Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy! (Especially you Captain Fire fans)
~Mags
Chapter 22
"You've got nine-lives, you jerk," she said as she stepped into his arms.
He chuckled as he held on tightly to her…something he didn't think he would do again. It felt good to have her in his arms…it was as if no time had passed and they were both still young and in love and nothing else mattered. So why did it feel like something was missing? Why did he not feel that same rush of joy and love like he did all those years ago? Sure, they both had grown-up, both were different people…but at the end of the day he knew he still loved her. That would be enough…that had to be enough.
"No…just lucky," he finally said and then flickered his eyes up to the Jolly Roger to see Hook watching them from the bow. "Took you long enough to get down here."
"I know…I'm sorry." She slowly stepped back so she could look up at him. "I just couldn't believe you were there…I thought I was seeing a ghost…Killian finally snapped me out of it and practically pushed me off the ship."
His brows lifted. "Killian, is it?"
"What happened to you?" she asked ignoring him and then gave him a little nudge when she noticed he was staring at Hook. "Neal…what happened? Where did you go?"
"It's a long story," he said as he made he looked back at her. "But I ended up in the Enchanted Forest…your friends found me."
"Friends? You mean, Aurora and Mulan?"
"And Phillip."
"Phillip? Aurora's Phillip? I thought he…"
"They were able to save him after you and Mary Margaret left…anyway, once I was well enough, Mulan and I went out on our own to help me get back…I couldn't have done it without her."
Emma smiled. "Well…I'll have to thank her if I ever see her again."
"You can thank her now…she's here."
Emma's eyes widened. "What? Mulan? Here? In Storybrooke?"
"Yeah," he said softly with a smile. "She's here…she wanted to make sure I got here safely…and now that Aurora is with Phillip, she felt like I needed her help more…and she was right. I seriously don't know how I would have handled these last days without her…waiting for you guys to return has been agonizing, but she did her best to keep my mind off of it. She's in town now…letting people know you're back."
His eyes lit up a little whenever he said her name…he probably didn't even realize it, but it was a look he used to give her when they were together. She also recognized the look when he introduced her to Tamara…it made her realize that he truly did love Tamara. She had been okay with it…she wanted him to be happy. That changed of course when she realized that Tamara was lying to her and suspected she had been the one to kill August.
"You two must have gotten close."
"Yeah," he said with a smile and a shrug and then frowned. "Wait...why do you say that?"
"Call it a hunch," she said and then looked down at Henry. "Quite the welcome home present, huh, kid?"
"It's the best!" he said as he slid his arms around Neal's waist.
She smiled as she ran a hand over his hair. "Why don't you and Neal head back into town…I'll meet you at Granny's for a much needed cheeseburger and a chocolate shake."
"Actually," Neal said glancing over at the ship. "I'd like to talk to Hook…we're long overdue for a reunion and there are some things I need to say."
"Oh." She looked over back at the ship as well and saw that Killian was talking with Aidan, who had said something to make him chuckle and ruffle his hair. It was crazy, but…she didn't want to leave him. The thought of walking away…even for just a moment…was almost unbearable. It was stupid…he wasn't going anywhere, he promised her that he wouldn't leave and Neal was right…their reunion was long over due.
"Of course," she finally said as she turned back to Neal. "I understand…I'll take Henry and we'll see you there?"
"I won't be far behind…and if you see Mulan will you let her know where I am?"
"Of course," she said with a smile as she placed a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Let's go, kid…I'm starved."
"Don't be long, okay?" Henry asked as they started to walk away.
"I won't," he assured him and then watched them walk away with their arms around each other.
By the time he got the courage to make himself walk onto the ship that had once been his home so many years ago, he found Hook in the middle of a father/son like discussion with a curly headed boy. It was a discussion that every kid and parent went through…no matter what time or world you came from.
"But I'm not tiiiirrreeedd!" Aidan wined dragging out the word and then ended his protest with a very loud yawn.
"Lad, you're practically asleep on your feet," he said as he placed a hand on his head. "C'mon…you can sleep in my cabin."
He rubbed his tired eyes. "But I want to see Storybrooke."
"It's not going anywhere…we'll explore it together after you get some sleep."
He finally sighed as he dropped his shoulders in defeat. "Okay."
"That's a good lad…now let's…" He stopped suddenly when his eyes shifted over to see Baelfire standing on the platform by the edge of the ship. "Baelfire."
He nodded. "Hook…permission to come aboard?"
"Granted."
Neal jumped onto the deck and awkwardly shoved his hands in his pockets. "I thought we should talk."
"I suppose you're right…let me just put this bag of bones to bed and I'll be right up."
The boy chuckled as he followed Hook and then he reached up to grab onto his hook and when they got to the steps Hook lifted him up off his feet so he was swaying in the air. Neal could hear his delightful laughter as they disappeared below deck and the sight was almost painful. It reminded him of the times they had together before he found his mother's drawing.
Sometimes he wondered what would have happened if he never found it…would he have actually kept his word? Would they have become a family? Maybe…but there was no point in doing the whole "What might have been?" routine…the past was the past.
XXXX
Killian slowly closed the door to his cabin and then let out a long, sigh of relief. One would think putting a human being twice your size to bed would be an easy task, but it was quite the opposite. His little joyride he had given him on his hook seemed to have given him a second wind. He jumped on his bed like a monkey while laughing like a hyena and then to his amazement he did a front flip and landed on his bum.
