In Neverland Searching For Henry

"Since yesterday didn't prove to be so productive," Gold gave four certain people very pointed glares as he said the statement, "I think today I'll dictate the plan of action."

There was really only one person out of the whole group who could contests such a decision, the only other person who knew anything about Neverland, yet he, shockingly, was remaining very tight lipped about the whole situation. Perhaps it had something to do with him being part of the selected few being scolded at the moment.

Snow White, Prince Charming, Captain Hook, and the Savior being scolded like children getting caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar by big daddy Rumplestilskin. Somewhere out there, the Grimm Brothers were rolling over in their graves.

"Well I don't mind that at all" Regina piped up, immediately taking on the role of the equally disappointed mother supporting her husband's decision in their children's punishment, "And I'd also like to remind everyone why we're here to being with. Henry." She looked directly at Emma at that point even though she gave the other three fleeting glares as well.

The blonde guilty avoided her gaze after it became a little too intense, because when the Evil Queen wanted to kill someone with just her eyes she sure as hell could pull it off like no other.

Hook was trying really hard to fight back his trademark smirk. Like, really hard. Usually, he could care less what the others thought of him and his actions but as of late that was quickly beginning to change. Especially when it came to one certain blonde. But, along with her, came her parents approval as well (because it wouldn't be to wise on his part to piss them off). Yet, seeing as the two royals where in the same boat as he and Emma, he began to wonder why he was holding back his usual cocky self to begin with.

"Excuse me your Majesty, but we made excellent progress yesterday if I do say so myself."

Emma's head whipped up so fast to gawk at him, her mother mirroring the same action as well.

Regina turned her dagger-ful gaze toward the (now smiling like a idiot and not giving one damn about it) pirate. "Oh and how is that?"

"Neverland, as I've said many a time if you'd care to recall, covers quite a span of land. Yesterday the lovely Charmings here and I managed to eliminate two potential areas they could be keeping the lad. That's progress if I do say so myself."

Charming nodded his head. "He does have a point you know."

Now Emma and Snow looked to him with wide eyes and gaping mouths. Charming defending Hook? Was the world ending or something?

Not liking this possible budding alliance not one bit (because someone had to hate hook along with him) Gold jumped back into the conversation. "Be that as it may, the four of you didn't have to spend all day in the areas you were scouting. Regina and I managed to cover quadruple size the distance you all had."

"Well mate, had you encountered the same, ah, distractions we all did I would seriously begin to question you and the Queen's relationship right now. What will your poor lovely lass back home think?"

Of course Hook just had to go say something like that.

Gold was half way from swinging his cane right at the pirate's head when Emma intervened, jumping in front of Killian and pressing her back against his chest. The close sudden contact had them both going instantly warm and wanting but now was seriously not the time. So Hook resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her waist while Emma fought back the desire to lean her head right against the crook of his neck. Priorities.

"You're right," Emma said hastily, "New groups for today. More ground to cover. Sounds great."

Gold didn't look any bit amused but nonetheless regained some composure. "Fine. Miss Swan you're with your father, your mother is with me, and the pirate (said with a snarl) will accompany her Majesty. Any questions? And do keep in mind that's a rhetorical question."

Everyone mumbled reluctant agreement.

Ever since they first landed in Neverland, the splitting up into groups had proved to be more difficult than expected. They all knew right away who they could stomach being with and who they couldn't. Obviously Regina and Snow wouldn't be the perfect fit nor would Hook and Gold. Emma and Charming proved to be the safest and most neutral options however his paternal instinct was proving to be a problem when it came to who his daughter would be gallivanting through the woods with.

So, after some very heated debate (and boy had that been one of the worst arguments the six of them had ever experienced on the whole trip…so far) some agreement was made. While they weren't the smartest or most rational options (because really, the magic wielders should have been split equally as well as putting the most knowledgeable of Neverland with the most ignorant), they were the most accommodating. Snow and Charming, surprise surpise, stayed together while Hook was with Emma and Gold with Regina.

