OMG, guys! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your reviews and support! Means so much! Here's a nother chapter! Seriously though…don't get use to this fast updated…I will have times that I struggle or have writers block and go awhile without an update. I'm dedicated to this fic though…especially with all the support I've received so far! This chapter is ALL CS, so enjoy, enjoy and please, please review! It would mean the world!
~Magarooski
Chapter 4
"All right…since you're not quite ready to admit your true feelings…what did you want to talk about?"
"When we get to Pirate's Cove and you leave to find your secretive ally…I'm going with you."
His flirty smile dropped slowly as he looked down for a moment before finally turning away from her and looked out to sea. "There's that lack of trust you're so famous for…it's getting a little old, Emma."
"That's not it…it's not," she said again when he just gave her dry look. "Hook, listen to me." She placed a hand on his arm when he had looked away and didn't say anything until he finally looked back. "No one goes off alone…that's my one rule…whenever we have to leave this ship for any reason, no one does it alone. I don't care how we do it…two, two, two…three and three…four and two? I don't care…but no one…no one goes anywhere alone, okay? And I know you know this land like the back of your…"
"Please don't say hook," he interrupted with a sigh but when the corner of her mouth lifted in amusement, a quiet laugh escaped him. "Okay, Emma…you win…no one does anything alone and that includes you…that's my rule."
"Well, of course I wouldn't go off alone, I just said…"
"You said what I wanted to hear, but it doesn't make me believe you."
She propped her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. "Now who has trust issues?"
He shook his head. "It's not about trust, it's about knowing what goes on in that head of yours," he said as he lifted his hook and tapped the curve of it to her temple. She flinched and batted his hook away, but he ignored it and kept on going. "I know that you'll run off by yourself if the situation arises…especially if you think you're trying to protect us…and don't try to deny it…you know I'm right." He lifted his hand and gave her cheek a gentle tap. "Open book, remember?"
She jumped slightly at the contact and took a small step back in retreat. She started to deny it, but she knew it would just be a waste of time. Deep down, she knew he was right...It was exactly something she would do. "Okay, fine…maybe I would have…but I track people, Hook…it's what I did for a living before Henry found me down and dragged me to Storybrooke. It's what I'm good at."
"Oh, I reckon you're good at a lot of things, sweetheart…but my rule still stands and I will not let you come with me to find my ally if I don't have your word here and now that you won't go off alone…you don't know this land like I do so we're stronger together, Emma…you know we are…so, promise me."
Emma looked down at the hand he held out and then back at his eyes. They were filled with such determination and stubbornness, so she sighed in defeat and clasped her hands with his. "I promise…I won't go off on my own."
"And I promise the same," he said as he gently squeezed her hand.
She gave him a quick nod and tried to pull her hand away, but he just held it tighter and gave her a little tug. She stumbled into him and quickly put her other hand on his chest and looked up at him. "Just what do you think you're doing, Hook?" she asked in her best dry voice even though her heart was racing.
"Oh, I thought we could perhaps seal the deal another way, lovely," he said with a devilish grin. "C'mon…you know you're curious."
She sighed as she shook her head. "You're delusional," she said with a roll of her eyes and finally squirmed away from him. "Let's not forget why we're here, Hook…it's to find Henry."
He reached up to fiddle with the ends of her hair. "Doesn't mean we can't have fun along the way."
She shimmied her head out of reach and then pointed a firm finger at him. "Just keep your hand…and your hook, to yourself, buddy."
He lifted both as he gave a little mocking gasp. "As you wish, milady."
She just sighed as she turned forward to face the sea. "So…how long till we get to Pirate's Cove?"
"Not much longer," he said turning his attention back to the helm. "It's getting darker by the second…I imagine it'll be harder to see once we get there."
Emma looked up to see that the sun was gone and the stars were just starting to come out. "We can't wait till the sun comes back up to leave…we have to go as soon as possible…I know we have to take our time and plan, but I also feel like every second that passes…"
"Henry is in more danger," Hook finished for her and then nodded. "Aye…I understand. It'd prefer leaving at night anyway…let the darkness be our cover. The moon will help a little to guide my way, but I know these waters…I could sail them in pitch black."
"We also need weapons," Emma pointed out. "I take it you have some weapons stash somewhere."
He gave a slight nod. "Indeed I do…swords, daggers, a battle axe that just might have your name on it."
Emma's jaw dropped as she stared at him. "A battle axe? I've never used one in my life…of course, I never used a sword much either before Storybrooke, so I guess I could learn."
