Chapter 26
Past
After Derek helped Odette escape from Rothbart, he stole a couple of robes to disguise themselves so that they remained hidden from the soldiers. They needed to find safe passage so that they were far away from the Queen's castle. They couldn't risk being found by Rothbart or Sinbad. God forbid what torture methods they would use on them.
Thankfully, Derek and Odette reached a village after traveling by foot all day. They stepped into a local tavern where men drank themselves until they slumped over their stools. Odette seemed rather wary of the drunkards since she had no idea what they were capable of in their state. A part of her was worried that they would just start a fight, but she was more concerned that if they saw the diamond on her head, then they would steal it, so she covered it up by pulling her hood down.
"Derek, are you sure this is a good idea?"
He smiled reassuringly as he showed off the bag of jewels that he stole from the Queen's treasury before they escaped, "Don't worry. If there's one thing I know about these kinds of men is that they'll do anything for wealth. There's got to be some sailors around here who will help."
Odette looked around and didn't want to associate herself with any of them, but she felt like she didn't have much of a choice. She was desperate to leave Rothbart after he humiliated her by having a soldier tear off her clothes and let him beat her. She never dealt with such brutality in her life. God only knew what else he would do to her since Odette was certain that he would leave her scars if he wanted to. She still had the bruises on her abdomen after getting beaten when she refused to eat.
Derek soon stopped a man who wore a red hat carrying pints of beers. "Excuse me. Are there any sailors here? We're looking for safe passage across the sea to another village."
The man showed somewhat interest when Derek held up the bag, and he gestured with his head by nodding over to the left. "I'm sure my captain will help you. Right this way."
Both Derek and Odette followed the man into an open room where many men gambled by playing poker or throwing dice on the table. Odette remained wary of course since she had no idea who these men were. Nothing good also came from men who drank themselves until they slumped to the ground. At least she had Derek by her side to help her. If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have escaped. She owed so much to him.
"Here you are, Captain," their escort said as he handed a pint of beer to his captain.
When Odette finally saw who the captain was, her breath grew still. There sitting at the table and having a rowdy go by throwing dice on the table and sharing a drink with his men was none other than Captain Killian Jones—the same man who she admired when she was a child and the one who killed her mother after she asked the mirror so many years ago. She couldn't believe how he survived this long. It had been over three hundred years since she last saw him back in her village.
He clearly didn't live for so long in one piece though considering of the hook that replaced his left hand. At first, she wondered how he lost it, but then she thought back to her mother. One thing was for sure though, Odette did not want to go with him. If he was capable of kidnapping and murdering an innocent woman, then Odette could only imagine that he would do the same to her.
Before Derek and Odette approached them, Odette needed to warn Derek, and she did just that by pulling his arm and leaned in to whisper, "We can't go with them."
"Why not?"
"They're pirates, Derek."
Derek looked back almost as if he was wary himself, but Odette's nerves grew when he looked back to tell her, "It's okay. The journey's not long anyway. We'll be out of their ship before you know it, but take this just to be safe."
Odette looked to see a small dagger in his hand, so she took it quickly and hid it in her cloak. Even though they were desperate to get farther away from the Queen's castle so that they wouldn't be found, Odette didn't think they would be safe with Killian Jones, so she reminded Derek, "Alright, but please don't use my real name."
As soon as the man in the red hat called them over, Derek and Odette made their way over to them. Odette, however, made sure that she stayed behind Derek with her hood pulled down even more. She certainly didn't want to give Killian a chance to recognize her especially since how everyone back at the village reminded Odette that she looked very much like Milah.
"Captain?" Killian turned to the man in the red hat with a somewhat annoyed expression since he ruined his fun until he told him, "They're asking for safe passage, and they're willing to pay."
As soon as he heard him, Killian turned to them, and Odette froze, hoping that he wouldn't ask her to take down her hood. She couldn't risk for him to recognize her, and she certainly didn't want anyone to see the diamond on her head so that they could steal it.
When Killian gave the man in the hat one look, the man, beckoned them forth to approach. "You're looking for safe passage?" Killian asked with a somewhat bored tone, and when Derek nodded, Killian questioned, "And who exactly are you running from, may I ask?"
"That's not part of the bargain now, is it?" Killian gave Derek a dangerous smirk when he heard his reply, and his crew piqued with interest when Derek opened the bag and dropped the jewels on the table. "I think that should more than cover it."
Killian took one of the gems and held it between his fingertips as he twirled it before looking back at Derek. "What are your names?"
"Derek, and this is my sister, Nora."
Killian looked over at Odette, who brought her head down in hopes that he wouldn't see her face. She really didn't want to go with him, but they didn't have much of a choice. The longer they stayed, the more dangerous it was going to be for them.
"Very well,...Derek. You can rest assured that my crew and I will provide you and your sister safe passage to the next village." As soon as Killian stood to address his men, Odette practically stuck by Derek's side. "Get ready to set sail, mates!"
Killian then grabbed the jewels and put them back in the bag before throwing it over to the man in the red hat to which Odette learned was Smee. Derek and Odette then followed Smee as he ushered them along to the docks where The Jolly Roger patiently waited for them. They climbed aboard, and Odette lingered when she watched the pirates rushing to get ready to leave. She then noticed Killian barking orders at his men before climbing up to the helm so that he could steer the ship when it was ready to set sail.
When Derek looked back to see Odette not catching up, he told her to hurry up, so she did. Smee led them below deck so that he could take them to their cabins. Derek had no choice though but to sleep with some of the other men. Thankfully, Smee gave Odette her private quarters. It was rather small, but it would have to do.
"Let me know if you need anything," Smee told her.
"Thank you."
As soon as Smee left her, Odette sighed as she took down her hood with her curls hanging free before putting the dagger that Derek gave her under her pillow. Odette just hoped that all would be well during this journey. However, with her mother's killer captaining this ship, she wasn't sure if she would just walk away knowing that he was still alive. She was going to be on her guard every step of the way.
Present
Ever since Jefferson admitted to Graham that he wouldn't be able to open the portal back to their world since the hat was destroyed, Graham had been nothing but be in a mood. His wife was gone, and Emma and Mary Margaret were with her. If there was one thing Nora taught him though was to have faith. He was just glad that they at least had each other. All he could do now was to wait patiently for their return.
As soon as Graham put on his leather jacket, he grabbed the sheriff's badge. He was hesitant to put it on. This badge belonged to Emma, but she wasn't here. That was why it was up to Graham to make sure that this town stayed safe while Emma wasn't here.
When he got himself ready, he headed out into town. At least the people here were less panicked despite the situation of the town line. Graham knew that everyone was desperate to go home though, which was exactly why David gathered Leroy and the rest of the dwarves to see if they could mine out fairy dust.
Graham looked over to see Ruby coming out of Granny's diner with a basket of muffins. "Hey, Graham," she greeted.
"Ruby." Graham then gestured to the muffins in her basket. "I'm guessing you're heading down to the mines."
"You know them. They won't come out 'til they find the fairy dust." As Graham nodded his head in acknowledgement, he nearly froze when he heard Ruby ask, "How you holdin' up by the way?"
"I've been better."
Graham really didn't want to get into it with Ruby. Getting upset wouldn't solve anything. All Graham needed to do was be patient for his sake. If Nora found out how frustrated he was during her absence, she would be upset.
"Let's go down to the mines and see their progress," Graham told her.
As they headed down to the mines, Ruby told him, "I still can't believe you let Khan go."
"He's wearing an ankle bracelet."
"And you really think he won't get out of it?"
Graham smirked as he showed off his phone to show Amir's location. "If he does, an alarm will go off."
"Still, you should be careful."