The only squabbling seemed to be between the pirate and princess but as of late (as if yesterday didn't already explain it all) that was beginning to change.

"Alrighty then, shall we?" Gold lifted his eyebrows, daring any of them to question him, and when no one did began to walk away and disappear behind some very large boulder. Snow let out a sigh and gave her husband a quick kiss to the cheek and her daughter a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before hurrying after her new partner.

Charming watched her go with a frown, wondering if the fun yesterday gave was worth the separation today delivered. But after one particular memory, he was smiling. Oh, it was totally worth it. "Well, ready Emma?"

She nodded her head and began to follow her father down a dark path shaded by two drooping trees when she abruptly stopped. Nervously she nibbled on the bottom of her lip, seriously debating doing what she was about to do, then murmured to herself "Screw it." Emma spun around and marched right up to Hook and grasped his face with both her hands before planting a quick, bit firm, kiss on his lips.

Only Regina had saw it, she had made sure of it, but it was only Regina who she wanted to see it. Because Emma still wasn't sure what was between her and Killian so it wasn't something she wanted to publicize just yet to her parents or anyone for that matter. And the while the kiss also succeeded in satisfying some small primal urge in both she and Killian (small because one chaste kiss sure as hell wasn't enough), its primary function was to serve as a warning. Killian was hers.

After one intense fight in the Captain Quarters not so long ago Killian had made Emma aware of the Queen's little twisted game of trying to make Emma jealous just for the pure enjoyment of it all (one, he was also sure to point out, he always tried to not be apart of). She hadn't been all the surprised at the news, this was Regina after all, but ever since that day she had worked just a little harder to show how much she didn't care and how much Killian wanted nothing to do with Regina but everything to do with her.

It was very, very high school of her, Emma wasn't going to deny the fact. It in fact sickened her a little that she was acting like some cheerleader marking her territory on her jock boyfriend because that so wasn't who she is. The whole situation also just proved something else that was just irking Emma right out of her comfort zone: that she was actually growing honest feelings for the pirate. Just one more thing that was proving harder and harder to deny with each new day but until it became impossible, Emma was content to keep trying. Yesterday's shenanigans be damned.

"Perhaps we should split up more often." Hook murmured against her lips, catching her by the waist as she tried to pull away. "I quite fancy this sort of goodbye." Then he was kissing her again, his lips much more demanding than the previous embrace.

Regina was still watching, Emma was dimly aware of the fact, but her body's reaction to him was making it harder to think about anything else at the moment. She sighed when his hand and hook began to trace dangerously down the length of her back.

"And would you look at that, I'm agreeing with you twice in one day. We should split up more often."

Oh hell, when had Charming crept back over?

Emma jumped back with a squeak and looked up innocently at her father. She was still getting use to being the daughter who seemed to get caught with a boy by her father all the friggin time. Of course she would have that kind of luck.

"Before I throw up, can we please go?" Regina growled.

Hook rolled his eyes. "I can already predict today's going to be just bloody fantastic. You will be missed love."

"Alas, you won't mate." Charming quipped.

"Oi, don't act so high and mighty Prince. I believe your hands are just as dirty as mine. Or should I say your mind is just as dirty…"

Emma gave her father a rough but loving push to the shoulders. "Alrighty then, that's our cue to go."

Snow glanced to her side, probably the twentieth time in the last five minutes, and opened her mouth to say something. Anything really. But like the other times she had tried, absolutely nothing came out. She Gold were rarely ever left alone, even more so then she and Regina and that was saying something. At least she and Regina could argue about something.

"Something you'd like to say dearie?" Gold inquired without even looking at her. He just kept on hobbling along, the two of them navigating through some labyrinth of boulders and jagged rocks.

"Oh, um, no-not really. I just-" She fumbled for the right words. If there were any rights words that is. "It's just, well I…it's a nice day isn't it?"

