I profusely apologize for the delay in posting. Writers block is not fun.
This chapter is the last in Fairy Tale Land, but the story is far from over.
It had been several weeks since Hook and Emma had been stranded in the Enchanted Forest. So far, they'd found absolutely nothing that would take them back. Emma was starting to lose hope, and no matter what Hook did, he couldn't raise her spirits.
"Ready, love?" Hook said, breaking the silence for the first time that day.
"What's the point anymore? I'm not even sure how long we've been stuck here, and we've found nothing. Zilch. Nada. What makes you think today could possibly be different?" she said, poking at the fire harder than strictly necessary.
"I'm sorry you're stuck here, Emma. But we can't just give up. What about Henry? He's waiting for you to come back. He needs you."
"You think I don't know that?" she snapped. "I have been telling myself that every day for the last God knows how long. There's no way to get to him at all. Why should I keep trying if at every turn all I find is nothing?"
"Emma…" Hook trailed off, "I'm sorry." They'd had this same conversation almost every day for the past week or so. He saw she was losing hope, and he wanted to help her, but his patience was wearing thin. "I'll go searching for today, you can stay here. I'll be back by sundown," he said, stalking out of the cave without a single glance back.
Emma watched him go.
Hook chose a random direction and just walked. He couldn't figure out why he cared about what Emma thought. Why did it infuriate him so much that she was so stubborn? How come she couldn't just see that all he was trying to do was make sure she got home? Why couldn't she just trust him? Why did it bother him so much that she didn't?
How did he get here?
When he finally paused to look around him, the sun had already begun its westward fall; it'll be dark soon. Looming in front of him was the Evil Queen's castle. He had been here a few times before, which is probably how he'd been able to find it. He quickly entered the castle through the servant's entrance. There had to be something the Queen had hidden that would help them. He skipped over the first few levels of the Castle – that was mostly servant quarters and the like. The spiral staircase at the center led all the way to the Queen's bedchambers at the top of the castle. The last time he had been here didn't seem all that long ago, but in reality it had been at least 28 years. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that 28 years had disappeared in what felt like seconds. Then again, he spent upwards of 300 years in Neverland, so it wasn't completely unfathomable.
The walls were still covered almost entirely in mirrors. Big, small, round, square, all framed in black and almost all were shattered. The disrepair in this place was disconcerting. The Queen's castle had been creepy enough without the shattered glass and torn drapes. The walls were covered in cobwebs; the roof had caved in on itself. It was nearly dark out as well, which really didn't help the whole searching thing.
Hook dug around a bit, not finding much in that room and slowly moving down the levels. He came across an old storage room on the third floor down. It was still one of the floors that was solely the Queen's, but even then, it looked like it was hardly ever used. There were piles of and piles of valuable items. Not extremely valuable, but as a whole this room probably could have fed a village for a year. There were plenty of mirrors in here as well, as there had been in every room he had searched so far, but there was one thing that stood out. There was a framed something in a back corner that had been covered in cloth. He stumbled through the cluttered room to the frame, slowly revealing what was underneath.
Another mirror.
Are you bloody kidding me?
He was hoping to find something to take back to Emma. Anything at all that would have boosted her spirits and gave her the hope to keep fighting. And all he had to show for it was a billion bloody mirrors. This one had been protected by the cloth, and the reflection of himself staring back seemed to be mocking him. Before he could stop himself, he swung his hook at the mirror.
His arm went through it. Not in the normal glass-shattering kind of way. More like water. The surface rippled where his arm was, distorting his image. He pulled his arm back, and the surface seemed to solidify again, back to normal. This could be what he'd been looking for all along. He had to tell Emma.
He rushed out of the Castle as quickly as he could, but not before carefully ensuring the mirror was safely covered again. He quickly noted that it was dark out, which reminded him of their conversation that morning, when he promised to be back by sundown.
Swearing under his breath, he quickly set off in the direction he came. He knew that it had taken at least four hours for him to find the castle, but he'd been slow and a bit dazed on his way here. Hopefully he could get there sooner than that by at least doubling his speed.
With any luck, Emma won't kill him when he gets back.
"Hook!" Emma shouted as loud as she dared. This was about the time that ogres started rummaging around for food. She'd had more than a few close encounters with them, and wasn't anxious to start another.
The problem here was that after finally being alone long enough for her to think, she realized the last thing she wanted here was to be alone. Hook had been more than helpful the entire time they'd been stuck, and Emma was starting to realize that might actually mean something to her.
Well, maybe not now. It was starting to feel like abandonment all over again. She didn't really think that Hook would do this on purpose to get back at her, but the other options weren't very attractive either. After all, death was just another word for abandonment.
The sun was setting, and Emma needed to get a fire started before it got too cold to start one. Hook was smart enough to realize that it was dangerous to be in these woods after dark. He couldn't be too far away.