Graham appreciated Ruby's concern, but he was certain that he had everything under control. After all, Graham promised him his safety from Gold as long as Amir was willing to cooperate with him. However, that didn't mean that Graham wasn't going to be wary of him. He needed to take extra measures to ensure that Amir would be under control. At least he didn't fight with him when Graham told him that he needed to put it on.
When they went into the mines, Leroy ordered the rest of the dwarves to keep swinging. David was doing his best to help them out by swinging a pickaxe to collect some dust. Henry was there too watching over David Nolan.
As Ruby handed Henry a muffin, she asked him if there was any luck finding fairy dust yet. Even though he admitted they didn't, he assured Graham and Ruby that they will to get Nora, Mary Margaret, and his mother back. That optimism reminded Graham a bit of Nora, and it made him feel a little worse knowing that she wasn't here.
When Graham approached David, he heard him mutter, "I hate mine dust," while he brushed away the dust off his hands.
"How much longer do you think you can keep digging for the dust?" Graham asked him with slight irritation.
Hearing his concern, David assured him, "Graham, I understand your frustration. Believe me. I am too, but it's better than doing nothing and waiting around for them. We're going to get them back."
"He's right." Graham looked back at Henry to hear him say, "You just gotta have faith like us."
After hearing Henry, Graham knew that he was trying to cheer him up. In fact, it was what Nora often did to ease his nerves even back in their world. It almost amazed Graham how much Henry acted like Nora. Then again, if it hadn't been for the storybook that Mary Margaret gave him to help him with his loneliness, then he wouldn't have taken a leap of faith to look for Emma. It reminded Graham when Nora took Rothbart's deal so that she could escape her father and have her freedom.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Henry suddenly asked.
Realizing that he was, Graham apologized, "Sorry. It's just...you reminded me of someone just then."
"You mean...Nora?" Henry asked with a small smile.
He didn't want to acknowledge it, so he turned to David to tell him, "I'm heading to the sheriff station."
"You're taking over as sheriff?"
"Stepping in until Emma gets back."
"Alright. Take care, Graham."
Past
Odette's slumber drifted her back home. She no longer had the diamond on her head. She couldn't even believe that she didn't turn into a swan, but she was even more surprised to see her twin brother and Morraine beckoning her to follow them. Odette was hesitant, but she eventually followed them.
They strolled through the village, and Odette couldn't understand why everyone stopped what they were doing to face her. It was rather nerve-wracking, and it practically made her shrink. This was the same feeling she had when the villagers were afraid of her and her brother because their father was The Dark One.
When Morraine and Baelfire sprinted towards the docks, Odette shouted out, "Wait!"
Odette ran down the docks only to find no one there. There was not a single ship in sight—not even her twin brother or her best friend were found. Odette soon grew still though when she saw The Jolly Roger docked. She didn't want to climb aboard, but she felt like she had no other choice since when she turned back, the path was gone. The scenery turned into a black abyss, so Odette had no choice but to go on The Jolly Roger as she climbed up the ramp.
She looked around the deck only to not find any of the pirates onboard. "Bae? Morraine?" Odette called out.
A chill swept up her back, and when Odette turned back around, she saw Killian Jones staring at her with a devilish smirk. His hook shone in the moonlight, and it could strike with a flick of his wrist. His sword was also in his grip, and when Odette looked down to see a sword in her hand, she quickly blocked Killian's attack from the moment he swung at her.
She twirled around him and blocked his attack again only for him to grab her and pressed himself against her back. She struggled but froze when he leaned in and whispered, "Did you think I wouldn't know who you were?"
He then pushed her, causing her to stumble and fall to the floor with her sword gliding across his ship. She looked back at Killian who lunged his sword as it struck by the side of her face. Killian then leaned in with a sickening grin as he told her, "I'll be sure to feed your guts to the sharks when I'm through with you just like your mother."
Odette's eyes widened when he swung his hook at her as she screamed, but she never felt the hit because she sucked in a breath and sat up straight from the horrible nightmare she had. She couldn't stop panting, so she did her best to control her breathing. Eventually, she swallowed the small lump in her throat and looked around as she found herself in her cabin by herself. She then reached to touch her forehead and felt the cold, hard jewel that kept her from transforming.
At least, she escaped from the awful nightmare. It almost felt too real, and it made Odette even more cautious as she remembered whose ship she was. Odette still couldn't believe that she met Killian again after all these years. She only hoped that he wouldn't recognize her if he ever saw her face. That was why she clutched her necklace as a way to comfort herself.
When the door knocked, Odette panicked and put her necklace back under her dress in case one of those pirates came in and saw it. She couldn't risk losing her mother's necklace. It was all she had left of her.
Odette immediately got out of bed and rushed to put on her cloak since she had no clue who was behind that door. When she went to go open it though, she was relieved to find Derek. That was when she took off her head and pulled him inside so that the other pirates wouldn't see her.
"You okay? You don't look well," Derek commented.
"I just had a bad dream." He nodded his head at her, and Odette just realized something when she looked at her clothes. "Derek, do you mind doing me a favor?"
"Sure, anything."
"I need clothes."
He took notice what she was wearing and didn't think much of it as he said, "What's wrong with what you're wearing?"
"I need something more practical—not draw more attention to myself."
"And you think a diadem on your head isn't going to draw more attention?" Odette didn't want to argue with him, so she pleaded, causing him to give in, "Alright. Fine. I'll see what I could find."
Odette smiled gratefully and thanked him before he left her cabin. Derek went to look for Killian, and found Smee who was on deck, helping the crew. He then asked Smee where he was, to which Smee pointed him out. Killian was watching over everyone by the helm while a member of his crew was steering the ship. He took notice of Derek when Derek climbed up the stairs and headed his way.
When Killian looked back at his crew and practically ignored Derek, Derek spoke up, "Um, excuse me, Captain...um-"
"Hook," Killian told him with some irritation in his voice.
"Right. Captain Hook. Um..."
Having enough of his hesitancy, Killian grew impatient. "Is there something you need, or do you plan on wasting my time?"
Derek grew a bit scared by his tone and his piercing gaze, so he shook his head and replied, "No. No. I was just...wondering if you had any clothes for my sister that are more practical."
It took a minute for Killian to smirk at him. "I've given you safe passage aboard my ship, and now your sister is asking for new wardrobe?" Derek looked down to avoid his stare but looked back at him when he heard amusement in his tone, "Very well. I may have something for her. Mr. Smee!"
Smee then came over, somewhat perturbed by his captain's barking command. "Yes, Captain?"
"See to it that the lad here makes himself useful."
When Derek saw Killian going down the steps, Derek stopped Killian, which annoyed the captain. "Actually, Captain Hook. My sister would appreciate it if I delivered it to her."
Derek didn't like the devilish smirk on Killian's face. It wasn't necessarily because Killian found him amusing but how much Derek annoyed him by bothering him from his duties as captain. However, Killian was not going to waste this opportunity to see her face. Seeing a beautiful woman was among one of the best things in life. Well, he had no idea if she was beautiful, but he hoped she was.
"Well I think your sister would appreciate it much more if a stranger gave it to her out of kindness," Killian told him with an unkind smirk before walking away.
He went into his quarters and opened a chest that was filled with his prized possessions. Unfortunately, the seafaring life never asked for much as he had to leave almost everything behind, so he kept the ones that had the most value to him. Eventually, he dug inside to take out a dress wrapped in cloth.
It was simple with a white bodice and a blue, flowing skirt. He only kept this dress because of Milah. She wore it when she first traveled with him on his voyages. Killian bought it for her from one of the villages since she wanted something that was easier to move in until she wanted leather trousers and a leather trench coat when she learned how to fight. He didn't want to hand this dress over to the woman on his ship, but Milah was gone now. He would just have to find some other way to keep Milah with him in his memories like getting a tattoo, which was what he thought about doing after her death.
