The women and Hook walked towards the beanstalk, Hook, whose wrists were tied together as no one but Vivian trusted him, walked beside Vivian in front of the others.
"It's a little freakier than I remember from the story," Emma said.
"It looks like death," Mulan stated.
"Encouraging," Mary Margaret said.
"Well, your compass awaits, shall we?" Hook said as they walked towards the giant beanstalk.
"Wait, if these... Beans create portals, why not just pick one and go home? Why the compass?" Emma asked.
"Because there aren't any more beans. Whatever story you think you know, my dear, is most certainly wrong," Hook said and Vivian rolled her eyes.
"There was a guy named Jack, a cow, an evil giant and a golden harp," Emma said.
"Sounds like a lovely tale, but the truth's a little more gruesome," Hook turned to her as they reached the beanstalk, "The giants grew beans, but rather than use them for the good they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. If they couldn't have their magic, then nobody could. It's really very bad form," Hook said.
"Evil giants, who made magic portal beans? Why doesn't anyone just go up and grow some more?" Emma asked.
"Because one giant survived, the strongest and most terrible of them all and we'll have to get past him to..." Hook said.
"The magic compass," Mary Margaret finished for him.
"Indeed," Hook smirked, "The treasure remains and amongst it is the compass. Now, it will guide us to your land. Cora has the means to open a portal with the wardrobe ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it, steal the ashes from her and we're on our way," Hook said.
"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora?" Mulan asked.
"Because you five are far safer company. All I need is a ride back, I'll swear allegiance to whomever side she's one," Hook pointed to Vivian.
"Cute," Emma looked at the two then the beanstalk, "Then, let's start climbing."
"Right, so," Hook chuckled slightly, "I failed to mention that the giant enchanted the beanstalk to repel intruders," Hook told them.
"Then how the hell are we supposed to get the compass?" Vivian asked him.
"Well, I've got a counterspell from Cora, if you'd be so kind," Hook motioned to his tied wrists, Mary Margaret walked over to him and untied him, while glaring. Hook leaned down, "Thank you, Milady," He winked and stood up straight and lifted his right arm to show them a black cuff the began to glow, "I've got one more of theses. Cora was to accompany me. So, which one of you five ladies shall take her place, hmm?" He looked between the women, "Go on, fight it out. Don't be afraid to, you know to really get into it," Hook said as he grinned at them.
"You're into this far too much, Captain," Vivian looked at him, with a smirk as she walked to the other women and Hook chuckled at her words.
Vivian stood with the other women are they argued over who would go with Hook to get the compass but weren't getting anywhere.
"I'm going and that's final," Emma said.
"You're new here," Mary Margaret stated.
"Yeah and you're not very good in doing as you're told, do we need to remind you, your gun is crushed?" Vivian said.
"It's the only way we're getting back home to my son, I'm doing it," Emma argued and both Vivian and Mary Margaret stayed quiet, "You're not going to argue with me?"
"Would it do any good?" Mary Margaret asked.
"No, unfortunately not," Emma said and went to Mulan.
Mary Margaret looked at Vivian for her to say something, "Don't look at me she's your daughter," Vivian said, raising her hands up in defence, "Emma," Vivian walked to Emma when she finished talking to Mulan, "About Hook..." Emma looked at her, "Try not to encourage him, he is known to love female attention and loves to get me rilled up."
"Okay..." Emma said, unsure where this is going.
"If he like, I don't know, gets too close or you feel uncomfortable by anything, you have my permission to punch him in the thing he loves most, his face," Vivian said and Emma chuckled.
"Ladies, in this world we are slaves to time, and ours is running out. In other words, tick-tock," Hook groaned.
"I got it, I've known many hims," Emma said to Vivian and walked to Hook.
Hook watched her, "I was hoping it would be you," Hook said, with a smirk as he glanced at his love and Vivian glared at him.
"Just put the damn cuff on," Emma said as she held up her right arm.
"Put your hand right here, that's a good girl," Hook smirked as he placed Emma's hand on his shoulder. He glanced at Vivian, he locked riling her up one of his favourite things to do. He placed the cuff onto Emma's wrist, "This will allow you to climb, there are other dangers, thankfully you've got me to protect you," Hook said and Emma moved her hand from his shoulder and he motions to his left wrist with no hook, Emma just glared at him, "I can't climb one-handed, can I?"
"I'm not taking my eyes off you for a second," Emma said.
"I would despair if you did," Hook remarked.
