So I ended up splitting what this chapter was originally going to be into two. Which means that the next chapter will be to you either tonight or more likely, tomorrow morning. Thanks to the guest reviewer for the idea of how this chapter starts.
I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think or idea ideas you might have in the reviews.
"Ahhh, Hook you have returned, had fun traipsing around Storybrooke?" Cora said, each word drawn like an attack, meant to remind him who was in charge.
"Well I'm sorry if my getting hit by a car and being incapacitated in the hospital caused a hitch in your plans." Hook responded back, as he limped towards her, moving slower than normal.
"It has given me time to reconnect with my daughter, there is so much that I missed over the years."
"I have your things, Regina had mentioned that you wanted them. Would you like to come and collect them or would you like a personal delivery?"
"I can come and collect my own things, thank you, and Hook, there is room for you on the team if you want in, if you still want revenge of Rumplestiltskin that is?" Cora said, her voice softer this time, incising almost.
"You'll still trust me after you have seen me, how did you say it, traipsing around Storybrooke?"
Cora smiled and chuckled slightly, "Oh Hook, you think I haven't learned anything about you in the time we have spent together. We both know that above all you act for your own purposes and motivations, and we both know that your best way to get them is with us. You think Prince Charming and Snow White would condone your actions…please. We understand each other, and I think that you will find Regina and I are looking for similar things."
"I'm glad we are understood." Hook said as he walked past Cora on the dock, leading her towards his ship.
"I'm not quite finished Hook."
"Is that so?" Hook said as he turned around to face Cora once again.
"Like I said, I know you, I have come to understand your…habits. And one of them involves your infatuations with beautiful women. Which in the past has not concerned me, what do I care what you do? But now things have changed, now you are around my daughter who is a beautiful woman and you are to stay away from her. Don't forget your place, she is a queen….and you, well you are a pirate."
Hook opened his eyes and squinted trying to avoid the bright rays.
"I wasn't always a pirate." Hook said clearly, almost as if he was trying to prove it to himself.
"So you keep saying, do you maybe want to get up, I feel like we are getting close and I am getting slightly tired of this land, I thought we could come here and do what needed to be done, not go on a two day hiking trip" A voice came from not far away.
"Regina?" Hook said as he sat up and looked around, taking in his surroundings. Right he was in Oz, no longer in Neverland or Storybrooke, his dream was just a memory and he was on to new adventures.
"Yes, now come on eat up and then pack up the bags." Regina said as she impatiently walked around the small camp that they had set up.
"Eat up?" Hook asked.
"I made eggs, who know what we are going to come across today, it might just be something a little more treacherous than a yellow brick road and your incessant need for conversation."
"Where did they come from…did you use more magic?" Hooked asked as he started to roll up his sleeping bag and stuff it into the backpack.
"Just to conjure some things to cook them with and plates," Regina said as she adjusted a ripped piece of her shirt that she had tied around her hands, no doubt hiding new burns, "making actual sustenance, although not impossible, is a not more complicated and I decided not to risk it."
"Well thank you." Hook said as he picked up his plate and fork and ate quickly before gently placing the plate into the backpack as well, "Okay shall we get going, on to the Emerald City."
Regina smiled and nodded before making her way back to the road again.
"Are those poppies?" Hook asked as he strained his eyes to see the pink form in the distance.
"You have got to be kidding me." Regina said as she stepped closer, confirming Hook's suspicion.
"What…is this another part of the story that you just forgot to mention?"
"They know we are coming." Regina said, scrunching her face up slightly in frustration.
"Well maybe we can go around it." Hook said.
"There is no way around it." Regina said angrily before her voice drifted off slight, "going on a bear hunt."
"What was that?" Hook asked.
"Nothing just another book that Henry loved, but it has an important message…we've gotta go through it."
"I don't see the relevance with bears."
"Forget the bears…so basically we will be fine as long as we don't breathe in any of the pollen from the poppies. This is day number three in this land, perhaps I have a better control of the magic."
"Regina don't..." Hook started before Regina waved her hand in front of her face and a light mist appeared but faded quickly as Regina collapsed on the ground.
"Regina!" Hook yelled as he moved towards her, helping her up, "it's not worth it. Now how are we going to get through here, without magic."
"I don't know." Regina answered, "what were you saying earlier, how you weren't always a pirate? Tell me about it."
"You want me to talk?"
"Yes, tell your story, a distraction might be good."
"Will it get us through the poppies?" Hooked asked.
"To be honest, I have no idea, but it's all I got. So start talking."