The Pirate: Chapter 1 "Always A Gentleman"

Twilight settled in upon Neverland as the Jolly Roger sailed briskly through the open sea; deep blue waves colliding rhythmically against the wood of the ship. The brass of a spyglass pointed over the starboard side toward the far off shores of the island. The salty sea air swept through Emma Swan's long, blonde hair as she lowered the lens to rest her eyes. She had been searching tirelessly for any sign of her son and her constant efforts were taking a toll on her. Though she had only been sailing a short time, she had taken to life at sea with ease. Emma had traded her trademark red leather jacket for a long dark trench-coat and added a cutlass to her side. Hook approached from behind, walking in a way that exemplified his personality of pure confidence and swagger, his boots clanking across the deck as he moved toward her. Emma turned at the sound as the good captain approached and said with a smile.

"Looks like I was right when I told you you'd make a hell of a pirate. I wonder if I'll ever get my spyglass back?"

Emma's mind was heavy with worry. She had gone through such a storm of emotions since the events in Storybrooke but had become accustomed to concealing her emotions, so she said with a chuckle and wry tone,

"What is it Hook? Worried I'll make a better captain than you?"

To most people Emma's nonchalant demeanor would suffice to cover her feelings of guilt and worry from prying eyes, but to Hook she might as well had been weeping in his arms. He wondered to himself if he should let on that he could see plain as day the pain she was attempting to hide. He knew he could get through to Emma and at least make what she was dealing with more bearable.

"Emma, you know I-"

"Just don't," Emma snapped before he could finish "If there was one person on this ship I thought would not try to reassure me it was you. Please, the last thing I need is to be reassured that everything is going to be okay."

Hook knew how to handle Emma's defensive nature and responded cooly, "I was going to say, you know, I let you win our sword fight for the compass."

Emma was taken aback by Hook bringing up their fight. It seemed like she had been tense with so much emotion since their journey started that she had forgotten how to unwind at all. She smiled and said, "Oh, you mean when I knocked you out cold?"

"Granted, you do throw a hell of a sucker punch," Hook quickly responded.

For the first time since arriving in Neverland, Emma felt a sense of levity. This simple banter gave her, if nothing else, a fleeting moment where her mind could relax.

Further down the ship on the lower part of the deck David and Mary Margaret looked over to see Emma laughing and bantering with Hook. David's gaze was fixed sternly at Hook. He still did not trust him and trusted him even less spending time so close to his daughter. Hook had betrayed them all and was far from redeemed in David's mind.

"It's good to see her laugh, isn't it David?" Mary Margaret said, noticing her husband's look of disapproval.

"I don't like where this is going," David said, looking back at his wife. "They've always seemed a little too friendly for my taste and now spending so much time so close to each other...?"

Mary Margaret didn't like the idea of Emma and Hook becoming too friendly any more than David did, but she knew at this point, because of Emma losing both Henry and Neal, that any levity that came her daughter's way was more important now than the source of it.

"Impressive!" Mary Margaret said, grinning, "Somehow through twenty-eight years you didn't miss a beat when it came to the overprotective father routine. What happened to 'she can take care of herself'?"

David couldn't understand how Snow could be so nonchalant about Hook and Emma spending time together. He knew his daughter was in a vulnerable place, and to him Hook was the kind of person he wanted nowhere near Emma after what she had to endure. In his mind, Hook was a pirate that would take advantage of any vulnerable situation from which he could benefit.

"Mary Margaret, with all she's been through, the last thing she needs is that vulture hovering around her."

Mary Margaret looked back at her daughter as she and Hook stood in what was the last bit of sunlight. "He came back for her, you know? And now...this is the first time I've seen her relax since we've gotten here."

"So this doesn't bother you in the least? You...think this is a good thing?" said David with a look of bewilderment in his eyes.

"I didn't say that. All I mean is, if she's finding a way to help her cope with all that's happened, don't take it away from her"

David stood silent a moment, then leaned against the banister of the ship, his arms resting across the wood. He spoke in a soft and concerned tone while staring down at the water as the moonlight began to glisten across the waves crashing up against the hull. "All right, if you think this is helping her, maybe there's nothing to worry about. Maybe...wait where'd they go?"

While Mary Margaret and David had been speaking, another set of eyes had also fixed themselves upon Hook and Emma. Mr. Gold stood with his hands on top of his cane, the wind blowing back against his hair as he looked with dark eyes toward the pair. He understood the mess of emotions that Emma must be feeling since he had lost his son by what he felt were his own transgressions, his price to pay for bringing magic. He had left behind his own true love to rescue his grandson, who was foreseen as his undoing. Mr. Gold alone understood the danger they faced with Peter Pan as an adversary, and yet the thing that made his hands grow tight around his cane and his eyes stare with stone-like intensity was seeing Ms. Swan and Captain Hook laughing together on the deck of the Jolly Roger.

Regina emerged now from below deck to see Mr. Gold staring intently across the deck at Hook and Emma. "Is it bothering you to see your son being replaced so easily?" Regina said with a cool tone, "And by your rival no less?" Regina hadn't had an easy time dealing with Henry's kidnapping, but now seeing Gold's frustrations at Emma and Hook enjoying some time together was nothing if not amusing to her.