Vivian took the hook from Mulan and walked to him, she twisted the hook into his brace and looked at him, "You really like pissing me off, don't you?" She whispered.
"Yes, I love the result I get from it," Hook smirked, Vivian rolled her eyes and turned to walk away but Hook grabbed her carefully by his hook and turned her back to him. He pulled her to him, leaned down and crashed his lips against hers, kissing passionately for the first time since they were separated over 28 years ago.
Vivian blushed a little and wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her by her waist. She pulled away and looked at him, "Behave okay?" She whispered.
"I'll try my hardest," Hook whispered and smirked.
"No, you will and you'll be rewarded if you are," Vivian nudged her nose against his and pulled away from him then walked to Mary Margaret as she touched her lips as both Emma and Hook began to climb the tree.
Vivian sat on the ground beside Mary Margaret in the shade, "You're worried..." Vivian said.
"Yes, I'm sorry but can you trust him?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I trust him with everything I have," Vivian said looking at her, "Why?"
"What if... What if he's just playing you to get the compass for him a Cora," Mary Margaret said.
Vivian sighed, "I wish I could tell you, you're overthinking it but she's a pirate the person who comes first with him is him, but... I know in my heart, he would not leave me here without him. If I wasn't here, he'd probably betray you all," Vivian said.
10 hours have passed, Mulan had been checking the time with something she made in the dry soil to keep the time. Vivian was looking at her locket waiting for Emma and Hook to come back when she looked up and saw Mulan walking to the beanstalk, drawing her sword.
"Mulan?" Vivian called out, "What are you doing?" She asked as she stood up.
Mulan swung at the beanstalk and Mary Margaret tackled her to the ground, both arguing and Vivian kicked Mulan's sword away from her.
"Enough!" Emma shouted as she jumped off the beanstalk, alone.
"You okay?" Mary Margaret asked as she went to her and helped her up, "Did you get it?"
"Yep," Emma pulled out the compass from her pocket.
Vivian looked up the beanstalk and magically choked Emma, "Vivian!" Mary Margaret looked at the stepsister.
"Where's Hook?" Vivian looked at her, in anger, "What happened?"
"I...I'm sorry... B...But he's planning on b...betraying us... L...Leaving us here w...while he and C...Cora go t...to Storybrooke," Emma struggled to say.
"Vivian, let her go," Mary Margaret said to her, "You said it yourself you couldn't really trust him and I'm sorry."
"H...He was using your l...love for him again you," Emma said. Vivian released her and looked at her, "I'm sorry," She breathed heavily, "I wish I was wrong Vivian, but he no longer loves you as you do him," Emma said.
Vivian breathed heavily and Mary Margaret placed her hand on her stepsister's shoulder, "I...I'm fine," She shrugged her stepsister's hand off, "S...Sorry Emma," She said as her eyes were watery.
Vivian sat alone in the campsite looking at her locket and Mary Margaret looked at her cautiously, she walked over to the quiet woman.
"Are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I don't know..." Vivian answered in a whisper as she opened the locket to see a small portrait of Hook.
"Vivian..." Mary Margaret crouched down and closed the locket taking her stepsisters hands, "Listen to me, you will find someone and you will be loved and treated with the respect and love you deserve," She said.
"I love him, Snow... As messed up as it is, I love him," Vivian sighed and Mary Margaret sat beside her, "He... He helped him move from the darkness and showed me my way back into the light with his love... Well, when he loved me... Maybe grandmother was right about one thing... Love is weakness," Vivian said.
"Hey, now, don't think like that," Mary Margaret said and hugged her younger sister.
Emma walked over to them, "What's up?" She asked.
"Uh, we're just having a sister moment," Mary Margaret said.
"Come on. Mulan has some ideas where Core might be hiding," Emma said and the three walked down to Mulan, passing Aurora who was asleep.
Aurora had been suffering from nightmares due to Maleficient putting her under the sleeping curse. She sees herself in a room with no doors or windows and flames surrounded her.
Aurora woke up screaming, "Snow! Snow!" She yelled.
Mary Margaret, Emma and Vivian walked over to her, "Hey," Mary Margaret knelt down to her, "I'm here, it's okay, it's okay. It's just another nightmare," Mary Margaret said.
"No, this time was different," Aurora breathed heavily, "There was a little boy, he put out the fire. He talked to m," Aurora said.
"A little boy?" Vivian said.
"What'd he say?" Emma said.
"He said... He said his name was Henry," Aurora told them.
Mary Margaret looked over at Emma and Vivian, all three with shocked looked their faces.