"I have no doubt…it's in your blood…your swordplay is well enough, but your form could use some work."
She lifted both brows. "Oh really? I'm sorry, but who was the one who flattened you on your ass."
"Oh, you did…but with your fist, lass…and sweetie, you pack quite a punch…your sword fighting though is a tad weak. I wasn't really giving it my all during our last encounter to tell you the truth…I never wanted to hurt you, Emma…if I did, I would have fought a lot differently."
She crossed her arms around her chest. "Why didn't you?"
"Want to hurt you?" he asked and then laughed. "Do you really have to ask that?"
"I hurt you…betrayed you…left you on that beanstalk."
"Don't remind me," he muttered. "I'll start to get pissed off at you and that won't help anything." When she remained silent he glanced over to see she was still looking at him…waiting for an actual answer. "I was hurt, you're right about that…but during that long climb down I began to understand why you did it. I was still angry with you, but I sympathized with you as well. I even almost gave you another chance when you pleaded with me through those bars…but then I remembered how I felt when you walked away from me and I just couldn't take a chance…I did the exact same thing you did to me on that beanstalk."
He felt the ship drifting so he took a moment to steer a few notches to port to get back on track. "When I saw you at the lake…when I realized you somehow got out of that cell…it amazed me, Emma." He looked over at her now. "I remember thinking, now there's a lass that fights for what she wants…there's someone who does everything in her power to do the right thing, to protect the people she loves. It amazed me…I never met anyone like you."
Including Milah, she thought as she stared into his eyes. He didn't say it, but they both thought it…and they both knew it. "I'm not that special, Hook…I just do what needs to be done."
"Aye…that you do." He then reached up and gave her chin a gentle little pinch. "So…to answer your question…that's why you need work on your sword fighting…but I think you'll do well with the axe…I could show you how to use it properly."
"Really?" she asked intrigued. "You know how to handle a battle axe?"
"How could that surprise you?" he asked with a grin. "Have you forgotten how long I've lived?"
"True," she admitted. "Maybe you could teach me…some day…but now I'll stick with the sword when we leave…we don't have time for a lesson."
"We won't need a sword or any kind of weapon when we leave," he said as he turned away from her again.
"What?" she asked genuinely shocked. "We have to protect ourselves when we are on that island, Hook."
He tilted his head toward her and raised a brow. "Who said we were going on land?" he asked and then gave her a slow grin.
"What? What does that…"
"There," he said suddenly as he pointed his finger to the south. "I see it."
"Really?" she asked suddenly as she leaned closer to him and looked towards the south. "Where? I don't see it."
"It's a dark shadow spearing out from the ocean," he said and then gripped her hip with his hand and pushed her slightly in front of him. "Follow my hand…do you see? It's just there in front of us."
She tried not to notice how close he was…especially when he bent his head down slightly to talk into her ear. His breath was warm and soft and she couldn't help the chills that spread through her body. She tried her best to ignore it as she concentrated on the dark sea ahead of her and just when she was about to give up…she saw it. "Oh! Yes…I see it! Neverland…I can't believe I'm in Neverland."
"Believe it, lass…why don't you head to the bow and join your parents…you can get a better look." He looked down at her when she cranked her neck to look up at him. "We'll leave as soon as we dock and get things settled."
Since words couldn't seem to process for her…she simply gave him a nod before walking away…although a part of her didn't want to leave him. What the hell was that all about? She shouldn't be feeling attached to him in that way…this was Hook…yes, she was beginning to trust him, but forming some kind of relationship with him? It was absurd….wasn't it?
She shook her head as she walked towards the bow where her parents stood huddled together. She wouldn't think about it…it wasn't the time to think about it. Henry was the priority…Henry was why she was here.
Besides…she couldn't possibly had feelings for him…that was ridiculous! She could be his friend…she didn't have a problem with that and anyone could see that he needed a friend. But that was it…that's where she drew the line…it didn't matter how attractive he was or how he made her feel when he was close to her…she wouldn't fall for it…for his trap.
She paused when she suddenly remembered the hard lines of his body pressed against her when he tugged her to him and couldn't help but shiver. "Dammit, " she cursed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "The man was trouble…so, so, much trouble."
She sighed as she put him out of his mind and then slowly made her way over to her parents. "You have a job to do, Swan," she said quietly to herself as she rolled her shoulders. "So get to it and keep the pirate at a safe distance."
