Specials thanks to my beta amazing Rapunzel215!

Chapter 6

Emma sighed deeply as she played with a twig and leaned against a log across from Mary Margaret's sleeping form. It hadn't been long, a few minutes at most, since Mulan had dosed the dark haired woman with sleeping powder and gone off to patrol the perimeter. But even a few minutes was long enough for her subconscious to start pestering her about things she really didn't want to think about. Emma rolled her shoulder as she tried to stave off the inevitable and work out a kink in her neck from the night before. It was never more apparent to her, than it was now, that she was very much a spoiled child of the modern era. The other three, four if she was counting Hook, seemed to have no problems or side effects from sleeping on the cold hard ground. Even Aurora seemed to adapt well enough to the concept, but not her, she definitely couldn't handle it. Even having slept in a car for long stretches of time hadn't prepared her for this life; because at least car seats had cushioning. Thankfully it seemed like she wouldn't have to spend another night away from her bed, and her shower, if this plan worked and Mary Margaret could talk to David.

Emma's fidgeting slowed as her mind finally came back to the thing she'd been avoiding for a while now and she looked up at her sleeping…mother. Emma took a deep breath as she allowed that thought to settle in her mind. This wasn't the first time she'd realized this fact but it was the first time, outside of a brief moment in what would have been her nursery, that she didn't run from it. This woman was her mother, not just her friend. She was her mother and her name was Snow White, not Mary Margaret.

Emma let the breath go, and centered her mind. She needed to stop running from this because it wasn't going to change. She'd been running for almost a week now and all it she was doing was hurting Snow, and herself if she was honest. No one in her life had ever loved her the way Snow did; so unconditionally and so fiercely. It was new and it was terrifying because love had only ever hurt her. She was afraid that once she let Snow in she'd disappear on her and then she'd be left to pick up the pieces. But that mindset was ridiculous now, given everything they'd gone through, and she need to stop thinking that way. She didn't want to lose anymore time because she was too afraid to open up.

She also had to come to terms with this before they got home because she knew how Henry felt about this whole situation. She knew how much his grandparents meant to him, what it all meant to him, and if he saw her self-imposed distance it would hurt him. Then of course there was David, her father. Emma snorted and she snapped the twig in two before throwing it away; that was strange to think about. The David she knew was a far cry from the brave, selfless man she'd seen in her vision after touching the book. The one that had fought guards while holding her and almost died to make sure she made it to safety. It was just another thing she was going to have to get used to in this new life she found herself in.

Snow white is my mother. Snow White is my mother. Emma chanted quietly to herself pressing that fact upon her subconscious as she watched the other woman sleep. Finally a feeling of acceptance crept into her mind and a small smile curled her lips. She chuckled slightly as an old memory came back to her, she did have her mother's chin.

Absent mindedly she rubbed at her bracer which had started to itch as the day grew hotter and the skin under the leather became clammy. Heat and leather do not a comfortable combination make, and she pursed her lips as she glared petulantly at the offending item. That was another thing she might as well accept while she was in an agreeable frame of mind.

Hook was not as bad as she tried to make him out to be.

And here's the hard part, she thought to herself. He isn't…Neal.

Emma closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose as she focused on that fact. Hook, wasn't Neal and she need to stop comparing them because it wasn't fair to him. It was just that both men shared a lot of similarities. Those traits, and her strange need to trust him, woke old memories and feelings she'd tried so hard to bury, to forget. His very presence had ripped open wounds that had never healed and all the pain Neal had caused came back with a vengeance as they'd searched the giant's treasure room. He understood her, could see her, better than anyone she'd ever met and it was terrifying. So she'd done the only thing she could think of at the time, she'd run screaming behind her walls and completely shut him out. She'd wanted to trust him, she liked him, and that just wouldn't do because all she could see at the time was how alike they were. Looking back she now realized that leaving him behind had been more an act of emotional self preservation than anything else. She'd been saving herself, or at least that's what she'd continued to tell herself since that moment. But then he'd come back and everything he'd done and said since, his forgiveness for her betrayal, and his honest desire for her trust had created cracks in her walls she couldn't fix. There was steadfastness in him, a fighting spirit, that she couldn't ever remember having ever seen in Neal. Something told her that even if the chips were down Hook would never give up on something he wanted, no matter the personal sacrifice. He was the go down swinging type and honestly that was exactly the kind of person she needed on her side at the moment. Emma chuckled slightly and rubbed her forehead as the revelation hit her; the tricky bastard had already won. Her heart trusted him, and now her head was starting to fall into line; because even though he wasn't present to do it personally, he was currently proving to her that he was more than worthy of it.

