Disclaimer: Not mine.

AN: I'm highly addicted to this fandom. It's sad.

Just something that came to me as a "What happens in Neverland, stays in Neverland," prompt. Only more dramatic and more romantic than the Hangover ranchy-ness. Do what you will with this.

Enjoy!

What Happens in Neverland...

When the tides are dangerous, and the waves crest high above what an average man would deem normal, that it is the most dangerous time to be on the seas. A high pitched calling, a beautiful melody of mourning and sorrow but laced in bittersweet love calls to men on their sea vessels. At first, one does not hear the music, but it slowly travels into their ears, taking over all logic; over all desire to flee in terror. It calls them into the depths, calls the boat toward the rocky coasts where the high waves hide them.

They cannot help but want to know the sad, beautiful woman who is calling to them. For she must need them, would appease their thirst for comfort, and they hers'. They do not see the jagged rocks that will devour their wooden ships. They do not sense the danger of their sharpened teeth, nor their glinting soulless black eyes that see everything - notice everything, and can take their precious life from them.

All they see is the young, gorgeous face of a fair maiden, with long windy strands of hair, and the figure that any man could appreciate. They let their soft song, their calling, drag them in until their ship wrecks, and capsize into the churning waters. The men pay no heed, intent on finding the beautiful woman, and when many appear, it seems their luck has changed. Every man is held by one aquatic angel, given their one beauty as a reward for coming.

Until they are pulled in for a cold fleeting kiss and their body goes limp from their powerful spell, and they are consumed under dark inky black waters.

It is there the mermaids live.

It had been two weeks since their return from Neverland. Emma's arm was still sore – having fallen on roots, battled Lost Boys, and oh let's not forget Peter freakin' Pan – and it was still smarting. Her mother was convinced she had done internal damage, but Emma was too stubborn to let Dr. Whale look at it. She had felt worse – done worse – to her body and a sore arm wasn't going to bring her into the hospital for a check-up.

It had been two weeks since her small family was back in Storybrooke, which again had been another ordeal because of Gold's cloaking spell. It had taken all three of them – Regina, Gold, and herself to find their small town for two days and a great deal amount of energy. Emma's body still tightened as she felt of the magic she had controlled with the other two most magical beings within the Enchanted Forest – and shook herself. It had felt great – powerful and quite disturbing.

But all that mattered in the end was she had found Henry, had stopped Greg and Tamara, and gotten back home. In one piece.

Even if it meant being stuck in the same town and avoiding a pain in the ass pirate and their misadventures in Neverland. She wanted to put Neverland as far behind her as possible.

Sitting at the counter of Granny's, Emma drained her hot chocolate and pushed around the cold eggs tiredly. She had no appetite but it probably had more to do with the inflamed shoulder throbbing to her right more so than her belly. When the ringing of the bell sounded and the door opened, she didn't bother to look up, debating on asking for another hot chocolate or not.

A body, dressed in black with a long leather jacket swirling behind him, saddled up next to her, smelling of old rum, spicy tobacco and the salty sea and she sighed, audibly. It had finally come to this. Two weeks of hiding and now it was up. Emma knew she wouldn't be able to keep avoiding him, but it had been worth a shot. And she had done a damned good job to last this long.

"What, Hook?" She muttered, turning her attention on to the breakfast plate more so than before. It barely looked like anything edible as she continued to push and mix things together. She wasn't going to eat it anyway.

"You've avoided me like the plague," he whispered conspiratorial. He was fighting not to smirk. "Is that any way to thank a man who has not only helped you in finding your only son, but your own life?"

Sitting back on the stool, and crossing her arms, Emma gave the captain a strong, steely look. "What happened in Neverland, stays in Neverland." Then quieter, she nodded once. "Though I do appreciate you saving me and helping us to get Henry back, that's all we're going to talk on the subject. Get it?"

Smirking, his dark eyes ranking over her petite body, taking everything she was in slow. Finally he chuckled under his breath. "Whatever you say, Swan. But eventually we will need to talk about it. Both times I saved your sorry ass. You can't avoid it forever, lass."

