On Stranger Tides

Chapter 24

"Bae," Emma acknowledged with a tilt of her head. "What seems to bring you and Pan's lost boys here, to the Enchanted Forest?" She asked, straight to the point- not wanting to dwell on the past. Baelfire sighed and clenched his fists at his sides before continuing.

"Pan wants to see Rumplestiltskin's end but can't lure him to Neverland to trap him. We've brought squid ink to hold him until we can get him to Pan." Emma contemplated his words. Squid Ink. That is what Killian was looking for the first time we went to Neverland but there was still one thing that Emma couldn't wrap her head around.

"What could Peter Pan want with Rumplestiltskin?" Killian questioned for her and Bae was quick to shoot a glance at him.

"Rumplestiltskin knows Peter Pan's greatest secret- a long time rivalry that Pan wants to see come to an end." He briefly explained.

"Well, you should be on your way in finding him, we wouldn't want to wast your time. We have our own battles to face." Emma quickly remarked before turning to where the two ships were. The Evil Queen's Black Knights were so close. It would be within the next hour that they would catch up with the Jolly Roger. Baelfire followed her gaze towards the ships, his lips thinned in a straight line, contemplating.

"We will help you." He suddenly blurted out. The man that had stood with Felix at the helm, stood up next to Bae to protest but Felix beat him to words. The man with dirty brown hair and an unappealing mustache gave a look of disdain.

"That's not what we came here for Baelfire, remember the deal?" Felix questioned.

"I'm not getting paid enough to drag you all around on one mission, why would I ever agree to two?" The captain of the ship then asked.

"If it is payment you seek, Captain Ahab, you will get it," Bae said through gritted teeth, he needed to help Emma- his way of apologizing for what he had done to her three years ago. "I owe it to you Emma, we will help you."

"You're about three years too late." Emma sighed looking to Killian for support. He rubbed her arm gently with his right hand in silent confirmation of what they had to do. "But-" she finally croaked out, "we will accept any help that we can get. There are much greater problems than getting Rumplestiltskin to Peter Pan."

Felix sighed in frustration. "Lost boys, prepare for battle. Let's make this quick. Captain Ahab, do whatever you can to get us out of here if this starts to go awry." He said giving orders before he turned to Bae. "Baelfire, Pan will not be happy with you wasting time from searching from your father."

"Gotta be a thorn in his side one last time before I go back to New York, for good. I also have a feeling that my father will not be able to stay away from an event like this." Bae said turning away from Felix but he quickly stopped and glanced over his shoulder back at the young man. "And please, it's Neal now."

"In this land, you are Baelfire, Rumplestiltskin's son. You can't deny that." Felix smirked before he went to oversee the lost boys in the battle they faced ahead.

With both Felix and Bae off doing things in preparation for the battle, it left Captain Ahab standing alone, looking off toward the neighboring ship. The Legendary Jolly Roger, and its fearless Captain, Hook. Ahab had heard a few rumors though, that the brutal pirate had gone soft. Through his observation, he could see it. The young woman that Bae had seemed to know very well- Emma, the blonde beauty, was looking up to him with a face of fear and longing that Hook was easily reciprocating. Hook embraced the woman, brushing his remaining hand through her golden locks in a comfort to her. It was no wonder that they were worried about this battle, there was no way Captain Hook was going to fight effectively with his lover on this ship. She was a distraction, or so he thought.