He shut his chest and took the dress with him as he headed to his passenger's cabin and knocked on the door. "Thank you. I hope you didn't have trouble getting-"
She froze when she opened the door and met Killian's eyes. Killian stared at her and took her in for the first time. She was a beauty no doubt as he hoped she would be, but that was not what left him speechless. She looked a great deal like Milah. However, her appearance was much more delicate than Milah's, and she carried brown, doe eyes that were fearful of almost everything.
He even noticed the diamond on her head as he stared at it with intent. Killian had seen these diamonds before in the markets. ROC diamonds had the power to repel magic from what he heard, but they were also cursed objects. The problem was that no one really knew exactly how they were cursed, which was why Killian was certain that Odette had no idea what they were.
"You've asked for this?" Killian asked as he showed her the dress.
She kept her head down and thanked him as she took the dress from him. When she saw him standing there, she couldn't help but ask, "Is there anything you want?"
The way he stared at her made her uncomfortable until he finally opened his mouth, "What did you say your name was back at the tavern?"
"Nora. Nora Moon."
He nodded his head, acknowledging it. "Well then, Nora Moon...I welcome you aboard my ship." When she thanked him, he smirked and approached her by taking a few steps forward and told her lowly yet voluptuously, "Of course, if there is anything you need, never hesitate to come to me."
Taking a step back and looking down to avoid his stare, she nodded her head at him and thanked him. Odette just wanted him to go away so that her heart wouldn't constantly beat against her chest. It was unbearable since she was afraid of what he may do to her if he found out who Odette was. It even left Killian wondering how she looked very much like Odette as he believed that Rumplestiltskin would never let his daughter leave him. He believed that she looked just like Milah, which amused him, and he had a tempting thought to see if she was willing to stay with him, but he saw the fear on her face, so he didn't press further. He was more of a gentleman after all.
Killian nodded his head at her and gave her a smirk before leaving her cabin. Odette found it incredible how he didn't recognize her considering that everyone back at the village commented on how Odette looked a great deal like her mother. Then again, she thought that maybe he believed she was dead considering that they met when she was a child. After all, it had been over three hundred years. It also left Odette wondering how he lived for so long. He hadn't aged a day since they met before her mother was killed.
Present
When Graham was setting up the sheriff station, he looked over to see Gold limping his way through the door. He really didn't want to deal with him after all that he had done. First, he cursed his daughter to live out the rest of her days as a swan, and now, the people here are in a state of panic because of Gold bringing magic here and the wraith on top of it.
"May I have a word, Deputy?" Gold then noticed the badge on Graham as he said, "Sheriff?"
"Acting sheriff, and I need to look out for the people after the mess you made," Graham told him bitterly.
Gold did his best to apologize by saying it was a poor judgement on his part, but Graham wasn't hearing it. He couldn't believe that after everything, Gold still couldn't learn. He never realized that what he did affected those around him, including his own daughter, and that was pissed Graham off even more.
Graham even felt a bit insulted when Gold asked for his help. He scoffed at the idea of it. The only reason why he helped him catch Khan before was because he hoped that Khan may have had an idea to help him get Nora, Emma, and Mary Margaret back. He knew though that Nora would never allow him to become a barbarian by allowing Gold to do as he pleased towards Khan even if Khan deserved it.
"Whatever you want, Gold, I'm not going to do your dirty work."
Gold heard Graham's irritable tone, which was why he assured him, "Then you'll be pleased to hear that you won't. I'm here to report a missing person."
Graham sighed before taking the flyer from Gold's hand as he extended it out to him. When he opened it up, he saw a young woman with tufts of brown hair and a mix of blue and green eyes. He learned that her name was Belle. Graham never thought that Gold would care about anyone else other than his daughter, but the more Graham thought about it, the more he realized something as he turned to Gold.
"Back in our world, Nora told me she had a friend who was living with you, is this-"
"Yes," Gold admitted.
Hearing his tone, Graham realized that Gold was actually upset over this, but there was something that Graham also remembered about this woman. "Nora also told me that she died."
"I thought she had."
Graham then asked him why he couldn't just use the tracking spell to find her, but Gold reminded him that he needed something that the person owned to which he didn't. Even though Gold couldn't use the tracking spell though, Graham knew of Gold's nature, which was why he asked him if he wasn't sure that she just ran away. Gold told him that he didn't know, but he argued that the townspeople were less sympathetic to his plight and that Graham was in the unique position to understand what he was going through.
"Will you help me?"
It took a minute for Graham to agree. He wasn't sure at first if he wanted to after all that Gold had done, but if it was searching for Nora's friend, then Graham was going to find her. It would be a nice surprise if Nora came back and reunited with her again. At least, that was what Graham hoped for.
Past
Now that Killian saw her, Odette was rather conflicted. She had no idea if he knew who she was. Then again, he didn't seem to know from the way he acted towards her. She hoped it stayed that way. For now, she stared up at the stars on deck.
Odette couldn't look at them from her cabin since there weren't any windows. The stars always comforted her. That was why she needed to see them because they brought her peace especially since Odette felt like she lost everything now.
She really didn't want to be out on deck considering there were pirates on board, but Odette couldn't help herself. She couldn't help but look back though to see one pirate staring at her as if he was in hunger. She did her best to pay no mind to any of them, but it was still nerve-wracking since she knew what pirates were capable of.
"Alluring, aren't they?" Odette turned her head to see Killian making his way towards her with a smirk. "Stars often light the way to help sailors make their voyage safely if they are lost."
Instead of facing him, she looked back at the stars to say, "I know. I read about them and their constellations in a book once."
"Well then, you must know which star helps sailors find north."
A chill swept her back when he took a step towards her and gave her a sultry look. Odette started to believe if he acted this way towards her mother and refused, forcing him to take her away from her family. If he could easily behave this way towards women, then he would flirt with anyone wearing a skirt. That was why he somewhat reminded her of Sinbad, but at least he was predictable as opposed to Sinbad from what Odette had seen so far.
"Polaris."
Her answer earned her a smirk from Killian as he commented, "It seems you do know your stars."
Odette didn't reply back, so she turned back to the ocean. All she wanted was peace, and yet he came in and interrupted her moment. She wished that Derek was here to get her away from him, but he was nowhere to be found on deck. Odette believed he was back in his cabin.
"Shouldn't you be captaining your ship?"
His smoldering look made her uncomfortable, especially when he leaned in to tell her, "That's exactly what I'm doing—looking after my crew, my ship, and my passengers." When Odette didn't look his way, he pressed with an amusement tone, "Have I done anything to offend you?"
"No."
"You hardly look my way." When she heard his argument, she finally turned to him in an almost defiant manner, and it actually amused Killian. "There. That wasn't so hard now."
After seeing that he was satisfied, she looked back to try to enjoy the cool breeze and crystal ocean. At least the night air was promising. It almost reminded her of the time when she used to stay by the docks to feel the salty sea breeze whirling through her hair and blowing on her cheeks.
"Why do you distrust me?" Odette finally looked at him when he told her, "Most women would thank the man who offered them kindness."
"Except you're being paid to be kind."
Killian did not appreciate her ungratefulness, so his tone turned unkind when he said, "I'm being paid to give you and your brother safe passage to the next town, so unless you want to prove that not all pirates are as you fear, then you should show a bit more gratitude."
His threat was cold, and Odette finally saw his true colors. He never showed this side to her even when she was a child. Then again, he had no reason to. Now that he was showing his real behavior, Odette needed to be wary of him since she had no idea what he was capable of. He could throw her overboard to be eaten by sharks or run her through with his sword if she wasn't careful around him.
"I've also been meaning to ask you about the diamond on your head." Odette turned to Killian again when she heard him ask, "ROC diamonds are incredibly rare and difficult to find. How did you manage to procure one?"
She didn't want to tell him the full story since she didn't trust him, so she said, "It was given to me."
