"Let's get one thing straight here, Captain" Emma said frustrated watching her steps carefully as she tried to keep up with Hook "This is no adventure, were not here for fun and games, I just need to get home, as soon as possible"

"Sure princess, no fun I promise".

They had been walking for almost an hour keeping close to each other, as they carefully trudged through the loud muggy jungle, there were all sorts of birds squawking and bugs buzzing about. The snapping of branches and rustling of trees above, and yet not a single creature was ever in view, hiding just out of sight. Suddenly Killian stopped his eyes wide as something caught his immediate attention, rushing over he pulled an old glass bottle from the dirt.

"What are you doing?"

"Will need a weapon".

"Off course, but how is an old bottle going to help with that"?

The Captain smirked before smashing the glass on a small rock, it broke into a few large pieces which he fashioned together with some vine he'd already picked up and a sturdy looking stick.

"Are you… crafting a weapon?"

"I would much prefer my sword, but it's back on the Jolly Roger". His expression became annoyed.

"Do you think we will need to use it"?

"The stories of the beasts in this jungle, are enough to make even the fiercest of hearts quiver in fear".

"Then we'll need more than a shard of glass and a stick" Emma sighed, looking down at her hands, but the glow of her magic was absent.

"We have our wits".

"I hope that's enough".

"Ah princess I'm sure your more than capable of throwing a few good punches". He said while eyeing her biceps.

The princess looked away from the Captains eyes, not willing to let her guard down and flirt back with the pirate. Her focus on getting home, ignoring all temptations laid before her, she marched on ahead of Captain Hook.

"We should keep moving".

"Right, of course love"

They reframed from making any more personal conversation, still trying to get a grip on the thoughts on each other. Hook didn't say anything about where exactly they were going but did tell the princess about all the things that could kill them, and there were a lot in Neverland. Emma tried to listen, but it was hard, walking through the jungle in her wet torn dress, what she gathered from him pointing out every second tree, plant or bug was that this place was home to many dangerous and deadly creatures, not to mention poisons. Not that he was a bad tour guide, he was one of those lucky few that had an effortless swagger, even after almost drowning and still soaking wet. He seemed to the Princess at least, at ease and his confidence filled her with a sense of security, while they trudged through the foreign muggy island. Emma could hear what sounded like a grumbling tummy coming from all directions.

"Now that sound there is from the toads, not deadly but most annoying, they have a tendency to jump on you while sleeping".

"Yeah, yeah well watch out for them".

"Princess… are you even listening to me"?

"Yeah, um sorry, I have a lot on my mind".

Emma's thoughts unconsciously, kept racing back to the moments before she was forced through the portal, she had a lump in her throat. One she knew would not waver until she was home, knowing they were safe. Ahead the bushes and trees only got denser, and the Captain stopped abruptly his eyes fixed on one particular thorned plant in front of them.

"Why are we stopping"? Emma said, but it came out a lot more forceful than she'd intended.

"We can't keep going this way, I need to find an alternate route".

"How long is this journey going to be"?

"Hard to tell"

Captain Hooks gaze went upwards spotting something above on the edge of the mountain beside them he smiled. Emma on the other hand was silently frustrated by the lack of forward momentum, her fingers twitching and foot tapping on the ground. Not accepting the severity of the task ahead, that it may be days, even weeks before they left Neverland.

"Just rest a moment". Hook said sensing her anxiety.

"Not possible"

The adrenaline from the events of the morning had worn off as the sun had now risen to its peak the heat like a wave beating down on them, and she felt exhausted. While Hook was occupied with which way to go next, she decided to take a seat on a rock. Letting the pressures of her life overwhelm her for a moment, she sat staring blankly into the distance before leaning back on the vines behind her absentmindedly.

"What do you think you're doing!" Hook yelled as he ran over, grabbing her arm and pulling her up and away from where she was sitting with velocity.

"Sitting down!"

"That's nightshade, it will kill you in minutes!"

"Oh thanks… how is it you know so much about this place?"

"That's a long story, you're just going to have to trust me".

"Trust you, we just met".

"Something tells me even if we had known each other longer, you still wouldn't listen".

"You're not wrong pirate".

Emma expected a sarcastic remark back, but she was only met with silence and a sympathetic yet understanding look from the Captain. His eyes and facial expression telling her without words, I know, I push everyone away too, it's easier that way, taking on my burdens alone.

"We need to just take a moment; I need to plan our route" he finally said.

"You don't know where were going?"

"Sure, I do"

"You should know, I can always tell when someone is lying".

"I'm not sure if that's such a gift love".

"It's not"

Emma walked away from Killian as her thoughts spiralled, the princess absentmindedly rubbed her thumb on a small scar in the palm of her hand, that she'd had it since she was fifteen. Without even realising it she'd began pacing, as Killian placed his hand on the cliff beside them firming gripping it and testing its integrity before turning back to Emma.

"You seem tense, love".

"What about this situation doesn't make you tense".

"I bet your mother told you never to trust a pirate".

"Actually, my mother taught me to believe in people, in fact she told me that back in her bandit days she'd seek refuge on pirate ships, while outrunning the Evil Queen".

"In that case, we may have some common ground".

"Oh, make no mistake captain, I'm not my mother".

"So, you don't trust me?"

"Still pending"

He looked at Emma thoughtfully desperate to understand her background, it was clear from the way she stood tall not even flinching at the mud, bugs and exhausting journey ahead, she wasn't your typical pampered princess.

"I thought you were a royal. Why would your mother come from such simple beginning's?"

"I am, my parent's story, it's an epic one, but they found there happy ending".

"And you?"

"I'm just the product of it".

The captain looked to her pity in his eyes, wondering what the haunting statement meant. However, before he could enquire further, clearly seeing into an all to private part of the princess's life, she interrupted him.

"Do we need to turn back, are we going to able to keep moving forward"?

"Depends, how are you at climbing?"

Gesturing the cliff beside them coated in moss reaching up beyond there line of sight.

"I'll do what needs be done, always have".

"A determined one"

"Is this the fastest way?"

"It's the only way, if we continue forwards, the poison will overcome us".

Emma nodded, before reaching her hand taking the makeshift blade from the pirate, curiously raising his eyebrow. She held it firm clearly not knew to having a blade in her palm, she swiftly sliced through her gown getting rid of the tattered uneven ends and some of the overlay giving her more dexterity to her movements, before handing the blade back to Hook.

"Are you sure, you don't want to rest for a bit lass, we did just hike up here?"

"No, I'm fine, let's go".

Emma placed her left foot in one of the grooves in the cliff face and she reached her arms above pulling herself upwards quickly making headway. Purposely, she didn't look back to see, but Hook smiled, continuously surprised by her actions.