A/N: *bows head* sorry this took so long. My life got crazy unexpectedly and my beta and I have been really busy. Hopefully next chapter won't talk long, but I make not promises.
Beta: the lovely Rapunzel215
Chapter 9
"No," Emma breathed and pushed herself to her feet on shaky arms. It took her longer than it should have to get her footing in the sand, as she attempted reach the portal before it disappeared. The only coherent thought in her mind, as she walked drunkenly forward, was that she had to get home, to get back to her son and her family. She would have jumped through what remained of the whirlpool had two arms not wrapped themselves around her waist and hauled her back. In her current state they felt more like steel bands than arms and her weak struggles were futile against him. "Let me go!"
"Stop! Emma if you go now you won't reach Storybrooke!" Hook panted, as he held her back with little difficulty. "You'll end up somewhere else and I couldn't help you."
"I have to try," she said weakly, her dazed mind not comprehending his meaning. He grunted in frustration as she clawed at him, eyes firmly fixed ahead, but her already pathetic struggles were growing weaker as he pulled her further away. Finally she ceased, as the moving water slowed, and the realization that this path home was gone finally sank in, and her legs gave out, Killian's strength the only thing holding her upright.
"There's another way, love. I -" Emma never got to hear the rest of his statement because in that instant both of them were thrown violently apart again. Killian landed on a dune several feet away and Emma landed by the edge of the water. The second she hit the ground Emma's brain momentarily rattled and her world went black and silent as she succumbed to unconsciousness. Unaware of how long she had been out, when she finally awoke she instantly wished she hadn't. All she could do was stare wide-eyed up at Cora who stood over her, gazing out at the small pool beside her.
"Now look what you've done," Cora hissed as she glared at the mirror like surface, and her eyes slid to the woman at her feet. Emma shivered when she saw the anger, the bloodlust, in the older woman's gaze, and she could barely breathe past the terror that constricted her chest and clawed at her throat. The witch smiled, and she could see her death. Emma almost felt like crying, though she wouldn't give the bitch the satisfaction, as she watched Cora raise her hand before her. An unseen force overtook her body then and, like a puppet attached to strings, Emma was forcibly hauled into the air. She hung there, her feet dangling just off the ground, fighting against it with what little strength she had left.
"I may not be able to take your heart," Cora hissed, bringing Emma's face close to hers. "But there's more than one way to kill someone." Desperate for release, Emma's eyes searched frantically for Hook, her last hope, and located him a short distance away, watching them with an unreadable expression.
Cora smiled at Emma with sick glee as she very slowly closed the hand that she was using to hold her up into a fist. Emma began to struggle in earnest this time as survival instincts kicked in and phantom hands closed around her throat making it harder and harder to breathe. Emma's mind panicked as lights danced before her eyes and blackness crept across her vision. She was dying. The knowledge was terrifying and the hot tears finally leaked from her eyes. She had known this was going to happen; had seen it in the witch's eyes, but knowing it and experiencing it were two vastly different things. She was never going to see her son again, never see her family again. She was never going to grow old and find the person, if there was one, that she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. She was only twenty-eight. She had so much more life to live, but she was going to die here because she had made all the wrong choices when it came to Hook ... no, Killian. Killian Jones, a man she should have trusted and yet betrayed not once but twice. Now she was paying the price. The last thing she knew, as everything faded away, was the feeling of her body crumpling to the ground and her head striking the sand.
As she drifted in the darkness around her everything felt numb, disjointed, and surreal. In fact, the only things that felt real at all was the dull pain in her chest where her heart was and a sound like screaming that reverberated through and around her. It was strange, she knew she cared about both things, that both sensations were important to her, she cared about them, and they were her connections to reality. But she was too far away from the waking world to understand why. So she just drifted, waiting for the light people always said came when the end did. She wasn't sure how long she existed there, minutes, days, years, when suddenly, like someone was using a defibrillator, energy and life shot through her.
Her eyes snapped open with a gasp and she continued to breathe hard. Her head felt clearer now, though she was by no means completely healed if the aching of her body was anything to go by, and the dull pain in her heart was sharper. But as she moved to grip her chest she realized she couldn't move at all, "There we can't have you sleeping through your punishment now can we?"
Emma's head snapped to the right, without her willing it, and she realized why she couldn't move. Cora's spell was still active and she was still a puppet in a string. As she was forced to look her stomach dropped and she felt her still throbbing heart jump into her throat at the sight before her. Killian was no longer across the lake bottom from them. Instead he was on his knees before Cora and her hand was thrust through his chest. She could see the apology, as well as the pain, on his face as he looked at her and something in her broke.
