Just thought I'd try something new and challenge myself from my usual humour based fics, I guess I'll see if the risk pays off by what kind of response this gets - let us begin this adventure shall we? :D

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Watch your back they told her

He may be handsome

He may be charming

But he's a pirate - and beneath that, he's one cold bastard.

She knew it was true too, one look at him and she could feel it under her skin, a self serving pirate with way to pretty a face and a smooth smile to match.

Cunning and heartless, but you'd never know until it was too late. Emma took a long drag of her cigarette as she watched him from her shady corner in the tavern with her hood up to obscure her face.

Every woman had almost swooned in sync when he'd walked in.

And all Killian Jones had to do was pick which one he wanted, and with a smile they'd be his. Dangerous Emma thought taking a long drink from her tankard. It was a strange comparison to make at a first glance but he reminded her of the dark forest - the more beautiful it was, the more likely it was to kill you. It sometimes eluded Emma how others missed these things about their peers - she had grown up in the dark forest and there if your eyes weren't looking for trouble, you'd be dead before the day was done. Perhaps the upbringing was the advantage. The Captain had been looking for "The Guide" rather insistently, it had taken quite a bit of finessing on his part to get as far as he did in getting to meet "the guide."

She looked away as he made his way in her general direction, sweeping past her without notice and sitting in the booth behind her, sliding in on the far bench across from her good friend Graham who always helped her conduct business in this manner though few ever knew it. A small unobtrusive mirror running down the wooden pillar to the left allowed her to sit comfortably drinking ale while keeping an eye on who ever was trying to acquire her services. From this angle she could see what all the swooning was about, his rugged charm, dark hair and blue eyes. Very dangerous she thought again taking another swig.

"You must be Hook" Graham said by way of greeting, using his more widely known title "You've been making quite the commotion"

"Well, the price of notoriety I'm afraid - are you the guide?" Hook asked, eyes sizing up the man he figured to be her.

"The contact" Graham corrected.

To her surprise he actually laughed though she could tell he was not pleased.

"Well no offence but I'm not looking to chat with a messenger boy" he told him coolly.

Arrogant as well it seemed, not many people had the gall to call a man like Graham a messenger boy.

"Tough" Graham replied tersely, "you talk to me or you never meet the guide - see how far you can paddle yourself out of shit creek then"

Emma smiled, she never had to worry about anyone pushing him around, it was good to have someone at your back who could hold their ground. This was standard procedure of course - everyone wanted to see if they could push a contact around to get what they wanted. She watched as Hook put the reason for his moniker on the table, as if he were to lace his non existent fingers with his flesh hand.

"I've a crew to paddle for me, and we're good at finding what were looking for"

The subtlety of the threat was not lost on anyone. The air he held about him was determined and focused, add driven to his list of attributes.

"Oh the guide has heard" Graham laughed, as always careful to keep gender indications from the conversation.

"There's a reason you're coming up empty"

She watched Hook assess him once more and saw him come to the conclusion that he was more or less dealing with someone who wouldn't be easily bullied.

"Very well, how can I persuade him to speak with me?" Hook asked

"By speaking to me - what do you want?" Graham asked, Emma now listening carefully.

"Why does anyone seek the guide? I need to get through the dark forest" Hook said as if the question were not only pointless but stupid.

Yes Emma's title was rather well known - the only one who could brave the trails and survive, though the persona was mostly thought to be legend. Most tempted the forest in desperation and nothing less.

The dark forest was the short cut to end all short cuts, running up into the mountains with three different outs to three different cities on both sides, three day trek on each trail, the mountain that was the divide between two different kingdoms. Princes James kingdom and the evil Queens. It was a divide that was holding back the tide of an all out war since an attack from the more commonly used safer, longer routes would need to be far more direct and therefore suicidal, since both had astoundingly vigilant fortifications of the front and back of their kingdoms. Yes the dark forest was a wonderful deterrent - for no one came out alive if they dared it.

