I want to apologise for taking so long to update, but you know life and stuff, and I didn't really fancy writing. But I hope you enjoy this chapter

"What the hell!" exclaimed Emma as she walked into Hook's cabin. She'd been afraid that by the time she'd reach the ship that she would talk herself out of apologising, or that she would get there and the Jolly Roger would be gone and she wouldn't be able to apologise. Neither of those things happened.

When she'd walked upon deck it had been like a ghost ship, there was no one there. Just empty. Then the sight she got when she walked into his cabin! It was complete carnage, objects and books and paper, everything was strewn everywhere and amidst it all surrounded by empty bottles was Captain Hook with an almost empty bottle in his hand.

"My hook is stuck," he slurred, Emma looked down and noticed that his appendage was stuck inside one of the wooden floorboards.

"I can help with that," she said softly. She waded her way through the chaos and crouched down before him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Come to shout at me again? Point out how vile I am, how much of a monster I am, because believe me, love, I didn't need you pointing any of that out to me. I already knew all that. I know who I am. I'm the villain."

"I shouldn't have said those things," Emma told him as she tugged at his hook and realised how badly it was wedged into the wood.

"They were the truth," he spat.

"How did you do this?" she asked him tugging at his hook,

"I was angry," he muttered. "And that dastardly thing, was reminding me of what I've lost and the monster I've become..."

"So you slammed it into the floor?"

"It made sense at the time."

"I'm not here to shout at you," she told him softly.

"Why? You should. I deserve it," he told her bitterly as he finished his bottle and threw it to the side.

"No you didn't," she sighed. "Will you look at me?"

"I want more rum," Hook stated looking around and avoiding looking at her.

"Please just look at me,"

"Where's my bloody rum!" he shouted. "And you can just leave! I don't need you reminding me of who I am Goldie. I know perfectly well. You should just leave, go back to your son. Your family."

"Killian Jones, will you just look at me!" it was the first time she had ever referred to him by his actual name and it startled him just as much as it startled her. He turned to look at her he looked to broken and so lost, she had done this to him. But what was worse than that was everything she had said to him, everything, all the cruelness, it was all things he already thought about himself. And yes, that broke her heart.

"I'm sorry," she told him with the utmost sincerity, "I was horrible. I shouldn't have said what I did. I was just scared, I was scared you'd take him away from me. He's my family, and I couldn't bear the idea of losing him, that's why I said all those things. I wanted to find a reason for why you shouldn't be in his life, so I said those things, so I would get to have him all to myself."

"But they're true,"

"Not to me they aren't. You know when Liam first asked me about his father, which wasn't that long ago at all, he asked me if he was a bad man. I said I didn't know. Because I didn't. You were just a stranger to me. I had never tried to get to know you, you were just a tool in my getaway. But I think I know you now. And what I can say is that I don't think you are a bad man, not one bit. You are a very good man, who experienced horrible things and they tore you apart. They led you to doing bad things, and you have lived so very long that you lost sight of who you were. Your morals slightly skewed. But I do believe you are a good man, because you have only ever shown me the good in you even though you believe you are rotten, you were still a gentleman and a hero to me."

She gave him a small smile but his gaze dropped from her. He picked up an empty rum bottle and peered into it to see if there were any drops left. There weren't. "And I know," she began, "That there's a young boy, who's sulking, and upset with his mother, that would very much like to get to know you. And that's something I can be okay with. You suggested we could part this adventure of ours as unlikely friends, and I think that's possible. So let's get this hook unstuck, sober you up and then tomorrow, if you would still like to, you can come up to the castle and meet your son."

"My son," he whispered,

"Yes, your son," she smiled at him.

"You really trust me around him,"

"I think that you won't hurt him,"

"But you don't trust me?"

"I don't trust anyone. Please don't take it personally," she implored. "So would you like to meet him?"

"Aye, I would," he nodded. "But...what if he doesn't like me, what if he sees me for the man I truly am?"

"What the man of honour? The man with a large heart who loved so completely and utterly that when he lost his love it sent him spiralling, because if that's the man he sees then I think that's perfectly fine. Plus, if things don't go to plan I'm sure the Queen and King will be more than happy to have you put in a prison for the rest of your life,"

He laughed at that.

"So, how are we going to remove this hook from the wood?"

Removing the hook was slight ordeal as Hook was still exceptionally drunk, but with a group effort, though Emma mostly did all the work. They managed to dislodge the hook, though they did end up splintering that part of the floorboard in the process.

"Did you want any rum, love?" he asked her, as he inspected his hook.

