A/N: Howdy team!

Just saying, I feel like I've made Pan one twisted son-of-a-bitch. But this is the end of his evilness. Redemption starts next chapter. (Took me long enough.) So warnings for a less than happy interlude between him and Ella.

Thank you for the reviews and follows and favourites! CaptainHart seems to be our ship of choice at the mo. You guys are the bombshiz!

Enjoy! xx

Nightmares

When Ella awoke the next morning, Killian had one arm slung lazily over her waist, his breath coming in light snores. Somehow, she must have rolled over in her sleep, because his breathing upon her face was what eventually woke her just after dawn.

His face was peaceful in his sleep, unburdened. And the shadows from the previous night were disappearing with each breath he took. As Ella breathed a small sigh of contentment, she realised it wouldn't last long without someone walking in on them, and tried to delicately move Hook's hand. But he simply pulled his arm into her and drew their bodies closer until they were almost chest to chest.

A low groan came from his lips as he murmured, "Mmm…Ella."

Her eyes widened in surprise. He seemed to be moving unconsciously, still asleep. Or at least, she thought he was asleep. She really hoped he was asleep. Because the way he just said her name was not a particularly welcoming one with their bodies so close together.

"Don't…" Killian's brow began to furrow as his voice changed, taking on a desperate urgency. "No. Please don't."

As his grip on her tightened further, Ella felt her body seizing up. She didn't want to imagine what he was dreaming about, but it had clearly turned into a nightmare rather quickly. Pulling her hand up from the bed, she began to wake him gently, rubbing her hands up and across his chest and shoulders, the only part of him that she could really reach.

"Hook," she was murmuring, trying to wake him from his terrors. But her touch only seemed to confuse him further, and he began to squirm. She felt the cool of his hook through the thin shirt that she was wearing and she really didn't want the tip of it anywhere near her.

"Hook," she said louder and more urgent. His grip on her was making it hard to get away, but his hook was obscenely close to her skin. "You need to wake up. Now!"

His body stilled as his eyes shot open, the blue clouded by the darkness of whatever he had just seen. Killian was breathing heavily, like he'd just run a marathon. But once he realised he was back in reality, he withdrew his grasp on her like he'd been burned.

"Oh God, Hart," he saw where his hook was and his eyes widened further. "Did I hurt-"

"No," she said quickly, finally free to sit up. "You were just having a bad dream."

Killian took a moment to regain control of his breath, looking up at the ceiling as he ran his hand through his hair. Ella watched him regain control of himself curiously. He was the most vulnerable she'd ever seen him and she couldn't tear her eyes away.

He must have sensed her gaze because he turned his eyes up to her and muttered, "I'm sorry."

"What was it about?"

Ella let the words slip out before she could stop herself. She knew it was completely uncalled for and incredibly rude. But, Hook still seemed to feel a need to apologise to her.

"You were…"

So he had been dreaming about her.

But Killian trailed off before Ella got up off the bed. If it was as bad as the other night's dream…maybe she didn't want to know. But glancing back at him, she saw that the crease had returned to his forehead.

Leaving him alone with his thoughts didn't seem like a fantastic idea, but the pirate wasn't going to talk. So Ella grabbed a plain brown dress out of Tink's bag before heading out into the town with Wendy and Tink, re-discovering Shayan's life, and meeting the baker's son that Tink had spent the last couple of nights with.

"She doesn't seem his type," Ella mused to no one in particular as the two of them flirted over the counter when they stopped by in the late afternoon. The boy was the clean-cut wholesome type…which really was far from Hook.

"I think its romantic," Wendy said, smiling innocently. Ella looked at the child incredulously before walking out of the shop. She hadn't realised exactly how late it was until she looked out over the horizon and saw the telltale signs of a pink dusk. Watching the sun set as she leaned against one of the boatsheds, she didn't hear Pan approach. But there was only one person who would stand that close to her, breathing down her neck with the familiar scent of Neverland still somehow attached to his skin.

"All alone out here E?"

"I don't want to speak to you Pan."

"Oh?"

