CHAPTER 9

MANIPULATE (verb) - Control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly or unscrupulously.

Hook clung to a tiny thread of consciousness by sheer bloody-minded will.

He felt as if he were drowning. Blackness surrounded him, pulling him under, sinking deeper and deeper into its enticing embrace as he struggled to breathe.

His body was weakening, finding it harder to resist the lure as each second passed, the pain in his lungs intensifying. Face contorting, he clawed uselessly at his throat, desperately trying to find any minute wisp of air that would help him survive just a little longer.

He heard a voice. Muffled as though he was listening to it through layers and layers of cotton wool but still easily recognisable nonetheless.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Dearie."

Rumplestiltskin.

Another voice, this time feminine, the Witch no doubt but he couldn't understand what she said. Everything was getting too dark and too quiet. A beautiful peace that beckoned him as his heart continued to slow, barely a beat now. His arm dropped to his side, the last of his energy ebbing away.

Long blonde hair and a shy smile over a hot chocolate filled his mind. The knowledge that he'd not see Emma again was almost as painful as his death was proving to be but he drew comfort from the fact that the Zelena had lost that particular battle. Emma still had her magic and she would eventually beat the damn Witch, of that he was certain.

As everything started to fade, he felt his body give an unexpected lurch and then the choking grip on his throat suddenly disappeared.

Without warning, the blackness surrounding him rapidly changed to a near blinding light. Down on his knees, he fell forward onto his face with a hoarse groan as the magic that had been propping him up abruptly ceased. Opening his mouth, he greedily gasped for much needed air then blinked rapidly against the brightness as he tried to open his eyes. His vision was blurry at first but slowly, everything around him started to come back into focus. Lungs expanding painfully at every inhalation then contracting agonisingly with each exhalation, it was with supreme effort that he raised his head a little and gazed up at Rumplestiltskin and Zelena who were standing nearby. Their faces swam hazily in front of him as he listened to what they said.

"I thought you of all people would be pleased to see the end of him," the Witch commented archly as she gestured towards the pirate at her feet.

"Oh, it doesn't matter to me what you do," the Dark One dismissed callously causing Hook to grit his teeth in anger. "But it'd be a shame to waste that curse of his after all the effort you put in to cast it…don't you think?"

Zelena appeared to contemplate that notion causing Hook's anger to increase.

"I suppose I could let him to live," she allowed albeit grudgingly, a smile suddenly blooming on her lips before she added, "Once Emma knows I've got her pirate she'll try and do what the Saviour supposedly does best."

"That's right, Dearie," Rumplestiltskin concurred almost gleefully, "She's impulsive so all you have to do is sit and wait."

"You bastard!" the pirate rasped, his voice hoarse from the pain still lingering in his throat.

Rumplestiltskin looked over at him with a frown then stepped forward and crouched down in front of the fallen man, blocking Zelena from view.

"I just make certain I'm on the winning side," the Dark One explained to him with a sneer in his voice. Quite unexpectedly, his expression didn't match his tone and he widened his eyes then slid his gaze to a spot on the floor to Hook's right for a moment before looking back at the man. He gave the pirate an almost imperceptible nod of the head then added harshly, "Miss Swan took Bae from me with her meddling. She will pay."

Hook blinked, his mouth compressing in effort not to speak his mind at Rumple's parting shot. The Dark One might have been trying to tell him something but the warning behind his accusation against Emma somehow rang true nonetheless.

Rumplestiltskin stood back up and turned to Zelena keeping the pirate behind him now. Hook slowly turned his head then felt his heart slam into his chest when he spied the Witch's necklace lying just out of reach by his side. He must have dropped it when Zelena had caught him and tried to magically throttle him. He'd been so close, so close to succeeding. The Witch had obviously meant to finish him and that was probably why she hadn't yet retrieved her jewel.

He glanced back up to the two villains and gritted his teeth as they calmly conversed over what way would work best to force Emma to kiss him in order to enact the curse.

Looking back at the gem he began to move his hand out towards it. Inch by agonising inch he moved closer trying not to make any noise that would bring the Witch's attention back to him before he had the chance to grab the necklace.

Rumple was doing a good job at keeping her occupied and despite his misgivings about him, the man seemingly hadn't turned traitor after all.

His fingers suddenly came into contact with the golden chain and after another cursory glance up, he walked his digits along the links in order to pull the pendant towards him.

It was slow and arduous, his breath catching with every little movement causing the ache in his lungs to continue long after it really should. Finally, his fingers knocked against the ornate pendant and with one more tug, his hand wrapped around the smooth gem. Briefly closing his eyes in silent triumph, he suddenly pushed himself back up onto his knees then brought his arm forward and down in a sweeping arc towards the ground.

It wasn't until his hand slammed hard flat upon the floor and the Witch began to laugh mockingly that he realised his fist was empty.

"Nooo!" he shouted in angry frustration as he sat back down on his heels and stared up at Zelena, hatred burning bright in his stormy blue eyes.

"Really Captain, if it wasn't for the curse, I really do wonder what use you are to anyone," the Witch proclaimed cruelly as she held up her necklace and dangled it in front of him.

Behind her he saw Rumple close his eyes and shake his head in disappointment that the pirate had failed despite his distraction ploy.

Hook desperately lunged for jewel then stilled and clutched at his throat as he felt the now familiar tightening once more. Eyes widening, he tried to speak as Zelena bent down until she was right in front of his contorted face. She studied him with a delighted little smile for a moment then he drew in a deep breath as the chokehold was suddenly released. He barely had time to take in more than a couple of much needed breaths before the squeezing came again, a little harder this time, a little longer.

Hook tried to stare at her in defiance, his gaze flicking once to Rumple who looked back at him with an expression akin to sympathy.

"He can't help you," she said with a shake of her head, drawing his gaze to hers, "And I'll deal with his little transgression all in good time."

Hook felt his stomach drop when he realised that she knew what Rumple had been up to all along.

It sank even further when her mouth then curled up into a wicked grin and she leaned forward causing a sliver of dread to wend its way up his spine as she whispered in his ear, "Until then, I can do this all night, Captain."

END CHAPTER 9