A dark green almost black rum bottle with a long neck and spherical bottom wobble upon the desk of Captain Hook as a stream of yellow smoke travelled inside. A cork floated up into the air and fixed itself firmly into the top, sealing it.

Hook and Rumplestiltskin just stared at one another. The crew of the Jolly Roger were all awake now and were looking at the scene with confused looks upon their faces. Hook opened his mouth and then closed it again, regret and shame engulfed him. "Well, that was something else," stated Rumplestitskin. The man covered in scales' eyes were wide and his face contemplating. He looked down at his left hand on the floor and waved his right hand. His left hand did not return to him. "I guess we understand one another now pirate. I know all your sufferings and have felt them all, I don't doubt they shall plague me as my own sufferings do. You now know I have suffered just as much as you. You got your wish dearie. Now there's a genie up for grabs."

"Don't you touch her," Hook said through gritted teeth,

"You chose revenge and the consequences of that decision. Which I believe are not what you wanted at all. I believe this feud between us is over now. Neither of us want to kill the other because we know death would be a sweet escape from our suffering." Rumplestiltskin knew that with time he would be able to work some magic around the genie's wish and he would be free of Hook's suffering. But the prospect of a genie that would grant his wish. Well, that was far too enticing to miss. He could use a wish to undo Hook's wish and could get his son back. "Goodbye, I have a genie to find," he said with a wave.

Hook looked at his crew. He needed to get back to his ship. He needed to get to Emma. He needed to apologise. He needed to make up for his mistake. He had to protect her from a new master and being lost to him forever. "We're going back to the Jolly," he told his men. "Now!"

Emma sat on the edge of her bed massaging the back of her sore thigh. She felt hollow. She knew she was back on Hook's ship but he couldn't summon her again, or open her bottle, he had already had his wishes, he couldn't get another three. So what was to become of her? She sighed and flumped back on her bed. She was so angry at herself for letting him in. So bloody angry. She should never had trusted him. Should never have put her hope in him. She had known she shouldn't, but she couldn't help herself. "Why are you so stupid Emma?" she asked herself. Her hand fell over her chest. Over her heart. In that moment when her heart was in his hand she would have gladly told him he could have it. That he could have her heart. Now. She knew she would never give her heart to anyone. She would keep it surrounded by an impenetrable walls. She fell asleep falling into a dream of her building a wall brick by brick, but Hook kept on knocking it down so she had to keep on rebuilding it. Brick by brick.

It was late. The stars were hiding behind clouds threatening to pour and let a storm free. Killian's face was furrowed as he walked up to his ship the men he had left guarding the ship were all in a circle surrounding someone. "It's my turn!" he heard someone shout. From the ship then a whole chorus of shouting ensued. "Quiet!" he shouted himself when he walked upon his vessel. Smee next to him holding a torch whose orange flame lit up the night. The men aboard the ship parted to show two men fighting over a bottle of rum. Killian rolled his eyes at them a voice at the back of his head saying bad form. That voice, his voice from long ago, strange how he would hear it again now. The two men squabbling stopped but their grips still tight on the bottle turned their heads to look at their Captain. "Get up," he ordered them. They did but they still kept hold of the bottle. Then he recognised it. It wasn't just a rum bottle, it was Emma's bottle. "Give it here," he grumbled. They reluctantly handed it over. "Have you all be enjoying your share of wishes? By the reduced number of my men I would say yes. Hoist down the sail, and make course to the sea, get as far out as possible,"

"Couldn't we rest Captain?" Smee asked. His voice no longer sounded apprehensive he stood straighter, he didn't stumble over his words. A wasted wish, thought Hook. "No you can't. I give the orders. We set sail, now! Get to it!" The men suddenly became a flurry of activity. "Moore on the wheel. Smee in my cabin," he told the men. Smee quickly hurried off the helm and followed Hook his quarters carrying the torch with him. "Light my lamps," he told Smee as he sat down on his desk. He placed Emma's bottle down and caressed the bottle lightly.

He waited until his cabin was lit in an orange and yellow glow before he directed Smee to sit before him. "I have a proposition for you Mr Smee,"

"Yes Captain?"

"I need you to get the genie out of her bottle for me,"

"Then won't I get three wishes,"

"Yes, Mr Smee," sighed Hook as he rubbed his temples, "You'll get three wishes, although you did get one of mine. But I shall tell you when you can make your wishes. I just need her out of her bottle."

"Why?"

"That's my business Mr Smee and if you intrude into my business again. I shall not hesitate in killing you. You are lucky that I have let you live this long,"

"Yes Captain," he nodded. Hook gently pushed the bottle across the table towards Smee. The man gripped the neck of the bottle with his left hand and with his right he yanked out the cork.

The familiar yellow smoke filled Hook's cabin. "Oh master mine your will is thine, tell me your wishes three," spoke Emma. Hook noticed the tousled look, the way her hair was slightly bigger and messier than usual and how she looked highly disgruntled. She had obviously felt the tousle over her bottle. Her eyes landed on Smee then slowly travelled to Hook. "You may leave now Smee," Hook told him,

"But my,"

"In all good time. Know that if you make a wish without my permission I will not hesitate in making you walk the plank,"

"Aye Captain," Smee got up to leave his eyes lingering on Emma as he left.

Once the door closed behind him both their eyes turned to each other then looked away embarrassed by the synchronisation. "Take a seat lass," he told Emma. She stayed standing. "Right…Look love, I don't do this often. But I want to apologise,"

"What for?" she asked finally turning back to look at him. Automatically the wall around her heart was begging to be blown up by him.

"I should have used my last wish on you. I was selfish and driven by revenge. You reminded me that I could be a part of something, care for another. You gave me hope. You showed a villain kindness. You never looked at me like I was a villain,"

"That's because you're not. You are many things, but not a villain," she muttered truthfully.

"I regret my decision wholeheartedly. I should have wished you free,"

"You can't just wish a genie free. Someone has to take their place. Why would you want me free anyway?"

"Because you deserve it, and I…"

"And you what?"

"You showed me that could care for another. That I do care for another. I was just too blinded by revenge to see it. Until now." He never took his eyes off her as he spoke, he wanted her to see that he wasn't lying. "I will get you free, even if I have to take your place. Then I would be happy to have you as my mistress and I would happily grant you your wishes."

Emma was lost for words. She didn't understand. "Our kissed it exposed something. It" Killian began, filling the silence where her response should have been.

"Was just a kiss," Emma interrupted.

"No. It wasn't and you know that. You are afraid to open yourself to me and trust me again. I know I let you down Emma,

"You don't owe me anything Hook! How could you let me down, when we don't owe each other anything and mean nothing to one another?"

"That's the thing Emma, you don't mean nothing to me. You are my savior and you gave me hope. You gave the first glimmer of hope after 300 years. I will get you free."

"I…" Emma shook her head. "Don't wish yourself in my place. I wouldn't want anyone to live this way. Promise me, you won't swap places with me." Her green eyes pleaded with him and he nodded slowly. "Aye, I promise. You know by the sounds of things you care for me too."

"Shut up,"

"That wasn't a no,"

"It wasn't a yes either. Look whatever you think is going on. Yesterday, the kiss it was just. You'd saved my life and I was feeling good because you know I was alive. That was why I kissed you."

"Then perhaps when I free you we shall kiss again?"

"You wish?"

"Yes, I do." Emma looked at him. He wasn't lying.