Here's another update! So glad I got one out before the holiday…I am going to be busy busy! Enjoy this one and please keep those reviews coming. I love them so much! To all my American readers, have a fun and safe Fourth of July! To everyone else…have a great rest of the week and weekend! Love to you all!
~Magarooski
Chapter 12
As the boat slid onto shore, Hook hurdled out of it, landing in a foot of water before pulling the boat securely on shore. The sun was rising so Neverland was just beginning to wake as birds called out and bugs chirped. The air was slightly cool so both Hook and Emma had put their coats on to fight the chill. Swords were at their waists, daggers strapped here and there in secretive places…and one single gun was tucked behind the small of Emma's back.
Hook had protested, told her it was stupid to bring it, but Emma insisted. "I feel better with it so it's going," she had said in the weapons room. "Better to go in loaded."
He rolled his eyes at David who had followed them down. "Are all women in your family this stubborn?"
David chuckled as he strapped on a sword. "Have you met my wife?"
Hook nodded. "Good point…just keep the safety on, sweetheart."
"I know how to handle a gun," she said and then cocked it before tucking it behind her. "Let's get going."
Hook looked over at David after she walked out. "I'm genuinely terrified of her sometimes."
David grinned. "You can't imagine how happy I am to hear you say that."
Fascinating family, he thought as he now held out his hand for the youngest and most fascinating of them all. "M'lady."
"Cut it out," she muttered but took the hand anyway and was about to jump into the water when Hook wrapped his other arm around her thighs and lifted her up. "What are you doing?" she gasped as she gripped his shoulders for balance.
"Wouldn't want you to get wet, princess," he teased as he looked up at her.
"You're being ridiculous," she said as he carried her out of the water.
"Really? I thought this was me being a gentleman."
She sighed. "Just put me down, Hook."
"As you wish."
He loosened his arm and she sucked in a breath when she slid down, but then tightened is arm again around her waist allowing them to be face-to-face…inches apart. They lingered there a moment, never breaking eye contact, before he slowly, slowly glided her down his body, inch by inch until finally her toes touched the ground.
He had bent his head slightly towards hers causing their lips to be only a hairsbreadth away…all she'd have to do is shift her own head slightly to the left and their lips would touch. It was tempting…far too tempting for her liking. "Hook?"
"Aye?" he said with a slight grin.
"What did I say about distractions?"
His grin widened. "That they could be quite fun?"
"Nooo," she said slowly as if she was talking to a two year old. "That was you."
"Was it?"
She lifted a hand from his shoulder, gripped his hair and slowly pulled his head away from her. "Aye."
He chuckled softly. "Very well," he said as he let her go and maneuvered out of her death grip. "Easy on the locks, love…at least until we're doing something more enjoyable…then feel to hold on as tight as you'd like."
She gave him a look and lifted the corner of her mouth up in a teasing smile. "In your dreams, Hook."
He lifted a hand to tease the ends of her hair…he loved how they curled possessively around his finger. "For now."
She couldn't stop the quiver in her belly…what kind of man could annoy her and seduce her at the same time? A dangerous one, she decided and quickly put up her wall by batting his hand away. "Let's get going…we're wasting time."
He lifted a brow at the harsh tone in her voice and knew she meant business. Fine by him, he thought as he took a step away from her. He could wait…and besides, finding Henry was the most important thing. "By all means…let me show you Neverland."
"Let's find Henry," she corrected and then glanced at the boat. "Will the boat be okay? Or should we hide it?"
"Ariel will keep an eye on it," Hook assured her. "If someone tries to take it…well, she'll take it back."
"No doubt she will," she said and then turned to head into jungle.
Hook caught up with her at the edge and grabbed her arm. "I don't think so, Swan…I go in first."
"Don't be ridiculous, Hook…now's not the time to be a gentlemen…I'm the better tracker."
"But I know this land…you don't…so I go first." He pulled her back a bit, more forcefully than he probably should have, but the woman grated on his nerves. "Just keep your eyes open and when your magical tracker power senses something, let me know."
"But…"
"No," he said firmly as he held up his hook. "I go in first, Swan…nonnegotiable so shut up and stay close behind me."