"Then they must wish you an ill fortune by giving you such an item. ROC diamonds are said to be cursed objects."
Odette was confused as she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and questioned, "Cursed how?"
"I've no clue, but most stories ring truth. It's best if you take it off."
When he reached a hand to her head, Odette panicked a bit by taking a step back away from him and protectively covered the diamond. She didn't want him to take it off of her. If he did, then she would not only turn back into her cursed swan form but she could also easily be found by Rothbart and her father. That was something that she could not allow to happen.
"No. I need it." Killian seemed confused by her action, and Odette looked away in shame as she admitted, "If I don't wear it, I turn back into a swan, and the diamond allows me to let me stay in my human form."
"You're cursed," Killian stated, causing Odette to look away since she didn't want him to find out. "I take it that's why you and your brother pleaded for passage—to run away from the sorcerer who gave you such a fate."
"Yes."
It wasn't a complete lie since both Rothbart and Rumplestiltskin wielded magic and she was running away from both of them. She would be imprisoned with either one either way, but at least her father never beat or humiliated her. It sent shivers down her spine just thinking about the vile sorcerer, Rothbart. If he ever found her, Odette wouldn't know what to do. On top of that, she wished she knew how the diamond was cursed. Could it be more than what it seemed? It really itched Odette's thoughts to know what else the diamond was capable of. She even clutched onto her swan necklace to comfort her thoughts only to not realize of the mistake she made.
"What are you holding?"
Odette looked over at Killian and shook away the thought as she attempted to put her necklace away. "It's nothing."
"Well, if it's nothing, then show it."
Odette was hesitant since she remembered telling Killian about her necklace after her mother gave it to her when she was a child, but she certainly didn't want to antagonize him further, so she showed him the necklace as he held it in his palm. She couldn't stop staring at his face as his gaze hardened. He was completely fixed on the necklace, and at that moment, Odette had a chilling feeling that he had an idea as to who she was.
When he finally looked back at her, she felt his piercing stare as he questioned her, "Where did you get this?"
Odette had to swallow the small lump in her throat before responding, "It doesn't matter how."
"You stole it then."
She shook her head at his statement. "No."
He stared at her long and hard until he finally smirked and tugged her necklace, causing the clasp to snap, and Odette panicked when he held it towards him. "So you're telling me that a mere peasant woman was given something so valuable like gold? Do you honestly think anyone would believe that?"
When he held it away from her, Odette continued reaching out to get it back from him. He was clearly enjoying it, but that necklace meant so much to Odette. If he accidentally dropped it in the ocean, Odette wouldn't hesitate to jump in to look for it. It was the only connection she had with her mother.
"No, Hook, please, no! It belonged to someone important to me, please!" Odette cried out.
When Killian heard her plea and saw her terrified expression, there was no hint of amusement on his face. Even though Odette was relieved that he slowly gave it back to her, Killian turned serious as he watched her carefully. It was almost as if he was thinking really hard as he gazed at her in somewhat disbelief.
"I should be going now," Odette told him.
It took a minute for Killian to nod his head in acknowledgment as he watched her go back to her cabin. All his eyes did was chase after her as he continued to think about her. Her striking appearance to Milan and her necklace couldn't be more of a coincidence.
"Captain?" Killian finally turned to Smee when he heard him say, "Sir, is everything alright?"
"Everything's going accordingly, Smee. I believe fortune's in our favor."
Smee furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he questioned, "What do you mean, Sir?"
Having enough of his questions, Killian finally told him his theory, "The Dark One's daughter, Odette, is aboard my ship."
Smee's eyes widened after he heard his captain before shaking his head. "But, Captain, how do you know? And, do you really believe that The Dark One would really allow her to leave him?"
"Mr. Smee, it seems you have forgotten when we found The Dark One's son in Neverland."
"I don't know, sir. There isn't anyway to tell. Are you sure it isn't more of a coincidence?"
Hook stared at him long and hard before turning back where his eyes lingered at Odette as he watched her leave. "Perhaps this is most opportune to discover if she truly is The Dark One's daughter."
"How, Captain?"
He smirked as he told him, "That is where you come in. I need you to escort her to my cabin so that she and I could have a little chat. We'll see if she is forthcoming of her identity."
Present
Graham and Gold went around Main Street to ask people if they had seen Belle. Unfortunately, they didn't have much luck. The situation soon grew worse whenever they always noticed Gold. Even when Graham spoke on his behalf while Gold was across the street, it didn't seem to matter since they always tell Graham to be careful of him by telling him a story of what Gold did in his past.
By the time Graham finished speaking to the fifth person on the street, Graham went back to Gold and asked, "Do you remember turning a butcher into a pig?"
"Can't say that I do, why?"
Graham was growing more irritated by Gold after hearing so many complaints against Gold, and the fact that he didn't remember, showed how much he didn't care what he did to these people. "Well, he does. Apparently, it was his father." Graham then shoved Belle's poster into Gold's chest and started to walk away. "I'm beginning to understand why no one wants to help you."
"Well, h-has he seen Belle?" Gold asked as he followed behind him.
"Afraid not."
Even though they didn't have much luck on the street, Graham told him that they should go to Granny's to see if they could pick up any leads there. Graham was determined to find Belle, because he wanted Nora to see her old friend again after believing that she died. He just hoped that she would return soon.
"Look, uh, can I ask you a question...about you and my daughter?" Gold asked, stopping Graham. "H-How-How does that work?"
All Graham did was stare at him in disbelief. Did he hear him wrong? He couldn't believe that Gold actually asked him for advice. He must've been so desperate to make things right with Belle that he was willing to ask the same man who stole his daughter away from him as they fell in love and married.
"Are you really asking for dating advice?"
Gold looked almost ashamed, and Graham knew that he lied when he said, "Of course not, no."
They stared at each other, and for a split second, Graham could have sworn that he saw a bit of Nora in him. Gold may be The Dark One, but he was still her father, and he showed the same recklessness that Nora did when Graham first met her back at Regina's castle. At that moment, Graham actually saw his humane side a bit since his concern reminded him of Nora.
Sighing, Graham revealed, "Honesty. That's how we did it. Hard work and beinghonestwith one another."
As Graham and Gold walked together down the street, Gold seemed a bit perplexed as he reminded him, "Well, I-I don't lie."
He knew that Gold wouldn't understand, which was why he laid it out to him, "There's a difference between literal truth and honesty of the heart. Nothing taught me that more than this curse."
Graham hoped that he got through to Gold. Whatever he did to Belle, he knew that Gold had to make it right to her so that she would return. He can at least think about what he'll say to her while they look for her. For now, they needed to go to Granny's to find anything to help them.
As soon as they went inside, the first person Graham went to was Ruby. She practically knew majority of the people in Storybrooke besides Granny. If anyone possibly had an idea, then it was Ruby. That was why he explained the situation to her and showed her the poster.
"Belle, huh?" As Ruby handed the poster back to him, she told him with a bit of humor, "Sorry. Doesn't ring a bell."
After seeing the smirk on Ruby's face and hearing her amused tone, he knew that Ruby was lying to cover up for her. It wouldn't be the first time she did. Graham knew that Ruby covered up for Ashley Boyd when she tried to leave Storybrooke to protect her. She must be protecting Belle because Gold was looking for her.
"Ruby, listen to me. If you've seen her, you need to tell me. I'll make sure nothing bad happens to her."
Graham couldn't be more than serious, and Ruby seemed to have believed him until she looked back at Gold as she turned back to Graham to question, "What about him?"
"I got him. Trust me."
It took a minute, but eventually, Ruby cooperated. She admitted that Belle was in earlier and was looking for a job, so Ruby pointed her in the direction of the library, when Gold asked if she believed that Belle went there, Ruby admitted that she didn't know. Even though they didn't find Belle, Ruby at least assured them that Belle was safe.