"Watch me," was all she muttered before she threw money down on the counter and made for the exit. The station needed her, and she was ready for a routine day; not waking up on a forest floor, beside a snoring pirate, wondering if the sounds in the trees were human or animal, and if it was hungry.

Sitting across from David, she scanned a nameless file of a nameless account and mentally sighed. Routine was good, but being back in Storybrooke meant that real cases weren't waiting for them. Belle with the dwarfs had done a great job at keeping the town in line while she and her family were gone. Just about no real occurrences had happened – minus a few magical spells that went awry or them spotting a man outside their town lines.

That instance she kept safely in the back of her mind; and made a mental note to check it out later.

But there was nothing else that required her direct attention. And if nothing needed her attention, she would start thinking. And that would ultimately lead to thinking about Neverland. And then Hook wouldn't be too far behind after that.

"Something on your mind?" David said from the other side of the desk. She glanced to him sharply, but he was reading a file, a few papers on his desk. He might've been catching up on local disturbances like she had been, but he seemed to take everything in like a master detective. Maybe he was better fit to be sheriff than she was. He certainly had governed a whole country - providence - or whatever they called it back in his world. He was used to being in control, knowing everything in his lands.

"It's quiet," she said slowly, looking at the clock. It was barely ten in the morning and her chocolate buzz was wearing off. "For being gone as long as were, I feel like more should've happened. More things should've taken place. There should be more things for us to fix."

Finally David – her father, she mentally corrected. She still was coming to terms with it – looked up at her. His blue eyes caught her green ones – ones that her mother sported albeit darker and from what Mary Margaret had said, her grandmother had too and nodded. "I agree. But we know the dwarfs took shifts at the perimeter, Ruby scented nightly, and Belle kept the cloaking spell firmly in place. At this moment, we don't have much more to go on other than what we've been told."

"Doesn't mean something isn't out there," she muttered, jaw tense. When they returned, the three of them had reenacted the cloaking spell, to hide from the outside world. But Tamara and Greg were only the first ones to the find them. They certainly wouldn't be the last.

"No, it doesn't." he conceded, and leaned over the desk, staring at his daughter. "But this isn't about it being quiet. You kept saying in Neverland you couldn't wait to get home, back to where you knew what everything was; didn't have to wake up with grass in your hair or man-eating flowers blooming up beside you." She snorted as her father laughed quietly. "What else is going on?"

Emma looked at David and stared. For only knowing the man for a grand total of a year – minus a few times he was still unconscious and believed he was just David Nolan, not the Charming her mother had fallen in love with – they had a bond Emma couldn't explain.

Mary Margaret was her best friend and until recently her mother – with a kind voice that held back a warrior's call, a hardened woman who learned to survive on her own (how much could Emma relate to that?) and who strived to always be good. Emma had resonated with that in Mary Margaret. In fact, Emma admired Mary Margaret because she was this incredibly strong, incredibly good woman and she was supposedly born from her – even if she didn't really see how she could ever be like the fair Snow White of legend.

With David, it had been an instant, unflappable connection. One that a girl knew was her father because they were just too similar.

And it was unsettling but not un-welcomed. It made thinking of him and Mary Margaret as her parents that much easier (if not strange) and still difficult after being alone for so many years. She was still trying to adjust even after their more recent battles.

"I saw Hook today." At the mentioning of his name, an emotion flashed across David's face. It was no secret that David didn't like Hook; especially after the cross play he had done with Regina, Cora, Grey and Tamara and herself with her mother in the Enchanted Forest. Not to mention his flirty banter with her mother just to unnerve her father. But this emotion was different and Emma didn't know what to name it.

"Oh?" He tried – and failed – at seeming interested. "What did he want this time? I thought after being with us for as long as he had been, he'd stay away once back in Storybrooke. Maybe go off pilliaging and pirating."

"Yeah, me too." She drifted off, looking to the side, her shoulders square.