When he whirled around and headed into the jungle, she glared at his back as she followed him in. As much as she wanted to stay angry with him, she knew emotions…even angry ones…could distract her from missing something that could help. She took a moment to take her deep breath, tried not to think about Hook and how he made her feel and strictly focused on Henry…on what needed to be done.
Hook stopped when he realized she wasn't following him anymore and turned around to see her standing still with her eyes closed. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Shut up."
"Are you meditating?"
But she didn't answer, so Hook rolled his eyes as he tucked his thumb in his belt and watched. She was perfectly still, except for the slight movement of her chest when she took a breath. The air stirred slightly and it teased at her hair and tugged at her clothes. She rolled her shoulders…cocked her head to one side, and then the other and then wiggled her fingers. She should have looked ridiculous, but instead…she looked breathtakingly beautiful. She seemed to glow almost…he could have sworn he saw a golden light shimmer around her, but when he blinked the shimmer was gone.
He narrowed his eyes slightly as he continued to watch her…the air stirred again but this time more forcefully that it did more than tease her hair. She shimmered again, but this time Hook knew it wasn't the trick of the sun or his imagination…she truly glowed. "Bloody hell."
She opened her eyes then and then gave her shoulders another quick roll before nodding at Hook. "Okay…I'm ready."
"What the hell was that, Swan?"
"What?" she asked blinking at him. "It's just something I do to calm myself…make me more focus…just something I've always done before I go after someone."
"You just did magic."
"What?" she exclaimed with a snort. "No, I didn't."
"Emma." He walked over to her and placed his hand on her arm. "You glowed."
Her brows shot up. "I glowed?"
"Aye…you had this beautiful golden shimmer around you…it was breathtaking."
She let out a little chuckle. "You need to lay off the rum, Hook."
His grip on her tightened. "I know what I saw, Emma…you glowed…you stirred the air…I could feel it…this energy in the air that was coming from you. You know it's true," he continued when she shook her head in denial. "Has something like this happened before?"
"No…yes…maybe."
"Pick one."
"Yes," she answered truthfully. "A few times…I used magic to save Storybrook with Regina…used it to protect myself and my family against Regina and Cora…and then…"
"And then?" Hook prompted when she trailed off.
"When Cora tried to rip out my heart."
Hook's eyes narrowed as he took an urgent step towards her. "Cora tried to rip out your heart?" he asked as he lifted his hand from her shoulder to cup the side of her face.
"Yes," she whispered as she leaned back slightly to look up at him.
"When was this?"
She swallowed the huge lump in her throat and took a breath. "It was after our swordfight…she was reaching for my mom's heart and I…I jumped in front of her…to protect her."
"So she grabbed yours instead?"
Emma nodded. "She called me a fool…claimed that love was a weakness, but when she tried to pull it out of my chest…she couldn't…it felt like my chest was made of iron. I was then overwhelmed with this sense of love…for my mother, for father…for Henry…it was building and building inside of me and then…this flash of light exploded from me…knocked Cora right on her ass."
He smiled softly as he brushed his thumb over her cheek. "There's magic in you, Emma…you truly are the most fascinating of women."
"It scares me."
"I imagine it does…I've seen more magic than you can imagine during my years of existence, Emma…and mostly dark magic…I've seen men use magic for personal gain…selfishness or greed…but I've never witnessed good magic…the kind you have. The purest magic…magic that comes from love. It's truly remarkable, Emma…the gift you have."
His words were the exact words she needed to hear…they were a comfort to her…and she could feel the weight of that fear she had lift slightly from her heart. Not all of it…there will always be times she'll fear her magic and what it could do to her or the people she loved, but…he calmed her in a way that no one has been able to do. She felt almost stronger for it.
"Thank you," she said and because she needed it, stepped into his arms and wrapped her own around his waist.
Slightly amused he accepted the hug. "So…is this a distraction?"
She smiled into his chest. "No…this is a harmless hug between friends."
"Okay…good to know."
She lifted a brow when she felt his hand start to slide down her back further and further. "But that is," she said as she stepped away and shoved him slightly.
He laughed as he stumbled back. "Sorry…my one hand has a mind of it's own sometimes."
"Mmm-hmm."
He gave her a playful grin. "Are you ready to go find your son now? Or do you need more time with your magical meditation?"
"I'm ready," she said and squared her shoulders. "Now more than ever."