She may not have seen it, but she knew from his eyes that he'd tried to save her and he'd failed. Now he was caught too. He was going to die and he was telling her sorry. He could have gotten away, he could have run and hid while Cora was dealing with her. There was no reason for him to save her, there was no bracer that tied them, no leverage or option he would lose by writing her off. But he hadn't, just as he hadn't let her jump through the portal. He'd hadn't left her, he'd tried to save her, and now he was apologizing because he'd failed. Emma wanted to move, she wanted to get up and help him, but she couldn't and her eyes shifted to the witch as she laughed at them.
"He thought he could save you my dear," she said, sounding almost bored before squeezing Hook's heart slightly, and he cried out as the dull pain in her chest became sharper. "Whatever did you do to gain such loyalty from a man like this?"
"She was the better choice you demented hag," Killian spat at her through clenched teeth and Emma would have raised her eyebrows if she could. Apparently he was going for broke and was dropping even the pretense of civility when it came to Cora.
"Oh Hook," she sneered, squeezing his heart even further and in response his back arched. She could see the veins in his neck as his face contorted in pure agony and an almost silent croaked scream left his mouth. "It's a pity you decided to start listen to your heart instead of your head. You were such a useful tool and I could have helped you so very much with your vengeance."
It was a testament to how much pain he was in that Killian didn't even respond to the indignity of being called a tool, and Emma had to wonder if he'd even heard the witch at all. Apparently Cora thought the same because she eased her grip and he gasped in relief. After a few seconds his eyes opened again and met hers with an emotion that she didn't understand before turning to Cora. The look he gave her should have burned her alive, though he said nothing, not that he needed to. Emma felt a shiver run through her at the expression and she swallowed hard in genuine fear of him. His expression was dark and it twisted his face in such a way that he appeared almost demonic as he snarled up at his captor like a wounded animal, before placing his hand on her arm, as if attempting to rip her hand out of his chest. The fact that he could only vaguely shove her seemed to only enrage him further.
"Oh look, it's the lovely set of bracelets you stole from me. Honestly I'm surprised you both kept them, especially after that moving display in the dungeon." Cora said as she grabbed his arm after watching his futile display of temper with some amusement. A wicked smile curled her lips and she eyed the leather, like an artist looking at a blank canvas. Emma looked on with dread as all of the anger bled out of Killian, and honest to goodness fear entered his eyes as they flickered from his bracer to her. His eyes widened further with both terror and confusion as he took note of the fact that yes, she was still wearing it, and his questioning gaze met hers. Why had she kept it? He'd let her go and she's had plenty of time to rip the damn thing off, so why hadn't she?
Emma didn't know how to answer him without giving away too much so she ignored the question entirely and instead looked back at Cora who had just started to chant in some strange language. She didn't understand the words being said, but she wasn't stupid, she didn't need to understand the language to know Cora was using magic. Powerful magic at that, if the way the words seemed to echo through and around her was any indication; and Emma felt a distinct and foreboding shift in the air as the witch finished. She wasn't sure what had happened, but whatever it was she knew it was bad for her, for both of them. All she could do was watch helplessly as his bracer glowed a dark purple, an almost blackish color, and from the warmth on her own skin she knew hers was the same. The strange warming sensation lasted only a moment before it was replaced by white hot pain that flew up her arm and both Emma and Killian cried out.
She clenched her fists at the sensation and the realizations that she could took a few seconds to come to the forefront of her mind. Quickly she tried to subtly shifted her body, to see how much control she had, and smiled; she was in full control of herself now. Apparently whatever Cora had done to the bracers required more magic than she possessed at the moment and she'd either taken the holding spell off or, more likely, been forced to let it go. Either way Emma was still too weak, after the beating she'd received today, to move overly much so she did her best not to bring attention to the fact that she could move at all. Best to wait for the best opportunity to attack. She was only going to get one shot at it.