He stood in front of her, blocking her view of the ocean. When she tried to sidestep him, he followed each step and eventually, she grew tired of his childish games and folded her arms, glaring at him in annoyance. He didn't seem to particularly care, taking a step forward and her, a step back, until he had her backed against the wall.

"What are you-"

Pan brought her lips up to meet his, and she sank into the familiarity of it. The texture of his lips, the exploration of his tongue, the passion of his body as he pulled her closer, one hand wrapped around her neck, the other at her waist, kneading at her skin through her dress.

But as his kisses grew more urgent, following her skin downwards towards the swell of her breasts where he lay harsher pressure on her skin, Ella began to come back to her senses. Her hands pushed Pan away feebly at first, but when he continued assaulting her skin, she pushed him away once more. He looked up at her then, something darker than lust in his eyes, and she wiggled her way out from between him and the wall.

But before she could get very far, Pan had her by the arm and was pulling her back towards him. His grip was firmer this time, ensuring that she wouldn't break away so easily. He pushed her back to the wall roughly.

"What are you doing Pan?" Ella sounded almost frightened and Pan cocked his head, examining her trembling lip with curiosity before taking it with his teeth and nipping it lightly. He returned to kissing her, urgently, as though he was desperate for her to return his need. His hands began to roam lower and Ella seriously considered just giving up. Just like she had all those years ago.

And Pan sensed it within her.

He didn't like the idea of love. It was nagging at him to stop what he was doing; to let go of Ella because it wasn't what he wanted. And the burning that she ignited in him…it was…

She was struggling under him, wriggling as she tried to break away from his lips to scream. But his hand covered her mouth; stifling her moans.

"You scream and the entire town will find out the whore that their soldier became."

Zhanshi Mei. Pan's whore.

And just as tears began to seep from her eyes, her body lifeless in Pan's hold, she felt him being torn from her. She searched for her saviour, looking through her tears, only to find that Pan was on the ground, bruised and beaten, blood spurting from his nose…

"No!" Ella cried out when she finally realised what was happening.

Killian Jones had murder in his eyes as he stood over Pan, sword at the boy's throat.

Pan was leaning up on his elbows, looking up at Hook as though he was unsure of himself. He glanced back over at Ella for a moment before his eyes found the ground. He wasn't looking at her; he was ashamed.

And that's what Ella told herself she was stopping Hook for. Because Pan did have a heart; that's why she was stopping him. It was easier than trying to understand exactly what it was that still connected her to Pan deep within herself.

"Killian, please. Not again."

And as he glanced up at Ella, it was with a shared knowledge of the last time he had killed someone. How long he had spent regretting his moment of anger…

He didn't look back at Pan as he sheathed his sword, but merely stepped over the boy's slumped body and began to walk away, Ella hot on his heels. Killian's face was hard and unfeeling, but Ella could see the anger he was withholding from her, just as she was trying to stop the onset of shock by keeping on the move.

They walked silently across the docks, directly towards the Jolly Roger. Ella didn't miss Hook's constant placement of his hand on his sword, his eyes darting from side to side as he moved. But Ella knew his protectiveness was short lived. The moment they entered his cabin, the door slammed shut.

"What the hell were you doing soldier!" Killian almost yelled angrily. "I've seen you in action; you could've taken him down easily! Did you want him to take you unwillingly? Because you did all you could to get away from him two days ago."

Hook turned around from his rant to find Ella crying silently against the door, her knees tucked up underneath her chin as she fought back loud sobs. He immediately regretted his temper and rushed to stand before her, helping her to her feet as she finally let a sob rip through her.

His anger dissipated, and he took her in his arms, wrapping his warmth around her shivering body as she muffled her crying in his coat. Ella clutched at Hook with all she had, feeling him apologise through the comforting embrace.

"It's been seven years since he…" Ella bowed her head once more. It had been seven years since he last forced himself on her. After that, Ella stopped resisting, and he in turn, had stopped trying to take her unwillingly. In the end her body betrayed her, bending to his wishes, and becoming the true slave that he wanted.

"I'm so sorry Hart," Hook murmured, placing his chin on top of her head. Ella felt him around her on all sides. But as she cried, she realised she wasn't the only one who was shaking.