"Don't know what you're talking about, dearie," Mr. Gold turned and said with a smirk across his face. "I'm just admiring the sunset. It is quite beautiful here in Neverland, don't you think?"

Regina glanced over and could hear David speaking with Mary Margaret. "Seems like you're not the only one who disapproves," Regina chuckled. "What is it about the allure of a pirate?"

"Is there something you want, Regina? Or am I the only around with whom to make idle chatter?"

"Actually, there is something." Regina looked down and took a step toward Gold. "I have a deal I'd like to make with you and I think you'll be interested in what I have to offer."

"Doubtful," Gold said, walking past Regina toward the bow of the ship.

"It's about Belle," Regina quickly spoke out.

Mr. Gold stopped mid-pace and over his shoulder asked, "What are you offering?"

"I have a mirror I've been keeping, I thought I could use it to find Henry but Pan must be able to block the mirror's ability to see him. Otherwise this mirror will allow you to see anyone you desire in any realm."

Gold now turned toward Regina, the hope in his eyes a noticeable change from the cold glance that was there only a moment ago. His parting with Belle had been so difficult, though he knew he did the right thing in having her stay behind. To be able to at least see his Belle was too good to pass up. There was a certain reluctance when he thought quickly of what Regina would ask in return. Speaking with a steady tone, Gold told Regina, "Show me that it works and we'll have a deal."

As night had now fallen over Neverland, the deck of the Jolly Roger was empty as it sailed across the open sea. The cool sea breeze had grown to an airy gust of wind. Hook led the way carrying a bottle of rum and Emma followed him back up to the deck of the ship with glasses in hand. Emma looked over the empty deck of the ship with a perplexed look.

"I wonder where everyone went. We try to get everyone together for a drink and they all leave?"

As the captain opened the bottle he simply remarked, "Oh well, set the glasses down. At least now there's more for us pirates."

Emma couldn't help but smile as she poured the rum into Hook's glass and then into hers. "So, Hook, what are we drinking to?"

"I say we drink to you, the new Captain." Hook said, bowing his head.

"So you're giving me control of your ship now?" Emma smirked.

"Ah! Just temporarily, love. I can't hand over my ship to another pirate without a proper sword fight."

Emma walked casually up to the helm, setting her glass down in front of the wheel as she leaned back against it, eyebrows raised in an amused way. "Well, Captain, I think we've already had our sword fight, and... well do you really miss the floor that much?"

The wind then kicked up and the ship moved suddenly throwing Emma against Hook's chest. He held her up and their eyes met as he helped her regain her footing. As he looked into her eyes, he brushed the soft blonde strands of her hair gently back across her face while he held her firmly with his other arm. "I see you couldn't wait for me to grab you this time, could you, lovely?" Hook smiled a wide and devilish grin and Emma looked back at him with a look of affection in her eyes. She slid her hands up along Hook's chest, and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in, moving her lips closer and closer to his. Hook loosened his grasp, then stepped back and turned away quickly. Emma looked over to him, confused. "What's wrong?"

Hook looked back at Emma with a softness in his eyes she had not seen since she left him on top of the beanstalk all that time ago. "Emma...with all that has gone on with Bae and Henry I don't want to take advantage of you."

Emma face quickly turned serious. "So you pick this time to be a gentleman?"

Hook turned his head down and said quietly, "I'm always a gentleman."

As she turned to walk away, Hook quickly reached out for her hand. "Emma I…" She snapped back around and stared back into him with tears forming in her eyes.

"Hook, I don't want a gentleman right now! I want a pirate! I need someone, or something, to just take my mind off of all that has happened! All that could happen! Today was the first day I could say I enjoyed here and now…" She turned to walk back below deck, but before she could walk too far, Hook stepped in front of her.

"Get out of my way Hook!" Emma snapped.

"No," Hook said, staring back at her.

"I said, move!" Emma unsheathed her cutlass and before she could react, Hook disarmed her of her sword with his hook, stepped close to Emma, wrapped his arms around her and moved in to kiss her with such vigor and passion that they stumbled back, leaning against the mast of the ship, their bodies pressing together. He kissed her cheek then started toward her neck. Hook's stubbled beard felt rough against her skin. Emma's eyes closed tight as she began to breathe heavily and moan softly while Hook moved his mouth down toward her collar-bone, nibbling gently along his path. Emma ran her fingers through his hair, and began to slide her other hand down behind him inside his coat. Then, reaching into Emma's shirt, he began to maneuver his hand and his hook along the curves of her body. The cold steel against her skin made her eyes widen and her back arch as the captain's hook moved meticulously along her waist to the small of her back. As Hook began to drop slowly down low in front of her sliding his lips down between Emma's breasts then continuing lower to her naval, she could see over the top of him that Mary Margaret had emerged from below deck. She looked up to see Emma and Hook embraced together. Mary Margaret let out a gasp and held a look of complete shock on her face. Emma pushed Hook away and walked after her mother, who, upon seeing her daughter and the pirate, turned and started back below deck. Hook looked back as Emma went after Mary Margaret, leaned back against the mast of the ship, slid down sitting and lowered his head as the moonlight burned bright against the deck of the Jolly Roger.