David tapped the desk gaining her attention. "What did he want?"

"Gratification. He wanted me to say thanks for his help in Neverland."

David snorted, sounding much too like Emma that she couldn't help the shiver up her spine. A year after finding her parents and it was still too weird to see the resemblances. Still too fresh, too much to be close with them.

The time in the cave aside, Emma hadn't called them mom and dad; and she knew it was because she was still adjusting. It hurt her mother, but David seemed to get it and never pushed. It was why on their way into Neverland she had taken a spot by Hook at the helm, securing herself alone; instead of with her parents as they wrapped themselves to the side. She could take care of herself; even with new found parents, she could protect herself.

Mary Margaret had been upset when they went into the vortex that she hadn't stood with them, but David had conceded. It seemed their bond, whatever it was, was as strong as if they had lived together their entire lives. As if he had always been her father.

"Of course he does. He's a pirate. That would be his treasure at the end of the day - hearing a young beauitful woman give him their undying appreciation." He leaned back, boots on the desk, flipping through more pages as if that were the end of the conversation. Emma certainly thought so, (igonoring her father's casual remark at her looks) and had agreed with her father's reasoning. But he didn't stop. "By the way, what did happen when you two took to the Mermaid Lagoon? You seemed withdrawn after."

Carefully, Emma leaned back in her chair, mimicking her father, as she adjusted papers on to her lap and began to read. She looked more confident than she felt. "He saved my life. I told you all that."

"Anything more to that?"

Emma raised an eyebrow as he father looked up at her. He looked positively calm, emotionless as he waited for her answer. She could see the gears turning; it was the same look she shared when she had been on a hunt for a bond. "Are you fishing for something?"

"Not at all. Just call it a father's intuition."

"I thought only mothers had that."

David smiled, a quirk of the lips that she had inherited without ever knowing him. "Mothers do about a lot of things. But when men are involved, fathers have a special gift. And where Hook is concerned, mine is on high alert."

Emma didn't speak after that. The fact that David could see something she didn't want him to unbalanced her. They finished the day in silence; with only occasional calls from their townspeople distracting them. When night descended, Emma took off from the station, leaving her father shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Where's Emma?" Snow asked once Charming had come home. He hung up his jacket and walked slowly to the breakfast bar, looking at his wife's green eyes that their daughter had inherited to a fault. "Is she still working?"

"She left before me," he replied, leaning over the counter. "What do you know of Hook and Emma's time together?"

Snow slowly sighed, preparing their dinner and looked down at the pan in deep thought. Glancing at David, she shrugged. "I know a lot of things. Some things she tells me, other things, I just know."

"Like Hook."

"Like Hook." His wife affirmed. Snow opened up her hands to her husband passively and smiled. "Emma still doesn't see us as her parents, not the way she should anyway. And that hurts, but I understand it. I understand why." Here, Snow's eyes glazed over as she held back the pain of finding her daughter but not having her. She cleared her throat. Charming ached for his wife, but he understood the pain.

It was why he gave Emma space and convinced Snow to do the same. Emma was used to being alone, and now to have a family, one that hadn't left her because they were bad people – but too self-sacrificing – was a lot for her to take in. How did someone forgive their parents for abandoning her, when it meant saving an entire forest of people?

Emma had been angry at her parents for leaving her. It was still there, under the surface; she wasn't sure how to let it go. But coming to terms with why was what was still taking time.

Snow continued. "But I can read her very well sometimes. She's a lot more like me than I think she gives me credit. Emma and Hook shared something in Neverland. What, I'm not sure. But I know he saved her life when they were in the Mermaid Lagoon."

"And again during our final battle with Peter Pan." David supplied, coming around to place his hands on Snow's shoulders. He remembered the final battle, the lost boys under Pan's control coming for them in hoards. They had broken into their comound late one night, using an element of surprise. It had been the only way to reach the portal under the mountain, to the Pixies domain and steal their dust to leave. "He took a sword to the side for her. If we didn't have Regina to heal him, he would've died."