"Do me a favor," Ruby said as she went behind the counter and pulled out a brown shawl underneath. "Give her this. She left it in her booth."
"That's mine." Graham and Ruby turned to Gold when they heard his revelation, and Graham couldn't help but admit that he was surprised to hear how much Gold cared about her when he said, "She didn't have anything for the cold."
Graham never even thought Ruby would be more willing to help as she offered assistance when she turned to Graham, "You sure you'll watch out for her?"
"Yes, why?"
"I think-I think I can find her. Lately, since things have changed, I've been, uh, a little more sensitive to odors."
"What, you can smell her?" Gold questioned.
Ruby extended her hand out as Gold gave it to her and smelled it before saying, "I guess it's 'cause of the wolf thing."
Past
Odette was in her cabin, getting ready to turn in. Her stomach practically growled since she hadn't really eaten anything. It was leftover scraps that Derek smuggled out of the kitchen. He did make sure to steal a loaf or an apple from a couple of the barrels when the crew wasn't looking. At least, this voyage would soon be over. They should arrive at the docks by morning, then Odette would never have to see Killian again.
When the door knocked, Odette assumed it was Derek, so she went to go open the door only to find Smee. "The Captain wants to see you in his cabin."
"Why?"
"He only wants to have a discussion with you."
Odette felt like she couldn't refuse since she angered Killian once before, but at the same time, she knew she would be walking into a lion's den if she followed Smee. She had no idea what Killian could possibly want. That was when a wave of sickening terror surfaced her mind as she remembered when Sinbad led her to his room back at the Queen's castle where he attempted to take advantage of her. She hoped that was not the case with Killian. Then again, he didn't seem as cruel as Sinbad, so she agreed by following Smee.
They walked down the hallway until they reached a door, and Smee knocked until Killian told him to come in. Smee opened the door but waited for Odette to go inside as he gestured for her to go in first, so she did. There in the captain's cabin was Killian Jones standing by a table of an array of food with a pleasant smirk on his face.
"That'll be all, Smee." As soon as Smee gave them privacy, all Odette did was stare at the trays of food, and not long after her gaze was soon fixed on Killian as he went over to one of the chairs and pulled it out for Odette to sit in as he gestured her to. "I thought you might want to enjoy a proper meal instead of the leftover grog from the night before."
Killian was right. As soon as her eyes laid on the big chicken, rolls of bread, delectable fruit, and golden potatoes, Odette practically felt her mouth watering. She hadn't had a proper meal in a while ever since Rothbart treated her cruelly by having one of the Queen's soldiers beat her for the first time. He only gave one meal in the morning for the day, which was why Odette made sure to ration out her food so that she wasn't starving.
When Odette couldn't stop staring, Killian smirked and made his way over to a chair as he pulled it out for her. She was hesitant when she looked back at him. She had no idea why he was doing this all of a sudden. It made her believe that he had some sort of ulterior motive. Nevertheless, Odette was not going to waste this opportunity to finally have a good meal, so she slowly made her way over to him and took a seat. Odette certainly didn't want to dig in right away because she did not want to show how eager she was.
As soon as Killian sat across from her, he had a devilish smirk on his face as he gestured to the food. "Please, help yourself."
Odette swallowed the small lump in her throat when she looked back at the food. She wanted to devour the food in front of her, but she controlled her urges. Instead, she slowly took a couple slices of chicken and put it on her plate before cutting a piece so that she could finally eat.
For some reason though, Killian wasn't eating when she caught a glimpse of him. All he did was stare at her, and he no longer had a smile on his face. His gaze turned somewhat serious as if he was thinking about something long and hard.
It certainly didn't stop him though for grabbing the pitcher as he poured wine into one of the goblets before offering it to her. "Try the wine."
Odette hesitated once again, but she eventually took a sip from it as she felt the fermented fruit roll off her tongue. Setting the goblet to the side, she went back to her food by getting some potatoes and a roll of bread. Killian once again couldn't keep his eyes off of her as if he was somewhat fascinated, but she knew that he wanted something. The problem was that she had no idea what until he opened his mouth, "You said that if you don't wear that ROC diamond, then you turn back into a swan."
Odette had no idea what he was getting at as she stopped chewing and finally looked at him before taking a sip of her wine. "What's your point?"
"No point," Killian admitted. "I only wish to know who gave it to you."
Odette had no idea why he would want to know that information, so she told him a partial truth, "A sorcerer did."
"Well, it can't possibly be the same sorcerer or wizard who cursed you."
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she asked, "And how would you know?"
"Because you're already cursed. What point would the same sorcerer, who cursed you to live out the rest of your remainder days as a swan, have to give you a cursed object if you are already suffering from your fate?"
Killian certainly was no fool. He knew exactly what he was saying, and at that moment, Odette knew he was onto her. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction though, but then again, she felt like she had no other choice but to say, "You're right. Another sorcerer found me and promised me that I can be human again by wearing the diamond on my head if I agreed to go with him, so I did. I then saw his true self when he tormented and tortured me through his cruel treatments when I did something that he didn't like. That's why I left."
Odette made sure that she revealed the truth without saying anything. She certainly did not want to tell him the full truth since she didn't trust Killian. That was why Odette didn't want to say anymore, but he was right on the nose once again. "So, it's not just the sorcerer who gave the ROC diamond that you are running away from but also the one who cursed you to be a swan."
Odette looked away, confirming it. She still didn't understand what motive Killian had to bring her here. What could he possibly want from her? Why was he so curious about her? It unnerved Odette immensely.
She eventually realized why he was questioning her when he continued on with his interrogation, "What about your necklace then? You said that it belonged to someone important to you."
"What are you asking me?"
"Who gave it to you?"
She didn't understand what he would gain from this, so she asked, "Why do you want to know?"
"Because I knew someone who carried the same exact necklace—a child, and I have to say, she looks a great deal like you the more I think about her."
Odette's face practically paled when he explained his reasoning, because she finally understood why he was questioning her. When she was a child, she showed Killian her necklace and told him that her mother gave it to her. A chill swept her spine as she realized that he knew exactly who she was. She couldn't afford for him to know. If he realized who she was, then he may kill her if he killed her mother. There was no way, she was going to allow that. Odette was determined to survive.
"Well, I definitely never met you before. I'd remember a face like that."
He smirked as he asked with humor, "Dashing and devilishly handsome, you mean?"
His smile fell when she replied, "More like arrogant and conceited."
His tone grew serious and cold as he questioned, "Then tell me who gave you that necklace?"
Odette knew he had her trapped. Killian may barely be tolerable, but he was a lot smarter than what he appeared to be. That was why Odette needed to tread carefully. She knew she needed to come up with a convincing lie so that he wouldn't question her further. It was going to be tough, which was why Odette acted the best she could to deceive him.
"A woman gave it to me. She was my friend." When Killian stared at her, almost ordering her to say the woman's name, Odette lied, "Her name was Odette."
At the mention of her name, Killian grew still, and he was fixated on her when she lied. It was a long shot, but Odette had no other choice but to lie. She couldn't risk telling him the truth.
"We were planning to escape together, but she was killed before I fled." Odette felt tears welling in her eyes as she spoke, because she couldn't stop thinking about how Rothbart tortured her. She knew that the only way Killian would be convinced was if she showed her raw emotions, which was what she did as her tears slowly fell. "She pleaded for me to leave, but I didn't want to leave without her. She died in my arms, and there's not a day where I don't think about her. I even took her necklace so that I could carry her everywhere I go." Odette sighed and wiped her tears away while Killian continued staring at her, to which Odette met his gaze head-on as she told him, "I don't care who thinks I stole it, but if anyone tries to take it from me, then I will fight to keep her close to me."