"Bloody hell, what have I done?" he had whispered to himself as he rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
But after he playfully pinned him down on the bed with one hand and after he threw the covers over his head, hearing his muffled giggles had reminded him why he did what he did. The kid was a remarkable lad…and he deserved a life.
Another certain lad from his past was waiting for him upstairs and seeing that it was probably going to be an intense conversation, he stopped by his wet bar and grabbed a bottle of rum and two tumblers to go with it. Baelfire might not want a drink…but he was sure having one.
He was at the helm when he came back up, currently tracing his finger over the angry slashes he had made all those years ago. He knew Bae was aware that he was there so he stood quiet and gave him the time he needed.
"I noticed this when we sailed back from New York," he finally said as he shifted his eyes to Hook. "It threw me a little."
"I was angry…my emotions were heightened…and I regretted it the moment I did it." He took a step and held out one of the tumblers. "I think I'll have a drink...how bout you?"
Neal looked at it uneasy. "I still can't handle rum very well after one of your crew members snuck me a bottle." He took the tumbler anyway and gave a shrug. "But I guess I'll risk it."
Hook grinned as he yanked the cork out with his teeth and spit it out with a laugh. "Aye, I remember," he began as he poured him a small amount. "Sick as a dog…heaving over the side of my ship…face as green as a frog."
"Good times," he said while Hook poured his own shot before setting the bottle by the helm. "Did you ever find out who it was?"
"No," he said annoyingly before taking the first shot. "I still can't believe you wouldn't tell me."
"I didn't want him to get in trouble," Neal said and then took his own shot and then grimaced.
"What did you think I was going to do?" He topped off him off. "Make him walk the bloody plank?"
"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "Maybe."
He snorted a laugh before taking another shot. "It was Smee, wasn't it?"
Neal hesitated a moment before finally grinning which caused Hook to curse out laugh. "I bloody knew it…he was always such an idiot."
The shared a quick laugh and when Hook offered him some more he waved it off. "Better not…I don't want to repeat history."
Killian gave him a nod and set his own glass aside. "Yeah…that would be embarrassing for us both."
"I regretted leaving you."
It came out of Neal's mouth so suddenly that it surprised them both. Hook said nothing as he shifted his eyes to Neal's and waited for him to continue.
"Almost immediately," he continued as he gave a little shrug. "I'm not saying I would have trusted you…but you would definitely have treated me better than Pan and his minions did."
Hook's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did they hurt you?"
"Some," he admitted. "But I got out…I survived."
"I'm sorry, Bae."
"Don't be," he said roughly. "I certainly don't want your pity."
"It's not bloody pity, you idiot," he shot back. "I never forgot about you, Bae…even during the darkest parts of my life, you were still there in the back of my mind. You might not have believed it then and you might not believe it now...but I did care about you…and I haven't cared about anyone else until…"
Neal's brows lifted when he suddenly cut off his words. "Oh, don't stop now, Hook…say it…untiiiilll…"
Killian sighed as he made himself look at him. "Emma."
He knew it was coming but hearing him say it out loud was like getting sucker punched in the gut over and over again. "You have feelings for her."
"How can one not have feelings for her?"
"Damn it, Hook…she's the mother of my child."
"I'm well aware of that, Baelfire…but it doesn't change how I feel."
"I love her."
"I know you do…and she loves you, too."
"And yet you're still going to take her from me? Like you took my mother from me?"
"I never forced your mother to do anything she didn't want to do," he explained as he tried to keep his voice calm and rational but it was getting more and more difficult. "She didn't love your father…she chose to be with me and I didn't stop her. I tried convincing her to go back for you, but she always had an excuse…I then began to realize that even though she did love you, she wasn't cut out to be a mother. She wasn't the kind of mother that Emma is to Henry…a mother that would do anything for her son no matter what. I was too selfishly in love with her to care."
He paused a moment as he looked back over towards the town. "As for Emma…if she loves you and wants to be with you, Bae…I won't stand in the way…if that's what she truly wants…but until she makes that decision I'm not going to turn her away, do you understand?"
He didn't know what to say…he was stunned at what he was hearing. He wanted to be angry at him…to shout and rage at him for even thinking about taking Emma from him. But he couldn't…his voice was so calm as he explained his intentions…explained that he wouldn't take Emma from him if he was the one she truly wanted. He was laying everything out on the table…no lies…no games…nothing but the truth. He had changed so much since he last saw him and the hell of it was, he knew exactly who responsible for that change. Emma.
"Fair enough," he finally said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But you should know that Emma and I have a history…a history you or anyone can't compete with. She was my first love, Hook…and she's going to be my last."
He swept passed him before Hook could say another word and started to make his way off the ship. He wanted to have the last word…to throw down the gauntlet so to speak and by god, he was going to win…he wouldn't lose Emma…not to him, not to anyone.
He was heading off towards town when Hook said his name causing him to stop in his tracks. He wanted to keep going but couldn't help but turn around and saw him on the bow of the ship looking down at him. "What?"
"You loved Tamara, did you not?"
"Excuse me?"
"Before you discovered her true colors," he explained as he cocked his head to the side. "You were engaged to her after all."
Neal sighed. "Yes…I loved her, but…"
"And if she turned out to be the woman you thought she was," he continued before he could retort. "If she was really the woman she claimed to be when you first met her…would you still be engaged to her?"
Neal knew what he was doing…he was throwing his own gauntlet down and it was strong and powerful. "I don't know," he finally answered.
Hook's mouth tilted up in a grin as he chuckled softly. "Yes, you do," he said before turning away.
He didn't know how long he stood there…speechless…before he finally headed back to town.
He had a lot to think about.