Nodding, she sighed. "David, we've been where Emma is now. Do you remember the obstacles we faced when we first wanted to be together?" She asked rhetorically. "It's the same now, I think. I think Hook might be proving himself to her. And our daughter isn't easily won."

"With you as her mother, did you really think she would be?" Charming joked, kissing her temple, smiling softly. Snow laughed, turning toward him.

"Of course not. But that also means you shouldn't push. I don't think she gets what hes doing. Not yet anyway." She eyed her husband and rolled them openly as he glanced to the ground. He looked positively bashful. "You already pushed."

At his sheepish look, he shrugged. "It's why she's not home yet. I'm not fond of Hook, but I think Emma is more wary than even we are. And I might've pushed when I shouldn't have."

Softly smiling, Snow shook her head. "You really are charming sometimes David, and then there are times when you're not."

Smirking at his wife, pouting playfully she watched as Snow turned back to dinner to finish it. Henry would be home soon from Regina's and he would be hungry.

Emma walked down the darkened street, feet crunching on the dried leaves. It was cold, frosty even as fall began to set into the town around them. They had totally missed summer while in Neverland, but with the heat of the island, Emma had all she could take of the warmth. The cold, the numbness in her legs as she walked was a welcomed reprieve from the intense humidity.

And it didn't remind her of Neverland. The cold wasn't like the sweaty heat that had clung to the Mermaid Lagoon, where her boots kept getting stuck in the muddy banks and Hook had laughed but helped her to stay afoot. The breeze was nothing like the tropic spray from the waters, where they were inky black; with only the moon overhead to cast a giant circle of white on it. Yet even the rays couldn't penetrate below the surface.

The pavement she walked on was nothing like the reeds that had wrapped around her ankles and she had to cut through with her own sword a time or two. The smog from her world was paradise compared to the lightly citrus scents of the lagoon.

But more than that, at least her town didn't have mermaids.

A hand whipped out from her right and pulled her into the side alley, crushing her body with his' as he held tight. Her one hand was pinned by her hip, and the other was held high over her head by his hook.

His lips brushed her cheek as he whispered, "Fancy meeting you here, lass."

Emma swung out with her leg before Hook pulled them between his own, trapping her there. He looked into her eyes, her green matching his dark oceanic ones and stared.

Letting out a breath of air, Emma deflated. "What do you want Hook?"

"For starters, I want you to start calling me Killian. Considering me ship is gone, and my crew has abandoned the cause, I think it's more appropriate if 'Hook' is abandoned with it." He glanced to his left hand and smirked. "Well, maybe it still fits after all."

"Hook," she said announcing it clearly. "Let me go."

"Not until we have ourselves a chat, love." He pointedly moved closer to her, his chest flushed to hers', their breath mingling in the cold air. "You know we need to talk about our adventures with the mermaids."

"No, we don't." She let her head fall back against the brick building. "You saved me -"

"Twice," he interjected knowingly. Emma glared.

"Twice. And I said my thanks. Why won't you drop it?"

Leaning forward to whisper in her ear, she breathed in his scent that made her think of the last time he had been this close. She shut her eyes against the memories. "Because Swan, though you might think what happens in Neverland, stays in Neverland, we're in Storybrooke now. And what happened on that speck of land is very important to me." He pulled back enough to glance at her. "Did you not like the kiss, lass? Or are you trying to play hard to get?"

At the reminder of what they had shared, Emma instantly thought of their time in the Mermaid Lagoon and stilled.

It had been stifling warm; the air was heavy with perfume of fruits and flowers but weighted down with water. Hook and she had decided to check out the Mermaid Lagoon; a place no sailor would ever go, but where the Lost Boys would often travel for the food. Why she had brazenly thought she could handle it, she hadn't the slightest clue. But she was tired, mentally and physically exhausted and just wanted her son. It had been a good idea they might have taken Henry there and without thought she had volunteered.