Unless Emma dared it with you.

"The guide doesn't take everyone who waves some flashy coins through the forest Hook"

"Rich enough to turn work down is he?" Hook returned cheekily.

He didn't give Graham a chance to come back with anything, already speaking

"I need to get to Torin, my ship is docked there. It's not the friendliest of waters but that's not my rush - I've the law on my tail" Hook explained. Emma watched his face while finishing off the last of her cigarette and frowned. Emma prided herself on her skill to call people out on their lies and know the truth. But though she saw no lies on his face she didn't see much truth either and that bothered her.

"So if you'll forgive my rudeness I don't have the time to pander to him - I've got gold, he's got the set of skills I require" Hook finished looking as severe as he sounded "Now can we deal?"

Graham was silent, waiting for Emma to give him the yay or nay signal.

Emma put her tankard down loud enough for him to hear - interested but unsure.

"Is it just you?" Graham asked, getting her more information to help her make her choice.

"Me and some of my crew"

"How many?"

"Five including me"

Emma sighed quietly, that was a lot of people - scratch that, a lot of pirates.

She could tell Graham was thinking the same thing by how Hook was reacting to his expression. She watched him slide his glance away from the table like he was thinking of a lure to draw him back in.

"50 gold pieces a man" Hook offered.

Emma nearly swallowed her tongue. That was an obscene amount of gold. She could see by his expression that he thought that the offer alone was going to get him in, it almost was.

But there were other issues Emma now had to think on - it would be difficult to get five people through the forest alive. And to Torin no less, a shipping city under the queen's guard. Not that she didn't spend a fair amount of time in both kingdoms but she liked to avoid the more heavily guarded places. Smuggling through the forest was a sparse but well paying trade. However her determination to stay a legend to avoid the attention of the more… unsavoury, made acceptable jobs scarce. Rock and a hard place.

Graham continued with the questions.

"And when you say the law is on your tail?" he asked

"I mean other routes out of this town are at the very least highly unadvisable at the moment - my presence here is pushing it as it is" he answered.

Again Emma felt at a bit of loss as she examined him saying all this - no lies but no definitive truth either.

She didn't like the obscurity of the Captain.

Sure Emma liked what she saw of him in the sense that she found it hard to resist a bastard - their company simple and to the point, always a great deal of fun and no strings attached never hurt. But this was business, and for business bastard pirates were a spin of the wheel. It could go very well or very bad - a lot of gold yes, but a lot of work and a higher risk came with it and the vibe she was getting from this job wasn't 100% clean. Emma wasn't feeling very much in the mood for gambling. She decided she was out, giving the signal by standing and preparing to leave.

Knowing Graham would follow a few minutes after she'd left she put the money for both of their drinks on the table and made to go. She only got a few steps away when Hook's voice stopped her.

"Leaving so soon? Here I was hoping you'd pull your hand out of your puppets ass and we could discuss business like gentlemen"

Emma should have kept walking but she'd already paused a moment too long - she could feel those ice blue eye's boring into her back now. Smart, another trait on the list - the one that made her the most nervous thus far.

She didn't move, turning her head very slightly to hear his next words better.

"Or does the guide have trouble speaking for himself?" Hook challenged.

"Keep walking" Graham told her, she could feel the tension in his voice - no one had ever made her before.

"Oh, I wouldn't suggest it" Hook countered "I may be moved to make a scene" he told them both amiably.

"With the law on you? Not likely" Graham snorted

"Well, not a great deal of people really know if The Guide is man or myth" Hook said, Emma could almost hear him shrug "With all the secrecy you two walk in I assume you like it that way?"

Emma still hadn't moved, looking at the door that lead out of the tavern and this situation. Yes she very much preferred the shadows to notoriety.

"I thought so. If you don't hear me out I have no problem outing us all, without you I'm very likely caught anyways" he said airily.

