphazardly wrapped a strip of cloth around his torso as the ship pulled into port. The rest of the crew was given twenty-four-hour shore leave, the Captain was out restocking supplies, and he was left behind to watch the ship and tasked with swabbing her decks. At least he had managed to grab a small amount of cheese and bread to calm his protesting stomach before the stores were fully depleted.

Now alone, on his hand and knees, he desperately tried to finish the assigned job as fast as possible. Captain Blackbeard was scheduled to return in an hour or so and he hadn't even started on the foredeck. He shuddered to think what would happen if he failed to finish on time.

The sound of footsteps on the gangway sent a shiver of fear up his spine. He's back early, he thought fearfully, beginning to tremble slightly. Then a voice rang out, clear and very young.

"Ahoy! Is anyone here?"

Killian stood quickly, wincing at the movement. A young man stood on the deck, looking drastically out of place in clothing Killian had never seen before, in any land.

"Careful, boy," he said, trying to keep the note of panic out of his voice, to convey some sort of authority to the lad. "No one steps aboard the Jolly Roger's decks without an invitation from its captain first."

The boy regarded him for a moment with an air of familiarity Killian couldn't help but find unsettling. "Are you going to make me walk the plank?" the boy challenged.

Killian swallowed."That all depends on why you're here."

"I need a ship to take me to the Bottomless Sea," the boy replied without hesitation, as if he was used to giving orders aboard a pirate ship.

"Those are treacherous waters. There must be something of great value there to be worth taking the risk." Why are you talking to this child? he admonished himself silently. Just get him off the ship before Blackbeard returns!

"Someone," the boy corrected,handing over a slightly charred piece of paper. A map. "Her name is Emma. She's my mom, and she was put there by the queen."

Killian glanced at the paper quickly and then handed it back to the boy. There was no sense in leading the boy on. Blackbeard would never agree to go on such a journey. For all the youth's confidence, and he would be lying if he said he didn't envy the boy's conviction and boldness, the Captain didn't accept rescue missions, not unless there was an enormous sum of gold waiting at the end of the journey.

"Well then I'm sorry for you," he said. "Even if I wanted to, I can't help you."

The lad looked at him, confusion evident in his eyes. "Why? You're a captain. Can't you take your ship wherever you want?"

A raucous laugh rang out from behind the boy. So engrossed in their conversation, Killian had failed to notice the large man approach the ship. Killian's breathing hitched as a knot of fear tied itself deep in his belly. "A captain, is that who he says he is?" Blackbeard called out, a wide smile on his face. His grin disappeared as he glared at Killian, who swallowed hard. "I thought I told you to be done swabbing the decks when I return."

Killian jumped back a step, a sharp flash of pain snaking its way up his wounded back. "I'm sorry, Captain Blackbeard," he stammered, all authority dissolving from his voice. He hated how weak he sounded, how fearful, but he couldn't risk another spell in the hold, not now, not before he had a chance to heal. He turned away from Blackbeard, away from the boy, back to the task he hadn't finished.

"Wait, HE'S the captain?" the boy asked, incredulous.

Blackbeard answered loudly before Killian could respond. "Indeed," his voice boomed across the ship. "Unless deckhand Hook wants to keep playing pretend." The larger man drew his sword as he looked past the boy to the trembling figure who wanted nothing more than to disappear from the conversation. "What do you say, Hook? " Blackbeard offered. Killian looked away, trying not to challenge the Captain. He swallowed, or tried to, but his mouth was completely dry. "Beat me, and the Jolly Roger is yours. Or are you still a one-handed coward?" He leveled his sword toward Killian, his gaze challenging, intimidating. Killian blinked, then twisted away, scrambling back toward the deck, toward the familiar bucket and brush.

"What are you doing?" the boy hissed. "Stand up to him! You can beat him!"

Who IS this child? "I'm afraid you don't know me very well," Killian muttered as he tried to return to his task. He silently willed the boy to go, to just leave, to find another ship that could help him find his mother. "I'm sorry, I can't help you." He didn't risk a glance back, toward either the boy or his captain.

He vaguely heard a blade being drawn, the boy muttering something about "have to help you" and then a loud thump rang out on the deck. He could feel the vibration in the floorboards under his knees. He quickly got to his feet, frantically looking around the ship. The Captain was lying on his back on the main deck, unconscious, a sword in the boy's hand. "What the bloody hell are you doing?" he exclaimed, panic lining the edges of his voice.

The boy calmly turned toward him, returning the sword to a scabbard that stood propped against the helm. "Getting you your ship back." My ship? "Come on, let's dump Blackbeard and go."

Words escaped Killian's mouth too fast, without breath, without wanting to think about what just happened. "What, you think it's that easy? I can't sail the Jolly Roger alone!" Alone. Commandeer a ship. Mutiny. Hanging offense. Oh, gods. He could feel the nausea rising in his throat, choking him.

The boy just looked at him, a ghost of a grin on his lips. "I can help."

He swallowed, forcing himself not to vomit. "How do you know how to sail a ship?" Killian wondered out loud. How did he know how to best Blackbeard? Just who is this child?

The boy smiled.

"I had a great teacher," he said. "You."

Killian just blinked, stunned into silence. He tried to remember, tried to think back on all the years he'd been a crew member on this ship, first with Liam back when it was still the Jewel of the Realm, then under Blackbeard. He couldn't recall a single child who'd taken up residence with them, definitely not one with whom he'd spent any time. What the hell was going on here?

The boy stuck out his hand. "I'm Henry."

Killian grasped Henry's hand slowly, and shook gently. "Killian."

Another smile.

"I know."