She rubbed the bracer again; with it on, it was impossible for her not to trust him. Because, if he'd betrayed them, he would have used it. He would have incapacitated her at the camp or, at this point, told the 'zombies' where to find them. He knew where they were and that they weren't moving, the magic would have told him as much, and yet nothing had happened and no one was coming. On top of that she hadn't felt the same draining effects she had the night she tried to get away from him; which meant he was making sure the magic didn't affect her. Where ever he was, and whatever he was doing, he wasn't working against them. Her current theory, given their conversation the night before, was that he was taking advantage of the situation. Pretending to work with Cora just long enough for her to open the portal. It was a dangerous game he was playing and she wished he'd run it by her before running off half cocked. But sadly they were victims of circumstance and when they'd last spoken he trusted her with information just about as much as she trusted him. All she could do now was try to help by getting the weapon Gold said would stop her. Until then she had to…trust that he knew what he was doing and that he wouldn't get himself killed in the process.

0o000oo0oo0

Hook sighed in frustration as he felt the tell tale pull on his arm and raised it to his lips. Quietly, so as not to alert any of Cora's minions nearby, he muttered the correct incantation. Briefly the bracer glowed a pale gold before becoming dormant, the radius of the spell expanding yet again. The bloody things were becoming more of a hassle than they were worth at this point. But beggars couldn't be choosers and at least he knew where all the players on this chess board were, relatively speaking of course.

Using the damaged building to his advantage Hook slipped like a shadow into the village he'd lived in for several months under the guise of a blacksmith. He frowned disapprovingly at the desolate landscape that had once housed so many. A pirate he may be but even he wasn't as actively ruthless and destructive as Cora. Oh sure, he'd kill a man in self–defense or for a purpose such as his vengeance; but wanton murder for the sake of murder was not really his taste or his style. It rubbed him the wrong way and was the main reasons he'd decided to switch teams so to speak. Working for Emma and her party was simply safer, even if they weren't overly fond of him. Cora, on the other hand, tended to dispose of her assistants when she was done with them; a fate he had every intention of avoiding.

Finally he reached his destination and watched from the shadows as Cora stormed away from what he remembered to be villages holding cells. She looked put out and he felt a smirk curl his lips. He'd seen Cora's undead minions carrying the young princess through the forest on his journey here. While he may not have thought much of Flowers' physical capabilities, he had learned that she could be quite the spitfire when she wanted to be. Clearly if the witches expression was anything to go by, she'd learned that lesson personally. He just hoped Cora hadn't killed the girl in a fit of rage, because that would be a serious determinant to his plans

Hook waited a few more seconds to give Cora time to get out of eyesight before he quickly jogged over to the door and slipped inside. The fact that it wasn't locked put him on edge and he bit his lip when he turned to find the young woman sprawled out on the ground surrounded by food. He quickly crossed the room and knelt down to place his fingers on the side of her neck. Then he breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a steady pulse there. So Cora still needed her alive for something, though if her condition was anything to go by this girl would be dead once the witch had it.

Thankfully he had a plan that would solve both their problems.

Carefully, so he didn't wake or cut her with his hook, he picked her up and leaned her against the cells rock wall. The he hesitated as he placed his hook over where her heart resided. Killian closed his eyes as he tried to calm his racing heart and push down the bile in his throat as memories of Milah's death played on repeat behind his eyelid. He snarled in frustration and his eyes snapped open again. He didn't want to be doing this, he was willing to do most things without a thought in the name of his revenge but this struck far too close to home for him. Nevertheless it was necessary and if he thought about it logically, she benefited from this too. Cora would most definitely keep her alive far longer this way, then if she was simply a bargaining chip in a trade for the compass.

So, without giving himself anymore time to hesitate he allowed his hook to sink through her chest. The sight was eerie and not a little bit disturbing but he pushed the feelings away as he hooked her heart and pulled as gently as he could. He wanted to cause her the least amount of pain possible so that she didn't wake and realize what he'd done. Once he her now crystallized heart was free of her chest he hastily grabbed it and slipped it into the satchel across his chest.

"Wake up, wake up Sweetheart," he said as he shook her, and then looked back at the doorway to make sure Cora wasn't returning. "Sweetheart wake up!"

"Hook?" she muttered, her voice groggy and her eyes blinked rapidly as she sat up with a little help from him. She didn't seem frightened, only confused by his presence and it made him smirk. At least someone in Emma's company didn't immediately think the worst of him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to rescue you," he raised an eyebrow trying to make himself look as incredulous as possible and then he used his hook to break the manacle on her wrist. Once she was free he pulled her too her feet and smiled dashingly at her. "What else would I be doing?"

