Enchanted Forest: One Year Ago...
A carriage, escorted by a knight, crossed a forest and it was stopped by a man in the middle of the dirt road.
"Whoa! And just who might you be?" The Knight asked.
"I'm the man who's going to relieve you of that chest full of gold you are transporting," The man said.
"You and what army?" The Knight asked as he laughed.
"Well, I'm glad you asked," The man said and lights are lit as the knights get surrounded by what looked like an army, "Your choice, save your lives or the gold," The man said.
"Retreat!" The Knight yelled and the knights all left leaving the gold behind.
The man took off his helmet, revealing Killian himself, "Smee?!" He called out and Mr Smee rushed over to his captain's side, "Those arrows took a lot longer to light than discussed."
"It wasn't easy lighting all of them by ourselves, Cap'n. Maybe if we had an actual army... Talk to Princess Brooklyn, she'd provide you with anything you wanted," Smee said.
Killian pressed his hook against Smee's neck, "Are you suggesting I ruin Lyn? And we share in the spoils? I think not, to both," Killian said and moved his hook as the other men who helped them were standing near by, helping to get the gold out of the carriage.
"I apologise for suggesting to ruin the young princess sir," Smee said instantly, "I also have to say, it's good to be at your side again, sir, and not as a rat," Smee said.
"Well... That's a lovely side effect of the curse breaking for you, I'd imagine," Killian said.
"I did like the mobility, but being a human is good, too," Smee said as he opened up the chest revealing jewels and gold.
"What did I tell you, mates? You don't need a ship to be a pirate," Killian said.
Killian and the men were at a tavern later at night.
"One more, one more!" Killian said as he and his men were playing a game at a table together, "To the most clever, dastardly band of pirates to ever set sa..." He looked at Smee and chuckled a little, "Stride on the open road!"
"To Captain Hook!" Smee said and the crew drunk from their steins, "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Smee said and held onto Killian's arm getting his attention, "The boys and I chipped in..." Smee said and Killian hummed, "And got you something."
Killian looked to see a prostitute walking towards them, "Smee..." He glared at the once rat.
"I know... I know, you have this thing with Princess Brooklyn, but her father will never allow it, sir," Smee said, "I'm sorry but it's true... And, forgive me sir, but I don't see Princess Brooklyn around to stop you from releasing that stress."
The prostitute took Killian's hand and walked out of the tavern with him as his crew cheered. Killian gave the prostitute some money as soon as the door was closed.
"I don't... Understand," Prostitute said, "Your men told me you'd take care of me."
"And tomorrow, you shall tell them that you had a grand time. Goodnight," Killian said and the woman walked away.
Killian was walking down the street when someone hit him on the back of the head, then a knife is placed against his throat, "Move, and I'll slit your throat," The women threatened, "Not a good plan for you, I'm guessing you don't know who I am."
"Well, then, I'm at a disadvantage," Killian said.
"My name's Ariel and you're gonna pay for what you've done," Ariel said.
Storybrooke: Present...
At the Charming's loft, David, Emma and Brooke were trying to put together a crib.
"I've seen enemy battle plans that were easier to decode than this," David said.
"I'd understand elvish over this," Brooke commented looking at the instructions confused.
"Let me see," Emma said and took the instructions, "Alright, it says, 'take screws E with washers D through bar C using wrench F..." Emma listed off.
Brooke got what Emma said but the wrench, "Which is is not provided," She told her.
"Why don't you just call Marco? He's really good at this sort of thing," Mary Margaret suggested.
"Yeah, or I could put it together magically," Brooke suggested.
"No!" Emma and David said in unison.
"No, we're fine," David said, "No magic, just family making something for family, okay?"
"Okay," Brooke said with a smile.
"Should we even be doing this? Ever since the showdown between Regina and the Wicked Witch, we haven't seen Zelena or Gold at all. Shouldn't we be focusing on her next move?" Mary Margaret asked them.
"We are, but, we can't stop living," Brooke said.
"She's right," Emma said.
"And this crib is a statement," David said, "That we're not gonna lose another baby."
Regina walked in, "And, thanks to me, you won't. I'm finished," She told them.
"So? Did it work? Were you able to put up a new protection spell?" David asked.
"One that can't be undone by blood magic, which means Zelena won't be able to put her hands on that baby," Regina said.
"Any idea why she would want to?" Mary Margaret said.
"The number of spells involving baby parts would surprise you," Regina said, "That greenie is clearly one twisted witch, but as long as we're in here, we're safe."
"That's useless," Emma said, "I think we need to stop playing defence and start taking the fight to her."
"Did you not see how I barely outwitted her yesterday? She has magic... Powerful magic," Regina said.
"I have magic, too, you've seen me use it. I just can't always control it, but if you, Brooke and I teamed up, if you two... Taught me..." Emma said.
"I'm still learning, I can't teach you," Brooke said.
"Now, why does this feel so familiar?" Regina asked.
"I'm ready this time," Emma said.
"Okay, but if we do this, we do this my way," Regina said.
"That's how you were teaching me," Brooke said.