For some reason, Killian seemed a bit perplexed and was caught off guard when he heard her lie. "You care that much about her?"
"She was my best friend."
There was a split second where Killian seemed conflicted. She had no idea if he believed her or what was even going through his mind. Odette just hoped that he didn't question her anymore, and sure enough, he didn't.
"Forgive me if I have offended you in any way. I may not fully understand what you have been through, but I can assure you, whatever has happened to you, you will receive no treatment from me."
Odette was shocked when she heard his announcement to her. In that split second, she saw the same kind sailor she met when she was a child. His words were a promise that uplifted her spirit. She hadn't felt like this in a while.
When Odette thanked him, he offered her a small smile before getting out of his chair and told her that she should get some rest. He then escorted her out of his cabin and led her back to her quarters.
Before she had a chance to leave though, he stopped her by saying, "We should arrive in the next town by the morning. You and your brother will finally have your freedom."
"Yes."
As soon as she turned away to head into her room, he stopped her again by gently taking her arm. "Unless...you don't want to leave."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Well, if you are seeking to escape from your captors, then you can sail away on my ship—a chance for you and your brother to join my crew."
Odette stared at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was offering her a chance to not only run away with him but to also see other worlds. She always dreamt of exploring, but Odette didn't trust Killian. She could never travel with him since he killed her mother.
"Thank you, Captain, but I think it's best if we never see each other again after this."
He smirked as he barely whispered in a sultry voice, "Shame, and here I thought we were getting along." He then grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss her knuckles softly, causing Odette's heart to thump against her chest. "Goodnight,...Nora."
Odette didn't bother saying it back to him. She only nodded her head in acknowledgement before taking her hand back when he didn't let her go and went back inside her cabin. Her heart refused to stop beating. It wasn't as if she particularly cared about the pirate. He simply took her by surprise. At least, she would never have to see him again when they reach the docks.
Present
Ruby led Gold and Graham down Main Street to track Belle down, but she soon stopped at Moe's flower shop. When Graham asked her if she lost her scent, Ruby told him that it was because of the flowers and that she couldn't track Belle anymore. Gold assured them though that they were in front of Belle's father's shop, so they wasted no time heading inside.
They were already not treated to a warm welcome when Moe laid his eyes on Gold. "You again. Out. This is a private establishment. You're not welcome."
Even though Gold questioned Moe on Belle's whereabouts, Graham knew that Moe wouldn't cooperate after sneering at Gold. That was exactly why Graham assured Moe that he wasn't going to allow anything to happen to her. Even Ruby tried easing the situation by saying that they were all just worried about her.
"Don't be. She's safe. So you can stop looking," Moe told him.
Graham had a feeling this wasn't going to go anywhere, but he wanted to find some way to assure Moe that they weren't there to hurt his daughter in any way. After all , Graham promised to himself that he wasn't going to find Belle so that she could see Nora again when she comes back.
Gold soon sighed and spoke calmly to Moe, "Look, if I could just have the chance to talk to her."
"You will destroy Belle like you destroy everything else. Well, I won't let that happen."
Graham stared at Moe hard. He processed his words carefully, and eventually, Graham realized that Moe was hiding her. Moe may seem like he cared about his daughter, but Graham had a horrible feeling that Moe may have done something that Belle refused to do. It almost reminded him of when Gold cursed his daughter into a swan and swore that he would keep her with him without realizing what a cruel fate he gave her.
At that moment, Graham wanted to step in, but Gold beat him to it by interrogating Moe as he asked what he did to Belle. When Moe refused to say, Gold jammed a finger to Moe's chest, causing him to take a step back when Gold took a daunting step towards him. His eyes were filled with fury, and his teeth clenched while he was seething.
"I have to make her forget about you, no matter the cost. Even if it means she forgets me too."
They all soon realized what Moe meant as Gold pointed out, "He's sending her across the town line."
Graham had enough of this. He was not going to allow Moe to do this. This was just too cruel for him to do this to his own daughter. It angered Graham almost as much as Gold as he went over to grab Moe by his arm and dragged him outside to his van.
"Where are you sending Belle across?" When Moe didn't talk, Graham pressed him, "You know we have patrols on the Storybrooke line to make sure no one crosses accidentally. So how are you planning to pull it off?"
As soon as Graham let him go to open the van's door, Gold wasted no time grabbing Moe and pressed his cane against Moe's neck, strangling him, as Gold seethed, "Where? Where are you sending her across? Tell me where!"
"Stop it! You're going to kill him!" Graham pulled Gold off of Moe, but the minute he did, Graham noticed something on his hand, so he grabbed it and observed it carefully. There was mine dust on his hand. "You've been down in the mines." At that moment, Graham knew exactly what Moe was planning as he looked back at Gold and Ruby. "The tunnels. They lead out of town."
With one shove, Moe went inside the van, followed by Gold. Ruby took the liberty to drive the van so that she could get them to entrance quicker. Graham wanted to call David to let him know what was going on, but he knew that David wouldn't make it in time. That was why it was left to Graham to rescue Belle before it was too late.
As soon as they made it, they rushed out and went into the mines. Graham made sure that Moe led them since he most likely knew where exactly Belle would be, and sure enough he was right. However, they seemed too late as the cart already took off with Belle in it.
"It's too late. You can't get to her now," Moe told the group.
Graham glared at Moe and was ready to tell him off, but there would be no point. He still couldn't believe that Moe would do this to his only daughter. He almost reminded him of Gold. Then again, Gold would probably not do something like this to Nora. It sickened Graham at the thought of this.
Luckily, Gold stepped in and actually surprised Graham when he stated, "I wouldn't bet on that."
Gold then extended his hand out, and all the group did was wait. They did hear some sort of crash and a woman shouting, "What's happening?"
The mining cart was being pulled back using magic, and there in the cart was a young, petite woman with curled brown hair and blue eyes. Graham knew it was Belle from the poster Gold showed him. She was handcuffed to the cart, and Gold wasted no time removing it using his magic.
Graham wasted no time going over to her to help her out as she put her arm around him before Gold stepped forward with an etch of concern across his face. "Belle, are you all right?"
"I, uh, I think so."
"Do you remember who I am?"
Belle smiled as she answered, " I do. Rumplestiltskin. I- I remember."
When Gold went to hug her, Belle shrugged him off, confusing Gold. "What's wrong?"
"Thank you for what you just did, but that doesn't change that you're too cowardly to be honest with me."
As much as Gold attempted to defend himself, it didn't seem to matter to Belle. She seemed to have made up her mind about him. Moe tried to reason with his daughter by saying that he was going to take care of her, but Belle wasn't having it. She argued that both Gold and Moe didn't care about how she felt, and that if they did, then they would've listened to her. She even told them that she never wanted to see either of them again.
When she walked away, Graham turned to Gold and knew that he was upset about this situation. Graham never thought that he would ever care about anyone else other than Nora, but he proved him wrong. As much as Graham didn't particularly care about Gold, he was still his wife's father, and she still loved him dearly. That was why Graham was willing to fix this.
They went outside as Moe and Ruby went their separate ways, Graham walked by Gold's side and followed his pace because of Gold's limp. "At least Belle's safe," Graham stated, but it didn't seem to have much effect on Gold as he stayed silent. "Look. Whatever you did, you have to make it right."
Finally, Gold turned to him and challenged him, "What do you suggest I do then?"
It took a minute for Graham to think about it until he finally came up with a solution. "Do something meaningful for her." For once, Gold was speechless that Graham was willing to help him make things right, but Graham made sure he told him why, "Don't get me wrong. The only reason why I agreed to help was because of Nora, and I, for one, wouldn't want her to see the people she cares about feuding because of what you did."
