The Price of Freedom ➸ Captain Swan

20. Playing Hearts

So for the rest of the Summer, I am going to try to update every weekend, so here's this weekend's update! This is a filler chapter, but the next one will have a lot of drama so stay tuned!!

Hook awoke the next morning to a stormy, grey sky, light drizzle falling down. It was near sunrise, and he was the first one awake. He didn't expect anyone to be awake anytime soon, but he couldn't sleep.

Ever since he had admitted to Emma his feelings, and she had committed to a relationship that he had been craving, he had felt something changing deep within him. Not only was he falling for the blonde beauty, but day by day, he could feel her kind spirit rubbing off on him, chasing away his darkness and bringing back his light.

He had been hurt a lot, and felt so much pain and loss, he didn't think he would ever get it back. He was starting to feel happy again, and he didn't know how Emma did it, or why he felt so deeply for her, but he knew, that no matter what, he could never lose her. She would have to be protected at all cost.

Though he was beginning to care for the younger girl, he couldn't give up his quest for revenge. Maybe he didn't love Milah as much as he used to, and maybe his heart was shared by both her and Emma, but he couldn't just give up three lives worth of hunting. No, the Crocodile would be killed, and everyone would benefit from it. Not just him. The Dark One had killed, tortured, manipulated, and hurt too many people in his life to get anything less than what Hook had planned for him.

Maybe then, after Rumplestiltskin was dead, Hook would finally feel at ease. He would have avenged Milah, defeated the Crocodile, and he could finally have solace without worrying whether or not Emma would be safe with him. Maybe that's when he would finally allow himself to love her.

But for now, he would focus on getting the prince to open up to him.

He walked slowly down the stairs, careful not to wake any of his crew members. He didn't want to deal with them asking questions.

The prince was curled up in a ball, his head tucked down by his legs as he laid on his side. His arms were under his head, and his breathing was soft.

Hook rolled his eyes, tapping his namesake on the cool steel of the cage. "Wake up." He growled. The prince didn't stir. Hook sneered, kicking the cage. "WAKE UP."

Charles sat up quickly, in shock at Hook's loud voice. He was sure he had woken up someone else besides the prince, but he didn't think they would be stupid enough to come and investigate.

The prince was stunned to a silence until he noticed who it was. "Oh, Hook." He faked a smile. "What an unpleasant surprise."

Hook returned the smirk just as cockily. "Yes, well, coming down here is just as unpleasant, for I have to deal with you."

Charles rolled his eyes. "What do you need, Hook?"

"I can't come to talk to my old friend?" Hook said with a small bit of hurt, but of course, it wasn't genuine.

"Oh, I'd hardly call us friends. Interrogating ten year olds doesn't really get you many points for a future relationship." Charles said pointedly.

"Well, when said child finds himself in Neverland, claiming to be looking for Rumplestiltskin for just as long as me, what was I supposed to do?" Hook said innocently.

"Oh, please. Just cut the act. What do you really want?" Charles said. "I already told you what I know! What else do you expect me to say? I don't know where he's at!" Charles yelled into Hook's face. "And the king doesn't know what the hell dreamshade is, okay? Why can't you just let me go?" Charles creased his eyebrows together, shaking his head. "The Dark One took away any hope of me finding my birth parents. I hate him as much as you, so why don't we—"