Hook led the way, chopping at flora to make a path. As soon as they stepped through, the forest ate the path back up. Hook had said it would happen, but he knew the area well. He had been confident they would return once they made a quick look through.

"How are you holding up Swan?" Hook had asked, glancing back. She glared at him, her blond hair plastered in sweat, and her t-shirt clinging to her petite curves. He chuckled. "Well, I see."

"I hate humidity." Emma growled, shoulders back, hunching forward as she followed Hook's footsteps. Her boots were caked in mud and had just resolved to follow his footsteps instead of getting stuck again. "I hate this island. And I hate that you're laughing."

The pirate shrugged, not bothering to hold back his laughter. "We're almost through it now. We'll be back at camp soon." He slowed down enough for her to catch up to his back. "Heed my warning – stay close. There is a reason no sailor nor sane pirate will travel to Mermaid Lagoon in the dark."

"Why? No treasure to steal?" She taunted, earning an eye roll from the captain.

Grabbing her wrist, he stilled her. "There be mermaids in the water. And once they sing their horrific song, we are nothing but dead. Do you understand that darling?" His dark eyes were serious and numbly, Emma nodded. "It ain't a pretty sight lass. So stick close." And he began to march forward, cutting a wide berth with more gusto than before.

It took two more hours to make it around before Emma heard it. It was a long, deep, powerful voice; high pitched with a sorrow filled melody. Emma turned toward the lake, looking for the woman who sang it, but didn't see anyone. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Hook asked, looking from her, to the water. It rippled without wind. It seemed almost too calmed. "Bloody hell," he muttered but Emma was focusing on the song. She moved, closer to the edge of the lake, on a few rocks, to balance and look out. She was drawn to it. "Emma, dear, you might not want to do that," Hook called behind her. He slashed the forest as it began to encroach around them. It was as if the forest was helping the mermaid gain its food for the night – Hook wasn't wanted here. But he'd be damned if he didn't keep Emma from getting killed.

The water rippled and twisted and the song continued to play as Emma leaned forward. Tears were brought to her eyes and she dipped a finger into the water, transfixed. It was as if they understood her pain, felt a connection to her; they called to her, to let them take her pain away. Pain at being abandoned, by her parents, by Neal, growing up alone, loving and losing Neal again – losing Henry. They seemed to understand and wanted to help her. They wanted to give her comfort – she needed them to comfort her.

Then a beautiful creature appeared from the water, her face young like Emma's and shinning with a brightness that Emma couldn't understand. It was like she was an angel from below the darkness, her long red strands were straight and glossy and her eyes wide and blue. She was beautiful and she reached for Emma.

Emma stretched for the hands gripping hold. The Mermaid leaned up, smiled sadly at the woman and ghosted a chaste kiss to her lips. It was seconds, but Emma felt her body go limp, vision darkened.

Just as the creature land her cold lips against Emma, Hook grabbed her about the waist and holstered her back; Emma fell hard. At her meal being taken away, the calm gorgeous face morphed; her teeth grew into elongated fangs, and her eyes twisted into dark black abysses. She screamed a high shrill of anger before lashing about – ready to take Hook in place of Emma. Without thought, Hook raised his sword, and swung a powerful arc.

It found home, severing the head of the beast, the body sinking to the bottom of the lake's floor. Quietly, he breathed a silent relief and thanked whatever being watched over him; even as fearless as Hook could be, he was still a pirate and sailor. He knew the stories of the mermaids and had seen the carnage himself. He knew it would've ended very differently had he not reacted well.

Looking at comatosed woman, Killian felt his heart sink into his stomach. He knew the legends; a mermaid's kiss was deadly. It meant certain death. But he wouldn't let Swan die; not that night. He couldn't bear the thought.

"Emma," Hook tried, shaking her shoulders, keeping her from the water and any beast that may be nearby. He pulled back her lids, and glared into her eyes, seeing them covered by a film. She wasn't right and there was no way she could back to her parents like this. He'd be skinned alive. "It was a trap. A mermaid's siren call is to bring you to the water so they can drown you and eat you." He shook her again, but Emma didn't awakwen. He wasn't exactly sure why he was trying to explain to a comatosed woman. He felt the need to talk her through it.