Gold stared at him long and hard, almost thinking about something, but he couldn't find the words to express it to the sheriff. Perhaps he didn't want to admit that Graham was good for Nora because he was always looking out for her, but Graham knew that Gold would never admit that. Still, Graham wasn't just going to sit by and let Gold screw ruin everything again. That was why he was glad that Gold actually listened to him as Graham told him the plan.
Past
After Odette told Derek what happened between her and Killian, Derek assured her, "Don't worry. You won't see him anymore after this."
"I know, but I just hope it was enough to convince him that I'm not who he thinks I am."
"I'm sure he doesn't know. If he did, he'd probably kill you or make an example out of you. Either way, you'll be safely away from him."
She was thankful for Derek for all that he had done. He had always been there for her like what any friend would've done. Odette almost forgot what that felt like to have someone supporting her after dealing with Rothbart's torment and cruel nature. Derek always knew how to uplift her spirits up.
"Well, I better get some sleep, and you should too. We've got a big day ahead of us."
Odette smiled and wished him a goodnight as he left her cabin, leaving her alone. When the door shut, her mind wandered back to Killian. She almost wished what was going through his head when he interrogated her. She thought at first that maybe he believed she was aboard his ship and wanted revenge, but she couldn't help but notice a glint of hope crossing his eyes, almost as if he wanted her to be Odette, but maybe she was imagining it. She couldn't think of a reason why he would want Odette to be on his ship. Casting the thought aside, Odette pulled her sheets to go to bed.
She didn't bother getting out of the dress Killian gave her because she didn't really have anything underneath besides her shimmy. That was why she didn't complain and just went into bed. Odette closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, but it was a little difficult considering that she had so much on her mind. It would have been a lot easier if she took the knife on the table and stabbed Killian in his throat, but Odette could never do that. She was no killer like him. At least, she never had to see him again after the voyage.
When a hand clamped her mouth, Odette's eyes opened wide to see one of the pirates on top of her with a blade pressed against her neck. "Do anythin' and I'll gut ya," the man threatened with a sickening smirk.
Odette dared not to move when she felt the pirate's dagger digging into her neck, but she panicked a bit when he moved his hand down her skirt so quickly and attempted to pull it up. She struggled and squirmed, trying anything to break free, but he pressed his blade against her stomach this time and warned her not to move. As soon as she stopped fighting, she felt tears welling in her eyes as the man went on to take advantage of her.
She needed a way out of this, and she would when her hand went under her pillow to feel something cold and hard. That was when she remembered the dagger that Derek gave her. She certainly didn't want the pirate to know though, so she waited the opportunity until his blade was no longer poking her as she swiftly pulled it out and stabbed him in his back, causing him to yell out in pain.
Odette quickly kicked him off of her, forcing him to stumble and crumble to the floor before cursing at her as he took his stance, ready to cut her through. He was a little hunched over since his injury was affecting him, making Odette believe that he deserved it. She was afraid, no doubt, but she dealt with worse people than this man.
When he charged at her, she ducked out of the way and used her hand to cartwheel away so that she landed on her feet before moving swiftly forth when she was behind him so that she could grab his arm, twist it behind him, and press her dagger against his neck just in time for Derek, Smee, and the rest of the crew to see what happened when the door opened. They were all shocked to see Odette getting the upper hand except for Derek since he witnessed it first-hand when she spared against Sinbad. Odette even pushed the pirate to the ground as he groaned in pain when he reached for his back.
"What's all this?" The entire crew and Derek made way for their captain, and he saw with his own eyes what Odette did. He then looked at the pirate and sneered at him before addressing his crew, "Tie him up and take him on deck."
The man pleaded as Smee and the rest of the pirates grabbed the man and dragged him away. Killian met Odette's eyes and seemed hesitant as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't, so he walked away. That was when Derek came over and asked if she was alright to which she said she was.
Not long after, they went on deck to see the pirate who attempted to take advantage of Odette was tied up and in front of Killian, and Odette was marveled when Killian opened his mouth to address his men, "We are not just simple pirates that take for whatever they damn well please. We are much greater than that. We have honor! We may have sacked and pilfered each village we've come across, but we have greater dignity than those who exploit women and children. It leads to nothing but bad form. If there is one thing that won't be tolerated isbad form. Those of you who disagree with me, can walk thebloodyplank and pray that even the depths of Hell will take pity on your soul!"
Smee shot his fist in the air as he proudly exclaimed, "To Captain Hook!"
The crew cheered, except for Derek and Odette as they watched Killian draw out his sword from its sheath and slashed the man's arm before Killian leaned in and spoke in a low, biting tone, "Let that be a lesson to you." He then pushed his old crew member into the ocean as he shouted, "Enjoy the feast, boys!"
When Killian turned back, he met Odette's eyes, and all they did was stare at each other. They didn't say one word. To be quite frank, Odette didn't really know what to say. His speech may have moved her, but she thought that perhaps Killian was showing off a bit when he forced him to walk the plank. Besides, he may have sided with her, but that was only tonight. That was why she hoped that they never crossed paths ever again, because she knew that if a man could easily kill an innocent woman, then there was no doubt that he would turn on her.
Present
After Belle had been saved, she hadn't made any contact with Gold, so Graham decided to help him. He may not particularly like Gold, but he was still Nora's father, and she cared about him. He still never forgot the look on her face when he came after the council imprisoned him for trying to take away Ashley's baby in their past. However, even though Graham decided to help Gold, he had his own ulterior motives, which was why he was thankful when Ruby told him where Belle was.
As soon as Graham entered Granny's he froze when he saw Belle and Ruby turning their heads towards him. Belle then looked back to thank Ruby for the breakfast she just gave her, and Ruby acknowledged it while telling her that she could stay at Granny's until she gets back up on her feet. When Ruby gave Graham a knowing smirk, Graham made his way over to them and sat beside Belle.
"Anything I can get you, Graham?" Ruby asked with a pleasant smile.
"Coffee," Graham told her before pulling his wallet out and putting a few singles on the counter.
"Cream?"
"You know how I like it."
As soon as Ruby walked away, Graham couldn't help but glance at Belle, but he quickly looked away when she turned to him. Graham was never really good at starting conversations, especially when it came to meeting strangers. He didn't really have a proper introduction with Belle after all.
He felt Belle's stare on him, and he didn't really understand why until she opened her mouth, "You-You helped Rumplestiltskin and Ruby save me."
At least that helped him open up their conversation as he finally turned back to her. "Graham. I'm the sheriff around here, but only temporary just until someone gets back."
"And that someone is?"
"A friend." He didn't want to get it into with someone he just met, so he changed the subject. "I understand your frustration with Gold. He can be quite a handful, especially with how he meddles other people's lives."
Belle gave him a skeptical look as she paused before questioning, "He sent you here, didn't he?" When Graham stayed silent, he heard her disappointed tone, "He wants you to convince me to go back to him."
Graham wasn't really surprised how she figured it out. She must have stayed with Gold for a while back in their world for her to understand his motivations and intentions. Gold always made sure to get what he wanted, which was why he took a key out of his pocket and handed it to her. Graham knew there was no point to hide his purpose for being here. She almost reminded him of Nora, now that he thought about it. That was probably why they were good friends.
"He wanted me to give you this." As she inspected the key, he added, "It's the key to the library. He said you'd like books."
He saw a flicker of her eyes softening as she said in a thoughtful manner, "I do."
Now that Graham gave her the key, there was one last objective he needed to complete as he brought up, "If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and Nora?"
She carried a puzzled expression on her face when she turned back to him. "Nora?"
He shook his head at the mistake he made since he quickly realized that she didn't use her fake name when she met Belle back in The Enchanted Forest. "Odette?"
Her eyes slowly widened as she questioned, "You know Odette?"
"She's my wife, and in this town, she goes by Nora Moon."
"Is she here?"
He shook his head, admitting, "No. She's back in our world."
"What? Bu-But how?"
