"Ugh dammit" Emma said as she regained consciousness, with an all too familiar sensation of her hands being bound behind her.

"What is this hell".

"Much to hot here".

Looking up she saw, two pirates standing in front of her, one fanning himself with his hat the other leaning against a post.

"You see, told you she wasn't dead".

"Oh, fine you win" the second man said, handing the other a few rations he had from his pocket.

Emma rolled her eyes before wincing in pain, her head throbbed and blood seeped out of a small cut on her forehead. Content to let her suffer from her wounds, while they continued to bicker. Looking around the jungles the same bugs buzzing and hot humid air now with a few crates and tents, likely supplies brought with them on the Jolly Roger. The princess began to pull at her chains hoping to find a weak link, but the iron held strong rattling when she pulled. Catching the attention of her captors they turned to her with a smirk as the watched her struggle.

"You can't escape girl; we used a chain instead of rope this time".

"Done it before".

"Oh really, and what exactly would you do if you were free from these chains, you'd still have to get through us?"

"I don't know, probably would catch you off guard lunge forwards, hit your pal in the groin he'd fall to the ground... by then you'd probably grabbed your sword, instinctively you'd swing left, I'd duck while grabbing that lantern, swinging it upwards hoping to knock you out cold".

"Ughh… sure"

"Then why don't you?"

"I don't know, I guess I'm just tired, tired of running, fighting".

Emma went quiet ignoring the Pirates heckling as her mind drifted, deeply exhausted from the constant battle, that her life at become. Even now as she struggled for inner peace, her hands got to work dislocating her thumb in order to slide her hand from the chain, which her guards failed to notice. Now free of her chains, Emma popped her thumb back into place and stood up ready to go into battle once more.

BOOOM

All that Emma could see was a cloud of dust, her ears not offering much more but a high-pitched ringing.

"Hook!" someone called out before he was quickly silenced by a punch.

Then just as her world stopped spinning, Captain Hook walked through a cloud of smoke, his usual smirk absent. Instead, a look of pure fear but as he appeared through the smoke cloud, the colour returned to his cheeks. He smiled when he saw those beautiful green eyes looking back at him once more.

"Sorry about that princess, I tried to sneak into the camp, but I saw the dynamite and I couldn't help myself".

"What… you did all that, to save me"?

"Come on princess, we got to move fast".

Emma grabbed hold of his hook, letting him pull her to her feet and they made their way out of the camp quickly. Running through the long grass as the pirates realised Emma had escaped, they began to chase them. Swords in hand, the explosion had filled the air with thick black smoke and dust.

"What's the plan?"

"The way I see it, we have two options, try to use the smoke as cover sneak away or…".

"Hall arse, blow the whole camp and hope for the best".

"Sounds like my kind of plan".

"Alright, I see more dynamite over by that tent".

"We can line them up along this path, set them off and run over that ridge".

"You think we'll make it in time".

"We'll have to".

Captain Hook grabbed a crate of dynamite and fuse handing it to Emma, before picking up a sword all while crouched down so no one would see him.

"I'll clear the way, you set the dynamite".

"What"!

Before the princess could protest this plan, the pirate had already taken off disappearing into the bushes, before reappearing moments later. Surprising one of blackbeards crew with a sword, clear through the torso.

"Be careful" Emma called out as another approached him from behind, but Hook looked to be an expert swordsman, whipping around downing the man with one strike.

Emma saw this opportunity and ran from her hiding spot towards the ridge, lining the dynamite along the way. Making sure all their equipment would be destroyed, so they could slow down those still on their trail

"Emma, DUCK"

She was able to follow his instructions without hesitation ducking down just as Hooks sword swung across where he had had been. Slicing a man across his chest, that was about the stab Emma who gave Hook as small smile before thy continued forwards.

"I need a light"?

Just as she asked Hook had thrown a box of matches in her direction, two snuck up on him as he defended Emma, knocking the sword out of his hands.