For some reason Emma felt herself almost smiling - it appeared they were all in check. She could already feel Graham reaching for the short blade he kept secured to his thigh and held a hand up to signal him to wait. Emma despised killing, she didn't much mind a fight but when it came down to the wire she had no problem doing either. However they were very far from both points.

Hook didn't fail to notice the full extent of the exchange.

"Good call" he remarked lightly "bad business picking fights with pirates" he smiled.

Graham felt the sharp point of a sword press against his belly from under the table.

"They're never very inclined to fight fair" he said, literally making his point.

"That's because they'd never win one" Graham informed him cheekily, keeping all emotion from his face. Hook laughed and Emma heard the sound of him re-sheathing the blade under the table. Making the only smart choice left to make she turned around and walked back to the table.

Hook watched her as she kept her face angled away from him to speak to Graham.

"You should go" she said softly. Graham looked back at her, his eyes asking if she was sure.

She nodded and Graham gave Hook another untrustworthy glare.

"Bye" Hook said dismissively with a wide insolent smile. Graham looked like he wanted to throttle him but he slid out of the booth and left as Emma took his place and sat down across from Hook. She lowered her hood and was rewarded by the look of shock on his face.

"You're a woman" he said, sounding stunned.

Emma looked down at her chest as if she herself had never noticed "Would you look at that" she said giving him a mock look of surprise "It appears I am."

He regained his composure quickly "forgive me, one does not expect beautiful women when they seek the guide to go through the dreaded dark forest" he apologized, a smooth charming smile instantly falling onto his face like it was the most natural expression he wore - Emma didn't doubt it and smirked in response. Same game, different moves - could she be pushed around? Or in this case led around.

"Wow, that took you all of fifteen seconds - don't waste your smiles on me Killian, they don't work" she informed him. She'd pushed back, denying him the recognition of his title by using his name - his move.

His smile took on a sharper quality, not missing the slight "not many people take leave to use my name lass" he told her

"I'm not a fan of moniker's" she replied sweetly

"Coming from 'The Guide' I find that rather rich" he answered back, leaning in closer from across the table and spearing her with those blue eyes of his. Passive aggressive invasion of space, nice tactic - too bad it wouldn't work. She leaned in to meet him, their faces close enough to appear intimate by any casual observer.

"Price of notoriety I'm afraid"

"Indeed" he agreed.

They stayed like that for a moment - she could practically feel him weighing her out, trying to figure out how she ticked and how best to manipulate her.

"Well you have me at a disadvantage love as I don't know your name - may I have the pleasure?" he purred, pulling back a little to offer his hand. She looked down at the offer and felt the unspoken contract he was trying to draw her into.

If she accepted and gave her name it was as good as saying she'd be taking him through the dark forest, names were often power - and she wasn't sold just yet. Though she was more close to selling then she had been a few minutes ago.

"Pleasure comes after business Killian" she told him, ignoring the offered hand.

She saw the frown in his brow, a split second before he smoothed it away with a shrug and lowered his hand.

"As you wish. Can you get me through the forest?" he asked, leaning back.

Round 1 went to her it seemed.

"The issue isn't can I, the issue is will I" Emma said, lacing her fingers together on the table. "50 gold pieces a man is more than fair" Killian told her coolly.

"No - its down right beyond generous" she conceded to his surprise "and see, that's where I get nervous."

At his questioning look she explained "Don't get me wrong, you need to be desperate to want to go into the dark forest and your story certainly suggests desperation as well as your offer" she said, leaning back as well, pulling another cigarette from a pouch at her side.

"But I've seen desperate men. You don't strike me as one of them" she said putting the cigarette to her lips.

He was there instantly with a match, lighting the end of it before she could object.

"Darling, pirates never let desperate show - we don't wear it well" he told her, letting the flame inch closer and closer to his finger tips.

"No matter how hot the fire you have to know how to keep your cool" he told her, not breaking eye contact.

Emma could see the flame in her peripheral as she too refused to break eye contact, noting he showed no sign the flame was practically licking his finger tips. An iron cast face of lies. She didn't like him.