"You didn't think I noticed what you did in the cell? You didn't think I realized what you had and hadn't used? Did you honestly think you could play both sides and come out on top Hook? You really thought you could beat me? How arrogant. Now you and your new-found heart will pay the price." Cora viciously squeezed the hand in his chest and Emma looked on horrified as Killian howled in pain again. Then something happened she hadn't expected, but probably should have, as the dull ache from before morphed into an intense, living thing, that radiated through her. She too screamed out and it was only through sheer determination and her self-preservation instinct that she was able to keep herself from moving overly much. It was like she was having her heart squeezed. It hadn't felt nearly this bad when the Cora had done it to her. Yes, it had hurt, but nothing like this. Whatever had repelled the older woman must have also protected her, Killian, it would seem, did not have that luxury.
Emma's eyes locked with his and in that moment they both understood what Cora had done. She hadn't just reactivated the bracers, she'd linked them together and changed them. She may not be able to rip out Emma's heart, but she could rip out his. She was planning on using the bracers to torture them both, two birds with one stone.
No, Emma thought as she watched him, trying to breathe through the pain, I won't let that happen.
She wasn't sure how magic worked, but, like a sixth sense, like some instinctive knowledge imbedded deep within her brought to bare by her desperation; she knew it was tied to her thoughts and emotions. So, gritting her teeth, she closed her eyes and tried to focus on the feeling from before; the one that had sent Cora flying away from her. The knowledge that love was strength and that she had magic in her, powerful magic. It took her a moment too long, and she winced as Killian screamed again, but finally a warm sort of light flowed through her. It was nothing like the maelstrom of power from moments ago but it was enough to push the magic induced pain away, and into nothing more than a dull ache. The knowledge that she wasn't actually the one being tortured also helped and she opened her eyes again to glare at Cora's back.
She had to fix this.
This whole mess was her fault. If she hadn't been so angry and hurt over what she thought Killian had done, if she'd just listened to him, and not been so damn scared to trust. If he'd been conscious and unharmed then they could have used the precious seconds Cora was stunned by her magic and gotten away scot free. But no, she had to get the last word, or rather, the last hit in and been forced to waste time trying to help him because of it. Pushing herself slowly into a sitting position she winced as another ripple of dull pain flowed through her and Killian's now hoarse screams filled the air. Thankfully Cora seemed so focused on causing Killian as much pain as possible that she didn't even notice the distinct lack of feminine screaming in the air.
Emma looked frantically around as Cora continued her torment, looking for anything that could be of use. That was when she saw it. It was a cliché, it was a classic, and she knew from personal experience it was effective. After a deep breath she grabbed a large rock near her and fought to her feet. Using the older woman's one track mind against her she carefully stepped forward, closing the few feet between them, and, with all the strength she could muster; sent the rock careening into the witches head.
It connected with her skull forcefully and Emma felt hot liquid splash across her hand as the witch flew away from Hook, her hand leaving his chest. Instantly Killian's eyes snapped open and he took several deep breaths as he stared up at her. She stood, suspended for a moment staring dumbly at his awed expression, before her legs gave way and she fell toward the hard ground; only to land on something far softer and far warmer. The scent of salt, leather, and his distinctly comforting scent invaded her senses and the last thing she saw before losing consciousness was the bright blue of his eyes staring down at her.
0oo0o0o0o
Killian's eyes snapped open as the pain suddenly disappeared and it took him a moment to figure out what had happened. But when he did, all he could do was stare at her and the rock she held with wonder. A quick glance at Cora revealed that she wouldn't be getting back up anytime soon and so he focused on something far more important. He wasn't naïve enough to think that the blow had killed her, without her heart it was virtually impossible to kill her, but the hit would keep her down for a time; hopefully long enough for them to get away.
"Emma, you-" he started but was stopped as the blonde in question lost her fight with consciousness. She started to fall to the ground and he cursed as he reached out to catch her before she hit the sand. He quickly checked her pulse and was relieved to find that it still beat strongly; she was exhausted, but alright.
Killian chuckled quietly as he held her, running his hand over her brow and hair. Just reveling in the fact that against all odds they were both still alive. Then he took a deep breath before shifting her gently to the ground and standing to stagger to the edge of the magic pool. Pulling out the bean he looked at it before dipping it into the crystalline waters. They reacted quickly, the pool bubbling and glowing, before settling again. He smiled triumphantly as he held up the now crystalline bean before his eyes. Then after taking a hand full of the restorative water, and filling up his empty rum flash for future use, he turned back to the two women. Moving quickly now that all his ills were taken care of Killian grabbed his sword, walked over to Emma, and picked her up. The idea of leaving her behind never even crossed his mind, and not only because he wasn't sure what Cora had done to the bracers. She'd come back for him, she'd come back for him when she knew she hadn't needed to. Then she'd saved them both from Cora's wrath. He'd finally won her loyalty, he was behind her mile high walls, and he would not do anything to jeopardize that.