"Hook, you still believe you can find the treasure, just as delusional as your brother".

"He had faith and so do I".

"Your 'faith' will get the princess killed, just like your brother"

Emma's arm swung knocking one of the men out cold and he fell to the ground, Hook quickly picked up his sword once more duelling with the second man. The burley pirate was skilled in sword fighting unlike the rest of the crew, managing to slice an exhausted Hooks arm. He kept on fighting with a few more near misses, jumping over obstacles as the made there way through the camp, but more crew were coming and there was no way he could take them all on.

"Now" Emma yelled, as she lit the fuse.

Emma called out before taking off towards the ridge, not daring to look back and check if he was there. But just as the fear creeped in his hand appeared on her back guiding her upwards. Eventually the made there way to safe ground and his touch was gone, his expression solemn as they walked away from the destruction.

"You ok"?

"Fine, come on, we have to keep moving".

As the continued their hike across the island Emma couldn't help but notice the Captain was dragging his feet. His usual enthusiasm for the hunt was absent and he looked down at the ground no longer excited by their surrounds.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry" he said his eyes now squarely on the cut above her eye.

"What exactly are you apologising for Captain?"

"You need to get home to your family… and we not exactly making quick progress".

"That's not true we have found clues and explored almost everything on the island".

"What are you telling me, that you're actually enjoying our treasure hunt".

"Possibly, it is certainly different from what I expected".

"How's the company"?

"A bit too enthusiastic for danger but growing on me".

"Knew it"

The continued along their path along cliffsides, tiptoeing across large branches of centuries old trees until they reached something unexpected.

"Captain, wait there is an entranceway here, underneath all these vines. I can't read this sign though".

"Sic Parvis Magna"

"What does that mean"?

"Greatness from small beginnings"

Captain Hook stopped in his tracks his expression one of awe and revelation, under an entranceway looking down onto a city. It was the first sign of the kind of civilisation that once thrived in Neverland, cobblestone streets and houses, more than a few taverns. All dilapidated ruins with the forest overgrown like the island was trying to swallow up, everything the Pirates had built.

"Careful"

Emma grabbed the captains coat pulling him towards her, so mesmerised with what he was seeing, he failed to notice the deadly nightshade right beside him. Pulling him in close they lingered there for a minute, and she noticed a tear on his cheek.

"Thanks for the warning"

"Well, you came to my rescue".

"Ha, you didn't seem to need my help, I had noticed you'd slipped from your chains, before I arrived".

"I am akin to saving myself".

"Next time just know, I'll be there".

"I wouldn't have made it out of that camp alone"?

"Since we met, we've have been doing nothing by saving each other, Neverland has its reputation for a reason".

"Then why come voluntarily… I mean the more I get to know you Captain, you don't seem to be interested in wealth at all".

"Truthfully, Liam, my brother, had always been the treasure hunter, more out of necessity then desire for riches. Finding Neverland, it was always a goal of his, something he dreamt about since he was a small boy, literally. But no one ever took him seriously, thought him to be a grifter or just naive.

"So, you didn't want to come here"?

"I wanted to be with Liam, he wanted to be the one to find Neverland and the lost treasure, worked his whole life to reach that goal, got his hands on a means of travel. Just as he had everything in order, he was killed over a small debt he owed".

"I'm so sorry, that must have been hard".

"I guess, I wanted to finish it for him, for us, the tattoo I have it was drawn up and commissioned by Liam, after his funeral I got it done and started my journey here, in his memory".

"That explains it".

"What do you mean?"

"You don't seem all that interested in pillage and plundering, just exploring knowing the story".

"Well, I hope you know, deep down I'm a scoundrel". He said it with a mocking tone, but underneath the bravado the cracks were showing, it was clear that he didn't want to be.

"Sorry, I don't believe you Hook". Emma replied, utterly serious.

Emma walked ahead then leaving behind a confused pirate as she continued on the path upwards, towards what was the centre of town, where a large monument towered over everything.