Nope, those hadn't been it.

Despite it all, Gold had an amused grin on his face. "Your choice of topic is the weather?"

Snow blushed. "If you have a better option I'm all ears."

"Well we don't actually have to talk-"

"And you're just comfortable with the silence?"

"Dearie, when you've lived as long as me silence becomes a very dear and close friend whether you want it to or not."

Snow quieted at that. It was a very sad and somber thing to say, something that would defiantly never pass from her lips, and she found difficulty finding the right response to make. She was usually good at this sort of thing or at least she thought she was.

"I suppose I wasn't the best person to have paired you with." Gold said after a few moments. "Perhaps the pirate would have even been better. My apologies."

"Oh don't apologize, it's absolutely fine." It wasn't, not really, but it wasn't completely unbearable either. It was just really…awkward. They had a past sure, but it mainly consisted of needing to be in contact of each other-not wanting to. They had only ever talked when one of them wanted something or had some deal to make, the foundation of many if not all of Rumplestiltskin's relationships.

"No need to try and make me feel better. Just had to try to rectify yesterday's mishap."

Another blush leapt to Snow's cheeks. Almost instantly the memory of Charming's hands tangling in her hair came to mind, as well as the softness of the grass against her back and the sound she made when her husband's trail of kisses descended down her body. She shook her head trying to push them away. "You must think us a little…childish."

"Perhaps your daughter and the pirate but you and your husband? Not at all."

Now that hadn't been expected. He had acted as if he had been equally disgusted at all four of them before. "Really?"

"I acknowledge the trails you two have been through. Considering everything that's happened, you two have only technically been with each other for what? Not even a little over a year?"

It was something Snow had thought about all the time. While she and Charming had fallen in love almost instantly they had never been intimate with each other till they were married. And when they finally had she almost immediately became pregnant with Emma and then, nine months later, the curse hit. Thanks to that they were separated for 28 God awful years then after finally reuniting they were only torn from each other again when she followed Emma through the magic hat back to the Enchanted Forest. There was the time there to suffer that was only rewarded with the short reprieve back in Storybrooke before, once again, life threw them another curve ball and had them packing up off to Neverland. Suffice to say, there had been no way to be together on Hook's ship especially when your daughter shared the same cabin with you.

Yesterday had been a boiling point among sorts. The repose, happiness, and love it had brought, however, didn't make Snow regret it for a moment.

"Well…thank you."

Gold nodded silently.

Feeling daring, Snow said in a low voice, "I'm sorry you can't be with the one you love."

The only noise made was the sound of their feet roughly hitting down on the pebbly path below. If the comment affected him Gold made no show of it. His face remained composed and his step never missed a beat. It didn't matter, Snow knew how much he loved Belle and how much it probably hurt to be away from her. She more than anyone knew how hurtful separation could be.

"She knows I love her." He said quietly, almost so quietly she barely heard it.

Snow smiled. "Yes, that she does. And you'll make it back to her. I know you think you won't but I can tell you, from experience, people who love each other always find a way back. Always."

Again Gold remained eerily silent. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the comment he just didn't know how to properly express his gratitude. He didn't even know if he wanted to show such thanks. He was Rumplestilskin after all yet here he was talking with Snow White about love. So, after much internal debate, he settled with a gruff "Thank you."

But it didn't bother Snow at all. Now she was feeling more than elated then she had at the beginning of this little outing. She had managed to make good conversation after all.

"You're uncharacteristically quiet today."

Regina looked over her shoulder to Hook, noticing the way he was examining her. Not in a good way kind of way or not in way that made her think he was getting any…ideas but rather with genuine curiosity.

"I wasn't aware small talk was one of the requirements of our scouting."

"It isn't, just pointing out your odd show of silence. The Queen I recall was always strutting around spewing some sort of nonsense."