Once he had a good grasp on her he shifted his hold and slung her across his left shoulder. He needed freedom of movement and he needed to move fast. They had to get back to his ship before Cora awoke; he doubted they'd get another chance to flee if this one failed.
0oo000o0o0ooo0o
The first thing Emma registered, besides the fact that everything hurt, was that she could smell the sea and that she was on something very hard. She groaned low in her throat as she blinked her eyes open and immediately had to shut and cover them with her hand. Or rather she would have if she could move her hands. Confused, she tried to move around with her eyes screwed shut against the bright light around her and realized that the reason she couldn't move was because she was held down tightly by ropes. She had no idea where she was, or where Killian was for that matter, so she carefully shifted her body until her nose touched the hard surface below her which she now realized was wood. Wherever she was it was definitely bright and she noted as she moved, with disgust, that her clothes were completely soaked through. Now facing away from what she knew was the sun she attempted to open her eyes again. Squinting in the still too bright light she looked across what she now realized was a ship's deck, a very wet looking ship's deck, and looked at the wet black leather back of the man standing before the wheel.
Killian.
The last thing she remembered was being tortured by Cora beside a lake and knocking the bitch out. How she'd gotten from point A to point B and how she'd gotten wet, was a complete mystery to her. Though she was positive he would know the answers. Just as she was positive it was going to be like pulling teeth to get those answers from him.
"…Ki -Hook…?" She said loudly, her voice sounding hoarse as she caught herself before she saying his given name. She may trust him, she might care about him, but she didn't want to encourage other... aspects of their relationship. Not now, not ever.
He paused mid wheel turn and looked back at her. He stared at her for a second before a genuinely bright smile lit his lips and he stepped away from the wheel to walk over and crouch down next to her. "Ah, you're finally awake again, I was becoming concerned. I expected you to regain consciousness when we went through the portal."
"Hook," she said as she looked up at him, eyes squinted against the glare of the sun over head. "Why am I wet and tied down to the deck of some ship?"
"This isn't "some ship", love. This is my ship, the Jolly Roger," he said, sounding like a proud father talking about his favorite son. She raised an incredulous eyebrow as he shifted slightly to lean over her. His body blocked out the light and she could see the smile on his face. "As to your current accommodations, I must apologize for that. I wanted to be underway quickly, and I couldn't waste precious time securing you down in the hold. Not with the threat of Cora looming above our heads. I was right about the restorative powers of the lake's water, and portals created by beans are more like whirlpools than anything else. Lucky for us I have a ship built to travel through them, though I couldn't very well steer her and hold you now could I, thus the ropes."
Emma took a moment to process all of the information and the fact that he was being so forth coming with it, in her still slightly clouded mind. When she did she swallowed thickly at the idea that this ship had just travelled through a whirlpool. To be honest she was actually really grateful that she'd been unconscious for that little adventure. "Alright, well we're not in a portal anymore so do you mind cutting me loose?"
Hook's smile morphed into a smirk, her eyes narrowed in response, before he reached down to run his hand gently through her still wet hair. "Now now love let's not be too hasty. As I remember it you've tied me up twice now, I think it's only fitting that you suffer a taste of your own medicine, don't you?"
She stared up at him, shocked, before, with a growl, she began to fight against the ropes. "You insufferable bastard!"
He sat back on his heels and watched her struggle for a few seconds laughing uproariously which only served to fuel her anger before he seemed to get a hold of himself. "Love...Love! Emma stop it! I can't cut you out if you're struggling. You need to learn to relax, I was only joking."
She stopped struggling and aimed a pretty impressive glare at him as he reached down and used his hook to cut away her bindings, a self-satisfied smirk firmly in place. "You couldn't have just cut the ropes could you, no, you needed to piss me off before doing it."
He shrugged as he pulled the last of the ropes away. "What can I say love, you're like the sea, beautiful when you're angry. Though at the moment you look more like a half drowned kitten sputtering up at me."
Emma frowned as she started to push herself up once the pull of the ropes vanish and she knocked his hand away when he moved to help her. She was still annoyed, and she could do it herself. She didn't need help from anyone. Killian hesitated for a moment looking from his hand to her and then, shaking his head with a chuckle, he stood again and headed back to the wheel. She was grateful that he didn't try to push the issue, she was far from in a mood to deal with his games. Though he did seem to be in a remarkably good mood at the moment. She hadn't seen him this...playful since their time in the giants vault before she'd tied him up.