At the same time she did like him, she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him but she definitely liked him - he played the game well and the occasional times she was forced to play it few managed to intrigue her the way he was doing. Difficult to not respect that. And dislike it immensely.

Emma licked her thumb and forefinger "You should treat your hand with more care" she said extinguishing the flame, fingers brushing his "You only have the one after all." He responded with a smirk.

Dangerous she thought again. Not because he could keep pain from his face while he let a match burn him - no that was a parlour trick - he was dangerous because he made her want to gamble.

"If you were straight with me I'd take this job" she told him simply.

"I have been straight with you" he told her. Well that one had been easy to see through.

"Lie" Emma said

"I assure you I've told you every-" he began again smiling.

"Lie" Emma cut him off, narrowing her eyes. His expression steeled a bit, masking most of the wariness he felt creeping into him, all but in his eyes.

"I'm very good at knowing when someone's lying to me" she explained flatly, "care to try again?"

She had the feeling he was trying hard not to glare.

"The things I haven't told you are things that are my business and best others not know" he told her somewhat coolly.

"Hmm. Truth"

Fair enough - she'd rather not know gory details anyway.

"As long as it's not anything that will get me killed, I'm fine with that"

"It's not"

Truth - good.

"Dangerous cargo?"

"Not to you, no"

… Obscurity. How the hell did he do that?

He watched her face and she must have let her confusion show a bit.

"Am I lying?" he asked, almost smiling when he asked.

To tell him she didn't surely know seemed a bad move, better to think she was infallible in this matter.

"No"

She still needed more information if she was to agree.

"Any… lets say unwilling passengers on this journey?" Emma asked.

Killian raised an eyebrow "If we go, we all go willingly" he told her.

Again there was a hint of that abstruseness Emma didn't like, but she pressed on.

"Children?" she asked

Killian laughed "Is that your way of asking if I'm available?" he inquired in a husky voice.

"It's my way of inquiring if you're bringing children" she told him coolly "because I don't guide anyone with children."

"Not a fan of small ones?" he asked, feigning shock.

"Not a fan of seeing them die" she told him soberly, taking a drag.

"No, no children" he answered shaking his head. She thought about it, letting smoke curl out of her nostrils. She'd taken all kinds through the forest - Killian wouldn't even be the first pirate - you couldn't trust any of them. She knew why she had been set on passing this deal a mere few minutes ago - she saw lies like others saw colours, but on some things his face was a canvas of grey and it unnerved her. Now that he was challenging her face to face she felt somewhat obligated to play the challenge till she conquered it - she loved a challenge. All in all as long as he kept her out of his business and let her do her job she'd get him through the forest and make a lot of money. She'd just have to be careful - but when was she not? She examined him once more with a sweep of her eyes and he raised an eyebrow as if her gaze was more akin to a touch.

He wished.

Finally she offered her hand

"Emma Swan" she said.

He took her hand and laid an unexpected kiss on the back of it "What a lovely name" he said. His eyes didn't leave her face - he knew he had her. Emma took comfort knowing it was on her terms.

"I take half upfront and the other half when we reach Torin" she told him, withdrawing her hand as she outlined how the transaction would work.

"Done" Killian agreed

"When are you looking to leave?"

"Yesterday"

"Forest's edge at first light then" she told him.

He nodded as he got up and made to leave. Emma reached out and snagged him by the cuff of his shirt. His eyes looked at the offending hand and then levelled her with a warning.

"Try to cross me and it won't be pretty" she warned him softly.

At that he smirked, putting his hook around her wrist.

"Like wise" he said, prying her hand off him.

He turned to face the door, making to leave the tavern and froze. Emma looked too, curious as to what had stopped him. Four royal soldiers walked into the tavern. She heard Killian curse under his breath.

"Well that's unfortunate" Emma chuckled.

...

Thanks for reading! As always comments are greatly appreciated and much lurvs to you all, cause you're the best! :D