The dig made her turn on him with blazing eyes, her short black hair whipping her face she did it so fast. "Listen here pirate, while other people might find your comments amusing all they make me want to do is burn you to a little crisp. But since I need you to find Henry I'm holding back…for now. So I suggest you shut your mouth and just help me."

Regina's words echoed with violent vibrations among the trees around them, making them seem to quake and shake off spare leaves in their wake. Even Hook was a little shook by her passion but was smooth enough not to show it. She was angry, real angry, which was probably why she was being so quiet but towards the end of her little rant, when the words just help me came out, the pain and desperation there was more than obvious. So she just wasn't angry. She was angry and scared.

Not sure what he was going to say but feeling the need to say something Hook took a tentative step forward with a soft expression. "Regina-"

"I don't want your comfort" She spat, taking an equally distanced step back. "We're not friends and you've made it plainly obvious you'd prefer other company then me."

What? "Wait are you….are you jealous?"

A mirthless laughed bubbled up her throat. "Oh you and your ego. Of course you would jump to that conclusion."

Women, it was mystery Hook was convinced he'd never solve. "Then what the bloody hell is wrong?"

"You!" Regina exclaimed. "All of you! You're acting like this is some vacation. That my son isn't out there somewhere with his life on the line. You don't even acknowledge he's my son! All you do-all of all of you do, is go and comfort poor little Emma. But he's my son too." Her words were practically coming out at sobs at this point, her breathing haggard and her body trembling. While no tears fell it was still hard for Regina to hide away the other tell tale signs as to how upset she was.

It was a very rare and hard feat to make Hook speechless. Yet there he was, in the middle of Neverland with the Evil Queen, unable to form any coherent words. He looked dumbly at Regina, who was working very quick to regain some composure, with a gaping mouth and disbelief written all over his face. While Regina had no qualms expressing hate, anger, or power she wasn't so keen to let others see pain or sadness. Figured once she finally cracked and did he'd be the one to see it and have no idea in hell what to do.

"Look," Regina said after a couple more minutes of maddening silence. "I…I don't want your pity or your sympathy or whatever the hell you think you should give me right now. I just want your help-your undivided attention to get Henry back. That's all I want and need from you. Do you think you can handle that?"

Even though she gave him an easy out, Hook still felt like the situation was still calling for something else. "About yesterday," He began slowly.

"I seriously do not want to hear about what you and Miss Swan-"

"No it's not that" He growled, as if he'd ever even tell her or anyone for that matter what happened between he and Emma, "I just want you to know, we don't think this is a vacation. We didn't forget about Henry, well, not in the sense you're thinking."

"Oh?" She drawled, obviously not believing a word.

"This is Neverland, it has its own special kind of magic. This place is specifically designed to make people forget. Whether the person wants to or not, they will find their thoughts drifting away from them without any say in it at all. One doesn't walk into hell not expecting to get hot. So you can expect to become forgetful when coming here. So yesterday, it's not as if we just got bored or thought it'd be more entertaining to do…other things, it was just Neverland working it's magic. It's especially potent if you're with someone else who, well, get's the same ideas as you."

It wasn't much of an excuse but it was something. Hook just hoped it was enough to ebb away just a little of the woman's rage.

In all honesty, it didn't make Regina feel any better. But she accepted Hook's attempt to try and give some excuse, not many people tried to make her feel better now a days. Hell if she'd tell him that though. "Just make sure you don't forget again." She said curtly and turned her back on him.

Hook now openly welcomed the silence at this point.

"So…you and Hook."

Oh God. No, please God no. Don't do this to her. Don't let this conversation seriously be happening right now.

But as Emma glanced at her father from under her lashes she saw he was waiting and expecting some kind of answer.

"I…" Her throat had suddenly gone dry. "I don't know…exactly what we-if we're even, I just…I don't know." And while she had little experience with this, Emma was sure that was the last thing a father wanted to hear about his daughter and the guy she was with.