After getting her feet under her securely, not an easy feat when the deck was rolling under her, she took a moment to stretch out her arms and aching back. Everything was sore all over and it felt like she'd been hit by a steam roller. Not surprising given the beating she'd been given today by both the man before her and Cora. Then she frowned as she watched Hook move at the wheel. He seemed no worse for wear and she pouted at the thought. He'd been the one on his knees before Cora being tortured, it wasn't fair that he seemed to have been unaffected by that. Though, if she really thought about it, it was probably a good thing he seemed to recover quickly from things or else Cora would have caught them and they would have never made it...where were they again?
She intended to ask him just that as she moved to stand near him at the helm and froze at the sight that lay before, "Is that...?"
"I would assume it's your Storybrooke," Hook replied and she didn't need to hear anything more before she ran as quickly as possible down the stairs to her left only stopping when she reached the bow of the ship. She didn't care if she looked like an over excited kid at Christmas, she was home. He'd gotten her home. Standing at the bow looking out over the water she smiled brightly and felt the happiest she had in ages.
Then she felt it.
She knew he was there half a second before a hand and a hook appeared on the either side of her framing her in. She expected some quip or innuendo any second but, much to her surprise it never came he didn't say anything for a few seconds, seemingly content to stand there with her as the docks approached them and his body heat and scent wrapped around her. It was strangely peaceful and it sent off warning bells in the back of her head she tried to ignore. Then he spoke, his mouth against the shell of her ear, "I told you I'd get you home."
Taking a centering breath she turned around in his arms to look up into his eyes. They were a startling blue as the light from the water hit them at just the right angle and she felt herself get lost in them for a moment. "Thank you."
"You're most welcome Emma," He smiled down at her bring his face close her own and the warning bells that had sounded moment ago began to clang fiercely. He was too close, too far past her walls and while she now trusted him implicitly as an ally and a friend, that didn't mean she wanted the promise that she saw in his eyes. It was a feeling, a innate knowledge that if she kissed him now there would be no going back, a kiss would never be just a kiss between them. He would never allow it to be, she could read that truth in his gaze, and her walls would shatter irrevocably. She wasn't ready for that. She wasn't ready for him. Not by a long shot. Never would be.
"Who's piloting the ship if you're here?" Emma asked saying the first things that popped into her head as she turned her head away from him to look at the wheel, which was turning itself interestingly enough. Her question surprised him and when he dropped one of his arms to lean back from her she took the opportunity to flee through the opening it created. The entire time she walked away from him and toward the center of the ship, where he couldn't box her in, she felt the heat of his stare on the back of her neck.
Once she was a safe distance away she turned back and found him leaning heavily against the side; his shoulders slumped, he looked tired and she winced slightly before smoothing out her face as he turned to look at her, standing tall once more. "I thought we were past this Emma. I thought you trusted me."
Emma visibly swallowed because that wasn't it. She did trust him...to an extent. She just couldn't trust him with her heart. It wasn't like she wasn't attracted to him or that she didn't care, because she did, a lot more than she was willing to admit even to herself. But she just couldn't do it. She couldn't risk her heart like that, not again, not after what Neal, Graham and August had done to it. She had a son she had to mother, a family she needed to reconnect with, and a town she had to protect. She couldn't afford the emotional fallout that would occur when he eventually left...or died. Because with his vendetta against the most powerful man in their little world it was very likely that he would. That's what people did in her life, they left. Oh they all stayed for varying amounts of time, and the world was bright and shining while they were there, but the bottom always fell out. Wasn't it enough that she was willing to accept the eventual pain when her time with her family was up? Why did fate see fit to throw him in her way as well? Why did the universe feel she needed to suffer his loss as well? Hadn't she been through enough in her life?
"I do trust you Hook," She replied making sure to look straight into his eyes. "I trust you as an ally and a friend. There's nothing left to get past."
A strange light flashed in his eyes, one that Emma didn't even want to think about. She held her breath as he sauntered over to her and stopped before her, just outside her personal space. He just stood there, staring into her face and into her eyes, and she wondered what it was that he was reading there. After about a minute he leaned in with his head tilted to the side and serious expression of his face. "Is that so, well then. As your friend dearest Emma I feel it is my duty to inform you that you can't hide forever. I'm not going to give up and I will break through eventually, it's only a matter of time."