"Why are you…" She almost asked him why he was shaking but then she realised that if he wasn't going to tell her about his nightmare, he was highly unlikely to let her in on his feelings. And that was what led her to her conclusion that the two were one and the same.

"It was your nightmare," she breathed, pulling away and struggling to wipe away her tears. "The one this morning. You dreamed…" She didn't want to say it aloud, but Hook's pained expression gave it away. Whether it was a fear or precognition, it was clear that Hook was blaming himself for what Pan had just almost done.

"Hey," she said softly, pulling her hand up to his face. He was trying to keep his face from falling, but he couldn't. It seemed strange, that they should be comforting each other, but in that moment, Ella wasn't thinking of comfort. In fact, for the first time in her life, she felt like she was being selfish as she looked up into the depths of Killian's eyes.

Running her thumb along his cheek gently, she felt his breath catch as he muttered warningly, "Hart-"

But Ella cut him off with her lips.

Leaning upwards, she kissed him gently. It was the most simple kiss she'd ever given anyone. When she broke away after the short connection, she saw Killian's eyes widen as his hand came up to trace the lingering taste of her on his lips…

His hand wound around her neck, giving himself a hold as he brought their lips together once more. It was still gentle, but there was something else within Hook's returning kiss. It was something foreign to Ella, something she didn't know how to label. All she knew was that she wanted what he could give; the feel of his hands running from her neck down her spine, the taste of his lips as she ran her tongue along his, asking permission to enter.

It never came. Instead, Hook broke away, breathing heavily as he watched her reaction. Ella's brow furrowed in confusion. She was sure he'd made moves on her before; he'd been waiting for her…

So what the fuck was he waiting for now?

"You don't…want me?" Her insecurities set back in again; her fear that Pan had ruined her taking hold of her once more.

"You have no idea, love," Hook answered earnestly, taking the hand that had been on her waist and clutching at her hand. "God, you have no idea how much I want you." He looked at her with such honesty and openness that she found herself lost in them, just like she'd been worried about being last night. But now, she actually wanted to be lost in them.

"But why…" She trailed off as Killian ran his hand up her arm. Ella knew she should have flinched away…that his touch should remind her of Pan's…

But it didn't. This was Killian. He'd held her at her weakest; waited for her to choose the moment…

"I made a promise not to hurt you Hart."

Ella brought her hands to Killian's chest, pushing them up and around his neck as his came to lie on her waist. "This was not your fault."

But he still didn't believe her.

"You have worry lines Captain."

Killian's frown furthered, but Ella leant upwards to bring her lips to his once more and he kissed her back slowly, cautiously. She trailed them upwards then, kissing lightly along his cheek and past his temple to where she placed two final kisses on his forehead, standing on tiptoe to reach.

When she pulled away, he was looking at her almost peacefully.

"There you go Killian," Ella gave him a small smile, her purple eyes shining. "You worry too much."

"You don't worry enough Soldier," Hook answered, looking at her with a small exhalation of air, knowing that she would never change. She thought she could take care of herself. It had lasted her twelve years hadn't it?

But as Ella pulled away from him, she moved to go and get changed once more.

"Did you want me to sleep outside?"

Hook's question seemed strange to her, but he was being completely serious. Apparently self-loathing was going around tonight.

"Get in the bed Hook," Ella replied heftily, as she threw on his shirt over her corset once more before pulling it off and pushing off her boots. By the time she turned to the bed, Hook was already sitting there, his face looking downcast as he sat up against the pillows.

Settling in beside him, he turned onto his side, away from her, and reached to blow out the candle.

"Hold me?" she asked, expecting him to refuse. But he didn't. Silently, he turned over and reached for her to cuddle into him. Tucked into his embrace, she nuzzled into his chest, his hand and hook somehow comforting on her lower back.

"You're safe now, love," he murmured as she breathed into his shirt calmly drifting off to sleep.

And not too far away, Pan sat on the roof of a shed, watching the town fall into sleep. He feared sleep and the nightmares it would bring. Nightmares of who he was and what he'd done; the price of a conscience…the price of love.

He sunk into the shadows…and the youthful boy who never apologised –

Well, he cried.