"I doubt there's any left," she told him commenting on the amount of empty bottles on the floor. "Plus I don't think it's a good idea,"

"Afraid to repeat the past?" he said swaying slightly as he stood,

"What? Getting pregnant again?"

"Oh," he said, "Right...I have a son."

"Yes you do,"

"Why Liam?" he asked. "You didn't know about my brother, so why name him Liam?"

"The name just came to me," Emma shrugged,

"Well, thank you," he told her. "It's nice to have my brother remembered. He was a good man. I dread to think what he would think of me if he could see me now." Hook made his way over to his bed and sat down, his head resting on his hand.

Emma stood awkwardly for a second before sitting next to him on his bed. She took his hand away from his face and took it in her own squeezing it comfortingly. "Liam, my...our son, he isn't going to hate you. He knows nothing about the man you have been, he won't see you as a villain. Just as long as you don't show him you are one. You get a clean slate with him. If anything you have already proved to him that you aren't a villain."

"I don't understand, why you changed your mind, Goldie,"

"Because I was wrong to say those things. I was scared, I didn't want you anywhere near Liam, in case you hurt him. But also in case I got hurt. But I changed my mind, because I felt guilty and I realised I had to give you a chance, because that is something I never gave you. I just assumed and then based you on that, it's why I ran away, it's why I never found you, it's why I never told you about Liam, and it's why I lashed out."

"I don't blame you," he told her, and she just squeezed his hand in response unsure what else she could say. "Where will we go from here?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I've got something for you,"

"Oh?" he questioned. Emma let go of his hand and took her satchel off placing it on her lap her hand going in to pull something out. The compass. "Here" she told him as she handed it to him, "I'm finally paying you for getting me out of the Enchanted forest,"

"I don't expect it,"

"But I think it's about time I made amends. So take it, and do what you need to do. Get your revenge. I would help you steal the dagger but I can't quite risk it."

He just nodded slowly and put the compass into a pocket of his coat.

"And you are sure about me seeing Liam,"

"Aye," she told him with a smile. "But I want you sober,"

"Oh, do you now?" he spoke with a raise of his eyebrow seductively, "I remember being able to please you very well drunk last time,"

"Please don't do all the flirting and innuendos around Liam,"

"Lass," he chuckled, "I am not a fool. I do know how to act around a child. There was once a time..." but then he trailed off.

Emma shuffled away from Hook but only to be able to sit with her back against the bed's headrest. She tilted her head at him when he turned to look at her. "If you want to tell me the story I'll listen," she told him.

"You always wanted to know about why the P and S were scratched didn't you? Well, this is that story."

Emma awoke with her body curled into another's, her head resting upon Hook's chest. "Morning, love," she heard him mumble, still half asleep. Without hesitation Emma suddenly pushed herself back and sat upright. She noticed how after just waking how Hook's eyes were very squinty and how when he smiled it was more crooked and that his hair was exceptionally ruffled and dishevelled.

"Admiring my good looks?" he asked her,

"I would if there were any good looks to admire," she retorted,

"Well we both know that's a lie," he chuckled. "So breakfast?"

"We can have it when we get to the castle,"

"The castle?"

"Yes."

"Right," he nodded. "Let me give my crew their orders and then we can set off."

They mustn't have slept long as when they set off the sun was only just rising, but Emma was glad because it meant that they would hopefully get back to the castle before Liam woke up. Their walk was a quiet one, just the two of them walking in step with one another. Both lost within their own thoughts for a while.

"So seven years," Hook finally spoke up,

"Hmm?"

"Seven years," he repeated

"What about it?" Emma asked,

"You haven't been with another man in seven years," he stated. Emma punched him in the arm when she saw his smug face.

"What has that got to do with anything?" she demanded,

"Nothing at all. Just thought I'd bring it up. You know love, if you ever want anything. You need only ask,"

"I know you're nervous about meeting Liam, Hook, but can you please just shut up!"

"You know you can call me by my actual name, Emma,"

"I'll stick with Hook,"

"Well don't be afraid to you know, use it. I won't object," he winked, "I'm got to say, you do have such a lovely way of saying it."

"Hook," she sighed. "If you aren't going to talk like a civilised adult then shut up!"

"As you wish," Hook replied and bowed slightly at her as they walked. Emma just shook her head at him but smiled nonetheless. There was a slight easiness between the two of them now. Clearing the air had done them both good but they also felt less on guard around the other for both their walls were slowly crumbling down.

"Is that the castle?" he inquired as he could make out some turrets in the distance,

"Yep,"

"Must be nice to live in a castle,"

"Still feels strange," she admitted. "Like I don't quite belong, the orphan, the thief, she just can't quite believe it"

"You're more than just an orphan and a thief, Goldie."