AN: Thank you for the reviews, and your continued support; this is the 4th part, of the previous chapter. In this chapter, Hook tells Emma; the story, of how he lost his hand, read and review please, as it would be greatly appreciated. MysteryFan1997.

Disclaimer, I do not own any of the characters from OUAT.

Ch14 - What Just Happened? Pt4

I nodded, before taking a small bite; while watching Hook, do the same. We ate in a somewhat comfortable silence, knowing the topic we were going to discuss after supper, would be a delicate one...

I took a small sip, from the cup to my left; I took a breath when the liquid burned, as it slid down my throat. Hook, cleared his throat; before speaking.

"Is everything, alright; Emma?"

I nodded, before speaking.

"Yes, everything's fine; I'm still not used to rum, that's all"

He nodded, before speaking again.

"Is the food, alright?"

I nodded, whilst not saying anything; he then continued eating, and once we finished he cleared his throat again. I looked at him, before speaking.

"It's fine, thank you; I was wondering, if you wanted to tell me the story, of how you lost your hand"

I suppose, we should discuss what happened today; and please, don't leave anything out"

He nodded, as he spoke.

"As you wish, Princess; but I must warn you, it's a gruesome tale" I nodded, in understanding; as I spoke. "I understand, Captain...whenever you're ready"

He nodded, whilst taking a breath; he then spoke.

"It all started when I met Milah, she was trapped in a horrible marriage; I found her, at the tavern. I'm not one for, leaving a woman alone; it's bad form. We started talking, and she mentioned how miserable she was...you see her husband was the village coward and she was ridiculed for it, we interacted with each other a few times, she got along well with my crew, and then one night her husband showed up, he forced her to go home with him and she did...until the next morning, she came to my ship, and begged me to take her away..."

I spoke.

"And did you?"

He nodded, before continuing.

"Of course I did, she wanted to leave; and I wanted to help her, in any way I could, once she was on my ship, she told me she had a son...she couldn't risk going back for him, so she left him with his father. What we didn't know, at the time; was someone who knew Milah told her husband, and he showed up at the dock, found his way onto my ship, tried in vain to get Milah to leave with him again...and I being, the honourable Captain, I challenged him to a duel; which he lost, he then accepted defeat, and we went on our way"

I, spoke again.

"What happened, to her son?"

Hook, took a breath; before speaking again.

"All in good time, lass; I haven't even told you how I lost my hand yet" I nodded, as he continued. "We sailed across the seas, as both pirates and lovers...and then we happened to find ourselves back in the village where I took her from. My crew and I came across her husband, unfortunately he was no longer the coward he once was; he was the now the Dark One"

My eyes widened, as I spoke.

"You don't happen to be talking about Rumplestiltskin?...You really, took the Dark One's wife?"

Hook, nodded; before continuing. "You've heard of him?" I nodded, as he spoke again. "You have to understand, lass; she was miserable, she wanted to see the world, she had the sea in her blood, now where was I? Oh yes, we came across the Dark One; he asked about Milah, and I told him she was dead... now Princess, that was a lie; Milah wanted me to tell him, she was dead...he believed it, and we went on our way, until later on that same day, when he challenged me to a duel"

I gasped, softly; as he continued.

"He set the terms, the location; he also chose the weapons, I waited until it was dark, before meeting him. What I didn't know, was Milah knew all about it; and she happened to follow me, I fought as best as I could, until he struck...he left me with a small gash; Milah, appeared and helped me back to the ship, the crocodile followed us, and he demanded that we give him the bean we had procured. Milah threw the bag that held the bean to me, and told him, she would give it to him, on the condition that he left us alone, he agreed; and we thought we were free, until he used his magic, to tie me to the mast...the rope that was used, had this hook attached to it...he then stood in front of her, before he reached into her chest and ripped her heart out"

I gasped softly, whilst not saying anything; he continued.

"He crushed it in front of me, before releasing me; just in time, so I could hold her. She spoke one last time, before dying. He then sliced my hand off, as he thought I had the bean; but unfortunately for him, I switched it to my other hand, I then used the hook from the rope to try and stab him... but it didn't work, he taunted me, claiming that my injury would kill me, long before I could ever harm him. I then watched as he disappeared, before launching the bean into the water; it created a portal, which took us to a far away land, we then buried Milah at sea and I decided to seek revenge on the Dark One..."

I spoke again.

"How long, has it been?"

He, answered.

"Three hundred years..." I spoke. "But you..." He chuckled softly, before speaking. "The portal took us to Neverland, people don't age there...it's why I've retained my youthful glow"

I laughed softly, at that; before speaking again.

"Three hundred years?...And have you ever come across the Dark One since that night?"

He shook his head, before answering.

"No...but rest assured, I will skin that crocodile"

I nodded, before speaking.

"Thank you for telling me, and I'm sorry; that you lost Milah, she must have meant a great deal to you, for you to avenge her for so long"

He nodded, before he spoke.

"Aye, that she did; lass, that she did...so now you know, that tale...is there anything else, you want to know?"

I shook my head, before speaking.

"Not, at the moment Captain"

He nodded, before speaking.

"Would you like, another drink; before retiring to your cabin, Princess?"

I shook my head, before speaking.

"No thank you, Captain"

He nodded, before lifting my hand to his lips; he placed a soft kiss, to the back of it. I smiled softly, before speaking again.

"Thank you for supper"

He nodded, before he spoke.

"The pleasure, was all mine; Princess"

I nodded, before speaking.

"Goodnight, Captain"

He spoke.

"Goodnight, your highness"

I opened the door, before leaving; I closed it behind me, before opening the door to my cabin. I walked in, closing the door; I leaned against it, before deciding to get ready for bed.

Once undressed, I sat down; our conversation, playing over in my head, as I tried to make sense of what he had just told me, I honestly still can't believe he took the Dark Ones wife.

How is he still alive?...

TBC

Chapter 15, will be published in a couple of days.