Almost there, Hook thought, picking up his speed. He knew in his head that he was close, but something felt off. He'd done his best to avoid all the areas that he knew were infested with ogres, but even with all the exploring they'd already done, there was no way to be sure. They were especially dangerous at night because darkness took away the advantage of their prey. He was recognizing more and more of the landscape, but the dangerous thing about this forest is that it can play tricks on you even in the dark. He slowed for a moment to catch his breath, noticing the first tendrils of dawn growing across the eastern horizon. That was a good sign. Not so much with Emma, but his well-being depended on not being eaten by an ogre before he reached her. Though that may not matter in the long run. Woman scorned, and all that.
He picked up his speed again, at least hoping to reach the cave before Emma awoke. But before that thought could even properly form in his head, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. The distraction was enough to knock him off his feet, as the forest ground is by no means hospitable in any sense of the word. He caught himself, quickly rolling back to his feet and dashing into a denser clump of trees. Just in time, too, because the ogre had just caught up.
The fire was burning brightly, and Emma sat as close as she dared without lighting her hair on fire. The blanket she and Hook usually shared was wrapped around her shoulders. She didn't actually realize that she'd begun to depend on Hook being there with her. It was strange, really. She'd been to plenty of new places in her life, and she'd been able to adapt quickly to even the most inhospitable. And she never needed anyone. She prided herself on it. But now, in a strange land with nothing and no one that was even recognizable, she finally understood fully what it means to be truly alone.
She lay down next to the fire, trying desperately to get some sleep so that at the very least, she wouldn't have to suffer through every moment of the biting cold.
"Hook?" Emma asked as a familiar figure stumbled into the cave they'd been hiding in. She jumped up from the fire she'd been stoking. The sun was finally over the horizon, and she'd been up for quite a while just shivering.
"I'm so glad you're ok." She said, wrapping her arms around his waist. She'd been nearly certain that he wouldn't make it back.
He winced, trying to keep Emma from noticing just how much pain he was in. He draped his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
"Killian?" Emma asked, as he lost his footing a bit, almost knocking them both over. She pushed him back, getting a good look at his face for the first time since he stepped in. His forehead had a wide gash in it, and blood was dripping over a black eye, so swollen it was glued shut. "Guess what," Hook said, grinning wildly.
"What's that?" Emma asked, reaching up to dab at the gash on his forehead, gauging just how deep it was.
"I came across the Queen's Castle. I couldn't resist taking a peek. I think I may have found a way back to Henry." Emma's eyes widened. "How?"
"A magic mirror." His proud grin widened.
Emma's smile faltered. "A magic mirror? Really? Like in Snow White with the 'who's prettiest' competition?" Emma asked, pulling him into the cave and sitting him down near the fire. He laughed.
"I'm not certain what that means, but no. I knew a man named Jefferson who was fairly good at travelling between worlds. He told me that there were mirrors that were portals that could take you anywhere. He called it a Looking Glass. I know it can get us to your land, I'm just not entirely certain how to ensure our final destination."
"Oh! Alice in Wonderland! That must be it! The looking glass was a portal to Wonderland," Emma said, smiling again. She grabbed the water pouch from their small supply pile. "How do you know this will work? It'll get us to Storybrooke?" She ripped a section of her shirt off, wetting it a bit and pressing it to the gash on his forehead. He hissed at the pain, pulling away automatically before allowing her to clean the wound.
"From what I remember, Jefferson had said that it works in much the same way as his hat. You enter a room full of doors, and you find the right one. Shouldn't be too difficult." Emma smiled at him, a genuine smile, one he hadn't seen in weeks.
"I am sorry, sweetheart. For all this," Hook said, looking down. Emma pulled his face back up a bit more forcefully then strictly necessary. "Can you stop apologizing already? It wasn't even your fault that we got left behind. Cora fooled all of us. I'm just glad Snow and Mulan were able to follow her. Henry's not alone. I'm confident about that." She mopped up the blood dripping down his face. "Where else were you hurt?"
"I'll be fine, love. You don't need to-"
"Yes, I do. And I know that this can't be the only injury you got after fighting an ogre." She said, turning to the fire to stoke it for a second. The sun was up, but the chill was still hanging in the air.
Hook sighed, moving to pull up his vest with his hand. When he realized it hurt too much to move his arm, he relented.
"I think I've a few broken ribs, my arm has been pulled out of its socket, and I may have also sprained an ankle." He said, defeat evident in his voice. Emma smiled teasingly at him as she stopped the bleeding from the gash on his forehead before moving to unfasten his vest.
"So that's all I had to do to get you to undress me?" Hook asked, his flirtatious pirate smirk reappearing.
"I have to make sure these can heal on their own." Emma said, helping him sit up so she could take his vest and stereotypical pirate shirt off. His chest was painted with purple, black and blue splotches. She ran a hand over them, making sure nothing was too out of place.
"Aren't you still afraid that Henry will think he's been abandoned?" He asked.
"The way I see it now, he knows I love him, and he knows that if I could be with him, I would. I have no doubt that Mary Margaret and David explained that to him too." She said, still focusing on his ribs.
"When did you come to that conclusion? A day ago you were still beating yourself up over it."