Emma opened her mouth as if to respond but nothing came out. What could she say to a proclamation like that? "As to your earlier questions. My ship's a bit of a marvel, she's made out of enchanted wood. It means she can sail herself if I need her to, though, I tend to do it myself. I find steering to be a relaxing activity after having lived at sea for so long."
"Oh, well...that's handy," Emma responded lamely feeling awkward as he walked away shaking his head slightly, heading back to the wheel. He said nothing else after his proclamation; no innuendos, no taunts, or anything really that could have been upsetting to her, and that put her on edge. It usually meant that he was preparing to throw a comment at her that was going to throw her off balance. He seemed to love to lull her into a false sense of security because her reactions to his comments often told him more than her answers to them.
"Yes, very," he replied nonchalantly at the bottom of the stairs, then he turned to look at her. "I do need some help bring her into port though. If you're feeling up to it, do you think you could pull that rope there when I say?"
Emma swallowed hard as she nodded and walked over to the rope making sure her grip was secure as he headed up to the helm. She could tell that he was watching her but he didn't say anything more than instructions as they pulled the boat into the harbor and she pulled the rope that adjusted the sails to slow their speed down using the wind. It confused her, why was he being so nice, if that was even the word, not that she was really in the mood or had enough energy for an argument with him. It was just strange that he hadn't started one.
"Looks like someone saw us and sent word," he yelled down to her after a good five minutes of silence and she looked in the directions she knew the docks to be, but she couldn't see them over the side of the ship from her angle.
"What do you mean?"
"Well it seems we have quite the welcome party waiting for us, though, I'm not sure how good of a thing that really is." He said as he left the wheel and came down to her. When he reached her he took the rope and gestured away. "Here, the hard part's done. Let me tie it off and you go show those people your gorgeous face so they know you're home."
She gave him a flat look but also didn't argue with him and started to walk away but stopped as a thought occurred to her, "If the entire town knows this ship is here, the he probably does too."
"Aye, I'm sure he does," Killian said sounding not at all happy at the idea as he began tying the rope securely. "The element of surprise is a small price to pay though."
"What does that mean?" she asked and he just gave her a look before shaking his head with a small smirk and walking back to the wheel.
Emma frowned after him then turned and jogged across the deck too look out over the bay and realized that they were basically at the docks. Apparently this ship didn't just sail itself but was also insanely fast as well. On the dock she could see half the town standing there, watching as they slowly pulled into the berth and when they saw her a cheer went up. She waved at them and watched as there was a sudden burst of movement in the throngs of people a few seconds before Henry and her parents were pushed to the front. She felt tears in her eyes as she watched her mother all but collapse against her father in tears and her son bounced up and down waving enthusiastically at her. She could hear him yelling up to her as the ship bounced against the moorings and the only thing stopping him from jumping and climbing up to her was the hand Ruby had on his shoulder. Suddenly a coil of heavy rope flew off the ship from her left and she turned to watch as Killian threw another one. Both were caught by people on the dock and quickly tied off.
"Mom!" Henry yelled as he ducked around his grandparents and Ruby before running up the gangplank Hook sent clattering to the dock. He almost bowled over the surprised pirate as he ran to his mother and the force of his hug spun them around almost knocked Emma to the ground.
"Hey kid," she laughed as she held him tight and buried her face in his hair. She was home, she was safe, but most of all she was with Henry again and he was alright.
"Emma!" She had only a word of warning before she was pulled into a powerful hug by her mother and then subsequently by her father as well, both of them had tears in their eyes. "What happened? How did you get here?"
Emma looked over their shoulders at Killian who was watching the proceedings with raised eyebrows, and a look in his face that was almost disbelieving. He caught her eyes and a smirk curled his lips as he cocked an incredulous eyebrow, he was teasing her about her display of emotion, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. Instead she quickly stuck her tongue out at him like a five year old and then decided to ignore him.
"Hook had a magic bean he stole of the giant. It was useless until he used the lake water to restore it. That's how we got here," Snow accepted the story with a nod and cut David off before he could comment on it. "But how did you get away from Cora?"
"That would be your daughter's handiwork," Killian answered coming to stand closer to them, though he was still a respectful distance away. "She may not be able to handle a sword but with a rock she's golden."
"Not able to handle a sword?" Emma replied offended and then scoffed. "Well if I'm not good what's that make you. Seeing as I beat you and all."
Killian snorted, "Darling, I let you win."
