Wow, thanks so much for the support guys! I appreciate everyone who's now following my story or added it to their favorites! And a special thanks to those who took the time to review! Those mean the most to me because it's what gets me motivated to keep writing! Please send a review if you can, it would mean so much! Thanks guys!

Chapter 2

Regina stayed back when she saw Gold in the middle of the spell. She didn't dare interrupt. Magic was in the air. She could feel it. Gold was standing with his feet shoulder width apart with his eyes closed as he held the cane out in front of him.

Regina cocked her head as she studied him. It shouldn't be taking this long…he was doing something a bit more challenging…more difficult. She could tell by the strain in his face and sweat was now slowly dripping down the sides of his face.

Then he gasped as a fast shimmer shot out from his cane and spread like wildfire around the ship. Gold opened his eyes as he tried to catch his breath while he wiped his sweaty face with his handkerchief. "It's done," he said as Regina approached him.

"You did something else…something more than just a protection spell."

"That I did…thought I'd go a little further…added a little something to make our protection just that much better."

"Well…aren't you just the team player."

"Go team, go," Gold said dryly to her and then started to limp by.

"Aren't you going to tell me what you did?"

"You'll find out when everyone finds out, dearie…I don't like repeating myself."

"Wait." She grabbed his arm to stop him and walked around to face him. "Do you trust Hook?"

Gold snorted out a laugh. "Regina…the man spent over three hundred years planning my ultimate death…what the hell do you think?"

"I don't trust him either," she said as she glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was near. "I don't like the idea of everyone putting him in charge…I don't trust him with Henry's life at stake. You and I…we have to stick together."

"Oh, because we trust each other?" he asked sarcastically.

"Because we both only care about one thing…and that's Henry's safety. He is the only important person in my life, Gold, and I will get him back."

"I have no doubt you will, dearie."

"He's Bae's son…I know you're doing this for Bae, so that's why I can trust you."

"And what do you suppose we do, your Highness? Go off and plot some diabolical plan against them and go search for Henry on our own?"

"Of course not," she snapped. "We just need to stick together and keep an eye on Hook…he might think he wants to change, but in the end…he always looks out for himself."

Gold sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The queen always had a great skill of giving him one monster of a headache. "Honestly, Regina…I don't think we have to worry about Hook."

She gaped at him. "How can you say that? You just said you didn't trust him."

"And I don't!" he said in a harsh whisper. "But I do believe he's with us…I believe he'll do everything he can to help us get Henry back."

"Why?" she demanded. "How can you even possible believe that?"

"Open your eyes, dearie," he said as he leaned closer to her. "You'll eventually figure it out yourself."

Gold then limped away and Regina could only stare after him in annoyance. "I hate when he speaks in riddles," she muttered to herself and then followed him up to the high deck.

XXXX

Emma had been in Hook's private quarters before. During that short trip from New York to Storybrooke, Emma had managed to sneak away from the group to check it out. She had been curious at the time and wanted to see how he lived. As far as she was concerned, the best way to figure someone out was to explore their personal space…the room where they're most themselves and most relaxed.

She had learned a lot from the quick study of his cabin that day. He had shelves from the floor to the ceiling filled with memorabilia…tokens and trinkets of things he had collected over the years. He had books…a collection that Belle would probably faint over. She hadn't recognized most of the titles, they were old and delicate and not from her world. However, she had been pleasantly surprised to find a copy of Romeo and Juliet and had laughed breathlessly as she opened it. He had written notes in the margins…it completely baffled her. She had wanted to curl up in his chair and read his scribbles but Henry shouting for her had sent her away.

Now, she eyed his book collection and sauntered over to it while Hook was leaning over his desk drawing the map of Neverland with ink and quill. She skimmed the shelf, running her fingers along the rough textures of the spines as she went. When she saw the copy of Romeo and Juliet she slid it out and held it to her chest while she turned back to him.

His eyes were slightly squinted while he drew with his good hand. His black hair flopped over his forehead while he drew aggressive strokes and sometimes he would annoyingly bat it away with his hook before continuing on. He was rather handsome, she thought to herself as she leaned against the shelf. There was no denying that.