She made eye contact for a moment before returning her focus to his chest. She was fairly certain they were all just fractured, but a second look couldn't hurt. "I've had a long day with only my thoughts as company," she said rather enigmatically. After she was satisfied that they'd heal eventually, she moved him to sit up again. "This is gonna hurt, but it'll help you in the long run," she said, grabbing his discarded shirt from the floor, " Put this in your mouth and bite down as hard as you can.". He complied, never taking his one good eye off her. She watched him for a second before suddenly pushing his shoulder into place. He let out a muffled cry, squeezing his eyes shut so hard a tear leaked from the corner. He let the shirt fall from his mouth a few moments later, after letting most of the pain subside. He tried taking deep breaths, but that just hurt more, broken ribs and all. Emma tied his scarf around his neck and put his arm in it, fashioning a sling. She smiled at him, finally making eye contact.
"What happened to the fearsome pirate?" She said jokingly, wiping the stray tear from his cheek.
"Did you have to make it so bloody painful?" He deadpanned, making her laugh. It was a beautiful sound, one that he hadn't much heard before.
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are, darling?" Hook said. She rolled her eyes a bit, moving to add a log to the fire. He stopped her, hooking her arm and pulling her back.
"Emma, I mean it. You're incredibly attractive, yes, but it's more than that. You're unlike any woman I've ever met, and you've intrigued me since the moment I first laid eyes on you." He sat up more, ignoring the pain. She stared at him for a moment, seemingly gauging how earnest he really was.
"It's been a long time since anyone has ever said anything like that." She said, so quietly it was almost a whisper. She looked back down, pretending to fix his sling. He leaned forward a bit more, lifting her chin back up with his hook.
"You deserve it."
Their faces were only inches apart, and Emma lost the ability to resist the feelings that had been nagging her since day one. She closed the gap between their lips, kissing him gently. She pulled away after a second, telling herself that she didn't want to risk making his injuries worse. But if she was honest with herself, it was because she was terrified. Terrified that, like Graham, she would start developing feelings for him and then lose him. Or, even worse, she'd fall on love and get burned, like she had with Neal.
"We've both had a long day, we should try and get some rest," she said, busying herself with grabbing the blanket. She helped him put the baggy pirate shirt back on before draping the blanket over him.
"Emma..." Hook started, trailing off when he caught the look in her eyes, "Where did you learn to do all this medical stuff?" He decided on, figuring pushing her to admit something right now would be fruitless. A relieved look passed through her eyes, confirming his suspicions. She curled up next to him, letting him put his hooked arm around her.
"I learned a lot of stuff from helping out in the infirmary when I was in jail. I was there every week anyway, for..." She trailed off, not sure how much she really wanted to share at the moment. Hook opened his mouth to ask about that, but he could tell it was a touchy subject, and he didn't want to scare her away.
"He tore Milah's heart out. Rumplestiltskin, I mean. She had been trying to protect me, and he killed her for it. She died in my arms."
Emma stayed silent for a long time, and Hook almost gave up, thinking that she had fallen asleep.
"I was pregnant with Henry when I was in prison. I was in the infirmary each week so they could check on him." Emma said. It was all she could really say. She'd become so used to having no one to rely on that even that much information was hard to share.
Hook pulled her a bit closer, silently acknowledging her story but knowing she wouldn't appreciate whatever he could think to say about it. They both stayed silent for a while, listening to the crackling fire.
"Tomorrow morning, we can finally get you back to Henry." Hook said, but by then Emma was already asleep.
Hook and Emma set off early the next morning, as soon as the sun peeked over the horizon. They needed as much daylight they could get, because with Hook in this condition, they moved slowly. Emma kept her hand on the small of Hook's back, supporting him. He wouldn't have ever admitted it, but every step was extremely excruciating. Emma could read it on his face. After a few hours, it was getting a bit hard to watch. Thankfully, they were able to reach the castle while it was still light out.
"Right through here," Hook said, indicating the door that led to the looking glass. "Ladies first."
Emma rolled her eyes, hiding a smile, before stepping through the threshold. "Holy crap, she horded almost as much stuff as the giant," Emma said, looking around the large room. It was full of antiques and other things that looked like they'd be extremely valuable to the right person. It wasn't all gold like the giant's lair was, but it was all very pricy.
"The looking glass is back there, love." Hook said, with barely a glance around. At the top of the beanstalk, he'd been more interested in the treasures in the giant's lair than the task at hand. What changed?
She followed him back to the covered mirror, and he uncovered it with a flourish. It looked like it was just a mirror.
"This is it? I don't know what I was expecting, but this isn't it."
"Trust me, darling. Touch the surface, you'll see."
She did as he said, just barely skimming the mirror. The glass rippled as if it had suddenly turned liquid, before stilling and turning back to glass.
"Whoa."
"Ready, Emma?" he asked, extending his hand. Emma examined it a moment before taking it. Hook grinned at her through the mirror before stepping forward, Emma following.
Next chapter will be up as soon as possible. Thank you for reading! Tell me what you thought!