Emma's eyes narrowed and she was about to respond when Henry let go of her and walked across to the pirate, "You're Captain Hook aren't you?"
"Aye, that I am lad. What gave me away, was it the hook? I bet it was the hook," he said as he crouched down to talk level with him and her son laughed. Emma had to stop herself from moving forward to snatch him back as old insecurities made themselves known now that she was home. However she quickly pushed them away and shook her head at her parents who both shifted forward as if they too were going to intervene in the meeting. Killian had more than earned her trust back at the lake and pulling Henry away now would be an insult to him. They both looked at her with confusion, but honored her wishes which she was grateful for, but she did roll her eyes as they both proceeded to stare down the pirate as he talked with their grandson.
It was then that she heard it, while everyone else was distracted. It was the off tempo tread of a man with a limp and a cane sounding loud in the suddenly quiet crowd on the dock. Something that could only belong to the one cane-wielding cripple in town. Instantly, like a balloon bursting, all her happiness at being home was gone and she saw the way Snow stiffened next to her, as she heard it too. Their entrance into Storybrooke hadn't exactly been subtle and with the amount of people on the docks, she'd known word would reach him. She'd just hoped she'd have more time than this.
"I'd be careful who you let near your boy Miss Swan," his voice called from the area near the gang plank moving ever closer. Instantly Hook, who'd been listening to a question about Neverland and hadn't heard the approaching storm, stiffened and the look that passed across his face made her son take a step back in fright. "There are some really terrible people out there."
The silence for everyone involved was deafening as they watched Hook rise to his full height. He quickly put a hand on Henry's shoulder and gently pushed him back toward his family, and out of harm's way, before turning to face the demon whose memory had haunted him. He looked Gold up and down, face in passive and then he took a few steps forward to confront him. Carefully, so as to not draw attention to herself, though she doubted either man would notice a marching band passing by at this point, Emma moved to situate herself within striking distance. As she did she felt two different people grab her arms and looked at both her parents. They both looked at one another and then shook their heads. She just leveled them with a flat glare and shook them off. She was still the sheriff of this town and it was her job to keep law and order. She'd stay out of it as long as the hits between them stayed verbal. However, she would have to get involved if it turned physical or in Gold's case, magical.
"Well, well, Crocodile, I see you've re-acquired your limp," Killian, no, Hook drawled and she didn't need to see his face to know his expression must have been malevolent. She bit her lip. No, this wasn't Killian right now, "What a shame."
"Captain, I must admit it is a surprise to see you still living. I thought you'd died when I didn't hear from you in what, over three hundred years or so?" Gold taunted, that condescending smile of his firmly in place. "My, my, but dear Milah would be disappointed it's taken you this long to avenge her."
Emma's mouth opened slightly at both the barb and the revelation that Hook had been looking for a way to kill this man for over three hundred years. Emma had never even heard of that kind of devotion before, that level of hate, that level of pain. Yet here was Gold, taunting Hook for it. The urge to hit the older man was palpable and Hook stiffened as his hand balled itself into a fist before stepping forward. He then said something that made Emma's stomach drop as she realized exactly how out of his depth he truly was, "You die today, there's no magic you can hide behind any longer."
He didn't know Gold had magic.
"Oh no, not magic," he hissed and then, so hard that she could hear the crack from as far away as she was, he hit the pirate across the head with his cane and Hook fell hard to the deck, his head smacking into the wood, as blood flowed from a wound on his temple. The fact that Gold hadn't used magic and instead gone for a physical assault impressed upon them all exactly how much he hated the pirate. Emma staggered slightly as the bracer on her arm glowed and her head snapped to the side and pain bloomed on the back of her head.. That's right; she'd completely forgotten the bracers were working again. Though she could tell, because she was still conscious even though she hadn't had time to block the magic out, that the connection was weaker here than it had been in the forest.
"That's enough!" Emma yelled after she shook off the moment with some help from her father who, held her up and eyed her and the bracer with concern. She just shook her head and he understood that they didn't have time to talk about it now. Quickly she moved forward, once the world stopped spinning, and grabbed the cane before Gold could swing again. Forget the fact that they were connected and Gold killing Hook would probably kill her, she just didn't want to see him hurt. So, she held the cane as he tried to take it back and stood in front of the fallen man.