"Oh, well, thank you very much." She said and then seemed lost as to what she was supposed to do. Whether it was Cora's hit to the head or his taking of her heart he wasn't sure but either way her mind was clearly still foggy, and he almost sighed in frustration. Pretty she was, survivalist she was not, and she was definitely no Emma. Emma would have already stumbled out the door and been half way back to her group before he'd had a chance to say a word to her, concussion or no. This girl was still trying to figure out what she should do with the open cell door behind him.

"You're most welcome," he said and then he grabbed her shoulders and walked her toward the door. "Listen, I know you're still a little sleepy and stunned. But you need to go and get back to them before they do something stupid. Like give Cora the compass in exchange for you."

"They would never do that," she said, her tone telling him that she didn't believe a word of it. She obviously didn't know her worth to the warrior who'd made it very clear she'd protect this woman above all other concerns.

"Mulan would," he said simply as he shooed her out the door, then he paused and grabbed her arm as a thought occurred to him. "Princess, tell Emma…tell her… it will work."

"You're coming with me are you not? You can tell her yourself," she said, her face and eyes determined on this and this time he really did sigh.

"No, I have things I need to get done, things to undermine Cora," he said, throwing on a smile that he was sure had too much teeth and then he gestured again, "Now get on your way, before she returns."

Finally, with only one more look back at the doorway, Flowers fled from her prison and toward her friends. Killian chuckled slightly as he moved further into the darkness of the cave and bunked down to wait for Cora's return. He felt almost bad about using her and her trust this way, but really, what choice did he have? He, they, needed Cora's magic and this was the only way he could see to make that happen now. Anything less than this and the witch would never believe him, hell, even this plan was risky. There was every chance she would simply take the heart and kill him anyway. But it was a risk he was willing to take because the reward, should he succeed, was just too tempting to pass up. Let it never be said that Captain Hook passed up an opportunity for treasure because of the dangers involved in the getting.

0oo0o000o

"…I think he might care for you," she said her voice saccharine sweet and Hook, who had been fiddling with his hook and ignoring the conversation, suddenly became alert. His eyes snapped up to look at Cora, almost of their own accord, and he glared at her. She, on the other hand, continued to talk to the heart, though there was as smiled on her face that made his jaw clench. Just as quickly he smoothed out his features and threw up a quizzical eyebrow as he tried his best to suppress his very visceral reaction to her comment.

That had been a threat, she was threatening him. The witch was an excellent player, he'd give her that. She knew his past, and so she knew that threatening him was worthless. However, threatening a woman he was growing to care about - against his better judgment and almost against his will - was better than any death threat.

"Nice touch that," he said with as cavalier an air as he could manage, given that he was on his back foot so to speak. He had had no idea that a heart could be used in such a manner and this whole mess had never been his intention. He hadn't realized that Flowers would be under her control and now his message wasn't going to reach Emma. She'd thwarted his attempts, again, to gain the woman's trust and he could say he honestly hated her for it.

"But you know she won't trust you," she replied, almost reading his mind, and then turned to face him as she dropped her hand. Ah, so now she was taunting him; pouring salt in the wound she'd created. He smirked slightly to cover the grimace her words invoked. She was right; Emma definitely wouldn't trust him now. She'd never believe that he saved Flowers because of his feelings for her and she'd be suspicious that the girl thought such a thing. If she'd given Emma his initial message there was a chance but that was long gone now.

"She doesn't have to," he said pushing off the wall to stand before the woman. Two could play this game and he was as much a master as she was. "All she has to do is believe I was genuine in letting the girl go. Which she does now, you're welcome."

"Impressive, you took a heart," she said her voice simpering and he knew what she was getting at and the button that she was trying to push. He wouldn't let her.

"And you've a princess," he said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. His face was a perfect mask of calculating coldness and boredom. Though he was sure at least some of the hatred he felt for her leaked through, but resentment was expected from both of them given their last encounter. They worked together because of necessity, not because they liked each other. At least, that's what he wanted her to think and she seemed to buy his act.

"Indeed I do," she replied her eyes narrowed slightly and he had to suppress a cocky smile that he could feel trying to cross his lips. She was frustrated and unsure of him, he could tell. Perfect, that simply meant that everything was going according to plan.

"Now can we get on the business of going to Storybrooke?" he asked smiling brightly at her, like he didn't want rip her apart, slowly. "Together?"

She hesitated for a moment and then sighed as her lips quirked slightly as she caved in the face of his seemingly genuine allegiance. "Why not, I hate to travel alone. All we need is the compass."

"Which will soon be delivered," he responded with a shrug and then he turned away to walk out of the dark pit. His face contorted in anger and hatred now that she couldn't see it. He was going to make her pay dearly for turning Emma against him.

A/N: alright this chapter is a little shorter and a bit of an interlude. Basically, the calm before the storm, because My God next chapter is going to be a long one.