"You stubborn, idiotic, blasted woman. You just couldn't listen to me," he rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. Then a thought - a memory of a long ago couple fighting an evil queen reminded him of a cure for her deep sleep. Sighing, he smirked crudely, comically dramatic."You're going to hate me for this," he stated but he didn't sound all that disappointed. Swiftly Hook laid his lips against Emma's, slowly caressing them.

It didn't take long for the spell to the break. He felt it ripple through the air and as he pulled back, Emma- the woman he knew – was staring at him in a mix of horror, confusion and awe.

"True love's kiss breaks all spells," she mumbled, one hand going to her mouth. She looked as if she had seen a ghost.

"Aye. Now can we get back to the camp, or would you like to stay around here a bit longer. I'm sure we could find privacy away from the mermaid's friends once they come looking for her dead body, but I can't promise it, love." Standing he offered her a hand and smiled brightly. "After you."

Emma looked away from him. "Now, can we talk about that kiss, or shall I remind you of what it was like?"

"Back off Hook," Emma growled, trying to shake him off. "It doesn't mean anything."

"Oh no?" His lips brushed hers', as she froze. She seemed like a frightened wild animal, caught by a bigger threat. Perhaps she was. "Then tell me lass, how come my kiss broke your spell? Aren't your parents living examples of true love? Aren't you the physical manifestation of that?" When she didn't respond, Hook smirked. "Aye, that's what me thought."

"You don't know what you're saying." But she didn't try to shake him off. "It was a fluke."

"Darling, pirates don't believe in flukes. And this pirate certainly doesn't." He brushed his nose against her cold one. She knew it had to be beat red from the wind. "I haven't thought of anything else since. And you'll not rob me of this, love."

Carefully, he swooped in, laying his lips against her cold ones. Though he expected her to bite him, or at the least not react at all, he was pleasantly surprised when she returned the kiss with equal amount of passion and lust after a moment's hesitation. His tongue darted into her mouth, and she moaned; earning a quick satisfied smile from the pirate and he pushed closer, drawn to her warmth.

But soon, she pushed him aside. "Killian," she mumbled, his name tumbling from her swore lips.

"Emma, you can't deny that," he whispered, looking from her eyes, to her lips in thought. "You're stubborn, but not that stubborn."

"It doesn't change anything."

White hot anger flashed through his blood, but Killian held firm. He smirked, his hips pushing against Emma's as if seducing her. "Sure it doesn't Swan. And that's why you didn't stop me until now. You know I'm right. You're just scared."

Narrowing her eyes, Emma snorted, turning her head away defiantly. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Oh I didn't say of me," he said, caressing her cheek. "Afraid of what could be." Pulling back, Killian smiled slowly, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "But I'll let you be in this fantasy in which Neverland didn't happen. In which you're not in love with me – in which I didn't save your pretty little face from becoming mermaid food." Emma crossed her arms as the pirate walked to the edge of the alley.

She thought he was being serious – completely done with it. Perhaps she was afraid of what it all meant, but she wouldn't admit it to him. And she certainly wasn't going to press the topic to find out if in fact she did love him. It was all too much – too much for the young woman to take in. It was better to be alone, to keep her walls intact. It had kept her alive so far, if not battered, but alive. And that was better than most things in life.

But then he stopped under the street light and glanced back. He was smiling roguishly and her heart dropped into her stomach. "I'll let you have the fantasy – for now. But don't think I'll let you go that easily love. When it's time, I'll be here, and you'll have to face reality soon enough." Saluting cheeky, he bowed to the blonde woman. "Until then, sweet dreams Swan. Don't let the bed bugs bite, eh?"

And as he headed in the direction of Granny's, Emma noticed his back was straight and there was a light bounce in his step. From his parting words, Emma knew that Captain Hook wouldn't be done with her any time soon. And she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

AN: So? Is season three here yet?