"He's here to kill me! He stole my wife and now he means to take my life!" Gold snarled, though he wasn't looking at her. She might have been a box for all the attention he paid to her. It was a strange experience for her. Usually Gold was aware of everyone and everything around him all the time. It was how he was able to one up everyone, but at the moment he…wasn't. "Get out of my way, Miss Swan."
"No," Emma snapped back and paused as, like lightening, an idea came to her. Maybe she could use this single mindedness against him, just like she had with Cora. "I may have just gotten back, but I'm still Sheriff of this town, and I won't let you hurt this man. So back off."
His eyes finally shifted to her and she tried to make her expression as impassive as possible in the face of his anger. "And why would I do that, Dearie? What are you going to do to me? I'm more powerful than you could ever hope to be and you still owe me a debt."
Emma suppressed the smile that wanted to form on her lips, she got him.
"Because if you didn't we'd be forced to ask Belle how she felt about the situation." David cut in glaring at Gold as he came to stand next to his daughter. "I'm sure she'd have a lot to say about it."
Emma raised a confused eyebrow and looked over at her father. Who was Belle and why did mentioning her to Gold make the older man hesitate and pale? Then, almost miraculously, Gold straightened up and with all the dignity he could muster he pulled his cane from her slackened grip and began to limp away from the four of them.
"This isn't over," Gold hissed over his shoulder and again, he was focused on Hook and not them. Once he was off the ship Emma let go of a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and Snow put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"What happened? What is this?" David hissed as he grabbed her arm and held it before him, staring at the bracer like he would like nothing better than too cut it too pieces.
"It's a kind of slave collar," Snow helpfully piped up as she glared at the unconscious pirate at her feet. "He put it on her to buy our cooperation, then he betrayed us anyway."
"HE WHAT?!" David roared and Emma grabbed him as he made a dive for the prone man.
"David stop!" She yelled as she pushed him away. "He's already unconscious, what are you going to do to him? Plus, if you hurt him you hurt me!"
That pulled her father up short, "What do you mean, what magic is in these things?"
"I don't know, Cora did something to them before we could get away from her. But I think that if either of us is hurt the other will feel it. She wanted to torture us both at the same time." Her family stared at her horrified and she shrugged before turned back to look at the pirate, "But they're working differently here, the connection seems weaker, back in the other world I would have been knocked out too with a hit like that."
David sighed, "That's probably true, both Gold and Regina have said that magic in general works differently here because it's not supposed to be here at all."
"Maybe they can help?" Henry said thoughtfully as he pulled on her arm and looked at the bracer himself. "If Cora changed it with magic maybe they can fix it."
Emma's forehead furrowed and she hesitated, "I don't think either of them would really want to help us out. Especially Gold, he did just try to kill Hook, I doubt he'd be willing to help him."
"Regina will," Snow said after a moment and she sighed when Emma eyed her skeptically.
"Gold apparently did something to the portal and she fixed it, if she hadn't I would have died coming through."
"Yea! She's been trying to be good and if she uses magic at all it's only to help people. She'll definitely help you if I ask her." Henry said smiling brightly at her which pulled a smile from her as well. He was always able to make her feel better.
"So what do we do with him," David asked jerking his thumb at the still unconscious pirate. Emma stared down at him, her mind going a mile a minute as she fit all the pieces of her plan together and then she turned to her father when she had the full picture.
"We take him to the Sheriff's station," She said simply, and then she gave him the best excuse she could on the spot. "We need to put him somewhere where he can't run off half cocked to kill Gold. He doesn't even know the man has magic, you heard him. Plus, if we take him to a hospital it will be easier for Gold to get at him."
"Why does it matter?" Snow asked eyeing her in a way the made Emma feel like she suspected something that was too insane to even think about. "Why are you protecting him, if it's the bracers you're worried about then just have Gold take care of them. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to fix the problem and then get rid of Hook."
"Snow," she sighed a little disquieted at the coldness with which her mother regarded the pirate. "I get that you didn't leave him on the best terms but … he saved my life and he got me home when he could have left me. If nothing else I owe him this."
"Alright, I was just asking. You're right, even considering all the bad he's done, no one deserves to be left at Gold's mercy." Her mother held up her hands in surrender and Henry moved to looked at the unconscious man thoughtfully.
"Mom, why do they hate each other?" He asked as she and David both pick up one arm each and hauled his dead weight up.
"Later Henry," she replied through grit teeth. All she wanted to do was get him to a jail cell before he woke and maybe even take a shower in the stations locker room where she knew she had a spare change of clothes. Yes, that sound like the best plan.