"It's a long story, and all I could do is wait until she comes back with some other friends of mine." When Belle looked away, he noted her sad face. "She told me that you died."
"Well, she'll probably be even more disappointed that I'm alive. She said that she never wanted to see me again."
Graham remembered Nora's words when she spoke of Belle, and he heard how upset she was, which was exactly why he questioned Belle, "You sure about that?" When Belle turned back to him, he let her know, "Because she wouldn't have referred to you as a friend if she did."
"She did?"
Graham nodded his head and confirmed it for her. "I know she'd be happy to see you again."
She smiled when he told her that, probably because she was thinking about seeing Nora again. He didn't blame her. Anyone would want to see her again. Nora was the one who could uplift anyone. On top of that, if Belle was living with Nora's father, that meant that Belle and Nora only had each other when Gold wasn't around in his castle.
"Looks like all we can do is wait then."
"Right." He knew Belle wanted to say something to him when she heard his disappointed tone, but it would only get him more upset since any mention of Nora was just a reminder that she wasn't with him. "You should on to the library now. I'm sure you'd want to get it ready so that you could open it up."
As Belle got up and was about to leave, she stopped herself so that she could turn back to him with a soft smile. "Thank you, Graham."
He didn't bother saying anything back to her, but he gave her the courtesy by nodding his head. As soon as she left, Ruby finally gave him his coffee and poured the creamer in front of him and reminded him that Nora would come back. He just looked at her before turning back to his coffee and thanked her.
Past
As The Jolly Roger made it to the village, the crew scrambled to dock the boat properly with their captain watching over them carefully. Odette and Derek couldn't help but stare at the village. Derek had a sheepish grin on his face as he remarked that they finally made it town. Even Odette was relieved that they made it across safely, but she was even more relieved that she would be away from Killian.
Now that she mentioned it, she couldn't help but look back at him and saw him at the helm. Even though she could never forgive him for what he did to her mother, she still felt obligated to thank him for what he did. That was why Odette told Derek that she would be back before she headed up the stairs that led her to where Killian was.
He turned to her for a brief moment before looking back at his crew. "We've reached your destination. You'll soon be on your way with your brother."
"Yes," Odette told him softly before remembering why she went up to see him. "I wanted to thank you for last night."
"Well, you seemed to have defended yourself quite well. Where did you learn to fight?"
"A friend taught me a long time ago."
He smirked as he told her, "Then it seems he did you a favor. If you didn't know how to fight, then who knows what vile deeds my former crew member would've done to you."
She thought it was a bit ironic that he said that considering he was a pirate. "Like you've never done any wicked deeds. You are a pirate after all."
Killian seemed almost insulted by her statement as he reminded her, "Aye, I am, but I have much more honor than the cowards who simply take advantage of women. It's not what a gentleman would do."
"So now you're a gentleman?"
He smirked as he told her, "I'm always a gentleman, or perhaps you've forgotten how I treated you well on my ship."
"Oh, I didn't forget. How could I when you threatened me and then gave me a proper meal with a motive to find out who I was?"
It took a minute for Killian to think about what she did before breaking into a smirk and took a step towards her before saying in a seductive voice, "Then you don't know me well enough, but perhaps I can show you if you would allow me to." Odette's heart beat excessively against her chest when he got close enough to her, and she wanted to interrupt him and refuse, but he cut her off before she had a chance to open her mouth. "It's not too late to change your mind. This ship can be your home."
"Except I'm not a pirate, and I would never want to be."
She saw a flash of disappointment crossing his eyes for a brief moment before Smee climbed up the steps to alert his captain, "Captain, we've docked."
"Yes, I see that, Smee."
Odette ignored Killian's annoyed tone at his crew member and watched the pirates set a board down that connected the dock to The Jolly Roger so that they could leave the ship safely. Before she went down the steps, she looked at Killian one last time as they stared at each other before Odette went with Derek.
As Odette and Derek left The Jolly Roger, Killian couldn't help but stare after her. He still had no idea if she was lying as to who she was. She may have told him a tale about Odette "supposedly" giving the necklace to her before she died. However, it didn't explain the striking resemblance she had of Milah. He had no clue if it was a coincidence.
Then again, if this "Nora" was telling the truth, then it made Killian wonder just exactly who the sorcerer was who killed Odette. Whoever it was, the vile sorcerer knew how to outsmart the bloody crocodile. That made him much more dangerous to be around. For "Nora's" sake, she best be on her guard every step she took.
"Well Captain, is she Rumplestiltskin's daughter?" Smee asked as soon as Derek and Odette left the dock.
"If she is, then I would've told her about how herfatherkilled her mother.
"If?" Smee's eyes widened as he realized what his captain meant. "You don't know? But, surely you-you wouldn't have let her leave if-"
Killian grew more irritated as he narrowed his eyes at his first mate. "Do you mean to question my judgement on letting her go?"
Smee realized his mistake as he shook his head. "No, no, Captain."
"Then this matter will no longer be discussed," Killian practically told him off in a biting tone.
Killian then looked over at the horizon and stared at it. He could never forget such an adventure-seeking child like Odette, if she was still a child. From the way how "Nora" described Odette, she seemed grown. He had no doubt that she would be as beautiful as her mother and carried the same spirit as her, but he would never know if his former passenger was telling the truth about her. All he could do now was move on and continue to plot for a way to get his revenge on the crocodile who cut off his hand and took away his first love.
Present
It was a rather boring day for Amir. Not much excitement occurred at all, but then again, there wasn't much to do. All he could do was run a respectable business as much as he could as Graham allowed him to open up his bar. Some of his employees left after their memories were restored since they were pirates who didn't like Amir back in their world. The others had no idea what Amir was doing before he was wanted by Emma and Graham, so they didn't have any respect for him, but Amir was still willing to pay them since he did enjoy his business when they were sent to this land.
At least Gold didn't attempt to go after him anymore. As long as Graham kept his word by offering him protection while Amir wore his ankle bracelet, then Amir didn't really have anything to worry about. After all, Amir knew all too well when facing a determined man to kill him. That was why he had the scar on his chest after a bloody pirate marked him with his hook. Amir couldn't even help himself when he looked at himself in the mirror in his office and unbuttoned his shirt a bit to reveal his deep scar that stretched from his chest to his collarbone that shook caused.
Hook was a bloodthirsty brute and not one to trifle with. Not many men could injury Amir and live to the tell the tale, but Hook managed it. He hoped to never cross paths with him again if he was still alive. After all, Hook may want to kill him, but Hook was also the reason for ruining his life since he was the reason why Amir gave up his title as King of the Seven Seas and became a pirate fugitive. He took everything away from him, and he would never forgive him for it.
Meanwhile, Hook was standing in a beach, looking through his telescope back in The Enchanted Forest. It had been twenty-eight years since Cora recruited Hook and told him that a savior would appear to restore the land and its people who lived there. Cora even seemed amused as she made her way over to Hook and greeted him.
Killian put his telescope away and addressed her, "Hello, Cora. You tell me you had something important you needed to show me." Cora revealed a vial of shining purple dirt inside, but Killian wasn't that impressed. "Sparkly dirt. Wonderful."
"Illario may have aided the newcomers to destroy the magical wardrobe, but I was fortunate enough to obtain the remains of it. With this, we can travel between worlds."
Cora told him that it wasn't enough to reach their destination, Storybrooke, but Killian was determined to do whatever it took to make it there. He was determined to skin the crocodile that cut off his hand and killed Milah. All that was left was to come up with a plan to get there, and they knew just how: by infiltrating the newcomers.
Here's the next chapter as promised. I hope you enjoyed reading it, especially since Hook's finally going to come in to play. Please leave me a review on what you think about the story so far or even predictions as the story progresses. Stay tuned for more exciting chapters heading your way!