What was it about him that grabbed at her? That pleasing face? The quick, flash of his grin? Or those eyes…they were filled with such intensity when he stared at her. Such passion. She also could see the pain in them…what those eyes have witnessed it was any wonder he was still here…surviving.

The way he looked at her when she walked away from him on top of the beanstalk…that was something she'd never forget. His eyes ripped through her and every step she took away from him was more and more painful. She had cried while she climbed alone down that beanstalk…something she never admitted to anyone and never would. It had completely broken her…and she gave herself that time to weep, but made sure she had composed herself by the time she reached the bottom.

What would have happened if she did trust him that day? If they climbed back down that beanstalk together? He would have been with her to the end…she knew that now and it had been one of her greatest regrets. But regrets only made you weak so there was no point in thinking about it. He was here now and she was starting to trust him again…and that was enough for now.

"Just about done," he said as he stood back up and took a moment to rotate his stiff neck. "I tried to be as detailed as possible…I'm not too bad of an artist, but…you'll still have to use some of your imagination."

"How did you get this?"

"Hmm?" He quickly leaned back down to draw the small spring by the Lost One's territory and then looked over at her. "What?"

She walked over and leaned against his desk facing him. "This?" she asked holding up the book. "This is from my world…and it's extremely old. It's a first edition."

He took it from her and studied it and then smiled. "I forgot about this…I loved this story…pity about the end, though…I was really pulling for those two." He looked back at her. "So in love, so young…only to be taken away from them by death because of some family feud." He shook the book at her. "You and I? We know what that's like, don't we? To love so fiercely only to have it ripped away from us."

"Yes…we do."

He studied her a moment, tilting his head slightly as he tried to read her. "And now your thinking this has reminded me of my revenge and go up there and slay the crocodile."

"No," she said shaking her head. "I wasn't thinking that."

"Weren't you?"

"No…I'm just realizing more and more what you're giving up to help me…us," she corrected quickly.

"No…you had it right the first time, Emma…I wouldn't be here if not for you."

She didn't know how to respond to that…his words hit her straight in her gut and the way he was looking at her made her feel so exposed. She cleared her throat as she looked away and then gave the book he still held in his hands a tap. "You have notes in the margins," she said hoping to change the subject.

He lifted a single brow. "Quite the nosey one, aren't we?"

She shrugged. "I might have come across your cabin during the trip back to Storybrooke…it intrigued me. By the way….should I apologize for that?"

"You mean knocking me unconscious and abandoning me in the biggest village I've ever seen in my existence and then stealing my ship?"

She gave him a little wince. "Yeah…that."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "I think we're past apologies at this point, Swan…what's done is done. I take it Neal was the one at the helm for that trip?"

"Yeah…he did great."

"Of course he did, I'm the one who taught him."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Another story for another day," he said as he held up the book. "As for how I got this? It used to belong to a Lost Boy named Toodles…he brought it here to Neverland from your world. It was one of his happy thoughts. The other was his marbles…wouldn't part with those things."

"I know Toodles…is he still here in Neverland?"

"I can't say, Swan…if he is, I hope he's okay…he was a good lad. He gave me this when I said I was leaving."

She let out a soft laugh. "A Lost Boy friends with the Captain Hook…that wasn't quite the way our world told the story."

"They told it closer than you think…Toodles didn't know me as Hook, Emma." He handed her back the book and started to roll up the map. "I guess you should know that this isn't my second trip back to Neverland…it's my third."

"Your third?" she asked in confusion as she started to follow him out of the room. "I don't understand."

He started to open the door and then paused to look down at her. "I was just a young boy the first time I came to Neverland."

Her mouth dropped. "What? Wait…Hook…were you a Lost Boy?"

He flashed her a quick grin. "Yeah…something like that." He then tapped the book she still held with his hook. "Why don't you hold on to that, Swan? I've already read it enough to last a lifetime."

He left her standing there, clutching his book to her heart. He kept surprising her…and that was something not a lot of people could do. Why did she find that so damn appealing?