"This isn't drinking stale coffee at a stakeout or... Whatever you did as a bail bonds-person. This is a way of life, you have to fully commit to it," Regina said.
"Not a problem," Emma said.
"Meet me at my vault in one hour, both of you," Regina said and walked out.
Emma turned to see their parents looking at them, "And no complaining, I'm doing this. It's the only way and yes, I will be careful," Emma told them.
"We know," Mary Margaret said.
"And don't worry, we'll watch Henry when he gets back from the store," David said.
"Actually... I'm not sure that's the best idea," Emma said.
"What? What is it?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Well, you guys are tired. You need to rest," Emma said.
"I'm pregnant, I'm not sick with the flu," Mary Margaret said.
"Yeah, I know. It's just, um... Well, it's 'Cradle Cap', last time you guys had him, you overwhelmed him with baby tips," Emma said.
"He's 12 and he doesn't want to talk about pregnancies, it's not fun," Brooke said.
"Oh, we're fun," Mary Margaret said becoming offended.
"Well, I'm just saying maybe Henry disagrees," Emma said.
"No!" Mary Margaret said offended.
"He'll get there," Emma said.
"You got to remember, he doesn't know who you are," Brooke said.
"Well, if we're not fun, who it?" David asked.
Later, at the harbour, Killian was waiting for Smee who walked up to him.
"Captain Hook, Captain," Smee said walking up.
"It's about time, Mr Smee. You know how much I hate waiting. What is it that's so urgent?" Killian asked.
"It's just, um, me and the men were talking about how we haven't seen much of you since we all ended up back here," Smee told him.
"Is there a point to that rather off observation?" Killian questioned.
"What's keeping us from crewing up against and hitting the high seas, getting back to pirating?" Smee asked.
"You mean other than being attacked and turned into flying monkey's? Have you forgotten? There's no safe passage out of this town, you've already been a rodent, Mr Smee, does life as a simian interest you, as well?" Killian asked him.
"Of course there's safe passage. We could outrun them" Smee said.
"Not with that torso of yours," Killian commented.
"If we had a fast enough ship, the Jolly Roger for instance. You still haven't told me whether you found her during the time none of us can remember," Smee said.
"What happened during that time isn't important," Killian said.
"Because you remember, is our ship okay? What... What happened to it?" Smee asked.
"My ship," Killian corrected and glared at Smee, "All you need to know, Mr Smee, is that the Jolly Roger isn't here. So there will be no outrunning of anything," Killian said.
"I mean, what if we found another ship. Any one of these..." Smee began to say.
"Mr Smee, I've tried letting you down easy," Killian said and stepped closer to him, "Now let me be more direction, I have no intention of leaving this town."
"Captain, I agree with you. This place has its bright spots, I have never tried anything quite like frozen yogurt before, but the Wicked Witch is here and with that sort of danger, what possible reason do you have to stay?" Smee asked him.
"My reasons are my own, question them again at your peril," Killian said.
"Sir," Smee said and walked away.
Brooke, Emma and Henry walked up, Brooke turned to her sister and nephew, "Wait here, please?" Brooke said and walked to Killian, "I prefer him as a rat."
"Aye, in many ways he still is," Killian said and turned to her, "So, what do I owe this pleasure?"
"We were wondering, if you could take care of Henry?" Brooke asked.
"You know, love, if you want a reason to get close to me all you have to do is ask," Killian teased and stepped closer, leaning in a little till there nose's touched, "No need to use the lad to get to me."
Brooke blushed a little, "You know I don't need an excuse, if I want to be close to you, in the way you're implying you know I'll get my way," She said and Killian smirked, "We need your help, Regina is teaching Emma and me as well, Emma needs to learn to control her magic and I need more lessons, as you know. We think that together, we might be able to defeat the Wicked Witch," Brooke said.
Killian stood up straight keeping his hand on her waist, "That's the first reasonable plan I've heard since this all began. Magic is a part of you both, not let your sister forget that. I've seen the power inside of you, if your sister has the same, it's about time for her to embrace it, it's what makes you both the saviours."
"You know embracing the magic isn't what Emma is thinking, she wanted to defeat Zelena and then she's gone," Brooke said, "Probably never see her again after this."
"Lyn?" Killian looked at her.
"Nothing... I've seen the crew rather restless, where's the Jolly Roger?" She said changing the subject quickly.
"Don't worry about it," He told her.
"Why? What happened last year that you're not telling me?" She asked holding onto the front of his jacket
"It matters not, just know that I'll tell you what you don't know when I'm ready... Can you do that for me?" Killian asked her.
"Of course," She smiled and kissed him, "Anything... To an extent," Brooke turned to Emma and Henry.
"Nope, nope, nope," Killian said and turned her head back to him. She looked at him confused before he kissed her again, "Okay, go and I'll watch your nephew."
"Thanks Hook," Emma said as Henry walked up to Killian.
"Be good," Brooke said.
"I will," Henry said.
"I wasn't talking to you Henry," Brooke said and smiled at Killian.
"I'm always good," Killian countered and chuckled as Brooke and Emma walked off.