David understood how hard it was for Emma to get close to people, he knew about her past, had Snow tell him things, as well as observe her himself. So for her to even not flat out deny there was anything between she and Hook…well, that was something. And while it didn't sit right in David's stomach, at all, he held back his murderous rage to go find to pirate right now and either beat him to a pulp or force him to admit his intentions with his daughter.

"Are you…." David sighed. He was just as bad as Emma with these things. "Are you just sure? I mean, about him?"

"Sure?" Emma echoed.

"He's a pirate."

"Oh, that." Emma nervously began to push her hair behind her ears. "Is this because of who I am?"

David looked at her questioningly, unsure what that meant exactly.

Oh God she would hate herself for saying this and hoped Killian never heard a word of it. "Because I'm a princess?"

"Oh! No, well, I mean I guess it had something to do with it, back in our world I think especially, but no. That's not what I meant. I just meant…." David let out a huff of air. "I just don't think he's good enough for you. For just my Emma."

Oh God.

Emma nearly fainted right there. Or cried. Or had a heart attack. Or maybe all of the above. She wasn't really sure what was happening as her feet stopped moving and all the air left her lungs. All she could see was David, her father, looking at her like her skin just grew a different color. She couldn't even hear him, even though she saw his mouth forming some words. All she could here was my Emma. My Emma. My Emma.

Yup, here comes the heart attack.

David wanted to smack himself. How could he have said that? Really, how much of an idiot was he? Yes, their relationship was better than ever but healed enough for that? The look on Emma's face told him he had made a serious error. David suddenly became desperate to make it better. Because he couldn't have Emma pulling away from him, he just couldn't.

"Emma I'm sorry. I didn't-what I said, I-I'm sorry-"

His words stuck in his throat when she suddenly rushed forward and latched herself to his chest. Now it was David's turn to have a heart attack. He was too surprised to move, at first, but once he realized what he said actually hadn't been wrong and Emma was now locked in a tight embrace with him (one she initiated), his arms were encircling around her with just as much fervor.

The two stood like that for what seemed like an eternity, father and daughter holding onto each other like there was no one else in the world.

Emma, with a quick sniffle, pulled her head back first to look up at David. She looked so small and innocent, her gaze and beautiful eyes focused on nothing but him, it was like so many years ago back at the castle when he cradled her small body against his chest for the first time. This time, though, he wouldn't give her up for absolutely anything. "Don't ever apologize for saying something like that."

David smiled and, not being able to help himself, leant down and placed a soft kiss against her forehead. "I won't."

Reluctantly, they both relented their holds on each other.

"And about Killian," Emma sighed, still not exactly sure what to say.

David stopped her, gently grabbing her by the shoulders. "You don't have to explain. I just-I do want to see you happy, I just don't want to see you get hurt. And if he can do that then I guess I can hold back smashing his face in the next time he says something stupid. Which, considering it's him, is every five seconds so try and acknowledge the sacrifice I'm making here."

Emma laughed at that with David following her shortly after. "Acknowledged and appreciated."

The two began to continue down their path, now pleasantly happy to just be standing next to each other even though no words were being shared.

"Oh," Emma chuckled, "I'd also like to ask for free pass next time you might catch me and him alone since I was the one to have had stumbled on you and mom yesterday." Considering that happened all the time, Emma figured it was worth a shot. And what a great mental image that had been to once again see her parents…together. At least had Killian provided some distraction with his usual witty commentary.

"Nu uh, you must not be aware of the rules."

"Rules?"

"A kid walking in on their parents is quite different from a parent walking in on their kid."

"But-"

"Nope."

"Dad-"

"Come along Emma, we got ground to cover."

Oh great, now their relationship had just entered a whole other level.

Authors Note: In which Gold ain't having none of your romantic shenanigans.

Lot's of conversations and situations talked about in this chapter that I hadn't wrote about yet. Excited?

And seriously, thank you so much for the feedback on this story, it's great and very appreciated. Please keep it coming!